Jason Engle

Christmas and the Incarnation

2011-12-15T14:19:00.000-05:00

Christmas has most definitely been hijacked. We hear that a lot every year about this time. And with that declaration we begin to hear how Christians are 'fighting back.' We hear of boycotts and extra emphasis on saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone that dares to utter the words "Happy Holidays" first. We hear about court battles over songs in school Christmas programs and nativity displays on government property. It seems like with every passing year some other seemingly innocent form of religious liberty is trampled upon and the blogs and facebook go crazy!

Well, I've been thinking a lot about this hijacking and wanted to just get some thoughts down. My response to this tired and overplayed drama between the scrooges and the 'religious right' can be summed up in two such thoughts.

First, we as believers have simply made the hijacking of Christmas very easy for those who prefer a secular form of winter holiday. Christians began secularizing the holiday long before its opponents even began the onslaught that we see today. No, this is NOT a rant on the evils of Santa or Christmas Trees! It's much more about a Christian subculture that routinely accumulates massive debt in showering each other with gifts while opportunities to give toward entities such as Lottie Moon routinely experience a widening shortfall to pursue its mission. And that is just one example, as I will explain in a moment. Simply put, gift-giving has long since replaced Jesus as the source of 'joy' at Christmas time. The incredible graced displayed in the coming of Jesus as the rescuer of humanity from sin has been replaced with the selfishness that stems from the incredibly ignorant thought that we are deserving of belonging on the 'nice' list.

If at all, Jesus and his coming have become peripheral items at best. We find more joy in giving and receiving presents than we do in the greatest gift ever given or even in the pursuit of proclaiming the gospel to the world so that all nations might experience that same joy. What we fail to realize is that with this trade, believers have fed the very machine that seeks to strip Christmas of everything Christ. We have allowed Christmas to become mired with entitlement and selfishness and we wonder how we have gotten to present state of our world. So we fight. We fight like those who have had our rights infringed and our feelings hurt. We fight out of ignorance, not comprehending the fact that we have done our fair share of hijacking.

That brings me to my second thought. I do recognize that Christmas has been hijacked. I do not believe that believers should be content with letting it happen. I just take exception with how Christians chose to fight back. Instead of lawyering up, using sarcasm to correct people's language and greetings, or just placing more gaudy decorations in people's faces with the idea of "what are you gonna do about it!?", we need to return to a correct understanding of incarnation.

The incarnation is Christmas. One of my favorite lines in all of Scripture comes from John as he announces in the prologue of his Gospel that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Incarnation means that Jesus, who is fully God, became a man. That is mind-boggling when we think about the transcendence of God! He is completely outside his creation, yet he somehow stepped into creation, taking on flesh and becoming 100% human while remaining 100% God. This was not a humanitarian aid mission or a love campaign for Jesus; instead he came to be our rescuer. Because we all fall desperately short of God's standard of perfection and have failed to keep God's holy law, Jesus' coming fulfills a couple things for us. He lived the perfect life that we have failed to live...for us. This starts in the understanding of his virgin birth. He was not born into sin as you and I were, and he lived his 33-year life without ever once falling short of perfection in his morality. He then willingly, obediently, and sufficiently walked to the cross where God's wrath for our sins was poured out on him...for us. In that way he became our substitute and our atonement. Because he stood in our place and paid our penalty for sin, we can now be reconciled to God and no longer bear the weight of his wrath upon us. He died on the cross and then rose from the grave 3 days later sealing righteousness and justification...for us. He now sits at the right hand of the Father, victorious over sin and death, and making intercession...for us. And now for those who respond to what he has done in faith by repenting of their sins and placing exclusive trust in him as Lord and Savior, the reality of forgiveness and eternal life through righteousness in Christ provides hope and joy as we anticipate his coming again to restore all things with a new heavens and earth.

In order to fight this hijacking of Christmas, we too need to embrace what it means to be incarnational! This should be the time of the year where believers make incredible efforts through the power of the Spirit to be the hands and feet of Christ. Instead of going broke purchasing gifts for people who already have everything they could ever need, we should be sacrificially giving to meet the real needs of the "least of these." Our joy should be found squarely in the reality that "God demonstrated his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ [came and] died for us" (Romans 5:8)! And this joy should should compel us not toward selfish entitlement and stress, but to humble recognition of grace and to urgent and intentional evangelism. The world should take notice of the love, grace and mercy through those that follow Jesus as they mirror him to the world leading up to every December 25th. The world should take notice that while it goes into debt and falls into selfishness, the church somehow has the courage and faith to sacrificially provide incredible means for the mission of the Great Commission. "This Jesus must really mean something and be worth so much to them," they should exclaim. Hungry mouths should be fed, brokenness ministered to, orphans adopted, the neglected shown love, etc...to the point that no one in their right mind would ever even consider removing Christ from Christmas!

At the present time, what really would change at all? That's my point. The way we currently celebrate Christmas would largely continue unchanged if Christ were removed altogether. That's sad. But what if that all changed? What if the church began to be incarnational to its local community? What if believers truly sought after the joy that can only be found in the rescue mission this holy baby came to complete? The truth is, we as believers can still offer a nice Christmas filled with giving gifts and having fun with classical traditions and still become more incarnational. I'm definitely not advocating doing away with everything 'secular'. But even in the gift-giving I want my kids to learn grace. Even in the celebration I want to teach them that true joy only comes in a right relationship with God through Christ. As is the case in every area of life, Jesus is the focus and hero. This should definitely be the case at Christmas!

Let's fight the hijacking of Christmas by restoring its meaning in our own lives instead of trying to make non-believers act like they love Jesus. It must start in our own lives. Let's stop being so politically minded and quick to get our feelings hurt by people who simply do not have any reason to celebrate Jesus during this season. Let's show them instead why they need Him. Let's make Jesus so evident to our world during this season that even non-believers would think it to be insane to remove him.

O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Good Sermon Application

2011-10-31T13:44:00.000-04:00

You ever hear something so simplistic and obvious, yet it just resonates with you as some new revelation? Well, it happens to me all the time, it seems.

The other day in class my Theology professor shared how one famous preacher provided application to every one of his sermons. This has proven helpful for me as both a preacher, myself, and as a hearer of sermons. If you seek application in this way every week you hear the Word preached, it will surely result in change as you apply the Word. All in all, this is a great way to heed the call of James 1:22-25.

This preacher advanced the idea that every believer is called to 4 specific locations in his/her life by the providence of God. These 4 areas include the following:

1. My family
2. My church
3. My workplace
4. My community

After hearing the preaching of the Word each week, simply ask yourself how the truth of the Word applies to you in all of those areas. How does it affect your family life and how you conduct yourself in your home? How does it affect the way you view your church family, serve them, and glorify God in that setting? How does it affect the way you conduct your business or pursue success in your job? How does it affect your job performance, or even why you strive to do your best? How does it affect the way you treat your boss and your co-workers/employees? Finally, what does it mean for the way your family lives your lives every day within your own neighborhood/community? What is your role and responsibility among those you live closest to?

You can glorify God by being an active listener. This simply provides a framework through which you can do just that. Don't stop there, though. Begin to explore God's expectations on your life in each of those areas and begin to try to understand your mission as you pursue the Great Commission in every area to which you are called!

The Gospel is Absolutely Central

2011-10-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

We must seek to understand the gospel before we can properly understand or pursue Christian living. So often we get this backward. We are satisfied with having only a surface understanding of the gospel and seeking to understand how to live daily as a Christian becomes a more important and practical endeavor. The problem is, though, that if we do not fully understand the gospel (or at least continue to grow in our understanding of it), the pursuit of proper Christian living will ultimately result in two very ugly manifestations.

First, without properly understanding grace, we stand the chance of becoming frustrated and stop pursuing Christian living altogether. Grace reminds us that there is absolutely nothing that I can do today to earn the favor of God. It reminds us that the only righteousness we have and can ever hope for is the righteousness of Christ that is wrapped around us that he earned through his sinless and perfect life (1 Co 5:21). We are reminded that the reality of sin remains because of the Fall, yet the Holy Spirit drives us to confession and that Jesus is continually faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jo 1:9). Only through his work can we be restored to the light as he is in the light and continue to have fellowship with God and each other (1 Jo 1:5, 7). We will sin today; yet, because of Christ, our adoption as sons and daughters of God is secure. Even though our sin brings consequences and discipline, even then we are reminded that God is changing us through his grace and the power of his Spirit he has placed within us (Heb 12:5-11). Without understanding this, we will become more and more defeated as we fail the test of morality over and over again. We were not saved through works; therefore, we can not expect to gain God's approval through our morality now. We are justified not by our works but exclusively through our faith in Christ, the one who earn God's favor for me (Gal 2:16-21). We must preach this message to ourselves every day and allow it to both humble us and exalt us because of standing before God because of what Jesus has done!

Second, without properly understanding grace, we stand the chance of becoming a legalistic pharisee. We will become slaves to our own morality. We will begin to gauge our own performance based on everyone around us, instead of in light of the holiness of God. We will become puffed up as we find reasons to believe that we are better and more morally exceptional to them and forget that Christ has earned everything for us. Demonizing others will be become the status quo as we begin to judge their religion as inferior to our own. We will become, as Jesus called the Pharisees of his day, "whitewashed tombs" (Matt 23:27-28) continually polishing our own morality instead of exalting the glory and holiness of Christ. Our own glory will be displayed at the expense of his. Others will become obstacles and objects of our elitist scorn. And even as we continue to gaze into the mirror of God's glory in his Word, we become like the man who leaves the mirror, forgetting what he looks like and failing to be a doer of the Word (Js 1:22-25). Simply put, we become the reality of what has become the majority view of the church from outsiders today: we become hypocrites.

So, how do we avoid this? We must radically pursue the gospel and seek to grasp every ounce of its truth. We must not shy away from understand the radical nature of grace. We must seek to truly understand our standing before God--that our justification has absolutely nothing to do with us and absolutely everything to do with Jesus and what he has done for me. We must determine to proclaim the excellency of Christ (1 Pe 2:9-10) by proclaiming his worth in our lives and our desperate need for him as our Rescuer. And as we come to understand this radical gospel more and more each day, we must continually preach this gospel to ourselves every day.

May we be captivated by this grace at the beginning of each new day, and may the world around us be captivated by a Savior who is worthy of everything I am and have. May the world around us be clearly shown a Christ who has completely and gloriously redeemed even a sinner such as I and a Christ who has accomplished everything necessary to save even them.

His grace still amazes me!

The Gospel in Exodus!?

2011-10-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

I continue to grow in my deep love for biblical theology on a daily basis. When I viewed this sermon by Tim Keller I knew I had to share it. How is Christ seen in the Old Testament, and as for Keller's task in this video, how is he and his redemption seen in the Exodus story? Watch below and find out.

Getting Out - Tim Keller - TGC 2011 from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

What is the G.O.S.P.E.L.

2011-08-18T11:53:00.002-04:00

Watch this video.

Jody Jennings showed this video before he preached for campus church this past Sunday morning at NGU. I was captivated by it. I wanted to post it for a couple of reasons.

1. It is SPOT ON regarding the Gospel message. In a time when much of the Gospel is being lost and/or blurred, this guy presents the Gospel in a way that is clear, concise and relevant. Some of the one-liners in here are just incredible and definitely tweet-worthy (look for those soon from @jasonengle)!

2. This is an incredible example of contextualization. This guy's message is doctrinally-sound, but it is also relevant to a young generation who appreciate messages presented in this fashion. We must contextualize the Gospel...but, we must do so without changing the Gospel. I pray that many young people would see this video and attain a clear understanding of what the story of Scripture is and what the Gospel says.

Paradigms Must Change

2011-04-27T13:56:00.003-04:00

Last night in my evangelism class we discussed the need for certain paradigms in the church to change. My professor, Dr. Alvin Reid, has dealt with this in his book, Evangelism Handbook. Last night he showed us a chart that included some of the changes that would need to take place, for instance, to cause a shift from having a mindset of maintaing an institution to advancing a movement. This is good insight that includes some much needed changes within the church landscape if a proper approach to the current culture is to be attained. The currently held views stemming from the maintenance mindset is on the lefts, with the needed mindset shift on the right.

From:       To:
I GO to church    -->    I AM the church

It is imperative that believers begin to realize their ownership of the ministry of the church. The Great Commission has been given to every believer; and, every believer is accountable to pursue it. Every believer has been both saved and sent, commanded to live their life as a missionary in whatever context God has placed them (career, school, family, circle of friends, etc...). A movement will be the result of believers within a Body moving out of the context of the church building and incarnationally infiltrating the surrounding community, guided by the gospel and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

From:          To:
Scorecard based on seating capacity --> Scorecard based on sending capacity

Churches must develop the idea that one of its primary purposes is to train and send missionaries, both into foreign and domestic mission fields. This will not happen, though, as long as success is determined by the number of attenders that show up to worship services week to week. A movement will be the result of churches beginning to define success by how many of its members are effectively and efficiently moving from salvation to discipleship to mission.

From:                                                     To:
Hotel for saints       --> Hospital for sinners

Plain and simply put: all self-righteousness and pride must be done away with. We are saved only by way of the unearned grace of God. None of us belong to the church for any reason other than the fact that we have been redeemed from the bondage of sin and adopted as sons and daughters of the most high God. Movements are stifled because of arrogance and an unwillingness to love the people within culture and fight exclusivism and uniformity.

From:                                                    To:
Minimalistic --> Holistic

The gospel seeks to redeem and transform every element of our being. It is not just one part of a religion that resides in one aspect of my compartmentalized life. As we present the gospel, we must advance this message of the gospel's holistic affects. Our churches must fight against becoming some kind of storehouse containing a bunch of smaller, fragmented ministries that have nothing to do with each other. The result, far too often, is competition, which kills the opportunity for meaningful movements to gain momentum.

From:                                                   To:
Programmatic -->    Organic

Churches have built and relied on programs for far too long. Now, programs are needed; however, a reliance on programs can become nothing more than spiritually-anemic time-fillers. When I think about the word organic I think of authentic community. Sadly, very little discipleship takes place in the average church outside of a program. Why? isn't that a picture of a believer who is growing and maturing in discipleship? Why does discipleship have to take place within a scheduled program? It simply doesn't. In fact, I believe that the most effective discipleship takes place outside of the church, as a result of a believer simply initiating a relationship wherein he/she intentionally speaks the Word into the life of another young believer. This is organic. Organic is Spirit-led. Not that the Spirit is completely shut out from all church programs, but when a believer takes the initiative to minister, mentor, disciple, etc...on his/her own, the Spirit's leadership and prompting is evident. Also, the dependency of that believer on the Spirit throughout the process of discipleship is enhanced because the safety walls of a program are not there to provide what can become hindering comfort. Almost all incredible movements in our world today are a result of such organic initiative that gains momentum from the bottom up.

Just some things to think about...

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Driscoll on 'reformission'

2011-04-14T10:15:00.002-04:00

"Reformission is ultimate about being like Jesus, through his empowering grace. One of the underlying keys to reformission is knowing That neither freedom of Christ nor our freedom in Christ is intended to permit us to dance as close to sin as possible without crossing the line. But both are intended to permit us to dance as close to sinners as possible by crossing the lines that unnecessarily separate the people God has found from those he is still seeking...It is imperative that Christians be like Jesus, by living freely within the culture as missionaries who are as faithful to the Father and his gospel as Jesus as in his own time and place."

- Mark Driscoll, "Radical Reformission"

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My brother is 'missional'

2011-04-13T21:57:00.002-04:00

I am very proud of my brother, Eric. I always have been, but tonight God used his approach to life to convict me as we worked through our "How People Change" material in our Life Group. Let me explain.

Eric has had some really incredible job and ministry opportunities over the past several years. He has worked at InTouch ministry, led by Charles Stanley. He has worked with Todd Freel, from Way of the Master, and his show "Wretched". He then had the opportunity to work with Southern Seminary president Dr. Albert Mohler in the production of his radio show. Pretty incredible are the opportunities he has had.

As the door closed and brought his work at Southern to an end, he found himself working a warehouse job outside of Louisville...not exactly as exciting as the others! To make matters worse, he is working a whole lot of hours, and horrible hours, at that!

Well, my first reaction (and continuing reaction) has been to try to spur him past this (what I have hoped is only a temporary) job, sending him prospective opportunities and praying that God would move soon. My brother's mindset, however, has been totally different. He has not complained, belly-ached or spoken ill of his opportunity. Instead, he has embraced this opportunity to be a missionary.

In his short couple of months working in this secular atmosphere, he has told me of counseling opportunities he has seized, relationships built, Bibles given to co-workers, invitations to church that have been accepted, Muslim friends with whom he is walking through the Scriptures, etc...

What is a missionary? What does it mean to be missional? Ask my brother. Better yet, watch him.

God has saved us and he has sent us. We are all called to be missionaries...wherever we find ourselves. I heard someone say once that God never blows an assignment. My brother believes that. That's why he is doing more ministry right now in his secular, monotonous warehouse job than he did in all of his incredible 'ministry' opportunities. This job has surrounded him with nonbelievers, thereby affording a multitude of opportunities to minister and serve for the sake of the gospel.

Eric: thanks bro for allowing Christ to use you. May he increase your tribe. Thanks for allowing Jesus to use you to teach me. I pray that God will use you to bring many into the Kingdom! I love you, miss you and can't wait to hear more stories from your work on your mission field

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Half-Heartedness

2011-02-17T11:34:00.000-05:00

"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name." (Malachi 1:6)

I simply do not like to be disrespected. Whether it is my daughter disrespecting me with her words or a student who is being a distraction during the time that I am teaching, few things can fuel my anger more. Perhaps this is why the message of Malachi stings my heart with such conviction this morning. As much as I hate to be disrespected, how much more do I disrespect my Lord with my half-hearted response to him as God? The priest's response to this is to almost apathetically ask "How have we despised you?" I tend to offer the same question, though, in my own apathy sometimes. Yet, that question alone is a sign of my deep sinfulness. Much of my 'despising God' is found in the omission of both holding an adequate view of who he really is and, subsequently, holding an appropriate fear of him. After all, notice God's own description of himself given by the prophet...

"For My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations...For I am a great King, and My name will be feared among the nations." (Malachi 1:11, 14b)

Here the message to God's own anointed priests drew a contrast between how God's name would be received and worshiped by the Gentiles and how his own chosen people currently 'despised him' through their sleepwalk brand of worship. They had lost sight of who God really was and began to just go through the motions, even cutting corners in the types of offerings they presented to God. Sound familiar? Sure! It sounds like me! How casually I enter into his presence with my half-hearted, lackadaisical offering of worship; and, I am not just speaking about Sunday worship gatherings. Worship is holistic, and too often we seek to compartmentalize our lives, leaving certain (usually a very few) areas that are designated as places of worshipful response. No...our whole lives are to comprise a melody of worship, declaring our submission to his Lordship, our gracious response to his great salvation, a humble fear of the reality of who he really is, and a declaration to the world around us of the Gospel that has both saved us and is transforming us.

But, too often we are guilty of bringing "polluted food," "blind animals," and offerings that are "lame or sick" to lay upon the alter as our offering to God. The point is this: we do not get to decide what we will offer. Of the priests in Malachi's day, they were commanded to bring only a male, unblemished sacrifice. Today, we are commanded to bring the best we have to offer. We are called to holiness and to approach him with hearts that have been sprinkled clean through confession, in the reality of the shed blood of Christ's sacrifice.

I am often compelled to ask the questions of my students, "Do they really think that I'm that stupid?" Do they really think that they can come into the presence of my authority, disrespect me when I'm not looking (or when they think that I'm not paying attention) and expect me to be too dumb to realize what they are doing? Perhaps this is the question God is asking here. "Do you really think that you can just offer any insufficient offering (that falls desperately short of reflecting my holiness and character) and think that I will just be ok with that?" The answer is found in verse 13, and perhaps it is one that should convict our hearts...

"Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished."

Translation for us today: "Cursed be the cheat who offers to the Lord only what is comfortable and expendable to give and refuses to 'sacrifice' that which the Lord demands." What does the way you live your life today say about the worth of your Lord to watching world around you?

What Should We Tell Our Kids about Santa?

2010-12-09T14:33:00.000-05:00

Click the link below for insights from Mark Driscoll. It's a great article and worth the read.

http://onfaith.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/panelists/mark_driscoll/2010/12/what_we_tell_our_kids_about_santa.html

5 Things for which I am So Thankful

2010-11-25T11:57:00.001-05:00

1. I am thankful for my beautiful bride. I knew the first time I ever saw her just how beautiful she is on the outside. It is during these past 7 years of marriage, though, that I continue to find out just how incredibly beautiful she is on the inside. God has richly and graciously blessed me. I do not deserve her love. Lord, help me to love her in a sanctifying way. Help me to love her in a way that reflects my deep feelings for her. Forgive me when in selfishness and sin I fail to do so.

2. I am thankful for 2 healthy, beautiful children. Emma is almost 4, and even though she can frustrate me to no end, I love her dearly and am so proud of her. She is amazingly smart and is the ultimate girly-girl. She has her mama's beauty and her daddy's temper. (What goes around, comes around!) Elijah is 14 months and handsome as he can be. His smile makes my heart jump. I love the fact that his favorite toy is a ball-any type of ball-and that he meets me with one every time I come home. I cannot wait until he is old enough to play catch with! Lord, help me to love my children well. Help me to display both tenderness and strength. I pray that my children would come to know and worship you with all of their hearts. Help Erin and I to lead Emma and Elijah to live a life that honors you as they grown in the knowledge of Christ and the gospel.

3. I am thankful for the calling that God has placed on my life and the church he has called me to serve. I am thankful for the great privilege of serving along side of men like Gerald, Jonathan and Jim. These are men that I continue to learn from and men I want to be like. I love my church's heart for the nations and the way they bless their leadership. I love the way they love my family. Erin and I have developed wonderful relationships with so many people at Westwood. We are thankful for those friendships. We miss friends that have moved on to different stages in life. Lord, help me walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have given me. Thank you for my church.

4. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for an immediate family who knows and loves Jesus. I am thankful for Eric's heart. He has a one-of-a-kind heart. He loves Jesus passionately and wants to serve him in all that he does. Cameron has a heart for ministry and is driven by a heart that desires to know God more deeply. I am thankful for the desire that God is placing in Kyle's heart for the nations. I thank God for their salvation and desire to serve God with their lives. I thank God for a mom and dad who love me and support me the way they do. I love them and miss them terribly. I am thankful for Erin's mom, dad and sister, Malcolm, Ann and Laurin (and Blane), who love our children so much and have welcomed me into their family so warmly.

5. I am thankful for Jesus. I am overwhelmed by his mercy as I contemplate what I deserve because of my sin and propensity to place my affection in things other than my Creator and Lord. He is indeed gracious, good and kind. I am thankful for the cross, the place where an innocent Jesus willingly took upon the wrath of God, becoming an atonement for MY sin. I am thankful for his resurrection and the life that I now realize and hope for because of its reality. I am thankful for the gospel. Lord, help me to be a courageous messenger of the hope that is found in Christ. Help me to put nothing in a place of higher importance. Thank you, Jesus, for the reconciliation with God that is mine through you.

What are 5 things for which you are thankful? Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Personal Inventory

2010-11-11T13:47:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest applications that we have derived from our study in Hebrews 6 is the fact that we should all take part in frequent and transparent self-inventory. Taking such assessment of where we are in our faith journey and striving to see how we are growing in our faith and in obedience as disciples is a great way to gain assurance in our salvation while making it extremely difficult to ever fall away. Simply put, it is a great way to heed the warnings of Hebrews and take our salvation very seriously.

In one of my classes this past week, our professors instructed our class to spend the 3-hour class time taking a personal retreat. We were challenged to spend that time with nothing but a Bible and a journal in communication with the Lord. Leading up to this time of retreat, our professors gave us a couple of tools to use in preparation for such a time. I would like to copy one of those tools here, as I believe it is an incredible tool for self-inventory and assessment. As you will see, this series of questions are deeply challenging! They are not designed to repress us into guilt or self-pity. Instead, they are tools that can help lead us into conviction, and on toward confession as we seek to grow in personal holiness and in sanctification as believers. As I read these questions, I am struck with the question in my mind of what my life would be like if I committed to read through them and intentionally and honestly answer them just once a month.

Here they are for your consideration...

1. Genuine Salvation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
a. Was there ever a time in my life that I genuinely repented of my sin?
b. Was there ever a time in my life that I placed all my trust in Jesus Christ alone to save me?

2. God's Word (Psalm 119:97; 119:140)
a. Do I live to read and meditate on the Word of God?
b. Are my personal devotions consistent and meaningful?
c. Do I practically apply God's Word to my everyday life?

3. Humility (Isaiah 57:15)
a. Am I quick to recognize and agree with God in confession when I have sinned?
b. Am I quick to admit to others when I am wrong?
c. Do I rejoice when others are praised and recognized, and my accomplishments go unnoticed by men? (Romans 12:15)
d. Do I esteem all others better than myself? (Philippians 2:3-4)

4. Obedience (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Samuel 15:22
a. Do I consistently obey what I know God wants me to do? (James 1:21-25)
b. Do I consistently obey the human authorities God has placed over my life?

5. Pure Heart (1 John 1:9)
a. Do I confess my sins by name?
b. Do I keep "short sin accounts" with God (confess and forsake as He convicts)?
c. Am I willing to give up all sin for God?

6. Clear Conscience (Acts 24:16)
a. Do I consistently seek forgiveness from those I wrong or offend?
b. Is my conscience clear with every man? (Can I honestly say, "There is no one I have wronged or offended in any way and not gone back to them and sought their forgiveness and made it right")

7. Priorities (Matthew 6:33)
a. Does my schedule reveal that God is first in my life?
b. Does my checkbook reveal that God is first in my life?
c. Next to my relationship with God, is my relationship with my family my highest priority?

8. Values (Colossians 3:12)
a. Do I love what God loves and hate what God hates?
b. Do I value highly the things that please God (e.g., giving, witnessing to lost souls, studying his Word and prayer)?
c. Are my affections and goals fixed on eternal values?

9. Sacrifice (Philippians 3:7-8)
a. Am I willing to sacrifice whatever is necessary to see God move in my life and church (time, convenience, comfort, reputation, pleasure, etc...)?
b. Is my life characterized by genuine sacrifice for the cause of Christ?

10. Spirit Control (Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 5:18-21)
a. Am I allowing Jesus to be Lord of every area of life?
b. Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to fill (control) my life each day?
c. Is there consistent evidence of the "fruit of the Spirit" being produced in my life?

11. "First Love" (Philippians 1:21, 23)
a. Am I as much in love with Jesus as I have ever been?
b. Am I thrilled with Jesus, filled with His joy and peace, and making Him the continual object of my love?

12. Motives (Acts 5:29; Matthew 10:28)
a. Am I more concerned about what God thinks about my life than about what others think?
b. Would I pray, read my Bible, give, and serve as much if nobody but God ever noticed?
c. Am I more concerned about pleasing God than I am about being accepted and appreciated by men?

13. Moral Purity (Ephesians 5:3, 4)
a. Do I keep my mind free from books, magazines, movies or other entertainment that could stimulate fantasizing or thoughts that are not morally pure?
b. Are my conversation and behavior pure and above reproach?

14. Forgiveness (Colossians 3:12, 13)
a. Do I seek to resolve conflicts in relationships as soon as possible?
b. Am I quick to forgive those who wrong me or hurt me?

15. Sensitivity (Matthew 5:23, 24)
a. Am I sensitive to the conviction and promptings of God's Spirit?
b. Am I quick to respond in humility and obedience to the conviction and promptings of God's Spirit?

16. Evangelism (Romans 9:3; Luke 24:46, 48)
a. Do I have a burden for lost souls?
b. Do I consistently witness for Christ?

17. Prayer (1 Timothy 2:1)
a. Am I faithful in praying for the needs of others?
b. Do I pray specifically, fervently, and faithfully for revival in my life, my church, our nation and the world?

So, how would our lives be different if we were to take this assessment seriously once a month, and actually followed up on any convictions that arise? How would our church look different? How much more confidence would we have in living bold, missional lives for the sake of the Gospel?

"But God, being rich in mercy..."

2010-11-09T11:42:00.000-05:00

Grace: Getting something we do not deserve.

We as Christians love to think and speak about the grace of God. We love to meditate on it and be reminded of it often. We enjoy singing about it and ask for it in almost every prayer. God's grace is amazing. It is central to the message of the Gospel. We do not deserve what Christ has done for us in making atonement for our sins. In fact, Paul reminds us that "in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) He loved us first. What he did was totally and completely unmerited. It's not as if God looked down and, seeing the heart-felt attempts of humanity to make their way back to him, sent Jesus after being motivated by compassion to offer us a sacrifice. No, humanity had utterly and completely rejected him. We chose our own pursuits. We worshiped ourselves. Christ's death is a thoroughly gracious act. We simply have done nothing to deserve it. I think we need to be reminded of that within our self-centered, entitlement-driven culture.

Mercy: Not getting something that we do deserve

There is another side of the coin, though, that I feel we neglect to ponder as much as the concept of grace. That is the mercy of God. Grace is a delightful thought, isn't it? I mean, we have been given the very thing we needed to meet our greatest need. We love to receive...especially when we have done nothing to earn it. But, what about God's mercy? Not as pleasant a thought, is it? What do we deserve? We have offended the holy God of the universe. We have rejected the life that the Creator has graciously given us, choosing instead to live for ourselves and for our own vain pursuits. What we deserve for violating the eternal God and his infinite law is infinite punishment. The punishment should fit the crime, right? And that is what we have done, and consequently deserve. Because God is holy and perfect, to set a standard any lower than that would result in God being an unrighteous judge.

Something that we need to do a better job of clarifying to a lost world is the fact that a holy God can let NO sin go unpunished. Every sin will be punished. We are only (graciously) forgiven because God's wrath upon our sin has been deflected, so to speak, onto an innocent Jesus on the cross for all who have placed their faith in Christ and repented of their sin (1 Corinthians 5:21). What a picture of mercy! Why do we not dwell on that more? Here are what I think would be some results of pondering more on what we deserve and what God has relented from on our behalf because of Christ...

1. We would gain a more healthy view of God. We should fear God; and, in order to do this, we must see him for who he really is. When we dwell on grace and not on mercy, God can become nothing more than a grace-giver who is there only to meet our needs. All we want to do is receive. From time to time we need to come face-to-face with this terrible God who pours out his wrath upon sin. We need to see him as holy and fully deserving of our honor and obedience, which has been made possible through the death of Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

2. We would grow in our hatred of our sin. We need to see clearly God's jealous hatred toward sin and strive to develop the same outlook, seeking to utterly massacre the sin that resides in our own heart that attempts to break our relationship with our Lord. We need to be confronted with the image of the cross, understanding that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and not just that "the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." I don't know about you, but when I viewed the Passion of the Christ, I became overwhelmed by God's mercy as I watched Jesus unjustly face what I rightly deserve because of my sin. When God allowed the backside of his glory to pass by Moses as he crouched in the cleft of the mountain, I doubt that he became overwhelmed by warm and fuzzies! I think he instead trembled at the awesome power and might of God, resulting in an overwhelming reminder of the mercy God had displayed in not just wiping him off the face of the planet because of his sin. We see this picture of overwhelming mercy every time a human comes into contact with God throughout Scripture.

3. We would develop deeper humility. A consistent reminder of what we deserve keeps us from developing self-centered attitudes and thoughts. A guy with whom I attended college used to challenge us to, whenever we became aware of selfishness or self-pity, to place our fist in front of our faces and by lifting each finger recite, "I should be in Hell." This has always made me think of God's great mercy, as well as put me back in my place in understanding exactly who I am in light of who God is.

4. We would develop an even greater passion for reaching the lost. In being reminded of God's mercy, we become fully aware of the reality of those whom the Bible calls "children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3). This helps us understand what David Platt says: "We do not have time to play games!" People who are not in Christ are under God's wrath. Christ is their only rescue. We should be driven by the desire to clearly communicate the story of a God who, being driven by mercy, graciously provided a way of salvation through the rescue mission of Jesus. No message is more important. The reality is that holy God will pour out his wrath on all sin. Either a lost person will experience that wrath for all of eternity in a place of punishment called Hell, or the believer can experience mercy, understanding that God' wrath has been instead poured out on Jesus on his behalf.

5. God's grace is magnified through the lens of His mercy. I am not advocating that we all should be more somber in life, less excited by God's grace. Believers should live in the ever-growing knowledge of God's grace! But, we only come to know just how amazing God's grace is through a growing knowledge of His mercy. A reminder of what God saved us from, knowing we fully deserve it, can only serve to fan the flames of passion within our hearts for loving and serving Him with our whole hearts. It is because of his mercy that we get to experience his incredible grace!

"But God, being rich in mercy...made us alive together with Christ...and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-7)

Hebrews 5 & 6 and the Necessity of Small Community

2010-11-05T21:35:00.000-04:00

As I continue to think through our current passage of Scripture from our study through Hebrews I can't help but attain even stronger convictions concerning the necessity of every believer to be a part of a small community in addition to a weekly large-group worship gathering. Again, the author's warning in this and other passages in Hebrews are to be taken seriously. They are to be met with a desire by every believer to strive in every way possible to take constant inventory of how the Gospel is being manifested in his/her life. After all, it is 'good works' that serve as a pointer to the reality of true salvation in the life of a believer. Good works do not and cannot save, but they are evidence of a life that has been transformed by the Gospel through the Holy Spirit. In other words, a saved life will be a changed life. There will be tangible evidence of true salvation.

Simply put, these warnings should motivate us to action. Our response should include a striving to rearrange our lives around the pursuit of growing in godliness. The more opportunities in my life to accomplish good works, the more assurance I could then derive from the manifestation of those works. The more accountability I place in my life, the more difficult it will be to ever fall away or grow in apathy. See how it works? In thinking about these things, I have been reminded of the incredible benefit of being a part of a Life Group here at Westwood. Actually, here are 5 reasons, based on our present study in Hebrews, as to why you should be an active and consistent participant in a Life Group...

1. A Life Group provides constant evaluation. Now, I realize that this is something that we are not naturally excited about! But, in light of the warnings in Hebrews, shouldn't we desire it? Please understand, I am not advocating a kind of program that breeds judgment. However, there is a certain level of evaluation, both self-imposed as well as group-imposed, that takes place when we seize the opportunity to be a part of a long-term, consistent, intimate and transparent community of believers. I understand that this word evaluation can be an intimidating word, and can very easily be misunderstood. Bear with me, though. It is further explained in the next two reasons.

2. A Life Group provides deeper accountability. Simply attending a weekly large-group worship gathering does not provide the type of accountability we need as believers. Participating in a Life Group helps me become the focus of a much smaller group of people, which in turn makes it more difficult for me to ever move to the fringe or fall away altogether. This takes humility. It is always hard to be exhorted by a brother or sister. But, it is worth it. I appreciate few things more than a brother that loves me enough to bring me some grace-filled rebuke when I need it. I also have been greatly blessed by a brother who received my hard words well. A smaller community will provide the level of accountability we all need as followers of Christ, while making it much more difficult to fall away.

3. A Life Group provides encouragement & affirmation. This is the positive side of the equation. One of the most wonderful ways we can gain assurance of our salvation in Christ is through the encouragement and affirmation spoken into our lives by others. Of course, this will happen more frequently as we do life together in smaller communities than if we are content to attend large-groups worship gatherings once a week. As my life is watched by the members of my Life Group, they are able to affirm me as the Holy Spirit uses me in my context for His glory. By the way, if you are currently involved in a Life Group, make sure that you are intentional about affirming the members of your group as you see them growing and serving!

4. A Life Group provides an incubator for growth. The preaching of the Word is powerful; and, here at Westwood, I am thankful for the high level of esteem that is placed on the preaching of the Word. However, discipleship growth demands more than just the hearing of the Word preached. Practical growth happens within the context of a group of believers seeking to apply the Word together to their everyday lives. Conversations spark growth through digging deeper into the Word together. As intimacy grows, members of Life Groups struggle together and invest in each others' lives, stimulating growth both individually and as a group.

5. A Life Group provides opportunity for produce. By produce I mean spiritual fruit, of course. Doing life with a small group of people affords me the opportunity to both serve each of the members of the group, as well as serve my community and world with the members of my group. If good works breeds assurance, I want to maximize opportunities in my life for good works to take place. In my Life Group, I have a handful of people that I watch closely, intentionally looking for ways to serve them and bear with them. Understanding the greater mission of God, I cleave with my group as we share the same mission that is completely foreign to the outside world. After all, I [should] have more in common with my small group of brothers and sisters in Christ than with anyone else. This is because of the redemption and mission we share in Christ.

Every Man Needs to Watch This

2010-11-03T14:36:00.004-04:00

I have made a commitment to watch this at the beginning of every week. I, too, want to be a part of a movement.

"I have finished the race..."

2010-11-03T09:40:00.005-04:00

The last several weeks at Westwood have been filled with rich content from the Word of God. Our journey through the end of the 5th chapter and beginning of the 6th chapter of Hebrews has afforded us all an opportunity to drink deeply. But it has also (hopefully) challenged us in seeking to properly interpret a very difficult and widely debated section of Scripture. In the end, though, I pray that we have all been called to take inventory of exactly where we stand in relation to a Holy God while understanding the serious warnings of neglecting the great salvation we have in Christ.

As I sat in my class at Southeastern on Monday listening to my professor walk us through the book of 2 Timothy, I couldn't help but recall the teaching we have heard from Hebrews 6. This was especially the case as we looked at chapter 4, as Paul wrote to Timothy these words in light of his impending death...

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." (4:6-8 ESV, emphasis mine)

Did you catch that? What is it that gives Paul comfort as his death is near? Certainly he, in seeking to encourage Timothy, could have reflected once again on his incredible, miraculous conversion experience on the road to Damascus. But, he doesn't do that, does he? He instead rejoices in finishing the race. He rejoices in the fact that he kept the faith until the end. It is because of this ("Henceforth") that he is confident of the crown of righteousness that he will receive from his Lord. This is not a unique crown to Paul, rather the same award that will be given to "all who have loved his appearing," or in other words, to all who finish their race.

Don't miss this...I believe that this message to Timothy serves as both an encouragement and an admonition! Despite the persecution and hardship that Timothy will endure, the reward that awaits him is greater. But, in the meantime, Timothy is to keep fighting the good fight. He is to strive to finish his race and continue in the faith. "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus," Paul says, "who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the Word..." (4:1-2b)

As he approaches the very end of his life, Paul is filled with assurance as to his salvation in Christ. He is confident of his reward. I believe that God wants all of his (true) children to be filled with the same assurance.

We all struggle with doubts. I see that as a part of our human nature. We are still clouded and struggle with this sin nature despite our redemption in Christ. I have had many people share these kinds of doubts with me in the past. I think we can do a great injustice to a person by simply urging someone in the midst of their doubts to simply return to the time and place that they "were saved" in order to be reassured. It seems as if both Paul and the writer of Hebrews would not endorse this type of council. Instead, we should be driven in times of doubt to take inventory of our lives presently. Are we fighting the good fight? Are we keeping the faith? Are we striving to finish?

If we are learning anything from our study through Hebrews it should be that our salvation is a serious business. Salvation brings transformation and transformation always will breed change. We still struggle with sin and the tendency to become lazy and spiritually numb. But, Scripture is clear that the true child of God will finish the race. Don't rely on a prayer once uttered or a feeling once experienced. Instead, take constant inventory and continually examine how the Gospel is changing you to be more like Christ. Take your spiritual temperature often in order to understand your desire to know Him more.

Paul does not encourage Timothy to somehow rest or find abiding comfort in the memory of a conversion experience. The Christian life, after all, is not about resting...it is about fighting. It is about preaching and working and loving and sacrificing. We are to do all of this with the expectant hope that when our work here is done we will then enter our rest! So, let's get to work! Let's finish our race! I have been convicted that laziness provides a sanctuary for doubt. Let us instead be filled with assurance as we run our race together with endurance with our eyes squarely focused on the author and perfecter of our faith until the day He decides that our work is done and our race is completed. And this will be the day of our death.

When does discipleship begin?

2010-06-30T22:12:00.005-04:00

I am loving every page of the book I am currently reading, called Breaking the Missional Code, by Ed Stetzer & David Putman. In fact, I love it so much that I would really like to spend some time reflecting on their thoughts on here, and even hearing some feedback (that's where you come in!). So, I hope that these next few posts will (1) urge you to buy this book and read it, (2) inspire you to think on the topics raised, and (3) cause us all to change our lives to be more missional!

Tonight I want to mention the author's thoughts on discipleship. Their views have really caused me to think (and even re-think) about the whole concept. Up until reading this book I have always thought of discipleship as a post-conversion process. After a person becomes a believer, they then begin the long journey of learning what that means, both mentally and in life-application, right? Well, according to Stetzer and Putman, they urge believers to begin to view conversion and even pre-conversion as a part of the discipleship process.

The book presents the concept of discipleship in a couple of ways. The first is a three step process (p. 123)...

0 - Regeneration or Conversion
1 - Growth
2 - Spiritual Reproduction

The authors suggest that "'Conversion to Christ' takes place most often among a community of committed believers" (p. 123). Because of this occurrence, believers are urged to shift from having a focus on evangelistic strategies to living a missional life. This has everything to do with being wholistically intentional. The authors further define the process in the following terms (p. 128):

Searching (commitment to being open to spiritual matters)
Believing (commitment to relationship with God through Jesus Christ)
Belonging (commitment to relationship with other believers)
Becoming (commitment to freedom in Christ)
Serving (commitment to ministry and mission)

According to Stetzer & Putman, these steps will not always occur in the same order. The are all experienced, however, in the midst of genuine Christian community. This community is different from church, as the authors state, "Church and Christian community must not be the same thing. Unbelievers can and should be invited into the community, but they cannot be part of the church. A church is a body of believers. A person becomes part of the church with the second and eternal conversion, the conversion to Christ."

This second conversion occurs after a first conversion the authors suggest to be the conversion to community (p. 124). This makes 2 commitments of every believer so very important. First, we must start with a deep commitment to bring those outside the church into experience with the Christian community. Second, each and every believer must strive to do his/her part to develop this kind of vibrant and authentic fellowship with brothers and sisters within the faith family.

After much thought, I really like this new (to me, anyway!) perspective on discipleship. I like it primarily because it is wholistic and calls believers to be intentional to the whole process. I agree that we do need to shift our focus from evangelism strategy to missional living. What do you think?

New Favorite Song

2010-06-10T22:53:00.006-04:00

I just love this song and wanted to share it. This is a live version from in a radio station morning show, but I always prefer a live acoustic version to the album offering! His voice, the lyrics, and just the sound of this song are incredible. So, enjoy!

Question to ponder...

2010-06-07T13:40:00.002-04:00

Could your life be better defined as marginally religious or intentionally missional?

Focus on how your life answers that question this week!

Radical - David Platt

2010-05-26T10:22:00.001-04:00

#1: Every believer should see this video.

#2: Every believer should read the book.

RADICAL from David Platt on Vimeo.

Reflections of Resurrection Day

2010-04-04T20:43:00.004-04:00

The Resurrection is everything.

It is the greatest validation in history of Jesus' identity as God and Savior.

It is the power in our living, preaching and faith.

It is the hope on which our faith rests.

In the words of Dr. Dell Tackett, "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?" This is a question that demands an answer from actions, not words. So the question must be...

Does your life point to the validity of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave? Does the way you live your life reveal the reality of the Resurrection? The truth is this: if we truly believe in the Resurrection, our lives will be lived boldly, in a fearless and relentless pursuit of obedience to the Great Commission. That pursuit will be the primary focus and drive of our lives.

We have been raised to new life, transformed by the power of the Gospel, and awakened to our true purpose in life. The Resurrection manifests itself in our lives through powerful, fearless living. As yet another Resurrection Day comes to a close, perhaps we would do well to spend the coming days soaking in the story of Acts. As we read about the effect of the Resurrection on those first Apostles, may we be inspired with the thought that the same God who so powerfully indwelt their message still empowers the Church today.

"...and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
- Jesus (Resurrected, Living & Victorious!)

Importance of Discernment

2010-03-29T10:55:00.003-04:00

"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8-9)

There are so many of these such messages being promoted and taught in our society today. Whether it is Oprah and one of her spiritual gurus, or even professing evangelicals preaching to the masses on television, we must heed the warning that Paul gives here to the churches of Galatia. Wolves do not always present themselves as wolves, though, which can make discernment difficult. There are those in our world that simply denounce Christ and reject him altogether. This makes their message very easy for us to reject. The problem is that many continue to marry their brand of religion with the message of the Bible. This is where we must heed the warning the most!

Some speak of a "new" revelation or way to look at the Scriptures while adding some extra-biblical spin. Others twist Scripture in order to make it fit with the philosophy they are attempting to promote. Others still simply change the gospel to suit their own message, mostly watering it down or removing anything that might be deemed offensive. Whatever the case, we are called to be wise as to the message that is being promoted!! We must keep several keys in mind in order to answer Paul's call...

1. We must know the Word of God. This means we must be students of the Word and diligently study it for ourselves. Just going to church and hearing preaching is NOT enough!

2. We must learn how to communicate with the Holy Spirit through prayer. We must shut off the outside noise in order to learn how to listen to the Spirit and understand how to discern. That is one of his functions in our lives! He will always either validate a teaching or sound off like an alarm when something is false or heretical. But, we must spend time fine-tuning our sensetivity to his speaking and leading. This, too, demands a continual commitment.

3. We must pay close attention to what we hear. This includes at your own church and from your own spiritual leaders! I never want my students on a Wednesday night to simply take me at my word! I want them to measure what I say by the Word of God. We must always do this. We never measure the Word of God by something else that we hear/read!! That is a very dangerous way to develop our doctrinal beliefs.

4. We must be humble in our interactions with fellow believers. Every one of us needs brothers and sisters with whom we can discuss such topics. Remember, iron sharpens iron. If we have questions about something, AFTER MUCH PRAYER, we need to discuss our questions with other [strong] believers. If they denounce something that you are considering, perhaps it is the Spirit within them helping you to use proper discernment! So often, tough, our reaction is to become angry and defensive...why?? Praise God that he speaks through brothers and sisters to help us discern matters of truth and error!

5. Always attempt to learn more about the messages that are prevalent in society...BUT always from a biblical worldview! We must learn to see/hear/experience everything in this world through the lens of Scripture. It is good for believers to learn more about worldviews and teachings that conflict with God's Word. Our motive, though, is to be equipped to help those who hold to those beliefs see the error and consider the truth of Scripture. It is NOT about winning arguments! So, learn about false religions. Even read from other "holy books". But, make sure that you are growing in your understanding in God's Word and in your relationship with God through prayer.

Pray that God would allow you to use wisdom and discernment as you continue to encounter the world around you. But, always remember that in Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3). Any searching for those in the world will only end in despair and frustration. There is only one gospel...only one that can save. That is the gospel revealed through God's final revelation: Jesus.

Gripped by Fear

2010-02-22T11:17:00.003-05:00

As I left my house on Saturday night to run a short errand, my eyes became fixed on Sirius, one of the biggest stars in our small neck of the universe. I recalled a talk by Louie Giglio that I had seen recently wherein he used the size of the stars to point to the enormity of God. My thought, as I gazed at the star, was that the same God who holds that massive star in place, and even spoke it into existence, is the same God that holds my life together and in place.

I have been convicted lately that much of my life is gripped with fear. I spend too much time playing the "what if" game. I have actually felt afraid to even consider the incredible ways that God could use me for his glory because I know that this is best accomplished in many cases in the midst of suffering and hardship! In transparency I have to admit that I'm not so sure that I am willing to walk that road. I want to be willing, though. I want to declare with Paul that i want to know Jesus "and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death!" Perhaps God may never call me to walk through serious suffering, but I want to be willing nonetheless.

I have also been convicted that the biggest idol in my life is found in the people that I love the most...my family. My fear surrounds the possibility of anything ever happening to them. Now, I know that every man loves his wife and children and feels a certain sense of protection in regard to them. However, if I am ever unwilling to follow God because I am afraid of what could happen to my family, then I have placed my family in a position they should not occupy.

Now, I understand that when God gives a call, he also provides the grace needed to follow that call in obedience. But, I also know that whether he calls us into a potentially scary situation or not, we should be willing.

It all comes down to this...do I trust God? Most of us would say yes, but what do we say with our actions and thoughts? Like Dr. Del Tackett from Focus on the Family asks: "Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?" Dr. Tackett contends that the answer to that question is not found in words, but actions. I want to live in such a way that every move I make is based on complete dependency on God and complete trust in him, taking him at his Word.

Through all of this thinking and praying, I have come to this conclusion...My life is lived far more in comfort than it is in dependency in a God that is big enough to trust with everything. I want that to change.

Will you pray for me? Will you join me in breaking out of the mundane American lifestyle and living as if we are free? The church needs revival. May it start with me. People need to hear the truth of the Gospel. May they hear it from me!

It's time for change.

Some Sobering News about Teen Pregnancy/Abortion

2010-01-28T14:10:00.003-05:00

According to this article from the USA Today, it appears that we experienced a very large increase in teen pregnancy and abortion last year. In recent years, the percentage of teens who became pregnant has been around 3%. However, last year saw 7% of teens becoming pregnant. Now, that might seem like a small number, but it is not! Nor is the increase. That is a BIG jump! So, what should our response be? We can discuss that, but the incredible rise demands that we address it. At the very least we have to be willing to get over our awkwardness and be willing to start talking about it. The article is linked below...

http://ow.ly/10FF6

Elijah is 6-weeks-old!!

2009-11-06T13:13:00.000-05:00

It's so hard to believe, but Elijah turned 6-weeks-old this week! God has blessed us so much with our beautiful children, and it is difficult even still to believe that we have 2 youngens! But God has been so good to us. Both of our kids are beautiful and healthy, and we thank him for his tremendous grace and the calling he has placed on our lives to be parents.

Yet Another Blown Opportunity

2009-11-04T12:51:00.004-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted much...hopefully I will get it going again!

This, as usual, just saddened my heart once again when I saw it today. Here is yet another opportunity to present the Gospel, another opportunity to promote the kingdom that cannot be shaken...LOST. Instead, the message is the potential within and the victory that "GOD" has in store as the reason why people are still alive. No mention of Jesus. No mention of the Gospel. No mention of the need of redemption by all people. Just sad.

Here is the video of Joel Osteen on Fox and Friends this morning (with who knows how many people in the viewing audience...)

Some Great Videos

2009-08-18T10:27:00.003-04:00

Ever heard of Johnny and Chachi? Well, they are two guys who make hilarious videos for ministry use. I'll post two for you to watch. The first was a Men's Fraternity favorite this past year. It's a marriage enrichment video for men called, "The Don't Song." It's their classic, I'm sure.

Anyway, the second is the video that I thought about this week as we have begun a closer look at prayer and Jesus' teaching about prayer at Westwood. It is their incredible prayer advice. I hope you will get a great kick out of them!

Embracing Accusation

2009-07-14T14:22:00.004-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. It has been a whirwind summer. I was reminded of this song today and just had to share it. Most of you have probably heard it by now, but perhaps someone will see this and hear it for the first time. I am a HUGE Shane and Shane fan, but regardless of that, I believe this to be one of the most powerful songs ever written. I had the amazing opportunity to hear this at a convention before it was even released on CD. I remember the feeling of awe that came upon me as the song ended...and it really had nothing to do with Shane and Shane, even though there are few that can voice a song like they can! It had everything to do with who God is, and what He has done through Christ; that I have been made the righteousness of God through Him!

So, I hope you will take a few minutes and listen to it. I have listed two videos. The first is Shane Bernard explaining how he came to write the song, which is powerful in itself. Then the second is of the song, with the words so you can clearly receive the message.

If you are seeing this from facebook, you can watch the videos on my blog. Just click HERE.

Prayer for Hungary Team

2009-06-20T19:07:00.003-04:00

Please be in prayer for our student ministry Hungary mission team as we travel and minister over the next 12 days. The members of the team are...

Jason Engle

Jerry Clayton

Marjorie Clayton

Catherine Wilson

Caitlin Rauscher

Hannah Reynolds

Sarah-Marie Rosin

Charity Sharpe

Please pray especially for Hannah tonight and tomorrow as there is a chance she will not be able to join us on the trip. We will be asking for special favor from the airline tomorrow at the airport because of the circumstance.

We will be leading English language camps for 5 days in Szarvas, which is the town in which Zsolti leaves and ministers. I (Jason) will hve the opportunity to preach both at Zsolti's house church in Szarvas, as well as in the church he pastors in Condros on Sunday, the 28th. Like last time, there is a good chance that the Szarvas service will be televised and broadcasted to the whole city. Please pray that people will watch and that the gospel would be presented clearly.

As with the Raleigh trip last week, I will be providing updates about our trip, complete with pictures, as much as possible. So, please keep checking back. I will be adding this entry to my personal blog, as well, so if you want to see the updates keep checking back at http://www.westwoodmomentum.blogspot.com/.

Driscoll on Idolatry

2009-06-09T10:42:00.004-04:00

At the Advance 09 conference in Durham this past weekend, Mark Driscoll presented one of the best talks that I've heard in some time. I know that it was the most complete portrait of idolatry I have ever heard, at least. He spoke to a packed auditorium of ministers, so he especially defined different forms of idolatry that can be found within the setting of ministry. The conviction that swept through the room by the Holy Spirit was obvious. I thought then, even as I listened, that I wish that every believer could hear his words. Well, here is a link to the entire message. Keep in mind that the message is given with specially consideration for ministers; however, everyone will benefit from its content. I urge you to take a small chunk of your day and listen to it sometime soon.

Link: http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/MediaPlayer/3968/Audio/

May we be humbled by convction, and may that humility lead to repentance.

John Wall to Kentucky

2009-05-20T12:52:00.003-04:00

This...

Best recruiting class in history? I think maybe. Now let's see if they can gel together as a team. I think they will. Whatever the case, Calipari has officially brought the fun back to bluegrass basketball! Go Cats!!

It's a boy!

2009-04-21T13:50:00.003-04:00

We found out the big news this morning! I really thought I would have like 8 girls and never have a boy. I am really excited, though...now just have to come up with a name! We were all set with a couple girls' names that we like, but we still haven't settled on a boy name yet. It will come, though. So, please begin praying for both momma and baby boy!

Some Recent Emma Videos

2009-04-14T19:05:00.002-04:00

Here are some recent videos we have taken of Emma. She is so fun to watch grown and learn! She is so smart, and has such an incredible memory...but then again, I'm sure every parent says that! Anyway, here is one of her reciting some of the story of Daniel that her Mommy taught her a couple of days ago...

In case you need an interpretation, The King said, "Daniel, did your God save you?" And Daniel replied, "Not even a scratch!"

Here are some of Emma singing her favorite songs...

I will hopefully have some more really soon. There are a couple of things that we really want to video, so we will get to it very shortly!

IMB Commissioning Service

2009-03-22T17:21:00.002-04:00

I had the amazing opportunity last week to attend my first International Mission Board commissioning service. Some very dear friends of ours from Westwood are preparing to serve an unreached people group in central asia beginning later this year. They were commissioned, and as an extra surprised, a good friend of ours from college was commissioned as well. Ironically, she will be serving just 2 hours away from our friends at Westwood!

Anyway, the service was overwhelming to me, to say the least. It was incredible just to once again see how active God is in calling ordinary vessels to fulfill the commission He gave us to go and make disciples of all nations. A couple aspects of the service stuck out the most...

1. A vast majority of those who were commissioned, as they shared brief testimonies of their calling, spoke of being called to career missions while in a foreign land on a short-term mission trip. This should make all of us take note of the importance of every believer serving in that capacity in some way. Not only is it important for the people that will be served, but also in our walk with the Lord. It is simply amazing how God communicates new things to us when we step out of our comfort zone and in faith to serve Him in that way.

2. The music was awesome. As we sang about missions and seeing the nations evangelized, the words had a reality that they had never had before for me. I just had to glance at the crowd of those who are about to go to see the vessels that God would use in that very task. That was pretty neat for me.

3. I left more passionate about missions. God has been developing that within me for some time, and this service only served to enhance that. I am more excited than ever about the vision that God has given me, along with our student ministry for the upcoming summer.

4. The service served as a great reminder (once again) that there is so much more to this life. We can get so narrow minded on the here and now that we so easliy lose sight of the grander and larger story of God. I felt smaller during the service, which is a good thing and something that I need to experience more often. For a few moments my life was put in perspective. That perspective is that my life has been given to me so that I may offer it back to God as a living sacrifice so that He would be brought much glory, and that others might be drawn to Him as I live as a witness to His truth. Thank you Lord for this much needed reminder.

Please join me in praying for the 89 people that were commissioned last Wednesday night in Greenville, SC. Many of them are going into the most dangerous parts of the world for Christians to live presently. Many of them take small children, and even children who are yet to be born! Among them are our good friends Andrew and Shelia, along with their daughter Olivia (or OE to Emma, who is her best friend on the planet), and baby boy Hudson. Also included in that number is our good college friend Shanna. To them: we love you guys dearly, and you will be in our most fervent prayers as you make this transition and offer your lives so that the Great Commission might be fulfilled to the ends of the earth.

The insanity of pro athletes' salaries

2009-03-05T15:07:00.004-05:00

Have you ever thought about just how ridiculous are the amounts of money that professional athletes make each year? What's more ridiculous is probably the fact that so many of them end up broke after their hiatus in their various league within 5 - 10 years after their career comes to an end. But anyway, I'm not having a fit of jealousy or bitter by this, but it does make me think about the fact that no matter how gifted, no one is really worth that kind of money. I understand the insane revenue that athletes help to attain, but, come on.

Anyway, I saw a link to this on espn's site today and just had to shake my head to understand that Manny Ramirez makes the equivalent of my YEARLY salary in one quarter (.24) of one game! Even more remarkable, he makes my YEARLY salary in less than even one at bat (.88)!!! Unbelievable. In other words, I would have to work 625 years in order to make just one year's worth of Manny's annual salary.

You can actually follow this link http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/salary/index?athleteId=3951623 if you would like to plug in your own salary to see how it compares.

I can't even begin to imagine what I would do with that amount of money. But, even in seeing this little 'exercise,' I still wouldn't trade what he has in wealth for what I have in Jesus! I'll just keep storing my treasure up in heaven! As we have learned from Solomon in Ecclesiastes in recent days, Manny can keep his wealth...along with all of the trouble it brings!

Snow Day!

2009-03-02T14:42:00.004-05:00

We had about 6 inches of snow that fell last night here in Roxboro. I really can't remember the last time we've seen a good snow like this. We have had 2 or 3 inches here and there, but it's been a while since one like this. Not too much and not too little that you can't build a snow man. And, speaking of snowmen, Emma would like to show you her "toeman" as she calls it. She's so proud of it...but, by the end of the video, well, you'll see!

Holiness and Anger

2009-02-20T22:47:00.003-05:00

One of the most difficult feelings to express by a Christian is anger. How in the world can we be really mad at something, and at the same time express that anger in a way that is not sinful? I have to admit that this is something that is very hard to do for me. I have blown it so many times. To be honest, it is really hard to put a good answer into words. I mean, we can say how one is to do this all day long, but when that situation arises, those words just aren't going to hold up too well. So, might I suggest a visual illustration? I was really impressed by this clip of John Piper responding to the words of President Obama a few days after the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. In this clip, which is from a sermon at his church, Piper speaks truth directly into the situation in his resonse, but is somehow able to also express love and grace in the same context. I hope you will enjoy listening to his words as much as I have...

12-year-old's Extrordinary Speech

2009-02-10T14:57:00.005-05:00

I received an email containing a link to this video today and was just blown away by it. This young, 12-year-old girl decided to make this speech despiter her teachers' strong opposition to the topic. I am amazed at her poise and ability to clearly defend her position. I think she has already on display so much potential to be a world-changer as she grows and matures. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The link to the full blog post is here: http://bound4life.com/blog/2009/02/06/y-o-p-p

Pro-Life Superbowl Ad Pulled

2009-01-31T14:50:00.003-05:00

I had heard about this, but actually saw this ad today. I just wanted to put it here so I could point others to it. I think it is a VERY powerful statement pertaining to some of the flimsy arguments that abortion proponents use in their stance. I hope that they find another way to show it, in another venue.

Abortion 'Wisdom' From Nancy Pelosi

2009-01-27T14:34:00.003-05:00

As I have stated before, it is really hard to be shocked by something that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says. As disturbed as I am by her most recent statement about how pouring money into various "family planning" organizations will mean less babies, which will then benefit the economy, I find myself thinking that at least she says what she is thinking. I mean, so many people try to mask what they are really thinking. But anyway, really!? I mean, that is how these pro-abortionists are going to begin to justify abortion-on-demand legislation? A statement like this is just flat-out scary!

Instead of blaming this economic crisis on the number of children being born and promoting some sort of population controlled solution to the crisis, perhaps it's about time that Washington begins to look in the mirror! The way I see it, seeking to replace the culture of corruption with one of morality might be a good place to start. This is nothing short of a horrible attempt at emotional manipulation. Pelosi is simply pressing on the depression that has resulted from our current economic status to shed a positive light on the fact that our tax money is now providing funds for legalized baby murders. Call it what you will, Madam Speaker, and color it any shade you desire, but abortion is the most heinous form of murder that victimizes the most innocent of all life. If forced to choose between a thriving economy and a baby's right to life, I vote for the latter every single time, no matter how much financial unrest it might bring me and my family. The problem is, the two choices have little to do with one another. The same governmental funds that have been going to provide welfare programs for parents will now be going to pay for the termination of pregnancies.

It was a sad day, when on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade court decision President Obama lifted that ban. I guess we better prepare to hear more asinine quotes like this one over the next several years. Below is a link to the full story about Pelosi's comments.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=398956

More backward thinking...

2009-01-22T12:05:00.004-05:00

So, let me get this straight...the guy who has been nominated to be our next Treasury Secretary (who will be OVER the IRS) has previously owed more than $34,000 in back taxes to the IRS? Am I the only one who thinks that this is absolutely ludicrous!? Isn't that tax evasion? Will not part of his job, assuming he is confirmed, be prosecuting those who do the same thing in the future? I mean, in our current status of reaping what all sorts of corruption has sown, is this really the right guy for the job? I would think that if this guy with that kind of blemish in his past is nominated for such a position, the idea is laughed out of the room. I just don't get that. But, then again, there are a lot of things in the world that I will never understand.

MEEKS

2009-01-14T11:49:00.005-05:00

Just in case you missed it...Jodie Meeks went OFF last night against Tennessee...AT Tennessee. I think the fact that this occured at Tennessee takes his performance from great to extraordinary.

Jodie broke a couple of incredible records. The first was for most three pointers in a game (10), previously held by Tony Delk (9). He also broke one of the greatest records in all of NCAA basketball in jumping Dan Issel (53) for most points scored in a single game (54). This has got to be in the top 3 for all-time performances in the history of the SEC by an individual player. They said during the game last night that he scored the most points by any SEC player since Chris Jackson scored 55 points in a game in 1989 for LSU. That is incredible. It is going to be a fun to watch Meeks during the duration of the SEC schedule this year. Coaches are going to have their hands full, as a double team on Meeks opens the door for players like Patterson to really succeed. I do not envy them in their preparation!

In the meantime, congrats to Jodie, and GO CATS! Here are the highlights from Sportscenter, in case you missed it...

Favorite Christmas Song This Year

2008-12-22T11:39:00.005-05:00

I am not a huge fan of Christmas music. I mean, I like it, but I'm not one of those people who can listen to it in the middle of July. I like to listen to it for about 3-4 weeks, and then I'm ready to put it away until next year. Anyway, there always seems to be one song that just really stands out to me every year. It's the one song that I will want to listen to even when January comes along and the tree is put back up. This year the song is "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Casting Crowns. We had the opportunity to see them just a little over a week ago and see them sing this song live. It was probably the best Christmas concert I have ever been to, as not only Casting Crowns, but also Natalie Grant, Avalon and Denver and the Mile High Orchestra were performing. I wanted to post a YouTube of them singing the song live so everyone can hear it. If you haven't yet, perhaps it is one that will bring you as much joy as it has brought me this Christmas season. Mark Hall has an incredible gift of being able to refurbish old Christmas songs and really bring new emphasis to their already powerful messages. This song is definitely a great example of that. So, hope you enjoy.

A very sobering article

2008-12-08T10:33:00.003-05:00

I want to apologize for not writing in so long. This is always the first thing to get pushed back when life gets full, which it is! I did, however, want to post a link to an article that I read this past weekend. It is very interesting, to say the least. It is not surprising, though, as it really is not very hard to see that this is the logical conclusion within the problematic framework of moral relativism. We need to take these findings, let them sting us in a powerful way and let them change the way we have begun to think and act. If not, these consequences will only be the tip of the iceburg as we pass this new way of thinking on to the next generation. Just follow the link below.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=341232

Gianna Jessen on Hannity and Colmes

2008-10-01T12:11:00.003-04:00

WOW! I would love to meet this woman. May God RICHLY bless her ministry and mission. On a side note, I am still hoping that at some point in this life that Alan Colmes will say SOMETHING that will make me something other than sick.

Thank you Gianna for allowing God to use you in a mighty way. What a beautiful picture of God's providence and control.

Obama's 10 reasons for voting agains the born alive infants protection act

2008-09-23T10:02:00.003-04:00

I found this to be extremely interesting...and disturbing. The nurse who started the conversation about this topic has posted these reasons after doing the research. Take some time and read it. I think I find #9 to be the most disturbing. It reads,

"9. A ban to stop aborted babies from being shelved to die would be burdensome to mothers."

We certainly wouldn't want that, would we? (I hope that you sense the sarcasm in that question) Anyway, here is the link to the whole post by Jill Stanek.

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=45553

Some Thoughts on Modesty

2008-09-09T09:36:00.005-04:00

When it comes to issues of modesty, I used to give most girls the benefit of the doubt (emphasis on most, never all). I used to remind myself that girls just don't see things as guys see them and simply chalk it up to girls just being naive. Girls are just trying to look cute, and when that can only be accomplished by following the current fashion trends, I guess that can kind of be understandable. I even recall having a conversation with my wife just after we were married in which I was able to greatly enlighten her on this issue. She had questions and, as a guy, I had answers. She had no idea of the effect that certain things that most girls think innocent have on the male mind. This seemed to solidify and justify my approach. However, my mind is changing very quickly in that regard.

This year's summer camp, I guess, is the straw that broke the camel's back. We went to Mission Camp at Liberty University this past July. I've been to a lot of camps in my day, but I never remember being more ashamed of a bunch of teenage girls who profess to be Christian in all that time. Now, before I get in too deep here, I want to commend the girls in our group first. Even though there were a couple of outfits worn that disappointed me a little, overall I was very proud of them. So, I realize that I am on some shaky ground in pointing to girls of other groups, but I felt like it needed to be discussed. But, even though I was mostly proud of our girls, I have been disappointed before, so this is a message for them, as well.

Most girls are no longer naive, and I'm not sure when that transition happened. After this experience at camp, I now fully believe that most girls understand more about the male brain than ever before. The major problem with this is that instead of this knowledge bringing wisdom and caution to females, most of them have learned how to manipulate it. Girls, overall, not only know how to be sexy, but they strive to be just that. Cute is no longer the outcome they seek. They know how to dress sexy, wear their hair sexy, walk sexy, talk sexy and offer themselves as sexy. What is most disturbing to me is this: in an age where beauty has been greatly compromised, teenage girls have decided that they would be glad to be the object of lust and desire. They have not just settled for this, they seek after it. This saddens me deeply.

One of the greatest ways that I am able to support this new theory of mine is not by watching the reaction of teenage guys to these girls. That would be hard to do, seeing is how teenage guys are going to be teenage guys no matter what the girls wear! No, this became clear to me as I watched the many construction workers that were on Liberty's campus who were working on various upgrades to the campus. These were mostly men in their 30's - 50's. It turned my stomach to watch as these girls flaunted themselves across campus to certain "spiritual" events as construction and work ceased as they passed. I watched as grown men ogled 15, 16, and 17 year old girls as if they were grown women, which, to tell you the truth, was hard to distinguish in most cases! I hope that if you are a parent of a daughter that you got that, and I hope with all of my heart that someone will let the parents of those girls know that they were being preyed upon by grown men because of their demeanor and dress.

As I have thought more about this, my heart has also been broken for those men. Here most of them have no relationship with Christ and they have been assigned, at least for this week, to work on a Christian campus. What a wonderful opportunity for them to be exposed to the Gospel and people who have been transformed by it. Instead, they received the message that Christianity is no different than living where they are at...in the world. Instead of being used by Christ to advance His Kingdom through a testimony of transformation and grace, the evil one was able to instead use them to tighten the blindfold over their eyes.

My message to parents through this is the same I wish I could give to those girls' youth pastor: these girls don't need another friend who is willing to let them do whatever they want in order that we might stay in their good graces. They need a parent, they need a Pastor and they need leadership and authority. They need someone who loves them enough to tell them the truth, even if it costs 'friendship' or acceptance. They need someone to point them to the Truth.

OK, enough of my rant. I have been wanting to post on this topic since we returned from camp, but just haven't done it yet. A friend sent me a link to a post by Michael Hyatt, who is the President and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers today on the same topic. So, thank you Richard for spurring me on to finally post this. I am including the link so that you can read his entry as well. It is short, but very good. It also includes his "Four Rules of Modesty" that he taught his girls as they grew up. It wouldn't be a bad idea to adopt those rules for our students. I know they will be taught to my daughter.

Included in his post is a wonderful quote by Jordin Sparks, or American Idol fame, who I am finding out more and more is a faithful Christian girl, despite the fame she has attained. She is the girl at the top left. Also, if you want a great positive influence for your daughter, you should really check out Barlowgirl. They are pictured in the top left. They are a girl rock band whose music contains incredible lyrics for Christian Teenage girls. As they tour, they carry with them a message of modesty, abstinence, and the importance of finding your identity in Christ. And as you can see, they are anything but square and out of touch.

Here is the link to Hyatt's post:

http://www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/09/whatever-happen.html

I also want to include a couple of videos from Barlow Girl. Check them out, if you'd like. It would be a great way to spend time with your daughter and then have some conversation about the lyrics.

This is called "Mirror". I wish I could have found a better video, but this is the best YouTube had! :)

This is probably their most famous song, "Never Alone". I love their message of the sufficiency of Christ that seems to come out in most of their lyrics!

And finally, one more. This one is called "Porcelain Heart". A lot of girls need to hear this one.

There's plenty more that I would love to post, but all you have to do is search for Barlowgirl on YouTube or GodTube. I urge you to do that.

Hope you have a great week!

A word on Sarah Palin

2008-09-02T15:22:00.003-04:00

I am sure that many were dissapointed to hear about Sarah Palin's 17-year-old daughter's pregnancy yesterday. I know that I was. However, after thinking a little bit about her statement on the issue, I have come to realize that Sarah Palin has already made two very clear positive messages about the issue of abortion...and neither of them were necessarily in a direct way. One of those came before this situation with her daugher, the other in the midst of this situation. Here they are:

(1) The one that has already been spelled out is the fact that her 4-month-old son has Down's Syndrome. You and I may not make a big deal out of that, but in a world where many folks are opting for abortion just because the child they carry has some sort of handicap, this is a wonderful message. I'm sure that you have heard that Sarah's statement upon the arrival of her little boy was "He is perfect." People who are pro-choice are really struggling with that.

(2) Number two is found in a very subtle way in her recent statemtent about her daughter. I am not sure of the direct quote, but Sarah says something along the lines of, "[her daughter] and the man that she will marry will soon understand the difficulties of being a parent and having a small child..." Found in this statement is something that is completely lost in today's message to young people who are all-too-often practicing loose promiscuety: consequences. I am sure that Sarah and her family have struggled with this situation, as many other (even believers) parents have. However, instead of just simply finding a way to make things as comfortable as possible for her daughter, it sounds like Sarah Palin loves her daugher enough to allow her to feel the consequences of her actions. This is an astounding message as schools are beginning to provide free childcare for teenage mothers and legislators try to make it easier for those teenagers who are pregnant to get an abortion. As I have said before, a child should never be a consequence, but even more importantly, a child should never have to pay to the consequence of his/her parent(s).

So, even in the midst of this major trial in her life, Sarah Palin has already said volumes about her stance on abortion and life. I applaud these things, along with the fact that she is teaching her daughter through her crisis, instead of attempting to make for her an easy way out.

Kentucky beats the Ville!

2008-09-01T15:23:00.003-04:00

You gotta love it when a big man runs a long touchdown. You tend to love it even more when that big man plays for your team! This is Myron Pryor, who had a HUGE game against Louisville yesterday. He is going to be wreaking havoc on teams all year long, and I can't wait!

Kentucky's defense won the game today. No doubt about it. This was one of two touchdowns by the defense on the day. The only offensive touchdown came after the defense forced a turnover and the offense took over inside the 10! So, needless to say the offense has some work to do.

In the meantime, I love that the fall is once again upon us and football is in the air!

Did anyone else just notice...

2008-08-26T22:44:00.003-04:00

So I'm sitting here, even though I don't know why, awaiting Hillary's speach at the Democratic National Convention. Before she is introduced, they play a Hillary campaign video, errr, democratic - made introductory video for Hillary. Well, I hope I wasn't the only one to notice, that when Bill Clinton comes on the video to talk about Hillary, instead of a caption that read Former President Bill Clinton, President Clinton, or even Bill Clinton, the caption simply read, "Hillary's Husband." Hahaha!! Classic! I'll be laughing about that for days!! Simply perfect.

Further proof of Liberal Elitism

2008-08-26T13:49:00.004-04:00

Once again, our wonderful Speaker of the House has taken it upon her shoulders to speak for a group that doesn't wish for her representation...in the least. This time it is the Catholic Church as a whole, of which she designates herself as an "ardent, practicing" member. When asked to help Senator Obama with his less than poor answer to Pastor Rick Warren's question on when life begins, Pelosi instead decides to let the world know how we have all simply misconstrued the church's stance on the subject. After studying this issue "for a long time," she procedes to then align the Catholic Church, and its views, with her own left-wing agenda. Her answers here simply blow my mind. Although it has become very hard for her to shock me with anything she says, or advocates, I have to admit I am a little stunned at her boldness. I am linking the article below, so that you can read it for yourself. I would have to think that in this political season, this is quite a way to attempt to sure up the Catholic vote for the upcoming election!

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=228556

Edit: I found the actual video clip of this interview on YouTube, so I decided to post it. It's only a little over 3 minutes long and worth watching.

His strength made perfect in weakness...

2008-08-13T21:24:00.003-04:00

...as seen in the life and ministry of Steven Curtis Chapman. This is a song that is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Even as it was first written, it is an incredible declaration of perspective that we so desperately need to hear...and often. However, after the death of his adopted daughter earlier this year, which brought the addition of a new verse (which you will hear in this first video), makes the message of this song so much more personally relevant and incredible. So, listen to the message of this song, which is called "Yours," and is the title track from Chapman's newest project.

I also wanted to post this other video of this song, which apparently was made by a church to be used for a missions summit event. It is just a beautiful display of pictures of the nations. It is the cd version, which does not include the new verse; but, still well worth the time to watch.

Barack & Abortion

2008-08-12T10:23:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine sent me a link to this article today. I have read similar accounts, but this one really seems to showcase the great links that Obama will go to in order to uphold the practice, and even unrestricted practice, of abortion. This is simply amazing. Please be advised as we head into this political season: there is nothing bi-partisan about Barack Obama. He is further left than anyone I have ever heard of...even the man he is pictured with above (which is quite a feat, I might add). Pat Buchanan writes this piece from a Catholic perspective, but the points he makes holds true and should be an eye-opener for anyone of faith. Just click on the link below to read the article.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=27992

Getting Away From What Really Matters

2008-08-01T15:28:00.003-04:00

After reading an article earlier this week about how Rick Warren is perhaps getting away from the heart of Scripture and the Gospel with his upcoming interfaith summit, I read this article today about how Brian McLaren is doing much the same. Of course, It has not been hard to see where McLaren stands on issues like these for quite a while. I just want to post this because I agree with the president of The Berean Call in his allegations. I also post it in a form of further warning about buying into the so-called "Emergent movement." Just click the link below to read the article for yourself.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=197306

Pray for Canada

2008-08-01T15:02:00.004-04:00

Ever since hearing about the spiritual situation in Canada, and especially French speaking Canada, I have been greatly burdened. I have prayed since that time that God would somehow open up an opportunity for our student ministry to partner with someone who is already participating in ministry there. Well, I really believe that God may have just answered that prayer. Before I explain, permit me to share some of the statistics that I have come to know about Canada and its spirituality (or lack thereof).

While 13.7% of English Canada is evangelical, only 0.54% of French Canada is evangelical. Of the French Canadian people, in a survey done in 2001, a little over 83% claimed to be Catholic; but, even a very small percentage of them claimed to attend services regularly. According to “Outreach Canada,” there are more than 850 cities and identifiable communities in the province of Quebec that do not have a single evangelical church! I recall hearing at M-Fuge that there is something like 1 church for every 2 million people in Quebec! As I ponder these statistics, I am reminded of Romans 10:14, in which Paul asks the question, “But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?”

Well, God has opened a door for a small team of us to travel to Quebec in order that at least 40 some students will hear the good news this summer. A partnership between a church planter in Rawdon, Quebec, and our state convention began last summer. This church planter, Ron, has come to find out the the best way to attract students in order to share with them the love of Christ is to invite them to free sports camps. So, each summer (this is his second summer) he offers 3 weeks of such camps: one for soccer, one for basketball and one from baseball. This year, the team that was set to lead the baseball camp had to drop out. So, I was contacted by the same guys that were to lead our Honduras team earlier this summer (that was cancelled) and asked if I could put together a team to fill that void. Isn't it awesome how the Lord works!?

So, I and three other members of our church (Andrew Stover, Annie Hoxie and Sonya Hoxie) will be travelling to Rawdon, Quebec this Sunday night. Our mission for the trip is two-fold: First, we are going to fill that void for Ron by leading the baseball camp and sharing the Gospel with the students who are already signed up. Second, we are viewing this trip as a vision trip. We are praying that God would see fit for us to develop a partnership with Ron for years to come.

So, I would ask you to pray. First, pray for our team. This trip is very short notice and I pray that we have had enough time to prepare. We know the Holy Spirit will suffice in our weakness! Pray that God will begin to reap a harvest as many seeds have already been planted this summer and last. Second, please pray for vision. Pray that we would know very clearly if this is to extend into a lasting partnership for our students. Third, pray for Ron. Rawdon is fortunate to be in the great minority of of cities that has an evangelical presence. Pray that they would be open as Ron shares with them the greatest news ever proclaimed!

Check this guy out!

2008-07-25T20:10:00.002-04:00

It's been a long summer!! But in the midst of it, I stumbled upon this guy. He is a phenomenal musician. He also loves the Lord, which is evident in his music. He is a contestant on Nashville Star (and a finalist as of right now), which is a show that I never really got into. Anyway, you can check out more about him and his music and stint on Nashville Star at www.godtube.com/coffey. So, enjoy this song and perhaps I'll post some more of his stuff in the days ahead.

The "fairness" doctrine

2008-06-26T13:34:00.002-04:00

I have come to the conclusion that in all my life, I have never heard anything more rediculous than the fairness doctrine legislation that has now been adopted and endorsed by our so-called speaker of the house. Some new direction for America, huh? Pelosi is just doing a bang-up job and really putting the important legislation right there at the top.

By the way: if you do not know what the fairness doctrine is, just google it, I'm not going to waste space on this blog to explain it.

More on the "pregnancy pact"

2008-06-25T13:35:00.002-04:00

Click on the link below to read more about this so-called "pregnancy pact." This article provides great points of view that I wish were being made by members of the secular media. The article also sheds some more light on the girls' demeanors leading up to their pregnancies. The girls, who were all under the age of 16, by the way, all were reported to have been making frequent visits to the school clinic to take pregnancy tests. The article says that they seemed to be more upset when finding out they were not pregnant, than when the test was positive. Here is the article, in its entirety for you to read...

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=151600

My heart goes out to these girls, as they apparently came to the conclusion that this was the only avenue they could take in order to feel a kind of unconditional love for which they longed. However, my heart goes out all the more for the children that these girls are carrying. We need to pray for them...a lot.

The Desensitization of the Media

2008-06-24T11:45:00.002-04:00

This is running in Europe now, but I fear that all too soon this will be a reality in the US as well. This is especially true as states like California and Massachusettes seek to sway the voters' minds on upcoming votes on marriage. The more this lifestyle is set before the eyes of viewers, the more natural and OK it will seem. This is going to be an interesting time between now and vote time in November. This is just the beginning.

"My faith isn't the only way"

2008-06-23T14:34:00.000-04:00

This is a pretty dissapointing article that I came across today. I couldn't believe the numbers at first, but then kind of came to the conclusion that over all (religious America), I really wasn't that surprised. If this doesn't spur us to seek sound doctrine and teach the basics of our faith with the next generation, perhaps nothing will.

The best quote of the article comes from D. Michael Lindsay, which states that, "...America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep...There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences."

Click the link to read the rest of the article, which includes new survey numbers that are pretty alarming.

http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=150084

The "pregnancy pact"

2008-06-20T16:41:00.003-04:00

I found and read this article today and simply have no words. Just read it. Something has to be done to wake these young girls up. Passing out contraceptives is not the answer. I think that even the most liberal people have to begin to see the logic in this conclusion. I really would like to comment, and probably will at some time in the near future, but right now, all this makes me is sad.

http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1815845,00.html

The next Mia Hamm?

2008-05-28T16:43:00.003-04:00

I have NEVER liked the sport of soccer. I have never enjoyed watching it, playing it...anything to do with it, really. I have always thought that this would never change. However, I have recently come to think that I could learn to like it. Watch this video and you'll see why. :)

Like the blonde hair, I have no idea where she gets this. I have always had little to no skills at all when it comes to soccer, or any kind of sport in which I must rely on my feet. She took to kicking the ball right away, though.

Also, I am proud to say that Emma's first real word, other than "num num" may very well be the first word of her ol' dad! Just several days ago, she began to say the word "ball." This has taken my pride in her to whole new level!

Spring Renewal

2008-05-27T13:25:00.003-04:00

*I can't believe it's been a month since I posted. With so much going on I have not been a very good blogger lately.*

This past Sunday evening and Memorial Day Monday our student ministry had its first annual Spring Renewal weekend retreat. Even though this year's event is on a much smaller scale than I hope it will aspire to in coming years, I have been very excited about its coming. Our theme this year was "All other ground is sinking sand." Throughout the weekend we had 5 sessions, all covering various false religions. My prayer for the students was that they would be strengthened in their faith by coming to a deeper understanding as to why Jesus is the only solid rock on which we can stand, and also that they would gain confidence in conversing with others who claim beliefs in other false forms of faith. In so doing, we took a deeper look at Islam, Mormonism, Hinduism, Jehovah's Witness & The New Age Movement. We will continue this study this summer during our Student Worship times by looking at others, as well, such as Judaism, Buddhism, Scientology, Christian Science, Humanism, etc...

Besides the lessons, themselves, I wanted to share a little about an object lesson in which the students participated that went very well. Upon initially considering this theme for the retreat, I had the idea of having a scavenger hunt in order to drive home a point. So, after lunch on Monday, we had a photo scavenger hunt. Basically, each team (we had 5 teams) had a list of 9 poem riddles. Each of the riddles described a well-known place in Roxboro. Thanks to my Mom, who is the best poet I know, the riddles were very well written and very hard to figure out. Here is a sample (see if you can guess it without scrolling down for the answer!):

An elderly man
a tiny dog.
Both draw a crowd,
both keep a log.
Sometimes spicy,
sometimes mild,
small surprises
for each child.

Did you guess it? It's the new KFC/Taco Bell that has recently been completed here in Roxboro. The elderly man being Col. Sanders and the small dog being the chiuaua ("Yo quero taco bell!") So, that gives you an idea. All of the groups got this one right, by the way.

Anyway, what the students did not realize was that I had this thing rigged from the beginning. I had given specific orders to each group's leader (who knew the answers, by the way) to act in a certain way. I asked two of them to, without blatantly providing the answers, to guide them to the right place. They could do this by both shedding light on the important clues and also by guiding them back to the truth if they were beginning to wrongly discern any of the clues. I asked two other leaders to purposely deceive their group. They were to do all that they could do to make the group choose a wrong location for each one, without just providing a wrong answer. Then, for the last group, their leader was instructed to provide no help, whatsoever.

As with any object lesson, I was nervous that the outcome would help to prove the point. Well, this one worked perfectly. The two groups with the truthful leaders chose correctly 9/9 and 7/9 times. The groups with the deceptive leaders chose correctly only 2/9 times a piece. Then, the group with the indifferent leader chose correctly only 3/9 times.

The point I made to the group is this: life can be kind of like a scavenger hunt. Everyone is taking in all the clues that are coming from all different directions, be that parents, friends, the Bible, the Koran, Oprah, etc... . They are then trying to pick and choose which of these clues provides the best insight into the great mysteries and questions that are inherent in life. Since we as Christians have the truth, we should be intentional to share that truth with as many people as we can, in order to point them to that truth. Let's look at the numbers....

The leaders who pointed their groups to the truth had a high success rate in discerning the meanings of the riddles. This is a picture of those who have Christian friends who love them enough to take the time to point them to Jesus. Now, that doesn't mean that 100% or even 90% of those people will make the right choices, or even become Christians; but, it does mean that at least we have pointed them to the truth and clearly shown them the right answers. This alone would indicate that they would be much more likely to succeed.

The deceivers are just that in life. These are all of the false teachers and prophets out there who Satan is using to blind people from the truth. The neat thing about these groups is that upon returning to the church, they were so excited, believing without a shadow of a doubt that they had found all the correct answers. This just proved to me the idea that although people might be sincere, a lot of people are sincerely wrong, as was the case with these groups. These leaders did a marvelous job, by the way. Some of the places that they ended up at were not even close to answering the clues in the riddles! One group ended up at Peebles Department Store, when the answer was our Youth For Christ center. Another ended up at Food Lion when the answer was Palace Pointe (a hang-out place with a movie theatre, arcade, bowling alley and skating rink). Oh, how easy it is for people to be deceived! How will these people ever consider the truth, if they haven't ever heard it? We must be intentional about sharing with everyone!!

Then, and perhaps the saddest illustration of all, is the indifferent leader. This leader is the Christian who has perhaps grown up in church and knows the truth, but chooses to not share that truth with others. Instead, this person has chosen to simply blend in and not stand out for the faith. When left to fend for themselves, they only chose one more correctly than those who were being deceived.

So, the simply truth to this lesson: be intentional about sharing the Truth. People are listening and we need to make sure that God's Word is at least heard, and the truth presented as clearly as possible. We had a great time and I can't wait to begin planning for next April's Spring Renewal!

Operation Inasmuch & New Emma Video

2008-04-25T11:04:00.003-04:00

Our church participated in a state-wide servant evangelism event called Operation Inasmuch on Saturday (4/19). Our student ministry decided to participate by having a goodie blitz on the community just behind the church and offering them a free car wash for later in the day. Upon passing out free goodies, we also asked folks if we could pray for them and any specific needs they may have had. The day was incredible, to say the least.

I was so encouraged as I saw the excitement in the eyes of the students as they shared stories of interactions they had with people. They spoke of the amazement in their eyes as they learned that someone was giving them FREE goodies, and not asking for anything in return. They shared of the people's responses upon being asked if they could be prayed for.

All in all, I was struck with the sheer hoplessness that is found in people who have no relation with Jesus. Our group had a couple of people begin to cry when we asked if we could pray for them. One lady responded to one of our group's request to pray by saying, "Sure, you can pray, but praying doesn't help."

We must be more passionate and intentional about sharing the hope of the Gospel with these people who live less than 200 feet away from our church! We must show them through the love of Christ that prayer does make a difference and that hope can only be found in the transforming power of Jesus.

As I thought on these things yesterday a song came on the radio that really provided an exclamation point to my thoughts. I searched for it on the radio and found out that it is called "The Twenty-First Time," by Monk and Neagle. I actually found a video of them performing it live, which I have posted below. May it challenge you as it has me.

Also, here is a new Emma video. Hope you enjoy it as well.

Things that make you go hmmm...

2008-04-13T09:55:00.004-04:00

Well, just a day after I wrote about the lyrics being changed in the song Shout to the Lord that had been sung by the contestants on American Idol on Tuesday night, they up and sing the song again on Wednesday night. But, the strange thing is, they left the word Jesus in this time. That seems extremely strange to me. First of all, i guarantee that Idol's initial plans did not include the singing of the same song two nights in a row. They have just never done that before. Even if they had planned something like that, I strongly guarantee that it would not be of a very worshipful, Christian song. So, something to ponder, I guess. Furthermore, why would they include the lyric, Jesus, when they so obviously went to lengths to leave it out just the night before?

I had mentioned on the previous post that if I were Darlene Zchech, I would not have been happy with such a compromise. This makes me wonder if she was not, as well, and requested that the song be sung with the original lyrics. I guess we'll never know, but this turn of events has been very interesting to me, to say the least.

Shout To The Lord, on Idol...

2008-04-09T22:24:00.002-04:00

So, I am watching American Idol tonight. This is the week of Idol Gives Back, wherein so much money has been given in order to aid those who are suffering around the world. All of a sudden, I can't believe my ears as they announce the the show will be closed with the contestants singing Shout To The Lord! I could barely believe my ears. It almost expected to hear a different song that I was expecting, but the music began, and, sure enough, it is the song by Darlene Zchech. As I began to wonder how the world this song was allowed to be sung on such a large, secular stage, there it was...the compromise. The Idols sang, "My Shepherd, My Savior, Lord there is none like you..." Did you catch it? The name of Jesus had been stripped from the lyrics. As I began to wonder who in the world, then, had given the promise that is central to the song (that ends the lyrics of the chorus), 2 things hit me as a stark reminder. First, there is power in the name of Jesus! I think Satan was not happy with this song being sung, but he was extremely satisfied that the name of Jesus had been traded for a generic "shepherd." Second, the name of Jesus is offensive. It was ok to sing about the Lord, or the shepherd, but if the name of Jesus had been uttered, there would have been so many viewers offended and turnded away, or so thought those in charge of the broadcast.

Oh well, I just thought I would mention it. I wonder what Darlene Zchech thought about it. I think she's pretty solid, but if she knew of the compromise, I'm not so sure I would have been willing to make the same. What do you think?

New Emma Video

2008-04-08T15:02:00.000-04:00

Here is a great new Emma video for you! Enjoy!

The Theology of Oprah

2008-04-01T14:29:00.009-04:00

I am convinced (Praise the Lord!) that many Christians are beginning to see through some of the false claims to be a "Christian" by some who are in the limelight. However, I am certain that many are still deceived by claims of those such as Barrack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, who are no such thing. I read an article today that included a couple of quotes by Senator Obama that he spoke just recently on a campaign stop in Greensboro, NC. He basically makes the assertion that a belief in Jesus as Lord is not necessary for salvation. Now, for those of you who may still believe Obama to be a follower of Christ, does that add up?

You can read the short article for yourself at http://www.onenewsnow.com/Election2008/Default.aspx?id=73553

The person who concerns me more than Obama, though, in leading countless people astray when it comes to the truths of God's Word, is Oprah. I have heard her denounce the exclusivity of Jesus as Lord alone on several occasions. I have watched her not only accept but promote "The Answer," which seeks to teach people how to somehow aid in the aligning of the universe so that good things will occur in their life. I have heard her endorse book after book in her book club that promote lifestyles and substance that stand in direct contradiction to the Word of God. I have witnessed her, time and time again, seek to mesh all religions into the same pot, promoting a sort of universalist outlook when it comes to salvation.

It worries me that despite this behavior that has been so prevalent on her show for years, that for the simple fact that she is so charitable and giving, so many are still tricked into believing that she must be a Christian. It makes me just want to scream, WAKE UP!! She does not do those things in the name of Jesus. Even though she is helping a lot of people by giving temporal gifts, she is greatly aiding in leading them into destruction when it comes to the eternal scope of things. She is NOT a Christian. Nor is Obama.

1 John commands us to "...test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." Too many Christians allow people like Oprah to have too much sway in the way they live their lives. That is dangerous, especially for a believer.

The latest? Well, I have been hearing rumblings of this new religion that Oprah has been promoting. I received an article about it today which explains it very clearly. I thought that I would pass it along. The religion, which is really more of a New Age movement, is called A Course in Miracles. She is apparently promoting it on her radio program and also offering a year-long course. Please read more about it by clicking the link below.

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/007/smith-oprah.htm

DO NOT BE DECEIVED! Cling to the Word and meditate on its Words. Size everything you hear up by its standards alone, and never the other way around.

Edit: This is pretty crazy, but just as I hit publish to post this blog, I get an email that pointed me to some youtube videos of this new spiritual class that Oprah is conducting. It would be well worth your time to spend some time watching these videos.

Here is the first. It is about 8 min long, and you should pay close attention especially to the last 2 1/2 minutes, or so. Wow.

Here is one more, which covers a little of the same stuff, but also offers some more of this particlar episode. I just can't help but pray for this "Kelly" who has been a part of this show. I pray that someone will sit down with her and take the time to share with her the Truth.

One of my favorite things

2008-03-18T14:57:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite times is when I dry Emma's hair after Momma has washed it in the bath. I use to HATE this activity, as it would just cause Emma to scream her head off, making it a huge ordeal. However, she has come to enjoy this and now we have a lot of fun with it. As you know already, Emma's hair is just ridiculous. It is wild and, just a lot of fun. Well, it is never more fun than when I dry it. Since I love to see this so much, I told Erin to video it so I could share it. So, here it is. Enjoy.

Spiritual Disciplines

2008-03-11T15:14:00.003-04:00

Our church just began a study on Spiritual Disciplines that will take place in our adult Bible Study classes over the span of 12 weeks. So, as I had the opportunity to preach 2 Sundays ago (on the first Sunday of this study), I decided to put forth a challenge as to why people should make a priority to be here for the study, as well as why they should strive to implement the practice of these spiritual disciplines in their lifestyles. You can listen to that sermon HERE, if you would like. Simply click on the link for the sermon for March 2nd. Anyway, I laid out 10 areas of our spiritual lives in which the practice of spiritual disciplines is vital in order for growth to take place. Spiritual disciplines are essential in the areas of...

1. ...pursuing holiness

2. ...yielding eternal benefits

3. ...experiencing the abiding presence of Christ

4. ...achieving sustained growth

5. ...developing confidence in our walk with Christ

6. ...gaining clarity in our call

7. ...developing a strong defense

8. ...having a maximum effectiveness

9. ...enhancing our worship and adoration

10. ...seeking true obedience to God

In speaking with someone about the message during the following week, I was reminded of a commercial that I have begun to see on TV, which causes me to just shake my head in disbelief. It is a commercial for some new and improved weight loss system. Several times in the 30-second, or so spot, the ad claims that one can "eat as much as you want and still lose weight!" I realized that with just about every commercial having to do with weight loss, the idea, or the hook, so to speak, is to make the viewer believe that they can lose weight without having to make any, or as few as possible, lifestyle changes. The problem is, common sense should tell anyone that losing weight will only happen as a result of change and of discipline, which are two things that most people are just simply not interested in at all. Hence, the hook's effectiveness.

As I was reminded of this, I began to realize that we have bought into this hook spiritually. I am convinced that a majority of Christians are under the delusion that they will grow spiritually while still being able to belly up to the world's buffet and "eat as much as they want and still become holy!" However, just as much as that is a lie with losing weight, it is even more so with the process of sanctification. The fact is, changes must be made. I have said so many times that if we are not changing, we are not becoming more like Jesus. Not only do changes must be made, we must cultivate discipline in our lives and lifestyles. But sadly, as it is with physical fitness and nutrition, most people are just not interested in those things.

God has called us to be set apart, and to undergo this journey of sanctification. "For He has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in holiness" (1 Thess. 4:7) And this process of sanctification involves us in an active pursuit of Him and His holiness. 1 John 3:3 tells us that everyone who has the hope that is spoken of in verse 2 then purifies himself because of that hope. The verb purifies is in a tense that portrays continuous action, which means it is a lifestyle verb, not an occasional practice, or a twice a week only while I'm at church practice. It also portrays us as being actively involved in the process. Now, of course, we cannot purify ourselves. Only God can transform us into the image of Christ. But, what we must do is pursue Him and make ourselves available for that transformation to take place. This will involve turning away from worldly practices and desires. As we become more and more disciplined, our hearts become more and more surrendered. And, as at the heart of the Greatest Commandment, He becomes more and more the center, or the essence, of who I am. Only then does He begin to naturally play out in my thoughts, actions and emotions. Only then am I able to be authentic to the poeple around me for the sake of the Kingdom.

Never buy in to the lie that sanctification is an easy process, that will just occur because you said a prayer once. Sanctification is a slow, life-long process, of which we will never fully complete while we are on this earth. It will only occur through change, and it will only occur through discipline and fervent practice. As with weight loss, there is no magic pill!

Faith and Appalachian State Football

2008-03-05T11:38:00.004-05:00

I found this on One News Now blog, in a post entitled "Cinderella a Christian?" Like Tony Dungy (of the Indianapolis Colts), God continues to place men of God in the athletic spotlight. I greatly appreciate men like Dungy and Coach Moore, who are embracing that call with humility, and using that platform to point to Jesus and His Glory!

A Letter from Barack Obama

2008-03-05T10:11:00.005-05:00

I was fishin' around on the net this morning and came across a link to this letter that was recently put out by Obama. Just thought some of you would like to read it. I think that it is very telling about what an Obama administration would look like. I believe that his would be, quite possibly, one that is more liberal than you or I could even imagine.

Equality is a Moral Imperative
By Alex Okrent - Feb 28th, 2008 at 11:53 am EST
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Senator Obama just released an open letter concerning LGBT equality in America, reaffirming his steadfast commitment to equal rights for ALL Americans.

I’m running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all – a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It’s wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.

Equality is a moral imperative. That’s why throughout my career, I have fought to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans. In Illinois, I co-sponsored a fully inclusive bill that prohibited discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, extending protection to the workplace, housing, and places of public accommodation. In the U.S. Senate, I have co-sponsored bills that would equalize tax treatment for same-sex couples and provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees. And as president, I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes anda fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay andlesbian couples — whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)– a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.

The next president must also address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When it comes to prevention,we do not have to choose between values and science. While abstinence education should bepart of any strategy, we also need to use common sense. We should have age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception. We should pass the JUSTICE Act to combat infection within our prison population. And we should lift the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. In addition, local governments can protect public health by distributing contraceptives.

We also need a president who’s willing to confront the stigma – too often tied to homophobia– that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. I confronted this stigma directly in a speech to evangelicals at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church, and will continue to speak out as president. That is where I stand on the major issues of the day. But having the right positions on the issues is only half the battle. The other half is to win broad support for those positions. And winning broad support will require stepping outside our comfort zone. If we want to repeal DOMA, repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and implement fully inclusive laws outlawing hate crimes and discriminationin the workplace, we need to bring the message of LGBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones – and that’s what I’ve done throughout my career. I brought this message of inclusiveness to all of America in my keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. I talked about the need to fight homophobia when I announced my candidacy for President, and I have been talking about LGBT equality to a number of groups during this campaign – from local LGBT activists to rural farmers to parishioners at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King once preached.

Just as important, I have been listening to what all Americans have to say. I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. But neither will I close my ears to the voices of those who still need to be convinced. That is the work we must do to move forward together. It is difficult. It is challenging. And it is necessary.
Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will provide that leadership. Together, we will achieve real equality for all Americans, gay and straight alike.

Barack Obama

All I can say is, at least the guy is willing to lay it out there, unlike some who would seek to hold these views close to the vest, having to deceive to receive votes. I'm not sure what will happen in November, but one thing is very clear to me. People of faith need to begin praying. This is a very important election, and, if nothing else, that is one way in which we definitely need to be involved.

edit: I wanted to include this link for you to read. It speaks of Obama citing the Sermon on the Mount to back up his view on homosexuality. He also suggested that this section of Scripture should be used in that regard before any "obscure text in Romans" should be. If you just said "huh?"...my sentiments exactly!

The God who gives and takes away

2008-02-28T21:39:00.002-05:00

Erin and I got in the car this morning with mixed emotions. At least that was the case for me. I was nervous, anxious and a little scared. As I turned the key to start the car, the radio turned on and I found myself listening to a familiar song...one of my favorites, actually. As the singer sang "Blessed Be Your Name," he was into the second verse, which I know by heart. "Blessed be Your name, when the road is marked with suffering, though there's pain in the offering, blessed by Your name." It was in that moment that I knew God was speaking to me. Somehow, though I couldn't be 100% sure, I seemed to know that Erin and I were about to hear some really tough news.

A week ago, Erin began to experience some things that caused us to worry about her pregnancy. After speaking with her doctor, she advised us to come in and let her have a look. We felt many of those same unneasy feelings on that day as we did this morning, to say the least. After looking at the ultrasound, the doctor explained that there were some things there that caused her some concern, but she was 'cautiously optimistic.' She shared with us that a real possiblity existed that a miscarraige could occur within the next week. However, there was also a chance that some other information could have been incorrect, which would result in the pregnancy being fine, and just a little behind schedule. So, we scheduled an apointment for a week later to reassess the situation. Needless to say, this has been a tough week, mentally.

So, here we were, headed back to Chapel Hill to see what had transpired during the week. As I listened to the rest of the song, my mixed emotions seemed to somehow turn to a silent confidence. God was reminding me that He is in control. He had not left me, nor would He ever. Whatever the news, Erin and I would be OK. I looked into the mirror and into the beautiful eyes of Emma and was reminded in that moment just how much God had given. Even if these gifts upon which I began to dwell were not a reality, He had already given so much through the grace that He poured out on me through the sacrifice of His only Son.

We soon found out, though, that on this day, the God who gives and takes away had done the latter. Upon looking at the ultrasound, evidence of a heartbeat and other vital signs were not found. That was a tough moment. Now, I know several people who have faced this experience, but for the first time I could truly be empathetic. As I found myself in that moment, the words of the song were still ringing in my head. I have sung that song a thousand times, yet I have never been challanged by the message of it like I was today. The challange was simple: would my actions live up to the truth of that song, or had I only been singing words?

I had now experienced, more than ever, God's giving and God's taking away. The question was whether I would now, despite my circumstances, still choose to say, "Blessed be Your Name!" The truth is, since God had given us this week to prepare for this possibility of tough news, I had already made up my mind. As I prayed with Erin in that clinical room, we thanked Him for His goodness. We thanked Him that we could trust Him. It is so good that, now matter what the situation, we can trust Him.

I have just been teaching the students in the past couple of weeks (as we have been working through the Old Testament together) about the significance of God being called the the "God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob". This served as a reminder that God is a God of faithfulness. Each time it was uttered, it reminded those who were hearing it of the faithfulness with which God had opperated as He continued to fulfill his covenant promise through His people. My reality was simply confirming what I had been preaching over the last days: it is good to know that He is faithful, especially in times of confusion and hurt. So, we thanked Him that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and that we can be assured of His faithfulness. You see, our blessing and praise of God can never be contingent on our circumstances. He is ALWAYS worthy of those things, and so much more. We must worship Him because of who He is, not where we are at.

As this day comes to a close, two questions have kept my attention. (1) How in the world can someone go through something like this without a relationship with the one, true God? and (2) How could anyone willingly and voluntarily choose to terminate a pregnancy for the purpose of convenience? One thing that I continued to pray as Erin and I petitioned God this past week was, "God, we want to have this child and raise it. We desire to know this child and see it grow up." I simply do not understand how someone could make the conscience desision to kill their unborn child. It truly is the greatest sadness to see the horribly detrimental effects that sin has had on God's wonderful creation.

So, it was a very tough morning. But, Erin and I are doing fine this evening. We have a peace that passes understanding, and a confidence in the future that God has for our family. We thank you for your continued prayers. It is a wonderful gift of encouragement that God has given His children through the Body, and we are thankful.

2008-02-23T11:53:00.002-05:00

With each new show that is introduced on TV these days, it seems that the industry has become nothing more than a competition to outdo one another's shamelessness. This is especially true when it comes to reality shows, it seems. Well, once again, we have a winner! Just several weeks ago, the ABC network introduced its new reality gameshow, The Moment of Truth. Participants of this show are basically asked yes or no questions and must answer those questions truthfully in order to win more and more money. The contestants have previously answered these questions while hooked up to a polygraph machine, in order to prove the truthfulness of their answers. No problem, right? Well, if nothing else, this television show is simply proving the major deterioration in morality that is taking place in our society. I have come to the conclusion that this show is nothing more than Jerry Springer turned gameshow. Each question, it seems, is a potential family wrecker, or marriage breaker.

Take for instance the previews for this next Monday's all new episode. It features a woman in the truth seat and the host bringing her ex-boyfriend out to ask the next question. His question is, "if you knew that i was willing for us to get back together, would you leave your husband in order to do so?" The wife responds, "in order to be truthful...yes." The camera then pans to the husband who can only bow his head into his hands. This scenario (the fact that it is the highlight chosen to be in the preview in order to hook viewers) begs the question, this is entertaining to us? Watching people's deepest secrets being exposed on national television as their family is torn apart in the name of making some easy cash has become the fun thing to do on a Monday night? All I can say is, wow.

This trash is despicable. But, I have found that I'm not sure which is worse: the fact that we watch this for entertainment or the fact that this only proves that we are nothing more than a society of liars. I mean, I'm sure that the producers of this show will never run short on finding an abundance of contestants with skeletons in their closet that can easily be exposed. I wonder how many of us (including and especially Christians) would squirm at the thought of being hooked to a polygraph as someone questions our integrity with our family and loved ones looking on? I mean, for how many of us would this scenario be a potential family wrecker, or marriage breaker? I am convinced that a vast majority of Americans have at least one secret, that if exposed, would bring major damage to his/her marriage or family relationships. How sad is that? The only answer I have, is it is shockingly just a little bit more sad than the fact that this show gets ratings for such dispicable content.

If you are a Christian, don't watch this program. All it is good for is feeding our sinful nature to want more and more of the gossip and slander that can ravage our relationship with God and our usefuless to Him. I would say also that for anyone who would enjoy watching such a spectacle says much about the status of the heart. This kind of thing should break our hearts for so many that are hurting because of these lies, rather than be a source of entertainment. God, help us as a nation.

Emma's BIG ANNOUNCEMENT & First Snow

2008-02-14T14:16:00.008-05:00

First, Emma's BIG ANNOUNCEMENT...she would like everyone to know that she will be a BIG SISTER! Erin is probably only 5-6 weeks along, but we had that new confirmed just this week and we are all so excited! I guess the phrase that sums it up for us is, "Here we go again!" Please be praying for Erin and for the baby's health during the coming months.

OK, now that that is out, we had an incredible time this morning watching Emma enjoy her first taste of snow. We really weren't expecting any, but we woke up to find a couple of inches on the ground and couldn't wait to get her out in it. I really thought that she would not be happy and feel stuck, but she really seemed to enjoy it. I think her favorite part, apart from walking around, was eating the snow that was on her glove! Anyway, there is a picture up top, and here is just a short 30-second video of her enjoying the morning.

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Your Worldview

2008-02-11T16:54:00.001-05:00

One of my classes in Seminary this semester is an Apologitics class. This week, one of my assignments included answering the following worldview questions from my point of view, and then from the average American's point of view: How do we find happiness? How do we find wholeness? What goals are really worth pursuing? What is life "for"?

I chose to include my answers on my blog this week in hopes that it would get anyone who reads it thinking as it did for me. I hope you will take the time to read my answers, and then, perhaps, you will answer them (all of them or one of them) for yourself. I would love to see the thoughts of others on these very important questions. I would urge all Christians to at least take some time and think through these questions, as they are some of the very questions that we will be asked by non-Christians. We need to have a ready answer for them. So, here goes...

My Worldview:

a) How do we find happiness?

As a Christian, I must first have a good understanding of happiness. First, I must realize that happiness is fleeting. This emotion is definitely not constant; it is not abiding, so to speak. As Christians, we are so often taught that joy is the emotion for which we should strive, because of these attributes of happiness. We must understand that the Christian life may not always be a ‘happy life,’ but we can always have the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit even in the deepest storms of life. We must not make happiness our chief pursuit. As much as I do concur with this, I do also hold to the idea that happiness is real and can be experienced by anyone, and especially a Christian.

In dealing with happiness, we must first recognize that “every good and perfect gift comes from above” (James 1:17), or in other words, all of the gifts in life that give happiness is a gift from God alone. It is in these gifts that we will find happiness. I, myself, seek to find happiness in the gift of my relationships with my family and friends. I seek to find happiness in the gift of my talents and abilities. I seek to find happiness in the leisure activities in which I love to participate. I seek to find happiness in laughter and enjoying life, in general. This happiness is greatly enhanced (along with joy) when I have the perspective that these are all gifts from my Heavenly Father. It is enhanced as my gratitude towards Him for these gifts grow as well.

b) How do we find wholeness?

Genesis tells me that I was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). I was created as a relational being to have a relationship with my Creator. If this is true, and I believe with my whole heart that it is, then the only way that I can ever find wholeness is to be in that relationship for which I was created. I can, therefore, only be whole in Jesus Christ. It is only through Him, and His work on the cross and in the Resurrection, that I can be restored to this relationship with God. So, I can only be made complete and whole when I discover my identity in the one who created me, through the reconciliation of Jesus.

c) What goals are really worthy of pursuing?

The only goals that are really worthy of pursuing are those that are abiding, or lasting. Hebrews 13:14 reminds me that “here we have no lasting city…” This means that any and all succeeded goals dealing with advancement in this world will not be abiding, as this world is not abiding. Therefore, the only goals worthy of pursuing are those that are eternal. As clear as God’s Word is in advancing the temporal nature of this world, it is just as clear about the eternal nature of the Kingdom of God. Hebrews 12:27-28 speaks of the inevitable “removal of things that can be shaken—that is, things that have been made (the world and all of creation)—in order that the things that cannot be shaken (God’s Kingdom) may remain.”

This is why the Bible is also clear that we should “lay up for [ourselves] treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in a steal” (Matt. 6:29). This encouragement is advancing the idea that any treasure that is stored here on earth, and for earthly accomplishments, is not abiding, and will one day fade away. On the contrary, however, any treasure stored in the Kingdom of God, or heaven, will indeed be abiding, or eternal. Therefore, any goal that qualifies as an eternal goal is one that is worthy of pouring all of my ability and strength into pursuing; for God’s purpose and for the advancement of His Kingdom.

d) What is life “for”?

Only my Creator is able to answer this question of why I have been created and have been given the gift of life. He has blessed us by giving us this answer in His Word; and, the answer is simply to bring Him glory. As I am restored to a relationship with God through Jesus, my task then becomes the mirroring of God’s glory to the nations. I am to grow in my relationship with the Lord, and at the same time, carry out this mirroring of God’s glory by loving with His love and showing His grace and mercy (only with the help of the Holy Spirit, of course); and, as I am going, I am to spread God’s glory by advancing the Gospel and making disciples. This is what my life is “for”.

The Average American's Worldview (in my opinion):

a) How do we find happiness?

It is important for us to understand that most Americans today view this idea of happiness as life’s chief pursuit. “Whatever will bring me happiness” is a popular answer to all questions of worldview today, and the areas in which this happiness is sought are numerous, to say the least. I believe the answer that most Americans would advance would be simply “wherever I must look.”

I would say that most Americans seek happiness, first and foremost, in success. Whether this is academic or career success, most Americans seem willing to let so many other aspects of their lives fall into waste in the pursuits of success. Americans also seem to look for happiness through financial gain, buying into the belief that money can indeed “buy happiness.” Americans also seem to attempt to find happiness through love, fulfillment and relationships. Most of the time, however, this self-centered approach only leads to disappointment and brokenness. Another area in which Americans seek happiness is in the accumulation of stuff. Billions of dollars are spent each year on toys of various types in order to achieve happiness.

So, the answer to this question is simply wherever Americans think that they can find it, because happiness will lead to fulfillment, and ultimately wholeness, or so they think.

b) How do we find wholeness?

The answer to this question for most Americans parallels very will with the answer to the previous one. I think most in our land would agree that happiness is definitely a prerequisite to being whole.
I think in answering this question, again there would be varying answers. I have heard experts advance the idea that wholeness can only be found through truly discovering yourself, whatever that means. Many people seek to do this through various activities, such as Yoga or meditation. Others seek this through attempting to achieve balance, using nutrition and exercise. I also am aware of people striving to do this by attempting to mold themselves into the image of what they wish they were; that by doing this, they would finally be made whole. Others attempt to do this by achieving some sort of enlightenment.

Many people do ultimately choose the path of spirituality, recognizing that there is some force that is bigger than themselves. But, this kind of pursuit without a relationship with the one true God only leaves them with a life-long search for what truth really is.

At the end of the day, I think this is an element of worldview that is one of the more confusing for the average American. This is definitely harder for them to answer than the question dealing with happiness.

c) What goals are really worthy of pursuing?

Again, this answer parallels very well with the answer to the happiness question. This is due to the fact that most people would answer this question in light of the fact that for them, happiness is life’s chief pursuit. Only goals that will bring them personal happiness are the ones that are worthy of pursuing. Many times, these goals include career and personal advancement. If these goals are met, the other goals in life will somehow fit into place and be met as well.

I truly believe that most Americans would answer this question with answers of family and morality. At the end of the day, however, most people’s actions simply do not back up that sentiment. Only the goals that will bring personal advancement are the ones that are pursued the hardest.

d) What is life “for”?

I would answer this question in light of what seems to be important in this life to the average American. These reasons seem to all revolve around the idea that we should all strive to be an outstanding humanitarian. We are here to somehow help our fellow man. This is attempted, especially recently, in various ways. I see people attempting to do this through trying to take care of the environment. I see this through trying to meet the needs of the poor and oppressed by partnering with various humanitarian charities and endeavors. We can see this, in one trivial way at least, through the wild popularity of reality shows, such as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that airs on the ABC Television Network. People truly feel an extreme urge to be a humanitarian. Because of this urge, along with the conscience that God has given us, Americans have come to the conclusion that this is what life is truly “for”—being the best person I can possibly be, and helping as many people that I can in order to make this world a better place to live.

So, what say you to these extremely important questions?

Happy Birthday Emma!

2008-01-28T14:54:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but Emma actually turned one-year-old on Friday (1/25)! This year has FLOWN by. It's hard to immagine, but I know that time will not slow down anytime soon, either. We have taken some time over the past couple of days to go back and look at pictures of this first year. As we look at some as recent as 6 months ago, it's hard for us to even remember her looking like that! She has changed so much over the months. We don't even remember her with dark hair, as she had for the first couple of months. I mean, it's even hard to remember her not being able to walk, and she's just been doing that for a little over two 2 months!

Anyway, we had a great time on Saturday when we had her first birthday party. It was so funny to watch her reaction to her very own birthday cake. Her eyes lit up and she got this huge, cheesy smile on her face as we gave it to her. Then she just prissyed (sp?) around it for the longest time and just pinched off small pieces of icing to eat. So, Dad stepped in. I took her hand and mashed it down into the cake. She took it from there!

Emma has been a huge blessing to both Erin and I. She is so beautiful and fills our lives with so much joy. Speaking of things we can't remember, you can add to that list life without Emma. Sure, our lives have changed in so many ways over the past year. The recent commercial is so true when it states that, "a baby changes everything." But, we would never want to know life without her again. We love her so much and can't wait to see what God has in store for our family and for her life, in particular.

So, happy birthday, Emma! Mommy and Daddy love you and are so proud of the little girl that you are becoming. We pray for many more wonderful years together, as we watch you grow. We pray that God would keep you safe and healthy as you continue to grow. Most of all, we pray that He would draw you to Himself and that you will place all of your trust in Him as Lord and Savior at an early age. We pray that God would give us wisdom as we raise you to love Him most of all. We pray that you would seek His path and stay on that path as He reveals it to you. Thank you Lord for such a beautiful gift and for such an amazing calling that you have given us to be Emma's parents.

"What good is it to gain the whole world..."

2008-01-24T10:23:00.000-05:00

Once again, a person that we would label a 'celebrity' has given us a perfect illustration of this verse, found in Matthew 16:26. "What will it profit a man," Jesus asks, "to gain the whole world and (at the same time) forfeit his soul?" Heath ledger has proven to be another epitome of the message of this verse.

From the outside looking in, most people would have traded lives with Ledger in a split second; without much thought at all. He was wildly wealthy and popular, thanks to a brilliant acting career on the big screen. With those two assets, there were very few things on earth that were out of his reach. To compensate his popularity, he was a great looking guy, which afforded him the ability to have just about any woman he could have wanted. He had the assurance of work, as he had become greatly sought after as a star in films, yet he could retire at any time and still have no need for want for the rest of his life. He had a beautiful young daughter. It's hard to believe that a person can accomplish so much in this life long before even midlife, but Ledger had done just that...and more.

Yet, despite all of the things he had, we can see in his death that which he had not attained: a reason for living. Ledger found no satisfaction in his money, his fame or his notoriety. I have heard reports of his great depression that ensued after his recent break-up with his celebrity girlfriend. Perhaps therein lies the problem. Ledger simply sought satisfaction in every place that couldn't produce it, and that is one of the great tragedies of this life for those who are without Christ.

Satisfaction can only be found in Him. This is why He himself asked this rhetorical question to His disciples here in Matthew. It's no mistake that this question comes just after a reminder is given that to choose life with Christ includes great sacrifice and will not always be an easy journey (v. 24). In fact, to choose this life is to buy in to a great paradox that seems more like an oxymoron to the system of the world. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (v. 25) So, in light of this great truth, Jesus asks the simple question, "what will it profit you to gain [then even] the whole world?"

The great truth that we can once again take from the tragic life of a celebrity who passed, it seems, far too early, is this: nothing in this world (and even everything in this world) can ever bring true satisfaction to our hearts. That satisfaction and abundant life can only be found in Jesus Christ. The most satisfied and fulfilled people I have ever met include people who have sacrificed everything (great worldly wealth) to go on mission with God and live in utter poverty in some foreign land. How in the world can this be? Because in order to find our lives we must first lose them. We must first die in order to live. We must find our identity only in Christ; not in our money, not in our fame, not in our relationships, and not in our careers and success found therein.

Tragically, we once again hear that message given clearly in the life and death of Heath Ledger. I pray that God would be with His family during this very difficult and confusing time, and that He would be greatly active in drawing them to Himself. I especially pray for his little girl, that God would somehow instill these truths of His Word in her heart. The greatest tragedy in all of this, at least as I see it, is that those truths did not find a home in her father's heart.

Saying goodbye to Papaw Engle

2008-01-22T11:28:00.000-05:00

As I stated at my Grandfather's (Orville Engle) funeral this past weekend, I wish I had known him as a friend, or as a coach, or as a teacher. From all I have heard, he was quite a guy. I was honored by my father when he asked me to share a eulogy and preach at his funeral. I found that when speaking of his life, I only could share my experiences with him as Papaw, because that's who he was, and still is, to me. But, as I have learned, especially over the past few days, he was so many things to so many people.

As people shared about their relationship with him, I kept hearing words like integrity and faithfulness. I shared with the congregation at the funeral that even though I have never read Tom Brokaw's book, "The Greatest Generation," I felt that my Papaw was the epitome of the person from which the spirit of that book was derived. He was an honor student and well liked and respected by his classmates. He was an incredible athlete - many say he was the greatest that ever came out of Pineville, KY. He was a Marine who sacrificed part of his youth fighting for our freedom in Iwo Jima during World War II. I really do wish that I could have known him during those times. I would love to be able to go back and watch him run one touchdown in one of his high school football games. But even though that is impossible to do, I feel blessed to have known him simply as my Papaw.

I have many great memories of him, my fondest of those taking place on the golf course right outside of Pineville that he would take me to when I was very young. I have a great love to play and watch golf now because of those times. I shared at the funeral that I have always enjoyed the walks around Pineville that we would take on almost every trip there with him, my father and my uncle. When I am there, I am filled with a sense of pride. I have learned that being an Engle in Pineville means something, greatly due to the life of my Papaw. We would almost always run into someone who would tell me how great of a man my Papaw was, of just how great all three of those men performed on the football field. I will be able to take my children to the high school there in town and show them the plaque that was recently placed outside the gymnasium, which has recently been named after Orville Engle.

All in all, I will miss both him and Mamaw (who passed away 5 years ago). I loved them both so much and was greatly blessed to have them as grandparents. Below is the slide show that I put together for viewing at the receiving of friends on this past Saturday night. It's a pretty good tribute to him, as it contains pictures of all of the aspects of his life that I mentioned earlier. Sorry that it has no sound, but sound was not an option for the setting in which it was shown.

A Simon Cowell Confession...

2008-01-16T09:34:00.000-05:00

I admit it...I'm an American Idol fan. I, along with millions of other Americans, watched the premier of this season's contest. Now, over the past several years, I have become far less of a fan of the shows that showcase the preliminary rounds. The rudeness to contestants (some of which you can tell have mental illnesses and simply don't deserve it) and the constant bleeping that takes place as this disgruntled contestant rails off on the judges in the post-audition interview have both contributed to me just longing for the actual contest to begin. However, after much anticipation of season 7 to arrive, I chose to go back and forth last night between Idol and watching the Wildcats blow another game on the Internet.

After one of the auditions, a girl who had simply blown the judges away could be heard celebrating her invitation to Hollywood outside the doors rather loudly. In fact, Ryan found himself at the bottom of the dog pile in which her family had resulted in the midst of the extreme celebration. It was during this celebration that Simon made an extremely shallow confession. This confession out of the mouth of just about anyone else would bring a sense of bewilderment; however, it came as no surprise to most when it came from the lips of Cowell.

Simon asked Paula and Randy what it is about Americans that we would celebrate the accomplishments or realized dreams of others. He went on to share that this was not the case in Britain. He could never fathom a time when he would be outwardly excited about the joy of another person...only when something amazing happened for himself. Randy and Paula didn't seem to have an answer for that one, as they just kind of gave him a look of "huh?"

This got me to thinking about what God's Word commands us to do in Scripture. "Rejoice with those who rejoice; Mourn with those who mourn" (Rom. 12:15). I suddenly realized that sometimes we can be just as cold as Simon Cowell in this regard. We can be just as selfish. We can be just as unwilling to participate in the last half of that command as Cowell seems to be, especially when someone is chosen before us or placed ahead of us in some regard.

How do we react when that person gets the promotion that we feel we deserved? For young people, what if that person is chosen for the ball team, or is given the solo, instead of us? Even when we are not in the running for the prize, we can begin to fall into the trap of "when is something like that going to happen to me?" when something great happens to a friend.

Make no mistake that this attitude is sin. It is sin that is rooted in selfishness. It is also sin that is rooted in distrust in God and His plan. Now, I tend to doubt that all people in England have that same attitude as Simon. I would hope that British citizens would label him as the last person on earth to speak on their behalf. But, what I do know, is that there is a world who is blinded to the Gospel, in part because of selfishness, and we can give them a picture of God's grace when we do all that we can to live this command out in our own lives. Be happy for the good things that happen to others, even if you are prone to deem it unfair or to ask "why not me?" Trust in God's plan for you and let's show the world together that we have placed our trust in something far greater than some mystical fate or karma. We have a Father who holds our lives in His hands, and He indeed has a plan for us to bring us a future and a hope!

Parents and their children's technology

2008-01-09T21:31:00.000-05:00

After taking last week off from blogging because of the holidays and travel, this week I am late because of getting back in the office and being in 'go mode'. So, sorry for that.

I wanted to, especially after Christmas has just passed and many tech gifts have been given to students, I wanted to issue a warning to parents that I once put in letter form at the first church in which I served. That warning is directly tied to those tech gifts that have just been given, as well as all the ones given through the years to teenagers. I am convinced that one of the biggest mistakes made by parents is simply giving the gift of technology without then monitoring that technology as it is put into use by the student.

I was spending some time with 4 of the best guys in my first ministry one day. I asked to look at one of their cell phones that they had just received as a birthday gift. It was cutting edge! I am just drawn to stuff like that and wanted to check it out. After playing with it for a few moments, I stumbled upon a place where he had saved some wallpapers. I couldn't believe what I found. It would be no exaggeration to label the images I looked at as pornographic. That's all I'll say, but nonetheless, I was shocked that these kinds of images could even be put on a cell phone! Needless to say, I received quite an education that day. After returning the phone and saying nothing, I asked to see the other guys' phones to compare them, or so they thought. I was saddened to see that 3 out of the 4 guys had extremely questionable content on their phones. Did I mention that these were 3 of what I would have called leaders in our youth group?

When we give the gift of technology to students, we open a whole new world of temptation to them. I have found that with technology, you don't need to go anywhere to find this temptation. It will come and find you. When we choose to then let them use that technology without our monitoring their use, we are providing safe harbors for that temptation to grow, ensnare and finally trap those students.

Now, I know what you are saying. "I want to show my son/daughter that I trust them and I don't want to break that trust and be a snooper." Well, let me remind you that for your students, getting a gift like that is not a right, it's a responsibility. We must then be willing to help them with that responsibility and hold them accountable for what they choose to do with those gifts.

I was flipping through the channels tonight and stumbled upon the show "Supernanny." I decided to watch it for a few minutes as I became interested in how she would handle the young teenage girls in the family who are extremely self-centered and shockingly disobedient and disrespectful. They found themselves in a situation wherein the 11-year-old daughter was a member of an internet social-networking site. She had lied about her age, and had befriended many guys on the site who were much older than she. The parents were shocked as they began to read the interaction she had been having with these guys that included explicit material. The most shocking part might have been that the parents had no idea. Up until that point, she had been able to use that computer, in the privacy of her own room, without any limitations. I found myself wondering if any of our students in our own ministry had their parents duped like she did.

My question to you is this...do you know what images are on your child's cell phones and what kind of conversations are taking place with their use? Do you know what's on your child's MySpace page or who he/she is befriending with its use? Do you know what kind of downloads are taking place on your child's computer and what kind of content is entering through his/her eyes? Do you know what's on your child's ipod that is entering through his/her ears? Do you know what is being watched on their tv's and dvd players when you are not around? I urge you to find out.

Take them or leave them, but here are a few suggestions you might want to consider...

1. Do not allow your child to have a computer in his/her bedroom. A computer should always be in full view of everyone to see. Without those opportunities that take place in secret and in the dark, temptation is greatly diminished and students are less apt to do that which they know is wrong.

2. Lock down your computer with a password that only you as parents know. This way, if you are out of the house, or have set limitations on computer use, your students will not be able to break those rules or have opportunities to be on there when you cannot monitor its use.

3. Practice having routine unannounced tech checks. Take a look at your child's cell phones, computers, ipods, etc... and see for yourself just what they are taking in.

4. Educate yourself according to the tech gifts you give. Know how to use the computer, cell phone, ipod, MySpace, etc... so that you will know how to check them. One of the biggest barriers between children and parents is simply ignorance. Many parents can go as far as checking their children's computer and not find any violations simply because they are clueless as to how to look.

5. Set extremely strict guidelines with extreme measures for when violations occur, and then CARRY THEM OUT WHEN VIOLATED EACH AND EVERY TIME. Jesus tells us in God's Word that if our eye causes us to stumble, pluck it out, and when our arm causes us to sin, to cut it off. He is telling us there to use extreme measures when dealing with temptation to sin. This tells me that if the computer becomes a portal for me to sin, I need to do away with the computer. If the shows on television cause me to stumble, I don't just set more strict rules, I do away with the television. Get the idea?

The idea behind these is to help our students become disciples of Christ and not do things which enable them to more easily sin. I hope that you will read this and see my urgency and not hear a bunch of condescending remarks. I pray that you will consider putting these ideas into practice as you move forward. If you would like to talk with me more about these issues, I would love to do so. In the meantime, know that I am praying for you often.

The Shepherds' Adoration

2007-12-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity last summer to visit Hungary on a mission trip with some of our recent graduates of our student ministry. We spent 7 days teaching English to a group of about 25-30 students ranging in age from 11 to 18. We taught about creation, the fall, the lingering detremental affects of sin and the Savior that came so that we might be reconciled to God. On the last day, we took the opportunity to present the Gospel and provide an invitation for the children to respond.

After taking the children who had responded out, discussing their response and hearing a couple of them pray to trust Jesus, I noticed some of our oldest students. None of them had come forward. The three that mostly caught my attention were named Yoji, Martin and Ishvan (at least that is the English phonics way of spelling the names!). All of these boys were 16-17 years of age, and the three with whom I had spent most of my time during those days.

I approached these guys in what would be the closing moments that we would likely ever spend with them and asked them why they had not responded. After getting little information in return, I simply asked if they thought that what I had shared that day (and the rest of the days) was true. I still received little in return, but I could tell that they really did believe it to be true. So I asked them what was standing in the way of them placing their trust in Jesus for salvation. I'll never forget the look of defeat on his face, as Ishvan seemed to speak up for the three. After speaking in his own language, our friend translated, "I have done too many bad things to be saved."

I have thought a lot about my Hungarian friends over the past days as I have once again read the account of the Shepherds in the Christmas story. As I have been reminded that the initial announcement of the Savior's birth and invitiation to come and worship Him was made to these nomadic individuals, I began to try to visualize these guys in my mind. What I see is not a pretty sight.

I imagine a group of rough men that probably could not recall the last time they had a good bath. They were each probably a real 'man's man' , in the real sense of the phrase. They had fought off the most vicious of beast in order to protect their flock. They had lived off the land and probably had little fear. While imagining the look of them was fairly easy, the one thing that I simply cannot imagine is the smell. I'm sure these guys had a stinch that I have never encountered. To put it simply, they were dirty. They were unlovely. They were gross. Yet, despite their appearance, their personality and even their smell, they were the ones to which the angel appeard that night. They were the ones to whom this incredible announcement and invitation was given.

You know, my sin is much like the dirt and grime that covered these men. My sin is an even worse stinch to the nostrils of God than these men would be to my own. Yet, despite my sin, God has extended the same invitation to me as the one the shepherds received that glorious night. Through that Baby, lying in a manger, I would be given access to come and worship at the feet of Jesus, despite the ugliness of my sinfulness.

God was making the extremely profound point that night that His invitation to come was for all people...no matter their look, no matter their smell, no matter their blemishes. God's grace extends that far...no shorter.

I don't know what kind of past Yoji, Martin and Ishvan have had. But, as I am reminded of the shepherds, I do know one thing for sure. They are not beyond the reach of God's grace. No one is. Perhaps as you read this, you are one that has rejected God's invitation to place your trust in Christ and be forgiven because you feel as if you have done 'too many bad things.' I pray that God would show you through the shepherd's story that His grace and mercy extends to the vilest offender. All you have to do is repent (turn from your sin and turn to follow Jesus as Lord) and place your personal trust in Jesus as your ONLY Savior.

For those of you who are believers, I hope that this story will enlighted you as it has me this season. Be reminded that we are so undeserving of our relationship with God. We have been given access to worship at the feet of Jesus despite our sinfulness. May the joy that brings change our lives like it did the lives of the shepherds, who left the manger so bursting with joy that they couldn't help but tell everyone with whom they came in contact about the Savior.

I left Hungary knowing that those three young men were still lost and helpless in their sin. They promised me that they would continue to talk about the things of God with the Pastor that we know there. I would ask you to pray for Yoji, Martin and Ishvan, that God would reveal Himself to them and draw them to Himself during this Christmas season.

May you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!

Parents: Teach your children GRACE this Christmas Season

2007-12-18T14:53:00.000-05:00

Now that Erin and I are parents, we do a lot of talking and planning about how we will go about certain things with Emma. Over the past several weeks, of course, we have been doing a lot of thinking about how we will approach Christmas with her. What kind of traditions do we want to have? How do we approach gift-giving? What do we do with Santa!? We have had some interesting conversations, to say the least, as we have been thinking out loud together. As I have been pondering on these ideas, some things have become abundantly clear to me. One recent thought I have had is what a wonderful opportunity that we neglect during the Christmas season to teach our children about grace. Let me explain.

As I drove home the other evening, the old song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” played on the radio. As I sang along, I began to think about something that is very interesting to me. One of the lessons that secular Christmas teaches our children is that Santa will bring presents to children who are nice, but not those who are naughty. “So you better be a nice little boy/girl,” we tell them, “or Santa won’t bring you any gifts!” As I sang along to the tune, I found myself realizing that I have never met a child who was on the naughty list. Everyone seems to be on the nice list. I thought about the ramifications of this traditional thought and came to this conclusion...

Basically, children come to the understanding that they can be a tyrant. They can throw temper tantrums, get their way at any cost, basically run their parents and their home, neglect obedience, and still yet, Santa will come. And why does he come and bring presents despite their year-long poor behavior? “Because I deserve it,” they come to think. It’s not very far along in their lives before they come to believe that they deserve it, even if it means their parents going deep into debt to get it for them. They deserve it. And they better get it, or else!

While there are still a lot of decisions yet to be made about how Erin and I will raise Emma, there is one tough decision we have already made. We will not make Santa a big deal. Now, we won’t seek to make Christmas totally void of Jolly Old Saint Nick, but he just won’t be a big deal in our home. She’ll have a stocking. Our family members will not be forbidden to ‘play Santa’ with her. However, Emma will be told early on that he is not real, but we can enjoy him as just a fun character during this season. I want you to understand why we have made this decision. You see, because of what I just discussed, in the minds of children, Santa becomes nothing more than a figure that exists for the sole purpose of pleasing me. Whether a child is naughty or nice, he brings presents because that child deserves them…and a lot of them.

This is exactly the attitude I want so desperately for Emma NOT to adopt. We hope for actually the opposite. We want to teach Emma that she is deserving of no gifts…none of us are. We do not give Emma gifts because she deserves them. We give her gifts because she is our beautiful little girl and we love her so much. We hope to cultivate within her a deep gratitude not for an abundance of presents, but for parents who love her and a God who has blessed her GREATLY, despite the fact that she’s undeserving.

The other day, I heard a man use an illustration on K-Love (our Christian music station). He told of a little girl who woke up on Christmas morning and ran as fast as she could to the living room of her house. Upon arriving there, and seeing all the presents under the tree, she exclaimed, “He came! He came! Even though I was naughty he came!” That’s exactly what Jesus did for us, shared the man. He came. He stepped out of the glory of heaven and came to this cruel earth to die in order that I might be reconciled to God...despite my sinfulness and disobedience... despite my rejection of Him. I definitely do NOT deserve that.

I want Emma to come to understand that humble realization early in life as well. If I have to go against the flow and the popular traditions of our society in order to give her that picture of grace, I will gladly do it. After all, when it comes to Emma, nothing is more important to me than doing all that I can to see her give her life to Jesus. Not being a cool parent. Not doing all I can to see that she approves of me or likes me. I’m coming to understand that’s what being a Dad is all about. I’m far from perfect, and will probably mess that up a lot. But, this one thing I can do, in order that my little girl come to understand what the grace of God is all about.

My challenge to you, as parents during this Christmas season, is that you would do all you can to point your children to God’s grace. Remind them that we are undeserving. Remind them of the blessings that God has already given us; especially through the little baby that He sent in order that we could be restored in a relationship with Him.

Merry Christmas!

Some new Emma stuff

2007-12-17T17:09:00.000-05:00

I decided to just share about Emma this week. Perhaps I'll get inspired and actually write something later in the week, but for now, just Emma.

As you know, she began walking a couple of weeks ago. Well, she's everywhere now! The only time she crawls is when she needs to get to something to pull up on in order to start walking again. She is so much fun to watch.

Along with the walking, she's begun a few more new's lately. First, she will (sometimes) wave at people when we tell her to. It's funny, because most of the time she waves with her hand facing her, so it looks like she is waving to herself. Second, she has begun giving kisses. She gives kisses to Mommy, Daddy, her baby doll, Garfield, basically anyone we tell her to give one to. That is Erin's favorite thing, so far. Third, she has begun to clap. It was like the light bulb went on one Sunday after church. We were showing off her walking skills to some friends and all of a sudden she clapped her hands together. She's been doing it ever since.

Well, that's what is going on with Emma. We are loving being parents and are enjoying our first Christmas season with our baby girl. I also wanted to show you these short videos. First is one of Emma walking around in our living room. The second is of Emma walking, then giving the camera a kiss. Hope you enjoy them!

Ever feel 'Caught in the Middle'?

2007-12-11T17:16:00.000-05:00

If you haven't yet listened to the new Casting Crowns CD, you should. Once again, this band has done such a good job of writing songs of substance. The spiritual journey, especially of Mark Hall, really shines through, as always, in the songs he writes. I wanted to share the lyrics of one song, in particular, which, I think, speaks so clearly to where most of us as Christians find ourselves most of the time. The song is called "Somewhere in the Middle," and it's lyrics are as follows:

Written by Mark Hall
© 2007 My Refuge Music/Club Zoo Music/SWECS Music (BMI) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing)

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me
Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You’re making me
Somewhere in the middle, You’ll find me
Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves
Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You’ll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Did you see yourself in those lyrics? I know I do...a lot. I find myself wanting so badly to realize the potential that I have in Christ. I want to discover His full Will for my life and live for that with reckless abandon! But, for me, at least most of the time, I find myself in between a want-to and the actual follow through, caught in the middle! So, why is that?

One line, especially, stands out to me as I listen to this song time and time again. It's the line in the chorus that says, simply, "...the god we want and the God who is..." What a powerful line. We so often trade the Almighty God of the universe for a lesser god, conjured up by our imagination. Where we are simply out of Scripture, conversation with God, or just out of touch altogether, we can lose focus of just who God really is. However, as we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we grow in our understanding of His character, as consistently He reveals Himself to us. This enables us to grow in our faith, and ultimately we are more confident in living in that faith.

One other line I want to point out is toward the end and says, "...somewhere between my faith and my plans". This line goes so well with the one in the chorus that says, "...will we trade our dreams for His..." God must be our top priority. He must be our life's focus. The abundant life that Jesus promises His children is only truly found in His plans and His dreams for our lives. Only then will we find ourselves doing what we were really created to be and do. But, so often, we are unwilling to part with our plans, or even simply make time for God to work through us on a daily basis. We must remember that God's dreams and plans for our lives are so much bigger than anything we can dream or plan. Just look at story after story in His Word.

So, how do we get out of 'the middle'? It must begin in our daily walk with the Lord, growing in our relationship with Him. The ones who are right of the middle are the ones who walk intimately with Him. So, the question is, are your plans still more important that His plan? Only your actions will tell. Remember, as I am reminded so frequently, that the commitment is shallow and nothing without the follow through!

Again, I recommend the new Casting Crowns CD, The Alter and the Door. I will probably write about more of the songs on the album, actually. And, also, if you have the opportunity to ever see this band live, don't miss a huge blessing.

Sorry this post was a day late! I will do better next week.

Pointing to Jesus this Christmas season

2007-12-03T14:07:00.000-05:00

I have just finished reading an incredible book by David Nasser, entitled Glory Revealed. The book has 20 short chapters, in which David uses 10 different Scriptures to show how the glory of God is revealed in us and through us. If you are looking for a devotion-type book, I would highly recommend it to you! I have been reading it for some time, coming back to it occasionally, until last night I finally read the final chapter, called Glory Revealed Through Preparation. In this chapter, Nasser uses the analogy of the glory of the red carpet scene that we see on television all the time. This scene is always buzzing with crowds, celebrities and the media. David speaks of all the preparation that must take place in order for this spectacle to occur. He shares how important the red carpet is, letting people know that this is going to be an event to remember. However, when the crowds show up, no one is awe-struck by the red carpet, itself. People are focused on the celebrities who find themselves on the red carpet. In many ways, we are called the lay out the red carpet that points to the presence of Jesus.

David writes:

"It's the church's responsibility to roll out the red caret for Jesus on the earth. To be a voice that causes people to stop and take notice. To sweep the landscape of our hearts and our culture so that people will begin to anticipate something so great that a crowd naturally assembles. To get people to stop and ask, 'why are you doing what you're doing?' So that when they see us stand up, they can't help but do the same. We're preparing the way for Jesus. When we live our lives as arrows pointing to Him, we are preparing the way for Christ to be known to others."

Now, on the surface, this chapter has nothing to do with Christmas, specifically. But, as I read it, I thought it voiced such a wonderful challenge for us during this Christmas season. I mean, there is no greater time for us to be 'arrows pointing to Jesus' than this time of the year. People may be more open to speaking of spiritual topics than any other time. Let's roll out the red carpet for Jesus to show up and do something spectacular in our lives over the next couple of weeks. You never know how God just might want to reveal His glory through you during this time.

So, instead of letting greed set in, instead of just being grumpy about how society continues to fight to take God out of the season, let's instead be the biggest, brightest arrows we can possibly be, and ask God to draw others to Himself as we point to the Savior in all we do this Christmas season!

A word from Tozer...

2007-11-26T15:08:00.000-05:00

Two Sundays ago now, our Pastor shared about spiritual gifts during our Bible Study hour. He spoke about the fact that we all have been given varying gifts from God and that we are all accountable for using those gifts in order to aid in building His kingdom here on earth. As he shared how we can find out what our spiritual gifts are, he said that the only way we can cultivate these gifts is by serving and following the prompting of God. The truth is, most gifts lie unused, and therefore useless to the body. As I heard this, I was reminded of an excerpt of an essay that I once read by A. W. Tozer. I wanted to share that with you this week as we continue to think about our gifts and how important we are in the mission of building for the kingdom. This quote comes from a book called, "Tozer on Worship and Entertainment," and says the following:

The amount of loafing practiced by the average Christian in spiritual things would ruin a concert pianist if he allowed himself to do the same thing in the field of music. The idle puttering around that we see in church circles would end the
career of a big league pitcher in one week. No scientist could solve his exacting problem if he took as little interest in it as the rank and file of Christians take in the art of being holy. The nation whose soldiers were as soft and undisciplined as the soldiers of the churches would be conquered by the
first enemy that attacked it. Triumphs are not won by men in easy chairs. Success is costly.

Ouch. One thing I really like about Tozer is his unwillingness to pull punches. That sums it up quite nicely, I believe, at least as far as the American church is concerned. Now, this quote has a lot to do with spiritual maturity through the Word and sanctification, but this past week it really hit home to me that it has everything to do with what we choose to do with our spiritual gifts as well. The sad thing is, most church-goers don't even have a clue as to what their spiritual gifts are, more less where and how to use them. We need to jump into the game, begin serving wherever, and allow the Holy Spirit to show us our specific gifts, as well as God's specific call on our lives.
As Tozer concluded, success is costly. The only way we will see God really use us and our gifts is for us to lay down our pride and begin to allow Him to work through us. We must be willing to put others first, be uncomfortable, roll up our sleeves and get dirty, drop some things off of our schedules, etc... We must be willing to sacrifice, and I think that is why so few are really discovering their God-given gifts through ministry. The concert pianist, the pitcher, the scientist, the soldier...all are more than willing to do so. Why wouldn't we be willing to do the same (and even more) for our Great God and His incredible commission and call!?
May this hard word (and reality) from Tozer spur us to discover and cultivate our spiritual gifts so that we can begin to see just how big our God can be through us in changing this world with the Gospel!

Thoughts from the Baptist State Convention

2007-11-20T11:39:00.000-05:00

Have you ever allowed a perfect opportunity to say something to someone pass you by? I have. I have had so many, actually. The moment passes and then you spend the rest of the day wishing you had just said it. I actually had one of those this past week.
For the first time ever, I had the opportunity to attend a baptist state convention meeting. It was interesting and I was actually excited. This year’s agenda was pretty full, with several important votes on the schedule. One of the first of these motions was presented by Meyers Park Baptist Church, of Charlotte, NC. The pastor and member/secretary of the deacon board had come to present a motion that would seek to overturn a motion that passed at last year’s convention. This new by-law, without quoting it, basically states that any church which openly condones or approves of homosexual behavior is out of friendly relationship with the convention. Well, Meyers Park didn’t seem to agree with this motion that was passed. In fact, the secretary of the deacons that had come to share with the convention is blatantly open in her lifestyle as a practicing lesbian.
I literally became physically ill in my stomach as we listened to this pastor and deacon trying to persuade the convention messengers to overturn this new rule. The deacon even shared about her partner and a Christmas party that they had begun for others who are living in homosexuality, calling it the Christmas party for misfits.
Well, needless to say, after a little debate, Meyers Park was voted to be out of friendly cooperation with the convention, and subsequently removed from the convention (even though I was sad to see the number of votes who were voting in favor of this church).
As the vote concluded, I heard a woman behind me (who had voted in favor of Meyers Park) turn to the people around her and make the statement, “How do they expect to reach these people if all we do is vote them out?” This is the opportunity that had passed me by. This is what I wish I had said.
First, let me be very clear about one thing. I believe every church should open wide its doors to all people of all backgrounds. I believe that the church must not be homophobic, so to speak, and more intentional in ministering to people living in homosexuality. I, in no way whatsoever, believe that the doors of a church should be closed to anyone, no matter what the background or sin in which they find themselves.
What I do have a problem with is extending membership to someone living in such a lifestyle (especially allowing that person to serve as a key leader in a church body!) As I sat and listened to this pastor share how much love he and his church is showing people who are living in this lifestyle, I couldn’t help but think he is actually showing them the opposite. Let me explain by pointing to a section of one of Paul’s letters that came to my mind as I sat at the convention meeting. See 1 Corinthians 5 (click to read on Bible Gateway). Here, Paul deals with an individual living in a sexually immoral lifestyle (not homosexuality, but the Bible is extremely clear that homosexuality is indeed a sexually immoral lifestyle).
It is evident in Paul’s writings that he loves the church. The church and people are Paul’s passions, along with serving His God. This is the man who exclaimed, “…I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh!” (Romans 9:2-3, esv). Yet, here in these verses, I believe Paul’s love is expressed as strongly as in anywhere else in his writings. You see, Paul loved this man in this congregation enough to remove him from the church body. He understood that if he were allowed to continue in good standing with the church that he would be unable to see the serious nature of his sin. Paul even goes as far as to say that this would be necessary in order that the man see his need for true repentance and salvation. John MacArthur suggests that the man would perhaps “suffer greatly under God’s judgment, but will not be an evil influence in the church; and he will more likely be saved under that judgment than if tolerated and accepted in the church.” Notice that Paul also expresses his love for the church by being unwilling that a person living in a sinful lifestyle continue to exist within its fellowship.
This pastor is giving these folks who are struggling with this heinous sin a false sense of security. He is giving them a false sense of truth. The Gospel is clear in offering an invitation for people to come as they are. However, the repentance that this same Gospel demands is clear that some things must die and sinful lifestyles be forsaken in order to follow Jesus as Lord. Now, we all know that sanctification is a process. The sinful desires are not just going to vanish at the point of conversion. People may even struggle for some time with certain sinful tendencies. But, what there will be, however, is a new desire to follow Christ in discipleship and to be obedient to His Word. This is why it is impossible to be a true disciple of Christ and, at the same time, continue to live in a sinful lifestyle, with lifestyle being the operative word. The new convert will begin to understand the heart of God and what His Word says, understanding that this lifestyle is definitely not one that honors Him. It is a sin that is ravaging so many people and blinding them from the salvation that is found in Christ. I thought about this as this deacon shared how she was growing in her walk with the Lord, despite any inclination that she was willing to turn from this lifestyle.
It is my opinion that this pastor has simply been worn down by a secular society to the place where he has compromised on the unpopular, and yes, often offensive truth of God’s Word. This may seem harsh, but this pastor is making the path that leads to destruction more comfortable for this deacon and the other people in his church who are struggling with sinful lifestyles. And to make it worse, he is masking it with a declaration of love through acceptance.
So, how do we reach people who are living in a homosexual lifestyle? The same way we reach anyone. We love them and tell them the truth about God’s Word. The Gospel is for all, but it comes with unwavering demands. You must repent and turn from your sinful ways, and you must place your personal trust in Jesus alone for salvation. A Gospel message without a true definition of repentance is a shallow one and a false one.
I am very excited to be able to say that I attend and am on staff of a church that is willing to kick me out if needs be. I am also thankful to God that I have a pastor who is willing to go to whatever extremes he must in order that a person is restored to the body through repentance.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-19T12:24:00.000-05:00

It is really hard for me to believe that Thanksgiving is already here this year. This year has just really flown by!! But, ready or not, it's here. So, what are you thankful for this year? I wanted to just take a couple of moments and share 5 things that I am especially thankful for this year...

1. The life and salvation I have in Jesus. I am thankful that while I was yet a sinner, Jesus died on the cross so that I could have redemption and hope. I am thankful that He went all the way for me. I am thankful for His willingness to do so. Without this, there would be nothing to be thankful for that has any eternal significance because all else will fade.

2. My beautiful bride and daughter. I am a blessed man because of these two precious gifts that the Father has given me. I am thankful for a wife that loves me and is willing to put up with me for as long as we both shall live. She is incredible and I love doing life with her. I wouldn't want to do that with anyone else. Emma continues to amaze me. It's still hard to beleive that she is here and mine! I am thankful that she continues to look more and more like her momma every day! :-) I love my girls with all of my heart and pray that God continues to bless and protect them each and every day.
I am also thankful that I got to experience an incredible event just last night with Erin. Not everyone (especially dads) get to experience a child's first steps, but I got to! After a couple of times, I finally came to the realization that I needed to get it on video! So, here you go...you can experience a little bit of the joy that we did last night...

3. I am thankful for my call and the ministry that God has given me at Westwood. I am thankful for the students that God has placed in my care here. I have the best students in the world! I am thankful for the staff with whom I get to work each day. I feel like I've known them for years, even though it's only been a little over 1. I love what I do and wouldn't trade it for any other position in the world. I pray that God would keep me here doing what I am doing for a long time. I also ask for His grace to forgive me where I fall short and for His strength to see this ministry live up to the potential it has in Him.

4. My extended family. I am thankful for a mom, dad and brothers who love the Lord and have always pointed me to Him. I miss them all greatly and pray that God would bless them during this season. I am thankful for my wonderful in-laws, whom I would not trade for the world.

5. My friends and church family. Each time I have made a major move in my life, I have always come to the conclusion that I could never make the friendships again that I am leaving. Each time, God has proven me wrong as He has continued to bring incredible people into my life. I love Westwood. It is the highest priviledge to be a member of this body. Erin and I have made the kind of friendships here that one usually does not make in just a year's time. We love all of you and thank God for you daily. We also love the friends that we have had to leave behind. It was good to see many of you this past week as we visited Greenville. I look forward to seeing one of my very best friends in a few short months as we venture to Louisville, KY. And we miss those of you that we haven't seen in some time. We miss you and love you, and can't wait to see you, hopefully very soon!

So, what are you thankful for? I would love to hear about it. Take some time and give me your list of 5 things. Just click the comment button below.

Beware of the GOLDEN COMPASS

2007-11-16T22:16:00.000-05:00

In a 2003 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Philip Pullman announced that “My books are about killing God.” Conservative British columnist Peter Hitchens labeled Pullman “The most dangerous author in Britain” and described him as the writer “the atheists would have been praying for, if atheists prayed.”

So, why am I telling you these things about Mr. Pullman? Well, he is the author of the trilogy of books that have inspired the movie, “The Golden Compass,” which will appear in theatres on December 7th of this year. This is a movie about which I want to offer a strong warning.

It has been said that this movie has been made in order to counter the message of the first Chronicles of Narnia movie, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”. However, as with all evil things, it appears to be purposely presented as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It seems the movie has been dumbed down to fool kids and their parents in the hope that they will see the movie and buy his trilogy of books, where in the end the children kill God and everyone can do as they please. Mr. Pullman has made several remarks that he wishes to kill God in the minds of children. Pullman says he wants children to read the books and decide against God and the kingdom of heaven.

This movie is a watered down version of the first book, which is the least offensive of the three books. The second book of the trilogy is The Subtle Knife and the third is The Amber Spyglass. In the last book, a boy and girl are depicted representing Adam and Eve and they kill God, who at times is called YAHWEH.

DO NOT TAKE THIS MOVIE LIGHTLY. It is not just an innocent movie. It is a subtle, but very real and aggressive assault on God. I beg you to not only choose to not view this movie yourselves, but please take the time to sit down and discuss the contents of this email with your students. This would be a great opportunity to have a discussion with your children about false teachers and doctrines and the dangers of their existence. Especially in light of Gerald’s sermon this past weekend, be on guard!

I want to thank those of you who have sent me information regarding this movie. Those emails spurred me to do more investigation and ultimately issue this warning. As always, if you would like to discuss this further, please contact me.

UK takes down Goliath!

2007-10-14T22:35:00.000-04:00

UK 43 - LSU 37

UK is now #8 in the AP poll &, which is even harder to believe, #7 in the BCS. Simply unbelievable. Next week, Florida comes to town along with college gameday (espn). I sincerely thought that I would never see the day that college gameday would be in Lexington. I can't wait. It's still a big if, but if UK were to do the unthinkable and knock off the Gators this week, the sky's the limit. Either way, this year has been a fun ride and I can't wait to see how it ends. For now, I am proud to be a Kentucky fan, and for more than the Basketball team! UK fans have waited a long time and watched a lot of bad football in order to see something like this. I'm a believer! GO CATS!

A New Creation

2007-09-26T11:50:00.000-04:00

This morning at our See You At The Pole rally at Person High School, a girl read this well known verse:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Cor. 5:17

God really illuminated a couple of things from that verse that seemed fresh to me this morning. I wanted to share those things. First, the phrase "...the old has passed away" really made me think about students. Here I was, standing just feet away from a doorway through which so many students today will pass through who are living in the old. I thought about how this verse should serve as a reminder to us as believers of what it was like to be blinded from the Gospel and held captive by our sin and the death penalty we were under. Instead, for so many believers, nothing much has changed. We are still living for many of the same things we were living for when we found ourselves in the old. And here, in this school, there are so many that find themselves in that same captivity from which we have been saved. They need to see examples of lives that have been gloriously and magnificently transformed through Jesus. May we be ever mindful of a couple of things: (1) that we have passed out of darkness and into His marvelous light. He wants to make a masterpiece out of our lives and empower us to do great things in building His Kingdom here on earth. and (2) of those that are still held captive and in darkness. We must develop a passion to see others come to know the saving grace of Jesus and trust Him alone as Savior.

The second thought is that new creatures (or creations) should never return to living for old purposes. I thought that, for the most part, if someone comes into a huge sum of money, which drastically changes their lifestyle, they probably are not quick to long to live life once again as a pauper. So many times we do just that. We exchange the grace that Jesus has poured out so lavishly upon us for the things of this earth that once held us captive. And, for what? Christ has raised us up to live a new life, with a radically new purpose. And He has promised us that this new purpose is for our most good and will prosper us. From example alone we know that all this world will do is give us heartache and pain. I thought about Paul declaring, "I do the very thing I don't want to do." As we grow deeper with Christ, though, we come to understand that He really does want to give us life more abundant, even if it means sacrifice that is painful. May we choose the new purpose that God has for us and foresake all else in doing so.

Well, these are just some thoughts I had this morning and wanted to share them. I hope that wherever you are, you participated in See You At The Pole and were blessed this morning. Just remember, showing up at an event like this is great, but it isn't being radical for God. You become radical only when you choose to take that testimony into your school and live a life that honors God in front of those who need His grace the most.

Kentucky 4-0 (not in basketball)!

2007-09-24T16:06:00.000-04:00

It's so hard for me to believe what is happening with this UK football team this year. It's even harder for my brain to translate what the number 14 next to their name means. Being ranked #21 made me giddy enough, but number 14th team in the nation? That's just hard for me to believe. I honestly believe that they will not only beat Florida Atlantic this week to go to 5-0, but they will then beat South Carolina on the road and on ESPN to go 6-0. This will put them into the top 12, and possibly the top 10 (unbelievable!) when LSU comes to town the next week. Now, before you accuse me of dreaming too big, I do not believe that UK will beat LSU...even at home and with the confidence they will have. However, I do believe that they have a chance the next week against the Gators, and more than a chance against UGA and Tennessee. We'll just have to see. But, even before that plays out, it is enough to have the season as it's gone so far. So, Go Cats!

Here is some highlights of the UK - Ark game...I hate they are from an Arkansas slant, but it's the best I could find on YouTube. So, here you go.

Friday Roundup (9/21)

2007-09-21T16:55:00.000-04:00

1. Please be in prayer for Erin. She is very excited about the future, as she has decided to start her own business from home selling Arbonne products. Some very good friends of ours are a part of the company and have enjoyed it so far. As of now, Erin's launch date is the last weekend in October. She will learn much more then, as well as have her first several classes that weekend. Erin really desires to be able to work from home so that she can be with Emma during the day...everyday...as much as possible. This will enable her to work during naptime and do classes at night. The last thing we are hoping to gain out of this is to get rich! We simply pray that this will enable Erin to do something that she enjoys, while simply helping us with what we need financially each month. So, we covet your prayers as Erin begins this new season of her life.

2. Huge game this week for the CATS! Nothing can take away from the win they enjoyed last week over the cards, but a win this week would put any thoughts of that win being a fluke to rest. This win would solidify UK as a top 25 football team, as well as just add to the already high confidence of last weekend. I believe that UK will be able to suppress Arkansas' rushing attack better than they will be able to do so to the UK air attack. My prediction: UK 42 - Ark 38.

3. As far as the Student Ministry goes, we will have See You At The Pole events this week, so no Student Worship at church on Wednesday night. I am excited about the next week, because we will begin our new Student Life unit called, Character. In this unit, we will spend the next year going through the Old Testament, something we simply do not do nearly enough. We will learn of the history of God's people, as well as look at the character of those who make up that history. So, pray for us, that students will embrace God's Word (even the OT! :)) and that they would learn what having a heart set on God is all about.

4. I wanted to add a couple of videos of Emma. As most of you know by now, she has been crawling for a couple of weeks, which makes it now impossible to keep up with her fully! She is so active! She actually has decided, as of today, to try standing (which she has accomplished beside our couch a couple of short times!) So, enjoy these videos...

The implications of the Resurrection

2007-09-17T14:50:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 15 is a beautiful chapter written by Paul on the subject of the Resurrection and its implications. He begins by laying out the evidence of the resurrection of Christ, and what it would mean for us if the resurrection never happened. He then explains about the resurrection that we will one day experience. My favorite part, though, is the end of the chapter as Paul shares about the power of the resurrection and its implications on our lives now.

" 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (15:54b-57)

Because of the resurrection, we should not be intimidated or scared of death...or sin. Christ has won the victory. We no longer have to be in bondage to sin or our sin nature. But, pay close attention to the final verse of this chapter (v. 58).

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

Think about the words Paul uses in this verse...steadfast...immovable. Those are powerful words and they say something about how our life is to be lived because (therefore) of the resurrection and the resurrection that is to come. First, we are to be steadfast. This word has the implication of purpose. We are to face each day as if it is on purpose. God has a plan for each day, and it is our task to focus on Him so that that purpose will be clear for us as we encounter each day. The word also has the idea of self-control. We are to be disciplined in the way we live. We are to be obedient, and thanks to the power of the resurrection, we are empowered to do so through that victory, along with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The second word is even stronger...immovable. We do this once again through the power of the Spirit, but also through the training we recieve through the study of the Word of God and in growing closer to the Lord each day. As I look around, I simply do not see too many Christians that I could label 'immovable'. When I think of immovable, I think about someone who is unwilling to compromise in striving to live a life that is pure and pleasing to God. I think of someone who is unashamed, no matter what the cost. I think of someone who refuses to shape themselves into the mold of what the world defines as acceptable. Instead, they place being God's man or woman over everything. This person is so busy serving the Lord and growing in Him, he/she simply does not have time to spend justifying sin or a lifestyle that is contrary to God's Word.

God has empowered us to live this kind of a life because of His death on the cross and the power of His resurrection. So, sin, where is your power? I'm going to live for something greater, because I know that my labor in the Lord is not in vain!

Touchdown Kentucky!!!

2007-09-17T14:43:00.000-04:00

I have to add this to my blog. This just in...The University of Kentucky has a football team! The 3-0 Cats beat Loserville, er, Louisville on Saturday for what is definitely one of the biggest wins in program history! This is the first victory over a top 10 team in 33 years, and the first victory over Louisville in 4 years. The video is of the pass from Andre Woodson to Steve Johnson inside the final minute to put UK up for good. I can't wait to see the rest of this season play out! Go Cats!

Authority

2007-08-20T11:19:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about this lately, and have even spoke about it a couple of times. So, i figured I would write some of it here.

I believe that the reason we do not see God doing much larger things in our lives is simply because we have an improper recognition of His authority. Several years ago, I can remember having a discussion with my best friend George about this topic. The conclusion to which we came was this: we are a generation that seeks the hand of God more than we seek the face of God. Let me explain.

Most of us would agree about God's authority and His capability to do all things. We would all agree with God's Word when it says that what is impossible with man is possible with God. We all would agree that we so desperately want to see God do great and mighty things for His Kingdom. So, we all agree about His capability to do great and mighty things, and His authority to do so. That's not the problem.

The problem is our recognition of His authority when it comes to my life and your life. We are more than willing to recognize God's authority in the big things, but we are probably equally unwilling to recognize His authority in our own lives. That, we too often feel, is hands off!

Dr. Richard land tells a story about a discussion he had some years ago with his daughter (who was 6 years old at the time). They were riding in the car and listening to a fairy tale story on a cassette tape. During the story, the daughter curiously asked her father what a king was. Dr. Land struggled through several definitions, only to have his daughter look at him more confused. Finally, Dr. Land, hoping to satisfy her curiosity, simply said, "a king is someone who tells other people what to do and they do it." Finally understanding, his daughter looked back at him and said, "Daddy, I don't want anyone to tell me what to do." Dr. Land went on to say that in that moment, he was able to see the sin nature at work...even in a 6-year-old girl.

Plain and simply, we do not like authority. We rebel against it. But, we MUST come to understand that Jesus is Lord and that He has ALL authority...including the authority over our very lives. As long as we resist that authority, we live in rebellion, and it is very difficult for us to build for the Kingdom with great success. We must understand that God moves on behalf of the ones who first recognize His authority over their lives. Notice Moses in Exodus 33. We often refer to the encounter where he asks God to show him His glory. But, notice in verse 13, Moses first asks God to show him His ways, so that he can walk in them and find favor in His sight. Before he asks to see God display his authority through His power in showing him His glory, Moses first recognizes God's authority over his own life. What is the outcome? God moves.

On the adverse, today I keep hearing that we are seeing a great revival among young people within the Passion & One Day movements. Now, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Passion & One Day. I love the music and hope to go to one of these events myself one day. However, what I see are floods of young people who travel to these events in order to encounter God's Hand, but the question I ask is, where is the change that should result from these encounters as students return to their campuses and to home? I see students who want to encounter the glory of God and see His authority displayed through His power during these events, but when they return to their everyday lives, they simply refuse to begin to recognize God's authority in those lives. They refuse to sacrifice the world and self, and change in order to deepen their discipleship.

Understand that we do not make Jesus Lord, nor do we give Him authority. God's Word explicitly tells us that one day EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Either we will recognize that now, or we will recognize it then when it is too late.

However, we must come to the point where we recognize that authority. The application is simply this: when we begin recognizing God's total and complete authority over our lives (meaning He calls the shots!), we will begin to provoke our great God to action, and He will begin to put His authority on display through His power! Only then will we begin to see God do great things through us in building for His Kingdom! But it must begin with a declaration (in word and action) that Jesus is King of our own lives.

New Movie Warning

2007-07-19T10:09:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I just wanted to issue a strong warning and challenge about an upcoming movie that, I believe, hits theatres tomorrow.
First of all, allow me to be a little transparent. I love funny movies. Many of you already know this about me. You've probably heard me quote several of them in recent days. I think that Adam Sandler & Kevin James are two of the funniest men in the world. To tell you the truth, I have watched some Adam Sandler movies that I probably shouldn't have. Anyway, I just wanted to share that the new movie starring these two guys, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry is one that we need to stay far away from.
Now, this is going to be quite a temtation because we know these two actors to be quite funny, and we know Jessica Biel to be quite good looking. Therefore, many have already made their mind up to go and see it as soon as it hits the theatres. However, everything that this movie is about is against God's Word.
For the past couple of days, as is the case when new movies come out, the stars of this movie have been on various morning and talk shows. I have seen them on at least 3 shows that I can remember in the mornings as I prepared to come to the office. Every single time that I have seen them interviewed, the purpose for this film has come out and been discussed. Sure, the film promotes humor and friendship, but the overwhelming purpose for it is to promote homosexuality as normal and correct. Apparently, before Sandler and James' characters decide to fake a marriage to each other, they are portrayed as homophobic and bigots. As they enter into their fake union, however, they come to attain more sympathy for people who truly are gay. The film is to help the public attain that same sympathy. I can see that this is contrary to God's Word in two major ways (as if I had to spell it out):
1. Homosexuality is an abomination to God. It is simply not a normal and correct lifestyle according to His Word. You cannot read the first chapter of Romans and come to any other conclusion. Whether we want to beleive this or not: to watch this movie is to compromise His Word and to promote that kind of a lifestyle. Now, don't get me wrong, and please understand this...homosexuality is not what sends people to hell, and I am not saying that God hates homosexuals and we should treat them with disdain. We must understand that God's Word tells us that our sin nature and refusing the Gospel message is what will ultimately be the reason that people end up in hell. Homosexuality is simply a symptom of sin. We need to understand that by going and watching this movie, we are promoting a symptom of sin that is keeping people blind from the Gospel and separated from God.
On a side note, let me share this. I have heard several people on TV lately who confess to be Christains while at the same time promoting the belief that homosexuals are that way because they are born and created as such. (Oprah being one of them!) Can you see the huge contradiction in that statement? Is God not Sovereign? Is He not in control? Why would a God, who has told us through His Word that homosexuality is an abonination, create people for homosexuality? That view is simply false. Do not buy into that outlook simply because someone who professes to be a Christian says it is true.
2. This movie promotes a movement that seeks to breakdown the very foundation and sanctity of marriage. By promoting sympathy for the homosexual lifestyle, we become more inclined to want to see them be able to enjoy that lifestyle as a normal couple through marriage. We have already established that this lifestyle is not normal, according to God's Word. We need to also see that God created marriage for one woman and one man to become one flesh and glorify Him through a sacred union. This film is yet another attempt by Hollywood to advance the cause of gay marriage. Do not be decieved!
The conclusion is simple...stay away from this movie. Do not go a see it. When your friends ask you why you haven't seen it, you will have a great opportunity to share about God's Word. Now, you may bear the reproach of Christ as you step outside the camp of the world's system (Heb. 13), but God will honor and bless you because of that. And, I believe He will draw people into a relationship with Him through you!
As I have said before, the wrong question to ask is, "what is sin and what is not sin?" We will always come up with a justification when asking that question. The correct question is, "will/does this honor God?" I don't think any one of us can come up with any answer to that question than a resounding NO as we think about going to see this film.
If you would like to read more about this film, please click here. You will be redirected to our ministry website, and to plugged-in online.

Bringing Camp Home With You

2007-07-17T15:30:00.000-04:00

Last week, as our group took part in an amazing week at M-Fuge Camp in Nashville, I was overwhelmed with one question: How do we take this camp experience home with us? I know for me, and I know the same is true for most of you, that I have had a number of mountain top experiences in my walk with Christ while at a Christian camp or retreat. The problem is, I can't honestly remember one time that the experience resulted in true, lasting life change upon my return home. So, as I watched our students, leaders, and even myslef experience a revival, so to speak, I couldn't help but pray that this time would be different.

So, I have tried to come up with a couple of tips to help us all transform the feelings we had at camp into life-changing action here at home. Well, instead of multiple tips, I had to once again return to what I believe is the most fundamental verse in all of Scripture...the Great Commandment. In order to bring about any lifechange resulting from an emotional experience or conviction, it must all begin in the heart. If you've heard me speak, you've heard this a thousand times, but I simply cannot overemphasize its importance in our walk with Jesus.

In order to love the Lord our God with all of our Heart, Mind and Soul, we must put Him at the center of our lives, which all of those things make up. Remembering that whatever sits at the center of those things naturally plays out through our thoughts, actions and emotions, we understand that only then will that emotion yield fruit that will edify the Kingdom.

The problem is, most of the time that emotional experience and/or conviction prompts us to simply commit to "trying harder" for Jesus. We must remember that we can never live for Jesus on our own, no matter how hard we try. The truth is, we as Christians spend too much time trying to 'fix' our thoughts, actions and emotions, and not nearly enough time on surrendering and building our relationship with Jesus. Only through surrender can we come to know the power of the Holy Spirit and see Jesus do things through us that accomplish His task for our lives. If we simply try harder to walk as Jesus, we will simply fail and adopt an attitude of defeat.

So, once again, that's the answer. I know...I wish there were a list of 5 things to do, too. But, when it's all said and done, it begins with surrender. We must be willing to lay aside the things that hinder us from working for the Kingdom, build our relationship with Christ, and allow the Spirit to take charge of our lives. That's what the whole daily picking up our cross thing is all about.

* Please be praying for our team as we depart for Hungary on Monday, July 23. We will be teaching English to students there and be looking for every opportunity to share the Gospel to anyone who is willing to hear. We will be returning on August 3. Please pray for my wife and daughter, in particularly, as I have never been away from either of them for that length of time. Thanks, and I look forward to sharing about our trip upon our return!

Something to ponder...

2007-05-08T14:57:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure why, really, but I have been exposed to so many stories about the evangelical movement that is happening in China lately. I listened to Dr. David Platt share about his travels there as he spoke at Student Life Tour back in late March. Since then, I have read articles in Youth Worker Journal, Relevant, and even some articles I have found on-line. God has really used this to bring both an awakening and a conviction to my life.
I have been fascinated as I heard Dr. Platt share about a group of about 40 men who met with him for litterally HOURS each day in a hidden place just soaking up anything he would offer them in the way of teaching. No songs, no games, no powerpoint, no entertainment--just the Word of God. In most of the articles I have read it speaks of the on-going persecution these faithful Chinese believers face on a daily basis. There have even been stories of close calls by American missionaries in the short time in which they served there.
One thing that has stuck out to me is the response of these Chinese believers to the persecution they face. One man spoke of a series of 20+ days he spent in a hard labor camp because of his faith. This old man, for whom I can only imagine how difficult this time must have been, shared about how he knew more joy in Christ during those 20+ days than he has ever experienced before in his life. He shared this, by the way, in another underground church service, where at any time, soldiers could rush in and take him away and persecute him in much worse ways. An American missionary shared about travelling with some believers for 4 hours just to attend a 45-minute worship service. Not long after this meeting, she and other church members were scattered into the night during a service because they had been identified earlier that week.
As I have been exposed to these stories, I can't help but think of the state of the American church. One question keeps popping up in my head...If it abruptly became against the law of our government to worship God, by how much would the attendance at our church be cut? As I have thought about this, a haunting thought has grabbed my attention time and time again. I truly believe that this kind of persecution would be the best thing that could ever happen to the American church. I am beginning to believe this for two reasons.
First, it would separate the true believers in our churches. Church would no longer be a place for social advance and feel-good-religion. The only ones who would be bold enough to attend would be those who are secure in their relationship and are willing to risk all for their Lord.
Second, this persecution would light a fire under the Christians who, as Erwin McManus puts it in his book The Barbarian Way, have been "domesticated". It would allow us to once again realize the brevity of the task that God has given us to share the hope we have in Christ with others and spend a vast majority of our time making disciples. I believe our selfishness would turn into selflessness and we would truly know what it means to edify the body and serve one another.
I don't mean to be over-the-top here. I just can't get past the "what if" of this scenario. What about you? If that kind of persecution were alive here as it is there, would you find yourself in a place of worship this Sunday? Would you still study God's Word, pray and strive to live as Christ?
I pray that God would convict others in the same way He has convicted me in thinking about these things.