BRANCHES April 2014

BRANCHES
IS THIS THE
BEST THERE IS?
The struggle to
find hope in the
Resurrection
photos from the
church family work day
ask a pastor:
bunnies, baskets and
family traditions
APRIL 2014 | southwood.org

SOUTHWOOD
contents
ABOUT THIS ISSUE
“He descended into hell.
The third day He arose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven”
-the Apostle’s Creed
Jesus lived the tension. He crossed the great divide. He saw it from both
sides and lives to bridge the gap for us. We can’t fully appreciate the gift we
have received without recognizing the extent of this chasm.
In this issue of BRANCHES we explore the now-but-not-yet Kingdom and
proclaim the victory that is achieved in Christ’s resurrection. C.S. Lewis’ The
Great Divide paints this picture, as do stories of the tension lived out by
Peruvian street boys and in our own hearts. We come together as a body
of believers to be refreshed and energized and then return to the world to
express grace to others.
If, like me, you find yourself burdened in life, you probably need another
dose of hope. Just look to the empty tomb and know that He arose!
BRANCHES
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jonathan Barnette
DESIGNER Jacki Gil
Jonathan Barnette, Editor
JEAN F. LARROUX, III Senior Pastor
MELISSA PATTERSON Executive Assistant
2 about this issue
3 pastor’s note
REFLECT
7 is this the best there is?
The struggle to find hope in
the Resurrection
14 curl up with
James Parker gives his thoughts
on C.S. Lewis' The Great Divorce
RESPOND
10 ask a pastor
Bunnies, baskets and
family traditions
12 5 questions
Pastor Tullian Tchividjian answers
questions on LIBERATE and grace.
RELATE
4 sermons through the eyes of a child
5 session update
8 church family work day
A picture recap from Southwood's
Family Work Day
11 growing small
What makes a small group feel like
a small group?
12 tweets from liberate
A twitter recap from a week
at the LIBERATE conference
15 all that is fair
Bono and the Resurrection
COVER PHOTO
Taken by Jonathan Barnette in a
home for "street boys" in Peru.
CONTRIBUTORS
Will Spink
Sarah Niemitz
Chad Townsley
James Parker
Tullian Tchividjian
PHOTOS
Jonathan Barnette
Jacki Gil
Sarah Niemitz
1000 CARL T. JONES DRIVE | HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35802
(256) 882-3085 | WWW.SOUTHWOOD.ORG
ADULT MINISTRIES
SARAH NIEMITZ Director of Community Development/Assimilation
JAMES PARKER Chief Musician
WILL SPINK Associate Pastor/Shepherding
STUDENT MINISTRIES
KIM DELCHAMPS Administrative Assistant
NIÑA BANTA Director of Children
NANCY McCREIGHT Assistant Director /Children/Nursery
CHAD TOWNSLEY Associate Pastor/High-Life
WINNIE WINFORD Assistant Director/High-Life
MINISTRY SUPPORT
TERRI GOOD Accountant/Bookkeeper
JONATHAN BARNETTE Director of Communication
JACKI GIL Graphic Designer
JANICE CROWSON Director of Facilities/Finance
LYNDA CLAYDON Facilities
MIKE MARREN Facilities
ELIZABETH BUTZ Receptionist
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Peru Fundraiser
April 5th
Maundy Thursday
April 17
Good Friday
April 18
No Christian Education
April 20
Easter Sunday
April 20
2 APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

PASTOR’S NOTE
Running (on empty) toward the resurrection!
Has your faith ever seemed to be on autopilot?
Have you ever felt like you were spiritually
running on empty? Does your passion for God
seem to wax and wane? Mine does. The truth
is that I am feeling kind of spiritually “dry” right
now as I type. I know that I’m a preacher and I’m
not supposed to say things like that, but it is the
truth. As a pastor I am only “supposed to” talk
about struggles, doubts and the blahs when they
are a safe distance behind me, in the spiritual
rear-view mirror, right? But what about right now?
Is there anything that makes it “okay” that I don’t
feel so “okay” right now—even as an ordained
minister or a Deacon or an Elder or a Christian
who has known Christ most of his life?
I remember reading Paul’s letters and hearing the
angst in his voice as he was perplexed from every
side. I can remember reading how Jeremiah, the
weeping prophet, struggled with his calling.
Other prophets like Jonah began their ministry
and continued with a “thanks but no thanks”
response to God. The story of the Christian
life is a story about struggling. This is true for
preachers and for parishioners alike. Where are
we to go when we are overwhelmed, perplexed
and “dry” spiritually? Does anything really make
it “okay” that we are not “okay”?
If there is something then we’d need to access
that “something” regularly, right?
A friend’s father lived for many years with
Alzheimer’s. The father was a professing believer
all of his life and even served as a chaplain during
World War II. As the disease took its toll my
friend said that his dad couldn’t even remember
his own name. His observation was simply this,
“In moments like this my only comfort is that
God is the one who holds on to us, not the other
way around!” What a profound statement! God
does hold on to us even if we forget who He is
because we cannot even remember our own
names! The Christian life is about a faithful God,
not faithful followers, right? Maybe what we
need to remember is the same truth that families
caring for Alzheimer’s victims remember every
day—God holds on to us even when we’re just
barely holding on.
Christ must be remembered daily, not simply
memorialized as an annual event at Easter. On
that first Easter Sunday morning the disciples
were in a “dry spell.” They were depleted and
depressed. Jesus was gone forever or so they
thought. Two of the women dutifully went to finish
the half-burial of Jesus while everyone else stayed
together and grieved. When the women returned
with the report that Jesus had defeated death,
Peter and John raced to the tomb of Jesus. They
ran toward the resurrection. Hope propelled them
to go to the one place that would actually make
everything okay—the empty tomb.
When our hearts and lives feel empty we must
seek to re-discover the empty tomb and its
implications for our lives. Because death has died
we can truly live! Everything Jesus promised was
true. Every knee, disease, malady and spiritual
malaise will bow the knee to King Jesus. My hope
is that there is something more true in the universe
than how I feel in the present moment. Instead
of looking for new ways to religiously re-animate
my heart I need to re-discover the old way that
re-animated creation—the resurrection. If rocks
and stones can sing then so can I! There are not
“3 easy ways to jump start the spiritual engine”
or one awesome Bible verse that will help us
“snap out of it.” There is simply one truth that is
bigger than the blahs—death has died and with
it all of the residue of death has been conquered
too. That does not mean that depressive moods,
sadness, melancholy and dry spells cease to exist.
They are very real but they are not all that is real.
Truth becomes a powerful anti-venom in the
hearts of weak people like you and me.
The resurrection is for people that have reached
the end of themselves. It is for people who have
no other options than to collapse into grace. It is
for Apostles, Presbyterians and preachers who
are running on empty, but need to be running
toward the empty tomb. We have a place that is
more empty than the emptiness we often feel—
the tomb of Jesus. Death could not hold Jesus
and it cannot hold those who are held by Him.
Happy Easter, especially if you’ve found it hard to
be happy lately!
For more from Jean, check out
his sermons at southwood.org
jean.larroux@southwood.org
@jflarrouxiii
The irreversible grip that God has on our lives
was set in stone at the resurrection. Easter is
the day that death died. The resurrection of
Jean F. Larroux, III
Senior Pastor
APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 3

Sermons Through
the Eyes of a Kid
Check out these four drawings from kids at
Southwood. Children can draw pictures of
the sermon that often show the heart of the
sermon's message. Engage your child during
worship on Sundays by grabbing a Kids
Listening Guide from an usher.
Kate Owens
Brynn Holbrook
Amiia Jackson
From sermons on the parables of the lost sheep & the lost sons.
Anna Calhoon
4 APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

elate
SOUTHWOOD
SESSION UPDATE Will Spink
The Session rejoices in the way God has been using Southwood
and her members in recent weeks for the sake of the kingdom.
Our deacons led us in a work day where we had the opportunity
to serve alongside partner ministries throughout the city as well
as on our own campus. Our Community Development Committee
along with other members helped to host a major conference
on development in Huntsville. And our Children’s Ministry Staff
and volunteers hosted on the Southwood campus a regional
conference on ministering to children in our denomination. If
you haven’t found a place to use your gifts and passions to serve,
there are many opportunities to labor together for the sake of the
kingdom, so jump in and don’t miss out!
As we look ahead, please make plans to join us for services
throughout Easter Week. As we continue focusing on repentance
during the Lenten season, our longing for Easter and the joy
of Christ’s resurrection increases. Don’t miss the chance to
contemplate his death and celebrate his resurrection during
Maundy Thursday (Lord’s Supper celebrated), Good Friday, and
Easter Sunday services. These are special times of worship and
fellowship together, so join us for this significant season in the life
of the church.
Finally, we are excited about “Faith Matters,” a brief series about
how the gospel and our faith impact all of life. These classes will
be held on three Sundays in May (4th, 11th, and 18th) during the
Christian education hour at 9:00am. These two classes will help
us apply the good news we hear every Sunday to life beyond the
doors of the church, so take advantage of this unique chance for
learning and discussion.
babysitting for
peru
April 5th
The Peru mission team is hosting a
movie night at the Lodge, complete
with pizza, popcorn, and the movie
Frozen! Enjoy a parent's night out while
supporting the Peru Mission Trip.
Children age Three-6th grade 5:30-8:00
7th-8th grade 8:30-10:00
Tickets available in the Guest Center.
Donations accepted at the door.
APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 5

The struggle to find hope
in the Resurrection in two
different parts of the World
by Sarah Niemitz
Cesar sleeps every night next to the grave of his grandmother. “She is the only person who loved me,” he says, “I
want to sleep near her.”
A teenage street-boy in Peru, Cesar is mentally handicapped due to constant beatings which began when he was an
infant. He has lived on the streets of Puerto Belin since he was a little boy rejected by his family. Puerto Belin is the
slum of slums in Iquitos, Peru. Raw sewage mingles with the river water - the water that serves as transportation for
boats, bathing water, washing water, and even drinking water for residents. Many of the houses in Puerto Belin are
built on floating logs so that they simply rise and fall with the tide. But for Cesar even a house floating on sewage is
out of reach.
6 APRIL 2014 | | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

Every year on Good Friday the country of Peru, including the slums of
Puerto Belin, burst into a frenzied celebration called Carnival. Amid
the raucous partying the priests remove Christ from the cross, lay him
in a coffin, and parade the coffin through the streets. Easter Sunday,
they put him back on the cross.
For Cesar and the other street boys of Peru, Jesus is “the dead man
on a cross.” He is blind to their suffering and powerless to save them.
There is no resurrection—no empty tomb on Sunday morning or
promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is simply another example of a good
man suffering injustice at the hands of evil men.
I have met Cesar and walked his streets in Puerto Belin. I have served
alongside the Scripture Union staff as they reach out to Cesar and
other abandoned boys through their Girasoles homes throughout
Peru. Paul Clark, the director of Scripture Union, explained the street
boys' understanding of Jesus as “the dead man on the cross,” and
their understanding of religion as something for good people, which
they obviously are not.
How could Paul, or I, or my teammates communicate to these street
boys that Jesus was not powerless on a cross, but rather alive and
powerful? How could
we show the love of this
resurrected Christ to boys
who knew only abuse and
hatred in their short lives?
Many authors have said
one of the greatest proofs
of the resurrection of Christ
is the subsequent boldness
of the formerly cowardly
apostles. Paul Clark would
argue that the love and kindness showed by self-centered American
high school students is another powerful resurrection apologetic.
When self-centered people like me sacrifice for someone else I give
evidence to the truth of the resurrection! Christ in me is more real
than my self-centered self. Jesus is not stuck on the cross as Cesar
believes. He is living and active—dwelling in and transforming people
like you and me.
But the resurrection of Christ does more than rescue individuals
from our sin. It signals the beginning of the new kingdom and the
final resurrection in which there will be no more tears and death will
be swallowed up. Each summer I spent in Peru, my mission team
would sing songs with the boys during an evening worship service.
The boys’ favorite song was always “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks.” In
English it goes like this:
On Jordan’s Stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye / to Canaan’s
fair and happy land where my possessions lie / I am bound, I am
bound, I am bound for the promised land. / I am bound, I am bound,
I am bound for the promised land.
bound, I am bound for the promised land. / I am bound, I am bound,
SOUTHWOOD
I am bound for the promised land.
“Do you mean it when you sing this song?” Paul asked our team.
“Every boy who sang this song with you tonight longs for heaven
in this way. Their life is full of sickness, sorrow, pain and death, but
the boys who trust Christ’s grace in their lives have the hope that
there is a better place.They hope for a father’s face that is filled
with love and not with hatred, for rest and no more running from
police; they hope for things which they can hardly imagine. I have
spent my life telling these boys that if they trust Christ as their savior
"[their] present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory
that will be revealed to [them]" (Romans 8:18 NET). You say you are
Christians, but where is your hope?”
We were quiet, because if we were honest we knew our hope did
not lie in the promised land. It lay in college, marriage, future jobs,
and even future “mission trips” we were all mentally planning.
Our lives were so comfortable, and the comforts so seemingly
permanent, that hope in something unseen felt unnecessary and a
little mystic. I wish I could say this was only true of my high school
self, but unfortunately it is often true of me today. I am fixated on the
“real,” tangible matters
"The resurrection of Christ does more
than rescue individuals from our sin—
it signals the beginning of the new
kingdom and the final resurrection in
which there will be no more tears and
death will be swallowed up."
of the day—placing my
hope in things I can see
and touch because the
unknown feels unreal.
In his book The Great
Divorce, C.S. Lewis turns
this thinking on its head.
He describes our life
on earth as shadows,
while in contrast heaven is described as a place of deafening reality.
The grass is so real that its blades hurt the feet of visiting mortals.
Waterfalls are so loud that they can hardly be approached, and those
least esteemed on earth are beautiful, glorified persons. His imagery
reminds us that while earthly pleasure and suffering feel real, they are
like shadows when compared with the ultimate glory of heaven.
Cesar struggles to believe in the resurrection hope because he has
only seen Jesus on the cross and known the suffering of abuse and
rejection. I struggle to believe in the resurrection because I am so
contented in the “shadow-land” that I feel little need for a future
hope.Both Cesar and I need the hope of the resurrection to break
into our lives!
This resurrection hope offers both of us a new identity. We are
beloved children of God no longer unwanted and rejected, or
all-sufficient and entitled. The eternal perspective brings Cesar
hope in suffering and loosens my grip on the things of this world—
reminding me there is nothing I can sacrifice on earth that is greater
than the glory that is mine in Christ.
No chilling wind or poisonous breathe can reach that healthful shore
/ Sickness, sorrow, pain and death are felt and feared no more. / I am
bound, I am bound, I am bound for the promised land. / I am bound,
I am bound, I am bound for the promised land.
When shall I reach that happy place and be forever blessed? / When
shall I see my father’s face and in his bosom rest? / I am bound, I am
For those who long to find their hope in the final resurrection, here is
my advice: go serve among the materially poor and broken hearted
of this world. Here our sin and the limits of our resources are quickly
revealed. Our material possessions are exposed for the shadows
that they are, and God begins to break through our short-sighted
vision which imagines this world is the best there is. I promise you
will never sing “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks” the same way again.

8 APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG

SOUTHWOOD
snapshots from
Serving at Deep Roots of Alabama,
Lincoln Village Ministry, The Village
Church, The Cornerstone Initiative,
Young Life and Southwood

SOUTHWOOD respond
ASK A
PASTOR
Chad Townsley
A pastor's perspective
about bunnies, baskets and
family traditions
Should the Easter Bunny “visit” the homes of believers?
An important thing to distinguish as we answer
this and other questions like it is what kind of
presuppositions we have about the dangers or
pitfalls of celebrating Easter. Easter activities should certainly
be first and foremost a celebration of the resurrection of
Christ. Family lifestyle choices, at Easter and all other times
of the year, should reflect that. Parents have the responsibility
to teach the heart and Christian meaning of Easter to their
children above and before hiding eggs, filling baskets, etc.
That said, I see no inherent danger in most of the secular
American traditions of Easter. Though the idea of a large
rabbit entering the home of Americans may actually be a bit
frightening to many children, the treats and toys that the bunny
brings are fun and enjoyable for all. Our biblical worldview
instructs us to go into the culture and to take what is good
and enjoy it. Scripturally, Paul explains this principles in 1
Corinthians 10:23-33 when he tells how the gospel has freed
us to enjoy “all things.” Specifically in the case of Easter, there
is a lot that we can celebrate as we fill a home with brightly
colored eggs, baskets and other decor, all of which reminds us
of the joy and life of Easter.
Just as with other secular celebrations, a level of discernment
is always required. As Paul explains the many things that
are “lawful” he also warns that not all things are helpful.
As parents (and as individuals in the kingdom) we must use
careful judgment as we discern the level to which we “sell” the
story of the Easter bunny and get caught up in its traditions. Is
the Easter bunny a distraction to us helping our children see
Jesus? If so, perhaps you need to consider de-emphasizing
some of your practices. These sorts of questions must be
sorted out by parents and handled on a case-by-case basis
with children.
May 4, 11, 18 • 9-10am
Faith and god's will
How do I know God's will for my life?
What if I've missed it? Is there only one
soulmate out there for me? Am I in the
wrong career? How can I stop being
paralyzed by indecision?
10 APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG
Faith and daily life
What does Sunday have to do with
Monday through Friday? Does God care
whether I work or stay home with kids?
Is my job valuable for anything besides
putting food on the table? Can church
and state really be separate?

What makes
this small
group feel
like a
small group?
parties
In addition to dinners and
girls nights, the group has
an annual “As Seen On TV”
Christmas party. They love
exchanging (and stealing!)
products they never knew
they needed!
depth
They often use the
questions provided on the
sermon from Sunday to go
deeper into their hearts and
lives. Right now they are
reading and discussing Steve
Brown’s Three Free Sins.
respond relate SOUTHWOOD
Brian Day
Cathy Day
Luke Edwards
Kristen Edwards
John Foreman
Sara Foreman
Ricky Howard
Kim Howard
Vinit Mahesh
Marcelle Mahesh
Michael Nardella
Jennifer Nardella
Tom Owens
Lolita Owens
Meets Tuesday
nights at
6:15pm at the
Owens' home.
For more
information
on how to join a
small group visit
southwood.org/
growingsmall
laughter
This group laughs… a lot.
Newest group members
Brian and Cathy say it’s one
of the things that has made
them feel comfortable and
at home with new people.
diversity
The group spans an age range of
29 to 60. Kristen says that has been
an unexpected positive: “At first
we were disappointed because we
were looking for a group of people
our age, but it has been such a
huge blessing over the years. God
knew we needed this more than
what we thought we needed.”
family
Luke says, “It feels like being
with family … in a good
way! There’s no reason to be
anything but yourself.”
popcorn
After eating dessert, they always
share conversation around a large
bowl of popcorn provided by
popcorn-loving leader Ricky Howard.
celebrations
During their time together,
they have celebrated babies,
grandbabies, weddings,
graduations, and new homes.
hardships
They have grieved with each other through
miscarriage, infertility, parents’ deaths,
kids’ struggles, divorces in families, and
many other painful circumstances.
longevity
The group has been together for 5 years, and
every year they get closer as a group. The
first year was fine, they say, but the group
dynamic keeps getting better with time.
MARCH APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 11

SOUTHWOOD
respond
What is LIBERATE all about? Is it just a
conference or something more?
Back in 2010 I was travelling around the country speaking about
God’s grace and the radical truth that Jesus + Nothing = Everything.
Regardless of where I was people would come up to me and ask two
questions (often through tears): 1.) Is what you just said true? 2.) If it is,
why have I been in church my whole life and never heard this before?
They were trapped in a checklist version of the Christian faith where
they heard 100 sermons about the Christian life but ended up hearing
way more about the Christian than the Christ. I knew the church
needed to get back to the robust and liberating doctrine of justification
by faith alone and what that actually means for life and relationships.
We came up with “Liberate” which started as one conference
but has now grown to much more—connections
between pastors, partnerships with churches
and people all connected by the liberating
truth of God’s free grace.
Isn't all this emphasis
on grace going to
make Christians lazy
and ignore holiness?
[Laughs] We hear that all the time,
don’t we? The question assumes the
law has the power to sanctify you,
but the Bible says just the opposite.
Paul makes it clear in Romans 7 that
the law shows you what a sanctified
life looks like but has no power to
actually sanctify you. Think about
it—what does it do to your heart
when your spouse is criticizing you
for failing to do something? Does
that criticism make you want to do it? Absolutely not!
The only thing that produces true love and heart-driven
obedience is love. Sanctification is love for God and
love for others. 1 John tells us why we love— “we love
Him because He first loved us.” It is right and it is our
duty to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind,
soul and strength, but the command doesn’t actually
produce the love that is commanded. The only thing that
produces love for God and love for others is love from God.
WHO IS TULLIAN TCHIVIDJIAN
AND WHY ASK HIM?
William Graham Tullian Tchividjian (pronounced chavi-jin)
is the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian
Church in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He is a blogger,
seminary lecturer and grace addict. Tullian is an avid
Dallas Cowboys fan which means he and our Senior
Pastor agree about almost everything.
12 APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG
Pastor Tullian Tchividjian
answers questions on
LIBERATE and grace
Is LIBERATE just for professional
Christians or can "normal" people go too?
How do we connect?
Liberate is connecting God’s inexhaustible grace to an
exhausted world. I’ve never met anyone who is not exhausted.
I’m not talking about exhausted because we’re too busy raising
children and trying to pay the bills. I’m talking about emotional
exhaustion, relational exhaustion and living on a treadmill of
performance to ensure that our lives are meaningful. All of those
things are just our own frantic attempts at self-justification.
Liberate is for weary and heavy-laden people like that. Therefore
this message is not just for professional Christians or pastors.
It is not just for old people, young people, married people or
single people—it literally is for all of us, every human
being who needs the rest that only Jesus offers.
If you had to condense the
Gospel into an "elevator
pitch" how would you
describe it?
The gospel is the good news that
Jesus has come to do for you and me
what we could never do for ourselves.
And He has come to give for free to
you and me what we could never get
for ourselves. No one wants to live
a meaningless life. No one wants to
not matter. Most of our pursuits are
fueled by this thirst—this longing
to validate our existence. To justify
ourselves. To rescue ourselves. To set
ourselves free. And the gospel is the
good news that Jesus has come to set
the captives free. The gospel is an announcement, a
declaration that One has lived for us and died for us.
At Southwood we often talk about the
Gospel redefining our identity. You are
Billy Graham's grandson. How does the
Gospel free you to rightly rejoice in who
you were born to be and concurrently
reject some persona that people would
falsely expect you to be?
Trying to do it all will cause an inevitable crash and burn. That
happened to me just after coming to Coral Ridge. When you
are flat on your back, you finally get honest with God and
yourself. One of the greatest gifts that come when you reach
the end of yourself is the fresh realization that your identity—
who you are—is ultimately anchored in Christ’s performance
not your own—His obedience, not mine. I am defined by His
work for me, not my work for Him. So who we really are in
Christ has absolutely nothing to do with us. It has nothing to
do with our behavior good or bad, or our family background.
What relieves me of the pressure to perform is the realization
that I wake up every morning with something infinitely better
than a clean slate. I wake up perfectly loved and perfectly
accepted despite my unclean slate.

elate
SOUTHWOOD
David Zahl @mockingbirdnyc
The cost of unbridled individualism & selfactualization
is loneliness.
tweets
from
Steve Brown @DrSteveWBrown
We announce to the world that we're screwed up...
and that Jesus likes us a lot. That dog will hunt.
Scotty Smith @ScottyWardSmith
God does not need me; he wants me. This sets me
free.
#2014Liberate
Sally Lloyd Jones @sallylloydjones
If we knew everything God was doing during the
unseen times, we would cheer Him on.
Tullian Tchividjian @PastorTullian
Theologically we don't believe in justification by
works, but functionally we are addicted to it.
J.D. Greear @jdgreear
The law can demand our conformity but is powerless
to transform our hearts.
Scotty Smith @ScottyWardSmith
Heaven’s king gave himself for a whore to make her
his queen.
Matt Chandler @MattChandler74
The scales of good deeds vs. bad deeds DON’T
EXIST. We can’t earn what is freely given.
Elyse Fitz @ElyseFitz
Here is Good News…YOU ARE FORGIVEN! YOU
ARE RIGHTEOUS! HE SEES YOU! HE LOVES
YOU! GO IN PEACE! SMILE!
Tullian Tchividjian @PastorTullian
Church should be the one place where weary &
heavy-laden people find rest, but instead get a to-do
list.
From Southwood, Jean Larroux, Todd Gandy, Steve Jakab
and Brock Warner attended this year’s conference. Liberate
is held annually the weekend after President’s Day. Info and
previous messages at Liberate.org.
Steve Brown @DrSteveWBrown
In Christ, the principal's paddle stays on the wall.
APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 13

SOUTHWOOD
relate
CURL
UP
WITH
THE GREAT
DIVORCE
James Parker
This book by
C.S. Lewis was
first published in
1944. It is a
fantasy narrative
that details a
journey from
Hell into the
edges of Heaven.
One assumes
that Lewis is the
narrator. The whole narrative is a dream, as the reader discovers at
the end of the book. It starts in a place the narrator calls “the grey
town.” It is vast and expansive but grim and quarrelsome. Everyone
is isolated. Those who have been there for a very long time are
isolated by “millions of miles.” The example given is Napoleon.
Napoleon lives alone in a house way up on the hill. All he does day
and night is rehash his losses when he was alive, replacing blame on
everyone but himself.
The narrator stumbles into a queue that seems to be waiting for a
bus to arrive. The bus is said to be taking its riders on an excursion
to “some other place,” which turns out to be the foothills of heaven.
All of the passengers, including the narrator, are eventually revealed
to be ghosts. And heaven is described as being immensely more
solid than themselves. Even the blades of grass were so heavy they
were beyond being lifted and they were painful to walk on.
When the ghosts arrive at the foothills they are met by individuals
from their past. These visitors are “solid people,” they are from this
far country and are just as substantial. The reader is taken through
numerous encounters between these ghosts and the solid people.
The inhabitants of heaven have traveled a very long distance to
meet their loved ones at the foothills in order to persuade them to
leave behind their home in hell and enter into a state of joyful selfforgetfulness.
Once they can do that they can be made more solid
with every step.
The narrator is met by the writer George MacDonald. Lewis was
highly influenced by his writings so it is fitting that MacDonald
becomes his guide through the bulk of the story. These interactions
are largely tragic because the ghosts do not realize that they are,
in fact, ghosts. Nor do they realize that the “grey town” is actually
hell. The only way they can become part of the solid country is to
turn from themselves (repent) and embrace unceasing joy.
George MacDonald’s spirit explains the main idea of this book.
He says, “[this] is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some
temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing
that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that
agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say, ‘Let me
have but this and I’ll take the consequences’: little dreaming how
damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate
the pleasure of the sin. Both processes begin even before death.”
The point Lewis is making is that Heaven and Hell are such divergent
paths that there can be no sharing between them. There is no small
piece of heaven in hell nor is there any bit of hell in heaven. This is the
Great Divorce. (The title comes from a refutation of a work by William
Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell).
So what? What can this say to us? Namely, the resurrection of Jesus
is the only thing that matters. Because Jesus was sacrificed and was
raised from the dead, he is the only one who can bridge the chasm
between heaven and hell; the only one who could drive the bus;
the only one who can bring us from the “grey town” into the “solid
country.” The striking thing about Lewis‘ descriptions of people
who inhabit hell versus the solid people is his notion of humanity.
Jesus did not come to abolish our humanity but bring us from a
broken and incomplete state of humanity into a complete, or solid,
state of full humanity. He came to make us like himself. And the
blood of his sacrifice doesn’t simply start a new story at the point
of repentance, it actually sanctifies everything, ahead and behind.
It travels backwards in time to “work death in reverse” as Lewis
describes of Aslan in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
This Easter, be reminded that self-forgetfulness is the way to
be made whole. When one of the ghosts says “I only want my
rights. I’m not asking for anybody’s bleeding charity" the solid
spirit responds lovingly, "Then do. At once. Ask for the Bleeding
Charity!”
Southwood was the host for the National
Children's and Education Publications
conference on March 8. Pictured here are
some of the Southwood Kids staff and
volunteers that helped with the conference.

ALL THAT IS FAIR
BONO AND THE
RESURRECTION
James Parker
People from all walks of life and all creeds
find something to connect with in the
music of U2. And it’s not due to some
sort of stellar marketing campaign or
anything like that. Their broad success
is because of something else entirely.
Of course the music is innovative. They
have put together sounds and techniques
that have been “trend-setting” concepts
in the music industry. But beyond
that, the content of their body of work
has something in it that touches on a
profoundly human and hopeful refrain.
Namely, the resurrection of Jesus.
Bono’s lyrics have always been
characterized by a Christian worldview,
but they do not fit into the highly
controlled CCM (Contemporary Christian
Music) environment. U2 is every bit as
much a “Christian” band as MercyMe or
Casting Crowns, but you won’t find their
work at Lifeway Christian Bookstore.
Bono is a bit too edgy for the CCM. But
make no mistake, they adhere to the
Apostle’s Creed, and it comes through
(often in metaphorical language) in all of
their songs. What’s even more incredible
is how overwhelmingly willing the
general public is to embrace this band,
regardless of their spiritual beliefs. It’s
simply good music that points to ideas
that are universally human. Bono has
been very public about his motivation
and the faith that he has been given.
Here is a short excerpt from an interview
he gave with Michka Assayas, who is an
atheist.
Bono: You see, at the center of all
religions is the idea of Karma. You know,
what you put out comes back to you: an
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or in
physics; in physical laws every action is
met by an equal or an opposite one. It's
clear to me that Karma is at the very heart
of the universe. I'm absolutely sure of it.
And yet, along comes this idea called
Grace to upend all that "as you reap, so
you will sow" stuff. Grace defies reason
and logic. Love interrupts, if you like,
the consequences of your actions, which
in my case is very good news indeed,
because I've done a lot of stupid stuff.
Assayas: The Son of God who takes
away the sins of the world. I wish I could
believe in that.
Bono: But I love the idea of the Sacrificial
Lamb. I love the idea that God says:
Look, you cretins, there are certain results
to the way we are, to selfishness, and
SOUTHWOOD
there's a mortality as part of your very
sinful nature, and, let's face it, you're not
living a very good life, are you? There are
consequences to actions. The point of
the death of Christ is that Christ took on
the sins of the world, so that what we put
out did not come back to us, and that our
sinful nature does not reap the obvious
death. That's the point. It should keep
us humbled. It's not our own good works
that get us through the gates of heaven.
Bono always has an interesting way
of saying things but throughout the
entire interview, no matter what
Assayas throws his way, all of his words
boil down to describing an orthodox
Christian worldview. The hopefulness
of U2’s songs and the energy of Bono’s
philanthropic pursuits all hinge on
the resurrection. The Sacrificial Lamb
wouldn’t have mattered if it weren’t for
the resurrection. Jesus being raised
from the dead is what gives Bono’s idea
of “Grace over Karma” any power at all.
It’s the effectual catalyst that ushers in
the Kingdom of God.
In the book Exploring U2, Scott Calhoun
says this about Bono, “Bono promotes
a particular Christian vision of the
future in the notion of 'kingdom come,'
revealing to Assayas that he takes Jesus
at his word when he tells his disciples to
pray for God’s will to be done 'on earth
as it is in Heaven.' This is not an overrealized
eschatology on Bono’s part but
a view that the resurrection of Christ
inaugurates the Kingdom.... [In it] we find
partial fulfillment of Jesus’ command
to welcome the stranger, heal the sick,
restore the blind to sight, and return the
Creation to its proper, joyful balance.”
MAGNIFICENT James Parker
U2’s 2009 album No Line On the Horizon includes the song “Magnificent.” It is
an electrifying song, a true rock anthem that get’s stuck in your head and fills you
with energy. And here’s something more. This song takes its content from the
Magnificat; the prayer of Mary recorded in the gospel of Luke. She prays a prayer
of thanksgiving when she is told by the angel that she will conceive and bear a son
that will be the promised Messiah. Bono also tried to take this text and interpret
it through the lens of a Cole Porter love song! Very brilliant and "out of the box."
This song is a must listen!
APRIL 2014 | SOUTHWOOD.ORG 15

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