I have watched this twice now. I found it on Dave Fergusons blog and had to share it.

Christmas Traditions

Growing up Christmas was a big deal. Not as much for presents, although we got presents and we usually got what we wanted. Every year the JC Penney Christmas catalogue came out. My sister and my self would spend hours going through it and circling the things we wanted for Christmas.

Most of the pages we spent our time in were in the toy section. Sometimes we may venture over into the electronics section if we wanted a stereo system with an 8-track player.

Man, I am old. A lot of you have never experienced an 8 track player, much less a JC Penney Christmas catalogue.

But here is where we’re alike, there was not much time spent in the clothes section of the JC Penney catalogue, unless it was a jersey of my favorite team.

That was not the thing I remember most about Christmas. Of course I remember some of the toys I got, but I will never forget the family time together. At the time there were some things I hated, but would relive in a heartbeat if I could, like stringing pop corn and cranberries to decorate the tree. Or sticking whole cloves in an orange changing its look and texture, it did smell good though. I know all these ideas came from mom’s Christmas edition of Southern Living magazine.

I loved the baking that was done--fudge, butter and pecan cookies, orange blossoms, peanut butter balls (in Ohio they call them buckeyes and they don’t cover the whole ball with chocolate), applesauce cake and other seasonal snacks that filled the pantry. I remember giving it to people as gifts. The great thing about giving baked items as gifts is you usually got some back—fudge, butter and pecan cookies, peanut butter balls . . .

I loved going to Aunt Jesse’s house for Christmas Eve dinner. Uncle Frank sitting in the same chair, Garth joking around with us kids, the kids table at dinner time and Jesse’s homemade rolls—you can’t forget the rolls. The kids table was fun and you never graduated from it. When some of the older cousins had graduated and were even in college—they still had a place at the kids table. None of us really cared though because we were at Jesse’s for Christmas Eve. I think it was at Jesse’s I ate 13 deviled eggs—a Baker’s dozen.

Then there was Christmas morning. Getting up at 8 am to see what you got from Santa—It was really more like 4 am for me, I had to test all the stuff before everyone else. I remember dad coming down and telling me I had to go back to bed because I was waking everyone up playing toss-a-cross, a bean bag game of tic-tac-toe.

When we all were finally up we would make toast from fresh cinnamon bread Delores Crouch made for us every year. She was one of the few adult friends mom and dad had that I could call by their first name. That toast was soooo good.

Then came breakfast or brunch, it wasn’t much but it seem to never end. It consisted of ham biscuits. Virginia salt cured ham on what I would call more of a roll with butter wrapped in foil and baked until the butter had melted. Uncle Bill usually made it over by the time we were eating ham biscuits to check out the stuff we got and just hang out for the day.

Sometime during the day Lewis Barker, my best friend who lived across the street would come over to see what I got. Then I would go over to his house to see the stuff he got.

The greatest thing about Christmas was hanging out with family and friends. That is what I remember most. I do remember the food, but with food came family and friends something that makes the Christmas season Christmas.

We get to celebrate the birth of a relational God who brings people together. So when you are with friends and family over this holiday season remember it is just part of God’s plan to bring people together not just to celebrate Jesus but to enjoy the company of each other.

Merry Christmas!

Sinner Saved By Grace

I just changed my facebook religious view to: "Sinner Saved by Grace." I was eating lunch with a friend this afternoon and we talked about life, God and the church. She was describing how she went through the process of recording her religious view on facebook. "Christian" can mean so many things. It can turn the stomachs of some who are not followers and turn the nose up of some followers because of the elitism which exists in so many churches.

Everyone likes to use the phrase "Jesus follower" or "Christ follower" but that comes with a lot of pressure. None of us, not one will ever follow Jesus perfectly. We are going to mess up and the accountability that goes along with being a Jesus follower is to much for any body to achieve. I am not saying we shouldn't try to live like Jesus, I'm just saying you can't perfectly.

Since we're not perfect, since we are all sinners and need God's grace I decided to call it as it is--"Hi, my name is Scott and I am a 'sinner saved by grace.'" This statement means so much more to me. It is not a badge I wear proudly but without it I may not fully comprehend the love God has for me.

Here is what it says about me: 1) I am not perfect, 2) I deeply matter to God and 3) without Jesus I am nothing.

I have made a conscious decision about this title change. When someone tells me they are a Christian, I am going to try to correct them by saying, "You mean a sinner saved by grace, so am I!" (While putting my hand above my head looking for acceptance with a high five).

You see I think we have missed the chance to truly share the hope of the gospel by labeling ourselves Christians. The word Christian is used three times in the New Testament and twice it is used by those who are not followers to describe someone who imitates Jesus. The third time it was used in context of suffering. It was mostly used by the outside world to describe someone they saw as a follower.

Paul never used it to describe himself, but he often referred to himself as a sinner, not only a sinner, but the worst of sinners. Then he talked about grace. There is so much authenticity when we first see ourselves as sinners. It makes us not better than the world, but like the world when it comes to our condition before God. There is not a difference between me and the pagan on the other side of town when it comes to the penalty I deserve because of my sin.

The difference comes when I realize 1) I am not perfect, 2) I deeply matter to God and 3) without Jesus I am nothing.

That is the message the world needs to hear. They don't need to know that I am a Christian, they need to know I am like them and the only difference is that I understand those three things about myself. And because of that I am not just a sinner, "I am a sinner saved by grace."

Should We Be On Mission?

I was sent an article to read about the missional church by a friend on facebook (read article here).

Below is one of the responses I read on the facebook article:

"I admire those who devote their LIVES to missions and evangelism. However, I am not one of them and that does not set well with my Southern Bapt church. When I read Matt 28 and Luke 24, I see Christ speaking to the eleven, not me. My place ...in the body is more geared toward praise and worship, or taking care of the church building, or visiting sick members...common purposes. I wasn't meant for noble ones, and I'm okay with that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. I will give a reason for why I believe to anyone WILLING to hear. I think I would be labeled a hyper Calvinist."

Here are some thoughts:

1) Matthew 28 and Luke 24 is Jesus speaking only to the eleven? What other passages would we have to consider only for the eleven. John 13-16 come to mind right off the top of my head. Jesus is teaching the disciples during the Last Supper and then on his way to the garden to be arrested. He talks to them about being a servant, loving one another, trusting God, being led by the Spirit and some other things. I guess we would have to eliminate those teachings as well.

2) There is nothing wrong with leading worship, visiting the sick and other noble causes, they are Biblical. But taking care of the building? Where were we told to do that as followers of Jesus?

3) I believe the guy is not ashamed of the gospel, I think? I mean I believe he would share something with someone wanting to know more about Jesus, but I wonder if it could be considered the gospel (the good news). It would probably be some hyped up denominational sales pitch about grace, but for me it would be hard to believe coming from someone who is not sold out to the gospel themselves.

4) I do however understand where the guy is coming from, he says it in his response. He said "I think I would be labeled a hyper Calvinist." I thought our goal was to be labeled followers of Jesus, not any other man. This explains why the guy would not follow the words of Jesus, because he trusts the words of another man above the words of "The" Man.

What can we learn from this? We learn that we must be careful who we place our trust in because whether it is intentional or not the truth will be revealed. I don't think for a moment that this guy does not think he loves Jesus, I just think his understanding of Jesus is somewhat cloudy.

It is a battle we all have to fight everyday as we grow closer to Jesus.

It Happened (continued)

I will try to get through this post without losing my focus. Although, the two post relate to each other very well.

I met a guy Thursday morning at Starbucks for coffee. While we were there we talked about God and the kingdom. We talked about how to live as kingdom people where we are at the time. We really had a good discussion about God stuff.

He got up to leave and I was going to stay and check my email. As soon as he got up a guy approached. I was wearing a tee-shirt from my trip to Zimbabwe last fall. The front of it says, "Acts 29." He asked me, "What's with the shirt. There's not an Acts 29." Obviously he knew his Bible. Most people who carry the Christian cup (to understand the cup thing, read the previous post) don't realize there is no Acts 29, its a Hezekiah 3 type of thing.

I explained to him that it means the story continues, the Acts of disciples should not have stopped in Acts 28. We still have a purpose in God's kingdom today. He told me he had seen that image before. I explained there was a church planting group called Acts 29. He was familiar with it because he had seen it on the Internet.

Then he asked me if I was familiar with Frances Chan. This guy was obviously someone who did not just carry a cup. So I asked him the obvious question, "Do you go to church?" I know better than to go right for that question but I wanted to know where he got his coffee.

He looked in the air, trying to decide how he wanted to answer the question. He said, "I don't." Then he went on to explain why, "There are a lot of people who call themselves Christians that are going to hell." What he was saying is there are a lot of people who just like to carry the cup.

It happened, in Starbucks I met a person I keep reading about. Someone who is disenfranchised with the church. About 30 minutes later I packed up my stuff and headed out the door. The guy was coming down the sidewalk. He stopped me again and asked me my name. He also asked me what church I was with and wanted to know where it was. He did tell me he was a member of a church but he did not want to talk bad about it because he is good friends with the pastor.

He did end our conversation by telling me "Frances Chan has it right you know." We are only told to do two things: Follow Jesus and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to teach them everything Jesus has taught us (the great commision).

It happened, I met a person who doesn't just carry the cup. I met a guy who knows what it means to be on mission for Jesus. You know where he drinks his coffee? Jesus.

Where do you drink yours?

It Happened

I met someone for coffee yesterday in Starbucks. Yes, I said coffee. For those who don't know I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I always wanted to carry a Starbucks cup like a lot of the trendy world does. It is more of a status symbol or your club card. I am in now because I found something I like or at least can tolerate.

I am not proud of my usual but I have manned up and do get an extra shot of espresso. I am sure you want to know the manly drink I prefer. It is a "Triple Skinny (because I am trying to lose some weight) Carmel Latte." There I said it. I guess I will have to post another manly question on Facebook. But if you want it you will have to take it from me (if getting physical over a latte is even possible). It doesn't matter what I drink, I am in the club, I carry the cup to prove it.

Sounds like our Christian life doesn't it. We can carry a Bible, go to church and even have a Jesus fish on the back of our car but nobody really knows who we are on the inside. We can promote ourselves on the outside and still have a lot of crap on the inside. I mean nobody knows what I am drinking when they see me carry a Starbucks cup unless of course you are one of those ice coffee kind of people. I just never could see John Wayne out on the range or in a fox hole drinking ice coffee. Is ice and coffee really suppose to go together?

So it happened, I am kind of drinking coffee now. But that is not what I really wanted to blog about, but this one is getting to long so . . . I will have to continue tomorrow.

But think about it, if you are a follower of Jesus, are you really following him or are you just carrying the cup?

Costly Grace

I have been wanting to read "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer for a long time. His first chapter is called "Costly Grace." I love reading about God's grace but I have to admit this time it is making me a little uncomfortable. I know it has because I have brought it up in discussions twice in the last two days and I am even going to teach on it Sunday.

His point is that there are two types of grace the church teaches. Cheap grace which is taught mostly he says "is the deadly enemy of the church." Cheap grace requires nothing from the one receiving grace. He says "Cheap Grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner."

I have noticed lately followers of Jesus want to justify their sin without accountability. When held accountable they play the judgement card and say, "you don't understand." They call for grace but they want it at a discount. What I mean is they want the benefits of grace but don't want it to cost them anything.

The problem is that many churches and church leaders today teach this type of grace. The messages are designed to make people feel good about themselves with little or no accountability. This may be the reason so many church leaders are now evaluating the churches they lead and finding out they have done a poor job of discipling followers of Jesus. Bonhoeffer makes the point that "Cheap Grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate."

This is the grace we like. This is the grace that is a bargain because there is little or no cost.

Costly grace on the other hand is something we don't want think about. The reason is this grace cost us something. It calls for accountability and sacrifice. In some places in the world this grace can even cost people their lives.

Jesus teaches this type of grace. He tells the rich young ruler to sell everything he owns and give it to the poor and then he will have treasures in heaven. He tells those who want to follow him things like, "If you follow me, remember I don't know where I am going to sleep tonight" or "If you follow me you will have to leave your family." He even warns his disciples on the night he was arrested that they should expect persecution and even death.

So the question I want to ask is "How costly is your grace?"

Remember Grace is costly, it should cost us something considering it cost God is one and only Son.

Living for God

You may have heard that recently there was a group of people who were killed in Afghanistan. They were there on humanitarian efforts performing medical and dental services. I may have crossed paths with one of the ladies who lost their life that day.

I was an associate minister at a church in Kenmore (Akron) and her grandfather was one of the elders. Earl Beckett was a great man. He loved God and he loved people. His son Charles grew up and became a minister in the Christian Church/Church of Christ. I can not remember if I ever met Charles and his family, but I may have. I figure that Cheryl would have been about 12 at the time, if our paths ever crossed. If I didn't meet her, I know her grandfather must of talked about her one of the many times we played golf together. At that time no one would have known this day would have come.

When I watched Charles talk about her and how she loved the Afghan people it struck me how God is so amazing. God created within Cheryl a passion to love people who Americans find it hard to love. All Cheryl was doing was living the way God designed her to live. She was living for God.

I read some of the responses to an article written about Cheryl. Most people were very supportive of the family and the humanitarian efforts by this group. Some however were less sensitive. Then I read a response that went something like this: "Why would someone have to risk their lives to help people so far away when there are people in the United States that could use the same kind of help?"

While you may cheer that response or even ask the same question here is the answer why: Because God created within Cheryl a love for the Afghan people. A love so great that she was willing to risk her life for people God cares deeply about. While she was not over there as a missionary or to tell people about Jesus, she was living as Jesus would have her live. She was wrapping a towel around her waste and washing the feet of people who we have quickly learned to have a hatred toward. I learned through her life God loves all people and finds a way for everyone on earth to experience His love through those devoted to Him.

My question to you, especially if you wonder why would she would go there if there was so much work to do here is this: What are you doing here to make a difference in the lives of those you think Cheryl or others should stay and help? There are plenty of people who say they are following Jesus here who can be the hands and feet of Jesus, but there are few God has called to love people in remote parts of the earth.

But when he calls, we can only be obedient and go.

My prayer goes out to the Becketts as they mourn and celebrate the life of their daughter who showed us how to love God and love people and was willing to give her life for the cause of the kingdom.

My Rant about Facebook

I have been thinking alot about my facebook account.

I love the fact that I have reconnected with some of my high school and college friends. I love it that my kids grandparents can keep in contact with their grand children. I love some of the funny things that friends post. I think it is funny that I can post a manly question and it gets so many responses immediately (it is the old "Seinfeld" truth that people really want to just talk about nothing).

What drives me crazy about facebook are all posts about what you are doing every minute of the day-- like everyone really cares. It drives me crazy when someone posts, "Having a bad day :(" --because you know everyone wants to know why your day is so bad and you put a frowny face up. It drives me crazy that people are becoming fans of everything under the sun, especially the becoming the fan of stuff that is a paragraph long. And seriously, your not in a real mafia, have a real farm, own a cafe and there is no such thing as festive fish (I am embarassed to say that I have learned this from my own experience). I wish I could really make the money I have made being in a mafia, raising produce, owning a cafe and raising fish. I keep waiting for the facebook version of churchville so we can see how many people we can pile into a building on the corner of Main and Prospect.

Here is what I really hate about facebook and why I am thinking about ditching the whole thing:

I hate the fact that people are bold enough to say things to people they would never say to someones face. I hate the fact that people bring all their drama to their wall. I hate the fact that the divorce rate has gone up as people are rekindling old high school and college romances. I hate the fact that it has become another avenue for gossip and a place that promotes half truths. Random thoughts were never meant to be made public, we should be slow to speak because when we post exactly what we are thinking things are taken out of context, people get hurt and we become more divided.

With all that said, I will continue to have a Facebook page, I will just be more selective in how I engage on the social network.

The King! And I Don't Mean James!

As I left for the office this morning I passed a pile of Lebron James posters torn up lying on the floor beside the garbage can. Last night I went up the street to see a neighbor who was burning a Lebron James t-shirt. The emotions in Northeast Ohio are high. For those who do not live in Northeast Ohio this is one of the most sport crazed places I have ever lived. I don't understand it because it is not very often that Northeast Ohio has a lot to cheer about (I call our Browns Backers at the church the "Browns Backer Support Group").

I have been by Lebron, I mean really close on several occasions. The closest I was ever to him was on the field at an Ohio State/Penn State game. As he walked by I called his name and tried to get him to shake my hand. One of my friends, a coach at Ohio State said, "He's just a man." I pulled back almost embarrassed because he was right and I had gotten caught up in the frenzy (today I would want to get close to him, not to shake his hand but to . . . tell him to pull his britches up, they were down almost to his knees). You thought I was going to say something else didn't you?

The attention this whole betrayal is getting is nuts. As we have been going through the book of John on Suunday mornings there have been several times the theme for the day has been fitting for what is going on around us. This Sunday is no different.

We are in John 12 where Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time. He comes in riding on a donkey and people gather around him and call him the "King." He is a man, but he is more than a man. He is the Messiah, the redeemer and the one who will bring salvation. He deserves the worship that is presented to him as he comes to fulfill his mission for the world.

That is the point here--worship. Man is has never been created to be worshipped, but to worship. We were created to lift our hands to, bow before, dance before and shout out the name of Jesus! He is the only King that deserves such a frenzy.

His decision should be noted as "The Decision." He decided to come, to die and be resurrected so we could have life.

I love one of the things Dan Gilbert wrote in his letter to the fans of Cleveland after Lebron decided to leave for Miami: "Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there. Sorry, but that is simply not how it works."

To get to heaven there has to be death. Jesus had to come and die the way he did so we can experience life. But not only that, we must die to ourselves and not desire to be worshipped but to humbly fall before our "King" and worship him with all our hearts, souls and minds.

Lebron is just a man who plays basketball really good. A man who will be around until another superstar takes his place.

Jesus, the real King will be around forever, he is the one who deserves to be worshipped. Everybody else is just a man--including me and you.

Seriously Lebron?

What in the world is going on? Lebron James is going to do an hour long show on ESPN just to announce where he is going to play next year. ESPN is giving him an hour of primetime (9 pm) and he is going to raise money for the "Boys and Girls Club of America."

Seriously Lebron, do you think the world is going to stop and watch this self-glorifying announcement hidden behind raising money for the Boys and Girls club of America? How about doing us a favor, just tweet everybody with your new twitter account and donate some of the cash your going to get from this huge contract to the Girls and Boys.

As a Cavs fan and Lebron fan I wish you had played up to the level in the play-offs that would warrant this type of announcement. Is this just the way you want to draw attention to yourself because you laid an egg in the play-offs? Does this make you feel better about yourself and the way you played in May?

Seriously Lebron, I would rather pay to go to an Indians game than sit at home and watch your version of "The American Idol."

Seriously Lebron, if you leave Cleveland, your home town team, you will never be the superstar that you believe you are, you will just be another player who couldn't get it done on his own and had to go somewhere else and ride the coat tails of another superstar.

Now I feel better, thanks for letting me rant.

Bake

The Purpose of the Bible- John 5:31-47

The other day Rhonda wanted me to hang a curtain rod in the kitchen. I got my drill out and the hardware contained in the packaging. I drilled the holes and started to push the plastic screw anchors in the newly drilled holes. One of them was not going in as easy so I began to search for the hammer. I could not find it, but I did find a pipe wrench.

You may be wondering what I needed a pipe wrench for when hanging a curtain rod. Simple, I used the back of it to drive in my screw anchors. Then I used a butter knife to screw in one of the screws until it bent the tip of the butter knife. I finally found a flat head screw driver to finish the job but I never found the hammer.

Life is much easier when we use tools the way they were designed to be used. What about the Bible? How is it supposed to be used? Is it a tool to point out how much better you are than the pagan down the street? Hammering away at their sin quoting Bible verses to show that they are going to burn in hell. No, that's not the purpose. That is like using a pipe wrench for a hammer.

Is it a tool to manipulate someone to do something that you want? Do you twist scripture to fit your own personal desires? No, that's not the purpose either. That is like using a butter knife as a screwdriver.

What then is the purpose of the Bible/scripture? Look at what Jesus said: “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” (John 5:39-40).

He is telling the religious leaders you have it all wrong. You are looking at scripture as a tool for living under the law. You look at it as a bunch of "do's" and "dont's." You think that righteousness is found in how you live by these "do's" and "dont's."

Scripture is not about "law" it is about "grace." They testify concerning Jesus who came so that we could find righteousness through him. He came to testify how we should live in relationship with God the Father so we could experience grace, mercy and love.

Look, your pagan neighbor does not need to hear about how much of a sinner he is. The church has done a good job letting the world know about sin(the law). What the Church has done a poor job of is telling those far from God about grace, mercy and love. We have not used the Bible as a testimony about Jesus. We have used it as a way make ourselves look better than the pagan down the street.

We all need to do a better job of living like Jesus. This will happen more often if we read the Bible the way it was intended to be read. We need to use it as a tool to testify about Jesus not as a tool to point out sin.

By the way, the cutains look great in the kitchen.

July 4th 1776

I just finished my teaching for Sunday. I plan to read part of the Declaration of Independence. I am not sure I have really read it before, I am sure I have but I don't remember when. The last line before 56 men signed may be the most powerful words ever written in our nations history. When I read this last line it allowed me to understand why the men who founded this great nation could win against the powerful British.

"And for the support of the Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor."

What would happen if followers of Jesus would have the same tenacity as these 56 men who put into motion a revolution for the ages? What if the leaders of the church could come together and pledge to Jesus their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor?

It tell you what would happen. The kingdom of God would advance and the gates of hell would not stand a chance. People who are far from God would know God. Lives that are on the brink of destruction would be transformed. It would not be an easy battle but victory would be inevitable!

Because like these 56 men we would live with the same firm reliance that brought this great country into existence. This reliance would not be on ourselves. It would not consist of our own power or position. It would be a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence. It would be founded on the mission God has given the church and although difficult the war would be won--the war has been won!

Jesus has already been victorious!

So when we come together and celebrate the fourth, the birth of this nation, let's not forget the passion this country was founded on and let's apply it to our faith and the church.

Finding Peace in a Complicated World

I got out unlocked the gate and walked down to the house. Rhonda followed along behind me in the van. As I approached the house I noticed the outside light was not on. I unlocked the door and turned on the light--nothing. We had just driven five and a half hours only to find out the electricity was off.

Not knowing where any flashlights were and not wanting to try to unpack in darkness we got back in the van and decided to find a place to stay for the night. I told Rhonda I thought Lewisburg was our best bet. After driving an hour we found out there was no room in the inn(s).

So we called ahead and found one room in Princeton, West Virginia. An hour and fifteen minutes later we were heading to our room for a good night sleep.

You know, life was much easier when it was simple. Now that it is complicated we take things for granted. We show up expecting everything to be perfect. That is not always the case. In the last few years my trips to the farm in Wayside have had a few surprises. I remember walking into the house after the furnace had blown soot everywhere. We have gotten there on different occasions to find no heat, no water and now no electricity. There has been times when family can't get along while we are there or even when were not. Life is just complicated sometimes.

It doesn't keep us away though. There is a peacefulness there that is like nothing else. Unplugged from the world you are able to enjoy the company of the people around you. Cell phone usage is hit or miss at best. There is no internet and no facebook but all is good.

It is a good Sabbath place. It is good to just be there with family and with God.

I have learned that we let things that complicate life get in the way of really experiencing the presence of God. When the Sabbath approaches, those who practice Judaism put aside the things that make life complicated. Some households even have what is called a Sabbath box. When you enter for the Sabbath meal you put anything that gets in the way into the box--Cell phone, computer or ipod.

Then you spend time with family putting aside your differences so there is real peace. You share a meal together remembering the place from where you have come. You remember those before you who taught you values and how to live at peace with one another.

That is what the world needs, it needs more peace. This is why God told us to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. He wanted us to unplugged from those things that make make life complicated so we could experience his presence.

That is why we go back to Wayside from time to time even when it seems hard. We do it to get away from the world and experience what God has blessed us with--the places, the family and simplicity in a complicated world.

God, help us learn to unplug from that which is complicated so we can experience you more often.

Spring Gobbler Season

There is nothing like being in the woods early in the morning as everything begins to wake up. The sound of birds and rustling leaves, the sun beginning to peak over the horizon and the sound of dew dropping from the leaves on the trees. It is one of the most peaceful experiences in the world.

The first gobble really gets your blood flowing and the hopes to entice a gobbler close enough to shoot gets more intense as the gobble gets closer. The goal is to prey on a the Turkey's greatest weakness in the spring. The desire to find a willing hen is overwhelming for a gobbler this time of year. Sometimes you use decoys to make the romantic moment seem more real to this dominant bird of the forest. You can even put a gobbler decoy out to make the aggression pour from the strutting bird. Then it gets within range and as the hunter you slowly pull the trigger and down the bird goes.

At least that is the way they show it on T.V. It doesn't always happen that way. But the hopes of having a hunt like that is why I get up at sometimes at 3:30 am to go into the woods.

I relate Spring Gobbler hunting to our spiritual lives. The hunter is the devil who uses our weaknesses in hopes to devour us. It reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8-9, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith . . ."

You know why turkey hunting is so hard? It is because of how self-controlled and alert a turkey lives life. Even though they are being preyed upon at a specific time by a specific weakness they approach the sound of a willing hen with caution. They approach decoys with alertness. The ones who become thanksgiving dinner are the ones who let their guard down and let their emotions get the best of them.

The enemy wants to prey on your weaknesses but we have to be alert and self-controlled everyday, standing firm on our faith in Jesus.

Here are a few highlights of my spring turkey season:

1. Hunting with a new partner- Cole (my middle son), He is going to be quite the hunter some day. I just wish he would have gotten a shot at a bird. He saw a lot, but none close enough.

2. I got a shot, but missed. I will never live that one down, Cole reminds me often.

3. We saw and heard the bear. At our family farm in West Virginia Cole heard the bear growl ending the turkeys journey to his blind. We then saw it in the field that evening as we were coming from the farm. Maybe our next hunt this fall or winter will be bear. A bear skin rug would look great in front of our fire place.

4. Just being in God's creation. I love seeing what he has given us to enjoy while we are here on this earth. I can't wait to see what he has in store for heaven.

Stirring Things Up

When someone is known to stir things up we usually jump to the conclusion that it is a bad thing. But that is not always true.

When I make chili I saute some peppers, onion and garlic. I dump them in the crock-pot. Then I brown some ground round and put it in the crock pot as well. I add a can of tomato sauce, whole tomatoes, two cans of kidney beans, chili powder, salt and pepper. Then I turn the crock-pot on low and leave it for the day.

How is that chili going to turn out? It is going to be awful because I did not "stir" it. Stirring things up can be a good thing. You can have all the ingredients in place but if it is not properly stirred it never becomes what it can be. I stir my chili through out the day so it gets properly mixed together so that it can be the best chili on the face of the earth (by the way it is).

In John 5:1-30 Jesus comes into Jerusalem for the feast of Tabernacles. There is a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years and Jesus heals him. He tells him to get up, pick up his mat and go home. The problem is this happened on the Sabbath. It was against the oral law to carry a mat on the Sabbath.

The religious leaders criticized the man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. Instead of noticing the man was walking after thirty-eight years they notice he is carrying his mat. Instead of rejoicing in what God had done they frown on what the man was doing.

Then when Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders about telling this man to carry his mat on the Sabbath, he tells them he does what his Father tells him to do. Now they are mad because he make himself equal with God by calling Him his Father. John says this mad them try all the harder to kill him.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our traditions and oral laws that we miss opportunities to live like Jesus. No wonder most churches are struggling to make an impact in the kingdom. They are afraid to stir things up and be more like Jesus. They hold on to things that do not matter and wonder why God is not blessing what they are doing week to week.

If you feel like your relationship with God is a little stale--Do something different! Stir things up a little bit. The ingredients are all in place all you need to do is "Stir!"

Taking Jesus at His Word (John 4:43-54)

A royal official traveled 15-20 miles to ask Jesus to heal his son who was about to die. Jesus looks at the man and says, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders you will never believe."

The man does not flinch. He looks at Jesus and says, "Sir, come down before my son dies."

Jesus must have seen something different about this man. He was not just wanting to see a miraculous sign, he was desperately seeking a way for his son to live. He must have heard about Jesus. He had a sure confidence that Jesus could heal his son. Jesus must of seen the faith this Gentile had in the Jewish carpenter from Galilee because Jesus said, "You may go, your son will live."

John recorded this reaction by the man: "He took Jesus at his word and departed." He did not say, "Are you sure?" He could have stayed and insisted that Jesus would come back to Capernaum with him to make sure his son would be alright, but he didn't. He took Jesus at his word and left for the long journey back home.

If only we could have the same faith as the royal official. How many times do we try to live on our own independent from Jesus? How many times do we look at how Jesus teaches us to live only to think we have a better idea?

Here is the question we all need to ask ourselves, "Do we take Jesus at his word?"

The royal official is on his way home when a servant comes running up to him. As the servant approaches he knows there is some kind of news he is about to receive. In anticipation he waits for the news. He heard that his son is better and that he will live. I think he already knew what the news was going to be because he took Jesus at his word.

Taking Jesus at his word can be the difference between life and death.

The Well (John 4:1-38)

People don't die of thirst, they die of dehydration. Dehydration means your body does not have as much water and fluids that it needs. The symptoms are: dry mouth, sweating stops, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting and light headedness. Your body begins to shut down and eventually you can die. So we have to drink water.

What about spiritual dehydration? What does this mean? It means we need more Jesus! In John 4 Jesus goes to a well and a woman approaches at the sixth hour. She does not come at the first hour because she is an outcast and really doesn't want to take the ridicule. On top of that, she is a Samaritan and Jews did not associate with their kind.

Jesus looks beyond all of this and asks her for a drink of water. It leads into a discussion where Jesus tells the woman that he can give her a water where she will thirst no more. He wasn't talking physically he was talking spiritually. He is the living water which leads to eternal life.

He then says that there is a time when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth. True worshipers are those who go to the well and drink the living water (Jesus). True worshipers live like Jesus because he was the one who showed us how to worship the Father in Spirit and truth.

After that he let's her know he is the Messiah. She believed and it changed her life. She left her jar and told everyone about Jesus. Finally the people she told said they did not need her to tell them about Jesus because they had met him themselves.

Look. Jesus changes everything. He can give life to that which is dead or about to die.

Our problem is that we can become spiritually dehydrated when we do not give Jesus room to live in us.

Here is the challenge for today. Try to add Jesus to everything you do and see if it does not make a difference. He is "The Well" from which we need to draw living water.

Miss Maxwell

Friday I was in Salem, Virginia. Salem is my hometown and in my opinion is the greatest city in the country. One of the things that makes Salem so great is that it is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is beautiful.

But the greatest thing about Salem is the people. I grew up in an awesome neighborhood. There is a small valley on Broad Street that had a mix of people who truly loved doing life together.

When one of my best friends heard I was coming in town he and his mother orchestrated a luncheon with some of the women from that neighborhood. They were known as the "Broad Street Broads" of which my mother belonged. They had t-shirts made up and wore them proudly even though the name may be condescending to some. They didn't care though because it was the association with each other that was the most important thing.

It was great seeing them all because they are all people who helped shape me into the person I am today.

There was a surprise that day also. When Lewis (the best friend I was referring to earlier) told me that our 1st and 3rd grade teacher was coming to lunch I got tears in my eyes.

Miss Maxwell, the greatest teacher I ever had. When I have driven by the old Academy Street School I always thing about her. She influenced all of us in some way. She will be 94 this week and is the same person now that she was then. I first met her in 1971. She reminded Friday that I was not fond of going to school that first week. My mother used to have to drag me in crying because I didn't want to be there. It quickly changed because Miss Maxwell made it easy for me to adapt to this new adventure.



Miss Maxwell taught me how to read and write. She helped mold both Lewis and me into the people we are today. One of the things I remember most about her class is her boldness. Even though it was looked down on in many schools and would never be done today, she would read the Christmas story every day before we started our studies. Each of us would take turns acting out the Christmas story. Some of us would be angels, shepherds, Mary and Joseph. The left overs got to chose to be animals like sheep, cows, chickens and even pigs.

We all left 3rd grade knowing the real meaning of Christmas. We all left being able to read, write and do math.

The thing that struck me on Friday is that she still has the heart of a teacher. I believe she would still be able to control a class of 1st graders and make them feel like they were the most important people in the world.

Today I want to thank her for all she has meant to so many of us. I also want to thank the Broad Street Broads for being there then and even today. I want to thank Lewis for being a life long friend.

Most of all I want to thank God for putting these people in my life. He dealt me a great hand of cards even when things didn't always go the way I would want them.

Man, I love Salem, Virginia!

WallBuilders - Issues and Articles - Church in the U.S. Capitol

I was watching Glenn Beck last night. I never watch him, but I could not get one of the boys to join me in a game of Call and Duty. He had David Barton, a historian on the show talking about the faith of the founding fathers. Below is an article about how in the beginning of our history church was held at the Capitol Building. That's right, our founding fathers, early presidents attended church in the Capitol.

2000 people attended church in the Capitol (one of the first mega churches). Yet now, we interpret separation of church and state quite differently than what was intended.

Read the article and tell me what you think.

WallBuilders - Issues and Articles - Church in the U.S. Capitol

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"Move" John 3:22-36

Have you ever been riding up a crowded escalator and the person in front of you stops as if there is no one behind them. When we had season tickets to the Cavs a couple years ago I had to ride the escalator up to the second level. It never failed. With people on every step on the way up someone would stop right at the top with 200 people getting ready to be pushed right up their back. Eventually you would hear several people saying "Move!" (I was always one of them.)

The person would turn around, look at everyone as if to say, "What's your problem?"

John the Baptist did not have to be told to "move." He knew exactly who was behind him. He knew that the time had come for him to "move" out of the way so people could see Jesus.

He said this, "He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30).

We need to "move" out of the way and have the same attitude as JB. We need to "move" so Jesus can become greater and we take a lesser place. As followers of Jesus if we do not move out of the way people may never see and know Jesus.

We need to stop putting our own desires first and learn to seek first the kingdom of God. It becomes less about style and preference. It becomes all about Jesus. His desires become our desires and we live out our faith authentically.

Have you been getting in the way of people seeing Jesus? Are you standing in the way of people who are trying to move toward Jesus? If you answer yes to these questions then let me say something to you: MOOOOOVE!

"Born" John 3:1-21

There are three days I will never forget. The births of Eli, Cole and Seth each have their own story, but the result was the same--"New Life." I cried when I held them for the first time. I was overwhelmed with the miracle of life I got to witness. Seriously, for nine months they had been growing in the womb and now I am holding them in my arms. Wow!

This passage in John is about being "Born" again. A religious leader by the name of Nicodemus approaches Jesus. He is told, "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." How can this be Nicodemus asks? How can a person enter into his mothers womb for a second time?

Then Jesus said, "no one can enter into the kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and the Spirit." Nicodemus was still confused, but he shouldn't be. Within Judaism there was a practice for Gentiles who would convert to Judaism. They would be baptized (immersed) to become ceremonially clean. Converts to Judaism were said to become "as newborn children."

Nicodemus should have gotten what Jesus was saying. Maybe he missed it because in his mind there would not be a need for a Jewish person to go through such a ritual. This was one of the things that the religious leaders questioned when they saw so many Jews going to the desert to be baptized by John the baptist.

I had the opportunity to baptize a single father about a week ago. He brought his four children. They sat in the front seats of the worship center as we went up to the baptistery. Before his baptism we were standing in the water together and his six year old began to ask questions. She wanted to know why he was doing this. He explained to her that he wanted to start a "new life." A life devoted to following God.

She then asked him why he changed clothes. He said, "Because God does not want to see me naked." You know he's right. When Adam and Eve hid in the garden, they hid because they were ashamed of their nakedness. When we sin our weaknesses are exposed. When we are naked--everything is exposed and it is not pretty.

After God explained the consequences to Adam and Eve, that they would experience death and then he kicked them out of the garden he did something else. He made clothes for them to cover up their nakedness. He did something about the shame they were experiencing. He showed grace and mercy which gave them new life.

He has done the same for us. We stand exposed before God as unrighteous, but he provided new life through Jesus. Through Jesus' sacrifice, our sins were paid for so we can have new life. Paul says in Romans 6 about baptism: "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:3-4).

I will never forget two other days. The day my two oldest boys decided they wanted to have "new life." Each has it's own story, one was baptized at church during a service, the other was baptized in the Alantic Ocean while on vacation. Both were born again. Again I had tears in my eyes because they both made the decision on their own that they need Jesus to cover their nakedness. They both decided to be united with Jesus' death, burial and resurrection which is what they need most to have life.

This is the point Jesuse was trying to get across to Nicodemus. The story is still the same for us today.

"Temple" John 2:12-25

Jesus walked into the temple, the most magnificent building in his time. It was the place people came to worship and have access to God. It was divided in different courts. There was a place where only the priest could go. There was a court for Jewish men, a court for Jewish women, a court for Nazarites, a court for lepers and a court for Gentiles who had converted to Judaism.

The court of the Gentiles was just outside of the temple building. When Jesus came to the temple the Gentile court had been turned into a marketplace. It was loud. You could hear bartering going on. You could hear coins being passed back and forth. There was the sound of livestock bellowing as they were being sold for sacrifice. It just was not the best place to have to worship.

Then there were the inflated prices being offered for those who had come to the temple without an animal to be sacrificed. It was a crazy scene and Jesus made it a little crazier. Jesus made a whip out of cords and began driving the animals out of the temple area. Then he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. It was quite the scene.

He said, "How dare you turn my Father's house into a marketplace!"

The problem was not as much the selling, the problem was how the Jewish leaders looked down on the worship of the Gentiles. They looked at the Gentiles as if their worship of God was of lesser importance than the worship of the Jews. Their was an arrogance that existed within the temple area. It was so segregated that it it gave the appearance that depending on who you were your worship was of greater value.

It still exists today, not just within Judaism, but within Christianity. There are times people will say, "The church just is not very friendly." Maybe that is not exactly what is meant. Maybe what people sense or feel is this arrogance that we are more spiritual than someone who has not been here as long. There is a spiritual posturing that goes one within. I think it is mostly subconscious, although I am sure sometimes it is deliberate. But that does not make it right.

As followers of Jesus we need to practice humility. We need not think to highly of ourselves. We are all sinners saved by God's grace through Jesus.

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance to the measure of faith God has given you." Romans 12:3

"Spring Holiday"

Davenport, Iowa made the decision this week to officially change "Good Friday" to "Spring Holiday" (Read Article here). The Davenport Civil Rights Commission recommended the name to be changed. Seriously, don't they have better things to do other than attack Christianity?

Think about it, a lot of the holidays we have in our country are motivated by Christianity. Don't they understand it is a paid day off? Look if you seriously do not want to celebrate Good Friday that's fine, then go to work. And when there is a Christmas bonus, give it back. I did think it is funny that the unions were upset because their contracts give them "Good Friday" off, but not "Spring Holiday." The sad thing is this would be the first thing many Christians would think of also.

Enough with the Political Correctness already. The more we try to become politically correct the more ridiculous we look. How can anybody take the civil rights commission seriously anymore? And what about the anti-religious movement that does not believe in God? You want to come off as intelligent and in touch with culture yet you lack creativity and logic.

I know you look at the Westboro Baptist Church as the example of how bad Christians are, but they are as anti-Jesus as you. I read "God is Not Great" by Hitchens and have to agree with the premise of the book--in the name of religion many horrible things have been done throughout the history of the world. It was in fact religion that brought about the crucifixion of Jesus and why we are even having this discussion about Good Friday. But Jesus did not come to start a religion, he came to show us the best way to live as followers of God.

At least if you are going to attack Christianity at every turn come up with a viable option. "Spring Holiday?" There were a lot of creative juices flowing when you came up with that alternative. And even if you are going to use that name, why wouldn't it be on the first day of spring? I guess I shouldn't expect a lot though, it is the same movement that came up with the logical argument of the "Spaghetti Monster' and the "orbiting teapot" to prove God does not exist.

I am not trying to make you believe in God. I want you to believe in God, but I am not trying to force you to believe nor do I think I can. All I ask is for you to be considerate to my beliefs and the beliefs of billions of others. So to all who read this--enjoy Good Friday and pause to remember this is the day Jesus paid your penalty of sin so that when this world comes to an end, just as he was resurrected to live forever, you can live forever with Him!

"Mother" John 2:1-11

There was never a doubt in my mind that my mother was proud of me and always wanted me to do well. When I played football in high school she sat in the same place and watched the game intently hoping that I would do well. I am pretty sure she never really understood the game completely because she never watched football on T.V. with dad and me. So she probably cheered for the wrong things sometimes.

"Holding, number 63 for Salem," the announcer would say.

"Yeah, Scott, that's my boy," mom would say.

It is in those moments if I were there I would say, "Mommmmmm!"

She probably said things like, "Doesn't he really look cute in his outfit."

First it is a uniform not an outfit. Second football players do not want to look cute they want to look tough and intimidating.

She loved watching me play, even if she may not have completely understood the game. My senior year when she was sick, I brought home the films so she could watch my games. She died on a Thursday morning, Tuesday evening she was watching the film until she got to tired.

I am fortunate to have a mother that was easy to respect and honor. I know it is difficult for some. But as a follower of Jesus we have to find a way to live by the
5th command in the 10 commandments. "Honor your father and mother so that you may live long in the land of the Lord your God is giving you" (Exodus 20:12). As a follower of Jesus we need to learn to live by all the teachings of God.

Jesus, even though he was God, had to fulfill the law perfectly. He was not exempt from the very law he created. In John 2, he is at a wedding feast. They run out of wine for the feast. It was going to be a moment of embarrassment for the groom. Mary, Jesus' mother goes to him telling her son they don't have any more wine (some speculate this may be a relatives wedding because of Mary's concern for the groom).

Jesus said to her, "Why do you involve me? My time has not yet come." It is almost like he is saying, "Mommmmmm!" as he roles his eyes. He gives us a glimpse of his divinity by saying "his time had not yet come." But his human side comes out as he lives by the 5th command and honors his mothers wishes.

Like any proud mother who wants to give praise to her son she begins to tell the servants to do whatever Jesus tells you to do. Like any good son Jesus gives them directions and he turns water into wine, saving the day just like his mother knew he could.

Mary may not have completely understood the mission her son had come to accomplish, but she was proud of him and knew he had the ability to take care of the problem at the wedding feast.

So what does this mean for us? Jesus came to teach us how to live as followers of God. Being a follower of God means we obey what he teaches us to do in scripture. Obedience to God always takes precedent over whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. Obeying God's commands will make what we are trying to accomlish easier. Jesus came for a greater mission and purpose than changing water to wine. Yet when his mother involved him, he honored her request.

Our problem is that we have a tendency to rationalize why we should not follow a certain teaching. Jesus had a good excuse here to rationalize why he should not get involved, but he didn't. Why do we think we get a pass when Jesus doesn't?

John says this was Jesus' first miracle in Galilee and it revealed his glory and his disciples put his trust in him. See,obedience to God's teaching actually helped Jesus in his mission.

If we trust him, we will live like him in every way.

The Rabbi

I have gotten behind on posting lately. I am going to catch up on the series in John I have been doing. As I have been studying for this series I am learning so much about the difference between Jesus and the religious culture. Living like Jesus is counter to the religious culture not only in his day, but also today. While it is hard to live like Jesus because of the criticism from the religious culture, it is more appealing to those who are true followers and to the unchurched world. I would describe striving to live like Jesus as freeing, exciting and refreshing.

In John 1:35-51 we have Jesus calling some men to become his disciples. In Rob Bell's book, "Velvet Elvis," he describes how Rabbi's would look for the best of the best young men to become their disciples. A young man may apply to a Rabbi by saying to a rabbi, "I want to become one of your disciples."

The rabbi would then begin the interview the young man to find out if he was capable of becoming like the Rabbi in every way. Once the Rabbi decided a young man was worthy to be one of his disciples he would simply say, "Follow me." From that day forward that young man would walk behind that Rabbi learning how to be exactly like the rabbi.

This has great significance for Christians today. Jesus has asked all of us to follow him and to become one of his disciples. We need to study diligently the life and ways of Jesus and then live like him. It is not a religion, but a way to live as true worshippers of God. Living like Jesus is counter cultural to the religious community, it always has been and always will be.

Religion happens when we stop focusing on living like Jesus. When we stop focusing on Jesus we begin to focus on ourselves. We live by the law or rules and regulations created by man. We (our religion) becomes greater and Jesus becomes less.

Look either we are going to follow THE RABBI or we are going to do something else. Who or what are you following?

Which Strategy Works Best?

I was reading Seth Godin's blog this morning catching up on some of his past posts. All his posts are short, to the point and give fantastic insight that can be applied to most organizations.

This was his question in a post called "Once in a Lifetime" (read the entire blog here).

"Should your product or service be very good, meet spec and be above reproach or should it be remarkable, memorable, over the top, a tell your friends event?"

He says you can't be both, you have to be one or the other. So here is my question: "Which goal would be better for the church?"

At first glance I thought it is best to be remarkable, memorable, over the top, a tell your friends event. Then I thought this is to much of an attractional attitude. Jesus had events that were all of this and people just wanted more. There were people who wanted to come and see what Jesus would do next. The feeding of the five thousand comes to mind. They knew of him, but did not really know him.

Then I started to think about it. A church that is very good at what it does, meets the spec of being like Jesus and is above reproach carries with it a sense of authenticity. It is not as concerned with just having a lot of people, it is concerned with seeing lives changed.

Jesus accomplished more with eleven changed lives than five thousand men he fed with two fish and five loaves of bread.

What are your thoughts?

Safe Mode

I was playing "Call of Duty" the other day, doing a special ops. I played for one hour and five minutes and was almost done with the operation when I got surrounded and taken out. I threw the paddle down disgusted. I was so close. I took my time and methodically moved through the operation only to get to the end and lose.

When my Jr. High son got home I said I think we can beat this special ops mode together. It has become somewhat of a bonding time for me and Cole. We work good together. The only problem I have with Cole is he does not play in "safe mode." He moves fast trying to get through in record time. So I have to come and save him several times during the operation. That has become my role. At the end he will have 30 kills I will have 3 but I have saved his but numerous times.

Together we beat the special ops, that took me an hour and five minutes to lose, in just under eight minutes. We gave each other a high five and turned the game off.

I know it is just a game, but playing in "safe mode" is not the way to go. It takes more time with the same results. It is really kind of boring. And it is not the most effective way. Playing in "safe mode" is not playing to win, it is playing not to lose.

When I think back on times I have played to win rather than not to lose the results are usually good. We were Florida visiting my dad. We parked outside the Yankees training facility to just walk around. There was a gate open and I said, "Let's go!" My dad, playing "safe mode" said, "Were not suppose to go through there."

I was a grown up so I decided not to listen to dad that day and the boys, my cousin and myself proceeded through the gate. So dad reluctantly followed. I know he was uncomfortable, but I also knew he loved baseball. It was like leading a dog through a maze with a strip of bacon. It was hard, but he overcame "safe mode." I told him the worst they would do is tell us to leave.

As we walked down the fenced hallway we saw Bernie Williams taking batting practice. He had just had surgery and was in rehab. Before long we came to a concession stand and it was open. I started talking to the guy, he had a strong NY accent which gave away he was a true blue Yankee fan (I hate the Yankees). He told us there was a minor league scrimmage about to happen against the Blue Jays. That was great, but there was better news. The Yankees wanted Mike Mussina to get some innings in before they went to Japan to open the season. The only catcher Mussina uses is Jorge Posada.

We stood on the fence and saw 1/3 of the starting Yankees line-up as close as you could ever get. We saw Don Mattingly the batting coach. The Blue Jays walked by us giving the kids high five. It was awesome!

Afterward as we were walking back to the car my dad said, "You know, I never would have never walked through that gate on my own." You know why dad? (I know you will read this) Because you were living in "safe mode" that day. Now things don't always work out that way, but that day they did.

You know what the problem is with most Christians and churches? They operate in "safe mode." That is why they are not as effective. It becomes boring sometimes because we do the same old things and so it takes a long time for kingdom progress.

The men of faith in the Bible did not operate in "safe mode." The reason is they trusted God. It took them places that were uncomfortable--lions den, fiery furnace, before Pharaoh, in a fight with a giant, to the cross--but they encountered things and experienced God in ways they never would have imagined.

Let's make a decision together today--no more "safe mode' when it comes to our faith. Let's put the burden on God to give us the journey of our life.

Next time I play Call of Duty--NO MORE SAFE MODE!

Lamb of God

In John 1:19-28, John the Baptist is questioned by the religious leaders as to who he is. He tells them he is not the Christ, he is not Elijah and he is not the prophet like Moses. They come because they are anticipating and waiting for the Christ to come. They are looking for a redeemer that will be like Moses who will free them from Roman rule--like Moses did when they were freed from Egypt.

The next day, while they were still there, John the Baptist sees his cousin walking towards them. Someone he had played with as a child. Someone he had been to family gatherings with. All the time while they were growing up, I believe John the Baptist did not know who Jesus really was. ("I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God" John 1:32-34).

This time when his cousin approaches, John the Baptist gets to do what he came to do. He had lived for this moment, not because this was a relative, but because he came to prepare the way and announce the Christ. He had told the religious leaders that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

His cousin is in view and John the Baptist points to him and proclaims, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!"

Have you ever thought about what that meant to the Jewish people who there? Maybe they thought of the lamb that was slaughtered at Passover (Exodus 11-12). Remember the households that took the blood of the lamb and put it around their door would be spared the death of their firstborn as death passed over Egypt.

Maybe they thought of the Lamb that was slaughtered for the sin offering in Leviticus 4:32-35: “If he brings the lamb as his sin offering . . .He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it for a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. . .In this way the priest will make atonement for him, for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven."

Maybe it was the Lamb described in Isaiah 53:7,11: “He was oppressed and afflicted yet he did not open his mouth; he was like a lamb led to slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth . . .After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.”

Think about John the Baptist's proclamation and what it meant for the Jewish people present that day. Think about what it means for us today. He is the Lamb that has come so that we can overcome death. He is the Lamb that has come so our sins can be forgiven. He is the Lamb who's soul suffered so we could be justified and our iniquities could be paid for.

Never forget what John the Baptist lived for--the moment he could point to Jesus and tell the world he is "The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!"

What Church Would Jesus go to?

I just started reading "The Intangible Kingdom" by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. In the second chapter they are talking about not being anti-church but pro-church, "the type of church Jesus would go to, the type he died to give flight to." This made me start thinking about what that church would look like.

I posted the question on my Facebook page and hope to get some responses. I am not sure I want to answer this question because I am afraid it would be to much about "me." What I would like to see the church become. To really answer this question one really needs to get into the heart of Jesus and listen to his heartbeat.

I do not want to answer this question because I am afraid. I am afraid of what it might reveal about myself and the church I serve at.

I do not want to answer this question because it may be to hard. Not hard to answer, but hard to become that church. Too many paradigms to change and people who would get upset. It is easier just being the church which has lost its voice and influence in our culture.

I want to answer it because I love the church and I love Jesus and what both are suppose to represent. I want to answer it because then Jesus becomes the focus and he becomes the draw. It is no longer about buildings, budgets and programs, it is about life, a life lived out to please Jesus and fulfill His mission. I want to answer this question because it would be refreshing to be a part of a movement like this.

What about you? What would the church Jesus would go to look like? Any thoughts?

Incarnation

The incarnation simply means Jesus was both God and man. This is such a difficult theology to understand. John starts his gospel bringing this teaching to the forefront (John 1:1-18). This is such a hard teaching for us because it is difficult to believe Jesus is both divine and human.

Maybe the problem we have is that we look at it backwards. When we think about man becoming God it is an impossible concept. But when we think about God becoming man, it becomes very possible. Because the abilities of God are limitless.

Have you ever thought about what it meant for Jesus to become a man? Philippians 2:5-8 points out that Jesus gave up "equality with God." He became a man, but more than that he "made himself nothing taking on the very nature of a servant." He was obedient to God, which led to his death on a cross.

Jesus gave up his position beside the Father. He had anything he wanted and what he did not have he could speak into existence. He limited His divine nature living as a human being. Even within His humanity he chose a lesser position. He could have come to a wealthy family within the Pharisees. He could have had the riches of the earth yet he came as the child of a carpenter. He grew up in a small town called Nazareth. A place which Nathaniel asked the question, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"

Here is something else to think about. Jesus took part in creating the law that was handed down to Moses. When he came to earth as a man he was now living under the law he created. Just because he was the creator of it he did not have special privileges. He lived under the law better than any man who has ever lived. He fulfilled it perfectly. Maybe he did because as the creator of the law and knew it was the better way to live. He avoided the consequences of living outside the law. And as a man he had the most incredible relationship with the Father that a human could have.

When he gave up everything to become a man he also knew where that would lead him. He knew before he came that he would have to die like everyone else. He also knew when he would die and how he would die. He lived so he could be beaten and nailed to a cross, dying a humiliating death.

That is what the incarnation meant for Jesus. When God became a man. We get caught up in trying to explain the incarnation without really focusing on what it meant for Jesus. It is in this that we see the story of love and grace.

While we chase after things that do not matter, wealth, fame and position in society, Jesus gave all that up. He gave up more than we can imagine. Why? Because there was something that mattered more to Him.

You . . . Me . . . all of humanity.

He did it so that we could have what he understood, what he left behind. He did it so we could be restored into an authentic relationship with the Father. So we could have eternal life in the presence of the Father forever.

This is what the incarnation means for us.

Who got the better end of the meaning of incarnation?

Is the church just a Giant Hairball?

I had an elder ask me yesterday if all the churches were struggling to reach people far from God? I have been thinking about this question ever since. My first thought was that people are not big fans of the church anymore. Somewhere through life they have come to dislike the church. That response blames the wrong people.

I do know of some churches that are doing well. Rivertree Christian in Jackson, Ohio. Velocity Christian and Momentum in Cleveland, new church plants, are seeing people who are far from God find room for God in their lives.

Some churches are growing numerically, but their growth is not necessarily kingdom growth. Their growth comes mostly from people moving from one church to another. There are a few people making Jesus Lord for the first time in their life.

So why is the church struggling to reach people far from God? The main reason is that most churches do not make it a priority. Churches will say they are about reaching people far from God, but their actions say otherwise.

Gordon MacKenzie, a graphic designer for Hallmark wrote a cool little book called, "Orbiting the Giant Hairball." His point is that every organization has a giant hairball. The hairball is the organizations bureaucratic structure. The goal is to not get sucked into the bureaucracy of the organization but to orbit on the outside. The outside is where you can make the difference.

The hairball is what's unattractive to those who are far from God. Most of us are guilty of getting caught in the giant hairball. I fight it all the time and lose the fight often. The key is to orbit on the outside and not become a part of the institution that is loathed by so many. Orbiting the hairball places us in a position to rub shoulders with those who are far from God.

Jesus orbited the hairball. He stayed on the outside of the religious establishment. He rubbed shoulders with sinners and tax collectors. He also got criticized for it. You know you are orbiting the hairball when people criticize you for not participating in what the hairball represents.

If churches, followers of Jesus, are going to be serious about reaching people far from God, they are going to have to be willing to break the rules of tradition. They are going to have to break ties with the Church growth movement (a giant hairball). They are going to have to stop being seeker sensitive and become a seeker.

How about you? Are you ready to take seriously the mission of the church which is to reach people who are far from God. It is time to give up the hairball. You know what a hairball is good for? Choking.

John-- The Disciple Jesus Loved

Alright, I have to start by saying, Dominos is better than it was, but it is not good enough that I crave it. The crust was great and the toppings were good, but overall it is an average Pizza.

Now let's get to what is on my mind. I have not blogged for a while because I have been writing a study guide for the next teaching series we are doing this year. It is a study through the gospel of John. It will last until December of 2010. My goal is to post the weekly study every week throughout the year.

Sunday is just an introduction to the gospel of John. About 15 years ago I was blessed to hear Brennan Manning speak at a Youth Specialties Convention. I have never forgotten the picture he painted of a relationship Jesus had with one of his disciples. The disciple was John and the relationship caused John to refer to himself as the disciple who Jesus loved.

Jesus has just told them someone is going to betray him. John 13:23-25 says this, "One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, 'Ask him which one he means.' Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, 'Lord who is it?'"

In Brennan Manning's book, "Abba's Child" he calls John's encounter with Jesus a defining moment in John's life. He feels so comfortable around Jesus that he reclines back with his head against Jesus' chest. Do you know what he heard? He heard the heartbeat of Jesus.

How many times have you gotten close enough to someone to listen to their heartbeat? John is close enough to Jesus that he gets to hear the heartbeat of his Messiah. The disciple whom Jesus loves writes about his encounter with Jesus. He does not write as a historian. He does not write for his own gain. He writes the gospel of John so that we can know his best friend. He writes so that we can fall in love with our lord. He is in tune with the heartbeat of Jesus.

Spend some time reading through John. Discover the testimony one man gives of his encounter with Jesus. As you read you will begin to realize John is not the only. We all have the opportunity to call ourselves the "disciple whom Jesus loves." Let's all get in tune with the heartbeat of our Lord. It is time we recline aginast the breast of Jesus and hear his heartbeat.

Ordering Pizza Later

I consider myself an expert on Pizza. I love Pizza, it is one of my favorite foods. If I am in a new city or town and I have a chance to choose the style of food for dinner, I will often ask, "What is the best pizza in town? I don't want a chain, I want some local place that is considered the best pizza."

My favorites from around the country are:

Myles Pizza in Bowling Green, Ohio
Ginos East in Chicago (stuffed pizza of course)
Mac and Bob's Pub in Salem, Virginia
Baldo's Brick Oven Pizza in Greenpoint (Brooklyn), NY
Moma Santas in Little Italy, Cleveland, Ohio
Giovonis Pizza in Grayson, Ky.
Gioninos Pizza in Northeast, Ohio (Tallmadge)
La Rossa's Pizza in Cincinnati, Ohio

I would love to hear some of your favorites.

The reason I am talking about Pizza though is because of a commercial I saw the other day. It was a Dominos commercial. I personally have not had a Dominos pizza forever. You know why? Because their "crust taste like cardboard and their sauce taste like ketchup." This is what people were saying about Dominos.

Now Dominos took a risk and decided to change everything. Watch this video:

Now what if the church would be this serious? What if we listened to what people were saying about the church and why they did not see the church as an important or effective part of their life? Would we be able to accept the brutal facts and present Jesus in an authentic way so that the world would fall in love with him once again?

Is it worth the risk to allow people to see the real Jesus or are we better off staying the same?

I'm ordering Dominos later. I will let you know what I think.

Is this all there is to following Jesus?

I logged on to Facebook and noticed an update from a friend. The statement prompted the question: "Is this all there is to following Jesus?" This is it? Christianity defined by this moment in the week?

The statement is a sign of why we (Christians) are being defined as a religion and out of touch with the real world. I have to be honest if this is all there was to following Jesus, I am not sure I would participate.

I have to fight everyday this being the only motivation for doing what I do. Mainly because it is not very motivating. Yet everyday people try to drag me back into the game of just doing church the same way it has been done for the last century or more.

Jesus taught us to do much more than this, he taught us to be the church. He taught us how to live in an authentic relationship with God outside the confines of tradition, a building or even a common place. He showed us how to be the church hanging out with real people who have real issues and are searching for an abundant life, something better than what they are experiencing now.

I am not being critical of my friend, I think in ministry it is something which needs to be done. I am not bashing it, I am just rethinking what the main thing for a follower of Jesus may be.

OK, here is the status post: "Monday.....the start of our march toward SUNDAY....and another day of fellowship and worship."

Any thoughts?

Spectator or Participant?

As people are trying to decide to call it "twenty-ten" or "two thousand ten" I am trying to decide what 2010 is going to look like. I know that we can't predict the future, be we can make choices that influence the future.

If you are like me, I am tired of the status quo. I sometime sit back and wait for God to change things. I pray for God to change my heart to be more like His. There are moments I feel like God is really about to do something big. Then the time passes and nothing big really happens.

I think it is because I have a habit of being a spectator of God rather than participating with God. It is easy sitting back and asking God to move, but when you don't move with Him don't expect any grand results.

Let me give you an example. I pray for God to help me with weight loss. It is one of those things I truly commit to prayer often. I just seem to get fatter. What is the deal? The deal is that I do not rely on Him to help me, I just want him to take the weight off. If it was that easy I guess there would be millions of people who would jump on that weight loss plan.

I can ask Him for encouragement, conviction through the Spirit and discipline. But I still have to move myself. So I set a goal of losing 2 lbs a week. I am going to journal about it and make God a big part of my lifestyle change.

We have to stop asking God for help and then do nothing. We have to stop just watching God and we have to start participating with God.

What things have you been asking God to help you with lately? Are you spectating or participating? Let me know.