Viva Coldplay!

Last night Patty and I traveled to Cleveland to see one of my favorite bands, Coldplay. The journey actually brought some closure to one of my most embarrassing musical moments. A few years ago for my birthday, my kids gave me the choice of concert tickets to either see Train in Pittsburgh or Coldplay in Cleveland. In a moment or insanity, I choose Train. A colossal mistake that was confirmed in a big way by Coldplay's performance last evening.

Let me say straight up - Coldplay is not U2. They are in a sense, U2-light or perhaps U2 wannabes (to the extent they even used U2's producer Brian Eno for their latest collection of songs). And there is nothing really wrong with that. U2 is that good! Coldplay's staging, lighting, and special effects were stunning and in many ways similar to a U2 production. Four guys in the band – hmmm, have we seen this before? Guitar, bass, drums, and a front guy who actually plays pretty good keys and some decent guitar. I was a bit concerned about how they would pull off the material from their latest CD, "Viva la Vida," as it contains a complex layer of sound, texture and rhythm. It was pretty obvious that all the sound in the Quicken Arena last night was not coming from the four guys on stage. But U2 does the same thing with sequences and loops and no one rips on them for that.

It is hard to believe but Coldplay only has four albums in their catalog. While the show was heavy on Viva la Vida, they played the classic song Clocks, along with In My Place, and Speed of Sound in the first 15 minutes of the show. There is a certain lightness to Coldplay's music and even though they tackle life and death issues on Viva la Vida, they do not take themselves too seriously. As well, the members of the band actually seemed to be enjoying themselves and they enjoyed entertaining the crowd. And entertained we were.

That said, perhaps the highlight of the musical set was their first encore, “Politk” from “A Rush of Blood to the Head.” How do these lyrics strike an American audience less than two weeks away from our historic presidential election?

Look at earth from outer space
Everyone must find their place
Give me time and give me space
Give me real don’t give me fake
Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Give me time give us a kiss
Tell me your politik
Open up your eyes…

Give me one 'cause one is best
In confusion, confidence
Give me peace of mind and trust
Don't forget the rest of us
Give me strength, reserve control
Give me heart and give me soul
Wounds that heal and cracks that fix
Tell me your own politik
Open up your eyes....

Here is my only major critique of the concert - Chris Martin has no idea how to leverage a moment. In fact, he seemed uncomfortable when a powerful emotional moment emerged. For example, I believe the song “Fix You” is one of the most powerful songs from this generation of songwriters.

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
I promised you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I….

And then imagine 17,000 people singing acapella:

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Powerful – emotionally evocative – perhaps even a transcendent moment for some of us. And Martin, instead of letting us experience the moment deeply, moved quickly into the next song on the setlist, the light, airy, “Strawberry Swing.” This is the kind of thing that separates a pop star from a musical legend. Perhaps Martin will someday grow into this role.

Someday soon, we’ll have a real arena in Pittsburgh and bands like Coldplay will return to the ‘burgh. Until then, I would drive to Cleveland in a heartbeat to see these guys. Viva Coldplay

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Investigate

This week in our Godscaping series,I am speaking on the spiritual practice called examen. As I am reflecting upon this ancient practice, I am also listening to a modern worship song by Delirious called "Investigate." It is inviting me to go to a deeper place with God. Maybe the Spirit is inviting you to a similar place.

Investigate my life and make me clean
Shine upon the darkest place in me
To you my life's an open book
So turn the page and take a look
Upon the life you've made
Always, my days, I'll praise

Fly away, when heaven calls my name
Fly away, I'll never be the same

Investigate, I can't wait
Excavate, re-create

Investigate my life and take me through
Shine upon the road that leads to you
I know you'd heard the words I'd say
Before I'd even lived one day
You knew the life you'd made
Always, my days, I'll praise

Investigate my life and make me clean
Shine upon the darkest place in me
When I go, when I return you've seen your holy fire burn
Upon the life you made



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A Message of Hope and Compassion

Last Sunday our community of faith was privileged to have Princess Zulu from Zambia as a guest speaker for our worship gathering. Princess is an international spokesperson on the global HIV and AIDS pandemic and has had opportunity to tell her story before presidents and prime ministers, kings and queens alike. It truly was a God thing that on World Communion Sunday she was in the gym at Eisenhower Elementary School opening up the Word of God to us.

Princess brought a message of hope and compassion. She retold the Parable of the Good Samaritan from her African perspective and reminded each of us and all of us that our sisters and brothers in Africa are indeed our neighbors who are in deep need. Compassion calls us to "go and do likewise."

You can listen to Princess' message at my audio site, Thinking Out Loud. May her words, in the power of the Spirit, move you into action today.

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A Troubling Week

This has been a deeply troubling week for me. Our nation is reeling economically and the anxiety level is palpable. The non-stop coverage by the media on this issue seems only to fuel the fear and tension. And with 40 some days to the election, the skeptic within me questions how politicized every solution offered actually is (and I write this at 9:25 AM, just minutes before President Bush is slated to make another statement on the bailout plan).

I am not an economist; my understanding of the issues on Wall Street from both a macro and micro level is incredibly limited. I have been accused by some to be both politically and economically naive. That may be true. But I do know that I am deeply troubled this week.$700 billion is a whole lot of money; more money that I can wrap my brain around. And I don't know what would happen (and or will) if the bailout plan isn't resolved quickly.

This recent statement from Bono only adds fuel to the stirring in my soul. He said, "it's extraordinary to me that the United States can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can't find $25 billion dollars to saved 25,000 children who die every day from preventable diseases."

Every Friday I join with people from around the globe and pray the Micah Challenge. "And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). The Micah Challenge is committed to praying for and working toward a 50% reduction in global poverty by 2015.

Recently, a group of evangelical leaders from the Church in the Global South issued a pastoral letter to the Church in the United States. The letter highlights the great good that the United States has done in the developing world. Millions of lives have been saved through relief and development efforts undertaken by both the US government and through the generosity of both private citizens and the community of faith. This week, as I have been thinking about some of the heroes in our community of faith, I have a great sense of pride and joy in the individuals, families, and groups who are bringing real help and hope to the children of Guraghe, Ethiopia. Through our partnership with World Vision, the root causes of poverty, disease, and death are not only being confronted but being defeated as new life and hope is springing forth.

And yet, despite a commitment we made as a nation to join with other G8 nations to the goal spending 0.7 percent of their GNP on global aid, the United States, is at the bottom of the list of what the G8 nations have contributed toward the reduction of poverty, disease, and death, spending just 0.16 percent of its income on development assistance and poverty reduction.

And so, in the midst of a deeply troubling week, I invite you to prayerfully read this pastoral letter to the Church in the United States. Let us have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

TO THE CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES

As the Church of the Lord in what is known as the “Southern” part of the world, moved by the Holy Spirit to fight for the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers, we address our Christian family in the United States, a Church of the same covenant, faith and love. Grace and Peace to all of our brothers and sisters.

We know your works of love; these works have allowed millions of human beings for many generations in our countries in the South to receive the gospel, the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of His Salvation. The U.S. church’s untiring missionary effort planted in our lands Hope in Him who came to reconcile EVERYTHING.

Nevertheless, the political, social and economic situation in the places where this hope has been announced is increasingly distressing. Millions of people in the global South are dying of hunger, violence and injustice. These situations of poverty and pain are not simply the product of the internal functions of our countries; rather they are the results of the international policies of the governments that wield global power.

Therefore, we have this against you, brothers and sisters, that along with this powerful announcing of the Gospel, the Church from the United States has not also raised its voice in protest against the injustices that powerful governments and institutions are inflicting on the global South - injustices that afflict the lives and ecosystems of millions of people who, centuries after the proclamation of the Gospel, still have not seen the sweat of their brow turned into bread.

The worsening inequality and poverty in the South is alarming. Seven years since the United States and 191 other nations publicly promised to cut extreme global poverty in half by the year 2015 through the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), your country has made only a little progress towards fulfilling its commitments. The MDGs should stir us to action because they echo the calls of the biblical prophets for justice and equity. Further, they are achievable and measurable markers on the roadmap to end extreme global poverty.

And so we ask you as sisters and brothers, citizens of the wealthiest most powerful nation on earth, to publicly challenge your candidates and political leaders – now and after the elections are over - to lead the world in the struggle to cut global poverty in half by 2015. If you who know the Truth will not speak for us who will?

The Church in the United States has the opportunity today to be faithful to the Hope that it preaches. We urge you to remember that the Hope to which you were called as a messenger demands that you seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s justice.

Out of love for us, the global Church, in holiness, use your citizenship responsibly for the benefit of the entire world; it is for this very reason that the Lord poured out His life on the Cross.

All who have ears, let them hear what the Lord says to His Church.

Just One Question

The first presidential debate is less than ONE week away. Take ONE minute to watch the video and ONE minute to act.



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Faith and Politics Reading List

It's that time again in the life cycle of our nation. Election time, that is. Later this month I will be facilitating a series of dialogues for our community of faith on some of the important and hot button issues facing our nation and world - issues on which people of faith sometimes disagree.

In my preparation for this dialogues I am doing some reading and research. Here is my current working bibliography. Do you have any recommendations - any must reads? I would love your input?

• Jesus for President (Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw)
• God and Government (Chuck Colson)
• The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power is Destroying the Church (Gregory A Boyd)
• God's Name in Vain: The Wrongs and Rights of Religion in Politics (Stephen Carter)
• The Future of Faith in American Politics: The Public Witness of the Evangelical Center (David P. Gushee)
• Beyond Left and Right (Amy Black)
• Red Letter Christians (Tony Campolo)
• The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America (Jim Wallis)
• Personal Faith, Public Policy (Tony Perkins and Harry Jackson)
• The Scandal of Evangelical Politics: Why Are Christians Missing the Chance to Really Change the World? (Ronald J. Sider)

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Moving into Neighborhood

This past Saturday our community of faith began work on our Uptown Center, located at 668 Washington Road in Mt Lebanon, PA. This 800 square feet space was previously a retail store featuring finely crafted glass figurines. As you can see from the image, the space currently is a empty shell (you can view additional images at this on-line gallery). But we believe in time it will become an environment where people will connect with God, one another, and our world.

The Uptown Mt Lebanon neighborhood is a vibrant community that is intentionally living into the realities and principles of new urbanism. There is a unique and wonderful fusion of the economic, residential, cultural, and the political orders. An eclectic mix of coffee shops, restaurants, merchants, and helping professions and organizations is embedded into a residential, walking community filled with single family homes, townhouses and condos, and apartment complexes.

Now you might be asking why a church would lease an 800 square foot space in the midst of this type of neighborhood? It certainly isn't a large enough space to become a home for our Sunday worship gatherings. And as much as my wife would like me to have an office outside of our home, a workspace for Marlaena and me is not priority number one. Our hope and prayer for the Uptown Center is that it might become a tangible expression of the kingdom of God in the midst of this neighborhood. Our intention is to join in the work that God is already doing in this neighborhood and by faith, contribute what we can to the promotion of flourishing in this community. And by the grace of God and the empowerment of the Spirit, perhaps God will use us in some way in the work that God is doing to bring all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe together again in Christ.

For me this simple antidote speaks volumes and confirmed to me that we are heading in God's direction with this initiative. On Saturday morning as our first work crew was beginning its labors, one of the neighboring merchants stopped by to welcome us and inquire about our presence in the neighborhood. Steve's first words were to me were, "Moving in?" The full weight of his simple question did not hit me until Tadd, one of the guys on our work crew (and a leadership team member) said to me, "Did you hear what he said? 'Moving in?'"

And in a moment it all made complete sense. As a missisonal community of faith we seek to follow Jesus into the world. And a primary text for us has been Eugene Peterson's rendering of John 1:14:

"The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood."

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