THE INVASION OF GOD by Chuck Colson

Tomorrow morning we head up to MN for Christmas and New Year's with family and friends...in many ways, I wonder if my kids and maybe even I will feel a huge drop in energy and excitement when Tuesday night rolls around after a month of waiting and looking forward to DEC 25...and yet I know and seek to help them discover that this day means everything, for both our future and what we will do even tomorrow as we follow the Incarnate Leader of our lives and seek to live out His presence in real ways as we bring the invasion of heaven to earth...enjoy this fantastic look at Christmas thru the words of Chuck Colson below...Merry Christmas to all of you!

Christmas controversies have become as seasonal as candy canes and eggnog. Last year's flap over Wal-Mart forbidding its employees to wish customers "Merry Christmas" reveals how absurd the battles have become.

Christian legal societies stay busy each holiday season, holding the line. But in focusing on the public battles, we may miss a less visible danger in our own ranks.

What image does the mention of Christmas typically conjure up? For most of us, it's a babe lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph, angels and assorted beasts, look on. It's a heartwarming picture—Jesus in swaddling clothes. But Christmas is about much more than a child's birth—even the Savior's birth. It is about the Incarnation: God himself, Creator of heaven and earth, the ultimate reality, becoming flesh.

This is a staggering thought. The Jews believed the Messiah would arrive as a king on a stallion with a flashing sword. But God, who delights in confounding worldly wisdom, dealt with Satan's cruel reign with a quiet invasion of planet Earth. Instead of sending a mighty army, he chose an unknown, teenage virgin.

Thirty years after his humble birth, Jesus increased the Jews' befuddlement when he told his followers, "The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news" (Mark 1:15).

Then he read from the book of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor … to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden. …" Then Jesus closed the book and announced: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21).

In effect, the carpenter's son had just announced that he was the king—an outrageous claim to the Jews, and so radical that people wanted to kill him that very day.

Sometimes I think Jesus' announcement of the liberation of the Jewish people and the coming of God's kingdom is as misunderstood today as it was by the Jews of his time. Christ was bringing in the reign of God on earth; first, through his own ministry, and then by establishing a peaceful occupying force—his church—which would carry on God's redeeming work until Christ's return in power and glory and the kingdom's final triumph.

As I've written in my forthcoming book, The Faith Given Once, for All, Jesus' announcement was the decisive moment in the whole of human history. Preoccupied with self and distracted by affluence, many Christians try to confine the gospel to a superior form of therapy; they fail to see it as a cosmic plan of redemption in which they, as fallen creatures, are directly involved.

But while the average Christian may not "get" this announcement, those locked behind bars certainly do.

Whenever I've preached to inmates over the last 32 years, I've read Jesus' inaugural sermon. When I quote his promise of freedom for the prisoners, the inmates often raise their arms and cheer. Jesus' message means freedom and victory for those who once had no hope. They aren't distracted by the encumbrance of wealth.

People in the developing world "get it," too. Whenever I share these words with poor, oppressed people in foreign lands, I see eyes brightening.

They understand that Jesus came to proclaim a new kingdom, which is one reason why Christianity is exploding in the Global South. People stripped of every material blessing and exploited by earthly powers long for Christ's bold new kingdom. He turns the world upside down.

It's no wonder that those opposed to Jesus' rule ordered him crucified. He was a threat to the established order and the champion of everyone who acknowledged their imprisonment to sin.

As I like to tell prisoners, Jesus was "busted," betrayed by a "snitch," and sent to death row, utterly rejected. He was strip-searched and then died on the cross between two thieves, so that we could be freed from the grip of Satan and death.

This Christmas, go ahead and decorate your tree and arrange the figures of your crèche. But do so in the light of this beautiful and earth-shaking truth: The birth of the baby in the manger was the thrilling signal that God had invaded planet Earth.

Christianity won't rise or fall on whether Wal-Mart employees can say "Merry Christmas." But its future does depend, in part, on how God's people advance God's kingdom, as we help establish his peaceful rule in the present historical moment, until Christ reigns in all his glory.

That we do this is my prayer for Christmas.

2007 Family Christmas Letter

HELLO FROM THE HUBERS AS 2007 DRAWS TO A CLOSE…

This summer we went on a family vacation to the magical place called Disney World. We had a wonderful time and honestly were filled with joy as we were together and enjoyed the fun found in the Disney experience. Those moments in late July are great memories for our family, and we celebrate as we draw toward Christmas the tremendous joy we continue to discover in family relationships, great friends, Kingdom ministry opportunities, and the reality that the Savior of all forever changed everything as He entered the world at Christmas so many years ago.

No one is more expressive about the joy of life than Trey. He is in his second year of preschool and has the best teachers he could ever hope for! He entered the formal sports team world this year, and the t-ball games and soccer matches were the highlights of every week. He loves playing with any kind of ball and is always looking to add a play date to his schedule. He brings so much life and excitement to our house and has a best friend in his big sister.

Olivia is now in third grade and loves reading all kinds of books, building the ultimate Webkinz room, and playing soccer. She is also busy filling our house with sounds from the piano. She has a great group of girl friends and continues to love helping to meet the needs of others, especially the children of Africa. A Zambia dance party for her eighth birthday was a highlight of her year! Her kindness brings incredible joy to our family every day.

Ingrid is the one who keeps a smile on all the Huber faces. Her continued management of our home and the love she gives each of us makes us happy to be home with one another. She continues with some part time nursing work and loves to help out at Olivia’s school. She spends a lot of time driving around the area with kids in our van and is often part of Chip’s ministry ventures at Wheaton Academy. No one is appreciated or loved more in the Huber family!

Chip still loves the joy of being part of the high school world where everyday he sees students growing in their faith and taking risks to change the world! This year brought the loss of a couple close friends and colleagues at Wheaton Academy, and a major change in that he stepped down as the boys’ varsity soccer coach. He continues to speak about and lead student movements in response to the global AIDS pandemic in Africa, and his summer trip with WA faculty, graduates, and current students back to Zambia was filled with moments of intense hope, overwhelming grief and a remarkable connection with the people of Kakolo Village.

As we celebrate Christmas this year, we cling tightly to the joy that
our Lord has brought to earth and to our individual lives...Jesus’
arrival was and continues to be the “news of great joy” promised
in Luke 2:10...we pray that 2008 will be full of the peace and joy of
Jesus for you and your family...

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE HUBERS!

Chip, Ingrid, Olivia, Trey

Is Social Justice Serving Christ?

This article from Relevant Magazine by Remoy Philip wrestles with the question I am asked almost daily as we respond to the desperate physical needs of people in our world and seek to alleviate the injustices that exist in so many places...and yet we are Christ followers who are different and whose service is not done with the same motivation and vision...may we passionately seek for people's needs to be met and for them to expereince the redemptive, transformational love and presence of Jesus as they meet Him in the service His church gives in Jesus' name...

I am in sheer amazement at what I have seen in the last few years and what has been consistently growing throughout our present day. It seems now more than ever, we as humans see and feel—what we could call a sense of awareness—what all of us as humans have an unalienable right for. Food, shelter, healthcare and education have been expended all throughout the world to stabilize the areas lacking the aforementioned needs of this world. This can be seen throughout Gap ads, Time magazine cover stories, and we even see sports stars lending their sizable hands in the act of “doing more” for humanity’s sake. What seems to be more encouraging, is seeing the Evangelicals, the Emergent ones, and all the rest who call themselves Christians, leading in this fight for humanity. I am boastful and proud of the modern day Church, yet I am still left wondering or at least feeling that something is askew. Something in modern day Christendom may be facing the way of the Lord but there is still the question, are we living in the way of the Lord?

Our current day is no different than centuries past when it comes to the battles that define our religious-based spirituality. Nowadays I find myself somewhat wavering or unsure when faced with certain questions about my Christianity—moreover our Christianity. What is Truth? Science vs. God; who will win? Homosexuality vs. what seems like an antiquated view of sexuality. Is the Word adaptable, and more so, malleable to fit our current times? All these questions are warred over by theologians, scholars, televangelists and lowly wise day-to-dayers.

I do not think it would be a bold statement to say that a majority of our generation who were born into a supposed modern Christian home was witness to the polarization of the term “Christian.” We were witness to the word “Christian” becoming somewhat of a prefix to other words such as movies, music, television, books and so forth. After recovering from this iconic movement in spiritual trends, a lot of our generation may feel torn and moreover manipulated by what was done with our spirituality. Throughout this modern technological telecommunication age a sardonic voice can be heard from our age group that stirs to discredit this polarization. With all this said, I worry that we, as a generation and social demographic, are on the verge of repeating our mistakes. Not in the sense that we find a modern day birth of a TBN generation with the selling and promoting of WWJD slap-on bracelets, but more so with the focus on social justice.

I am not going take back my words when I said I was proud of what our leg of Christianity has done with social justice, but I am worried that we may be again creating a skewed social dogma for Christianity. I tread softly through this claim hoping not to create a backlash against the “do-gooders” because I truthfully wish I had more do-good in me. But I ask, tactfully, where do we draw the line for the markings of social justice in our servitude of Christ?

Our motivation has to be grace and redemption (Love plays a major role, but that is not for me to define or extrapolate at this time). If we don’t follow suit in this idea of humble grace, we enter into the cyclical motion of fixing the flaws of our father’s generation. We just replace one morality code with another morality code. What keeps the playing field level for all of us is sin. Sin has the ability to prick the conscience in a way which one is no better than the prince of evil himself. We are all aware of this conspiracy of sin. The time when you don’t know what motivation could have ever driven you to hurt someone you cared for, but you did; the idea that popped into your head you know should never leave your mouth; the action that just seemed to happen with no thought process behind it—we are all prone to these evils. Yet all of us, through a trust and belief in Christ have the will, motivation and humility to live with one another making up for one’s sins and excusing our faults. That, I feel, should be the only social barometer for where the walking, breathing and thinking who surrender themselves to Christ should carry their moral standard of doing.

Romans three appropriates Paul’s letter to the scandalous argument of Law vs. Works. But what shouldn’t be missed is the heart of what Paul is saying. He seems to be the most avid fan of grace. He boasts of the new life we as humans from all walks of this world can share in being the living representation of Christ. To the ambiguous existential left and to the altruistic religious right, nothing can be proven unless we as a social group come together by extending grace for one another’s faults and shortcomings. The world will not see how Christ has saved the world by how many people we feed or save from AIDS; Clooney and Pitt have done a solid job at that and Eggers and Bono have written a strong motivational appeal for that. However, when we, as the ones who choose to be the living representation of the invisible God, choose to forgive one another and extend grace for one another, then the world will ask: “What is it, deep inside of you, that makes you so different?” Then they will see His glory.

Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels

I read these words on the plane to Africa this summer and I'm bothered and thrilled that they ring so close and so true in my life...let's get in the game and choose to be an unstoppable force for good...that's motivating stuff for a guy whose loved sports all his life...

Whether you've been walking around on this planet for eight years or eight decades, I urge you to reflect on the one thing in the world that wrecks you when you see it, when you hear it, and when you get close to it. Because your one thing is the exact thing that will create enough tension and angst, carve out enough capacity for activism, and stir up enough of an internal firestorm that you'll have no choice but to suit up and get in the game.

If you're alive as you're reading this—and I presume that you are—then God has a few good works for you to wrap your life around. Opt out, friends, and miss the most important opportunity of your earthly existence to be an unstoppable force for good in this world.

Letter from RAE

This is a letter written by one of my former students who is now at the University of Iowa after our trip to Zambia this past summer...it is a remarkably eloquent piece that is profoundly personal and compelling, and communicates the need, the love, the hope found on the other side of the world when we strech out our hands and become brothers and sisters in the way I believe God designed it to work...be blessed as you read...

I can’t even begin to scratch the surface of my experiences in Zambia. Nothing I say will ever compare to the reality of what is happening half way across our world. But what I hope and pray is that what I do say will make you think, and stir something within you that will make you want to respond.

So here I am, sitting at Starbucks with a cup of coffee to my right, sitting beside my black cell phone. On my left, my iPod, and in front of me, my bracelet, Velvet Elvis (a book), and my purse.
Just think about that for a moment.
I have about 450 dollars worth of things on this small, wooden table, and my brothers and sisters in Africa are living on one dollar a day. These six things could feed families and clothe them for I don’t even know how long.
I don’t need any of this… but I have it.
They don’t deserve to live in poverty… but they do.
I’m not happy or full in any sort of way right now; not with this cup of coffee, not with my purse or my bracelet… honestly, I feel empty.
They have dirt and dust surrounding them day and night, not electronics and hot drinks that cost 5 dollars…
Yet they’re full.
They’re filled with joy and peace because they have our God on their side. They have faith in Him and only Him, and hope for a better tomorrow.
These people are far from empty.
Though their stomachs are empty, their eyes are filled with hope and joy and their hearts are filled with love and faith.
Never will I forget that hope and joy in their eyes… never.

But even so, there is still so much need in Africa. Their lives have been devastated by poverty and AIDS and their only hope is in God… and in us to respond.

I don’t want their stomachs to be empty; I don’t want them to ache with hunger. I don’t their clothes to be torn and tattered. I don’t want them drinking unclean water that is filled with disease.

I want every inch of these children and their parents to be healthy. I want their hair to be thick. I want their feet to be clean. I want their smiles to be brighter than the sun, brighter than they already are. I want them to know what eating too much feels like. I want them to feel soft, clean cotton on their delicate skin. I want them to go home to a house with clean water and a way to bathe themselves, with a meal awaiting their arrival…

I don’t want to change their lifestyle by any means…
But I do want to change their lives.

And I’ve started. No. WE’VE started to change their lives. Our response to this pandemic is making a difference. The school house we’ve built in Kakolo now teaches almost 650 children, and the maternity ward in the Zamtan clinic is now ready to use free of cost. Wells have been made giving clean water to more people than we can count and a brand new church is going to be built on the very ground we stood on during the service we attended our first week in the village.

Because of the hope that we have given the people in Kakolo Village, surrounding villages have been given that same hope as well. The hope of a better life. And their hope gives us confidence that we ARE able to change the world, that we ARE able to fight this battle against poverty and AIDS.

Because of your support, I was able to experience all of this first hand. I was able to see their big brown eyes and their smiles. I was able to hold their hands and let them know they are loved more than words can express. I was able to gather stories that will be forever ingrained in my mind. I was able to realize that in all reality, we might possibly need them more than they need us. We need them so that we can be humbled, so we can appreciate the life that we are so blessed with, so we can learn that quality of life doesn’t come from material possessions – it comes from within and from what you care most about. They care about family and community, about caring for each other unconditionally. They show absolutely no selfishness. They’re joyous for the beautiful gift of life itself and know that their sole purpose on this earth is to rejoice and serve our Almighty God.

And I was also able to come back with a greater understanding of what life is truly like in Africa. My passion has grown immensely for these struggling people. I want to do everything in my power to pick them up out of this impoverished state and give them the full life they deserve.
(John 10:10…I’ve come that they might have life, and have it to the FULL.)

Chip, our leader and creator of the Zambia Project, said that we should come back to the states with an “unresolvable tension” tugging on our hearts about what is going on halfway across the world. I feel it already. And let me tell you, it’s a great feeling.

My mind will never be settled on what I witnessed in Zambia. Our visit is the highlight of their year. Think about that. A visit from 28 white Americans is the HIGHLIGHT of their YEAR. The tension is stronger than ever when that thought comes to mind.

One thing I do want to leave you with is this picture… The children swarmed our bus when we arrived in the village, jumping and singing and smiling just waiting to be with us. And as we began our drive home everyday, they would chase after the bus for as long as they could, running at full speed just waving and sending us off. It was heartwarming and breathtaking, but it broke my heart at the same time. These children are real, AIDS is real, poverty is real, the suffering is real. But the hope and joy is real too.

My heart is now in Africa.
And I thank you for helping me get it there.

Poverty of Conscience by Scott Budzar

Here is a poem I read on a great website called Wrecked for the Ordinary...I absolutely resonate with Martin Luther King's assessment of mine, of our, poverty that looks quite different in my world...

A saint once said without any wonder,
“The bread you don’t use
is the bread of those who hunger.”
So shall I sit around (remote control in hand)
and temporize my ability or inability to respond to all those hungry eyes?

Or can I be so brave
as to weep over my own neglect
Of all the meals I threw away
and the spare change that I kept.

We have categories:
Vegetarian or Vegan,
Carnivores and Free-Gans
With bumper stickers to criticize
each others decisions.
Stop with your stance and can you listen?
While this day 6,500 will die from malnutrition.

Tomorrow morning a fatherless son,
a mother and her HIV infected daughter
Will walk 10 miles for a few gallons
of fecal laden water.
A trip that will provide hardly enough
to temporarily quench a thirst.
Without a choice they knowingly drink a death
but all the while they give thanks to God for life first.

Pipelines of this liquid life
run all throughout my home.
Is it something I can give or share
or just claim it as my own.
I mean... Does my lawn really need water to be a little greener for all my neighbors to see?
Or dare I be convinced that 150 people die every hour that I decide to think more about me?

There is not one black family or face
on the street where I reside.
But in the most impoverished section of my city the white face is harder to find.
I cannot settle for the “that’s just how it is” response
Because we Christians should know that’s not what God wants.

How much can minimum wage feed a single mom with two?
The wealthiest nation in the world says 50 bucks a month will do.
Can you give to the needy
instead of excelling at the art of excuse?
Or is it just easier to get upset when someone on welfare eats better than you?

They say managing poverty is big business.
So is the Church gonna get “Mega” or oppose this?
All this reaching inward is a kick in the teeth to folks already knocked down;
While pastors take lessons from marketing strategies instead of the Sermon on the Mount.

Today’s topics:
Racism, fair trade, war and peace.
Such cool words to print on a t-shirt
and then sell to you and me.
Please tell me that when the Church is asked to respond to those in need
That we won’t form some holy huddle and chant, "WWJD."

Does all my ranting qualify me
as just a liberal “social Gospel” fanatic?
Or if I’m a republican then, oh yeah -
I must be a war-loving addict.
And since when did Christianity all of a sudden become just about the issues of homosexuality and abortion.
When hookers, thieves, and notorious sinners knew Yahweh as their Portion.

I wonder of these things
with a frustration and confusion
that will not go away.
It is because I cannot escape
or blanket my heart
from the things Jesus had to say.

Have we, oh Church, blessed God with monuments or have we paved another mile for hell to come.
In the words of MLK -
a "poverty of conscience"
is what we suffer from.