new email

Due to the large number of emails that I am beginning to have to maintain I will be deleting this email address today.

I will now be using philip.lcf@gmail.com as my sole email source through gmail.

I recently moved as well as so let me take this time to update you on my personal address:

1121 Westchester Drive

Lynchburg, VA 24502

My cell phone has also been updated in the last year and some of you may not have the number (I'm sure most of you do): 434.841.2099.

Thanks.

peace and love,

Philip Watkins

philip.lcf@gmail.com

to vote, or not to vote...is that the question?

so much of our news and society is wrapped around november 4th. with both major parties and candidates far from the politics of jesus we find ourselves in a tough spot. do we pick the lesser of the two "evils?" do we vote party lines? do we ignore the the whole thing together?

many people i have talk to in the "twenty something" age range have considered not voting at all because of the choices and their personal convictions. the typical response i hear to that is either, "well then you have no right to complain about it afterwards...," or "it is your right as a citizen and member of this society." both of these arguments are not valid in my opinion. let's dissect the these responses biblically...

having no right to complain afterwards:
as followers of jesus we have no right to complain about a governmental problem that should be the heart of the church. as my friend nick said recently, "typically if you vote democrat you care about things such as social justice and the environment; if you vote republican you care about what some might call 'moral issues' like abortion." all of these issues should be addressed from the church and not placed in the hands of politics and the government. the bible says that wherever the early church went there also poverty ceased. the body in christ was not building big buildings with their money, investing in "discipleship training programs" or anything like that. they were more concerned about the people that God created in his image that were living in a poor and helpless state. 

feeding the homeless isnt enough. as someone who is actively involved in homeless ministry in richmond i still find myself walking away ashamed i do not do more. yes ministry is not just handing out a sandwich and a water and then saying "God bless you." it is bringing lawn chairs and paper bags to sit on and hanging out with everyday people and not creating a chasm between us and them because of a economic difference. but im getting ahead of myself and a little off topic. 

we as the body of christ never have a right to complain about the government's decisions because as the body of christ and the church in america we are not doing anything about it. we vote these politicians in to do it for us. we vote in obama to feed the poor and take care of the less fortunate. we vote in mccain to help eliminate the innocent murder victims through abortion. but they both have major faults. obama wants the government to run everything from healthcare to social problems that arise. mccain supports the war on terror and through this is killing thousands of lives. both have major faults and issues that are far from the politics jesus defines in the gospels. but the bigger issue that i have with this response of not having a right to complain is that through saying this you are actually implying your complete reliance on the government (or at least to take some slack off of our duty as a follower of jesus) instead of your roles and obligation as a follower. this may not be all but i think this accurately fits the mold of most whom use this argument.

secondly...it is your right as a citizen to vote. first let me state the obvious. we are first and foremost above anything else citizens of heaven. meaning, we are first and foremost citizens to jesus and to the body of christ. this is enough to disarm that response but i will elaborate a little. paul talks about our citizenship as a follower of jesus and places all importance in that..not in the roman government. this should be our first and only citizenship we bring up. our duty is to see how we can better help the people around us and how to act in such a way that eliminates the injustices that are all around us now. today.

my final thoughts are this. whether you vote or not is a personal conviction and a decision that i can not make for you. if you choose to write in your true king, jesus, no one is stopping you either. maybe this year instead of being torn between a person or a party's beliefs you write in jesus not because it will make a difference in the political world, but rather a difference in how you see politics, your role, and your citizenship. may we live our lives through the politics of jesus and not of america. may we live for these issues daily and not on november 4th.

a different set of politics

Across the world people have recognized Christianity as a religion just like most…desiring peace through force and violence when necessary. Some would think that Christianity has done the same damage of Islamic radicals or any other religion. Violence has been a part of our roots, but I say this in great shame. If we truly hold the shattered mirror up to ourselves in America we may find the image a little more disturbing that most are aware of.

Since Constantine and the Roman Empire Christianity has become more than just a movement with some sold out fishermen, it has become a popular governmental banner. When Constantine began advancing the gospel (I say advancing very loosely) at the expense of the sword the very values and movement that was started by Jesus began to fade and a new movement arose. Shane Claiborne a strong activist and follower of Jesus said in his book Jesus for President, “Christianity is at its best when it is peculiar, marginalized, persecuted, and alienated, and it’s at its worst when it becomes popular, common, commercialized, and government run.” I love this statement because it is so true. Another fascinating concept he talks about in his book is that he (while living in the heart of Philly) is approached all the time about the concern for violence and crime in the inner city. His response is that he would take his chances with the people in the city over the temptations and comfort in suburbia.

Jesus never endorses violence but instead commands his followers to love their enemies, care for those who persecute you, and to turn the other cheek. If this way of life is truly lived out I believe our politics would change as well. The typical idea of protecting the unborn life is common among conservative Christians, but if we truly value life we must realize that there is a world that has been violently pushed into a corner of democracy and duplicating the American government. Innocent lives are killed in Afganistan, Iraq, and all throughout the world at the hand of the iron fisted empire we call “land of the free.” For a Christian to support the wars and bloodshed in the Middle East but yet stand against abortion and advocate protecting the lives of the unborn is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the gospel. The war machine we call the United States military is not so different from the Roman Empire we read about in history books, stories, and the Bible. There are such strong comparisons that even tax dollars are used in such a way as the Roman Empire used to advance their world. Almost 50 percent of our tax dollars go towards the military in America and almost exactly 50 percent of the Roman taxes were used to advance the militaristic Roman Empire. This is just one statistic but yet the principle can be seen if looked at with an open eye. This so-called “great nation” is not founded on the Bible or any true sense of Christianity as Jesus meant, but rather the comfortable, conforming, and violent ideas founded in the Roman Empire. Many of our ideas of government, holidays, calendar, etc. come from Rome and the Caesars whom were known for their consumerist, violent, and self-absorbed society.

So may we no longer compromise under a “Christian nation.” May we truly follow Jesus with our lives that model out the foolish ideas of a carpenter. May we be peacemakers.

loving the hell out of people

This is a book response to a section of Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne recently posted as requested by a friend on a blog.


http://bunderwood.wordpress.com/


"Christians must discern between the voices competing for their allegiance."

One of the most profound statements (he makes many) Shane makes in this section talks about our allegiance to a nation instead of it lying in a Savior. As Shane quotes President Bush and Osama Bin Laden both talking about freedom and how to rid the world of “moral evil,” you can easily see the similarities in the two. They both believe it is their right and calling to deliver the world from the evil. As they both believe in ridding each other from the world, Claiborne talks about our duty as Christians (or what should be our duty) to ‘excommunicate’ a baptized follower of Jesus from taking part in communion because of doctrine or moral behavior that is adjudged to offend against God or the Christian community.

He talks about the gift of community and how precious God intended it to be and how this idea is not meant to bully or rid the church of them but rather bring proper and healthy discipline. When viewed with the ideas of exiled, execution, and bombings we see that this idea of excommunication is not only somewhat reasonable, but almost a great idea.

I am compelled by his statements about love and hell. This idea of “loving the hell out of people” is incredibly difficult to live out but yet it is truly life altering. Shane discusses and walks through the two different situations when Jesus talks about hell in a violent way both having to do with us creating a chasm between us and others therefore building a wall between God and us. He talks about Matthew 25 as well as the rich man and Lazarus. Jesus never uses hell fire and brimstones sermons on the mount, but rather loving our enemies, taking care of the poor, feeding the homeless, and loving the widows and orphans. Instead of scaring people into heaven we need to love them out of hell. In essence…loving the hell out of people. Since hell is something we create and live now, on this side of eternity, we have the opportunity to help others escape their hell.

May we as followers of Jesus love the hell out of people. May we believe and hope that there is more than a pledge and flag of a nation. May we rise up and become a true follower of Jesus and live a life in allegiance with what the Scripture says instead of what our government or nation says. May we represent the Jesus in the Gospels and not the one of the paintings, stories, and lies crafted by societies and cultures. May we truly find ourselves living this out every day and not just on November 4th.

"you have no idea what just happened..."

Over the past few weeks and even months this statement has been stated, "Phil, you have no idea what just happened..."  Tim has said it over and over to me after God moves at the Hanger.  After seeing and watching God move there and being a part of ministering to the students there I have seen some incredible and crazy God stories.

This weekend I saw another one of these stories.  I brought my newest Nooma dvd to a college I visited this past weekend.  I talked to some friends and we all piled into one small dorm room and put the dvd in.  This dvd talked about prayer and how powerful it is.  As the dvd started this guy walked in and stood parallel to the tv.  He didn't seem too interested and so he stayed parallel to it and didnt seem to try too hard to watch it.  About two thirds of the way through the fifteen minute dvd he stood back and no longer seemed interested at all.

The moment the dvd was over he asked, "Who's dvd is this?"  He said it very bluntly and almost harshly.  I spoke up and claimed it.  He walked over and put his hand out for me to shake and said, "I just wanted to say thank you.  I just realized that I never lost it, I just wasn't looking for it.  Goodnight."  Then he walked out.  I had no idea what had just happened.

Girls in the room started crying and weeping over what had just taken place.  I just sat there wondering exactly how God used me and this dvd.

The next day the story was finally told.  This young man grew up cultural catholic and in the past few weeks have really been faced with deciding what he believes and why.  His roommate had just recently given his life to Christ on an IV retreat.  So since his roommate's decision he has been very critical of the Christian faith.

He realized at some point in that dvd as the Holy Spirit convicted him that he wasn't living out the lifestyle he is supposed to and how he views his faith.  This had been a major prayer for the friends and people in that room.  This prayer is about someone's lifestyle but there was a recognition and awareness of a decision that he has to make.

I had no idea when I packed this dvd this would happen.  I almost didn't bring it.  I didn't have some great revelation about bring this new Nooma dvd.  I just happen to place it in my bag, but God wanted it there and he used it.  

God continues to move.  God continues to use a crazy white kid (as tim put it) for some reason.  God is still on the throne and he is still working in and around me.  I am so blessed that He allows me to be a part of his work.

commission vs. omission

I am reading this book called In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day by Mark Batterson.  I cannot seem to put it down but with my busy schedule I find myself toting it around and reading it before classes, convocation, or whatever so if I happen to get a minute or two to read I pull it out with my pen (gotta be able to mark in it...duh!)

This book is a must read and I encourage anyone who has not read it to read it as soon as possible.  This is a book that will really change your "churchy" perspective on how to be a true Christ follower.

One of the topics he touches briefly on that I fell in love with was this idea of commission versus omission.  A lot of times in churches today and sunday schools we are told about the "don'ts" in being a Christian (don't drink, don't have sex before you are married, don't do drugs, etc.).  Batterson makes a strong statement that we get hung up on the lesser of the two evils if you will.  I completely agree.  Our bigger concern should be the opportunities we miss out on.  Not witnessing, not serving, not putting others first, etc. are things that we just sit back on the sidelines and cheer others on as they take part in the adventurous elements of Christianity.  We have opportunities lying in front of us all the time but yet we never see them or chose not to act.

I was talking with a guy that I disciple and mentor today about this concept from the book and he was blown away.  We began talking about it and then he made this comment, "but it's just how we were wired.  We are too scared to do the wrong thing or 'miss out' on 'God's perfect will.'" He is right.  Our flesh and natural instinct is to ignore or miss out on the things that we probably should be doing.  I replied by referring to what Paul said about beating his body into submission.  We do not ever want our bodies or flesh to determine our decisions or our ability to act or to ignore a situation.  It is flesh and blood, but more importantly it is sinful and selfish.  My flesh and even my heart can be deceptive.  Out of the heart speaks the mouth but what am I feeding my emotions?  Am I hiding God's word in my heart?  Am i memorizing Scriptures?  It is no one's fault but my own.  I am happy that God has been showing me these things now so I can begin to work and submit these things over to Him.  I want Him to wipe away any calluses on my heart and make my heart like baby skin like Keith Green prayed.  I never want to become numb to the uncomfortable lifestyle a Christian SHOULD be living out.

24

tick' tick'...i love the show 24 with the nonstop action and the intensity of Jack Bauer.  I love the fact that the 24 hours of the show can be dragged out for several weeks and episodes and even seasons ( I think they are on season 7 now?).  Regardless 24 hours is a lot.

24 hours in a day.  Sure we could all probably fast 24 hours.  Stay awake 24 hours.  Or do a lot of things for 24 hours.  I have decided to embark on something I have never done before.  I am going to spend 24 hours this week in prayer.  This means that throughout my day I need to pray a little more than 3 hours a day.  I have never prayed this much in a week.  My hope and desire is to spend most of this time per day consecutively.  Meaning, I can pray for thirty minutes here and there and possibly find a way to get it all in.  I want to try and get as much of that time in one setting.  If I have to split it into two sections then that is fine too.  The goal of this prayer movement for me is to capitalize on what Jerry Falwell said so often when referring to prayer.  "All our failures are prayer failures."  God is calling to stop praying like I am just tossing hopeful words to a ceiling.  Prayer is powerful and can be effective if our hearts are aligned with His.  As I fasted I saw tremendous fruit from it both spiritually but also with my physical eyes.  I am not stopping the hunger and thirst I experienced on that fast.  It lives on in my heart and my spirit and will continue over into this 24 hours of prayer this week.  I am praying and expecting God to do some amazing things in my life and the lives I pray for.  God has put an expectation in my mind that if I want to truly see him move I need to start expecting in faith that he will.

I just received the new NOOMA dvd today and guess what it was all about.  PRAYER.  It spoke perfectly to what God has called me on as I support my brother who is fasting right now, and my other brother who is leading youth and students into an intimate relationship with Him.