Matt 24 Watch, 17: On two massacres . . . and the civic duty of the protection of the public

Over the past two or so days, we have had saturation coverage, worldwide, on the sad case of the Virginia Tech mass shootings [latest here], but the case of the murder of several staff at a Bible Publishers' in Turkey has not at all been nearly so widely headlined.

Both are sad cases, revealing of the evil that can lurk in our hearts. They also call us to the duty to repent of evil before it gets out of hand, and rise up to build a society based on neighbour-love. For, it is the awesome and terrible power of moral choice that has in it the seeds of both nobility and the sort of horrors that are so rampant in our headlines. Under God, let us choose and do the good and the true.

However, there is also a telling contrast in coverage, which we need to attend to.

For, the contrast is telling on the agendas and spin games that lurk under what appears in our daily headlines and news stories. (BTW, kudos to Jamaica's Gleaner for the link on the Turkey story!)

Putting the wrenching images and emotion stirring rhetorical flourishes to one side, the obvious issue on the Virginia massacre, is how is it that a crazed lone gunman was able to kill so many people? The answer is sadly quite simple: such lunatics seldom target sites where they are likely to encounter armed opposition -- the murder of the defenceless is a part of their sick calculation. (It is possible to be both mad -- utterly irrational -- and bad, calculatedly, even cleverly violent and destructive of innocents.)

Glenn Reynolds has put a very interesting perspective on this:

Virginia Tech graduate student Bradford Wiles . . . has a permit to carry a gun, in Virginia. But on the day of the shootings, he would have been unarmed . . . Virginia Tech bans guns on campus.

In The Roanoke Times last year - after another campus incident, when a dangerous escaped inmate was roaming the campus - Wiles wrote that, when his class was evacuated, "Of all of the emotions and thoughts that were running through my head that morning, the most overwhelming one was of helplessness. That feeling of helplessness has been difficult to reconcile because I knew I would have been safer with a proper means to defend myself."

Wiles reported that when he told a professor how he felt, the professor responded that she would have felt safer if he had had a gun, too.

What's more, she would have been safer. That's how I feel about my student (one of a few I know who have gun carry permits), as well. She's a responsible adult; I trust her not to use her gun improperly, and if something bad happened, I'd want her to be armed because I trust her to respond appropriately, making the rest of us safer.

Virginia Tech doesn't have that kind of trust in its students (or its faculty, for that matter). Neither does the University of Tennessee. Both think that by making their campuses "gun-free," they'll make people safer, when in fact they're only disarming the people who follow rules, law-abiding people who are no danger at all.

This merely ensures that the murderers have a free hand. [Emphases added]

A no-brainer. Indeed, there are considerable facts to back up the point. As he goes on to summarise, in case after case, the massacre is stopped once a responsible armed person shows up:

. . . some mass shootings have been stopped by armed citizens. Though press accounts downplayed it, the 2002 shooting at Appalachian Law School was stopped when a student retrieved a gun from his car and confronted the shooter. Likewise, Pearl, Miss., school shooter Luke Woodham was stopped when the school's vice principal took a .45 from his truck and ran to the scene. In February's Utah mall shooting, it was an off-duty police officer who happened to be on the scene and carrying a gun.

Police can't be everywhere, and as incidents from Columbine to Virginia Tech demonstrate, by the time they show up at a mass shooting, it's usually too late. On the other hand, one group of people is, by definition, always on the scene: the victims. Only if they're armed, they may wind up not being victims at all.

"Gun-free zones" are premised on a fantasy: That murderers will follow rules, and that people like my student, or Bradford Wiles, are a greater danger to those around them than crazed killers like Cho Seung-hui. That's an insult. Sometimes, it's a deadly one.

But, the underlying challenge is, who do we trust, why -- the responsible citizenry, or the state apparatus -- which has consistently shown that "Police can't be everywhere, and . . . by the time they show up at a mass shooting, it's usually too late." Similarly, had the US long since decided that responsible frequent fliers should be co-opted into the sky marshal corps, it is seriously arguable that the 9/11 hijackings would never even have been attempted, as the risks of failure would then be far greater and incalculable.

So, that brings to the fore the Rom 13:1 - 7 issue that justice through the defence of the innocent is the first duty of the state, and the linked point that in a democratic state, the citizens constitute the base of that protection. I therefore think, it is plainly time to take a leaf out of the book of the Swiss, and recognise that in a world of crazies and terrorists, we have to rethink the business of security in the community.

Further to this, the consistent pattern is that ill-prepared, unarmed victims panicked or froze in the face of an armed crazy or terrorist. So, it is time to train and equip the people all across the world in the basics of civil defence and confronting terrorist-like incidents.

(In short, I am not arguing for a "right" to keep and bear arms or to undergo civil defence training and even basic military training, but a plain duty to do so to protect the community from predators, whether crazed or hateful or simply driven by out of control greed. In the words or the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, 1787, "A well regulated [i.e. well-trained and equipped] Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State . . ." This is what sets the context for the US constitution's declaration that, as a result, "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Cf FP's discussion here on the all-too-predictable, and dangerously unworkable reactions from several mainline/liberal religious leaders. It also notes commendable exceptions.)

There is a second issue that lurks, and links the cases.

For, in the case of the murderous attack on a Bible publishers' in Turkey, "Assailants killed three people yesterday at a publishing house that distributed Bibles, in the latest attack apparently targeting Turkey's small Christian minority . . . . The Zirve publishing house has been the site of previous protests by nationalists accusing it of proselytising in this 99 per cent Muslim but secular country, Dogan news agency reported." SO, let us ask: since when is it that seeing to the needs of the CHristian minority in Turkey and peacefully preaching the gospel, "justifies" murder? [Watch out for the predictable deafening silence and/or attempts to assert moral equivalency or otherwise blame the victims among most Islamic -- not just Islamist -- authorities on the case.]
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In the Virginia case, it is noteworthy that not only did Cho make '. . .a snarling, profanity-laced tirade about rich "brats" and their "hedonistic needs" . . . ' but also that he evidently had a red-ink inscription on his body: "Ismail Ax." (NB: "Ismail" is the Islamic variant on the spelling of Ishmael [possibly a mis-spelling, though], and given that the writer is a lit student, perhaps it calculatedly echoes a James Fenimore Cooper story of a certain Ishmael Bush who heads to the prairies -- axe and gun in hand -- to escape civilisation and its hypocrisies. )

That is, we see here a deep-rooted hostility to and murderous resentment against Western culture, its wealth, its people and its historically vital institutions, e.g those of the Christian faith. This should remind us of the shameful incident that in several places in the Caribbean, Caribbean people were celebrating the"success" of the 9/11 hijackers in their mass-murder. In short, even justifiable feelings of outrage over the oppressions of the West can spin into a shocking breakdown in our own behaviour.

So, the major second lesson is that, even as we look at the many sins of the West, we must recognise Jesus' principle of the plank and the dust mote, and so tame resentment before it festers into murderous hate and rage:

MT 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

MT 7:3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, `Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

It seems to me that Jesus' solution is the only one that can work.

First, recognise that we are ALL sinful, so by first facing our own sins, we can understand how sin takes root in our lives. Then, when we come to challenge sin in others -- first, on an individual basis -- we can do so in ways that can help, instead of getting into the revenge and escalation trap that only promotes a cycle of ever escalating violence. That way, by mutual repentance and reconciliation, we can turn instead to the road of reformation and positive transformation.

But, injustice and wrongs do not just happen in a personal situation. Indeed, Jesus' example is an economic one. Let's remember, he was a Carpenter, in the days when you didn't pop down tot he hardware shop to get your planks.

In those days, logs were sawed into planks by being put over a pit and using a two-man saw, one on top, one in the pit. The latter person -- almost invariably the junior! -- would naturally get sawdust in his eyes, hampering him in his work. So, Jesus is saying to the man on top: watch out -- while you are crying out about the sawdust in the eye of the junior in the pit, it is you who may well have the log of hypocritical and callous oppression in your own eye. So, first fix the log in your eye, then help your junior with the sawdust in his eye . . .

But of course, in carrying the principle to the community as a whole, we must also heed the whole counsel of God, which includes the Rom 13:1 - 7 teaching that in the community, we have enemies of the civil peace -- both foreign and domestic. Too often, such live by the principle of the lion: all the bleat of the sheep means is that it is now in your power. Crunch, lunch!

So, we see why sheep need shepherds, who like David of old, can help defend them from lions, bears and wolves -- and Goliaths [or even Sauls], too.

Of course, the flock of sheep analogy is not exact, for, the citizens in our communities can be trained, organised, led and equipped to defend themselves from the wolves, whether they come in pain view, or lurk among us in sheep's clothing, or most slick of all -- in shepherds' clothing.

Arguably, the need to do that is the clearest lesson we need to draw from the recent spate of incidents of mass murder in public places. For, as Mr Reynolds said, ""Police can't be everywhere, and . . . by the time they show up at a mass shooting, it's usually too late." END

Lest we Forget: On the Holocaust memorial pause for silence . . .

The following observation comes from an email on the holocaust memorial day in Jerusalem, Israel:

Flags fly at half mast; all cafes and places of entertainment are closed; only somber music plays on the radio.

On the morning of Yom Hashoah, the country comes to a standstill as the sirens wail marking the only ritualistic aspect of the day. I'm standing beside my car on busy Keren Hayesod Street during the two minute call to attention. It's a moment of solidarity and comfort as the nation joins together in remembrance and resolve.

We must not forget -- for the Holocaust shows the depths of the corruption that can lurk in the human soul. It must not ever be forgotten, and it must not ever happen again.

But equally, some of us have to learn to remember. For, as Ms Balint goes on to note:

In Musrara, on Jerusalem's seam between the eastern and western parts of the city, Israel's schizophrenia is exhibited for all to see. My son who lives in that neighborhood, reports that the Arab commercial area doesn't miss a beat as the Jews bring traffic to a halt just a few yards away . . .

It is time to learn, to remember and to resolve that this must not ever happen again. And, I think it is high time that we rise above whatever grievances and enmities we may have and face the fact of evil and what it can do. Our common humanity demands that much, at least.

May God grant us the grace of remembering, of empathising, sharing grief and moving on with a lesson in heart and mind that was taught at such horrific cost. AMEN

1 Chron 12:32 Report 42: A sermon on putting First Things --- first

On the Sunday after Easter 2007, April 15th, I was invited to preach at our family's local church here in Montserrat. The text of the sermon follows. It addresses of course the first things first theme just described.

Perhaps, this sermon can serve as a point of departure for discussing how we can get back to putting first things first. (I certainly do not hold it out as any great exemplar of the very difficult art of the sermon!)

Quoting:

_____________

FIRST THINGS FIRST . . .

OBJECTIVES: To help build Christian foundations, through focusing on “that which is of first importance” and highlighting the priority of Scripture – vs the culture of “fun”/entertainment/boredom (and, of forgetting God).

_________________

INTRODUCTION: This week, someone lent me a Time Magazine, and I glanced at the letters section. I was astonished to see how the Anglican Bishop of Nigeria was being lashed as a “bigot” in several angry letters to the Editor; for simply being faithful to the scriptures and calling sin “sin,” instead of “the way my genes made me” or “a right” or some similar convenient, comfortable lie. And, we just had the Easter weekend, where far too much of the focus all over the Caribbean was on having fun with the double public holiday weekend – too often, not even pausing to think about why this weekend is so important that we have a double holy-day. That set me to thinking on how far the World in which we live has moved down the road of forgetting God, his word and first things, even as we want to live by the TV idea: “all-fun, all the time. “

H'mm: are the addition facts and multiplication tables “fun”? Are they important? Would an all-chocolate diet be healthy? (Plainly, a dash of common sense thinking lets us see that “Is it fun?” is not a good way to tell if something is important, or necessary, or right, or in balance!)

So, let's take a closer look . . . at putting first things first:

1] Focus text:

Let's look at what is truly “of first importance”:

1CO 15:1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

1CO 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born . . . . 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

Right away, we see the core message of the gospel: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose as victor over sin, death and the Grave – he is our Lord and Saviour. Also, he was seen, by over 500 witnesses – witnesses who knew what they had seen, and who could not be silenced by threats, courts, rulers, whips, stones, fire, swords, lions and all the most horrible tortures devil-inspired men could dream up. That is why we have a church today, and that is why we have an Easter Weekend. And, since “by this gospel [we] are saved,” it is indeed of first importance – more important than even addition facts, multiplication tables and balanced diets – that each of us repents of his or her sins, surrenders to him, and personally and individually receives him as our Lord and Saviour! [That's why the gospel is preached from this pulpit so often – it is “of first importance.”]

But, there is another part to this passage . . .

2] “According to the Scriptures . . .”

Why did Paul write this twice, in v. 3 and v 4?

Isaiah 53 – written over 700 years before the first Easter weekend ever -- will show us a key part of the reason:

ISA 53:1 Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? . .. .

ISA 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

ISA 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him

the iniquity of us all . . . .

ISA 53:8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

And who can speak of his descendants?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

ISA 53:9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in his mouth.

ISA 53:10 Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

ISA 53:11 After the suffering of his soul,

he will see the light of life and be satisfied;

by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,

and he will bear their iniquities.

In other words, over seven hundred years before that first Easter Weekend, God had revealed what would happen to Jesus, in detail: nasty lies, dangerous political games, unjust trials, death, burial, resurrection – and how he would be the one who would bear our sins and carry our sorrows, and through whose stripes we can be healed. This tells us vital things about God our Saviour and the written Word of God – the Holy Bible, things it is easy to forget( things that a lot of people want us to forget):

ISA 43:9 . . . All the nations gather together

and the peoples assemble.

Which of them foretold this

and proclaimed to us the former things?

Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,

so that others may hear and say, "It is true."

ISA 43:10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,

"and my servant whom I have chosen,

so that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor will there be one after me.

ISA 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.

ISA 43:12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed--

I, and not some foreign god among you.

You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.

ISA 43:13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he.

No one can deliver out of my hand.

When I act, who can reverse it?"

In short, when all is said and done, only the True God -- our Lord, Saviour and Creator -- has the power to control and so predict the future. And, he has given testimony of that future ahead of time though his prophets so we may know that we are dealing with the real God – and his real prophets and Scriptures! [BTW, in Matt 24 Jesus foretold just the sort of world situation we now face as a sign of the approaching End of Days, and Paul in Rom 1 analysed how nations that forget God think they are wise even as they become fools and lose control of their passions to the point where they forget even the basic difference between right and wrong; but, DV, that is for another sermon, another day. ]

CONCLUSION: Today, our focus is like a laser beam: first things come first, and God has given us his testimony 700 years ahead of time so we can know the truth for ourselves: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose as victor over sin, death and the Grave – he is our Lord and Saviour. And, all of this, “according to the scriptures.” So, it is of first importance that we thirst for, pay attention, listen to and heed those scriptures and receive him as Lord and Saviour. For, First Things must come . . .FIRST.

--> Have we “paid attention” to the Gospel and to the Word of God it proclaims – treating it as of First Importance?

--> Or, are we like the hard path in Jesus' parable of the sower [in Luke 8] – the seed could not even get in, and the birds come along and snatch it away . . .?

--> Or, are we shallow – just looking for an emotional lift [but at the first sin of pain we will dry up . . .]?

--> Or, distracted with many things of the world – things that are going to end up at Jack Boy Hill [the local rubbish dump] anyway?

Instead, today, while we hear his voice in his Word and stirring in our hearts – let us even now obey the Gospel and the Scriptures, turning from sin and self to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and to following him as disciples – students. So, now, let us humble ourselves and seek his face in prayer . . . AMEN

1 Chron 12:32 Report, 41: Foundations First -- the Gospel-based Word of God

In proposing a cyber-college as a means to support the church in its enduring mission/mandate in and from the Caribbean, we first emphasised: "Consolidating Life-foundations and associated Commitments" as the first of three main foci for teaching and training.

In part, that is triggered by the observation that all too many Christians in the region don't even understand clearly and biblically, basic vocabulary -- repentance, faith, prayer, praise, etc.

But also, it is driven by a disturbing observation that not only among the youth but also among long-standing believers and even among leaders at all levels, there is far too often a major gap between generic profession of Christian faith and having lives that are in fact deeply and transformingly shaped by core Biblical teaching.

So, as Jesus warns us in Matt 7, if we are to try to make a difference among the general public [helping them with the sawdust in their eyes, so to speak], we have got to first fix the planks in our own eyes. Otherwise we will simply play the old, sad, failed game of hypocrisy -- do as I say, not as I do.

I find, in particular, that we too often lack even a basic grounding in the core gospel facts and message -- the words of the beginnings of Christ, as Heb 6:1 describes. So, let us now examine the remarks in Paul's AD 55 1 Corinthians 15:

1CO 15:1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word . . . preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

1CO 15:3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born . . . . 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

This testimony of the core 500+ eyewitnesses of the church dates from the 30's AD, and emphasises not only the facts that they saw for themselves, but also that this was predicted in the prophets [Acts 8:26 on shows the principal of these, the 700+ BC Isaiah 53], and so also raises from Isaiah 43, the point that in the scriptures speaks the voice of the God who controls -- and so can predict -- history, centuries in advance. (DV, let's explore that in more details "next time.")

Immediately, the Word of that God who is Lord of History and our loving Saviour -- he who sent his Son, who in obedience came [Phil 2:5 - 11], descending and dying for our sins, rising as Lord and ascending to His Father, pouring out his Spirit on those who repent and receive him, sending out the church as his body the fulness of him who fills everything in every way [Eph 1, 4] -- should be our guide and rule of life. But, far too often, it simply is not.

How many times do we fall under James' rebuke, instead:

JAS 1:16 Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

JAS 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

JAS 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

So, we plainly need grounding in the gospel and in the Scripture Principle:

It is through repentantly trusting God and obediently taking him at his word, that we can access eternal life, and spiritual power , and so grow in the good works God has laid out in advance for us to do.

Isn't it plain from Genesis 1 - 3 on that disobedience based on losing respect and trust for God, that got us into trouble from the beginning? And, isn't distracting us from the Word of God and leading us into deception and disobedience instead Satan's main tactic from Eden to today? Have we not been clearly and plainly warned on the results, e.g in Romans 1 as it points out how when men profess to be wise but in ingratitude turn their backs on God, they become fools who lose control of their minds and passions? [Is it any coincidence that it is exactly the substitution of misleading images made to look like men, birds, beasts, reptiles, the twisting of sexuality into weird shapes, and the rise of violence that we see ever so clearly marking our own civilisation today?]

Instead, let us repent and heed Paul's counsel to Timothy:

2TI 3:12 . . . everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2TI 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

It seems to me, such a time is upon us in Western Civilisation, in the Caribbean and far beyond. Paul's further counsel to Titus is also apt:

TIT 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good . . . . TIT 3:1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

TIT 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

Plainly, the very first topic on the syllabus of any college for disciples in our region must be foundational instruction. For, again, we may read on :

HEB 6:1 . . . the elementary teachings about Christ . . . the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Should we not therefore -- like the writer to the Hebrews invited (and exemplified, cf. Heb chs 1 - 5) -- first review these, then move on to the things of maturity:

HEB 5:11 We have much to say . . . but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil . . .

It is time -- by God's grace -- for making sure of our foundations, then building on them. END

1 Chron 12:32 report, 40: How a cyber college campus can help transform the Caribbean Church's capacity

I believe that a well-implemented cyber college campus supporting local micro-campus centres in a regional network, can materially help to transform the Caribbean church's capacity to lead in community transformation, regionally and internationally.

Consider:

1] We have thousands of church facilities scattered all across the region, in every community of significance, and a long history of positive, indeed often foundational, contribution to education.

2] With a generation of wider access to tertiary education now being under our belts, we have a substantial pool of potential tutors, lecturers and developers for courses.

3] The rise of low cost high bandwidth access to the Internet allows for rapid multimedia communication, not just of text, image, voice and video, but also for low-cost acceptable grade teleconferencing. [Indeed, UWI's distance education system has more and more migrated to the Web in recent years.]

4] More and more, we need to be informed, articulate, winsome and effective, and are facing a world in which the Christian faith is under pressure from aggressive de-Christianisation and Islamisation.

5] A the same time, we have time-tested, powerful answers that can help rebuild the rapidly disintegrating moral, cultural and intellectual foundations of Western culture, of which we are a part.

6] The Caribbean is in desperate need for clear-sighted, high-integrity, effective community based leadership and service, if it is to find a path to truly sustainable development: "Except the Lord builds . . ."

7] Precisely because the Caribbean is the world's first cosmopolitan region, and one in which the gospel played a key role in liberation from oppression and empowerment, we have credibility and a message that can make a big and much needed difference to the world at large.

In short, there is a major opportunity. As we have discussed previously, the fulness vision theme of Eph 1, 4 and the associated operational form of the church's mandate provides motivation enough, if we will listen. For, Christ came, descending and ascending "in order to fill all things," working through the leaders and members of the Church, "his body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way." As to means, we have or have access to more than enough people and physical and financial as well as spiritual resources to make such an initiative succeed, if we are willing.

Overarching programme goals can be fairly easily and simply summarised, in light of the biblical framework and our evident needs:

Level I -- Consolidating Life-foundations and associated Commitments: helping people work through the basic issues, challenges, decisions, changes, healings and liberations, learning, perspectives, commitments, relationships, attitudes, skills and habits involved in taking up one's cross and following Jesus. [Matt 16:24 - 27.]

Level II -- Basic Service and Leadership, as the focus gradually shifts to basic ministry/service processes and skills, training can stress the church's mission, our part in it, handling of issues agendas and challenges, and basic leadership and ministry in dyad (one-to-one) and in the small groups oriented to outreach, nurture or specific ministry areas (such as drama or social welfare).

Level III -- Community Service and Leadership. The third phase stresses specific gifts, knowledge and skills for lifetime service and leadership in the family, church, workplace, community, region and world, as we work to fill each of its aspects with Christ. This last phase therefore prepares disciples for proactive, prophetic community, cultural, intellectual and institutional service and leadership under Christ. And, once the cross-cultural aspect is added, we will mobilise the whole church for global missions.

So, we would be looking at in the first instance, fairly general discipleship and life issues/challenges training and empowerment, at an age and life-stage appropriate level. [Much of this would be similar in level to what is often called continuing education, and would help transform what happens in Sunday schools and youth fellowships or the like..] The second is at a similar level, but bridges up to to what would be considered Associate Degree level training in many community colleges. The third bridges from that level, all the way up to graduate and professional level studies and skills. because of the nature of the subject matter and skills, mentoring support will be essential as well, thus the need to link network supported information with interpersonal interaction in a community of learning and growth.

In addition, given the vast pool of general needs and hunger for progress, well-chosen general programmes and courses in second chance secondary education, managerial skills, project management, entrepreneurship and business management, agriculture, financial management, education, degree completion and the like will find a ready market. The hosting or franchising of good quality masters programmes would also be attractive to many.

But, how could such a cyber college be created?

a] Recognise that on our TVs, in our DVD rental shops, in our libraries, in our bookstores and magazine stands, in our streets, on our computer screens, in our newspapers, in political meetings, in our offices, in our schools and on our college and university campuses -- and indeed in our churches -- an informal cyber college is already in full bloom, serving the cause of de-Christianisation. A second one is being created as we speak, serving the cause of islamisation. In short, we must recognise that we are now playing catch-up.

b] So, we cannot afford to play delay games and further put off decisions. Time is not on our side.

c] Find a critical mass of people, content and leadership who see the need, are open to the vision and are willing to invest in and work towards it. [This post is in part an exercise to that end. Why not follow up to the Fulness Focus reference site and contact us?]

d] Create or adapt content to address the themes, levels and issues as outlined, using powerful, easily available multimedia and web technologies. By slotting into a framework as above, we can see how we can build up a comprehensive programme across time that really covers the bases. [This blog and associated reference web site are full of suitable content, and there is much moire out there across the internet and in the minds and hearts of many people all across the world. We do not want for "techie" talent, tutors and profs!]

e] One way to do this is to host targetted seminars or camps or conferences on key issues, filming, doing multimedia presentations etc, then transforming the results into a well-packaged cybercourse on a key theme with a proven ability to hold an audience. Such a course can easily be reduced to a set of DVDs and associated print materials etc that can be circulated as local course resources.

f] Then, say there is a church with a room suitable to turn into a mini seminar room, one with 6 - 12 PCs around the perimeter, a modular conference table in the middle, and arrangements for multimedia projection to the front. [Durable multimedia projectors of good performance can now be had for less than US$ 1,000. Excellent laptops go for the same sort of price range. Credible desktops are down to US$ 400 or in some cases less. Indeed, there is a serious "US$ 100 laptops for students in the third world" movement. (Cf. here, here, here, here and here.) Electronics and quite good multimedia equipment and software are now in general "throwaway cheap." It is more and more worth taking a look at Linux and open software, e.g the UBUNTU initiative.]

g] Toss in a broadband Internet connection. Bring on a local tutor and a techie or two. Use existing administrative talent and facilities. Mix in a class of interested students, and a course web site with an online forum and place for assignments etc, maybe using blog technologies much like this blog or many others do [Blogs allow for easy publishing to the internet for non-techies. You can be set up and publishing away in fifteen minutes or less . . . and as this series shows, a course can be presented online using such a blog fairly easily].

h] Presto: we have a mini-campus centre.

i] We can therefore create a network of integrated micro-campus centres across the region [and beyond it . . .], and tie these in with the existing network of Seminaries, Christian colleges and schools. [With the number of Christians working as educators, we do not want for academic talent and technical education support.]

So, what is holding this back?

Sadly: Us, in one word. And, time is not on our side.

So, again -- and, I daresay, in the name of our God: Why not now? Why not here? Why not us? END

Blog Visits, 8: On Thermodynamics and origin of life etc

Over the past couple of years, I have visited with various blogs for a time, to examine and discuss important issues. Partly, to understand the dynamics and signs of our times, and also to test out my analysis of how issues are being addressed -- especially in the lands subjected to the wave of de-Christianising forces from the North..

Currently, I have been visiting over at the Uncommon Descent blog of Prof William Dembski for a time, and as I have been winding down my visit there, I have been discussing on the issue of thermodynamics and the origin of life.

One of the commenters, Pixie, has asked me to continue this discussion there, here. This thread, DV, is designed to accommodate this request.

The core issue posed by Sewell, is on the reasonableness of open systems spontaneously acquiring the complex specified information that is characteristic of the systems of life. Pixie takes the view that open systems are not subject to any particular constraints on the acquiring of such information, and I have held that there is a major probabilistic hurdle connected to the second law of thermodynamics in its statistical form; namely, that what Nash called the predominant configuration, a cluster of microstates in the close neighbourhood of equilibrium.

I have also pointed to the point that from the first example of thermodynamics:

Isol System:

| | (A, at Thot) --> d'Q, heat --> (B, at T cold) | |

. . . we can see that the closed systems within it [open only to energy transfer], that injection of raw random energy normally increases entropy. To avert this, we need to instead have a heat engine (or more broadly an energy converter):

| | (A, heat source: Th): d'Qi --> (B', heat engine, Te): -->

d'W [work done on say D] + d'Qo --> (C, sink at Tc) | |

So, by exporting enough waste heat and coupling the rest into work, the B now can import energy without necessarily increasing its entropy. indeed, suitably programmed work can decrease its entropy. In some cases such heat engines form naturally [e.g. a hurricane] but in cases where the engines exhibit functionally specific, complex information [I revert to my favoured abbreviation and terminology here: FSCI], where we observe the origin directly, they are always the product of intelligent agents. Thence, the debates on FSCI and its origins, especially in life systems. A vat thought experiment has played a major role inthe last part of the discussion at UD, and will probably resurface here.

As background, I think onlookers will probably need to read:

1] The thread at UD, along with Dr Sewell's linked works [UPDATE, Apr 13: Cf his discussions here, here, and here] Excerpting the first of these, Dr Sewell's essential argument is:

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The second law is all about probability, it uses probability at the microscopic level to predict macroscopic change: the reason carbon distributes itself more and more uniformly in an insulated solid is, that is what the laws of probability predict when diffusion alone is operative. The reason natural forces may turn a spaceship, or a TV set, or a computer into a pile of rubble but not vice-versa is also probability: of all the possible arrangements atoms could take, only a very small percentage could fly to the moon and back, or receive pictures and sound from the other side of the Earth, or add, subtract, multiply and divide real numbers with high accuracy. The second law of thermodynamics is the reason that computers will degenerate into scrap metal over time, and, in the absence of intelligence, the reverse process will not occur; and it is also the reason that animals, when they die, decay into simple organic and inorganic compounds, and, in the absence of intelligence, the reverse process will not occur.

The discovery that life on Earth developed through evolutionary "steps," coupled with the observation that mutations and natural selection -- like other natural forces -- can cause (minor) change, is widely accepted in the scientific world as proof that natural selection -- alone among all natural forces -- can create order out of disorder, and even design human brains, with human consciousness. Only the layman seems to see the problem with this logic. In a recent Mathematical Intelligencer article ["A Mathematician's View of Evolution," The Mathematical Intelligencer 22, number 4, 5-7, 2000] I asserted that the idea that the four fundamental forces of physics alone could rearrange the fundamental particles of Nature into spaceships, nuclear power plants, and computers, connected to laser printers, CRTs, keyboards and the Internet, appears to violate the second law of thermodynamics in a spectacular way.1 . . . .

What happens in a closed system depends on the initial conditions; what happens in an open system depends on the boundary conditions as well. As I wrote in "Can ANYTHING Happen in an Open System?", "order can increase in an open system, not because the laws of probability are suspended when the door is open, but simply because order may walk in through the door.... If we found evidence that DNA, auto parts, computer chips, and books entered through the Earth's atmosphere at some time in the past, then perhaps the appearance of humans, cars, computers, and encyclopedias on a previously barren planet could be explained without postulating a violation of the second law here . . . But if all we see entering is radiation and meteorite fragments, it seems clear that what is entering through the boundary cannot explain the increase in order observed here." Evolution is a movie running backward, that is what makes it special.

THE EVOLUTIONIST, therefore, cannot avoid the question of probability by saying that anything can happen in an open system, he is finally forced to argue that it only seems extremely improbable, but really isn't, that atoms would rearrange themselves into spaceships and computers and TV sets . . .

[NB: Emphases added. They show, too, that Dr Sewell has in mind an objection to the evolutionary materialistic concept that chance and natural regularities acting on random initial conditions, will lead to t e spontaneous emergence of functionally specific, complex information-based systems -- more or less, from hydrogen to humans. That objection is based on the issue that a sufficiently rare microstate is probabilistically isolated to searches that are not intelligently directed, on any reasonable scope of probabilistic resources in the gamut of the observed universe. His last phrase reasonable infers to the currently popular assertion of a quasi-infinite array of sub-universes such that the speculative rise in probabilistic resources swamps the configuration states issue. As I discuss in my online note, that is of course both an admission of the cogency of hte probability argument and a resort to speculative metaphysics as opposed to science. Such a resort is open to the reply that on a comparative difficulties basis, on pain of worldviews level question-begging, one is here subject to the stricture of comparative difficulties. On that basis, inference to agency is at least as credible on the face of it as that to an unobserved vastly larger cosmos as a whole. So suppression of such a discussion is questionable.]
__________

2] My online note on Information, Design, Science and Creation, especially the appendix on thermodynamics. [BTW, part of why I am engaging in this dialogue is that I intend to use the result to update this note a bit.]

3] This note has in it a significant number of onward links that will give wider background information that should also be followed up.

4] The three online chapters of Thaxton, Bradley and Olsen's The Mystery of Life's Origin. Bradley's ASA peer-reviewed paper here will be a good follow up, though the scan is in need of a major clean-up.

5] If you can get it, a glance at Robertson's Statistical Thermophysics will also be helpful. [Fair warning: this is an advanced textbook.]

6] The online excerpt from Brillouin here on the "negentropy" link between thermodynamics and information theory will also be nice. I excerpt and discuss it here.

7] Some of course may need to go look up further on basic thermodynamics. Standard textbooks and online resources may help, but take fair warning that sometimes there is an agenda in even the most "neutral" of sources. Keep your worldviews analysis cap on.As a note, commenters should realise that I recently had to impose a moderation policy in this blog due to abusive commentary. So, the pace will be a bit slow -- I have to personally approve comments before they appear. That usually means, when I am on insomnia patrol, maybe 3 - 5 am local time here in Montserrat. But, unless a comment is abusive, I will put it up -- within [generous] reason on length.

Okay, I trust this will be helpful. END

ADDENDUM, April 14: Here is the thought experiment being discussed, from comments 42, 43 at the Specified Complexity thread at UD. The experiment responds to the challenge that the isolation of a clumping and a configuring decrement in entropy on making say a protein do not make thermodynamic sense. I have used dSclump to conform to how the onward discussion developed, cf. point j below:
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THOUGHT EXPT:

a] Consider the assembly of a Jumbo jet, which plainly requires intelligently designed, physical work in all actual observed cases. That is, orderly motions were impressed by forces on selected, sorted parts, in accordance with a complex specification. (I have already contrasted the case of a tornado in a junkyard that it is logically and physically possible can do the same, but the functional macrostate is so rare relative to non functional ones that random search strategies are maximally unlikely to access it, i.e. we see here 2nd LOT at work.]

b] Now, let us shrink the example, to a nano-jet so small that the parts are susceptible to brownian motion, i.e they are of sub-micron scale and act as large molecules, say a million of them, some the same, some different etc. In-principle possible. Do so also for a car a boat and a submarine, etc.

c] In several vats of a convenient fluid, decant examples of the differing nanotechnologies, so that the particles can then move about at random.

d] In the control vat, we simply leave nature to its course. Will a car, a boat a sub or a jet , etc, or some novel nanotech emerge at random? [Here, we imagine the parts can cling to each other if they get close enough, in some unspecified way, similar to molecular bonding; but that the clinging is not strong enough for them to clump and precipitate.] ANS: Logically and physically possible but the equilibrium state will on stat thermodynamics grounds overwhelmingly dominate — high disorder.

e] Now, pour in a cooperative army of nanobots into one vat, capable of recognising jet parts and clumping them together haphazardly. [This is of course, work, and it replicates bonding at random. We see here dSclump] After a time, will we be likely to get a flyable nano jet?

f] In this vat, call out the random cluster nanobots, and send in the jet assembler nanobots. These recognise the parts, and rearrange them to form a jet, doing configuration work. A flyable jet results — a macrostate with a much smaller statistical weight of microstates, probably of order ones to tens or perhaps hundreds. [We see here separated dSconfig.]

g] In another vat we put in an army of clumping and assembling nanobots, so we go straight to making a jet based on the algorithms that control the nanobots. Since entropy is a state function, we see here that direct assembly is equivalent to clumping and then reassembling from random “macromolecule” to configured functional one.” That is:

dS tot = dSclump + dS config.

h] Now, let us go back to the vat. For a large cluster of vats, we use direct assembly nanobots, but in each case we let the control programs vary at random – say hit them with noise bits generated by a process tied to a zener noise source. We put the resulting products in competition with the original ones,and if there is an improvement, we allow replacement. Iterate. Given the complexity of he relevant software, will we be likely to for instance come up with a hyperspace-capable spacecraft or some other sophisticated and un- anticipated technology? Justify your answer on probabilistic grounds. My prediction: we will have to wait longer than the universe exists to get a change that requires information generation on the scale of 500 – 1000 or more bits. [See the info-generation issue over macroevolution by RM + NS?]

I] Try again, this time to get to the initial assembly program by chance . . .See the abiogenesis issue?

j] In the actual case, we have cells that use sophisticated machinery to assemble the working macromolecules, direct them to where they should go, and put them to work in a self-replicating, self-maintaining automaton. Clumping work [if you prefer that to TBO’s term chemical work, fine], and configuring workl can be identified and applied to the shift in entropy through the s = k ln w equation. This, through Brillouin, TBO link to information, citing as well Yockey-Wicken’s work at the time and their similar definition of information. [As you know I have pointed to Robertson on why this link makes sense — and BTW, it also shows why energy converters that use additional knowledge can couple energy in ways that go beyond the Carnot efficiency limit for heat engines.]

In short, the basic point made by TBO in Chs 7 - 8 is plainly sound. The rest of their argument follows . . .

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Matt 24 Watch 16: Easter 1917 -- Vimy Ridge + 90, and associated history and issues

Easter Monday, April 9th.

Not 2007, but 1917 -- the coincidence of both day and date has set me to thinking . . .

5:30 AM, France. Vimy Ridge -- a strategic nine mile long escarpment long held by German invaders in France, having captured it in 1914 and held on to in the face of repeated French and British attacks that in aggregate cost something like 150,000 dead. But, ninety years ago today, it was successfully attacked by the now famous Canadian Corps in that nation's first major military action: an infantry assault during a snow-storm that swept up behind a creeping barrage of artillery with a few crucial tanks playing key tactical roles. (All of this sounds like a precursor to subsequent military history and techniques, and it is -- right down to today's "shock and awe.")

As the just linked CBC article notes:

. . . The fight to take Vimy Ridge cost Canada dearly, but it would become the cornerstone of the nation's image of its place in the world. In four days, 3,600 Canadian soldiers died [NB: compare this to the US Casualty total in Iraq after several years of police action and nation-building efforts, discounting the far lighter casualties suffered in the record-setting blitzkreig that led them into Baghdad on was it April 9th 2003, if memory serves?], another 5,000 were wounded. But the ridge was taken, much of it in the first day. The valour of the troops [four Victoria Crosses were won], the originality of the plan, the success where larger, more established armies had failed, all contributed to a new nation's pride.

The battle was hailed as the first allied success of the long war, achieved mostly due to the innovation of using a creeping, continuous massive artillery barrage to protect squads of advancing troops. Both sides used the tactic in future battles. [Read also here.]

A more accurate view, probably, would be that it was the first relatively low cost "British" attack with a notable success on its first day. For the Brusilov Offensive by the Russians, and several French attacks from 1915 on were arguably at least as successful. However, the success is noteworthy and the contrast to the 60,000 casualties on the first day of the attack on the Somme in July 1916 -- 20,000 of these being dead, is particularly telling. (It is worth noting that thereafter, whenever the Canadians went into line opposite them, the Germans expected to suffer a major attack, viewing the Canadians as special assault troops.)

Of course, 1917 was a pivotal year in general. From February on Russia underwent first a revolution then in November the Bolshevik coup, that precipitated the struggle with Communism that yet haunts the world, even more than a decade after the fall of the Soviet Union. France, launching its own attacks that were less successful, underwent large scale mutiny that nearly knocked it out of the War. The German return to unrestricted submarine warfare brought the United States, for the first time, into a major European War and into significant global engagements -- including the creation of the League of Nations, the precursor to today's United Nations..

Then, early in 1918, having knocked Russia out of the war and having in so doing sown the seed of the Communist revolution by conveying Lenin and others from exile across German held territory, the Germans switched their released troops from the east front to attack the allies in the West before the rising tide of American troops could decide the war. Thus, from March 1918 on a massive series of assaults brought the allies to the point where their backs were to the wall -- that phrase was actually used -- but the then lines held in the end. And, as the rising tide of American troops entered the lists, first in key defensive actions, then in the wave of follow up allied attacks it soon became apparent to their military leaders that the Germans had lost their final gamble. So, an armistice was signed that came into effect November 11, 1918, at 11:00 am, the Kaiser adn Crown Prince going into exile in Holland. (Reportedly, the Kaiser's first request was for a cup of good strong English Tea -- he was, after all, Victoria's grandson, and a cousin of both the British and Russian Monarchs. For, Queen Victoria had sought to establish peace in Europe by marrying her descendants into the royal families of that continent. One inadvertent consequence was the spreading of haemophilia across those families, as she was a carrier. One of those victims just happened to be the heir to the Russian throne, and that played a material part in the collapse of the Russian Monarchy - not least, thanks to the baneful influence of Rasputin, a religious charlatan who pretended to be able to cure attacks of bleeding.)

Under the armistice's terms, the German troops marched home in good order, then by and large disbanded. [Fighting continued in the East for years, in a confusing combination of civil wars, nationalist uprisings, external interventions and a general battle against Bolshevism.] Unfortunately, the memory of these troops marching home in good order contributed to the appeal of the legend that the German forces had been "stabbed in the back," and of course with resentment over the terms of the Treaty of Versailles -- milder than those imposed by Germany on revolution-wracked Russia at Brest-Litovsk! -- helped greatly with Hitler's rise to power.

War-weariness and shock over the millions who died -- too often so obviously to little or no military result -- in the war on the part of the French and British then made a fatal blend in the face of Hitler's fascist militarism and concept of a master race rising to power and in the process overthrowing lesser breeds. So, by failing to contain and resist Hitler and other aggressive forces stoutly in the 1930's, the world was convulsed by the second global conflict in a generation starting in 1939. Some sixty millions died -- the First war had "only" killed nine millions.

Subsequent to the second great war, the Cold war dominated the world scene for a generation, until st the turn of the 1990's a war-weary, soul-drained, economically stressed West saw the Soviet Union collapse. Some exulted in "the end of history" even as Samuel P Huntington warned on the clash of civilisations:

World politics is entering a new phase, and intellectuals have not hesitated to proliferate visions of what it will be-the end of history, the return of traditional rivalries between nation states, and the decline of the nation state from the conflicting pulls of tribalism and globalism, among others. Each of these visions catches aspects of the emerging reality. Yet they all miss a crucial, indeed a central, aspect of what global politics is likely to be in the coming years.

It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future.

Conflict between civilizations will be the latest phase in the evolution of conflict in the modern world. For a century and a half after the emergence of the modern international system with the Peace of Westphalia, the conflicts of the Western world were largely among princes-emperors, absolute monarchs and constitutional monarchs attempting to expand their bureaucracies, their armies, their mercantilist economic strength and, most important, the territory they ruled. In the process they created nation states, and beginning with the French Revolution the principal lines of conflict were between nations rather than princes. In 1793, as R. R. Palmer put it, "The wars of kings were over; the wars of peoples had begun." This nineteenth-century pattern lasted until the end of World War I. Then, as a result of the Russian Revolution and the reaction against it, the conflict of nations yielded to the conflict of ideologies, first among communism, fascism-Nazism and liberal democracy, and then between communism and liberal democracy. During the Cold War, this latter conflict became embodied in the struggle between the two superpowers, neither of which was a nation state in the classical European sense and each of which defined its identity in terms of its ideology.

These conflicts between princes, nation states and ideologies were primarily conflicts within Western civilization, "Western civil wars," as William Lind has labeled them. This was as true of the Cold War as it was of the world wars and the earlier wars of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. With the end of the Cold War, international politics moves out of its Western phase, and its centerpiece becomes the interaction between the West and non-Western civilizations and among non-Western civilizations. In the politics of civilizations, the peoples and governments of non-Western civilizations no longer remain the objects of history as targets of Western colonialism but join the West as movers and shapers of history.

However we may wish to analyse and debate Huntington on points, he has plainly here hit on a -- note how he does not speak of "the" -- key issue, one that is now helping to driving the emergence of the global era. We may extend the theme to speak of a clash across worldviews, shaped by not only formal religions but also by the religion-substitute of evolutionary materialism and associated secularist progressivism.

Thus, we are back to the triangle of global forces we have so often discussed in this blog: [a] the increasingly dechristianised North, [b] the Islamists from the Middle East, and [c] the Southern Christian Reformation. In that context, we the peoples of the Caribbean are a front-line in the clash of the three forces, and have a great opportunity to contribute to the global spreading of the message of reconciliation and peace that a hurt, bleeding world so desperately needs to hear.

So, let us now move on from Easter ironies to the Easter Message:

2CO 5:17 . . . if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God . . . .

2CO 4:1 . . . since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

Oh, that men would but listen!

And, Oh, that we the Christians of the Caribbean would stir to fulfill our potential and opportunities to reach out boldly, clearly and truthfully with the message of reconciliation! END

1 Chron 12:32 report, 39: "Money answereth to all things . . ." -- but, is that the whole story?

A few years ago, while working on projects and thinking about barriers to successful implementation -- a major concept in sustainable development work, I suddenly realised that "we don't have the money" isn't all that it is cracked up to be.

I will explain, through disguised cases. For, we all make mistakes, so the point is to learn the lessons, not to beat up on our favourite whipping-boy by playing that ever so popular sport, the blame-game:

CASE A: "Once upon a time," there was a project that would have addressed a major regional challenge in an innovative, and obviously financially attractive way - investors seldom see numbers like that. Funding was therefore secured on unheard of terms, with a generous contingency allowance. But, when the matured developed project was presented to the decision-makers in the situation, they balked and an office war resulted. The project has never been implemented, and it turns out that the underlying projections on how the market it would have taken advantage of were CONSERVATIVE. That is, the project proposal understated its viability!

CASE B: "Once upon a time" there was a project proposal, which was viable and highly needed. During the initial development and implementation, the main financial backer apparently saw someone else who he liked better, and decided to switch. The original proposers and implementers were left holding the bag. A few months later, when one of the original proposers went to a conference -- lo and behold -- "the new kid on the block" was using a very familiar cluster of equipment to try to implement the original idea, but unfortunately was plainly out of his depth. The original proposers were never adequately compensated for their effort to develop the project concept -- or for providing access to their network of contacts.

CASE C: "Once upon a time" there was a project proposal for which funding had been secured, and the initiative was not only obviously viable and manned by people who could have done the job, but was in a vital area. The decision-makers, embroiled in their own day to day challenges and full of questions, held off deciding until the project's sponsors decided to take their money elsewhere. The main challenge still lies unanswered-to.

CASE D: "Once upon a time" there was a major project for which funding within reasonable limits was simply not an issue, and which was actually being implemented, though it was in need of good ideas and champions to move them forward in the face of passive resistance to change. Someone was brought in. But, this idea champion soon found himself in a situation where the sponsor who recruited him for the project as well as the main "godfather" in high places, left the organisation. [Cf discussion of these terms and related issues here.] The now naked change agent was forced out. Later on, the very same ideas that were so "controversial," "overly demanding," "unrealistic," "unworkable" and otherwise contemptuously dismissed when he was their champion, had to be dusted off and implemented, not too long after he left -- oftentimes (but thankfully not always) without giving credit where it was due.

Notice how, in each case the "money problem" had been answered, but that just led to the next barrier on the track. So, we can see . . .

Take-home lesson, No 1: too often, "there's no money" is short hand for: "our priorities and agenda are different from yours." Indeed, sometimes, I have been led to wonder whether there is an alternate, worldly wise view of the classic Sunday School tale of David and Goliath: Saul should never have let David get a chance to "shine" -- that way he would never have become a threat.

THL, No 2: Projects have a cluster of critical success factors, CSFs for short. These are the several things that must be in place, or must be achieved or must be done well if a project is to work. So, we need to identify them and address them robustly if we are to be likely to succeed.

THL No 3: Something important will go wrong, so projects are inherently risky. That means we have to have contingencies for when things go wrong, and we have to be realistic on the chances that things can/will go wrong. Backup resources and alternatives are not luxuries. If you are an idea champion in a heavy office politics organisation, make sure you have enough sponsors in middle management to ward off routine interference with what you are doing, and enough godfathers at he top to ward off the heavy rollers who can easily crush you without a second thought. Keep your resume up to date, and keep your feelers out to detect job-loss warning signs.

THL, No 4: Trust and cooperation are hard to secure, and harder to sustain in the face of inevitable conflicts in the course of a project's life. So, trust-building, frank but truthful and respectful communication and positive conflict management approaches are vital. So is a sense of humour.

THL, No 5: Adequate money and other key inputs are plainly a major CSF, and are prone to be risky. If a project's goal is vital, fundraising needs to be robust -- from as many sources as possible. Also, it helps to have a contingency sum adequate to handle failure of the more risky founding sources. Likewise, we can often exchange money for time: a project that is not doable due to risky finances in a short framework, becomes much more viable if we slow down the pace and use the strategy of an army of infiltrating ants and worms, not a squadron of highly visible, expensive, easily targetted elephants.

Thus, we can see why GLI advocates the MVAT approach. For, networked clusters of small community based teams that undertake projects they themselves identify and see as feasible are in the end quite likely to succeed often enough to make a difference. The key idea being to start small, with high concept-low budget initiatives, then build up a track record of success and a network of sponsors and supporters that lay a foundation for more ambitious ventures, eventually across the world as God leads and opens up doors.

However, obviously, such a network still needs to raise resources, especially money; especially when we begin to consider projecting missionary initiatives across the globe. That brings us to Basic Fund-raising Ideas, 101, in a nutshell:

1] Some projects e.g.. conferences and courses) can be partly or wholly self-funding through fees and sponsorships (including voluntary or subsidised services and in-kind donations).

2] Income-generating projects e.g.. in crafts or construction or even cash crops) can be undertaken to fund the work. (A successful project can then be developed as a small business!)

3] The Tentmaking model of Acs 18 - 19 shows how such a small business (or a profession) can be used as an economic base for ministry. (Indeed, all believers should view their employment as a base for proportionate giving to/investment in God's work; i.e.. evangelism and life-transforming discipleship naturally build a skills, manpower and financial base for further ministry.)

4] Regular individual/group subscriptions, pledged sponsorships and matching donation challenges can be used, especially for long-term initiatives such as training and fielding missionaries.

5] A portion of the income to the local teams and wider network should be consistently set aside to build a long term endowment. [Maybe here, the Chinese example of tithing resources for full time ministry to global missions support can help us begin: if we cannot give 10% of already offered money, efforts, personnel and skills to the global mission of the church, then are we really following our mandate to disciple the nations?]

6] Prudent investment of the resulting endowment fund then yields a steady income base for further work.

I think that an excellent place to begin is the creation of a regional Internet-based "college without walls," one that will, God willing, focus on helping the people of God and churches across the region build up knowledge, skills and capacity to nurture disciples, train people in ministry and undertake the mandate of gospel based transformation of the nations, here in our region and onward across the world, especially inthe 10/40 window. To that, DV, let us next turn. END

1 Chron 12:32 Report, 38: 'Full Hundred" -- mobilising all of God's people under our mandate through the "fulness" theme of Eph 1 - 4

Astute readers will have noticed that, over the past few days, I have only spoken in terms of so-called "full time" [FT] workers in the mission of the church in and from the Caribbean.

Thus, so far we have developed an estimate of FT missions potential: [1] 1 in 100 as FT, this being [2] tithed to the overseas mission field, and [3] backed up by finances from within the region estimated at at one percent of the annual income of Christians across the region (using numbers of evangelicals as a crude proxy] and matched through extraregional partners.

However, this "misses" 99% of Christians in the region, and in light of the fulness theme in Ephesians 1 - 4 and related biblical teachings, we now need to bring in the 99%, to make up the "full hundred."

First, Eph 2:8 - 10:

. . . it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

This immediately of course embraces the process of repentance, renewal and transformation through basic discipleship under the scriptures in the power of the Spirit, through the working of the church. It embraces the world of life-transforming moral growth: virtues tied to love, truth and purity. Witness to our Lord and answering questions on the reasons for our hope and more are included. But, equally, there is an individual aspect to the challenge: each of us is called, gifted, prepared and placed in the body of Christ. This comes out in 1 Cor 12:

1CO 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good . . . 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines . . . . 1CO 12:14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many . . . . 1CO 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"

In short, each of us has a role to play in the church and the unity is just as important as the necessary diversity of functions and roles. Building on this, we see the overall goal and strategy -- through what can be called the operational form of the church's mandate:

. . . [God] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment -- to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

(. . . He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe [panta -- all things].) It was he who gave some to be apostles . . . prophets . . . evangelists . . . pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ . . . . speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together [i.e. united!] by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

I pray . . . that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand . . . And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fulness of him who fills everything in every way. [Eph. 1:9, 10, 4:9-16, 1:18-23, NIV.]

As our Risen Lord works to fill all things with his glory, he sends out his church among the nations, starting with what would be FT and/or "tent-making" workers: missionaries/apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These work to equip all of God's people so that we can all fulfill our own roles in the body, as it grows up in the image of its Head, through the truth in love as each of us does his/her work.

In practical terms, that means that we must first take a hard look on the different spheres of life -- individuality, family life and sexuality, education, business and work, arts and entertainment, sports, media, politics, community institutions etc -- in our communities:

1] If this "thing" were full of Jesus' grace and glory, what would it look like?

2] What does it look like now?

3] What can and should "I" or "we" do about it under God -- thus promoting repentance, renewal, revival and reformation?

Now, of course, one man's repentance and reformation is another man's rebuke. So, such initiatives will inevitably be resisted -- we are dealing with spiritual battles here, which must be bathed in prayer and the leading and anointing of God. And, yes, prayer and waiting on God's leading and anointing are extremely vital practical steps!

(NB: it is worth noting here, that one of the subtler reasons for sponsoring FT workers and associated ministries in our communities and on overseas mission fields is that that financial independence helps to protect such workers from economic retaliation for daring to speak God's truth to sinful, resentful centres of power. So, generous giving to such initiatives is one of he key ways to walk in good works laid out in advance for us. [I must pause and say a hearty thank-you to those who financially support those who labour in such retaliation-prone areas of service.])

That brings us full-circle to the first several MVAT action-steps, as we have discussed in this series already -- we are making progress through spiral learning loops here:

1] For such a time as this: our opportunity

2] Getting started: pulling together a circle of interest, discussion, study and prayer

3] The Antioch Timeline challenge: it's high time . . .

4] Working together: principles for working together under God, across our diverse church theologies and traditions . . . .

9] Getting organised: pulling together an MVAT team

By working through such a process, you should have a circle of committed believers, who, through prayer and God's leading and anointing, have identified local strategic points for action, have carried out awareness and activation seminars and have organised coordinated and supported action teams to carry the work forward. Such believers, of course may include some FT workers, but in light of the above, it stands to reason that most will not be FT workers.

Many may have but little experience with organising, coordinating and implementing projects. So a bit of a primer on basic planning and management will be helpful, also an overview on working in and leading small/cell groups, and especially a bit of exposure to Project Management 101 in a nutshell:

a] GAR: this is not just the name of a common fish, a local favourite here in Montserrat. Here we are thinking in terms of: GOALS, ACTION-STEPS, and input RESOURCES that allow us to achieve the goals.

b] GOALS: In light of opportunities and threats [or at least challenges], and our strengths and weaknesses -- the SWOT factors -- what are some desirable and achievable targets for the action team over a given period? What deliverable results will allow us to see that we have achieved the goals?

c] ACTION-STEPS: To reach to the goal starting from where we are, certain practical things have to be done in a coordinated, timely manner. For instance, a project plan may have to be drawn up, funding and other resources may have to be obtained, promotional work may have to be done, and a lot of other specifics that depend on the precise nature of the project. Coordination meetings are all but inevitable. And, more.

d] RESOURCES: Certain inputs are required to sustain the activities and yield the deliverable results as outputs that show that the goals are being achieved. Money, effort and time are three major examples.

"GAR" is therefore a useful summary of the key steps involved in carrying out such a project.

Next time, DV, let us begin to look on the vexed issue of fund-raising. END