In Other News: Part 3 of 3, Ashton Kutcher in Space

The drama and official results of Egypt’s first democratic election are still ongoing, and we’ll return with more specifics as announcements are made later this week regarding potential candidates for a runoff, appeals, and challenges.  

While we were busy being the Egyptian Election “situation room”, there were other noteworthy things happening in the world.  Here’s a bit of other news that we’re interested in...

Finally, beyond 3W and this world...

The world’s rate of technological change is almost impossible to measure or keep up with -- and, yet this is the world that we are called to navigate as we share the Good News.  We’ve spoken on the blog previously about the unique tension that exists between trying to not be worldly and yet being relevant to the world.  But last week, we gained a new complication; we now have to begin to think “otherworld-ly”.  

Our kids just participated in an 80’s theme party.  We remember the 80’s well since we spent most of our school years in that decade -- so we went overboard in helping them to get ready (Grace got ‘best-dressed’).  In the process, we gave Titus a Walkman-style tape player and ear phones, and he asked, “What’s this!?!”  As it fell repeatedly while we walked, I told him how each year someone offered a newer “shock-resistant” model because of that.  Discussions on cassette tapes turned to computer memory (punch cards, to big magnetic tapes, to smaller cassette tapes, to floppy disks, to smaller disks, to CDs, to USB); think about that progression alone.  Watch “War Games” and see how slow, bulky, and clumsy “super computers” once worked -- they would have a hard time keeping up with a smart phone these days.  We put men on the moon with less processing power than was in the first Furby.

Well, governments put men on the moon--50+ years ago.  Today, we’re on the verge of anyone going to space.

We as a planet have officially crossed into the realm of commercial space travel.  Yes, the stuff of comic books and sci-fi movies is becoming a reality as SpaceX sent its Dragon capsule to the International Space Station last week.  This was not just a commercial delivery of necessary supplies, this also included passengers who paid for the trip--well, actually, the remains of would-be passengers.  That’s right, Celestis, Inc. subcontracted under  SpaceX to send the partial remains of 320 people at $2,995 per gram of remains.  These remains included those of actor James Doohan (who played Mr. Scott on the original “Star Trek” series).  These remains are set in a particular orbit around the Earth for a time before they will drift back into and burn up upon reentry of the atmosphere.

If this sounds too bizarre, it gets even more sci-fi as the eventual transport of actual live tourists to space is not too far in the future.  In this interview with billionaire tycoon Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Airways, and now Virgin Galactic), you hear first hand as they are preparing for such a booming industry.  If you’re wondering who could afford such a trip, wonder no further than Ashton Kutcher and Stephen Hawking!--seriously--but they are just 2 among the 550 people who have already paid $200,000 to be among the first.  Branson states “in the first year, we are planning to send more people into space than the combined total of the US and Russia” space exploration history.  

Branson, with the vision and foresight of someone insanely successful, states that the prices will surely come down as this new industry breeds competition--yes, as the interviewer states, “a new space race”.  And, Branson is likely to be right--the first trips are likely to be orbits around Earth, then there will be trips to the Space Station (you know US, Russia, and the other countries are already planning how to spend the entrance fees on improvements).  And if you think these guys are only thinking about getting people to space and back, then your vision is only reaching the horizon while there’s is squarely on Mars.  Years and years ago I read that McDonald’s had secured the rights to be the first restaurant on the moon.  And I’m sure with the soon to be booming trips to space, there’s going to be an international-galactic Hilton Resort complete with space-walks, romantic constellation-themed dinners, galactic golf, and Milky-Way pools.  

So, here’s the question--who will be the first pastor and church into space or the moon? (please don't tell me Osteen!)  While churches sometimes seem paralyzed to reach across the street, across town, or across a border -- are we preparing to reach the inhabitants on the other side of the atmosphere?

Not too far in the distant past, when it used to take months for a missionary family to reach a foreign field, a Methodist minister preached about the possibility of air travel and how that would pave the way for more consistent and expedient means of sharing the Gospel abroad.  He was chastised and labeled a blasphemer by Bishop Wright--but the seeds were planted in Bishops Wright’s sons.  You and I know them as Orville and Wilbur.  

We believe that Jesus will be returning soon--but what if His imminent return isn’t before we start space travel and moon colonization?  What if Branson and McDonald’s are right and we’re on the verge of doing things we used to only dream about?  Will the Church be paralyzed because of failure to dream and failure to take that leap beyond the reach of gravity? 

While we were pastoring the 6th Avenue Church of God and leading them to fully grasp and fulfill their vision to "Touch the World for Christ," Ben was one of the young men like Zach who were catching the vision and taking Mission trips.  In one conversation, in typical Ben style, he said, "What about beyond the Earth?  I mean, you've got us on this track to make Touching the World possible--are we ready to take this thing galactic?!?  Sign me up for Mars!"  

Ben, I didn't give you enough credit--you're right.  Sign me up, too.