National Responsibility

                                                            National Responsibility

    I opened my phone and saw the Fox News update about another shooting. My soul ached, retreated and I tried to find a way to pretend that it wasn’t real and I really wasn’t awake. But, yes it was happening again. Another shooting, another senseless loss of lives, another tragedy cruelly overtaking innocent families and individuals. One moment the victims in the nightclub were experiencing their normal and the next second they were running for their lives and spiraling into a hell on earth. Some lived and some died and some are wounded forever. The soul and psyche od America are wounded again.  This nightmare of a bloodbath was cruelly carried out by a calculated killer on the loose, slaughtering with reckless abandon and vehemence. It is real again, more suffering.          

                                         When will we be free from this kind of blood-shed?

   

      Amos from the bible was a farmer and herder. He did good work. He was called by God to express God’s divine displeasure with his countrymen. He had visions and those visions told a story of impending punishment and a day of accountability on the way, like a slow train crossing a prairie in the distance, you can see it coming silently, then detect it audibly and then it is thundering in front of you, on you, before you .

        

    By all accounts Amos’s neighbors were callous, some dark hearted, many prosperous and, by ritual, religious. There were the faithful few I’m sure who were on their knees pleading to heaven for change…change was coming, but not what was expected. Funny how that happens. How the country got so dark wasn’t the concern of Amos. Telling the honest truth saying was.

  

     Growing figs and raising sheep was easier by far for Amos than being a prophet. But he was a good man and did what he thought he was supposed to do. He didn’t mind the price he might pay for honesty. Being truthful mattered more.  His words were honest and straight forward,  just the kind of words most of the people he was speaking to didn’t want to hear. His message was lovingly fierce and like a well flown arrow with a point that should be taken seriously. Israel was failing its national responsibility.  His words stung like windswept wasps stinging the conscience of the preoccupied masses and corrupt elite.  His from words birthed in visions are written down for Israel, America, every nation and for all eternity:

                                   You push away every thought of coming disaster,
                              but your actions only bring the Day of Judgment closer.

                                 How terrible for you who sprawl on ivory beds
                                          and lounge on your couches,
                               eating the meat of tender lambs from the flock
                                  and of choice calves fattened in the stall.

                                 You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp
                           and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.

                                            You drink wine by the bowlful
                                 and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions.
    

                             You care nothing about the ruin of your nation.

     

     Amos has just delivered the mail to both the powers that be and to the citizenry of his country. In short he says, you don’t care about your heritage, the safety of your people or anything but your own selfish interests. Pleasure and easy living is your focus. If the country falls apart you just don’t care.

         In Amos’s visions it is a sure thing that God was asking for people to exercise national responsibility. He wanted them to have a heart and a conscience and to be their brother’s keeper. To flesh this out it meant that everyone had a role in the healing or destruction of the nation. Passivity is punishable. Some make their city consciously better while others were letting evil prevail by their malignant neglect of their city and nation causing injury to their populace.

                              Passivity fosters destruction as much as negative behaviors.

      

     In Orlando an evil premeditated crime against humans took place. You didn’t do it and I didn’t do it. But my bigger and more sober thought is this: 

          What is my responsibility to the city I live in to see that this type of tragedy does not occur? I am my brother’s keeper?  

The words of John Donne come to mind:

     

“Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.”

― John Donne, Meditation XVII - Meditation 17

      If, like John Donne, I am involved in mankind how then do I help exercise my national responsibility to care about the condition of my land? Could I be someone who identifies or exposes a tyrant with an evil murderous plan like the Orlando shooter? What could happen if national responsibility was a lifestyle and each individual took personal interest in relating to more than a select few friends? What if the work of the FBI, CIA and local police could be bolstered by citizens doing just a little more to know and care about the people who are their neighbors?  Here are some possibilities I’m thinking of:

·         What if we build real relational bridges to Muslim’s and others who immigrate to our country so that we have much larger relational circles and influence in them?
       
      Can we engage Muslims and others in objective conversation and exercise acts of kindness to them as human brothers, family and new friends?    
      
      Could we get to know their religion, culture and their way of life? BTW, I found there are dozens of references to Jesus in the Koran, so many so, that in countries where the bible is banned the Koran is a Christian tool for evangelism. Shocked? I was too! Here is a link to the North American Mission Board and its fine work. https://www.namb.net/apologetics/a-comprehensive-listing-of-references-to-jesus-isa-in-the-qur-an)   
      
      American holidays are venues for open houses and friendship building. 
      
       Become very serious about your national responsibility to care for the well-being of your city and nation. It begins right on your street, eh?

 

    God cares about every nation of the world. He cares about America. The words of Amos are there for learning and application today.

 

              Personally: I believe in the goodness of God being manifested in increased national peace through the sacrificial love and attention to new relationships fostered by caring people toward the nations of the world living within our borders. I also believe that discernment will be given to people to know when someone of any culture intends to do harm to others and in their ability to do their compassionate responsibility to expose suspicious activity . 

     Will we be chastened like Israel of old for national neglect? Or, can we rise to a new level of national responsibility and intentionally,  personally,  make a change in our city's by going out of our way to get involved in the lives of new people? 

                     For me it is a simple answer, I live here, America is my home

        and I’m responsible for the well being of my street, neighborhood and nation.

                                                        

                                                               Smile

                     “Good day, what is your name, where are you from, welcome.”

While you wait!

What can a church planter do while you wait? 

Do you dislike wasted time? Have you had a delay while waiting to deploy as a church planter? Have you felt there are steps you CAN take even though you aren’t in the new community yet? You might be waiting to relocate to your target city, to sell your house or need time to find employment or wind up a job. There is packing and moving your stuff or getting rid of stuff! Kids need time to settled in school, supermarkets need to be found and bird-dogging a favorite coffee spot to slide into every day or so! All this and more could be a part of your waiting experience.

                    Are there things a planter can do? There sure ARE!

1.     Develop your prayer team. Prayer is, as Jack Hayford puts it, “…is invading the impossible.” Spiritual warfare is the most underestimated part of starting a new church says planting leader Tom Nebel. So start right away gathering and discipling your prayer team. Your need them to be hammering the beachhead with heavy artillery prayer long before your landing party arrives! (p.30-36 First Steps)

2.     Begin your fundraising network very early. It is simple and is an ongoing part of any church plant. The bible says, ‘Where your treasure is there your heart will be also.” Peoples hearts AND funds will be drawn to your new church.  Have you offered your friends, business partners, family members and workmates an opportunity to support you? Your mission is a cool privilege and opportunity for financial partnership.  Think like a missionary! (p. 37-45 First Steps)

3.     Start an in-depth study of your planting community’s history and dynamics. Every city has a reason it was founded and a spiritual culture. There are racial, social, economic, religious and political foundations that define a community make its personality. A key to knowing how share the gospel is knowing what your city connects with and how. Remember the Apostle Paul on Mars Hill? Dig in! And share you findings with your prayer team! (Wikipedia gets you started!)

4.     Get going with networking. Start to call, write and visit the Mayor, Chamber of Commerce, local business’s, schools, police department as well as other churches and NPO’s. Service agencies abound and are always ready to meet new potential partners. As a giver and a servant and you will be received with open arms! First impressions count so make them awesome! Have your business card ready to offer! (p. 46-50 First Steps)

5.     Prayer walk your city or community often. Walk with your eyes open for needs AND assets of the city. Talk with local people asking how you can pray for them or city.  Transformation begins both in you, your team and the city and people you are called to. Ask God to enlighten your heart to what He is already doing!  God is already at work and you are a new part of His plan. (See Guidelines for Prayer Walking)

6.     Dream of what this church will look like. God will start to put people, both pre-Christians and followers in your life. (see Spiritual Journey Guide) Seek God with fasting and prayer for clarity. Write down your impressions and those of your launch team. Gary Rohermeyer (author of First Steps) says, “Gods dreams are always bigger that ours because he loves lost people more than we do.” Read Romans 16 about Paul’s lifelong launch team! (See p.23-26 Church Planting Intensive Manual)

Talk with your pastor. If she or he is mission minded they will help you. Caution, some pastors don't like to release people to planting. In that case look for a mission minded community that will honestly help you process what God is doing with you. This is a picture of Judy and I with Don and Winnie Frazier, our pastors. They were and are honest and encouraging mentors that helped us identify our mission and how to get to it! 

To go deeper on any of these subjects contact me (Ron Steslow) rsteslow@gmail.com and refer to your “First Steps” Manual!  Lets help more people  call Heaven home! Luke 10:2

  

Children Education and Equality (Part 1)

                                       Children, Education and Equality  (Part 1)

  She didn’t seem like she should be on a back street this early in the morning alone...it isn’t safe for a girl. It is 7:27AM and I am approaching my stop. It is located in a defunct shopping area street that’s now a hub for bars and strip clubs. Across the street stretch low-income apartments and government housing projects which are the home to many low income and welfare families.

My big yellow bus rolled farther down the street and I saw in the morning dusky light that the girl is in her 40’s and a streetwalker working her trade, hoping for more of the same sadness that keeps her employed. I meet her eyes as I drove by and saw shame, emptiness and pain. In the weeks to come this would be a routine sight on that hidden street on my route.

As I throw the switch on my stop-signs traffic halts and my kindergarten and elementary kids board the bus, polished up for a day in class and another of the first days of the rest of their lives. They are simply wonderful kids with futures and hopes, just not a lot of privilege…not yet. The eyes of their moms and dads are filled with expectation that their children will benefit from a good school and caring teachers, and even breakfast when they arrive at campus. The kids take their seats and we set off  to school; parents giving final waves blowing kisses from the sidewalk.

  I smile at the parents. I am trying to assure them that their children will get the same care I would give my own children on our ride to school. I promise them with my face.

I lament because most of the inhabitants of my city will never see this street, bus stop or the darker, tougher side of these children’s surroundings. I am a new school bus driver placed here in this job like an unsuspecting audience of one, beholding the opening curtain of a mysterious and partly tragic play. The first scene breaks my heart, calls me to prayer and motivates me to write the story of what I see.  These dear kids face extreme brokenness daily on their street and all around them. I’m guessing that this neighborhood represents one hundred more like it in my city and millions more around the world.

An experienced voice familiar with this barrio told me that there are few parents in these homes and that these children are “raising themselves in a lot of situations.”

I can go home to a comfortable safe house in the evening. They live where crime and unrest are the norm. There is stress on their faces a lot of times. Some kids ask if they can just ride the bus all day! I think it might the best spot that they can hope for…kind of a rolling oasis of sorts like a trip on their own yellow motorhome. I just tell them, “You are going to do great things in school today because you are AWESOME!” They ARE awesome!

When the students disembark at school each child receives a positive word from Mr. Ron. It sounds like this:

                                    You have great talent!

                                    It’s going to be a good day for you! 

                                    

                                    Show love and respect today!

                                    

                                    You have all you need to succeed!

                                    

                                     __________  Elementary kids are the best ever!

                                   

                                    Nice smile!

In short, I try to find whatever positive thing to bring a little more hope to these kids. Anything to make them feel that they are SOMEBODY! They ARE somebody!

A few months ago I was driving through a very affluent area of my city. I saw a school in that neighborhood specially designed to give advanced education to the children there. The students wore uniforms and the campus looked very exclusive. The children are obviously privileged. No doubt they are offspring of professionals and business people who want the very best for their kids.

 These children and their parents might have never seen the barrio streets where I pick up their fellow students 20 miles away. Don’t the affluent live in a closed world too? But isn’t it a safe, sanitary and a more protected community? Their school is available to children privelegded birth. I find myself hopeing they will come to know their rare opportunity and the status they haveand that  they will someday help with the suffering of these born with less.

                  I am left with questions by this contrast in opportunity and situation.

So where does equality in life, education and privilege enter the scenes of this play that is unfolding before me? How in our blessed country can a child from privilege and a child from the ghetto experience the same opportunity to succeed in life? It seems like one child has it all and the other has so little it smarts. If  “all men are created equal” why are things so out of balance. I hear the words of Dr. King echoing in my mind, “I have a dream…” My empirical experience on the early morning streets driving the bus shows my city is still in search of Dr. King’s dream.

When I replay these strikingly different scenes-the barrio kids boarding the bus and the Academy kids tucked safely into their pristine campus I hunger to see justice done for the sake of the children. They need a chance to be together. Could they trade places for a day? Could they share their names, some meals, teachers and classrooms…for a day and then perhaps more?

These children are equal in talent and potential regardless of the social situation they are born into and I wonder for the kids sakes: if there is not a better way to give broken and poor kids a chance for equality in education and to educate kids isolated in privileged to the plight of their less fortunate peers. Can the dream of equality in education become reality somewhere?

         I would love to hear your thoughts about children, education and equality.