Change The World

A great Sunday, this week. I played and sang at church this weekend. We did an instrumental version of Eric Clapton’s “Change The World” (Gordon Kennedy of WhiteHeart cowrote that song) as a prelude, Stefan Van Voorst’s “Change the World” as an opener, and closed with Chris Tomlin’s “God of This City” (an anointed song.)

The message this week was the final week in the series, “I’m Sorry. Apologizing for a sinful Church.” This weeks topic was the most controversial, apologizing to people of the Muslim faith.

Even as you read this, you probably have a mixed reaction to that title. Maybe indignant. I don’t blame you. As a nation we’ve had quite a tumultuous century, so far. 911 threw our economy into a tailspin, already racked with the tech bubble bursting, only to build artificially on another housing bubble that has now burst. The war, and the middle east conflict is ever-raging and foreign video of Arabs burning the American flag tends to have a strong influence on our predisposition towards the faith of Islam.

I was curious how the subject would unfold.

The service started with a video of Arab-Americans who have had their Americanism questioned in the past 8 years. We had a guest speaker in from Atlanta, Buddy Hoffman. who related his experiences during the 911 week. He was with a retired General when the events went down, and many commentators were using the phrase “cowardly act” to describe the terrorists attack. The general responded by saying, this wasn’t cowardly. These people believe what they believe, perhaps even more than what we believe. I’ve often thought about that, as well.

His assertion was that this war will not be won with guns and cannons, and I think he’s right. He asked this question: If we woke up an discovered that Washington had been obliterated, and every church in the nation had been burned down.. would it be over? Not for us, right? It would just be beginning. How can we begin to imagine we can stop a movement with the same methods.. albeit our focus being on the most radical aspects of that faith. Just as if we are approached in an anti-Christian manner, we’re most likely not going to listen, our methods to approach Muslims, as a church, have been largely ineffective, and therefore, most-likely careless; more about affirming our faith, than reaching out to Muslims.

For those of you who don’t know, I live in the suburbs of Detroit, where outside of the middle east, there lives the largest population of Arab-descent in the world. I interact and work with people of the Muslim faith on a daily basis, as do many of my neighbors.

I was challenged in the fact that I know only what I’ve been told (mostly by Christians) about the Muslim faith. What I didn’t know, is that Muslims, in large part would be interested in talking about Jesus Christ. You see, the Koran says that there is only one God and that we should make a straight path towards him. It also states that Jesus was born of a virgin and is the messiah. Did you know that? There is much common ground in which to start a conversation with a person of muslim faith. I’ve got some reading to do.

I’ve know for a long time that the Arab nation are the descendants of Esau, son of Isaac, twin brother of Jacob, who was cheated out of his birthright by Jacob and mother Rebecca. Its not surprising that his descendants are a bit miffed.

While I don’t think we will see an end to the middle eastern conflict in our lifetimes, I think we can do a better job of creating dialog with those we know, who practice the faith of Islam. While it may only be in our own little worlds, we have power to make positive change happen within them.



Look to You

What do you believe in? Do you believe it’s true,
or do you hold it over others who don’t believe like you?
Call it righteous indignation, or a justified alarm,
but muster His compassion for those who wish you harm

Our world, your world, will look to you.

The world is full of anger, and broken empty dreams
And the canopy that shields her is tearing at the seams
And hatred, rage and vengeance seem a natural response
But you know your call is greater, as a child of renaissance

Our world, your world, will look to you.

We’ll look to you to see how you respond in tragic circumstance.
We’ll look to you to see what happens when your enemies advance.
We’ll look to you to see just where you turn when you haven’t got a chance.
We’ll look to you

I know it must be tempting just to follow happenstance
It’s hard to lead the music, when you really wanna dance
But the servant that’s within you is calling you to stand;
The reason for your being may be close at hand.

And our world, your world, will look to you.

Tim Wheeler (ASCAP) ©2005Weaver of Melodies Music (A Bug Music Co.)

Listen to “Look To You”

Not Another One!?!

I got an invitation to a new networking website a couple days ago. "OH NO!" you say, "Not another social networking website“. Yes, but this one’s different.

Seriously.

The first thing is that someone in my extended family sent me the invite.. That’s ok, but the reason is that she added me to her family tree. Got your interest yet?

Unless you’re related to me (Thank your lucky stars if you’re not), you’ll have to join on your own. Go to www.Geni.com and sign up. Geni is a genealogical social network website, and you have got to check it out.

I’ve tried several times to get my family tree down. Once, years ago in a notebook. Once with a program on an old Mac. Thing is, I just didn’t have the time (nor the inclination) to do it right and accurate. While my aunts and uncles were still living, I gathered some data, but that is scattered, as well. Software for this kinda thing isn’t cheap, by the way, at least not for the good ones, but even with the best software, the performance is based on you and your efforts.

What’s great about Geni, and what will ensure its success is the wiki-like sharing of information. I spent about an hour entering names and info on my kids and then names and some info on my cousins, and then names of my aunts and uncles, the data growing scarcer as the generations progressed. Each time I added a person, it gave me an option of inviting them by sending an email to them.

Then, when they join the tree, they can update and add information that they have about the family, and the tree becomes more and more intelligent, adding dates of birth, death, marriage, etc.

You can even add a picture to each person on the tree.

Make sure to check it out. Its a great way to start keeping track of your family and an excellent way to get your extended family to talk to each other.

Kudos to the RC!

So.. Kudos to Rainbow Connection in Rochester, Michigan.

If you remember a week or so back I blogged about how proud I am of my kids. I mentioned that Amanda, my middle child, (that’s another blog entry in itself) had landed a job with Rainbow Connection, a non-profit that grants wishes for Michigan kids who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses.

I’m sending out kudos to them for their web savvy-ness.

Turns out on Amanda’s first day, she found out that some of the employees at the Connection had already read that blog entry and were all up to speed on Amanda and her sibblings. They also knew about her plans to go to Africa, and how she’d put it off to work at the R.C.

You see, they had discovered my blog in one of their search engine results when it found that it contained their name.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous and re-read my blog... to ensure I hadn’t done anything to unduly embarrass Amanda with my ramblings.. I think I’m safe. Funny thing is, Amanda didn’t even know I had a blog.

Chances are, the folks over at the R.C. will probably read this entry too... so in case you’re wondering, Amanda loves her job, and.. I’m as thrilled for her as she is to be working with a such a great organization.

Keep it Up!

T

The Reason

A number of years ago, when I began writing professionally, I wrote a ballad that was inspired by reading some biographies of our forefathers and the birth of the United States.

As I review this lyric, I estimate the song in its original form would have approached 6 minutes in length, and I tend not to write these long lyrics any longer.

Yet this lyric still rings true for me. We owe much to those who came before us in this country. The sacrifices of each individual were significant.. their lives in many cases, may not have seemed to make a difference at the time, but each one is a stitch in the tapestry of freedom we now know.

Anyways, as you make your way to the polls tomorrow, I thought I’d share the lyric, as bloated as it may be, in a reminder of what dreams and hopes this country was founded around; essencially the freedom they were pursuing.

May we all remember that no matter what the results tomorrow night, that God is still in charge. He Reigns.

The Reason
©2002 Tim Wheeler

Many years ago there were those who said
There is more to life, than to end up dead
They knew deep inside they were meant to sing
For a greater power than an earthly king

So they crossed the way leaving past behind
What they'd never known they were bent to find
They endured the pain and the loss of kin
And they won the wars that they could not win

We esteem their selfless lives
And countless daughters, sons and wives
But will their principles survive
If we forget the reason why they tried to sing

They were men of strength, and they were men of flaws
Yet they broke the mold forged in earthly laws
but they were moral men who were free to think
and they wrote it down, using sweat and ink

We are caught up in the flood
Of bounty built upon their blood
But will their principles survive
If we forget the reason why they tried to sing

Bridge:
This world would know a different place
If they’d decided not to seek His grace
And we will fail in this endowed pursuit
If we destroy the vine while we consume it’s fruit.

Yes those who've gone before have carved a better way
But on the paths of time, we've traveled just a day
And we are fathers of a yet un-numbered throng
Will they look back and sing an unfamiliar song

Yes, we remember what they've done
The generations we've become
But proven principles could die
If we forget the reason why they tried to sing