Chris on Campus

The Profanity Plan

2012-02-07T09:04:00.002-06:00

Do you have a plan for the next time you recognize your desire to unload all kinds of foul language? Most of us have no plan! Here is one suggested plan I offered last Wednesday night in our class discussing profanity.

I will stop whatever I am doing the second I recognize it
I will take a deep breath and close my eyes for 5 seconds
I will say this phrase that I have already written down on a piece of paper in my pocket in that moment: “I desire to be an imitator of God as a dearly loved child and to live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

I wonder what would happen if we had that kind of plan to rid filthy language from our lips from which come both praise and curses! God may transform us yet!

What is your plan?

The Grass Has Grown!

2012-02-06T11:00:00.000-06:00

Last Wednesday night, continuing the "You Asked for It!" series, we raised some questions about the use of profanity. I ended the last post stating a few principles to take home in learning to honor God with our lips. The first one was to realize that transformation happens slowly and only over time.

After class (and in class) several students talked about being unable to control the words that come out of their mouth instinctually. The examples mentioned were moments when there was no time to consider what they said. They crush their thumb with a hammer. Someone scares the living ...uh... daylights out of them. Or they fall off a chair or down the stairs. In these moments, they told me, there is no way to avoid using profanity.

I thought about myself as students were telling me these things. Does profanity even come to my mind during these instinctual moments? While I struggle to know what verbal response I typically have, I have a hard time remembering the last time profanity crossed my mind in those moments. Other moments (like when I'm angry) bring those thoughts out for me.

"How did this happen?" I kept asking myself. I know profanity used to be the norm for me almost all the time, especially in moments when I was reacting on instinct! How could I even forget that these moments were a no-brainer when it came to moments I would certainly cuss?

My answer: Transformation.

Last Wednesday night was one of those moments when I looked at the grass (so-to-speak) and noticed that it has grown to be rather green! It seems like yesterday the grass was just seed in need of germinating. Meaning: I too thought it impossible to transform instinct. Yet, my instinct is changed!

How did the grass grow? I happened slowly...and over time. One choice here. Avoiding that word there. Exploring creative ways to express myself differently. "Gina! The monkey has caught my brain instead of the banana and turned the sucker upside down right before my eyes! Things are backwards! Yet, the kingdom grows with each choice."

It takes time to transform a mind! And there are no shortcuts! It takes intentional work. Hard work. Work that you sometimes forget about. Then you remember. Then you forget again. And then someone reminds you of how things used to be for you...on a Wednesday night!

God is in the business of transformation! And He is amazingly patient as the grass continues to grow as he designed it! Grow grass grow!

Psalm 137 and Lament Teams

2012-02-05T16:15:00.000-06:00

In my opinion, we had a FANTASTIC conversation this morning! Thanks to all you who offered great insight.

Reading Psalm 137 (especially the last verse) confronts us with a reality that we generally ignore when we are in church. Created in God's image, we have a wide range of emotions going on inside us. Yet we sometimes feel as if we have to keep all the negative ones bottled up inside to ourself.

Who would ever say publicly in church something like, "Happy is...he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks!" What!? I can hear someone respond instantly by asking, "How could we even think something like that!? We are supposed to love our enemies!"

Well...an unspoken assumption in most of our corporate worship times is that the only legitimate expressions of worship are positive and joy-filled. Thus, in class we explored the appropriateness of LAMENT in our gatherings. Instead of just having conversation about a praise team, what if we also worked to have a lament team?

Even though this brings a little bit of laughter, I wonder how (and when) we could seriously entertain the idea of encouraging lament among us.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

What would it look like to have a corporate lament service? Have you ever experienced this?
Based on a closing question in class, do we need to reconsider what we do in our funeral services? How so?
Why do you think most people are so uncomfortable with sharing any discontent about God with others in church?

Dang Gina!

2012-02-02T16:01:00.000-06:00

Profanity. What counts? How do we honor God in our language? Where do euphemisms fit in?

Last night we had a great discussion in our "You Asked For It" class where we are addressing various questions raised by our students. At the end of class I shared a few helpful principles to keep in mind as we learn to honor God with our lips. Here are the things I shared:

Realize that transformation happens slowly and only over time
Realize that our language both expresses and influences our heart
Recognize in yourself the situations when you struggle most in honoring God in your language
Develop a plan of action for those situations ahead of time
Understand that small decisions to refrain from certain words (even if you still think them) are signs of real progress

Over the next few blog entries I will go into more depth to explain some of these things. What do you think about these things?

Rated 'i' for Ignore

2012-01-19T15:17:00.000-06:00

Have you ever been truckin' along in your Bible, come across a passage of scripture that you had no idea what to do with it, and rather than pause a second to make some sense of it just kept right on going? That is me more than I'd like to admit! There are some passages of scripture that are just straight up confusing! Why is that in here? How am I supposed to apply this?

Even more, sometimes I feel like I'm unable to actually say that in church! It is as if I know better than to ask why that passage is in there! I'm somehow already supposed to know how that applies to my life!

Well, I'm wanting to create a little safe space where we take a look at some of these passages, passages that we'd like to ignore. Some passages I have NEVER heard preached! Some passages are mentioned only in passing without any depth. And some passages should only be talked about in appropriate places!

This 10-week class series is entitled "Rated 'i' for Ignore: 10 Biblical Passages We'd Like to Ignore." Beyond looking at specific passages of scripture, I hope also to see more vividly the human element of God's divine word. The Bible reveals stories of God in perfectly messed up lives!

In the end, I hope that we can be more realistic and honest about our own "messed-up-ness" (since that is a real word)! These passages have something to say to us who humbly recognize our own inadequacies before the Almighty God who forever reigns above all!

You can bookmark the series link to peek into our conversation.

Encouraging Start

2012-01-19T07:06:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was an encouraging day, and the KFC Building was open for only half of it! Campus has life again as SHSU started classes, our cleaned floors were received incredibly well, students came by with renewed excitement, prayers were offered by and for me, we had a great first Bible study of the semester, and my productivity was higher than normal! I praise God for His encouragement.

Lord, at the beginning of the day today, I ask you for the focus you need in me to extend your kingdom one encounter at a time! May excellence compel me forward in your service. With all the new pieces of information that will come my way today, Holy Spirit, teach me your ways in those decisions. So much is before me that I could easily be overwhelmed today. May your strength, Jesus, and faithfulness work in me today. Amen.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks find; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10

Z2 Aroma

2012-01-17T10:04:00.000-06:00

Z2 Convergence was an incredible experience this year!

The weekend had an aroma of Christian community lived out. We came ready to welcome other students we'd just met! The fragrance of grace filled the weekend even as collisions occurred. We connected with each other and offered ourselves for the others' sake. The scent of reverence lingered over our worship. We offered our sacrifices of praise in a variety of forms throughout the weekend. Praise the Lord!

Here is the video that I put together late Sunday night (and well into Monday morning!) to show Monday morning at breakfast as we left.

I will certainly be processing the weekend more and putting up other completely awesome videos as they become available. You can see all the Z2 Convergence posts here.

Prayer for Punkinsaw

2012-01-13T08:25:00.000-06:00

My 4 year old son, Tyler, has a hilarious way of bringing things together with his goofy words and keeping our family prayer times light-hearted! Last night, while he was praying before bed, he asked God for a safe trip to Punkinsaw. I had just prayed for a safe trip to Pine Cove for the Z2 Convergence, and Tanya had been talking on the phone about students coming from Arizona, all around Texas, and Arkansas! So Tyler prays for all of those in just one word: Punkinsaw! Amazing! We busted out in laughter as we finished our prayer time together! It was awesome!

God stirs our lives with the salt of laughter! I praise Him for Punknisaw!

Imitation Moment

2012-01-12T14:35:00.000-06:00

In the book Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis there are times when he teaches through a hypothetical conversation between Christ and a disciple of Christ. I love this didactic strategy because he invites me in to identify with the disciple and to consider the words of Christ in a new way.

All the craziness associated with pulling together all the last-minute details for the Z2 Convergence that we begin tomorrow forces me to pause for a second to consider an interesting conversation between a disciple and Christ!

Disciple: Where are you, Lord, when I'm overwhelmed with all these details and all this stress?

Christ: I'm here with you, as you know already. I wonder what is overwhelming you to the point that you only now turn to me?

Disciple: I recognize that you have been here the whole time. At the same time, as my tasks continue to come at me with amazing vigor, my thoughts entertain the ever-present mountain called "things-still-to-get-done." I write them down "here" and "there." I forget about "this" or "that." I actually remember "the other thing" and manage to crank out pieces of randomness to add to the little hill called "finished." Are you just sitting there watching me? Waiting for something? What is going on?

Christ: Sure I see all that, my child. Actually, I feel how overwhelming it is for you. You take on so many things! I love that about you! I remember creating you like that on purpose. I also remember creating you to take delight in me, to experience peace in me. I see times when your faith in me alone carries you beyond this thing you are calling a mountain. You let go and sit at my feet as you breath your next breath, learning from me the way you must go. I love those moments that you are even unaware of yourself and so sensitive to my moving that it is as if I were directing your path according to my word. You do that so well, my child. Keep it up.

Hide-and-Seek

2012-01-10T07:14:00.000-06:00

Opportunities patiently wait for us to discover them today! For some reason they like to play hide-and-seek all the time...and they are good at finding hiding spots! I know some kids who are excellent, top-notch, olympic-gold-metal-level hide-and-seek players, and these opportunities I'm talking about beat these kids all the time!

What is amazing to me is to watch them play. Even though the opportunities' hiding spots are incomparable, sometimes they like to toy with people. I occasionally see an opportunity, tired of hiding so well all the time, stand right out in the open ready to be "it" next round (wanting to be "it" even once), and someone just walks right past it as if she never saw it!! I am floored every time!

Well, today is going to be different for me! An opportunity told me to close my eyes and count to ten, and we all know what that means. I'm playing hide-and-seek today! It is going to be awesome.

You need to join us! Those opportunities have nothing on us! Ready or not, here we come!

Spiritual and Mundane

2012-01-09T07:23:00.000-06:00

Spiritual and mundane
They intersect I know
Maybe I miss it
Eyes aimed too low

I look up during one to find
A legitimizing prayer or song
No way this is spiritual
Too mundane. And wrong?

I look down during fun
Food and Mexican train
Did God make all of us
Odd, weird, even mundane?

Spiritual seems different than this
Yet the activity connects
God's people are nourished
Energized as He directs

God is one
Also three
Spiritual and mundane
Word and tree

We are raised to heights
Of spiritual connections
When we image God
In mundane reflections

Rated 'i' for Ignore

2012-01-07T16:35:00.000-06:00

As I read through the Bible, I regularly run across difficult passages that make almost no sense. At least I sometimes want to ignore it and just keep right on reading, because touching that would mean...well...uh....I mean...okay, let's move on. Many things run through my mind as I have these interesting encounters with God's word!

"What in the world is that doing in the Bible?" "Did I misread something?"
"How can that be what I'm supposed to do?" "I can see why no one ever talks about this passage." "These are impractical and archaic nowadays." "Those things sound unchristian!" "What if baldness really can be reversed?" "Surely this means something else." "Does this sound like God?" "Am I a moron?" "What else is going on here?" "There is NO WAY that I would even think about bringing this passage up for serious discussion in a Bible class at church!"

Well, even with the bald joke implanted above, the time has come. I am venturing into a 10-week Adult Bible Class at 9am on Sunday mornings at Huntsville Church of Christ starting January 22, 2012 that peruses some of these passages that we would like to ignore. I'm calling it, "Rated 'i' for Ignore: 10 Bible Passages We'd Like to Ignore."

I'll leave you hanging right there, knowing that more will come. Deeper purposes do lurk behind the surface waiting to explain why such a class would even be offered. Trust me! Confidence and conversation wait to reveal themselves.

In the meantime, I'm curious what Bible passages would you never touch, even with an 144,000 foot pole?

Space on the 12th Day of Christmas

2012-01-06T23:13:00.000-06:00

Every year, on the twelfth day of Christmas, my wife and I get to celebrate our wedding anniversary! Tanya and I were married on January 6, 2001. We got a chance to get away for our 11th wedding anniversary yesterday and today! My mom came in to spend some time with Kayla and Tyler.

We went to Crystal Beach, near Galveston. And, get this! We backed up our Honda Pilot right to the ocean's edge, opened the back door, and sat there for hours! It was amazing! The sea gulls were doing their thing, the water was doing what it does best, and we were enjoying the comfortable silence...mesmerized by God's beautiful creation! The only people we encountered during these times were those in the one or two cars that passed by every couple of hours or so.

When was the last time you took advantage of some space to reconnect with God through his creation? You need to do that.

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters." Psalm 24:1-2

Praise the Lord!

2012-01-05T06:58:00.001-06:00

What would happen if you said these words to 3 different people today: "Praise the Lord! God is so good!" How would those people respond? What kinds of conversation would come from a statement like that? Who needs to hear you say something like that? What would that do to your heart? When would you imagine a statement like that coming out today?

As this Christmas Break Exercise continues, stretch a little today and give a little shout out for God!

"Praise the Lord! O gives thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. Who can utter the mighty doings of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Happy are those who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times." Psalm 106:1-3

Shine Jesus

2012-01-03T07:51:00.001-06:00

Today's Christmas Break Exercise post is short and sweet. These have gotten longer than I first intended. Here we go.

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn." Isaiah 60:1-3

The year continues to unfold before you, and God is still the bright one who shines through you! Keep your eyes on the way of Jesus and others will come around so that they can see more clearly.

Prayer for Wisdom

2012-01-02T07:18:00.000-06:00

I praise you, Father, for your presence. Today your wisdom and understanding wait to be experienced by those of us looking for them. Whisper to us, Lord, that our hearts may find you again today. Prepare us, Spirit, as we wait to see you this day in your wisdom. Amen.

"Happy are those who find wisdom, and those who get understanding, for her income is better than silver, and her revenue better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy." Proverbs 3:13-18

More Than One

2012-01-01T14:31:00.000-06:00

Reminiscent of the nine lives that cats claim to have, I claim to have more than one life. In fact, I have more than two too! [get it...TUTU...ha...I'm a dork]. I have my spiritual life, my family life, my lame joke life, my church life, my work life, my exercise life, my hobby life, my you-name-it life. They are all there, present and accounted for! Each doing it's own thing!

As if it is against the rules to start over on, say, March 3rd or December 16th, the new year certainly encourages us to start over, to begin again, and to resolve to do this or that with my food life, weight life, or work life. If you are hitting reset this year, let me offer a thought that may take some pressure off your shoulders.

My thought: my plethora of lives are more fused to be one than I think!

I have recently been on a journey to clean out my office to get it in order! Thoughts may circle around in some people's brain about how Chris is finally getting his work life organized! These thoughts, if they actually happened, would be accurate. My work life IS getting more organized and more manageable!

At the same time, a funny surprise continues to unfold in front of me. As my office is getting more organized, my financial life is getting more organized, my spiritual life is getting more attention, and my time with family is being managed better! This is cool! Work on one and get four! To be a math nerd for a second, maybe one times one CAN equal four! Awesome!

Um...no! Epic fail, Chris!

The reality is that one times one equals...wait for it...one! We have one life. Work to enhance it even in small things, and your life improves. Your one, God-breathed life--every aspect of it--responds and adjusts to every small, seemingly-insignificant tweak. It is as if we are hard-wired in the image of God to be a whole and complete living being! Nice.

So, go for it all this year with a bang as you hit reset and work on your life again! My excitement and anticipation grows as I wonder what will be affected this year as I work to get organized at work. What about you?

God's Word and Prayer

2011-12-31T12:32:00.000-06:00

At the end of this year, my mind goes to the transformation that has happened in my own life in the course of one year. The list would be long indeed! Big statement here. Though mostly inside, God has changed me more this year than any other year since the life-changing transformation that happened while I was at Pine Cove as a boat driver in the summer of 1998.

As I look back on the year, what I see is God's word and prayer. Even though confusion, frustration, questioning, struggle, pain, and discernment could make their case to be what characterizes this year for me, I notice the sometimes subtle presence of God's word and prayer.

The nature of my job (to teach Bible classes) kept me going back to God's word. In my preparations God surprised me regularly with small things. As I reflect on this, it seems like God purified me little by little through it all with his word.

"Is not my word like fire, says the Lord..." Jeremiah 23:29a

Prayer was there too because of the nature of my job. At times I forced myself to ask others what I could pray for because I knew prayer changes things. It did. Even those small prayers said out of obligation, those prayers I'm supposed to pray because I'm the campus minister. Even more, I see those prayers said through silence, reflection, and tears from this year. Flash prayers like, "What is going on, Lord?" or "Give me patience, God!" opened up vistas of divine revelation.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:18

God's word and prayer. Commit to these in 2012 and reflect on what happened in your life at this time next year!

Go in peace! Serve the Lord!

A Picture

2011-12-30T09:36:00.000-06:00

I want to paint a picture
Without drawing a line
It will speak beyond itself
And to nature divine

It points and displays beauty
It fashions itself with word
It creates a connection
And feelings never heard

I want to paint a picture
Without skill or technique
It will dance beyond expectation
And rest in land unique

It wrestles with struggle
It smiles with wisdom
It hovers through silence
And reveals kingdom

I want to paint a picture
Without pride in me
It will honor God and Man
And hang upon His tree

Advisers and Action, Part 2

2011-12-29T10:00:00.001-06:00

"Where there is no guidance, a nation falls, but with many advisers victory is won." Proverbs 11:14

Today I continue yesterday's thought concerning the challenge associated with asking for advice and following through with action. I ended yesterday saying that asking for advice is only the first step in moving forward. A much more difficult step is actually taking a step!

Looking at the Proverb above it is obvious that the king of a nation must act to address the enemies looking to take the nation. No wise king would seek the counsel of his advisers and say, "Hey, that is great advice! Thanks for giving me that advice about preventing our enemy from destroying us!" and then do nothing. Yet, how quick I am to ask my friends for advice and put off any decision because it is a hard decision!

Regarding my office, one day I went to the library in Conroe with Tanya and the kids. While they ran with excitement to pick their own books, I went upstairs on a quest of my own. I left with a book called, Order From Chaos by Liz Davenport. Going through that book helped me begin to take another step I needed to get organized.

Interestingly enough, as I completely gutted my office to create some space to organize I found Adonna's written plan I mentioned yesterday. Reading through Adonna's plan again, I was amazed at how similar they were.

It baffles me why I never saw her advice and acted on it back in 2008! All I know is that now, I'm ready to act on the advice. The difference is found in me. I am ready to make a plan and follow through with it. What advice have you already received that you are needing to act on?

I've found that good intentions are only that...good intentions!

I also hear James 2:14-19 humming a little ditty in the background:

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that...and shudder.

Advisers and Action, Part 1

2011-12-28T12:12:00.001-06:00

Breaks have generally been the time when I concentrate on getting things more organized, especially in my office. As I have been doing this again, I recall a time when an anonymous person (still unknown) hired a professional organizer to help me overcome my organizational struggles. At first, it was difficult to admit that I needed someone else to help me do something as simple as organize my office. "After all," I blindly reasoned, "I can do this 'simple' stuff myself! Why bring someone else in?"

Well, I learned through this exercise that having many advisers is wise. Several Proverbs (11:14; 15:22; 24:6) make this incredibly obvious! Proverbs 24:6 is characteristic: "Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers." They bring various perspectives and offer varying opinions. So, Adonna came in and helped me a great deal! She wrote out a plan of action and gave me great advice! I'm incredibly grateful for her expertise!

Here is what happened.

I kept the plan she developed near my desk for a while. It made me feel good. I had a plan! It was awesome! So...I made sure the plan was close, laying near enough for me to see it so that I could hop on it as soon as I had some time! Every time I looked at it, good emotions and smiles came to my heart, especially since my desk stayed clean for much longer than any other time I'd cleaned it off before! I had a plan after all!

Occasionally, I would take her plan into my hands and flip through it's pages reminding myself of the plan! Stirring myself once again I resolved to get to it soon, maybe even this coming weekend. Having made this "absolutely definitive and concrete plan" with the awesome word "maybe" (cough, cough), I put her plan back in it's place. Well, as you can imagine, the busyness of ministry continued. Eventually, another "important thing" to remember got placed on top of this great organization plan that never completely materialized!

While I will continue this story tomorrow, here is a concluding thought for today. Asking for advice is difficult! It forces us to come to terms with our own deficiencies. We see the weaknesses...and so do our advisers! In the end, however, we must recognize it is only a FIRST STEP in moving forward. Following through with the plan is much more difficult!

The Way of the Lord

2011-12-27T07:31:00.000-06:00

Israel was in exile. Jerusalem was destroyed. The temple decimated. They were scattered among the nations. Israel's big three were gone: no land, no temple, and no identity!

In this context, Isaiah 40-55, speaks an unbelievable message of hope! Like yesterday's post (telling Israel to put on new clothes) we see amazing images of what God is going to do to restore the big three. They will go back to their land. They will rebuilt the temple. And they will be seen as God's people with innumerable descendants. God's message through Isaiah gave them hope for the future beyond their present situation.

I can hear the clamoring of critics and doubters now! "There is no way this is possible!" "The odds of that happening are horrible!" "Why would you even consider such a thing!?" "That is a pipe dream!" "Look at you now!" "You think God is with you? Ha!" "God will never accept you!"

And then this:

"...my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts..." Isaiah 55:8-9

The simple reminder this morning is to remember that the Lord's ways surpass our ways.

We may think we have the way of the Lord nailed down and forget to seek his guidance or hear his message. Our internal (and external) critic may blind us to the amazing transformation that God's Spirit desires to work in us. Our current situation may be so bad that we're convinced that it will never be restored or redeemed. We could be so "cold" that we think "warmth" will come from the Lord!

Be careful. God is in the business of taking what is "lost" and working salvation. Call out to Him! His ways are higher, deeper, and beyond our ways! That is awesome!

Put on Brighter Clothes

2011-12-26T07:32:00.001-06:00

"Rouse yourself, rouse yourself! Stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his wrath....Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city...Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captive Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter Zion!" Isaiah 51:17; 52:1-2

This is only a small part of a compelling sermon first preached to a people scattered all over the place after the Lord brought devastation and destruction to Israel. Having experienced captivity for some time I imagine the mourning clothing of sack cloth and ashes alongside the chains of their tormentors being a daily reality fixated in their minds. Perhaps they are so inclined to accept this way of living that they "fall asleep" thinking that no hope exists for them, that there is no brighter days ahead.

To hear a message like this is jolting! There is hope? There are beautiful garments for us? There is something more for us than chains and old clothes?

As this Christmas Break Exercise continues we may need a little jolting of ourselves, a little "Hey...get up! Rouse yourself! Shake off the dust! Take off those chains! Put on some brighter clothes!" This sermon reminds us to put on our Jesus-type clothes each day. It is a choice we must make today! We choose to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). These clothes compel us forward through the day to interact with those around us.

Knowing we need to put on each one, which piece of clothing do you need to put on most today? Wake up and put it on! Stand up in the clothing that the Lord provides us!

A Gift of Prayer

2011-12-25T06:06:00.000-06:00

We praise you, O Lord, for your goodness! You alone are God; there is no other! We fall down in your presence! You alone come near! You alone are able to work righteousness and justice!

How often it is that we claim to possess what only you can claim! How quick we run to cherish the gifts we receive without recognizing you, O Lord, as the one who gives them to us! How slow we are to see our family as worthy of our sacrifice and time!

Father, open the gifts that we give you today! With every one, we show you our heart one more layer deep! Savior, we wait for your surprises with eagerness. Remind us, Holy Spirit, today when we need to see you most! Encourage us, Lord, to fight ever-present temptations with your energy!

We praise you, O Lord, for your goodness!

God Hugs

2011-12-24T06:12:00.000-06:00

"Hey man!" the guy says getting my attention. Without invitation he invades my personal space and gives me a comforting hug. "You look like you needed a hug!" I did need that hug, and I appreciated it very much. Yes, two grown men hugging is cool!

As I've mentioned before, I think God likes to surprise us with hugs, especially for those of us who show and receive love through touch. What I cherish about God hugs are the disguises in which they come. Here is a brief list of God hugs I've received lately:

An actual, meaningful hug
A person told me that they'd been praying for me (without me asking!)
I watched the wind sneak through a forest
I heard the apt words of a prophet to me
A killer, awesome food gift given out of the blue
I found out that someone talked good about me behind my back
I watched my kids point their friends to Jesus

God wants to hug you! He has probably done it many times over today already. He disguises himself so well that we have to spend regular time becoming more familiar with them. How have you experienced God's hugs lately?

Yearning and Seeking

2011-12-23T07:18:00.000-06:00

"My soul yearns for you in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks you..." Isaiah 26:9a

As this Christmas Break Exercise continues, I wanted to remind you of the Christmas Break "Bucket" List. Take a moment and read through this list again. Even those of us who are beyond our college years can find small ways to keep our souls yearning for the Lord! Number eleven is a great one!

Wait a Second!?

2011-12-22T07:18:00.001-06:00

I hope you are enjoying the change of pace that comes with Christmas break! You've been waiting for it with great vigor! Your eyes have been on this season for a while!

As you think about this season for which you've been eagerly anticipating, hear this word from Isaiah 25:9:

"Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

I love how Isaiah talks as if he can see the Lord right there in front of him. "There he is! Look at Him! Look how awesome He is!" This text forces me, as I continue this Christmas Break Exercise, to look around while I'm on break. The Lord is here! I've been waiting for this time. God is amazing! Let us be glad...no exuberant...about the salvation the Lord has provided!

Wells of Salvation

2011-12-21T07:17:00.000-06:00

"With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known his deeds among nations; proclaim that his name is exalted." Isaiah 12:3-4

I recall only one well from which I have ever drawn water; it was at my grandparent's farmhouse. It was good water, cold and refreshing on hot summer days. As a young boy, I remember being confused about the well water though! I was afraid that my grandparents underestimated how much water to put in the well. What if we ran out of water!?

I love the language of drawing "from the wells of salvation!" Salvation here is never something we put in to draw back out later on when it is needed. We could never claim any part of it! Indeed, salvation is something that comes from the depths of the Lord. And there is plenty of it to go around, and more than one well.

Remember during this break to take a drink. Draw from the wells of salvation today! How do you do that? Thank the Lord! Call on his name! Tell someone about how God has worked among us recently! Lift up God's name!

By "My" Hands

2011-12-20T07:05:00.000-06:00

The Christmas Break Exercise continues this morning!

Yesterday was the last day that we had carpet in the big room of the KFC building. Here is a picture of it before we got to ripping out the carpet.

I could talk about how awesome a job I did in getting the carpet out. Genius could point out that I cut it first in small strips to make it easier to pull up. I thought about cutting hand holds in the carpet too so I could get a better grip! I'm so wise. My strength could also win the day as I point to that! You can tell my strength just by looking at me, after all! Look at me...I did...I...I....me...my...

Hear the word of the Lord about Assyria, who God used to destroy Israel for their rebellion, from Isaiah 10:12-13:

"When the Lord has finished all his work [read "destruction"] on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride. For he says: 'By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I have...plundered their treasures.'"

It is so easy to slip into thinking that I am the one who does all these awesome things...whatever those awesome things are! Classes...assignments...finals...tight budget...many friends...spiritual progress. I easily forget that I am merely the tool in God's hand. I am the instrument he uses to accomplish his purposes.

Remember to keep your pride in check during the break, especially when around family. It is easy to think too highly of yourself in these moments. Remember that you are still learning and that many people know more than you do. Knowledge and understanding belong to the Lord! Strength and power are His! The Lord says, "All things come about by my hands."

The Vineyard

2011-12-19T06:30:00.000-06:00

I praise God for this Christmas Break Exercise where we have the opportunity each morning to focus our minds on the way of Jesus to water our hearts for the day. Hear the word of the Lord from Isaiah 5:1-2:

"Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes."

Notice that Isaiah is singing a love song for God. Interestingly enough, the love song is startling for Israel. It speaks of all that God has done for Israel, his provisions, and his protection. In spite of all of it, however, Israel returns sour grapes! As we see a few verses later (Isaiah 5:7), the Lord expected to see justice, but saw bloodshed; he expected righteousness, but heard a cry!

We pause for just a minute to thank God for all that he has provided for his people, for us who desire to draw near him and learn his ways! Spend a minute (or four) to thank God for his provisions in your life.

Let us pray that God's provisions result in the fruit that He desires for us. During this break, may God see in us useful grapes! Search us, O God, and know our heart; test us and know our thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in us, and lead us in the way everlasting. Amen.

Righteousness and Praise Spring Up

2011-12-18T08:07:00.000-06:00

This is part of the Christmas Break Exercise designed to keep us focused on the way of Christ in small ways each day.

"For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations." Isaiah 61:11

The earth teaches us the way that God works if we pay it a little attention. God is the one who causes shoots to come out of the ground and seeds to spring up! If you were to watch these things happen this entire afternoon expecting to see the growth, I may think you are crazy. However, if you were to trust that God causes the growth over the course of this break with small moments of turning towards Him, I may think you are beginning to understand.

Learn from God Himself

2011-12-17T06:00:00.000-06:00

This is your first Saturday of Christmas break! Woo hoo! We are continuing the Christmas Break Exercise designed to help us stay focused each day during Christmas break. I explained it in more depth here. Here is the brief thought for today.

As an extension of yesterday's thought, take a look at what happens on the mountain of the Lord's house in Isaiah 2:3: "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.'..."

God teaches on the mountain! Spend a little bit of time reflecting on the things that God has taught you this last semester about his ways. How have you "gone to the mountain" and seen him at work in your life? How has he changed your life even in one semester?

Remember that God continues to teach us even now! He reveals himself to us in the most unlikely places. We can learn from him on a big beach in Hawaii or on a bean bag in our home. Be alert! Search and look for his teaching around you today.

[btw...where are you planning to assemble with a community of faith tomorrow? Who can you ask to go with you?]

The Chief Mountain

2011-12-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

"In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it." Isaiah 2:2

Tanya and I had the privilege of climbing to the summit of Mt. Fuji (12,389 feet) when we went to Okitsu, Japan on a Let's Start Talking project in 2001. It was amazing! I'd never seen the world from that height before or since. As we rested after our incredibly intense, four-hour climb, we enjoyed the spectacular, awe-inspiring view of Japan. There were no other mountains even close to the height of Japan's tallest mountain! Nothing blocked our marvelous view.

As I read Isaiah 2:2 at the beginning of this Christmas break, I wonder what other "mountains" in my life may be blocking my view of God's world as it is meant to be viewed. This break is a good time for me to consider some of my high, established mountains. Perhaps the mountain of fear towers over all else for me. Maybe it's school or family or future. I bet the mountain called "being in a relationship" tempts some of us with the promise of an amazing view.

I wonder if this Christmas break will be for you the picture of the "days to come" that Isaiah paints. Will Christmas break be the time when the mountain of the Lord's house is established as the highest of the mountains in your life? Will you raise during this Christmas break this mountain above the hills, rightly identified as hills instead of competing mountains?

A Focused Break

2011-12-15T14:03:00.002-06:00

I remember the way that I thought while I was in college as Christmas break approached. The stress still lingering from finals, I was ready for a much-needed and much-deserved (at least I thought it was a much-deserved) break from it all!

Once I turned in my last final, my brain said, "I am done! No more. It's over!" My body followed as did (even with the greatest of intentions to avoid it) my spiritual walk! Break in and break out I resolved to read through a book of the Bible, write in my journal every day, meditate on my life in silence, pray for longer periods of time, or some other kind of "super spiritual" thing!

What ended up happening, more often, was sitting on the couch at home, wasting time on the computer, watching TV and movies, hanging out with friends, doing the Christmas thing, and whatever "worthy" thing came along. Basically, I had no plan except to take whatever came.

Well, I still fight those tendencies (see this blog post from 2006 before Thanksgiving) even though there is now much less Christmas break for me. It is mainly filled with traveling here, there, and yonder. While it is still awesome to see family and catch up a little bit, we are on the go with an agenda determined by others. We have this party, that party, another gathering, and more travel between two families.

What can I do to stay focused?

I'm glad you asked because I want to help myself and others who struggle with breaks like I do. Each day, beginning tomorrow, I will be posting a brief, little biblical thought for the day to keep us focused on Jesus. Most likely, these posts will be nothing earth-shattering, mind-blowing, and hair-reducing. They will be simple, straightforward posts designed to help us stay focused on the way of Christ in the midst of the craziness that follows Christmas!

If you want to go on this journey with me, you can subscribe to these posts via email or just check back each day. You could bookmark the tag, Christmas Break Exercise, to see all of these posts at once too!

I pray that this is a blessing to you.

Reverence Matures

2011-12-14T12:10:00.000-06:00

The voice is familiar and somewhat vague

Laughs, family, gifts, on stage

The drag is noticed too, distinguished from rest

Jealousy, dishes, money, and guest

It comes to announce good tidings and cheers

It surprises sometimes and new life appears

It follows us hidden down beneath

It retrains itself without relief

They keep it at bay and traditions continue

They perform it again without new venue

They struggle for clarity with all a blur

They hear and doubt the gold and myrrh

What do you hear? What do you feel?

They unite and reverence they reveal

Worship and Justice Must Dance Together

2011-12-12T15:24:00.001-06:00

How does a believing community navigate the tensions that surface when we seek to emphasize both worship and justice?

It is an interesting juxtaposition needing more serious thought and reflection because the gravity within our communal heart seems to pull us closer to one over, and many times against, the other.

Justice pulls us. We cry out to our God, like the slaves called Israel in Egypt, who we believe will rescue us from our afflictions and from the injustices done to us! We seek to right the wrong. We desire the respect that comes with being created in the image of the living God who chose us as His people, His possession.

Worship pulls us. We lift up our song, like Moses and Miriam, to testify to the true and just God! We tell others about the highest mountain of the Lord where everyone can learn the ways of the Lord to walk well in His light (see Isaiah 2:2-5). We stream to Zion as His servant receiving from Him what only He can provide: salvation and just judgments. We draw near to God in worship!

Worshiping God is good and right. However, in its zeal worship can pull us too close to itself. Rather, it can pull us too far from justice. Without care, an intense focus on worship can cause our concern for justice to become stagnant, deformed, and even misguided. We may draw near to God presumptuously and forget the slavery from which we came. We can, like all nations, find security in ourselves. We can, even unconsciously, think that our privileged state came from our own power, our own cunning, or our own alliances. We may begin to wrongly think that God "graciously" overlooks our rebellion, sin, and ever-increasing works of injustice. Our minds may begin to justify our agendas of oppression, acceptance of bribes, and worship of idols.

Thus, we rightly hear the seemingly faint background music of Isaiah 1-39. These songs (or sermons, really) reveal that worship must remember justice. Orphan and widow are important. As we seek to establish ourselves in a society bent toward pious and personal experiences of worship, we know that worship must dance in step with justice. We live with reverence before a God who created the world. There is no other besides Him who works justice. He alone is God!

To do justice is good and right! However, in its zeal justice can pull us too close to itself. Rather, it can pull us too far from worship. Without care, an intense focus on justice can cause our concern for worship to become stagnant, deformed, and even misguided. We may readily run to another nation to perform justice in behalf of the poor while forgetting our own poverty each week in communion as we proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. We can, like some great non-profits, focus on making this world a better place failing even to acknowledge in worship with other believers the God who made the world. We may begin to dismiss worship at church as irrelevant to God's "true work" in social activism and lose the prayerful reverence that true justice requires. Our minds may begin to justify our absence from communal worship, selfishness in good works, and badges of "righteousness."

Thus, we rightly hear the seemingly faint background music of Isaiah 55-56. This text (and Isaiah 58, especially) reveals that justice must remember worship. Fasting and sabbath are important. As we seek to establish ourselves in a society bent toward wonderful works of justice for the marginalized minority among us, we know that justice must dance in step with worship. We live with reverence before a God who created the world. There is no other besides Him whom we worship. He alone is God!

How does a believing community navigate the tensions that surface when we seek to emphasize both worship and justice?

We begin to dance.

A Small Prayer

2011-12-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

At the end of this semester, Father, allow us the opportunity to see your kingdom in our small, seemingly insignificant actions. Nourish our spirits enough to reach the depths of your love in offering a smile. Help us to imagine and discern new possibilities for living fully alive as we give away our attention. Provide us relief, Lord, from our constant conformity to busyness. And strengthen us as you transform our lives according to your business. We trust you with every small, yeast-like, kingdom-oriented action. Amen.

Apologetic Heart

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

As a word guy, I have sporadic moments where words just come to me. Lately, they have been manifesting themselves in poetic attire. A few days ago this poem appeared.

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It comes in moments
You and I apart
I taste God's love
And am cut in heart

Apologies are hard for me
I must admit and you know
It pains me the humility
But to the cross I must go

I'm sorry for my slacking
In the humble leadership we need
I'm sorry that I hurt you
In word, in thought, in deed

I love you because of God
And your captivating beauty a perk
I commit to you again this day
To love you like God and kill the jerk

Z2 Convergence Video

2011-12-08T12:17:00.001-06:00

It is a little more than a month before our second annual Z2 Convergence! This year it is just outside of Tyler, Texas at Pine Cove. The price for this three-night, eight-meal experience is amazing! Only $85 and you can buy your tickets online.

We finally got a Z2 promo video put together that lets people know a little more about this regional event during MLK weekend.

Even if you have no group to go with, you can converge with us! This is a place where God and students collide in engaging worship, motivating discussions, and energizing fellowship to inspire us to live for Jesus Christ completely!

Christmas Break To-Do List

2011-12-08T11:51:00.001-06:00

Below is a list of good ideas for college students to consider doing during Christmas break, a time when we are tempted to go on break from our commitment to Christ. I tailored this idea specifically for the Kats for Christ ministry.

Discuss how you’ve grown spiritually this semester with at least one family member.
Take one whole day alone with Jesus.
Hang out with one person from high school with whom you need to reconnect.
Read one book of the Bible you’ve never read before.
Plug in fully to your church – volunteering, attending, going to the college ministry – even if it’s way less awesome than the Kats for Christ.
Tell your parents how much you appreciate them.
Pray regularly that God would make you the kind of student that glorifies Him best.
Pray through your course schedule for next semester and discern whether God would have you change anything.
Read one Christian book. (Ask Chris if you need ideas!)
Take at least three days in a row to fully rest.
Contact Chris at least once to let him know how things are going and how he can pray for you.
Help your parents in some way that surprises them.
Prayer walk a college campus in or near your town, even if it’s a rival school.
Pray for the Kats for Christ ministry every day (and write down anything God shows you).
Pray for your upcoming professors. By name.
Think up ways to serve your upcoming professors.
Pray through your areas of campus involvement. What needs to change?
Pray through your Kats for Christ ministry involvement. What needs to change?
Go through your closets at home and donate things you know you will never use anymore.
Keep doing the spiritual habits you’ve developed at college – avoid skipping even once, or it’ll be hard to keep the habit all Break.
Call your closest friends regularly, and keep each other on track spiritually.
Connect with Christian youth in your town (or even their parents), and help them think about preparing for college.

Even though this list is for those in college, some of them remind me that I too am tempted to "go on break" from my normal commitment to Christ!

Lord, may you strength me as I get ready for Christmas break. May my mind and heart turn toward your goodness and newness offered everyday. You have made today what it is, with its struggles and triumphs. I praise you for this day! I thank you! I imagine your smile wrapping me up into your love during Christmas break. Lead me, Lord, closer to you!

Work the Raw Materials

2011-11-22T11:52:00.001-06:00

I regularly sit to discuss various forms of this question: "What does God want me to do with my life?" We talk through this sometimes over the course of a semester, semesters, or years. I love guiding and helping others through this time of searching; it seems to come with the territory as a campus minister. Dan Miller has been a good resource for me in these conversations for some time.

Today's post was a little longer than normal, but contained some great perspective on the raw materials called spiritual gifts. Here is an excerpt:

God’s gifts are raw materials, not finished products. Thinkabout the most revered sacrament in the church – Holy Communion. Does God giveus bread and wine? Where can you find those in nature? You can’t. God makeswheat, He doesn’t make bread. He makes grapes – not wine. But when we take theraw materials God gives us, we can add our work and give them back to him as anoffering.
And I remember reading in the most popular “self-help” book available:“For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who isunwilling to work shall not eat.” ( 2 Thes. 3:10)
This is a picture of the spiritual life for each of us.Every one of you has special gifts – singing, writing, gardening, art, computerskills, selling abilities, teaching others, encouraging others – but whateverour gift is – it’s a raw product. It has limited value until we apply thediscipline necessary to make it useful to ourselves and others.
We get nothing but rough materials – life doesn’t hand usthe finished product. Life may even bring us obstacles or heartache along theway. But ultimately, our lives are the bread that we prepare. Our lives arewhat those around us see as the result of what we’ve done with those rawmaterials.
So the issue is balance – is it all us, NO. Is it all God, NO. We develop the raw products of what God has given us. ...
I recently read a couple books by Franciscan priest Richard Rohr. He comments on how to joyfully surrender ourselves to God, and how to pray: "Asking for something from God does not mean talking God into it; it means an awakening of the gift within ourselves."

I really like how he encourages us to work to enhance the gifts God has given us. Instead of waiting for lunch to be plopped down right in front of us, we can enjoy the same end (lunch) with more perspective, maturity, and transformation having made it ourselves.

We are more fully alive having taken the gifts God has given us and working to make the heavenly banquet the best it can be! It would certainly be great to have "God open all the doors, creating the perfect (and clear) path" for our lives! Yet, we would jeopardize the incredibly important process that can lead to an amazing feast!

A New Old Friend

2011-09-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

I shared this on our first Wednesday night two weeks ago with about 60 college students. It is written in a way that lends itself to speaking rather than reading.

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I was planning on doing this nice little testimony that is somewhat familiar, but something happened a couple of weeks ago that I have to tell you about! It kindof fits with what we are going to talk about tonight, so that is why I’m doing that instead.

Okay, so … do you have one of those friends that impacts you so much that just thinking about that person brings a smile to your face? Just picturing them in your head and…knowing who they are…they just encourage you. Many people (even many of you) really do have that affect on me, but there are two close friends of mine, David and Doug, who just the thought of them encourages me. And distance or time has no effect on that feeling. No matter how long it is between the times we talk or see each other, it is as if we just pick right back up where we left off. I love it and hope to never lose that kind of relationship that I have with these guys! In fact, I think we can only handle two or three of these kinds of relationships during our lifetime. Some people could have more, but even one of these is enough!

Here is why I say that…I ran into this guy again a couple of weeks ago that may be another one of these kind of friends for me. It is sometimes hard to know right away, but you never know. You just take it as it comes. I really hope that it happens though…

I had met him a long time ago. I actually grew up with him in Carrollton, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. My parent’s still live in the same house where I grew up, so there were a few of us who went to the same elementary school, same Junior High, and same High School. He was in that group, so that is why I’ve known him a long time. We have this unique connection (that we’ve known each other so long), even though we’ve had a kindof superficial relationship.

He was one of those “popular ones” in school (all the way through High School too!). And since I was more of a “nerd” than anything else we just ran in different circles. Every now and then I’d notice him in one of my classes, but we rarely talked or interacted. I can say, though, that…I do remember he was easy to talk to back then. I always felt like he had that ability … you know those people? … they have a unique ability to somehow relate to all the different cliques in school. It was weird, but I always wished I could do that like him.

[I still remember thinking in the middle of Junior High, “What happened between Elementary School and Junior High?” I wondered why so many kids that I regularly played with in Elementary School no longer talked to me in Junior High. It was as if we never knew each other!]

Anyway, this guy somehow connected to all those different groups of people. It was probably because I was jealous of him that he stuck out to me. So, a couple of weeks ago I was in Houston just sitting down reading something to pass the time. I happen to look up…and I saw him coming my way. I was like, “Do I know this guy?” At first, I was trying to remember where I knew him from…because he looked very familiar. [I’ve lived in so many different places that it’s sometimes hard for me to keep all the people straight.] … Then I was like “dude…that's him!”

So, I stood up and was like, “Hey!” I had no idea if he would even remember me, but he was like, “Dude! What’s up, Chris Blair! It’s good to see you! How are ya!?” I was really taken back that he knew my name. He just started asking me to update him on things. We talked for a good while. I was overwhelmed with how easy he made it to catch up. I was also amazed at how mature he was.

Since I’m such a different person than I was in High School, I sometimes assume that people from back then would be shocked to know that I am a campus minister. But he was actually really encouraged to hear that and he talked about his relationship with God and how God has been working in his life in powerful ways! It’s so cool! You can really tell when someone is really connected to God…they are soaking up God’s word…they pray all the time, and they are just connected!

Normally in those kind of conversations, if I’m a little honest, I typically feel like I’m the one who has something to teach or offer someone else. But, with this guy, I actually started feeling like I had more to learn about how God had been working in his life than how God has been working in my life. It was an odd feeling! But…I felt good about it. He made me feel good about it!

Then…this is where it took an even more odd turn for me...he told me that he was thinking about moving to Huntsville! It is hard to describe the excitement I had after our conversation! Seriously…if he moves to Huntsville…I’m going to invite him to come around to hang out. You’ve GOT to meet this guy! He’s self-employed…well kindof (I can explain that later)…but he has a lot of time to spend with people, so that’s what he does. He spends tons of time with others. He told me…wherever he ends up…that he’d be more than happy to come speak to us and about all the ways God has worked in his life! And so, I’m really excited about that!

But…even more than just speaking to us, he said he really would like to spend serious time getting to know everyone here personally. This is what blows my mind! He told me that it really bothers him to just show up at some event, tell about God, and then everyone leaves to go their own way. He told me that he really wants to show others how God really works so that they can live the way that God made them to live. And, listen up…this guy KNOWS how God works…because he lives life to the fullest!

I KNOW this guy will change your whole life. Just listening to his stories, watching how alive he is for God, receiving a new perspective on life from him, and responding to his invitation EVERY DAY to SPEND TIME WITH HIM and to TELL OTHERS about his way of living is so…what I want to do...for the rest of my life! That is how much this guy has impacted me recently. I love spending time with my rediscovered new old friend who’s always been there…Jesus.

He wants to move in. He wants to show me everything about how God works so that I can live the way God made me to live. What is cool is that … He wants to move in with you too. He wants to show you the way God works so that you can live the way God made you to live!

I’ve heard the call, “Come and follow me!” Our invitation with the Kats for Christ is to come and experience the life that God desires to have you live. We are so about Jesus, because he is the only one who will transform you to live as he lived … completely alive!

Kingdom

2011-07-29T22:15:00.003-05:00

Father, open my eyes to see ways to cultivate an attitude that values your kingdom at Sam Houston State University. Help me to imagine and discern new possibilities to be excellent students of Jesus. Write your story using the instrument called us, your people longing to do your will. May your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth like in heaven. Amen.

Why Worship

2011-07-07T08:26:00.004-05:00

Last night in the combined Bible class we dared to broach the subject of worship! Instead of focusing on the 'how' questions, we focused on the 'why.' We were seeking to make connections between our worship of God and our life outside of worship. It seemed like many tables were having great discussion! I enjoyed our discussion.

As I prepared for this class, I was reminded of a previous blog post I wrote several years ago on a Monday. It reminds me of a couple of reasons why I have come to worship God. One is a completely unhealthy reason I sometimes come to worship (to be critical) and another is more healthy reason (to be moved by God). I have made a few edits...I hope you enjoy.

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Being honest, I sat yesterday in our weekly Sunday service with a critical eye. I was going to see if 'they' could move me...whoever 'they' were. The service began normally. I had seen it before, heard it before, prayed it before, and gone through that motion before. I was wearing the t-shirt. As we progressed through the service, I found myself trying to focus on what was happening. However, I kept thinking about me doing what I was doing. Nothing was moving me at all. I was anticipating after service when I could tell someone (probably Tanya) how 'they' never moved me in that worship. Time for the invitation song.

"Lay Your Burdens Down..." the song begins. As I stood to let other people respond (obviously excluding myself) to the message the thought occurred to me, "Why is this the song of invitation? It is such a great song!" I stood anyway, closed my eyes, sang, and was overwhelmed by a gracious, divine surprise.

This song moved me! Rather, God used this song to move me. Seriously...I was shaking by the end of the song. Oddly enough, I was still trying to stop shaking because I wanted to prove my point that nothing in the service could move me. Then I could wallow in my own self-absorption of an empty worship service. But, something else happened. I was moved. It was God. I could do nothing to stop it! Amazing!

Reflecting on this over the last day, I have learned how much I need to grow! Why am I coming to worship trying to prove that nothing will move me? I need to be seeking in coming to worship the very thing I was avoiding: God's presence. Yet, amazingly enough, God was gracious to allow a song to usher his presence into my life. How many times does God use songs to move me in worship? Too many.

Thank you, God, for being so gracious. Thank you for your patience with me. I need to grow so much. Let me continue to be aware of your presence in my life. May your praise be on my lips throughout the day. Keep me from the cynicism I experienced yesterday...all for your glory. You are the one I need. Let me seek you alone.

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I wonder what are some reasons that you come to worship (good or bad, healthy or unhealthy)? Share in the comments section below.

Praising God

2011-06-30T08:51:00.006-05:00

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits..." Psalm 103:1-2

Last night I facilitated a great conversation about praising God in our combined adult Bible class, Going Deep. I had asked the tables to discuss a small way that they have seen God at work. After that I wondered if the table discussion itself could be considered praise of God. One of the points of conversation centered on whether everything we did could be considered praise of God. This was an interesting development, especially as I asked a followup question, "Are you sure everything we do can be considered praise of God?"

Truly the summons to "let everything that has breath praise the Lord" (Psalm 150:6) is present! We certainly need to praise the Lord with everything. I just wonder, as I mentioned as an example last night, whether we would consider even lament as praise of God. Praise, in my mind, could be contained within lament, yet I think they are two distinct things. Is praise just all the good fluffy bunny stuff? Is there a darker side to praise that still contains trust?

I tend to think expressions of praise (both verbal and non-verbal, human and non-human) include expressions of thanks, blessing, magnifying, glorifying, and singing. And my last post about talking to trees betrays my thinking in terms of all creations' ability to speak. What do you think: is there a line to help us understand where praise begins and ends? (leave a quick comment on the blog)

Talking to Trees

2011-06-15T19:18:00.005-05:00

Have you ever talked to trees? I did that again yesterday. Here is what I heard them say:

I heard God's creation reaching out as high as possible toward the sky. They were grounded, though, accomplishing the purposes for which they were created. Their shout was clearly a communal one saying, "We move together, intertwined! Each one of us affected by the other, we know it is best to draw on that blessing." I am humbled at their voice; they proclaim their creator every time.

Willing to risk sounding insane, I think everyone needs to talk to trees every now and then! Their message is captivating!

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Psalm 19:1-4a

My Finals Week Prayer

2011-05-09T11:10:00.005-05:00

"May the Lord give you His perspective, even during finals week!

May His wisdom guide you to study diligently.

May His patience compel you to attend to one thing at a time.

May His peace multiply any rest you receive.

May His food energize you continually.

May His quietness permeate your breaks.

May His calmness reign in your anxiety.

May His love make you smile.

May His grace help you receive your final as a gift.

May His son's humility bring you confidence.

May His Spirit's power bring to your mind all that you have studied.

May the Lord be praised for all He does, even during finals week!"

Love Your Enemies

2011-05-03T10:20:00.008-05:00

"You have heard that it has been said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven because his sun rises on the evil and good and it rains on the righteous and unrighteous." Matthew 5:43-44

I hear the radical call to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. I wonder who Jesus had in mind as he calls his followers to a perfect, mature righteousness that exceeds that of the Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). I wonder if we are misusing this text?

Is my enemy a national enemy I've never met deemed an enemy by a particular government? Perhaps. That is certainly the assumption behind those who use this text to support the call to love a national enemy. (btw...I'm certainly okay with giving Bin Laden the 'enemy' label!)

In the midst of all the buzz however, I'm compelled by Jesus' little sermon to consider a more personal application. I wonder if this statement forces me to see my enemy as a person I know, Joe Smith, who does everything he can to slander me, speak all kinds of evil against me, insult me, and work against me?

Jesus' words here are rightly considered as we hear of Bin Laden's death. I am just a little hesitant to see those who work against America as "my" personal enemies. While, as a US citizen, I am bothered when others attack us, I refuse to directly equate America's enemies as my enemies. It frustrates me when any allegiances to America (or lack of allegiances) are equated with allegiances to Christ. I consider Jesus Lord rather than America. If I understand the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, my prayers need to desire God's kingdom to come on the entire earth, even to the exclusion of America.

So, in light of Bin Laden's death, my allegiances to Christ may compel me to pray for the Iraqi moms who continue to lose their sons in war against my nation. My allegiances to Christ may help me to consider the possibility that Bin Laden was equally made in God's image. Was he even a child of God? That kind of perspective (and just the question itself) may be blasphemous to some. At the same time, I wonder if this is exactly the perspective of another perfect righteousness Matthew points us toward?

Provisions

2011-04-04T13:49:00.007-05:00

"The spring reminds me of your provisions, Lord.

The brown, parched grass fills itself with your green fullness.

The uncovered, wintery tree clothes itself with your fresh attire.

The cold, turbulent wind breathes out your steady warmth.

The expectant, needy creature experiences your youthful rebirth.

The devoted, Lenten assembly anticipates your amazing resurgence.

You provide so much in Spring. Thank you.

Help me to see more of that today, Lord. Amen."

Spiritual Discernment

2011-03-30T10:29:00.004-05:00

"As I become aware of your presence this morning, Lord,

may I promptly respond to your movements with complete trust.

Losing my natural inhibitions that may keep me stagnant in kingdom service,

may your Spirit compel my heart forward with immediacy and sensitivity.

When I am confronted today with a situation needing prompt action,

teach me how to discern well the difference between

my own sound judgment and your own providential desire.

Lead me in the way, Lord. Amen!"

Your Hand

2011-03-04T10:04:00.007-06:00

"My heart, my mind, and my strength are yours today, Lord.

I commit them into your hand.

When my inward desires stray even just a little, may your hand steer my heart.

When my thoughts distract me from your purposes, may your hand focus my mind.

When my body is overcome with weakness, may your hand sustain my strength.

My heart, my mind, and my strength are yours today, Lord.

I commit them into your hand."

Words of Blessing - HCOC

2011-03-03T09:31:00.003-06:00

Long time since my last post. Crazy!

The power of the spoken word is amazing. I feel compelled to bless others through my words more regularly. Stumbling across some powerful written prayers recently, I desire to spend more time writing out prayers and blessings. I start with a blessing for our congregation at Huntsville Church of Christ. It is one that mimics the blessing Isaac made over Jacob in Genesis 27:27-29.

"Wow! What an amazingly gracious and forgiving people who truly know how much the Lord has forgiven them!

May the Lord work his powerful character among you all and bountifully increase the number of His people.

May whole communities come to you to learn about and participate in the Lord's work.

May all kinds of people find in you a love so great and abundant that all receive the blessing of life with God Almighty.

May you take advantage of the Lord's blessing you and actively pursue greater understanding of Him.

May He sustain you and protect you always."

Moving the Bridge

2010-08-03T07:45:00.008-05:00

I just got back from a great weekend with a bunch of campus ministers in Oxford, Mississippi. Dan Kimball spoke, did a great job, and (as always) raised some good questions especially for us in campus ministry.

In his first session, he showed us a picture that blew my mind. Well, I guess it was the thought associated with it that blew my mind. This picture shown to the right here is a picture of the Choluteca bridge in Honduras taken after hurricane Mitch in 1998.

The power of the hurricane was so great that the river actually moved! I'd never even heard of something like this happening before, except for a river becoming wider or gradually changing the flow as time goes on. I've never seen a river move to a completely different place so suddenly like what is pictured.

When Dan related this picture to our culture moving, I knew exactly where he was going! As the church tries to "fish for people" they must change and adapt to the shifting river. Sometimes the shift is small, but other times the shift is enormous! And that makes people nervous.

So often our churches are content with using the same strategies and tools for fishing when doing so looks completely ridiculous. A fisherman who insisted on fishing off the middle of Choluteca bridge "because that's where we've caught fish for years," would not only be a bad fisherman but also might be considered insane.

Yet, as culture has completely moved, we oftentimes insist on fishing with the same strategies and tools. I can't tell you how many times a well-intended person comes up to me and tells me that "we" (meaning the campus ministry) need to start doing "X" because we did that 20 years ago and it worked great! While you won't hear me say "X" will not work merely because it is old (the Bible is old too), the assumption that implementing something again just because it worked back then is flawed reasoning. The river might have moved from under the bridge! The river might have moved four miles down the road!

As a campus minister living on the edge of the our rapidly changing culture, I would rather get out the waders to walk, changing/tweaking my strategy regularly with small nuances in order to be a better fisherman. I like the change, mainly because I am also part of this ever-changing cultural shift we are experiencing.

But here is the challenge. Our churches have spent a lot of money building the bridge. Just because a campus minister wants to hop off the bridge to wade in the water, doesn't mean that our churches think that is the best thing. That might mean admitting that our assets are no longer useful; we don't like to confess that they might have depreciated to below zero. I understand that it takes time to come to terms with antiquated strategies for evangelism, to cut losses, and to build another bridge, but maybe we don't even need bridges anymore...I'm not sure.

All I know is that culture is shifting fast and our churches are VERY slow in catching up. We need to have courage to move forward, not just to change because everyone around us is. We shift all kinds of things because we want the saving message of Jesus Christ to be lived out among all those who are changing. If we refuse to change our strategies for evangelism, we've resigned ourselves to fishing off a bridge for nothing but rocks.

Lord, may your unchanging message of life in Jesus Christ spur us on toward living out Jesus' life in a particular, changing context. Give us the courage to try new methods for spreading your message. Help us to admit our selfish and prideful tendencies. Don't leave us as orphans, swept away in the cultural rapids, but weigh us down with your compassion for the lost. Open our eyes to see what the Spirit says. Amen.

Do Nothing

2010-04-14T10:02:00.003-05:00

I started, but never finished Dallas Willard's book, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. I have been reading bits and pieces as I prepare for our Wednesday night classes, Going Deep in a Shallow World (available on iTunes). Since finishing Phoebe Palmer's, The Way of Holiness a few weeks ago, I have been struggling to find a good devotional book. I thought I had one, but the quality and focus was not what I needed.

Well, I decided yesterday to go (back) through The Divine Conspiracy in the mornings. The decision was made after I ran across the most amazing quote I've ever read! It must be put in the proper context, but it certainly can stand on its own too! He was discussing some specific disciplines in his curriculum for Christlikeness: solitude and silence. These disciplines are so needed in our overly connected and loud voices society.

Here is the quote:

"One of the greatest of spiritual attainments is the capacity to do nothing. ... Muddy water becomes clear if you only let it be still for a while."

The image of muddy water impacted me so much that I ran outside to get some dirt. I threw it in a clear cup and mixed in water. It got some really muddy water going! It is sitting on a shelf in my office getting clearer and clearer. What an awesome reminder for me!

Christian Chronicle Article

2009-11-03T22:24:00.002-06:00

Through the last few years, I have talked several times about the prayer sign on campus. It is such a freeing thing in my schedule and has definitely continued to evolve each semester I sit out on campus. I was asked to write a little article in the November 2009 edition of the Christian Chronicle about my experience with the sign.

I can't find a direct link to the article online, but you can download a pdf copy of the Christian Chronicle on the right side of their site. My article is on page thirty five.

Other campus ministry articles in this edition point to how campus ministry is a major mission field often overlooked as a mission. We often think of it as one of the regular ministries of a local body when it is more appropriate to approach campus ministry like a foreign mission effort. It just happens to be in the same town.

Enjoy the reading and send me feedback on my blog.

New Beginnings

2009-10-29T09:08:00.003-05:00

Last night marked the official announcement of the hiring of our new minister. Matt Springfield will be joining us here in Huntsville. They are moving in the middle of December with an official start date of January 3, 2010.

So, for one full year we will have been without a full-time preacher. For one year we are experiencing a desert of sorts in our transition. So much has happened during this time. Figuring out who we are as a congregation. Searching through many resumes. Having many conversations, some difficult and some exciting. Learning that I am not in control. Hearing the call to trust God. Finding clarity and confusion at the same time. Loving others. Battling Satan. Searching for God in the midst of it all. It has been a full 2009.

I stand amazed at what 40 years of this might look and feel like. The forty years of Israel's wandering in the desert is hard to comprehend on the edge of our own new beginning. We hardly setup camp and here we are moving on to something new already.

Well, despite our desert's brevity, I'm excited about this new stage in the life of our congregation! Having fresh eyes to see us and what God is doing is a much-needed thing. I'm not sure if this is blasphemous, but we will have a new voice of God in our midst, someone new to speak God's word. God certainly speaks in many ways and in various forms.

Will we have ears to listen? Will we have eyes to see? Will we have hands to serve? Will we have mouths to praise? Will we smell the aroma of Christ in our midst?

I am confident we will! I praise God for this new beginning.

God's Work

2009-09-29T22:04:00.003-05:00

I am trying to characterize where I am right now in relation to discerning what God is up to.

More than ever I feel like I am a spectator watching the performance but somehow am still involved in the show itself...if that were possible.

I would say my hands are up. It is like an act of resignation, but not a desperate one without hope. There is peace nearby with a handful of confidence and assurance. I see trust as it approaches to talk about the future. His whisper passes my thoughts as I continue to teach and pour into the lives of others. He points out the close presence of caution and discernment, while pushing us into new areas. All the while I feel study touching my heart and leading this ambiguous, uncontrollable process.

I smell rumblings of newness coupled with an ancient sagacity. A fresh wind of spiritual revival sitting next to a familiar and much-needed tradition. The room feels comfortable, but uneasiness lingers; they constantly talk with each other without compromising each of their qualities.

We sit. We wait. There is peace. God is at work. It's hard to explain.

Brother Lawrence

2009-09-27T17:45:00.003-05:00

Practicing the Presence of God is a good read for someone endeavoring to journey closer to God. Brother Lawrence sought to live life with God as a continual inward conversation with God done in humility and out of deep love.

This is an appealing endeavor for me, since I have been known to speak aloud to God as if he were a person in the room. The flies on the wall regularly asked me with whom am I speaking! As I read about my 17th Century Brother, I thank God for the reminder to talk with him and think on him regularly!

What is really cool about Brother Lawrence's admonition is that it is like prayer on speed! You are conversing with the divine, but you cannot stop at the Amen! You keep going. You must continue. It bleeds into your life. You must turn your mind to God as you do everything. It is a sort of OCD obsession with letting God in on doing laundry or homework or grocery shopping or driving or you name it! God is present...waiting to have that talk!

As you read his treatise, you get the sense that an inexpressible joy exudes from every pore! It is an attractive thing for me. To be so content with God...to be so aligned with his will...to be so one with his desires...to be so in his presence that the normal means that we have of accomplishing this oneness (i.e. times of prayer, worship) can be readily set aside. We are already there. We are already tasting the heavenly presence. Attractive isn't it? It is for me.

Well, at the risk of getting many of us checked into a mental hospital, I want to encourage us to spend our day talking aloud with God. Be aware of his presence. Ask him his thoughts. Wonder at his creation. Thank him for his blessings. Inquire what he would have you do. Experience his love.

Let me know how it goes.

Creativity

2009-08-10T09:29:00.006-05:00

I am not a very creative person. I have at times tapped into God's creativity by allowing myself to be bored like kids in their creative play. But, generally speaking I have never been known as the most creative person.

This is probably due to a few factors; the last one was made real to me yesterday. One, I watch TV. This stifles any sort of creativity that I might have. It tells me a story that I don't have any say in. It comes to conclusion (sometimes) without my input. It makes connections that I haven't asked for. Creativity is squelched when I imbibe the television.

Two, I don't spend enough time in God's creation...or at least considering the creativity involved with it. I go through my day taking it for granted. The trees are always there. I don't get up close and look at how much creativity is right in front of me. To see how it feeds; to feel how hard and soft it is at the same time; to smell its aroma; to taste its fruit; to hear it move in the wind. How creative it is!

Last, I don't read creative works of fiction enough. There are people gifted toward creativity, masters of language who have for centuries brought out God's creative powers through words. And I don't let them take me on the journey to offer imagination that I never thought possible.

When I think about books I want to read, I think non-fiction. While I understand the importance of reading fiction works, I find it somewhat unproductive, impractical even. I recognize that it will broaden the horizons of teaching, but I don't find time. While I know it points to God's creative nature found in all humans, I let the mundane trump the magnificent.

Two days ago I had a great conversation with my best friend. In that conversation he, yet again, suggested a book for me to read, a fiction book this time. He was not the first to make this suggestion, but I felt compelled to entertain his little admonition. Getting the classic yesterday, I finished it this morning. Creativity throughout this little read. It was amazing.

I must explore other works too. I feel it will enrich my life; it will enrich my God-given creativity. Perhaps I will read my next fiction outdoors, forgetting all three of these creative-stoppers at once.

A Morning Prayer

2009-07-28T08:54:00.004-05:00

Lord, hear our prayer. Thank you for the night and any rest that you allowed us to have. We praise you for the chance to live another day and recognize that it is you alone who gives us life. Our breathing comes because of you as does all of our abilities.

May we feel your warmth this morning as we begin this day. May your smile surround us and penetrate our attitudes. Please give us the energy that we need to use the abilities you gave us to the fullest.

We pray for those you send our way today, some to bless us and some to be blessed by us. Keep us alert and ready to resist the temptations that would lead us away from your path.

May our eyes and ears be fully open. Amen.

God's Temple

2009-07-23T21:54:00.005-05:00

God's temple.

As I was preparing last week for a class I taught yesterday in Crockett, Texas for their Summer Series, I realized how big a deal it really was for Paul to call the Corinthians "God's temple."

While his predominately Greek Christian audience certainly understood what happens at pagan temples, they knew Paul's imagery in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 pointed to the one temple in Jerusalem...perhaps even alluding to the splendor of Solomon's temple back when united Israel received the honor of a place for the name of the one true God.

If there was any permanent place on the face of the planet where God was said to dwell, it was in Jerusalem. The temple of God. While he certainly dwelt among his people in the cool of the day, in the promises made to the patriarchs, in the face of Moses, on the mountain of God, in the tabernacle, between the cherubim, and in the highest heaven, he chose one place to finally rest...Jerusalem.

Even after its destruction in 587BC, Ezekiel imagines the new Jerusalem, the new temple from which streams of living water flow to the whole world, feeding and nourishing it with abundant life...just like the original garden. An amazing image indeed!

But...who would imagine that someday, this amazing temple would be a group of people!? And that God would dwell among them through his Spirit! That they would realize the unity they have with each other in Jesus Christ (and him crucified) as the foundation of this temple!

It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea that this temple is not found in each individual person, but only found as a group. "Ya'll are the temple of God and the Spirit of God lives among ya'll."

This means that I must recognize the others. This means that I must engage others. This means that I must rely on others. The key becomes how I work with others.

If we are to truly be the amazingly magnificent temple of the living God among whom he chooses to dwell over all the other places on earth for all time...then I've got to tell others about this and continue God's work! It is just too big a deal not to.

Perfection or Maturity

2009-07-13T08:51:00.006-05:00

It seems like this time of the year always brings about an energized propensity for focused campus ministry dreaming sessions for the coming academic year. It is a good thing for our work here in Huntsville! This is the exciting part of ministry.

Reflecting on how previous dreams have actually materialized in years past, I must say that I have lacked the ability to execute what is up in this bald head of mine. The semester brings with it a busyness that seems to choke out my good summer intentions. I get caught up in the details of maintaining a ministry somewhat solo. I haven't communicated well. I haven't empowered others well. I spent way too much time perfecting things that don't need perfection. The spacing between paragraphs on our weekly announcements doesn't HAVE to be uniform throughout! The page layout doesn't need to carry with it the golden ratio of design (1.62) before it goes to print.

As I return to my dreaming session, I have realized that something has to change at a core level especially dealing with things being perfect; my attitude needs a little adjustment. I have these perfectionist tendencies that don't want things done sloppy or incompletely; they can always be done better...and so I do them better. While this might be good at times, I think it prevents me from working on matters that really...matter.

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With that said, I wonder about Jesus' admonition to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect in Matthew 5:48. How far should we take that little phrase? It would be easy for me to take that one statement completely out of its context and place it on my announcement preparation. Maybe we should do that.

I am inclined, however, to have a little bit of textual restraint. The beginning of Jesus' sermon on the mount (specifically Matt 5:17ff.) calls to mind the shallowness of following rules verses the maturity of true righteousness. You can follow the rules without changing your attitude. You can refrain from murdering someone (the rule), but your anger has already murdered them (the attitude). The shallow righteousness of the Pharisees is surpassed by the mature righteousness of those who take Jesus' words seriously.

I use 'mature' here instead of 'perfect' intentionally because 'mature' gives the connotation of growth or completeness that 'perfection' doesn't. "Be mature as your heavenly Father is mature" is a plausible translation of this passage. It also does something more for me. I can strive for maturity more readily than I can strive for perfection. Perfection seems to be allusive whereas maturity is possible. Maybe it is a mental block of mine...I don't know.

Back to my perfectionist tendencies. The mature/perfect person (as I understand) would let some tasks go in an effort to get other (more important) tasks finished. In order to guide a larger process, the manager needs to step back from the details of the assembly line. In order for Kats for Christ to pursue being mature disciples of Jesus better, I need to let go of the margins in our announcements. I probably also need to let go of other tasks as well.

This summer will be a time for us to think about the maturity that Jesus desires of his disciples. Do you need to let go of some things in order for God's purposes to be completed?

Fully Present

2009-06-23T15:15:00.004-05:00

Have you ever been the recipient of someone who was fully present with you? It might have been a few minutes or several hours, but this person was totally focused on you, not interested in other things that are going on in the room, not interested in where s/he is going to next. The only thing that mattered to this person at that moment was attending to you. I tell you, it feels good to be the recipient of those moments.

It is actually an aspiration of mine to be fully present with every single person I encounter in a full day. I forgot that it was an aspiration until I received it last night. I guess this is a re-aspiration of sorts, if that is a word.

I have a ways to go, but I will start tonight with my wife and kids. I long to have the attitude that everyone I encounter needs my full, undivided attention for however long it is. That God has somehow led us together for a little exchange...sometimes giving something and sometimes receiving something, but an exchange nonetheless.

If I am able to do this, I think I will look a little more like Jesus. It seems like he was fully present with those especially who tended to get no attention. Jesus was drawn to them seeing them like sheep with no shepherd to lead them. His compassionate presence went out to the crowds. His disciples received his full presence. Jesus was attentive to the blind, the crippled, the lame, the mute, the deaf, the women, and so many more. He was even fully present with his mother and the disciple whom he loved as he hung on the cross.

And he continues to be present when I choose to be fully present with those to whom God has allowed me to encounter.

Lord, bring to my heart the desire to be fully present with everyone I contact. I want to give what you have given me. Help me to see as you see and hear as you hear. Amen.

Kiev Video

2009-06-22T11:37:00.003-05:00

Last night, Zach and I presented our Let's Start Talking report at Huntsville Church of Christ. To give people a taste of what it was like on our project with only two workers to do everything, we decided that we would be the only ones doing everything for the entire service. We did the announcements, singing, prayers, preaching, communion...everything.

While this might be more regular for a smaller congregation, it is a quite different for our church. In all though, I think everything went well. Kirby Logan even put Christ on in baptism. (I guess a few others helped with that.) At the end of services, we showed our LST video that is included below. (In order to view the video, you may have to visit my blog directly). I hope you enjoy it.

God's Power

2009-06-16T19:58:00.005-05:00

Well, I wish that I'd had more time to write posts about the project while I was there. The last post was one that I had written while in Kiev but didn't post. The time went by so fast that I hardly had time to process what was going on.

Since being back however, I've had more time to think. Looking at this year's project, I think that I saw God's power at work more clearly than I had in the past.

At one level, I am amazed at my energy level. It was as if God gave me what I needed to do his work for the day. I was able to stay focused, be attentive to what the readers were saying, and look for ways to connect to the conversation. I think I got a rare glimpse into Paul's world as he expresses in Colossians 1:28-29:

"We proclaim him [Christ], admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."

I notice the repetition of "everyone" and "all." He teaches everyone to present everyone perfect. He does it with all wisdom. Everyone...all. Same word. Its as if the people whom God has chosen are sent to those who are sustained by his energy. Its like you are being carried along doing the things that God has called you to do with the resources that God has given to you. Amazing isn't it?

[Now, I must admit that my trip was a mere glimpse into Paul's world. My energy hasn't been the same even though I have been a little more diligent since being back. Paul certainly found God's sustenance through a lifetime of service to the Gentiles (as Paul affirms just before the text mentioned above).]

There is another place where I saw God's power too! In the lives of our readers God's power was there. The power of God to open a person's heart to a stranger amazes me. That's exactly what he did. We were only in Kiev for two weeks (and that includes traveling days!). Yet, our connection with many of them was deep. Certainly spending a whole hour having a conversation with someone one-on-one had something to do with that. How many times do we do that with people here!? But, God used this opportunity to make his power known. All praise goes to him!

God's power truly does sustain us! It has been a blessing to experience it firsthand. My prayer is that you put yourself in a situation where God's power can shine and sustain you. Let me know how he works too!

Amazing Conversations

2009-05-28T12:52:00.005-05:00

Well, today was filled with amazing conversations. I tried something that I haven't done too much of in the past. I guess I am calling them prayer bombs. They actually go off during the conversations that I have with my readers.

I will ask them to read the passage for the day. While they are reading, I pray for them. I pray that God open their hearts and minds to understand Him better. I pray that His word do great things during our conversation. I pray that their eyes open to see Him in me. I pray that I use the right words to give them understanding and that God give them the true understanding that they need to live for Jesus.

Do you know what happened today? God blew up the place. Our conversations were unlike anything I have ever experienced on an LST project...and this is my fifth project! Every one of my readers opened up to me or God's word for no reason. I didn't do anything special except throw these prayer bombs.

They asked me for advice concerning specific problems they were going through. They were brought to tears at not being able to read again. They were intensely curious about why I followed Jesus. They made new commitments to following Jesus. It was pretty cool to witness.

Another Full Day

2009-05-22T14:45:00.000-05:00

Today we had another full day of reading! Nine hours, and I got to teach a class for the youth group here in Kiev after that. It was incredible.

Today I even got to pray with one of my readers, Natasha. She says that she wants to do better at praying more regularly, but she usually gets very busy and doesn't think about it. Sounds familiar! She told me that she loves our reading sessions because she gets to practice her English and talk a lot about God at the same time. It is like a double blessing from God!

Continue to pray for our time here. We have our one day off tomorrow and then it is off to the races again with church on Sunday and then five more hours of reading after services. I am amazed at how much energy our God gives us. Please keep up the prayers.

First Day of Reading

2009-05-20T23:03:00.000-05:00

Today was our first reading day! We had an incredibly full reading schedule with no cancelations! That is truly a joy and a rarity. I read with four readers before lunch and five readers after lunch. Back to back to back! Most of my readers are using the Luke workbook, but I finally have some readers in Acts and one in John!

The people are incredibly warm and friendly. They are excited about reading with us as native English speakers. One of my readers, Vika, sees our reading sessions as a way to improve her ability to get a better job. She is working to get her CIPA, which is the international version of a CPA for accountants in the states. There are only 200 people in the Ukraine who have this certification, and mastering English will help get her closer. She will be able to provide for her three-year-old and 18-month-old children. Her English will improve through our conversations, as will her exposure to God’s powerful word.

God is giving me the energy I need to have these meaningful conversations. Please pray that God sustain us through this work. We truly get to see God’s power at work through our weakness.

Actionless Choices

2009-05-12T09:46:00.004-05:00

It seems like I am constantly harping on the little choices that we make. "Its like grass growing," I say. "You don't notice how much it is growing moment by moment, but after a while you notice how high (and maybe unmanageable) its gotten!"

There is a growing trend that I see in college students and even others lately. It's the trend of making a choice by not making a choice. We don't know what to do in a given situation, so we don't do anything to see what happens. Later, we can claim that we didn't do anything to contribute to the problem, that we didn't make a choice in the matter. However, our inaction sometimes IS the choice that we make...and that choice does contribute to the problem many times. We don't remain neutral even though we think we do.

Here is a well-done modern parable that speaks into this conversation. I wonder what you think about these things.

Glory Appears Again

2009-05-07T08:30:00.008-05:00

I was listening this morning to scholar, teacher, and Bishop of Durham, N.T. Wright, talk about a book of his (Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense) and take questions from the audience (its a 7-part lecture I would suggest listening to). Its been out a while now, but I've never read it, so I gave it a whirl!

As he was lecturing about beauty being one of those things that we just get. It is hard to explain and even not completely agreed upon, but we understand that this thing (whatever we are talking about) is just beautiful. There is a glory to it, a mystery to it, an attractiveness to it. Some are so attracted to it that they want to begin studying it much like a musician, enamored by the glory of a symphony, is draw to understand the intricacies of music. They go to college looking to dive deep into this mystery and find that the glory has disappeared. Wright says that it sometimes takes years for the glory to appear again, if at all.

At this point in his lecture, I was struck. I couldn't help but think about how this happened to me in grad school with my theological studies. The attractive glory and mystery of God disappeared for me. I was no longer captivated by Him as I once was.

Oddly enough, when I'm being captured by these thoughts, Wright says something like, "While this is a whole other study, this same thing [about music] happens with theological studies."

Having been removed from my theological studies (proper) now for 4.5 years, there is a small element of rediscovery happening in my soul. God's glory and mystery is reappearing. The glimmer I got recently was in a conversation about my life in college. I spoke of being caught up in the Spirit, spiritual warfare, trusting God, speaking to demons, and more.

Here it is: As I recalled the glory of God being revealed in my life during that time, I then realized (or God revealed to me) that I have lost God's love; I haven't been loving the other. My heart, as Bernard of Clairvaux would say, was loving self for self's sake. Clairvaux might contend that I was even in the second degree of love where I was loving God for self's sake, but I realized (once again) that my love was not motivated from a deep desire for God, but for self.

I wonder what would happen to this campus ministry if I would let God's glory be exactly that...His. What does that look like? I wonder what would happen if I began to love the other deeply, to long after the mystery of God, to groan for his people, to rest in his love above all else. How will God use this? Well, I'm going to try it out and see what happens!

Will you join me?

Fine Print

2009-05-04T06:56:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, Doug Page preached a sermon using Luke 9:57-62. He did a great job at helping us commit to saying "I will" without any conditions. All three of the people in the text that came to Jesus said they would follow him. Even though we never know if they actually follow Jesus in the end, it is good (at least) to see their willingness to follow him.

Willing or not, the problem seems to be in the fine print of following Jesus. One says, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Another says, "...first let me go back and say good-by to my family." The fine print of following Jesus. They want to follow Jesus, but on their own terms. "These are the conditions under which I will follow Jesus."

I hear a lot of fine print in ministry. I deal with unspoken and even spoken fine print all the time. Here is where I hear the fine print most of the time: in the words "maybe," "I'll try," "I should," "if I'm not busy...," "I don't know yet," and the like. Throughout the year, attendance in our service projects or soliciting spontaneous help seems to bring out the fine print most often. I guess I am more sensitive to this now at the end of the school year more than ever.

Now I know that these words are spoken from good intentions, spoken perhaps from a perspective saying, "I'd rather not commit to something than commit and back out later." This is not an outright evil way of looking at things. But, if I read Luke's text correctly, Jesus doesn't want the fine print. Jesus isn't interested in our conditions. He doesn't want half loyalty. Jesus wants us to follow him unconditionally.

All week I have been wondering about what my fine print is. Do I have conditions through which I filter my walk with Jesus? Is there a place where I refuse to follow Jesus? Are my finances my fine print? Is my contentment? Is happiness the fine print I require before I follow my Lord? Is it that other people have to go with me before I follow Jesus? "I don't want to be the only one going on that project!" Is food my fine print? "I don't want to sacrifice that much...or I won't eat that!" Do I need everyone to agree with me before I follow Jesus? Do I require others to treat me the way I deserve? Am I requiring comfort in my following Jesus?

So many questions. But I continue to wonder about the fine print. Jesus wants us to get rid of the fine print and just follow him. What does that mean in your life?

Word of Cross

2009-04-21T07:03:00.006-05:00

I preached last Sunday about the word of the cross. As I was preparing for this message, I realized that I had never preached in 1 Corinthians! It was a bit surprising, but not completely. My canon within the canon would include the book of 1 Corinthians. So, because I am aware of this, I tend to steer away from it.

Struggling to find a good method for preaching this sermon, I settled on Paul Scott Wilson's Four Pages methodology. This is the first time I'd tried it. It could be better, but it went okay I think. The basic elements of the sermon are Page 1: Trouble in the text, Page 2: Trouble in the world, Page 3: Grace in the text, and Page 4: Grace in the world.

The goal of the sermon is to help us consider and begin understanding the metaphor of the cross of Corinth for our lives...a huge, necessary, but possible task.

Campus Tribes

2009-04-14T11:27:00.006-05:00

Ben Hines is a friend of mine from a couple of grad school classes we had together at ACU; he is working on his degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I ran into him again last August as he was on his year-long trek across the United States visiting 181 different campuses. Yes...181 different campuses in one year!

He has finished this trek, written a free little ebook, Reaching the Campus Tribes [an opening inquiry], and sent it to me before its official release date of April 20th. I wanted to share it with you because it does a very important and much-needed thing: it spreads awareness about campus ministry efforts in our nation beyond the boundaries of campus ministry circles. We can't continue to think about campus ministry like we do other ministry efforts in the church, but campus ministers need to let other people in on this familiar concept. Also, very little good research has been done in this area! I am excited about what his work will produce.

There is also a 19-minute interview that Ben did in Colorado with LEAD Network in August of 2008 that gives a little insight into his journey as it was coming to a close. This is good stuff and well worth your time! Please feel free to spread these files wherever. You can even keep up with other things that Ben is doing on his blog (http://exploringcollegeministry.com).

As for me, I plan on continuing this conversation with all kinds of people. Hopefully, God will accomplish powerful things for his glory on our campus tribes scattered throughout the nation! Come, Lord Jesus! Come!

The End of Christian America

2009-04-11T10:43:00.002-05:00

Someone passed this article entitled "The End of Christian America" on to me. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The Silent Voice Speaks Volumes

2009-04-08T06:48:00.005-05:00

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Psalm 40:1-2

I find myself struggling to understand this period in my life. This semester is full of busyness that never ends. I go from one thing to the next to the next to the next. When I have a free moment, I am thinking about how to get ahead a little more on the endless tasks.

God is silent. Freedom. God speaks. Do I listen? I want to listen. All the other things jockey for my attentive ear, but his voice is there. I am compelled to listen, to put behind all the other seemingly very important matters and just listen with attention. What am I listening for? God.

Just stop and listen to the silent voice that speaks volumes.

DMin

2009-02-08T15:55:00.007-06:00

This year's Family Retreat at Pineywoods was good. David Malone came to speak to us about Re-Envisioning Christian Community. I will probably have the retreat audio available online by Wednesday on our church website. We will see how things go.

In my several conversations with David Malone I found myself contemplating what pursuing a DMin would involve. As he discussed the process he went through in deciding to get his DMin at ACU after 20 years of ministry experience, I felt more and more compelled than ever before to start thinking about it. It will probably happen down the road some time.

My initial thoughts are definitely geared toward helping campus ministry. Not much is written about campus ministry and college students in the church. I will be listening to God's moving in this regard. May he lead my heart to pursue his in all my endeavors.

Bible Bowl

2009-01-29T09:47:00.004-06:00

I don't know how I come to a place to forget about this, but I do it more often than I'd care to admit. Even though I do read the Bible all the time...every day, in fact...it is done not for my own nourishment but for others'. I am always thinking of a lesson, a class, a thought, a sermon, or something else to come down the road. The nature of being a minister seems to force me into this mode of reading scripture.

In spite of this, I have recommitted to read through the Bible again this year so that I can find the nourishment I need to minister more effectively in the kingdom of God. The plan I am following this year takes different sections of scripture for each day. Each week I get to read from the epistles, law, history, psalms, poetry, prophecy, and the gospels. The variety is refreshing.

A Chinese friend of mine taught me a Chinese proverb that comes to mind. "In order to give a drink, you need a bowl to draw from." One point of this proverb that I take home is that you need to have plenty of Bible nourishment in the bowl before you can offer even a small drink of Bible to someone else in a class or a sermon or a conversation.

How is your bowl of Bible doing?

God Encouraging His People

2009-01-11T21:14:00.004-06:00

In this morning's sermon I broached the subject of how to deal with change and transition. The following are some of the thoughts I mentioned.

"As a congregation we find ourselves in an interesting period. Granted, we are not facing the enormity of change that Moses felt when helping lead Israel out of Egypt or the enormity of seeing uncircumcised Gentiles coming into the sheepfold for Peter. The change we face is actually pretty small in comparison…but not insignificant!

"Bob is transitioning, we are transitioning, SHARE groups are still new and we press on to expand the kingdom with them, a new generation of leaders continues to cycle in and out…elders…ministers…deacons. These are significant changes that we face as a people of God.

"But, when I look at these two stories of God in the Bible, there are five admonitions I find to help us during our transition."

We need to...
1) Position ourselves to hear God
2) Decide who is in control
3) Repent of selfishness
4) Work with each other
5) Take one step at a time

I hope that these things are helpful for us as we begin this transition this year. May God's word continue to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. God is a God who exists. I AM is the one who works with us at this especially! Amen!

God Provides

2009-01-06T09:22:00.004-06:00

I have always noticed the way in which God provides immediately after the fall of man in Genesis 3. Right after God curses the serpent, the woman, and the man he turns and provides for his creation. "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." Genesis 3:21.

You wouldn't think that God would have it in him. You would think that God should let them live with the consequences of their sin forever. In some ways he did do that. They could no longer be in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23). But in other ways he continued to provide for them. And notice that God provided for them before he banished them from the garden.

Do we see that God is the provider first or the banisher?

I stumbled upon something as I read through this account again. Adam and Eve continued to believe that God was their provider. How do I know this? I see it in their eldest son, Cain. He always gets the bad rap for killing his brother, Abel. And rightly so. But, after God announces Cain's curse, I notice what he says...or rather I notice what is assumed in his statement.

"Cain said to the Lord, 'My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.'"

Cain knows, despite the evil in his heart, that God provides life. He is terrified of what will happen apart from God's presence; he will certainly die! If he didn't learn anything else, he did have it right that God is the one who provides. Cain must have gotten this lesson from his parents. They knew God provided for them and passed this on to their children. Remember they did bring offerings to the Lord (Genesis 4:3-4).

I know God provides, but how do I arrange my life so as to recognize that he does just that? I think about my offerings. I think about my heart. I think about my life. God provides.

Streams of Water

2009-01-03T07:05:00.004-06:00

Psalm 1:

"Blessed is the man

who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners

or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water

which yield its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish."

If there are any commitments I make for this year, it would be to explore the depths of this Psalm. Understanding this Psalm only goes as deep as you are willing to try it out.

I have been wanting to write a practical spiritual guide to help college students get through two semesters at school with all the ebbs and flows on a college campus. It is kindof like a devotional book for college students. The idea stems from Psalm 1.

All of us, however, need to spend time asking how are we like a tree planted by streams of water? From what are we drawing our nourishment? What is our delight?

Reading the Bible with Jesus of Nazareth

2008-12-08T16:00:00.005-06:00

I wanted to share this article written by my mentor from ACU, Mark Hamilton. It is well worth the read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Here is the link: http://www.wineskins.org/filter.asp?SID=2&fi_key=192&co_key=1614.

Asking for Help

2008-12-02T16:49:00.004-06:00

I am excited when I see people asking for help. It tells me a ton!

It shows strength. It shows weakness.

It shows maturity. It shows a lack of maturity.

It shows contentment. It shows discontentment.

Asking for help brings us closer to God, but only if we find him in those from whom we ask help.

The Package

2008-11-26T23:11:00.004-06:00

Imagine that you hear the doorbell and run to the door. When you open the door you don't see anyone and are frustrated because you got up from the couch wondering who in the world could be ringing the doorbell at such a time. We've all been there. Then, you look down and notice a box wrapped in duct tape. This little "present" makes your heart skip a beat. The edges are frayed; the duct tape is starting to fall off; and you hear a faint ticking noise coming from this mystery package. "Bomb!" is on the forefront of your mind.

That is until you notice a name on the top of the package betraying from whom this little package came. Written on the top is the name of your best friend. It is obviously this person's handwriting. You are put at ease. You know who sent the gift. You are amazed that you had such a crazy thought as you smile. What is your good friend up to now?

Well, what if we began to view our spouses as this little box? A little frayed, unimpressive, duct tape package. When we look at it inappropriately we might run and hide, thinking the worst. But, realizing that your spouse is a gift not from your best friend, but from God changes things. The focus is no longer on the gift itself; the focus is on the sender. There is no one else that God sent this gift to. My spouse is mine and no one else's. This person has been tailored to fit only me...both with my strengths and my weaknesses.

God has given me Tanya. When I truly see her as God's gift, my attitude changes. I trust the sender rather than the gift itself. Also, if I refuse to accept this gift, I refuse to accept my relationship with the sender. My problem is really with the sender then! Tanya can be like frayed, falling off duct tape, but my heart is put at ease because God is the one who sent this really cool package my way.

Who do you need to view as a true gift from God?

Holiness Again

2008-11-20T06:39:00.002-06:00

While we recognize that our holiness came about as a result of what God accomplished in Christ (see yesterday's post), Paul also wants us to live up to what we've been given.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2, "to the church of God of God in Corinth, who have been made holy in Christ Jesus and who are called to be holy together with all those who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place..."

While we have been given holiness, we must also live holy lives. It is not enough to just sit back and let God do all the work. We must live and practice the holiness that we have received. Indeed, that is what Paul calls the Corinthians back to constantly throughout this letter. We must live as Jesus lived.

This is the challenge that faces Christians today. Those who don't understand our received holiness, don't understand what it means to live holy lives. That is why we Christians get criticized so harshly at times: "They don't practice what they preach." In reality, they are telling us something we know, but don't communicate enough.

We need to tell everyone readily that we are not holy by our actions; we are made holy. But we strive to live this holiness now because we want to reflect the holy God who made us. I hope I am making sense here.

Chris' Sermons

2008-11-19T10:30:00.004-06:00

This post is the place to come if you want to hear some of my sermons and classes. I will refer people to this page in the future if they would like to listen to my classes or sermons.

Sermons

The Mountain of Distinction (11-16-2008)

Classes

Coming Soon

Holiness

2008-11-19T08:52:00.005-06:00

Last week someone asked me if she was holy. I told her that in Christ she was, but on her own...anything but!

I think this idea of holiness is confusing for many Christians. It is as if somehow, over time, we get this idea that we are actually holy people by our own merit. We understand (maybe) that Jesus died for our sins to make us holy (Colossians 1:22). We understand that God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that we in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). These are things that we understand toward the beginning of our relationship with God.

Then, time fades our memory in terms of what God has actually done, and we forget that we were sinners. We forget that Christ died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). We can't have any claim on holiness whatsoever. That is all God's doing. As a result of God's action in Christ, we receive a state of being called holiness.

Let me explain by using one verse: 1 Corinthians 1:2. Paul writes, "to the church of God in Corinth, who have been made holy in Christ Jesus..."

The tense of this one Greek word explains the idea I'm trying to explain. This word is in the perfect tense. In Greek, the perfect tense describes an event that, completed in the past, has results existing in the present time. The emphasis here is on the current state of being that came about as a result of some past action. To explain this word in 1 Corinthians 1:2, as a result of the actions accomplished in Christ Jesus, we are now in a state of holiness.

So, we have been made holy. Paul, later in the same letter, makes this point again. After discussing who will not inherit the kingdom of God in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul says, "And that is what some of you were, but you were washed, you were made holy, and you were made right in the name of the Lord Jesus and in the spirit of our God."

In this text however, he draws out the past action by using a different tense. The point, though, is still the same: someone else beyond us is the actor; we are the recipients. In Jesus, we are made holy.

Back and Forward

2008-11-18T15:30:00.004-06:00

I got an email from a former student about celebrating the 45th year of Kats for Christ next summer. I never knew that we celebrated the 40th year, but I thought it would be a good thing. The initial thought process has started; we need to do this. I would love to bring together previous Kats for Christ students ... or Church of Christ Student Center students ... or Bible Chair students, whatever this place has been called.

There is something about looking back and looking forward that always gets me excited. Our church is kindof experiencing this right now. As Bob, our preacher, makes plans to move on, we find ourselves looking back into our history. Where have we been? Who are we? What has God been doing? We also find ourselves looking into the future. Where are we going? Who do we want to be? What is God doing? Exciting times!

Lord, guide us through this process. Help us discern your will. Teach us patience. Teach us humility. Let us walk and not run. Let us listen and not talk. May we be your servants, ready to do your will.

Imitate Me

2008-11-13T15:26:00.003-06:00

We had a great discussion last night in our Wednesday night Bible class. I love the amount of discussion that seems to happen week in and week out this semester as we wade through the pages of Philippians.

Last night I asked the question (in light of Philippians 3:17), "Is it prideful of me, as a minister of the gospel, to tell all of you to imitate me?" Wow! Some were pretty adamant that I shouldn't say this. Some said that I shouldn't say it (that would be proud), but that I should think of myself as an example. Several mentioned that being a minister automatically puts you in a position where people see you as an example. Still others held that they wouldn't want a minister if he couldn't say "imitate me."

After a while, the discussion went toward how everyone (not just ministers) should be able to say, "imitate me." They should be able to reflect the name they wear: Christian. It is as if we are living out our real citizenship on earth (see Phil 3:20 and 1:27).

The challenge is to be the Jesus examples for everyone. I wonder what would happen if all Christians lived the name that they profess. This world would truly be a radically different place.

Counting Movement

2008-11-11T09:53:00.006-06:00

I saw God moving last weekend during our retreat. While I worked really hard to create a great environment for God to work, I knew I couldn't make God move. You can do all the right things, but that doesn't guarantee that lives will be impacted.

During the weekend we dove into an obscure book of the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes. The Message translates the much repeated Hebrew word, hebel, as 'smoke'. I like how this word captures the temporary nature of our lives as well as the obscure nature of God's working.

It was really refreshing for me to dive into this book, especially since I sometimes feel pressure to produce good numbers of students in our ministry. It reminded me of something I already knew: counting numbers is smoke, a spitting into the wind. Sometimes the numbers indicate God's movement, most of the time the numbers don't.

For us right now, numbers are not the indicator of God's movement. Lives changing is the indicator of God's movement. At the retreat, I saw several students being moved closer to God's heart; it was great to witness as somewhat of an outsider. I witnessed students confessing sins, offering prayers for each other, sharing struggles, wrestling with God, listening to God, moving with God's vigor, laughing in the Spirit, and experiencing the joy of God's community!

Wow, God! Thank you for such a great weekend! Your name was praised! Please give all of us strength to continue in your movements.

Painful Endurance

2008-10-31T16:13:00.006-05:00

I looked back through my blog entries searching for "kidney stones" and found that my last onset of a kidney stone attack was December 2006...before that it was March 2006. Well...last Monday is the new last onset of kidney stone movement in my body.

Not fun! The intense pain cannot be described adequately. Moving around not being able to escape it or get relief is a helpless feeling. The not being able to keep anything in your stomach is not desirable either. The crying out to God for relief seems fruitless or impossible in the moment. But...

As I was laying on the ground in the bathroom I had a brief moment of clarity. (Maybe that is what it was...I'm still not sure.) I began repeating over and over one of the following phrases: "Lord have mercy." "Help me Lord." "Relieve the pain." "Have mercy on me." "Please Lord" "Take the pain away." I would go on and on saying one of those until I felt like saying another one. Eventually, the one I settled on more than the rest was "Help me Lord."

My moment of clarity happened when I said a few times, "Take the pain away." I thought to myself for a brief second,

"Would God really want to take my pain away miraculously right now? This seems like a cop out prayer. When would you learn endurance. This isn't going to last all day long. I need God to help me through the pain. Don't ask to take it away. This is drawing on God's strength, not yours."

While I guess I really did want God to take the pain away (I do not wish that pain on my worst enemy!!), I thought it better to ask for help. This would bring God into my pain...the one who knows endurance through pain. Even though I used other phrases from that point on, I avoided asking for the pain to go away and settle on asking for help. I think this has helped me a little bit with endurance through suffering.

The saga continues as I recover from Monday afternoon. I have developed a little kidney infection, but antibiotics from the doctor should help. Praise the Lord! I am curious to see how this little endurance exercise helps me with other situations requiring gut-wrenching endurance. Feel free to share your own.

Running Again

2008-10-27T06:46:00.004-05:00

I began running again this morning. A friend is encouraging me to try to get in shape for a half-marathon in the DFW area on Nov 16th! It is possible for me to get in shape, but I am not sure if I will end up doing it. I'm still thinking about it.

In my considering this, I have now shared the story twice about my running 9 miles on Veteran's Memorial. It is incredibly hilly 5 mile one-way trek. About halfway through I told myself that I would never make the decision to quit on the way up any hill but would make it on the other side on the way down. It is amazing what that little commitment meant.

In my mind then, I was convinced about six times (fully convinced) that I would quit at the bottom of this "treacherous" hill I was running up. Because of my commitment, I got up the hill and began going down knowing that I would quit. By the time I was at the bottom though, I figured I could go up just one more. Then about halfway up that hill I knew (no question in my mind) that I would stop at the bottom of the next. Oddly enough, the same thing happened again. I decided that I could do just one more hill (no more though). This continued to happen until I found myself running 9 miles! Pretty cool, huh?

I do plan on going further than this personal best distance pretty soon, but I will certainly work up toward it. You can't just jump back in a expect to continue where you were. We will see how it goes. I'll share the journey lessons I learn.

About lessons...think about this...make a commitment to never "quit" when things are rough. Of course it would be easier to quit when life is terrible. But, wait to make that decision when things are going better and you can think more clearly. Life has hills to tackle, but that is exactly the point...they will be tackled!

It is normal. We need both the ascending and the descending to progress in the faith. One without the other is not really living the faith. The challenge is to be fit enough to get up the hill. How are you training for your next hill?

Jesus Examples

2008-10-22T06:48:00.004-05:00

Tonight in our class we are discussing Jesus examples in our lives. Who are those people who really solidify Jesus for you? You might say, "This person gave me a glimpse into the life of Jesus more than anyone else I know." It might be one aspect of a person too! "She has taught me the patience that Jesus must have had while on his earth."

It is good to meditate on the lives of these people, even if you might not know them well, even if they were alive hundreds of years ago. They point us to Jesus. They put flesh on Jesus for us. Jesus becomes real because of them. We see him through them.

Caution: remember that these people are not Jesus. There is only one Jesus. All others will eventually disappoint you, but not Jesus.

Who shows Jesus to you? What do you need to imitate today?

Greek Pride

2008-10-21T14:59:00.003-05:00

I keep wondering if it is a prideful thing to let people know that I am pretty good at translating NT Greek, that I am working (albeit slowly) on translating the whole New Testament. The reason I ask is that two students "caught" me today and I felt bad about it. But they were intrigued! One student and I got into a discussion about how we can trust the text we have now. I never thought I would have someone interesting in those kinds of things. I guess they never knew someone that could read Greek or understand a bit of textual criticism.

For me, it seems to come down to the heart! If I continue to point people to my ability to work with the Greek text out of a sense of accomplishment or pride...that is not good. However, if I just speak of it as something God has given me the ability to do and love...my heart turns to God.

I'm interested to see what you think about it. Feel free to comment.

Bringing About Salvation

2008-10-17T09:35:00.006-05:00

Immediately after the amazing Christ hymn in Philippians 2:5-11, Paul says an interesting thing about salvation. As Jesus gave ear to (obeyed) death in 2:8, so Paul tells the Philippians to give ear to (obey) his admonition about salvation. He asks them to bring about their own salvation. Some translate the word as work out, produce, or maybe even create their own salvation.

It is an interesting concept because we normally think of salvation as something that has already been completed. It happened as I became part of "The Way." At some point in the past I was saved. While this is certainly true, Paul forces us to reconsider the nature of salvation in his comment. Salvation, for Paul, seems to be a commitment that must receive constant attention. You can certainly grow up in your salvation (cf. 1 Peter 2:2).

The context confirms this idea as we learn how to bring about salvation among us more often. Other people are definitely involved in bringing about salvation. We must think about them as Jesus did. Do everything without grumbling and complaining, Paul admonishes. This negative attitude, unlike the Christ-attitude we see in the previous hymn, does not promote salvation among the group of which you are a part.

Bringing about salvation also holds onto (or holds up) Christ's living message among the group (2:16). Living is all about considering others better than yourselves (2:3-4). Living is actually what Paul talks about in only one other location in Philippians. He says, "For me, this business of living is Christ and this business of dying is gain" (1:21). Living is all about Jesus; dying is all about advancement.

If there was a group that took these words seriously, they would certainly be compelled toward the others people, just like Jesus. This group would be totally transformed into the realm of salvation. They would be delivered from the horrible negative attitudes that do not advance the gospel, a key idea for Paul in Philippians (see 1:6, 12, 25; 2:13).

In the end, I have a couple of questions for myself (and you). Do you take instruction well and give ear to (obey) others, even those "below" you? How are you bringing about salvation among the group? Are you holding out the message about living in how you think about others?

Humility of Christ

2008-10-16T17:19:00.004-05:00

Yesterday ... how can I say this ... I was reminded of my pride! I haven't been able to get past it all day long. I long for the humility of Christ expressed in Philippians 2:6-11. I'm not going to speak to the particular situation, but I will tell of the comment I needed to hear.

I was talking to Doug about wanting to be a co-leader with him of a particular group of people. I told him that if I were part of this group I would constantly fight dominating the conversation, the thought processes, and other stuff. Doug quickly affirmed my assessment and said, "Yes. You don't need to be in charge because you would dominate. And I tell you that as a friend." I told him that is why I would need him in the group to curb my prideful tendencies.

Sometimes I joke about someone affirming one of your "bad" qualities. (see a previous post of mine.) Rarely, if ever, do we hear someone affirm us when we say something like, "Man, I am a moron!" If someone immediately said, "Well, yeah you are a moron!" we would tend to take offense. The far better thing to do is to say only things that we believe to be true about ourselves. It wasn't an easy thing to hear from someone else, but I needed it! True friends can say difficult things in order to point us back to Christ.

A humble, honest opinion of our weaknesses displays Christ powerfully in our body, something that Paul also affirms in Philippians 1:20. May His humility overwhelm my attitude.

2008-10-15T06:05:00.000-05:00

How I wish to write poetry

The more I read, the more intrigued

I get for me to see

But upon this height, I must not kite--

Humility is the key

More Than One

2008-10-14T06:15:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I was once again surprised by God.

A guy came up to the prayer sign (he'd been there before) and asked to sit down with me and pray with people too. I gladly invited him to come on. [In our previous conversation last week he asked me to do this later on. I had told him that I think people tend to not come up when there are two people there, but he would still be welcome to come up. I didn't know what would come of this.]

So, as I looked up to see him yesterday morning, I figured that this day would not be a very "busy" day as far as people coming around. As the morning progressed I began to see how unfounded my supposed observation was about having two people there. Several students stopped by. In fact, I think eight students stopped by yesterday, the most ever since I've begun! So much for my supposed observations.

One girl knew the guy sitting with me from a class they had together. It was only as she left to go to Spanish class that she took notice of the sign. This began a conversation that would take all of the next hour and a half! We talked about sin, church, relationships, sex, lyrics to songs, Jesus, the Bible, denominations, and more. God began to reveal himself through the two guys sitting next to this prayer sign to this girl. Also, God once again showed me how silly my presumptions are.

I look forward to more people coming around this "God space" on campus. I think it would be great to have a huge group of people coming around just to enjoy God's presence for the morning! How good is God? Can this group make a significant impact on campus for God's kingdom?

Will you surprise me, Lord?

Gathering for Others

2008-10-13T15:48:00.004-05:00

This coming Thursday we are doing something BIBLICAL! We are gathering together in order to edify the others who come. Its not like we weren't doing that before, but it will look a little different. It might even turn into total chaos, which might be the reason for Paul's addressing the situation in Corinth.

Left unchecked, indeed it may. But Paul says to them and maybe us, "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." It seems like these Christians understood that they were to "bring" something to their gatherings. They didn't just come together so one or two people could perform all the duties. The focus of the text makes sure to mention that everyone brings something. Interesting indeed! Especially in light of our I-didn't-get-anything-out-of-that mentality so prevalent in our churches these days.

Well...this Thursday I am giving all of our students an opportunity to bring something. Has God been working in your life? Tell us about it. Have you been struggling? Confess your struggle. Do you need to pray for someone? Pray it. Do you have a song to sing? Sing it. Is a Bible passage really impacting you? Share it.

I just have to remember: let it be done for the strengthening of the body. I am curious to see how God works this Thursday! I won't be the leader...just the fellow participant.

LST First Look

2008-10-11T15:31:00.003-05:00

Well, we had our First Look event for LST on Thursday. I think it went really well. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of discussion I heard afterward about where people wanted to go and with whom!

I really like the changes this year. Students get to pick their location AND their team BEFORE they apply! This whole semester is going to be spent trying to figure out where in the whole world we want to go and which friends we are going to go with. I love it!

Doing this event during Thursday devo was also a good move. There were probably people there who wouldn't have come had we had a separate event for LST. Since I can only go two weeks this year, I am thinking about going to Asia, probably not Japan. Scooter and Emily are interested in going and I am still talking with Tanya about things. We might have three teams go this year, maybe four. We will see.

May God continue to encourage students to take a step of faith to make a serious difference in people's lives around the world. It truly shaped the course of my life... obviously for the better.

Pregnancy Care Center

2008-10-09T08:55:00.004-05:00

Tuesday night I went to a fundraising dinner for the Pregnancy Care Center here in Huntsville. I had heard about it before but honestly didn't know anything about it. It was a very good thing. During the banquet they mentioned that they were looking for more guy volunteers to join the ranks to help with the guys that were sometimes involved in the process. This piqued my interest, and I knew I would probably go by their offices sometime this week.

Well, the following day (yesterday) I was on sitting on campus with God's sign, and a girl enthusiastically sat down next to me. She told me she just found out that she was pregnant on Monday. This means that she got pregnant by her still boyfriend about a month ago. The turn was when she announced with a huge smile that she became a Christian two weeks ago!

She told me her story and how she turned to God from a life of rebellion! God, she said, is doing something with this baby even though I don't know what. Abortion is not an option, though it was discussed with her still supportive boyfriend. In all, we had a long, nice God conversation!

With my very recently acquired familiarity with the Pregnancy Care Center, I inquired whether she knew of it. She said that is where she received the free pregnancy test. Our conversation went to her boyfriend and how I might be able to help him. Because he works full-time and lives in Houston, there doesn't seem to be much I could do except pray for him.

This little event, however, confirmed for me that I needed to go to the Pregnancy Care Center and inquire about volunteering. That I did immediately after retiring God's sign back to its abode in the KFC Student Center. Chris, the director, was excited about my coming and the story about this girl she knew from two days earlier. I filled out most of the application yesterday, finished it this morning, and turned it in a few moments ago. I will go in a couple of weeks for volunteer training, and then wait to see how God uses the time I offer Him through that ministry.

God amazes me at small opportunities to advance his kingdom! O that we could see how God slowly moves us closer to his heart!