Urban Living - Exciting & Maddening

One day I was talking with a pastor who serves in a community a few hours from D.C.  He casually mentioned that there are about 3000 people who live in his community.  In a split second, it struck me — there were about 3000 people who lived on my street.

At the time I lived in a high rise condo building—one  building that stood tall like a soldier next to several others just like it.  I knew how many residents lived in my building and did the quick math to discover how many people lived in the few short blocks that shared my same street name.  There are about as many people who live on my street as in his entire town.  Now multiply that by the numbers of streets in my neighborhood...and then the number of neighborhoods in my city.  That's a lot of people on Jesus' mind. 

I don’t know if the difference in our communities seemed as dramatic to me before that day.  I don’t think that the people on my street are more important as the people in his town—but there are just so many of them.

Written by Stefa Chappell 

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I have lived in the suburbs, the city and literally off a dirt road in the country, and I have to say that urban living is a bit of a different beast.  One reason for that is the mass of humanity present that sometimes feels squished together in a small space.  There are just an awful lot of us.  And it’s not just that there are a lot of people—there is a high number of remarkably diverse people.  I daily bump into neighbors from different cultures, ethnicities and religions—different in dress, customs, world views, language.  It was like the nations had come to live on my street.  No, the nations actually had come to live on my street. 

The beauty of this crowded reality is that the cross section of this diversity invites us to incarnate the Gospel in so many arenas.  And ministry on any urban university campus shares a similar opportunity.  Take the nations, fill up a small space with them, give them opportunity to learn and exchange ideas, then watch them graduate to dramatically influence their world.  

Truth be told, urban living can be both exciting and maddening.  It's not always easy to live so crowded, and it's ridiculously expensive to live here.  Sometimes we long for open space or silence (or, at least the sound of something other than a siren!).  Sometimes we'd love to be able to afford more square footage for our dollar.  But Jesus called us to be with people in order to incarnate His message.  In the city, there are a lot of people here who can see the message lived through our lives.  

I have to admit it--I'm a city girl.  I enjoy the energy of the city and I don't really mind the sirens (all that much).  Yes, we're crowded but bumping into people simply gives me the opportunity to show some Jesus to them when we do bump.  

The Biggest Temptation for 20-Somethings

I don’t know about you, but I automatically stop listening when people call our generation “entitled.”  When I hear that word, I imagine a bunch of rich, lazy kids who expect their parents to pay for everything.  I picture people who party all the time and aren’t motivated because they’re used to having things handed to them.  I think of people who have no desire to make a difference in this world unless it serves their own selfish desires.

Written by Natalie Hill

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Although this might be an accurate description of some twenty-somethings, it seems to have become an offensive, unfair generalization to describe our generation.  I know so many twenty-somethings who are passionate and motivated to see positive change and do something really important with their lives, and aren’t afraid to go out and see that accomplished.  I believe that this generation can be the generation that brings change to a broken system of government, develops programs to decrease poverty, teaches in schools where people have been afraid to teach, questions how the world works.  These are the people I went to college with and am surrounded by, especially in DC.

    But the more I think about it, “entitled” might also mean something different.  I think one of the biggest temptations for twenty-somethings is to think, or maybe even expect, that the world-changing, high-reward accomplishments will happen right away, or even on our planned timeline.  It’s easy for us to be so motivated that we’re disappointed when our high expectations aren’t immediately realized.  You might want to be the next Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, but you’re probably going to have to write about some mundane school board meetings first.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and all those other cliches about process.

    I hear twenty-somethings talking about settling and the fear of just accepting what’s comfortable.  And I think those are valid concerns.  We can miss amazing opportunities by just seeking comfort.  We’re afraid of dumbing ourselves down or lowering our standards.  But if we’re not careful, those fears can be a product of pride.

    I’ve seen so many people my age who end up disappointed when they realize they can’t have everything when they graduate from college and that their dreams take work.  Well-intentioned plans still have a process.  I think we can change the world, but I also believe in baby steps.  That musician who got famous off of one single overnight is probably just an exception.  Or there are a few old albums you don’t know about that have never seen the light of day.  Because dreams take work.

    Whether it’s landing a dream job or working through an emotionally trying issue or seeing someone you love recognize the truth and love of Jesus, we can’t forget the process.  Sometimes those seasons are long and exhausting and hard and full of loss and disillusionment.  But those seasons are also where our relationships are built and where we learn the most about God, ourselves, and the world around us.  If we give in to the temptation that we don’t need to endure the process, we’ll be extremely disappointed when we encounter those seasons.  

 Step by step, little by little.

Documentaries That Are Inspiring Us

Inspired in part by the closing segment of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, the Chi Alpha Staff Team at American University discussed the documentaries that have inspired them the most over the years. We decided to share them with you today and we've marked which ones are available on Netflix Instant for subscribers. 

Note - For information on whether these films are family-friendly, you may want to research them individually on Common Sense Media. 

It Might Get Loud

Rarely can a film penetrate the glamorous surface of rock legends. It Might Get Loud tells the personal stories, in their own words, of three generations of electric guitar virtuosos The Edge (U2), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), and Jack White (The White Stripes).

Description: A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: the Edge, Jimmy Page and Jack White.

Rating: PG 

Sadly, this film is not available on Netflix Instant. 

"Seeing musicians in various genres discuss creativity and musicality, outside the worship context, is refreshing." 

Suggested by Natalie Hill (Twitter | Facebook) 

The Bible Series

The Bible is an historic retelling of the greatest story ever told From executive producers Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel) and Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Celebrity Apprentice) the OFFICIAL trailer for the epic minseries, Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BibleSeries Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BibleSeries Join the Community: http://www.community.bibleseries.tv

Description: The story of God's creation of the Earth and the landmark events leading up to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Rating: TV Mini-Series (TV-14) 

Available on Netlix Instant 

"I reccomend the last episode in particular (Courage, Episode 10) - as it brings a great visualization to the beginning of the early Church as documented in Acts." 

Suggested by Kevin Kusunoki (Facebook) 

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Director: David Gelb

Description: A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his business in the Ginza Tokyo Subway station, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu.

Rating: PG

Available on Netlix Instant 

"It's inspiring to see someone dedicate decades to their craft and it really reminds us that there is something spiritual about work, regardless of whether it's ministry or a trade." 

Suggested by Blane Young (Twitter | Facebook) 

Autism: The Musical

Tricia Regan's documentary Autism: The Musical follows five autistic children on their journey to create and perform a live musical. Watch a preview of their show! Autism: The Musical airs on "Super Soul Sunday" April 15 at 11/10c.

Description: Follows five autistic children as they work together to create and perform a live musical production.

Rating: Not Evaluated by MPAA

Sadly, this film is not available on Netflix Instant. 

"It's inspiring to see someone dedicate decades to their craft and it really reminds us that there is something spiritual about work, regardless of whether it's ministry or a trade." 

Suggested by Jen Godzwa (Facebook) 

Waiting for Superman 

http://www.themoviedigest.blogspot.com Release Date: 2010 Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim reminds us that education "statistics" have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily, whose stories make up the engrossing foundation of WAITING FOR SUPERMAN.

Description: Filmmaker Davis Guggenheim reminds us that education "statistics" have names: Anthony, Francisco, Bianca, Daisy, and Emily, whose stories make up the engrossing foundation of WAITING FOR SUPERMAN. As he follows a handful of promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth, Guggenheim undertakes an exhaustive review of public education, surveying "drop-out factories" and "academic sinkholes," methodically dissecting the system and its seemingly intractable problems.

Rating: PG

Sadly, this film is not available on Netflix Instant. 

"Inspiring, heartbreaking and a close look at our educational system that focuses on telling the stories of a few children." 

Suggested by Nick Holmstedt (Twitter | Facebook) 

Girl Rising

From Academy Award-nominated director Richard E. Robbins, award-winning Documentary Group, Vulcan Productions and Intel Corporation comes Girl Rising - an innovative new feature film about the power of education to change a girl -- and the world. Visit girlrising.com to learn how to bring Girl Rising to your local theater.

Description: The movie tells the stories of nine girls from different parts of the world who face arranged marriages, child slavery, and other heartbreaking injustices. 

Rating: PG-13

Sadly, this film is not available on Netflix Instant. 

"Hearing the stories of women from throughout the world helps bring a global perspective to the issues relating to women's empowerment." 

Suggested by Becca Pugh (Twitter | Facebook) 

Craigslist Joe

http://TrailerObsessed.com In a time when America's economy and sense of community were crumbling, one guy left everything behind--to see if he could survive solely on the support of the 21st century's new town square: Craigslist. It was in this climate that 29-year-old Joseph Garner cut himself off from everyone he knew and everything he owned, to embark on a bold adventure.

Description: In a time when America's economy was crumbling and sense of community was in question, one guy left everything behind to see if he could survive solely on the support and goodwill of the 21st century's new town square: Craigslist. 

Rating: NR

Available on Netflix Instant

"It's the type of film that restores your hope in humanity as you see a stranger helped by so many." 

Suggested by Logan Oyler (Facebook) 

Bonhoeffer (2003) 

Uploaded by pegovideo on 2013-03-12.

Description: Dramatic documentary about the young German pacifist and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer who resisted the Nazi regime and was hanged two weeks before World War II was over.

Rating: NR

Sadly, this film is not available on Netflix Instant. 

"I watched this during my Chi Alpha internship and it changed how I viewed ministry, sacrifice and living a life for others." 

Suggested by Mike Godzwa (Twitter | Facebook) 

The movie descriptions have been taken from IMDB.com and the movie trailers were found on YouTube. 

They're Classics for A Reason

The following post is part of a series called Summer Worship Ideas put together by Natalie Hill and Kevin Kusunoki. You can access other posts in this series via this link. 

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If you were to walk around and ask people to name a Christian song, a common response you might hear is “Amazing Grace”, or “Come Thou Fount”.

If you grew up in a traditional church you might remember singing from a hymnal without knowing what any of the words meant, yet still thoroughly enjoying the sounds of the organ and the chorus of voices. Hymns are a timeless form of worship that finds its roots in the Reformation movement, and continues to be a huge influence on contemporary worship music. They are influential and still widely sung across churches around the world because these songs are heavily entrenched in scripture.

In fact, the earliest hymns were direct quotations of the Psalms; and only later did hymns begin adding extra-biblical imagery and metaphors. This rich tradition of scriptural composition is what continues to make hymns relevant and popular in the modern church.

The following spotify playlist contains fourteen of our favorite hymns that we hope you will enjoy. 

Direct URL Link to Playlist »

Thoughts on Becoming A Dad

I'm going to be a Dad! 

I swear that I yelled these words at the top of my lungs when Hannah told me that she was pregnant but she insists that I just sat there quietly for ten minutes with a huge smile on my face. Regardless of what actually happened when she told me, I'm ecstatic for this next chapter in our lives. I can't believe that we might actually find out if it's a boy or girl sometime this month and that we'll have a third in our family for Christmas this year! 

Written by Blane Young

I've been fortunate to be surrounded by family and friends that are (already) spoiling our little one and checking up on us as we make preparations to step into this new season. And of course, I get to tell people how excited I am when I get asked the, "So, how do you feel?" question. Which, if I'm counting, is several times a week. Now, don't get me wrong. I like the attention and my kid is quickly becoming one of my favorite topics. 

But every now and then, a close friend or mentor will ask a different question. 

"What do you think about becoming a dad?" 

You see the difference? Maybe it's not a big one, but it does have me thinking. That and the fact that a few nights ago, Hannah and I started creating space in our closet for baby stuff which means that we already have diapers and some toys!

I'm excited for the chance to create family memories and traditions. Now of course, Hannah and I are a family but for all intensive purposes, we were also a couple. As I look back on my childhood, I'm grateful for the intentionality that my parents put into creating memorable moments. At the time, I thought it was normative and even until recently, I didn't realize the time/effort/finances that it cost them but I am so thankful. 

For instance, every Christmas Eve, my family would jump into our vehicle with mugs of hot chocolate and spend hours driving around the city looking for the best light display. Or when I was in high school and my younger siblings were in grade school, my Dad would play chess with us every night within five minutes of arriving at home. Or how my Mom would pray over us and talk about the armor of God each day before we went to school. 

All of these experiences are small but they were continually repeated and made an impact on me. 

Realizing that money is pretty cool, but you don't actually need a ton of it. I came to this thought because I thought back to all my favorite memories growing up and most of them took place before my parents had really made it (financially). Of course, I loved going to Disney when I was around seven years old, but most of the fondness I recall today had to do with the people around us at various times in my childhood. Neighbors, church friends and extended family. 

I'm looking forward to raising a son or daughter that thinks that spiritual and deep conversations are normal. Like most things in life, we were recipients of someone else's actions. And in this regard, my parents did a great job! It wasn't one big moment, but I remember hearing them talk about the message at church, having family meetings to discuss important obstacles or changes, asking us questions about what we were learning and taking the time to pray together every night. 

I have a lot (okay, maybe just a few) more thoughts but those are the ones I've been processing recently. As I've said before, I feel that it's a special privilege to raise a child in an environment like Chi Alpha. And I'm not just talking about the possibility of free babysitting (although that's nice) but instead, the chance to grow our family in the context of a loving community.