Pure Christianity

Unity? I Think Not

Last week I attended some meetings that a missionary friend here in Nakuru was conducting. He had some friends from the U.K speaking at the meeting, and since I consider them my friends as well I attended. (Typically I avoid Charismatic/Pentecostal flavored meetings, which is what these meetings were.)

The visitors spoke on several topics, but one that was of particular interest to me was unity. Specifically unity amongst followers of Jesus. It was a timely message for us here in Nakuru.

Here in Nakuru the church is fractured. We have the normal divisions of denomination, doctrine, and style. However, our bigger divide is over ethnicity.

You chose where to attend meetings based on what tribe you come from. Leaders are picked not because it is evident that God has blessed them with something for the Body, but instead on their names. If your name is from my tribe, then you are chosen. Negative stereotypes abound amongst the body of Christ.

Put aside all the resources wasted on the pursuit of religion, and just think what could be done if we unified. We could change Nakuru overnight. The hungry would be fed. The sick cared for. The dead buried. The engaged married. The lonely embraced.

According to the visitors from the U.K. we had some sort of breakthrough during the meeting. I think they felt this was true primarily due to prayer, or something resembling prayer. Unfortunately I just can’t see it.

The preacher declared that those of us sitting in the meeting hall were unified. I didn’t even feel together with the others in that room. We have a long ways to go, and we need more than just prayers.

We need sacrifice.

Johnny Brooks

More from the Gem Rural Mission

This is more of Ben’s report. I am attending some meetings for the next three days, so the changes I talked about yesterday will be put off for a week or so.

Visited a number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Gem. Visited a school (primary) where almost 90% of the pupils there are orphans under the care of their grandmothers, who single handedly help feed, school, and clothe the orphans. I was touched by the story of one young girl (between 8 and 10 years old) who lost both of her parents to HIV/AIDS. She has no siblings. Soon she will be on her way to Mombasa as a house help. (Mary).

Actually just read that part about Mary, the young girl destined to a life of servitude as a maid. Will have to see what we can do.

Johnny Brooks

Gem Rural Mission

Kate and I had a little meeting this morning about the blog, expect some sprucing up real soon. I want to make it easier for people who don’t know us and what we do to actually get to know us and what we are doing. We will still update each day. The real change will be the side bar. I am creating a series of articles, pictures, videos, etc. that tell our story. The links will take you on that journey. Not sure how long it will take to get done, but as soon as it is we will let you know.

In the meantime enjoy this report of a recent mission to Gem (pronounced game.) Written by Ben, one of our Kenyan team members;

Irine got infected with syphilis, which ate her up as she kept it a secret. She shared with me about her ordeal and how the doctors had told her, she had to undergo a surgery to remove the damaged parts. She had great difficulty in passing urine until this last weekend Oct. 31st-Nov 1st 2009. As her cousins with much help from the Brooks family, we organized a quick harambee and raised 26,000/=. The Brooks family gave us 13,000/=. The rest was raised by us (Irine’s cousins.) She is to have an appointment with the doctor on Wednesday 4th November 2009 to chart the way forward. Victor, Joseph will oversee. I had to travel back to Nakuru to help my sick daughter (Mercy.)

A couple of things: First Mercy, Ben and Pauline’s daughter, has malaria. She is being treated and will make a full recovery.

I had to correct a few spelling issues in Ben’s note, but otherwise left it as it was. Harambee is a fundraising meeting. A group of people come together to help someone out. 26,000 Kenyan shillings is approximately $346 U.S. dollars.

Johnny Brooks

James 1:26-27 Again

Yesterday Kate posted “Lots Going On.” So why do we help these people? It’s a matter of faith and obedience for us. We believe it is the best way to demonstrate the love of God to the world (thus living out our own faith,) and we are obeying what God has asked us to do.

Much quoted on this blog, but I can’t get enough of it apparently:

Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

James 1:26-27 The Message

 

 

Johnny Brooks

Hope?

I’ve got so many things running through my head and heart right now, that I’m finding it hard to nail just one down for a blog post.

Tomorrow I will be at one of our support groups for people living with H.I.V. I’m supposed to be talking to everyone about hope, not sure what I will or can say right now.

Will I talk about the hope of the resurrection? Hope of a cure? Hope in a vaccine? Hope that the world will actually care?

Hope that the poor inflicted with H.I.V. will be treated as brothers and sisters, because Jesus said so. Hope that the world will actually commit to helping those with H.I.V. even when Bono is not looking?

I’m not sure. All I can do, and all that Ben, Ali, Virginia, Kate, Lonnie and Pauline, can do is to keep loving one person at a time. I truly believe we can eradicate poverty and disease by loving and assisting one person at a time.

Johnny Brooks

Muddy Water

When Kate and I moved to Kenya in January 2005 it was clear what we were supposed to do.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. (NKJV)

This passage also clearly spoke to us:

Matthew 25:40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' (NKJV)

What God was saying to us was crystal clear, however my courage to do it was not so clear.

My dad used to ask me, whenever I was blocking the T.V. or something he wanted to see; “Son you been drinking muddy water?”

I had been drinking spiritual muddy water for a long time, and could not see the simplicity of faith.

I was stuck in the world system. You know that system where you have to have enough money to start and finish a project. You know that system that says you have to raise support before you actually go into the field. You know that system which says you can’t do it because you don’t have enough education. I had been drinking those muddied waters, and could not see what it was God was doing.

We languished in the religious system, trying to convince Kenyans to go and take care of their neighbors. I preached and preached and preached some more, but I could not escape the reality that I needed to practice what I was preaching.

I finally broke down and agreed with Kate, who knew all along what we should be doing, that it was time to actually begin the orphan care project.

The beginning of 2007 was when I made that fateful decision, and the journey since hasn’t been smooth sailing necessarily, but the contentment in our hearts, the joy in our lives, well it makes the rough waters worth it.

I still seem to be a bit opaque from all the muddy waters I drank, but the clear water of life is washing it away.

Johnny Brooks

Happy Anniversary

When Kate and I made the decision to get involved in orphan care, we never imagined that it would be as successful as it has been so far. Success to us is not merely numbers of children, but quality of care and life. The orphan/abandoned children we take care of have good lives. They actually will have a chance to survive this world to adulthood.

This month marks 2 years since we opened our doors for this project. From the beginning we understood this project would be different and require much from us. The sacrifices were well worth it, and when measured up against the children and their wellbeing seem like no sacrifice at all.

I am not sure where we will be in two more years, but I am confident that we will be loved by our Father in Heaven, and we will be loving the “least of these.”

Over the next few days expect some informative postings about the projects, our team, finances, and our personal lives.

Johnny Brooks

Anecdotes for Analysis (Guest Posting)

Nothing too profound, but just wanted to share two stories from experiences I had this week; experiences that have  some sort of spiritual nuggets tucked in within them.

I'm not normally a church goer but I did so more than once while in Virginia last month.  This experience wasn't all bad, apparently, and this is proved by a funny event that happened while returning to work this week. I was feeling pretty happy about being back around the people I am called to work with and I had enjoyed greeting and catching up with them throughout the day.  During the course of doing that, one especially macho-type guy there greeted me and shook my hand.  He then moved for a paper on the printer behind me, but the way he moved and reached gave my subconscious the impression he was greeting me with a hug, like people do at church.  I responded with returning the hug gesture and the co-worker backed up and said something like "you know I don't roll like that, man."  It was awkward and funny but also made me sad that such a gesture would be considered abnormal.  It wouldn't be if we were in heaven.

The other thing that happened was that upon returning home from Virginia, I noticed that our Beta's fish tank was looking pretty murky and in need of a cleaning.  I decided to take care of that today, and when I opened the lid to begin the process, I was shocked to see that the water was chrystal clear looking down from directly above.  The sides of the tank were dirty and gave the impression that the water was nasty.  Not what you'd expect to be the stuff of spiritual inspiration or insight, but I recall wondering how many times we get it wrong in life by measuring what's inside by what we see on the outside.

-James Matthews

By Whose Authority?

This week’s quote of the week is producing some interesting discussion on Facebook. As one commenter stated it, the discussion concerning the Bible seems to be one of authority.

I agree. Once upon a time I was involved with a tradition that placed a heavy emphasis on spiritual authority, and when their people were in political office they also emphasized obeying the nation’s authorities as well. The local body of believers were expected to follow the man with the vision. He was the one God spoke to concerning the community, and everyone else’s ideas and dreams should line up with his.

Thankfully the system I was in was not abusive with it’s authority, however it did plant that seed of needing to bow to something or someone in my life.

Ultimately I pledged my heart not to Jesus or our Father, but instead to a book. The Bible became my ultimate authority, well actually, honestly it was my particular interpretation of the Bible that became my authority.

This had the effect of cutting me off from the God that the Bible was supposed to be pointing to. I grew so unlike Jesus, that when I threw out my religion later on in life, I hardly recognized this God of the universe.

If I don’t believe that the Bible contains all our authority for this life, or I don’t subscribe to the notion that the Bible contains all the answers to this life, then from whence does my authority come from?

I would have to say Jesus, but then again I am not all together sure that authority is all that important. Why do I need a man or a woman (other than Jesus,) to stamp my life with approval? Why do I need someone’s (mine included) interpretation of a book to prove that what I do is worthwhile? I do not look to man, religious or secular, to approve of what I do. I do what I feel is good, and trust that Jesus will let me know when I am off. Which he does, often.

I know that many people want something concrete to stand on, like the Bible. The Bible is something you can feel, read, understand, and rely upon. So it makes perfect sense to stand on it. I just don’t see it that way. Certainly the Bible is very important to me, and I believe the best way to start a journey with Jesus, but I would rather stand on that love from Jesus and our Father. That is much more concrete than anything else could ever be.

Johnny Brooks

I imagine...

I imagine Heaven, Paradise, life on the New Earth to be a place where people are human. Where they are raw, sincere, open, and free to be exactly as they are without judgement. It is a place where there are no secrets, no suspicions, no fear, no gossip, nor thoughts of others being quirky or strange. It will be a place where everyone is looking in a mirror and remembering his own reflection--  a place where one removes the specs from his own eyes...seeing one's self AS he really is. There will be no finger pointing in this place. Intentions will be obvious and secrets will be null.

It will be a place where a veil brought upon us by the first Adam is lifted, and we can no longer see the evil in others nor the good. Instead, we will only see people as people, without suspicion in our hearts or fear, without war or conflict. There will be no 'sides' to choose, no gangs, no clicks, no groups-- just people loving people. This to me is the way it will be. The way it SHOULD be.

~Kate