Tuesday, July 13, 2010

THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

Maybe it's because I've worked with youth for more than a half a century that I notice the growing exodus of American youth to join the radical Muslim cause. To some the attraction of youth to Muslim religion and jihad is a puzzle.

It's no puzzle!

In a purposeless society like ours, we can expect our kids to be attracted to purpose; better said, "a cause." Muslims recruit activist kids and give them a cause they're willing to die for, Key here is "a cause" ... and they're finding them.

Our failure to install healthy "purpose" into our American youth makes them drifting candidates for gangs or Muslim jihad. I predict more and more American males will leave for the Muslim life and war. Looking at a young American Muslim convert, dedicated to the purpose of Jihad ... I think, what a powerful activist Christian he could have become!

However we continue with the living for Christ mantra, while many youth would rather die for Allah! They "have a cause" they believe in.

Today's honey coated purposeless living for Jesus just isn't doing it. Where are the Christian activist willing to die for the Jesus, who died to save them. Where are the Pastors and Youth-workers willing to set the example?

We don't see any on the horizon.

Today we're into sit and listen, watch and applaud. Platform stars and music gigs rule. Hollow entertainment at a time of war.

Where are the youth men with the courage to define our cause and challenge their best kids to grab their Bibles and head into the world sharing our Gospel, even if it means death. Where?

I know by experience that "honey dipped" Christianity doesn't attract the strong activist type. It's the tough talk of reality and a challenge that attracts and sends out the true activist.

How can a weak youth-worker talk tough. Good question!

It's time we throw out this secular "politically correct" mentality, along with the soft Christianity, and level with our kids ... 2000 years ago we were called to a cause, it's about time we get back to what we were created to be and what we were created to do ... and it wasn't fun and games!

Every time an American youth leaves his country to head to the Muslim cause ... the Church and youth-workers have failed.

Friday, July 02, 2010

THE HEAVENLY CITY

Having lived in San Diego for sixty-eight years, I have seen it by day, by night, and from every angle; from the shopping malls to the restaurants, through my windshield orderly traffic, and from the air many, many times, however the most impressive view of San Diego I've ever seen was from the hills of Grupo Mexico three miles south of our border. In a slight fog and when the sun is just right, San Diego looks like a heavenly, celestial city in the sky. Maybe it's the dirty, cluttered frame around this awesome sight that makes it so impressive, especially to the Mexican poor who view this city of San Diego day after day.

A paradise so near ... and yet so far away. Spawning impossible dreams.

Contrasting this is the view south from San Diego. The masses of little unkempt buildings and rabbit-trail roads on dry dirty hillsides where the invisible poor live out their lives; barely surviving. A sprawling unkempt city held together with graffiti.

Can we call this living ... or existing? Or do we even care?

Unfortunately the contrast is becoming more apparent. Pressure continues to grow.

To many, but not all, Tijuana is simply a staging area where potential illegals nightly amass to storm the border. To others farther north, it's simply Mexico's problem.

For those of us who work in Tijuana with these poor families, it's a huge field of ministry with countless opportunities. Unfortunately with little or no funds we are limited.

People are people and God sees no fences. People are eternal and they are our treasure. As I read the Bible, God loves the drunk laying on the sidewalk of Zona Norte in his own vomit as He does the educated clean hard working Doctor in his office in San Diego. As a Christian I have to see people the same way.

The unwanted truth is becoming a growing pressure. Tijuana is pretty well bankrupt. At this point the trinity of drugs, prostitution and robbery are holding it together. Employment? There is a high turnover of police, so they continue hiring but ... few factories, no construction, family clans moving in together and pooling their resources ...

And things are not improving!

All of that makes that northern paradise they see every day more inviting then ever.