Archive for the ‘Elsies Tavern’ Category

Jesus and the Craps Table

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Just who would Jesus mix it up with?  How far would He go – I mean where does He draw the line in who He would associate with?

This is on my mind after a week of “mixing it up” with all kinds of people – church goers, friends without homes, meth addicts, the mentally ill, Westmont friends, the Mayor…

I had a conversation with new friends from the Santa Ynez Valley.  We met at a local breakfast hub.  The question posed – “Would Jesus go to the casino?”  If so, would He play the craps table?  Would He just hang out in the front or would He enter.  My answer is – yes.  If love compelled Him – and He would do so in Wisdom.

We discussed the coming legality of marijuana – that the day is just around the bend.  And, if it becomes “legal,” how will the church respond?  If it become “LEGAL,” can a 21 year old work with youth and also grow pot plants in the back yard?  Maybe it will not be necessarily in how we answer, but in how we “handle the question with others.”  Will we deal with this with wisdom, or by creating a law ourselves?

How do Ghettos happen?  The answer is complex, but surely part of it is that the “salt retreats from the area.”  This is what I have experienced in our three initiatives – on the West Side, Pershing Park, and Elsie’s Tavern.  The story is changing now as the risk takers of salt and light go back in, but surely we are returning from a vacation away.

I know that as casinos come in, another element of drugs and crime come with them – so the argument is not that you can take a realistic stand against those things which you may believe harm your community.  But, on the other hand, how does a criminal change?  How does someone who brings harm become someone who creates “shalom/peace?”

One answer is surely found in the gospels, as Jesus mixes it up with criminals.  Remember the one who recognized Him on the cross and now lives in Paradise.

The love of God compels us toward the criminal, crazy, sick, outsider, neighbor…

I sat next to a woman this week – she was obviously gripped in mental illness on State Street.  She was screaming at passers by in either anger and or a strange joy.  I was waiting for friends who never showed, but realized there was another reason for being there.  I witnessed a dog care for her better than myself or others.  The dog would let her pet him and just looked at her with that accepting “dog face.”  She said that the dog should run for president.  I just sat and prayed for her and asked for peace for her mind and soul.  But the dog had the knack.

That same day some of us met with the Mayor and others to talk about working together on the West Side – the potential of a new community center, and work at the Carrillo Apartments.

I am know learning that following Jesus means being willing to go from depths to heights – usually starting at depths.  You can’t get to the top of the mountain without starting in the mess, and you never get to stay at the top too far from the mess. (Mark 9)

A community of Shalom is being created – and our reputation is always at stake.  People will wonder why we associate with who we are friends with – we will be questioned and may in fact become questionable ourselves.

I witnessed a friend of mine at Pershing Park this Wednesday, surrounded by friends with homes – he said thanks to us for starting all this.  I knew that every Wednesday night, from 5:30-7:00pm at least, he experienced love.  It made me smile, in the midst of a week of madness.

Posted in Elsies Tavern, Pershing Park, Uffizi Mission, Westmont, homeless, jesus, santa barbara, shalom | No Comments »

Friday, May 21st, 2010

A new summer of love has begun – fitting that it starts over a Guinness at Elsie’s Tavern.

I am thinking what a strange scene this is, or perhaps it isn’t that strange after all.  A new friend interrupted the smaller discussions with a much larger one – “I have a question for you all – what is the gospel?”

Here we are – a grass root bunch of renegades, Westmont grads, and traveling friends seated at Elsie’s Tavern talking about Jesus.  Couldn’t really ask for anything better.  The conversation was incredible, authentic, and convicting.  A new initiative is in full swing here.

The new summer of love will be focused on Shalom – and an unlikely band of friends is pulling together to envision just what this might be.

Wednesday I went from 4am to 11pm – living within three local love initiatives on the West Side, Pershing Park and Santa Barbara Bars (Elsie’s Tavern and The Mercury Lounge).  I was going to leave Elsie’s and go home, when a friend called and wanted to hang out at the Lounge.  Seriously?  But it was a great time with him as well.

It started with Westmont students and grads and mentors at 6am in the morning at the Village.  This is where we meet to support each other, read about Shalom, and build these initiatives.  What a great time we had, despite the early morning occasional drowsy moments.  From there a few of us walking on the Wild West Side, praying and dreaming.

From there it was individual time with some of these shalomic dreamers.  Meeting on State Street and at random places.  Each person has a wonderful destiny within the larger picture.  I appreciate and love each person dedicated to this work!

Off to Pershing Park, where the stories are both wonderful and tragic.  After four years of relationship there, they know us and we know them well.  We learn from one another every night.  A new friend from Brooks comes to take photos of our friends.

I am struck most by the story of an a woman who is older, living in a car, not wanting to tell her family where she is to burden them.  She is soft spoken but strong.  But the story is complex and I try to work my mind around it.  But, tonight at Pershing, at least she is not alone.  We will walk with her to see how we might help her out of the car and into housing.

Then off to Elsies, where I meet new and old friends, and a sojourner in this state ends the evening with the discussion about the gospel and its relevance within 21st century culture.

It is exponential growth time.  It is exponential opportunity time.  I exist in the peaceful eye of the hurricane.  I get to see it every day – and I get to tell you about it.  I want to tell you so you can join in and not miss the story here in our city.

The Summer of Shalom kicked off this week – and it will grow into the year of Shalom – where we have big dreams of what the Lord can do.

Posted in Elsies Tavern, Pershing Park, State Street, The Village, Uffizi Mission, Westmont, homeless, jesus, postmodernism, santa barbara, shalom | 2 Comments »

Post Modern Jeopardy

Sunday, April 25th, 2010

Post-Modern Jeopardy at Elsie’s Tavern and Views on Hell

So, I was Elsie’s Tavern with my friend Rich this week.  And the topics of discussion?  “Burning Man – Shrooms – Acid – Oprah – Sponge Bob”  I felt like I was on some strange post-modern version of Jeopardy.   I wasn’t going to win this game show but I was on the stage.

This is the third initiative of the Uffizi Mission, in partnership with my friend Rich, who wants to pastor these friends in the bars and pubs throughout our city.  It will be a wild and worthwhile ride.

And Elsie’s Tavern is a really mild experience when it comes to the night life culture on State Street.

Soon after this experience, I had another experience with a Christ-follower that was sure most of the population of earth would end up in hell.  Our argument was over whether there would be more people in heaven or in hell.   I held to a view of the optimist, that there would be more in heaven – while he held to the argument that the scriptures taught most were on the road to destruction.

If Jesus appeared on Jeopardy, maybe we could actually learn the answer from the only one who can open the book of life.  So, we are stuck with not having the right or authority to hear the answer.

What bugs me the most is the is the casualness of our declaration of the eternal destination of who we might consider “outsiders,” while for the most part we aren’t in step with the compassionate step and pace of our founder.

You see, Jesus is at Elsie’s.  But few of us are.  And why is that if we are so sure we are right, and God is love?   Why are we not there?  And believe me, my heart goes out to these new friends I met, who are looking for meaning and “shalom” in some strange places.

Why are we not there?

Poor teaching?  Such as “don’t drink” as law… I am all about teaching “don’t drink too much” as wisdom, but don’t drink as “law” is not found in the Book.  Jewish culture is a wine loving culture – but it is countered with wisdom.  Wisdom has much to teach regarding alcohol.  But, if even having a beer is a sin, then we can’t be at Elsie’s, and if we can’t be at Elsie’s, then where will the salt come from?

Fear?  This one I understand.  I am 45 years old and sitting at Elsie’s Tavern with 20 somethings for the most part, and I don’t speak the same language.  But I am willing to be there.  Just as I am not a friend without a home, and I am not a single mom, I am willing to be there.  And I am asking to be somewhere like this as well – way out of your comfort zone but compelled by love.

Jeopardy… the game is jeopardy.  And who is in jeopardy?

Lives every day are in jeopardy – on the streets, in SB low income zones, in bars and taverns.  This is my experience.  And this is the voice God gave me to share the state of the city.

We are in jeopardy – we are in jeopardy of being distant from our founder, our beloved son of man.  That jeopardy should concern us the most as his followers.  If we want to hold to a biblical view, we have to live a biblical standard as well.

That standard to me is love – to love God and to love our Neighbor – and both of these are indeed inseparable.

Posted in Elsies Tavern, Uffizi Mission, jesus, postmodernism | 2 Comments »