$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*)