Archive for April, 2007
Jesus, the Philosopher
This is part of our e-vo journey through the Gospel of John. Today is from John 3.
I’m hyper-sensitive about making Christianity an emotional decision. The flowery altar calls and emotional appeals to people to “give their hearts” to Jesus that almost always follows with tears and a full range of emotions. I’ve seen a lot of people decide to follow Jesus that way and I’m always a bit nervous when it happens.
I know at some point they are going to have to grow beyond just an emotional decision. It’s got to be a mind/will/intellect decision for it to be a long-term union. It’s kind of like marriage. The dating and the wedding and the first year is awesome. Then it gets hard.
What is really striking for me is how unemotional Jesus was when he told people about the Gospel. Like today’s passage – it’s an intellectual, philosophical discussion with one of Israel’s most educated people. Jesus had these kinds of conversations all the time. We don’t see appeals to the heart as much as we do appeals based on logic and intelligence.
To the Jew he said “Compare me to your Scriptures. Don’t be enthralled with just the miracles or the movement – read the Scriptures and test to see if I am the One.” To the Greek he said “Compare me to your gods, compare my thoughts to your great philosophers.”
It’s somewhat shameful what we’ve done to John 3:16. Somehow we’ve emotionalized and minimized it to merely a sign held by a man in a rainbow afro at sporting events. It’s got to be completely insulting to how it first sounded to Nicodemus. As a theologian and philosopher, Nicodemus would have known that since Genesis 1, God was a lover of his creation. That God had promised throughout scripture he was going to redeem and restore creation because of his love.
Nicodemus had studied the scripture enough to recognize the fingerprint of God on Jesus. That’s why he pursued Jesus to ask him some questions. His mind and logic demanded that Jesus be of God. Jesus’ answer in John 3:16 was the logical explanation as to WHY God was going to redeem creation.
So here’s to us developing our mind as well as our heart.
2007 NFL Draft
This post is dedicated to Kris who is sick and I know she loves me and my ramblings on the NFL. Love you dearly, Kris!!!
First Pick – Raiders… JaMarcus Russell
I guess this is a good pick. The Raiders need so much help, it’s almost unfair to subject a rookie quarterback to the kind of abuse he’s going to face playing for the “Greatness.” On the other hand – you’ve had months to decide this, why on earth did it take them 15 minutes to decide who to pick? Because they are the stupid Raiders.
Detroit, Cleveland…man, this is taking forever.
First Major Goof – Miami Dolphins
Uhhhh….number 9 pick and you have no viable option at QB and you don’t take Brady Quinn. Think you can get another QB in the second round? I could buy that if your replacement pick wasn’t a PUNT RETURNER!!!!! My gosh, you had Willis, LB from Ole Miss sitting there. Thank God I am NOT a Dolphin fan OR a Texan fan.
Brady Quinn Slide Alert…
Good night, he’s falling off the planet. Good thing his girlfriend is with him. I think Goodell is going to be a better commissioner that Tagliabue. He came down hard on the thugs. He shielded Brady Quinn from public implosion for a time period so he could get his act together. I like him.
Broncos trade up to get Jarvis Moss.
Jarvis Moss is a beast of end in terms of speed. I like the aggressiveness of the Broncos. Some teams sit and hope “their” player will be there when their pick comes around…Broncos just go get the guy if they want him. Cutler and Walker last year, Moss this year. Combine Moss with 2 shut down corners – things could get tense in Mile High this year. That’s a good thing.
Cleveland gets their QB.
Some are going to argue that giving up their #1 next year to get Quinn is pricey. Maybe. Time will tell. I like the fact that Cleveland believed enough in Quinn to go get him, not just wait to see what happened. Personally, I wouldn’t have done it because I hate Notre Dame.
Overall – a very slow paced draft. In fact, if I wasn’t such a fan I’d call it boring. But I am fan….so I can only call it….very, very, very SLOW.
[tags]NFL Draft[/tags]
The Next Two Days
BORING POST WARNING!!
1. Move ugly grey rock from the side yard and front yard to the back yard where the previous owner’s dogs practically destroyed the ground.
2. Steal/borrow/get the cool river rock from my next door neighbor’s yard and put it in my front yard.
3. Give my next door neighbor permission to plant flowers in our sideyard.
4. Save the universe with some of my youth group on Friday night.
5. Watch the NFL Draft starting Saturday at 10 AM.
6. Finish watching the John Wayne movies on my DVR.
Sighhhhhhhhhh….4 months until NFL Preseason.
Detour Cancelled
The roads are fine. The weather is awesome. Our parking lot is one great big mud hole.
If we had youth – we’d destroy the building. So instead, we’ll destroy my house.
We’ll be watching the Nuggets game (starting at 5, gets over…8ish) at my house.
All are welcomed.
Give me a shout if you need directions!
Upside Down Denver
There’s over 2 feet of snow on the ground in Elizabeth. Parker got around 10 inches. Schools have closed all over the place. The sun just poked it’s head out and it’s promising to hit mid-50′s by this afternoon.
The Thuggets play their second round game against the Spurs tonight and listening to talk radio you’d think the Thuggets were going to win the NBA Championship.
I’ve decided to NOT cancel youth tonight. Then I ran into some parents in town and they tell me they’ve been without power since 3 pm yesterday.
Just thought you’d like to know.
Brats for Jesus
I’m sitting in our local Christian bookstore/coffee shop and there are a group of moms that just let their 4 year old boys loose in the store.
I mean loose.
They are running in circles, jumping off the stage and the moms are sitting around a coffee table oblivious to what they are doing.
The store manager just asked them to stop running around and jumping off the stage.
Moms still sitting there.
Kids still running around and jumping.
I’m about ready to pick up two in each hand and plop them down in the middle of the coffee table.
Moms look over – “Honey, please stop.”
Kids still running.
Moms still conversing.
What gene is it that moms of toddlers can be totally oblivious to how their children are acting when no one else can miss them?
Gotta go – this is getting way to chaotic.
A Major Hit of Encouragement
I got this email from Jason yesterday…
Hey Bro,
Went to a Campus Crusade for Christ banquet Friday night and they were talking about how God was working on the campus of the University of Arkansas. One of the things mentioned was the Band of Brothers meeting. I gave one of the leaders a copy of your study about 2 years ago and it has been very popular with some of the students on campus. You really did an awesome job on this and I just wanted to remind you how God is continuing to use your work here in Arkansas to touch lives you never knew.
I plan on taking this to DeQueen as well. The church Cindy and I are joining has a men’s group that meets every Wednesday night. You know what the name of the group is…Band of Brothers. Fitting.
I hope this serves as encouragement for you. You do an awesome job at leading and especially at teaching others how to be leaders. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Currahee,
Jason
On a cold, snowy, dark day – this was soul medicine and a great reminder to how investing in God’s Kingdom never is in vain.
It’s Official
Actually, there a couple things that are official. This weekend was the candidate weekend for our new worship pastor. On one hand, I’m somewhat stunned at how fast this search went. We use a search team at Pinecrest. I like our process but it’s normally a grinding, long process. Lot’s of phone time, a couple of face to face visits, a questionnaire designed right out of the pit of …Oakland. It takes a ton of time which after some of the hires I’ve seen – I’m okay with.
But this weekend we did the candidate weekend thing and Amy and I were childcare. Fortunately, we know the candidate’s kids very well – Rowland and Kitty Smith.
So Row is officially the new pastor of Worship and Outreach.
Amy and I are officially very, very tired after having 7 kids in our house all weekend…6 of whom are under the age of 9.
We officially have gotten more than our money’s worth out of the family pass to Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
We officially had a great time at Casa Bonita.
Opening Up A Can
This is part of our e-vo journey through the Gospel of John. It’s also printed at studentparking.org. Today is from John 2:12-25.
There was a John Wayne-fest on HDNet movies last night – The Shootist, El Dorado, and McLintock!. This is a little known fact about me – I love John Wayne. If I’m channel surfing and come across a John Wayne movie – I have to stop. By the way, John Wayne was Chuck Norris before Chuck Norris was Chuck Norris. John Wayne was never afraid to open up a can of whoop butt on anybody.
And neither was Jesus.
This much Jesus and John had in common – when something is wrong, it needs to be made right. If making it right involves destroying some property – all the better.
Jesus seeing the almighty dollar keeping people out of the Temple and the pursuit of money replacing the pursuit of God so instantly sickened him that he opens up a can. And he does so during the busiest time of the year – Passover. Nothing like cleaning house when all the guests are around. Just grab a whip and start swinging – I wonder how many Pharisees he hit?
But what has this got to do with modern day church? We don’t charge admission to church and as distasteful as selling CD’s and books in the church library may be – that’s really not the same thing, right?
I don’t know – the one issue with the Temple scenario is that the people HAD to exchange their money or buy the animals in order to even participate in worship. I don’t think that’s going on that blatantly today but maybe there are some not as noticeable barriers we put up to block people from worship.
Is there an unwritten/unspoken dress code?
Is there a color barrier?
Is there an economic barrier?
Is there a “cool” barrier?
Is there a “language” barrier?
If there is – are we willing to be as passionate as destroying those barriers as Jesus was?
How would we start breaking those barriers?
Na answers today. Just questions.
Donny Osmond Returns
“Love Songs of the ’70′s.”
I am at a complete loss of words.
[tags]Donny Osmond[/tags]
Wiping Sheryl Crow
I love Sheryl Crow. I’ve always loved Sheryl Crow. I think she is awesome and I’ve forgiven her for her lack of judgement during the “Lance” years.
But this is just funny.
We are going to save earth by using only one square of toilet paper at a time? Let me just say – that’s not going to work in the English household.
HT: Jerry via email.
Angry, Sad, Dissappointing Day
It’s April 20th. The 8 year “anniversary” of Columbine High School.
Across the street from my house, an explosion went off at Ponderosa High School this morning. They’ve arrested someone, no one is being reported as injured. Schools across the metro area have had threats, lockdowns, sent kids home early. Students have left messages that “Columbine” will happen again, “4-20″ messages are posted everywhere.
(4-20, btw has a double meaning. First – the legalization of marijuana to be protested on April 20th AND the date of the Columbine massacre.)
I can’t fix this. No one really can. The highs and lows of the human heart are both astonishing and despicable.
Hanging with the Boss
Crazy weekend ahead of us – we’ve got 7 kids in the house until Sunday night – so Ray took me out to the ballgame.
Coors Field, Rockies against the Dodgers.
Ray has this theory that baseball is like a worship service. You have a call to worship (National Anthem, umpire yelling “Play Ball”), an offertory song (“Take Me Out To The Ballgame”), and a benediction (final out of 9th inning).
There are other similarities. The only common thing about all ballparks – the infield. In all other things there are differences – and differences that are celebrated, not condemned. Some fields have large foul ball areas, others have a right field home run porch, others have their bullpens on the side of the field. The differences are what makes each “sanctuary” holy and unique.
Be cool if we could see churches that way, huh?
[tags]Coors Field[/tags]
Flushing Cingular
They story below is entirely true. I did not ask for any further information – partly out of frustration, partly out of fear.
Amy (at home on the phone): You are going to be very mad but this is just one of those times you are going to be angry at your wife. We’ll get through this.
Grant (at office on phone): What?
Amy: I dropped my phone in the toilet.
Grant: (Silent but thinking – no biggie, get it out, take it apart, let it air dry for 24 hours, see if it works.) Okay…
Amy: Wait – it’s still in the toilet. It’s stuck.
Grant: (Still silent trying to figure this out.)
Amy: I got up to flush the toilet, my phone fell in and I flushed at the same time. The phone is stuck in the hole.
Grant: (Still silent)
Amy: I can’t get the phone out of the toilet.
Grant: (Still silent)
Amy: Are you there????
I get home and sure enough – the phone is lodged in the hole. It’s not moving. Amy informs me that the everyone in the family has tried. Good to know that we all love playing in the toilet. I guess I was still in shock and awe because I forgot to take a picture of it. Even now I’m kicking myself for not snapping a picture. I did get a picture of the phone AFTER I got it out.
That’s right, The G Man got the phone unstuck. Let’s just say that a hammer and a chisel will break about anything.
Do we have insurance on the phone? No. Why? Because GENIUS husband hates to spend $120 a year on insurance for a cell phone. Cost to replace phone? Don’t ask. We are scouring Ebay as we speak.
Riddle Me This, Blogman
Got this email from a friend…
You are a world class blogger. In the last few days I read responses to the shooting in Virginia, why being gay is better than smoking, and three or four other blog subjects and responses. Not one convinced me, not one entertained me, heck , not one even hinted that they still teach english and composition in school. I just don’t get the “buzz” over blogs. Sure everyone has an opinion, but based on what I’ve been reading, everyone’s opinion is ignorant, myopic and generally indefensible. What am I missing?
First – I’m not sure I’d classify myself as a “world-class” blogger. Although I am read in Budapest. No one WRITES in Budapest, but that is another story.
More to the point, blogs were originally designed to be a web-log, an online journal of sorts. Objectivity was never the point.
I blog for a couple of reasons…
I’m a “wannabe” writer so it gives me an outlet for this crazy thing I enjoy. It gives me a forum to connect with other youth workers and for us to honestly share ideas, frustrations, and celebrations with each other.
Over 80% of students are online. Having a blog lets me “connect†with them one more way other than face to face, email, or phone.
It let’s me keep my family updated so I can save booku money on phone bills.
Objectivity is never one of my goals. I try to be but my blog is blatantly my subjective thoughts on whatever I want to write.
Does that help?
Lifewalking e-book
I’ve finally been kicked in the pants enough to e-publish this. (Thank you, Paul.)
Here it is – Lifewalking. Later today – I’ll put a cool little icon for downloading on my sidebar.
Lifewalking is a “rethink” for student ministry. Basically it’s about reproducing spiritual leaders who lead Life Groups and all the rabbit trails therein.
It’s free to download – just give me some link love if you decide to use it. Don’t publish it for millions, it’s meant for youthworkers who want a guide to do something other than a calendar of events.
[tags]student ministry, small group manual, student leadership development, youth ministry[/tags]
This Makes Me Sick
The top 20 youth pastors…ironic that
They are all Americans.
Most are white.
Most work in large, upper-middle to upper class churches.
Do the people on the list even care?
Water to Pinot Noir?
This is part of our journey through the gospel of John. This week’s e-vo is from John 2.
Writing on John 2 as a student pastor is a bit tricky. The main character in the story is wine, but it’s not really about the wine. Trying to explain the deeper significance to room full of teens (and nervous parents) has its challenges. Sometimes explaining that wine was (is) just a part of the fabric of Jewish life is not enough.
Example 1: “Jesus drank wine! Why would Jesus turn all that water into wine if he didn’t want us to drink it?” Actual words from a teenagers mouth after he was caught for under-age drinking. To which a dad replied “Jesus walked everywhere he went, wore a robe and flip-flops, washed nasty stinky feet, and died a very bloody, brutal, public, naked death. Would you like to experience those right now?”
The story itself is about joy. Weddings are about hope and joy. People never think that one day this marriage is completely going to suck eggs on their wedding day. It’s all romantic music, smiles, and delusions of grandeur. Running out of wine (the symbol of joy and the presence of God to a Hebrew) never even crosses the radar screen on Wedding Day. The meaning seems clear enough – there will be a day when your world will run out of joy. You will think that the presence of God is gone from your life.
The only way to have abundant, unending joy is to do exactly what Mary told the servants – “Do whatever Jesus tells you to do.” Using the dirty, ceremonial washing water is just extremist Jesus at his best. “I’m not just going to turn any water into any wine. I’m going to take the dirtiest water that nobody would ever drink and make it into the best wine that everybody wants.”
But my thoughts drift back to the comment the dad made to his son. He said it to shut his son up but deep truth was uttered there. And it causes me to ask when we engage the story of God do we only engage the parts that are comfortable and nice?
Jesus did drink wine…I’m guessing with as many festivals the Jews celebrated plus the fact that the religious elite called him a drunken sot, he drank a lot of wine and didn’t hide that fact. Jesus did die a brutal, bloody, naked, public death as the result of a betrayal of the worse kind. Do I mention that in all of its rawness when I tell His story?
I struggle with the fact that my kids “love Jesus” and have made “Jesus boss of their life” at such a young age based upon the kid-friendly version of the story of God that I’ve given them. We’ve got picture-board books of Daniel, Noah, and Moses. None of them include the gory parts. Funny how Noah getting plastered and sleeping with his daughters didn’t make the final cut. Or how Daniel’s enemies were thrown into the lion’s den and were instantly killed. Or how Moses murdered a man in cold blood.
The older I’ve gotten – and the more bumps in the road of life I’ve experienced – I appreciate the “uncut” version more. It speaks to me better, it offers me true hope and joy – not the childish substitutes of happy and comfortable. And as we turn the corner in John’s take on Jesus’ story, I’m reminded again that while we are called to have a childlike faith – this is no nice children’s story we believe in. There is deception, conflict, violence, betrayal, and hurt….and healing, love, hope, and victory.
Here’s hoping we don’t lose the childlike or confuse it for childish.
Overreacted
For the last two days I have heard nothing but how awful this weekend was going to be, how we were going to be buried in snow, and how life would shut down. We were going to get 10-12 inches of snow. Delta and United canceled some 20 flights out of DIA.
Right now – there isn’t a single snowflake on the ground. We will probably get 3 to 4 inches tonight but that’s normal.
Gotta love the National Weather Service.
On the positive side – the suicide watch for Ray has been called off! (We love you, Ray!!!)
Cheesman Canyon
Rowland’s in town and he took me to a place called Cheesman Canyon. A bald eagle, a goose, and some trout. Rowland last fished here with his dad (who died 2 years ago). This was also part of the woods that was destroyed in the Hayman Fires of 2002. Over 100,000 acres of forest was destroyed when a park ranger set fire to a “Dear John” letter she received. She was sentenced to 12 years in prison for arson.
While Rowland fished, I journaled and read. It was a bit cold – but good soul time.
Leaving the canyon, we took a different way home. We ran into this Catholic church in the middle of nowhere.
Imus, Part 2
This situation is getting ridiculous to the point that makes me wonder if anyone in the media can see the hypocrisy.
GM pulls out their sponsorship because of Imus’ words.
Wonder if GM will pull out of sponsoring Warner Music Group? Who just so happens to have ‘artists’ as Lil Kim, Sugar Ray, Uncle Kracker, Nappy Roots, and of course George Carlin. Thank God, George Carlin has never said anything offensive. (WARNING – I purposely did not link any of these groups as their lyrics are HIGHLY OFFENSIVE AND OBSCENE. So be warned if you decide to Google them).
I’m not defending Imus. In fact, there is a part of me that wonders how he ever got a job in the first place. On the other hand, I’m still amazed at the backlash against one man alongside the utter blindness to an entire industry that has done so much worse than just a careless, heartless phrase – namely BET and MTV. Those are two stations who are bankrolling their entire stations on the exact stereotypes that Rutgers and everyone else is fighting against. Why aren’t Jay-Z, Snoop Dog, and Eminem being dragged out into the public square? Why aren’t we picketing BET and MTV or Motown?
I’m guessing that Imus will get fired at the end of all of this. Rutgers will be happy. NAACP will be happy. CBS and MSNBC will be happy.
I personally will be disgusted. Not because I like Imus. But because it will show the depravity of us all – it truly is about the love of money and image above all else.
[tags]Don Imus, Bruce Gordon, NAACP, CBS, GM, Warner Music Group, BET, MTV[/tags]
Sometimes Broke is Broke
My 4 year old Dell cratered this weekend. I’ve been dragging my feet trying to fix it. I’ve tried the easy stuff – safe mode boot, boot to the last known working configuration…doesn’t matter. Still get the wonderful blue screen. I think the myriad of kids games did it in.
I think if I get the XP restore disk – it will be okay. Then again, maybe not. Either way, I’m resigned to the fact that the Dell is history. I’m not going to be spending the money to replace it. I’ll miss it. Dell makes a great product. As opposed to this HP piece I’m on right now. By the way – HP new slogan should be “The Computer is a Personal Hell Again.” But I digress.
As a kid, if something broke, I took it to dad. 9 times out of 10, he could fix it. I didn’t understand half the time what he did. All I knew is that he fixed it. It was a simple plan of security for my life. Something breaks – go to dad.
Because of my lack of “fix-it” skills, I’m preparing my kids for the real world. In other words – sometimes when you break something, it’s broke. I can remember Camber breaking something and her sorry “I’m sorry” like 400 times. Hey, no big deal, accidents happen but sometimes it doesn’t matter how sorry you are – it still can’t be fixed. You either get a new one or go without. Is this method expensive? Can be. Is it humiliating/embarrassing? At times.
But I can’t escape the authenticity of it either. How true to real life is that? A relationship breaks because of a careless, thoughtless word or deed and you either have to redefine it to the point where it is new or you go without. Something inside you breaks, doesn’t work right – either get a new one (rebirth, regeneration, repent) or go without. Decisions we make have real consequences and outcomes. Sometimes our mistakes are fixable. Sometimes they aren’t. Repentance and forgiveness is available but that doesn’t take away the hurt or the brokenness.
We (pastors) have a tendency to preach that if you bring all your brokenness and problems to Jesus, he can fix them. I think by and large that is true with this disclosure. Sometimes it means trashing what we have for something brand new. It will mean throwing away the brokeness we have to exchange it for something new. And sometimes letting that brokenness go is too difficult to do.
As a result, we sit in the kitchen crying over the brokenness refusing to let it go. I think we underestimate both how wonderful the newness is and how difficult letting go of the brokenness is.
I’m not sure what (if any) solution there is. I just know sometimes broke is broke. And I’m learning how to live in that reality WITH Jesus, instead of demanding He immediately fix it.
Imus and the Ho’s
I understand why Rutgers, the NAACP, the state of New Jersey, CBS, MSNBC, and every other official is angry at Don Imus. His remarks were ridiculously stupid and inappropriate.
Should he be fired?
I’m okay with that as long as Al Sharpton, Rutgers, BET, MTV and every other organization that wants him canned can answer me this…
Why aren’t you just as upset with the hip-hop/rap community that continues to insult and degrade women by their songs and videos?
Why aren’t those same people calling for the heads of the rappers, music industry executives, or television networks who have done worse than one comment on a radio show?
Just wondering out loud.