Monday's Walk

Monday, October 4

Today, I took Eldon (my Grandson) to school at 7:45 AM, then drove into Downtown Ogden. I parked on 25th Street, just east of Wall Street. The sky was dominated by dark clouds with silver linings; my windshield wipers were needed on the way. The air was cooler, but not cold. After taking my umbrella from the trunk as a precaution, I locked the car and proceeded south on Wall, following the same route taken on Sunday.

As I began to walk, I sense the presence of God . . . I enjoyed about 5 minutes of singing to my Heavenly Father in a heavenly language, punctuated by expressions of praise and prayer in English.

I noticed several groups of people on both sides of Wall Street ahead of me. Recalling similar scenes in other cities, I guessed these men were waiting for opportunities to work. Soon I walked by three men of Hispanic origins. As I passed, I said, "Good morning!" Then I turned and asked, "Are you men looking for work?" They answered and nodded in the affirmative. I said, "I'm sorry I don't have work today, but may I offer a prayer for you?" All three smiled as one answered, "Oh, yes!" I offered a brief prayer to the Father in the Name of Jesus, asking for good money, good work, and good strength for all three. As I finished, I noticed that the one gentleman wearing a cap had moved that cap from his head to his heart! "God bless you!" I said, and turned to resume my walk. I was pumped!

As I approached the corner of Lincoln and 27th streets, I took note of a group of buildings that seemed to dominate the next block. I recalled noticing on Sunday that the parking lot contained numerous vans and mini-vans with exempt license plates. So I turned north on Lincoln to see what these buildings were. It was the Archway Center for Youth . . . the buildings looked like they might be dormitories. I will have to investigate this place further . . .

Turning again to the east on 26th, I walked to Washington and crossed the street heading north. I had just entered the block containing the Municipal Building and the aforementioned plaza, when my toe hit a raised block of sidewalk and I began to plunge forward! In two or three quick steps I failed to recover my balance, and found myself sprawled on the wide sidewalk! I paused to assess my pain and discovered nothing of concern. Turning over onto my seat, I felt a twinge in the left side of my ribcage. Looking around, I was both glad and sad to find that nobody seemed to notice my fall. I was glad because my embarrassment was limited. I was sad because I had no immediate witnesses to support my huge lawsuit against the City of Ogden! After briefly wondering why my Companion had allowed me to stumble, I arose, stretched, and resumed my walk, at a somewhat slower pace, thanking God that I seemed to be in one piece!

On Washington Avenue, I passed the Egyptian Theater, a center for drama, dance, and other arts. I recalled seeing this place promoted on the Ogden website. Ogden prides itself on the role of the arts in the community . . . recreation and outdoor sports is another source of civic pride.

I noticed several places offering lodging within my circuit. There was a Marriott of some kind a block or two off my route. I passed a nice Hampton Suites in a rejuvenated building, next to a convention complex. There were several older but nice hotels, and there were a few places that were not so nice.

Passing the Mormon Temple/Tabernacle complex, I was struck with the view of a white spire topped with a golden Moroni blowing a trumpet, all against the dark background of approaching storm clouds. I snapped an inferior shot on my cell phone and mused, "There's an angry storm over the Temple today . . . God, as you reign, rain down truth, mercy, and grace upon the religious institution that dominates so much of Ogden and Utah today!"

On 22nd Street I took note of a place that offers serious personal temptations . . . across the street, as I dared venture no closer, was the Farr Ice Cream Parlour! Recalling my visits to Ogden in previous years, I knew this place offered many calorie laden delights. Note to self: it's much safer to walk down this street in the morning, BEFORE they open!

Soon, my walk was completed as I walked south on Wall Street to 25th. I thanked God for a wonderful time! Once seated in my faithful Malibu, I rejoiced to find that the Starbucks in my mug was still hot!

Taking a Walk in Ogden

Sunday, October 3.

Weeks ago, when it seemed clear that God was directing me to move to Ogden, Utah, I began viewing Ogden on various Internet maps. I scanned the neighborhood where my son lives and found other spots I knew in town. At the same time, I found the Ogden City website and began to read about the community. Then, I used the map to locate a few of the places I had visited and read about in the downtown section.

• The "Historical 25th Street" was easy to find. The street begins at Wall Street, across from the Union Station, and extends two long blocks to Lincoln Avenue. At around 1900 these blocks were packed with saloons, restaurants, pool halls, and hotels, all catering to the travelers passing through Union Station. By the way, the first transcontinental railroad passed through Ogden and the "golden spike" that joined East and West was driven into a tie at Promontory Point, about 25 miles to the north and west.
• Nearby is a plaza that I visited with my family at Christmas-time some years ago; various businesses and organizations created "Christmas Scenes" throughout the plaza, which was blanketed by snow.
• The Municipal Building is located in the large block next to the plaza. This is the heart of Ogden City government.
• One large block north 25th Street is "The Junction", a recently redeveloped section of town where you will find a large theater complex, Gold's Gym, Fat Cats, and a variety of restaurants and recreational facilities.
• One block north of "The Junction" is a large city block containing the Ogden Mormon Temple and the Ogden Tabernacle.

As I scanned the maps, locating these and other landmarks, I wondered what God intended to do with me in Ogden. I had no invitation to serve a local church. There was no job awaiting me. But, I had a growing sense that God had something new for me to do . . . not new for God, but new for me!

As I reflected on the possibilities, I was curiously moved to walk around the center of Ogden. When the Children of Israel entered the promised land, they marched around Jericho on seven consecutive days. Although the parallels between that biblical story and my adventure are limited, I decided to "take a walk" around Ogden.

So, on Sunday afternoon, I had Sandra drop me off near Union Station, and I walked. I walked south on Wall to 27th Street. Then I went east on 27th to Washington Avenue, the main street of downtown Ogden. North on Washington to 22nd I walked. I turned west on 22nd and walked to Wall Street, then turned south toward my starting point. Sandra picked me up about a block from where she dropped me off.

Halfway through the circuit, I realized this would be a longer walk than I had expected. Here are some other impressions . . .

• I was a bit surprised to find myself walking through the edge of what must be a poorer neighborhood.
• I walked within a block of the Ogden Rescue Mission.
• I saw numerous financial institutions.
• I noticed that "The Junction" has a place where you can surf, and another place where you can fly!
• Passing by the Temple and the Tabernacle, I noticed talk iron gates and fences, with security cameras in strategic spots. I wondered, "Are they trying to keep people in, or out?"
• I skirted the edge of a block containing the Ogden Police Department and the main Fire Department.
• I noted that there were numerous empty and/or abandoned buildings of various shapes and sizes.
• There were two taco stands on Washington, in front of the Municipal Building . . . being on a diet and having no cash, I passed by, looking with longing at the taco makings!
• I was pleasantly surprised to find that most businesses were closed on Sunday . . . a refreshing discovery!

As I walked, I prayed. I encountered relatively few people, but I greeted those I met with a smile and a brief word or a wave.

Just as the walk, about 2.5 miles, was longer than expected, I sense the spiritual and practical needs of Ogden are greater than I imagined. I asked God to use me in some way to touch the lives of the people He loves.

THINK

When I was a kid, a long time ago, my brother-in-law Dan worked for IBM. Dan brought me a gift . . . a small, desk-top plaque with a simple message. Bold, black letters on a white face commanded me to “THINK.” I wish I had that valuable piece of memorabilia today!

At that time, IBM was on the cutting edge of modern technology . . . their manual typewriters were really hot! They were so much better than Smith Corona or Remington. Then came the IBM Selectric, a wonderful electric typewriter. You could actually change the type (aka: font) by changing a little attachment smaller than a golf ball! (Kid’s today would have a hard time understanding how revolutionary that was then!) Many of us had IBM desktop computers in the 80’s. “ThinkPad”, their first laptop, was introduced in 1992. Recently, I researched the history of IBM on www.IBM.com . . .

The roots of IBM actually reach into the 1880's. In 1911 the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company was founded, and they became the International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. That’s when “Think” became their “mantra.” Thinking is the process that enabled IBM to ride the waves of technology. By thinking, IBM actually MADE waves! IBM has survived over 120 years of unbelievable changes in technology, culture, and lifestyle.

Thinking is fundamental to spiritual life and growth. Radical (rooted) Christianity is not possible without serious thinking! A church cannot be “radical” unless its leaders and its people THINK. I’ll tell you why . . .

Most Christians appreciate the necessity of repentance. “Repent” is often defined as “turn around” or “about face.” But Strong’s Concordance defines the word as “think differently” or “reconsider.” When you trace the roots of the word, you’ll find the Greek word for “mind” or “intellect.” I like Dallas Willard’s working paraphrase or “repent” . . . “re-evaluate your plan for living.” The point is, you cannot repent without thinking! When we seriously consider (think about) the the truths of God's Word, the Gospel, or claims of the Lord Jesus, our lives will change! I do not believe repentance is not a one-time proposition. Anytime you read the Bible thoughtfully, you will be challenged to think differently. So, repent . . . THINK!

Paul warned the Romans about being “conformed to the world.” (That’s a warning we need to heed today!) Instead, Paul encouraged the Romans and the rest of us to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The word translated “mind” is the word beneath the meaning of “repent.” Only by renewing or renovating our minds are we able to test and approve the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God! “Renovation” reminds me of those television programs that take a house or a yard and make it new! Our prayer ought to be, “Lord, flip my mind . . . I need a make-over!” THINK!

We have been given a wonderful and amazing gift: The Bible! I believe it is the Word of God. It is “God-breathed and useful for teaching, reproving, correcting, and training in righteousness.” It is a “lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 1 says the man who meditates on God’s word will prosper. The Bible . . . we should read it, memorize it, meditate on it, study it, and share it . . . and that requires thinking. If you can read the Bible and not be changed by it, you aren’t thinking! A really radical Christian is one who is rooted in the Word of God . . . THINK!

THINK! Thinking will bring you back to the roots of spiritual reality and make you a radical Christian!

Radical Thinking

Here’s an huge understatement: what and how we think is extremely important.

Our lives are dramatically shaped, deeply affected by our thinking. Perspective can make an amazing difference. Radical thinking can revitalize your life! Consider a few examples . . .

The Apostle Paul suffered amazing hardships as a servant of the Lord Jesus. (Check out the list in II Corinthians 11:23-33.) Yet, a few pages earlier he wrote, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” Then, a few lines later Paul expressed this perspective:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” II Corinthians 4:16-18

Given the challenges Paul faced, he could have been bitter, discouraged, angry, and depressed, but no! He had a radical perspective, a view of life rooted in the promises of God. In Romans 8 he wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” That’s radical thinking!

Stephen’s life was on the line as he stood before the council in Acts 7. His defense infuriated the Sanhedrin; “mad dog” looks were everywhere. Then, God gave Stephen a peak into the spiritual realm. Stephen announced, “Look, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” That changed his perspective . . . moments later, as they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Stephen gained a fresh perspective from God. That’s radical!

A few weeks ago I greeted a brother as he walked out of his workplace. I asked, “How are you?” Tears welled up in his eyes as he answered, “I had a conflict with a fellow employee and the boss took his side, my wife is angry at me again. I’m not appreciated or needed at work or at home . . . everyone would be better off if I was dead!” I put my hand on his shoulder and said, “Brother, you are on a mission from God! God put you in that job and God gave you a wife, you’ve got a job to do and you just have to trust God.” I offered a brief prayer and he seemed encouraged. The next day he called me from work and said, “Hey, my boss just asked me to pray for him! I am on a mission from God!” Radical thinking revived that brother!

Radical thinking is keeping our eyes on Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Yes, even Jesus had a radical perspective . . . He was rooted in the will of the Father, and that enabled Jesus to live and die. We are beneficiaries of His faithfulness.

We need radical thinking today! Get back to your roots . . . you’ll find them in the pages of God’s word!

I’ll have more to say about radical thinking in the days ahead.

The Radical Church

Roots . . . think roots. Don’t think “extreme” or “wild.”

And don’t confuse “the Church” with the building on the corner where Christians gather, the non-profit corporation, or the organization that promotes religious activities in your neighborhood. If these entities summarize your concept of the church, you really need to think “radical.”

The Church is a spiritual organism including and encompassing all true believers of all generations, races, tribes, and nations through the centuries since Jesus founded the church by His own death, burial, and resurrection. It is equivalent to “the body of Christ” into which every believer is baptized by the Holy Spirit. Get your mind around this truth . . . this is where our roots are! The New Testament provides ample theological insight into this spiritual nature of the Church, and we must embrace those scriptural truths in our quest to be the “radical” Church.

We must continually remind ourselves that the church is not a building. While we commonly refer to attending a Sunday service as “going to church,” that expression is not really accurate. How many times I have I heard this . . . “We’re looking for a church that has children’s church and a youth ministry.” Buildings, gatherings, and ministries may be an appropriate expression of the church, but they do not capture the essence of the real Church! They are not “radical.”

Of course, the Church has an earthly and physical manifestation. While we are spiritually joined together in Christ, we are still physical people “living in a physical world.” So, the very earliest physical or practical manifestation of the church will help us return to our roots and thus be radical. That will take us back to the book of Acts!

I know, you are thinking, “Well, duh!” But listen! Although we regularly read and study Acts, we still seem to miss it . . .

In our practice of “church” today, we tend to value the very things that are conspicuously absent from the record of the early church! There were no church buildings in the early church. It’s hard to tell when and where the church met. There’s no mention of worship teams . . . I can’t find a reference to music in Acts. No youth ministries, no children’s churches, no . . . well, it’s hard to find any of the stuff promoted in church bulletins today in Acts. Oh yeah, no church bulletins! The apostles were woefully ignorant of church growth principles!

And yet, the spread of the good news, the large and varied number of signs and wonders, the resultant multitude of changed lives, and the growth of the church has never been matched through the Centuries since Acts 28.

The roots of the Church are in the Gospels and in Acts, and we must find transferable, timeless truths that will enable the church today to be radical! If we could capture and apply the essence of what was important in the early church, we would abandon our feeble efforts to be “extreme” in order to draw a crowd and grow a church!

We need a radical church today!

Radical Christianity

Radical Christianity.

(Continued from the previous post, “Radical, Dude!”)

Since the first definition of “radical” offered by Merriam-Webster.com is “of, relating to, or proceeding from a root,” real radical Christianity must be that which reflects the biblical roots of Christianity. Biblical Christianity is rooted in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The relevant roots of Christianity have nothing to do with the culture of the First Century. We’ve all had fun with the idea that being like Jesus involves wearing sandals and robes . . . I’m wearing sandals right now, but I would like to think that I am like Jesus in more meaningful ways! Many beatniks and hippies of the past were very much like Jesus in that respect! “What would Jesus do?” is an appropriate question . . . “What would Jesus eat?” and questions like it are interesting, but irrelevant when it comes to being a radical Christian.

Being like Jesus is the fundamental issue in radical Christianity. Everyone who claims to be a Christian should have a heart to be like Him in every way possible. Being like Jesus naturally leads us to “do like Jesus.” Christ-like character produces Christ-like conduct. But, those of who have tried to be like Jesus, in character, conduct, or both, know how frustrating and futile such efforts can be. How do we become more like Jesus?

Let’s back up a bit . . . there is a sense in which the roots of Christianity do not take us back to Jesus Christ himself. We must acknowledge that Christianity is rooted in another reality. Acts 11:26 tells us that the first people called “Christians” were disciples. Prior to that time, which was 10 to 12 years after the birth of the church in Acts 2, no one was called a Christian. Most considered themselves Jews who believed in Jesus as Messiah. They were called disciples, believers, or brothers and sisters. As a whole or in groups, they were called the church. Then, someone in Antioch described a disciple of Jesus as a Christian. That term seems to have stuck through the years, but there’s only one other time in Acts that the term is used. So, a quest for radical Christianity forces us to recognize the priority and precedence of discipleship.

Some Christians have the erroneous idea that a being a disciple is in some way distinct from being a Christian; the assumption is that a disciples is someone who has answered a call “above and beyond the call of duty.” Some believe that Jesus only had twelve disciples, and therefore, discipleship must be an exclusive relationship reserved for a “super” Christian.

Considering the sad state of Christianity in much of the world today, a true disciple might be something super. Polls and surveys have shown that the moral thought and behavior of those who call themselves Christians in the United States is not much better or higher than the rest of society! But a Christian should be a disciple . . . and disciples should be dramatically different morally, ethically, and spiritually in comparison to the average unbeliever!

Therefore, a “radical” Christian is one who has embraced the call to be a disciple, for a disciple is one who has entered a learning relationship with a “master” in order to become like his or her “master!” There’s so much to say about discipleship . . . but first, I want to respond to the other question raised in my last blog . . . What is the really “radical” church?

Radical, Dude!

People who call themselves “Christians” really need to be more radical.

That which we call “the local church” needs to be radical too, encouraging and nurturing those who desire to become “radical Christians.”

Fact is, God has been calling me to be radical, dude!

The images from the 60’s and 70’s are still relatively clear in my memory. I still see radical students and professors disrupting universities with rallies, sit-in’s, and various other activities. Demonstrations, fires, and angry people with long hair are in the mix. These images of what “decent” people probably considered lawless and revolutionary activities have been called “radical.”

Radical sports have caught the attention and imagination of young people more recently. Anything involving a young person flying and flipping through the air with some piece of recreational equipment would be considered “radical.”

When a diseased or infected part of the anatomy must be removed by physicians, the procedure might be called “radical.”

All in all, “radical” doesn’t sound particularly positive or healthy . . . so how could a nice, decent guy like me endorse “radical” religion?

I’m not the first to use “radical” and “church” in the same sentence. Recently I read of a pastor who was using radical strategies and events to reach more people. The article described young people riding motor scooters through the aisles inside a place of worship during a Sunday gathering. The same article mentioned the pastor’s recent bungee jump from a considerable height! These and thousands of other activities planned by churches across the country are described as “radical” . . . I’ll just call them “crazy!”

The popular connotation assigned to the term “radical” is “extreme,” “WAY out of the box,” and beyond mere innovation.

I am not promoting bungee jumping Christians or motor scooters in the sanctuary. I have something far more exciting in mind, something extreme in its own way.

If you research the roots of the word “radical” and you’ll find that it is related to the word “radish.” The radish is not one of my favorite roots . . . I prefer carrots! But, the word “radical” and “radish” both share the same root meaning. “Root” is the root of “radical”. Both “radish” and “radical” come from an old Latin word, radix. The first definition of “radical” offered by Merriam-Webster.com is “of, relating to, or proceeding from a root.”
In fact, the popular connotations are in fact radical departures from the word’s true and original meaning!

So what is “radical” Christianity? What is the really “radical” church?

To be continued . . .