There's this parable in the Book of Matthew where Jesus is talking about this master who is leaving to go on a journey. The journey will take a long time to complete and he leaves his servants each with a specific portion of his money according to their ability .
As the story goes he returns one day out of the blue and asks the servants what they've done with the money he gave them. The first guy took the money, invested it, and doubled it while his master was away. The second, interestingly enough, did the exact same thing and ended up double his money as well. But the third guy had a different perspective on how to handle his master's money. He knew that someday his master would return and want to know what had become of his money. So, afraid that he might squander it away or lose it all in an attempt to make a profit the servant took the money and buried it. He gave back exactly what he had been handed to him long ago by his master. The parable ends with the master scolding the one who chose to do nothing with the money that was given to him. He is then cast out of his master presence.
Ever hear of anything like that? Have you ever heard an employer whose goes around firing workers because they decided not to invest into the companys 401k plan? No, that would be absolutely ludicrous. But maybe you know someone who has looked at every decision in their life and decided that they are not willing to invest in anything that comes with risk.
What is Jesus trying to teach us in this parable? Should we invest with complete disregard of the consequences that may await us? Is calculating risk a bad thing? Is there something more important than the outcome of the investment? Can we lose our joy by only focusing on the potential consequences of our decisions?
Or even better, would the master have been as upset with the man had chosen to invest the money, but lost it all?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
One Count of Homelessness and One Count of Hunger
A man who said he robbed a downtown Shreveport bank because he was out of a job and hungry has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for first-degree robbery.
Brown admitted walking up to a teller with one of his hands under his jacket and telling her it was a "stickup." The teller handed the man three stacks of bills and he took a single $100 bill, told her he was homeless and left, police said.
Brown surrendered to police the next day, telling them his mother didn't raise him that way.
Police let him sober up and interviewed him two days later. Police said Brown told them he needed money to stay in a downtown detox center, had nowhere to stay and was hungry -- so he walked up the street and robbed the bank.
I pulled this story from http://www.ktbs.com/news/23350821/detail.html, a news channel in Shreveport, LA. The story is a little older, 2007, and I first read it via a friends post on tumblr and I thought it was extremely interesting. He posted this story alongside another story that featured the sentencing story of a former mortgage companies CEO.The ex-CEO was found guilty for his role in a $3 billion fraud scheme and was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison.
I'm not sure I want to compare the cases, but I do think the sentencing for Roy Brown's 2007 bank "robbery" is a little extreme. Is 15 years in prison a reasonable sentence for a man who admitted to stealing out of hunger and homelessness? Even after he turned himself in a day later? Is there a positive side to this? I might sounds crazy, but some would argue that prison offers three square meals a day and rehab/detox facilities. What do you think?
Brown admitted walking up to a teller with one of his hands under his jacket and telling her it was a "stickup." The teller handed the man three stacks of bills and he took a single $100 bill, told her he was homeless and left, police said.
Brown surrendered to police the next day, telling them his mother didn't raise him that way.
Police let him sober up and interviewed him two days later. Police said Brown told them he needed money to stay in a downtown detox center, had nowhere to stay and was hungry -- so he walked up the street and robbed the bank.
I pulled this story from http://www.ktbs.com/news/23350821/detail.html, a news channel in Shreveport, LA. The story is a little older, 2007, and I first read it via a friends post on tumblr and I thought it was extremely interesting. He posted this story alongside another story that featured the sentencing story of a former mortgage companies CEO.The ex-CEO was found guilty for his role in a $3 billion fraud scheme and was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison.
I'm not sure I want to compare the cases, but I do think the sentencing for Roy Brown's 2007 bank "robbery" is a little extreme. Is 15 years in prison a reasonable sentence for a man who admitted to stealing out of hunger and homelessness? Even after he turned himself in a day later? Is there a positive side to this? I might sounds crazy, but some would argue that prison offers three square meals a day and rehab/detox facilities. What do you think?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
I Cannot Stop Smiling
Hey Folks,
It's been a while since my last post. Sorry for the hiatus, but seminary is more time consuming than you'd think. When I wasn't reading or writing for class I was hanging out with the youth. They are so wonderful! In the midst of all the chaos of planning, teaching, fundraising, and other ministry stuff I find solace in the time that I spend around a table talking about life and God with kids that are just scratching the surface of what it means to be Jesus followers.
It's been a challenging past couple of months. I've told some of my closest friends and mentors that seminary, at least this first semester, seems like a place you go to have your faith tested. Part of me feels like it is where churches send people to try and talk them out of ministry and following God. And for the first time in a long time I found myself wrestling with the nuts and bolts of what it means to be a "Christian."
What's even more interesting is the way that everything comes together. My most taxing course this past semester was Introduction to the Old Testament. Somewhere along the way I feel like a lot of Christians have chosen to focus on the New Testament and do away with the Old. I know that is how I felt for the longest time. But there's something beautiful about the way it all works, isn't there? I mean, there is this beautiful story of people fighting for freedom, gaining it, losing it, and all the while God is in the midst. Sound familiar?
Even now, as I am struggling to free myself from so many different ideas and opinionsI can see the progression in the story of my life. In the Old Testament so many terrible thing happened to Israel, but the people had such resolve that they refused to give up. They knew that through all of the trouble God was somewhere in the midst. Here's another thing, Israel means to wrestle. At one point in the Old Testament Jacob actually wrestled with God. What should we take away from such an event?
I was sitting with the youth the other day and we discussed the importance of decision making. I pointed out that perhaps a big part of being a leader is actually heading somewhere. Let me explain, if a general were approached by a soldier of lesser rank in the midst of a chaotic battle and asked what his orders were and the general responded by saying, "I don't know. Both options look bad." How would the troops respond? So, maybe it's not the end result that is important. Maybe it's picking an option and going with it.
I have chosen to go to seminary and dive deeper into this journey with God and Jesus. It's not always pretty and sometimes the things I read and hear don't sound all that good. I wish I had all the answers, but is that what it's all about? Is being sure about every aspect of Christianity the ultimate goal? I hope not.
In 1 Thessalonians Paul tells us to, "Test all things and hold fast to that which is good." I am convinced that Jesus is good. I'm convinced that He loves me and that He wants me to do His work. I've got a lot of questions and not so many answers, but there a times when I cannot stop smiling. When my heart is troubled and I have a million questions circling in my head I can walk outside and smile because I realize that it's not always about the answers. Sometimes it's about the journey.
- Brother Blake
Monday, February 21, 2011
An Answer for Offering
As a youth minister, seminary student and a church member, I've often wonder why we tithe the way we do. For years I've passed the gold plate to the person sitting next to me and I'm convinced that it has made me a little cynical. Over the past few months I've found that the offering segment of many church services carries with it a great deal of peer pressure. I've passed the plate and watched the people on my pew. I've held my head in shame for not putting anything in the plate and I've also judged the people around me for not giving. And throughout my observations I've discovered that I'm not the only person that struggles to find a sense of peace with tithing and offering my gifts to God.
Churches have started giving out envelopes to their members to bring with them on Sunday. It's a way to keep your tithes and offerings a secret. And if I'm jumping to a conclusion I've found that a secret offering is only a secret because we're afraid others might judge us. Why are we so heavily invested in what people give? Wasn't it Jesus that told us "not to let our right hand know what our left hand is doing"? Our offerings should be between us and God.
I don't think God wants our gifts if we feel pressured into giving them. God doesn't want a half-eaten sandwich. And that is what offering has become for many people. Instead we should be giving what we can, but at the same time I think we ought to give until we can feel it. If you make $1000 a week and you're dropping $5 bill in the plate I hope you can feel the effects of that $5 in your budget.
So, what's the solution? How do we make tithes and offering about joyful giving? Is there a way to do away with the peer pressure and to make this ritual something God centered and spirit driven? That was the intention in the first place.
I think there is a better way. I grew up in Dahlonega, Georgia. It's a small town. We have one post office in town and my folks don't have a mailbox. They rent a box at the post office and check it occasionally, but when they need to send something off it is easier for them to drive to the Wal-Mart parking lot. There they can drop there mail in a collection box and wait for it to be picked up. You've seen these boxes.
They look like the image to the right.
What if we did away with the entire offertory segment of our church service? Could it be as simple as directing your attention to drop boxes in the back of the room? We could give them a nickname. Maybe we could refer to them as "Righteous Gift Receptacles"!
I know this sounds a little outlandish, but maybe it is a way to move our attention away from the persons on our pews or the staff that supports it's congregates in ministry. I'm just another joe churchgoer. Either way, it's important to understand that giving isn't about obligation or fear of ridicule. Our offerings are supposed to be given in awe of God and in the hopes of helping the "least of these."
-Brother Blake
Churches have started giving out envelopes to their members to bring with them on Sunday. It's a way to keep your tithes and offerings a secret. And if I'm jumping to a conclusion I've found that a secret offering is only a secret because we're afraid others might judge us. Why are we so heavily invested in what people give? Wasn't it Jesus that told us "not to let our right hand know what our left hand is doing"? Our offerings should be between us and God.
I don't think God wants our gifts if we feel pressured into giving them. God doesn't want a half-eaten sandwich. And that is what offering has become for many people. Instead we should be giving what we can, but at the same time I think we ought to give until we can feel it. If you make $1000 a week and you're dropping $5 bill in the plate I hope you can feel the effects of that $5 in your budget.
So, what's the solution? How do we make tithes and offering about joyful giving? Is there a way to do away with the peer pressure and to make this ritual something God centered and spirit driven? That was the intention in the first place.
I think there is a better way. I grew up in Dahlonega, Georgia. It's a small town. We have one post office in town and my folks don't have a mailbox. They rent a box at the post office and check it occasionally, but when they need to send something off it is easier for them to drive to the Wal-Mart parking lot. There they can drop there mail in a collection box and wait for it to be picked up. You've seen these boxes.
They look like the image to the right.What if we did away with the entire offertory segment of our church service? Could it be as simple as directing your attention to drop boxes in the back of the room? We could give them a nickname. Maybe we could refer to them as "Righteous Gift Receptacles"!
I know this sounds a little outlandish, but maybe it is a way to move our attention away from the persons on our pews or the staff that supports it's congregates in ministry. I'm just another joe churchgoer. Either way, it's important to understand that giving isn't about obligation or fear of ridicule. Our offerings are supposed to be given in awe of God and in the hopes of helping the "least of these."
-Brother Blake
Monday, February 14, 2011
A Late Valentine
I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. I remember what Valentine's Day used to be like. Valentine's Day used to be this exciting event. When I was inn elementary school everyone would get a brown paper bag and decorate it. I remember when I was in 4th grade and I work so hard to make my bag look awesome. Our teacher pulled out all of the stops. We had pipe cleaners, construction paper, glitter pens, hot glue and so much more.
That year I made two hearts out of construction paper, one pink and one red. I glued the pink heart, which was slightly smaller, in the center of the red heart and then I glued the red heart to my paper bag. I cut out a square of brown construction paper and glued a few inches under the heart. I then proceeded to connect the hearts to the square with a set of pipe cleaners. The end result was a hot air balloon in the shape of a heart. When I was completely finished I taped my bag to the chalk tray on our blackboard and imagined what kind of valentine cards I might get the following day.
I'm not in 4th grade anymore, I may act like I am, but I've since made my way up through the ranks of our educational systems. My friends and I don't make Valentine's bags anymore and the older I get the more I come to understand that not everyone has a valentine. Some people are alone and some people go to extreme measure. They buy teddy bears that hold little pillows that are embroidered with pet names or phrases. They make dinners and light candles. They spring for a nice piece of jewelry. Or maybe they settle for nice portion of chocolate.
With that being said, I think that God is constantly telling us that life is not about gifts. It's not about chocolate or stuffed animals. Okay, maybe it has a little to do with chocolate. Even so, I think Valentine's Day is a reminder that God never intended for us to be alone. Isn't that what church is all about?
God never intended for us to be alone. Eccelesia is the Greek word for church. When you look up the definition you'll find that it has many meanings. The one that I like refers to church as a body of believers. The word body often refers to a collective group. And the word group points to a given number of people who are related in some form or fashion.
We are supposed to be together with one another and Valentine's Day should amplify the meaning of church even more. In the Book of Genesis God saw that there was not a suitable helper for Adam. So, God gave him Eve. In Exodus God gave Moses a companion in Aaron and they both proceeded to help lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt. Finally, Jesus reminds us that "where two or more are gathered that He is also in the midst."
I hope you are reminded that there is not a season to celebrate companionship. But instead, that God has called us to live in love and community with one another for our entire lives.
That year I made two hearts out of construction paper, one pink and one red. I glued the pink heart, which was slightly smaller, in the center of the red heart and then I glued the red heart to my paper bag. I cut out a square of brown construction paper and glued a few inches under the heart. I then proceeded to connect the hearts to the square with a set of pipe cleaners. The end result was a hot air balloon in the shape of a heart. When I was completely finished I taped my bag to the chalk tray on our blackboard and imagined what kind of valentine cards I might get the following day.
I'm not in 4th grade anymore, I may act like I am, but I've since made my way up through the ranks of our educational systems. My friends and I don't make Valentine's bags anymore and the older I get the more I come to understand that not everyone has a valentine. Some people are alone and some people go to extreme measure. They buy teddy bears that hold little pillows that are embroidered with pet names or phrases. They make dinners and light candles. They spring for a nice piece of jewelry. Or maybe they settle for nice portion of chocolate.
With that being said, I think that God is constantly telling us that life is not about gifts. It's not about chocolate or stuffed animals. Okay, maybe it has a little to do with chocolate. Even so, I think Valentine's Day is a reminder that God never intended for us to be alone. Isn't that what church is all about?
God never intended for us to be alone. Eccelesia is the Greek word for church. When you look up the definition you'll find that it has many meanings. The one that I like refers to church as a body of believers. The word body often refers to a collective group. And the word group points to a given number of people who are related in some form or fashion.
We are supposed to be together with one another and Valentine's Day should amplify the meaning of church even more. In the Book of Genesis God saw that there was not a suitable helper for Adam. So, God gave him Eve. In Exodus God gave Moses a companion in Aaron and they both proceeded to help lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt. Finally, Jesus reminds us that "where two or more are gathered that He is also in the midst."
I hope you are reminded that there is not a season to celebrate companionship. But instead, that God has called us to live in love and community with one another for our entire lives.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
It's an Art
I used to be an art major. I don't usually tell people that. It's not something I'm ashamed of. I like art and all things creative. I think one of the main things that fuels my life and my walk with God is the ability to be creative. Every time I read a scripture, watch a movie, or look at a painting I find myself try to find some kind of creative angle that can be used to tell the story of God.
This kind of thinking has brought me to the the understanding that creativity is a human attribute that comes directly from God. Anytime we decide to put things together or to create something new we are entering into a God-based experience. Maybe that is why sex is such an intimate and exhilarating process. It's an act that is grounded in creation. It was created so that we can create more of us. Not that I would know though!
Think of it like this, our faith begins with creation. When everything was void and it was only God, the Almighty chose to create. Genesis says that God created the heavens and the earth. He created everything around us and then He created us. Right now, there are almost 7 billion people on earth and we are all sculptures on God's mantle.
When God created Adam He sculpted him out of dirt. What does that say about our need to express ourselves? Is it too hard to buy into the idea that creation, painting, singing, writing, sculpting, music and all things artsy are an avenue to finding The Almighty?
Please, paint, sculpt, doodle, write a song, play a new melody. And know that when you do this that you are plugging into a God-centered ritual. God create you and you are beautiful. Live in that tradition and make something that is beautiful.
This kind of thinking has brought me to the the understanding that creativity is a human attribute that comes directly from God. Anytime we decide to put things together or to create something new we are entering into a God-based experience. Maybe that is why sex is such an intimate and exhilarating process. It's an act that is grounded in creation. It was created so that we can create more of us. Not that I would know though!
Think of it like this, our faith begins with creation. When everything was void and it was only God, the Almighty chose to create. Genesis says that God created the heavens and the earth. He created everything around us and then He created us. Right now, there are almost 7 billion people on earth and we are all sculptures on God's mantle.
When God created Adam He sculpted him out of dirt. What does that say about our need to express ourselves? Is it too hard to buy into the idea that creation, painting, singing, writing, sculpting, music and all things artsy are an avenue to finding The Almighty?
Please, paint, sculpt, doodle, write a song, play a new melody. And know that when you do this that you are plugging into a God-centered ritual. God create you and you are beautiful. Live in that tradition and make something that is beautiful.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Money to Burn
The World Health Organization has reported that the 4th leading cause of sickness and death in third world countries is indoor smoke inhalation. Women in many parts of Africa build open fires inside their huts for heating and cooking. These fires require a large amount of wood and the deadly fumes they release are then breathed in by the women, and children in the home.
My friend and brother Raphael Ogbole lives in a predominately Muslim community in Northern Nigeria. Raphael has developed a very unique ministry to fight indoor smoke inhalation. He has developed a fuel efficient stove fashioned out of handmade adobe bricks that reduces the amount of carbon monoxide that is released into the home. The stove also greatly reduces the amount of wood that is used in fire building. Nigeria, which is in Sub-Saharan Africa, has a very scarce amount of wood to burn. So, Raphael's ministry is effective in a variety of ways. It saves fuel, it reduces the amount of smoke in the home, and allows him to introduce the love of Christ to a group of people that are usually placed at the opposite end of the Christian spectrum.
Raphael also teaches seminars that show people how to make the bricks that the stoves are fashioned out of and a blueprint for stove building. The best part of Raphael's ministry is that it's free. In fact, he uses many of the donations given to him to purchase rooms for people that travel great distances to take part in his seminars.
He receives no money, other than the small paycheck that he draws from his local church, and he relies solely on the charity of others to help fund his ministry. That is where I come in. I am on the board that oversees the fundraising aspect of Raphael's ministry. The funds are raised through is done through SIFAT, a Christian organization that teaches efficient and effective missionary tools to American and foreign missionaries.
This quarter we are working to raise $2,750 to fund Raphael's work. I've never been comfortable with the idea of asking for money, but I truly believe that this ministry is worthy of support. That is why I agreed to be on the board of directors. So please, if you'd like to invest anything in this ministry know that it will be put to good use and that Raphael will do his best to be a good steward of the gifts you give. For more information check out the photos at the bottom of the page and Raphael's cause via Facebook or feel free to send me an email if you have questions at blaket@uga.edu.
Warmly,
Brother Blake
My friend and brother Raphael Ogbole lives in a predominately Muslim community in Northern Nigeria. Raphael has developed a very unique ministry to fight indoor smoke inhalation. He has developed a fuel efficient stove fashioned out of handmade adobe bricks that reduces the amount of carbon monoxide that is released into the home. The stove also greatly reduces the amount of wood that is used in fire building. Nigeria, which is in Sub-Saharan Africa, has a very scarce amount of wood to burn. So, Raphael's ministry is effective in a variety of ways. It saves fuel, it reduces the amount of smoke in the home, and allows him to introduce the love of Christ to a group of people that are usually placed at the opposite end of the Christian spectrum.
Raphael also teaches seminars that show people how to make the bricks that the stoves are fashioned out of and a blueprint for stove building. The best part of Raphael's ministry is that it's free. In fact, he uses many of the donations given to him to purchase rooms for people that travel great distances to take part in his seminars.
He receives no money, other than the small paycheck that he draws from his local church, and he relies solely on the charity of others to help fund his ministry. That is where I come in. I am on the board that oversees the fundraising aspect of Raphael's ministry. The funds are raised through is done through SIFAT, a Christian organization that teaches efficient and effective missionary tools to American and foreign missionaries.
This quarter we are working to raise $2,750 to fund Raphael's work. I've never been comfortable with the idea of asking for money, but I truly believe that this ministry is worthy of support. That is why I agreed to be on the board of directors. So please, if you'd like to invest anything in this ministry know that it will be put to good use and that Raphael will do his best to be a good steward of the gifts you give. For more information check out the photos at the bottom of the page and Raphael's cause via Facebook or feel free to send me an email if you have questions at blaket@uga.edu.
Warmly,
Brother Blake
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