We finally begin school next week. Monday I will begin my 3rd year of full-time ministry. Our school theme this year is “Army of ONE.” I don’t want to focus on the militaristic aspect of the Army so I purposefully capitalized the word “ONE” for two reasons. First, I really wanted to focus on God. The “I Am.” Yahweh. Secondly, I want to focus on unity. I look around at our school and I see so many factions and groups. I want us to be United! I want us to lean on one another and to look to each other as brothers and sisters.

One of the things that has really galvanized my desire for this theme was watching “Band of Brothers” again this summer. It almost seems that the war was incidental to these men. These men would have been heroes in a factory or on the farm but instead they were heroes in the European and Asian theaters during WWII. Great stuff.

The other thing that has brought this theme home to me is U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name.” At the risk of repeating everything that has every been said about this song I feel like I have to say something as well.

I love this song! Do yourself a favor: Go out and buy “Rattle and Hum.” The whole of the documentary is filmed in black and white. That is until this song is played at Sun Devil Stadium. As the song’s intro begins your television glows red until the crescendo is so bright you gotta wear shades. After viewing that, go and buy “Elevation: Live from Boston” and listen to Bono toast the Lord as the Edge strikes up the band. Marvelous!

This song is a kingdom song.

I want to run, I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls that hold me inside
I want to reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name
I want to feel sunlight on my face
See the dust cloud disappear without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name

I want our school to drop all of the names.
Jock, Brain, Cheerleader, Band Member, CofC, UMC, Guys, Girl, Lonely, Popular.

Tear down the walls that hold us inside. When our streets have no name then we can be an army of ONE.