City Building

Abortion and the conscience of our nation

2011-01-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

Well writing on my blog is kind of like playing golf - both rarely happen. But something has been kind of stirring in me, so I'm going to see if I can put it into words, and I might even write a letter to an editor or two - who knows!

I originally started this blog because I began to see in scripture how much God cares for cities, and expects His church to serve and care for the cities in which she is placed. Cities are fragile things. Many forces fight against them. Jesus Christ will eventually judge each one of them for how they have conducted themselves, and how they have stewarded the opportunities and resources He entrusted to them.

They can and should be entities wherein individuals and families and communities can walk out their destinies and callings with some degree of safety, a sense of belonging, and being a part of something bigger than themselves. But unless righteous foundations are built and protected against these hostile forces, ("If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" = Psalm 11:3), chaos, disorder and destruction will take root.

One of the crucial aspects to that righteous foundation that most of my blog revolves around is healthy heterosexual marriages. Because radical homosexual activists have sought to redefine and neuter marriage, and because many have cowered under their hostilities and threats, I've had no choice but to be vocal about this issue. You can read all of my former blogs if you want to get a gist of my concerns about that.

But another crucial aspect of a righteous foundation is that of a sensitive conscience as contrasted to a hardened one. For any family, community or city, state or nation for that matter to thrive, its leaders must have sensitive consciences. They must be people who abhor evil in all its forms, and who value life in all its forms. The devastation that comes from leaders who have hardened hearts or "seared" consciences cannot be overstated. The apostle Paul wrote of this danger to his young protege Timothy, when he said, "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron...." (I Timothy 4:1,2) The scriptures teach that demons hover over cities and one of their primary tools of destruction is that of spreading lies. And the people who buy these lies are those who have seared consciences. Over time these people have come to a place where their consciences have become deadened, and life has become cheapened. And sadly these people are often voted into high places of leadership and influence because of their gifting and image, rather than because of their character.

And no where in our society is this more prevalent than in those who call themselves "Pro-choice." There is no other way to explain how educated leaders of our society can be so passionate about making killing unborn babies legal than that their consciences have become so hardened over time that demons are now their mentors. I believe President Obama's (who I seek to pray for daily and his wife and his cabinet members and their spouses) primary mentors and instructors are demons. And the only way that could take place is because he has allowed his conscience to become stone cold through a series of small decisions over years. There is no other way to explain how a Black president could endorse full blown abortion when his own people are the greatest victims of this evil practice. Closer to home, the same can be said for Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, Dianne Feinstein, Jerry Brown, and the Terminator, who as Governor made it easy for thousands of California babies to be terminated in his years in Sacramento.

Now for anyone that might be bored enough to read this, if you claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, you and I must not allow this sad reality to cause our consciences to be seared and thus justify maligning or somehow taking justice into our own hands with such leaders. Ours is to pray for them and to give ourselves to making disciples of those who still have ears to hear. I may send a letter in their direction in the next few days. But I will work hard to make it respectful and objective rather than emotionally based (always with the editing expertise of my wife and perhaps another person or two in our congregation).

Ultimately our primary enemy in the battle to save unborn babies is Satan and his demons, not any political figure. Paul was very careful (once Jesus Christ got a hold of him) to fight the battles he was called to fight with spiritual weapons (not carnal or fleshly ones) (II Cor. 10:4).

The chief of those weapons is intercessory prayer, bathed in love, and grounded in the word of God.

I need to bring this to a close. I want to end by saying, if you belong to a local Christian congregation, and you are not discussing this from time to time from your pulpit, you are not fulfilling your purpose as a Christian congregation/church. Martin Luther King Jr. put it this way, "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority."

May the Lord of lords restore to our state and our nation a tender conscience. May we - the church - learn to love the things He loves, and hate the things He hates, while there is still time.

Dinner Table Talk

2010-09-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight at the dinner table with my wife, mother in law, and daughter I learned that none of them had ever read my blog. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I rarely mention it around the house. And I rarely write in it. One of the reasons I write with such rarity is because as someone has so aptly said, "History belongs to the intercessors." If I only have so much time during a day and I haven't prayed sufficiently, I usually am going to choose to pray rather than write. The writer of the Proverbs said in ch. 10 vs. 19, "Where there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise." Another Proverb has also challenged me in this regard, "In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." (14:23) I see prayer or intercession as the highest form of work and the most productive.

Now lest I mislead you, I do not pray as I should, though I pray every day and throughout the day.

Anyways you can learn a lot at the dinner table if you listen in between bites. :)

Jimmy Carter, Jesus, Lust and Gay Marriage

2010-08-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if it was while running for President or as President that Jimmy Carter decided to give an interview to Playboy Magazine. But I remember that one of the things people got all worked up about (besides the fact that he gave an interview to Playboy) was his admission or confession that he at times struggles with lust. I guess most men in public office do not make such admissions (until perhaps they get caught acting out on it with someone other than their spouse). But I want to ponder today the relationship with lust and gay or same sex marriage.

Webster's defines lust as "sexual desire often to an intense or unrestrained degree." Many writers I have noticed over the years, especially writers of old, have spoken in sober terms of the destructive power of lust. Shakespeare for instance wrote, "The expense of spirit in a waste of shame is lust in action." But no one has quite shaken their hearers or readers like Jesus Christ when He said of lust, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." I can promise you when all those male disciples gathered on that mountain - and heard Jesus make this declaration, they all wanted to crawl in a hole. I'm sure their heads all dropped, as did their jaws because the average man unless he is transformed by Jesus Christ greatly struggles with lust. Many are consumed by it.

So in my 30 or so years of ministry - primarily working with men - this has been a major topic of discussion. Whether it is working with young men who some day want to be married, or already married men, lust has to be dealt with because - if it isn't it will very likely destroy any chance this man has of having a satisfying, harmonious marriage with a happy wife. Sooner or later unbridled lust drives a man to (at the least) a hidden life of pornography; at the worst one or multiple affairs. And the damage done by either of those is inestimable.

Because men are first aroused with their eyes, one of my main objectives when working with men is helping them learn to guard what they look at. Now because we live in a sex saturated society, gaining self control of one's gaze and thus thought life is a huge challenge. So I need all the motivation I can get. And it helps tremendously if the young or older man I'm working with fears God and agrees with His word (the Bible). And typically the men who get my time and attention are men who know that God created sex, God created the genders, God created marriage, God established a righteous standard for the way men relate to women, etc. The good news is I know hundreds of men around the world who are winning this battle, and who by God's grace have fulfilling and harmonious marriages with happy wives.

My question is: Who is going to help the gays who are marrying with this very real issue? Anyone who has researched the social science on promiscuity in the gay community knows it is a huge problem. Did you know that the dissolution rate of lesbian couples is more than four times that of heterosexual couples? Did you know that researchers have found that 43 % of white male homosexuals had sex with 500 or more partners, and 28% had 1,000 or more partners? Lots more data like this in my files.

Lust is a huge problem in the gay community and many go into relationships knowing they will not be monogamous with one another. And one of the big reasons is no one loves these people enough to tell them the truth about the destructive power of lust. You see if you throw out what the Bible says about marriage (that is - that it is designed for one woman and one man for life), then a huge source of motivation (pleasing God) and the only real source of internal power (the Holy Spirit) is gone. Clergy who are willing to marry homosexuals and thus ignore the obvious teachings of scripture on the subject, would find it very awkward to then refer to it about the call to purity and fidelity in marriage.

One of the primary callings of a pastor is to shepherd the sheep. And a large part of that is helping people grapple with the only thing that can set them free - and that is the truth. (John 8:31,32). So it might feel like you are loving a couple of men or a couple of women by agreeing to marry them; but in fact you are just setting them up (in most cases) for failure and deep disappointment. When lust is not allowed to be on the table, because the sole authority on lust is not recognized or submitted to, then lust has free sway to do what it does best = destroy lives and relationships.

White folk, gay and marijuana activism

2010-08-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't totally researched this out. Tis more of an observation over my 20 years or so living in CA. My question is: Why is it that white folk - probably mostly in their 30's to 60's have been primarily behind the push to legalize and legitimize gay marriage and marijuana use?? What is it about the way these folk have been raised and formed that cause them to be so passionate about these two causes? Is it because they are more educated than the rest of us?More purely evolved? No, I think not. I know plenty of white Californians in this age bracket that voted against prop 8 and will probably vote against legalizing marijuana - who are quite well educated. Is it because gay and marijuana activists think more about the future generations and seek to pour out their lives for them? Clearly not, because I have read and listened to their arguments and that is rarely on their radar screen. I detect far more selfishness and passion for their own rights, than selflessness and concern for the rights of all people - especially the coming generations.

Now it is one thing to fight for an end to discrimination against individual gays in our society. That is not what I am referring to.

No, what I am concerned about is: the activists who are determined to have every person in America have to admit that they are just as married as we heterosexuals are. Did they jump into this fight as a result of sitting on top of a mountain, praying over their city and State, looking at all its social, economic, and relational problems and wondering how they can make a difference? Or did they jump into this fight so their own selfish desires could be granted? And so everyone had to feel about them as they wanted to be felt about?

Obviously they would bristle at such a thought. And they would reply they are merely seeking justice and equality for all as our constitution grants.

Ahhhh, sigh. I guess I just long to see we white folk providing more real leadership for our state. And being more concerned about our responsibilities to the coming generations than for our own conceived or felt rights.

The very greatest need in my opinion for the coming generations besides personally knowing the Living God through Jesus Christ, is to have a female mother and a male dad, who love each other (as demonstrated by focusing on fulfilling responsibilities rather than demanding rights), and who can model for them what it means to be a healthy boy or a healthy girl, and what it truly means to be "married".

For you non caucasians, please know this is not in any way a slam on other ethnic groups. Quite the contrary actually.

Surprise, Surprise!!

2010-08-14T14:48:00.000-07:00

I wrote a couple of days ago about my decision to not grant an interview to KSBY this last Thursday. Well much to my surprise, while I was out tending to my chickens (around dinner time), my wife yelled out the sliding glass door that I was on the evening news! How could that be? I guess unbeknownst to me, KSBY decided to show more footage of that actual interview last Wednesday, when Judge V.W. overturned Prop 8. So just to clear the record, that was a surprise to us, which I could probably cry foul about. But at least this time they showed a little more of the interview, for which we were thankful.

2010-08-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

The KSBY reporter that interviewed me last week about Judge Vaughn Walker's decision to overturn the vote of 7 million Californians called and left a message on my cell phone while I was showering this morning asking me to be interviewed again today since Judge V.W. is going to make known his judgement today as to whether gay couples can go on and get married in CA - even though the case is being appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and then most likely on to the Supreme Court. Our interview last week in my office, which my wife overheard while working in a back room, lasted perhaps up to 15 minutes. What they showed in their report in the news was hardly a sentence, and not one I would have chosen for sure. So we've decided t.v. interviews, which we have no control over what segment they show, and which will most likely always be a very small percentage of what was discussed in the interview, just aren't a wise way to communicate how we feel about marriage, and about the drive by some to re-invent it or broaden it, which always weakens it. I know this lady is only doing her job. I'm trying hard to do mine. And I don't think t.v. interviews help accomplish what I am after.

Sound bites rarely help thinking people effectively grapple with a given topic. They tend more I believe to inflame and divide.

Well not only have we decided to bring an abrupt end to my T.V. interviews (have only had two, and may have never been asked to give another), but we also decided on Monday to cancel our Tribune subscription. Monday's main editorial under the heading of "Perspective" along with their chosen cartoon in the middle of the editorial page totally blasted Christians as homophobic, mean spirited, and dumb (re: responses to Judge V.W.'s judgement against Prop 8). I'm sure there are some that fit that label. But that is no more fair than saying all Tribune writers and staff are leftist, socialist, anti God and family radicals. I didn't write them a mean letter. And I was very kind to the poor young man that works in subscriptions and had nothing to do with the choosing of that editorial and cartoon, but had to listen to my reasons for dropping my subscription. But I cannot subsidize a shrinking newspaper that continues to stand against much of what I stand for. Bye bye Tribune.

2010-08-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

Well here we are almost a year and a half since my last post. I was pretty worn out after the prop 8 fight; a fight I did not relish, but felt was not negotiable. After California voted to define marriage as between a man and a woman (imagine that), I felt I needed to go back and re-commit to shepherding the sheep Jesus had entrusted to me. For quite a while I felt I needed to do more, pray more and talk less. Over the last few weeks the desire to write has returned. So now that I figured out how to find my blog and get back into it, I will probably be returning here somewhat regularly. For now, I'm going to bed. Good night blog, and anyone who for whatever strange reason might read it.

Bay News Publishing of my article

2009-02-26T16:04:00.000-08:00

Well I've been out of town twice, and sick more recently, so no time to rejoin the blogging world.

I just noticed today the Bay News decided to publish my article, that I submitted back on Feb. 2nd. That's why it starts by saying, "As we Californians continue to bask in sunny after sunny day..." I think the rains started soon after that, and thank God they did. One of the clearest evidences of God's mercy on this state in spite of all of our sin and rebellion (notice I said "our") is these wonderful rains, with more to come this Sunday they say.

Thank you Bay News for your consistent fairness in publishing a diversity of viewpoints and your commitment to our Coastal community.

The Tribune on the other hand.... Actually I pray for the Tribune staff from time to time, and hold no resentment towards them (they have not printed the great majority of my letters and viewpoints over the last few years). I understand the scorn and maligning they (and probably newspapers in general) receive has greatly increased over the last year or two - - as the general anger and rage of our society has increased. With anger and rage - you either get healed of it, or you find a place to vent it, which usually is towards a person and not a place, though it might be an organization.

Well I need to go add another reason to my compelling reasons article, so all for now.

Compelling Reasons for State Supported Heterosexual Marriage

2009-02-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

In 2005, Gov. Schwarzenegger stated his position on legislative meddling with Prop 22: "We cannot have a system where the people vote and the legislature derails that vote." Yet after a majority of Californians again voted their conscience in Nov. of 2008, Gov. S. and other legislators are seeking to do just that - by influencing the CA supreme court to overturn the will of the people. The major question before the court is this: What compelling reasons justify the State supporting heterosexual marriage as opposed to same sex marriage? I humbly offer the following nine common sense - social science supported reasons.

1. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at helping a man or woman to become whole. When a man and a woman come together in a marriage relationship, they bring significant emotional, psychological, biological and relational difference to the family make up. They see differently, feel differently, emote differently, communicate differently, etc., largely because of their gender. While living together and sharing all of life together initially can cause friction and misunderstanding because of these differences; if a man and a woman can learn to accept and appreciate these differences - - they can sharpen and compliment each other in ways that someone of the same sex could never do.

2. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at helping a son or a daughter learn to appreciate the differences and strengths of each gender. If a young boy or girl can grow up watching their mother and father relate to one another in mutual respect, they will grow up knowing both genders are equal and valuable, necessary and special. If a young boy grows up watching his father treat his mother with respect and affection, he will learn to treat girls the same way. If a young girl grows up watching her mother treat her father with respect and affection, she will learn to treat young boys the same.

3. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at rounding off the rough edges of men. Men grow up in a world that expects them to be tough, to be leaders, to be courageous, to not show emotion, etc. The problem is - that world is made up of lots of delicate, fragile people and complex situations. And at least half of the people in that world are people of the female gender. So heterosexual marriage provides an opportunity for a male to experience life every day with a woman, who can help him understand and relate to people and circumstances with a little more sensitivity and gentleness where necessary.

4. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at helping to tame a man's wild, selfish, lust filled conquests. I know many a man who for most of his teenage years and often into his twenties went from one conquest to another. After all, that is the male image - the beer commercials and so many of the sitcoms reinforce. Then somewhere along the line a conquest turned into a marriage. I know many men who for the sake of that marriage, said goodbye to their former lifestyle. Many of those men now regret their former lifestyle; and would be the first to say, their transformation is largely due to their wife's influence.

5. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at helping to take care of a person's parents when they lose their independence, and have to lean on their child. There is tremendous strain right now on many baby boomers because they are having to sustain demanding careers, raise their own children, and now take care of one or more aging parents. Every ounce of energy and expertise is required to juggle and manage these three arenas. The differing strengths and talents of a husband and wife go a long ways towards meeting these complex needs.

6. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at providing the full range of needs that a child has. Throughout history in most every culture and society fathers have been given the responsibility to provide for their families, and to protect their wives and children from danger and harm. This is not to say that a wife or mother cannot help with both. But men by and large are physically stronger and more given to that role. Mothers on the other hand are more suited for and given to the every day nurture of their children. They are more sensitive to emotional needs that fathers can be oblivious to or just awkward in meeting or fulfilling. According to educational psychologist Carol Gilligan, mothers tend to stress sympathy, grace and care to their children, while fathers accent justice, fairness and duty. Moms give a sense of hopefulness; dads provide a sense of right and wrong with consequences. Children need both a female mother and a male father.

7. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at producing and raising children for the future generations. While we always have had always will have a handful of doomsayers who warn of the impending overpopulation of society, this is really not an issue in especially most of the West. Hundreds of thousands of our youth are killed each year in vehicular accidents. 2,740 abortions take place every day in America. We must have a stead supply of children to repopulate the earth, and carry on the names of their families, and care for their aging parents. Heterosexual couples have both the desire and the natural ability to produce these babies. Couldn't a homosexual couple adopt a baby or go the artificial insemination route? Yes in some States they can. But very few do. For many gay couples - raising children is the last thing on their mind.

8. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at preparing children to become married and and produce children. Much of what is required in this daunting responsibility is better caught, than taught. Children who grow up in a home with a loving and caring mother and father often are found performing parenting roles in their play times. They innately know that what their mother and father do from day to day makes the world go around. They often can't wait for their chance to do the same.

9. Heterosexual marriage has the best shot at providing for children parents who are committed to their welfare through thick and thin. Typically the two individuals that are most likely to be most committed to a child are the two that brought it into the world, and who therefore can say with authority "this child is mine!". The idiom "Blood is thicker than water" applies here. There are a number of wonderful children in this church that I pastor that I pray for weekly and am fairly committed to. But I must confess my commitment to my two children, whom my wife bore in my presence, far outweighs and goes far deeper than my commitment to the children in our church. While there are some wonderful exceptions, by and large, a step dad or mom just typically does not share this deep rooted commitment. There is plenty of social science research to prove this. A homosexual couple can never have this blood "this child is mine!" experience for obvious reasons.

Opening Statement at Same-Sex Marriage Forum

2008-11-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

I was asked to participate in a forum a month or so ago regarding same sex marriage. Two pastors were for it. Another and I were against it being called a marriage. This was to help people as they prepared to vote on the CA amendment = Proposition 8 on Nov. 4th. Here is the text of my opening statement:

Before I state my position on why I believe all Californians should vote yes on prop 8, I want to offer a sincere apology on behalf of those in the conservative evangelical movement, who have not displayed the love of Christ towards the homosexual community. In our pursuit of truth, we have sometimes lost sight of grace. When we have done that, not only have we hurt members of the homosexual community, but we have also displeased God, and we have not modeled the life of our Savior, who the scriptures say, was "full of grace and truth."

The Bible begins with these words, "In the beginning God..." Unlike the gods of some religions, the God of the Bible is a knowable personal God, who has revealed Himself in the Bible with great detail. Since He and/or Jesus Christ - I've noticed - are often mentioned in letters to the editors or viewpoints about same sex marriage - - it is important that we at least acknowledge what the Bible says about His character and person. For instance, the Bible says in many different passages - that He is good. Throughout the scriptures God is described as both just and merciful; loving and full of anger and wrath. But perhaps one of the most important attributed of God - germane to our discussion is that He is immutable - or that He never changes. He Himself said as recorded in the Old Testament, "For I the Lord do not change." In the New Testament a similar thing is said of Jesus and I quote, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." While our society continues to evolve for better and for worse, God is not evolving, and never will. Thus when we look at His intentions, purposes, and will as revealed in the Bible, we can know with certainty that he will not feel differently about these things regardless of what happens in our society.

So what are God's intentions for humanity? Well because He is a good God, and because He knows we have a deep need to know things with certainty, He has made it clear that His plan for establishing families, communities and nations is primarily on the shoulders of heterosexual married couples. This is patently obvious in Gen. chps. 1 & 2, wherein we see that after God created the heavens and the earth and all the animals, He created man and woman as the pinnacle of His creation, and as the express image of His nature, which includes among other things - the unity that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit had experienced for all of eternity - despite their diversity of function. God's brilliant design was to bring a man and a woman of His choosing together - who are as different as night and day emotionally, physically, and biologically - and who thus compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses, and who thus have the best shot of raising healthy productive children, and of working together to solve the problems that every society and culture have to face. This plan was revealed before the law was given or any constitution of any city or state was laid down.

And almost all laws and constitutions have been written in light of this mandate.

There is no possibility of any other plan in the Bible. All of the passages in the Bible that speak of the family in a positive instructional way are directed at families with a heterosexual couple at the forefront.

Because the spiritual, emotional, and sexual oneness of a heterosexual couple is so crucial to God's plan for society, there are many prohibitions or warnings against sexually immoral activities that could derail that oneness. Whether it be promiscuity, or adultery or homosexuality or sexual frigidity, or just plain old lust - there are numerous passages throughout the scriptures from a variety of authors in both the old and new testaments that make it abundantly clear that all of these activities are destructive and detrimental to individuals, families and society at large. Sex is a wonderful gift - given both for our enjoyment and for procreation, but it was designed to be enjoyed only in the context of heterosexual marriage.

One whole book in the Bible called the Song of Songs or the Song of Solomon is devoted to the graphic portrayal of what a healthy, sexual, romantic courtship and marriage looks like between a man and a woman.

So my first reason for voting yes on prop 8 is because calling marriage anything other than a relationship between one man and one woman goes against the clear intentional design and plan of God for humanity as evidenced from Genesis to Revelation.

My second reason for voting yes on the marriage amendment is - I have read the two page CA family Code Section 297 regarding domestic partnerships, and I am confident that our state gov't and constitution has provided homosexual couples with everything they need to live their lives. Calling their relationship a marriage is not necessary in any practical way for them to carry on their lives. If there are certain financial considerations still to be made. Then through due process, let them be made. But they do not need to be called a married couple for those to be made.

My third reason for voting yes on the marriage amendment is - because I believe we must stop the growing trend among a few judges in our country of legislating from the bench and discarding the clear will of the people - a will that was demonstrated in the year 2000 with a 61.4% majority of Californians voting for Proposition 22. For most of our country's history - judges have believed, and many judges still today believe that their duty - especially those on the Supreme Court and its state-wide ancillary support systems - - their duty is to pass every constitutional appeal past the "original intent" doctrine of the U.S. Constitution in order to determine its correct accordance with that document. The only way a judge can say that either the U.S. Constitution or the CA State Const. demands that a homosexual couple be granted the right of being called a married couple is to give those constitutions a meaning they were never meant to have. Why is it that for 157 years all of the judges who have sat on the CA state supreme court have not seen this right as granted or demanded in our constitution? The constitution hasn't changed. The answer is because it wasn't there, and they were humble and courageous enough to admit it.

My fourth reason for voting yes on the marriage amendment is - for the sake of our ability as a nation to dialogue and come up with workable solutions to our nation's problems - we must stop the social deconstruction that homosexual activists have brought about in our culture. They and those they have influenced have literally changed the meaning of words and ideas to support their agenda - to the point where the average American is afraid to voice his viewpoint, and can even be sued for doing so.

My last reason (because of time) for voting yes as I believe most of California will vote, and most of the world would vote if they had the chance - is because marriage between a man and a woman is a tried and tested relationship in every culture and society throughout history - that has proven over and over to be the best relationship or the best vehicle to raise children, bring together the best compliment of gifts and strengths, satisfy God given sexual desires, and solve the problems of communities and cities and nations together. I believe 96% of the teenagers and adults of the world if asked would define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. It is a unique relationship that transcends language and culture, and should not be messed with for the sake of a very small albeit vocal group of people.

Why vote yes for Prop. 8??

2008-09-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

My latest letter to the Daily Tribune here on the Central Coast - submitted Monday morning has so far been snubbed. Won't judge the reasons. I submitted it as a "Viewpoint". Several folk in my congregation helped me fine tune it, for which I am grateful. Here is the letter:

In a little over two months, we Californians will be voting for or against Proposition 8, which states, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." I believe the best and wisest vote is a yes vote for the following reasons.

1. Progress is not always defined by change. There is an ancient proverb that says, "Do not move the ancient boundary..." Marriage between a man and a woman is an ancient institution recognized by every culture and nation throughout history. On the most part it has served us well. I realize we Californians pride ourselves in being on the cutting edge of social change. But there is no assurance that re-defining marriage as between two men or two women will bring the liberation or "progress" that some say is needed.

2. A marriage license is no guarantee of happiness. Since the antagonists of Prop. 8 cannot base their arguments on truth or history or tradition, they must resort to appealing to our emotions. They argue, "How dare we rob them of the happiness that is rightfully theirs that comes from being married like the rest of us?" Those of us who have spent our careers working with married couples can tell you with certainty - that a marriage license does not ensure happiness. Your wedding ceremony and the celebration afterwards may bring some happy moments. But sooner or later, that will wear off, and you will need far more than a license to build happiness in your relationship. I wonder how honest the pastors who have so quickly moved to marry same-sex couples have been with them regarding this reality?

3. Domestic partners in CA already appear to have every benefit the State can and should provide. California has come a long way, and well we should in making sure homosexuals are protected, and not unlawfully discriminated against. I just read it, and you can too at www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html. It is family code section 297-297.5. Please do not buy the lie that we are discriminating against homosexuals by not calling them a married couple. As far as what a state should provide for domestic partners, we Californians are truly on the cutting edge already.

4. Homosexuals aren't stuck any more than the rest of us are. The research on sexual orientation continues to verify this. I will be the first to say that sexual passion is nothing to sneeze at. I have counseled with countless individuals and couples over the last 30 years who have fought with theirs. But the good news is - whatever its form, it can be overcome. All of us come to the relationship table with some level of sexual brokenness. Sexual health and wholeness is attainable, but it will require a level of humility, faith and a supportive community wherein there is the freedom to be honest, to struggle, and to grapple with the truth that sets one free. Some of the best information I have found on the internet is www.homosexuality101.com.

2008-08-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

This last Monday I submitted a letter to the Tribune posted 8/17/08 in response to the following letter:

"I'd like to know the correlation between marital fidelity and effective presidencies. Given the history I know, I think it is rather low. If John Edwards' family had dealt with it, why do we care?

The Tribune chose not to publish my response to this letter - asking me to pare it down from 440 words to 200, which was so drastic a cut, I gave up. Here is the letter:

"In light of the coming presidential election and the vote on proposition 8, Mr. Malykont's question of the relevance of a leader's marriage is most timely. I would propose that the correlation between the quality of a president's marriage and his effectiveness cannot be overstated for the following reasons.

First, one of the original purposes of marriage between a man and a woman is to bring together two very different and incomplete people, who when they learn to walk together in oneness and harmony can experience completion and wholeness by the contribution of each other's gifts and strengths. One of the great problems in marriages is men and women tend to resent these differences instead of realizing how much they need each other's contributions. When a man and a wife can recognize and receive one another's strengths and gifts, they they can accomplish far more than they ever could on their own. A wise husband will always seek his wife's input and will be the better for it.

Second, anyone who has studied leadership knows that whatever is at the top trickles down. If the president and his wife work at their marriage, and consistently strive to honor one another, then those under them (i.e. cabinet members and staff) are more likely to do the same. Whatever else we might say about George and Laura Bush, they appear to have succeeded in this regard over these last eight years, which is no small feat.

Third, because the president of our nation has such tremendous influence and thus responsibility, he must be able to focus and give his best attention to every decision and every issue at hand. A good growing marriage will be an asset in this regard. A failing problematic marriage will drain him of needed energy and distract him from the issues at hand.

Fourth if a man cannot be trusted to stay faithful to his wife and fulfill the commitments before God and man he has made to her, it follows that he cannot be trusted in other realms of life. Ultimately unfaithfulness in one's marriage reveals a defect in one's character that unless corrected will cause damage elsewhere.

I would hope that whomever we elect as president would have three things: 1. A deep rooted commitment to his own wife. 2. The courage to stand up for what we all know is true about marriage. 3. Compassion for those who have been wounded by their parents' or perhaps their own marital failure, and who thus have lost hope in its original intent ever being realized."

"Welcoming Congregations"??

2008-07-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

As we proceed towards the Nov. 4th election, in which we Californians will vote on whether to pass an amendment to the State Constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, those opposed to this are in high gear. Surprisingly enough, some of the leaders of the opposition are Protestant ministers here on the Central Coast. They have formed a couple of organizations. I think the latest one is called "Welcoming Congregations." Our primary newspaper here on the Central Coast published a letter by them a couple of Saturdays ago that urged people on the Central Coast to vote against this amendment for a variety of reasons. I wrote several letters in response, but it took a half a day before I felt one was ready and appropriate to be published in the Tribune. Not surprisingly, but sadly - the Tribune chose not to print it. Nor did they print any other letters from pastors in response to this letter signed by a number of reverends. So either no one but me sent in a letter, or the Tribune chose to not publish any of them. So here is my letter:

So now we have "Welcoming Congregations" and I suppose Non Welcoming Ones?

Oh I understand the tension - believe me. Those of us who have lived here for many years, and who have volunteered in our kids' schools, coached sports, hung out at local coffee shops, built relationships with our neighbors and fellow congregants.... who wants to possibly bring an end to what took so long to build? Who wants to add conflict to what already exists in this strife filled nation and world?

Through these community venues, straight and gay folk have volunteered, coached, and cheered together. For some of us who have pastored here for a while, the longer we live here, the more we pray and care for many outside our congregations.

I guess it boils down to how we see Jesus doesn't it. On the one hand we know from the gospel accounts of His life and ministry that He often mixed with people that caused the religious leaders to raise their eyebrows. One of the criticisms they threw at him was that he was a "friend of tax gatherers and sinners." Jesus's disciples were shocked when they saw him ahving a lengthy conversation with not only a woman, and not only a non Jewish woman, but a sexually immoral non Jewish woman. This is one of many illustrations that He truly "came not to condemn, but to save."

On the other hand, He didn't push her sins under the rug and blame it on her "sexual orientation." You can read the story in John chapter four. The clear testimony in scripture is that whomever came to Jesus and sought to know and follow Him, had to eventually take responsibility for whatever it was in their lives that kept them from being able to be in relationship with a holy God. There are no exceptions to this.

Let's face it folks - few of us who have lived in this increasingly sexually screwed up world have escaped unscathed. Most of us come to whatever congregations with some degree of sexual brokenness. Biblically sexual sin is sexual sin. There are many variations of it. There are many reasons for it. None of the variations are worse than the other. None are beyond God's amazing grace.

I would hope all the churches on the Central Coast would welcome anyone, and I'm confident most would. The question is: Will we allow Jesus to deal with our brokenness and sin? Or will we pretend like it isn't there, or blame it on something or someone else?

Randy Nash

Pastor - Los Osos Christian Fellowship

my journey with sex and Jesus

2008-07-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not positive, but I think the first time I ever laid eyes on a Playboy magazine was between 2nd and 4th grade at my friend David's house (we actually had to "borrow" them from his neighbor's garage). I attended my first girls' slumber party in the summer after 5th grade. In my middle school years two of my friends' homes that I frequented often during the day while the dads were away always had a generous supply of pornographic magazines. Two of my friends' homes where I often spent the night in those years also had a generous supply. I had my first steady girlfriend in 5th grade, and rarely was without one through my high school years.

The combination of a steady diet of pornography, Elvis and James Bond movies, and locker room conversations with my teammates served to form an attitude towards women that they were things to be used for my pleasure. In my sick mind, the means always justified the means. Sadly some of my friends envied my "way with women."

Mid way through my high school years I began to be drawn to the person of Jesus Christ. I got involved in the Jesus movement (as some called it), and soon became convinced that Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be, and could and would do what He claimed He would do. The problem was ... the more I pursued Him, the more He began to put His holy finger on my attitude towards women. Never was there a man who related to women with such utter purity and integrity as did He. Never was there a God who bristles at the abuse of women - as does He.

Fortunately I was not aware back then that there were churches you could go to where everyone would pat you on the back for your uncontrolled lust, and tell you in God's name that you were perfectly normal. The spiritual communities I was a part of in TN and then in San Jose in my early twenties taught that Jesus welcomes us all as we are; but never leaves us as we are. We come to Him as we are (how else could we come to Him?). But the more we pursue a relationship with Him, the more He demands that we allow Him to transform us from the inside out. This includes re-formatting the way we see sex and the opposite sex (or the same sex for that matter).

I thank God that people cared enough about me and loved God enough to tell me the truth about my sin, my lust and my selfishness back in my late teens and early twenties. Who knows where I would be had they not; and had Jesus Christ not cleaned me up from the inside out.

2008-06-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

If one had to base his or her view of the future of heterosexual marriage on the letters to the editor and news articles recently printed in the Tribune on this subject, they might easily conclude its future is dismal at best. While some are blaming this gloom and pessimism on CA State Supreme Court Justices and/or on homosexual and lesbian activists, I would like to suggest that much of the blame for the ever growing "dissing" of heterosexual marriage might lie elsewhere.

First of all, those of us who make up the leadership of the church in America need to quit pointing fingers. The church is supposed to be the "pillar and support of the truth"; and yet when it comes to clearly portraying (in our living as well as our words) God's original purpose and plan for marriage - well we haven't done so well. Scattered across America there are pastors/ministers, who if they have not divorced or separated from their own wives (or husbands), at best are living in detente in their own homes. How can we speak with authority on what God intended to be the basic building block of society when our own marriages are in many cases silently screaming for help? Most people in our great nation know heterosexual marriage is the norm. But they desperately need to see it thriving somewhere. And of all places it should be thriving in our homes! "Judgment begins with the household of God" the apostle Peter declares. It is time we recognize that, and make the adjustments His judgment requires.

Second, those of you who make up the churches of America need to recognize that the highest calling of those who serve you is to walk out what they preach - especially in their marriages. you need to lovingly demand that we quit trying to solve the world's problems, and give the time and energy to our own marriages that they rightfully deserve. No amount of sacrificial service will substitute for this. If heterosexual marriage is not a curse, but the best idea God ever came up with for the establishment of healthy communities and society at large, your ministers must model it, not just mouth it.

Third, those of you are presently in a state of frustrated heterosexual marriage need to recognize it is time to quit demanding that your spouse provide for you what they were never intended to provide (e.g. deep inner satisfaction, peace, security and fulfillment). The three most important chapters in the Bible having to do with our subject are the first three chapters of the Bible (Gen. 1-3). A careful reading of those chapters makes clear that whatever months or years of ecstacy Adam and Eve experienced before things began to unravel was because they regularly experienced the presence of God. I find it very interesting that when Satan (in the form of a serpent) came to attack Adam and Eve's marriage, he didn't attack their relationship with one another directly. Rather he attacked their relationship with God, which in turn caused to attack and blame on another. Marriage was never intended to be independent of God. There is no relationship on earth He is more interested in. If He has seemingly been absent in yours, He is only a prayer away.

When the marriage amendment comes along - I will be the first to vote for it. But I am not naive enough to think that any political or legislative measure will save heterosexual marriage. Only when the church quits pointing the finger elsewhere, and demands of its leaders emotionally, sexually, and otherwise fulfilled spouses - will it begin to recover its authority to speak into a confused and disillusioned society.

2008-06-08T14:22:00.000-07:00

Where are the heroes in our cities?

2007-12-19T10:10:00.000-08:00

December 19, 2007

I woke up this morning with three heroes on my mind - thinking about cities - and how we are going to overcome the overwhelming problems most of our cities are facing today. No these heroes will not be found on NBC's hit show "Heroes". Each of them lived thousands of years ago in cities and nations that faced all kinds of enemies within and without. Their names are: Joseph, Esther and Daniel. And while they were all Jewish, none of them served and made their amazing contributions to society in Jewish communities. In fact they lived and served in cities and empires where the Jewish God and faith were not known or respected.

Joseph was the youngest of 12 brothers, and was known and despised by his brothers as a dreamer. Not the kind of dreamer that day dreamed in class while the teacher was instructing. But Joseph received dreams from God, and later on was able to interpret dreams from God that others received. He landed in Egypt at an early age because his older brothers out of envy and spite sold him to a group of Midianite traders, who later sold him to Potiphar – Pharoah’s officer and the captain of the bodyguard. Joseph was not only ripped away from his family, but also after a time of faithful service, falsely accused of attempted rape of Pharoah’s officer’s wife, and unjustly imprisoned for two years. His divine ability to interpret dreams (a gift that I believe is still given and needed today) eventually was his ticket to get out of prison since no one else could interpret the dream God gave to Pharoah but Joseph. In the dream God communicated that seven good fruitful years were coming, but after that seven years of famine. It was a warning dream sent by a merciful God of the need to prepare for the coming hard times. Joseph by this time was marked by his wisdom and discernment. Pharoah saw it and promoted him to be his right hand man – next in command only to him. Joseph then led Egypt – a pagan nation- to prepare for this seven year famine. And because of his favor with Pharoah, he was able to eventually bring his family there so they (and their descendants) might be preserved through this famine as well.

In my last blog, I talked about how God, (who is infinite in wisdom by the way), invites cities to look to Him for that wisdom to solve the myriad problems they are facing. One of the ways He avails that wisdom to cities is through individuals like Joseph. I would submit today that one of the great needs of our cities is wise men and women. There is no challenge or obstacle or crisis that wisdom cannot help us overcome or get through. So what can we learn from Joseph’s example? Well let me suggest four things.

First, by the time Joseph was exalted to his position with Pharoah – he was a humble man. Prov. 11:12 says, “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” Joseph had a pride problem in the beginning with his brothers that led to their ridding themselves of him. But by the time he had been thrown in a pit by them, sold as a slave by them, and unjustly been thrown in prison by the Egyptians, he had a much more humble view of himself. Life was no longer about him. He realized now that the gifts he had were just that – gifts (e.g. receiving and interpreting dreams from God).

Second, Joseph was a forgiving man. Here is a man who had been thrown in a pit and sold to Midianite (non Jewish) slave traders by his own brothers. Then he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of attempting to rape her. Then he was unjustly thrown in prison because of that. And while in prison, he helped two fellow prisoners understand their dreams and destiny, who once out of prison failed to keep their commitment to speak a good word of him to Pharoah. Prov. 9:10 says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Part of fearing the Lord is obeying what he says. And one of the things he is adamant about is that we forgive every one of every offense against us. One cannot effectively lead in today's society who hasn't learned to forgive. It is almost a daily necessity for those who work with people.

Third, Joseph was a focused and disciplined man. He knew that if he pursued wisdom he would be able to walk in it. But if he was sloppy and gave into his passions and the pleasures of the world, he would possibly lose everything precious to him. We are told in the account of his life and service in Egypt in the book of Genesis (39:1-18) that he had free access and reign over Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s wife quickly began to lust after him and entice him, and this went on for quite some time. Because Joseph had developed a lifestyle of pursuing wisdom and seeking God’s favor and blessing, he had the inner strength to resist her advances. Prov. 7:4,5 says, “Say to wisdom, You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend; That they may keep you from an adulteress, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.” How many public servants (and priests and pastors) initially brought a great gift to their cities, but then lost it all because they could not control their passions. Cities need men and women who can stay focused on the task at hand, and not be side-railed because their passions are out of control.

Fourth, Joseph though a young man, had the favor and blessing of God on him. (see Gen. 39:2 & 23). We often tend to think that wisdom lies only in older men or women. But Job 32:9 says, “the abundant in years may not be wise, Nor may elders understand justice.” Age should be an advantage in our service in our cities, but it is not necessarily so. A young man (or woman) with the favor and blessing of God on him because of the qualities mentioned above is of far more value to a city or a leadership team, than a man or woman with years under their belt, but little to no wisdom.

Parents, school teachers and administrators, therapists, coaches, priests and pastors - - if we are going to overcome the daunting challenges our cities are facing, we are going to have to devote more of our energies to developing this kind of character in our young people, and when they step forward we need to get out of the way and let them lead. I don’t know about your city, but mine is in dire need of some heroes right now like Joseph.

2007-11-27T10:04:00.000-08:00

November 27, 2007

I asked the basic question in my first blog, “Does God care about cities; and even if he does, can he and will he do anything about the deteriorating state of many of our cities in America?” I believe he does care, and one of the many reasons I believe that is because of the example of how God dealt with ancient Nineveh.

Remember the story of Jonah in the Old Testament? God gave him an assignment one day that was the one assignment he hoped he would never receive. Jonah knew better than anyone that Nineveh was one of the most violent and wicked cities on the face of the earth at that time. As far as Jonah was concerned they deserved the judgment of God, and the sooner the better. The last thing he wanted to do was help them escape that. So he tried to escape from God. That of course didn’t work, and eventually reeking like fish guts, he agreed to be God’s mouthpiece to this troubled city.

The good news is Jonah agreed to obey God. The bad news is he never felt about them the way God did. And when they to his utter surprise and dismay responded to his message, he grew very bitter and sullen. At the end of the book God is found still trying to help Jonah see them the way God does, and this is what God says to him, “And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

The fact is God had great compassion on one of the most wicked cities ever to dot earth’s landscape. It doesn’t mean he ignored their wickedness. But his judgment was overridden by his mercy for a time at least.

What I have concluded from this and many other passages is that God loves and has compassion on the people of the world’s cities. And that he is more than willing to help them with their overwhelming problems and challenges.

One of my favorite books in the Old Testament is the book of Proverbs. Someone has said that whereas in the book of Psalms (which comes right before the book of Proverbs) you find man on his knees or in public worship with God’s people; in the Proverbs you find man in the marketplace. Proverbs is full of extremely practical stuff on how to succeed in your marriage, family, business, community, nation, etc.

I’ve read Proverbs for many years, but it was only in the last few that I have begun to notice how many times God invites the leaders of cities to look to Him for the wisdom they need to lead their cities forward. Let me share a few of them with you with some comments interspersed:
“Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; (for many of us in the church we have foolishly believed the only place God speaks in a church meeting)
At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city (my emphasis), she utters her sayings: (Wisdom is personified as a person in many of these writings, but a thorough reading of the book makes it clear that God is the giver of wisdom, and He isn’t stingy with it). Prov. 1:20,21

“Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? On top of the heights beside the way. Where the paths meet, she takes her stand; Beside the gates, at the opening to the city (my emphasis), At the entrance of the doors, she cries out: To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men. (“men” is often used in a generic way in the scriptures – the context of the passage is usually the key to know if it is just speaking of the male gender or not). O naïve ones, discern prudence; And, o fools, discern wisdom.”
Prov. 8:1-5 (see also Prov. 9:1-6, and Micah 6:9 “the voice of the Lord will call to the city..”).

A crucial question at this point is how can we hear the voice of God or how can we recognize and receive this wisdom? I will grapple with that in a subsequent blog. For now I want to say to the leaders of our cities – whether you have an official title or not -
Get a hold of a contemporary version of the Bible if you do not have one, and get familiar with the Proverbs. They were written for you and your cities.

2007-11-13T12:46:00.000-08:00

City Sense Blog # 2

Nov. 12, 2007

Cities…. I’ve lived in a number of them over the years. For the last almost 14 years I’ve lived in one called Los Osos. At one point we were a fairly tight little community of 14,000 or so. But then some years ago the pressure and strain of a County mandated sewer began to test our unity and maturity, and in many ways we have not handled the test very well.

Is our community doomed to ongoing fracture, “economic cleansing” and even destruction as some are predicting? I don’t think so. To the contrary I believe our town is some day going to be a place known for its unity, tranquility, and maturity. But it is going to require some significant changes of attitude, some significant sacrifice for those willing to roll up their sleeves, and some significant mercy, favor and blessing from God.

No city will ever achieve any grand destiny that is not enabled or empowered by attitude. Attitude colors everything we do and say. It is the lens we choose to view life through. It is a close sister to perspective I suppose. My attitude determines whether I will be part of the problem or part of the solution. And believe me, my attitude can affect the city I live in.

King Solomon, the son of King David, was a highly successful city builder. You can read about the power and glory of his kingdom, and all the cities that made up that kingdom in the books of II Samuel, I & II Kings, & I & II Chronicles in the Bible. One of the things he learned early on was the destructive power of a bad attitude on the health and destiny of a city. For instance in Proverbs 29:8, he said, “Scorners set a city aflame, but wise men turn away anger.” Scorners set a city aflame. Scorning is a verbal action that is based on an attitude that believes “no one can be trusted”, “everyone is out to get me”, “everyone is guilty until proven innocent – especially people in authority”, “everyone is dumb but me”, “leaders all have ulterior motives”, etc. Scorning thrives where negativity abounds.

I know. I used to be quite the scorner, (much to my mother’s dismay). I scorned my teachers, my coaches, my Sunday school teachers at church, our school principals, the parents of some of my neighborhood friends, and later on as I began to get involved in the work of the church – I scorned others who didn’t see things the way I did. I was one negative nay-sayer. And it took me quite a few years to get in touch with this groundless negativity and see it for what it was.

Scorning can literally rip a town apart. And in many ways it has ripped our town apart in the last ten years or so. What can we who care about our cities do about the scourge of scorning? Well as Jesus said, the place to start is not with the “specks” in their eyes, but rather with the “logs” in our own (Matthew 7:1-5). Scorning is in all of us. And for those of us who would dare to step forward and try to lead our communities and cities to healing and wholeness, we must start with a humble, honest look in the mirror. Only then will we have the attitude necessary to be a part of the solution, and not a part of the problem.

City Sense

2007-11-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

City Sense Blog #1

Nov. 1, 2007
For most of my life, I have lived in large sprawled out cities around the world such as Knoxville, TN, San Jose, CA, Dallas, TX, Pasadena, CA, Singapore, Tai Wai & Tuen Mun, Hong Kong, & Fort Wayne, IN. Because the cities listed above were so large and so densely populated in most cases, and because of the season of life I was in, and in some cases because I did not live there very long, I didn’t really find myself thinking too much of how that city or community should be built or developed (I’m not speaking in terms of buildings and houses as much as I am in terms of destiny and purpose).

By the end of this year, I will have lived for 14 years in a small coastal town of 14,000 in CA called Los Osos. Because I have lived for so long now in a small town that has become increasingly fractured over the last 30 years because of a County mandated, very controversial sewer that has yet to be built, I have given a lot of thought to “city or community building”.

Does every city in every nation have a distinct personality and purpose or destiny? If so, how can one discover that? And if so, how can and should one live so as to do his part to help his city achieve or accomplish that purpose or destiny? What role do families play in this process? What is the history of the formation of cities? Where is God in all of this? Does he care? Even if he did, can he do anything about the deteriorating state of many of our cities? Can a community actually come together, when we are so diverse politically, religiously, ethnically, etc.?

While I have a B.S. degree in Social Science from San Jose State (1979), I am in no way claiming to be a sociologist. While I have a ThM degree from Dallas Theological Seminary (1985), I in no way am claiming to be an accomplished theologian. I have no desire to write a dissertation on this subject. I do have a growing desire to find answers for the pain, turmoil and strife that our community has increasingly experienced over the last ten years or so.
I’m sure many will take issue with some of the things I am going to be saying in this “city building blog”. My hope is that in spite of that, there will be some who will be renewed in their vision and resolve to do what they can to see their cities healed and restored to their original purpose and destiny.