We Are All Bombers.

April 16, 2013April 16, 2013 / Erin Kirk / 5 Comments

Oh America.

I felt so helpless this morning as I prayed for the people in Boston. How Lord, have we gotten here?

They don’t know who planted those bombs but surely it’s the question on everyone’s mind. Was it a McVeigh or an Al-Zarqawi. The answer changes the context but not the bottom line.

(Photo credit: @Doug88888)

Here’s how you know we live in a civilized nation: As the bombs exploded, cops, firemen and volunteers ran toward the blast, offering brave and selfless effort on behalf of strangers. As Mr. Rogers’ Facebook meme said yesterday, when something scary happens, people always run to help. May God richly bless you public servants and kindhearts everywhere.

Here’s how you know we don’t live in a civilized nation: All of us inflict lesser forms violence on one another every day. Given the ease with which we can do it on-line with no personal consequence, we spew hate on Facebook, slander our President, denigrate other cultures and shoot the bird in traffic, running up on their bumper to make sure they know we hate them for cutting us off.

Is it so hard to imagine that Boston’s bombing is the same behavior writ large? It’s hate. It’s unforgiveness. It’s our unregenerate, unrepentant human selves running the show like we know what we are doing. Like the coward who planted the bombs in Boston, we hide behind online profiles and wheel of our car. Rarely do we call someone an asshole to their face. We the plant bomb and run.

We are releasing our frustration and negativity into the world, in ways we believe are harmless. But our personal violence has spiritual impact on this planet we don’t even understand.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

Evil celebrates every time a bomb explodes or a name is slandered. So when we pray to our God today, thinking ourselves righteous and civilized, asking how such evil happens, pause and consider that it happens everyday in our own hearts.

Friends, the answer is Jesus.

As he was mocked, whipped then tortured to death he said, “Lord please forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.”

We don’t know. We are selfish, fearful, unforgiving little creatures who carry all the potential in the universe to become the love of God. But if we could do it without him, we’d have done it by now. Jesus is the love of God incarnate, the Prince of Peace and the Messiah who came to the world, not judge it, but to save it. John 3:16-17.

It’s still our choice to believe that and live accordingly.

I Don’t Go to a Normal Church

April 15, 2013April 14, 2013 / Erin Kirk / Leave a comment

If you watch tv much, you could be forgiven for thinking the Christian church has lost its ever-loving mind. Didn’t Jesus Christ himself say the two greatest commandments were to love God and love others? Uh Houston, we have a problem.

Just remember, normal followers of Jesus rarely make the news. Sometimes they do, but usually they’re too busy doing free electrical work at somebody’s house on a Saturday. They are typically quiet, unassuming people who, in a million years, would never tell you about the electrical work. But I will. That’s what a couple of guys from Wood County Cowboy Church have done with their spare time lately. In fact, two of them are in the picture below (Wes and Ryan – blue plaid and green short sleeves).

My nutty little church bustles with Christians like that. People there use whatever they happen to be doing as a vehicle for loving God and loving people, or put another way, obeying Jesus.

For instance, on Saturday, a bunch of us got together at church and had college for dogs. Our Elder Tommy Lee is a stock dog trainer and thought it would be fun to invite a bunch of people and have a clinic.

Tommy kicked off this canine hootenanny with his best dog. He said if we were half as enthusiastic about Jesus as Border Collies are about sheep, our lives would look totally different.

He also brought bunch of puppies along and turned them out with the sheep, just to get them thinking about their life’s work.

This fella won a bunch of money on tv with his dog.

And in case you’re wondering, this is how it looks when a dog listens.

This is how it looks when he doesn’t.

This is the pastoral peanut gallery. Mike, the guy with the dirty black hat, pastors our sister church, Cross Brand Cowboy Church, which has seen up to 2,000 people on a Sunday. A lot of people go there because it’s ok to wear a dirty hat.

This is Marc, the W3C Arena Manager. He brought a pile of fajita meat from the local Mexican market and grilled it over the fire for everybody.

And the wearer of these cute boots took all these pictures. She’s the fabulous Sue Ellen Lare. Yep, like Sue Ellen from Dallas.

The point is, these people are servants – loving God, loving others and having fun doing it. What a healthy way to approach your faith.

Jesus said, “The thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy, but I came so that you might have and enjoy your life, have it in abundance, to the full until it overflows.” So why not pray, play with your dog, then thank God for the sunshine, eat lunch and make new friends?

Minus the dogs, that’s how Jesus did it.

He’s worth emulating, and the gospels show us how.

Why Go to Africa?

April 10, 2013April 10, 2013 / Erin Kirk / 3 Comments

Sitting in a church in Colorado years ago, I stared at the maps on the walls with photos of missionary families stuck to them, and thought,

“In a million years I would never be a Christian missionary.”

This July, I am traveling to Zambia, Africa to be a Christian missionary. Something I’ve talked about here and here and here. As you can see it didn’t take a million years, it took a decade. Maybe God can work with me after all.

But I vacillate constantly. I know in my gut the Lord wants me to go, but I don’t get why I have to fly to the other side of the world to spend two weeks in a bush school, with 100 kids and five unpaid, overworked staff. Doesn’t my big American self just add to their burden? And what about all the money it takes to get there? Why don’t I just raise it and send it to Pastors Jasper and Zion, then stay home and pray for them furiously?

Honestly, what impact can I reasonably expect in to have in 14 days or less, that justifies the cost of the endeavor?

The answer I think is this:

It’s not really about Jasper and Zion and the children of Chongwe.

It’s about me, and I know I’m not supposed to say that.

I’m supposed to say, I’m bringing my servant’s heart to an orphanage, where I will repair plumbing, plant gardens, tend to medical needs and share the love of Christ. And to the best of my ability, I will do those things.

But what if it’s my life that’s meant to be changed – not theirs?

What if Zambia ruins my comfortable American life?
What if it forces me to really obey Jesus, by caring for widows and orphans there and in the US?
What if I’m humbled by the relentless service of people who feed and educate 100 children every day for free?
What if I can bring it home and replicate it?
What if my experience in Zambia gets you thinking about social justice, salvation and ways to make your life matter more – especially if you are a follower of Jesus?

Is that worth the money?

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? James 2:5

Telise (left) Fidelise (right)

That’s what I want. That’s why I’m going. My gift to them may be pumpkins or prayer or pvc, but their gift to me might just be bigger, richer faith.

This is a weird way to ask for money but that’s what I’m doing. Through the loving support of my friends and family I have raised $2500 of the $4200 mission cost. Will you help me with the rest?

In addition, two of the ten orphans Pastor Jasper and Zion are raising, cousins Telise and Fidelise, need tuition and uniforms for high school. I think it’s $400 per three-month term, each. I’m believing God for that as well. How cool is it that a month of Starbucks cash can send Zambian kids to school? Sorry Starbucks.

Many people have said to me, “Wow, I wish I could go to Africa too.” By funding this mission YOU CAN! Because I plan to pour out what we have on Zambia, fill up with what they have for us, and bring it all home to you.

Maybe together we can make something beautiful.

SCRUBS Medical Mission is a registered 501(c)3 and all donations are tax-deductible. You can find out more about them here. If you’d rather send a check, write it to SCRUBS with Erin Kirk in the memo line. Mail it to SCRUBS Medical Mission 15434 Brittain Court, Lindale, Texas 75771