Just a thought.

...like Jesus did it

2009-06-24T16:27:00.002-05:00

Most of the people I know that really love God want to live like Jesus. They want to impact the world the way Jesus did. They want to help, serve, and love others the way Jesus did. Me too.

Here's a challenging thought I just read this week. If we want our lives to get the results that Jesus' life did, we should live the way He did.

No, we don't need to wander around the middle east. We all know that we should know the Scriptures and pray, but how about fasting?
Do you fast regularly as a part of your faith (not just on special occasions when you need God to do something)?
Do you practice solitude - getting away from EVERYTHING? (Yes, the world will get along fine without you for a few hours or days.)
Do you ever practice silence? (Try listening without speaking. It's quite an exercise.)
Do you practice simplicity? (Jesus said he didn't even have a place to lay His head. How much STUFF do we have in our lives?)

I'm thinking pretty seriously about engaging this "Jesus lifestyle" in some forms or another - practicing some new spiritual disciplines. (If this is a new concept, here's a paraphrase from a smart guy I love to read - Disciplines are practices we can choose to do with our bodies by which we receive that grace to do what we cannot do by direct effort.) For example, we cannot just will ourselves into better character. However, we can do other things (reading Scripture, meditating on the life & words of Jesus, prayer, fasting, etc.) by which we are likely to receive God's character forming grace.

I would love to hear from you additional observations on the spiritual disciplines you've observed of Jesus in the gospels. What was He doing (as a man) that kept Him always in the way of the GRACE that He would need to touch those around Him?

Unintended Consequences

2009-01-09T09:05:00.004-06:00

Let's begin this thought with mom's old advice, "Be careful what you ask for." Even in the case of really good things, sometimes there are unintended consequences.

Like the story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt, freedom is an amazing thing. When our lives become free from things that once enslaved us, it is always miraculous and worth remembering and celebrating. Following that time of slavery, God leads us on an amazing journey of freedom: following His presence wherever it leads us, being sustained by supernatural manna. Few decisions must be made, few responsibilities are given.

Then comes the time to answer the call. The time to fulfill the purposes for which God has set us free. The time when everything changes. The time when, teetering on the border of the Promised Land, the manna disappears (Joshua 5:12).

THE CHANGE
If you want to eat, wander out in the morning and gather manna...
If you want to eat, you better plant some crops, herd some livestock, or grab a spear and go kill something.

You were once led about with a man carrying a staff...
You are now led into war by a man carrying a sword.

You once moved around without thought, led by a cloud and fire...
You must now seek God's direction, make some strategic plans, and execute those plans.

You once experienced God as the God of freedom...
God is now experienced as the God who fights by your side.

You once wandered about in a foreign land...
Now the time has come to take ownership of the land, put down roots, and fight to make it a kingdom of righteousness and justice.

You were once free...Now you are responsible.

THE CHALLENGE
What will it take for you to grab a hold of God's promises? What direction must be sought? What strategic plans must be made? What will it cost you?

My latest thing...

2009-01-05T21:27:00.007-06:00

What does this life look like for me?
What does life in Jesus' name look like for you?

How's that working for you?

2009-01-05T21:17:00.003-06:00

This is my paraphrase for the apostle Paul in Romans 6:21 - "How's that working for you?" I love this thought because it is so simple. It is so not-preachy. It is so relative and relevant to the one who would ask it. Think about the things which you serve - self-preservation, gratification, pride, fear, safety, you name it - How's that going for you? Are you finding peace? Are you finding satisfaction?

Hmm. If only there was a better way...

The Travesty of Talk

2008-08-17T20:59:00.009-05:00

As I was reading tonight, I put together a few thoughts I would like to be able to come back to later. So, here goes.

We all know that talk is cheap. Perhaps talkers are also easily deluded. Perhaps there is in talking the potential for travesty, for deception, for confusion, for distraction. Perhaps evil is found in a multitude of words.

For example, take a person who talks a lot about God, who talks about Jesus, who talks about the Bible, who talks about church, who talks about being a Christian, but whose life is a far cry from Jesus' life, whose actions are not consistent with Jesus', whose attitudes are not like Jesus', whose relationships are a mess, whose finances are worse, and whose life is generally undesirable...

What is the result of this person's life?

The result is a goodless and Godless and powerless and changeless and costless and lifeless "gospel" which is not even a gospel at all because it is not even good news.

On the flip side let's talk, for example, about abortion. Let's talk about women's rights, let's talk about the right to choose, let's talk about politics and party lines, let's talk about "fetuses", about Roe V. Wade, let's talk about terminating a pregnancy, let's talk about the woman's body, let's talk... talk... talk... talk...

The result of this talking is an evilless and intellectualized and murderless and shameless killing of an innocent baby.

The truth is, causing a premature delivery of a baby so that it will set aside to struggle for breath and die is a kind of evil hard difficult to believe it is real. The truth is, pulling a baby part way out of her mother in order to kill her is a kind of raw evil I cannot imagine any person or society can come to accept. The truth is, finding a baby's heart and fingers and toes and nose on an ultrasound in order to inject her heart with drugs that cause cardiac arrest and death is an heinous evil that does not allow any person to sit idly by and claim innocence.

The truth is, in Jesus Christ is found life, hope, peace, redemption, power, love, purpose, future, security, and joy. The truth is, Jesus Christ transforms relationships, brokenness, attitudes, bondage, addictions, pain.

It can be helpful to talk about good and evil. Of the utmost importance, however, it that good and evil must never be reduced to talk.

UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO COMMENT:
In the comment, there was a well-said conclusion to remember that what this is all about is a person's soul. I am in complete agreement. Talk is cheap. Talk is also a travesty. All the TALK about abortion has conditioned us not to be too offended at it. Perhaps the least offensive method of abortion I know is to find a baby's heart and inject it with poison to kill it. Worse yet is to have a live birth and just watch her die in full view of the mom and/or medical professionals who could comfort and save the baby. Equally revolting is to deliver the baby part way and then kill her before she is fully delivered. There is no way around the severity of this evil.

I know people get scared. Bad things happen. However, without glossing things over - what kind of soul can do this to their own child? Typically, I think even scared and overwhelmed people's hearts melt at the sight of their child. Our culture has whitewashed this issue with all the talking. It has shifted our attention from what abortion really is and focused us on the mom, who may very well be in a bad place in life, or other extraneous circumstances. However, one way or another, every time an abortion takes place, a mom enters a facility and agrees with a medical professional on a very practical way to kill the baby growing inside her. There is ultimately no sugar coating this issue. It becomes very down-to-earth, very practical, very simple, and very ugly.

By no means do I have my life altogether. I am in need of the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ every day. Apart from Him, I would be adrift in confusion, hopelessness, and darkness. Abortion, like other sins, puts us in need of forgiveness. And even abortion can do nothing to separate us from the love of Christ. What is not reasonable, however, is to go on with our heads in the sand. Forgiveness is contingent upon repentance and confession. Finally, the travesty of talk is in masking the true nature of abortion so that repentance and confession are clouded (and perhaps removed from many people). If we no longer "get it", we're not in a place we can confess it and turn away.

Legal, Lethal Negligence

2008-08-15T20:54:00.003-05:00

The following congressional record should speak for itself, but a couple thoughts before you begin reading: First, hopefully this will be deeply disturbing. May we never forget justice and righteousness - especially for those who are not able to take care of themselves. Second, shame on us - shame on me - for letting this become a political issue. The account of these nurses is not political. Forcing the premature birth of a child in order to lay her aside to die is not political. It is not about party lines. This reflects as gross a moral corruption as anything I've read about in the Scriptures or in history.

This is so disturbing I don't have it in me to pray, "God have mercy on us ." What is screaming in my heart is this: "God, make it stop! Stop us!"

I pray that I will not forget. I pray that I will not fall asleep to the plight of these children.

SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CONSTITUTION

Committee on the Judiciary

U.S. House of Representatives

Hearing on H.R.4292, The "Born-Alive Infant Protection Act of 2000"

Thursday, July 20, 2000

10:00 a.m.; 2237 Rayburn House Office Building

WITNESS LIST

Panel I

Hadley Arkes, Edward Ney Professor of Jurisprudence and American Institutions, Amherst College

Allison Baker, Charlottesville, Virginia

Jill L. Stanek, Mokena, Illinois

Matthew G. Hile, Ph.D., St. Louis, Missouri

Gianna Jessen, Franklin, Tennessee

Panel II

Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH)

Panel III

Kenneth Thomas, Legislative Attorney, American Law Division, Congressional Research Service,

The Library of Congress

Gerard V. Bradley, Professor of Law, Notre Dame Law School

F. Sessions Cole, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington

University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

Watson A. Bowes, Jr., M.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Department of Politics, Princeton

University

Testimony of Jill L. Stanek, RN

Hearing on H.R. 4292, the "Born Alive Infant Protection Act of 2000"

July 20, 2000

I am a Registered Nurse who has worked in the Labor & Delivery Department at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, for the past five years. Christ Hospital performs abortions on women in their second or even third trimesters of pregnancy. Sometimes the babies being aborted are healthy, and sometimes they are not.

The method of abortion that Christ Hospital uses is called "induced labor abortion," also now known as "live birth abortion." This type of abortion can be performed different ways, but the goal always is to cause a pregnant woman's cervix to open so that she will deliver a premature baby who dies during the birth process or soon afterward. The way that induced abortion is most often executed at my hospital is by the physician inserting a medication called Cytotec into the birth canal close to the cervix. Cytotec irritates the cervix and stimulates it to open. When this occurs, the small, preterm baby drops out of the uterus, oftentimes alive. It is not uncommon for one of these live aborted babies to linger for an hour or two or even longer. One of them once lived for almost eight hours.

In the event that a baby is aborted alive, he or she receives no medical assessments or care but is only given what my hospital calls "comfort care." "Comfort care" is defined as keeping the baby warm in a blanket until he or she dies, although even this minimal compassion is not always provided. It is not required that these babies be held during their short lives.

One night, a nursing co-worker was taking an aborted Down's Syndrome baby who was born alive to our Soiled Utility Room because his parents did not want to hold him, and she did not have time to hold him. I could not bear the thought of this suffering child dying alone in a Soiled Utility Room, so I cradled and rocked him for the 45 minutes that he lived. He was 21 to 22 weeks old, weighed about 1/2 pound, and was about 10 inches long. He was too weak to move very much, expending any energy he had trying to breathe. Toward the end he was so quiet that I couldn't tell if he was still alive unless I held him up to the light to see if his heart was still beating through his chest wall. After he was pronounced dead, we folded his little arms across his chest, wrapped him in a tiny shroud, and carried him to the hospital morgue where all of our dead patients are taken.

Other co-workers have told me many upsetting stories about live aborted babies whom they have cared for. I was told about an aborted baby who was supposed to have Spina bifida but was delivered with an intact spine. Another nurse is haunted by the memory of an aborted baby who came out weighing much more than expected ~ almost two pounds. She is haunted because she doesn't know if she made a mistake by not getting that baby medical help. A Support Associate told me about a live aborted baby who was left to die on the counter of the Soiled Utility Room wrapped in a disposable towel. This baby was accidentally thrown into the garbage, and when they later were going through the trash to find the baby, the baby fell out of the towel and on to the floor.

I was recently told about a situation by a nurse who said, "I can't stop thinking about it." She had a patient who was 23+ weeks pregnant, and it did not look as if her baby would be able to continue to live inside of her. The baby was healthy and had up to a 39% chance of survival, according to national statistics. But the patient chose to abort. The baby was born alive. If the mother had wanted everything done for her baby, there would have been a neonatologist, pediatric resident, neonatal nurse, and respiratory therapist present for the delivery, and the baby would have been taken to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for specialized care. Instead, the only personnel present for this delivery were an obstetrical resident and my co-worker. After delivery the baby, who showed early signs of thriving, was merely wrapped in a blanket and kept in the Labor & Delivery Department until she died 2-1/2 hours later.

Something is very wrong with a legal system that says doctors are mandated to pronounce babies dead but are not mandated to assess babies for life and chances of survival. In other words, our laws currently say that babies have no rights to medical oversight until they are dead. We look the other way and pretend that these babies aren't human while they're alive but human only after they are dead. We issue these babies both birth and death certificates, but it is really only the death certificate that matters. No other children in America are medically abandoned like this.

Abortion is a cancer that is literally killing America. It is killing our children while it is killing our consciences. It began when we took God out of our decision making and proclaimed that the little beings growing inside of women were "products of conception" and not little girls and little boys. Who should be surprised that we keep pushing the envelope so that now we are aborting these "products of conception" alive? I even work at a hospital named "Christ" that does this very thing! It is beyond me to comprehend that we're doing what we're doing now, and so I can't even imagine what horrible ways we will think of next to torture our children. Please help put an end to this by proclaiming infants as American human being homo sapiens with the same legal and medical rights that you and I big people have. Thank you.

Added to second-to-last paragraph of Jill's oral testimony:

"I am also very uncomfortable with the fact that the very doctors who may be miscalculating due dates and fetal birth weights, or misdiagnosing fetal handicaps, are the same ones deciding that these babies should not be assessed after delivery. Shouldn't these babies be given the simple opportunity for second opinion, just like you and I?"

Statement of Allison Baker, RN, BSN

Hearing on H.R. 4292, The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act

Subcommittee on the Constitution

July 20, 2000

In August of 1998 I began working in a high risk labor and delivery unit at Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois. When I was hired, I was informed of a procedure called "therapeutic abortion" which was performed in the unit. This procedure was reserved for babies with particular conditions such as Down's Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Potter's Syndrome and many others. It was explained to me that in these cases, the mother would have an induced labor to expel the fetus in order to discontinue growth and life. This was an elective procedure and the patient was to be informed of all the details it involved.

Between August of 1998 and August of 1999, I witnessed three particular cases of therapeutic abortions at Christ Hospital first hand. The first occurred on a day shift. I happened to walk into a "soiled utility room" and saw, lying on the metal counter, a fetus, naked, exposed and breathing, moving its arms and legs. The fetus was visibly alive, and was gasping for breath. I left to find the nurse who was caring for the patient and this fetus. When I asked her about the fetus, she said that she was so busy with the mother that she didn't have time to wrap and place the fetus in the warmer, and she asked if I would do that for her. Later I found out that the fetus was 22 weeks old, and had undergone a therapeutic abortion because it had been diagnosed with Down's Syndrome. I did wrap the fetus and place him in a warmer and for 2-1/2 hours he maintained a heartbeat, and then finally expired.

The second case involved a couple who had requested a therapeutic abortion for their 20 week fetus with Spina Bifida. My shift started at 11:00 PM, and the patient delivered her fetus about 10 minutes before I took her as a patient. During the time the fetus was alive, the patient kept asking me when the fetus would die. For an hour and 45 minutes the fetus maintained a heartbeat. The parents were frustrated, and obviously not prepared for this long period of time. Since I was the nurse of both the mother and fetus, I held the fetus in my arms until it finally expired.

The third case occurred when a nurse with whom I was working was taking care of a mother waiting to deliver her 16 week Down's Syndrome fetus. Again, I walked into the soiled utility room and the fetus was fully exposed, lying on the baby scale. I went to find the nurse who was caring for this mother and fetus, and she asked if I could help her by measuring and weighing the fetus for the charting and death certificate. When I went back into the soiled utility room, the fetus was moving its arms and legs. I then listened for a heartbeat, and found that the fetus still was alive. I wrapped the fetus and in 45 minutes the fetus finally expired.

"The Shack"

2008-07-13T22:53:00.000-05:00

1. Have you read it?
2. What did you think?

I Heart the Scriptures

2008-07-13T22:01:00.003-05:00

I love the Bible. It is the most beautiful, wonderful, mysterious, paradoxical, crazy book I can imagine. It is God's Word - and what exactly does that mean, anyway. A bunch of guys actually wrote it and a bunch of other guys got together and decided, "This is God's word." (If you've never thought about this you're probably feeling really uncomfortable with me right now but it's all true.) This process is also a part of the beauty - God used people! to tell stories about people living their lives with (or without in some cases) God!

So, my thoughts of the evening on the Scriptures:
1. "Prooftexting" If you're not familiar with this term. Get familiar. And don't ever do this. The Bible was not written one verse at a time, so don't use it that way. And if you decide to pull a verse out by itself to use it, make sure you are very familiar with the chapters before and after so that you make it out to say what the author really meant for it to say.

2. Enjoy the story. The Bible is largely stories (and a lot of poems, etc.). Don't just read a few verses or chapters at a time. Devour the Scriptures in large quantities. Get the story. I strongly agree with Richard Foster who says that reading the Bible one an hour each week is better than reading for ten minutes each day. (Personally, I would love to read an hour each day, but I'm not that cool of a guy yet.)

The Bible is not a "manual" for living (or "instruction book" as we sometimes like to cleverly call it). It is a series of stories of God's interactions with people basically like you and me. As in real life, what happens when you begin to get to know someone? We tell each other our stores - the closer we get the more stories we tell and the more the details begin to mean to us. If you want to get to know God better, read His stories.

3. Context. Context. Context.
As you come to know the story, be sure you are always true to the Scriptures, don't try to make them true to you.
---Example 1: next time you hear a good sermon from the book of Job, remember that the best preaching material from Job is typically his friends' advice. However, God rebukes the friends at the end because their proverbial advice was all wrong.
--Example 2: Be leary of personal devotions or sermons that stray from the Scriptures or go too deep. 2000 years after the fact, I personally doubt we're really going to discover "new" revelations. Breaking down a verse or word and going really deep and complex feels risky to me - such methods allow for a preacher to create any message he/she wants right from the scriptures. If the point of a devotion or sermon is something that the author never intended and the audience never "received", be ready to ask some good questions of the speaker.

A silly example of a "scriptural" but bogus sermon is this, "Jesus was a cry baby. Matthew and Luke both say Jesus was a baby. And we all know that the shortest verse in the Bible is 'Jesus wept.' Therefore, Jesus was a cry baby." (Insert applause and "amens" from the congregation here. And take offering.)

Another potential silly sermon from something I read this week: "Money answers everything." (The Bible says so. And no I'm not telling you where, look it up for yourself. The location might make for a good comment when you find it.) Although this is in the Bible, it doesn't mean that there aren't dozens of ludicrous sermons that you could preach from this verse. So again I say, "KNOW THE STORY."

A final thought on reading the Bible and hearing sermons: ASK QUESTIONS!!! Questions help us learn. Questions also expose junk. If a preacher says junk that can't be backed up with the Scriptures, then it probably shouldn't have been said anyway. If there is a Scriptural basis for what is said, he/she will probably enjoy talking more with you about the subject anyway.

"Emergent" ??!@#$%%$&^*

2008-07-02T08:45:00.003-05:00

Emergent church. What is it? Good? Bad? Ugly? Give me your thoughts. (With a few responses, this could be really fun.)

Today

2008-06-25T22:09:00.005-05:00

Nothing awakens my heart like following Jesus Christ, especially with other people. For example, Jody and I have had an amazing journey together. The things we have learned together and walked through are priceless. Walking through life with her has made me a better person.

I am fortunate to have many other people with whom I am currently walking out my journey. Tonight that group of fellow sojourners expanded again. Plans were set in motion for a new "Tuesday meeting." (If you are a student of church history, that will means something to you.) I can hardly wait to get to know these new fellow followers as we take a few steps together. I pray that our time together will matter. That it will make a difference in our lives. That through our times together we will come to be better disciples.

Anyway, just some thoughts. I figured if I don't have anything clever to yap about, I can just type out the things rolling around in my brain. A journal, you might say.

Catching up

2008-06-18T14:17:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time since my last post - just over three months. During that time I been busy remodeling the front of our home. (new 8' X 24' porch with accompanying changes to the roof, bricking the north and west sides of our home, and (upcoming) stone veneer on the porch.

Anyway, some thoughts I've had over the past three months... I hope to explore these more fully at some point.

"Love. Love. Go." - This about sums up the Christian faith. (Although it is far from summing up Christian culture which is probably more about "Look (like us). Talk (like us). Come (to our Sunday morning meeting).
missio dei - The mission of God. Are we on one, or just doing our own thing? (Which may or may not include visiting a church building Sunday morning.)
2 Questions:

How? With missio dei burning in my heart, I am still left with the dilemma of not knowing what to do or HOW the mission gets accomplished. HOW can disciples be made in all nations? HOW can the people of Litchfield be made into disciples? HOW can the people of LSC be made growing, healthy, and reproducing disciples?
How long? Despite my best efforts (and yours), we cannot possibly get the job done. So, we must also turn to God and ask, "How long?" HOW LONG until God steps in and does what only He can do?

The kingdom parables of Mark 4 - Wow. Amazing stuff.
Sending out of the 70 (or 72 depending on your translation). It is funny that we (Christians and especially pastors) are so reluctant to send out young Christians who have a lot to work out still and are not particularly "strong." Jesus' methods: send the people out AS SHEEP AMONG WOLVES. Perhaps our methods of bringing people in until it's safe to send them back out, until they are armed to the hilt with theology, bible school training, and ministry experience, is misguided.
Devotional Classics - This book is amazing. I'll comment on some that have impacted me most in coming months.
Almost forgot this one: Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Notice His methods: He had the answers all along, but just listened and asked questions. He was going to move on until the men asked Him to stay. He respected their journey (inward and outward). Once again, more to come on this later.

See you soon(er).

jl

A New Psalm

2008-03-16T13:57:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, our small group spend about 30 minutes praying about what to pray. Everyone wrote down their impressions on praise, confessions, thanks, and requests. It was a great experience. The things that we felt the Holy Spirit put in our hearts was surprisingly consistent with each other - both similar and complementary.

LIFE - Psalm 2008

We praise you, Lord God, our Father and Friend –
God with us, for whom nothing is impossible

Save us Lord Jesus, from our sin and blindness,
Guide us that we may follow after You,
in the plans that you have made for us
- May we discern your paths
- May we see clearly and fully
When we stumble, let your mercy keep us from falling

Thank you for all that you are,
And for bringing us together in Your name
That we might undertake this journey together
In the fellowship of trust, support, and joy

Help us and teach us to walk through LIFE together
Open our ears to hear and our eyes to see
Fill us with your Spirit, strengthening us for the journey –
that in all things we might reflect You,
rising above the daily grind and embodying the Good News

With every step and every breath, may we bring glory and honor
To Jesus Christ: our Way, our Truth, and our Life

Travel light.

2008-03-15T14:45:00.006-05:00

This is my new motto/catch phrase. (I have a few of them.)

TRAVEL LIGHT.

Isn't it beautiful?

Let me explain - Life is a journey. I am a pilgrim. "He who dies with the most toys still dies." (Can't remember where I heard this.) Acquiring stuff bogs down the sojourner. Sometimes it even brings the true journey of life to a halt - there's too much to worry about losing to engage in the adventure.

Do you have any thing/s that you would have a hard let letting go of?

Your house? Truck? Guitar? (Some of my things that put my pilgrimage at risk.)
How about the sum total of everything you have acquired? Could you walk away from it all?

If we can't, then what are we really living for?

The point: Things can "easily entangle us." (A smart guy named Paul once coined this.) Never forget that life is a journey. Never forget what is worth living for and what isn't. Know you direction. Travel light.

Travel light: People space

2008-03-15T14:27:00.003-05:00

I was driving home yesterday having a very deep conversation with Jody - about the lack of storage space in our home. We hope to add on a big living room and study in the near future which still does not include much closet/storage space. (It will, however, allow us to host big groups for dinner which we absolutely love. For example, the list we were wishing to have over in a couple weekends includes about 30 adults and 20+/- kids!)

I was lamenting this lack of storage space when Jody said something amazing, "I like it because it keeps us from having too much junk we don't need." What a genius! Her comment was an epiphany for me.

I fell in love with this idea: having a home dedicated to people space, not junk space.

501 - Introduction to Fellowship

2008-03-10T17:22:00.003-05:00

Only now am I starting to begin to almost understand the first thing in the first steps of fellowship. I had a decent time last week in Virginia Beach - most notably, an awakening to real fellowship. Here's how I would describe it. Remember the scene in "Fellowship of the Ring" when they step into the great hall of Moria. Gandalf says, "I think we can risk a little more light." As his staff glows brighter, they realize that they are in a hall beyond compare - but its fullness is still hidden in the darkness.

By the way, I tried to get a screenshot of this scene, but was unsuccessful. If you know a way to capture screenshots using freeware, please let me know.

Anyway, that is me. The light went off inside just enough for me to know that I have been completely missing it concerning fellowship. I'm getting my butt kicked this week with meetings, work and school, but I can't wait to head off on a discovery of fellowship in the very near future.

Any thoughts on the subject?

things that make you go hmm...

2008-03-02T19:13:00.002-06:00

Imagine this - the church leadership of America is all killed or imprisoned. Church buildings are closed and confiscated. All bibles are gone. Based on your experience of Christianity, what do you think would happen?

What would change? How? What would stay the same?

What would your expression of faith look like? How would your life change? How would it stay the same?

the key(s)

2008-03-02T18:57:00.002-06:00

You gotta love stupidity. I rented a car today. They gave me two keys, which was really nice in case I accidentally lock one in the car or want to share one with a friend. Funny thing, though - THEY'RE CABLED TOGETHER! (Literally - with a tiny metal cable.)

a difference

2008-02-22T14:39:00.003-06:00

I have been sitting here for a while compiling notes from an exciting meeting about impacting our community. My realization is, change is difficult. Change must be a long-term commitment. Impact does not come easily - or else everybody really would be doing it.

How do you change the prevailing culture? How do you battle poverty? How do you instill hope and purpose and vision into apathetic and hopeless wanderers? These are tough questions. They are very important questions.

How do you make a difference?

Pray - truly prayer brings about those things that only God could do. Then what happens when the result of prayer is an opportunity to engage?

Lots of questions. Lots of need. God help us. We need you. They need you. We all need you. Be the difference.

Light at the end of the tunnel

2008-02-21T08:48:00.002-06:00

Just for the record, I'm about 9 1/2 months away from finishing my master's degree. Didn't know if you would sleep well tonight without knowing that.

By the way, when I am through with school, I am thinking about trying to recruit a little learning community. Perhaps we could read a couple books a month and converse about them? Actually it is too early to throw ideas like this out, but hey, it's on my mind. More to come on this later.

Warriors...like Jesus

2008-02-19T09:14:00.005-06:00

Originally, I had no intention of turning "Warriors...inevitably" into a series of posts, but here goes.

A challenging and inspiring friend, for whom I am truly grateful to God, noted my use of the war metaphor in these last posts - particularly its abuse and misuse in the Christian context. Thank you, Kozy, for giving me an opportunity to clarify my own understanding of warfare and of the destiny I hope Jesus will guide my boys into:

A Warrior Like Jesus--
Culture
I am not advocating a war against culture: secularism, humanism, conservatism, liberalism, or any other ism. Jesus was not preoccupied with his culture, either for the good or for the bad. He was preoccupied neither with "secular" culture, nor religious culture (except to DEFY religious culture). The culture (behavioral standards) war was the one that the Pharisees were waging in order to protect "holiness" and "righteousness," not Jesus.

Jesus redeemed people within their cultures. He embraced prostitutes and thieves, yet shunned the religious folks. He sought the humble and rejected the proud (know-it-alls). He fellowshipped with pilgrims-of-heart and rebuked those who thought they had arrived. In practice, Jesus accepted those rejected by the religious authorities, whether "sinners" or fishermen or tax-collectors. He defied all cultural bounds and lived beyond culture.

Church
Being a Christian does not have anything to do with church services. How could it? As "little Christs", we cannot stray from our Founder who never did anything at church except throw over the offering plates and condemn the place as a bunch of thieves.

You see, in the best case scenario, the modern church has this attitude: "We have the Light. It is wonderful to live over here in the Light. Come join us in the Light."

(At this point, you may be asking yourself, "Yeah. What is your point?")

"Worldly" Christians
The alternative is to do what Jesus did - head out into the heart of the darkness in order to illuminate those who need it most. Like Jesus, we embrace the lives of those gripped by darkness in order to bring them freedom. Not freedom to come to church. Not freedom to conform to the image of church people.

What freedom then? Freedom to follow... Jesus, that is. Freedom to walk along side us as brothers and sisters and beloved friends. Freedom to be Jesus' followers. Freedom not to follow the church, but to be the church (while following Jesus).

1st Church of Isengard?
The church has long perceived itself to be much like the towering fortress of Isengard in The Lord of the Rings - impenetrable and able to keep out unwanted visitors. Like Saruman, Christians have shouted down at the world from high above. The time has come to abandon this fortress of safe irrelevancy for the fellowship of ruddy, diverse companions and journey into a dark world on the Way, in the Truth and towards the Life.

It is dangerous. It is full of enemies. It demands the fellowship of other warriors. It matters. It makes a difference. It is our destiny when we follow Jesus.

Full Circle...
And now we're back to my desire for my boys to be mighty warriors. One doesn't need to be a warrior to shout condemnation out the window to a world in darkness. But, to tread into the darkness bearing the Light demands the heart and soul of a mighty warrior - just like Jesus.

The war is treacherous. The war is tricky. The war is unlike any earthly example. The war is won not through conquering enemies, but through self-sacrifice. The war won not through witty arguments and persuasive answers, but in extending grace and love to those who may not want or deserve it. This war requires determination - people in the grip of darkness will have to be fought FOR, even as they fight against us.

Finally, this commission is difficult because the battle in the darkness for those in need of the Light is often unwelcomed by those living in darkness and condemned by those living in the Light.

Only a warrior undertakes this great commission. Only a warrior has the stomach for the fight.

So here we are again. Be strong, my sons. Be courageous - for the Lord your God is with you. (And for what it's worth, so are mommy and daddy.)

Warriors...hopefully?

2008-02-13T14:16:00.003-06:00

As I further contemplated the notion of each generation learning to fight the good fight, in utter disregard of the best protective efforts of parents (and often times the church), something else occurred to me.

While praying with some mighty men and women of God, the subject of revival and growth came up in regards to the youth. Having been thinking recently of Joshua and the taking of the Promised Land, I put this thought together:

Taking land (seeing God's kingdom advance) is CONTRARY to safety.

Furthermore:
1. Moving forward provokes new enemies.
2. Unknown enemies reside in new territories.
3. Old (former) battle tactics are also outdated. New and unique warfare is needed.

(By the way, this all comes straight from Joshua - check it out for yourself.)

All this points towards an uncomfortable decision - build up walls to close ourselves off and try to prevent defeat, or march out to engage new enemies risking defeat for the sake of victory. (This also begs a comment on faith - if we really have it, why do we run from enemies instead of engaging them.)

I have no idea what battles my boys will face as they grow up. What I do know is that my battles today are not at all the same battles my parents or grandparents faced. I suppose my challenge is just to see that they are mighty warriors ready for whatever may come.

Warriors...inevitably.

2008-02-09T14:26:00.000-06:00

God does something amazing when Israel conquers the Promised Land. He doesn't allow all of the inhabitants (enemies) to be conquered. Why? Because He wants future generations to learn how to fight.

I point this out because we often forget this in practice. As a youth pastor, I talked to many parents who became greatly alarmed when the battles and decisions of life came to the doorstep of their teenagers. They invested themselves entirely in preventing such things from ever happening: avoiding public school, banning "worldly" music and entertainment, shunning non-Christian friends/fellowship. In short, parents who have come to know God don't want their children to face the same battles and struggles that they did.

God has a different plan - all people must decide who to serve. All people must learn to fight. All people must choose whether or not to give in to those things in opposition to God and His ways.

Here's the kicker. I am now a father of three amazing boys. I, like every good dad, want to fight for and protect my boys. For a season, I will do just that. However, the future of their hearts and souls is more dependent on them learning to fight for themselves. They must choose who will have their allegiance. They must learn the implements of war. They must learn to fight. They must learn that war is bloody, risky, difficult, costly... and necessary.
Most of all, it is inevitable. So, be strong my sons. Be courageous. The Lord your God will be with you. (And for whatever it's worth, so will daddy.)

My Friend the Catalyst

2008-02-09T14:07:00.001-06:00

A catalyst is an amazing thing: 1. something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected; 2. a person or thing that precipitates an event or change

I am thankful to God for giving me catalyst friends. They ask the right questions. They provide a right perspective. They bring about growth and change in me.

The cool thing about having catalyst friends is in the relationship. Some leaders or teachers are only able to take you as far as they themselves have been. Desiring a very controlled change, they teach what they have learned and draw pupils down their own path. A catalyst inspires growth, but is never used up. It can come back to inspire growth another day. It can bring about change far bigger than itself.

In Christian community, we must be catalytic friends. After all, what God desires to do in another person will doubtlessly bigger than what we can do in them. Yes, that does mean that we are not in control of the change. But God is.

And here we are again. Back to the whole faith thing. Do you have enough faith to be a catalytic friend/parent/teacher, or are you afraid that the path God has chosen for another person is not as good an option as drawing them down your own?

Seeker Friendly I - Pros & Cons

2008-02-04T11:17:00.000-06:00

Seeker friendly. Some Christians see it as redeeming a culturally disconnected religion. Some Christians see it as an indicator of the apostate church (the anti-church). Perhaps there is another alternative perspective.

Why I'm OK with a "seeker friendly" service:
The American church generally stinks at reaching new people. We can't even get the Great Commission accomplished in our own neighborhoods!

Why I'm not OK with a "seeker friendly" service:
Offering the world a non-confrontational gospel defies the nature of the gospel. True "seekers" are seeking the true and the authentic. People for whom a partial Christianity will suffice are seeking a conscious-salve that is not available in Jesus Christ. (See the story of the Rich Young Ruler.)

"But God..."

2008-01-29T16:00:00.000-06:00

Ephesians 2:1-10 tells a great story. My story. Your story. It recounts my years of hopeless service to my own desires and passions. Then comes the important part, "But God." (2:4)

In the midst of my slavery to myself, God stepped in. The life and fulfillment I had sought through my own slavish efforts, He gave me. My soul was lost in darkness, but God...

It gets even better.

This "But God" was not just about pity. God stepped in because He loves me. God stepped in because I have a destiny in Him.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (2:10)

If you can look back across your journey and see your own "But God," have you considered recently His love for you? Have you been in pursuit of the good works that you were created to do?

Hope in the Mundane

2008-01-18T11:44:00.000-06:00

This January, many of us have been examining "Haggai" and God's call to rebuild Yahweh's temple in the Old Testament. This was quite an imposing task for a bunch of returned exiles - the original temple took millions of dollars: laborers, the best building materials that the world had to offer, a ridiculous amount of gold, etc. So, like all severely overwhelmed people, they didn't do anything.

Then comes a great surprise. God sends word, "Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified." (Haggai 1:8)

Right now, you may be thinking, "So what."

Here's the point. God wanted His house built. The people had nothing "valuable" with which to build it. And God didn't care.

I can relate to this. I want to answer God's call. I have nothing extraordinary to build with. All I've got is the plain and the ordinary. Perhaps that's all that you've got, too. Perhaps you've been reluctant to begin working with your meager opportunities, talents, and resources. Perhaps you're afraid God might show up and take note of the quality of your work, "How is my house coming along? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?" (2:3) After all, He showed up to ask the Israelites.

This is our great hope. Our best really may not amount to much. It doesn't matter. God has redeemed the ordinary. God has redeemed the simple. God has redeemed the modest. God has redeemed the mundane. And He is calling.

The Beast in the Mirror

2007-12-26T20:09:00.000-06:00

Pardon me for a few minutes while I rant.

"Intellectual", "worldly", "secular", "seeker-friendly"... These are some of the charismatic world's favorite labels for the Christians it doesn't understand. You know - "ignorant" and "unstable" people. (Not my words. Please refer to 2 Peter.) If many of these label-happy Christians would read their Bibles very carefully, they would find that Jesus is the biggest offender of all. For such (false) religious zealots, might I suggest stepping out from behind your (false) religious goggles and reading the gospels. There IS a reason the gospel has been called scandalous. There was a reason that religious people hated and killed Jesus.

To those of you who know more churches doing it wrong than right:
1. Consider the sermon on the mount: judge things by their fruit. For example, could you convince ANY non-Christian (or me) that there is value in what YOU do every Sunday morning. Seriously, does it make a difference in anyone's life? Tell me why my life is lacking because I wasn't at your church last Sunday. (Feel free to comment.) P.S. Don't judge other people by a standard you don't have a chance of standing up to yourself.

2. Consider the beatitude, "blessed is the superior Christian, more religious than any other." Wait. That's not how it goes... How about this: "You are the body of Christ. Now, take a shot-gun and blow off all the parts you deem inferior to yourself." Phew. We got that one nailed down.

3. Jesus never called us to have church services. If Sunday morning is all you got and the apple of your ministerial/religious eye, Emperor Constantine would be proud, but Jesus might not be.

Let me conclude by saying this:
1. I do not apologize for my harshness.
2. I am particularly sensitive to this special type of "ignorance" because, for a long time, I was the one facing this beast in the mirror.
3. I am a pastor desperately trying to figure things out. What I have said, I say with humility, not arrogance. What the church needs (in my humble opinion) is for more Christians to step out of their fear so that we call all figure some things out and REALLY make a difference in this world.

"Who do you say that I am?"

2007-12-21T10:33:00.000-06:00

...As Jesus and the disciples looked around at the plethora of Roman gods memorialized all around them, Jesus posed a question: "Who do the people say that I am?" He followed up with a more pointed version, "Who do YOU say that I am?"

As we approach Christmas day, this confrontation seems apropos once again. We are approaching the day to celebrate the birth of a special baby boy in the midst of a plethora of new gods clamoring for our attention: the seasonal gods of shopping and gift giving, cooking and eating, holiday parties, work bonuses, TV specials, decorations, and travel plans.

In thinking about this question, I must say that I can FEEL it. Somehow, it goes beyond my intellect and resonates deep in my soul. "Who do I say that he is?"

Perhaps you, too, can take a few quiet moments to ponder the question. "Who do you say that I am?" Before offering your answer, keep in mind the context in which Jesus asked it - 1) not to novices, but to his own disciples; 2) in the midst of the gods; 3) just before saying "He who would follow must take up his own cross. If you hang on to your life, you will lose it. If you give up you life for me, you'll find it."

So, who is Jesus? How does your life answer that question? How does soul answer the question?

"Who do you say that I am?" -Jesus Christ

Friends

2007-12-14T10:15:00.000-06:00

I have been dreadfully neglectful keeping up with friends the past few months - school, a remodeling project at work (which kicked me out of my office for a while), work itself, the wonderful busyness of family life, etc.

In catching up with some friends, I am reminded how lucky I am to walk through this life in the company of people with whom I can laugh, learn, suffer, and grow. Thanks guys.

Giving and sacrifice

2007-12-13T19:30:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity, along with several friends, to deliver sleeping bags, hot chocolate and sandwiches to the homeless of St. Louis. It was a wonderful experience. Many of the people in our group were teens and it was a pleasure watching them light up at the opportunity of helping someone in need.

In sitting here pondering my blogging angle on this event, this occurred to me: What a stark contrast there is between the deep satisfaction of feeding the homeless and the shallow, passing enjoyment of getting new stuff (that the commercials promise will bring us life and excitement).

Perhaps it is truly better to give than to receive - even when there is not an angle on giving. (IE: kick-backs from a loved one.) I am saddened to think that I give so little that this truth is mostly forgotten and must be rediscovered from time to time.

Jesus once said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter in to heaven. I believe this. I can feel in my soul that the more things I acquire, the more likely I am to come across something that I will not want to give up - for God or for a fellow man. The idols of "security" and "satisfaction" are monstrous foes to be faced by the rich.

Giving and sacrifice. Happiness is found in them. Perhaps they draw heaven a little closer, too. In giving to others, our greed is crucified once again. Our idols of security and satisfaction are crucified again. Best of all, in giving and sacrifice we are able to bless those around us.

Negligent Faith

2007-12-10T20:53:00.000-06:00

Faith. It is the most important thing, right? Here's the thing , though. Most of us would never handle our jobs wit the same degree of negligence that we handle our faith. We would never handle our finances with same hap hazardous approach we use for our faith. Our spouses and children would classify us as "neglectful."

How is it that matters of faith, then, get pushed off onto the back burner. Why doesn't prayer ever really get done? Why are "daily" devotions the relegated to mystical super-Christians?

Maybe what we need a faith-based retirement (or death) planners...

"Yeah, um, when I die, I want to be ______________ prepared. I'm hoping for a crown of glory in heaven that is of __________ quality. What do I need to begin doing now to get there?"

Let's make some plans. Let's become the people we were born to be.

Failed Hero

2007-10-31T21:18:00.000-05:00

This fall, my wife and I took our 3 boys to my grandparents' farm. We had a blast riding around with Uncle Dave in a brand new combine with all the amenities - including GPS that conveys moment by moment yield for every yard of every field. Very cool.

Anyway, after our combining adventure, we took the boys on a Gator rider around the farm. One of our first stops was the old swing. My brothers and I grew up swinging from the very same branch 30 feet up an old oak tree. It is such a big swing, my four year old was having second thoughts. Like any good parents, we decided to talk him into it. "Here. Mommy will go first. It's fun!"

With the first slight push to get her moving, there was a funny crackling sound from high above. A couple seconds later, a LARGE (4.5 foot X 12 inch round) branch crashed to the ground grazing Jody's head leaving her a nasty gash. Honestly, I'm not sure what would have happened if it had hit her square on the head.Everybody likes to imagine that, given the opportunity, we would step up in a dangerous situation and be a heroes. I had one of those opportunities. Believe me when I tell you that it came and went really fast. So fast, in fact, that I never even flinched... Sound, slight confusion, BOOM!

Fortunately, nothing bad resulted. But, I can't escape the thought that I COULD have saved her. I could have had a sacrificial and heroic moment. I failed. I am humbled even as I recount our day at the great swing. Perhaps next time, my ears will be more responsive at the first crackle of danger and I can amend this blog to "Hero at Last."

Perspective

2007-10-31T20:52:00.001-05:00

As I sit here writing, a friend of mine is in China evading the authorities. No joke.

He went over to serve some Christians operating an orphanage. Those same Chinese Christians have now been arrested. One committed suicide to avoid the pending torture by the Chinese government.

I know this based on a few phone calls my friend has been able to make in hiding. He is hoping to be able to come home in a few days - that is unless the authorities are waiting to take him in at the airport. (You see, in the fleeing part, all of his stuff was left behind, including some things that would provide the government with identification.) No one will know until later this week.

I, on the other hand, spent the day hanging and finishing drywall. I also got riled up about something insignificant and complained to a few people.

What a contrast. Petty squabbling surrounding a church building project verses people risking (and giving) their lives for the sake of the gospel - the good news that Jesus Christ forgives, saves and gives hope.

Perspective... This (somewhat) famous picture is called "Pale Blue Dot". Between those two white bars is earth - the pale blue dot. This picture is not taken from that far away. Just the edge of our neighborhood somewhere about Pluto's orbit.

Funny how things change from far away. Most of the things I worry about don't seem to matter: the price of gas, the church building project, school, taking the trash out in the morning...

There are still some things that matter, though...

No resume. Just results.

2007-10-16T19:35:00.000-05:00

Ever noticed how insatiable the drive is for people to justify themselves? Sometimes I even catch myself doing it on auto-pilot. I don't even realize what is happening - Someone questions me and I'm instinctively off to the races answering for myself.

The weird thing is that I know how ridiculous I sound , but I keep talking anyway. Furthermore, the harder we work at telling people our resume, the more we undermine the qualities about ourselves we are probably trying to defend. ...one of life's nasty little ironies.

The truth is, no one in the real world cares about your resume, only your results. If you want to convince the world of your worth (and hopefully your worth is not tied to their opinion), show them results. It takes restraint and patience, but in the end, the results of your actions will speak much louder than your words.

To Be or Not To Be...an Ostrich

2007-10-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

I spent the past week at graduate school with a bunch of very smart and talented people. People smarter than me. People more talented than me.

Just a few minutes ago I was at church preaching. I felt like I had something to say worth saying. I felt like what I had to say would matter. I'm not sure that I said it in a manner that it did.

Here's the point - Life is a humbling experience. There are people smarter than you out there. There are people more talented than you out there. Sometimes all we can do is our best, even when it's not THE best.

Embrace humility. The rest of us will like you much more for having done it. We know that you're not the best and we like you anyway. Own up to the truth. Be a man.

Or, you can become an ostrich. Stick your head in the sand and deny the humiliation. In the real world, you'll look a little ridiculous, but you'll be in good company. People choose the delusion of superiority over the reality of humility all the time.

The Multitasking Whiner

2007-10-09T18:39:00.000-05:00

As I Did you know sit here that multitasking now, I am bored out of my mind. I am "stuck in a is a fallacy. The moment and I can't get out of human brain it". We doesn't work that way. Smart all have doctors with brain to do scanning tools have proven things that we deem to be an incredible it. It actually gums waste of time. It's part of growing up, up the system. being a responsible adult, blah, up the system. blah, up the system. blah.

When we My change current predicament is a night tasks, our brains class lecture. Tick...tick...tasks, our brains tick goes the clock, yet the hands fail to take 15 minutes to advance. So, now I'm wasting your time as well. reboot.

People and Legacy

2007-10-04T16:57:00.000-05:00

I had lunch with an old friend yesterday. It was a great time reminiscing about the way things used to be and catching up with the way that they are. My how things change! Back in the day, we were carefree college guys who liked cutting class to play tennis. Today, we're both husbands, dads and career-oriented employees. Somewhere between the house salad (with ranch) and the Southwestern chicken wrap, we began looking ahead a little bit. The question: are we headed towards our destinies?

I have had a pretty good life filled with things that people generally consider "significant." However, looking over my shoulder at those things, they feel a little bit like little league baseball trophies. A few years later, and they don't matter too much. The times with lasting significance, the times when I think I have "hit my stride" in reaching for my destiny all have to do with people. The times I have impacted another, invested my time and energy in the welfare of another - those times matter.

People matter. My wife matters. My three boys matter. Family matters. Friends matter. The inconvenient person I usually try to avoid matters. Long after the clamor of my activity has faded, my legacy in people may or may not live on - I prefer that it does.

So what about it. Maybe you and I can create, pursue, and seek opportunities, while we're about the typical activities of life, to positively impact the life of another. Create your legacy.

The What? The Church.

2007-10-03T14:33:00.000-05:00

Imagine this.

God props His feet up. "Hmm. ...and then Jesus will ascend back into heaven, the Holy Spirit will descend upon the people, and I'll need an entity to tell the whole world the good news and to bring about My kingdom on the earth. I'll call that entity the church."

Really God? The church?

I don't know about you, but as I look around at "the church", I'm thinking that this can't be what God intended: a bunch of people sitting around on Sunday morning before grabbing lunch and watching football. Does "church" matter? What if we ask people outside the club: "Does church matter?" I bet I know what they'll say.

Just a thought, what if as the "church" we started doings things that mattered, instead of just doing 'what we do'. A revolutionary thought, don't you think.

If you could never attend another worship service, how would you go about being the church? This week, how could you go about showing someone outside the church that the church matters?

Less is more?

2007-09-29T14:45:00.000-05:00

Isn't it ironic that life can be full of perfectly enjoyable things, yet we fail to enjoy anything?

I have a beautiful wife...
and three amazing boys...
and a great job...
and the opportunity to go back to school...
and several really good friends...
and a nice house...
and a truck...
and a new guitar...
and some dreams...

So many things to enjoy, so little time. In running from one thing to the next, I find myself too busy to enjoy anything. If your heart is truly where your treasure is, then mine may be lost in the vault.

Simplicity. Hmm. I'l have to give that some thought after I finish my homework, wash my truck and play some football with my four year old.