Bruce Marchiano

The actor best known for his role as Jesus talks to Kyria.

Kyria: You are best known for your role as Jesus in The Gospel According to Matthew (The Visual Bible), which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. In this film you portrayed Jesus with raw emotion—excruciating grief, but also overwhelming joy. What has informed your interpretation of Jesus? And have you always understood Jesus in the way you portrayed him in the film?

No, I haven’t. It wasn’t until I had to portray Jesus that I realized I’d never really taken the time to get to know him. Making The Gospel According to Matthew forced me to begin that journey. I knew that no basic actors’ skill was going to be enough. I needed to, first, understand Jesus, and second, to personally pursue conforming to his likeness. Once I began, I became more and more desperate to know Jesus; that was the cry of my heart. I buried my nose on the carpet seeking God in preparation for the film.

Scripture says that Jesus loved people with an everlasting love. That means you get down in the dirt with people and cry over their pain and hold them until that pain is gone. Anyone who hangs on a piece of wood and bleeds for the love of people is not a detached person. It was within this wide range of heartbreak and joy that the interpretation was born.

You are now in the process of making a film based on the Gospel of John, which will be called Jesus: No Greater Love. How does John portray Jesus differently from Matthew?

The Gospel of John is very different from Matthew. In John, Jesus’ answers to people’s questions often seem mystical, which makes you dig and dig and unpack to put the words into reality. I’m constantly asking Why? Why would Jesus answer in a way that doesn’t seem to match the question? He must have had a reason.

John brings to light the fulfillment of things that had been prophesied a thousand years before. At the end of the gospel, John writes, “Jesus did many things, but these are written so that you will believe.” Every move Jesus made was a fulfillment of something written in the Old Testament. He was the fulfillment alive.

I make the joke that Jesus: No Greater Love will be like The Gospel According to Matthew on steroids. It will be a hundred times the joy, and a hundred times the passion and heartbreak. But the constant theme in John is I Am, the Old Testament name of God—I Am the light of the world; I Am the bread of life. And so there will be what I call a hero factor—a heroic presence to this Man that we didn’t quite capture a hundred percent of in Matthew.

I know The Gospel According to Matthew was translated into many languages. Will you do the same with Jesus: No Greater Love?

Yes. My long-term vision is to start dubbing the new film into the languages of the world—to get it into the hands of missionaries and the people. I want people to have the film whether or not they have the means to pay for it. That’s why we’re building it into a nonprofit ministry outreach, financing it with donations instead of investment, because investment requires return, which can lead to competing goals. I don’t want to be caught in the middle of that. That’s why we’re going the nonprofit route, and we’ll dub the film in many languages.

You’re very globally and missions minded, and I know you do a lot of work in South Africa. What drew you to that country in particular?

It was more just the opposite: South Africa embraced Matthew and began to invite me to come and speak. I look for the open door. Matthew really touched that nation.

The film was released right when the government of South Africa was transitioning. Mandela was turning the nation on its head, and people’s hearts were very raw. Matthew landed in the middle of all this change. The film is very multi-cultural, and it was the first time many African people saw themselves in relationship to Jesus. The country embraced the film and embraced me as a result. I go there three times a year for ministry, and I love it. I love Africa.

Will you describe your experience with the South African church? How does it differ from church in the United States?

The South African people are refreshingly uncomplicated, and you can see that in their worship. Heidi Baker, who does ministry in Mozambique, has found that if she does a church service there in which miracles don’t happen, no one will ever come back. If there’s no change, God must not be present. This is a completely different mindset than that of the West. These people believe that God can heal, and so they expect that fruit. It’s a very uncomplicated mindset; they easily trust in God’s power. It’s a lovely thing.

The God of the Third Way

God reaches us where we didn’t even know we needed to be seen

This Lenten season has brought a freshness of anticipation and wonder to me like none other I can remember. Yes, it has been marked by repentance and introspection, but with knees bent and palms turned up to heaven in contrition, I can’t help but strain my neck to see just what my Father will do next—what incredible way he will demonstrate again his divine wisdom and great love towards us.

Our God is a God of the Third Way. We can storm our minds for wisdom in our need; we can consult other resources and people for best and godly practices, but God is a God of a surprise, consolation, and beauty that transcends even our noblest human ideas. He provides a way beyond our conceptions and reaches us where we didn’t even know we needed to be seen. I’d like to share one recent story of our Father’s way.

At the lunch table last week, my friend Marian confessed her internal struggle and grief over her mother’s health problems. Her mother, who has been told by her doctor that she will not walk again due to a broken leg and debilitating osteoporosis, insisted to once again have her shattered bones x-rayed. This meant another long trip to the doctor for Marian and her mother to hear the same results repeated. Several of us discussed with Marian what might be the best way to handle her mother’s insistence and denial, and how to mediate between her mother and the doctor. We listened to her grief with real concern and responded as best we knew how.

The next day, I asked Marian how the appointment with the doctor was. My spirit was stirred by the glow of her face as she told a story none of us would have expected. The doctor, who could’ve dismissively rolled his eyes at a woman who needed a simple medical reality spelled out for her once again, set aside a chunk of time to gently and graciously explain that, no, she would never walk again, but also how she, in fact, has so much to be thankful for: she still has her leg, though the possibility of amputation had been very real when the break initially occurred. Marian watched as her mother’s countenance changed into one of true gratitude as the doctor told her she would not have to worry about amputation anymore. And as this man patiently cared for Marian’s mother, a nurse came in with a tub of warm water. The nurse quietly crouched down and began gently washing Marian’s mother’s broken leg. She washed off the dead skin that had built up under her leg brace. She lathered cooling lotion on the woman’s bathed skin. Marian’s mother’s tough exterior softened as she looked down at the nurse and said simply, “I like you.”

Marian’s mother will continue to suffer the pain of broken bones and disability. But the God of the Third Way entered into that situation as none of us would’ve been able to conceive. He touched this hurting woman in a place of need even more fundamental than we knew or thought to go. The God who made us knows how to reach us and he mercifully deigns to do so; he satisfies us with his love.

At Easter we get space to ruminate on our transcendent God and the Way he has ultimately paved. We needed salvation from our sin. And God was not stuck in the routes that we would’ve seen before us—the route of justice and punishment, or the route of mercy. Our Father gave us the third way—the way so far above our ways: Jesus Christ. The life, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ blew through our understanding, fulfilling both justice and mercy in one act, and offering to us an eternal Life of our Father’s third ways—a Life that is here now for us to drink in deeply.

As we reflect on God’s salvation this week, we’d love to hear how God has provided his third ways in your life.

Practical Biblical Justice

A review of last week’s webinar

Last week Kyria held its first webinar with Kara Powell on what it means to live justly everyday. Kara is the Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute and has written several books on justice including Deep Justice Journeys and Deep Justice in a Broken World. Here are some notes from our conversation, which we hope will continue the rich discussion we started last week and encourage those who couldn’t make the webinar to join in.

What is biblical justice?
It is important to use Scripture to define justice. A simple definition for justice is righting wrongs. Justice is linked to restoring shalom or holistic flourishing. It is near God’s heart for all of his followers.

What is the difference between justice and compassion?
Compassion or service is a step on the way to justice. It is giving a glass of cold water to someone who is thirsty.

Justice is asking: Why is that person thirsty? What can we do so that they can get water on their own? What can we do to turn that person around so that they are able to give out glasses of water to others?

There is so much injustice in the world. How do you determine what the best course is for you to take?
The first thing is to pray and see how the Lord leads you. God speaks differently to us at different times about different issues. Then once you know the Lord’s leading, obey. To be most effective go deep in a few issues rather than go broad in many.

How do you bring justice into everyday living?
Evaluating the way we spend our money is a practical way to make justice more real. This involves thinking through the product and the people involved. This is where fair trade has seen such a rise in prominence as people are becoming more aware of how their purchasing decisions affect those who produce these goods.

What are some steps to help others see the importance of justice issues in your church?
The importance of stories in casting vision is central. Vision can be defined as shared stories of future hope. There is nothing more convincing for people than seeing your passion partnered with the truth of Scripture.

It is also important to help people get a taste for what justice work is. To make justice experiences stick, it is helpful to prepare people before the event and to debrief after the event. It is not just about the experience but how it relates to the rest of someone’s life that will make it have a lasting impact.

What role does community play in justice?
Community can help us bring the ideas of living justly down to our everyday lives. Living justly means living in a way that is different than the norm. You need others who know you to help you figure out what living justly looks for you at this time in your life and to help keep you accountable to pursuing that way of life.

Community also functions as a support in our justice work. Fighting injustice is difficult, tiring work, and burnout is all too common. You need people to help you set boundaries and tell you when you need to take time to rest, like Moses’ father-in-law did for him.

How do you get kids aware of and involved in justice work in a safe way?
Talking about news events and praying for the people involved in an age-appropriate way is one of the first steps to helping children become aware of the injustice in the world around them.

Partnering with organizations that are used to the dynamics of providing meaningful experiences for children is also important. Sponsoring a child through Compassion International or working with an organization such as Kiva.org are things you can do with your children without leaving your living room.

As children get older, you help them enter the world of those who are suffering through missions trips and volunteering with their parents.

When involved in such horizontal ministry, how do you keep your relationship with God front and center?
Spending personal time with God praying and reading Scripture is always going to be key in not forgetting that it’s his work for his glory and we engage in it because of his character. It’s also important to ask God to make us aware of what he’s doing and how he’s working, so that we can experience Jesus in everything we do.

Related Resources:
1. Social Justice in Your Community: This resource provides tangible tools for living the gospel where you are.
2. Serving in the Suburbs by Margot Starbuck
3. A Library for a Needy Neighborhood by Keri Wyatt Kent
4. Just Living: The February 2010 issue of the Kyria digizine. (Available free to Kyria.com members or for purchase here.)
5. Book Review: Everyday Justice by Bonnie McMaken
6. Justice for All, One at a Time: This Bible study explores the biblical model for ministry to the marginalized.
7. Service Rooted in Grace: We cannot change the world without changed hearts is the truth developed in this Bible study.
8. From Personal Faith to Social Action: This Bible study addresses how Christ’s command to care for “the least of these” translates to social action.

Christians and Homosexuals

How should we treat those who are gay?

My husband, Brad, met Norman when Brad spoke at an interfaith Easter service. Norman approached him and asked if he could talk. In a short time, Brad learned that Norman had been a practicing homosexual all his life and was now suffering from AIDS. In further conversations, Brad found out that Norman’s mother was a Christian and had been praying that he would come to Christ before he died. He did.

Never was a man more radically changed. From the outset, Norman told Brad that he didn’t know if he could change his orientation, but he knew he could change his behavior, and that he would from now on. My husband honored that and concentrated on helping him in that battle, which we all have, to control his sin nature.

Norman became a part of our family. He came to a Bible study in our home each week and sang the songs with the vigor of a man who knew he would soon be meeting the One he sang about. He soaked in Scripture as if it were his last drink of water before entering a long desert journey. Some people thought that we were foolish to have an advanced AIDS patient so near our young children, since at that time little was known about AIDS and fears were rampant. But the things our family learned through Norm’s hunger and enthusiasm for God ended up being tremendous. Our kids saw his love for God’s Word, his concern for other people, and his grace in the midst of suffering.

Toward the end, we mostly saw Norm at the hospital. When he died, we felt such great loss. What we would have missed if we hadn’t known him! None of us had ever been around someone who had a fatal disease, which AIDS was at that time. We learned compassion for one who was slowly, painfully letting go of this life and preparing for the next. It helped us evaluate what was important to us as we saw him let go of all the trivial things in his life.

Before Norman, I had never known someone who claimed to be a homosexual and a Christian. He made me think about this issue a lot. I’m sure there are many reasons someone ends up in the homosexual camp. Some believe they were born that way, others end up there because of early sexual abuse, and still others because their moral compass is so completely skewed that they have no idea how to find direction.

But no matter the reason, we are commanded to love. That doesn’t mean we excuse sinful behavior, but it does mean we listen, understand, and sacrifice our own comfort and preconceived ideas to represent Christ well. Through Norman and our relationship with him, I discovered the importance of listening before condemning and of offering the same grace that Christ shows me in spite of all my faults and foibles.

What kind of experiences have you had with someone who claims to be a homosexual, and how have you seen God use you in their lives and vice versa?

Israel: Day 5

In visiting Jerusalem, it’s easy to see the significance of the Mount of Olives on the landscape. It’s a mountain near the Old City, outside the wall but within view. It hosts a large and very visible Jewish cemetery, in use since ancient times.

In reviewing biblical history, it’s easy to see the significance of this place in the lives of God’s people. In preparation for visiting the site, when I looked to see how many biblical events took place at the Mount of Olives, I was surprised at how significant this location is in Scripture. Here are a few:

• Solomon built altars to the gods of his wives on this mountain—and they worshiped them here, in what Scripture refers to as “high places) (1 Kings 11:7-8).
• After the Book of Law was rediscovered during King Josiah’s reign, he destroyed the altars Solomon had built here, which was then called The Hill of Corruption (2 Kings 23:13).
• King David ascended the Mount of Olives as he ran away from Absalom (2 Samuel 15:30).
• Ezekiel refers to the glory of the Lord ascending the Mount of Olives when prophesying of the Jews’ return to Israel from Babylonian exile (Ezekiel 11:23).
• Jesus and his disciples hung out here (Matthew 26:30).

• This is where Jesus taught his disciples about the signs of the end of the age (Matthew 24).
• This is where Jesus and his disciples were when he sent two of them ahead to find the donkey on which he rode into Jerusalem in what we know as the Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1).
•And this is where, on his way into Jerusalem, Jesus wept over the city and prophesied its destruction (Luke 19:41-44).
• Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9-12).
• Some believe this is the spot where Jesus will return (Acts 1:11).
• Jesus used this as a place to rest after teaching in Jerusalem (Luke 21:37).

The last is the one that really caught my eye today—not because it’s the deepest or most significant, but for three other reasons. First, our December issue of the Kyria digizine challenged me to think a lot about the theology of rest in recent months. Second, as I sit here typing this in Jerusalem, the city is becoming a place of quiet rest as observant Jews prepare to honor Shabbat, or the Sabbath. And third, after a week of long days touring the Holy Land, I’m tired. I have rest on my mind.

As people called to ministry in Jesus’ name, we always see more that we could be doing. And yet if we neglect our need for rest, we disregard our human limitations. Such disregard has serious spiritual consequences. Never mind the obvious consequences to our health and effectiveness.

As followers of Jesus, we have so much to learn from him. He is, of course, our ultimate example. If Jesus, who was both God and human, needed to rest in a peaceful place, how much more do we need to rest, acknowledging our human limitations and our dependence on God.

Like Adam and Eve, and everyone since, we’re so easily tempted with the lie that we can be like God, and that therefore we don’t need him. Resting is one way to acknowledge that we are human, we do have limitations, and we can’t do everything—we are dependent on God.

This afternoon, I’m going to take a few moments to follow Jesus’ example and rest. Why don’t you find a few minutes today to do the same?

Israel: Day 4

“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.’
Our feet are standing
in your gates, O Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is built like a city
that is closely compacted together.
That is where the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD,
to praise the name of the LORD
according to the statute given to Israel.
There the thrones for judgment stand,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May those who love you be secure.
May there be peace within your walls
and security within your citadels.’
For the sake of my brothers and friends,
I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
I will seek your prosperity.”
--Psalm 122

This psalm—one of David’s psalms of ascent, which were written to be sung on the ascent to Jerusalem for worship—has never meant a whole lot to me. Like all of God’s Word, I have valued these pieces of Scripture, but I have not truly understood their meaning and significance.

That changed today. On visiting Jerusalem, I came to understand so much more than I did about the significance of this city to God’s people from David’s time to the present.

I was looking forward to visiting Jerusalem, and I knew it would be a powerful experience. I also knew about the importance and sacredness of this city to so many around the world. But honestly, I was not prepared for the incredible experience of walking around these streets. I was overwhelmed by the beauty, history, and passion present here. The sense of culture is incredibly rich; history greeted me at every turn; and nearly every corner features an expression of faith.

And at the center of it all is the site of the ancient temple: lovingly built, destroyed, rebuilt, reviled, revered, mocked, contested, and excavated for more than 3000 years. Seeing the temple within the city walls has helped me understand so much about significance of this site in Scripture. The temple that stood here was high atop a mountain, towering over valleys below. It was huge, visible to everyone, and infused with the indwelling presence of God. It gave hope, guidance, purpose, a sense of unity, and faith to God’s people. A holy place, indeed!

It’s truly impossible to describe the experience of seeing the remains of this temple and the city that surrounded it. Jerusalem is a capsule of much of human history—and God’s ongoing work among people—packed into a larger dose than I can swallow at once, much less communicate. But as our group ascended the temple steps—many of which are the same steps Jesus and his disciples walked on—our devotion leader read Psalm 122. And I understood a bit of why God’s people were and are drawn to this place where his presence was manifest. I felt small in the presence of a holy God who has reached down to people and lovingly called them to himself throughout all ages.

They say that after you visit Israel, you’ll never be the same. I need a lot more time to absorb what I have learned and experienced here (and we’re not finished yet!), but I know already that it will be true for me.

I can’t wait to see the day when God truly does bring lasting peace to Jerusalem.

Israel: Day 3

During my time in Israel, two separate cultural contrasts have reminded me how completely Jesus transcends our own limitations.

First, seeing the place where Jesus’ life and ministry took place has reminded me just how different the cultural context of Jesus’ ministry was from the cultural context in which I worship him. Walking around the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, and the Dead Sea, the hymns of Martin Luther seem dramatically out of place. So do the worship songs we sing in my contemporary church. This land inspires a different kind of expression, and the people here worship differently as a result.

Does that mean my kind of worship is inadequate or impure? Does the fact that Jesus lived and ministered in the Middle East mean he thinks and behaves like a Middle Easterner and doesn’t understand my mindset? Do I need to change my culture to become more like Jesus? Of course not. Understanding the context of Jesus’ ministry certainly helps us understand his teachings (and I don’t mean to diminish this critical aspect to Bible study), but Jesus is above culture. He lives way outside this and all other cultures. He created cultures and the people in them. The creator is never limited by his creation.

Second, visiting churches and other places sacred to Christians has reminded me how varied are the faces of those who follow Christ. I have seen pilgrims here from all over the world, speaking many languages, sometimes in unison. At one church, I saw believers from South America, Eastern and Western Europe, Asia, and North America worshiping God at one time, each in their own language and their own way.

While these Christians probably differ widely on some points of theology, all believers saved by Jesus’ sacrificial grace are brothers and sisters. That means we’re part of one huge, confusing, dysfunctional, multi-colored and multi-language family! Does this diminish Christ and his relevance? Does it make him confusing? Not at all. Jesus transcends these cultures as well. These many faces of Christianity merely reinforce Jesus’ relevance to all people at all times.

I love that about him.

Wannabe Runner

It took me a while, but I’ve finally been able to accept my natural limitations.

Two years ago I decided I wanted to start running. Long distances. Real running. Not just “I’m running from the house to the car because it’s so stinking cold outside” running. What brought this on, I’m not quite sure. Especially since for most of my life, I’d avoided running at all costs.

Over the years I’d spent little time running, but a lot of time watching people run. I’d watch the runners at the gym and think, Yeah, that doesn’t look too bad. I can do that. I have a friend who’s a runner and would knock off four or five miles in a single workout. She’d even completed a half marathon.

Oh, if she can do it, I bet I can too, I’d think. Such high hopes. So little understanding! I just loved the culture of running and I wanted to be as good as those around me.

I started out my new hobby using the treadmill at the gym. Two minutes in and I felt like I’d been running for 30. How do people do this? I wondered, wincing through the burning pain in my legs. I couldn’t foresee a day when I could run for 10 minutes, let alone 30. Still, a few times a week I’d hop back on that treadmill and do what I could. As time went on, my breathing improved, my strength improved, and I could run for longer than two minutes at a time.

A short time later I signed up for a 5K race with some friends. That’s 3.1 miles. The race gave me something to work toward—a running goal. Three or four times a week I’d dutifully run and try to run the entire three miles without stopping. That was my goal—no walking. It didn’t matter how long it took me, just don’t walk. The race day came and . . . I walked near the end. I finished last among my friends. It was frustrating to work really hard and then to finish behind my friends. That’s when I realized that I like running, but I’m just not, well, good at it.

I have friends who run half marathons, friends who have as little running experience as I do and yet finish off a mile faster than me, friends who don’t run in months and then run fives miles like it’s nothing. I’ve realized I’ll never be like that. I’m not a true runner.

Since that race and since my training for it, I began to recognize some pride issues. I wanted to be the best and I wanted to surpass my fellow runners. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). I certainly exalted myself before the race, hoping to beat my friends’ time. And I was certainly humbled when they easily passed me up despite all my training.

I’ve also learned to try not to compare myself to other runners, which is a work in progress. Galatians 6:4 says, “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.” Not comparing ourselves to others seems like such an elementary lesson to learn, yet that was my biggest obstacle in running. I had to let go of the desire to be the best and to run like she did or go as far as he did.

I’ve really come to view running differently. I’ve started running for the enjoyment of it and not just as a means to the finish line. I love going to a park in the spring and summer and running along the path. There’s something about running outdoors in the fresh air that’s completely rejuvenating and freeing to me.

I haven’t signed up for another race since my first one and I’m not sure if I will. Running three miles is—and will probably always be—a challenge. Running one mile after a long drought is tough! I’ll never run a marathon and I’ll never be the fastest runner. I’ve decided to accept my natural limitations, and I’ve chosen to enjoy the sport of running within my own abilities.

When Hebrews 12:1 tells us, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,” I know that mile time doesn’t matter at all for the race the Lord calls us to, but rather endurance, perseverance, and devotion.

I’m simply a wannabe runner. And that’s okay.

Israel: Day 2

Among the stops on our tour today was the ancient city of Capernaum. Capernaum was Jesus’ home during his ministry in the Galilee area. It also was the site of several biblical events and some of Jesus’ most well-known teachings. Today it is a collection of ruins from ancient times, including some remains of the synagogue from Jesus’ day. Birds were singing and roosting in the shade of olive trees as we walked through Capernaum, which sits along the shore of the beautiful Sea of Galilee (actually a freshwater lake).

Among the biblical events that took place in Capernaum was Jesus’ declaration that “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35).

This statement was shocking to those who heard it because they interpreted his words in terms of physical food. The crowd had come to Jesus for more “miracle food,” having just seen him multiply five loaves and two fish that he had just multiplied to feed thousands.

Jesus’ statement is shocking in our context as well, because we are surrounded by so many competing goods and distractions that promise to make us happy. We may go through life without even feeling—let alone identifying—our spiritual hunger.

What Jesus promised was not food to temporarily satiate our physical hunger. Instead, he contrasted the “bread of life” with the manna God had provided his people in the wilderness. This kind of bread, Jesus himself, is spiritual sustenance, which gives true, everlasting life to those who partake of it. Only Jesus can satisfy our soul’s hunger.

I find that life presents a daily struggle to seek the bread of life and to sustain myself with what Jesus offers in the face of so many distractions and so many promises of happiness and fulfillment. In fact, most days I fail completely. I unintentionally try to fill my life with so many other things so that I don’t feel my spiritual hunger.

What Jesus gives us is so basic—bread. He satisfies our hunger and thirst. Rather than the “empty spiritual calories” the world offers, this is what we need.

“I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:48-51).

Israel: Day 1

The first day of our tour of Israel has been overwhelming. Everything has been dazzling—from the gorgeous weather and blazing sunshine, to the colorful land, the historical and cultural depth, and the wonderful food (if you’re a burger & fries type, it might feel like a cultural experience; as a vegetarian who never met a vegetable, fruit, or whole grain I didn’t like, I feel as if my tongue has come home). And the biblical sites have left my head spinning. In Caesarea, I gained a whole new understanding of the significance of the Roman occupation of this land. In Nazareth, I was surprised to see a city sprawling along the mountainside, much larger than the small village of Jesus’ day, but still boasting a small reproduction of what life may have been like during his time there. And everywhere in between, I was fascinated by large ruins dating back thousands of years.

At each site, we were greeted by warm, friendly people—Jews, Muslims, and Christians—who understand and acknowledge the depth to which faith has shaped the history of this place.

As we interacted with Israelis, I found myself contrasting life in modern-day Israel with my life in suburban Chicago. I find it amusing that in the U.S., we get excited about our historical artifacts, some of which date back three or four hundred years. Seriously? I thought. What would it be like to live in a place surrounded by evidence of thousands of years of history, by deeply holy sites, by reminders of great things God has done, by the markings of generations of God’s faithfulness and power?

Then I realized I do. We all do. My life and my home are filled with daily experiences with God’s faithfulness and power. So is my family tree. The world around us bears constant testimony to who God is. And his people—the church worldwide—is a living, breathing, baffling, always changing, and inspiring artifact. I’m so glad I’ve come to Israel, and I look forward to experiencing what God will do in my life this week. But I pray that a fascination with God’s work in this place will not cause me to lose sight of his ongoing work in my own life.

My Trip to Israel

Join me in my journey through the Holy Land

I'm excited to announce that I've been blessed with an opportunity to travel to Israel. And I'd like to take you with me--well, sort of.

Next week, with a group of other representatives from Christian media organizations, I'll be touring the Holy Land and visiting numerous biblical sites. Even in glancing through a preliminary itinerary for the trip, I've been amazed at the thought of seeing so many important places in real life. I hope to learn a lot, to see my faith in a new way, and to share with you what I experience along the way. I plan to blog from Israel each day next week, so stop by to read about my journey. I hope to share photos and maybe some video as well so you can experience a bit of Israel with me.

See you next week. Shalom.

My Daniel Fast

I never imagined everything that I’d realize about myself

A few Mondays ago, I inhaled deeply as the warm, earthy scent of brewing coffee wafted gently over several rows of cubicles and wandered toward my nose. I can usually smell coffee brewing, but on this particular day the scent was so strong I could almost see it meandering around the corner and swirling around me, like in a scene from a cartoon.

I stepped over to my desk and flipped open a small black notebook I’d placed next to my keyboard. Uncapping a pen, I wrote the first thing that came to mind:

8:15. Smelling coffee. ARRGH.

That Monday was Day 1 of a 10-day Daniel fast my church was participating in. Inspired by Daniel 10:3, in which Daniel determines to forgo “choice food” in order to demonstrate humility before the Lord and to gain understanding, our pastors called us to eat simple foods for 10 days, and to add additional prayer and Bible study to our daily routines. Refined foods, sugar, dairy, and yeast were out, in favor of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. Also on the “no” list? Caffeine.

The journal I kept during the first couple days records my adjustment to the routine in stream-of-consciousness style.

Early that morning, I jotted a quick prayer. Because I’ve restricted myself from particular kinds or amounts of food before, I needed help focusing on the spiritual purpose of this fast, rather than any physical benefits that might accompany the healthier diet. I didn’t want to diet when the calling was to fast.

Around 8:30, I noted that I was responding to some minor interruptions with more irritation than I normally would have. I was challenged by the thought that my pleasant demeanor might actually reflect a sated tongue rather than a contented soul.

Mid-morning, I’d started to think about how, by challenging my routine choices, the fast was building some spiritual muscle. “I’m wondering now about my capacity to do hard things,” I wrote. “Have I let that part of me atrophy?”

By 3:45 Monday afternoon, I’d already tired of oatmeal, apples, and lentil soup. I opened the notebook again: “Burrito with shredded chicken and sour cream. I sure hope I start having more spiritual thoughts soon.”

Before the fast began, a friend and I prayerfully decided to increase our intake of Scripture. For me, that meant unearthing some Bible CDs I had and listening to them during a leg of my long daily commute.

As I slid one into the CD player, I recognized my resistance to this change—and realized I often rely on “pre-processed” spiritual insight. My preference is often for music in which someone else has done the hard spiritual work of connecting with God, or for programs in which someone else reflects on his or her interpretation of Scripture and what it means for our lives. Listening to the texts without this kind of mediation was challenging for me. I prayed that God would allow me to crave “unprocessed” encounters with him and with Scripture in the same way I was experiencing physical cravings for a tall, skim vanilla latte.

Although I was pleased when our fast ended nine days later, I was also grateful for the experience, and for the connections it helped me make between my physical and spiritual lives. The challenge of fasting by type of food helped me to think more deeply about issues of physical and spiritual satiety, and to explore the parallels between the pleasure of processed foods and the fleeting satisfaction they provide. I continued to pray for a “fasting” mentality vs. a “dieting” mindset. And as time went on, I enjoyed my unmediated encounters with the Bible more than I had before.

I’m curious: What challenges have you experienced as the result of a fast? What insights has fasting brought to your life, and have they become part of your daily spiritual life? Also, what advice would you offer someone who is beginning to incorporate fasting into her life with God?

Bruce Marchiano

The God of the Third Way

Practical Biblical Justice

Christians and Homosexuals