TEAMDURKIN

BABY #2 IS A GIRL!

2009-09-02T14:50:00.002-06:00

Is it too early to get the shotguns and rottweilers?!

More Summer Pics of Kid # 1

2009-08-31T15:46:00.007-06:00

Summer Pics..

2009-07-22T09:57:00.008-06:00

Stay tuned! More to come...

Kid Numero Uno

2009-06-12T20:17:00.007-06:00

Written in the Seminary Fine Print

2009-06-12T19:59:00.004-06:00

WE'RE PREGNANT AGAIN!!

There seriously is something in the water on this campus. Its like pregnancy OUTBREAK! Melissa and I just look at each other and we get pregnant!

Someone should tell people before they enroll: "you will leave a wiser leader, your vocabulary will be vastly beyond that of mere mortal men, and you will make babies. Lots and lots of BABIES!" It should be in the brochure.

Here's the ultrasound and some more pictures of kid #1.

Baby Steps Sometimes Get Bloody

2009-06-10T14:01:00.009-06:00

In one of the early 90s Billy Murray classics, What About Bob?, the main character (Murray) is riddled with psychological issues. His famous psychiastrist (Dreyfuss) suggests he take "baby steps" when crippled by fear to help him handle certain situations.

What is subtly implied in this perscription is that baby steps are safe and easy.

Well now that I am a father of a seven month old son, I know how dangerous baby steps can be! You probably can't see it in the picture above, but Ethan's face looks like it got mauled by a wolverine!

Over the last couple weeks he just learned how to prop himself up on furniture.

He loves it. He loves standing. Yet sometimes he falls and he falls hard... onto hard and sometimes sharp objects. Still, you can't chain this kid to the ground! No matter what kind of fall he takes, the sheer joy of standing is worth the risk of pain.

When thinking about this I lament the prevalent mindset that subtly suggests our faith in Christ should not come with too high a cost. That the the crown is obtainable without the cross. That the purpose of the creator of the cosmos is to give us some kind of impersonal, easy, cosmic prozac.

In truth, this isn't Christianity and it isn't what we need. We miss out on such joy and growth and intimacy with our Heavenly Father when we recoil in the face of challenge. When we don't enter the ring because we are afraid of getting hit, we never experience the joy of victory.

Ethan is absolutely hooked on the excitement of standing and the potential of walking. It is this excitement, this curiousity, that spurs him to keep standing. And he knows, even if it is on some kind of abstact level, that his dad will be their to pick him up when he falls, brush him off, and help him get back on his feet again.

Paul writes in Romans 5:

By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God's undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that's not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us (CEV).

Penn on Proselytizing

2009-06-05T13:43:00.007-06:00

Penn Jillette, the vocal half of the magician/comedian group Penn & Teller and a staunch athiest, recently had an important encounter with a Christian after one of his shows. I struggle with the word he uses, "proselytize," because it denotes coersion. Christians are called to love, reach out, debate, and confront but never, ever coerce.

Still, I highly recommend you read this account... it is shocking, fascinating, and a resounding wake up call.

The man walked over to Jillette, complimented him on the show and handed him a Gideons New Testament.

"And he said, 'I wrote in the front of it, and I wanted you to have this. I'm kind of proselytizing,'" Jillette said. "And then he said, 'I'm a businessman. I'm sane. I'm not crazy.' And he looked me right in the eyes.

"It was really wonderful. I believe he knew that I was an atheist. But he was not defensive, and he looked me right in the eyes," Jillette said. "And he was truly complimentary. It didn't seem like empty flattery. He was really kind and nice and sane and looked me in the eyes and talked to me and then gave me this Bible."

Jillette then stated he doesn't respect people who don't proselytize.

"I don't respect that at all. If you believe that there's a heaven and hell and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward, and atheists who think that people shouldn't proselytize -- 'Just leave me alone, keep your religion to yourself.'

"How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize?" Jillette asked. "How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?

If I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe it, and that truck was bearing down on you, there's a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that."

Jillette reiterated his impression of the man's demeanor.

"This guy was a really good guy. He was polite and honest and sane, and he cared enough about me to proselytize and give me a Bible, which had written in it a little note to me -- not very personal, but just 'Liked your show,' and then listed five phone numbers for him and an e-mail address if I wanted to get in touch," Jillette said.

"Now I know there's no God, and one polite person living his life right doesn't change that. But I'll tell you, he was a very, very, very good man, and that's really important. And with that kind of goodness, it's OK to have that deep of a disagreement. I still think that religion does a lot of bad stuff, but that was a good man who gave me that book. That's all I wanted to say,"

Torture

2009-05-23T14:14:00.008-06:00

A new study done by Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life revealed good church going folk are more likely to support or condone torture than those who do not attend church.

http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=156

Part of me, when I encounter shocking discoveries like this, wants to agree with Twain when he said, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." Yet there is undoubtedly a modicum of truth inside this recent poll. Apparently it is not even referring to nominal or liberal believers. According to the Pew Study, over 62% of white, American Evangelicals believe torture is often and/or sometimes justified. This bothers me because it describes me! Or at least it describes many of the people that I know and do life with.

Greg Easterbrook once said, "Torture numbers, and they'll confess to anything." In this blog entry I want to focus more on the torture and less on the numbers. Torture should be an obvious opportunity to reveal how the church is set apart (aka "holy") from the surrounding culture. 62% should be a shocking number and a wake up call to all Christian leaders.

So how did this come about? How did Christians (the "Christ-ones," the ambassadors of Jesus) become so comfortable with the same horrific practice used to kill their Lord? This is obviously a complex question. Part of it is the suburban church's me-centered theology. We have convinced ourselves that the inauguration of Christ's kingdom on Earth is about getting "saved" and learning valuable principles that will help us with our marriages. Attention has not been given to the vast amount of energy the Scriptures spend on corporate sin and ethical advocacy. As Francis Chan says, "Who, by reading the Scriptures from cover to cover, would suggest all of Christianity is reduced to saying a prayer when we were 13 years old?"

The truth is our faith should inform and govern every part of our lives.

Second, for whatever reason, when engaging matters of ethics or politics, we almost instantly make a distinction between the sacred and secular. The Scriptures though do not allow that license. The Bible knows nothing about "the spiritual life." There is no dichotomy made between the two because there never intended for one to be made! In God's eyes everything is spiritual: work, play, sex, worship... its all spiritual! What happens though, in matters of politics and ethics, we often identify ourselves first as American and not as Christian. In truth, we are both. Yet in our minds God's voice is reduced to the religious pageantry of Sunday worship and His Word does not inform our views about things like Abu Grabi... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Ghraib_torture_and_prisoner_abuse

I am also perplexed about the support of torture from a practical standpoint. John McCain, a man no one would label a pacifist (conservative hardliner Pat Buchanan said,"John McCain will make Dick Cheney look like Gandhi if he were to be elected president!"), does not condone torture. He does not support it for two reasons. First, he has been tortured and knows how degrading and dehumanizing its affects are (on both the tortured and the torturer!). Second, simply put, McCains knows it is not a reliable way to get information. In other words, people will agree to anything under the right amount of physical and emotional pressure.

Although, I do get it... Some of us fully understand we live in a world where evil exists and we want our families to be safe. Our lives are hard enough without worrying about some Islamic terrorist blowing up buildings. We are OK with just turning a blind eye to torture and letting the government do what it wants to do.

Once again though, Christians are not given this option. Even those who prescribe to a just war ideology still do not have any Christ-centered grounds on which to condone torture. None. It ain't there. Don't even waste your time trying to dig something up.

Do you really suppose Jesus would condone and advocate torturing another human being? He knows more of torture than we ever will. The thought that he would condone it is almost unfathomable... and we know it.

So in the end, the sad truth is that when we support torture, we reveal that our nationalism informs our lives more than our faith does.

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."

-Luke 6: 27-31.

see also:

Matt 5:43-44, Romans 12:9-21,1 Corinthians 13, 1 John 4: 7-21

National Association of Evangelicals: http://www.nae.net/index.cfm?FUSEACTION=editor.page&pageID=419&idCategory=1

Christianity Today: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/february/23.32.html

BABY PICS: Blog Resuscitation

2009-04-25T17:29:00.006-06:00

The little man was born SIX months ago today! Enjoy the pics..

CNN Commentary: Don't Confuse Money with Joy

2009-04-07T08:30:00.005-06:00

Check out this article by a middle level business exec who experienced the thrill of a financial boom and the painful (yet liberating) reality of losing it all. Here are some of the quotable hightlights...

It's actually a great question, because in a situation in which we've lost control, it gives us a little back. "Now what?" means we have a choice, in this moment, to do something. What's it going to be?

Because the research is clear. Above a basic threshold, more money doesn't make us happier. But we think it will, so we do all sorts of things that make us unhappy in order to get it.

Of course, losing money can break people apart; we fight about money, people lose jobs and get depressed; tension rises as mortgage bills sit on the kitchen table unpaid; resentment builds when one person doesn't live up to his own and others' expectations. But I am also seeing the opposite. Losing money can bring you closer to your values; can actually bring people together. It's hard to appreciate in the midst of our loss, but embracing the forced reduction in lifestyle can be positive. I know of a couple whose marriage was saved when they moved from a bigger house into a smaller one and actually began talking to each other again.

One would think this story would have been spotlighted by some faith-based organization, but this is CNN. There is no mention of God or of Christian simplicity and yet you can sense its practical truth permeating throughout the story. Despite the fact we convince ourselves otherwise, the simple truth is we don't have absolute control over our money. And as much as we convince ourselves true joy and contentment is just one big break away, its not (James 4:13-5:12). Joy is always wrapped up in relationship. Relationship with others and relationship with God (Ecclesiastes 2 and 3).

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. - Philippians 4:12-13

Perhaps Peter Bregman is catching on to what the Apostle Paul wrote 2,000 years ago...

Here's the link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/07/bregman.money/index.html

Four and Flexin

2009-02-27T12:32:00.003-07:00

The boy turned four months old the other day and he asked me to post this picture showing off his amazing fourteen pound baby biceps

Oldie but a Goodie

2009-02-25T09:04:00.003-07:00

Precisely 1421 years before The Jonas Brothers were popular, an Irishmen by the name of Dallan Forgaill wrote the words to this timeless hymn.

The tune for this hymn, according to the infallible Wikipedia (second only to the Bible as far as I'm concerned) came from an Irish folk song, Slane, which is about Slane Hill where in A.D. 433 St. Patrick defied the pagan High King Lóegaire of Tara by lighting candles on Easter Eve.

By the way, St. Patrick was the MAN! For those who don't know his story, he was captured by Irish marauders in his teenage years only to escape a few years later. Upon his return to Britain he encountered the powerful love of Christ and then decided out of love and compassion for his captors, to sell himself back into slavery to the exact same people who enslaved him! All that they might know and experience God's all-consuming grace. He was an amazing man who understood the heart of the Gospel.. its a shame his birthday is now the high holy day of getting bombed on green budweiser!

But I digress.. Read the words of classic hymn slowly and allow the same Spirit that beckoned Patrick's heart, to speak to you today.

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

MLK on Loving Your Enemies

2009-02-18T15:09:00.005-07:00

Especially because February is Black History Month it seems highly appropriate to spotlight some writing that I have wanted to post on the blog for a while now.

Martin Luther King's legacy is interwoven with his unparalleled oratory skills. You cannot separate the man from his historic speeches. What few know about is that he had an uncanny grasp of language and narrative as well. His writings seemed to bristle with just as much impassioned energy for justice and reconciliation as did his speeches. In truth, you probably cannot separate the two. What even fewer realize is that much of King's political and social ethos derives squarely from Jesus and the Scriptures.

Here is an excerpt from a sermon he gave to Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, at Christmas, 1957. It was written while he was imprisoned for committing nonviolent civil disobedience during the Montgomery bus boycott...

"To our most bitter opponents we say: "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you. We cannot in all good conscience obey your unjust laws, because noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you. Bomb our homes and threaten our children, and we shall still love you. Send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you.

But be ye assured that we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory.

Love is the most endurable power in the world. This creative force, so beautifully exemplified in the life of our Christ, is the most potent instrument available in mankind's quest for peace and security."

As an aside check out this video clip of MLK's last speech. It would prove tragically prophetic and equally as powerful.

His sermon continued..

"Napoleon Bonaparte, the great military genius, looking back over his years of conquest, is reported to have said: "Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have built great empires. But upon what did they depend? They depended on force. But centuries ago Jesus started an empire that was built on love, and even to this day millions die for him." Who can doubt the veracity of these words. The great military leaders of the past have gone, and their empires have crumbled and burned to ashes. But the empire of Jesus, built solidly and majestically on the foundation of love, is still growing...

History is replete with bleached bones of nations that refused to listen to him. May we in the twentieth century hear and follow his words - before its too late. May we solemnly realize that we will shall never be true sons of our heavenly father until we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. (Matthew 5: 38-45)."

It would seem politicians, presidents, generals, celebrities, come and they go. But those courageous enough to believe that Jesus actually meant what he said.. those are the people history seems to attribute with some kind of transcendent greatness.

At least after they have sacrificed all out of love for God and man.

During their lives society usually hates their guts.

Dennys and Donnies (Delayed Bloggification)

2009-02-11T22:04:00.012-07:00

I meant to write about this a week and a half ago. In the busy, information-obsessed, instant gratification society in which we live, a day's delayed reaction feels like an eternity for a blogger.

Although, with the more recent news of Alex Rodriguez.. aka Arod, Afraud, SterRod, M.V.P (Madonnas Veritable Playtoy).. use of steroids in '03, this will still feel somewhat relevant.

During the Superbowl, Denny's Restaurants announced that it was offering free Grandslam breakfasts (two eggs, two bacon, two pancakes, two sausage, 4200 calories) for everyone, everywhere - nationwide! Apparently over 2 million different Denny's restaurants gave away 1,000 free Grandslams on the Tuesday after the Superbowl!

It must have been a pig holocaust.

That means there was 8 BILLION strips of bacon and sausage given away in one single, solitary day!

Pigs now have their own "D"-day... Denny's Day.

While reading an article about this phenomenon, it made me think of the greatest firstbaseman to ever play the game of baseball, Donald Arthur Mattingly.. aka Donnie Baseball! Mattingly holds the all-time record of the most grandslams in a single season (think homeruns and not huevos). In 1987 Mattingly hit a whopping SIX grandslams; a record he still holds today. The irony is that in Donnie's 13 year career, he never hit a grandslam before 1987 and never hit one after.

Donnie baseball was no doubt one of my childhood heroes. He embodied the grit and hardwork the game should convey. People loved Donnie for the same reasons they loved baseball. They loved Donnie because they loved baseball. One of the best clutch hitters of all time, it was amazing how much power he could create from his relatively small frame and short stature. There was never any inclination that he took steriods to amplify his game, and if he did, the juice probably went to his epic 80's mustache and not to his biceps. ;)

Motivation and Robots

2009-02-09T09:23:00.002-07:00

Common Misconception # 142

2009-02-05T11:44:00.007-07:00

One of the common misconceptions about Christianity is that it is only interested in good people. No matter how much the Gospel is preached throughout the world, it seems as if this self-righteous connotation of Christ and his followers will always be prevalent. Sometimes we have earned it, often it is just an undeserved stereotype.

The public's common perception of Christianity is that Christ endured the horror and shame of the cross so that Christians could funnel into nice buildings on Sunday, be nicer people, smile more and curse less.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

It does not take a Masters degree in theology to open the Bible and see reality: over and over again, God choses and delights in using the sinners, the rejects and the outcasts of the world to further his kingdom. Lets look at just some examples..

Moses was a murderer
David an adulterer
Peter a coward and backstabber
Paul a deadly scurge on the first century church
(The list, really does, go on forever)

And when Jesus, who was as the Bible tells us "the visible image of the invisible God," came to Earth to show us the Father's heart, what did we see? Who did he chose to reach out to, care for and align himself with?

"A prostitute, a wealthy exploiter, a demon-possessed woman, a Roman soldier, a Samaritan with running sores and another Samaritan with serial husbands - I marvel that Jesus gained the reputation of being a "friend of sinners" like these. As Helmut Thielicke wrote:

'Jesus gained the power to love harlots, bullies, and ruffians... he was able to do this only because he saw through the filth and crust of degeneration, because his eyes caught the divine original which is hidden in every way - in every man!

When Jesus loved a guilt-laden person and helped him, he saw in him an erring child of God. He saw in him a human being whom his Father loved and grieved over him because was going wrong. He saw him as God originally designed and meant him to be, and therefore he saw through the surface layer of grime and dirt to the real man underneath. Jesus did not identify the person with his sin, but rather saw in this sin something alien, something that really did not belong to him, something that merely chained and mastered him and from which he would free him and bring him back to his real self.'

We may be sinners, but we are still God's pride and joy. All of us in the church need "grace-healed eyes" to see the potential in others for the same grace that God has so lavishly bestowed on us. "To love a person," said Dostoevsky, "means to see him as God intended him to be."*

*quoted from Whats So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

Are We Really Open Minded?

2009-02-04T23:50:00.002-07:00

One of the paramount virtues of our culture today is tolerance. We love tolerance. We are tolerance addicts. Or at least we say we are. The height of wisdom in Western Civilization right now tells us we can't know anything for sure, so don't judge, don't discipline, don't try to change anyone's thinking about anyone and anything.

I often scratch my head in wonder, "This is the culminating wisdom of the richest and most educated generation the world has ever seen?"

It does not take long for us to stretch this line of thought out and see how precarious and potentially dangerous this rationale can actually be. There is obviously right and wrong. We all crave justice and we all crave truth. Is tolerance, then, an important social ethic on certain levels? Absolutely. Few would probably argue that the tolerance of the 21st century is a healthier ideal to strive for then the racism, facism, totalitarianism evident throughout the 20th century. But it is not my intent to argue the philosophical validity of tolerance as the quintessential goal of societal virtues. I am simply saying.. let us be honest here, you aren't tolerant and I'm not tolerant. We have deeply held beliefs that go to the core of our being. Point in case is the issue of abortion. People get NUTS about this issue.. and rightly so! My point with this blog entry is that we should strive for generous dialog infused with informed conviction.

While visiting our town's public library recently I picked up a copy of Ms., a popular feminist magazine. Spending most of my adult life inside conservative Christian circles I found it fascinating how the rhetoric espoused in this magazine was almost identical to the rhetoric of conservative Christian groups. Both are about "saving lives," "fighting for freedom," and "on mission to counter the oppressive and evil views of the other side."

So here is the truth.. I have friends and family who read this blog and undoubtedly fall on both sides of this discussion. I know what I believe on this issue but would open to respectful dialog about it. I do not think I am being naive about how extremely difficult it is to keep our emotions in check on this issue, but I weep for the poor pregnant girl who has been abandoned by her partner, is alone, scared and confused about what to do with this new development in her life. I fear that while both sides lob verbal and political bombs at each other, girls like this are caught in the cross-fire, feeling lead to take the path of least resistance. That is why generous and intentional discourse is fundamentally important.

Many who support abortion would most likely pride themselves on being tolerant of people of different faiths and worldviews. If that is true, are you willing to be open-minded with this difficult issue? It may not be as simple as the political soundbites claim it to be.

Two ideas for those who are interested in having a civilized conversation about this issue. 1.) Watch this powerful video presented below offering a straight foward prolife message, or 2.) Even better, rent the wonderfully disarming movie Bella for a strong message woven not with political arguments but with art, dance, family, and real life issues. I welcome any (respectful) feedback on this blog. Thanks!

W.W.Y.D.

2009-01-29T09:54:00.002-07:00

Quote of the Day:

"Don't always follow the crowd. Nobody goes there anymore.. its too crowded."

Spoken by the 10 time World Series Champion, 3 Time MVP, Confucius in a Ballcap: Yogi Berra

T H R Ethan Elliot

2009-01-25T17:42:00.004-07:00

My boy is three months old today!

He went from this:

To this:

He is a miracle, a joy, a pain, and the new love our lives! We have a hard time remembering what our family was like before God blessed us this our precious little man. We are truly humbled and grateful for this gift.. our Ethan Elliot Durkin.

(And yes, we are pretty confident we was wearing Eagles gear in the womb! ;)

An Atheist on Africa

2009-01-17T10:22:00.004-07:00

British Atheist Matthew Parris, speaking to the many dire needs facing Africa (AIDS, tribalism, intense poverty), was quoted in The Times of London, recognizing..

"The enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa... In Africa Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good. Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa's biggest problem - the crushing passivity of the people's mindset."

To put a face on the statistics. Here is an excerpt from our dear friend Kim, serving in the Sudan.. Her blog is linked on this blog to the right.

dear friends,
what a week it has been! they took in 11 more orphans this week, 7 of whom were orphaned by their parents being killed by the LRA (terrorist group form uganda). they just cried the first days they came and have since settled in a bit. my heart broke when the 2 yr old called me mama. now they seem to like to use the term auntie. i am going to attempt to post some pictures on my blog.
we also had one of our workers that i am actually friends with come down with cerebral malaria. we went to her in the middle of the night to find her in a comma. we took her to the hospital and they failed to give her the medicine she needed. praise God that we checked on her there and decided to bring her out of the hospital so she could receive proper treatment. she is recovering slowly.

as we are getting ready to go to terkeka, i am gathering items to take for the kids there. i think i will be teaching some english and doing some crafts. i am also hoping to help with the building projects or at least dig the footings. we'll see. i will be off line for 2 - 3 weeks, while there. don't worry about me - i'll be enjoying the nile river and all the beauty it has to offer.
pray for safety while traveling and working as well as health for lance and i and the workers that are going with us.
take care,
kim

A Sign of the Coming Apocalypse

2009-01-12T09:23:00.007-07:00

SUNDAY SCHOOL Musical??! Are we forreal? Someone needs to speak up and stop the Christian-crossover ridiculousness. First "Testamints" (mints with Bible verses on them), then WWJD UNDERWEAR, and now this. What could possibly be next?

Sinabunns?
Discipleship Idol?
Desperate Pastors Wives?

You laugh.. but it is becoming painfully obvious the Christian Entertainment Industry will do just about anything.

SUPER MARIO demoted to Above Average Alfonso

2009-01-08T12:41:00.004-07:00

It is true. For the first time in over 20 years, a video game has dethroned Super-Mario Brothers as the best selling video game of all time. What is the game? It would seem Elton John was right, we are all apart of the circle of life, because the only company that could beat nintendo.. was nintendo. Wii Sports, which can be purchased separately and bought inside every Wii console system, has sold over 48 million copies!

Mario had a good run, but it is probably a good thing for society as a whole if he is dethroned. I don't know how a 3ft Italian plumber who got super-powers from eating special mushrooms ever became the face of modern video games anyway! Although another game idolizing sports stars who have been know to consume special products to enhance their performance probably isn't a good thing either.

Whatever happened to Pac-Man?

We can all agree that ghosts are bad and needed to CHOMPED!

Here's the link: http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/wii-sports-is-best-selling-game-ever/1276855

Wax Eloquent

2009-01-07T17:07:00.009-07:00

..or Wax Erroneous? You decide.

Click on this link and look to the right. A sermon by Chris Durkin, preached 12/28.

SANTA AND SKUBALA!

9ers

2009-01-04T16:25:00.002-07:00

Mostly to celebrate the new year, partly because I need some kind of distaction watching my beloved Birds play the Vikes in a nail-biter, here are some interesting historical moments that happened in '09s.

1909 - June 9 - Alice Huyler Ramsey, a 22-year-old housewife and mother from Hackensack, New Jersey, becomes the first woman to drive across the United States. With 3 female companions, none of whom could drive a car, for 59 days she drives a Maxwell automobile 3,800 miles, from Manhattan, New York to San Francisco, California.

1709 - February - In America, Mardi Gras is celebrated one more time with Masque de la Mobile in the capital of French Louisianne, Mobile (Alabama), before Mobile is moved 27 miles (43 km) down the Mobile River to Mobile Bay in 1711.

1609 - August 25 - Galileo Galilei demonstrates his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers. He is the first to perform observational astronomy as he observes the moons of Jupiter, after the manner of the ancient Egyptians who named the stars (astro-nomers), at the Edfu temple, over 2,000 years earlier.

1509 - July 10 - John Calvin, French religious reformer is born; September 10 - 1509 Istanbul earthquake destroys 109 mosques and kills an estimated 10,000 people.

2109 - January - Canada finally becomes the 51st state, the Cubs still havent won the World Series, Brett Favre (half man/half cyborg) is debating whether to return for his 121st straight season in the NFL, and Google purchases Australia changing its name to Goostralia

Jolly Team Durkin Christmas! aka Get out of the way Chris and Melissa, WE WANT MORE BABY!

2009-01-03T10:28:00.001-07:00

Scut Fargas is pure EVIL

2008-12-22T10:26:00.003-07:00

Next to Darth Vader, Edward the Longshanks, and the dude who shot Bambi.. Scut Fargas, with his yellow eyes, has to be one of the evilest movie characters ever invented.

Enjoy the clip.. The classic scene with Fargas and his like 4ft 2 cronie is about three minutes in

When Movies Predict Reality..

2008-12-22T09:59:00.004-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/12/22/army.technology/index.html

Haven't we seen this in a Schwarzenegger movie before? Lets just call the robot Arnie, make him governor of California, and prepare ourselves for Judgment Day.

Eeeerie.

Quote of the day..

2008-12-19T11:29:00.003-07:00

Read it a couple times over:

George Bernard Shaw-

"This is true joy in life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

Chris Durkin, in reply-

"SNAP!"

The TeamDurkin Economic Survival Guide

2008-12-17T00:08:00.007-07:00

We know times are tight for a lot of people. Thus we hope that some of tried and tested "TeamDurkin Ideas for Frugal Living" will help you save a penny or two, in order that Christmas shopping is a just a little easier this year..

-First don't go to grad school and have your first child!

Ok assuming you have a similar situation as listed above you could:

-Turn off unnecessary house lights
-Use excess shopping bags for trash bags.. we recommend Targee bags, they're the best!
-Steal napkins when out to eat.. McDonald's will survive with a few less napkins, don't worry
-Dont go out to eat! Three 8 dollar lunches a week will run you $1300 a year!
-Stick it to the man, live like its 1997, and get rid of the cell phone! It can be done we promise.
-When driving, COAST! Let gravity save you some money.
-Use coupons, they're like FREE MONEY!
-Get rid of cable television! With these new digital antenna's the reception is awesome and its F-R-E-E.. You will go through ESPN withdrawal for a full year, be warned, but aside from that you save like $600 a year. The spanish channel is cooler then you think, trust us.
-In the summer, you may not think it possible, but you can live without the AC making it 42 degrees in your living room.
-Buy a cheap, reliable car with good gas mileagle (cough,HONDA!)
-Give to your local church, non-profit or social service program. One might say to this, "Um isn't giving money away the opposite of saving money?" Yes and no. Being responsible and generous with our money, however little it is, reminds us that we don't have control over our finances, as much as we like to think we do. The recent economic crisis is a resounding example of this truth. Giving with gratitude and joy releases us of our stinginess, our desire for control, and decreases our chances of being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. ;)

Remember: simplicity = freedom

The Toll of War

2008-12-14T15:04:00.007-07:00

Thousands of Iraqi Christians have found threats like this under their front doors or stoops, in stairwells or shoved through their courtyard gates: "Be informed that we will cut your heads and leave your dead bodies with no organs and no heads in your stores and houses. We know your houses and we know your family. We will kill you one after the other. Depart the Muslim areas."

Others have received text messages in Arabic like this one sent to a Christian family in Mosul earlier this month: "When your head is put over your back [an expression describing how sheep are slaughtered] then there is no chance to feel sorry for you. It will be too late. Allah is the supporter who gives swords to his warriors."

That is the introductory excerpt from World Magazine's recent article on the the two million refugees that have had to flee Iraq over the last five years. Twenty-five percent of which are Christians. Often one of the worst consequences of our nation's military actions abroad is the toll it takes on the church's effort to serve in those areas. Muslims have a difficult time separating the actions of our government with the actions of the church. Thus Christians, Iraqi and otherwise, are intentionally targeted as part of the enemy. Missionaries are expelled from the country and Iraqis are forced to flee the land of their birth to live lives of vagrant, poor sojourners in neighboring countries.

So why is this never talked about in our local churches?

Now this is not a discussion on the validity of the war, but rather on the conscience of the American Church. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard prayers for our troops, which is fine. Yet I have a difficult time remembering a single time when our missionaries were lifted up in prayer. When innocent Iraqi children, who do not understand the perpetual violence surrounding them, were prayed for. What does this say about the way we view the world around us?

This Christmas, when so many Iraqi brother and sisters are living as unwanted and homeless immigrants in foreign lands, we should be praying for them as well. In truth that is the beauty of Christmas... Unto us a child is born For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

The advent of this new government, birthed in a manger two thousand years ago, should bring about a new kind of kingdom. A kingdom without borders, without nationalities... a kingdom that would eventually cease all wars and bring true and lasting peace on earth (Rev 21:4). Amidst the busyness, amidst the constant consumerism, let us not forget the reason for the season: Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.

Eugenenomics..

2008-12-13T12:06:00.005-07:00

Eugene Peterson wrote about identity and materialism twenty years ago in his book, Working the Angles. His thoughts on the relationship between American consumerism and American identity, while undoubtedly true in the eighties, are especially significant today. When did our worth as people become equivalent with a dollar sign? When did our patriotism become dependent upon living in a cycle of perpetual debt? Peterson writes..

We have trained to think of ourselves as customers and then to behave as consumers. We are known by what we buy. We measure the health of our nation and the success of our lives in terms of per capita income and gross national product. If people save what they earn instead of spend it, the nation gets sick. If we devote too much time to creating something enduring and beautiful without calculating its cost-efficiency, we damage the economy. If we look too long without buying, we retard progress. If we give away too much without counting the cost, we interfere with the market. If a politician running for office asks the question, "Are you better off then you were four years ago?" everyone interprets that "better off" in terms of what they money have to spend... I am worth what I spend.

Ethan, etc.

2008-11-18T21:46:00.007-07:00

ETHAN DEFINED: Means "solid, enduring" in Hebrew (or "CHICK MAGNET" in Durkish)

FAMOUS ETHANS:

-Mr. Uma Thurman.. Ethan Hawke
-Talented Director of films that only about sixteen people like.. Ethan Coen
-The American Revolutionary and Guerilla Assasin who is now known for expensive leather sofas.. Ethan Allen
-Six year old Piano Prodigy.. Ethan Bortnick (google this kid! hes amazing!)
-The Blue Ranger in Power Rangers: DINO THUNDER.. Ethan James
-A town of 330 people, known for its bingo and for not having a minority live within a 100 mile radius of its borders.. Ethan, South Dakota

ETHAN IN THE BIBLE (Who Knew?!)

*Apparently Ethan the Ezrahite was a Psalmist who lived during the reign of Kings David and Solomon. He was renowned for his wisdom and musical ability (1 Kings 4). (If this somehow becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, our Ethan will have to get both of those traits from his mother!)

Here are some excerpts from one of Ethan's psalms, Psalm 89. It is both a musical lament and a spiritual proclamation of hope rolled into one. Here we find no consumerist Christianity or prozac piety. Here we see the journey of the believer; in all of his pain and joy, crippling despair and everlasting hope. Enjoy!

Psalm 89 (abridged)

I will sing of the LORD's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.

O LORD God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.

The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.

For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.

Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
"I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have exalted a young man from among the people.

I have found David my servant;
with my sacred oil I have anointed him.

He will call out to me, 'You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.'

I will also appoint him my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.

I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.

I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure.

"If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
then I will punish their sin with the rod,
and their disobedience with beating.

But I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.

I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered.

But you have rejected, you have spurned,
you have been very angry with your anointed one.

You have renounced the covenant with your servant
and have defiled his crown in the dust.

You have put an end to his splendor
and cast his throne to the ground.

How long, O LORD ? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire?

Remember how fleeting is my life.
For what futility you have created all men!

What man can live and not see death,
or save himself from the power of the grave ?
Selah

O Lord, where is your former great love,
which in your faithfulness you swore to David?

ETHAN DURKIN

2008-11-08T19:39:00.001-07:00

Presidential Election 2008: Winners and Losers

2008-11-06T14:16:00.013-07:00

Regardless of your political allegiance, I think we can all take a sigh of relief that this especially long and divisive electoral season is behind us. I know in the very least my fellow Coloradans are excited to have their televisions return to normalcy... I have never been so excited to watch prescription drugs commercials in my entire life!

With that said, I was contemplating writing a short little essay before the election on how voting either Democrat or Republican in this presidential race should create some kind of moral tension for Christians. It became painfully obvious though, in my personal discussions with a wide variety of people, that the written word almost always breaks down and fails to fully encompass the writer's intentions. In other words, I was afraid of awakening an ideological tempest from both sides political spectrum! If there was a day and time when people were not overflowing with diverse political passions, it has long since passed. I have found, especially due to the events of the last eight years, many of us are walking around like a political powder keg on the verge of explosion. All it takes is one comment of perceived dissidence and friendship can become casualty and trust is transformed into skepticism.

Ok, forgive me for my slightly melodramatic flair. This is perhaps not true for everyone. Although, if you are one these people that probably need to attend a political anger management class, then don't read on. Humor and free speech will be used.. liberally(?) Uh-oh.. he said the "L" word. ;)

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WINNERS AND LOSERS

LOSERS:

John McCain: He became only the fourth Republican Presidential candidate to lose the general election in the last forty years (i.e. ELEVEN presidential election cycles).

WINNERS:

John McCain: For giving one of the classiest, most genuine and selfless concession speeches in modern American history. Reminding many of us why we had such great respect for this man throughout his prestigious career. If I could make a personal observation, it was almost as if at the moment of defeat McCain returned to the person who he was before the election began. Conversely, the person we saw on the campaign trail often seemed rushed, ingenious, and unsure of what to say and when to say it. Could it be that John McCain is most gifted, most effective, and most at home in the role and office of an U.S. Senator and not as President of the United States? (Half of you are now, officially, TICKED!)

WINNERS:

Barack Obama: Becoming the first person with African descent in our country's history to become President of the United States and leader of the free world. An amazing, watershed moment for the "American Experiment" that began over two hundred years ago with a group of political dissidents who dared to legislate the ideal, "All men are created equal."

LOSERS:

Barack Obama: Who in God's good name would want his job right now?!? You have to be sipping some of the messiah complex koolaid to think you're going to be the one to fix all our current problems! One thing is sure though, with all the very immediate challenges we are facing, Obama will undoubtedly have to soften his extreme liberal stances on certain issues to build bridges with a country that is predominantly center-right in political ideology.

WINNERS:

People with the name Joe (last name SixPack or Plumber).

LOSERS:

People with the name Jeremiah (last name Wright or Bullfrog).

LOSERS:

Politicians with moose-hunting as a huge part of their political platform.

WINNERS:

Grateful mooses everywhere.

WINNERS:

Spam email... In convincing a huge part of the American public that Barack Obama is actually a Marxist Socialist KGB Spy, a Muslim Terrorist, and trained by satan-worshipping anarchists... In convincing some people that restaurant receipts are more important then 30 million people without health insurance...In convincing people that the Church is nothing more then a bigoted, racist, homophobic group of control freaks.

LOSERS:

Spam email... Despite the best efforts of these maniacal (liberal and conservative) henchmen, whom I envision sitting in some dark dungeon concocting these fanciful stories with evil glee, most people dismissed the drama and embraced the issues.

WINNERS:

The tens of millions of people around the world who were very concerned about the neo-con doctrine of preemptive and redemptive warfare controlling the world's last superpower.

LOSERS:

Racists. Almost as some kind of cosmic joke, which could not be anything short of divine, people that hate because of skin pigment have to watch an African-American man sit in the President's seat and hear him talk to them daily in their living rooms. There is justice in the world.

WINNERS:

The Philadelphia Phillies. Despite the lack of a pitcher with a rocking mullet (Mitch Williams, circa '93), they won their city its first championship in over 25 years.

LOSERS:

The Washington Redskins who doomed McCain's presidential bid by losing on the Sunday before the election to the Pittsburg Steelers. *In 18 out of the last 19 elections, if the Skins lost their last home game before the election, the incumbent party lost the general election. So for my friends and family that are avid Republicans and avids Steelers fans... you did it to yourself. Don't blame the economy, blame Big Ben.

LOSERS:

Focus on the Family. An organization that I once respected - who provided an important voice for issues that our secular culture needs to hear - espoused ridiculous half-truths and used fear and fanaticism as agents of change rather then honest dialog and intellectual discussion. I am trying to say this in humility: Focus' tactics during this election cycle looked more like politics at its worst, then the church at its best. If this continues, their sphere of influence will dramatically wane in the next decade.

LOSERS:

Those who are craving an intelligent, honest and gracious conversation about the rights of the unborn. If "all men are created equal," does that constitutional right to life start sometime in the nine months of pregnancy? The Freedom of Choice Act that Obama has promised to sign would set the discussion back decades and re-open the possibility for partial birth abortions. An operation, which even most Democrats agree, could only be described as barbaric. In the year 2008, with all our societal advances, can we not see that partial birth abortions are wrong?

WINNERS:

YOU! FOR STILL READING THIS FAR INTO THE BLOG! HOORAY FOR YOU!!

WINNERS:

America. Despite the fact that many of us are either incensed or overjoyed by the outcome of last Tuesday's election, we still had the opportunity to vote in what has to be the greatest society this planet has ever seen. America is by no means perfect. And it is absolutely NOT the kingdom of God on earth. To be honest, that subtle line of thinking makes me nauseous. Yet, I hope everyone felt a certain amount of inherent dignity and joy in exercising their right to vote on Tuesday. For hundreds of millions of people around the world and throughout history, that basic right has been denied. In the very least, can we not all agree upon, and be grateful for, this one common thread that unites us all?

INTRODUCING...

2008-10-27T19:48:00.013-06:00

ETHAN ELLIOT DURKIN!!

Weighing in a 8lbs 5 ounces
Born at 3:37 AM, Saturday October 25th
Common past times include pooping, sleeping and then more pooping (he's a Durkin, its what we do)

We just brought Ethan home today and he's the most amazing thing we ever seen!

Thanks to everyone that was praying for him and for Melissa! My wife is a champ. There is no way I could have done what she did.

More pics, information, and gross jokes about baby's bowel movements coming soon! ;) Feel free to comment at the bottom of each blog entry, I'm sure Melissa would love the encouragement. And if seeing an exorbitant amount of cute baby pictures is your thing, you could even subscribe to the blog - which is to your right, Ethan's left. THANKS!

Baby Update...

2008-09-24T09:17:00.003-06:00

Hi everyone,

We just wanted to give a quick update on the baby. Everybody is ok, but we had an exciting day last Saturday. Melissa was feeling some intense pain on Friday night, to the point that she couldn't sleep and woke me up in the middle of the night. She wasn't sure what it was, since we were only at 34 weeks (six weeks away from the due date), we didn't think it was anything too serious. She thought it was a combination of the cold she had, as well maybe stretching from a growing baby, with the little guy kicking or whatever. Well she got some sleep that night and the next morning we went to the after hours urgent care center. The doctor there inspected her and told us to go to the hospital.

She did receive a great bill of health at the urgent care center so we weren't too worried. Well, we get to the hospital and sure enough the pain she was feeling were contractions!

We couldnt believe it.

The nurses checked her out and, thank God, the baby was not ready to come out yet. But we're no longer naive enough to think that this little guy is going to wait until the due date. So we would love your thoughts and prayers for the baby to keep incubating (lovely term) for another couple weeks. I keep telling the baby through Melissa's belly that if he comes out early, his first experience in this world will be a spankin from his daddy! Kidding of course... But was that not the norm for decades? Nurses holding the baby upside down and spanking it right when its born?? No wonder they're crying hysterically! What a way to enter the world!

Seriously though, the doctors did tell us that 36 weeks is an important cut-off date for a healthy delivery and a healthy baby. At this point the baby is not even five pounds, he needs to develop some more body mass, and is still developing his lungs.

Lungs, breathing, body heat, muscle strength.. Pretty important stuff.

So we definitely appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

As of today, we're at 35 weeks.

And, no we have not picked the name yet. ;)

Revisiting a World Without the Yanks in the Postseason

2008-09-14T19:21:00.014-06:00

John Rolfe, sports writer from Sports Illustrated, wrote an amazing article several weeks back on what life was like the last time the New York Yankees didn't make the playoffs - 14 years ago.

It was literally a different era.

As of today the Yanks are 11 games back of the Devil Rays (the apocalypse must be nigh) and in fourth place in the AL East. So it is pretty safe to say the Yankees will be golfing in October.

What did the world look like back in 1993??

Here's a look:

Highest-paid Player: Ryan Sandberg, Cubs, 5.975 million a year (Now: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, $27 million dollars a year)

Highest-paid Yankee: Danny Tartabull, $5.05 million

World Series: The Blue Jays defeated the Phillies in six games, on Joe Carter's walk-off home run served up fat and juicy by Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams, to win the Series for the second year in a row -- the first team to repeat since the '77 and '78 Yankees.

Awards: MVP (Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas), Cy Young (Greg Maddux, Jack McDowell), Rookies of the Year (Mike Piazza, Tim Salmon)

Top Movies and TV Shows: Unforgiven won the Oscar as Best Picture, Schindler's List, Philadelphia, and Six Degrees of Separation lured many to the box office while those who stayed home were glued to Home Improvement, Seinfeld, Roseanne, Grace Under Fire and Coach.

Soundtrack: All That She Wants (Ace of Base), Whoomp! (There It Is) (Tag Team), In Utero (Nirvana), Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang (Dr. Dre), Zooropa (U2), I'd Do Anything For Love, But I Won't Do That (Meatloaf), Runaway Train (Soul Asylum)

Notable Passings: Frank Zappa, Andre The Giant, Arthur Ashe, Patricia Nixon, Conway Twitty, Cesar Chavez, George "Spanky" McFarland of the Little Rascals, Fred "Herman Munster" Gwynne, River Phoenix, Vincent Price, Herve "Tattoo" Villechaize, Thurgood Marshall, James Jordan (father of Michael), Audrey Hepburn, Dizzy Gillespie, Arlington Stadium

Notable Arrivals: Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, pentium chips, World Wide Web, Windows NT 3.1, Frasier, Beavis and Butt-Head, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Walker, Texas Ranger, Wu Tang Clan, The Hives, Korn, Jimmy Eat World, Modest Mouse

Notable World Events: European Union formed; Czechoslovakia dissolved; NAFTA approved, humans cloned; Mississippi and Missouri Rivers flood Midwest; Unabomber continues to send unpleasant surprises through the mail; ; World Trade Center bombed (Feb. 26); David Koresh and the Branch Davidians are sacked in Waco, TX (April 19); Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin sign peace accord (Sept. 13); Black Hawk Down incident in Mogadishu (Oct. 3); Church of Scientology granted full tax exempt status (Oct. 8); Omar Bongo (not the drummer for Oingo Boingo) re-elected as President of Gabon (Dec. 18).

Big Threats: Tuberculosis, Hantavirus

National Debt: $347 billion (Now: $9.6 trillion)

Vintage21 Jesus Video

2008-09-14T19:05:00.003-06:00

This is one of the ha-larious videos made by a church called Vintage21 in North Carolina

Once you watch, and it will be worth your minute and a half to do so, you will hopefully realize what these guys are attempting to do: reveal what thousands actually believe Jesus to be like.

These videos would be even funnier... if it weren't so true.

When is the last time you've encountered the real Jesus of Scriptures? Unpredictable, scandalous, and completely in love with all people despite their reputation, economic standing, or checkered past.

Jesus is waiting to be found in the ancient pages of the Scriptures.

Are you willing to open the Gospel of Luke and encounter him today?

Michael Phelps.. How it all started:

2008-09-14T18:49:00.003-06:00

Babies Make You Weak, Part I

2008-08-19T10:52:00.004-06:00

So yesterday was another a beautiful Colorado day and it was the day I decided to finally pump up the deflated basketball that had been sitting in my closet all summer. On campus there is a basketball hoop that has been calling my name for months now!

I arrive at the small court at the end of a quiet culdesac on campus and start shooting. After about the fifth shot, though, I notice that every time the ball hits the backboard there is a small explosion of hornets that erupts from somewhere inside the basketball hoop. Sure enough, there is an extremely large hornet's nest implanted inside the pole of the basketball hoop!

Initially I just took longer shots to ensure I don't get stung by one of these angry hornet mothers and enjoyed seeing these nasty little bugs fly around in hysteria. Then I noticed the hornets weren't trying to sting me, they were just tending to their eggs. I couldn't help but notice how much every one of my shots sent the mother hornets into absolute disarray. These hornets were not prowling Littleton for some human flesh to feast on, they were only interested in preserving their offspring from the assault of a 22 dollar, composite leather, Wilson basketBOMB!

Can you see where this is going?

Despite my excitement for playing... I stopped playing basketball that day to save some nasty, horrible hornets! I couldn't help but think of my own child and what these poor mom and dad hornets must be experiencing. I walked away from the basketball hoop distraught and thought to myself, "Is this what I have become? I'm so messed up by soon-to-be first child, that I won't risk hurting HORNETS?!"

I heard a Pastor once communicate how after his first child was born there was now a window of vulnerability that could never again be shut. By that he meant, there is something that happens in parenthood where the welfare of the child (usually) surpasses all the needs, desires, and wishes of the parent. For parents there is now something outside of themselves that they love more then life itself and it is impossible to imagine what life would be like if something bad happened to their child.

Even though our son isn't born yet (Oct. 29!!), I can sense this "window of vulnerability" beginning to take its toll on me. In little ways my emotions and my sensitivities are heightened more then I ever realized. I now cry at commercials that has anything to do with fathering, I give my wife about 5 more kisses and "I love yous" before she leaves for work, and apparently I am now a defender of baby hornets everywhere!

It is true that I am no longer as strong or self-sufficient as I once was. This baby is making me "weaker" in some ways. Yet I do not feel weaker. Ironically I feel stronger and more fulfilled. It is as if true love can't exist without some kind of vulnerability. As if humility and selflessness are just as much a part of love as romance and friendship. Could it be, even in a culture high on entitlement and privilege, we know this somewhere deep in our hearts? That love, true love, is not focused on us, on our rights, on our privileges... but on something other?

What a revolutionary, intrinsic, and undeniably Christian concept.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. - I Corinthians 13: 4-8

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son...
-John 3:16

14 MILLION!?!

2008-08-06T21:52:00.004-06:00

The apocalypse must be near because I just heard Brad Pitt and Angolina Jolie (aka "Brangolina") sold the pictures of their new born twins to People and Hola magazine for 14 MILLION DOLLARS!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/04/brangelina.photos/index.html#cnnSTCText

Let me be first to announce that if anyone out there wants pictures of Chris and Melissa's (aka "Chrislissa") newborn baby boy... we'll sell them for 2 dollars and a snickers bar.

Pregnancy Fun Fact of the Day

2008-08-05T08:22:00.003-06:00

Melissa and I are now taking baby classes at our local hospital to help prepare us for the BIG DAY. One of the more interesting tidbits of knowledge we learned last Saturday is that apparently pregnant women become more forgetful and absent-minded because their brain actually SHRINKS during pregnancy!

I could insert some chauvinistic joke here but, fortunately, my brain has not shrunk, and I know better than that. ;)

$1500 a SECOND!

2008-07-31T11:55:00.002-06:00

I read this morning that Exxon/Mobile made 12 billion dollars this quarter (three months) and they calcuated their income to $1500 per SECOND!

http://money.cnn.com/2008/07/31/news/companies/exxon_profits/index.htm?postversion=2008073112

Just for fun I calculated how much I make per second working part-time at the library. I figured 8 dollars an hour after taxes, divided by 60 minutes, divided by 60 seconds = .002 cents per minute!! It would thus take me 750,000 seconds of shelving books and helping customers to equal one second at Exxon/Mobile.

If this wasn't so tragic it would be funny. Mostly, as a symbolic gesture, Melissa and I are boycotting Exxon/Mobile... care to join us?

Batman and Friedrich Nietzche

2008-07-30T15:48:00.007-06:00

For those who don't know I spent my high school years working at a Comic Book/Baseball Card shop in South Jersey. It was every sixteen year boy's dream job. Getting paid to talk about and be surrounded by sports and superheroes must be illegal somewhere, because it was just too much fun!

So I love superheroes... and I love superhero movies. That is, if they are done well. The only movie I ever walked out of in my entire life was the Clooney/Swartzenegger 1997 train wreck entitled "Batman and Robin." To say it was a horrible movie would be an understatement. It was an assualt on anyone with an intelligence surpassing that of a cockroach. I could actually feel myself getting dumber the longer I watched it. Ironic then that almost a decade later Hollywood creates what must be the complete antithesis of that forsaken piece of film with "Batman: The Dark Knight." It would be impossible to make two movies more diametically opposed to each other, while still centering around a character that flies around a city in a skin-tight bat costume.

Now this Batman is not my fathers Batman.

And this Joker is definitely not my fathers Joker.

Heath Ledger's Joker makes Cesar Romero and his painted mustache (Romero played the Joker in the classic and utterly campy 60's TV show), look like Santa Claus, Mister Rogers, and Bozo the Clown rolled into one. "The Dark Knight" is intense, haunting, and a little too much reality for many people who pay $9.75 and expect another Indiana Jones-esk movie experience. And much of that is due to Ledger's amazing performance as The Joker.

Now if I was smarter then I am (and if I wasn't taking a graduate level course on New Testament Greeek), I like to think I would be able to summarize the deep philosophical underpinnings in this movie as well as Greg Boyd did in this blog entry:

http://www.gregboyd.org/blog/the-dark-knight-a-philosophical-review/

I really encourage you to check out. One of the most interesting observation's he makes are the similiarities between this movie's Joker character with Friedrich Nietzche's ubermanshe, a.k.a. "superman."

So wait, "superman"? Nietzche read comic books?

Probably not... but it most likely would have done him some good.

Seriously, all jokes aside, could it be that Nietzche's "superman" would look a lot more like the nihilistic nightmare that Heath Ledger has created in this new movie then the guys who fight for truth, justice and the American way? I believe, yes.

Even though a superhero's affinity for wearing their underwear on the outside of their pants can't be healthy behavior either. ;)

N.T. Wright... can't be wrong?

2008-07-13T16:07:00.003-06:00

Check out this clip from a guy that has been on numerous television broadcasts and quoted in many major international publications. As a lecturer at Oxford and the Anglican Bishop of Durham, N.T. Wright's intelligent yet understandable style of communication disarms even the most hardened cynic. He is considered one of the most respected New Testament scholars in the world... a champion of informed orthodoxy and a catalyst for internal renewal and external change.

This is the first segment of his sermon on his book, Simply Christian. Enjoy!

Great Quote...

2008-07-05T11:11:00.000-06:00

I heard this from my buddy Tom Kurtz the other day. He was excited that his first child was a boy because...

"When you have a boy you only have to worry about one boy. When you have a girl, and that girl turns 15, you have to worry about a MILLION BOYS."

Very true Tommy Kurtz... very true.

The Christian Pentavirate

2008-07-05T10:01:00.000-06:00

So here is my theory. Has anyone ever noticed how so many highly intelligently and influential Christian writers and thinkers abbreviate their first and middle name? Check it out...

C.S. Lewis
G.K. Chesterton
J.I. Packer
N.T. Wright
D.A. Carson
R.C. Sproul
A.W. Tozer

... the list, I'm sure, goes on.

I have heard of these secret fraternities that comprise of the world's politically powerful and social elite. To quote Mike Myers as the unabashed Scottish father, Stuart Mackenzie, in the movie So I Married an Axe Murderer...

Stuart Mackenzie: Well, it's a well known fact, Sonny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentavirate, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri-annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.
Tony Giardino: So who's in this Pentavirate?
Stuart Mackenzie: The Queen, The Vatican, The Gettys, The Rothschilds, *and* Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with is wee *beady* eyes, and that smug look on his face. "Oh, you're gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!"
Charlie Mackenzie: Dad, how can you hate "The Colonel"?
Stuart Mackenzie: Because he puts an addictive chemical in his chicken that makes ya crave it fortnightly!

What if there was a secret gathering of the worlds greatest Christian minds and the prerequisite for joining this illustrious club was book sales over 5 million, a receding hairline, and a name with two abbreviated initials? Granted you have to disregard history and the space/time continuum, but the similarities are uncanny.

My question is, what would these meetings look like? You can almost see it now... C.S. Lewis convenes the meeting as acting Chair, A.W. Tozer opens with prayer, N.T. Wright vents to the group about how John Piper won't stop picking on him, D.A. Carson is secretly working on his 4267th book, G.K. Chesterton is chomping on a cigar and drinking a beer, annoying everyone with his smart alleck comments, while J.I. Packer wonders if any of these guys are truly in God's elect. The agenda is simple: finally settle the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism, analyze how Joel Osteen ever became famous, and attempt to discover if the Colonel did actually put an addictive chemical in his chicken.

If my first initial weren't P.C., I'd be all over this.

Gender (90%) Conclusive

2008-06-30T11:08:00.000-06:00

ITS
A
BOY!

DUE DATE: October 29th 2008

"Ravi" must mean THE MAN in Hindi

2008-06-29T09:05:00.000-06:00

Like Beethoven performing his fifth symphony, like Don Mattingly hitting a double to win the game, like my wife baking her delectable brownies... when Ravi Zacharias gets going, its a beautiful sight to be behold.

Here he is at Penn State University answering a question from a student on the Law of Non-Contradiction and the Trinity. Ravi was born in India, struggled with depression and suicide at an early age, encountered the powerful love of Jesus... and is now one of the Church's most formidable apologists. Enjoy!

Food Crisis

2008-06-19T21:50:00.000-06:00

The prices at the pump are a very real difficulty for many of us... yet the insulation of being an affluent American detaches us from the "silent tsunami" currently taking place around the world. Increased demand from developing economies, rising fuel prices, a shift to biofuel production, and poor weather destroying harvests are creating an even greater strain on countries that could hardly afford the basic necessities of life to begin with.

Compassion International, a trusted international Christian aid organization that feeds and educates hundreds of thousands of the global poor, is calling for people of faith everywhere to fast and pray on June 25th for direction, provision, and intervention during this silent crisis.

So many of us utter the words, "Give us this day our daily bread..." without any idea what its like to truly be hungry. To not have any options for food today, tomorrow, or in the foreseeable future is almost unfathomable to us. It is something we have never experienced and may never have to. For a billion people around the world that simple prayer for bread is not an empty religious utterance, but a desperate cry for help.

Fasting, prayer, and action for the poor on June 25th.

FIRST YEAR OF SEMINARY IS OVER!

2008-05-18T18:14:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone,

It is almost six months to the DAY that we made our last post on the Durkin blog. We are blogging-retarded and do apologize. Now that the semester is over and summertime is here, I really do hope to add more to it every week. So if you need yet another thing to add to your weekly internet rotation, check it out. Hopefully it will be more diverse then us just providing a checkup.

Hey this semester went great! We had some really big news that I'm pretty sure everyone is aware of.. The New Kids on the Block are back on tour!

No thats not it..

WE'RE PREGNANT! Melissa and the baby are in the second trimester. So thankfully, she has more energy and the nausea has subsided. We have seen the baby on two ultrasounds so far. In the first one it seemed like the baby looked at us and then waved! It was amazing fun. In about five weeks we will find out what the sex will be. We don't have a preference for a boy or girl baby... we just want a healthy baby. I (Chris) can teach it how to make a jumpshot regardless of what gender it is. ;)

Continued thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated...

My classes went well this semester. I took classes on Church History, New Testament , Pastoral Theology, Christian Leadership and Urban Ministry. They were fantastic classes that challenged, enlightened and broadened my horizons. That.. and it may be the first time since like the fifth grade that I get STRAIGHTS As! Like I said.. PRAY.

Melissa has definitely enjoyed the transition from working at a nursing home to working with kids in a local school district. She loves going for walks, reading baby books and knitting, but can't wait to see her family, the Jersey Shore and Mack and Mancos Pizza!

To the right, for your viewing pleasure, we have a bunch of fun pictures documenting some of our experiences from the last several months.

Next week we both return back to the glorious East Coast to spend time with family, go to the beach, and relax. We hope to see our friends and family at FBC Red Bank on June 8th, and more importantly, Jeremy (Chris' little brother) is getting married at the end of this month! It will be great fun for us to celebrate with him, and his lovely new bride Jaclyn, during this new phase of their lives together.

I heard for the honeymoon they're going to a New Kids on the Block concert... Im so JEALOUS

FIRST SEMESTER OVER!

2007-12-19T23:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.. We have two apologies to make. First we apologize that this will take the place of a formal Christmas card. Second we apologize for not writing on the blog for over five months!

I blame Seminary for both! ;)

The first semester of seminary is over and tomorow morning the Durkins are going home to spend Christmas with our families. We wish you all of God's absolute best this Christmas and in the New Year!

As you can see we posted a bunch of new pictures for everyone to see. After we returned from Taiwan so many people urged us to keep the blog going. Why Im not sure. Seminary cant be as cool as traveling around Asia, but I figured its a perfect chance to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and give them a Durkin update.

Briefly, Melissa and I are having a fantastic time here in Littleton CO! We love the sunny days, brisk air, and beautiful scenery. We still get winded climbing to the third floor of our apartment building (because we live a "mile high"), but were adjusting... slowly. Melissa has been doing a phenomenal job, working hard, bringing in the DOUGH! I told her if she gets us through these three years, Ill take care of the rest! I have a feeling she is going to hold me to it too! ;)

For me, Ive been working my tail off studying and working part time at the seminary's library. As much as I tried to prepare myself for the rigorous academic study of Seminary... it did not prepare for what lie ahead. Seminary. Is. TOUGH! But good.. very good. Im learning so much. This school has an amazing community of people, the professors hold us to a high standard... many of them are absolutely BRILLIANT and yet still find time to hang out with us lowly first year Seminary students... its just been a great experience.

Chris' classes this semester were:

Engaging Early and Medieval Church History
Effective Bible Interpretation
Defending the Christian Faith
Understanding the Gospels and Acts
Spiritual Formation and Mentoring
annnnd
New Testament Greek I.. aka the bane of my existance (pardon the slight exaggeration)

I havent recieved my final grades yet, but it should be all B's with a couple A's. It was a great semester. Every class felt real, fun (yes, even Greek), thought-provoking and revelant. That and we're meeting some terrific people to share this seminary experience with.

Anyway that is all for now. We love you all very much and hopefully we will see everyone again soon!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-Chris and Melissa Durkin

ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT IN TAIWAN!

2007-07-18T04:50:00.000-06:00

Hi all!

Its almost hard to believe but our two month stint in Taiwan will come to an end in two weeks! Tomorow our team is leaving to travel around the island and serve some aboriginal churches. Supposedly its the most beautiful part of the island, but its even hotter then northern Taiwan and there a bugs the size of small children!

We hope everyone enjoys the pictures.. I will let them tell the stories of our experiences. I really has been an amazing, life-giving, fun, and eye-opening experience!

I (Chris) wrote a mini college dissertation below on Taiwanese spirituality. Again it looks long, but you can knock it out really quick AND it gives people who wont be getting to ASIA any time soon a little insider view on almost half the world's population.

Melissa says hi too! She said she's having a great time, making good friends, learning a lot and simply loves spending time with her smart, ruggedly good-looking, devinaire husband!!! :)

(ok ok.. i inserted that last part.. but i know thats what she was thinking!)

Love ya.. hope to see you all very soon!

In the end.. its pretty simple

2007-07-09T02:23:00.000-06:00

After over a month of living in Taiwan, being active every single day, meeting tons of new people and hearing their stories... one can quickly learn a lot about this country's culture, history and religious beliefs.

Now I obviously don't claim to be an expert on the subject of Taiwanese spirituality by any stretch of the imagination. I have talked to many missionaries though that have been here for over a decade as well as many Buddhists who have lived here all their lives and I think I have enough of an understanding to write this little essay; still giving this wonderful, humble, tolerant culture its due.

What you read below may sound like I am judging their religion or thinking myself better then the amazing people here.. I am not. I've really fallen in love with the Taiwan people, which is precisely WHY I'm writing this. So that people can know firsthand their struggles and join me in prayer for them.

In our western worldview today, saying something is wrong or not complete has somehow become vilified. Its the paradigm the West is currently being deceived by. What I am is a Christian. When Jesus said he is "the way, the truth, and the life", I believe it. Should someone who claims to be Christian believe otherwise? Honestly though, coming here I wondered if living amongst a people with no semblance of Christian influence would weaken my commitment to that simple truth.. that Jesus IS truth.

It has not.

In fact, it has strengthened it.

Not only in theory, but in practice.. in what I see around me every day.

If you think about it, 'truth' by definition, cannot mean four absolutely different things. And make no doubt about it, not all religions are simply different ways of telling the same story. Jesus said truth can't be found in a philosophy, a moral code, or even religion... but only in Himself.. in having a relationship with a loving God that lived, died and defeated death.. all for me and you. If we do our homework, no other religion believes in a God that not only seeks out his beloved children, but lays his very life down for them.

Taiwan is an interesting example of these drastic spiritual differences. Its people believe in an amalgam of three different things: Buddhism, polytheistic worship of ancient Chinese Gods, and a form of Taoism that worships ancestors. One of the girls on our team , Jamie, is a former Buddhist. She explained to me that Buddhism is in its purest form is simply a philosophy to rid yourself of desire. Desires lead to greed, jealousy, lust, etc... which eventually leads to suffering. So the answer to life's problems is to purge oneself of all desire. If there are those that believe Christianity is similiar to that I apologize, because you have been sold an absolute lie. God not only celebrates some of our desires like friendship, success, purpose, excitement and physical intimacy.. but he designed it, he celebrates and he rejoices over it. The key is that is that, for our own good, it should be inside his loving parameters.

Jamie and several other people I have talked to say that many Asians combine the teachings of Buddha with the worship of Chinese gods just to "cover all their bases". She said there is an undercurrent of fear that if they don't give certain gods their due credit or attention, they will be punished. You may say, doesn't that sound like Christianity? Not at all. Christianity teaches that because our sin, which we are born with and are powerless to cleanse ourselves of, we are separated from God. We needed Jesus to build that bridge to God so that we could know him personally and intimately.

Also, we worship the Lord God and He is One. I read yesterday that the Hindu religion has a total of 33 million gods. Thirty three MILLION. Man, that sounds altogether exhausting and nerve-racking. Imagine living in California and worshipping every single person you encounter in the entire STATE.. that is similar paralell.

(On a side note.. How amazing it is that in our world today all the monotheistic faiths derive from one place: Abraham. It makes the world feel a whole lot smalled when you think of it that way. Every other religion worships multiple gods and bows before numerous man-made idols and statues.)

Taiwan's culture specifically is heavily embedded in ancestry worship. Now when I say ancestry, I dont mean the kings of old or the ancient philosophers, I mean this generation's parents and grandparents. It isn't uncommon to see homes or storefronts displaying an altar in the front of their property with fruit, liquor, incense and money. They are offerings made to their ancestors so their ancestors don't punish them or haunt them. Their parents who loved them and supported them in life, will now supposedly haunt them in death.

So consequently, one of the biggest hurdles to the Gospel here is if a Taiwanese forsakes this notion of ancestry worship, you will leave your parents and grandparents without food, guidance, and money in the afterlife. Make no doubt about it... this isn't tradition or myth... this is very real. At their annual Dragon Boat festival we witnessed men cutting themselves, inserting a metal cord in through one cheek and out through the other, and drenching themselves in their own blood all to ward off evil spirits. The irony is that this all happens right in front of a Starbucks or McDonalds (modernization is not the answer folks).

The Taiwanese people are on the surface very spiritually open and often welcome religious dialog. They aren't offended if you talk about your faith like American's are. It has been amazing how many public schools and hospitals we have entered and confidently proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ without fear of persecution! This country's tolerance of spirituality, favor upon Americans, and huge demand for English teachers is an AMAZING missionary opportunity.

Yet at the same time, winning a soul to Christ most often then not.. takes years. The Taiwanese are open to spiritual conversation, but to become a Christian, to get baptized into the family of God, is a humiliation to a Taiwanese family. You are, in their eyes, forsaking their family to wander the afterlife alone and empty-handed.

Ironically, baptism is the big thing.

I think there are a lot of Taiwanese people today that feel God tugging away at their heart, secretly believe in the truth of Jesus, but due to family pressure will not make the public proclamation that is baptism. The public proclamation of baptism thus becomes a big commitment. (Ironically I think these Taiwanese Buddhists have a better understanding of Baptism then most American Christians do).

Still.. the Taiwanese people I have talked to, long for peace.

When sharing the Gospel with them it is 'peace', God's peace, that resonates so deeply in them. More then freedom from sin or eternal life... they simply desire peace. They crave this peace "that transcends all understanding". Somewhere in the pressure to not only be successful and appease the Chinese gods and their ancestors as well.. there is war going on inside them. From their humble and oft meek exterior demeanor, you could never tell but once you pull back the curtain you see how these people are desperate for true, lasting peace.

One day when talking to our Taiwanese ministry coordinator Sandra (a converted Buddhist) I asked her what can we do in the face of these strong societal pressures... She thought about it for a minute then simply said, "Just keep telling them that Jesus loves them."

Its that simple. Something that falls deaf on the ears of a nominal American Christian is a life-giving and radical concept for these wonderful Taiwanese people!

Jesus loves you. Jesus loves me. Jesus is absolutely IN LOVE with Taiwan!

How beautiful, simple and sublime..

Mabye it should never get much more complicated then that.

Quick Update!

2007-06-15T23:06:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone, just a quick update about whats been going on this past week!

We're having an absolute blast and God is really blessing our time here. Due to lack of time, here's a quick list of ministry opportunities we've had recently: we sang songs, performed some skits, taught about the love Christ and built relationships with some of the local university students; we visited a local hospital, told them about Jesus' power to not only love but provide and heal, then met and prayed with some of the patients; we scrubbed all the walls and floors of a local orphanage; last night we performed and taught at a school for troubled teenagers (it was awesome); and every night we continue to strengthen relationships with the students that hang out at the "The Rock" coffeehouse.. its been terrific. Please pray for Chris because tomorow at church he will be giving the Sunday morning message!! It is quite an honor, but very intimidating..
We put up a bunch of new pictures too. Melissa and I are doing well. We found a pretty good pizza joint around the corner, so whenever we want a little escape from the Taiwanese culture, we just go there! Its not Mack n Manco's on the Ocean City boardwalk, but it will do :)

We're very thankful that Melissa sold her car (her parents were a huge help) and extremely grateful to hear that First Baptist of Red Bank found its new pastor!! (I, Chris, nearly went frolicking through the crowded Taiwanese streets! )

God is good... ask Him today what He thinks about you... I promise he will reveal in a deeper way then you thought possible His deep love for you! Sometimes it's as simple as just asking Him!

OUR FIRST WEEK!

2007-06-10T01:40:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone!

Right now I (Chris) am sitting in a Taiwanese computer lab that is actually a gaming center, which for those of us that dont speak NERD, 'gaming' means video games. Gaming is absolutely huge here. These college students are in here all hours of the day just gaming... playing some super sophisticated internet games. I don't even dare to try and play against them..

I'm still looking for PacMan, but haven't found it yet ;)

So our first week has been AMAZING! Tons of fun.. we already met some great people, ate some delicious food, and God is ALREADY using us in ways we didn't expect! In fact, so much has happened in this first week that Im just going to list our experiences and observations because there are so many.

Here we go...

-TRAVEL: We traveled for a full 24 hours to get here and lost an entire day somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. The day is gone.. vanished. June 5th 2007 will never exist for us.. Gone! Very Weird

-WEATHER: Our plane touched down around 4:45 am in Taipei (Taiwan's capital) on Wednesday morning.. Since then (it being SUNDAY today) we have yet to see the sun! It's been raining NONSTOP! Pouring really, by the bucket! We are seriously beginning to wonder if the sun exists over Taiwan. The rain has actually has been fun for the most part and everyone warns us that July in Taiwan is liking living on the surface of the sun, so I don't mind a little rain now.

-FOOD: Someone actually asked me the first day here, how do you say "it's raining cats and dogs" in Chinese? I told them just say lunch and dinner! HA! (Please pray for cultural sensitivity). The food here is actually very, very good. We go out to eat alot because the restaurants are very cheap. We end up eating Chinese food twice a day, everyday. Kun Pow Chicken is probably my favorite right about now. The crazy thing is that they've never heard of General Tso's Chicken!! You say it, even to the people that understand english, and they look at you like you have three eyeballs! They never even heard of it! Crazy.. the most popular "Chinese" dish in America doesnt even EXIST... must be a conspiracy by some guy named General Tso ;)

-Transportation: Yes the subway is pretty big here, as are Nissan sedans, but nothing, NOTHING compares to MOPEDS! Ive never seen more mopeds in my entire life! Thousands upon thousands.. and they are CRAAAZY! Pedestrians in Taiwan not only don't have the right of way, but are treated like squirrels running across the Garden State Parkway! The thing that scares me most about this missions trip is not persecution from the government, or getting sick from eating some nasty food, but getting mauled by a moped!!

-The People: The people are awesome. They could seem kind of cold or standoffish(?) at first, but it's only because they are so polite and humble. Respecting and "saving face" are huge cultural values here. Also, the country is actually a lot cleaner and a lot more modernized then I thought. I haven't met a Taiwanese person that has been been mean or curt or rude once you approach them. They are a very kind, generous people from what I can see. Our friends here in Taiwan say that the Taiwanese people represent one of the few countries right now that look upon Americans with favor, and they have an intense desire to learn English! Which is a great way for us to build relationships, because many of them want to practice their English. So it's great and I'm super excited to work with them, serve them and learn from for the next two months!

-Transformers!: I found out that the new Transformers movie comes out on June 28th, a full week before its released in the states! How sweet is that? (Unbeknownst to everyone, that is my real purpose for coming to Taiwan.. shhh :)

-Ministry: Its been so exciting already! Most of us didn't know what to expect. We didn't know what the culture would be like and we didn't know how well the mission oppurtunities here would be organized. In the past five days we have worked in a public kindergarden doing skits, singing songs, and playing games... Its amazing how we are allowed to come in and act out Bible stories in public schools here, when it would be outlawed in the US. I just think its interesting. We spend our nights hanging out with Taiwanese college students at a coffeehouse called "The Rock". Its a very cool place, run by some of the missionaries here in DanShui (the town we live in). The amazing part is that we dont have to go out and drag students inside... they come to us! I got to share my "testimony" (how God changed my life) with a couple students the first night! We will be at "The Rock" often. Last night was amazing. We traveled to a neighboring town and put on an outreach for one of our friends churches. We performed, played some songs (we have some good musicians on this team, including the wifey), we told them a little about ourselves, did a skit, and our team let me preach the gospel to about 70 Taiwanese people I never met before! Who may have never heard about God's love before! It was amazing. So exciting.

Im running out of time here at my computer, but I hope to write soon about the Taiwanese people's receptivity and hurdles in receiving the Gospel. Believe it or not, BAPTISM here carries a weight and a responsibility that American Christians just can't relate to. Its very interesting. I will hopefully write about it soon!

We love everyone! I'd say we miss everyone, but I think at this point I'd be lying!

We're having too much fun!

-Chris and Melissa

Less Than 2 Weeks!

2007-05-21T23:03:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone!

In less than 2 weeks Melissa and I will be in TAIWAN!

If you think of us please pray for safe travel. We will leave on June 4th and land in Taipei on June 5th. We are traveling such a far distance that we will lose an entire day of our lives in some kind of mid-pacific time-space-continum black hole!

(I feel like Marty McFly learning about the Flux Capacitor! ;)

So anyway, we just wanted to give you a couple quick Durkin details..

1. My cell phone is officially turned off. So if you need to reach us you can email Chris at durkin77@gmail.com or Melissa at quickwilber@yahoo.com; we check it pretty often. You can also call this number 406-844-2412 to reach us here in Montana. Once we land in Taiwan we'll send you the phone number over there too, which unless your one of our mothers, that probably doesn't interest you. :)

2. We put all kinds of new goodies on this blog site for you... AN ARTICLE FROM MELISSA! WOOHOO! I wrote a little something about an amazing book I just read and there are a bunch of more pictures up, as you can see, for all you picture addicts out there.

We really encourage everyone to read these little updates/devotions, we put a lot of time into them and we hope it not only gives you insight into our situation but encourages and inspires you at the same time.

3. Melissa and I have all of our expenses paid thank God! There are still people here that need to raise money to cover some final expenses. Please pray for them if you think of it.

4. If reading just ain't yer thang.. then I really encourage you to check out the video on this link below. Whether you're interested in missions or not, it's really an amazing story. We are called to honestly, practically, and holistically Love God and Love Others.. Jesus' self-proclaimed greatest commandment. Simply put though, what is the single best way to love others? I firmly believe it's to tell them about the amazing love God has for them in Jesus! And then show them how that love can transform their lives as it COMPLETELY transformed this community. This video captures what God's joy invading a entire people group looks like.

So turn off American Idol (or at least wait until after the finale ;) and give it a gander. Its good stuff!

CLICK HERE!!

Irresistable Revolution..

2007-05-19T16:01:00.000-06:00

Hey I (Chris) didn't know it, but apparently I know someone famous...

No, not Bruce Springsteen.. We went to the same gym, I totally could bench more then him. And no not Kelly Clarkson, we totally dated in high school, "Since you been gone" is about ME!

But rather a chap named Shane Claiborne, who graduated from Eastern University in '98..

He is an up-and-coming activist and evangelist who's new book "Irresistable Revolution" I just finished reading a couple weeks ago. I highly, highly recommend it, especially to all my fellow Eastern grads! I also want to recommend it though to anyone that doesn't know where their vision for peace, simplicity, Christian love without borders, and grassroots evangelism and social change fits in with the American church today.

Shane is a down to earth "ordinary radical" that lives in community with other Christians in a tough neighborhood in Philadelphia. He has worked side-by-side with Mother Theresa at the House of the Dying in Calcutta; interned at Willow Creek Church in Chicago; was in Iraq during the initial attack in 2003, and is donating all his proceeds from his book to charity.

He's a cool cat... He backs up what he says.

So I've decided to give you a little taste. I really hope you read it.. Be warned though, its not going to make you comfortable. If that excites you, then read on! If that doesn't excite you, you should DEFINITELY keep reading!

:)

The Irresistable Revolution

'Complexity of Simplicity'

When we talk of materialism and simplicity, we must always begin with love for God and neighbor, otherwise we're operating out of little more then legalistic, guilt-ridden self-righteousness. Our simplicity is not an ascetic denunciation of material things to attain personal piety, for if we sell all that we have and give it to the poor, but have not love, it is meaningless (1 Cor. 13:3).

And there are many progressive liberals who have taught me that we can live lives of disciplined simplicity and still be distant from the poor. We can eat organic, have a common pool of money, and still be enslaved to Mammon (the personification of the money god that Jesus named in the Gospels). Rather than being bound up by how much stuff we need to buy, we can get enslaved to how simply we must live.

Simplicity is meaningful only inasmuch as it is grounded in love, authentic relationships, and interdependance. Redistrubition then springs naturally out of our Christian rebirth, from a vision of family that is larger then biology or nationalism. As we consider what it means to be "born again", we must ask what it means to be born again into a family in which our sisters and brothers are starving to death.

Then we begin to see why rebirth and redistribution are inextricably bound up in one another, as a growing number of evangelicals have come to proclaim. It also becomes scandalous for the church to spend money on windows and buildings when some family members don't even have water.

Welcome to the dysfunctional family of Yahweh.

Redistrubition is a description of what happens when people fall in love with each other across class lines. When the Bible tells the story of the early church in the book of Acts, it does not say that they were of one heart and mind because they sold everything. Rather, they held all in common precisely because they were of one heart and mind, as rich and poor found themselves born again into a family in which some had extra and others were desparately at need. Redistribution was not systematically regimented but flowed naturally out of love for God and neighbor.

I am not a communist, nor am I a capitalist. As Will O'Brien of the Alternative Seminary here in Philly says, "When we truly discover love, capitalism will not be possible and Marxism will not be necessary."

(Pages 162-164)

Irresistable Revolution Website

Available on Amazon for only 10 Smackers!

Thats just a TASTE! It's jammed packed with good stuff!

(and no I did not date Kelly Clarkson, but I CAN bench press more then THE BOSS! :)

Spokane, Worship, Footwashing, and COOKIES! by Melissa Gail Durkin

2007-05-17T15:37:00.000-06:00

Hi Everybody!

It's getting more and more beautiful by the day in the Flathead Valley and we are really enjoying our last few weeks here. Last week our lecture was on Evangelism and our speaker was Greg DevRies from Alabama- we got a good 'ol preachin'!

I (Melissa) am on the worship rotation and lead with a team once a week. That usually looks like a 30 minute music set but I sensed the Lord leading me in a little different direction. We were fresh off the heals of a successful outreach to Spokane, WA where we evangelized and served in several different settings such as a soup kitchen, thrift store, exchange school for Japanese girls, and worked with Habitat for Humanity. Our focus for the week was on servant hood- serving the people of Spokane, each other, and ultimately serving the Lord. As I was preparing for this weeks worship time I was reminded of the story in the Bible where Jesus teaches humility and servant hood by washing his disciples feet. Now, what does this have to do with worship? Well, one of the things I love about YWAM is that they encourage exploration of the characteristics of God- who God is and who we are in his image. The Bible says in whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God (Col 3:17).

To me worship is a little broader than the common cliche we use to explain the first 30 minutes of a church service. Worship is how we live our lives with an inward eye turned towards God. It's being creative as he is a creative God and has given us each different gifts, talents, and desires to be used for his glory, to be committed to him in acts of worship. It's in the moment but it's also in how we live our lives and that's why I see Jesus washing his disciples feet something for us to do as an act of humility, servant hood, and worship towards God. Worship can be anything we do for God's glory - painting, cleaning, or even BAKING COOKIES! mmm :)

All in all, it was a sweet time of humility and a chance to bless our leaders that truly possess a servant-leadership lifestyle.

John 13
It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

6 Months!

2007-04-22T13:27:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Today was six months of marriage! We are now considered marriage professionals and able to give marriage counseling to anyone that needs it ;)

We're doing great over here and we hope all is well with everyone at "home". We miss everyone from South Jersey, Red Bank, FBC & Praise, Philly, Washington DC, Oregon, the Planet Pluto (which is supposedly not even a planet any more.. lame), and New York!

Here are some random things that are going on:

-This week in class we're studying prayer.
-Melissa is enjoying leading worship for the school on an occasional basis.
-We both have to give little mini Bible lessons this week called 'Stop at 5's' (meaning stop at five minutes) to prepare us in case we need to do it on the outreach phase of this program. Mine should be called 'Stop at 15' because I'm pretty confidant its IMPOSSIBLE for me to stop at 5! ;)
-Melissa has been enjoying her art&photography classes a lot.
-Chris has been helping out with Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation army as part of his "Mission Tools" training.
-We've committed to a very cool, small church-plant entitled Fresh Life. We like the atmosphere, the music, and the teaching a lot.... Chris is taking notes every service! Its a young, vibrant congregation.

Thats all! Pray for us as we pray for you!

Invisible Children..

2007-04-17T07:50:00.000-06:00

Ironically, last week when class discussion and teaching centered around the Father Heart of God, and fathers in general, we as a team focused on the world's fatherless.

The fatherless, specifically in northern Uganda..

Northern Uganda is a microcosm of one of the sickest tragedies facing the world today; the act of armies kidnapping children from their home in order to brutually and ritualistically brainwash them into soulless killing machines.

In class this week we watched this AMAZING documentary called "The Invisible Children". You may have read about this, or heard about it, it's one of the central theme's in the new movie Blood Diamond. If this issue is dear to your heart, I would say even if it ISN'T, I really recommend you rent, buy, borrow this dvd.. and let your eyes be opened. I consider my emotional threshold for these things to be pretty high, but in a completely respectful, humbly authentic way... the stories of these children, really, truly broke my heart.

Here's the link: The Invisible Children

I hope you check it out.. Its put on by a secular organization and it tends to put a lot of its hope in politics. I believe politics play a part, absolutely, but I also firmly believe in a God of justice that weeps for these kids and wants to bring wholistic redemption for everyone.. man, woman, child, the innocent, the guilty - the entire community

so lets pray!

MEGA BLOG! A devotional on Fathers..

2007-04-13T19:22:00.000-06:00

HI EVERYONE!

How great is it that Melissa and I fly out to MONTANA, to practically live in the frozen Canadian tundra, and it turns out to be sunny and 70 degrees outside every day. While back in glorious New Jersey everyone is freezing their buns off in snow and 40 degree weather! I LOVE IT!

Man, not only is the weather completely screwy, but I just find out ARod is actually hitting homeruns for the Yankees in clutch situations!!

The coming apocalypse must be nigh ;)

So, each week here at YWAM Montana there's a different theme or focus for the week. This week's theme was "The Father Heart of God", led by a guy named Matt Atkins.

Matt's teachings and discussions were heartfelt, life-giving, thought-provoking, challenging and to be honest.. sometimes offensive.

Which I think is ok.. Knowing that Jesus wasn't crucified on a cross for petting too many sheep (as he is often depicted in paintings) AND firmly believing that if Jesus were alive today he probably would not be a popular speaker in most of our churches... I think a little Bible-based offense is good for the soul.

Here is whats been kicking around in my mind. I hope you find five minutes to check it out this week.. Its about Fathers..

Have you ever thought about how ridiculous it is we call God.. our father? I mean he's GOD! The creator and wielder of the heavens! The entity that not only put every star into its place, but also the Bible says, knows the very number of hairs on our heads!

Even more than that, we're supposed to believe this Mighty Celestial Father not only loves us, but loves us without pretense and without condition?? Now I'm speaking as a 29 year old, American twirp.. Can you imagine how offensive (and even scandalous) it was to the mind of a first century Jews?

"Our Father.. who art in heaven.. hallowed be thy name"

I remember growing up as a good little C.C.D. kid trying to memorize the Lord's prayer and I remember how after class every day we students would challenge each other to a timed "Lord's Prayer" DUAL! Anyone else remember doing the same? You're prrrrobably lying if you haven't.. and guess what your penance is??

Right, more 'Our Fathers!' ;)

So like the John Wayne of the quick-draw "Our Fathers", I blew away my opponents by going from "our daily bread" to "debts" to "thy will" then back to hallowed in the blink of an eye! This prayer in my mind had become equivalent to learning the pledge of allegiance, practicing my multiplication times table, or remembering the code to CONTRA! The 20somethings know what I'm talking about.. or at least Tom Lynch does.

Reciting this prayer was just something you did because some authority figure told you to do so.

Our father..

It is soo easy to miss the power of those first two words. God, the creator, Yahweh, who's name was unspeakable, could now be referred to as "Father".

After being asked by his disciples and friends for a guideline on how to pray, Jesus surprised people by not only leading by example, but more importantly invited them into an entirely new way of thinking about God's persona... Powerful. Mighty. Majestic. Those were the names that were not only more common of that day, but probably more comfortable. For some reason we humans want God close, but not TOO close!

So when Jesus introduced this prayer to his disciples, make no mistakes about it, using these first two words to describe the Creator was revolutionary!

Ultimately, the effect of this new world view was so fundamental we still feel it to this day. In effect, Jesus was pronouncing to the world that when we think of God we should think of him as a loving father. The transformation had begun.. God was no longer "stoic", but compassionate; no longer detached, but intimate; never unconcerned.. but now ever-present. Did the powerful, righteous God still exist? Absolutely, but his "power" would now be best revealed in transforming lives with his perfect love and not heaping more laws and more religion on his beloved children.

We in a America today have become numb to the concept haven't we?

You can only imagine what these first century Jews thought? What do these disciples do with a God that wants them to think of him as a father? In their hearts and minds they believed in the mercy and love of God, but to consider God as personal and intimate as a loving daddy.. was unheard of.

Again.. revolutionary.

While in class this week we did an interesting exercise. Matt had everyone write down the words that immediately came to mind when they thought of their own fathers. People took their time, thought about it, then jotted down the characteristics that came to mind. After everyone was finished, Matt then asked for some brave volunteers to read aloud what they wrote.

The results were, as you can imagine, mixed.

Almost instantly I saw tough, seemingly confidant and secure kids, start to well up with tears. People were using words of love mixed with words of anger. The room's atmosphere changed from lighted hearted and jovial, to a spirit of deep hurt and resentment that seemed to permeate the room. Like an open wound that had been seemingly been covered up and never allowed to heal, I was in awe as people began to humbly and vulnerably show how deep this issue of a fathers love effected them.

This was only the first step though. Matt put a little twist on things and asked us to write down the characteristics of what the "ideal" father would look like.

We again took a couple minutes and jotted down what came to mind. For some of us, our two lists looked the same. For others this only further revealed how much pain laid under the surface. Matt told us how he has traveled the world over teaching on this topic, and no matter where he was, no matter what poor, ravaged country he was in - whether he was in orphanages in Thailand or in a rich suburban high school in California - EVERYONE had an idea of what the ideal father should look like.

Interesting... Why is that?

The Bible says that God has set eternity into the hearts of men (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Which simply means we, in some kind of subconscious way perhaps, know there should be something better then what we see around us...

Many ignore this primal instinct. Some of us prefer to drown out its still quiet voice with the incessant noise of the daily rat-race. Some of us delude ourselves into thinking we can achieve perfection in this world on our strength and valor... I doubt many people out there would disagree with the our apparent desire for something more, something bigger then what we see before us. We expect something more.. especially from our fathers.

After the sermon on the mount, Jesus would often use refer to God as "father". And sometimes, miraculously enough, God would publicly declare Jesus as his son. I don't know how well you remember the story of Jesus' baptism, but its a beautiful picture of the Father's love for us...

Jesus is in the Jordan being baptized by John, when all of a sudden the Holy Spirit descends like a dove and a voice from heaven exclaims, "You are my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." (Luke 3: 22)

Realize this is at the very beginning of Jesus ministry.. Before Jesus performs any miracles, before his very words change the world as we know it, before his life, death and resurrection purchase us life eternal... God speaks to him and says.. "Never forget Jesus, you are my son and I love you. I'm so proud of you and I am proud to be your father."

God's love for Jesus wasn't based on what he did. What Jesus simply had to was realize it was there and accept it. All the good he would do from that day forth wasn't out of celestial obligation, but out of the overflow of God's love for him.

The simple truth is.. we can't do anything to make God love us less and we can't do anything to make God love us more.

He will always be our father, our advocate, our biggest fan.

We forget this though. The evil bedfellows of pride and guilt whisper in our ear that he won't forgive us, he won't be there for us, he doesn't know what He's talking about! Live your life how you want to live it..

No better place do we see this illustrated then in the story of a lovesick father who is waiting for his prodigal to return from a distant after the son betrayed him, wasted precious family resources, made a mockery of his name, and most importantly.. robbed him of their relationship.

The story is found in Luke 15.

I hope you read it and read it slow. The entire Bible.. the mysteries of God's relationship with his creation.. is summed up in one short story.

For some of us maybe we have to realize that part of our problem in approaching God the Father and trusting that his character coincides with stories like these... is that because of our past, because our relationship with our earthly fathers was skewed and embattled, we have a hard time believing God loves us unconditionally.

I challenge you to not take my word for it and search out Jesus in the Scriptures for yourself.. let the stories come alive in a way maybe they haven't for years.

We need to change our thinking and let the Holy Spirit not only reveal God's love for us, but begin to chip away at these harmful mental and emotional strongholds (2 Corinthians 10).

I really couldn't relate with a lot of the kids in this school. I was blessed with a great Dad. He will admit he wasn't perfect, but I never doubted his love for me. Melissa would say the same thing about her father too. We are blessed, and we're very grateful for who they and what they mean to us. I say this for a reason..

At my last service at First Baptist Church of Red Bank several weeks ago, many people we're wishing me well and saying silly things about how much I've meant to the church and how proud they were of me. It was nice. Obviously very encouraging and meaningful.

It wasn't until I saw my Dad though and he wrapped his big arms around me and whispered in my ear "Proud of you kiddo," that I buckled and started to teer up. In a way no one else can, he made me feel like a little kid again.. holding me after I just scrapped my knee or something.

Have we ever known that same intimacy with our heavenly Father? Has the word father in relation to God become lifeless and devoid of emotion? Are we like the prodigal who is still in a far off land, refusing to come home to our dad that loves us and wants the best for us?

Because truth be told, my dad, as cool as he is, can't fill all these whole inside of me. Only God can. Only God was meant to. He's waiting for all of us to come home to him. To put the religion aside, to leave the pride behind us, to tell Satan the guilt he constantly chains us down with... no longer applies to us. We are free by the blood of the Lamb.

The Father loves us.. and is well pleased.

The First Couple Weeks!

2007-04-06T16:08:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone!

Melissa and I wanted to not only give you an update on what's going on here in Montana, but let you know about this snazzy new internet website that we will be using to update people on our little missions adventure.

It will be a great way for us to let everyone know what's going on, post some pictures and explain what we're doing. So if you get bored, if there's nothing good on TV, if the Yankees are losing to the like the DEVIL RAYS or something horrible... you can sign on here and read about your favorite missionaries, the Durkins! ;)

So the first two weeks have been great! The adventure though, the first real lesson in TRUST, really started in the airport...

In one 24 hour period Melissa and I got delayed 3 times, canceled once, lost our luggage, was unnecessarily sent to SEATTLE, and had to stay in a hotel on our own coin. It was good times.. but we survived and it really has been great ever since.

This YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base/school is really a very cool place! The campus is nestled in the Rocky Mountains, in upstate Montana, almost bordering Canada. For you geography nerds out there, we're about a half hour away from Kalispell and Glacier National Park. Translation: it's absolutely beautiful up here! We get to walk outside and see a panoramic view of the snow-capped Rockies every day and breathe in that crisp Montana air... (Anyone else feeling strangely called to missions right now too?? ;)

We know though that the quality of this or any school is so much bigger then its surroundings.... It begins and ends with the leaders, the teachers, and the people that comprise it. I can easily say that the people here are AWESOME! We are surrounded by down-to-earth people that love Jesus and have a passion for serving the poor and disenfranchised of the world. It's a lot of fun.

Melissa and I stay busy everyday by going to classes, reading, doing work around campus and taking strolls into picturesque downtown Lakeside. We each have specific daily work duties while we are here too. Melissa is on house-keeping duty in the administrative building, and I'm on (believe or not.. yes Tom Kurtz its true) on the facilities work crew! We are currently putting up new siding on one of the campus' houses which is a lot of fun.

(Pictures of most of these things are available on this website)

ANNND.. we found out where we will be going on the "outreach" phase of this program. For the months of June and July Melissa and I will be serving in orphanages, youth summer camps, building relationships with the locals and telling them about our faith innnn... TAIWAN!

We never expected this, but are super excited about it!

That is all for now. We will definitely write more in the future. I didn't want to bog people down with too much today, but simply offer a huge thank you to everyone that is thinking of us, praying for us, and supported us in getting here.

God is good! We wish you a great Easter weekend..

-Chris and Melissa Durkin

ps Here's our address if you want to send us like 15 pounds of peeps and jelly beans!

Chris and Melissa Durkin
501 Blacktail Rd
Lakeside Mt 59922