New Site

I'm going to be leaving the blogger world...I'm heading for the blogsome world.

I'm the kind of guy that likes to try new things. Having been using the blogger technology for a while...well, it's time for a change.

So, I have a new Tuesdays with Morris site at:

http://jasonmorris.blogsome.com

Cats, Wives, God...

I know this may come as a surprise to some of you...But, I'm not a morning person. Not at all. I don't like the morning. I'd like to stay up late at night and sleep in every day. I think the perfect time to start the day is around 9:30am. That's about the time I need to start consuming coffee. Around noon, the creative thoughts begin to flow...prior to noon...we'll you're lucky to get words out of my mouth. That's why I really wish our church services were in the evening...I'd really be on top of things...totally with it.

Anyway, sometimes in the morning I'm not the friendliest person in the world. Some people may refer to my state as grumpy. I'd have to say I come by it naturally, honestly...I believe it just flows down the family tree...Now, I'm not going to name which side of the family tree...But, those of you that know me and my family can probably make a fairly educated guess! Am I a bit of a grouch in the morning? Yeah, I'll admit it.

However, the fact that I'm not a "morning person" does not validate the way I treat those around me. For example, this morning I was a little short, just a tad impatient with my wife. Yep...before my wife even got to work this morning I made her cry. And, it was for very stupid reasons...I was just being impatient. Now, I didn't swear or yell at her...I just didn't treat her with kindness, gentleness, compassion, patience, and other admirable qualities. And, so, I feel a bit like a jerk. I'm terribly sorry...and I did tell her that. No excuses...the time of day is not an excuse for being mean.

Then, there's the cat...Now, I'm never mean to the cat. But, many times she just begs for attention. And, because it's the morning, I ignore her. She just wants to be loved and I just want to be left alone. So, instead of saying, "Good morning, Gatsby!" and petting her head I say something like, "Stupid cat...stop chewing on the bottom of the Christmas tree."

But look at her...isn't she cute?

So, this morning, I am fully aware of my need to think about my words, actions, and attitude...no matter the circumstances.

I read this verse yesterday and it has stuck with me since..."Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13)

Check This Out...

This is hilarious...click on this link and listen to the concerned pastor and concerned pastor dance mix...Good times!!!

Concerned Pastor

Only in Ohio

On Thanksgiving morning, my father-in-law and I went on a search for one of the most redneck vehicles we've ever seen. Dan had spotted this vehicle on his way to work one day and wanted me to see it. So, just before our Thanksgiving lunch, we went on a little mission to find the truck...the truck with double covers. Freakin' hilarious...I wonder if the guy knows they make extended versions of those tops??? This truck can be found just minutes away from my wife's home.

You see, we have this little contest of which state is more hick...Indiana or Ohio. Needless to say, both states are pretty backwards. However, it's stuff like this that helps me in my case against Ohio. And, let's face it...Ohio is closer to West Virginia...and you don't get much more hick than West Virginia.

Shane Hartman Loves Dale!!!

This is a shot of my friend, Shane Hartman! He loves his NASCAR. He loves Dale (R.I.P.)!

I just thought you'd all enjoy a picture of his complete devotion to NASCAR at this years race at Bristol...or Talledega...or wherever this picture was taken. 

What Do People See...

Salt and Light...We've read the Scripture...We've heard countless sermons on the passage...While many church-going Christians should have a good handle on this concept, it seems like we still need some work on putting the concept into practice.

This morning, I'm wondering to myself..."What do people see when I'm going about my daily activities? Do they see salt and light? Do they see good deeds? Or do they see someone trying to avoid them at all costs? Do they see someone with his own agenda, his own priorities, his own interests in mind?"

I think these are good things consider because they help keep us on our toes...Are we adding a bit of salt to the world around us...Are we bringing light into the world...Are we abundant in good deeds that reflect the awesome glory of our Father in heaven???

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your lights shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

(Matthew 5:13-16)

Advent Sermon Prep...

So, this Sunday, I'll be kicking off our Advent journey. I've been reading all these thoughts for the first Sunday of Advent that talk about starting the season off with a bang. There are all of these ideas for a light-weight message that focuses on the joy of the season. And, they sound great...sound like they would leave people with that warm-fuzzy feeling.

Can I be honest? I hate that warm-fuzzy feeling...It makes me feel like nothing has been accomplished. If I feel warm & fuzzy...If I feel good about myself after wrestling with the Scripture, well, it seems like some thing is just not right with that picture. God is good...we are not...In light of His mercy, His forgiveness, His salvation, I can understand feeling full of joy, peace, and excitement...But, it's because of what He has done. Okay, that's just a little ranting tangent...back to my preparation for Sunday.

The Scriptures I'm using Sunday paint a pretty desperate picture. They show the sinful state of the people...of us...and our need of rescue...our need of a Savior...our need for God to do something. They talk about being prepared for the coming of our King. They talk about a continual pattern of repentance. Sounds warm and fuzzy, huh???

Well, I guess you'll have to come and join us on Sunday. I'll do my best to show our desperate condition and make us feel good about ourselves too...(can you sense the hint of sarcasm???)

Something Else to Think About...

My dad wrote an interesting article on his blog about Thanksgiving, individuality, conformity, and uniqueness. I think the ideas in this sort of give us something to think about the church...We all have gifts, but they are to be used to better the whole...

Check it out...Be Thankful

a good morning...a good day

This morning, I cleaned out the attic and then took some time to listen to music. I listened to Medeski Martin & Wood for a while. Then I turned on some old Vigilantes of Love. I really dig Bill Mallonnee...I really home he comes to the area sometime soon.

Then I headed over to the Heorot for lunch. I spent some time talking to Hans...it was good stuff. We talked about politics, religion, family, and more. Hans said something that really hit home with me. He said that maybe we don't need a welfare system...maybe we just need more people to contribute to their churches and more people looking out for other people. He said that maybe if people cared more about each other that the world would be a better place.

As Hans and I were finishing up our conversation, Rick Cooper walked in the door. We ordered some pizza and waited for Caleb, Carlos, and Andrew to show. We had a good time...and finished it off by walking down to Walnut at the Crossing for some awesome dessert!

It's been a good day...promising to stay that way as Emily and I are having dinner with Matt and Lindsey tonight! Good times!

Holding Your Tongue

Sometimes, I find the need to literally hold my tongue. I know that seems a little odd, but I have a tendency to just burst out and say things without thinking things through or weighing out the consequences of my words.

There are times when I struggle with whether or not to say what's truly on my mind. If I say it, it could cause anger, frustration, disappointment, or other thoughts/feelings in the person I speak my mind to. If I don't say anything, it could allow people to think that I am with them...in agreement with the issue at hand.

This may be hard for some people to grasp, but there are many times when I hold my tongue when it comes to my thoughts on the church (I even manage to hold my fingers back from typing away). There are things I'd love to speak my mind on, but I know it would probably come across the wrong way and cause more damage than good. And, I think that's why I find myself holding my tongue today. I have come to the realization that I need to hold my tongue when my words are not going to bring about good. I can endlessly rant on things, but to what end???

James tells us, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." (James 3:9-12)

I really have to try and take this passage to heart. Praise and cursing from the same source...it's an unbalanced equation. I hope and pray that today I will be able to hold my tongue and only speak words of praise, peace, love, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

Does this mean I will stop speaking my mind? Of course not! It just means I'll try to be more understanding and thoughtful...seeking good rather than simply blasting aimlessly away.

Something to Think About...

I came across this passage of Scripture and it made me think...do I know anyone like this?

"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good." (Titus 1:16)

Just something for you to think about!

Being a Good Person

I think we all know that this Christian journey is about so much more than simply being a "good person." However, lately, I've been struck by the great need for Christians to be good people. Over the last several weeks, it seems like I've daily come across Scriptures that remind me to be kind, gentle, patient, compassionate, loving, forgiving, generous, and the list goes on and on.

One of the things that stands out most is the call to be abundant in good deeds. We're to be on the look out for opportunities to do good...not just for ourselves, but for others. Yet, it seems like everything in our consumer-driven, individualistic society stands against doing good.

Last night, I was reading a passage in Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation that made me think about our "religion." He was writing about Peter Lowe, a guy that puts on "success" seminars. He brings in big name speakers...Colin Powel, Barbara Bush, Christopher Reeve, Henry Kissinger, Charlton Heston, George Bush. Hmm, I wonder if this Peter Lowe is a conservative evangelical???

Anyway, all of the speakers give messages about how to better our lives...to become successful, which I guess means to be wealthy. Peter Lowe, whose parents were missionaries, extends a call for salvation at the end of one of his talks. The author has this take on Lowe's religion...

"Lowe has broken from the Christianity of his parents, a faith that now seems hopelessly out of date. The meek shall no longer inherit the earth; the go-getters will get it and everything that goes with it. The Christ who went among the poor, the sick, the downtrodden, among lepers and prostitutes, clearly had no marketing savvy. He has been transfigured into a latter-day entrepreneur, the greatest superstar salesperson of all time, who built a multinational outfit from scratch. Lowe speaks to the crowd about mercy. But the worship of selling and of celebrity infuses his literature, his guest lists, his radio shows and seminars. 'Don't network haphazardly,' Lowe preaches in his $19.95 Peter Lowe's Success Yearbook. 'Set goals to meet key people. Imagine yourself talking to them. Plan in advance what questions to ask them...When there is an important individual you want to network with, be prepared to say something insightful to them that shows you're aware of their achievements...Everyone loves to receive a present. It's hard to be resistant or standoffish to someone who has just given you a nice gift...Adopt the attitude of a superstar...Smile. A smile tells people you like them, are interested in them! What an appealing message to send!' These are the teachings of his gospel, the good news that fills arenas and sells cassettes."

The author goes on to add in something that Christopher Reeve said at one of these success seminars that sort of cut through and silenced the crowd. "I've had to leave the physical world,' Reeve says. A stillness falls upon the arena; the place is silent during every pause. 'By the time I was twenty-four, I was making millions,' he continues. 'I was pretty pleased with myself...I was selfish and neglected my family...Since my accident, I've been realizing...that success means something quite different.' Members of the audience start to weep. 'I see people who achieve these conventional goals,' he says in a mild, even tone, 'None of it matters.'"

I think Reeve learned that you can be a successful person. But, if you don't realize that this life is about more than gaining success, celebrity, and power than it is all worthless.

I just found this all to be interesting.

Crowder, Seay, and Two Other Guys

Last night, Emily and I went to see the David Crowder Band in concert at Anderson University. Of course, Crowder rocked the house! He was awesome! The highlight of his portion of the show may have been the use of the key-tar...you know, the famous 80's combination of the electronic keyboard and a guitar...Well, not really...it's more just a Casio keyboard that has a strap on it to wear like a guitar. Anyway, they were outstanding...a wonderful blend of their new music and the old standards. Oh, on the encore, they brought out members of the first two bands and had a nice little bluegrass jam!

The Robbie Seay Band (pictured) was an excellent surprise. The last time I heard Robbie Seay was probably five years ago at a conference where he filled in for someone that was unable to attend. I really enjoyed their set. It was a really nice, laid-back praise and worship feel. I'll probably go buy the CD today! His set was too short.

The second band of the night was Shane & Shane. I guess they are supposed to be good and a lot of people like them. I will say they are talented..I guess. But, I definitely don't like their music. I can only take so much of the same two-part harmony...Each song sounded like it was in the same key, the guy singing the harmony parts sang the same intervals in each song...I just wasn't into it. However, it seemed as though many in the crowd were...I simply sat back and sang funny harmonies along with them, imitated their voices, and clapped odd rhythms along with their attempted white man funk (which they didn't quite accomplish, but you could tell they were going for it at times). No sir, I didn't like it. Their set was too long.

But, overall it was a wonderful evening! Great music (except Shane & Shane...if they had done two or three songs, I probably would have said, "that was nice"), a great wife, and Dairy Queen after the show!

Trying to Follow Jesus

Many of you know that I'm a huge fan of Rob Bell and his book Velvet Elvis. I'm doing a second read of the book right now...it's such an excellent piece of Christian literature. Anyway, I thought I'd share an excerpt that I thought was moving...

"As a Christian, I am simply trying to orient myself around living a particular kind of way, the kind of way that Jesus taught is possible. And I think that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live. This isn't irrational or primitive or blind faith. It is merely being honest that we all are living a "way." I'm convinced being generous is a better way to live. I'm convinced forgiving people and not carrying around bitterness is a better way to live. I'm convinced having compassion is a better way to live. I'm convinced pursuing peace in every situation is a better way to live. I'm convinced listening to the wisdom of others is a better way to live. I'm convinced being honest with people is a better way to live. This way of thinking isn't weird or strange; it is simply acknowledging that everybody follows somebody, and I'm trying to follow Jesus."

What would the world look like if we started living generous, forgiving, compassionate, peaceful, open, honest lives?

Giving Generously...Giving Cheerfully

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work...You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."
(2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 11)

I think this passage of Scripture is quite interesting. It calls us to give generously and cheerfully. We are called to give from our hearts. We are called to be abundant in doing good. As we find ourselves being blessed, it isn't so we can store up things for ourselves but it's in order for us be even more generous in our giving.

I know there have been times when I have given my time, talents, and finances out of a sense of duty...I know there have been times when I have given reluctantly. God calls us to search our hearts in our giving so that we can be generous and cheerful givers...rich in good deeds.

Maybe you are already a cheerful and generous giver...But, if you're not, what would it take to get to that point? For some, that may mean cutting back some of what we do and give in order to focus more on the things that God has really called us to give our time, talents, and finances to. For others, it may mean giving more of our time, talents, and finances to the things that God has laid on our hearts. For me, I find that I am able to become cheerful and generous in the giving of my time, talents, and finances when I'm focused on glorifying God through each and every situation I find myself in.

I know I'm just rambling on...I just want to see more of us giving cheerfully...You should see the looks people have on their faces when it's time to pass the offering plates!

Giving and Contentment

"...Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many grief's." (1 Timothy 6:6-10).

We've all seen it before...a person gets lost in the pursuit of happiness. And, if you live in the USA, it seems like the pursuit of happiness means the pursuit of financial prosperity. Walk into the Christian bookstore and you'll see all kinds of books that talk about finding financial freedom, financial blessings, and the blessing of many possessions. I read not long ago a statement that said, "We live in most blessed nation, in some of the most blessed times and yet much of our Christian literature is focused on how we can become more blessed." Don't believe me? Just go to the Christian bookstore and look through some of the books.

While I don't believe financial prosperity is a bad thing, I do think focusing on financial prosperity can be dangerous...Paul's words to Timothy seem to warn us of that. It's all about a proper perspective. I've talked about this before...If we are financially blessed (which, if you live in the US you are automatically financially blessed compared to the rest of the world), it's okay as long as our focus is on Christ and what we can give, rather than what we can get. If our lives are continually focused on moving up to the next step on the ladder, well, I'm not sure we have the proper perspective.

Paul calls for us to be content with what we have...That's a good word for me! I'll be honest...I get caught up in the materialistic, consumer-driven society that we live in. I'd love to have a Porsche Carrera GT. I'd love to not have to worry about paying bills. So, this call to be content with what we have is a bit of a challenge. I can pay lip service to and say, "Yeah, I'm content." But, I'm not sure I truly am.

Paul goes on in 1 Timothy 6 to say, "Flee from all of this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness..."Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant not to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (verses 11, 17-19).

We should all be looking for ways to be "rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share"...no matter how much or how little we feel we have. "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measure to you." (Luke 6:38)

So, be content with what you have and give all you can!

Doing Good or Damage

This morning, I saw a picture of a man holding up a cross at the scramble light on the Ball State University Campus. The caption talked about how the man and his family yelled at students passing by, warning them of the impending judgment day and that the students needed to repent or they would burn in hell. The caption also talked how various student groups came and tried to urge the man and his family to leave...

I'm sitting here pondering this whole thing...When I was a student on the BSU campus, I used to sit around and listen to the various "street-preachers" telling us that we were all sinners doomed to burn in hell forever unless we repented. While I knew this was true, I was always offended at the nature of how this message was proclaimed. It seemed to come out of a spirit of hate rather than a spirit of love. I always had feelings of judgment and anger, rather than grace and mercy...So, I wonder what students that don't know Jesus think about this stuff.

I'm going to venture over to campus this afternoon to see if this guy is still out there. I want to watch the reaction of the students and maybe ask him a few questions.

My big issue with this is I wonder if the actions of this family are doing more damage to the Message of Christ than good? I'm sure they feel like they are doing the right thing...But, I just can't get this thought out of my head that this style of Bible-thumping, fire & brimstone, turn or burn evangelism is turning more people off to the message of grace and hope and love than it is bringing towards Christ.

I just wonder if maybe this family would make a larger impact if they handed out free meals, free cups of coffee, and just told people that Jesus loves them???

Set An Example

Today, I was doing some reading...I came across a very familiar verse of Scripture...When I was a youth pastor, I used this verse on a regular basis (meaning at least once a year I'd make reference to this verse)...And, almost every junior or senior high camp I've been a part of has used this verse in some manner.

Here's the verse:

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

What struck me this morning about this verse is how much focus is put on the first part of this verse..."Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young." Some youth ministries I'm familiar with use this as their battle cry. It is a good thing...a call to stand up...a call to not be intimidated because of ones age.

So, this morning, I'm being challenged to think more about the second part of this verse..."set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." I think those of us who many be considered "young" could make an incredible impact on our churches, our communities, our world if we would take seriously the call to set an example.

My question for you to ponder this morning is "What kind of an example are you setting for those around you?"

Troubled

This morning I'm deeply disturbed by the re-zoning approval for an Ag Park surrounding Shideler.

It appears that the prosperity of a few outweighs the negative effects this will have on many living in and around Shideler.

While the approval of this re-zoning does not guarantee that ag businesses will come into the area, it seems inevitable. It sounds like, because so many areas refuse to let this type of business come in due to pollution and other negative effects, they are lining up.

However, it seems like the planning commission rushed into a decision. It seems as though Joe Russell and his posse communicated that if we failed to approve this now, the businesses would move on to another area.

Question: If this is the next big thing and there are all kinds of options, would it really hurt to put it off a while longer to better examine the proposal?

Some farmers in favor of this were blasting Commissioner Brooke's proposal to include local regulations of the facilities. They said they already have enough regulations from the federal and state levels....Hmm...

If that's the case, why does a farmer outside of Eaton who runs a CAFO continually get brought up on charges for improper disposal of waste? Why does he continually pay fines in the tens-of-thousands? Probably because the state and federal regulations are not adequate and any fines he faces are less than the costs of proper disposal.

This is a mess...My hope is that, though the zoning has been approved, the potential companies looking to come into the area will find another, more suitable place to go.

Giving

This month at Center Chapel, our focus is on giving. I really think it seems like a natural progression from last months focus on prayer. Anyway, from time to time, I'll probably share some of my thoughts on giving here(as I won't be preaching during the three week series, I'll be getting us started with our Advent journey on November 27th).

As I think about giving, I often think about how it is somewhat foreign to our individualistic, consumer-driven society. We live in a culture that is focused on earning all we can and getting all we can...a nicer car, a bigger house, designer clothes, fancy vacations, $4 cups of coffee, whatever else we may desire. There are even "Christian" leaders that tell us to pursue these desires, these wants. I heard a guy say that we should do everything we can do to get what we want...because we wouldn't want something if God didn't want us to have it. That thought is weird to me, because I read Paul's words in Romans 7 that tell us how they things we want to do we don't do and the things we don't want to do, we do. So, that would tell me that maybe, just maybe not all of our desires are things God wants for us...But, that's going in another direction than giving...sort of.

If we are continually focusing on getting a higher paying job, with better benefits so we can buy a nicer house in a nicer neighborhood...then maybe we have the wrong focus. Look at these words of Christ and think about what they are trying to tell us about giving:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:19-21).

I know it sounds like I'm bashing the pursuit of comfort...and that's not all together true. I guess I'm trying to expose our motives and our focus. Is our focus on what we can give away or what we can get?

With a proper focus, we can use our earthly possessions and prosperity to further Gods Kingdom. Dallas Willard says that "possessions and prosperity can allow us to give much more away and do much more good for others and the promotion of God's purposes." So, the more we have, the more we can do. John Wesley said one should "gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." I'll talk more about Wesley's comments on a later day...but they do allow us to gain the proper perspective...the more I have, the more I can do to advance God's Kingdom.

What can you give?

Listen

Often, when we talk about prayer, we talk about the importance of listening while we pray. I don't know about you, but, for me listening is one of the most difficult aspects of prayer. By the time I get done praising God for who He is, confessing/repenting of my sins, offering up all kinds of requests, and thanking God for listening, I hardly have the energy or focus to listen.

I think I probably need to set aside some time simply to listen to what God is trying to say to me. Often, I'll read a passage of Scripture and quickly say, "God, what are you trying to say to me through this passage?" Then, I'll rapidly move on to my next "task" for the morning. Or I'll be praying and attempt to listen, but I must have ADD or something because I often stop listening within a few seconds of starting to listen. I guess I just assume that if God wants to say something to me, He'll get my attention. In all honesty, I guess that's just laziness on my part. I'm too lazy to listen. Sometimes we cover up our laziness with busy-ness. You know what I mean? We look really busy...but, in reality, we're avoiding things that we aren't disciplined enough to do..."I can't really take time to listen right now because I've got to get dinner ready, I've got an appointment, I've got to make a phone call, I've got to ______."

This morning, the importance of listening is on my mind. I guess it came up during my morning prayer time...as I realized my lack of listening...and as I read the following statement:

"In the silence of my innermost being, in the fragments of my yearned-for wholeness, can I hear the whispers of God's presence?

I'm struck by a couple of things here...a) Do I quiet myself enough (in a given day, let alone ever) to hear God's whispers? b) the whole thought of yearning for wholeness...it just strikes me...we're all looking for wholeness...some of us look for it in different ways...I've found the only healthy way to pursue wholeness is to pursue Christ.

Hello Baby

Yesterday, Emily and I heard the heartbeat of our first child! It was really amazing. At first, it was really hard to hear (Emily knew what she was hearing immediately). So, the nurse got a louder monitor and we could hear the beat loud and clear...160 bpm! She said 120-170 is normal because babies have resting and active stages. She said it could have been high because it was moving around or because she was messing around in that area or because Emily had two pop tarts and a root beer prior to her appointment! It was absolutely awesome!

Pray for University Baptist Church, Family of Kyle Lake

I received this e-mail this morning from the mother of one of my former youth students that goes to University Baptist Church in Waco, TX. The church has a big impact on the students at Baylor University. My favorite worship leader, David Crowder is the worship leader at UBC.

"Jason, Please pray for Shea. He witnessed his pastor at UBC get
electrocuted during a baptism ceremony at church this morning. Shea was and
is very close to his church and the staff. Kyle was baptizing someone this
morning at church and screamed for help. They rushed him to the hospital
and Shea just got back for there and Kyle died. He has twin baby boys and a
three year old girl. Kyle was 32. Thank you Jason, you mean the world to
Shea. Shelley"

This is such a bizarre tragedy. Keep these folks in your prayers!

UBC Website Link on Kyle's Death

CNN Article

A Challenge

So, today I read the following verse...

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up..."

That verse comes from 1 Thessalonians 5:11. As Christians, we are called to be a source of encouragement for each other. "Encourage one another...build each other up." These words make me think, "How much encouraging and building up do I do?"

You know, for me anyway, it's a whole lot easier to use words of discouragement and tear others down. So, today, I'm challenging myself to be a source of encouragement for those around me.

And, that could be hard! Because sometimes I find myself around people that I find it much easier to tear down...Maybe you all can join me in working hard to encourage and build up those around you.

Mmm! Mmm! Good!

Last night, Emily and I were running short on time before something began. So, we decided to have McDonald's for dinner. I know, I know...that is so unhealthy for all of us (especially the little new life growing inside of Emily). But, it was easy...and it's what sounded good to Emily! However bad it may be, I must say two things about the McDonald's experience.

One- It was extremely tasty! McDonald's french fries are so good! There's something in their deep fying oil...there's got to be because I just can't stop eating those fries!

Two- The new McDonald's on McGalliard is pretty stinkin' cool! Two drive thru options make for extra speedy service. And, the inside looks really nice too!

Having said that...I know we won't be having McDonald's in the near future. Tonight will probably be pasta or chicken and veggies at home! 

When I Don't Know What to Pray

During my morning prayer time, I came across an encouraging and familiar passage of Scripture and a comment that really struck a chord in my heart. You see, sometimes when I pause to pray I'm at a loss...I can go through the motions and pray the typical things...But, sometimes there is this longing in me to pray for something more. Yet, I find myself struggling to put words to what's stirring inside of me. Often, I get frustrated and move on to something else. I know that's not the right thing...but, it's what I'm most likely to do when in that situation.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)

There was a statement regarding this passage of Scripture on the Sacred Space website. It said,

"The dialogue with God continues even when our mind and heart are weary."

A Perfect Pint

It's a cold, gray day...The kind of day that makes you think to yourself, "Self, wouldn't it be awesome to be sitting next to the fireplace at the Heorot with a perfectly poured pint of Guinness?" The answer is "Yes!" The only problem is that my schedule doesn't permit this to happen today...But, there's always tomorrow! 

Worship & Prayer

I've always been a firm believer that worship is not something we do...it's something we are. And, as I think about the many Scriptures that tell us to be devoted, faithful, constant in prayer, I'm overcome with the thought that prayer is to be like worship...it's not something we do...it's something we are.

Here's a piece from Kimball's Emerging Worship that caught my attention:

"The New Testament is full of emerging worship. Jesus shook up everything! He taught us that worship is not attached to a location or space. Instead, true worship is done in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24). Jesus taught that God does not look for specific acts or rituals of worship. The heart behind the worship matters most to him. Immediately after Jesus' ascension a new form of worship was birthed when the Spirit indwelled believers (Acts 2). The Spirit was no longer in the physical sacred space of the temple, but in believers. Our bodies became the temple where the Spirit dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19). Our entire lives are now spiritual acts of worship (Romans 12:1-2). We don't go to a certain place - we worship God with all we do!"

Worship is to be a constant thing. Prayer is to be a constant thing! How are you going about this in your daily life?

Doing Good...Prayer

This morning, I strolled over to our prayer garden. It's sort of cold and wet this morning...So, in all honesty, I didn't stay out there very long...pretty much just snapped a shot of the praying angel and headed inside.

As we've been working through this preaching series on prayer, I've really been wondering how many people are taking this whole thing to heart...how many people are truly spending significant time in prayer each day...how many people have increased the role of prayer in their daily lives...how much have I devoted myself to prayer during this time...how many will continue to faithfully pray when we are finished with this series??? These are just some of the thoughts that have gone through my mind.

This morning, I came across a passage from Galatians that may be familiar to some of you. It says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galatians 6:9-10).

This passage reminded me that one of the "good" things I can be "doing" is praying for others...friends, family, people in the church, people outside the church, random people. Prayer is vital! We all need to be praying. Sometimes we get tripped up in thinking of "good" we can do for all people. If you come up empty on some kind of "deed" you can do, then pray! And, if you do come up with a "deed" you should still pray! Pray, pray, pray!

Thoughts On Worship

Last night, I was browsing through a book by Dan Kimball called Emerging Worship. There were several statements that caught my attention (actually, they re-caught my attention as I had already underlined them...but I don't think "re-caught" is actually a word...but it is now). I'll share some of those now...and maybe some more in the days to come.

"Most people view the weekend worship service as a place where we go to get service done to us by 'getting out tanks filled up' at the service station. It's a place where someone will give a sermon and serve us with our weekly sustenance...We need to recognize that going to a worship service is not about us, the worshippers. It is not about God's service to us. It is purely our offering of service and worship to God - offering our lives, offering our prayers, offering our praise, offering our confessions, offering our finances, offering out service to others in the church body...In the New Testament, the English word 'service' is used to speak of an act of giving, not receiving."

You know, I've actually heard people say, "I'm here to get filled up so I can make it through the week." As I read Kimball's thoughts, I was reminded that this is not what it's about. Yeah, often times when we worship together we leave encouraged, built up, strengthened in our faith. But, the point of our worship...together on Sunday mornings and each day as we go our separate ways...is to glorify God.

1 Corinthians 14:26-33 gives a picture of what worship should be...a gathering of the Body where each one has a part, each one has something to offer. I'm going to use Peterson's Message paraphrase.

"So here's what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you're saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches - no exceptions."

What do you bring when you gather with the Body of Christ for worship? Are you "prepared" when you come to worship on Sunday mornings?

Sunday Morning...

Here I sit in the office on another Sunday morning...

I woke up just before 6am this morning, which in my opinion is way too early for anyone to wake up on a Sunday morning (whether or not you work at or attend a church).

I turned on the morning news, ground up some coffee beans, threw them in the brewer, popped in some toast, and sat back and just sort of collected myself...As I said, it was way too early.

The coffee was excellent! The toast was okay. The news, well, it was the news.

As I walked into the church, I just sort of felt like I'd rather be someplace else. You ever feel that way about church? Isn't it awful? I feel guilty about having those sort of thoughts about Sunday morning worship. But, that's how I feel this morning.

Don't get me wrong. I love the church. I love worshipping together as the Body of Christ on Sunday mornings. It's just...sometimes I just feel like staying at home or going to another church in another town where I can worship as someone who is not on the pastoral staff.

Maybe I just haven't had enough coffee yet...

This morning we continue our series on prayer. I'm not sure what Rusty has planned for the sermon. But, I know that people will leave encouraged and called to prayer. I think that's my big issue this morning...I need to pray!

Espresso, Coffee, Farmland

On our way to Greenville today, we stopped off in Farmland at the Main Street Coffee Company for a quick cup of coffee (decaf in Em's case...a double chocolate raspberry biscotti too). The owner was there and we stuck up a conversation about coffee, his wonderful business, and more. He also views Starbuck's as the devil! So, he immediately had my attention. Emily mentioned that I worked in a coffeehouse (the green room in Elkhart). He wanted my opinion on his espresso blend. So, he whipped up a couple of shots and we sipped them. It was honestly some of the best espresso I've ever had. He roasts all of his own coffee and espresso in the back of the coffee shop. It's worth the trip to Farmland to enjoy a bit of coffee! And, you can walk across the street to the General Store and get some great candy too! So, the Main Street Coffee Company has won my business. I'll be stopping back tomorrow on our way home!

Who Do You Pray For?

Yesterday, I wrote about praying for strangers. Today, I've been dwelling on a verse a read during my devotions.

"We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers." (1 Thessalonians 1:2)

Paul is just opening up his letter to the Thessalonian believers. But, he makes sure to let them know that he is thankful for them and "continually" lifts them up in prayer. This got me thinking...

Who am I "continually" mentioning in my prayers? Of course, I always pray for Emily, my family, my church...you know, the typical stuff. But, am I consistently praying for other believers...whether they are near or far?

I thought about it this way...when was the last time I prayed for the people of Elkhart Trinity or Yorktown UMC? These are places I used to be a part of...but, sense I left, I haven't really given much thought to either place in my prayers.

Anyway, I think God is trying to lay the question, "Who do you pray for?" on my heart.

Praying for Strangers

I'm sitting outside the Blue Bottle in downtown Muncie. I came down here to write my newsletter article. I've been struggling to get a good focus going. It could be the lack of coffee in my system...It could be the conversations that I'm over-hearing as I sit, reading and writing.

The people at the table next to me are constantly talking about other people...slandering, gossiping, whatever you want to call it. We all do this...and it makes us feel a little better about ourselves, doesn't it? Well, until we get to the point where conviction starts kicking in and we feel guilty for talking about other people.

As I've been sitting here, I've felt the need to pray for these people. Though I don't know there names, I know they need prayer!

Who are you praying for today?

Get Together...And Pray

I love the book of Acts. I love reading about the early church
and the early believers. It's incredible to think of how much
the workings of the early church has impacted us today.

Anyway, I love the passage in Acts 2:42-47. "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

When I read this passage, I wonder, "So, what happened?" People were devoted to getting together daily...to pray, to share meals, to worship God. Many of us struggle just to get together once a week. Many people look at this passage and say, "Well, that was a different time. The circumstances were different."

But, imagine what would happen if we took on this kind of devotion. People would be getting saved, needs would be met, the hungry fed, the homeless given shelter, the naked clothed...Think about it...How awesome would that be?

But, we're too busy for this kind of devotion. We've got bills to pay. We've got things to do. Maybe, one day, when we all get to heaven we'll know what this is like.

Give me a break. Let's do something. Let's get together. Let's pray. Let's see what God can do through the devotion of His people.

Let's Go Colts!

What an amazing game! During the first half, many diehard Colts fans were wondering what in the world was going on...Down 17-0, our amazing kicker missing a field goal, the offense looked like Yorktown High School. But, wouldn't you know it...Peyton and the boys got things going. I believe the defense was the big factor...producing huge turnovers.

I sat in the lap of luxury in the Indiana Convention Center Suite! Thanks Mom!!! Free food and drinks, a great view of the game!

The picture to the left was taken with my phone...which explains the poor quality and lack of zoom. However, the picture here was taken as the Colts were lining up for one of their big touchdowns! 6-0! Next week we have the Texans...don't count out the winless Texans...but, next Sunday, the Colts should be 7-0! Let's go Colts!!! 

Devoted to Prayer

At church yesterday, I gave a message called "Devoted to Prayer." In this message, I outlined several verses that call us, as believers, to be constant in prayer, faithful in prayer, and devoted to prayer. Then, I walked through several passages that show the results of being constant, faithful, and devoted in prayer. When we are devoted to prayer, God does amazing things. One of my favorite verses I shared yesterday was Colossians 4:2 which says, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." At the end of the message I asked the question, "What would happen if we were devoted to prayer?" I asked us to imagine what could happen in our lives, our families, our city, our schools/workplace, our world, our church if we would devote ourselves to prayer! I hope we will join together...I hope that we will be devoted to prayer...If we do this, we will see what God will do in our lives, our families, our community, our church, our world. Whatever you do today, pray!

Prayer & Waiting

"I pray to God - my life a prayer - and wait for what he'll say and do." (Psalm 130:5)

One of the hardest things for me in my prayer life is the whole waiting thing. It's not easy to wait...on anything...especially for answers to prayers.

By nature, I'm an impatient person. Honestly, I think a lot of us are impatient. We live in a society that wants bigger, better, and faster. We want immediate gratification...no one wants to wait for anything. If our service is slow at a restaurant, we complain and often leave less of a tip. If we have to wait in line at the store, we get a little moody. If traffic is jammed up and we can't drive as fast as we'd like, we get a bit of road rage. If our computer is running slowly, we like to swear at it and kick it. I haven't even started to skim the surface here.

And, when we pray, we want immediate action. We want God to fix, heal, move, act, change things now!

In my 30 years on this earth, I've started to learn that often times the periods of waiting are the times when God is in the process of fixing, healing, moving, acting, changing. We're too often set on exactly what we think should happen and when it should happen that we fail to see and hear what God is doing and saying to us.

Waiting can be difficult...But, it can be the most wonderful thing in the world!

Pray and wait...see what God will say and do! Seems like a pretty good idea!

Faithful in Prayer

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
(Romans 12:12)

Can you imagine what the world would be like if more people were faithful in prayer? In our church, when we talk about people who "really pray," we are able to reduce the list down to a handful of people. Doesn't that strike you as odd? Shouldn't we all be people of prayer?

That's our desire...that our church would become a people, a church of prayer! That we would all be faithfully devoted to praying...

This Sunday's sermon is going to be focused on devoting ourselves to prayer and what happens as a result of God's people being faithfully devoted to prayer! I'm pretty excited about Sunday's worship services! I know God is going to do something awesome in the lives of His people!

Pray to the Father

This is the view from one of my favorite places to have quiet prayer time. I used to make it a regular practice of retreating to this spot to spend time talking and listening to God. But, too often, I get myself too busy to be able to make it out there.

Of course, we all know that the location of our prayer time doesn't matter. We can pray any time, any where.

But, looking at the life of Jesus, He often retreated to quiet places to pray. Sometimes we need that...a place where we can remove the distractions of the day and get serious with God.

I stumbled upon this verse today...it's from the Message translation..."If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help." (James 1:5). I don't know about you, but that's an encouraging word to me because I never know what I'm doing!

See You At The Crossroads

Bone Thugs n' Harmony was a great rap group! You may remember their hit, "Crossroads." Honestly, they kind of stunk...but got some fame from that song.

Well, today, I read that one of the guys has found the Lord and put out an album reflecting his new relationship with God.

You can read the article for yourself.

MTV Article on Bizzy

Praying from the Inside-Out

This morning as I've been praying, thinking about prayer, and brainstorming for Sunday's message, I've been thinking about the great need for getting our insides clean. I think you know what I mean...

Many of us are able to paint these beautiful pictures on the outside...like we've got it all together...that we're doing just fine. But, on the inside, there's all kinds of stuff going on.

Jesus addressed this stuff with the Pharisees. "When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. Then the Lord said to him, 'Now then, you Pharisees clean on the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you - be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.'" (Luke 11:37-41).

There's all kinds of stuff in this passage...legalistic religious rules being more important than the relationship lived out in faith...the inner condition of a person...generosity...etc. Read over that passage and see what God is trying to say to you. What speaks to me is the great need for we, as Christians, to stop trying to cover up our insides by being so "clean" on the outside.

As you pray today, be open and honest with God. Talk to Him about the condition of the inside of your cup and bowl.

Pray Daily

In doing some preparation for my sermon on prayer this upcoming Sunday, I came across this little cartoon. And, I thought to myself, "I've felt this way before!" God is easy to talk to...Of course, we need to remember to listen!

The Path to God...Prayer

This morning, I came across the following on prayer:

"We are never stationary on the path to God. Our prayer changes. Many many good people move from using well-rehearsed vocal prayers and pious reflections, to a more silent, wordless sort of presence: Be still and know that I am God. I will not have thy thoughts instead of thee. The old peasant, whom the Curé of Ars found spending hours in the church, explained it: I look at the good God and the good God looks at me. With our oldest friends we do not need to talk."

Today, I'm overcome by a great need and desire to pray. I don't know about you, but as I look at the world around me, I see an incredible need to pray. I also feel this desire in my heart to pray about the conflicts in my own life. We all face various things from day to day that we cannot push through unless we are praying. It may be a financial, spiritual, physical, mental, or emotional need that is captivating you today. "Take it to the Lord in prayer!"

As I was working through some of my own baggage this morning, I came across this familiar passage. It came at just the right time!

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12-13)

I need God to help me become content in "any and ever situation." I need to remember that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

Pray Like a Child

Looking at this picture of a child praying makes me think of the simplicity of prayer. In Matthew 6:5-15, where Jesus teaches us to pray...He shows us it's not to be some big production. We're to go off by ourselves and speak directly and simply, speaking our hearts and minds to God. I think that sometimes we complicate praying. We feel like we have to get the words just right. But, seeing this child praying, reminds me it's not about the right words...it's about the heart...it's about faith...it's about believing that the things we ask for will be answered...that God's will is going to be done...regardless of our words. Jesus warns us not to "babble on like pagans." I wonder if sometimes the church has been a barrier to prayer for Christians. When pastors pray on Sunday it sounds eloquent. When I pray on my own, it sounds nothing like a Sunday morning prayer. Some people hear a pastor or church leader pray and say, "Wow! That person really knows how to pray." Then, they feel like their prayers are somehow not as good. Prayer is talking to God. It's communicating with our heavenly Father. It's talking to a friend...to a loved one...like a child speaks to his parents. I don't know...I'm just babbling on and rambling...Just some thoughts prior to finishing my first cup of coffee for the day!

Present to God

This morning, I read a thought on prayer that said the following on prayer:

In prayer, we are "aiming to become present to God as He is always present to us."

I found this to be a wonderful statement on prayer. To me, this definitely is a part of prayer. God is always present to us...He is around us and He is within us. However, I have to make a conscious effort to recognize this presence and express my desire to be open/present to Him.

This morning, as I prayed, I asked that He would give me the grace to be present to Him, to be attentive to Him, to listen and be obedient to Him and His leading.

Prayer

This month at Center Chapel, we are embarking on a month-long prayer journey. Our sermon series throughout the month is going to focus on prayer. We desire to be a church, a people of prayer. Hopefully, by encouraging...no, challenging our congregation to set aside time each day to pray it will form a habit. Not that prayer should be a "habit" or a "routine." But, it should be a regular part of the lives of those that are following Jesus. In the New Testament, we are challenged to pray without ceasing...prayer is to be at the very center of our daily lives. Yesterday, I saw a definition of prayer that really struck me...It said, "Prayer is the raising of the heart and mind to God." I pray and hope that the people of our church, and anyone that may stumble upon this blog, would make a "habit" of raising their hearts and minds to God.

Two Great Conversations

On Friday, I had two wonderful conversations! Both were totally unexpected and definitely God was in the moment.

My Friday routine is to get up, do some work around the house, and then head to downtown Muncie. The Blue Bottle is a regular stop...coffee and free wi-fi...it makes the day. After checking e-mail, reading the paper, and drinking an actually ton of coffee, I head over to the Heorot for a pint of the good stuff (Guinness) and a pizza.

This past Friday, I showed up to the Heorot earlier than usual (I was meeting Caleb there at 1:30pm). I was reading through Dallas Willard's book "The Spirit of the Disciplines" and jotting down some notes on prayer. While I was studying, a friend leaned over and said, "Hey, all the important stuff is the underlined stuff." I looked over and it was my good friend Hans.

Hans and I started talking about all kinds of things...his newborn son, Hanson, his wife, his business, some of the typical stuff. As we talked about my life, my wife, my work, etc...we started talking about church. Hans blew me away when he informed me he and his wife had been going to church for the last two years, that he helped out with the last church picnic, that he is really into his church. It was awesome...I've wondered about his spiritual life...and here I found out! It was great.

Then, as I went back to my studies, an older gentleman sat down next to me. He was a little rough around the edges...the kind of guy one might typically avoid when bellying up to the bar. He leaned over and asked what I was studying. So, I told him I was doing some reading on prayer. That sparked his interest and he asked what I did for a living. When I told him I worked at a church, he just smiled and chuckled a bit. He went on to share his life story with me...how he moved here from South Dakota for a woman, served in the Air Force, later divorced the woman and returned to South Dakota, 30 years later he remarried the woman and returned to Muncie, and he told me about his work in construction (he said his psychology degree just never panned out). We probably talked for forty-five minutes and it was an incredible conversation. We talked until Caleb arrived (Caleb enjoys the root beer at the Heorot. Who drinks root beer at the Heorot??? Caleb does! He's a good man).

As the man was preparing to leave, he interrupted my conversation with Caleb and said, "I want to shake your hand because you're the first down-to-earth pastor I've met." Wow! That blew me away...humbled me...made me glad that I had decided to read at the Heorot instead of the Blue Bottle.

The whole day reminded me of my need to be open to the opportunities God puts in front of me. Any other day, I probably would have buried my head in my book and avoided conversation. But, on this day, something nudged me to just be open to whatever God had in store for me and not to get caught up in my studies. Who knows what this week may bring?

Show Me How To Live

As I was driving to work this morning, I was listening to a little Audioslave. Now, for those of you not familiar with this group, they are sort of a "super-group," composed of members of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden.

Anyway, there's not really a lot of spiritual content in the music of Audioslave...Unless, of course, you're like me and feel you can sometimes "redeem" things that weren't necessarily intended for spiritual purposes.

Listening to one of their songs, the lyrics hit me..."You gave me life, now, show me how to live." Think about that line...It's pretty powerful!

And so, this has become my prayer this morning..."God, You gave me life. Now, show me how to live."

Toilets, Faucets, and Bathtubs

That was the theme of the day, yesterday! Dan, my father-in-law, came over to help me change out faucets on our front bathroom sink, replace the insides of our back bathroom toilet, and figure something out with our bathtub in the front bathroom. Both of us thought we'd have about three hours of work! Boy, were we in for a surprise.

Just before 9am, Dan showed up and we were ready to work. We examined the three jobs and headed to Lowes (by way of Mac's for some tasty and cheap breakfast) to get the necessary supplies. Upon returning to the house, each of us thought we'd have about three hours of work. The plan was to head down to the Heorot for a pint, some lunch, and guy time.

Well, let me put it this way...when I had to leave for praise team at 5:30pm, Dan was still under the sink. When I returned from praise team, just after 7pm, Dan was still under the sink!

As with every other thing in our humble abode, Al (the former home owner) had jacked every thing up! Who would have thought you would need bolt cutters take the top tank off a toilet? Who would have thought you would need two people to turn off the cold water supply to a sink? Every single thing we worked on we had to deal with the stupidity of Al...that's the story of fixing things at our house. But, we got it all finished! I'm pretty sure it made my wife extremely happy to have working sinks, bathtubs, and toilets! It makes me happy too!

I just feel bad that Dan and I never got to head down to the Heorot for a pint! I guess I'll just have to drink one for him when I head over there in a few minutes for lunch!

Advil, Mt. Dew, & Frank Zappa

This is how my morning started! My neck and head were absolutely killing me. So, the first thing I did was locate the bottle of Advil and consumed mass quantities!

After finishing off the Advil, I though to myself, "Man, you better get some caffeine in your system or you're going to be in trouble." Heading towards the coffee pot, I could see the little round pieces of mold sitting in the bottom of the pot...a great sign that I didn't clean out the pot the last time I made coffee (which I think was last Friday). Needless to say, I rinsed out the coffee put and immediately put it in the dishwasher. I did think, "Well, a little mold is good for you...Penicillin is okay!"

Then, I noticed a bottle of Mt. Dew left over from Tuesday nights something gathering. So, I got a Scotty's Brewhouse cup, filled it with ice, and poured over the liquid caffeine and sugar combination that has satisfied my cravings.

After taking a few sips of the sweet nectar known as Mt. Dew, I headed upstairs to check my e-mail and read the on-line version of the Star Press. To pass the time while I was reading, I decided to put in a CD. This mornings choice, the Apostrophe/Overnight Sensation disc by the one and only Frank Zappa.

"Watch out where the huskies go and don't you eat that yellow snow!" Of course, I think my favorite song on the album might be Uncle Remus..."I can't wait 'til my fro is full grown!"

The Shins in Concert

NPR's website is so great! They are always featuring some live shows by bands that you aren't hearing constantly on the radio or MTV (does MTV play music anymore?).

Anyway, this morning, I stumbled upon the audio from a Shins concert! I'm not a big fan of the artists featured along with the Shins (the white stripes and m. ward). But, I like the Shins. Most people may be familiar with the Shins due to their association with the Garden State soundtrack(a decent movie, a better soundtrack).

Anyway, if you dig the Shins, check out their live show on-line.

The Shins in Concert

Time of Prayer

This morning, I spent a decent amount of time in prayer...asking God to search my heart...to create in me a new heart...to give me the grace to let go of my own concerns and be open to what He is asking of me...to let myself be guided and formed by Him...to face my weaknesses...to strengthen and give me the courage to face the "destiny" he has called me to...to help me fully realize my vocation as His follower...His child...asking that I would be fully and constantly aware of His presence in me, in those around me, in creation, in everything...asking that I would abandon myself and be formed by His grace...truly and fully trusting every aspect of my life in Him.

While I was praying, I asked God to guide and direct my heart towards things I need to be doing. As I prayed for the church, I was continually overcome with thoughts of taking risks for the Kingdom. I've talked about taking risks from time to time...and it keeps coming up in my thoughts. Why? Most likely because we haven't really taken any risks. God led me to remember that we all need to be doing what's best for the church (not for me), for the Kingdom. He laid it on my heart that all that we say and do in our worship and ministries needs to be pleasing to Him (not to our fellow man). He just really laid it on my heart that we need to step out in faith...we need to give people something to be a part of, something to get excited about...we need to get out of our complacency, out of our maintenance mode. We need to be doing all we can do to bring those that don't know Him into the Kingdom.

All of this has been laying very heavy on my heart over the last several months. We give much lip-service to change, to taking risks, to reaching beyond the consumer-driven/self-centered/maintaining mode we've been stuck in. But, very little action is taken. We are trying to be more efficient in our planning...And, that is great! But, it's not taking a risk.

I've been frustrated with all of the instances where I'm asked if we have a contemporary service or some kind of emerging/postmodern thing happening...It's frustrating because, knowing this is what we really need to be pursuing, I have to say "no, we don't have anything like that. But, we do have a blended service." It's frustrating to hear people say, "this is what I'm looking for" and have to turn them to another place. I know that many of those asking would get a great deal from our church...our people are great...our messages are pretty good (if I do say so myself)...But, unfortunately, we aren't offering what some are looking for...And, so, they go looking other places. And, we've even lost some of our own who have grown weary of waiting for change...waiting for something new...Of course, you can't make everyone happy all of the time. But, giving people options...various styles of worship at various times...at least shows we're trying our best.

Well, I better stop writing before I write myself out of a job! It's not that I'm frustrated working here. I love this church! I love the people! I love working in ministry here! And, that's why it's frustrating. I want to see what's best for this church happening...not 5 months from now, but tomorrow. With the way things are going...we don't have 5 months to wait to do something.

Okay, I said I was going to stop...So, I will.

Weird, but good, Worship

On Sunday morning, Emily and I had the opportunity to be a part of the worship service at Epworth Forest's Fall Youth Rally. The youth rally is a gathering of United Methodist youth from the North Indiana Conference.

It was a rather interesting morning! Emily led the praise and worship music (something she found out she'd be doing at 7am on Sunday). Of course, she did a wonderful job! She has such a beautiful voice and a sweet spirit! But, during the first song, the words somehow stopped appearing on the screens. During the second song...no words. Luckily, each of these songs were ones the students were familiar with. By the time we got to the third song, the tech guys solved whatever the problem was and got the words back on the screen. The students, even with the tech problems, were totally into the worship...singing their little hearts out!

Then, during my teaching, we again experienced some tech problems. My presentation was there, then it wasn't. One minute it would appear, then vanish, then re-appear. It was a bit frustrating! Yet, at the same time, I believe God did some great things during our worship!

I was very encouraged as several people came and talked to me after the service and shared words of encouragement. I had a couple people ask me if our church had a service like what we did on Sunday morning at the rally. At that moment, I had to be honest and say, "Not really." We did a total contemporary service on Sunday morning at the rally...and, we don't have that at Center Chapel (hopefully the updated site will be uploaded soon). So, that was a little disappointing...to realize that we don't offer what some people are looking for...

I know Emily experienced some encouraging words as well! The director of outdoor ministries really enjoyed her worship leading...commenting that she had a wonderful voice (because she does)!

Honestly, in the midst of frustrating tech problems, God moved! As Emily pointed out, we were a part of that worship service for a reason! God will use that service to bring something about in the lives of those who were there.

This is Gatsby, our crazy little cat. We've had her since Emily's birthday (May 29th)! But, I just finally downloaded some pictures from our camera. This is Gatsby chillin' out in a shoe box! She's a little weird. But, she's out cat and I guess we love her! 

Shut Up!

Oh my goodness! Shut up for one second!

I'm sorry! I know it's rude to say shut up! I know that I should be compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and all that jazz!

But, this lady is driving me freakin' nuts!

I'm at the Blue Bottle, writing my newsletter article and enjoying a cup of coffee. I've got headphones on, listening to some tunes. But, all I can hear is the annoying voice of some woman on the other side of the coffee house! She's talking business with some guy...I can't hear him at all...And, he's facing me! She's got her back to me and all I can hear is her high-pitched, annoying voice! Ahhhh! I'm losing my freakin' mind! I'm out of here as soon as I down this cup of coffee!

Why do people feel a need to talk so loud in a coffee shop? I just don't get it! But, it happens everywhere...Panera, the Blue Bottle, the MT Cup!!!

Oh well, I don't have to sit here. I can leave! Or...

Maybe I should get out my cell phone and start talking at ridiculously loud volumes!!! That might prove a point. I could be really loud and say, "Hold on, let me turn up the volume on my phone. I can't hear you over this loud lady in here."

Really, I should be more tolerant. I should be more patient. I should be more compassionate. I should be kind. But, I'm not. I'm sorry!

The Heart of the Matter

Sometimes I wonder if we’ve come that far in this whole Christianity thing. As I read the Scriptures, I am sometimes reminded that things today are really no different than they were in the days that Jesus walked the earth. The Pharisee’s were totally consumed with having their religion just right. Many people failed to see Jesus, even when He was standing right in front of them. There were a few faithful followers, but even they would flee and deny Jesus when the going got tough. Sound familiar?

As I was sorting through these thoughts, I realized that the problem with religion today is a matter of the heart. I was convicted that too often I place my priorities on outer things (keeping up appearances, performing all the “right” daily disciplines, etc) rather than on the inner workings of my being. While working through this, I came across a teaching of Jesus that totally focuses on the heart.

“Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’ Jesus replied, ‘And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’ Jesus called the crowd to him and said, ‘Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him unclean.’” (Matthew 15:1-11)

The Pharisees were sort of an up-tight bunch of folks. They felt like every thing had to be put together just right. You had to follow all the rules and traditions. Many of their traditions were merely things they had come up with on their own. They saw Jesus’ disciples living a slightly different way than they did and called Jesus out on it. They couldn’t believe this Rabbi would allow his followers to “break” the tradition.

Jesus was quick to call them out. He basically said, “Oh, you Pharisees! You think you’ve got it all together! Honestly, you look great! You follow the rules! You wear the right clothes! You give the appearance that you’ve got it all together. But, in reality, your hearts are far from God. You see…your rules and traditions have become more important to you than God Himself. What God wants is your heart, not your silly traditions!”

Jesus says this same thing to us today! He warns us to not get caught up in going through the motions or giving the appearance that we are “good” Christians. He wants us to get to the heart of the matter! He wants our heart. When our heart is in the right place with Him, many of these rules and traditions will naturally take care of themselves.

If Jesus were sitting with us today, I think He might ask us, “What’s the condition of your heart?” I pray that we all will ask God to search our hearts so that our faith will be an inside-out, rather and outside-only relationship with Jesus.

Spending Time with "Sinners"

"As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow me,' he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?' On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9:9-13).

As I read this passage this morning, a few things hit me:

One, notice how Matthew gets up and follows Jesus? There must have been something so amazing, so captivating about Jesus that Matthew couldn't resist but follow.

Two, notice that Jesus didn't tell Matthew to get his act together first and then follow him. Matthew was a tax collector...someone known to cheat people out of money...tax collectors were very corrupt. And, Jesus makes a choice to call Matthew. Imagine the shocked look on the Pharisee's face.

Three, notice that Jesus spends time (eating, drinking, laughing, etc) with "sinners." He came to save the "sinners."

As I was reading, I was reminded of my time to spend time with "sinners." Now, if you're like me, you would say, "Well, I guess that means I can still just hang with my Christian friends because we're all sinners." And, that's true! We are all sinners and we do need to spend time together. But, we need to take on this characteristic of Jesus and start looking for opportunities to befriend those that don't know Him.

And, that totally justifies me spending time eating pizza and having a pint at the Heorot! Hahaha!

Honoring God???

I was a part of an interesting conversation this afternoon...Let me set the scenario. Say a certain church had an outdoor worship service on a Sunday morning. Say that certain people within that certain church were discussing the service today. Now, suppose that someone made a suggestion that the outdoor service be done on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon instead of during the normal worship time.

Okay, then let's say that someone proposed that the best reason to do this at a time other than the normal worship time was because of dress code issues. That's right, I said dress code! Here's the defense: During our worship, we're to honor God (to which I definitely agree). The problem with the outdoor service is that people don't dress in a way to honor God (which I wonder about...blue jeans, t-shirts, shorts...no big deal...now, when too much flesh is being shown, I can understand).

But, is the manner of dress supposed to be an issue? I mean, it seems like an argument the Pharisee's would have had. When I read the New Testament, it seems like Jesus, Paul, and the others were trying to show the people that it wasn't about the outside, but the inside. Jesus said that the Pharisee's looked the part and paraded around, but they were totally corrupt in their hearts.

I know that many people feel we should wear suits and ties (dresses for the ladies) to church every Sunday. I know many in older generations feel very strongly this way. And, for them, that's okay. But, we need to make sure we're not treading on the ground of telling people they have to become just like us in order to be a part of the Kingdom. I feel like we should come as we are...well, as long as we're wearing clothes. Honoring God is something that comes from our heart. For me, I don't think it matters if I'm wearing shorts, blue jeans, or a fancy Brooks Brothers suit. God wants my heart, not my clothes.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting that the type of dress would be a leading factor in moving the time of a gathering.

Dangerous Jobs

While being a pastor does have its dangerous moments (like when giving a sermon and you say something you know will tick people off), it just didn't make the top ten list of dangerous jobs.

If you think your job is dangerous, check out the list and see if your occupation made it!

MSN Article: Top Ten Dangerous Jobs

Saturday Morning

Well, this has been a fairly relaxing Saturday morning. Emily has been resting...just taking it easy after a long week at school.

I got up around 7:30am, which is early for me! I put on a pot of coffee, threw some bread in the toaster, warmed up a skillet, cracked some eggs, poured some OJ, and had a wonderful, quiet breakfast.

The eggs were perfect, if I do say so myself (and I do!). A little salt, a lot of freshly ground pepper, and a little hot sauce. Mmm, I think I could go for more.

Anyway, as I was enjoying the quietness of the morning, I found myself overcome by the beauty of the created world. The sun was shining through the backdoor. The cat was laying in a warm spot. I was eating good food and drinking good coffee. I could hear the birds and crickets making a racket outside. And, it reminded me that God is in all of it...the sun, the air I breath in and out, the cat, my coffee, the insects...all of it! It's pretty incredible, if you think about it! I hope you can enjoy creation today...whether it's a walk outside, a conversation with a friend or loved one, or enjoying some really good coffee.

Pork Roll Egg and Cheese

Yummy! Actually, it's a song by Ween! And, it's playing right now on my WMP playlist. It makes me laugh! It calls me to sing-a-long! What a joy!