NWLife Weekly Conversation—The K-Dub Show!

Here is our seventeenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: The K-Dub Show!

Today, Pastor Kyle Wheeler sits down with one of our students, Kyle Wabusya, to listen to his story. It’s the Kyle-Kyle, Kyle W-Kyle W… K-Dub show!

There is also a worship song led by Georgia Carlton and Pastor Kyle at the end of the video today.

I really enjoyed the interaction between the Kyles, especially these lines from Kyle Wabusya…

“Christianity isn’t like a job, or something you have to do…

It’s a community, you know?

It’s somewhere you can feel safe to, you know, be yourself and love… share a love for Someone.”

I hope you’ll take 30 minutes and join us for some church today!

worship for post georgia

 

 

 

NWLife Weekly Conversation—We’re Not So Different

Here is our sixteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: We’re Not So Different

Today, Pastor Andy sits down with his childhood friend, Matt… who is now a Jesuit priest and pastors St. Leo’s in Tacoma, WA.

The video begins and ends with some words from Pastor Angela. Georgia Carlton sings “I Need You To Survive” by Hezekiah Walker in the lobby with Shaun accompanying on the keyboard.

I cried three times while watching this video… first, when Father Matt prayed for our church, second, when Georgia started singing, and third, near the end of the song when Georgia sings, “I’ll pray for you.”

One of my favorite moments in the video is when Pastor Andy says, “I think I might be a Jesuit!” *Pictured here:
andy for post might be a jesuit

I believe this is one of the best conversation videos we’ve put out – it is such a beautiful representation of who we are together. I hope you’ll take 20 minutes and join us for some church today.

georgia singing for post

 

 

 

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Ray and Reyna Bardo

Here is our fifteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: A story of faith and love with Ray and Reyna Bardo

Today, on Father’s Day, I’m sitting with our wonderful friends Ray and Reyna Bardo to hear their story of faith and love and survival.

The video begins and ends with some words from Pastor Andy Jones. Pastor Kyle Wheeler and Georgia Carlton, along with our band, lead us in worship from the stage today.

I hope you’ll take 17 minutes and join us for some church!

The Lord brought me out into a wide-open, spacious place. He rescued me because he delighted in me.  —Psalm 18.19

 

Soon, there were four crows going after the eagle. They were cawing and crashing into the eagle’s wings (I could hear the sound of collision).

Thankful Notes (#305)

Early in the morning, I was sitting outside on the deck and noticed a big bald eagle soaring over the lake and swooping down to fish. Except it wasn’t fishing for fish. There were two little ducklings unattended, swimming across the lake together—and the eagle was going after them. Each time the eagle swooped down, the ducklings would dive under the water for a few seconds until the eagle flew up again.

Soon, there were four crows going after the eagle.

They were cawing and crashing into the eagle’s wings (I could hear the sound of collision). The more the eagle had to contend with the crows, the easier it was for the little ducklings to continue their path across the lake. I felt myself rooting for the ducklings and for the crows.

The eagle outmaneuvered the crows a few times and nearly grabbed a duckling, but the ducklings dove under water just in time to escape its talons. Finally, they swam underneath our new dock and the eagle flew back toward the trees—with the crows loudly escorting him away (I can only imagine the things they were saying).

I sat there and thought about what I saw. It occurred to me that the crows were not in competition with the eagle for a duckling breakfast. They don’t do that. Rather, they were doing a good deed. They loudly spoke up for the at-risk and vulnerable. They made a ruckus and put themselves on the line.

It was beautiful, really, what they did.

The scene I witnessed reordered how I think about certain birds. It made me appreciate the crows, who assembled and worked together to protect the innocent. And it made me think eagles are kinda gross, cannibalistic.

For a moment, I felt like entertaining philosophical thoughts concerning America and our myths and symbols (like the eagle) and power dynamics and assembling to protest for the most vulnerable among us… but I decided to stick a pin in it and just leave it for another day. Maybe.

Leaving the philosophical for another time, I went to the kitchen and made coffee and then took Camper out to the bathroom and fed her. Then I made breakfast for the humans. Bacon! Eggs! Sourdough! Amen.

Camper and I left for the office together. At work, I wrote and printed the devotional booklets that go in the Kid’s Activity Packs we hand out during the Drive-Thru Food Bank. One of the devotions had Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s take on “Jesus blesses the little children.” I especially loved this section:

But Jesus heard them. “Do not chase away the children!” he called. “Let them come to me. God loves children, and when they smile, he smiles; when they laugh, he laughs; when they cry, he cries.”

Jesus went to the children, and they laughed and played together for a while. He took them in his arms and hugged them. He placed his hands on their heads and blessed them. Then he told the disciples, “Everyone who wants to see God’s dream come true must see with the eyes of a child.

Desmond Tutu has Jesus laughing and playing with the children. How can you not love that image? It’s wonderful. And he takes them in his arms and hugs them.

Yes, yes, yes! to this picture of Jesus. 100%. Amen.

My last job at work was assembling little baggies of dog treats to be handed out at the Drive-Thru Food bank anytime a dog shows up, which is pretty often – and this makes me happy. Also, Camper approved of the treats.

 

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Adrian and Amanda Duarte

Here is our fourteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: What it’s like for a biracial couple raising three black sons in America

Pastor Angela and I sit down with our friends Adrian and Amanda Duarte to hear their story. This amazing couple is raising three sons and a foster baby.

The video begins and ends with some words from one of our students, Kyle Wabusya (who has the most wonderful sense of humor). Pastor Kyle and our worship team also lead us in worship today.

I hope you’ll take 27 minutes and join us for some church today!

Zechariah 8

Boys and girls will fill the public parks, laughing and playing—a good city to grow up in.

Do the problems of rebuilding seem too much? Is anything too much for me? Not if I have my say.”

We’ve come through a hard time; the streets were dangerous; you could never let down your guard…

But things are changing.

Sowing and harvesting will resume, vines will grow grapes, gardens will flourish, dew and rain will make everything green.

My people will get everything they need—and more.

You’ve gotten a reputation as a bad-news people, but I’m coming to save you.

From now on, you’re the good-news people. Don’t be afraid.

Keep a firm grip on what I’m doing.

And now here’s what I want you to do: Tell the truth, the whole truth, when you speak.

Do the right thing by one another, both personally and in your courts.

Don’t cook up plans to take unfair advantage of others.

Don’t do or say what isn’t just.

I hate all that stuff. Keep your lives simple and honest.

When Doves Cry, A Remix

In early July, 2016, I preached a sermon at NWLife called “When Doves Cry.” This is a portion of that sermon, slightly remixed…

There was something about Prince’s song “When Doves Cry” that resonated with me as a young man. I wasn’t even sure what it all meant, but it seemed to speak of the pain experienced in relationships, of break-up, of tears….

“How can you just leave me standing?

Alone in a world that’s so cold?

Maybe I’m just too demanding

Maybe I’m just like my father, too bold

Maybe you’re just like my mother

She’s never satisfied

Why do we scream at each other

This is what it sounds like

When doves cry”

It’s so visceral, relatable, universal.

We have felt this. Lived it.

But do doves cry?

Or pigeons for that matter?

I read an article that claimed Prince was… Read More

WHY #BLACKLIVESMATTER MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE

( This is a post I wrote in December of 2014 )

*note: image above – harassment during a civil rights sit-in at the Cherrydale Drug Fair in Arlington, VA June 10, 1960.

On Sunday at NWLife Church, we stood in solidarity with our brothers and sisters – declaring #BlackLivesMatter.

We prayed for justice and reconciliation and healing and comfort. We mourned the loss of life. We affirmed that all black lives matter.

This wasn’t the first time we’ve prayed for the black community. Recognizing #BlackLivesMatter on Sunday, December 14 was done at the prompting of the National leadership of the Assemblies of God and the Church of God in Christ (our heritage is with these movements).

I know this makes some folks uncomfortable. I know because… Read More

NWLife Weekly Conversation—More Like Listening (on Race, Justice, & Equality)

Here is our thirteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: Listening and Learning about Race, Justice, and Equality

Pastor Andy begins with a cold open – no music, no bumper, no entertainment… just speaking the truth simply and plainly.

The invitation is to listen and learn, to pay attention, to open our hearts and minds, to grow and be transformed… to change.

All of today’s music is from the worship collective Common Hymnal. These songs are beautiful and heartbreaking.

At the end of the video, we share resources – including our new Race, Equality, and Justice page with 40 suggestions of books, movies, and social media voices to learn from.  http://nwlife.church/justice/

I have personally read and listened to and watched and followed all of these resources (with one exception – The ABC’s of Diversity book). Maybe it’s a little unusual to have recommended films rated for a mature audience on a church website, but I can tell you every one of them have challenged me, educated me, caused empathy and compassion to rise in me, and have helped me to grow. I hope you’ll take a similar journey of growth.

Do you know what I want?

I want justice—oceans of it.

I want fairness—rivers of it.

That’s what I want. That’s all I want.

—Amos 5.24

 

I stand in solidarity with the black community. I will march with you.

Thankful Notes (#291)

I’m not quoting anyone today.

And I’m not sharing stories about the kitchen or my dad or projects around the house.

This won’t be a long post and I will just get right to it.

As clearly and plainly as I can say:

I stand in solidarity with the black community. I will march with you.

I stand against racism both individual and systemic (which was built-in from the beginning).

I stand against social injustice.

Black Lives Matter. No addendums needed. No asterisks. No buts. No alsos.

Black Lives Matter.

I’m saying this because I believe it, because I’ve said it before, and because it needs to be said again. And again. And again. I’m saying this because it is so deeply tied to my faith. Because our Shepherd will leave the 99 to go rescue the 1 who is at great risk.

I’m saying this because a friend who I love and care very much about, who is black, confronted me in love today… asking me why I am being quiet and subtle, reminding me that people are watching and listening, calling me to use my voice and platform.

The conversation hurt because they know me too well and they were right.

I was being too quiet.

And I knew my reasons were just excuses, “I’ve marched and preached and blogged and said this stuff for years – maybe someone else’s voice needs to be heard, maybe I can amplify theirs,” and “I’ve been pretty clear on Twitter and Instagram but I hate Facebook and all the crazytown that goes with it – I don’t want to end up amplifying those voices in the comments.”

I cried during our conversation. I apologized. Most importantly, I listened… actually listened without letting defensiveness crash in.

So, that leads me to being thankful. I’m thankful for real friends who don’t let you walk around with your zipper down or cilantro on your tooth or your quiet carefulness get in the way of what needs to be said.

I got pastored today. And I’m so very glad they didn’t hold back.

To my friends of color, I’m sorry for not saying enough. I’m listening and learning… I know I can do that. I am with you and for you and I will continue to be.

Amen.

 

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Louise Hoy’s Story

Here is our twelfth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: Survivor

Shari and I sit down with our friend Louise Hoy to hear about her devastating and incredible journey. She is a survivor, a woman of faith, and has great wisdom to share.

We also have a few of your #BringingMeJoy short videos included in today’s video podcast! And, the podcast closes with Pastor Kyle leading us in Hillsong’s “Cornerstone.”

“To all who mourn… he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. They will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” —Isaiah 61.3

Frederick Buechner said, “The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you.”

brian and shari for post