Here are some questions asked by you! Here are some answers to tough questions asked by those who have visited Newsong.

THINGS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE CHURCH

What is Newsong’s view on Multi-Ethnicity?

Q: Why are you so against organized activities with ethnic churches; specifically Korean churches, because I'm sure you're aware of how the second generation embraces multi-ethnicity?  Isn't it a mission field for us to reach out to those ethnic churches in America to model their congregation after Newsong's vision???

A: Actually, I'm not against organized activities with ethnic churches, I believe ethnic churches are important to partner with. In fact, I started an ethnic specific organization called Catalyst that is one of the premier Christian Asian-American organizations in North America. Some churches/groups I've recently (or will in the near future) worked with were/are Bethel Korean Presbyterian Church in Irvine (I just spoke to mostly first generation pastors there), National churches in a large Korean denomination in Houston, JAMA (largest Korean association) in Atlanta this summer and a global Chinese Christian group this summer. As I share I represent our church. We're not only about affirming our identity but going beyond it as well. There's a great read by a Yale scholar named Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace. Also, another good read is a book called Unveiled at Last by Bob Sjogren.

Btw, probably one of the most famous Korean churches in Seoul is our sister church, Onnuri Presbyterian church. They still sponsor me as their missionary.

I'm all for ethnic specific ministry and so is Newsong. Yet, Newsong's personal focus and vision from day one was to be a multi-ethnic expression of God's kingdom. Hence, there is intentionality about becoming more multi-ethnic while affirming our unique ethnic identities. It may be good for you to come to our Newsong connections class where we go into this in-depth. In fact, to be a core member one has to agree to this.

What’s up with the Funky Titles?

Q: Why do your staff members have corporate titles, such as Director of Operations, Social Entrepreneur, etc.  Aren't the staff members (and you) servants rather than business executives?  Moreover, doesn't American democracy separate church and state in order to have a balanced society instead of perpetuating extreme ideology and fanaticism of theocracy like the middle east?  Furthermore, didn't God bless this type of governance when Saul was ordained kingship in the old testament, but most importantly if we are to accept both church and state, didn't Christ teach us not to infuse both entities together but rather to serve God or Money?!?!

A: Yeah, I don't like the corporate titles either. We've had much discussion about this on the staff. I like the idea of making up fun titles. In fact, we're having new cards made up with fun designations that each staff person would like to employ. I used the title of "social entrepreneur" to connect with many corporate businessmen and women I meet regularly. It's more of a conversation starter than a hierarchial thing. I'm repulsed by titles. If you have any suggestions, it would be appreciated. I believe our Newsong culture is certainly not title oriented. The intent of the titles on the website were meant to help people know who to connect with about what. It was a practical delineation certainly not an ego thing. I'm too old for that, bro! I know I'm screwed up!

Regarding the issues of church and state, some would contest that the way church/state is discussed today is not what our fore fathers meant. Theologically, Jesus actually had us to harmonize being in the world but not of it. We're called to obey the government (Romans 13), interact with it, to be salt. My personal belief is that you can't separate the sacred from the secular. Everything is to be sacred to God. As Paul said, "Whether therefore you eat, or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." Sounds pretty holistic to me, an integratrion of our faith and the world/culture/government we live in. While I don't believe in this "moral majority" thing, I do believe we have the responsibility to participate in our local government as conscientious citizens.

Is there an Asian American focus?

Q: Why are we drifting away from an Asian American focus?  Newsong is a definitely a church for ALL misfits, but I believe the biggest misfits in America are Asian Americans.  We are still stereotyped, misrepresented, underrepresented, underpaid, overworked and overqualified not to mention all of the social anxieties from having an identity crisis growing up with tough love in America?!?!  Shouldn't we focus more of our resources on reaching out to the lost asian gangs and immigrants because other minority American churches already have a program in place to nurture their own?!?!

A: For us, it's not an either/or. Scripturally God has called us to do both as evident in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

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LIFESTYLE ISSUES

Can I marry a Non-Christian?

Q: A question was asked about Premarital Counseling in regards to a Christian and a Non-Christian relationship. (Names changed to protect identities.)

A: Thank you so much for taking the initiative to contact me, and to open up your heart on such a personal and important matter. My apologies for not responding sooner.

It seems like your relationship with John is a very serious one, as you are even contemplating marriage at this stage. The closer you get in your romantic relationship the harder it is to be objective, and the easier it is to shift primarily into the emotional and rationalizing mode. Obviously, you care very much for John, and God cares even more for him.

Please allow me to raise a few issues with you. Relationally, if your best Friend is not the best Friend of your second best friend, this is going to be a very painful struggle for you, as your second best friend will probably not desire and enjoy spending time together with your best Friend and His other friends.

Historically, while Christian partners have the best intentions of "converting" their non-Christian partners after marriage, the percentages are low, and the non-Christian partner usually ends up pulling the Christian partner away from the Lord rather than the Christian partner leading their non-Christian partner to the Lord.

Theologically, if two people do not share the basic core values, it is virtually impossible for them to experience true oneness. To develop some of the thoughts that you shared, you believe that Jesus is Lord, and not a lunatic or a liar. If the Bible is accurate, Jesus himself claimed to be the only way to God, the Father (John 14:6), and the Early Church proclaimed that salvation was to be found only in Jesus (Acts 4:12).

To defuse the emotionally charged atmosphere, this claim is not the subjective opinion of narrow-minded, bigoted, fundamentalist Christians, but the claim of Jesus and the teaching of his first followers. Obviously, there are tough related questions of the lostness of the "heathen" and the fairness of God that need to be addressed.

Today, we live in a world of a "do-it-yourself" religion, where we create a god and a religion with which we feel comfortable, and which we like. We create a god in our own image rather than discover God who has revealed Himself through what theologians call natural and special revelation.

John is correct in claiming that one common belief between Islam and Christianity is that each faith believes that there is one god. However, a careful reading of both texts reveal that while there are some superficial similarities, the god of the Koran is fundamentally different from the God of the Bible. Also, for Islam, salvation is not a free gift of grace. I could go on, but you get the general idea for now.

Here's one final thought for now. While he is not specifically addressing the issue of marriage, Paul warns the Corinthian church against the "unequal yoke" (2 Cor 6:14-18). There is a very helpful book written recently by Saddleback Church pastor Lee Strobel and his wife Leslie - "Surviving a Spiritual Mismatch" (Zondervan, 2002).

Fortunately, non-Christian husband Lee eventually became a Christian; but in Part 1 they relate the emotional anguish, the clash of values, and the ongoing conflict that often results when God is really not on the radar screen of a marriage.

Of course, we know that Christians are not immune to divorce because of the hardness of our hearts; but you start at such a greater disadvantage with a spiritually mismatched marriage. Just ask some Christian married women in this situation.

God has created you and me with the natural urge to merge. One key recommendation would be that you ask God His perspective on this particular relationship. Would He be proud to walk you down the aisle to give you over to this person?

Another recommendation is that you pray that John would develop a personal relationship with the true and living God, not merely for your sake, or merely to satisfy your marriage criteria, but because he has come to experience His love personally.

Can I be friends with Non-Christians?

Q: I was recently at the Nexus Retreat, where they discussed the topic of friendship.  And after reflecting upon my notes and journaling my own thoughts, these questions came to mind: 1) Adam had mentioned that it is commanded that those friends who continue to sin without repentance, should not be friends -- this being a direct command.  Do you know the verse or passage that supports this?  Is it in Corinthians? 2) Are there additional verses or passages that support this message?

A: The passage is in Matthew 18:15-17: 15"If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the fault. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17If that person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. If the church decides you are right, but the other person won't accept it, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

Moreover, two general surrounding principles are (1) to love them with tough love for the goal of restoration (not to condemn) and (2) to pursue friends who build you up rather than friends who bring you down spiritually. 2 timothy 2:22 points this out: "flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Also, Proverbs 13:20 advises us: "he who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."

This doesn't mean, however, alienating unbelievers and seekers who live in sin. Jesus loved them (i.e., sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors). The above principles involve your close friendships that have direct influence on your character and values.

Homosexuality and the Church

Q: During this new series of talks on sex and faith, I am sensing that the discussion exists in a heterosexist framework (i.e. a complete focus on heterosexual couples and lack of acknowledgement of those who may not identify as heterosexual).  Furthermore, during today’s service, we delved into 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11.  The brief discussion of homosexuality as a sin hit me personally because I identify as a queer, Asian-American Christian. I was wondering what your stance/Newsong’s view on homosexuality is.  Do you view homosexuality as a sin or is there another way to read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and other verses in the Bible that discuss similar issues?  I personally would like to know because I am seeking a church that is sensitive to all the “misfits”, regardless of the varying identity factors (such as race, sexuality, gender, class, etc.).    At this point in my own education, I sense that there are churches that feel that homosexuality is a sin that needs to be “washed” away and changed and others that view homosexuality as an identity factor and compatible with Christianity. This all came up because I was looking at your “S-Factor” group. Originally, I was looking for a place for my oldest brother to delve into his life as a single Christian; but then, I continued to read over some of the material and spoke to a Newsong representative to see that there really was no space (that I could read about or hear about) that accommodated single Christians who are also queer-identified.   I am not asking that a new group be formulated; however, I am wondering about the space for LGBSGLTSTQ individuals that exist in your church. Does it exist? And if so, how?  If not, what is Newsong’s “policies” and vision with regards to those who do not identify as heterosexual?  

A: I must agree with you when you say that many churches actively shun homosexuals from their congregations.  They single out particular sins as being greater or worse off than others. Understandably, the church has become one of the last places a “misfit” would go for spiritual refuge or affirmation.  In a sense, it has become an institution that preaches about grace yet remains graceless.  It’s a good thing that not all churches are like this.  

Newsong is by no means perfect, but our vision is to see people from all walks of life become more intimate with Jesus.  To do that, we believe we need to be strong in two areas: grace and truth.  As a church of grace, we cannot “weed out” certain people who struggle with particular sins.    Instead, a church of grace embraces all people and creates safe places for them to connect with God in an authentic way.  We’re also about truth.  And when it comes to sin, we will call it for what it is and not deny that the Bible speaks into certain issues very clearly.  From Scripture, we believe that sex is a gift from God that was intended for the unitive and procreative benefit between a husband and wife.  (Gen. 2:24)  In other words, sex in any form outside of the context of a monogamous, heterosexual marriage is sin.  Yes, this includes homosexuality.  We believe that the act of engaging in sexual relations with someone of the same sex is sin.  For many Christians, the discussion stops right here.  But at Newsong, we are well aware that homosexuality is a far more complex issue than simply a sexual preference.  There are issues of lack of male-affirmation, spiritual hunger, abuse, narcissism, and relational idolatry that are often not discussed.  Also, Newsong does not regard homosexual sin as worse off than any other sins such as lying, envy, pride, or judging others.  (Rom. 1:18 – 2:1)  I believe that when we act out in our sin, we’re acting out a misdirected longing for God Himself.  All sin removes us from our original design...the way God intended us.

When I read your email, I could sense your concern regarding the way we contextualize our ministries.  Do we have a place for all misfits or just some in particular?  Our ministries at Newsong are contextualized in various ways: age, gender, special interests (i.e. sports), service, or academic focus (i.e. SFI).  We also have recovery ministries (Mercy Walk) which create support groups for individuals working through various issues such as drug-addiction, depression, abuse, self-esteem, sexual addiction, co-dependency and divorce.  At the heart of all these different types of groups is the common dream to see people radically sold-out to Jesus.  I strongly believe that Newsong was planted for people like you and me.  We’re all misfits – broken people with various hurts, hang-ups, and habits.  If you stick around, I believe you’ll find Newsong to be true to its vision.  This church is by no means trying to emulate other religious institutions, but striving to be more like Christ Himself.

What’s God’s view on sex?

Q: What does God have to say about sex?

A: Sex is beautiful-within the right context. While physical relations may be pleasurable in many situations, it is best enjoyed within the context of marriage. God created sex. In the first book of the Bible, it's apparent that God created sex for our pleasure and for reproduction. The best sex is enjoyed as part of a whole-person conversation between a husband and wife. The Scriptures say that the "marriage bed is undefiled."

Q: Is God Just Being Prudish?

A: Actually, the boundary God draws with sex is for our own protection and pleasure. Sex outside marriage often wounds a person physically, emotionally and spiritually. Undesired disease or circumstances can occur when one steps outside of God's protective lines. The greatest sex, even according to secular researchers, is between those who are in a committed married relationship.

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THE MYSTERIES OF JESUS AND GOD

Why would God test us?

Q: As we are fasting, I just recently finished reading the book "A Hunger for God" by John Piper.  In the introduction on page 17, he talks about Abraham’s (Genesis 22) radical fast and God’s testing of him.  And although C.S. Lewis explains why God tested Abraham at the bottom of the page, I thought in James 1, it emphasizes that God does not test us... my questions are: 1) Can you explain this a little?  And why the contradiction (if it is one)? 2) Will God test us in this way?  If so, why? 3) Should we expect this in our time of fasting?

A: First, we need to look at what "test" is referring to in each context of the scriptures you mentioned. Abraham's test was a test of faith. This test involves a circumstance(s) that will shake our faith to root it deeper into our character; God does test us this way to draw us near to him. The test in James 1 is another matter--it refers to "tempting." James' point is clear: God does NOT tempt anyone; it is Satan who tempts us because of our evil desires. So these are two very different things--hence, no contradiction we should expect that God can and will bring or allow things to stretch our faith. For instance, during our 40 day fast, we will be tested whether we utterly rely on God for breakthroughs we are praying for--he stretches our faith and asks us, "Do you really believe I can bring these breakthroughs in spite of these walls you face?"

Questions regarding “The Passion of the Christ” movie.

Q: I understand that one of the goals of the movie was to be a true account of what had happened during Jesus’ crucifixion.  However, would you please confirm in your own words why different accounts of this event are not the same within the various books in the New Testament and how it was incorporated into the film? -- If you can explain?  I guess I’m asking more of your opinion...

A: In short, it is because the four gospels were the true eyewitness accounts of the true event. Four people reporting what they saw are a bit different from each other (this is very true in court cases as well). For this reason, to me, this difference implies out how "true and real" this event was.

In terms of how this film incorporated the biblical accounts, I thought Gibson did a superb job overall. Yes, the movie inevitably expresses some artistic freedom from the biblical account in the film-making process but those are minor things due to Gibson's imagination of the story and artistic creativity. For example, the biblical account does not mention anything about Satan's presence in the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion nor throughout the crucifixion, but Gibson creatively chose to portray the evil presence (perhaps, to convey that what's really going on during the final 12 hours was a spiritual reality not just physical suffering and death).

Another variation is Gibson's interpretation of who Mary Magdalene was. Prior to the Passion narratives, the biblical reference to Mary Magdalene is confined to Luke 8:2, where it simply says that she was one of the "women cured of the possession by evil spirits." It is possible that this evil spirit's oppression could have been on the emotional or moral life not just on the physical life. But Gibson identifies her as the woman who was caught in the act of adultery and brought to Jesus by the mob to test him whether they should stone her to death. We simply don't know this was the case or not. There are a few more minor things that Gibson took the liberty of his imagination in storytelling. However, overall the film is faithful to the biblical account of the story.

Q: Just so I’m completely sure, would you please explain why Jesus says, " Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" Matthew 27:46  And what is the best way to explain that to believers and non-believers?

A: One of the fascinating things about Gibson’s film is the excellent portrayal of Jesus in his full humanity. Yes, Jesus was (and still is) fully God yet he was also fully human. In becoming sin on the cross as the sacrificial ransom for all mankind’s sin, Jesus took the pain of being separated from God as a sinless human (2 Cor. 5:21). The pain of this separation was even more excruciating than any other pain that he bore. Imagine that! It was more painful than the gory, bloody physical beatings and torture…more painful than the betrayal from his close friends and disciples. For your sins and mine, he took the separation from his father for that moment. Although his cry of this pain was prophesied in the old testament (psalm 22:1), it was a cry from his real pain of this separation.

Q: Would you please identify and explain the difference in the film between Catholic and Protestant viewpoints?

A: I didn't see any major difference. One thing I noticed was Gibson's focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus; throughout the movie, which implied the importance of her relationship in Jesus life and death. Especially, at the end of the crucifixion scene, the camera focuses on Mary and freezes on her blank stare into the camera. This may have been a "Catholic flavor" but it was certainly powerful--as if she is looking at each of us and saying, "It was you who nailed Jesus...it was for your sins." Needlessly to say, I didn't have any problem with this subtle focus on Mary at all. As for the protestant's view point, I did hear that Gibson later included the resurrection scene showing Jesus rising up with his nail-scared hand--this was the result of his consulting from the evangelical leaders who stressed the importance of resurrection as the conclusion of the passion narratives.

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