"I pray to the God within me for the strength to ask him the real questions," a quotation from the book Night by Elie Wiesel. In 2010 when Francis Chan left his mega-church where he served as pastor for 16 years to move to a poor section of Asia with his wife and four children and to give away profits from his best-selling book Crazy Love which has sold 2.2 million copies, some told him something like Estas Loco! (Are You Crazy!)
Yet God doesn't call everyone into Christian ministry to be a pastor or to even remain a pastor for life. God will compel us to change. Acts 6:1-4 New Living Translation Bible says, "But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”"
Like the apostles gained greater freedom to teach the Word by delegating some of their other duties, Chan has greater freedom to teach the Bible to more people now that he is free from being the pastor of one particular church.
Feeding people and being a pastor are important Christian ministries. Matthew 25:34-40 the Message Bible says, "“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.’
“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’"
Ministry leaders are of various types. Ephesians 4:11 Amplified Bible says, "And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers."
Instead of calling people crazy who have the audacity to give up pastorates at the height of their success or to reduce job duties, why not encourage them in the proclamation of the Word of God? Romans 10:13-14 English Standard Version Bible says, "For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?"
Chan is both a Christian speaker and writer. The Apostle Paul was both a speaker and writer. Paul wrote most of the New Testament. Paul spent a lot of time studying the Bible and other reading materials. One of the nice things about the written word is one can stop at any time to pray, think and meditate without being compelled to go onto the next sentence. Use books, magazines, newspapers, CDs, DVDs, speeches and other media to study the Bible and apply its teaching to everyday living. 2 Timothy 2:15 Amplified Bible says, "Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth."
Intimate study of the Bible should establish that those like Chan are not insane but in tune with the will of God. Chan is now back in the United States after nine months of ministry in Asia. He is focusing on one-on-one discipleship. Civil Rights Activist Ella Baker who helped to found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and had various jobs with the NAACP including national director of branches said, "You didn't see me on television, you didn't see news stories about me. The kind of role that I tried to play was to pick up pieces or put together pieces out of which I hoped organization might come. My theory is: strong people don't need strong leaders." Baker didn't mean that leaders shouldn't be strong but rather all people should be strong, and all people are called to lead. In Genesis God gave all people dominion over the planet. Genesis 1:27-28 Complete Jewish Bible says, "So God created humankind in his own image; in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. God blessed them: God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth.” "
Some families will consist of couples of domestic engineers and their spouses some with children some without children, singles, single parents, dual-income couples with children some without children and other types of families. All people can benefit from one year or more of paid leave from employment to help them fulfill God's command to rule the planet. Read my articles "Push for Paid Leave" and "Something Horrible Happened?"
Many women have spoken in favor of paid maternity leave. Dads and moms what do you think about one year or more of paid leave from employment? Singles what do you think of one year or more of paid leave for mission trips, volunteerism and other activities?
Do we even really need to give employers a reason for taking one year or more of paid leave?
Showing posts with label Asian Americans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asian Americans. Show all posts
Friday, March 8, 2013
Thursday, March 7, 2013
End the War Between the Sexes
"Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same side," says motivational speaker and author Zig Ziglar. Love is better than war between the sexes.
Many African American couples purchased the freedom of one or both. Frederick Douglass was named Frederick Bailey as a slave. He fell in love with Anna Murray who was born free. Murray and paper played important roles in his life. Ts'ai Lun, an official of the Chinese Imperial court is credited with inventing paper. He combined bamboo fibers, the inner bark of a mulberry tree and water to create pulp. Lun then poured the pulp on a cloth and let the water drain through. When the remaining pulp was solid enough, he lifted it off the cloth and hung it up to dry. When dry it made a writing surface.
On September 3, 1838 using the borrowed identification papers of a black sailor and abolitionist named David Ruggles and money that Murray had saved, Frederick Bailey left slavery in Maryland for freedom in Massachusetts. Love shows itself.
1 Corinthians 13:6 Amplified Bible says about love, "It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail." Slavery is wrong; freedom is just and right. Like Murray worked nine years, saved money and gave it to her future husband Frederick Bailey to purchase his freedom, Absalom Jones and Mary King were slaves who married, and Absalom worked several years to pay for the freedom of Mary, their children and himself. Absalom Jones went on to found the St. Thomas African Episcopal Church on July 17, 1794, and he became the first black American to become an ordained priest. Read more in my article "Stern-Looking But Big-Hearted." Lucy Terry was a 16-year-old poet and slave who wrote "The Bar's Fight" describing a Native American attack on Deerfield, Massachusetts, in 1746 during the French and Indian War. Abijah Prince an ex-slave who gained his freedom after serving in the French and Indian War, married Lucy Terry and purchased her freedom. They moved to Vermont and had six children two of whom fought in the Revolutionary War.
Fred Korematsu who fought for Asian American civil rights said, "If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak up." Frederick Bailey changed his name to Frederick Douglass to avoid slave hunters and spoke against many evils and for love. Douglass became a public speaker, wrote Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave and established the newspaper called North Star which is the same name of the first newspaper I wrote for in high school and eventually became editor-in-chief of it. The North Star's motto was "Right is of no sex--Truth is of no color--God is the Father of us all, and all we are brethren."
Even if something or someone is in the way of love, pasos cortos, vista larga (short steps, long view.) Harriet Tubman was married to John Tubman. Harriet was born a slave. John was born free. John did not help Harriet gain her freedom. Step by step Harriet gained her freedom and went on to help hundreds of African Americans gain their freedom. Read my article "Only One is All Good."
Love is not without struggle, but we can work together for in the end, love always wins.
Many African American couples purchased the freedom of one or both. Frederick Douglass was named Frederick Bailey as a slave. He fell in love with Anna Murray who was born free. Murray and paper played important roles in his life. Ts'ai Lun, an official of the Chinese Imperial court is credited with inventing paper. He combined bamboo fibers, the inner bark of a mulberry tree and water to create pulp. Lun then poured the pulp on a cloth and let the water drain through. When the remaining pulp was solid enough, he lifted it off the cloth and hung it up to dry. When dry it made a writing surface.
On September 3, 1838 using the borrowed identification papers of a black sailor and abolitionist named David Ruggles and money that Murray had saved, Frederick Bailey left slavery in Maryland for freedom in Massachusetts. Love shows itself.
1 Corinthians 13:6 Amplified Bible says about love, "It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail." Slavery is wrong; freedom is just and right. Like Murray worked nine years, saved money and gave it to her future husband Frederick Bailey to purchase his freedom, Absalom Jones and Mary King were slaves who married, and Absalom worked several years to pay for the freedom of Mary, their children and himself. Absalom Jones went on to found the St. Thomas African Episcopal Church on July 17, 1794, and he became the first black American to become an ordained priest. Read more in my article "Stern-Looking But Big-Hearted." Lucy Terry was a 16-year-old poet and slave who wrote "The Bar's Fight" describing a Native American attack on Deerfield, Massachusetts, in 1746 during the French and Indian War. Abijah Prince an ex-slave who gained his freedom after serving in the French and Indian War, married Lucy Terry and purchased her freedom. They moved to Vermont and had six children two of whom fought in the Revolutionary War.
Fred Korematsu who fought for Asian American civil rights said, "If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don't be afraid to speak up." Frederick Bailey changed his name to Frederick Douglass to avoid slave hunters and spoke against many evils and for love. Douglass became a public speaker, wrote Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave and established the newspaper called North Star which is the same name of the first newspaper I wrote for in high school and eventually became editor-in-chief of it. The North Star's motto was "Right is of no sex--Truth is of no color--God is the Father of us all, and all we are brethren."
Even if something or someone is in the way of love, pasos cortos, vista larga (short steps, long view.) Harriet Tubman was married to John Tubman. Harriet was born a slave. John was born free. John did not help Harriet gain her freedom. Step by step Harriet gained her freedom and went on to help hundreds of African Americans gain their freedom. Read my article "Only One is All Good."
Love is not without struggle, but we can work together for in the end, love always wins.
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