Prosperity Gospel? (part one: Scripture)

Okay everybody, get ready for a slew of theological posts. I haven't written anything too academic lately, but I've always been passionate about seeking to better understand our God. My professor Dr. Kent Eilers says that theology is simply faith seeking performative understanding. In other words: it has real effect on the way we live daily life. This case study analysis is an example of something I have been dealing with not only in South East Asia, but my own cultural context as well. I want to clarify that this is only one instance and does not depict our full (and many wonderful) church experiences overseas.

So without further adieu, click read more and get the full story.

Wind, Rain, and the Nomadic Life

3 months, 17 beds, 12 flights and counting.

Colin and I are sitting at the Brunei international airport Coffee Bean waiting for our connecting flight back to Manila. The shop is packed with Kiwis (New Zealanders), Australians, and various other white people. It’s like we’ve all subconsciously congregated to be under the comfort of the trendy lights and drink our expensive lattés.

I suppose that’s unfair.

I’m drinking a frozen Mocha…and really, everything is expensive at the airport.

I digress.

It’s at moments like this, when we are in the in between, that I feel most like a wanderer. I imagine it being like the calm in the eye of a storm where the wind ferociously rotates around a tranquil center. If I could feel the wind, I would simply be dealing with my environment instinctually. But right now, I am in expectation. I have experienced the rain and this moment of “peace” is anything but… because I know what is coming. Or, to be more correct, I imagine what is coming.

Click "read more" for further explanation.

The joy of dying

As Colin mentioned in his last post, one of the main ways God has been speaking to us overseas has been through repetition. I don’t have super emotional feelings or “deep revelations,” but in the past week or so, I could not count how many times I have heard “rejoice in the lord always.” Seriously, it’s been like 10 times.

Paired with that has been a realization that as much as I don’t want to, I judge others for having more than I do while at the same time coveting their possessions and harboring jealousy. This has been very painful. I do not want to do these things. I want to stop wanting. I am afraid of what might become of me when I am once again surrounded by consumer culture. Will I become a Pharisee or a Fashionista?

These two thoughts war within me. How can I rejoice while I know how superficial I am? How can I not rejoice when God in his mercy is changing me?

I know that I cannot change on my own. I’m obsessed with fashion and beauty… but I’m also obsessed with rebelling against the accumulation of possessions. Neither is good. Why is it that I cannot buy a shirt without feeling guilty? Why is it that all I can think about is buying that stupid shirt?

In this time of character change, God has reminded me that I am not called to weep over my flesh. I am called to rejoice in its death. And most assuredly… it is dying, slowly and surely.

Life Update September 6, 2011

Why hello there, it's been awhile! Sorry we haven't been on here so much lately. We will be sure to make this post extra long so that we can make up for all the missed blog posts, but don't worry, it's all good content.

So strap on your seat belts, and click the read more button to find out what we have been up to lately!

Here we are Kayaking on the South China Sea during Hari Raya!

Project Post

Hello all!
We have been busy cranking out projects! Today you get to see the first thing we made when we got to Asia so be excited! It was actually a project for a team in Kenya however! It was a blast to work on! Rachel did the illustrations and I animated it!

check out their Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CBS-Project-Kisumu/215863681788949!

Enjoy!



Thanks for watching!
-Colin

Stop Feeding the Poor and Start Making Music

Let me apologize in advance for the antagonistic title. Before taking this controversial statement at face value, please read and wrestle with this post. Truthfully, I just want people to read it and figured that this title would be intriguing. It is something that I care very much about, and my hope is to begin a conversation that challenges us all.

After multiple "chance" conversations with strangers about standards of living, and reading a beautiful devotional by Sadhu Sadar Singh (as well as many other events), I believe that God is stretching my heart and mind to include my brothers and sisters around the globe who many wrongly call "less fortunate."

With that said, please click "read more."

Beauty

A gorgeous bridge over a river in the jungle. Wow.

The village we visited yesterday was stunning. I have come to realize that these places (we are so enraptured by) are seen as mundane by the people who live there. Rainforest covered mountains take my breath away. Hibiscus flowers capture my attention. The beauty of my surroundings is so obvious. I find myself frequently saying “We have nothing so beautiful in the states!” Always, without fail, a local corrects me. “No! You have much more beautiful places in the US.”

The exotic is always deemed lovelier. We always long for what we don’t see. Why are we so ill contented?

Click read more to hear my thoughts and see more pictures.