Hoosier Logic

Well, a friend of mine has put together a little website that deals with all things Indiana. Sports, rock n' roll, politics, and other stuff. It's pretty nice and you should all check it out:

Hoosier Logic

The Bible & Jerry Springer

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All You Need Is Love

I've been reading through 1 John this week as part of my devotions. I did a book devotional on 1 John a while back. This time, I'm just working through the Scriptures on my own. One of the main themes of this book is love. Of course, pretty much the central theme of the entire Bible is love...God's love for us, our love for God, and our love for others. Jesus boiled the whole law down to two steps: 1. Love God. 2. Love Others.

So, it seems odd to me that when my non-Christian friends talk about the Christians they know the whole idea of love seems to be missing one of the steps. I had a conversation recently with a friend who said all the Christians he knows are totally in love with God...or the idea of God. He said the part that drives him nuts is that it seems like most of the Christians he knows seem to lack in the area of loving others. This comment struck me right between the eyes because, in all honesty, I sort of think he's right.

How much love are we Christians showing to homosexuals, the homeless, those in prison, those with bigger checking accounts than us, etc? Okay, I know this is a HUGE generalization. And, generalizations really tick me off. But, I'm speaking about myself here. I do a great job of living God. And, I pay a lot of lip-service to loving others. But, when the rubber hits the road, I haven't done much to actually put that love into action. I'm pretty good at speaking out against sin. And, I'm pretty good at speaking out about how we Christians should love the sinner and hate the sin. But, I tend to start stumbling when I get to the issue of actually showing love through compassion, grace, and mercy to those that are in need of the love of our Savior.

As I've read through 1 John this week, I've been struck at the need to start putting my love into action.

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:18)

To Dance or Not To Dance

Well, I figured out my newsletter article. And, it's not got anything to do with the four ideas I had yesterday...That a big surprise! So, here's the article:

Do any of you remember that old television show What's Happening? It was this great show about a group of friends...Roger, Rerun, & Dwayne. Of course, everyone's favorite was Rerun. Rerun was a big fella. He was more than a little overweight. But, Rerun could dance! In fact, many children that grew up in the late 70's and early 80's spent a great deal of time learning the Rerun dance (I was one of them). It was this famous dance that even landed Rerun on the Gong Show. The one thing that everyone realized when Rerun did his dance is that he truly enjoyed dancing! He was having a great time that brought him, and those around him great joy!

Of course, there are always people that scoff at those of us that can cut a rug. You know the type...The people that stand against the wall at dances making funny faces and cruel comments at those of us that are out there having a great time making fools of ourselves! Dancing in large groups of people is one of the rare times where it is actually permissible, even encouraged to become undignified!

One of the greatest dancers of all-time would definitely be King David! He was this guy that sort of had it all...He was a great songwriter, a King, and the guy could do a waltz that would bring a tear to your eye! It must have been shear beauty to watch this guy let loose and dance for the joy of the Lord.

2 Samuel 6 tells a story of David dancing. Verses 14-15 say, "David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sounds of trumpets." David was dancing with "all his might." This was some dance. He gave it everything he had. And, he was doing it in his boxer-shorts. Yep, he was in his underwear, dancing before the people. Let me remind you...this is King David, not some crazy guy, this is the King.

Well, not everyone was fond of David's amazing dancing abilities. "As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, 'How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!' David said to Michal, 'It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel - I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this." (2 Samuel 6:16, 20-22).

Now, I'm not saying it's okay to dance around town in your underwear. But, whatever happened to the people in the church letting out such great joy, thanksgiving, and praise that they didn't care what those around them thought? It's not for those around us that we sing, shout, clap, and dance. It's for the LORD! When we worship the Lord, we have permission to let loose, to become what the world would consider undignified. The Psalms are full of passages that tell us to sing, clap, shout, dance, and bow down before the Lord in worship and praise. So, don't be afraid to worship Him the way that you feel led to. Dance for the joy of the Lord!

It's That Time Again...

Well, it's once again time for me to write an article for the Center Chapel newsletter. As usual, I have a bunch of different ideas racing through my mind. And, the newsletter deadline is, um, tomorrow! So, I better get down to business and start narrowing down my ideas.

Here's what I'm thinking about:
- The Beauty of Relationship: Why Formulas Stink
- I Dream, You Dream, We All Dream of Ice Cream
- Taking Risks: Getting Out of the Boat Already
- Image: Who Are You?

Hmm, interesting, huh? Yeah...So, we'll see what happens tomorrow morning when I sit down to officially write this stuff out. It could be one of the four ideas presented above. It could be something different. You know, I could just draw a picture!

God is Good!

Sometimes I just have to say that..."God is good!"

Sometimes I just have to remind myself that He is good...He is in control...He is faithful...He is my strength...He is my source...He is my everything.

Sometimes I just have to say these things out loud to remind myself...Because some days I can get so caught up in my frustrations, in the crap that life throws my way that I can easily get distracted from the fact that He is the great "I AM!" I get so focused on the problems I have to deal with today that I forget to look to the only Source that can provide the way out. I center so much of my thoughts on how I'm going to figure the way out that I fail to realize that only He can provide the way out. And, I fail to remember that maybe He doesn't want to provide the great escape right now! Maybe, just maybe, He's trying to get my attention because I so easily forget exactly who He is...

So, today I have to say, "God is Good" because it reminds me of the very fact that He is, in fact, good! It seems like something that should be impossible to forget or to take for granted. But, many of us do just that every day. So, I invite you to remember that He is good...all the time!

Good Morning, Your Car Hates You

That's what I felt like this morning...hated by my car. This morning, I woke up earlier than usual in order to take my car up to Dunkirk to have the brakes fixed and get an oil change while they were at it. Well, I got out to the car and, um, it just didn't want to start. The battery charger said the battery was fully charged. It just wouldn't start!

So, instead of taking my car to Dunkirk, I called around town. The Dodge dealer in Muncie must be swamped because he told me it'd be a week. A week?!? Yep, a week. So, I started calling around and finally found a place that could get me in today.

The car has been towed and now I'm just waiting around for the bad news!

Sunrises, Hot Air Balloons and Early Church Services

So, this morning I woke up to a beautiful sunrise! Days like this are always such wonderful reminders of how awesome God is...that He created this universe...the sun, the moon, and everything that is good!

As we drove to church this morning, there were several hot air balloons off to the west. The Summer Heat Festival is in Muncie this weekend. It features balloon races, an air show, and lots of rides, games, and food for the whole family to enjoy. It was quite a sight. My favorite balloon is the one that looks like a Pepsi can...it's pretty cool!

Well, it's not even 8am and I'm at the church preparing for our 8am worship service. You know, if we Christians were truly radical, I don't think we'd have a worship service at 8am. I think we'd get together around 10am, have some coffee, talk about God, sing together, and then have a big lunch. But, hey, that's just me...And, maybe 10am is too early as well! I mean, my brain doesn't really start to work correctly until the afternoon. So, maybe we should get together around 4pm for some ice cream, God talk, singing, and then have a big cook out? That sounds pretty good to me.

Of course, then I'd miss all the beautiful sunrises...But, there's always a sunset!

Downtown Muncie!!!

So, those of you that know me are fully aware of the fact that I am a huge fan of downtown Muncie. This is partly due to the fact that it is the location of my favorite pub, the Heorot! But, there are many wonderful things about downtown Muncie. The city has no problem blocking off traffic on Walnut for Free Movie Fridays (this week it's the Incredibles at 8pm) for families or for live music events (remember Peter Frampton and Kansas last summer?). And, there are great restaurants downtown...Mezzaluna, Vera Mae's, the Landing are some of my favorites.

Today, I want to applaud the Blue Bottle for launching their Freaky Tiki Friday events. Every Friday night until Labor Day, the folks at the Blue Bottle will set up outdoor seating and tiki torches and have live music for those passing by to enjoy for free! The music starts at 5pm and ends right before Friday nights free movie. It's a great idea and sounds like a good time!

So, if you're looking for something to do on a Friday in Muncie, head downtown.

Buck Naked Faith

I got another new book. It just came in the mail. The only reason I purchased it was because of it's title, "Buck Naked Faith: A Brutally Honest Look at Stunted Christianity." Sounds like a winner to me! I'll post in the future to let you know what I really think about the book. I do love the first words on the back cover, "Take off your designer, postmodern phoniness. Strip off your pretty-sounding words. Get your faith naked."

Mo' Money

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:2-3).

As I was reading this morning, I came across the above passage from 1 Peter 5. While reading, all kinds of thoughts about particular churches, pastors, and church leaders began to run through my head. I thought of pastors that fell into the wrong categories and others that seem to be great examples of what the writer is trying to get across.

This passage calls leaders in the church to serve, to oversee out of a sense of willingness. Sometimes, leaders can get into the role of serving and overseeing out of a sense of duty. God wants us to be willing to serve, to be open to how He calls us to serve, rather than to do things because we feel like we must...that it's some kind of requirement or hoop we must jump through in order to be an effective leader. A willing heart is what He desires.

He warns leaders not to be greedy for money. Have you ever been to a church where it seems like all they ever talk about is money? Generally, the talk is about how they need more...And, usually it's for a new building project and not for feeding the hungry. That's sort of a blanket generalization. But, in my experience, it's been true. I've been in churches where the biggest thing they do is their pledge drive. It's the main focus throughout the year. There are teams that work for 10 months for a single Sunday push for people to give more money. It seems like if the church would put as much energy into discipleship, evangelism, worship, and the like that the issue of giving would come naturally as a result of ones relationship with Jesus. Of course, that's in an ideal situation.

We are to be eager to serve! How many times have you struggled with being too eager to serve? Hmm...This really calls me out. Am I truly eager to serve? Do I serve out of willingness & eagerness or a sense of duty?

And, for those who are leaders in the church, we aren't to lord our positions over others. How tempting is that? It can be tempting to say, "Well, I'm in charge of this and this. So, you need to just understand that I'm in charge here and you need to follow my lead." I've seen this happen. Especially when someone has a really good idea that isn't our own. We get threatened that someone else might get the glory...someone else might excel...and we'll be found out to be just like everyone else.

Rather than lording our position over others, we are to be an example. You know, it seems pretty simple. We're called to Christ. He was the greatest example of all time. He came to serve, not to be served. He didn't take advantage of His position as the Son of God. Instead, he loved people, reached out to the hurting, and made the biggest difference in the world...ever. And, just as He humbled Himself to serve the world, we are called to do the same.

Just a few rambling thoughts this morning. Oh, don't forget to share your ideas with me of "I Dream of a Church..."

My New Favorite Author...Donald Miller

This afternoon, I received a new book in the mail, "Searching for God Knows What" by Donald Miller. Some of you may remember that a while back I was reading Miller's book, "Blue Like Jazz," which I highly recommend to everyone. Well, I just finished the first chapter of "Searching for God Knows What" and I feel like I could keep reading all day. In the first chapter, Miller talks about our journey with God. He talks about how a lot of Christian writing (and preaching too) seems to reduce following God to a few practical steps. He refers to the whole "self-help" model of Christianity. He then points out how the "self-help" model really doesn't seem to line up with the Bible. He shows how there just don't seem to be any sound formulas that God takes everyone through. He talks about how it seems more like God invites us to fall in love with Him and follow. Following may look different for all of us. Miller writes about how he's read countless self-help books, but has never truly been changed. He writes about how he was never truly changed until he came into a relationship with Jesus. He talks about how the happiest times in his life haven't been when he's had more money, more this, more that, but when he's been in relationship with God and others. So far, so good! Check it out if you get a chance.

I Dream Of A Church

This morning, I've been doing some dreaming/visioning for Center Chapel. The summer is a great time for a church staff to dream & plan for the future. I believe this summer is a crucial planning/dreaming/visioning time for our church. As we look to what the future holds, the decisions we make today will have a great impact on how effective we are at bringing the Gospel to those in our community.

So, I'd love to hear how some of you would complete the sentence, "I dream of a church..."

It could be anything. One of the thoughts I had this morning had to do with our worship services. Currently, our main service is a blended worship service. If you know me, then you know that I think blended worship is of the devil. It's one of those things where we try to become all things to all people, offering something for everyone to keep the masses happy in one service time. What ends up happening is that no one ends up being happy. And, we end up having lengthy worship services.

I dream of a church where we offer multiple worship styles in different and unique worship services. In attempting to become all things to all people, we could have different worship services of different styles rather than trying to cram everything into one service. We could have a traditional service, contemporary service, and even a blended service (though I don't think it would be necessary if we clearly defined our services.

So, what do you dream of?

Water Into Wine

One of my favorite stories in the Scriptures is the Wedding at Cana. The story comes from John 2:1-11. It's the first miracle of Jesus and the start of his ministry on earth. What I love about this is that he kicks off his ministry at a party with family and friends. Of course, I also like that fact that he makes wine. Being a person that enjoys the occasional glass of wine with dinner, I respect Jesus as being the best wine-maker of all time! We all know that Jesus can only do things perfectly, so I bet the wine he made was the best wine ever made. Now, there's all kinds of debate about whether or not it was really wine or simply grape juice. I believe that Jesus made wine, not juice. Jesus himself said that people called him a drunkard and a glutton because he came eating and drinking. He was pretty much the life of the party. The mere fact that Jesus was invited to this wedding party indicates that he was the kind of guy people wanted to have around...And not just because he had the power to change water into wine. As believers called to share the love of Christ with all around us, wouldn't it be great if we got invited to parties where we could be around people that don't know the love of Christ and we could befriend them and help bring them closer to Christ? Wouldn't it be great if Christians were known as the life of the party, the kind of people you want around in order to have fun? Okay, that's enough rambling for today!

Rax

Yep, it was everything I thought it would be an more! Last night, Em and I headed over to Anderson to enjoy a tasty meal at the downtown Rax! I enjoyed the B.B.C. combo (beef, bacon, cheese). The fries were awesome! The sandwich was incredible. Emily went for the Beef n' Cheddar combo. It also looked tasty!

After dinner, we headed over to Shadyside park and walked off our dinner. It was a muggy night...And, smelly if you were near any water.

It was a wonderful evening! So, next time you're in the mood for roast beef, don't go to Arby's. Head to Rax.

Oh, FYI- They are only open until 6:30pm Monday through Friday. I think they are only open until 3pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday. It is a downtown business after all.

It's Friday!!!

So, it's Friday, which means I went to the Heorot! But, more exciting than that...tonight we're going to Rax for dinner! Remember Rax? Yep, we're going!

Coldplay

The new Coldplay album came out on Tuesday!!! And, they have really been promoting this project...Live on AOL, Live Leak on MTV, Storytellers on VH1.

All of the press said the album would be far removed from older Coldplay. Reviews of the album talked of how this would be something different than anything they've done before.

Well, as I listen to the new songs, I'm sort of baffled by the reviews. I mean, I listen to the songs and I think to myself, "Self, this sure sounds like what I'd expect from Coldplay." It's really not that far removed from their previous works. I guess I don't get it. Sure, they use some different sound settings on the keyboard and add in some extra harmonies here and there. But, it's still Coldplay. And, it's exactly the next step I would have expected them to take. With all of the buzz about this being something different I guess I expected, well, something different.

Now, don't get me wrong...I absolutely love the new stuff! Coldplay is a tremendously talented band. Chris Martin's vocal are amazing...especially when you hear him singing live and it's not too far from what you hear on their records (which seems to be pretty rare these days). So, I totally recommend going out and purchasing this album. You will be glad you did.

I'll give them credit. They did one song that was different. They recorded a Johnny Cash song that he never got to record. It's different...most likely because it's a Johnny Cash song.

So, go support good rock n' roll music and get the new Coldplay album!

A quick sidenote...The new Switchfoot album will come out in August!!!

Ancient-Future Time

Last night, I was reading Ancient-Future Time by Robert Webber. It's one of the installments of his Ancient-Future book series. There's a passage where Webber is talking about Advent worship and the prophet Isaiah that really got me thinking. Let me share it with you:

"In Advent worship we are lifted up to sing with the angels, the archangels, and the seraphim, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!' (Rev. 4:8). Unfortunately, we frequently fail to see what Isaiah saw. We allow the goals, ambitions, and everyday responsibilities of life to be so central to our thoughts that we fail to shut down and center on the Holy One, the Creator, the One who is high and lifted up above all that is. Isaiah saw above the details of his own life and the issues of his nation. By faith he went to the very heart of human existence itself. Like Isaiah we need to get beyond the form of our worship. We need to experience the presence of the one who stands over us to judge us, heal us, and restore us to life."

I know we are not in the season of Advent. The book is about shaping our spirituality around the Christian year. It talks about how the church should take the journey through the life, ministry, and death of Jesus as we seek to draw near to Him. He challenges the church and it's leaders to get beyond the self-help model of many contemporary churches and to start dealing with the Source of what our worship is all about...Jesus.

Endure Hardship

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" (Hebrews 12:7).

This verse always strikes me. The whole idea that God disciplines those He loves is not something we like to hear. We don't like to hear that we will go through hardships. We like to think that if we are following God that we will find the easy road. God is God, and if I'm His son, shouldn't I reap some pretty sweet benefits? Well, that's the thinking I get caught up in at times.

But, have you ever noticed how we tend to come out of hardships more focused and prepared for the remainder of our journeys? There are many lessons we are taught through hardships that we may never have learned without the time of hardship. Sure, we might get beat up and think there may not be a light at the end of the tunnel. But, in the end we see and learn things we never imagined while we were in the midst of our hardships.

So, thank God for His discipline. Thank God that He cares enough that He won't just let us float through life. His discipline is just another sign of how great His love for us truly is.

Sow Peace, Reap Righteousness

Last night, I was reading James 3. As I came to verses 17 & 18, I started to think about peace. Here's what the verses say, "The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness."

Think about this, if we sow in peace, we will reap righteousness. Doesn't it seem like our world has it all wrong? When there is unrighteousness, we start wars. Now, we always cover up the messiness of wars by saying that the end result will be peace. So, let me ask, after all the wars (large and small) our country has been through, have we really brought peace into the world? Have our actions as the military power of the world brought about peace and righteousness?

In watching Hotel Rwanda, I found myself disgusted at how little the US and UN did for these people that were suffering through genocide. Now, we see the persecution and genocide going on in the Sudan and what are we doing? We say we'll send money and forces...But, it's all lip service. I read an article recently about Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane's Addiction. In the article it talked about how he had paid the ransom for something like 2,300 woman and children to be freed from captivity in the Sudan. Perry is not a Christian, but heard about the suffering and was overcome with a need and desire to help. Hearing about this made me start to question what I'm doing to help bring about peace and righteousness in our world.

If we are truly wise, we will be seeking to bring about peace in our world. We will be pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. There is so much that I could be doing that I'm not. I focus way too much on my own situation. I focus way to much on my wants. I fail to realize that even when I think I'm at my wits end I've got it much better off than the majority of people in the world.

What can we do to sow peace and harvest righteousness in our world today? The possibilities are endless. One thing you can do to help those that are suffering through hunger and poverty is sign the petition at one.org I won't explain it all away to you here. But, I do encourage you to visit the site and check it out.

Nothing to Say?

Well, it's been several days since my last post. I know, some of you are probably wondering "does Jason just not have anything to say?" Well, I think we all know that's not the case. I always have something to say. However, it's been a pretty busy week and I just haven't taken the time to make it happen.

This week, I hope to make more regular posts...Notice I said "I hope" and not "I promise."

Jr. High Camp Sold Out!!!

Well, it's official. As of today, the week of junior high camp I'm directing has sold out! So, we are going to have an incredible week with tons of kids. Now, we just need to get our counseling team solidified and we'll be set!

On Sunday's Sermon

Well, I do believe that I'll be going with the "A Different Kind of Blessing" message for this Sunday. I still have a couple of ideas sitting in the back of my mind. So, we'll see what happens on Sunday morning. Of course, it could be different at each service. The thing I've learned most about ministry is that when preparing the teaching for worship gatherings it's best to study, pray, and speak from the heart. So, that's what I've been doing this week...studying and praying so that I can speak straight from the heart on Sunday.

One of the things that always hits me when I prepare sermons once every six weeks is that I really desire to be preaching/teaching on a more regular basis. If I miss anything about being in youth ministry it would definitely be the regularity of preaching. I went from preaching almost every Sunday to preaching six times in 10 months (this will be the seventh time I've preached at Center Chapel). I know that more preaching opportunities will come...It's just sometimes difficult waiting in the wings. But, I know that God has me in this position to teach and shape me for future ministry. I just wish there was some outlet for me to share in a preaching/teaching role on a more regular basis.

Anyway, this Sunday, there are three key words I hope to get across in my sermon...Uncertainty...Mystery...Risk. These are three things that seem to be consistent in the lives of the people that God worked through in the Bible. Yet, much of our lives are void of uncertainty, mystery, and risk. We'll see what happens on Sunday.

What Can We Do?

Last night, Emily and I visited a friend of mine that is planting a church in a forgotten part of Anderson. The church purchased an old elementary school building in a part of town that everyone is trying to get out of. Oh, did I mention that they are a predominately white, college-aged church moving into a predominately black and Hispanic neighborhood?

It's absolutely incredible! The building is totally God-sent and has allowed them to start planning for ways to have a positive impact on their community. They are offering classes for people in the neighborhood and the congregation...ESL classes, financial classes, etc. They have interns living in the school who are intentionally getting out into the neighborhood...playing basketball with neighborhood kids, getting to know their parents, etc. There was the story of a guy that came to the church, spoke of his problems with addiction and providing for his family and just cried out for help to the church. The potential for having a Kingdom impact on a neighborhood that has been forgotten is totally inspiring.

So, I find myself asking, "What can we do?" What can Center Chapel do to have a positive impact on our surrounding community? I look at our missions projects and even our local projects are outside of our immediate community. So, what can we do to reach out to those people in the Royerton area that are hurting, have unmet needs, and need the love, community, and fellowship that only the church can offer? What can we do to intentionally reach out to the lost in our community?

Well, I hope to take some time to start answering these questions and dreaming up ways to become a church that is intentionally reaching out to the people that live across the street, down the road, within our surrounding community. I hope to come up with some creative ideas to implement these dreams...to put our faith into action.

And, I welcome the ideas of those in our faith community...maybe some of you see opportunities that we are missing to have an impact for the Kingdom.

Oh, and just so we all know...this isn't just some kind of idea to try and bring more people into Center Chapel. It's about being faithful to Christ's call on all believers...to take care of those in need...to love our neighbors as ourselves...to go and make disciples. If more people come to worship at Center Chapel, then we will rejoice and celebrate that. If we simply help make our community a better place to be and improve the lives of some of those around us without growing by one person, we will rejoice and celebrate that as well.

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)