Beyond the Comma

Learning to multi-task while I multi-task.

2012-01-11T12:21:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone!

It's the new year, and I know it has been a long time since I've blogged. Sorry about that. Sometimes when you have seven children, life just gets busy. I'm not complaining because I'm probably one of the most blessed men you will ever know.

However, my wife gave me the Dragon voice recognition software for Christmas this year, so I am actually not typing but rather talking as I write this blog. I know! Pretty cool right? I'm hoping that since I can talk and work at the same time now, that I will be able to take multi-tasking to a “whole nuther level”!

Check back every few days to see if I have been able to work this out and blog again on a regular basis!

God is Not a Man

2011-08-24T11:26:00.001-05:00

I was told about this video for a song by one of my new favorite artists "Gungor". I'll let the song speak for itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WybvhRu9KU

Love Like Breathing-Final

2011-04-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

A New Direction

Immediately, I knew that we needed to make a major shift in our ministry focus and that it wouldn’t be an easy process. Years of investment would need to be adjusted.

We would need to develop a true balance between loving God and loving people. Our unspoken checklist would need to be redirected while a spoken desire to see teenagers in a deep relationship with Christ would become a major focus. Deep surrender to God’s call would allow teenagers to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit each day.

Rather than create mission-based programs and trips, we would need to teach the teenagers to be “missional” in every aspect of their lives…at school, at home, and even at church. We hoped that we could all learn to love like breathing.

Living It Out

The week that we returned to Tampa, I walked down the street to the basketball courts near the projects. The courts were all packed with kids playing pick-up basketball like they did everyday. I had driven past them every day for nearly a year. I walked around and invited them to come to an open gym time after church on Wednesday night. Even though they looked at me like I was crazy and out of place, within six weeks most of them were coming to our air-conditioned gym for a short Bible study and a great game of hoops.

We never drove 15 hours again to find people who were in desperate need. Instead, we walked the 15 minutes down to the projects near our church and tried live out what it truly meant to love like breathing.

This article was published in the Winter 2010 edition of Glad Tidings, my first appearance in a Canadian magazine, eh!

Love Like Breathing-Part 3

2011-04-25T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Breakthrough

After we returned home to Tampa Bay, I continued to struggle with our youth ministry strategy and philosophy. I knew we needed to make some changes, but I wasn’t sure where to start. The answer came from a book about social justice I was reading one afternoon.

The book pointed me to the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats found in Matthew 25:31-46. The parable starts…

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

This is a scene of judgment where Jesus separates people based on an incredibly simple checklist: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger, providing for the needy, and visiting those in prison. In short, caring for people in need.

It struck me that this list was so much different than the unspoken list that existed in our ministry. I was shocked by the answer of the righteous sheep on His right.

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

How could they not remember doing all of these things? It seems to me that someone would remember visiting prisons or feeding the hungry or providing for the needy.

The cursed goats on the left were judged by the exact same criteria.

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

Read the goat’s answer…it is exactly the same as the righteous on the right! Even though I had read this passage numerous times, I had never noticed this before.

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

I had always assumed that this was an obvious contrast between those who are clearly saved and those who chose lives of wickedness and eternal punishment. Looking closer, it now seemed to be a comparison of the righteous sheep and those who thought they were righteous sheep but were actually cursed goats and didn’t know it. The cursed goats were living their lives for God according to a sort of checklist of obligations. The goats thought they were living for God because they worked through the checklist God required

Look more closely at the answer of the sheep.

“Lord, when did we…?”

Now look closely at the reply of the goats.

“Lord, when did we…?”

The answers are the same but they represent two different perspectives. For the goats on the left, they were wanting to know where this list of new responsibilities were on their checklist.

“Lord, when were these added? If you had told us you specifically wanted us to do this, we would have been right on it!”

The goats would be people who would wake up everyday and ask, “What am I going to do great for God today?”

This sounded so similar to my answer to God driving out of the projects. “But God this is what we are supposed to do! You told us that we needed to care for those in need and here we are.” Check!

This contrasts sharply with the sheep who seemed surprised by all of this. Apparently, they had been caring for the needy all along without even realizing it. Caring for those in need was simply part of their spiritual DNA and came as easily to them as breathing. Instead of ministering for Jesus, they were ministering to Him. Notice verse

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

The sheep would start each day with the question, “God, what are we going to do today?” By walking in relationship with God closely each day, they were naturally able to love others like breathing. And by doing so, they were loving the very people about which God was most concerned.

Love Like Breathing-Part 2

2011-04-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

Time for a Change

When we arrived back at the dorms, everyone was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. We planned to go downtown after dinner to talk with the homeless so everyone settled in to rest for the afternoon.

I began to think about the question God asked me. Honestly, I was frustrated because I had worked so hard to develop a strategy that actually inspired the youth to be excited about our church. And yet, somehow, it seemed that we were missing the point.

As I lay there, my mind wandered to James 1:27…

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Meditating on this verse it seemed that God wanted my ministry to focus on two main things: teaching teenagers to love and honor God with their lives and to care for people in their need.

Then I thought of Matthew 22:34-37…

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love you neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.’

Again, this passage seemed to say the same thing. My ministry should focus on two main things: teaching teenagers to love and honor God with their lives and teaching them to care for people in need.

Simply put, both passages encouraged me to help build a ministry that would challenge teenagers to love God and love people. Obvious right?

While our ministry offered opportunities to be involved in both areas, our greatest focus was on loving God. This trip was one of the few opportunities our youth would have all year to actively “look after orphans and widows” in their need. The rest of our programs and activities were designed to grow students into maturity in Christ, to help them become more like Him.

It occurred to me that we had created an unspoken checklist of activities that serious Christian teenagers would follow to honor Christ. This list was predictable. A serious Christian teenager would: read the Bible and pray everyday, share their faith with their friends, attend church programs and trips, not smoke, drink, or use drugs, not have sex before marriage, not listen to inappropriate music or watch rated R movies. The list was extensive and always growing.

Was it possible that my ministry was out of balance? Were we overly focused on loving God with very little focus on loving people in need around us?

Love Like Breathing-Part 1

2011-04-18T05:00:00.001-05:00

“You have five minutes to pack up and load your vehicles. When you are loaded, we will escort your group off the property.”

In shock, I turned to the police officer and asked him to explain.

“There’s trouble brewing outside and we believe your group is in danger. We would like you to leave as soon as possible.”

Apparently, some gang activity had flared up and the police was worried that having a group of rich white kids from the suburbs running a puppet show in the community center might set off a real confrontation of some sort outside.

As soon as our puppet group completed the next song, I abruptly ended our show and instructed our students to pack up the stage and puppets and wait in the hallway.

I pulled the church van up against the building and our adults made a human shield as our students crawled into the van and laid down on the seats and in the floor. Under police escort, I was the only person who could be seen as we drove through one of the most violent housing projects in New Orleans and out onto the interstate.

As I was driving through unprotected from gunfire or attack, God seemed to speak directly to me. In a nutshell God said, “Why did you drive these kids 14 hours to place them in danger? Aren’t there projects back in Tampa…why did you drive past those to come here?”

My head spun as I tried to formulate an answer. I tried to think of all the spiritual reasons...we had raised thousands of dollars, conducted months of training, and driven half way across the United States. I sensed that God wouldn’t believe any of them so I just tried to tell the truth.

“Because it’s my job and the kids and their families really thought this was an impressive trip. Plus, this is what good Christians are supposed to do, right?”

Honestly, this trip was another thing to mark off the checklist of expectations I worked from as a youth pastor.

Then God gently asked me, “Do you love these people here enough to give your life for them? Think about your answer...because I do”

The answer was obvious and painful…absolutely not.

March Madness 2011-Dare I Believe?

2011-03-11T15:05:00.003-06:00

The Memphis Tigers pulled off another improbable victory in a game they should have won against Southern Miss winning 66-63. Joe Jackson showed flashes of his potential scoring a team high 15 points and hitting two free throws to seal the win in the last few seconds. As always, I start to believe. But should I?

Should I believe that Memphis can beat East Carolina today in the semi-finals? Should I believe that the players, most of whom are 5 star blue chip recruits, will actually play with urgency? Should I believe that the Tigers will actually make some big 3 point shots today? ShouldI believe that this team that was at one time ranked #13 in the nation can actually win the C-USA Tournament and go Dancing in the Big Tournament?

Dare I believe?

I just can't help myself.

Go Tigers Go!

C-USA semi-final #2
East Caroline vs. Memphis
5:30pm CST

Abundant Life?

2011-02-16T11:10:00.003-06:00

Jesus promised us "abundant life"...but what does this actually mean?

I am afraid in the American church this has become synonymous with simply having "eternal life". But I strongly believe there is a difference between the two.

For many churches, especially in the southeastern United States, the primary reason for existence is to "win souls" and "share Jesus" with lost people. I was a very committed part of this type of thinking for nearly 20 years of my life. Every service ending in an altar call with "every head bowed and no one looking around".

We placed so much emphasis on a person "accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior" that, at times, it seemed like having people come to Christ was all that mattered.

The denomination in which I served actually gives out yearly awards for the church that performs the largest number of baptisms in that city or county and for the church who gives the most money to that local association.

This always threw me for a loop since Jesus called us to "make disciples" not to "make converts". Why weren't awards given for the church who actually discipled the most people in any given year? Or those who actually physically took up God's heart for the poor?

This seems to me be focused far too heavily on the left hand side of John 10:10 where Jesus said,

"I have come that they may have life, and have to to the full."

Jesus died on the cross so thay those who would accept this sacrifice and surrender their lives to Him could be saved from eternal separation from God. He died so we could live...for eternity with Him.

But this is just the BEGINNING of the story...Jesus wants us to go beyond the comma here to experience life beyond our dreams.

Too many people seem to be satisfied with having "life", but not living in the abundant life Jesus promised.

What do you think it would look like to live in this abundant life?

How many families I have talked to that asked me to stop using the word "radical"

Access Denied- Part 5 of 5

2010-11-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here are my final thoughts in this series...

The Cross-A tree that brings LIFE

It was on the cross that Jesus brought us life. Jesus became the ultimate scapegoat for us. After the first tree contributed to the broken relationship, the second tree, the cross, restored the relationship by releasing us from the power of our sin.

For some of us today, our sin still holds us captive. We are still not experiencing this relationship with God because we have not surrendered our lives to Jesus.

Let’s go back to John 10…

“I am the gate (door), whoever enters through Me will be saved. They will come out and go in and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:9-10

Today, the door is flung wide open for you through the death and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Will you surrender your life to Him, asking Him to forgive you of your sins, and restore your relationship with your Heavenly father? If so, we find an incredible promise in Revelation 2:7.

Remember Genesis 3:22?

And the LORD God said ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’

Look at Revelation 2:7

“To those who are victorious, I give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Revelation 2:7 (Jesus)

What was once closed to us is now open in Jesus Christ!!!

Have you entered the door of salvation found in Jesus Christ?

Access Denied- Part 4 of 5

2010-11-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

The significance here is that there was NO DIRECT ACCESS to relationship with God during this slow moving turning point of redemption. On man once a year got only a glimpse of what Adam and Eve enjoyed every day.

But, throughout this time, God was preparing the way of salvation for His people. All of the rules, the sacrifices, the religious traditions were preparing his people for what would happen next.

While the world was waiting, a poor, seemingly insignificant child was born in Bethlehem in miraculous circumstances.

In our moment greatest need, God, in a wild plot twist, comes to rescue us Himself!!!

John 1:14 in the Message says it well

“The Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes…”

Jesus lived a life pointed to the cross, to sacrifice and death….to break the chains that sin had wrapped around our souls and to set us free.

You see it was on the cross that we see turning point number 3.

Turning Point 3: The Door is FLUNG WIDE OPEN.

Notice what happens the moment Jesus dies…

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split.” Matthew 27:50-51, p.920

Remember the Holy of Holies, that place that no one could enter?

The temple veil was torn from TOP to BOTTOM and the most holy place was made available to all. After thousands of years of being shrouded behind a curtain, God declares that the old ways of searching after Him are no longer needed-direct access is found through the blood of Jesus Christ.

How do you think the priests in the temple reacted to the view being torn in two? Do you think they actually "got it"?

Access Denied- Part 3 of 5

2010-11-03T06:00:00.002-05:00

Turning Point 2 (continued)

In 2 Chronicles 15, we find a beautiful example of what it was like to be in relationship with God during this part of the redemption story.

“When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. He removed the detestable idols from the whole land…He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD's temple. Then he assembled all Judah and Benjamin and the people… At that time they sacrificed to the LORD seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep and goats from the plunder they had brought back. They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and soul. All who would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, were to be put to death, whether small or great, man or woman. They took an oath to the LORD with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and He was found by them.” 2 Chronicles 15: 8-15, p.409

As I studied this passage,it struck me how difficult it was to be in relationship with God.

How long would it take to sacrifice 700 head of cattle or 7000 sheep?
Also, talk about a revival tactic!! Turn to the LORD or we will kill you!! Brutal days in human history.

The point here is that human beings were able to approach the LORD, but had no direct access to relationship with Him. They could honor Him by following the commandments and making sacrifices at the temple, but they could not walk with Him like Adam and Eve.

The temple in Jerusalem was the center of the spiritual lives of all Jews. Look closely at this picture….the temple had several different areas of worship with the innermost area named the “Holy of Holies” or “Most Holy Place”.

The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a veil or curtain. The curtain was 4 inches thick and possibly 60 feet high. It is written that two horses could not pull it apart.

Inside the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant which contained the tablets of the commandments. It was strongly believed that the presence of God rested in the Holy of Holies between the cherubim on the mercy seat.

Once a year on the day of atonement, The High Priest would change his clothes to very simple white garments (Think John 13) and enter into the holy place to offer sacrifices of atonement for the nation of Israel. Take a look at this picture.

He would create a cloud of incense to shield himself from God’s glory and some writers believed that they would tie a rope around his ankle to pull him out if he died before the ark.

Each year, two goats would be brought to the priest, one for sacrifice, the other to be sent out into the desert.

On the second goat, the scapegoat, all the sins of the nation would be placed and the goat would be driven into the wilderness.

This would signify that God was still in relationship with His people, that He would forgive and look beyond their sin.

We could go into great detail here, but I want to encourage you to read Leviticus 16 to find a full description of the day…called Yom Kippur today.

The significance here is that there was NO DIRECT ACCESS to relationship with God during this slow moving turning point of redemption. On man once a year got only a glimpse of what Adam and Eve enjoyed every day.

Do you think you would feel very close to God if you had to go through all of this to approach His presence?

Access Denied- Part 2 of 5

2010-11-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

I strongly believe that there was no panic in heaven…for time doesn’t progress for God the same way it does for us. This was all part of the over-arching redemption story that would come to fruition over thousands of years.

This brings us to our second turning point…

Turning Point 2: The Door remains closed for centuries.

Adam and Eve have been cast from the garden to work the soil and populate the earth. I can’t imagine what those first days must have been like.

The regret, the loneliness. The fear.

Talk about tension in a marriage!

I can imagine the first few days were spent in silence…but time passes and life happens and they built their family and lived their lives. Generations progressed to generations and the earth began to be populated with people who had no idea about the garden or about the relationship that their ancestors enjoyed with God.

The earth was overridden with wickedness and we have one of the saddest verses in scripture.

“The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that He had made human beings on the earth, and His heart was deeply troubled.” Genesis 6:5-6

But, even then, the redemption story was unfolding…

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8

Although God did wipe out all but 8 people, the rest had a choice to enter the ark…to walk through that door…but sin held them captive and the thief ultimately used this to destroy them.

In the years to follow as Noah and his family repopulated the earth, God continued the relationship with His children, albeit in a somewhat distant fashion.

Throughout the generations during this period in the redemption story, the door is closed but God gives instructions for his people to be in relationship with Him…not the same kind of relationship as enjoyed by Adam and Ave, but in relationship nonetheless.

• From the rescue of Noah….in Genesis 6
• To the promise to Abraham…(I will make you a nation) in Genesis 12
• to the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Law…in Exodus 20 and in Leviticus and other writings
• to the sacrificial system in the tabernacle/temple…found in Mosaic law and historical books
• to the prophetic voices…throughout scripture

God was still reaching out to His people.

Access Denied-Part 1 of 5

2010-10-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today, we want to look at John 10 and start specifically with a phrase from verse 10.

Obviously, if Jesus is the gate or the door, then our enemy, the devil, is working very hard to make sure very few people ever enter the door. He does that by reminding us of our past, but also by destroying our lives with sin. Notice the first phrase in John 10:10.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 10:10

Whereas Jesus is the gate that brings us life, Satan desires to destroy our lives for eternity.

But before we turn to this, I want us to begin today by considering that the Bible is basically the story of God redeeming His creation. In God’s sovereignty, which is far beyond our understanding, He designed and created everything about our universe at the foundations of time…before creation. Not only did he know all of us, I believe that He knew that His creation had the capacity to betray Him and turn away from the relationship He would have with them. So, here in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is the story of God’s redemption of His most beloved creation…us.

As we look closely at this redemption story, I see three major turning points in scripture. To begin we need to travel back in time to the Garden of Eden and catch back up with that thief who steals, kills, and destroys. We find the first turning point in Genesis chapter three.

Here we find Adam and Eve in perfect relationship with God, enjoying walks in the garden and perfect peace. The door of relationship and redemption is wide open Unfortunately, the thief appears and destroys this bond and this relationship by introducing sin into Adam and Eve’s lives.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1)

And so the rebellion began and the relationship was broken.

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked…and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Verses 7-8

“What is this that you have done?” Verse 11 (God)

“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Verse 12 (Eve)

And the LORD God said ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden…” Verses 22-23

This brings us to our first turning point….

Turning Point 1: The Door is SLAMMED SHUT because of sin.

“So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove them out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:23-24,

God closes the door of relationship because of the sin that has entered into His creation. The relationship is broken…but not beyond repair.

There is some debate here concerning whether God knew that Adam and Eve would fail and there was panic in heaven.

Can you imagine God leaning over to Jesus saying, “Holy hand grenade Son, what do we do now?”

I strongly believe that there was no panic in heaven…for time doesn’t progress for God the same way it does for us. This was all part of the over-arching redemption story that would come to fruition over thousands of years.

Do you agree that there was no panic in heaven?

The Great Unknown-Getting off Track Part 2

2010-10-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

When we strike out into “The Great Unknown”...

1. We need to trust God to lead us and take care of us.

2. We need to be comfortable with who we are as unique creations of God.

3. We need to value our reputation over anything we could gain.

What are afraid of that has gotten you off track?

The Great Unknown-Getting of Track Part 1

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

In our last few blogs, we spent time in Genesis 12:1-7 looking at how God called Abram and his family out of the land of Ur to go to a place where God would show him. We discovered that God did this because he wanted Abram to experience real and amazing life.

Remember the Westward Expansion?

These people risked everything so that they could have a better life. Abram did as well. He hears God and takes off in obedience to his command and comes to the general region of the land of Canaan. He is off to a great start and he has shown tremendous faith!!!

However, something changes in verse 10 and Abram wavers in his faith and gets off track.

Abram got off track because...

1. he was afraid that God would not provide for his needs.

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. Genesis 12:10

At some time after he arrived in the Promised Land, a famine overtakes the land. Faced with possible starvation, Abram chooses to leave the trek that he is on with God and go to Egypt. This is the first mention of Egypt in the Bible, But we find a warning in Isaiah written thousands of years later.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD. Isaiah 31:1

2. he was afraid to be himself.

As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you." Genesis 12:11

He lied about who he really was by lying about his wife.

3. He valued material gain over his own reputation.

The Pharoah treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels. Genesis 12:16

By lying to the Egyptians, Abram gained significant material wealth. But when the Pharoah discovered what he had done, it ruined his reputation. He was sent way with lots of material wealth, but he left his own integrity in shambles.

A more modern example of this is Billy The Kid.

Patrick McCarty, aka William H. Bonney, aka “Billy the Kid”, An immigrant’s son from Irish New York, McCarty moved out west looking for a better life and became a fugitive as a teenager. He misrepresented himself for decades and was finally gunned down by Sherriff Pat Garrett in 1881. His life was marred by rebellion and fear.

The Great Unknown-Setting Out Part 3

2010-10-22T14:58:00.002-05:00

God wanted Abram to have an amazing life so...

2. God promised Abram his life would matter in this new place.

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

How many of you want your life to count for something? How many of you would like to be famous? To have your name remembered?

On the flip side, how many of you would like to have your life count for nothing? To have it make no difference that we lived at all?

In 1848, Gold was discovered near San Francisco. Thousands migrated west in 1949, and eventually were called the “49ers”. Few got rich, but everyone hoped for the promise of gold that would change their lives forever. People moved from all over the world with just the promise that they may have a better life than the one they currently had.

The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land."
Genesis 12:2-3,7

God has a plan for your life that is yet unknown to you…we will call it “The Great Unknown”….and it is better than the ordinary life our world offers. It lies beyond the comma.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

To discover these plans, we have place out trust in God’s will for our lives, but are we willing to do this?

Will you do whatever God asks so
you can have an amazing life?

The Great Unknown-Setting Out Part 2

2010-09-01T11:03:00.003-05:00

In the Bible, we find someone who did the very same thing. Let’s turn to Genesis 12:1-7.

Here we find Abram and his family living life when God comes calling

God wanted Abram to have an amazing life, so…

1. God called Abram to MOVE his family without telling him exactly WHERE he was supposed to go.

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.” So Abram left, as the LORD had told him…” Genesis 12:1

Kelley and I have moved 7 times…major moves. Each time, we moved with the hope of a better life together for us and our family. But, each time we knew exactly where we were going. We spent time in that new community looking at all of the options.

Abram moved without even a clue…just a promise. What would you do?

The Great Unknown-Setting Out

2010-08-30T00:20:00.004-05:00

John 10:10 in The Message says:

I came so they can have real and eternal life,
more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

Jesus says that He came to give us a better life than we ever dreamed of...but how many of us ever really experience this life?

In the 1800's,thousands of brave or desperate or adventurous pioneers traveled West to find a new and better life than the one they had in the east.

Here is a map of the westward expansion of the United States...

The interesting part in all of this was that many of these familes had no clear destination. They were just headed "West". Here is a picture of one group of families from 1862.

They didn't have an Atlas, no real maps, no cell phones, no AAA towing. They just had a sense of faith that life "out there" would be better than the one they had known.

This seems so counter to our everyday Christian lives to me.

What do we do on a daily basis that requires faith?

Honestly, on most days I would have to answer little to nothing. I am living on the safe side of God's love and I only peer at "The Great Unknown" from time to time. I want to experience life "better than I dreamed of" and in so many ways I already do, but what else does God have for me "out there", beyond the comma in John 10:10?

That's the jouney I want to be on, what about you? Are you ready to set out to the "Great Unknown"?

South Dakota Update Part 5

2010-07-03T00:20:00.000-05:00

Our final day here in South Dakota was an eventful one. We had a great day together seeing the sights.

After about a 30 minute drive, we made it to Mount Rushmore. I had never been to Mount Rushmore I was excited to see the mountain. I wasn't disappointed. It was an amazing sight.

After a great lunch complete with a Buffalo Burger, we headed to the Crazy Horse Monument. This monument has been in process for nearly 50 years.

The highlight of the day was definitely our baptism service we had in the frigid river running through our camp. Nolan, Josiah, and Charis all braved the water to proclaim their faith in Jesus.

Thanks for all of your prayers for us this week. God definitely spoke to our hearts in a powerful way.

I consider myself privileged to work with our students. I have enjoyed my week with our students and have grown in my love for them. We had so much fun together and I am so proud of them. You should be as well. This will be a week I will treasure for years to come.

See you tomorrow

South Dakota Update Part 4

2010-07-02T09:07:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning, we worked as hard as we could for the morning in order to finish all that we could before we left. We made great progress this week and another Mission Discovery group will come in next week and finish what we started. We prayed Nada, Shawn, and Adelle and headed off for a truo to the Lakota Reservation.

The trip to the reservation took us directly through the Badlands. The Badlands are an amazing stretch of beautiful white mountains perched in basically a desert. The view was breathtaking.

After a nearly 3 hour drive from Rapid City, we made it to our destination-Wounded Knee. As our group gathered around the mass grave there, a native Lakota indian told us how her grandmother escaped the massacre by hiding in the bushes and defenidng her children and then walking for miles at night to the river.

Having a love for history, I am well versed on the details of Wounded Knee but never dreamed that I would ever stand at that place in South Dakota. It was a powerful emotional experience as we stood and visualized the women children running for their lives as the soldiers hunted them down. Incredible.

We ended ourt day with a special presentation anssd worship service with some Christian Lakota indians. Our group was deeply touched by the faith and stories.

Today, we are packing to head out for a day of sight seeing at Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument. Thanks for all of your prayers this week...it has been a week to remember.

South Dakota Update part 3

2010-07-01T08:23:00.000-05:00

We are up bright and early this morning ready for our final day of work here in Rapid City, South Dakota. Yesterday was our busiest day yet as we stayed on the worksite until nearly 5pm finishing the handicap ramp we have been working on all week. Here is a picture of the last nail and our group on the ramp.

Today, we plan to work until lunch and the head out to the Lakota Reservation to visit Wounded Knee. Everyone is excited about our day!

We are staying here at Placerville Camp hidden in the Black Hills. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

Please continue to pray for us as we serve here in South Dakota.

South Dakota Update part 2

2010-06-29T23:33:00.000-05:00

Day 2 here in South Dakota was a great day!! Our team worked really hard today on our work site. This week, we are building a handicap ramp, replacing a bathroom, repairing the roof, and doing minor structural work on the home of a Native American couple named Nada and Shawn.

I enjoyed talking with this couple for quite a while...Nada is Lakota and Shawn is Apache. The stories they told were both fascinating and heart-breaking.

You should be proud of your students as they represented Christ and our church well. In the morning, our team splits up and half works at the site while the rest head to the community center for VBS. After lunch, we all work hard on our site. Here are a few pictures.

Please continue to be in prayer for us tomorrow as we hope to complete the majority of our work. Everyone is in great spirits and excited about the rest of the week.

South Dakota Update part 1

2010-06-29T02:51:00.000-05:00

Well...after a huge delay in the Chicago airport yesterday, we finally made it here to Placerville Camp in South Dakota. This camp is nestled in the Black Hills and is a great location for us. Check out the worship chapel. What a view!!!

The weather here is absoultely beautiful!! About 85 degrees in the afternoon with no humidity. The nights and mornings are cool enough to need a hoodie.

We started our first day of work this morning and really got a great a start! All the high school students are having a great time and are being used by God in a mighty way!! We are working hard to renovate this trailer. Today was mainly demolition...which the students loved of course!

Thanks for all your prayers. We have an exciting week ahead of us!!

What Grows the Church?

2010-06-22T15:31:00.000-05:00

How many Christians do you think there were in 100 AD?

How about in 310 AD just before the time when Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire?

The numbers are astounding...

100 AD - 25,000

310 AD - 20,000,000

How did the early Christians do it?

Think about these facts...

1. They were an illegal religion throughout this period.
2. They didn't have any church buildings as we know them.
3. They didn't even have the scriptures as we know them.
4. They didn't have an institution or the professional form of leadership normally associated with it.
5. They didn't have seeker-sensitive services, youth groups, worship bands, seminaries, commentaries, etc.
6. They actually made it hard to join the church.

Alan Hirsch in his book "The Forgotten Ways" thinks this way...

"Persecution drove the early Christian movement to discover their truest nature as an apostolic people. Persecution forced them away from any possible reliance on any form of centralized religious institution and caused them to live closer to, and more consistently with, their primal message namely the gospel. We have to assume that if one is willing to die for being a follower of Jesus, then in all likelihood that person is a real believer. This persecution, under the sovereignty of God, acted as a means to keep their movements true to their faith and reliant on God-it purified them from the dross and any unneccessary paraphanalia. It was by being true to the gospel that they unleased the power..." pp20-21

In light of the fact that the American Church has largely plateaued or is even in decline, even when we have the most resources in the history of the church, what does this say about our atmosphere of American religious tolerance?

What has it benefitted us?

Student Life Camp Update-Friday

2010-06-18T06:15:00.000-05:00

What a week we have experienced here at Wake Forest University!!!

I sure your kids will come home excited...talking about this week. But, words won't do this justice,

Yesterday was so busy, I had no chance to update. But we had a great day rejoicing in what God has done for us!

This morning, we are packing up, cleaning our rooms, and preparing for our departure. I know the students are sad to leave, but ready to get back home.

Be in prayer for us as we travel back.

See you tonight!!

Student Life Camp Update-Wednesday

2010-06-16T13:30:00.000-05:00

Where do I start?

Since my last update, so much has happened!! We are having an amazing experience here at camp this year!!

Last night at "Late Night", Jessie won the youth minister challenge. She was the only female on stage out of around 30 ministers...and won a 3 stage challenge. Our students went wild.

The weather has been more cooperative since our arrival and we are enjoying warm dry days...this helps because Wake Forest University has a LARGE campus and we walk around....a lot! It also allowed for our groups to have Bible study outside.

The highlight so far was worship last night. David Rhodes, our speaker, brought an amzaing message from Exodus 3 and the story of the Moses and the burning bush.

He talked about how Moses wasn't planning to be found by God, but God was planning to find him. Moses had to take his shoes off (repent) in order to be in relationship with God.

This struck a nerve with the students and the presence of God fell upon us. The scene was emotional (as it can be with teenagers), but it was more than that. In 20 years of youth ministry experience, I have only seen what happened last night a handful of times. The students were hungry and humble and the Spirit of God broke them. It was beautiful!

Our church group time was encouraging and the students genuinely shared from their hearts!

It makes me wonder what God plans to do next! Keep praying for us!!!

Jessie is posting a bunch of Facebook pictures so check those out as well.

Student Life Camp Update

2010-06-15T10:45:00.000-05:00

We made it safe and sound yesterday after driving through the night. Yesterday afternoon was a bit hectic, but everyone and their luggage survived!!

Our speaker for the week, David Rhodes, has already challenged and encouraged with two amazing messages last night and this morning. The worship band, Rush of Fools, are a humble bunch of guys who make it all about Jesus in our services.

There are over 1200 campers here this week from nearly 50 different churches from all kinds of different backgrounds an traditions. Our students are having a great time so far!!

Keep praying for us!

God, Me, and Hurricane Charley-Part 3

2010-06-11T14:25:00.001-05:00

Four things of which God reminded me with Hurricane Charley:

3. He created us for relationships.

In the days after the hurricane, we were forced outdoors to try to clean up the debris and do what could be done to repair the damage to our homes. Those who could leave, secured their homes and traveled to visit family and friends who were not in the path of the storm. (I was one of those to take my three children and pregnant wife to visit grandparents in Tennessee.) Those who couldn’t leave, started up their generators (if they had one) and settled in to wait for the power to be restored.

Because there was no power, you couldn’t watch television, play video games, surf the internet, or go to the movies. Oh, and one other note---there also was no air-conditioning!! If you know anything about Central Florida in August you know how hot and humid it can be. Most businesses and schools were closed and the National Guard imposed a dusk-to dawn curfew, so our once busy frantic lives came to a crawl. All people really had was time and each other.

Many of those students shared how much they cherish the time they spent with their family that week. Families played together out in their yards. Neighbors who had only waved to each other in the past, helped each other clean their yards and cover their roofs. One neighborhood had a street-wide cookout with all the meat that was thawing out in their freezers. People in desperate need of connection found new connections and renewed old ones. I have absolutely no doubt that our small city is stronger today because of that week spent without power.

God, Me, and Hurricane Charley-Part 2

2010-06-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

4 Things of Which God Reminded Me with Hurricane Charley

2. He is sovereign—He does as He pleases.

“Dad, does God make hurricanes? If he does, then does the devil use them to hurt people?” These were the questions my seven year old son Benjamin(12 now) asked me as we tried to sleep in the darkness after the storm passed over. I thought for a moment and simply told my son that God is God and sometimes we won’t understand everything that happens to us in life. Whether God decreed the hurricane or simply allowed it, He is sovereign and does as He pleases with His creation.

I thought of I Corinthians 1:25,

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”

I understood this verse from a whole new perspective. Had I just witnessed a display of the weakness of God? What would it be like if we actually were able to witness the full power of God?

As I drove through the streets of Lake Wales, I sensed how ridiculous it is that we think we have everything under our control. We plan our lives and our ministries for years to come trusting that God’s leadership is providing guidance for us, but are we really relying on Him to guide our lives and ministries?

As the start of school approached at the beginning of August, I was finalizing plans for a whole slate of new programs and activities for our high school and middle school ministries. I created new logos, recruited new leaders, and planned all of my messages through the first of the year. These new programs were able to meet only once before Charley damaged parts of our church campus. When we were finally able to resume church programs and services weeks later, I was greatly convicted that God waned to make some changes in my perfectly crafted plans.

For one, I couldn't just act like our students didn’t live through a category 2 hurricane passing over our city. Nor could I go on with pre-planned messages that don’t apply to the trauma of having your family home badly damaged, being without power for a week or more, and having your church ministry life turned upside down. I sensed I need to get on my face before God like never before and ask Him to directly relay His messages to the heart of my students that fall. I needed to rely on His wisdom and leadership for my life and ministry more than I ever have before in ministry.

God, Me, and Hurricane Charley-Part 4

2010-06-04T16:16:00.000-05:00

Four things of which God reminded me with Hurricane Charley:

4. He died for the church--the people, not the buildings.

Even though our city had no power and our church buildings were damaged, the Sunday morning after the hurricane our church met for worship in the foyer of our sanctuary. Though the crowds were small, the determination of our people was evident. We were broken but not defeated. In the days that followed Hurricane Charley, our church was been filled with church disaster relief groups from all over the country. Chain saw crews and mission groups worked tirelessly to help the people of our community rebuild their lives. That church served as both an American Red Cross shelter and food distribution center. The people of that church contributed in so many countless ways to allow our church to powerfully minister to our community in this time of need. I am convinced that if every one of those buildings had fallen to the ground that evening, that church would not have missed a beat. I sensed that our people realized that we don’t go to church on Sunday mornings, but rather we are the church on mission every day and moment of our lives. The buildings on a church property can be damaged and even destroyed, but nothing can prevail against the church of Jesus Christ!!!

God, Me, and Hurricane Charley-Part 1

2010-06-04T15:57:00.000-05:00

Two hours. That is all it took to completely change our church and community. The morning of Friday, August 13th, 2003, Hurricane Charley appeared to be headed for landfall near the Tampa Bay Area. However, unexpectedly at 2pm, as a category 4 hurricane, Charley turned for shore to make landfall at Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. This new projected track took Charley directly through our small inland community of Lake Wales by 7:30pm that night. There was little time to prepare for a direct hit.

The whole community of Lake Wales watched the storm approach, and we took cover inside our homes. Hurricane Charley passed over our community from 7:00pm-9:00pm that Friday night as all over our city families huddled with flashlights in closets and bathrooms. The fire station recorded sustained winds of 101 miles per hour with gusts much higher. When it was all over, the entire area would be out of power for 7-10 days and the path of destruction was honestly hard to believe. In the days that follow this kind of experience, I think it is natural to reflect on what is really important and significant.

Four things of which God reminded me with Hurricane Charley:

1. He is Big, we are very, very small.

As my family and I crouched with a flashlight in our bathtub as Charley passed over, the sound was honestly beyond description. The walls of our house shook with the wind and the windows bowed in from the pressure. When we snuck to the window, we could see street signs and port-a-johns go by while the sky rained a steady stream of shingles, trees bent to the ground, and 30’ concrete light poles leaned over in the wind Though I was gripped with a sense of fear, I was more overcome by my own insignificance. At that very moment, I was at the mercy of my Creator. If what I was glimpsing through the window of my house was an ounce of His power, then I have sorely misrepresented Him to my family and my students in the past. I knew that my life was in God’s hand, and I prayed for Him to somehow be mindful of me and my family.

As we came out of our houses the next morning, most of us just walked the streets looking at the wreckage. No one could or would deny the power of what we had gone through the night before. Our entire community had attended a worship service, but many simply didn’t know it. There had been no stirring videos, no powerful worship songs, no humorous dramas or compelling messages, yet no one doubted that they had witnessed the power and glory of God with their own eyes. Trees that had been landmarks in our community for over a century were uprooted, homes that had taken months to build were uninhabitable, and businesses which had served our community for years were closed (some to never reopen). All in few moments of a display of God’s strength, our lives and community were changed forever.

Finding Peace in a Chaotic World-Part 4 of 4

2010-05-21T10:31:00.000-05:00

Every heart longs to find...

3. the source of peace.

“The Lord is near…. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:3,9

Once you have found the path of peace and discovered the place of peace, then the source of peace will be revealed to you.

As most of you know, seven weeks ago Kelley fell off the bottom step of our back deck with baby Sarah and fractured her ankle. After a week of recovery, she began to experience extreme pain in her calf. After a weekend of misery, we got her in to see a doctor to examine her calf. An ultrasound revealed a supoerficial blood clot. She was hospitalized that evening for what should be an “overnight” observation.

What complicated all of this is that we had found out a few days before her fall that we were expecting our seventh child. Her pregnancy complicated all of her treatment.

Her “overnight” stay turned into nearly a week and by the time I brought her home, she was in a drug and pain induced haze. That first week that I had her home was one of the most exhausting both emotionally and physically of my entire life.

(By the way, I would not have survived that week without our small Group. Everyday, someone came over to spend time with our kids, feed lunches, clean the house, wash the laundry, and keep things going. they brought us meals, helped with transportation, mowed the lawn, and so much more. If you are not involved in a small group, think about it).

That next Sunday morning, I was lying in bed praying for our family and. honestly, I was discouraged. Kelley was progressing so slowly and the kids were as tired as I was. I was consumed with worry and anxiety, and was near my breaking point. My world was on the brink of chaos and peace was nowhere to be found.

Almost audibly, the Holy Spirit instructed me to turn and read this passage from Philippians 4. I was immediately encouraged that “The Lord is Near”. I was familiar with the rest of the passage, but was encouraged to know that I could bring my anxious prayers to Him…which is what I had been doing. I was on the PATH of peace.

I was also encouraged to stay in a PLACE of peace where I meditated and thought on the beautiful things of God.

But it was in that moment where I was wringing my heart out before God that I sensed His presence. Peace wasn’t an intellectual idea…Peace became a person. As I poured out my heart and dwelled on His word, He drew near to me and enveloped my heart in peace for that moment.

Think for a moment on Jesus' words in John 15...

“Remain in Me, and I will remain in you.” John 15:4

The challenge here is to remain faithful to a God that loves us and cares for us and will draw near to us in our hours of greatest need.

What is your place of chaos?

What is happening in your life that has turned you upside down?

What curveball has life thrown at you?

Are you in over your head? Out of your league?

Where will you turn first?

Finding Peace in a Chaotic World-Part 3 of 4

2010-05-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

What does every heart long to find?

2. the place of peace.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-- put it into practice.”
Philippians 4:8-9

Now that we have established that the path of peace is PRAYER FIRST, how do you live in this peace once God has granted it?

It has to do with the environment you place yourself into on a regular basis.

This especially true for our graduates. When you guys go off to college, you will have many choices on where to go and what to do…and it will be your choice to make.

There will be lots of competing voices calling you. But if you desire to honor Christ and live in Hid peace, then you have to be careful to abide in a place of peace.

These verses challenge us all to be in a place where we can think and put into practice “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy”.

In college, there were always choices to be involved in crazy parties dominated by alcohol and drugs, but I wanted to keep my promise to God that I would never disqualify myself from the opportunity to serve Him. So I attended Campus Crusade on Monday, The Baptist College Ministry on Tuesday, Break (an EV FREE) Bible study on Wednesday, and Reformed University Fellowship on Thursday. On the weekends, when I wasn’t working at the local Family Christian Store, I would be involved in some activity offered by one of these groups.

BREAK was my favorite part of the week…and it is where I met my wife of nearly 20 years. I can honestly say I never missed out on anything not being involved in any of the crazy weekend parties.

In fact, after my freshman year of college, I had a 4.0 grade point average and several of the fraternities called me and invited me to “drop by”. One particularly insistent frat president roped me into “dropping by” to meet some of the brothers and mingle with some hot girls. When I arrived at the party, there was only one girl there and she was passed out in the lawn and in the first 15 minutes of milling around, I was offered a beer nearly 20 times.

I thought they were interested in my great personality and my striking good looks (or least my brain power), but it really seemed that they just wanted me to drink with them instead. Within 30 minutes, I was playing ping-pong at the Baptist Student Union…making it in time for the Friday Bible study and prayer meeting.

Why did I leave? Because I didn't belong there!

Consider the potted plant. Where you plant this flower makes a big difference to how it will grow. If you plant this flower in rich soil and water it regularly, it will grow and bloom. But if you plant the flower into garbage, it will most likely languish and die.

Our lives are much the same way, if we wish to grow into the person God created us to be, then we need to be planted into the place of His peace.

Finding Peace in a Chaotic World-Part 2 of 4

2010-05-21T10:23:00.000-05:00

What does every heart long to find?

I want to try to answer this question. Let’s start by turning to Philippians 4:3-9

Every heart longs to find…

1. the path of peace.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard you hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7

When you have a problem, where do you turn first for guidance?

Advice from friends?
Parents?
Oprah or Dr. Phil?
Internet?
Magazines?
Your “gut” feelings?
Prayer? Fasting? Scripture meditation?

Too often, our first reaction is to turn someplace other than God in order to find answers. Rather than turning to the scriptures and prayer first, we often try everything else first, leaving God’s response for a place of utter confusion or despair.

Why do we save prayer as a “last resort” measure when we have exhausted every other option?

These verses clearly say the path to peace is to present our needs to God in prayer FIRST.

What will it take to make this our habit…to take our needs to God FIRST?

Finding Peace in a Chaotic World-Part 1 of 4

2010-05-16T17:09:00.000-05:00

When I was sixteen years old in my sophomore year of high school, I decided that I wanted to letter in a varsity sport. I hadn’t actually played sports, beyond my obsession with basketball, at all growing up, but I thought it should be fairly easy to make a team.

Making the basketball team wasn’t an option. I had already tried to make this team for several years. At 5’9’’ tall and 115 pounds, I really wasn’t cut out to play basketball for a 6A public high school.

Playing football was an option, but most of the players my size only played on the practice squad…basically I could be a tackling dummy. My parents thought that this could end badly so they refused to sign the release papers.

Track was an option…but it required a bunch of fast running against really tall people.

I checked out Cross Country…but I would have to run 3+ miles at once….no thanks.

Tennis? Cute girls but no experience.

Soccer? Way too much running for no reward.

This left me with one more option….baseball.

There were lots of guys like me on the baseball team. It seemed like the logical option. Baseball season was about to begin, so I had missed open tryouts. I approached the coach to inquire about a tryout. We set one up for the next practice.

Now to understand what happened at this tryout, you need to know that I had never played one inning of organized baseball ever. I played a bunch with my friends at the park and was good so I assumed that I could make the adjustment.

I was wrong.

We started my tryout at the plate. I went up to bat against the best pitcher on the team. He was being scouted as a possible big league pitcher.

The first pitch was so fast that it thumped in the glove before my brain could even think to swing. Ball one. The second pitch was similar and I had just started to swing when it thumped in the glove. Strike. The count was 1-1.

It was at this point that I had one of those moments…one of those “what have a I done moments”. I was in waaaaay over my head and I knew it.

My brain immediately began to calculate time and distance. I would be ready for this next pitch. I calculated that if I started to swing as soon as he wound up, I might have a chance to get a piece of the ball.

He would up, I swung, I missed…but looked more respectable. Strike two.

I was ready for the next pitch. I had the timing down in my mind and was ready.

He started his wind up, I swung. But this time something was different. I swing all the way around well before the ball made it to the plate…and I wouldn’t have been close anyway. He threw a slow nasty curve ball that I thought was going to hit me before it sweetly thumped in the glove. Strike three. I think I can still hear the stifled laughs from the players watching.

I won’t even bother to tell you about the next part of the tryout…me at shortstop fielding ground balls…it was a very painful experience…especially since I didn’t have a real glove.

A few days before my mother had told me that I should not try out, that the players had been playing since they were small boys and I wasn’t ready…but I ignored her. I should have listened.

Graduates, this week you stand at the threshold of life on your own. For most of you, you have been protected by your parents from the harshest realities of life. Think of it like playing t-ball…you have had all kinds of help.

Once you get out on your own, you are up to bat all by yourself…and life will throw you curveballs. Some of the things you face you can handle, but there are definitely some things in life that would count as curveballs…things out of our control, things that are out of our league to manage. We need help

I have been told that the difference between a major league hitter and a minor league hitter is the ability to hit the curve ball.

So let me ask each of us here this question: What do you do when life throws curve balls your way?

In other words, when everything around you falls apart and turns to chaos, what will you do, where will you turn to find relief? To find peace?

Every heart longs to find peace but where can peace be found?

What a Weekend!

2010-05-03T12:08:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, the Nashville area was hit with the greatest rainfall totals in recorded history. The two day totals were measured at 13.57 inches at the Nashville International Airport. While we are relatively dry in here in Hendersonville, the devastation in Nashville is hard to believe.

Church services were cancelled yesterday across the area and this morning the entire city of Nashville is fighting the water while midstate schools are closed and will be for days.

I think pictures say it better than I could.

King of the Ages-Another King-Part 6 of 6

2010-04-26T01:40:00.000-05:00

In the days before the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under the command of Robert E. Lee was running out of options. The men and horses were starving. When Lee finally made it to the waiting rail cars filled with provisions, he found them filled with useless cannonballs. The nearest provisions were over eight miles away. The Union army under the command of US Grant could smell final victory. The fresh union troops began to doggedly pursue the ragged starving rebels. Staying just close enough to be seen but not attacking, Grant played a ruthless mind game with the rebel troops.

Eventually, in desperation, the rebels turned and attacked at Saylor’s creek, losing seven rebels for every 1 union soldier. The pursuit continued and daily Grant sent letters to Lee asking for surrender. Eventually, when it was obvious his men could march no more, Lee agreed to meet Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse.

Historian Shelby Foote wrote of these men…

“They (The Army of Northern Virginia under the command of Robert E. Lee) were whipped about as thoroughly as any American force had ever been or ever would be, short of annihilation, but it was part of their particular pride that they would never admit it, even to themselves.”

This story has a unique application to many of our lives. For many of us, we have been serving the systems of this world while trying to walk with God. But God desires a deeper relationship with us so He pursues us at a distance, ever present, but not forcing Himself on us. For some of us, this pursuit has progressed through the years. We are wearing down but don’t want to surrender for fear of what it may require of us.

The King of the Ages is a jealous God who doesn’t want to share us with the world. He paid the ultimate sacrifice to win us for Himself and He wants to be all we will ever want or need.

“Do not worship any other God, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14

So He pursues us…consider an excerpt from the poem, The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson...

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him…

For, though I knew His love Who followèd,
Yet was I sore adread
Lest, having Him, I must have naught beside.

Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet…

Francis Thompson, The Hound of Heaven

Jesus doesn't want to be just a another king. He jealously wants us all for Himself.

Will you surrender your life to the King of Kings??

King of the Ages-Another King-Part 5 of 6

2010-04-26T01:39:00.000-05:00

But there is Another King…and He is calling us to serve Him.

There is another king who...when we have exhausted ourselves in the pursuit of pleasure, when we are yet again left unsatisfied, when we have been once again defeated by our addictions, when we have lost control and made a mess…there is another king and this king can satisfy all of our desires, not once, but for eternity.

There is another king who…when we have spent our last dime, when we are shackled by debt, when our storage units are full but are hearts are hollow, when we are surrounded by our newest stuff but are intensely lonely, when that new home, new car, new boat didn’t make us happier…there is another king who can provide for all of our needs far beyond what we ever dreamed or imagined.

There is another king who…when the brightest minds have no answer, when the money cannot buy the solution, when the medicine cannot cure, when the scientific method leads to confusion, when power becomes powerless…there is another king who created the universe, gave mankind his intellect, is the answer to all of the questions, the healing for all of our disease and pain, and who is present in our darkest moments.

There is another king who is the Great I Am, who is the living water that quenches every thirst, who is the spotless lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and who is the King of the ages, the eternal one, the lover of our souls.

It is this King who bowed low and made Himself nothing out of a consuming desire to redeem us. Where once He wore a crown of thorns, He now wears a golden crown and is exalted on high at the right hand of God.

It is this King that loves us with an unfailing love and who desires to be in relationship with Him. It is this King who died so that we might understand that He is life.

And it is this King who pursues us relentlessly to win our hearts and show us how temporary the things of this world truly are.

And it is to this King we must ultimately surrender everything we have-the eternal king of the ages.

King of the Ages-Another King-Part 4 of 6

2010-04-26T01:33:00.000-05:00

Three aspects of our American Culture(the world) that we serve

3. Our intellectual reasoning or our “brains”.
“For everything in the world…the boasting about what they have and do…”

In America, we are impressed with our own accomplishments, with our ability to solve our own problems. We view mysteries as challenges that need to be solved.

Consider the following…in the past 400 years
• Through major medical breakthroughs…we have discovered the cure and created vaccines for many diseases that once killed millions. We can get new hips, new knees, new eyes.
• Through major technological breakthroughs…we have invented electricity, global communication and transportation systems like the internet, planes, cars
• Through major intellectual and scientific breakthroughs…we have explained the universe with its stars and planets and moons, we have explained nature and our world. We have explained the mysterious…we have even explained God.
 Theology textbook

All of this has happened since the renaissance and the discovery of the scientific method-a series of questions that lead us to a specific solution for any problem.

Much of this progress has been good for us and has saved millions of lives, improved our quality of living, made life easier…but it has also reduced our dependence on God. We no longer need God, because we can solve any challenge on our own.

Belief in God is now relegated to ignorant small-minded people, women and children, those who need a crutch to make it through life. The mystery of God and the Bible has been explained.

Making progress isn’t really the problem…the problem comes when we no longer see a need for God when we can solve our own problems. When our mindset becomes one of pride and power for our own human accomplishments and ability, our brain power becomes our king.…oh but there is another king!

My point here is that pleasure, stuff, and brains are not inherently bad. It is when the desire for these things affect our thinking and becomes more important to us than what God says in our lives that culture has become the king we serve.

I John 2:17 tells us why this is so dangerous…the things our culture offers us are only temporary…pleasure, possessions, and power have a shelf-life-they will not last.

"The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." I John 2:17

Pleasure is good, but we always need more.
Possessions are good, but we always want more.
Power is good, but there is always more to accomplish.

These never satisfy entirely…we are always left wanting more.

King of the Ages-Another King-Part 3 of 6

2010-04-21T11:29:00.000-05:00

Three aspects of our American culture (the world) we serve…

2. Our wealth and prosperity or our “stuff”.
“For everything in the world…the lust of their eyes…”

As a culture, we are obsessed with the accumulation of “stuff”. We use phrases like “we deserve this, we have worked hard all month…” to justify unneeded purchases.

Consider the following…
• We have turned “shopping” into a recreational activity.
• We go to shopping malls where dozens of stores are connected so we can buy more stuff.
• We line up overnight to buy new gadgets and grown-up toys…which replace the old “new” gadgets and toys we bought only months ago.
• When we get too much stuff, we can rent a storage unit to make room for more stuff.
• Some of us work extraordinarily long hours so we can afford our stuff.
• Our definition of success is often based on the accumulation of “bigger and better stuff”

Having lots of “stuff” isn’t really the problem…the problem comes when our desire to get stuff becomes a driving force in our lives.

When our lifestyle is dictated by this desire to accumulate “stuff”, “stuff” can become a king we serve…oh but there is another king.

King of the Ages-Another King-Part 2 of 6

2010-04-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

The “world” Paul and Silas were living in was being turned on its head by “another king” and they were learning to live for so much more than their world offered.

The Bible talks about this “world” in I John 2:15

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. For everything in the world-- the cravings of sinful people, the lust of their eyes and the boasting about what they have and do-- comes not from the Father but from the world.” I John 2:15-16

The word “world” in verse 15 is a translation of the Greek word “kosmos”. This word refer to a “way of life” a “world order” or “cultural norms”. In this particular case, this word is drawing a contrast between the mindset of the secular culture and the standard given by God’s word.

Verse 16 states that this “kosmos” is built on our most basic of human desires. We see all three of these in our American culture…any many of us have made this way of thinking a sort of “king” in our lives and it permeates every fiber of our being.

Three aspects of our American culture (the world) we serve…

1. Our self-gratification or our “pleasure”.
“For everything in the world-- the cravings of sinful people…”

As a culture we are obsessed with entertainment and pleasure.
Consider the following…
• We spend millions a dollars each year on ice cream, sweets, movies, vacations
• Our culture is based on instant gratification-fast food, quick checkout lanes, 1 hour photo
• We want to feel good everyday and we make choices based on what will meet this need
Is any of this bad? No but there is a more negative side to all of this.
• The porn industry has exploded and become a multi-billion dollar venture
• Porn addiction is one of the strongest addictions and has a stranglehold on an entire generation of young men
• The idea of waiting for sex until you are married has become national campaigns rather than the status quo.
• Thousands of marriages are lost each year because the desire for pleasure out-weighed our desire to stay faithful.

Like little toddlers, we scream for cookies because we know that chocolate tastes good and sweet, not realizing that we are ruining our appetites for the more filling dishes to come. Our lack of self-control cheats us out of the better things in life.

Our physical pleasure has become our king…but there is another king.

King of the Ages-Another King-Part 1 of 6

2010-04-19T17:10:00.000-05:00

Here is the script from my sermon yesterday...I will post it in small pieces throughout the week.

Today, we continue in our theme for April-King of the Ages. Turn with me to Acts 17, we will read verses 1-8.

Paul, a church planter at heart, was following his usual approach when sharing the gospel in a new city. He would simply start where the Jews would be…in the synagogue. These Jews would have the greatest understanding of scripture and prophecy and Paul was determined to persuade them that Jesus was the Christ. He would launch his church from the first believers.

As the Gospel began to take root in the hearts of the people over the first few weeks, opposition arose in from the influential Jews in the city. They hired some creeps and started a riot. (How did they know where to find these creeps?)

But what was their main beef with Paul and Silas? Bucking the system!! Daring to challenge the status quo…the way things had always been. Notice in verse 7…

“They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king,
one called Jesus." Acts 17:7

They accused Paul and Silas of serving a king other than Caesar. In ancient Rome, pledging allegiance to Caesar and serving the pantheon of gods was what any good Roman citizen would do.

There are many similarities between our American culture and the culture of Thessalonica of Biblical times. In those days and these, conforming to the values of the culture was and is expected. In America, our culture is our king and we serve our king well. Following Jesus was counter-cultural then and still is today.

Paul and Silas had been called to serve another king who called them away from the way things were to a new dream of the way things could be.

The Hound of Heaven-Francis Thompson

2010-04-19T17:04:00.000-05:00

Here is the complete poem I read an excerpt from in my message this past Sunday.

The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson

I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him, and under running laughter.
Up vistaed hopes I sped;
And shot, precipitated,
Adown Titanic glooms of chasmèd fears,
From those strong Feet that followed, followed after.
But with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
They beat -- and a voice beat
More instant than the Feet --
"All things betray thee, who betrayest Me."

I pleaded, outlaw-wise,
By many a hearted casement, curtained red,
Trellised with intertwining charities;
(For, though I knew His love Who followèd,
Yet was I sore adread
Lest, having Him, I must have naught beside.)
But, if one little casement parted wide,
The gust of his approach would clash it to :
Fear wist not to evade, as Love wist to pursue.
Across the margent of the world I fled,
And troubled the gold gateways of the stars,
Smiting for shelter on their clangèd bars ;
Fretted to dulcet jars
And silvern chatter the pale ports o' the moon.
I said to Dawn : Be sudden -- to Eve : Be soon ;
With thy young skiey blossoms heap me over
From this tremendous Lover--
Float thy vague veil about me, lest He see !
I tempted all His servitors, but to find
My own betrayal in their constancy,
In faith to Him their fickleness to me,
Their traitorous trueness, and their loyal deceit.
To all swift things for swiftness did I sue ;
Clung to the whistling mane of every wind.
But whether they swept, smoothly fleet,
The long savannahs of the blue ;
Or whether, Thunder-driven,
They clanged his chariot 'thwart a heaven,
Plashy with flying lightnings round the spurn o' their feet :--
Fear wist not to evade as Love wist to pursue.
Still with unhurrying chase,
And unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy,
Came on the following Feet,
And a Voice above their beat--
"Naught shelters thee, who wilt not shelter Me."

I sought no more that after which I strayed,
In face of man or maid ;
But still within the little children's eyes
Seems something, something that replies,
They at least are for me, surely for me !
I turned me to them very wistfully ;
But just as their young eyes grew sudden fair
With dawning answers there,
Their angel plucked them from me by the hair.
"Come then, ye other children, Nature's -- share
With me" (said I) "your delicate fellowship ;
Let me greet you lip to lip,
Let me twine with you caresses,
Wantoning
With our Lady-Mother's vagrant tresses,
Banqueting
With her in her wind-walled palace,
Underneath her azured daïs,
Quaffing, as your taintless way is,
From a chalice
Lucent-weeping out of the dayspring."
So it was done :
I in their delicate fellowship was one --
Drew the bolt of Nature's secrecies.
I knew all the swift importings
On the wilful face of skies ;
I knew how the clouds arise
Spumèd of the wild sea-snortings ;
All that's born or dies
Rose and drooped with ; made them shapers
Of mine own moods, or wailful or divine ;
With them joyed and was bereaven.
I was heavy with the even,
When she lit her glimmering tapers
Round the day's dead sanctities.
I laughed in the morning's eyes.
I triumphed and I saddened with all weather,
Heaven and I wept together,
And its sweet tears were salt with mortal mine ;
Against the red throb of its sunset-heart
I laid my own to beat,
And share commingling heat ;
But not by that, by that, was eased my human smart.
In vain my tears were wet on Heaven's grey cheek.
For ah ! we know not what each other says,
These things and I ; in sound I speak--
Their sound is but their stir, they speak by silences.
Nature, poor stepdame, cannot slake my drouth ;
Let her, if she would owe me,
Drop yon blue bosom-veil of sky, and show me
The breasts o' her tenderness ;
Never did any milk of hers once bless
My thirsting mouth.
Nigh and nigh draws the chase,
With unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy ;
And past those noisèd Feet
A Voice comes yet more fleet --
"Lo ! naught contents thee, who content'st not Me."

Naked I wait thy Love's uplifted stroke !
My harness piece by piece Thou hast hewn from me,
And smitten me to my knee ;
I am defenceless utterly.
I slept, methinks, and woke,
And, slowly gazing, find me stripped in sleep.
In the rash lustihead of my young powers,
I shook the pillaring hours
And pulled my life upon me ; grimed with smears,
I stand amid the dust o' the mounded years --
My mangled youth lies dead beneath the heap.
My days have crackled and gone up in smoke,
Have puffed and burst as sun-starts on a stream.
Yea, faileth now even dream
The dreamer, and the lute the lutanist ;
Even the linked fantasies, in whose blossomy twist
I swung the earth a trinket at my wrist,
Are yielding ; cords of all too weak account
For earth with heavy griefs so overplussed.
Ah ! is Thy love indeed
A weed, albeit an amaranthine weed,
Suffering no flowers except its own to mount ?
Ah ! must --
Designer infinite !--
Ah ! must Thou char the wood ere Thou canst limn with it ?
My freshness spent its wavering shower i' the dust ;
And now my heart is as a broken fount,
Wherein tear-drippings stagnate, spilt down ever
From the dank thoughts that shiver
Upon the sighful branches of my mind.
Such is ; what is to be ?
The pulp so bitter, how shall taste the rind ?
I dimly guess what Time in mists confounds ;
Yet ever and anon a trumpet sounds
From the hid battlements of Eternity ;
Those shaken mists a space unsettle, then
Round the half-glimpsed turrets slowly wash again.
But not ere him who summoneth
I first have seen, enwound
With glooming robes purpureal, cypress-crowned ;
His name I know, and what his trumpet saith.
Whether man's heart or life it be which yields
Thee harvest, must Thy harvest-fields
Be dunged with rotten death ?

Now of that long pursuit
Comes on at hand the bruit ;
That Voice is round me like a bursting sea :
"And is thy earth so marred,
Shattered in shard on shard ?
Lo, all things fly thee, for thou fliest me !
"Strange, piteous, futile thing !
Wherefore should any set thee love apart ?
Seeing none but I makes much of naught" (He said),
"And human love needs human meriting :
How hast thou merited --
Of all man's clotted clay the dingiest clot ?
Alack, thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art !
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me ?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.
All which thy child's mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home :
Rise, clasp My hand, and come !"
Halts by me that footfall :
Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly ?
"Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest,
I am He Whom thou seekest !
Thou dravest love from thee, who dravest me."

Be Thou My Vision

2010-04-07T21:44:00.000-05:00

I was recently informed that some of you don't read my blog to read about sports. So, I will return to my spiritual meanderings today. (However, my Memphis Tigers did finish 24-10 with a second round exit at the hands of Ole Miss.)

I was recently thinking about Proverbs 29:18 which in the KJV states,

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Contrast this with the translation in the NIV...

"Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint."

The idea of "revelation" or "vision" in this verse, I believe, refers to the specific revelation of the word of God and the teaching of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is how God both reveals His will and teaches us about Himself.

Put another way...my interpretation

"Where there is no proclamation of God's Word, we trust in our own word and find nothing but dead ends, both literally and spiritually."

Herein lies the importance of fearless preaching, because with out it we have a tendency to follow our own moral compass...which the Bible says leads to death.

Without Biblical instruction, it is easy for us to "cast off restraint" and do what ever we think is right...which leads to our "perishing".

May we all desire to go "beyond the comma" in our humanistic culture and place our trust in the leadership of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit in our lives.

March Madness-A Tribute to the Memphis Tigers-Part 4

2010-03-18T11:03:00.000-05:00

Talk about a fantastic finish!!

After a disappointing loss to Houston last week that sent Memphis to the NIT, Memphis responded beautifully with a thriller for the ages last night. We got a glimpse of next year as Will Coleman, Elliot Williams, Wesley Witherspoon, survived a brutal foul fest with St. Johns out of the Big (B)east Conference. Hey, if you can't play with the other team, just make the game so rough that it is difficult to officiate.

Either way, Wesley Witherspoon showed us the type of playmaker he can be by scoring the last 7 points, including two huge free throws, to send us into the second round of the NIT. His game winning left-handed layup high off the glass as time expired was one of the best shots in Tiger basketball history.

The NCAA Tournament starts in about 10 minutes and my 8 year old son Luke is almost as excited as I am! He is rushing through his school work with his mother. He already has plans to drink sprite and eat chips all day with Dad as we watch the tournament. It took awhile, but March Madness is finally becoming a family affair!!!

Go Tigers against Ole Miss tomorrow and go East Tennessee State!!!

March Madness-A Tribute to the Memphis Tigers-Part 3

2010-03-15T16:19:00.000-05:00

It has been a few days since I have written about my Tigers because I am still recovering...recovering from the dramatic loss to Houston on Thursday and from our subsequent exclusion from the NCAA Tournament this year.

I did it again. I allowed myself to believe that these Tigers are better than they really are. This Tiger team is a good team...even great when they are playing well. But, out simply, they have too many weaknesses.

Here are a few...

1. They have no margin for error. Any mistakes they make against a good team put them in line for a loss. Missed freethrows, poor rebounding, or an off night by one of their stronger players and disaster strikes like it did against Houston.

2. Their record is deceiving. 23-9 seems like a strong year until you remind yourself that 17 of their 32 games were played against teams with an RPI of 150 or higher. Their 23 win total include wins against Jackson State, Arkansas State, Montana State, Tennessee Tech, Southeast Missouri State, Arkansas-Little Rock, and even Houston Baptist(one of the weakest teams in Division 1). They even found a way to lose 2 of these games to SMU and UMASS. When they did play a really good team, they lost every time...Kansas, Tennessee, Syracuse, Gonzaga, UTEP all handled Memphis easily.

3. They don't have enough firepower. Playing with only 7 scholarship players after they traded Pierre Henderson-Niles for Angel Garcia, other teams were able to exploit their weaknesses...especially in rebounding.

4. They had no natural leader. As good as Elliot Williams has been this year, he virtually dissappeared in the biggest games. It's one thing to put 30 on Southern Miss...something totally different to shoot 1-9 against Houston in the most important game of the year. I don't blame him...we put too much on his young shoulders.

So, here I sit with my bracket for the NIT on my desk. Memphis is a 3 seed and will play St. Johns on Wednesday night on ESPN2. Will I watch?

Are you kidding? My Memphis Tigers are playing and every game is a new game!! If I don't write for a few days then you know they found a way to lose another heartbreaker...again.

Don't forget though, we have the #1 recruiting class in the nation coming in again next year...only this time no coach is going to steal them away to another school like the coach whose name we don't say aloud in my house.

Go Tigers!!

March Madness-A Tribute to the Memphis Tigers-Part 2

2010-03-09T19:26:00.000-06:00

By the time the '84-'85 season rolled around, I was a veteran. Memphis State had great seasons in '82-'83 and '83-'84, losing in the sweet sixteen both seasons to Houston and the Phi Slamma Jamma combination of Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon. We just knew '84-'85 would be our year...and we were right.

Memphis State, behind the spectacular play of Keith Lee, William Bedford, and Andre Turner, finished the regular season 24-3. One of their losses was to an undermanned Detroit team that I still think was a payoff of some sort. They ran through the Metro conference tournament giving them both the regular season and conference championships for that season. The entire city was poised for our national championship run.

I was a freshman at White Station High School and I was in school during their first round game. Our principal announced during my computer class that Memphis State had beaten Penn 67-55 in our first round match-up. Next up UAB and Gene Bartow. Gene Bartow coached Memphis State during their National Championship run in 1973 which ended in a loss to Bill Walton and the UCLA Bruins in the title game.

I was sitting in my living room with my father watching the game which came down to a last second shot drained beautifully by Andre Turner for the win 67-66. We were back in the sweet sixteen and this time Houston was not in our way. In past years, we always had a feeling we would never beat Houston...just a faint hope. This year, the city was afire with possibility of the final four.

Instead of Houston, Boston College awaited. Again, my father and I were set up in our living room for the game. We were both on our hands and knees for as the game went back and forth through the second half. We celebrated together as Memphis won that game 59-57 on great play by William Bedford (pictured below)and more late game heroics played out by Andre Turner.

This win set up an incredible Elite Eight match-up between Wayman Tisdale of Oklahoma and our Keith Lee of Memphis State. It was a showdown for the ages...and the game ended with great controversy. I still remember standing in front of the TV, hands over my eyes as time expired.

March Madness-A Tribute to the Memphis Tigers-Part1

2010-03-08T14:46:00.000-06:00

Let me tell you about the night it all began. It was a Friday night in March of 1982-I was 11 years old. Memphis State was playing Villanova in the sweet sixteen of the NCAA tournament. My family was sitting in front of a small push button TV before we had cable TV. My father was sitting on the floor beside me to my left, my brother sat on the floor beside me to my right and my mother sat at the table behind us smoking cigarettes and reading library books. The game was close and came down to a final possession in regulation. With time running out, Otis Jaskson inexplicably dribbled around and put up a really long shot (3 point shots weren't part of the game in 1982) to win but missed. The game went to overtime and Memphis State evertually lost as John Pinone took over for the Wildcats.

Memphis State lost the game but won over a lifelong fan. I don't think I had ever watched a Memphis State game before this one, but I have watched hundreds and hundreds since. The next year began the "Keith Lee" era of Memphis Basketball.

During the 1982-83 season Memphis was briefly ranked #1 in both national polls and it seemed that every game was televised. I spent more time in my teenage life with my Dad watching Memphis State Basketball than fishing, throwing the ball out back, you name it. And though the Tigers have let me down from time to time over the past 3 decades, hope spring eternal each Fall. New players, new possibilities, new games to watch.

This morning, the pundits have Memphis back in the NCAA Tournament as a 12th seed as long as we take care of business in the C-USA tournament. I have my C-USA bracket printed out and tacked on the board in front of me. Thursday at noon can't come quickly enough.

Part 2 of this series will talk about the 1985 Final Four run.

Breaking the Silence

2010-02-25T01:19:00.000-06:00

It has been over a month since I have written because I have been really busy...more so than normal (which is really busy!).

In December, my church promoted me from Lead Youth Pastor to Family Ministries Pastor, which was really affirming but also comes with more responsibility.

Instead of being responsible for the middle school and high school ministries, I now oversee preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school ministries as well as our family/parenting emphasis.

You may be thinking: wow that's a lot to think about everyday!

You are right, but I am blessed to work with an incredible team who is responsible for much of this ministry work.

From left to right: Lauren Rogers (Youth Ministry Assistant). Jessie Dunn (Middle School Pastor), Amber Hill (Children's Pastor), Me (Family Ministries Pastor/High School Pastor), Becky Kitchen (Preschool Pastor), and Kristy Williams(Children's Ministry Assistant),

Combine this new launch with a major office move, and you got yourself some busy days.

As always, with every new church emphasis, there are those who will be negative, but thankfully these have been very few. Six weeks into our new "Family Ministies Launch", all of our ministries are growing and the excitement level is greater than I have seen it.

I have missed blogging...for those of you who follow my writing...since January 1st, I published my first Canadian article (Love Like Breathing) in a missions magazine, I wrote another book review for Group Magazine, and I wrote another week of devotions for Take 5 Plus. I am currently writing another week of devotions for The Quiet Hour and working on a major article for another youth ministry magazine. I am also putting together my first book proposal.

My greatest writing thrill came this past month when I served as editor and brainchild to a Lenten Devotional we created for our church body. I suggested that we have our church staff write a devotional book last year and they gave me the greenlight. It was a ton of work, but we passed out our devotional books at Ash Wednesday service last week. the response has been wonderful! If you attend my church, do you have your devotional book?

Well, there it is-I have broken the silence. Now that things are starting to get in a good groove, you will hear from me much more often. Be good and be at peace!

Prayer First

2010-01-13T01:13:00.001-06:00

A number of years ago, my good friend's daughter ran away. She was 18 years old and was last seen in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

He and I were talking on the phone late one night and I mentioned to him that I was taking a group of students on a mission trip to the New Orleans area. He asked if I would look for his daughter when we were in the French Quarter during that week. Of course, I promised I would, knowing that the chances of seeing her would be slim.

We spent several nights in the French Quarter that week and I kept my eyes open for his daughter as we ministered to the homeless. Our final night, I left our group in the hands of capable adults and walked alone through the French Quarter looking for her.

After half an hour, I sat down on a low brick wall frustrated. I prayed, "God, since I can't seem to find her, please let her find me."

Amazingly enough within five minutes, she walked right past me, turned and looked, did a double-take, and came to talk to me. We talked for a few minutes as I tried to ask every question that her parents would want me to ask. The news was good: she had a place to live and a job. She looked clean and healthy and in good spirits. I told her that she needed to call her parents. She said she would...soon.

I watched her walk away into the night as I reached for my cell phone. I talked to both of her parents at the same time as I told them what happened. Through tears, they thanked me for the call.

As I sat and watched the people walk by, I was convinced of the power of prayer.

I thought of James 5:16, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Like so many other times, I trusted in my own power and then prayed only when I had no other choices. What would our lives be like if we prayed first before we moved in our own strength?

May we all commit to pray first and wait for God to give us the right direction.

Life in a Box

2009-12-28T10:19:00.000-06:00

This past Tuesday, I took my daughter Michaela to Memphis to visit with my father and his wife Rose and to attend a University of Memphis basketball game at the FedEx Forum. Memphis beat up cupcake Southeast Missouri State 87-57. Go Tigers!

After a wonderful lunch at the Spaghetti Factory downtown, we went back to my Dad's house to hang out for the rest of the afternoon. After a few minutes, my Dad disappeared into the attic and brought out a box of family pictures from my childhood, a box of childhood memento's, and a box of my mother's stuff from her life.

For the next three hours, we dug through piles of pictures. We found all kinds of pictures...school pictures, graduation pictures, family reunion pictures, wedding pictures, and more.

Also in the box was an envelope of childhood pictures of my mother and pictures of her as a teenager with her friends. She probably had 50 school pictures given to her by friends in high school. Pictures of my mother are rare as she didn't like to have her picture taken in her older years.

In the box of her "stuff", we found her high school annuals and notebooks she had kept from her days of work and mothering. Glancing through this box was an interesting look into the past of my mother.

It occurred to me as I sat on the floor knee deep in memories that the whole of my mother's earthly memories was stored in a small cardboard box.

This got me thinking about the legacy we leave. My mother died in March 2000 and all of her personal stuff is gathering dust in a cardboard box in an attic in Bartlett, Tennessee.

Yet, though she is gone, her legacy lives on through her two sons.

My mother loved reading, music, civil war history, and her boys. She poured her life into us until she got sick in my later teenage years. I am a product of her love and patience. There were times when she was the only person who stood by my side.

I know that one day, my life will be reduced to a box...a box filled with my memories, my accomplishments, my writings...but my legacy will be passed on to my own children who will live out the life I poured into them in larger-than-life ways.

What legacy will Kelley and I leave these treasures entrusted to us by God? What legacy will you leave?

May our legacies always be, like my mother's, bigger than a small cardboard box.

Christmas Video 2009 - Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T13:57:00.001-06:00

It's Not as Easy as It Seems

2009-12-14T14:35:00.000-06:00

In November, I had the privilege of officiating my brother-in-law Kevin's wedding in Chattanooga. I am sure you have already read Kelley's blog about that weekend so I won't recount the details.

A few weeks before the wedding, Kevin and I met one afternoon to talk over the ceremony and about life in general. It was the first time he and I had ever seriously talked since I met Kelley 20 years ago.

He told me that he knew only two couples who were happy in their marriage and that Kelley and I were one of these two. He shared that most of his friends are either divorced or miserable and that Kelley and I just seemed to have an amazing marriage.

When I shared with him that Kelley and I had experienced some really painful rough spots in our 17 years of marriage, he seemed genuinely shocked. He said that, from the outside looking in, we seemed to always be happy and deeply connected.

The problem is...marriage is not as easy as it seems from first glance...as most of you probably already know. When Kelley and I were married at 20 and 21, we were young and inexperienced in life in general.

Psychologists say that most people completely change every 7-8 years. By the time Kelley and I were 29 and 28, life was radically different that those romantic days during our first years of marriage. We had 2 children, Benjamin and Michaela; we had moved away from friends and family to pursue new ministry challenges in Florida; and I still had some growing up to do.

In the midst of trying to adjust to family life, trying to make ends meet while working through seminary, and trying to accomplish everything else...a major disconnect threatened to grow between us.

Gone were the days of staying up til 3am watching movies and sleeping til noon. This was replaced by listening to a baby scream at 3am and 4am and 5am and long days of work and ministry disappointment.

I think that all couples face this same type of crisis as they grow older together in life. Instead of fighting through the changes and the stress and the challenges, some just quit and walk away rather than trying to work through it..

During this time of struggle, we got pregnant again...this time with Luke. Then, when Kelley was about 7 months pregnant, we moved again. With this move, we had moved 5 different times in the first 8 years of our marriage.

Immediately, we knew this new ministry field was going to be harder than we thought. Maybe it had something to do with moving on September 11, 2001?

It was during the next year and a half that life came unravelled.

I remember sitting in my church office one morning paralyzed with fear and discouragement. I walked back home for lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon following Kelley from room to room trying to break through her "silence". It worked but it was ugly...and much of it was hard to hear. We ended up on the couch, me holding Kelley, sitting in total silence.

Those conversations and the ones we had in the weeks that followed fueled a renewal in our marriage and lives that many of you see the fruits of today.

I learned that life together is not as easy as it seems and that you have to fight for the things you love the most. I needed to grow up and give all I had to our family and marriage instead of the church...which took some adjustments, but now is just a part of who we are.

During our rough times (in fact, never in 17 years), neither one of us ever mentioned or considered divorce as an option.

I think every couple should ask themselves this question:

Since we are going to live the rest of our days together, shouldn't we be happy together? Shouldn't our family be a place of joy and excitement?

That is what I wanted and still want for our lives together.

By the way, Gabe is the direct result of our renewed passion for our life together.

Here is a picture of us together in our early 30's.

Fortunately, I have gotten away from churches that make me wear suits and ties and Kelley dresses. Hmm, I can't remember the last time I saw Kelley in a full dress. She just loves her jeans and shirts.

So...for all you giving me guy "points" for all the sweet blogs I have been writing about my wife and children, I just wanted you to know that my love and passion for Kelley and our family has been born out of the "valley of affliction" in my own life.

I know what I have waiting for me when I drive home from work tonight, and I have no intention of trying to "play it cool" when I talk about my feelings for Kelley and my children.

17 years into our marriage, the gift of my wife and kids is so far beyond my wildest dreams that I had as a teenager. Holding on and flourishing may not be as easy as it seems, but it is worth it.

The Things We Do For Love

2009-12-12T01:22:00.000-06:00

I have never been to a costume party. That's right...never, that is until tonight.

Even though I am 39 years old, I have managed to avoid dressing up for a party my entire life. When I was a teenager, I wasn't secure enough in my own skin, let alone a goofy outfit for a party.

As an adult, I always have control of my own choices...and I have always chosen to avoid costumes.

Well, times change and we have children. These children start growing up and want to have costum parties...and as a dad you have to be supportive.

Tonight, we celebrated Michaela's 11th birthday with a big costume party up at church. She invited a bunch of friends from the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade classes at church. Here is what the group looked like...

Our family dressed up as Peter Pan characters with Michaela being the star of the show, Peter Pan. I was Captain Hook, Kelley was Wendy, Sarah was Tinker Bell, Ben and Jaden were John and Michael Darling, and Luke and Gabe were the Lost Boy pirates.

As you can imagine, Kelley worked tirelessly to make sure every detail was perfect...and it was.

In lieu of presents, Michaela asked all the girls to bring money to buy goats for families in 3rd world countries. At the end of the night, the girls raised over $250 which, paired with a donation from a family who was unable to attend, will purchase 4 goats through World Vision!!

I have to admit, the party was a bunch of fun. We ate pizza and other snacks, danced the Cupid Shuffle, the Cha Cha Slide, and the Electric Slide, played a bunch of fun games, and, of course, ate birthday cupcakes.

And I was Captain Hook. I had to go into Domino's Pizza looking like this.

It seems to me the girls in my life make my life a lot more interesting. Kelley always has a way of getting what she wants.

Now it seems my oldest daughter does as well.

I wonder what Sarah we be able to get me to do when her time comes.

I had some late night work to do and was sitting up thinking about how blessed I am as a husband as a father. Since I am still on a caffeine/sugar high, I thought I would tell everyone about our night.

Twenty years ago you couldn't have paid me to dress up. I felt very uncomfortable and awkward around groups of people and was usually just hoping to make it through the night as just plain old me.

Yet tonight, I would have done anything for my beautiful daughter and her amazing mother. She looks more and more like Kelley each year, which you guys know, for me, is a really good thing.

Eleven years ago, Kelley and I could have never imagined what that little girl would bring into our lives.

Today, I am amazed by her generous selfless spirit and her love for her Savior. I am the only one in our family who calls her Kayla (though Gabe does call her Mu-Kay-u-duh) Every once in a while, I try to imagine what she will be like as a grown woman, but for now I will hold onto the little girl that she still is...sort of.

Happy Birthday, Kayla. I love you for who you are and for the beautiful woman you are becoming.

Our first year together

2009-12-10T08:30:00.000-06:00

When Kelley and I were married, we were really only kids. Looking back on it now, I can clearly see why her parents were more than apprehensive about us striking out on our own. We had absolutely no money, one car that my Dad gave me right before we got married, and we were both still in school.

We really didn't follow the new trend of both people being completely out of college, already owning homes, and living a life on their own before marriage. I slept in the twin bed I grew up in the night before I got married and after the honeymoon, I gave my mom the keys to the cars and the front door of my childhood home as I moved out.

I moved Kelley out of her dorm room and into our new 1 bedroom apartment in UT married student housing. Our rent was $245/month and my graduate GTA position paid about $750/month. Kelley worked weekends at the hospital to supplement our income, but we still lived on very little money.

You might think that this was recipe for disaster, but I would argue the opposite.

First, we had no debt. We were simply too young to have any debt. Financially, there was absolutely no room for error, so we learned how to stretch our meager incomes farther each month without using credit cards that we wouldn't afford to use. This has been an important part of our marriage together as God blessed us with more over the years.

We also learned that some of the best things in life are free.

Secondly, there was the concern that I had "never sown my wild oats" and it would be only be a matter of time before I would grow restless in my marriage and run off to a life of drunkenness and debauchery.

Never happened, and it wouldn't have even if I wasn't married.

Because Kelley and I had committed our lives together and our marriage to Christ, I think we had a different mindset from the beginning. I desired then and have an even greater desire today to honor God in my marriage and relationship with Kelley. I would have to betray my Savior in order to betray her, and I love both my Savior and my wife far too much.

Third, we had very few distractions. We were both attending school full-time. Kelley was entering her junior year of college and I was beginning my first year of graduate school.

Most evenings consisted of date nights at the kitchen table studying, Kelley studying speech language pathology and me studying graduate physics. Of course, we distracted each other from time to time, but that was part of the fun of it all.

On weekends, we would drive to the dollar movie theater in Knoxville and sneak candy into the movie. Back then, the first run movies would move straight to the dollar movie theater, so we could see relatively new movies every weekend. For less than $5, we had a great date.

The biggest thing about our first year of marriage was that we simply wanted to be together. After dating long-distance for over 2 years, it was amazing to have my best friend and new bride finally living with me. I didn't have call her long distance or drive 6 hours to see her...she was right there each and every day.

Because we were committed to Christ in our marriage, we desired to wait until marriage to be physically intimate...which was honestly a very difficult 2 years leading up to our marriage. We made it to our wedding night, but it wasn't easy. It was only with the help of the conviction of the Holy Spirit and prayer we made it there. It was definitely worth the wait.

I still think that our first year of marriage was one of the best years of my life, and it was, without question, the best year of my life up to that point.

We had no money, lived in a tiny run-down apartment, studied virtually every day, and searched for spare change in the cushions of the couch so we could go to McDonald's...which was for me...paradise. I was finally together with my best friend and the love of my life....what more could I really ask for?

The Best 20 Years of My Life

2009-12-03T08:28:00.000-06:00

Twenty years ago this fall, I was a sophomore in college attending Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). I was very active in all of the Christian groups on campus including RUF, BCM, Campus Crusade, and, my favorite, BREAK. BREAK was an interdenominational Wednesday night worship experience hosted by First Evangelical Church in Memphis. This was a fun night filled with great music, good speaking, excellent food, and lots of time to meet new people.

While I had dated a number of girls in college, most of these relationship had never developed past a good friendship. In every case, something essential was lacking in the connection of the relationship. Not enough common interest, not enough physical attraction, differing spiritual viewpoints all helped me come to a point of frustration with dating in the fall of 1989.

It was duing this time that I met this beautiful brown eyed girl at BREAK. After a few conversations, I came to a quick conclusion. This girl was out of my league!! She was tall (taller than me), stunningly beautiful, had a killer smile, and was good around people. Even though we spent time talking each week, I never asked her out because I never dreamed she would be interested in a 5'9'' 120 pound math/science geek who had a terrible complexion who lived on the other side of the tracks from her.

A friend who attended BREAK with me each week, started trying to convince me that this girl was interested in me. I did notice that she was friendly and flirty towards me and would wait for me to sit down so she could sit near me. We started talking more each week and I learned that she planned to go to the Air Force Academy top become the first female fighter pilot. I also learned that she was only pretending to be in college and was actually a high school senior at a local Christian school ECS. Honestly, I wasn't excited about this and didn't see the point of pursuing a relationship with someone who had no interest in having a family or being in church ministry. So I pushed her to the back of my mind. Yet, each week that we would talk and get to know each other better, I couldn't help being very interested in her.

Finally, there was one BREAK left that semester and I decided since I may not even get to see her again, I would ask her out and and at least I would know how she really felt about me. Little did I know, she made the same plans to ask me out if I didn't ask her. I used one of my classic safe lines...

"Are you going out with your boyfriend this weekend?" (If she says yes, I can say, "Really, tell me about him." and I haven't been rejected)

This girl aswered, "I don't have a boyfriend." to which I replied, "would you like to go out with me?"

So there it was...our first date was finally set. I called the her next night to set up our plans and we went out on our first date Friday December 1, 1989.

Our first date was simple...walk the Hickory Ridge Mall, get ice cream, see a movie. I picked her up at about 7:30pm and met her mother for the first time. Interesting.

That first date was magic. My love affair with this girl, Kelley Osteen, exploded into bloom on that very first night. I unashamedly admit that I kissed her quite a few times on this first date and have been kissing her every day since. Since we had been getting to know each other for months, this first date was more like a "finally!" date. The connection was immediate...she was smart and could have great conversations (even about physics), she was a conservative Christian who shared my passion for Christ (though in a different way), she was beautiful (I mean really beautiful)...I am not sure what she wanted with me, but I wasn't going to ask too many questions.

The next night, Kelley was baby-sitting and called me around 9pm. We talked through the night until 7am. That was enough for me. From that weekend on, Kelley was my pursuit. I never dated anyone else after that first date. Without a doubt, finally asking Kelley out was one of the best and most important decisions of my life.

That year, I took Kelley to her Valentine Formal....

her senior prom, and all the other exciting high school stuff seniors do. After graduation, she moved 6 hours away to attend the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. That summer before she started college, I asked her to marry me when I graduated from college two years later.

For the next two years, before the age of cell phones, we ran up over $2,500 of phone bills and drove back and forth across the state several times a month.

Finally, on June 20, 1992. I married Kelley Osteen at Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis TN. We were 21 and 20 years old.

Today, we have been married over 17 years and have 6 beautiful children together so far. Our life together is amazing.

But it all started on a cold December night 20 years ago. Everyday since has added up to be the best 20 years of my life.

Obeying God's Call-Final

2009-11-20T23:01:00.000-06:00

Not On Our Watch

The term “not on our watch” is a nautical term that refers to a sailor who takes watch from the crow’s nest. A sailor takes great pride in nothing unusual happening on his or her watch.

One of the reasons I feel so blessed that my family is a part of Community Church of Hendersonville, is that our church is a “not on our watch” type if church.

Think about it…

When we learned that Miss Elizabeth was living in a home badly in need of repair while she faithfully served our meals of wheels program, and our church said “not on our watch” and we renovated her house.

When we heard that children around the world would not receive even 1 gift for Christmas, our church said “not on our watch” and brought in hundreds of Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes to be sent around the world.

When our student ministry heard that nearly 800 million children go to bed each night hungry, they said, “not on our watch” and have become one of the top money raising youth ministries in the nation that participate in the 30 hour famine.

When our children’s ministry learned that nearly a third of the world’s children has no clean water to drink, they shouted, “not on our watch” and partnered with my children’s foundation to help collect nearly 1000 pounds of aluminum cans over the past two years, helping to buy four shares of a water well.

When the economy collapsed an we had families out of work without resources to purchases nutritious food, our church stood together and said, “not on our watch” and started the community garden which has provided needed food for our families this past year.

When our high school students learned that a Haitian church on New Providence Island had been firebombed, they said, “not on our watch” and raised money travel to the Bahamas and help them rebuild their church.

When we heard that school children were homeless in our county and were going home without anything to eat over the weekend. And we said, “not on our watch” and we collected over 1000 food packs for these families.

When our church has heard of a need, we have responded.

But an even greater need is before us today.

The lives of millions of orphans in Africa and around the world are at stake. Entire generations are disappearing from the earth because of the silent killer of HIV/AIDS.

Will it be on our watch that these children die in poverty?

Will it be on our watch that these children walk nearly 10 miles a day to find dirty water?

Will it be on our watch that these children are denied access to medical care, education, and the basic needs of life?

Two final questions for us to think about...

What weaknesses do you think you have that are keeping you from believing you could make a difference?

Are you ready to stop circling the parking lot and “do something” that will change the world?

Obeying God's Call-Part 6

2009-11-19T07:27:00.000-06:00

Even though God worked the miracles, he chose Moses to lead his people. Because Moses (reluctantly) got involved, he got to be a part of amazing series of events.

Consider this…

Because Moses was willing to get involved, God used him to…

3. change the course of history for the people of Israel.

If Moses had not returned to be used by God, the Israelites would have not entered the promised land, they would not have prospered into a powerful nation, David would not have ruled, His descendant Jesus would have never been born, and we wouldn’t be sitting here today.

One person who is willing to be used, really can make a difference.

The God who Speaks

Just like in the days of Moses, God once again hears His people crying out to heaven, only this time, it is His children throughout the world who are calling out to be rescued,,,rescued from slavery, child prostitution, starvation, disease, poverty, exploitation.

And not only does God hear, Job 36 says that God speaks to these children in their suffering.

“But those who suffer, God delivers in their suffering, He speaks to them in their affliction.” Job 36:15 NIV

The last few years, I have really struggled with the question, “How do these children know that God is good?” We tell them that God loves them, that Jesus died for them, that God is all they will ever need…and yet they are left in their suffering.

Trying to come to grips with all of this, I wrote a song from the perspective of a child who is suffering in some part of the world and is calling out to a God who is supposed to deliver, to rescue them. Here are the words to the song.

“Rescue Me”
Mark Williams

Verse 1:
You are Provider, I am hungry mouths to feed
You are Sustainer, here I am dying in my need
You are Peacemaker, I am refugees of war
You are Defender, I am exploited with no voice
With no voice…

Chorus:
Here I am, I am bent and broken, broken on my knees
Crying out, “Come rescue me!”
Where are You? The heavens ring with silence, echoing my pleas
Won’t someone come rescue me?
Oh, Savior don’t delay-for You I wait!

Verse 2
You are my Father, I am alone here on these streets
You are my Healer, I am ravaged by disease
You are Life-Giver, I am a victim of a choice
You are My Lover, I am a pleasure to be sold
To be sold…

Repeat Chorus:

Bridge:
I heard You hear from heaven
The cries of those in need
If You speak to their affliction
If You see their suffering

Then why, oh why, don’t You hear me?
Can’t you hear me?

2007. JT Braswell Music.

The children of the world are calling out to be rescued, can you hear them?

Obeying God's Call-Part 5

2009-11-17T13:15:00.000-06:00

Even though God worked the miracles, he chose Moses to lead his people. Because Moses (reluctantly) got involved, he got to be a part of amazing series of events.
Consider this as well...

Because Moses was willing, he

2. saved entire generations from certain destruction.

Over 70 years ago, Neville Chaimberlain, the prime minister of England met with Adolf Hitler at the Munich Meetings in September 1938.

He returned and claimed…

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time...Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.“Neville Chamberlain, September 30, 1938

Shortly after these meetings, the Germans invaded Poland and began the systematic genocide of at least 7 million Jews in Europe. Entire family generations were destroyed while the Western world waited for proof.

In 1994, in the small country of Rwanda in Africa, after the death of the president of the country when his plane was shot down. The Hutu people massacred 800,000 Tutsi people in just over 100 days. Entire family generations of Tutsi were destroyed and completely erased from the earth while many who had power to intercede did nothing.

Just in the last 40 years, acts genocide and ethnic cleansing has occurred in Iraq, Cambodia, Somalia, Rwanda, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo and most recently Darfur Sudan.

Even though, these issues are complicated governmental issues, one can’t help but think that these things happened “on our watch”.

Also, God hasn’t ordained governments to care for his people in need (though He will use the government), He has called the church to be His hands and feet. We are his plan and there is no other plan.

The situations bear great similarities to the Israelite plight in Egypt…except, that Moses interceded for his people and saved entire generations.

Obeying God's Call-Part 4

2009-11-16T11:28:00.000-06:00

Even though God worked the miracles, he chose Moses to lead his people. Because Moses (reluctantly) got involved, he got to be a part of amazing series of events.

Consider this…

Because Moses was willing to get involved, God used him to…

1. lead His people to true freedom.

Wouldn’t it be strange if Moses had returned to Egypt and told his people, “Listen I know you are in slavery and your lives are filled with suffering, but I just wanted you to know that God loves you and wants you to be with Him for eternity! Just hold on the rest of your lives because heaven is going to be amazing!”

I have a friend who leads mission trips just like this scenario. He takes groups of people into poor South American villages and gathers as many people from the neighborhood into one home and shares a gospel presentation. He asks everyone if they would like to “receive Jesus” as their Savior by praying the “sinner’s” prayer. After leaving a Bible and some literature, he leaves them in their poverty “saved” for the glory of God.

While I greatly appreciate his love for mission work, I have come to wonder if he has really “shared the whole gospel” with these people. It seems to me that Jesus not only proclaimed freedom from sin but also freedom from oppression and suffering.

Ignoring physical and emotional needs, while ministering to spiritual needs seems out of balance and certainly does not reflect the model of Jesus. If Jesus only needed to set people free from the penalty of their sins, what was the point of the incarnation? Why did He heal the sick, raise the dead, comfort the lonely, call the children? He could have come for a week, died on the cross, been resurrected and taken care of the whole thing.

A few weeks ago, Amber Hill and I, were at a luncheon where a pastor of a church with an active homeless ministry shared some his of work. Along the way, he made a statement that shocked us both..

Paraphrasing, he said…”if we help a homeless person get some job training and find a job, get back on their feet, find a place to live, get off drugs and alcohol, finish their education…but we don’t share the gospel with them…what have we done? Absolutely nothing.”

Without looking at Amber, I knew what she was thinking…it sure seems like he was describing the gospel to me. If he wasn’t sharing the gospel, what was he sharing?

Now understand, I believe the gospel includes meeting people’s spiritual needs, but not in absence of meeting the physical/emotion needs as well.

Because Moses was willing, he led his people to freedom..

More tomorrow.

Obeying God's Call-Part 3

2009-11-12T08:40:00.000-06:00

So God appears to Moses at the burning bush and breaks down the situation.

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians… Exodus 3:1,2, 7, 8 NIV

Here we learn and important truth about God…

· If God is passionate about something, He is responsible for making it happen.

I believe that God chose Moses because Moses had a heart for rescuing his people. God had not forgotten that Moses defended his own people even to the point of losing his privilege status as the Prince of Egypt. God knew he could stoke those old fires all over again.

One small problem…Moses has lost the arrogance and brashness of his youth. Instead of embracing the opportunity, he could only see his weaknesses.

But Moses was focused on his…

1. lack of influence.
“Who am I?” Exodus 3:11 NIV

The once proud adopted son of the most powerful king in the world, doubted that anyone would listen to him after all this time. The sting of rejection still reached out to him over the years from when his own people mocked him for killing the Egyptian.

2. lack of confidence.
“What if they don’t believe me or listen to me?” Exodus 4:1 NIV

Years of tending Jethro’s sheep had humbled Moses. Maybe it had been years since he had dreamed about what great things he would do with his life. Those days were over…he would live out his life in simplicity with his wife and her family,

3. lack of ability.
“I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech and tongue.” Exodus 4:10 NIV

Many scholars believe that Moses had a stuttering issue. There might be a number of things Moses could actually do, but speaking in front of the most powerful man in the world wasn’t one of them.

In short, Moses just couldn’t see how he was the right man for this job, there were just too many weaknesses.

Here is where we learn a second really important thought about God.

· Great things are accomplished, not from our lack, but from God’s abundance.

I think God had Moses exactly where He wanted him…broken and humble. It’s as if God was saying to Moses, “I know, I know. That is why I am here. I can finally use you now. Just trust in me, I have come to rescue my people. You are my plan to make this happen and I don’t really have another plan.”

The rest of this story is “history” as we would say it. Moses returned to Pharoah and God worked all of the miracles while Moses led his grumpy people.

Even though God worked the miracles, he chose Moses to lead his people. Because Moses (reluctantly) got involved, he got to be a part of amazing series of events.

We will look at these next time.

Obeying God's Call-Part 2

2009-11-09T10:24:00.000-06:00

Thinking on my circling the parking lot on my bike, let’s go back a few thousand years to another, more ancient parking lot. Let’s turn to Exodus Chapter 3. Here we find Moses circling the parking lot of Midian. Midian is a best described as “the middle of nowhere”. A pile of rocks in the wilderness.

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Exodus 3:1 NIV

The once proud Prince of Egypt has been reduced to shepherding someone else’s flock of sheep. He is 80 years old by this point and has “retired” from the great adventure.

You could say that, in his younger years, Moses was an important “somebody” preparing for a life of royalty in the most powerful nation in the world.

Now, some 40 years later, we find a humble nobody doing nothing in the middle of nowhere.

That is, until God calls him at the burning bush.

Let’s turn back a few pages to Exodus chapter 1. We find that the situation has grown very dangerous for the Israelites

Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. "Look," he said to his people, "the Israelites have become much too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them...They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. Exodus 1:8-10, 14 NIV

The Israelites were experiencing an ancient form of ethnic cleansing and genocide.

Not only did Pharoah enslave the Israelites, he ordered the murder of all the male babies. It was into this oppression that Moses was born. Through the ingenious plan of his mother, his life was saved, but that is another story.

Later as an adult, Moses kills an Egyptian for beating one of his own people. This was the reason he fled to Midian in the first place.

Now, several generations later, while Moses has been circling His desert parking lot, the situation for his people has grown critical. It is time for a daring rescue. It is time to leave the parking lot and hit the trail of justice and redemption.

Obeying God's Call-Part 1

2009-11-02T09:34:00.000-06:00

When I was a boy, possibly 7 or 8 years old, my older brother, father and I use to ride dirt bike trails. Not motor bike, but BMX trails. I would always be enthusiastic as we rode through the easy trails, but would get scared when we rode over to the “big trails”.

I would always say, “My momma wouldn’t want me to ride this trail. It’s too dangerous.”

My brother and father would try to coax me to come on the trail, but it was no use. Finally, they would leave me in the parking lot behind the high school with instructions to wait for them to return.

At first, I would ride in circles, then figure eights, then I would practice all of my tricks. After a while I would be on my back in the middle of the parking lot staring at the sky…bored.

After 30-45 minutes, I could hear my Dad and brother riding the trail back out to the parking lot. They would be yelling and racing each other through the woods.

When they emerged from the woods, they would be out of breath, glowing from the exhilaration of the trail. All the way home, I would have to listen to them recount the thrills of the ride.

In many ways, I believe that this is a fair description of the American church over the past few decades. We have been circling the parking lot while the real adventure is on the trails in the woods beyond.

We have become so comfortable in our hi-tech churches with our dynamic programs that we have forgotten that our calling is to minister to those who are outside the church, those who are in great need.

Book to Read

2009-10-29T16:38:00.000-05:00

I know it has been a while since I have written, but I have just been very busy with life. I plan on posting a multiple post series over the next week.

Now that I have completed some major projects, I finally have gotten back to one of my greatest passions...reading. Let me make a few recommendations for you.

First, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. The best-selling author of Blue Like Jazz doesn't disappoint here with a new collection of meandering stories, pictures and profound thoughts. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.Second, What Difference Do It Make?, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. This sequel to the New York Times bestseller Same Kind of Different as Me, is a new collection of stories and thoughts about homelessness and sacrifice. Based on the story of a couple, The Halls, who volunteered at a local homeless shelter and built an unexpected friendship with a homeless man named Denver Moore. If I tell you any more it will ruin the story. Just know I choked back tears reading both books. These are powerful books telling important stories.

Third, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. I am teaching a men's Bible study at our church featuring this book. Francis Chan is a newer prophetic voice in the American Church and it is hard not to find his writing very challenging. This book has a great website with videos that complement the reading. A must read.

Fourth and Finally, A Hole in Our Gospel, by Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision. We are using this book as a follow-up to our Step into Africa exhibit. I am leading a six week class on Sunday mornings featuring this book. It is the story of how a high-powered executive became the president of World Vision. This book will definitely challenge your thoughts about global poverty and how we can make a difference.

I hope this gives you some new books to read. Let me know what you think.

Blind Eyes to See

2009-10-19T23:14:00.000-05:00

Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him."

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered. "What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!" "Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!" When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"

All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"

Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Matthew 27:15-18, 20-26

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like for Jesus, the creator of the universe and all humankind, when the crowds chose Barabbas to be freed and sent Him to be crucified?

Did He look out over the sea of contorted faces and recognize them all by name? Did He think of their conception and how He "knitted them together" in their mother's womb? Did He think about the plans that He had for them in their lives?

We have a tendency to villify those in the crowd that cried out for Jesus' death, who chanted, "Crucify Him!" How could these people not realize that they were sending their Messiah, the long-awaited one of Israel to His execution?

Simply put...they just couldn't see it. Their eyes were blind to the truth.

But, honestly, are we so different? Would we have gone against the mob or gotten swept up in the emotion of the moment as well?

I find it easy to miss the beauty and power of the life I have around me everyday. We just see what we want or take time to see. As the father of six children, I am surrounded by wonderment of life everyday.

Last night I sat on the floor with my 3 year old son Jaden as he proceeded to unload random pieces of two different Mr. Potato Head sets from a small backpack in his room. Once we had it all dumped out, he urged me to build the Mr. Potato Heads. As I put these sets together, his three year old eyes saw a different creation than my adult eyes could see. Both sets ended up looking pretty crazy, but He was very proud of both.

Sometimes my analytical brain gets in the way of me really being able to see. I look at the Mr. Potato Head as a creation that should have matching ears and arms and have order. My son didn't see it that way. He saw what would make it most fun.

I suppose I had some ridiculous thought about children learning how things should be, but then I checked myself. Why should I rush my child to see things the way we see them, when we are blind to some of the most important things in life? So instead we played with a one armed, one eared Mr. Potato Head with crooked glasses and orange feet.

I pray today that I can see my Savior at work around me with fresh eyes, not eyes blinded my the expectations of my life around me. Even though our culture shouts for me to reject Christ in a thousand small ways, my heart is still turned towards Him.

Even though the crowd could never have understood the significance of shouting, "Let His blood be on us and our children!", what a powerful prayer that is for us today.

Even in the midst of all of our self-centeredness, busyness, distractions, and opinions, may the blood of Jesus cover us and our children today, drawing us into a deeper relationship with God who is ever Faithful.

My Jesus

2009-10-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

Now that everyone has had a few days to think on the picture in my last blog while I was away on our middle school retreat, I wanted to come back and give some thoughts on this picture myself. I first saw this picture in a new book I am reading called "The Myth of a Christian Religion" by Gregory A. Boyd. This picture begins chapter 7 called "The Revolt Against Nationalism".

The chapter begins..."A friend of mine hired artist Lars Justinen to paint the picture on the previous page to use on posters advertising a conference on the character of God that he was hosting. He had contracts with several malls to hang the advertisements. Almost immediately after hanging the posters, however, the malls began to be flooded with angry calls-mostly from Christians-demanding they be taken down. They were outraged at the image of Jesus washing Osama Bin Laden's feet. So strong was the outcry that the malls decided to they had to cancel their contracts and take down the posters. The Christian college that was renting space to my friend rescinded its contract as well.

Apparently, the protestors believe that Jesus would not was Osama Bin Laden's feet. And why would they think this? Presumably, it's because these protestors assume that any enemy of America is an enemy of Jesus and that Jesus would not wash the feet of His (and therefore America's) enemies.

It is a curious belief. if Jesus was willing to usffer a hellish death on behalf of Bin Laden, how can we imagine that He would balk at washing his feet?

This episode reveals the extent to which many American Christians have allowed their faith to be co=opted ny nationalism. Many have allowed their allegiance to the flag to compromise their allegiance to the cross. they've allowed the values of the empire to they live in to redefine the Jesus they believe in.

Rather than obediently agreeing with God that every person-including Osama Bin Laden- was worth Jesus' dying for, they've reduced Jesus to a pagan tribal deity who, of course, agrees with them. If they would rather kill Bin Laden than wash his feet, then surely Jesus must want this as well.

The truth is that the real Jesus bears no resemblance to this tribal Jesus. The real Jesus is reflected on this poster!" (pp77-78)

I recently read a quote from Anne Lamott saying, "We know we have created God in our own image when He hates all the same people we hate."

For me, to think that Jesus has a "special place in hell" for Bin Laden as one blog I read suggested, seems to be extremely short-sighted. Last time I checked, we are all wretched sinners capable of all kinds of evil at every level.

Does this mean that there is a special place in hell for the slave auctioneers who sold Africans to American plantation owners separating husbands and wives and children? What about those who cheated the Native Americans from their land with corrupt treaties and forced marches like the famous "trail of tears"?

I think it is important to remember that George W, Bush is considered an evil man by many of those living in the Middle East. It all depends on your perspective.

The one thing I am certain of is that Jesus has created a special place in heaven for those who accept His sacrifice for them.

2 Peter 3:9 states, "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

How can we be so sure that this doesn't include Osama Bin Laden or anyone else for that matter?

We just need to keep in mind that God doesn't align himself with our opinions and prejudices. He is God.

I am quite certain that it would be an act of great compassion if Jesus chose to wash my feet. What about you?

Jesus washing Bin Laden's feet?

2009-10-06T10:05:00.001-05:00

I recently ran across this picture and was surprised by the wide range of passionate responses to it. It was orginally hung by a church in an Oregon mall and the Christians there reacted so strongly that the mall voided the contract and took the posters down. There are also a number of blogs that have some strong negative reactions out there as well.

I would love to get some reaction from you.

What do you think of this picture?

Do you think Jesus would wash Osama Bin Laden's feet?

Article on the death of Shane Sugaski

2009-10-02T22:46:00.000-05:00

The Lake Wales Ledger posted an article about Shane's death. The article gives some specific details about the parasite that caused his passing. Click on this link to read the article.

Dancing with the Google Generation-Part 3

2009-10-02T22:38:00.000-05:00

It has been a crazy week, so it has been a few days since I have been able to post. For those of you looking for part 3...

Let me offer three suggestions when leading either in ministry or in the “work world” that I have gleaned from 20 years of working in church ministry.

1. Learn to say the three words, “I don’t know”.

Go ahead, let it roll of your tongue. You would be surprised how few leaders actually expect you to know the answer all of the time. In fact, when I hire, I am looking for team members who don’t know all of the answers but are willing to learn along with me and grow together with our team.

2. Realize that life is complicated and messy.

There are some circumstances in this life we will never understand, and certain situations make no sense and have no easy answers. Pretending to have the messes of life “under control” doesn’t fool anyone who understands this. When you press for an answer under pressure, you most often will seem defensive. Why not just acknowledge that the situation is messy and will require more prayer, discussion, and thought?

3. Rediscover your sense of awe and wonder.

Maybe it has been a while since you enjoyed something for what it was simply worth or since you simply sat in the presence of the Lord. Learn to be content with what you can know and with what you don’t know. Sit and enjoy the sunset or the dance of a bumblebee in the flowers or some great music in the park. Don’t look for answers all the time, look for the Creator at work in everything around you.

This summer, we were blessed with an intern who is confident but understands that only God knows all of the answers. We hired him because we were impressed with his humility and his joyful spirit, not his deep theological answers or well-placed Francis Chan quotes. Maybe your application will be come across my desk this next fall. What will I read?

Dancing with the Google Generation-Part 2

2009-09-30T01:04:00.000-05:00

In the middle ages, people were content with not knowing everything. They looked at the unexplained in our world with wonder and amazement. Then along came the Renaissance and Reformation which resulted in the development of the scientific method. From this point on, the search for the “answer” became the primary goal. We could no longer just enjoy a sunset, we had to know what caused the sunset; we could no longer just wonder at the beauty of the hummingbird, we had to know how its wings moved so quickly, and we could no longer just read and meditate on the Scripture, we had to write systematic theologies to document all that we know about God. Along the way, we lost our ability to wonder at the unexplained and to be content with the presence of God. Instead, we have become more focused on knowing about God and dissecting the text of the Bible.

As I have grown older, I have come to realize that, even armed with the scientific method and the internet, I really don’t know much about anything. None of us do really if we are honest. It is a very difficult lesson to learn, especially if you are expected to have all of the answers. As I search with my team each year for our next summer interns, I am looking for possible ministry leaders who understand this principle.

Tomorrow, I will conclude this three-part post by offering three principles I have learned the hard way about being a "know-it all" in life.

Dancing with the Google Generation

2009-09-28T16:57:00.000-05:00

Each year, I have the privilege of interviewing and hiring our summer interns for our student ministry. This is usually a fascinating process that allows me to come in contact with some absolutely amazing college students and twenty-somethings looking to enter the ministry.

After working through this process for the past four years, I am starting to see a trend. Each year, we have to read through a pile of questionnaires, many of which make the applicant seem like an arrogant “know it all”. Long drawn-out answers filled with quotes and stories that are designed to support their point of view. Honestly, after a while it gets frustrating to read all of these responses. (Fortunately, each year we find exactly who we are praying for as well.)

I experienced this again recently while at a conference with our students. The camp director was an impressive young man in his mid-twenties who was doing an outstanding job leading our conference experience. One night in our church leader’s meeting a complicated discussion arose concerning different ideas in practice and theology between several of the churches. Tensions ran high, and there was no easy solution to this problem as you can imagine.

Yet, the director, feeling possibly that was losing the synergy that had existed earlier in the week, made a speech proclaiming that this was what this conference was “all about” and it was the “perfect opportunity” to invest in the lives of kids. You could have tasted the silence in that room when he finally stopped talking. Later that evening, in reference to this meeting, another leader made a comment to me about the “Google Generation” leaders who think they know everything.

I hadn’t thought specifically about this before, but the analogy makes perfect sense. Like no other generation before them, today’s twenty-somethings and teens have access to more information than ever before. With all the search-engines and the ever reliable Wikipedia, the answer to every question awaits at the click of a mouse. But does all of this information actually equal knowledge? Or wisdom?

More thoughts on this tomorrow.

More thoughts on Shane Sugaski

2009-09-23T23:00:00.000-05:00

I was surprised today to see that so many people read my blog about Shane Sugaski. It is difficult to express feelings into words and I wanted to honor the memory of Shane and his family. I also wanted to express how passionately I believe in the redemption of God.

Shane was one of the "coolest" young men I have ever worked with in nearly 20 years of youth ministry...a young man of wit, charisma, influence, and leadership.

Tonight I spoke about Shane to my own high school group in Hendersonville, Tennessee. We were talking about having the kind of faith that makes a real difference in life-the kind of faith that actually translates into action instead of mere words. Shane's life represented the kind of faith-in-action that Jesus desires.

You can see that Shane's faith was lived out among his friends and family through a love of life that was big enough to give love and encouragement away. All you have to do is read the tributes on his Facebook page to see that Shane made a tremendous difference in the lives of those who knew him.

As I told Shane's story repeatedly today at church, I realized that I felt blessed to have known Shane and his family over the years. I was thankful for the time that we shared together in Florida and for the privilege of watching Shane grow from a young boy into a grown man.

Whether we were playing foosball or talking motorcycles in the Sugaski garage, working to rebuild an inner-city church in Tampa, or talking Green Bay Packers football, you always felt encouraged and accepted by the Sugaski family.

As my wife mentioned on her blog about the Sugaski family(link to her blog on the right had side of this page), Brian was especially good to my oldest son Ben when we first moved to Lake Wales in 2001. He went so far as to build my son a R2-D2 out of a trash can and some wood. My son loved it and kept all of his prized lego stuff in it. My oldest son now is in middle school and seems to be more interested in music and girls than legos, so the R2-D2 has been passed on to my four year old son Gabe. Gabe keeps everything in this R2-D2. Over the years, it has been one of our most prized toys.

I am sure that our grandchildren will be playing with this R2-D2 in the years to come.

To Brian, Judy, and Andrea, our hearts are broken for your loss. We grieve together with you, but not as those who have no hope. For we have put our hope "in the living God, who is the Savior of all men." In the last few days, Shane has fully realized what we can only imagine. He is with the one who loves Him most. Meanwhile, we are left behind confused by the crushing heartache of losing a dear friend so young.

I received a comment today from another one of my students from this same ministry and church. He said that Shane's death had made him think about the days when we were playing on stage together, and it made him think about his own spiritual life. He has been reading his Bible again this week for the first time in many months.

Even in his passing, Shane continues to encourage others. May we all embrace our Savior who loves us most.

Hope Sunday Sermon

2009-09-23T10:52:00.000-05:00

On Sunday September 13th, I enjoyed the immense privilege of bringing the message to our church body on Hope Sunday-the kickoff Sunday of our massive kickoff of our hosting of the Step into Africa exhibit. The audio file is now available on our church website homepage...just click on the "listen to sermons" tab in the top right of the front page, then click on September 13 "Hope Sunday: And So It Begins." This message includes one of my newer songs "Rescue Me" featuring Mandi Hall on background vocals.

Remembering Shane Sugaski

2009-09-23T00:21:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, we received the sad news that a former youth of mine, Shane Sugaski, died unexpectedly in Florida at age 22. It was my privilege to be his youth pastor from 2001 to 2005 at the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales, Florida.

My unofficial sources tell me that Shane ingested a parasite while wakeboarding in Orlando this past weekend. The parasite caused irrevocable brain damage. He lived on a ventilator the last 36 hours of his life and his family had to let him go. After the intensity of Step into Africa, Shane's death hit me in a hard way.

This is a picture from many years ago with Shane and his sister Andrea while I was still serving as their youth pastor. My day has been spent wandering through my memories of Shane. Let me share some that made me smile.

If there was one word that would describe Shane it would be SARCASTIC, but in a hilarious kind of way. I can almost hear his voice making some wise crack about this blog. Just like his Dad Brian, Shane always had something funny to say.

During his junior year, Shane wanted to play electric guitar in our youth praise band. In my opinion, lead electric is the most difficult instrument to play on stage. He came by after school every Tuesday for a couple of months and we would practice together. He would play electric and I would play bass. One day, we swapped intruments so I could show him a particular lick and he showed an amazing feel for the bass. Shane played bass for me for the next two years and is still one of the best youth bassists I have ever played with at church.

During his sophomore year in high school, Shane unexpectedly tried out for one of the lead roles in our big youth choir musical and blew us all away. Needless to say, he got the part. Not only was he a great actor, but he also proved to be quite a singer as well. The next few years, Shane appeared in virtually every production our ministry produced. His leadership was a vital part of the health of our ministry. He was a great encourager for the younger boys and it was obvious that many really looked up to him

Finally, on the way home from summer camp in 2004 in Georgia, Shane and I sat together at Wendy's and talked all about how excited he was about growing into the man God created him to be. He talked of even possibly working in ministry some day. It was one of those conversations you dream of as a youth pastor.

Kelley and I moved our family back to Tennessee the fall after Shane's graduation from high school. During his senior year, Shane and I grew more distant as he seemed to be pulling away from many of the ideas he had embraced for years in our ministry.

I recently reconnected with Shane through the miracle of Facebook and read through his pages with great interest. I was saddened but not shocked to find that Shane had embraced the college lifestyle the past few years at UCF and had seemingly rejected the lessons I had tried so hard to teach him over the years. On his Facebook page, his official religious status is "control" which I have never heard of before.

A few years ago, Shane's mom Judy was in a serious car accident and is still recovering from the emotional and physical effects of her injuries. I know this really challenged Shane's faith.

Now Shane is gone but I serve a big God, a wild, unpredictable God who knows Shane's heart. I am reminded of the verse in 2 Peter 3:9

"God is not slow in keeping His promises as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

Shane may have put living fully for God "on hold" for the past few years, but my God never rejected him...that's simply not God's way. My God walks with us in the confusion of our lives and He is the light that leads the way.

Yesterday, God led my friend Shane beyond the comma.

Step into Africa-the day after

2009-09-21T10:25:00.000-05:00

After an intense week of managing Step into Africa, the morning after the close of the exhibit is met with mixed emotions. Relief that this big event went so well and our church responded in such an amazing way; sadness that fourteen months of work came to an abrupt end last night; and anticipation for what lies ahead to for our church and community.

On a personal level, my family was deeply involved thoughout the week. Our children's foundation "Together We CAN Make a Difference" was featured in the local marketplace and our two oldest children(because they are homeschooled) spent the majority of the week working their booth.

Our family also provided childcare for the event on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. Add in the fact that I was the project manager for the entire event, my family made a week of Step into Africa.

As I have previously mentioned, one of the main the focuses of this past week was child sponsorship. Kelley and I are World Vision Child Sponsorship Ambassadors and our family already sponsors two beautiful children, but I had a sense that we may end up sponsoring another child by the end of the week. To read the story of how we chose our new child, read my wife's blog Kelley's Kids etc. which is linked on the side on this blog.

In short, my wife wanted us to sponsor a child with a specific birth date. After looking through all of the packets that were available in the exhibit, we asked to see the other available child packets that were in storage behind the village. We were taken to, not a box of chidren, but boxes of children. Beautiful dusty-faced African children by the hundreds stared up at me as we worked through the boxes looking for this specific child. After working through all of the boxes, we were directed to check under the sposorship table to look for more. another stack on children awaited me there. Still dissapointed, the World Vision Staff directed us to one last box they keep hidden just in case all the other children are sponsored. One last group of faces looked up at me as we searched for this one special child. Eventually, we found one special child and took her home with us.

When you think about the fact that 429 child packets left our church, and yet hundreds more children were packed back into the truck last night, the need is so great. Millions of orphans are in desperate need in Africa...but 429 less than 8 days ago.

These commitments represent $15,000 per month and nearly $200,000 per year.

Are you still considering sponsoring a child? Go to the World Vision website and read more about the process.

Millions are children are waiting.

Stepping out of Africa

2009-09-20T21:49:00.000-05:00

The doors have closed for the final time on our exhibit and an army of volunteers have gathered to tear down the village.

Step into Africa Final Totals

2009-09-20T21:02:00.000-05:00

After 14 months of praying, planning, and preparing, this past week has been beyond our expectations. It has been our prayer that God would "work miracles that we could nover take credit for". We can only imagine what He has done this week and will continue to do in the weeks to come.

Totals for entire week, September 13-20, 2009 (according to World Vision)

Visitors: 4,028
Children Sponsored: 429
Hearts changed: ???

Step into Africa-Weekend Totals

2009-09-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

As expected, the attendance for this weekend was huge!

Our totals were:

Saturday Visitors: 510
Child Sponsorships: 68

Sunday Visitors: approximately 700
Child Sponsorships: 78

This gives us a weekend total of:
Visitors: 1200+
Child Sponsorships: 146

Friday Totals

2009-09-19T11:21:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was another huge day for us in our exhibit.

We started the day with a great walk-in crowd and a huge school group from Wilson County Middle School and half the junior class from Davidson Academy.

Thr rain held off the rest of the day and our attendance was steady and strong all day!

Friday totals:

Visitors: 581

Children Sponsored: 34

Week Totals(approximate):

Visitors: 2,800+

Children Sponsored: 285!!!

With all of our numbers, we have to remind ourselves that our church has a weekly attendance of 750-800. That means that our visitor totals have nearly quadrupled the size of our church this week. All of our hard work in media/marketing has really paid off! Thanks for helping us get the word out!

Step into Africa-Images of the Week

2009-09-19T11:13:00.001-05:00

Step into Africa Thursday Night Recap

2009-09-18T00:34:00.000-05:00

Today was an amazing day in our exhibit!!

Visitors today: 583

Children Sponsored: 38

Total for the week (approximate):

Visitors: 2,400

Children Sponsored: 250

A Look into Step into Africa

2009-09-17T23:18:00.000-05:00

Some of you may be wondering what it is like to walk through Step into Africa. Join me on this pictorial journey.

First, you enter the line. If you have online reservations, you enter on the right. If you are a "walk up", you enter on the left. Then one of our amazing volunteers will help you enter your information.

Next, it's off to get your headphones for your child's story.

Then, it is time to enter the exhibit. You go through the curtain and take a seat on the wooden stools.
After getting the hang of your headphones and mp3 player, enter the path for your child. Today I walked through the story of Babirye.

From here, you walk through the curtain and into this child's life. The path follows child's story and helps you understand his or her life.

The exhibit is very interactive. You can sit on the bed or in the booth at the truck stop.

Without telling you the whole story, all four paths converge on the health clinic. Inside you get your hand stamped to discover if you are HIV+ (I am not allowed to show you a photo of a hand actually being stamped...come see for yourself.)

If you are HIV+, have have to move to the reserved section in the clinic.

When you exit the clinic, you can see how your child is doing presently at the resolution wall.

Now, it's time to process what you have heard. You can do this in the prayer chapel.

This room is filled with pictures of real African children and adults who are deeply affected by the AIDS pandemic. When you exit the chapel, you come to the prayer wall. Here you write out a prayer for your child and you place your card on the wall.

Opposite the prayer wall is the child sponsorship wall. Here you have the opportunity to choose a child that your family will sponsor for $35/month. I can't show you any close ups, but this is what the wall looks like.

As you exit the village, you have the opportunity to visit the marketplace. Here you can choose to sponsor a child, buy caregiver kits, bicycles, make donations, etc. Here is a picture of Josh, one of the World Vision Staffers.

Unique to our exhibit, you exit the marketplace into our local marketplace. The local marketplace is made up of 8 booths that features local relief agencies in Sumner County. One of these booths features Together We CAN Make a Difference, the foundation our three oldest children started to help build water wells in Africa.

Finally, as you leave, you can sign the prayer banner that we are sending to the children in Swaziland.

Have you been through Step into Africa yet? The exhibit will be open at Community Church of Hendersonville 10am-8pm through Sunday.

Step into Africa for Children!

2009-09-17T16:59:00.000-05:00

Last night our amazing children's ministry had all of our younger children "Step into Africa". The pictures say it all.

Step into Africa Thursday Morning Update

2009-09-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

First, let me start by apologizing for not posting a update yesterday.

We had heavy rains yesterday morning that basically "washed us out" and caused our big school group from a local elementary school to cancel since they were walking over. Then, last night was a church night so I was really busy yesterday afternoon and evening. By the time I got home I was simply too tired to write.

So...after our morning was rained out yesterday, we were hoping for a big attendance last night We were not dissappointed!!!

As you can see, we had almost three hundred people go through the exhibit from 5pm-9pm last night. We had groups from Mt. Zion, St. Phillip Catholic Church in Franklin, First Assembly here in Hendersonville, several others, and our own youth ministries walk through.

When we finally closed last night, our totals for the day were:

Visitors: 441

Children Sponsored: 44

This brought our 4 day grand total to (approximate):

Visitors: 1800

Children Sponsored: 215

This morning, groups from David Lipscomb Middle School and Stratford High School visted our exhibit.

The David Lipscomb students were excited to be here...

...and the Stratford students made a day of it with pizza and the works.

So, as of this morning, we have had over 2,000 people visit the experience. We are hoping and praying that this weekend will be even bigger. I will let you know how tonight goes.

Step into Africa Late Night Day Three Final

2009-09-15T22:10:00.000-05:00

What a day!

Tonight groups from Lifehouse Fellowship in Joelton, Lifechurch.tv here in Hendersonville, Madison Church of Christ, Celebrate Recovery, and several other places visited the exhibit!

Our three day total (approximate):

Visitors: 1,350

Children Sponsored: 175

We are so excited about this great start. Our week will only grow exponentially from here.

Tomorrow we start with a group of 100 5th graders from Gene Brown Elementary School. I will update when I get a break in the afternoon.

Thanks for following our amazing week.

Step into Africa Day Three Update

2009-09-15T17:34:00.000-05:00

Today has been an amazing day as our exhibit has been busy all day. This afternoon we had a few slow moments, but just a few. Tonight we are expecting overflow crowds.

This morning, we welcomed 100 freshman students from Gallatin High School. It was obvious that many were deeply touched. One walked past me and said, "It was an eye-opener."

Later in the morning, we welcomed a group of students from Lipscomb University.

One of our volunteers this morning brought everyone African garb. Here is a picture of Ben and Michaela at their Together We CAN Make a Difference booth.

The news has continued to spread about Step into Africa. On Sunday I told you that News Channel 4 and 5 had come and filmed in the exhibit.

Today, News Channel 2 posted a story about us on their website. Read about it here.

I think the best part of hosting the exhibit is how it has brought our church and community together in ways nothing else could. Each day, we have seen entire families serving together in the experience. This afternoon, one of our local partner churches, Madison Church of Christ, brought of team of 15 volunteers and ran the exhibit all afternoon.

After 2 and a half days, over 1000 people have walked through the exhibit and nearly 200 children have been sponsored. Keep praying for us that God will use this exhibit to deeply touch our church, our local community, and the greater Nashville community throughout the course of this week.

Step into Africa-Day 1 and 2 Report

2009-09-14T15:35:00.001-05:00

Step into Africa launched yesterday morning and what a day it was!!!

Our morning worship services were amazing!! The award winning trio Selah led worship for us in both of our services. I was privileged to speak in both of our services where I featured my song "Rescue Me". Here is a picture of me with Mandi Hall. My message was well received as was the powerpont slideshow we developed to go along with the song. You can listen to the song on my facebook page and click on my band page. I plan to post the transcript of the message in the next few days.

After our services, hundreds of people from our church and community walked through the exhibit.

Then we finished off a great day with full concert with Selah with over 500 people in attendance.

This morning, we welcomed school groups from Davidson Academy, White House Christian Academy, and Goodpasture High School. We also were blessed to have the a beautiful group of elderly "students" from a local retirement center on a fieldtrip.

Channel 4 News and Channel 5 News visited the exhibit yesterday and ran pieces on the news last night and this morning! If either station posts a link to the story, I will let you know.

The front of our church looks amazing...

The best part of an amazing day yesterday was our child sponsorship total. 115 children were sponsored yesterday alone!!! That's right...read it again. 115 little lives changed in one day.

And So It Begins

2009-09-12T19:01:00.001-05:00

What a Transformation!

2009-09-12T15:01:00.001-05:00

Our Only Injury-A Splinter

2009-09-12T14:58:00.001-05:00

Here are some of those who served

2009-09-12T14:43:00.000-05:00

Making More Progress

2009-09-12T13:06:00.000-05:00

We have an amazing group of volunteers here helping us build our exhibit. We are just a few hours away from being ready for tomorrow!

Making Progress!!

2009-09-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

More Pictures

2009-09-12T10:11:00.000-05:00

More Pictures

2009-09-12T10:07:00.001-05:00

More Set-Up Pictures

2009-09-12T09:47:00.000-05:00

Step into Africa Set-Set-Up Begins

2009-09-12T09:09:00.001-05:00

Step into Africa truck is here!

2009-09-12T08:45:00.000-05:00

Set-up has finally begun for Step into Africa!!! Here is a picture of the big truck as it arrived this morning. I will post more pictures as set-up progresses!

Step into Africa Kick-Off Meeting Complete!

2009-09-11T18:37:00.000-05:00

This afternoon, our entire team met together with the World Vision Step into Africa staff who has flown in from Seattle. You could feel the excitement and anticipation in the room!!!

Tomorrow morning, the BIG truck should arrive at our church by 7:30am. Set-up will start at 8:00am and then our gym turns into an African village throughout the day. Our community is ready for this! We made the front page of the Hendersonville Star News this morning and I was on the radio this morning 5 different times for interviews about Step into Africa and the Selah Concert.

We are hoping for 6000-8000 people to walk through the exhibit with a goal of 600 new child sponsorships. We know for sure that we have 800-1000 school kids coming through the exhibit during our weekday mornings. We also have a number of church and civic groups registered as well! Last time I checked, we were up to 2,500 pre-registrations!!

If you are in the Nashville area, make sure you don't miss out on such an important event in our community.

Check in often tomorrow as I plan to post pictures of the set-up process every couple of hours.

Step into Africa is just 2 days away!

2009-09-11T10:26:00.000-05:00

I am back in the office today after my morning in studio with 94FM the FISH. The staff here is harassing me because the FISH referred to me as THE pastor of our Community Church in the first segment we did. They want to know if I am trying to take Pastor Doug's job here at the church.

Fortunately, in the second segment we changed it to "associate pastor". I had a great time in studio with Kim and Dan for the hour. They were really fun to hang out with and we got some great exposure for Step into Africa and the Selah concert coming up this weekend!