Archive for the ‘Theology’ Category

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In home,L'Abri,mission,Theology on December 6, 2010 by mstevensrev

>In a previous post about Third Places, I talked about some of my growing views, hospitality and the building which we lived in. Over the past few months there has been a greater shift in my life then has every happened previously, and much to my surprise. Many things I thought were foundational are now not, and things that appear temporary are proving eternal significance. This time has been very challenging but also one I am very grateful for.

Just last week events with the tenants in our unit below entirely changed my understanding of the building we live in. Initially I sensed that it was putting to rest hopes and dreams I had, but now after some time I clearly see God was using a crazy drunken tenant (now evicted tenant) to expand our dreams. The dream for what our building can become is more clear and much larger than we had first imagined, but so is my dream for caring for my wife and family.

Immediately this means we are actively and aggressively pursuing buying a house. A safe beautiful space for my family to worship, heal, and rest up for the great journey ahead of us. The building will not only be filled with new renters once it has some work done it on. But it will be fill with artist who have a vision to live in community with one another; shared meals, shared garden, and shared vision. This will be a place of both healing and preparing artist to make a living with their passions and engage the world in a deep and meaningful way. I see a big part of what we are going to do similar to L’Abri. Karin and I realizing we need to get out of the way made this something so much more than we could ever imagine.

What needs to happen now:
Need to get work done so the bottom unit can be move in ready, we have some very interesting and cool plans for that.
Need prayer as we do not have the specifics of plan/map of what this will look like.
Need to talk with wise people who have pursued and been involved with similar communities.
Need to get the plan on paper and prayed over.
Need to settle our families’ living situation.

I’m sure there are a million more things that I could list here but this is an exciting time and I look forward to sharing what the specifics will look like and presenting the name publicly!

Spurgeon, http://thewebtheologian.blogspot.com/2010/11/spurgeons-thoughts-on-home-as-church.html

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>A Primer on Machine Translation

In Theology,welocalize,work on November 4, 2010 by mstevensrev

>As many of you know my full time vocational work revolves around getting English content translated into other languages, most of my clients are in technology. Like everything these days everyone wants to know hoe to do it faster, and often times cheaper. That is where Machine Translation comes into the picture. When I started in the industry just a few years ago, my common line was that machine translation would not be a viable option for ten years, well that was sn overestimation and now I have many clients with it in full production.

Here are the most basics around machine translation, so if you are at a cocktail party and it comes up you can impress your friends (thank me later):

For Consumer products there are great free options out there from Google, Babelfish, and Microsoft. These are good for getting the gist of a translation, though if relied upon too much can lead to awkward situations. One friend who just bought a company in Korea typed into the translator, “We are excited to do business with you.” the translation engine spit out, “We are horny to do business with you.”. In our industry everyone has about four or five of those stories.

There are excellent commercial machine translation engines out there Moses (open-source), ProMT, and SysTRANS. Each of these have consumer options so if you just want to geek out go for it. There is also plenty of time to discuss the differences between rules based, statistical, and hybrid engines so we will cover that later.

At the end of the day we are still making it about the Post Editors (name for translators when they work on Machine Translation output). When you have the correct people enjoying their work on that end it will pay off on the client end. There is a long way to go on that front but as a company we are working very closely with our supply chain and clients to move this industry into the future.

What is the connection for me? It’s all about the “word”. God chose to communicate with us in written form, translation has been at the heart of that communication from the very beginning. Now I have the joy to work in an industry where that is the focus, correct and efficient translation. How does technology change us? As people, as spiritual being, in how we related to the “word”.

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>Spurgeon’s thoughts on a home as a church

In Bible,home,Spurgeon,Theology on November 1, 2010 by mstevensrev

>First calling as I understand is the home:

God
Wife
Children
Church
Work

“The Church in thy house.”—Philemon 2.

Is there a Church in this house? Are parents, children, friends, servants, all members of it? or are some still unconverted? Let us pause here and let the question go round—Am I a member of the Church in this house? How would father’s heart leap for joy, and mother’s eyes fill with holy tears if from the eldest to the youngest all were saved! Let us pray for this great mercy until the Lord shall grant it to us. Probably it had been the dearest object of Philemon’s desires to have all his household saved; but it was not at first granted him in its fulness. He had a wicked servant, Onesimus, who, having wronged him, ran away from his service. His master’s prayers followed him, and at last, as God would have it, Onesimus was led to hear Paul preach; his heart was touched, and he returned to Philemon, not only to be a faithful servant, but a brother beloved, adding another member to the Church in Philemon’s house. Is there an unconverted servant or child absent this morning? Make special supplication that such may, on their return to their home, gladden all hearts with good news of what grace has done! Is there one present? Let him partake in the same earnest entreaty.
If there be such a Church in our house, let us order it well, and let all act as in the sight of God. Let us move in the common affairs of life with studied holiness, diligence, kindness, and integrity. More is expected of a Church than of an ordinary household; family worship must, in such a case, be more devout and hearty; internal love must be more warm and unbroken, and external conduct must be more sanctified and Christlike. We need not fear that the smallness of our number will put us out of the list of Churches, for the Holy Spirit has here enrolled a family-church in the inspired book of remembrance. As a Church let us now draw nigh to the great head of the one Church universal, and let us beseech Him to give us grace to shine before men to the glory of His name.

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>Middle-brow culture

In Books,culture,Theology on October 27, 2010 by mstevensrev

>Reading About You, by friend Dick Staub, I came across a concept I found fascinating as Dick recounts a conversation he had on a plane where the gentleman referred to “middle-brow culture”.

“Fleshing out the idea of ‘middlebrow,’ he described highbrow culture as elitist and academic and lowbrow culture as diversionary and vacuous, adding, ‘America once had a thriving middle-brow culture.’ In his definition, ‘middle-brow individuals’ are interested in thinking through ideas and issues, but are turned of equally by both highbrow pretensions and lowbrow mindlessness.”

This is the world in which I live, thoughtful but not academic. I have never been in a classroom that didn’t make my skin crawl unless I was the one teaching;) This group to me are the culture drivers in any society. They are the ones who can take what the culturally elite are thinking, synthesize (though I’m not sure that is the correct term), and push the populous to engage and/or blindly adopt. It reminds me of the movie, White Squall, from the ’90s about young men on a sail boat, and at the moment of crisis ‘Chuck’ Gieg has realized he does not know who he is. One of the other young men on the boat says, “You are the glue. Don’t you get it, we wouldn’t be here if it were not for you, you are the glue that holds it together.” This group is the glue.

Many times those of us who fall into this group feel like less than masters and more like generalist. Perhaps we are more of generalists but that does not keep us from mastery. May those with this gift and calling move boldly and intentionally into the cultural fray. In a world where the amount of content doubles every eighteen months, the ability to name what is good and not evil is extremely valuable. ” C. S. Lewis, in The Abolition of Man, maintained that there are certain acts that are universally considered evil, such as rape and murder. On the other hand, many acts now considered evil have been termed as acceptable in some societies at different times.” This value of this work will be recognized monetarily but also by saving people from despair.

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>Proverbs 9:1-6

In Proverbs,Theology on June 22, 2010 by mstevensrev

>1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

This is a greets invitation. Food, wine, and simple enough for the simple to get it. There are many complicated things in this life, but wisdom clearly demonstrates that there see also clear simple things too.

Too often we confuse ourselves or others confuse us by making things overly complicated. This is a trick. Do what you can to understand what you can and make that clear to others. Acknowledge where things are grey and you are not sure, nothing wrong with that. Too often I feel taken advantage by others with complicated arguments, I feel that somehow they are just smarter than me and I am the one lacking wisdom. While sometimes the case, often it is not. Stick to the simple things of God, do them, and you will see.

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>Trust and Parenting

In Bible,family,k ids,Parenting,Theology on August 23, 2009 by mstevensrev

>”If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is not something that could better be changed in ourselves.” – C.G. Jung

Recently because of my road trip with my two girls and a sermon I heard last week, I have been thinking about parenting. The major theme I am putting thoughts under is TRUST. Why?

1. I notice that my almost two year old has the hardest time when her immediate needs are not being met and she does not believe that they will be.
2. I notice that my eight year old becomes obsessive about issues when she does not think we are listening to her or going to make sure her desires are met.
3. Both are crushed when we don’t do something we said we would for whatever reason.

The list goes on but these are the highlights for me recently. Each comes down to a lack or trust or trust being broken. As a parent it is important for us to teach our children to trust. It was trust that was broken after creation when Adam & Eve gave into the serpent, and it is a deeper trust we are learning in the recreation. So we teach trust in a few ways.

1. We fail and are untrustworthy, so our kids freak. (There are ways that this can be used to teach).
2. We are people who value our commitments and words, and build a track record of trustworthiness (the Jung quote was leading to that)
3. We build in clear situations for our children where they are aware of how dependent they are upon the care of their parents and call them to trust us in caring for them.

Where are the places you have had to grow as a parent in becoming trustworthy? What is the volue of our children learning to trust?

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>A look at a different planet: Gran Torino

In movies,Theology on July 13, 2009 by mstevensrev

>Last night got to watch Gran Torino. Good movie which I recommend because of the captivating way the story is told. Similar in nature to Million Dollar Baby, which was a movie about euthanasia told so beautifully you don’t even realize it, yet more simple to me. The movie took on what it means to be a man. There were three parts which struck me as important:

1. We live in a ever more pluralistic world, where cultures clash side by side and next door, it cannot be stopped but rather we must ask what we do about it. This was a minor theme in the movie, though one that gets lots of attention because of Walt’s racism toward his changing neighborhood. His language never changes but his heart does. There is a moment when he is next door at his Hmong neighbor’s house where he looks in the mirror and says to himself that he has more in common with these folks then he does his own family. Living in Oakland we found this to be true. That many of our neighbors who were from different cultures had shared desires and dreams when it came to family and community, and therefore it was fun to figure out how to better care for each other and know each other.

2. Walt Kowalski is a dying breed. The Korean War vet who drives a Ford is hard for me to find in my life. Throughout most of the movie he almost seemed cartoon like in his racist comments and narrow views. Yes the racism needs to go away, but there is much more to Walt and to that generation which found themselves in a world very different from the one they grew up in very quickly and it was hard to adjust.

3. Men being men. “There is no greater love than this, for a man to give his life for a friend.” There were many false views of what it means to be a man in this movie. From the Hmong Gangsters, the liberal minded sensitive priest, the lost immigant kids who turned on himself, successful yuppies, and even Walt the stoic guilt ridden father. Men need other men to teach them the basic lessons of life. The scene where Walt is showing the neighbor kid the tools in his garage and he explains that it takes over fifty years to get a tool set like that, a basic lesson but one that as a young man you need to hear because the weight of such a insignificant thing as having a collection of tools to fix the broken things around you can be overwhelming. Walt mostly against his will at first invested in the young man. Every man I know could use that same kind of investment.

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>Chaotic in all circumstances

In family,Theology on March 14, 2009 by mstevensrev

>The last week I have been focused on Philippians. To me it is a book about unity and care, the workplace needs both of those. The passage I’ve come back to personally is the statement, “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, i have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” The last part of that was sent to me on an encouragement card as I kid, I thought it was that anything I wanted God could give me.

These day that is not my take, really it hasn’t been for awhile. The catch is practically, day-in-and-day-out I have no idea how Paul did it. Content in all circumstances, I tend to be chaotic in all circumstances. On both sides of the poverty line there is an wild nature to my life, and I’m longing for that peace that Paul is talking about.

The cynical side of me says Paul is the ultimate fundraiser and is just letting his supporters know he is okay, but I don’t know that works with the previous verses written. He has a connection, he was a small business owner, missionary, fundraiser, etc. I don’t know that he ever had a desire to own a house (or if he did own one), he didn’t raise a family, no 401K, falling stock market, or many of the concerns that mess with us now. The challenge for me is not to ‘remove’ all these things in my life, that is not a option for me, but rather find a way (the connect Paul had) to be content in them.

Perhaps some of this is just having an 16 month old around that makes everything seem chaotic. Work is what is it, church life is what it is, but I do have a longing for more peace at home. Maybe two or three years, haha? I’m focusing on this at the moment, seeking and asking that God would show up in it.

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>The groans of a life not yet fulfilled

In Prayer,Theology on March 10, 2009 by mstevensrev

>There are periods of time where in some area of our life the fall, that thing that caused the world not to be the way it is supposed to be (perfect), seems to be put on hold. We walk with grace and ease, and sometimes it is even easy to think that we have arrived. That is not to say we don’t commit ourselves during this time or work hard, but over all the direction is a positive one and it move fast.

The sad reality of this world is that does not last. In Genesis the section I refer to as the consequences of sins (rather then the curse as most call it) we are told that this fall will bring about thorns and thistles in our work and relationships will get messy. That does not mean that we walk around with our heads down looking at our shoes waiting for the sky to fall. It just means that when we are effected negatively we need not be surprised. The New Testament clearly tells us that there will be suffering, it doesn’t say run out and find it, it just says it will come so don’t be surprised.

I’m an eternal optimist. There is enough proof to me that God will be physically returning to this world and there are going to be lots of things he is happy about (those things are people…his children). The state of the economy, friends losing jobs and houses is enough for even me to get overwhelmed. Work is a lot harder than it was a few months ago. People are scared. I am scared.

Is this the chance for my generation to become anywhere near as great as our grandparents? They lived through suffering and came out of it truly to be admired for many things. One thing that I am certain is now is the time for the hopeful to live that way. I struggle with that. My bed has felt better than it has in years, all warm and quiet. Yet hiding away is not an option. God is at work, and I really need him to do work in my own heart.

Last night I was reading The Book of Common Prayer, which I feel like I’m still learning how to use, when I came across this prayer For Quiet Confidence:

O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of they Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

It is very simple but that is my prayer.

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>Summarizing it well

In Bible,Theology on March 5, 2009 by mstevensrev

>The book of Numbers doesn’t exactly thrill me to wake up and read in the morning, yet there is some really cool moments that happen in the book. Just today I was reading the story of Balaam, the prophet, giving his ‘curses’ of Israel to Balak the king. Balak wanted to hear he was going to kick the crap out of Israel, Balaam tried to get out of the meeting because he knew the news he would give the king would be good and it would cost Balaam his life.

Listen to this part:

“From Aram Balak has brought me,
the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:
‘Come, curse Jacob for me,
and come, denounce Israel!’
8 How can I curse whom God has not cursed?
How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
9 For from the top of the crags I see him,
from the hills I behold him;
behold, a people dwelling alone,
and not counting itself among the nations!
10 Who can count the dust of Jacob
or number the fourth part of Israel?
Let me die the death of the upright,
and let my end be like his!”

How can I go against what God’s told me even if it kills me? Like everyone I could be more consistent in regularly reading God’s word. Since it is the primary way God has to speak to us, I know it is important, yet I still don’t measure up to my own low standard:) How could I ever have the confidence to say I’m sticking with God even if it kills me?

I was inspired this morning, so much so I had to return to the page. Our world is upside down, yet I feel great comfort that God cares for me more than the lillies of the field…that changes things. People are rightfully scared and worried about what the near future holds especially as it relates to jobs and family. Standing firm on the promises of God is key for me, each one of us is here for so much more. Call it fate, destiny, or providence. Enjoy the people around you, encourage them. In these frightening times take a moment to not focus on yourself but smile at the person next to you…we need it.

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