Uffizi Mission Project

I think I can officially consider myself a missional “blockhead.”  That’s fine by me.  I am motivated to write this post after watching Linus fail at bringing the Great Pumpkin to earth once again.

I could definitely write “A Missional Book for Complete Idiots” or “Mission According to Peanuts” for sure.  Because everything we have done together has met with as much failure as success, but we are dedicated to plodding onward…

Like the Peanuts gang, we misfit children have taken on the biggest issues in our city.  I need counseling from Lucy – need to dance with Snoopy – and need the gospel read to me again by Linus.

But I think every blockhead is perfectly set for the charge.  To bring peace to the west side and a bit of brotherly/sisterly love to friends on the streets.

We had an amazing time last night on the West Side with residents, discussing the Promised Land in Numbers, and whether the West Side would always be avoided by the majority of the population, or whether some day it will be a land of milk and honey.  We decided to own the problem together, and like the spies with good report, trust God for peace and that a generation from now would see the West Side differently.  But the Peanuts gang will have to work hard – it won’t come from prayer at a distance.

As far as friends without homes – seems like a forever and ever whacked out dilemma.  Yet we seek to work with individuals and families toward work, housing, if desired.  But, we are one Peanuts gang with them, learning from them as we go.  Last night got alot of lectures actually, and one friend sang me Popeye the Sailor all night long.  A friend read an article about the street med team in the local paper, and decided he must do something!  We will talk more about that…

I got a call today from a woman who wants to know about any family in need and wants to raise funds.  Believe me, I know a family.

Today I facebooked in a discussion about whether feeding the homeless necessarily makes you missional (meaning -that it is equally a part of the mission of Jesus as anything else)  Pardon my fury – but why is everything separated at one level or another?  A better question may be, can you be missional and not care about the poor.  A good honest reading of Luke may reveal an answer and it may not…  I often wonder why we are ok with friends on the street or a lack of peace on the West Side?  Maybe we don’t believe we can actually change it.

Well, blockheads can

I can remember telling my psychology class my junior year of high school that I was going to find the truth and let everyone know.  That probably went over really well…

Last night I looked at my bookshelf and noticed three books all next to one another.  The first was The Origin of Species by Darwin – then came Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Nietzsche – followed by the New Testament.  I realized that I have read all three of them in my life, and they all shaped me in various ways.

The question is this – why is humanity here?  And there are many arguments for sure that make sense to reason and scientific evidence.

Darwin (and others before and after him) may have created a culture of belief in evolution.  That we are progressing toward something, as well as going backward I guess as well…  If this is true, we better figure it out fast, because the way the world seems to be going gives us limited time to evolve.  Our weapons are evolving faster than our ability to control them.  Can weapons of mass destruction begin evolving without us, because they seem to have a life of their own.

Nietzsche, contrary to popular belief, did not declare God dead, but the need for God undone.  He would not argue for the existence of God, but rather for the will to power.  For him, morality was for the weak, and the way forward was with the “over-man,” the one that would overcome morality and create a whole new man.  So, again, if this is true, then we had better get to work.  If somehow weakness can be overcome, and we can follow this new over-man, let’s see what comes… (of course Nazi Germany warped this into a course which did show what horror can come bottom line from such thinking…)

So there we have the New Testament – let’s consider the main character there – Jesus.  My personal belief is that Jesus came to bring about a way of life now equal to how it is in heaven (not just a free ticket up).  God will issue a way of life to us through Jesus that would carry us as well in this life as into the next.  I would say that my understanding of truth is wrapped up in Him.

So, in this 21st century, we are at the cross roads… because the time calls for action.  As I give my answer, that our meaning is found in God, many would disagree.  Many see more evidence for what Darwin claims, or for what Nietzsche sees, or there are many other roads.  But I believe in our hearts, we all have this little voice, saying that “love” is really the answer.  It is because at some point in our life, we have experienced redemptive love at some level (someone came along side us at just the right time)… and this points us toward God, who is love.

I can’t see any way out for humanity if love is not in the equation – can you?

Blessed are the Destitute… really?  Jesus said that.  He didn’t really mean the poor in spirit, or just the poor, but the “destitute.”

Sounds like a nice little pat on the head or a trite little prayer to give in passing – if you don’t embrace its meaning.

I am wondering if it means that the destitute should actually be our teachers?  If maybe they know something we have yet to learn?

This is why regaining our missional vision may indeed “save the church”  We will find our best teachers again.  So, we should not think that we have so much to give, but much to gain.

One of my destitute friends from the streets calls me more than I call him, to say that he loves me.  He checks in on me more that I check in on him.  I have not learned the lesson he is trying to teach me yet.

There is a mutual saving going on here, of equal importance.

I believe in the life, death, resurrection of Jesus – and the salvation freely given by God in Him.  I also that we can gain much from journeying with others.  

Jesus also said blessed are the peacemakers.

There is too much arguing and conflict and not enough mutual learning.

As a whole, the time has come for us to believe the Beatitudes, and put it all into practice.

Why?  Because the destitute need us as well.  They need socks, hoodies, sleeping bags, food, health care, shelter.  They need mentoring, attention, play, rest.  Single moms need help with kids.  Friends without homes need hope.  

If I weren’t so busy, perhaps I would have time for weeping for how distant the laborers are from the field.  I hear footsteps coming from the East, West, North, and South.  But will I live to see the day?

I jumped on the Peace Train and found myself on the Bi-Polar Express and now I want to start the Magical Generosity Tour.

The Bi-Polar Express is of my own creation, which I experience every Wednesday especially.  This is how it goes:

I get an email someone at the Village frustrated with rent and life and trying to make it work.  It is sad to me because I love the family but there is no easy answer in this case.  I wonder what it would be like to plant real money trees for my friends.

The Bipolar express goes left…

I get a phone call from a friend from the streets thanking me for stepping in on a situation and saving his life.

The Bipolar express swerves right…

Some residents are upset with the Carrillo kids coming over and using the pool at the Village.  They are upset because it is “their pool.”  I wonder if people understand the grace they have received.

The Bipolar express bounces back left…

Someone at the Village takes charge and brings a great deal of Thai food to the Pershing Park Meal Sharing.  It is our best fifth Wednesday of the month ever, with all the wonderful food from so many who stepped forward!

The Bipolar express goes right again…

The city of Santa Barbara seems to be quick to pass new panhandling laws, but slow to create boxes for the streets so people can still donate for friends on the streets, and give to credible organizations.  While the panhandling laws may go into motion, the boxes may or may not become a reality?  

The Bipolar express strays left…

Let’s end on an up note – in our experiencing God time at the Village, there is a huge peace-making moment between two friends who were at war.  It is not forced, but just comes about organically.  Great to see because so often conflicts are left unresolved!

While I am stuck on the Bipolar Express, (and willing to do so, with many of you) – I want to found the Magical Generosity Tour, or the Year of Living Generously.  The more the merrier.

But, this is really just a trick, a ruse – because everyone is really getting on the Bipolar express with me (don’t tell anyone).  My thinking is simply that the more people who get on the train, the better the odds of less “bi-polar expressishness”…  The more we will create or demand a new train!

PS – just now someone from the village came to me because her check has not come in and she does not have any food…