UNICEF – Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse – Trafficking and sexual exploitation

UNICEF – Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse – Trafficking and sexual exploitation

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predestination v. freewill – a smokin debate

I definitely fall on the side of a reformed view of soteriology, not necessarily because I like it… but because it is what I see as supported in scripture. In my opinion there are three possible views…

1. Free Will. Man has a free choice. Man can choose or reject God. My problem with this is that the scriptural mandate seems to indicate that man is dead and unable to choose. Choice in and of itself is a metorious act or work.

2. Predestination or Reformed Soteriology. Predestination can be a beautiful thing if you look at it, ponder upon it, and understand that you have been plucked out of a dead and dying world. I also understand however, that none of us would choose God unless there had been a work done in our lives. Somehow, we have to have a regenerating work done before we can come to God. However, I have a difficult time understanding how God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (probably universe or creation) and still created those that were destined to hell. It just doesn’t “feel” right to me. I don’t buy the “foreknowledge” arguement. It seems that it is one using a few verses and not the whole of scripture.

3. Universalism. This is one that I wish was true, but is not. On the other hand, if God desires that all be saved, why doesn’t he save all? The whole of scripture doesn’t support it, so I guess I’ll have to ask that question in heaven.

What I do know is that 1 and 2 both agree that it is through Christ alone that we are saved…and I believe there are Godly men and women on both sides of the issue. I tend to play devil’s advocate depending on who I am with.

The key, IMHO, is that we must all approach this humbly.

Ephesians 1:4

Smokin Hot Song by Justin Rosolino – Edges of Love

This is a song you must listen to.  I promise you’ll want to buy it when you hear it!

Edges of Love – Justin Rosolino

Via “Church Marketing Sucks”

This is a great article. I encourage you to visit their website here. They are helping redeem the culture by helping churches move out of their comfort zone.

So that Compassion blogging indie rocker Shaun Groves has a sarcastic little blog post about how church leaders in the developing world don’t get it. They’re doing goofy things like feeding the poor, job training and education (”stuff we Christians in America are savvy enough to get politicians and nonprofits to do for us”) and even filling up their church buildings on non-Sundays. That’s crazy.

It’s striking nerves and spreading across Twitter. So Groves followed up with a question: “Now what will you do about it?” He’s gathering responses and plans to share them next week.

I love the idea of churches being more than Sunday and churches doing more than a church service. We should be doing service, not just sitting through a service. How can your church begin to follow the example of leaders in the developing world (or how are you already doing it)?

Redemption Stories: Peter, Paul and Mary

I’m going to do a series of shorts on the lives of Peter, Paul and Mary from the Bible.  I see quite a bit of parallel in my own life.  I’ll try to keep these short and sweet.I’m going to do a series of blog posts at http://redemptivetobacco.wordpress.com on the lives of Peter, Paul and Mary.  I see a lot of parallels in our stories… not the “on this rock” part or writing a ton of the NT, but in their lives and the redemption seen in it.

Luke 22:31 Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.33 Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.34 Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me. Here is what I see…

1.  Simon, Simon.  The disciples had just got finished arguing over who was the greatest in the kingdom.  How often do we do that?  Then, just a few lines later, Jesus says “Simon, Simon”. **I hear him saying “Mike, Mike”.  It is the tone that strikes me.  It seems to be the one where you say to your kids — not in condemnation — but one where you are communicating “you just don’t get it.”

2.  Satan demanded to have you.  Jesus knew of Satan’s demands on everyone.  That was why he went to the cross.  As John Newton Put it, “to break the power of canceled sin.”  Jesus canceled Peter’s sin, on a cross where he bore his sin.  Peter stood, even before the denial a redeemed and forgiven child of God. ** The canceled sin still effects each of us, (me in a big way) but His power can break it. Satan has demanded me and Jesus has prayed that my faith would not fail.  However, my faith has fallen.  I, like Peter, have denied Christ in my own selfish ways.

3.  Jesus has already prayed for him.  Jesus wasn’t surprised.  Jesus knew this was going to happen.  He was calm and in full control.  At the same time, Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail.  Here is where it gets interesting. ** Do I really think Jesus is surprised when I mess up?  Is he really taken off guard when I deny his leading and follow my own.  We are talking about the one the created the universe.  It confounds me, but God is not surprised when I fall, yet his Grace leads me on.  His grace and intercession makes sure that a “failure” is a step forward to an increased faith in His faithfulness.  Jesus knew I was going to fail.  Jesus knows I am going to fail.  But he also knows that the power of canceled sin (that He accomplished) is being broken and that my redeemed life will be an influence for his kingdom no matter what.  “God works all things for good.”  “Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more”.

4.  And when you have “turned” again.  Jesus knew Peter was going to betray his friendship.  Jesus knew that Peter had his own “kiss” to avoid the harsh realities of being identified with Jesus.  Jesus told Peter that he would “deny” him three times.  Peter turned from Christ.  In spite of Jesus prayer, Peter turned…but Peter returned. ** How many times have I done this.  Many times we (I) live in denial of the realities of sin and how the remnants of that “canceled” sin still have power over me.  It frustrates me.  It makes me mad.  But even through the winds blow, even thought the ground shakes, even though I am afraid, even though I will turn at times… I WILL be able to say at the end of it all, “It is Well with My Soul.”

5.  And when you have re-turned, strengthen your brothers.  Through Peter’s denial, failings, rejection of the harsh reality of friendship with Christ…he was going to be uniquely able to reveal God’s grace to the others. **God knows His children will re-turn.  They will repent of their running away and run home like the prodigal son.  When I have re-turned to face Him and His forgiveness, it is then that my life will be an encouragement to others.  God uses our weaknesses to demonstrate his amazing power. 6.  Peter was awefully confident.  Oh, no Jesus.  I’d never deny you.  It will never happen. **There are many places in scripture that speak of this.  “Pride cometh before the fall.”  This isn’t a pride of wanting to “be” God like Satan, but a self-pride of saying that I am too strong to ever fail God.  I think much of my frustration and lack of growth comes because I used to be so confident and now I don’t know how to rest in God’s redemption of my failures.

I know this isn’t the most elegant of my “smokes”, but I hope it helped.  Just writing it has helped me.  May I be like Peter and re-turn every day that I may be an encouragement to others.  My next entry will be on Paul…what a redemption story he has.

Redemption Stories: John Newton (Amazing Grace)

This can be found on cyberhymnal, though it is common knowledge.

Newton’s mo­ther died when he was sev­en years old. At age 11, with but two years school­ing and on­ly a rud­i­men­tary know­ledge of Latin, John went to sea with his fa­ther. His life at sea was filled with won­der­ful es­capes, viv­id dreams, and a sail­or’s reck­less­ness. He grew into a god­less and aban­doned man. He was once flogged as a de­sert­er from the na­vy, and for 15 months lived, half starved and ill treated, as a slave in Africa.

A chance read­ing of Thom­as à Kemp­is sowed the seed of his con­ver­sion. It was ac­cel­er­at­ed by a night spent steer­ing a wa­ter­logged ship in the face of ap­par­ent death. He was then 23 years old. Over the next six years, dur­ing which he com­mand­ed a slave ship, his faith ma­tured. He spent the next nine years most­ly in Li­ver­pool, stu­dy­ing He­brew and Greek and ming­ling with White­field, Wes­ley, and the Non­con­form­ists. He was even­tu­al­ly or­dained, and be­came cur­ate at Ol­ney, Buck­ing­ham­shire, in 1764. It was at Ol­ney that he formed a life long friend­ship with Wil­liam Cow­per, and pro­duced the Ol­ney Hymns.

[You should read some of the hymns of William Cowper.  He suffered with severe depression.] <— my insert.

Redemtion Stories: Stop Child Trafficking Now

sctnow.org

My pastor while at UNC (the last two years) was a guy named Ron Lewis.  I went to Ukraine with a group from this church and learned an awful lot about what it meant to be a Christ Follower in a world that was marred by sin.  Ron would tell you, as would I, the world is still marred by sin.  But at the same time, God is doing redemptive things to make Jesus’ statement in the Lord’s prayer true… “Make it on earth as it is in heaven.”  I think we (the church, christians, christ followers) have been so focused on the kingdom in heaven, that we have missed God’s redemptive action to bring the realities of the Kingdom to earth.  Groups like Charity: Water founded by Scott Harrison is an amazing story of redemption.  I’ll write about Charity: Water (twitter) later, but you should follow him on twitter @scottharrison or charity water @charitywater.  Look them up on twittersearch with the hashtag #charitywater.  They are the ones that did the “twestival“.  Interestingly enough, I found out that Scott goes to the church Ron helped found in NYC.

Angie and I recently moved, and as some of you know, it has been a tough nine months.  I can honestly say that of all the people I have met and spent time with, Ron has been the most responsive to me, and trust me…he is a busy guy.  He wants to come pray for us when we get the lab results back from Angie’s tests.

In one of his emails he mentioned the website about the organization his wife, Lynette Lewis, founded called STOP CHILD TRAFFICKING NOW. They are dedicated to stopping the horrific crimes committed against many around the work that are taken and made to work in the most horrible conditions.  Many of their families never hear from them again.  No matter whether you are Presbyterian, Church of God, Baptist, etc – this is something all can get behind.  Take a look at the site.  See how God moves you heart.  Know he loves you and know he loves those kids.  He may just use you to make a difference.

Send out some smoke.  (Twitter or Facebook or a handwritten note even!)

New Smoke: A “Little” Update

As most of you know, my family moved to the Durham/Chapel Hill area to start a new church.  The economy was declining, and as an executive recruiter I sensed it was time to explore what we felt was the call to move to the RTP area of NC to start a new church or be connected to a church that was missional in focus.  It was an adventure and continues to be.  We ended up loosing funding for the plant (After Angie had already resigned and taken a position at a hospital in Durham), moving (after getting out of a lease on a place in downtown Durham), having Angie has the worst experience of her life at her new job.  (She was always the liked one, and found herself in a situation with a group that called themselves the “mean nurses” and an organization that didn’t train or manage properly)  I spent the first six months networking…starting over really…to find that it was more difficult to connect with a sponsoring church or group for a plant than placing an EVP in a company.  Since then, Angie has transfered to UNC and it has been a world of difference.  At the same time Angie has started showing symptoms of something.  She lost 15 pounds in around 3 weeks, her hands are tremoring, she has some blurred vision and is extremely tired.  She had a ton of blood work done (still waiting on the rest) and they did detect an irregular heartbeat.  Her pulse rate was around 120.

I have always been the eternal optimist.  Yet I see myself being paralysed all of these “roadblocks” that keep popping up.  It has never been an issue before.  My left and right brain (that argue constantly) question, “Is this opposition becuase we are heading in the right direction, or did we just hear God wrong.  God is showing me how selfing I can be in not seeing what was happening to my wife.

My passion is still being missional – helping others find and follow Christ and seeing people empowered to see God’s kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.  The question is this?  A friend once said to me that the calling of God is without revoke – so do I move forward in this despite the roadblocks and not knowing what is going on with Angie?  Do I just find a job to bring in income and postpone the church plant?  Or do I do a bit of both?  Life has a way of being so different in differnt seasons.  When I started Midtown Church in Atlanta, things just fell into place.

I’m learning just to be honest.  God used the weak to demonstrate his power in the Bible.  I find comfort in that.  However, when you feel weak, you may “be” strong, you just don’t feel strong.

Please pray for God’s clarity.  I’ll keep every one updated.  My blog is “redemptivetobacco”.  Since I feel like one of those worms that eats on a tobacco leaf, I have faith that he can redeem me and this situation too.

May we all see God’s redemption around us every day.  You can follow me on twitter or facebook…

Facebook – www.profile.to/mikelittle

Twitter – http://twitter.com/mike_little

Deep Thoughts with Jack Handy

Sometimes to be redemptive, you just have to laugh.  I always loved these “Deep Thoughts” on SNL.  Here are a few of my favorites:

“If you’re robbing a bank and you’re pants fall down, I think it’s okay to laugh and to let the hostages laugh too, because, come on, life is funny.

“If you’re in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at the enemy, throw one of those small pumpkins. Maybe it’ll make everyone think how stupid war is, and while they are thinking, you can throw a real grenade at them.”

“Probably the saddest thing you’ll ever see is a mosquito sucking on a mummy. Forget it, little friend.”

“The difference between a man and a boy is, a boy wants to grow up to be a fireman, but a man wants to grow up to be a giant monster fireman.“

Sorry, I needed a redemptive smoke that made me chuckle. 

looking for redemption – my thoughts on the protest at the UNC Goode speech.

i typically don’t do politics on my blog.  this was an exception.  it was one where i had great concern that free speech for more conservative viewpoints were being squelched.  i took my camera to see for myself.  the guy you see in the video got to shout a prepared speech through a bullhorn at the “pit” – the place where free speech always happens at UNC.  the speaker, congressman goode, gave a speech without any yelling or name calling and was attempted to be shut down.  two fire alarms, 6 arrests and a lot of shouting at the beginning of the speech makes it pretty hard to exercise your free speech.  what i saw was a radical suppression of free speech and that concerned me.  michelle malkin picked up my video via twitter (http://twitter.com/mike_little), but i wanted to make sure people knew i was hoping to find something much different.

i was sent a tweet from a twitter buddy of mine at UNC about a protest gone wild at UNC last week. the pictures and video i saw amazed me. there was spin on both sides, so i wanted to see for myself this week. i loaded up my flip video camera (great gadget) and my iphone to get a first hand look at this protest.

***the protest was on the issue of immigration. the speakers were former congressmen that supported various ways of stopping illegal immigration. the protesters were a large and diverse group of people that were in favor of keeping the boarders open and granting amnesty to all that were here.

quite frankly, i didn’t care about the issue in this instance. what i cared about was whether or not free speech was being suppressed in the name of free speech.

i saw video of the speaker from last week being wrapped in a giant banner, people yelling so no one could hear, damage to property, etc. the police had to pull out pepper spray to get the protesters under control so it wouldn’t escalate.

i know how things can be “spun”, so i went with an open mind.

first, i couldn’t find the place. i thought it was at garner hall and it was in fact at the student union. the student union is right beside “the pit”, which is a sunken area where anyone can speak. what i found (at first) was what appeared to be real dialogue. there were some, lets say, interesting characters to say the least, but it appeared to be productive. different viewpoints were being communicated. most that i heard were about the protest from the week prior and how it shouldn’t have happened that way. then, a guy got up and gave what can only be described as a hate filled rant he read off his blackberry. he shouted through a bullhorn words like

bigot, racist, white supremacist, etc. He said, “we (those who felt as he did) must to anything in our power to shut down this kind of speech.” he also said that the university should apologize for allowing someone to come on to their campus who spews such hate.

what? oh, and he wanted amnesty (interesting use of the word) for any student involved in the violence last week. see video here

i can assure you that the only hate spewed was from those who disagreed with the speaker. i was given a chance to speak and seemed to get good response from both sides. i tried to make clear that freedom of speech is freedom TO speak. freedom of speech is the freedom to BE heard. the freedom to protest and exercise their first amendment rights were not being afforded to others. as a matter of fact, they were used to intimidate and suppress another viewpoint. and this was a viewpoint that people died to secure and protect.  (see this video of a latino marine who was supportive of the speech.)

i told them i found out about this through twitter (dad, do you get it yet?) i let them know i was an alum. and i also let them know that they needed to catch a clue on how to have civil discourse. all they did last week was give ammunition to the very people that they were protesting.

oh, and i made clear that i’d say the same thing if a group of people were preventing them from speaking (which with this guy i really wanted to do). after i spoke i headed in for the rest of the speech. lots of cops, guards, etc. there was good interaction (other than the french filibuster) and the speaker (goode) was gracious in everything he said. he didn’t yell. he didn’t scream. he didn’t try to wrap the protesters in big banners. it was a peace communication of ideas. that is what a university is supposed to be about, right? the best of the night was a latino marine who was a legal immigrant that supported the need to have a form of legal immigration. there was no jeering him.

then i came outside and started putting the puzzle together. i didn’t connect the fire trucks and the two fire alarms that were thrown until after the event. i should have clued in from the two fire trucks parked in the building next to the union.  (from in the auditorium, it sounded like police cars were coming.) it was through a tweet that i found out there were six students arrested for attempts to disrupt the speech. i missed the first 15 minutes of action by engaging those outside, so i missed a lot of the shouts and jeers.

unc wised up and had a lot of police there or it would have gotten out of hand again. thank God for twitter…a lot of this information wouldn’t get out otherwise.

***i’m not an al franken fan, unless he is on SNL.  i’m of the opinion that if al franken can get elected to the senate then anyone can get elected to the senate. let’s throw in bill murray, adam sandler, tina fey and barbara streisand as well. however, if they received the same treatment i would be just as shocked and outraged.***

freedom of speech is of utmost importance in our society. suppression of it by use of intimidation or violent/disorderly conduct isn’t what our country is about. tienanmen square comes to mind. students protest, the government crushes their view point. now, the pit at unc was no Tienanmen square, but if we as a nation take this road it could very well lead to a nation where ideas are respected just about as much. i’m glad i went. i’m sad about what i saw.

as an alum, i pray that they were duke students instead. (that was a joke to my duke friends) send a letter to chancellor@unc.edu if you feel the same way. oh…and listen to the guy on the video. would you like that form of government? may it never be so.

also… these few are not representatives of MY university, the university of the people.