Earl: Sometimes it takes more faith than I have to believe that anything holy and beautiful will come out of the mess we’re in. Sometimes the best I can do is try to see something holy and beautiful (without regard to visible results) now present in the futility and absurdity of small acts of love, justice, obedience, i.e., repentance (and I try to remember that the mustard seed really can become a tree).

Thanks for reading. It’s a pleasure to be able to share and discuss these ideas with others. Thank you for writing as well!

As you know, I’ve been quite excited about the urban renewal project I’m helping to organize and promote. It’s a lot of fun to get people excited about serving Christ. Unfortunately, this excitement isn’t universal.

About a month ago, we received a piece of hate mail from someone in a neighboring community. The writer was quite upset about our vision for urban restoration and renewal, calling us (among other things) “self-aggrandizing Christians trying to take over the world.”

At first, that really hurt. I wondered how someone could oppose what we’re doing here and why they might do so. Then, I remembered the words of Jesus which you’ve spoken to me.

There are certainly spiritual forces at work among us — on both sides. But I thank God that “if Christ is for us, who can be against us?”

The Kingdom is breaking in in tiny places all around the world. And as it draws near, we can expect greater and greater opposition to arise. But something more holy and beautiful that is beyond our imaginations will follow the birth pains.

May His good and perfect will be done. On Earth as it is in Heaven.

-Scott

“34“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:34-39)

Our Lord is clear on this — if we follow Him (and as a precursor we must be members of the Kingdom–the Church–in order to follow him), we will die. As a reader of Bonhoeffer, I’m sure you’ve run into this — if it’s not in his “Ethik”, I’m sure a quick read of the Cost of Discipleship will stir you up a bit (it did for me!). The direction we have seems to be clear, and it seems to be dangerous, but it’s because we’re living not for the Kingdom realized here in this present world where darkness reigns but for the Kingdom of Heaven that will be firmly established upon a new and revitalized earth with eternal ground, righteousness, peace, and community centered around the throne of Christ our King.

community involvement

sustainability

local affection

chalk

creativity

peace

gardening

simplicity

reconiciliation

hope