Air Force Removes 17 Officers From Nuclear Watch

Last month, the Air Force removed and decertified 17 nuclear missile launch officers at Minot Air Force Base after finding safety violations and attitude problems. The suspended officers will receive at least 60 days of refresher training. Other officers from the unit of more than 150 are performing the launch control duties of the removed crew members.
The action came after an inspection in which the wing earned a marginal rating in one of 22 areas. The low-graded area concerns Minuteman III missile launching operations. The unit received a satisfactory rating overall.
Part of the unit's assignment is to always have two officers on constant alert in a secure, underground control center so as to be ready to launch the missiles if ordered by the president to do so.
The removal of the 17 was disclosed in an email from Lt. Col. Jay Folds, the deputy commander of a unit that runs the launch control centers for Minuteman III missiles at the Minot base in North Dakota. "We as an operations group have fallen," Folds wrote. His memo also referred to "rot in the crew force."
Others familiar with the circumstances mention low morale, loss of discipline, disrespect of the mission and of superior officers, and sloppy performance, including the intentional violation of nuclear safety rules.
Folds told his unit to "Turn off the TVs," "Clean your patches and get your hair cut" and "Bring to my attention immediately any officer who bad mouths a senior officer."
Referring to the inspection, a spokeswoman for the Air Force's Global Strike Command, Maj. Shelley Laver, said, "A marginal grade in one area, although passing, is less than desired to airmen who are entrusted with the most powerful weapons in our nation's arsenal." More on this story can be found at these links:
17 Officers Removed From Nuclear Watch. New York Times
Continue Aggressive Response to Minot AFB Problems. Bismarck Tribune
Stratcom Chief: Minot AFB Case Shows Integrity of Nuclear Enterprise. U.S. Air Force website
Minot Missile Officers Manning the LCCs. Minot Daily News
The Big Questions
1. In several places, the New Testament talks about keeping "watch" in a spiritual sense. What do you take that to mean regarding daily life?
2. What is the goal of the Christian life? What specific things do you do so as not to lose sight of that goal?
3. Where do you have "keeping watch" responsibilities for others?
4. Spiritually speaking, what does it mean to become lax, to "go with the flow"? What are the potential dangers of that?
5. For some 2,000 years now, Christians have been looking for the return of Christ. How can we maintain expectation and readiness for a return that seems so long delayed?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Ezekiel 33:6
But if the sentinel sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any of them, they are taken away in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at the sentinel's hand. (For context, read 33:1-9.)
The context verses here portray the prophet Ezekiel as a sentinel for the people of Judah, responsible to warn them of coming judgment. The verses pose two scenarios: one where the sentinel sees trouble approaching and warns the people, and one where the sentinel sees the trouble but doesn't issue a warning. In the first instance, the sentinel is not held responsible if the people do not heed the warning, but in the second, since the warning was not issued, the sentinel is held responsible for the resulting loss of lives.
Questions: How might these verses be applied to the nuclear missile command at Minot? How might they be applied to us? Spiritually speaking, who are our sentinels? For whom do you need to be a spiritual sentinel? Is the military culture substantially different from the church culture, where spiritual laxness creeps in?
Are there occasions when it might be necessary to keep silent about an infraction because of a higher cause? Who would you consult in order to make such a decision?
Mark 8:15
And [Jesus]cautioned them, saying, "Watch out -- beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." (For context, read 8:14-21.)
Jesus made this remark to his disciples in the midst of a discussion the disciples were having about not remembering to bring any bread with them. In that context, the remark seems out of place; its only tie to the conversation appears to be the mention of yeast, which, of course, is used in baking bread. But Jesus was not talking about bread; he was talking about a human dilemma.
The discussion about bread must have made Jesus think about how yeast permeates dough to change its character, and then the fact that the influence of the Pharisees, which was significant in that day, had a similar effect on society. Thus, "beware the yeast of the Pharisees." The Pharisees seemed to believe that if they kept all of the rules, regardless of their motives or of how they treated others, God would be pleased with them.
But while he was commenting on the legalistic influence of the Pharisees, he warned his disciples to avoid the other extreme as well: "the yeast of Herod." Unlike the oh-so-careful Pharisees, Herod, the puppet king of Galilee, threw rules to the wind. He was impulsive and generally did just what he pleased. If the Pharisees exemplify the "ought tos," Herod is the poster child for the "want tos."
Questions: Do you agree that "ought tos" and "want tos" can be extremes against which Christians should "keep watch"? If so, what is the middle way that is consistent with your commitment to follow Jesus?
Jesus speaks about the yeast of the religious leaders. How can collusion by clergy, military or political leaders act like yeast in causing sin to spread or become acceptable? When have you felt pressure to keep silent about something? Have there been occasions when you thought it would just be better if something were not brought up?
Philippians 3:14
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (For context, read 3:12-16.)
Paul considered the goal of the Christian life to be the "heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus" -- that is, the final resurrection.
Questions: Do you agree with Paul? How is keeping watch related to that goal? Does aiming for the goal of the resurrection preclude or assume ethical conduct? Can the goal of salvation be disconnected from activity on earth?
1 Peter 5:8
Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. (For context read 5:6-11.)
Peter is quite clear here that conversion to follow Jesus does not free us from the danger of either sudden yielding to temptation or the careless slow slide back into godlessness. Thus, we need to keep alert.
One TWW team member comments, "I think this need to keep our eyes on Jesus is one reason for the practice of daily devotions, even if it's only 5-10 minutes of Bible reading or devotional reading or prayer. It helps us set our eyes on Jesus at the beginning of the day or whenever it's practiced during the day."
Another team member comments, "Keeping alert means that internal red flags should go up when temptation to do wrong approaches. It's important not to toy with temptation, playing with the idea while convinced that you aren't really going to give in to it, because the longer you entertain the idea, the greater your chance of falling. Temptation should be firmly turned away from at its first approach."
Questions: In what other specific ways can you keep alert spiritually? Who helps keep you "awake" spiritually? Does your TWW group, and the discussions that take place there, help in this matter?
Matthew 25:10-13
And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, "Lord, lord, open to us." But he replied, "Truly I tell you, I do not know you." Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (For context, read 25:1-13.)
These are the concluding sentences from Jesus' parable of the 10 bridesmaids. In the parable, 10 bridesmaids are waiting to meet the groom's procession and escort him to the feast. The bridesmaids have brought lamps with them, but the groom's procession is delayed until midnight. As the procession approaches, five of the bridesmaids realize they have no oil for their lamps. The other five have brought oil, but when the first five ask for some of it, the second five tell them no, fearing that they too would run out before the groom comes. So the first five have to run to the oil dealers to purchase oil.
The problem is, while they are out buying oil, the groom's procession arrives, and the five bridesmaids who have brought enough oil meet it and escort it into the place of the wedding banquet. The other five show up too late, and when they then try to get into the wedding banquet, the gatekeeper won't let them in. They weren't part of the procession, and so, as far as he knows, they are nothing more than gate-crashers. He says, "I do not know you" and turns them firmly away.
By the time Matthew recorded this parable, some of the early believers had died, and others were getting concerned because Jesus had not come back. Some probably even began to wonder if Christianity was true after all. So Matthew includes this parable from Jesus to help the Christians of his time understand the timetable of Jesus' return differently.
Questions: Figuratively, Christians have been standing on tiptoe for 2,000 years regarding Jesus' return. How can we be as ready now as were the early Christians who expected Jesus to return in their lifetime? The larger context of this keep-awake text shifts to the consequence of not paying attention -- Jesus condemns those who failed to serve him by ignoring "the least of these" (Matthew 25:41-46). Is active Christian service a way of keeping alert for Jesus? Is it possible to have "drills," just as we have fire drills and other preparedness drills? Does Scripture study or a regular prayer life help us stay alert?
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this, from team member Heidi Mann, who says, "I often say to my 8-yr-old son when he gets distracted from a task: 'Keep your eye on the prize!' He has ADHD and gets distracted so easily -- even when the task is something HE really wants to accomplish! It's so easy for us to get off course even from that which we know is good for us: regular worship attendance, healthy diet and exercise, not getting caught up in consumerism at Christmastime -- or anytime, a routine of Bible study and participating in Christian education, meals as a family and prayer at those meals, etc. We may fully want those good things, but if we aren't truly vigilant about keeping our focus on them, it's so easy to be drawn astray: TV rather than exercising, diving into the food rather than saying table grace first, sleeping in instead of going to church. And once you let your focus slide just once, it's so easy to let it happen again and again."
2. Regarding temptation, there is an old saying to the effect that you can't keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair. What do you think that means?
3. Comment on these words from the old hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus":
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of his glory and grace.
Responding to the News
This is an appropriate time to review what spiritual disciplines you practice to keep your faith vibrant. If you've become lax about any of them, consider whether the practices should be refreshed and given a higher priority in your schedule.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, help us to know how to keep watch in our faith, and enable us to do so willingly and with our whole hearts. In Jesus' name. Amen.

First Response to Rescue of Three Captive Women: Joy

On May 6, three young women -- Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight -- who had been kidnapped separately a decade ago in Cleveland, Ohio, were found alive in a house not far from where they'd had been snatched. From the moments of their disappearance until the day of their rescue, nothing had been heard from the women, and their families grieved their loss while still hoping that somehow they would be found.
The women had been held as sex slaves by a man who is now in police custody.
Since the details of the rescue of the women, along with a 6-year-old girl who'd been born to one of the women while in captivity, have been widely covered in national news, we aren't going to to repeat them here. However, it's worthy of note that the joy in the families of the rescued women was shared widely not just among people who actually had known the women (who were 14, 17 and 21 when they were kidnapped), but also throughout the city and suburbs and, to some extent, across the nation.
The editor of The Wired Word lives in northeast Ohio, which is the broadcast area for the Cleveland news programs. He said he was struck that in almost every early report he saw on TV about the women being found, there were people rejoicing, crying tears of joy, smiling widely and cheering.
"It often appeared that whole neighborhoods had come out on the streets to help the families of the women celebrate," our editor said.
While we found no online article focused primarily on the joyful response, several reports commented in passing on the joyful atmosphere.
The Huffington Post, for example, reported, "Cheering crowds gathered Monday night on the street near the home where police said Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight had been held since they went missing and were found earlier in the day."
The Daily Beast observed, "The news stopped everyone in Cleveland dead in his or her tracks. ... All three women were taken to nearby MetroHealth Hospital, where a huge and jubilant crowd soon gathered and patiently waited for any bit of information on their condition."
And according to Cleveland.com, a couple of days later, when two of the women returned to their homes from the hospital, "Crowds cheered and chanted the women's names as vehicles, flanked by police motorcycles, drove slowly to the two homes festooned with balloons, 'welcome home' signs and stuffed animals."
Well wishes for the women have poured in from across the nation, and, as of last week, donations to a fund set up by the city to help the women get established independently have come in from 34 states as well as from Australia, Canada and France.
Our editor commented that the joy in the city reminded him of the song "A Little Good News" (sung by Anne Murray) that tells of so much bad news in the media, and then says, "One more sad story's one more than I can stand ... We sure could use a little good news today." (See full lyrics here.)
More on this story can be found at these links:
A Miracle in... Cleveland? How the City Is Celebrating Amanda Berry's 911 Call. Daily Beast
Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus Return Home to Cheers and Hugs. Cleveland.com
Timeline: Three Cleveland Girls Go Missing; No Word of Them for 10 Years. CNN
The Big Questions
1. Is it your impression that life brings more bad news than good, more good news than bad, or a roughly equal mix of the two? Why? What bearing, if any, do you think that one's station in life and one's economic status might have on how a person would answer that question?
2. Are you aware of a personal hunger for good news? If so, what do you think is the root of that hunger?
3. In the Roman Empire, the word translated "good news" was often used for official announcements. Why do you think that Jesus and the apostles used the term "gospel"/"good news" to characterize Jesus' message?
4. What is the good news that Jesus proclaimed?
5. Can anything or anyone other than God satisfy the hunger for good news? Explain your answer.
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Luke 15:32
But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found. (For context, read 15:11-32.)
The sentence above is the closing line from Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. It's spoken by the father of the prodigal to his other son, the prodigal's older brother, when that son objects to the welcome-home party the father is throwing for the returned prodigal. The father explains that for him, joy is the only possible immediate response, "because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found."
In the parable, the prodigal had left home by his own choice and returned out of necessity, so in that sense, he is different from the three young women who were snatched away from their families and prevented from returning. But from the families' point of view, these women were lost and feared to be dead, just as the prodigal's father feared about him. On May 6, the women suddenly were found and had "come to life."
Questions: What was your reaction when you heard the news of the women being found? Why?
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." (For context, read 52:1-10.)
This verse is prophecy to the Jews exiled in Babylon about the "the return" of God to reign in Zion/Jerusalem (v. 1, 8), in effect telling them that the time was coming soon when they would be able to return there from their captivity. At the time they'd been forced into exile, the Jews thought of God as "leaving" Zion, a circumstance that allowed chaos to run rampant. Likewise, they understood the return of God as bringing order, peace and salvation. Thus, the news of God's reign was VERY good news.
Questions: Think of a time in your life when things looked very dark, and then you received news that turned things around. In what specific ways was that news good? Did anyone qualify as the "messenger" or "angel" (the words are the same in both Hebrew and Greek) in your story of restoration? What are your feelings today toward your "messenger"?
Matthew 11:2-5
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them." (For context, read 11:2-6.)
For some reason, John the Baptist, after so boldly proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, came to a point where he wanted some confirmation that he'd been right, and so he sent his disciples to ask Jesus directly. Jesus responded by pointing to the good things that were happening as a result of his work: "the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them."
We should note that none of this was proof that Jesus was the Messiah. Rather it was evidence from which one could reasonably draw that conclusion.
Questions: To what degree are you more likely to be convinced about the truth of something when good things happen because of it? Do you look at news and personal events through a lens of optimism, pessimism, skepticism or acceptance?
Mark 1:14-15
... Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." (No additional context needed.)
The Greek word interpreted here as "good news" is euangelion. It can also be rendered as "gospel." The English word gospel derives from an Old English term meaning "good story." The New Testament uses euangelion to refer both to the death and resurrection of Jesus as saving events, and to the content of Jesus' message. It's used in the latter sense in the verses above.
In his book, He Walked in Galilee, Stan Purdum writes, "Mark tells us that Jesus came proclaiming good news. It was and is good news because it invites us to a loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is good news regarding sin's grip because it testifies that God's grip is stronger. The gospel is good news because it is hopeful not only about our ultimate destiny, but also about the mundane difficulties of each day. It is good news because it offers hope in the face of crises and tragedies. It is good news because the gospel both sustains us in the face of threat and empowers us to tackle insincerity, injustice, sinfulness, and other evil forces in the culture. It is good news because it breaks down barriers between people and calls us to see that we are fully related to each other because we all have the same Creator. The gospel is good news because it gives us the confidence in the face of death that God waits for us beyond death. It is good news because this gospel both helps us live and helps us when we die."
Questions: In your life, when has the good news of God been helpful "about the mundane difficulties of each day"? In what ways does your story intersect with God's story?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, ... in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved .... For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures ... (For context,  read 15:1-11.)
In the discussion above of Mark 1:14-15, we said that the New Testament uses the word "gospel" to refer both to the death and resurrection of Jesus as saving events, and to the content of Jesus' message. The verses here from the apostle Paul are an example of the former usage.
Questions: In what ways are the death and resurrection of Jesus the embodiment of good news for you?
In his book My Bright Abyss: Meditations of a Modern Believer, poet Christian Wiman, a lapsed Baptist and longtime skeptic, describes how first falling in love and marrying, and then battling cancer, brought him back to Christianity, but also to a place where the resurrection mattered less and God's presence with us in our suffering mattered more. "I'm a Christian not because of the resurrection (I wrestle with this)," he wrote, as well as these words: "Christ is God crying 'I am here, and here not only in what exalts and completes and uplifts you, but here in what appalls, offends, and degrades you, here in what activates and exacerbates all that you would call not-God.'" How do you respond to Wiman's words?
For Further Discussion
1. Respond to this, from Frederick Buechner, in his book Wishful Thinking:
    "What is both Good and New about the Good News is the wild claim that Jesus did not simply tell us that God loves us even in our wickedness and folly and wants us to love each other the same way and to love him too, but that if we will let him, God will actually bring about this unprecedented transformation of our hearts himself.
    "What is both Good and New about the Good News is the mad insistence that Jesus lives on among us not just as another haunting memory but as the outlandish, holy, and invisible power of God working not just through the sacraments but in countless hidden ways to make even slobs like us loving and whole beyond anything we could conceivably pull off by ourselves."
2. Respond to the lyrics of the song "A Little Good News" (See full lyrics here.)
3. In several places in his writings, C.S. Lewis talks about how the desire for good news (what he calls "joy," among other things) is a manifestation of a desire for God and for a relationship with him. He says his own conversion to Christianity was intimately bound up with this desire. Could it be that the desire for "good news" is a  manifestation of the more general desire for God?
4. Comment on this, from a TWW team member: "This concept of reacting to good news made me flash back to the killing of Osama bin Laden. I was night editor working at the newspaper. At 10 p.m., President Obama announced that bin Laden was dead. Good news. Right?
    "Well, I watched people celebrating, pouring into the streets, yelling, screaming and high-fiving. Now, no one was more upset about 9-11 than I was. And I truly believe bin Laden reaped what he had sewn. But was that good news? I could not bring myself to celebrate. I could not bring myself to mourn.
    "What is my point? Discernment. I rejoiced [about] the good news that the three women were freed from their horrible captivity. God's mercy prevailed. I rejoiced when the woman was found alive amid the collapsed building in Bangledesh. God protected one of his own.
    "I believe that truly good news leads us back to God's promises. He leads. He protects. He heals. He touches. Absent a direct link to God, have we got good news or simply something that makes us feel good?"
5. There's the news aphorism "If it bleeds, it leads." This means that, when it comes to news reporting, bad news will crowd out good news. There seems to also be a desire to receive bad news -- especially, perhaps, if it's bad news about someone else, or a chance to gossip about an "ain't it awful" situation. What's more, people are less likely to pay (in money or in time) for good news than they are for bad news. Apparently, at least when it comes to others, there is also a hunger for "bad news." Do you agree? Why or why not?
6. The desire for good news might reflect the situation of being taken in by the "police blotter effect" (the term comes from the historic "police blotter," a logbook of all crimes reported to a police department). There is always crime, yet when all crimes are publicized, it's possible to get a false impression that the crime rate is very high and at crisis levels. What parts of your outlook on life today may be influenced by something like the "police blotter effect"? How might you know?
Responding to the News
As followers of Jesus, it's important that we continue to testify to the world around us -- and to ourselves -- about why the Christian message is good news. It's also important to educate ourselves and our children about what we actually mean when we describe the gospel as good news.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, thank you that these three young women and the child have been freed from the awful situation in which they had been held. Be with them now as they adjust to freedom so that the scars of their long ordeal may not steal more time from them. Be with others across the country who have been similarly taken, that they too may be found, bringing good news to their families as well. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Death Toll in Bangladesh Building Collapse Tops 900

The death toll in the April 24 collapse of the eight-story Bangladesh factory that had more than 3,000 garment workers inside rose to 912 Thursday, with a spokesman for the recovery team saying that number is expected to increase as its workers dig to the bottom floors.
The collapse of the building, Rana Plaza, in the Savar suburb of Dhaka, the Bangladesh capital, is the worst-ever industrial accident in that South Asian nation and the worst in the garment sector worldwide.
About 2,500 people were injured when the building fell. The official count of the rescued is 2,437. But no one knows how many people may remain in rubble because the factory owners have not supplied precise figures.
Rana Plaza had housed five garment factories that made clothing for Western retailers, including some in the United States. Workers in the building were paid an average of $38 a month.
Bangladeshi officials say the building, designed as a market and office factory, was never intended to have eight stories. Its owner, who has now been arrested, reportedly added three floors illegally and permitted the garment factories to install heavy machines and generators, weight the building had not been structured to support.
Seven other people, including the owners of the five garment businesses housed in the building, have also been arrested.
On Tuesday, hundreds of the surviving garment workers blocked a highway near the site, saying they had not been paid for April's work and had received no compensation for the disaster, which is stipulated by the country's labor law. Some reported that they'd had to personally pay for their medical care for injuries sustained when the building crumpled.
The consortium representing the garment companies says the wages and payments will be forthcoming.
The garment industry in Bangladesh earns nearly $20 billion a year and had made it possible for many of those it employs to improve their living conditions. It has also empowered women, many of whom lacked employment opportunities otherwise.
Western shoppers like the low prices on clothing that the inexpensive overseas labor has made possible, and the workers in these countries like that they have jobs made possible by Western consumers. Even though wages in factories like the ones in Bangladesh seem abysmal to Americans, they are higher than what many of the workers could get elsewhere in third-world countries, if indeed other work is available there. These workers like the improved standard of living their jobs make possible. If Western companies pull out, the people of Bangladesh and other such countries will lose out economically. Thus, most informed observers say that boycotting Western retailers that use such labor forces to make their clothing is not a good idea.
Some claim that consumers can insist that retailers ensure "safe" working conditions and other measures in the factories, claiming that there is significant margin in the garment industry to pay higher wages and fund unspecified safeguards. (For some examples, see the Salon, Washington Post and Sprog articles below.) Others respond that those making these claims are serving their own self-interest (often advocating for the very supply chain from which they profit), and prey on consumers' misunderstandings of both basic economics and the conditions in these countries. Bangladesh continues to rank very low on indices of economic freedom, based mainly upon corruption and a lack of property rights.
The Bangladeshi textile minister reports that the country has shut down 18 garment plants for safety reasons since the Rana Plaza disaster.
More on this story can be found at these links:
Bangladesh Building Collapse Death Toll Over 800. BBC
Bangladesh Factory Collapse Toll Rises to 782. ABS-CBN
Collapse Survivors Protest in Bangladesh. USA Today
How Shoppers Can Help Prevent Bangladesh-Type Disasters. Salon
The Bangladesh Catastrophe Points to How the West Can Help. Washington Post
Bangladesh Factory Collapse: What Can We Do About It? The Sprog
The Big Questions
1. To what degree are we, as people who buy foreign-made clothing and benefit from the low prices of those garments, responsible for the conditions under which those garments are made? To what extent are we, by purchasing clothing made there, responsible for increasing the standard of living of those in foreign countries and for creating more opportunities for their children?
2. If eliminating third-world conditions for those who make our clothing meant that the prices we pay for that clothing had to rise by 20 percent, would you be willing to support improving the workers' conditions? Since this could mean that many of these overseas workers would then be out of jobs -- benefiting garment workers in the U.S. who currently cannot compete with these low-paid workers -- is this really altruistic? Assuming you could do so, and this increase amounted to 5 percent more of your income spent on clothing, how would you decide which people you would put out of work by not spending your money there?
3. What is our obligation -- if any -- in all of this by virtue of the fact that we are followers of Jesus? Why?
4. What about the argument that sending work overseas takes jobs away from Americans? Should we only be concerned about American jobs? Why or why not?
5. Some Christians speak of something called "institutional sin" -- sin we commit by the very nature of being connected with each other, locally and globally. Are we guilty of "institutional sin" when we have no concern that some people may labor in abysmal conditions to produce our wardrobe items?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Luke 13:4
Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them -- do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? (For context, read 13:1-5.)
Jesus asked this rhetorical question to challenge the supposed connection between people's sins and the fate that befell them. The implied answer to his question is "No."
Questions: Applying this to the Bangladesh building collapse, certainly Jesus would say the same about those who perished in it -- that they were not worse offenders than all others living in Bangladesh. But what about the building owner who bypassed design standards, adding more floors and additional weight to the building? What about the owners of the garment businesses housed in the building who pressured the workers to report for duty even as cracks were appearing in the building? What would Jesus say about them? What would he say to them?
Acts 16:14-15
A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us. (For context, read 16:11-15.)
Lydia was the first convert to Christianity in the Roman colony of Philippi. She is noted as "a dealer in purple cloth" who is "from the city of Thyatira," a city known for its textile industry. All of this means she was part of the garment industry of the Roman Empire in the first century. Purple clothing was usually destined for the rich and royal (recall that the soldiers mocking Jesus as "king" after his arrest dressed him in a purple robe and placed a crown of thorns on his head -- Mark 15:17). It was expensive fabric that the common people could not afford.
It's likely that Lydia's business was operated as part of her Roman household, which would have meant that artisans, slaves, family and others were involved in a single economy, with some measure of accountability from above and below, but also differing levels of benefit.
Questions: We don't know who made the clothing from the cloth Lydia sold, but as part of the garment industry, should she have been responsible for how the tailors and seamstresses were treated? Explain your answer. What difference do you think becoming a follower of Jesus might have made for Lydia with regard to her treatment of her family or workers?
Luke 12:15
Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions. (For context, read 12:13-15.)
One TWW team member said, "Greed leads to disaster. I understand the value of a dollar and the impact of profit margins and monetary gain in our world. However, we've gone overboard, and the disaster in Bangladesh is exhibit A.
"In a perfect world, everyone would say, 'Well, I'll pay a fair price so others can also have a comfortable life. That would fix a ton of worldwide issues.' Reality is that will never happen to a significant degree without God's intervention. The people in Bangladesh died because somewhere further up the profit chain, others decided they would keep more for themselves and ignore the well-being of a group of God's people who were powerless. So a few hundred people were hurt and killed.
"I still get cheap clothes, a builder still has his higher profit, and our fellow human beings in an underdeveloped country, far away from us all where we don't see them except on TV, are still suffering. To some degree, we're all at fault."
Questions: Do you agree that little improvement in greed-driven practices will happen without God's intervention? If so, what might that intervention look like?
Romans 15:25-27
At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints; for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. They were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them; for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things. (For context, read 15:22-29.)
The apostle Paul was receiving an offering from the churches in the districts of Macedonia and Achaia for the poor in the church in Jerusalem. With the distances involved, it's unlikely that the Macedonian and Achaian Christians knew the Jerusalem Christians. In fact, they may have felt as far removed from them as U.S. consumers feel from Bangladeshi garment workers today. But the early Christians in Macedonia and Achaia are a good positive model of reaching across a distance to help others.
Question: How can we find out where our clothing originates and whether or not the producers treat their workers fairly and use good sense in creating factories? (Discuss which search engines might provide you with this information. Invite group members to briefly attempt to find out, using their mobile phones and other devices.)
Matthew 25:34-40
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, "Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me." Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?" And the king will answer them, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (For context, read 25:31-46.)
These words from Jesus are well known and his point is easily understood, but it is a serious teaching from our Lord.
Questions: How might these words apply to the Bangladesh disaster? In what way do the workers qualify as "the least of these"? Or would an attempt to apply them to ourselves regarding this disaster be a misuse of Scripture? If possible, have two members of the group each advocate one side of this question.
How comfortable are you regarding any answer you might have to give to the questions Jesus asks in this text? Where are the boundaries regarding your being your brother's or sister's keeper?
For Further Discussion
1. In light of today's news, comment on this, from the publication BurdaStyle: For People Who Sew: "The sad truth is that, relative to the population, few people sew for themselves anymore, period. The home sewing machine industry has contracted dramatically and no longer advertises in mainstream publications. Clothing has become relatively cheap and home sewing has become a niche hobby, arguably growing more popular among young women (and some men), but much smaller than it was only a generation ago."
2. If possible, before or after your session, go through your clothes closet and see if you can identify the source of your wardrobe items. Considering the amount earned by the workers, and the owners of the business, how do you feel about your role in the clothing supply chain?
3. Do a role-play in which individuals represent the apostle Paul, Lydia and a slave working in her dye business.
Responding to the News
You may want to directly help the survivors of the Bangladesh building collapse and the families of the victims. Your denominational relief or mission agencies may be involved in helping in this situation. Check with them about what your church can do. Remember that many such agencies do more than help in emergencies, often providing long-range assistance as well.
Consider that we have the opportunity to impact lives in a positive way in factories around the world, especially if we are informed consumers who demand improvements in working conditions and are willing to pay more.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, we pray for those who died in this disaster and commit them to your eternal care. Be with the survivors, the families of the victims. Give strength and determination to the rescue and recovery workers. Enable the business owners and managers, government, and others with oversight responsibility for the garment industry to ensure the safety and fair treatment of those who sew our clothes. And show us what we can do to love our garment-worker neighbors as we love ourselves. In Jesus' 

Abortion Doctor Trial Finally Gets National Media Attention

Whether you consider yourself "pro-life," "pro-choice" or somewhere in between regarding abortion, you're likely to be sickened by the details of the charges against Dr. Kermit Gosnell, now on trial in Philadelphia. He is a physician charged with regularly performing abortions on women pregnant longer than the 24-week cutoff for legal abortions in Pennsylvania and then murdering the sometimes viable, live infants delivered that way. The defense phase of his trial is slated to begin Monday.
Because our focus in this "In the News" section is on news bias and slanting, The Wired Word is not recounting the details of the charges, but they are included in the links below, most fully in the article from The Atlantic, "Why Dr. Kermit Gosnell's Trial Should Be a Front-Page Story."
At this point, however, none of the charges, however difficult to contemplate, have been proven, so Gosnell should not be presumed guilty. What's more, this week, the judge in the case threw out some of the charges, while still leaving some others in place to be decided by the jury.
Gosnell's story has been widely covered by media within metropolitan Philadelphia, but until recently, the national news coverage has been spotty. As a result, many Americans were unaware of it. More intense coverage on the national level began after a few columnists pointed out how little reportage there'd been nationwide on this story -- a story likely to be of interest and concern more broadly than just in the Philadelphia area. Some critics even charged it was a "liberal media bias" that had downplayed the Gosnell news.
After the columnists noted the relative absence of coverage of Gosnell's trial, several journalists responded, some admitting that they should have reported it. For example, Megan McArdle, a special correspondent for Newsweek/The Daily Beast, who is herself pro-choice, wrote a column in which she sought to understand her own avoidance of the story. She said, "To start, it makes me ill. I haven't been able to bring myself to read the grand jury inquiry. ... But I understand why my readers suspect me, and other pro-choice mainstream journalists, of being selective -- of not wanting to cover the story because it showcased the ugliest possibilities of abortion rights. The truth is that most of us tend to be less interested in sick-making stories -- if the sick-making was done by 'our side.'"
McArdle went on to acknowledge her own failure to write about the story and concluded, "What happened in Philadelphia should never happen again, and all of us -- not just the Philadelphia police -- should be asking how we make sure it doesn't. I don't know the answer to that yet, because I still don't understand what happened in Pennsylvania. But I'll be working to figure it out."
Other journalists have offered other reasons, including what one reporter called the "chaotic" way in which stories are chosen. The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf writes, "There is, of course, no single explanation for why any news story unfolds one way instead of another. 'The media' is an abstraction. It encompasses TV, radio, print and digital; editors, reporters and bloggers; the Drudge Report, The New Yorker, USA Today and Feministing. Many of the factors that shape how a story is covered are seemingly random or just plain undiscoverable." He then described 14 different explanations he'd heard for why the Gosnell story hadn't gotten national coverage sooner.
More on this story can be found at these links:
Kermit Gosnell Defense Starts Monday in Philly Abortion Trial. Huffington Post
Why Dr. Kermit Gosnell's Trial Should Be a Front-Page Story. The Atlantic
Why I Didn't Write About Gosnell's Trial -- And Why I Should Have. The Daily Beast
Philadelphia Abortion Clinic Horror. USA Today
Politics Aside, the Gosnell Trial Deserves -- and Is Getting -- More Coverage. New York Times
14 Theories for Why Kermit Gosnell's Case Didn't Get More Media Attention. The Atlantic
Team Discussion
In the TWW team discussion of this topic, members mentioned how hard it is to avoid bias even when that is one's intention. For example, the editor said, "Here at The Wired Word, we work hard to keep the 'In the News' section of our lesson objective and without bias. Yet we are aware that we cannot escape 'slanting' the lesson in the sense that simply by choosing to use one news story instead of another in TWW, we are stepping out of the 'objective' box to a degree. Even the order in which we arrange the questions and whether we put them in 'The Big Questions' section or in the 'For Further Discussion' section can slant a lesson, even when we intend no slant."
Expanding the topic, one team member said, "There is good reason to believe that various forms of bias (e.g., expectation bias and confirmation bias) significantly influence how a person looks at events -- at any new information. That applies to reporters and news editors as well. I've seen several analyses that the effect is magnified when there is not a diversity of biases present ...."
That team member cited a couple of examples of bias related to reporting about violence:
• News reports that downplay (or often ignore) Islamic radicalism as a motivation for terrorists. "Ignoring the motivation makes it less easy to understand and, possibly, to reduce the number of future attacks," the team member said.
• Rhetoric that seeks to demonize and dehumanize political opposition by immediately suggesting that every act of violence is caused by people associated with the political opposition.
Another team member commented that many of us who teach or preach in church probably subconsciously slant our lessons or sermons just by choosing which Bible verses we will or won't talk about.
Yet another team member pointed out that in churches that follow a lectionary (a list of Scripture readings set by an ecumenical or denominational committee to be used in worship), large chunks of the Bible are never read in services because they are not included in the lectionary. For those worshipers who don't read the rest of the Bible for themselves, the Scripture is reduced to just the lectionary-approved texts.
For example, although the first few verses of Psalm 137 are often included ("By the waters of Babylon -- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion ..."), the final verse is not ("Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock!").
The Big Questions
1. When you are forming your opinion about some matter in the public culture, to what degree do you consciously try to hear from people on both sides of the issue? What helps you decide whether either view is right? Is it a good idea to listen to differing views on biblical interpretation? Explain your answer.
2. When have you been aware that you were "steering" someone to a desired conclusion by giving a lopsided report of some conversation, sermon, news story or event? How did you justify your decision to do so?
3. What kinds of questions can you consider when hearing a news report or someone's opinion to help you get past any bias -- unintended or otherwise -- in the report or opinion?
4. Can listening to one side only of a cultural, political or religious debate ever lead you to unintentionally "bear false witness"? Can it ever not lead to bearing false witness?
5. How important is certainty in leading a Christian life? Assuming certainty is not required in all things, what makes a topic something in which certainty is required? How should one deal with varying degrees of uncertainty?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Numbers 23:13
So Balak said to him, "Come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only part of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there." (For context, read 22:41--23:26.)
The people of Israel were in the wilderness, nearing the end of their migration from Egypt to Canaan after years of slavery in Egypt. On the way, they had fought successfully against the Amorites and now had a reputation as a fierce and dangerous horde. And their numbers were staggering. Exodus says that when they left Egypt, they numbered 600,000 men (Exodus 12:37), plus women and children. So when this enormous body of Israelites camped on the plains of Moab, the people who lived in that region had every reason to be concerned.
Moab's king, Balak, took one look at this encampment stretched out on the plain and decided to do something proactive to give the Moabites an edge in case conflict ensued. Balak sent for a local soothsayer by the name of Balaam to pronounce a curse on Israel. Balaam sent back word that God had already told him that Israel was blessed, but Balak insisted that Balaam come anyway. When the soothsayer arrived, the king took him to a high place where he could look out over the vast multitude of Israel, and instructed him to pronounce his curse. Balaam spoke, but instead of a curse, a blessing on Israel flowed out of his mouth (23:7-10).
King Balak was furious, but not ready to give up. He took Balaam to another location where he'd be able to see only a portion of the Israelite nation. From the new spot, Balaam spoke, but once again, a blessing rolled out of his mouth (23:18-24).
King Balak might come off as a fool for thinking that if he could just limit the soothsayer's sight, the curse would be forthcoming, as if to say. "Let's look at only this part and pretend that's all that matters." But we can understand why he might try it. Telling less than the whole truth or conveniently omitting the parts that suggest a different conclusion have long proven effective at misleading audiences.
Questions: When have you consciously ignored some information so as not to upset an accepted conclusion? Do you resent those who keep bringing up a topic you would rather not discuss? Have you discerned resentment when you insisted on bringing up a topic no one seemed to want to address?
1 Kings 12:8
But [Rehoboam] disregarded the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. (For context, read 12:1-19.)
Kings Saul, David and Solomon had successively ruled over the united tribes of Israel. After Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was to take the throne, but at that point, the northern tribes, with a man named Jeroboam as their spokesman, asked if Rehoboam would lighten the hard demands Solomon had imposed on them. Before answering, Rehoboam sought advice from two groups: the older men who had counseled his father and the young men who had grown up with him.
The older men advised Rehoboam to "be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them" (v. 7). But, as the verse above reports, Rehoboam "disregarded" that advice. The younger men advised him to make the load on the people even heavier, which is what Rehoboam announced he would do. This appears to be a case of continuing to ask for advice until receiving some that coincides with one's bias -- with what one really wanted to do anyway.
In Rehoboam's case, the outcome was disastrous. The 10 northern tribes promptly seceded from the kingdom, setting up a new nation under Jeroboam. Rehoboam ended up with only two tribes under his rule. The Israelite people remained as two kingdoms for more than 200 years and never did regain independent status as a nation until, possibly, modern Israel was formed in the 20th century A.D. (Some theologians deny any link between modern Israel and ancient Israel/Judea. Their arguments are good, but not conclusive.)
Questions: What additional dangers do you see in seeking confirmation of one's biases? How tempting is it to listen only to those who already agree with you? How many sources do you have for news? Do they all share the same slant? How do you feel when your advice or the considered advice of others is ignored?
Proverbs 18:17
The one who first states a case seems right, until the other comes and cross-examines. (No context needed.)
This proverb notes the problem of only hearing one side of an argument. When it comes to news reporting, a situation in which most of the reporters and editors have the same leaning results in there being only one side that "states a case," so others responding to it often have only the edited version and no chance to examine the original case.
Questions: Have you ever reached a conclusion after listening to only one side? Has listening to another side ever made a difference? How do you seek to become someone who weighs the various sides of an issue before making a decision?
Mark 9:23-24
Jesus said to him, "If you are able! -- All things can be done for the one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (For context, read 9:14-29.)
Knowing that our sources of knowledge about news items can be biased or misleading, we cannot always be certain that the story as we have heard it is entirely accurate. The Bible verse above shows that even in the area of faith, there is room for uncertainty: "I believe; help my unbelief!" Even this uncertain faith was sufficient for Jesus to heal the man's son.
Questions: In what ways is uncertainty a helpful tool in ascertaining the truth? In what ways might it be a hindrance? Does it feel like uncertainty is almost the default setting? How do you react toward someone who always seems to have the "right" answer and does not seem to experience uncertainty?
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (For context, read 3:10-17.)
Admittedly, at the time Paul wrote these words to Timothy, the "all scripture" he had in mind was limited essentially to the Hebrew Bible, what we call the Old Testament. That's because the New Testament had not yet been written. But once it was written and established by the church as Scripture also, it's likely that Paul would have included it in this statement.
Questions: Does all Scripture that "is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" include the "begats" (the listing of lines of descent in the early chapters of Genesis)? How about the minutiae of priestly duties in Leviticus? What helpful things have you learned from reading parts of the Bible that are usually NOT read in worship services? What is the least helpful verse or passage you have heard? What is the most helpful?
For Further Discussion
1. Read the following two column excerpts side by side, and then talk about what conclusions you draw and why. The first is from Kirsten Powers, writing in USA Today on April 11. The second is from Margaret Sullivan, writing in The New York Times on April 15.
Powers: "A Lexis-Nexis search shows none of the news shows on the three major national television networks has mentioned the Gosnell trial in the last three months. The exception is when Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan hijacked a segment on Meet the Press meant to foment outrage over an anti-abortion rights law in some backward red state.
    "The Washington Post has not published original reporting on this during the trial and The New York Times saw fit to run one original story on A-17 on the trial's first day. They've been silent ever since, despite headline-worthy testimony.
    "Let me state the obvious. This should be front page news. When Rush Limbaugh attacked Sandra Fluke, there was non-stop media hysteria. The venerable NBC Nightly News' Brian Williams intoned, 'A firestorm of outrage from women after a crude tirade from Rush Limbaugh,' as he teased a segment on the brouhaha. Yet, accusations of babies having their heads severed -- a major human rights story if there ever was one -- doesn't make the cut.
    "You don't have to oppose abortion rights to find late-term abortion abhorrent or to find the Gosnell trial eminently newsworthy. This is not about being 'pro-choice' or 'pro-life.' It's about basic human rights.
    "The deafening silence of too much of the media, once a force for justice in America, is a disgrace."
Sullivan: "The behavior of news organizations often owes more to chaos theory than conspiracy theory. I don't think that editors and reporters got together and decided not to give the Gosnell trial a lot of attention because it would highlight the evils of abortion.
    "I do think that it wasn't on their radar screen -- and that it should have been. The murders of seven newborn babies, done so horrifically, would be no ordinary crime. Any suggestion, including mine on Friday [in a previous column], that this is just another murder trial is a miscalculation. And it's certainly possible that journalists who were more in touch with conservative voices and causes would have picked up on the importance of this trial sooner.
    "Judged on news value alone, the Gosnell trial deserves more coverage than it's had, in The Times and elsewhere.
    "Those who have called for more attention to this grisly and disturbing trial are right. But some of them -- because of their accusations of politics overcoming news judgment -- are right for the wrong reasons."
2. What is the likely effect of a "diversity of biases" present in a given group on the conclusions that group draws?
3. The philosopher Alfred North Whitehead once said, "All truths are half-truths." Do you agree? Why or why not?
4. Do you think a person who can be described by the expression "often wrong but seldom uncertain" would be fun to be around? Why or why not?
5. Name a story in recent memory that flew under the radar, that you only heard about by accident long after it happened. Name a story that really mattered to you, that you followed closely, and which no one else seemed to notice, or even care about.
6. Does it seem as if sometimes media outlets focus on a story that you wish to ignore, or think is unimportant? Name instances. How important is it for someone to point our attention to unpleasant events?
Responding to the News
This is a good time to try to recognize our biases, and also to vow to approach news reporting from all sources -- including those most in tune with our sympathies -- with enough skepticism to understand that we may not be hearing the whole story.

Closing Prayer
Help us, O Lord, to use the intellect and skills you have given us to be thoughtful and intentional followers of Jesus. In his name we pray. Amen.

Bombs Kill and Maim at Boston Marathon

On Monday, as the Boston Marathon was nearing completion and many runners were nearing the finish line on that city's Boylston Street, two bombs, 12 seconds apart, ripped through the watching crowds, killing three people and wounding 183 others, some of them critically. Several people had to have amputations of one or more limbs.
Almost immediately, both emergency personnel and ordinary citizens rushed in to help the injured.
As of our publishing time (on Thursday) no individual or group has admitted to perpetrating the attack, but national law-enforcement units, several Capitol Hill lawmakers and President Obama have described the blasts as acts of "terrorism." A major investigation under the direction of the FBI is underway to identify and apprehend the individual or group that perpetrated this crime.
A theme of this year's marathon was "26 Miles for 26 Victims," referring to those killed in the Newtown, Conn., school shooting. The day had begun with a moment of silence to remember the Newtown victims, and there were 26 seconds of silence observed at the starting line before each wave of runners began. Relatives of those killed in the Sandy Hook school massacre were guests at the finish line tent, near where the bombing occurred.
As one commentator pointed out, the bombings serve as a fresh reminder of a hard lesson learned on 9/11 -- the reality in which "it can't happen here" has been replaced by "it can happen anywhere."
Or, as one TWW team member put it, it's not so much a replacement of one "reality" by another, but a greater readiness to recognize the reality that always existed. Blogger Jim Barrett wrote, "What kind of scares me is that I wasn't that shocked. I was actually surprised that it took this long for something like this to happen."
Juan Carlos Zarate, deputy national security adviser under President George W. Bush, told the Los Angeles Times, "In some ways, this ruptures the psyche. Now we have that soft target hit that we have imagined but not seen ... since 9/11. We don't know who perpetrated it -- we'll have to see. But regardless, it shatters the sense of security we've had, especially coming at an event like this."
As this is a developing story, be sure to check national news for updates.
More on this story can be found at these links:
3 Killed, More Than 140 Hurt by Bombs at Marathon. Boston Globe
Amid Shock at Marathon, a Rush to Help Strangers. Boston Globe
Boston Bombings Shatter a National Sense of Safety. Los Angeles Times
It Can Happen Anywhere. CNN
There Is No Finish Line. New Republic
The Boston Marathon Bombing: Keep Calm and Carry On. The Atlantic
The Big Questions
1. How do we go about our lives as people of faith in a dangerous world?
2. How do we deal emotionally with situations that leave us feeling powerless? How do we deal spiritually with such situations?
3. How does Christian hope, based on God's kingdom yet to fully come, help us in a world where both good and evil are realities?
4. How many personal freedoms are you willing to surrender in the hope of being safer? How many such sacrifices would actually make you significantly safer?
5. Jesus said, "Pray for those who persecute you." For what specifically should we ask when praying for terrorists? How does Christ's instruction to love our enemies apply to those who perpetrate acts of terrorism? Does loving one’s enemies mean that one no longer opposes their actions or no longer fights against them?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
2 Samuel 7:10
And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly ... (For context, read 7:1-17.)
If we read this verse by itself -- out of context -- it sounds like the sort of thing God might have said to one of the Israelite leaders -- say Moses or Joshua -- before the people were established in Canaan. But in context, this verse is something of a surprise. God says this to David after all the Israelite tribes had accepted David as their king, after David as king had extended the boundaries of Israel, after David had established Jerusalem as the royal city and after "the LORD had given [David] rest from all his enemies around him" (v. 1).
The nation under David was more secure than it ever had been, but in the midst of God telling David that his dynasty would be established as Israel's successive rulers, God makes the promise quoted above. It's as if to say that no matter what arrangements we mortals might make or how "secure" we think we have things, the place of ultimate security, where "evildoers shall afflict [us] no more," is in God's kingdom to come, not in empires of earth.
Questions: Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Zarate that the Boston bombing event "ruptures the [national] psyche"? Did 9/11 already do that? Are you more hesitant now to attend public events that draw crowds of people? Why or why not? Are you, or those you speak with, reacting with less fear than after 9/11?
Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. (For context, read 23:1-6.)
Psalm 23 comes out of the Middle Eastern world, where in biblical times, there were strong traditions about hospitality. For example, a man being pursued by enemies could run to someone's tent and, even if that were the tent of a foe, he could ask for refuge. Custom dictated that the tent owner not only take that person in, but also prepare a meal for him. His enemies could stand and glare outside the tent, but could do no more as long as the pursued person remained inside. "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."
In World War II, during the bombing of London by the Germans, this verse from Psalm 23 was a favorite one for Communion services -- even in one instance where the service continued while part of the church building was hit. The Lord's Supper was God's table spread for worshipers, and it continued to nourish them spiritually even while their city was under attack.
Questions: In what literal ways does God spread a table before us even in the presence of enemies? In what spiritual ways does God spread a table before us? What obligation might we have toward those whose tables contain less than ours? When have you broken bread with people you considered enemies and become reconciled, or, on the other hand, have remained enemies? What are your feelings about reconciliation with those who consider themselves our enemies, or those you consider your enemy?
Proverbs 12:3
No one finds security by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved. (No context needed.)
This pearl of wisdom from Proverbs is echoed in other words throughout much of Scripture. The wicked may have their day, but no ultimate tomorrow. The righteous, on the other hand, have today and the ultimate tomorrow.
Questions: Does this biblical testimony help when you have lost a loved one? Is it possible to take the long view of justice when our wounds are still raw? Think of wars that are long past. What are your feelings about atrocities committed during World War II? The Korean or Vietnam War? How much time must pass before we can take a longer view regarding the arc of justice?
John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (For context, read 1:1-14.)
In the Gospel of John, "light" is used to symbolize the way in which God and Christ are present to sustain creation, and John refers to Jesus as "the light of the world." It is this divine light that dispels "darkness," which in John symbolizes chaos, evil and the realm of those who oppose the good. This darkness is real and is hostile to light, which exposes evil for what it is. But try as it might, darkness and all that it represents cannot extinguish light.
Questions: How does John's testimony about Jesus and the light shape your attitude toward life? Part of the meaning behind the original language of the John text is that the darkness doesn't understand the light, doesn't "get" it. Does it seem as if there are those who don't "get" the effects of their atrocities? What past United States actions might be viewed as atrocities that our nation justified at the time?
Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe ... (For context, read 12:25-29.)
In the verses immediately preceding verse 28, the author of Hebrews talks about God's voice shaking the earth. Then he quotes God as saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven" (v. 26). The writer goes on to say that this "indicates the removal of what is shaken -- that is, created things -- so that what cannot be shaken [the kingdom of God] may remain" (v. 27). He adds then, in the verse quoted above,  "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks ...."
The Hebrew author's point is that there is no guarantee that the earth or the things on it will remain steady and survive forever. Life, in fact, is constantly being shaken up. But these verses from Hebrews remind us that God's kingdom, the realm where Christians have their other citizenship, cannot be shaken or destroyed. And by extension, that means that we have a haven of ultimate security.
Questions: To what degree does the promise of an unshakeable kingdom to come at the end of time help you deal with present fears in this world? To what degree should it help?
For Further Discussion
1. One TWW team member who lives near Fargo, North Dakota, said she was concerned that the bombing at the Boston Marathon may cause an overreaction elsewhere: "The Fargo Marathon, held in May, was started several years back and has grown to be a big deal. [After the Boston bombing], the founder/head of the Fargo marathon organization said they would be working to add security to the route -- though, of course, they've always taken steps to keep it secure.
    "Fargo isn't exactly a city you think of as ever being the target of terrorists. It reminds me of 9/11, when all our local malls closed down after the bombings out east -- as if the terrorists really had us in their sights! Ha! (Of course, I know everyone was frightened and just reacted and did what they felt they had to do; were I in charge, God forbid, I probably would have done the same.)
    "But really?? Get hyper-vigilant about security at the Fargo Marathon?? Seems extreme to me. Of course you want appropriate levels of security in place, but life is risky and we can't prevent or escape every potential threat. If we live in fear, we miss out on a lot of opportunities. And yes, I can see many ways in which that carries over into church and congregations -- living by fear rather than by faith."
     Respond to her observations in light of these comments from another team member: "Yes, the Fargo Marathon could be a target (as is any large sports event), yet it is less likely mainly because other events have more visibility. Questions of trade-offs regarding 'security' at public events evidence a wide variety of viewpoints -- and what some see as common-sense security measures are seen by others as making things more risky. And, of course, if something bad happens, any lack of 'hyper-vigilance' would be brought to the fore in the 'wrongful death' lawsuits to follow. No easy answers. More precisely, there are many factors and the culture as well which make things more difficult."
2. Respond to this, from another TWW team member: "I am a former marathon runner -- a very slow marathon runner. The marathon is an amazing public event, open to everyone. You can take your glove to the ballgame but you don't get to join the team on the field. You can wear the most expensive basketball shoes, but you don't get to take the court with the big guys in the NBA (or the big girls in the WNBA). But anyone can run with the world-class athletes in the marathon. That was always amazing to me. I'd be warming up, hoping to break four hours, but the thin Kenyans and Ethiopians were competing on the same course with me. There was a spot in the Long Beach Marathon where the course looped back towards itself. The elite runners, eight miles ahead of me, and with no physical outward sign of strain, would glide by going the other direction. I enjoyed that moment each year.
    "I'm also humbled because I am part of the same church as the saints and the martyrs, of prayer warriors whose very humility makes them look the same as everyone around them (though I know better), as well as [modern] prophets ... whose lifestyle and message pierces my heart and makes me strive to do better. There aren't two churches, there isn't a major league and a Sunday afternoon softball league when it comes to the Christian faith. Dante saw it right. At first Heaven looked layered, with people at the circles of the moon and stars and sun, but in the last cantos of the Paradiso when he looked again, all the saints were part of the great rose, a stadium-like structure with God at the center where everyone is part of the great everything."
3. Respond to this, from yet another TWW team member: "When I was the pastor in a little community in rural Ohio, our parsonage was situated across the highway from the church building. From our front window, we could see the church and the village green in front of it. From our side window, we looked at the town hall and, next to it, a large evergreen tree. Each December, we looked out these two windows at symbols of Christmas. On the village green, a life-sized nativity scene was erected, and in the town hall yard, the live evergreen tree was decorated with lights and served as the community Christmas tree.
    "One Christmas, some person or persons, under the cover of darkness, snuck into the town hall yard and cut the tree down. They left it lying on the ground, still lit up. It occurred to me that some people don't want to be reminded of the everlasting light of God. Perhaps the perpetrators of this deed didn't think of it that way, but it really was more than a childish prank; I think it was an expression of the darkness in their hearts and how far they were from Christ who is the light of the world.
    "We could see that tree from our house, but we could also see the nativity scene. There was a spotlight on the scene that burned all the time. During the daylight, it added nothing to the scene, but in the darkness of night, the spot of light glorified the nativity. Often, before going to bed, I would look out of my window at this symbol of Christmas.
    "Ironically, it was the very darkness, the symbol of chaos and wrong, that made the light so dramatic in its effect."
4. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love." Where did you see this played out in the Boston Marathon situation?
5. In President Franklin Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address, he said, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself -- nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." Is this a stance that is supported by the Bible? Why or why not?
Responding to the News
This is a time to pray for the victims of the bombings and their families and for those who must now investigate and make decisions about public safety.
Closing Prayer
O God, we pray that the hope that is ours through faith in Christ will enable us to speak that hope to the world, even in times of great threat. Please grant wisdom, courage and perseverance to all who work for peace and justice. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Should Young-Adult Ministry Use "Better-Than-Nothing" Model?

"What people in the past may have gotten from church, I get from the Internet and Facebook. That is our religion."
That's what one young adult told Hannah Seligson, the author of a new book, Mission Adulthood. And a recent "U.S Religious Landscape Survey" from the Pew Forum found that "among Americans ages 18-29, one in four say they are not currently affiliated with any particular religion."
That lack of religious affiliation among many young adults has caused some religious groups to look for new ways to relate to this age group.
In Washington, D.C., for example, the local Jewish Federation and an organization called NEXT DC work together to get young adults to try a new synagogue each month -- an idea they call "Shabbat-hop." (Shabbat is Hebrew for "rest" or "cessation" and refers to the Jewish Sabbath.)
At a recent Shabbat-hop, more than 300 people, mostly young adults, visited Adas Israel, a conservative synagogue in Washington. And the synagogue was ready for the influx. They had set up extra chairs and planned a lively service, at which the whole group swayed, clapped and sang. Most of the young adults stayed for the buffet dinner afterward and many lingered until nearly 10 p.m.
The success of the event doesn't mean that Adas Israel will necessarily gain any new members or even attendees from among the visitors, for the next month, the Shabbat-hop is to take place at another synagogue. But the young adults experience Jewish worship and fellowship, regardless of what long-term gains the synagogue realizes.
Another month, the hop takes place at the nondenominational Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, which works hard to make the young crowd feel welcome by offering a variety of worship experiences. Other synagogues bring in special music, offer Shabbat meals and even open bars.
Despite these measures, few of the young adults express interest in joining a congregation. For many, the visits to different places and the meeting of new people is the way they are expressing whatever religious impulse they feel.
Some of the synagogues are getting comfortable with that. Sixth & I, for example, has a "nonmembership model" in which the congregation focuses ministry on young adults without worrying about them jumping from one place to another. Another synagogue, the Washington Hebrew Congregation, sponsors what it calls "Metro Minyan" (minyan refers to a meeting of Jews for worship), where they rent space for Shabbat services and dinners in churches near metro stops. By using a different location each week, they hope to create "neutral territory" where young adults feel comfortable.
Writing about Shabbat-hopping in the Wall Street Journal, Naomi Schaeffer Riley concluded, "So maybe Shabbat-hopping is the best that religious leaders can hope for with Generation Y. Giving young adults regular exposure to some Jewish experience is better than nothing at all."
Many Christian young adults demonstrate a similar unwillingness to follow the church-participation patterns of older generations. The article, "Best Practices in Young Adult Faith Formation," mentions a study by Robert Wuthnow that describes the young-adult approach to religion and spirituality as "spiritual tinkering." Wuthnow defines a tinkerer as a person who "puts together a life form whatever skills, ideas and resources that are readily at hand ... improvising, by piecing together an idea from here, a skill from there and a contact from somewhere else."
The article goes on to say, "Tinkering is evident among the large number of young adults who believe in God, life after death and the divinity of Jesus, for instance, but who seldom attend religious services. Their beliefs lend continuity with the past -- with the Bible stories they probably learned as children -- and their behavior lets them adapt to the demands of the present. Spending a weekend with friends, buying groceries and doing the laundry, or getting ready for a hectic week at work takes precedence over spending yet another Sunday morning at worship. Tinkering is equally evident in the quest to update one's beliefs about spirituality. The core holds steady, persuading one that the Bible is still a valuable source of moral insight, for example, but the core is amended almost continuously through conversations with friends, reflections about unusual experiences on vacation or at work, or from a popular song."
The article challenges churches when it says, "There are plentiful opportunities for young adults to reconnect with the church. Yet utilizing these opportunities requires an understanding that the disconnect stems from several different sources, including an expectation of immediate gratification, high mobility, the demands of the world eclipsing those of spiritual needs and a failure to capitalize on young adults' moments of return to the church (marriage, a child's baptism or death of a parent)."
More on this story can be found at these links:
Synagogue-Hopping With Generation Y. Wall Street Journal
U.S. Religious Landscape Survey. Pew Forum
Best Practices in Young Adult Faith Formation. Lifelong Faith
The Big Questions
1. Do you agree that many young adults are "religious tinkerers"? Why or why not? To what degree is your own faith and practice the result of religious tinkering?
2. Should we be alarmed by the reluctance among some young adults to participate regularly with one congregation? Does this spell problems for institutional religion? for faith in general? for neither? for both? Why? Is this reluctance more a reaction to the organized church than to Christianity itself? Why?
3. If we paraphrase Naomi Riley's comment as, "So maybe church-hopping is the best that religious leaders can hope for with Generation Y. Giving young adults regular exposure to some Christian experience is better than nothing at all," do you agree or disagree? Why?
4. What biblical models are there for sharing the faith without expecting a "return on investment"? How, if at all, is "sharing the faith" different from "recruiting new members"? How willing would you be to support your church in an expensive and time-consuming program where it was unlikely that your congregation would gain any new attendees or that the program would contribute to your congregation's survival? Why?
5. One of the possibilities with the Shabbat-hop is that eventually, some participants will visit a synagogue where they feel a connection and will become regular attendees. In the church, we often use the term "church-hoppers" to refer to people who attend one congregation until something happens there that they don't like. They then move on and try another congregation, and continue "hopping" until they find one where they are most comfortable. (Some chronic church-hoppers never do find a congregation where they stick.) What do you think of church-hopping? What negative and positive things can you say about it?
Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope
Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:
Psalm 148:12-13
Young men and women alike, old and young together! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven. (For context, read 148:1-14.)
The final five psalms (146-150) in the book of Psalms are all intended as acts of praise. In fact, each of the five is framed by the opening and closing refrain "Praise the LORD!" These two verses in Psalm 148 invite us to picture a group of worshipers consisting of "Young men and women alike, old and young together," which suggests that congregations today do -- or at least SHOULD -- include such age diversity.
Questions: To what degree is it the responsibility of older worshipers to fan the fires of faith in younger people? Is some Christian equivalent of the Shabbat-hop an acceptable way to fan those fires if young adults are not readily participating in Christian worship? Why or why not? How much is it the responsibility of younger people to seek out and serve God?
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them" ... (For context, read 12:1-8.)
Many studies have shown that people are more likely to remain in or return to religious faith and practice if they are first exposed to it while they are still children and teens. But young adulthood is often a period of questioning earlier learnings and finding one's own way. During that time, the church's task is often to help young adults reconnect with the faith more than exposing them to it for the first time.
Questions: What challenge for your congregation do you hear in the last paragraph of the "In the News" section above (the paragraph that begins "The article challenges churches when it says ...")? How much are you willing to accept change regarding the elements of worship you find most comforting and inspiring? Should you have to make accommodations? Did the previous generation make accommodations for you?

Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. (For context, read 28:16-20.)
Jesus spoke these words, often referred to as "the Great Commission," to his 11 disciples, but the church has long understood them as a directive to the whole church as well. As the cultural environment changes, the ways in which we go about the disciple-making process may need to change as well.
Questions: Do you see the idea of a "nonmembership model" as a faithful way to carry out the Great Commission today? Why or why not? What do you think the membership model looked like for the earliest church? How does "membership" differ from "discipleship"?
2 Timothy 4:2
... proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. (For context, read 3:14--4:5.)
In this passage, Paul was speaking to Timothy as a church leader and evangelist. Notice that Paul tells his coworker to be persistent in proclaiming the message, regardless of "whether the time is favorable or unfavorable."
Questions: In terms of ministry to young adults, is the current time favorable or unfavorable? How might that affect our expectations about the results of such ministry? How should it affect our determination to carry out such ministry?
Acts 6:8-9
Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. (For context, read 6:8-15.)
This particular Jewish house of worship was commonly called "the synagogue of the Freedmen" because some members of the congregation were former slaves. The existence of a synagogue so identified suggests that there were other synagogues composed of people who had never been enslaved, or were perhaps even slave owners. Those who had formerly been slaves or were children of slaves might want no association with people in their former state but were probably also not fully welcome in synagogues of free people. In other words, congregations differed based on the status, class and cultural background of their members and other demographic factors. Thus, even in the the time of Christ, people could conceivably "hop" until they found a synagogue where the members were most like themselves.
Questions: What are the spiritual advantages of worshiping side by side with people who are similar to you in race, class, station in life, etc.? What are the spiritual disadvantages?
For Further Discussion
1. What opportunities do you hear in this comment from one young adult: "What people in the past may have gotten from church, I get from the Internet and Facebook. That is our religion"?
2. Comment on this, cited in the "Best Practices in Young Adult Faith Formation" article:
[Research from LifeWay research affirms that] [y]oung adults are longing for community and fellowship with peers, looking for ways to reach people in need, and circling the church but not always finding a home in it.
• Connection is the key. Community with other young adults is extremely important in their lives.
• Young adults seek authentic answers in the Bible and Christian tradition, best learned through participation in small group meetings.
• Making a difference is essential by having the opportunity to meet the needs of others on a regular basis. Social action is cited as the major reason uninvolved young adults would consider being part of a church.
3. Respond to this: Regarding church hopping, there's an old story about a man who was stranded on an island for 10 years. When he was finally rescued, outsiders were amazed to discover he had built a whole town out of palm branches. There was a movie theater (no movies, of course), a grocery store (empty shelves), a tavern, a club and, at each end of his forlorn Main Street, a church. Why two churches? he was asked. "Well," he replied, "that church over there was the place where I drew spiritual comfort during my long exile. I sang hymns I remembered from childhood. I recited those scraps of scripture I could recall and even occasionally delivered a halting sermon. Always I imagined myself surrounded by the people of Christ, among the fellowship of believers, and in a mystical way I believed that during my hours of worship I was truly back among you, with Jesus." And the other church? he was asked. "Oh, that's the church I wouldn't be caught dead in."
4. What events or strategies does your church plan or employ to draw in younger people? Would it be better for people of different ages to have different services and only get together for occasional events? Is this true to the biblical model? Would this be a sign of success or failure? Does your church have self-segregated services?
5. Ask young adults in your TWW group or congregation to respond to this:  How do you, as a younger person, find your place within a congregation? Were you welcomed? Marginalized? Were you willing to put up with having to jump through hoops or over hurdles to become more involved?
Responding to the News
This is a good time to consider what opportunities your congregation may be overlooking to help young adults connect with the Christian faith, and then to decide how you can better take advantage of such opportunities.

Closing Prayer
Help our church, O Lord, to find and employ effective means to connect people of all ages to the life-sustaining power of the Christian faith. In Jesus' name. Amen.