UD Prayer Group

Blessing of Children

2008-02-12T10:35:00.000-05:00

Those of us who are blessed to have children know that it is a great responsibility to care for them and an even greater task to ensure that they become men and women of faith and character. I was reflecting on Psalm 127 today along with an ongoing dialogue I have been having with my wife. While I always value my boys and understand my special role in parenting them into manhood, I don't always recognize just how important it is to God that I devote significant time and energy to their growth and development. So, let me share what I believe God has to say on this critical subject based on the Psalm.

If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks. If God doesn't guard the city, the night watchman might as well nap. It's useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don't you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves? - Psalm 127:1-2 (The Message)

The first part of the psalm addresses the foolishness of pursuing things without the direction and approval of God. Solomon clearly expresses how important it is to have God directly involved in guiding and directing our actions. I am a big time offender in this area. I want to do things MY way and in MY time frame. I often pray about things but have a tendency to try to push God one way or the other rather than listening and responding in obedience to Him. Sooner or later I hope to actually learn that God will not be coerced in to giving me quick and easy answers to suit my needs. If I had to sum up these verses in a quick phrase it would be: it is much easier to labor for God than to work against Him.

Children are a gift from the Lord; babies are a reward. Children who are born to a young man are like arrows in the hand of a warrior. Happy is the man who has his bag full of arrows. They will not be defeated when they fight their enemies at the city gate. - Psalm 127:3-5 (NCV)

Children are a gift and a reward; they are arrows in the hand of a warrior. Archers in this time were valuable assets to an army. They could strike with great accuracy and from a greater distance away. They would be equal to today's snipers. Solomon says that we have the best possible weapons system against an enemy attack when we have our children beside us. Certainly in ancient times, right up until the present, families have fought together in armed conflicts and certainly no greater comraderie can exist than in such a relationship. By having well-trained, properly equipped children we have our greatest allies in the war against the enemy. (The movie 300 has a great example of this.) When we train our children well, they will stand by us as the strongest defenders of our character and credibility as individuals. Basically, our investment and instruction of our children will serve as a validation of our stewardship of God's gifts. In order for us to effectively minister to others and help them grow in their faith journey, we need to have an established track record of success with our own children.

What is our purpose and role as Christians in a fallen world?

2008-01-31T23:13:00.000-05:00

I have decided to just jump in way over my head right off the bat with this post. Honestly, I don't know if I really know the full answer to the question I pose, but here are some thoughts based on recent interactions and life events.

1. Balancing relatability and the idea of "salt and light" can be a real struggle. I try to be as much of a "normal" person as I can be and maybe that is a detriment. I don't ever want to come accross as some holier than thou type who thinks they have unlocked the deepest theological truths and modeled it flawlessly. I screw up a lot. I screw up a whole lot! I have more questions about the Bible and various doctrines than I have answers most of the time. I want people to see me as one of the guys...who does things a bit different.

2. I can't believe how many Christians just don't get it. For a group of people who are supposed to reach out to the lost and serve others, most Christians fail to actively display love and compassion. I have been going around and around with some classmates about the importance of action over knowledge. In my mind, there is nothing more important than putting your money where your mouth is when it comes to being a follower of Christ. You can read every book, hear every sermon, and memorize the Bible from cover to cover; but if you lack love for God and love for people....you have missed the whole point. I have so much growing to do in this area it makes my head spin, but if Jesus felt great sorrow for the lost, then I need to have those same feelings and then actually try to do something. I love Jesus' words on the subject, "wisdom is proved right by its actions."

3. All Christians have a responsibility to every other member of society to reach out to the hurting, to help the sick and the poor, and to be the hands and feet of God in this world. Again, debate has broken out in a class about the responsibility of counselors when patients want to injure or kill themselves. I think we need to take this much more personally than many classmates. That doesn't mean that if a client commits suicide you hold on to grief and guilt for the rest of your life. It means that we step up to the plate and say that as the church we must do better at spreading the message of hope and encouragement found in the Gospel. It means that we must get our hands dirty and take the lead in reversing some of the negative trends in society.

4. When are Christians going to transform something worldly into a Godly vessel? The devil has perverted so many of God's creations that one wonders if there is anything left that he hasn't corrupted. So, is it possible to reclaim some of what we have lost? Even if it isn't, should we sit on our hands or go out and fight for truth and purity to reign supreme in areas of our lives which have been tainted? We aren't called to be casual observers, waiting on the sidelines for Christ's return.

Total Comittment

2008-01-24T18:18:00.000-05:00

I read something today that struck me right between the eyes and I don't think it is coincidental that I am in the middle of a course on discipleship. God has a funny way of illuminating Scripture that you have read before to give it new depth in your relationship with Him.

It comes from John 11 and is the narrative of Lazarus being raised from the dead. The text notes how the disciples were questioning Jesus' decision to go back to Judea when they all knew that people were trying to kill Him there. Basically, they were saying that He was crazy for going and they were scared about what that meant for them. Then Thomas makes a great statement (Yes, the same Thomas who wouldn't believe the resurrection claims without hands-on proof). "Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

Thomas, with all his doubts decides that it is better to go with Jesus to death than to walk through life without meaning and purpose and that is exactly what Jesus had given to these twelve men. (All but John would eventually die a martyr's death to proclaim the Gospel.) So, here is what I get out of this passage...

1. Even when we have serious doubts of faith, those are the times when God affirms Himself in our lives most vividly. It is OK to doubt, because it can build an unwavering faith after you have experienced the lows. God isn't scared of the hard questions man presents; just ask Job!

2. It is better to be committed to the cause of Christ even though it "costs" us something, than to aimlessly wander through life lacking commitment to anything.

3. When you invest your life in people with love, passion and commitment; you will develop what Blanchard calls "raving fans". People who are committed co-laborers with deep dedication to you and the cause of Christ.

I want to be that kind of committed to the greatest cause of all time. I want to be what George Barna calls "a desperately hungering zealot" for the Kingdom of God. I have a lot of work to do before I get there, "but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14)

Trip to Sin City

2008-01-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

“Sin city” is certainly appropriate when describing Las Vegas. The sights and sounds are a bombardment of sensual images. But what I have seen is simply another example of a lost world crying out in pain. We have so vilified sex that it has been turned into the stuff of deviants and maladjusted people. Really, the problem is we haven’t embraced sex enough and the new move in counseling circles to promote healthy sexual relationships in the confines of marriage is too little, too late…just like many other moves within Christianity. The damage is done in the psyches of those on both sides of the argument. Strict conservatives have painted a picture of sex for procreation not recreation that is indelible. And the sex economists have placed no constraints on sexual gratification and will allow for no infringement on their “rights” to a limitless pursuit of pleasure. So, can there ever be a mediating position?

Here is the problem with mediating positions, by the way. You have one group that calls them respectful compromise and another that calls it being “lukewarm” or “selling out”. So, even in compromise you can’t win with everyone. Therefore, there is no “mediating” position; only a new position that still leaves some on both sides disappointed. Mediating positions were created by politicians to show how they can “work with both sides” and in some areas, compromise is beneficial and necessary.

So, here is a position that embraces the truth of both sides and acknowledges that a small number on both sides will not accept its premise. Sex is the exclusive, uncompromised experience between a woman and a man which God created, without boundaries, for both procreation and recreation. OK, so let me unpack some of what I am saying.

1. God created sex to propagate the species and for pleasure. There are few limits on the enjoyment of sex: it is to occur between man and woman only (homosexuality is not acceptable practice but we are to reach out with love and not simply harsh condemnation to those who are homosexual), it is to occur only in a marriage relationship, and its physical acts are to be mutually acceptable, not coerced by one spouse or the other.

2. That means that in a marriage we are free to explore our sexuality in open ways. As long as our spouse finds something acceptable to explore together, (and it does not involve bringing anyone else into the equation!) then it is acceptable. Men are visually driven and sex driven and the porn industry easily capitalizes on this by providing both in one package. If we find our wife fulfilling our fantasies then the desire to find the external diminishes. Likewise, women are affection driven and communicative. If men start catering to our wives fantasies (yes, they have sexual images of a perfect romantic event despite their ideas being largely different than that of men) then perhaps we can eliminate the Harlequin Romance novels.

I know this is challenging and I feel like I am on thin ice, but I think we need to open up the dialogue rather than continually burying our head in the sand.

BCS Hope?

2008-01-08T19:53:00.000-05:00

OK, so my first post of 2008 isn't about faith, but in some ways it is because I think it takes a great deal of faith to believe that the college football mess will ever be worked out. Before I go any further, let me say I am an Ohio State Buckeyes fan. I recognize that 7 or 8 out of 10 times the LSU Tigers would beat the Bucks and they clearly outplayed them in the National Championship game. With that being said, let me make a few points about the game and college football in general.

1. Ohio State is the only program to make it to the National Championship game in 3 of the last 7 years. (The Bucks won a title in 2002...most sports writers have forgotten that when they blast Jim Tressel for not being able to withstand the pressure of title games!)

2. There are 31 bowl games. That means 31 teams end the season with a win and 31 do not. 57 other teams don't even make a bowl. So, my question is would you rather win the Peach Bowl or lose the National Championship? I would rather be playing for a title than playing for pride any day.

3. Ohio State lost a Heisman Trophy winner and 4 NFL first-round draft choices on offense along with their top rusher. This was a "rebuilding year" yet the Bucks were still back in the title hunt. Only LSU and USC have even been in multiple National championship games under the new format. 99 teams have never played for a BCS championship.

4. This is the time of year everyone clamours for a playoff system in college football. Frankly, I would like to see it myself, but there is just no way to pull it off. As I was thinking about it, many scenarios have been offered to include the ever popular "plus 1" system where 8 teams would playoff and then add an extra week to the season. That means football players who make it to this game have 5 or 6 weeks off from football each year. Where is the priority on making them "student" athletes?? Ohio State made $26 million last year from athletics...yet, student-athletes can't get paid for the year long job they do for their school?

5. There won't be a playoff because too many schools would be left out and there would still be complaining. If you have a field of 8 people will complain that they deserved a shot. If you have a field of 88....same thing will happen. Like I said before, 31 teams go out winners and for some that is a very big deal compared to having only 1.

Congratulations LSU.....bah humbug, to all the writers who have blasted OSU for accomplishing what no other team has achieved and not giving credit to what it takes to make it to the title game 2 years in a row.

Year End Thoughts

2007-12-31T17:27:00.000-05:00

I guess it is long overdue, but thought I would get one last blog in before we see 2008.

I have been reading Phillip Yancey's Disappointment With God (a must read, by the way) and it has really got me thinking. I have been very convicted of how my actions portray God. I have passing thoughts of this at times, but never have I been so convicted. Nietsche once wrote of Jesus, "His followers will have to start looking more saved before I start following their Savior." If that isn't an indictment, I don't know what is. God assigned us the task of being His ambassadors and we are failing more often than not. I AM FAILING MORE OFTEN THAN I WOULD LIKE! Each day, I have been asking myself how what I do today has impacted people's perception of God. I hope I continue the trend because it is a hard question to answer and one that has challenged me personally.

Yancey writes, "The watching world judges God by those who carry His name. A large measure of disappointment with God stems from disillusionment with Christians." Lord, please don't let me be the cause for someone seeing you in a poor light! I know Paul was speaking in the context of food laws in 1 Corinthians 10, but perhaps he had a broader intent when he wrote that we should not cause another to stumble by what we do. God dwelling in us gives us both a personal connection and a great responsibility. Living up to His name is a great challenge and a great privilege.

I hope that 2008 is a year that marks a huge improvement in the way all Christians represent God...especially me.

Have a great New Year!

What is cultural theology exactly?

2007-11-23T14:55:00.000-05:00

I get stuck thinking about some strange things at times. Most of it is me chewing on Christianity. Trying to define why I believe what I believe and how it all fits into my life. I have noticed in some recent trips to my local bookstore that books are emerging which examine how Star Wars provides wisdom into Christian living and other similar titles. Now, I am not a stick-my-head-in-the-sand Christian who wants to disassociate from society. Nor do I think we should not have a reasonable dialogue with our culture. In fact, we should be more influential in culture than we are! But it seems like we have a growing tendency to put things in the wrong order when it comes to "cultural theology". Instead of seeing a hidden "God meaning" in movies, music, and art, we need to be diagnosing the illness being declared by most of these genres. Instead of relating Eminem lyrics to Christian thought perhaps we are better served by understanding why Eminem is having such influence and his message is resonating so well with out youth and then demonstrating how God can have the same influence (as well as the answers to the roots of brokenness expressed).

So, how do we do it? How do we communicate the frustration and angst of the generation that is consistent with the gospel message? Does God not understand these emotions? What is the Christian response to "Gangster Rap"? Is it simply a judgmental denouncing as "satanic music" or are we willing to engage the sources of frustration that the artists are conveying; and offer a solution!

Hedgehogs and Foxes

2007-11-22T15:29:00.000-05:00

So, I plagiarized the title from Jim Collins' book Good To Great, I don't think Jim will ever notice!

In the book, Collins describes how some people/organizations are like foxes, they are constantly trying a new, cunning way to accomplish a task. While others are hedgehogs. The hedgehog has a clear, definable set of abilities and recognizes that consistently reproducing successful results makes you successful. This whole notion got me thinking. Did Jesus have a "hedgehog concept"? What was the unifying driving force behind what He did while on earth? Was it love? Was it to seek and save the lost? Was it to heal people? Just a question for consideration.

Then I got thinking about my personal "hedgehog concept" and that of the church network I am involved in. I started thinking, are we focused on one unifying goal? Are we all working like we know what that goal is? Do we have the right people on the bus? Is the goal achievable and consistent with our passion? If we continue to take the best people we have and move them out to other areas before we have accomplished our initial goal have we sold ourselves short? What would the wisdom be in keeping the best people in one area until we had sufficiently made inroads into our community? What would "sufficient inroads" be defined as? I have a whole lot of questions and hopefully there will be some more clarity.

What is your "hedgehog concept"?

Tongues or Not to Tongues, That is the Question

2007-11-15T20:06:00.000-05:00

I am part of a Pentecostal church. I attend a Baptist seminary. Two contentious sides of a highly debated subject about the relevance of speaking in tongues in today's society. So, for a theology course, I decided to write a paper on the topic. (Hey, I don't wimp out. Last semester I wrote a paper on theodicy, how a good God can allow evil, if you didn't know...I didn't until seminary!)

I will post the entire paper once I am done, but let me share some views.

1. Even the Pentecostals can't agree that speaking in tongues is an absolute necessity or the end all-to-be-all expression that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit.
2. Baptists can't agree on accepting tongues or rejecting it. They banned anyone associated with their North American Mission Board from speaking in tongues publicly but then reversed the decision.
3. The Catholic and Orthodox churches deny the existence of tongues in today's society in their official doctrinal stance, yet both have congregations which are admittedly Pentecostal.
4. One big obstacle the Pentecostals have to overcome is the historical lineage of the tongues movement. Simply stating that in 1901 a group of people from Topeka, Kansas decided that they wanted a deeper experience with God that resulted in revival doesn't constitute lineage. Even their modest appeals to the Holiness movements of the 1800's are weak historical links. Understand that I do not believe that we must have a successionist view to accept all biblical truth. For example, I believe absolutely in the baptism of adults (or children capable of fully understanding the symbolic act and confession of belief in Jesus Christ that accompanies the act) who profess a faith in Christ. However, from a historical lineage perspective; adult, believer's baptism did not become a predominant view until the 16th century. But the key to this belief is that dissent can be traced throughout history and the biblical record supports it with little room for debate. The view of infant baptism is a view perpetuated by the church in an effort to explain what would happen to them if they died very early in life which was much more common at that time.
5. I predict a coming split in the Pentecostal church. A brief survey of church history will reveal that doctrinal issues have divided the Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and others. Pentecostals are next and it is in large part because there is an immobility of heart by some that will not allow for a reasonable dissent on a secondary issue. The Assemblies of God, for example, holds 15 fundamental truths and they call 4 of them "Really Important". Should we have absolute doctrines--emphatically, YES! However, are there issues that hold back the missional purpose of the church (to seek and save the lost, to see the gospel spread throughout the world) that have no bearing on the core values of scripture?--again, I say emphatically--YES!

I could go on, but I have 15 pages of paper to bore you with at a later date. I guess this whole thing just frustrates me because I don't ever see how divisiveness over the "minors" can mobilize the church to impact the world. We are being overtaken by the secular culture not because we serve a God of limited power but because we limit God's power in our individual lives and our corporate churches by choosing the wrong fights. If we were as committed to defeating the enemy as we are to proving our views right in the eyes of others, if we worked as hard to prove to the postmodern world the relevance and absolute truth of the Gospel message as we did defending our "correctness"; I think we would be a lot further ahead.

Have we sold out to relevance?

2007-11-05T19:53:00.000-05:00

One of the great debates in the church is a concern over selling out the core values of the church for the sake of reaching out to others. I am reading a book which decrees the end of effective Christianity in an age of "Christianity Lite". In some ways I must agree that we have failed to create deep roots into people's lives. Having people in your church does not equate in most cases to deep personal growth and conviction. People seem to come to church for the show or to be seen in a "hip" spot rather than coming to grow in deeper relationship with the Lord. However, I can't agree with the premise that using tools of the culture (movies, songs, etc.) is selling out. We have to be able to dialogue with our fellow men without hiding in a cocoon. We need to make a greater impact yes, but having an aversion to culture is not necessarily the answer.

Another halloween roadtrip

2007-10-31T22:15:00.000-04:00

Well, this years Halloween in Indianapolis is nothing compared to the fun and frivolity of last years spent in White Fish, MT. It is a funny thing how this bizarre holiday has developed. The once pagan holiday created by the Celts almost 2000 years ago was a time to acknowledge a blurring of the line between the world of the living and the dead. (They even wore costumes!) Then in 800 Pope Boniface renamed the day All Saints Day to commemorate the Catholic saints and repackage an unholy day with a slightly lesser form of unholiness. Then around 1000 the Catholic church once again added All Soul's Day to honor the dead, recapturing the original Celtic intent. The time became known as the "Hallowed Mass (Hallomas)"

So, in light of history it still amazes me at the continual transformation of this holiday, and for that matter, most other holidays. The church at various times tried to repackage the day and then embrace it. Many churches even today denounce the day as a day of evil and "the work of the devil". Certainly, there are elements that are undeniable in that regard but I don't see anyone really addressing the issue here. The same question the Celts were trying to answer by starting the festival 2000 years ago still exists without adequate Christian response in the context of Halloween. That question is a search for what happens after death and we as believers seem more content on handing out candy at church instead of our homes than we are of addressing the answer found in Jesus Christ. He provides the answer and the hope. He has made the line between life and death blurred because once we gain His eternal hope, death has no hold on us and is not viewed as the end of life as we know it, but the beginning of eternal joy in the presence of God.

Quote of the Month, Year, Decade....

2007-10-24T16:49:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, (oh yeah, nobody reads this so no one noticed!) the "Quote of the Week" has become a permanant fixture. I had some other quotes at various times but I have decided this one is here to stay. In fact, I moved it to the top of the screen recently so that if anyone did read the blog it would be one of the first things they see. It is important to me for two reasons: first, if you have not read the Art of War by Sun Tzu you are missing out on some great literature. It should be a must read for all who want to conquer the world in their own unique way. Secondly, I have noticed that this quote has some deep personal application lately.

As I have started on this ministry journey, I have taken my share of lumps. I have planned events and no one showed up. I have tried to break down the barriers that keep people from being engaged and involved and the walls have just been rebuilt. Frankly, I have alternately put forward a tremendous effort to build relationships and put forth absolutely zero effort. Neither approach in the short run has worked.

But I fall back on my 'ol baseball days and remember a very important lesson. If you are going to win the biggest games, you can't be afraid to lose. Fear of losing is what seperates the elite teams at the highest levels. (Just ask by Indians after their collapse, even though no one would openly admit to it.) In some twisted way, I believe that losing in spiritual battles is what builds faith. Sooner or later, the losses have mounted up so high that all you can do is cry out to God and admit that you have no idea what you are doing but you need a whole lot of help. (Like Paul when he said, "through my weakness, Christ's strength is made all the more evident")

Sports: Stress or Relief?

2007-10-21T20:21:00.000-04:00

I am a HUGE sports fan, especially when it comes to my home teams (Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, and Ohio State Buckeyes). But the other night I noticed in a particularly anguishing Indians loss, that I got so worked up by the game that I couldn't stand watching and I felt physically effected by the whole thing! Now, the rational side of me says that this is the most ridiculous thing ever. I mean it is just a game; and it is supposed to be relaxing and enjoyable, a break from the stress of life, to watch the games.

I find the whole thing even more distressing when I think of what should really make me physically react in life. There are so many ills that plague our society that any one of them would be much more worthy of such a response. My prayer today has become that I would have this type of reaction for the right reasons and not take sports as seriously as I take the pursuit of a life serving people and Christ.

A Trend of Reversal?

2007-10-19T18:48:00.000-04:00

I get so many crazy thoughts in my head it is hard to keep them straight. But one that has me consumed lately is the idea of a reversal in Christian circles away from technology based advancement. I know, I know...the techies just checked out muttering, "there is no way the church can advance without being technologically savvy." I know that there are a million benefits to blogs, email, web-based giving, sermons online, and all the other things we can access. But sometimes I wonder if we are becoming so consumed with advancing in cyberspace that we forget about the importance of building real relationships with people. I mean, this is all a surreal world where people who have never met me can share some thoughts on some of my ramblings not a real face-to-face encounter where I can genuinely covey just how profound of a life changing experience it has been for me to come to know God and His son, Jesus Christ.

2000 years ago, 12 men (less one traitor) believed in a cause that still thrives today. They never envisioned getting a million dollar book deal or lucrative speaking engagements for their efforts. They didn't care what it might cost them to speak honestly and they were committed to the point of martyrdom. Maybe instead of big business we need to focus more on little relationships of love and compassion.

Tackling some big boys

2007-10-16T19:12:00.000-04:00

The pastor of my home church and several others around the Hagerstown, MD area decided that they were going to take on a project so big that you have to be really nuts or really passionate to be successful. This month is "Let's Talk Sex" Month and they created a website to promote this effort to educate, encourage, and offer a "God-solution" to an issue that impacts our culture. Check out the site at http://www.letstalkmonth.com/

Sex is everywhere and it almost seems an insurmountable obstacle to the notion of purity. After all, aren't abstinence and purity old fashioned ideas that have no relevance to today? It sounds to me an awful lot like what many people say about the Bible today. This has been the reason there are churches so committed to being relevant to our contemporary culture...can they really hope to conquer the stigma of a religious system/book that is thousands of years old and has such brutally hard-line doctrines(and followers)?

For the sake of mankind, I pray for success. This is a battle that we can not afford to lose.

Whirlwind Life

2007-10-08T19:26:00.000-04:00

I know I don't hold any exclusive claim on busyness in life. In fact, the lack of time, lack of energy, lack of money, lack of joy, lack of you name it pervades everything in our culture. We have tried to fill the waking moments with activity to drive the need to be socially acceptable, hard-working people. After all God helps those that help themselves, right? WRONG! (George Barna conducted a poll and 90% of people thought that was a verse in the Bible....IT IS NOT!)

The Psalmist writes, "We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name." (Psalm 33:20-21) In a world devoid of any margin (term used by Swenson in his book by the same title) the only way to recapture the margin that has been robbed from our lives and many times willfully given away in vain pursuits, is through the Lord's help. We must refocus our spiritual attention on the values of the Bible and seek a deeper pursuit of God Himself.

NYC experience

2007-09-27T21:31:00.000-04:00

Well, once again I get an opportunity to spend a week in NYC. I was so thoroughly impressed last year, I had to make a return engagement and hope to come back as often as I can. I couldn't see myself ever living here...but it is a really cool place to visit.

The NYPD guys I get to interact with are top notch people. They are real heroes in my book because no one should have to put up with the crap they deal with and see the human suffering they witness on a daily basis.

New York is really amazing when you are a small town bumpkin like me. It also has some gorgeous park areas that I had not imagined. But one of the best things about being here is working for some guys who really understand how to show appreciation for their people and take care of them.

Their style reminds me of a quote from Andrew Carnegie. "No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it." It is a stark contrast from what I am used to I guess. I imagine I am guilty myself of taking too much credit and having a fear of letting go of responsibilities to empower others to move forward. In my mind, the greatest leaders are not remembered in their own lifetime. They are elevated by the surpassing greatness of the people in whose lives they invested.

Motorcycles, Tattoos, and God

2007-09-25T21:44:00.000-04:00

I was just surfing through the UD Riders Association site and among other really cool things on the site, I finally saw the link to our blog. Seeing the image of praying for our daily bread alongside motorcycle groups, police associations, and some of the great causes the Riders Association supports really made me think about a dream of mine (and God's too!)

It goes along with one of my favorite passages of scripture found in Luke 7. Jesus is eating with a religious leader and a prostitute comes up and begins weeping at his feet. She literally washes the Lord's feet with her tears and her hair. The indignant religious leader can't believe that Jesus would associate with such a person. Jesus replies simply that He didn't come to save those who think they have it all together and all figured out; he came to heal those who are hurting and feel lost at times.

You know, I feel lost at times. I don't fit in with the religious crowds that "have it all together" and play the neat little church game. I love motorcycles, my family, tattoos, rock 'n roll, and GOD! There are a whole bunch of people out there who couldn't possibly see how that all fits together but God does. If I ever pastor an actual church, I want long haired, tattoo covered, motorcycle riding, raw and genuine people in my congregation. People who can relate to the Big and Rich song (hey, I like a little country too!) that says, "somewhere between raising hell and amazing grace is the place that I keep finding myself."

I think three groups are naturally drawn to be followers of Christ: motorcycle riders (the real kind, not crotch-rocket guys who only care about going fast and are asphalt blood stains waiting to happen), our military members, and police officers. I know that these are groups who are typically viewed as tough and self'-sufficient, and that is probably the hardest thing about reaching these groups. In these circles, it is commonly viewed as weakness to use the "crutch" of faith. Most Christians are viewed as soft and unable to be as firm and assertive as needed to fit in these groups. But Jesus was no pansy. The man was a carpenter who worked hard. He made his own whip and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. He didn't let the religious leaders push Him around. And He willingly gave His life for each one of ours by enduring the worst form of death imaginable.

So, here is why I make this assertion, the people I mentioned, in general, get what the early church was all about. Rarely in other circles will you find such loyalty, camaraderie, esprit de corps, and willingness to put others ahead of themselves. If you read the book of Acts, it doesn't take long to figure out that God intends the church to be a place where people take care of one another and those around them who are in need. They believed in Jesus so deeply and were committed to spreading His message of hope to the point of giving up their own lives that others might hear of Christ's promise of salvation. I just see a natural fit. But then again, I see a church with its own tattoo parlor...

Fight to Win Pt. 2

2007-09-25T21:31:00.000-04:00

On Sept. 17, 1862 and at many other times throughout history we can see the sacrifice made by others for causes greater than themselves. We are all called to give of ourselves for the greatest cause known to man; the cause of Jesus Christ.

But let me share some more of the story of Antietam that parallels our mission to "fight to win";
Leading up to the battle, the Confederates had experienced a number of victories and moral on their side was high. Pres. Jefferson Davis and Robert E. Lee believed that a northern invasion would provide relief to the weary troops and the ravaged northern Virginia countryside. They hoped to gain more recruits from Maryland which they thought would sympathize with the South and they believed a decisive victory would force the North to seek a peace agreement. Northern moral was miserably low and hopes for a victory in the impending battle were nil. But on Sept. 9th the entire tone began to change. The Union army arrived in Frederick, MD at around midnight and one soldier records that thousands of people cheered their arrival. The people prepared them food and heaped encouragement on the soldiers. Suddenly, the refreshed soldiers took on a new countenance.

**Each of us has a gift that will refresh others; either a kind word or act or perhaps a note.
The reinvigorated Union soldiers pressed on from Frederick to Sharpsburg for one of the most important battles of the war. The Confederates held a tactical advantage-they held the high ground. Yet the North had a new life, a fresh zeal spurred by encouragement.

**We need to encourage one another constantly when the battle seems lost or the odds seem stacked against us. Believing in one another an having support certainly makes us fight harder.
The Union gained only a small measure of military victory when Robert E. Lee withdrew his army across the Potomac. However, it did allow Pres. Abraham Lincoln the leverage to issue one of the most important documents in American history. On Sept. 22nd, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

This paved the way for the end of slavery. Slavery is a common biblical metaphor for the hold of sin on people’s lives without the grace and forgiveness of Christ.

If we are going to fight to win, we must encourage and support one another; especially when the "cost" of serving Christ seems too great. We can not tire or falter in our quest because the proclamation of freedom through Jesus Christ is the emancipation from the grip of the enemy that our friends, our co-workers, our community, and our world so desperately needs to hear. God has given each one of us a special story, a unique part in this battle and now we must faithfully fulfill that mission.

"Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time—pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Fighting to Win Pt.1

2007-08-30T08:29:00.000-04:00

This past week I had an eye opening experience with God. I often overlook how much God teaches us from the most simplistic sources and over the next few entries I want to take you on a part of my journey.

In preparing for our Men's Ministry event for the month, I came up with an idea to paint a picture of "fighting to win." That has been our church's battlecry for the year and as often as possible I try to keep that idea in front of my mind in all that I do. Living in an area where many Civil War battles occurred allows a unique tool for illustrating war themes.

Antietam National Battlefield is just down the road and on September 17, 1862 the U.S. suffered more loss of life than any other day in history. The 6,500 deaths were four times more than all who died in the D-Day invasion and twice the number we suffered on September 11, 2001! Certainly examples like this and countless others throughout history reflect that making a grave sacrifice for victory is woven into the fabric of the story of humankind.

Just When You Think We Have It All Figured Out

2007-08-01T07:06:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about how much information one has to assimilate in order to properly understand the Bible and frankly I started to get a bit depressed. You have to know the original languages, you have to know historical information, you need to understand literary techniques, and that is just to name a few! So, if that is the case what hope does a "normal" person have? We all can't be seminary students or textual critics, so surely God made a way for the "lay person" to understand all that He has said through the Bible. My simple answer to that lies in one word...FAITH!

In Isaiah 7, we read the story of Ahaz. He was king of Judah and Isaiah went to him with some encouragement from God when Ahaz was facing war with his enemies. God (through Isaiah) tells Ahaz to ask for a sign from God, to which Ahaz responds, "No, I won't test God. I don't need any signs that we will be victorious." Good answer, right? After all Jesus himself when faced with a similar situation said, "Do not test the Lord your God" quoting from Deuteronomy 6. But it turns out that Ahaz's response was wrong! Not because he didn't understand the command, but because his heart wasn't truly right. Deep down he wanted that assurance but didn't want to seem unsure. We all have a tendency to put up this "super-spiritual" front at times but God has asked us to get rid of this tendency. Jesus spent much of his ministry trying to get the Pharisees to do just that! God gives us a warning regarding a lack of faith.

"If your faith is not strong, you will not have the strength to stand for very long." (NCV)

Hebrews 11 is a great read to encourage us to faith when the "mysteries" of Christianity seem to become more of an obstacle than an encouragement. But perhaps our greatest strength would be to realize that we don't have all the answers and that God has called us to trust in Him more than our own worldly knowledge.

How do we hear God?

2007-07-16T08:14:00.001-04:00

I am in the middle of a hermeneutics course that has me baffled at times. (Hermeneutics is defined as the "art and science of biblical interpretation" for those like me who didn't realize that receiving truth from God's Word required such a thing.) The books and lectures from the class all want to make a really hard task of reading the Bible. They want you to go back to the original language, gather a storehouse of historical information, diagram sentence structures, and map out the literary genre. Sound like a daunting task to understand God's revealed message to humanity? It does to me. Now I certainly believe that we can be on a slippery slope if we allow ourselves an unfettered license to determine meaning in scripture...that is how most cults get started. I also know that having some historical information makes many challenging texts more understandable. However, when an interpretation lines up with the total truth of scripture and does not contradict the central tenets of the Gospel, there are times when your interpretation is just as valid as the next persons. I think there are some occasions where God just uses a passage of scripture to show a clear direction or provide guidance that might not translate to all people. I mean come on, not everyone has the same "life verse"!

Isaiah 65:1 proclaims, "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' " From the dawn of creation, God has revealed himself to mankind in amazing and marvelous ways. He is not hiding in obscurity but showing His glory every day. The truth that exists in His Word is no exception. It is a mysterious code only to those who do not desire to understand; those who have stubbornly resisted the call of the Lord to know Him intimately. It seems like sometimes we just make things too hard! God desires to speak to each person because He wants to have a relationship with everyone, not just the "religious elite".

Vacation from God?

2007-07-06T01:46:00.000-04:00

Well, not that many people noticed, but I haven't blogged in a while with all the hecticness of life looming so large. You could say I was on "blog vacation". Then it hit me, don't we do this sometimes with God? Come on, you know what I'm talking about. Those times when it is easier just to relax and not do the hard work of the Christian life. Those awesome getaways where sin can run free and I get to do what I want for a week or two instead of listening to that pesky Holy Spirit who just won't let me have fun. The whirlwind excursions where I am too busy to hear myself think let alone hear the voice of God. They all can be called "God vacations" and there are many more scenarios just like them.

But, as with any vacation, these getaways come with a price tag. Sure, it may not be the thousands of dollars it costs to take the family to Disneyland or tour European destinations, but it costs each one of us dearly. It costs us in spiritual growth and maturity because we can not be progressing if we are taking time off. The book of Hebrews describes the pattern this way:
"Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so. It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."

When we take a "God vacation" we are sacrificing the eternal promises for the immediate. We are giving our old ways a new foothold to take over and corrupt our lives. It is just like working all day in 95 degree heat shoveling dirt. By the end of the day you are drenched with sweat and covered in dirt. The best feeling in the world is to get a shower and some clean clothes. But when we vacation from God after our shower we put those dirty, smelly clothes right back on. So, enjoy a relaxing vacation this summer but don't vacation from God. You will feel much more refreshed and rejuvenated.

Next Stop--Non-Stop

2007-06-29T00:10:00.000-04:00

Life has a pace that doesn't seem to ever slow down. Our lead pastor recently did a great series about this called "Rush Hour" (you can hear some of the sermons on the website www.thelifehouse.org ). We have more technology to make our lives easier, we have more money to buy more happiness, we have more of everything but time and God. I wish I knew all the answers to generating more time. Certainly we must examine our priorities and honestly determine what is truly important.

My father-in-law just passed away and the event certainly had a profound effect on emphasizing the point of just what is most important in life. What are the most important things in your life? If today were your last day, could you close your eyes for the last time and know that you spent the day doing what is most important to you? Did your day make an impact on eternity?

How do we view death?

2007-06-18T09:15:00.000-04:00

Just the other day I had a personal experience where one of my family members had a traumatic injury that caused us some serious distress (and we still have some definite concern). It got me thinking about my own reactions to death and near death experiences. Frankly, I was a bit alarmed. I am a pretty emotional person, definitely a guy not afraid to cry, but yet when I have been in a situation where someone from my family or a friend has died I have been almost devoid of emotion. I thought, "this must just be another part of my messed up personality." But the more I thought about it and talked it through with some people I came to realize that while some might not understand my position, it works for me. The Bible tells us that Jesus died and rose again to defeat death (Isaiah 25:8, Hosea 13, 2 Timothy1:10). As a Christian, we have the assurance that eternity will be spent in heaven in a much better condition than our current state (regardless of how good life on earth may be). So, while everyone will die someday; death does not have an eternal effect. The apostle Paul expressed it well as he wrestled with life and death describing how it would be better for him to die and have the joy of heaven versus the trials and struggles of life here on earth, but he concludes that God has work for him to accomplish in this present life. That to me is the beauty and freedom of the Christian faith. We have hope and purpose in this present life and we have hope and assurance of joy for eternity. Truly death has no hold upon us, because of the victory won by our Lord and Savior. Death does bring sadness to those of us left behind, but my heart tells me that my ancestors got it right when they came up with the idea of the wake. Respect should be shown for the life the deceased have lived, but a celebration is in order because that person has passed from a world of sickness, strife, and struggle to the perfect Paradise we will all have the opportunity to be reunited in if we would only believe.

God: Our Most Important Relationship

2007-06-15T14:18:00.001-04:00

"Those who love their father and mother more than they love me are not worthy to be my followers. Those who love their son or daughter more than they love me are not worthy to be my followers. Whoever is not willing to carry the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who try to hold on to their lives will lose true life, but those who surrender their lives will gain eternal life." - Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:37-39)

We must place our relationship with God before all other relationships if we expect to find the fulfillment and purpose God has for our lives. I know it was a long and painful journey for me to come to this realization, but now that I have, my relational abilities have gone up exponentially. Putting God first means that He takes the appropriate spot at the head of the line. Each day we need to communicate with Him: talking and listening! It means that we make a priority of being in fellowship with God and other brothers and sisters who can support and encourage us as we chase after the dreams God has given each of us. It means that if you make time each day to workout at the gym; then you make an even greater effort to spend time exercising spiritually. If you make sure you don't miss your favorite TV show; you make certain that you make time to get together with others in community. When asked what the greatest commandment was Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength." This must be our priority and we must grow and develop that relationship in order to improve how we handle our other relationships.

I know some may take the scripture out of context or say I don't think family is important. That isn't what I am saying at all, but there is a priority list that is based on Scripture and God comes first with family a close second.

God exists in relationship

2007-06-13T21:51:00.000-04:00

As we begin examining various aspects of relationships over the next several weeks, my initial thoughts led me to ask why God sees relationships as so important. The main reason I can see is that God himself exists within a relationship: the Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all comprise the singular Godhead with each assuming distinct roles. God created us in His image, so it is a logical step to assume that we are made as relational beings. And of course, we have the Genesis account of the creation of man and woman to be partners, to be suitable helpers for one another.

We are all called to live in relationship with all of creation, but most importantly we are called to live in relationship with God. That will be the topic of Friday's meeting and blog...

Test Message

2007-06-11T09:09:00.000-04:00

Stay tuned for updates concerning lesson plan and any other pertinent prayer meeting/Bible study information.