IAM Encounter & Podcast...

Hey all,

Sarah and I are in The Big Apple for International Arts Movement's 2009 Encounter. It is the annual conference where artists and creative catalysts gather to talk about issues surrounding art, faith, and what it means to be fully human. This years encounter is full of solid presenters who all desire to see their fellow human beings grow. The underlying spirit of these encounters has always been the biblical principle of loving your neighbor as yourself. And this year it is no less true.

For this years Encounter Sarah has done most of the print work used during the conference including the Encounter program (more on this later).

This week I was interviewed as part of the IAM podcasts concerning my involvement in IAM related to what kind of world that ought to exist....or ought to be. You can find that here.

Please pray for all attendees safety and that their pilgrimages toward truth, goodness, and beauty would lead them to the true source of truth, goodness, and beauty.

Kirk and Sarah
(pic below: at the IAM space on 39th Street Manhattan)

What I just finished reading...

For the ten years I lived in NYC, from 1998 to 2007 I attended and was a member of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Since my adolescence I had gone to a church associated with the Presbyterian Church in America, or PCA, and therefore sought out Redeemer (which is a part of the PCA) when I started going to NYC.

I relished the opportunity to do this when I first visited the city to minister there for a student summer project in the summer of 1995. From the late 1980's I had heard about Redeemer and the PCA's first excursion into planting a church in "The Big Apple". I also began to hear about the teaching skill of the head pastor, Tim Keller and the phenomenal influence he and Redeemer were having on New Yorkers. It wasn't that I was just hearing about people becoming Christians and growing in their faith, but also how the higher ideas, and the proud skepticisms of NYC's intelligentsia were finding a gracious and reasonable challenger in the person of Tim Keller.

This was extremely compelling and important to me as I had just exited college (1990) where I had plumbed the depths of higher philosophy, and started to minister in Western Massachusetts...a region of the country not known for its adoration of Chirstianty, but for a similar skepticism found in the streets of Manhattan.

So you can imiagine how quickly I desired to darken Redeemer's door when I first arrived in NYC for the Summer in the City project with Campus Crusade for Christ in 1995.

I was not disappointed.

I never missed a Sunday to hear how Tim would "apply the Bible to the current culture". Which is how a childhood aquaintance summarized Tim Kellers teaching to me one time...I remember thinking "that's exactly how to describe Tim Keller's teaching."

What does this have to do with what I read? Well, Tim recently released his second book, The Prodigal God. This book is a wonderful example of what years of contemplation and teaching can do to how and what you say about a classic passage in the Bible. It's like seeing the story of the Prodigal Son for the first time...again...and it is kicking my butt. Keller completely disarms any conceptions you may have had regarding the parable of The Prodigal Son.

My favorite line actually comes from, of all places the acknowledgments where Keller gives essentially a summary of what every real follower of the Nazarene ought to aspire too...." to be theologically sound, completely orthodox, and yet unfailingly gracious...", would that I could say I am in that place.

I truly believe that this book will find its place among the classics of Christian literature...The Confessions of St Augustine, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Chesterton's Orthodoxy, Lewis's Mere Christianty. As I write this I wonder at my audacity, but I have no other category in which to place this book, it's that good.

So if you haven't purchased a copy buy one and 5 others to give to your friends, whether believing or not.

Peace,
Kirk...and Sarah

Look what I can do!!!

So I was starting to look through our pics from the summer and came across this moment that I videoed. I had forgotten how funny this was. The woman that is the star of the video is my brothers mother-in-law, the one my nieces and nephew call "Grandma Jane". She's always been a good sport, and not without a little sense of humor too. Enjoy!

Kirk & Sarah

Ripple Affects...

Hey all,

I've been coming into Campus Crusade for Christ's HQ, called "Lake Hart", for the last week or so, beginning to get situated for my job for the next 6 to 7 months. Today I was sitting in the National Campus Office area doing some work when the director of the Campus Ministry's Research and Development department, Keith Davy approached me.

He asked me if I had been hearing any of the stories related to the image survey, Soularium, that were filtering back from its use on campuses in the US? I told him "no", but I would love to hear them. These two stories turned into the highlight of my day.

I'll post them in the words of the people who related them. The first one was at Michigan State:

One of the best experiences happened to Rana and Paul, two people on our staff team who are focusing on the Greek system. One day they were walking and praying for the fraternities and sororities and decided to knock on the door of the Alpha Chi Omega house. A girl answered and invited them in. (This does not happen, mind you!) Several girls gathered around to talk. The group kept growing, until close to 13 were huddled around the cards, choosing the ones that best represented their experiences, openly sharing their opinions, emotions, and questions. Paul was able to transition into the Gospel and seven of the girls prayed to receive Christ! One of the girls said, “We were just talking about this stuff yesterday and how we should start a Bible Study. And then you showed up!” Rana has been helping to get a Bible Study started from them—more than the original 13 girls have expressed interest. Please pray that it would get off the ground…the sorority girls are very busy, with many things demanding their time.

The other from Southwest Illinois College located east of St Louis in Illinois:

Last week, JB was sharing his faith at SWIC using an evangelistic tool called Soularium. Soularium is a collection of 50 artistic photographs that we use to help people express where they are spiritually through pictures. We ask students to pick three photos to describe where they are spiritually.

Jason, a SWIC student, chose a photo of a path, a photo of a barbed-wire fence, and a photo of a sunset to describe his spiritual state. He said, “I feel like I’m searching for God, like I’m on a path and I want to find Him. But…” Holding up the photo of the barbed-wire, he said, “I feel like something is standing in the way of me knowing God—something is holding me back, and blocking me.” Finally, holding up the picture of the sunset, he said, “Once I’m able to get through this barrier, the place I’ll be is a place of peace.”

Wow. How easy it was to share the Gospel with Jason after that! JB was able to explain to Jason that God loved him, and did have a wonderful plan for his life, but that he was right—there was something blocking him from knowing God. JB was able to explain that sin separates us from God, but that Jesus has removed the barrier! We can now have a relationship with God through faith in Christ. There at a picnic table outside SWIC’s main building, Jason placed his faith in Jesus.

As Jason was getting ready to go, he said, “I know so many people that need to hear this message. I’ve got so many people that I need to tell about this.”

It is sooooo encouraging to hear that people are using a creative tool that we had a hand in developing in NYC. A tool that is leading them into deeper conversations with people, even conversatons that are leading people to the Nazarene.

Peace,
Kirk and Sarah

Another Inkling...

Hey all,

Most people, when thinking about The Inklings, think of its more famous individuals Lewis and Tolkien. Few think of one of its more shadowed members, Charles Williams. For years, I would give glancing thought to Williams and his writings leaving most of my energies for the bounding Aslan, and Frodo's four fingers. This left little desire to explore Williams.

But recently a friend, Luke Allsbrook, mentioned I should read some Williams, as he had many times before. But this instance I listened a little more closely and am a better man for it.
I tend to want to read an authors works in chronological order because I think it gives you a better sense of the writers growth over time...how they develop as a story teller. War in Heaven is Williams' first novel written in 1930. His theme surrounds the mythic Holy Graal and the selfishness and selflessness it engenders. Williams opening line grabbed me:

The telephone bell was ringing wildly, but without result, since there was no-one in the room but the corpse.

One of the best opening lines of a novel I've read in a long time. No need to persuade me any more, I'm hooked. From the corpse the mystery deepens into what Williams' novels came to be known as "supernatural thrillers". Williams is spiritual even "christian" without being uncomfortable. The characters seem natural in how they think about life and the otherworldly...it's a part of their lives as it is for everyone.

Williams writing reminded me another "Brit" who is also a favorite of mine, John Buchan, considered by some to be the father of the modern spy novel. Both carry tempos that don't leave you down for long but keep you wanting to see what's around the corner.

If this was his first novel I look forward to the rest.

From Mouse-town,
Kirk and Sarah