Labor of Love

Today is my last day at work before a much-anticipated week off with my family at home. My mind is full of questions these days. Not about Christ so much as what it means for me and my family to live for him. I have been praying for Peace on Earth to be known and felt in my home, and am looking forward to Advent - the coming of our Lord.

So may you put down your smoking Visa. Step out of line at the mall. Speak kindly to family that you don't see very often. And trust that Emmanuel - God with us - has come. You are loved.

I am going to take a break for a few days from posting, and wanted to leave you with the words to an Andrew Peterson song that has moved me this week. It's from his musical "Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tale of the Coming of Christ." Peace be with you, and Merry Christmas!

Labor of Love
from "Behold the Lamb of God"
Words and music by Andrew Peterson

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town

And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love

Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night

So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

©2004 Andrew Peterson

Gladdened Hearts

During the 2006 Collins family vacation, my friend Paul introduced me to Chimay. You can read about it here. But my post today is not necessarily about beer. Let me explain.

Last weekend, I was invited to share in community. In the midst of the stress, hustle and bustle of Christmas (see earlier posts on this), my friend Brian gave me a wonderful gift. The gift actually had an obvious component and a not-so-obvious component. On Friday night, my family was at Brian’s home, enjoying a visit, when Brian said that he had a gift for me. It was given with no expectation of receiving anything back in return. It was a silver bag that contained a warm bottle of Chimay for me to take home. Not stopping there, Brian went to his fridge and pulled out a cold bottle and asked if I would share it with him. Well, of course I said “yes.”

I was telling my friend Guy about this unexpected, wonderful gift and how it was so enjoyable. Guy, as is typical of him, sees more than most of us. On the Chimay website, the monks speak of how it is their hope that Chimay “gladdens the heart of man.” Then Guy asked, “Do you think it’s just coincidence that from one bottle of Chimay you get 2 full pint glasses of beer? Do you think they intended for that bottle to be shared?”

Beyond the obvious gift of the beer (as good as it is!), was the not-so-obvious gift of sharing life. For a moment, two pints of beer were poured from a single bottle. The bottle was shared. The beer, as intended, gladdened the heart of two men. Not that they were inebriated in any way. But they enjoyed something that was created for them specifically to enjoy. And that enjoyment spilled over into some good conversation, some laughter, and before you knew it, talk of a mission trip to Mexico.

So my Holiday wish for you might be this: that in the midst of what we’ve allowed Christmas to become, that you would find a friend to slow down with and share a moment. A moment to breath deep. To dream. To be real. To be honest. To laugh. To cry if need be. To share life, together.

Those moments are what make us truly blessed.

Spurgeon Quote

He who lives without prayer, he who lives with little prayer, he who seldom reads the Word, and he who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high - he will be the man whose heart will become dry and barren.

~ Charles Spurgeon

Let's Do Life

"The old paradigm of evangelism was a transactional sharing of the gospel. I would try to get people to intellectually agree with me. But the new paradigm is different, an approach in which I invite you to walk alongside me, examine my life, and see evidence of the truth, and hopefully there will be something compelling that you see. It's a no-strings-attached invitation to enter my life as I follow Jesus."

-Ken Fong is the senior pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles

Good Advice

'Danger: Avoid Death' Notice on Small Tractor Is Wacky Warning Label Contest Winner - to read the entire article, click here.

Imagination, Inspiration and Interpretation

I recently had an interesting conversation with my friend Jody. We were talking about music and music videos. We both agreed that videos rob a song of its imagery and creative impact. I mentioned how if I read a poem to a group of people that described, say, a flower, each person in that group would likely have a different image of what that flower "looked" like. Yet, if I put those words into a video format, then whatever I "see" the flower to be is the mental image that all who see the video will have. And not only then when they first see the video, but each time that they would read the original poem the mental image that popped into your head would match what the video showed us the flower looked like. The creativity of making a video actually can hinder the imagination of those touched by the song that the video represents.

All of this moved me to consider the role of interpretation and the teaching of Christ's words. I have participated in group exercises of the spiritual practice known as Lectio Divina. Each time, I leave those sessions astounded at how the same text can have so many meanings to different people. Encompassing all of this is the importance of the Holy Spirit. It is critical that the Spirit of Christ be present so that Scripture not be interpreted in a way that is abusive or harmful. It is encouraging to me to remember that God's word is living and active, and has meaning and relevance for each of our lives. Truly, the Word became Flesh and dwelt among us. And He still dwells among us yet today.

A conversation about old MTV videos leads me to . . . Emmanuel, God with us. AMEN.

John Piper on "Worship"

"The essence of worship lies in our mind’s true vision of God and our spirit’s authentic affections for God. This means that whenever we display the worth of God by words or actions that flow from a spirit that treasures him as he really is, we are worshipping in spirit and truth. We may be at work or at home or at church. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we see the glory of God in Jesus (truth), and we treasure him above all else (spirit), and then we overflow by treating others with self-sacrificing love for their good. Few things display the beauty of God more. For followers of Jesus, therefore, all of life should be this kind of worship."

~ John Piper, in What Jesus Demands of the World

Putting the St. Nick Back in Christmas

The following article came from the e-newsletter "850 Words of Relevant" (for more info on Relevant, check out the Relevant Magazine site here.)

So, what do you think? Drop a comment and let me know.

It’s complicated. Like Keith Richards, the Santa legend is ancient, murky, and fairly disturbing. The cuddly version — grandfatherly St. Nick employing elfin labor to make toys for the children of the world — is only the latest in a long line of iterations. Santa has evolved.

The original Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop in 4th-century Myra, geographically located in modern-day Turkey. As an adult, Nicholas gained a reputation as a generous man and the protector of innocents. These saintly traits largely arose from two horrific legends, both of which eventually led to his canonization.

The first is said to have occurred during a terrible famine. A local butcher, in need of something to sell, lured three unsuspecting boys into his shop. He killed the boys, chopped them into pieces, then stuffed their remains in a brine tub, hoping to cure them enough that he could sell the parts as ham. Nicholas was visiting the afflicted region at the time of the crime. Somehow Nicholas became aware of the butcher’s wicked deed. He visited the shop, uncovered the crime, and hastily reassembled the three boys. They came back to life, a bit salty but otherwise in good health. Despite the happy ending, it’s not exactly the kind of story that gets told at the Christmas Eve candlelight service.

In the second legend, a poor citizen of Myra had three daughters, but not enough money to afford a dowry for them. No dowry meant no marriage, and unmarried women in those days generally had one career choice: prostitution. The father was less than thrilled by this possibility, but too proud to ask for help. Nicholas discovered the family’s predicament the night before the first daughter came of age. Not wanting to embarrass anyone, he approached the family’s house late one night and tossed a bag of gold through an opened window. He did the same thing the night before the second daughter came of age. Both gifts were enough to cover the dowry, and both girls were spared the consequence of their poverty.

Before long, the third daughter was ready to marry, and the appreciative father wanted to find out who was behind the lavish gifts. When the time came, the father hid next to the window, hoping to catch their anonymous benefactor in the act. Nicholas learned of the father’s plan and improvised: Instead of lobbing it through the window, he dropped the third bag of gold down the chimney.

It wasn’t long before people began to suspect that the kindly bishop Nicholas, who had inherited money from his affluent parents, was behind these mysterious actions and a great many other secretive gifts to the poor. After he died of old age on December 6, 343 AD the people of Myra continued providing for those in need. In fact, they made a practice of giving gifts anonymously, always attributing them to the late Bishop Nicholas.

Before long, the bishop — who had worn liturgical robes of red and white — was canonized as a saint. Saint Nicholas became venerated as the protector of innocents, the patron saint of children, and a secret giver of gifts.

Of course, the traditional American idea of Santa Claus — along with his British/Canadian counterpart, Father Christmas — originates in the stories surrounding Nicholas of Myra. As far as saints go, St. Nick was especially venerated in the Netherlands, where he became known by the Dutch variant Sinterklaas. When the Dutch came to the New World and settled in New Amsterdam (today’s New York City), they brought with them the story of the now-anglicized “Santa Claus.”

And as is our custom, we Americans made the story bigger and gaudier, tacking on details from several unrelated sources. The karmic idea of rewarding good kids and punishing naughty children is rooted in old Norse folktales. The stuff about the reindeer and Santa’s sleigh got added once Clement Moore’s poem, “Twas The Night Before Christmas,” swept the nation in the early 1800s. Decades later, the magazine Harper’s Weekly commissioned several Thomas Nast engravings which depicted Santa in his workshop, reading letters and checking lists. The legend grew.

And here we are today. Kids leave cookies near the fireplace, parents are careful to preserve bootprints in the ashes, and Santa has transitioned into the 21st century. No longer does he oversee the building of simple wooden toys in his elf-staffed workshop. Nope. These days, little boys and girls — whether they’re good or bad, or rich or poor — probably expect Santa to drop a new iPod Nano in their stocking. Or, at the very least, the High School Musical 2 DVD. A wooden toy train? Unthinkable.

You have to feel for St. Nick. The legendary protector of children and distributor of anonymous gifts to the poor has turned into a victim of the worst kind of western entitlement and consumerism. Kids are more demanding. Chimneys are smaller. Families are leaving skim milk and low-fat cookies instead of the real stuff. It’s hard out there for a right jolly old elf. Somewhere deep within the folds of Santa’s suit, we’ve lost the story of St. Nick.

I’m always an advocate for stripping away the Santa Claus stuff at Christmastime and focusing on Jesus. But there’s a wide chasm between baby Jesus and Santa Claus, and maybe it’s a lot to ask a Christianity-averse culture to make that long journey from one side to the other.

Perhaps a better idea is to move them toward the middle by resurrecting Saint Nicholas of Myra. Annoyed with all the Jesus talk? Don’t want to celebrate Christ at Christmas? Fine. Then let’s celebrate someone else. Let’s talk about the 4th-century dude who kept little boys from grisly deaths and kept little girls out of the sex trade. Let’s talk about the revered religious figure who freed those in bondage, who restored life to the lifeless, and who refused to overlook the suffering of the innocent. Let’s talk about the man of God who gave out of his prosperity, who dispensed grace with no strings attached, who lived to bless those trapped in poverty.

Let’s talk about Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, Sinterklaas 1.0.Because when we peel away the red robes and silly hat and centuries of tradition, we might just see something, in the Santa legend, that we Christians recognize: It’s the Gospel. It’s the Good News. It’s the face of Jesus. It’s hope for the hopeless, liberty for the captives, abundance for the poor.

Maybe the distance between the North Pole and Bethlehem isn’t so great after all.

This story has been adapted from an article that originally ran in issue 30 of RELEVANT.

Author: Jason Boyett Jason Boyett is the author of Pocket Guide to the Bible and several other books.

What Would Jesus Buy?

Just a head's up - this is likely to be kind of a jumbled post. This whole idea of "what would Jesus buy" is something that Rachelle and I have wrestled with for a long time, and even though we might be getting closer to some answers (at least for our family), we really aren't much closer to doing anything about it. Again, just a head's up for you, in the event that in the middle of reading this, you find yourself going "Say what?"

How many of you reading this now begin to feel stressed out when the Holidays roll around each year? Maybe even just reading that sentence caused your chest to tighten up a bit! I've noticed the last couple of years that it's really not Thanksgiving that makes me dread "the season." It's Christmas - or what we've made Christmas out to be - that makes me feel like Scrooge. The official "Christmas Holiday Season" begins with something that's been dubbed "Black Friday." How encouraging and uplifting is that?

How 'bout the commercial where the family drives up in front of Grandma's house, wave, and then drive off? The whole thrust is for more money to be spent on themselves, and not shared. [And we laugh!] Or the commercial where the mom is showing the dad all of the relatives on her supercool phone? The deal there is that we don't even know our own families anymore! [And again, we laugh!]

We laugh at commercials like those because they remind us of ourselves. Seriously. We've begun making the dreaded "list." You know, where we write down everyone's name, and then what we want to buy for them (within the preset agreed upon limit, of course). Here is where the wheels start to fall off. People don't know their relatives well enough to know what kind of gift they would like or appreciate. So, the ones who at least care about trying to get something meaningful for a gift pick up the phone [Who am I kidding? We email people so we don't have to actually talk to them!] and call, asking "So, what is Little Timmy into these days?"

Those who really aren't concerned with meaningful gifts play the guessing game. They either hit the after Christmas sales and guess how big Little Timmy will be in 12 months so they can buy him clothes (that he won't need), or they just assume that since Little Timmy is a boy, he will like this boy toy. Impersonal, yes. But you can rack up a big gift count on the same preset spending limit; and let me tell you - isn't that important, to have lots of stuff?

All of this just sickens Rachelle and I. It's not that we're anti-gift. I truly love to get someone a personal, meaningful gift (and who am I kidding? I love to get them too!). The key is "personal" and "meaningful." We have talked about taking the money that we spend on gifts, and donating it to a homeless shelter or helping provide fresh-water wells in Africa. How do you think folks would respond if they open up a card from the Collins', and it says, "Your gift this year is helping provide life-giving clean water to a child in Rwanda - Merry Christmas!"

Here's the deal - PEOPLE IN AMERICA DON'T NEED ANYTHING. I realize that there are exceptions. But if you don't believe me, just look at your closets. Or really look at your kids' room. I bet they have so many toys that your house has a designated "play room" because their bedroom won't hold them all. Right? We've told our kids that this year's Christmas is going to be different gift-wise (we aren't spending as much), but I can already tell that the idea hasn't sunk in to their sweet little heads. Should be a fun morning at our house . . .

* Pause . . . followed by a sigh *

I promise that I'm not sitting here in a green furry suit with a heart 2 sizes too small. But don't you ever just want to scream "STOP!!!" If you have, check out these links and the video clip. And say a prayer for not just the Collins family, but for all of those that claim the name of Christ, that we would remember the story of Christmas and allow it to shape and mold us into who God would have us be. Maybe that's the best gift we can give this world.

USA Today recently ran a great article that let me know that I'm not alone in my frustration. You can read the article here.

If you have had ENOUGH and want to find out how to stop the madness of consumeristic Christmas, here is a great movement inspired by folks who are trying to recapture the truth of Advent. It's called Advent Conspiracy. It is my hope that my family, as well as my church, will engage in this "conspiracy" of love in the days ahead.

Lastly, Morgan Spurlock, the genius behind Super Size Me and the FX series 30 Days, has produced a half documentary, half comic spoof that nails consumeristic America. It's called "What Would Jesus Buy?" Take a look at the trailer:

Best in the World

My friend Paul Barlow exposed me to the wonders of Chimay two summers ago. You can read about it here. Once again, Paul has brought to my attention, and thus now your attention, that Trappist monks in Belgium are brewing what many are calling the Best Beer in the World - Westvleteren.



Oh ya, if you can get your hands on a bottle, care to share it?

One Step Closer

On Sunday night, the little guy that used to sleep on my belly took one step closer to being a man. Jacob, who owned an incredible black peach fuzz mustache, lathered up and shaved for the first time.

Where does the time go? He went from those naps on my belly, to shaving, in what - 2 or 3 days?

Wow.

Everything Is Spiritual

Proverbs

From The Message:

Proverbs 3:27 "Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God's hand for that person."

Proverbs 4:15 "She'll (Wisdom) garland your life with grace, she'll festoon your days with beauty."

Proverbs 4:20-22 "Dear friend, listen well to my words; tune your ears to my voice. Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they're bursting with health."

Warmer Winter Coming

Let's just keep telling ourselves that there is no such thing as Global Warming. Ya, that'll work. Good plan. Jeez!

USA Today details a warm winter forecast:

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2007-11-25-warm-winter_N.htm?csp=34

Into the Wild, Intimacy and Creation

There is a scene from Into the Wild, when the hippies are camped at Slab City, and a young girl invites (begs?) Chris to sleep with her. For the record, he is 23 and she is 16. Knowing from the book that Chris was known to hold himself to a strict, high moral standard, I was not surprised when he told the girl "no." But what was extremely cool (and very deep and thoughtful) was, after saying no, Chris said, "but there is something that we can do together." The next scene showed him sitting at an old keyboard and the girl on acoustic guitar at an open mic session. And the song was awesome.

That is a beautiful scene, full of imagery, because of the intimacy of creation. When two people have sex, we typically refer to that as "making love." Sex leads to procreation. Making life. 2 becoming 1. Entwined together. Chris valued the young girl, as a person, and he valued her friendship. He accepted her offer of intimacy - to create - yet he gave expression to that offer in a way that placed a high value on her as a person. He did not "take" from her, rather, he gave of himself - his time and his talent. Together, they created melody. Harmony. The keyboard added fullness to the music of the guitar. The sound was richer. They complimented each other, and a song - music - was born.

I suspect that night was a night that she has never forgotten, nor ever regretted.

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks 19 years of marital bliss that I've shared with my wife Rachelle. Friday evening, we shared a meal with friends at The Irish Lion, as we do each year to celebrate. This morning, Rachelle and I just looked at each other and quoted a skit from In Living Color: "After all these years, we're STILL together!"

And these days, that's saying something. Happy Anniversary Shell Bug!

Into the Wild and Forgiveness

There is a connection between the words of Ron Franz to Chris, and the moment before Chris dies. Ron Franz is an older man who had a profound impact on Chris, and spent time with him before Chris began his trek North. At one point in the film, Ron and Chris are sitting on a rock outcrop, and Ron, who had gently probed Chris with questions about his parents, turns to Chris and says, "When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God’s light shines on you.” At that exact moment, the clouds parted and bright sunlight beamed down on them.

Fast-forward to Chris on his literal death bed. He envisions returning to his parents, armed with the lessons from his journey - that happiness is only real when shared - and embracing them in reunion. As he thinks of this, the clouds part and the sun shines down through the bus window onto his face.

And he breathes his last. Forgiveness, found and offered.

In the book, Krakauer mentions the peace that Chris's dad feels upon entering the bus. Is it possible that peace is found because his parents were now on holy ground - they were at the place were Chris conquered his demons, learned his lessons of life and love, and forgave his parents, finding his own peace in his final moments?

WKRP Turkey Drop, Part 2

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. (And maybe even a laugh too!)

WKRP Turkey Drop

Tune in tomorrow for the follow up video.

Into the Wild and Old Testament Sacrifice

I woke up during the night after we saw the movie, and couldn't get the scenes of the moose in Alaska out of my head. Each time I tried to roll over and go back to sleep, I kept feeling this tug to consider what the moose was representing. There was this idea floating around that when Chris shot the moose, it was symbolic of Old Testament sacrifice.

McCandless begins butchering the animal, and soon has thick red blood all over himself, especially his hands and arms. Even during the movie, I thought of Aaron and the priests slaughtering the bulls on the altar, and maybe for the first time realized how much blood had to be flowing all over the temple. As the scene in the movie unfolds, you see that the kill - the sacrifice of the moose - was for naught as the meat spoils, which Chris calls "the worst tragedy of my life." From something that was supposed to be good (provide meat), Chris was devastated to learn that the sacrifice was insufficient and he was still in need.

A powerfully revealing scene is when Chris is trying to wash the blood off in the river. It's thick, dried, and hard to get off. A quick scene change shows an over-head view looking down on a naked, clean McCandless, floating in the water on his back with his arms outstretched like Jesus on the cross.

The power of this scene comes from remembering the previous scene, complete with the blood of the sacrifice, which is replaced with a scene of purity. Is it possible that his nakedness points to a rebirth? Is the experience - the worst tragedy of his life - opening the door for forgiveness? Is the water a symbol of baptism?

Can God teach me about those things through a moose being shot in Alaska?

Thinking About "Into the Wild"

On November 6, I posted about a movie that I intended to see called Into the Wild. That Friday night, me, Jacob, Graham Hardman, and Guy Mundy were all able to road trip to Bloomington and take it in.

Before I say anything else, I want to say this: Go see this movie now. Tonight. It's hard to find, for reasons I can't understand. It was released on Sept. 21, but didn't come to Bloomington until November. Crazy. In my humble opinion, movies that are based on a book rarely do it justice, and usually disappoint in comparison. Not in this case. I finished the book the afternoon that we saw the movie, and I can honestly say that the movie not only does the book justice, but really enhances it. I do recommend reading the book first, because I think you will appreciate it more as you see scenes from the book come to life. As director, Sean Penn nailed it, I'm tellin' ya.

We saw the movie on Nov. 9. Today is Nov. 19. And I'm still thinking about all that I saw and read about. That is the sign of a powerful movie, that it affects me long after the casual chat on the drive home. So, go see this movie!

Over the next couple of days, I'll be sharing a few of the thoughts that have grown out of this movie. Be warned that you may get at least glimpses into stuff that happened in the movie. But the power of this movie is how God is using it to lead me into thoughts of intimacy, Old Testament sacrifice, and community. Curious?

Tis the Season

This is a slide from the Teaching at TSCC yesterday. We've recently been discussing Generosity and how to lay up treasures in heaven. I thought this was pretty sobering stuff.

May God guide our hearts in this Holiday Season!

Catalyst, 6 Weeks Later

Wow. Where does the time go? [I can tell you, but it would likely bore you.] Has it really been 6 weeks since Catalyst? Again, WOW.

Catalyst was worth the time, effort and expense for at least two reasons. Francis Chan's message spoke right to the heart of some key issues that TSCC is dealing with, in terms of leaders leading a church. TSCC has relied too much on what other churches are doing, and has been guilty of trying to assimilate a grab bag of ideas into something that "works" at Tulip Street. This is a struggle for me, because I listen to every new "How we lead our church" message, and read every new church leadership book out there. Chan's challenge was to simply spend intimate time alone with God, seeking HIS reasons for our being on the corner of 9th and Tulip; in these quiet moments, God will reveal His purposes and plans for each of us and our ministries. All of that may make you go "duh!" but I'm tellin' ya, it is HUGE for us at TS.

The second reason was the message that Craig Groeschel preached. He spoke about being a "Practical Atheist." And he spoke about me. According to Groeschel, a practical atheist is a person who believes God exists but does life as if He does not exist.

Let that sink in for a second.

*pause*

How often are we guilty of living like that?

Groeschel remembers a comment that Bill Hybels once made that has stuck with him, and I found this to be profound: "The way that I was doing the work of God was killing the work of God in me."

*pause, again*

[I recently sent an email to the other elders and TSCC leadership that my life in Christ is being drained faster than it is being filled, and because of that, I am making some changes to maximize those things that are life-giving to me. I am working to slay the practical atheist within me!]

Because of the teachings of those two men, Catalyst was a beneficial trip for me. There were other decent messages, and if you're interested, you can find blog posts dealing with them here. Overall, Catalyst was loud, uncharacteristically unorganized, and kind of a frazzled experience. But even after all of the craziness of those two days, I'd go again, just to be around 10,000 people who are leaning hard into what God is calling them to be.

Involved

More and more, people are seeking creative ways to get involved with what Christ is doing in the world. Messages of social justice are being proclaimed. Norms are being challenged. Words are being backed up with action. People are coming out of their churches to engage the world with the Kingdom Message of Christ. This is exciting stuff.

There are challenges too. A friend recently described his son as anxious to participate and serve the world - to engage others with Kingdom realities - but less interested in learning of Jesus and participating in the life of the church. That's weighty stuff. You can read books like Dan Kimball's They Like Jesus But Not the Church or David Kinnaman's UNChristian to get an idea of what might be going through the mind of my friend's son. At the end of the day, though, we must, as people of God, cover both ends of the spectrum. There is a learning part of discipleship, as well as a doing part. One without the other is not the Message of Christ. Those of us in the Church are guilty of forgetting that, in equal portion. But I really believe that some folks are starting to get it right. May I - may we - be among them.

Here are some links that I've run across lately where people are trying to personally make a difference. Give 'em a look for yourself. If you know of some folks besides these who are seeking to change the world, leave a comment and share with the rest of us. You may find that you want to participate in their movement. Or maybe their ideas will spark something inside of you.

Either way, it's time to get involved.

• Rosa Loves: http://rosaloves.com/
• Junky Car Club: http://junkycarclub.com/
• To Write Love on Her Arms: http://twloha.com/the_story.php
• Advent Conspiracy: http://www.adventconspiracy.org/
• Toms Shoes: http://www.tomsshoes.com/

Simple

Stefan Reed is the LifeGroups/Missions Pastor at LifeChurch.tv's South Oklahoma City Campus. As guest blogger for Craig Groeschel, he recently posted some excellent thoughts on "simplicity."

http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/2007/11/07/guest-blog-stefan-reed/

Prayer for a Friend and His Son

I have a friend - a brother in Christ - whose son is in Iraq. His son is a natural leader and warrior, and has medals that came from battles that would attest to those descriptions. The weight of having a son in Iraq is weighing on my friend and his wife, especially as news today tells us that another soldier was killed by an IED.

Questions are many, and so I ask that prayers would be many as well. Answers are hard, but maybe the best we can pray for is safety for the son, and the presence of Christ for the parents. May both be known and be real in these days.

Thank you for praying as well.

Peace.

William Fitzsimmons

If you're looking for some excellent acoustic music, you might give this cat a listen.

http://myspace.com/williamfitzsimmons

Thanks to Joshua Longbrake for the head's up!

Enjoy!

Into the Wild

In 1993, Outside magazine published an article dealing with the death of Chris McCandless. That story generated more reader feedback than any story in the history of their magazine. You can read the story here.

The story became a book, and has now been made into a movie. Eddie Vedder has put together a stunning soundtrack. I say all of that as an intro to the movie trailer.

It is my plan to see the movie this weekend - I'll let you know how it was!

Prayers for the Weekend

This is a huge weekend in the life of Tulip Street Christian Church. A candidate for our Lead Pastor position will be visiting with us, and the agenda is full. We have an extended interview with him tomorrow, his wife will be touring the area with a Realtor, and there is an all-church pizza party tomorrow night with some informal Q&A. Sunday, our candidate will preach both services, then later in the day, TSCC will hold a church wide meeting to put our finger on the pulse of the church. Lastly, the leadership of the church will meet Monday night to plan our next steps. I have been responsible for planning most of this weekend's events. My tendency is to go over the details again and again (and again and again) looking for oversights, errors, etc. It's really hard for me to say "this is good and I can move on to something else." This has drained me in a scary way. At a time when I so very much desire to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leading, I am finding myself feeling cold, empty, and false. I would deeply appreciate your prayers this weekend. For our candidate, for our church, for God's purposes to be known, and even for me personally. Thank you in advance. I gotta tell you - I'm feeling like "a donkey on the edge!"

Pumpkin Pie Spice

My days are crazy busy right now. Some of you have emailed asking about a post from our Catalyst trip - I hear you, and want to share about that experience. But even in these busy days, I am reminded that it is a glorious time of the year. The chill in the air and the color of the leaves all serve as reminders that Fall is upon us.

And this changing of the seasons brings with it something that grants me incredible joy and truly gladdens my heart (No Paul, not Chimay. At least not this time!). The makers of International Delight coffee creamers have released their limited edition seasonal enhancers of caffeinated goodness. And king among these special creamers is the much-anticipated Pumpkin Pie Spice. Oh, the smoothness! The richness! The simple decadence! Share a coffee with me, laden with this spiced nectar, and you will hear me proudly proclaim, "Pumpkin Pie Spice, so nice!"

Aren't the simple pleasures in life somehow always sweeter?

Words for Tulip Street

Rick McKinley, Lead Pastor of the Imago Dei Community in Portland, OR preached a great message last April 15, entitled Personal Transformation. On their web site, McKinley says this about the message:

After the series on the prodigal son, we are left
with the lingering question; "what does it mean to come home to the Father?" God
is embracing us without any work on our part? Really? Whether we are coming home
from a distant country of sin, or the backyard of legalism, we are left to
navigate the Father's embrace. What does God want to do now that you are
home?

The book of Isaiah gives us some insight into
these questions. Jesus quotes Isaiah 61 at the inauguration of his ministry. It
is a chapter filled with hope. This hope is centered on the fact that deep,
authentic transformation is available to us! The most important thing you can do
with the gospel is believe it. How does God want to transform you? For those
living in poverty, God promises good news. For those who are broken hearted, God
promises whole hearts. For those in bondage, God promises freedom. For those who
grieve, God promises comfort. Ultimately, it is for his glory that you are
transformed. As people see your story on display, God is glorified. We are
transformed because of how great Jesus is, not because of how great we are for
Jesus.

Here is the bottom line for us at Imago Dei
Community: The world does not need more large churches filled with converts, it
needs radically transformed disciples. How can we pursue this
together?

At Tulip Street, the Leadership Team is convinced that God is calling us to rediscover what it means to be a disciple. To ask how are disciples made, and then to consider how disciples live in such a way as to further the Kingdom of Christ. Because of this leaning, there are a couple of bullet points that jump out of McKinley's words, and we must let them take root in our hearts: (1) We are transformed because of how great Jesus is, not because of how great we are for Jesus. And, (2) The world does not need more large churches filled with converts, it needs radically transformed disciples.

So, Tulip Street, hear this: I am praying that we always keep Christ in the fore-front of everything that we say, do and think. May we understand the God-Centeredness of the Gospel, and realize that the greatness of Christ allows us to live as transformed people! I pray also that our definition of "disciple" would be true to the teachings of Scripture, and that we would be known as true followers of Christ. There IS a difference between being a believer and being a disciple. May Tulip Street Christian Church be known as a disciple-making church where Christ is glorified in all things and in all ways!

I and the other leaders are working diligently to make those things become reality for us at TSCC. And like Imago Dei, we simply ask, "How can we pursue this together?"

Come and join us. Are you up for it?

The Message of Jesus

If you ever think the Message of Jesus gets "lost in translation" then you'll appreciate this skit featuring the music of Lifehouse. I'll trust that this will speak to your soul in a powerful way.
[Thanks to Amy Brothers for sharing the link! :)]

REVERB

I'm leaving this afternoon for Atlanta. Hot-lanta, the thought of which makes a chubby guy cringe. Man, can I sweat. But I digress.

The Catalyst Conference is amazing. Really. As much as "amazing" is over-used these days, it's still a great word for this Leadership Conference. If you want to check it out, click here.

I am tired, though. Kind of worn down. And a looooong van ride awaits. I would really be grateful if you could quiet your heart and pray for myself and all of the elders of Tulip Street Christian Church as we head south. I'll trust you to know what to pray.

But as tired as I am, I'm excited too. I get to see good friends. Hear some speakers that are really seeking God's face as to what to share. Eat great food. Worship with 10,000 other people who are leaning hard into the life God is calling them to. I am expecting God to be present in and over this whole event. May it be so.

Peace out.

Hello #2000

At the end of last week, this simple collection of my rambling thoughts and reflections on things in our world reached 2000 "hits." 2000 folks have visited these pages. Amazing. Maybe more amazing is that the bulk of them are from outside Indiana. Heck, some are from other countries! Crazy thing, this new-fangled Internet. :)

So, to all of you who drop by from time to time, I say thank you. I'd love to hear from you if you care to leave a comment. And you're always welcome to visit again!

Peace Out.

Authentic Transformation

This article really confirmed much of what I am thinking in these days, and I thought you might be encouraged by it as well. Enjoy!

http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=1804

It's a Beautiful Day!

Lawrence County is in Stage 4 drought. That's bad. Really bad. We're over 12" behind in rainfall for the year. A much prayed for, needed rain is falling. It's a beautiful day!

A Friend of Mine Once Said . . .

From Guy Mundy's journal:

Most of these small journals start with the words
of other men. But this one I feel should begin with my own
words.

Why is it that the words of other men inspire me? Do
the men who spoke these words gain their perspective from other men as
well? I like to think they are original thoughts. Maybe they were
crafted from the various snippets of inspiring words by
others.

Most of these thoughts are from experiences in life.
Penned with great emotion and passion.

These records of inspiration have the power to change the world. Alter the course of a wandering soul.

It is for this reason we must write and speak what is on our
mind. Share what is heavy on our heart. It makes no difference how
we convey these thoughts. They may be meaningless to some, but they
may be understood by one and that one who comprehends can be changed
forever.

The words can be deemed as spiritual
food. Nourishment to advance a pilgrim down the road. Energized
to further his journey. Live to fight another day.

It is not only words that we must share. Our life must be open for all to explore
also. This becomes frightening for some, especially for me. What if
I am found out? That people see me for who I really am?

But that is the gift of a shared life. For our failings and
shortcomings is precisely where we gain our strength. It is where we
can support one another. Where one is weak, the strong can fill the
void.

I think that is why God created us with different gifts and
personalities. He wanted our lives to be intermingled. Joined
together to become one holistic organism. Working together to glorify Him
through love.

When we hole up and escape to our caves for extended
times I believe we lose some of the giftedness of togetherness. Spend
to much time alone and it is hard to engage with other lives.

I have a great tendency to want to be alone. Although I think God wants us
to spend some time alone. But it is in these moments that I must take
those who are in my life with me in spirit. For in these times of solitude
I hear whisperings from God. Nudgings from the Holy Spirit. "love
your brothers" He says. "Fight for my Kingdom, share Me with those
who don't know Me, help the weak, give to those in need. Understand
the depths of My love."

Lord, Help me be bold enough to share my
life. I am am not perfect by myself, but when locked in arms with my
brothers in Christ, I am powerful beyond measure. The Kingdom gates are
flung open and your love floods out. Saturating our souls,
filling our every void with your spirit. may those moments come with
greater frequency and with increasing power.

Come Lord Jesus, come!

Finish the Fight

See you at Midnight.

On "Vision"

Hang out around churches for even an hour or so, and somebody will bounce around the word "vision." It's a hot topic buzz word. I ran across these thoughts on vision, and they've pushed me to slow down a bit and realize what it really is that I - and all of us in churchdom - are saying when we toss out our $0.02 on vision.

Consider . . .

“To the person who does not know where he wants to
go, there is no favorable wind.”
~ Seneca

“All men dream: but not equally.
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to
find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they
may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.”
~ T.E. Lawrence

“The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but
has no vision.”
~ Hellen Keller

“Keep yourself clean and bright; you are
the window through which you must see the world.”
~ George Bernard Shaw

“The real voyage of discovery consists of not in seeking new landscapes
but in having new eyes.”
~ Marcel Proust

Anniversary of a Homeless Man's Passing

10 years ago today, Rich Mullins was killed in an automobile accident. I can't honestly tell you that I'm a huge fan of his music. There are a couple of his songs that just really resonate with me, but what I miss way more than his songs is his prophetic voice. And his was a voice not so much "heard" as "seen." [If you know much about Rich's admiration of St. Francis, and Francis's quote "Preach the Gospel always; if necessary, use words" then you'll know what I mean.] Rich's life still teaches me about discipleship. About simplicity. About loving well.

I miss Rich because my life needs - desperately - the things that he lived out in deeper, fuller measure. One of those songs that speak to me is Creed. As I get older and my journey with Christ begins to take on different dimensions, I am gladdened to see that I am continuing to have my eyes opened to what it means to be called "Christ Follower." I am, after many years of claiming the name of Christ, just beginning to learn about what it means to have God be the potter and me be the clay. May I be made into what God needs me to be, to be used as he sees fit. May I be able to sing Rich's words with the voice of my life:

I believe what I believe is what makes me
what I am.
I did not make it, no, it is making
me.
It is the very truth of God and not the
invention of any man.

If you find yourself wanting to learn more about Rich and how he followed Christ, I suggest this book.

Final Leadership Summit Session, #10

It's taken me 5 weeks to review and sort through my notes on The Willow Creek Leadership Summit, and it has been fruitful for me to do so. There is so much good stuff there that it likely takes that long for it all to sink in and take root.

Bill Hybels opens and closes each Summit. You don't want to miss either of those sessions. Period. This year's closing session was no exception. A week after The Summit, I took my notes, ripped Bill off pretty well, and turned them into a PowerPoint presentation that I shared with the Tulip Street Ministry Leaders. Hybels' message on "Whatever You Do, Inspire Me" is good, good stuff. I told you in my first Summit Session post that I wasn't going to post my notes in their entirety, as other guys had already done that better than I. For this last session, I want to provide you with a link to Dave Ferguson's blog, who did post his notes -- they are excellent and give you the full flavor of what Hybels wanted to share. If you would like a copy of my presentation, shoot me an email and just ask - I ripped Bill off, so the least I can do is share. :)

Click here for the link to Dave Ferguson's notes.

I hope you've been challanged by the material from The Leadership Summit, just as I have. I would highly encourage you to attend if you ever have the opportunity; it's well worth it!

Peace Out.

Blue Like Jazz

Few books have impacted me like Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. I've owned it for several years and have read it more times than any other book in my life. I've given probably 20 copies of it away. And I can't read it without weeping one moment and having a deep belly laugh the next. In that book, Miller portrays each of us at different times, and maybe above all else, comes across as real and believable. Those are two qualities that Jesus deserves, and that the Church desperately needs.

I ran across this link today, where you can hear a couple of interview clips with Don. In the first, he talks about Blue Like Jazz the book. And then, in the second, he gives us a peek into Blue Like Jazz, the movie (who knew?)! To get the scoop, click here.

A Pattern of the Psalms

For some time now, I’ve been working my way through The Message, starting at Genesis 1:1 and rocking on from there. Recently, I read Psalm 22. While you can learn much about Christ’s foreshadowed death in that Psalm, what struck me hardest was the pattern of intense crying out to God – intense anguish – and then a closing movement where the Psalm concludes with a burst of hope and praise; it's a pattern that is familiar to the Psalms in general, but on this morning, really just jumped off the page at me.

It’s almost as if hope and praise become expressions of the same thing – I suspect that might be true in that God is the source of our hope and the object of our praise. So for me, is God trying to point me to seeing that, yes – I am in a season of anguish over leading at my church – but that at the end of the day, I must have hope and offer it as a praise offering? Is it that simple?

Lord Jesus, as You will and as You know – AMEN.

Summit Session 9

President Jimmy Carter spoke at Session 9 of the Summit. Before beginning the interview, Hybels challenged the audience to expand their leadership bandwidth and learn from sources outside their comfort zones. Apparently, folks had boycotted that session because they didn't agree with Mr. Carter's views on certain issues. They missed out on time spent with a gentle, wise, godly man.

Carter listed his ideals for inner-circle leadership, which were:

• Integrity
• Honesty
• Compatibility with Basic Principles of the Team
• Loyalty
• Expert in Area of Responsibility
• Free to Disagree

Carter also proclaimed that the greatest challenge facing our world must be bridging the growing chasm between the rich and poor of the world; the church must break out of its "Cocoon of Comfort."

President Carter closed by simply saying that a human should do what Christ did as a Champion of Peace, quoting Psalm 34:14 - "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

Bella

Bella, the movie, was highly recommended at The Willow Creek Leadership Summit. The Producer of that movie felt a call to change his life path at a previous Summit, and Hybels graciously allowed him a moment to tell his story and show a short clip.

A line from the movie really captured me: "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans."

More info on the movie can be found here.

Summit Session 8

Film-maker Richard Curtis was interviewed by Bill Hybels for Session 8 at The Leadership Summit. The title of the interview was "Living for the Greater Good." Let it not be lost on you that this title, while sounding very Sermon on the Mount-ish, comes from a man who hasn't completely yielded his life to Christ - he is admittedly in process on that (to which I would simply say, Who Isn't?).

You may be wondering why Hybels would ask Curtis to participate in The Leadership Summit. The humanitarian event known as Live 8 is partly the work of Curtis (along with Bob Geldof and Bono). So Curtis runs in good company when it comes to seeing a vision to make the world a better place. Here are a couple of his thoughts:

• The texture of life improves with laughter (Curtis is the man who gave us Mr. Bean, by the way).
• To accomplish something great, everyone must understand the direction the project is to go.
• People are looking for a chance to do good.
• The Sermon on the Mount is the truest thing I've ever read.

The Air We Breathe

Luke Kimmel speaks of the supremacy of Christ in our lives in each message that he shares as Preaching Pastor at Tulip Street Christian Church. That is a central reality in Luke’s life, and I think he would agree that he considers it essential for a disciple of Christ to latch on to that concept.

I was recently encouraged by a passage of Scripture in my daily reading that reinforced this truth of the supremacy of Christ in our lives. It has stirred me, and I share it with you in hopes of it stirring you as well.

From Job 34 (Message):

If he (God) decided to hold his breath, every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air.