We Keep On Running To Protect Our Situation

Goodness. There's just so much to say. Welp, here's post number 1 of many...

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (before Thanksgiving Thursday) we had Steve Schallert speaking to us on World View. Steve and his wife are the co-leaders of my DTS. Steve thinks so differently and has an interesting mind. He's one of those people who is always thinking and you can tell he's thinking. While he was speaking to us, and I've noticed this in the few conversations I've had with him, every word was coated with passion. He has lived and he has experienced and he just embodies what passionate living looks like. A few years ago the word "Passion" was placed on my heart, a word to describe how I'm supposed to live. Steve is that picture for me. No, I'm not going to try and be him, because that's not what God wants, but he's a picture of passion. He puts his heart and soul into everything he does and says. He's by far the best worship leader on campus, he sings old hymns and songs from the Civil Rights Movement in America. Gah, I could go on about the person he is, but that's not the point of this post! I'm thankful for his leadership in this DTS, he and his wife make a great team with John and Jenni (the other leaders).

On Monday, Steve started off the class by reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), I think he had the majority of it memorized. Then he told about a man from Germany who asked this question, "What if Jesus is serious?" What if Jesus is serious about the words He spoke in the Bible to his followers, to Pharisees, to others around Him? What if He was serious about keeping His command, love God and love others, and the consequences of not following His commands? Doesn't that make you think a little? We're just called to love. When we're obeying God, we're loving Him and showing His love to those around us. We're just called to love. Why is that so hard?? That's the question in my mind! Why is it so hard to love the homeless man on the corner of the street? Or the man who just cut us off in traffic? Or students in our classes, our co-workers, fellow church members? The girl at Starbucks who now knows my order before I even say it? Why is it hard to see Jesus in them and just love them? The world has skewed our vision of others. The world says it's ok not to love others. Don't be of this world, just be in it. Live by a different culture. We watched this video in class. I encourage you to watch it, it's like 15 minutes long, so watch it on a lunch break :) But what's your single story? What's your view of the world? What we're after is a Jesus World View. Not one pushed on us by the world or those around us, but one formed by Jesus. In class Steve said, "We shouldn't be vampire Christians, those who just want Jesus for His blood, but we should be Christians who act through His love." Goodness gracious, the class went crazy. Don't be a vampire Christian. When you're a Christian who is just grateful for Jesus' blood that has washed away your sins, you are just a believer. You aren't a participator. If we had churches full of participators, think of the change that could be made in the world. Put legs to your prayers of change and action.

Tuesday, we started off the class by listening to U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and we were given a little history of Ireland and how prophetic that song was. It was a side note to class, but it was interesting to hear how that song moved a nation, and the world. So we crucified our single story world views. We each spoke over the microphone our single story and what was the main mechanism that made us think that way. We had these written on paper, so we then nailed them to a door and declared, "Long Live The Slaughtered Lamb!" When you have personal transformation, you then have the authority to transform society. (Romans 12) I just want to transform societies. Don't fall into the pattern of this world, create a new pattern of loving everyone! Be abnormal, it's cool :) And another quote from Tuesday's teaching, "Maybe we don't have martyrs in the West, not because society is so tolerant, but because the church has become too quiet." Mmm, if that doesn't get you acting, I don't know what will...

Wednesday, we put on a new world view. "The minute you fall in love with people is the minute that your life isn't yours anymore." Have you fallen in love with people? Not just your spouse or children, but those around you and in the world. We talked about how every new movement of thinking was accompanied or spurred on by music. Music has such an ability to move people, more than words just spoken. Music has passion, has heart, has soul behind the lyrics and the flows of phrases in the music. Why do you think music has been so big in history's movements? An answer we talked about is that it can't be taken away from us. You can lock me up, but you can't take my voice. You can take my rights from me, but you can't take my voice. You can me move to a new land, but you can't take my voice. We spent the first half of class learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his role in the Civil Rights Movement. Do you see people equally? Did you know that hate is a heavy burden to bear? Soul Force is greater than Physical Force.. MLK is quoted to have said, "We will wear you down by our love." Put on a new world view of love. It wins over everything. And hold fast to hope. Always have a positive outlook, things will change and things will get better. Only have hope in your heart/mind, don't let despair enter in. "Faith, hope, and Love..."


LOVE LOVE LOVE