Taking the Bad With the Good

I just returned from a great time at the biennial Campus Crusade for Christ U.S. staff conference. Our staff conference is always a great time and each year we have it I leave feeling refreshed and motivated for ministry. One of the main speakers this year was Keith Battle, pastor of Zion Church in Maryland and a popular figure at our Impact conferences for the past several years.

Pastor Battle offered a particularly timely message for me during one of the sessions. He preached on a well-known passage, from the 8th chapter of the book of Romans, but offered a perspective on it that ministered to me deeply. In case you're not familiar with the verses (Romans 8:28-39), here is what it says:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Verse 28 of this portion of Scripture is often quoted by others when we are facing a particularly difficult trial or tragedy in life. However, when confroted with suffering or tragedy or loss, we rarely desire to look for good in the midst of our grief. But Pastor Battle shared an interesting illustration to help me "get" this biblical truth.

Each of us know that in order for our car to run properly we need a battery that will give the car the power it needs to run correctly. We also know that the battery needs both "positive" and "negative" charges in order to work. If it only has positive charges or only has negative charges it won't work. But if it has both it will have the power it needs to run.

Our lives are really no different. I've found that although I appreciate the positive times in life, it is usually as a result of the hard times that I grow the most and learn more about God and my relationship with Him. When things are hard, as they are now, I'm usually at a greater place of brokenness and dependence on God. When everybody in my family is healthy, the bank account has a cushion and I'm not facing any major problems, I tend to "coast" and rely on myself.

The "negative" experiences in life are not easy and I don't enjoy going through them. But I also realize that these times shape me and develop my character. As I look over my walk with the Lord, I can remember specific seasons of life that were extremely difficult to go through then...but I'm grateful for how God used those instances to conform me to His image.

It doesn't mean that all things are good. Sin and death and suffering are not good in and of themselves. But God can work in these things for His glory and our good. It doesn't mean that things always work out the way we want or how we'd hoped they'd turn out. But if we have been called according to His purposes then we can take comfort in knowing that God is working for our good even when our circumstances seem to say otherwise.

Highlights From the Campus Crusade U.S. Staff Conference

I am currently in Fort Collins, Colorado on the campus of Colorado State University (CSU) at the 2009 U.S. Staff Conference for Campus Crusade for Christ. The conference, which is held every two years, is a refreshing time for nearly 5,000 staff from throughout the U.S. to come together for worship, prayer, equipping, training and solid Bible teaching.

Today is a day off for us with no scheduled sessions or seminars and I'm enjoying the opportunity to catch my breath (both literally and figuratively in this high altitude) before the last few days of the conference. Here are some highlights so far:

* The opportunity to get some quality, uninterrupted time with Lori since our parents graciously agreed to watch our children while we're out here.

* Witnessing the progress that Campus Crusade is making in effectively reaching out to ethnic minority communities within the U.S. The make-up of our new staff, the stories we hear from up-front and the seminars offered indicate a greater intentionality in this area. There's still a lot of work to do but the growth is encouraging.

* Hearing from Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, on the gospel. His understanding of the "good news" is a challenge to us all.

* Seeing that Mrs. Vonette Bright, co-founder of CCC and the wife of the late Bill Bright, still has a lot of spunk even after almost sixty years of ministry.

* Listening to Mark Charles, a Native American from the Navajo tribe, explain how culture affects our understanding of God and each other and the need for contextualized ministry.

* The chance to have dinner with Jim Lundgren, a Senior Vice President with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a partner ministry also seeking to reach the next generation of leaders for Jesus.

* Having lunch with Campus Crusade leaders from across the U.S. that lead partnerships throughout the continent of Africa.

* Helping to lead a session for CCC Campus Ministry staff hoping to become better equipped to reach the students of African descent on their campuses.

* Getting to interact with missionaries that have been in God's service for decades. For example, Lori and I were able to talk with Tom Fritz at breakfast this morning. Tom is a Vietnam Veteran who has been on our staff for close to four decades and was the founder of The Impact Movement. We talked about how to use modern technology in order to engage in evangelism more effectively.

* Chatting with David and Lourdes Merriman, friends of ours from our days in Ohio, who we challenged to join our staff. The Merrimans now lead CCC's Military Ministry in San Antonio and reach thousands of soldiers for Christ every month.

* Seeing six new Impact staff members join our ministry this summer.

Overall, our time at CSU always involves fun times with old friends, the chance to make new friends, be reminded of our calling in ministry and to learn about some of the things that God is doing throughout the world. You can learn more about Campus Crusade for Christ here.

Henry Louis Gates & Racial Profiling

An interesting story is developing in Massachusetts where respected Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., was arrested by the police in a case of what some are saying is a clear example of racial profiling. Although the facts of the case appear bleary depending upon whose version you read, the following seems to have occurred. Dr. Gates returned to his home near Harvard's campus after getting back from a trip to China. He had difficulty entering through the front door, but he and his cab driver were able to eventually get in.

After being in the house for a few minutes, he found a police officer in his doorway questioning him about a break-in at the residence and asking for some identification. (Apparently a neighbor had called 911 to report two black man trying to break into the house.) Gates eventually showed some ID but not before accusing the officer of exhibiting racist behavior. He then followed the officer out the front door, where he was subsequently placed under arrest. You can read the Boston's Globe's account of the incident here and Gates' version here.

A number of those in Harvard's African American community are pointing to this as an example of the presence of racial profiling in and around the Boston-area campus. I can't say for certain whether this was an example of racial profiling since I wasn't there and the facts seem a bit sketchy at this point.

But let's assume that it wasn't racial profiling and that the neighbor who called the police was genuinely looking out for a neighbor (that she apparently had never met) and that the police officer was just doing his job. Don't you find it odd that a 58 year old man in a polo shirt, sporting stylish rimless glasses and using a cane to get around would be considered to be breaking into a home? By using the front door? In the middle of the afternoon? In broad daylight? You know the old saying: If it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck...

Considering the facts of the situation, do we really think this would have happened if Gates were white? How many well-dressed, distinguished looking white men get accused for breaking into their home in the middle of the day? Some might argue that Gates' arrest was deserved for how he responded to the officer. But, again, I wonder how I would respond (or you would respond) if the same thing happened to me (or to you)?

Since I've never been the victim of racial profiling by the authorities I don't know what it feels like. But I have numerous friends of color that have been and it is a humiliating, demeaning experience when you're being accused of being a criminal simply because the color of your skin. I hope that the truth of this incident comes to light and that all law enforcement agencies re-visit their policies when it come to matters such as this.

Thanks to The Field Negro for the tip on the situation.