the suppliants

21st Century Global Realities

one world. Embrace the globe one intesection at a time.

The Church can no longer relegate "global concerns" as the unique interest and concern of those called to be "missionaries". We are all called to live out God's mission in what has now unquestionably become a globally-connected world.

one story. Move forward by looking backward.

There's one story for the whole world--God's Story of creation, fall, and redemption. As we look backward into the Grand Story of God, our lives move forward with meaning and purpose--and the countercultural nature of God's people begins to take root, all over the world.

one church. Connect with God's People everywhere.

The Church exists in every geo-political nation of the world. Expressed in local assemblies all over the world, God's People together make up the historical Body of Christ that is today, One Church.

many cultures. Seek to understand.

East. West. Urban. Suburban. Rural. North. South. Rave. Hip-Hop. As Christ's Church approaches her God-ordained mission in every nation of the world, she must do so in ways that indigenously express the presence of Jesus in each context.

Not "Libya Sucks!" but "Libya Rocks!"

I remember back in the late 80s there was a bumper sticker that said Libya Sucks!  I always thought it a strange expression but, nonetheless, I would like to finally negate this by saying LIBYA ROCKS!  Why would I take time to post such a thing...?

First off, Muammar al-Gaddafi, Libya's leader since a 1969 military coup is often portrayed in the Western media as a nut job wacko (ok, to be fair...he DOES present himself as a little wacky - see pic at left).  But the reality is that Col. Gaddafi has been one of the Middle East's most stable rulers and has now turned into a sort of odd-ally of the U.S.  After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Gaddafi made one of the first, and firmest, denunciations of the Al-Qaeda bombers by any Muslim leader.  In 2003, Gaddafi announced that Libya would discontinue its weapons of mass destruction program and normalize relations with the West.  In 2006, the U.S. State Department restored full diplomatic relations with Libya and the nation has been taken off the list of nations supporting terrorism.

“It is my firm opinion that [the West] today represents not the spirit of God or Christianity but the spirit of Satan. And Satan’s successes are the greatest, when he appears with the name of God on his lips. [The West] today is only nominally Christian. In reality, it is worshipping Mammon. ‘It’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.' Thus really spoke Jesus Christ. His so-called followers measure their moral progress by their material possessions.”

-Gandhi (Speeches & Writings of M. Gandhi: p.336, Feb. 14, 1916)

Stony Point, NC

Today I'm giving a shout-out to the small, suffocating, hell-hole of a town called Stony Point, North Carolina.  The pic on the left is from an old furniture store with the words:  "COLORED ENTRANCE" still barely visible.

It's a strange, surrealistic place.

Rattlesnake: It's What's For Dinner!

So we're out walking in the desert and come upon a hole making a distinctive rattling noise.  Hmmmm...what could be in the hole making that racket??

Yes indeed!  It's a rattlesnake! 

Here I am with 2 intrepid rattlesnake killers who skinned that thing in 10 seconds flat!

                  And we certainly didn't waste any time getting that bad boy into the oven - basted with various spices by Carlos, our master chef.

  And here's the happy rattlesnake eater.  ¡Buen provecho!