A picture of God’s love for all

3 10 2011

I keep a small rendition of this painting over my desk to remind me of God’s heart for all nations and tribes. The artist, Hyatt Moore, mentions on a video that explains the concept and process, that an African-American woman viewed the painting and remarked, “This is the first time I have felt invited.”

Hyatt mentions that the painting should actually be entitled “The Next Supper” because it depicts the renewal of fellowship around the Lord’s Table when He comes again. Each of the twelve individuals depicts a particular ethnic group. Interestingly, Hyatt says that the most difficult person to paint was Jesus. He would never consider painting Him as a caucasian–that wasn’t the issue. It is just….how do you paint Jesus?

As you reflect on the painting, what insights come to your mind?

For me, I see a bunch of people who can’t understand each other linguistically. Given the confinements of their own culture, they are unable to get along. Except for the man in the middle. They all look to Him. Only in Him can they get along, much less live together in unity. At that table, there is neither Afghani nor Maasai, neither Native American nor Mongolian, neither black nor white, for they know that “Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).

That is why we must pursue mission, so that the good news of the only Unifier can reach those hidden in their cultural enclaves. Each of us must take a role as Prayer, Giver, Sender, or Goer.

And that is why we must press on toward intercultural mutuality, where we sit around the table of Jesus together, all on the same level. There we learn from Him together. There we see Him more fully through the hearts of our brothers and sisters who see Him in their own unique ways. This is why our churches should not be places we retreat to those just like us, but where we search for ways for all to feel genuinely invited to the table…as in truth they are.


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Categories : Ethnicity & Culture, New Community

Why Did Jesus Recruit HIM?

15 09 2011

For those who only want to work with those who are naturally compatible, who want to “get the right people on the bus” (a la Jim Collins in Good to Great), who want a church that is homogenously attractive to people from one basic segment of society and ethnicity, I give you Jesus’ recruiting example.

“As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him” (Mark. 2:14).

At first blush, this may not seem very radical. The guy is from the tribe of Levi, the tribe assigned religious duties etc. But consider the reality. Next verse:

“Now it happened as He was dining at Levi’s house that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him” (Mark 2:15)

Levi opened a door to an entire network, a social web, based on his occupation. This is a strategy Jesus was very intentional about. In Luke 10 He told 70 of his disciples to go into a village and look for a “person of peace” who would not only provide hospitality but would also open access into a web of relationships. Well, Levi’s network was one diverse group of people! I love the non-chalantness of “Now it happened” — in the course of life, Jesus interacted with “sinners — non-religious types you would least expect to be interested. No wonder these people did not respond to established religion (the version of the self-righteous Pharisees), for they were condemned by the dutiful observers of the religious establishment of the day. See any similarities today?

Jesus had only recruited four disciples by this time — Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John. All four were fishermen-partners who just days before were plying the waters of the sea of Galilee, likely despising tax collectors and the entire social strata in which they lurked. And now Jesus has recruited one of their number to also follow Him. Imagine what their reaction must have been! This is like four Iowa farmers thrown together with a Las Vegas pimp. Levi had contracted with the Romans to collect taxes for them, charging extra and pocketing the difference. Levi was not any tax collector. He was their, local tax man! They knew him, saw him, and likely had to satisfy his greed for years.

Imagine the barriers they had to overcome internally. Their idea of a Messianic fishermen’s club was shattered now. Thanks to Levi’s connections, many shysters were now following Jesus, beginning to outnumber the tradesmen in so few days. I wonder if the founding four, the charter members began to dread those irresistible words He uttered, “Follow Me”? It must have seemed that Jesus was inviting just about anyone to join His band!

Exclusiveness is a huge blind spot in the church. Because we want to worship alongside our kind of folk, we (sometimes) unknowingly drive off those who are different. If they wander in, we can freeze them out over time. But Jesus wanted diversity in His apostolic band, so Matthew Levi got the call.  Aren’t you glad recruit #5 was good with words? Through him the Spirit inspired our first Gospel.

Let’s be very careful who we consider unlikely to be called by Jesus into His troupe of committed followers!


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Categories : Ethnicity & Culture, New Community

Unexpected Love

10 06 2011

At a conference I attended recently, I was blessed to sit across from a Christian leader from Pakistan. He shared a story I now pass along to you. After the destructive earthquake that struck Pakistan awhile ago, Christians from outside the country poured in to offer assistance. There was then a devastating flood, which took the lives of many, and wiped out homes and businesses. Again, believers in Jesus responded to the need.

The way in which the Jesus-followers helped caught the attention of the local people (who are of a major non-Christian religion). The Pakistani leader said that many, in one expression or another, said to the believers, “No Christians died. Why are you here?”

They experienced the love of Christ because the believers did not just drop supplies and leave, but sat and cared for them as people.

There’s plenty of bad news around. Isn’t it great to hear something positive from the trenches?


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Categories : New Community

What language will we speak in heaven?

1 04 2011

Our dear long-time friend, Darlene, asked a great couple of questions in a recent email.

Tell me. What language will we sing and praise the Lord when we see Jesus? I’ve always thought how beautiful all the different languages will be. But, the curse of the Tower of Babel will not be in effect . Will it be all one new language?

Let me share my answer with you:

Hi Darlene,

You have some good questions there. Rev. 5:9 and 7:9 suggest that our cultures will not be removed once we enter the Lord’s presence. That is, unless you argue that the worshippers there used to be of various cultures but are not any more in heaven. But it seems to me that God is going to be delighted with the multi-cultural and multi-lingual worship of all the nations. After all, Jesus clearly died to reach people from every tribe and tongue. It would seem important to him to hear worship in all their languages.

To me, one of the miracles of the Church is that the divisions created by languages at the Tower of Babel have been bridged by the power of the Holy Spirit. This was a key emphasis on the day of Pentecost when the Church officially began in a big way (Acts 2). The big deal there was that all different cultures of the Jews (and proselytes) present heard the good news in their own mother-tongues. The Spirit was making the point that the Church was going to be for all the nations. So heaven, I think, will be that same miracle only in a bigger, bolder scale than we can imagine. Can you fathom all the warring peoples who have fought each other over the centuries suddenly loving each other in the presence of Christ as His equally loved children?! Wow, that is going to be something.

And that is why many of us are laboring to bring in a foretaste of heaven right now, by encouraging churches to take intentional steps in the direction of including all nationalities in their church life, leadership, and worship.

So in answer to your question about what language will we speak… I think we will all speak the language we are most comfortable with, and miraculously, we will all be able to understand each other, and be understood. The other option (or is it a part of the same miracle?) is the instant proficiency of a language suitable for heaven; something like Paul mentions in 2 Cor. 12:4 “how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

Lyn’s Aunt recently went to be with the Lord. She was a very godly woman. Before dying, she had a vision of Jesus, Being an artist, she was enthralled by the vivid colors emanating from her vision of Christ. She said they were colors she had never seen before. Perhaps the language experience of heaven will be like that. Heaven will be so brilliant and miraculous in every way that it is impossible to compare it with the way things are in this earthly world where the colors are dulled by the Fall, where language is divisive due to pride, and where relationships are fractured by sin. Heaven will not have any of those limitations, but creation itself will be set free from the corruption it now suffers (Rom. 8). Wow, I’m getting excited now!


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Categories : New Community

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