There's a verse in Zechariah I have heard so many times, I'm sure you know it:
Zechariah 4:6 ~ “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘You will not succeed by your own strength or by your own power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord All-Powerful. (NCV)
It's a great verse, gives hope, trust in God, all great things. But the reference is so much bigger. This was God talking to Zechariah about rebuilding His temple, a huge undertaking for people who are basically enslaved by other nations. God has a big dream that Zechariah can't seem to see. But then a few verses later, God says this:
Zechariah 4:10a ~ "“The people should not think that small beginnings are unimportant." (NCV)
How often do we do this? We make big plans, have all these big dreams, but when they don't seem to succeed in a week, a year, five years, we give up. There are very few big things that did not start small. Patience and persistence are needed.
Just today I was reading about a church out in California. A rather large church, around the 20,000 mark. Thirty years ago guess how many they had? 3 (4 including the pastor). It was two couples. That's it. Now these people are impacting thousands, maybe more. And I know of many churches that started that small, some even here in Fishers.
Don't worry about things being small. As I recall Someone saying, even a mustard tree starts out as a tiny seed...
T
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
What Vegetable Are You?
This summer Lorie and I tried our hand a little garden in our backyard. It's not huge by any stretch of the imagination, but it's there. We've got a few cucumber plants (which Lorie loves) and some parsley (which Clover loves) and then we've got this other one. I say that because we have no idea what it is. It's got some nice little flowers on it, and it looks pretty, it's the biggest one of all, but we have no idea what it is. It has no fruit. At least with the other things, we can see what's growing on it (it's hard to miss the cucumbers), but with this, ???
It got me thinking to our faith. There are a lot of people out there who say they are Christian. And they might be in the right garden, they may even have the biggest vines (as our plant has), but without fruit, what are you?
And after all, we know what Jesus thinks about plants without fruit...
Matthew 21:18-19 ~ In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, He was hungry, and He noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then He said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. (NLT)
T
It got me thinking to our faith. There are a lot of people out there who say they are Christian. And they might be in the right garden, they may even have the biggest vines (as our plant has), but without fruit, what are you?
And after all, we know what Jesus thinks about plants without fruit...
Matthew 21:18-19 ~ In the morning, as Jesus was returning to Jerusalem, He was hungry, and He noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then He said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up. (NLT)
T
Thursday, August 20, 2009
You Have To Ask
Still reading in Mark, I hit the story of a blind man named Bartimaeus. Here's the story.
Mark 10:46-52 ~ Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, He stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, He’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. (NLT)
Now, are you going to tell me that Jesus didn't know what the guy wanted? Forget that Jesus is God and all knowing, everyone knows what this guy wants. Jesus has been healing people for a few years now and there's a blind guy yelling down the road (obviously not following Jesus, he's blind...) for Jesus to have mercy on him. What could he want...?
And then Jesus asks the guy, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Everyone knows, so why did Jesus ask? Because God wants to be asked. He wants to know exactly what we want and by asking we give Him permission to do what He needs to do.
We need to do our part. A section many people know:
Matthew 7:7-8 ~ “Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened." (NCV)
Notice it starts with you. You need to ask, then God gives it to you. You have to search, then you will find. You have to knock, then the door will open. That's how the world works. You have to be proactive in what you want from God and ask Him.
So if you're trying to figure out why something in your life isn't happening, have you asked God? Not have you thought He wants to do it anyway, not have you assumed God likes the idea, have you actually asked? It might make a world of difference.
T
Mark 10:46-52 ~ Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, He stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, He’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. (NLT)
Now, are you going to tell me that Jesus didn't know what the guy wanted? Forget that Jesus is God and all knowing, everyone knows what this guy wants. Jesus has been healing people for a few years now and there's a blind guy yelling down the road (obviously not following Jesus, he's blind...) for Jesus to have mercy on him. What could he want...?
And then Jesus asks the guy, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Everyone knows, so why did Jesus ask? Because God wants to be asked. He wants to know exactly what we want and by asking we give Him permission to do what He needs to do.
We need to do our part. A section many people know:
Matthew 7:7-8 ~ “Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened." (NCV)
Notice it starts with you. You need to ask, then God gives it to you. You have to search, then you will find. You have to knock, then the door will open. That's how the world works. You have to be proactive in what you want from God and ask Him.
So if you're trying to figure out why something in your life isn't happening, have you asked God? Not have you thought He wants to do it anyway, not have you assumed God likes the idea, have you actually asked? It might make a world of difference.
T
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Rich Christians?
At Drink Deep, our Sunday night Sr. High program, we are talking about Stewardship for the rest of August. The idea that God owns everything was our discussion last Sunday and this Sunday will be money and giving. I know, popular topics for Christian living here in America. But I think it's more important here and now than anywhere else. Why? Because we have the riches, I just don't know if we have the heart...
I've been reading through Mark lately, and in that wonderful little gospel there's a story of a rich man who comes to Jesus saying he wants eternal life, and what must he do to get it. Jesus says to obey all the commandments, which the rich man says he has done (yeah, right! Have you read all of them? There's 613 in the Torah, and he hasn't broken one? Anyway...). So Jesus adds for him to sell all his stuff and give the money to the poor. Instead of an, "Okay Jesus, let's do it!" the man walks away sad. He can't part with his things.
Sound like America? We can't part with our stuff, that's no secret. Lorie and I went and looked at a house the other day someone was selling, the former tenants had destroyed it because they didn't like the idea of the bank foreclosing on them. I mean, how dare the bank say I can't own something I didn't pay for!
The reality is we love our stuff. More than Jesus sometimes I'm afraid. And I'm not saying that for shock effect. Even in our own church there are many families who have given absolutely nothing to God. Not a single cent. Are you telling me in Fishers, a town in one of the richest counties in the world, we can't afford to give anything to God? Yeah right. I think Jesus said it best:
Mark 10:23 ~ Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” (NLT)
It's hard because the rich have more to give up (or so it seems, because they have so much that they think is theirs anyway).
I don't want money to stop me from getting to heaven. I don't want something I own being a hindrance to my spiritual growth, to my relationship with Jesus. Do you?
T
I've been reading through Mark lately, and in that wonderful little gospel there's a story of a rich man who comes to Jesus saying he wants eternal life, and what must he do to get it. Jesus says to obey all the commandments, which the rich man says he has done (yeah, right! Have you read all of them? There's 613 in the Torah, and he hasn't broken one? Anyway...). So Jesus adds for him to sell all his stuff and give the money to the poor. Instead of an, "Okay Jesus, let's do it!" the man walks away sad. He can't part with his things.
Sound like America? We can't part with our stuff, that's no secret. Lorie and I went and looked at a house the other day someone was selling, the former tenants had destroyed it because they didn't like the idea of the bank foreclosing on them. I mean, how dare the bank say I can't own something I didn't pay for!
The reality is we love our stuff. More than Jesus sometimes I'm afraid. And I'm not saying that for shock effect. Even in our own church there are many families who have given absolutely nothing to God. Not a single cent. Are you telling me in Fishers, a town in one of the richest counties in the world, we can't afford to give anything to God? Yeah right. I think Jesus said it best:
Mark 10:23 ~ Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” (NLT)
It's hard because the rich have more to give up (or so it seems, because they have so much that they think is theirs anyway).
I don't want money to stop me from getting to heaven. I don't want something I own being a hindrance to my spiritual growth, to my relationship with Jesus. Do you?
T
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Better To Throw Yourself Into The Sea...
More from Mark. But I will set this one up a bit.
If you've been reading this blog, a few weeks ago you would have seen some stories from students working in Toronto on our summer mission trip. I know some of you have because you've been nice enough to mention to me, or even mention in a sermon, about my mad dancing skills from the Kids Club I worked at. Well, there's a reason I do that, here's the verse:
Mark 9:42 ~ “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. (NLT)
Here's the basic truth, I'm not the biggest fan of working with small children. I like them, just the more of them there are, the more the voices in my head start talking about violence. But there's a reason why I do it if asked or if I'm needed. This verse.
See, my dad was a Kindergarten teacher, he worked with kids all the time. So I spent some time growing up helping him, helping at Sunday School, and since he did it and people knew I helped, also with the youth group doing puppets, singing kids songs, etc. I got kind of burnt out on it and wasn't that big of a fan of kids. But then there's this verse.
Look at it closely, see what Jesus is saying. Basically, from the Troy International Version, "Teach these kids about Jesus. If you don't, you better kill yourself because you don't want to know what I will do if I get my hands on you. - God." That's what He's saying, if you cause a child to sin, kill yourself before God gets a hold of you. Now, I've read Exodus and God can be very imaginative when He wants me to suffer. I don't want that...
The reason I will dance and act stupid with kids, God puts such a high price on children and their soul. So if that's what God thinks, who am I to not give everything to the same cause He has? (As a little plug, Pastor Aaron is looking for leaders for our new children's program, Awana. Maybe it's time you helped out some little souls...)
T
If you've been reading this blog, a few weeks ago you would have seen some stories from students working in Toronto on our summer mission trip. I know some of you have because you've been nice enough to mention to me, or even mention in a sermon, about my mad dancing skills from the Kids Club I worked at. Well, there's a reason I do that, here's the verse:
Mark 9:42 ~ “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in Me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. (NLT)
Here's the basic truth, I'm not the biggest fan of working with small children. I like them, just the more of them there are, the more the voices in my head start talking about violence. But there's a reason why I do it if asked or if I'm needed. This verse.
See, my dad was a Kindergarten teacher, he worked with kids all the time. So I spent some time growing up helping him, helping at Sunday School, and since he did it and people knew I helped, also with the youth group doing puppets, singing kids songs, etc. I got kind of burnt out on it and wasn't that big of a fan of kids. But then there's this verse.
Look at it closely, see what Jesus is saying. Basically, from the Troy International Version, "Teach these kids about Jesus. If you don't, you better kill yourself because you don't want to know what I will do if I get my hands on you. - God." That's what He's saying, if you cause a child to sin, kill yourself before God gets a hold of you. Now, I've read Exodus and God can be very imaginative when He wants me to suffer. I don't want that...
The reason I will dance and act stupid with kids, God puts such a high price on children and their soul. So if that's what God thinks, who am I to not give everything to the same cause He has? (As a little plug, Pastor Aaron is looking for leaders for our new children's program, Awana. Maybe it's time you helped out some little souls...)
T
Monday, August 17, 2009
On The Same Team
I've been reading through Mark lately and happened upon this passage:
Mark 9:38-40 ~ John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. (NLT)
Isn't it sad that churches fighting each other started before Jesus even left and is still going on two thousand years later? That's basically what's going on here. One group of followers of Christ is upset at another group of followers of Christ because of what they are doing for the Kingdom of God.
That may sound harsh, but it still happens (and quite honestly, it needs to stop). Yesterday we had someone at our church who would not participate in communion because they only do it at their church. Um, aren't we all doing the same communion, reenacting and remembering the same last supper with the same Scripture being used from the words of the same Jesus?
We are all on the same team. Part of why I like being a youth pastor is most youth pastors get that. Teenagers aren't as "tied down" to a church as adults or children. They will go to different churches. And that's okay with me. Part of the reason I like to get to know the other youth pastors in town so I can say, "I know Pastor ___, he's a good guy," and it puts the parents at ease and allows the student to know it's okay to learn about God outside of the four walls I work in (I know, shocking, but it can happen).
Church, let's all get on the same team. There are enough other battles to fight without adding more among ourselves...
T
Mark 9:38-40 ~ John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. (NLT)
Isn't it sad that churches fighting each other started before Jesus even left and is still going on two thousand years later? That's basically what's going on here. One group of followers of Christ is upset at another group of followers of Christ because of what they are doing for the Kingdom of God.
That may sound harsh, but it still happens (and quite honestly, it needs to stop). Yesterday we had someone at our church who would not participate in communion because they only do it at their church. Um, aren't we all doing the same communion, reenacting and remembering the same last supper with the same Scripture being used from the words of the same Jesus?
We are all on the same team. Part of why I like being a youth pastor is most youth pastors get that. Teenagers aren't as "tied down" to a church as adults or children. They will go to different churches. And that's okay with me. Part of the reason I like to get to know the other youth pastors in town so I can say, "I know Pastor ___, he's a good guy," and it puts the parents at ease and allows the student to know it's okay to learn about God outside of the four walls I work in (I know, shocking, but it can happen).
Church, let's all get on the same team. There are enough other battles to fight without adding more among ourselves...
T
Friday, August 14, 2009
Your Own Jesus
Mark Hall (lead singer of Casting Crowns) has a new book out entitled Your Own Jesus. I understand his thinking behind the book and agree with it, the idea that many people do not know who Jesus is for themselves, they have merely inherited their faith from their parents, friends, pastor, whoever. It's true, we need to know who Jesus is for ourselves, we cannot rely on someone else to have our faith for us. All for it.
But I disagree with the title. This has been coming up in conversations lately with me, the idea of our personal relationship with Jesus. My own Jesus. Frankly, I don't have "my own Jesus." I don't decide what Jesus is like and make Him out to be who I want him to be. He is who He is no matter what I believe (remember, "I Am That I Am"...?).
I think in a way we've made Jesus too personal. It's like my relationship with Lorie. Do I have a personal relationship with her? Absolutely. Is my relationship with her entirely personal? Not at all. She's my wife. We were married in a room full of people. I wear a wedding band wherever I go. When we're out in public (generally) it's quite easy to tell she's my wife. Even when she's not with me, my ring, how I talk with people, it's pretty obvious I have a spouse somewhere.
My relationship with Jesus is not entirely personal. Yes, I have time alone with Jesus and personal belief's, but I'm a youth pastor. I stand up in front of people to talk about Jesus. When I walk into the high school, people know I know Jesus because of my job title. My relationship with Him is not a personal little secret. And most of the things I believe about Jesus are not personal. I didn't make them up or come up with them. I discovered them, I chose to agree with them, and I choose to live them out.
What about you? Is Jesus your personal Savior in the fact that He saved and has a relationship with you, or is He personal as in your personal little secret that you can control and decide what He is like? Are you living in a way people can see Jesus in you...?
Matthew 5:14-16 ~ “You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven." (NCV)
T
But I disagree with the title. This has been coming up in conversations lately with me, the idea of our personal relationship with Jesus. My own Jesus. Frankly, I don't have "my own Jesus." I don't decide what Jesus is like and make Him out to be who I want him to be. He is who He is no matter what I believe (remember, "I Am That I Am"...?).
I think in a way we've made Jesus too personal. It's like my relationship with Lorie. Do I have a personal relationship with her? Absolutely. Is my relationship with her entirely personal? Not at all. She's my wife. We were married in a room full of people. I wear a wedding band wherever I go. When we're out in public (generally) it's quite easy to tell she's my wife. Even when she's not with me, my ring, how I talk with people, it's pretty obvious I have a spouse somewhere.
My relationship with Jesus is not entirely personal. Yes, I have time alone with Jesus and personal belief's, but I'm a youth pastor. I stand up in front of people to talk about Jesus. When I walk into the high school, people know I know Jesus because of my job title. My relationship with Him is not a personal little secret. And most of the things I believe about Jesus are not personal. I didn't make them up or come up with them. I discovered them, I chose to agree with them, and I choose to live them out.
What about you? Is Jesus your personal Savior in the fact that He saved and has a relationship with you, or is He personal as in your personal little secret that you can control and decide what He is like? Are you living in a way people can see Jesus in you...?
Matthew 5:14-16 ~ “You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lampstand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven." (NCV)
T
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Pray For You Constantly
I remember hearing the story of a missionary who had been overseas for years and came back to North America. While back he was asked to do all the normal missionary things, go speak at churches, conferences, drum up support, etc. Since he had been overseas for so long they arranged for a driver for this man.
Now the driver noticed something about this missionary, he was always mumbling. Not to other people, he spoke quite eloquently to them, but when he was alone in the car he was always mumbling to himself. The driver didn't think much of it at first, but as he drove him more and more places, he realized this man never stopped. Always, always mumbling.
So the driver decided to listen to the missionary's muttering voice. And you know what he heard? Prayer. This missionary was praying all the time.
One of the first verses I tell people to memorize is I Thessalonians 5:17. It's short yet powerful. "Pray continually". Now it seems like something easy, but have you tried to literally pray all the time? My mind is so scattered I don't know how anyone can do it. But Paul did it. This is how I Thessalonians starts:
I Thessalonians 1:2 ~ We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. (NLT)
Paul was praying for the people of that church constantly. Tell me, what do you think would happen if you prayed for your church constantly...?
T
Now the driver noticed something about this missionary, he was always mumbling. Not to other people, he spoke quite eloquently to them, but when he was alone in the car he was always mumbling to himself. The driver didn't think much of it at first, but as he drove him more and more places, he realized this man never stopped. Always, always mumbling.
So the driver decided to listen to the missionary's muttering voice. And you know what he heard? Prayer. This missionary was praying all the time.
One of the first verses I tell people to memorize is I Thessalonians 5:17. It's short yet powerful. "Pray continually". Now it seems like something easy, but have you tried to literally pray all the time? My mind is so scattered I don't know how anyone can do it. But Paul did it. This is how I Thessalonians starts:
I Thessalonians 1:2 ~ We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. (NLT)
Paul was praying for the people of that church constantly. Tell me, what do you think would happen if you prayed for your church constantly...?
T
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Follow The Food
For those that don't know, Lorie and I have a mini-zoo in our backyard. Basically it's a bird-feeder and corn (and the odd peanut), but we've gotten attention from the locals. There are at least four chipmunks around our house, a family of squirrels, another family of rabbits living under the bushes next door, raccoons and countless birds. It's fun to watch them in the mornings.
For the past few weeks, we haven't put any food out. With me gone on the mission trip, Lorie in Illinois, our trip to Toledo, etc. we just didn't put anything out for them to eat. And of course, they all vanished. So a few days ago we finally restocked everything and this morning, of course, over a dozen birds and a few four-legged friends were outside. It's very simple to find animals. Follow the food.
A basic principal of life. Animals live around, hang around, stay around where there's food. And it's no different for us. There's a reason that most older cities are on some sort of water (how many American cities have a river running through them). We like to be where our needs are met, where the food is.
I think the church is the same way. (As I type this, a squirrel just came to the deck doors looking for more food). People need their souls to be fed. How that looks is different for everyone, and sometimes churches need to feed people their vegetables even when they don't want to eat them, but all in all, I hope that our church is feeding people. We can't be simple entertainment, there should be sustenance, followed by growth.
After all, even Jesus used food as an analogy for His role in our lives...
John 6:35 ~ Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever." (MSG)
T
For the past few weeks, we haven't put any food out. With me gone on the mission trip, Lorie in Illinois, our trip to Toledo, etc. we just didn't put anything out for them to eat. And of course, they all vanished. So a few days ago we finally restocked everything and this morning, of course, over a dozen birds and a few four-legged friends were outside. It's very simple to find animals. Follow the food.
A basic principal of life. Animals live around, hang around, stay around where there's food. And it's no different for us. There's a reason that most older cities are on some sort of water (how many American cities have a river running through them). We like to be where our needs are met, where the food is.
I think the church is the same way. (As I type this, a squirrel just came to the deck doors looking for more food). People need their souls to be fed. How that looks is different for everyone, and sometimes churches need to feed people their vegetables even when they don't want to eat them, but all in all, I hope that our church is feeding people. We can't be simple entertainment, there should be sustenance, followed by growth.
After all, even Jesus used food as an analogy for His role in our lives...
John 6:35 ~ Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever." (MSG)
T
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Passing
Last night I was watching MLS (that would be soccer) on ESPN and it got me to thinking. I remember playing soccer (and we've done it at church before too), but when you get pros together, they play a certain way. The good ones anyway, they pass.
When you watch amateurs, the bad players kick away, the good players hog the ball (they don't trust anyone else to have it, and with good reason sometimes) but with pros, they're all good, they all know it, so they trust each other enough to pass the ball.
It reminded me of an Oiler game I went to years ago. A friend of mine, Cherolyn, won two tickets, and because she had left early I picked them up for her, and managed to go with her because of it (thanks Cher!). Gold seats, they were awesome. But I remember sitting with her at the game, they were playing the Kings. We were close enough to hear Robitaille swear. But what I remember is it was her first ever time at a pro game. You can watch it on TV, but it's not the same with so many things going on behind the play. And within about thirty seconds she said it. "I can't believe all the passing."
It's a lesson I think people who follow Christ can learn. Even Jesus passed. He could have done everything, but He didn't.
Matthew 16:15-19 ~ Then Jesus asked them, “And who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because no person taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. So I tell you, you are Peter. On this rock I will build my church, and the power of death will not be able to defeat it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; the things you don’t allow on earth will be the things that God does not allow, and the things you allow on earth will be the things that God allows.”(NCV)
What would the church be like if we had more passing...?
T
When you watch amateurs, the bad players kick away, the good players hog the ball (they don't trust anyone else to have it, and with good reason sometimes) but with pros, they're all good, they all know it, so they trust each other enough to pass the ball.
It reminded me of an Oiler game I went to years ago. A friend of mine, Cherolyn, won two tickets, and because she had left early I picked them up for her, and managed to go with her because of it (thanks Cher!). Gold seats, they were awesome. But I remember sitting with her at the game, they were playing the Kings. We were close enough to hear Robitaille swear. But what I remember is it was her first ever time at a pro game. You can watch it on TV, but it's not the same with so many things going on behind the play. And within about thirty seconds she said it. "I can't believe all the passing."
It's a lesson I think people who follow Christ can learn. Even Jesus passed. He could have done everything, but He didn't.
Matthew 16:15-19 ~ Then Jesus asked them, “And who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because no person taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. So I tell you, you are Peter. On this rock I will build my church, and the power of death will not be able to defeat it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; the things you don’t allow on earth will be the things that God does not allow, and the things you allow on earth will be the things that God allows.”(NCV)
What would the church be like if we had more passing...?
T
Thursday, August 06, 2009
A Bigger View
I'm sitting here working on our next session of Drink Deep coming up this month about Stewardship. I really hope you all aren't sick of hearing about it, seeing as we did a little about giving in July on Sunday mornings.
But I'm just thinking about how small our view of God is sometimes. God owns everything. And we as good little Christians say that, and it sounds good, and I think we believe it. At least to the point our tiny little minds can handle. Think about it for a second. God owns everything. That chair you're sitting in, God's. The money you used to buy that computer you're using to read this, God's. That oxygen you're breathing, God's. Every tiny quark in the universe belongs to God.
If we were to look at the church today, are we living with the mindset/lifestyle that everything is God's? From how we treat just the church building, do we see it as God's house, or is it "our" church that we built with "our" money for "our" Sunday morning worship?
I don't know, I think "Hope Lives" will be fun next month (be watching church newsletters, etc. for more information on that :)
Psalm 24:1 ~ The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (NIV)
T
But I'm just thinking about how small our view of God is sometimes. God owns everything. And we as good little Christians say that, and it sounds good, and I think we believe it. At least to the point our tiny little minds can handle. Think about it for a second. God owns everything. That chair you're sitting in, God's. The money you used to buy that computer you're using to read this, God's. That oxygen you're breathing, God's. Every tiny quark in the universe belongs to God.
If we were to look at the church today, are we living with the mindset/lifestyle that everything is God's? From how we treat just the church building, do we see it as God's house, or is it "our" church that we built with "our" money for "our" Sunday morning worship?
I don't know, I think "Hope Lives" will be fun next month (be watching church newsletters, etc. for more information on that :)
Psalm 24:1 ~ The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. (NIV)
T
Monday, August 03, 2009
When You Feel Alone...
Isn't it funny how in this world we live in that is so incredibly inter-connected, you are never away from anyone thanks to cell phones, email and facebook allow us to keep in contact around the clock, we have world news at our fingertips, most have neighbors not far from their home, cars allow us to travel further for work than the average person would travel in their entire life 500 years ago (and thanks to airplanes we can travel across continents and oceans in hours)...
And yet people still feel alone.
Today I read about people who were "alone". In the Amazon (Brazil) there is a tribe of people called the Metyktire Tribe. They have been living in the rainforest unknown to many people for a long time. How long? They met their first ever person from outside the tribe in May 2007. Think about that! Just two years ago these people believed there was no one else on the planet outside of their little tribe!
Can you imagine how overwhelming that must have been? "Hey, nice to meet you. I'm one of 6 billion people here you didn't know existed." Think of all the times they could have used a doctor, education, electricity, who knows, anything that we take for granted everyday (I say that while sitting in a padded chair at a computer with the A/C on, and they were in the rainforest...).
I think for many people, we realize we are not alone, but we don't know who to trust, and that leads us to be alone. Thank God there's Someone who will never leave us (or forsake us).
T
And yet people still feel alone.
Today I read about people who were "alone". In the Amazon (Brazil) there is a tribe of people called the Metyktire Tribe. They have been living in the rainforest unknown to many people for a long time. How long? They met their first ever person from outside the tribe in May 2007. Think about that! Just two years ago these people believed there was no one else on the planet outside of their little tribe!
Can you imagine how overwhelming that must have been? "Hey, nice to meet you. I'm one of 6 billion people here you didn't know existed." Think of all the times they could have used a doctor, education, electricity, who knows, anything that we take for granted everyday (I say that while sitting in a padded chair at a computer with the A/C on, and they were in the rainforest...).
I think for many people, we realize we are not alone, but we don't know who to trust, and that leads us to be alone. Thank God there's Someone who will never leave us (or forsake us).
T
Saturday, August 01, 2009
How Little Control We Actually Have
Sorry, not going to be wordy today. In the past week a couple of things have really hit me, and the hardest part about them is there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. As someone who likes to fix things, that is really, really hurting me. I've always believed there is a solution, and there always is, it's just not always one that I personally can get to.
One of those old memory verses from Sunday School is running through my head (thank you for making me memorize Scripture when I was 8). Proverbs 3 says we have to trust in the Lord with all our heart. And with where I am today, that's all I can do, trust. He's the same God who cares for every hair on my head, He's the same God who parted the Red Sea for His people, He's the same God who sacrificed His Son for me.
Sometimes, all we can do is trust...
T
One of those old memory verses from Sunday School is running through my head (thank you for making me memorize Scripture when I was 8). Proverbs 3 says we have to trust in the Lord with all our heart. And with where I am today, that's all I can do, trust. He's the same God who cares for every hair on my head, He's the same God who parted the Red Sea for His people, He's the same God who sacrificed His Son for me.
Sometimes, all we can do is trust...
T
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Mission Trip Continues
Although we had a few students write what happened on the trip, obviously I could not get everyone on my laptop. For more stories visit our discussion board at www.fumcfireandwater.net/forum to learn more and hear more stories from the students.
T
T
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Toronto Days 6 & 7 (Friday & Saturday)
Sorry there was no blog last night, we didn't have Internet.But it was a great day. We were up at 6:00 (ugh) and on the road by around 8:30 after cleaning up the work-site, saying good-bye, etc. Then it was off to Kincardine.
And what a great day. It rained off and on all the way there, then sunshine! We had a few good hours on the beach, people jumped off the pier, played watermelon football, and a few people got a nice little tan. Nice and relaxing. And I ran into people from town I hadn't seen in forever (we found one by Kayla & Kristen playing with their kids).
Then we went back to the churches, had dinner, and decompressed. It was nice to have a fun day and then finish it off talking about the trip after having a few hours to think about it.
Today we slept in (yes!) and were on the road around 11:30. We made it through the border faster than I could have ever expected! We didn't even get out of our vehicles!! He did it all at his kiosk, we all met at the Rest Area a 1/2 mile away, and we were on our way home. No problems, no anything. We even got home an hour early.
So thanks to everyone who came. I hope you all enjoyed reading about it. Hopefully the students will be telling more of their stories on the discussion board at http://www.fumcfireandwater.com/ so check it out there.
Until my next thought (it may be a while, the brain is a little fried).
T
Friday, July 24, 2009
Toronto Day 5 (Thursday)
Today was a little bitter sweet. It was the last day which means we have lots of fun, but it also means that we have to say good-bye. For our group, we had a massive water fight, and I don’t mean a little one. We were all soaked, extremely soaked. We did it because it was raining. So we were cold and wet, playing in water. But we had so much fun and had a good time with the kids. We’re really going to miss them.
I finally had a day off this afternoon, between showers and writing happy fun notes, I really haven’t spent a lot of time just hanging out. Today is why I do them early, so I can have time at the end of the week just hanging out. It was lots of fun.
For the evening activity, it was about to rain again, so we went out to the park behind us, took pictures, played football, played group rock, paper, scissors (ask about the group hug), lots of fun. After, Shawn and I beat people in Euchre.
Then we had our last group time which involves the foot-washing ceremony that is a tradition every year at Youthworks. And once again it was great. Our guys and gals, for some unknown reason, they just know how to pray, they know how to be still, they love each other and have no problem running up to each other and hugging and praying and crying with each other. At midnight the Youthworks leaders finally asked if we could go to sleep, not that they wanted us to stop praying, but they wanted to make sure everyone gets up at 6:30 tomorrow (Bah!).
So that is why there are no students blogging tonight and why there are no pictures and why this is so late. It’s almost 1:00, everyone’s finally in bed, and I have no problem with that. They have had a great week of serving, the staff here keep saying thank-you to them for all they’ve done, they’ve prayed with each other. Tomorrow we are off to have a day of relaxing and fun which they have more than deserved. Hope to get you some news about it then. See you in two days!
I finally had a day off this afternoon, between showers and writing happy fun notes, I really haven’t spent a lot of time just hanging out. Today is why I do them early, so I can have time at the end of the week just hanging out. It was lots of fun.
For the evening activity, it was about to rain again, so we went out to the park behind us, took pictures, played football, played group rock, paper, scissors (ask about the group hug), lots of fun. After, Shawn and I beat people in Euchre.
Then we had our last group time which involves the foot-washing ceremony that is a tradition every year at Youthworks. And once again it was great. Our guys and gals, for some unknown reason, they just know how to pray, they know how to be still, they love each other and have no problem running up to each other and hugging and praying and crying with each other. At midnight the Youthworks leaders finally asked if we could go to sleep, not that they wanted us to stop praying, but they wanted to make sure everyone gets up at 6:30 tomorrow (Bah!).
So that is why there are no students blogging tonight and why there are no pictures and why this is so late. It’s almost 1:00, everyone’s finally in bed, and I have no problem with that. They have had a great week of serving, the staff here keep saying thank-you to them for all they’ve done, they’ve prayed with each other. Tomorrow we are off to have a day of relaxing and fun which they have more than deserved. Hope to get you some news about it then. See you in two days!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Toronto Day 4 (Wednesday)
A realization set in today, we are half-done our trip. Today was our third day out or four of working. For my group, it was almost like we’re getting in a groove. We managed to get to our site by ourselves (which somehow happened to include a trip to Tim Horton’s, shocker). We also managed to get back by ourselves and also shower, what a great day!
At the site things were flowing well. We’ve really gotten to know a lot of the kids and they have gotten to know us. I really didn’t need to do much (usually I hung out with the older kids, today they were actually doing the craft without nudging, I got to work on our “Happy Fun Notes” or encouragement notes). Our students did a great job with the kids, more people getting into leading the songs, Bobby and Helen having fun with the Memory Verse, our drama, Shawn leading, it just really went well. But at the same time, it’s become a little bitter-sweet.
Tomorrow’s the last day. The last time we get to be with them for just a few hours. It’s amazing how you manage to care for and love these strangers in so short a time.
This afternoon, we had some free time for the first time (or so it seems). I took some of my crew walking (I needed to go the bank) and managed to share some of our Canadian products with them. They really love mint Aero bars for some reason…
Tonight we went to Chinatown. A lot of people went out and bought trinkets, me and some of the boys went for some real Chinese food. Nice greasy duck and rice (with some chicken). It was fun. We almost didn’t have enough time to get back, and although it wasn’t a lot of the “experience” of Chinatown, I just love hanging with the guys, just talking with our students (and girls too, they just weren’t there at the time).
After we had a little bit of ice cream and someone had cake (Happy Birthday Rebecca) and we talked about power and how Jesus chose not to use the power He could have but instead chose to hang on a cross so we could have the chance to know Him. How He chose to submit His power and ask us to do the same (like Peter being asked not to use his sword to defend Him, those who live by the sword die by the sword), how we have hope because when Jesus laid down His power a greater power was able to be given through the resurrection, but it started with giving up some power first, as we should do. Afterwards we broke into group time where we basically just talked. Heard about who was where, stories of the day, and talked about what we hope to get out of our last day.
I think tomorrow will be hard being the last day, but instead of guessing about tomorrow, some of our students would like to tell you about their trip so far.
Nikki J. ~ I think that this week God has been working in mysterious ways with every single person on this trip. Group four went to St. Jude’s academy for the arts which was a school for adults who are mentally and physically disabled. Many of these people the past couple of days have been showing many of us how powerful God really can be. All of these people are so powerfully “all in” for God, that it just blows my mind. Tomorrow is our last day and I hope that I, as well as the rest of the people in my crew, can be helped as much by these people as I have been the past couple of days. I truly believe that they have taught me more than I have helped them this week. God bless the students at St. Jude’s.
Eric O. ~ Never blogged before bear with me, Ok well for the past few days I have been working at St. Francis Table, a restaurant for the poor where they pay a dollar and get a full meal. There are 3 guys that run this place, Brother John, a Franciscan Priest, and the two cooks Sam and Dominic. It has been up and running since 1987 and it just me today, they had told us before, but in the past 20 years they have served over 950,000 poor/homeless people meals in Toronto. The reality of that number hit me today when I realized that 950,000 equals the number of people living in Marion County.!!!!!!!!!!! Wow it just really amazed me. Looking forward to our last day tomorrow. God Bless
Jordan H. ~ I dunno if you read Eric’s post, but I am also new to the blog. So yeah, for the past 3 days I have been working with team 5 with the Nazarene Church program called Refresh. The whole goal of the program is to repaint houses in the low income section in order to give tenents a little better self-image. We have spent a lot of time cleaning up after other groups which has been a little discouraging just because we haven’t completely finished a house yet. Today, though, we actually had the chance to do it right. It was amazing to see, because everyone in our group was at the point where we would have given up showering in order to finish the house. Fortunately, it didn’t come to that, but we did get it done. It really has been amazing to see God at work in these people. And Kendall is trying to trade me a Canadian 10 for two 5’s and can’t find his wallet… And Tim Hortons may well be the best thing ever, and there is an image of people playing hockey on the 5 dollar bill…. Last day tomorrow, and I hope we can all make it count. God bless.
At the site things were flowing well. We’ve really gotten to know a lot of the kids and they have gotten to know us. I really didn’t need to do much (usually I hung out with the older kids, today they were actually doing the craft without nudging, I got to work on our “Happy Fun Notes” or encouragement notes). Our students did a great job with the kids, more people getting into leading the songs, Bobby and Helen having fun with the Memory Verse, our drama, Shawn leading, it just really went well. But at the same time, it’s become a little bitter-sweet.Tomorrow’s the last day. The last time we get to be with them for just a few hours. It’s amazing how you manage to care for and love these strangers in so short a time.
This afternoon, we had some free time for the first time (or so it seems). I took some of my crew walking (I needed to go the bank) and managed to share some of our Canadian products with them. They really love mint Aero bars for some reason…
Tonight we went to Chinatown. A lot of people went out and bought trinkets, me and some of the boys went for some real Chinese food. Nice greasy duck and rice (with some chicken). It was fun. We almost didn’t have enough time to get back, and although it wasn’t a lot of the “experience” of Chinatown, I just love hanging with the guys, just talking with our students (and girls too, they just weren’t there at the time).After we had a little bit of ice cream and someone had cake (Happy Birthday Rebecca) and we talked about power and how Jesus chose not to use the power He could have but instead chose to hang on a cross so we could have the chance to know Him. How He chose to submit His power and ask us to do the same (like Peter being asked not to use his sword to defend Him, those who live by the sword die by the sword), how we have hope because when Jesus laid down His power a greater power was able to be given through the resurrection, but it started with giving up some power first, as we should do. Afterwards we broke into group time where we basically just talked. Heard about who was where, stories of the day, and talked about what we hope to get out of our last day.
I think tomorrow will be hard being the last day, but instead of guessing about tomorrow, some of our students would like to tell you about their trip so far.
Nikki J. ~ I think that this week God has been working in mysterious ways with every single person on this trip. Group four went to St. Jude’s academy for the arts which was a school for adults who are mentally and physically disabled. Many of these people the past couple of days have been showing many of us how powerful God really can be. All of these people are so powerfully “all in” for God, that it just blows my mind. Tomorrow is our last day and I hope that I, as well as the rest of the people in my crew, can be helped as much by these people as I have been the past couple of days. I truly believe that they have taught me more than I have helped them this week. God bless the students at St. Jude’s.
Eric O. ~ Never blogged before bear with me, Ok well for the past few days I have been working at St. Francis Table, a restaurant for the poor where they pay a dollar and get a full meal. There are 3 guys that run this place, Brother John, a Franciscan Priest, and the two cooks Sam and Dominic. It has been up and running since 1987 and it just me today, they had told us before, but in the past 20 years they have served over 950,000 poor/homeless people meals in Toronto. The reality of that number hit me today when I realized that 950,000 equals the number of people living in Marion County.!!!!!!!!!!! Wow it just really amazed me. Looking forward to our last day tomorrow. God BlessJordan H. ~ I dunno if you read Eric’s post, but I am also new to the blog. So yeah, for the past 3 days I have been working with team 5 with the Nazarene Church program called Refresh. The whole goal of the program is to repaint houses in the low income section in order to give tenents a little better self-image. We have spent a lot of time cleaning up after other groups which has been a little discouraging just because we haven’t completely finished a house yet. Today, though, we actually had the chance to do it right. It was amazing to see, because everyone in our group was at the point where we would have given up showering in order to finish the house. Fortunately, it didn’t come to that, but we did get it done. It really has been amazing to see God at work in these people. And Kendall is trying to trade me a Canadian 10 for two 5’s and can’t find his wallet… And Tim Hortons may well be the best thing ever, and there is an image of people playing hockey on the 5 dollar bill…. Last day tomorrow, and I hope we can all make it count. God bless.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Toronto Day 3 (Tuesday)
Today is my… most waited for day of the trip. I won’t say best, because it’s not all good. I’ll get there… (sorry there’s no pictures today, I didn’t have time, again that will be explained).
We started out going back to our Kids Club for the day. The picnic lunch was good, but more importantly it’s amazing how a day makes a difference. Knowing some of the kids’ names and spending time with them yesterday, they were more fun, they were more open, and there were more of them. I even recognized a few parents. It was great. They were into it and today for the first day the pastor’s wife had the chance to see what Youthworks and groups like us were doing with the kids in their church. Can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow.
But the part I was waiting for was the city walk. It was different this time than the last time I was here but followed almost the same route. Basically we walked a tour of Toronto, the good, the bad and the ugly, all within about six blocks. The dynamics change that quickly. Eaton Center, a huge mall is one block from the local youth shelter where drug dealers hang out to catch teenagers as they get into Toronto. Ryerson University is across the street from a prostitution hangout affectionately known as “Hooker Harvey’s” (it’s a Harvey’s restaurant).
For me it’s always hard because I want to fix it (those that know my aren’t surprised by that part of my personality). It hurts to think there are people living with such problems and pain and they are literally less than a stone’s throw away from people spending thousands and thousands of dollars every hour, throwing away their uneaten food while across the street people are hungry. It just isn’t right. And it hurts me. And I know on some level it will never be fixed, Jesus even said we will always have the poor with us, but some of these people don’t even try to look to the church for help because those wonderful followers of Jesus have burned them so bad. I just keep feeling we should be so much better… I should be so much better…
After the walk we went straight into our time as a church, allowing us to talk and ask the questions and think, and you could tell for some, it really is hard. The easy answers are thrown out right away by the questions of others, which really gives me more hope because it makes me think the church has a chance to grow and think and do more than the easy answer that seemed good five seconds after the problem was looked at. Our guys and girls are really handling the things they see and processing them well.
Don’t take my word for it, here’s some more of them.
Zak B. ~ Well my crew was a little different from the rest, today was the first day at our site. A little background, this is my sixth trip, and this mission site is the coolest I have ever worked at. It’s called St. Frances’ Table, led by this cool Franciscan monk (I think) who really likes U2. This place is like a cross between a restaurant and a soup kitchen, the folks who come to eat pay a dollar to have us serve them some very good food, and it is just really cool. Not to mention the cook is almost as laid back as I am…. (“You work too hard, go take a break” are good words…)
Ginny H. ~ Today crew# 1 went to hope shelter. Mahoney, a man with a thick accent and kind eyes, set us cleaning up the shelter halls and windows very mildly. “it’s your vacation—don’t work too hard!”,he said. : ) Jeremy and Daniel cleaned windows, and Jacob, Liz, Kari, Kristina and I cleaned the halls and walls, and kitchen. The shelter was for men by the way, and it wasn’t as pretty as the women’s shelter. Did you know about that difference? The women’s shelter had flowers… the guys didn’t have a lot of pretty things. But they could hang out, play cards and watch tv. Being with people who treat you as people seems like the best thing… PS, God was majorly at both shelters… programs, and love .
Shawn M. ~ There really is way too much to discuss when talking about today. Of course I could talk about my kid’s club group Humber Blvd. Baptist Church and how we realy did have a blast solving puzzles, playing games, and following Troy’s lead jumping up and down and yelling songs (let me tell you he has got some mad crazy dance moves…). I could talk about the great interaction going on between all three churches here, the way that we’re truly congregating together become one whole with one focus, forgetting all past differences and fully embracing one another. I could talk about our long walk afterwards through the streets of Toronto, going from City Hall to the Eden Centre and finding, not more than one block away, crowds of people experiencing homelessness, churches with gates wrapped around them, and discarded syringes littering the sewers, being guided through this by a man who had been there for over a decade and knew first hand the pain and bitterness of a homeless man looking down the street and seeing those too wealthy to even know what to do with all they have. I could talk about the discussion our own FUMC youth group had afterwards, how everyone was waiting to jump in on the subject, on the possible “solution” to the hodgepodge of problems assaulting the city. Or…I could talk about how I sit here after the discussion disquieted, still unfulfilled. There’s so much we can do as Christians, especially us located in the wealthiest county in America, and yet there’s so much not being done. The pain is frustrating, it’s unbearable, to sit here and see the decadence of the life being led by thousands and know that, alone, I can do nothing. But still I have to have faith in it, I have to know that eventually it all will be solved, and I have to stay strong when I go out tomorrow and make sure that I do everything I can to act as Jesus would have me act, so I can prevent this terrible future from befalling those children that I will interact with tomorrow.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.
We started out going back to our Kids Club for the day. The picnic lunch was good, but more importantly it’s amazing how a day makes a difference. Knowing some of the kids’ names and spending time with them yesterday, they were more fun, they were more open, and there were more of them. I even recognized a few parents. It was great. They were into it and today for the first day the pastor’s wife had the chance to see what Youthworks and groups like us were doing with the kids in their church. Can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow.
But the part I was waiting for was the city walk. It was different this time than the last time I was here but followed almost the same route. Basically we walked a tour of Toronto, the good, the bad and the ugly, all within about six blocks. The dynamics change that quickly. Eaton Center, a huge mall is one block from the local youth shelter where drug dealers hang out to catch teenagers as they get into Toronto. Ryerson University is across the street from a prostitution hangout affectionately known as “Hooker Harvey’s” (it’s a Harvey’s restaurant).
For me it’s always hard because I want to fix it (those that know my aren’t surprised by that part of my personality). It hurts to think there are people living with such problems and pain and they are literally less than a stone’s throw away from people spending thousands and thousands of dollars every hour, throwing away their uneaten food while across the street people are hungry. It just isn’t right. And it hurts me. And I know on some level it will never be fixed, Jesus even said we will always have the poor with us, but some of these people don’t even try to look to the church for help because those wonderful followers of Jesus have burned them so bad. I just keep feeling we should be so much better… I should be so much better…
After the walk we went straight into our time as a church, allowing us to talk and ask the questions and think, and you could tell for some, it really is hard. The easy answers are thrown out right away by the questions of others, which really gives me more hope because it makes me think the church has a chance to grow and think and do more than the easy answer that seemed good five seconds after the problem was looked at. Our guys and girls are really handling the things they see and processing them well.
Don’t take my word for it, here’s some more of them.
Zak B. ~ Well my crew was a little different from the rest, today was the first day at our site. A little background, this is my sixth trip, and this mission site is the coolest I have ever worked at. It’s called St. Frances’ Table, led by this cool Franciscan monk (I think) who really likes U2. This place is like a cross between a restaurant and a soup kitchen, the folks who come to eat pay a dollar to have us serve them some very good food, and it is just really cool. Not to mention the cook is almost as laid back as I am…. (“You work too hard, go take a break” are good words…)
Ginny H. ~ Today crew# 1 went to hope shelter. Mahoney, a man with a thick accent and kind eyes, set us cleaning up the shelter halls and windows very mildly. “it’s your vacation—don’t work too hard!”,he said. : ) Jeremy and Daniel cleaned windows, and Jacob, Liz, Kari, Kristina and I cleaned the halls and walls, and kitchen. The shelter was for men by the way, and it wasn’t as pretty as the women’s shelter. Did you know about that difference? The women’s shelter had flowers… the guys didn’t have a lot of pretty things. But they could hang out, play cards and watch tv. Being with people who treat you as people seems like the best thing… PS, God was majorly at both shelters… programs, and love .
Shawn M. ~ There really is way too much to discuss when talking about today. Of course I could talk about my kid’s club group Humber Blvd. Baptist Church and how we realy did have a blast solving puzzles, playing games, and following Troy’s lead jumping up and down and yelling songs (let me tell you he has got some mad crazy dance moves…). I could talk about the great interaction going on between all three churches here, the way that we’re truly congregating together become one whole with one focus, forgetting all past differences and fully embracing one another. I could talk about our long walk afterwards through the streets of Toronto, going from City Hall to the Eden Centre and finding, not more than one block away, crowds of people experiencing homelessness, churches with gates wrapped around them, and discarded syringes littering the sewers, being guided through this by a man who had been there for over a decade and knew first hand the pain and bitterness of a homeless man looking down the street and seeing those too wealthy to even know what to do with all they have. I could talk about the discussion our own FUMC youth group had afterwards, how everyone was waiting to jump in on the subject, on the possible “solution” to the hodgepodge of problems assaulting the city. Or…I could talk about how I sit here after the discussion disquieted, still unfulfilled. There’s so much we can do as Christians, especially us located in the wealthiest county in America, and yet there’s so much not being done. The pain is frustrating, it’s unbearable, to sit here and see the decadence of the life being led by thousands and know that, alone, I can do nothing. But still I have to have faith in it, I have to know that eventually it all will be solved, and I have to stay strong when I go out tomorrow and make sure that I do everything I can to act as Jesus would have me act, so I can prevent this terrible future from befalling those children that I will interact with tomorrow.
Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Toronto Day 2 (Monday)
Sorry yesterday was a little late, my internet has been spotty…
An early day (well, every day seems earlier). Breakfast was great for me, I got to eat Shreddies for the first time in years!
Today was a shock for me. We all went to our worksites today. Groups went to homeless shelters, Salvation Army, some worked with mentally handicapped people and of course Kids Clubs (summer long VBS). I got a little bit of a shock, I ended up (totally by accident) at the same church I was at 5 years ago when we were here last (Taylor, you remember Bob, the crazy old guy? He’s still here!). For us, it was great. Luke, our Youthworks leader, told us it was the best Monday he’d had all summer (Monday’s are hard, the kids test the new leaders). Other than getting a little lost looking for where we showered, today was great!
For our evening activity we went to Lake Ontario and hung out on the beach. We didn’t swim, Lake O’s a wee bit too dirty for that (although some people were, and I felt dirty just watching them). But it was fun, people played the largest game of Ultimate Frisbee they’ve managed to scrounge up this summer. And I think Jeremy won the rock skipping contest.
After that we made our way back to our home base, had milk (in bags) and cookies. That was followed by “Mad Props” and “Yay God’s” (praise for people doing good things and praise to God for doing good things), followed by some time together talking about outside influences on what we think of ourselves/how we act and how that relates to what Jesus said at the Sermon on the Mount regarding those who are blessed (The Beatitudes), plus some time with just our church group talking about the day’s events, how we felt, how we perceived people before we worked with them and after.
But that’s enough from me, what did other people think of today?
An early day (well, every day seems earlier). Breakfast was great for me, I got to eat Shreddies for the first time in years!
Today was a shock for me. We all went to our worksites today. Groups went to homeless shelters, Salvation Army, some worked with mentally handicapped people and of course Kids Clubs (summer long VBS). I got a little bit of a shock, I ended up (totally by accident) at the same church I was at 5 years ago when we were here last (Taylor, you remember Bob, the crazy old guy? He’s still here!). For us, it was great. Luke, our Youthworks leader, told us it was the best Monday he’d had all summer (Monday’s are hard, the kids test the new leaders). Other than getting a little lost looking for where we showered, today was great!
For our evening activity we went to Lake Ontario and hung out on the beach. We didn’t swim, Lake O’s a wee bit too dirty for that (although some people were, and I felt dirty just watching them). But it was fun, people played the largest game of Ultimate Frisbee they’ve managed to scrounge up this summer. And I think Jeremy won the rock skipping contest.After that we made our way back to our home base, had milk (in bags) and cookies. That was followed by “Mad Props” and “Yay God’s” (praise for people doing good things and praise to God for doing good things), followed by some time together talking about outside influences on what we think of ourselves/how we act and how that relates to what Jesus said at the Sermon on the Mount regarding those who are blessed (The Beatitudes), plus some time with just our church group talking about the day’s events, how we felt, how we perceived people before we worked with them and after.
But that’s enough from me, what did other people think of today?
Andy P. ~ I worked at St. Jude’s Academy today working with mentally and physically challenged adults. And I saw an almost overwhelming amount of God in the adults that I worked with, because they had less worries and less on their minds, their minds seemed an example of purity and holiness. They were laughing and singing, and when Zak and James and I got up to lead worship on our guitars, the adults didn’t know the songs, yet they were laughing, and singing, and dancing as one would thing possible. I never thought Id see as much God in a place like this.
Natalie H. ~ Today I worked at the Moss Park Kid’s Club. My group worked with about 8 to 10 different kids, all from about 7 or 8 to 15 or older. When we arrived at the site, we weren’t sure how things were going to go, because no one had worked at that site before, so we didn’t have a report to have expectations from. We were a little bit separated from the other kids at the beginning, just because of their opinions of church-goers and Christians in general. But, as we played sports and games and just spent time with the kids and their leaders, we began to break the barriers between the two groups. By the end of the day, we were all acting like best friends. I felt like I had been with these kids for a long time, and I was having so much fun with them. It was a true blessing to hear at prayer time later, that the smallest girl there (who barely talked, even when she was confronted) spoke up to say that she was thankful for our group; that we were able to come and get to know them. We were so touched by this group of kids, and I saw God just opening their hearts and minds to why we were there.
Bobby H. ~ Alright, it’s kind of hard to start. Well, you were at the same YouthWorks Kids Club as me, Troy. As you may have noticed, it was a little bit of a slow start to actually get the kids involved. That was quickly remedied as we jumped into games and other activities, however. I believe that God was working His magic today in the fact that none of the kids were problematic in the least, in spite of rumors/facts spread about past occurrences (no fights, the first day was smooth for the first-time group leaders). All of the kids were engaged in the activities going on. If the kids did become disinterested, they quickly rebounded in finding other things to do. The fact that everything went so perfectly was His doing. I feel like I actually became friends with all of the kids I played with; it was as though they appreciated the fact that everyone there to spend time with them. The part of the day that touched me the most dealt with a little boy named Kaleb. He apparently was one of the children who had had problems with family and fighting in past occurrences. It made me so happy that he got along with all of the kids so well, as if he still retained all of the child-like qualities that could be lost in various sorts of strife. His brother dropped him off at Kid’s Club and ran off somewhere, even though he was at an ideal age to be involved with the whole Kid’s Club jazz. When Kaleb’s brother picked him up, Kaleb explained how much fun he had to his older brother. From this, the older brother informed me that he would be attending tomorrow as well! This was the most obvious workings of God for me for the day.
Natalie H. ~ Today I worked at the Moss Park Kid’s Club. My group worked with about 8 to 10 different kids, all from about 7 or 8 to 15 or older. When we arrived at the site, we weren’t sure how things were going to go, because no one had worked at that site before, so we didn’t have a report to have expectations from. We were a little bit separated from the other kids at the beginning, just because of their opinions of church-goers and Christians in general. But, as we played sports and games and just spent time with the kids and their leaders, we began to break the barriers between the two groups. By the end of the day, we were all acting like best friends. I felt like I had been with these kids for a long time, and I was having so much fun with them. It was a true blessing to hear at prayer time later, that the smallest girl there (who barely talked, even when she was confronted) spoke up to say that she was thankful for our group; that we were able to come and get to know them. We were so touched by this group of kids, and I saw God just opening their hearts and minds to why we were there.
Bobby H. ~ Alright, it’s kind of hard to start. Well, you were at the same YouthWorks Kids Club as me, Troy. As you may have noticed, it was a little bit of a slow start to actually get the kids involved. That was quickly remedied as we jumped into games and other activities, however. I believe that God was working His magic today in the fact that none of the kids were problematic in the least, in spite of rumors/facts spread about past occurrences (no fights, the first day was smooth for the first-time group leaders). All of the kids were engaged in the activities going on. If the kids did become disinterested, they quickly rebounded in finding other things to do. The fact that everything went so perfectly was His doing. I feel like I actually became friends with all of the kids I played with; it was as though they appreciated the fact that everyone there to spend time with them. The part of the day that touched me the most dealt with a little boy named Kaleb. He apparently was one of the children who had had problems with family and fighting in past occurrences. It made me so happy that he got along with all of the kids so well, as if he still retained all of the child-like qualities that could be lost in various sorts of strife. His brother dropped him off at Kid’s Club and ran off somewhere, even though he was at an ideal age to be involved with the whole Kid’s Club jazz. When Kaleb’s brother picked him up, Kaleb explained how much fun he had to his older brother. From this, the older brother informed me that he would be attending tomorrow as well! This was the most obvious workings of God for me for the day.
Taegan E. ~ I am working with a group of churches. They have started a program called Refresh they paint the interior of houses in a community of low income families that can’t afford the paint. Pastor Bill is the man in charge when we first got there after a very long car ride he gave us the background behind the program. Two years earlier there were three people having combined birthday parties. It was one of those parties where the music is blasting and attracts more people then was invited. There was an 11 year old boy who was at his cousin’s party. Two rival gangs showed up at the party there were shots fired the little boy was shot and killed. Pastor Bill went to open the church the next day and saw all the police and yellow tape he went over and asked what happen and that is the story he got. At the end of his sermon that day the congregation went out and prayed across the street the neighbor hood came a joined in. this was right in front of our sight. They started this program so that this wouldn’t happen again. We don’t just go in and paint the family is there to help us and they talk with us. It is a lot of fun and is a great program. We were cleaning up the mess that another group made. Like paint on the ceiling and on the light switches we ended up redoing the bathroom because it was done so poorly. But we were happy to be there our morning started off rough. We were being led to our site by a staff member and we got lost we were almost two hours late to our site. We finally got to the church and they told us that we had to go some place else. We got there no one was there after walking around and parking three times we found Pastor Bill. We got our supplies which included a jug of paint that weighed about 25 lbs. Matt and my other leader Randy passed off carrying it Jordan helped too. We went a few blocks until we got to the house we were going to paint. To make a long story short the mother wasn’t home and they didn’t want to let us in. We eventually got permission to enter the house and we started making the house look better. Unfortunately we didn’t finish but we did leave the house looking better than when we got there. But I think that crew #5( Matt S., Randy, Christian, Taegan E. , Kate T., Jordan H., Landon K. and Emily W.) all saw God in what we were doing after we heard Pastor Bills story. We all worked hard because we see God in the idea of the program.
Toronto Day 1 (Sunday)
Well, we made it. After leaving on time(!) we managed to get out of Fishers and all the way to Canada with no problems. Even at the border, we made it quick. The look on the immigration officers face was priceless when she had interviewed two people and realized she had 47 more to go. She literally yelled out, “Everyone hold out your papers” and went through everyone in 30 seconds, “Good, good, good, good…” all the way down the line. I hope going back to America is that easy!
Because of that we managed to be ahead of schedule, meaning we took a long lunch at White Oaks Mall in London (which meant I got to see my sister and her family, yay). It also meant I got to eat poutine for lunch (also yay).
Toronto was a little bit of a chore because our wonderful Rand McNally directions had us on Shore Road Boulevard for 1.6 miles, which was really more like 16 miles. The good part is everyone got to see a nice piece of Toronto, CNE, Skydome (Rogers Field), CN Tower, Air Canada Center, Ontario Place, etc. But then in a few short blocks the lovely painted condos turned into a more run-down area.
Everyone is settled and about to head to bed. We had Club earlier (our mini church service) where we talked about Freedom, and how we generally view freedom as our own personal ability to do what we want, not the idea in Galatians 5 where Paul talks about us being free not for ourselves but to use that freedom to help others.
We’re heading to bed, hearing about proper conduct and appropriate behavior before bed (there is no better bedtime story). Hope to be back filling you in with more tomorrow.
T
Because of that we managed to be ahead of schedule, meaning we took a long lunch at White Oaks Mall in London (which meant I got to see my sister and her family, yay). It also meant I got to eat poutine for lunch (also yay).
Toronto was a little bit of a chore because our wonderful Rand McNally directions had us on Shore Road Boulevard for 1.6 miles, which was really more like 16 miles. The good part is everyone got to see a nice piece of Toronto, CNE, Skydome (Rogers Field), CN Tower, Air Canada Center, Ontario Place, etc. But then in a few short blocks the lovely painted condos turned into a more run-down area.
Everyone is settled and about to head to bed. We had Club earlier (our mini church service) where we talked about Freedom, and how we generally view freedom as our own personal ability to do what we want, not the idea in Galatians 5 where Paul talks about us being free not for ourselves but to use that freedom to help others.
We’re heading to bed, hearing about proper conduct and appropriate behavior before bed (there is no better bedtime story). Hope to be back filling you in with more tomorrow.
T
Friday, July 17, 2009
Do What God Made You To Do
Today I was reading the story of a couple that lived a few years ago (it was actually about the son, but let's focus on the parents for now). True story, the son wrote it as an introduction to his book.
Anyway, his parents met while they were studying at Yale. Obviously smart cookies. Were married and worked for the government in communication with the first lady quite often. Smart and in a power position. But things weren't quite what they thought they would be so they made a change.
They became farmers, and part-time drama teachers at an all girl's school near-by.
I love that! Not because of what they did necessarily, but because it is in direct contrast to what society would say is good. Can you imagine they conversation they would have had with their parents? "Thanks for sending us to Yale, but this incredibly hard, intelligent, and well-paying government job, it's just not for us. So we're going to be farmers. Come visit and you can have some beets on the house."
It just doesn't make sense in our society. We go after money, fame or power (or any combination of the three). But if you were created by God to be an artist, teaching biology will kill your soul no matter how much you're paid. I'm lucky enough that I love what I do (there are days, but all in all, it's great) and this week I get to go be with 50 people serving God in ways that will stretch them like never before. And I get to be a part of that! Thank you God for making me :)
And now to get ready for Toronto. I'm planning on blogging each day (but it really depends on Internet access...)
T
Anyway, his parents met while they were studying at Yale. Obviously smart cookies. Were married and worked for the government in communication with the first lady quite often. Smart and in a power position. But things weren't quite what they thought they would be so they made a change.
They became farmers, and part-time drama teachers at an all girl's school near-by.
I love that! Not because of what they did necessarily, but because it is in direct contrast to what society would say is good. Can you imagine they conversation they would have had with their parents? "Thanks for sending us to Yale, but this incredibly hard, intelligent, and well-paying government job, it's just not for us. So we're going to be farmers. Come visit and you can have some beets on the house."
It just doesn't make sense in our society. We go after money, fame or power (or any combination of the three). But if you were created by God to be an artist, teaching biology will kill your soul no matter how much you're paid. I'm lucky enough that I love what I do (there are days, but all in all, it's great) and this week I get to go be with 50 people serving God in ways that will stretch them like never before. And I get to be a part of that! Thank you God for making me :)
And now to get ready for Toronto. I'm planning on blogging each day (but it really depends on Internet access...)
T
Monday, July 13, 2009
Can't Take It Back
I was reading Nicole's blog on the staff blogs of our church (www.fishersumc.org) and she talked a little about how we can't get time back. How even when set-backs happen, we can choose to be angry about it or we can choose to make the best of it.
I don't know, this one is a tough one for me. She is 100% right, but man, I love to dwell on the past. She made me think about how I need to let things go and make the best of it. Even today, I was thinking about something I preached a long time ago (at least 6 months) and I was thinking of what I should have said. Really? Six months ago? A little past due there Richards.
So help me, but do it with me. Let things in the past go. It doesn't change anything to think about what should have/could have/would have happened. All we can do is move forward.
T
I don't know, this one is a tough one for me. She is 100% right, but man, I love to dwell on the past. She made me think about how I need to let things go and make the best of it. Even today, I was thinking about something I preached a long time ago (at least 6 months) and I was thinking of what I should have said. Really? Six months ago? A little past due there Richards.
So help me, but do it with me. Let things in the past go. It doesn't change anything to think about what should have/could have/would have happened. All we can do is move forward.
T
Sunday, July 12, 2009
What Does Your TV Say About You?
Growing up, my father loved to watch a certain television show. It was a great show, made by a great man. This guy was an inspiration to many, my dad and myself included. And what's funny is what this guy thought about his medium...
"Television is teaching you whether you want it or not." ~ Jim Henson
It's a good lesson. Television teaches us what is really important to us, what we really want. Kind of like how Oprah felt when she talked about how people told her they wanted programming with more substance to it, but at the same time Jerry Springer was beating her in the ratings.
The simple fact is what people say they want and what they really want are usually two different things. And television helps us see that. We say we don't want swearing, violence or sex on TV, but what sells best?
So what are you watching? And what does it say about how you really feel about what you want...?
T
"Television is teaching you whether you want it or not." ~ Jim Henson
It's a good lesson. Television teaches us what is really important to us, what we really want. Kind of like how Oprah felt when she talked about how people told her they wanted programming with more substance to it, but at the same time Jerry Springer was beating her in the ratings.
The simple fact is what people say they want and what they really want are usually two different things. And television helps us see that. We say we don't want swearing, violence or sex on TV, but what sells best?
So what are you watching? And what does it say about how you really feel about what you want...?
T
Where Is The Church 2000 Years Later?
Today I was reading a parable Jesus told. Now, it's a little different than most. Jesus was nice enough to tell His disciples what a lot of the parables meant. But this one He kept the meaning to Himself.
Matthew 13:31-32 ~ Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
So, since it was not explained by Jesus, I read a few commentaries about the meaning (I know, I'm a fun guy on a Saturday night, Lorie was working...). They all talked about how the seed represents the Christian movement. It started small, a few guys following Jesus in an area in the middle of nowhere, then over time it has grown and become huge, a world-wide faith with billions of followers.
But then the commentaries started to differ. Some believe the section about the birds nesting in the branches are signs of a good healthy church. The birds come in, they can find shelter, they can find food, they can grow and raise their young. Like we want the church to be today. Other commentaries show the birds in a different light. In other parables birds were a sign of satan (like the parable of the seeds, the birds eating the seed represents satan stealing people away). Those commentaries said Jesus was saying what would start as a small movement would become huge, but so big and tangled that satan would find his way in and nest there and cause the church to lose focus.
Two very different ideas. No one knows the right answer. So I came up with one. I figured I would just look at our church today, the one that started as a seed but is now full-grown, 2000 years old, and by looking at it now I can tell which way Jesus meant for the parable to go. And you know what I came up with?
I really don't know.
I mean, on one hand, tomorrow there are going to millions of churches with people in them worshipping God. Because the church has grown we are able to reach so many people and educate them in God's love, give them opportunities to serve. But at the same time, what have we done with our responsibilities? How much time do we spend going out rather than focusing in? How much money do we spend on our million dollar children's wings, all the while if every church in America (just the US) chipped in a little under $50,000 (the bigger churches would give more, the smaller ones less, it could work out) there would be no world hunger, world thirst, etc. As we've gotten bigger has our priorities gotten out of whack, how we spend our time and money followed what we should be doing?
It saddens me, being a part of the church and not knowing the answer to that. But I know I want to do my best to make sure we are the church Christ wants us to be...
T
Matthew 13:31-32 ~ Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
So, since it was not explained by Jesus, I read a few commentaries about the meaning (I know, I'm a fun guy on a Saturday night, Lorie was working...). They all talked about how the seed represents the Christian movement. It started small, a few guys following Jesus in an area in the middle of nowhere, then over time it has grown and become huge, a world-wide faith with billions of followers.
But then the commentaries started to differ. Some believe the section about the birds nesting in the branches are signs of a good healthy church. The birds come in, they can find shelter, they can find food, they can grow and raise their young. Like we want the church to be today. Other commentaries show the birds in a different light. In other parables birds were a sign of satan (like the parable of the seeds, the birds eating the seed represents satan stealing people away). Those commentaries said Jesus was saying what would start as a small movement would become huge, but so big and tangled that satan would find his way in and nest there and cause the church to lose focus.
Two very different ideas. No one knows the right answer. So I came up with one. I figured I would just look at our church today, the one that started as a seed but is now full-grown, 2000 years old, and by looking at it now I can tell which way Jesus meant for the parable to go. And you know what I came up with?
I really don't know.
I mean, on one hand, tomorrow there are going to millions of churches with people in them worshipping God. Because the church has grown we are able to reach so many people and educate them in God's love, give them opportunities to serve. But at the same time, what have we done with our responsibilities? How much time do we spend going out rather than focusing in? How much money do we spend on our million dollar children's wings, all the while if every church in America (just the US) chipped in a little under $50,000 (the bigger churches would give more, the smaller ones less, it could work out) there would be no world hunger, world thirst, etc. As we've gotten bigger has our priorities gotten out of whack, how we spend our time and money followed what we should be doing?
It saddens me, being a part of the church and not knowing the answer to that. But I know I want to do my best to make sure we are the church Christ wants us to be...
T
Friday, July 10, 2009
Hard Work
Today I was reading the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den. Popular story, heard it since I was five, yada yada yada.
Anyway, today I was reading it and noticed something at the beginning I don't remember from before. Daniel was about to be promoted and the other guys in line for the promotion wanted him dead. I knew that, but why dead? You can read it at the start of Daniel 6. Daniel was going to get the promotion not because he was the king's favorite, but because...
Daniel 6:3 ~ Daniel showed that he could do the work better than the other supervisors and governors, so the king planned to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom.
All Daniel did was work hard. And the guys that didn't work hard didn't get the promotion. But instead of working harder to try and get the promotion, they immediately go to "let's kill the guy."
I don't know what it is, but I've noticed that we've lost a lot of our work ethic. The old stories of America's history are full of people doing the hard things, building houses with their own two hands, working the ground, building cities, working to create something of value. And now, it seems to me that there are a lot of people who think they are entitled to their jobs. They don't work hard at it, they just kinda do it, but they feel they shouldn't be fired because they deserve that job. Since when do we deserve something we don't work hard at?
Don't be scared of hard work. Do your best. It's the way God intended it to be.
Proverbs 20:13 ~ If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Stay awake, work hard, and there will be plenty to eat! (LB)
Proverbs 13:4 ~ Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper. (NLT)
T
Anyway, today I was reading it and noticed something at the beginning I don't remember from before. Daniel was about to be promoted and the other guys in line for the promotion wanted him dead. I knew that, but why dead? You can read it at the start of Daniel 6. Daniel was going to get the promotion not because he was the king's favorite, but because...
Daniel 6:3 ~ Daniel showed that he could do the work better than the other supervisors and governors, so the king planned to put Daniel in charge of the whole kingdom.
All Daniel did was work hard. And the guys that didn't work hard didn't get the promotion. But instead of working harder to try and get the promotion, they immediately go to "let's kill the guy."
I don't know what it is, but I've noticed that we've lost a lot of our work ethic. The old stories of America's history are full of people doing the hard things, building houses with their own two hands, working the ground, building cities, working to create something of value. And now, it seems to me that there are a lot of people who think they are entitled to their jobs. They don't work hard at it, they just kinda do it, but they feel they shouldn't be fired because they deserve that job. Since when do we deserve something we don't work hard at?
Don't be scared of hard work. Do your best. It's the way God intended it to be.
Proverbs 20:13 ~ If you love sleep, you will end in poverty. Stay awake, work hard, and there will be plenty to eat! (LB)
Proverbs 13:4 ~ Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper. (NLT)
T
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Are You Shutting People Out?
This morning I rad the story of the paralyzed man that was lowered through the roof. If you don't know the story (Mark 2), Jesus is staying at this house, people find out He's there and crowd in to hear His teaching (He can't even get a day off). Then this guy who is paralyzed is brought by his four friends to let Jesus heal him. They can't get in so they cut a hole in the roof and lower the guy down in front of Jesus. Jesus heals him, they leave happy, it's all good.
I've heard that story so many times growing up. It's always the same, the faith of the paralyzed man and the persistence of his friends is the story. But I think there's so much more to it than that. One thing I want to know, why did no one let the guy through?
All the people there, they were listening to Jesus' teachings. This is pretty much like a Home Bible Study gone big. Maybe even a church service. So why would these people not let in someone who obviously needs help (he's on a stretcher, that should have been a hint)?
I wonder if the church today has people who need help but we are shutting them out. We don't want to step out of routine, we are so focused on making ourselves holy or our teaching or our spiritual growth we aren't seeing others who need the same, I earned my spot at this church, you haven't earned yours (if you don't think that's true, sit in a different pew at church and see what happens...).
The last thing in the world anyone should feel is neglected or like they don't belong, like they are unwelcome, especially when surrounded by people who say they are full of love and follow the God who is love. Let's not be so focused on our needs, our wants, what we would like God to do for us that we can't step aside and help others discover who God is. Start parting the crowd.
T
I've heard that story so many times growing up. It's always the same, the faith of the paralyzed man and the persistence of his friends is the story. But I think there's so much more to it than that. One thing I want to know, why did no one let the guy through?
All the people there, they were listening to Jesus' teachings. This is pretty much like a Home Bible Study gone big. Maybe even a church service. So why would these people not let in someone who obviously needs help (he's on a stretcher, that should have been a hint)?
I wonder if the church today has people who need help but we are shutting them out. We don't want to step out of routine, we are so focused on making ourselves holy or our teaching or our spiritual growth we aren't seeing others who need the same, I earned my spot at this church, you haven't earned yours (if you don't think that's true, sit in a different pew at church and see what happens...).
The last thing in the world anyone should feel is neglected or like they don't belong, like they are unwelcome, especially when surrounded by people who say they are full of love and follow the God who is love. Let's not be so focused on our needs, our wants, what we would like God to do for us that we can't step aside and help others discover who God is. Start parting the crowd.
T
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Coins In A Fountain
This has so little to do with anything, but I sometimes see how people behave and go, "Why? Just... why?"
One for today that I was just reminded of, why is it wherever there's water people throw money? I know there are wishing wells, and with that if you see one you are supposed to get a coin, make a wish, and throw the coin in the fountain. Got it. But since when are all bodies of water wishing wells?
Think about it. The fountain at the mall. The ponds in the gardens at the zoo. Even the occasional river. Look in them, there's almost always money. Do we do so many things out of habit in our society that we simply are trained and brainwashed that if we see water we need to throw money in it?
I've been thinking about putting a pond in my front yard just to see how much money I'd get...
T
One for today that I was just reminded of, why is it wherever there's water people throw money? I know there are wishing wells, and with that if you see one you are supposed to get a coin, make a wish, and throw the coin in the fountain. Got it. But since when are all bodies of water wishing wells?
Think about it. The fountain at the mall. The ponds in the gardens at the zoo. Even the occasional river. Look in them, there's almost always money. Do we do so many things out of habit in our society that we simply are trained and brainwashed that if we see water we need to throw money in it?
I've been thinking about putting a pond in my front yard just to see how much money I'd get...
T
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Where's The "Sanctuary"?
Nicole and I were talking this morning (Nicole is in charge of the great 11:00 blended service in our sanctuary) and she said something that I was wondering about earlier in the day. She mentioned about NewSong (the modern service I'm in charge of, at the same time...) is not in the Sanctuary.
But for me, it is. A sanctuary is defined as a sacred or holy place. For many, that is the room we've named the "sanctuary" because we have planned holy events that happen there every Sunday and at other times throughout the year. For the people who take part in them, that space is holy. But here's something true for me that a lot of people won't like.
The room that is labeled "sanctuary" on our blueprints... it's not holy to me (gasp!)
It's true. If I had to pick a holy place at the church, it's not on my list. For most people in our church, the gym is just a room where we eat and play sports. Although that's true, it's where the bulk of ministry happens for me (along with the youth room). I have Sunday morning worship there. Our youth services are in there. We have events like the 30 Hour Famine where students physically do something to show love to people they haven't met. We transform the room into a prayer room where I have sat and watched teenagers pray for over an hour and a half (some of our adults couldn't do that). I have seen God more in that room than any other in one of God's houses we call Fishers United Methodist Church.
And when it comes to the room dubbed "the sanctuary", that room is not holy for me. I don't get to see the Sunday morning services. In fact, 98% of the time I'm in there, it's not holy at all. It's to fix a sound problem, a video problem, run something because someone didn't show up. Most of the time I'm in there the issue(s) I'm told to fix aren't real but we don't want to talk about the real problems. It's a room that involves frustration and sometimes half-truths for me (because whenever something doesn't work, I never hear someone say, "Oh, that was my fault" but I hear a lot of reasons why it wasn't their fault). In reality, that room is not holy to me. It is not my sanctuary, despite what the sign on the door says.
A good example of this; the holy place of Bethel. In Genesis 28 Jacob is running for his life. Then he rests and has a dream from God. Since he had an encounter with God there, that place was deemed holy (notice, the person who drew out the map of the land didn't say it was holy, then God showed up, it was the other way around). After Jacob met with God he pronounced that place his "sanctuary".
Genesis 28:18-19 ~ Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured oil over it. He christened the place Bethel (God’s House). The name of the town had been Luz until then. (MSG)
So if you're talking to someone about church, realize their sanctuary may not be your sanctuary, and that's okay. They aren't any less holy than you because you don't see the same rooms as "where God lives". Coach Bill with Campus Life was talking to me a little while ago about his church. An arsonist broke in and burned their sanctuary down. He said it was the best thing to happen to his church family. Suddenly they had to worship God somewhere different. All the stereo-types that went with worship that aren't necessary (we don't have any of those, of course) were broken down because they could not rely on past memories for moves of God, they had to look to God directly. And believe it or not, they met in a gym, had more holy experiences and even spent time with God there.
Open your mind a little. Visit someone else's holy place. Ask them why it's holy to them. You may be surprised at what you learn... (and so you know, Nicole thinks this way too, she wasn't bashing the gym. She had come down to spend time with God while worshipping during NewSong's practice).
But for me, it is. A sanctuary is defined as a sacred or holy place. For many, that is the room we've named the "sanctuary" because we have planned holy events that happen there every Sunday and at other times throughout the year. For the people who take part in them, that space is holy. But here's something true for me that a lot of people won't like.
The room that is labeled "sanctuary" on our blueprints... it's not holy to me (gasp!)
It's true. If I had to pick a holy place at the church, it's not on my list. For most people in our church, the gym is just a room where we eat and play sports. Although that's true, it's where the bulk of ministry happens for me (along with the youth room). I have Sunday morning worship there. Our youth services are in there. We have events like the 30 Hour Famine where students physically do something to show love to people they haven't met. We transform the room into a prayer room where I have sat and watched teenagers pray for over an hour and a half (some of our adults couldn't do that). I have seen God more in that room than any other in one of God's houses we call Fishers United Methodist Church.
And when it comes to the room dubbed "the sanctuary", that room is not holy for me. I don't get to see the Sunday morning services. In fact, 98% of the time I'm in there, it's not holy at all. It's to fix a sound problem, a video problem, run something because someone didn't show up. Most of the time I'm in there the issue(s) I'm told to fix aren't real but we don't want to talk about the real problems. It's a room that involves frustration and sometimes half-truths for me (because whenever something doesn't work, I never hear someone say, "Oh, that was my fault" but I hear a lot of reasons why it wasn't their fault). In reality, that room is not holy to me. It is not my sanctuary, despite what the sign on the door says.
A good example of this; the holy place of Bethel. In Genesis 28 Jacob is running for his life. Then he rests and has a dream from God. Since he had an encounter with God there, that place was deemed holy (notice, the person who drew out the map of the land didn't say it was holy, then God showed up, it was the other way around). After Jacob met with God he pronounced that place his "sanctuary".
Genesis 28:18-19 ~ Jacob was up first thing in the morning. He took the stone he had used for his pillow and stood it up as a memorial pillar and poured oil over it. He christened the place Bethel (God’s House). The name of the town had been Luz until then. (MSG)
So if you're talking to someone about church, realize their sanctuary may not be your sanctuary, and that's okay. They aren't any less holy than you because you don't see the same rooms as "where God lives". Coach Bill with Campus Life was talking to me a little while ago about his church. An arsonist broke in and burned their sanctuary down. He said it was the best thing to happen to his church family. Suddenly they had to worship God somewhere different. All the stereo-types that went with worship that aren't necessary (we don't have any of those, of course) were broken down because they could not rely on past memories for moves of God, they had to look to God directly. And believe it or not, they met in a gym, had more holy experiences and even spent time with God there.
Open your mind a little. Visit someone else's holy place. Ask them why it's holy to them. You may be surprised at what you learn... (and so you know, Nicole thinks this way too, she wasn't bashing the gym. She had come down to spend time with God while worshipping during NewSong's practice).
Friday, July 03, 2009
The Lengths People Will Go Not To Believe In Jesus
It's something I've been thinking about today. I was reading this morning the story of the Resurrection, Jesus rising again. Wonderful story (I'm so glad it's there, the crucifixion always makes me sad). And in that story, you would think everyone would be excited. Even those that did not believe Jesus was the Son of God before. Here, He just rose from the dead like He said He would. We were there. We saw it. But instead of accepting that truth, let's pay the guards off to say the disciples stole their body.
Take a second to think about that. These people are living at the time of Christ, they have undeniable proof that He is alive, and they bribe the guards to say they were asleep on the job (a crime punishable by death). Why?! Because they will do anything, anything to say Jesus is not God. Because in admitting Jesus is God they have to also admit they are not following God as they should be, and that would mean changing their faith and lives. Which is easier, to change for the truth or maintain the lie?
This also hit me when I was reading about genetics yesterday. There are still many scientists that hold to the idea of Darwinian evolution. A theory (not proven) that has been falling apart steadily in the last 50 years with new discoveries, the Cambrian explosion, the human genome project, modern genetic research, etc. As scientist Stephen Meyer put it (director of the Discovery Institutes's Center for Science and Culture), "We've learned a lot about biology since the Civil War. Evolutionists are still trying to apply Darwin's nineteenth-century thinking to a twenty-first century reality, and it's not working. Explanations from the era of the steamboat are no longer adequate to explain the biological world of the information age." And yet people still chase after Darwinian evolution. Why? Well, what's the alternative? Which is easier, to change for the truth or maintain the lie?
I honestly believe that most people like the idea of Jesus. They like the idea of a loving God whose Son came to earth to offer forgiveness. What they don't like is the idea of then taking themselves out of the center of their universe and putting God there, changing how they live, even their purpose in life. It's a scary thing. It's kind of like I was reading yesterday about talking with volunteers. Most people you ask to volunteer have reasons they can't do it, like I don't have time. Realistically, they do have the time, and realistically, they want to volunteer, but they are worried about what it really means to minister to high school students. They don't say "there's no time" because there really isn't, they say it because the realization they do have time and they could help means changing some things in their lives and that scares them.
So where do we sit? Are we willing to change for truth or maintain the lie? And I know Christians that do this too. Yes, they believe in Jesus, but then they read sections like "take up your cross" or "be a servant of all" and that doesn't fit with their "it's all about me, Jesus saved me, the church meets my needs" mentality so instead of knowing more about Jesus, they resign themselves to know less and stay where they are comfortable. But since when do comfortable people grow...?
T
Take a second to think about that. These people are living at the time of Christ, they have undeniable proof that He is alive, and they bribe the guards to say they were asleep on the job (a crime punishable by death). Why?! Because they will do anything, anything to say Jesus is not God. Because in admitting Jesus is God they have to also admit they are not following God as they should be, and that would mean changing their faith and lives. Which is easier, to change for the truth or maintain the lie?
This also hit me when I was reading about genetics yesterday. There are still many scientists that hold to the idea of Darwinian evolution. A theory (not proven) that has been falling apart steadily in the last 50 years with new discoveries, the Cambrian explosion, the human genome project, modern genetic research, etc. As scientist Stephen Meyer put it (director of the Discovery Institutes's Center for Science and Culture), "We've learned a lot about biology since the Civil War. Evolutionists are still trying to apply Darwin's nineteenth-century thinking to a twenty-first century reality, and it's not working. Explanations from the era of the steamboat are no longer adequate to explain the biological world of the information age." And yet people still chase after Darwinian evolution. Why? Well, what's the alternative? Which is easier, to change for the truth or maintain the lie?
I honestly believe that most people like the idea of Jesus. They like the idea of a loving God whose Son came to earth to offer forgiveness. What they don't like is the idea of then taking themselves out of the center of their universe and putting God there, changing how they live, even their purpose in life. It's a scary thing. It's kind of like I was reading yesterday about talking with volunteers. Most people you ask to volunteer have reasons they can't do it, like I don't have time. Realistically, they do have the time, and realistically, they want to volunteer, but they are worried about what it really means to minister to high school students. They don't say "there's no time" because there really isn't, they say it because the realization they do have time and they could help means changing some things in their lives and that scares them.
So where do we sit? Are we willing to change for truth or maintain the lie? And I know Christians that do this too. Yes, they believe in Jesus, but then they read sections like "take up your cross" or "be a servant of all" and that doesn't fit with their "it's all about me, Jesus saved me, the church meets my needs" mentality so instead of knowing more about Jesus, they resign themselves to know less and stay where they are comfortable. But since when do comfortable people grow...?
T
Monday, June 29, 2009
Fishers Freedom Festival Parade
Thanks to all who worked on the float, it seemed like people really enjoyed it, they liked the seeds, and some people were even singing along with the praise songs! Thanks to everyone who helped out, I hope to have some pics up by the end of the week.
Although, since we sing those songs Sunday morning at NewSong, and one we even sang that morning, they are completely stuck in my head. No matter what I do, all I can hear in the back of my mind is "Oh Oh O-oh, Oh Oh O-oh"...
Although, since we sing those songs Sunday morning at NewSong, and one we even sang that morning, they are completely stuck in my head. No matter what I do, all I can hear in the back of my mind is "Oh Oh O-oh, Oh Oh O-oh"...
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Necessities
Today we set up a good chunk of the float for the Fishers Freedom Festival Parade. Thanks to everyone who helped out, and I hope to see you tomorrow during the parade.
But as we were finishing up Liz and I were talking about an article she was reading. It was about a book saying how we don't really need all we think we do, a book idea that was pitched over 20 years ago, but the author was told no one would buy a book about buying less or living smaller (it was the 80's).
But really, ow much do we need? The number one suggestion in the article to live simply, watch less TV. After all, every seven minutes you have a set of commercials explaining how much you need their product. I experienced it last night. I was watching TV and suddenly got hungry, no idea why, until I realized I had just seen about five ads for fast food. I had eaten only an hour before!
So start thinking about it. We're going to be talking about it at FUMC (www.fishersumc.org) during our "In God We Trust" series the first three weeks of July. How much do you really need?
Matthew 6:25 ~ “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear." (LB, spoken by Jesus)
T
But as we were finishing up Liz and I were talking about an article she was reading. It was about a book saying how we don't really need all we think we do, a book idea that was pitched over 20 years ago, but the author was told no one would buy a book about buying less or living smaller (it was the 80's).
But really, ow much do we need? The number one suggestion in the article to live simply, watch less TV. After all, every seven minutes you have a set of commercials explaining how much you need their product. I experienced it last night. I was watching TV and suddenly got hungry, no idea why, until I realized I had just seen about five ads for fast food. I had eaten only an hour before!
So start thinking about it. We're going to be talking about it at FUMC (www.fishersumc.org) during our "In God We Trust" series the first three weeks of July. How much do you really need?
Matthew 6:25 ~ “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear." (LB, spoken by Jesus)
T
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Good Ol' Days
This morning I was thinking about all the things we do simply because we don't want to learn a new/better way. Call it "old dog new tricks" or simply being lazy, but we as a society don't like to learn new things or change what we're doing to be better. A few general examples would be our QWERTY keyboard (the way we type was intentionally used to slow fingers down to stop typewriter keys from sticking, but we still use it) or the metric system (America finally joined the rest of the world by officially using metric in 1993, but we don't actually use it, it's too much to learn, even though it's easier and people still don't know the system we have now, Lorie still asks me how many ounces are in a pound...)
So I started thinking about the ministry I'm involved in. This summer marks 10 years of full-time ministry for me. What if I still did things the way I did a decade ago...
~if I wanted to reach everyone in the youth group, it meant calling and leaving a message at each house or mailing a letter. No cell phones, no text messaging and only nerds had email (like me...)
~to mail something, like a newsletter, if I wanted art I would have to photocopy the art from a book, cut it out, tape it to the letter I was making, and photocopy it again. Programs like publisher were expensive and since my top of the line computer had a hard drive of 3 (yes 3!) gig, saving pictures was not an option (and that was my home computer, my church computer way worse).
~to do anything with video it required careful planning and recording everything on a camera in order or painstakingly plugging two VCR's in together and play/pause/record/pause/play/stop. But seeing how no one could afford a projector, the only way to watch a video was for me to carry a TV and VCR downstairs to the youth room. It happened seldom.
~without projectors, Sunday morning worship was the almighty overhead, black letters on a shining white backdrop. And after singing a verse a giant black hand would swoop in from the side, all the lyrics would blur to the right and new ones would appear then need to be adjusted, centered, flipped over and/or turned right side up. For every verse of every song for every service...
~recording a service was done on tape. If someone wanted a copy, it meant plugging two tape recorders into each other and waiting through the entire sermon again (unless you had an awesome tape duplicator like my college which could do a tape in 1/4th the time!)
~all pictures of youth events were done on film. You could get digital copies made so you could print more than one for your group, but that would require finishing the roll and waiting the four days for it to go out of town and come back on a Kodak CD.
~no video illustrations, no youtube.
~there were no online or offline Bible programs. All lessons, sermons, etc. were done with the lesson book, a Strong's Concordance and pure Bible knowledge.
And that's just off the top of my head in a little under a decade. And I know what the purists, those that don't like change, are going to say, none of this changes the gospel message. And that's true. But it's changed how I present the gospel. It's changed how I get that message to people. It hurts to think of all the time I "wasted" (there was no other way) when I could have been working more on my sermon or with students. Even this blog, wouldn't have happened a decade ago. Instead of spending most of my time preparing for a Sunday morning photocopying overheads, putting them in order, then having half my sermon prep be cross-referencing or trying to find that verse I know is in Romans somewhere, I can spend more time on the content and presenting that message.
Don't be an old dog. I just had to pause a second ago because Julie came in with a newsletter question, trying to get a photo where it should be for our church newsletter "Rooted". Man, that would have never happened a decade ago...
T
So I started thinking about the ministry I'm involved in. This summer marks 10 years of full-time ministry for me. What if I still did things the way I did a decade ago...
~if I wanted to reach everyone in the youth group, it meant calling and leaving a message at each house or mailing a letter. No cell phones, no text messaging and only nerds had email (like me...)
~to mail something, like a newsletter, if I wanted art I would have to photocopy the art from a book, cut it out, tape it to the letter I was making, and photocopy it again. Programs like publisher were expensive and since my top of the line computer had a hard drive of 3 (yes 3!) gig, saving pictures was not an option (and that was my home computer, my church computer way worse).
~to do anything with video it required careful planning and recording everything on a camera in order or painstakingly plugging two VCR's in together and play/pause/record/pause/play/stop. But seeing how no one could afford a projector, the only way to watch a video was for me to carry a TV and VCR downstairs to the youth room. It happened seldom.
~without projectors, Sunday morning worship was the almighty overhead, black letters on a shining white backdrop. And after singing a verse a giant black hand would swoop in from the side, all the lyrics would blur to the right and new ones would appear then need to be adjusted, centered, flipped over and/or turned right side up. For every verse of every song for every service...
~recording a service was done on tape. If someone wanted a copy, it meant plugging two tape recorders into each other and waiting through the entire sermon again (unless you had an awesome tape duplicator like my college which could do a tape in 1/4th the time!)
~all pictures of youth events were done on film. You could get digital copies made so you could print more than one for your group, but that would require finishing the roll and waiting the four days for it to go out of town and come back on a Kodak CD.
~no video illustrations, no youtube.
~there were no online or offline Bible programs. All lessons, sermons, etc. were done with the lesson book, a Strong's Concordance and pure Bible knowledge.
And that's just off the top of my head in a little under a decade. And I know what the purists, those that don't like change, are going to say, none of this changes the gospel message. And that's true. But it's changed how I present the gospel. It's changed how I get that message to people. It hurts to think of all the time I "wasted" (there was no other way) when I could have been working more on my sermon or with students. Even this blog, wouldn't have happened a decade ago. Instead of spending most of my time preparing for a Sunday morning photocopying overheads, putting them in order, then having half my sermon prep be cross-referencing or trying to find that verse I know is in Romans somewhere, I can spend more time on the content and presenting that message.
Don't be an old dog. I just had to pause a second ago because Julie came in with a newsletter question, trying to get a photo where it should be for our church newsletter "Rooted". Man, that would have never happened a decade ago...
T
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
But What Happened To Them?
If you've ever read the Bible, you've probably noticed that it's not always heavy on the details. Ancient Jewish writing is different from today's style. Back then you didn't have printing presses and much of what is written was actually passed on verbally, so you didn't focus on all the details like we do today. You tell only the pieces that are necessary for the story or point.
But I like the details. And I really like it when I know more to the story. Like in what I was reading today. Ezekiel 37:1-14, it's a story where God tells Ezekiel to prophecy to a bone yard and as he prophecies the bones come together, flesh and skin cover them and they become people. Then God tells Ezekiel to prophecy to the wind to breathe life into them and it does. Then God explains that these people are like the people of Israel, they feel dead and in pieces, but God will bring them back together and breathe life into them.
Great story. Incredible illustration. But what happened to those people? The story ends there and Ezekiel's on to something else. What happened to these dead people? Did they die again instantly? Did they go home and yell, "Surprise" (they would have been dead a while if they were nothing but a pile of bones)? Did they become some sort of zombie army ravaging the land until they were killed... again?
I understand that we will never know, and that thinking this way completely misses the point that God will take care of His destitute people and give them new life (or live more abundantly, John 10:10), but it's part of who I am, I just wish I knew what happened next...
I still wonder what they looked like. Did they look like when they died? The same age? I'm guessing they looked pretty good, God didn't put them together with scars and zits or anything. Did they know what was going on? So many questions...
T
But I like the details. And I really like it when I know more to the story. Like in what I was reading today. Ezekiel 37:1-14, it's a story where God tells Ezekiel to prophecy to a bone yard and as he prophecies the bones come together, flesh and skin cover them and they become people. Then God tells Ezekiel to prophecy to the wind to breathe life into them and it does. Then God explains that these people are like the people of Israel, they feel dead and in pieces, but God will bring them back together and breathe life into them.
Great story. Incredible illustration. But what happened to those people? The story ends there and Ezekiel's on to something else. What happened to these dead people? Did they die again instantly? Did they go home and yell, "Surprise" (they would have been dead a while if they were nothing but a pile of bones)? Did they become some sort of zombie army ravaging the land until they were killed... again?
I understand that we will never know, and that thinking this way completely misses the point that God will take care of His destitute people and give them new life (or live more abundantly, John 10:10), but it's part of who I am, I just wish I knew what happened next...
I still wonder what they looked like. Did they look like when they died? The same age? I'm guessing they looked pretty good, God didn't put them together with scars and zits or anything. Did they know what was going on? So many questions...
T
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Great Adults
Tonight we had an adult meeting for our summer mission trip. Seven adults who are willing to give up an evening to spend it with me (and each other) talking about what we will be doing in a few weeks.
And after they left (although I knew it before), I started thinking about how great these guys and girls are. Something I've said for a long time is if you want to see what's important to someone, watch how they spend their time and their money. And tonight, I looked at that. We have seven people who are giving up their summer vacation, a week they have worked hard to earn, and possibly even a week's pay to spend that time with our students. Obviously, they care about our students and God's plan for them.
Thank you guys, for all you do!
T
And after they left (although I knew it before), I started thinking about how great these guys and girls are. Something I've said for a long time is if you want to see what's important to someone, watch how they spend their time and their money. And tonight, I looked at that. We have seven people who are giving up their summer vacation, a week they have worked hard to earn, and possibly even a week's pay to spend that time with our students. Obviously, they care about our students and God's plan for them.
Thank you guys, for all you do!
T
Friday, June 19, 2009
Hallelujah
There's a song by Leonard Cohen called "Hallelujah". It's a nice song. Slow, melodic, and obviously means a lot by the title.
I don't know what it is, but I have heard that song everywhere lately. Commercials. TV Shows. It seems to be in the background of everything. And all of them have something in common. They all seem to be at some point where someone is on the brink of despair and manages to come back. A time that's very emotional. Not necessarily "happy", but emotional.
And I started to think today as it was playing on my iPod, isn't it funny how the word that was used to be an ultimate praise to God is being sung by people whenever things are hard and wrong and they're just crying out for a change, for a helping hand from heaven. When at their lowest point, all they can do is actually praise God, singing "Hallelujah"...
T
I don't know what it is, but I have heard that song everywhere lately. Commercials. TV Shows. It seems to be in the background of everything. And all of them have something in common. They all seem to be at some point where someone is on the brink of despair and manages to come back. A time that's very emotional. Not necessarily "happy", but emotional.
And I started to think today as it was playing on my iPod, isn't it funny how the word that was used to be an ultimate praise to God is being sung by people whenever things are hard and wrong and they're just crying out for a change, for a helping hand from heaven. When at their lowest point, all they can do is actually praise God, singing "Hallelujah"...
T
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Pruning
In our backyard we have a rosebush that is really, really blooming this year. A few weeks ago it was bright red with tons of flowers. It was very pretty, But, it also needed work.
Anyone who has grown their own produce or worked with flowers knows you need to do the occasional pruning. As beautiful as the rose bush was, there were maybe 40 flowers on it. But when I started pruning I noticed two things. One, some of the flowers were wilting or dying, but they were still taking nutrients from the bush. The other thing, there were buds waiting to come out. Over 90! (I counted). And those buds couldn't get sun because of the flowers over them. The bush needed to be pruned to allow growth.
Sometimes I think we need to do this to grow spiritually. We have areas that are dying or wilting, but from afar they look great or they just seem like a part of the plant. We even have healthy parts, but they are draining the overall plant. It really hurts to prune those parts, they seem vital and alive. Although they're alive, they're not vital and need to go so other parts can grow.
What in your life needs to be pruned? Look at what you spend time on, money on, effort on. What needs to be set aside? It may even be something that seems good, but is blocking / sucking the life out of something more important...
T
Anyone who has grown their own produce or worked with flowers knows you need to do the occasional pruning. As beautiful as the rose bush was, there were maybe 40 flowers on it. But when I started pruning I noticed two things. One, some of the flowers were wilting or dying, but they were still taking nutrients from the bush. The other thing, there were buds waiting to come out. Over 90! (I counted). And those buds couldn't get sun because of the flowers over them. The bush needed to be pruned to allow growth.
Sometimes I think we need to do this to grow spiritually. We have areas that are dying or wilting, but from afar they look great or they just seem like a part of the plant. We even have healthy parts, but they are draining the overall plant. It really hurts to prune those parts, they seem vital and alive. Although they're alive, they're not vital and need to go so other parts can grow.
What in your life needs to be pruned? Look at what you spend time on, money on, effort on. What needs to be set aside? It may even be something that seems good, but is blocking / sucking the life out of something more important...
T
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Discipleship
Sorry it's been a few days. I was at Ichthus last weekend and along with VBS set-up, I've been a little sleep deprived (I think I preached in the middle of that...)
Anyway, Ichthus was good. There were two things that really stood out to me. One was a little personal. Deleriou5? played what may be the last concert I will ever see of them (they are retiring as a band, it's only been 17 years). Even though I don't know every single song of theirs, it was good to see some people who are pioneers in the modern worship movement and hear them speak from their heart.
The other was discipleship. It's funny how God seems to be driving some points home in people around here. For the last almost year we've been talking at Drink Deep about reaching out with the gospel, but how that's not just saying, "Believe in Jesus, well, see you later." It takes work and discipleship. This weekend Justin Lookadoo said exactly the same thing. We as the church may be missing it. We seem to like the idea of people knowing there is a God. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Good, then you're in."
The problem is I can believe in someone, but not follow them. Not serve them. Not worship them. I had a teacher at college who was a great friend. I believe in him. I know him. But that didn't make me a fellow teacher. When it comes to Jesus, just knowing who He is or believing He exists isn't enough. As Justin reminded the crowd, even demons believe in Jesus. So you're about as strong a Christian as a demon, good job (that's found in James 2, it's a good section about serving). We need to move from personal head knowledge to a life of dedication and service and love to our God.
After all, as we've been talking about in Fire & Water, we're not called to make converts, to help people simply believe there is a Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20 ~ Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world." (italics added)
Anyway, Ichthus was good. There were two things that really stood out to me. One was a little personal. Deleriou5? played what may be the last concert I will ever see of them (they are retiring as a band, it's only been 17 years). Even though I don't know every single song of theirs, it was good to see some people who are pioneers in the modern worship movement and hear them speak from their heart.
The other was discipleship. It's funny how God seems to be driving some points home in people around here. For the last almost year we've been talking at Drink Deep about reaching out with the gospel, but how that's not just saying, "Believe in Jesus, well, see you later." It takes work and discipleship. This weekend Justin Lookadoo said exactly the same thing. We as the church may be missing it. We seem to like the idea of people knowing there is a God. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ? Good, then you're in."
The problem is I can believe in someone, but not follow them. Not serve them. Not worship them. I had a teacher at college who was a great friend. I believe in him. I know him. But that didn't make me a fellow teacher. When it comes to Jesus, just knowing who He is or believing He exists isn't enough. As Justin reminded the crowd, even demons believe in Jesus. So you're about as strong a Christian as a demon, good job (that's found in James 2, it's a good section about serving). We need to move from personal head knowledge to a life of dedication and service and love to our God.
After all, as we've been talking about in Fire & Water, we're not called to make converts, to help people simply believe there is a Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20 ~ Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world." (italics added)
T
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Compassion Offering
Every time we meet at Fire & Water we take an offering that goes directly to three students we sponsor through Compassion. We have been kind of wondering if we need to let one go. It hurts my head to think of doing that, but it's somewhat a reality...
Until last Sunday. We deposited the offering and there was $222.73!! One offering from Jr. and Sr. High school students! Good job guys! And thanks for supporting people who are less fortunate.
But on another note, if that's what a couple of teenagers can do, what can you do...?
T
Until last Sunday. We deposited the offering and there was $222.73!! One offering from Jr. and Sr. High school students! Good job guys! And thanks for supporting people who are less fortunate.
But on another note, if that's what a couple of teenagers can do, what can you do...?
T
Monday, June 08, 2009
Gardening
Tonight I did a little gardening while Lorie worked on VBS stuff (we still need volunteers to help out!) Usually that's her job, she loves to do it, but I helped out and planted (and disturbed way too many worms, I think they're going to revolt against me).
And as I was doing it I was thinking about how many people there are who don't like plants )or animals for that matter). I'm not saying everyone should be a tree-hugger, but I know this. Almost everything I do, make, say, create, even the bad stuff, Lorie still can find something positive to say. Why? Because she loves me. And part of loving me is that she loves what I do (for the most part).
I have a hard time seeing someone who is a friend of David Crowder saying, "He's a nice guy but I hate all his music, it's trash." Why? Because if you care for someone you care for what they do. And I don't know, but I think that as Christians, we should like what our Best Friend made.
Just a thought...
T
And as I was doing it I was thinking about how many people there are who don't like plants )or animals for that matter). I'm not saying everyone should be a tree-hugger, but I know this. Almost everything I do, make, say, create, even the bad stuff, Lorie still can find something positive to say. Why? Because she loves me. And part of loving me is that she loves what I do (for the most part).
I have a hard time seeing someone who is a friend of David Crowder saying, "He's a nice guy but I hate all his music, it's trash." Why? Because if you care for someone you care for what they do. And I don't know, but I think that as Christians, we should like what our Best Friend made.
Just a thought...
T
Sunday, June 07, 2009
The Good And The Bad Of Tonight's Hockey Game
I just finished watching the Red Wings game (I'd mention the Penguins, but I don't think they showed up), and although that was bad in itself, that's not one of the two things I noticed in the match.
First the bad. I am tired of players losing their cool. Yes, sports are emotional, and yes, it stinks to lose, but you know what? You are paid millions of dollars to play a sport! Suck it up buttercup and keep your composure. Pittsburgh started to lose and suddenly the Red Wings are getting elbows to the head. Horrible. If the role models who are paid to play a sport (and play it right) can't display self-control, why are we surprised when the ten-year-olds who watch their role models act like sulking babies can't do it either?
But, there was good in the game. There is one thing I love about Detroit fans. They are loud! They sing all the time. Even after the music stops, you can hear 20,000 people still singing, loud and proud. I just wish somehow we could get people in churches to be like that. Something I personally don't get, when singing a prayer to God with other people we mouth the words and stay quiet. When at a sports event where your voice really doesn't matter, that's where we're the loudest.
Just a query and a hope...
T
First the bad. I am tired of players losing their cool. Yes, sports are emotional, and yes, it stinks to lose, but you know what? You are paid millions of dollars to play a sport! Suck it up buttercup and keep your composure. Pittsburgh started to lose and suddenly the Red Wings are getting elbows to the head. Horrible. If the role models who are paid to play a sport (and play it right) can't display self-control, why are we surprised when the ten-year-olds who watch their role models act like sulking babies can't do it either?
But, there was good in the game. There is one thing I love about Detroit fans. They are loud! They sing all the time. Even after the music stops, you can hear 20,000 people still singing, loud and proud. I just wish somehow we could get people in churches to be like that. Something I personally don't get, when singing a prayer to God with other people we mouth the words and stay quiet. When at a sports event where your voice really doesn't matter, that's where we're the loudest.
Just a query and a hope...
T
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Poison Ivy
Friday was our annual Promotion Lock-In, we have fun at the church celebrating the last day of school and welcome our new freshmen (although most of you stayed home, what's up with that?)
Well, late Friday night I noticed a rash starting to form on my right ear. It was a little annoying, but whatever. The next morning it was on my forehead, then my other ear. It felt familiar but there was no way. No stinking way...
Yep, poison ivy. I managed to get poison ivy on Friday afternoon without ever going outside! I caught it in the youth room (to put minds at ease, yes it is possible because you get poison ivy from the oils of the plant. If someone brings the oil with them on some clothing or something and brushes against the youth room furniture, there's your poison ivy. However, it doesn't last forever, it will dry out and the youth room has been cleaned).
The part that frustrated me (and Lorie) is that I wasn't even outside. I didn't do anything to get poison ivy. Last time I had it, yeah, I was playing in the bush crawling through it in the middle of the night. This time, nothing.
But it made me think about our spiritual lives. We are told to avoid sin at all costs, but do you ever notice how things just seem to slip in? Accidentally seeing something on the internet, flipping channels, even visiting a friend who is doing something wrong and convinces you to join. It just seems to be everywhere. And sometimes we don't even know it.
Hebrews 12:1b ~ Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. (NLT)
T
Well, late Friday night I noticed a rash starting to form on my right ear. It was a little annoying, but whatever. The next morning it was on my forehead, then my other ear. It felt familiar but there was no way. No stinking way...
Yep, poison ivy. I managed to get poison ivy on Friday afternoon without ever going outside! I caught it in the youth room (to put minds at ease, yes it is possible because you get poison ivy from the oils of the plant. If someone brings the oil with them on some clothing or something and brushes against the youth room furniture, there's your poison ivy. However, it doesn't last forever, it will dry out and the youth room has been cleaned).
The part that frustrated me (and Lorie) is that I wasn't even outside. I didn't do anything to get poison ivy. Last time I had it, yeah, I was playing in the bush crawling through it in the middle of the night. This time, nothing.
But it made me think about our spiritual lives. We are told to avoid sin at all costs, but do you ever notice how things just seem to slip in? Accidentally seeing something on the internet, flipping channels, even visiting a friend who is doing something wrong and convinces you to join. It just seems to be everywhere. And sometimes we don't even know it.
Hebrews 12:1b ~ Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. (NLT)
T
Friday, May 29, 2009
Prophecy
I've been spending some time reading the prophets and am doing so again this morning. And as I was reading I've hit a section where it's a lot of "The Lord said unto me" type things. And I started thinking, what would happen if we had people going around saying things like that today.
My first reaction is we would think they're nuts. No one would listen. No one would pay attention. We've had thousands of years of people saying "God told me" only to find out that it wasn't true nor God. We would simply think "yeah right" and continue on with our day (it even happened to me not to long ago at a Wal-Mart. No one believed this guy).
But then I started thinking, no wait. We do believe in that kind of prophecy still. Just with one rule: It has to be good. If people are praying at church and someone tells another "God just spoke to me, He said you're going to be rich", we are all over that. Blessings upon you. Name it and claim it. We have no problem believing someone was spoken to by God if they have something good to say, but if it's bad, it can't be God.
And then I realized. That is exactly what is going on with the prophets in the Old Testament. A majority of them are saying things the people don't want to hear. And yet Jeremiah talks about how there are other prophets and they are not speaking the Word of God, they are just saying good things. And the kings and the people are eating it up and ignoring what they don't want to hear. They think something is from God if it's good. If it's bad, the "prophet" must be wrong.
Even in churches today, three thousand years later, are we different? Forget prophecy, if a pastor stands up on Sunday morning and says something the congregation doesn't want to hear, do they realize they should change or do they write it off as the pastor was wrong today? I even remember talking with a youth pastor in town about the idea of internet churches, you go online and pick the sermon you want to hear and he started to laugh. "We'd never hear about sin again. Give me grace every time!"
So really, how far have we come with God in three thousand years? And if we want to go further, what do we need to do?
T
My first reaction is we would think they're nuts. No one would listen. No one would pay attention. We've had thousands of years of people saying "God told me" only to find out that it wasn't true nor God. We would simply think "yeah right" and continue on with our day (it even happened to me not to long ago at a Wal-Mart. No one believed this guy).
But then I started thinking, no wait. We do believe in that kind of prophecy still. Just with one rule: It has to be good. If people are praying at church and someone tells another "God just spoke to me, He said you're going to be rich", we are all over that. Blessings upon you. Name it and claim it. We have no problem believing someone was spoken to by God if they have something good to say, but if it's bad, it can't be God.
And then I realized. That is exactly what is going on with the prophets in the Old Testament. A majority of them are saying things the people don't want to hear. And yet Jeremiah talks about how there are other prophets and they are not speaking the Word of God, they are just saying good things. And the kings and the people are eating it up and ignoring what they don't want to hear. They think something is from God if it's good. If it's bad, the "prophet" must be wrong.
Even in churches today, three thousand years later, are we different? Forget prophecy, if a pastor stands up on Sunday morning and says something the congregation doesn't want to hear, do they realize they should change or do they write it off as the pastor was wrong today? I even remember talking with a youth pastor in town about the idea of internet churches, you go online and pick the sermon you want to hear and he started to laugh. "We'd never hear about sin again. Give me grace every time!"
So really, how far have we come with God in three thousand years? And if we want to go further, what do we need to do?
T
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Circle Of Life
Sorry it's been a few days, Lorie and I were in Chicago for the weekend visiting the in-laws (or as Todd calls them, the out-laws).
But while we were there we received a gift from Lorie's sister and husband, a bag of squirrel food. (They didn't want it anymore, and they were trying to give us something we didn't want inside the bag, but that's a different story). This was good because we have some thieving squirrels. They take the feed from our bird feeder and empty it out all over the ground.
So we put out a little squirrel feed for them today (we were trying to coax the baby chipmunk from our flowers) and wouldn't you know it, they never got any. Why? Because the birds started stealing their food. That's right, the birds got back at them by taking their food.
Wouldn't life be so much simpler if animals (and people) took what they needed from where they are supposed to? Novel idea...
T
But while we were there we received a gift from Lorie's sister and husband, a bag of squirrel food. (They didn't want it anymore, and they were trying to give us something we didn't want inside the bag, but that's a different story). This was good because we have some thieving squirrels. They take the feed from our bird feeder and empty it out all over the ground.
So we put out a little squirrel feed for them today (we were trying to coax the baby chipmunk from our flowers) and wouldn't you know it, they never got any. Why? Because the birds started stealing their food. That's right, the birds got back at them by taking their food.
Wouldn't life be so much simpler if animals (and people) took what they needed from where they are supposed to? Novel idea...
T
Saturday, May 23, 2009
"God Bless"
Tonight I was flipping around watching TV (I know, surprising), but I happened to come upon a concert that was playing. I stopped for a second. It was a little crazy, singing about anarchy with people spewing fire (did I give it away?). Lots of lights, at least in the 30 seconds I saw.
I was about to change it when they did a huge finale, fun to watch, then the singer says this. "God bless you."
Now I'm not trying to judge here, but I know about the band, they don't believe in God, they're singing a song about anarchy and definitely not promoting "Godly" values in the few seconds I saw, but they still said "God bless you" to the fans at the end of the concert.
How does that work? Do they believe in God? Do they believe but not follow, because that doesn't make sense to me? Do they understand it is a prayer they're offering? Does God see it as that? Is He happy He's mentioned or saddened He's associated with this?
So many questions...
T
I was about to change it when they did a huge finale, fun to watch, then the singer says this. "God bless you."
Now I'm not trying to judge here, but I know about the band, they don't believe in God, they're singing a song about anarchy and definitely not promoting "Godly" values in the few seconds I saw, but they still said "God bless you" to the fans at the end of the concert.
How does that work? Do they believe in God? Do they believe but not follow, because that doesn't make sense to me? Do they understand it is a prayer they're offering? Does God see it as that? Is He happy He's mentioned or saddened He's associated with this?
So many questions...
T
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Impulse Christianity
Earlier this week Pastor Mike and I went to a one-day conference in which the speaker said something that stuck with me.
Many people give, serve, do whatever it is to feel good. They want to have a sense of fulfillment. The problem is that the everyday steps of discipleship don't feel "spiritual" some days. Instead, the out of the ordinary things seem more spiritual or impactful. What this means (according to the speaker) is people typically wait and do things spur of the moment or impulsively because that feels better, it feels more spiritual in a sense.
But that's not the way it is. Discipleship is an everyday devotion, it is continually doing what you need to do for Christ, giving, serving, worshipping, whatever it may be.
Luke 9:23 ~ Then He said to all, "Anyone who wants to follow Me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to Me!
So let's not be impulse Christians. Let's be disciples.
T
Many people give, serve, do whatever it is to feel good. They want to have a sense of fulfillment. The problem is that the everyday steps of discipleship don't feel "spiritual" some days. Instead, the out of the ordinary things seem more spiritual or impactful. What this means (according to the speaker) is people typically wait and do things spur of the moment or impulsively because that feels better, it feels more spiritual in a sense.
But that's not the way it is. Discipleship is an everyday devotion, it is continually doing what you need to do for Christ, giving, serving, worshipping, whatever it may be.
Luke 9:23 ~ Then He said to all, "Anyone who wants to follow Me must put aside his own desires and conveniences and carry his cross with him every day and keep close to Me!
So let's not be impulse Christians. Let's be disciples.
T
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Art Is Too Easy
I was online looking for a piece of art that I can't remember the name of (that makes it hard). It depicts Jesus talking with His disciples.
And here's what I found. So many different pictures of Jesus. The classic looks, Him teaching, even Him holding a gun and showing a child how to shoot. And I was thinking who would bother to take the time and do that?
But that's when it hit me, it doesn't take anytime at all. Thanks to Photoshop and other computer programs, it takes a few minutes. Thanks to the internet in seconds millions have access to it. Five hundred years ago a work of art would take hours and years of someone's life, then there would be just the one. No one would make such mocking pictures as we do because quite simply it would be beyond their time.
Isn't it great how technology has made our lives better? And look at how we use it...
T
And here's what I found. So many different pictures of Jesus. The classic looks, Him teaching, even Him holding a gun and showing a child how to shoot. And I was thinking who would bother to take the time and do that?
But that's when it hit me, it doesn't take anytime at all. Thanks to Photoshop and other computer programs, it takes a few minutes. Thanks to the internet in seconds millions have access to it. Five hundred years ago a work of art would take hours and years of someone's life, then there would be just the one. No one would make such mocking pictures as we do because quite simply it would be beyond their time.
Isn't it great how technology has made our lives better? And look at how we use it...
T
Happy Birthday Lorie
Sorry I wasn't on lately. Yesterday was Lorie's birthday so we were out having fun :)
New posts soon.
T
New posts soon.
T
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Why Can't We Just Give?
Sorry, a short one, but it was on my mind.
Yesterday I was at a Christian Bookstore (getting Grad gifts, what are they? Find out at the Senior Brunch...) and at the counter they have the ever popular impulse buying things. And to the side was something you could buy, a bell or whatever, and for each one bought the company would send a Bible overseas.
What I don't understand is when did we hit the point that we only give if we get something in return? If you want someone to get a Bible overseas, just give to an organization that gives Bible overseas. How much of that giving do you think is used for the stuff you get to keep, promotion, packaging, etc. Even the 30 Hour Famine, this week we give out the "prizes" for those who gave certain amounts to the cause. Wouldn't the cause have gotten more if everyone just gave not expecting something in return?
But the sad part is, that's where we're at. Ask any fundraiser, if you want to raise money you have to be willing to give money, to spend money, to have something to give away as prizes (why auctions do so well).
Why don't we just give to give?
T
Yesterday I was at a Christian Bookstore (getting Grad gifts, what are they? Find out at the Senior Brunch...) and at the counter they have the ever popular impulse buying things. And to the side was something you could buy, a bell or whatever, and for each one bought the company would send a Bible overseas.
What I don't understand is when did we hit the point that we only give if we get something in return? If you want someone to get a Bible overseas, just give to an organization that gives Bible overseas. How much of that giving do you think is used for the stuff you get to keep, promotion, packaging, etc. Even the 30 Hour Famine, this week we give out the "prizes" for those who gave certain amounts to the cause. Wouldn't the cause have gotten more if everyone just gave not expecting something in return?
But the sad part is, that's where we're at. Ask any fundraiser, if you want to raise money you have to be willing to give money, to spend money, to have something to give away as prizes (why auctions do so well).
Why don't we just give to give?
T
Friday, May 15, 2009
"Standards"
Last night Danny won the "Hell's Kitchen" competition. I was really happy, since I told Lorie around the second week in that he would win. Good job Danny.
This morning he was on "Live with Regis and Kelly" doing a cooking segment and Lorie turned it on for me (she knew about it and I didn't, isn't she the best?!). During their time cooking, Regis asked Danny what he learned from Chef Gordon Ramsey (the host / judge of Hell's Kitchen). Without pausing Danny said "Standards". He then went on to explain how the most important lesson he could learn from Chef Ramsey was to make sure your standards are high, to make sure that every dish that comes out of the kitchen is perfect, not even one grain of salt too much or you redo it and do it right.
It amazes me how people will do this for food, or for someone else's approval, but when it comes to God or Sunday morning service or a Bible Study or whatever, I feel like the average Christian's expectation isn't to do their best, it's to aim just get it done, sometimes even mediocre is good as long as it's done.
Where did that come from?! What's sad is I don't think this is a new development. Back in Exodus God tells Moses that the sin sacrifice must be a one year-old lamb without defect. Now why would God have to be that specific? My guess is because if He wasn't, people would give God the cruddiest, crippled lamb that was one year old, barely fulfilling what they felt was the bare minimum of the Law.
We need to aim higher.
II Timothy 2:15a ~ Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of. (MSG)
I think we need to start doing our best at church, giving our best to God. Now before you all get mad at me, I didn't say it needed to be perfect. We should get as close as we can to perfect, but none of us are there (not even me believe it or not). BUT, from personal experience I've found that people are all too willing to give God the least amount of effort and call it their best just to get out of more work (yet, when someone special is in the pew, they somehow manage to find more effort, it's really strange...)
So let's do it, let's give God what really is our best, in all we do. Let's represent our Holy God right!
Colossians 3:17 ~ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NLT)
T
This morning he was on "Live with Regis and Kelly" doing a cooking segment and Lorie turned it on for me (she knew about it and I didn't, isn't she the best?!). During their time cooking, Regis asked Danny what he learned from Chef Gordon Ramsey (the host / judge of Hell's Kitchen). Without pausing Danny said "Standards". He then went on to explain how the most important lesson he could learn from Chef Ramsey was to make sure your standards are high, to make sure that every dish that comes out of the kitchen is perfect, not even one grain of salt too much or you redo it and do it right.
It amazes me how people will do this for food, or for someone else's approval, but when it comes to God or Sunday morning service or a Bible Study or whatever, I feel like the average Christian's expectation isn't to do their best, it's to aim just get it done, sometimes even mediocre is good as long as it's done.
Where did that come from?! What's sad is I don't think this is a new development. Back in Exodus God tells Moses that the sin sacrifice must be a one year-old lamb without defect. Now why would God have to be that specific? My guess is because if He wasn't, people would give God the cruddiest, crippled lamb that was one year old, barely fulfilling what they felt was the bare minimum of the Law.
We need to aim higher.
II Timothy 2:15a ~ Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of. (MSG)
I think we need to start doing our best at church, giving our best to God. Now before you all get mad at me, I didn't say it needed to be perfect. We should get as close as we can to perfect, but none of us are there (not even me believe it or not). BUT, from personal experience I've found that people are all too willing to give God the least amount of effort and call it their best just to get out of more work (yet, when someone special is in the pew, they somehow manage to find more effort, it's really strange...)
So let's do it, let's give God what really is our best, in all we do. Let's represent our Holy God right!
Colossians 3:17 ~ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. (NLT)
T
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Good Deeds Are Rare
Every once in a while people turn into the church parking lot or the road in front of my house with car problems (you need to get off 116th, trust me). Well, same thing yesterday. This guy was out of gas in front of my house.
So I helped. It didn't seem like I did that much. I gave him a ride to BP and back to his car. That's it. Then, he tried to pay me. And I remember thinking, "Why?" All I did was drive him to the gas station and back, woo.
But it's occurred to me since then, we pay for things that are rare. It is so rare that someone would just help another human being, it's in our mind here that they need to be paid for their services. It's just kind of sad. Are good deeds becoming extinct?
Galatians 6:10a ~ Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone. (NLT)
T
So I helped. It didn't seem like I did that much. I gave him a ride to BP and back to his car. That's it. Then, he tried to pay me. And I remember thinking, "Why?" All I did was drive him to the gas station and back, woo.
But it's occurred to me since then, we pay for things that are rare. It is so rare that someone would just help another human being, it's in our mind here that they need to be paid for their services. It's just kind of sad. Are good deeds becoming extinct?
Galatians 6:10a ~ Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone. (NLT)
T
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Do The Right Thing
For those that don't know, our church staff has a blog.
http://fishersumc.blogspot.com/
But anyway, on Sunday Kim wrote about how we need to be living with integrity. How that integrity adds to our message of who Christ is.
Now, the hard part about integrity is not what others see. Integrity is started when you can do the right things when no one is looking. I admit, I'm not perfect in this, but even yesterday I had a chance to get stuff for free. The person helping me at Wal-Mart misread my receipt and almost gave me $50 worth of free stuff. No one would have known, even Lorie wasn't around (although she probably would have figured it out when she looked in the back of the car...) but I did what I was supposed to do.
I'm not saying that to say I'm perfect or better. I screw up enough, trust me. But Kim just reminded me that we have to work that much harder on making sure we live out what we say we believe when no one is looking. It's almost like training. When I played baseball, no one saw the work we did in the outfield on Tuesday night, but when the game came on Saturday night, the training was evident. I think it's the same way here. No one will see the right decisions you make in secret, but they will see what you do in public, and it will be easier to live for Christ then if you've done your training before.
Just something to think about. Oh, and thanks to whoever left the note in my mailbox this weekend :)
T
http://fishersumc.blogspot.com/
But anyway, on Sunday Kim wrote about how we need to be living with integrity. How that integrity adds to our message of who Christ is.
Now, the hard part about integrity is not what others see. Integrity is started when you can do the right things when no one is looking. I admit, I'm not perfect in this, but even yesterday I had a chance to get stuff for free. The person helping me at Wal-Mart misread my receipt and almost gave me $50 worth of free stuff. No one would have known, even Lorie wasn't around (although she probably would have figured it out when she looked in the back of the car...) but I did what I was supposed to do.
I'm not saying that to say I'm perfect or better. I screw up enough, trust me. But Kim just reminded me that we have to work that much harder on making sure we live out what we say we believe when no one is looking. It's almost like training. When I played baseball, no one saw the work we did in the outfield on Tuesday night, but when the game came on Saturday night, the training was evident. I think it's the same way here. No one will see the right decisions you make in secret, but they will see what you do in public, and it will be easier to live for Christ then if you've done your training before.
Just something to think about. Oh, and thanks to whoever left the note in my mailbox this weekend :)
T
Monday, May 11, 2009
Let Your Yes Be Yes
It's a verse from the Bible (James 5:12, and Jesus said it in Matt. 5:37).
It was in my head because of something I read. This is one of my personal pet peeves. People who say they will do something but then don't do it. When I was in college our music professor had a friend who was moving his music studio, so he asked the choir for help. Everybody raised their hands and said they would. After, I went and talked to the professor, I felt bad that I couldn't make it (since I was the only one), but he didn't worry about it and was appreciative that I told him.
Wouldn't you know the night of the move, out of the 40 who volunteered, 2 showed up. That's right, two! Now I felt really bad because they could have used my help, but that's when he said he would rather have five people, but know all five are going to show up than have forty but only two show up.
And it makes sense. I bug the students about it all the time. Everyone wants to volunteer and feel good. But sometimes we volunteer to feel good and then can't make it. As someone that's now in charge of things like that, I would much rather have people I know I can count on than people who are simply going to say they will do something then not.
Here's how this all got in my head.
(Jesus speaking) “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.” ~ Matthew 21:28-31
To me it just makes sense...
T
It was in my head because of something I read. This is one of my personal pet peeves. People who say they will do something but then don't do it. When I was in college our music professor had a friend who was moving his music studio, so he asked the choir for help. Everybody raised their hands and said they would. After, I went and talked to the professor, I felt bad that I couldn't make it (since I was the only one), but he didn't worry about it and was appreciative that I told him.
Wouldn't you know the night of the move, out of the 40 who volunteered, 2 showed up. That's right, two! Now I felt really bad because they could have used my help, but that's when he said he would rather have five people, but know all five are going to show up than have forty but only two show up.
And it makes sense. I bug the students about it all the time. Everyone wants to volunteer and feel good. But sometimes we volunteer to feel good and then can't make it. As someone that's now in charge of things like that, I would much rather have people I know I can count on than people who are simply going to say they will do something then not.
Here's how this all got in my head.
(Jesus speaking) “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
“Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.” ~ Matthew 21:28-31
To me it just makes sense...
T
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