Innovation and Relevance

As we are revamping the church website, and I try to glean from many experts who are both more understanding of today's culture and more creative in their approach than I am. Below are two summary articles I found today:

• 15 Innovations the Church Should Embrace
• 3 Church Marketing Essentials

Not all the points are applicable to a Vietnamese church, but if we are to be relevant to the younger generation, I think we must take lists like these seriously. Our technical team is trying to implement 2 on the list: website and blogging. This blog is a result of studying similar articles and books in the past. I'm finally convinced. I have an excellent book, the blogging church, if someone wants to borrow it.

Contemplation

Today my wife and I went to Santa Cruz for our bi-weekly Ignatius Spiritual retreat. We participated in small group sharing and individual time of prayer. Each participant also received 45 minute of individual spiritual direction (like a spiritual counseling session), during which the director helped us discern the voice of God in our lives. At the end we received instructions on how to spend time with God in the next 2 weeks.

I find this Spiritual Exercise an essential component for my life and my ministry. Without it I know my life would be out of balance and my ministry would not align with the will of God. It helps me remain in the right contemplation with God.

One of the youth characterized my blog as "so peaceful, so zen". His comment made me laugh. Yes I guess as I get older, I'm learning to draw closer to the Source of life through peaceful contemplation. But he will see a different side of me when we go to the Cal football game this weekend :-)

Speaking of contemplation, one of the retreat participant, a youth worker, told us what she had heard at the National Youth Workers Convention last week in San Diego: Half of the talks were emphasizing the hunger for contemplation among young people today! Apparently the top researchers observed that young people were tired of this fierce, competitive world and were very responsive to teaching on contemplation. This is encouraging to hear, that the younger generation is willing to be counter-cultural and ready in aligning themselves with God again. Great job, young people!

Who Says a Pastor Can't Catch Fish?

I'm afraid I am a better fisher of fish than of man!

Pastor Appreciation

The church surprised my family with a "pastor appreciation" cake today. It was beautiful and delicious! We received 3 cards, one from the church leaders, one from the youth group, and one from an individual family. Two of the cards were beautifully hand crafted! Normally, I'm not much of a "card" guy - I don't send greeting cards (not my "language of love"), and I don't pay much attention to cards sent to me. But today was different. After everybody had left, I sat in the parking lot alone reading and treasuring every single word on those cards, tears welling up in my eyes. Being a pastor can be a lonely vocation, but these cards made a big difference. Thank you, friends!

The youth group gave us 2 gift cards labeled "A Perfect Day Spas". What are these for? I don't know what to do in a spa. Can somebody help me out here?

Children Sunday

Today was the annual Children Sunday for the kids of our church. Kids led worship, prayers, offering, drama and songs. I love seeing young people having opportunities to offer their best to God. The most touching moment for me was when all the kids came up singing their special songs. Watching their faces, some fearful, some joyful, some poking another just for fun, but all feeling safe and belonged in a healthy community of God's people - it was one of those "God" moments for me. I sensed a still small voice from within, "this is the reason I called you here."

After the service, the kids were treated with lots of good food and games and candies. One of the kids wrote to me later, "thank you so much for letting us have this day!" But it's not me! I thank God for all the dedicated helpers and teachers. Many have sacrificed long hours and short supply of energy to make this day possible. And the teachers have sacrificed year round to make this community a possibility for the children. Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Your labor of love is truly not in vain.

VAY Youth Rally

Tonight (Friday) we had the monthly Youth Rally at NGCF church. About 50 people from 6-7 churches gathered to play games, worship, act out Biblical stories and mingle over food and music after the service. Nothing energizes me more than seeing young people enjoying Christian activities together. The rally reminds me of the SOWFUN ministry we started 18 years ago. 18 years and the passion is still there. It must be from God!

Trong & Thuy Tien showed up at the rally with their kids. It was a strangely familiar and pleasant sight. Trong was among the few who got me interested in the Christian faith, and Thuy Tien got me started in youth ministry. She helped started the Vietnamese Christian Youth Camp in 1987, the first ever in the Bay Area, when I was still a "baby" Christian. How I wish we could be partners-in-ministry again someday. My wife and I took them out for lunch earlier today, for Trong's 50th birthday. Happy Birthday old man. Thank you for the ride.

Ignatius Spiritual Exercises

My wife and I participate in the Ignatius Spiritual Exercises this year under the direction of Don and Charlotte Ferris. It's an 8-month long spiritual retreat, meeting once every 2 weeks, lining up nicely with the Christian calendar (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost). This is the 2nd year we do this, and it keeps getting deeper and more powerful.

This week we meditate on the Foundation of the retreat. Here's the poetic form of the Foundation:

Lord my God, when Your love splilled over into creation

you thought of me.
I am
from love, of love, for love.

Let my heart, O God, always
recognize, cherish, and enjoy
Your goodness in all of creation.

Direct all that is me toward your praise.
Teach me reverence for every person, all things.
Energize me in your service.

Lord, God
may nothing ever distract me from your love …
neither health nor sickness
wealth nor poverty
honor nor dishonor
long life nor short life.

May I never seek nor choose to be
other than you intend or wish.

Amen.

Think about this Foundation. Print it out and pray it. Meditate on it. It expresses well the Biblical foundation of our existence. It's an invitation to return to the original intention of the human creation. I resonate with the language of this Foundation a lot better than with the Purpose Driven Life movement. Will blog about this another day. In the meanwhile you can read more about the Ignatius Spiritual Retreat in this long article in the National Catholic Reporter.

College Reunion

Last Saturday over 100 UC Berkeley Vietnamese alumni of 25 years gathered at Thanh Duoc restaurant for a reunion banquet. I came, and it was a surreal experience.

It was surreal because it was a reunion of friends that had become very close while spending 4 years of "hell" together during university. A very tight bond was developed as we survived the heavy academic load together - spending many sleepless nights camping out at Moffit library, taking long breaks on the 2nd floor, eating Topdogs at 2 AM, exchanging dirty jokes, and "lam van nghe" together throughout the school years. I left the reunion party with many lingering emotions. I guess the emotions are strong because my university experience was a very intense one, an experience filled with so many vivid memories, both pleasant and painful.

It was also surreal because I realized how much I have changed, or, rather, how God has changed me. My insecurity is lessened. My heart is more at peace. My purpose is more clear. My ears are more annoyed at hearing dirty jokes, but the love for my friends are more genuine. Attending the reunion was surreal but a good experience because it showed how much God has transformed me. Thank you Lord.

Next year I will take part in a team putting together the real 25 years reunion event. It will be in Berkeley, taking place through out the Memorial weekend, and hopefully drawing a more complete list of alumni. This group of friends is a strong part of my root, and I want to remain connected hoping for opportunities to share the power and hope of the Gospel.

The Immigrant Resettlement & Cultural Center (IRCC) of San Jose and their Dân Sinh TV program did a great story on how the UCB Vietnamese students evolve over the years. The TV program was already broadcasted last week, but you can still view it at the following site:

http://irccsanjose.com/contents/thds.aspx

Click on "UC Berkeley Hop Mat". There are 2 parts. The 2nd part has a closeup of my story. Not everything they said about me was correct (they portrayed a better person than I actually am). But overall I think they did an excellent job. They put me on TV and made me famous. I'm not complaining.

Leading and Following

Today anh Michael took me fishing. He picked me up at 5:30 AM. We met up with his friend Tham in Gilroy. Then Tham drove us to Monterey bay. We fished all day on a 12 foot boat. Tham and Michael did most of the rowing. They caught most of the fish. They did the driving on the way back. They gave me most of the fish. What a refreshing day!

I contemplated on the way back, "why am I having such a good time today?" I think I have an answer: I was being led for a change. No decision to make. No people to move. No message to preach. No program to run. No agenda to fulfill. Everyday I am so occupied with the responsibility to lead - leading my family, leading the church, leading people, leading programs, leading the activity calendar, leading the vision, leading the mundane. The responsibility is overwhelming at times. Today I got to do nothing but follow, for a change. And it was so refreshing. I didn't think a single thought about church during the whole trip! Hallelujah!

As I reflect on this refreshing experience, I realize something good happening within me. When I lead, I can be selfish in getting my agenda accomplished and my responsibility fulfilled. But when I follow, I am selfless. Recently I began praying that I could hear God's voice and sense His presence more clearly. God pointed out that my selfishness was part of the hindrance. Today He reaffirmed this conviction and revealed a way to be less selfish: find opportunities to follow instead of lead.

LORD, are you telling me to go fishing more often? It's a command I would gladly obey! :-)

And The Heart Rejoiced Again

I had a rare honor to serve at 2 marriage related events this weekend, an anniversary vow renewal on Friday and a wedding ceremony on Saturday. Compared to younger couples that I married in the past, both couples that I served this weekend are more seasoned in their lives. Each person has a story that is filled with pain and brokenness. But this weekend I witnessed once again the love of God breaking in our midst and replacing suffering with a sense of healing and hope. The tears I witnessed were not tears of despair, but of comfort and joy. Somehow a Vietnamese song by Đức Huy kept ringing in my head, "Và con tim đã vui trở lại" (and the heart rejoiced again). The heart can rejoice again because the gospel does have the power to restore!

Thank God for the experience this weekend, cuz it helped me stomach the loss to UCLA better! What happened to the California Golden Bears???

What Makes Me Happy

What makes me happy: serving breakfast-in-bed to my family on their birthdays. Notice the special treat: homemade juice, fresh egg from the chicken coop, and flower straight from the garden. No, the bread is not homemade. I miss the aroma of fresh baked bread, but no time for that anymore :-(

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Hannah! I <3 U.

What Makes Me Laugh

This came to my inbox today. Thank you anh Michael for cheering me up!

Dear God: Thank you for bringing me to Timmy's house and not Michael Vick's - AMEN!

What Makes Me Sad

What makes me sad: seeing someone I care about feeling burned out and disillusioned. A key member of our technical team recently resigned because he was too tired. I'm sad not because we lost a very faithful and skillful worker, but because I haven't practiced what I preached. I'd preached about not getting too busy so that we could attend to the souls, and yet I got too busy with programs and neglected caring for the souls of my people. I preached people before programs, but I allowed myself to do the reverse. And so yesterday I lamented to my wife how I could just drop everything and spend more time one-on-one with people. But I couldn't. And I'm sad.

Just a few days ago a pastor-friend lamented that two of his best workers were feeling disconnected with God for several months, and that made me sad. He asked whether I could recommend any book. I couldn't. A good book might help some people, but for me I'd have to slow down, be still, journal, listen, and somehow God will become real to me again. I think my technical guy is very wise - resign and retreat, be still and be treated with a renewed presence of God. He knows what he's doing after all. May be I should do the same!

FIRST POST: An Invitation to Chat

My most fulfilling experiences of God often come through moments when I cease from all activities and be still before Him. The busyness of life is truly the greatest distraction in my relationship with God. I think this concept also applies to human relationship - the more we run around trying to accomplish "things," the less we get to know each other, the more alienated we become.

And so here is my invitation to you: come, kick off your shoes, sit a spell. Let's chat.