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Leadership is an art as much as it is a skill. It’s something that you never really master, but only hope to understand and live out better each and every day. In some ways, it’s kind of like faith. A few people recently asked me variations of the question, “How do you lead when you’re not in charge?” The short answer is this: 98% of the way you lead when you’re not in charge is the same as when you are in charge. That percentage is arbitrary so don’t cite that number in any paper. The longer answer starts by understanding the dynamic between the concepts of Authority and Influence. Authority Authority basically means that you have a jurisdictional responsibility for a given area. People in authority may or may not have titles. However, the paradox of authority in relation to leadership is that not everyone who has authority is a leader. Conversely, not every leader is in a position of authority. Influence Influence is your ability to impact something else. Think of influence like the Force from Star Wars, in the sense that it’s intangible. Yet, it can be used to impact others in positive and negative ways (minus levitating large objects or shooting lightning from your fingers—which would be great). Everyone has some measure of influence over something, somewhere. There are few exceptions to this rule. Here is the key to leading when you’re not in charge: you can be a leader even when you’re not the one in authority by the way you use your influence. This is an important concept to grasp because, for many people, the concept of leading only happens when you have the title or position.  One of the comments I heard from some of my peers in the months leading up to my decision to become an Associate Pastor at Miami Temple (instead of continuing on as Lead Pastor somewhere else) was that I could be potentially derailing or hindering my career by “taking a step back” in serving under another pastor. In response to this idea, I find a powerful image during a moment happening late in the life of Jesus found in the book of John, chapter 13. The most powerful two verses in this story are found in the very beginning (v.3-4). Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,*got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. At the very moment Jesus understood all authority had been given to Him, He doesn’t use the power given to zap his enemies and/or bypass the pain of the Cross. He takes off his outer robe, assumes the position of a servant, and begins to wash his disciples’ feet. Jesus understood that to be the best leader, it was important to lean on the influence you have on others instead of the authority (titles or position) you wield in the quest to compel them into action. It’s also worth noting that Jesus didn’t use his authority to do everything himself. He delegated authority and used his influence to lead others to grow as leaders themselves. There are positional leaders who abuse their authority via threats, coercion, intimidation, positioning, sabotage, isolation, and a host of other tactics to keep power to themselves, rather than delegate it to those around them. When leaders hoard their authority and refuse to delegate to others, it actually makes them weaker. John Maxwell describes three reasons why people violate what he calls “the Law of Empowerment”: 1.) A desire for job security – Weak leaders worry that if they help subordinates, they themselves will become dispensable. 2.) Resistance to change – Most people don’t like change. Effective leaders must not only be willing to change, they must become change agents. 3.) Lack of self-worth – Self-conscious people are rarely good leaders. They focus on themselves, worrying about how they look, what others think, and/or whether they are liked. They can’t give power to others because they feel that they have no power themselves. Now, let’s say you’re in a position where you’re under someone else in the flowchart and want to know how to lead. Invest in those you work with.You can influence others the most when they know you care for them. People know when you’re using them as a stepping stone to something else. Therefore, be intentional about developing a positive relationship with those over and under you. At my church, I see my senior pastor as a friend as much as a colleague. We watch movies, laugh, and eat together. Having a positive work environment is great for everyone. Find your strengths and maximize them. I’m a communicator. I love to write and speak about issues I’m passionate about. Therefore, my senior pastor splits the preaching schedule with me. There are leaders who are threatened by this (see John Maxwell’s notes above), and if you are in a situation like this, don’t sweat it. Find ways to use your strengths in other areas.  Furthermore, don’t be upset when you don’t get your way; good leaders are good followers first. Do everything possible to add value to others.You will become an authority when you have developed enough credibility consistently. Check your motives here, because you must add value to others, not in order to serve yourself. When you produce quality work over time, you will be noticed and maybe you will obtain a title, but if you don’t cultivate that early on, it will be worthless. Invest in yourself. If you’re in a position where you know your strengths but your work environment is toxic, there is still something you have influence and authority over: yourself. Choose to stay positive, active, and engaged until God opens another door that is in line with your gifts, passion, and experience.  A self-differentiated leader can be the most powerful asset any group can have. In conclusion, bloom where you are planted. I used to think that changing the church could only happen once you “moved up” the ecclesiastic ladder. Today, I firmly believe that working in the local church is where you can have a global impact while avoiding much of the bureaucracy. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of good people in positional leadership. Personally, I’m choosing to influence my local church and produce leaders that have the culturally relevant, mission-first approach. I’ll use my gifts and authority to produce materials that can positively impact the global church. You can start building that ideal future today. Like a friend of mine told me recently in relation to speaking truth to power when in the position to do so: One thing I do know, a lot of people played it safe thinking when they got power then they would speak up, but they found that when they got power they hadn’t developed the character to speak up. Whatever you are doing today is the best predictor of what you will be doing tomorrow.

Thrice – “Palms” (Sept 14, 2018) The Post-hardcore legends Thrice have returned after two years since To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere, and just about four years since lead singer Dustin Kensrue departed from his position as worship pastor at Mark Driscoll’s Mars Hill Church. Anyone familiar with the Thrice back catalogue, as well as Kensrue’s solo work, will find a lot of familiarity here. This album continues the trajectory of recent releases from this group, with the screaming vocals of earlier work essentially all gone, and the “experimental” edges of the band existing in a more tempered, subtle form. Don’t take this for tameness or blandness, though. This album is deeply creative, forward-thinking, and layered. To get right to the point, Palms succeeds because of very good songwriting. The instrumental performance and musicianship are of course stellar because it’s Thrice we’re talking about here, but the stars of the show here are the lyrics, the melodies, and Kensrue’s gravelly, textured singing voice. While this is only a hardcore record in as much as it is a post-grunge, alternative rock outing, there is something hardcore about it, which is the level of soul-searching and emotional depth that have been injected into each of these songs. Thrice has managed to hold up a mirror to our current cultural climate and take a spiritual measurement of it, all without breaking with their own sense of artistic conviction or jeopardizing their legitimacy as a general-market band. Kensrue’s words are critical and cutting both in their inward and outward thrust. These songs see problems in the world around, and feel those same problems lurking within the self. The sum total product is a deeply reflective, honest, and at times gut-wrenching album that thrives on delivering maximal emotional impact. Every song on this album has a distinctive identity. While cuts like The Grey and A Branch In The River deliver something closer to the bands punk roots, songs like Blood On Blood offer a more atmospheric sound, layered in acoustic guitars, pretty synths, and haunting falsettos. The record is broken up in the middle by Everything Belongs, a sincere piano-driven ballad that stands out as perhaps one of the strongest tracks. Thrice is at a point in their career where they can probably get away with almost anything, and it is deeply rewarding to see them use their longevity and experience to get away with being really, really, really good. On a band’s tenth major release, one might expect to hear compromises, sellout tracks, mainstream corporate straw-grasping, or over-reliance on nostalgia. Instead, Thrice just gives us honest, emotional, well-written and expertly executed music. It’s not as hard-edged as they have been in the past, but Palms proves that it doesn’t have to be because this band doesn’t have to do anything we want them to in order to still be excellent. 9.5/10 (P.S. If you’re not a huge fan of harder rock music, but have been curious about trying it out, this is the 2018 album for you. This is a band that will give you UNDERGROUND MUSIC SCENE CLOUT and make you seem like you have really good taste, all while also being deeply melodic and accessible in ways that other heavy records might not be. I’m deeply impressed with this album, and really do recommend it. A lot of people in the hardcore community are actually expressing disappointment with this album, but I think it really stands up, and it’s a good introduction to them for the uninitiated.)

One of the hardest parts of the work day is after lunchtime, right around 2:30. I like to call it the three o’clock slump. No matter how much coffee I drink (I know, I know, the health message), I can’t seem to shake that afternoon fatigue. A few weeks ago, I was sitting at my desk when suddenly, I was hit with a wave of exhaustion. Sure enough when I looked at the clock, it read 3:00. As a budding Philadelphian, I got up from my desk and naturally headed to the nearest Wawa for a snack. As I neared the entrance to my favorite convenience store, I heard a soft voice say, “Excuse me.” I was already prepped to give the homeless person I knew I would see a sympathetic smile and keep it moving. However, the person who was approaching me stopped me dead in my tracks. She was young- she couldn’t have been more than a few years older than me- and she looked scared and confused. Her request was simple- could I give her directions to a shelter? She was going through a messy divorce and needed a place to stay. I spent the next several minutes calling multiple shelters and giving her the directions to them. Thirty minutes later, I returned to my desk with my snack but I no longer wanted it. I was not tired anymore either. My fatigue had been replaced with a feeling of helplessness. Why had I sent this young woman to a place that most likely had a long waiting list and could probably only give her temporary housing and three meals a day? Why didn’t I know of a place where she would be welcomed, cared for, and supported as she began the process of rebuilding her life? What if church became that place? What if our churches had the infrastructure to help people like the woman I met that day? Ok, I know it’s not that simple. There would be A LOT of logistics to work through but hear me out. Most of our churches are only open a few days a week. Almost every church I know is open on Wednesdays for prayer meeting, Friday nights for choir rehearsal, all day Sabbath of course, and maybe on Sunday for Pathfinders or board meetings. But all of those events are activities for members. What if churches became places that were open seven days a week? Not just for worship services and bible studies but for…service. What would it take for our churches to become places known for warm meals, safe housing, counseling, education and training programs, and…love? Would we be willing to do it without the promise of a baptism? In other words, with no strings attached? Maybe I’m being too idealistic and perhaps it’s just too complicated but sometimes I fear we’re so caught up in doctrine and tradition that we’ve completely neglected being servants. What if churches became a place of refuge instead of a breeding ground for conflict? Are we able to think beyond weekly services and move towards creating a place that contributes to its community more than just one day a week? Can church be a place that is open to everyone and especially those in need- even if they don’t claim any religion? Those are the questions that lingered in my head for the rest of that work day. Perhaps they are just the ramblings of a dreamer or maybe we could work with other Christian churches in our neighborhoods and actually make it happen. All I know is, I never want to send someone in desperate need of help to a waiting list again. One day I’d like to be able to send them to a church where Christians are waiting with open arms.

Tori Kelly – “Hiding Place” (Sept 14, 2018) This record right here will be a strong contender for one of the best gospel albums of 2018. Tori Kelly has delivered something of a surprise, but one that people have been hoping for. She successfully has crossed over from mainstream pop to gospel, and has done so with flourish and grace. This album is stellar, perfectly paced, balanced, and at times bordering on virtuosic. With more than a handful of gospel artists leaning strongly in a hip-hop or R&B direction, complete with modern electronic arrangements, pseudo-trap beats, and so on, this is a refreshing musical statement. Tori Kelly does not simply lean on tired old genre clichés, however. Far from relying on nostalgia, this album manages to push forward from within the core of the gospel music tradition by being a modern iteration of the more progressive tendencies within the genre. There are R&B, Neo-Soul, and Jazz influences throughout the album, but they do not dilute the core of the gospel sound. Even the occasional hip-hop elements do not obviously detract from the organic tone of the album, which is saying a lot, considering other releases this year in the pop-gospel category. Hiding Place manages to use 808s, synth claps, and fluttering electronic hi-hats so subtly that they are basically unnoticeable. They simply dissolve into the mix and conform to the needs and conventions of the “host genre,” so to speak. One of the things that solidifies this as a proper gospel album is the density and complexity of the arrangements. If there’s one thing Hiding Place does not hide, it’s the amount of music theory that went into its construction. The harmonies are tight, complex, ever evolving, and rich with the kind of tension and flavor that any musically astute ear will find absolutely delicious. Part way through listening to this album, I thought to myself “Man, these songs all sound a lot like Kirk Franklin songs.” It’s a point that should be really obvious to anyone familiar with gospel music over the last few decades. There is an undeniable … theatricality to many of these arrangements that makes this whole record resonate clearly with Kirk Franklin’s writing and arrangement style. And of course, as it turns out, he wrote the majority of the music, with the only other writing credits on the album going to Tori Kelly herself, and one credit to Lecrae. This was a wise move on Kelly’s part. She could have attempted this on her own as a songwriter, but instead got the help that was necessary to make a mature sounding gospel record. This is not the compositional product of a singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar, but a genuinely forward-thinking musical gesture from someone steeped in a tradition. Don’t let any of that last paragraph detract from the central appeal of this record: Tori Kelly herself. This is a vocal performance album. The choirs and backing vocalists get their own spotlight, and guest vocalists like Jonathan McReynolds would make for steep competition for any singer. But Tori Kelly shines and outshines any other presence over and over again. Her range, dynamic versatility, sincerity, charm, and disrespectful vocal runs take center stage throughout. Over the course of only eight tracks, we get to experience her in many forms: declarative, bold, intimate, gentle, broken, and exultant, each of these iterations coming across with strength and sincerity. Above anything else, this album will be enjoyed and remember for it’s sincerity. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t give it a listen sometime very soon. 10/10 (P.S. Yes, you saw that right, this is my first 10/10 review on The Haystack. This is the gold standard for anything else that comes out in 2018. There you have it. Tori Kelly. The legend. Put the whole album in the SDA Hymnal.)

Hillsong Young & Free – “III” (June 29, 2018) Young & Free is the most well-functioning gear in the Hillsong music machine right now. This album is a great studio offering and perhaps the first full Y&F release that captures the full power of their sound without unnecessarily muddying it with a live audience. This is what an electronic music worship release needs to sound like. Young & Free has gone full electronic, a necessary step after Hillsong United essentially began occupying that territory and mixing it just slightly with natural instrument soundscapes. While this will certainly not affect Y&F’s live sound, their decision to go with a true studio album is a welcome one. Finally. This album does everything that Young & Free should do in the right way. The choruses are hooky and fun, the chopped up vocal samples are tastefully executed, and the slower numbers manage to maintain the right electronic texture without losing the “ballad” vibe. Sonically, this record is pristine, current, and just generally tasty. There are a number of stand out tracks on the record. “First Love” strikes right at the real life concerns of the “Young & Free” demographic, and turns generational concerns about the mass church exodus into a plea for God’s help. It is one of the most sharply focused topical worship songs I’ve heard in a long time, which makes it relevant not only for worshipping congregations but also for Christian songwriters. This is how you use worship to speak to a theme. Worship leaders and Christian songwriters should take notes from this. The other major standout number is “Jesus Loves Me,” a partial remake of the classic song, with a changed time signature and meter, but otherwise a partial preservation of the original melody. The song manages to seem both childlike and mature. The addition of theologically meaningful verses gives the song some depth, while the refrain and bridge summon all the emotion of the original version and then some. The only major fault of this album is a common fault of Hillsong albums in general: midway through the listening process, it gets a little tired, a little long-winded, and maybe a bit low-energy. This album with it’s ever changing sonic textures, manages to mitigate that problem a little bit, and would have been perfect if it weren’t for the 17 song tracklisting. SO YEAH. THIS ONE IS REALLY GOOD. 9/10 (P.S. United can honestly get rekt until they WRITE SOME UPBEAT SONGS. I’m so sick of every popular worship song being so knees-draggingly slow. That is all.)

Note: I fully affirm the divine inspiration of the Bible. However, it is an ancient book whose authors saw the world much differently than I do. When their world and mine intersect it creates a natural tension. This series will explore how to live within this tension. First Century Jewish Musicals Saying the Bible isn’t true is bound to raise some concern. So I want to be clear: the Bible is true. But sometimes it’s not. That didn’t help any, did it? An example, perhaps. I’m an educator, and if you’ve sat in even a few staff meetings, you’ve heard a story which may vary in specifics, but follows this basic structure: “In class today, my students were complaining about all the homework they have. They asked if we planned, during the staff meeting, to have all their tests in the same week.” When you hear this, your assumption is probably not: “Every single student was complaining, and at one point the entire class in unison asked, ‘Do you plan, during the staff meeting, to have all these tests in the same week?’” More likely, your brain filtered it automatically so you understood that quite a few students were unhappy about all the work, and someone asked if it was all a conspiracy. We can easily accept the latter interpretation, even though it makes what the teacher said “untruthful” on some level. We do this with the Bible quite a bit. For example, in Luke 3 Jesus is interacting with the people and we see phrases like, “Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’” This happens several times in the chapter with various groups coming to Jesus and asking questions. If we read this story as a 100% factually truthful account, then the real event must have looked like a first-century Jewish musical where entire groups moved and spoke in unison. In examples like this, we can accept the truthful account the Bible is giving us of what happened while acknowledging it is not literally what happened. That’s a pretty easy example to point out this tension in the Bible. The problem arises when we somehow forget this simple way of navigating the tension when it comes to more challenging statements. Let’s look at two more challenging examples, starting with the less consequential one. Apologetic Cows and the One Man Genocide The story of Jonah being swallowed by a fish for three days has attracted many skeptics. I’m not one of them. At least, not for that reason. As far as I’m concerned, the whole fish thing is way down on the list of impressive miracles. I can believe the story is a literal, factual truth because the resurrection of Christ is a way more impressive feat, which I believe must be a literal, factual truth. However, when we look at chapter 3, we see the king of Nineveh ordering the livestock not to eat or drink and to join the people in wearing sackcloth. This leaves us with a couple of interpretations: either this story is not an entirely literal, factual truth, the king of Nineveh is overly dramatic, or he has unrealistic expectations of the nation’s animals. Personally? I’m good with either interpretation. If Jonah’s story took place exactly as described, I can handle it. If it’s a parable about a man living in a fish and apologetic cows, which challenges the limits of our forgiveness, I’m fine with that too. The story doesn’t need to be factually true for me to read it and identify with the truth of Jonah’s struggle to forgive in my own life. A more consequential example is the idea of Israel committing genocide on God’s instruction, which has caused many to question their faith and some to abandon it altogether. One of these difficult stories is found in Joshua 10. In verses 29-40 it tells us Joshua killed “all who breathed” in the following places: Libnah, Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, Debir, the hill country, and Negeb. If you are tracking with me you might have concluded Joshua probably didn’t single-handedly destroy all these people. Beyond this, the factual truth of this narrative is challenged late in chapter 15 which tells us they had to go to some of these same cities and drive out Israel’s enemies before they could be settled (see verses 13-15). If Joshua destroyed every last person in these places, how are they still full of their enemies? The more likely reality is that the author is engaging in a bit of hyperbole for the sake of the story. The truth of the story is that under God’s guidance Israel moved to destroy a very wicked group of people who practiced many evil things including regular child sacrifice. If we focus on whether or not Joshua by himself killed literally every single breathing thing in those places we miss the larger theological and narrative truths of God working through Israel to redeem the earth through a new kind of nation. If you want further practice, check out the book of Matthew. There are some strange things happening with his genealogy of Jesus and his description of Judas’ death as opposed to Luke’s account. Matthew’s Jewish background and Jewish audience cause his gospel to seem downright dishonest if we judge it by modern western standards. As you look, though, just remember: The Bible is always true, except when it isn’t, then it is.

How would you feel if you voted, but your vote was never counted? What if you found out a large portion of votes weren’t counted because the counting system malfunctioned? How do you respond when the higher-ups refuse to hold another vote? What do you do when the “winner” of that invalid vote declares victory and gives an acceptance speech? Is it okay if the person you voted for “won?” Rigged elections, voter suppression, illegitimate presidencies. Sounds like stuff straight out of recent Congressional hearings right? Nope, that happened in the church. The church claims to be different from “the world” but is it really? I find it amusing when older people question why our generation is leaving the church. I understand their alarm. The average age of Adventist church members in North America is over 50. The average pastor in the NAD is also over 50. But, Adventists aren’t the only ones facing the trouble of an aging church. American Christianity is dying. Big churches, small churches, Catholic churches, Baptist churches — it doesn’t matter — they’re all struggling. I suppose one could argue that megachurches are doing well, but their weekly attendance numbers are starting to drop, too. So, why are churches dying? Why are young people running from Christianity and organized religion? That’s a complicated question with multiple answers. I’ve noticed how many try to simplify the answer and attribute it to things like the separation of the wheat and tares, or my personal favorite, “the shaking.” I’ve heard yet others claim young people don’t want to sacrifice or live “Godly lives.” Technology and the desire to be entertained have also been blamed. I think people want to accept those answers because they’re afraid to confront the truth. The truth would require them to change, and let’s face it, we’re terrified of change. We live in an already rapidly changing world, and many are fruitlessly grasping at the past, trying to find that one thing in life that won’t change so they can hold on to it. It’s as if these churches want to survive, but they’re doing exactly the opposite of what survival requires. Survival requires change. But for many Christians, church has become that one thing they cling to, and they’ve concluded it cannot or should not change. But now it’s hard to ignore the dwindling youth population, and everyone is wondering what happened. I think it comes down to a few overarching problems. In my opinion, power struggles and politics are at the top of the list. I have seen people literally fight for power only to do nothing but sit in the pew and play politics once they have it. Additionally, many churches lack vision. We tend to ignore the future, focus on the here and now, and lull ourselves into a false sense se of security by saying, “Jesus is coming soon!” Since we don’t think about or plan for the future, we don’t adequately train or mentor future leaders. The power struggles and politics, lack of vision and mentorship explain why Sister Agnes has been the choir director for 50 years and why and the choir is still singing the same songs they sang in the 60s. Then there are things like poor leadership, outdated religious dogma, lack of purpose, and equally lacking spiritual growth. How can we expect people to relate to Christianity when there’s no life application? Christianese and overused cliches won’t cut it anymore. I need to understand exactly what you are telling me and how it affects or applies to my life. Many older Christians struggle with this, and I think it’s because secretly, they don’t know how to apply their beliefs in their own lives, either. They oftentimes just say things that sound nice, but when you start poking at what they’re suggesting or start asking questions, they’ll either quote a text out of context to prove a point or provide an irrelevant Ellen White quote instead of engaging in meaningful conversation. It’s no wonder our generation is leaving. We’ve been given a faith that can’t be questioned and doesn’t mature with us. That kind of faith won’t hold up in the real world where many of us are looking for a faith that does. Imagine fighting so hard to survive that you are actually hurting yourself in the process. That’s where American Christianity and perhaps the Adventist church has found itself. Fighting so hard to hold on to the past that we don’t even notice the empty pews. Maybe it’s time to lay some of the churches on life support to rest. Maybe then we’ll at least pay attention to the autopsy reports.

This year I was fortunate enough to partake my first white-water rafting experience in Idaho on a vessel called the Creature Craft. Being possibly the first Australian to ride this Rapid-munching beast they call a raft was both terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time! For those who haven’t heard of the creature craft before, it is an inflatable craft designed to handle rapids that white-water amateurs can only dream of taking on. Look them up on YouTube to gain a better appreciation. In Idaho we took on the North Fork of the Payette—a category five set of rapids. For those like me who know (or knew!) nothing about rafting, the only people who will take on category fives are professionals and lunatics; I prefer to think of them as one in the same. Nonetheless, I partook in the lunacy and made some crazy memories I won’t soon forget. Now you might still be wondering how this all came together, and to be honest so am I. However, that’s not the point here. It’s amazing how much perspective you get when you realize your own powerlessness. I have had a few weeks to calm down and reflect on the experience and have found that in the lunacy, I learned some lessons about faith. Prior to being sent down the current of doom, I had to go through a fairly rigorous safety training progress which lasted all of 20 minutes. The goal of the training was to prepare myself and my navigator to learn how to work together to flip the boat upright should we tip while on the rapids. For us, this process was made all the more difficult by having the largest boat in the fleet and perhaps the most inexperienced crew. Furthermore, we were to complete the task in an eddy (a patch of still water), making the task considerably harder than if we were moving down some white-water. Although this exercise can by no means be considered mundane, embarrassingly, it took my crew much longer than it should have. One of the professional rafters whispered to us part way through our pain that it was a lot easier to flip the boat when being carried downstream. Finally, we completed our task and the pressure we felt from the onlooker’s eyes—which were at this point tearing up with laughter—was released. That was until we were flipped the other way and told to complete the task again! Eventually we got the boat back upright and our training was complete. Little did I know the pain to come over the next few days would make me question if the whole thing was worth it. Nonetheless, I learned something important about faith here: we were drastically over-prepared for the rapids. 1 Corinthians 10:13 is a pretty powerful verse attesting to the struggles we will face in life. My understanding of the principle on display here is that God always equips us where He calls us. The only prerequisite for serving God is a desire to do His will and a willingness to allow His Spirit to work in and through you. Without a willingness to learn, you become very hard to teach. God never allows us to go into a place He has not already prepared us. However, God also respects the decision of those who choose to ignore his instruction and experience the consequences of their actions. 2) Stationary is Dangerous One of the first things I learned about rafting is that the surest way to end up falling flat on your face is to try and stand still. Moments before my first run down the North Fork Payette, one of the professionals asked me about my white-water experience. I proceeded to tell him that this was my first time and he spent the remainder of our wait laughing. Yet in his sympathy, he gave me some advice just before we launched. He said that if I were to fall out of the boat, my best chance of surviving would be in adopting a defensive position and allowing myself to be carried downstream. Trying to stand up in the water is one mistake new rafters tend to make when they fall out. Because of hydro-physics (or whatever it’s called), the moment they plant their feet on the river bed is the moment they fall forward and start flowing headfirst down the rapid. I am not proposing that we should exercise our faith without caution. However, I do believe that comfort and faith can’t co-exist. The posture of the heart must remain intentionally focused upon God’s calling for us in each season. Also we must be willing to keep moving forward despite any discomfort. The reality is that some seasons feel like life is smashing you from all directions. Just as the key to surviving a rapid is intentionally adopting the right posture and moving forward, we need to be intentional about adopting a posture of submission as we move forward towards God’s purpose for our life. The moment we dig in our heels is often the moment we stumble; when we are not working in God’s purpose we are prone to falling. Keep moving forward! 3) The Power of Preparation I’m not afraid to admit how tired I was after the training that I mentioned earlier. The problem is, no training can truly prepare you for what it feels like the first time you go down the rapid. Initially, I deemed the excessive training unnecessary beforehand. However, my first run made me realize that no amount of training can prepare you for the real thing. It’s not until you’re staring down the mouth of a hole (rafter terminology) big enough to swallow an SUV that you begin to realize why you needed the training. It’s really easy to get frustrated with seasons that seem to have no action. Often we compare our walk with the next guy, and in seeing their pious facade, we realize that we don’t measure up. We think that God must have more in store for us but fail to see how our presently ‘mediocre’ existence has anything to do with the extraordinary things to come. We fail to understand two things. Firstly, the season we are in cannot be defined until it is finished. Secondly, God has you in this season for a purpose. A preacher once said to me, if you knew what God had in store for your life, you would understand the magnitude of your current situation. By appreciating and paying attention to the preparation, you learn to appreciate and enjoy the challenges that follow. Let’s make a commitment to live in the now with a posture of expectancy. Let us learn from God in preparation for the future that He has in store.

I am often amazed at how my children can troubleshoot when they want something. When my daughter London was 1-year old, she astonished me with her ingenuity and problem-solving skills. Unable to talk in cohesive sentences, she started tugging at my pant leg in childlike desperation. As she was whining and making sounds I tried to figure out what London wanted, but my efforts were of no avail. Getting increasingly frustrated, her cheeks started to turn red and her cries of frustration grew stronger. Then my daughter did something remarkable. She walked over to her high chair, placed one foot on the wooden support dowel and proceeded to scale up the side of the high chair. She had never done this without help before. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. My 1-year old daughter started to climb up the side of her high chair, placing one foot ahead of the other, she found a stable hold and then hoisted her little body up over the tray and into the seat. Looking at me she smiled and hit her tray, that’s when I realized what she was trying to tell me. She was hungry. My daughter is wired to problem solve. It’s in her nature to fight for what she wants. She has been this way since before she could speak and barter for it. What is it about human beings that drive us from an early stage of life to either problem-solve or sit in the compliance of our dilemmas? I don’t understand all the realms that this question entails. I do understand that for some of us, somewhere in the recesses of our brains is an innate predisposition or desire to find solutions to our problems. Others tend to stay in the misery of their own perceived insufficiencies, never reaching their desired goal. In 2015, CNN put out an article that revolved around some of the data that was published by the Pew Research Center which stated, “Looking at the long view, the generational spans are striking. Whereas 85% of the silent generation (born 1928-1945) call themselves Christians, just 56% of today’s younger millennials (born 1990-1996) do the same, even though the vast majority — about eight in 10 — were raised in religious homes. Each successive generation of Americans includes fewer Christians, Pew has found. To put it simply: Older generations of Americans are not passing along the Christian faith as effectively as their forebears. It’s not as if young people today are being raised in a way completely different from Christianity,” said Smith, the Pew researcher. “But as adults they are simply dropping that part of their identity.” After reading these statistics I had to ask myself, “where does the blame fall?” Are millennials leaving the church in droves due to a poor picture of true Christianity by their parents? Maybe, or does the problem of empty pews stem from millennials’ inability to create their own solutions within the church? Are millennials simply byproducts of parents who never grasped the proper spiritual language of their children and as a result failed to spiritually feed them? Or have we simply ghosted religion like we do our neighbors? This is a question that has me digging deeper into the psychology of our genetic makeup and our predisposition for spiritual desire. At the core of a generation that is ghosting religion, I believe that another question is being dangled in front our eyes. Are we creatures of nature or creatures of nurture? Is it a person’s genes? Or is it a person’s environment that makes them who they are? This age-old question is one that has caught the attention of Maxson McDowell PhD psychoanalyst and molecular biologist along with hundreds of other brain scientists around the world. There is no denying that our hair color, physical appearance, and predisposition to illnesses such as cancer, are all part of our genetic makeup[2]. But with that said, we are now living in a world of psychology and brain science that has allowed a lot of concrete evidence to be gathered on this very topic. Every person has what is known as a unique genetic code. The genetic code provides a combination of the mother and father’s physical traits which are passed on to the child the second conception takes place. The debate hinges on whether things such as a person’s predisposition to problem-solve or sit in self-wallowing misery is also a product of nature, or rather an issue of nurture. Let me take this a little further. Are some people more likely to live a holy life versus a sinful life based on the genetics that were passed on to them from their parents as well? If this is true, then is it also fair to say that some people have a genetic road map that is filled with fewer obstacles (predisposition to sin)? When it comes to making good choices and a desire to go to church, read the bible, and pray, are these things predisposition for us, and inherited by our parents? During graduate school, I took a Marriage and Family Relationships class. In this course I was given the task of creating a genogram. This is a family systems diagram filled with symbols, shapes, and corresponding explanations to each of them. Each one has a very significant meaning behind it. Genograms are most commonly used by family and addiction therapists to help people understand what genetic trends they are predisposed to, whether good or bad. For example, in the genogram I made on my dad’s side, alcoholism was evident from one generation to another, starting with my great grandfather, to my grandfather, and all the way down to my biological father. Every one of these men in my family history possessed the same symbol that is represented by a drug and alcohol addiction. This helps me understand that I am at a very high risk for developing these addictions as well. The guy next to me may not have the same genetic disposition to alcohol as me. He may be able to have one drink and quit. My genes naturally incline me to need more than one. Perhaps this is why the Bible tells us in Numbers 14:18 that a father’s sin will be visited until the third and fourth generation. So, my question is “are we creatures of nature or nurture?” Has the evolution of sin manifested itself so strongly in millennials’ genetic makeup that we are simply the byproducts of poor choices? Have the sins of our mothers and fathers, which have been ingrained in us from past generations hindered our spiritual development? Or are we the least likely generation to attend church, simply because we choose to be? I think the world is grayer than it is black and white. I think it could be a lot of both. And if so, God have mercy.

Koryn Hawthorne – “Unstoppable” (July 13, 2018) NBC’s The Voice has brought a number of Christian singers into the spotlight, and Koryn Hawthorne is one who has absolutely stormed onto the Christian music scene. Hawthorne has moved from being a member of Team Pharrell on the aforementioned show, to gracing the front of Spotify’s current gospel music playlists. The album’s lead single Won’t He Do It (Remix) has been in prominent spots on gospel music charts for a while now, and for good reason. It’s a perfect blend of gospel and pop-R&B songwriting, accented by Hawthorne’s powerful vocal delivery and the slightly “trappy” production style that keeps the track stylistically relevant and market ready. The relatively light tone sets this track – and the rest of the album, honestly – apart from other darker sounding “trapsoul” counterparts in the mainstream market (and even the current wave in “CHH”). In fact, in spite of all the 808-style percussion, fluttering hi-hats, and 8th note triplets, the harmonic structure of these songs usually manages to keep things adequately in the gospel realm. This genre fusion is perfected by the fact that it is executed in a self-aware and intentional way. Studio albums by gospel artists can sometimes come across as stylistically scattered (see Tye Tribbett and Israel Houghton’s offerings in this category). Hawthorne and her team know exactly what they are going for and manage to keep the album diverse without any radical or distracting departures. The album is gospel enough throughout that the ballads and worship numbers don’t feel out of place (You Still Love Me, Speak The Name), but also has enough of a modern edge for a rap feature on Reasons to make sense, as well as the distorted-guitar-driven album bookends Warriors and Down Goes Rome. The strongest feature of this offering is Koryn’s voice, by far and without a doubt. Her versatility is constantly on display: she is compelling and emotive on the softer tracks and manages subtle backing vocal textures, but leans heavily into her belting zone just as often. The grittiness in her voice an the frequent rawness of her delivery is perhaps the quintessential anti-mumble rap. The weakest part of the album might be repetition and brevity. Four of the ten total tracks are repeat songs from her previous self-titled 2017 EP. The album totals 37 minutes of playtime – a respectable runtime in general, if not for the fact that some of the songs feel like they end a little too abruptly or inconclusively (Down Goes Rome, Truth). Overall, this record should serve as an excellent introduction for Hawthorne as a promising new artist. She has plenty of room to grow, but in this case that is a good thing. She delivers a stylistically relevant pop-gospel album without sacrificing vocal quality or songwriting, takes Christian radio by storm, and manages to do so without being cheesy. Things are looking good for Koryn Hawthorne. If she can crank out a greater volume of songs and continue to hone her craft, she may in fact prove to be unstoppable. 7.5/10 (P.S. It really should also be mentioned that the phrase “Won’t he do it!” had already become something of a meme prior to Hawthorne’s song hitting the scene. This is definitely a continuation of the trend of Christian artists un-ironically turning memes into songs, as Hillsong United did in 2017 with “Not Today” – clearly playing off the “not today Satan” phrase that had swept through social media. I’m honestly hoping that we see memes become the next wave of Christian hymnody, anticipating titles like “I Can Has Justification By Faith?”, “Shalom There! General Kenobi!”, “I Need No Other Evidence (Change My Mind)”, “Away In A Manger (Is This Your King!?)”, and “Mr. Stark, I Don’t Wanna Go To The Lake of Fire”…. I’m only half joking, in the sense that I would be thrilled if Richard Dawkins’ legacy in creating the term “memes” resulted in a batch of popular, culturally self-referential Christian songs. That would be absolutely golden.)

I’ve always loved books. As a child, I can remember walking into my school library and becoming intoxicated by the smell of books on every corner. I liked the weight of a novel in my hands and the feeling of pages flipping past my fingers. When I dreamed about my life, my childhood dreams were always about writing books. That was all I wanted. By middle school, I wanted boys. I wanted them to want me too. I wrote in journals about the various boys I liked and had a shoe-box under my bed with all the notes I’d received. I still loved reading books, but not more than I loved receiving those notes. If you had asked me at twelve what my dreams were, I would have still told you that I dreamed of books, but that wouldn’t have been the complete truth. When you want something badly, you focus your energy on it. You spend your free time trying to propel yourself to reach those goals. I spent my energy learning how to apply eyeshadow, and saved all my allowance to buy denim that made my butt look good. My dreams of books had faded, and I was always shotgun in someone’s truck. I like to think I was driven, but in truth, I think I was more often distracted. I was the girl who always had a boyfriend. I didn’t have a string of boys that I ran through, but I did have rather long-term relationships. I am embarrassed to admit this, but my entire life from the time I turned 14 until the time I was 22 can be chronicled by a series of three boyfriends. Want to know how I decided which college I was going too? I tell people it was because I got a track scholarship, but the truth is I only applied to one school — the one my boyfriend was attending. My mother warned me not to choose my education based on a romance, but she didn’t understand. I loved him. We broke up before the fall semester had even ended. For the first time since I was 14 years old, I was single, and to be honest, I didn’t quite know who I was. I transferred schools at the end of the year, and I decided I was going to find myself. That lasted a few months, and before I knew it I was dating again, and then I got engaged. I remember telling my ex-fiance I wanted to be a Professor, but he told me that going to school for that many years would take too long, and he wanted to have a family. I broke up with him two months before my wedding. That same summer, I got my very first publishing contract. I felt like I was dying inside, and yet here I’d received this email saying my childhood dreams were going to come true. I could write books. I could allow my fingers to feel the strum of pages I had written. I took it as a sign from the universe that there was more to life than him. I have a husband. I love him dearly. He is honestly my soul mate, and I’m pretty sure God chose him to partner through life with me. That said, my husband doesn’t make me who I am. He betters me, but he doesn’t make me. I’ve come to a place in my life where I believe there has to be more to life than him. It takes a romantic and caring woman to live life for someone else. But I also think it takes a driven, secure, and confident woman to live life for herself. Remember what your dreams are, and chase after them for you. You are Gods only shot at you.  When He made you, He built you with the ability to grab ahold of whatever is rooted deep inside of you, and change the world with it.  You are not just a person; you are a plan. It’s a wonderful thing to find love. But it is a life-giving thing to find purpose. Whether you are married, or single, a mother or a daughter, I hope you don’t ever lose what it is about you that makes you different from everyone else. You are not just a person, you are a plan. Let your partners make you better, but don’t let them make you, you. There is more to life than him.

I have this pinned to the top of my Twitter page to remind myself of how I ought to (or rather, not) relate with others when it comes to outreach. The truth is, our church historically hasn’t been very good at living up to this ideal. As a case in point, I got a message recently from someone close to me who is a Baptist. It is being shared with permission: I wanted to ask you an honest and legit question about Seventh-day Adventists. A coworker of mine is also Adventist. She is one of the nicer ones I’ve talked to. A few years back, I met another one when we went door knocking to promote our VBS. We knocked on the door of this lady who started off nice until she heard our name. Then she flipped out and in other words said, that her religion was the only true religion and that if she ever allowed her kid to go to another church denomination, the last one would be Baptist. I didn’t think much of it then. Well fast forward to this co-worker, whom I would never have even thought was a believer AT ALL. The way she speaks, I legit thought she was an Atheist until recently when I was talking about our church’s missionary conference and how awesome it was. She mentioned she was Adventist. Since working with her, I’ve known she was a vegetarian; she eats super healthy and is very passionate about health. Which is why I began talking to her in the first place because I enjoy taking care of my body and want to improve my health as much as possible. However, I would never have guessed she was a believer of any kind because a lot of the stuff she says and doesn’t speak like someone that believes in God or anything. Ever since she said that, I’ve been reading up on Adventists and why the religion feels like it stands up above the rest (and yes, I know the same can be said about any religion) but I have been following your blogs and I guess I don’t get it, and sometimes the things I see posted, sound almost anti-Christian (not posted by you directly). So, I was trying to figure out a way of asking you without sounding offensive or puffed up, but, what exactly it is that Adventist believe? If you’re an Adventist, the image she’s gotten from our church should break your heart. The main reason for this, as I told her, is because we have developed and cultivated an unhealthy and exclusive view of the remnant. My friend, Rodlie Ortiz calls it an “isolationist perspective. Where we keep the law and hunker down till the end. Officially, this is not said, but many local churches behave like this.” Over the years, we’ve created a culture that essentially says correct knowledge/doctrine is the true identifying mark of the remnant. Full disclosure, I surprisingly came to find out recently that this is exactly what our pioneers believed and what we basically teach. It’s explicitly stated in our Wikipedia page under the three angels’ messages: The Seventh-day Adventist Church has traditionally believed that it is the remnant church of Bible prophecy, and that its mission is to proclaim the three angels’ messages which it used in its signs and logos. If Wikipedia isn’t considered legit, this is what our church manual says: “In accordance with God’s uniform dealing with mankind, warning them of coming events that will vitally affect their destiny, He has sent forth a proclamation of the approaching return of Christ. This preparatory message is symbolized by the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14, and meets its fulfillment in the great Second Advent Movement today. This has brought forth the remnant, or Seventh-day Adventist Church, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that the identity of the remnant is invariably tied to the mission of the remnant. However, if these quotes are saying that being baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church itself exclusively grants members the title of the remnant, I fully disagree. If this idea is really the case, I’m aware that my perspective might place me at odds with our beliefs. Yet, I’ve publicly disputed the idea that institutional righteousness is granted to any denomination, including Adventism: After posting this, a friend of mine challenged me on my assumptions and suggested I study on this quote to make sure that I, as a Millennial, wasn’t just speaking out of a common Millennial tendency to be skeptical of institutions (which is true). Ellen White on the Remnant You may be surprised to hear that Ellen White repeatedly mentions that church membership doesn’t equal salvation. Therefore, it would make even less sense to believe that having your name on the membership roster at your local church equals belonging to the remnant. It is a solemn statement that I make to the church, that not one in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books are prepared to close their earthly history, and would be as verily without God and without hope in the world as the common sinner.–ChS 41 Let church members bear in mind that the fact that their names are registered on the church books will not save them.– CCh 67.4 The original quote from my tweet was first found in her book Selected Messages, Volume 2, pg 380. Here is the immediate context leading up to what she says about the church in the last days: God never forsakes people or individuals until they forsake Him. Outward opposition will not cause the faith of God’s people, who are keeping His commandments, to become dim. The neglect to bring purity and truth into practice will grieve the Spirit of God and weaken them because God is not in their midst to bless. Internal corruption will bring the denunciations of God upon this people as it did upon Jerusalem. Oh, let pleading voices, let earnest prayer be heard, that those who preach to others shall not themselves be castaways. My brethren, we know not what is before us, and our only safety is in following the Light of the world. God will work with us and for us if the sins which brought His wrath upon the old world, upon Sodom and Gomorrah and upon ancient Jerusalem, do not become our crime. 2SM 378.3 In other words, the lack of practical faith lived out in the lives of believers will be what leads to corruption, not necessarily “apostasy.” So, where we find the quote about the church not falling, she actually is referring to God’s global, invisible church: Satan will work his miracles to deceive; he will set up his power as supreme. The church may appear as about to fall, but it does not fall. It remains, while the sinners in Zion will be sifted out—the chaff separated from the precious wheat. This is a terrible ordeal, but nevertheless it must take place. None but those who have been overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony will be found with the loyal and true, without spot or stain of sin, without guile in their mouths. We must be divested of our self-righteousness and arrayed in the righteousness of Christ. 2SM 380.2 Ellen White pulled no punches. If we think for a second that we can teach the idea that the future of our church institution is secured based on a misunderstanding of the remnant and a few misquoted Ellen White quotes, we’re in for a rude awakening. Today a large part of those who compose our congregations are dead in trespasses and sins. They come and go like the door upon its hinges. For years they have complacently listened to the most solemn, soul-stirring truths, but they have not put them in practice. Therefore they are less and less sensible of the preciousness of truth. The stirring testimonies of reproof and warning do not arouse them to repentance. The sweetest melodies that come from God through human lips—justification by faith, and the righteousness of Christ—do not call forth from them a response of love and gratitude. CCh 67.3 If this quote was written in her day, what would be the case for our churches today? The three angels messages in Revelation 14, is a passage all about the mission and message of God’s remnant people against a system of belief identified as Babylon. As mentioned earlier, I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that the identity of the remnant is invariably tied to the mission of the remnant. Yet, as is God’s dealing with his remnants in history past, this relationship is conditional. Therefore, the remnant is the remnant only as it functions as the remnant. If at any point, we individually and/or collectively stop living as the remnant church who have the faith founded on the “Everlasting Gospel,” we stop being the remnant. Plain and simple. This remnant message extends beyond denominational lines. Think about it. If Babylon is a system of belief, it’s a mindset and can be found anywhere. The same is true of the remnant. Meaning that elements of Babylon and the remnant can, and do coexist within any church/denomination, even Adventism. Or as Jesus called it, the “wheat and the tares.” Rodlie Ortiz and Shawn Brace, each quoting Ellen White, say that the purpose of the remnant is for the sake of others; their obedience serves a missiological purpose. “God called Israel, and blessed and exalted them, not that by obedience to His law they alone might receive His favor and become the exclusive recipients of His blessings, but in order to reveal himself through them to all the inhabitants of the earth.” (PP 369) “The Jewish people had been made the depositaries of sacred truth; but Pharisaism had made them the most exclusive, the most bigoted, of all the human race. Everything about the priests and rulers—their dress, customs, ceremonies, traditions—made them unfit to be the light of the world. They looked upon themselves, the Jewish nation, as the world. But Christ commissioned His disciples to proclaim a faith and worship that would have in it nothing of caste or country, a faith that would be adapted to all peoples, all nations, all classes of men” (DA 819). British theologian Lesslie Newbigin noted that the remnant people are to be “bearers, not exclusive beneficiaries” of the blessing of God. So, what then are some of the characteristics of God’s remnant church? Here are some general ideas summarized from a great article written a few years ago: - Has Jesus and His atoning work as the primary focus of its faith. - Encourages fellowship through baptism. - Demonstrates transparency and true unity among its community of believers. - Maintains an adaptable, mission-driven organizational structure. - Lives out of the Priesthood of All Believers. - Grounded in the totality of Scripture. - Driven by liberty of conscience. - Visible and active in its community. In conclusion, I ask the question: has Adventism lost its remnant identity? It depends. We can’t lose something that wasn’t inherently ours to begin with. We must all be faithful and serve Jesus as best we can, knowing that in the end, God will hold us as accountable as the Jews in Jesus’ day for how our faith is lived out. May our institutional attachment to the claim of God’s exclusive remnant not turn into an idol too difficult to give up. — PS-  I know that this post might generate questions about my views on the remnant, Prophecy, Daniel and Revelation, etc. This Fall, Miami Temple is doing a series on Daniel and Revelation. We’ll be producing some material which I’m pretty excited about. Stay tuned!