WideOpen - Jeff Myers

Hope in God

2011-07-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've been studying the Psalms lately and a verse stuck out to me the other day.

Psalm 43:5
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

I know lots of people who struggle with depression. I'm one of them sometimes. What I've come to know in my own struggles is that it ultimately comes down to a choice. I have to choose to get unstuck. I'm not trying to oversimplify, but the first step is not wanting to be down and then changing your thoughts and actions. The truth is it can take a long time to get there.

This verse just made me think of all the times I've been down and looking for solutions in a hundred different places. Wishing for better finances, a saner family, a thinner waistline, more success, etc... It's a great reminder that we have ONE hope. Focus on him. Focus on your relationship with God, his grace, his gifts, his calling on your life, advancing his Kingdom and caring for his children. Hope in God!

Blogging Again

2011-07-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start blogging again. I've been missing it and think the habit of writing regularly is good for me. Start checking it out occasionally. I look forward to sharing!

Dixon Teen Center Makeover w/Isaiah Being Interviewed

2010-12-11T22:37:00.001-08:00

Faith, Hope, & Love

2010-12-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

I often talk to people struggling through difficult circumstances. Relational, moral, occupational, financial, or health issues. Generally speaking, this is true--one of the greatest statements of faith in the wake of difficult circumstances is to claim the truth that "for those who love God all things work together for good." God loves us so much, that he will take the tough times of those who place their faith in him and use those tough times as a catalyst for hope, and ultimately good.

The next time you're faced with a trial or a failure, claim that truth. What seems like a failure now, will soon be transformed into a good thing--a victory--by the God who loves you. It could be the thing you were so sure was the best plan for your life, was actually less than best. Trust that God knows what's best for you and loves you enough to work out the best for you even before you know it's the best!

Searching For God Knows What

2010-12-05T22:48:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of Donald Miller's book, Blue Like Jazz. So when I picked up his book, Searching For God Knows What, I expected a similar reading experience. BLJ was raw, honest, humorous, and just resounded with my soul. SFGKW came off as if Miller was trying too hard to be clever. There was just something missing. It wasn't awful. It just didn't strike the strong chord that Jazz did. So I guess this is a mixed review. I'm not saying it's not worth reading; but if you haven't read Jazz, read that instead.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Contentment (and the blog lives!)

2010-12-02T12:12:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted anything to the blog in about 6 months. I needed a break from it, but lately I've been feeling the urge to share again.

Last Sunday I started a new series called AVOIDING THE NIGHTMARE AFTER CHRISTMAS. We're just looking at some sound Biblical financial principles. Last week I talked about contentment. I really do believe that contentment is one of the strongest indicators of spiritual maturity.

Sunday we looked at 4 ways to cultivate contentment in our lives, but now I wanted to bring up a counter-point. Buying stuff is not always wrong! In fact, often, it's necessary or helpful. Here are some questions to ask yourself before you make a purchase:

Do I have the money for this?
Do I only want it because it's shiny and new?
How will this item improve my work/life?
Have I shopped for the best deal or read user reviews?
Is there anything more important I should be spending this money on?
Is this purchase good stewardship of the money God has entrusted to me?

There's nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while. After all, you work hard for your money. Just remember, that it's called a "treat" because it's something different/special. If you never say no to your shopping urges, it's not a treat -- it's just undisciplined, unwise discontent.

Into Thin Air

2010-06-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

I finished another book last night -- Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air. This is the story of the deadliest single day and year in Mt. Everest's climbing history. On May 10, 1996, 8 climbers lost their lives (and a total of 15 for the entire '96 climbing season). Krakauer was on assignment from Outside Magazine to write about the commercialization of Everest expeditions. Due to a deadly storm that hit on their summit day, the content of his article and subsequent book changed dramatically. Of the 11 expedition members on Krakauer's team, 5 lost their lives.

I loved this book as much or more as I loved Richard Preston's The Wild Trees. It was truly a page-turner. I have to admit I'm somewhat fascinated with the whole Everest thing and mountaineering, though I've never attempted it myself. I've actually set a goal to climb a fourteener in the next couple of years. I want to climb something like Shasta to see if it's a sport I'd actually enjoy (or if I just enjoy reading about it). Don't know that I'd ever attempt Everest, but I totally understand it.

One of the aspects of Into Thin Air I found interesting was the way Krakauer depicted the loneliness of climbing Everest. Krakauer is an experienced climber and all his previous expeditions were very team-oriented. But evidently there's something about the nature of climbing Everest that forces the climber to really depend on themselves and overcome their own mental and physical anguish, despite the fact that their supported by a team of dozens. It honestly made me think of church work.

In church we definitely have a team of people to rely on as we follow Jesus and tackle different missions, but sometimes I experience crushing loneliness in ministry. Maybe it's the nature of ministry, maybe it's a ploy of our enemy... Whatever it is, it can easily be crippling. I've often described discipleship as a team sport that requires incredible individual effort. My point is that no one can do discipleship for you. They can encourage you, support you, equip you... But ultimately, like Everest, it requires you making the decision to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

Part of this incredible story was a man named Beck Weathers. Who was twice left for dead on the mountain. He had been stranded, exposed overnight, severely frostbitten, and more. No one on his team could conceive a reality where he would be able to recover and make it down the mountain. He was once assumed dead, then found alive, and then abandoned as a lost cause -- left for dead (which is the title of his own book). To everyone's surprise though, he came walking on his own power, mummy-like, into camp. After another brutal night on the mountain he was even closer to death. His team decided to leave him on the mountain a second time! Beck was able to rally though and get down the mountain.

It's just a reminder to me that in this process of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, whether you feel left for dead, or are considering leaving someone behind that seems to be a lost cause --- I don't believe "lost cause" is in God's dictionary. Ask and allow the Holy Spirit to give you the extra power to keep going (or to help someone else keep going).

Jesus Manifesto

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

Last night I finished reading Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet & Frank Viola. The subtitle of this book is "Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ." I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK! Jesus Manifesto is equal parts guidance for Christian living and layman's theology. It's been a while since I read a book that was more singularly focused on Jesus that this book. Jesus Manifesto does a great job of connecting the dots of our faith. Sweet & Viola are able to write in a style that seamlessly weaves Scripture throughout this narrative of salvation, Kingdom, and Christo-centric living. I seriously wish I could get every person in my church to read this book. I think they would have a much clearer view of Jesus, atonement, justification, and what their response to all of this should be.

I'm going to give this little book the highest praise I can think of by saying, if it catches on, Jesus Manifesto has the potential to be the 21st century answer to C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. Please read this book! It'll be a priceless investment of your time.

Faithful

2010-06-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Last night Jamie and I were laying in bed talking and she asked me how I was feeling about the church. I told her I felt very good about Living Hope. I still love this church almost as much as my own family and love being her pastor. I also told Jamie that sometimes it's easy to feel impatient, though. I know for some pastors things move lightening-fast. We hear stories of churches that grow from 4 to 4,000 in 4 years, or churches that had a vision for a big mission or ministry and God dropped a $4,000,000 gift in their laps and it moved from dream to reality overnight. But for the other 99.9% of us, ministry moves a little slower.

Even though I'm a big dreamer and fully expect God to blow us away with all that he'll accomplish in and through Living Hope Church, I told Jamie last night that I'm not at all discouraged by the slow pace. The reason is that I have this overwhelming sense that we're being faithful. I believe we are seeking the face of Jesus earnestly. I believe we are loving each other sincerely. I believe that we are serving this community and the rest of the world humbly. And I believe we give of ourselves and our resources sacrificially. In the end, that's what we're called to do. The question will be, "Were you faithful?"

That's not to say, that we couldn't write a 200 page book on all the ways we could improve our ministries and all the people that we're not reaching that we could and should be reaching. But I feel like we're serving God faithfully. We'll continue to allow him to change and improve us and we'll trust him for the increase. I would rather us be a healthy, faithful church that grows according to God's timeline, than for us to manufacture unnatural growth because we covet what other churches have.

I write all this to say, Living Hopers, if you're serving God faithfully, keep it up. Keep serving, loving, worshipping, giving, praying, studying, sharing, and dreaming! If you're not, then get on board, because we need you!

Plan B

2010-05-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

There has been a decent amount of hype around Pete Wilson's new book Plan B. Wilson is, I believe, a first-time author and pastor of the Cross Point Church in Nashville. The subtitle of Plan B is "What do you do when God doesn't show up the way you thought he would?" The short of it, from my view, is that Plan B reads like an awesome sermon series and an okay book on how to deal with disappointment, grief, etc...

Plan B really is an encouraging book. I would definitely give it to anyone dealing with tough circumstances in their life. Wilson does a good job of giving Biblical and real-life examples to support his topics/chapters. If I'm honest, though, I felt like there was too much time spent re-telling Biblical stories. That may sound like horrible criticism for a Christian book, but there's a fine line between content that makes a good sermon and content that makes a good book.

Honestly, though, I'm not sure why I'm coming across as critical as I am, because I found much of the book to be very encouraging. My favorite line of the whole book is:

"Your dreams may not be happening, and things aren't turning out the way you expected, but that doesn't mean your life is spinning out of control. It just means you're not in control."

That one's a keeper!

Change Your Lenses

2010-04-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I got new glasses for my birthday. I needed them really bad. My dog had chewed all the plastic off of one arm of my old pair and it was down to the pointy wire and I stabbed myself in the head every time I put them on.

I've had that old pair for about 7 years. I felt like my prescription was probably the same, but did the eye exam anyway to make sure. Sure enough, my eyes had held steady for the last seven years and my prescription was exactly the same. So I wasn't expecting a big difference in my vision when I put on the new pair. Boy, was I wrong!

What I didn't realize was that my old lenses were plastic and had turned a pretty significant shade of yellow. When I put on the new pair I felt like I stepped into a completely different world. The effect of the old pair was similar to viewing the whole world through a sort of sepia tone--all the colors were dull and I didn't realize it. Now I'm seeing bright, vibrant, vivid colors and it's amazing! Who knows how many years I'd been viewing a duller version of the world.

I wonder if there's some area of your life that you need to view through new lenses? Maybe it's your family or your job or your church. Maybe bitterness or familiarity or pessimism has caused you to miss out on the vibrant beauty that's right in front of your eyes. Try to change your lenses and allow yourself to remember why you loved those people in the first place. Allow yourself to hope and dream good things for those people again.

If you really have the guts, try seeing yourself through a new lens! How would we look if we could see ourselves through the lenses that God sees us through?

1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

A Couple More John Muir Quotes

2010-04-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty. Whether as seen carving the lines of the mountains with glaciers, or gathering matter into stars, or planning the movements of water, or gardening--still all is Beauty!

And regarding the damming of Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley, considered by many second only in beauty to the Yosemite Valley itself:

The temple-destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to have a perfect contempt for Nature, and, instead of lifting their eyes to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar. Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man.

The Hetch Hetchy was dammed in the 1920's and is now the Hetch Hetchy Resevoir which provides water to the city of San Francisco. Ironic that a city that probably has a higher percentage of bleeding-heart liberals and conservationists than any other city on the planet, drink from the travesty that is Hetch Hetchy Resevoir.

The Wilderness World of John Muir

2010-04-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

I've been reading The Wilderness World of John Muir: a selection of his collected work edited by Edwin Way Teale. I have thoroughly enjoyed this. I was kind of turned on to Muir by the Ken Burns documentary The National Parks. Muir is viewed by most as the original conservationist, but he was so much more than that. John Muir was also a worship leader! He led this nation in worshipping God alongside of his creation. He showed us the rocks and the hills crying out to their maker and challenged us to get out there with them and join in.

I highly recommend this book! Here's an excerpt I read today from Muir's essay titled "Shadow Lake". Early in the history of Yosemite NP, shepherds grazing their herds in the park was a big problem. They decimated the landscape and Muir fought hard (along with the soldiers stationed in the park) to keep them out. One of Muir's favorite spots was Shadow Lake (now Lake Washburn) about 8 miles from the Valley. In his essay, Muir describes the beauty of this lake in the fall. All the colors of the turning leaves and wildflowers were stunning. Few people knew about this spot, and Muir didn't tell many about it, hoping to keep it pure. Then...

On my last visit, as I was sauntering along the shore on the
strip of sand between the water and sod, reading the tracks of the wild animals that live here, I was startled by a human track, which I at once saw belonged to some shepherd;...and after tracing it a few minutes I began to fear that he might be seeking pasturage; for what else could he be seeking? Returning from the glaciers shortly afterward, my worst fears were realized. A trail had been made down the mountain-side from the north, and all the gardens and meadows were destroyed by a horde of hoofed locusts, as if swept by a fire. The money-changers were in the temple.

The Story I'm In

2010-04-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Chris Brogan, author of Trust Agents, is giving away 100 copies of Donald Miller's A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (here). All you have to do is blog about the impact of story in your own life. (By the way, if you're a reader, one of the best reasons to set up a Twitter account and follow authors and publishers, is they're constantly giving away books. I seriously get tons of free books this way.)

I love to think of my life in terms of story. Doing so is in itself an act of faith I think. If I admit that I'm in the middle of a story, it's also admitting that there is an Author of my life who knows how the story ends. Of course, as a Christ-follower, I'm aware that my story isn't really my story. I'm not the star. I'm just a bit player in His story.

But when I think back through my life it is definitely the more dramatic parts that have shaped who I am today and continue to shape who I'll be. I think a perfect example of this is all the different churches I've served in. I've stated before that I've served on staff at several different churches. A few were great; most were dysfunctional. Through the years I often wondered why I had to endure all those experiences. But it all became crystal-clear when I was interviewing for my current position as pastor of Living Hope Church. The elders asked me to share my philosophy of pastoring and ministry. As I began to speak and share different qualities that were important to me, the faces of all the pastors I had previously served under started flashing through my mind. I realized I was sharing things that each of these men had taught me. Even the guys that I didn't see eye-to-eye with about everything! Suddenly, I had this moment of clarity. God had lessons for me to learn from each of them before I was ready to take the lead myself. I'm sure each of them had pastors that taught them, they taught me, I'll teach others, and the story goes on.

I hope that my story is really just the middle chapter of a larger story that will continue in the people's lives that I've touched.

If you are bored with your story, maybe it's because you're not doing anything. Even though I believe God is the Author, I also believe that he won't force his story on you. Make some decisions in your life that require faith or growth or courage. You'll start to see your story come to life again!

Cultivate Generosity

2010-04-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

I recently read one of the saddest reports I've ever read. It stated that only 3-5% of U.S. Christians actually tithe on their income. The Biblical definition of tithing is to give 10% of your income to support the work of the Lord. (A much higher percentage gives a lesser amount though.) However, we're called throughout the Bible to give a tenth.

Let me ask you a personal question. What's your attitude about tithing or charitable giving? 2 Corinthians 9 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. Why is this important? Can't he just be happy that we're giving regardless of our attitude? Actually, no.

I think too many Christians view tithing as just another duty to God. But God's intent is not to collect dues, it is to help us cultivate a spirit of generosity and grow our faith. This is something that I think we can all get behind. Nobody wants to be stingy. We would all like to think of ourselves as generous people, right? And who doesn't want to be MORE faithful?

April 15 is coming up and the IRS is busy collecting taxes. Can I admit something? I have NEVER written a check to the IRS with a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart! In fact, the emotional response is usually pretty negative. I hate paying taxes! Don't get me wrong--I understand the benefit of paying taxes. I know that we get many great services and our quality of life is better because of our taxes. But that doesn't change the fact that it still feels like highway robbery.

On the other hand, I've never written a tithe check in anger. Why? Because it feels good to support what God is doing around the world! In fact, I love getting that giving report from the church at the end of the year. Not because of pride, but because I'm always amazed that we were able to give away so much on so little! That report is a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness. When we bless God, he blesses us! The money goes a little further. The appliances last a little longer. Bargains occasionally land in our laps. God provides!

We don't suffer a lot of persecution in the U.S. and I believe a result of that is that our faith is untested and weak. However, I think one of the best ways you can test and grow your faith is to grow your generosity! Take the abundance that God has blessed you with, and turn it into an exercise in faith. Make a commitment to live with less, so God's Kingdom can do more. You'll never regret it. It may not be easy or comfortable, but you'll never regret it!

Proverbs 11:24-25 (ESV)

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer;

another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered.

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect

2010-04-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

I'm reviewing a copy of John C. Maxwell's new book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect for Thomas Nelson Publisher's Booksneeze blogger review program. If you have a blog it's a great way to get free books.

I've always been a fan of Maxwell's leadership books. I especially enjoyed his last two: Put Your Dream to the Test and Talent is Never Enough. Regretfully, that was not the case with this latest book. I seriously couldn't finish it and just skimmed the last 3/4 of it.

When writing this book, Maxwell posted chapters online and invited stories and feedback from the public. This book is so bloated with that content and quotes from other books it is almost unbearable. It feels like there is very little original content here. In fact, if you removed all the outside stories, quotes, anecdotes...if feels like Maxwell's original content wouldn't amount to more than a pamphlet.

I realize that Maxwell's writing style has always leaned heavily on anecdotal material, but this somehow felt over the top. John Maxwell has written dozens of truly excellent books, but you can probably pass on this one.

Christ is Risen...Now What?

2010-04-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

I've been hearing great reports from churches all over about great Easter services. Living Hope had a fun, record-breaking day as well. So two questions:

1) Pastors/Churches: What are you doing to follow up Easter this weekend?

2) Church-goers: Will you re-invite your friends again this weekend? (I say hit'em up again. Don't wait till Christmas to invite them back!)

Deep Church

2010-04-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

I recently finished reading Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional by Jim Belcher. If you're a pastor, get this book and read it. You won't regret it.

I've been fascinated with the whole emerging church movement for several years now. I've read tons of books about it, been on the bandwagon, off the bandwagon, etc... Like everyone in the emerging church camp, I've always struggled with feelings of disappointment in the state of the modern/traditional church. Most of the time whenever I would read an emergent author or hear a speaker, they were writing/speaking about things I was already thinking and/or trying or, at least, considering trying.

But what initially started as a conversation about changing church methodology, changed into a conversation about changing theology. That's when the emergents jumped the shark (or "nuked the fridge" I believe is the newer terminology).

In Deep Church, Belcher gives the best analysis of the emerging/traditional debate and offers great solutions for those who feel the ecclesiastical angst, but aren't interested in becoming heretics. The chapters "Deep Truth", "Deep Evangelism", and "Deep Gospel" are alone worth the price of the book. Belcher advances the philosophical points of the debate by attempting to encourage both sides to make nice and find common ground. But he also offers great practical guidance on how to develop your own "deep church".

Best book I've read on this topic and I'll be re-reading sections of it over and over I'm sure.

(One caviat: Belcher writes from a Presbyterian point of view. So you may need to think through translating some of his advice into your own tradition.)

The Wisdom of Risk

2010-04-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

I've been reading some of John Muir's writings from The Wilderness World of John Muir. I came across a great quote from his essay "On the Brink of Yosemite Falls".

Muir is in Yosemite Valley and decides to hike to the top of Yosemite Falls (which is almost 2,500 feet tall). Of course this is before all the improvements and railings and such that you'll find there now. He literally crawls to the edge of one side of the falls to look down and finds that it's not a sheer cliff. There's a slight slope to it so he can't see all the way to the bottom like he hoped. But he also sees just a little ways below there's a 3-inch-wide ledge that he might be able to shimmy down to get a better view. Weighing whether or not the view of a lifetime was worth the danger of free-climbing on to a 3-inch-wide ledge 2,500 feet in the air, he writes this:

"If I was to get down to the brink at all that rough edge, which might offer slight finger holds, was the only way. But the slope beside it looked dangerously smooth and steep, and the swift roaring flood beneath, overhead, and beside me was very nerve-trying. I therefore concluded not to venture farther, but did nevertheless."

He later writes that the view and the thrill were so overwhelming that he couldn't sleep for two nights afterward.

I believe God calls us to similar risks often, but generally we look over the precipice and "conclude not to venture farther". Faith doesn't always make sense or feel comfortable. Muir also added this thought about that experience:

"...I was not distinctly conscious of danger. The tremendous grandeur of the fall...smothered the sense of fear..."

Translation: The reward crushed the risk! When was the last time you took a step of faith in your life and experienced a victory that left you sleepless for two nights?!

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Easter Cartoons

2010-04-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here's some great Easter cartoons that Travis Penn pointed me to. Good stuff!

Remodeling the Temple

2010-04-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to give an update to my Demons & Donuts post from several weeks ago. I became convicted that my poor health, over-eating, and lack of exercise were at it's core a spiritual issue for me. I really believe this is not just a temptation, but an attempt by the enemy to cut my ministry short.

So here's the update. In 4 weeks, I've made 3 changes. 1) I'm seriously monitoring my carb intake. This is not an Atkin's thing. It's a necessity thing because of my type-2 diabetes. 2)I've been walking with my buddy L.C. about 3 times a week and riding my bike to work once or twice a week. 3) I've put a halt to the late night snacks/meals.

The result is that for the first time since I was diagnosed diabetic I've had some normal blood sugar readings. I also had a blood pressure check today and that was normal. And I've lost about 15 lbs. This is the first time that weight loss hasn't really been my goal. My focus has been almost totally on improving my health. I feel more focused than in the past.

Thanks to Jamie for encouraging me and the menu adjustments. Thanks to L.C. for holding me accountable and the encouragement. And thanks to so many of you that have told me you've been praying for me. I'm literally just getting started and have a long way to go. I'd appreciate your continued prayers.

Why You Should Invite Someone to Church This Week

2010-03-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

We played this in church this morning. Can't watch it without tearing up! Watch as Maria shares what a difference an Easter invitation to LHC made in her life last year.

Churches & Video

2010-03-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

I think the use of projection systems in modern churches has been both one of the greatest tools used in worship and one of the most distracting tools used in worship. When done right, the video can really enhance the worship and teaching experience. When done wrong, it distracts from worship and the message. Churches implementing video and projection would be wise to get some training in this area to make sure they're not using it in such a way that defeats the purpose.

This photo I found online today cracks me up a little. Note to churches: If you're considering featuring live video on your big screen, make sure you're meeting in a room that's big enough that it's actually needed. If the actual band looks bigger than the band on screen, it's not needed. Also, if your live video is making your band look shorter and fatter---not good, either!

Action Method Notebooks

2010-03-18T00:31:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a couple of The Action Method Notebooks from The Behance Network and I really love them. This has quickly become one of my favorite leadership/organizational tools. The whole point of The Action Method is to help move from "idea" to "action". I've had hundreds of meetings where great ideas were tossed around, but in the end nothing happens. The Action Method Notebook is one of their solutions. It's great for use in meetings.

There's space at the top to write down your agenda. Instead of lined paper to take notes, it incorporates dots to easier facilitate sketches and such. Along the right-hand side of the page are areas to record action steps after all the brainstorming has taken place. And finally there's an area at the bottom to record backburner items (good ideas to revisit later). It's helped me to focus on making sure the result of meetings is getting things done, instead of just meeting. Plus, the notebooks are on high-quality recycled materials, very attractive, and the suede-like cover feels great in your hands. The notebook is $15. Worth trying!

(They also offer a network-style online version of the Action Method and and iPhone app. Both look like they would be valuable tools.)

AWAKE(NING)

2010-03-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

I want to put a couple of new worship albums on your radar. These are seriously the best worship albums I've heard in a while. Check them out!

North Point Live: Awake

Passion: Awakening

Consider Them Given

2010-03-13T15:37:00.000-08:00

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

little league games/practices
diabetes
a new baby on the way
the food I should be eating
the food I shouldn't be eating
fighting kids
a growing church
struggling marriages
hurting teens
terrible 2's
exercise
office work
housework
yard work
bills/debt
the economy
worrying about my kids
parents
hurting friends
high-maintenance people
the dog
upkeep of the house
broke-down cars
wanting to keep people happy
time with God
putting off life-goals
home-schooling
being the man Jamie needs
being the dad the kids need
being the pastor LHC needs
serving the community
unwatched shows on the DVR
unread books on the shelf
list of people to talk to
helping people become stronger disciples
the lost
the poor
the sick
the victims
the forgotten
fat belly
need to shave
stuff I need
stuff I want
stuff I want that I don't need
taxes
stupid people
how can they possibly answer all my questions about LOST in the handful of episodes that are left?

(I'm sure I could come up with more, but that's enough for now.)

Manchester Orchestra and PKs

2010-03-12T12:35:00.000-08:00

Had a great time with Isaiah at the Manchester Orchestra concert at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. It might be my favorite concert ever. They're such a great band. I don't mean great as in "I like them", but great as in there is "greatness" upon them.

Do you remember the first song or album that you really connected with the lyrics? Like do you remember the first time a song or album moved you or really resonated within you? It may sound silly, but for me it was this Michael W. Smith Christmas album that he released in the 80s. There was something about the music and those lyrics that just filled me up. I think Manchester Orchestra's Mean Everything to Nothing is that album for Isaiah. Andy Hull, the lead man, is a pastor's kid. His lyrics often speak to that, his rocky relationship with his dad, his jaded attitude toward church, and his struggle with faith.

After the concert, Isaiah and I had a good talk about all of this. I asked him what he thought of M.O.'s lyrics. He said he really liked them and he said "I really think I understand them". We talked about how it's actually very common for PKs to grow up hating church and eventually abandoning their faith. I told Isaiah that it's actually a flippin' miracle that both my brothers and I are pastors. Not that I didn't fight against it.

I really did grow up bitter at church, partly because of my perception that my dad cared more for the church than he did for us (I don't think that's true anymore), and partly because of the way I saw churches treat my dad. I really rejected the notion of being a pastor for several years, because I didn't want that to be my family's experience. I think the key thing for me eventually coming around to embracing God's calling for me, was that I was able to separate my dysfunctional church experiences from my relationship with Christ. One was screwed up and even abusive, and the other was meaningful and personal. I've since been able to leave all that baggage behind and learn to genuinely love the Church. But it literally took a decade to do it.

That's my goal for my kids. I won't always be able to control their church experience or perceptions of me and my ministry. But I hope they come away with a deep-rooted relationship with Jesus. If that happens, that will be enough to carry them through.

Isaiah and I were able to talk about all of this and he assured me that, so far, he doesn't have any of that bitterness toward God or the church. (I think he identifies more with the lyrics about not getting along with his dad.) He also promised me that if he ever felt any of that bitterness, he would talk to me about it so I could make changes if necessary. It ended up being a great night and a meaningful conversation with my son.

Some people might ask why I would intentionally expose him to bands with these kind of lyrics. My answer is so I can create environments where I can have the conversation I had with him last night. I don't like listening to music where the lyrics are overtly anti-God or offensive to the faith. But I have no problem appreciating artists who share their struggle with their faith. Artists are able to do this in a way that most of the rest us can't quite give a voice to. It's sad, but beautiful all at once.

Chronological Guide to the Bible

2010-03-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

I think one of the most valuable things you can study about the Bible is the chronology of it. Most people know bits and pieces of Scripture, but few really get the story. In fact, I would suggest that knowing the story of the Bible is equally as important as knowing the theology of the Bible, and you really can't fully appreciate one without an understanding of the other.

A few years ago, Thomas Nelson Publishers released the Chronological Study Bible. It was a valuable tool, but released only in the New King James Version. The Chronological Guide to the Bible takes all the study tools from that Bible plus the tools found in The Life and Times Historical Reference Bible and compiles them into one volume that you can use with whatever is your preferred version of the Bible.

This is a very attractive, full-color reference book with tons of information on world history during certain sections of the Bible, archaeological evidence, and cultural background info. If you're looking to gain a better understanding of the story of the Bible, this is an excellent reference work. Highly recommended and useful!

Interruptions

2010-03-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

Sunday I preached from Mark 5 where Jesus is on his way to heal a little girl close to death and stops to offer life and healing to a woman with a bleeding disease. The main point I focused on was a point I first heard from Rob Morgan of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville a few years ago -- "Ministry happens in the interruptions of life."

I love that statement and it has stuck with me. It's so true. When I allow my agenda to be flexible, notice people, then I end up doing God's work and not just my own. I know God can work through our agendas too, but divine appointments are rarely scheduled.

Ask yourself these questions:

Do I really notice people and listen to them, or do I just use people to accomplish the things I need to do?
Am I solely focused on my own agenda, or do I give God enough access to my life to let him set the agenda?
Is there time in your week for helping others, or have you maxed out you day so much that you couldn't serve someone even if you wanted to? What does that communicate to your kids?

Give your day and your agenda to God. Be present in the lives of the people you interact with. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the people that need your attention, encouragement, and hope.

Satan Laughs While I Mow

2010-03-05T23:35:00.000-08:00

I finally mowed my lawn today. It was bad. There were sections so tall that the dog would actually disappear except the tip of her tail. It normally takes me about 30 minutes to mow my little lawn, but today it took about two hours.

For me to say I hate mowing and yard work would be a huge understatement. If I had to choose between yard work and a minor heart attack...I just don't know.

I know there are some people who get into it and even find it relaxing, but seriously, if that's you, you're sick and twisted. I'm pretty sure that Genesis 3 says that yard work is the result of sin entering the world (my loose paraphrase). So if you enjoy that sort of thing, you're actually embracing the product of sin and the fall! Just sayin'...

Trust Agents

2010-03-02T14:36:00.001-08:00

I've been reading Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. The subtitle is Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust.

I know a lot of people really like this book. I thought it was okay. It's a great book to read if you're clueless about social media. Trust Agents builds a great case for the value of using social media to improve your brand and it does a great job of teaching social media etiquette. However, if you're very savvy when it comes to social media, you might feel like you're not getting much new info here. I found some great principles here, especially when it came to web etiquette, but I found myself skimming a lot. If you don't know, read it. If you're experienced, maybe read it.

By the way, when it comes to Living Hope Church using social media: we have a Twitter account, and Facebook fan page, a YouTube channel, church website, a church blog, women's ministry blog, and my blog. I will say that it can be daunting keeping up with all of this, but I feel they are all valuable tools. If you're a Living Hoper and you're crazy about social media, let me know because I would love to have your help keeping all our social media accounts current and interesting!

Demons & Donuts

2010-03-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

In my last sermon as I was teaching on spiritual warfare, I mentioned that I had been strongly convicted about something while I was preparing for that message. I was teaching that one of the primary goals of satan and demonic forces is our death. Death entered the world because of sin and satan simply wants us dead. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy."

I've blogged in the past about my struggle with my weight and health. I'm literally about 100 lbs overweight. I love food and hate most exercise. I'm a type-2 diabetic and I'm not consistent at monitoring my sugar levels or taking my meds. I have a family history of heart disease. Honestly, I'm a walking time bomb! And there are days I can really feel it.

So the thing I was really convicted about this week was that, for me, this is not simply a health issue. I truly believe it's a major spiritual issue. I believe satan would be thrilled if he could take me out and cut my ministry short and I believe that's exactly what he's trying to do.

On top of that, as a pastor I feel a great responsibility to be the best example of Christian living that I can be. It really bothers me that this is an area of my life that I can't be that example. It's really the biggest area of my life that I'm not just struggling in, but defeated in.

So here's the deal. I'm going to sincerely try, with God's help, to turn this around. I'm not talking about a crash diet or anything. I'm talking about my health. I'm sure I'll lose weight, but that's not really my goal. My goal is healthy living. I want to reverse my diabetes and have a stronger heart. A couple of things:

First of all to God, my family, and to Living Hope Church...I'm sorry that I've allowed myself to be defeated by this and live irresponsibly. I want to be disciple/husband/father/pastor for as long as God wants me to be and not a day less.
Second...I've asked Living Hope's elders to hold me accountable in this issue. To ask me or Jamie if I've actually been eating right and exercising. And to chew my butt if I haven't.
Third...A good friend has committed to come alongside of me and serve as a trainer/coach to push me harder than I naturally push myself. I'm so grateful for this!

I know this will be difficult but it's got to change. I can't continue to allow our enemy to handcuff me like this. Please pray for me. GOD IS GOOD AND VICTORIOUS!

My Bible "Reading" Plan

2010-02-28T21:04:00.000-08:00

For the past few years I try to read completely through the Bible over the course of the year. I've read The Message, the TNIV, and the ESV (in chronological order). Part of me liked the chronological thing because I got a real sense of the story of the Bible. But honestly, it was hard to stick with it because it was fall before I got to read anything from the New Testament.

Anyway, this year I decided to read through the ESV again using one of the reading plans from the ESV website. (http://www.esv.org/biblereadingplans) There are several to choose from and I chose the ESV Study Bible reading plan. Each day includes a reading from a psalm or wisdom literature, Pentateuch or history of Israel, Chronicles or Prophets, and Gospels or Epistles. It's usually about 5 chapters and only takes about 15-20 minutes. So far, I've enjoyed the daily sampling from different parts of the Bible.

The other thing I like about the ESV reading plans is that the daily readings are sent to my iCal calendar on my MacBook. The complete text and audio also comes to my email through an RSS feed. I LOVE THIS! Now every time I check email, I'm reminded to read my Bible and I do it right there in my email feed.

ALL THAT TO SAY THIS: A few weeks ago, I got several days behind in my reading. I decided to get caught up by taking advantage of the audio of the reading that is also sent to my email each day. I started listening when I went to bed or when I was doing mindless office work. I've enjoyed it so much that I've decided to finish the year listening to the Bible instead of reading it. It's a whole different experience and I'm finding it to be a refreshing way to have my devotional time!

A Lion Among Men

2010-02-23T11:18:00.000-08:00

Last night I finished reading A Lion Among Men. It's the third book in Gregory Maguire's Wicked Years series. I enjoyed it. I only write about it because this book received so many disappointing reviews. Many thought that it was a waste of time and that it didn't advance the overall storyline at all. I completely disagree. I felt it tied up several loose ends, increased the depth of the story, and left me with a strong sense of direction as to where Maguire would take the story next. This book centers around the story of the Cowardly Lion. If you're looking for a fictional escape, this one's not bad.

I will say this about Maguire's books. Inevitably there's a good-sized chunk in the middle that I find myself skimming instead of reading. If he has any writing flaws, one of them is to overdevelop a story a bit.

Lessons from the deYoung Museum

2010-02-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

Today we took the kids on a field trip to see the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs exhibit at the deYoung Museum in San Francisco. The exhibit was really great, but it was one of the worst museum experiences I've ever had.

From the moment we arrived it was evident that the entire deYoung staff interpreted their role as being cranky rule-enforcers. We were rarely smiled at and for 2+ hours suffered a barage of "no"s and "don't"s. Our group was very well-behaved, but these are the statements I can remember that were either said to me or I overheard being said to someone else:

No strollers
No food or drinks
No sippy cups or bottles
Don't stand there
Don't touch anything
No running
Stay behind the ropes
No cameras
No flash photography
No chewing gum
No video
Shhhhhh!
You can't carry your backpack on your back. You must carry it at your side like a suitcase.
No re-entry
Don't carry your daughter on your shoulders
No boys, no!
Don't do that, girls!

What the deYoung needs to realize is that no matter how great your product is, if you're customer's every interaction with your staff is negative, it leaves a very sour taste in their mouth.

In the churches I've served in, I find great joy in reminding the finger-waggers that "This is a church, not a museum." I don't know how many times I've said that over the years. It's a great reminder to not take ourselves too seriously and enjoy life as it comes. But inevitably there will be some that insist on treating their church like a museum.

Don't run!
No food in the sanctuary!
You can't say that.
Don't go there.
You can't wear that.

...and on and on it can go. Churches who couldn't abide having children act like children in their church, now have no young families with children. Churches who wouldn't show grace to teens going through their rebellious stages, now have no teens to worry about.

The bottom line is this: Museums are made to house old stuff and dead things. Churches are made to give life and live life together in Christ. A museum is an organization; a church is an organism. It's the choice between death and life. Which would you rather be a part of?

Wicked & Son of a Witch

2010-02-17T21:57:00.000-08:00

I don't do a lot of fiction reading. Probably only a couple of fictional books each year. But I generally enjoy it when I do. Last fall I read Wicked by Gregory Maguire and I just finished his follow-up to it, Son of a Witch. These books are based on Frank Baum's OZ books for children. However, Maguire's books are meant for adult readers.

First off, Maguire is a serious wordsmith. His writing

style is incredible and almost seems like it belongs in the 19th century more than the 21st. He has an amazing writing gift. For the most part, I really enjoyed both of these books. Wicked was amazing and tells the story of

Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy came to Oz. While it's a great story, it's a dark story and was at times a little too "adult" for my taste. As for Son of a Witch, I also enjoyed it. It centered around Elphaba's son, Liir. The central character in Son of a Witch was not as interesting as in Wicked, but the story moved along well and kept my attention. The middle of the book got a bit boring and I had to plow through, but it was worth it. It's a tamer story than Wicked.

There are heavy spiritual overtones to both of these stories. Some of Oz's population claim to be worshippers of the Unnamed God. There are churches to the Unnamed God and convents and missionaries. Many Ozians are annoyed at attempts to save their souls. The Unnamed God is often revered or feared. He is portrayed as distant and uninvolved in the lives of his worshippers. To me, it was an obvious reference to the Christian faith. While some of these depictions were true, what is never seen is any character with an active relationship -- just religion. It was just another reminder to me of how we must reject religion and embrace relationship. Religion turns people off, but a relationship with God is world-changing!

Obviously the broadway musical, Wicked, is based on the first of these books, but many changes were made to the musical version. The musical isn't as dark as the novel and has a much different ending. They are both good, but should not be compared too much. (I get to take Mollie to see Wicked in San Francisco next Wednesday as a Daddy/daughter date for her 13 birthday. Can't wait to see it again!)

A Lion Among Men is the third book in Maguire's The Wicked Years series. It tells the story of the Cowardly Lion after Dorothy leaves Oz. I look forward to reading it in my spare time soon.

Book Review: Fearless

2010-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

I used to enjoy Max Lucado's books regularly. I still remember lessons I learned from He Still Moves Stones and In the Grip of Grace. But this is the first Lucado book I've read in quite some time. Fearless is honestly Lucado in prime form. In this book he leads the reader through a process of vanquishing all of our personal fears no matter how big or small. Fears about acceptance, disappointment, our children, challenges, catastrophes, violence, lack of faith, global warming and everything in between. Reading a Max Lucado is a little like settling into a conversation with a trusted friend. His writing voice is one that you quickly feel like you can trust. The illustrations are memorable, the lessons are profound. He has a great way of providing an "ah-ha" moment in every chapter. As a pastor, I would love to preach some of the lessons in this book. Good stuff. Definitely worth the read.

6 Things to Consider in Ministry Interviews

2010-02-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

I've had this conversation with several friends over the last few years and I thought it would be good to share with everyone. As a pastor or pastoral staff member, there's an art to interviewing with a church. You need to interview them more than they interview you. I've been a part of 7 or 8 ministries over the years and learned a little more with each interview.

1. Don't be afraid to ask the search committee hard questions. This is a rookie error. When you're young, you just want a job. But this is not like applying at McDonald's or Target. The goal is NOT to get through the interview as quickly as possible. In fact, if both sides are doing their due diligence, this process will take several months. Don't be afraid to ask very direct questions. You want to go into this position as well-informed as possible. (Side note: I personally think one of the LAST questions that should be dealt with is salary. Seek God's direction before you seek your checkbook's direction.)

2. Dial down beyond philosophy to implementation. What I mean by this is every church is going to say "we want to grow" or "we want to see change" or "we want someone young to help us reach our community". If you're not careful, you'll get so excited about these statements that you'll start thinking, "Great! We're on the same page." This is a huge mistake! Take it a few steps further and start asking "Are you willing to do ____________, to see the church grow?" or "What kind of things would you NOT want to see change in your church?" Many smaller, established churches will talk a big game about change and growth, but what they really mean is, "We want you to attract new families to our church, but don't change our building, our music, our structure, or our priorities." Dial down hard on this. Get detailed. Ask if, in the interest of church growth, they'd be willing to change their style of music, their service times, the church decor, the church location or name, kill some ineffective programs and start some new ones, be comfortable with really reaching out to "the least of these", etc... Not that you plan on changing ALL of that, but how far are they willing to go?

3. Find out if the leadership and the congregation are on the same page. This is extremely important if you're interviewing for a staff position. The pastor might be a great man with a great vision, but it's good to find out if the church shares his vision. This might not change your decision, but at least you'll be better prepared for potential battles.

4. Be yourself in the interview process. Don't put on your best face or, worse, a fake one. Just share your heart. Share what kind of ministry really gets you excited -- even if it's weird. It's in everyone's best interest if the church knows exactly what they're getting when they hire you. If you're not a coat and tie kind of guy, then don't wear one in the interview. Present yourself in the interview or sermon you give the same way you want to work/minister if you get the position.

5. Don't settle because you're trying to leave a bad situation. If you're currently in a dead-end church or miserable in your current position, don't settle for a less-than-ideal church just to quickly get out of the less-than-ideal church you're currently in. Be patient. God's timing is perfect. If he hasn't moved you on to a different ministry, it's because he still has something for you to learn in the current one.

6. "God's will" is not a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card. People will want to know why you're leaving them. Rookies always say the same thing -- "I really felt it was God's will to move on." If that is not definitively true, then don't say it. You're confusing everyone. You also told those same people that you felt it was God's will to be their pastor or youth pastor or whatever. If we're not careful, we make God look indecisive. Reserve the "God's will" label for those decisions that you REALLY, genuinely feel like were His will. I've said before, I've only had two decisions in my life that I knew were God's will -- answering the call to preach at age 16 and accepting the call to be Living Hope's pastor two years ago. That's it. Every other decision was made out of convenience, fear, because it made sense for our family, exploration, emotion, etc... Be honest about why you're leaving, but don't be hurtful. It's always a bad idea to burn your bridges. Leave gracefully.

Are You Thinking SMALL Enough?

2010-02-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

This is a great little 1 minute video that Seth Godin put out today in conjunction with his new book, Linchpin. GaryVee reminds us that maybe our idea is too broad or vague and we need to dial down on it a little further. Good stuff!

Linchpin: GaryVee from Seth Godin on Vimeo.

Recent Random Reflections

2010-01-31T17:33:00.000-08:00

A few thoughts/updates from the last several days:

We held our first annual leadership retreat for Living Hope Church this weekend. It was great! I loved the interaction. Loved the opportunity to do some leader training. Loved the location (Occidental, CA). I love the leaders we've been blessed with and if we can accomplish even a quarter of the things we discussed this weekend, we're going to be one heckuva church!
Phil Lockwood led us in a concert of prayer to kick off the retreat on Friday night. The first part of it was about 15 minutes of us vocalizing 1-sentence prayers just loving on God saying our favorite attributes of His. I don't know any other way to describe it, but God immediately entered that room and I was weeping like a baby. It was really a powerful moment!
Of all God's creations, the coast redwood is my favorite!
Jamie turned 38 yesterday, so for the next 3 months she's a cradle-robber.
We welcomed two new Living Hope babies into the world this last week! Love that "natural" church growth!
Great worship service this morning. That song "Mighty to Save" slays me every time!
Borrowed from Ron Hunter's book, Toy Box Leadership, and taught lessons on leadership by using a slinky dog and a weeble. Awesome!
Learned that the weebles I played with as a kid are considered dangerous and they don't make them anymore. So I got on eBay and purchased a vintage Goofy weeble for $5. (Kinda makes me want to start collecting them!)
The final season of LOST starts Tuesday. So excited!
Mollie becomes a teenager on Saturday. So not excited.

Christian Generosity 2

2010-01-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

Now that I got that angry tirade out of my system, I thought I'd post some Biblical reasons why Christians need to be responding to brothers and sisters in need around the world.

This is Paul's comments to the Christians in Corinth about the Macedonian believers who responded to the need of hurting Christians in another part of the world. Even though the Macedonians didn't have extra to be giving.

2 Corinthians 8:1-15 (ESV)
We want you to know, brothers, [1] about the grace of God that has beenh given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and i their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave j according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly k for the favor [2] of taking part in l the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they m gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.6 Accordingly, n we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you o this act of grace. 7 But as p you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you [3]—q see that you excel in this act of grace also.
8 r I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, thats though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter t I give my judgment: u this benefits you, who v a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable w according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply x their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, y “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

Christian Generosity

2010-01-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

I've been blown away by the generosity that many Christians and churches have shown toward the people in Haiti. This is a beautiful example of the church being the church. I've also been equally blown away by the number of Christians I see posting ignorant, close-minded, and hateful things online expressing disapproval of giving money to Haiti when we have people in need in our own communities. People who do this unknowingly reveal way too much about themselves. I know people well enough to know that those who gripe the loudest are the ones who never do, never give, and never listen. In most cases, those who have responded to the Holy Spirit's leading to give to the Haitians, are the same ones who also respond when the Holy Spirit leads them to give to people in their community or their local church.

Which has brought me to respond to the following gripes (Caution: Heavy Sarcasm Zone):

We shouldn't be giving to Haiti when we have people foreclosing on homes right next door! --- Yes, you're probably right. Even though millions of people in Haiti just had their homes and the few possessions they owned reduced to a literal pile of dust, it's much sadder that my neighbor has to downgrade from a 5 bed/3 bath/3 car garage home with A/C, satellite TV, a hot tub, and a pool, to a 3 bed/1 bath/2 car garage home with A/C and satellite TV.
It makes me mad that my tax dollars are going to help people in foreign countries! --- Me too! Please stop this insanity and resume spending my tax dollars on abortions and offensive "art" and war and congressional slush funds and...
Why would you want to adopt an orphan from Haiti when we have orphans right here in the U.S.? --- Oh yeah, we should all love on orphans the way you're currently doing it. Oh wait, I forgot, you don't give a CRAP about orphans! You just enjoy sounding intelligent and topical at their expense!

This is the bottom line. If you barely give 1% of your income to anything other than yourself, you haven't earned the right to have an opinion so keep your selfish, foolish mouth shut! If you haven't reached out to orphans here or in other countries, your heart is evil if you criticize those who do! People who sit back and criticize those who are ACTUALLY doing God's work when they are doing NOTHING themselves are pathetic and lead by Satan instead of the Holy Spirit.

For those of you who are actually responding to God's leading and helping those in need, both here and abroad--don't let ignorant people deter you from serving God.

Repost: I HAVE A DREAM!

2010-01-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

Originally posted this 2 years ago. Still can't watch it without tearing up.
-----------------------
As we come up on this MLKJr. Day weekend, I wanted to post Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. I listened to this speech in its entirety for the first time a little over a year ago and it just knocked me out. It is truly one of the greatest speeches of all time. In fact, I would probably rank it second only to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. This may be a little forward, but I seriously have to believe that if you can listen to this speech and not, at least, get a little lump in your throat, there's something wrong in your soul.

Haiti 101

2010-01-13T01:17:00.000-08:00

Pray for Haiti today.

Tithing

2010-01-11T19:14:00.000-08:00

Tithing is an unnecessarily controversial topic. If you don't know, tithing is a Biblical concept of giving 10% to God. Some people don't like talking about money so they get all offended when a pastor does. But as I remind Living Hope often, tithing is NOT about money. It's about faith. Hebrews 11:4 says "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain." It wasn't the gift, it was the faith required to give the gift.

When we tithe:

our faith increases.
we care more about the Kingdom, because we've invested in it.
we are exercising a muscle that most of don't exercise enough -- generosity.
we communicate to God that He is a priority in our lives.
the Kingdom advances.
the church can grow.
missionaries can be sent.
the hungry can be fed.
the "least of these" of the world are served.
GOD IS GLORIFIED!

Today I was sharing some of my life goals with my 11-yr-old son, Isaiah. I told him that one of my goals was to eventually become a reverse tither (give God 90% and live off of 10%). He got this shocked/scared look on his face and said, "Is that going to be just for you or does the whole family have to do that?" I didn't think Jamie would ever stop laughing. Gotta love the honesty!

Human Trafficking Awareness Day

2010-01-11T10:52:00.000-08:00

Today, January 11, is the first annual Human Trafficking Awareness Day. This is a very real, very large problem around the world and even in our own country. I saw this post from Katy Lost in Cambodia and had to share it. Let these 5 short facts sink in (and if you dare, respond).

1) There are more people being forced to work as slaves in the world today than there were at the height of the transatlantic slave triangle. Trafficking is over taking weaponry to become the 2nd largest illegal industry after drugs. It’s taking place in every single country in the world*.
2) It can be expected that 1 in 40 girls in Cambodia will be sold into sex slavery**. As in other countries, poverty, the hope of finding a better paid job by moving to towns and cities and the market for sex on demand are all root causes of this horrifying statistic.
3) 1.2million children are trafficked each year (low estimation)***. The point of each sale is for someone else to make profit from that child. People will pay $1000 to rape a virgin for a week particularly in the East where there is a common myth that it will cure the man of Aids and give him strength against illness. In Cambodia, that child will often be restitched without anaesthetic and resold to increase profit^.
4) 70% of adult sex workers entered prostitution when they were children or young teenagers^^. You may see a ’consenting’ 18+ prostitute but you wouldn’t see what might have been done to her when she was 13, 10, 8 years old.
5) The millions of girls and children who’ve been trafficked are so traumatised and ashamed by what has been done to them that are not in a position to speak up about this crime. They need help but feel worthless. That is how the traffickers and pimps remain doing what they are doing and why we hardly hear this subject talked about.
If you are shocked/ surprised/ horrified by these 5 points, chances are your friends will be to. Take 1 minute to pass this information on and you will be doing a really important thing, raising awareness and bringing this subject out into the open where it needs to be.
*Various sources - Wikipedia ‘Slavery’
** 2005 report by The Future Group
*** Love146
^ The Road of Lost Innocence
^^ Barnardos – Who’s Child Now? report. Published November 2009 - Uncovering the frightening number of vulnerable teenage girls from the UK girls that are being groomed by older man into prostitution.

Risky Business

2010-01-09T11:52:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 5:7 -- for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Need a simpler translation? Faith is risky! It's not safe. It's rarely comfortable. It stretches us. It sometimes makes us look and feel foolish. But here's the deal. Taking a step or a leap of faith is scary, but where we land is a place called freedom.

So what risk is God calling you to take right now?

Does He want you to start leading your family the way you know you should be...even though you can't see how your spouse and kids will ever get behind it?
Does He want you to start tithing 10% of your income...even though you can't see that much margin in your budget?
Does He want you to solve a problem in our community or world...even though you can't see where the resources will come from?
Does He want you to lead a group or a movement...even though you can't see yourself leading anything?
Does He want you to start living your faith at work or school...even though you can't see yourself being that bold?
Does He want you to share the gospel with someone...even though you can't imagine what you're supposed to say?
Does He want you to change careers so that you can leverage more time for Him...even though you can't see what the next step is?
Does He want you to go serve Him in a place that's away from your loved ones or your hometown or outside your comfort zone...even though that scares you to death?

Ephesians 3:20 (MSG) -- God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!

15 Ways to Destroy Your Marriage

2010-01-08T14:21:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I wrote a post called How to Stay Married for 15 Years. It was our 15th anniversary and I wanted to write something special for Jamie and hopefully give some tips to my brothers-in-arms (or brothers-in-rings?). I've received a lot of positive comments on that post. Since I'm generally uncomfortable with too much praise, and in the interest of truth in advertising, I thought I'd write a post about the flip side of that coin.

The truth is, the first half of those 15 years I was a miserable failure as a husband. So here are some field-tested tips on destroying your marriage. I wish I could say I wasn't guilty of every one of them, but I am. All I can do is spend the final 70+ years of my marriage trying every day to make up for the first 7.

Mentally check out of your marriage and pile 90% of the responsibility on her.
Think of your own wants/needs before your wife's. Live your life selfishly like you're still 19 and single.
In every big fight, say that one thing you know will cut her to the heart. It's different for every woman, but you know what it is. (Learning to fight fair is one of the best things you can do for your marriage.)
Constantly compare your wife to every other woman you meet.
Become more concerned with having the appearance of a happy marriage, than actually having one.
Convince yourself that since you're not paying for it and it's only once in a while, you don't have a problem with porn.
Make lots of inappropriate jokes to your friends about what a drag your wife is.
Allow yourself to get involved in emotional affairs with other women by having deep conversations with them. All the while your wife is wishing you would turn off the TV and open up to her.
Make fun of your wife's dreams and crush her spirit.
You think you're funny and sarcastic, but the truth is you've just turned into a mean s.o.b.
Become so spiritually bankrupt that your wife has to practically drag you to church.
When you're not getting what you want, act like a spoiled brat and throw out the D-word (divorce).
Never lift a finger to help your wife with the house and the kids, even when she's working a full-time job, too.
Become so numb to her pain, that you don't listen anymore.
Go out with your buddies more than you go out with her.

I write every one of these with pain in my heart right now. I thank God constantly that He brought me out of that. Guys, other than the salvation of your soul, your wife is the greatest gift God ever gave you. She's precious and valuable. Treat her as if she is!

Need a Good Reason to Get Right With God?

2010-01-08T13:44:00.000-08:00

Psalm 7:12-13 (ESV)

If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword;
he has bent and readied his bow;
he has prepared for him his deadly weapons;
making his arrows fiery shafts.

There's "good news" even in this passage. Did you catch it? It's the first word -- IF.

How to Stay Married for 15 Years

2010-01-06T17:01:00.000-08:00

15 years ago today, Jamie and I were married in a little Army chapel in Ft. Myer, VA. It was informal--us in our jeans, Chaplain Sullivan, a couple of my Army buddies, and the gospel choir that happened to be there having their rehearsal. (We had the big family, white-dress wedding in March.) We loved it. Afterwards, we ate at Chili's and then spent the night dealing with our overflowing toilet. It was the best night of my life!

Here's some thoughts on what it takes to stay married for 15 years.

Tell her how much you appreciate every meal. Even when it's not your favorite dish, give loud and verbal thanks that someone cooked your sorry butt a meal.
Get over yourself. Marriage is not about you. It's about glorifying God by demonstrating to the world around you His love for us by the way you treat your wife.
Take her out on dates as often as possible. I'm cheap, but I don't mind spending some money on Jamie-baby. Dinner and a movie a few times a month is way cheaper than alimony.
Even if she acts like she's too busy to stop and give you a kiss--stop her and give her a kiss.
Plan romantic evenings/weekends/vacations. Romance is the dude's responsibility. If the romance is gone from your marriage, fellas, it's because you let your game get rusty. Put some oil on it (which in itself could be romantic).
Pray for your wife. Ask God to protect her and do an extreme makeover to turn you into the man she deserves.
Kill the spiders.
Invest in a DVR or Tivo. This should be saving marriages left and right. Now when she starts talking, pause your live TV and politely listen.
Teach your kids to love and respect their mother. Open up a can on them when they don't.
Rescue her from herself at least once a year. She will give and give and give until she has nothing left. Lovingly help her put on the brakes and get her life balanced again.
Ditch the World of Warcraft. She needs help.
Do the hard or gross stuff that needs to be done. If you have working arms and legs, she should not be pushing the mower around your lawn.
At least once a year, ask her what she needs from you that she's not getting. Fix it.
Pastor her. Don't force her to make all the "God" decisions for your family. That's your job. She should be closer to God because of you, not despite you.
Don't forget your 15th anniversary if you want to see your 16th. Happy anniversary, Jamie! You're more amazing every day. I honestly can't believe how my love for you continues to grow each year more than the one before. You make me a better man. I love you!

Picard Leadership

2010-01-06T00:52:00.000-08:00

I've recently started re-watching episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I used to watch it all the time, but haven't in several years. Something that has struck me this time around is how great a leader Captain Picard is. I seriously can't think of a better show to watch if you're interested in studying leadership. He exercises reason and compassion at every available opportunity. He makes tough decisions when necessary. He is cool and thoughtful during stressful situations. He is passionate when he should be. He is constantly growing the leaders around him. He knows his duty to the organization he serves, but has a keen sense of his duty to mankind as well. If you're a student of leadership, almost every episode offers great lessons.

Best of the Decade

2009-12-31T20:17:00.000-08:00

All right, I can't resist puttin' out a short "best of the decade" list.

Best Book of the Decade

Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller

Hon. Mention: all the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling

1/1/10: Just remembered one more that must be included. The Message by Eugene Peterson is a milestone as a devotional tool!

Best Album of the Decade

American Idiot - Green Day

Hon. Mention: How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - U2, The Beautiful Letdown - Switchfoot

Best Movie of the Decade

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Hon. Mention: Sean of the Dead, Napoleon Dynamite

1/1/10: Just remembered one more that must be included. The Passion of the Christ definitely was one of the most moving theatrical experiences of the decade.

Best TV Show of the Decade

Lost

Hon. Mention: The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Best Experience of the Decade

Birth of Isla Kae

Hon. Mention: Becoming Pastor of Living Hope Church, Mission trips to Mexico/Panama/India

Best of 2009

2009-12-31T15:28:00.000-08:00

Time for my year-end "best of..." list. This year was particularly hard, because there were so many greats, but here goes...

Top 5 Books I Read in '09

5. The Blue Parakeet - Scot McKnight

4. The Shack - William P. Young

3. The Hole in Our Gospel - Richard Stearns

2. it - Craig Groeschel

1. The Wild Trees - Richard Preston

Top 5 Albums I Listened To in '09

5. Only By the Night -

Kings of Leon

4. BlakRoc - BlakRoc

3. Church Music - David Crowder Band

2. A_CROSS // The_Earth: Tear Down the Walls - Hillsong United

1. Mean Everything to Nothing - Manchester Orchestra

Top 5 Movies Viewed in '09

5. The Blindside

4. Doubt

3. Slumdog Millionaire

2. Zombieland

1. Inglourious Basterds

Top 5 TV Shows in '09
5. Survivor: Samoa
4. The Biggest Loser
3. American Idol
2. Kings
1. Lost

Top 5 Experiences in '09
5. Hillsong United Concert at Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento.
4. Seeing WICKED on Valentine's Day with Jamie-baby.
3. Christmas week at Lake Tahoe with the Family.
2. Camping With Isaiah and the Ent Men at Humboldt Redwoods SP.
1. Mission Trip to India.

You can also check out my 2008 and 2007 lists. What were your favorites of 2009?

Immanuel

2009-12-26T13:37:00.000-08:00

If God was distant, I would be overwhelmed with stress right now...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I would feel hopeless right now...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I would feel lonely right now...but God is with us.

If God was distant, my life would have no direction...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I would be guessing at how to be a father and husband...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I would be the guilty and the victim...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I would try to justify my pride...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I could ignore those in pain...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I could live like I never sense his presence...but God is with us.

If God was distant, I could take life, love, and everything for granted...but God is with us...

...so I give thanks!

Primal

2009-12-22T10:48:00.000-08:00

Mark Batterson's new book, Primal, hits bookstores today. I received an advance copy to review.

If you've read much of my blog, it's no secret that I'm a pretty big fan of Batterson's books. (Here's my review of Wild Goose Chase.) Primal is no exception. In this book, Mark challenges us to get back to the primal essence of our faith, by fully living the Great Commandment. He does this by dividing the book into four sections: The Heart of Christianity, The Soul of Christianity, The Mind of Christianity, and The Strength of Christianity. I really enjoyed this approach and I felt it made for a very well-rounded book.

Reading Primal was a bit like trying to drink from a waterfall. I didn't highlight while I read this time, but if I would have I would have ran out of ink. I love great quotes and this book is full of them--both from Mark and other great minds that he quotes. I'll just say that reading this book increased my sense of how great God is, increased my faith in what he's able to do through me, and increased my desire to step out and dare to follow God wherever. Batterson is one of the most positive, encouraging voices in Christianity today. He's this generation's Schuller (but with a greater emphasis on God).

I found myself wanting to preach every chapter of this book. I'm sure I'll be borrowing from it quite a bit in the future. Get this book today. It's truly great.

Isaiah's Goals

2009-12-18T11:23:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of goal-setting. I think it's critical in the process of becoming a better you. I heard a great quote today from Dave Ramsey. Dave says, "Goals are dreams with work clothes on." Love that, because there's a huge difference between dreams and goals. Goals put hands/feet on your dreams. Goals are the bridge between dream and reality. One of the best things you can do when setting goals are to attach timelines or deadlines to them as well. It makes them more urgent and helps you put them into action.

Isaiah, who just turned 11, had a school assignment this week where he had to write about his achievements this year and what he wants to do in 2010. This is classic Isaiah:

In 2009 I accomplished these things and more:
1. I preached with my dad.
2. I got 2,000 tickets at Scandia.
3. Stayed up for a full 24 hours.

In 2010 I hope to accomplish these things and more:
1. Give up smoking.
2. Going into hall of fame on Madden '07.
3. Figure out a rubix cube.
4. Get a chick.

I'm so proud.

Pastor Your Family

2009-12-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

Why is it so easy for me to offer spiritual guidance or invest in the spiritual development of the church people I pastor, but often it's not a priority in my own family? I'm ashamed that this is sometimes true. Lately I've been convicted about my interaction with my family. I think I'm a decent dad and husband. I try to be. But it's not enough. If I'm to be the spiritual head of my family, then I need to be pastoring them as well.

Over the course of my time here at Living Hope Church, if I'm blessed to baptize thousands of people, counsel hundreds of couples, love on thousands of youth---but neglect the spiritual well-being of my own family---then I will consider myself a massive failure. I need to be as concerned for the spiritual health of my family as I am for the physical/financial/relational health of my family.

And it's not just me. Guys, we are all called to be pastors to our family. Living Hope men, if you are hoping I will be your family's pastor so you don't have to...then you're in for a rude awakening. YOU are the pastor of your wife. YOU are the pastor of your children. If you don't know the spiritual temperature of your household, then you are failing as husband/father. Do you know if your wife and kids are saved? Do you know what doubts they may be struggling with? Do you know what dreams God is giving them and what are you doing to help them realize those dreams?

Take the time to have heartfelt conversations with the people you love the most. Ask the tough questions. Offer Godly wisdom. They need more than just our paychecks.

Psalm 128

"New Moon" Love

2009-12-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

Jamie and I saw New Moon last night. I have a Jr. High girl in my house, so the Twilight Saga is a common topic in the Myers house. I have to say that I wasn't that impressed with this movie. It just seemed ridiculous to me. And honestly, some portions were unsettling. I'm not suggesting it's evil and Christians should stay away from it or anything. It just made me wonder if Hollywood is more responsible for the divorce rate in this country than I thought they were.

If you think about it, divorces have become increasingly more common on a similar timeline with the advent and increasing popularity of the film industry. (I don't have any hard research behind that statement; just a general observation.)

This is what I think might be happening. New Moon and similar movies generally portray romantic love in one of two unhealthy ways.

Romantic love is equated with sex. The idea of love without sex is completely foreign. Or romantic people are portrayed as seeking one sexual conquest after another. It's carnal and has nothing in common with the Biblical view of love or sex.
Romantic love is elevated to worship. (This is New Moon's issue.) Hollywood loves to portray this idea that there's a person out there somewhere who will bring about our highest good. (Jerry McGuire: "You complete me!") There's a person who will be your one and only, bring total happiness to your life, will make your life worth living, whose absence would make your life meaningless, will be worth sacrificing all your morals and standards for, etc... While this idea of love seems more pure, it's actually equally dangerous and unBiblical.

We need to remember (and teach our children) that whenever we put people in a position that only God can realistically fill, it always ends badly.

That Hollywood view of love will almost always end badly, because it can't sustain the weight of our expectations. Only God can carry that weight.

Thankful for the Lessons

2009-12-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

I'm coming up on two years as pastor of Living Hope Church. I love this church and am so grateful for the opportunity God has given me to lead such an incredible bunch! All my previous ministry experience was as a staff member serving under another pastor. Today I was thinking about all the pastors who shaped me and helped me become the pastor I am today.

From my Dad, I learned pastoring isn't always easy and pastors can be normal.

From Brad Utley, I learned to "try anything" and I learned forgiveness.

From Floyd Sullivan, I learned joy and justice.

From Jim Harris, I learned I wanted to be a pastor.

From Milburn Wilson, I learned encouragement and comfort.

From David Fasold, I learned leadership and that church can be fun.

From Joe Wilson, I learned passion and the art of dreaming God-sized dreams.

Today I offer up thanks for each of these men and the impact they had and continue to have on my life. They trusted me, encouraged me, tolerated me, let me lead, helped me clean up mistakes, invested in me, and much more. I have a degree in theology and have read hundreds of books, but it was the process of doing life and ministry with these guys that made me the pastor I am and will be.

Who shaped you?

The Hole in Our Gospel

2009-12-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

This book seriously messed me up!

Richard Stearns in the president of World Vision US. In THE HOLE IN OUR GOSPEL, Stearns tells how he came from being a high-earning CEO to be the president of World Vision. He also masterfully shares the greatest problems/needs around the world and does a great job discussing why the world at large tends to ignore those in the greatest need and what we as the Church should be doing to help.

If you want to carry on with life as usual, the DO NOT read this book! This book will increase your heart for missions, increase your compassion for "the least of these", and will cause you seriously re-evaluate your own lifestyle of consumerism.

One of the most inspiring parts of this book is when Stearns details how he came to Christ and then wrestled with God's calling to lead this non-profit. It's an honest story of doubt and the the "chasing" that God often does when we resist his purposes for our lives. I can't recommend this book highly enough!

It Lives!

2009-12-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

After a 3-month hiatus, I've decided to resurrect the ol' blog. I've been itching to start writing again, but I believe my focus will be different this time. Not so much pop culture -- heavier on the spiritual journaling, thoughts about faith/church/pastoring/leadership, and book reviews. I really want to get back to the fearless "wide open" style that made this interesting for me to begin with.

I haven't decided how often I'll post. Probably a couple times per week or so. Not going to stress about it too much. When I feel the itch, I'll scratch it. So renew your subscription or check back here occasionally. Can't wait!

Goodbye Cruel World

2009-09-01T21:27:00.000-07:00

After considerable thought, I've decided that this will be my last blog post. I just can't devote the time to it that I used to. If I can't do it well then I'd rather not do it.

Lately I've found that Twitter is a more concise/quick way to communicate, and Facebook keeps me in touch with tons of old (and current) friends. Plus, it seems that they're pretty much taking over the world.

I want to thank all of you who have visited regularly for reading and allowing me to figure things out or vent in a public way. I've thoroughly enjoyed the blog experience. Please stay in touch by following my twitter feed (pastorjeffmyers) or friend me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pastorjeffmyers).

I might return to it someday, but for now I need to focus on other things and scale down my social networking. In fact, my Facebooking is going to scale back quite a bit as well. This page will stay up but this will be my last post.

Go With God!!!

Jeff

Lemonade

2009-08-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Check out this trailer for a new documentary called Lemonade. It highlights the lives of people in the advertising world who have lost their jobs in the current recession. (WARNING: There's a little bit of crude language in this, and some of the life-choices are not necessarily God-honoring.)

I just find it interesting from several different standpoints:

how often a personal crisis can result in drastic choices that bring greater fulfillment in life.
how often a personal crisis can result in drastic choices that take lives in an unhealthy direction.

Church leaders/members: I wonder how much we are helping people turn their lemons into lemonade? When we hear of someone getting handed a lemon, are we encouraging them to take God-honoring risks, or are we letting them flounder without any support/encouragement?

Social Networking Burnout

2009-08-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

I'm experiencing something that I'll just call social networking burnout. I currently have my blog, a Facebook account, and a Twitter account. I love them all!

I've been blogging for about 4 years now and I find the writing fun and sometimes therapeutic.

I've been on Facebook for almost a year and I love how Facebook keeps me connected with people that I would otherwise lose touch with. It's been great reuniting with people from high school, college, the Army, and the different churches we've served in. Also, making those Facebook connections proved to be invaluable when it came to raising support for our upcoming mission trip to India. Probably the majority of our support came from Facebook friends. However, it has the potential to be a big time-waster.

I've been on Twitter for about 6 months or so and I really love it. If I'm honest, I probably enjoy Twittering more than Facebooking. I like giving and receiving the 140-character updates without all the hassle of the Facebook quizes, games, poking, pillow fights, food fights, and other such nonsense that I always ignore.

However, I've noticed that since I started Twittering, I haven't been updating my blog as much. Things I normally would have blogged a few paragraphs about, I can now reduce to 140 characters or less and keep it concise. But I start feeling guilty when I go several days without blogging (like now). I've thought about getting off of Facebook, but I'd feel guilty disconnecting from so many old friends. I've thought about getting off of Twitter, but I really like it and sometimes it proves to be useful and informative. I've thought about not blogging anymore, but that just makes me sad and I think the longer writing form is good for me.

So the last few days as I've been pondering all this, I hit burn-out and didn't post much to any of the 3 mediums. I think something, or a few somethings, needs to go. I can't make up my mind which, though. I'll probably come to a decision within the next several days.

Genesis 48-50

2009-08-12T00:55:00.000-07:00

These last 3 chapters serve as a sort of epilogue to the book of Genesis. They deal primarily with the final blessings and death of Jacob and the death of Joseph. In Jacob's blessings of his sons there are some rich foreshadowing of the coming Messiah, Jesus. Especially in the blessings of Judah and of Joseph.

One thing that I want to point out is actually 8 verses after our study ends.

Exodus 1:8 (ESV)
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Although Joseph is certainly remembered even today, there was a point after his death that his actions and position were forgotten and didn't do the Israelites much good. They were oppressed and enslaved despite his high position in Egypt.

There will come a day that all of us will be forgotten by the communities and kingdoms of this world. It doesn't matter how much good we do, one day we will die, and life will march on without us. Kind of depressing, huh?

Here's the lesson, though. When you live your life the way Joseph and Jacob and Isaac and Abraham lived their lives--knowing that it's not really about us, but about God. Then we will leave a legacy that will outlive any memory of our existence. A legacy of Jesus. I don't care one lick if people remember me when I'm dead, I just want to make sure the legacy of Jesus Christ carries on. What Kingdom investments can you make today or this week or this year that will leave a lasting legacy of Jesus Christ to the generations who come after you?

Genesis 47

2009-08-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

As you read Genesis 47, you can tell a few things about Joseph.

--He loved his family and wanted to provide for their needs.

--He worked hard and shrewdly for Pharoah.

--He took pride in his work and in increasing Pharoah's influence/wealth.

I'm a firm believer that as an employee of a company, one of your primary roles is to work in a way that pleases your employer, that seeks the best interest of your employer, and that increases the influence/wealth of your employer. I believe this is God-honoring work.

Too many people go to work and are solely concerned with their own egos, wealth, and agenda. But I believe a Christian employee needs to ask themselves, "Is this company stronger because of my presence and the work that I do?" Too often Christian employees become sidetracked with "being a Christian witness" at work and don't do the work they were actually hired to do. Don't get me wrong--I'm not suggesting you check your Christianity at the door when you go to work. However, I am suggesting that the manner in which you perform your duties at work are just as much a part of your Christian witness as anything you might say. Christians should work for their employers in a way that glorifies God and betters the company.

Genesis 45-46

2009-08-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

Genesis 45:4-8 (ESV)
So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

I love that Joseph picks the worst circumstances of his life and does something completely opposite of what we expect. He doesn't have a pity party. He doesn't pout or get angry. He doesn't seek revenge against his brothers or hold it over their head. He sees God's hand at work in the worst of his life and gives God the glory! What circumstances of your life are you allowing to make you bitter or destroy your spirit? Maybe God is actually using these horrible circumstances to bring about a "greater good" in your life! Choose faith instead of fury or fear!!

Genesis 42-44

2009-08-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

Joseph's story is such an epic story. Someone should turn it into a movie...seriously. In today's reading Joseph's brothers come to Egypt looking for help and Joseph puts them through a series of tests and, I think, has a little fun with them, too. The most interesting thing about this part of the story is that we find Joseph's brothers have developed into honorable/honest men.

I know I've harped on this whole thing of forgiveness and reconciliation with family (or whoever else). It's been a surprise to me. I honestly didn't intend on focusing so much on that aspect of the story. But this is just another reminder to us that who we become is sometimes far different than who we are in our youth. We should never write one another off as lost causes. God can and does transform lives and we should give people in our past second chances for that very reason. In fact, sometimes the transformation comes through the forgiveness of others.

Genesis 39-41

2009-08-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing story of God's hand of providence in action. Joseph is the lowest he could possibly be. As if slavery wasn't bad enough, he's sent to prison on a trumped up charge and forgotten about. But God's got a plan and Joseph's faithfulness is rewarded. Joseph goes from youngest son to slave to prisoner to second-in-command in Egypt. There's no limit to what God can do when his people choose to place their faith in him despite tough circumstances. What circumstances in your life are keeping you from choosing faith? God is faithful to his promises. Are you?

I also love Joseph's example of handling temptation in Potiphar's house. Potiphar's wife seduces him and Joseph RUNS! We should never forget that God's Word calls us to flee temptation, not flirt with it.

Genesis 37-38

2009-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

These two chapters serve as the set-up for the great things God will do through Joseph. I really think their primary purpose is to establish the wickedness of Joseph's brothers, especially Judah. It was Judah's idea to sell Joseph into slavery. Chapter 38 tell us more of Judah's wicked behavior towards his own family.

Later on we'll see the reconciliation of Joseph to his brothers. Another example of the importance of not hanging the past over the heads of your siblings. They often change over time and reconciliation/forgiveness should always be sought among family.

Genesis 31-36

2009-08-04T09:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry my updates have been so sporadic. I should be able to update daily for the remainder of the study.

Lots of interesting stories in these two chapters, but my personal favorites are the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau and Jacob wrestling with God.

I love that Jacob wrestles with God and God lets him win. I'm not really sure what that means, but it sounds like something our God would do. I think it's possibly a demonstration of the fact that God allows us to wrestle with our faith as much as we need to. However, all faith eventually requires a leap of faith. Maybe the quicker you can make that leap of faith, the chances will be smaller that you'll walk away with a limp!

The thing I like about the Jacob/Esau story is that it ends in love and forgiveness. I wonder if there are any of you that could stand to humble yourselves and approach a sibling and seek reconciliation? I honestly think one of the saddest things in the world is when siblings part ways. My brothers are seriously my best friends in the world and we have intentionally made the decision to never allow things to come between us. Even if it means accepting some faults or allowing some things to not resolve the way we think they should. That relationship is just too valuable to allow ego to get in the way. I realize circumstances can strain these relationships, but is God possibly nudging you to forgive a sibling? Don't allow pride to keep you from one of life's greatest blessings--brothers and sisters!

2nd Annual Back-to-School Big Give!

2009-08-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Living Hope Church held our 2nd Annual Back-to-School Big Give yesterday afternoon. I can't express how much I love this event and how proud I am of our church for pulling it off! We give away new backpacks full of school supplies, free haircuts, fingerprinting, facepainting, Bibles, food, games and prizes. When you see these kids' faces light up when they get their new backpacks or young ladies in tears because they're getting their first professional haircut in years (this year we had several stylist from the Paul Mitchell Acadamy), it's almost too much to take. I don't know how many times I had to wipe a tear out of my eye yesterday. There were around 450 in attendance yesterday and everyone had a great time.

As usual Jamie did a FANTASTIC job of organizing the event. I was really proud of her. It was a much smoother event than last year. She's amazing and adds so much to our church!

There are always funny things that happen at these events. Last year we thought it would be good to have cartoons playing on the big screen for the kids. I got a DVD of Looney Tunes videos thinking it would be a safe choice. Boy was I wrong. Big-time racist images and I was more than a little embarrassed. This year's funny thing was great, though. Attendees had to register and get a ticket to pick up their backpack and a ticket to get their snacks. We were able to save about $15 by purchasing this roll of tickets that was a little different. CLASSIC LIVING HOPE MOMENT!!! (Picture of ticket below and more pics of the event.)

Genesis 27-30

2009-07-31T09:37:00.001-07:00

I love reading about Jacob. He's one of the most colorful characters in the Bible. Deception, birthrights, blessings, dreams, romance, polygamy, lots of kids, baby-mama drama... His story has it all. But every time I read his story, I'm reminded of this Rich Mullins song called "Jacob and 2 Women" from his incredible album The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 1. Look it up and download it sometime. It's really nice. Here's the lyrics.

Jacob, he loved Rachel and Rachel, she loved him
And Leah was just there for dramatic effect
Well it's right there in the Bible, so it must not be a sin
But it sure does seem like an awful dirty trick
And her sky is just a petal pressed in a book of a memory
Of the time he thought he loved her and they kissed
And her friends say, "Ah, he's a devil"
But she says, "No, he is a dream"
This is the world as best as I can remember it

Now Jacob got two women and a whole house full of kids
And he schemed his way back to the promised land
And he finds it's one thing to win 'em
And it's another to keep 'em content
When he knows that he is only just one man
And his sky's an empty bottle and when he's drunk the ocean dry
Well he sails off three sheets to some reckless wind
And his friends say, "Ain't it awful"
And he says, "No, I think it's fine"
And this is the world as best as I can remember it

Now Rachel's weeping for the children
That she thought she could not bear
And she bears a sorrow that she cannot hide
And she wishes she was with them
But she just looks and they're not there
Seems that love comes for just a moment
And then it passes on by

And her sky is just a bandit
Swinging at the end of a hangman's noose
'Cause he stole the moon and must be made to pay for it
And her friends say, "My, that's tragic"
She says, "Especially for the moon"
And this is the world as best as I can remember it
And this is the world as best as I can remember it

Genesis 25-26

2009-07-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quick mid-camp thought about this reading. This verse caught my attention:

Genesis 26:28 (ESV)
They said, "We can see plainly that the Lord has been with you. ..."

Two questions: 1) How plain is it today that the Lord has been with YOU? 2) What adjustment can you make right now to make it more evident?

Genesis 21-24

2009-07-28T13:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting about yesterday's reading. I was busy getting our teens to camp. So I'll hit two days worth of reading today.

Two things hit me about these four chapters:

1) God telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. This used to seem to me to be one of the coldest, most heartless acts of God in all the Bible. Obviously God was testing Abraham, but did it need to be so extreme? Many people view this as a test of Abraham's priorities, whether or not God was the first priority in Abraham's life. I really don't think that's what God was testing. I think God was testing Abraham's faith in the promise. God had promised that from the offspring of Abraham a mighty nation would be born. Isaac was more than a son--he was the embodiment of that dream. If this nation was to come, Isaac was a pretty important component of that dream.

I believe down deep inside Abraham knew that Isaac would come through this test just fine. His reply to Isaac's question about the lack of a sacrificial animal says it all.

Genesis 22:7-8 (ESV)
And Isaac said to his father Abraham, "My father!" And he said, "Here am I, my son." He said, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they went both of them together.

Abraham knew God would be faithful to his promises. Sometimes we feel life leads us off course of God's promises or plans for our lives. Stay faithful. If God promised it, you can bank on it!

2) A family becoming a movement. I like reading this part of Israel's history. It was the beginning stages of a dream and a promise. A promise from God that from one family would come a blessed nation--a chosen people. But for now, they're still just a family trying to be faithful and looking ahead to the promise. I think of Living Hope Church when I read these chapters. I believe God has great things in store for us. I believe God wants us to be a church with a global influence! As I look ahead to what can be, I'm reminded that it all starts with a family. Our church feels an awful lot like a family right now. I want to challenge all you Living Hopers to live in anticipation of the promise, but enjoy our LHC family right now, too.

TRON!

2009-07-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

I just found out that Disney is releasing a new TRON movie that will be 3D and it looks pretty sweet! I loved the original 1982 TRON when I was a kid (10 yrs old). I remember that I didn't understand it all, but that it was one of the coolest things visually I had ever seen. Check out how far they've come in 27 years. Below is the 1982 trailer for TRON. You can view the new TRON LEGACY trailer here.

Genesis 19-20

2009-07-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, these two chapters are messed up on so many different levels. We tend to think of the times that we live in as the most evil in history, but I'm not so sure if that's true. Disgusting as all this behavior is, let me work through it.

Ch. 19 starts out by saying that the two angels went on to visit Lot in Sodom. This reaffirms the idea that of the "three men" who appeared to Abraham, one of them was not an angel and most likely the Son of God.

The next bit of the story is simply disgusting and difficult to read. Every man in the city surrounds Lot's house and demands that he send out the two men so that they may gang rape them. This is where the modern day term "sodomy" comes from. As if this wasn't disgusting enough, Lot behaves in a cowardly/shameful way by offering up his two daughters to be subjected to this act of rape instead. God intervenes in this situation and decided to destroy this wicked city.

After escaping Sodom, Lot and his two daughters are living in a cave. His daughters decide to get him drunk and sleep with their father so they will have children. Again, disgusting and shameful behavior.

Ch. 20 has us back with Abraham and Sarah, with Abraham once again behaving in a cowardly way by pretending to be Sarah's brother and allowing a king to pursue her.

When most people read these two chapters they tend to focus on the homosexual sins mentioned here. But as I was reading it, the behavior that was the most disgusting to me was the overall low view and shameful treatment of women during this time. Wives and daughters were treated as property--as assets to be used for whatever one needed them for. This was never God's plan! It's tempting to read these Biblical stories and assume that God must have been okay with it because it's in the Bible. Not so. It was just as shameful and sinful then as it would be now.

Genesis 17-18

2009-07-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

In today's reading we see God continue forward with his covenant with Abraham. The practice of circumcision is established to set God's chosen people apart from the rest of the world. God finally tells Abram and Sarai when their son will be born. He changes their names to Abraham and Sarah. And to top it all off he even gives them a visit.

When Abraham sees the three men who have come to visit. He recognizes something special about them--something divine--and responds accordingly. When he says, "Oh Lord, if I have found favor...," the Hebrew word used (Adonay) that the ESV translates as "Lord" is a word that is only used for God in the Old Testament. This indicates that he recognized something of a divine nature in one of the men. I believe this is probably one of several times in the Old Testament that Jesus appeared personally to deliver a message. Most scholars agree that there are other occasions when you see the phrase "the angel of the Lord" (instead of "an angel of the Lord") and the individual is addressed specifically as "Adonay" (Lord), that it is God the Son making an appearance.

One specific verse I want to point out:

Genesis 18:12 (ESV)
So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?"

No reason. I just think it's pretty stinkin' funny!

Genesis 15-16

2009-07-22T13:18:00.000-07:00

This may be my favorite reading so far in this study. There's some really good stuff here. God comes to Abram in a vision and makes an incredible promise to him.

Genesis 15:5-6 (ESV)
And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be." And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Several things strike me about this. 1) If you're having trouble believing God's promises, maybe you need a change of scenery. Get out of the tent and look up. Look at your life from God's point of view. A lot of times we get a sort of spiritual cabin fever. Our lives close in on us and we have trouble seeing the bigger picture. 2) When we step out on faith and believe God's promises, it means more to God than moral living. Good deeds don't equal righteousness; faith equals righteousness!

Right after that, God gives Abram full disclosure:

Genesis 15:12-13 (ESV)
As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years."

God tells Abram that just because he made a promise of a great legacy to Abram, doesn't mean the road will always be easy or pleasant. This is a HUGE thing for us to remember. God has made many promises to us. Some have been completed and some we're still waiting for. What we need to remember is that if bad things happen in our lives, it doesn't mean that God has broken his promises. We see the hear and now and feel momentary pain, but God sees the BIG picture. Stay faithful, because God is faithful!

In fact, in ch. 16 we see Abram and Sarai get impatient with God and take the dream into their own hands. The results were disastrous. Not only in what we read in the Biblical account, but even still today. The descendants of Ishmael and the descendants of Isaac have been warring for thousands of years. God's way is ALWAYS best, even if we can't see it or understand it. Wait on the Lord!

Genesis 13-14

2009-07-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

One of the primary things we learn from these two chapters is the integrity of Abram. He sought peace among those whom he loved even if it meant the possibility of getting the short end of the stick. He also was trusting in God for blessings, not men.

The book of Hebrews compares Jesus to Melchizedek, whom we read about here in ch. 14. Jesus is like Mel in that he is both our priest AND king. In our lives, we need to put him in the role of priest--spiritual leader and example. But we also need to allow him the role of king of our lives--sovereign leader and worthy of honor. Check this passage out.

Hebrews 7:15-22 (ESV)
This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him,

"You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek."
For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.
And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:

"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind,
'You are a priest forever.'"
This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

Genesis 12

2009-07-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Genesis 12:7 (ESV)
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this Land." So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

It's amazing to me how many times in the Old Testament when someone experiences a really powerful moment with God, they immediately follow it up with a really dumb or cowardly decision. Here we see Abram and Sarai go to Egypt and Abram lets the Pharoah have his way with Sarai just to save his own skin. God has just told him that through his offspring he would build a great nation, but he's more worried about what the man Pharoah might do to him than he is about being faithful to God or his wife.

As I'm typing this it hit me that we don't see as much of this behavior in the New Testament. In fact from the book of Acts and onward, we see extreme examples of boldness in the face of pain or death. What's the difference? Were the NT believers stronger in their faith than the OT believers? I don't think so. I think the key difference is the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. After Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in the lives of all believers, everything changes! Peter who showed cowardice by lying and saying he didn't know Jesus after Jesus was arrested, suddenly starts showing courage in the face of death. The other 10 disciples who ran and hid when Jesus was arrested all eventually gladly give their own lives to serve him. Why? Because they're walking under a new power now!

By the way, it's the same power we walk in. God the Holy Spirit also dwells in us and wants to guide us toward lives that are marked by faith and boldness. Make a choice today to embrace that power and the knowledge that right now, where you sit, God is IN YOU!

Nirvana Just Got Rick-rolled

2009-07-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

This is the worst offense ever committed against rock! (But it's pretty ingenious.) Mash-up of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit and Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up. (By the way, I looked a lot like Astley in high school.)

Genesis 9-11

2009-07-18T01:00:00.000-07:00

This reading contains two really interesting stories that can be confusing to our modern minds.

The first tells of a day when Noah got drunk and naked. We don't have a lot of details but he was obviously behaving shamefully. Where the story gets confusing is when Ham comes in. Ham sees Noah and tells his two brothers about it. Evidently this was a big taboo, because his behavior gets him in a lot of trouble with Noah. Some scholars have speculated that Ham must have also done sexually perverse things to Noah in his drunken condition, but since the text doesn't go there, neither will we. I think Ham's sin was that he dishonored his father by treating the situation too lightly. He was open about looking on his father's shame and shared it openly with his brothers. His brothers were very respectful in the way they dealt with the situation. I think it all goes back to "Honor your mother and father."

The second story is the tower of Babel. The people of the earth get together and decide to build a great city with a great tower. God doesn't like this and confuses their speech, giving us all the different languages of the world. For us, it seems like building a tower shouldn't be such a big deal. In fact, it should probably be celebrated, right? The issue with God wasn't the tower. The issue was the rebellion of the people. God's plan was for them to disperse and populate the earth. They choose the exact opposite and start building a man-centered society rather than one that is centered on God. The initial population of the earth is too big of a deal for God to allow them to screw up, so he confuses the languages which causes them to disperse as he originally planned.

We are also introduced to Abram who we'll be reading a lot about next week.

Monday's reading: Genesis 12.

Genesis 7-8

2009-07-16T10:09:00.000-07:00

This story of Noah, the ark, and the flood is one of the most recognizable stories in the whole Bible. But I think we forget the gravity of this moment in time. It's been watered down (pardon the pun) by cute Sunday School pictures, nursery bedding, toy arks and animals, etc... I think for most of us when we hear Noah's ark, we think cute floating zoo. That's a mistake.

The reality is that other than the day Jesus was crucified, this was earth's darkest day. There was nothing cute or pleasant about it. Pretty much every living thing on earth was destroyed. I guarantee you even the mood on the ark was dark. God's justice and power was unleashed on this planet in a terrible way. Humans had become so evil, that basically God felt he needed to "reboot" creation.

It's also a strong reminder that another day of judgment is coming. The Bible teaches us that there will be another "reboot". There will be a new heaven and new earth. Those who are following Jesus Christ, will receive an eternal reward complete with a new body and a new name. Those who have rejected the gospel, will receive eternal punishment.

Rather than turning this story into a cute children's "fairy tale", we should remind ourselves of it and learn from it.

Genesis 5-6

2009-07-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

In this passage we learn the genealogy from Adam to Noah, that people were living for 100s of years, and we get the set-up for the great flood.

Two verses I want to point out.

Genesis 6:8 (ESV)
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 6:22 (ESV)
Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

You think there might be some sort of connection between these two verses? ;-)

Genesis 3-4

2009-07-14T10:01:00.001-07:00

In these two chapters we see the first sin and it's followed up by the first murder. I love that right on the heels of that first sin, we also see the first allusion to the coming remedy for this new sin problem--Jesus! Here's what God says to Satan (the serpent):

Genesis 3:15 (ESV)
I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.

A loving God frees his prize creation to make their own choices, they rebel against their creator, he immediately starts the process of making a way back for them. Awesome love!

I also like the bit when Adam and Eve are hiding from God and they hear him walking through the garden. Imagine being able to live so closely to God that you recognize the sound of his footsteps--you know when he's approaching. Someday we'll be restored to that level of closeness with God!

Genesis 1-2

2009-07-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

There is so much in this passage that I hardly know where to begin. I really believe that a proper understanding of these first two chapters of the Bible are key to shaping your overall view of the message of the Bible. Here are some themes that I hope you'll embrace as you read this.

God as Creator

God's creative power is one of my favorite attributes of his. To have the power to create something from nothing is a power that I don't think humans will ever be able to fully understand. And the fact that we live on this beautiful planet that is a constant testament of the awesome power of God...it's a humbling feeling to me! Also, I love that at the end of every day of creation, God proclaims that his work was "good", but after creating humans, it was "very good". We're God's favorite handiwork!

Free Will = Love

It's easy to read the bit about God placing the tree of knowledge of good and evil in Eden and allow ourselves to think that God was setting up some sort of tricky test for us. But the opposite is true. That tree is actually one of the first visible evidences of God's love for us. God could have created us to be mindless followers, forced to do the right thing and forced to do his bidding. But he doesn't. He wants us to CHOOSE loving him...or not. He knows that love is only love if it's freely given and freely chosen. That tree represents God freeing his most valued and loved creation, in hopes that they will return to him!

Men and Women

God clearly shows us that we need each other. Men and women are meant to complete each other, help each other, and so much more. Think about this: a perfect God created the entire universe and proclaimed it all to be good. But when he looks down and sees this lonely man, he says something different. This is the only aspect of his creation that God said wasn't good. Man needed a companion. There was a void in man's life that even God wouldn't fill. We've heard that we all have a God-shaped hole in our lives that only God can fill. But this passage also teaches us that we have a people-shaped hole in us. We need each other, too!

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2009-07-10T10:42:00.001-07:00

I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies today on my day off. I've been wanting this book ever since it released a couple of months ago, but it's been out of stock every time I go into my local Borders. They finally had it yesterday! I'm only about 40 pages into it and officially declaring it AWESOME!

PPZ is by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. Grahame-Smith took the original Austen classic and added the undead to it to make it more interesting--brilliant! In fact the book is about 85% Austen's original story word-for-word.

Here's one example of a change:

OPENING LINE OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE:
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

OPENING LINE OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES:
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.

Too sweet! I've made it clear before that I'm a big fan of the zombies, so this is right up my alley. I love this teaser from the back cover:

Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you'd actually want to read.

Slumdog Disciples

2009-07-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd go ahead and put this out there, because I'm so stinkin' excited about. In August I'll be doing a 4-week sermon series that I'm calling Slumdog Disciples. This is one of those series that I just feel is locked up inside me and I can't wait to get it out!

If you were to ask me, What's the biggest thing that is keeping Living Hope Church from just blowing up and becoming everything God wants it to be?, my answer would immediately be self-doubt. I think it's common in many other churches as well. This is the area that Satan attacks us the strongest. I look at our Living Hopers and I see potential world-changers! Men and women who absolutely have what it takes to advance the Kingdom and charge Hell with a water pistol. Unfortunately, LHC has too many people that are crippled by self-doubt. They just can't see themselves as disciples. Or they can't believe they have what it takes to be what they know God is calling them to be.

I felt I needed to address this and it reminded me of the line from Slumdog Millionaire, "What can a slumdog know?" I was like, that's all of us! God doesn't expect us to be Super-Disciples. A slumdog disciple is enough. This series is about "discipleship for the rest of us". I feel God is getting ready to unleash something on our church. I can't wait!

Genesis Study

2009-07-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

At Living Hope Church we occasionally do e-BibleStudies. Everybody reads the scheduled reading on their own and just interacts through email sharing their thoughts about the passage. Next Monday we'll be starting a study of Genesis. I thought I'd open this up to the blogosphere, so if you'd like to follow along here's the schedule. I'll be posting my thoughts about the daily readings. Feel free to leave comments with your own thoughts or questions.

7/13 - Genesis 1-2

7/14 - G. 3-4

7/15 - G. 5-6

7/16 - G. 7-8

7/17 - G. 9-11

7/20 - G. 12

7/21 - G. 13-14

7/22 - G. 15-16

7/23 - G. 17-18

7/24 - G. 19-20

7/27 - G. 21-22

7/28 - G. 23-24

7/29 - G. 25-26

7/30 - G. 27-28

7/31 - G. 29-30

8/3 - G. 31-33

8/4 - G. 34-36

8/5 - G. 37-38

8/6 - G. 39-41

8/7 - G. 42-44

8/10 - G. 45-46

8/11 - G. 47

8/12 - G. 48-50

Snowflake Bentley

2009-07-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was just reading about a man by the name of W.A. Bentley who made it his life's work and calling to do something that to most would seem unimportant or trivial. Bentley spent the better part of his life photographing snowflakes. In fact, he was the first to do so.

In my sermon Sunday, I spoke about how science is actually a form of theology. It is the process of revealing the handiwork of the Creator. Snowflake Bentley is the perfect example of this. In an interview he made the following statement:

"Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were a miracle of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated. When a snowflake melted that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind. I became possessed with a great desire to show people something of this wonderful loveliness, an ambition to become, in some measure, it's preserver."

Bentley went on to say the he felt his field of work was serving The Great Designer. Wouldn't you love to spend your life revealing the beauty and majesty of God? What's keeping you from doing it?

The Shack

2009-07-03T01:22:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a little late getting on this bandwagon, but I finished reading The Shack today so I thought I'd throw in my two cents about this book. There are many differing opinions about The Shack. Some think it is amazing and life-changing, while others find it heretical or even poorly written. I land somewhere in between the two, but leaning more toward the opinion that it's a great book.

For those of you who have been living in a cave, William P. Young tells the story of Mack who suffers a terrible family tragedy and then has an encounter with the three members of the Trinity in a small shack in the woods. Mack learns about the nature of God, redemption, forgiveness, suffering, love, and much, much more.

I really don't know where to begin a discussion about this book. So I'm just going to shoot some bullet points of thoughts I have about it. Here goes.

-- First of all, The Shack is a work of fiction and should be read as such. It is not the Bible. It is not a theological treatise. It is a fictional story. A firm grasp on this fact puts to bed much of the controversy in my opinion. It is one man's attempt through fiction and allegory to paint a clearer picture of the nature of our triune God. As such, it is not perfect. All allegories eventually fall apart or are lacking in some way. This is true of The Shack.

-- One of the big reasons people are upset by Young's portrayal of God is how the members are physically manifested. God the Father is an older African-American woman who goes by the name Poppa (the name that Mack's wife uses in her prayer life to address God). Jesus is pretty much Jesus - a carpenter of middle-eastern descent. The Holy Spirit is a flighty Asian woman called Sarayu. Many people really get hung up on the Father being portrayed as a woman. However, Young clearly explains the reason for this.

Mack has a hard time accepting God as a father-figure because of his own abusive father (a problem many people have). In the story, God explains that, for Mack's benefit, he knew it would be easier for Mack to relate to a female manifestation. Later in the book, when Mack is finally able to forgive his own father, Poppa begins manifesting himself as a man. While most of Scripture refers to God as masculine, God also uses feminine imagery to reveal his nature. In the Bible God is seen as a woman in labor (Is. 42:14), a mother nursing her children (Is. 49:14-15), a mother who comforts her children (Is. 66:12-13), a woman seeking a lost coin (Lk. 15:8-10), or a hen gathering her brood (Mt. 23:37).

The fact is that God is not a man, a woman, or a lion (as C.S. Lewis depicted him). God is God. He reveals himself to us in many ways. While I prefer to stay faithful to Scripture by referring to God as masculine, I don't see a major difficulty with Young's fictional portrayal.

-- There has also been discussion of an incorrect portrayal of the relationship between the members of the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the hardest to understand. How can God be one and three, equal but submissive, etc...? If Young's fictional representation of the Trinity has holes in it, it simply means he's human. We can no more understand the nature of God, than an ant can unravel our own DNA.

I felt though that The Shack gave me some real flashes of truth that I hadn't thought about before when it came to God's nature. Sometimes when I try to understand the Trinity, I feel like I'm looking at one of those Magic Eye pictures. Before you figure out how to screw up your eyes and bring the image into focus, you occasionally get glimpses or flashes of the image, but can't quite nail it. You see a corner of the picture come into focus, but when you try to see the whole it goes back out of focus. For me, God is like that. I get glimpses or flashes of truth. Just when I think I'm beginning to understand, I lose the focus, my brain hurts, and I'm left with more questions. I believe it will be clear someday, but not until I'm able to look at it with new eyes (eternity eyes).

-- Like I said, the book is good, but it's imperfect. The allegories do break down in places. It gets too preachy at times. It's even a bit cheesy occasionally. But it's also tragic, beautiful, moving, insightful, humorous, and much more. In my opinion, there's much more to appreciate about this book than criticize.

-- A little closing advice for reading The Shack. Go into it with an open mind, a proper perspective, and a box of Kleenex. I cried in at least 3 different parts. The opening section which details Mack's family tragedy was really difficult for me to read as a father. The insights Mack received during his stay at the shack, were quite thought-provoking and I needed to rest between chapters and let them roll around in my mind a little. And last, but certainly not least, while this book is inspiring for many and helping many people process their own personal tragedies, it's important to remember that it's just a story. It's not the Bible and shouldn't be a substitute for the Bible.

Summer Reading Strikes Back: Angels & Demons

2009-06-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend I start a new sermon series called Summer Reading Strikes Back (it's the follow-up to last year's series Summer Reading). The first book we'll be using is Dan Brown's Angels & Demons. It's not really so much a discussion of that book as it is a discussion of whether or not science and faith have to be enemies.

So here's the question. Are there any areas of science that you have a hard time reconciling with Scripture (or visa versa)? Does science ever cause you to doubt your faith or keep you from actually choosing a life of faith? I'd really like to hear your thoughts!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

2009-06-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Please take some time right now to pray for Stephen and Tamara Batta. They have been attending Living Hope for several weeks now. Tomorrow morning (Monday) Tamara will be going in to UCSF for a major brain surgery to remove a large mass in the center of her brain. The surgery is quite complex and risky and should take at least 6 hours. They are obviously nervous and unsure about the whole thing.

Please pray:

--that God would supernaturally heal Tamara if it's in His will.

--that God would guide the hands of the surgeons.

--that the Battas would feel comfort and peace throughout this process.

--that their son Bryce would not be too scared about his mom's surgery.

--for the healing process to be quick.

Thank you all for interceding on behalf of the Battas!

Go With God!!!

UPDATE:

6/22 - 5:30 pm

Tamara is finally out of surgery. It took quite a bit longer than expected. The doctor said he was able to remove most of the mass, if not all of it. She's not out of the woods yet, though. They'll be watching her very closely in ICU for the next several days. However, the doctor felt like the surgery went as well as could be hoped for. Please continue praying for the Battas! Thanks.

ANOTHER UPDATE:

6/26 - 9:30 am

Just got a call from Tamara with good news. The mass was not cancerous, so radiation will not be necessary. Also, her recovery has gone so well that she gets to come home today! Thanks for the prayers everyone!

Humboldt Redwoods Camping Trip

2009-06-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

Isaiah and I just got back from a 3 day camping trip with Michael and M.D. Ent way up north in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. It was honestly one of the best camping experiences ever! It ended about 2 days too early, though. HRSP is one of the most stunningly beautiful places on the planet. It's also a perfect outdoors locale for pasty-white individuals like myself. The trees pretty much provide 24-hour shade!

We camped at one of the environmental campsites, which are quite secluded and more primitive than the group campsites. We had a picnic table, fire pit, bear locker, water spicket, and outhouse. We brought a ton of gear and had to lug it 150 yards from the van to the campsite, but other than that it was a great few days.

I really loved the time with Isaiah. Things have been kind of tense between us lately and we really needed the time away unplugged, uninterupted, and free of estrogen. Love that boy so much and he made me proud this week the way he worked hard and played hard! We had some great opportunities to talk, too.

I also loved the time with the Ent men. It's good to get away with like-minded people and just be yourself.

Here are a bunch of photos that I'm almost hesitant to post, because they really don't do justice to how beautiful a place this is. Can't wait to go back some day!

Leadership & Morality

2009-06-09T11:56:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a portion of an email I sent to Living Hope's staff and elders today. It was my response to hearing about another pastor who resigned his church last weekend due to a moral failure. I think it's a good reminder for all of us!

I take this stuff very seriously and try to put multiple layers of accountability into place to prevent this sort of thing from happening to me. I want to encourage you all to do the same thing. Satan would love to upset our momentum by defeating one of us with this sort of thing. I honestly believe the more our church grows, the more our staff/elders will be attacked with temptations like this. We must be clear-minded and vigilant.

--Don't assume you're above a sin like this. If you're thinking that right now, you are putting a huge target on your back for Satan to hit.

--Eliminate or severely limit your one-on-one meetings with the opposite sex (not just in church, but in the other areas of your life as well). If I need to have a meeting with a female, I bring Jamie or one of the kids with me. If that's not possible, I meet in a very public place like Starbucks, which is usually pretty crowded (and even then, I make sure Jamie's aware that I'm having said meeting).

--Install accountability software on your computers (like X3WATCH). Monthly reports of any questionable internet activity I might have are sent to Jamie and my former pastor, Joe Wilson. I obviously don't want to have that difficult conversation with Jamie, and I know for a fact that if it ever becomes a problem Joe will get on a plane and come to Dixon and publicly kick my butt. I haven't slipped up in this area in several years, but let me be honest with you all---it's not because I haven't been tempted. Occasionally there are days that the only thing keeping me from looking at questionable content is knowing I have that software installed on my computers. My point is this: know your weaknesses and deal with them!

--Date your spouse regularly and give them the attention they need. If you don't, someone else might!

--Stay close to God! Don't let a day go by where you haven't spent time in prayer and/or the Word.

You know I love leaders and I especially love Living Hope's leaders. It breaks my heart when leaders fall. Join me in doing whatever it takes to make sure one of us doesn't become the foothold that Satan needs to hurt God's work here in Dixon.

I love you guys!!!

Zechariah & Malachi

2009-06-02T09:33:00.000-07:00

Well, better late than never. Life hit me pretty hard these last several days, so this final Minor Prophets update is coming a little late.

I REALLY enjoyed this Bible study because it forced me to focus on some parts of God's nature that I don't normally focus on. Things like justice, holy anger, fierce love, and his standing invitation of forgiveness no matter how disgusting our behavior. I said it before--it's easy to focus on punishment and judgement when we read these books, but the real story is God's neverending ferocious love for us and willingness to forgive us whenever we come to our senses and turn back to him.

I really like the emphasis on the restoration of God's people in Zechariah. It's a pretty exciting picture of what kind of blessings/rewards God wants to shower on us someday. And Malachi's call back to holiness and faithfulness is always good for me to read. Both of these books are also full of foreshadowing of Jesus' coming.

As far as New Testament references, there are a lot. I'll list them below. Look them up when you get a chance. Thanks for hanging in there through this study. I found it rewarding. I hope you did, too!

Zechariah 3:2 --- Jude 9

8:16 --- Ephesians 4:2

9:9 --- Matthew 21:5; John 12:15

11:13 --- Matthew 27:9

12:10 --- John 19:37; Revelation 1:7

13:7 --- Matthew 26:31; Mark 14:27

Malachi 1:2 --- Romans 9:13

3:1 --- Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27

3:17 --- 1 Peter 2:9

3:23 --- Matthew 17:10; Mark 9:11

Hero Blog Tour

2009-05-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a book that I'm supposed to review for Multnomah. Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but here's the info. It looks great. Can't wait to dive into it!

You already know it’s not easy being a single man in this culture today. But it is easy to be overwhelmed, to feel helpless and hopeless about living by God’s high standards for singles. It’s easy to cave in to the pressures of this sex-soaked world and accept defeat—blaming the media, the culture, even girlfriends who don’t know how tough it can be.

But many men have read books like Every Young Man’s Battle and Tactics and have committed themselves to stand strong and pure in the power of God, and to go on the offensive against the onslaught of negative stereotypes. Some have suffered. Some have fallen. But many have experienced victory—and you can be among them.

What makes those committed men so desirable to women? Be Her Hero is their motto. From best-selling author Fred Stoeker, along with his son Jasen, come the straightforward insight and real-life examples you’re looking for to help you take personal purity to its logical conclusion. Here’s straight truth with irrefutable evidence of what makes an ultimate hero to women who long for men of faith—men who stand by their convictions and make their world a safer and better place.

Are you ready to accept the challenge?

Fred Stoeker is a best-selling author of several books, including Every Young Man’s Battle andTactics, the president of Living True Ministries, and a popular conference speaker who challenges men to become sexually pure, to reconnect in true intimate relationship with their wives, and to train their sons to become godly men. A graduate ofStanford University, Fred lives in Des Moines, Iowa with his wife, Brenda, and their children.

Mike Yorkey, a writer living in Encinitas, California, has collaborated with Fred Stoeker in all his books for the Every Man’sseries.

Jasen Stoeker is a popular conference speaker who challenges young men to be heroic in their relationships with women and to be a Christian, rather than just seem like one. Jasen is a graduate of Iowa State University with degrees in Computer Engineering and Computer Science and now lives in Minneapolis, MN, with his wife Rose.

$10.99 @ CBD.

Haggai

2009-05-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed Haggai today. Haggai tells the story of God's people repenting for focusing only on themselves and their own houses and letting God's house lie in ruins. They repent and God honors it and they begin the process of rebuilding the temple.

A couple of verses stuck out to me. The last part of 1:6 says, "And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes." Sounds alot like the way we manage our funds all to often!

The other one that stuck out is right after the people repent.

Haggai 1:13 (ESV)

The Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord's message, "I am with you, declares the Lord."

It's not overstated. It's not flowery. But if you think about it, that's ultimately all we want to know. Is God with us? It's awesome when we're confidant he is!

(Hebrews 12:26 refers back to Haggai 2:6,21.)

Habakkuk

2009-05-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

Habakkuk is one of my favorites of the minor prophets. Basically Habakkuk cries out to God for help, God gives an answer that Habakkuk doesn't like so he complains, God reiterates his plan to draw his people back to him, and finally Habakkuk trusts God. He really sums it up with the last few verses. We need to learn to pray like this!

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places.

------------------------

Paul refers to Hab. 1:5 in his sermon in Acts 13:41.

The writer of Hebrews refers to Hab. 2:3 in Hebrews 10:37.

Hab. 2:4 is referred to in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38.