New “Sims Mission Trip” video game #1 Seller!

Videogame giant Maxis just released a brand new video game for churches entitled “Sim Mission Trip”.  Since its release two weeks ago, “Mission Trip” has become one of the fastest selling faith-based video games ever released and one of the highest-grossing youth ministry products ever sold.  According to president and CEO Jim Beagley, Maxis has already grossed over $100 million dollars from sales of the video game, and Christian bookstores are having trouble keeping the games on their shelves.  The idea behind the game is to simulate a mission trip where you can build houses, feed the homeless, and build wells for under-resourced countries all within the comfort of your own living room or youth room.  

“The game is freakin’ sweet” says Kyle Roth, video game enthusiast and member of Ft. Dodge Methodist Youth Group in Ft. Dodge, IA.  “I love how you can totally connect with the kids in the game, virtually, that is.  I remember on the fourth level seeing this kid come up to me.  He was so hungry.  That’s why it feels so good to play this game.  Those kids, they need us so bad and this is a really fun way to give them virtual food and stuff.”  Roth says he probably will never take a real mission trip because he is very busy with things.  “I would love to go on a real mission trip some day.  The problem is, us high schoolers are just so busy with stuff, like school sports and playing video games.  Plus, the last mission trip fell right on the night of our Shamrock dance.  Who misses that anyway?”  

Bill Smith, regional director of The Iowa Methodist Youth Conference is very excited on the trend to purchase the game.  “The game has ignited a revolution” says Smith. “I hear stories about families playing the game together, churches playing together, it’s so exciting to see something like this sparking such an intimate virtual connection with families.”  Steve Richardson, of Brenham, TX, says he and his family play the game together almost weekly.  “This is a perfect solution to our problem”  Explains Richardson.  “We went on a real mission trip a few years ago and it just wasn’t as much fun.  We ended up getting dirty and hot out there in the sun and nobody wants that.  This way we can play the game, feel good, and we don’t have to wear grubby clothes doing it.”  Richardson says that they have built virtual houses, shoveled virtual sidewalks for their simulated neighbors, and even done a simulated protest to advocate for affordable housing.  On one of the levels of the game, players can actually see what it is like to have a conversation with a homeless person.  The player is supposed to use the keyboard to type words of comfort and love and then the video game responds realistically how a homeless person would normally react.  The creators spent many hours studying under-resourced neighborhoods to make sure that it was the most accurate representation possible.  “We combed the streets for a long time” explains game creator Chris Wilson.  “We studied how people in need live, what their needs were, and how people would actually help them if they wanted to.  We did everything short of helping them, really.  That’s the video game’s job.”  Wilson says that  sequals such as “Sim church” and “Sim prayer” are on their way in fall of 2011.

“Jesus, Justice, Jazz:  The Tour” is traveling to 15 cities across the country.  At many of the events there will be service, justice learning opportunities, and a concert by Lost And Found, Rachel Kurtz, and AGAPE*.   Proceeds go to ELCA World Hunger.  For more info, go to:

www.j3tour.com

"Upside Down": My Childhood Dream

Matthew 5:3-9

"‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Aah…The immortal birthday wish. Who doesn’t love this time-honored tradition? I’m 32 and I still get totally geeked for it. There’s something so empowering about being able to close your eyes, make a wish and then blow all of your germ-infested breath onto a delicious cake that a roomful of unsuspecting people will soon be eating. Is there anything better?

Back in the day at our parties, some people’s wishes would be for crazy, improbable things like Lamborghinis, trips to Mars, the Cubs winning the World Series, etc. Mine was always more improbable than all of theirs (except for the Cubs one). By the time I was four, my birthday wish every year was that gravity would take a hiatus for a day and that the world would be “upside down”. I thought about how cool it would be to finally touch that rusty lamp on our vaulted ceiling and clean the cobwebs from the corner of our dry wall (I know, thrilling, isn’t it?) When this magical “switcheroo moment” came to fruition, I would be to be able to, in the immortal words of one of our great 80’s jerry-curled pop stars, “Dance on the ceiling”. At age 8, I was convinced that if I got this wish, it might eradicate, if only for a few brief moments, feelings of adolescent awkwardness and arm bruises from being punched on the bus by Ben Porter.

By the time I got to high school, I was much more mature and was a little bit ashamed of my secret wish. In fact, I had actually determined that this would have been a horrible abuse of “the wish god’s” supernatural powers. It would have been like Jesus throwing himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. Only in my case it would have been throwing me up and the temple would have been cob webs, but you get the point.

Anyway, It’s easy to beat myself up a bit for this silly wish, seeing as how I could have used this wish for a cause far nobler (like marrying Cindy Crawford or being Michael Jackson’s backup dancer for example!). But, you know, as I look back on it, I begin to wonder…maybe I was onto something….

I am realizing now that not much has changed (well, except for my voice is two octives lower, I have less acne, and I don’t consider nausea-inducing amusement park rides a gift from God anymore!) But really, my desire to see the world turn “upside down” has never really gone away…..

A few years ago I visited Bosnia and met women whose husbands were cut up into small pieces because their last name happened to be from the wrong tribe. I sat there listening to their stories and found myself praying for “upside-down-ness” for the world. When I visited Mexico in college, I saw little children scavenging through a dump to find food scraps. This horrifying sight caused me to close my eyes, bow my head, and pray that God’s spirit would blow out these candles of injustice that I had witnessed. And so, decades later, the “upside-down wish” from my childhood lives on:

“Lord, let those kids in Mexico have their food fortunes turned “upside down”

and:

“Lord, may those frowns of mourning widows in Bosnia be turned “upside down” into smiles of joy, etc.”

and:

“God of opportunity, may the rising numbers of those around the world living in extreme poverty be turned upside down."

When I read the scriptures, especially the Beatitudes (Matthew 5), I see God’s vision for the world being similar to my birthday wish. God’s longing for radical “upside-downness” often gets lost because of our cultural blinders, but this is some revolutionary stuff. If the Beatitudes don’t make you soil your trousers in excitement and terror, you probably don’t understand it fully. To truly understand it is to understand the culture that it came out of. Now, I try to be careful not to caricaturize ancient Judaism because it was diverse like any culture. However, there was a movement within this culture (I call it the “Cosmic Pez Dispenser” movement) that believed that if God found you worthy enough, God would bless you with everything you wanted, and then some. (i.e. “Dear God, because I’m such a sweet dude, could you hook me up with a hummer. Thanks!”) It propagated the polarized (“In” and “out”) thinking about God’s kingdom. This movement is still alive and well within Christianity today. This line of thinking, which was even stronger back in the day, believed that your place on the socio-economic ladder was directly proportionate to how “loved by God” you were. For example: Three hummers means you must have sacrificed large animals to God, a chevy Aveo means you clearly ticked God off, etc. It wasn’t just wealth that was the barometer for your worthiness. There were all kinds of other “in and out” distinctions made. There was healthy/sick, strong/weak, slave/free, male/female, etc. Well, hopefully many of us now know enough buff jerks and enough faithful peasants to know this is a bunch of bull. But at the time this was big news to people. To say “blessed are the poor in spirit” and “the meek” is to say, “those people that you thought were ‘out’, they are really ‘in’. And the people who are punching their ticket as ‘first’ in the kingdom better slow their role.” People in power would have surely had issues with this revolutionary manifesto. And those at the bottom would be comforted and reminded of God’s vision that they be at the top (“Many who are first will be last and the last first” (Mark 10:31)

This “upside down kingdom” as Donald Kraybill calls it, is still needed today, don’t you think? In a world where over a billion of its inhabitants are hungry, isn’t it kind of messed up that I couldn’t finish my cheesecake factory dinner even if I had Shaq there to help me? Isn’t it a little strange that genocide in Darfur claims the lives of thousands of children while kids that I babysit cry because I turn off their wii? That’s really jacked, right? There is “upside-downing” that needs to take place, right? That’s where we come in. God is inviting us, ALL OF US, to be a part of this "Beatitude Flip Flop” by bringing restorative justice to the world. God is inviting all of us to sit at the table in front of our proverbial birthday cake and let the spirit blow through each of us to put out candles of hatred, oppression, and injustice. God is calling us to pray the prayer of upside-down-ness and act as one who has been turned upside down by God’s abundant love. And may the whole world be turned upside down one day into a place of Shalom! Amen.

$8,000 and counting....

The last few shows on the J3 Tour have been incredible. Here are the stats so far:


Wartburg College
*Raised $2130 for ELCA World Hunger
*Collected toiletry items for Northeast Iowa Food Bank
*Did a variety of service projects:
-Assembled the entire United Way Mailing for the Waverly area
-Knitted and crocheted scrubbie pads for Self-Help (International
-Non-profit that helps folks grow their own food)
-Flood-clean up in Waverly home
-Road clean up in Waverly
-Waverly Child Care and Preschool grounds work
-Waverly Library - painted garden bridge that spans flower garden
-Made 30 comfort blankets for Waverly Hospital - go to young children who come
though ER, either as patients or with families.

Augsburg College
*$2500 Raised for ELCA World Hunger
*Created banner with "26,000 children" that die of starvation every day
*Wrote letters to congress urging them to support hunger relief and fight extreme poverty
*Walked Labyrinth designed to reflect on hunger and poverty

Muhlenberg College
Raised $3000 for ELCA World Hunger
Collected 607 pounds of food for Second Harvest

In addition to all of the wonderful work that people have done, we have had a great time performing and making new friends. We hope to see some of you on the tour soon. The goal is still to raise $50,000 for World Hunger. We have a ways to go so make sure you come and bring a donation. See you then!

Peace, Dave (agape)

Jesus, Why you trippin'?

Luke 9:23-25

Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it. ²⁵What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?

Dear Jesus,

What up?  It’s your boy YFD (a.k.a “your favorite disciple”).  First of all, I’m not trying to be a hater, but you’ve been kind of bugging lately.  When I first started chilling with the disciples in the crew, it was all good.  We had people wanting to be down with us, wanting to watch the miracles and stuff (what you did with those loaves of bread was ill, by the way!)  But now, it’s different.  Once you started talking that crazy revolution talk, people have been trippin’.  They won’t let us stay in their cribs anymore and they think we’re a cult or something.  They think our leader’s crazy because you’ve been talking about how we need to take up our cross and endure suffering in order to show God’s love for the world.  Not just that, you’ve been talking to women and Samaritans in broad daylight and talking about how the poor and oppressed are equal in God’s eyes.  Are you smoking something?  You’re gonna get us killed.  Then when I ask you about it, you say, “yep, betrayal and suffering is all a part of it”.  Do you have a death wish or something?  That’s great for you, but not me.  I aint no martyr, you can believe that.  I don't even like to stub my toe let alone have someone pound nails into my hands.  (No thanks, I'll pass!).  It’s not that I’m totally against your mission, I’m not.  It’s just that you’re always so radical with it, and it gets really hard for the rest of us.  Do you know what we have gone through to follow you?  We’ve given up everything:  families, careers, homes, just to follow you.  Everyone else says that we are crazy and I’m starting to believe them. 

I think I am going to have to abort the mission and go back home for a while and chill.  It’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’ve done for me.  But, I think I need to make a little more money and find a little more security in my life.  I hope you understand.  It’s not that I don’t love being with you and the disciples (it’s been a blast!).  It's just that following you is getting a little intense for me.  If you ever start to preach a little bit more of a moderate message, please give me a call.  I would be happy to follow you if I could do it and not have to experience suffering because of it.  And just so you know, I think a lot of other people would too.  Being less extreme and controversial could really help your popularity.  You might want to think about that approach (and call me when you do).

Anyway, I will definitely think about you from time to time and keep you in my prayers.  I wish you the best of luck, however.  Thanks for the great memories!

Sincerely,

YFD (Your Favorite Disciple)

“Jesus, Justice, Jazz:  The Tour” will be coming to 15 cities across the country.  At many of the events there will be service, justice learning opportunities, and a concert by Lost And Found, Rachel Kurtz, and AGAPE*.   Proceeds go to ELCA World Hunger.  For more info, go to www.j3tour.com

“Young people are screw-ups!”

1 Timothy 4:12-16

Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

So media, all young people are screw-ups, huh?  Is that right?  Oh, I didn’t know that.  I was too busy in New Orleans at the ELCA National Youth Gathering watching them rebuild parks in the lower ninth ward and read to kids.  Were you there?  I didn’t see you there.  I thought surely your cameras would capture yet another image of the selfless service and tireless work that our young people were putting in, but I guess I was mistaken.  Your film crew must have been taping yet another episode of the Maury Show entitled “Help, my teenager is a severe whack job and committing audacious acts on live t.v!” or showing wasted young people “hook up” on a reality show.  My bad.  I don’t know why I thought I would see you there.

            But, radio stations, you must have heard that right?  That was the sound of 37,000 Lutherans dancing to POSITIVE Hip Hop in the Superdome.  You said young people wouldn’t get into that stuff because they only want the negative stuff.  You said that they aren’t smart enough to figure out what they like so you spoon fed them the garbage and told them to like it.  But surely you were there to see a group of urban teenagers called “RJC” perform raw hip hop music with lyrics proclaiming the love of God, right?  What’s that?  The rap songs about strippers were too loud in your ears and the glare from the bling was preventing you from seeing it?  My fault.  I should have known.

            How about adult church members?  I guess some of you came and chaperoned,but a lot of you ran the old story about how young people aren’t ready to lead yet.  You missed the incredible peer ministry that happened and the prophetic vision of the church that was proclaimed by the youth in attendance.  What a shame!

            Well guess what, I think I have good news for all of you:  The good news is, the youth in attendance at the gathering, whether they know it or not, are taking the advice of 1 Timothy 4.  They refuse to let anyone look down on them because they are young, and instead, are setting an example for the rest of us.  Like many of the heroes of faith before them, they are not letting their young age stop them from being “God bearers” in the world.  They are not neglecting the gift that is in them but are putting all of these things into practice.  Whether the church and culture catch up to it or not, there is a revival taking place in the world led by young people.  They want a real faith, with real love, and real action.  They want justice in the world and will stop and nothing to get it.  They appreciate the fancy phones and gadgets given to them by their parents, but they want more.  They want to be challenged and live a life that matters.  So, we can run the same old stories about them in the media and continue that old story, or we can wake up to people like Manny, Rachel, and Alexis, all of whom are young people I met at the gathering who are doing amazing things to heal our planet.  The choice is yours.  There are events that are going to be happening across the country to raise money and awareness for World Hunger called “Jesus, Justice, Jazz:  The Tour”.  There will be music, stories from young people, and some service in many of the cities.  Since you missed the gathering, maybe you could come to this and get a little taste of how amazing all these young people are.  We’ll be waiting…..

 

“Jesus, Justice, Jazz:  The Tour” will be coming to 15 cities across the country.  At many of the events there will be service, justice learning opportunities, and a concert.   Proceeds go to ELCA World Hunger.  For more info, go to www.j3tour.com

Jesus, Justice, Jazz: The Tour

I have always been in awe of the people in my life who are “spiritual juggernauts”. These friends of mine will talk about a “parking space” they “received from the Lord yesterday” or a “flavor of burrito” that they “knew” God wanted them “to select at Chipotle.” I ridicule them at times, probably mostly out of jealousy. I guess I don’t always understand where they are coming from (My “God visions” come less frequently, especially when I am in suburban fast food chains!).

Recently, however, a God vision came like a Hacksaw Jim Duggan 2 by 4: The vision was to put together a tour to raise money and awareness for ELCA World Hunger. I can honestly say it was a “God thing” because it’s not something that I would do, when left to my own devices. I wish I could tell you that every concert I do raises money for something incredible, but sometimes it’s just to pay for my out-of-control ice cream habit (ask my wife).

This, however, had an entirely different feel from the start. I saw God’s fingerprints all over this as it grew wildly like a “mustard seed” (you thought Jesus chose that metaphor just because mustard seeds are small? Look it up!) In fact, it almost seemed like the Holy Spirit Train was moving and I was on it before I even knew what was happening. The tour went from 1 show booked in town to 15 around the country within a month and a half. Churches, colleges, and seminaries have come out of the bushes to help make this happen and it has been a privilege to watch it all unfold. I decided that I would do a blog to try to provide some inspiration and some thoughts during the tour, so that we can stay connected with people. I am new to the blog world, but hopefully you will be patient with me. We look forward to seeing you all out there on the tour!

For information on how you can be involved in the tour, go to www.j3tour.com or email j3tour@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from each of you.

Shalom,

Dave (AGAPE*)