When I went to Furman University, I lived in Freshmen dorms for the first three years. I did so primarily for ministry purposes. Being a sophomore and junior on a freshmen hall put me in a position to be able to build relationships and eventually share the gospel with young lads and lead bible studies.

But as I look back, I never really felt like a made a sacrifice. After all, at least for my sophomore year, the only alternative was the infamous ‘sophomore’ dorms. In the freshmen dorms, the doors are ALWAYS open. People are constantly coming in and out. They’re new. They don’t already have relationships and are always open and looking.

On the contrary, if you were to walk through the halls of ‘sophomore dorms,’ you’d find doors which were ALWAYS closed. Their relationships have already been formed. They don’t feel any need to keep their doors open to their neighbors.

Some neighborhoods are like freshmen dorms. While their doors are not literally open, their garages are, or they are out in the yards, etc…They are looking for relationships actively or are willing for new folks to come to them.

However most neighborhoods are like sophomore dorms. Garages go up, cars go in, garage doors go down, and people go inside.

So then should we not seek relationships within our sophomoric neighborhoods? No. Building community where there is little or none is a tiresome, prayerful effort. While difficult, it is not impossible. It takes small strides, big prayer, and a little faith. But a little goes a long way. Even when dealing with sophomores (which literally means ‘wise fool!’)

Our neighborhood cookout was really quite a success. In a small 21 house subdivision, we had participation from 9 different households! I couldn’t have been happier.

It all worked out well, and we had tons of food (and good food at that) and were able to actually meet some new people. One of them actually liked to fish, so I look forward to getting out on the kayaks with him some time soon.

There are actually a number of couples in their early 30’s with kids on our block now. We’ll be among that elite crowd eventually. I can’t wait.

All in all, I recommend any such endeavor. Even when our cookouts were not well attended (3-5 households) it was a great way to get to know our immediate neighbors. This was our 4th, and definitely won’t be our last. And by the way, we had fun. So that helps as well. If you prayed for us, thanks.

Last night I knocked on a few more doors, and eventually got one more couple to come on Saturday to our cookout. I really think that these neighborhood cookouts (or any neighborhood activity) really honors God.

If we are created for community, than doing anything which builds community, even if there is never the slightest mention of Jesus or church, is a good thing. It honors God as we try to put aside our solitary existences to a more communal and relational way of living. The picture we get of heaven is of great multitudes worshiping; there will be no solitary living. So doing anything which promotes community is really furthering God’s Kingdom on Earth (which is essentially bringing what’s already present in heaven now, down to earth).

With some there is great excitement. With others there is great inertia. Right now we’re at 7-8 households participating. But even if it were just the houses on my cul de sac coming, I still think it would be a good thing. Heaven is not a place on Earth as Belinda Carlysle sang in the 80’s. However, she wasn’t totally sans truth.

Heaven will one day be a place on Earth (Rev 20), and our participation in Christ’s mission brings a little bit of heaven down to Earth. As we live out our faith in the community we’ve been placed, God’s Kingdom/reign/will moves forward. And heaven becomes a little more visible on Earth.

Today I’m doing something that I’m really not comfortable with. I’m speaking briefly to a group of about 25 or so folks about taking steps to battle racial prejudice. Doing any sort of speaking outside the pulpit can be quite scary for a pastor.

After all, they’ve not come into my world (church); I’ve come into their world. Its kind of like when people get into the water with sharks. They always say, “We’re in their world now.” Of course those nestling within the confines of a cozy cage, have nothing to worry about (that’s why I refuse to watch the “Shark Week” episodes when they’re in cages-their not risking anything), but when they step out of the cage-that’s when they really risk their lives.

My partner (a fellow black pastor) was kind of my cage. He’s not going to make it now, so I’m cageless; I’ve got nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide-or something like that.

Back to the sharks. Despite the initial fear, and perhaps fear throughout their dives, they always seem to come up excited. Even overwhelmed at the opportunity they just had.

Yet I don’t think that only happens while free diving with Great White Sharks. I think it happens any time we truly step out in faith. Along with fear comes great excitement. But that fear often proves too great a hurdle, and we settle for a safe and boring spirituality. However, interestingly enough, neither words are used to describe the Christian life in the bible. I’ve looked.

I’m hosting a neighborhood cookout this Saturday. My neighborhood is a small one, with only about 21 houses in it. Getting people to commit to come has been fairly hard. Some sound interested, others actually disinterested.

As I drove out of my neighborhood yesterday afternoon I passed by several houses which I assumed would simply not come. And it made me very angry. I took that anger with me to work out, and it continued until one of my friends at the gym said he was coming to play Paintball this Saturday.

Then I began to realize that God was doing His work whether I realized it or not. By the time I got home, I had forgotten this, and was angry about all of the households which I assumed would not be coming. Amy reminded me that I had done all that I could in personally passing out flyers door to door, and praying. If its just several houses that come, then that’s who God wants to be here. Just one family at a time. Sometimes I want more though.
But I’m thankful for those near neighbors who are coming. And we’ll pour ourselves into the relationships God grants us and get to know them better.

One of the communities I’ve enjoyed being a part of is the paddle-fishing web forum. Sure there are inside jokes that I don’t get, and people can be picky about using certain types of lures (smelly one’s that don’t take much skill to use), and disdain the use of boats, but I was impressed by the bunch two Saturday’s ago for their semi-regular tournament series.

I generally stayed away from any type of web forums, because they are often used as a cyber-community in place of actual human community. But this community was not the case. Most were very friendly, and saw the fishing tournament like I did: a chance to meet some new people, and fellowship with old friends.

It was scary going into a new place and really not knowing many folks at all (I had previously fished with two different lads before), but meeting people was fairly easy. The first question after you meet someone is “What’s your screen name?” And then go from there.

Instead of people fishing alone (which was nearly impossible due to the fact there were like 60 kayaks in a small fishable area, and on an extremely low tide-even less water), many folks went off in pairs, some in groups of four-five. Some folks even asked to fish with me because I knew the area better. Of course one of them got the largest snook of the day, and 100 bucks for my guiding skills (I just said let’s head south and didn’t seem him for a while).

At the end of the tournament everyone went back to the “weigh-in” (just pictures of the fish) at a restaraunt to eat, drink, and of course BS. It just goes to show that people really do crave community. Perhaps even as much as fishing. One of the guys told me, “I’m never fishing alone again.” Even if some do fish alone, they immediately post the report with pictures on the forum. It just goes to show that we are created for community. And when people aren’t part of a church, they’ll just find a replacement.

The final part of the Rwandan trilogy. In case you’re not familiar with the movie, the main character Paul takes in many refugees to stay at the hotel he manages, thus Hotel Rwanda.
So the Hotel becomes like an Oasis in the desert of death and destruction. The question I have is what similarities/differences exist betwixt the Hotel and the Church? The question is not rhetorical, and please feel free to comment. But do please allow me to go first, seeing as it is my question.

Similarities:

• The Church is to be a place where needy people come to find refuge, shelter, protection. It is not for the well, but for the sick. People can only become a member of the Church by recognizing their need for a Savior.
• In the movie, some of the refugees actually served and helped out at the place. It was probably like the 10%/90% rule, where 10 % of the people do 90% percent of the work. Another point for similarity! Regardless, those who come out of great need to the Church, are then called to serve within it.
• Hotel Rwanda was a place concerned with issues of social justice. The Church today should be concerned and do all it can to seek justice for the oppressed.
• The Hotel Rwanda was constantly under attack from its enemies. Physically or spiritually, Satan is not a fan of the Church and will do what he can to stop, disrupt, cause dissension. Sometimes its small like someone stealing our roadside banners on Halloween. Sometimes its with more forceful entry.

Differences

• Hotel Rwanda was primarily a place to which people simply arrived. They were not invited; they simply came. In the OT we see a vision of people flocking to Zion (an idealized/’souped up’ Jerusalem), but that vision never really materialized for reasons I don’t have time to write about. But in the NT, we see very clearly that Jesus calls the church to GO forth. The Church has to be both defensive and offensive. We are sent forth.
• Some people did drop refugees off at Hotel Rwanda-but these ‘rescuers’ were not part of the Hotel itself. The Church consists of people who have been rescued. So it’s different in that we the rescued, now become involved in the rescue operation. Different mentality. A beggar showing another beggar where to find bread.
• The Hotel Rwanda was only a temporary refuge. All who lived there knew it could not last but so long. With the Church, Jesus promises that He will build it and the gates of Hell will not overtake it. Pretty cool, I think.

Just some final thoughts on the movie. Definitely see it if you haven’t.

Continuing the thoughts on Hotel Rwanda. This is the 2nd part in the trilogy, destined to become as famous or nearly as famous as Lord of the Rings. In the movie, the main character and hero Paul, regularly makes use of bribes. But these bribes actually turn out to help save both his family and those staying at the Hotel.

So the question was raised in our movie discussion about what God might have thought about these bribes to save the lives innocent folks. In other words, can we do things like lie in such desperate times of war and cataclysms? The unanimous answer was “Yes,” and people were quick to point out the scripture passages which included people lying to save God’s people such as Rahab and the Hebrew midwives. There are several other similar instances which need not be pointed out.

Probably none of us would have a problem lying to the Nazi’s in denying we knew of any Jews hiding in our guest rooms or lanais. We wouldn’t think twice about it, and we really shouldn’t. In times of Holy War and attempted genocide, we see that lying sometimes becomes the righteous decision. We are to uphold life before truth in certain times when God’s commands are pit against each other.

However, in the NT we don’t see ANY examples of righteous lying of which I’m aware. And even in the OT, we see righteous folk lying to save their own butts. And there is no sense of approval from the writers. Abraham passed his wife off as his sister to save his own tail. The purpose of his lie was primarily self preservation.

In the NT we see that we are supposed to speak truthfully to our neighbors (which may be enemies-Eph 4:25). Since I’m not involved in war (I would have NO problem lying to a Taliban man to save my fellow soldier’s lives) or in any genocidal activity, I don’t know that I’ve ever had the right to lie. I’m not sure that any of us have been in that situation.

Most lying is simply a case of self preservation. It wasn’t wise for Abraham, and it still isn’t wise for today except in VERY few circumstances. But I doubt that any of us have ever been in one. If you think you have, feel free to post a response. You can literally remain anonymous when you do so by clicking that box.

As any good morning show would do, today CBS had a Halloween related segment. A psychologist was analyzing why so many people are drawn to scary movies. After all, Saw IV was number one at the box office last week. How crazy is that?

He explained something that we probably already knew about fear and excitement. The adrenaline of fear invokes that fight-or-flight response in us, and gives some sort of high. So this kind of fear makes people actually feel good, in addition to being entertained. I don’t get it, because I hate scary movies, because well, they scare the Hellsinki-Finland out of me. They really do. But there’s no entertainment involved.

And of course many Christians see such horror movies as well, and on that I shall not comment. But I know for a fact that some of them go for the same reasons mentioned by the psychologist.
If fear truly is of entertainment value, then why not do something even more scary than going to a scary movie.

At this moment may I suggest something? How about sharing the gospel with someone? How scary is that? It still scares me today-what if I forget something, what if they think I’m weird, what will this do to the relationship? It is scary, but along with that fear comes some excitement. There is adrenaline rush, particularly when it is uncharted waters.

Or inviting those you already know to church? Or how about stepping outside your comfort zone and meeting new non-Christians? That is hard. It’s hard for me. Sometimes I hate it. Sometimes I wish I could just work out at the gym, and not talk to anybody. But as I extend myself, submitting myself to Christ’s Lordship, there is fear mixed with excitement.

And as I look back on each new relationship that starts (not knowing where the Lord will take it-I’m scared to even think about it sometimes), I’m always glad I took that step. Always. And it never costs me 8 dollars, or 2 dollars if I wait for the other theater.

Even if you share the gospel/meet new folks/invite friends to church to get a fear-high, you would still be getting encouragement from Paul. He wrote that even if Christ were preached out of envy or to cause problems to him in prison, he was glad that Christ was preached(Phil 1:15-18). I think he would probably look at this fear-high in the same light.

During our Christian Ed hour this past Sunday, we had a delightful discussion on a not so delightful (although extremely well done) movie on a not so delightful subject. The movie was Hotel Rwanda, and it told the story through the eyes of a dude named Paul.

Particularly appropriate in the movie were scenes which revealed his reluctance to help (which made him seem more genuine, not flawless). Now this was at the beginning of the movie, and his heart obviously changed very quickly when a bunch of Tutsi refugees showed up in his living room!

But one of the excuses given to not help his neighbors was, “They’re not family.” Clearly there is an obligation in scripture to honor your father and mother, be gentle with your children, and to provide for them (one who doesn’t is worse than an unbeliever and has denied the faith-according to I Tim 5:8). Ouch. So I would admit there is a special primacy to the immediate family. But there is NOT an exclusion to those outside, is there? That’s often what happens.

Is there any explicit command or obligation to help those outside your own nuclear/atomic/whatever you call it these days family? Since many Americans (especially Christians-because this seems less heinous than drugs or sex) hold their family, or their children as their number one idol, I think this is an extremely appropriate question. An issue which I shall some day have to deal with as well.

In Deuteronomy 16, Moses gave specific instructions for families to invite aliens (outside covenant), fatherless and widows (outside family) to the Feast of Weeks. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the neighbor whom we are supposed to love becomes everyone-even enemies. And Jesus described those who obey his commands as his brothers and sisters (Matt 12:47-50).
Do you realize how offensive this would have sounded to his conservative Family First Jewish audience? Seriously offensive.

While your immediate family certainly takes priority (and I understand many have given themselves to jobs, ministry, hobbies first), those within the family of God take a close second, Even those outside the covenant, take a close third. Like it or not, in Christ, “We are fa-mi-ly!”and that obligates us to love, help, serve, and paddle the extra mile for each other. Thanks for reminding us Sister Sledge.