Voice of Rescue

Phenomenal Intolerance

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:19:00 -0500

She walked slumped over. Constantly leaning forward, her gait was unsure and her steps fragile. The obvious ravages of chronic pain was having it's perfect way in the way only pain can disrupt and disturb the simplest of tasks - like walking.

Like most people, regardless of issue, she was alone in a crowded room. It's not that people who are in observation of the obvious are uncaring or without feeling when confronted with the pain of another. Their reluctance is in the simplicity of not knowing what to do or say. So nothing is said ... and worse yet, done.

In any case, there she was. Out in public view, reminding passersby that all in life is not perfect. Being reminded they didn't know what to say or do last time, they scurry along to shop, to worship, to pray to fellowship - to love and be loved.

There was one though. There is always one.

One person in the crowd who having long ago breached their boiling point, is no longer able to tolerate the chronic and unchecked of life. There is always one who having reached this point of personal crisis has tooled themselves sufficiently to impact, to make a dent in the perfection of trouble.

I'm glad it was the jail breaking, rule ignoring, death defying, whip making, stereotype jacking, hope refreshing Jesus who happened to be there that day. Shining brightly in His divine intolerance.

Of course, the rule making, stereotype establishing, unwhipped and jailer robbing hopeless were angry - they're always angry. Hope deferred always makes the heart sick.

The single act of Jesus' addressing this women's condition through a miraculous, instantaneous healing in the temple that day stirred the pot the wrong way and He became vilified for not waiting for a more appropriate time and day.

My brothers and sisters if you're going to be intolerant, be intolerant in a ground breaking, risk taking, backlash rendering phenomenal kind of way. Be so intolerant to the injustices around you that you disturb even your best of friends.

Be the one.

Rise above the normal responses of ignoring the pain in you or around you simply because you know no other response. Cultivate the kind of response laid out so simply by your great example; Jesus.

I was that woman. Slumped and leaning forward. Walking, stumbling and painfully grinding out each step. Until one day, toiling under the weight of perfectly poor choices that had turned into the reality of harsh consequence - I had my own encounter with the divinely intolerant Jesus.

You were that woman. You may be that woman right now.

You can be straight to the crooked around you!

Here's today's question: 'Are you ready for the divinly intolerant Jesus?'

Making a dent,
Dan

The Culture of Things

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 08:11:00 -0500

Recently here in Toledo, and on the air waves of WSPD AM 1370, radio talk show host Brian Wilson said some extremely inappropriate remarks regarding Toledo Public School students while in the process of indicting the School system itself.

Here's what he said; "Certainly teaching little monkeys to peel bananas and so on and them learning to do it correctly on cue does not mean that they've learned everything except a funny parlor trick."

The monkey reference of course has outraged more than a few citizens in that no one prefers to have their children referenced as animals. Of course, the reference in the African American community means even more and is therefor more troubling.

Monkey's have long been a common racial references against the African American citizen. So of course there has been outrage and calls for apologies from Mr. Wilson and all manner of speech regarding boycotts of WSPD and so on.

Should there be outrage?

Certainly!

An elected official conducting a sidewalk meeting in her district in Tucson Arizona was critically wounded by an armed assailant a few weeks ago. The gunman left 6 dead and 15 wounded including Representative Gabby Giffords before being apprehended by others. Among the dead was a 9 year old girl.

Since then there has been much discourse through national and local media outlets regarding the tone of political rhetoric in the United States. The political 'right' is indicting the political 'left' for being too soft and the 'left' is indicting the 'right' for being to hard. The phrase vitriolic speech has been used again and again - by everyone about everyone.

Should there be outrage?

Certainly!

"Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never harm me." I sure wish this were a true statement - but it's not. In thirty years of service within the human condition I've not seen it.

I've not seen this statement true in the countless lives sitting across the table from me and I've not seen it personally. As a matter of fact, there have been times being the recipient of a tongue lashing I would have preferred the stick.

Words are very powerful. With words we can shape the destiny of our children, paint landscapes of imagination so vivid they become realities and with words we can forge new horizons of thought provoked innovation.

In the month of January two great orators are often remembered. Men who spoke in such a way that pricked the conscience of their generation - so powerful were the words they used, we remember them and point back to them to this very day.

Martin Luther King Jr. for his many speeches on justice for all regardless of color, which sparked a revolution and John Fitzgerald Kennedy for his inauguration speech that challenged a generation to do for their country.

Words are also an explanation. Words explain our culture and our belief system.

Words are powerful.

That's why, for me it's always amusing when those who speak perhaps out of turn or in a way that is harmful back-peddle when challenged or found out. It's amusing to think that a person can speak words- any words, and claim those same words have no meaning or have no power.

I always say; 'Brother, you can't talk yourself out of something you behaved yourself into.'

Jesus said as it is recorded in Matthew 12:36,37; "I can guarantee that on judgment day people will have to give an account of every careless word they say. By your words you will be declared innocent, or by your words you will be declared guilty."

All I'm saying is; words are powerful.

Here's today's question; 'What will you shape, paint, forge or explain today with your words?'

Each day God gives us new canvas. Clean, pristine and yearning for creation the new day sits there and stares at us waiting for our next move.

My prayer is that we who follow God will set aside paralysis born of indecision or fear and with careful word evoke innovation, shape the framework of hope for our generation and explain ourselves to a generation who is at watch.

Making a dent,
Dan

Move along folks ...

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sat, 1 Jan 2011 07:15:00 -0500

It was watching the Wizard of Oz as a child that first grabbed my attention to the reality that life is more than it seems and certainly more than some want it to seem. I watched with interest as the 'wizard' said; "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain! The Great Oz has spoken!"

It's a good lesson at any age; there may be more than you see.

In marketing, some would believe that its not important to change people's minds about a product or idea but rather to change the truth about a product or idea. It works of course. By the way, for the discriminating thinker - yes, changing the truth is what most of us call a lie.

You've seen this in movies for example as a crowd gathers around some catastrophic mess on the sidewalk and authorities begin to rope off the area and say something like; move along folks, there's nothing to see here.'

Recently, I was approached by a gentlemen riding a bike who having successfully flagged me down in a parking lot, said he had just ran out of gas and would I help with a few bucks. Perhaps he hadn't thought this whole thing out properly.

The two images didn't match. The gas I get and the bike I get, but often folks don't carry bikes in their cars for gas emergencies - apparently the guy behind the curtain pulled a lever when he should have pushed a button.

But oh yes, carefully slowing the shutter speed of sight - there he is. Behind the carefully woven tapestry that has taken years to manufacture is someone who is desperate to appear larger than he is.

There's a lot of desperation associated with operating behind the curtain. Including the desperation to stop and the desperation to be known - truly known for who you really are.

I often say to the guests at Cherry Street; 'You can't talk yourself out of something you've behaved yourself into.'

Most people we encounter of course are wizards. Each one demanding in their own way for you to 'pay no attention to the man behind the curtain - the wizard has spoken!'

It's tiring you know. People are exhausted.

Even folks who are excited about their charade slip from time to time as you catch a glimpse of the who and the what. Quickly the cover up begins as they pull more levers and push more buttons to distract you from what or who you saw.

Moses struggled with this when he wore a veil to cover his face not so others wouldn't be blinded by his God-given glow, but rather so they couldn't see his glow was fading.

That's most of us though. Each one behind our own curtains pulling the levers and pushing the buttons that direct the image we project. It's our own way of saying; move along folks, there's nothing to see here.

But there is something to see - the question is, are we willing to see? More importantly have we taken the tedious steps necessary to ready ourselves to see?

From the day Jesus died on the cross to this very day, God is in the business of curtain ripping. He clearly determined on that day there no longer would be a separation between His great ability to heal the masses and the masses great need of Him.

And so Jesus came - the Great Curtain Ripper Himself.

This is why so many are in love with Jesus but don't like Him. We love the whole idea that He accepts us where we are but don't like Him because He threatens our carefully woven existence - our curtain.

We tell Him; 'move along Jesus, there's nothing to see here.'

Here's today's question; 'Are you ready for exposure?'

Your exposure:
You first. Allow the Great Curtain Ripper Jesus Christ to expose you. Ask Him to remove the carefully woven tapestry that disallows others to see you - the real you. The you Jesus loves. Acknowledge you were a button pushing, lever pulling wizard before you accepted Him and you've not lost your wizard ways. Ask Him to expose you - you'll be amazed by grace in new ways.

Others exposure:
Now you're ready. Because you've surrendered your cover up, you're now ready to see without hesitation what and who lies behind the curtain of others. They will see the true you and have new found or first found grace for what they too have carefully hidden from sight. They will see God and it will be amazing - for you and for them.

Making a dent,
Dan

The Rose

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 08:14:00 -0500

My Mom passed away earlier this year.

Strained, seemingly from the beginning, I can't remember a time ever truly being connected with my mother. She was in every way a stranger to me. Without a vital maternal connection, I learned early in life that no one was worthy of my trust and as a result lived terribly disfigured emotionally through most of my twenty somethings.

It has been my wife of 32 years who through the tumultuous ride with a husband who could achieve almost anything professionally and yet very little relationally, saw me through to better days. Her stubborn example of trust in God and how that transformed her to trust others has been a powerful lesson learned - again and again.

Crystal often has jovially remarked; 'Dan, you would have killed most women by now!' She's right of course about how incredibly perfect she's been for the wound I carried.

The mother that was being memorialized by her friends was not the mother I knew. They spoke of her loving ways and one after another would laud her fidelity towards those in her life. 'She would give you the shirt off her back' one person said.

Like I said; a stranger.

Each of her children, there are six of us, received a rose in her memory as we were seated. It struck me as odd that the rose in my hand had thorns. Serious long thorns. My immediate mental response was how careless the person was who came up with this genius idea.

But God. Those two words when used together, contrast what you know against Who He is.

On the front seat of the sanctuary and in the midst of people extolling the life of my mother He spoke. As if sitting next to me and leaning over into my ear He explained the rose.

He talked to me how I only knew my mother during the thorn part of her life while others knew her during the blossoming years. In that seat. At that moment. God created an intersection for me to choose.

David said to the Lord in Psalm 131; 'I do not concern myself with great matters, nor with things too profound for me.'

The rose was all I needed that day to lay at rest the years of thorn and to embrace that on a day in which I was not present and without my permission; my mom blossomed.

With His observation complete God rested His case. He left me there as quietly as He arrived. Would I know my mother from a different place and though a stranger to me, certainly and obviously - not a stranger to others, would I allow her to be more than a thorn?

A few days from now. Toledo will set aside an evening to honor the unhoused who died this past year. Once again, I've been asked to say a few words on behalf of those who passed away.

I think about the thorns in their lives and the thorns potentially they've been to others and how they blossomed apart from family or loved ones - which will be the essence of my few shared moments with those who gather next week.

Here's today's question; 'What about you?'

Are you blossoming where once there were thorns? Do the folks who knew you as thorns have the opportunity to understand the eventuality associated with migrating with God?

Becuase eventually there will be a rose.

Too many people who are referred to as a late bloomer carry with them a quiet guilt for the years of thorn. Don't be that person.

Perhaps your story parallels mine today. What about you? Find a moment with God and let Him lean into your ear. Allow Him to reconcile the balance - He will.

He did for me - the very day my mom became a rose.

Making a dent.
Dan

The Smooth Surface of Wrong Things

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:21:00 -0400

Dan's note:
This is a continuing thought from the last entry.

As a young man I blew through more than my fair share of cars. And as a person who grew up and graduated High School in the 70's, I was a freak about muscle cars in particular. With rare exception, if the car was between 69 and 72 I was in love.

Camaro's, Chevelle's, Mustangs, SuperBea's to GTO's - man what a time to for fast! However, my all time favorite car to this day - hands down, is the 55 Chevy. Properly restored and with the right equipment it's a head turner for most anyone.

When you have the privilege of actually standing beside a restored master piece like a muscle car, you'll be drawn to the attention the owner has given to meticulous detail. Of course there is one thing that will capture your attention above all else - the finish.

Bending down just enough to look from front to back and with your hand running ever so slowly across the surface as though your finger tips have eyes, you'll pay careful attention to how perfect the surface is. Of course the smoother the surface, the more impressed you are.

The smoother and perfect the surface is, the less distracted you are. Simply put, the owner of the vehicle has not given you any reason to be distracted or disturbed in what he's given you to observe.

However - if there is one single blemish, one ding, even the tiniest of flaws, your eyes will focus without effort to the spot on the surface that has interrupted smooth. Your appreciation diminished, the memory of the imperfection is well noted.

When I first encountered Bob (not his name) his state ID said he was 27, while everything else about him looked more like 50. He had the familiar smell of the street; the paradox of freshness associated with the great outdoors blended with the pungent aroma of bad decisions.

Bob had the behavior of a well groomed salesman, his clear intent was to relieve me of the burden associated with carrying about an unused dollar.

You've met Bob, he's a lot like the Bob's in your life experience. To me, encountering Bob is just like observing the smooth unblemished surface of a finely restored car.

Bob has the smooth surface of wrong things.

Unchecked poverty. Unchecked illiteracy. Unchecked recidivism. Unchecked homelessness. Unchecked health issues. Unchecked addiction. Unchecked brokenness. Unchecked Family disintegration. Unchecked disenfranchisement of Parents.

Most of these unchecked and nearly pandemic issues have not even a single blemish - they are unchecked! Just like the smooth surface of the finish of a car, without a blemish there is no real reason for anyone to pay attention - no reason to be distracted.

If you think the wrong thing going on with Bob is the blemish - human behavior and the associated historical reality is against you. If the wrong things going on in Bob's life were viewed as a blemish we would pay attention. Our eyes would focus on the blemish. We would roll up our sleeves and as though our fingertips had eyes we would do something about it.

His blemish would be the only thing we would think about and it would be well noted. But my brothers and sisters Bob is not well noted - not by too many of us.

His surface is smooth. The smooth surface of wrong things has conditioned him to capitalize on not really being noticed. His smooth unchecked, without blemish and not a single dent surface allows him to go unnoticed to the point of relative freedom to ask perfect strangers for the imperfect gift of a dollar.

Here's today's question: 'Have I made a dent today in someones smooth surface of wrong things?'

When you step into someones life, you are leaving a blemish, a mark, a dent. That dent will be noticed by others who will add their dent and soon the reality of their life will no longer go unnoticed by even them - which is the point.

Making a dent,
Dan

From last week; "What did He mean:
What did Jesus mean when He said 'the poor you will have with you always?' He was and is mocking you. Jesus did not come to abolish, but to fulfill the law. According to the law, it was a shame to allow there to be poverty at all. His statement in question form to Judas could easily have been; 'Why are there poor among you to begin with Judas?'

What did He mean?

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:24:00 -0400

One of my favorite all time movies is; 'The Princess Bride.' Jim Kingsburry a long time friend and missionary, turned me on to this classic years ago.

The movie has a ton of great one liners like;
'stop that rhyming and I mean it!' 'Does anyone want a peanut?'
'have fun storming the castle!'
'maybe he's not using the same wind we are using?'

Among the numerous funny dialogue scenes is the exchange between Vizzini, a Sicilian man of genius and Montoya the Spaniard who was known for his swordsmanship, who together with the giant Fezzik had kidnapped the fiance of prince Humperdink who wanted to blame Guilda, the land across the sea in order to start a war.

There you go, that's about as geeky as I plan on being (for now).

Vizzini kept using the word 'inconceivable' when answering any one's questions regarding whether the three of them would be successful in their kidnapping of the princess. After one of the many times he said 'inconceivable' and having not been questioned about his word usage before, Montoya said; 'That word you keep using, I don't think it means what you think it means.'

On another note.

Long ago in a time of rampant and obvious poverty, a time not so different than our own present realities where the poor are in need of great assistance, there was a women who for the love of a dear and trusted friend used an expensive ointment to wash his feet. The act while a sincere portrayal of gratitude and fidelity was viewed by an observer with a thief's heart, as waste.

And so he protested; 'Why wasn't this ointment sold for three hundred denarii (a years wage) and given to the poor?'

With the fragrance filling the room the woman's friend, who is my friend and your friend as well, said; 'the poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. '

What did He mean?

If you are in the work of serving within the river of the human condition, I guarantee you've encountered and pondered this verse which can be found in all four Gospels. Personally, I often have this verse quoted to me when I'm speaking about ending or at least (somebody please) reducing poverty and poverty causing realities like homelessness.

Comes the quick witted response; 'Well Dan, you know Jesus said, the poor you will have with you always.'

I will confess, somewhere between my blood boiling when I hear that sentiment and my heart aching over the ill effects of unchecked poverty I manage to summon the answer; Whatever He meant, I don't think He meant what we think He meant.

News flash: Even reasonable observation would suggest His statement certainly wasn't a blanket insurance policy that covers us for the head on collision we're having with poverty.

Furthermore, I don't think with hundreds of references in the Bible related to poverty and the poor, Jesus was somehow signing our perpetual hall pass when it comes solving, not fixing the systemic and rooted causes of poverty.

I believe we can say with certainty though, His statement about the ever existence of the poor was qualitative, not quantitative. While we may always have people within our community that need food, clothing and shelter (qualitative) does there have to be so many? (quantitative).

Here's today's question: Have you considered what your next decision would entail if you became intolerant of poverty?

Next week's post: The smooth finish of wrong things.

Making a Dent,
Dan

Line of Sight

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 23:28:00 -0400

The movie; The War of the Worlds, released a few years ago with Tom Cruise is a great example of how the smallest of things end up making the most significant impact. A typical Sci-Fy thriller, the movie is about aliens who apparently had been planning the attack for generations, arrived and just started tearing good old planet earth up.

The movie ended abruptly when, also apparently, the alien who was in charge of research for the invasion, failed to note that the earth had microbes that when ingested by the aliens would kill them, thus ending their plans for world domination ... 00ppsies!

It's the smallest of things that build or destroy.

There is an old saying; 'If everything matters, then nothing matters.' There is a lot of truth to this statement when it comes to planning strategies and executing initiatives. Basically the idea here is if everything is a big deal, then you'll never really know when you're confronting a big deal.

Now - this statement is NOT true nor has any place when it comes to people. With people everything matters ... everything.

Last week while driving into the back side of the Cherry Street parking lot, I noticed four people standing down at the end of the block. All of them are people being served by one or more of our ministries. One of the four individuals was Linda (not her real name). Linda is one of the neighborhoods prostitutes (what she does, not who she is) and as I stood and watched, she was clearly 'working' the group of guys she was hanging with.

As is my habit, I began walking down the block toward the four who had already noticed me watching them and they all began to walk to the next block. I called out; "What? No Good Morning Mr. Rogers?" "No, how are you today?" "How is your family?" "Nothing?" "You're just going to walk away and leave me hanging?"

One of the fellows, who I know quite well, Mr. Smith (not his name), stopped and we began to dialogue about his life where he was going not just today, but the next few days and not just about where he was going geographically, but mostly how many 'corners' did he think he had left until something, someone or some bad would befall him.

We also talked about Linda. I asked him if he cared enough about this young lady to not use her - did he care enough about himself. I asked did he realize she is a daughter of our neighborhood like he is a son.

Here's today's question; "What's regularly in your line of sight you've been ignoring?"

Maybe you've not been ignoring it. Maybe you've been watching all along the thing going on in your neighborhood, your family, your friends marriage - your own life. But what to do? What is the right approach? You know somethings not right. You can feel it, taste it - sense it. It's keeping you awake at night. Sometimes it's troubling you so much you can't think through even the smallest of daily routines.

It - whatever it is, has made it into your line of sight.

You're in trouble and you know you're in trouble. To ignore it is starting to become less and less an option. In your prayer and worship life, you know God sees it to - it's in His line of sight ... it's always been in His line of sight. Now you realize that you and God are seeing the same thing at the same time. You begin to feel how disturbed He is by it and you realize it's not the thing distracting you, keeping you awake at night, interrupting your daily routine ... it's God.

Because people matter. Everything people do, matters.

Need help? By attending the next Biblical Rescue Intensive, you'll learn about you and what God says about you in relation to others and the trouble that you're in relative to your line of sight. The questions plaguing you have answers.

July 22-24. To register, email Crystal at somaministries@sbcglobal.net. or my direct email is danrogers@cherrystreetmission.org.

Let's clear up your line of sight,
Dan

The Prodigal Parent

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Thu, 27 May 2010 07:49:00 -0400

It's an interesting portrait Jesus paints as He tells the story of a young man who was lost long before he ever got lost and was found long before he ever realized he was never lost.

Because it is a parable and because Jesus is teaching about how God views things that get lost, who knows how long the younger of the two sons had dreamed about living beyond his means and certainly living free from the provision of his surroundings.

Such is humanity.

There is always the potential of 'grass is greener' type of living which has for many lead to some pretty remarkable decisions. Equally, and in too many instances this same view point has lead to more than one devastating outcome.

In this parable, widely known as 'The Prodigal Son', the young lad asks for an early withdraw of his inheritance and after a few days of the cash burning a hole in his tunic, sets off to a wild spending binge.

The word prodigal means extravagant or wasteful. You should take a minute and read up on this particular parable, and because Jesus is telling the story, it ends well.

The point?

NO MATTER HOW WASTEFUL YOU ARE - THERE'S ALWAYS MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!

Now, you may not like that but you'll have to take it up with my boss - he's the one telling the story.

Are there consequences? Yes. Did people get hurt? Yes. Hopefully lesson learned. I say hopefully, because in the parable Jesus doesn't elaborate on whether the son learned a lesson from his extravagant and wasteful attitude about life. Nor does there exist in the content of the parable a guarantee his actions won't be repeated.

Now here is the distinct difference between us and God.

Too often, our love, support and welcoming back of the wayward is tied in part or in whole, to whether a lesson was learned and whether or not sufficient evidence exists that the wayward will be so no longer - as is demonstrated in the attitude of the older son.

Not God. He is neither one son or the other. He's the Father.

The reality, and again the point of the parable remains; while we knuckle-head our way through life, God is always at the ready ... He's always there.

Think about this for a minute. Slow your shutter speed down. Do you think God is in relationship with you in an effort for you to be better ... or for you to be the son or daughter He's always wanted?

I've got some life freeing news for you. He doesn't give a rip whether you get better or not. He just gives a rip about you.

Fast forward now to the 21st. century. What about parents?

So many parents are prodigal when it comes to the inheritance stored up for them in the right living of their families. Hell bent on spending their fortunes now, parents are wasting precious moments that won't soon be back.

What is our position towards these parents? Will we continue to serve around them in an effort to 'reach' their children? THEIR children?? And if we do, aren't we dangerously, if not outright saying, they're not worth our time or effort to reach them?

The father in the parable stood for his wasteful, extravagant son when no one else would. Not his friends, not his brother, not the people who hired him to feed the hogs - no one. Just a lone father standing his post.

I have to tell you. If you want to be effective in reaching others, particularly parents, you better be like the father Jesus talks about in the parable. You'll have to lay aside whether a lesson learned will yield a better result. And you'll need to retrain your calculations on what an outcome is.

You'll have to be prodigal yourself.

When everyone else gives up and goes home because it doesn't make any sense to wait ... you'll have to risk looking like the only one who is willing to 'waste' your time on the wayward parent.

Here's today's question; Am I willing to accept the point of the parable?

If you are, please find a parent and be the father - enjoy effectiveness!

Dan
Illuminating the Darkness

Take a Hand

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:10:00 -0400

Continuing now with the whole idea that Parents, not children, are our most valuable asset.

An asset is; a useful and desirable thing or quality. So in the context of Webster's definition; what I'm saying here is that Parents, not children, are our most valuable, useful and desirable quality within the communities in which we all live and serve.

Recently on another pilgrimage to Florida and while riding public transportation, I heard the following recorded message over the loud speaker as we approached our destination; "Please gather your belongings and taking small children by the hand, watch your step as you disembark."

I thought to myself; "Who are you talking to?" Having no small children with me, I thought; "Should I take the hand of any small child?" Of course, taking the hand of the nearest small child would no doubt be met with stiff resistance from the relative or parent the child was actually with.

My guess is, the recorded message was talking to the parent or relative of the child. OK, so I thought; "Why would you need to tell a parent to take the hand of their own child?" Perhaps children have been left on the bus before ... I could see that happening.

As a matter of fact, I was on one of these buses earlier in which a child was really acting badly. I thought to myself; "You better watch yourself chica, the parent you're with could ignore the admonition to take your hand, and leave you for the driver to deal with."

But I digress.

Like I said last time, (Our Most Valuable Asset) I get it. I understand why we as a society feel compelled to marginalize Parents, even to the point where a recorded message on a bus feels compelled to manage parents whether they are mis-behaving or have ever mis-behaved.

I like the whole idea of taking a hand though. The notion that we are better when we're connected is not only good common sense, it's rooted in Biblical truth. Ecclesiastes chapter four talks about; 'two is better than one .." and ".. woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up."

The buddy system works. We learned the value of taking our neighbors hand in Kindergarten. As adults we do carry on this tried and true model of service and support. At Cherry Street Mission Ministries I see the community intersect around this whole idea every day.

The community of people who rally around the hungry, the hopeless, the addicted and homeless are offering a hand ... they are, you are, taking your neighbors hand. I love it.

What is important for us to acknowledge however, is we must not take the hand of someone who needs our help based on our prerequisite musings about whether they are worthy of our help. For example, if you take the hand of your neighbor who is strung out on heroin. You are doing so, knowing full well, that they made significant choices to be a drug addict. They certainly were not born a heroin addict.

However when it comes to mis-behaving parents, taking them by the hand doesn't seem to be our primary urge as a community. What seems to be our 'out of the gate' response is to take charge of their children or to even in small ways marginalize them to the point where they are nearly unrecognizable as a person of distinction.

I think what we learned in Kindergarten is all we really needed to learn; Take a Hand. Be a buddy. Don't let your neighbor stay on the ground, help him up.

Here's today's question; Am I willing to take the hand of the nearest Parent?"

Two is better than one. What you are having a difficulty doing alone, is better done anyway with the help of someone else.

The Community Briefing on the Philip Project is just around the corner on Tuesday, May 25th at 8:00 a.m. The Briefing will be at the newly forming South Toledo Community Center, which is the old First Lutheran Church building on the corner of Walbridge and Broadway in South Toledo.

For additional information or to register, please contact Liz Simon at lsimon@cherrystreetmission.org

Dan
Illuminating the Darkness

Our Most Valuable Asset

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Fri, 9 Apr 2010 08:01:00 -0400

I get it. I want to start off by saying; I get it. As you read on, please refer back to my acknowledgment; I get it. I get the community think that got us here - did you hear? I get it!

The flyer that came across my desk that day was an invitation for an evening of rally and support for the youth of our community. There would be at this event, college admission people, career professionals, job developers, agencies encouraging volunteerism and a wide array of other professional competencies within our community - all assembling to reach our youth.

Sounds like a great idea - and it is.

It was the statement within the invitation though, that caught my attention. The statement was intended to be the rallying cry for all would be attenders. It was meant to raise awareness and solicit involvement;

Come out and support our communities most valuable asset, our youth.

I value the well known and oft told tale of the king who wanted a new robe for the annual parade. Long story short, the tailor assigned to the task convinced the king that the robe he made was the best robe any king had ever worn. By describing in explicit detail each thread, weave and color, he filled the kings mind with the splendor of the image he described - it was exactly what the king wanted to hear and wanted to see. The tailor carefully placed the robe on the king and stood him in front of the mirror. The king saw what the tailor was describing and it was exactly as he had imagined and hoped the robe would be.

The day of the parade the king was anxious to show his people the regal of his office by the robe he wore. As he paraded down main street, the townspeople all told the king what he wanted to hear; 'The robe was indeed beautiful', 'There has never been a more wonderful robe' they all said. It was the boy however, who only knew what his eyes told him and who was just crazy enough to say it out loud;

The king has no clothes!

Youth are NOT our most valuable asset - there I said it!

Presently, the 'youth parade' we've all been invited to is tantamount to the tailor in the story. Someone, somewhere in the past few decades stood the community in front of the mirror and wove in descriptive detail an image we all wanted to hear. My brothers and sisters brace yourself; on the topic of youth as our most valuable asset - we're naked as a jay-bird.

After years of repetitive community think, we have a ton of right people doing right things and for the right reasons regarding our youth. Unfortunately, as a community we are also completely going about it in all the wrong ways. The problem plaguing our youth has been correctly diagnosed; they're in trouble. But the 'tailor', or common held belief, has prescribed the wrong solution which is - let's focus on the youth. It makes sense; if the youth are in trouble, lets focus on the youth.

Like I said, I get it. I just don't accept it!

The right solution?? Seats and tray tables in the upright position please - brace yourself once again for impact;

It's parents! Parents are Our Most Valuable Asset.

More than home, more than family - it's parents. Presently in our society, parents in most cases and in reference to THEIR children, are talked to instead of talked with. They are often considered 'stake-holders' in THEIR children's education. Are too often thought of as a problem, rather than a solution regarding THEIR children, and ignored with prejudice rather than observed with distinction when it comes to THEIR children.

We have to change this. To be clear, I'm not talking about 'parenting' which focuses on what we want parents to do - I'm talking about focusing on the human being called parent.

Here's today's question; 'Isn't it time to fire the tailor?'

If you're interested in more, contact Liz at lsimon@cherrystreetmission.org and tell her you would like to sign up for the informational session I'm conducting on 'The Philip Project' scheduled for late May.

Dan
A Runner

The Blind Spot

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 07:53:00 -0400

Amy, in our Development office at Cherry Street said the other day; 'I know this will end up in your blog'. When she said that, I was fairly certain it would not - but as in most things, Amy got it right.

The thing she got right?

On Thursday of this week, and in my car to go home for the evening, I drove right into a steel pole in the parking lot. While it was all of three feet of distance from park to crash, it caused considerable damage to the front of the car. The funny thing (funny boo-hoo, not funny ha-ha) is that I've driven AROUND that pole for nearly nine years. I acknowledged it's existence long ago and was aware of it's ability to be a steel pole.

By the way, the pole is fine. It just gave me a wink and kept standing.

In my case with the steel pole, as in most instances where barriers are concerned, most of us already have a good sense of where barriers are in our lives and have a reasonable appreciation for what they're capable of. However, not all barriers are that way. Some barriers show up in the most unusual places and at the most unexpected times, and some barriers are hidden deep within you.

A barrier is; 'Anything that restrains or obstructs progress or access; a limit or boundary of any kind'. The fact is, we all have them.

I was talking with a good friend of mine this week. A retired judge with considerable wisdom, we were debating terms and definitions of a project we're working on ... yes, I was debating terms and definitions with an attorney. Frankly when I'm in conversation with him I imagine myself sitting in front of a talking encyclopedia. The sheer wealth of information he holds is staggering and the joy of learning from him is one of my few delights.

But here's the problem.

As is with me and you, my friend's immense knowledge and body of work that accompanies that same knowledge has become a barrier. His objection in our debate took me by surprise. His barrier showed up in our conversation unexpectedly and in an unusual place in our relationship.

His long held view, though right in principle is wrong in practice as it stands in contrast to present day realities - in short, his vast experience on the bench and in practice have become an obstruction that may limit access or progress.

The good news is, he is working it out. He has been around long enough to acknowledge a barrier when he sees one, especially when it's with him.

Can you say the same thing? Are you able to see the barrier within you? Not so much the external barriers - like my steel pole, or the unexpected barriers like I found in the relationship with my friend, but the hidden barriers that are in you - the barriers in your blind spot.

Here's today's question; 'Are you, your own obstruction to access or progress?'

If we all have barriers, then we all have blind spots - for sure! But if you're not desperate in the right kind of way then you won't be able to navigate well around those barriers because 'blind spot barriers' need the subsidy of a trusted friend or ally.

In fact, you may have desperation right now but your desperation my be about the fact you keep hitting the same barrier - again, you're repeated crashing suggests its in your blind spot - you can't see it - you need someone else to help ... hello?

Desperation creates friction, friction creates traction and traction creates movement.

Get desperate about the right thing though. Be desperate enough to expose yourself to someone else who has a 'line of sight' to your barrier. Oh my friend its scary to allow someone else to provide specific navigation around your barriers. But the alternative is to continue allowing your future to look like your past. Without trusted companionship you'll keep running into the same barrier.

Wouldn't it be great when my car comes out of the shop this week, I don't drive into the same pole?

Dan
A Runner

The Power of If

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:11:00 -0400

"God helps those who help themselves."

You can't find the word 'if' in this oft used phrase, but it's definitely an 'if' statement. I've heard people use this phrase as though it's in the Bible. Of course it's not in the Bible and as a matter of fact, it's not even a true statement about God. The whole idea that God will only help the helpful is not even in His nature. I think what's happened over time, as usual of course, is that people have taken what is true about them and made it true about God. We would do well to reverse the flow and have what is true about God be true about us.

Now that's not to say God isn't an 'if' God, because He is. In the search engine I use, there are 3,473 occurrences of the word 'if' in the King James Version and 3,522 occurrences in the New King James Version.

The word 'if' is a pivotal word for sure. It is the kind of word that puts pause, hope or doom in any statement. And therein lies the power of the word. 'IF' It's the ultimate conversational speed bump.

Not always is the word 'if' a speed bump, there are times even within the above mentioned occurrences that the word 'if' is used less dramatically as in the example of Noah in Genesis 8:8; "He also sent out from himself a dove, to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground." However, even in this context the word 'if' is still pivotal in that Noah needed to know whether the water was still high or was it beginning to recede.

Think about it, without the word 'if' we wouldn't be able to frame or define consequence. The word 'if' is the fulcrum or tipping point in all our lives. The question that must be used when working with others, or even ourselves is; where will the tipping point be placed? Where you put the word 'if' in relationship is critical to how failure or success will be measured.

For example, the word 'if' introduced too early in the relationship can derail intention and placed too late in the relationship can weaken hope that anything will ever change.

IF is a powerful word.

Quoting part of a verse doesn't help either, as in; "I'm the head and not the tail." Partially quoted from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 13, which in it's entirety says; "And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only and not beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them."

Spoiler Alert! You're not the head or above anything baby unless (if) you obey God and keep His commandments. IF you are an obeyer of God and a keeper of His commands - then quote on brother, I'm with you.

God has indeed placed 'if' in our relationship with Him and as a wise Father has measured 'if' for us in just the right places - not too early and not too late. He has placed the tipping points in all the right places. He loves us unconditionally and has forgiven us far more times than we've even forgiven ourselves - and yet has critically embedded 'if' so that we may know the boundary of our straight and narrow followership of Him ... now that's love. That's God!

Here's today's question, starting with yourself and then moving towards others; "Where is the critically placed 'if' in the conversation of relationships you're in"?

If the word 'if' is too early in the relationship, you're far to legalistic to be free enough to free others and if it's too late in the relationship, you're far to loose to be of any real service to those around you.

This is why I teach principle six in my Rescue Intensive; "Time is not a factor when you pursue the inevitable of God". When you take time off your wrist and build time into the person or relationship, then and only then will you know where the fulcrum or tipping point of the word 'if' belongs.

Dan
A Runner

The Speed of Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sat, 6 Feb 2010 18:32:00 -0500

No matter what your observation based opinion has been regarding the folks from Idaho taking Haitian children over the border to the Dominican Republic, the speed they chose to serve Haiti, the children and parents of the village, was entirely unappreciated by the Haitian government.

Why is their decision to aid hurting children in an earthquake torn country being called into question? Their cause was noble. Their desire to help children admirable. So what's the complaint?

Well, according to Haitian officials - everything. The folks from Idaho didn't follow legal protocol required to remove children from their own country and unfortunately, when asked at the border where the children were from and how they came to be on the bus, the group deceived the authorities.

An old sharp-shooter term comes to mind; slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

A hurried rush to remove the children from danger and a swift effort to aid the Haitian children to a better future in the Dominican Republic did not end well for those who were caught up in the crisis. As a matter of fact, their swift response to the crisis of others resulted in a very slow quagmire of legal and international wrangling.

And therein lies the problem. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIX AND SOLVE.

The speed of fix moves at the speed of the crisis, and crisis moves very quickly. For those of you who have been caught up in running after the crisis in someones life and have even from time to time successfully matched speed with the crisis - you just as quickly realized that the crisis has another speed and just as you were able to offer your fix, the crisis moved out in front of you once more.

Now that's exhaustion.

The speed of solution and unfortunately the speed less chosen, rejects legacy building, grand standing and one-up-manship. The speed of solution is much slower than anyone wants. But it is the right speed if we want to ultimately move faster. The speed of solution suggests the momentary relief of a problem through fixing it, is not valued over the arduous pursuit of lasting and sustained endurance.

Frankly, the consultation I would have given to my well intentioned brothers and sisters from Idaho, would have been to sell all that you have and follow Jesus. I would have encouraged them to take the proceeds from the sale of their homes in Idaho and instead of removing the children from the village and from their parents, move into the village themselves and spending the rest of their lives improve the life of the village by serving the parents of the children and actively participating in something truly noble - village transformation.

There you go. The problem of poor children not being raised in a Christian home without a good education needed to have a better life is solved. Solved for generations of villagers to come.

It's hard to follow Jesus, that's why so few actually accomplish it. To follow Jesus requires everything and everything is often harsh. The rich young ruler faced the same harsh dilemma in the Gospel of Luke chapter 18 verses 18-23.

Here's today's question; 'Am I living toward God in such a way as to answer His imminent observation with an everything response?

Dan

A Brand-New Ending

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Mon, 1 Feb 2010 07:32:00 -0500

For those of you who follow and/or forward my weekly blog, thank you for your patience as I intentionally took the month of January off.

One of the axioms of Cherry Street is; 'Rock bottom is a firm foundation from which to build'. Based on this, we who serve in this part of the river of the human condition have a rather developed belief system which allows us to have high comfortability creating and being in an environment of 'rock-bottom crashers' who are encouraged to get on with it .... and crash.

David, in Psalm 139 verse 8 wrote; 'If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there.'

Now listen, many who follow God these days do not know - in the Biblical sense of knowing - what David is talking about here, nor have you embraced God's complete comfortability with us as He watches and waits for us at rock bottom.

In fact, many of us who have potential 'rock-bottom crashers' in our lives are trying to slow their rate of speed as we witness them spiraling out of control, while others of us try to cushion what we know is going to be a hard landing ... why?

God is there - are we?

Scottish Theologian Carl Bard once said; 'Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.'

Frankly, its hard to start something new if you're still holding onto something old. It's as though we want for others what we know is not even possible for ourselves. Life has amply taught you by now that rock bottom, though harsh, was your salvation. It was there that you found God - I mean really found Him. You found Him waiting to bind the wound of your fall and solve the reason for your decline.

Here's today's question; Are you willing to risk standing where God is standing?

To stand at rock bottom is to stand at a brand-new ending. The Apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5:17; 'Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.

We now live in a world who largely wants the new start without having a new ending. If you are to be an effective voice of rescue in 2010, learn the lesson of 'a brand-new ending'. Develop your relationship to God in such a way that those around you will know, really know Him, as the One who waits like no other at rock bottom.

As you do, you'll also be known for the same quality.

Dan

2009

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:31:00 -0500

The fullness of heart as 2010 advents compels, even obligates me to express the deepest gratitude accompanying my thoughts of 2009 and of the many who have and continue to be shining examples of God in the darkest places of our community.

Gratitude for Family

First as a friend of God, provided through Jesus Christ, I remain happily enslaved to His will, His purpose and His intention. Crystal, as the prime earth bound constant is without equal in her love towards me and her followership of God. My sons, daughters and grandchildren continue to make me glad for being on this planet.

Gratitude for Cherry Street Mission Ministries

The Board of Directors:
From Jamey Schmitz our Board Chair to all who serve in this vital position of leadership your kindness for the community is realized each day we serve the hundreds of men, women and families arriving at one of our doors.

The Staff:
With nearly 70 men and women on staff at Cherry Street I am grateful for each one. Here are a few who stand the gap in amazing ways. Liz, who assists me with the smallest and largest of detail, serves without hesitation. Rodney who tirelessly serves to communicate the message to our donors and volunteers. Cheryl who keeps the lights on and helps us live to serve another day. Charles who loves our men, Angie who loves our women, Cindy who loves to educate, Renee who feeds the multitude, Bob who keeps our facilities in working order, Amy who is devoted to integrity of message, Roz who loves our volunteers. The list of staff, their accolades and their epic feats of service could go on for ever - like Kim, Evangeline, Matt, Molly, Jacob, Jenny and so many more ... thank you.

Gratitude for the Social Fabric Partnership:

1Matters, Food For Thought, LifeLine, The Pharmacy Counter, Mercy Health, Promedica, UT, BGSU, Joshua Generation, TLCHB, TAAEH, Reentry Coalition, Toledo Area Ministries, WLMB TV 40, WPOS, YMCA/JCC, New Life, New Harvest, Vision, CedarCreek, 1st Alliance, Westgate, 1st Church, Truth at Work, Hylant, Andersons, Toledo Community Foundation, LaSalle Cleaners, BrandEd ... this list is only the beginning of a rather exhaustive body of work - thank you.

Gratitude for the Friendships of Service:

Dennis, Martha, Ken, Don, Tana, Calvin, Christine, Warwick, Roz, Charles, Doug, Linda, Stephanie, George, Sarah, Jim, Lee, Gary, Mike, Keith, Dave, Steve, Randy, Deb, Chris, Tricia, Pete, Larry, Brand, Kevin, Scott, Jerry, John ... too, too many more, all great in the sight of man and God - thank you.

Gratitude for our Guests:

The many men, women and families who are served each day through the ministries of Cherry Street are the vital rebuilders of ruined places and are the mighty Oaks of God's planting so that generations to come will testify of His love for humanity - that none should perish.

Happy New Year All!

Dan
A Runner

Inefficient

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sun, 6 Dec 2009 08:13:00 -0500

Last night Crystal and I stopped across the street at a friends house who has a monthly community dinner for friends and neighbors. While we didn't stop by out of some undisciplined sense of obligation, we could only stay for a minute and without even taking our coats off wished all well and we were off.

The season of 'the rush' once again, is upon us.

You want to talk about the ultimate in schizophrenia, I'm the guy who teaches; 'you must be efficient with stuff, so you have time to be inefficient with people'. Relationships, the great ones anyway, need a tremendous amount of what can only be defined as ... inefficient.

In order to connect with people, you must invest unbelievable amounts of time doing seemingly nothing, like sitting for hours on end talking, laughing, drinking coffee and making merry - oh that reminds me, Merry Christmas before I forget and rush out of this conversation ....

The marketers are on to us. They have officially synthesized a word complete with a definition and an accompanying list of behaviors which frame like a set of bookends a neat little package so we can, I suppose, feel better about not being better - which is what a good definition and solid list of behavioral traits accomplishes.

Polychron: An ultra busy person experiencing chronic busyness.

Chronic busyness results in high expectations for convenience and the need for control and choices. While there are three specific behavioral traits associated with polychronism, let me give you the most important ... a polychron will frequently shut down emotionally.

Shut down emotionally.

Ironic isn't it? The one time of year where emotions are likely to run the highest; joy, exuberance of visiting friends and family, love, peace and an abiding sense of God's embrace ... is also the time of year we're the most likely to disconnect.

Here's today's question; 'In what way will you (and me obviously) intentionally commit lavish inefficiency's upon those around you?

The powerful Dickens tale of 'The Scrooge' hopefully reminds us today; it's not too late to be inefficient. For many of us, we've had our visits from the memories of seasons past, are reminded of our seasons present and perhaps concerned for seasons yet to come ... now what?

The good news is - we know what the what is!

For each of us it will be different. Each of us already know the relational intersections we're blowing through. Our speed is so fast through these intersections, there's no cautionary slow down nor is there even a looking both ways manner.

Eventually of course, we'll cause an accident, some of us will leave the scene acting as though we weren't culpable - others of us will mourn the loss and some will remember for seasons to come, the time when we ....

You know what the what is, because the Who lives within you. Go ahead, give the greatest gift this year - the one God gives every day through Jesus Christ; lavish inefficiency.

For me? I've got some friends across the street who need to see me with my coat off.

Dan
A Runner

Humanity Intersects

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:02:00 -0500

At Cherry Street, our largest volunteer day of the year by far is Thanksgiving. On a single day more than 500 of our fellow citizens will arrive at one of our ministry sites to serve.

As a side note, this year we're doing something a bit different. Instead of only having a single service site where the community can come for a delicious Thanksgiving meal, more than 300 volunteers will be delivering nearly 500 family Thanksgiving boxes so families can stay in their homes. We're doing this to rally support for the sanctity of the home and to encourage the family meal whenever possible.

This is the time of year service to others becomes most visible. But what causes our community to show up during this season, like at no other time of the year?

There are two intersecting realities at play; it's getting colder and it's the holiday season. The cold reminds us there are those who are not warm and the holidays remind us there are those who are not happy.

Thankfully - these end of the year human intersections are fantastically attractive to the community. Social profit organizations like Cherry Street, look forward to the last twelve weeks of the year. We can historically count on the community to show up in ways that makes the first 40 weeks of the year look like a blur.

News and media outlets are on hand to both promote and report on community involvement.

For those of us who by calling and vocation serve in the human intersection all year long - we are both grateful and humbled by the generosity of the loving communities of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

For the listening and generous heart it may go without saying - but let me say it anyway; 'The need for humanity to intersect is a year long responsibility.'

Here's today's question: 'In what way will you purpose a human intersect?'

The reality is, none of us were conceived in a relational petri dish experiment. No - all of us are where we are ... all of us ... because someone engaged and intersected with us. Someone in your past shared a substantive experience that became part of you - there was a powerfully molecular exchange that changed you, set your course and gave you compass.

God from the beginning wrapped Himself on earth in vessels made of flesh - humanity ... you and me. Given the reality that God is completely invisible He designed the relationship we have with Him to depend on our visibility.

Consider this:
A warm, nutritious and seasonally appropriate Thanksgiving meal will stabilize hunger but only God can settle old accounts.
A warm coat, gloves, hat and scarf will stabilize against the cold, but only Jesus can redeem a history.
A warm human experience can stabilize the fragile, but only the Holy Spirit can breath new dimensions of hope.

The capacity of life transformation only God can bring, is dependent on the infrastructure of life stabilization that only we can bring.

Of the many things that can transpire within human intersections my prayer is that God, through the gift of His son will find a way from you to someone else or from someone else to you - ensuring that the greatest of all human intersections may see the light of day.

Humanity Intersects!

Dan
A Runner

Complex

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 06:21:00 -0500

I was in New York City recently. We stayed in the theater district in mid-town Manhattan at a conference discussing the success of the Harlem Children's Zone and the impact this organization has had in Harlem over the past two decades.

My traveling companions, along with my wife Crystal, were Dave and Kelly Kaiser. Dave has been to the city many times and for the rest of us was an excellent host. In just four days, in addition to a rather intensive conference schedule, we took a boat tour of Manhattan which included the Statue of Liberty, a bus tour that took us to Brooklyn and back to Manhattan, went to the observation deck of the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Wall Street, Times Square, Ground Zero of the World Trade Center, Battery Park, rode the famous NYC sub way, prayed with about 2,000 fellow laborers at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, and oh yes, ate without shame or hesitation some NYC pizza - whatta ya gonna do?!

All cities are a complex maze, but in NYC I found this to be overwhelmingly true. It is so vast and complex a place, that all you truly can have confidence in is your ability to put one foot in front of the other and see where it takes you.

For the first time in my life and career of working and serving the human condition, I finally have an appropriate metaphor for humans.

All of us are very New York City synonymous!

For example, NYC is as deep as it is tall. The Empire State Building stands at 1250 feet while there are water main pipes that are 1000 feet below the sidewalk. There are some buildings with names in which are visited frequently and many more buildings with no names that are walked by each day without as much as a passing glance. Some buildings are dressed in bright colors attracting all to their doors and some buildings that are non-descript and uninviting.

You get the point.

Here's today's question: How does someone minister within the context of complexity?

The person in whom you will encounter today will need you to appreciate how exhaustingly complex their vertical issues are. As it is for all of us our issues are both in the 'all can see' places and especially below the surface in the 'out of sight, but not out of mind' places.

Serving one another is not too terribly complicated, but serving the human condition is extremely complex. You and I will need a one foot in front of the other approach ... step lightly will you please?

The sidewalk conversation you're involved in right now towers over you with quiet anticipation and rumbles beneath you with disquieted confusion.

Are you prepared? Are you confused over your own vertical issues? What will you do with those pesky moments you know God is going to give you today that involves another person?

Can I encourage you to receive a new dimension of the Holy Spirit? If Jesus needed it before starting His service to humans, then I can imagine a followership of His example on this one to be quite a non-negotiable.

Here is the answer to today's questions: 'Get a new dimension of the Holy Spirit's leading'. Ask Him, seriously ask ... what do you have to lose? I'll tell you the alternative to trying to keep up with the complex in you and around you all by yourself will leave you less than satisified.

In contrast, when you receive a new dimension of the Holy Spirit, you'll be empowered, those in whom you intersect will be served and God will get a chance to redeem a past and renew a future.

Dan
A Runner

Ligaments

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:09:00 -0400

Intact bridges are great.

Bridges are constructed from one land mass to another. When a bridge is in place, there is no end to possibility of traffic, given the bridges health and capacity. Bridges make commerce of goods, transportation and wealth possible.

Nothing like a good bridge!

Bridges work as a good metaphor for relationships as well. Bridges in and for relationships connect one point of view to another, allow for traffic of ideas, and enables commerce of relationship to continue. So a bridge is a good relationship metaphor in that it allows us to visualize possibility through the use of a common everyday structure we can relate to.

But there is a limit to this metaphor when it comes to people ... humans.

Bridges are completely dependent on land masses that are stable and solid. A bridge fastened to the solid and stable may have some flexibility for environmental irregularities, but is also rigid enough to be reliable.

So a metaphorical bridge within relationships is also dependent upon stable and solid. Both parties building a relational bridge must be solid, healthy and able to sustain the bridge being built. If not, then whatever is being built will collapse.

Humans are not land masses

The problem is, we keep trying to build bridges to others who are not capable of withstanding the structural burden of the 'bridge' then wonder why there is failure in relationship. This may be a shock to some of you but potentially, humans are an unstable lot.

Ligaments; A unifying bond

I think we just need some vocabulary updates. If your goal is to relationally connect solid and stable to solid and stable, then please use the bridge metaphor when building connecting points between you and the other human.

But if you want to connect with the potentially unstable humans in your life and across your path, then you'll need something molecular, something fleshy, something that shares DNA ... you'll need to attach ligaments.

Here's today's question: 'Am I willing to connect a unifying bond from the fleshy side of me to the fleshy side of another?'

It's a scary proposition. In order to connect ligaments between you and another human, both of you will have to endure exposure. Something in both of you will have to undergo some kind of invasive surgical procedure in order for the ligament between you to be attached. Now, there's a metaphor.

Perhaps we've stumbled upon why so few humans are connecting to other humans ... its messy. There's a lot of blood and the pain sharing can be quite excruciating when we undergo the surgical procedure necessary to attach a unifying bond to someone else.

It would be difficult, if not entirely impossible to have these attachments if we didn't already have a New Testament that was full of (thankfully not an inclusive list) Jesus, Paul, Luke, Peter and Priscilla being fantastic examples of humans undergoing a relational surgical procedure in an effort to attach a unifying bond to other humans.

Here's the good news. You cannot be the bridge any more than you can be the ligament. Please remember all of us humans have one common denominator, one great equalizer and the only connection that can be or needs to be built or be the unifying bond ... God. He is the tie that binds.

But He, not you or I, has chosen from the days of the desert to the earth known Jesus, to wrap Himself in flesh. His choice is you ... the human. Our only discovery today is to decide whether or not we will be human enough for the God who creates to be connected to His creation.

Personal Note:
For those of us who knew Pastor Dan, the Youth Pastor at New Harvest, his death on Friday is a sad moment indeed. To Dan's wife, children, family, Pastor Mike, the Pastoral staff and our friends at New Harvest you have our prayers our love and our support.

Dan
A Runner

The In-Between Places

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:17:00 -0400

Junior Highers are probably the most volatile of all age demographics. Not volatile like they're the most dangerous, but that they are in that too young and too old place in life. Junior Highers, at least for the most part, are hilariously funny and entirely too serious - all at the same time.

When you think about it, there are quite a few folks out here whose lives play out a lot like the behavioral realities of a Junior Higher. Some people are, while at the same time are not - like inmates in prison for example. They are fathers and mothers, but are not fathering or mothering at the time of incarceration.

Some people have heard yes, but not yet - like for example a man or women waiting for housing. They're capable of living on their own and taking care of their bills, but a house in an approved neighborhood is not yet open to them.

The reality is, there are In-Between Places of life.

For most of us, we can survive the reality of living between problem and solution - for a while. But for most, particularly those who have regular or constant exposure to this reality, living in the In-Between places can be confusing, even on a good day.

The problem of course is that confusion is at the top end of the Cycle of Disconnect - confusion leads to frustration, frustration leads to fatigue and fatigue leads to disconnect. If you think about how many people you know who are in some state of disconnect and track their migration backward, you'll find confusion at the source.

Here's today's question: 'What responsibility do we have to others who are living in the In-Between Places?'

Some of you reading today may be thinking; 'I'm living right now this reality, there's no way I can handle any responsibility for anyone else.'

Trust me, I understand. Life is hard and harried enough when things are going reasonably well. God help us when we crisis on some point or worse yet, have to be told waiting will be needed for something that shouldn't need to be waited for - I get it.

May I ask you to consider something?

Realize at your lowest point, you will still be at a higher point than someone at their lowest point. It's like the old hymnal; There's room at the cross'. Jesus' lowest point as a human, was still higher than my lowest point - He knew that, still does.

No matter what your condition, or state of being, there is always an opportunity to reach out to a fellow brother or sister.

By the way, Tent City is celebrating our 20th year as a community conducting 'Homeless Awareness Projects'. It all starts on Friday evening and goes through breakfast on Sunday - It's a great place to serve ... in the In-Between Place.

Dan
A Runner

We got next!

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 10:05:00 -0400

The national poverty rankings were released a few days ago.

There are two things to remember when looking at the numbers;
1. The poverty line is $21,834.00 for a family consisting of two adults and two children below the age of 18 (a family of four).

2. The national report released, ranked the 75 cities in America with a population exceeding 250,000 residents. This is important because there are more people living in urban settings today than at any other time in history. People are moving to cities.

Let's talk Ohio

Ohio has the dubious distinction of being the only state with more than one large city in the top ten; #2 Cleveland (30.5%), #7 Cincinnati (25.1%) and #8 Toledo (24.75). With Columbus (20.1%) taking the #22 slot, the report puts all four major Ohio cities in the top 33% of the nations poorest cities.

Detroit (33.3%) is ranked in the report as being the #1 poorest city in our nation, which precariously perches Toledo at #8 between the number one and two cities of Detroit and Cleveland.

Our city planners over the last 12 to 15 years while trying to hide the Detroitification effect have been at the same time touting the Cleveland Plan as a model to follow when looking at revitalization.

However, when doing a side by side comparison of Cleveland vs. Detroit plans I'm not sure we should be enamored by either. Both Detroit and Cleveland have new stadiums, new arenas and new venues. Cleveland has developed The Flats, and along with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is now considered by most to be a better destination place than Detroit for outsiders to visit ... to visit.

OK - while you visit please keep the larger picture in mind when wondering why Toledo can't have this kind of revitalization. This kind of revitalization only benefits small areas when compared to the larger region. Both Detroit and Cleveland are losing their populations. The school systems of both Detroit and Cleveland still have worse classifications and scores than does Toledo - which isn't saying much.

Consider also this; Cleveland, along with Detroit have the greatest number of children experiencing poverty at 42 and 46 percent respectively. That's 42 and 46 percent of every child under the age of 18 living in these two cities, is in poverty. Toledo doesn't fair much better with 36.5% of our children living in poverty.

Here's today's question; 'Is it any wonder, giving our regions unhealthy followership of our nearest major cities' growth plans, that we also follow their poverty realities?'

We got next!

That's the familiar call from the person or team who 'calls it' on any court or field of play. It's tantamount to yelling 'shot gun' when heading to the car so you get front seat.

Peter Drucker, who passed away several years ago, said shortly before his death; The church is the only institution capable of recivilizing urban environments, but sadly the church is also the most fragmented institution in those same environments.

It's time for the church to 'call it'! To yell 'shot gun' and declare 'we got next'!

By now we should be tired of the view from the back seat. What are we waiting for? The church, despite it's self loathing, often narcissistic views, is still the most powerful certainty on this planet ... including, but not limited to Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland.

A few weeks ago in a recent post; 'The Behavioral Citizen' I asked if you were ready to be the leader your neighborhood and city need? Like the individual responsibility, the church has to regain its intended and Biblical identity and be the leader our cities desperately need.

Our poverty ranking and realities are only the wake up call to the systemic and rooted ranking and realities stimulating the poverty. Instead of shaking our heads about our #1, #2 and #8 ranking on the way to the stadium ... instead of bowing our heads to offer a prayer for our region on our way to church ... instead of blaming our elected officials on our way to the voting booth, maybe we should take a long look in the mirror.

Take a long look. While you're looking at the person staring back at you, remember what Peter Drucker said and try to remember that you, not the building you worship in, are the church - you are the church. You and thousands more like you are the only ones capable of recivilizing our urban environments.

Now, go get another church member and the two of you stand and look in the mirror - take a long look. As a matter of fact, what would it be like if at the front of every sanctuary there was a long and tall mirror, so we could all take a long look together?

We're it!

God has wisely put His branch offices (the church) on every corner. If we answer the fragmented question, then the powerful realities of agreement and unity can be released ... finally, and just in time.

Dan
A Runner

Access

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sun, 4 Oct 2009 16:54:00 -0400

I think I was 22 when standing on the porch of the house my wife and I were renting, wondered how I was going to get in given the fact I had no key. Crystal had left on an errand and I had been working on our car in the garage and apparently she thought ... and I thought ... and you know how it goes, you get locked out.

And so, I did what any respectable young man would do [by the way this was before cell phones] I found an unlocked window and crawled in. The funny thing was, that try as I might the key to the house could not be found. Frustrated I put my hands on my hips only to feel the key ring hanging out of my back pocket.

I had the key with me the whole time. But busyness, frustration and hurriedness caused momentary loss of memory.

Once, not too long ago, I locked my keys in the car. Ever notice when someone locks their keys in the car, they press their face against the glass looking at the keys on the seat or hanging in the ignition? Its as if we're saying; 'so close, but yet so far away.'

"The key will be under the mat". Ever plan on going to see an apartment or a building you want to rent and being told how to gain access, you arrive only to realize the key holder had not left a key ... access denied.

There are people all around you everyday who live lives represented in these examples.

People who have the key already with them, but have forgotten where it is. People who once had the key but are unable to immediately retrieve it. And people who have been told where the key is only to find its not there.

People are locked out!

Most people don't immediately ask for help when things start going wrong. We wait. Try to figure it out on our own. It's admirable right up until the minute you realize you're better off inviting and receiving assistance.

There are two things you and I can do this week:
1. Ask for help.
We all lose our way from time to time. It's Godly to invite assistance. The good you will do in others by letting them help you, will far out way the help they offer.

2. Be on the look out for the locked out.
People all around you need you. They've lost their keys, or worse yet have them but have let the hurriedness of life cause loss of memory.

Being a Christ follower is about access.

You who have experienced the inside warmth of access, please don't forget there are others with their faces pressed against the glass. Some have the key, some can see the key and others wouldn't know the key if you hit them with it.

Here's today's question: 'In what ways will I experience access this week?'

Dan
A Runner

The Behavioral Citizen

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:35:00 -0400

Across the country, early November is soon upon us. The time to vote. The time to participate 'community' like at no other time of the year.

I'm sure where you live is similar to what we face here in the Toledo region; a tough economy, mortgage failure, foreclosure increases, families in trouble like never before ... and the list goes on.

All of this, mind you, on top of what has been a steady disintegration of hope and trust within our community emotion regarding most sectors including church and government.

And so, during this time of year as early November approaches and the voting booths fire up, all manner of men and women clamor for our attention; 'elect me' 'I'm the answer' 'I'm the leader you're looking for' ... most of us are tired before we get tired. A particular fatigue comes on us in the daily grind and exposure to the cry for our vote from someone we've never heard of.

Everyone knows, whether we use the exact language or not, that most towns, cities and regions are experiencing on various levels a leadership vacuum. The pull of that vacuum is intense. So intense that it can, and will, pull anyone into it - and I mean anyone.

At no other time in our history is there more impetus and opportunity for a people who live in a country where the statement 'for the people, by the people' can be capitalized on. We seem to have distilled that statement to participation in government ... which it certainly is. But what about the behavior of 'for the people, by the people'?

There is, at least in our town, a serious leadership vacuum at many levels of government. So, you may certainly view yourself as someone who may participate in filling that vacuum with yourself as a candidate or as a voter of a candidate.

But what about you, the behavioral citizen in your neighborhood, community, workplace and family? Where does the behavior of for the people, by the people behave in your spheres of influence apart from government? Is there a tangible responsibility you've discovered for yourself in filling the leadership vacuum around you?

While a belief in being governed by proper leadership from people we respect and honor is critical, a for the people by the people mindset stimulates a certain behavior of ownership.

Here's today's question; Are you the leader that fills the leadership vacuum around you?

Early November will come and go. Perhaps the citizenry will establish in government through this round of elections the kind of leaders we can be proud of and serve. Perhaps the citizenry will elect leaders that will continue taking our communities down the wrong path.

Either way, you and I living in a for the people by the people and as a behavioral citizen will continue to stand ... and filling the vacuum establish for ourselves and on behalf of others the healthy and whole of God

Dan
A Runner

Time

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Mon, 7 Sep 2009 09:10:00 -0400

My last entry entitled 'Speed' ended with this statement:

Whatever you're facing today that can be under the heading of crisis - slow down. There is something in the landscape of your crisis that God sees as vastly more interesting and important than the crisis itself.

Hopefully you're thinking more dynamically about the trouble you may be in or the crisis you may be facing. Hopefully you've not contacted the prayer line to get you out of the crisis, but for God to show Himself strong in the crisis. By now hopefully you've contacted your pastor as an FYI to what God is revealing, rather than sending an SOS signaling to him or her they had better get involved quickly.

Congratulations ... you've begun to 'think God'!

Recently our family took a vacation which included a major theme park. It's one of those places where the park has come up with a convenience called 'fast pass'. When the park is really full, fast pass works very well. With fast pass you basically reserve your place in line for a later time which is usually 60 to 90 minutes later.

This allows you two things; time to go see other attractions and upon your return an immediate jump to the front of the line. Of course fast pass is dependent on two unspoken rules; your familiarity with the park and fairly decent planning on your part. So if you're not that familiar or not a good planner, potentially you could miss your reserved place in line and if you miss it well ... you've missed it.

However, and this is a big however, when the park is not full or busy, as on the day we were there, I overheard interesting revelations. People taking the fast pass option realized after awhile, they didn't really need it. With the average wait time being only 15 minutes, you could actually see more attractions by consistently waiting in line rather than bouncing back and forth from one reservation to the next.

Here's today's point: Time is a fluid concept.

Time behaves like its creator. Not that God is a concept but God is indeed fluid. Like an ever changing river God is constant in that He's always there, but He is never there the same way ... He's never there the same way ... never.

As a matter of note, because we seem to have an endless penchant for the static we end up being the only one in the picture not moving. Too many times we end up looking like the boulder in the middle of God's flow, unmoving and marking time. Like the boulder in the river, the flow of God moves all around us, steadily eroding the outer edges and making us so smooth He seems to flow around us effortlessly.

Here's today's question: 'When you received Jesus as the way to God, did you see your self ending up like the boulder?'

Perhaps the single most schizophrenic part of following God, for me personally, has been in regards to time. I believe in and receive the timeless [the fluid] nature of God and behave in return like the boulder, marking time and looking at my watch.

I know God doesn't wear a watch - I know this. And yet my behavior would suggest otherwise; constantly marking time and looking for a 'fast pass' solution in an effort to reserve my place in line while trotting off to other attractions.

There are bright days for all of us. The best day in my followership of Him is when I'm consumed by Him rather than consuming Him with the marking of time. When instead of flowing around me we flow together. Seamless and invisible is our flow like when a glass of water is poured into a river ... still there but seen no more.

This requires taking the watch off though.

Here may be some things for you to ponder:
Do I believe and receive the timeless [fluid] nature of God?
Do I freely and habitually give to others timeless relationship?
When was the last time I cut myself a break as big as the one God cut for me?
Am I the boulder?
What would happen if I flowed, truly flowed with God?

Now that you're learning to slow down, learn how to take time out of the conversation you're having with God, yourself and with others. We'll be amazed together what the combination of slow and timeless will accomplish.

Dan
A Runner

Speed

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Rogers) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:03:00 -0400

In a church conference several years ago, like a galaxy far away ago, I kept thinking the whole time this particular presenter was speaking; 'what makes me uneasy about what this cat is talking about?' What he was saying was familiar, so that's OK. What he was talking about at least in concert with the way humanity moves, was even logical.

He was talking about how Christians drag their feet, and God has to often wait for us to catch up to Him all the time and how we needed to move faster to keep pace with the dynamic move of God.

So what was my problem?

I started getting edgy, fidgety .. restless. I was having a hard time reconciling my internal ledger about the presenters assertion regarding speed, it wasn't sitting well in the place where the word of God sits in you - for some reason I was having a negative reaction. I should insert here, it's during these times when the familiar voice of my wife internally recorded in my memory bank - and honestly for good reason - will say; 'Dan you don't always have to be you'.

Rightly interpreted, this means I should keep my unrest to my self until further notice or at least until there is more substantiated reason for concern. So, that day I stayed in my seat and took mental note of my disagreement.

By your own experience you know the presenter got it wrong. The tendencies of our humanity, the result of having free will and the way we are wired - by God - is for speed. To move fast. Even the people you judge as moving too slow are moving fast - their just moving in the opposite direction of you.

Please observe:
God moves at a much slower speed than us.
He sees at a much slower speed than us.
He responds at a much slower speed than us.

We would do well to learn and practice at least two vital components to be successful in our followership of God: We must slow our own shutter speed down and we must realize that the significant issues of our lives cannot be solved at the same speed by which they were created.

Slowing the shutter speed down, like in a camera allows you to significantly take in more light, which gives you greater exposure in truly capturing what you're looking at. Slowing the shutter speed down gives you the visual 'speed bump' to take in more of the panorama of what God is really doing in your moments.

Crisis happens like a rogue wave; fast and sudden. The real, I mean the real and true problem with any crisis is not the crisis itself but the speed by which it happens and equally more disastrous the speed by which we attempt to respond to it or worse yet try to solve it.

God is a slow/fast God. Undisciplined followership of Him is fast/slow.

Whatever your facing today that can be under the heading of crisis - slow down. There is something in the landscape of your crisis that God sees as vastly more interesting and important than the crisis itself.

Dan
A Runner