What Joplin Means to...

Kopp Disclosure
(John 3:19-21)

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When we got back from Joplin, Harlan asked if it was a life-changing experience.

"Yes," I said, "for many...and for me, it was the renewing of an old call and compelling to a new one."

Hence, this KD.

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As you can see in the preceding original video by Kathie with footage help from Don, Jeff, and Tim, it was/remains a disaster of Biblical proportions.

What you see is a glimpse of one mile wide and six miles long jaw-dropping/tear-drenching/overwhelming/numbing/gut-wrenching/drop-to-your-knees-begging...

Really, I cannot begin to describe the human suffering concomitant to destruction often likened to the dropping of a nuclear bomb.

Pictures of the aftermath of Truman's decision on how to end WWII immediately came to mind moments after arriving on the scene.

Despite Kathie's best efforts along with all of those pictures and reports in the media, there is no way to capture the whole picture in framed, uh, pictures, videos, commentary, and...

But I try because people ask; and an old call has been renewed while a new one is compelling.

Anyway, I liken what I saw to a one mile wide old and rusty razor that scrapped for six miles to carve a swath of suffering in the heart of Joplin.

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The old call has been renewing within moi for quite a while; as I've been leaving the imperial priesthood to follow Jesus again.

Metaphorically, I think of it as shedding outrageously expensive vestments like winged-tips, button-downed Brooks Brothers shirts, Cokesbury cuties, and fancy stoles that redirect money from the poor to clergy who should know better to jeans, Ts, and steel-tipped...

Seriously, what kind of attire do you think Jesus would wear if He showed up for Sunday services?

If you read the Clergy Meology series in April or the edition on "Getting Dirty for Jesus" (just click on the archives in the right column if you've forgotten 'em or blew 'em off when first offered), I've talked a lot about returning to my Beruf.

Simply, I got into this gig to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, make Him known as Lord and Savior, and try to love Him by loving like Him because He is Lord and Savior.

Or something like that.

The problem has been getting caught up in that imperial priesthood hypocrisy/posing of, uh, not practicing what we...

Actually, the old call started coming back to me through my youngest Matthew about two years ago.

I was faced with an opportunity to get somebody else to sacrifice and serve so I wouldn't have to do it.

There were no takers.

When I was ___ing and ___ing about it, Matthew said, "Dad, you're always talking about not waiting for others to do what Jesus expects you to do. So why don't you do it and be a model of Someone better?"

Uh, out of the mouths of...

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That's how we got to Joplin.

While it's hard for a guy with a Calvinist bent to admit, I've been humbled by the generosity of our family of faith at First in Belvidere mirrored by seven other churches that have partnered with Pastor Cliff Mansley of Joplin's New Creation Church to provide relief; emphasizing PM/NC were already providing relief to the neediest of the needy in Joplin before things got indescribably worse.

If you'd like to know more about the first delivery, you can click on www.bnnsradio.com this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for a live broadcast of our worship service that will include a report from our partnership's first trip to Joplin; or if you're doing your own liturgical thing on Sunday, just click on www.bnnsradio.com when moved to do it and click on the archives for the service. You can also click on the radio version of KD via www.bnnsradio.com and check out the archived 6/7 show with some commentary by yours truly not many hours after returning from Joplin.

Annnnnnnd if you'd like to get involved with our partnership through PM/NC, you can send $; making out your check to First Presbyterian Church, Belvidere with "New Creation Joplin Relief" in the memo/note for designation, recording, and receipting. There are no administrative or handling costs and every penny that you send will get to PM/NC to help the neediest of the needy in Joplin.

Annnnnnnd if you want to go to Joplin to help rebuild hearts and homes, our pastor Jeremy is right now coordinating mission relief trips to Joplin to get dirty for Jesus! The first trip will be on June 26 - July 2; and, of course, he will be working closely in planning with PM/NC to determine the particulars. If you're interested in going or know someone who is or want to be a sponsor or know someone who wants to be a sponsor, contact me via this site, drkopp@belvpresbyterian.com, or call 815-544-6402 and you'll be connected to PM/NC and Jeremy even quicker than Republicans are dropping out of the race for...

If you can't decide if you wanna, should, or can, read Matthew 25.

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The renewing of an old call birthed/compelled a new one.

A little background.

First, go back to Matthew's charge.

Second, while I ain't no Harold Camping and have no aspirations in that, uh, direction (go to archived edition on that one), God knows even the slightly Biblically literate know we're indisputably moving closer and closer and closer to the eschaton.

Yes, there have always been earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and other "natural" disasters; but the Bible's witness includes the forecasting of more and more and more of 'em with increasing frequency and intensity akin to the increasingly frequent and more intense birthpangs before, uh, birth.

Whether that's a year from now or a hundred years from now, only the unconscious or doped deny the increasing frequency and intensity of...

With that in mind coupled with Matthew's witness and the renewal of an old call compelling a new one, I've decided to, gulp, geez, sigh, uh, whoa, form a First Response Team in our family of faith to provide immediate 24-48 hour relief (water, food, first-aid, toiletries, muscle, prayer) to anyone suffering this kinda stuff.

There are other aspects of such a call that are very raw - PM/NC explained them to me - and you'll have to ask me in private to articulate 'em for ya. Let's just say it's a very, very, very dirty job; and now would be a good time to click on the archived editions about...

I'm going to start stocking the stuff in the new magnormous closet being built in my study to replace the bookshelves that were just for show anyway, get some real vestments and tools for ministry if you know what I mean, and trust God to exchange my brown beater for a...

If you're in our neighborhood, just let me know if you want to be a part of our First Response Team; and if you're not, God will tell you right now if you ask how you can...

Of course, if you dare to ask how, be prepared for a direct response requiring...

Psst.

If you listen in on Sunday to our first delivery team's report, you'll discover the small stuff just ain't that, uh, big anymore for folks who...

BTW, for anal ecclesiastical sorts in our reading audience, yeah, I checked with some elders and members and staff on this; and they're all for it in a no-brainer kinda way. Yeah, they're enough votes. So I'm not holding a special meeting to get approval. Geez. Besides, if I had to get approval for something like this, I wouldn't wanna be... It's important for all of us to remember there is a higher authority than you, me, or them on all issues of faith and morality.

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In short, I refuse to wait anymore to do what God wants done now.

I'm not gonna ask anyone else to do what God wants me to do.

I'm gonna welcome and include anyone who wants to be a part of His salvation army.

Hmm.

That rings a bell.

Moretheless, while returning from Joplin, several personal/corporate questions kept me awake/alert while driving Kaye and Carl's truck:

I know that's what you think, but what does Jesus think?

I know that's what you wanna do, but what does Jesus want you do to?

I know that's not what you wanna do, but what does Jesus expect?

I know you like..., but what does Jesus like?

I know you don't like..., but what does Jesus like?

I know you..., but what about Jesus?

Catch the drift?

Now, a confession.

I'm a really lousy person, parent, partner, pastor, and presbyter; and anything else that begins with the letter...

I've got plenty of help from the past/present/future on realizing this fact of my life and ministry; especially former members who wanted a personal hero or lover to champion their agenda not to mention my 10th grade Latin teacher who...

Annnnnnnd my mirror doesn't lie and I stopped smoking weed after my freshman year in college until Bruce succeeded in tempting me before a Greek exam in my first year at...

I'm only scratching the surface of who I can be through Him as a...

Yet I've gotta admit the dirtier I get for Jesus, the cleaner I feel on the inside.

Hey, anybody want the last few stoles in my closet?

Please come and take...everything you want/covet!

I need more room for Matthew 25 kinda stuff!

I'm called/compelled.

I can't do anything else anymore.

Hmm.

That rings a bell too.

Actually, it's more of an alarm/heralding.

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Blessings and Love!