I'm Running for President!

I didn't know this, but according to my friend Andrew there has been an underground swell of people who have decided that I should run for President!

Whoooooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooo!

Free Air Force One flights for everyone!

Party in that big round room in that white building!

I would so rock as the Pres. Cause I'm so hip and relevant.

Check out the news here! and don't forget to vote!



.

Lean into life

"Balance is not a goal. Someone who is balanced is standing still. You don't want to be balanced, you need to be leaning. Lean into your marriage. Lean into your relationships. Lean into God."

Mark Beeson, Granger Community Church

FRESH Blog Meat!

Dear Blog Readers,

Meet Joel. Joel is one of my best friends, a fellow pastor and an all-around nice guy (I don't care what they all say). He's new to the blog thing, so if you would do me a favor and surf over to his blog. and just show him some lovin,' that would be great. I think you will like it if you do!

An Open Letter to New People Coming to Central from Other Congregations

Dear New Person from another local congregation:

First, I want you to know that I'm excited you are considering being a part of the community of Central. I have often said (and I really believe), there is no place I would rather be, and no other people I would rather be with than this community you are "checking out." I'm certainly biased, but I love the people and vision that is Central Avenue. I think you will as well.

With that said, you need to know, up front, that I'm more than a bit nervous you are coming.

1. I've never been much of a fan of what we pastors call “the annual sheep shift."

Consumer Christians. Transfer growth.

Now, to be clear, not everyone who transfers from one local congregation to another, does so for the wrong reasons. I believe there are right reasons to change local churches (I may hit on some of those in a later post).

But there are also wrong reasons.

And that is what makes me nervous.

You know, we pastors actually talk to each other. And we notice that some people just shift from one congregation to the next -- looking for better music, better preaching, better children's programs, the next "better" thing. And if you are coming to Central just because we are “better” than your last congregation, I have some news for you: soon you will find another congregation in town “better” than us. So I would just as soon give you some names of those churches and have you keep looking.


2. If you are coming to Central simply to have your needs met and “consume religious services,” please don't come.

No. Really.

I’m not kidding.

We need the seats.

This is the Church, not a shopping mall.

And honestly, it MAY BE that the children’s program (or whatever) at your last church would have been better if you had volunteered or given of yourself to make it better. Our children’s program is good, not because we are a “better church” but because of Serena and Sarah and Mike and Barb and Mary Ann and Linda and ... (on and on... ).

The church is people.

More than that, the church is people willing to lay down their lives for one another. It’s not always convenient.

It's not always easy.

It's not always about you.

Sometimes you have to take some nails.

So here is my suggestion: hang around for a while. Let’s “date” a bit. Find out if you like who we are and what we are about.

But then discover your gifts, roll up your sleeves and get to work. We have a world to change.

To be clear, we all have times when we need to heal and rest. We have seasons where we feel we just can’t make a contribution. Maybe we are wounded. Maybe we are in a period of transition with our families. Maybe we need a safe place to ask questions. But those times are not the norm, and they should be temporary. And they should lead you to deeper service and relationships, not apathy.

So, if you are coming to Central just to consume, honestly, I would rather have your chair for a person who is either ready to make a contribution or just checking out Christianity. And that goes for any of you current Central folks as well. Play ball or get off the field.

I’m serious.

I would rather have 100 sold out “sacrificial followers of Jesus” than 1000 spectators who think we are “relevant” and love our music.

BTW, I “love” when people call us "relevant."


3. If you are coming to Central because you like my preaching... you are a very wise person. ☺

Okay seriously... just kidding.

I am honored when people tell me that my preaching impacts them. One of the times I’m most alive is when I preach. It is what I love.

But know that I’m not the ONLY voice you will hear. We have an ever-expanding, gifted team of teachers that I love (and learn from) at Central. God speaks through different voices – the key is a gifting to teach (which our teachers have). But don’t mistake style with substance.

And since this is my blog, let me just rant a bit (as if that would surprise any of my readers!).

I think there are too many expectations placed on most pastors. We are not the paid Christians to do all the work. We are called to “equip the saints for ministry.” (Which means, if you are not doing ministry... ah...er... um... I guess you are not a saint. ☺)

People who know me well will tell you, I don’t do a lot around here. [“Amen!” from my staff]. That gives me time to focus on my sermon prep and those few things I do okay.

So before your put down your previous pastor’s preaching to me, know that I’m not a big fan of that. You don’t have to tell me I’m good by saying that another person is bad. And if you are saying that about that person now, what will you be saying about me in 3 years?

It may be your previous pastor’s preaching would have been better if the congregation didn’t place such unreasonable expectations on his or her time. Central has invested hundreds of hours in me -- and thousands of dollars. They have pushed me (yes, pushed me) to take sabbatical and study times. They’ve paid for me to go to conferences and given me money for books and resources. Yes, I believe I have a spiritual gift of teaching. But that gift has been nurtured and fanned by this community.

Please hear me: you are very welcomed here! Really. If you happen to be new and stumble on these posts, know that I’m not trying to talk you out of this community.

But know what you are getting into.

We are the Church. Not some club.

What makes Central attractive to you (or, as one of you said, “this place seems different!”) is that...um... this place... these people are different. There really is a hunger for God here. And hopefully an authenticity.

We are a people who don’t have it figured out (and aren’t afraid to say that) but we really do believe the Jesus Christ is the hope of the world and for some stupid reason he wants to us as channels of that hope.

So, we really only have 600 available seats (with 200 of them on a Saturday night) -- 450 were filled last weekend. We would love you to be a part of this body... but only if you are willing to BE a part of this body. We could use your gifts. Otherwise, we could use your chair.

Part 2 is coming soon... so don’t get ticked at me and quit reading.

But if this ticked you off... you probably wouldn't like Central anyway.

Truth

“I firmly believe that truth communicated with arrogance and hatred is no longer truth.”

So I read this quote. And initially I loved it. But then I asked myself, "Is it true?"

More is never enough

So I write this post with a little fear of potential comments. I don't want to take this into a discussion of the evils of the "institutional church" or "church growth." So please don't go there if you decide to comment. Fair?

So this weekend Central had a total of just over 450 people at our worship gatherings. A couple of things about this:

1. It is a record attendance for us. (It's about 50 over our previous high attendance which was on a special event Sunday years ago). But this is a lot of people for Central.

2. I am really not a numbers guy (other than the obvious truth that many anti-church-growth-people just can't escape --that numbers are people and people matter to God.) But I really don't put all my identity and value in "nickels and noses." You'll just have to trust me that I've worked this out with God and I'm pretty clear on this. I'm not into numbers for numbers' sake.

3. There was an excitement that was palatable in the conversation between the services. New families and people who just said to me, "Man, we hear that God is doing something here and we wanted to check it out." Which I found to be a strange comment: I agree... but I have always thought that the case. I LOVE this congregation. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. But it seems that several other people are picking up on this as well.

So here is the thing. Honesty time.

As I was driving home from our gatherings, I knew had a staff meeting in the evening, so I called my administrator and asked for the attendance numbers. She added them up and told me, "452."

My first thought: "Wow, that is really great. That is a new high attendance for us. That's exciting."

HONESTLY, my immediate second thought: "Man, I wonder if we could break 500?"

Now, let me put this out there: I think it's okay for a congregation to grow. I think it's even okay for a pastor to WANT a congregation to grow (for the right reasons). I will even go out on the edge and say that I think setting numerical goals can be okay (not in that you are trying to reach them, but in setting them you begin to think about what is beyond yourself.)

But what bothered me about this incident was that I was not satisfied.

More was not enough.

And I know my personality type. It will never be enough.

There is an addiction that comes with "success." I'm so thankful for what God is doing at Central. And not just the numerical growth. I love the stories of life-change. I love the community that is being formed. I just love being a part of this congregation.

But I never want to be at this place in my life where God is working and I can't enjoy it because I'm thinking of the next thing. And this is how I'm wired. And honestly, sometimes it just bugs me.

This was a vulnerable post for me to write. Be kind. :)

Um... well... ah... restraint, part two

For those of you who enjoyed my previous musical contribution and just can't get enough, here is another.

For those of you who didn't, don't watch this. No, really. You really don't want to click on that arrow.

Noooooo! too late! You are going to, aren't you?

I warned you.

glumbert - Jesus Is My Friend

MUST....SHOW.... RESTRAINT

I feel a rant coming on. But I don't have time to rant. But this is... er... mppp.... [must.....show.... restraint!]... one of the reasons.... [holds back rant]

SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!

A moment for the history books

Although I'm sure there will be constant mud-slinging even after the election is over, this recent discovery about Barack Obama by ABC TV news anchor, Terry Morgan is going to cause a lot of discussion and controversy.

glumbert - A Moment For The History Books

snicker

No Fruit?

This was a day of a lot of effort expended and yet little work accomplished. The week in and week out task of preaching means that you give birth on Sunday only to find you are pregnant again on Monday. "Labor" is a common analogy used by those of us who preach (yes, even the women). It was one of those days when I sit in front of a screen and type a lot of words but never really get anywhere. It was really, really frustrating. I hate when I'm not productive.

And yet...

Today, I also worked with some good friends at a food pantry. A very pleasant surprise, as I wasn't expecting any of them to come and they are some of the people I enjoy hanging out with the most. (4x4=16 peaches).

I talked with a fellow pastor about a dream I have for ministry and plan to call him again in about 25 minutes to ask him more. He is doing what I want to do. I am betting I can learn a lot from him.

I picked up my daughter from pre-school. Her eyes lit up and she ran to me yelling at the top of her lungs, "Daddy!!!!!"

I pushed her little body on the swing for what seemed like forever but went by in seconds as I realized that the day will come when she won't want me to push her. But I was aware of every push. The feel of my hand on her body. The look of the wind blowing her hair. Her 4-year-old smile and laugh. The rhythm of her shadow playing on the grass.

I made her dinner.

I played with Play-Doh.

I tucked her in and read her a story.

We prayed and talked about God.

She asked me to snuggle her and she fell asleep in my arms. Her last words were, "I love you daddy."

All in all... a pretty productive day.

I am blessed.

The meaning of life

snicker


Pre-Game Coin Toss Makes Jacksonville Jaguars Realize Randomness Of Life

Thorn

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

2 Cor. 12:7-10

__________________________________

I grew up as a magician, doing magic shows before very large crowds from a pretty young age. I loved being in front of people. I loved to "perform." I loved figuring out the timing of making people laugh. My dad and I would critique each show, often as we drove to the next one. In the car, we would methodically walk through the show and hone each routine from the opening words to the closing ones. We would add jokes (even "ad libs" that weren't ad lib). We would craft the "patter" of each effect.

Occasionally we would be doing a show and I would get nervous. My dad's advice? "Fake it until you make it." He really was of the school, "Don't tell them you are nervous and they will never know. But if you tell them, it will make you seem less professional and you will be all the more nervous."

Now, it's funny; I don't remember having "stage fright" all that much growing up. I spoke in front of hundreds of people at a time, and never really gave it much thought.

That was then.

When I did magic shows.

And it worked.

Now, to be clear, I think much of my life has been to prepare me for what I do now. I've been speaking in public as a magician since the age of 5. I spent hours upon hours a week learning how to engage an audience and craft a routine. I did four years of drama while in High School, acting in plays and musicals. I did several years on the debate team. In college I was a speech communication major. There is no doubt that I have been trained as a speaker (often I think I should be MUCH better at this than I am!).

Then I became a pastor.

And something happened.

While I was in seminary, I was a youth pastor in this small church. This church hired me... and to say I was "green" would be an incredible understatement. I had this little youth group. And I did the best I could do at being their pastor -- knowing absolutely nothing about being a youth pastor.

I remember I did this bible study. It was on forgiveness. And as I was speaking, I felt this strange sense that something "bigger than me" was going on. I have no other words than that -- but the strange mix of confidence and heaviness was overwhelming.

What surprised me is that I would teach on something... and dang it... the students would go and do it. They would forgive people who hurt them. They would reach out to people they wouldn't normally have reached out to. They would share their faith with their friends.

It was weird.

Sometimes their parents would call me and ask me what happened to their child.

I will never forget the first time I spoke before a church. (Sermon title: "If I am a part of the body of Christ, than why do I feel like a toe?") It was this very odd mix of incredible excitement -- and nothing short of terror. I wasn't expecting that.

So...

I've been doing this "preaching" thing for 17 years now. And the excitement... and the terror... have never gone away. I get sick before almost every time I speak. I'm a mess the day before. Moments before I walk on the platform, most of the time it would not take much to talk me out of it. I can't describe it. But I don't like it.

And yet, at the same time, while I'm teaching, I feel most alive.

There is an old movie called, "Chariots of Fire." In it, Eric Liddell (who is a runner), says something like, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel God's pleasure."

When I teach, I feel God's pleasure.

Yet.

I'm writing this because after taking 4 weeks off from preaching, I started again this past Sunday. I felt like I hit a brick wall. I felt like I got ran over by a train. I took a 4-hour-nap afterward and, really, would have slept through most of Monday and most of today if I didn't have a job to do. Fortunately, it usually gets easier in a few weeks. My body gets back into a groove.

But until then...I don't like it.

I'm not complaining. I'm so thankful to God that He distributes spiritual gifts to his Church. And I'm actually pretty thankful that I have a fairly good sense of my gifts. But gifts come at a cost. The giver of the gifts paid a price... and there is a "price" that is paid whenever we are broken open and poured out. There really is a difference between a gift and a talent. And maybe this is part of the difference.

So, do others of you struggle with this? In what areas? And if not.. I wonder why not?

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

God's power made perfect in weakness.

Power made perfect in weakness.

Power... perfect... weak.

Power. Weak.

God

Did I really just nap for 4 hours?

ahhhh.... Sunday afternoon. Love it.

Life

“We must be perfectly clear about one thing: Jesus never expected us to simply turn the other cheek, go the second mile, bless those who persecute us, give unto them who ask, and so forth. These responses, generally and rightly understood to be characteristics of Christ-likeness, were set forth by Jesus as illustrative of what might be expected of a new kind of person—one who intelligently and steadfastly seeks, above all else, to live within the rule of God and be possessed by the kind of righteousness that God himself has.”

Dallas Willard, "The Spirit of the Disciplines."

Wow. I hope someday I can write something that profound.

Note to self

A 20-hour work day is a bit excessive.

So when...

When did it become socially acceptable behavior, IN A LIBRARY, to answer your cell phone (turn the @#$% ringer off!) and then talk at FULL VOICE FOR 7 MINUTES about anything you want to talk about?

People! There is a volume button, a vibrate feature AND a hallway! Learn to use any of those.

Arg.

Okay, I feel better. Sorry for the rant.

Sarah Palin

I can see why many Republicans are excited about Palin. Good speech. Okay, it was a pretty great speech... even if you disagree with the McCain/Palin vision. I realize that the best candidate for president is not necessarily the best public speaker, but as someone who is "kind of into the whole speaking thing"... this has been an amazing election.

Do realize that we have seen, (according to many), some of the best public speakers in the history of this nation. (Obama, Huckabee, Palin... all are excellent). It really has been great year for speeches. Without watching commentary... I think a star is born. It really was an amazing speech.

Curious for those of you who watched it... what did you think?

Christmas is just around the corner

Buy one for you pastor and you will be blessed.

Come to think of it... hummm... staff Christmas gifts!

It didn't rain

Just want to point out that skies were clear in Denver.

You know, no matter where you are politically, as a person who studies public speaking recreationally... I must say that was one amazing speech.

Really?

You have GOT to be kidding.

No really.

Letters

Universal Healthcare Unwanted

Study: Most Children Strongly Opposed To Children’s Healthcare

Bank account a bit low.

I noticed that Central's bank account seemed a bit low this month. BTW, has anyone seen my new iphone? :)

I've had days like this...

The one

I find this a very interesting ad on multiple levels. Anyone want to guess why?

Honesty

"Honesty" is a series of short films that take place in a world where everyone says exactly what they think.

I've done a lot of funerals in my day and this never happens:

Funny Videos | Funny Cartoons | More Video Clips

Mindset list for 2008

This list always makes me feel really old. Incoming students this year were born in 1990. Wow. You will appreciate the power of that "wow" when you hit 40.

Saddleback Civil Forums - "Warren Debates"

So I just finished watching the Warren interviews with McCain and Obama. Because of my role as a pastor of a diverse congregation --Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Green, whatever -- I will probably never come out and tell people who I'm voting for... so please don't ask. I believe this is a position somewhat unique to me as a pastor, and not to most people. So therefore, I'm going to ask you questions that I am unwilling to answer. It may not seem fair, but well, life's not fair. :)

I'm curious, those of you who watched the program, what did you think? How do you think the candidates did? How do you think Warren did as a moderator (and as a Christian leader)? I will say, I'm honestly surprised that I felt Warren was biased (You can tell me which way YOU think he was biased). This is especially surprising to me given what I understood Warren's political stance to be. Maybe I was wrong. So tell me your thoughts.

Finally (if you are willing) if the election was tomorrow, who would you vote for and why?

And by the way...

An update on the end times.

There will be an upcoming sermon by end times prophet RW to explain why his prophesied end times event hasn't happened yet.

Thankfully.

Well it's about time!

Here is an interesting new product that is bound to be a hit among a certain crowd: a baby shampoo guaranteed to make the baby cry. This way, that a child will learn early on about the hopeless, hellish existence that is the human experience.

From the um... er...Press Release of the product.

"After rigorous product testing at the company's research headquarters in New Jersey, the new 'Nothing But Tears' shampoo was found to give newborns up to three times greater resilience than the leading competitor, as well as a stronger grasp on the crushing disappointment that is life. In addition, when combined with Johnson & Johnson's new line of bleach-based conditioners, the shampoo resulted in noticeably thicker skin after only six uses.

In recent years, a growing number of parents have begun looking for ways to raise more adequately jaded toddlers, and Johnson & Johnson is not the first company to respond to the rising demand. In 2003, Fisher-Price unveiled a new adventure play set containing 85 easy-to-choke-on pieces, and in 2006, the Walt Disney Company introduced an interactive DVD entitled 'Baby's First Brush With A Cruel And Unforgiving World.'"

Nice

As a leader who uses this image of the big picture... flying at 10,000 feet... I really like this.

[New Link] Pray for...

Okay, no matter where you stand on the political spectrum, I'm curious to know what you think of this:



Do you think this honors God?

Do you really think that God is on the side of one political candidate because of a single issue?

Now, I'm not sure you can talk about Jesus and not be "political," but as a pastor, I strive to be non-partisan -- in that I'm an equal-opportunity offender.

But as a blogger, I just going to say this: This sickens me beyond belief.

Now, feel free to disagree. We can still be friends. Really.

But I think this is arrogant, manipulative... I could go on but I'm going to show restraint. To be clear, I'm pro life. I think abortion is a big issue... and Christians need to wrestle with it. (Of course, we also need to wrestle with the place of law in changing the human heart, and why most pro-life people are only pro-life for unborn babies, but that is a different post.) Okay, I'm not going to rant.

I WILL say that some friends of mine (and fellow Centralites) just gave me one of the great moments in blogging history. Surf on over and check out their response to this clip.

Money well spent?

Number of people in China: 1.3 billion
Number of Chinese estimated to be below poverty level: 100 - 300 million
Annual income at poverty level: $94
Amount spent on 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremy: $300 million
Amount spent on 2004 Summer Olympics Opening: $40 million

The "Warren Debates"

I find this interesting on a number of levels; the first being that the candidates actually are doing it. I like Warren. And I think he did a good job with this interview (although he dodged some questions, I'm not sure I would have not tried to do the same thing).

Are there gender differences?

Hey, if you got a second, hop on over to my friend KT's blog and take a gander. I would like to know what my readers think. Feel free to comment on her blog, or you can comment on mine...

For Kevin

On the streets of Victoria, BC.

And yes, he was playing his own theme song.

I follow...

Note from author: Upon re-reading this post, I'm struck with how poorly it is written. If poor writing offends you, please stop reading. Thanks.
_________________

So I was reading 1 Corinthians chapter 3 this morning and a new question hit me. (Don't you love it when you are reading something you have read a couple of dozen times and something new pops out at you?)

Now, be prepared, this is not profound. It's embarrassingly obvious. I'm sure that most of you have seen this in this passage before (this really IS a job for "Captain Obvious!")... but in all honestly, I don't think I have thought of this much before (although I have a similar note written in my bible, so it is not a new thought, but it hit me harder this morning).

Question: Who do you follow?

What identity do you get from being associated that person? What is their role in your life?

This all came from chapter 3:21: "No more boasting about people! All things are yours..."

My job being what it is, I get a lot of people who want to meet with me. Most of the time, they really don't need theological insight or seminary level training.... they really need someone to listen, reflect back to them, and challenge them to come up with options. And, I believe this is certainly less so at Central than some other congregations, but there is something about meeting with "the pastor" that just makes people feel important.

I had two separate conversations last week about campus ministries, one with a student and another with a former student. They were saying how there is an obvious pecking order in campus ministries. It is a big deal who you are being "discipled by" in terms of their "rank" in the ministry. "Wow, I'm being discipled by ___________ -- the ministry leader!"

And what this passage as a whole is saying is, "Rubbish!" (And for those of you who know Greek, or have heard me teach on that word, you know what I'm saying.)

This passage is saying that this is very destructive and produces division in the church.

And division is, according to scripture... very, very, very bad.

(A quick aside: in most churches, if you describe someone as "worldly," what does that mean? If you read this chapter, how does Paul define someone who is "worldly and immature?")

Paul says that the important thing is not a relationship with (seemingly) powerful people, but a connection with Christ. That in Christ, we have all the identity we need.

Now, this does not mean we don't need pastors, ministry leaders, etc (at least I hope this is not what this means). And it does not mean that those people are not due certain honor or hearing because of their position (this concept is also biblical and is often overlooked in our attempt to be against the "institutional church" -- whatever the rubbish that is..). But it does mean that I should not get my identity simply because I'm associated with a certain person.

Wow. I do that. If you peel back my public life and peer into my darkness, I sometimes struggle with this very thing. Mind you, I'm MUCH better at this now than 10 years ago. In my better moments, I'm even above this... repelled by this. But isn't this a temptation for us? To get identity from our association with others? Our standing?

There is more to this... but I want to know if this hits a nerve... so I will stop here for now.

I'm back

Well, we are back from our cruise. It was fun, restful... and a great way to celebrate an anniversary. And yes, Alaska is as beautiful as you imagine.

I'm posting pictures over on my Flickr account. I don't have internet at home for some reason, so I'm doing it when I get a bit of time during the day. They will unfold over the coming week or so.

I have a lot I would like to blog about this trip. I'm hoping when my internet gets fixed, I can do that. I will simply start by saying this: I'm glad my life is such that when I'm on vacation, on a cruise ship, touring Alaska, I can honestly say at the end of the trip, "Yea, this was wonderful, but I miss my life back home." I have a great family, job, friends, church...

All in all, I'm feeling pretty blessed.

My heart will go on...

I will be gone for a week. Think of me when you watch the Titanic (I'm sure this is on everyone's agenda for the week). Laura and I are celebrating our 15 year anniversary with a cruise to Alaska. Rest. Hopefully lots of wildlife. Should be a good time.

Enjoy your week and hope to see you all soon.

Worship Music

I hope I'm not violating confidence, but these are two actual letters written from individuals complaining about song selection and music.

One letter said:

"I am no music scholar, but I feel I know appropriate church music when I hear it. Last Sunday's new hymn - if you can call it that - sounded like a sentimental love ballad one would expect to hear crooned in a saloon. If you insist on exposing us to rubbish like this - in God's house! - don't be surprised if many of the faithful look for a new place to worship. The hymns we grew up with are all we need."

Another letter said:

"What is wrong with the inspiring hymns with which we grew up? When I go to church, it is to worship God, not to be distracted with learning a new hymn. Last Sunday's was particularly unnerving. The tune was un-singable and the new harmonies were quite distorting."

By the way, the first letter was written in 1863 and the song they were concerned about was the hymn, "Just As I Am". The second letter was written in 1890 and about the hymn, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus".

It's a good thing people stopped complaining about music.

Confusion

My new preaching style

I've been thinking that my preaching has been a little dull lately [insert smart comments].

I need a new style.

Something with flash.

Something that will hold people's attention.

Dance

Okay, I gave her all day to post this....

Thanks to Mdog who sent me this earlier today. I'm at home, really sick, and I must have watched this 10 times. It just really makes me happy. And I LOVE the song. There really is so much I like about this video... but to analyze it on this post would be like describing humor ("You see, it's funny because...")

Just turn up the volume on your speakers...and dance.



FYI - Lose translation of the words

"Stream of Life"

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day

runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth

in numberless blades of grass

and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth

and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.

And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

Two of my favorites

Two of my favorite people... for very different reasons.

Kids' Rock

After listening to VBS songs over and over for the last two weeks ("Choose Jesus, choose to believe!") and being the dad of a 3-year-old ("Daddy, would you play the 'Choose Jesus' song again?), I'm thinking this might sell.

Bucket List

I almost didn't rent this movie because the reviews have been mixed. That would have been too bad. I absolutely loved it. There is are two moments that go by pretty quickly but, in my opinion, are worth the entire movie.

I really enjoyed this movie.

Promises

Day 8

The winner

The winner of the Willow Creek Arts Conference Video Competition. :)

Homesick Already

I'm leaving for a week-- first to Annual Conference then to Chicago for the Willow Arts Conference. Where I'm really looking forward to the week ahead, I'm a bit sad about leaving. My wife and I have had a great week together. I didn't preach this week... so I'm feeling really rested. And last night, when I explained to my daughter about me being gone for a week ("I will be gone, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday..."etc.) she looked at me and said, "Well, I'll really miss you, Daddy. Does that mean we won't have breakfast together on Saturday?"

[insert sound of my heart breaking]

To my blog readers who are local... feel free to check in on my wife. You might want to cook for her... popcorn is her staple when I'm gone. :)

See you all when I get back.

Desire Satisfied

Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists...if I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.

If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.

There is no need to be worried by facetious people who try to make the Christian hope of "Heaven" ridiculous by saying they do not want "to spend eternity playing harps." The answer to such people is that if they cannot understand books written for grown-ups, they should not talk about them.

All the scriptural imagery (harps, crowns, gold, etc.) is, of course a merely symbolical attempt to express the inexpressible... People who take these symbols literally might as well think that when Christ told us to be like doves, He meant that we were to lay eggs.

_________________

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

My, how they grow.

Steven Curtis Chapman

Steven Curtis Chapman was a huge influence in my early days as a Christian. I loved (and still love) his music, but I think I was more impacted by his apparent integrity, humility, honesty, and love for God and people. Steven and Mary Beth are also a big promoters of adoption, having formed an organization called Shaohannah’s Hope to aid families who want to adopt but can't afford it.

Their youngest child (Maria) died Wednesday evening after being accidently struck by their car in the driveway. The driver, was one of their other sons.

I can't imagine losing a child. Counseling people tell me that death of a child is the worst grief; worse than losing a spouse, or sibling or parent. Many couples who lose a child to death, their marriages don't survive or are permanently damaged.

But I really can't imagine how difficult this situation must be on a family. Even though this appears to be an accident, the feeling of guilt and blame and regret would be overwhelming. The feelings of guilt of the son. The resentment and anger that might be felt by the parents. The questions.

Only God.

Only God can heal stuff like this. And you know, in this life, we all know people who never recover... even after giving it to God. But if you have a moment, please pray for this family. My prayer is that in the midst of this they will experience healing, grace, forgiveness and the strong presence of the One who makes all things new.

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'"

Volunteer Recruitment

Okay, I begin by saying that Granger Church is often over the top. Often, way too over the top for my personal tastes.

But I think this is absolutely hilarious.

Wow

In an age where movies are sometimes 90 percent or more CG, I love it when people go back to the basics. I suspect this is exactly what it seems to be. A person drawing this frame by frame over a long period of time, taking pictures, and putting this together.

Amazing. Absolutely amazing.


MUTO a wall-painted animation by BLU from blu on Vimeo.

Perspective: the curve

Life Lesson: Whenever you think your child is smart...there is always someone to throw off the grading curve.



And if you need some help...

I have really strange friends

Mother's Day

To my readers who are moms, "Happy Mother's Day!"

This is my mom (um... the one on the right). She is the greatest. It's funny, I realize my wife is a mom, but at this point, equating Mother's Day with her just seems a bit strange. Mother's Day is for MY mom. Who, unfortunately, is living in Florida and I never get to see on Mother's Day. (I really wanted to spend the day with her. I guess I just miss my mommy.)

More and more I realize who I am has been shaped by my parents. So much of me... formed by mom and dad. I was thinking last week: my love for cooking, reading and study I got from mom (she is a fantastic cook -- my brother was a chef and I know how to boil a mean cup of water myself). We both got that from her.

It's funny what you remember about your childhood. I can always remember asking my mom questions... and her answering them. I remember conversations... even as a little kid. So often, I hear kids ask, "Why?" and parents just ignore it. (They ask why a LOT!). But my memory is that my mom always answered that question. And to me... it was not about the answer... but that she communicated with me.

I have always thought (and still think) that my mom is one of the two smartest women in the world (I have to put my wife up there too!). She was an amazing English teacher (5th grade) and was a school principal (2 elementary schools and a Jr. High). As a magician who used to do school assembly shows, I could tell a good principal from a bad one pretty easily -- simply by the behavior of the students when they gathered together for an assembly. My mom's schools were always amazing. Well behaved. Well-Mannered. She always commanded respect. I always loved my mom... but I also have a great deal of respect for her. She is a strong, bright, talented woman. Much of what I look for and respect in women, I got from her. (Those of you who know me know I'm drawn to friendships with strong, smart women... I want someone who can spar with me. :)

I just really like my mom.

And soon, my parents are coming home. And I hope they will spend as much time with us as they possibly can. I still have lots to learn.

You know, I was going to write more... but I just decided to call my mom instead.

Taming the text and being "relevant"

This is an excerpt from an article written by Rob Bell and printed in the book, "The Younger Evangelicals" by Robert E. Webber.

I know a lot of people don't like Rob. But it is stuff like this that keeps me reading him.
_______________________________________________

"...We actually believe that the biblical text is a living and breathing Word. For the first year or so of our existence as a church, I preached through the Book of Leviticus, verse by verse.

Yes that’s right.
Menstrual blood, goat sacrifice, and no shell fish, please.
Every verse.

Now if you at this moment are smiling or laughing or thinking that is crazy, what have you just said about the biblical text? Do you have a canon with a canon? Either you believe that God speaks through his entire text, or you stick within the evangelically approved texts that are tamed down enough for the local congregation.

We have no desire to tame the text. We want to let it out of its cage and we want to see it prowl around our lives, devouring us and spitting out the bones. We don’t want to be detached, methodical scientists who stand over the subject and apply the proper rules, methods, and procedures so that we can achieve favorable results. The modern impulse is always to reduce it to simple principles and clever maxims. To continually insist that with enough work, it will all make sense and line up.

Life doesn’t always line up.

We love the Scriptures and we want them to sweep us off our feet.

In the new world, much of what is currently considered preaching and study will be rendered totally irrelevant. The Bible is not a nice book. It is not a clean book. It is not a guide to proper behavior. It does not even seem to care whether it is “relevant” or not.

I have asked the congregation to please never tell me that my message was “nice”.

The Bible is a revolutionary manifesto that could get you killed in many parts of the world. It is living, it is breathing, and it demands that we surrender to it unconditionally so that it can transform us."

For Maria

Awareness Test

Friends

There are few things better in life than a good friend. They are somewhat rare in this world, but you know them when you find them. Slowly you begin to trust them. Over time they prove themselves faithful. You observe their life and find that it is full of grace; not just with you but with others. They are real and allow you to be real.

In my world, people feel like they can say anything to me. Maybe that surprises you. Maybe you think that pastors have this "hedge of holiness" around them that intimidates people and keeps them from second-guessing you. I have never found that to be the case. (In fact, I have met people who think it is their life's calling -- and primary spiritual gift -- to second-guess me!) It is amazing how downright mean people can be to pastors -- I think because we are "safe."

My counseling professor in seminary said that pastors are "shock absorbers." We absorb other people's pain a lot of the time. He told us that people will take stuff out on us because they really want to take it out on their dad, or their boss, or the spouse, or the person who violated them when they were young... but those people are not safe. So we get it. We absorb the shock of others.

And that sounded so crazy in seminary... but it is so true. I have experienced it countless times.

A good friend can absorb your shock and your pain. They give when other people take. They are merciful... they "turn the other cheek."

And all of this is very....endearing. And pretty rare.

I'm very blessed and very thankful... and just wanted to say that before I went to sleep tonight.

Thanks friend.

[no comments necessary]

A pound of the Eternal

"I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please - not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of Him to make me love a foreigner or pick beets with a migrant worker. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of a womb, not a new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I'd like to buy $3 worth of God, please."

Wilbur Rees

"We are absolutely confident he will be found alive and well, floating somewhere in the ocean."






Alive.

Well.

Floating

SOMEWHERE

ocean.

wow.

um... well... ah

Headline: "Clinton, Obama ATTACK each other for being too negative." [emphasis mine]

ah.. well.. see... if you...um...

nevermind.

Joy Suckers

“Strange how one person can saturate a room with vitality, with excitement. Then there are others . . . who can drain off energy and joy, can suck pleasure dry and get no sustenance from it. Such people spread a grayness in the air about them.”

"Travels with Charley," John Steinbeck

_________________________

It's interesting... I think a lot of people know this. Maybe all of us can point to people to people that, when we get around them, they are joy/energy vortexes. There is just a heaviness in the room when they walk in.

I have often wondered if it is a personality characteristic? Does everyone feel it with that person? Are there people immune to their joy sucking? Or, as I suspect is the case, have these people just been so badly wounded (and never did the "work" of healing) that they take all the good/positive/healing/joyful energy from the room in order to heal their hurt which they will never heal because they don't really want it healed. (All of that sounded a bit more new age than I mean it to... but you get what I mean.)

I'm amazed by the presence of "joy suckers" in my life. I'm amazing by "joy suckers" in the church. In the same vein, don't you love those people who just seem to give life and health and joy? You get around them and you just feel more alive. You feel safe. Protected. Challenged. Encouraged.

Then I ask myself... "Okay, which person am I?" And, is my self perception correct? What would my staff say? What would my wife say? What would my friends say? What would my "enemies" say?

Which person are you?

Is this something God can change? (I suspect... but just asking).

How do you... how do I... deal with joy suckers? How do we make sure we are not one of them?

Finally

So blog friends, you just need to know this: If I had my choice, I would not be a pastor. That was my second career choice. Actually, I have a deep, hidden desire to be on the worship team.

I've talked with Patrick and he keeps blowing me off, something about me "not having any talent..bla bla bla..." but ya know... I think I found a way I can make it in.

I suggest we all ask him for an audition and do this...

Blowing Bubbles

I was out working on my car tonight and Lydia and Laura came out to blow bubbles. There is just something really funny/relaxing/captivating about watching a three year old blow bubbles. The light was bad, she was sitting in my garage (complete with garbage cans and my van in the background) so my angles were really limited... but the joy on her face is why I own a camera. For more of the same, see my flickr.

Lifted from darkness

Hey, thanks to all of you who emailed/posted/called and were worried about me. I'm fine. REALLY. I post those things because I want you to know I'm normal. Well, normal is relative.

And I really do think that crashes are a part of life (and for me, ministry). Tonight I have 2 board meetings... and believe it or not... that will actually improve my mood. :)

But just for the record, I'm okay.

I now share with you what pulled me out of the darkness (the "pit of despair") and set my feet on higher ground!

Yes, it's an engineer's guide to cats.

The crash

I have written about the crash before. I was really worried about how my body/soul/spirit would handle moving to 3 services a weekend. Surprisingly, since the 3 services, there has actually been LESS of a crash... and I'm trying to figure out why. (I honestly think some of it has to do with my move to sitting rather than standing... or maybe I'm spreading the adrenaline out?). But the past 3 months have been fairly "crash free."

Until today.

Today I crashed... and crashed pretty hard.

What it means to "crash" looks different for me-- but it mostly involves feeling overwhelmed with the inability to manage what is going on. I feel worthless, powerless, tired, unappreciated, misunderstood... I become very sensitive to criticism and the dissenting voices. I feel like I'm letting people down, particularly my staff and those closest to me. There is this massive jumble of emotions... emotions that really don't make sense, as they are not really tied to anything real.

But the feeling is very real.

So why am I writing this? I have no idea. Why am I putting these feelings out on a public forum? What is to be gained from it? Well, to be honest, I think it is part of being a follower of Jesus. There are ups and downs. There is a battle. This is reality. And anyone who says otherwise is living in fairy-tale land.

Here's the thing: it's not that I don't see God at work. For those of you who were there, our weekend services seemed to have a pretty powerful effect of some folks. It is amazing to see God do that... and fairly consistently at all 3 services. I'm starting to hear the stories already. I know of at least 3 people who made decisions to follow Jesus this weekend. I heard of another tonight at the staff meeting. There were several others who obviously had pretty profound encounters with God. There was a certain "rawness" about this weekend... and maybe that is what I'm experiencing. Raw produces raw.

Funny, for those of you who heard the message... remember all the accusations I listed? Well, those are pretty much what the enemy hurled at me from the moment I stepped off the platform.

"You are no good. If they really knew you they would reject you. You are neglecting people. Listen to the voices that complain. You have to please everyone. You have to have everyone like you. You are a lousy pastor, boss, friend, christian..."

And so now I'm asking, "Is that true?"

(some pastor said I should ask that... and you know... it really does help.)

Is that true?

Well, in a sense. Yea, some of it is true. I do neglect some people. You probably WOULD reject me if you knew me! I'm not the greatest boss, pastor, friend or Christian....

But I don't need to get my value from those things.

Those things... as important as they are... they do not define me.

I am defined by a blood-stained cross. That I matter that much to God. That the One who fashioned the universe and spoke it into being knows my name. And He says I matter. No matter how big or small my church is, no matter how much or little impact I make, no matter who likes me or who hates me, no matter if people are singing my praises or lining up to stone me.

I'm defined by who God says I am.

And THAT is the truth.

"God, some pieces have been taken out of me this week. I have taken some hits. I have poured myself out. I feel broken. I ask that you put me back together. And I will willingly do it again... for Your sake."

Conversation

I found this post by my friend, Andrew, interesting for a number of reasons. If you want to go and chime in on the discussion, feel free. I would love to hear what you think.

Conference bound

A group of us from Central are leaving this afternoon for the Shift Conference at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago. I'm not sure what my internet access will be, but if you don't hear from me for a while (either by blog or by email) this is why. I hope you all have a great week!

Just in case

I don't want to distract from my previous post, but I wouldn't want my blog friends to miss the end times. This is a link to the site of the guy I mentioned this morning; the guy I have been in a email conversation with who claims to be one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation. So I'm sure you will want to stop what you are doing and do exactly what he says.

"Drama" and worship

This week a number of us from Central are going to a conference at Willow Creek Church in Chicago. I'm sure that some of my readers may have negative opinions about Willow (or lump them into all the others in the "church growth" movement), but as someone who has followed them for quite some time, I think they have a ton of integrity and I am always inspired to worship and to love God more when I'm there.

So, I have to confess, I have a love for the dramatic.

Now, I'm not sure that "drama" is the right word, but I'm going to use it and maybe you will catch on to what I mean. I have always been into lights, drama, the set up of the physical space...etc. This is what engages and connects me. In fact, it just hit me this past week: This is often why much of the worship done is "contemporary worship congregations" (especially smaller ones) leaves me cold. There is no mystery. No symbolism. Nothing to connect me with the holy.

For years I have been in a constant discussion with the different people who lead worship at our church to "read scripture, add some creeds, string songs together" and none of them do that. Not one. Years and years of asking. Begging! And really, one morning last week, I just figured out why. It's not that they don't love God (although I always have some questions about Patrick and Kevin)...it's that they worship God out of simplicity.

I worship God out of complexity.

I had this conversation with my current worship leader the other day. He kept saying, "People need to be able to worship God no matter what the band sounds like or if there is no band. I should be able to make sounds on my armpits and people worship to that!" (Okay, I think I said that line, but I will credit him.)

And the whole time I was thinking, "Yea, I agree. Great theology of worship!" And he does have a great theology of worship. (Yea, please don't read this post as an inditement of Patrick. Few people I know have greater integrity.)

He is right... we SHOULD be able to worship to nothing or anything.

But just because we should be able to... does not mean we ought to.

I was created as this multi-sensory being. I was given emotions. I was given an intellect. I was given a desire to connect to my past. I was given a love for art and beauty. I was told, by this God who created me, that I was to engage with Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. So why just sing songs... when we can create experiences to connect with God. When I can be engaged with my mind and emotions... my love for beauty and mystery? Not all the time (not everyone gets into this) but some of the time. Most of the time?

This post was inspired by this clip. This is from an Easter service... and unfortunately, the person who shot it had a bit too much coffee that morning and they didn't hold onto the last image long enough. But I found myself captivated by it. I honestly think it is beautiful. And it moved me to worship.

The future of preaching

Prediction: This is in the future of the church.

Right now, hundreds (thousands?) of churches are experimenting with video venues. Mostly, this is "live" music and a taped message (although there is at least one congregation I know of that is doing EVERYTHING with video.) Most of the time, each campus has a campus pastor who provides "presence" and coordinates ministry and connection.

Now, certainly churches are not the only ones doing this. Schools, colleges and business have done teaching over compressed video, satellite, etc for years. When you have a good teacher, I think people would rather listen to them over video, than a bad teacher live. And, as a teacher (and someone who loves teaching/preaching) I understand the idea behind this.

But as a theologian, I have some questions.

What does this say about our theology of incarnation?

If the "Word became flesh"... what happens when there is no "flesh."

What if Marshall McLuhan was right and the medium IS the message (or at least a large part of it.)

Is there something lost when the messenger isn't "live?"

I wrestle with this. Wrestle with it with me.

BONUS THOUGHT: Not doing video venues would keep people like me from saying stuff like this and having it end up on utube for people like me to make fun of...

[NOTE: the video caused one of my loyal readers to have problems and browser crashes... and she is way more important than this video.... so I dumped it.]

See, it's funny because...

So I have a friend who always has to explain his jokes. I keep telling him that, if he has to explain his humor, he is not funny. But he continues to say, "See, it's funny because..."

So I need to comment on yesterday's post (For no other reason than I don't want that up there past April 1!)

First, it was inspired by a friend and fellow pastor, Trevor, who sent out an email to his congregation announcing that they were building a new facility, complete with coffee shop and restaurant, etc. Trevor is leading a great congregation in Findlay and is doing some innovative things... but they, like us, are not exactly flush with the bucks. So when I got his announcement... I was lost. "What? Where are they getting the money?" Then he reminded us of the date. Very well done.

I rarely remember April Fool's Day. And I would have forgotten it this year if it wasn't for Trevor. He inspired me. (Breaks into Air Supply song --NO, NO, I STAND CORRECTED - CHICAGO-- "You're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration.")

So, this post is funny because...

1. It begins with my true feelings. Honestly, the first thee paragraphs are pretty much what I would write if I were moving. Paragraph 3 actually brought tears to my eyes as I was writing it. Those are my feelings.

So, to you who said, "I figured you out in the first couple of paragraphs..." I don't think so. :)

2. I can't believe some of you fell for it! (which is way more disturbing than the "I figured you out" group.) I can't tell you the number of people who emailed me or called me to see if it was true! Wow. I'm speechless. Really. "Relevant? Chucky Cheese? Don't feel led but it sounds like fun? More money and bigger office? And, oh yea... talking monkeys? :)

But I'm honored and thankful for those of you who at least acted upset at the thought that I was leaving. One of you suggested the best April Fool's day response would have been to coordinate all of you into responding with the same sort of lame responses: "Oh, that's too bad. Oh well. [yawn]."

But in case you didn't get the joke: as far as I know... I'm still here. I have no plans on going anywhere. And although a move can always happen, I for one, am honored to be at Central and glad to still be here. There is still not place I would rather be and no people I would rather be with.

Oh... and... by the way... I'm pregnant.

Decision

I know it seems weird to break this news on my blog, but I will announce it on Sunday and decided that I wanted my blog friends to be the first to know.

Two weeks ago my District Superintendent approached me with an offer to move to a church in the Columbus area. Laura and I have talked about it, and after much struggle, prayer, thought and discussion, I have decided to leave Central and to move to Pickerington Community UMC effective this July.

This has been one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. We really love Central and Athens and thought we could spend the rest of our lives here. I never imagined I would be a part of a church like Central, let alone be the pastor. It really is an amazing place. And part of what makes Central amazing is many of you. I have a great staff, friends, a community that hungers for God... I have been blessed.

But Pickerington is a growing area, with lots of opportunity for building a church (amazing growth potential), they are visible in the conference (a chance for me to be relevant), they own lots of land, already have a really nice building AND they offered me twice the money with a really nice office. It was just too hard to turn down. Now, maybe, I will FINALLY be able to write my book. Granted, I'm not sure I feel "led" in any sense to move, but it just seems like more fun. And there is a Krispy Kream and Chucky Cheese right down the street! How can you beat that! Besides, the talking monkeys came to me in a dream the other night and told me that we should move. And I always listen to what the talking monkeys say. And they said "move" and to wish your friends a happy April 1.

History belongs to...

Who does history belong to? The successful? The powerful? The wealthy? The media elite? The superstars?

Well, according to NT scholar, Walter Wink, history belongs to the intercessors.

For those of you staying up late tonight, not able to sleep, just waiting for the next installment of my series in the book of Revelation... well... this is your sneak peak! For those of you who were at the Saturday night service, this is review. For those of you who don't care... why are you reading this again? :)

I talk about this in my message. Wink writes:

"History belongs to the intercessors, to those who believe and pray the future into being. History does not belong to the powerful or the wealthy or the rulers or the armies or the corporations or the global media empires. It doesn’t belong to Rome. It doesn’t to Bill Gates. History belongs to the intercessors, to those who believe and pray the future into being.”

Do you believe that?

The undeniable teaching of scripture is that prayer changes things. Sure, there is debate over sovereignty, and what happens in prayer... yada yada yada yawn. But scripture suggests that our prayers do make a difference.

And I often wonder if I really believe that.

Because if I really believed that, I think I would pray more.

I often wonder how much we blame God for not working when really we are not praying. Certainly, there are times when God's answer is "no" (or "later"). But seriously... I have run into people who have come to me asking why God didn't do this or that or direct this or that, etc... and they ask, "Why didn't God answer my prayer?"

But after talking to them for a while, I find that they really didn't pray.

They may have worried.

They may have stewed.

They may have stressed.

They may have thought about the issue a lot.

But they didn't pray. Just pray. Continuously. Hard. Persistently

I wonder how many of my unanswered prayers are because... well... I didn't pray them.

So... I want to pray more. Yep, I'm a pastor and posting this on a public blog. But prayer is hard. Really hard. And I want to do it more. And if you want to join me....maybe we can talk about this.

Any struggles with prayer you want to share?

Happy Easter

Happy Easter... I mean... "Ressurection Sunday!"

A friend and fellow blogger made a post I found really intriguing. You can read her thoughts here. She was talking about her joy in the hiding eggs... the "trappings" of Easter and Christmas... and she asked: "I'd honestly be interested in knowing if any of you guys have a problem with these sort of former-pagan observances."

And so I left a comment.

Going back to see if others had commented yet, I was surprised how passionate my response was to her post. (And how long!). And that sent up a flag that said, "Hey, this may be important to you."

So I'm posting my response to her question on my blog, because it gives insight into me and hey, this is my blog. I can do what I want.

Jen is one of my regular reads. She is a good egg. (Even when she is hiding them.) You should go to her blog and chime in.

Question: "I'd honestly be interested in knowing if any of you guys have a problem with these sort of former-pagan observances."

My Answer:

I would leave a comment, but I'm too busy hiding eggs.

Maybe I'm too flippant here... I've been accused of that before... but I don't think the fact that I'm hiding eggs and having my 3-year-old daughter find them is all that big of a deal to God. I mean seriously... there are some big problems in this world. I'm guessing that is not one of them. It's not like we are chanting to the gods and goddesses while we are doing it. And we can't have any more kids, so the fertility thing isn't an issue anymore for Laura and me. :)

And once Lydia finds her eggs... and when she comes out of her chocolate coma... that night, I will hold her in my arms as I put her to bed...and I will lay my hands on her head as I do every night I tuck her in... and we will pray. She will list off all the people she is thankful for (it takes a while, so I bring an iced tea into the room) and then she will pray the Lord's prayer (which is the cutest thing and must make God smile)...

And I will pray that she will come to know God at an early age. That she would be a girl who is sensitive to the leading of the Spirit in her life... that she would have favor with people and be a champion of the outcast. I will pray that she loves God and loves people with all her heart, soul, mind and strength. Often in tears, I will thank God for this amazing, frustrating, tiring, exhilarating, holy thing that I hold in my arms.

Then, I will look her straight in the eye and tell her that I love her and that I'm so proud to be her daddy. I will tell her that there is nothing she could ever do that will make God love her less. And then I will put her in bed, kiss her goodnight...

And then Laura and I will find the rest of the eggs. :)

That is VERY long way of saying: I think -- in the church -- if we are not careful we can major on the minors. We can DO everything right: and have this great appearance of righteousness on the outside ["I don't sing, dance, cuss, I don't play cards, I don't enjoy Halloween (demons), Christmas (that damn Santa), or Easter (has been taken over my the Easter Bunny!)" -- and miss that there is this amazing God who longs to give us life. The Most Joyful Being in the Universe wants to have my daughter chuckle with glee and yell, "Daddy! I found one!"

And I'm just not sure that her looking for eggs or bitting the head off a chocolate bunny (why do we go for the ears first?) is going to ruin the work of God in her life. In fact, God might even use it.

But then again, what do I know. And I could very well be wrong.

Empty Tomb

This is from a seminary professor of mine.

_______________________

"I'll believe Jesus rose from the dead," said the angry Communist, " when the atheist leader of the Soviet Union becomes a Christian." These remarks, of course were typical during the years of the Soviet Empire and the Iron Curtain. Teenagers in America today hardly realize what a remarkable change has happened in Russia since the early 90s. Indeed it is nothing short of miraculous, and I have had the privilege of observing this first hand while teaching from time to time in Moscow.

And now comes this story about which I can only rejoice. Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Premier of the Soviet Union and the man whom President Ronald Reagan implored "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" when he was in Berlin is now openly testifying that he is a Christian. Below you will find the link to the story in the British Paper the Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/19/wgorbachev119.xml

Perhaps most interesting of all is the influence of St. Francis of Assisi and his writings on Gorbachev in this whole process.

The Lord is by no means finished with us all yet, and the rise and flourishing of Christianity once more in Russia and elsewhere in the former Soviet bloc countries is a clear sign of the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The last time I was in Moscow there was a huge Christian rally at the downtown convention center which once held the large Communist rallies. Instead, there was a charismatic worship service, complete with American and British praise songs now being sung in Russian--- 'Slava Boga' (Russian for 'Praise the Lord'). There were hundreds and hundreds of young people singing at the top of their lungs. Only the coldest of Christians hearts would not be moved to tears by such a sight. Some day the day may come when Russia becomes a more Christian nation than the U.S. of A. for the Spirit moves where it will. In the meanwhile, I am thankful for all the signs of Christianity rising from the ashes in Russia even now. It must have something to do with that empty tomb in Jerusalem and the one who vacated it :)

Happy Easter

worthless idols

Jonah 2:6-8 (New International Version)

6 "To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.

7 "When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.

8 "Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs."

________________________

"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."

Wow.

Feeling Better

Thanks to all of you who have emailed me asking about Lydia. She is much better. One of her little friends (okay, the mom of one of her little friends) gave her this stuffed kitten ("Sally") and for the past couple of days she has been at Lydia's side constantly. But now Sally is "sick" and Lydia is taking care of her. Kisses from a 3-year-old make everyone feel better.

The story of stuff

This video is a bit long, but I think this may be worth your time. I would be curious to know your thoughts as well. I would especially like to hear if you disagree with what was said and why?

The story of stuff

Christvertising

All my years in Advertising didn't go to waste. Now I can do both!

Do You Ever Wonder What Grocery Store Employees Do at Night?