Starbucks is a great place (or not so great a place) to learn a lot about human nature and greed.

The greed part was having to pay $3.65 for a latte. That nasty human nature part was sharing a table with a guy in a suit, with a computer and a cell phone. It's always amazing what total strangers will share with you (and those within earshot) while talking on their phones. Not that I was ease dropping but how could I help. He was loud and pretty proud of the way he screwed some folks during his normal business day.

From his many calls in 30 min and the topics he covered, it was obvious he was an attorney of some kind. Mostly it had to do with real estate deals but he took a lot of pleasure describing how he managed to come out on top and make some pretty good money. To one guy he said, "Thanks for the referral, I owe you 5% of the total settlement."

One phrase that really bothered me was when he said to the guy on the other end of the line, "Yea, we really played him like a piano" From the rest of the conversation it was obvious he,"we",they took this poor piano guy to the cleaners and picked his pocket at the same time. I really wanted to ask him, "How does one play someone like a piano?" but he never got off the phone and my phone was ringing that it was time to come home.

So I left him a note on a napkin. It said, "How does one 'play him like a piano'? I hope you can search your heart for a better way."

When I got home it hit me that I should have left my number or card or something. But honestly the fear of confronting a total stranger in Starbucks I think kind of froze my brain. 

I'll keep hanging out at "my other office" not really for a pricey cup of coffee but to learn more why it is that this sick old sinful world needs a saviour. Next time I sit with a loud rich lawyer at my table, I just might ask him to sell all he has and give it to the poor. Or is that line already taken?

Jim and I had a long week of staff meetings planning for 2010 CityConnexx.org short-term mission trips. So we decided to take Friday afternoon off and do what we love to do to unwind - "Go Golfing". It's a bit like Jesus and the disciples. When they needed a break they "went fishing" (John 21).

So we loaded up the clubs in the van and headed to Applewood. They paired us up with Bill and his wife. On the fifth hole, Bill had a putt that didn't quite go his way. He threw out a few profanities and said, "Sorry I hope you're not religious."

Jim politely replied, "No problem for me but Dean over there is a pastor" (Of course Jim is too but he forgot to mention that fact at the time, maybe because Bill was bigger than the both of us). When Bill realized we both might be a bit "religious" you could see and feel his embarrassment. He went on to apologize and said, "Forgive me but sometimes I've got a mouth like a sailor."

I replied, "You know, now that I think about it, Jesus surrounded himself with a bunch of fisherman and sailors and my guess is they had a few conversations like that." We all had a good laugh at that. It got me to wonder what those early conversations were like between Jesus and those sailors there on the fifth green beside the beach sea.

The King James gospels don't tell us they used such "sailor's language" but I can't help but think there were some conversations that conveniently weren't recorded. I wish they would have. If nothing else but to encourage Bill that indeed those first disciples were rough and tough sailors too. My guess is their hearts were changed before their mouths were cleansed. Remember folks, they were sinners and sailors before they were inducted as saints. (And so are you and I).

Over the next few holes, that short conversation on the fifth green opened up a whole new dimension to Bill and his wife's journey in life. No need to share all the sorted details here but suffice it to say that Bill had a bad night years ago that helped turn him around. He said, "You know, it was the worse night of my life but probably saved my life for the lessons I learned and never want to repeat."

We had a great time carrying on the conversation over the rest of the round. I gave them my card with an invitation to come join us anytime for our small group of couples who meet on Sunday nights just to get together to eat, share and care for each other.

They appreciated the invite and we closed by saying, "Hope to see you again here or there." It turns out Bill works part-time at the golf course so I'm sure I'll see him again. I covet your prayers for us, Bill, his wife, and all those modern day sailors who just haven't met the one who walks on water and calms the seas . . . yet.

It was 7:00am on a beautiful day in Vancouver BC, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics.

We pulled around the back of the church parking lot, ready to start a full day of Executive Training for our urban partners and to wake up the CityConnexx short-term missions team that was sleeping in the basement. 

I was just coming to work, she was just leaving work. The streets were already busy and never sleep for a depressed neighborhood like this.

She was just leaving the front steps of the church after a long night of hard work. 

I was dressed in my work clothes and so was she. But she was more dressed up than I was, I have to admit. I wore jeans and tennis shoes. She wore a tight skirt and high heels. I had a black backpack with my computer. She had a red leather purse with the tools of her trade tucked inside.

I came looking forward to a great day. Her eyes looked sad and tired, like she didn't have a very good one.

While I had been fast asleep in a warm comfortable bed, she had been walking and probably found one herself but not so comfortable.

We have some things in common. We're both working folks, walking the streets. We both have customers. I'm trying to save some from the streets. She's also trying to grab some off the streets, if but for a little while. The difference is my services are free. Not hers. At least she hopes not. But you know how it is, sometimes you don't get paid for your services. And black eyes and broken bones don't count as collateral, just damage.

When she caught my eye, maybe I was just one more prospect. But no, it was quitting time and she looked tired. I'm sure she had no idea about my profession like I did about hers. I don't wear a black robe or a collar, maybe I should. It might have made a difference. She might have turned around to come talk or cry. But she just kept passing by.

There we were, a preacher and a prostitute, just going about business.

They're both legal professions in Vancouver BC you know. Or did you not know? I didn't until I asked my host Brian who is the Executive Director of Mission Possible on the Eastside. I was shocked that she could stand in clear view on the front steps of the church, which is a good place to be seen on that busy corner, while the police were sitting in their car across the street. Yes, Brian and the Pastor of this Church Grant confirmed that indeed the oldest profession is legal above the border in BC. In fact they went on to tell me that ladies in her shoes are starting to flood the streets and mark their territory in anticipation of all the tourists coming for the Winter Games, and it was only August.

This urban church and ministry does what they can but they are just a few. And what can you do when it's legal. Can't call the cops? Don't work in this town.

So what can you do? Come to BC on a CityConnexx missions trip this Winter for the Games. But don't buy tickets to go to the slopes. Bring some coffee, sandwiches, some love and compassion, stay and pray in the church basement with Brian, Grant, Linda, Kevin, Travis, Darla, and these dear disciples who are doing their part to end addictions and offer transformation and hope that we find in Jesus Christ. See Kevin's story of salvation from the streets of BC at www.youtube.com/cityconnexx.

There's another hidden and forgotten place that prostitution is exploding and it usually involves young teenagers. It's on America's Native American reservations. YouthPartnersNET is doing what it kind with gifts from faithful donors like you to help our partners provide safe church based programs as an alternative. Read the story on the next page to find out how your donations are helping kids on the Piney Ridge Reservation where one of our CityConnexx teams just returned from giving their time to serve this summer.

OK, strange subject line and you're probably asking some questions. 
Why put Jesus and Hitler on the same line? Well, between 12:30am last 
night and 11:30am this Palm Sunday morning, I was shook up by a movie 
and a message that contrasted the final week of these two opposite 
historical figures. It's odd how much truth and insight can come out 
of paradox, irony, and contrast.

First about the movie, Downfall which documents the final days and 
hours of Hitler's hideous last stand in his hideout under the streets 
of Berlin. Months ago I ran across this title and put it on our 
Netflix queue list. It came this week and I finally watched it late 
last night. At the depressing end I was so bothered by it, I couldn't 
get to sleep. I was astonished how so many millions could blindly 
follow this modern day devil literally into the pits of evil and hell. 
I was overwhelmed by the senseless killing, death, murder, executions, 
and unknown atrocities committed in the name of nationalism and nazi 
socialism. So many lessons to learn and never repeat, "never again".

Then this morning our Pastor opened up to continue a series on "The 
Week: the last week of Jesus' life".  I've been thinking alot about 
that subject having preached the past two Sundays in an urban Philly 
and suburban Phoenix church on "Weeping Over the City" as Jesus 
started to cry in his final week for what he saw taking place in 
Jerusalem. Immediately as Steve was describing in amazing details 
Jesus' final hours on the cross and the parallels between that and 
Psalm 22, I was comparing and contrasting the passion of Christ to the 
poison of Hitler I had seen just hours earlier.

Both men gathered many followers and much acclaim. Both men had 
parades of praise in their honor, one riding in a black limousine, 
another on the back of a donkey. Both had big dreams, one to establish 
a 1,000 year reign, the other God's kingdom on earth as it is in 
heaven. Both men's closest comrades fled in fear. Both chose to stay 
in the city, one to fight to the death, one to give up his life in 
order to conquer death. Both died horrible deaths. One by his own 
will, the other because of His own will.

One committed suicide, the other was crucified.
One hunkered down in a bunker, the other rose up out of one.
One ordered millions to their execution, the other ordered up eternal 
resurrection.
One became the personification of evil, one represented the face of 
God and good.
Hitler's last official act was to hand out German Iron Cross medals to 
Hitler's Youth Squad
Jesus' last act was to hang on a Roman cross in order to seek and save 
those youth for God.
Hitler's last words were "The end has come, all is lost"
Jesus' last words were "It is finished" which translated means "The 
debt is paid in full"

At the end of the movie my soul was distressed
At the end of the message my spirit soared
We took communion as an act of worship and defiance against evil of 
all kinds.
One body, one Lord, one faith, one spirit.

And we sang a hymn I haven't heard for I don't know how many years and 
it brought me to my knees with holy tears.

"I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be,
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!

He took my sins and my sorrows, He made them his very own,
He bore the burden to Calvary, and suffered and died alone.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be,
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!

When with the ransomed in glory, His face I at last shall see,
Twill be my joy thro the ages, to sing of his love for me.
How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be,
How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior's love for me!"