Reflections of a Pastor Wannabe

World's Worst Travel Experience!

2010-04-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

I found this in my archives the other day. This is no April Fool's joke! It really happened on April 28, 2007 during a layover in Las Vegas.

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This is a true story and comes with a warning. You may want to wait until either your stomach is empty or your food is well digested before you continue to read.

My layover in Vegas is exactly as scheduled. Having flown out of Sacramento at 8:30 in the morning, I now have about one hour and 45 minutes to grab a bite to eat and do a little work before departing on my connecting flight to Little Rock. I’m in deep thought about the list of things I need to work on as I head to the next gate. Then from behind me, unexpectedly, something wet hits the back of head. My first reaction is that someone has spilled a coke on me (it was that much). This, however, was not ice cold, but significantly warm. I turn to my attacker and am shocked to see an older lady head down, throwing her guts out onto the floor. She glances up at me with a look of sheer horror in her eyes as she continues to barf and sees the same expression on my face as I realize what is now rolling down the back of my neck. It is a surreal moment, etched into my mind forever as our eyes meet and lock on to each other. I have no idea who looked more horrified.

I am drenched in vomit from head to toe. Without saying a word to her, I quickly turn away and head for the nearest men's room. I had the same layover on the outbound trip, so I know where to go. I feel her upchuck dripping down my right arm.

Once in the restroom, I assess the damage. It is as gross as can be imagined. Her previous meal is now all over the back of my shirt, down the entire length of the right leg of my pants, and all over my backpack, which was piggy backed onto my suitcase. Somehow, and I still have not figured out the physics of it all, both the front AND back of my shoes are caked in her hurl. Using all the available mental strength I possess, I block out my natural tendency to throw up right there and start stripping off my shirt. I stick my head underneath one of the faucets and start wetting the back of my head. I imagine what that scene must have looked like to others and I continue to block out the urge to puke.

You’ve probably never had any reason to realize this, but when you stick your head under one of those motion sensor-ed faucet, nothing happens! Go figure. Some engineer probably never thought to design that contingency into his electronics or maybe my head was simply too big to get close enough to trip the sensor. Regardless, there is no water, so I'm leaning over the counter in the men's room, alternating between getting a miserly handful of water, and sticking my head into the sink to trickle what feels like a thimble full of water onto the back of my head. The bathroom is crowded, but I could care less.

I am equally frustrated with the motion sensor-ed paper towel dispenser. It only feeds a few inches of paper at a time and requires a delay between requests that feels like an excruciating eternity. So I'm standing there waving my hand up and down in front of the sensor with no shirt on, the back of my head now dripping, attempting to get yards of paper towels out of this stupid machine a few slow inches at a time. Thankfully, I notice that the supply closet door is open. I leave all my stuff at the sink and beseech a couple of maintenance workers for help. I tell them that some woman has just projectile vomited all over me, and that I need a whole roll of paper towels. They look at me like I have the plague and give me an entire roll of hand towels without so much as speaking a word. As I walk back to my cleaning station, they ask where the accident happened. I tell them to look down the hall, and they quickly disappear.

Things are looking up; I now have an entire roll of paper towels. I wipe myself down as much as I am legally allowed to do in a public airport restroom. I end up attempting to hand wash my shirt in the sink. Thankfully, I have all my clothes in my carry-on, though all are dirty. I rationalize that dirty clothes, as bad as they may smell, will be much more acceptable to my future traveling companions than my current attire. About into my third cycle of hand washing, I wish the two maintenance guys were still here so I could get a garbage bag. I think about hand washing my pants as well, but know that if I don't get a bag of some sort, having wet clothes with throw up on them zipped up in my suitcase will be more than anyone can bear. I ponder throwing all my clothes in the trash can.

Things continue to look up when another maintenance man comes in and starts mopping the floor. I tell him the story, ask him for some sort of plastic bag. Without saying anything, he goes out into the concourse and starts yelling at one of his coworkers to bring him a plastic bag (I can hear him from inside). He doesn't hold back any of the details in his request, and I think that there will soon be a pretty good number of spectators. The man returns and gives me a garbage bag for which I am extremely thankful. I rinse off my jeans, wipe off my shoes (while pondering again just how she managed to cover both the front AND back of them), drop everything into the bag, twist it, double wrap it, and tie it off. It should be hermetically sealed enough to make it home.

The worst of it all is on my backpack. I wipe it down as best I can. There is vomit residue stuck in the teeth of my zipper that I cannot get out. I decide to live with it for now.

After I change into some dirty underwear, shorts, and a soiled button down shirt, I cram my garbage bag into my already stuffed carry-on and break the zipper trying to close the darn thing! Thankfully, it has a double zipper, and I manage to get it closed. I catch a whiff of throw up as I finish zipping up my suitcase that results in another round of thimble head washing. When I'm done, it is almost time to start boarding my connecting flight.

Once on the plane, I turn on the air above my head to full blast, attempting to confuse those around me as to the origin of the lovely aroma now wafting about. I begin journaling this stinky adventure until my battery dies. When I arrive home, Melanie greets me with great hesitance (I called her to give her an advance warning). I unseal the bag, dump everything out on the driveway and power wash it with the hose. I take a nice hot shower, sit down and finish writing this story.

It would be nice if there was some really deep and meaningful spiritual principle that one could discern from an experience such as this. I don't know what it is, but for me, just processing through it in writing makes it a little less traumatic. Maybe, it will actually be good for a laugh or two, or make it into one of my sermons. For now, however, it is simply the World's Worst Travel Experience!

Most Influential Reads In My Library ...

2010-02-11T14:53:00.001-08:00

Okay. Melanie gave me a Porter Cable six-gallon air compressor with two nail guns for Christmas. The day after Christmas, I made the trek to Home Depot and bought wood to begin working on her Christmas present in return. Six weeks later, my project was complete! Here's a picture. It started out simple, but after looking at more and more pictures, the design became much more complex. By the way, I didn't make the doors. My router broke, so I mail ordered them.

Anyway, it was fun putting all my books in one place and I realized that I have a fairly substantial library. Here's an overview of what's on the shelves. The lists are not in any particular order, I'm just perusing. Also, most of these books were obtained since moving to Little Rock. At various points, we've cleared out tons of books between moves.

Bibles:

Large Print NASB (my preaching Bible!), Key Word Study Bible, NIV/The Message Parallel Bible, The Comparative Study Bible, The MacArthur Study Bible, NIV Study Bible, Narrated Bible, The Mosaic Holy Bible (New Living Translation), The Amplified Bible, The Open Bible, A New Scofield Reference, and The Way (Living Bible -- one of my first Bibles, circa 1970's).

Study Resources:

MacArthur New Testament Commentaries (27 Volumes), Vine's Expository, Word Study Greek-English NT, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, Zondervan Topical Bible, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Systematic Theology (Grudem), an assortment of various hard and soft cover commentaries (45 titles).

Most Influential Nonfiction: These books have either changed my thinking, have led to some important change in behavior, or have simply provided deep insight that I greatly appreciated.

Swindoll, Great Lives From God's Word series; volumes on David, Elijah and Joseph.

Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

Allender, Leading with a Limp (insightful guide to pastoral leadership)

Allender, Wounded Heart (insightful guide to understanding abuse)

London, Pastors At Greater Risk

Stanley, Communicating For A Change

Chang, The Chinese in America

DeYmaz, Building a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church

Susek, Firestorm: Preventing and Overcoming Church Conflicts

Jackson, Heroes in Black History

Swenson, Margin

Gardner, Torn Asunder: Recovering From Extramarital Affairs

Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

Bounds, The Complete Works of EM Bounds on Prayer

Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

Most enjoyable fiction: McMurtry, Dead Man's Walk (prequel to Lonesome Dove).

Most heart wrenching story: Ilibagiza, Left to Tell (story of Rwandan genocide)

Most intriguing book that I own, but have not read: Lawson, Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians (1911).

More than personal books:

Cheng, Guang Hua Medical College and Holt Cheng (The story of my Grandfather)

Baker, Li, & Boyce, CMOS Circuit Design, Layout and Simulation (my first geek book!)

Li, A Noniterative DC Analysis Program for Analog Integrated Circuits (my dissertation)

DeYmaz, Li, Ethnic Blends (just released!)

Oldest Book: Delitzsch, Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews (vol 1), 1868.

Most turned to books (apart from a Bible or commentary):

Grudem, Systematic Theology
Swindoll, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart (1001 Sermon Illustrations)

Most humorous book: Uncle John's Absolutely Absorbing Bathroom Reader

Biggest nontheological book: Martha Stewart, Homekeeping Handbook (Melanie's)

Largest topical sections:
Theological Resources (commentaries, dictionaries, etc)
Marriage & Family
Pastoral Development (how to be a better shepherd!)
Ethnic and Culture
Discipleship
Apologetics

Electronics: Samsung 26" LN450 LCD HDTV.

Faith Clarifies Sovereignty

2009-07-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Solitude. There are times when I crave it, never more than when I left for vacation back on the 10th of July. Being the husband of a wonderful wife, the father of three active daughters, and a pastor of a growing church leaves little extended down time.

We headed east about 1000 miles and met some of Melanie's family at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We had fantastic days on the beach with highs in the upper 80's and a 5-10 mph consistent breeze almost every day. The Atlantic's water temperature was perfect.

One morning in particular was bliss. Melanie had taken her mom out shopping, all three of my girls were body surfing with their Uncle Bob's family (everybody should have an Uncle Bob, by the way), leaving me all alone on the beach for quite a long time. I donned my headphones, started listening to some classical guitar music, and took a barefooted stroll in the surf up and down the beach in both directions.

One can't help but become reflective as one looks into the vastness of the ocean while listening to classical guitar music. I don't know how far I walked, or even how long I was gone. All I know is that I thoroughly enjoyed every second.

After I got back to my beach chair, I kept processing the thought I had written about a week before as I wrote about prayer. Three simple words kept ringing in my head: faith clarifies sovereignty. My father-in-law prompted my thinking with a discussion of land prices on Myrtle Beach. A friend of his had purchased a couple of acres many years ago that grew to many times its initial worth. "Hindsight is always 20:20," he said.

Hindsight is always 20:20, but the Christian version of that saying is essentially, "Faith clarifies sovereignty." You see, faith requires both foresight and hindsight. Foresight is needed to propel us into the unknown, to see what others cannot, to hope where others have yet to dream. But hindsight is also needed to build a substantive case that moves us with conviction to act on the things not seen (Heb 11:1). When I look back over the course of my life, I see His hand intervening on so many levels, protecting, encouraging, convicting, promising, sustaining me.

What do you see when you look back? Virtually every person can see the trail of His hand throughout their life if they'll only look for them. If you don't see them, put on the lenses of faith, and those things that used to leave you scratching your head in wonder will become the foundational building blocks of who God has shaped you to be today.

I look back, and I see everything that happened in my life coalescing around God's call in my life to be a shepherd of His people. It is crystal clear to me. Not one major life experience has been wasted in His patient, progressive revelation to me as His child. He is 100% efficient. All the good, the bad and the ugly were used to get me where He needed me to be. The exciting thing is that He's not done, God willing.

So keep moving forward. The more you step out in faith, the more clear His sovereign hand becomes behind you. Your faith will clarify His sovereignty. As my friend Bill Smith has reminded me, God gives us the privilege to stand at the side of the tapestry and peek around to see the finished side. As a pastor, I get a sneak peek of the beautiful tapestry that He weaves in so many situations. If you look, you can see them too; just look through your faith colored glasses.

Two Common Questions About Prayer ...

2009-07-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

(These two questions about prayer were originally written for the 2009 CityFest Prayer Team email newsletter. We are forming a database of 1000 prayer intercessors for this Fall's Central Arkansas CityFest with Luis Palau that will serve the Body of Christ long after the festival is over. If you would like to join the database, please send an email to Judy Best at judy@prayeradventures.com. Thank you for praying!)

I. Why Pray if God Already Knows?

Many of us, if we were really honest with ourselves, have probably struggled with this question. The answer? God has sovereignly willed certain things to occur only when we pray. Events are ordained to happen because you and I simply ask Him. There are things He wants to accomplish in, through and around you, that will eternally affect your family, church, workplace and city ... all because we choose to pray. (James 4:2, Luke 11:9-13, James 5:17-18)

Another important truth to understand is that God, in His merciful wisdom, created prayer as one of the primary mediums of communication (in both directions) between His infinite being and our finite humanity. With Christ in your life, He expects a very real, dynamic, intimate relationship with YOU. Such a relationship will only grow so deep without proper prayer. (Ps 27:14, Ps 38:15, Is 50:4, John 15:7, 1 John 1:9)

So why pray if He already knows? Why talk to your children if you already know what they are going through? Why listen to their hearts if you already know their situation? ... Get the picture? In those tender moments, we, as the parent, are able to speak into our children's lives. Our Heavenly Father desires to do the same thing with us.

II. Why Didn't God Answer My Prayers?

We've probably all prayed earnestly for things that didn't pan out the way we desired. Even as a pastor, I have been left bewildered with many unanswered questions, especially when I see situations go the opposite way that I had been praying. Others still are left frustrated with God, and the unanswered prayer is used to form a wedge between them and God: a reason to doubt God instead of believe in Him.

I was reminded recently on several fronts why God allows these things to happen. I want to share them with you.

A seemingly unanswered prayer does not mean God is not working. I've seen recently how quickly God can change a despairing situation from one of hopelessness to one of hope. His sovereign hand continues to work long after my last prayer has been prayed; a lost sheep comes home, a heart breaks and runs to those that have loved them well, a phone call or a letter from someone unexpected that changes everything. Things can change on a dime because God is at work, even though we can't see it. His timing is simply not our timing. (Col 4:2, 1 Thess 5:17)

His glory is always first, our comfort second. God continues to use His children in the worst of circumstances, so that others will sit up and take notice of the hope that is within us. Someone understands their need for Christ through a tragedy; others want for themselves what they have seen in the life of the one who believes; the gospel is sown in the life of an unbeliever through a powerful testimony of faith through adversity. Faith exhibited in the midst of trials is like a magnet to those who possess no hope, and many times that is the answer to our prayers. (Matt 5:14-16, 1 Pet 1:6-7)

He uses those times to deepen our faith. When we trust Him through those times He doesn't appear to be working, and then see the power of His sovereign hand in the end, our faith is dredged out into a deep channel of trust. Our faith is refined to a high degree of purity on the other side of perseverance. (James 1:2-4)

God weaves the tapestry. From the other side, all we see are disconnected threads starting and stopping at random places; questions unanswered, mysteries yet to be revealed. But from Heaven's side, God sees the beautiful, big picture and wants us to keep praying, believing, trusting, and hoping in Him. Our faith clarifies His sovereignty, because as you look back in time, you can't help but see His righteous right hand at work. Allow those mysterious times to be used to draw you toward Him instead of away from Him, to push you towards hope, instead of away from it, towards life instead of death. You won't regret it. Keep praying!

Caught In The Middle Of A Legacy

2009-06-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

Note: I found this article the other day, originally published in 2004, in the Asian American Reporter, a local Little Rock publication. The issue featured a front page story on my family history similar to the "The Family History," which I chronicled and posted here in July 2008. I followed up the front page story with this guest editorial. I thought it was appropriate as we head into Father's Day weekend. The family tree is provided. I'm highlighted by the circle five generations from the top (click to enlarge).

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Leg•a•cy, {lehg e see} n.; 1. Something immaterial, as a style or philosophy, that is passed from one generation to another.

Hopefully, you have enjoyed reading about a part of my legacy as it has been traced from generations back to the present day. I stand amazed at the significance of it all as the tapestry of events surrounding generation after generation is weaved over 150 years, six generations and two continents. It is indeed a wonderful masterpiece of which I am thankful to be a part.

There were so many pioneers in my lineage and many stories that need to be retold. Two of my great, great grandfathers on my mother’s side, Senn Wai Tong and Lee Wuen Juen, were some of the first converts to Christianity in rural China in the 1850’s. My great grandfather, Lee Tsai Leong, was one of the first Chinese church planters in the Bay Area in the late 1800’s, planting the Chinese Independent Baptist Churches of San Francisco and Oakland (both are still in existence today!).

My grandfather, Holt A. Cheng, was the first Chinese doctor licensed in the state of California in 1904. He later returned to China to found the first medical school that practiced western medicine, was administered and taught by an all Chinese faculty, and was the first to admit women. Each was a tremendous trailblazer and possessed great depth of faith in God even in the face of significant racism that existed in early 1900 America. Asian children were banned from attending white schools, and Asians were not even able to own land in California. Somehow, in the midst of such opposition, my forefathers were able to break the dividing walls that others had not been willing or able to conquer.

Each understood the value of giving up what seemed like a great amount for the greater good. Lee Tsai Leong gave up a medical practice in China to become a pastor in California. Holt Cheng never took a single penny of compensation for serving as the Guang Hua Medical School’s dean for over 20 years! They each counted the cost and discovered a cause that was greater than their own desire for material possessions, prestige or position, and even the need for security.

A famous Christian missionary once penned, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” As a pastor and a minister of the gospel of Christ, I fully believe that is a trustworthy statement. The pioneers before me denied themselves many things but discovered the importance of that which is eternal and lives from generation to generation.

Now it’s my turn, taking what was handed down and building on the precious gift that was given to me. I marvel at the orchestration of it all. How is it that such a legacy was left for me? Even more importantly, what will I pass down to the next generation or even the next? What will be said of me 150 years from now?

It puzzles a lot of people, Asians in particular, that I was willing to leave a comfortable and respected position as a university professor in a high demand field to become a pastor of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas, a church committed to ministering to all people in the heart of the deep South; a church committed to breaking dividing walls. Hopefully, as you read about those who preceded me, not only will you only understand why I chose to become a pastor here in Little Rock, but you’ll be convinced of the responsibility we all have to affect and influence those who follow.

My hope is that my children’s children will have plenty of stories to tell about their grandfather.

Bruce Morgan Story

2009-05-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

Bruce Morgan understands hardship. For over 10 years, he has been living and surviving on the streets of Little Rock. Since he started attending Mosaic, Bruce has given us perspective on trusting God to meet his daily needs.

“Though I am homeless, I know that I will always find another meal or a place to sleep at night. But what I find at Mosaic that is so difficult to find anywhere else, is a warm smile and friendly handshake,” Bruce says.

Not without tragedy, Bruce has suffered much loss, including his wife and his four year old son to a tragic car wreck in 1993, and a year later his 13 year old daughter to a rare blood disease. In 1996, Bruce was robbed, brutally beaten and left for dead. His cracked skull required 140 stitches and delicate brain surgery. The lingering effects from that attack still plague him today.

In spite of his physical needs, Bruce continues to challenge us all with his simple faith. One Sunday morning, after Mark DeYmaz challenged the men and women of Mosaic to live by faith in the midst of the economic turmoil, Bruce came forward and handed him $1.72, all the money he possessed. We were astounded as we witnessed an inspirational, modern day example of the story of the Widow’s mite found in the Gospels. A mite was the smallest coin back in the time of Jesus and represented all the widow possessed.

Scott Davis, a long time Mosaic, has helped Bruce seek medical treatment for a recent bout with pneumonia and an impending double hernia operation that will take place any day now. “I found out that Bruce is a Veteran. He served two tours in Vietnam,” says Scott. “We’re trying to determine if he has some VA benefits that he is not taking advantage of, but there’s a lot of paperwork that has to be tracked down.”

Bill Smith, Mosaic's Pastor of Counseling, relates a story in which Bruce excitedly approached him because he had found three cents in the parking lot. Bruce explained to Bill, “Did you know that you can get breakfast at McDonalds for 64 cents? When I woke up this morning, I had 61 cents, and I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just start walking to McDonalds and see what God does.’ And Jesus, Jesus, Jesus right there on the parking lot was three pennies. Just think of it—three cents, just what I needed—right there. Then when I got to McDonalds I met a guy I knew from Vietnam. He is going to pick me up and take me to Denny’s tomorrow for a Grand Slam breakfast. Isn’t God good, Bill, isn’t God good?”

Pray for Bruce as he undergoes his surgery and pray that the paperwork for his VA benefits would be completed and accepted.

BLESSINGS FROM GOD ...

2009-05-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't want God's blessings! Here are the results of my study this week on 'blessed are those are who {FILL IN THE BLANK}', listed in order by the number of times repeated. The most repeated blessing (Who comes in the name of the Lord), is directly referring to Christ. After that, however, is a rather long list of things we can and should do to be on the receiving end of His blessings!

BE BLESSED!

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BLESSED ARE THOSE:

WHO COME IN THE NAME OF THE LORD (7 refs)
Ps. 118:26, Matt. 21:9, Matt. 23:39, Mark 11:9, Luke 19:38, John 12:13, Luke 13:35

WHO OBEY (6 refs)
Prov. 8:32, Ps. 119:1, Ps. 119:2, Is. 56:2, Luke 11:28, Rev. 1:3, Rev. 22:7

WHO ARE READY WHEN HE RETURNS (5 refs)
Matt. 24:46, Luke 12:37, Luke 12:38, Luke 12:43, Rev. 16:15

WHO TRUST IN THE LORD (4 refs)
Ps. 40:4, Ps. 84:12, Prov. 16:20, Jer. 17:7

WHOSE SINS ARE FORGIVEN (4 refs)
Ps. 32:1, Ps. 32:2, Rom. 4:7, Rom. 4:8

WHO ENTER HEAVEN (4 refs)
Luke 14:15, Rev. 14:13, Rev. 19:9, Rev. 22:14

WHO FEAR THE LORD (3 refs)
Ps. 112:1, Ps. 128:1, Prov. 28:14

WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR CHRIST’S SAKE (3 refs)
Matt. 5:10, Matt. 5:11, Luke 6:22

WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM (2 refs)
Ps. 34:8, Ps. 2:12

WHO ARE RECEPTIVE TO CHRIST (2 refs)
Matt. 11:6, Luke 7:23

WHOSE GOD IS THE LORD (2 refs)
Ps. 33:12, Ps. 144:15

WHO ARE HUMBLE (2 refs)
Matt. 5:3, Luke 6:20

WHO ARE BROKEN (2 refs)
Matt. 5:4, Luke 6:21

WHO HUNGER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 refs)
Matt. 5:6, Luke 6:21

WHO ARE MEEK
Matt. 5:5

WHO ARE MERCIFUL
Matt. 5:7

WHO ARE PURE IN HEART
Matt. 5:8

WHO ARE PEACEMAKERS
Matt. 5:9

WHO PERSEVERE UNDER TRIAL
James 1:12

WHO AVOID BEING TAINTED BY THE SIN OF OTHERS
Ps. 1:1

WHO HELP THE HELPLESS
Psa. 41:1

WHO ARE CHOSEN OF GOD
Ps. 65:4

WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN HIM
Ps. 84:5

WHO ARE DISCIPLINED BY GOD
Ps. 94:12

WHO HAVE A LOT OF CHILDREN
Ps. 127:5

WHOM GOD HELPS
Ps. 146:5

WHO FIND WISDOM
Prov. 3:13

WHO BLESS GOD
Num. 24:9

WHO DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
Ps. 84:4

WHO KNOW HOW TO WORSHIP
Ps. 89:15

WHO KEEP JUSTICE
Ps. 106:3

WHO ARE THE SONS OF THOSE WHO WALK IN INTEGRITY
Prov. 20:7

WHO LONG FOR GOD
Is. 30:18

WHO HAVE FAITH IN JESUS
John 20:29

A Most Poignant Illustration ...

2009-05-18T20:50:00.001-07:00

The names of the homeless were changed in this story.

Steven Weathers, one of Mosaic’s Teaching Pastors, and I pray regularly with a congregation of homeless men and women that gather daily in our parking lot. Many attend Mosaic regularly and have name tags awaiting them each Sunday; others come in for food and clothes, offered twice weekly. Cesar Ortega, our Pastor of Community Development, has really led the way in developing good relationships with those in the community, by providing a welcoming environment for those seeking help in a variety of areas.

About six months ago, we started engaging the parking lot group through prayer and have since come to know many of the members of the homeless community living around our church. On most days, a half-dozen or more men and women hang out under a sliver of trees on the edge of our property. Usually, as we approach, the group scurries to shuffle bottles, cans and other questionable items out of sight from "the pastors."

Slowly but surely, we have seen God at work in their lives. They have become more and more receptive to the truth of the gospel and the realization of their own lost condition. Each day, we pray that God would continue to draw them to Himself.

As I was about to leave Mosaic on Monday, I stopped by and greeted three men and two women. One of the guys had a large, tattered Bible by his side and upon seeing me, pulled it out and started flipping through the pages.

“What are we going to read, Pastor?” Mike asked. “I brought my Bible with me today because I knew you would be coming out to pray with us.”

I hadn’t thought too much about a passage to teach. Steven and I printed out an outline of all the stories that Jesus told in the gospels and taped it up on the outside of his cubicle. Our plan was to go through them one by one, but it's usually hit or miss on how closely we actually follow it. I just blurted out, “Turn to Matthew chapter five, Mike.” The Sermon on the Mount continues to be one of my favorite passages of scripture. God has used this passage over and over throughout the years as a passage that communicates the gospel with clarity.

Mike had a little trouble finding it, but with a little help, began reading the first ten verses. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”

“Stop right there, Mike,” I interrupted. “So what does it mean to be poor in spirit and why do you think Christ said that you would be blessed?” We bantered around some answers and had some fairly good discussion. They understood that it meant not thinking too highly of oneself. I told them I would explain why someone would be considered blessed in this condition after we finished with the list.

And on it went ... “Blessed are the those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who are meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” However, with each beatitude, the discussion degenerated and became more and more disjointed. They were quickly losing focus. Asking philosophical questions to a group of hard-living, street men and women resulted in a swarm of opinions and stories. Getting everyone to focus was a lot like herding cats!

There were many interpretations about meekness and how life on the streets made it difficult to be gentle. 'Blessed are those that mourn' had little connection with conviction or brokenness and instead was thought to be associated with the sadness one felt because of the harshness of life. I was beginning to think that I had been a little too ambitious in teaching the deeper meaning of the beatitudes, at least on this day, to these guys. I was about to give up, when it happened.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” read Mike. How was I going to explain that one? I struggled to think of a way that wouldn’t lead to any more self-philosophizing, bunny trails.

Just then, one of the ladies brought out a bottle of hard liquor wrapped in a nondescript paper bag and started to drink it. “Tammy,” another in the group berated her, “Don’t you know better than to drink in front of the pastor?!” She paused in mid-sip and out of the corner of her eye, looked at me rather sheepishly.

I appreciated the respect with which Mike saw my position as pastor, but replied, “You don’t have to hide things from me, Tammy. Don't worry about it." And just then, the inspiration came to me.

“Do you guys understand what the previous verse said, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness’? What it means is that just as Tammy thirsts for what’s in the bottle, God wants you to thirst for Him; desire Him. The craving that Tammy's body has for the alcohol in her hand, is the same craving God wants you to have for Him and His righteousness.”

There was no discussion on this point. Everybody understood it with great clarity. The group grew strangely reflective, especially, Tammy. I then went on to explain how the beatitudes simply described a person who would readily accept Christ; and that Jesus was the only way that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness could be satisfied. I started to explain one more beatitude, but knew it was time to quit. God had given me a most poignant illustration for the day. There would be another time.

As we normally do, we gathered in a circle and all held hands for closing prayer. I prayed passionately that God would reveal the truth of His word and that each would become dissatisfied with their life until they became desperate to know Him. And then I walked away knowing that God had brought them yet another step closer, all in His perfect timing.

Keep praying for those guys if you think about it. God is at work, indeed!

FOR TRIP INFO, START HERE FIRST!

2008-07-21T07:27:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a trip! And what a job it was to write everything down. Even though I journaled almost every day and took over 1000 photos, it was good to rehash and reflect on the trip. In very classic style, I have provided you with way too much information on this blog, but at least you can pick and choose at your leisure.

All the article titles can be found in the left column. Click on any one to go to it directly. If you want to read everything in the order it was written, scroll your way down to the bottom of the page and work your way up. I tried to write the articles so that collectively, they would be enlightening, educational and entertaining.

Here's a synopsis of each Article:

Basic Itinerary: Self explanatory.

The Family History: Attempts to tie a lot of stories about my family in the context of the history of modern China. By far, the longest article on this blog.

Top Eight Mystery Food Items: As seen on real menus and food packaging!

Top Seven Impressions of China: Through the eyes of yours truly.

By The Numbers: Interesting data about our trip and this mysterious country.

Why Here, Why Now?: The necessity of blogging.

Have fun!

Basic Itinerary

2008-07-17T13:29:00.001-07:00

The trip went as follows:

We flew into Guangzhou (Southern). Spent four days visiting relatives on my mom's side of the family and visiting the my grandfather's birthplace, the house my great grandfather built, the medical school that my grandfather started, and the cemetery containing the graves of my great, great grandfather. We also did some sightseeing and some shopping.

Next, we flew into Beijing (Northern) and played tourist for three days and visited the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall, attended the Peking Opera, and, of course, did some shopping.

We then flew into Huangshan (One hour flight southwest of Shanghai) and visited the Yellow Mountains. Accessible by foot, you have to take a cable car, then hike for an hour to get to the hotel -- no roads! All food is hand carried through the use of porters, highly muscular Chinese men that carry hundreds of pounds of noodles, soft drinks and meat up on their back. It is an amazingly beautiful place.

Shanghai (East Coast) was our last stop, where we attended a showing of the famous Shanghai Acrobats before spending our remaining time with my dad's side of the family. Two days before we arrived one of my aunts passed away (my dad's oldest sister). We visited her home and paid our respects. Then we had a large family reunion atop one of Shanghai's many skyscrapers.

The Family History

2008-07-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

I remember hearing stories as a child. Stories about distant people in a faraway land in a time that had no meaning or relevance to me. The memories were always mysterious. Who were those people? I knew they were some how related to me, that I should some how care, but life was full of important things like football and baseball, Roy Rogers and Batman.

My mom and dad were some of the first Asians to arrive in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1955. Each arrived circuitously from vastly different parts of China. So different, that each one's dialect of Chinese was unintelligible by the other. Yet, it was naturally assumed when they met that of course they would get married. My brother, Walter, was born in 1956, my sister, Lily, in1958 and when I, as the baby of the family came along in 1960, our family was complete, just in time to march into the turbulent decade of race riots, assassinations, hippies and the war in Vietnam. So maybe as a child, when I did hear all those stories about a faraway land, it interested me, but life was so confusing already, that it didn't "stick". I simply was not ready to understand what life had handed down to me and my focus was simply to make sense out of the life surrounding me.

Well, now it all makes sense. I understand the significance of the stories. I know who all the people are. I stood in their homes, ate with their families and I heard the stories from their own lips. I am deeply grateful for what I have been handed.

Prior to the Communist Revolution, China's government was weak as the Imperialistic government (Emperor rule) began fading in power. The industrial revolution had left China behind and the country was ripe for exploitation. In the late 1800's, the British forced China into a series of lopsided trade agreements, including the open importation of Opium from other British Colonies, stiff tariffs and taxes, and claiming the rocky island that became Hong Kong as their sovereign territory. When the weak Chinese government tried to protest, the British attacked their port cities and pummeled the country into submission.

My Mom's Side of The Family
The Gold Rush (1840s) and the Transcontinental Railroad (1860s) drew hundreds of thousands of Chinese to America, mostly from the Guangdong Province, home of what is now called Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton). During this period, two of my maternal great, great grandfathers were born and became some of the first converts by Baptist missionaries in the Guangdong countryside. The gospel transformed both of their lives. Lee Wuen Juen had a son, and Senn Wai Tong, a daughter, and so the two new Christian converts arranged a marriage. The son, Lee Tsai Leong, my great grandfather, desired to be a Pastor in the US, and with his young wife and five children, they set sail to America in 1896. How unusual it was back then for an entire family to immigrate to the US.

The picture shown on the right was used as their passport photo. My grandmother, Edna Rachel Lee, is the little girl on the far left. By the way, in China, the surname is always put first. Lee Tsai Leong would be known as Tsai Leong Lee in America. This added a lot of confusion once immigrants from China arrived in America, depending on which immigration officer processed the paperwork! Some families ended up with entirely new names upon entry into the US. I switch between these two formats throughout this article almost at will, but you should intuitively know which is what.

After several years in Chicago, the Lee family, made their way back to the Bay Area where Reverend Lee Tsai Leong planted the first two autonomous Chinese Baptist Churches in San Francisco and Oakland in 1904 and 1906, respectively. Both churches still exist to this day!

By 1906, the Lee family consisted of nine children! The oldest daughter, Edna Rachel Lee (my grandmother) grew into a lovely young lady and began attracting suitors. An enterprising, young man named Holt Cheng began courting her. Holt, also born in the Guangdong Province, had stowed away as a 14 year old boy on a US bound steamer in 1892. He and his cousin were kicked off the ship in Hilo, Hawaii where he eventually started a grocery business that grew into one of the largest grocery stores in the city. Wanting to study medicine in the a US medical school, ambitious Holt sold his grocery store and moved to California in 1900, where he managed to enroll into the San Francisco College of Physicians and Surgeons. In 1904, he became the first Chinese licensed medical doctor in the state of California.

Dr. Holt Cheng and Edna Rachel Lee married in 1910 and returned to Guangzhou. A ferry boat incident occurred in which a Chinese man was beaten to death by a foreigner. The British controlled medical establishment ruled that the man's death was accidental. A local uproar ensued and my grandfather and a handful of colleagues were moved to start the first Western medical school that was run by an all Chinese faculty and staff. It later became the Guang Hua (Beautiful China) Medical School. My grandfather served as the first Dean of the school for over 20 years and never took a paycheck for his work. He and Edna had six children, including my mother, Gilda Cheng (their youngest daughter).

Reverend Lee Tsai Leong returned back to China around 1920 and continued to pastor and teach seminary. His first wife died shortly after returning to Guangzhou and he remarried and had seven more children. He built a grand house for its time in the Guangzhou countryside with a magnificent rooftop terrace that overlooked the farmlands. The house still stands today and is now swallowed up on all sides by high rise apartment and office buildings!

China was struggling to find itself from around 1912 all the way through the official birth of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Sun Yat Sen, considered the Father of China, had limited success unifying the country and calling for the people to revolt against the Imperialists. His successor, Chiang Kai Shek was able to secure portions of the country, but became bitter rivals with the growing Communist party movement, headed by Mao Zedong. Both would struggle for years, even though they fought temporarily against a common enemy during the Japanese invasion that preceded World War II. Mao eventually gained control of most of the country and forced Chiang Kai Shek to flee to an outlying island off the coast of China where he formed the country of Taiwan.

My Dad's Side of the Family
In 1920, my father, Wen Han Li, was born in the outskirts of Shanghai. His father died when he was just five years old, leaving behind his 29 year old mother with four young daughters and my dad, the lone boy. They lived a difficult and destitute life and worked incredibly hard with one goal in mind: to see my dad through the best schools. Every sister helped take care of my dad so that he could study. They all told stories of how motivated he was and how hard he worked in his studies. They collectively put my dad through one of one of the best colleges in Shanghai (St. Johns University).

The picture above is the one and only photo we have of my dad and sisters as children (circa 1925).

Upon graduation, my dad started a chemical company with three friends making matches. Discovering that he needed even more education, he studied extremely hard to receive a prestigious scholarship that allowed him to attend a university in the US. Though most of his expenses were paid, it still required that the entire family sacrifice to send him to America. In 1947, my dad arrived in the US with one suit and $500 in his pocket and initially began studying Petroleum Engineering, but switched to Chemical Engineering after discovering how expensive it was to drill for oil.

The Birth of the People's Republic of China
In 1949, as soon as my dad graduated from the University of Michigan with his Masters, Mao Zedong, declared the birth of the People's Republic. The entire country was in thrown into turmoil and my dad was cut off from his family. There were 5000 students from China enrolled in US universities at this time. The US government granted them all Permanent Resident status.

Throughout the 1950's, Mao implemented his Great Leap Forward plan, which formed collectives throughout the countryside. Poor quality steel was produced in backyard smelters at all cost, leaving crops to rot in their fields. People starved. It was estimated that 30 million people died of famine and that much of the country was malnourished by the early 1960's. Birthrates plunged.

The Li Family Is Born
Back in America, because my dad could not return home, he completed his Ph.D. from Georgia Tech (my alma mater!). He then accepted his one and only job with the Dupont Corporation in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he met a young Cantonese woman who had just graduated from Furman University named Gilda Cheng. Gilda was Holt and Edna's youngest daughter. Holt died in the 1940s and Edna passed away in the 1950s while living in Hong Kong. All of my mom's brothers and sisters made it out of China before the revolution and were already living throughout the US.

My dad was never able to see his mother again. There was an attempt to bring her to America, but the government wouldn't allow her to leave the country after discovering her failing health. He was able to get letters through and every once in a while was able to connect by phone. One sister told of the story that in the last phone conversation between my dad and his mom, that she simply heard the word, "Ma" (mother) on the other end of the phone and cried so hard that she could not speak a word during the entire conversation. His mother died in 1959, one year before I was born. All his sisters married and had lots of children.

The Cultural Revolution of the 1960s
Back in China, the dismal results of the Great Leap Forward greatly weakened Mao's power base. Out of desperation, he called on the common class to revolt and to purify China's culture from all liberal ideology. The Red Guard's mission was to purge the country of the Four Olds: Old Culture, Old Customs, Old Habits and Old Ideas. It threw the country into a virtual civil war. Children were encouraged to turn in their parents. Intellectuals were forced to the country side where they were "reeducated." Many of China's historical and cultural relics were burned to ashes. In 1966, Mao officially ordered the Red Guard to stop all police action.

Many family members on both sides of my family suffered harm during the Cultural Revolution. On my mom's side, Reverend Lee's oldest daughter, Lai Ying, (my great aunt) told how how her children were taken away for seven years and how two of her sons managed to escape to freedom by swimming across the river to Hong Kong. The Red Guard converged on their house and burned all writings of her father (the pastor!), all books and virtually all family artifacts.

Behind my dad's house in Shanghai, there stood a small building that was filled with scrolls containing family records going back many, many generations. Once a year, the family would unfurl the documents in the sun to allow them to air out. During the Cultural Revolution, everything was completely destroyed. Many of my relatives were sent to the work farms for re-education, and it did not help that my father had left Shanghai, was highly educated, and now living in the US.

The Guang Hua Medical school that Holt Cheng started was combined with two other medical schools in Guangzhou and renamed the Sun Yat Sen University of Medical Sciences. The statue that was erected in Holt's honor was torn down and destroyed. His picture, which hung in the main Administration building, was torn down. An anonymous person managed to salvage the picture and smuggle it to the US where it was given to Holt's youngest son, Dr. Homer Cheng (my uncle).

It took many years for the actions of the Cultural Revolution to die down. Some believe it did not officially end until the mid 1970's. Richard Nixon's visit in 1972 marked the beginning of the new era in China's openness. My dad, now a US citizen, was one of the first Chinese to return to his homeland in 1974. He had a joyous reunion with his four sisters. Mao died in 1976 and his main successor, Deng Xiaoping, is largely credited for beginning China's capitalist reforms and opening up the country even more. My dad brought the entire family back in 1978, when I was just 17 years old. He retired early and spent the rest of his life going back and forth to China as a textile consultant. In 1987 he received one of the country's highest honors, Foreign Expert, where we was received by the Premiere himself.

Modern Day
In 2002, the Dental College of the Sun Yat Sen University of Medical Sciences was renamed back to the Guang Hua school of Stomotology, in honor of my grandfather, Dr. Holt Cheng. A bronze bust was sculpted and placed in the school's library along with a wonderful display that chronicled the original school's history. One of the highlights of the trip was gathering my entire family around this bust for pictures and touring the state-of-the-art medical facilities, impressive by any standard.

Another highlight of the trip was when the 12 of us sat in the house my great grandfather built in the 1920's with my great aunt (see slide show). We encouraged all our daughters to ask questions about growing up with Rev. Lee Tsai Leong. We then went to the cemetery and saw the headstones of one my great, great grandfathers (Lee Wuen Juen) who was one of the first believers in our family. Since the Christian cemetery was located outside the city, and by God's grace, it escaped the destruction of the Red Guard.

When we got to Shanghai, we heard many of the stories about my dad for the first time. We shot video, took pictures and made notes of what was said. One of the reasons I am taking the time to write this blog is so that it will be recorded and disseminated. I had a very hard time maintaining my composure when I saw my two remaining aunts for the first time in 30 years. They reminded me so much of my dad. They kept telling us (my brother, sister and I) how much we reminded them of my dad. I went to the restroom and cried.

Little Rock, Arkansas
It's difficult to express how I feel as I comprehend the richness of my heritage, the sacrifices that many of my relatives made for their loved ones and how I am the direct beneficiary of it all. I cannot imagine how disappointing it must of have been for my dad's side of the family when he was not able to return home. It is even more difficult knowing the depth of family that I have there, yet possessing only a shallow knowledge about any of them. How different life would be if I had been born in China. I must ultimately leave it into the hands of our wonderfully sovereign God, who knew every event that was going to happen to my family before time began.

So that's it! If you've made it this far, you know a lot about my family. My Uncle Homer just completed a massive book about his father, Dr. Holt Cheng. It is being printed in China as we speak. Others in our family are working very hard at documenting and preserving this history. My hope is the one day these stories will become as much a part of my daughter's lives as they have become to mine. I know the stories. I sat in their homes and heard about the people in the stories. It is no longer a mystery to me. It is what has been handed down to me.

Top Eight Mystery Food Items

2008-07-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Real food items found in print, but not necessarily eaten!

8. "Piquancy Flavor" Potato Chips (We think this meant pepper flavor)

7. Lrritable Scalloped Kidney (Your kidney would be Lrritable, too, if it was scalloped)

6. Explodes Fried Beef Bean (Watch out for that first bite!)

5. The Licken Cooks Egg (It's why the licken crossed the road)

4. Fries The Chicken Intentnal Organs (Most parts are intentnally edible, aren't they?)

3. Explodes The Dried Bean (If you survive the first bite, watch out for the second!)

2. Jixified Powder (CAUTION: Do not under any circumstances, mix with item #3!)

1. The Daily Family Activity (Use your own imagination to figure out this one)

Top Seven Impressions of China

2008-07-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

7. China is a land of contradictions. How is it possible for communism to coexist with capitalism? Just look on the streets where you'll find BMWs sharing the road with rickshaws, high rises towering over slums and massive modernization juxtaposed with primitive simplicity. Both rampant materialism and extreme poverty are covered by an invisible lid of limited speech. You can pursue virtually any vice known to man, but you are not free to pursue God without restriction.

6. The size of the population is overwhelming. There is a limitless supply of people willing to work for low wages. Day or night, no matter where we were, there were people. Those that have repetitive, tedious factory jobs know that 1. they make orders of magnitude more money than working out in the rice fields and 2. that if they quit, that there will be a thousand people standing in line to take their place.

5. There are forgotten generations. Those who were between 18 and 26 during the Cultural Revolution of the 60's now live a hard life. Their college years were spent rejecting all forms of higher education with many sent to the countryside to work with their hands and to be "re-educated". They are now struggling to find jobs that can support their families and are sacrificing in unbelievable ways to send their only child to the best schools and universities.

4. The Chinese are a superstitious lot. Everywhere we went, there were signs that the Chinese were somewhat spiritual in nature. Tons of money thrown at various spots in temples, tombs, and fountains marked their desperation. Thousands of padlocks were secured on chains on a mountain (see slideshow) to bring good fortune. The cell phone numbers deemed "unlucky" sold for almost 20% less than the phone numbers that could bring about prosperity.

3. China is undergoing a tidal wave of change. The culture is changing at breakneck speed. Smog is present 24/7 in and around Beijing. Skyscrapers under construction span the horizon in every direction. Almost all Western brands are now featured in China's stores from M&Ms, Starbucks, shampoo, clothing, McDonalds and even Harley Davidson. Internet connections are found even in the most remote locations.

2. We live in a global economy. The Chinese umbrellas that we bought at a local Trustmart (China's version of Walmart) for $2.50 US each were found at the Dollar Tree next to Mosaic for $1.00. Some electronics made in China and shipped to America are cheaper to purchase here than there. A recent report on the Discover Channel showed cotton being picked in North Carolina, shipped to China, weaved into extravagant fabric, shipped back to the US, upholstered on high end furniture and then exported back to China for sale in the Ethan Allen stores that are now operating there.

1. My family understands me better. Most fast food restaurants (McDonalds, KFC, etc.) sell corn! I absolutely love corn! The streets are highly crowded, with pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles (economy and luxury), trucks and buses all somehow managing to avoid hitting each other. Nobody runs or makes sudden movements. Everybody anticipates everybody else. It is like an orchestra of movement with nobody conducting. There are surprisingly few accidents of any kind and little, if any, road rage! There are so many homes that look like my desk (cluttered!). The people are gentle and peaceful.

By The Numbers

2008-07-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

1.3 Billion: China's population.

1.2 Billion: The number of Chinese that stared at us where ever we went.

500+: The number of vendors that offered us fake Rolex watches, American DVDs and everything else you can imagine.

80+: Number of family members on both my mom's and dad's side visited.

78: The number of peanut butter crackers on which my daughter Meredith survived during the trip.

70: The going price in Yuan for a Chinese made, knock-off designer handbag (about $10 US).

16: Number of days of our trip from start to finish (June 23 - July 7).

14: The number of dishes served to us with the head still on it (fish, chicken & duck).

13: Number of hours ahead that China is to Little Rock time.

12: Number of family members that went (my mom, my brother, my sister, her husband and three daughters, and my family).

11: The number of family members who were dying to eat at the California Pizza Kitchen in Shanghai (my mom did not accompany us that night).

10: Number of legs of flights: three to get there, three within China and four to get home!

6.8: Number of Chinese Yuan per US Dollar.

4: Number of cities visited (Guangzhou, Beijing, Huangshan and Shanghai).

0: Number of pieces of luggage that got lost at some point along the trip (a miracle!).

Why Here? Why Now?

2008-07-13T04:49:00.001-07:00

Okay, I've come to the conclusion that resistance is futile! I have ignored every "friend request" on Facebook, am very poor at returning text messages and have refused to setup an IM account. For the longest time, I have not had any interest in blogging, though I love to write, journal, reflect my thoughts on paper. On average, when I look at my cell phone, regardless of the time, there are four to six voicemails waiting. Emails come in so quickly that if I don't respond immediately, it gets pushed down the page until I completely forget about it. So, I ask myself, why become even more accessible? It is a question I have wrestled with for years, and today I am dipping my big toe into the water of this self-exposed, self-imposed public arena.

Why? One Sunday morning, I announced to the 400 or so adults in the congregation that my family and I were leaving the next day for a 16 day trip to the People's Republic of China. My mother invited all her children and grandchildren to accompany her to visit family on both sides and to expose our children to the rich heritage that makes up one-half of their DNA. Both my sister and I married Caucasians and we both have three daughters. Since returning, we've been deluged with questions about the trip. I thought about mass emailing out a lengthy reflection on the trip, but that seemed way too inefficient. (Nobody would finish reading it before it got pushed down the page and out of sight.) We've already setup a bunch of dinners, coffees, get togethers with some, but more are sure to come.

So, out of necessity and efficiency (you feel the engineer in me, don't you?). I created my first blog account so that I could reflect thoughts on the trip and anyone could choose to read or not to read. I am a pastor, after all, and if I'm going to publicly announce things that pique the interest of hundreds, I should be willing to supply some kind of medium for which that piqued interest can be satisfied.

There are probably a few other thoughts that will find there way onto these pages not necessarily related to our trip to China, but definitively related to being a pastor. The thoughts are already stacking up in my head. I am a little concerned about where this blog experience is going to take me. I kind of like it, already. Anyway, here goes!