I’ve been doing a lot of restoration work in sin contexts with leaders, marriages, and all sorts of situations. As I’ve tried to think of it biblically, I’m trying to put it in steps:

1. Confession: talk about what happened, taking full responsibility for what I have done. Others will need to help in getting that straight. When the problem involves deception, getting confirmation from other people or a polygraph may be essential. The confession cannot involve manipulative phrases like “I’m sorry” or “Please forgive me.” That comes later, but at this stage, the others are under heavy pressure to say “It’s OK.”

2. Repentance: this is change of values, not just behavior. Think of Jimmy Swaggart weeping away in front of the world and then going right back to his trash.

3. Redemption: come out of the bad place. That place might be emotional, social, spiritual or physical. It may involve counselors or physicians or pastors to help with the movement.

4. Restitution: this may be monetary, confession/apology to others, clearing the name of someone who has been slandared, etc.

5. Reconciliation: clearing up the relational damage done by the sin. Normal relationships with trust and openness cannot happen until this occurs.

6. Restoration: this will be through several levels with any kind of leadership occuring only after the trust has been restored. 1 Timothy 5:19-22 is a great passage. Don’t be too quick to entertain either accusation or restoration.

One must NEVER do step 6 before going through the other steps. So often the sinner is really only interested in what minimal steps need to be taken to get back into the place of leadership (see Saul in 1 Samuel 15). There is no basic change. Work through the steps deliberately and carefully.

I’m interested in any suggestions on this process.

It took a total of 75 minutes for the crew to empty our Mt. Tabor home of 24 years of living. It took less than an hour to carry everything into the proper rooms in our new home at 1345 NE Halsey, 97230. Fittingly it took more time to stand and talk while we ate some lunch after the carrying was finished. Merrie and Sherry worked the rest of the day with Sherry to get things in cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms while I re-constructed our bedroom organizer bed, resizing it for the queen size sleep number mattress coming next week as a gift from Sherry’s Mom. I do miss Peter who could fix anything, inspiring laughter as he worked.

How does one get used a new home? The sounds and smells are so different. Hardwood floors are beautiful, and they speak welcome to me as I walk across them. It feels so far from the bedroom to the family room. Sherry’s sleeping in the huge master bedroom and feels far away from the family room where I’m temporarily computering. At this point we have the whole living room with nothing to go into it.

The family room will be a happy hang out place. The “wilderness view” through the big windows and patio door into the landscaped back yard is delightful. The number of leaves that have already fallen prognosticates much toil ahead. Doubly so, since I’ll be doing the Mt. Tabor house, at least until it gets rented.

It was really helpful that the Comcast cable guy was here as promised. He soon had us connected. TV and internet coming on made me smile. It felt especially connecting when the router displayed the blue light. It signaled our T-Mobile home phone had come up. The flashing red  and I discovered we had a voice mail. The joy faded as I listened to an angry man telling me we can get back at them if I will just . . .  Not sure what the just was because I but some emotion into deleting him and his style of politics.

There are always the lost items: where did my coffee go? I know I had my thermos yesterday, but it apparently has found a new home during the night. There really used to be a remote for the TV in the guest bedroom.

There are the new discoveries: I know we have lots of flowers, but do we really need our very own hive of bees in the tree closest to our wonderful covered deck? My shower felt so good after a very long day of lifting, bending, and shoving. Why did it have to be cut very short by a shrieking smoke alarm in the hall? Hearing the busses a half block away on Halsey only if I listen carefully is a delight after listening to them grind by some fifteen feet from our bedroom. There were a gaggle of 1:00 am sirened police cars on Halsey but I wouldn’t have heard them had I not been making a bathroom trip.

Going back to our nearly empty home was really hard for me. So many powerful memories still live there in the strangely open rooms. The marks on the carpet speak of what was and will be no more. I went slowly up the stairs that often brought happy footsteps signaling the coming of grandgirls and friends. I stood numbed at the door of the “blue bedroom” which started as my study, became bedroom for Donn, Cyndee, and David. Since they went on to their own homes, I’ve prepared it for so many friends, but no more. The little boy sang praise with the little girl in the front bedroom that became a place for children to play and pray. The remains on the floor in so familiar rooms only speak to me of the “no moreness.”

It will be better when we entertain our first guests in the new home. Betcha it’s grandgirls!

Terry Roberts, one of my In Ministry students, who is also a pastor in Spokane, sent me this picture. It’s typical of his great sense of humor, but still thought provoking. He knows tragedy with the seemingly senseless death of his wife a couple of years ago. I heard John Piper illustrate his sermon on Romans 8:32 (He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him give us all things?) by telling of a troubled young mother. As she drove down a Minneapolis freeway she tried to solve her problems by throwing her baby out the window of the speeding automobile. According to Piper, this horrific act is one of the “all things” given as a grace from the Lord. One way to summarize it is that God uses what He hates to accomplish what He loves. Yesterday I was talking with Josh White, a local church planter (Door of Hope). While he was touring with his band, he heard Piper preach at Bethlehem Church. Piper was presenting his view that God does not allow evil but ordains it. This includes moral evil rapes and child abuse. He wondered at the deadness in people’s faces as they nodded assent.

My own “ship” theory is that God is in overall control, but there is a genuine freedom of the creature both in good and bad things. So things happen that are not the will of God, but nothing happens outside the control of God. God is loving enough and powerful enough to do good in the worst situation. While not everything is from God’s purposed will, nothing is beyond His purpose to do good. Mystery: how can God control the big picture and not the details? What good is God going to do in this evil?

A key biblical point is that God is super angry at moral evil. See Deuteronomy 29:24ff or Isaiah 1 for example. There are times when He uses evil to judge evil as in raising the Babylonians to destroy sinful Jerusalem (Habakkuk 1), or in the crucifixion of Jesus, but mostly sin is against His will (though not out of His control) resulting in His wrath.

Another point is the meaning of the word “sovereign.” Many simply assume this term means that God controls everything that happens so that no act occurs without God having a specific purpose for it. Many who take this view think God allows evil rather than actively ordaining it as Piper asserts. But they agree that God is in control of all that happens.

But the Bible never actually says it this way, I think. Rather sovereign means that God does not give account to anyone (Psa. 33:11). No one can stop Him when He decides to act. He does whatever pleases Him (Psa. 115:3), but not everything that happens pleases Him.

One outcome of this is that evil is against the will of God, but not out of His control. When I want to press my point, I assert that there are genuine accidents such as the combination of genes that results in Down syndrome.

This can be very troubling. One student had been pretty comfortable believing that God controlled everything so life would be good based on Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. But as he realized that the very people who received this promise suffered horribly in Babylonian captivity, it rocked his confidence that life would be good. When he added in my view that there are events that are against or apart from God’s will, he was visibly distressed. “How can I trust,” he wondered.

I affirmed God’s powerful promise that we need fear no evil because He will be with us in the valley of the shadow of death. He will prepare a table of goodness but it may be in the presence of enemies (Psa. 23:4-5).

I am feeling really connected with the disaster of Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan. It killed hundreds and caused billions of dollars of damages in very poor areas of the island, areas near where Sherry and I have been. People prayed for relief (video here). Do they pray to the God who “smote” them? This is what the New American Standard translation of Romans 8:28 says: we know that God causes all things to work together for good.

Or do they pray to the God who is with them doing good even in disaster He did not will? This is what the NIV translation of Romans 8:28 says: we know that in all things God works for the good.

It is one of those foundational questions that we all answer thoughtfully or reactively. Our answers are only partial because the mystery of evil can never be anything but irrational. The greater mystery of the LORD remains. But He tells us He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, faithful, loving, forgiving and just in that the guilty never go unpunished (Exodus 34:6-7).

I’m standing there.

What is the big picture of Romans 9? I think it’s that God is persistent to bless His people even when they sin. The more common Calvinistic answer is something like God sovereignly shapes anyone He wants any way He wants anytime He wants.

Before we start, we have to remember that Paul expects us to understand the Old Testament stories he appeals to. That’s the context of his argument. So let’s look.

The passage follows chapter 8 with its question, “Who can separate us from the love of God?” The answer, “Nothing” encounters the question, “but what about Israel? They are God’s chosen people and now they have failed.”

Paul’s answer is that God has not failed them.

First, not all of ethnic Israel is spiritual Israel (v. 6). It’s always been true that there’s been a faithful remnant within the larger nation. This concludes with verse 8: “This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” Note that Paul is only talking about Jews here. There’s no mention of Gentiles in this passage, despite many who try to generalize it.

Second are questions like, “How did we get to be God’s children? What did we do to earn His favor? What claim do we have on Him?”Verse 11 makes it clear: it had nothing to do with what was done. If it had, things would have been uniformly bad. When you look at the two sons, Jacob and Esau, you see two reprobates: Esau is the despiser. He’ll sell the very birthright of God for a bowl of vegetarian chili. Jacob is the deceiver. Never turn your back on this man. He’ll put a knife in it. If I were God, I’d do the thunderbolt thing and start over.

But God chose the younger to serve the older (verse 12). He did it apart from any merit, any deserving, of any kind. Which is good, since neither had any merit. Then Jacob’s salvation along with that of his descendants will be totally a testimony to the free grace.

What did we do to become God’s children? What did Jacob do to deserve God’s mercy, to be God’s child? Sinful stuff! At most, he depended on God’s promise, accepted His mercy.

There are a couple of lessons here. First, we can never claim anything from God since salvation totally a gift. We didn’t buy anything and can’t claim a refund if things go bad. Being a part of God’s spiritual family does not come by physical birth at all. Second, there’s no one so messed up that God can’t use them, can’t redeem them, if He chooses. If He can use the self-centered Jacob, he can use anyone.

Then we get to a problem passage: verse 13: Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Why did God hate Easu before He was born? That’s a horrible God who would hate someone without any deserving.

But notice where this quotation comes from: Not Genesis, before Esau was born, but Malachi, 1500 years later.

God says, “I have loved you.” But Israel says, “Your love is weird. You just beat the snot out of us in Babylon. Tell us, ‘How have you loved us?'” Maybe if you are going to love us like this, we’d be better off if you would stop loving us!

God’s response is “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated.” Note that He is not talking about the brothers in Genesis, but the nations that came from them. He decided to love Jacob (renamed Israel later) and still loves him/them. He hates the nation Edom, coming from Esau, because Edom has decided to kill Israel, God’s own children, and God isn’t going to let them do that. He destroyed them, something Malachi goes on to describe.

God goes on loving Israel despite their sin. He protects His children from their enemies not matter who the enemies are.

So we ask, “Why did God hate Esau before he was born??” and get the answer, “He didn’t.” That would be reading the passage as if it had come from Genesis rather than Malachi. The LORD hated Edom because they were set to destroy Israel. He hates Esau/Edom because they are evil and richly deserve His hatred.

Paul then answers the rhetorical question, “Is God unjust?” by quoting from Exodus 33:18 : He will have mercy and compassion on whom He chooses, no matter who sinful they may be. He is not unjust to punish Edom. They richly deserved it. He is not unjust to love Israel despite their sin. He will show mercy to whom He chooses even when they don’t deserve it. There is no place where the LORD takes away a benefit anyone deserves. He never defrauds anyone, never rips off their stuff, never ignores their rights.

The lesson is that no one can (or needs to) earn God’s mercy. It’s His character to give it.

Then the story turns to the other side. What of the hardened folk? What of Pharaoh? God raised him up in order to display God’s glory, something Pharaoh wanted no part of.

In Exodus 4:21 the LORD tells Moses He will harden Pharaoh’s heart. And indeed He does. At chapter 10 it says, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.”

But the question people don’t think to ask is, “How does He harden Pharaoh’s heart?” The story gives us the answer.

In chapter 5, the LORD, through Moses and Aaron, rather than dropping a rock on this murderous slave master’s head, graciously calls Pharaoh to righteousness (let my people go into the desert to hold a worship festival, not leave slavery and return to Israel). Pharaoh refuses. He cannot acknowledge any rights from the God of the Israelites, of any deity other than his.

In chapter 7, the LORD again calls Pharaoh to righteousness, backing up the call with the staff to snake miracle. Pharaoh’s magicians duplicate the miracle but Moses’ snake eats their snakes. Pharaoh again refuses to respond to the LORD’s gracious call.

God reflects on Pharaoh’s refusal in 7:14, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go.” Note that He doesn’t say, “I have hardened his heart” as He does later in chapter 10. The process of hardening is proceeding.

The hardening is done as the LORD comes to Pharaoh, the powerful sinner, and calls him to righteousness, backing the call with miracles so powerful that even th
e Egyptian magicians convert at risk of their very lives before a unforgiving Pharaoh (8:19). But Pharaoh persists in refusing the LORD’s gracious urging to acknowledge His power.

On four occasions, Pharaoh tells Moses that the people can go(8:15, 32; 10:8; 24). In the first two occasions, when he gets relief from the plague, he relents and hardens his own heart. In the occasions in chapter 10, Pharaoh still tries to retain a measure of control, not allowing everyone to go. Finally, after the firstborn are killed, Pharaoh gives up and commands them to go worship the LORD. But even then, Pharaoh again changes his mind and pursues the people only to be destroyed in the Red Sea.

The LORD certainly does harden Pharaoh’s heart. He does it be gracing him repeatedly. He graciously calls Pharaoh to righteousness supporting the call with unmatchable miracles. But Pharaoh refused. The more he is provoked by the LORD’s call to righteousness, the more he practices refusal, the harder his heart gets.

Verse 19, “For who can resist his will?” is usually taken to mean everything that happens, including sin and the atrocities that characterize life in this broken world, is ultimately God’s will. So they answer Paul’s question with “No one.”Everything that happens is God’s will for no one can resist Him.

In fact the answer to Paul’s rhetorical question has more layers than that. The first answer is to who resists God’s will is, “hardhearted idiots like Pharaoh.” No wise person would ever resist the will of the gracious compassionate LORD. His will is the best thing we could ever do. The second layer is, “but not even the most powerful people can get away with resisting God, for in the end, God’s justice will reign.” Even Pharaoh gets killed in the end, but only after he resists God’s gracious call to righteousness time after time.

Then we go to the potter story. The point of the potter is that God will not give up in His desire to bless His people, even when they go off into sin.

Romans 9:20 appeals to Isaiah 29:16 and 45:9-11. In both cases Isaiah’s point is, “Who are you to question the loving wisdom of the LORD? Who are you to say you know what is good for you better than the gracious God who made you and the whole earth?” Israel, whom the LORD showered blessing on, has persisted in idolatry and injustice despite the LORD’s gracious pleas to them for centuries. Now He is punishing the hardened, blatant sinners who are acting like Pharaoh rather than like Moses, just as they did in the desert. And once again, when the LORD’s patience finally runs out, they complain about His “injustice”!

This is anything but the common understanding that the LORD makes people do everything that they do under the theology of meticulous providence.

Look at Isaiah 29:15-19 The first word is to sinful Israel: “Ah, you who hide deep from the LORD your counsel, whose deeds are in the dark, and who say, ‘Who sees us? Who knows us?'” This is the idiot child who thinks God does not see what he’s up to, does not really know what’s happening, is the ill-informed god of post-conservative theology.

Isaiah asks these idiot children, who dare think the LORD is a lot like them, “Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? In other words, Isaiah is asking, “Did you really think the gracious, righteous LORD of the universe is like you? Do you think you can get away some sort of meticulous providence driven answer that what you are doing is the will of God??”

Far from the LORD being the one who designed the characters and actions these persistent sinners, He is the gracious LORD who will not give up on them.

Even in the context of their hardened, blatant sin, His message is, “Is it not yet a very little while until Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be regarded as a forest? In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. (29:17-19).

What is the message of the potter story? In Isaiah 64:6-12 it is that despite all the sin which has brought the terrible punishment, the LORD is still the Maker of Israel, and we can hope for His mercy in due time. The message certainly is not that He’s the one who willed us to be sinful for His ultimate glory, as meticulous providence tries to argue.

The point is even more clear in Jeremiah 18. Again in the context of terrible punishment because of persistent sin, the LORD tells Jeremiah to go to the potter’s house to learn of the Potter. Jeremiah observes the potter at work: “And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand.” Like Israel in the Potter’s hand, the pot project is going bad. What will the LORD do? Throw out the clay? Be satisfied with a spoiled pot? Not at all.

The potter shows the heart of the Potter: “he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.”

So the LORD speaks to Jeremiah “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” What does the Potter do? He smashes down the ruined pot that has been spoiled despite His shaping work. He sends sinful Israel to Babylon. But He’s not done. He carefully, lovingly reshapes the pot into something beautiful.

The following four verses make it clear that we are not lifeless clay, shaped by the potter to be what He wants, no matter what we do. Verse 7-8 point out that if the LORD announces destruction on sinful people and they repent of their sin, He will relent and not destroy them. On the other hand, verses 9-10 point out the opposite: if the LORD announces blessing on a nation, and they resist Him and persist in sin, He will relent the blessing He intended for them.

So the message of the potter is not that everything is the result of the will of the LORD, not that we are lifeless clay shaped by an arbitrary potter. Rather the message is that the LORD will continue to do His gracious shaping work even when our resistance spoils His work.

The LORD makes ruined things beautiful again.

Verse 22 describes God’s attitude toward objects of wrath as “enduing with much patience.” It does not say He rejected them out of the sovereignty of His will. Neither does it say that He prepared them for destruction, though many read it this way.

Verse 23 is the contrast: He has prepared others for mercy, not bec
ause they have earned His favor, but because He is the merciful one.

BOTTOM LINE:

Those who are condemned, hated, rejected get there solely because they have rejected God. Anyone who puts the priority of rejection with the LORD has desperately misread the Bible. So no one can charge the LORD with injustice. Whoever is under His punishment is there because of human sin. Anyone who joins Israel is whining when they feel the sting of His rod of discipline shows only their own skewed sense of justice.

When we look at the OT stories, we see that the LORD extends grace and mercy to sinners simply because He is like that, not because we have done something to render Him gracious. It’s the pagans who argue that we must do some religious duty to render the gods merciful.

The lesson of Romans 9 is that even when God’s people are under His punishment because of their sin, it does not mean He has ceased to be merciful. The restoration of Israel shows His covenant loyalty and give us comfort with life sucks. God is persistent to bless His people even when they sin.

Ben Cross, pastor at First Baptist Eugene, heard me teaching at the CB Northwest Conference. When he heard my approach to such matters as who does baptism, he immediately asked me to preach it at First B! Like all churches, they are dealing with people upset about such matters as alcohol, baptism, women in leadership.

So I started with the definition of grace which is “I help.” Then I went to the three dimensions of grace:

First you have grace as unconditional acceptance in places like Rom. 3-6; Gal. 2-3; 5:1, 13; Eph. 2:1-10. I illustrated from Rom 11:5-6.

Then you have empowerment for growth and service I had them read 2 Cor. 12: 9 where Paul gets grace to deal with his thorn in the flesh, but it’s not unconditional acceptance. It’s also in passages like Acts 4:33; 6:5, 8; 2 Cor. 9:8, 14; 12:9; Eph. 4:7; 2 Tim. 2:1.

Finally, I went to Ephesians 1:3-6. God is interested that we be holy and blameless. His grace gives us power for cleansing from sin.

The down side comes when one or more of these dimensions is denied. If one drops cleansing, then Christians end up thinking of grace as license. The American sentence is “Gimme a little grace!” which isn’t grace at all!

If we put cleansing back in but drop empowerment for service, then it’s what I call airplane Christianity: “sit back, relax, let us serve you.” Christians often see themselves on a cruise ship rather than on a mission ship like Operation Mobilization’s Logos. We expect God to be our servant and get really upset when He doesn’t take care of our every need. Perhaps He should be sued for dereliction of duty!

Finally, if we drop acceptance, then empowerment and the need for cleansing leads to legalism. You gotta do more to gain or keep acceptance. Pray more, witness more, love more, serve more or you are put aside in the kingdom.

God’s grace is to help us live in the freedom of our acceptance and also help us mature and enjoy our status as children of God. It also helps us live in community. So what do you do to obey?

What the Bible teaches or prescribes or commands, we obey. Grace based Christians help each other do that. My example is when my leadership become competitiveness. The Bible commands me to be gentle. I need help to deal with that.

Second, what the Bible describes I want to follow as closely as possible. So it describes how to select leaders in Acts 6 and how to deal with disputes in Acts 15. I think we should follow these examples. But most don’t.

Finally, where the Bible is silent, freedom is encouraged to be Spirit led, wise and grace filled in different churches, different cultures and such. God did not forget to tell us what we should do when we gather for a Sunday service. He realized that freedom is a good thing. But be wise and Spirit led.

What of baptism? It’s commanded that believers be baptized as an expression of their faith. It’s described as happening immediately at conversion. Neither the Ethiopian eunuch nor Cornelius waited to get the basics of discipleship down before they were baptized. Why do so many Bible churches do that? But no where does the Bible tell us who does the baptism. The only hint is that Philip baptizes the Ethiopian. So we are free to do it wisely. It may be the pastor, but doesn’t have to be.

What of alcohol? Don’t get drunk. But when does a buzz become drunk? 0.8% is the legal limit and it makes sense to me. The Bible gives examples of parties with alcohol in Jesus’ wine at the wedding in Cana and in Ruth with Boaz at his barley party.  So why do so many today not only practice abstinence, but demand that everyone follow their conscience?

Romans 14 says we need to honor the weaker person. But these people aren’t weak Christians. In fact they’d be offended if we called them weak! They are the judgmental ones, it seems to me. So if we indulge them, we actually are acting in unloving and ungracious ways!

I got this question from a friend with a three year old. They ask some of the most challenging questions!

Hi Gerry,
I wonder if anyone has ever asked you this… She wants to know if we poop in heaven? She was on the potty last night and we were having multiple toddler conversations including how everyone poops and talking about our dog in heaven. She combined the two thoughts and came up with, “mommy? do you poop in heaven?” I said i didnt know and we would find out when we got there. I told her to ask one of our pastors (kind of more for fun ) she told me to ask you
just a light thought for your Wednesday afternoon!
thanks for any response you might have for a 3 year old!

And here’s the answer:

The immediate place after death is in heaven with Jesus and that’s probably a bodiless existence so no pooping (or eating). But I am with Randy Alcorn and many others that we will live in an Edenic existence on the New Earth. It talks about the marriage supper of the Lamb. That may be metaphorical but I think it will be exquisite. So tell her she’ll get to eat the most wonderful food with Jesus and He will be duly impressed with her timely pooping! Perhaps she and I should talk about it Sunday!

Good theology is important stuff!

On Saturday I’ll go to be Brad and Barb Little’s going away party. They’ve been at Burlingame Baptist for a long time. Now they head off to Minnesota for a whole new ministry assignment. Long time friends moving on. We’ll see another long time friend, Lisa Hotovec. She’s been the worship leader at the church for years, doing pastoral ministry. We’ve done most of our contact by email, doing “Hi on” and such. So a face to face meeting will be refreshing.

Sherry and I are looking at the possibility of getting another house so she doesn’t have to go up and down stairs. Her knees are making it hard for her. And her Mom can’t come visit since her knees are far worse. If we do, we’ll keep this home. It’s so good and so full of memories. So we see our first place near Adventist Hospital on Saturday morning.

I’ve spent nearly a week here with Elizabeth (yes, Donn and Susan too!). We saw Donn graduate with his master’s in organizational development. There’s been a lot of family time. Ann and Jack came up from Dallas. Donn and I went to see my cousin, Steven & Betty, and uncle, Truman and Bernice.

Of course the big draw was Elizabeth. She was a little slow coming to me, but when Susan gave her a package of string cheese to carry to me so I could open it for her, I was immediately a friend. Soon I was grandpa and the fun began.

I am totally proud of Donn. Not only did he do very well in his program, but he is also a super husband and father. I so enjoyed seeing him caring for Elizabeth, jumping to help Susan, hosting a great party with good friends, talking about issues, laughing, living. He and I had great talks about all kinds of things. It was the longest time we’ve spent together in many years. When the end came, we embraced, exchanged “love you,” and then embraced again.

The graduation was in a huge church building, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. I’ll admit that I don’t think of UMC churches as large, multi-campus churches. I was really pleased to see their mission statement displayed prominently in the large lobby: To build a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. The I saw their vision statement: “Changing lives, transforming the community and renewing the mainline church.” When I went to their web site (here), I was surprised to see a sermon series on the seven deadly sins.  The sermon was intellectual, but very much to the point. Their beliefs statement tries to place them on the theological spectrum:

• United Methodists hold to the historic doctrines of the Christian faith. We are evangelical, but moderates rather than fundamentalists. We value the intellect and modern science, while at the same time looking to the Bible as the authoritative guide for faith and practice. Methodists have a passionate faith with strong convictions, but we also recognize that the world is not always black and white. We are willing to ask questions, to wrestle with difficult issues, and to do so with grace and compassion. 
• Methodists have been known for our emphasis on a personal faith, lived out in concrete ways in the world. We have historically valued well-informed and passionate preaching, worship that was lively, and small groups where people could grow in faith.
• Methodists have open hearts, and open minds–and welcome anyone interested in learning more about the Christian faith.

I had to repent of my stereotyping!

Now I have to get back to Doctrine: Timeless Truths for Truthless Times. But I may want to look at more pictures. Or perhaps you want to do it for me? They are here.

The International School of Wuxi is a for profit international school employing Christian teachers who use Bible for illustrations and have a humanities class each day where the children learn about “The Book.” The rooms look a little like US Sunday School classrooms. It’s all open and above board. The students are from the international business community, most from non-Christian homes, who chose this school because of caring teachers, excellent education and reasonable fees. The outcome is that all students interact with Christianity though no one is pressured to convert. The government doesn’t really care since it is not Chinese students.

A key reason for their growing enrollment is that the cafeteria food is outstanding as we found out when they served us lunch. Rick explained his abstaining: he and Andrea were doing a three day fast to seek the LORD’s face as they decided the next step in their relationship. How interesting that here we were staying with Rick at this pivotal moment.

After Rick finished teaching, we went to his house to unpack before we walked to supper at a local eatery. I delighted in hearing the old men playing their traditional Chinese instruments in the park as we strolled along the canal. Rick was impressed that I was able to pick up an Erhu while I was in Taiwan and play it easily.

The church in Wuxi is an English language fellowship which is part of the registered or Three Self Church. It’s the same as Thanksgiving English Fellowship, whose retreat I spoke at. That means it’s totally legal. Some have great concerns about the government’s involvement in the churches. One odd thing is that one can only use the building during meeting times. Even the pastor can’t go to the building unless it’s a scheduled service. On the other hand, there are supposed to be no religious activities outside the church building. The oversight does add a level of bureaucracy to things, but it certainly doesn’t lessen their zeal for evangelism and ministry.

The choir crowded into an apartment for their practice. It was a very international group, all in English and done with great fervor. The neighbors got to hear some good gospel singing.

The couple who drove us to the practice only recently came to Christ, she about 18 months ago, he about 10 days ago. Possessing an automobile shows that they quite well to do. Since Rick and Andrea are fasting to make decisions about possible marriage, the conversation turned to what a man must have to be qualified to marry: Job, refrigerator, bed, of course. But at their level having one million RMB (about $150,000) in the bank and paying the woman’s parents one hundred thousand RMB (about $15,000) up front. That doesn’t count the cost of the wedding which can run tens of thousands of dollars for the elegant costumes and an elaborate sit down dinner for many people.

Friday, May 8, 2009

We slept on a relatively soft bed, the only time on our whole trip. That combined with air-conditioning gave us really good rest.

We got up early to join Rick and Andrea as they broke their fast together with Rick preparing breakfast for Andrea. We talked deeply about decision making and issues around marriage. I surprised Andrea by asking her what strengths she brought to their relationship. She typically thought long and deeply before she answered. It was super to be a part of the process as this godly couple searched carefully for spiritual wisdom.

The fourth and fifth grade classes combined to do a drama for the rest of the elementary school. The Pharisees had messed up the people’s dancing. Jesus (Rick) came along to show them how to dance again. It was really fun to see them enjoy doing the play. Then they sat down and Rick connected the dots to the real work of Jesus.

While the students went out to recess, I took time to pray with Rick and Andrea. After lunch, Julia escorted us to the train station. I thought she would just drop us off and take the taxi back to the school. How culturally ignorant I can still be!! She not only came to sit with us, but purchased a pass to help us get down to the train. She even talked to the attendant to ask her to watch us so we would not miss our stop. An American part of me felt a bit mommed. I really can do it myself. But the wiser part of me appreciated her helpful spirit and concern for us.

Sherry’s knees don’t do well with all the stairs and the need to rush to get to the train. At least when we got to Suzhou we could take our time. It was really good to see Sophia’s smile when we got to the exit. She and Chet, her fellow professor, were able to change our ticket back to Shanghai while we waited in the shade on the nearly 100 degree afternoon.

We went to St. John’s Church to meet the lead preaching pastor. He’s only a year out of seminary, but brings a well trained intellect plus a deep passion for reaching people for Jesus. His own conversion story was deeply moving. He was a committed member of the communist party but experiencing a lack. He didn’t know it was a spiritual hunger. He just knew he was looking for something. In the night he had a vision where a glowing man appeared. The man said in Chinese, “I am what you are looking for. My name is gospel” with “gospel” in English. He didn’t know the word at all, but quickly looked it up in a dictionary. It didn’t take him long to connect with Jesus.

We walked down the canal to the old main street of Suzhou. It was quite the place. After walking for a half mile or so, looking at all sorts of sights, we needed to get a taxi to get to Sophia’s super best Suzhou style restaurant. But no taxis on the street. Sophia and Chet kept trying to shoo the pedicab fellow who was quite persistent about wanting our business. I intervened and soon we were in two pedicabs. Our fellow was soon wiping his brow as he pedaled us the half mile in
the afternoon heat.

After a marvelous supper, we went to the other church for the English language Bible study. The fellow teaching was a great guy, but was not able to get down to the beginner level of the students. He kept deferring to the professor (me!) but I resisted the temptation to take over!

Saturday, May 9, 2009
I let Sherry slept in since we’d had to get up early and gone late the previous two days. Then we went to Sophia’s apartment for breakfast and catching up. We hadn’t seen each other in a dozen years when she moved from Portland. Lots of stories of what God is doing through Sophia and Ernesto in China and in Peru, Ernesto’s home country. As we talked, we discovered that her daughter and son in law and their three children are members of Grace! I know them casually, but not as Sophia’s daughter. Small world indeed.

The afternoon was quite warm as we went to change some RMB for dollars. That can be done only in a few places without losing lots to money change fees. Then we went to the high class part of town to indulge Sherry’s desire to shop for silk. The stroll down the walking street was better for sipping some fresh coconut milk directly from the husk.

The silk shop had LOTS of beautiful silk items. I guess that’s shouldn’t be too surprising. The attendant lady was very glad to see two Americans doing socialized shopping, the best way to enjoy. Soon there was a pile of wonders. We started adding up to find the total about 1050 RMB and we had only 900 RMB in cash. No credit cards in China. Sophia said, “Not to worry” and began talking about a “quantity discount.” The lady just tapped the total. “Prices are posted,” she insisted. They took the pile to the manager. He had the same response. Sophia shrugged her shoulders, picked up the cash and headed out the door with me dragging our suitcase behind me. “Just a moment,” the manager called. Soon we were walking out with the precious pile less our 900 RMB.

As the taxi took us to the train station, we passed a huge pagoda in the central part of the city. I asked about the religious activity of the Buddhist and traditional Chinese religions that had been ruthlessly repressed in the Cultural Revolution. Pretty secular Sophia said, agreeing with others I’d asked. But there’s a lot of life under the surface. There are lots of monks at the Pagoda. One high tech guy was on a trip with some scientists. They visited a large temple in one of the cities. The highly educated scientists were soon bowing and burning incense.

We went into the train station with no idea which of the several directions would get us to our train. So I went to a police officer, showed him my ticket and asked directions in careful English. I know men aren’t supposed to do that, but I do. He queried me in careful Chinese. I said I didn’t speak Chinese, shaking my head sadly. He proceeded to give me directions in careful Chinese. Fortunately he pointed too so I could follow. Then I saw the sign with our train number.

The train was delayed 25 minutes so we rested and watched the crowd of people before making the quick rush when they finally opened the gate. Up more stairs. I saw the sign that said car 3 was down the stairs to the left. Sherry saw the sign that said track three was to the right. I was surprised that I was pretty crisp with her. Despite heat and stress, there’s no good reason for that.

As we got off in Shanghai station Jason called to give me a number to call so John, our dinner host, could tell the taxi driver how to get to their house. It took a while to get through the long line. As we neared the end of the long line, I suggested that Sherry talk with John while I put bags in the trunk. That’s when she let me see she was near tears from all the exertion of the day. I held her for much of the 40 minute journey. Dinner was in one of the ex-pat villas. I was glad to see the inside of the very nice place.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

On our last day in Shanghai we decided we needed a breakfast “burrito” from the street vendor. When I came to the stand, they recognized me and were very careful to get the preferred ingredients. They tried to converse, asking something. I caught SMIC, the big company that owns the living quarters. But there was no language in common to explain that I didn’t work there. So I stuck my arms out, doing an airplane charade. Who knows what they understood, but there was lots of laughter.

The church service started at 8:30. I was a little surprised that the place was less than half full. We sang some songs and then Jason introduced me. I was surprised to see every seat filled and people going back down the stairs because there was no room. That’s common in all the churches in China, I understand. Getting permission for new buildings or extra services in existing buildings is very difficult. But people keep coming to Christ.

I simply don’t know how to say good bye to people. I’m a long term relationship guy. Leaving means never seeing most of the folk again. Fortunately there is Facebook and I have some new FB friends.

I picked Matthew’s brain as he took us to the airport. He’s highly enough connected that he was with the celebrities in the Bird’s Nest at the Olympics, so I wanted to hear his perspective. He told me that on the whole China’s leaders are neither hostile nor positive toward Christianity, but they are hostile to secrecy. That makes for a difficult tension, but one where pursuing friendships works better than going underground, he thinks. The leaders are looking for things that stabilize the country and typically Christianity does that with its emphasis on family and submission. Things were different 25 years ago, of course, when repression was brutal. But China is changing. A significant number of high leaders are quietly Christian. They don’t want to be embarrassed. In fact he’s more positive on the future of China than on the future of America.

He also helped me understand that with 1.3 billion people competing for a place in society, things can be heartless. People aren’t publicly polite as Americans usually are. They won’t respond to a smile on the street. With so many people, you are invisible without a connection, but connections come easy. So something as simple as buying a breakfast burrito gives me a positive connection with the couple, something they’d like to deepen. We could be friends for life.

We bought some Shanghai dumplings in the airport as we waited to take our familiar seats on the 747. As we waited, I heard a fellow coughing a lot in a throat clearing way. I assumed he w
as Chinese. But he turned out to be American. My prejudice, sadly, is still alive! And he sat just ahead of me so I get to know him well. In his restlessness, he often put his hands behind his head, grabbing onto the back of the seat and into my space. Amazing how I resented him taking part of my precious inches.

Much of the flight was given to paper grading, which is a little awkward on the airplane tray table, with the coughing man’s seat leaned back. But I persevered and was able to finish as we approached San Francisco.

I took time out to watch “Marley and Me” with Sherry. I loved the story of their family. But they were quite successful in getting me to hate Marley, so there were no tears in my eyes when he died. Or perhaps I am the cat lover?

Getting home was great. Sleeping in our own bed again is the way it should be. But it’s only for two days. Then we are off to Kansas City for Donn’s graduation.

I got an email sharing the very good news that Rick and Andrea engaged. They’ll be married in Portland in July.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Jason and I took the subway downtown to meet the pastors from the other international churches. We had some time to look around so we walked the length of Nanjing Road, one of the tourist attractions of the city. Many fancy places to shop, mostly designed to separate foreigners from much of their money! Jason and I ended up in a little shop in the People’s Square, eating a little egg custard pie from a vendor and talking about ministry.

Someone suggested the La Meridian hotel, which is supposedly the #1 hotel in Shanhai. As soon as we walked into the building, I knew this was a different level of place. We sat down in the lobby and soon Nate, one of the pastors and Suzanne and Jeff, two of the associates, greeted us. We went up to the eighth floor to the “inexpensive” Chinese restaurant. Jeff order excellent food for us and we were soon deep into wide ranging discussion. We ended up with Bibles open working through the definition of the church from Acts 2. It felt little like a seminary class! When we were finishing they commented how much they appreciated the stimulation. They don’t get a lot of that in full time ministry.

Jason and I went to the urban planning museum to see the plans for the Shanghai Expo 2010 and the soon to be world’s tallest building that is being built along side the current world’s tallest building and former world’s tallest building and a world’s tallest structure (Pearl TV tower) . All this in areas that were mostly farms twenty years ago.

Krista fixed a Korean supper for us at their apartment building. Jason says she can only eat out about so much before she has to cook. Sherry and I enjoyed the new foods a lot. Paul and Andrea joined us. On one side, Paul was telling Jason and me of his conversion to Christ, asking a lot of questions about his experience. On the other, Andrea was telling Sherry and Krista of her experience as an international model and her conversion to Christ. I split my head trying to hear her story while interacting intensely with Paul/

Andrea came to our apartment with Angelia soon joining us. We talked in depth of her conversion, how the LORD had used a demon possessed friend of hers to bring her to realization of her need for a true regenerating experience with Jesus. Jesus met her, deeply transforming her. Our interactions were intense and went late. That meant a short night because of our early departure for our trip to Wuxi.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Getting to the Shanghai train station is a bit a challenge since it’s way on the other side of town. Subway would mean transferring lines down town. A long walk pulling our suitcase with many chances to get lost wasn’t good.  It wouldn’t be good for Sherry’s knees either. Taxi is good, but how do you explain where we need to go with no Chinese? There were possibilities, but the problem was solved with Angelia calling her taxi driver friend. She was there to pick us up at our door at 7 am and drove us through Shanghai traffic expertly.

As we came out of the underground parking, we saw a huge reader board on the front of the building. After a moment our train was displayed. After a long walk, we found waiting room 7, 8. But which room should we go to? I went to the information kiosk, showed my ticket to the fellow. He said several sentences of Chinese and pointed to the right. As we waited, Sherry took out her cross stitch. I was surprised how many people came to look at us and what she was doing.

The call for the train came in Chinese and English and we joined the crowd going up and down the stairs to the platform to board the train. Stairs are Sherry’s nemesis especially when she’s rushed, so the journey wasn’t a happy one. I didn’t know where car seven was and didn’t want to explore any more than necessary. So I showed my ticket to a fellow behind me. He pointed the opposite way than we were headed. Glad I’m not one of the “I never ask for directions” guys.

First class cars on a fast train meant really nice. Lots more room than an airplane. Foot rests, slide out tables, a bottle of water, a movie on the display panel. A lady came through selling “Caffe” but I couldn’t get my wits around me quickly enough to figure out how to communicate with her, so I missed it. We relaxed, watching the scenery whiz by. The display gave the train speed, going up to 209 kilometers per hour which is cooking right along!

Another long walk with many stairs to get into the station in Wuxi. As we got to the entrance gate, Julia, Rick’s teaching assistant, was holding her our greeting sign high and smiling big. She surprised me by greeting us with a hug. Not normal for Chinese folk no matter how well they know you. She was buoyant and fun as she took us to a taxi and on to International School of Wuxi. As we pulled up in front of the surprisingly large building, Rick was there greeting us.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Monday was our down day . . . well not really. I had the day dedicated to working on Doctrine. Writing on the book is not a happy thought at all. But it has to be. So I applied seat of pants to chair and wrote.

When Sherry got up, we talked for a while and then walked up to get some breakfast burritos from the street cart. They were patient with my non-Chinese as I pointed to onions and hot sauce shaking my head and saying, “No.” The “No” didn’t work but head shaking and smiling did. Soon mine was done and I ordered Sherry’s. “Yes” to onions, “No” to cilantro and hot sauce. But the lady half of the team threw the cilantro on anyway, the husband’s words coming too late. I signaled it was OK. But he wasn’t happy. He yelled at her pretty strongly. She didn’t react visibly. I wondered what she was feeling. We enjoyed the burritos as we strolled back to the apartment.

Writing came to a blessed break when Jason called for lunch. We went to the laundry service to drop off our dirty clothes. We’d been warned that the lady had no English at all. But she was friendly and we began sign language negotiations. Four loads, she signaled. I took out 40 RMB. She picked up detergent and asked something. As we tried to guess what, Jason walked in and released us from the adventure. As I suspected, she was asking if her detergent was OK. Turns out many people bring their own detergent. They talked about timing. She was busy and the clothes would not be ready until tomorrow. That was when I was really glad Jason was there. I have no idea how we could have made that connection.

We went over to where Krista works in the community center to meet her. The taxi dropped us at Johnny Mo’s Diner! Yes, it was a 1950’s style diner with hamburgers, french fries, bottomless drinks, and rock and roll piped in directly from San Francisco! Things like this make it clear we are in the ex-pat part of town.

After lunch, I went back to Doctrine. Sherry and Jason went to get their hair washed and their head massaged in the process. After that, Sherry stayed for a foot massage. Thirty minutes of expert work on each foot. Sherry was blissed! She even violated a strong cultural rule and tried to tip the lady. It was refused. Still surprises us both.

After working on Doctrine all day, I was glad when Jason came to take us to meet with the TEF leaders at Dan and Crystal’s home. Their buildings were very nice and their hospitality even better. We talked about many things before he suggested that I plug my computer into his flat screen TV. We were off for another teaching time, this one from Vintage Church. We worked through the gospel from Acts 2 and then the definition of church from the same passage. Again, lots of questions as they saw the implication for what they were doing at TEF.

As we finished, John asked if I’d like to come speak at their SMIC elementary school English teachers’ Bible study. It sounded like fun, so I agreed. But in the night I woke up with my head working on what would be best to talk about. Weird head.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

John met me and toured the school. It was fun to see the children happy and excited about school. They were preparing to go outside, not for recess, but for exercise. In typical Chinese way, they all got in straight lines and did unison exercises. I can’t imagine American kids doing that!

The teachers gathered in their work room. All were Americans except one from Russia and one from Zambia. Very friendly group. I told them that since they are teachers, I needed to give them a quiz. There was laughter. I asked about it. Turns out that if you make a mistake on a quiz, you have to pay! I gave them a multiple choice quiz on  the first thing YHWH ways about Himself. Only one got it right, the fellow from Russia! We had a fun time studying.

Sherry and I had our adventure today: The first time out by ourselves. We headed for the front gate to get a taxi. I showed him the piece of paper with the subway station written in Chinese. He nodded as we got in and off we went. We’d been warned: the ride was about 14 RMB. Don’t let them take you for a ride! We’d been there once before and I have some general directions in my head. No problem. Direct route, fair fare.

But then we had to find the “House of Flour” to meet Nate. They said the food court is right there and the House of Flour is right next to KFC. The taxi dropped us off at the back side of the complex so we went in by the restrooms. I was pretty sure we were in the right place, but seeing the guy doing his business without bothering to shut the door had me wondering. But in a moment we were in the very large food court and in another moment, we saw the “House of Flour” and Nate. I asked him what it was. A bakery maybe? “Think Death by Chocolate,” he laughed.

We boarded the subway and headed for downtown Pudong, the same stop we’d done our other day down there. We bought a milk tea, but with coconut in it rather than the normal tapioca pearls and waited for Nate’s wife of three days, mother, brother and one of his wife’s teachers, a woman from Switzerland.

After introductions, we hopped back on the subway and headed to People’s Square. That’s pretty much a tourist thing, so we went north into old Shanghai. Nate knew this wonderful hole in the wall dumpling place. It’s places like this that made Shanghai famous before the government decided to make it a financial and technical center of China.

We jammed into a table, the grizzled owner gruffly shouting his directions for us. Soon we had Faunta and the dumplings began to arrive. They make them all right there in the restaurant, using ingredients purchased in the night market. They serve until they run out: don’t be late! They come in a bamboo steamer by the dozen. We had nine baskets for the seven of us. I took one, eager to see how they were. As I bit on it, the juice insid
e spurted out, burning my lips and splattering my shirt. Welcome to the joys of authentic dumplings!

Well satisfied, we set off to see Yuyuan gardens, an ancient garden dating back 1559. It’s hard to describe the place: lots of strangely distorted stones, huge koi in the large ponds with very Chinese bridges to take you to pavilions with intricately carved furniture that has to be super uncomfortable inside, surrounded by trees and plants enclosed in walls topped by long dragons. In the background the super towers of Pudong faded into insignificance. 

We went into a place with paintings by famous artists. The pressure to purchase didn’t let up! I kept saying, “very nice,” and kept walking. A lady was doing one of the painted on the inside bottles. I was really curious how it was done so I stopped to watch. More sales pressure: I’ll put your names inside one,” she smiled. I was ready to do it when Sherry was captivated by a prism type bottle. So suddenly I was in a buy mode. We did some bargaining, with Nate’s help, but I’m sure we paid a lot more than we should have. The painter fellow got more hopeful, but we kept walking.

Sitting on the veranda of one of the pavilions in the shade was a wonderful way to get into stories. I asked Nate’s perspective on things in the electronic engineering world of China. He said the US guys were still the leaders by a long way when it came to innovative thinking. It was mere manufacturing and lower level tech stuff that went to China, leaving the US guys free to do the leading edge stuff. I was intrigued that he specifically denied Tom Friedman’s “Flat World” theory.

Jason had suggested that we might do dinner together if we got home in time. So tried to call. His phone was powered off. I tried several times, went to their house and buzzed. No luck. So Sherry and I went to a local restaurant that we knew had pictures and English translation on the menu. We were quite successful at picking a couple of good dishes from things like sautéed eel and turkey tongues in sauce and earth worms (really!!). We couldn’t figure out how to order rice so I got some fried rice pictured in the menu instead. It worked great.

As we headed home, the young woman behind the bread cart wanted to sell us a delicacy. I thought that would be a good thing, so I stopped. It turned out she had some English, just enough to make communication almost possible. We got to laughing as she kept apologizing and pretty much repeating anything I said. I picked something and we made the deal happily.