ONE Summit Video

Here's a video from the time I spent in Washington DC last month. Find out more about how you can make a difference at ONE.org.

ONE Power Summit 2012

 

 

Along with over 150 ONE volunteers, last week I traveled from Fresno, CA to our nation's capital for this year's ONE Power Summit. There, we had the privilege of learning from leading voices on extreme poverty and an opportunity to collaborate with other activists to produce catalytic action on behalf of the world's poorest people.

Throughout the conference, I was consistently motivated through thoughtful presentations on policy, advocacy and communications. On Monday afternoon, we heard from Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to The President of the United States and Senior Director, National Security Council. Smith spoke about the administration's commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS, eliminating preventable child deaths and ensuring food security for the world's poorest people. Particularly paying attention to the president's Feed The Future initiative, she said "It's our hope that Feed The Future will last for many, many years until the job's done." She thanked ONE for continuing to let the White House know that preserving funding for life saving programs must remain a priority.

The keynote address was delivered by H.E. Ebrahim Rasool, Ambassador of South Africa to the United States. Rasool spoke about the important role that activists, like all of ONE's membership, play in our current global community. "Activists have the ability to imagine a future that hasn't yet arrived," he said. Recalling firsthand the difference that PEPFAR (begun by President George W. Bush) has made in South Africa, Rasool concluded with an appeal to stay the course on fighting HIV/AIDS. He said, "This is not the time to be tired, this is is not the time to retire."

We finished our time together with preparations for Lobby Day, a time when a diverse group made up of professionals, clergy, students, veterans, moms, teachers and more, will head up to Capitol Hill to let our elected officials know that ONE advocates for people whose lives are on the line!

Awkward people vs. God has a plan

The other night my wife and I were at the movies. The previews started but someone forgot (or intentionally hatched a dastardly plan to sell more popcorn) to turn the lights down. We both remarked that it felt very strange and unnatural to be sitting in a room full of strangers watching a large collection of projected images on the wall.

I sat there thinking, I wonder if that is the experience people have when visiting church? If instead of a we're-all-in-this-together experience, they get a random collection of stranger staring at a stage and two projection screens...

I soon forgot about my concerns because Captain America: The First Avenger came onscreen and somebody remembered to turn off the lights, thus preserving the illusion of intimacy for us on our date night.

I hope and pray that our church is not like going to the movies. I want to be part of something bigger than entertainment, something more personal than marketing and something more genuine than made-up superheroes.

Above is a talk I gave a couple of weeks ago about Paul and Silas in prison in the book of Acts. I don't think anyone who walked into the church in Phillipi could have been considered a stranger...

What do you think?

You Are A Tourist by Death Cab For Cutie

Like most critical thinkers/unfair people, I feel a certain hesitation to praise a veteran band that is still motivated enough to chase big ideas. I remember back in high school when "I liked their first album, everything after that was lame," was a mantra for anybody cool. All that to say, I am really impressed and swooning over Death Cab For Cutie's latest single "You Are A Tourist" from their forthcoming lp, Codes and Keys. So much so, that I am embedding the live feed for today's video shoot below.




Can't see the stream on your mobile device? Click here.

Lists, Love Wins

Normal things I saw this weekend and/or Signs that the End is Near

1. An overturned pickup truck smashed to pieces with both occupants apparently unharmed. This scene caused us and twenty other vehicles to leave snow-buried Shaver Lake at speeds under 25 mph.

2. My NCAA bracket in ruins.

3. My son terrified of getting out of the "snow boat" sled as we waded through 4 ft drifts in order to "play."

4. The playground at Northpark turned into a stew of wood chips and eventually a pond suitable for fish and ducks.

5. A blog post featuring me reading a controversial recent best seller that I haven't actually read.

Pretty sweet albums in my weekend, mental vacation playlist

Bright Eyes- The Peoples Key
The Strokes- Angles
The Tallest Man On Earth- Sometimes The Blues is a Passing Bird
Brandon Flowers- Flamingo

Lent and Friendship

I have a lot of opinions.

Trust me, ask my friends. Speaking of friends, I am blessed to have a bunch of them who are constantly giving me grace as I blather on and on about God, music, politics, bicycles and fashion. Reverse the order of that list and that's probably more accurate.

These friends come from all over the place, geographically and ideologically. I have liberal friends, fundamentalist friends, post-conservative friends, hyper-critical friends and existentialist friends. My closest friends though are probably the ones with whom I have the most common ground, which I think is natural. Recently Bekah and I and the kids got to spend some quality time with our best friends which was likely the highlight of our year so far. Nothing is more healing to the soul than dinner and conversation with people you share your life with.

Jesus clearly articulated the need for close friends and yet, because spending time with people you have most in common with is Natural, he also modeled the SUPER Natural ability to find common ground with all types of people. He also expanded the circle of who we should be willing to lay down our lives for to go beyond family, friends, fellow citizens, to even include our enemies.

During this season of Lent, rather than blog on and on about my opinions. It is my hope that I can reflect on what I am thankful for....today, it's friendship. And in a posture of humility, to be open to the work of the Spirit, transforming me to become more like Jesus, to be a better friend to a wider group of people and to love my enemies as much as I do my friends.

(During the season of Lent leading up to Easter, when we Christians celebrate the Resurrection, I am following along with an ACTS World Vision study. You can to!)

Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice

Since I turned thirty, I think I am starting the process of coming to peaceful terms with the somewhat diverse nature of my job. One week, I may be speaking to high school students, the next trying to hang in there with 19 year old musicians for We Are One, and the next preaching to people aged 13 to 93.

It's really pretty incredible and I consider it a blessing and a privilege. Here's some footage from some stuff I've been up to. (Clearly I haven't been blogging much)