Kingdom & Healthcare I

Jim Wallis is a man with a prophetic voice in our world today with convictions formed and shaped by God's call for justice now. He is a terrific author and one of the primary voices of reshaping the form of Christian faith and values within the larger marketplace & political realm! He (and other writers) have produced an essay discussing the issue of health care reform designed for use in churches and small groups. It is called the Healthcare Toolkit and offers a very challenging perspective and call on Americans to radically change the health care system. It is found at www.sojourners.com. What follows are my thoughts and interactions with his position.

Wallis' views the world (and health care) through a lens of intense passion for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The prophetic call for justice by Jeremiah, Amos, & Isaiah shapes his ministry as the founder of Sojourners, an organization exploring the intersection of faith, politics, & culture.

He grounds his argument on the concept of imago dei - that every human regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status is created in the image of God himself. All people have dignity because of their creator and deserve to be treated as such. Therefore, to deny care to a fellow human because of money (or any other reason) essentially denies them their divinely appointed status. The caregiver who refuses the care ascends to a precarious place of power in a worldview where economics displaces empathy & people are reduced to numbers. Wallis taps into the prophetic pulse of Jesus himself and argues the church is commanded to seek the good of the "least of these" & to further allow large interest groups to lobby lawmakers into preserving what is in their best interests is an injustice. He argues for reform that would allow the poor (deserving or not) a means to attain care consistent with their intrinsic worth.

I was once asked by a good friend if I thought "health care was a right." I replied that I didn't know. To some degree I am still unsure. However, a portion of my uncertainty (not sure what size portion) is directly tied to the "rights" language - words so closely interwoven with a western sense of entitlement. And yet when I try to view the issue of health care reform through the kingdom of God, as a caregiver I cannot refuse proper care to a person for any reason and call myself a follower of Jesus.

Maybe others can delineate the political issue (with all its economic consequences) from the moral issue to care for the hurting person in front of you. I assume the former allows us to "dehumanize" people in the name of efficiency & sustainability. There is no face on the uninsured hurting with the former. And yet there are the clear economic consequences (for hospitals, doctors, nurses, etc.) of doing everything for free. But how can I even think about supporting a political position that blatantly ignores those most in need? The lines are very blurry here (at least for me). I have very serious questions about the current proposal but insofar as my objections are based on possible personal consequences (i.e. less income), they are sinful. My primary questions about the proposed bill have to do with the quality of health care and involvement of the government in the patient-physician decision-making process? I do think reform needs to happen. But I'm not sure how!

Imago Dei & The Emergency Room

I understand why emergency room doctors and staff become calloused over the years! I have completed five shifts or so in the emergency room and I must confess the deep theological problems that this has created within my soul - problems more of praxis (actually doing what Jesus called us to) than anything else.

The ER is one of those unique locales where the frailty of humanity is encountered at all places on the spectrum - coughs and colds, suicide attempts, high-speed car accidents, heart attacks, and drunks...many, many, many drunks!! ER staff have a front row seat at one of the most interesting shows in the world. Noone knows who is about to walk through that door, what problem they will present with, or what or who caused their predicament. It could be the "Drinking Olympics" and the subsequent foot-race that went awry. Or maybe it's the guy who was stabbed by his ex-wife with a pair of scissors. Or maybe it's the lady who punched her garage door!

The crux of the matter is this: What does it mean to be a Christ-follower in the face of tremendous stupidity and self-inflicted harm done repeatedly with no perceived end in sight?

ER docs (and staff) call them frequent flyers and other less complimentary names. And yet God calls them good...he created them and deemed them good. They as much as I are created with the divine imprint of the creator of the universe and deemed worthy of intrinsic inesteemable value! And yet I must admit I struggle with this tension. Jesus came to create a new humanity with a new lens through which to view the world in which we live and the people we cohabitate this planet with. And though I confess Jesus as Lord and know his way to be a way of love, peace, compassion, and justice, I struggle to keep this lens on all the time, especially with the drunks who seem to have nothing better to do than be stupid, hurt themselves, and come to the ER.

How do I continually, consistently, and compassionately care for those who seem to have no interest in their own well-being? How does a Christ-follower maintaina Christ-formed lens and avoid the judgmental, hateful, and arrogant spirit so prevalent and so easy to adopt?

One of the words we (all Christ-followers) must avoid is just. Such a short, simple word that is so insignificant on the surface...until the word is more fully examined and understood. In the ER we say things like "He's just a drunk bum" or "She's just a druggie and a pillseeker." Just is such an inherently reductionistic word because it takes a good creation of God - a human being created in the image of God - and instantaneously robs them of their dignity. When someone is just a drunk, they are no longer fully human but now defined by their fault and pigeon-holed into a certain class of people that are substandard. Though I understand they have robbed themselves of their own dignity with their own decisions, this is no excuse for people like to me to treat them as such and affirm their often self-proclaimed and society-labeled status.

God has called us to be just people - people who love His justice and His mercy; He has not called us to dehumanize people with our rhetoric and to rob them of what he has placed within them. Though I understand the calloused hearts, it is exactly those impulses that the cross calls me to reject!

This is hard. I confess my participation in this and seek forgiveness for where I have been a accomplice.

4 Years Ago

Yesterday we celebrated our 4th anniversary and spent the night down at the hotel at Paris Landing State Park. It has been a wonderful (and very busy) four years of life. We have managed to have 2 1/2 children (Bryan will be here in November). We have moved 5 times and lived in 4 different states. We have completed medical school with basically no income. We have worshipped at four different churches. Crazy!!

4 years ago yesterday I made the best move of my life and married my best friend. I love you Jenn! Here's to forty more...years, not kids! :)

The Kingdom of God & The Healthcare Debate (Intro)

Much ink, time, and press have been given lately to the current healthcare crisis - healthcare costs skyrocketing out of control, prickly questions about whether healthcare is a right and if it is then is healthcare equality also a right (i.e. Should the US Senators and the homeless man recieve the same level of care?). Words like "efficiency" & "limited resources" & "socialized medicine" & "market-driven" swirl around in a storm of power plays, barbed rhetoric, and ridiculous complexity. There is much confusion about what the new bills in the House & Senate do and don't do and there is no shortage of opinions at all places along the spectrum. If I were to be honest about where I am on the spectrum...I have no stinking idea!!

In the coming weeks I will try to honestly portray the tensions that reside within my mind and heart about what option (if such an option exists) that is consistent with the kingdom of God. I live in world - i.e. Medicine - as a physician that at least in my opinion is very opposed to any such reform bills being passed. Some objections are purely financial and greed-driven - the perceived ability to earn more money, etc - while others put forward concerns about the quality of care that will be given.

I also live in the world of theology and the kingdom of God and seek to be defined first and foremost as a disciple of Jesus Christ and no other. Justice for the poor and the least among us is an absolute non-negotiable in the eyes of God. He has proven repeatedly that he dislikes it when the rich oppress the poor and perpetuate injustice.

Christians are equally divided on this issue with perspectives from all corners claiming to be doing the will of God. What in the world is going on? I have no intention of trying to answer all these questions (or any of them for that matter) in this blog but I do hope to portray one man's honest perspective and questions about our current situation. I pray that whatever is done with these posts will be only helpful and conversation-provoking. One thing I am certain of is that wherever there is slander from any side, it does not reflect the image of Jesus.

Blessings...

Emergency Medicine

Well...I survived my first month of my internship. 35 days of Internal Medicine taking care of everything from electrolyte imbalances to heart attacks to ruptured intestines to anxiety attacks. I did six shifts of inhouse (we actually have to physically be in the hospital - yeah it stinks) call and the best part...all my patients survived! At least when I left them they were alive and that's kind of the point. Now I am doing Emergency Medicine. In the next 35 days I have 16 twelve hour shifts...(do the math and that'a alot of days off - yeah that rocks) and the best part...no deaths yet!! And I do stress the yet aspect! The goal is to make sure that at the end of your shift, your patient(s) are still breathing and if they are, it's been a good day...because now they are someone else's problem :) Just kidding but shift work is kinda nice!

Anyways, this post is part to let you know what's new in my world and part to justify why I haven't written in a while. Everything is going well. We are adjusting to life in Motown (burbs really) and settling into a routine. Look for more soon!

Who Are We?

Churches of Christ are in an interesting position. The theological spectrum - traditional to progressive - has seemingly never been wider as cultural forces continue to wreak havoc on both the theology as well as the attendance of denominations nationwide. And yet a disturbing trend is beginning to appear. As many churches of Christ move farther away from the traditional stances (a good thing) and hermeneutic (way of interpreting and applying Scripture), many have taken pride in what we have left behind and yet seem to have no legitimate alternative to replace it. We know what we are against but what are we for? If we are not churches that fight over issues of worship forms or eternal designations, what are we willing to be passionate about and intensely pursue? Are we willing to pursue issues of justice and peace, causes of community involvement and development, or cultural engagement with postmodern youth? There is certainly a place to critique our heritage and its faults, but I assumed that "progressive" churches had moved past berating our ancestors to a "better" place. But after listening to many churches whose goal seems to be "not being a traditional conservative COC" the question has to be asked: "If we are becoming progressive, what are we progressing toward?" And "Is it really progress?" I would love your thoughts...

Religulous: "Religion + Ridiculous"

My wife and I finally broke down and watched the movie (one among many) that is causing an outcry from so many religious groups - Bill Maher's 2008 documentary Religulous. As I watched the movie I found myself both crying and laughing, disgusted and intrigued, ashamed and enthralled, appalled and captivated.

For those that haven't seen the film, Maher's quotes include...

"Religion must die in order for man to live."
" Religion is detrimental to the progress of humanity."
Religious people make a "virtue out of not thinking."
Religious leaders are "intellectual slaveholders."

Not exactly a flattering portrayal! Throughout the film Maher's cynical and sarcastic interactions with some of the most fanatical people I have ever seen reveal both a distasteful mockery of religion and a surprisingly accurate critique of much of Christianity. He talks in depth about his own journey - growing up with one Catholic parent and one Jewish parent - and in doing so offers a very insightful glimpse into a perspective shared by more and more people in the United States. He describes his early church experience as "vast stretches of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror."

His film asks penetrating questions like "Why is faith a good thing?" He stands in front of St Peter's Square in Rome and asks if the power and wealth represented by the Vatican was really what Jesus intended? He confronts a wealthy televangelist with the stark contrast between his life and that of Jesus. He identifies the dissonance between Christianity and Nationalism - the bedfellows of God & Country. He questions the "arrogant certitude" of religious people.

When he finished his monsoon of attacks on religion, I was heartbroken at the representation that Jesus has in this world. It almost seemed that Bill was enthralled with a Jesus who stood for the poor, challenged the powerful and wealthy, and offered a new way of living but Bill wasn't seeing it lived out. He observed the stupidity and irrelevance that characterizes so much of Christianity today and asks how this is good news for the rest of the world. As I waded through the sarcasm and mockery, I found a prophet - a voice asking followers of Jesus "Are you really good news to the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, and the entire world?" "Or do you live in a land focused only on the hereafter and unwilling to engage in honest discussion about tough issues like evolution, homosexuality, wealth, and justice?"

Maher is advocating that the answer to bad religion and bad theology is no religion or theology at all! Get rid of them! I disagree. The solution to bad theology is good theology, not jettisoning all theology. The solution to a screwed-up religion is to replace it with a healthy one - to recapture the essence of Jesus of Nazareth and proclaim his kingdom. Hopefully this call will be heeded by those who claim Jesus as Lord.

Stuff

We have alot of stuff! As we prepare for our fifth move in under four years of marriage, we are engaging in the ritual of packing. And as we pack we discover things we haven't seen since last year and haven't used in the past two years...if ever! This year we are joining some friends to do a yard sale and as Jenn and I go through our junk we are having some very interesting conversations about what stuff we are willing to part with. It is amazing how attached we get to certain items that may or may not be of any use but are retained "just in case I ever need it."

For example, my mountain bike. I cannot remember the last time I rode it. I cannot ride it because the chain has rotted (because I haven't ridden it). And yet I love my bike! I paid hundreds of dollars for that bike! All I can do with my bike is look at it and think "I have a really nice bike! I ought to ride that some time" but my wife dared to ask me about selling my bike! How dare she!! I am amazed that as we struggle financially through the tough times of finishing a life lived on student loans and the time of making a salary still well below the poverty line, I turn aghast at getting rid of my bike! Enter Holy Spirit... ( I really hate being convicted)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also! ~ Mt6:19-21

No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. ~ Mt6:24

Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice... ~ Mt6:33a

So, if anyone is interested I have a (really tall) TREK 4500 Aluminum Frame Men's Mountain Bike with front and rear shock absorbers that will be for sale tomorrow morning! We'll see what happens...

Is God Just?

Today was a difficult day! The sermon today came from Joshua 6-7 & dealt with the stories of Jericho's fall and Achan's sin. Though these stories (more so Jericho than Achan's stoning) have been ever present in my upbringing, today the Spirit (I think it was the holy one) put before me once again the issue of justice. But today was different because the question lay not with instances of human violence &indifference but rather acts of violence ordered directly by God!

They devoted the city [Jericho] to the LORD & destroyed with the sword every living thing in it - men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep, and donkeys. (Joshua 6:21)

Then Joshua...took Achan, son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons & daughters, his cattle, donkeys, and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the valley of Achor. Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today!" Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. (Joshua 7:24-26)

I am not sure how many sermons I've heard give the "point" of these stories in phrases like... "God takes sin very seriously and therefore we need to take sin more seriously too" or "If you listen to God things will go well for you, but if you don't, remember Achan." I know that there is some truth embedded in those statements but the fundamental issue of my struggle is much deeper.

How do you reconcile this God (YHWH) with the message and person of Jesus Christ? I understand taking sin seriously and maintaining the covenant with his people, but ordering the massacre of women and kids, grandmas and grandpas, babies and little boys (probably some of them around my sons' ages)? And then Jesus comes along as the full embodiment of God in the flesh with "Love your enemies" and "Blessed are the peacemakers" and "Let the sinless one throw the first stone." How do these go together? I understand the communal identity inherent within the ancient time period (totally foreign to an individualistic, consumer-driven society of the USA) but.... is that really just? When Jesus calls us to "Seek first God's kingdom & God's justice" with peace and love instead of hate and sword, what are we to do with these stories?

A fundamental assumption of the scriptural narrative is that God is the same and that Jesus is the embodiment of that deity in its fullness! And yet God remains free - free from my preconceived notions of what he should be doing with his time and his universe and his creation! (He has yet to ask my opinion on any of that!), free from our doctrinal boxes that seek to describe him, free from the limitations of our understanding and intellect, free to be the "I AM." I don't have any answers; just alot of questions - hard but honest! Today was a tough day!

It's a Boy!!

Today we had our ultrasound and our little bundle of joy went spread eagle for the camera and showed off his turtle for the world to see! It is quite the incriminating picture and one that could possible show up in a graduation video somewhere down the line. I would post it but our scanner doesn't work. Oh well! Everything looks good and we are thrilled not to have to buy girl stuff...yet. I get to avoid the pink stuff for a little while longer!! :) Though I do keep wondering...maybe God keeps giving me boys because he knows that I don't want a girl that looks like me!! Hmmm....

My youngest son - Luke Richard Stephens. This was at my graduation from medical school a few weeks ago.

He Looks better in it than I do!

Not-So-Deep Service & Deep Justice

Let me share with you something I ran across recently. The book is Deep Justice in a Broken World: Helping Your Kids Serve Others & Right the Wrongs Around Them by Chap Clark & Kara Powell (Zondervan 2007). The authors juxtapose (compare & contrast) service and justice with intent of pointing Christians to pursue "deep justice." (pp. 15-16)

Service makes us feel like a "great white savior" (or black or brown or other skin color) who rescues the broken. Justice means God does the rescuing, but often he works through the united power of his great and diverse community to do it.

Service often dehumanizes (even if only subtly) those who are labeled the "receivers." Justice restores human dignity by creating an environment in which all involved "give" & "receive" in a spirit of reciprocal learning & mutual ministry.

Service is something we do for others. Justice is something we do with others.

Service is an event. Justice is a lifestyle.

Service expects results immediately. Justice hopes for results some time soon but recognizes that systemic change takes time.

The goal of service is to help others.The goal of justice is is to remove obstacles so others can help themselves.

Service focuses on what our own ministry can accomplish. Justice focuses on how we can work with other ministries to accomplish even more.

Service is serving food at the local homeless shelter. Justice means asking why people are hungry and homeless in the first place - and then doing something about it.

Kingdom Justice

Jesus came to bring good news...to the poor. He called that good news the kingdom of God & said it was at hand. He invited everyone to enter it & experience life to the fullest! He lived complete love, perfect holiness, and radical justice. He demands the same of his followers. So, as his apprentices, we seek kingdom life & kingdom justice...now!!

What an awesome story and an awesome calling!!

"We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, but we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself." ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"We can do no great things. We can only do small things with great love." ~ Momma T

"We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's roadside...but one day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that a system that produces beggars needs to be repaved. We are called to be the Good Samaritan, but after you lift so many people out of the ditch you start to ask, maybe the whole road to Jericho needs to be repaved." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

When Gandhi was asked whether or not he was a Christian, he would often reply, "Ask the poor. They will tell you who the Christians are."

Journey of Justice

What is justice? A word? A concept? An ideal? A pursuit? Much easier to demand than define. Very complicated yet essential. Incredibly difficult yet important. A journey not taken alone but with people of all races, genders, socioeconomic classes, etc.

The word in the New Testament for righteousness & justice is the same word. The "rightness" and perfection of God flows directly from His very essence. God is defined by justice - a justice far beyond our comprehension yet with very clear parameters. God hates the oppression of the poor. Though he does not favor the poor, he is favorably disposed toward them because he knows that it is the poor who are often exploited, oppressed, and trampled on by those in places of power and prestige. The poor are not to be exploited. The orphans and widows are not the be ignored. God always hears the cry of the oppressed...always! 'Let there be justice' is the rallying cry of prophetic voices through the ages from Amos to Martin Luther King, Jr., Isaiah to Ghandi, & embodied perfectly in the life, death, & resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. God's story in Scripture explodes with God's concern for justice and his response when it is ignored.

I am relatively new to this journey. Justice has not been my passion. For whatever reason, a disconnect has existed between my faith and the impetus to engage in social issues such as poverty, oppression, international human rights causes, etc. For that I am truly sorry. Though i am certainly not where I need to be, I freely admit that I believe I am now cognizant of God's intentions for justice moreso than I have ever been before. My eyes and ears are continually being opened to the work that is before us. From this day forward, I commit to seeking justice and pray for the courage to go wherever God may take me.

Angels & Demons

To the chagrin of the conservative religious folks, I risked corruption of my mind today and took my beautiful wife on a date to see the new Tom Hanks movie Angels & Demons based on Dan Brown's book. It made for some very interesting conversation over dinner!

Faith & Science
One theme that was front and center throughout the movie was the tension between religion and science. Without giving away too much of the movie, the Catholic Church is forced to revisit its stance on scientific advancement and acknowledge its poor track record. One does not have to be a history buff to recognize the dismal stance of the church on anyone with a scientific belief that would in any way challenge their authority - Copernicus, Galileo, etc.

One statement in particular garnered my attention: "Science and religion are not contradictory but rather two different ways of telling the same story." As a physician and a minister, this particular debate is very close to my heart. And yet these questions of faith and science are not simply historical hobbies but are brought the forefront in our day of stem cell research, human genome mapping, research into a possible genetic basis of homosexuality, eugenics research, etc.

How does the catholic church - not just the Vatican - respond when our scientific prowess marches forward at incredible rates creating new ethical dilemmas almost daily? Theological issues such as how we view the Bible and its "inspired" status, how we view truth & who can possess it, and ultimately how we view God are all wrapped up in the conversation. Often we ask the Bible questions it was never designed to answer and God is reduced to a "God of the Gaps" (Belief in God is there for those parts of the universe we don't understand). And yet, the god revealed in Scripture is the creator of the universe and the source of all truth - scientific, theological, psychological, philosophical. All truth is God's truth! I love Rob Bell's statement that when Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life," he is essentially stating that he leads us into all truth. The world is created through him and faith in him allows us to pursue truth wherever it rests!

Church & Power
Much ink has been spilled in refuting the historicity of Dan Brown's claims but to me those arguments are simply nauseating. It's a novel, not a history book. Let it be a novel and take it for what it is. And though it is fiction, it does offer a very pointed critique of the religious world.In the same vein as the DaVinci Code, this movie offers a very poor picture of the Roman Catholic Church. Both of these movies beg the question: To what lengths will the church go to maintain its current position of power, wealth, and prestige?

It is no secret that the Roman Catholic Church commands an enormous amount of power and wealth in our world and especially in the religious world. The storyline of both movies has to do with a secret the church wants to keepunder wraps and the steps it takes to prevent those secrets going public. When the church of Jesus Christ jumps in bed with power and wealth, what happens? When the center of your faith is a man who willingly gives up his power and position in exchange for death as a criminal, how like Jesus can a church be when money and power are involved?

In the USA, the church has been moved to margins of society and no longer holds a place of widespread respect. We as the church have a very fundamental question to answer - What do we do now? Do we try to get that place in society back or do we embrace our new wilderness and explore what God has for us? It is the question of liminality.

If you are still reading thank you! I would love to know what you think. Blessings...

The Irresistible Revolution

A week ago my wife bought me a graduation present for $1.25. Now typically I am the cheap one of the family but this was a very well spent $1.25. She bought me the book The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne (Zondervan 2006). WOW! It has been so long since a book has challenged and convicted me in the way that Shane is able to. He and a group of friends are the founders of the The Simple Way (www.thesimpleway.org) in Philly - an experiment in Christian community, justice, and solidarity with the poor. I can't remember ever reading about someone who took Jesus so seriously as does Shane. His divine calling and his call to the church are shaped by living amidst the people on the margins, those Jesus came to live with and join ranks with. He offers a clear alternative to the "American civil religion" siding in favor with the radical nature of the kingdom of God. It is unbelievably challenging! And yet I wonder how much more radical he is than Jesus. I must confess I do not so easily see the radical nature of Jesus' teachings as I do Shane's. The religion of comfort, safety, and complacency so permeates American churches (including my own) and American Christians (including me) that it is difficult to imagine taking the steps that Shane has taken to put Jesus into practice.

I am about 2/3 through the book and would highly recommend (with strong cautions for the faint of heart and mind) to engage his book with an open mind knowing ahead of time it will convict you and challenge you.

Blessings...

Losing Our Religion

I just watched a story by Dan Harris on abcnews.com that reports on a stunning trend among the youth in the United States. Since 1990, the number of young people - Generation X & Y - who claim to not be part of a religion has skyrocketed from 5-10% in 1990 to 30-40% according to some new research out of Harvard University. In the interview, the researcher states that American youth have grown increasingly opposed to the association between religion and the conservative political right. He states that they are not atheist but rather view faith and politics through a radically different lens than their parents' generations. A new generation refuses to accept the conservative social agenda - primarily abortion & homosexuality - as the stance a "good Christian" should take.

There is no doubt the landscape of American religion has changed drastically and by all indicators will continue to do so. Politics is an area of such varied positions and opinions, all of which seem to be lightning rods of intense debate. Religion and Politics is even more controversial! For many years the Republicans have had a monopoly on church-goers. It is common opinion that one who confesses Jesus as Lord cannot (at risk of the fires of hell) vote for someone who is pro-choice & pro-homosexuality. Issues such as poverty, war, environment, and others have taken a back seat to "The Big Two." As I continue to study and explore what it means to be part of the kingdom of God, it is becoming increasingly clear to me that God's people are called to see a larger picture from a very different perspective. God very much cares about the poor, victims of war, and the environment. He also cares about life from its earliest beginnings to its final breath. He cares about sexuality - both hetero and homo - and demands that both be submitted to him. Yes homosexuality is a sin but so is adultery. And I would be willing to wager that more harm has been done through heterosexual sin than has ever been done through homosexuality. It is interesting to read as the Republican party tries to reinvent themselves in the midst of such widespread religious turmoil.

What does this mean for the kingdom of God? Well, God is certainly not a Republican and personally I have no stake in insuring the future of either dominant political party. However, I do have a stake in the kingdom of God. I am passionate about navigating the intersection between the kingdom of God, the church, and American culture. As the role of church in our society changes, it is an incredible opportunity for the church to reevaluate its identity and mission amidst changing times. I am excited about the future and look forward to exploring what the kingdom of God looks like in the 21st century.

Kingdom Justice

Mt 6:33 ~ Seek first the kingdom of God & his justice... ~ Jesus

Over the past year or so, God has been doing something in my mind & heart that stirs up passion and intensity that I haven't experienced in a long while. My understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ and God's purpose and intentions for all of his creation has undergone a transformation that I could not have imagined. In short, viewing the kingdom of God inaugurated in Jesus of Nazareth as the good news of God has reinvigorated my faith and passion for the truth of God, wherever that may lead me! In revisiting the New Testament, I am amazed at the number of time Jesus references the kingdom (121 times according to the concordance) compared to the church (3 times). Whatever Christlikeness is to look like, it must engage and be shaped by the kingdom of God. Jesus taught people to pray - "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." He told his followers to "seek first the kingdom of God and his justice." The more I read of Jesus the more I am enthralled with the man and his mission. When asked to pick sides on a debate, he chose to reframe the questions and issue(s) at hand offering an alternative from left field forcing everyone to revisit and rethink their perspectives from a kingdom viewpoint. What does this look like? I don't know for sure but I have never been so excited about being a Jesus-follower before!!

Jesus came to bring good news...to the poor. He called that good news the kingdom of God & said it was at hand. He invited everyone to enter it & experience life to the fullest! He lived complete love, perfect holiness, and radical justice. He demands the same of his followers. So, as his apprentices, we seek kingdom life & kingdom justice...now!!

• What does this look like for an orthopedic surgeon?

• How can I participate in and seek first the justice of God when interacting with my patients, our current healthcare situation, and fellow healthcare personnel?

• Justice is so much easier to demand than it is to define. How do I remain humble and continually submit my thoughts and desires to God's spirit?

Family Business Updates

Here are some of the new things going on in our world...

1. Jenn is pregnant...again! We're apparently having trouble with the whole birth control thing :) She is due on November 3. We find out boy or girl on May 29 at our first ultrasound.
   
2. I graduate from medical school on Saturday May 16, 2009...Now I have to get a stinking job! And Jenn refuses my request to now be called "Doctor" from now on! What's up with that!!
   
3. We are buying our first home! We will be living Shelby Township, MI in a great home near the Rochester Hills Church.
   
4. Garrett will turn 3 years old in July. Luke is almost 14 months old (on the 19th).
5. We are packing up our house in Elkhorn to prep for the big move. Ugh..

There is a great deal more but it would take too long! These are a few of the things that we are up to as of late! Enjoy...

Graduation Day!!

Four years have passed so suddenly it begs the question of what happened! Well - two children, a pregnant wife, six-figures worth of debt, thousands of miles traveled, four moves, and countless hours spent in hospitals later, it sure as heck seems like something happened! This Saturday I will join my classmates in Kansas City for our graduation from medical school where we will celebrate the achievement of surviving medical school. We all - men & women - will don our dresses of lofty achievements and receive our 60 seconds of glory as we strut across the stage smiling, shaking hands, hugging necks, receiving compliments and praying all the while we do not trip on our dresses! And after we have picked up our $205,000 piece of paper we will exit the stage as...doctors! Hmmm.... Four years later and all that work...it just seems anti-climactic.

I guess it's all in the perspective! We will be told how wonderful we are and how proud people are of us only to find out that the real work remains. For every compliment and hug that is shared, there are millions of people who frankly do not care. They don't care because priorities like obtaining food, water, shelter, & medicine in order to make it through the day obscure their need to celebrate the greatness of our achievement. They don't care because their struggle to survive make our whines about the struggle of long nights studying over the past four years. They don't care about our terminal degrees because they would be happy with an elementary level education but cannot afford it. They do not care about our enormous loan debts or our earning potential because they live on $2 per day. They don't care...

I have not intended with this writing to downplay the significant milestone that a medical school graduation represents. It is a wonderful accomplishment that very few will ever attain. I have intended, however, to put graduation day in perspective - a point of view that allows the cries of millions (if not billions) of people around the world who will be born, live, & die in the shadows of a world that more often than not will never acknowledge their existence. We too often allow pomp & circumstance to subdue the harsh realities of our world - starvation, disease, death.

Can we/I hear their cries for help? Will we stop long enough in the midst of the accolades and busyness to listen to the deafening cry of those who wonder if anyone will hear their cry and act on their behalf?

These are my thoughts. Do with them what you will....