Top Blog Posts of 2010

Thought I'd scroll through the past 12 months and link to my favorite posts of 2010. They are listed in chronological order. See what you think:

Busyness: The Devil's Workshop
IKEA & Toothpaste
Busyness (Part 2)
Interview with Danny & Judy Armstrong
Advice to Public Pray-ers
Why Sin is a Bad Idea
Why the Healthcare Bill Doesn't Bother Me (I got lots of comments on Facebook about this one.)
Interview with Joy Sheraden
New Wine or Kool-Aid?
It's About Time
It's About Time (Part 2)
It's About Time (Part 3)
It's All About the Fundamentals
My Love/Hate Relationship with the Church (Got lots of feedback on this one too.)
Why Money Can't Buy Happiness
What is Discipleship?
Once in a Lifetime?
Do We Really Need More Stuff?
Praying for Your Kids

Lifesaving Door by Door

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Questions

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

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

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

 

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

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?

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...

One one thousand
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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

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

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

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?

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

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.)