don miller @ the dnc

don miller gives the benediction at the dnc – very cool.

Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.

Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.

Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.

in search of a christian

one of the main preoccupying questions i’ve had on my mind this summer is: what does a christian look like?

i’m not really interested in the rather mundane observation that the anemic, powerless religion that poses under the banner of christianity today bares little resemblance to the radical life that jesus called his disciples into.  i’m not really asking if we must reject contemporary, western christianity in favor of a more radical incarnation of the faith; no, i really just want a good model to follow.  

shane claiborne has an interesting chapter called in search of a christian from irresistible revolution where he sets out to answer some of the questions i’ve been pondering. i read this chapter with a great deal of anticipation, because i figured i’d gain some good insight into how to become an “ordinary radical” like the subtitle of his book suggests, and i was excited to see that he indeed did find some christians. the term “ordinary radical” is particularly hopeful for me, because it implies that regular people living regular lives can be radically christian.  

unfortunately, the christians he identified were mother teresa and this other guy that worked with her.