What to render to God?

Just a simple thought this morning. Actually the Psalmist thought it first, and recorded it in Psalm 116.12. He says, "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?" First reactions are: Well of course you give some money, most people call that the tithe. You give him some of your time, especially making church a priority. We read our Bibles and pray, and call that our rendered services to God (even though those are more gifts FROM God than gifts we give to him).

All of these are good, we should give God those. But the point I want to make, is how often do we think about what we could give? How often do we ponder it, get creative, think about how MUCH we can give God? I mean, really think about how big God is, and then how small you are. In this advent season, think about Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love that are given through Jesus, but even more, in Jesus as He embodies all four of those grand ideas. We have been given Grace! We have the Scriptures! How could we thank God enough? What can we render to God for all his benefits? He heals our diseases, forgives sin, renews us, comforts us, convicts us. What can we render to God?

Don't let the normal answers suffice. If we give him time, how can we give him more time, better time? If we give him money, how can we give more, make more of a sacrifice? If we give him praise, how can we make our God more famous?

Take two quick moments right now. First, just stop and think about the grandness of God. Ponder it. Mull it over. Dwell on it.

Now think about what you can give back to him because of that greatness-just simply because there is no other response that will work.

God has truly been great to us. He has given us so much, and when we don't deserve a single bit of it. What can you render to God today for all his benefits?

A good Christian life

So it's been awhile since I've written a blog post, but this morning got me thinking. Thanksgiving has come and gone, and amidst the busyness of the season hadn't read my Bible very much. I know, it's a lame excuse, but it's the truth. Anyway, I've been back in the word recently and today specifically reading in 1 Thessalonians, Paul urged that church to live lives worthy of God, who calls us to his kingdom and glory.

Not too often do we think in those terms about the Christian life-Kingdom and glory. Most of the time we think about being a good person, reading our Bible, praying, not stealing, just being an all-around good person. We like to think of ourselves as being clean, both physically and spiritually as Christians. Often the idea of being a good Christian has to do with wearing Sunday best-like a suit, or your nice dress. Going to church is also a big thing. Or "having a church." You might only go to it once or twice a year, but it's "your church" and you are suddenly a good Christian because you have a church and you wear some good looking clothes.

But is that really what living a good Christian life is all about? I mean Paul writes of Kingdom, and Glory. How often do we think in these terms for our lives?

We serve a King, who rules a Kingdom. He rules with an iron scepter, and he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah! He has conquered sin and death! He has been given the name above every name, and at his feet, every knee will bow. We serve a King! We serve a King who has began the process of rescue through his death and resurrection on the cross, and will one day complete the process of rescue by returning for his followers. He will return with eyes blazing and a sword coming out of his mouth! We are part of a Kingdom.

Our God also has glory. Angels bow before him, and multitudes scream out "holy, holy, holy!" Our God spoke this world into existence, and holds the world together by the power of his word. He has no beginning and no end. And he has called us to be a part of his life. He has offered this incredible life to us-eternal life-life with no end! And yet, so much of the time, we settle for the good Christian life that we're used to.

Today, think about those two words: Kingdom and Glory. God has called us to his Kingdom and to his Glory, and to live lives worthy of him. That is much more than a "Sunday best" kind of Christian life. This is a Christian life worth living!

A Guy named Rocky

So I'm sitting at the downstairs bar top after having take a shower in an 8ft by 4ft sauna/shower, sitting next to the pool table, with a poker table in the corner, in the same room as the 100+ inch t.v. screen, next to the workout room!

We're up here in Louisville, KY, at the home of Rocky. We got in last night, greeted with such a warm hospitality. Coffee, brownies, pumpkin cake, and so much more. The house tour was pretty cool, just because everything was so nice. This is seriously as multi-million dollar home. One Lexus, two BMW's, at least six bathrooms, and I don't know how many bedrooms.

As welcoming as the hospitality, what tops it all in Rocky's story. He became a Christian 2 years ago, was baptized one year ago, and is combusting in a ball of fire. He has definitely, as it's been said, "been ruined by Jesus." One of Rocky's friends told him, "Wow it must be nice being retired, you can play golf all the time." But Rocky doesn't play golf. He's so involved in church, he's leading Bible studies–one in particular of nine friends, all of whom weren't Christians! Talk about an influential person. Two of them were recently baptized, and I fully expect they won't be the last.

I said that Rocky doesn't play golf. That's not entirely true. A couple of months ago, he played a Pebble Beach with a friend. Yes Pebble Beach. Anyway, they got a caddie and started their game. Through conversation Rocky found out the caddie had a pretty troubled life–drugs, alcohol, pornography–a lot like many American men. He said, "Rocky, I have a problem." to which Rocky replied, "You don't have a problem, you just need God!" This began a long conversation that whole day, and the next when they played another round of golf. There are pictures of Rocky and this caddie, Tommy, walking with Rocky right up in his ear. He's just exploding with passion from Christ.

Well, even though Rocky is in the East Coast, and Tommy is on the West Coast, they kept in touch. Rocky told him he was going to mail him a package with a book to read, and other material to try to get Tommy to realize his need for God. It was a long time in getting their, way to long. It didn't make sense that a package would take three weeks to arrive, when 5-7 days was the limit. One day, Rocky called Tommy at 10am (7am California time) and he actually answered. When they spoke again, Rocky found out that Tommy had been on a five day binge on drugs and alcohol, and was looking up online how to kill himself. Right before Rocky had called, Tommy's son had called saying, "You have a package here (at his divorce's house) from Rocky." "Son, just keep that safe," Tommy replied, "that's from a special man!" It also came out in the conversation that it had to be God working through the timing and the phone calls. Tommy gave his life to Christ, and is now attending support groups at a local church and learning the Way of following Christ.

Rocky has a business background, a history of Catholocism, and 56 years of life without Christ. He may have had all the toys, maybe even more before Christ. But they all pale in comparison to his joy, excitement, and just straight up pure passion for Christ and his glory and fame. He has a sales background, so much of his philosophy is, "I have the best thing in the world, and you need it." While this may come across "pushy" to some people, he's right. He doesn't just say that he has the best thing either. He lives it, passionately. His eyes burn with fire whenever he tells you about anything, seriously, anything that has to do with God, or the work he is doing for God.

I heard it said recently, "Transformed lives transform lives." Rocky is just one example. His life has been turned upside down by Christ, and he's doing the same in the lives of others.

A new fashioned Tent Revival

They call it "the 99." 99 stands for the number of teenagers who die every day here in the states, many from poor decisions with drugs, alcohol, or self esteem issues, that play out in car accidents, overdoses, or taking their life into their own hands. It is a large dome (actually a tent supported by a continuous flow of air), which is termed a "walk-through theatre." After you enter the tent you enter many different rooms, each depicting one of these "scenes of reality" where a teenager has died. At the end, there is a very short gospel presentation of Jesus dying for the sins of the world (but interestingly they didn't show the resurrection.) They showed a short video of a man who had to make a decision at the train tracks, whether to save his son, or pull the lever, lower the bridge, and crush his son who had fallen in, so that the approaching train full of people could live. They read John 3.16, asked people to bow their heads, close their eyes, and say a prayer if they wanted to "be sure of their eternal destiny right then and there." Each person was then asked to go out and sit at a small table with a counselor to talk about their experience. At the table I went to, I was asked the question, "If you died tonight, would you be confident of your eternal destination?"

There is nothing inherently wrong with something like this, but just not my cup of tea I guess, for a couple reasons. Don't get me wrong, hell is scary, and no one should want to go, but there is a better reason to follow Jesus. Conversely, heaven is a wonderful, perfect place, but still there is a better motivation for following Jesus. That's just it. It's him. It's Jesus.

In college, my youth ministry professor had a phrase, "What you win them with is what you win them to." If we attract people with pizza, or games, or lock-ins, then we better be really careful to communicate to them the bigger, better reason for which we are really meeting. We must be very careful to never lower our purpose for meeting as God's holy people, his "called out ones" to declare his praises. We must continually go back to the truth that God IS the Gospel. Jesus Christ is the good news. We follow Jesus for Jesus. He is the reward. If all of heaven's perfection, peace, eternal life, etc. existed, but Jesus wasn't there, it would be worth it.

Recently in youth group we've been talking about the subject of following Jesus. One lesson was titled, "What following Jesus Is/Isn't." Let's make sure that we are first of all living, then teaching what it really is to follow Jesus. It's not a "get outta hell free" card. It's not just a decision we make so we may go to heaven. It's not being good for goodness sake. It loosing everything we have for the sake of him who gave it all. It's realizing just how far God went to love us and realizing that we just can't live for anything else. How could we?!

So back to "the 99." At the end, they told me that there would be people praying for specific requests the whole three weeks of this promotion. I took them up on their offer, and wrote simply: "That students would fall in love with Jesus, more than they are scared out of hell."

Hell is scary, probably far worse than we can imagine. Heaven is wonderful, probably far better than we can imagine. However, Jesus is best. He is our most worthy pursuit. To quote one of my favorite songs from the Passion conference of years past:

"Give us one pure and holy passion, give us one magnificent obsession, give me one glorious ambition: to know and follow hard after You."

Follow Jesus on Twitter!?

"What if we could follow Jesus on Twitter?" my dad asked me last night. He and my mom surprised me for my birthday yesterday, and came to youth group last night to listen to me teach and lead my students. I was introducing them to the new name and theme of our youth group: theFollowing. The idea is that everyone follows someone, or something. Maybe it's a sports team, fashion trends, movies stars, or our favorite people on Twitter. We are connected with what they are doing, where they are going, their general activity in the world.

So what if we could follow Jesus on Twitter? Wouldn't that be pretty cool? I mean the tag line of Twitter is, "What are you doing?" Wouldn't that be amazing if we could have a direct line into the activity of Jesus? It might make it a little easier to answer that ever evasive question, "What does God want me to do with my life?"

He followed his initial question with a statement: "Because through the Holy Spirit we should be able to."

Christian, did you hear that? Through the Holy Spirit we should be able to keep up with what Jesus is doing in this world. (Maybe that's what Paul meant when he said, "pray without ceasing.") We should constantly be "checking in" through the day to see what he is up to and how we can get involved. We should constantly be signing in to see what Jesus has posted or said. Maybe it's through Scripture; maybe prayer; maybe through spiritual conversations with other believers. Jesus, after all, did promise better, more powerful things when the Holy Spirit came!

Maybe our world we be just a little different if Christians followed Jesus with the same intensity and regularity as teenagers (or adults for that matter) check their twitter or facebook status. Maybe if Christians got as excited about Jesus as their favorite sports team, more people in this world just might be introduced to the Savior we so desperately need. Maybe if Christians knew the words and travel plans of Jesus as well as their favorite band or movie star, then this world would be a better place.

Connect with Jesus today. Check in. And do it often. Do it with intensity and passion. Probe every situation for the activity of Christ. Examine Scriptures, the words of Jesus, with an ever increasing joy and fervor.

To end, I'd like to pass along a prayer I came across my sophomore year in college that has stuck with me to this day. I still have it taped up in my house. Maybe you can do the same:

O Holy Spirit, visit now this soul of mine, and tarry within until eventide. Inspire all my thoughts. Pervade all my imaginations. Suggest all my decisions. Lodge in my will’s most inward citadel and order all my doings. Be with me in my silence and in my speech, in my haste and in my leisure, in company and in solitude, in the freshness of the morning and in the weariness of the evening; and give me grace at all times to rejoice in thy mysterious companionship.

Stockholm Syndrome

"Stockholm Syndrome." I've heard this term twice recently. Once as the title of Derek Webb's newest album, and also on the show NCIS.

It is defined as follows: Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response sometimes seen in an abducted hostage, in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger (or at least risk) in which they have been placed. The syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg, Stockholm, Sweden, in which the bank robbers held bank employees hostage from August 23 to August 28 in 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to their victimizers, and even defended their captors after they were freed from their six-day ordeal. The term Stockholm Syndrome was coined by the criminologist and psychiatrist Nils Bejerot, who assisted the police during the robbery, and referred to the syndrome in a news broadcast

In one of the first episode's of NCIS season two, there is a victim who has developed Stockholm Syndrome. The victim was a female naval officer, kidnapped, and chained to a wall, dressed in a Wedding dress. She has no contact with the outside world at all. The only thing she can do is walk around her small room, which has been made to look like a room from the 50's. Her captor has also planted a pamphlet from the 50's called "The Good Wives Club." This is all she knows. Her world, which was once filled with opportunity and adventure, excitement, the light of day, has been drastically reduced to a single room. Although she isn't in a cell, her dwelling has literally become a prison.

At the end of the episode, Tony (NCIS special agent) finds this poor young woman, tells her that they found her captor, and that she would soon be free. Her rescue is imminent! However, as Tony turned his back to her to make a phone call, she picked up a lamp, and hit him over the head with it, causing him to fall on the floor. She then pulled out a gun, pointed it at Tony, and through confused tears exclaimed, "We were going to get married!"

Stockholm Syndrome.

As I watched the scene, I couldn't help but think of our lives in this world. When we continue in a life of sin, we have become victims of Stockholm Syndrome. So much of the time, we are tricked by Satan to believing a lie, to live our lives in sin, greed, immorality. We end up living in and participating in a life that is inhumane. It has become our reality and somehow we are okay with it. We don't realize we are chained to a wall in an underground dungeon, waiting around to marry a creep.

My hope and prayer is that we would realize the freedom that Jesus brings. As people once captives, may we realize our freedom in Christ. He has come into our prison, and broken that chain from our wrist. We don't have to be captives anymore, yet so much of the time we go back to what is familiar; some place where we feel like we know someone (even if that someone is a sick abductor like satan that is abusing us.) Don't go back to an old life and let Stockholm Syndrome define you. Fight against the devil and his schemes so he will flee from you. Listen to Jesus, and live the life to which he has called you. He has your best in mind, even when it looks like the ways of the enemy are more attractive. Trust Him, and resist the Stockholm Syndrome!

My humble...frustrated opinion

I'm a youth minister. I've been at it officially getting paid for it for a little over a year now. I guess I'm not a veteran by any means but I'd like to simply offer my humble, yet frustrated opinion.

I recently attended the Junior High Challenge at Kentucky Christian University. Great program, by the way, and if you're familiar with CIY's high school conference MOVE, then it's basically like that, except for junior high/middle school students.

Anyway, one of the days during recreation time we loaded up and headed to the lake. We were planning on going to the place we went the day before, but it was closed. So we turned around and decided to pull into another spot close to the lake. I'd seen a church van parked there so I figured down the path, we'd eventually find some water to cool off in after a nice long walk. Sure enough, eventually, we found water, and even other people from the conference. Good so far. This specific spot had cliffs you could jump off from into the lake below. Cool right? Yeah, except that I had heard that it was actually illegal. I told my students to wait before they did anything, and I asked around. After speaking with a few people I found out that the park ranger had been the day before and said that most of these cliffs were illegal to jump from, except one, about 10 feet from the water. So, our group only jumped from that one. We had a good time, and not one got hurt.

The problem was that this other group was jumping from the other cliffs, about 25 feet high, that we knew for sure were illegal to jump from. Later we found out that, the same group had been the day before, the park ranger had showed up, and told them they shouldn't jump, yet they were there again. The whole time, they were led by their youth minister.

Later, when we were leaving, the park ranger himself actually showed up. As we passed each other, I asked him, "What is the official rule about these cliffs? I've heard several things." He said that you could legally jump off anything as tall as you are. I'm 5' 9" so I could jump off a rock 5' 9". Pretty simple. Well now we found out that we were jumping illegally. To our credit, there were no signs posted (because people who still want to jump continually tear them down), and we'd heard that the cliff from which we jumped was legal. We apologized, and let him know we wouldn't do it again, and the first thing I told my students in the van was that we would obey the law and not do it again.

It just really bothered me that the other youth group was jumping off the other cliffs. Not that they were jumping, not that they were having fun, not that they were being together, but that they knowingly, being led by their youth minister, disobeyed the law, which they had been told the day before, by the park ranger himself, and by the KCU staff.

What made it worse, was that they theme of that day at the Junior High Challenge was to be SIMPLY You. Basically what that means is this: Stand up for what you think is right. Be yourself. Don't be the person in the crowd who just conforms to what you think everyone else wants you to be. Do the right thing, even if others want you to do the wrong thing. Have the guts to say no, even if what you are being tempted with looks fun, or cool. A phrase that the speaker used was, "Be a Reuben" because Reuben, in the Old Testament, was the one who stood up for his brother Joseph and convinced the other brothers not to kill him. He stood up, 1 against 9 and did the right thing.

That very day, after hearing that message, a youth minister led his students out to cliffs, and intentionally disobeyed the law, claiming that as long as they didn't get caught, it was okay. I have no problem with Cliff Jumping. I had fun myself, but when it is blatantly against the law, I have a problem with that!

I distinctly remember in youth ministry class in college, and just in conversations with people, talking about kids who graduate from a youth ministry who aren't mature. They don't take their faith seriously, and many walk away within the first several months of graduating from the youth group.

I guess after experiences like this, I'm starting to realize why. When the people leading our moldable youth live with a double standard, why shouldn't they. When teens see a leader in Christ's church more committed to fun than to doing the right thing, then why shouldn't they be in it for the fun as well? When they see a respected role model totally choose whatever they want to do over the laws which the legal authorities (who have been put in place by God by the way, read Romans 13) have set up, then why shouldn't they drink when they are underage, speed all the time in their cars, shoplift or share music as long as they don't get caught?

Is it any wonder that people accuse teens of immaturity, even graduates from youth ministries. Is it any wonder that even "church kids" are more committed to fun, pleasure, or whatever, than what Jesus Christ, our reigning King would ask us to do?

I am by no means claiming perfection, and would say that even today, I did some things that made me feel like a horrible hypocrite. But come on. We've got to do better. May we all step up and realize that if we are a leader of youth, in any way at all (and I mean any way, paid or not, a parent, relative, friend, volunteer, whatever) we've all got the responsibility to lead well, honestly and above reproach, no ifs ands or buts, no matter what else may be fun or cool.

Robe-Grabbing Internationals

A couple of days ago I read the book of Zechariah. It had been awhile. Toward the beginning of the book, he has all kinds of visions of horns, flying scrolls, horsemen, measuring lines, high priest, lampstands, and all kinds of stuff. I don't pretend to know what all that is talking about, and that's not even what I want to talk about anyway.

So here it is. My favorite chapter in Zechariah (possibly due to themes N.T. Wright writes about so frequently) is chapter 8. This chapter anticipates the work God will be doing in Zion. If you read these texts you can see Jesus in them pretty clearly. Check some of these out:

- "I have returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem."

-"I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, and they shall be my people, and I shall be their God."

-"But now, I will no longer deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days...for there shall be a sowing of peace."

-"I have purposed to bring good to Zion"

-"The fast of the fourth month and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore love truth and peace." (Remember when Jesus said, "how can you fast when the bridegroom is here?")

All these are descriptions of what those finals days should look like; when Jesus is king and his people live like it. However, perhaps the most striking image of a people living with God as their king is at the end of chapter 8.

" 20"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. 21The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.' 22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

What a picture! People all across the world are begging to go with the people of God because what they have is so good. The way in which they are living is so attractive that people are grabbing onto their clothes and saying, "Take me with you–because we have heard that God is with you!"

Is the picture you get when you first think of the people of God today? Are people begging to be a part of what we are a part of? What if it was? What if instead of having all kinds of attractional outreach models like car shows, carnivals, giveaways, or whatever, that people were begging to come with us!? What if the way of life we lived among each other and those with whom we interacted was so contagious, so genuine, so real, that we didn't have to invite (dare I say beg) people to come to church?

I guess it just seems to me that we have diminished the glory, honor, celebration, and goodness of living under the kingship of God ruling through Christ Jesus. We've diminished it to doing the right thing and being a good person, which are good things to do but not quite the same picture of a crowd of people grabbing your shirt saying, "Take me to God! I've heard that He is with you!"

How do we do this? I don't know. I guess I have more questions than answers. A good place to start may be right here in Zechariah 8. Maybe we should truly celebrate that God has come. Truly rejoice that he doesn't deal with us in the way He once did, but there is a new way, a once for all way, where Jesus died, and was subsequently raised from the dead, bringing about vindication. I guess we would do well to "Speak the truth to one another; render in our gates judgments that are true and make for peace; not devising evil in our hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all those things the Lord hates," declares the Lord.

Maybe this picture is only that–a picture. Maybe it's not supposed to be literal, where the nations physically grab ahold of the people of God and ask to come with them. But what if it was? What if we can bring heaven to earth? What if the lives of God's people screamed, "Jesus is King," and it magnetically drew the world to God? What if?

Come to me, ALL...

This morning I read Matthew 11.28-30, a familiar passage to many Christians. It's the one where Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Now I've read this verse many times before, but this morning it really hit me again.

Recently, I've been talking to people who are hurting, and for a variety of reasons. Some are wearied because of something they are doing, or not doing for that matter. Others are weary because something is happening to them. Some are weary because someone else in their life has disappointed them, and they just don't know what to do. There are others that don't know they are burdened...they think they are doing fine because they read their Bible all the time, and have some sort of prayer life, and give a little money to the church. The problem is that they are doing those things out of selfishness–they want to impress men. They are burdened by their own holiness as they rely on what they do, instead of what Jesus has done.

There are so many that are weary and burdened. Some know it, others don't. Some are burdened by bad things, others by good things. It's been said that everyone is either in the midst of a trial, just getting out of one, or getting ready to enter one. Wherever you are today, realize that Jesus calls ALL to come to him. He will give ALL rest from whatever is holding them down.

I guess there are just two questions:

1. What wearies you? Something bad, from yourself, someone else, a good thing you do?

2. Do you trust that Jesus is powerful enough to relieve those burdens, both good and bad?

For those who care...or maybe just me.

Last night I was talking to a good friend about how I hadn't done this whole blog thing in awhile. She read a few of my posts last night; probably the first to do so in awhile. So if you're reading this again today Sasha, hope you enjoy it. Here goes.

A lot has happened since march 13th, 2009. It's been good for the most part. Among other things I travelled to four countries following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, learning from his life and ministry. It was a life changing experience to see the seven churches of Revelation, Walk the Egnatian way, visit actual places where we know Paul stood, and just to see amazing touristy kinds of things. And the food was great too! Coffee, Baklava, Gelato, just to name a few. The people on the trip were great as well. All ages, from all around the US, and a few who I became pretty good friends with, one especially, so that's really cool.

The summer has definitely began here in Loganville. Kids are out of school, swimming, playing paintball or whatever. We have already been to a CIY conference to try to avoid the football camps that start up later in the summer. The conference was both and encouragement and a challenge for all the students and the adults.

Lately, I've been enjoying afternoons at the pool, or a round of disc golf, or a good netflix movie, or picking up a classic book–The Princess Bride. The days are longer and it stays lighter later which I love. I love summer, only if we could somehow change the 85% humidity we have almost constantly.

Like always, there is a mix of really good stuff, and some not so good. Sometimes people, or situations just let you down. But usually, if you look for it, you'll see God at work in people's lives. I'm grateful to be a part of his service. I'm also very grateful for the relationships I have in my life both new and old. The relationships that remind you that that's what life is all about. A friend celebrated a birthday today, another celebrated an anniversary this week, my parents celebrated theirs last week. A mentor and friend is getting married this fall, and another just got married last weekend. I've really enjoyed catching up with the old friends and talking late into the night with the new.

Anyway, for those of you who care, and might read this, there you go. My thoughts in 10 minutes or so. If no one reads this, at least I enjoyed writing it and being reminded once again that life always has ups and downs, but life is good.

This last Wednesday night, the topic was the last of a series of questions that I was answering in youth group. The specific question was the most important of them all–Did Jesus really rise from the dead? I began the night by saying, "How you answer this question will affect every aspect of your life–how you spend your money, treat other people, vote, and so on." So I went through the talk and gave some reasons, historical probabilities that point to Jesus rising from the dead. Kids were a little crazy because it was the first week that it stayed lighter later and other stuff, but for the most part it was like any other week. Some good, some bad mixed in all together.

Afterwords though, I led one of the discussion groups. As I asked questions of some of the students, some of them didn't even know what the word resurrection meant, let alone have any idea for the implication on their lives. It hit me. It hit me hard. I grew up in a great family where we talked all the time about spiritual things and the story of Jesus. But these kids don't even know that they are lost. They have no clue about the good news of Jesus, but they don't even know that the life they are living can be so much better. They're just clueless. It's sad to me. But it reminds me of the enormous responsibility to tell truth about Christ. How do I convey a message to people who not only don't want it, but they don't know anything about it?

I'm just as bad as they are without Jesus, but I know what it is to live with him. I guess that's part of the answer. Just telling my story and letting the Spirit work. I need him now more than ever. I know I can't do it alone. I think people are convinced of truth in a rational way, but I know that something has to happen through the work of the Spirit. I can only pray that the Spirit will work.

Anyway, I'm just one ragamuffin who needs a whole lot of saving myself. Times like these remind me of that. Just because I know a message about Jesus does not make me a better person, it just makes me more fortunate. I have a responsibility to proclaim this message boldly and clearly as I should.

Seek to Understand...

This past week at Youth Group I did a special project. The previous four weeks we had listened to testimonies from several adults--we heard their stories. So last Wednesday I wanted to give the students an opportunity to tell their story. I gave them paper and pens and clipboards. I got about 30 responses from about 55 people, so it could have been better, but still I got to hear many of the stories.
It's amazing the kind of insight you can have about people when you simply ask...and mean it. Kids go through a lot these days, and often we don't know exactly where they are coming from. We get frustrated because they don't act like us, or they don't know all the rules. But our stories aren't their stories. The cool thing is that in everyone's story there is a place for Jesus. There is a need, some people have realized it and it has changed their life in an incredible way. Some have yet to realize it, and it is sad. These are some of the same kids who write about fellow teenagers, "they just want to fit in, or they are concerned about only today, or it hurts when people betray you." The answer to all of this is Jesus. He gives us meaning for today, but beyond today. He is there when we hurt, and when life is good to us.
Recently I've been thinking alot about the prayer from Francis of Assisi, "May I seek to understand, not to be understood." That is so profound, because we can't really tell people about Jesus very well without understanding them, and what they are going through. My hope is that by understanding just a little bit about this group of students I'll be able to be there for them and help them to see Jesus through all the confusion of the teenage years.
Two things: There are walls in peoples lives--walls of abuse, or broken homes, or bad teaching, or fitting in with contemporary culture. There is also incredible immaturity. My prayer and hope is that both issues would dissolve. That God would break down walls, and that he would also whisper softly into the ears of those who would listen and draw them closer to him along this lifelong journey of discipleship.
So after a long entry of several scattered tangents, my biggest hope is that God would continue to help me understand: to understand people's stories, to understand how incredible his love still is, even after I've heard, "God loves you" a million times. I want to understand so I can communicate clearly and boldly as I should.

Transition Sunday

I am currently sitting in my office here at Corinth Christian Church, about 45 minutes before the big transition from Don Hardison to Adam Turner as Senior minister of our church. Adam will actually be called the preaching minister I think, but whatever. It's a big day with people buzzing around like crazy and I'm sure emotions are all over the map. Many are ready for this day, and have been ready, not because the don't like Don, but just because they are excited for the future here.
There is going to be an actual torch that is passed, special music, a meal afterward. Quite a production. But what would you expect after on man served a church for 42 years. A Wonderful testimony of faithfulness. I'm glad to be able to be a part of it.
Now the time ahead approaches. How will we as Corinth Christian Church go into this new time ahead? How will we still affect our community? How will we grow, both numerically and spiritually and relationally with each other. Only time will tell, but we as the leaders are confident that God has amazing stuff in store for us here. We only need to be faithful. Well, I better sign off so I can go be a part of everything going on. Until next time...