May 18-25 we return to Los Angeles to work on Skid Row and in South Central. We will be tutoring homeless children, working with children in South Central (Gang Land), and serving and working with the homeless. There are 90,000 homeless in LA. 20,000 are women. 6,000 are children.
I am blessed to take 21 amazing students on this trip. The trip always transforms lives and develops leaders. God always shows up in the most amazing ways as we are all stretched profoundly. We get to see some of the most beautiful things in the darkest of places, hope in the midst of despair.
We are sponsoring a 5K Fun Run and a 10K Competitive Run on April 24, 2010 at McAllister Park in San Antonio (Race starts at 8:00 a.m.). All proceeds from the race will go toward sending our students to Los Angeles for a very intensive week of work.
We would like for you to participate in the sending of our students! You can do so in several ways:
1) You can pre-register online ($15.00). Here is the link to the race registration site (cost is $20.00 on race day):
http://www.active.com/running/san-antonio-tx/race-for-the-least-of-these-10k-race5k-fun-runwalk-2010
You don't have to be a runner to participate! While there will be trophies and medals for the winners of each age group, this race is all about sending students on mission. You can walk, enjoy a day in the park!
2) You can help sponsor the race. Sponsorship begins at $200.00. All sponsors will have their church or company logo on the back of the race T-Shirt.
3) You can send a gift to help send students to Los Angeles on mission trip. All gifts are charitable contributions and are thus tax deductible.
Checks are payable to San Antonio Baptist Association. In the memo section of the check, you can designate "BSM Mission Trip" or "BSM Race Sponsorship." If you want to sponsor, please send me your company or church logo so we can get it to the t-shirt designer. All sponsorships are due by April 13. You can contact me at: utsabsm@gmail.com
The address for San Antonio Baptist Association: 5807 I H 10 W; San Antonio, TX 78201.
Your investment in our students is an investment in the leaders of tomorrow, in the lives of many homeless in Los Angeles, and many children in South Central.
Your prayers are greatly needed as well. The week is taxing, challenging, and quite difficult. We need prayer covering. We are not always in the safest of places.
Thank you for your prayers and for your support of BSM.
Grace and Peace,
Kevin
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Science, Faith, Theodicy and Ed-Engaging the New Atheists
His name is Ed and he is a friendly young man. Approximately 24, Ed returned to school at the University of Texas, San Antonio after two tours of Iraq. When Ed graduated from High School, he considered himself a Christian. He knows the Scriptures-very well. He 'walked the aisle' at the age of 12, and grew up in the church. He will tell you that he prayed to receive Christ and believed everything in the Scriptures. He will tell you that he had no doubts, trusted Christ and grew up a strong Christian in a strong Christian home.
He will also tell you now that he has disavowed Christ and is certain of his atheism.
He will tell you that the first cracks in his faith surfaced in Iraq, where he saw "so much evil go on in the name of religion, in the name of God" from professing Christians as well as devout Muslims. He wondered where God was in all of this, why He would allow so much suffering and evil if He were truly loving. He wondered why God would allow such evil to flourish if He was all powerful? He wondered why God did not seem to answer his prayers while in Iraq. He considered all of these things as he came back to the States to resume his academic studies. God seemed distant, and Ed wondered why people in America were so 'oblivious' to the evil that was in the world and so blindly trusted in God. He wondered if Christianity was a convenient faith in a comfortable land.
During his studies in school, he threw himself into studying science and history. He concluded that science and the Bible were incompatible. He studied history and determined that a 'group of men just made decisions to control people at the early church counsels.' He said there came that moment when "I was liberated. I saw it was all a sham, all something made up, something designed to be a crutch for the weak, to comfort the intellectually lazy, something to control people's behaviors."
I met Ed two weeks ago at our Wednesday lunch. We talked for over an hour. Ed had many questions. God gave much grace in that conversation as I spoke to him. Our conversation was not hostile-it was lively, but not dishonorable. I hold tightly to the apologetic of 1 Peter 3:15,16. I did not answer all of Ed's questions to his liking-but we did have several moment where it became clear his thinking was distorted or his view of Scripture or Christianity was a misrepresentation of what we truly believe.
I told him about a book, written by Dr. Hugh Ross that I would like him to read. He agreed and last week I lent him the book and he is reading brilliant writing from a brilliant Christian astrophysicist on the subject of creation. Please pray for the conversations that will follow.
A lot of praying was going on in that conversation. I prayed the Spirit would open Ed's eyes, heal the wounds, and remove the blinders that kept him from seeing The Christ. I prayed against the enemy who was blinding him and holding him hostage. This conversation was not some mere intellectual debate-it was spiritual warfare to the core.
But there was certainly a great deal of discussion that involved apologetics (defending the faith). Scripture (again, 1 Peter 3:15,16) makes it clear that we are to 'always be ready to give reason for the Hope that is within us-and to give that reason with all gentleness and respect.'
I took away several things from that conversation:
1) We Christians as a whole are not taking "loving God with all of our MIND very seriously." We like to give pat answers to real, probing questions our lost friends have. We give Sunday School answers: "The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it." That is a wonderful personal credo when it comes to faith-but is not something to spout to intellectual seekers when they have serious questions. Ed even joked "When I ask Christians questions that are really important to me, I get the same answers: "God....Jesus...the Bible...no one seems to be able to talk about faith and science, faith and history or faith and philosophy." Ed has legitimate questions.
My first question: Are we properly equipping Christians to defend and share their faith with the "New Atheists?" ,with people who have legitimate questions who are seekers?"
2) A lot of seekers are encountering a lot of angry Christians. Peter said we were to give reason for the hope that is within us, but to do so with all 'gentleness and respect.' Sometimes we Christians are good at arguing with those who disagree with us, but not so good at speaking the Truth in love. We don't have the option of 'opting out' of loving our neighbor-and yes, even Atheists are our neighbors. This leads to my next question:
Are we really embracing the second greatest commandment? Love is supreme. We can disagree with people and discuss ideas without being hostile or hateful. We can defend our faith without dehumanizing others in the Name of Christ. There were several tings Ed said about his encounters with Christians, and one in particular broke my heart: "I have legitimate questions and you have no idea how many times Christians start yelling at me or calling me names or just saying 'you're going to hell,' as opposed to talking about the issues. Christians are just angry people! And Jesus is supposed to be loving? This God is loving? If that's the case why are His people so hateful?"
Ed had many questions. He said during his 'crisis of faith' that point where he was making a decision to believe in God or not, he asked many questions from Christians and in his church. He was told on several occasions something along these lines: 'I'm concerned you have so many questions...faith doesn't do that. You just believe.'
My third question: "Does God tell us to check our brains at the door when we come to faith in Him?"-or, related to this-"Is Christianity illogical?"
God is the Author of Truth and our faith is certainly not 'illogical.' Some of the most brilliant minds throughout human history have come from Christianity. Some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs came from Christian scientists who engaged in scientific pursuit because they believed in a Sovereign, Creative, Orderly God who gave sense and meaning to life and to the cosmos. Unfortunately, there has been a 'dumbing down' in the area of discipleship, even in the area of preaching and teaching. The focus on 'felt needs' has in many ways led us to focus more on making people feel good (and make sure we keep them happy in our gatherings) our as opposed to walking through the full counsel of God and addressing not only 'felt needs' but also real needs-and that includes the need to share the Gospel with non-believers in a way they can understand.
Paul's missiological approach in Acts 17 (his encounter with the Greek philosophers) is informative. Paul knew what the philosophers believed, understood their philosophy and even quoted from some of their poets and philosophers, using the insights the lost thinkers had as a bridge to share the Truth. Paul was heartbroken over the idolatry, but respectful, even commending the philosophers for being 'religious men.'
We can learn a lot from Paul. Paul did not compromise the Message, he showed love and respect and he knew how to defend the faith with some of the intellectuals of his day. What Paul did not do was spew hatred towards the philosophers who were somewhat arrogant as they pondered Paul's ideas, ideas which were 'strange to their ears'-they even called him a babbler. Still...Paul persevered, shared the Truth and demonstrated love and respect.
There are many people like Ed in our city, in our culture. Ed is not opposed to the idea of God, he simply wants some legitimate questions answered. He has a lot of anger towards God. In our conversation, I did point out (carefully) that he seemed quite angry with someone who does not exist from his point of view. Ed slipped several times in this area. It makes no sense to be angry with a non-existent Deity.
You see, the core issue of Ed's 'unbelief' was his inability to reconcile what he was learning in science, his life experiences in Iraq, and what he was hearing in his history classes. To be frank, many of his objections from a historical and scientific point of view were related to poor discipleship-and professors who had an agenda to undermine Christianity.
Poorly discipled Christians encountering 'intellectuals' with an agenda against Christians often find themselves dashed on the rocks.
We can and must do better.
Please pray for Ed. God knows him and loves him. Pray that Ed will come to truly know Christ. Pray for our students and for me, for those who are in conversation with him. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Pray also that the enemy be bound. He is wily and crafty and has blinded Ed.
Pray also for the church. Pray that we would rediscover what it means to love God with 'all of our mind'-as John R.W. Stott said, our minds "matter to God."
If you are wondering what some of Ed's questions were-here are a few statements and questions:
1) "If God knows everything and is Good and Loving, why did He create a world where He knew we would fall? Why would He do that to condemn most of humanity to hell?"
2) "It's like God slits our throats, tells us we are dying, and then says, 'love me and you will live. Do not love me, and you will die. He cut our throats, making us imperfect-what kind of love is that?"
3) "Most of the evil in the world has come from religious zealots doing all of this evil in the name of their god. We would all be better off if we were all liberated from these superstitions."
4) "You Christians believe the earth is 6,000 years old. It's laughable. Science has proven beyond a doubt that the earth is millions of years old. How can any intelligent person believe such a thing?"
5) "Why does God create people He plans on tormenting for eternity in hell? If He knows everything, He knows who will love Him and who won't. Why would He make people just to torture them in hell for eternity? Isn't that evil?"
6) "If God is so wise, why couldn't He figure out a way to create a perfect environment where there was no possibility for evil or sin?"
7) "If God is so good and heals people and things like it says in the Bible, why don't we see amputees growing limbs back or the lame walking or the blind seeing? Where is the evidence for that?"
I could go on-but this is a starting point. Interesting questions, and we can address these issues, but are we willing to study and learn and are we willing to have meaningful dialogue?
The culture is asking a lot of questions. Bumper sticker theology isn't going to answer these questions, but followers of Christ, filled with the Spirit, available to Him, who are learning to love God with their minds, will be quite useful in His Hands.
He will also tell you now that he has disavowed Christ and is certain of his atheism.
He will tell you that the first cracks in his faith surfaced in Iraq, where he saw "so much evil go on in the name of religion, in the name of God" from professing Christians as well as devout Muslims. He wondered where God was in all of this, why He would allow so much suffering and evil if He were truly loving. He wondered why God would allow such evil to flourish if He was all powerful? He wondered why God did not seem to answer his prayers while in Iraq. He considered all of these things as he came back to the States to resume his academic studies. God seemed distant, and Ed wondered why people in America were so 'oblivious' to the evil that was in the world and so blindly trusted in God. He wondered if Christianity was a convenient faith in a comfortable land.
During his studies in school, he threw himself into studying science and history. He concluded that science and the Bible were incompatible. He studied history and determined that a 'group of men just made decisions to control people at the early church counsels.' He said there came that moment when "I was liberated. I saw it was all a sham, all something made up, something designed to be a crutch for the weak, to comfort the intellectually lazy, something to control people's behaviors."
I met Ed two weeks ago at our Wednesday lunch. We talked for over an hour. Ed had many questions. God gave much grace in that conversation as I spoke to him. Our conversation was not hostile-it was lively, but not dishonorable. I hold tightly to the apologetic of 1 Peter 3:15,16. I did not answer all of Ed's questions to his liking-but we did have several moment where it became clear his thinking was distorted or his view of Scripture or Christianity was a misrepresentation of what we truly believe.
I told him about a book, written by Dr. Hugh Ross that I would like him to read. He agreed and last week I lent him the book and he is reading brilliant writing from a brilliant Christian astrophysicist on the subject of creation. Please pray for the conversations that will follow.
A lot of praying was going on in that conversation. I prayed the Spirit would open Ed's eyes, heal the wounds, and remove the blinders that kept him from seeing The Christ. I prayed against the enemy who was blinding him and holding him hostage. This conversation was not some mere intellectual debate-it was spiritual warfare to the core.
But there was certainly a great deal of discussion that involved apologetics (defending the faith). Scripture (again, 1 Peter 3:15,16) makes it clear that we are to 'always be ready to give reason for the Hope that is within us-and to give that reason with all gentleness and respect.'
I took away several things from that conversation:
1) We Christians as a whole are not taking "loving God with all of our MIND very seriously." We like to give pat answers to real, probing questions our lost friends have. We give Sunday School answers: "The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it." That is a wonderful personal credo when it comes to faith-but is not something to spout to intellectual seekers when they have serious questions. Ed even joked "When I ask Christians questions that are really important to me, I get the same answers: "God....Jesus...the Bible...no one seems to be able to talk about faith and science, faith and history or faith and philosophy." Ed has legitimate questions.
My first question: Are we properly equipping Christians to defend and share their faith with the "New Atheists?" ,with people who have legitimate questions who are seekers?"
2) A lot of seekers are encountering a lot of angry Christians. Peter said we were to give reason for the hope that is within us, but to do so with all 'gentleness and respect.' Sometimes we Christians are good at arguing with those who disagree with us, but not so good at speaking the Truth in love. We don't have the option of 'opting out' of loving our neighbor-and yes, even Atheists are our neighbors. This leads to my next question:
Are we really embracing the second greatest commandment? Love is supreme. We can disagree with people and discuss ideas without being hostile or hateful. We can defend our faith without dehumanizing others in the Name of Christ. There were several tings Ed said about his encounters with Christians, and one in particular broke my heart: "I have legitimate questions and you have no idea how many times Christians start yelling at me or calling me names or just saying 'you're going to hell,' as opposed to talking about the issues. Christians are just angry people! And Jesus is supposed to be loving? This God is loving? If that's the case why are His people so hateful?"
Ed had many questions. He said during his 'crisis of faith' that point where he was making a decision to believe in God or not, he asked many questions from Christians and in his church. He was told on several occasions something along these lines: 'I'm concerned you have so many questions...faith doesn't do that. You just believe.'
My third question: "Does God tell us to check our brains at the door when we come to faith in Him?"-or, related to this-"Is Christianity illogical?"
God is the Author of Truth and our faith is certainly not 'illogical.' Some of the most brilliant minds throughout human history have come from Christianity. Some of the greatest scientific breakthroughs came from Christian scientists who engaged in scientific pursuit because they believed in a Sovereign, Creative, Orderly God who gave sense and meaning to life and to the cosmos. Unfortunately, there has been a 'dumbing down' in the area of discipleship, even in the area of preaching and teaching. The focus on 'felt needs' has in many ways led us to focus more on making people feel good (and make sure we keep them happy in our gatherings) our as opposed to walking through the full counsel of God and addressing not only 'felt needs' but also real needs-and that includes the need to share the Gospel with non-believers in a way they can understand.
Paul's missiological approach in Acts 17 (his encounter with the Greek philosophers) is informative. Paul knew what the philosophers believed, understood their philosophy and even quoted from some of their poets and philosophers, using the insights the lost thinkers had as a bridge to share the Truth. Paul was heartbroken over the idolatry, but respectful, even commending the philosophers for being 'religious men.'
We can learn a lot from Paul. Paul did not compromise the Message, he showed love and respect and he knew how to defend the faith with some of the intellectuals of his day. What Paul did not do was spew hatred towards the philosophers who were somewhat arrogant as they pondered Paul's ideas, ideas which were 'strange to their ears'-they even called him a babbler. Still...Paul persevered, shared the Truth and demonstrated love and respect.
There are many people like Ed in our city, in our culture. Ed is not opposed to the idea of God, he simply wants some legitimate questions answered. He has a lot of anger towards God. In our conversation, I did point out (carefully) that he seemed quite angry with someone who does not exist from his point of view. Ed slipped several times in this area. It makes no sense to be angry with a non-existent Deity.
You see, the core issue of Ed's 'unbelief' was his inability to reconcile what he was learning in science, his life experiences in Iraq, and what he was hearing in his history classes. To be frank, many of his objections from a historical and scientific point of view were related to poor discipleship-and professors who had an agenda to undermine Christianity.
Poorly discipled Christians encountering 'intellectuals' with an agenda against Christians often find themselves dashed on the rocks.
We can and must do better.
Please pray for Ed. God knows him and loves him. Pray that Ed will come to truly know Christ. Pray for our students and for me, for those who are in conversation with him. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Pray also that the enemy be bound. He is wily and crafty and has blinded Ed.
Pray also for the church. Pray that we would rediscover what it means to love God with 'all of our mind'-as John R.W. Stott said, our minds "matter to God."
If you are wondering what some of Ed's questions were-here are a few statements and questions:
1) "If God knows everything and is Good and Loving, why did He create a world where He knew we would fall? Why would He do that to condemn most of humanity to hell?"
2) "It's like God slits our throats, tells us we are dying, and then says, 'love me and you will live. Do not love me, and you will die. He cut our throats, making us imperfect-what kind of love is that?"
3) "Most of the evil in the world has come from religious zealots doing all of this evil in the name of their god. We would all be better off if we were all liberated from these superstitions."
4) "You Christians believe the earth is 6,000 years old. It's laughable. Science has proven beyond a doubt that the earth is millions of years old. How can any intelligent person believe such a thing?"
5) "Why does God create people He plans on tormenting for eternity in hell? If He knows everything, He knows who will love Him and who won't. Why would He make people just to torture them in hell for eternity? Isn't that evil?"
6) "If God is so wise, why couldn't He figure out a way to create a perfect environment where there was no possibility for evil or sin?"
7) "If God is so good and heals people and things like it says in the Bible, why don't we see amputees growing limbs back or the lame walking or the blind seeing? Where is the evidence for that?"
I could go on-but this is a starting point. Interesting questions, and we can address these issues, but are we willing to study and learn and are we willing to have meaningful dialogue?
The culture is asking a lot of questions. Bumper sticker theology isn't going to answer these questions, but followers of Christ, filled with the Spirit, available to Him, who are learning to love God with their minds, will be quite useful in His Hands.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Mission Trip Update
For the third consecutive year, we (BSM) are taking students from UTSA to serve in Los Angeles for one week. We will be working on Skid Row and in South Central (Gang Land), and once more, we are looking forward to a transformational experience for our young people. The lessons learned in Los Angeles are always transferred back to San Antonio.
I am blessed beyond measure by our young people. I don't even like using the term "mission trip" to describe what we are doing because in some ways, the term trivializes the idea of being on mission, as if being on mission is something one does once a year. Our students are always on mission-on our campus, in our city-they are one of the most amazing missional communities I have ever been a part of in my 25 years of vocational ministry.
Los Angeles is our 'ends of the earth' when it comes to the Great Commission. God has specifically given us a burden to serve in places that most people go out of their way to avoid. Consider:
There are over 90,000 homeless in Los Angeles. That number continues to climb. It is staggering. A city within a city. 25% of the homeless are women. There are an estimated 6,000 homeless children as well. Los Angeles has the largest disparity between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' in the U.S. The drop off point between barely making it in Los Angeles and winding up homeless is small.
Skid Row is a very real place with very real people. A sea of humanity populates the area. It is said that Skid Row is a place where 'people go to die.' We have seen and heard such things when we serve on Skid Row. We will be working with Union Rescue Mission and the Dream Center to minister to the homeless on and around Skid Row. If you've ever seen the excellent movie, "The Soloist" (based on a true story) you get some idea of what Skid Row is like. Having said that, there is no way to describe what it actually is like until you walk outside the secured gates of one of the mission centers and actually take in the sights, sounds, smells and sense the despair, which is tangible, on the streets themselves.
There are so many stories, and so many of the 'stereotypes' of the homeless are shattered when you are on those streets and talking to individuals who neither want to be on the streets or chose to be there. And yes, you hear many stories of people who are barely hanging on, ready to give up.
But God is at work in the midst of the darkness and despair. Union Rescue and the Dream Center are doing remarkable work sharing the Gospel, providing training for people, helping individuals find housing and the care they need. God is at work, but it is surely one of those cases where the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few....
School on Wheels is a remarkable agency. Their objective is to tutor children (elementary through high school) who are homeless so they can successfully re-enter the school system when their parent(s) find housing. The reality and pain of homelessness really strikes home when you are helping a child with school work and that child is either living on the streets or in temporary housing for the homeless. Children have no say in the matter. They don't choose to be homeless. More amazing is just how determined and how focused so many of these children are, wanting to make the best of the opportunity to go to School on Wheels, to receive their education, to help their family (usually their mother). It's humbling. It's heartbreaking-but God is working.
South Central is the stuff of TV cop shoes and movies. Gangs literally infest the area. There is a tangible sense of oppression in the region. We work with the Dream Center's ministry "MetroKidz" which targets children and younger teenagers. The objective is to share Christ with the young people, to teach them how to make wise decisions, to help provide an alternative view of life and reality than the one offered by the many gangs who compete for turf and for the next batch of 'young soldiers.' Children as young as 10 are recruited-lured by $50.00 a day and a free cell phone to simply be on the lookout for police cars. If one is seen, the playing children just 'call the man on the phone' and warn of police presence. For many of these children, who may eat one meal a day, $50.00 goes a long way towards providing material things they both want and need.
When we are working in the area, we have the sense that we are not in a safe place, but the most amazing thing is...we feel absolutely at peace. The Dream Center has developed great credibility in the area and families appreciate the investment in their children. God is working through MetroKidz to reach children. The enemy has stolen so many young people, but God is redeeming many as well. Again-Light is present in the darkness, Hope present in Despair.
Our students dont' go on 'mission trip' in LA to hang out in Hollywood or the beaches-they go to the places people avoid and we spend our week there. It amazes me that our young people will spend 3 months in training, will raise their support to go (approximately $900 per student), and give one week to go to places....again...places most people would pay to avoid.
We need your prayers. These are tough economic times. We realize that. The past two years, our students have found it easier to raise their support. This year is particularly challenging-yet we still sense His call and believe it to be our mission and calling to return.
We need your prayers, and if you are able, your support. The lessons these students learn in Los Angeles will be applied here in San Antonio. Every year that we go, we bring back a stronger core group of leaders and missionaries who will impact our campus, our city for Christ.
If you feel led to give, you can send a check to San Antonio Baptist Association; 5807 I H 10 W; San Antonio, TX 78201. In the memo section of the check you can simply designate "BSM Mission Trip LA" and 100% of your gift (which is tax deductible) will go towards sending our students.
We are also sponsoring a 5K Fun Run and 10K competitive race on Saturday, April 24, at McAllister Park. It is a "Run for the Least of These." More information on the run will be coming soon. By participating ($15.00) you will help send students, and if you choose to help sponsor (again, tax deductible) you will also be helping to send students.
I believe in this mission and this cause because I see how He has used this trip to impact lives in profound ways-not only our students, but the lives of men, women and children in Los Angeles, and again, as lessons are learned, here in San Antonio.
I am blessed beyond measure by our young people. I don't even like using the term "mission trip" to describe what we are doing because in some ways, the term trivializes the idea of being on mission, as if being on mission is something one does once a year. Our students are always on mission-on our campus, in our city-they are one of the most amazing missional communities I have ever been a part of in my 25 years of vocational ministry.
Los Angeles is our 'ends of the earth' when it comes to the Great Commission. God has specifically given us a burden to serve in places that most people go out of their way to avoid. Consider:
There are over 90,000 homeless in Los Angeles. That number continues to climb. It is staggering. A city within a city. 25% of the homeless are women. There are an estimated 6,000 homeless children as well. Los Angeles has the largest disparity between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' in the U.S. The drop off point between barely making it in Los Angeles and winding up homeless is small.
Skid Row is a very real place with very real people. A sea of humanity populates the area. It is said that Skid Row is a place where 'people go to die.' We have seen and heard such things when we serve on Skid Row. We will be working with Union Rescue Mission and the Dream Center to minister to the homeless on and around Skid Row. If you've ever seen the excellent movie, "The Soloist" (based on a true story) you get some idea of what Skid Row is like. Having said that, there is no way to describe what it actually is like until you walk outside the secured gates of one of the mission centers and actually take in the sights, sounds, smells and sense the despair, which is tangible, on the streets themselves.
There are so many stories, and so many of the 'stereotypes' of the homeless are shattered when you are on those streets and talking to individuals who neither want to be on the streets or chose to be there. And yes, you hear many stories of people who are barely hanging on, ready to give up.
But God is at work in the midst of the darkness and despair. Union Rescue and the Dream Center are doing remarkable work sharing the Gospel, providing training for people, helping individuals find housing and the care they need. God is at work, but it is surely one of those cases where the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few....
School on Wheels is a remarkable agency. Their objective is to tutor children (elementary through high school) who are homeless so they can successfully re-enter the school system when their parent(s) find housing. The reality and pain of homelessness really strikes home when you are helping a child with school work and that child is either living on the streets or in temporary housing for the homeless. Children have no say in the matter. They don't choose to be homeless. More amazing is just how determined and how focused so many of these children are, wanting to make the best of the opportunity to go to School on Wheels, to receive their education, to help their family (usually their mother). It's humbling. It's heartbreaking-but God is working.
South Central is the stuff of TV cop shoes and movies. Gangs literally infest the area. There is a tangible sense of oppression in the region. We work with the Dream Center's ministry "MetroKidz" which targets children and younger teenagers. The objective is to share Christ with the young people, to teach them how to make wise decisions, to help provide an alternative view of life and reality than the one offered by the many gangs who compete for turf and for the next batch of 'young soldiers.' Children as young as 10 are recruited-lured by $50.00 a day and a free cell phone to simply be on the lookout for police cars. If one is seen, the playing children just 'call the man on the phone' and warn of police presence. For many of these children, who may eat one meal a day, $50.00 goes a long way towards providing material things they both want and need.
When we are working in the area, we have the sense that we are not in a safe place, but the most amazing thing is...we feel absolutely at peace. The Dream Center has developed great credibility in the area and families appreciate the investment in their children. God is working through MetroKidz to reach children. The enemy has stolen so many young people, but God is redeeming many as well. Again-Light is present in the darkness, Hope present in Despair.
Our students dont' go on 'mission trip' in LA to hang out in Hollywood or the beaches-they go to the places people avoid and we spend our week there. It amazes me that our young people will spend 3 months in training, will raise their support to go (approximately $900 per student), and give one week to go to places....again...places most people would pay to avoid.
We need your prayers. These are tough economic times. We realize that. The past two years, our students have found it easier to raise their support. This year is particularly challenging-yet we still sense His call and believe it to be our mission and calling to return.
We need your prayers, and if you are able, your support. The lessons these students learn in Los Angeles will be applied here in San Antonio. Every year that we go, we bring back a stronger core group of leaders and missionaries who will impact our campus, our city for Christ.
If you feel led to give, you can send a check to San Antonio Baptist Association; 5807 I H 10 W; San Antonio, TX 78201. In the memo section of the check you can simply designate "BSM Mission Trip LA" and 100% of your gift (which is tax deductible) will go towards sending our students.
We are also sponsoring a 5K Fun Run and 10K competitive race on Saturday, April 24, at McAllister Park. It is a "Run for the Least of These." More information on the run will be coming soon. By participating ($15.00) you will help send students, and if you choose to help sponsor (again, tax deductible) you will also be helping to send students.
I believe in this mission and this cause because I see how He has used this trip to impact lives in profound ways-not only our students, but the lives of men, women and children in Los Angeles, and again, as lessons are learned, here in San Antonio.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Atheists and "Smut for Smut"-Prayer Needed
You may have heard it on the news. You may have heard about it from others.Yes, it's true: This week, the UTSA campus organization "The Atheist Agenda" is indeed running their "smut for smut" campaign in which they encourage students to trade in one form of smut (from their perspective) for another form of smut. Specifically-they are encouraging students to turn in Bibles in exchange for pornography.
It is heartbreaking. It is also a snapshot of the "New Atheism" that is springing up in America-aggressive and confrontational. It outrages the senses of Christians. And the Atheist Agenda does this solely for this purpose: To get under the skin of Christians and to provoke an angry response so they can point at screaming Christians and say to their peers: "See-they are angry, self-righteous, judgmental people." The last time they had this campaign, tensions were quite high on our campus. This year the tensions are exceptionally high. I do not know what to expect this week.
As you can imagine-emotions are high this week on our campus. As students saw the posters for the campaign last week, many were upset, offended, angry.
Groups have been forming in response. Some groups are addressing the administration, others are forming to establish a 'counter movement' to 'fight back.' Some groups are starting prayer groups. Others are planning protests. Tensions are indeed high.
I've never seen a person won to Christ through legislation. If legislation could change the human heart, then we could be saved by keeping the Mosaic Law. Do I hope they change school policy when it comes to this matter-yes. However, even if the policy is changed, hearts are not changed.
I've never seen a person won to Christ through anger or arguing. All that is accomplished when spiritual forces are addressed in fleshly means is the further calcification of the position of the person outside of Christ.
And, I've never seen prayer as political or protest rally anywhere in Scripture, nor have I seen it change the hearts of lost humanity.
I am blessed by the students in BSM. They are intentionally missional. We have students investing their lives and relationships with Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindu's. We have students intentionally befriending the lost, praying for them, investing in them and God is using our students to profoundly impact lost humanity.
This past week, I challenged our students to re-consider Christ's words on ridicule, opposition, even persecution and what it means to take up our crosses and follow Jesus, to share in His sufferings, to pray with fervency on our faces, to intercede and engage in spiritual warfare. Our enemy is not flesh and blood. We too, apart from the Grace of God and the Redeeming Blood of Christ were lost once-just as the Atheists are now. We are praying for our campus, for other followers of Christ and yes, even for the Atheists.
I share this story with you to encourage to you please pray for our campus. At the same time, I share it with you because this is a snapshot of what is to come. We are now a land of many gods and no God. My heart breaks when I consider how much of our attention is spent on ourselves while we are surrounded by lost and broken humanity.
So please pray for us--and please continue to read (following two entries). There is GOOD news to report! Please read prayerfully. The enemy is at work, but our GOD reigns and HE is working in powerful ways!
It is heartbreaking. It is also a snapshot of the "New Atheism" that is springing up in America-aggressive and confrontational. It outrages the senses of Christians. And the Atheist Agenda does this solely for this purpose: To get under the skin of Christians and to provoke an angry response so they can point at screaming Christians and say to their peers: "See-they are angry, self-righteous, judgmental people." The last time they had this campaign, tensions were quite high on our campus. This year the tensions are exceptionally high. I do not know what to expect this week.
As you can imagine-emotions are high this week on our campus. As students saw the posters for the campaign last week, many were upset, offended, angry.
Groups have been forming in response. Some groups are addressing the administration, others are forming to establish a 'counter movement' to 'fight back.' Some groups are starting prayer groups. Others are planning protests. Tensions are indeed high.
I've never seen a person won to Christ through legislation. If legislation could change the human heart, then we could be saved by keeping the Mosaic Law. Do I hope they change school policy when it comes to this matter-yes. However, even if the policy is changed, hearts are not changed.
I've never seen a person won to Christ through anger or arguing. All that is accomplished when spiritual forces are addressed in fleshly means is the further calcification of the position of the person outside of Christ.
And, I've never seen prayer as political or protest rally anywhere in Scripture, nor have I seen it change the hearts of lost humanity.
I am blessed by the students in BSM. They are intentionally missional. We have students investing their lives and relationships with Atheists, Agnostics, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindu's. We have students intentionally befriending the lost, praying for them, investing in them and God is using our students to profoundly impact lost humanity.
This past week, I challenged our students to re-consider Christ's words on ridicule, opposition, even persecution and what it means to take up our crosses and follow Jesus, to share in His sufferings, to pray with fervency on our faces, to intercede and engage in spiritual warfare. Our enemy is not flesh and blood. We too, apart from the Grace of God and the Redeeming Blood of Christ were lost once-just as the Atheists are now. We are praying for our campus, for other followers of Christ and yes, even for the Atheists.
I share this story with you to encourage to you please pray for our campus. At the same time, I share it with you because this is a snapshot of what is to come. We are now a land of many gods and no God. My heart breaks when I consider how much of our attention is spent on ourselves while we are surrounded by lost and broken humanity.
So please pray for us--and please continue to read (following two entries). There is GOOD news to report! Please read prayerfully. The enemy is at work, but our GOD reigns and HE is working in powerful ways!
Mission Trip Needs
For the third year, the BSM at UTSA will be going to Los Angeles (our 'ends of the earth') on mission trip. We will be leaving mid-May for a one week period of service in the roughest parts of Los Angeles: Skid Row and South Central (also known as "Gangland").
God has used these mission trips to profoundly impact and influence and shape our students and the ministry at UTSA. Every trip has been nothing short of transformational. Students are stretched (as am I) to the limits, and the lessons learned in that context are taken and applied to San Antonio-to our campus and to our city. This trip is not 'spiritual tourism' and not for the faint of heart. Each year we go, we pray specifically for only the 'called out ones' to go with us. We recognize that if a student were to go on this trip just to 'see Los Angeles' they will be highly disappointed (because we're not seeing the glitz and glamor of L.A.) and will crash and burn because the experience is quite intensive.
He has used this trip to transform lives in Los Angeles, our students' lives and as a result, our campus and city. Missionaries are birthed on this trip. Students come back forever changed.
These are tough economic times. The past two years God has faithfully provided for the called out students to go. We are trusting Him to do the same this year. The challenges this year are the tight economy and the 'giving fatigue' that many individuals and churches are experiencing. We are taking 22 students and the cost per student (airfare, lodging, meals, transportation) for the week is $900.00.
This year, students are finding it particularly difficult in raising support. We are taking a mixture of students who are returning for a 2nd or 3rd tour of duty in LA and freshmen who have never experienced this trip and what God does in this context. Our students do not come from the wealthy or privileged families-many of them are working to help get through school and are doing their best to save money and to raise funds to go and serve in Los Angeles. Many are reporting just how difficult it is to gain support. We are blessed in that many are covenanting to pray for and with us. We also need the provision only He can provide.
I am asking (and this is something I have not done before) in a very straightforward way if you or your church or a Sunday school class or a missions team would consider giving to help our students go. We will gladly do all we can to give you reports and information on the trip when we return. These students are passionate for Christ and are eager to go where most people would not want to go. They do have that sense of 'calledness.'
Any amount is greatly appreciated. We see this mission trip as a faith venture from now through our return. We can do nothing of value in our own strength. We do not have the personal or financial resources. All must be from Him and come from Him.
If you feel so led to give, please know that your gift is going to change lives-literally. Your investment in our students will leave an indelible mark on their souls as will the work they will be doing in some very difficult places.
If you are led to give, you can send a check to the San Antonio Baptist Association,, 5807 I H 10 W, San Antonio, TX 78201. Checks would be payable to San Antonio Baptist Association. In the memo section of the check, you may write: BSM L.A. Mission Trip Gift. All donations are of course tax-deductible.
There are over 90,000 homeless in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles has the greatest economic disparity between the 'have's ' and 'have nots' in the U.S. The darkness there is great-but there is also a Great Light shining Hope in midst of despair. Would you pray about and consider supporting our students as they prepare for one of the greatest and most challenging experiences they will have in their young lives?
Your prayers and consideration are greatly appreciated.
God has used these mission trips to profoundly impact and influence and shape our students and the ministry at UTSA. Every trip has been nothing short of transformational. Students are stretched (as am I) to the limits, and the lessons learned in that context are taken and applied to San Antonio-to our campus and to our city. This trip is not 'spiritual tourism' and not for the faint of heart. Each year we go, we pray specifically for only the 'called out ones' to go with us. We recognize that if a student were to go on this trip just to 'see Los Angeles' they will be highly disappointed (because we're not seeing the glitz and glamor of L.A.) and will crash and burn because the experience is quite intensive.
He has used this trip to transform lives in Los Angeles, our students' lives and as a result, our campus and city. Missionaries are birthed on this trip. Students come back forever changed.
These are tough economic times. The past two years God has faithfully provided for the called out students to go. We are trusting Him to do the same this year. The challenges this year are the tight economy and the 'giving fatigue' that many individuals and churches are experiencing. We are taking 22 students and the cost per student (airfare, lodging, meals, transportation) for the week is $900.00.
This year, students are finding it particularly difficult in raising support. We are taking a mixture of students who are returning for a 2nd or 3rd tour of duty in LA and freshmen who have never experienced this trip and what God does in this context. Our students do not come from the wealthy or privileged families-many of them are working to help get through school and are doing their best to save money and to raise funds to go and serve in Los Angeles. Many are reporting just how difficult it is to gain support. We are blessed in that many are covenanting to pray for and with us. We also need the provision only He can provide.
I am asking (and this is something I have not done before) in a very straightforward way if you or your church or a Sunday school class or a missions team would consider giving to help our students go. We will gladly do all we can to give you reports and information on the trip when we return. These students are passionate for Christ and are eager to go where most people would not want to go. They do have that sense of 'calledness.'
Any amount is greatly appreciated. We see this mission trip as a faith venture from now through our return. We can do nothing of value in our own strength. We do not have the personal or financial resources. All must be from Him and come from Him.
If you feel so led to give, please know that your gift is going to change lives-literally. Your investment in our students will leave an indelible mark on their souls as will the work they will be doing in some very difficult places.
If you are led to give, you can send a check to the San Antonio Baptist Association,, 5807 I H 10 W, San Antonio, TX 78201. Checks would be payable to San Antonio Baptist Association. In the memo section of the check, you may write: BSM L.A. Mission Trip Gift. All donations are of course tax-deductible.
There are over 90,000 homeless in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles has the greatest economic disparity between the 'have's ' and 'have nots' in the U.S. The darkness there is great-but there is also a Great Light shining Hope in midst of despair. Would you pray about and consider supporting our students as they prepare for one of the greatest and most challenging experiences they will have in their young lives?
Your prayers and consideration are greatly appreciated.
Awakenings, Revivals and the God of This City
Since I was a child, I remember the talk about our need for revival. I remember the revival meetings and prayer meetings. If you grew up in the church I'm sure you do as well. There was this collective sense we needed a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God, that ultimately we needed God Himself.
I was blessed as a child to actually grow up in a church that experienced an authentic awakening and revival. Growing up in that context and seeing such an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for years shaped my thoughts on what happened in church life. I thought what was happening in the church we attended was the 'normative' experience in every church. It was not until years later that I came to realize that the authentic revival that broke out at Castle Hills First Baptist Church under the pastoral leadership of Jack Taylor was not the 'norm' but rather a Sovereign visitation of the Spirit of God on that church.
As the years have passed, in every context where I have served (youth minister, church planter, pastor) in each church there was that prayer for revival, that talk of revival and awakening-but we cannot bring about revival or awakening in and of ourselves. It cannot be manufactured, programmed or scheduled.
We are seeing something on our campus that I can only describe (and I use this term carefully) as the beginnings of a potential awakening on our campus and revival among those who belong to Christ. It is a holy time. We are seeing Christian students thirst and hunger for greater intimacy with Christ, desiring for His Glory to be known and acknowledged on our campus and in our city. We are seeing young people praying with a sense of desperation and brokenness before Him over our need for Jesus Christ to be known and worshiped.
We are seeing young students who just 'show up' at our events, hungry and thirsty for something they cannot identify or name, but we know what it is-a longing for the Transcendent. God is moving. Please pray for UTSA. Please pray for the BSM on our campus. God is working in ways I have not seen Him work for so many years.
I believe that this movement of the Spirit is not limited to our campus. I see Him working and calling His people to pray across the city. I see a longing for Him that I have not seen for so long.
I do not know what is taking place in your church, among your people. Perhaps you are going through a difficult time. Perhaps your church is going through a challenging period. Perhaps the words 'awakening' and 'revival' seem like a distant dream in your context. I encourage you to join the growing number of people in our city who are on their faces crying out for the Lord to renew His works in our days. You are not forgotten. He loves you deeply. He is working.
Perhaps your church is experiencing the blessings of growth. I encourage you to give all glory to Him and to always be wary of the idea that we can somehow, in and of ourselves, 'grow' our churches or communities. Unless He is doing the building, we labor in vain.
In these tough times, more people are recognizing there must be something 'more' to life than the 'American Dream.' God is calling out to His people to return to Him wholeheartedly. He is calling out to lost humanity to find life through Jesus Christ, His Son. His Spirit is moving in remarkable ways. I pray that our city is awakened. I pray for revival in our churches. I pray that we humble ourselves before out King, crying out to Him because we so desperately need Him.
If you sense Him leading you to pray specifically for revival in our churches and an awakening in our city, I encourage you to join with others to specifically pursue Him in prayer. There is no better place for us to be than on our knees before our King.
I was blessed as a child to actually grow up in a church that experienced an authentic awakening and revival. Growing up in that context and seeing such an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for years shaped my thoughts on what happened in church life. I thought what was happening in the church we attended was the 'normative' experience in every church. It was not until years later that I came to realize that the authentic revival that broke out at Castle Hills First Baptist Church under the pastoral leadership of Jack Taylor was not the 'norm' but rather a Sovereign visitation of the Spirit of God on that church.
As the years have passed, in every context where I have served (youth minister, church planter, pastor) in each church there was that prayer for revival, that talk of revival and awakening-but we cannot bring about revival or awakening in and of ourselves. It cannot be manufactured, programmed or scheduled.
We are seeing something on our campus that I can only describe (and I use this term carefully) as the beginnings of a potential awakening on our campus and revival among those who belong to Christ. It is a holy time. We are seeing Christian students thirst and hunger for greater intimacy with Christ, desiring for His Glory to be known and acknowledged on our campus and in our city. We are seeing young people praying with a sense of desperation and brokenness before Him over our need for Jesus Christ to be known and worshiped.
We are seeing young students who just 'show up' at our events, hungry and thirsty for something they cannot identify or name, but we know what it is-a longing for the Transcendent. God is moving. Please pray for UTSA. Please pray for the BSM on our campus. God is working in ways I have not seen Him work for so many years.
I believe that this movement of the Spirit is not limited to our campus. I see Him working and calling His people to pray across the city. I see a longing for Him that I have not seen for so long.
I do not know what is taking place in your church, among your people. Perhaps you are going through a difficult time. Perhaps your church is going through a challenging period. Perhaps the words 'awakening' and 'revival' seem like a distant dream in your context. I encourage you to join the growing number of people in our city who are on their faces crying out for the Lord to renew His works in our days. You are not forgotten. He loves you deeply. He is working.
Perhaps your church is experiencing the blessings of growth. I encourage you to give all glory to Him and to always be wary of the idea that we can somehow, in and of ourselves, 'grow' our churches or communities. Unless He is doing the building, we labor in vain.
In these tough times, more people are recognizing there must be something 'more' to life than the 'American Dream.' God is calling out to His people to return to Him wholeheartedly. He is calling out to lost humanity to find life through Jesus Christ, His Son. His Spirit is moving in remarkable ways. I pray that our city is awakened. I pray for revival in our churches. I pray that we humble ourselves before out King, crying out to Him because we so desperately need Him.
If you sense Him leading you to pray specifically for revival in our churches and an awakening in our city, I encourage you to join with others to specifically pursue Him in prayer. There is no better place for us to be than on our knees before our King.
Monday, July 13, 2009
LA Stories-And An Invitation to You!
All of the LA Stories are up on the Blog now! We all appreciate your prayers and interest. I spent the first two weeks after returning posting these stories on Face Book, now I've transferred the stories to the Blog.
I pray these stories are an encouragement to you. I know they were for us and for many who have heard them in person. When reading the Blog, you'll find that not all of the stories made it to the 'front page'-there were too many!
So as you read, and once you reach the bottom, click on the tab that says 'older posts'-and continue reading! There is a 'reward' at the end-an invitation for you to be a part of something very special that is coming to San Antonio at the end of July!
Check that out too.
Grace and Peace,
Kevin
I pray these stories are an encouragement to you. I know they were for us and for many who have heard them in person. When reading the Blog, you'll find that not all of the stories made it to the 'front page'-there were too many!
So as you read, and once you reach the bottom, click on the tab that says 'older posts'-and continue reading! There is a 'reward' at the end-an invitation for you to be a part of something very special that is coming to San Antonio at the end of July!
Check that out too.
Grace and Peace,
Kevin
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