How To Be A Hero (Thoughts from Kevin)

I just loved learning about the origins of these famous super heroes from Kevin Eng, our teammate who is raising support up in Rochester (please remember to keep him in your prayers!). So I’m reposting his thoughts from his own blog which is here: http://epiceng.wordpress.com/2009/12/09/how-to-be-a-hero/#comment-28

How To Be A Hero

December 9, 2009 in personal thoughts

The Epic Conference is an annual event where we gather students from Epic Movements around the country to share in worship, vision, and fellowship. More information about the Epic conference can be found on the website: http://epicconference.epicmovement.com/

The theme for the Epic Conference this year is “Hero.” This conference will be about how we can boldly be heroes and be used by God. Ever since I was young I have had a deep love for comic book super heroes. Part of me still wishes I could be a super hero. But in the Christian life, being a hero is much different than the way it is defined in the comics.

I would like to take a look at five super hero origins and how they illustrate some misconceptions of the Christian life.

The Flash: When a lightning bolt hit some chemicals in a police lab Barry Allen became The Flash. Sometimes in the Christian life it can be tempting to ask God for an easy fix. With the power and suddenness of a bolt of lightning God could change my situation. He could make life better for me. He could take away the issues in my life. But the Christian life is not found in instant fixes. Though God can change a situation in an instant, in his sovereignty He chooses to refine us over time instead.

Green Lantern: Hal Jordan was chosen as one worthy to be a member of the Green Lantern Corps. Sometimes in the Christian life it can be tempting to think that God has chosen me because of my abilities or character. But it is not based on anything of my own. Because it is grace that saves not works (Eph 2:8-9). But beyond salvation it is God’s will and His mercy for Him choosing me to serve, not my qualifications of ability or character.

Wonder Woman: Wonder Woman competed and won a competition of strength and intellect against the other Amazonian women to become an ambassador to mankind. Sometimes in the Christian life it can be tempting to try to compete for God’s favor or even compete to be the best. Often our competitive nature can creep back into our Christian lives. There is danger in comparing ourselves to others. It is God who gifts us according to His will.

Superman: Superman gains his power from the yellow sun but is guided by the morals of his upbringing. Sometimes in the Christian life it can be tempting to try to become morally perfect. Just as Superman is often labeled a ‘Boy Scout” Christians are often labeled for their choices on morality. But a Christian should never think that a firm stance on morals can set them right with God. For it is only in Christ that we are made right before God.

Batman: Years of training, devotion, and dedication made Bruce Wayne into Batman. Sometimes in the Christian life it can be tempting to try to make it all about hard work and dedication. Christianity can turn into legalism as faith becomes external and performance driven. God’s desire is for us to bring our whole heart to Him, not hide it behind a wall of performance.

So, how then shall we live to become a Hero for God? The power for a Christian does not come from lightning, a green ring, Greek mythology, the sun, or even years of dedication. The power for a Christian comes from the Holy Spirit. God’s presence in the believer to comfort us in hard times, to refine us and mold our character, to empower us to use our gifts for the kingdom, to convict us of sin and lead us to repentance, to guide us in how to live, and to call us to come closer to Him.

Leaders of Asian American Campus Ministries Respond

Today I learned from Tommy Dyo (our National Director for the Epic Movement) that he, along with other Asian American campus leaders wrote a thank you note to the authors and publisher of Deadly Viper. Since I didn’t know about this, I figured many others wouldn’t as well. So here it is:

December 1, 2009

To Mike Foster, Jud Wilhite, and the leaders of Zondervan Publishing,

We know that there has been much discussion — both gracious and divisive — about Deadly Vipers Character Assassins. We don’t have much to add, but we felt compelled to write a brief note of thanks. We can only assume that the decision to remove the books from distribution was a costly one, given the time, creativity and expense that went into the project.

But as leaders in the Asian American Christian community, we are also grateful that you would take such a speedy and decisive step to reconcile with another part of Christ’s body, as well as redeem our witness to the wider world.

Please let us know if we can be of any help to you in the future, and may God continue to bless your ministries.

Gratefully,

James Choung, national director, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s Asian American Ministries

Melanie Mar Chow, campus minister/leadership team/campus and staff administration, Asian American Christian Fellowship

Tommy Dyo, national director, Epic Movement (Campus Crusade for Christ’s Asian American Ministries)

Kenji Kobayashi, campus minister/leadership team, Asian American Christian Fellowship

Ken Kong, director, Southeast Asian Committee; director, The Navigator’s Southeast Asian Ministries

Victor Quon, campus minister/leadership team/student & staff leadership development, Asian American Christian Fellowship

Tom Steers, national co-director, The Navigators’ Asian American Ministries

Margaret Yu, national director of leadership development, Epic Movement (Campus Crusade for Christ’s Asian American Ministries)

Summer Project 2010

See Jess’s story on how God led her on a summer project. Find out more information below the video.

Epic Summer Project Full on Vimeo.

Domestic Summer Projects:
-Epic Hawaii
-Epic Bay Area
-Epic New York

International Summer Projects:
-Epic East Asia
-Epic Japan

Why go on summer project? Visit gosummerproject.com
Have a question? Contact Us

Epic Summer Project Journey by Jess Lui

Here is a short story about the process that led her to have an amazing summer and beyond with Jesus.  Contact her if you have any thoughts or comments Jessica.y.lui@gmail.com.

If you are interested in finding out more about summer project, find some info at www.epicmovement.com.

Available Epic Summer Projects –
Stateside
Bay Area, California
Honolulu, HI
New York City, NY

International
Japan
Southeast Asia
East Asia

Asians at Redeemer

I thought it was so cool that Tim Keller was featured in New York Magazine. It’s a pretty interesting article, you can check it out here: http://nymag.com/news/features/62374/index2.html

One line that popped out to me was the following: Jonathan Tse, a 28-year-old investment analyst originally from Hong Kong, describes Redeemer’s emphasis on divine grace as a kind of liberation from the pressure that Manhattan, and the Asian community in particular (the Redeemer congregation has a disproportionately large Asian component), puts on its young people to perform. ‘Redeemer and the gospels themselves basically say, ‘You don’t earn your way into eternal life by working or by being good.’ 

Just reading that made me wonder if the reason for Redeemers’ “disproportionately large Asian component” was due to the lack of “divine grace” shown in the churches that these Asians grew up in? I know for myself growing up, even though “God’s grace” may have been preached, the families at church that compared each other’s children and college aspirations did not match that message. Just recently, my dad’s friend asked if I could bring his 11 year old daughter to church. When I asked why, (since he himself was not a Christian) he said that he knew sending his daughter to church would help her get into Harvard. This kind of thinking, seeing church as a means to earning our way to eternal life AND a successful worldly life, is part of the reason why I think many Asian Americans are leaving the churches they may have grown up in and flocking to mega-churches like Redeemer.

What do you think?

Read more: Why Are So Many New Yorkers Flocking to Evangelical Christian Preacher Tim Keller? — New York Magazine http://nymag.com/news/features/62374/index2.html#ixzz0YPYZnfb4