LEARNING WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE

July 13, 2010

2010-07-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

I'm considering taking a break from blogging for a while. Maybe it's a time thing. Maybe it is a lack of passion. I don't know.

Two weeks ago we made a drive out to Amarillo to celebrate Billy and Melba's (Kayci's grandparents) 60th anniversary. It was a very long trip and a very short celebration, but it was worth every minute of the drive. There were many bright parts of the trip, but the highlight for me was probably the little time I had with my sister-in-law, Amy. Amy lost her first husband to a freak accident over a decade ago. She married Kayci's oldest brother in March of 2002. She understands the pain of grief and loss. Our conversation didn't end with answers to grief, but it did give me courage to continue on the journey of faith.

This past week, David and Malaya have been in Memphis with us. They left this morning after a 9-day stay. It was incredible. David is a brother for life and I consider him a dear friend. It was an honor to stuff his face with some ribs from Rendezvous. Malaya is 10, and she's hilarious. We loved showing them off at church on Sunday.

My little bro comes with his family Thursday night and they'll leave on Sunday. He's going to lead worship this Sunday at SVC.

So, there you have it...the last two weeks of my life...and why I haven't been blogging much recently.

Life in a Honda CRV

2010-06-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Searcy for the 3rd Monday in a row. I've been honored to speak at Harding Uplift this year. I'm speaking in between two Spirit-filled preachers--Don Mclaughlin and Brian Mashburn. It's been an opportunity to speak a word of Jesus into the lives of thousands of teens. I'm blessed to be around them. Brandon Tittle does a great job spearheading this camp. He's a minister who happens to be a director.

After I teach Tuesday morning, our family is driving to Amarillo for a family reunion with Kayci's side of the family. Two boys in a car for that long...thank you whoever invented the portable DVD player!

Mute on God

2010-06-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

The rich young ruler doesn't have many friends. Throughout the years, he's made a lot of enemies.

We know the dude walked away sad: maybe he embraced Jesus' challenge and changed his life...maybe he rejected the teaching. Either way, he asks a question and Jesus gives a response that has been messing with people for centuries.

When it comes to spirituality, the guy is concerned about one thing--"eternal life."
Matthew 19:16, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?"

The answer Jesus gives the young-rich-guy-with-power has nothing to do with eternal life.
Jesus says, "If you with to enter into life, keep the commandments."

After a brief dialogue about rethinking the commandments, Jesus says, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."

Jesus doesn't seem to be too concerned with the original question about "eternal life".
He gives all of his attention and time to "this life".

This is what bugs people. Actually, it can tick them off.

The easist thing to do is to spiritualize the passage. That is, make it all about the heart being right with God. And this way, we can keep "our stuff" out of it.

The other thing to do is to water down the words of Jesus to only address priorities. Again, this way we can keep our stuff out of it.

I don't think the words to "sell everything" are a direct command for everybody, but I also don't want to dismiss the fact that Jesus is pretty passionate about speaking challenging words into cultures of materialism and greed.

But here's where I think we really miss the point of christianity. Sometimes we are too concerned about "eternal life" and not as tuned in to the fact that Jesus is seriously invested in what happens in this life. Our image of God is that we want him to prepare a great place when this world is over, but we want ultimate control over our stuff and time while on this world. This doesn't seem to line up with the story of Jesus in the NT.

Case and point--I think we can talk about heaven easier than we can talk about the activity of God in the here and now.
I taught three classes at Harding Uplift yesterday. I had a few hundred in the first class. I couple of hundred in the second and about a hundred in the third. I began each class with this statement, "I need two people to raise their hands." Immediately, like 20 hands go up before I even told them why I wanted volunteers. Then I said, "I need two people to share with me how God has worked in your life this week at Uplift." Every hand went down and everyone was trying to avoid eye contact with me in fear that I was going to call on them.
I simply wanted to hear testimonies. It wasn't meant as a test.
And...the kids couldn't do it. I had one raise their hand in the first class. After a long period of silence I had two raise their hands in the second class and I finally had one in the third class.

Now, do these kids love Jesus? Absolutely. They were great kids who had a hunger for Jesus. It was evident. But, when it came to articulating what God was doing in their lives, they didn't know how to talk about it.

I've received the same silence with adults both in worship services and in small group settings.

Why is this? I don't know how well we are doing at teaching people how to speak about God in everyday life. When it comes to articulating the activity and movement of God in the here and now, I'm afraid we are often mute on God. We can quickly go the end of times and talk to people about what they will miss if they don't prepare for eternity (and don't get me wrong, this is important) but I think there are people all around us who are eager to experience the abundant life right here...on this earth...where they are walking and sleeping today. I think one of the greatest challenges for Jesus-leaders today is to empower people to speak about God in everyday life. How do we teach this? How do we model this?

Announcements?

2010-06-20T20:59:00.001-07:00

I'm working off an assumption that most of the readers of this blog are either connected with a church or you have some experience of going to a church.

As someone who has been planning worship services for nearly a decade, the question always comes up, "Where do we place announcements this Sunday?"

No doubt that announcements can be beneficial. It's information about "body life" and it can serve in a way to help the body pray and function together.

On the other hand, announcements can easily disrupt a flow. Sometimes announcements are nothing more than reading everything in the bulletin which is already in the hands of everyone in the church.

So here is my question: What should be the function of announcements within the public assembly? What is the best way to inform people of things going on within the life of the church?

Harding Uplift & Their Applause for Jenny

2010-06-17T07:15:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of speaking at Harding Uplift on Monday night and Tuesday morning. I'll be making the trip for all 3 sessions this year. I had no clue what to expect, but I joined in the worship service on Monday night and found 1100-1200 kids who were really excited to be there.

I was talking about how God has chosen to join us in the crossroads and intersections of life and what this means for us. I began sharing the impact this has had on my life in 2010. I told them that on Feb.3rd my sister, Jenny, sent me a text that she was running a fever of 105. We exchanged a few text messages and the last one I received from her, it was actually the last coherent conversation I would have with her, was Jenny telling me that even in her sickness, she was praying for our home to sale and for us to find a great place to live in inner-city Memphis. I told the kids that on February 4th she went into the hospital and was immediately placed in ICU.

One thing I realized in this moment was that if you talk about a sick sister in ICU, you get every one's attention. :)

I talked about this for a few moments and then I said, "On February 22nd, she breathed her last breath."

I never expected what happened next.

Someone yelled out, "We love you Jenny!"
Then, the place started clapping and people began yelling:
"We love you."
"We were praying for you."
"You are loved."
"Our church was praying for you."

I was stunned. Shocked. Frozen.
It was moment in which the grace of God rushed over me.
I'll never forget it.

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Malaya was baptized last night at Bammel Rd. As soon as I get pictures, I will post a few.

Babyland & Peace

2010-06-08T06:52:00.000-07:00

This picture probably means nothing to you, but it does to me. The #1092 does something for me. It speaks a word of God into my heart.

I'll get back to this picture in a moment.

First, the good news of Jesus spread like wildfire in the 1st century world because it spoke a word into people's emptiness.
Jesus was a magnet for empty people.

So, this bleeding woman approaches Jesus in Mark 5. She's been bleeding for 12 years. According to Leviticus 15, she is unclean and anything she touches becomes unclean. Unclean kept you at a distance from society. There'd be no intimacy with a spouse or lover. No synagogue. No sacrifices. No contact with a priest. Basically, life sucked for you. 7 days of this was bad...try 12 years.

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Funny story. A.J. Jacobs (the author of "The Year of Living Biblically") spent 1 year attempting to follow every single command in scripture. Most of the book is absolutely fascinating because he's not a believer, but to follow every command means you have to pray and do other things that connect you with God and it really started to mess with him. There are funny stories like throwing pebbles at people in Central Park because they were breaking the Sabbath and the OT commands people to be stoned for doing it.
One night, Jacobs and his wife got in an argument. The next day he came home from work and he went to sit on the couch and his wife said, "I sat on the couch."
She was fully aware of Jacobs 1-year commitment and she knew that the OT teaches that anything a woman touches while she is bleeding is unclean.
So, Jacobs went to sit in the recliner. Again she said, "I sat there too."
Jacobs attempted to sit in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Again, "I sat in all of the kitchen chairs."
Jacobs had no where to sit. He ended up having to buy one of those folding camping chairs, which he began taking with him everywhere because as far as he knew, every chair in New York probably had a bleeding-woman who sat in it over the past week.

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Back to our bleeding-woman in Mark 5.
She knows if she can just touch Jesus' clothes that she'll be healed. So, she begins maneuvering her way through the crowd. Have you ever realized the risk she is taking by doing this? She's in a town in which most people probably know her as the bleeding lady...I mean...she has been bleeding for 12 years. I'm assuming she is veiled to cover up her identity. But anyone she touches is unclean. She touches Jesus and she immediately knows that she has been healed. End of story, right?
No! Jesus then exposes her by asking, "Who touched me?" Jesus asked a question in a public setting that exposes this woman for who she is. Is this a merciful move on the part of Jesus, or not?
The woman gives in and confesses.
Here is where it gets interesting. Jesus could have...and SHOULD have...sent her to the priest. He SHOULD have sent her to the place where she would offer sacrifices to make her right with God and with the synagogue.
But he doesn't.

Jesus skips straight to SHALOM. He goes straight to "peace."
Mark 5:34, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. GO IN PEACE, and be healed of your disease."

The peace that is found in SHALOM is more than Truitt meeting me at the front door when I go to work...holding up his two fingers while saying, "Daddy, PEACE" as a way to say, "Peace out."

Shalom meant wholeness, completeness, harmony, rest, rhythm, etc.
This is what Jesus gives Ms. Bleed-a-Lot.

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Now, back to the picture up top.
I preached on "peace" this past Sunday. While preparing this sermon, I felt compelled to take a prayer drive through my city (Memphis) to think and pray about peace.

There are so many things about Memphis to love: pork bbq (yes, Rick Atchley, it actually qualifies as bbq), music, history, culture...a special place of the "King's"--Elvis, MLK, Don & BB.
There are also valid reasons that Memphis has received the reputation it has today.
-We are ranked #2 when it comes to violent crime. Thank you Detroit for surpassing us last year.
-Forbes magazine listed us as one of the top 3 most miserable cities to live in.
-Racism is still rampant.

So, I went on a prayer drive because I was eager for God to speak a word of peace into my life.
My journey took me to Caritas Village.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. It is a community set within an impoverished neighborhood that exists to bring hope and change. You can see a bunch of wires to the left of this picture. They are in the shape of a human. If you were to count them you would get the number 147. Two weeks ago, a prayer service was held at Caritas. In the last year, 147 people were murdered in Memphis. The focus of the prayer service was to pray for peace/shalom to come to our city. Passionate prayers were prayed for God to come and end cycles of violence.

From there I went to Hope House.

Hope House is a daycare that serves families who suffer from the AIDS epidemic. To qualify for Hope House, one of your parents must be infected and you have to be under the poverty line. Walking into this place will rip your heart out. You are staring into the eyes of 6 month to 5 yr-olds...1/3 of them were infected from birth...and most of the kids either will lose their parent before they turn 16 or they will die before they turn 16.

Peace? Shalom?

Then, I went to Babyland. This picture at the beginning of this post is from Babyland. #1092 means nothing to most of you, but it represents an infant who died in Memphis whose family couldn't afford a burial. So, there is a field in Memphis where these infants are buried. Most of them don't have a name on their grave...they have a number.

There are more than 17,000 infants buried here.
If you want to read about a nurse who knew some of these babies personally, you've got to check out my friend's blog, Callie, who wrote about Babyland. You can check it out here.

One of our zip codes here in Memphis has a higher infant mortality rate than some 3rd World countries. Every 43 hours an infant will die in Memphis...and most of them die of preventable problems like no prenatal care, abuse and malnutrition.

I spent a while praying in this field.
I saw hundreds and thousands of discs with numbers.
I saw a few stones with names.

Here's what gets me...it's Jesus.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:9, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

He doesn't bless people who stand for peace or those who love peace or those who pray for peace. He prays specifically over people who MAKE peace.

So, if we are not creating peace among those around us, we are not being true to our baptisms, which enlist us as agents of peace.

The resurrection of Jesus has invited us into God's Shalom...we are called to join in his ongoing work of implementing the wholeness and harmony of peace in this world...here and now.

I'll tell you this, prayer-drives to focus on peace will smack you in the face and challenge your values. Enter such prayers at your own risk. Jesus might just do something to you.

Stiff-Arming God

2010-06-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

If you love football, there's nothing like a good stiff-arm. It is all about creating space and distance from your opponent. As a 29-year-old who still has dreams about my high school football days, I can vividly remember being on both sides of the stiff-arm. As the giver--it's thrilling. As the taker--it's humiliating. But it's one thing to blog about stiff-arming linebackers and safeties. It's another write to talk about stiff-arming God.

But we do it.
Remember, stiff-arms are all about creating distance, space, and separation, and we often do this with God...sometimes intentionally...sometimes subtly. I might not be too far off in saying that keeping God at a distance is where we like to hang out and camp.

What so much of spirituality boils down to is this--what are your expectations of God?
High expectations--means you live with the faith that God is very much involved in every day affairs and that He is eager to intervene and intercede in this present world.
Low expectations--means that you believe that God will take care of everything in the end, but that he's not concerned about interceding in every day affairs. One day, he'll make the world right.

Here's the kicker, if you choose to live with high expectations of God, moments will present themselves when you will feel like God has let you down...
...like he has made a wrong turn...
...like he has turned a deaf ear...
...like he has been silent and still.

So, let me give a little advice IF you want to save yourself from ever feeling like God has let you down...live with low expectations of God. Expect him to make things better in the end. But don't expect divine intervention in day-to-day life.

Many people call this "deism". It supposes that God has a plan for the universe, but that divine intervention isn't on his radar or agenda. For years, I thought that deists were crazy. After February of 2010, I've come to see that many times people become deists (even though many people wouldn't admit it) in order to protect God. Some things happen in life, and there's no way to describe it, but that God has his hands off but one day he'll set the world straight.

But, if you choose to live with high expectations of a God who is still eager to participate in a world in which he is deeply concerned about day-to-day life, then know this, there will come moments when we'll be forced to ask, "At what length do I want to keep God?" Because ultimately, the stiff-arm will inevitably become a form of idolatry, which is where many of us are in our prayer lives, because we use God for our purposes, plans, and agendas. And if we keep God at a distance, we can free ourselves from ever feeling like God could let us down again.

Call my faith small if you want, but today it is with hesitation that I choose to live with high expectations, and I have faith that God can do something with that.

What about you, do you have much experience in trying to keep God at a distance? Do you struggle to live with high expectations of God?

We Love Memphis

2010-06-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

My friend Kerry Crawford has a full-time job, and it is to love the city of Memphis. She spends her time traveling around to restaurants, museums, parks, bars, social clubs, and she attends nearly every festival in town.
Our staff from SVC hooked up with her for lunch last Tuesday. One of the cool things about hanging out with Kerry is that you get to take a picture with her "I Love Memphis" sign. Below is our team from SVC.

Joy & Happiness

2010-05-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

I'm curious, what do you see as the difference between "joy" and "happiness"?

Freedom

2010-05-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

Here's a video I shot a few weeks ago for a new series I'm doing called "Unchained." It's now on youtube. It's based on the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22. The Fruit of the Spirit is born out of a context of freedom. It teaches us how to live as free people.
Thanks to the Joe and Chris from the Highpoint Church. These guys do amazing videos. Check them out here.
Eric Cheney, the heart and soul of the tech crew at SVC helped me as well. This dude volunteers at least 15 hours of his week to help us at SVC.
Also, thanks to my dear friend and one of my shepherds, Jim Coleman, the chief jailor at the famous 201 Poplar jail here in Memphis. This guy has a flock of 1,000 staff members and 3,000 inmates and he deeply cares about them all.

Sports Central

2010-05-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's been way too long since I've talked sports, so here you go:

I want a Suns-Magic NBA finals, but I'm afraid it's going to be Lakers-Celtics. I've got to pull for Nash here. The dude was shooting running 3-pointers with one eye. (It reminded me of myself going one-on-one with Graves) Plus, Nash is who he is because he was formed and shaped as a Maverick. My prediction, Lakers over Celtics in 6.
There's a good chance Nebraska is going to get an invite to the Big 10. Though it will bring them more money, I don't want them to do it. Nebraska vs Ohio St isn't going to bring the kind of excitement as Nebraska vs OU or UT. Plus, it's hard enough for NU to recruit kids out of Texas...it will be even harder in the Big 10. My prediction, NU stays in the Big XII. Missouri goes to the Big 10. TCU joins the Big XII.
Could things get any worse for Tiger?
The Cowboys picked Dez Bryant in the 1st round. I hope he performs so well that Jerry cuts Roy Williams. My prediction for the Cowboys this year: 11-5.

That's all for now.

When I'm 70

2010-05-12T07:30:00.001-07:00

I'm still 40 years away from turning 70, but it doesn't keep me from thinking about the kind of person I'll be when I'm older. Kayci and I will be celebrating our 49th year of marriage. My kids will be in their 40's and grandkids might be graduating from high school. I'll still be cheering for the Cowboys, Mavs, and Huskers who will have won at least 20 championships between the 3 of them by then. I'd like to still be active in life--engaged in ministries of reconciliation, serving in communities, swinging golf clubs and traveling with my wife. I'll still read books and I'll eagerly be awaiting the 58th season of "24".

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But more importantly, I'm writing today to describe the kind of 70-year-old Christ-follower I want to be.

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I don't know what the church will look like in 40 years. If I read my generation right, I think the lines between denominations will be very thin. I think more churches will be actively involved in a number of humanitarian efforts...meaning that they will have a voice at the table of world-wide conversations concerning AIDS awareness, value of life, child-slavery, global poverty, education, and women's rights. I think growing churches (when I use the word "growing" I'm not just talking about growth in membership, but growth in mission, vision, and spiritual health) will be tapping into all different forms of social networking and media-aid. Baptism and the Lord's Table will be celebrated regularly as important aspects of the Christian life...not just for salvation but as two practices that keep us rooted in the story that calls us to a radical life of giving ourselves away for the sake of the world. I think the best evangelism will happen in neighborhoods, jobs, and in places where Christ-followers choose to live with intentionality and purpose...and...it won't happen so much with persuasive arguments but with lives that bear the fruit of something to be imitated.

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I've been in ministry almost a decade now.
I’ve seen a lot.
I’ve experienced a lot.
One of the great pleasures and challenges as a minister in the western world in the 21st century is that we speak to 5 generations every Sunday. I preach in front of people every Sunday...some of our oldest members remember WWII like yesterday. Some of our younger people who are graduating from high school were born in the early 1990’s. Did you know that High school graduates were born when Saved by the Bell was going off the air? That makes me feel old and I’m still 4 months from turning 30.

Over my decade in ministry I’ve had numerous encounters with older people. In so many ways we stand on the shoulders of the people who have lived lives of faith for decades.
Here’s something I’ve learned, every person is going to come to a point in their life when church practices are going to change. The message of the gospel may not change, but how the gospel is presented and lived out will always change.
I’ve seen many of my “more mature” friends respond to this change in a few different ways:
1) Along for the ride. I’ve seen many of my friends who have adapted to change and have embraced it. In many ways, they are along for the ride. They believe in the essentiality of Jesus being presented as the way, truth and life, but how that confession is lived out can be massaged and tweaked. They are willing to try new methods and surrender to new paradigms in order to see the good news of Christ enter into the crevices of life.
2) Don’t like it, but where else will we go? Some of my more mature friends aren’t big fans of change and for reasons that I’ll never understand. People who suffered during the Great Depression or lived during WWII were taught to hold onto what you have with a deathly grip because life is precious and sacred. These experiences shaped their lives and worldviews. It shaped theology and practices. But one thing is true with some of my friends in this group, they value relationships and loyalty. Though they don’t like changes in worship or in methodology, jumping ship isn’t an option. Some stay and become consistent complainers. Some stay, and even though they don’t like changes, they choose to encourage and edify.
3) Can’t take it. Some of my friends just can’t take it. Changes invade consciences and disrupt concentration. Some leave kicking dust and others leave grieving because they don’t want to, but they need peace, joy, and comfort.

Here are four principles I want to live by when I’m 70:
1) I do not want to be driven by fear. I want to learn to live the central message of Galatians 5 that in Christ we have been set free. I don’t want to be bound by anything but by the resurrection of Jesus. I want to be fearless.
2) I want “mission” to trump all forms of “traditionalism”. Traditions aren’t bad. I know that. But when traditions become sound doctrine things can become toxic. Too many times we want to be part of a church that does Sunday morning right before we are interested in joining in their mission or vision. I don’t want to live that way. I want to join in a faith community because I’m eager to get in on the mission of God in that place.
3) I don't want to care about comfort. Yah, I’m sure that comfort will be a major part of life when I’m 70. I’ll be popping in all kinds of vitamins and pills. I’ll probably invest in a comfortable recliner so that I can kick my feet up. But when it comes to the local church, I don’t want comfort to be the key to a joyful existence with others brothers and sisters in Christ. I hope to be at a place where I’m eager to join in daring, creative, adventurous attempts to present Jesus to everyone in every way.
4) I want to be an encourager to help people dream with God...especially for young ministers. I don't want to confine future leaders by relentlessly asking them to massage the church of my past. By then, I want to be fully able to let go of the church of my upbringing and to help the generations under me to dream with God of what the gospel needs to look like to reach the people of the 2nd half of the 21st century. If it means that I need to sing songs that just don’t do it for me, I want to sing them with passion. If it means that I need to serve in a soup kitchen full of prostitutes and drug addicts, I want to be at the table. If that means that I need to dye my hair blue to reach some kids, I want to do it. But if it means that I have to wear a Yankee jersey…now that’s just crossing the line. I want the spirit of Paul to be in me, “I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.”

You might think it is crazy that I’m writing about being 70, but I want to set in motion some principles and disciplines that will form me into a person who thinks, lives, and breathes the gospel story of Jesus. Plus, when I’m 70, someone will find this blog in my archive and hold me accountable. I better be ready.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Mom,
I called you this morning at 7:25am. I'm glad you were awake. You and I usually have a lot to talk about. But this morning, I didn't know what to say. I remember sitting in the hallway of the hospital with you during the 18-day fight for Jenny's life. As we sat their weeping, you lifted up a prayer expressing to God that it was 31 years ago that your life began.
For 31 years you have laid your life down for your 3 kids. You have been a discipler, nurturer and companion. Your 3 kids adore Jesus because you showed us a way of life that is absolutely thrilling. You made Jesus fun and adventurous!
Today, you grieve. For the first time in over 3 decades, you won't hear the voice of your oldest child on mother's day. I'm sorry. I wish I could be in Decatur with you. But know this, Jenny adored you.
You are loved in Memphis today!
Blessings,
Josh

Backing Out of Baptism...Almost

2010-05-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't written much recently, but I hope to get back into a better rhythm soon. 2010 has been a nice punch in the gut and the motivation and inspiration to write just isn't there.

I had the privilege of talking with my buddy Eric yesterday morning before he was baptized. Eric is 13 years old and he is a die-hard Memphis Tigers fan. The kid bleeds blue.
So he stood with me in front of a few hundred people and I told him how proud I was of him. I bragged on his family for a minute, and then I told him that baptism means something. It calls us to a way of life. I told him that our baptisms mean that we have to love University of Tennessee fans and that we have to pray for them...and not just for them to lose. At that point, I think he almost backed out, but he went ahead and went through with it. When asked about it later on during the day, Eric told everyone that I was joking. HA!
Here's the link.

When "Baptism" Would Cost You

2010-04-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Infant baptism became the primary method of baptism by the 5th century. It's because people cared about their kids. Two factors played significant roles in this decision:
1) Disease and epidemics were taking children at very young ages.
2) The idea of original sin was widespread. The teaching was that children were born with sin. They were born separated from God.
So, in a culture where people were taught that children were born as sinful creatures and infant mortality rates were off the charts, it becomes fairly easy to see how people could come to the conclusion that infant baptism would be necessary. People wanted to make sure their kids were saved. Plus, they had the Jewish tradition of circumcision on their side where infants would enter into divine-covenants when they were 8 days old.

Infant baptism quickly became more than a spiritual covenant. It had significant political undertones. At the baptism, the infant also became a citizen of the empire. Ultimately, you became a child of God and a listed soldier at the same time.

For over a 1,000 years in the western world, people were not immersed in baptism as believing adults.

This all changed in 1525.

The Printing Press changed the cultural landscape. People now had the resources to read Scripture with their own eyes. Up until this point, your knowledge of Scripture was primary whatever you heard from the Priest's mouth at church. And a lot of times it was in a different language, so good luck with that one.

A group of people were diving into Scripture and they began to ask, “Church wasn’t intended to include everyone, but only those who really wanted to follow Christ.” They began to question how a baby could join a church if they knew nothing but to cry, eat, and poop? The conclusion was that the only true baptism comes when one is old enough to understand its meaning.

There was one "minor" problem: it was against the law to not have your child baptized as an infant. Remember, infant baptism had spiritual and political connotations.

However, Conrad Grebel and his wife were expecting a child and they decided to not baptize the newborn as an infant. Other families close to them followed their example.
The Zurich City Counsel wasn't very happy about this. Quite frankly, it ticked some people off. So, they handled this civil disobedience like they would anything else: they held a public debate. Conrad (a great name of a revolutionary) and his buddies shared their recent conviction about baptism by immersion as adults, and the other side shared their 1,000-year-heritage of infant baptism.
Then, they voted, and infant baptism won.
Conrad and his friends were commanded to discontinue their "radical" meetings full of nonsense and to baptize their infants within 8 days...OR ELSE!
Conrad and his friends met that night to discuss what they should do. They prayed and they talked. They worried and they prayed. Then, George Blaurock, one of Conrad's friends, made up his mind that not only should they not baptize their infants, but if they believed that the NT teaches that adults should be immersed as the method of baptized, then they should be baptized themselves. So, Conrad baptized George and George baptized all of the adults who were present.
The high-up leaders of the city caught wind of their actions.
They were told to quit with their meetings, but they kept meeting.
They were told to quit with their teachings about baptism, but they kept teaching it and practicing it.
They were told to stop "OR ELSE", but they kept doing it and they were arrested, persecuted and executed.
Conrad and his wife were put to death within a year of their baptisms.

One pretty cool story is about a woman named Elizabeth Dirks. She was arrested because she had become one of the "radicals" who had been baptized as an adult. They began interrogating her with some sick methods. All they wanted was to know who had taught her these radical ideas and who had baptized her, but she was silent. They proceeded with all kinds of Jack-Bauer-like techniques. They drove screws underneath her fingernails, but she remained silent. They drove larger screws into her legs crushing her bones until she fainted. Still silent. (Needless to say, Jack Bauer would have had greater success, right?) When they realized they couldn't get any info from her, they put her in a bag and tossed her into the river.

This dude named Balthasar Hubmaier baptized over 6,000 people in a time when it was illegal to baptize adults. He was burned at the stake and his wife was drowned.

Thousands of adults were baptized and thousands were killed for it. Drowning became the chosen method of execution. It was performed out of sarcasm, "You people want to be immersed as adults...we will immerse you." Then, they would tie them to chairs and toss them in rivers or lakes.

So, here's my question, what does it say about baptism that thousands of people would risk their lives because they believed in it so much?

I don't want to read too much into the actions of the anabaptists (the radicals in this story), but it doesn't seem that they engaged in acts of adult-baptisms just to get to heaven, but they actually believed that the "baptized-life" could transform their "here and now." They seemed to be eager to live in a different story. And...I like that.

Props to the Kojies

2010-04-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

Back in 1997, Jenny decided to pledge a social club at ACU. She went with Ko Jo Kai.
Though she never became one of those club members who are sold out to their club while distancing themselves from everyone else, she did thoroughly enjoy her life as a kojie.
She was never much of a intramural player, but she lived for Sing-Song...a big event where social clubs perform on stage and compete against one another. Trust me, if they allowed alumni to join them on stage every year, Jenny would have performed until the day she died.

When Jenny got sick, the Kojies quickly got involved in every way imaginable. They prayed fervously. They recorded songs that they would sing during their devotionals and would send them so Jenny could hear. When they won Sing-Song in February, they gave their money to the family.
Even though many of the current members didn't know Jenny, they have responded to the tragedy of the last two months as if they had known her forever.

Here's where it gets even more cool:
Last night David & Malaya (along with my parents) drove to Abilene because they wanted to thank the Kojies for all of their expressions of love. David also wanted a chance to show Malaya around Abilene. He wanted her to see where Jenny spent a lot of her time.
When it was time to meet with the Kojies they were led by one of the members of the club, Stacy Bryan (a great friend of the family), but when they got to the room where they were supposed to meet, no one was there. So, they went to the "Plan B" place. No one there either.
Then, Stacy led them downstairs to the bowling alley, and there were the Kojies...all of them. They began clapping as they surrounded Malaya. It was a surprise party. They put a hat on her. They dressed her in a Kojie t-shirt. They stuffed their faces with 3 different birthday cakes. They circled around my family and read a letter thanking them for the last couple of months. They gave Malaya a birthday present and then they handed David a fat check...a FAT check. The Kojies had joined with a few others to raise money for the family.

This party went on until midnight. Needless to say, Malaya already wants to be a Kojie and she just turned 10. David is a little concerned that a social club is "rushing" a 10-yr-old. HA!

Thank you, Kojies, for loving my family. Thank you for the many sacrifices you have made...sacrifices that remind us that God is present and near.

The Need for Easter

2010-04-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

Easter is about resurrection.
There is joy because Jesus conquered the grave.
There is sorrow because Easter also carries with it the reminder that things need to be resurrected. In my case, it's a sister who died at the young age of 31.
I've never needed an Easter Sunday as bad as I need this one. A step further, I've never needed to preach an Easter sermon as much as I need to preach this one. One more step further, I've never needed to believe the Easter message as much I need to believe this one.
As Christ-followers we get to celebrate the power of the risen Jesus every day. Every facet of our lives are transformed by the death, burial and resurrection. But for me, this doesn't take away the power of the Easter experience. This weekend is a reminder of the spiritual journey which carries us through the different seasons of life.
Friday is terrible. It's full of sorrow and tragedy. All hope seems like it's gone. We experience seasons that feel like Friday.
Saturday is about waiting, anxiety, and doubts. Will Jesus rise like he said he would? We experience seasons that feel like Saturday.
Sunday is about resurrection. There's no better news than that Jesus dealt a deathly blow to the powers of darkness in the world. We lean into Sunday desperate to experience the breath that flows from the lifeless grave.
Thank you God for getting involved in our grief.

Imagination

2010-03-31T12:01:00.000-07:00

I stole this from my dad's blog today.

Malaya had an assignment at school to complete the statement, "If . . ." Here is Malaya's response (remember, she is 9 years old):

If Imagination Were Real in Different Ways
By Malaya Bizaillion

If angels and spirits could talk . . .
If Mom were here . . .
If clouds were windows and the sun was the entrance to heaven . . .
If no one could leave this earth . . .
If hearts weren't broken . . .

If there were no color . . .
If there were no sin in the world today . . .
If death were defeated . . .
If heaven was earth . . .
If my heart was still full of pride and not broken . . .
If people could keep promises . . .

Words from a Grieving Heart

2010-03-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

I haven’t blogged in a while, because I’m still kind of numb. It’s hard enough finding words to preach on a Sunday. Words don’t come easy these days.
I know this—grief sucks! (Forgive me if “sucks” isn’t in your vocabulary)

It has been 20 days since my precious sister lost her fight against sepsis. I would give away all of my possessions just to have 5 minutes with her. I’d do anything to hear her voice, her laughter, and her prayers. She always prayed with a sincere faith. She had the kind of prayer-life that is on display in Acts 4…when Jenny prayed for you, walls would shake. I’m missing her like crazy.
Kayci and I went on a date Friday night. It was the 1st date we’ve been on since Jenny got sick. Before we stuffed our faces with steaks, potatoes and cheese fries, we went to the mall to walk around for a little while. I took a few steps into the mall when memories hit me like a ton of bricks. The last few Christmas’s we have played a game at the mall as a family. My mom gives all 3 of her children and their spouses $50 and then we draw a name. We have 30 minutes to buy gifts for that person. It’s a blast! This past Christmas, Jenny had me.

If a few steps into the mall bring back memories that make me so weak I want to fall on my knees, you can only imagine what the rest of life is like.
Christian music is a struggle right now for a couple reasons. One, Jenny loved it. I don’t care what Jeremy Camp song comes on, it reminds me of Jenny because she loved Jeremy Camp. She was so jealous the time I got to hang out with him before and after one of his concerts. Two, some of the theology in Christian music makes me question if some of these artists have ever experienced real life. Some of it is so full of fluff it makes me sick. At this season in my life, the people who speak to my life are those who have experienced deep grief. I want to listen to Stephen Curtis Chapman, Fernando Ortega and U2. I want to hang out with Judy Shockley, Debra Pound and Deborah Hawkins…widows who have lost their husbands over the past year.
I find myself engaged in American Idol now. Kayci and I have kept up with some of the seasons, but we haven’t been as interested recently. But Jenny loved Idol, so I watch it now.
Truitt keeps praying for “Jenny and hers chest.” It is precious, but it stings. We try telling Truitt that Jenny doesn’t hurt anymore, but he doesn’t really get it…and it’s ok. He adored Jenny!!!
I keep having dreams about Jenny. They aren’t bad dreams, they are good dreams, which actually makes it harder. They are dreams of connecting and interacting. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a dream to come true as bad as I do when I wake up from these dreams.
At times when I hold my two boys, a feeling of sadness comes over me. Truitt and Noah need their aunt Jenny. We’ll do everything we can to keep her story alive, but it’s not the same.

I’m crippled. We, the Ross’ and Biz’s, are crippled. But here’s what we learn about crippled people in Scripture, watch out for the day when crippled people begin to walk and leap.

So, I’ve been preaching a good discipleship game for 8 years. I want to give my life as an instrument God can use to form others into the image of Jesus. But the question I find myself wrestling with right now is this, “What does it mean to be a disciple when you don’t get your way?” I’m living in the tension of this, “How do I continue living as a faithful follower of Jesus when I have a broken heart?” Please don’t try to answer these questions for me. Just let me live in the tension for a while. I need it.

Unable to Escape the Love of God,
Josh Ross

Jenny's Memorial Service

2010-02-26T21:15:00.000-08:00

You can watch the funeral service for Jenny here. We miss her like crazy!

God Cried with Me Today

2010-02-17T12:52:00.001-08:00

(You can continue to follow my sister Jenny by clicking here)

God cried with me today, and that's exactly what I needed from him.

There are only a few people in this world I don't know life without. Jenny had just turned 2 when I was born. With her, there was never sibling rivalry. There was immediate connection. We were siblings who were also friends, or friends who happened to be siblings. The first 16 years of my life she was the protective one and we have a number of stories to prove it. If she didn't like a girl I was dating, she was quick to make life miserable for everyone involved.

At the age of 16, I experienced a dramatic conversion about the same time she was settling into college life. The roles reversed and I immediately became the protective brother the first time she used the word "marriage". It was like she had dropped the f-bomb or something.
I was offended by it.
It made me nauseated.
And I decided to do something about it.
From 3 hours away I would closely monitor her love-life. I was only 17, but I was confident that I could take out some punk-kid from ACU who tried to make a move on Jenny. After all, Jonathan and I watched Monday Night Raw every week and I'd seen Karate Kid like 5 times.
She contacted us one night to tell us that she was bringing a boy home to meet the family and I was determined not to like him. I wore the tightest shirt I could find and I did bicep curls before "the moment" arrived just to add to the intimidation factor. This guy (David, her husband) walked into the room. My arms were crossed and I was ready to regulate when his first words were, "Hey Josh, I hear you're a pretty good football player." If he would have started with, "Hey Josh, I'm David," I probably would have refused the handshake and had given him the eye, but when he started in with a compliment, I gave in. He's been part of the fam ever since and I couldn't ask for a better brother-in-law.

Over the past 13 days, 29 years of memories have flooded my memory. I've heard about the transforming power of ICU waiting rooms...I've sat in a number of them in my 8-9 years of ministry...but it's been different this time.

I arrived in ICU on Friday, February 5th, about 2:30pm. Even though I knew the seriousness of the sickness, I had no clue what I was walking in to. To see my 31-year-old sister lying in a hospital bed was one of the most helpless feelings I have ever experienced in my life. I wanted to pull the tubes out and take her to a mexican food joint or something. But I couldn't. All I could do was stand there by a bed praying and crying.

Waiting rooms force you to ask questions that you don't ask in the real world.
I've wrestled with the activity of God and spiritual warfare before, but it takes on a new meaning in a place like this.
I attempt to pray through the beattitudes in Matthew 5 regularly...words from Jesus that include "blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted"...but they spoke into my soul in a different way this time.
I preach on the power of community quite often, but now I've felt its power like never before.

I'm a changed man because of this brutal illness in Jenny, and I trust in God that that is a good thing.

For a number of days I've prayed to God for healing and power. I have joined with thousands of people, hundreds of churches, and prayer warriors in every continent (except Antarctica) who have prayed for God's healing power to do something miraculous in Jenny. We have experienced miracles that the doctors cannot explain. In fact, this morning, one doctor shook his head and said, "I'm beginning to believe in things I've never believed in before."

But today, though we continue to pray for God's power to be unleashed, I needed something different from God. I needed God to cry with me, and he did.

Some people think that God doesn't cry because he doesn't have any emotions. This just doesn't sound like the God who hung out in the Judean countryside.
I think some people take Revelation 21:4 and form their image of God from there--"he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away."
So, there won't be any tears in heaven because their won't be any pain. But if that's the reason you think that God doesn't get emotion, then you serve a God who stands at a distance and that can be dangerous to your spiritual journey.

I look around this waiting room and I see a place that has been bathed in tears. We have cried on chairs, against walls, leaning on coke machines, and standing in circles while praying. And, God has joined us here.

I wonder if Matthew concluded his gospel while writing during a time of grief. Persecution was breaking out and he felt compelled to declare that our story is one where Jesus is present with people. He abides. He hangs out. He enters into pain. He cries with us.

Update on Jenny Biz

2010-02-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

You can follow Jenny by clicking here.
A few thoughts before I go to bed. I can't believe it has been 4 days. I don't know life without my sister. From the moment I was born she has been a nurturer and a dear friend. We just clicked from day 1. Watching her lying in a hospital bed just blows my mind and I find myself waiting for someone to pinch me so that I can wake up from this dream.
I really missed not being with Sycamore View this morning because I know God did some pretty cool things. But I feel the love from my church family. I have received so many text messages that I have had to delete my inbox twice because it is full. I have received so many emails that it will take hours to work through them. I have received numerous voicemails that leave me in tears because of how much we are loved. I am not able to return all of the messages, so please don't think I'm ignoring you. Our Life Group called tonight after the 3rd quarter and over speaker phone, they took turns praying over Kayci and me. It left me speechless.
I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. We plan to wake up tomorrow and to put one foot in front of the other.

Update on Jenny

2010-02-05T15:24:00.000-08:00

Jenny is a very sick woman. Her kidneys have shut down. The doc's are trying everything. At this point they have given her a 50-50 chance to make it through the next 24-48 hours. Thanks for your prayers and for loving my family.
Here's a link and we will try and update it regularly.

Prayers for My Sis

2010-02-04T15:16:00.001-08:00

My precious sister, Jenny Bizaillion, was taken to ICU this morning. She was diagonosed with pneumonia and severe sepsis...meaning that the infection is in the blood stream. She is in very serious condition. The doctor said that the two things going for her right now is her age and fitness. Also, pray for her husband, David, and her 9-yr-old daughter, Malaya.

The Great Commission--Part III

2010-01-31T05:47:00.001-08:00

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age."

Jesus begins with a statement about authority. It is his. He can do with it whatever he wants.

Then, the first command isn't to "Come," but to "Go."

The specific task is this--"Go make disciples!" It's not optional. It's like the 10 Commandments. The call isn't to go build churches or to baptize. The call is to make disciples.

"Making Disciples" is the direct object of The Great Commission...meaning that everything in The Great Commission is about disciple-making. We "Go" to make disciples. We baptize to make disciples. We teach to make disciples.

So here are the big questions:
-What is a disciple?
-Where do we make them?
-How do we make them?
-What inhibits discipleship?

Our staff sat in a living room a few months ago for a planning session. I wrote these questions on the top of a white board and then we went after it. Everyone was firing answers and I was writing them down.
Here's what is intersting--there were very few comments/answers that had anything to do with events that take place at the church building. It was all relational. Sure there are aspects of discipleship that take place in worship services and bible classes, but so much of it pointed to the streets, highways and byways. Now, notice where/when/how Jesus taught his disciples. Rarely was it in the synagogue or Temple. It was almost always outside "religious" space. What does this mean for the church?

A disciple was more than a student.
A disciple wasn't just interested in knowing what their rabbi knew.
A disciple was someone who wanted to live like their rabbi lived.
This was a commitment to a way of life.

Here is something that inhibits discipleship and disciple-making: conversion-driven methods of sharing the gospel VS. disciple-making methods of sharing the gospel.

Think about it:
Did you know that there are some professors in Colleges of Business who watch Billy Graham sermons to teach their students how to make a sell? He's a master at it. Graham will be preaching in huge arenas or stadiums with thousands of people and he'll give a 15-20 minute long altar call. He'll say things like:
"Those of you sitting up there, I measured it off and it will take you 11 minutes to make it down front so you need to start moving."
"Those of you in this section right over here, there are people clinging to the chair in front of you. You need to let go and come on down."
We've seen this in Gospel Meetings and Revivals, right?

Quite honestly, here's been our interpretation of the Great Commission, "Go into the world and baptize people, and if disciples come from it...great. If not, then at least we've done what we could do to secure their eternal salvation."
That's not what Jesus had in mind.

Our baptisms are supposed to mean something. They're supposed to usher us into a new life.

I have people tell me all the time that they weren't baptized because they wanted to, but because they were scared to death not too. Sound familiar?

There has got to be a place for this question, "Why do you not want to be baptized?" The Bible is very clear about the promises and gifts of baptism.

But I think we need to begin asking this question more, "Are you sure you want to be baptized? Do you know what you're signing on to? This is more than status change. This is more than a belief system. This is more than a ticket to get into heaven. This is a commitment to live differently."

To take The Great Commission seriously means that we need to be just as interested in people after their baptism as we are before their baptism.

Discipleship is a lifelong journey of transformation. We never arrive. We never make it. But it is the call of Jesus--"Become one of my followers and reproduce this way of life."

Let's live in a way that people notice a difference in us and say, "Look, there is something different about you. Something is inside of you and I want in on it."

The Great Commission--Part II

2010-01-27T07:50:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine being Ryan Minor?
He was a two-sport star at the University of Oklahoma and was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NBA draft by the 76ers, but he chose to pursue a career in baseball. He was selected in the 33rd round of the MLB Amateur Draft. Minor would go on to play in 142 games in his short 5 year career. His career achievements were nothing to brag about: .177 career batting avg, 5 career homeruns, 27 rbi's, and he struck out 97 times out of 342 career at bats. But, Ryan Minor will always be remembered by Baltimore Oriole fans. In 1998, he was the backup 3rd baseman. Cal Ripken Jr. had already made his move from shortstop to 3rd base, which meant Minor would be one of those "10-run-players"--you only play if you're up by 10 or down by 10. On September 20, 1998, after starting in every game for 16 years, Ripken decided it was time for a day off. I wish I could have sat in on the conversation as the manager walked over to Ryan Minor and said, "Hey Stud, you got the start today. Go get'em Tiger."
If I'm Minor, I'm thinking to myself, "Who am I to replace a legend in the starting line-up? All these fans have been coming to the park for 16 years to watch Ripken field balls, toss double plays, and step into the box 4-5 times a game."

Now, imagine the disciples in Matthew 28. Who are they to carry on the mission of Jesus? All authority "in heaven AND on earth" was given to Jesus. It is his. Which means he can do with it whatever he wants to do. And here's what Jesus chose to do, "I'm going to entrust MY STORY to a bunch of non-professionals." It would never work, right?

After Jesus' words about authority, he gives a command, "GO!"

This is where we confuse the essence of The Great Commission.
Last Saturday night Kayci and I were driving to the Foreman's house to watch the Memphis Tigers and to play a little Rock Band. On the way there, I couldn't help but notice church after church that had something like this on their church sign:
"Come join us"
"Come be a part of our family"
"Come worship with us"

Jesus' words were to "Go into the world." He didn't say, "Build yourself some nice, attractional buildings and invite people inside." His words were to "March after the people of the world with purpose and intentionality."

We were driving through Waco back in December and we passed a church on I-35. A huge banner hung from the church and it read, "30 Minute Worship Services".
Interesting. That is how they were marketing themselves--"Come join us and we'll have you in and out in 30 minutes. If the sermon goes long, we'll bag up your communion and you can have it on your way home."

A church can have a building that is attractional and still get this command of The Great Commission. It doesn't have to be complete abandonment of property, but there does need to be a clear understanding that we (the church) are always functioning at our best when our backs are to the church building. We are marching from the places where we gather in order to live as tangible representatives of Jesus.

What would happen if we put the following message on our church signs:
"We are coming to you"
"Don't come to our church because we're rarely at the building. We hope to connect with you during the week"

Would it work?

The Great Commission--Part I

2010-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

How cool is it that the last words of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew have been given a nickname, The Great Commission. I don't know if the church of the first few centuries used the phrase, but at some point, these words were so valuable that they were given their own name.

Most of the time when we quote The Great Commission we begin with, "Go into the world..." but those aren't the first words from Jesus. He begins with this, "All authority in heaven AND on earth has been given to me." Jesus wants to make heaven great for us, but he also wants to make earth great. He's not just building palaces and mansions in the sky-by-and-by. He's at work to redeem the world.

If you're like me, the process of fulfilling The Great Commission has sometimes consisted of teaching people about a belief system and then baptizing them. It's been about knowledge and information. I think Jesus had more in mind.

How cool is it that after receiving authority over heaven and earth, Jesus would choose to empower disciples to carry his message throughout the world? He could have chosen to assemble a committee, but he would have had to stay on earth another 4 years because we all know how committees work. He could have gone house to house on his own...showing his scars and convincing people of his existence. But he chose a different route. He chose to hand this message to us.

We are called to live in a way that we honor the responsibility given to us by Jesus. Over the next few posts, I want to talk more about these final words of Jesus.

Get Yourself a "Haver"

2010-01-21T06:15:00.000-08:00

A famous line of rabbinic tradition from before the times of Jesus was this: "Acquire for yourself a rabbi, and get yourself a haver.

This was essential for disciples. Following a rabbi wasn't the only thing that made you a disciple. Just as important was who you were following a rabbi with.

A haver (pronounced "hah-vair") literally means a friend. This wasn't just any kind of friend. A haver was a friend who would help you master the text. These were co-disciples who would help each other grapple with Scripture and interpret it in light of the surrounding culture.

This is hard to grasp for westerners, because we have been taught the practice of solitude, silence, personal relationship with God...and seeking Jesus is something that takes place in quiet rooms; not in small groups. Personal prayer and Bible study has been taught as the primary methods to develop spiritually. We attend Bible classes and small group studies, but it is still very individualistic...and you know what, God has still worked.

But Jesus seems to teach, just like other rabbis of his day, that God's presence resides in the presence of small groups determined to seek Jesus just as much as he resides in the personal closets of intimate prayer and study.

Years ago, I was told by an elder of a church that there was no need for accountability because we are only accountable to Scripture. Interesting. I couldn't disagree more.

We need people who can ask the big questions with us. We need fellow Christ-followers can help us as we interpret Scripture in the 21st century. I need people who will kick me in my tail when I'm mistreating the gospel and hold up my hands when I'm passionately pursuing the things of God.

There was a time in my faith walk where everything was very private and personal. I didn't see the need for community, but the more I read Scripture, the more I saw another way...a better way.

Now, I can't imagine myself without havers.

Bye-Bye Cowboys

2010-01-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

Where do the Cowboys go from here?
Jerry Jones isn't going anywhere. The dude has money, power, and the 8th wonder of the world.
Wade looked defeated long before the game was over.
Romo was the Romo of December. He was running for his life like McCoy when he was running from the Huskers. (I just had to throw that one in there)
The defense didn't play that bad. The offense put them in some awful situations.
Do they fire Wade and go after Cowher?
Do they give Jason Garrett a shot?
Do they keep Wade and give it another year?

Props to Favre. I think he retired during the 1st quarter and decided to come back 7 minutes later. The dude is 40 but he can still play.

I did think it was classless that the Vikings would go for it two times on fourth down when the game was already out of hand. If I were Brooking, I would have taken a 15-yard penalty and a possible fine and I would have put my helmet in Favre's chest before he made it to the sideline. The "D" still has to stop a team even if it is bad sportsmanship, but they have felt it.

Too many questions at this point. But, I'm a fan and I'll remain faithful.

Megan Cope--A Great Teacher

2010-01-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

This is a must see from my dear friend and mentor, Mike Cope. You'll be touched!

Marriage Counseling--"Don't Do It"

2010-01-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

Randy Harris is known for his great preaching and his unique sense of humor. Randy can tell a story and have the place crying because they're laughing so hard. As a preacher, I've sat there before thinking, "I can tell that story and make it work too." Then, I tried it and received the cricket-response. I'm not the only preacher guilty of failing miserably when it comes to reproducing a Randy story.

On a more serious note, Randy has the gift of celibacy and he laughs at the fact that people come to him for premarital counseling. He jokes that his premarital counseling consists of one meeting and one word, "Don't!!!" Randy jokes about his one-word counseling sessions, but there are others who are promoting this message, especially when it comes to celebrities and high-profiled athletes like Derek Jeter. I'll get to that in a minute.

Kayci was on a flight to see one of her best friends in California a few years ago. She was sitting next to a guy and he noticed the ring on her finger.
He said, "Are you married?"
She said, "Yes, I am."
"How old are you?"
"23."
"Oh...so this is your starter marriage."
"Uh...starter marriage?"
"Ya. In California there is a starter marriage that's only supposed to last a few years. Then, after you've gained a little bit of experience, you enter into a longer marriage."
Kayci said, "Actually, I'm in this one for the long haul."

And the conversation was basically over after that.

Check out this column by Robert Lusetich who writes for Fox Sports regarding Derek Jeter's engagement to Minka Kelly.

Is Derek Jeter really ready to settle down?

The New York Post is reporting that the Yankees captain is prepared to walk down the aisle with girlfriend Minka Kelly come November. I’m not saying he shouldn’t — at 35, maybe it’s time to tie the knot and start a family. What I am saying is that marriage will require what we’ll call a "change of lifestyle."

Jeter spent a lot of time over the past couple of years with Tiger Woods, and I’m guessing they shared mutual interests. Rachel Uchitel, the attention-seeker whose loose collagen-enhanced lips helped ruin Woods’ life, claims that she was one of those mutual interests.

The only reason Jeter has been spared the Inquisition that devastated the Tiger Woods brand was simply that, unlike Tiger, Derek was single — and therefore held to a different standard. So what if he was using the Victoria’s Secret catalogue as his little black book? Indeed, there’s many a man who’d give him a standing ovation.

But be sure, Derek, that if there’s a wedding ring on your finger, your every move will be watched. Don’t think for a second that the predatory New York tabloids won’t be keeping a very keen eye on your nocturnal habits.

If there’s one record in sports Jeter doesn’t want to break it’s the one recently set by Tiger: 20 straight days on the front page of the Post.

OK. Part of the article had a place where you could vote and answer the following question, "Should Derek Jeter get married?"
The three choices were:
A) Yes, he's played the field long enough.
B) No, he should wait 5 to 10 years
C) Never burn that black book...never

Over 52,000 voted and the results were:
A) 48%
B) 16%
C) 36%

A quick side note, I admire Jeter's baseball skills. The dude is the epitome of an all-star shortstop. Though I hate the Yanks with a passion, I have a ton of respect for this guy. And Minka Kelly has become a favorite of ours because of her role as Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights.

Back to the topic of discussion. Needless to say, the expectations of marriage aren't very high anymore. The greatest threat to marriage in our world is not same-sex marriage. The greatest threat to marriages in our world are poor expecations, the inablility and unwillingness to enter into a covenant, cheap thrills of gratification through porn or inappropriate relationships. Too many people who live under microscopes like athletes, actors, and even ministers, too often begin to believe that they are above standards and the norm. They begin to think that they are worth the money they're paid and the praise they receive. Such power seems to always lead to destruction...the Bible bears witness to that.

So, I could go on complaining about articles like this, or I could go home and commit to loving my wife in a way that our marriage becomes an example worth modeling.

Simplicity

2010-01-07T09:32:00.000-08:00

I've written a few times recently on the importance of Sabbath; not as a box to be checked but as a discipline that keeps us oriented with God and invested in relationships.
Simplicity is going to be a word that drives me and my family this year. Kayci and I had a good conversation about this recently concerning what it might look like for our family.
I'm passionate about a simpler way of living because life becomes too complicated because we often make decisions that lead to chaos...not peace and joy. This is true for:
-Individuals (we over-commit and use poor methods to establish priorities)
-Families (allow the kids to sign-up for too many things and watch too much tv instead of sitting down at tables)
-Churches (think that adding more programs and ministries is what it means to be involved)

Kayci and I have decided that we want to have more fun in 2010. Sounds simple because it is.

I'm going to assemble a community of friends who help me make decisions concerning my schedule. I need this accountability because I can easily allow my schedule to get out of control.

Personally, I am not going to allow my closet to get any bigger. If I get a new shirt, new pants, or new shoes, that means that a piece of clothing has to go. Last week, I turned every hanger in my closet around. Whatever hanger has not been moved by the end of April will have to go. If I'm not wearing it, someone else should.

As a family, we're going to begin a discipline in an attempt to become better stewards. Every piece of clothing we by for the 4 of us or any item we purchase for our house (not including food), we will match whatever we spend, penny-for-penny, and that money will go to a greater cause such as Touch-A-Life, IJM, or other acts of service.

The "simple life" sounds good, but it sure can make life complicated. :)

Check this out by Donald Miller.

A Man Named SUHHHHHH!!!!

2010-01-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

Here's a tribute to the most dominant defensive player I've seen on the college level in my lifetime.

Sabbath Day

2010-01-04T09:44:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to stay away from email and the internet on my Sabbath Day, but I'm breaking my rule for the next few minutes.

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We had a great time in Texas, but we're glad to be home. We put way too many miles on our CRV. I am incredibly grateful for DVD's. Truitt watches them. I hear them. We both can sing along with them.

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Tomorrow, I'm going to write on "simplicity." Kayci and I have had some very productive conversations on how we plan to simplify our lives.

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Props to my Huskers and Cowboys. Both are playing incredible defense. I'm a happy football fan.

What's the Big Deal with "The Purpose Driven Life"?

2009-12-22T07:15:00.001-08:00

The book was written back in '02.
Seven years earlier he was able to fill the shelves of bookstores with The Purpose Driven Church.
These books have been on my shelves for years, but for some reason, I've never read them. I've never even opened them. I don't know why, just never felt the urge to. Maybe it's because I had categorized it as another self-help book that belongs next to stuff about finding your best life and steps to a happy life with God. I'm turned off by books like that because they tend to water down the gospel to emotional uplift with theology that is more about expanding the pocket book and raising the gitty-meter than following in the ways of Jesus. They are more interested in Americanizing than discipling...but enough of that before I go on a longer rant.

I began working on a sermon yesterday for January 3rd and I've decided to preach on purpose. We all want to live with purpose and meaning. We want our lives to have significance.

So, I began thinking...a guy wrote a book that sold over 30 million copies. He made so much money off the book that he returned his 25 years of salary to the church and quit taking a salary, and I'm going to assume that his annual salary was a little higher than the average Church of Christ minister. Just an assumption. He and his wife "reverse tithe." Instead of tithing 10%, they tithe 90% and live off 10%.

AND ALL THIS BECAUSE HE WROTE A BOOK ON ONE WORD, "PURPOSE".
Not bad. I wish I would have come up with the brilliant idea.

He writes with great certainty. The opening words are as follows:
"By the end of this journey you will know God's purpose for your life and will understand the big picture--how all the pieces of your life fit together. Having this perspective will reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most important, prepare you for eternity."
Within the first few statements, Rick Warren was able to lure people in. He hooked them because he went after the desire of every one's heart...to live with purpose.

So, I picked up the book yesterday and I gave it a read. All 40 chapters. All 319 pages. I wasn't so much interested in personal reflection as much as I was interested in this question, "Why were over 30 million copies sold"?

The book was very basic and simple. There weren't innovative ideas. It was void of mind-boggling revelations about God. In fact, I don't remember ever thinking, "I've never heard that before" or "I've never heard it put that way."

It was a good book, and I could even recommend it to someone interested in spiritual growth.

This isn't a knock on Rick Warren, because I really like him, and it's not a knock on the book, but the fact that 30 million copies were sold tells me more than the content of the book. People want to live with purpose.
Are we presenting the gospel in a way that gives meaning to lives?
Are we living the life of Jesus in a way that redefines a purposeful life?

Just some thoughts.

The Bible and Babies

2009-12-18T06:54:00.000-08:00

It is necessary for me to begin my post with these words from Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts."

I don't get infertility, and I need to be reminded of Isaiah 55 when I engage in the following conversations.

When Kayci and I began trying to have our first kid, it took about eight months before she got pregnant. Eight months seemed like forever. Don't get me wrong, it was fun and gratifying (sorry mom and dad if you're reading this), but it was eight months of delayed "periods" until Kayci would walk in the room and say, "Not this month, Honey."

But eight months seemed like eternity. It was enough for us to question if something was wrong with us. Were her eggs not fertile? Maybe something was wrong with me?

Eight months is nothing compared to people who have tried for ten, fifteen, twenty years. It is nothing compared to the men and women who have been told that they will never have kids.

And honestly, the Bible doesn't seem to offer much help here...at least when it comes to someone who suffered from infertility, only to remain infertile.

There are a lot of fertile people in Scripture. It seems that every one-night-stand results in a pregnancy:
Judah and Tamar: one night=conception.
David and Bathsheba: one night=conception.
If this were the case in Hollywood, the show "Friends" would have had been a show about pregnancy. Phoebe, Monica and Rachel would have looked like Jon and Kate Plus 8with a number of kids to walk into the Coffee Shop on the corner.

In Scripture, when we read about a barren woman, lights are flashing to make us aware that something is about to happen. Sarah, Rebekkah, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth...they are barren, but their barrenness bears witness to God's ability to perform a miracle in the elderly. He speaks life into barrenness and the children become major characters in the unfolding drama of God's activity to redeem people.

I wish there was a woman in Scripture who was barren and she died that way...not because I wish depression upon someone, but as a way to give us someone to relate to who struggled with infertility yet they leaned on God's provision all the way to their death. Some people argued that God closed Michal's womb, but what we read is this, "And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death." I don't think it was because of God's wrath, but rather because "it" never happened again between David and Michal.

I had a friend whose wife did the "in vitro" thing and it didn't work. In our conversation I responded with something like, "Sarah was 90 when she was pregnant." For some reason (wink-wink), that didn't bring much comfort. His response was, "So you're telling me that in the year 2075, we can expect our first child?"

I witness so many teenage girls who are far from ready to nurture children who become pregnant. And then I think of a number of people who I am extremely close to, who are in healthy marriages with the desire, passion, and ability to raise children to the glory of God...and I can't help but pray, "God, why would you not want to place a child in this family where they will be raised in a home that has been dedicated to the Lordship of Jesus?" I know people right now who would give anything to experience morning sickness, backaches, and swollen feet just to have a baby growing in their belly. And all I get is Isaiah 55, "...my thoughts aren't your thoughts...my ways aren't your ways..."

For all of you out there, QUIT going up to young-married-folks with questions like, "When are you going to have kids?" or "You just turned 30. You're running out of time" or "Isn't it time..." because you have no clue what kind of salt you are pouring into wounds. You don't know how many of those people wrestle in prayer every single day over this.

I know that God has worked through adoption in some powerful ways and I praise him for that avenue. It is truly a beautiful thing.

For those out there struggling with infertility, may the God who spoke life into the world speak life into your barrenness. May the power of Jesus that was able to heal diseases by one touch, be upon you. I pray for God's favor to rest on you.

New Post Coming

2009-12-16T11:01:00.000-08:00

I hope to have a new post up later today or early tomorrow concerning infertility. It's a topic that won't get off my mind.
However, no time to write now.

Christmas Video

2009-12-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

This helps to put things in perspective.

Single Moms, Incarceration, Huskers

2009-12-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

Props to single moms, I don't know how you do it.

My heart goes out to Kayci every Sunday morning.
I leave the house around 5:30 on Sunday's. I like to get to the office to pray and go over my sermon. Early service begins at 8 and late service begins at 11. This means that Kayci is on her own on Sunday mornings. She gets both boys ready, piles them in the car, and drives to church. Once she is there, she has to take Truitt to Bible Hour about 30 minutes into the worship service and then Noah usually needs to be fed at some point. So, she gets to enjoy only a few minutes of church. Some days she asks me, "Why did I go to church today?"
Thank God for people who have reached out to her. Sue Petrey called me one Sunday morning at 7 and she was ready and willing to drive to our home to help with the boys. Others volunteer their time to take Truitt to Bible Hour or to hold Noah during worship.
But for all you single moms out there, I admire you.
For all you church leaders and Christ-followers out there, go up to single moms and sincerely ask them what they need from you.

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My buddy James is going to prison for about 15 years. It's a long story and I'm not going to go into it on here.

James has a wife and 4 kids. His children will be adults the next time they see their dad in the "world".

I've never thought about this before, but what ministries/services are out there to adopt and/or take in the families of those who have been incarcerated?

There is a void here. Children need male-role-models. Women need godly friends.

I know of some great efforts when it comes to prison ministries, but what about their families?

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My Huskers had every chance to beat Texas on Saturday night. The "D" was outstanding. Suh gave one of the greatest performances I've ever seen. He was tossing around all-conference-offensive-lineman like they were high school kids.

An average offense from my Huskers would have won that game by 3 td's. But they didn't.

Statistically, Texas' "D" played great, but no one expected the Huskers "O" to do anything. They are awful. But Texas' "O" was averaging over 40 points and the Blackshirts shut them down. Every Texas point was aided by a 15 yard penalty...2 of the 3 should have been called.

When it came down to it, Texas made two plays when they had to have them.

Bo Pelini was the right hire. Defensive wins championships, and if they can figure out something on offense that works, they will be in the conversation soon.

Two Must-See Videos

2009-12-01T14:58:00.001-08:00

How about this finish?

This one is for all you addicted sport fans!

It Wrecked My Life

2009-12-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

I moved to Memphis knowing that my calling was to do more than preach sermons on Sunday mornings. I felt a supernatural calling to be a voice for God in this city. So, when I moved here, I made a covenant with God that went something like this--"God, I need you to teach me how to love this city the way you love it. I want to mourn where you mourn, weep where you weep, rejoice where you rejoice, and love how you love."
It's been over a year and a half now, and I can say that this covenant has wrecked my life. It has transformed dreams, goals, motivation, ministry, vision, and the way I think about my checking/savings account. There are days when I want to go back to "normal"...normal being a life that seeks comfort, safety, and goals that serve to nurture my selfish desires.
However, maybe God is redefining "normal" for me.

A Dream-Day in the Office

2009-11-20T07:49:00.001-08:00

Below would be a great morning for me in the office:

I walk into the office at 8:10 in the morning. I've already had a workout, prayer time, and a shower. I didn't shave so there's a little scruff. I have on jeans and the shirt I'm wearing was chosen because it didn't have to be ironed. Over one shoulder is my book-bag and in my hand is a cup of french vanilla and sugar with a little bit of coffee poured on top. It's Wednesday, which means most of my day will be spent in sermon prep.

As I walk in, Donna tells me that two people have requested urgent meetings with me that morning. One was a 77-year-old, long-time member at SVC. She was going to be by at 9:00. The other was a 23-year-old artist who just placed membership a few months ago. He was going to be by at 10:00. I sighed...two hours of study time has been replaced with "urgent meetings." But hey, this is ministry and schedules are always changing.

I go into my office and I pray for wisdom and discernment because I have no clue what these people are coming in for, but it doesn't sound like they're eager to talk sports or the weather. I better be in tune with God.

At 8:58, Donna pages me in my office to inform me that "Mrs. Sally" is here to visit me. She walks into my office and takes a seat in my comfortable chair. I tell her that I'm glad she has come by. We skip over the superficial stuff and she tells me there are some things on her heart that she needs to share. I tell her that I'm all ears.

"Josh," she says with nervousness and hesitation, "I've been in the Churches of Christ all my life. I'm a 4th generation member. For so many years we knew what we would get when we went to church. It was normal and predictable. We would sing the same songs, and even though we knew the songs in our sleep, we would still open the hymnbooks. The sermons would have 3 points and the invitations would be lengthy. Communion was done in silence. But...about 15-20 years ago things began to change. I don't even know where to begin...screens, powerpoint, newer songs and then more newer songs, sermons were no longer spent affirming the Church of Christ heritage, and occasionally we have been asked to sing during communion. Church is no longer predictable. We don't know what we're going to get."

Mrs. Sally pauses and takes a deep breath. "Go on, Mrs. Sally. I'm listening."

"Josh, our younger people are leaving our churches. I hear you talk about it in your sermons and I see it as I look around the auditorium. Some of them are going to other churches outside of the Churches of Christ, but some of them aren't going anywhere. This concerns me."

I agree, "It concerns me too, Mrs. Sally. A great deal."

Mrs. Sally gets a little choked up and a tear forms in her left eye.

"Josh, I need you to hear what I'm about to say. I want you and our worship leader, Kip, to do whatever it takes to reach the young people of today. I love the older hymns with all of my heart and I wish we sang more of them, but I want to learn to love the newer songs just as much as I love the older ones. I love to take communion in silence, but I see the way many of the younger folks light up when we sing a song during communion or are asked to share a word or two with our neighbors as we share the bread and cup with them. I'm not a big fan of videos during worship, but I see the way that the images and testimonies catch the attention of our visual learners. We need more of that, Josh. I want to encourage you and Kip to be creative. Take some chances. I refuse to be an older person who holds you all back from presenting the gospel in a way that reaches the young people of today. When you do something out of the norm, I'm going to be your biggest fan. It might not be a method I would prefer, but I'm going to choose to embrace it because I know that it is helping someone else connect with Jesus."

"Mrs. Sally, I don't know what to say. I didn't expect this."

We talked a few more minutes, and then I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving over our conversation.

I walked Mrs. Sally to the door, and while I hugged her goodbye, my next appointment was getting out of his car. I held the door open for Jonathan. I led him into my office and I pointed him to the same chair Mrs. Sally was sitting in. After we discussed recent movie releases, I asked Jonathan what brings him in today.

"Josh, I'm an artist. I love to draw, act, perform and create. I like stories that paint images. If you haven't noticed, artists aren't going to traditional churches anymore because they don't feel as if they have a voice. I'm here at this church, because you all seem to be attempting...in very small ways," we both chuckle, "to use images and creativity to draw visual learners, like myself, into a worship experience. I really appreciate that. I love when you and Kip use media-methods to lead us in worship. I love when you guys get creative with the Lord's Table. I really like the newer songs, because they seem to paint images...they use language that invite imaginative juices." We both laugh at the phrase "imaginative juices."

"But, Josh, here's why I'm meeting with you today. I need to confess to you selfishness on my part when it comes to worship. For over two years now, I've been so cynical of older people, especially those who seem to be so tied to Church of Christ traditions. I didn't think, and I still don't think, that they understand what is going on in the minds of younger people. For a while there, I would cross my arms anytime we would sing the older hymns. And, I had a sour attitude whenever we would be forced to take communion in complete silence because all of the older people seemed to be in the moment."

"Josh, I want to learn to respect and love the older people of our church. I want to learn to love the older hymns because I realize that those songs have touched people for decades. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I hope we never stop singing them. I want to learn to enjoy the days when we take communion in complete silence, because surely God is at work in those little moments. I realize, that at the age of 23, that I have a passion for creativity and for the arts, but I also realize that there is a strong call for unity throughout Scripture. I need to learn to love, respect, and to fellowship with the older people of our church."

Jonathan and I talked for another 30 minutes, and then after we prayed, I led him to the door.

I went back to my office and thought to myself, "Now, that is a dream-day in the office."

The Brooklyn Tabernacle

2009-11-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

Last night was my 2nd time to visit the Tuesday night prayer meeting at Brooklyn Tab.
For over 35 years they have created an atmosphere of expectation when it comes to calling upon the name of the Lord. We gathered for 4 hours with over 3000 people and we prayed, and when we were tired of praying, we prayed more. We worshipped, we engaged in powerful forms of intercession, we cried, we laughed, we rejoiced, we listened to a powerful message from Jim Cymbala from Isaiah 40, and...we prayed some more.
What does it say about a church that they have a prayer meeting that begins at 7:00 every Tuesday night...the doors open at 5:00...and there were people waiting outside of the doors at 4:45 to get into a 7:00 prayer meeting?
My row was made up of people who were white, black, African, Asian, and one girl who is from Pakistan who converted to Christianity from the Muslim faith 7 months ago.

There is so much swimming around in my spirit, but I don't know what to say.

Do we have a culture of prayer in our churches that goes deeper than prayers for knee surgeries and the need for rain?
Do we truly believe that there is a God who cares and who is eager to act with favor?

Monday Work

2009-11-16T11:31:00.001-08:00

It is 1:30pm and my brain is already fried. I have spent the morning talking with Chris Seidman about some of my favorite items of discussion: church leadership, justice, prayer, and college football.
Chris and I ate lunch with Randy and Pam Cope. Listening to the stories from Touch-A-Life is truly inspiring.
Now, Chris and I are going to jump into a few more hours of theology, justice, and prayer campaigns. I'm so full I'm going to bust!

Blogging Grade

2009-11-10T11:38:00.000-08:00

OK...if I were to receive a grade for blogging over the last few weeks, it wouldn't be too high. It would probably be better than the Elementary Math Reasoning course I took my sophomore year of college. In high school a "d" means that you fail. In college, "d" means done. But hey, what does a Bible major need math skills for? As ministers, we simply take a number and round up to the nearest hundred.

I'm tired. I think I might be overly committed. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving my life, but I do have a hunger for a greater balance.

Sunday morning was one of the coolest worship experiences I've been a part of. We had a special song sung by the praise team that Kip and Rachel knocked out of the park. It was dynamite. It set me up with 1st and goal at the 1.

Jim Hinkle shared a testimony about a tragedy in the Highland youth group back in January of 2005. Through tears, he told stories of God's faithfulness in the midst of great suffering. There wasn't a dry eye in the place.

Here's what is so cool about Lament--God has a resume full of moments when he has entered into pain and brokenness to love it and redeem it.

Many days, it is simply Immanuel, this idea that "God is with us" that keeps me alive and ticking.

Lament

2009-11-03T11:57:00.001-08:00

Ok, blogworld, I'm preaching a sermon this Sunday from Psalm 13, the well-known Lament-Psalm.
I need your help, what voice does "lament" have in your corporate worship services?

The Gospels

2009-11-03T06:12:00.000-08:00

Ed Dobson wanted to live one year like Jesus...following every Jewish command, keeping the Sabbath, eating kosher, loving enemies, praying the prayers Jesus prayed and going to the festivals Jesus would attend.
One of his goals was to read all four gospels once a week. At the end of the year, he only made it through them 32 times. Still sounds pretty good to me.
After his year-long-journey, he concluded that living like Jesus is extremely difficult.
A rabbi once said, "If you're a Christian and aren't reading through the Gospels every week, then you're not a very good Christian. How can you claim to take Jesus' teachings seriously when you spend so little time actually reading them?"
Chew on that one for a little while.

You Know You're Near an Extrovert...

2009-10-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

You know you're near an extrovert when:

-You sit down on a plane and put earphones in even though you can't use electronics yet. It is supposed to be the nonverbal sign that you are not available for any form of dialogue. But then, you notice the person walking down the aisle who is commenting on every ball cap and t-shirt they see on complete strangers, "Hey, are you a Yankees fan? I can't stand them but I respect them. Hey, are you from Colorado? I noticed the Yellowstone shirt. I have a 2nd cousin who is from there." You cross your fingers hoping he doesn't have the assigned seat next to you. Then, he sits and completely ignores the fact that the ear pieces are in the ears and your eyes are down.

-You're at the bank filling out a deposit slip when the person walks in singing about how great the day is even though it is 10:20 in the morning and it has been raining for 3 straight days.

-You're friend calls you at 10:35pm to tell you about something that happened 4 days earlier.

-You're at a restaurant peeing at the urinal and someone walks in and begins smalltalk while standing 2 urinals away--"How was the food? Did it hit the spot? This place is awesome!"

You're________________

Professional Complainers...and the NBA

2009-10-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Check out this piece by Mike Cope on professional complainers. For all church leaders, these are 3 paragraphs that will bless you.

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The NBA begins tonight. My Mavs take on the Wizards. They should get their first of 58 wins for the season. They will enter into the playoffs as the 4th seed and will get knocked out in the 2nd round.

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From the book The Tangible Kingdom:
When I walk into Starbucks, I don't think about coffee. I ponder the lives of everyone I see. I wonder about their spiritual journeys, their highs and lows...and where they look for direction in their search. My initial assumption is that in any room full of people, very few know Christ. I ask myself how I could get into their lives or how a conversation might begin. I don't see them as projects--that wouldn't go very far. I see them as souls the Lord loves who simply haven't seen or heard an accurate message about the Kingdom. I always feel confident that I may one day be talking with them about life and God. Oddly enough, this seems to happen all the time.

I Am Second

2009-10-21T13:38:00.000-07:00

I love this website!

Sabbath

2009-10-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

God gave the 10 Commandments for this reason--they are to teach a bunch of slaves how to be human again. They are gifts; not heavy burdens.

The first 3 commands are directed to God:
1) No other gods before God.
2) No idols.
3) Don't misuse the name of the Lord your God.

The last 6 commands focus on human relationships.
5) Honor mom and dad.
6) Don't murder.
7) Don't commit adultery.
8) Don't steal.
9) Don't bear false witness against your neighbor.
10) Don't covet your neighbor's stuff.

Don't miss the significance of the 4th command, "Remember the Sabbath Day, and keep it holy."
The Sabbath Day is the gift from God that holds commands 1-3 and 5-10 together. Sabbath keeps us rooted in God and oriented in relationships. It becomes the bridge...the connection between God and people. It keeps us balanced.

In Ed Dobson's book The Year of Living Like Jesus, he wrote that before Americans lose sleep over having the 10 commandments in courtrooms, they need to take some time to consider how they are doing at keeping the commands. Most of us neglect at least one of the commands regularly, especially Sabbath-keeping.

God gives reminders throughout Exodus concerning Sabbath-keeping. As the people of Israel opened up the instructions for building the tabernacle, #1 was to keep the Sabbath. God knew that these slaves had lived in Egypt for hundreds of years where they spent every day building things with bricks. Even though they were oppressed, they had produced good stuff...buildings, palaces, statutes, etc. Slavery had made them into brick-builders, and they were good at it.
The reminders are found in: Exodus 23:12-13, 31:12-18, 34:21-24, & 35:2-3.
Why so many reminders?
Because God was fearful that His people would take their brick-building-practices to a new land, and if they weren't careful, they would consume themselves with building new stuff and forget where they came from.
And you know how the story goes...they forget!

Could it be that in Genesis 1, God isn't just showing himself as a creative artist, but that he is also teaching people how to live? Seriously, did God really need to rest after 6 days? He didn't even break a sweat. God spoke words and creation happened.

Here's the ultimate question for us, if we take time to rest, do we really trust that God will/can keep things going?

Sabbath is about trust, rhythm, and reminding ourselves of the story we live in.

Living Like Jesus

2009-10-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

I returned from Louisville, KY late yesterday afternoon. Rick Atchley took a few young ministers to Bob Russell's retreat center. My soul is full. After pastoring the Southeast Christian Church for four decades, Bob has earned the right to lavish wisdom and grace upon young preachers like myself. For three days I became a sponge!

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Last week I finished Ed Dobson's The Year of Living Like Jesus. A couple of years ago, Ed Dobson read A.J. Jacobs book The Year of Living Biblically. Jacobs tried to follow the OT word for word the first six months of the year, and the NT word-for-word the last six months of the year.
From Jacobs, Dobson (Ed, not James) thought it would be interesting to try to live like Jesus for an entire year. An absurd thought, right? He found it to be a daunting task.
A Jewish Rabbi once told a Christian, "How can you call yourself a Christian while not reading the gospels every single week? You claim to follow Jesus, but you rarely spend time reading about Jesus."
Dobson's book wasn't thrilling, but it was inspiring. He spends too much time trying to dress like Jesus, eat like Jesus, and pray like Jesus. But the one thing that was challenging was the fact that living like Jesus is difficult. It's counter-cultural.
Who knows, maybe we should give it a try.

This Week

2009-10-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be out of pocket until Friday.
I love preaching at SVC!
Go Angels!
Cowboys need some serious help. Please join me in praying for them.

Scattered Thoughts

2009-10-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

Here's a blog I wrote a while back describing why I am a Husker fan. Check it out here.

For the first time in a long time, Pelini has the Husker defense playing like the blackshirts of old. They've only given up four touchdowns through five games. Next Saturday vs Texas Tech will present a challenge.

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I will never cheer for the Yanks or Notre Dame. NEVER!

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My ideal day: 83 degrees with a 5 mph wind during the day...58 degrees with a slight breeze throughout the evening. Memphis doesn't really fit the description.

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This question has no agenda whatsoever...but what do you think the average teacher should be paid in America?

Psalm 23

2009-10-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

This was part of my sermon prep yesterday as I prepare to preach from Psalm 23. I spent some time with my buddy Jason Taylor at Court Square in downtown Memphis holding the sign as we engaged in conversations with people walking by. It made for an interesting evening.

Psalms

2009-10-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

I need some help here:
Do you like the Psalms?
What is your favorite Psalm, and why?

Scripture as Travel Agent and Tour Guide

2009-09-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

When I decided to become a committed follower of Jesus someone told me, "If you want to mature in your faith you need to read the Bible." So, I started to read.

I had an uncontrollable desire to devour the Word. I needed the Word like a "drunk" needs a drink. I wanted the Word to get inside of me. I found Scripture to be more compelling than ever. It was like fire in my bones.

But, I quickly ran into a problem. No one had ever taught me how to read the Bible. They only told me to read. The first few months, I found myself reading to defend church practices and traditions. My parents didn't teach me to approach Scripture in such a way; I guess it was just part of the church culture I grew up in or something like that.

This defensive approach didn't last very long. It wasn't very fun for me. I didn't have the time or energy to waste on things like lifting hands, worship styles, instrumental music or how to "do" church right. I found it to be strange how we had defended certain practices/traditions with verses that actually had nothing to do with the subject we were defending. Does Ephesians 5:19 really defend accapella music? Does Acts 20:7 really mean that if we don't take communion on a Sunday, we sin?

I began to learn a very important truth that has stuck with me for years now--how we read the Bible is just as important as what we read.

You can take the approach of reading the Bible for information only, but this approach will leave you arrogant. It's not appealing to me.
The approach of reading the Bible as a means to load up the arsenal to defend a set belief system is taken by many, but this will leave you spiritually unhealthy and relationally unfriendly.
You can read Scripture as history, but you will become like a gnostic whose spiritually is distant from a God who has chosen to invade every generation with His presence and power.

I hear a lot of stats on how our younger people are biblically illiterate, and there is much truth to these stats. Honestly, (some of you aren't going to like this) I think the reason that many of our younger folks (40 and under) don't read the Bible much is because they don't like the way they've heard the Bible read by their parents, Sunday school teachers, or preachers growing up.

Scripture can be interpreted as a Travel Agent, whose purpose is to point you to a destination. They make the plans and then send you on your way.

Or, Scripture can be read as a Tour Guide, whose purpose is to lead you on a journey while teaching you about life.

Surely there is the place for the Travel Agent, but right now in my life I choose to engage Scripture as a Tour Guide. I need the Word of God to teach me about life. To release me from bondage. To act in formational ways. To perform in ways that declare that the Word is still alive. And, ultimately, to invite me into this glorious story.

ACU Summit

2009-09-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

I was in a mentoring group a few years ago with Jack Reese, the Dean of the Bible Department at ACU. They had just hired Brady Bryce as the Director of Ministry Events, which meant that Brady would be the visionary and director of ACU Lectures. During the interviewing process, Jack said that Brady and his wife Donna expressed concern over "leaving ministry." Jack responded by saying, "Brady, we don't want you to leave ministry. We want you make this your ministry."

With that said, Brady is an exceptional minister who just happens to be the Director of Ministry Events at ACU. The vision and direction he has brought to ACU Lectures, now called ACU Summit, is outstanding.

I was honored to be a participant and a recipient of this incredible event last week. Two of my favorite people in the world, Mike Cope and Josh Graves, keynoted and were phenomenal.

In my opinion, ACU Summit is one of the best events in the Churches of Christ.

I was able to connect with a number of people who have influenced my life in incredible ways: Troy Robertson, Kevin and Sarah Campbell, Josh Graves, Luke Norsworthy, Wade Hodges, Randy Harris, Rick Atchley, Chris Seidman, Barry and Collin Packer, Chris Fields, Josh Kasinger, Lauren Cunningham, Garrett Sublette, Mike & Diane & Chris Cope, and Aaron Metcalf. I might have left off someone, but there was a lot of connecting and it was awesome.

I had the privilege of preaching at Highland Church of Christ. It felt like home. I preached in front of friends, mentors, and professors. This church nurtured us early on in our marriage and they taught me how to be a Spirit-led minister who isn't afraid to take risks for Jesus.

My trip to Abilene was refreshing in so many ways, but I missed the SVC family and I am eager to preach the word tomorrow.

Back in Memphis

2009-09-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

I'll have more to write about ACU Summit and my trip to Abilene later.

I'm preaching on spiritual disciplines this week and I'm curious, what are the disciplines/practices that sustain you in your faith journey?

Guilty of Compassion?

2009-09-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

I will never forget the event that occurred one night before a football game when I was a freshman in high school. My 3 best friends and I would gather at a home for a healthy pre-game meal which consisted of Jack in the Box cheeseburgers with curly fries and a large Dr. Pepper…just the right about of protein and carbs to boost the energy level.
We were sitting in the kitchen of a house. Three of us looked like freshman…we had about 18 hairs on our sideburns and chins and we let them grow out as if it made us look more manly. The other friend looked as if he had been shaving since kindergarten. The guy was huge. While three of us still had squeaky voices; the other one was basically getting into rated R movies without them checking ID.
This one day, a verbal spat began between one friend and our manly friend. Their disagreement turned into raised voices and sarcastic outbursts and finally the biggest friend stood up and pushed the other friend into the stove with his head hitting the built in microwave. The two of us who were spectators just sat there stunned. Then, in his low voice he said, “If you say something else, you’re going to get a smack-down.” (That’s the G-rated version of what he really said). The other friend, still holding his head from the collision with the microwave opened his mouth after being warned and said, “That’s real cool. You’re a real friend.”
That’s all my big-buddy needed. He stood up and began to swing. Punch after punch after punch. My other friend turned and covered his head with both arms as his body received blow after blow from the fists of an oversized freshman.

And I was so stunned that I just sat there. I was frozen as I watched one friend treat my undersized friend as a punching bag. I did nothing.

Check out these words from Obadiah…yah, you heard me right…Obadiah:

Because of the murderous history compiled against your brother Jacob,
You will be looked down on by everyone.
You’ll lose your place in history.
On that day you stood there and didn’t do anything.
Strangers took your brother’s army into exile.
Godless foreigners invaded and pillaged Jerusalem.
You stood there and watched.
You were as bad as they were.
You shouldn’t have gloated over your brother when he was down-and-out.
You shouldn’t have laughed and joked at Judah’s sons when they were facedown in the mud.
You shouldn’t have talked so big when everything was so bad.
You shouldn’t have taken advantage of my people when their lives had fallen apart.
You of all people should not have been amused by their troubles, their wrecked nation.
You shouldn’t have taken the shirt off their back when there were knocked flat, defenseless. And you shouldn’t have stood waiting at the outskirts and cut off refugees,
And traitorously turned in helpless survivors who had lost everything.

I texted a preacher-friend in Fort Worth last week and I asked, “Have you ever preached Obadiah?” His response was, “No. It sounds like a Star Wars character and I’ve seen all 6 of the movies like 14 times.”

Here’s what you need to know about Obadiah, since most of you have never read the book:
Jacob and Esau were two brothers who were at each other from birth. They became bitter rivals, and though there were attempts at reconciliation, the resentment towards one another was handed to generation after generation.
Jacob was ancestor to the Israelites.
Esau’s ancestor to the Edomites.
This rivalry was like the hatred between Yanks and Red Sox, Cowboys and Eagles, Lakers and Celtics, and Grizzlies and __________.

There was a long history of war and violence.

Here’s why Obadiah was written, when Israel was taken into captivity in 721BC by the Assyrians and again in 586BC by the Babylonians, Edom stood across the fence and watched. They did nothing.

This is why this message today is so real to what is observed every single day in school hallways and cafeterias, in the streets of our cities and in the slums across the world.

People look across the river at the oppression of others and they do nothing. And, it’s not always because we’re bad people.

Jesus tells a similar story that sounds a lot like Obadiah. In fact, I wonder if the story Jesus tells came from his recollection of this lesser-known prophet. The story is told in Luke 10 and it is known as the Good Samaritan.
Sound familiar?
The people who should have stopped to help because their relationship with God involves them in the cares of the world, don’t! They just keep walking. In other words, they look across the river (or road) and do nothing.
The person who stops breaks every barrier that had been set up by society, but the person didn’t care. It was the right thing to do.

I don’t know what this means for me. Should I care about the AIDS epidemic in Africa? How about the genocide in Darfur? There are the brothels in India? Or the broken down public school systems in our inner-cities?
I know I can’t solve world hunger, AIDS, or the healthcare crisis. But in the words of Mother Teresa, “If you can’t feed a million hungry people, feed one,” keep ringing in my ear.

What does this mean for churches?

I know this…if I’m guilty of something in this life I want it to be that I have deliberately chosen to be on the side of compassion.

A Difficult Task

2009-09-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

I love the story of Scott Williams. He played in the NBA from 1990-2005. He never averaged over 7.6 points a game. He was never a starter. But he did get a few rings while playing with the Chicago Bulls.
After a game when Michael Jordan scored 60 points, a reporter met Williams at his locker and said, "What will you remember from this night...a night when Jordan scored 60 points?"
Williams quickly responded, "I will always remember this as the night that MJ and I combined for 62 points."

This Sunday I have the difficult task of preaching at a church where Randy Harris and Jerry Taylor have preached the last two weeks. Have mercy on me!

Mother Teresa

2009-09-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

"If you can't feed a million people, feed one."

Arkansas Democrat Gazette

2009-09-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

The call came last Tuesday afternoon. It was an editor from a newspaper based in Little Rock. I had never heard of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. My first thought was that it was a small community newspaper that would be read by Fred and Ethel over some coffee and a pancake at the corner cafe. I didn't know that it was THE newspaper of Arkansas.

They called because there was a church in North Little Rock called The Summit, a Southern Baptist Church, who took part in a "reverse offering." Somehow, the Senior Pastor found the story from my blog back in July and they decided to do it at their church. The Gazette interviewed the Pastor and he told them that he got the idea from a church called Sycamore View in Memphis and that the minister's name was Josh Ross. So, they called me for an interview.

The story ran on the front page. They said they weren't going to put up another story of a bombing but instead they wanted to highlight some good news. I thought that was pretty cool.

Since then, K-LOVE has run the story on their website. All glory to God.

The Spirit that invaded the church in Acts 2 and Acts 4 continues to multiply its grand idea of a shared community. Other churches inspired me and now churches are being blessed through something that seemed to have been so simple to the early church. We are given much...and we give much.

Some Speeches Transcend Party Lines

2009-09-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today a speech will be given to students in schools throughout this nation that I hope is given by every president annually. Reagan and Bush #1 gave similar speeches to encourage kids to make good choices in life and say no to drugs, and today Obama gives a speech encouraging teens to stay in school, to stand up against the bullies, and to understand that the decisions you make now will determine the future of our nation and our world.
There are certain speeches that just transcend party lines. These speeches are not promoting "liberal" or "conservative" agendas. Instead, they serve to pave paths to take each day seriously because the future depends on it.
Sometimes it seems that an allegiance to a particular party trumps any form of good that might come from the other side. Such an allegiance gets us away from the respect, honor, and commitment to prayer that Christ-followers are called to in the NT.
I'm saddened by parents who feel the necessity to take their kids out of school for such an occasion, or to take the time and energy to write school administrators to boycott such events. Such decisions are usually based on fear, and fear is rarely a good motivator. However, we do live in a free country and parents have the right to such action.

I'm constantly reminded of the words penned from the hands of two apostles: Paul and Peter. And keep in mind that Peter and Paul wrote during the times of some of the most brutal and godless emperors who ever lived.

Romans 13:1-7, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment...for the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing. Pay to all what is due them--taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to who revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due."

1 Timothy 2:1-2, "First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions..."

1 Peter 2:13-17, "For the Lord's sake accept/submit to the authority of every human institution whether of the emperor as supreme, or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right...honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor."

When "No" is the new "Yes"

2009-09-04T07:34:00.000-07:00

In his book Pilgrim Heart, Darryl Tippens offers some reasons to say no:

When yes is really about building one’s material wealth or enhancing one’s ego, rather than advancing a good or essential cause; in other words when yes is about me
When yes hurts those you love
When one’s yes is prompted by an automatic, uncritical response, rather than the product of self-examination, prayer, and discernment
When one finds oneself growing weaker and weaker, spiritually speaking, the more one does
When one finds oneself fulfilling a lower good, while sacrificing a higher one
And when one finds, at the end of the day, one is becoming someone he or she doesn’t even like.

How do you practice saying "no" in your own life?

Day of Jubilee Follow-Up

2009-09-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Back in July I wrote about one of the most powerful worship experiences I've ever witnessed. You can read about it here.

This morning an anonymous letter was sitting in my box. Here's what it said:
Recently your congregation celebrated a "Day of Jubilee" in which your leadership invited those members in need to take what they needed. At that time, I did not want to take/receive what I needed to make it through the week because I knew there were people who needed it much more than I did.
God works in mysterious ways, and I humbly received $125 for my family, which was greatly needed, and put to use for bills and supply to finish the week. We now humbly return what was blessed unto us and increase it ten times told, in hopes it can bless someone else.

The envelope was stuffed with cash. Let those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

The Feast

2009-08-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

You need this book on your bookshelf.
Josh Graves has graciously allowed me to join him on this two-year journey of publishing his first book. I've read through a number of drafts to the point I could quote most of this book in my sleep. Yet, every time I read it, I want to preach it. What I love about The Feast is that Josh doesn't write from a secluded office with a laptop on a desk covered with commentaries and scholarly work. He writes from lived-experiences. This book was birthed from walking the streets of Detroit.
The Feast is now available on Family Christian Bookstore's website. Click here to purchase.

Click here for a brief intro to the book.

Another reason (small reason) to buy this book is that Josh trusted me to write the Study Guide. The following is the first paragraph of the Study Guide:

The Feast attempts to create a hunger for a holistic spirituality that is rooted in the Jesus-Story. This is a move away from institutionalism and the temptation to compartmentalize the faith journey. Instead, it offers permission and a desperate invitation to yield to God as he cultivates imaginations that will rethink what it means to walk alongside neighbors and strangers as we embrace the character and nature of Jesus.

Prophetic Name-Calling

2009-08-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

I'm reading Frank Viola's From Eternity to Here. He reminds me of a profound truth in Scripture--the Bible begins and ends with a wedding.
In Genesis 1-2, the wedding is between a man and a woman. Revelation 21-22 ends with a new wedding. A bride (the church) comes down from heaven adorned for her husband.
In Genesis, the woman is created out of the side of a man. In the NT, the bride (the church) is created out of the side of Christ.
Forgive me for footnoting Genesis 3 through Revelation 20, but the mission of God throughout Scripture is about restoring a marriage. It is a love-story full of drama, betrayal, intimacy, forgiveness, separation, and sacrifice.

The prophets are aware of this God-intended-harmony. While priests did their work on the sacred places of temples and synagogues, the prophets worked in the margins. They proclaimed in the market places and street corners.
I read through Jeremiah on a vacation a few months ago. Needless to say, it was depressing. But I was struck by his uncanny ability to call a spade a spade. He was fully aware of the relationship that God desired with his people, yet he saw the way they lived.
Catch this language in Jeremiah 3:
If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not such a land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me?
You have polluted the land with your whoring and wickedness.
You have the forehead of a whore.
She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. Because she took her whoredom so lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree.

This kind of language will get you sent to the Principal's office. I laugh every time I read, "forehead of a whore." You could be sued for such a vocabulary. It is not the lingo used to gain friends. Yet, it is intentional and purposeful.

Here's what Jeremiah is saying:
"You people are getting in bed with everything in this world but God."
"You are becoming intimate with everything but God, who is your maker and lover."
"You are sleeping with trees and stones and worthless idols while neglecting your true love."

I think Paul is borrowing from Jeremiah when he writes this in Colossians, "Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed." In other words, "Quit playing the whore with everything around you."

I begin this day with this prayer, "I am prone to live a life of whoredom. I chase after earthly things for daily pleasure and future security. But something inside of me tells me that this is all a chasing after the wind. I was made for something greater than this. God, just as you delivered the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, deliver me from ungodly intimate encounters with this world. Help me to engage the world around me as one who is living in response to my connection with you. Let the same power that lifted Jesus out of the grave be in me today, and let your love flow through my veins so that I will be full of you."

Pictures

2009-08-22T21:00:00.000-07:00

Noah arrived on dry land yesterday at 11:39am. Everything went so well that we were home this afternoon. God has showered us with blessings. All four of Noah's grandparents have already spoiled him beyond measure. We've been prayed over by nearly every person who came to visit us. I've received close to 200 text messages congratulating us and thanking God for a healthy delivery.

Below are a few pics.

Noah James Ross

2009-08-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Noah James entered into the world at 11:39 a.m. The doctor thinks he'll running a 4.4 40 yard dash by the age of 12. He's 21.5 inches and weighs 7lbs 15oz. Mom and Noah are doing great. We'll have pictures soon.

August 21, 2009

2009-08-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever had to wake up at 3:45am, but I will tomorrow.
Kayci is scheduled to be induced in the morning and we have to be there at 4:30am.
Reality has set in today. Within a few hours I am going to have two boys.

I want God to blow me away tomorrow with His creativity and holiness. I want to be fully aware of his abiding presence. I also want to be a witness to every doctor and nurse who walks into our room. I want God to use every moment of this delivery to glorify himself.

August 21, 2009 is a special day for my family. My parents will be in Memphis as they celebrate their 33rd anniversary.
My sister was baptized on the 21st of August around 20 years ago.
And now Noah will make his arrival on this special day.

Please pray for us tomorrow.

Noah

2009-08-18T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today, I told Noah that it is time to come out of the ark. His mother is ready for Noah to receive the twig.

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Check out this post from Kayci's blog. SVC threw us a shower and they were very generous and gracious.
My mother flew in from Dallas to attend and it was great having her here. One of the funniest moments of the shower was having some of the middle-aged women (Stephanie Taylor and Donna Davenport) attempting to guess the age of my mom.

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Noah received his first email last week. Here it is:
Noah,

I don’t know if this is your first email or not, but I want to be one of the first to welcome you into the world. I prayed for you this morning, and your sweet mother, and your devoted dad. I pray that your arrival will be pleasant. There are so many folks who are excited about your arrival. I pray that God will shape your life and you will be a Godly man like your namesake.

Like the first Noah, let me be the first to warn you that you are entering a world full of folks in rebellion to God’s will. You must be in the world, but not of the world. I pray you will love people and seek their salvation. I know this is getting pretty heavy for a guy not even born yet.

I hope I get to be the first one to take you on a horse ride. I look forward to that day. I hope to encourage you in the days ahead.

May God bless you,

John French

Where is the Light and Salt?

2009-08-15T19:55:00.001-07:00

John Stott hits it on the head with this quote. He calls us to back to our purpose for existence.

Our Christian habit is to bewail the world’s deteriorating standards with an air of rather self-righteous dismay. We criticize its violence, dishonesty, immorality, disregard for human life, and materialistic greed. “The world is going down the drain,” we say with a shrug. But whose fault is it? Who is to blame? Let me put it like this. If the house is dark when nightfall comes, there is no sense in blaming the house; that is what happens when the sun goes down. The question to ask is “Where is the light?” Similarly, if the meat goes bad and becomes inedible, there is no sense in blaming the meat; that is what happens when bacteria are left alone to breed. The question to ask is “Where is the salt?” Just so, if society deteriorates and its standards decline until it becomes like a dark night or a stinking fish, there is no sense in blaming society; that is what happens when fallen men and women are left to themselves, and human selfishness is unchecked. The question to ask is “Where is the Church? Why are the salt and light of Jesus Christ not permeating and changing our society?” It is sheer hypocrisy on our part to raise our eyebrows, shrug our shoulders, or wring our hands. The Lord Jesus told us to be the world’s salt and light. If therefore darkness and rottenness abound, it is largely our fault and we must accept the blame.”

The Hole in Our Gospel

2009-08-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

If you want a book that will deepen your faith, read Richard Stearns The Hole in Our Gospel.

On second thought, don't read this book because it will mess up your life...but so will the life and teachings of Jesus. I'm always looking for ways to pray with more expectancy, to love with more compassion, and to care for the least of these with more regularity and intentionality. This book will open up a whole new world for you. I'm just warning you, "Beware!"

When our churches become spiritual spas in which we retreat from the world, our salt loses its saltiness, and we are no longer able to impact the culture. (Stearns)

Who Names Who?

2009-08-06T14:23:00.001-07:00

I didn't choose my name. If I did, it would have been something creative and unique like Cash or Jet.

My dad was Roderick the IV, but he decided to be the last one because of all of the ridicule he received as a child. I'm glad. Roderick wouldn't have fit me very well.

Joshua Louis was the full name given to me. It soon became Josh for short. My grandmother is the only person who still calls me Joshua.

Throughout my life, I've received a few nicknames. Early on in high school it became "rabbit" because of the way I maneuvered my way around the football field. At the age of 18 I was given a nickname that stuck, "Boss Ross." I wasn't bossy; it just rhymed, "Josh da Boss Ross."

I find it interesting that God seems to take great delight in naming (or renaming) people. My buddy Jonathan Storment blogged about this recently.

God changes Jacob's name to Israel.
Jesus changes Simon's name to Peter.
Saul's name becomes Paul.

What's really interesting is when people give God a name. You see this throughout the psalms:
"You are my strong tower."
"You are my refuge."
"God is my salvation."

Jesus does something very interesting in the book of John, he begins to name himself. We know them as the 7 "I Am's."

But this isn't the first time that someone from the Trinity names himself.

Back in Genesis 3, God doesn't name a human being and he doesn't change a name. He names himself. God gives himself a name.

At the time, Moses is concerned that the Israelites are going to ask for God's name and he won't have a sufficient answer. Moses needs a name that will serve as undeniable proof that he has been with God.

God's answer is this, "I AM who I AM. I AM has sent me to you." This name would serve as proof that God had empowered Moses with a message that would lead to their deliverance.

God gives himself a name at a turning point in His people's history. The name "I AM" conjures up feelings of stunning holiness.

In fact, Exodus 3 is only the 2nd time that the word "holy" is used in Scripture. The first time comes in Genesis 2:3, "So God blessed the 7th day and made it holy." God spoke the first 6 days into existence with profound creativity and wonder, but only on the 7th day did God label with the word, "Holy." (Now, that is for another post)

The 2nd time the word "holy" shows up in Scripture is in Exodus 3 at the burning bush. God tells Moses to take his sandals off because the ground is holy. Then, it is on that holy ground that God lays out his plan to perform the greatest act of deliverance in the OT.

The holiness of God is used to set the stage...to lay the foundation...for God's justice and liberation.

When we think "holy," we think about silence, reverence, and meditation. This is all good because there are places in Scripture that affirm this.

But holiness is also used as a sure sign that God is about to do something so big that we might just need to brace ourselves for the impact. Holiness is an invitation to join God in his liberation and deliverance in the world. God reveals himself, and then he leads us out of that place in order to join in actions of kingdom-significance.

A Few Nuggets

2009-08-05T05:57:00.000-07:00

Soledad O'Brien is my favorite reporter on television. She works for CNN and does special reports. Last summer she hosted "Black in America" and it was excellent.

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I am grateful for the cool summer. Actually, my pregnant wife is the one who is really grateful.

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I want to learn the power of this, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice."

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I'm not a big fan of "forwards." People can quickly lose their "forwarding" credibility with me. If anyone attempts to send me forwards that demonize or demoralize people of power, it automatically goes in the trash.

Wedding Dance

2009-08-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

One of the funniest things I've ever seen.

Noah James

2009-07-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Noah,
Your due date is August 26th and I can't wait to see you. I'm writing you a letter that you might never read, but it's my way of getting a few thoughts out there.
I remember thinking the same thought before your brother Truitt came into the world, but it's amazing how much I'm able to love a piece of God's creation that I've never seen before. There are nights when I roll over in bed and I place my hand on Kayci's belly just so I can pray for God's Spirit to rest on you. I plead with Him to give you dreams and visions for His work in this world. I want you to know right now that I don't care what you become when you get older; I care about who you become. I want to point you to Jesus in a way that it is so captivating that he will become your breath of life. I want your faith to far exceed mine. I hope to demonstrate a prayer life that taps into the presence and power of God. I don't want you to know Scripture so that you can get a sticker for memorization or become a member of the 66-Club for knowing all the books in the Bible. I don't want it to be a distant book like other history books that line the shelves of libraries. I want Scripture to come to life inside of you. I want it to be relevant. I want it to shape your imagination in ways that you feel the same sand Jesus walked on. I want you to experience the same joy Jesus had in befriending sinners and social outcasts. I want you to always lean on the side of compassion so that you will love the poor the way God loves the poor.
I don't care if you are a Republican or Democrat or even if you choose to live out your adult life in America. More than anything, I want you to be a sold-out follower of Jesus who is not afraid to take some serious risks for him. I want you to feel empowered by your parents to do some daring things with your life. I want to make a covenant with you and Truitt, just like I did with your mother on our wedding day, that I will pray for you every single day.
I hope that the day never comes when I will have to die for you, though I would do it without even having to think about it. But know this, I will choose every single day to live for you.
I want you to know that I am far from a perfect father, but I will try my very best to love you with every ounce of my being.

I can't help but wonder:
Who are you going to look like more--your mom or me?
Will you be a righty or a lefty?
Will you like Toby Mac as much as your brother?
What will be your first word? (it's okay to say "mommy" first. She's still mad at Truitt. HA!)
How will you want to invest your time and energy in this world?

There are a few decisions that have been made for you: you will not be a Yankee fan, an Eagles fan, or a Giants fan. Try it, and we'll put you up for adoption. HA!

For 8 months we have watched you grow. Your work-out routines have become more frequent and powerful. They keep your mom awake at night, and when she tosses and turns it keeps me up. But I see it as a way that God is preparing me to hang out with you during the night while your mom gets rest after feeding you.

About your mom, she is a Proverbs-31 kind of woman. She makes me want to be a better Christ-follower, and she is going to pour her life into raising you.

I'll see you in a few weeks, buddy. Until then, you might want to stay off of mommy's bladder.

PS--If you want to get in good with your momma from the get-go, you better come early. She's tired of carrying you.

Relational Pong

2009-07-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

When I was in college we engaged in all forms of prank-wars. It was all about fun and one-upmanship. What began as fun became a war of out-doing someone else. The pride inside refused to allow someone else to "out-prank" you.
For example (I'll keep it rated PG):
We had community bathrooms and it wasn't unusual for someone to steal your towel while you were showering.
The next day you would hide a half-full gallon of milk in his dorm room.
When we moved off campus as juniors, one of our buddies stole a trampoline from a girl's house. The next day, her friends stole our dog.
Then, towards the end of that year, things got a little out of hand.
My roommate Jacob was a hunter. After killing a turkey, he cut off the turkey claw, stuck it in an envelope, and mailed it to Hailey.
A few days later, some brownies showed up at our house. It wasn't unusual to have cakes or brownies in our home. Three of us were in serious relationships and we always had people over. My friend Jay and I were cutting into the brownies when we were unable to cut through a piece. After working at it for a few minutes I picked the brownie up, only to discover a cooked turkey claw.
Back and forth...back and forth...

Throughout life we engage in all different forms of relational pong (an image used by Rob Bell). It is called revenge, retaliation, violence, one-upmanship, eye-for-eye, tooth-for-tooth.
"You put something into my court. I'll put it back in your court."
"You hit me. I will hit you harder."
"You kill one of mine. I'll kill one of yours."
"You bomb me. I'll bomb you back."
"You said what about me? Well, you're a ___!"
"They wrote what about me? I'll write something back."

We engage in relational pong.
Marital pong.
National pong.
Racial pong.
Political pong.
Social pong.
Religious pong.
Theological pong.
Blogging pong.

Where does it stop?

Jesus entered into a world that operated out of an "eye-for-eye...tooth-for-tooth" mindset. In the OT, forgiveness was something that God did. There doesn't seem to be a continual charge or expectation for humans to forgive humans. The result was disastrous. Fathers turned against sons and sons against fathers. Brothers killed brothers. Friends killed friends.

Jesus comes and says, "It stops with me. It stops at the cross. It stops at a cross-shaped life."

If anyone had reasons to strike back, it was Jesus. Yet he came saying things like:
"If someone hits you, turn the other cheek."
"If someone steals your coat. Give them your cloak."
"If you want to become one of my disciples, you must deny yourself, and take up a cross daily, and follow me."

The Christ-paradigm, or the Christ-pattern, is all about death and rebirth. It is about death and resurrection. As we enlist ourselves into this pattern and rhythm of life, we drop our swords, we loosen our tight fists, and we transform hate speech into something more redemptive and liberating.

I'm convinced that the call of Jesus is, "Stop with the relational pong. People in this world will not come to know me by your persuasive arguments and/or dominate force. They will be drawn to me because of the way you love each other."

Dear ESPN, we are "favred-out"

2009-07-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

Dear ESPN,
I'm writing out of desperation on behalf of all the American people and others around the world. Is there anything you can do to convince Favre that retirement is his friend? We are "favred-out." Coming out of retirement once is forgivable...twice is border-line ridiculous...three times and beyond is a sure sign that someone is unstable and incapable of making rational decisions. We all loved Brett. He was a proven winner. He was honest about his addiction to pain pills which modeled authenticity in a world of cover-up and isolation. He cared for his wife during her fight with cancer. We admired him for his competitiveness and passion for life on and off the field.
But enough is enough.
Please do something. We can't take it anymore.
An ESPN Addict,
Josh Ross

PS--Can you send Justin Timberlake to meet with Favre again? They seemed to have connected as can be seen below.

Why Forgiveness?

2009-07-16T09:01:00.000-07:00

What's the deal with forgiveness?
Center stage in the OT is God's graciousness to forgive.
What we don't see in the OT is the expectation and challenge for humans to forgive each other. Revenge and retaliation dominate stories.

Enter Jesus.

As Scot McKnight points out in his book The Jesus Creed, "Forgiveness gets a new shape with Jesus."
Jesus holds nothing back:
"Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
"Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times."
"So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Philip Yancey is right, "We live in a dog-eat-dog not world; not a dog-forgive-dog world."

I'm preaching on forgiveness this week and I'm consumed by questions:
Are we supposed to forgive and forget?
Does God forgive and forget?
Why is forgiveness so hard?
How is forgiveness taught?
How do we prepare our children to be forgivers?
How is forgiveness about letting go of power?

Day of Jubilee

2009-07-12T19:31:00.000-07:00

I've never witnessed anything like it. It was bizarre and it was risky.
After preaching from "The Lord's Prayer" with a focus on "Give us this day our daily bread," I ended the sermon by pointing people to the communal function of this prayer. We've often interpreted this phrase as a call to personal reflection about our willingness to trust in God to provide. There is a sermon there; it just isn't the way this prayer functions.
Jesus teaches us to pray, "Give us..."
Jesus teaches us to pray with the world.
The church in Acts 2 and Acts 4 seemed to have been formed by these words of Jesus. They met each other's needs by selling land and homes. They grew because they knew how "to do" compassion.
My prayer this week was that Acts 4 would come to life at SVC today.
And...it did.
We had two baskets up front. Mark Taylor (a good friend and a minster at SVC) was holding one and Stoney Ramsey (a dear friend and a man of compassion) was holding the other. God provided me with $3200 in cash, and I had divided it into 4 piles of $800--2 for the 2 baskets in early service and 2 for the 2 baskets in late service. Then, I invited people to give whatever cash or change they wanted to give, because today we were going to take care of one another.
Then, it got bizarre. Very bizarre.
We have members like many of you do who are struggling with needs. Do they pay for healthcare or do they buy food? Do they pay off credit cards or do they pay the utility bill? Do they buy school supplies or new clothes for the kids?
I invited all who were in need to come and to take handfuls of money. (I know...it sounds crazy, right? I know of a couple of churches who have done something similar, and I was inspired.)
I rebuked the spirit of pride, embarrassment, fear, and shame. We have created a culture where we are unable to say, "I am in need." Needy people are often looked down upon as if they don't work hard enough, or they haven't managed money well, or they just haven't been blessed by God.
I begged those in need to not deprive people from the joy of giving. I pleaded with them to not deprive God of providing for their daily necessities.
And, it happened.
Within the first verse of the first song, people were waiting in line to drop money in the baskets. I was shocked to witness how many people were carrying cash. I had people coming up to me afterwards saying things like, "I never carry cash, but for some reason I went to the ATM yesterday."
I will never forget the lady who came forward with a handful of change and said, "This is all I have, but I want to give it." It was the story of the woman who gave her two coins lived out right in front of me.
We had people dropping checks in the baskets with the "Pay to the order of" left blank. These checks were for $50, $500, $1000 and the memo read, "Acts 4".
As people were putting money in the baskets, others were coming to take money out. There were plenty of tears and even more laughter. Widows were provided for. The needy were taken care of. The people who cried on the way to church today because they didn't know how bills were going to be paid went home rejoicing in the providence of God. We witnessed the power and activity of the Holy Spirit.
We gave away every single penny. We refused to count the money, but I'm assuming we gave away close to $10,000 today. I sent the basket of change home with a 20-year-old college student whose grandmother needed the money.
I am so proud of our people at SVC. I get to preach in front of people every Sunday who have surrendered their lives to the Jesus-story. They teach me something new every week.
Today, at SVC, it was a day of Jubilee. We were leaping for joy because the presence of God was alive and active.

Now, I'm drained. I'm going to sleep.

PS--I wish you could have been at the bank with me when I cashed a $3200 check. I handed it to the lady and I said, "Mam, I need a bunch of cash, preferably in all 20's." She laughed. I told her that it was for a day of Jubilee. Before I knew what was going on, I was explaining to the workers at Bank of America what Jubilee meant for God's people. They couldn't believe that there was a church that was going to give money away to people on a Sunday morning. The workers at the bank went home knowing about the power of God in Acts 4.

"Give us this day our daily bread"

2009-07-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

These words are piercing me this week. When I begin to feel like I have a clear understanding of the meaning, Jesus turns my attention to another component behind these 7 words.
The plan today is to go with a friend to eat lunch at a soup kitchen in downtown Memphis. I'm eager to converse with people about "daily bread" who don't interpret this phrase from a white, middle-class culture.
Here's what I'm convinced of this week:
-This phrase takes place within the larger context of the Lord's Prayer. The danger in preaching the Lord's Prayer over 6 weeks is that it is easy to lift a phrase or verse out of the context. I don't want to do this.
-This verse is more than just simplifying one's personal life. The "us" means that we pray this prayer with other people.
-"Bread" is a theme throughout Scripture.

The Kingdom of God

2009-07-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray a very earthly and political prayer: "Your Kingdom come. Your will be done, ON EARTH as it is in heaven."

Jesus taught his followers to pray this prayer during the reign one of the greatest empires this world has ever known. The Roman Empire would promise you a life of peace and prosperity if you would sign on to this phrase "Caesar is Lord." It was an allegiance with benefits. It could promise you a life of security, your children a good education, and land for you to live on.

It is in this surrounding culture and context that Jesus teaches people to pray, "Your Kingdom come."

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The story of Jesus is loaded with “kingdom” language.
In Matthew it is “the Kingdom of Heaven.”
In Luke it is “The Kingdom of God.”
In Mark it is 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
All four gospels (especially the first 3) join in great interest to present Jesus as the King of an upside-down Kingdom…a Kingdom that would have no need for a president, dictator, or Prime Minister because Jesus alone could hold the title.
There would not be a need for a palace, mansion, or capital, because this Kingdom was going to flourish on street corners, market places, inner cities and suburbs.
There would not be the need for leaders of self-defense because this kingdom would win people over by truth clothed in love and compassion.

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At times the word “kingdom” has been reduced to the church. There are those who have believed that the Kingdom came at Pentecost and that Acts 2 was the fulfillment of God’s kingdom on earth.
For those who hold this interpretation of “Kingdom,” when they say that we are attempting to grow “the kingdom” they are simply referring to “growing the church.”
Kingdom=church
Church=kingdom
This interpretation claims that the Kingdom points to Acts 2 (we’ve often read our Bibles as if Acts 2 is the ultimate climax of the NT)
Actually, the Kingdom points to Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t point to Acts 2, but Acts 2 points to Jesus

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It is interesting that Jesus never defines the kingdom.

We are people who like concepts defined. We want elaboration, certainty and definition. After all, we are recipients of the enlightenment period...an era of reason and learning.

But Jesus never defines the kingdom. He only offers hints, analogies, metaphors and images. In Matthew 13, he tells 7 parables concerning the Kingdom, but not one time does Jesus say, "The Kingdom of God is..." It is always, "The Kingdom of God is like..."

Here's what we know about the Kingdom from Luke 17, "The Kingdom of God is among you...it is within you."

The Kingdom of God is greater than any kingdom we can imagine and we are invited to swear our allegiance to it.

Steven Curtis Chapman

2009-06-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Steven Curtis Chapman has blessed people all over the world through his gift of music. He is a man of integrity, compassion, and deep faith.
After losing a daughter to a tragic accident, he and his family continued to embrace Jesus as the giver and sustainer of life.
This award was not about pity. It is about honoring a true artist.

Back in Business

2009-06-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

After traveling on and off for 3 weeks, I hope to have a little "normality" this week. We won't be leaving Memphis again for a few months.
We had a blast in Dallas this past week with my family. We get together one week a year...usually in the summer...and this year we just hung out at my parent's place.

On the "to-do-list" this week:
1) Sermon prep
2) Writing a study guide for Josh Graves' book Jesus Feast.
3) At least 8 appointments with certain people or couples.
4) Build a swing set for Truitt.

Jesus' Words on Family

2009-06-20T17:44:00.000-07:00

Mark 10:29-31
“Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecution—and in the age to come eternal life.”

There are two lists here.
The first list includes what some of the disciples had left behind:
-House
-Brothers
-Sisters
-Mother
-Father
-Children
-Fields

The second list consists of what the disciples will receive "now" in this age as rewards:
-Houses
-Brothers
-Sisters
-Mothers (notice the plural)
-Children
-Fields
-Persecution

The 2nd list one addition and one omission.
The addition is "persecution." Who wants that?
The omission in the 2nd list is "father." Is this an intentional move by Jesus?

Could it be that in an age when fathers were seen as the centerpiece of the family, Jesus suggests that God becomes the Father overall? If so, the role of the dad is to usher their children into God’s family.

Jesus isn't destroying family structures.
He is promoting a larger family of the community of believers.

Learning How to Fight

2009-06-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

We have not been taught how to fight well. There IS such thing as healthy conflict.
Too often when we find ourselves in disagreements we immediately enter into defense mode. We don't listen well, because we're too busy formulating our next argument. We enter into fear-mode and our mouths and hearts don't line up.

What are we afraid of? That the other person won't come to see things the way we do? Or that maybe the "thing" we are arguing for with such passion might actually be wrong?

We can be right about a certain subject or belief, but in the moment of conflict we can become wrong because we fail to allow the character of God to manifest itself in us.

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Acts 15 is a pivotal chapter in the NT. The church has come together to discuss the issue of the day--must one be circumcised to be saved.

Some of the Jewish Christians had made this into a heaven/hell issue.

Acts 15 is a chapter that teaches Christ-followers how to enter into healthy disagreement. Persuasive doctrine doesn't drive the chapter. Instead, persuasive testimony drives the chapter. This is a story about the church catching up to the mission of God. God has proven that he is working among the Gentiles (outsiders) and now the church is needing to catch up to God.

The resolution given in the chapter (15:19-21) is all about relationships. Three of the four "rules" that come from the meeting are about table fellowship. The table becomes the place of unity, relationship, and Spirit-filled community.

"Lord, Teach Us to Pray"

2009-06-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

In Luke 11, the disciples make a request, "Lord, teach us to pray."
Think about this--the disciples have been Jesus for a while now. They have seen him heal, teach, drive out demons, raise the dead, calm storms, and they have witnessed him taking part in night-long prayer vigils. These disciples were Jews, which meant that they had been taught spiritual disciplines since their youth. They knew about prayer. Yet, here they are making a request to learn one of the basic principles of faith.
Jesus uses this as a teachable moment. He gives them a new way to pray.

If we ever cease to make this request, our spirituality will plateau...it will become stagnant. We never graduate to the level of, "Lord, I've learned how to pray."

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Truitt is at a praying stage. We are trying to pray with him throughout the day--not just before meals and bedtime. We don't want him to equate prayer as the warm-up exercise for chicken strips or as the official sign that it is bedtime. The former can easily become a prayer with little meaning and the latter can become a miserable prayer because it means that fun is over. (Don't misunderstand me--prayers before meals and bedtime can be formative).

This morning, Truitt woke up at 8:30 and we brought him into our bed to play for a few minutes. Before we got up to eat breakfast, I said, "Truitt, let's pray over mommy." Together, we placed our left hands on Kayci's belly and our right hands on Kayci's head and together we prayed a prayer for God's blessing and mercy upon our new son and Truitt's new brother. We prayed for God's hand to upon them both. It was a priceless moment!

An Interesting Metaphor for the Church

2009-06-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Evangelist Luis Palau captured the nature of the church in an earthly metaphor. The church, he said, is like manure. Pile it together and it stinks up the neighborhood; spread it out and it enriches the world.

Ongoing Conversion

2009-06-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

Words from Scot McKnight:
“Conversion is more like a driver’s license than a birth certificate. The difference between the two is dramatic. A birth certificate proves that we were born on a specific date at a given location. A driver’s license is that: a license to drive, permission to operate. If conversion is likened to a birth certificate, we produce babies who need to be pushed around in strollers. If it is like a driver’s license, we produce adults who can operate on life’s pathways.”

In his book The Jesus Creed, McKnight asks this question, when was Peter converted?
1) John 1 when Andrew brings him to Jesus and Jesus tells him that one day he will be named "Rock."
2) Luke 5--after the miraculous catch of fish, Peter falls down at Jesus' feet and says, "Get away from me. I'm a sinner." And Jesus responds by saying, "Do not be afraid. For now on you will be catching people."
3) Luke 9--Jesus asks, "Who do people say I am?" The consensus was: a prophet, John the Baptist, and Elijah. Then Jesus makes the question a little more personal, "Who do you say I am?" Peter responds with the great confession, "You are the Messiah of God."
4) Story of Resurrection--Peter witnesses the death, burial, and the resurrection.
5) Acts 2--after waiting in Jerusalem for the promise of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit comes in power.
6) Acts 10--this story is just as much about Peter's conversion as it is about the conversion of Cornelius. Not that Peter is being converted to Jesus, but to the mission of Jesus. Both of these men need to be changed for the good news to spread.

My answer to the question is "YES!"

We have a life full of conversions as God continues to pry scales from our eyes to show us His glory and His world in new ways. Life is constantly giving us "Ah-hah" moments.

Paul puts it this way in Philippians 2:12, "Work out your salvation..."

May God convert us again.

Jay Leno

2009-06-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Jay Leno ended a great run at late night television this past weekend. The two parts of his show I will miss the most are:

1) Monday Night Headlines

2) Phone Booth Pranks

"TWILIGHT" is like Crack

2009-05-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

This book is like crack cocaine. I haven't read a page, but I woke up last night at 4:30am and Kayci was in the living room reading. She couldn't put the book down. This was the third time over the past two weeks that she has nearly pulled an all-nighter.
What is it about Twilight that is so addicting? Am I missing something?

Living in a World of "Chosen Community"

2009-05-27T11:24:00.001-07:00

I chose a peculiar place to write my sermon a few weeks ago on Acts 2.
Rarely do I write my sermons from my church office. My favorite place is The Common Ground, a coffee house not too far from my home. It has become a sanctuary for me...a place where sermon ideas flow.
Occasionally, I try to put myself somewhere in the city where I can read a text on behalf of the people who reside there. I know, for some you this may sound really odd, but it works for me.
When it came to writing my sermon on Acts 2, I chose to set up my office on the campus of the University of Memphis. I parked a mile from the campus and walked by sorority homes, frat houses, and Christian centers. I sat a table next to study groups and coffee-drinking-profs.
This entire time I was reading Acts 2 while praying, "What does this text mean for these people?"
I paused to give thanks for the girl stocking a shelf next to me with a huge butterfly tattoo across her neck as she socialized with everyone within a 15-foot radius of her floor job...asking God to to fill her with His presence and power.
I gave thanks for the couple I saw holding hands on the sidewalk...asking God to keep them pure.
I gave thanks for the young college student who was studying in front of me with papers, books, and notes scattered all over the table, and stress written all over her face...asking God to form her identity.

As I read Acts 2 in this setting, I realized a couple things:
1) Acts 2 isn't just about baptism. It is about the stirring of God that comes upon a group of people who were waiting for the coming Spirit. Then, the message Peter preaches was all about the power of God manifested through Jesus. People were baptized and 3,000 were added to the church. Acts 2:42 becomes the driving force of the rest of Acts, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." The power of this story is not that the 3,000 were baptized but that 3,000 entered into authentic community (Acts 2:42-47). By making that statement, I am not under-emphasizing baptism; if anything, I am elevating it. The baptized community now becomes an authentic community of Christ-followers.
2) This experience taught me that we live in a world of "chosen community". In college we chose are social clubs and our girlfriends...study groups and coffee/drinking buddies. We are surrounded by chosen-communities. Look at our churches and neighborhood cookouts.
But something happens in Acts 2, people don't choose community...the Holy Spirit chooses communities. And when the Holy Spirit begins to knit people together...

"Daddy...More!"

2009-05-24T07:43:00.001-07:00

My faith tradition celebrates the Lord's Table every Sunday. At some point in our worship service we give thanks for the bread and the cup and we share in a meal together. (Well, actually it is more like a snack--a pinch of bread and a shot of grape juice, but you get what I'm saying.)
Some people prefer the mood to be like a memorial--solemn and quiet as people reflect on the death of Jesus.
Others prefer for it to be more like a celebration--joyful and uplifting as we reflect on the risen Lord.
Some like it quiet...others like a song, inspirational video, or a time for conversation.

It is a meal and people have preferences...just like all meals.

Some in my church would differ on things like:

Can you celebrate the Lord's Table Monday-Saturday?
Does it have to be unleavened bread?
Can a nonbeliever take part in the meal?

Two Sunday's ago while at Greenlawn Church of Christ in Lubbock (Kayci's home church), we were sitting next to Kayci's parents and when it came time for communion, I handed Truitt a pinch of bread. Like any child his age, Truitt saw food and he devoured it.
Kayci and I have no qualms allowing our children to take part in communion. There will be many times over their childhood when we will sit at a table in our home with family or friends and at some point in the meal we will celebrate the Lord's Table. We want our children to experience this moment--the relationships that are formed and the conversations that take place. We want it to be like the Passover was to the Jewish family--highly participatory and heavy on child-involvement.

After Truitt ate "the Lord's snack," he reached his hands out saying, "More! Daddy, More!"

I thought to myself two things:
1) He has it right. "More"--should be the respond.
2) He has no clue what he is really asking of Jesus, but I pray with all my might that he will fully embrace what he is asking for.

Jantsen's Gift

2009-05-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

I first heard her story through Matt and Mike Cope.
Pam Cope's new book Jantsen's Gift invites you into a story of grief and redemption. She was a stay-at-home-mom in Missouri who was living the American dream, but her world shattered when her son, Jantsen, died at the age of 15. He laid down for a nap after football practice and never woke up. His heart just stopped beating. Jantsen's death sent Pam into a deep depression.
It is out of her story of deep depression that God cultivated within her a dream to rescue suffering, broken, neglected, and abused children. Her story is one of the most inpsiring books I've read.
I laughed. I cried. I prayed. I reflected.
Below is a paragraph that describes how I want to raise Truitt and his little brother (we still haven't decided on a name). Then, there is a video that will usher you into the mission of God.

The concept of a bad day for my kids is when the cable goes out, or there's a not enough milk for their Lucky Charms. I want my kids to know a different life than that; to have a different understanding of what constitutes hardship. The best way for me to do this is to do what I regretted not having done for Jantsen: teach them, through the way I live my life, that the world is not as big as we think and it's my responsibility--and will someday be theirs--to take care of people who need our help, even if those people look nothing like us, or live someplace that seems far away and foreign. I see many of my friends trying to shield their kids from pain and disappointment the way that I did when Jantsen and Crista were young, but I can't continue to do that. I don't want them to be crippled by fear. I want them to take chances and live adventurous lives. I want them to live their dreams, and the best way I can teach them to do that is to let them watch me live mine.

Staying Awake with God

2009-05-17T04:54:00.000-07:00

I've written on here before that I never sleep well on Saturday nights. They are nights full of sermon prep, passion, prayers, and the burden of responsibility (a burden that God puts on me and carries with me). Rarely do I go to sleep on a Saturday night without anxiously anticipating the next morning. I just love preaching!
BUT, little did I know that this is true even on vacation.
I couldn't get ministry out of my head last night. I stayed up thinking about future sermons, praying over the vision of SVC and wrestling in prayer for some of my friends in Memphis. I thoroughly enjoyed God last night.
I miss not preaching at SVC, but the Sabbath I have received and the time with Kayci is much needed. I cannot wait to be back in Memphis one week from today to stand up in front of the church and say, "Please open your bibles to Acts 9."

Pet Peeves

2009-05-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

I've been in crowded places over the last couple of weeks (numerous airports) and Kayci and I have had fun discussing our pet peeves. Here are a few of mine:

People who talk on their cell phone so loud that the entire airport can hear them. Seriously, tone it down! The person on the other end can hear you just fine.
People who are walking in a crowded area, or down a sidewalk, and then they decide to stop right in front of you. People, it is not hard...just move over to the side because next time I might just run over you!
People who have been wearing those ridiculous masks "to prevent" the swine flu. A woman sat next to Kayci on the plane with one of those things on. Kayci and I were proud of ourselves because we held in our laughter for the entire flight.
People who fart on a plane. This one is not cool...at all! We can't roll windows down. We can't get up and move. Everyone suffers and we're forced to cup our hands over our mouths which doesn't work very well.
Loud ice-chompers.
When people make turns without using their blinker.
People who sit behind third base at a baseball game and think that they have a view to yell at a umpire for calling an apparent "strike" a "ball."

That's it for now. What about you?

Pepperdine

2009-05-08T23:15:00.001-07:00

Highlights from Pepperdine (in no particular order):

Listening to my boy Mike Cope preach tonight. He is a true artist!
Listening to Kayci speak on Wednesday. She is extremely gifted.
Hanging out with my brother today. He's one of my best friends.
Having the opportunity/honor to keynote at the Friday morning lecture. I had a blast and the people were very gracious.
Sitting in between Cope and Lynn Anderson before I spoke. Two men who have greatly impacted me.
The scenery. Seriously, you don't get much better than the scenery around this place.
Getting the phone call that Lucas Graves was born yesterday.
All the lunches and dinners with good ministry friends. We hung out the most this week with Brady and Donna Bryce. We even shared a bathroom with them. :)
Going to an Angels game with Adrienne (Kayci's "bff"), her husband Nathan, and Eric and Eddie (two of my buddies from Memphis).

Where is God?

2009-05-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

The last 5 days have been a whirlwind. After two days of traveling, I have arrived in Lubbock. Kayci and I are off to Malibu tomorrow morning. I've only had time to jump online and publish a few of your comments. I have not had a chance to respond.
When I return, I'd like to take up a few of your questions. The question of "Where is God in the midst of tragedies?" is a great question. People have been asking it for thousands of years.
A few book suggestions:
Philip Yancey (Prayer)
Philip Yancey (Disappointment with God)
Philip Yancey (Where is God When it Hurts?)
William Young (The Shack)

Please pray for Kayci and me this week.