In my work with college students it has been interesting to see what type of “Christian” writers and thinkers influence them. Though the list of people vary, there are usually a couple that are really influential at certain times in a ministry.

Over the last couple of years two of those people have been Donald Miller and Rob Bell. Their writings and videos have been very influential in the lives of my students, as well as myself. There is something intangible (authenticity, honesty, vulnerability) in the way they communicate that college students are hungry for.

I know that both of these speakers can be controversial at times as well. But as others have noted in other blog posts, and as my students have noted, these guys are asking the right questions and are authentic in their wrestling with their faith. That is something fresh that a lot of college students often feel is lacking in many churches or generations.

We had the opportunity to bring in Donald Miller to speak to our group in October 2005. It was a packed out night and Miller did something different than we usually do. He did a book reading (couple of chapters) of his then to be published book, To Own A Dragon. After doing the reading which was great, he did a Q and A and stayed long after to talk with students. Though some of his answers and comments riled students up (i.e. views on politics mainly), all the students respected him, and appreciated having a speaker who could stir it up and get them to wrestle with some things they usually don’t wrestle with.

Rob Bell is very much like this. And as I mentioned in the previous post we are going to be hosting The Sex God Tour on the campus of UCLA along with some other sponsors. My students and myself are excited about this on many levels. One, because there are many things that Bell has said or done that have influenced us. Second, we appreciate some of the controversy he brings because it always causes great discussion, and he gets them to think about things they usually don’t think about. And honestly, most Christian authors, pastors, writers are not talking honestly about sex, and that is something that the college community is really wanting to talk about.

I’m a big fan of both of these guys. But I also want to share with you a couple of blog entries by Ben Witherington III. In these posts, Witherington dialogues about seeing Bell on the Sex God Tour, as well as talking about what he both appreciates about Bell, and what he wishes Bell would do differently.

“Velvet Elvis and the King”–Has he Left the Building?

Rob Bell hits Lexington and a Packed-Out House

HT: Brent Thomas

Any thoughts?

Rob Bell, book, sex, Donald Miller

It is almost always without fail that when reading Donald Miller I will laugh out loud through various parts of his book. Last night was one of those nights. Laying in bed late at night I tried hard not to wake my wife up as he was busting me up.

I came across this line and lost it:

In the end, women are really attracted to guys who have their crap together. I doubt there are many women enamored by the idea of living in a box under a bridge, sucking on a bouillon cube while her man reads Emerson.” (pp. 111) To Own A Dragon: Reflections On Growing Up Without A Father

I still have those moments where I picture myself in some hut in the African wild while I journal away at night and read poetry. Then reality hits that I’m married and have our first child on the way in July. So maybe sitting in the hut in Africa while I read Neruda is out of the question for now.

Someday? Maybe.

Donald Miller, books

The following post is a sidetrack from my ongoing reflection on the book Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker Palmer. To read earlier posts on the series you can click on the links below.

Vocation and Identity: Part 1–True Self
Vocation and Identity: Part 2–Birthright Gifts
Vocation and Identity: Part 3–Limitations and Possibilities
Vocation and Identity: Part 4–Perfect in Weakness
Vocation and Identity: Part 5–”Whose Am I?”

Over the course of this series on Vocation and Identity I have talked a little about our potential, our limits, our successes and our weaknesses. These things often shape and guide us along the right path and help us discern our vocation, identity and calling. Without them there is little that gives us as blatant cues about the path we are on. Except failure! I have written on failure in other areas of life, especially in writing which is sometimes a scary venture for me.

But I wonder how often we embrace failure in our lives and learn from it? Rather than seeing it as a bad and destructive thing, maybe it’s important to view failure as a tool in guiding us in the right direction and more firmly shaping our vocation and identity, and giving us lessons for the future.

I have failed in a lot of areas in my life, but I have also realized how often I put myself in places and opportunties where the possibility of failure is limited. I mean, who wants to fail? We don’t intentionally get into a job or a relationship or a venture hoping or knowing it will fail. Nor should we. But I hope that it is not failure that keeps us from attempting things and discovering more of who we are.

I have written before about my newfound and passionate interest in running. There is nothing like running which constantly puts me in a place of possible failure. Everytime I go out there is the possibility that I might fail. I might not be at the pace I need. I might not be able to ascend that mountain trail like I need to. I might not be able to do that extra two miles longer than I have ever run. This is what is so terrifying and absolutely enthralling about running.

I ran the Chicago Marathon this last October. It was my first marathon and I loved it. Everytime I went out and trained for the marathon I was running new distances I had never run before. About 4-5 miles was the most I had ever run, so when I went out for 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 they were all new to me and I knew I could fail. And then lining up for the race I knew I had never run 26.2 before. That failure was a possibility.

I finished the race which was a victory for me. But I finished in 4:13 and not under 4:00 like I had wanted. That was failure for me. But I learned from the race, my successes, my limits, my failures and I feel that I have put myself in a better position for the LA Marathon which is coming up on March 4. My goal is to break 4:00 hours and I don’t know if that will happen, but that’s what makes running so exciting. The possibility to both succeed at one’s goals and to fail at one’s goals loom ahead.

This last Friday I went out for my last 20 mile run before the race and I totally bonked at mile 15. It was miserable and I almost gave up but knew if I didn’t finish the last 5 miles it would destroy my confidence. I had failed that night to set my pacing goal, but I also learned a lesson. I learned that I can’t run that far without eating better on that day. One meal and a couple of power bars don’t cut it.

This is where failure is important and teaches us important lessons about future success. Failure can teach us more about who we are (identity) and about who are to become (vocation and calling). But the problem is, is that we often safeguard for failure rather than testing ourselves or trying new things. This is where we play it safe, rather than reach after our goals or passions.

So for me, running puts me in touch with this aspect of my life and teaches me important lessons about life.

What is it for you? Maybe it’s music? Acting? Photography? Art? A new hobby? Public speaking?

vocation, identity, calling, books, LA Marathon

Speaking of vocation and identity, did anyone see LOST on Wednesday night. And by vocation I mean pushing a button. But that fits into the relational aspect of vocation and identity that I discuss below. Pushing the button, which seems trivial, only has a lot of meaning in the context of community. Crazy!

LOST, identity, vocation

The following post is an ongoing reflection on the book Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker Palmer. To read earlier posts on the series you can click on the links below.

Vocation and Identity: Part 1
Vocation and Identity: Part 2
Vocation and Identity: Part 3

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

In the previous post I discussed the issue of our limitations. That we live within the tension of facing both our potential and possibilities when it comes to career, calling, vocation, as well as facing our limitations and how that may shape, form or guide our direction.

We sometimes are trapped in language games and when we don’t use the right word we can sometimes fail to really understand or grasp what we are talking about or the issue at hand.

Parker’s use of the word limitations had me thinking about Paul’s use of the word weakness. They are not the same word and do not have the same meaning, but they are both helpful. Why? Because as people we don’t like to believe that we are weak. We don’t like to believe that we have limits to what we can do. For Paul, we are not quite sure what this weakness was, though many have written on the topic. Most believe that it was more rooted in some physical weakness, either of body or mind. For Palmer, the use of the word limitation seems to imply a lack of a certain skill, or gift, or possibly a hindrance from others that may keep us from pursuing what we want, or believe we want.

However you want to dress up a word, or interchange it’s meanings, the reality is, is that as humans we are filled with both limitations and weaknesses. Instead of seeing this as a bad thing, or as some impedement to our goals, this is actually a blessing. Acknowledging our limitations and weaknesses allow us to (even forces us to) rely on others for strength. As Christians, this acknowledgement is the gracious movement away from self-reliance towards reliance on Jesus Christ whose power rests on us.

How do you view limitations or weaknesses in your own life? As good or bad?

For myself, they have helped me understand better who I am, and have therefore allowed me to pursue the things that I believe God is truly calling me towards, rather than constantly banging my head against a wall to make other things happen with my own power.

vocation, identity, calling, books