Read the Bible Through in 2010

Tomorrow morning I will sit down for my last devotional reading of the year. I used the One-Year Chronological Bible to read the Bible through this year. I highly recommend it. I especially enjoyed the fact that it was in chronological order. This feature really helps when you're working your way through the Old Testament.

Next year (Friday morning), I will begin a 2 year plan of reading through my Ryrie Study Bible (New American Standard translation). I prefer the NAS because it is the most literal translation of the original languages. And, besides, I've had it since 1979 and I have a ton of notes written in it. I'm looking forward to getting back into my study Bible again.

Click the link above to purchase your copy from Amazon.com.

Serious Business at the Border

I've been following Nicolas Rapp at his blog, Trans World Expedition. He's driving around the world. He started in NYC in November and is currently in Central America. Here's a picture that he took at the Honduras/Nicaraguan border. Wonder if there were drugs in the car? Wonder how ticked the owner of the car was - especially if there were no drugs...

How to Keep Church Members in the Stands

This week offers more opportunities to watch football than any other week of the year. The NFL has teams fighting for position in the playoffs and the college bowl games are in full swing. Hundreds of thousands of fans will sit in the stands of stadiums around the country pulling for their favorite teams.

It's great to be a fan in the stands but it's even more fun to be a participant on the field.

Unfortunately, a lot of church members would rather be spectators rather than participants. God didn't design you to sit and watch. He created you for a purpose and He wants you on the playing field.

It reminds me of something I read a long time ago.

How to Keep Church Members in the Stands (and off the playing field)

1. Keep People in Large Groups

People get lost in a crowd so never encourage them to meet in small groups or classes. Pretty soon they will stop coming or be in trouble and no one will even notice.

2. Let a Few People Do it All

If you let a few people do all the ministry in your church, others won't feel needed and may stop coming altogether.

3. Make the Vision of the Church a Mystery

The Bible says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." If you don't let people know the vision and purpose of the Church, they won't have a cause that keeps them involved.

4. Don't Require much of your Members

The Bible teaches that every member of the Body of Christ has a function. That means members that don't serve keep God's Church handicapped. If you do away with all expectations for involvement, the lack of commitment will keep more people on the membership roll than in ministry.

5. Create Boring and Irrelevant Worship Services

People will want to attend a church that has exciting worship and teaching that speaks to everyday life. The better you bore folks, the more inactive they become.

6. Stifle Spiritual Growth

Healthy Christians are usually active church members. Don't encourage people to grow spiritually. Don't endorse spiritual disciplines like daily Bible reading/study, prayer, tithing, etc.

Book Review: Primal by Mark Batterson

What would your Christianity look like if it was stripped down to the simplest, rawest, purest, faith possible? You would have more, not less. You would have the beginning of a new reformation - in your generation, your church, your own soul. You would have primal Christianity.

Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity by Mark Batterson is an invitation to become part of a reformation movement. It is an invitation to rediscover the compassion, wonder, curiosity, and energy that turned the world upside down 2000 years ago. It is an invitation to be astonished again.

Mark Batterson is the author of Wild Goose Chase and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. He is the Lead Pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC.

Book Review: 40 Loaves

40 Loaves: Breaking Bread with Our Father Each Day serves a three-fold purpose as a daily devotional, primer for a new believer, or help for those who have a lot of questions for God. Each chapter title is a question - questions everyone asks at one time or another. C.D. Baker does a good job of giving succinct answers to the hard challenges of life.

For example:

Why can't I overcome sin in my life?
Why don't I have more faith?
Why do I so easily lose self-control?
Why am I so afraid of death?
Why am I so confused about finding God's will?
Why does God seem silent in my life?

40 Loaves would make a great gift for those who are new to the faith or anyone with a lot of unanswered questions.

I have one copy to give away. Email me at genepjennings@aol.com and I'll randomly choose a winner on Christmas Eve.

"We Ain't Wastin' Nothing!"

Yesterday morning, our church family faced a difficult day when one of our staff members lost their beautiful baby girl after a healthy, full-term pregnancy. It is heart-breaking and gut-wrenching. Please pray for them.

As I was talking to Tommy, our Student Minister, about it yesterday, he said he felt funny preparing for the Element Student Ministries Christmas party. "It feels weird teaching on celebration with all that's going on," he said.

I told him to have fun and celebrate the moment.

It reminded me of another time about 20 years ago when we served a church in the Atlanta area. A pastor friend of mine suffered a similar loss in their immediate family. When he came home later that day his wife was obviously upset about the loss of the baby. He looked in the dining room and the table was set with the fine china that usually collected dust in the china cabinet. There were candles on the table and the entire meal was elegantly spread and waiting on the family to gather around.

"What's going on?" my friend asked. His wife replied, "After today, I've decided that we are going to celebrate every day. Every day is worth celebrating. We let the china waste away in the cabinet waiting for a special occasion. Well, this is special. From now on, we ain't wastin' nothing! We are going to live fully and rejoice. This is the day the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad."

She preached a great and memorable sermon to her family that night. And one that I remembered too.

Celebrate every day. Don't let petty things get in the way of your relationships. Don't let busyness keep you from rejoicing. Don't let a day slip away without realizing how special life is and letting those around you know how special they are to you.

The Tiger Woods Saga: What Should We Expect?

Since my previous post about Tiger more dirt has been published about his affairs and sordid behavior. The last count that I've seen is 9 women. My wife and I were discussing this last night. We asked each other the question, "What does the world expect?"

The media is wearing Tiger out. Some are even crucifying him and saying he is no longer worthy to promote razor blades or golf shoes.

This is the same media that:

• televises the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
• gave us a decade of Jerry Seinfeld sleeping with a different woman in almost every episode
• publishes the annual swimsuit issue in the most popular sports magazine
• furnishes porn with just a couple of clicks with a mouse
• profiles "The Girls Next Door" each week
• glorifies music featuring lyrics of sexual escapades
• featured Adam Lambert's gross display on the American Music Awards

You can easily add to this list, but you get the point.

The media slams it in our faces day after day for years and, when someone does what they promote, they slam him for doing it. It's hypocritical, isn't it?

What Would Jesus Say to Tiger Woods?

Like millions of people, I'm disappointed in Tiger Woods. He's obviously put his marriage at risk by being unfaithful. While the story still isn't 100% solid, it seems there's something fishy going on. I'm sure the tabloids have misreported or misrepresented some things, but it appears evident that Tiger has crossed the line.

It also disappoints me that he has communicated only through his blog. I wish he'd call a press conference and let all the cameras and mics record him saying, "I've sinned. I messed up. I'm going to try and make things right." To be honest, I think he's being a little cowardly by not stepping up and facing this thing. He's a public figure and it must be confessed in public (in my humble opinion).

Do you wonder what Jesus might say to Tiger? Here's a thought:

Jesus went to Florida and at dawn he appeared in a wealthy subdivision where all the people and media trucks gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The media brought in a man caught in adultery. They made him stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this man was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such men. Now what do you say?"

But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at him." Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the man still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked him, "Tiger, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

"No one, sir," Tiger said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

(An adaptation of John 8:1-11)

Am I Living Up to the Expectations of the Pastor?

A church member asked me that question yesterday. He is three years into his journey with Jesus Christ. He had a dramatic conversion experience. He struggles with a lot of issues from his past. He fights physical and mental challenges. His language is salty. He has a hard time socially. He has some addiction issues. He's, I guess I could say, rough around the edges. But he knows the Bible well. He quotes Scripture in almost every conversation. He wants to please God.

I don't think anyone has ever asked me that question before.

My answer? I said, "Absolutely. If you're seeking to follow Christ and being transformed by his Holy Spirit, you are doing all that should be expected."

Years ago, when I was a little more legalistic, I probably would have told him that he needed to attend Sunday School regularly, and Sunday night services, and Wednesday night prayer meetings, tithe, read the Bible and pray daily, go on church-wide visitations, listen to Christian music all the time, stop smoking, stop cussing, stop everything that wasn't "Christian," dress up for church, clean under your fingernails, etc. etc.

I'm exaggerating - a little. I'm glad that I could affirm him and encourage him with my simple answer.

Information Overload

I recently upgraded my cellphone plan to include internet access. Not sure if that was a good move. Now I feel like the poor donkey in this picture. I get phone calls, texts, tweets, and email on my phone. Not to mention that every time I log on to my computer I have emails waiting from another account, Facebook updates, blog updates, etc.

I know, I know - I put myself in this situation and I can back out if I want. The bad thing is that I can't let anything go without my attention. When I log on to TweetDeck, I feel obligated to go through all of the previous tweets that were posted since my last visit there. When I go to my bloglines.com account, I regularly look at every post before I clear them out. When I check email, I feel compelled to open every one that isn't obviously spam.

I'm getting information overload.

Then I read 1 Corinthians 8:1 this morning. "While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church (NLT).

I love knowledge and information. I like to read books, blogs, newspapers, magazines, tweets, websites, etc. I love to learn. In fact, a mantra that I truly believe is leaders are learners. As a leader of my church, I feel that it is part of my job to learn, stretch, and challenge myself to mold my brain in the shape of modern day apostle.

But sometimes I just want to simplify. I can't put my head in the sand and ignore it. The internet is not a fad. It's here to stay. This generation must learn how to handle the kazillion bits of information that enter our brains every day. It's no wonder so many people are ADD. It's become a part of our nature to bounce around from one topic to the other in a matter of seconds.

I heard a grandmother yelling at her young adult grandson yesterday because he was looking at his phone while she was talking to him. "Put the phone down and look at me when I'm talking to you! That's rude! You'll never get a job by doing that!" she lectured.

I laughed. What grandma calls inattention is now called multitasking. She's just lucky he wasn't driving and singing along to his ipod too.

So with all of this knowledge the Bible says we are to love more than anything else. I understand that I don't have to follow and subscribe to all of the different sources of information out there. I have to constantly monitor my information intake. But there is one thing that I MUST do, regardless of the barrage of info. I must love.

Let's give it a try.

You Never Know Who's Reading This

I thought this was pretty cool. I was messing around with my account on StatCounter.com and looked at the recent visitor map for the past week (pictured below). Seems people from all over have stumbled across this place. Granted, a lot of them truly stumbled here. I don't have many friends in India or Japan. But it does show you the power of the internet and the influence one can have even at a simple blog. I understand that most visitors don't stay here long, but what if? What if a seeker in Brazil, Nigeria, San Diego, or the Philippines stumbled on to this simple site and their faith was stretched, their minds engaged, or their hearts convicted?

It's a sobering thought and it makes me think twice about what I say here. For now, all I can say is, "Wow."

Microwaving Pop-Tarts

If you're microwaving your pop-tarts, you need more margin in your life...

All Christians are Not Hypocrites

Over the past couple of weeks, I've heard it publicly declared that, "All Christians are hypocrites."

It's not true.

This statement is a pet peeve of mine. Somehow this belief has entered the minds of many believers, but to believe it as truth is a misunderstanding of the term. I suppose some Christ-followers use this statement to recognize that no Christian is perfect - but we are not all hypocrites. Those unaffiliated with Christianity like to use the convenient excuse that "the church is full of hypocrites." Yes, there are a bunch of them. Full? I hope not. But all Christians are not hypocrites. The truth is the Church is full of sinners!

You can't be a Christian without acknowledging your sin. Jesus is all about rescuing us from our sin. When those outside the Church see a Christian sin, they think he/she is a hypocrite because they have the false belief that Christians are supposed to be perfect. Like the bumper sticker says, Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.

To be clear: All Christians are sinners and all hypocrites are sinners, but all sinners are not hypocrites nor are all Christians.

Hypocrisy is a type of sin just like lying, cheating, stealing, etc. (See 1 Peter 2:1). We get the word "hypocrite" from the Greek word, "hupocritos" which means to act or play a part. More specifically, to wear a mask. In the Greek theater, actors wore masks to display their mood. A smiling mask was worn to characterize an actor in a good mood and a sad mask was worn to indicate an actor's misery. You've seen the comedy/tragedy masks before, I'm sure. An actor in the Greek theater was called a hypocrite. This is why a hypocrite is sometimes called "two-faced."

The Bible defines a hypocrite many times in many ways. Isaiah said they are people who honor God with their lips but don't really mean it (29:13). The apostle Paul defined hypocrites as people who "claim to know God but by their actions deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good" (Titus 1:16). Jesus defined a hypocrite as someone who tries to impress others with their righteous living. They like to be seen by men doing good works, praying, and fasting. They like to appear religious but their religion doesn't come from the heart (Matthew 6).

No matter the definition, the major ingredients of hypocrisy are dishonesty and deception. Someone once said, "A hypocrite never intends to be what he pretends to be."

How do you know if you are a hypocrite? Ask yourself: Do I change who I am depending on the company I keep? Am I genuine, honest, and authentic with everyone? Do I willfully and intentionally put on an act for others?

There is a difference between an authentic Christ-follower struggling with sin and a hypocrite. If you're struggling with sin, you come to God saying, "God, this is a weakness in my life and I really need your help to deal with it." God welcomes that prayer and he promises to help. The authentic Christian knows he is not perfect and is remorseful when he sins.

But the hypocrite doesn't struggle to overcome his sin. He just tries to hide it (sometimes).

There's more I can say on this topic but I hope I've made my point. One word of warning: The apostle Paul wrote that we should keep our distance from hypocrites. They cause division and put obstacles in our way. They are not concerned with serving our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people (Romans 16:17-18).

It all goes back to honesty. Be honest with God and be honest with others. When you practice honesty, you should have no fear of being a hypocrite.

Gotta See It to Believe It

If you've noticed that I haven't been writing as much on the blog lately, it's because I've been spending a lot of time at peopleofwalmart.com.

People are strange indeed.

Is Your Ministry Sexy? by Matthew Paul Turner

Thank God for pastors like "Ben."

Read Matthew Paul Turner's post "Is Your Ministry Sexy?" here.

A One Man Band

Reaching the Next Generation

I beg of you, don’t go after the next generation with mere moralism, either on the right (don’t have sex, go to church, share your faith, stay off drugs) or on the left (recycle, dig a well, feed the homeless, buy a wristband). The gospel is not a message about what we need to do for God, but about what God has done for us. So get them with the good news about who God is and what he has done for us. Some of us, it seems, are almost scared to tell people about God. Perhaps because we don’t truly know him. Maybe because we prefer living in triviality. Or maybe because we don’t consider knowing God to be very helpful in real life. I have to fight against this unbelief in my own life.

Read the rest of this great blogpost by Kevin DeYoung here.

A Day at the Office

Silent Monks Sing

I Know a Secret

I have a few secret places that I would rather keep to myself. If too many people find out about these secret places then the sacredness and benefit of these spots will disappear. But, the truth is, these secret spots are prominently displayed on road signs and storefronts. It's just that they don't seem to have been discovered by many people yet. As more people take advantage of these places, the more busy and crowded they will become - and that may ruin them.

But I feel it is my duty to tell you about a few places that will rejuvenate you and make your life better.

One of my secrets is Goin' Postal on Marion Avenue in North Augusta. I haven't been back to the long lines of the Post Office since discovering this store. Goin' Postal is one of the best kept secrets in town. You can do pretty much anything there that you can do at the Post Office in a matter of seconds. Give them a try.

Other secret places are really no secret at all - but they are a nice getaway from the routine of the office - the New Moon Cafe and Metro Coffeehouse on Broad Street in Augusta. They both offer a variety of coffees, comfortable couches, and free wireless internet. I love eating lunch at New Moon. I've never had anything that I didn't like.

One of the best kept secrets that I know of in town is the Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve. Beth and I discovered this place a couple of years ago. It is a 1.5 mile hiking trail to the Savannah River. The picture above was taken with my cellphone camera. I'm no Mike Adams, but maybe this shot will give you an idea of what you can experience there. It's amazing how therapeutic the rushing waters of the river can be. If you ever need to getaway without really getting out of town or spending a lot of time driving to a getaway destination, you should experience this spot. You'll think you're miles from home.

What are some of your secret places?

Cool Stuff to do with your Cellphone

I recently added internet service to my smartphone just to see if it would be worthwhile. I'm still trying to decide. But now that I've discovered some cool features out there that can be done with any ordinary cellphone, I may cancel the internet service.

Check out this short, but very informative, article. Really cool stuff!!

http://www.the20life.com/2009/10/05/turn-your-cell-phone-into-a-tool-of-awesome/

The Most Relational Man in the World

My friend, Steve Saccone, recently released Relational Intelligence. Steve is a native of Evans, GA and a Lakeside High School grad. I first met Steve at Stevens Creek Church where he served as a youth intern in his college days. He serves at Mosaic Church in Los Angeles, CA today. Mosaic and its pastor, Erwin McManus, are very instrumental in leading the 21st century church. Steve's a great guy. Here's a funny book promo for his book.

The Numbers Shock Me

Back in the early 90's, I discovered the World Prayer Map published annually by Every Home for Christ (Get free maps at www.ehc.org). Since then I've tried to keep a current copy nearby to use as a prayer guide and resource. It is a neat tool that shows each country's population, the name of its leader, and the percentage of Christians in that country. It also serves as a prayer guide by assigning specific countries to pray for each day of the month and giving you specific things to pray for in that country. I highly recommend it.

I've been crunching some numbers lately and some of the results that I'm getting haunt me. For example, out of 227 countries in the world, 152 have a Christian population of 10% or less. 116 of those have a Christian population of less than 5%. (EHC gathers these statistics from Operation World - an organization that has been tracking and studying world evangelism for decades.)

What countries have the most Christians? The top 5 are:

1. Uganda 46%
2. Kenya 36%
3. Central African Republic 35%
4. USA 33%
5. Swaziland 29%

(Note: This list includes only countries with populations of 1 million or more. Some small islands in the South Pacific have a high number of Christians such as the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu.)

If you were to look at the listing of every country on the planet, you would be shocked at the number of countries with virtually no or very little Christian influence. Here are some examples:

Spain 0.4%
Greece 0.4%
Germany 2.9%
France 0.8%
United Kingdom 8.5%
Russia 0.7%
Iran and Afghanistan 0.0%
Vietnam 1.4%
Indonesia 4%
China 6%
Japan 0.4%
Costa Rica 12%
Colombia 4.7%

So it bothers me when we, the Church in America, spend so much time and money on ourselves and very little on world evangelism. We are oblivious to the fact that most of the world has NO KNOWLEDGE of Jesus Christ. We are like the band members on the Titanic. We continue to play our songs while the world around us is dying.

Jesus gave us a Great Commission to "go into all the world," yet very few believers take it seriously. We must be obedient to this calling. I fear that the Church in America, ONE-THIRD of the American population, is failing at this - miserably.

More later. Gotta go for now.

The USS Roomba

My friend, Andy, got a new toy - and was apparently really bored one night. Enjoy this...

Fishing My Way Out of a Funk

A member of TNC dropped by the office and left Fish! for me and other staff members to read. I was familiar with the book and Seattle's Pike Place Fish Company but never actually read the book. Several years ago at a leadership conference, I saw a video about Pike Place and it made quite an impression. The video below is a different one, but it will give you a good idea about why Pike Place has become a classroom for business leaders, employers, and employees. They incorporate four key principles that lead to their success.

The book spells them out in detail in a fictional account of a corporate executive (Mary Jane) who is given the responsibility to reinvigorate the operations center of one of Seattle's largest financial institutions. Mary Jane happens by the fish market one day during her lunch break and begins watching and learning the key principles of the market.

The four principles are:

1. Choose your attitude (Determine to make each day a great day.)
2. Play (Be serious about work without being serious about yourself.)
3. Be present (Stay focused when coworkers or customers need you.)
4. Make their day (Give a helping hand, a word of support, or a listening ear.)

Here's a short video of Pike Place. I laughed out loud when the guy chased customers around the market with an octupus.



This book came to me at an interesting time. I've been in a funk lately. We all go through them - at least, I know I do! I can't point my finger at any particular reason why I've been in a funk. I could blame it on busyness, stage of life, the beginnings of empty nesting, daily challenges and frustrations, even the devil. There are a number of possible reasons. Whatever they are, I picked up Fish! last weekend and read through it quickly. (It's only 110 pages, large print, easy to read.)

Last Monday morning, after my daily Bible reading and prayer time, I decided that I would not go into the office in a funk. So I got a piece of paper and put a plus sign on one side and a minus sign on the other. I listed all of the positive things in my life. It was long! I am SO BLESSED IT IS RIDICULOUS. I know God has blessed me immensely but it helps to put them on paper and meditate on them.

On the right side of the paper, I wrote down a few things that were dragging me down. I think I listed 3 things. They were so trivial and so STUPID that when I looked at my completed list I laughed out loud, shook my head and said, "Lord, I am such an idiot for letting a few things drag me down."

The negatives were no comparison to the positives in my life. Almost immediately, the FUNK was gone. I prayed a prayer of confession, forgiveness, and moved on.

I can't give Fish! all of the credit for getting me out of my foul attitude, but it is interesting that it came my way when it did.

PS - I started writing for ehow.com a month ago. My funky experience led to an article. You can see it here.

Francis Chan - Balance Beam

What if we were honest?

As a pastor, part of my job is to listen. Lately, I've listened to a lot of people whose issues would be less stressful if they could be honest in their relationships. Honesty is one of the core character traits of peaceful living. Being honest with God and others is one of the foundational principles of the Christian life. If we could all practice honesty, I think the quality of our lives would dramatically improve.

Look at the guy in the picture. Would you be more likely to drop a dollar in his can if his sign said, "Will Work For Food" knowing in the back of your mind that the guy just wanted beer money? When I saw this picture, my first impression was that I would probably respond in two ways.

1. I would give him some money. (If I had any in my wallet. I rarely carry cash these days. I wonder when homeless people will be able to receive credit or debit cards?)

2. I would give him more money than usual. Just for being honest, I would probably drop a $5 or $10 in his can instead of a dollar or loose change. I don't advocate Budweiser or any alcoholic beverages and I know I shouldn't enable an alcoholic but something about his honesty causes me to want to reward him.

I remember hearing Rob Bell teach on honesty a few years ago. It truly is one of the fundamental traits that will make our relationships more enjoyable. When we pussyfoot around issues and other people's feelings, we create more complexity in our relationships, more secrets whispered about others when they aren't around, more barriers between our friends and coworkers, and more relationship "triangles" that often end up in hurt feelings and lost confidence.

What if we were honest? How would that change things? How would it change you?

YouTube's Greatest Hits in 4 Minutes

If God is Good - Book Review

Every one of us will experience suffering. Many of us are experiencing it now. As we have seen in recent years, evil is real in our world, present and close to each one of us.

In such difficult times, suffering and evil beg questions about God--Why would an all-good and all-powerful God create a world full of evil and suffering? And then, how can there be a God if suffering and evil exist?

These are ancient questions, but also modern ones as well. Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and even former believers like Bart Ehrman answer the question simply: The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no God.

In this captivating new book, best-selling author Randy Alcorn challenges the logic of disbelief, and brings a fresh, realistic, and thoroughly biblical insight to the issues these important questions raise.

Alcorn offers insights from his conversations with men and women whose lives have been torn apart by suffering, and yet whose faith in God burns brighter than ever. He reveals the big picture of who God is and what God is doing in the world–now and forever. And he equips you to share your faith more clearly and genuinely in this world of pain and fear.

As he did in his best-selling book, Heaven, Randy Alcorn delves deep into a profound subject, and through compelling stories, provocative questions and answers, and keen biblical understanding, he brings assurance and hope to all.

A Classic Rock Song - Uniquely Done

Ben Rector - Free from TK McKamy on Vimeo.

You Were Born for This by Bruce Wilkinson

His New York Times phenomenon The Prayer of Jabez changed how millions pray. Now Bruce Wilkinson wants to change what they do next.

Anyone can do a good deed, but some good works can only happen by a direct intervention from God. Around the world these acts are called miracles—not that even religious people expect to see one any time soon. But what would happen if millions of ordinary people walked out each morning expecting God to deliver a miracle through them to a person in need? You Were Born for This starts with the dramatic premise that everyone at all times is in need of a miracle, and that God is ready to meet those needs supernaturally through ordinary people who are willing to learn the “protocol of heaven.”

In the straightforward, story-driven, highly motivating style for which he is known, Wilkinson describes how anyone can be a “Delivery Guy” from heaven in such universally significant arenas of life as finances, practical help, relationships, purpose, and spiritual growth.

You Were Born for This will change how readers see their world, and what they expect God can do through them to meet real needs. They will master seven simple tools of service, and come to say with confidence, “I want to deliver a supernatural gift from God to someone in need today—and I expect to!”

See video here:

http://bit.ly/wGT7l

Stephen Colbert and His Joy Machine

For some reason, we began receiving Rolling Stone magazine about a year ago. I've enjoyed looking through it and reading it each month. It helps me keep up with what's going on in the music industry as well as reading what those on the left-side of the political spectrum are thinking. RS is unapologetically a liberal thinking magazine. Each month features several jabs and punches at conservative Americans.

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I read this month's cover story about Stephen Colbert. Colbert, the host of The Colbert Report (Comedy Central, 11:30 EST), grew up in Charleston, SC. He is a faithful attender of his Catholic Church and unafraid to say that he not only believes in God but loves Him and His Church. To be honest, I was shocked to read not just that Colbert was a God-fearing, church attending man, but also that Rolling Stone didn't attack or seem to mind his beliefs. For that, I am grateful to the writers and editors of RS.

Colbert's father and two older brothers were killed in a plane crash in Charlotte, NC, when he was a child. Obviously, this is a tough way for a young man to grow up. He admits that he struggled with his belief in God and his faith when he was in college. It wasn't until a Gideon gave him a copy of the New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs after he graduated college when he regained his faith. Colbert says, "I took one (New Testament) and opened it right away to Matthew, Chapter 5, which is the opening of the Sermon on the Mount. That whole chapter is essentially about not worrying. I didn't read it - it spoke to me, and it was an effortless absorption of the idea. Nothing came to me in a thunderbolt, but I thought to myself, 'I'd be dumb not to re-examine this.'"

Colbert continues to talk a little about suffering and how we should be grateful for our suffering. He also includes a nice thought on having fun at work. He calls his show "The Joy Machine." He strives to have fun with his show because, if not, it just becomes a machine. And if he's not careful, he will soon get caught up in the gears of the machine. (The Church can be like that. We can sometimes get caught up in the machinery of the Church and lose our joy.)

It's quite a remarkable piece.

If you've never watched his show, he is pretty funny and really silly. The Colbert you see on TV is nothing but an act. In fact, he said that he makes sure that his guests understand that he is playing a character that is an idiot and willfully ignorant about them and their causes.

If you find yourself at a magazine stand, you may want to pick up this copy of RS. With people like Kanye West and others on a constant ego trip on TV, it's refreshing to me to read about someone who understands that life is about more than themselves.

Wisdom for Obama from Dragnet

Coming Soon: Lord, Save Us From Your Followers

This looks interesting:

http://lordsaveusthemovie.com/

No Mo' Breakfast Song

How You Can Help

If you are a regular follower of my blog, Facebook page, or Twitter, you're probably absolutely sick and tired of my pitches for Laughing with Sarah. Believe me, it gets old to me too. But the sad truth of writing a book is that the author is the primary spokesman for his book. If the author doesn't sell it, it won't get sold. That is, of course, unless your name happens to be John Grisham or Joel Osteen or someone else with a huge platform from which to sell books.

It is a well-known fact in the publishing business that authors must sell their books. It is also a fact that it is one thing to write a book and it is another thing to sell a book. This is why the average book sells only 500 copies. Most authors enjoy the task of writing, but they despise the task of selling. With that said, I wanted to post something that will help sell a few more copies of Laughing with Sarah.

But here's why:

My church, TrueNorth Church, has a contract on 16 acres of land. We've been meeting in a high school for five years and we are ready to venture out and get our own space. In order to possess the land, we have entered a month-long campaign to raise the money for not only a downpayment but a considerable chunk of money toward this project. The We Unite Land Offering will be received on Sunday, September 20.

Between now and then, we have asked our church members to not only sacrifice but to use creative means to generate more income for themselves that they can pass on to TrueNorth. We have folks who are having yard sales, making quilts, selling jewelry, working overtime, etc. We reminded them of Deuteronomy 8:18 which tells us that God gives us the ability to produce wealth. Steve, our Lead Pastor, has challenged our people to use their creative abilities to generate this offering.

One of the ways that I can contribute is through book sales. So, here is my challenge for you. If we can get a viral campaign going for Laughing with Sarah, who knows how much income it could bring? I have pledged to give all September profits from the sales of LWS to TrueNorth's WE UNITE Land Offering. Of course, even after that, I will give at least a tithe on the profits in the future. If LWS sales really go through the roof, I will fund the whole project!! (Do you believe in miracles?)

So what can you do to help? Here are some ideas:

• Buy my book. (Seems obvious, huh?)
• Tell your friends, family, colleagues, etc. about it. Bring it up at lunch, over coffee, or other gatherings. But don't give your copy away. Ask them to buy it or buy one for them.
  
• Have a copy of LWS on your desk or in a prominent place where others can see it.
• Blog about it. Facebook about it. Twitter about it.
• Add a link to LaughingWithSarah.com to your blog, website, or Facebook page. Let your friends know.
• Start an email campaign. Send everyone in your address book a personal note endorsing LWS with a link to www.LaughingWithSarah.com or the direct link to Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, et. al.
  
• Help me accomplish "250 squared." What is that, you ask? If 250 people tell 250 people about LWS, the result is that 62,500 people will hear about LWS. 250 X 250 = 62,500. If you ask your 250 friends to pass the word on to 250 of their friends, that number becomes over 15 MILLION people.
• Go to Amazon.com and write a review. 5 stars would be nice - if you think it's deserved, of course.
• Give the book as a gift. Buy them for upcoming Christmas or birthday presents. Let me know if you want it signed.
• Ask for it at bookstores and request it at your local library.
• Become a reseller if you have a platform from which to sell. For example, you own a store, you teach seminars, or you host training classes.

If this seems self-serving, I apologize. But this is my way of helping contribute to the future of TNC.

One more thing to note, just in case you're wondering. My profits from the sales of LWS vary depending on the distributor. The minimum profit is a little less than $4 per book. When Amazon sells it, for example, I make $3.71. The most is about $9. So you can do the math to see how many people need to buy LWS in order to make this thing go crazy!

I would appreciate your help in any way. Thanks for reading all of this!!

Reality Check

This video may disturb you but it is certainly a good reality check.

http://www.bradcooper.us/?p=1577

Book Review: Uncharted by Angela Hunt

I sat under Angela Hunt for four days at a fiction writing class last May at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. You can see my post about the conference and a picture of Angie and me here.

Since Angie has written over 100 books, sold over 3 million, and won tons of awards, I thought it would be good to not only sit under her tutelage but to read some of her work too. So I've collected several of her books to add to my stack. Beth read Uncharted early in the summer and I read it at the beach a few weeks ago.

Publisher's Weekly described Uncharted as a blend of the movies Castaway and The Big Chill, with a touch of the TV series, Lost, creatively thrown together with the biblical story of the beggar Lazarus and C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce.

Five long-time friends from college take time off for an adventure of a lifetime to complete a mission project in the South Pacific to honor the memory of their friend who recently died. But when a storm rocks their plans, they find themselves hurled onto a desolate island, and relief fades to fear. Nature rules with a vengeance. The lone shelter from the raw conditions is a sinister cave. Are they victims of a bizarre psychological experiment? Or could this godforsaken place have the power to maroon them forever?

By the time you put down Uncharted, you will be amazed at the spiritual lessons you learned.

Final Vision photos

Great photos by Mike Adams from our Dunk'd service last Saturday. Click here

What a Weekend!

TrueNorth Church celebrated its 5th birthday in a big way this weekend. Saturday night at the Riverwalk Amphitheater we worshiped and celebrated the baptism of 43 people. As usual, most of our baptizees were adults. All totaled, TNC has seen 578 individuals baptized in its first five years.

That is an amazing statistic.

Most new churches don't even make it to the five year mark. Not only has TNC made it for five years, we've made it in a BIG way!

And as if that weren't enough, this morning we made a big announcement. We have the opportunity to purchase 16 acres on Martintown Road. What a beautiful piece of land! Each service responded wildly when Stevie D presented it to us via video. What a memorable day! What a ride! What a weekend!

What's It Like to Die?

I wrote this for a funeral that I'm conducting tomorrow. Thought you might like it.

I can't fully describe heaven to you. The Bible describes it in colorful language. Revelation 21:21 says that heaven is so great that our most valuable asset here on earth, gold, is what will be used for pavement in heaven.

I think that moving from this life to heaven maybe similar to our being born here on earth. When you were in your mother's womb, you were completely comfortable. You had a warm, comfortable little spot. Food was delivered to you automatically via an umbilical cord. You had no need for clothing. You didn't worry about food, clothing, and shelter when you were in your mother's womb. You didn't know what a mortgage was, or a job, or school, or any of the challenges that we all face. You had it made.

But one day, something happened. The walls around you began to rumble. Things were changing fast and before you knew it you found yourself in a cold, brightly lit room full of people in hospital gowns gathered around a weeping woman. You had no idea what was ahead of you.

If somehow we could communicate with an infant in his mother's womb and describe what was to come after birth, the infant might say, "No, thanks. I'm completely comfortable here in mom's belly. I'll just stay here."

You didn't know what was to come. You couldn't comprehend what was in store for you during your lifetime. But aren't you glad you were born?

I believe our transition from this life to eternal life might be like that. Just like you couldn't imagine or comprehend life on the other side of your mother's womb, you can't imagine or comprehend life on the other side of the grave.

Book Review - Tuesdays with Morrie

Mitch Albom's book, Tuesdays with Morrie, has been out since 1997. It's one of those books that I'd heard about over the years and put on my "must read" list. I finally read it yesterday. As expected, it is an introspective book and true story that causes you to evaluate life and death.

Mitch is a successful sportswriter who reconnects with an old college professor, Morris "Morrie" Schwartz, when he learns that Morrie has ALS, i.e., Lou Gehrig's disease. Mitch lives in Detroit. Morrie lives in Boston. But Mitch makes it a point to become a student once again under his favorite teacher. Mitch flies to Boston to meet regularly with Morrie on Tuesdays for their final class together and he learns about what matters most in life through a dying man.

It is a refreshing story - funny, sad, reflective, and inspirational. Morrie's wit and wisdom engages you and Mitch's writing style makes you feel like you are in the room with them.

A few quotes:

Morrie about regrets: "The culture doesn't encourage you to think about such things until you're about to die. We're so wrapped up in egotistical things, career, family, having enough money, meeting the mortgage, getting a new car, fixing the radiator when it breaks - we're involved in trillions of little acts just to keep going. So we don't get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying, 'Is this all? Is this all I want? Is something missing?'"

Morrie about dying: "Everyone knows they're going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently."

"To know you're going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time - that's better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you're living."

Morrie about money and status: "If you're trying to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down on you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone."

Mitch wrote that Morrie was a "religious mutt." Morrie's insights came from his Jewish heritage, Christianity, and even some Eastern religions. While this book isn't from an absolute Christian point of view, it is definitely worth the read and its insights are valuable for us all.

The Breath of Life

This appeared today on www.christiandevotions.us. Thought I'd post it here too. You can subscribe to this service and receive a brief devotional thought each day. I recommend it!


The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

When I was in college I was a lifeguard at a local swimming pool. Prior to the summer season, I was certified in Water Safety, Life Saving, and CPR. Because it is dangerous to practice CPR on a person, we had to perform our techniques on a mannequin. We laughed about having to put our mouths on our artificial victims and we made sure to swab the areas clean with plenty of alcohol before passing them on to the next student.

It was hard to be serious about it because we all felt a little silly administering mouth-to-mouth to a plastic person.

However, a few months later, during a hot, humid, and busy July 4th weekend at the pool, I learned the value of knowing CPR. A swimmer passed out while standing atop a diving board ten feet from the ground. I rushed to his side, as did a Registered Nurse who happened to be nearby. The victim was unconscious and we immediately began administering CPR. It was definitely no laughing matter. It was critical.

The nurse and I were able to breathe life into our patient. He began breathing again and, in a few minutes, he was transported to a local hospital. Unfortunately, I learned later that afternoon that the young man died from injuries sustained from his fall.

I learned the value of life that day. I learned how quickly life can pass and how important it is to live each day to the fullest. I learned that God has breathed life into each one of us and that we have been given something very special. Do you realize that God has chosen to breathe life into you? It is a precious gift that we must use for His glory each and every day.

We only have one life to make an impact. One life to make a difference. One life to be a positive influence for Christ. What will you do with your one and only life?

by Gene Jennings

Fun with Constant Contact

In an effort to publicize and promote LWS, I've recently been introduced to Constant Contact. (I don't get any $$ if you hit the link, by the way. I'm just promoting them out of the goodness of my heart!) It is amazingly simple to use. Years ago, when I published Timely Words, I sent a weekly email out for awhile. It wasn't an easy task - especially managing the list. I was glad when I decided to can the weekly TW email.

If you are interested in promoting your book, ministry, family, hobby, etc. I would strongly encourage it. Their free 60 day trial is legit. You can use it without any obligation or credit card number.

If you would like to receive my Constant Contact mailings, you can subscribe in the box on the right.

An Idiot's Guide to Idioms

As a writer, I'm fascinated with words. I recently purchased A Dictionary of American Idioms. I know, I know, B-O-R-I-N-G!

An idiom is language peculiar to a people or culture. Many times an idiom has a meaning that can't be determined by the individual words themselves. For example, "Sunday week" means a week from this Sunday. I recently discovered in a staff meeting that this is apparently a Southern idiom. Other examples are: cool cat, fly off the handle, like a breeze, and kick the bucket.

The reason I bought this dictionary is because it's a thought-provoking, writer's block-curing, interesting book to thumb through when you're a little bored. It's also full of great book and article titles. For example, imagine the following as books or movies. (They may already be out there.)

At the End of Her Rope
Lion's Share
Means to an End
Out Cold
Drop in the Bucket
Dead Ringer
Devil to Pay

Books/Movies/TV Shows with idioms as titles:

Sixth Sense
Duck Soup
Facts of Life
Fall Guy
Growing Pains
Half-Time
Helter-Skelter
Rush Hour

Book Review - Same Kind of Different as Me

There are only a few books that I've read in two sittings. Same Kind of Different as Me is now on that short list. I read the first half of it last Saturday on the plane from Guatemala City to Atlanta. I read the second half last night.

What an incredible story!

It's a true and unlikely story about a wealthy Texas art dealer and his wife, passionate to show God's love to the homeless, and a hobo who spent most of his life as a modern-day slave (sharecropper) in Louisiana. The initial thought is that the story is about how the rich Texans would change the homeless man's life - and they did. But Denver, the homeless man, changed them much more.

Same Kind of Different as Me is a touching and powerful story about God's grace and mercy and the value of relationships. I highly recommend it. 5 STARS!

Out of the Dark (Again) and into the Whirlwind

I've spent a lot of time in the "dark" so far this summer. No or little internet or cellphone access has been kind of a nice relief. Beth, Bailey, and I left with 8 others from TNC for a week in Guatemala. We had a great mission trip last week. (I posted more details about the trip on www.tncblog.com.)

On Friday of last week, we visited Aqua Viva Children's Home. Pictured with us is Bailey's friend, Flor. They became buddies when Bailey spent a week at the home in March. It was a sweet reunion.

This week has been crazy busy. Lots going on. We arrived back in town late Saturday night. Sunday was a full day. (I haven't had my Sunday nap in 2 weeks!) Monday, the first day back in the TNC offices, was a big day of catch-up. Everyday this week has been full. Add to that a visit to the migrant camp Wednesday night. A late night phone call and visit regarding a crisis situation. Wedding rehearsal last night, funeral out of town today, and wedding tomorrow night. Whew!

But it's all good (minus the grieving situation, of course). God has been doing a neat work in the lives of our Guatemala mission team and He's cooking up something special for TNC this fall.

When I get a chance to sit down and take my time, I'll try to post something meaningful. Right now, I'm still trying to catch my breath!

Out of the Dark

Beth and I went to the western North Carolina mountains for a few days last week. We had a beautiful house placed beside a mountain stream. (The stream picture was taken with my cellphone camera.)

24 hours a day we could hear the soothing rustling waters of the stream pouring over the rocks. The house featured a spacious deck that hung over the water and we spent most of our three mornings there reading and drinking coffee in our temporary paradise. In addition to relaxing at the house, we ventured into Cashiers and Highlands, NC. We climbed Whiteside Mountain (4930 feet above sea level) and we walked the first leg of the Chattooga River Trail.

During our stay, we were in the dark. "Dark" meaning no cellphone coverage or internet access. There was Direct TV available but the only thing on at the time was Michael Jackson coverage. (More on that later.) It's liberating, yet a little nerve-wracking at the same time, to be without the instant access that we've grown accustomed to. A part of me couldn't relax for awhile because I couldn't call or text anyone unless we were in town. There was a phone at the mountain house and I had given the number to my kids and a couple of guys at the office in case of emergency. But there still is this weird, but good, feeling when you are in the dark. It's funny how 21st century technology affects us, isn't it?

The mountain getaway allowed me to read a book that I was anxious to read. Somewhere along the way I read an interview with a writer that I admire who said that they read everything that David Sedaris wrote. I took that as my cue to pick up a Sedaris book to see for myself why he is a best-selling author. I read it in two days. He is a great storyteller and I really like his writing style. I was in tears laughing at parts of his book. I could hardly tell Beth what I was laughing at because I was out of control.

But I need to warn you. Because many of you that read this blog are Christians and attenders at my church, you need to know that this is far from a Christian book. There are some obscenities and awkward topics. (David Sedaris is a homosexual and he talks about his relationship with his boyfriend, et. al. - 'nuff said.) I don't have a link to his book here like I usually do when I post a book review because I don't want it to be said that "a preacher at TrueNorth Church recommended it." You have to use your own discretion when you pick up a book.

I read it and enjoyed it because I really liked his style. I certainly don't approve of all his lifestyle choices. I knew nothing about Sedaris when I picked up the book - only that a fellow writer liked his material.

With that said, it occurred to me that reading these kind of people is a way for me to see the light. What I mean is that I as a Christian typically read Christian literature. Most of my reading is about the Church, Christian leadership, Biblical studies, and sometimes Christian fiction. I try to be careful not to place myself in a holy box and read only Christian stuff. I read outside of my realm sometimes - even Rolling Stone magazine lately. I think it's important to know what others in our culture are thinking. It's a reminder to me of how many people in the world live in the dark without the light of Christ.

As I read David Sedaris' thoughts, I found myself thinking, "I'd love to have a conversation with this guy. I wonder what he thinks about..." Because his background is almost total opposite of mine, it's interesting to me to read how others think and how they got to their conclusions.

One final thought: Is it just me or is the Michael Jackson stuff too much? Was he a great talent? No doubt. But the overdone TV coverage is out of control. I saw last night that Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton are now involved. Where is that going? I've seen clips of Michael moonwalking more in the past few days than I ever saw him do it in his fifty years. The carniverous media is feasting on this poor guy now. It's getting weird.

I wish I could speak in tongues...

Spanish, to be exact.

Our partner church from Guatemala has a team here this week. We developed a partnership with El Camino Church several years ago and have designed our missions ministry in a unique way. Most American churches send missions teams and money to other countries. While this is beneficial and, hopefully, a blessing to them, TNC has added a twist to what normal churches do.

Does this surprise you? TNC isn't "normal."

In addition to TNC sending teams to Guatemala to bless them, they come to South Carolina to bless us! This week, a team from El Camino Church is here ministering to Hispanics in North Augusta and Edgefield County. In the mornings, they are leading a Backyard Bible Club in a Hispanic neighborhood and in the evenings they are ministering in a local migrant camp. It's been a great blessing to have them!

Every time I travel south of the border (Guatemala, Costa Rica, or Mexico) my biggest regret is that I cannot speak Spanish! One day...one day, I want to be able to have some general conversational Spanish skills.

In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit gave believers the ability to speak other known languages in a supernatural way. The lazy man in me wishes God would give me that ability supernaturally!!

Have you claimed your Facebook url yet?

I got mine tonight. You can find me faster now at facebook.com/genejennings.

LWS gets another push

In the Baptist Courier this week...

Start Your Online Day with a Devotional

If you're like me, one of the first things I do in the mornings when I get to my office is fire up the computer and open my email inbox. Let me suggest that when you start your day online that you start it with a short devotional thought. My friends, Cindy Sproles and Eddie Jones have a website that will help you do just that. www.christiandevotions.us includes daily devotionals on a variety of topics. Cindy and Eddie have also recently published a devotional book titled Spirit & Heart. You can learn more about it on their site, as well as other great Christian books.

I encourage you to go to the site and sign up for a daily email devotional from them. It's a great way to start your day!

Sasquatch music festival 2009 - Guy starts dance party

Found this on Seth Godin's blog. (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2009/06/guy-3.html) Below are his thoughts.

Here's a video of a dance tribe forming spontaneously at a music festival.

My favorite part happens just before the first minute mark. That's when guy #3 joins the group. Before him, it was just a crazy dancing guy and then maybe one other crazy guy. But it's guy #3 who made it a movement.

Initiators are rare indeed, but it's scary to be the leader. Guy #3 is rare too, but it's a lot less scary and just as important. Guy #49 is irrelevant. No bravery points for being part of the mob.

We need more guy #3s.

Unworthy Beloved May 24, 2009

Many of you know that my son, Cliff, is one of our worship leaders at TNC. I posted his rendition of Aerosmith's "Dream On" back on March 17.

My baby girl, Bailey, is a worship leader too. She sings with a band from her college in NC. Here's Bails in action recently.

Do you want a FREE copy of Laughing with Sarah?

I am giving away a FREE copy of Laughing with Sarah to the first 10 people who will commit to reading it and posting a review on Amazon.com. All I ask is for recipients to read it and post the review by July 15. You can be honest on your review. I don't expect you to lie!

To get your FREE copy, email me at genepjennings@aol.com, or genej@truenorthchurch.com, leave a comment on my blog, or reply via Facebook.

ONLY THE FIRST 10 PEOPLE GET A FREE COPY SO ACT NOW IF YOU'RE INTERESTED!

Laughing with Sarah finally hits Amazon & BN.com

They said it would take 6-8 weeks.

They were right.

It takes Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com 6-8 weeks to list a new book. Laughing with Sarah was submitted on April 21. Finally, six weeks later, LWS showed up on these two major online bookstores.

If you haven't purchased your copy yet, you can get it through:

My website: www.laughingwithsarah.com

Amazon: www.amazon.com Click the ad in right column of this blog.

Barnes and Noble: www.bn.com

The Shallow Christian

Here's an excerpt from Laughing with Sarah: Chapter 10 - "Getting Deep."

"I want to go deeper."
"I wish my pastor would go deeper in his preaching."
"That church is shallow. They don't preach the whole gospel."

I've heard comments like these for years – especially since the contemporary church movement began a couple of decades ago. Contemporary and seeker-friendly churches are often accused of preaching a watered-down version of the gospel. Heavy on grace and light on sin. The promise of heaven but not a peep about hell. Liberal with love and little judgment.

Several times a year, someone will approach me and say, "Pastor, I want to go deeper." My response is usually, "What do you mean by that? Do you mean you want to get in over your head? That could be dangerous."

- - -

So what does it mean to live a deep Christian life? We may get all kinds of answers to that question. Maybe it helps to ask, "What is a shallow Christian?"

A shallow Christian is one who claims to know Christ and who can point to a time in his life when he understood the basics of the gospel and internalized it and even publicized it (through baptism and church membership), but he has not taken the necessary steps to grow up in Christ. Instead, the shallow Christian has learned enough of the gospel to know how he should act in public but has no passion or desire to know Christ at an intimate and personal level. The shallow Christian fills a pew each Sunday. He serves, and even leads, some of the church’s committees. He gives regularly to the church. He attends the church’s special events and supports all the ministries of the church. He may even brag to his associates and friends about his church. He is a churchgoer, but he is not a "God-goer." He does not pray intimately much, if at all. He does not carve out time in his schedule to study his Bible. His efforts at personal and corporate worship are minimal at best. He makes little spiritual impact on those around him, and he has never personally shared the gospel with another person. He may know Christ as Savior, but he does not allow Christ to be Lord of his life. His life may be filled with church activities, but it is not filled with the Holy Spirit.

Sad but true. Our churches are full of shallow Christians. Each Sunday, church pews are occupied by millions of believers who have little or no interest in living a fully devoted life to Jesus Christ.

Hey! Maybe that is the definition of the deeper life. A life fully devoted to Jesus Christ. A passionate follower of Christ. Spiritual depth comes when you make loving and serving Christ your everyday mission. Going deep means living every minute of every day with the awareness that Jesus Christ is Lord and Ruler of your life. Getting deep means totally relying on, trusting in, and depending on God's Spirit to move and work in every area of your life.

There is no magic formula to living the deeper life. This is not something that you are going to accomplish by the time you finish reading this chapter. It is work. It is time-consuming. It is a lifestyle. It's a journey.

Find out what it means to "get deep" here.

Because THEY said so...

One of the first faculty members (a well-known marketing guru) that I met at the BRMCWC last week looked at my blog and said, "You need a newsletter!" I told him that I had one years ago and didn't like the additional burden. Plus, it was a pain keeping up with email addresses, updates, etc. That was around the turn of the century.

Well, things are supposedly easier now with services like Constant Contact so I bit the bullet and designed a newsletter this morning based on my new friend's advice. "Everybody's doin' it," he told me. "They say it is essential for today's writer."

So I'm doing what THEY say. You can subscribe to my occasional newsletter on the right side of this post.

The Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference 09

My brain is fried today after a week packed full of instruction, inspiration, and networking at the 2009 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. I left town immediately after church last Sunday and arrived in the mountains around 5 PM. It was pretty much non-stop all week. Classes, workshops, interviews, and general sessions filled the calendar as about 350 writers, agents, editors, and publishers gathered to learn how to continue expanding the gospel through the art of writing.

Pictured with me is Angela (Angie) Hunt. Angie taught "The Sophisticated Novelist" class Monday-Thursday morning. She is an excellent teacher and incredibly accomplished writer. Angie has sold over 3 million books! She is a best-selling author of more than 100 books. She was a delight to sit under and we hated it when it was time for the class to be over. Angie's husband is a youth minister in Florida. I told her that I was going to call him and make him an offer he can't refuse at TNC so that I could have her around as my personal writing coach! (Watch out, Tommy Wafford!)

I encourage you to add Angie's books to your summer reading list. Check out her website.

I also spend some time talking to and hearing from Chip MacGregor. Chip was recently listed as the #2 literary agent in the country by Publishers Weekly, the "Bible" of publishing. I read Chip's blog every week. He is a wealth of information regarding the publishing/writing world. He was one of our keynote speakers as well as a classroom instructor. I appreciate the time that Chip invests in this business and wanted to give him some props. By the way, this guy is really funny. I was in tears laughing at him during his keynote speech.

If you are a writer or if you are interested in becoming a writer, this conference is a great start. This was my third time at this particular writing conference. I highly recommend it.

Some other folks that I learned from and laughed with are:
Steven James
Terry Whalin
Cecil Murphey (author of 90 Minutes in Heaven and 111 other books)
Ron Benrey
Al Gansky
Jonathan Clements (My favorite person at the conference - because he's my agent!)