emergent journey

Under the Overpass is the story of two young men who make the decision to spend 4 months living on the streets of major cities throughout America to gain an accurate picture of homelessness in America and how the church should respond. The decision came about because author Mike Yankoksi saw more talk about homelessness then actual action and compassion. Reading the words of Jesus Mike felt compelled to respond to the needs of the least of these in a dramatic way. To experience life as a homeless person by becoming homeless himself. It is an eye opening experience for both Mike and Sam, as well as for the reader.

This book was very challenging to me because it encourages the reader to respond to the needs of those who are on the streets by incarnationally loving the less fortunate. It is reveals the gritty reality that homeless people face on a daily basis from hunger to rats to prejudice to desperation. Along the way Sam and Mike meet many interesting people who challenge many preconceived ideas about Christianity, life on the streets, and faith.

This book was given to me by one of my Jr. high boys (John Toews) and I am so glad that I read it. It makes me want to go and do something to help those in need. I am not sure what yet - but this book is a definite read for anyone interested in working with homeless people or  for those who need to be inspired to make a difference in the lives of those in need. It gives an intimate look into the lives of homeless people across America that can only be gained by becoming an insider and living the life of a homeless person.

It is also very convicting to read how terribly the church responds to the homeless with a lack of concern or even a self righteous prejudice.  Although there are some beautiful examples of Christians responding with love and compassion, often the church responds in the exact opposite way. I think every Christian ought to read this book and rethink they way that they respond to those in need. We need to respond with love, care, provision, and compassion just like Jesus did.

This book comes highly recommended if you want to moved to action to reach out to those in your community who are in need of a loving presence and friendly compassion.

For more information check out www.undertheoverpass.com

I have no words to say how much I hate the snow storms we have been getting this spring so here is an album of photos from our adventures today. I shoveled from 7-9:30 and still got stuck in the drive way. Thankfully I had help from Malora’s parents and the neighbors with a tractor.

I also got stuck in the ditch this afternoon when I was going into town. The neighbor pulled me out. I am so through with all of this stupid snow and it better melt away and stay away!

This is why I love Canada - even the beavers are friendly!

I hate people who go on ticketmaster and buy all of the tickets for a concert and then 2 seconds later sell them on craigslst for double the ticket price. They take all of the tickets making it impossible for fans to buy two tickets together.

I was going to take Malora to the coldplay concert in June for our 6 year anniversary but there are no tickets available. I was on the site the moment the tickets went on sale and still could not get any tickets.

Ticket buyer scalper people should be put on an island and left to rot. Why do they steal my tickets just to make money! This is my marriage people - give me a break!

I guess we will just listen to the CD instead. Cheaper and we can drink slurpees.

This is seriously the life of a youth pastor! Props to more than dodgeball for the video.

This month I started reading Jesus for President by Shane Clairborne. This is a great book about faith, politics, social isssues, and Jesus. However, half way through the book I got side tracked by Save Me From Myself by Brian “Head” Welch. Shane will have to wait - he will be there when I get back.

Save Me From Myself is the story of how Brian Welch left the band KORN because of his life altering experience with Jesus Christ. It explicitly (and he describes in full detail and F-words) shares his experience of being addicted drugs, alcohol, money, and fame until Jesus came and messed everything up. His battle with drugs ends when he finally submits everything to God. He moves with his daughter to Arizona to pursue a new life and mission that he feels God has given him.

The message of the transformed life very powerfully displayed throughout Brian’s journey from Hell to Heaven. God takes a broken shell of a man and redeems him and restores everything that was lost. He is definitely not perfect but his honesty and journey are very inspiring. He released a tamer Christian version which hopefully cuts out some of the explicit content (it’s hard to give Jr. Highers books with the F-word in them).

Overall I would recommend the tame version of this book. It is an amazing story of a life that has been changed by God. If you are a fan of KORN check out his CD.

Here is his story (iamsecond.com)

I didn’t watch the Grammy’s but I heard that Radiohead was playing. Thanks to the internet I was able to catch the best part of the Grammys without having to watch the actual show. Radiohead is by far the greatest band of my generation and this performance shows the intricately simplistic genius that is Radiohead.

I have resisted this for a while but I think that it will be fun. If you get tagged you have to write it too. So, here are 25 Random Things about Tom:

1. I hate getting shots or seeing needles, but I desperately would like to get more tattoos

2. I love watching chick flicks with Malora and often comment on a particularly girly movie in front of other people - guys hate it

3. I would like to find a green choir robe and join The Polyphonic Spree as a part of the choir or a guitar player in the band (or even the seamstress for the band and be the tiny dancer)

4. I love coffee but do not like the taste of black coffee. I will pay the extra money to buy Fair Trade and you should too!

5. I would like to learn how to play the banjo because I have been told I have a voice for bluegrass music - not sure what that means

6. Gilmore Girls is one of my favorite shows to watch on DVD. I sometimes wrestle with the truth that I might like it more then Malora

7. Once I was on a plane from Billngs, MT to Denver and the plane hit really bad turbulence. Malora and I were both really scared so I closed my eyes and went inside my head and battled the fear of turbulence. It was kind of like meditation mixed with brain karate. I opened my eyes and have never been afraid to fly since, even when we hit really bad turbulence. Noah and I just laugh!

8. I still freak myself out about aliens (the pale faced, big black eyes small nose and mouth skinny human looking ones). When I was a kid I pretended to fall asleep during the abduction part of “Fire in the Sky”

9. When I was a kid I watched a movie about killer bees and was so freaked out that I used to close my vents, put a towel under my door (so the bees couldn’t get in), and sleep under my covers.

10. I have a deep desire to travel but I am too cheap to spend money on traveling. It’s hard for me to pay thousands of dollars for a plane flight but I want to go to: Africa, Tibet, Hawaii, Fiji, Thailand, and back to Europe

11. I love Canada more then I ever loved America. I believe that Noah is the perfect human being half Canadian / American.

12. I think that the Reuben sandwich is the perfect sandwich. Toasted with sauerkraut and a pickle on the side. I would like to go to NY and get one at a deli there…yummm.

13. I can not drink beer out of a can - it’s gotta be out of a bottle or tap. Cans are too white trash. I also like microbreweries or small local breweries.

14. I strongly believe that middle children are divinely endowed with special gifts and abilities that we choose to use when we need to

15. When I see basset hound puppies it makes me want to cry. I miss buster (our old basset) but know we made the right decision to adopt him to a retired couple who have another basset and a grandson with disabilities (sounds like a Disney movie).

16. I could eat Mexican food for every meal for the rest of my life and be mucho happy. I miss Chipotle

17. I do not finish the majority of the books that I start reading. Even if I love the book I get 3/4 of the way through and then get side tracked to another book. I love to read but am easily distracted.

18. I am terrible at remembering people’s names. I also hate admitting that to people so I usually do not call people by their names. I need to learn a trick or something.

19. I want to develop my circus skills - specifically juggling and magic. I am terrible at both of these, but I can impress Noah with my meager skills.

20. I love making list. Check out the list of 50 things I want to do before 2012 on my blog. I enjoy the thrill of having a goal, completing it, and checking it off. I also make to do lists every week on a special “to do pad” I got at Chapters.

21. I am a conspiracy theorist - sparked by my brother David. I do not believe that man has walked on the moon. There is a slight possibility the world will end in 2012. If time travel is possible it is highly regulated by the government of the future and that is why we don’t have any proof yet because you loose your time travel license if you spill the beans.

22. I do not watch sports. I don’t care who wins the superbowl, stanley cup, or what ever basketball and baseball people play to win. I like watching with friends or attending a game (especially Calgary Flames for a pocket dog and a Canadian)!

23. I love my Fender Telecaster guitar. I have dreams and aspirations of being a rockstar when ever I listen to bands that I really like. I think, “I could do that” but TopDeadCenter may be my only rockstar legacy.

24. I really enjoy being a youth pastor. It is so rewarding seeing youth engage with God and grow in their faith.

25. I love my family! I love Malora and Noah and Baby Bean on the way. I love my brothers and parents and Malora’s family. I think that family is the most important thing even though I live thousands of miles away from mine.

So that’s my list. You should do one too so we all have a list of our own!

4.2/5 rating

Rob Bell’s latest book Jesus Wants To Save Christians is passionate manifesto for a church who seems to be asleep and needs a major wake up call. Throughout the book Bell traces the ancient story of Israel’s fall and exodus from Egypt, how Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all of the longings of the nation of Israel, and how the church fits in the story today. He also looks at the disparity between the many global crisis around the world and the state of the North Amercan church and how we are to respond. Bell also traces the roots of Empires and looks at the faulty ground in which the empire of America has built itself upon.

It was not my favorite Rob Bell publication (Velvet Elvis and NOOMA / Everything is Spiritual are much better). I felt like he spent too much time focusing on the ancient and not enough time focusing on the present situation for the church. His discussion of the history of Israel is definitely relevant but I felt he could have given more practical application for the church.

The last 2 chapters are the manifesto for the church. I found this section very insightful and practical for the ministry context I am working in. Overall I would recommend this book to a friend and also point them to Rob’s other stuff as well. Read it if you get a chance

I made it through camp with most of my dignity and sanity in place (although many people made fun of my man scarf). It was a really great weekend and I know that the youth and leaders who went had a really great time. They especially enjoyed the underground church night game that we did.

I also learned an important lesson: Don’t do too much! It was exhausting being both the worship leader and the youth pastor to my group. I don’t think I was able to give enough attention to either role and so both roles suffered. The worship was rushed, the sound was not great (lots of feedback), and we didn’t get a chance to practice the whole weekend. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great.

I also didn’t get to fully engage with all of the youth because I was being stretched in too many directions. I was late to the small group time and always running around. I can’t do everything - and I especially can’t do everything well.

I think pastors often think they are invincible and can handle anything and everything that comes their way. We can’t. We need boundaries and balance. The weekend was a lot of fun and I can’t wait for next year. Let’s just hope they get a different band to lead the worship.

I am getting ready to take a bunch of rowdy jr. higher students and leaders to winter camp at Camp Evergreen. This is an annual event and I love going up there for the weekend. I think that getting out of the city to spend time with a bunch burping smelly jr. high kids is one of the funnest things to do on a weekend. Well, maybe there are some things that are funner but I gotta stay positive right.

They have a great speaker coming who doesn’t know how to pronounce coyote (he pronounces it KEY-OH-TEE) and there is a really fun night game that involves the underground church. I did it at sr. high camp and our team was the first team to leave (10:00pm) and the last team back (2:30 am).

In addition to bringing the group up, I am also bringing a worship team up to lead worship. We were asked last minute to help and I am super excited to be a part of the band. The camp band is always the coolest group at a camp and I will finally be part of the cool kids. Maybe we can be like an exclusive club or something - we all have really cool scarves so that could be our “thing”.

Pray for the youth and leaders while we are up there. Jr. high camp in Big Bear is where I made the decision to follow Christ and I hope that all of the youth coming will be changed by this weekend. Now I just need to find my earplugs, air freshener, and a large bottle of Aleve.

Well I started my list of 50 things by building a snow fort with noah yesterday. I made it big enough for both of us to fit in. We dug in the snow for about an hour but when we were done we had a warm place to stay in the snow…then we went inside where it is actually warm.

Here is a clip from McGee and Me that tells more about what happened:

Only 49 more to go!

I feel inspired to make lists of things I want to do in the future. I made my 9 for 2009 and on New Years Eve 08 we did a little game as a family of making a list of a bunch of silly things we want to do in the new year. Some of my friends made lists as well of 101 things they want to do. 101 is a lot of things to think of. I think 50 is a bit more reasonable for me.

My brother David (jokingly) and others believe that the world is going to end in the year 2012. There are movies, books, and websites dedicated to the theory that the world is going to end in 2012. It is just as likely that the world will end in 2012 as it is that it will end next week.

So, if I only have 3 years left in life I might as well accomplish some things before the apocalypse. So here is my list of 50 things I want to do before 2012.

1. Have another child - preferably in July ‘09
2. Travel to another continent (Africa, Europe, or Asia)
3. Write and record an album of music
4. Read a book written before Christ was born
5. Read through the entire Bible
6. Develop my juggling skills
7. Take a road trip with my brothers David and John
8. Go on a missions trip with my family
9. Read and finish one book per month for the next 3 years (36 books total)
10. Go on a road trip with my family - somewhere we have never been
11. Develop a friendship with someone outside of the church
12. Take a Greyhound bus trip somewhere
13. Write a book
14. Get another tattoo (or 2)
15. Paint / Create a piece of art to be framed
16. Play a concert in a bar
17. Read Catcher in the Rye
18. Get involved with an non-profit working in Africa
19. Learn how to cook Vietnamese food for Malora
20. Visit the Simple Way and have a good discussion with Shane Claiborne
21. Work on getting my Master’s degree
22. Get an article published in a magazine or blog
23. Go to a Denver Broncos game
24. Travel to Winnipeg - drink coffee with the Ghost
25. Make a snow fort
26. Go water skiing or tubing
27. Teach Noah how to play the guitar
28. Learn how to play the drums
29. Take Malora on an unexpected romantic vacation
30. Read a biography about a famous musician / band
31. Go to a U2 concert
32. Take a winter driving course
33. Finish immigration to Canada
34. Go on a camping trip with Noah (boys only!)
35. Go on a trip with good friends
36. Learn how to play the banjo / get a used banjo
37. Eat at an Ethiopian restaurant
38. Climb a mountain (a hard one)
39. Run a marathon
40. Go to a Radiohead concert
41. Learn basic auto repair skills
42. Take a canoe/ raft/ kayak down the Bow River
43. Write a love poem / song for Malora
44. Build a go-kart for Noah
45. Read a book about a non-violence hero like Gandhi or Mother Theresa
46. Watch 3 classic movies and review them
47. Go snowboarding in the Canadian Rockies
48. Take a course in web design or movie / picture editing
49. Get involved with an organization in Calgary working with people in need
50. Spend extra quality time with friends and family

Some of the items on the list are easy - some are very difficult. Some I have done before - some i haven’t. I wanted to think of things that I could actually measure and attain. 50 things in 3 years.

I will journal about each goal that I accomplish on emergentjourney so that I can have a record of what I have done and I can share that experience. I would encourage you to think of some things you have always wanted to do - and do them.

With only 2 days left in the year of 2008 it is time once again to start thinking about the year coming up. I always make some resolutions for the new year, but hardly ever keep them. This year I want to try something different.

I would like to accomplish 9 things in the year 2009. Instead of making silly resolutions these are things that I would like to accomplish or continue throughout the year. So here is my list of Nine for 2009

1. Blog at least once a week. I really enjoy writing on my blogs but I often forget to do it. I would like to keep a journal of my thoughts, experiences, and awesome videos of people eating squirrels throughout the year.

2. Read and finish one book a month. I have started reading a lot of really good books this past year that I have finished. I often start a book, get really excited, read a couple chapters, and then move on. I would like to finish 12 books in 2009.I just finished Shane Claiborne’s new book (but it doesn’t count for next year). I will also try to write a review of each one on my blog.

3. Read through the Chronological Bible. I picked up a Bible at Goodwill that is in chronological order from the Genesis to Revelation. It is a one year Bible and orders the Bible chronologically instead of by books. It should give a different perspective to the story of God’s redemption.

4. Floss consistently. I was doing really good for  couple of months with flossing and would like to get back on board. A healthy mouth is a happy mouth.

5. Run a half marathon. I ran my first 10k in less then an hour in August and I would like to train to run a half marathon or even a full marathon in 2009. I really enjoy running and I would like to get back into it throughout the year.

6. Write 3 songs and record them. I would like to write and record a few songs in 2009 and even release an EP that you can download on my site. Of course, I can’t do this alone - I need the help of my 2 musical brothers with John on bass and David on acoustic. The Mulhern Bros. EP.

7. Learn to cook Vietnamese food. Malora and I love Vietnamese food and I would like to learn how to cook some of our favorite dishes. I do not know what they are called because Vietnamese food is ordered by numbers not words.

8. Get involved with an organization working in Africa. I have been talking with Matt from Invisible Children and I would love to see them come to Alberta. There are also organizations like the waterschool and others in Alberta who are working to impact the lives of people in Africa. Africa has been on my heart for a while and this year I want to do something about it.

9. Build a non-churched friendship. I would like to build an authentic relationship with someone outside of the church. Not to trick them into becoming a Christian but to gain a different perspective on life and to share my life with someone who does not have anything to do with the church. I think it is important for Christians to build relationships with those outside the church and I would like to find a buddy who is not a Christian.

Well, that is my list. I would encourage you to make your own list and then link it in the comments section so I can share it with people. I have a feeling that 2009 is going to be a really great year.

My other blog ourcompactlife.com has been getting some media attention in the last couple weeks. Our compact life is a journal of our year long experiencement (experiement / experience) of not buying anything new. We were originally profiled in the Calgary Herald which is the main newspaper for Calgary. The story came from an interview we did at a church in Cochrane, AB.

This story was picked up in the Mennonite Brethren Herald. The magazine for all of the MB’s throughout Canada. It was cool to get a magazine that we were in and to have our story go across Canada.

The Calgary Herald did a follow up story in November about our progress this past year (link). This story was carried throughout Canada from BC to Ontario. We got emails from people who read our story in newspapers we had never heard of. We are also going to be in the Cochrane Times…sometime this week I think.

Since the follow up story we have had other media outlets asking us for interviews. We are doing an interview with 104.9 the WOLF in Regina tomorrow morning @ 7:45am. We are going to be on the morning news on wednesday. We were also interviewed by another local news station who will carry our story in January. We have also been contacted by a BC radio station and the CBC.

It is really cool getting some attention about what we are doing, and I hope that we use what little spotlight (more like a pocket flash light without much battery life left) we have to bring awareness to more important things. I posted some links to some great organizations on the blog and I hope that someone who hears our story will go to one of these sights and make a difference. I don’t care what people think about us, but if we can inspire someone to invest in a business in Africa through KIVA or get involved in the Advent Conspiracy then it is all worth it.

I am not sure what is next for ourcompactlife.com. Maybe something new, maybe not. We’ll just have to wait and see. Make sure to go and check out the blog and see what you think.

Last night was the premier of 24:REDEMPTION. A made for TV movie based off of the amazingly awesome TV show 24. In this 2 hour movie which takes place between 3:00- 5:00 on the day of the presidential inauguration Jack finds himself once again running from the American government for his past sins. A subpoena is issued to take Bauer in to custody but he runs from it across 3 continents and over a year. It finally catches up with him in Africa where he is working at an orphanage.

War breaks out and finds its way to Bauer and the kids, and Bauer has the choice to save the kids from the pursuing war or turn himself in and save the children. It is a set up for season 7 which starts in January and over all a pretty entertaining 2 hour made for TV movie.

The most striking thing about 24:REDEMPTION was the portrayal of the horrors of war and the use of child soldiers. The issue of child soldiers has been an important one in my life ever since I got involved with the organization Invisible Children. Invisible Children works to bring awareness about the issues of child soldiers and displacement camps in Uganda through film and programs aimed at youth and young adults.

I have been trying to get Invisible Children to come to Canada, but so far all I have seen is a facebook group and some emails. They are an amazing organization who is using media to inspire an entire generation to make a difference in the lives of people in Uganda and Africa. I would love to see them come to Canada because I think Canadians are very open to ending suffering and injustice.

The exploitation of children is the worst crime that can be committed. Whether that exploitation is in a sweat shop making Old Navy clothes, a brothel in Thailand, a child soldier in Africa, or an abusive step father in Tennesse. Any explotation or abuse to children can not be overlooked. We must fight for the freedom of children who can not fight for themselves. I think Jack Bauer made the right choice of putting his needs behind the needs of the children he was protecting. We could all learn a lot from Mr. Bauer.

This is a song my brother david wrote in the 90’s. I dont know the lyrics so I made up the lyrics as I played. It was a lot of fun figuring out the song and I hope that the Brothers enjoy it!

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. _Ezekiel 16:49

Yesterday I posted an article from Reuters where Bono shared some harsh words with America and the West regarding their imbalance in the issue of global poverty. I didn’t comment on the article because I felt that it spoke for itself. If you want some good thoughts and commentary about the article check out Josh Barton’s blog part of thejourney or rethinking youth ministy.

Ezekiel 16:49 has been rattling around in my brain for the past two weeks. It was a part of the discussion that I have been having with my youth regarding social justice and the Get Uncomfortable bible study. In the verse Ezekiel is speaking about the unfaithfulness of Israel and he compares Israel to Sodom. Sodom was a town that God destroyed because of it’s sin and degradation. Amongst the long list of sinfulness which destroyed Sodom, Ezekiel states that they were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned. They did not help the poor and needy and this led to the complete collapse of their society. An imbalance of concern where there was too much concern for self, and no concern for others. A society that sought pleasure first regardless of the consequences.

Here is another scary comparison: America and the West are Sodom! We live unconcerned lives, overfed, overindulged, and over in debt. We are arrogant and have no concern for the poor and needy. When there is a treat of poverty to the wealthy they cry out for a bail out from the government and get $700 Billion. A small fraction of that would ease the suffering of the entire world, but we sit in our comfort and say, “Woah, that was close - I don’t know what I would have done if I had to cut back on spending”

The news reports are about how Americans are having to cut back and buy less cars and movies. Not being able to buy everything we want…now that is true suffering. Quick do something fast the millionaires are suffering and might have to sell one of the beach homes to make ends meet!

Where are the cries for those dying of hunger EVERY 5 seconds? Where is the response by our governments to the tears shed for those who are dying as a result of poverty? America and the West are partially responsible for the state of the global poverty crisis but we are unconcerned.

It is a moral bankruptcy and America and the West deserve everything that they have coming to them. We live in an impenetrable bubble and when the walls begin to crash in around us we freak out. The level at which most Americans live is unsustainable and impractical when you look at the condition of the rest of the world. We are an imbalanced society fighting to rebalance the scales, but the truth is that it is all futile and no matter how hard we try it is all going to come crashing down.

God does not overlook the imbalance of concern within a society who gives more concern to the wealthy then the poor. God’s heart is for the poor and if that is not where our hearts are then our hearts are out of balance.

We need to use this financial crisis as a wake up call and become a society that is humble not arrogant, generous not overfed, concerned with others not unconcerned. A wake up call to address the issues of the poor and needy and find a solution. We need to get over ourselves so that we do not end up like Sodom - a broken and destroyed society. I believe in change and we have the ability to create a new imbalance of generosity and love for those who are truly suffering.

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. financial crisis making global waves is no excuse for governments and companies to walk away from helping the world’s poor, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and rocker Bono said on Wednesday.

As Congress debates a White House-proposed $700 billion bailout for the worst financial crisis since the Depression of the 1930s, Bono questioned why wealthy countries had not been able to come up with enough aid for the world’s problems.

“It is extraordinary to me that you can find $700 billion to save Wall Street and the entire G8 can’t find $25 billion to save 25,000 children who die every day of preventable treatable disease and hunger,” the U2 lead singer told Clinton’s fourth annual philanthropic summit in New York. “That’s mad, that is mad.”“This crisis is not an excuse to walk away from the world’s challenges, but a compelling reason to intensify our efforts to meet them, around the corner and around the world,” said Clinton, who has focused on humanitarian work since leaving the White House in 2001.

The Group of Eight wealthy nations vowed in 2005 to raise annual aid levels $50 billion by 2010, $25 billion of which was to go to Africa. But under current spending plans, the G8 will fall $40 billion short, according to a June report by the Africa Progress Panel set up to monitor implementation.

“Bankruptcy is a serious business and we all know people who have lost their jobs,” Bono said, referring to the bankruptcy declared by Wall Street investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. “But this is moral bankruptcy.”

More than 130 chief executives are mixing with world leaders, humanitarians and celebrities such as performer Barbra Streisand and singer Bob Geldof at the three-day Clinton Global Initiative, which started on Wednesday.

The summit seeks to address global problems in education, energy and climate change, health care and poverty. Experts have warned the financial crisis would likely hurt charitable efforts by individuals and corporations.

(Editing by Daniel Trotta and Peter Cooney)

© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved

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