Gene Jennings

GeneJennings.com has moved!

2011-04-11T07:17:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I introduced my new website Quest For A New Perspective. I've been putting most of my efforts there over the past few months and allowed this site to sit quietly. This blog will remain here for now. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. It will still be here as timelywords.blogspot.com. I may post things that do not fit the theme of Q4NP, but, honestly, I'm not sure that I can maintain two sites.

www.genejennings.com will now forward to my new site. If you haven't been there yet, please drop in and check it out. It's about faith, simple living, and worldview. For a better idea of what Q4NP seeks to accomplish, check out the About page. Or, even better, look for my upcoming eBook release titled Quest For A New Perspective.

Thanks for reading!

Introducing a New Website!

2011-03-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to my new blog/website QuestForANewPerspective.com.

I've been working on it since late last year. It's a work in progress. I've added enough content over the past few months to give it some substance so I'm ready to go "public" with it.

Primarily, it is a blog, but it's different from this one. Instead of random stuff, Q4NP specifically addresses faith issues, simple living, and how to combine those two things to make a difference in the world. It also includes a free ebook you can download plus ebooks from other authors.

If you want to know exactly what QuestForANewPerspective.com is all about, check out the "About Q4NP" page for a fuller explanation.

I'd love for you to subscribe via email, RSS feed, or just come by often. And if you like it, please share it with your friends.

Thanks,

Gene

How to Change a Post-Christian Nation

2011-03-12T15:14:00.000-05:00

The following quotes are from the book The Great Evangelical Disaster:

(The United States) is a post-Christian world in which Christianity, not only in the number of Christians but in cultural emphasis and cultural result, is no longer the consensus or ethos of our society. (p. 29)

Christianity is no longer providing the consensus for our society. And Christianity is no longer providing the consensus upon which our law is based. That is not to say that the United States ever was a "Christian nation" in the sense that all or most of our citizens were Christians, nor in the sense that the nation, its laws, and social life were ever a full and complete expression of Christian truth. There is no golden age in the past which we can idealize - whether it is early America, the Reformation, or the early church. But until recent decades something did exist which can rightly be called a Christian consensus or ethos which gave a distinctive shape to Western society and to the United States in a definite way. Now that consensus is all but gone, and the freedoms that it brought are being destroyed before our eyes. We are at a time when humanism is coming to its natural conclusion in morals, in values, and in law. All that society has today are relativistic values based upon statistical averages, or the arbitrary decisions of those who hold legal and political power. (p. 47)

Not only do I find these quotes interesting but I also find the timing of these quotes interesting. They were written by Dr. Francis Schaeffer, a widely recognized Christian author, speaker, and thinker. Dr. Schaeffer wrote this in the same year in which he died - 1984.

I find this interesting because almost 30 years ago Schaeffer declared America a "post-Christian" nation, yet so many have yet to hear it. I believe that when American Christians realize that we are missionaries in a dark land our expansion efforts will improve greatly. Too many believers are interested in changing laws instead of hearts. Too many believers are focused on the White House instead of God's House. Too many believers want to protest instead of pray. Too many believers want to complain about taxes instead of tithe. Too many believers want to legislate morality instead of demonstrate morality.

We are missionaries here. Think about it. Missionaries don't go into foreign lands to change the government. They change nations by demonstrating the love of Christ one person at a time. This is not to say that citizens shouldn't exercise their right to vote and partake in the political process. It IS to say that there is much more to be done besides engaging in the political process.

I'm proud of my church - TrueNorth Church - who stepped up to the plate this morning during our monthly Second Saturday and covered our city with simple acts of kindness and love. From feeding the homeless to painting an inner city school and dozens of other projects in between, TNC is learning how to change lives - from the inside out. Nearly 400 people came out today to show Christ's love in simple ways!

We will see cultural change when Christians get out of the pews and into the streets. We will see laws change when Christian love prevails. We will see Christ change lives when the world around us sees Christ in us.

"That's tragic. What's for lunch?"

2011-03-07T08:24:00.000-05:00

The other day I was standing in line at a restaurant when I heard two men ahead of me talking about a brutal murder that was in the news. The first guy was telling the second one all about it since he had not seen the news. It was a gruesome and sad tale. Unfortunately, Guy 1 told the gory details of the crime while Guy 2 and those of us around him were staring at the menu above the fast-food counter quickly losing our appetites.

As Guy 1 continued with the story, Guy 2 was disturbed at what he heard and responded as his friend shared the news with listening cues like, "That's awful," "Oh, my goodness," or "What a shame."

Finally, as Guy 1 completed his story, Guy 2 said, in the same breath, "That's tragic. What's for lunch?"

It took a few seconds for it to register in my brain. What an odd reply. Are we so used to bad news that it rolls off of us like water on a duck's back? Are we so accustomed to hearing about tragedies, calamities, murders, wars, and crises that our response is, "That's tragic. What's for lunch?"

I'm afraid we are - and I am as guilty as anyone. How many times do I scroll through all of the bad news that I see online? How many times do I read the headlines in the newspaper and flip over to the next page with little or no concern? (Yes, I still get a newspaper.)

Our generation receives so much news so fast that genocide in Libya is just another headline and brutal murders are a dime a dozen. We've become numb to tragedy.

Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision, once wrote, "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." We may be numb to the bad news around us but I know that these terrible things break God's heart. I know that I can't prevent some of these things from happening. I cannot give enough money to solve all of the world's crises. I am not in a position of power to stop the fighting around the world. I don't have enough time to give to all of the needs around me.

But I can do something. I can pray and I can give what I can. I can't change the world for everyone but I can change the world for someone.

I cannot control the wave after wave after wave of bad news that comes before me each week but I can control my response to it. So I must pray on a regular basis what Bob Pierce prayed, "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." May I be sensitive to the needs around me. May I be prayerful as I hear of tragedy around the world. May I be generous when I can be generous. May I empathize with those who need empathy. May I be a bit of positive news in a world full of bad news.

The American Nightmare

2011-03-03T07:33:00.000-05:00

Here's a small snippet from an e-book that I hope to make available soon.

In America, we are encouraged to acquire more things in order to achieve happiness. Don't believe it? Watch a few hours of TV commercials and get back to me. We are encouraged to live for the day and spend money today – whether we have it or not. We are led to believe that "charging" our blues away will bring joy and fulfillment.

The culture tells us to buy more stuff, spend time watching mindless entertainment, and worship celebrities. Don't believe that? Eavesdrop on a few conversations the next time you're in a restaurant or standing in line at the DMV.

"Did you watch (enter name of meaningless TV show here) last night?"

"Did you hear about (enter the name of the latest flash-in-the-pan celebrity here)?"

"I got this blouse on sale at (enter the name of the latest clothing store here) last Saturday. It was only $80."

The culture says that we should have a miserable job where we work 50+ hours per week, buy a house, drive late model cars, live for the weekends, take two weeks of vacation per year, and contribute fully to our 401(k) so that we can retire before we turn 70 and buy an RV to travel the country for a few years before our poor health brings us home.

Then you die.

It's called the American Dream.

Or is it a nightmare?

What will you think when you are on your deathbed and you realize that everything the culture said you should do to make yourself happy was wrong? What if you follow the media's prescription for the American Dream only to discover the concoction you've swallowed led to nowhere?

I don't want to die with regrets. I don't think you do either.

Missional Frugality by Craig Ford

2011-02-25T09:30:00.000-05:00

Craig Ford is a missionary and blogger in Papua New Guinea. He created a new term called "Missional Frugality." What if American Christians embraced this idea rather than the American Dream?

http://www.moneyhelpforchristians.com/embracing-missional-frugality/

Let me know what you think.

The Story of Stuff

2011-02-21T08:34:00.002-05:00

Check out the video here.

Not "Good-bye" but "See You Later"

2011-02-18T10:56:00.000-05:00

Russell, my 27-year-old nephew, passed away on Valentine's Day. We had a small graveside service for him yesterday. It was the second funeral we had planned for him. The first one was planned over 10 years ago. Russell was on his "death-bed" in October 2000. The doctors told the family that he would pass soon so we began planning his funeral. The funeral home was on stand by. My brother and I planned the service. My dad offered a plot that he owned in a local cemetary. Everything was in order.

Only Russell didn't die.

He lived 10 more years.

Finally, his enlarged heart was tired and it quit beating Monday morning. We are sad that Russell is gone but we celebrate that we had him for as long as we did. Everyone knew that he would probably die at a young age. We just didn't know when that would be.

So we were always glad to see him. Always welcomed his smile. And we laughed with him often. (He had a great sense of humor and pretty quick-witted.)

As I closed the service yesterday, I reminded our family and friends that because we have the promise of heaven through Jesus we do not say "good-bye" but "See you later." We will see Russell again in a healthy, transformed body. He brought joy to us for 27 years. Now he brings joy to others in a place that is impossible to describe. A place where the Bible says our greatest asset will be used as pavement.

See you later, Russ!

Who Do You Influence?

2011-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

In his book, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders tells the story of Dr. John Geddie who went to the South Pacific island of Aneityum as a missionary. He worked there for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:

When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians.

When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen.

Leadership is essentially the power of one man to influence another. No man can fathom the difference one life can make. Before all is said and done here, we need to ask ourselves some questions: Who do I influence? Am I leading people to a closer relationship with God? Am I lifting Jesus up so that men will be drawn to him? At the end of my life, I want people to celebrate what God did through me.

How about you?

The Importance of Balance

2011-02-10T07:26:00.000-05:00

For years I've heard the analogy that when we have our relationship with God in order (illustrated with a vertical line) our relationships with others (horizontal line) will be in order too. You've probably heard this illustration many times. Recently I was made aware of an interesting thought, i.e., the need for the relationship with God to be balanced. If our relationship with God goes too far either way (fanatical or rebellious) it affects our relationship with others.

In other words, if you are going to be an influence for Christ in the culture and in the lives of those around you then you need to be sure you don't go to any extremes. An extreme devotion (e.g., a monk isolated in a monastery or a radical fundamentalist) has little or no influence on those around him. Let's face it. Most people think they are kooky. A rebellious lifestyle that claims a relationship with God but shows no evidence of a genuine relationship with him (e.g., CEO Christians, i.e., those who attend church on "Christmas and Easter Only") has no influence either.

We must balance our relationship with God so that we can have a solid relationship and influence on others.

Options for Super Bowl Halftime Shows

2011-02-07T07:44:00.000-05:00

The Super Bowl halftime shows never do it for me. Last night, for example, there was just too much cheese with those Black Eyed Peas. It made me think - since pretty much the whole country is watching - what else could they do during the halftime of the Super Bowl?

Let the FBI air the 10 Most Wanted List. They would probably catch at least half of the people on the list. The criminals are probably sitting on a bar stool somewhere watching the game.
Let the President give his State of the Union address. More people are probably watching and he would have to make it shorter.
Schedule a space shuttle launch. Nothing is more patriotic than watching our men and women from NASA send a rocket into space.
Speaking of patriotism, instead of rock stars lip-synching on the field for 25 minutes, let some of our veterans and current troops march on the field and receive some affirmation and applause from the people they are fighting for.
Show a couple of extended version movie trailers.
Turn halftime over to Animal Planet and air the Puppy Bowl.
Show a highlight reel of the greatest plays of the NFL season - and throw in some bloopers too.
Have a normal 15 minute halftime with a few highlights, some commercials, and then get back to the game.

What are your ideas?

Are You Ready for Battle?

2011-01-31T10:46:00.000-05:00

A young man in Bible school offered to help David Wilkerson (of The Sword and The Switchblade) when he was ministering on the streets of New York City. Wilkerson asked him how much time he spent in prayer. The young student estimated about 20 minutes a day.

"Go back for a month and pray two hours a day, every day, for 30 days. When you've done that, come back. I might consider turning you loose on the streets where there is murder, rape, violence, and danger. If I send you out now on 20 minutes a day, I'd be sending a solder into battle without any weapons, and you would get killed."

(Floyd McClung on Apostolic Passion in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, p. 205)

Did You Read?

2011-01-27T23:47:00.000-05:00

Which Dream Are You Pursuing?

2011-01-21T07:33:00.002-05:00

For over 20 years I've been interested in simple living. I have to say "interested" in it because I haven't always practiced it. In the blogworld, there are many popular blogs about simple and/or minimalist living. I read many of them each week. (I'll give you a sample list of blogs with links at the end of this post.)

I've read dozens of books on the topics of frugality, tightwaddery, and economical approaches to American life. Amy Dacyzyn wrote the classic Tightwad Gazette in the '90's. Amy made herself famous by encouraging people to reuse aluminum foil and teaching people how to put a plastic jug to use after the milk is gone. I've read most of Elaine St. James' books. They were much more practical for me since I identified more with Elaine than Amy. Amy lived on a farm. Elaine was a professional city girl. Elaine wrote books like Simplify Your Life, Living the Simple Life, and Inner Simplicity. All good reads and, though a little dated, worth a look.

Books on simple living with a spiritual side to them have also spoken to me. Richard Foster's Freedom of Simplicity is a classic in my opinion. Also Christopher Heuertz's more recent book Simple Spirituality has spoken to me, Beth, and Bailey (my daughter). Bailey read it first and told us about it. Books like Radical by David Platt and The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns also touch on the need for simplicity and challenge their readers to consider the over-indulgences of Americans.

I mention all of this to say that it has been on my mind a great deal lately. In my reading (books and blogs) over the past year or so, I've become even more convicted and convinced that we Americans (myself included) have too much stuff. I occasionally touch on it with posts here. Since Beth and I have become empty-nesters we've come to a point where we've decided that we don't need all of the stuff that we have. Two of the most liberating days that I've had over the past 18 months were the day I sold my motorcycle and the day I sold our boat. These things were fun for awhile but they eventually became a drag.

Americans are suckers for wanting and "needing" the latest greatest gadget or gizmo. We have fallen for the lie that is the American Dream. David Platt's book is subtitled "Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream." Platt does an excellent job of convincing us that the American Dream is not God's dream. How we ever thought that it was...I don't know. Easy access to stores, generous credit from banks, and even our own boredom and purposelessness, has caused us to have houses and yards full of stuff that may bring pleasure for awhile but eventually collect dust - while we still pay the minimum on our credit cards and look for the next great thing that will bring us temporary pleasure.

We must stop.

This is especially true for Christians (which includes most of my readers here). Why are we doing this to ourselves? This isn't what we were designed for. Do you really think that God will be pleased when all you have to show for your one and only life is that you bought a big house for your family, always kept them riding in a late model car, kept your kids in expensive clothes from the mall, and entertained them with every techno gadget possible?

I have a hard time with that. Sorry. You can click the red X on the corner of your browser now if you want, but I have to be honest.

You were made for more than this.

Which dream are you pursuing? The American Dream or God's Dream for your life?

I want to encourage you to consider what you do with your 3 T's, i.e., your time, talents, and treasures. Don't fall for the marketing ploys on TV and don't assume that one more trip to the mall will make you happy. It probably will - for a short while. Look deeper. Evaluate what you're doing with the blessings that God has given you. You are blessed to be a blessing. Think about it. Pray about it. Ask God how you can live His dream, not just the American Dream.

The sermon is over. Let's pray, sing a hymn, and go home now.

Here's a list of blogs that might interest you. I'm looking forward to unveiling a new website soon that will help readers gain a new perspective on life. More about that later!

BecomingMinimalist
RowdyKittens
mnmlist
TheSimpleDollar
Wisebread
ZenHabits
FarBeyondTheStars

Inside-Out Simplicity

2011-01-14T21:58:00.002-05:00

Get ready for a 360 degree approach to the simplified lifestyle. “Inside-Out Simplicity: Life-Changing Keys to your Most Important Relationships” is a brand new e-book that goes beyond external fixes to our complicated lives. Instead, this book dares to focus on the very heart and soul of a simplified life.

It is based on the truth that a simplified lifestyle begins in a person’s soul and will help the reader find an inside-out simplicity by focusing on life-changing principles in their most important relationships.

Healthy relationships are absolutely essential for simplicity. And healthy relationships always flow from the inside-out.

It is meant to challenge you.
It is meant to encourage you.
It is meant to inspire you.
It is destined to help you find a simpler way of life.

Some of the topics and principles covered in the book will help you:

Discover why healthy relationships are essential to a simplified life.
Live intentionally by embracing contentment, gratitude, and humility.
Promote generosity, kindness, service, and forgiveness as a way of life.
Find greater simplicity in your marriage by focusing on the essential building blocks.
Be intentional in your dealings with your children and family.

READ THE REVIEWS

“An excellent new e-book.” – Leo Babauta, Zen Habits
“Inside-Out Simplicity is the best ebook I’ve ever read.” – Sam Spurlin, The Simpler Life
“This book is awesome. If you’ve never read Joshua’s stuff before, I’d start with this book. I’d highly recommend it.” – Stu Gray, The Marry Blogger
“If you’ve mastered “beginner” minimalism and simplified your belongings and clutter and want to continue improving your mental outlook and relationships with those around you, I highly recommend this book. It discusses many areas that are not being talked about among minimalist bloggers right now and definitely need to be.” – Brett Oblack, Step 1 Minimalist
“It’s a great read as it covers several aspects that are involved in living a simple life, namely our relationship with things, others and ourselves.” – Corey Allan, Simple Marriage
“The reason I’m recommending Joshua Becker’s new book is because it’s challenging, it’s engaging, and it really asks some tough questions about why you’re pursuing this lifestyle, and how to maintain your decisions in the long run.” – Everett Bogue, Far Beyond the Stars
“This book is the perfect reference for someone looking to go beyond the ‘pare down your stuff, stop shopping so much, and head outside on a bike’ mentality that the minimalist movement seems to be adopting. To get beyond that, you need to look inside…” - Robyn Devine, the minimalist knitter

Click here to purchase!

How to Pay Off a 30 Year Mortgage in 12 Years

2011-01-07T12:02:00.001-05:00

It's that time of year again. Each January, I adjust my automatic payment plan with our mortgage company so that our mortgage will be paid off sooner. I plan to pay our 30 year note off in 12 years.

There are a lot of good ideas out there on how to pay your mortgage off early.

Make bi-monthly payments instead of monthly.
Pay an additional 10% of the payment each month.
Make an extra monthly payment each year with your income tax refund, Christmas or birthday gifts, or other source.

Doing any of the above will take about 7 years off of your mortgage.

I'm no financial guru or expert. Though I read a good bit on money management and investing, I am no Warren Buffett. (No, Warren is not Jimmy's brother. He is perhaps one of the greatest investors of this generation.) So, if you agree or disagree with this plan, so be it. It is what I've chosen for us to do and so far it seems to be working out great. I have not seen this "strategy" in anything I've read which means it is either a great original thought or a dumb original idea. We'll see.

My 30 to 12 plan:

We refinanced our mortgage in the fall of 2008 when the rates drastically dropped. I was glad to make this transaction but I did not want to have a mortgage hanging over my head for 30 more years so I created a plan.

Beginning with the first payment, I paid $100 in additional principal each month for the first year. Each year one of us usually gets a cost of living increase. I determined that with our small increase in salary, I would increase the additional principal payment by $100 each January. Therefore, at the beginning of the second year I would add $200 to the principal each month. The third year I added another $100 so that my additional principal payment was $300 and so on. By the 10th year, I will be paying an additional $1000 each month toward principal using this strategy.

Because we are slowly adding to our principal payments each year using our salary increases, the additional $100 per month doesn't sting too bad and it doesn't affect our monthly budget. I chose $100 each month. You may do more or less. The point is by adding a little bit each month and incrementally increasing that figure each year, it will dwindle your mortgage balance down quicker than the original terms of the note.

I ran an amortization table and projected out my mortgage payments using this strategy and, in our case, it makes our 30 year note a 12 year note.

Ask me how I did in 2020.

Simplify by Joshua Becker

2011-01-01T21:36:00.001-05:00

Two years ago, a typical family of four living in the suburbs made the decision to minimize their possessions, declutter their home, and simplify their life. Since then, they have inspired hundreds of thousands of others to give the new lifestyle a chance.
And now, to help you experience the same freedom, they offer the most important lessons they have learned through the process in their new e-book: Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life.

Click here to view more details

Lifesaving Door by Door

2010-12-29T10:59:00.000-05:00

I originally posted the following in August 2005. I was reminded of it today when I saw a gang pacing up and down our streets making cold calls door-to-door. They looked like the religious type but I'm not completely sure. Our neighborhood seems to be a haven for people going door-to-door to survey, sell, or save.

The Impromptu Football Clinic

I’ve done my fair share of knocking on stranger’s doors in my ministry career. Confrontational evangelism was never my favorite thing to do. I always felt like I was intruding on people’s personal lives when I arrived at their door unannounced between 7 and 8:30 PM on a weeknight. That’s because I was.

I can recall a few victories over the years and I know many churches rely on door-to-door visitation but is it really effective to invade the lives of strangers to share the most important message in the world? Yes, there are periodic victories but how many defeats have there been due to our bad timing? How many forced gospel presentations have hurt the cause of Christ? Wouldn’t non-followers fare better if we took the time to establish a relationship with them instead of bombarding them with the greatest news known to man?

I was reminded of this one day on the beach. My wife and I were in the middle of a wonderful vacation on the Carolina shore enjoying our paperback pursuits when I looked up and saw a father and two boys throwing a football. Of course, this is a common scene at the ocean so there was nothing to note other than the wonderful picture of a father sharing a bond with what appeared to be his two sons. Being an athletic father myself, I stopped and watched them throw the ball around a little. Each boy appeared to be no older than ten-years old. The father was demonstrating how to properly catch the football as they were enjoying the sun and salt air.

Suddenly, their game of catch became an impromptu NFL training camp. A bicycle-riding gentleman in his 60’s approached the trio and obviously felt compelled to stop and share his knowledge of football with the group. Before I knew it, the father and sons were running drills and pass plays on the beach at the command of the Coach who was yelling, clapping and pumping his fist with every perfect play.

“How odd?” I thought. Was this man a NFL scout? A NCAA football coach? A retired high school coach still carrying a passion to share his knowledge? Maybe he was none of these things. Having coached a little football in my past, I knew that the fundamentals that the Coach was showing the young men were sound. How to properly hold the ball. How to catch it. How to do a three-step drop. There was nothing wrong being taught at this spontaneous football clinic. The father played along with the Coach. One boy apparently didn’t want to invest much time into it. He went in for a swim just a few minutes after the session began. The other boy patiently listened and did what the Coach insisted.

Is this what the trio wanted when they started their game of pass? Weren’t they just passing the time away on a lazy day at the beach? Did these boys really have a passion for football? Did they even play organized football? I know they didn’t anticipate Vince Lombardi riding up on a bicycle on the beach and giving them a personal twenty-minute clinic on the fundamentals of throwing and catching a football.

The Coach had the knowledge and obviously had the passion to share his wisdom. Everything that he showed them included proper fundamental football techniques. He apparently knew what he was talking about.

But I had to ask myself, “How was it received? Did the father and sons appreciate the mini-camp experience or did they tolerate it? Don’t they want him to go away?” Chris, the future Hall of Famer who stuck it out the entire time and the only name I picked up throughout the entire event, was tired. He bent over at one point trying to catch his breath. The Coach wore him out in a matter of minutes. When pleasantries were exchanged at the end of the practice and the Coach finally got on his bike to leave, Chris fell into his dad’s arms as they made their way off of the beach to their condo. To hit the showers, I presume.

Is this the effect confrontational evangelists have on people? Do Christians too often bombard people with all of their knowledge of the gospel and life without first building a relationship? Does the confrontational evangelist’s audience just tolerate the twenty-minute impartation of wisdom on life wishing he would go away? Does the reality of the gospel of Christ really sink in over a matter of a few minutes of unannounced coaching?

I confess that I found myself thinking that I was like the Coach many years ago. Thank God I’m in a ministry today where knocking on cold, even warm, doors is discouraged. We let people investigate Christianity and get to know us first before we put on our gospel clinics. I wonder if Chris will ever apply what he learned that day to his football career. I wonder if he played catch with his dad the next day looking over his shoulder for the Coach and on guard ready to run to the ocean if he saw him coming again.

A Christmas Riddle

2010-12-21T09:42:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time, a perfect man and a perfect woman met. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding. Their life together was, of course, perfect.
     One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve, they were driving their perfect car along a winding road, when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress. Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help.
     There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle. Soon they were driving along delivering the toys.
     Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident. Only one of them survived the accident.
     Who was the survivor? (See answer below.)

Answer:

The perfect woman survived. She’s the only one who really existed in the first place. Everyone knows there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man. (Women stop reading here. Men should continue reading for the next answer.)

Second Answer:

If there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the perfect woman must have been driving. This explains why there was an accident. By the way, if you’re a woman and you’re reading this, this illustrates another point: women never listen either. (FYI: Georgia News and Views)

Strange but True Christmas Story

2010-12-20T08:15:00.001-05:00

Be careful if you get a mysterious package in the mail. Here's why:

In 1990, the Wilkinsons, a family in Sussex, England received what they thought was a gift package of herbs from Australian relatives. They stirred the contents into a traditional Christmas pudding, ate half of it, and put the remainder in the refrigerator.
Soon after, they heard from their Aunt Sheila that Uncle Eric had died. She wanted to know if they had received his ashes for burial in Britain.
The Wilkinsons quickly summoned their priest to bless and bury Uncle Eric’s leftovers. (The Wall Street Journal, 12/18/90)

A Christmas Story

2010-12-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

And there were in the same country, children keeping watch over their stockings by the fireplace. And, lo, Santa Claus came upon them; and they were sore afraid. And Santa said unto them; “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people who can afford it. For unto you will be given great feasts of turkey, dressing, and pies; and many presents; and this shall be a sign unto you, ye shall find the presents, wrapped in bright paper, lying beneath a tree adorned with tinsel, colored balls, and lights. And suddenly, there will be with you a multitude of relatives and friends, praising you and saying, ‘Thank you so much, it was just what I wanted.’

And it shall come to pass as the friends and relatives have gone away unto their homes, the parents shall say to one another, ‘Wow! What a mess to clean up! I’m too tired. Let’s go to bed and pick it up tomorrow. Thank goodness Christmas only comes once a year!’ And they go with haste to their beds.”

Praying for Your Kids. When It Comes to My Kids, I Only Pray for 3 Things.

2010-12-10T11:21:00.000-05:00

At this time, my son is 23 and my daughter will be 21 next month. They are awesome kids! They have been a tremendous joy and a blessing to our lives. We’ve enjoyed them at every stage of life and it is exciting to see them grow up and mature as adults. I’ve been praying for my kids even before they were born. Like every praying parent, I prayed for a long, long list of things for them for many years.

Now, however, I only ask God to give them three things every day. First, I pray for their health. Second, I pray for their protection and safety. Third, I pray that they will be focused on their relationship with God.

I used to pray that they would choose the right influences in life. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would be wise when temptations came their way. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would be wise with their money. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would seek God's will daily. If they are focused on Him, they will.

I used to pray that they would influence those around them. If they are focused on God, they will.

I used to pray that they would grow to be strong disciples of Christ. If they are focused on Him, they will.

When you are focused on the right thing, right things happen.

Does that make sense?

Are you focused on your relationship with God?

Sunday Night Brain Dump

2010-12-05T23:56:00.001-05:00

I haven't had a brain dump on here in a long time. A brain dump is just stuff I've been pondering or doing lately.

I recently read a small book by George Orwell titled, Books v. Cigarettes. It's a collection of essays written in the '40's by the author of 1984. The most moving essay is called How the Poor Die which describes the pitiful conditions of a public hospital in France. The worst part is not that the poor, indigent patients weren't treated well medically, but that they died alone.
I haven't been posting as much on this site because most of my writing time has been devoted to writing material for a new website that I will unveil early in 2011. Stay tuned.
The last two weeks at TrueNorth Church may have been the best two Sundays in a long time. Last week, 41 people were baptized. Many different cultural backgrounds and socio-economic groups were represented. A taste of heaven? Today we had our Christmas communion service. Awesome!
In about 10 days, my baby girl will fly to India for a 2 week mission trip. It's one thing when I go halfway around the world. And it's another thing we my wife goes halfway around the world like she did last July. But it's a whole new thing when your baby daughter flies to Asia. Pray!
You need to check out Advent Conspiracy and Gifts of Water soon. Make room in your Christmas budget to spend money on others in need, not just you and your family.
Random question of the day: Why do sportscasters wear suits?
95% of all trained Christian workers are in North America. Why?
Beth and I have watched the last 3 episodes of Sarah Palin's Alaska. That show probably drives Democrats and, especially PETA, crazy. Gotta love the beautiful scenery in Palin's home state though. I think I'll put "Go to Alaska" on my bucket list.

From the Creators of Advent Conspiracy

2010-11-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

Questions

2010-11-26T10:23:00.000-05:00

Am I doing the things that make me happy?

Are my thoughts of noble character?

How can I simplify my life?

What are my talents?

Does my work satisfy my soul?

Am I giving value to my existence?

How can I improve my life?

(By philosopher Alfred Montapert)

Beware the Thanksgiving Killer

2010-11-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving. Perhaps the greatest feast of the year. A day full of turkey, ham, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, rice and gravy, cream corn, dressing, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, and broccoli casserole, mmm, mmm. And don't forget desserts like red velvet cake, pecan pie, coconut cake, fudge, and chocolate chip cookies.

It is a day of food, family, reflection, and gratefulness. A day to celebrate the past and dream about the future. It is definitely one thing the government got right. A day designated for citizens to stop and be grateful for all of their blessings.

Then the Thanksgiving killer arrives. Black Friday. The day after Thanksgiving when Christmas shopping officially begins. Some stores open at 3 AM. Three o'clock in the morning!

Why is Black Friday the Thanksgiving killer? Because on Thanksgiving Day, we think about all that we have and we are grateful. But on the day after Thanksgiving through the rest of the holidays, we focus not on what we have but on what we want.

The Thanksgiving killer is the Christmas commercialism that says we need more. Just when we have a day to be thankful for all of our blessings, the Thanksgiving killers show up and tell us that we will not be happy until we have something more.

Someone wrote, "Half the world is unhappy because it can't have the things that are making the other half unhappy."

Author Steve Brown wrote, "The most unhappy person in the world is not someone who didn't get what he or she wanted. The most unhappy person is the one who got what he or she wanted and then found out that it wasn't as wonderful as expected. The secret of a happy life is not to get what you want but to live with what you've got. Most of us spend our lives concentrating on what we don't have instead of thanking God for what we do have."

Our problem is that we are looking at the Christmas catalogs focusing on what we want rather than looking at our photo albums and rejoicing in what we have!

Beware the Thanksgiving Killer. Don't give in to its temptations to make you believe you need more stuff in order to be happy. I am discovering that less is more.

What about you?

12 Reasons to Always Have Hope

2010-11-23T12:30:00.001-05:00

1. God is always with you. (Hebrews 13:5)

2. God loves you as his child. (Romans 8:15-16)

3. God proved his love for you at the cross. (Romans 8:32)

4. God's power is available to you. (Philippians 4:13)

5. God can exceed your highest expectations. (Ephesians 3:20)

6. God understands you and your problem. (Matthew 6:8)

7. God promises to supply all your needs. (Philippians 4:19)

8. God's grace is sufficient for you. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

9. God works all things together for good. (Romans 8:28)

10. God uses trials to produce maturity. (James 1:2-4)

11. God uses trials to display your faith. (Philippians 2:15)

12. God's will is good, acceptable, and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

from H. Dale Burke, How to Lead and Still Have a Life

Introducing - A New Way to Stay Organized in 2011

2010-11-18T15:08:00.001-05:00

I've always been a pretty organized person so you can imagine my frustration over the last couple of years as I've tried to keep my calendar, to-do lists, journals, etc. in 5 different places. Before I got my smartphone, I used a standard DayRunner-type system. The Samsung Blackjack II (pictured below) has been my calendar for the past several years. I back it up on Google Calendar.. My phone is definitely handy and portable but it has limitations.

I have 3 other things to keep me and my thoughts organized. In the picture at the top, the book on the left is my main source of organization. This book (a blank journal I picked up at Office Depot on clearance for $7) is primarily work-related. It includes my to-do lists, reminders, and other things to remember like notes from important phone conversations, contacts, etc.

The book in the middle is another journal I keep for my writing projects. It includes ideas, thoughts, websites, to-do lists, etc. Anything regarding writing goes in this book.

The third book (far right) is my journal. It includes occasional entries, diaries from trips, and quotes from books that I read or messages I hear. A lot of the quotes that I tweet come from this book.

I've been frustrated as I juggle all of these different things. I haven't found anything on the market that would accommodate my needs. Daily planners (e.g., DayRunners) have too much unnecessary stuff for me and they don't give you a lot of room for journaling. What to do?

I created my own book - Lifelines: A Planner & Journal

I wanted to put everything in one place so I created my own planner/journal. With Lifelines, I can combine my calendar, daily planner, reminders, to-do lists, goals, and journal in one book. A place for everything and everything in its place - all in one place! Whether it's something I need to do before the end of the day or something I want to do before I die, I can keep it here.

It features a monthly calendar spread over two pages with a coil binding so it will lay flat. There are pages for your to-do lists, quotes, annual goals, even your bucket list. Most of it is lined pages for journaling.

I realize that there are plenty of digital tools to use out there like RememberTheMilk.com and teuxdeux.com but I'm not always online. Sometimes it's still easier just to write things down.

I look forward to trying it out in January! How about you? Does this sound like something you could use? I'd love for you to give it a try and let me know. I'm sure that next year I'll tweak it some. For now, it's ready to go for 2011.

Maybe it would make a great Christmas present for the organized people in your life?

A Proud Dad

2010-11-15T08:23:00.000-05:00

I've always been proud of my kids but this weekend I've been especially proud. Cliff, my 23 year-old, went without shoes for the past two weeks to raise awareness for Soles4Souls. You can see the fruit of his labor here. His church participated in this ministry event which culminated yesterday and, based on the picture, I would say it was a huge success! If you scroll down below the picture on his site, you can read his entries regarding his shoeless days and the things he learned in the process.

On Friday night, we got a text message from Bailey, our soon-to-be 21 year old daughter. She reported that she would be sleeping outside in the "quad" at her college campus to raise awareness for the homeless. Last Friday night was probably the coldest night of the season so far here. It's even colder where she lives. She just got over a cold this week and the mama and daddy in us thought, "Please don't get sick again," but the missionary spirit in us said, "Go for it!"

I love seeing what God is doing in our kids. They aren't perfect, of course, but it's cool to see them thinking of others instead of themselves. It's the greatest challenge we will ever face, i.e., to let selflessness reign over selfishness. I love it when I see my children take on that challenge.

Thanks for letting me gloat!

Do We Really Need More Stuff?

2010-11-06T10:18:00.002-05:00

The following is an excerpt from an article by Judith Fertig titled Less Stuff, More Happiness: How to Transform the Modern Shopping Dilemma. I was especially interested in the history of how we moved from an agrarian lifestyle to a consumer lifestyle.

Keep this in mind as the holiday shopping season nears. We need to seriously ask ourselves if our purchases are wants or needs. Do we shop for sport or for survival?

I took the liberty to bold some parts.

Americans experienced a major paradigm shift in the early part of the 19th century with the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Basically, we changed from an agrarian economy, in which most people produced what they consumed, to a manufacturing and services economy, in which people are mostly just consumers.

According to the online Encyclopedia of Earth, the present-day “worker as consumer” worldview was fully entrenched in the United States by the 1920s, when the labor movement stopped advocating a shorter workweek to instead focus on securing better wages and working conditions. The goal was to guarantee more buying power for workers, so that they could purchase more than just the necessities of daily living.

After World War II, this idea got a boost from economist Victor LeBeau, who in 1947 declared, “Our enormously productive economy… demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption. We need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.”

It’s perhaps not coincidental that, “Our national happiness peaked in the 1950s,” as related by Annie Leonard in the compelling video The Story of Stuff, just as television began spreading the new philosophy of what Leonard calls “work-watch-spend.” We work to make money, then come home and relax as we watch television. On TV, we see ads that let us know that we could do and be a lot better—if only we had the right product. So, we begin to feel less worthy, go shopping and buy that product that we hope will make us do/become/feel better, and the cycle repeats.

Today, shopping has become firmly entrenched in the American lifestyle. It is used as an antidote to boredom, a substitute for socializing and a quick fix for a disguised emotional need. We continue doing it even when we’re aware that we are buying things we don’t need and can’t afford. The more aware among us also understand that all the stuff we buy and store, and cause to be manufactured and distributed, creates a negative impact on people’s lives and the environment—which leads to even more stress.

You can see Judith Fertig's entire article here.

Every 15 seconds...

2010-11-03T06:53:00.001-05:00

One one thousand
Two one thousand
Three one thousand
Four one thousand
Five one thousand
Six one thousand
Seven one thousand
Eight one thousand
Nine one thousand
Ten one thousand
Eleven one thousand
Twelve one thousand
Thirteen one thousand
Fourteen one thousand
Fifteen one thousand

Every 15 seconds a child dies due to water-related issues.

To help, go to giftsofwater.com

George Carlin Baseball vs. Football

2010-10-29T07:45:00.007-05:00

I was reminded of George Carlin's classic routine "Baseball vs. Football" last night when I saw the Rangers pitcher leave Game 2 of the World Series with a blister on his finger. Meanwhile, the news in the NFL this week is about Brett Favre playing this week with a fractured ankle.

My Life as a Full-time Writer

2010-10-28T08:13:00.003-05:00

For one week each year, usually in October, I take a week of vacation to work on writing projects. This week has been my annual opportunity to live as a full-time writer. I have not slept in as I do on most vacations. I get up early as usual (6:30ish) and go through my normal morning routine, i.e., walk dog, coffee, Bible, prayer, coffee, write. Then I get cleaned up and ready for the day except instead of going to the office, I go to the computer for a full day of writing, reading, editing, revising, pondering, or dreaming.

I could get used to this but I won't. The life of a full-time writer is hard to achieve. The picture of the contemplative writer in his sweater at his desk smoking a pipe leisurely penning crafty phrases and quotable quotes day after day is a fantasy for most writers. Most authors aren't able to work at their craft as a full-time job. It takes years of work to generate enough interest in your work and royalties to make it as a full-timer. Though certainly, many writers are doing it, many more are not.

I'm in an ideal situation because I love my job and calling as a pastor at TrueNorth Church. I have an awesome boss, Stevie D, and a great staff to work with. As one of my co-workers Travis likes to say, "I don't have a job. I get to do ministry for a living."

But I have to say that it would be nice to devote more time to this writing thing. I try to give it at least an hour each morning but it would be awesome to have more time. For now, I must be content with my schedule as it is - and, believe me, I am content. In many ways, I am living the dream!

"So what's going on with the writing career and what is in the works?" only a couple of you may wonder.

Monday, I put the finishing touches (hopefully) on a journal/day-planner that I created. You'll probably hear more about it soon. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I worked on an ebook, 2 Big Questions, 1 Amazing Life, that will be one of the anchors for a new website that I am creating. More about that later too. I will continue to work on that ebook today and tomorrow as well as a second one that is near completion.

I have a novel that is being considered by a small publishing house and a literary agent is taking a look at it too. Agents are usually necessary to get into the larger publishing houses so a contract with her would be huge.

I'm sitting on a non-fiction book that I wrote a long time ago. It has been endorsed by some well-known people. I need to get it out of the computer at some point.

I'm halfway through another novel. Here's the synopsis:

Lesley Crumpler is an 81-year-old white widower and a former minor league baseball teammate of Jackie Robinson who finds himself helping out the baseball team at the local black college. D'Ante Cook is a thug from Washington, DC on the crossroads between a life of crime and a pro baseball career. When tragedy strikes the team, Les and D'Ante have to deal with the sins of their past in order to face the future.

Would you be interested in reading more?

I would LOVE to finish this book - mainly because I want to know what happens!! I don't even know yet. Which is the fun part about writing fiction. You can do whatever you want with the story.

Right now, however, my focus is on a new website. It will be a blog but the focus will be completely different than this. I hope you'll like it and spread the word. It's still a month or two away from going live. It may even be January. I'll let you know.

For now, I'll tarry on. This is my last day of vacation so I need to get busy.

A Life Changing Day

2010-10-26T07:04:00.002-05:00

I originally posted this in 2005. Here it is again with a few changes:

32 years ago today, my life changed forever. It was on this day when I understood that if I was going to live a life with meaning and purpose I would need to hand it over to God. So I did. The night before, I called a Christian friend of mine, Richard Smith, and asked him what was up with all the Jesus stuff I'd been hearing about lately. In August 1978, some friends and I went on a fishing excursion one night. None of us were church-goers or religious at the time, but somehow the subject of the second coming of Christ came up. It intrigued me. I didn't know anything about it. I thought he'd already been here once. I didn't know he was coming again!

Later, as the school year progressed, there was a spiritual awakening going on at our school. I didn't realize it at the time but God was up to something as he was getting the attention of a lot of high school kids. A small group of Christian students were making quite an impact on our school. They weren't preachy or holier than thou. They were just loving life and all of those around them. I wanted what they had. My curiosity led me to learn the basics of the gospel and enough interest to attend a youth-oriented revival service at the local First Baptist Church. I attended that night with one of my fishing buddies. I knew that I needed to become a follower of Christ but I was scared. Thus, the call to Richard on the night of October 25.

After my conversation with Rich, I knew what I needed to do. I went to First Baptist again the next night and Don Brock, our youth pastor, showed me the way to Jesus. That one decision has changed my life.

Since becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ, he has blessed me immensely over and over and over again. Has it been easy? No way. The Christian life is not an easy life. But it is the most awesome thing in the universe to have my Creator, who loves me more than I can imagine, leading me every step of the way. I recommend it to everyone.

Where Are You Going?

2010-10-25T06:51:00.002-05:00

In Alice in Wonderland, Alice says to the Chesire Cat, “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care,” replied Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” responded the Cat.

As with Alice, so it is with us. Without goals and objectives, we have nowhere to go and we’ll just keep wandering aimlessly. Many people make resolutions and goals. Goals give hope. Goals inspire and motivate. To wake up in the morning with a clear objective for the day adds so much more to life. To begin a day with no hope or inspiration makes for a long, dreary day.

The apostle Paul speaks of “pressing on toward the goal” in his New Testament letter to the Philippians (3:14). His goal was to be all that God wanted him to be. That’s not a bad goal for each of us.

What are your goals for today? this week?
Where are you going?

Unconventional Book Tour w/ Chris Guillebeau

2010-10-19T06:45:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday night, I drove to the Columbia area to meet author Chris Guillebeau. Chris is a professional blogger with a personal goal to travel to every country in the world before his 35th birthday. (He's getting really close and has about 2.5 years to go.) Chris is an expert "travel hacker," entrepreneur, and writer. He is currently traveling all 50 states during his "Unconventional Book Tour." We met up at a great little coffee shop in Lexington called Jamestown Coffee Company.

Chris' new book is The Art of Non-Conformity.

I told my wife Sunday afternoon that I had a "man-crush" on Chris. I really like his authenticity, transparency, honesty, and overall worldview. I admire how he has become a successful writer in just a few short years too. I was introduced to Chris last June through an article he wrote in Writer's Digest magazine. His blog was also listed in the Top 100 Blogs for Writers in the same issue. I've been intrigued with his stuff ever since. Chris' minimalist mindset, sense of adventure, and ability to say "no" to the American Dream is reminiscent of David Platt's recent book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Chris' book is written for a general audience (unlike Platt's which is written directly to Christians) but they both cause you to think about your philosophy of life and create questions about what you really want to accomplish with your life. Is life about adventure and fulfilling your purpose and passions or is it about sacrificing adventure for a 30 year mortgage, car payments, credit card debt, and a 9-5 job that you endure rather than enjoy?

In Chris' words, you don't have to live your life the way other people expect you to. For the Christ-follower, we need to be reminded that we are told not to conform to this world (Romans 12:2). If we are going to make a difference, we must live different. I think that is why I am a big fan of Chris' work. He thinks outside the box. We need more people like him around.

Jesus was a non-conformist. Shouldn't we be too?

(For more on David Platt's book, Radical, see my review here.)

Wisdom from C.S. Lewis

2010-10-16T09:36:00.002-05:00

I read this today and thought it was worth sharing:

I think that many of us, when Christ has enabled us to overcome one or two sins that were an obvious nuisance, are inclined to feel (though we do not put it into words) that we are now good enough. He has done all we wanted Him to do, and we should be obliged if He would now leave us alone. As we say "I never expected to be a saint, I only wanted to be a decent ordinary chap." And we imagine when we say this that we are being humble.

But this is the fatal mistake. Of course we never wanted, and never asked, to be made into the sort of creatures He is going to make us into. But the question is not what we intended ourselves to be, but what He intended us to be when He made us. He is the inventor, we are only the machine. He is the painter, we are only the picture. How should we know what He means us to be like? You see, He has already made us something very different from what we were. Long ago, before we were born, when we were inside our mothers' bodies, we passed through various stages. We were once rather like vegetables, and once rather like fish: it was only at a later stage that we became like human babies. And if we had been conscious at those earlier stages, I daresay we should have been quite contented to stay as vegetables or fish - should not have wanted to be made into babies. But all the time He knew his plan for us and was determined to carry it out. Something the same is now happening at a higher level. We may be content to remain what we call "ordinary people": but He is determined to carry out a quite different plan. To shrink back from that plan is not humility: it is laziness and cowardice. To submit to it is not conceit or megalomania; it is obedience.

(From Mere Christianity, quoted in A Year With C.S. Lewis, p. 212)

No Limits

2010-10-11T09:57:00.000-05:00

(Originally posted in the Fall of 2006)

A few years ago Fast Company magazine profiled Doug Blevins, a man who had aspired all of his life to be an NFL coach. So he started blitzing New York Jets manager Dick Steinberg with faxes detailing the flaws of Cary Blanchard, the Jet’s place kicker at the time. Steinberg was evidently impressed with Blevins’s knowledge of the game and hired him as a kicking consultant in 1994. The amazing thing is that Blevins himself has never attempted a field goal. He’s never punted for any team, on any level, let alone in the NFL. Because he was born with cerebral palsy, he has, in fact, never even walked. (Fast Company, September 2000, 48)

Doug Blevins story should be a reminder to us that there are no limits when we put our minds to something. Most average thinking people would have discounted any possibility that a victim of cerebral palsy could coach in the NFL. If a person’s own will and determination can do that, how much more can we do with Christ at our side! “I can do everything through him that gives me strength” - Philippians 4:13.

God, keep me from being an “average thinker” and give me the strength to realize that, with you, there are no limits

Once in a Lifetime

2010-10-04T06:55:00.001-05:00

Have you ever had a "once in a lifetime" experience?

Was it a chance encounter with a celebrity? Maybe you got a hole in one in a golf game. Did you win a contest, championship, or tournament? Maybe it was something like giving birth to your only child or giving your daughter away at her wedding.

If you stop and think about it, you can probably come up with a lot of once in a lifetime experiences. It can be fun or painful to go down memory lane thinking about the times when you did something that you will likely never do again. When these opportunities arise, we should take advantage of them. Savor them. Soak them in. Take in the experience and brand it in your memory banks as much as you can. These experiences become part of the highlight reel of your life.

I was reading Luke 1 Saturday about Zacharias (some Bibles spell his name, Zechariah). Zacharias was a priest, the husband of Elizabeth, and father of John the Baptist. As he was performing his priestly duties in the temple one day, he had two once in a lifetime experiences. First, verse 9 tells us that it was a custom of the priestly office to choose by lot which priest would enter the holiest place in the temple to burn incense. Each priest could do this only one time in his life. At this particular time, Zacharias was chosen. This would have been the ultimate in the career of any priest.

It is no coincidence that during this time of unusual and intimate communion with God that Zacharias had his second once in a lifetime experience. God spoke to Zacharias through an angel. The angel of the Lord announced that his prayers would be answered and that Elizabeth, who had been unable to have a child, will indeed have a son. The angel instructed him to name the boy, John. He would grow to serve God in a special way as a forerunner to the Messiah. Indeed, John the Baptist was a powerful force in the days of the coming of the Messiah. He prepared the people to receive the soon to come Son of God.

If you were to ask Zacharias today which of his once in a lifetime experiences was the most dramatic, I would venture to guess that the day in the holy of holies with the angel of the Lord would be at the top of his list.

What once in a lifetime experiences does God have in store for you this week? Are there any divine appointments awaiting you soon? God brings these encounters to us in his time, of course, but I believe that we can often miss these encounters if we are not spiritually prepared for them. We must be sensitive to his leading and be aware of what he may be trying to show us. Like in Zacharias' case, God often speaks to us during times of intense devotion and close encounters with him.

Are you spending intimate time with God in prayer and devotion? Are you giving him a chance to speak to you?

Two Kinds of Pain

2010-09-30T07:33:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I heard Bill Curry speak at a community-wide luncheon. Curry is a two-time Super Bowl Champion and NFL Pro Bowl player. He coached at several prestigious colleges including the University of Alabama and Georgia Tech. He is currently a commentator for ESPN. During his after dinner speech, Curry said something that I hope I never forget:

There are two kinds of pain - the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. One is temporary. The other lasts forever.

Which kind of pain do you choose? The pain of regret that haunts you forever or the temporary pain of discipline that eventually makes you better?

When I exercise I usually feel it the next day. It is painful but it is a good pain because I know that the result of the uneasiness will benefit me. The pain of discipline is healthy and vital to growth.

All of us have some regrets in our lives. I regret not working harder as a young athlete. I regret giving up the discipline of writing for many years. I regret some dumb decisions that I’ve made. I will die with these regrets – and, I suppose, I will die with even more.

But I don’t want to fill my life with regrets. I would rather fill my life with accomplishments. As much as possible, I want to fulfill the dreams that God has for my life. It will require discipline and it will require pain. But, as Bill Curry said, it is only temporary.

What about you?

Are you willing to endure the temporary pain of discipline in order to avoid the permanent pain of regret?

Out of Focus

2010-09-27T07:35:00.000-05:00

There is a legend that surrounds the Taj Mahal in India. The Taj Mahal is one of the architectural wonders of the world. The emperor and builder of this masterpiece was Shah Jahan who ruled from 1628-1658. His wife, known as Taj Mahal, died in 1631. The Shah was devastated. He resolved to honor her by constructing a temple that would serve as her tomb. The coffin was placed on a large piece of land and construction of the temple began around the coffin. No expense would be spared to make her final resting place magnificent.

The weeks turned into months and the months into years. It took 22 years and twenty thousand people to complete the project. The Shah’s grief was overshadowed by his passion for the project. He no longer mourned her absence. The construction project consumed him. One day, while walking from one side of the construction site to the other, his leg bumped against an old, dusty, wooden box. While the prince, miffed at the ugly, dirty box, brushed the dust off his leg, he ordered a worker to throw the box out.

The Shah didn’t know he had ordered the disposal of his wife’s coffin that had been forgotten and hidden beneath layers of dust and time. The one the temple was intended to honor was forgotten, but the temple was erected anyway.

How many times do we lose focus on the things that ought to be dear to us because of other pressing needs? Be careful that the urgent things don’t always overshadow the important things in life.

The Simple Life

2010-09-24T12:27:00.003-05:00

This is probably my favorite story of all time. I've posted it on this blog a couple of times at least. It is the first entry in my first book, Timely Words. There is just so much wisdom in this story. In case you've never read it, here it is again:

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a little boat with one fisherman docked with a slim catch.

The American asked him, “Why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more fish?”

The Mexican replied, “This is all I need to support my family for a few days.”

“But what do you do with the rest of your time?” the American inquired.

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I dine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed at the Mexican. “Listen. I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City or even New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

“But how long will this take?” the fisherman asked.

“About 15-20 years,” responded the expert.

“But what then?”

The American laughed. “That is the best part…when the time is right you would sell your company stock and become rich.”

“Rich,” the Mexican dreamed aloud. “Then what?”

The businessman said, "Then you could retire, move to a small coastal village and sleep late, fish a little, play with your grandkids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings and play the guitar with your friends."

What is Discipleship?

2010-09-15T06:23:00.004-05:00

A friend and church member approached me a couple of months ago and asked me to disciple him. I agreed so we planned to get together this month for lunch to come up with a course of action. We met yesterday and discussed what it takes to become a more mature follower of Jesus.

But lately, I've been asking myself, "What is discipleship?" What does it really mean and how does one become a disciple?

(Note: I couldn't resist the cheesy picture generated by Google Images when I typed in the word "disciple.")

Years ago, if you asked me that question, my answer would have involved books, courses, and specific Bible studies. My approach to any subject is usually an academic, curriculum-based approach since I like to read. But I realize that reading is drudgery for some people so to point them to a book in order to gain spiritual maturity is like leading them into an abyss of misery. Guys, especially, tend not to read as much as women so it's even more difficult to disciple men in my experience.

There is another school of thought on discipleship out there. It's the philosophy that "more is caught than taught." No doubt, this philosophy works too. This was one of the methods Jesus used with his disciples. This method says that if you do life with people and let them see how you walk with Jesus everyday, they will become more mature from watching your life. As people glean things from your life, some of it will transfer over to them. While there is truth to that statement, deep down, I still believe that you have to read something in order to grow. But that's just me.

The problem with this method is that I don't know many guys that can just hang out with me a lot. Will having lunch with me every other week be enough? Probably not. Most disciples can't spend a lot of time with their disciplers and truly do life together. So the rub with the "more is caught than taught" philosophy is a matter of time.

I guess I should stop here and ask, "What does it mean to be a disciple?" The word "disciple" means "pupil" or "learner." So when someone says, "I want to be discipled" they are saying, "I want to learn."

So maybe the answer to the question of how to become a disciple is answered with another question. "How do you learn best?" Now you're getting somewhere. If you're a reader, read. If you learn by doing hands-on things, get busy. If you prefer watching and listening, find someone that will feed you.

In my experience over the years, the Church has limited discipleship only to those willing to read and attend extra classes. That is a mistake. We must do a better job of discipling people. After all, isn't that the Great Commission? "Make disciples of all nations," Jesus said. He didn't say make church members of all nations. He didn't say make churches in all nations. He said make disciples.

Chew on this today: The printing press was invented in the 15th century. Until then, copies of the Bible were rare and usually kept by the clergy. Christians didn't have their own personal study Bibles at their bedside. Most of them probably didn't know how to read anyway! So how did Christians make disciples during the first 1500 years of the Church's existence?

We ended our lunch yesterday without a specific plan. I'm still "chewing" on it (how to disciple my friend, not lunch.) I suggested to him that the Christian life is a journey. We will never completely arrive at spiritual maturity. But the key, I think, is to make progress everyday. Have some habit or discipline in your life that will take you one step closer to spiritual maturity. Be a life-long learner. The tools used are not the most important thing. The most important thing is this: Are you being a pupil of Christ? That, ultimately, is what a disciple is.

What to do with Naysayers

2010-09-10T08:59:00.004-05:00

Hall monitors tell you how to do things. Naysayers tell you that you cannot do things.

Naysayers will say that what you are dreaming has never been done before. They will tell you that your plans have been tried before with no success. They will cite the accounts of others who fell flat on their faces when they tried a scheme like yours.

Naysayers are experts at shooting down any and all ideas that do not conform to convention. Like hall monitors, naysayers do not like different.

Naysayers will tell you that you need to get real and that you need to get your head out of the clouds. They will find everything that is wrong with your life and your dreams. They will have advice for what you should do with your life as opposed to what you want to do.

Naysayers are often unhappy. They are dream quenchers. They are like rain on a parade. They like to stand by and critique other lives. They are afraid to seek their own dreams and goals so they sit in the corner and complain about what everyone else is doing wrong.

Disregard the Naysayers too.

How do you handle the Hall Monitors and Naysayers in your life? They will be family, friends, and coworkers. They will be people that you love and care about. They will be people whose advice you’ve taken before. What should you do when these people criticize your ideas or shoot down your dreams?

First, be nice. Receive their advice. Thank them for thinking of you. Tell them that you will consider what they say (and truly do so – it may help you formulate your plans). Do not argue but make your case if it’s necessary. Remember that they don’t think like you. They are stuck in a box called conformity. You are trying to break out of that box.

If Hall Monitors and Naysayers cause you to doubt, go back to those people who encourage and inspire you to pursue your dreams. Read their books, blogs, or websites. Take them to lunch. Revisit your dreams and goals and consider your progress. Determine to do something that day to take one more bite out of that elephant!

What to do with Hall Monitors

2010-09-09T06:03:00.004-05:00

When I was in elementary school we began each morning walking down the halls to our classrooms listening to our peers who had been appointed hall monitors. I think I was a hall monitor in the fourth grade. Hall monitors were fellow students strategically placed in the halls of the school to maintain order in the corridors. Hall monitors repeatedly gave the same command.

“Single file line. One behind the other.”

It was a chant that began the daily ritual of school. You would hear this chant repeated over and over in various voices and tones as you proceeded to your classroom. To be a hall monitor was an honor. You had to be a good student in order to be appointed this prestigious position. Hall monitors were important because they kept everyone in line and they made sure that every student walked down the right side of the halls. They made sure that everyone conformed to the rules.

Some adults are still hall monitors.

Hall monitors love conventional methods. They like the tried, tested, and true ways of doing things. They believe that everyone should conform to the same path using the same methods. Their methods are sound. There is nothing really wrong with their strategies for living. Millions of people have conformed to the lifestyle of the hall monitors and have succeeded.

The problem with hall monitors is that they expect everyone to do the same thing.

“Single file line. One behind the other.”

Hall monitors attack you if you don’t stay in line with the rest of the crowd. They don’t like it when you walk backwards down the hall or shoulder-to-shoulder with a friend or on the left side or, God forbid, you run down the hall!

Hall monitors like to control those around them. They like to tell you what to think. They don’t like people who break the rules or change the system. They want to tell you what to do. They are threatened when someone comes along with a different way of doing things. They want to tell you what you can and cannot do. Even if your way is better, it is seen with skepticism because it is different.

Hall monitors don’t like different.

Why do I tell you this? Because sometimes if you are going to make a difference you have to be different. You will run into your share of hall monitors. They will question you. They will correct you. They may harass you. They will tell you that you are going about this the wrong way. They will think you are crazy or you’ve “lost it.”

Disregard the hall monitors.

Technology is wreaking havoc on the publishing industry today. Authors are discovering that they don’t always need traditional publishers. Digital technology allows authors to upload a book and have it printed the same day as opposed to the archaic method that traditional publishers offer using 20^th century printing presses which may take up to a year or more.

Popular author Seth Godin recently announced that he will no longer use a traditional publisher. William P. Young, the author of The New York Times bestseller, The Shack, was rejected over and over by traditional publishers. The general publishing market thought his novel was too Christian. Christian publishers thought his theology was sketchy. No one wanted to touch it. Young and two friends decided to publish it themselves and the book became a huge success.

The hall monitors say that Godin and Young are breaking the rules. Godin and Young make the hall monitors in the publishing industry really nervous.

Be aware that you will have hall monitors in your life telling you how you should conform on this journey. You don’t have to do things like they’ve always been done. You don't have to fit into the hall monitor's box.

Those who make a difference in this world typically ignore the hall monitors.

A New Perspective

2010-09-06T18:45:00.003-05:00

A businessman had an angel come to visit him who promised to grant him one request. The man requested a copy of The New York Times one year in the future. As he was studying the future prices on the New York Stock Exchange, he boasted of his plans and the increased riches that would be his as a result of this "insider" look into the future.

He then glanced across the newspaper page only to see his own name in the obituary column. Suddenly, money wasn't so important.

Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom. - Psalm 90:12

His Grace is Enough

2010-09-01T06:33:00.003-05:00

"Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me..." Ephesians 3:8

The apostle Paul was the writer of the letter to the Ephesian church. He recognized that he was nothing without Christ. In this passage, he mentions how unworthy and sinful he is. Paul realized he was dirty in his sins and that he was a small speck in this vast universe. He understood that he could be easily overlooked by God and rightly so.

We have granted Paul sainthood. Many say he was the greatest among Christians. Don't tell him that.

Paul knew just how lowly and sinful he was. It is easy to pump ourselves up and think we've got it all together. In a wealthy country, in a healthy church, with well-adjusted kids, I can easily sit back and bask in my own glory and think I've deserved my lot in life.

I deserve nothing.

It is God's grace and only God's grace that allows me to breathe my next breath. It is God's grace that gives me hope. It is God's grace that allows me to see another minute. I do not deserve one bit of God's grace but he has chosen to give it all to me.

Not just a portion, not a taste - but all.

For that, I am humbled like Paul. God, don't let me forget your grace is given to me fully and completely. Don't let me forget that your grace is enough. It is all I need.

What Do You Value?

2010-08-29T18:59:00.000-05:00

Do you ever stop and evaluate your values?

Your values are those relationships and things that are most important to you. Values are not accomplishments to be scratched off a bucket list but instead they are those people or things in your life that you want to maintain as priorities in your life.

Your values are constant. They are not to be sacrificed for any dream, goal, or action step. Your values are the things that keep you grounded. They are the foundation of who you are.

To serve as an example, here are the 9 values in my life that I wrote down on December 11, 1995:

1. Maintain a close relationship with God
2. Maintain a close relationship with my wife
3. Maintain a close relationship with my kids
4. Maintain a close relationship with my family
5. Have close friends
6. Enjoy good health
7. Enjoy financial security
8. Contribute time, knowledge, and money to others
9. Control my own business affairs
10. Travel

Your values may be completely different. Obviously, relationships are most valuable to me. The first five values on my list include relationships in my life. They have been prioritized in a specific order. The values at the top are more valuable than those at the bottom. God, family, and friends are more important to me than financial concerns. Some people want to get rich at any cost but what is it to get rich with no close friends or family? I think it's useless and meaningless.

The purpose of this list is to give you a foundation for the rest of your life. Your values may not be sacrificed for your dreams. For example, many of my dreams involve travel. Travel is also one of the things I value. But I will not travel without my wife or my wife's blessing. If I chose to take off on trips by myself or without her approval, my relationship with my wife would be jeopardized. In fact, I would travel by myself a LOT if I were to do it without her involvement! My marriage is more important than my dreams. In addition, because financial security is important, I will not compromise my finances for the sake of travel. I could easily travel the world and accumulate thousands of dollars in credit card debt but I will not do that because I value financial security over travel.

Your values keep you grounded. Writing down your values keeps you focused. Consider the things that are most important to you, prioritize them, document them, then put them in a safe place and revisit them every once in a while.

It will be a "valuable" experience.

Life Questions

2010-08-27T13:54:00.003-05:00

If your life was absolutely perfect, how would it look to you?

What are your priorities?
What do you value the most?
What do you want to accomplish?
What are you missing in life right now that is important to you?
What are you passionate about?
What do you want your life to look like in ten years? Twenty? Thirty?
What gifts, talents, and abilities do you have that are not being used well, if at all?
What are you willing to die for?

Real, Relevant, or Both?

2010-08-21T20:42:00.002-05:00

Here's a thought-provoking blog post from one of my seminary professors. You can follow Dr. Dan Crawford here.

August 16th, 2010 by Dr. Dan

Recent studies have shown that as high as 70% of young Protestant adults between the ages of 18 and 22 have stopped attending church regularly. How could this happen? We tried so hard to reach them – with slick slogans, casual worship clothing, shorter sermons accompanied with power point pictures and video clips, upbeat music with live band on stage, no more welcoming of visitors, entertainment that almost matched the theater district, low lights and bright spot lights, etc. While there is nothing inherently wrong with any of the above methods, the relevant must be matched with the real. Young adults have been raised in a culture of distrust, dysfunction, and distaste. They are looking for something and someone that is real. The wrappings can be flashy or faded, but the contents must be authentic and genuine. Paul asked, “Do you look at things according to the outward appearance” (2 Cor. 10:7)? Could it be that we focused on the outward to the exclusion of the inward and in our zealous attempt to be relevant, we failed to be real?

How Much Allowance Should My Kids Receive?

2010-08-20T11:10:00.003-05:00

I was going through some financial files today when I ran across the checklist I used to record when I gave our kids their monthly allowance. If you ask them, they will tell you that it wasn't really monthly because I would usually forget to give it to them until they reminded me about it every couple of months or so.

Our kids are adults now, but back in the day when we felt it necessary to give them allowances the obvious question was: How much should we give them?

Somewhere along the way I read or heard about this formula. It worked for us, maybe it will work for you.

5 cents per day X age X 30 days = monthly allowance

In other words, we paid each child a nickel a day (just for breathing air!) times their age. So if the child is 10 years old, he gets 50 cents per day.

.05 X 10 = 50 cents

Then multiply .50 X 30 days = $15 per month

They get a raise on their birthdays. When they turn 11 the monthly figure becomes $16.50 per month.

.05 X 11 = 55 cents X 30 days = $16.50 per month

Of course, you can plug in any number you want in place of the daily nickel. Your kid may be worth 10 cents a day X their age. If that's the case, then you'll give your 10 year-old $30 per month.

It worked for us! See what you think.

The Secret to a Happy Life

2010-08-20T08:33:00.004-05:00

I don’t believe that pursuing stuff is the key to a full and happy life. Material things burn, rust, and wear out. They are fun for awhile but then we want something else. We’ve allowed ourselves to be easily swayed into believing that stuff will make us happy.

Dave Ramsey, the author of Financial Peace, considers this mentality a disease called “Stuff-itis.” It’s a disease we all have. We are tricked into believing that happiness comes from a thing or an event.

Think of the happiest people you know and list their qualities and character traits. Your list will probably look something like this:

Love for God
Love for family
Love for others
Content
Hard-working
Honest
Humble
Integrity
Optimistic
Patient
Peace
Prayerful
Purposeful
Thankful
Values
Worry-free

People are happy not because of what they have on the outside but because of who they are on the inside. The American Dream is consumed with stuff on the outside. Happiness and fulfillment comes from within.

A full life comes from realizing who you are in God’s eyes. When you understand that you are precious to your Creator, your perspective changes. God loves you more than you can imagine. You are totally accepted by Him, not because of anything you have done, but because of what He has done for you through Christ.

All you have to do is accept God’s gift of grace – Jesus the Savior.

This is a transformation that may take place instantaneously or it may be a slower process, but once you understand your worth and value to the God of the universe, you will never be the same.

And you will be happy.

Your life will be fulfilling and full of purpose. Your life will center on who you are more than what you have. You will value relationships over possessions. You will find contentment. You will worry less and love more. This is the secret to a happy life: Know who you are in God’s eyes.

Are You Making Footprints or Butt Prints?

2010-08-16T06:59:00.003-05:00

Tom Sirotnak, author of Ultimate Warriors, wrote about a feisty, quick-witted 104-year-old man named Walt Jones. Jones lived life with zeal as explained here:

Walt outlived his third wife, to whom he was married for 52 years. When she died, someone said to Walt that it must be sad losing such a long-time friend. His response was, "Well, of course it was, but then again it may be for the best. She kind of petered out on me in the last decade."

Walt went on to explain that he wanted to purchase a motor home to visit all 48 of the contiguous states ten years earlier, when he was 94. His wife wouldn't hear of it, using excuses that, at his age, he would get them killed, they would fall victims to violent crime, or they would die and there wouldn't be a funeral parlor around. Walt persisted, "I'd like to make footprints in the sands of time before I check out. But you can't make footprints in the sands of time if you're sitting on your butt...unless you want to make butt prints in the sands of time."

What about you? Are you taking advantage of your time? Are you making a difference? Are you a player on the field or a spectator in the stands? Are you warming a pew at church or are you on fire for Jesus?

Are you making footprints or butt prints in the sands of time?

You Can Do This If You Work For Sega

2010-08-14T20:55:00.003-05:00

I wonder if they did all of this work during office hours?

Every Life Has a Story

2010-08-08T21:12:00.004-05:00

From Chick-Fil-A:

Are You Asking the Right Question?

2010-08-06T07:43:00.004-05:00

Last weekend, I spoke at a Missions Conference in Guatemala. One of my topics was "How to be a World Changer." As I was writing this message, I determined that Christians who had a strong worldview and passion for evangelism and ministry ask themselves the right question. "Typical Christians" (for lack of a better word) ask themselves the wrong question.

The Typical Christian asks, "What is my vision for my life and how can God bless it?"

The World Christian (or World Changer) asks, "What is God's vision for my life and how can I bless Him?"

The Typical Christian wants to do their own thing. They want to live by their own agenda, by their rules, with their goals, and at their pace. The Typical Christian wants the American Dream and God's blessing on it. It is a very self-centered life. It's all about them. It's the mindset that if you go to church a few times a month, keep your nose clean, put some money in the offering plate, and act the part of the good Christian man or woman, you're good.

I disagree.

The World Christian submits to God's leading and authority in everything. They seek God's agenda for their life. They live by God's rules. They seek God's goals. They live at the pace that God has designated for them. They live with the understanding that God has blessed them immensely through Jesus and anything else is undeserved. It is a very selfless life.

The World Christian sees the big picture of God's purpose for the world. The World Christian cries out on behalf of the over 2 billion people on the planet who have never heard of Jesus Christ. They pray for the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38). They support missions and missionaries. They mobilize others to meet the world's needs and sound the alarm for global concerns. They go. Whether to a people group on the other side of town or another country, they go to assist in making Jesus known to every tribe, every tongue, and every nation (Revelation 5:9).

Which one are you? Are you asking the right question?

North Korean Soccer Team Shamed

2010-08-03T14:00:00.004-05:00

Wow.

If you thought getting blessed out by your coach for missing a tackle, letting strike three get by you, or losing against your rival was bad, check this out.

North Korea Shames Its World Cup Losers

Out of Sync

2010-08-03T13:26:00.002-05:00

I just flew in from Guatemala and boy are my arms tired. (Enter rimshot here.)

I've been out of sync lately with my blog posting. I'll blame it on my summer schedule. In May, I was away for two weeks in SE Asia. In early June we took our family vacation at Hilton Head only after attending a family member's wedding out of town. Beth and I celebrated our anniversary with a brief retreat to the North Carolina mountains in early July. She left on July 19 for two weeks in SE Asia with a team from TrueNorth. Less than 7 hours after Beth returned from her adventure late last Thursday night, I left to speak at a missions conference at El Camino Church in Guatemala.

Add to that a couple of Sundays speaking at TrueNorth (which tends to take away writing time) and there you have it. Sporadic, inconsistent blogging.

All of the professional bloggers say you have to consistently and routinely blog in order to keep your audience. So I apologize for not being consistent and staying in a routine. I know you anxiously await my posts. :) I try to post at least twice a week. Still working on consistency.

In addition, I've spent a lot of time working on a new blog. "What? You can't keep up with this blog and you're starting another one?"

Yep.

But this one will eventually shut down and be moved to the new one. I'll try to keep you posted. It will be awhile before that happens.

I think I'm in town for awhile now so I hope to get in a blog groove.

Stay tuned.

Marketing Concepts in 2 Minutes

2010-07-26T20:25:00.002-05:00

What Does God Expect of You?

2010-07-24T12:45:00.002-05:00

If you're like me, you have a lot of people in your life who expect a lot of things from you. My family expects me to care for them. My pastor/boss and my church expect me to do my job and fulfill my calling. My bank expects me to pay my loans. My dog expects me to walk him and feed him. My friends expect me to lend a hand and a listening ear. My blog readers expect me to blog. Well, maybe...

Above all, though, we should ask, "What does God expect of me?"

At the risk of trying to summarize the Christian life in a brief, even cheesy, outline, I want to give you a brief, cheesy outline that I discovered years ago. I thought it was worth posting. I don't think this is original with me. I can't remember where it came from.

1. God expects you to GROW.

We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! (2 Peter 3:18)

2. God expects you to GO.

Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. (Mark 5:19)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

3. God expects you to GLOW.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:14-15)

4. God expects you to SOW.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

5. God expects you to SHOW.

I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself. (Psalm 89:1-2)

6. God expects you to KNOW.

Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)

Don't Have Cash? Pay With Your Phone

2010-07-23T22:20:00.002-05:00

I rarely have cash. I never carry a checkbook. So, occasionally, I get stuck in a store or restaurant that doesn't take credit/debit cards and I've had to depend on a friend to pay for me and my friend is stuck with an IOU...

Not anymore. Check this link out.

Fear & Permission by Chris Guillebeau

2010-07-16T08:56:00.002-05:00

Anxiety is repeatedly experiencing failure in advance. (Seth Godin)

I heard Chris Guillebeau say this in a TED talk.

Why Money Can't Buy Happiness (Or, Spend Money on Adventures, Not Stuff)

2010-07-10T21:26:00.003-05:00

Do you know why money can't buy happiness? It's a phenomenon called the "Hedonic Treadmill." It's the tendency of a person to remain at a relatively stable level of happiness despite changes in fortune or the achievement of major goals. As a person makes more money, expectations and desires rise in tandem, which results in no permanent gain in happiness.

For example, when you buy a new car, it's great at first, but after awhile it's just your car. Or you buy a new living room suit and you dare anyone to eat or drink while sitting on your new sofa because it is new and beautiful and it has made you happy for three consecutive weeks. Then one night you decide to eat spaghetti on your sofa and you spill spaghetti sauce on it. You shrug your shoulders and think, "Oh, well" because it's just your sofa now, not your new sofa that made you happy when you first purchased it.

The hedonic treadmill is science's way of proving the old axiom, "Money can't buy happiness." Solomon wrote, "Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income" (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

Life is an adventure. During this adventure, millions of dollars will pass through your hands. (Don’t believe that? If you make $30,000 a year between the ages of 25 & 65 you'll make $1.2 million.) You can spend your money on adventures or you can spend it on stuff. New stuff will get old. New adventures will never get old.

So what to do with your money then? Dan Ariely, a behavioral finance expert and the author of The Upside of Irrationality: The Unexpected Benefits of Defying Logic at Work and at Home wisely says, "The best way to maximize happiness is to spend money on things you won't get used to. If you're deciding between a sofa and a vacation, go for the vacation. You'll quickly get used to the sofa, but the vacation will bring long-lasting memories" (Money, June 2010).

From my perspective and as much as possible, I want to spend my money on things that last. Whether it is my own personal adventures or supporting the adventures of others (e.g., mission trips) I want to choose experiences over material things.

Sometimes material things and experiences collide. For example, eight years ago I bought my first motorcycle. I wanted to enjoy the experience of riding down country roads on a beautiful day with the wind in my face and bugs in my teeth. I ended up buying three motorcycles over time. I sold the last one last fall with no regrets. For me, I enjoyed the experiences but over time riding got rather commonplace. I never did a cross-country ride. I still think I'd like to do that, but for now, I've "been there, done that" with motorcycles.

What adventures do you seek? More importantly, how do you find true happiness? Here's my suggestion.

Are you happy? Are you buying new stuff that soon gets old or are you investing in adventures and new experiences?

Baby Steps

2010-07-01T06:55:00.004-05:00

If you've ever helped a baby learn to walk, you've received a glimpse of what it's like to be God.

Once a baby has learned to crawl up on things and stand using the support of that thing upon which he/she has crawled, then baby steps begin. Sofas were great for this stage of development at our house. Our children learned to walk the length of the couch before venturing over to outstretched arms in the recliner across the way. When they were brave enough to leave the safety of the couch, we would hold their hands as they stumbled and wobbled across the room.

At just the right time, when their balance was more consistent and their confidence sure, we would let go of their hand and the independence began. We clapped. We snapped pictures. We hit "Play" on the video camera. We called grandparents and friends. Our baby has learned how to walk!

Then they fell. Usually, and conveniently, on their padded and diapered bottom. Sometimes the fall would bring laughter and sometimes it would bring tears. Persistence was key. Over time, they would master this basic skill and an entirely new stage of life would begin for both the child and the parents.

Sometimes God lets go of our hand in order to help us grow in spiritual maturity. Have you ever been through a stage in life wondering "Where is God?" It's no surprise that we develop our spiritual lives in the valleys more so than on the mountaintops. At times when we are in the valleys of life looking up, we can't find God. Why is that?

C.S. Lewis wrote, "He wants them (believers) to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles."

Lewis also wrote, "Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature (i.e., believer) to stand up on its own legs - to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during such trough periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature (i.e., person) He wants it to be."

These periods of God letting go are opportunities for our faith to shine. Lewis also wrote that the prayers offered during these dry times are those which please God the most. It is in the valleys when we look to God for hope. It is in the valleys when we reach down deep in our souls for faith. It is in the valleys when we determine that we will love God and be obedient no matter the cost.

These are the times that stretch us and challenge us to believe and trust the core values of our faith.

As we stumble along, fall, get up, take a few more steps, fall again, more steps, fall, cry, and get up for more baby steps - determined to master this walk of faith - our Father walks patiently behind us with a proud smile saying to the angels in heaven, "Look! My child is learning how to walk the walk of faith!"

And the angels rejoice.

* C.S. Lewis quotes are from the The Screwtape Letters

How Big is the Gulf Oil Spill?

2010-06-26T20:13:00.003-05:00

Here's a map of the Gulf Oil Spill over the Augusta, GA area. Is it bigger than you thought?

Courtesy http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com

How to be Unremarkably Average

2010-06-26T16:56:00.002-05:00

I think there are a lot of truths in this brief blog post by Chris Guillebeau. Enjoy.

Ducks on the Pond

2010-06-25T07:52:00.003-05:00

Last night's extra inning victory by the South Carolina Gamecocks created a unique situation in this year's College World Series. An in-state rivalry will be in the national spotlight tonight when the Gamecocks play the Clemson Tigers in the next stage of the Series.

If you don't follow college baseball, Carolina and Clemson both have incredible baseball programs and this collegiate rivalry is almost as intense on the baseball diamond as it is on the football field. The Gamecocks usually have a better chance of winning in baseball over football.

So, watch the game tonight and enjoy watching two great teams duke it out for a chance at the national championship.

I was thinking about a baseball saying the other day and the reason for this post. Sometimes during a game you'll hear someone yell to a batter "Ducks on the pond!" If you're not a baseball fan, that probably seems like a really weird thing to say. "Ducks on the pond" means that there are baserunners on base that need to score. If the batter gets a hit, the runners have a chance to advance home.

One thing you don't want to do if you're the hitter is leave ducks on the pond.

In Churchworld, we want everyone to get home. "Home" meaning heaven, with the Lord, where His creation belongs. God designed us to be in fellowship with Him forever. Sin created a gap between man and God which causes man to go astray. Jesus bridged that gap on the cross and, for Christ-followers, one of our missions in life is to let other people know how to get home.

We've got ducks on the pond.

Who do you know that is out there waiting on you to help them get home? Who could be stranded if you don't show them the way? Who are the "ducks" in your life?

Many of my readers are members of my church, TrueNorth Church. At TNC, we call these people "fish" since Jesus told us to be "fishers of men." Today, I'm changing that to "ducks." Who are your ducks on the pond that need to come home?

One thing you don't want to do if you're a Christ-follower is leave ducks on the pond.

A Real Radical: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

2010-06-23T11:11:00.002-05:00

I've had many conversations lately about living a radical life as a result of promoting David Platt's new book Radical.

Columnist Cal Thomas had a great piece in today's paper about a true RADICAL. Read about him here:

Cal Thomas: Bonhoeffer and a Christian's 'privilege to suffer' | Washington Examiner

Foldable TV

2010-06-22T15:40:00.000-05:00

Your next TV may also serve as wallpaper.

It's All About the Fundamentals

2010-06-18T20:10:00.002-05:00

I enjoyed watching the Los Angeles Lakers/Boston Celtics match up in the NBA Finals the past 10 days or so. In case you don't keep up with sports, the Lakers won an exciting game 7 last night 83-79. It was the first NBA best of seven championship series to actually go to the final game since 2005 and only the second in 16 years.

One of the features that ABC/ESPN showed during the games were video and audio of the coach's instructing their teams during timeouts. It was interesting that each coach preached the fundamentals almost every time.

"You can't get an open shot if you don't move!"
"Where's the hustle out there?"
"We've got to get back faster on defense!"

The instructions they gave their teams were no different than the instructions you'd hear a basketball coach give at a youth league, middle school, high school, or college game.

In basketball, it's about ball control, hustle, defense, smart passes, and high percentage shots. In baseball, it's about clean catches, accurate throws, heads up baserunning, and good connections at the plate. In football, it's blocking, tackling, and protecting the football. Fundamentals.

Living the life of a Christ-follower is no different. Do the fundamentals. Take time to pray. Read the Bible. Worship regularly. Spend time with other believers who will stretch you, support you, and encourage you. Give. Serve. Tell others about Jesus.

Championship athletes do the fundamentals well. Great Christ-followers do the basics well too.

How are you doing?

Notes from the Edge of the Continent: My Love/Hate Relationship with the Church

2010-06-12T21:50:00.003-05:00

We're wrapping up our annual week at Hilton Head Island. We have to leave tomorrow morning and, as usual, WE DON'T WANT TO!! It's been another relaxing week here and it's hard to get motivated to get back to the real world. Our vacations have become rather routine, I guess. Mornings on the beach with a good book and plenty of suntan lotion. Inside for a late lunch, then the pool. Back to the beach later in the afternoon. Supper. Maybe an evening walk on the beach. (We woke up at 5:45 this morning and watched a beautiful red sunrise.)

We usually go out to eat a couple of times a week. This week we returned for the 3rd year in a row to The Wreck of the Salty Dog and Kenny B's French Quarter Cafe. We highly recommend both.

Something about relaxing on the Atlantic causes me to reflect and think a lot. Beth says this is my week for introspection. It's true. When I come here I think a lot about my beliefs, my calling, my life, my busyness, and my priorities. This year was no different with the exception that I didn't "introspect" as often or as deeply as I usually do.

I intentionally packed books unrelated to ministry this week. Many times I'll use this week to catch up on reading ministry-related books. Not this time. With the exception of my daily morning Bible reading, this week I read a novel and I caught up on the last three issues of Writer's Digest magazines. Oops, I lied. I did bring one ministry related magazine to finish some articles that I started a while ago and never got back to finish.

Even so, my mind has been on my passion quite a bit because Beth and Kyle, my daughter's boyfriend, have been reading Radical this week. They've been talking about it some. (See my review here.) My passion is the Church and Radical definitely makes you think about it. I have a love/hate relationship with the Church. (Note: Church with a capital "C" means the Church as a whole, the universal Church, the Body of Christ.) Church with a little "c" would be a local church, e.g., TrueNorth Church. Why do I say I have a love/hate relationship with the Church? Because I love it so much and I know that the Church is the hope of the world, yet I hate how we mistreat it, discount it, and just plain don't get it sometimes.

Too many Christians think "Church" consists of a 60-70 minute program that includes 30 minutes of music, 30 minutes of preaching, 5 minutes of announcements and 5 minutes for the offering. They think that attending this one hour service makes God happy and gives them brownie points with the Almighty, a.k.a., "the Good Lord." When I read Acts 2:41-47 (many scholars would agree that this passage describes the model church), I don't see much in there about a one hour service filled with music and preaching.

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

What do you see in this passage? I see a lifestyle, not attendance of a weekly production. I see the word "devoted." I see authentic discipleship, fellowship, and prayer. I see miracles. MIRACLES! When is the last time you truly witnessed a miracle, if ever? I see selflessness - a community sharing things with those in need, not individuals acquiring things for their own pleasure. I see generosity. I see multiplication of disciples. I see genuine love and passion for the things of God.

Do you see these things in your life? in your church?

This love/hate relationship began for me in the mid-1980's after a nasty church business meeting. Up until that Wednesday night, I had seen nothing but the greatness of a tremendous church on fire and on mission for God. Then sin crept in - specifically, gossip, which lead to an all-out attack against God's anointed ones. To be honest, I don't think that church has been the same since that night.

I saw the Church at its worst that night. I couldn't sleep. Beth and I couldn't go to work the next day. Instead, we prayed all morning in the church sanctuary. We prayed at every pew, every seat in the choir loft, and the big thrones on the stage where the ministers sat. We prayed for healing, reconciliation, and forgiveness. We prayed intensely for hours.

It wasn't long after that night that my passion for the Church was born. I was determined to do my part in seeing the Church operate like it is described in the New Testament. It's been about 25 years and my passion for it is still great. Sometimes I'm so passionate about it, it becomes a burden. It is a passion/burden that I will die with, I guess. Beth says it will never leave me.

So what have I been doing at the beach this week? Besides getting sunburned, I've been meditating, contemplating, scheming, and praying about how to make TrueNorth Church and the Church as a whole more like the Acts 2 church. I would love it if you would join me in my passion. The Church is truly the HOPE OF THE WORLD. We must make it what God intended it to be. There is no Plan B.

Ruprecht in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

2010-06-08T20:17:00.000-05:00

This has always been one of my favorite all-time movie scenes. Steve Martin was such a nut.

Recapturing Your Creative Spirit

2010-06-03T22:38:00.002-05:00

Watch my friend and former Disney Imagineer McNair Wilson talk about "Recapturing Your Creative Spirit." It's an hour and fifteen minutes long but well worth it and entertaining. I encourage you to take the time getting to know McNair and his wisdom.

Tempting Thoughts

2010-06-03T06:55:00.003-05:00

We tend to think that temptation is something that happens to us when God isn't looking - like Satan sneaks in when the backdoor of opportunity is cracked open.* But if you read Matthew 4:1, you'll see that "Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil."

Led up by the Spirit? The Holy Spirit? Why would He do such a thing? Why would the Holy Spirit lead us to temptation? Isn't that what we pray against? "Lead us not into temptation" the Lord taught in his model prayer (Matthew 6:13).

Sometimes God leads us down difficult roads - on purpose. What good can come from temptation? Why would God do such a thing? Note the following from William Barclay:

What we call temptation is not meant to make us sin; it is meant to enable us to conquer sin. It is not meant to make us bad, it is meant to make us good. It is not meant to weaken us, it is meant to make us emerge stronger and finer and purer for the ordeal. Temptation is not the penalty of being human, temptation is the glory of being human. It is the test which comes to a person whom God wishes to use. (Taken from Simple Spirituality by Chris Heuertz, p. 132)

Compare Matthew 4 with Genesis 3 and you will see that Satan tempted Jesus with the same three things as he did with Eve - the desire for physical pleasure, the desire of ego, and the desire for power. Adam and Eve failed their test. God sent Jesus into the wilderness to be tested to show that we can overcome the schemes of the devil. Satan intended to disqualify the Savior. God intended to prove Jesus to be worthy and sinless, thus a worthy Savior.

Notice how Jesus fought the battle: with confidence and boldness knowing he could overcome and with Scripture. (Note that Satan used Scripture as well but he twisted it to make it suit his purpose.)

Have you been tempted lately? How did you do? Did you fall for it or did you overcome? Could you back up your opposition to the temptation with Scripture or did you stutter and stammer not knowing how to respond until you were defeated?

Dealing with temptation is tough. After Jesus' encounter with Satan, angels came and ministered to him who was weary from the battle (Matthew 4:11). The apostle Paul wrote that temptation is an endurance test to show us that God is faithful (See 1 Corinthians 10:31). God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able.

I know what some of you are thinking. "God must really think I'm strong based on the temptations he sends my way!"

Struggling with sin and its temptations is a part of our spiritual journey. Sometimes we win. Sometimes we lose. The next time you find yourself in a tempting predicament, consider the words above from William Barclay. It is meant to enable us to conquer, to make us good, and to make us stronger so that God can use us more in the future.

* To be specific, it's probably not Satan. It's one of his minions. Satan isn't omnipresent or omniscient. He can't be in all places at all times like God nor does he know it all so let's not give him powers he doesn't really have. Most of the attacks from the spiritual realm come from his apprentices. Satan may orchestrate evil but you and I rarely if ever will encounter the Evil One personally.

How to Write Yourself Sane

2010-06-02T07:07:00.000-05:00

I received this article from ehow.com's daily email yesterday. Thought it was worth sharing. I've found journaling to be a rewarding experience.

How to Write Yourself Sane | eHow.com

Book Review: Simple Spirituality

2010-05-31T08:35:00.002-05:00

If you ever have a chance to meet someone who used to take out the trash at Mother Teresa's House for the Dying in India, you should stop and learn from them. Christopher Heuertz, the author and International Director of Word Made Flesh ministries, showed up in India one day looking for a place to serve with the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize winner. His journey there, as well as his other adventures around the world, give him the life lessons that he shares in Simple Spirituality.

In a similar vein as the previously reviewed book, Radical, Heuertz approaches Biblical living from a more personal point of view. Unlike Radical, Simple Spirituality is directed specifically at the walk of individual Christ-followers and not the Church as a whole. He focuses on 5 core values to combat the giants that tend to block our view of God:

Humility to slay the giant of pride and arrogance.
Community to slay the giant of individualism and independence.
Simplicity to slay the giant of intemperance and excess.
Submission to slay the giant of power and control.
Brokenness to slay the giant of triumphalism, defiance, and resistance.

Heuertz believes that any true path to spiritual sight ought to be simple. While he's not a contemplative or a mystic, he has found, in the Bible and in his work with impoverished people, evidence of a simple spirituality. This way of humility, community, simplicity, submission, and brokenness will help you see - no matter how dark things get.

Here are some quotes from Simple Spirituality:

It's humility that opens our eyes to the discovery of God. The self-righteous seem to have the hardest time recognizing God. Story after story in the Gospels illustrates this.

If we are unable to give something away, then we do not possess it, rather it possesses us.

Non-poor Christians mistakenly come to view God's financial and material provision as individual blessing rather than kingdom resources.

For many of us, the things we fill our time with become not so much expressions of who we are but rather distractions from whom we need to become.

We want to make room for Christ to reign on the thrones of our hearts, but only a clean Christ who doesn't make a mess of our lives.

Mother Teresa said, "If the poor die of hunger, it is not because God does not care for them. Rather, it is because neither you nor I are generous enough."

Simplicity is best understood in evaluating how we hold things, not just what we do or don't hold.

We want to make the issue about what we give, but in truth the issue is about what we keep.

We are broken when we recognize our utmost need for God and leave everything behind to have our needs met in God.

Book Review: Radical

2010-05-26T06:37:00.002-05:00

Here's the short book review. I liked this book so much that I ordered a case of them to give to our staff and other leaders at TrueNorth Church. I read non-fiction books with a pen to mark and underline significant thoughts or passages. Radical is one of the most marked up books that I own now.

The longer review: Why did I like this book so much? David Platt and I think alike. :)

You can tell he struggles as the leader of a megachurch trying to lead others to follow the leader of a minichurch movement, i.e., Jesus. The subtitle is "Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream." American Christians have confused Biblical Christianity with the American way. Our wealth and independence have made us a little too self-sufficient. Our churches have learned how to grow and operate just fine without the power of God. All churches need to exist today is a good performance on Sunday mornings by musicians and teachers. A nice building to put everyone in and programs for all ages to keep people coming back. It is sad but true.

Platt contends and shows by clearly using the Bible as a guide that our purpose in life is NOT to grow nice big churches for American families to thrive. Our purpose here is a global mission. We exist to enjoy God's glory and to extend God's glory. Jesus called his followers to a new lifestyle. Christ-followers are called to leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. We are to abandon everything for the sake of the gospel. We are to take up our crosses daily and follow him (Luke 9:23).

Unfortunately, our churches tend to disinfect us from the world. We have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. We have embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical but actually contradict the gospel we claim to believe. In our world where church success is defined by bigger crowds, bigger budgets, and bigger buildings, Platt challenges his readers to realize that these values are not important to Jesus at all. What is important is that we believe and obey what Jesus teaches. All of his teaching.

You can't take the privileges of Christianity without also fulfilling the obligations of Christianity. We are guilty of picking and choosing what we want from Jesus. Everyone wants the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10 but then we say, "We are not called" when we read the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.

One of the few original thoughts I've had in a long time is "Every Christian needs a passport (see link)." David Platt confirms it. But this book isn't just about global missions, it's about living simply, praying sincerely, giving sacrificially, and much more. The truth is what Platt calls "Radical" is really just living Biblical. Unfortunately, we are so far removed from Biblical living it seems to be radical.

If you want a FREE COPY let me know. Amazon shipped them yesterday. I'll give copies away on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you live out of town, I will mail it to you.

Some things I highlighted in my reading:

We've missed what is radical about our faith and replaced it with what is comfortable. We've settled for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.

"God's Word is enough for millions of believers who gather in house churches...His Word is enough for millions of other believers who huddle in African jungles, South American rain forests, and Middle Eastern cities. But is his Word enough for us? This is the question that haunts me when I stand before a crowd of thousands of people in the church I pastor. What if we take away the cool music and the cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts are removed? Would his Word still be enough for his people to come together?"

"The goal of the American dream is to make much of ourselves. The goal of the gospel is to make much of God."

"God blesses his people with extravagant grace so they might extend his extravagant glory to all peoples on the earth."

"One of the unintended consequences of contemporary church strategies that revolve around performances, places, programs, and professionals is that somewhere along the way people get left out of the picture. But according to Jesus, people are God's method for winning the world to himself. People who have been radically transformed by Jesus. People who are not sidelined to sit in a chair on Sundays while they watch professionals take care of ministry for them. People who are equipped on Sundays to participate in ministry every day of the week. People who are fit and free to do precisely what Jesus did and what Jesus told us to do. Make disciples."

"We look back on slave-owning churchgoers of 150 years ago and ask, 'How could they have treated their fellow human beings that way?' I wonder if followers of Christ 150 years from now will look back at Christians in America today and ask, 'How could they live in such big houses? How could they drive such nice cars and wear such nice clothes? How could they live in such affluence while thousands of children were dying because they didn't have food and water? How could they go on with their lives as though billions of poor didn't even exist?'"

"There is never going to come a day when I stand before God and he looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.'"

"Why not begin operating under the idea that God has given us excess, not so we could have more, but so we could give more.?"

"What would happen if we stopped asking how much we could spare and started asking how much it was going to take?"

(After explaining that the origin of the ichthus/fish symbol is traced back to persecuted and martyred Christians.) "How far we have come when we paste this symbol identified with martyred brothers and sisters in the first century onto the backs of our SUVs and luxury sedans in the twenty-first century."

"Church-goers today want short-term commitments with long-term benefits."

Reflections from SE Asia

2010-05-24T06:40:00.002-05:00

I returned late last Thursday night from an 11 day excursion to SE Asia. I think I have most of the jetlag and cobwebs shaken out by now and I wanted to record some of the things we experienced as well as things I learned while there. Since this is kind of a brain dump, I'll just put everything in bullet form. Here goes:

- It's a long way from home. If you look at a globe, we were exactly on the other side of the planet. We left home on Monday morning, May 10 and arrived in Singapore on Wednesday, May 12. A 3 hour drive from here to Charlotte. Three hour flight from Charlotte to Minneapolis. Twelve hours from Minneapolis to Tokyo. We literally ran through the Tokyo airport to catch our next flight to Singapore which was an 8 hour flight. If you're keeping score, that's 23 hours in the airplane. The next day was the final leg of our journey which was another one hour flight. So, 24 hours in the air - one way. (For security reasons, our final destination has to be confidential.)

- The good news about 24 hours in an airplane: I read 4 books. Also watched a few movies, journaled, and catnapped.

- Singapore is one of the most impressive cities/countries that I've ever experienced. Clean and green. Everything looked new from buses to cars to buildings, even the roads. They take a lot of pride in their country. It is one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Singapore is a melting pot of Asia. You'll find Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipinos, Indonesians, Koreans, Malaysians, Australians, and more represented on this small island.

- You'll have trouble enjoying meals in SE Asia if you don't like rice. Rice was included in every meal. (The photo above is my first of dozens of meals there.) Rice and spice - two essential elements to a SE Asian dish. In addition to rice, we had some fruits and vegetables that I have never heard of along with standard things like chicken, beef, and seafood (lots of seafood). We saw lots of prawn, shrimp, squid, and fishheads.

- We visited a young female believer with tuberculosis. Pray for her as medical help is not good nor is her outlook. She could probably be treated to recovery but she would have to leave the country to seek better care. This isn't likely, unfortunately. We were heartbroken at her story.

- Radical Islam is alive and well. As if you didn't already know this from reading the papers every day, we actually heard more stories of things that Islamic fundamentalists had recently done where we were. Anything from planning to bomb a Singapore train station (that we frequented a few times) to protesting and rioting because evil American sex symbol/singer Kelly Clarkson was coming for a concert. The concert was cancelled. Not sure if it was rescheduled or not. Only a few years ago in the city that we worked in, three girls who attended a Christian school were captured as they walked to school and decapitated. I tell you this not to hinder you from joining the work over there, but to say that it's serious business. There is a deep spiritual darkness on that side of the earth.

- With that being said, one of the most encouraging things for me was the incredible work that was being done there for Jesus' sake. We visited a megachurch that is reaching thousands of people for Christ. In Singapore, we visited a missionary training school that is training and sending workers out by the thousands each year to nations all over Asia, Africa, and Europe. If I had to put my finger on the highlight of the trip, it was probably sitting down with the Founder of this school and the current president for over 3 hours just to talk about what God is doing in Asia. Their faith and trust in God challenged me deeply.

- We attended a circumcision party. Ow!

- The "DONS," our code name for an unreached people group that TrueNorth Church has adopted, desperately need your prayers. Mostly relying on the fishing industry to get by, these folks as well as millions of others there survive on one dollar a day. That's one order of french fries for us. One billion people in the world earn $1 each day. Two billion people earn about $2. Drop to your knees right now and thank God for your house, your job, and all of your stuff. And while you're down there pray that the "DONS" will hear about the amazing grace we have in Jesus. Of an estimated 4 million, only a handful of DONS are believers. Pray for the workers there.

- The great need in that part of the world burdens me but even greater than that burden is the complacency of the American Church. We are so inward-focused, so selfish, and so caught up in our petty cares of this world that we virtually ignore the Great Commission that Jesus gave us. We will answer to this one day. Most of our money stays here as do most of our people. We are comfortable, fat, and lazy. While believers there literally risk their lives for the sake of Jesus each day, most believers here struggle to get out of bed on Sunday mornings to sit in padded pews, listen to good music, and take in another sermon without doing anything about it. It makes me mad and angry. I will struggle with this burden for a long time barring a great revival in our churches. I pray that God will wake us from our slumber. The American Church has the resources to reach billions of people for Christ if we put our minds and hearts to it. Instead, the Church here is a sleeping giant.

Is There Life After Birth?

2010-05-12T07:07:00.000-05:00

In Our Greatest Gift, Henri Nouwen tells a parable of faith and hope. He imagines twins - brother and sister - talking to each other in their mother's womb:

The sister said to the brother, "I believe there is life after birth."

Her brother protested vehemently, "No, no, this is all there is. This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but to cling to the cord that feeds us."

The little girl insisted, "There must be something more than this dark place. There must be something else, a place with light where there is freedom to move." Still, she could not convince her twin brother.

After some silence, the sister said, "I have something else to say, and I'm afraid you won't believe that either - but I think there is a mother."

Her brother became furious. "A mother! What are you talking about? I have never seen a mother, and neither have you. Who put that idea in your head? As I told you, this place is all we have. Why do you always want more? This is not such a bad place. We have all we need, so let's be content."

The sister was quite overwhelmed by her brother's response and for a while didn't dare say anything more. But she couldn't let go of her thoughts, and since she had only her twin brother to speak to, she finally said, "Don't you feel these squeezes every once in a while? They're quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful."

"Yes," he said. "What's special about that?"

"Well, I think that these squeezes are there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face-to-face. Don't you think that's exciting?"

The brother didn't answer. He was fed up with the foolish talk of his sister and felt that the best thing would be simply to ignore her and hope that she would leave him alone.

It's About Time (Part 3)

2010-05-05T07:27:00.008-05:00

"The gods confound the man who first found out how to distinguish hours! Confound him, too, who in this place set up a sundial, to cut and hack my days so wretchedly into small portions." Unknown Poet, 200 BC

In his book, Margin, Richard Swenson noted that nearly every study on the subject of family reveals that stress produced by time pressures are at, or near, the top of the list. The average time that a husband and wife spend in meaningful conversation each day is four minutes. Parent-to-child quality time is somewhere between 37 seconds and five minutes a day depending on the study.

Our mismanagement of time is killing our relationships. Busyness destroys relationships. We allow our busyness and lack of time to be a point of pride. It boosts our ego to appear busy. It's an expectation and status symbol. It makes us feel important to say we don't have time. When someone asks us how we are doing, we love to respond with, "I'm busy."

How do you know if you're too busy? Gordon MacDonald gives these symptoms of disorganization in his classic book, Ordering Your Private World. (See link below right.) You don't have to have all 9 of these symptoms. One is enough to let you know to slow down.

1. Clutter
2. Condition of your car
3. Self-esteem diminished
4. Series of forgotten appointments, messages, & deadlines
5. Invest energies in unproductive tasks
6. Feel poorly about work
7. Rarely enjoy intimacy with God
8. Quality of personal relationships reveals it
9. Don't like ourselves, our jobs, or much else about our worlds

God never intended for us to be oppressed, depressed, and stressed about our busy lives. He never intended for time to dictate our every move and mood. Jesus moved through life deliberately but was never in a hurry. Crowds thronged around him. The sick wanted to be healed. His followers wanted to be taught. When people came to him for help he gave them the impression that no one else was more important than them.

The secret to Jesus' effectiveness was that he knew that God ordered his footsteps and he saw every appointment or interruption as a divine appointment. The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives (Psalm 37:23, NLT).

Are you on the road to a purposeful life or a purposeless life? Here's the progression to a purposeless life:

A Crowded life = "I'm busy."
Busyness = "I'm tired."
Fatigue = "I'm grumpy."
Apathy = "I don't care."
Purposelessness = "I hate my life."

Give thought to your life. Be careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of your time (Ephesians 5:15,16). Determine to take a step each day toward purposeful living. Most worthwhile achievements are the result of many little things done in a single direction. It's also been said this way: "Inch by inch, anything's a cinch!"

Get Radical

2010-04-30T07:11:00.002-05:00

This morning I was introduced to a new book by David Platt. You can read the first chapter here. Radical is bothersome but it is truth. Platt, who describes himself as a megachurch pastor leading people to a minichurch leader, addresses the paradox between the radical words of Jesus and the state of American Christianity. It will make you wince.

I've requested this book for a future blog review. I look forward to sharing more about it with you in the future.

Please take 10 minutes to read Chapter 1.

It's About Time (Part 2)

2010-04-29T07:09:00.003-05:00

A few months ago I was talking to a friend on the phone who was anxiously awaiting a 9:30 AM meeting. It was a rather serious and important meeting. When my friend called me at 9:40 I asked, "I thought your meeting was at 9:30?"

"It was," my friend replied. "But he's not out of his nine o'clock meeting yet." The nervous anticipation of my friend was obvious over the phone and I felt sorry for him. It reminded me of another time management principle that I practice.

Never schedule two meetings in the same hour.

Even if you think a meeting will only last ten minutes. Ten minute meetings often take thirty minutes. Once you're behind schedule because a short meeting lasted longer than planned, you are behind schedule the rest of the day.

I understand that different occupations require different methods of time management. For example, the time management skills that I use wouldn't work for my school teacher wife. Every minute of her day is scheduled. The time management skills that I practice relate better to
those who have more control over their own schedule. Ministers, sales representatives, managers, and business owners tend to have more say in their day to day calendar. When I was in a customer service related business, my day was controlled by the next phone call or the next
customer that walked in the door.

But for those who have more control over their calendar, I've found these principles to be valuable.

For church staff like myself and others who occasionally work at night, divide your day into thirds - morning, afternoon, and evening. Work 2 thirds. Plan to be off for the other third. If you work all three shifts in one day, plan to make up for it soon after.

I rarely plan more than 4 hours of meetings or appointments per day. The other 4 hours will take care of themselves. There are plenty of things on my to-do list to tackle. Most meetings I attend add tasks to my to-do list so I need time to address those things. Unexpected phone calls, visitors, hospital visits, and problems/challenges will fill the other four hours. Part of my responsibilities over the years involve day-to-day operations which means that I am often a "fireman," i.e., putting out fires. I must allow time for that.

Don't forget travel time. Some folks schedule back-to-back meetings without allowing time to travel between meetings. If you have a meeting that will take the better part of an hour, don't plan another meeting for the next hour at a location 15 minutes away and expect to be on time. Unless you have a transporter like Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, you'll need time to get from one meeting to another.

Understand the value of punctuality. Cheryl Clausen, author of The Race to Success - Make Time to Win wrote, "When you start the day late you tend to run late the entire day. Even though you may not place a high value on punctuality, recognize that others do. Lateness can lose you the sale, cost you the job, diminish the level of respect the other person has for you because they are thinking that if you can’t even be counted on to be on time how can they count on you for something important."

When you agree to hold an appointment at a specific time and then you’re late you have missed an opportunity to keep your word. Being on time says a lot about your character. When you're late for an appointment, you're communicating that what you were doing before was more important than them. And while that may be true, it doesn't send positive signals to the person who has been waiting on you.

One final thought for today. I don't advocate being extremely early for appointments. Just be on time. I know people who are always 15 minutes early for an appointment but they sit and do nothing during those 15 minutes, i.e., they waste time because of their dedication to promptness! Sure you might have a flat tire on the way or be delayed because of an accident on the highway, but those occassions are rare. Just strive to be at your appointment when you said you would be there, no earlier and no later.

What are some of your thoughts on time management?

It's About Time

2010-04-28T07:00:00.004-05:00

A church member asked me yesterday about my reading and writing habits. Knowing the busyness that ministry at TrueNorth Church brings, he said, "I don't know how you do all of that. You must be a good manager of your time."

I shrugged my shoulders and replied that I've always been a student (and sometimes teacher) of time management skills and I certainly try to make the most of my time.

For me, it is a Biblical mandate. "Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).

This passage was planted deep in my heart in 1986 when I felt the call to full-time ministry. It has been a foundational verse for me ever since. I believe it is unwise and foolish not to make good use of my time. God only gave us so much time to make an impact on this planet. We need to be good stewards of our time.

One of my pet peeves is to hear someone say they don't have time to do something and then five minutes later they recall every meaningless TV show that they watched the previous night from 7-11 PM. I watch my share of TV. I'm not trying to sound superior here. But, think about it, when you find yourself contemplating your life when you're 80 years old will you be proud of the fact that you spent an average of 4 hours a night watching sitcoms and reality shows?

Think about what you could do in four hours. Want to write a book? If it takes you an hour to write one page, you can write a 300 page novel in 75 days. That means if you start a book this weekend it will be complete by mid-July.

Do you want to start a home-based business? 4 hours is a lot of time to invest in an opportunity to make a second income.

Do you wish you had more time to read and study the Bible? Wouldn't that be a better investment of your time than watching American Idol?

Did you tell someone at your church that you don't have time to serve in a ministry? Do you need to think again?

Are you being unwise and foolish with your time?

More on this topic later...when I have time. :)

The Domino Effect (or How Youth Ministry Changed My Life)

2010-04-27T06:29:00.004-05:00

My life has been in disarray since the end of last year.

It's Tommy Wafford's fault.

Tommy is the Student Minister at TrueNorth Church. Last year, our Youth Ministry (Element Student Ministries) began busting at the seams and our 2500 square foot building (The Depot) was quickly becoming too small. Tommy and I began scouting out other potential locations for Element. This went on for months until I contacted the owners of a nearly 13,000 square foot building three miles down the road from our office complex. Surprisingly, the lease was affordable. (A HUGE God thing, by the way.) Element needed more space but not 12,800 square feet. The logical thing for us to do was to move Element AND our offices to the new building. Fast forward to February.

By February we moved our offices into a newly renovated building. (Lots of God stories involved during those two months as well.) I have a lot of books at home and at my office. I decided not to move all of my office books to the new location so I brought them home. I'm not sure how many books exactly but there are currently 27 stacks of books in my son's former bedroom floor with an average of 15 books per stack. That's 405.

405 more books at our house. Where would they go? Bookshelves, of course. The dominoes start falling:

Element Student Ministry outgrows space.
New location found for students and church offices.
Because I have to relocate my office, I bring books from my old office home.
We need new bookshelves.
We go to IKEA in Charlotte TWICE to look at and purchase bookshelves.
We, more specifically, my wife, decides that we can't put new bookshelves in the living room the way it is.
We go to Lowe's to look for paint.
We go to Lowe's again, buy a sample color, paint a small swatch on the wall, and look at it for weeks.
Beth decides we need a new chandelier in the dining room. Add another Saturday afternoon to this project.
We buy another sample color. We stare at two swatches on the dining room wall for a couple of weeks.
We buy a third sample color. Third swatch on wall applied.
We decide to paint our living room and dining room "Butter."
We begin the project. (See bad picture below.)
As of last night, I have one more door to paint before the job is complete.

Oh yeah, I still have to assemble the IKEA bookshelves too.

And put 405+ books on the shelves.

There is a rug coming soon and probably a new chair. Pictures to hang. The project is not over yet.

Isn't it funny how one things leads to the other? God blesses a youth ministry. He blesses the church with a new facility. And I find myself in a home renovation project!

Thanks Tommy! And thank God!

Breakfast at Ginger's

2010-04-23T09:31:00.001-05:00

I'm passing this on from Angie Hunt's site.

Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze

2010-04-18T22:12:00.002-05:00

Author of more than 20 novels of romance and suspense and three works of nonfiction, Vicki Hinze has written a masterful, complicated tale of suspense that gains momentum with each turn of a page. Her writing flows surely, moving from one character to the next, one setting to another, with readers keeping the swift pace.

Benjamin Brandt, owner of the Crossroads Crisis Center, hasn't set foot in the center since his wife and son were murdered a few years earlier. Then Susan comes to the center, beaten and battered, suffering a case of amnesia, and also bearing a close resemblance to Benjamin's deceased wife, also named Susan, and wearing the dead woman's cross necklace. The two clash at first, but even as murders occur around them, the tension between them relaxes. Still, there is a mystery to be solved involving Susan's identity and a past that must be reckoned with before either can move ahead. Hinze's plot may have readers puzzling over how this tangled tale will ever resolve itself, but that underestimates the author's talent for transforming the unlikely into something beautiful. (Publishers Weekly)

"Suspenseful yet uplifting, this story proves that what is buried in the past never stays buried forever." –James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The Doomsday Key

Getting the Word Out

2010-04-16T07:39:00.004-05:00

In 1942, William Cameron Townsend was a missionary to the Cakchiquel Indians of Guatemala. The men of the tribe expressed concern that they did not have a Bible available to them in their native language. God spoke to Townsend who soon resolved that every man, woman, and child should be able to read God's Word in their own language. Thus, Wycliffe Bible Translators was born.

Today, Wycliffe has made great progress in Bible translation all around the world. To date, they have played a part in completing more than 700 Scripture translations. However, with all of the outstanding work that Wycliffe has done, there are still some 350 million people who do not have a Bible in their own language. Wycliffe missionaries have done amazing work and they have some incredible stories to tell.

Last year I attended a banquet hosted by Wycliffe Associates. I was so inspired and impressed with their work and the amazing story that missionary Grace Fabian shared. (Click Grace's name to read more about her work.)

On April 29, Wycliffe will host another inspiring and informational banquet in Augusta, GA. For those of you who live in this area, I would like to strongly encourage you to attend this event. Hiram Ring, a Wycliffe Bible Translator in Central Asia, will be the guest speaker. I know it will be an interesting evening.

The banquet is on Thursday, April 29 at 7 PM at the Ramada Hotel, 640 Broad Street in Augusta. There is no cost to attend but reservations are required. To reserve your seat, call Dan Garard at 1-866-461-0197 or email Dan at dan_garard@wycliffeassociates.org.

Hope to see you there!

The Church and the Golf Ball

2010-04-11T20:34:00.003-05:00

Here's an old post from September 2005. I thought about it today while watching the Masters.

Question: What has so many imperfections that, as a result, it is perfect? Maybe the church can be compared to a golf ball. A ball with one dimple, i.e., imperfection, makes it worthless. A ball full of imperfections helps it fly straight and true. (Assuming that the person striking the ball is any good!) The church, when full of imperfections, is perfect. It is the way God designed it.

It is generally agreed upon that there is no such thing as a perfect church. When Christian leaders define the perfect church they go to Acts 2, especially vv. 42ff. In this passage, we read about the earliest Christians studying and learning together, worshiping corporately, sharing meals and common physical needs. There was harmony, unity, love, and apparent heaven on earth.

But not far into this model of perfection do we discover it’s fallacies. By the time we get to Acts 5, we read that Ananias and Sapphira deceived their perfect spiritual family. Acts 6 introduced the first formal complaints against church leaders. Partners in the faith were being overlooked. Why is it that when we read Acts 2 we forget that the people in the early church in Jerusalem were sinners just like us?

The perfect church, as we define it, was not full of perfect people. Yet, in God’s eyes, it was perfect. It was perfect because it was full of imperfect people. It was perfect because it included those who had fallen but on their way down they grasped God’s perfect solution, Jesus. It was perfect because when God created it he most likely responded like he did after his creation in Genesis. It was good. God created the Church. When God creates something, it is good. The Church is good. Yes, it is perfect.

How can the Church be perfect when it is filled with imperfect people? Who else is going to fill it? If the Church is created for mankind it must be occupied by people who are prone to sin. There are no other people available. We are sinners. We are born sinners. We will die sinners. This is a fact of the Christian life. However, God’s grace has been revealed to us in Christ so that he overlooks our sin and sees us as righteous (2 Cor. 5:21). When God looks at a follower of Christ, he sees a perfect, forgiven sinner. When God looks at a church full of his followers, he sees perfect, forgiven followers of Christ. God sees perfect people in his perfect church.

LWS Winner Announced at MattAmesBlogs.com

2010-04-02T10:11:00.002-05:00

Check out this short video to see who won a copy of Laughing With Sarah over on Matt Ames' blog.

Don't miss the out takes video either...

What's So Good About It?

2010-04-02T07:36:00.002-05:00

I originally posted this on Good Friday 2005. Thought it was worth repeating:

Doesn't it seem strange that we call the day that the world killed the Messiah Good Friday? Having viewed The Passion of the Christ movie, almost everyone is now familiar with just how brutal Jesus' death really was. How quickly the world turned on him! On Palm Sunday, he was celebrated as a King. By Thursday, he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death on Friday morning.

So what is so good about it? It was good because Jesus paid a price that I cannot pay. It was good because the problem of sin was resolved on that day. It was good because Satan was defeated. It was good because God's deep love for us was revealed that day. It was good because it brought spiritual freedom to the masses. It was good because a bridge was built to God. It was good because heaven was made available to all. In the midst of his incredible pain and agony, I think Jesus knew it was a good thing too. Hebrews 12:2 says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Ten Reasons Pastors are Important

2010-04-01T21:03:00.001-05:00

I read this on Donald Miller's blog tonight. Thought it was worth repeating...

Yesterday afternoon, I talked with a friend on the phone who has been a pastor for more than twenty-five years. He’s an upbeat, optimistic guy who has brilliant ideas and loves shepherding the people who come to his church. I have always thought being a pastor is one of the hardest things a person could do, but my friend makes it look easy. It never occurred to me how hard his job was until I asked him how I could pray for him. He told me that the coming week was going to be difficult, that he had to officiate two funerals, one of them a suicide. He said he’d done many funerals, but these two were very close to his heart.

Can you imagine having to speak at a funeral? Moreover, can you imagine having to speak for God at a funeral? Can you imagine having to speak for God at a wedding, even? And not only that, can you imagine having to preach a sermon every week, lead a staff, counsel broken marriages, provide vision for a community, and all under the microscope of a small percentage of people that would judge you if you drove a nicer car than they?

In my speaking career, I’ve spoken in hundreds of churches, and you know, I’ve never met an arrogant pastor. Not once. I’m not saying they aren’t out there, because they are, but I think an arrogant pastor is an exception to the rule. Some pastors have failed their congregations, but there are many more who haven’t. Most pastors got into their jobs because they loved people and they loved God and they wanted the two to meet. I actually think pastors are some of the most important people in our communities.

Here are ten reasons pastors are important.

1. They lead social movements that change the world.

2. They speak truths that create guardrails to keep us out of danger and stop us from hurting each other.

3. They introduce us and remind us about God, who redeems us and guides us in love.

4. They model good marriages and families (Your mind may have gone to an exception, but quickly list five who do. It’s an easy list to create.)

5. They bring people together to live and work in community.

6. They counsel hurting and broken people.

7. They bring the presence of God into the most dark and painful circumstances.

8. Most of them could be making lots more money doing something else, but they sacrifice to build God’s kingdom.

9. They put up with our crap.

10. Because without them the world would be unimaginably dark.

I put together this list so that I could understand exactly why I was so grateful for pastors, because I wanted to know why I liked them when I shook their hands. I didn’t want vague notions, I wanted hard reasons. I suspect this list will grow. I spent a bit of the day praying for my friend, and I’m going to remember to pray for my pastor friends more often. I think they’re an under-appreciated bunch. I hesitate to imagine a world without them.

Tell us why your pastor is important to you, would you? Lots of pastors read this blog, and your comments will be encouraging!

My Dog is 94 Years Old

2010-03-26T10:07:00.002-05:00

According to this chart that tells you how to calculate a dogs age in dog years.

Piranha Pedicure

2010-03-26T09:44:00.001-05:00

Check out this video and blog post by travel writer Daisann McLane.

I'm going to Southeast Asia in May. I'll have to look for one of these "shops."

Why the Healthcare Bill Doesn't Bother Me (Too Much)

2010-03-22T21:29:00.003-05:00

Over the last 48 hours, I've noticed a lot of Facebook posts and Tweets about the demise of the USA due to Congress' recent vote regarding Obama's healthcare reform bill. There was a day when I would be in line fussing and complaining about it. And though I did make a brief remark about it to a fellow Tweeter this morning, I have remained pretty silent about it.

Am I for it? Not really. It seemed to be a lot of information to be digested that was pushed through quickly. I would like to know more about this huge document that will eventually involve my money. But that's only speaking as a citizen of the United States.

I am not a citizen here. I don't belong here. The Bible clearly states that my citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). I am an alien here - a passerby, a tourist, a pilgrim on my way to an eternal place where, as CS Lewis wrote, "we will one day speak of the galaxies of old."

There was a time not too many years ago when I listened to conservative talk radio almost daily. I subscribed to US News & World Report, The Nation, and other news magazines. Like millions of others, I watched Fox News sometimes until my blood pressure reached dangerous limits. It was not healthy.

At some point, God reminded me that my job on earth as a Christ-follower is not to see that morality is legislated but to see that Jesus Christ is lifted up because by doing so men will be drawn to Him. I am a missionary here. The Christian population is dwindling in the United States. Church attendance is perhaps at an all-time low. According to some researchers, less than one-fourth of the population attend church with any regularity. In the 90's over 40% of Americans attended church at least once per month according to Gallup.

If you are a Christian in America, you are living on the mission field.

Now let me ask you a question: If you were a missionary in Rwanda, India, Japan, Germany, or Argentina, would you occupy your time trying to straighten out the government's problems in those countries? No. You would spend your time ministering to people one-on-one in your local community, training Christian leaders, and reaching out in practical ways to those who need to hear about the amazing grace of Jesus.

The revelation a few years ago freed me up. I changed the radio from Rush Limbaugh to ESPN radio. I stopped subscribing to the magazines. I rarely watch the news. I haven't put my head in the sand completely. I get the local newspaper everyday and look at every page. I see the news online. I vote. I am aware of what is happening but I've decided that God is WAY BIGGER than the President, Congress, and even the National Debt. I will continue to strive to be a good temporary citizen of the USA but my real citizenship is not here. It's in heaven. For now, I will attempt to be a heavenly influence in these weird times in which we live.

I trust you will too.

1 Question w/ Matt Ames

2010-03-19T16:23:00.002-05:00

Matt Ames did a one question interview with me on his blog today. You can find it here.

Experiencing God Again

2010-03-13T09:10:00.003-05:00

In the early 1990's, a Bible study called Experiencing God was introduced. I met the author, Henry Blackaby, at a pastor's meeting a few years prior. I knew of his previous writings and his incredible knowledge of the Bible - especially his knowledge of how God moved in unusual ways in both Biblical times and throughout Church history. He is a walking encyclopedia regarding revival and spiritual awakenings. I knew Experiencing God would be a good study and I was right.

I ran across my book from 1993 during my recent office transition and decided to read through it again. There are tens of thousands of Christian books and Bible studies out there but I truly believe that this particular study is a classic. Granted, it is not popular right now like it was in the 90's but that doesn't mean that it will not move you closer to God and knowing how He works in your life. Just like you can't judge a book by its cover, you also can't judge a book by its copyright date.

Just because a book is dated doesn't mean it can't speak to you. There is a reason some books are called classics. Classics speak to more than one generation. In the case of Experiencing God, I would say that every generation should take a look at this study.

I'm only through the first 2 of 12 units. Here are some meaningful quotes from Blackaby thus far:

Jesus did not say, "I will show you the way." He said, "I AM the way.

"What is God's will for my life?" - is not the right question. The right question is, "What is God's will?" Once I know God's will, then I can adjust my life to Him. The focus needs to be on God, not my life!

If you have been working off the world's definition of servant, you are using the wrong approach to serving God. You do not get orders and then go out and do them. You relate to God, respond to Him, and adjust your life to Him so that He can do whatever He wants to do through you.

We often act as though God tells us what He wants us to do and sends us off all by ourselves to try and do it. Then, any time we need Him we can call on Him, and He will help us. That is never the biblical picture.

When God is about to do something through you, He has to get you from where you are to where He is.

When you believe that nothing significant can happen through you, you have said more about your belief in God than you have said about yourself.

If you feel weak, limited, ordinary, you are the best material through which God can work.

I can't stay the way I am and go with God.

You never find God asking people to dream up what they want to do for Him.

Understanding what God is about to do where I am is more important than telling God what I want to do for Him.

In every situation God demands that you depend on Him, not a method. The key is not a method but a relationship with God.

He has a right to interrupt your life. He is Lord. When you accepted Him as Lord, you gave Him the right to help Himself to your life anytime He wants.

Many of us don't want to give attention to our character, we just want the big assignment from God.

Interview with Missionary Joy Sheraden

2010-03-10T16:57:00.001-05:00

How long have you been a missionary and where have you served?

I have been on the mission field for almost 4 years in San Jose, Costa Rica.

How do you describe your current position?

My current position is the assessment and evaluation director for the global team of Boy with a Ball. Basically I track information so that we can see how our programs are running, what we need to change, if we need more personnel to make programs better, start new programs, or stop others.

On a scale of 1-10, how would you measure the American church’s global missions efforts? Why?

I haven’t had much contact with lots of other churches so I wouldn’t know how to answer that. I think there is some preparation for churches to send teams, but I’m not so sure that there is much preparation for long term missionaries within the churches. It’s great to go on short term trips, but what is the long term vision?

We agree that the gospel is the greatest spiritual need of the world. What is the greatest physical need?

I think that the greatest physical need is clean water, food, and education.

If you could stand in an arena full of church leaders, what would you say to them about fulfilling the Great Commission?

First of all, to the leaders, my question to them would be. Do you have a passport? Have you ever used it? Before you can ask other people to go you need to go yourself. I think that in some cases that teams get sent and they have not been properly prepared. There has to be lots of communication before, during and after any trip. Also having an ongoing relationship with the place that you want to serve is a huge thing. There has to be someone on the ground that has done the prep work and that will be there after to do the follow up. It’s great that you had 100 kids say "the prayer," but what happens to them after you get on the plane to go back to your life and they go back to theirs - Where they aren’t sure they are going to eat tonight, or even be safe? Who is going to teach them to walk it out?

Are you excited or concerned about global outreach in the next decade?

That is what excites and worries me. Who is going to be the one to do the follow up and who will support those that are the ones doing it?

New Wine or Kool-Aid?

2010-03-05T14:42:00.006-05:00

At the risk of sounding like an old fart, I want to post something about Christian Leadership Conferences. I've been attending such for decades now. I am in my 23rd year of ministry and I have attended some stellar conferences through the years. I attended Rick Warren's Church Growth Conference in 1990 before anyone really knew who Rick Warren was and before Saddleback even had a building. The conference was held at a Presbyterian church in El Toro, CA.

I've heard many of the megachurch pastors and their leaders, Bill Hybels, Lee Strobel, Robert Schuller, Andy Stanley and his dad, Charles, Ed Young (Sr. & Jr.), Jim Mellado, Bob Russell, Greg Surratt, Perry Noble, Adrian Rogers, etc. etc. No doubt, I've been enlightened, encouraged, and educated by these men (and some women. And, by the way, did you notice that they taught me to alliterate?)

We moved our church offices recently which meant that I had to move a bunch of my books and stuff to a new location. I decided to go through a collection of conference notebooks and write down quotes and notes that I wanted to keep in my journal. Then I discarded the notebooks for the sake of space. I've enjoyed reviewing those dusty notes and, in fact, have been reinvigorated by some of them.

I say all of this to say that I am not anti-conference. But I don't attend them much any more.

I think we have too many now. There seems to be too many conferences and too many megachurch pastors with too many opinions. Each conference is trying to attract the same church leaders. Let's face it. Most of the church leaders who attend these conferences are white, middle to upper-middle class, suburban church pastors who are trying to reach white, middle to upper-middle class suburban families. And many leaders are saying, maybe even doing, outrageous things to get attention.

A few years ago one megachurch pastor told about how he spontaneously decided to do a staff turnover. He reassigned his middle-aged Administrative Pastor as the Youth pastor, the Graphic Designer became the Worship Leader, and other weird stuff like that. Everyone was reassigned to a position where they had no education, experience, or calling - except the Senior Pastor, of course. It was done permanently, not temporarily, for the sake of change.

In a breakout session later that same day, the newly assigned Youth Pastor confessed in his breakout session on "How to do Youth Ministry" that he had no idea what he was doing.

I wonder how many wanna-be megachurch pastors in the audience that day went back to their churches and did something similar just because the cool pastor from Texas said so?

Idiot.

Last night, I saw a Tweet from a friend who apparently attended a conference at a megachurch in Alabama. According to his Tweet, "Staff at (church name) will be fired if they are caught doing ministry..they are hired to train members to do ministry."

That's ridiculous.

I don't think my friend agreed either. (At least, I hope not!)

Everybody wants to do something different, out-of-the-box, creative, radical, cool, awesome, something nobody has ever done before, etc. etc. Jesus called it new wineskin. But you have to have new wine before you can use the new wineskin. New wineskin without new wine is not the answer.

Copying what another megachurch is doing is not new wine - that's called "drinking the Kool-Aid." Drinking the Kool-Aid is following a charismatic leader and doing whatever he says to do without question. That's foolish. (For details on where "drinking the Kool-Aid" began, see this Wikipedia link.)

Do I sound like an old traditional fart? I hope not. I've been in new, contemporary churches for all but 6 of my 23 years of ministry. I am currently in my 5th church plant. I love reaching people with the gospel of Jesus in a fresh, relevant way. But I don't love how church leaders dress, teach, talk, and lead like other megachurch pastors in an attempt to be like them. And I don't like how some megachurch pastors say or do ridiculous things to draw attention to themselves and their churches.

Just be who God made you to be. Please. If you want to put the gospel in a new wineskin, you've got to spend time with God and get the new wine. Don't just drink someone else's Kool-Aid. A pastor friend of mine told me years ago that we (pastors) need to get alone with God often. In his words, "We need to get a jug of water and a Bible and go out in the woods for a day and be with God."

Probably not bad advice. Don't drink the Kool-Aid. Get a jug of water and see if Jesus will turn it into new wine.

A Powerful Drama performed to the Lifehouse song "Everything"

2010-03-03T21:35:00.002-05:00

This was new to me 3 years ago when I first posted it in 2007. You may have seen it many times. I was reminded of it and watched it again a few minutes ago. It always makes me emotional. I love it when the crowd roars near the end. Watch it again.