Bonhoeffer: On Life and Death

Here are some more thoughts along the theme of "Life and Death" that struck me during my Bonhoeffer reading of the past week.

Understanding Christ means taking Christ seriously. Understanding this claim means taking seriously his absolute claim on our commitment. And it is now of importance for us to clarify the seriousness of this matter and to extricate Christ from the secularization process in which he has been incorporated since the Enlightenment (83).

There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared, it is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God's commandment, wanting no security, but in faith and obedience laying the destiny of the nations in the hand of Almighty God, not trying to direct it for selfish purposes. Battles are won, not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross (241).

In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things the figure of him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity. The world will allow itself to be seduced only by success.... The figure of the Crucified invalidates all thought which takes success for it standard (361).

Death reveals that the world is not as it should be but that is stands in need of redemption. Christ alone is the conquering of death.... Only in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ has death been drawn into God's power, and it must now serve God's own aims (384).

Time belongs to death, or, still more so, to the devil. We must buy it from him and return it to God, to whom it must really belong (411).

And then, after a lifetime of intense devotion and focused faith, it is no wonder that Bonhoeffer's life ended with these words. When informed that it was his time to go to the scaffold, he replied, "This is the end. For me, the beginning of life."

Bonhoeffer: On Scripture

A few days of vacation in the Palm Springs sun has afforded me the luxury of powering through a book I have wanted to read for a while- Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. While it is a pretty thick read, this book has really hit me at several different levels all at the same time: as a follower of Christ, as a lover of history, as a pastor, and as a husband.

Over the next few days, I want to share some of the quotes that captured me the most. Here are a few thoughts on the Bible that rekindled a passion to pursue Christ through His Word with deeper devotion.

First of all I will confess quite simply- I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. ... Only if we will venture to enter into the words of the Bible, as though in them this God were speaking to us who loves us and does to will to leave us with our questions, only so shall we learn to rejoice in the Bible (136).

The Psalter filled the life of early Christianity. But more important than all of this is that Jesus died on the cross with words from the Psalms on his lips. Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure is lost to the Christian church. With its recovery will come unexpected power (368-369).

It always seems to me that we are trying anxiously in this way to reserve some space for God; I should like to speak of God not on the boundaries but at the centre, not in weakness but in strength, and therefore not in death and guilt but in man's life and goodness.... The church stands not at the boundaries where human powers give out, but in the middle of the village. That is how it is in the Old Testament, and in this sense we still read the New Testament far too little in the light of the Old (467-468).

All throughout his life, Bonhoeffer daily saturated himself in the Word of God and it produced in him a heart that was submissive to the will of God. I admire his devotion to Scripture as the actual Word of God. I admire his discipline to find room for the Bible in his daily schedule. And I admire his obedience to live it out with fierce determination in the midst of a chaotic world of evil. May we all come to know God's Word in this way.

Spring Artswalk at REALITY

This past week we finalized our church's plans for spring Artswalk happening Friday, April 27th. For those who don't know what Artswalk is, it is a 2 day celebration of art where the businesses of downtown Olympia open up their spaces to host art and artists of various kind- music, photography, painting, crafters, etc.

In addition to having some local art on display in our building, we are excited to host another Latte Art Throwdown before enjoying the music of Amanda Sue Winterhalter and Beth Whitney. If you are local, I hope you can come join us as we hang out with our downtown neighbors.

You can check out some of Amanda's work here.

And here's a video of Beth Whitney and her husband rocking the upright bass.

EP.2 Beth Whitney - LIVE at Columbia City Theater from Voortex Productions on Vimeo.

A Snapshot of Missional Community

Among all the popular discussions about being "missional," it is easy to get lost in the formulas and strategies and lose sight of the big picture. Mission is about real people joining God in real life to make disciples of Jesus. I love how this video captures this heartbeat among our friends up north in Tacoma.

Soma Communities - Missional Community Profile - Tacoma, WA from Soma Communities on Vimeo.

The Best Part of My Day

One of my most cherished childhood memories is actually not confined to one particular moment in time. It's not a purchased present, a lavish vacation, or an occasion of personal achievement. Rather, it is the regular pattern that was tied to our nightly bedtime routine. While there were times when a busy night overran the normal schedule, most nights were capped off by my parents coming to tuck my brother and me into the bunk beds of our shared bedroom. Then, with a meaningful prayer, a hug, and a kiss, also came the words from my dad who often laid down next to me on my bed... "Ah, the best part of my day." While it may not seem like much, I can't emphasize enough how those priceless words instilled the sense of value, worth, and significance that children crave.

Now, almost two decades later and with three kids of my own, it's my own deep desire to pass on this legacy and make the most of our bedtime routine. I know that not everyone had the luxury of a father who modeled this kind of spiritual leadership, but I would encourage every parent to start simple. It's the little things that make a big difference.

1. Pray: Each and every night, I pray individually for all three of my children. Before I leave their room at night, I lay my hands on their little bodies and lift them up to their Father in heaven. I pray for their health- physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. I pray for their sleep- that they would be filled with the peace of God and rest in His finished work. I pray for their protection- that Jesus would keep them from evil. I pray for their dreams- that their minds would be filled with things that are lovely and good. And while I pray for their present, I also pray for their future. I pray for their future spouses, their future education, and their future purity- that they would be men and women whose hearts are changed from the inside out. And last but not least, I pray that they would know of their need for a Savior and that they would come to know of His love at an early age. It's never too soon to pray for the people they are becoming.

2. Touch: Children need to know they are loved and there is power in loving touch. My kids love it when I climb up on their beds and spend some extended snuggle time. Hug, kiss, rub a back and help them actually feel your presence. And when you pray, know that there is something spiritual and powerful in the laying on of hands.

3. Bless: Both in your prayers and in your common conversations, never underestimate the power of your words. Affirm God's work in their life: they are made in the image of God, they are "fearfully and wonderfully made," they have unique gifts and personalities, and they are a heavenly gift. Tell them what you are proud of, encourage them in their successes and their failures, and find ways to connect their life to the One who has richly blessed us.

4. Listen: I must admit that my wife is much better at this one than I am, and you would be amazed how often her quick bedtime routine turns into an hour long talk-fest with the girls. One simple question often turns into 2,000 words and many tears (because some times little girls just need to cry). I am always amazed at what just how much my kids are dying to be heard.

Sometimes it takes 5 minutes and other times it goes much longer, but it's the best part of my day. And I know its a legacy worth passing on.