Musings of a Random Nature

Moving to a New Location

2006-06-30T23:10:00.000-07:00

I've moved my blog thoughts to a new site on Wordpress. Wordpress offered a few new bells and whistles that I like. It doesn't seem to have as many skins or templates, but seems to work a bit more regularly. They probably don't have the big bucks and support that Blogger gets from the Google shop, but, for now it just works. So, loyal readership (which is now up to 7 I think), please bookmark the new site. I've still got lots of random musings ... and I might even get my lovely bride to post more often.

Three Helpful Thoughts

2006-06-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

It is a human tendency to attribute the worst possible motives for behavior in others that we do not undestand. - Wayne Rice, Junior High Ministry. I worked with teenagers for 25 years so I have a fairly large collection of insights from youth ministry "gurus". Reviewing my journal, this was a very timely reminder. God alone knows the ture, deepest, motives of others. When I put this thought with yesterday's post I get some helpful insight! Years ago while reading Rebuilding Your Broken World by confessed sinner Gordon MacDonald I was struck by his offhanded comment about how when we are in the midst of sin, or when we are covering up sin, we will usually call it something else - indescretion, poor judgement, etc. We will diminish it at every chance. At least that was my interpretation of his parenthecal comment on p. 48). Been there, done that, the T-shirt wasn't worth it. "There are two books that will give into the state of an individual Christian -- his checkbook and his appointment book. Both demontrate his commitments." My pastor said this over 15 years ago, and I have to believe that it is still true. These two (usually secret) things probably say more about my heart than just about anything else.

A Little Understanding About Motives

2006-06-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

"We judge ourselves by our motives. Other judge us by our actions." I jotted this on a napkin yesterday, but can't remember who wrote it (I've been reading and researching multiple books this week). I think it was from Dan Allender's Leading with a Limp. It is a great insight. It helps me see why, even when I don't do well, I think I've done the right thing. I know my motives (at least to a degree). The only thing those outside can see are my actions. To the degree my motives are unclear, or that my actions are not perceived to be in harmony with my motives, I will be misunderstood. For example, as a leader I hope to make wise choices that are the best even when someone is hurt by that choice. I know my motives, but the action taken feels like an attack to the one hurt, no matter my motive. That's probably why I feel like I need to apologize a lot! As I turn this around and look at other's behavior towards me, I sense the need to work harder at understanding the motives of those who seem to act against me. Of course, maybe they are out to get me ..., but probably not! It is amazing that anyone really gets along. This will be an interesting insight to learn more deeply.

A Friend on an Adventure

2006-06-22T21:16:00.000-07:00

Tami Dale is a friend, and co-worker. Right now she is on a leave of absence serving Jesus in Kenya. You might find it interesting to see what God is teaching her about thankfulness, prayer, and even mosquitos.

Future Trust

2006-06-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." These words, which I believe are from Corrie Ten Boom, are true. So much time is wasted trying make our future safe and secure -- OK, I want to make my future a bit more risk-free -- but I've run into a bunch of others that have the same issues. God rarely shows us what our future life and ministry might contain. I am encouraged by the attitude of my wife and many of the hurting women she works with. They have adopted the principle behind God's promise to Israel in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope" (ESV). God re-affirms to His people that despite the terrible situation in which they find themselves - even if due to their failure - He has plans for them that are not evil. A promise that can only be believed if we believe in the goodness and faithfulness of God. There are days when the future looks unclear, and all the choices seem to be poor. There are times that others choices seem to destroy and disrupt our lives. There are days that seem to be "foggy" rather than clear and the destination is unclear. But if we know our God we can boldly walk into the unknown despite the risk.

A Wasted Life

2006-06-18T21:43:00.000-07:00

Pastors often get discouraged thinking they could be 'more useful with more people'. Many Christians (pastor or otherwise) feel that they would be of much more effect if they could serve God somewhere that their gifts might make a greater impact. No one wants to waste their life. In that light I find this quote a powerful reminder that I am but a servant: Notice God's unutterable waste of saints, according to the judgment of the world. God plants His saints in the most useless places. We say--God intends me to be here because I am so useful. Jesus never estimated His life along the line of the greatest use. God puts his saints where they will glorify Him, and we are no judges at all of where that is (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest). In light of all the purpose-driven madness in the church, it might be good to edit Chambers and note that the "judgement of the world" may now include "judgement of church growth experts."

World Christians

2006-06-16T22:55:00.000-07:00

Twenty years ago Paul Borthwick made the following distinction in A Mind for Missions: A Worldly Christian is motivated from a basically selfish preoccupation. He looks to Scripture for personal blessing. Looks to God and the Bible primarily for personal fulfillment. Sees the Christian faith as a way to ‘get God on his or her side.’ World Christians are day-to-day disciples for whom Christ’s global cause has become the integrating, overriding priority for all that he is to them. I liked - still do - the term “world Christian” (or “global Christian”) and I used it regularly in the youth ministries I developed. Students, along with adults, seemed to capture the vision and passionately engaged in the cause. This is more than just supporting missionaries. Or being missions-minded. It is a priority commitment to bringing the power of the gospel to those places and peoples who have not heard. It is a commitment to affirm and strengthen local churches and leaders all around the world – helping them bring the truth of Christ to their own people. It is the recognition that the world begins right outside our own homes and churches and that we have a mission field right there. The term may not be meaningful any longer (or so I'm told), but the concept is still true. And each of us should discover the part God would have us play in his world-sized drama.

Target of Opportunity?

2006-06-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

“Leadership has been described as wearing a bulls-eye on your chest during hunting season.” I’ve heard this quote before, most recently by Dan Allender in Leading with a Limp. Some days it seems quite true me. Not always because someone in my circle is out to take me out, or someone in our church, but because we have a very real enemy who would love for me to be less than effective. Of course, the enemy, aka Satan, often uses people and circumstances to bring discouragement or confusion or something worse. He can also just make sure that I begin to second guess the grace of God and His strength made perfect in my weakness. The easiest thing to do would be to get out of the forest, away from the danger of being hunted. Some days that might even be best. I think that I’m called to the forest though, hunters or not, and I need to keep my eyes open and trust God to cover me, and pray that my friends will help watch my back.

Four Things to Think About

2006-06-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

Most Christians today seem to desire sentimentality rather than sacrifice – from the Wittenburg Door, October 1986. Sadly, twenty years later, I think this is still true. You can’t convince people that you are wonderful and that Jesus is wonderful in the same sermon – Tony Campolo. However, the temptation to do so is great every time we teach. Some people invest in the flesh all week long, then they go to church on Sunday praying for a crop failure – J. Vernon McGee in a sermon at Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles. Tradition is the living faith of saints now dead. Traditionalism is the dead faith of those now living. Chuck Swindoll

Eclectic Thoughts

2006-06-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

Eclectic Thoughts for Reflection

If you make people think they’re thinking they’ll love you. If you make them think they’ll hate you – Howard Hendricks (at an unremembered seminar).

The average pagan is interested in hearing more of the gospel than most of us aren’t sharing – Hendricks again.

Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man – C.S. Lewis.

It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God – Robert Murray McCheynne.

I have often regretted my speech, but never my silence – Publius.

Two More Thoughts

2006-06-04T21:59:00.000-07:00

The problems with taking ourselves too seriously are countless. Afraid to fail, we no longer risk. Afraid that someone will see behind our image, we no longer share. Afraid that we will appear to need help, we can no longer be vulnerable. Afraid to not appear religious enough to some, we can no longer confess. We withdraw into a petty world consumed with emptiness and fear, covered with a thick shell, worshiping an impotent god. The tragic result of taking ourselves too seriously is that in our fear of becoming childlike, in our fear of becoming a fool for Christ, in our fear of being seen as we are, we discover all too late it's impossible to be fully human and fully alive. Tim Hansel, When I Relax I Feel Guilty. The more we clamor to be in charge the more we squeeze the life out of everything that is precious to us. Ignoring Jesus' mandate that he be glorified in our weaknesses, we try to glorify God in the worldlinesss of our strengths by being in control .... sometimes God must wound us to teach us relinquishment. There is a welcome relief when we realize that we don't have to be God. thought from Becky Pippert quoted in The Power Delusion

Quotes Recorded in My Journals Past

2006-06-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

I collect quotes from my reading in my journal. It is often helpful, encouraging, or convicting to re-read those notes and quotes. “The finest test of the consecration of a minister of Christ is not in his public performances, but in what he does when the world is not looking” – Charles Jefferson, The Minister as Shepherd. I read this as a much younger leader when it was given to me by John MacArthur. An older book but one I’ve re-read at least a dozen times. The principles are timeless. “To measure the size of a man one needs merely to measure the size of the things that irritate him.” Unknown. I am often smaller than I would wish.

Chaos of the Cognitive

2006-06-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

Chaos of the Cognitive is a surprise. I didn't know it existed until I found a link on another blog. This writer is creative, enjoyable, authentic, encouraging, and related to me! There are some great insights here from a very wonderful young woman. She has another blog as well that demonstrates even more of her creative side. All this from someone who keeps pretty active and busy. As her profile says: "I am quite the busy girl--between working at Starbucks, attending school at Imago Dei Institute for a Biblical Studies degree, working with the Junior High girls at my church, and holding on to some remnent of a social life. I still dream of someday being a rock star or nascar driver though :)." I'm kinda hoping the Nascar stuff doesn't come through ... but this sweetheart is making a difference in lives already. A lot like her friend and mentor (and my fellow-servant on staff at Crossroads Bible Church) Tami.

Some New Heroes

2006-05-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best intentions can be taken off track. I attempted to log on to the internet while in Moscow for most of the past week but it is something of a complicated process – especially when the only instructions are in Russian. From what I understand, even when you get it all set up you never really know if it will work – and if it does, for how long. So time to store something to the flash drive and upload when we get to Glasgow. Anyway … This ministry time has been interesting and not quite as challenging as I anticipated. Thankfully we allowed a day of recovery after the long hours in two very crowded planes. On our first day in Moscow, we were able to enjoy some time getting a feel for the city of Moscow … wandering around the Museum for the Great Patriotic War (WWII) and enjoying the sights of Red Square and the Kremlin. Sunday included worship at the International Baptist Church, lunch at the Hard Rock Café, and a very scenic cruise along the Moscow River. Great weather … warm and sunny! Since this is our first visit to this country we found everything interesting, though the “rules” are a bit strange. Of course, every culture seems a bit odd to those who are just visiting. Our visit is fairly protected and short so we have not run into anything too complicated or annoying. Then off for five days of ministry at a conference center an hour outside of Moscow. Over 50 pastors, church leaders and wives gathered for a week of encouragement, continued training, and worship. These wonderful Christians came from all over Russia and the former Soviet Union and the stories the tell were often astounding to us as American pastors. They are willing to sacrifice so much to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have some new heroes of the faith! These men and women make do on so little. The ministries can barely keep up with the rent much less pay the preacher. I do not understand how they are able to live on what they receive in support. Some live in one room houses with multiple kids (yep, bedroom, kitchen, living room all in one – bathroom outside). Few would have more than 3 rooms (maybe 400 s.f.) Yet the all seem to serve with a joyful and hopeful heart even though under-supported according to our standards. None have a relative level of support that any pastor in our church receives. Yet we did not hear one complaint – ever! It was our privilege to serve these servants. I can’t tell if we encouraged or helped them much, but they seemed pleased to have us here. Our topics were focused on practical issues in church leadership -- building teams, developing leaders, planning effective meetings, even the importance of financial planning. Linda and Carol had a great time connecting with many of the leaders’ wives – who are truly the unsung heroes! John and Naomi work hard to make these conferences special for these alumni of the New Life Bible College. The conference center was very nice, the food excellent, the opportunities for fellowship were well thought out, and there was plenty of laughter. Things we take for granted, they still appreciate. As always this has been something of a humbling time for us.

Davinci Cod and Moscow

2006-05-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

No, there is really no connection between fish, Leonardo, and/or our trip to Russia but I might get ranked higher in a Google search. I guess it also reminds me of the silly ways that the enemy will go about distracting people from truth. Conspiracy theories about Jesus along with not-really-all-that-great novels can seem to take on bigger than life reality for some people - especially the media. It also causes me to reflect on the lengths that Devil will go to to disrupt our mission - before and during the adventure. Last minute crises, discouragement for little reason, and subtle, but direct, attack all seem to be at work even as time to prepare runs out. Of course the Savior is greater than our enemy, and he will do His work through us, so I'm confident. Nothing fishy about that. Nothing fishy about that!

A New Adventure

2006-05-08T21:22:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, Linda and I will be off on an new adventure … ministry in Moscow. This is a new destination for us. We’ll be working with John and Naomi Musgrave - friends and “professional encouragers” to pastors and leaders scattered all over Russia and the former states of the Soviet Union. Along with Mark and Carol Wheeler (neighbors, friends, former colleagues, and current pastor of United Evangelical Free Church in Seattle) we’ll be assisting John with a leadership conference designed to encourage church leaders in the midst of their ministries. As we understand it most of these people are graduates of Bible College but are very much in need of additional practical training and skills – along with encouragement in the midst of tough ministry. We feel a bit overwhelmed at being asked to help. Everyone from our church who has gone before us has been moved by the commitment on the part of these leaders. And the commitment of John and Naomi. We’ll let our three readers know how it unfolds!

So what do you do ...

2006-05-01T21:53:00.000-07:00

… when things leak out of your brain? It seems like I have very little bandwidth left in my mind. It’s one of those weeks when I have just too many high priority tasks that all seem to take brain cells to accomplish and I am usually running out of them. I am trying to remember some key truths about busy times:

It really is God who does His work. All I can do is pursue faithfulness with the time I have. Of course, it has to be God’s work. And the assumption is that I work hard, I labor, when it is time to work.

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." (Psalm 127:1, ESV)

God gives to his own even in their sleep. I tend to want to stay up late and get more work done. Sleep is usually a better choice.

"It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep." (Psalm 127:2, ESV)

Watch the anxiety. Unfortunately I tend to be slower than I would wish in following the divine prescription.

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6, ESV)

The priority of my life must not waver from the fundamental mission given by our Chief Shepherd. It is His kingdom that matters, not mine. I think it safe to say that the principle given by Jesus applies here. I seek his kingdom first, and he will take care of the things that seem to be undone.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (Matthew 6:33-34, ESV) I feel better now. Thanks.

Playing With Children

2006-04-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

jenny jack aka, my oldest daughter, has a wonderful insight into both children and adults. I'm pretty sure that she gets her ability to make these connections from her mom and the Holy Spirit. I just get to enjoy the result.

How Do We Distort the Gospel?

2006-04-12T10:08:00.000-07:00

C. J. Mahaney at Together for the Gospel, clearly reminds us of the true nature of the gospel and the greatest threats to it. As to the first point - it is clear that Jesus must be at the center. As to the second, Mahaney refers us to J. C. Ryle: “You may spoil the gospel by substitution. You have only to withdraw from the eyes of the sinner the grand object which the Bible proposes to faith--Jesus Christ--and to substitute another object in His place… and the mischief is done. “You may spoil the gospel by addition. You have only to add to Christ, the grand object of faith, some other objects as equally worthy of honor, and the mischief is done. “You may spoil the gospel by disproportion. You have only to attach an exaggerated importance to the secondary things of Christianity, and a diminished importance to the first things, and the mischief is done. “Lastly, but not least, you may completely spoil the gospel by confused and contradictory directions… Confused and disorderly statements about Christianity are almost as bad as no statement at all. Religion of this sort is not evangelical.” Amen!

Bad Form in Ministry?

2006-04-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

CNN.com - Youth minister smites dodgeball opponent - Mar 31, 2006. I'm pretty sure that there must be something else going on in this guy's life for him to snap. Youth ministry can be pretty tough - you have to be ready for the ball that comes from nowhere to surprise you. More importantly, we need to remember that it is when surprised that our true inner character seems to be on display. See Matthew 12:33-37. Preach Someone Else? Ripping off another Pastor's message is nothing new. A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, I was travelling with John MacArthur in the midwest listening to a local pastor on Christian radio. After a few minutes John caught that it was his sermon being "re-preached." I appreciated John's humility ... he was pleased that the Word was getting out. I also appreciated his reminder that there is great power in first hand study of the Scripture - power that is lost when merely repeating the words and work of another. While he is not the only one, Rick Warren has a resource for Pastors in writing their Sermons: "When I was planting Saddleback Church, other pastors’ sermons fed my soul – and eased my preparation! I hope the sermons here will do the same for you. Whether you use the outlines and transcripts for sermon ideas or listen to the preaching to fine-tune your delivery, I’ll be thrilled if your ministry becomes more effective. And if you have a sermon idea that might be helpful to me, feel free to share it! As pastors, we’re all on the same team. Let’s help each other out – and when we get to Heaven, we can rejoice together over the people who were saved as a result! " I can't speak to the motives of Pastor Warren. I'm sure that they are pure. But I do find myself concerned with what he is encouraging. Skipping some of the hard work of sermon prep. Preaching is hard ... good messages take time ... and the week-in week-out routine has to be tough (I preach at Crossroads only a few times a year and know how much that takes!). This may be as large a pastoral character issue as kicking a kid in the groin ... then again, maybe I'm in trouble.

Have you Been to Me Church?

2006-04-05T22:24:00.000-07:00

I think I may have visited this church once!

Create Your Own Motivational Poster!

2006-04-03T21:45:00.000-07:00

Have You Read About the Emergent Church

2006-04-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

"Emerging" or "emergent"? Two words, often used to describe what is happening on the edges of the Christian Church world. Two words, often confused and confusing. Two words, that leaders my age think they understand - but often do not. This article from the Criswell Theological Review, written by Mark Driscoll, Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, is very helpful in understanding the movement. The sociological analysis of church 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 is helpful. He notes that there are at least three developing threads in the 3.0 version of church, not all of which are good nor helpful but all of which are in the conversation - a conversation that Mark finds to bring mixed emotions: As a pastor I find the entire conversation encouraging, stimulating, and frightening. What I find encouraging is the groundswell of interest among Christians who do not want to separate from culture like fundamentalists, or simply baptize culture like liberals, but want to earnestly wrestle over the nature of the gospel and how can it be most faithfully contextualized in culture. What I find stimulating is the growing focus on doctrine and the way it forces people to reconsider their doctrinal positions and dig more deeply since pat answers to tough questions are no longer sufficient. But, what I find frightening is the trend among some to drift from what I consider to be faithful conservative evangelical theological convictions in favor of a less distinctively Christian spirituality. The result is a trip around the same cul-de-sac of false doctrine that a previous generation spent their life driving around while touting their progress. [note - emphasis added]. Maybe it is the old youth pastor in my, but I appreciate what is happening in the Relevant Emerging Church ... great preaching, commitment to biblical teaching and preaching, and a commitment to the gospel with Jesus at the very center ... all with an eye to being used by the Holy Spirit to communicate meaningfully to the world as it is -- not as we wish it were. But we need to heed Driscoll's warning: The only hope is a return to the true gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture. The gospel must be unleashed in the world through the Church for the transforming salvation of sinners and their cultures. If the gospel is lost, as I fear it already has been among some Revisionists, then tomorrow will be a dark day for the truth about Jesus. By the way, I know that some think I'm selling out my John MacArthur heritage when I speak well of Driscoll or others similar to Mars Hill. I encourage you to actually listen to his messages first. Read what he has to say and evaluate it all in light of the Scriptures. I think you'll find that all right functions of the church are there ... though the forms are different. But you know, we had the same battle when we did church in the 60's.

something to think about...

2006-04-02T20:18:00.000-07:00

I'm not the writer Tim is, but I thought I'd like to share something that I read that encouraged me. God is working on helping me learn to trust in His love for me, not just intellectually, but from my heart. To understand that I am Linda Jack, a woman Jesus loves. Rick McKinley in his book "Jesus in the Margins says" ... we need to believe that God's love for us is truer than the lies that our pain taught us. Of course this means we have to face the pain and deal honestly with it, which is not something enjoyable, but necessary in learing to trust completly in His love.

Something You Don't Find on the Web Everyday

2006-03-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

Apologies are hard. Public apologies harder. Agree with Mark or not, his heart is right. He listened. He acted. Good man. Good heart. 'nuff said.

Now Here's Something Fun . . .

2006-03-25T22:32:00.000-08:00

G-TRAX Devo's Book 1: What's in a Leader is cool. Ron Fast is a co-worker and friend. Ron has a unique background in that he was born in India to missionary parents.. He lived in India until he entered 7th grade when his family moved to Dallas, Oregon. Ron worked for Microsoft where he did database testing. Sensing the call of God to move into the youth ministries, he left the land of the Golden Handcuffs to become Director of Junior High Ministries at Crossroads Bible Church. Currently Ron is the Director of Technology at Crossroads - but many of us think he's still a Junior Higher still! One of the things he did best was G-Trax, really creative Bible Study devotionals for kids. He is now publishing these as e-books. Junior High kids are wonderful and mysterious all at once. They are just beginning the wild ride of adolescence and discovering the new insights that come with abstract reasoning. And they need teachers that can bring the deep truthes of Scripture to them accurately, simply, and appropriately. Their attention span is usually short. They tend to learn even when we think they are distracted. They need heroes who care about them. Their parents are important but most kids are beginning to look for someone other than mom and dad to understand life. (That's why church youth group leaders can be so powerful - competent adults that reinforce the same biblical values that are not their parents). Anyway, Ron's stuff might help a Junior Higher you know. Check it out. Digital books at Amazon are also a pretty cool idea.

Make Your Point, Look Good, Forget the Facts

2006-03-20T23:44:00.000-08:00

You can use eSolutionsdata.com to create some great statistical research that looks authoritative. And it only takes a few minutes. Sure its a total lie, but who would know -- it just looks really good. Put it in a nice report with lots of lorem ipsum text, and a really cool, professional cover and no one will know. Kind of reminds me of the way some people live their lives. OK, how I sometimes live my life. The funny thing is that someone will eventually read the chart and see the fake and toss that really cool report in the recycle bin. I've found the same thing happens with posers and others who take of the look and feel, but not the real. But have some fun with esolutions. I don't think they created it so that bloggers reflecting on life late at night would have something to say.

...Without a Shepherd

2006-03-18T11:33:00.000-08:00

I've seen this news article from Turkey on a couple of blogs this week so I'm guessing that it will become a well used illustration in numerous sermons across the decades. It does make a point ... one that church leaders across America need to take to heart. We would be wise to take a moment to ponder our call and reflect on God's concern: "“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 23:1, ESV) "The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:" (Ezekiel 34:1-9, ESV) "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." (Matthew 9:36, ESV) "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11, ESV) Shepherds! Keep your eyes on the flock! "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory." (1 Peter 5:1-4, ESV)

Have you ever wished ...

2006-03-17T21:55:00.000-08:00

... that you could start over and have everything still ahead of you? Some days that sounds like fun ... but then I remember that it would mean doing EVERYTHING over again. I guess it would be pretty cool to start again knowing everything I know now, but then it wouldn't be quite as fun. Watching little ones discover the world is great. Sometimes they just enjoy the same thing over and over (ever had a kid with a book he loves?!) A walk with a little guy is pretty instructive. They seem enamored of things we take for granted - like a flower. They find "insignificant things" interesting. They notice bugs and birds. And they even seem to notice little things about people that us big folks miss. My grandson is aware of whether you came into the room wearing your glasses. If you take them off, he wants you to put them on. He notices if your sleeves are rolled up or not. I think God would like us (me) to notice more little things just to enjoy them. It was Jesus who told us to consider the lilies of the field ... Nothing really significant, but maybe that's the point. The simple thought?

An Easier Way to Read?

2006-03-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

Christian Book Summaries is a cool place, with a great mission and purpose, and they hit the target most of the time. With all the books there are to read, the readers and summarizers try to provide a helpful service of summarizing the essential thoughts and key themes of some of the major books addressing Christian living, thought, and action. (Not commentary or Bible reference oriented that I can see). They have a helpful notification service that lets you know when they have a new book summary available, and each summary can be printed out in an attractive format - especially if you download the pdf format. So ... now you can develop your thinking in less time. And you might even be able to make pithy, smart comments when hanging out with the pastors at church. This month's summary is Shattered Dreams, by Larry Crabb. Many in my circles might find Running on Empty by Fil Anderson to be a lifesaver. I can't discern a theological bent and some of the books would not make my recommended list due to viewpoint or theology. But it's nice to be able to check them out without spending the money.

The Happiest Flower

2006-03-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

What a great day! The first daffodil in the yard has opened -- spring is just around the corner! I'm not sure which of my kids decided to call them "Laffodils" but it made sense. As my daughter says, they are a very happy flower. As a family, we always look forwared to "laffodil season". Spring is a great season - it kind or reminds us of the newness of life in Christ that comes after the darkness of Sin. So "Happy Laffodil Day!"

Counseling Methodology

2006-03-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

Al Mohler made the following comment at the Shepherds' Conference tonight (I know this thanks to coffeeswirls who is "live blogging" the sessions):

"We live in an age where the ministry is misperceived as a profession. The world wants statistics and we show up with a message. That is one reason why the culture is so drawn to the therapeutic. Everything then becomes a subjective question. My counseling method is short. 1. what is your problem? 2. what would God have you do about it? 3. why are we having this conversation?"

The message was not about counseling but Dr. Mohler's comment on counseling reminds me that much of counseling is teaching people what the absolutely true Word of God says. What his method leaves out is the connection, the community, the relationship, that deepens the redemptive nature of our churches. I tend to believe that what most people need instead of professional counseling is an authentic Christian community where truth is valued and taught in the context of relationship. Of course that would require that people - even 'non-professional' people - keep growing deeply in their knowledge of the Scriptures so that there is biblical truth to be applied.

The Race is On Again

2006-02-28T23:12:00.000-08:00

The Amazing Race has returned for its 9th season and it would appear that it has shaken the malaise of last season. The family race was an interesting experiment, but just too many people to watch - and who wants to hear teenagers whine. With 11 interesting teams of two there should be some worth rooting for. Already getting out of the USA (Sao Paulo, Brazil) the locations should be much more exciting and fun. As a former youth pastor, I'm thinking this might be a cool game to re-create in some church ... maybe a race to all sorts of missions projects around the world. OK, probably not since the fund raising would be a real bear.

Velvet Elvis : Repainting the Christian Faith

2006-02-18T19:23:00.000-08:00

Rob Bell is a pastor. A young pastor. Younger than me. By a lot of years. I've been in the ministry for 35 years. I'm not sure Rob is that old. So, I have to confess that reading his first book, Velvet Elvis, was intended to be something of a critical chore. Find out what he has to say, critique it, use the little that will be good and discard the rest. That was the intent. I read a lot of books that way. The result ... I found myself liking the young pastor Bell ... a lot more than I thought I might. He is honest - especially about how he has not yet arrived at perfection -- especially as a pastor. I especially liked the call to kill "superpastor." Maybe I liked it because it is something I must remember (i've met superpastor), or maybe because I tend to wrestle with letting "superpastor" drive me, or maybe because I'm seeing more and more how the church (and we as leaders) can get wrapped up with its own "success" to the detriment of the truth, justice and God's way. Bell goes as far as saying that trying to be "superwhatever" will ultimately kill our spirit. Lot's of people don't like Bell. Apparently he's drawing fire from non-christians, liberal christians, conservative christians, small church pastors, large church pastors, purpose driven christians, and probably a lot of my friends. Pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he doesn't seem to completely fit anyone's box - kind of like the guys at Mars Hill here in Seattle area. Even if you don't like Bell, don't like anything that seems to be "emergent", don't like what he thinks about marketing the church (read him, you might be surprised!) ... I hope you'll consider his warning about the superwhatever. I'm glad that Rob met "him", and started to deal with him, while he's still young. I wish I had.

I meet so many people who have superwhatever rattling around in their head, They have this person they are convinced they are supposed to be, and their superwhatever is killing them. They have this image they picked up over the years of how they are supposed to look and act and work and play and talk, and it's like a voice that never stops shouting in their ear. And the only way to not be killed by it is to shoot first. Yes, that is what I meant to write. You have to kill your superwhatever. And you have to do it right now. Because your superwhatever will rob you of today and tomorrow and the next day until you take it out back and end its life. Go do it. The book will be here when you get back.

The sad thing about this ...

2006-02-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

... is that many will believe that this "MegaChurch video game" is real. Then again, it seems like there may be churches already playing the game in real life ... church just the way you like it! (For those a bit slower than others - this is a parody).

Must have for the Next Men's Event

2006-01-27T19:27:00.000-08:00

I think this baby would add some real excitement and fun to the next men's retreat at Crossroads Bible Church. WWJD?

Its more than the Cliched Speech

2006-01-23T21:05:00.000-08:00

Lauren Winner provides a great insight in her blog today. As a pastor & teacher I wrestle with this in all my communication. Without losing the meaning of the Scripture we have to think through what we say to an increasingly post-Christian world. I'm not one that feels we need to toss out all the "off-beat" words in the Bible - like propitiation, but we do need to make certain that the words make sense to our audience - whether Christian or not. In fact, I've been noticing that some Christians don't fully understand the terms we use either. And it seems that when we use words we don't really understand, or turn them into cliches, it becomes harder to be truly authentic. As one redeemed, uh, purchased, uh, bought, uh ... saved; hmm. Anyway - let us keep our communication true.

The Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel

2006-01-20T22:14:00.000-08:00

Deliberate Church: Building Your Ministry on the Gospel is somewhat refreshing in a day of church growth books mainly focused on programs. I mentioned Mark Dever before, and this is the book I hoped to read. Hope fulfilled today. Not a flashy book. Not a whole lot of new insights. Just some key reminders that it is the Gospel that matters. A few quotes: "Our power is not in having small groups, or meeting the felt needs of our target audience, or using the right evangelism program, or having funny skits, or providing plenteous parking, or targeting our ministry to post-moderns. Our power is in our unique message -- the Gospel" (p. 27). "We should be cultivating among our congregations a deep concern over the fame of God's name to extend to other parts of the globe throughout the preaching of His Gospel to all the nations and for the corporate testimony of our own local church to functions as a manifestation of God's wisdom and power to the authorities that hold sway under his sovereignty in the spiritual real" (p. 201). "We need to be teaching people that a biblical church is about much more than simply meeting our felt needs for purpose, significance, fellowship, and mutual understanding. It is about the Glory of God in the Gospel of Christ" (p. 201)

Green Pigs and other Oddities

2006-01-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

So, now we can create green pigs. Something tells me that while this is an oddity for today, it might be a much larger ethical concern in the near future. Then again, maybe we need pets that can do double duty as a nightlight. Phil Johnson takes on another worship trend today - Worship Karaoke. His reasons why entertainment doesn't belong in worship make sense and apply far beyond this topic. How about Scripture Poker Chips? I used to think that the doggie t-shirts ("Let everything that has breath praise the Lord"), and "The Lord is my shepherd" pocket knifes were pushing the limits of Christian propriety in the name of making a buck. I'm not sure what to think of the Talking Bible Dolls! Finally, there's The Porpoise Driven Life -- obviously tongue in cheek ... I think? As Douglas Adams might say "So long, and thanks for all the fish". Makes as much sense as some of the stuff we Christians seem to get distracted by.

On Being Real

2006-01-07T22:27:00.000-08:00

Jesus taught using parables. Often. Sometimes they obscured truth from those who would not listen. Sometimes the point was clear. But something tells me that the selected listener did not hear even then. In at least one case, just in case his readers might miss Jesus’ point, Luke provides a clear statement of intent: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 ESV) It is interesting that the one who ‘trusted in himself’ was a Pharisee – a religious man – one who had the reputation for being Godly. He had an external image that looked great that was well taken care of, but inside he was just as much a mess as the tax collector. Why do Christians so often play this “game” – pretending that they have everything together, even when they are before God himself! The truth will always become known. Over the past months I’ve talked with a number of Christian leaders who struggle with this issue. The biggest problem we find is that when once you begin to pretend you also lose something – you have to deaden yourself to the truth of God’s wonderful grace. To admit we need Grace, like the Pharisee, is to admit we are really more like the tax collector.

Poker Ministry?

2005-12-30T15:24:00.000-08:00

pokerfishandchips.com is probably innocent. It appears that the gambling is gone and just the card game remains. Yet something rings up oddly about the idea of a "poker ministry." I did a google search using that term and found several other sites for christian (or, at least, church) poker clubs and/or ministries. This site claims that the fellowship is important, and that "it was never our intentions for this group to be some sort of ministry, but then again our intentions are not God's intentions. Paul said,"...Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings." (1 Cor. 9:22-23) It was easy to see that God was working in this group." I can't judge whether God is at work in the group or not. I wonder if maybe the focus is getting a bit skewed. Then again, maybe it isn't poker that is my concern. There are plenty of christians who have little time for Jesus and plenty time for golf, or tennis, or computer gaming, or .... Well, I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm sure that those who began the ministry are sincere, but I wonder if this might be a bit off the target? Next we'll be seeing hula ministry ... no, that's already here isn't it? Dick Staub comments on Authentic Inauthentic Ministry today. I'm thinking that maybe the poker ministry and the hula ministry might be better than some of the youth ministry of our day.... At least they don't pretend to be something other than what they are. While I'm not sure that I can figure out the relative value of this kind of stuff, I do remember the words of one of my mentors from way back: "Jesus plus 'anything', is usually poor theology, ineffective methodology, and the 'anything' loses too."

Christmas Morning Musings

2005-12-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

So … here I sit waiting for folks to arrive for our Christmas morning worship service. I figure only a few will be here, but I’m still glad that we decided to hold at least the one service. Christmas Eve, as expected, was packed twice. Driving in this morning it appeared that most were holding worship, but there were those with notices that there was nothing. Of course, the press has made the cancellation of Christmas Worship Services a huge story. I think that more than how many attend I am pleased that we demonstrate a value to our world. Sunday, the first day of the week, is a fifty-two-times-a-year reminder of the resurrection. How sad is it that some (who knows how many) churches chose not to have Sunday worship as it might conflict with important family traditions. As important as family is, I’m not sure that the church should change its core to accommodate Christmas tradition. Maybe we would teach greater family values if we reminded people that meeting with God is of great value … something we sacrifice to do at times. I wonder if the persecuted church around the world cancelled their worship today? American Christmas is often more about things other than Jesus. Well, even if Jesus is the only one to show up today, I’m prepared to worship.

Short Day

2005-12-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

December 21 -- the shortest day of the year. Of course, here in the Northwest it was grey skies and rain all day so it seemed even shorter! The nice thing is that every day from now on gets longer … and soon it might even be Summer. My daughter in Glasgow was observing the same thing today. I just worked and dealt pretty much non-stop with the administrivia that builds up in my job; she seemed to have some interesting times - even when they aren't all that interesting. Whether we like the days short or long we still only have to live one day at a time (Matt. 6:34: “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.) It also helps to remember that "this is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it -- Psalm 118:24. I'm rejoicing. And I'm reminded that we'll soon have summer.

Mark Dever - Someone Worth Hearing

2005-12-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

This post on Sharper Iron provides me with a spur of the moment opportunity to introduce to my 3 readers a very challenging and provocative preacher - Mark Dever. This post is an interview that begins with preaching and evangelism and wanders through some points that have become quite controversial in Christian church circles. Dever is the point person for 9Marks website and author of Nine Marks of a Healthy Church and co-author of The Deliberate Church (which I hope to read this month!) I like Dever's commitment to church health rather than church growth. He rightly understands that we do not grow the church - Jesus does. He understands that we do not convert people - God does. We are called to be faithful to the revealed will of God in the Scriptures and to proclamation of that Word and to holding believers to high standards of living out that life for their own good as revealed Scriptures. Dever is a great example of one whose practice comes from his doctrine.

Doctrine - Is it Really Necessary?

2005-12-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Over the past 3 days I've had 3 discussions about the role of doctrine in the church -- especially it's place in the preaching of the church. The gist of each was whether there was too much emphasis on doctrine and not enough on practical living. These were not contentious talks, just a bit disconcerting because they reflected the idea that doctrine and practice are distinct and separated from each other. We seem to have lost the "doctrine" of doctrine in the church. Paul told Timothy to "... preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ".... (2 Ti. 2:2-3; NASB). When writing to Titus about the work to be done in the church in Crete he bluntly says, "But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine." This doctrine is to have a very practical result ... men and women will live well ordered lives. What we believe shapes how we live ... our doctrine shapes our practice ... so how can we teach practice (i.e., practical things) without first making clear our doctrine? Yes, we often need to demonstrate how to live out truth. Sometimes we need to illustrate how something is applied. There is the responsibility to teach clearly enough so that an audience can understand what is required in their lives. Yet it is vital that we have sound (healthy) doctrine at the core of our ministry. That's why I was pleased with Pyromaniac's returning guest today. John MacArthur nailed this topic as one would expect from one of the foremost Bible teachers of our day. Teaching sound doctrine is not a ministry fad. It is the core of the ministry. It is not something that can be taken for granted. Here we are in the 21st century America with the ability to hear 100's of preachers, books galore, online resources, and more - yet it appears the few Christians - even leaders - can wrestle through basic biblical understandings for action.

Is that lion the King of Kings?

2005-12-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

The anticipation is growing for Narnia. Even USA Today is extremely positive about the film. This surprising article on page 1A is very open about the Christian elements of the story and makes it clear that Lewis' made no apologies for his "supposals" about redemption and belief. Lewis may not have wanted a film made, but I think that this movie may actually have a powerful impact on lives. Maybe a more powerful film that Mel Gibson's Passion of The Christ. The story of Aslan seems to speak about THE STORY of Jesus in ways that catch people off guard and could provoke some very interesting discussions. Hopefully, believers will be well prepared to add their story of being found by the sovereign God to the discussion.

LibraryThing

2005-11-23T22:02:00.000-08:00

LibraryThing Catalog your books online is a website I find intriguing ... though I'm not sure exactly how I might use it. I could see it as a place to keep a backup list of my library that I can view from anywhere. The use of tags might help me keep track of what topics I have in books. I might event use them to tell me where the book is. There is ability to add reviews to books, but few were actually available. The different views, like the author "cloud", are interesting and might be helpful in finding interesting books to read. Maybe I could discover some folks with similar libraries ... and interests. It's in beta still so it will be interesting to see what develops ... or if Amazon buys it! My problem? You can upload books to a personal library by entering ISBN or keywords. The program will look up and add any books with valid numbers. I have a library that is upwards of 8,000 titles - at twenty a pop it's gonna take a long time. It costs $10 annually to add more than 200 titles ($25 for eternal use). My imported ISBN data was rejected as "wrong" way too often. Maybe I'll just use it to enter books I'm reading or books I'm thinking about reading. Then again, maybe I'll see if I can find out how to get Challies simple book list software to do that. Or maybe I can get all my friends (virtual and "real") to upload their books and we can see what is shaping our lives and minds. By the way, I have been using Ministry Notebook to manage my library ... an older, clunky, program that is never upgraded, but I haven't found anything else yet.

Finally ... Time to Visit Challies.com

2005-11-23T21:59:00.000-08:00

I finally had some time to really visit Challies.com. Just about every blogger I read regularly links to Tim Challies so, since it’s a holiday tomorrow, and I’m planning on major vegetation, I have time to leisurely blog-surf. This is a great site! I particularly liked his reading list and book reviews though it cost me some buck$ at Amazon – I discovered a couple of books that I just had to add to my to-be-read-someday bookshelf. Apparently Challies has been a long-time reviewer of Rick Warren and the Purpose Driven marketing juggernaut – a recent post summarizes some key thoughts. You don’t have to guess at his worldview … he’s pretty up-front about it. This is a site I can highly recommend. I know I’ll be back often.

Apatheists

2005-11-20T22:53:00.000-08:00

Eddie Gibbs in Leadership Next brought a new term to my vocabulary - Apatheism. Defined on Wikipedia as a portmanteau neologism (a haplology combining apathy with either atheist or theist) for the position that God may exist but is of no real importance to one's daily life. Gibbs says that today's church leaders need to train God's people to reach this growing group. They are not theists, nor athiests, but apathetic about either side - they just don't care what you think ... and some of them may even be "christian." The wiki listing goes on "Apatheism is not synonymous to atheism, but is rather a particular form of agnosticism, in the sense that it holds that the question whether or not God exists may be meaningfully asked, but is not worth asking." I think we are going to have to train Christians in new ways of evangelism. The old arguments won't work with these postmoderns. They may grant us the argument ... it doesn't mean they'll believe. Hopefully we have lives that demonstrate something worth considering. What a challenge for the future!

Breakout Churches: Thom S. Rainer

2005-11-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

Thom Rainer really likes Jim Collins' Good to Great. So much so that he applied to the church. The book is helpful in determining what might be wrong in some churches, and encouraging in that he sees God doing great things in churches. The main issue is knowing what you are all about ... having a clear sense of pupose ... knowing why you do what you do ... having deep passion that drives the entire church. One of the key insights is at the end of the book. His research team came to the conclusion that the best churches didn't often let the "tail wag the dog." Then one of the researchers pointed out that most of the not-so-great churches didn't really even have a dog ... just a bunch of tails. This is an interesting book worth the read - especially if you liked Good to Great. He's not talking about every church that seems successful. And he's not talking about just mega-churches. The research is pretty scary ... The huge majority of churches - large and small - are plateaued, which is a nice way of saying they are in slow erosion. And most of those think they are doing very well. Mostly because they have no "dog" to wag.

Brutal Reality

2005-11-07T21:51:00.000-08:00

Brutal Reality Jim Collins was the first to popularize it as a leadership practice in Good to Great. Thom Rainer picks up the same theme and applies it to church leadership in Breakout Churches. Andy Stanley makes it a main theme of his Next Generation Leader, where he says that a vital practice of leadership is the courage to face current reality – even if they are “the brutal facts” per Collins. Earlier writers like Max DePree spoke of the same concept when they indicate that the first job of a leader is "defining reality". Stanley says there are seven things the leader who wants to confront “real reality” (or the brutal facts) must NOTdo:

No pretending.
No blind eyes to truth.
No exaggeration.
No shooting bad news bearers.
No hiding behind numbers.
No ignoring constructive criticism.
No isolating self.

Of course this has to come from recognized leaders – all others will just sound like cranky people.

Quotes from Really Old Guys

2005-11-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

"If you is, what you was, then you ain't.": (John Jasper) is the quote that captured my interest and led to looking deeper at this web page. This is a site full of great reminders of what it means to serve as a preacher and teacher of the Word. It isn't about being "cutting edge" or relevant. It is about God and His Word clearly taught.

The Power of Simple Affirmations

2005-10-31T23:07:00.000-08:00

We don’t always realize the power of simple affirmations of truth. I once wrote an article for a church newsletter entitled “No Compromise.” I’m pretty sure that it was an rip-off of Keith Green’s album by the same name, but it felt right. It was something a 26 year-old, arrogant, Christian leader would write. It was about my commitment to a high call. My commitment to obey God, to not sin, to be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and never bend to the demands of culture. Of course, I almost immediately proved that I could not live up to the words – though I’m sure I had a pretty good exterior. It was the inside that was messed up. Through a series of interesting “coincidences” a former mentor and youth pastor was led to drop me a note affirming my commitment but ending with some wise words – “If you do compromise, don’t forget the grace of God!” Wise words to an emerging leader because he knew I would fail and he wanted me to still know God loved and valued me. He knew it wasn’t about performance, but dependence. I’ve not forgotten his words written almost thirty years ago. For some reason I often recall this simple note. I am still committed to the slogan – but far more aware of my weaknesses – and the kindness and grace of God! Sadly I have compromised – sometimes no one knew and sometimes it was very evident. In every case the grace of God has become far more real. I can only hope that I might have the same opportunity to speak long-lasting truth that will have long-lasting impact in someone’s life.

The New Gospel: Marketing Purpose & Passion

2005-10-25T21:10:00.000-07:00

Marketing is one of those issues that seems to have taken the evangelical, baby-boomer dominated church by storm. I guess that I find myself skeptical about the reliance on the formulas and techniques. It feels like manipulation. To some degree, all churches “market” – we make things as comfortable as possible, we clean the bathrooms, carefully monitor the temperature. We also make every effort to communicate well and keep the message understandable and interesting -- but we don’t need any of these to really communicate the message. Didn’t Jesus say something about people knowing what we are about as followers of Jesus because of our demonstrated love for one another? Dick Staub brings to light the marketing machine that seems to be taking the christian world by storm. Sounds like we might soon be able to do away with the Holy Spirit. Yeah, I’ve heard the admonition that “God is using it so just be quiet”, yet it still feels like manipulation and I wonder about the purity of motives. Staub links to a disturbing article - it seems that it may be sooner than we think that we will need to have a marketing background to be a shepherd of Jesus' flock.

Random Quotes I Wish I Could Practice

2005-10-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

“Learn to say no. It will do you more good than Latin.” – Charles Spurgeon. A hard lesson for many of us to learn. A harder lesson for some in the church to let us learn. Amazing how often we can operate out of “should” and “ought” and therfore say “yes” to things that may add little to our lives. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. I find it highly instructive that Jesus walked away from crowds of need in order to spend time alone (Mark 1:39).

“It is much harder to spot the sin of inaction than almost any sins of action” – Paul Coughlin, No More Christian Nice Guy. Why is it that I far too often sin by not doing something? I don’t step into a battle that cries out to be fought. I don’t speak truth into a situation out of fear? I don’t say “no” to activity when it is best. I don’t pray when I need to. I don’t love. I don’t care sometimes. Coughlin’s point is well taken – few people will point out these potential sins which may damage my soul (and others) more than I know.

Paul Coughlin also says “Confusion is not always a problem to be solved”. Yet, almost everytime I’m in the midst of confusion I will try to solve it. He goes on to say, “it can be a detour that eventually leads to a better life.” Been there done that…why do I so quickly forget?

Criticism Quote

2005-10-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

The great theologian Steve Martin once said “Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you’ll be a mile away and have his shoes.”

A Moratorium on Activity?

2005-10-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

I have wondered for several years about the activity level of the church - especially growing churches. Being a pastor I know how important and helpful ministry programs can be. I also know that sometimes we get so busy that it is hard to actually spend time with the Lord of the Church. I once talked with a church leader that cancelled every activity in the church for a week. The staff spent time individually and corporately seeking God's guidance and his perspective. Today, one of my co-laborers sent me a quote from A. W. Tozer: "Sometimes I think the church would be better off if we would call a moratorium on activity for about six weeks and just waited on God to see what he is waiting to do for us." I couldn't locate the source but I did find this site that gets close and reminds us of the need to slow down and listen. Words for a different day, but words that deserve consideration today. The leadership team of Crossroads Bible Church had a brief retreat this last weekend. We had the opportunity to see what happens when we intentionally come apart and allow our agenda to be set by the Holy Spirit. It was hard. Some want to get on the "real" decisions, the "important" discussions. Yet others found the experience adventurous. We stayed the course and hopefully found insight as a team. I know I was surprised and sensed God's presence. I'm not sure what is to come from our time, but I sense God is in it! Just another reminder that maybe we need to quiet our activity. Psalm 46:10 is true - “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (NASB).

Help for the Cultural Clueless Leader

2005-09-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

PyroManiac continues his great service to church leaders. I don't know how our church leaders would know how to communicate to our younger generation without all these specialized Bibles! Think of all the great youth ministry talks that will grow out of Phil's spark of an idea. Think of the magazines and articles that will emerge in the next weeks all because of ideas generated by Phil and other pyro-friends. Where might the brainstorming lead? New marketing opportunities for Christians like Vashti's Secret? Maybe a Christian take on Abercrombie clothes? Oh, wait, we already have that don't we? I can't imagine how the church ever communicated the Gospel without witness wear.

Shades of the Old Door?

2005-09-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

The old Wittenburg Door edited mainly by Mike Yaconelli used to be known for its satire of some of the “beloved” and accepted church fads of the day. One of the most controversial was their sardonic riffs on the big glass church in Garden Grove that cost $10 million to house a preaching ministry that proudly claimed it would not talk about sin. You wouldn’t want to ruin someone’s self esteem that Jesus died to reform. The old Door is long gone, but this post on Fide-O on things he learned at a large church in Southern California brings back the memories.

Discardia

2005-09-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

Now here is a very interesting site with a single theme - getting rid of stuff. Discardia seems to be more about having a better life by simplifying than it is about getting rid of trash. Could be a very helpful and encouraging site for anyone looking to get a handle on their stuff. I'm not sure how it happens but is seems like our stuff reproduces! It also seems that the more I have the more time it takes even when it is just in a mess somewhere. As someone said, "things take time." Time to go. Think I'm going to discard some papers in my files ....

jenny jack

2005-09-21T21:41:00.000-07:00

A new blogger with a great insight ... even if it is my daughter. Jenny reminds us to think about the litttle things that really matter. I'm looking forward to more insights as she learns new things with NieuCommunities ministry in Glasgow.

The Hats We Wear

2005-09-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

The Hats We Wear is a pretty rough draft of a paper I thought might help our Church leadership team get a handle on the various roles that Elders have to play. I borrowed the basic idea from a friend (and I think he ripped it off another church). I'm pretty sure that few people actually visit my pages but I put it on my special home page in order to force myself to review the material and maybe re-write it. Or, maybe just shred it!

Survivor

2005-09-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Another season of "reality" shows began tonight with Survivor: Guatamala. Yeah, it is something of a casual guilty pleasure -- I probably miss as many episodes as I might catch, and I really don't feel compelled to watch. I have to admit that I find it kind of interesting just not a passion. (Now the Amazing Race is a different story -- for another time). Anyway I've often thought about what it might look like for a group of christians to play this game. How would you make decisions? Who do you vote off? And how would you do it as one trying to emulate Christ? Deceit seems to show its face in every show ... would it become part of the Christian tribal plan as well? I find it encouraging that most tribal members understand that it is a game and many seem to truly wrestle with having to vote someone off. I know that some of the participants have been Christians and they seemed to try to demonstrate Christ-like principles and character and they seem to have been treated well. I'm not really critiquing the show here. Just wondering. How would Christians play the game? Would they default to getting rid of the weakest or the strongest? Would God really care who won? Would the team pray for God's direction? Would they seek God's will? Just a really odd and random thought today...

To Quote

2005-09-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Some quotes that provoke my thinking from my recent reading: Regarding Church growth as a focus: "The seduction is in believing that God is as impressed with crowds as people are" - Richard and Henry Blackaby, Spiritual Leadership, p. 126. It is amazing how we make the goal of growing the church large in size the idol we must all pursue. "When individuals tie their identity to a program they've created, they lose the objectivity that is necessary to evaluate its effectiveness" - Stanley, Joiner, Jones, 7 Practices of Effective Ministry, p. 104. What a danger to the church when we, as leaders, become enamored with our own creations! "The thrusts of our verbal sword cut deep and have the power to kill reputations, destroy ministries, and sever friendships." - Dan Allender, Bold Love, p. 100. Great reminder that I must be careful with my words ... not only words that might be intended as cutting, but also gossip and words spoken in a "knowing whisper" can destroy.

Mudhouse Sabbath

2005-09-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

I just read Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner. Lauren is a young woman with an honest, authentic heart who writes about the things she misses from her spiritual beginnings in the Jewish faith. This is not a deep theological reflection, nor an exhaustive historical defense of how the rabbi's developed their Talmudic practices. It is, however, a creative, provocative, and interesting reflection that added some insights to how I might find some greater meaning in my Christian faith. In fact, I used some of her thoughts on keeping kosher in our last communion service at Crossroads Bible Church. I also learned some great stuff about Hebrew tradition that I had missed in my seminary studies many moons ago. Should be helpful as I interact with the Executive Rabbi at the synagogue just up the street!

Imagination Prompt Generator: Writing Inspiration at the Press of a Button

2005-09-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

So ... why don't I blog more? Mostly because I am busy ... but also because it is hard to quickly think of things to write. I don't particularly want to "journal" my life here ... that is still a bit private (though I just read about students who feel that no one should be able to look at their very personal musing on myspace.com blogs without their permission - guess they haven't gotten the word that the web is really wide open!). This site looks like it could be a help to those of us who seem a bit slow in the creativity department. Hopefully everyone will choose different topics each day or we might find blogging to be a bit boring.

A Word from A Mentor

2005-08-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

PyroManiac has a great post from a guest blogger ... one of my mentors and favorite Bible teachers. John MacArthur, Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church, addresses a real concern the church should have in these days of advanced technology. First, are we being careful with the message we teach. Are we speaking the truth and doing it with excellence? Second, are we being good stewards of the great technology we have to spead that message? As MacArthur says, to whom much is given, much is required. It would be great to see John drop by Pyro's site every now and then. Or, maybe he could begin his own blog ... get a cool blogger name and enter the fray.

CalvinBall: Nostalgia for an Era Past

2005-08-10T16:12:00.000-07:00

At our church staff meeting this morning we took a fairly random trip down memory lane laughing at the great games we used to play with our youth groups at Crossroads Bible Church (back in the old days when I was still a youth pastor). As always, the trip was covered with a misty veneer that seems to wrap itself around most memories of the "way-things-used-to-be" - the mist that makes things look better than it really was. But it does seem a bit sad that there really is no longer any "risk" to much of what we do and it that play now has to be absolutely safe ... if anyone even plays anymore! Maybe its the insurance companies, maybe its parents, or maybe its just common sense but play has eliminated some great games. We used to create take offs of classic CalvinBall or Official 43 Man Squamish (of course we rewrote and codified all sorts of new rules for this one - including the mandatory non-binding pledge to play the game with all seriousness). I remember, as a kid, being able to make up games on the spur of the moment and getting all of the Ratner Street gang to join in. I'm not sure that kids in my neighborhood today could do that. I'm not sure parents would let them? Maybe I've just become old... but that's a discussion for later.

A Book for Understanding the Emerging Church

2005-08-06T22:25:00.000-07:00

Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church : Understanding a Movement and Its Implications by D.A. Carson is the latest book I'm reading. An insightful and helpful book for understanding the newest church trend -- the Emergent Church movement. The Emergent Church is essentially a post-modern revolt against what is labeled the "modernist" church that has spawned the megachurch, seeker church, and the like. Carson evaluates where the post-modern church brings needed correctives and points to some encouraging signs in the movement. He spends the bulk of the book exposing some of the weaknesses in the movement. We, as pastors and church leaders, ARE going to have to deal with a post-modern world. Understanding this "emerging church" is going to be vital to getting our message out clearly to today's world. Both modernist and post-modernist views have flaws and failures and are marred sin. God's eternal truth must be made evident to both kinds of thinkers.

Another Cool Tool for Wasting More Time

2005-07-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

This little widget toy looks to be lots of fun and a certified waster of valuable time. But just think of the cool factor when the office staff looks at your screen!Information | Konfabulator

Pyromaniac on Harry

2005-07-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

PyroManiac, one of my favorite bloggers, has an insightful post on Harry Potter (and fiction in general) from a Christian perspective. Go Pyro.

Harry Potter?!!

2005-07-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

As a Christian pastor, I should probably NOT admit that I actually enjoy reading the Harry Potter series of books. I know that if anyone ever reads this blog I'll probably get some negative comments, usually from fellow believers that haven't read even one of the books. While I do have a couple of ministry friends that enjoy the books as great stories (which they are), and J.K. Rowling as a creative author, I know at least one who would consign those who read the books to one of the lower rings of Dante's Inferno. He hadn't read the books, but knew someone who had. "Magic" was the issue. I found JOLLYBLOGGER: Harry Potter is Heating Up Again to add some interesting thoughts.

An Interesting Thought

2005-07-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller is a very interesting book. The style is more like Annie Lamott, the theme is somewhat eclectic, but the sentiment is a deep spirituality that pursues being real, honest, authentic. I especially liked his comments about our culture - even our church culture - being passionate about "nothing." Miller says on page 111: "A friend of mine, a young pastor who recently started a church, talks to me from time to time about the new face of church in America--about the postmodern church. He says the new church will be different from the old one, that we will be relevant to culture and the human struggle. I don't think any church has ever been relevant to culture, to the human struggle, unless it believed in Jesus and the power of His gospel. If the supposed new church believes in trendy music and cool Web pages, then it is not relevant to culture either. it is just another tool of Satan to get people to be passionate about nothing." All those seeking to be relevant would do well to consider thoughts like this . . . .

Looks cool! Lots of fun! No Productivity!

2005-07-12T21:46:00.000-07:00

Stardock Object Desktop and Wincustomize lets you redesign your Windows environment in some very cool ways. It costs a bit, but it is fun. There are 100's of nicely designed suites you can apply with a simple interface. Stardock updates the program elements regularly. You can even make your interface look like a Mac. You will appreciate it a bit more with a higher end graphics card ... it might even give you an excuse to upgrade! Windows XP Themes, XP Skins, XP Visual Styles, Icons & Wallpapers for your ultimate desktop experience!

Real-life motivations?

2005-07-11T22:09:00.000-07:00

The Demotivators Collection - from Despair.com is not really "politically correct" so maybe that's what I like about it. Of course I like to have some encouraging poster and promos, but maybe we have become so "slogan-ish" in our approach to life that we have lost sight of the reality of life. So ... that's my philosopical comment for the day.

Looking for Sun

2005-07-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

OK! I'm ready to head back to the Caribbean and another cruise. Won't happen for a long time but memories of warmth and not-all-that-expensive luxury on the Celebrity Century pop into my mind on weekends like this ... rainy rather than sunny in the great city of Sammamish. Of course that happens every year in Washington it seems. I've been here for 20 years now and it still seems odd that it's cool on July 4 and wet and gray and ... you get the picture. Enough whining for now. My sermon last week was about rejoicing always, praying always, and thanking-God always. Guess it's time to do that with little things like the weather.

Foolish Husbands

2005-07-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, I've been involved in an ongoing dialogue with friends, co-workers, my wife, and others over the issue of domestic violence in Christian homes -- especially when husbands are cruel, abusive, angry, or otherwise sinful in their behavior. How is a wife to respond? One of the threads we have had to deal with involves the nature of submission and authority in the home. Some of the husbands I'm talking with say submission is absolute, that is, no matter what, a godly wife will submit even to her hurt ... even if the husband is being evil and sinful. A truly godly woman will trust God with her life, it is said. I'm pretty sure that it is a very small percentage that hold that extreme view, but there is certainly strong disagreement among conservative, Bible-believing Christians about how Christian wives should handle verbal, emotional and/or physical abuse. I liked much of Nancy Wilson's insights in this article of Credenda Agenda. Nancy seems to have a very strong, conservative view of submission. She also seems to have a reasonable and biblical approach to a husband who sins against that wife. Her conclusion is: "A wife is to be a helper to her husband not a blind follower, and this sometimes includes going past him to get help. God blessed Abigail when she did this. In her case it was abundantly clear what was necessary. In other cases it might require pastoral oversight. But obedience and submission to a mere man is never absolute. God governs all of us. We demonstrate that we serve Him above all others when we realize that our submission and obedience to our husbands is always to be lived out within the boundaries God has wisely set for us." Read the whole article, especially the part about Abigail. I'm sure the dialogue will continue. I find 6-10 new web articles on the topic every day (using Google Alerts). There's other themes that come into play as well and there's lots of disagreement about what action a wife might take. Is it OK to leave if you are beaten? What does that look like? When do you come back? Lots of other questions inhabit our discussion as well: Is the abuse merely a symptom of something deeper -- power and control? Isn't this just a psychological construct; or part of the feminist agenda? Is verbal abuse as damaging as physical abuse? Some seasons of pastoral ministry are harder than others.

New Google Resources

2005-07-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

Holidays are nice ... not in the least because I get some time to just hang around the internet and explore some new stuff. Today's finds? Google Scholar - a new beta from the most excellenct Google team. All Google's search power directed at the huge intellectual resource that exists. I found several new and helpful informative resources on topics I'm researching. Google Scholar About Google Scholar There's also Google Print which is a work in progress indexing material from publishers and libraries ... much of which hasn't made it to the web yet. Google Print I'm looking forward to some long hours of online research using both these resources. Long live Google!

The Palm Application that Rocks

2005-06-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

I've been a Palm user for years ... starting with the original Palm Pilot. I like that it does a few things very well and tends to be a pretty bullet-proof machine/software combination. Like most, I use it for maintaining my calendar, to-do list, contacts and a huge array of information through the memo feature. I've now moved up the the Tungsten T5 which has lots of great features but runs very slow ... hopefully a fix will be coming. Seems that they have some problems with the new flash memory. Anyway, the killer app for me on this platform has been Iambic Agendus for Palm coupled with Agendus for the desktop. The latest version (I've been with them for the last 4) can be used to sync with Outlook or the Palm Desktop. If you don't need to use Outlook, the Palm desktop is less quirky. What does this product do? First, it lets you look at your data in a variety of ways ... adapting to your style. You can use a straight 1-5 number system, or arrange your tasks through a Covey-like matrix. Add Icons to every task or meeting. Include pictures for your contacts, add colors and rearrange views on the fly. It is primarily a "front-end" for Palm or an addin for Outlook that rearranges the view. A very cool program -- on the desktop and on the palm. The thirty day trial makes it very easy to test everything out and if you find you don't like it you can delete the program but all your info stays intact in the originating program. I rarely recommend software. This is one of the few exceptions.

NieuCommunities

2005-06-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

Character development and intentional training for life in ministry is something that I have long thought has been missing from much of our church and mission leadership processes. NieuCommunities looks to help change this. A small, intentional community (located in English speaking cities) comprised of deeply committed spiritual leaders who will live together with those seeking to find and understand God's call in their lives. Since my daughter Jenny is going to join the Glasgow team in September I'll pass on more as we discover the inside scoop. I know we'll be interested in how it might help us as we develop our own missionary training at Crossroads Bible Church NieuCommunities Home

A Magazine that Makes Sense

2005-06-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

I've read newsmagazines for years, includingTime and Newsweek . I'm intrigued by the news they contain, but frustrated by the bias against evangelical Christianity and the conservative side of the news. Thats why I'm so pleased with World Magazine ... without being preachy they write the important news from an evangelical and biblical worldview. A bit pricey, but then again they don't have the subscriber base or ad revenue of the big boys, but the magazine is worth the extra few bucks. World Magazine - Weekly News | Christian Views

Plumbing and Me

2005-06-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

I hate plumbing. It is one of the few things that can drive me to using words that I never use. No matter how easy the box says the installation of a brand new faucet will be something always goes wrong. Of course,the easy part doesn't seem to include the removal of the old fixture (which is normally rusted completely immobile), nor does it include the fact that the new fixture has to be connected from under the sink and requires significant contortions. Ah well, I actually got this one installed without removing any skin, saying any words I regret, and not one drip! So, while this means little to most men, it is an accomplishment for me and I now have a place to brag about it. Doesn't matter if anyone actually reads it. I'm happy. Thank you Price Pfister!

PyroManiac

2005-06-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

A great blog in the making. Phillip Johnson is always provocative, biblical and sincere ... and often funny to boot. PyroManiac

The Purpose Driven Church - An Appraisal

2005-06-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

The Purpose Driven Church - 9Marks: "Yet as much as we want to see Warren's work enjoy continued success, we cannot help but be lovingly candid about our concerns. While his passion for biblical fidelity and evangelical commitment are obvious and infectious, we fear that his interpretive methods lead to applications that do not always represent the intention of the text he's using to support his model. While his evangelistic zeal is exemplary, his evangelistic methods tend to make genuine repentance unlikely and can have the effect of rounding off the naturally sharp edges of the Gospel. Sharing his desire for numerical growth, we are reticent to use numbers as a barometer of God's blessing. Realizing the relative safety of rooting his model in the biblical purposes of the church, the tendency of purpose to replace the primacy of the Gospel has implications for the life of the church that we are confident Warren would not intend. " I found this review of Rick Warren's book of church growth and found it quite insightful. Like others (maybe only a few it seems), I find myself concerned with the uncritical acceptance of this church growth model. I think that Rick is totally and sincerely commited to the methodology as a biblical one and implements it consistently. There is no doubt that it is behind much of the growth that he has seen, but I find myself somewhat troubled by the faddish nature of the churches adopting it around the world. When we adopt "church growth" as the goal we often fall into the law of unintended consequences that take a toll on our biblical integrity. This article is one of the more reasoned and respectful critiques I've found. Quite helpful in clarifying my thoughts.

Pocket Quicken for Palm - A Favorite Program

2005-05-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

I find that I use this little Palm program much more than I thought I would. After 3 years I can't imagine not having it on my PDA and now it has been improved -- the Desktop is not required for significant functionality. If you use Quicken, this upgrade is going to worth it. Pocket Quicken for Palm OS

Star Wars: Episode III -- It works!

2005-05-20T22:25:00.000-07:00

Finally saw the movie! Yes! It works just great ... answers the questions, cleans up the plot and explains how Anakin becomes an evil Sith Lord with a bit of a twist. Easily one of the best of the six films (Empire Strikes Back being the other). Great scenes, special effects, a sense of story that means something ... though the cheesy dialogue between Padme and Anakin remain. Worth seeing more than once! Star Wars: Episode III Episode III

The Amazing Race

2005-05-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

I admit it! I've gotten hooked on the Amazing Race - easily the best "reality" show on television. I avoided it for a long time until my wife kept telling me about how much she enjoyed it and entertaining the different couples and situations could be. Add in a bit of luck, mix in skill, and then some quirky personalities, along with great locations and it is a great hit. I found this site when trying to figure out how much the "also-rans" got. I still don't know, but this is a great site for explaining most of the rules. The Amazing Race: Information From Answers.com

Logos Bible Software

2005-05-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Logos Bible Software is phenomenal! With the release of Personal Book Builder it is even better. It is now possible to take sermons, Bible Studies, church manuals, etc. and produce them in Logos format. This allows for linking your work with any other book in the program. I can see some very productive uses. For example, I have sermons that I wrote/preached years ago and may forget that I've actually dealt with a topic in them. With Logos I should be able to search for those uses and be able to more effectively communicate to my audience. Logos Bible Software Logos Personal Book Builder

A Helpful Source for Movie Information

2005-05-09T21:59:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for good information about movies ... not so much what the critics think, but what kinds of elements I might encounter in viewing. ScreenIt.com is very helpful internet site in making those decisions. Using a helpful grid the reviewers catalogue everything from sex & nudity to the type of music used. Not a Christian site perse (at least that I can determine), but it is helpful to Christians as they try to make wise decisions about entertainment. Free access if you are willing to deal with advertising. A nominal subscription eliminates the ads. SCREEN IT! ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS FOR PARENTS

A Great Place for Researching Books

2005-05-08T22:08:00.000-07:00

I love books and spend way too much on them. I'm always looking for better ways to research books. I love finding the best prices on books too. The clerk at the local used bookstore told me about this site for comparing book prices on the web -- including new and used sites. A very helpful place with tons of links to information and prices on just about any book published. Bublos.com, for Books: Compare Book Prices at Bublos and Buy Books Cheaper

Great Search Site

2005-05-07T21:15:00.000-07:00

I love Amazon's A9 search tool. Powered by Google, they have really figured out a way display the results in a far more helpful manner. And it is very customizable with single click buttons to display information the way you want it. A9.com Home Page

Maui

2005-05-06T18:17:00.000-07:00

We just returned from two weeks in Hawaii. Great condo right on the beach in Maui. Very hard to return home to Sammamish where is is 25 degrees cooler and overcast! Yet it is always good to be home. http://www.mauikai.com/

A New Attempt

2005-05-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

Just decided to get back into blogging. Maybe I'll be more diligent. I have no intentions other than just laying out my thoughts as I move through the e-world. Maybe add some thoughts from a biblical worldview.