A Staff Alumni Family Camp...

Bill Ekhardt came up with a great idea to have the first week of family camp be an alumni family camp. You don't need to have a family to come, you just don't need to be in college anymore.

The week for the camp is June 15-21. Would you be interested in attending? Please comment and let me know.

Great idea, Bill.

"Irritating the problem..."

I was invited by Dan Kimball to attend a luncheon put on by the Fresno Met in Fresno today with speaker, Scott McNealy, Chairman and Co-Founder of Sun Microsystems. Who's quote is in the title bar.

Wow. I am still processing many of the things he spoke about. It was a great gift from a great friend. Thanks, Dan. You continue to teach and nurture my thoughts in many ways.

This isn't what I am talking about...

Painting by Benedictine Priest, John B Giuliani
This picture tells the story in the culture of the people. I don't think it is meant to be perverting anyone's view of Jesus' ethnicity. But rather to bring the story to the culture. Storytelling is one thing when it is in and of itself. To bring the story to a single people group using the same ethnicity is understandable but to continue to create the story in a diverse culture as is ours to continue to eliminate the middle eastern characteristic, to me, seems to have an agenda attached to it.

This can get a bit carried away. There is an historical element to the time and space when Jesus came. There is an ethnicity that God purposely chose to enter the world into. He didn't decide to come in 2000 as a CEO on Wall Street. But today Jesus is chinese, korean, hopi, italian, german, chilean, etc. because we are the Body of Christ.

I think my concern is that I would hate to think of a culture during the 80's depicting Jesus in polyester Angel Flights and permed hair...

Just a reminder...

I am thankful for the discussions we have here. I wish it was in person over a cup of coffee, tea, shot of Jameson, whatever. I am an external processor and appreciate the feedback and understanding that this is not a cemented thought but fluid and eyes and ears open to hear and know the truth.

I do appreciate the contrarians who really do make me a better person by giving me an alternative perspective. Just wanted to stop and say I wish we would spend some face time together because I really do love you and am honored that you would read this and take the time to comment. I haven't shown it in the past but I am turning a new leaf. (Oh it is Leaf Ericksson day at Christel's school.)

Much love and respect...
Tony

Is this a good thing?

In continuing the conversation started in, Jesus loves me this I know..., by showing the characters in the Bible as something other than real men and women that have predominate features that are characteristic of middle eastern men and women, are we creating an inadvertent form of racism that we are really not intentional about? (Or maybe we are intentional?)

I know there are a few out there that are saying, "Come on Tony, this is harmless stuff here, get off your high horse!" But in my hiring of 80 college age people, some who were raised on this stuff, I am finding that it is not developing disciples of Jesus like we were led to believe it would. It is almost deepening the myth instead of the truth.

I wonder if it is contributing to an intellect of short attention spans, "keep me entertained" sermons, vitamin deficiency (can you really eat a christian carrot?), make believe faith, but very clever marketing?

Storytelling is very important. The oral narrative is what evangelized the first century people before they could get down to the local Berean Scrollstore. But integrity was more important than entertainment and in a time of photoshop faith, I think it is important to tell the story in "living color" and context, so that when the way, the truth and the life is explained, people who are wanting authenticity and salvation will believe we are serious about this God who sent this man to save us and enjoy Him forever.