5 pre-52 graphic novels

So I have been reading Comics and Graphic Novels galore this year. Pretty much all from the DC Universe (with the exception being Walking Dead). The result has been a full immersion into the DC mythology and universe. And while I am mostly involved in the universe's current reboot (dubbed as the "New 52") I am also reading into the wider world including the old canon and the non-canonical stuff. And so I thought I would share some of the gems I have read from the pre-New 52 graphic novels. 

Note: I should say I did not include here Alan Moore's masterpiece The Watchmen. It is not because I think less of it, but because that features characters and a world totally disconnected and alternate from the rest of the DC universe I just felt I would focus on the mainline universe (even if much of what I lift up also is not official canon, per se, but it at least features characters of the canon).

1. Dark Knight Returns: Whenever there are discussions around the best graphic novels of all time, Frank Miller's masterpiece inevitably comes up. Taking place years in the future after Batman retires, the Dark Knight finally decides he cannot stay away. This comic has well earned its reputation. If most of the story didn't win you over, the famed standoff between him and Superman at its conclusion will. If you have read any of the Buzz that came when Zack Snyder teased fans at Comic-Con of the upcoming Batman v. Superman movie, the man reason was because it was the clip teased the stand-off from this graphic novel (and that is not all that Snyder has done to hint that Miller's story will be a key source material for his upcoming film. It isn't the best artwork, but somehow it fits the tone well enough that you just don't care.
2. Death and Return of Superman: This is the reason I still read comics today. One of the best selling comics of all time, I remember when the world was caught by the storm of news that DC killed its first superhero. Dan Jurgens gets major credit in my book for this one. The first graphic novel I ever owned was the middle one of the three volume set World Without a Superman. The other two: Death of Superman and Return of Superman were really the jewels of the story though. The final pages of Death of Superman was very well written. I remember actually having chills when I read it (and I still do sometimes). This story does not get as much credit as most, but for me this is the story that kept me in comics. It is the first continuous comic story I followed as a child, and even after losing my first copies of the graphic novels I remembered enjoying them so much that in college I repurchased them and have essentially read them every year since. While the death story had the weight of it, The Return of Superman was a fun way to come back, introducing four supermen at the time of the disappearance of Superman's body and his father Jonathan Kent having a near-death experience where he believed he brought his son back from the grave (final issues of World Without a Superman). The story teases as to who is the real Superman (or if none are, who should take up the mantle of Superman as Jean Paul Valley did of Batman in the Knightfall saga). I remember debating that very thing with my brother. That is what was so fun about it. This story also introduces us to two new heroes (Superboy and Steel) who return in the New-52 in a similar shape to their conception in this story. If I only could recommend one, it probably would be the first chapter: The Death of Superman. The battle against Doomsday is certainly the most memorable and historically significant in the storyline. And it packs the emotional punch. Luckily I no longer have to only recommend one, since you can actually get a single volume piece that includes both the Death and Return stories (with key portions of the World Without a Superman story) in one.
   
3. Injustice God's Among Us: It seemed so unlikely that a comic that began as a video game would be listed here, and maybe it shouldn't since it is not technically "pre" new-52, but I did since it is not a part of the new-52 mythology. I was stunned actually at how much I enjoyed reading this. The story basically divides the Justice League between two approaches to the role of heroes in the world. After the Joker manufactures a tragedy in Metropolis, Superman leads the league in taking a more active role in governing the World, whereas Batman opposes his hard stance. Along with an interesting premise, the story has superb dialogue and excellent art. The comic actually outshines the game it was based on in my mind. 
4. All Star Superman: This is perhaps the best graphic novel I have ever read. I had heard the praise Grant Morrison was regularly given for this work and always read that it was among the best Superman stories. I had been resistant for a while because when I first read a synopsis and first gazed upon the art work I simply was not interested. I didn't like what they did with Superman's physique (at times reminding me of Mr. Incredible, much like the old Superman cartoons). But eventually the rave was too great to ignore the story. And I am glad I caved. While I still never really warmed up to the physique, the artwork as a whole is quite good, particularly due to some stunning coloring. But the strength of this is the story. It is so well done to where at every moment it just feels like it was done right. It may not be in the canon, but it is the best Superman story I have ever come across. The quick of it is that Superman ends up getting poisoned by the sun's radiation thanks to a plot unleashed by Lex Luthor, slowly killing him. The story unfolds as Superman faces this race against time and his life.
5. War of the Green Lanterns: Geoff Johns quite successfully ushered the return of green lantern Hal Jordan. This GN collects the conclusion to his story with GL and Jordan's return. An ancient enemy of the Guardians of the Universe takes over the corp by using the entities of the various color spectrum to possess the guardians and uses Parallax to corrupt the Green battery on OA which in turn affects all those using the green power ring. Now a few lanterns must find a way to save the corp without using their rings. The story is interesting, the artwork is fantastic, and the ending is unexpected. Between his work with Aquaman and Green Lantern, I have been really impressed with Johns who is second only to Scott Snyder and Grant Morrison among the current DC staff. Anyone looking to get into the New 52 DC universe will want to read this GN as well as this was one of the story runs that actually was continued in the universe reboot.

Fantasy GM: a New Strategy for the Yankees

In the last 10 years several things have happened that have changed the shape of baseball. Most notably teams have changed their systems of evaluation (especially in relation to the value of defense) and extensions have become popular in buying out the first 1-3 free agent years (usually part or all of the player's "prime").

This shift has severely impacted the Yankees' primary strategy which was to use their spending power to keep the players they want to keep and buy the players they want to buy. No team could fill holes in their roster like the Yankees. But with these shifts the free agent market has lost some of its potency for teams and the loss of prospects (in trades for example) are more serious since you cannot get the best out of such talent in the free agent pool. You get players when they are leaving their best, you get 2-3 good years in return for 3-5 declining or even bad ones.

As such, the Yankees are watching their market dominance yield less success. They still can reload better than any team, but it has made them an old team, with a weak farm system (and therefore little depth, though surprisingly more than some think), and more competitive rivals in the AL East. We can already begin to see some shifting in the Yankees' style, as they have become more reserved in recent years when it comes to dealing top prospects, more active in international signings, and at least more hesitant to get the big names - although in the end that is still their primary market stratagem, especially when they feel pressure to compete.

This blog is dedicated towards highlighting what I feel should be the new strategy for the Yankees going forward. Some of which they are already beginning to do, but I think they should be more committed to. Below are the principles of what I'll here dub the new Yankee plan:

1. Whenever your first round pick is unprotected (picks 11-30), avoid signing players who will cost draft pick compensation. In order to start restocking the system, the team needs to protect its top pick. This principle can be lessened when the system overall is objectively ranked in the top 10 in the league.
2. However, should the Yankees struggle so much as to have their first round pick protected, they should feel free to sign a player who has received a QO, and in fact take advantage by getting 2 such players with QO's if they meet the team's need, and especially if they are fringe QO players where the qualifying offer impacts their market (making them cheaper). 
3. Only in a perfect storm of protected picks, right price, talent, age, and team need should a player with a QO from an in division team be signed. It sounds silly, but no need to help another division rival. Make another team sacrifice a pick and help your rivals. Therefore only when you just can't say no should you say yes to such a player.
4. No mega-deals (more than 18mm AAV for 5 or more years) unless another player already on a mega-deal's contract has expired that year. This way the team paces itself in how many players they will have in aging-decline years and albatross contracts and prevents the roster from being overloaded with unhelpful players. Exceptions can be made only when the player is so young and talented that a bona-fide star is being secured during his prime years.
5. Instead the team's free agent focus should move to dominating the mid-tier market. The Yankees can still outbid other teams and flex their financial muscle, but instead of overpaying for stars with expensive extra years they should over-pay for the best of the non-star players. This will be the key tooling method. Why? The team can overwhelm their roster with solid players but not get stuck in long or overpriced, unmoveable contracts. Better to pay extra for a solid performance than pay extra in years - which is the main difference between the stars and mid-tier players. For a mid-tier player, 2-4 years is a norm and the amount is what matters in that period. The shorter the contract, even at a higher value the less likely it is for the contract to be a burden or a bust. If the free agent market does not wield enough star power, or old star power that wants long contracts, use the free agent market to add the contributors and rely on the trade market or minor league system to yield the stars. I'm not sure this is their intent, but rumors suggest the Yankees are at least trying to go this route this year, although in the end I think they will cave and revert back to at least one mega deal this season.
6. Add at least one high risk player a year. Give the best incentive laden deal or one-year pillow contract out there. Too many spells too high a risk, but only having to buy one year to get a prime year out of a high upside player coming off a down season or injury riddled one is well worth the investment, because those kind of players can be the difference of a playoff team the same as more expensive players yet without costing more wasted years. At most you have one wasted season.
7. Players 30 or over should never receive more than five guaranteed years. Options, vesting or team options may be worthwhile for the right player, but in general limiting how many of those 35+ players one has will reduce number of injured players and replacement level performance years. This will also minimize the number of defensive-impaired players who need to be cycled through the DH role.
8. Give out a qualifying offer to as many free agents as possible. If you can defend it in any way, do it. The current QO system favors high market teams like the Yankees who can afford a player deciding to accept. So as long as that player can provide value on a one year deal the team should offer the QO, even if they are a fringe player to receive one. If they accept, it follows the mode of slightly overpaying to minimize the long-term commitment. If they don't it increases one's draft stock.
9. Stay under the luxury tax. Now the Yankees have shown a desire to do so, but also that they can afford not to, but they should remain under, because the saved money can still be pumped into the team in a different way, namely,
10. dominate the bidding process on Asian stars. The current agreement with NPB does not allow them to "win" necessarily the bid as easily, but with saved luxury tax money, the team can easily outbid any Korean player of interest (and there seems to be a growing market from that field of talent), and can if necessary guarantee their right to negotiate with any Japanese star by committing 20mm. Posting fees do not count towards luxury tax considerations. Obviously the team may decide some players are not worth getting, but the Tanakas, Darvishes, and Ryus this team should be able to win out on.
11. Play the Cuban market. Cuban contracts are on the rise as young Cuban free agents are showing to be worth the investment. At some point they will get over-inflated and come down a bit (some predict the Yosmany Tomas contract will be one of the more notable overpays that slow the rising cost of such international stars). Either way, they've proven to be valuable players and are available at ages other free agents simply aren't. The team therefore need not overindulge, but play in this market quite actively. In recent years a lot of Cuban talent has come to the majors and the Yankees have not won a single one. They've been involved in the rumors of some, but never win or seem to even be a runner up.
12. In years with a strong crop, dominate the international amateur market. This is essentially what the Yankees did this year. Between having forfeited so many draft picks this last year (due to multiple mega-contracts to multiple free agents with draft compensation attached) and their apparent confidence in this year's crop of players over the next year or two's, the Yankees were major players in the amateur market, to the point that they were so far over their allotted allowance they must pay 100% tax on every signing and cannot sign a player for more than 300k the next two seasons. But when the year is right, the Yankees should do just as they did. This takes a good scouting department, especially in order to predict the upcoming market that they are essentially forfeiting. The years this happens they should do just as they have and go all out.
13. Never trade your top pitching or hitting prospect for less than 1 1/2 years of any player. Top prospects are a sought after commodity, and the Yankees have been more willing to deal prospects than other teams. To some degree, they have shown prospects to be over-valued and have shown the commitment to winning to be greater than the commitment to team control. But that was in part due to their ability to fill holes via free agency. If they are not aiming to add as much star power each year via free agency but instead rely on that to come through the system they need to protect their most likely stars. Other top prospects can be traded, but preserve your #1 pitching and hitting prospect unless you are receiving a player not only good enough to be worth it, but long enough to deliver enough value to the team (and controlled long enough to make a QO to and therefore secure draft pick compensation to restock the system). 
14. Have at least one supersub. Whether he is a quality reserve/fringe starter or a regular starter, versatility is huge for American League teams as it allows players to cycle through the DH role and provides good depth by covering enough positions with a single player.
15. Hold onto your stars. All quality players should never be extended prior to free agency. Give them a QO and if it works out, try to resign them. But you don't pay big to try to keep them. But it is your stars who you should try to extend and do it early enough where the extension is not a year before free agency for 7 years and 100+mm but instead earlier to where the goal is prime years even if it means overpaying the arbitration years. This team does not need to lock up any good player. But the Robinson Canos of the world should be if it is done early enough.

So there is your general guide. These principles will help prevent long stretches of struggles. It may not as easily produce the consistent winning Yankee fans expect, but I think it will prevent the exorbant price they have paid to try to avoid years of difficulty and which they may have to pay anyway. Moreover, their biggest problem is the current system always holds multiple wastes of roster and significant salary, prohibiting the team from making the step from competitive to elite. It has been several years since the Yankees were seen as truly elite or a World Series favorite. This system will create the same kind of competitiveness with a better chance to transition to elite as the system comes around or the right international free agent or high risk player raises the team to the level it needs to be at to get past the divisional series.

These would be my guiding principles if I had the reigns of the Yankees. I feel Brian Cashman is actually quite astute at judging value-talent (it is just usually overlooked by his flashy big free agent signings) and could quite excellently maneuver such a philosophy. The biggest hindrance is the New York culture of instant returns and no vacations from winning.

Evangelism Set Free Part 2

Back in June I made my first post in a 4 part series on evangelism. Though busy, I have not given up on that post. So now I want to continue the series with the next part. The goal remains ever the same: to wrench that word "evangelism" free from the legalistic methods and stereotypes that have long held it captive.

Before I go on however, I should probably address the issue of the law and evangelism. After all, here I just stuck a shot at "legalistic" evangelism which stares quite clearly down upon the law. So now I must make myself clear, the law does have a place and relation to you when speaking about evangelism. But it also has an end. These posts are about Christ as the end of the law, and the promises of Christ freeing us to evangelize outside the grasps of those ideas the law conjures up such as success/failure, more/less, enough/insufficient and the programs and methods that have by and large only understood evangelism according to these and other similar pairings.

The reason is simple, if we hear evangelism according to this, the failures (or fear of failures) will cripple us (which I would argue is the predominant situation of the Christian nation) which is what the law does, it reveals shortcomings. The other reason is the places where there is success, will begin to trust in the methods more than the gospel they are seeking to spread. A righteousness other than Christ's will be claimed, the fame of the church/pastor/program will matter more than the cross. But just as in everything else, the gospel of Jesus Christ really does free us from this.

So what is the relation of the law? There is a law here and it says "do this". The role of the law is condemning the indifferent. Any who take the work of Christ and the Spirit to mean one does not need to concern oneself with evangelization will be confronted as one who thinks he need not love because Christ forgives. The Gospel does not silence the law by rendering it void, it only silences the law by speaking a promise over it. As Luther put it "the law says 'do this' and it is never done, the gospel says 'do this' and it is already done". The word "do this" is alive. And the law will reveal when it is not being done while the gospel will reveal what is already done. Put in the context of evangelization, the law also speaks in the "make disciples", it speaks when it points out how you are not doing it, it speaks when this commission is seen as imperative to God and therefore our avoidance and failure to carry it out does not suffice. But the solution is too often to be "God says [do this:] 'make disciples' and so we go and make disciples" instead of "God says [do this:] 'make disciples' thus I need Christ to be enough for me." Can the indifferent couch potato say the same?

That is the heart of the matter, and the answer really is no. That is, just as much as being motivated to solve the issue of making disciples ourselves is destined to fail so also is the promise of Christ's work destined to truly bring out evangelism. This is in part because the gospel works in relation to the law. Though distinct, they are not separate. The Latin text of the Augsburg Confession shows this well: "This whole teaching [on justification by faith] must be referred to that struggle of the terrified conscience, and it cannot be understood apart from that struggle. That is why those who are wicked and without experience judge it badly." You can begin to see that the power of the gospel truly works when one comes to need it. To one who is indifferent to evangelism, the gospel is an abused licence to not give a damn, but to the terrified, those who truly hear the "do this" of the commission but feel the weight of failure, that is, to those who are under the law, this word then comes with all the power to set them free.

The freedom God grants by liberating one with the promise and work of Christ, it is a freedom that those who felt unable to breath in evangelism now take up in its fullest. To those who are awakened to the call, and by the law see the true value of the gospel will then when awakened to the fulfillment it brings to evangelism will gladly be able to evangelize with all the fullness that Christ brings. So what is the purpose of the law here? The same as it has been, to awaken one's passion to the task and prepare one's heart for the cross of Christ. And this is it's task continually. The minute one would "back away" from the gospel the law shall be there to speak.

Returning to the task at hand, this post is then meant for those who are awakened unto God's call to evangelize, but who still hear only the law's whip upon their backs and as the people in Egypt languish for freedom.

The Spirit and the Church
Last post we discussed the Spirit and the Word, that is, the work of the Spirit in using the word to create faith. The Gospel says it is done, and by the Spirit faith is made, not us. Those who share the gospel are not debaters of the age trying to persuade, we are vessels of the Spirit and the Spirit taking the task of creating faith gives us the freedom to proclaim without the task of creating faith being ours. Proclaim freely, not with worries of inadequacy or needs of years of training or amazing speaking skills and logic. Just speak, for how shall they believe if no one speaks (Romans 10.14)?

But the graceful freedom that is ours in the Spirit is even more than just trusting the Spirit to use the words, it is trusting that the church itself rests within the Spirit. Let us go back to the Bo Giertz quote shared last time, there was a phrase towards the end where Giertz wrote: "Christianity is not simply knowing about Jesus and following him. It is something that can be found only where God is at work in the presence and person of the Holy Spirit." Christianity - the Church universal will only be found where the Spirit is at work!

Those who need the assurance to loose them unto the world can find it in the words many Christians share each week: the Apostles Creed. It is under the article of the Holy Spirit that we confess we believe in "the Holy catholic Church", and in the Nicene Creed we say "we believe in the Holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism..." These phrases remind us that the church is built in the Spirit. This is founded in the same comfort of the Spirit using our words: the Spirit creates and sustains faith using the grace of Jesus Christ. As Paul puts it "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Cor 12.13).

I recently heard a sermon where the pastor asked a specific congregation, "If the future of the church resided completely on your congregation would there be a church in the next generation?" It is an interesting question. And if you ask many churches they might not give an optimistic reply. The sermon text was the great commission (which we examined in part one of this series). What he noted was interesting: that was the situation of the first church. When Jesus spoke those words it was to the only congregation and only generation of disciples of the resurrected Lord. And yet most people feel in utter awe of what the Bible says about the spreading and growth of that early church. And it is no coincidence that such growth was marked by the outpouring of the Spirit. In fact Jesus told them to wait until they received the promised Spirit (Acts 1.4). He said it was with receiving the Spirit that they would be his witnesses (Acts 1.8).

Why is this so important? Because it also reminds us that the breadth of evangelism is entirely under the work of the Spirit. Paul emphasizes many gifts of the Spirit, "So with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church" (1 Cor 14.12). Many may emphasize the "gift" they lack, but here we see all the gifts the Spirit gives are for building up the church. As the Spirit gives them, so then can the Spirit use them. It means one can never simply say they have not the gifts for evangelism, as if their gifts cannot build up others into the church. Trust the Spirit to be able to use you for evangelism. For not only can the Spirit take what we think we are pitiable at (like say sharing the gospel) and use it effectively, but what God has made us strong in - the Spirit uses that as well.

Evangelism not built on Jesus and the Spirit is not faithful evangelism. It is building on a foundation other than God. It is important that we see the building up the church through faith, with the same helplessness or humility that we are called towards our own "individual" spiritual standing before God. Always remember, the Father sent the Son. The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. That means God loosed the Spirit unto the task of saving people and continuing the ministry of Christ Jesus. Does that mean we do nothing? Only as much as Christ's cross means we do nothing. That is, it is done by Christ alone, but that does not happen to leave us to do nothing it actually frees us to do all things through him. Putting this on the work of the Spirit is not to say do nothing, it is to say go out and trust the Spirit to do everything.

Understanding evangelism according to the working of God reminds us that God's care and work upon our own faith builds up the church. In Matthew 16, Peter makes the great confession of faith about who Jesus is, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" he says. And what does Jesus say to such a person of faith? "You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church" (v.16, 18). Jesus is speaking to but one man there, Peter. But he will build his church on that one man and that one faith. Thus evangelism is also more than going from "atheist" to "Christian", it is more than getting in the doors of the church, it is building up faith. Tending to our own faith, through scripture and prayer, confessing our sins, receiving the means of grace regularly - all this is evangelism. It is the work of God to evangelize you! And beyond you, it means the ongoing spiritual care of the brothers and sisters is evangelism. Too many modern evangelism methods see evangelism as ending when you start attending regularly or become an official "member". Evangelism needs to be seen in relation to the working of the Spirit and the Church. All the activity of the Spirit in building and sustaining the church, all the ongoing work of the Spirit on us is evangelism. We still need to be preached to and prayed for, that says it all. We might do well to say we still need to be "converted". Even Peter, who was a disciple for some time before this confession is given these words in this moment. Then of course he is called Satan a few verses later (Matthew 16.23) and even later Jesus says to him "when you have converted, strengthen yours brothers." (Luke 22.32).

Ambassadors for Christ
In Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, he calls them to the ministry of reconciliation. Listen to what he says of our calling towards evangelism and ministry:

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." -2 Corinthians 5.18-21

Did you hear it? He calls us "ambassadors for Christ"!

Why does being an ambassador matter? It allows us to speak with the full authority of Jesus. Ambassadors are sent to represent a leader, a country, etc. It bespeaks a purpose, but it also speaks of that purpose in an official capacity. I think sometimes the idea of evangelism falls back to pastors and church workers because of our official capacity. We work for the church, we represent the church, and our mere presence and person can carry the entire weight of the church with it. It seems natural then to look to pastors and church professionals in this way, to expect them to be a little more "churchy" and so forth. Perhaps what holds others back is the idea of not having the same authority or place. If you don't see yourself as a representative of Christ in this world, you might not carry it then.

As a pastor, when I wear my clerical (pastor shirt), I can tell the difference. Oh others can too, but so can I. I realize that I am wearing the mark of my office. Now other Christians may not have such an easily visible marker to wear. This is especially why baptism is important for every Christian. Baptism is the visible act of the invisible sanction. God there is claiming you, naming you with his very name! The ancients believed in the power of the name, especially among the gods. To be given God's name is to be ordained to the office of its use. God has bestowed upon you in that moment the title of ambassador. Baptism is a rite, a visible and historical way in which we know this to be true. It may not always feel as ever-present as wearing a clerical shirt, but it is, it is moreso. Come to know what it is to confess "one baptism for the forgiveness of sins". Come to know what it is to have that external mark stamped upon you internally for all your life. You don't take your baptism off like a shirt can be.

Knowing we are ambassador's gives us the authority to act, the sanction we need. Let's back up some with a quick review and note why our sanction as ambassadors relates to these:

• Jesus when he commissions his disciples reminds them of how all authority is his so that we see truly no power with a greater voice than his, and face evangelism with no fear of failure for the authority to judge are in the merciful hands of our Savior. But once we see all authority in Christ's hands hear then the blessing of him to let you act with this authority. Evangelism then is none other than speaking and acting with the highest authority, which we may have a hard time believing. Just as many could not see Christ for who he is, we who see him for who he is do not necessarily always see ourselves for who he is. That is an odd statement. You might expect it to say "for who we are", but an ambassador's authority is really rooted in who she represents. You carry the highest authority, even when it seems cloaked and weak in you. This is especially true when we only hear it as us talking, not Christ making his appeal through us.
• Jesus also promised his presence. People will especially know this presence through the ambassadors. We often think of ambassadors as speaking for one who is absent, not one who is there. But it means loads for an ambassador in a hostile world. The promise of his continued presence is the promise of not being forsaken or abandoned. Put into the terms of one entrusted with his message, it means God is not leaving you to this alone and he is not taking this sanction away from you. As a baptized Christian his promise for you cannot be removed. You can abandon it, but he won't remove it. There is a clear difference. This gives us the confidence that Christ is always looking to "make his appeal through us" as Paul puts it. 
• The Word of God is the vessel of the Spirit of God. God did not leave you to handle this alone. What this speaks is the value of the spoken word for an ambassador. Not only do you speak for Christ, but in so doing you let the Spirit work. While we can doubt, while others can doubt that you speak for Christ and with his authority, the testimony of the Spirit to work through your appeal is the voice to the contrary. The Spirit blows where it wills, this much is true, but to will to blow through the voice of everyday people like you and I says it is not simply to the professional or extraordinary Christian to be able to speak for Christ, you are able to speak for Christ. Able by the Spirit. 
• The Spirit builds the Church. Here again we are reminded in the way God frees us by taking it upon himself so that we can freely evangelize. As we looked at how the Spirit is the source among a whole slew of gifts and the power to use those gifts to build up the church, we are reminded how our whole lives can be utilized by the Spirit to this end. To one who understands that, nothing about you says "Not an ambassador", not when you have been baptized and shared this very Holy Spirit, the Spirit that gifts you and uses your gifts towards the work of the Gospel. We are taken again to baptism as an anointing (if you will) to this task.

Breaking the Sales Pitch

Here now becomes something important to remember; if we are ambassadors we speak for Christ and not ourselves. Likewise, Christ frees us so we don't have to succeed in evangelism. He frees us to trust that God will succeed. This is important, because when we put the emphasis upon ourselves what becomes the temptation? We try to do everything we can do to make it succeed, at all costs.

But evangelism is not about an at all cost connecting to others. Oh there is much to be said about cost and priority. There is much to be said about adiaphora and a willingness at times to shave away or alter the great traditions for the sake of sharing the gospel. But the one cost there must never be is the cost of the gospel itself. You cannot water it down or change it to make it "more relevant" (believe me when I say the gospel has always been relevant), you cannot ignore parts that they might not like, and there are parts people don't like. Remember Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 1 "we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles."

To put it simply, you don't have to sell Jesus. And you don't need to succeed. Perhaps the greatest impediment to evangelism is ourselves. We either try to do it ourselves (and in our efforts hinder the gospel) or we don't do it at all for fear of cultural reprisal for publicly declaring our faith or for fear of failure. Nevertheless, when we are free of all that (remember all authority is not in the culture's hand but Christ's) we need not try to sell Jesus. We need not worry if someone says no.

All we've talked about is the place of God himself in the work of evangelism through his vessels. Why that is important is that we his vessels otherwise write God out of the equation in which case the entire event is totally different. 

One day a couple walked into my church. They were looking for a church to get married in and a church they could bring their family to. I walked around, showed them the place, took them to the other church in the parish, bragged and bloated the image. Then at some point it occurred to me I was trying to sell my church to them. And dare I say many of us do this. I didn't consciously think "I'm gonna make a sales pitch" but I did consciously want them to be a part of my church desperately. A large young family to be (multiple children involved) would make a difference to the people on Sunday morning. 

But neither I nor my church needed them. And likewise, they didn't need my sales pitch, which while informative in many ways got in the way of the substance of what our church is: the body of Christ by the Spirit of God and the grace of Jesus Christ. What really stands out to me as I look at that encounter was they never did come. Yet the church still stands. I failed, yet maybe there was a seed planted. I think of Paul when he says "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." (1 Cor 3.6). The words are a striking hope. There is the blazing trust that even in our "failure" God has victories, God grows faith. When a pastor sees someone in faith, they are often only seeing what is above the soil, All the work to plant and nurture that seed happened long before. In that encounter I put too much into my success, our appeal, their coming. I put too little in Christ. In what he may be doing that I and my church will never witness, what he does in and for my church every Sunday with the people who are there, what our future is.

Trusting in God in evangelism lets us trust that he is working where we do not see it. It lets us trust that the church endures even when it seems shrinking. In 1 Kings 19 the prophet Elijah flees to Mt. Horeb. There he confesses to God how he, the last prophet of the LORD, is now seeing his life threatened. God responds to Elijah by having him anoint two kings and a prophet, but also he speaks this word to him:

"Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." 

Listen to what is there. As Elijah feels he is alone, here he sees how much faithfulness God has maintained; 7000! But it also indicates the ability for Israel to remain if only by a remnant. Paul himself interestingly turns to this passage in Romans as he wrestles with the disbelief of Israel (Romans 11.1-6) regarding Jesus. When he is faced with what seems to be a failure to get his own people to believe, he sees again what it is to trust that God is preserving a remnant (v.5).

Trusting in the remnant; both that it is greater than we think (because God has done far more in evangelism than we can ever realize) and that even a shrinking church is still a church preserved by God (built by his Spirit) we then can dump the sales pitch. Stop trying to be who we think people want us or the gospel to be. Dare I say such unauthentic working is not rooted in the faithfulness to the power of the gospel not only for us, but for others. 

Where am I going with this? Well simply put, evangelism when bound and not free becomes like every other work people do when it is not in the freedom of faith but the false understanding of merit and works; it becomes for our own sake. Think of what a sales pitch is - it's an exchange. When evangelism is a sales pitch it means we are trying to get something back. This can be our own sense of worth or accomplishment, the survival of our church, the diversification of our church, or even to the most extremes our duty to earn salvation; it does not matter. As long as you need that person you are not freely evangelizing. 

The other sad part about not freely evangelizing is this: we hinder our evangelism. Because to put it simply, once you start speaking or acting for yourself you have stopped speaking and acting for Christ. An ambassador who comes to bring her own agenda to a meeting rather than the person who sent her has abandoned her role as an ambassador, or at the very least hindered it. This is what it means for us to recognize we can get in the way of evangelism. While it is true the Spirit uses our words and the Spirit has given us gifts of many varieties, it is also true that the Spirit has no promise to act in them for our purposes. In fact God very well may not (or will withhold how he is working from your eyes) to humble you. Yes, sometimes God can work at cross purposes with his people - the story of Jonah reflects this - but one would be amiss to take such a story as a tale to mean anything other than stop working at cross purposes with God. Surrender your sales pitch! Surrender your profit! Surrender whatever you hope to achieve from someone else's faith! 

And as you are called to let it go, you are free to do so with the knowledge you can. That is, while with one voice God is crying for you to surrender your pitch, with another he is assuring you that you can. This is the voice of the gospel raising up a faith that is free enough to share the gospel freely.

A Ridiculous What if...Superheroes were pastors?

One of my favorite just for fun blogs was my first ridiculous what if post about the ninja turtles. In it I posited a hypothetical world based on one simple premise. To continue in that proud tradition I today got to thinking about the idea of some of our beloved comic book heroes. Today's premise: what if these heroes gave up saving people from criminals and started saving them from sin, death, and hell? Basically, what if they became the pastors of our churches? I'll admit, it only took thinking about a few heroes to make it totally worth it. For fun I'll say how this hero would be gifted for ministry, and in what ways they might struggle as a parish pastor, just so you realize that super-powers may not be all that they are cracked up to be, or at least that it might take more than a superhero to make a "super-pastor" in the eyes of many. To keep it fair we'll do an equal number of DC and Marvel heroes (while I may be a DC man, in the ELCA we are open to Marvel people - even if some question such openness).

1. Amazing Spiderman: Since the pictures here indicate some of the inspiration behind this post, I figured I would begin here with your friendly, neighborhood Spiderman.

Why would he be a good pastor: He could use his web on first time visitors, those who sneak out early, or overly rambunctious children (only in extreme circumstances of course). Always good with his humor and likability, he would easily be well-received by the congregation. Additionally, he handles his role with carefully because he knows that "with great power comes great responsibility". Also using his web and camera (with timer) he can get some great in-action shots during the Sunday service for your website or newsletter. Also, his Spidey-sense may be a useful intuition for sensing something is wrong in pastoral care situations.

Why he might not work out: Taking communion through the mask might be difficult. And such masks muffle the sound-system's reception making him harder to be understood by older, hearing impaired members. Peter Parker always seems to have difficulty in managing his personal life in relation to his responsibility as Spiderman, and so as Pastor Spiderman he seems likely to be doomed to poor clergy self-care and is a significant burn-out risk.

Key Bible Verse: Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourself, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." -Joshua 3.5

2. Aquaman: The most mocked man in all of superherodom, even after a successful reboot of the character in DC's New 52 (highly recommend it by the way) he still seems poised for mockery.

Anyone seeking to form an opinion about Aquaman
should read DC's new 52

Why would he be a good pastor: Well for one, he is used to being unpopular. Aquaman is the kind of pastor who would do and say what needs to be done because it is right. As the former king of Atlantis, he is a natural leader (and knows what it is like to live in a totally legalistic culture). Also, if you do river or ocean baptisms, he can make sure no sea predators attack you while being baptized. With all his orange he'd make a good Wartburg Seminary grad. His predisposition to water may come in handy since water is a oft used image in the Bible and essential to the great sacrament of baptism.

Why he might not work out: Who would even call him to be their pastor? Aquaman's unpopularity literally precedes him, unfairly even, which means that many church's wouldn't even give him a call interview. Also, the guy has lived in a lighthouse or an underwater city...not what I would call accessible by any means. His crazy, powerful, and easily offended wife Mera would also probably make a horrible pastor's wife. Not that it should necessarily matter, but we know it does.

Key Bible Verse: "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5.10

3. Gambit: One of the most popular X-Men of all time (and sadly yet to be featured in the movies save for a brief, underwhelming role) and a long-time favorite among my brother and I when we were young.

Why he would be a good pastor: if you are looking for a pastor who could really bring a pietism and reform to your community, Gambit is the guy. At least his power is (character may be another thing). Gambling problems in the community that people won't give up? All Gambit needs to do is come in and blow the deck up. Same with liquor or anything else that needs extreme reform/purging. If you don't believe those things can be destructive, he'll make them destructive! Plus, the guy is so awesome looking already, I'm pretty sure a clerical under his trench coat is all you need to really finish the look. You know the look I'm talking about: a Russell Crowe, renegade with authority, ready-to-help-the-poor-or-fight-vampires kind of look.

Why he might not work out: If the guy can charge up things he touches with enough kinetic energy to cause them to blow up...do you really want to take communion from him? How about handing him your baby to baptize? Additionally, Gambit was a former thief and had trust issues among the X-Men. And he was a ladies man which is about the last thing the church might need at this point. Fair or not, he's a scandal waiting to happen.

Key Bible Verse: nor theives, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. -1 Corinthians 6.10-11

4. Flash: the fastest man alive, being introduced to many with his new show and due to be introduced to more with his own film in 2018, this speedster is also well appreciated by fans of The Big Bang Theory.

Why he would be a good pastor: He could speed through the service so that church would never go over an hour. Pastoral emergency? He's there before you hang up the phone. Also he could serve multiple churches in the country, miles apart from one another, and still spend significant amount of time with him members since it would take but a moment to travel to the next church in time for service (and if he's late who cares, they'll still get out early!). He'd be that one pastor who never says "I don't have time to do it all".

Why he might not work out: Some things in faith shouldn't be rushed through. For churches that utilize liturgical colors red is the least used one. And are we entirely sure God isn't mad at this guy? I mean he did get struck by lightning after all.

Key Bible Verse: The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. -Ezekiel 1.14

5. Human Torch: The coolest member of the Fantastic Four and a true hot-shot superhero. Also well named.

Why he'd be good: No acolytes or ushers at your church? No problem. This guy can light his own candles, heck he can be the torch for walking in a processional. And for those visual learners he would be able to do some great illustrations for you on Pentecost when talking about tongues of fire, or with Moses and the burning bush. You can turn out all the lights for Good Friday and folks will still be able to see him and he'll still have enough light to read his sermon notes (unless of course he starts them on fire). He could be a great fire and brimstone preacher - able to provide more imagery than Jonathan Edwards. Oh, and he works on a team of four and so he is a perfect addition to a large multi-staff church.

Why he might not work out: If he gets too close to the pulpit bible he might start it on fire, not the image you want to bring across. Also, if you didn't already think he was a little full of himself just wait until his powers are merged with church leadership. If your church likes to turn down the lights for Silent Night on Christmas Eve it might lose some of the effect with this guy lighting up the chancel. And if you're in any way weary of homosexual pastors or the controversy around it, you might not want a guy who regularly shouts "Flame on!"

Key Bible Verse: For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands. -2 Timothy 1.6

6. Batman: The face of DC, albeit a masked one, and one of the most appealing comic book heroes of our day, in part because he is not a superhero in the sense of lacking powers.

Why he'd be a good pastor: Being filthy rich already, he wouldn't have to work for pay or be bi-vocational. He could be a full time pastor at no cost to his congregation. Additionally, your church would have all the up-to-date technology needed to fully execute your ministry. If your church provides a parsonage his Butler would take good care of it. Being the greatest detective to ever live, he would know all his parishioners sins and secrets even if they tried to hide them from him. His childhood trauma of losing his parents would also give him an honest and real approach towards death in times of pastoral care. Anyone who has read Justice League Comics will know he is adept at running meetings as well. Fans of the Dark Knight Returns comics will note that he cannot stay retired, making him a wonderful interim pastor in his later years.

This could end up as the Easter Outfit
Oi!

What might go wrong: For starters, his tendency to beat confessions out of parishioners who withhold information from him. His efforts to keep bats in the church might also cause the gray hairs. Also, his interpretation of the common biblical phrase "Do not be afraid" would probably be preached not as gospel but as a self help system of "embrace the fear, be the fear!" Also, an entire service and sermon done in that ridiculous "I'm batman!" voice might get old real quick. Every thing in church getting "bat" attached to the name, like bat-stole, the bat-hymnal, bat-tism.

Key Bible Verse: Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. -Proverbs 7.8-9

7. Storm: Halle Berry's Catwoman may not be anything to write home about, but she made a great Storm. And Storm made a great X-Man. She walks the line of leader and follower wonderfully making her highly flexible to the situation.

Why she's be great: Her leadership skills would really fit in a multitude of contexts. Whether it is a solo pastorate or a large staff, senior or associate position, Storm could handle it well. She also comes with teaching experience working at Xavier's School for the Gifted. Also nothing would ever be canceled due to the weather, an important talent in some regions of the country. And if people refused to repent she could hurl lightning bolts at them. And if we're talking the old X-Men Cartoon Storm, that woman had a preacher's voice!

Possible Issues in her ministry: Churches with copper steeples may not want someone who so regularly creates electrical storms. Her speech at Xavier's graveside in X-Men III (not that anyone watched it) suggests she does poor funerals. And she would have to have really developed her answer to questions of theodicy in relation to natural disasters.

Key Bible Verse: Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm: -Job 40.6

8. Robin: I figured if we got batman we should add the boy wonder (or girl wonder in a few versions through the years) as well to the list.

His gifts for ministry: Assuming number 6, he's a PK (pastor's kid), and therefore he know's the life before he even enters into it. In fact he gets started doing ministry with his dad (or guardian, however you want to refer to their relation). He comes with all the gadgets and skills as Batman but without the baggage. Having dressed like a colorful Zorro in short-shorts, embarrassment is not in this guy's vocabulary. He's young, and doesn't that mean he'll automatically attract young people [to be read sarcastically]. He already says "Holy [insert holy object] Batman!" all the time showing he is well versed in church talk and comfortable using it in any circumstance.

Why he might not work out: whether Robin or Nightwing, he's basically still stuck in Batman's shadow. Even that verse in Timothy about not being despised because of your youth won't save this guy from being treated poorly. He has "Youth Pastor" written all over him, even then it will be hard to take him seriously...especially if when he pounds the pulpit authoritatively a giant "POW" appears in front of him.

Key Bible Verse: Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. -1 Timothy 4.12

9. Wolverine: Probably the most popular of the X-Men, certainly of the ones featured thus far on the big screen (as evidenced by his two stand alone films).

Why he would work out: Churches that don't like a lot of overhead, or "interference" by church-wide governance/hierarchy would love Wolverine as their pastor, since he wouldn't listen to them anyways. Your church needs a van? He'll borrow the one from the Methodist church down the street without asking. Also, no one would dare interrupt the Wolverine, making for the quietest congregations ever during sermon and prayers so you can really concentrate on what is being said. With his regenerating powers you could literally crucify him for your Holy Week play, making for a more realistic experience than Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ. On top of it all, every young person would think your church has the coolest pastor ever. And if you saw Wolverine in Les Miserables, then you know he'll have a beautiful singing voice.

Problems and Issues: Regenerative powers may make it hard for him to connect with the terminally ill. Plus, if you don't like the old "doom and gloom" preachers, remember this preacher is over 100 years old. Instead of being called "brother" or "sister" in Christ he'd just refer to everyone in the congregation as "bub". Overseas missions would be difficult as airport security would take forever. And the building and maintenance committee might get frustrated with claw marks all over the pulpit after particularly passionate sermons. His heightened sense of smell might forbid certain fundraisers such as Lutefisk dinners.

Key Bible Verse: Do all have the gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? -1 Corinthians 12.30



10. Green Lantern: Will power and imagination is all it takes for this hero to produce anything, so long as you are ok with it being green.

The good: For liturgical churches, Time after Pentecost, and Time after Epiphany, usually the most ordinary time (pun intended) of the year (and dare I say most liturgically boring) would instantly become the most visually striking. The stoles and paraments would glow green! Also for those visual people, he could produce an image of whatever he wanted to illustrate his sermons. His ring could do more for his research and checking on questions than commentaries or google. Not enough communion assistants? He could serve both elements by himself.

The bad: All this is based on how imaginative he is, and seminary would likely stifle that imagination in such a way he couldn't produce much anyways. And if he has a strong will, all it takes is a church bully to break that. He might end up powerless in the church. And Hal Jordan without powers in the New 52 for example is kind of inept. He also has to keep his lantern close, otherwise towards the end of a particularly long weak his ring will run out. Hope you like green jello, because that is what will be served by him at potlucks from here on out.

Key Bible Verse: He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. -Job 8.16

11. Thor: had to be at least one Norwegian pastor right? Is he extra-dimensional or a god? I suppose it depends who you ask. He's awesome either way.

Gifts for ministry: another "god" professing faith in the one true God sounds like quite the conversion story to me. His presence alone is a "get" for the church. I mean, his sermon on idols could literally be "stop worshiping me"! A leader in Asgard, he has the natural skills to lead a congregation, even a dysfunctional one given all the times he's had to deal with Loki's treachery.

Why it might not work out: Is too handsome to be a pastor a legit problem? Well if not there is always the whole having been worthy to possess the power of Thor thing that makes him predisposed to emphasizing the worthiness of members and preaching justification by merit not by faith.

Key Bible Verse: For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 1 Chronicles 16.25

12. Superman: My favorite superhero had to make the list. I just couldn't leave him off.

Why he'd be a good pastor: well let's face it, if Superman cannot satisfy a congregation, no one will. If your hot dish is cold by the time church is out, he can heat it with his heat vision. With his x-ray vision and superhearing allow him to keep tabs on his members, and when one is in distress and needs a pastor his superspeed can get him there. He can be as radical as necessary to preach the truth without fear of being stoned or shot. No pulpit? He can fly high enough for everyone to see him. He not only can read at super-speed but he learns at superspeed (he once learned how to perform surgery on Lois in a matter of seconds), meaning he can read as many commentaries and books on theology as you can throw at him as well as read the Bible once a day. And his parents raised him in a good Christian home (if I remember they were Presbyterian) and instilled good  values in him.

Why he might not work out: If you don't like pastors who use way too many stories about themselves in sermons watch out, because so much of Superman origins and mythology is based on biblical characters or has parallels with others. He is likely to form most of his sermon illustrations from his own life. Also, if anyone is prone to a Messiah complex it's this guy. And members are likely to feed it. There is a long history of Superman worship in the comics and you might get too enthused about your pastor and not about Jesus.

Key Bible Verse: I don't think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles". 2 Corinthians 11.5