Weekly Web Roundup (2/4/17)

Photo Credit: yorgak

Here is a collection of items -- including several that address politics and social media -- that caught my attention this past week:

7 Questions to Ask Before Posting about Politics on Social Media by Scott Slayton (One Degree To Another)

"Let’s pretend that what you want to say about politics on social media should be said. Now you need to consider if you are the right person to say it. Do you have an insight into this issue that you haven’t seen somewhere else, or are you merely repeating an argument you read in another place? Do you have a role or responsibility where people are looking to you for guidance? Why should you be the person to say what you are about to say?"

2017: A Year of Digital Detox by David Murray (HeadHeartHand)

"I’m utterly convinced that vast numbers of Christians are dangerously addicted to digital technology. It has way too big a place in our lives and it’s not just damaging us; it’s destroying us. Those who can get this under control are going to be uniquely placed to excel — relationally, vocationally, educationally, and financially. There is no surer way to a massive “competitive advantage.” But control (or lack of it) of our devices is also the biggest determinant of our spiritual health, growth, and usefulness. If we want to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, we must grow in digital self-discipline."

How To Avoid Being Psychologically Destroyed By Your Newsfeed by Ann Douglas

"Connect with other caring citizens who share your concern about what's happening in our country and our world. Talk to other people you know who may be going through an especially difficult time right now -- especially members of vulnerable or marginalized communities. Let them know that you will be there to support them and that you care. Smile at strangers. (Assume their good intentions unless proven otherwise.) Look for opportunities to build bridges, not walls. Finally, reach out for other types of support if you feel like you're really struggling. Self-care isn't selfish; it's self-preservation. You need to take extra good care of yourself right now."

On Signalling Versus Displaying Virtue in a Trumpian Age by Derek Rishmawy

"I know that in many instances, especially after a tragedy or an outrage, there’s a pressure to tweet or post about it to make sure everybody knows that I too care. I too am saddened, or grieved. I fear that at times when I remain silent, or have found out about something late, I’ll be thought callous for having not said anything. Of course, with any fancy new word or concept, it can be used cynically. In which case, for those with a more jaded eye, or on the other side of a particular issue, all of the protests, tweets, and so forth are basically just virtue-signalling. This critique tends especially to be leveled by conservatives against progressives whose tribal identification seems to encourage that. And since Newton’s Third Law generally applies to these sorts of things, I have now seen various progressives complain about the very notion of critiquing public displays of virtue. Why would virtue be anything to critique? Seems worth emulating and encouraging. Indeed, we ought to be cynical about the cynicism and see nothing but self-protection in this."

Campus Ministries Race to Keep Up with Record Number of International Students by Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra (The Gospel Coalition)

"The foreign students flooding into U.S. universities are, in some ways, the ideal ministry field. Many are bright and affluent, able to afford some of the world’s top schools. That means they’re also likely future leaders, one day returning home to take influential positions. And generally comfortable with and curious about religion, they’re not hampered by the apathy or antagonism some American students feel toward Christianity. Their influence can be far-reaching."

Terrorism and Immigration: A Risk Analysis by Alex Nowrasteh (Cato Institute)

"Including those murdered in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11), the chance of an American perishing in a terrorist attack on U.S. soil that was committed by a foreigner over the 41-year period studied here is 1 in 3.6 million per year. The hazard posed by foreigners who entered on different visa categories varies considerably. For instance, the chance of an American being murdered in a terrorist attack caused by a refugee is 1 in 3.64 billion per year while the chance of being murdered in an attack committed by an illegal immigrant is an astronomical 1 in 10.9 billion per year. By contrast, the chance of being murdered by a tourist on a B visa, the most common tourist visa, is 1 in 3.9 million per year."

The Bishop Eddie Long I Knew by John Blake (CNN)

"Who am I to say how anyone should face a terrifying illness? Sometimes hope is all people have; let them believe what they want if it helps them get through the night. But there was something undeniably sad about Long not being able to level with those at New Birth who'd stuck by him when everyone else had fled. I suspect some of that inability comes from the prosperity theology he preached, which is pervasive in contemporary churches. I've heard scholars call it a heretical belief that distorted the life of Jesus. I think it fails on another level: It doesn't equip people to deal with loss. If you preach that wealth and health are a sign of God's favor, what do you do when you begin to lose both, as Long did?"

Teacher Has Personalized Handshakes With Every Single One of His Students (Good Morning America)

Why do I think this is an unbelievably cool thing? Because this young teacher demonstrates to each of his students that they have value in his eyes, that they are unique and that they are known.

Weekly Web Roundup (1/21/17)

Photo Credit: David_Bekaert

Here is a collection of items from around the web that caught my attention this past week:

Are You a Confirmation Bias Christian? by Jared C. Wilson (For The Church)

"There's really no new idolatry in our brave new world; we just find new ways with which to orient our worlds around ourselves. I think you and I see this every day in the world of social media, and it was ramped up especially so during the last election cycle. When it comes to political pontificating, my Facebook feed in particular appears to be one huge exercise in confirmation bias -- my liberal friends share and "amen" articles, videos, and memes that fit their pre-adopted left-leaning narratives and my conservative friends share and "amen" articles, videos, and memes that fit their pre-adopted right-leaning ones. I've been guilty of this myself. It is stunningly easy to fall into, this "confirmation bias" thing. If something sounds true -- meaning, it seems to fit what we already believe -- we believe it to be true without corroborating. It is the widespread epidemic of confirmation bias that has given us the relatively new phenomenon known as "fake news."

6 Types of “Dangerous Charisma” by Eric Geiger

"Charisma is often defined as “compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others." But that type of charisma can be dangerous. We have seen leaders known for their charisma lead people in horrific directions or crumble because their own inner health was woefully inconsistent with their external persona."

U.S. Abortion Rate Falls To Lowest Level Since Roe v. Wade (NPR)

"The abortion rate in the United States fell to its lowest level since the historic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalized abortion nationwide, a new report finds. The report by the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports legalized abortion, puts the rate at 14.6 abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age (ages 15-44) in 2014. That's the lowest recorded rate since the Roe decision in 1973. The abortion rate has been declining for decades — down from a peak of 29.3 in 1980 and 1981. The report also finds that in 2013, the total number of abortions nationwide fell below 1 million for the first time since the mid-1970s. In 2014 — the most recent year with data available — the number fell a bit more, to 926,200. The overall number had peaked at more than 1.6 million abortions in 1990, according to Guttmacher. Perhaps not surprisingly, given the longstanding controversy around abortion policy, the meaning of the report is somewhat in dispute."

Dustbin of History: The Green Book (Today I Found Out)

"But for African Americans living in many parts of the United States in the early and mid-20th century, the automobile was little more than a symbol—that of a freedom that, for them, remained out of reach. In those years, a trip by automobile for African Americans was an experience all its own, quite unlike car trips taken by white Americans. A black family preparing for a long trip had to pack enough food to get them all the way to where they were going, in case the restaurants along the route refused to serve them—a form of discrimination that was perfectly legal at the time. They had to pack pillows and blankets so that they could sleep in their car if the hotels they stopped at refused to provide them with lodging. They had to put extra cans of gas in the trunk—enough to get them through towns where none of the service stations would sell them gas. And they had to leave enough room in the trunk for a bucket that they could use as a toilet in places where restrooms were reserved for whites only."

The 5 craziest hours in the White House by Bonnie Berkowitz (The Washington Post)

On the day that a new U.S. President is sworn in as commander-in-chief, there is a group of White House staff that has to busily move out the belongings of the current president and prepare for the new. This account explains all that takes place at the White House on inauguration day.

Here's a short video explaining this process:

Weekly Web Roundup (1/7/17)

Photo Credit: Jaetographer

Here are some interesting items that I saw across the web over the past couple of weeks:

Seven Steps to Strengthen Prayer by Bonnie McKernan (Desiring God)

"Praying should be active. We cannot truly come into contact with God and not be a different person, at least in some small degree, by the time we say, “Amen.” Struggle in prayer, wrestle with it, and let the Spirit move. Answers to prayer are a blessing, but prayer in and of itself is meant to be a blessing. Sometimes it feels like the moaning of parched lips in the desert, and we should still persevere because prayer is not just the fruit of spiritual life, but the means of attaining it."

Why Are Americans Less Charitable Than They Used to Be? by Alexia Fernandez Campbell (The Atlantic)

"The results of their research suggest that Americans’ attitudes toward giving have changed, regardless how much money they have. There is some research suggesting that poor people—those would actually stand to benefit from charity themselves—are more likely to donate money (overall, wealthy Americans still contribute most of the country’s charitable dollars). An analysis by the Chronicle of Philanthropy found that wealthier Americans gave less of their income to charity during the Recession, while the poor gave more. Those who earned $200,000 or more gave nearly 5 percent less to charity in 2012 compared to 2006, while those who made less than $100,000 increased their giving by 5 percent between those same two years, the report found. The poorest Americans—those earning $25,000 or less—increased their giving the most, by 17 percent over the same period."

Study: Christians Were 2016’s Most Persecuted Religious Group by Faithfully Magazine Staff

"Nearly 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2016, equivalent to one every six minutes, according to a new study by the Italy-based Center for Studies on New Religions (Censur). The annual study, which is set for release next month, also indicated that 500 to 600 million Christians were prevented from freely practicing their faith. The number has actually declined from 105,000 in 2015, but it still makes Christians the most persecuted religious group in the world, Massimo Introvigne, director of Censur, told Vatican Radio when announcing the findings on Monday. “Without wishing to forget or belittle the suffering of members of other religions, Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world,” Introvigne said."

The Candy Diet by Seth Godin

"The economics seem to be that the only way to make a living is to reach a lot of people and the only way to reach a lot of people is to race to the bottom, seek out quick clicks, make it easy to swallow, reinforce existing beliefs, keep it short, make it sort of fun, or prurient, or urgent, and most of all, dumb it down. And that's the true danger of anti-intellectualism. While it's foolish to choose to be stupid, it's cultural suicide to decide that insights, theories and truth don't actually matter. If we don't care to learn more, we won't spend time or resources on knowledge. We can survive if we eat candy for an entire day, but if we put the greenmarkets out of business along the way, all that's left is candy. Give your kid a tablet, a game, and some chicken fingers for dinner. It's easier than talking to him. Read the short articles, the ones with pictures, it's simpler than digging deep. Clickbait works for a reason. Because people click on it."

In biblical lands of Iraq, Christianity in peril after ISIS by Moni Basu (CNN)

"Life in Bartella, as he knew it, stopped suddenly and brutally in the summer of 2014. ISIS blitzkrieged its way into northern Iraq, taking control of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest and once its most diverse city. ISIS marked Christian houses with the Arabic equivalent of the letter "N" for the derogatory term Nazarene. The militants blared ultimatums from the loudspeakers of Mosul mosques: Leave by July 19 to avoid death or forced conversion to Islam. The terror-driven exodus emptied the city of Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities. A decade ago, 35,000 Christians lived in Mosul. Now maybe 20 or 30 remain."

Election Reflections: Bridging the Gap by Philip Yancey

"Today, both parties push toward the extremes, in opposite directions.  And here is where Christians come in.  Oddly enough, we can mind the gap by withholding complete loyalty from either party. "Politics is the church’s worst problem," warned the French sociologist Jacques Ellul. "It is her constant temptation, the occasion of her greatest disasters, the trap continually set for her by the prince of this world." Christians have a divided loyalty, committed to helping our society thrive while giving ultimate loyalty to the kingdom of God. We are resident aliens, taking guidance not from a party platform but from the life Jesus modeled for us.  Sometimes that means crossing the gap, rather than widening it."

Polar bear mascot keeps slipping over on the ice

Weekly Web Roundup (12/3/16)

Photo Credit:
George Fox Evangelical Seminary

Due to travel and the Thanksgiving holiday, I have not posted a "Weekly Web Roundup" in a few weeks. So today's entry covers the items that have piqued my interest on the web over the past three weeks:

How Cross-Cultural Dialogue Builds Critical Thinking and Empathy by Katrina Schwartz (Mind/Shift)

"Often adolescents hold strong opinions, but they don’t always know where and how they came to those beliefs. When a teacher pushes them to think critically about why they feel the way they do, it’s easy for students to ignore them. But, when video conferencing with a teenager from another country who genuinely wants to know the answer, students often respond more thoughtfully."

Ministry after the Massacre by Kevin P. Emmert, Interviews by Maina Mwaura (Christianity Today)

The June 12, 2016 attack on the Pulse nightclub in my city of Orlando shocked the nation and the world. It was the deadliest attack on the LGTBQ community in U.S. history. In response to the shootings, a number of local churches, including my own, sought to care for those affected by the attacks. This article includes interviews with three pastors in Orlando and the role their churches played in being the "hands and feet of Christ" to a community in need.

Why I’m still an Evangelical after the 2016 US Election by Andrew Ong (Reformed Margins)

"I refuse to give up on evangelicalism because I believe in something more ultimate than political unity. Evangelicalism has and will always be broad and diverse, especially when it comes to politics. It will also continue to host disagreements until our King’s final return. The beauty of the evangel, however, is that those who can’t unite as Trump’s people or Clinton’s people, are irreversibly united as God’s people. I’m not denying the political implications of the evangel, but evangelical unity must begin with the gospel, often in spite of politics."

3 Ways to Better Understand Your Emotions by Susan David (Harvard Business Review)

"Anger and stress are two of the emotions we see most in the workplace — or at least those are the terms we use for them most frequently. Yet they are often masks for deeper feelings that we could and should describe in more nuanced and precise ways, so that we develop greater levels of emotional agility, a critical capability that enables us to interact more successfully with ourselves and the world."

What Makes Today’s America Different From the Country That Incarcerated the Japanese? by Emma Green (The Atlantic)

"In the wake of Trump’s election, some Americans fear the possibility that hate crimes and incidents of bigotry will multiply, enabled by the new president’s rhetoric and policies. The comparison between Japanese internment and policy proposals related to Muslims speaks more to this fear than a significant chance of history being repeated. But Japanese Americans’ experiences are still instructive: They illustrate how America in 2016 resembles America in the 1940s, and show the ways that systematic discrimination can shape a minority group’s self-understanding."

Why we’re obsessed with the hit show ‘This is Us’ by Russell Moore (The Washington Post)

NBC's hit series "This is Us" has rapidly become one of my favorite television shows. Dr. Moore offers some keen insights here as to why he finds the show so compelling.

Remembering Bo: The Charismatic Coach by Angelique Chengelis (The Detroit News)

This November marked the ten-anniversary of the death of legendary Michigan Wolverines football coach Glenn "Bo" Schembechler. In this retrospective, Angelique Chengelis includes memories from some of those who knew Bo best.

Aidan Loses His Googles

This humorous video captures what happens when a child can't seem to find his missing goggles. I'm sure many of us can relate when it comes to our reading glasses, cell phone, car keys or remote control.

Weekly Web Roundup (11/5/16)

Photo Credit: barbasboth

Here are some interesting stories that I have noticed from around the web this past week:

3 Growing Needs in Missionary Education by Ed Stetzer (Christianity Today)

"Thinking about educational needs for missionaries inevitably leads to questions about the role of traditional institutions in their training. As we begin to develop new pathways for “limitless” sending, we open the doors of missions not only to seminarians, but also business people and students and artists and . . . We will no longer be sending only people who have completed years of formal theological preparation. We will be sending people who have asked for international transfers within the workplace. They will have new jobs in brand new cultures, which will most likely make much formal training within an institution prohibitive. Obviously, creativity is needed. Some institutions have already begun to develop programs to meet the minimum requirements of mission organizations, and that’s good. Yet, more needs to be done to get to the kind of limitless sending we desire."

The New Evangelical Moral Minority by Kelefa Sanneh (The New Yorker)

Here's a lengthy profile from The New Yorker on Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Dr. Moore is a leading evangelical voice and, like me, a member of Generation X. I find his approach on how to engage our culture a welcome departure from some of the more combative postures that many Christian leaders of recent generations have demonstrated.

TV's making progress on diversity, but it's motivated by money by Gary Levin (USA Today)

"“People have begun to recognize how much money they can make by targeting underserved audiences,” says Courtney A. Kemp, the creator and executive producer of Power, a popular Starz series about a black nightclub owner. “The color that’s relevant here is green.  It’s not about any kind of altruism, or a sea change in how people are feeling about diversity.” Instead, it reflects demographic shifts, and TV executives' need to chase viewers as Hollywood faces radical shifts in how and where they find their entertainment.  U.S. Census data projects the percentage of blacks, Hispanics and Asians will continue to grow in coming decades, while the percentage of whites declines.  And amid steadily declining ratings, blacks are among the most loyal viewers, watching nearly 50% more TV each week than the general population, Nielsen says."

Lux in Tenebris: How God Is Moving on Secular Campuses by Owen Strachan (Patheos)

"It can feel to the church today like the darkness is closing in. If you close your eyes, all can seem lost. But if you open your eyes, you see points of light. You see gospel advancement. You see strategic initiative. You see local churches leading ministries to students while also calling them to meaningful membership in the local church. This is the model I believe we need moving ahead. Parachurch ministries can do great good, but I believe they will do most good when partnering closely with local churches. This is especially true as campus access grows dicey in places."

No, Most Black People Don’t Live in Poverty - or Inner Cities by Alana Semuels (The Atlantic)

"There might have been a time when conflating inner cities and African Americans was appropriate shorthand, but it’s just not accurate anymore. The majority of African Americans are living both above the poverty line and outside of the inner cities, rendering Trump’s comments misleading and factually inaccurate."

Fan Reactions to the 2016 Cubs World Series Win

As you're probably aware, the Chicago Cubs ended over a century of futility by winning their first World Series championship in 108 years. As a Detroit Tigers fan, I am not personally invested in the Cubs winning. But as a baseball fan, I am happy to see lifelong fans of the Cub finally enjoy a title.

This video compilation shows reactions from a number of Cubs fans after their win in Game 7 over the Cleveland Indians. For sports fans, it doesn't get much better than experiencing the pure exuberance of a long-awaited title.

Weekly Web Roundup (10/30/16)

Photo Credit: Guitguit

Here are some interesting stories that I have noticed from around the web this past week:

6 Primary Life Patterns of a Mature Leader by Dan Reiland

"Maturity isn’t merely about age and experience. You can be young and mature, or older and immature. Maturity is an inner quality that resonates through all the components of a leader’s life. This doesn’t mean that a mature leader has “arrived.” We all have moments of immaturity, but it’s easy to identify the primary patterns of a mature leader."

Here's What the Average American Owes After College by Maurie Backman (The Motley Fool)

"So just how much does the average American owe post-college? Here are some key statistics on student debt, courtesy of Student Loan Hero: The average Class of 2016 graduate racked up just over $37,000 in student debt, up 6% from the previous year. The average 20- to 30-year old American's monthly student loan payment is $351. 43 million Americans collectively owe $1.3 trillion in student loans."

How Millions of Good People Can Vote Differently Than You Will by Conor Friedersdorf (The Atlantic)

"Imagine that you were conceived by different parents––that your very brain was shaped by different genes. Nine months later, you were born into a different household. Different people raised you, teaching you different values, both by word and example. They shared different religious beliefs with different intensity than your parents. And they instilled different loyalties, prejudices, and emotional ticks."

Where are all the White American NBA Players? by Marc J. Spears (The Undefeated)

"According to The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, the NBA was 74.3 percent black during the 2015-16 season and 81.7 percent were people of color. The study said that the NBA was 18.3 percent white last season, which was 5 percent less than the season before. The league was also a record 22.3 percent international last season."

Powerful Photos from the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest as Cops Prepare to Make Arrests by Inae Oh (Mother Jones)

Protests in North Dakota continue as hundreds of demonstrators voice their disagreement with the Dakota Access Pipeline. Here are a number of photos capturing the demonstrators.

Guy dresses up as dog's favorite toy

A man decided to dress up as Gumby, a lifesize version of his dog's favorite toy. Here was the result was his dog saw him for the first time dressed up in the costume.

5 Things Every Christian Can Do This Election Season

Photo Credit: Theresa Thompson

It is now less than three weeks away until the 2016 U.S. Presidential election and the amount of coverage the candidates are receiving seems to be increasing by the day.

With the third and final debate now completed, voters will be making their choice about who they will be voting for to become the 45th President of the United States of America.

Possibly more so than any election in recent memory, there is a great divide among Christians about who should receive their vote and which criteria should be considered in making that choice. Without endorsing any candidates or political parties, here are five things every Christian can do this election season:

1. Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Proverbs 3:5,6)

Pray for wisdom. Pray for the candidates. Pray for our country as we make an important decision.  If you're not praying at all about who you should vote for, I wonder who it is that you're primarily listening to in order to make this decision. 

If you're struggling who to vote for, pray that God would give you direction and guidance. If you've already decided who to vote for, pray that God would make it clear that is the right choice. 

Look to God's Word -- the Bible -- as a guide for the qualities that God looks for in leaders and for the issues that are closest to God's heart. These may not necessarily be aligned with what is listed in the voters' guides distributed by partisan organizations. Seek God above all else.

2. Vote (Matthew 25:29; Romans 13:7)

One of the great things about living in a democracy is the privilege we have to choose our elected officials. Unfortunately, tens of millions of eligible American voters sit at home and do not participate in the political process each election cycle. If you are eligible to vote, please take advantage of this opportunity. This is a stewardship with which God has entrusted us.  

Throughout the history of the U.S., there have been many people who have given their lives and put themselves at great risk in order to enjoy the privilege of voting in elections. Don't take this stewardship for granted.

We give honor to those that have gone before when we participate in the very thing for which they put their lives on the line. Don't neglect to vote.

3. Consider all the Candidates & Issues (Proverbs 8:16; 29:2) 

Though we have a two-party system within the United States, there are many voters, especially during this election, that do not find either of the major party nominees an attractive option. Many have bemoaned the fact that they feel trapped into choosing the "lesser of two evils." 

However, this is not necessarily true. There are more candidates than the two most prominent ones. If you feel like neither of the well-known candidates are qualified to serve as the leader of our country, consider a third party or independent candidate. 

I've heard Christians say that a vote for X is really a vote for Y. Or a vote for X is really a vote for Z. Some may feel like this is "wasting a vote" or "throwing a vote away." I do not subscribe to this belief. The only wasted vote is the vote that is never cast. 

In addition, the presidential election is not the only election taking place. There are federal, state and local candidates and measures to consider. Educate yourself on these other elections and cast your vote for the candidates and initiatives that most closely align to your values.

4. Respect Others (Colossians 4:6, I Peter 2:17)

It is no secret that this has been a contentious election cycle. The rhetoric surrounding this election has grown increasingly combustible. In many circles, it seems that people are not advocating for their candidate as much as expressing their disagreement with the candidate they oppose.  

Sadly, this seems no different among Christians. I've been dismayed by the statements I've heard in person and the comments I've read online from otherwise pleasant followers of Christ. The attacks on those that vote differently is quite unsettling. For many of us across the political spectrum, our voting allegiances appear to have taken priority over our allegiance to Christ.  

I said this on Facebook a few weeks ago and it still rings true: If there's anything we've learned within the Christian community during this election season is that people that read the same Bible and follow the same God can come to drastically different conclusions when it comes to our political preferences. Our life experiences, cultural backgrounds, friendships and news sources shape each of us more than we probably realize. 

Yes, it is possible to disagree with others without being disagreeable. It is even possible to share our political views with grace, kindness and respect. But if that's not possible for us, then it's probably better to remain quiet than to dishonor God and others with political discourse that undercuts our witness as followers of Jesus.

5. Trust God (2 Chronicles 20:6, Isaiah 40:23)

When it's all said and done, God is still in control. No matter who wins or loses the election, God remains the sovereign king of the universe. Nothing -- no person, no political party, no government -- can thwart His purposes or plans.  

This is not to say that who is president does not matter. It very much matters. We elect real leaders who enact real policies that affect real people. And because God cares about people, we need to care about who leads us and how their leadership affects people. 

But, ultimately, God is still sovereign. He knows our realities and cares about what we are facing. Whether our candidate wins or loses, God remains our King. In this we can take comfort. 

In the remaining days of this election season, please be a person who: 1) Prays, 2) Votes, 3) Considers all the candidates and issues, 4) Respects others, and 5) Trusts God.

Long after this election is over, our Christian witness, for good or bad, will remain. I fear that too many prominent Christian leaders have sacrificed fidelity to their gospel witness because of how they have chosen to engage this election cycle. Will this be said of us?

Weekly Web Roundup (10/15/16)

Photo Credit: bjmccray

Due to Hurricane Matthew storming through Florida last weekend, I did not write a "Weekly Web Roundup" post last Saturday. So here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during the past couple of weeks:

Seeking Clarity in This Confusing Election Season: Ten Thoughts by Kevin DeYoung (The Gospel Coalition)

Many evangelical Christians find ourselves in a quandary as to whom should receive our vote for president this election, or even if we should vote at all. Pastor Kevin DeYoung offers some helpful things to consider.

It's Never Too Soon to Talk about Race in Your Church by Jemar Tisby (Christianity Today)

"I desire for churches that are predominantly white right now, but [are] looking to become more diverse, [to] do the groundwork first. You’ve got to pull the weeds. You’ve got to break up the soil. You’ve got to cultivate the land that would make it amenable to planting the seeds that would bear fruit of diversity. . . . The minority shouldn’t be the first one at your church to broach topics of race and diversity. That should’ve already been done by the leaders, and it should’ve been done in such a way that they’re shepherding the congregation through those issues."

When Compassion is Exhausting by Melanie Dale (The Mudroom)

"But for our passions, for the things burning deep in our souls keeping us up at night moving us to tears liquefying our insides, it’s going to take more. It’s going to take partnering with really smart local people who have big plans for their own communities. It’s going to take lawyers and therapists and social workers. It’s going to take a lot. Which is why you can’t care about everything because the thing you need to care about the most needs your attention over the long haul. So find a thing and dig deep."

InterVarsity Asks Staff to Choose a Stance on Sexuality by Kate Shellnutt (Christianity Today)

One of our partner ministries, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, made the news this past week when the response to a 20-page paper on their theological beliefs on human sexuality was made known. A number of their staff members will be leaving IV as a result. Please be in prayer for both the leaders of InterVarsity and all the staff members affected.

What it Means to be Black in the American Educational System by Kevin O’Neal Cokley (The Huffington Post)

"The results of a recent survey by the Pew Research Center underscore this point. The survey found that black Americans with some college experience are more likely to say that they have experienced discrimination compared to blacks who did not report having any college experience. Additional survey results revealed several differences between blacks with college experience versus blacks without college experience. For example, in the past 12 months, 55 percent of people with some college experience reported people had acted suspicious of them, compared to 38 percent of those with no college experience. Similarly, 52 percent of people with some college experience reported people had acted as if they thought the individual wasn’t smart, compared to 37 percent of people with no college experience."

Maps Shows History of US Immigration

The topic of immigration has been of great interest during this election season. This animated map from Business Insider illustrates immigration patterns to the U.S., including which countries were allowed to send people to the U.S. and when they were allowed to do so.

The Church and Political Captivity

Photo Credit: Hitchster

In light of the current contentious political season in which we find ourselves, the following words from Os Guinness, published in 2003, are particularly appropriate for all those who consider ourselves followers of Jesus:

"If it is wrong to make faith privately engaging but socially irrelevant, then surely politics is the lever to bring faith back into all of life. Or so many Christians have thought in recent decades. But if privatization lacks the "totality" of faith, the problem of politicization is the lack of "tension." Called to be "in" the world but "not of it," Christian engagement in politics should always be marked by tension between allegiance to Christ and identification with any party, movement, platform, or agenda. If that tension is ever lacking, if Christian identification with a political movement is so close that there is not any clear remainder, then the church has fallen for a particularly deadly captivity.  

Political forms of this "Babylonian captivity" are a problem already writ large over European history and a central reason for modern Europe's rejection of the Christian church. Indeed, there is a direct and unarguable relationship between the degree of the church's politicization in a culture and the degree of the church's rejection by that culture -- the French and Russian revolutions being the extreme examples of a volcanic reaction to corrupt state churches that were monopolistic and allowed no dissent. The revolutionary slogan of 1789 was typical of this backlash: "Strangle the last king with the guts of the last priest!" 

For two hundred years the churches in the United States have avoided this pitfall - thanks largely to the genius of the First Amendment, the constructive separation of church and state, and the creation of the voluntary associations that shifted the moral agency from the local church as a corporate body to individual Christians acting in concert with others. But the last quarter of a century indicates a different story. Christians have every right to be in the public square and every right to the positions they have. That is not the problem. But to the degree that Christian activism in public life become a politicization of the church -- an identification with political movements on either right or left without critical tension -- to that degree Christian activism will betray Christ and stoke the fires of its own and the church's rejection. 

There are signs that an American equivalent of Europe's antipathy to politicized faith is already beginning to build. Few things are more fateful for the future of faith in the modern world than to see that this development stops."

Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life

Weekly Web Roundup (10/1/16)

Photo Credit: Brook Ward

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

4 Principles for Political Witness in our American Babylon by Bruce Ashford (The Gospel Coalition)

"Similarly, evangelicals shouldn’t submit to the false political gods that flourish and abound in the United States of America. How do we identify the “false gods” in our own nation? We look for anything raised to a level of ultimacy that God alone occupies."

Is Columbus Day Going Extinct? by Lizzie Crocker (The Daily Beast)

"Businesses in the entire state of Alaska, however, will be closed for Indigenous Peoples Day, after Gov. Bill Walker renamed the holiday last year. The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts, will also celebrate its first Indigenous Peoples’ Day, after the City Council voted unanimously in June to change the name of a holiday whose namesake, they decided, was not worthy of celebrating."

Black Women Are Leaning In And Getting Nowhere by Emily Peck (The Huffington Post)

"Part of the problem is “invisibility,” Purdie-Vaughns writes. When the average person thinks of a “woman leader,” she argues, the image that comes to mind is a white woman ― like Sandberg. If you picture a black leader, you’re more likely to think of a black man than a black woman. “Because black women are not seen as typical of the categories ‘black’ or ‘woman,’ people’s brains fail to include them in both categories,” Purdie-Vaughns writes. “Black women suffer from a ‘now you see them now you don’t’ effect in the workplace.”"

Yes, You Should Say Something: Overcoming Awkwardness with Grieving People by Nancy Guthrie (The Gospel Coalition)

"It’s not up to you to say something that answers the significant questions they’re asking. Those take some time to work through, and if they sense your willingness to linger with them a bit in the midst of the questions rather than offer simplistic answers, they’re more likely to want to explore them with you down the road. It’s not up to you to recommend the book they need to read, the counselor they need to see, the drug they need to take. You don’t have to provide a framework for thinking and feeling their way through their loss. Really, you just have to show up and say little. What they need more than someone with a lot of words is someone with a willingness to listen without judgment, someone who seems to be entering into their hurting world for the long haul of grief."

How Should Universities Atone for Their Past Mistakes? by Alia Wong (The Atlantic)

"While black enrollment at colleges and universities has increased dramatically in the last two decades, the share of students at top-tier institutions who are African American has actually dropped. Fewer than 4 percent of students at the most competitive colleges in the United States come from the nation’s lowest socioeconomic quartile. Statues, seals, and buildings continue to honor people who embraced slavery and sought to keep these kinds of students out."

How Did Hitler Rise to Power? : New TED-ED Animation Provides a Case Study in How Fascists Get Democratically Elected (Open Culture)

Weekly Web Roundup (9/17/16)

Photo Credit: Bradley Weber

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

‘We’re the Only Plane in the Sky’ by Garrett M. Graff (Politico)

This past Sunday saw the commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. This oral history explains the decisions that President George W. Bush made in the eight hours after the Sept. 11 attacks and the strange, harrowing journey of those aboard Air Force One that fateful day.

Did you know…? from Gilbert Kingsley

My friend and ministry colleague Gilbert recently asked a number of leaders, including myself, from The Campus Ministry of Cru to share interesting facts, information and resources about student ministry. Here is what he learned.

Taking the Easy Route in the Diversity Conversation by Natasha Sistrunk Robinson (A Sista's Journey)

"As a WOC (Woman of Color), I understand that whenever I enter a predominately white space, I am representing myself and I am representing other black women to an audience that might not have intimate relationships with black people. This is my responsibility. It is also my responsibility and privilege to use whatever access I have to create space and opportunities for others, especially those who are underrepresented, but needed, in a professional space. I understand that this is my responsibility to my fellow sistas on the journey, and it is also my commitment to the next generation of leaders."

The State of the Church 2016 (Barna Group)

"Even though a majority of Americans identify as Christian and say religious faith is very important in their life, these huge proportions belie the much smaller number of Americans who regularly practice their faith. When a variable like church attendance is added to the mix, a majority becomes the minority. When a self-identified Christian attends a religious service at least once a month and says their faith is very important in their life, Barna considers that person a “practicing Christian.” After applying this triangulation of affiliation, self-identification and practice, the numbers drop to around one in three U.S. adults (31%) who fall under this classification. Barna researchers argue this represents a more accurate picture of Christian faith in America, one that reflects the reality of a secularizing nation."

Spoken Word on the Life of Jesus

This video was created by the JESUS Film Project and features spoken word poet Shawn Welcome artistically explaining the life of Christ.

2016 Demographics for U.S. College Students

Photo Credit:
US Department of Education

The nation's college students are growing in number and our campuses continue to become more diverse. Taken from the most recent edition of The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac and the Open Doors Report, the following statistics from the 2014-2015 school year contain some interesting facts concerning the current make-up of college students in the United States:

• There are more than 20 million college students studying within the United States.

• Of those 20 million students, nearly 43% are American ethnic minorities and international students. 

• Within the state of California alone, there are 2.7 million students. This is an amazing 13% of the country's total! Of these students, over 1.8 million are American ethnic minorities and international students. 

• Texas has nearly 1.6 million students in the state, including half a million Hispanic students. 

• Primarily due to the presence of New York City, 1.3 million students attend college in the state of New York and nearly half of those students are American ethnic minorities and international students.

• The number of Native American students across the country is approaching 200,000. 

• Students of Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage now number 1.2 million students. 

• There are 2.6 million African Americans on our campuses, approaching 13% of all students.

• Hispanics and Latinos are rapidly growing in number and influence and now comprise almost 15% of all students, totaling over 3 million students. 

• The number of international students currently studying in the U.S. is now well over one million. 

• In demonstration of the country's increasing cultural diversity, over half a million of America's college students define themselves as being multi-ethnic.

• Another 1.1 million students do not self-identify as belonging to any particular ethnic group nor do they define themselves as being multi-ethnic.

• Students of European descent are still in the overall majority with 10.6 million. If current trends hold true, however, there will be no ethnic majority within the next few years.

What does this all mean? The college campuses of the United States are becoming more diverse, the coasts are rapidly growing and our cities are home to many of the nation's students. In order to reach these students, campus ministries like the one that I work with, Cru, need to adopt new approaches that will effectively reach: 1) students of color; 2) those that speak a primary language other than English; and 3) those in our major cities. The world is here. How will we respond?

Weekly Web Roundup (9/3/16)

Photo Credit: bmward_2000

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

Colin Kaepernick's Protest is Part of Long Sports Tradition by Adam Howard (NBC News)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has received a substantial amount of flack for his recent refusal to stand while the pledge of allegiance is played before games. Personally, I appreciate Kaepernick's desire to bring attention to injustice but am concerned about what his approach communicates to our military. Be that as it may, it might surprise some that he's not the first to do this.

Hello Goodbye: The author of a best-selling abstinence manifesto is reconsidering the lessons he taught to millions by Ruth Graham (Slate)

Joshua Harris's book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" was a best-seller among evangelicals during the late '90s and early '00s. Now, nearly twenty years after it was published, Harris has regrets about how the book has impacted some people.

Even in a Multiethnic Church, Race Can Be a Minefield (Christianity Today)

"But here’s the beauty of a multiethnic church—the beauty and the mess: I’ve got these multi-ethnic faces there, which is wonderful, but the problem is, they all have different perspectives. Literally, after that message, I had an African American man come up to me and say, “I wish you would’ve pushed a little harder.” I had a white woman come up to me all offended because I’d pushed too hard. That’s the beauty and the mess."

Sin Of Talking Too Much by Paul Tautges (via Tim Challies)

"Years ago, my men’s small group discussed the discipline of the tongue. After reading a chapter in Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes, and verses from Proverbs that address the issue, some of us were tempted to stop talking all together! However, we quickly realized this was not the answer. That would be too easy. The right response is the hard road of self-discipline. The hard road is the application of wisdom in the restraint of the most powerful muscle in our body. That got me thinking about the dangers of talking too much."

The Mania of Michigan Football by Robin Wright (The New Yorker)

"When Michigan makes a big play, and a hundred thousand people stand up spontaneously, without being told, and ‘Hail to the Victors’ kicks in, it’s the biggest choir in America. It’s not a business, it’s a religion—and one where everyone is welcome,” John U. Bacon, the author of “Endzone: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Michigan Football,” told me. “The Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa have both noted that the great disease of Western civilization is loneliness. Yes, it’s possible to be lonely in a crowd—but not this one."

Weekly Web Roundup (8/27/16)

Photo Credit: chefmaggio

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

Like Families and Soccer Teams: Church and Parachurch by Brian Strider (The Gospel Coalition)

"Working for a parachurch ministry, on the other hand, is more like playing for a soccer team. Team members are selected, and then they gather to play soccer. They don't gather to receive math tutoring, to brush their teeth, or to care for the elderly. They gather for one purpose and for a limited season: to play soccer. But a family is different. It's broader and deeper. Whether you're adopted or born into one, your family is responsible for your entire nurture, growth, and education. Your family is the group of people you live with and learn to love. The relationships are permanent and all-defining. Though you might be disappointed if your soccer league dissolved, you'd be devastated if your family disappeared."

Wind during river fest sends 1,500 floaters to Canada by Nicole Hayden (USA Today)

My hometown of Port Huron, Michigan made the national news this past week when a large number of people floating on the St. Clair River ended up on the Canadian side of the US/Canada border. Here's the story of what happened.

American Students Are Still Segregated by Income, Race by Kenrya Rankin (Colorlines)

"Fully half of American children live in high-poverty school districts—where more than 75 percent of students quality for free or reduced-price lunch—which leaves them more vulnerable to health crises, violence and subpar facilities. Frequently, these impoverished districts border affluent areas where students are bolstered by the funding that comes from higher property taxes. For “Fault Lines: America’s Most Segregating School District Borders,” researchers analyzed 33,500 individual school district boundaries to see just how economically segregated districts are."

The real history of Native American team names by Erik Brady (USA Today)

"Most damning, Native American children were often taken from their families and sent to boarding schools under an assimilation policy that amounted to cultural genocide. Its motto: “Kill the Indian and save the man.” Students were told not to speak their languages, even to each other. Their long hair was cut short. They were taught reading, writing, arithmetic and — in a form of state-sponsored religion — Christianity. “All of this was taking place outside the view of the average American,” Gover says. “At that time, someone living in Philadelphia — or, more tellingly, in Cleveland or Boston — might conclude there are no Indians anymore. They are gone. And, in fact, that was the objective of federal policy. … So there were a lot of very powerful forces at work to deny Native American people of agency over their own identities and their very lives. And that’s when the mascots emerged.”"

Orlando Health, Florida Hospital won't bill Pulse shooting victims by Kate Santich and Christal Hayes (Orlando Sentinel)

The city of Orlando experienced a horrific tragedy earlier this summer when 49 people were murdered by a gunman at the Pulse nightclub. Since then there have been countless examples of people that have cared for and reached out to the victims, as well their families. Now, millions of dollars in hospitals bills will be forgiven. Bravo to Orlando Health and Florida Hospital.

MTV Decoded Answers The Question ‘Are Hispanic People White?’

Many people are confused about who is considered to be Hispanic or Latino and why these terms are not necessarily interchangeable. In this video, Franchesca Ramsey and Kat Lazo of MTV News 'Decoded' series explain how to understand the racial and ethnic identity of Hispanics and Latinos.

What Is True For The College Freshmen Of 2016?

Photo Credit: thinkglobalschool

Each year at the start of the new school year Beloit College releases what they call the Mindset List -- a list of important facts, events and people which influence the worldview and perspective that this year's college freshmen class brings with them.

This year's list, which is made up for the graduating class of 2020, represents those students who were born in 1998. As you can see, this year's list highlights advances in technology, significant world events, and the many ways that today's college students experience the world differently from their parents.

You can read the complete list here but I've included some entries below that I found particularly interesting:

• There has always been a digital swap meet called eBay.
• Vladimir Putin has always been calling the shots at the Kremlin.
• The Sandy Hook tragedy is their Columbine.
• Cloning has always been a mundane laboratory procedure.
• The United States has always been at war.
• Serena Williams has always been winning Grand Slam singles titles.
• They have never had to watch or listen to programs at a scheduled time. 
• Each year they've been alive the U.S. population has grown by more than one million Latinos. 
• If you want to reach them, you’d better send a text—emails are oft ignored.
• They disagree with their parents as to which was the “first” Star Wars episode.
• NFL coaches have always had the opportunity to throw a red flag and question the ref.
• They have no memory of Bob Dole promoting Viagra.
• A Bush and a Clinton have always been campaigning for something big.
• While chads were hanging in Florida, they were potty training in all 50 states. 
• Deceased men have always been able to procreate.
• They have never seen billboard ads for cigarettes.
• There have always been iMacs on desks.
• Michael J. Fox has always spoken publicly about having Parkinson's disease.

Please remember to pray for the 21 million U.S. college students that are starting classes over the next few weeks. They are part of a changing world...and they also have the opportunity to influence how the world changes.

Weekly Web Roundup (8/7/16)

Photo Credit: vince2012

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

Christians Have to Care About Injustice in the World by Rasool Berry

"If we want to truly follow Jesus, we must be committed to justice, because He is. When we look at the Bible holistically, we see the mandate is for every citizen in the kingdom of God to eradicate injustice The command is there, hidden in plain sight like a plot twist in a movie that our eyes missed because they were looking for something else."

For Many Latinos, Racial Identity Is More Culture Than Color by Mireya Navarro

"Yet race matters. How Latinos identify themselves — and how the census counts them — affects the political clout of Latinos and other minority groups. Some studies have found that African-Latinos tend to be significantly more supportive of government-sponsored health care and much less supportive of the death penalty than Latinos who identify as white, a rift that is also found in the broader white and black populations."

Rio 2016: The diverse women’s gymnastics team is great. But it will not “calm race relations.” by Jenée Desmond-Harris

"There’s a more straightforward, emotional reaction to the diverse team, too. In the words of the social media celebrations of the many fans who’ve shared images of the five leotard-clad young women, "Representation matters!" What they’re saying is that for black and Latino people — especially little girls — to be able to turn on the TV and see people who look like them in this rare-until-now context is a big deal. Many white Americans who are simply pleased to see a team that includes more reflections of the ethnic makeup of the country we live in are equally enthused."

Racial Trauma is Real: The Impact of Police Shootings on African Americans from Psychology Benefits Society

"In addition to the mental health symptoms of individuals who have encounters with law enforcement, those who witness these events directly or indirectly may also be impacted negatively. In an attempt to capture how racism and discrimination negatively impacts the physical and mental health of people of color, many scholars have coined the term “racial trauma” or race-based traumatic stress. Racial trauma may result from racial harassment, witnessing racial violence, or experiencing institutional racism (Bryant-Davis, & Ocampo, 2006; Comas-Díaz, 2016). The trauma may result in experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, feelings of humiliation, poor concentration, or irritability."

'Meet the Parents' Re-Cut as a Thriller

The popular comedy, Meet the Parents, was re-imagined as a thriller in the trailer seen here. Quite well done.

Weekly Web Roundup (8/1/16)

Photo Credit: Ian Sane

Here are some interesting stories from around the web during this past week:

A Call For Peace And Unity From America’s HBCU Community by Michael J. Sorrell

Here is a statement of heartfelt solidarity against the violence that our country is currently experiencing from the presidents of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

Genetic Testing and Tribal Identity: Why many Native Americans have concerns about DNA kits like 23andme by Rose Eveleth

"In the past decade, questions of how a person's genetic material gets used have become more and more common. Researchers and ethicists are still figuring how how to balance scientific goals with the need to respect individual and cultural privacy. And for Native Americans, the question of how to do that, like nearly everything, is bound up in a long history of racism and colonialism."

Reflections on Black Lives by Carl F. Ellis

Dr. Ellis is a respected black Christian leader who I was privileged to have for a seminary class a couple of years ago. In this article, he makes a distinction between the belief that "black lives matter" and the Black Lives Matter movement. It's worth the read for those that have wondered how to affirm the value of black lives while not endorsing everything the BLM movement stands for.

The Danger of Partisan Christianity by Jesse Carey

"Thanks to the hyper-polarizing, super-competitive onslaught of political messages, most Americans have been brainwashed to view every issue through two lenses: liberal or conservative. This is what the parties want. Our system encourages clear idealogical battle lines. After all, at the ballot box, we (for the most part and especially at the federal level) aren’t voting on individual issues; we’re voting on candidates who represent a party. 

Followers of Christ shouldn’t view issues through the lens of liberal or conservative. We should only see them through the lens of the Gospel. But this tactic can trick us into believing that everything we read, watch or hear about a social issue is part of a hidden political agenda, attempting to sway our entire ideology. The Church, however, should approach things differently: Followers of Christ shouldn’t view issues through the lens of liberal or conservative. We should only see them through the lens of the Gospel."

Take an ASL Tour of the West Wing with the Deaf Receptionist Who Works There (from Mental Floss)

West Wing Receptionist Leah Katz-Hernandez narrates a tour of the White's House's West Wing in American Sign Language. Watch the video here.

Five Tips For Cross-Cultural Missionaries Within the U.S.

With some of my favorite people in 2010

When I first entered into vocational Christian ministry over twenty years ago, I had no idea of the personal growth path to which I was embarking and had no thought of the various ways that God would work in and through me in the ensuing years.

One of the most significant ways that I have seen God work in my life is in responding to His call to work cross-culturally within my own country and, more specifically, within the African American community through my time on the staff of The Impact Movement.

Although I'm unsure of the exact percentages, I know that there are a fairly small number of missionaries serving within the U.S. that are serving in a primarily cross-cultural context. For staff members in national campus ministries like the one with which I serve, Cru, most spend the bulk of their time ministering to those that are from a similar ethnic background.

As the Lord has taken me on this journey of ministering cross-culturally within the United States, there are several lessons I've learned along the way. Here are five tips for those who are ministering cross-culturally:

1. Be Yourself

Some of the best advice I received when I first began ministering among African American students was simply to "be myself." What others meant when offering this nugget of wisdom was that I didn't need to try to be someone I wasn't in order to impress or prove myself to black students. What was most important was that I needed to love those I was seeking to connect with and carry myself with humility and grace. I didn't need to try to "fit in" by adopting a hip hop style of dress, clumsily incorporating black slang into my conversation or pretending I had knowledge of black culture that I didn't yet possess. If I was perceived as being phony, then my credibility would go out the window.

While being aware of cultural values is important (see point #2 below), we missionaries can succumb to treading on cultural stereotypes, particularly when we initially begin to interact with a new culture. If we're basing our cultural assumptions only on what we've been taught as children or based on what media portrays to us, we run the risk of seriously offending and distancing ourselves from the very people we want to reach. So be yourself and demonstrate humility when you make mistakes. But be comfortable in your own skin.

2. Be a Learner

Along with authenticity, it's also important to be a learner. When entering into another culture, we will likely have to adjust to a myriad of cultural differences from what we're familiar with based on our own experiences. Some of these differences may be categorized as behavioral preferences like preferences for food, music or language, but some of them may be more "below the surface" such as time orientation, views on family or whether a culture is more individualistic or group oriented.

When ministering cross-culturally, we need to have a learning posture when interacting with the host culture. Learning directly through relationship is paramount and we can also learn about a culture through the books we read, movies we watch, news sources we pay attention to, churches we attend and a host of other ways.

When ministering within a culture where a language besides your own primary language is the norm, taking steps to learn the language is critical. Never consider yourself to have "arrived" and always pursue new learning opportunities.

3. Love the People & Their Culture

Quite simply, our ministry will lack fruit if we don't have a genuine and sincere love for the people that God has called us to influence. Jesus said that all people will know that we are his disciples by our love for others (John 13:35) and this is certainly the case for cross-cultural missionaries. It isn't our biblical proficiency, adeptness in apologetics or our ministry skills that will ultimately leave a lasting impact on people. Although these things are important for the missionary, it is God's love for them, demonstrated by the Holy Spirit working through us, that will have the most powerful impact on others.

Not only is it enough to simply love individuals, I think we need to also have a love for their culture. When I take the time to learn about someone's culture or when I make the effort to respect and honor that culture, it helps me eventually come to a place of genuinely loving that culture. This, in turn, opens the door for relationship with the people of that culture. If our normal posture is one of constant critique of the host culture while ignoring the negative aspects of our own, people will begin to tune out our message.

One of the highest compliments I ever received came from an African American colleague who said, "I know that you love me but I also know that you love my people. Because of that, I'll go into battle with you." When we love people and their culture, a powerful dynamic is unleashed within God's kingdom.

4. Find Mentors Who Are "Safe"

For those that serve in cross-culture ministry within our home country, I've found that most of us "hit a wall" after about 18-30 months. The honeymoon wears off, many of our idealistic notions of changing the world have evaporated and we might feel very alone. My story is no different. I found that some that I had once considered close friends now didn't seem to "get" my realities because we no longer had shared experiences. When confiding about my struggles or challenges in being a white man ministering among African Americans, I often received blank expressions when I hoped to received empathy.

As a tool of self-preservation, I learned that I had to be much more selective with who I was vulnerable with about my struggles and questions in ministry. I sought out and eventually found those of my own culture who had a similar ministry focus, as well as African American mentors that love me and believe the best of me. Over time I've become much more comfortable in knowing there are certain places and people where I can share about my experiences and there are some places where I simply don't go there.

In order to stay in cross-cultural ministry for the long haul, you need to find "safe" people who will walk along on this journey with you. When I refer to "safe" people I don't mean those that won't rebuke or exhort you when needed, but I do mean those that you know are for you and your good. It is those friends that can speak truth balanced with grace because of their love for you that will enable you to continue to press on.

5. Stay Spiritually Grounded & Focus on Jesus

You will make mistakes. You will fail. Things will not always turn out as you planned. But our personal relationship with God and remaining in spiritual community with others will help you remain in the game over time. Not to sound overly spiritual, but our personal prayer lives, walking in the Spirit, our commitment to daily reading of the Scriptures, journaling, personal and corporate worship, fasting, fellowship with other believers and the practice of other spiritual disciplines have helped me stay engaged during the highs and lows of cross-cultural ministry.

Although there have been challenges along the way, I'm learning that as one that is fully and completely loved by God, my value and worth is not dependent upon my acceptance by others or the perceived fruitfulness of my ministry. My desire is to keep my eyes on Jesus who endured the cross because of the joy that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).

Conclusion

God has not called us to be successful in the eyes of others but to be faithful to what He's asked us to do. Although cross-cultural ministry is extremely rewarding, it is also very hard. If God has called you to step out of your cultural comfort zone and to enter into the world of another for His sake, He has given you a holy calling. You may see much tangible spiritual fruit or you might not see the difference your life has made until the other side of eternity, but I encourage you to stay faithful to what God has commissioned you to do. It's worth it.

I recall going through a particularly difficult season of ministry a number of years ago. Our outreach was not progressing the way I had hoped and I was experiencing strained relationships with some others in our ministry. It was one of the many times that I've considered throwing in the towel and doing something else. I turned to the Bible and God led me to this well-known passage from the Old Testament:

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8, NIV)

When I feel overwhelmed or not sure what my next steps are, God often directs back to this verse. I take comfort in knowing that I need to: 1) Walk humbly with God, 2) To extend mercy to myself and others, and 3) To do what is right. This is what God requires of me. This is what God requires of you. Press on.