ken castor

The Christmas Story ~ video

Hope this reawakens the amazing story of Christmas in a fresh way this year!  *Thanks to my friend James Smoker and Regent College for alerting me to this great video!

JabuAfrica

Way back in 2002, Kathy and Zachary and I made the long trek to Johannesburg, South Africa, to meet our new son, Benjamin Themba.  Ben was approaching 6 months old and so the time had come for us to hold him in our arms.  (Kathy's sister, Sue, and her daughter, MacKenzie, also joined us-- a family experience!)  Ben had been well loved by an amazing orphanage... a community of sacrificial saints to whom we will always be thankful.

What makes this story even better is that my brother, Dave, and his wife, Sarah, were also along.  They were meeting their new son, Toby, for the first time.  Toby and Ben are only separated by two weeks in age, and they slept in cribs right next to each other for the first months of their lives toether.

Today, Toby and Ben are cousins!

Dave and Sarah have gone on to adopt two more beautiful boys, one from Ethiopia and one from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Their story has inspired many people... and as a family they have taught many people, who otherwise had been unconcerned or unaware, about rich African traditions and deep stories of survival and beauty.

While driving in the car one day, with their three boys in the back, Sarah and Dave imagined doing something that was greater than themselves... something that would express the uniqueness of their family... something that would teach all of us more about loving others on this earth... something that would assist all the incredible caregivers in Africa who have made such a tremendous impact on the lives of the millions of orphans in Africa.  Sarah describes their adventure this way: 

"Our family came together in chapters over several years through the miracle of adoption.  Our journey began in South Africa, then Ethiopia and finally, Democratic Republic of Congo.  Pieces of our grateful hearts will forever remain in those places, with children that were left behind, and with tireless caregivers who dedicate their lives to care for the fatherless.  Our family story has been full of twists and turns that we never could have imagined.  It is a story full of tragedy, immeasurable joy, deep sorrow, and abounding hope.  This story is an adventure about living life with purpose and leaving a legacy of hope."

And so Jabu Africa was begun.  The Mission of JabuAfrica is to lend financial and emotional support to grassroots organizations caring for orphans in the countries of their children’s birth.

Here's Sarah's account:

"JabuAfrica was born out of a simple conversation between my husband and I while driving in the car with three little boys in the backseat. We wanted to step out of our ordinary lives and into something that was bigger than ourselves – and we wanted to invite others to join us. It’s a bit frightening to step out with such a big mission BUT we won’t be standing alone. So, thank YOU! Let us not be silent. Let’s not be still. Let your heart be broken, your life shaken up… join us in this adventure making lives better for children in DRC, South Africa and Ethiopia."

Would you consider joining the invitation to a better story... for yourself, for your neighbor, for the millions of orphans in the Africa... for my son and his cousins? 

The Pursuit of Youth Ministry

This graphic is basically the outline for my "Introduction to Youth and Family Ministry" course at Crown College this fall.  It's a work in progress (and the 50+ students who took the course last year have helped me improve it a bit for this year)... and I'm fairly happy with this current diagram.  What do you think? 

Plunging Into the Kingdom Way ~ by Tim Dickau

This book is one to love:  Plunging Into the Kingdom Way by Tim Dickau (Cascade Books, 2011).  First of all, it's about a church in Vancouver.  Enough said.  Worth the read right there.  As our years in Vancouver made us aware, nothing about that city could ever be uninteresting. 

Second of all, Charles Ringma wrote a foreward that alone makes the purchase of the book worth the price.

Third of all, Tim Dickau writes as a pastor who actually has been and is and continues to be practicing what he writes.  I love that. 

Tim has served as a part of unique church in East Vancouver since 1989.  During that time the church has transitioned from a sincere but small and aging congregation to a dynamic community that challenges the North American understandings of "church". 

This is not a book for the faint of heart.  Neither is this a book for those that want to continue to "go" to church.  I'm challenged... and admit that I had to simmer on each page in order to let the implications of a practiced Christianity sink in.  It's just not that easy for a comfortable North American to move into a lifestyle of "radical hospitality" or to step out of homegeneity into a "shared life among cultures".  These, and the two other major themes of the book ("Justice for the least" and "repentance") are practices I long for... but they can be incredibly difficult to endure.  A church can do it, though.  And the world needs churches to practice better faith.  This book is not a blueprint or a cookie-cutter model by any means... it is the story of a congregation that decided and acted to intentionally live out the Gospel in their neighborhood.  Thank you Grandview Calvary Baptist Church for your example and encouragement to the rest of us!

 

G.O.S.P.E.L

 

Great video of the spoken word. Reminds me of the power of the Story.  Please let me know what hits you from this. My favorite quote might be this one: "Trying to prove God is like defending a lion." Or it might be: "Give God His breath back. You owe Him."  What is your favorite? 

You can purchase/download this video at dare2share.org/​store/​content/​life-6-words-gospel-0

TED talk by Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability.

Great talk from TED by Brene Brown. Theme: Shame and fear is only overcome by excruciating pain, or in other words, true vulnerability.  Shame = fear of disconnection. Shame keeps us from feeling worthy of connection/belonging. If shame can be overcome, then we can have belonging.

I post this because I've been teaching in our class at Crown ("Spiritual and Leadership Development") on these precise themes which stem from Genesis and lead to the posture of Jesus. As a result, vulnerability (or "Humility/Fragility/Intimacy" as I have said in class) is necessary to overcome connection and belonging.  ** There is some language and content that might disturb some of you... just a heads up.  But I consider the content of this talk to be of such high quality that Brene's raw moments are very appropriate.  Her comments about the nature of what we've done to religious faith are also especially profound and match the themes of our course.  Thanks to Steve Anderson for calling my attention to this talk.

helping others find their way home

A very impressive reminder about why we need to reach out to others:

Anchored HD from lindsey olivares on Vimeo.

009 Peace Prince

Isaiah 9:6b These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

        Finally, Isaiah says, this child will be called Prince of Peace.  Sur-Shalom.  Physical distress and spiritual misery will be conquered through the power and authority of this child.  He will establish peace.  His kingdom will increase, verse 7 tells us.  Peace will be so very much more than a temporary ceasefire.  His power and rule will launch a new heaven and new earth.  All suffering and frustration and angst and weapons of darkness will be obliterated.  Shalom is the wholeness and fulfillment that only God has.  Shalom peace is the purity and the perfection and the knowledge and summary of everything that is right.  Peace will be ultimate, never being dented by darkness.
        And it will come from a child.  A child who is the ruler of peace.  A child who has in his hand the power to dispense peace.  A child who will inherit Shalom from God the Father because he is God's Son... the heir to the throne of all creation.  A child who rules with Psalm 93 sort of power and eternity.  A child who is born among us and for us.  A child who is too wondrous to describe with just one name.  A child who holds titles unimaginable.  A child who is equated with Yahweh, the King of kings, the Lord of lords.  A child who is saves the world.  A child who inaugurates the shalom of God.  God himself coming to earth to save his children.  Amen.

007 Hero God

Isaiah 9:6b  These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God...

        As if Wonderful Counselor wasn't enough to describe this child, Isaiah actually calls him "Mighty God."  Is that really what Isaiah 9:6 says?!!  Through out history many people have tried to rephrase this verse... because how could a child actually be called "Mighty God"-- especially in the monotheistic Hebrew worldview?  But Isaiah actually says this... we even have copies of Isaiah from before the time Jesus was born that say "El-Gibbor"... "Mighty God."
        El is the Hebrew word for God.  You can hear it in the word "Immanuel" - "Immanu-El" - God With Us.  In Isaiah, El never refers to anyone other than Yahweh, the One True God of Israel.  It is never used generally to reference false gods, or perceived deities of other nations.  El is God alone.  So for Isaiah to use this title upon a child is absolutely astonishing.  Isaiah 31:3 - "The Egyptians are men, not God."  Isaiah 10:21 - "A remnant will return to the Mighty God (El-Gibbor)."  The reason the people will rejoice, the reason darkness will be destroyed, the reason light is coming into the world, is because God somehow in the form of a child will overturn all the consequences of sin and despair and distress and misery.
        And God is mighty.  Gibbor literally means "hero".  This child is the hero-God!  God is going to be the hero.  Are you walking in darkness?  Don't fear, God will give you light?  Are you oppressed?  Hang in there, God is coming to the rescue!  Is your soul imprisoned?  God will free you!  Are your struggling?  God will revive you!  Are your drowning?  God will save you!  He is the hero-God.  He is the Mighty God who saves this world.  A child is born, a Son is given.  He will called Wonder Counselor and Hero God!

i have a dream - anniversary

40 years ago today, April 4, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, TN.   But still today his actions and words are considered among the most important in history.  May his dream of justice and freedom become reality in every corner of the globe.