Book Review: The Next Christendom by Philip Jenkins

This was originally written for my Missional Formation class at Asbury Theological Seminary.

In The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity (Oxford University Press, New York: 2007), Philip Jenkins persuasively and dramatically argues that in the next 50-100 years the center of global Christianity will shift from the traditional strongholds of Europe and North America to the booming regions of Africa, South America, and Asia. Using history, theology, anthropology, and sociology, especially population predictions, Jenkins shatters the typical secular Euro-American predictions of Christianity’s inevitable decline. Instead, all indications point to a growing and thriving Christianity for generations to come, albeit one that is increasing global, poor, brown or black, and Pentecostal (a problematic term that includes many denominations and “Spirit focused” movements). 

Portrait of a Prophet: Daniel (spoken word full text)

After much prayer and reflection, I gave this spoken word poem at Vineyard Community Church on 4/6/14 over the life of Daniel the Prophet.

On The Shores of Babylon

Daniel's Answer to The King by Briton Riviere (1890)

God is my Judge

That’s what my name means

You may know me as Daniel

But they even tried to take that from me

I know you live in an age of plenty

You think yourselves quite mighty

And scoff at the idea of tyranny

But take a minute, remove this cultural context which is so blinding

And step into my shoes, you’ll see what I mean

March Update: My Official Job Location Decision

It's Official

I am proud to officially announce that I'm going to be a full-time InterVarsity campus missionary at Central University in Pella, Iowa!!!  It was a long process and I spent a lot of time in prayer and talking with friends and family, but I have no doubt that Central is where God wants me to be.  Go Dutch!

Here's the story.

I never got to sign a letter of intent when I came to play football at Drake, so I decided to fake a signing to go on staff at Central.

Perspective of a Prophet: John The Baptist

This is the first of a "Perspective of a Prophet" series in which I will be extensively studying and then speaking from, the perspective of various Prophets. These words are not necessarily what I would say nor how would say them but from the perspective of the prophet. This installment is John the Baptist.

Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1490)

You wouldn't like me very much.

Jesus called me the greatest man ever that ever lived...

but you wouldn't like me very much.

I prepared the way for the Messiah, that He may reconcile all people to God...

but you wouldn't like me very much.

You wouldn't like me because I told the truth and didn't pull any punches. Because I called people to "REPENT!" and "BEAR FRUIT!" before I told them that God loves them.  I'm sure you would have reminded me to "speak the truth in love" and "not be so serious all the time."

You wouldn't have liked me because I look a lot more like this...

  

...than you're comfortable with.

And I'm not talking about those hypocrite, wolf in sheeps clothing, lying snakes in Kansas! Who make their living preying on the mourning and weakness of others, luring in the youth, twisting God's truth with their own hate!

I'm talking about having the courage to call people to repentance for their sins before they are cast into the fire of God's wrath.

But judgment, wrath, repentance... these make you uncomfortable?

Good.

Between the camel's hair and the Jordan River, I probably smelled pretty bad. Between the honey and raw crickets on my breath, that probably smelled pretty bad too.

For the location of my ministry I chose the desert; hot, dry, inconvenient, and outside of peoples way. Yet all Judea, Jerusalem, and Jordan came to see me. The first thing I said when people showed up was, "YOU BROOD OF VIPERS!! WHO WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE COMING WRATH!?"  ...and everyone confessed their sins and was baptised.

What does that do for your outreach model?

I said the things that no one else would, the things others were scared to say.  I called people out for their sins, I fasted, I looked weird, I acted weird, I rebuked, I warned people about the consequences of their disobedience, and that hell awaited them if they did not change. And they had the gall to say I had a demon!

Salone with the head of John the Baptist by Andrea Solario (1520)   

I called out a politician for sleeping with His brother's wife and it got me put in jail. I stood by it and publicly proclaimed sexual sin in an age where it was accepted and everyone was too apathetic or scared to say anything.  This upset people in power and so I was beheaded.

I had my head cut off and you're afraid to like a status because of it how it may associate you with something controversial!

I lived in the desert, ate locusts, wore camel hair and you're afraid of how God is going to provide for you!

I was the crazy guy standing on the street corner screaming REPENT and you're afraid to talk about Jesus in class in case you come off of one of those Christians!
 WHAT!? A JESUS FREAK LIKE ME??

You coward! You care more about what man thinks than God! You care more about being relevant than being obedient!
You hypocrite! You twist God's word to justify your own apathy, fear, and sin!
You coward! You remain silent while innocent children are led away to slaughter in the womb!
You hypocrite! You do nothing while women and children are bought and sold for sex!
The poor, orphan, widow, and refugee are dying in the streets while you grow fat in luxury!!
Do you think you can avoid the coming wrath of God!? Are you so arrogant or naive to think it won't come!?

...

...Therefore, bear fruit in accordance with repentance. And don't presume to say to yourself: "I grew up a Christian, I go to church." For God raises up his church from prostitutes and beggars.  So who are you? Even now the ax is ready to strike the root of the trees! Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire!

The one who has two shirts should share with the one who has none.  Deal fairly and honestly in your business.  Do not steal. Treat people justly.

St. John the Baptist by El Greco (1579)

You may not like me and you may think I am harsh. But judge me by my fruits.  Through my message came one greater than me, who baptizes you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  I heard a mighty voice from Heaven and the Spirit descend on Him like a dove. He brings the Kingdom of God with him and restores all things to himself. He is the Messiah and Lord to whom you should look and trust and follow.  I merely point toward Him, that He may become more and I may become less.

Jesus. Yeshua in my tongue.

He said I was the greatest man that ever lived.  But I never got to experience the Holy Spirit, nor the first inch of the growth of the Kingdom. For this reason I envy you, among whom the least will be greater than I.

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
He is the one to whom you repent.
Turn away from your wickedness, your selfishness, and your sin.
Turn towards Jesus.
And follow.




Again, after study and reflection, this was written from the perspective of John the Baptist and not my my own, as much as possible.

Seth

8 Ways That College Is A Time of Doing the Exact Opposite of What Our Parents Told Us

Our parents spent 18 years preparing us for the world. Now that we're on our own, we do what we want, often to our doom.

Our early years in our parent's house were spent learning a lot of do's and don't, a lot of life lessons, and a lot of cliches we rolled our eyes at.  Usually our teenage years we feel like we are under the heavy boot of Big Brother and can't wait to get out the house. College, for many, is the first time we are on our own away from home and our parent's edicts, so we respond by basically complete rebellion against everything they've ever taught us.  Here's compelling proof that during College we do the exact opposite of what our parents told us to.

1) "Don't make faces like that or it will get stuck"

In an effort to rebel against our parent's ban on making faces, these girls have resorted to looking like aquatic birds for aesthetic reasons. The plus side is they're really good at eating spaghetti. 

Miley Cyrus is seen here making faces as some sort of desperate yet brilliant marketing campaign to look really stupid in order to be famous. 

2) "Eat Your Vegetables"

Here we observe the college student eating the most well rounded of all it's meals.  Peppers and Onions are free? No thank you, I might as well be eating brussel sprouts. Oh Hubble sucks again today? Greasy Pizza it is.

Because nothing says "brain food" for studying late at night than the well rounded options from the vending machine. 4 hours for 10 pages? Get me a red bull and it's done.

3) "Don't Sit Too Close To The TV"

We all got yelled at for this as a kid. It's not gunna ruin my eyes I'm just blocking your view. 

So I'm gunna sit as close as I want because the closer I sit the easier it is to kill zombies.  If I sit far away then I startle the witch and now I'm dead, thanks mom. 

4) "If all your friends jumped off a bridge would you?"

There is a lot of truth to this one.  It's a testament to the power of peer pressure.  But in college, Yes! We Would! Many times metaphorically, we are caught into the same game of fitting in and feeling cool that we should have grown out of in high school. So that's not good. But literally, I want to go bungee jumping, especially if all my friends are!

5) "Nothing good happens after midnight"

This one is also true, unless you're up killing zombies.  And despite what stupid movies like "National Lampoon's Van Wilder Goes to Nebraska" will tell you, staying out until 4AM, getting blackout drunk three times a weekend, throwing up and hooking up, is terrible. I did my share of partying and let me tell ya, nothing beats a night of Live Mafia. As a great college Dean once said, "Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way go through life, son."  

6) "Go to church"

As a good friend of mine is prone to say, "Don't spend your Sundays listening to the Honorable Reverend Snooze."  Church seemed super boring growing up but college is a time to actually take ownership of your faith and think about what you believe, church (and your local InterVarsity) is a great place to start.

You'll discover that Church, for all it's eccentricities, is really your extended family and those aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are there to love you.  You'll find yourself growing in faith on your own and get some free meals out of it as well. 

 7) "Read Your Bible" 

Studying is overwhelming at time and "reading your Bible" seems like another churchy thing our youth group pastor told us to do.

But actually a well read Bible is your greatest friend and ally in your relationship with God. 99% of the despair we face in life will come from a misconception, in some way, of God's good news. Study, absolutely, but there is no better investment in yourself than giving 10 minutes a day to read a chapter or two.

8) "Say Your Prayers"

Growing up we were always told to brush our teeth and say our prayers before bed.  So prayer became this routine thing you did before bed, meals, and church. In college, prayer becomes an afterthought. 

But in my experience, prayer is more like this. Pouring my heart out to Him, usually in my car alone, with all of the junk I am struggling through. Prayer can be a conversation or it can just be silently sitting in His presence. For more ideas about how to make prayer interesting click here for a previous blog entry.

So remember, next time you hear that internal voice of skepticism from your parents about what you're doing, your parents are wiser than you think now and *much* wiser than you thought as a teenager.  Sometimes they were dropping brilliant truth nuggets, other times they just wanted you to stop making that face because you were being annoying. College is a time, not to disregard everything they ever taught you, but to separate fact from fiction and learn and how to grow in your relationship with God not as a child dragged to VBS, but as an adult discerning God's will for your life. 

Seth

February Update: Interviews, Poetry, and Trust

Looking Back At An Amazing Month of God's Faithfulness

I started off the month of February, despite the cold  and snowy weather, burning with excitement. I had just graduated in December and I was beginning my first semester working with InterVarsity. I could not have been more thrilled to be giving my time to students, fundraising, and seeing God's kingdom come on Drake's campus.  And it's been an amazing month!  I finally had my official interview with intervarsity, gave an unexpected talk at our weekly large group, and have been taking big steps to becoming a fully fundraised, full time campus missionary! Going back into the last week of January, let's look at some of the highlights:

Student leader Cara Lutes setting vision at the Back To School Retreat

Interview and Placement
In the last week of January, I finally had my official interview with InterVarsity.  At a Panera out in West Des Moines, I sat with five (thats right, five!) interviewers from campuses in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri.  Although many might be intimidated is such a situation, I remembered my High School football Coach Dave Owens, who said something like, "If you're prepared, butterflies just mean that you care and you're about to do something great." I then also recalled that in the past few years, when I have had butterflies, it's because I was about to go smash heads with 300 pound heathen lineman.  So I can handle questions from a couple wimpy Christians, right!? Overall, I found the interview extremely enjoyable and pleasant.  It was nice that, although in some interviews you feel like you have to put on a airs, I could be authentic and do what I do best: talk about Jesus.  Three hours later, I was exhausted, but extremely happy about how it went. Within a week I received a call that confirmed their offer for a provisional staff appointment and within two weeks, I was informed where the regional directors felt I would fit best: Central College in Pella, IA! Although I would be working part time at William Penn in Oskaloosa as well and I would like to still visit Omaha in order to keep my options open, I am really excited about my possible fit in Pella and am actually visiting this Thursday! Everyone seems to think my gifts would really bring a lot to the table.  Considering my High School mascot was the Dutch, it would quite an uncanny fit!

An Unexpected Worship Sermon
In the meantime, for the next semester I am still acting as an active leader with the Drake InterVarsity chapter.  At the beginning of the semester, we began a new sermon series entitled "Follow Me" which was intended to be a practical look at spiritual disciplines and what it means to follow Jesus on a day to day basis.  This meant talking about basics like Prayer, Worship, Sabbath, The Bible, and Community. I was excited to open up the series by giving a talk about Worship. As a worship leader, this is something I've spent a lot of time thinking about and invested in. So I would have loved to get up there and give a 40 minute talk about Worship.  But as I prayed and fasted over the message, I felt God was calling me not just to "tell people about worship" but to "show them how to worship."  This began to take shape through getting people out of their comfort zones, because we too often go through the motions when we fall into monotony.  This began to mean breaking out of the modern evangelical "liturgy" of 1)worship 2)announcements 3) speaker 4)go home, and instead going back to a traditional liturgy from the Common Book of Prayer.  But God wasn't done there.  On the night of Super Bowl Sunday, three days before I was to give my talk, I got in the car and began to talk/pray through some of the things I might say.  And it was strangest thing.  As I began talking, things were coming out rhyming.  When I went home, I began writing.  Three hours later, my entire talk had come out in spoken word poetry form, of which I hadn't written any in several years!  It was unbelievable. I was in awe of the revelation that God had poured into my mind.  So finally, when it was all said and done, we followed the Rite of Eucharist (with communion), with modern worship songs, and a 12 minute spoken word sermon.  It was an unbelievable night and I was amazed at how doing things a little differently allowed people to really engage with God.  Click here if you would like to read my poem, entitled "The Throne Room."

First meet and greet of the new year.

A Part Time Job's Lesson in Trust
Around the middle of February, after fundraising was off to a slow start and my excitement was wearing off, I started to worry about money.  I am in a unique situation, renting a room from my pastors, where I don't have a lot of expenses and they understand I will be able to pay them rent when fundraising starts to roll in. Yet, fear started to set in, and I began to feel guilty, according to the standards of this world, that I was wrong by being "unproductive" and not working.  So I looked for a part time job to help with rent and food and I found one working as a server at a retirement community.  It was OK. But after several weeks, I began to feel uncomfortable and discontent about the whole thing.  On a monday off, I decided I would go on a "Pilgrimage" as a part of our week of Prayer and taken from the 19 different kinds of prayer I put together.  I walked to a park about 15 minutes from my house, bringing all my worries and fears with me, with the intention of meeting with God and leaving them there with Him. I did exactly that, even burned a post-it with my fears written on it, and I felt God's presence overwhelm me, pulling me to quit my job.  But that's crazy, right? Maybe according to the world.  But when Daniel chose vegetables and water over meat and wine, he did so trusting that God would supernaturally provide. When he asked to meet the King about his vision, he did so trusting that God would speak to him in the night.  Me getting that job was like Abraham and Hagar, getting impatient for the promise to come. So it was time for me to get out of the boat and trust that El Shaddai, that God will provide. Do you know what happened after that? Literally, when I got home, there was a $200 check waiting for me from a friend's parents.  That Wednesday, another friend pledged $100 a month and to set up a meeting with a friend of his to give me more.  How unbelievable is that!? The LORD PROVIDES! I am SO excited to keep going on this journey, to put all my trust in Him, to bring God's people into my mission, and see Him supernaturally provide.

An early draft of the poster I put together for our current series. 

Three Quick Praises
1) After several years of Drake IV being 70% girls, God has brought more than several awesome men of God into the group who really love Jesus and want more of Him. We've started a Men's Group on Fridays and the turnout has been awesome with a lot of authenticity.  It's amazing to see this answer to prayer happening, that men would rise up in IV, sharpen each other as iron sharpens iron, and be men of courage, righteousness, and influence in our group and on our campus.
2) As my schedule opens up after quitting my job, I will be spending more and more time at the International House of Prayer Iowa.  I have been going there for 2-4 hours every week, just getting alone with God and bringing prayer for my future, Drake IV, and the city before God, trying to reflect the persistent widow.  It is so refreshing and intimate to spend that time in His presence.  As I get involved more as musician on Monday and Friday nights, I'm looking forward to seeing God grow that ministry and hopefully build bridges between them and IV.
3) After submitting my transcript to InterVarsity USA, I am really close to being able to fully fundraise through IV! Once that happens, people will be able to send money directly to IV in my name, which will then go to pay my salary.  I am so looking forward to officially beginning that journey! Until then, I hope you will continue to pray for me, my impact on Drake's campus, the students there, my fundraising, and wisdom for my future location! If you would like to join my support team and receive monthly updates about pray and finances, please visit the "Support My Ministry" page.


Wow! It's fun looking back on the month like that! Praise God for all that He has done and will continue to do!  Bring it on March!!

Seth

19 Kinds of Prayer to Help You Actually Enjoy Talking To God

“To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and [there ascend] to stand before the face of the Lord, ever present, all seeing, within you [and on the throne].”

- Theophan the Recluse

Growing up, most of us were told to pray before bed and before meals and we saw our preacher do it on Sundays, but we never put much thought into what it actually was.  At times we think of it as a check list and duty. Last Wednesday at InterVarsity, Ann gave a great definition of prayer to shake loose these misconceptions, that "prayer is conversation between two people in love, you and Jesus."  Like any conversation, if you don't know the person very well, it can be awkward.  But as you talk more and get comfortable, great friendships can form.  Many of us never get past small talk with God, having only brief awkward interactions followed by days or weeks of silence.  But if we want to get to know God, our Creator, our Abba Father, we must talk to Him. Without communication relationships die.  But different people communicate in different ways and having deep convos every time you chat with a friend wears you out.  Sometimes you just want to catch up or hang out.

Inspired by that thought I have put together a list of 19 different kinds of prayer which can help us communicate with God in a variety of ways.  I took these from a book called Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Calhoun as well as my own experience in InterVarsity and Vineyard.  It is extensive but not comprehensive.  They range from contemplative silent prayers, to prayers that get you moving, to group prayers.  My hope is that you will bookmark this page and use it as a resource for connecting to God when your prayer gets a little stale, because every relationship needs to change things up sometimes. Build your relationship with God! Get praying!

1. Breathe Prayer - form of contemplative prayer linked to the rhythms of breathing: 1) breathe in, calling on a biblical name of image of God, and 2) breathe out in a simple God-given desire. E.g. (breathe in) “Jesus, Son of David” (breathe out) “have mercy on me, a sinner.”  You may also pray a short verse. (In) “The Lord is my shepherd” (out) “I shall not be in want.” Recall this prayer throughout the day as a way to re-focus on God, practice being in His presence, and pray continually.

2. Centering Prayer - a form of contemplative prayer where the pray-er seeks to quiet scattered thoughts and desires in the still center of Christ’s presence. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes, settle into a comfortable position, tell God you are intentionally placing yourself in His presence, then choose a simple word, phrase, name of God, or verse that expresses your desire for God. Perhaps read a psalm then pick something that resonated with you. Allow yourself to be still and become quiet as you focus on that word or phrase and rest in His presence. As distracting thoughts come into your mind, gently bring your mind back to the word. You may come back to that word throughout the day to still yourself and remind yourself of God.  Feel free to play around with different forms of contemplative prayer that stills your mind and rests in the presence of God.

Judging From A Google Search of 'prayer,' God doesn't hear you unless you're a silhouette. 

3. Conversational Prayer - Engaging in a conversation with God by yourself or in a group. When alone, speak with God like you would a friend, engage in a dialogue about what is on your mind right then. Try to get alone by going for a walk or sitting in your car so you can speak to God out loud. In a group, engage in the conversation together, taking turns praying about topics briefly as you are led by each other and the Holy Spirit. This teaches us to speak with God naturally and unself-consciously, listening to His Spirit in response, avoiding the pressure of the pre-planned flowery prayers we think we need.

4. Fasting - the self-denial of normal necessities in order to intentionally attend to God in prayer for repentance, wisdom, or out of concern for others, yourself, and the world.  It brings attachments and cravings to the surface as a reminder that Jesus alone can satisfy. It is also a practice of, like Paul, “keep our body under control,” to “live according to the Spirit” instead of the flesh, and to build a disciplined character which resists temptation.  Fasts may include: food, drink, media (TV, social media, phone), comforts (naps, desert), etc for any length of time, but stick with it!

5. Fixed Hour Prayer - Regular and consistent patterns of attending to God throughout the day as a way of “sanctifying time” and building God into our everyday life. This may include setting a timer to pray at the top of every hour, taking the few minutes in between classes to pray, or taking a longer 10-15 prayer morning, afternoon, and evening. For 1,600 years the Order of St. Benedict have used a schedule of a night prayer, a waking-prayer, prayers for beginning work, giving-thanks prayers in mid-morning, noon-day prayer of commitment, a mid-afternoon prayer, an evening prayer of stillness, and a going to sleep prayer of trust.  Feel free to be creative in your schedule or types of prayer used. What’s important is intentionally connecting to God at regular intervals throughout the day.

6. Healing Prayer - Contrary to what some may believe, God does still heal! Prayer is not magic and God is not bound to our requests but He is certainly able to heal and does, both physically and emotionally.  Praying for healing can be scary because it puts us in the place of asking God to the miraculous and risking He may say no. But He can never say yes unless we ask! Seven words that can change someone's life are “Can I pray for you right now?”  Prayer for physical healing may involve appropriately placing one’s hand on the injury (always ask!) and asking for God’s presence and kingdom to restore and heal the injury.  In our culture, the need for emotional healing is even greater. Emotional healing means asking for God to bring to the surface wounds and lies that shape how we live and see the world, for Jesus to place himself in that place, and to take that wound and heal it.  Listen to what he may be saying. We may have our own emotional wounds that we need to go to Jesus with as well.

7. Intercessory Prayer - Coming to God to intercede on behalf of yourself, others, or the world.  It is a great mystery that God knows the desires of our hearts yet still wants us to ask Him and that He listens and responds to our prayer.  Our prayer has direct effect in the world, especially in the spiritual realm, even if it may not seem like it.  This is praying that God breaks our heart for what breaks His, for His Kingdom to come and will be done, for our family, friends, campus, country, and more.  This may be done alone in a variety of ways such as prayer walk, as well as directly with someone, similar to healing prayer.

8. Labyrinth Prayer - Making a quiet, listening pilgrimage to God.  Pilgrimages to the Holy Land were common practice for early Christians as a way of reconnecting with their roots and getting right before God. Later Christians began building their own labyrinth (like a really simple 3-D maze) to walk in order to replicate the experience.  Today we may replicate the experience by going on a walk to some pre-planned destination, with the intention of getting away from distractions, centering yourself on Christ, sorting things out with God, and spending time with Him at the destination before returning renewed.  We may go on a mental labyrinth prayer of sorts when we get alone with God and talk through a conflict or dilemma. Many today even use a pen to trace their way through a printed labyrinth to replicate the same experience. Just google “Labyrinth," like below.

9. Liturgical Prayer - Written or memorized prayer that serves as a framework for individual or corporate worship and devotion.  This is what we do when we pray the Lord’s Prayer together or recite the Apostle’s Creed and is often used in a Catholic, Lutheran, or Anglican church service.  Look up the Common Book of Prayer or search Liturgical Prayer to find other historical prayer that help us engage with our history and with God in a different way. This may also include praying a piece of scripture as your own such as Psalm 139 or Psalm 51 (also known as Scripture Prayer). In that vein you may insert your own name into a scripture as a way to personalize it.

10. Prayer Partner/Group - Regular gathering with trusted fellow believers to pray for each other, your communities, the world, or other needs.  This is especially productive when formed around a common communities (sports team, fraternity, campus group).  Prayer in the group may be done in a variety of ways.  A “prayer meeting” may be a one time event for a specific cause.

11. Prayer of Recollection - a type of contemplative prayer with the specific purpose of relinquishing one’s false self, ego, pride, and culturally created identity in order to remember and “recollect” our God-given identity, and rest in the truth that we are a new creation, reborn, a son or daughter of God, and an heir to the King of Kings.

12. Prayer Walking - a way of praying for a particular location that you are concerned about by placing you in the actual geographical place and praying God’s kingdom to come and His spirit the be poured over over it. For example, walking around campus in order to pray for campus. Praying for the freshman dorms and all those within as you walk by, for Meredith, students and professors, as you walk by it. This often precludes a new beginning or a particular event such as praying for Greek street before a big party week or around the arts building before starting a drama ministry.

13. Praying in Tongues - Praying in tongues is a particular gift of the Spirit that not everyone has, so if you attempt it and it doesn’t come, that’s fine.  You are equally valuable in the Body of Christ and gifted in other ways. However, praying in tongues is mysterious and weird, but also very valuable.  Paul says that praying in tongues is the groans of the Spirit, speaking in tongues of men and angels, when our words are not enough.  Practically, this happens in that moment of prayer when we run out of cognitive words to say but feel our soul burning to say more.  When we simply let our vocal chords speak anyway, this is the Holy Spirit within us speaking through us.  It is important that Paul says tongues edifies (instructs, improves) oneself, not others.  It is possible for one to “interpret” the tongue (either because they hear it in their own language or are given a word by the Spirit) in a way that gives instruction to others.  But this is the only time tongues should be done before the congregation/group, otherwise it is a private thing between you and God. For more about tongues, see: 1 Corinthians 12-14

14. Korean Prayer  - A style of corporate adapted from Korean churches in which, rather than one person pray or every prays quietly, everyone in the assembly prays individually to God out loud.

15. Night Watch  - Setting apart time late at night to forgo sleep and instead spend time in prayer, reading Scripture, and worship, connecting to God. During David’s reign, he had musicians and priests praying and worshipping 24/7 throughout the night.  In a time when the rest of the world is sleeping, the Night Watch is a special way to set aside all distractions and spend extended time engaging with God.  You may start off with any amount of time and build up to longer stretches. What’s important is setting an extended period of time that will allow to engage with God in a variety of ways.  Think of watching the live feed of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, which has been doing 24/7 prayer since 1999 and has a group of people doing the Night Watch every night from 12-6AM.

16. Listening Prayer - A way of being still to hear from God. Prayer is not a monologue but a dialogue in which it is possible for God to respond in a variety of ways.  Rarely does God speak through a loud booming voice but through a single word, phrase, scripture, or image. People often call this recieving “a word” from God.  Do not feel discouraged if it seems awkward or difficult.  Often it is difficult to tell the difference between God and our own thoughts but thought repetition we can learn to discern (and we could still be wrong).  SImply take the time to still your mind, welcome the Holy Spirit, and ask God to speak.  This may be done alone, directly for another person, or in a group setting.  As you get comfortable hearing from God and make prayer a part of your everyday life, you may find yourself hearing God on a regular basis.

17. Treasure Hunt -  This is listening prayer with a particular purpose and direction alone or in a group.  You are asking God for revelation, signs, and divine appointments before you go out to an area, event, or campus.  Time is spent in listening prayer as a group, with each person writing down words or images that come to mind.  Each person then shares before the group goes out and looks for those images as a sign of where God wants them to go or what He wants them to do.  Again, don’t be discouraged! It’s amazing how many images people think are totally random and stupid but several people received and is seen when on the treasure hunt.  This technique has been used to find out from God where sex trafficking is going on in a city, which the group responded to by going to those places and prayer, as well going on prayer walks on campuses.

18. Lectio Divina - A type of contemplative prayer that includes reading and meditating on a passage of scripture in four stages.  1) Read through the passage slowly and gradually, perhaps several times. 2)Meditate on the meaning of the passage by letting the Holy Spirit guide you in understanding. 3)Pray by having a conversation with God about the passage and how the Holy Spirit is moving and speaking to you 4) Contemplate by sitting in silent prayer before God and letting the things you have learned and God has shown you to sink in.

19. Gospel Contemplation - Similar to Lectio Divina, this a type of prayer that involves Scripture.  Read through one of stories in the Gospels of Jesus interacting with person like when he heals a beggar or talks to the woman at the well.  Read it again and familiarize yourself with the details.  Then in your mind place yourself in the scene and observe the surroundings, how Jesus is acting, how people respond, etc.  Meditate on what this means for how Jesus looks at and loves you.  Talk to God about what how this experience is shaping your knowledge of Jesus.

What do you think?? Any kinds of prayer that you use that I missed? Comment below!

Read This Amazing Poem, Written by a Former Slave, on the Grace and Providence of God

"The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano" is the autobiography of a man captured as a child and spent most of his life in slavery around the world.  He wrote it to give to the English Parliament and help with the abolition of the slave trade. It is fascinating and I highly recommend reading or listening to the audiobook for free (its in the public domain).

Most awesome is the story of him finding Jesus and true joy for the first time in his life, resting in the assurance of his Salvation by the blood of Christ and the hand of Providence through his life. If you go online and scroll down to read chapter 10, the description of his final run in with the grace of God is astounding and reminds me a lot about my own story. He describes how in a flood of tears he saw his utter sinfulness before a holy God, he saw the insane loving atonement of Jesus on the cross, and saw the hand of God as He had worked in his life.  All of the pain and sorrow which he carried with him from all his experiences get laid before the cross and are turned into complete joy and freedom in a few short paragraphs. It's so awesome to have the same experience with the same God that Olaudah Equiano, the Ethiopian slave turned abolitionist, had 300 years ago!!

Below is a poem he wrote of his experiences (its long but amazing).

Well may I say my life has been
One scene of sorrow and of pain;
From early days I griefs have known,
And as I grew my griefs have grown:

Dangers were always in my path;
And fear of wrath, and sometimes death;
While pale dejection in me reign'd
I often wept, by grief constrain'd.

When taken from my native land,
By an unjust and cruel band,
How did uncommon dread prevail!
My sighs no more I could conceal.

'To ease my mind I often strove,
And tried my trouble to remove:
I sung, and utter'd sighs between—
Assay'd to stifle guilt with sin.

'But O! not all that I could do
Would stop the current of my woe;
Conviction still my vileness shew'd;
How great my guilt—how lost from God!

'Prevented, that I could not die,
Nor might to one kind refuge fly;
An orphan state I had to mourn,—
Forsook by all, and left forlorn.'

Those who beheld my downcast mien
Could not guess at my woes unseen:
They by appearance could not know
The troubles that I waded through.

'Lust, anger, blasphemy, and pride,
With legions of such ills beside,
Troubled my thoughts,' while doubts and fears
Clouded and darken'd most my years.

'Sighs now no more would be confin'd—
They breath'd the trouble of my mind:
I wish'd for death, but check'd the word,
And often pray'd unto the Lord.'

Unhappy, more than some on earth,
I thought the place that gave me birth—
Strange thoughts oppress'd—while I replied
"Why not in Ethiopia died?"

And why thus spared, nigh to hell?—
God only knew—I could not tell!
'A tott'ring fence, a bowing wall
thought myself ere since the fall.'

'Oft times I mused, nigh despair,
While birds melodious fill'd the air:
Thrice happy songsters, ever free,
How bless'd were they compar'd to me!'

Thus all things added to my pain,
While grief compell'd me to complain;
When sable clouds began to rise
My mind grew darker than the skies.

The English nation call'd to leave,
How did my breast with sorrows heave!
I long'd for rest—cried "Help me, Lord!
Some mitigation, Lord, afford!"

Yet on, dejected, still I went—
Heart-throbbing woes within were pent;
Nor land, nor sea, could comfort give,
Nothing my anxious mind relieve.

Weary with travail, yet unknown
To all but God and self alone,
Numerous months for peace I strove,
And numerous foes I had to prove.

Inur'd to dangers, griefs, and woes,
Train'd up 'midst perils, deaths, and foes,
I said "Must it thus ever be?—
No quiet is permitted me."

Hard hap, and more than heavy lot!
I pray'd to God "Forget me not—
What thou ordain'st willing I'll bear;
But O! deliver from despair!"

Strivings and wrestlings seem'd in vain;
Nothing I did could ease my pain:
Then gave I up my works and will,
Confess'd and own'd my doom was hell!

Like some poor pris'ner at the bar,
Conscious of guilt, of sin and fear,
Arraign'd, and self-condemned, I stood—
'Lost in the world, and in my blood!'

Yet here,'midst blackest clouds confin'd,
A beam from Christ, the day-star, shin'd;
Surely, thought I, if Jesus please,
He can at once sign my release.

I, ignorant of his righteousness,
Set up my labours in its place;
'Forgot for why his blood was shed,
And pray'd and fasted in its stead.'

He dy'd for sinners—I am one!
Might not his blood for me atone?
Tho' I am nothing else but sin,
Yet surely he can make me clean!

Thus light came in, and I believ'd;
Myself forgot, and help receiv'd!
My Saviour then I know I found,
For, eas'd from guilt, no more I groan'd.

O, happy hour, in which I ceas'd
To mourn, for then I found a rest!
My soul and Christ were now as one—
Thy light, O Jesus, in me shone!

Bless'd be thy name, for now I know
I and my works can nothing do;
"The Lord alone can ransom man—
For this the spotless Lamb was slain!"

When sacrifices, works, and pray'r,
Prov'd vain, and ineffectual were,
"Lo, then I come!" the Saviour cry'd,
And, bleeding, bow'd his head and dy'd!

He dy'd for all who ever saw
No help in them, nor by the law:—
I this have seen; and gladly own
"Salvation is by Christ alone!"


Hallelujah Olaudah! I can hardly wait for the day we meet in Glory and worship Christ our Lord together!

Seth

The Throne Room (spoken word full text)

On Wednesday the 5th I was scheduled to give a talk at InterVarsity about Worship.  As I continued to pray and fast about what I might say, I felt God calling me to not merely tell people about worship, but to show people how to worship. This began taking shape around the idea of getting people out of their comfort zones and routine in order to really engage with God.  I had some ideas but then after the Super Bowl party on the 2nd, I got in my car and begin talking through what I might say... and it started rhyming.  I went home and began writing. Three hours later my entire talk had come out in spoken word poetry.  

Before it was all over, that Wednesday took shape by doing an old school Liturgy, the Rite of Eucharist from the Common Book of Prayer, with modern worship songs, communion, and a 12 minute spoken word sermon.  It was an amazing night of pushing through the monotony of routine and entering the Throne Room of God in worshipping with my brothers and sisters in InterVarsity. 

Below is the full text of the spoken word poem I gave. I call it "The Throne Room."

Seth Hedman 2/2/14

Bear with me for just a second.

close your eyes, go ahead.

Now imagine a time before time, a time before seconds

Hard, isn’t it?

When in eternity the infinite love of the trinity was in perfect unity, none second.

Now open em.

If there’s one thing that still bugs me about God it’s why He exists at all.

But that’s nonsensical cus He was and is and is to come

“I am what I am” He exists. Period. That’s all.

Eternal, all-loving, all-powerful, and Holy

Infinitely wise, assigning your life’s place and time

Your country, your hair, your race, your eyes.

But then despite God’s perfect self-satisfying Glory and tho He needs nothing,

He creates

He makes spiritual beings: angels and elders, cherubim and seraphim.

Purely for the purpose of glorifying and worshipping Him.

Then He makes the physical universe, heavens and earth.

As angels ooh and ahh at every Planet, fish, and molecule of dirt.

Did you know if light travels around the Earth in 1 second, seven times

How insane is a universe 64 billion light years wide? Cus Glory, that’s why.

Truly the Heavens declare the Glory of God

for this purpose they pour forth speech day and night.

But then He does something different.

He makes something physical and spiritual, made in His image

To not merely express Glory like a fan

But to share in, dwell in, participate in, and live in His fellowship and Glory

And He calls it Man

And tho the angels worshipped God for the works of His hands

Lucifer and many more could not tolerate this Man

So they declared war on God’s great plan

and made it their job to destroy us and the image of God we had

But God knew better and He knew all along

That He would make a way tho things went wrong

Through Abraham, through Moses, through the Ark,  you know this

Where God’s back glory made Moses’ face glow and freak people out

cus if he has seen God’s face it would have killed him, no doubt

Smoke and rumblings, lighting and thunder

Fall on your face, fear of God, awe and wonder

Where a pillar of fire and smoke led them night and day

and Holy of Holies killed you if your were impure or insincere in any way

God’s plan for glory would not be stopped

God’s plan for worship will not be stopped.

Then it all changes and He comes down Himself

The Son leaves the infinite Glory and puts His hands in the dirt

The King of Kings in helpless babe, unplanned and poor, came to save

The Glory of God in the body of man? Amazing what He’ll do to fulfill His plan!!

Then He dies and is sacrificed, and we’re sanctified and washed white inside.

But that’s just the means to what He provides.

That same eternal Glory! Shekinah! Pillar of fire! That required priests to wear a wire round their foot in case they died!

That’s the Holy Spirit now living inside!

And one day Jesus will return and sit on the throne

And in our glorified bodies everyone will know

That’s God’s plan cannot be stopped and that Jesus is Lord

Then a new heaven and new earth will unite God and man, once and all

and the Glory that’s in us now will be all around

and the angels and elders, cherubim and seraphim will gather to worship Him

But now there’s a new addition when the Saints go marching in!

and every tribe and tongue and people and nation

will fulfill God’s plan, God’s will, God’s vision

for all things in all creation to share in His glory and simply worship Him

Why worship? is like asking why He exists, its dumb

Cus Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty

Who was and is and is to come!

So when we worship in song and deed, we don’t just sing, we share in the mystery

the divine conspiracy for worship and glory

That glory is inside of us and itching to get out, to bring that throne room to here and now.

We’re the preview of what’s to come

We have access to live the trailer of the throne room of God

But is that what’s coming soon to a church near you?

Is that Sunday Mornings? Is that your life? Is that what we do?

Cus if its not then we’re wasting our time, wasting our lives, and I won’t waste mine

On ritual and tradition and going through the motions

Going cus you’re supposed to and if your Christian that’s just what you do

Thats a ridiculous way to spend your life when there’s infinitely more available to you.

David danced like a fool because of the Ark

And we have that presence inside our hearts!

He didn’t let cultural propriety or what others thought

Keep him from the freedom and fullness of worshipping God

He saw the big picture of worship and Glory

and wanted to share in it during his part of this earthly story

One day, he says, I’ll be honored by those slave girls

Cus when they’re dancing side by side in heaven they’ll think

“Wow, he actually got it while he was still in the world.”

Don’t you want to experience that right here and now?

Is our white evan-jellyfish churchianity, standing straight and stiff, singing monotone, really what its all about?

I’m tellin you, you’ve got Kingdom glory and joy and freedom inside of you, you just gotta let it out.

But a lot of times it gets covered up by sin and idolatry

The only thing that outweighs our apathy is our hypocrisy

We were created to worship God and God alone above all else

He’s the fuel our souls run on, without it there’s a breakdown of community and self

Idols replace God and they’re not always statues of wood and stone

They look like money, sex, relationships, fame, popularity, success, addiction.

Even a nice, three bedroom home

And Psalm 50 says those who worship idols become like them

Eyes but not seeing, ears but not hearing.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly what Jesus said of the Pharisees, whose religious idols were ritual and tradition and looking how they were supposed to be.

Sound familiar?

Those white washed tombs and brood of vipers were so blinded and so foolish

That they stood before the very incarnate Son of God, the Word made flesh, who healed the sick and raised from the dead

and they said “let’s kill him.”

That presence and manifestation of God, full of Glory, full of Grace and Truth

about whom David leaped and prophets prophesied

The promise which Abraham trusted in and Isaac and Jacob and Moses and Daniel and all the others looked forward to, but which never realized.

Until then. God made flesh standing before their very eyes.

And they missed it.

Because of idolatry and pride.

So when we, who have the Spirit and Glory of God living inside us, the Counselor whom Jesus said it would better for us to have than His physical presence,

And it seems like we couldn’t care less

and giggle at conviction and are scared of passion or expression

Who water down everything for fear of offending cus God knows Jesus always avoided controversy

I fear for the idols we’re actually worshipping.

We need to, like Jesus, take a whip of cords to our hearts

To flip the tables of culture and sin that are keeping us and God apart.

I’m not saying you’re not saved.

When we trust in Him, God’s grace and faithfulness is greater than any of our sin.

But I am saying there is infinitely more than the bare requirements to get in,

And this is a mess we’re in.

We’re consumerists who sit back and judge worship like American Idol

Your personal preferences for song selection are more important than authentically worshipping God? That’s another American Idol.

We’re incomplete people, men without chests,

with problems bland worship once a week won’t fix

Our spiritual act of worship is as a living sacrifice, Romans 12

That means being a whole person, in everything you do

Being the same person Sunday mornings as Saturday nights, Fridays as well.

Cus worship is not a genre and church is not a building

I’m the church, you’re the church, and worship is in everything

No geographical place, or time, or occupation, is any more spiritual than any other

We worship is Spirit and in Truth, in our classes, sports, and loving our brother.

Whatever you do, do it for His glory. Participate, here and now, in that eternal story.

God’s wants control of your life, to be knee deep in it, in everything

There should never be a time when you stop worshipping

So let all the idols go, smash them, you must

All the pride, duty, proprietary, and lust

You’ve got the King of Kings in your chest and He’s burning to get out

to Build His Kingdom in you, through you, and all around.

There’s a great grand story, of God revealing His glory, of calling all the worship Him

So don’t wait for eternity, stop worshipping half heartedly, because eternity starts right now.

This is where the party is at, His Kingdom come

From God comes real joy real peace real fun

The world is an imitation, we’ve got the real thing, the new wine.

Just fully open your heart to the Spirit, open your mind

Say “Jesus I am yours, and you are mine.”

In word and deed, lets live for the King, with everything, all of us for Him

Let’s dance like David and sing like the angels, join in the celebration

With guitar and singing and hands held high, with dancing and clapping and drum

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty

Who was, and is, and is to come.”

Seth