Jesus and the Kingdom of God

Last week I started reading through the Gospels using The Daily Bible. I'm seeking answers to this question: What would it look like for Jesus to be at the center of my life? Of my home? Of my church? In order to answer that question, I feel like I need to better understand Jesus' mission while he was on earth. This morning I read the Sermon on the Mount. Here's an overview...

Beatitudes - Jesus was proclaiming that His Kingdom was available to all people, but especially to those who were treated well in the present earthly kingdoms. He wanted those who had been treated well in the present earthly kingdom to understand that His Kingdom was different.

Upside-Down Kingdom - this seems to be the central theme throughout this sermon. God sees things differently than we see them. When we begin to understand the KOG, we too will see with different eyes. As Keller says, we will begin to handle things like money, sex and power differently.

Father - We will also begin to think differently about our role and God's role. We don't have to "run after these things" as the pagans do (Matt. 6:32). What are "all these things?" Clothes, money, food, success, worth, etc. God is a loving Father who knows what we need and desires to provide for us. He actually desires to do more than just provide. He desires to lavishly pour out blessings on His children.

Children - When we begin to see things from God's perspective, we too begin to see ourselves in a different light. On the one hand, we are deeply loved children. We are created in the image of God and are made to co-create and cultivate with Him. He has chosen us to partner with Him. On the other hand, we will also come to understand that if it were not for Jesus, everything would be different. We would be totally lost (out of place). This should give us a sense of humility.

Discipleship - "Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matt. 7:14). The disciples were no doubt asking themselves which gate they were walking through. We must do the same. It's probably not a matter of walking through just one time (like I've grown up reading this). It's something that we choose everyday. Discipleship is something that we must choose everyday. Wait a minute. Jesus doesn't even mention discipleship. He mentions life. Jesus came that we would have abundant life. How do we have this abundant life? By seeking His Kingdom. By seeing things from God's perspective. When we do this, our greatest desire will be to surrender our lives completely to Jesus. How do we know when this is happening? We can look at whether or not we are producing fruit: A good tree produces good fruit.

God Moves Fast!

I love having days when I feel like I'm frantically trying to keep up with God. Today has been one of those days. This morning I finished reading The Tangible Kingdom. I then called Hugh Halter, one of the authors. A few weeks ago I was asked to help rewrite Basic Training for Church Planters with a more missional feel. As I've thought about that, I've been a little hesitant because I know firsthand that becoming "missional" requires major paradigm shifts. So that's why I called Hugh, simply to get his opinion on the matter. So far, with everything I've read from them, it seems like their training is top notch and would help us out greatly.

Hugh suggested that I go through their seven month program called MCAP. He thought that the best way to transfer what they are doing would be for someone to go through the experience, then to help coach others. He said that they started the new semester yesterday, but that that there was still time to get everything in. I also needed $2600.00.

By 1:00 today I had the money and had filled out the application. I think this is going to be a great learning experience for Jason and I, but I am also excited by the possibilities of how this could help our church planting efforts in Memphis and throughout Tennessee.

Derek Webb tonight at Otherlands

I love the fact that Derek Webb is playing at Otherlands tonight. I think that's one of the reasons I like him so much. Check this out.

The Importance of Posture

The following is from The Tangible Kingdom. It's one of the best parts of the book. (Click on the title of this post for the direct link).

Posture is important because it can either obscure the message of truth or it can enhance and pave the way for a clear rendering of the truth. In North America, people don't have any sense of the true Christian message anymore because the face of that message looks so unlike the founder. Christianity is now almost impossible to explain, not because the concepts aren't intelligible, but because the living, moving, speaking examples of our faith don't line up with the message. Our poor posture overshadows the most beautiful story and reality the world has ever known.

Sometimes I wonder how we got to this point. Why did pagan onlookers hold the early church in such high respect, but today's non-Christians view the modern day church with such disdain? I think one of the main culprits has been our paradigm of evangelism. In the name of "getting someone saved," we have primarily focused on communicating a message of truth to the world. There's nothing wrong with that, except that we've prioritized the verbals over the non-verbals, the message over the method or the proclamation over the posture.

We assume that if we can just get the idea across, then it will be up to the person to respond, whether we do it correctly or not. Maybe we also think that in order to get God's approving glance, it's our duty share "truth" even if our modus operandi is "Obnoxious for Jesus . . . and loving it."

Focusing on what we say without regard to how we say it doesn't work in marriage, with our kids, in politics, or in any other social arrangement. So why do we think it would work with God? Do we actually think he is happy with us for alienating his world?

The idea of posture helps us realize that truth is important, but according to scripture, truth is not the only thing, or the most important thing. The most important thing is whether or not people are attracted to the truth; drawn into the truth, and able to understand and receive the truth.

Consider God's instruction to us through the book of Proverbs "A gentle answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1). That must mean that God cares quite a bit that we be concerned with the "how" of what we say, not just the "what."

Paul shares his insights on posture in 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8: with those who were coming to faith "But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We love you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us." An expanded paraphrase might be, "because we found ourselves emotionally attached to you all, we couldn't just preach at you. We knew you needed time to process your faith and the only way to help you understand the big picture was to stay with you longer. We knew the message would make more sense if you saw it lived out in our lives."

When we focus on the message only, what are we saying to people? Maybe, that they really aren't dear to us? Is it possible that to share four great truths about God without giving them a part of our lives might actually communicate the wrong thing? Paul knew that a message without an attractive tangible person embodying and delivering it would fall on deaf ears or be lost amid all the other faiths of that time. What makes the Gospel good news isn't the concept, but the real life person in front of them that have been changed by it.

Peter also speaks of posture when in 1 Peter 3:15 he says, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." These early Christians actually expected that if they embodied the message, they wouldn't have to target people or go after them. They enjoyed the alternative of waiting for people to approach them with curiosity and interest because of what they saw these early Christians being and doing.

In our Adullam Network, we specifically ask people not to try to be "evangelistic." We suggest to them that if people aren't asking about their lives, then we haven't postured our faith well enough or long enough. We're observing that every story of conversion and transformation happened without anyone being approached with a message. The message certainly has gotten out, not as our main priority but as our gentle response to their curiosity.

When posture is wrong, you'll always be perceived to be an enemy or judge. When your posture is correct, you'll actually be perceived to be an advocate, a person who supports and speaks in favor of or pleads for another.

A Community Embodying the Gospel

I've been reading The Tangible Kingdom, by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. It's a great book, and has really helped me to frame my thoughts. I mentioned earlier today that our church played in the park last night instead of having our normal gathering inside the Skinner Center. This book is really helping me to see that the gospel must be embodied by the church before it can be understood by the world. Last night I think we did a bit of this.

You've probably heard the Francis of Assisi quote, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words." I've always appreciated that. I've heard Tim Keller say that it's impossible for the gospel to be communicated without words, and I guess he's essentially right, but I think the words are secondary to Christ-followers living out their faith in practical ways. Or, another way of saying it would be that we get to verbally share Christ because we have lived Christ first.

I promise that all of this is leading up to a point, and here's that point: I think it's powerful when an individual lives out the Gospel in the presence of their neighbor, but something extra special happens when a community begins doing this. It's almost as if it is taken to a whole new level. I felt like we had a little bit of that last night. Whether it was cooking hot dogs and turkey burgers, or filling up water guns for the kids, or just sitting and listening to a person, I think we were attractive to our neighborhood, and I believe that as we continue to do that, we will have opportunities to verbally share Christ with them.

Waterguns

Who knew that water guns would be such a hit yesterday. Instead of being in the Skinner Center for our worship gathering yesterday, we went outside to Peabody Park. A few of our regulars were out, but we had several new people show up for hot dogs, turkey burgers, and, as I said, a nice water gun fight. We're planning on doing another one in June.

Taking a Nap

Yesterday Adam stayed with his grandmother while Mandy and I went to the birthing class. I should mention that Adam's grandmother is known as Bugala. I'm not sure if that is the correct spelling, but it's at least close. Anyway, we left yesterday morning at around 7:45, and we took a couple of pillows with us for the class. Adam saw us do this. Later on in the day, Bugala was telling Adam that we had gone to school to learn about the new baby. His response: "Are they going to take naps?"

Birthing Class

Yesterday Mandy and I attended an all day birthing class. You might be wondering why we went to a birthing class when we already have a child. Here's the explanation: Adam was born via c-section. Because he was breech, and the doctor knew that a c-section was necessary, there was no need to learn how to breathe (Mandy) and coach (me). This time, however, baby boy is looking good, and a normal delivery is possible. Therefore, we decided that we needed to join the first time parents for a birthing class.

At one point during the class, during a slideshow of newborns, a thought hit me: "I don't know if I can do this." All of a sudden it hit me, "I have already done this. What am I talking about!" I think it just shows that (1) no one is a pro, and (2) you just figure it out as you go. The first two weeks of Adam's life were a blur to me, and I'm thankful that we have much of those two weeks on DVD.

The instructor kept mentioning "the grand design" yesterday, and I have to say that throughout the day I was reminded of God's grandeur. At one point I turned to Mandy and whispered, "I wonder what the meeting was like when the grand design of birth was decided on by the Trinity?" Think about that for a little while!

If you're thinking about refinancing...

Here's a good article if you're thinking about refinancing anytime soon.

Reflections from Orlando Pt. 3

Discipleship seemed to be one of the primary themes that emerged for Jason and I. His first breakout session was on this topic, and it continued to come up throughout several other sessions. As I mentioned in the previous post, Hirsch said that Jesus must be at the center of everything that we do. This prompted some questions:

1. What would it look like for Jesus to be at the center of our lives? Our homes? Our church?
2. What does it mean for Jesus to build and lead His church?
   
3. What is our system for making disciples?
4. Have we been faithful in presenting the true calling of following Jesus: Come and die?

One of the big takeaways for me was understanding that our methods are determined by our goals. Here are a few questions regarding goals and methods:

1. Do we have goals for the different things that we do as a church?
   
2. If so, are they the best goals?
   
3. Are our goals God-sized goals?
4. Do our goals fit our mission?
5. Do our methods match our goals?

A few weeks ago, Jason and I discussed starting one or two Life Transformation Groups (LTG's) with the guys in our church. During the conference this was affirmed over and over. It's been over two years since I was in an LTG, and I know that I personally need to be a part of one. If our goal for the men in our church is for them to love God, love their families, and love their world, then I know of no other system that helps this to happen than LTG's.

We also talked about our Sunday night worship gathering. We have an awesome facility in the Skinner Center. Mark Batterson talks about the day they realized that they would never be able to build a Union Station (where they're church meets), and therefore they would always rent. I feel the same way about the Skinner Center. It is such an amazing setup for us, and one that we could never recreate. We have a great park outside. We have a gym and a pool. We have a kitchen. And we have more rooms than we need.

So the question is, "How do we make the most of the time and space that we have on Sunday nights?" This is a question that Jason and I are asking, and will take to the group in the next week.

Reflections from Orlando Pt. 2

I mentioned that we had made a few mistakes in my last post. Maybe a better way of putting it is to say that over the past 12 months, we have pushed a few default buttons on what it means to be church. This was pointed out to me by Hugh Halter, a new friend from Denver. We were sitting at dinner on Tuesday night, and as I shared some of our story, he made the comment, "So it sounds like you've pushed a few defaults along the way."

What are some defaults of church planting? Here are a few: renting a facility, direct mail marketing, singing, preaching, children's ministry, etc. None of these things are wrong, and I should also point out that we would do most of these things again if presented with the opportunity. I just think that we perhaps rushed certain things. Doing what we're doing, in the city where we're doing it, takes time. It's human nature to do whatever it takes to speed up the process. The problem, though, is that speeding up the process is often detrimental to the process.

Two years ago we moved into our neighborhood with the intent of being incarnational missionaries bearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Little by little others with a hope of seeing God accomplish his purposes in our neighborhood joined with us, and before we knew it we had a little church. How exciting, yet it was at this place that some of the default buttons began to be pushed. As I listened to Alan Hirsch, I finally began to understand. Hirsch presented the following diagram:

Christology --> Missiology --> Ecclesiology

Hirsch said that Christology comes first. Jesus is at the center of everything that we do. We then begin to understand and follow Him into His mission. Finally, we become church with one another.

Christology (Jesus as Founder sets the primary template)
Missiology (our present function in the world)
Ecclesiology (the church comes out of missionary engagement)

Another ways of saying it is that we started functioning (and organizing) together as a church without fully understanding the mission. When the mission is not understood, we're not really sure of the purposes of everything that we're doing and creating. What is the goal of our Sunday night gathering? Why are we going through this daily Bible reading plan? Why are we working with Peabody Elementary School?

I'm still processing this, but I hope it doesn't sound like I'm depressed. I'm actually so thankful that Jason and I are asking these questions. During one of Hirsch's sessions, Jason turned to me and said, "We have a lot of work to do!" We just laughed. I am thankful, however, that we've at least stepped out and made some mistakes. I'm glad it's not all up in our heads.

In the next post I'll give some thoughts on where we're talking we should go from here.

Reflections from Orlando Pt. 1

It's been a few days since I returned home from the Exponential Conference, and I think I'm ready to post some reflections from our time in Orlando. The biggest takeaway is that I'm once again reminded what a joy it is to serve with Jason. I am so glad that I'm not doing this by myself. God directed our steps in such profound ways throughout the week, drawing us to His heart and to His mission for our church.

Most people don't have this type of partnership within their line of work. However, if you're married, you'll know what I'm talking about. Often God speaks first to one spouse, then, as the couple talks and prays about it, God brings them both together. This is at least the way it works with Mandy and I. I remember one time, though, when God spoke to us simultaneously. It was May, 2003, and we were preparing for my graduation from Golden Gate Seminary and our move to Las Vegas to work with a network of house churches. Unbeknown to us, God had other plans, and in the span of less than 24 hours, He whispered these plans in both of our ears, at the same time. We knew that he was calling us to move 30 miles away to San Leandro, where Mandy had been teaching the previous three years.

I mention that story because I believe this is what happened with Jason and I this week. God whispered a few things in both of our ears, and really brought us together on what has seemed like a few missing pieces of the mission of Neighborhood Church. We realized that we have definitely made a few mistakes along the way, but we were also affirmed in so many ways that much of what we are doing is good, and even though it is difficult to see the results, it is what God wants us to do.

I'll mention more of those mistakes and affirmations later, but for now, I am grateful that God has revealed his plans to both of us. A few Scriptures come to mind (Proverbs 3:5-6, 1 Chron. 12:32, 2 Chron. 20:12, John 5:19).

Running with Tic Tacs

I'm hoping to blog a little about the Exponential Conference either today or tomorrow. Until then, I have to share a funny story about Adam. Yesterday he got up early, so I got him situated in the back with some juice and the Wiggles, and then I went to lay back down. A few minutes later Mandy and I heard a clicking sound combined with the running of little feet. I said to Mandy, "Do you think he got the tic tacs?" We pictured the scene in our minds, and then both busted out laughing. He opened up the drawer that contained the tic tacs, picked them up, and then took off running to the back room. Little did he know that running with tic tacs creates noise and is a quicker way to get busted than is walking with them slowly and quietly. I'm sure he'll learn soon enough. Mandy walked to the back and caught him with four tic tacs in his mouth. When she came back, we both decided that we could chalk that one to either little brains or total depravity. Either way, it was pretty funny!

Orlando

Jason and I are in Orlando for the Exponential Church Planting Conference. It's been great thus far. As usual, a lot of great information, though I find myself desiring time to process, and time for Jason and I to talk about what we are learning. I've run into several college buddies, and I've also gotten to spend time with a mentor of mine who I've not seen since I moved to Memphis.

I'm very thankful that Jason and I are getting to experience this together. Once I get back to Memphis, I'm going to try to post some of my big takeaways from the conference. But for now, it's time to chill out and watch some basketball.

Membership Links

Jason and I are beginning our work on establishing Neighborhood Church's process for membership. We plan on implementing membership this fall, and our hope is to make this an annual series, centered around the vision of the church.

As I've been compiling resources, I thought it would be helpful to post some links on this blog. The first few links consist of what various churches believe about membership.

• Imago Dei, Portland
  
• Mars Hill, Seattle
• Mars Hill, Grand Rapids
• The Journey, St. Louis
• Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis
• Redeemer, NYC
  
• Gospel Class notes from Mars Hill in Seattle
  
• The Meaning of Membership & Church Accountability - J. Piper
• John Piper on Covenant Membership
• Rick Warren on Covenant Membership
  

Clean Water Video

You might have seen this if you watched Idol Gives Back last night.

The Church of Irresistible Influence 3

...without practically attractive, spiritually compelling, proof-positive lifestyles, what good are our claims and pronouncements about a life-changing God? If we can't outlive the world at every point - in our marriages, with our children, at work, with money, in our relationships, in the use of our time - why dare to speak of salvation and the abundant life? Incarnation of the Word must precede and empower the proclamation of the Word (61).

The Church of Irresistible Influence 2

Here is Fellowship's mission statement.

We exist to manifest the reality of Christ to the world by equipping Christians to live lifestyles of spiritual integrity, which are...

• Passionately committed to Jesus Christ (a heart for God)
• Biblically measured (everything by the Book)
  
• Morally pure (in a morally compromised age)
  
• Family centered (healthy homes are priority)
  
• Evangelistically bold (willing and confident in sharing one's faith)
  
• Socially responsible (the community around us is our business)
  

...and to equip Christians for influential works of service in our community and the world (62).

Keys of the Kingdom

Over the past few months Scot McKnight has written 62 posts on the Kingdom of God. Here is the link to the entire series.

The Church of Irresistible Influence 1

I just started reading The Church of Irresistible Influence, by Robert Lewis. Here's a quote from the book.

In my quest to discern how my pastoral ministry could be more effective, I saw that more preaching is not the answer to today's spiritual hunger. Neither is the writing of more books, the hosting of more conferences, better technology, or special effects. For the most part, we are simply talking to ourselves. Meanwhile, the church grows increasingly isolated from its community and the culture, glorying in a biblical "witness" it often does not really possess.

Then I looked at some of the early attempts by our church at serving and caring for our community.

• I noticed the changed lives that resulted from members investing their lives in helping families in a low-income area known as Eastgate.
• I observed the impact of doctors from our church who set up a medical clinic at a home for unwed mothers.
• I felt a sense of God's pleasure as I joined hundreds of our members as we went out into the community one Saturday to clean up neighborhoods, repair homes, and complete other projects.
• I noted that city leaders were beginning to view Fellowship Bible Church as a force for good in the community.
• And wonderfully, I saw people who were formerly hardened to, and skeptical of, the gospel soften and embrace Christ (47).

What is a Church Planter?

From Acts 29

A church planter is a uniquely gifted pastor with a passion to proclaim the gospel to those who are unchurched with the goal of establishing a new community of believers on mission in their community for the glory of God.

I think that's a really good definition.

Let's hope not

Calipari interested in Knicks job?

Getty Images

Memphis coach John Calipari, on the verge of winning a national title, could have interest in coaching the New York Knicks. Calipari is close friends with Larry Brown, a Donnie Walsh ally.

Housing Woes

Here's more on why the housing market is in the state it's in.

Go Tigers!

I watched my first Memphis State game with my dad years ago, so it was fitting that we watched today's win over UCLA together. What made it even better was sharing a slab of ribs from Central BBQ.

It's good to be back in Memphis!

Who are we called to be?

We're in week four of our book group on Greg Boyd's Myth of a Christian Nation. Here's a great quote from chapter 6:

This is what we are called to be: a community characterized by radical, revolutionary, Calvary-like love; a community that manifests the love of the triune God (John 17:21-26); a community that strives for justice not by conquering but by being willing to suffer; a community that god uses to transform the world by providing it with an alternative to its own self-centered, violent way of existing. How socially and politically revolutionary it would be if his disciples lived up to their calling!

Todd Hunter

I just read that Todd Hunter is leaving Alpha USA. Check out what he's going to be doing.

Effective April 1, Todd Hunter (51) transitioned from his role of National Director at Alpha USA to launch a new ministry focused on helping pastors and lay leaders reach a generation that has become disenfranchised from the church.

Under the new non-profit, Society for Kingdom Living, Hunter will develop his writing, speaking and professional activities in the areas of conversational evangelism and the 21st century church. Hunter has a passion for evangelism but is convinced that Christianity in America has a massive image problem that stymies most attempts at evangelism. With the basic premise that Christianity needs to be re-practiced in order to help make followers of Jesus in this generation, he is developing resources and events that include writing a series of three books, the first to be published by InterVarsity Press, developing conferences, and teaching at key seminaries.

Hunter will begin this ministry by teaching and consulting on Three Is Enough Groups. These groups are designed to show people how to undo un-Christian faith by showing them that heaven is not the goal of Christianity - it is simply the destination. Being the servant - otherly people of God - is the goal.

Through his writing and teaching, Hunter will encourage churches and lay leaders to begin forming Three Is Enough Groups to help individuals pray, grow and serve. Keeping the groups small and focused insures that evangelism can happen anywhere, in the midst of people’s busy lives. Meeting in their most natural places of community – the workplace, school, or at the local coffee shop - Three Is Enough Groups will go on the Journey Inward of spiritual transformation and the Journey Outward of serving others. This will be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, for the sake of others - the least, the last and the missing.

TED Conference

My friend Joe has a great You Tube video on his blog of Ken Robinson speaking at the TED Conference. Lots of funny things from this fellow, but he also said three or four things that I just had to pause the video and think about. Watch it here.

James 5

Scripture
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

Observation
I love the way James is so matter-of-fact about this story. Do I believe that prayer is this powerful? What do I think about this story with Elijah? Do I believe that God works in the same manner today?

Application
Craig Groeschel defines a practical atheist as "one who believes God exists but behaves as though he does not." Groeschel says that as ministers, this is worked out when we "believe that God exists, but we do ministry as though he does not." If I'm being honest, I am often a practical atheist, especially when it comes to matters such as the one that James writes about. I've been thinking a lot about the passage in 2 Corinthians where Paul says that some people are prevented from seeing Christ because their minds have been blinded by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:1-6). Prayer is more vital than I have ever realized, yet, before I pray, I have to believe that prayer works, that God desires to do the impossible when we pray.

Prayer
Father, help me to put my faith in You today, especially in this matter. I believe, now help my unbelief. (Once again, I'm so thankful that I can say those types of prayers to You). We need to see you do what only You can do here in Midtown. I pray that You would make us into a desperate people, Father, and I pray that we would see Your great power worked among us.

Church Planting Journey to Memphis

This afternoon I decided to write a little in my journal. I began a Word template journal on May 17, 2000. The past two or three years I haven't written as much, probably due to writing more on the blog. Of course, from time to time I go to the journal since it's not open to the entire world like my blog.

After writing a bit, I started scanning through the 80 or so pages and came across a reference to Memphis on December 31, 2001. When Mandy and I moved to the S.F. Bay Area in August, 2000, neither of us had any idea where we would end up after seminary. At the time, I remember thinking it would be anywhere but back to the south.

It is so good to be reminded of the journey that we have been on for so long, even when we had no idea that we were even on it!

Mandy and I spent a couple of days in Memphis, and took a little trip into the Midtown area. We wanted to see how we felt there. I had told her that Midtown reminded me of the Central West End area of St. Louis. It seems to me that with so many people (and churches) moving out east, Midtown would be a good place to start a church, especially if young people are moving back into the area as I had been told. It was so good just to talk about the possibilities of being close to home.

James 3-4

A few days ago I wrote about the requirements for receiving God's wisdom. James goes into more detail here.

Scripture
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:17-18

Observation
James first asks the question, "Who is wise and understanding among you?" His answer: "Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom" (NIV). So here James suggests that wisdom goes hand in hand with both good living/character and humility/meekness. He then tells his reader that if there is any bitter jealousy or selfish ambition, there will be no wisdom, because the wisdom from above has nothing to do with jealousy and selfish ambition.

Application
James shows his reader how to discern true wisdom. I have to ask the question, "Am I a wise person?" Going back to the Proverbs passage, I know that there are times when I am not in a place to receive from God, and I also know that there are many times when I do not seek Him as I would seek silver or gold. So do I have the wisdom that is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere? Wisdom should dictate my walking and my talking, and I know that there are several areas where I do not measure up. I can be stubborn, prideful, arrogant, unmerciful, and insincere, and I also show partiality quite often. So what does that say about me? I'm once again grateful for God's good news! Through Jesus my heart can be transformed. I can come to Him everyday to receive mercy, forgiveness, and a new chance to walk in His Kingdom. For now, I'm reminded that I fall short every day and am in desperate need of a Savior.

Prayer
Father, reading Scripture is difficult, because it shows me just how need I am. Forgive me for thinking I'm wise. Forgive me for believing the lie that I am pretty self-sufficient. I ask for Your wisdom. I ask that You transform my heart and draw me near to You. Amen.

What is Worship?

Worship is our response, both private and corporate, to God, for who he is and what he has done, expressed in and by the words that we say and the way that we live.
Louie Giglio

James 1-2

Today we begin reading the book of James, and I decided that this would be another great book to blog my way through. I was talking with a friend the other day, and we both agreed that some days we read and it's a little dry. And then James comes along, and it's difficult to find only one thing to write about. This little letter is full of practical words from the Lord. In chapters 1 and 2 alone, I felt that there were three or four things that were highlighted this morning. I guess I'll have to pick one (not a bad problem to have).

Scripture
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

Observation
Two things about this verse jump out at me. The first is the word "Every." Anything in this world that is good, perfect, beautiful, generous, free, etc. comes from God. This applies to all people. It doesn't matter whether that person is a follower of Jesus or not; if it's good, it's from God! The question is, "What is our response?" That's where worship comes in. I should recognize that every good gift comes from my Father, and my response should be worship and gratitude. The second thing about this verse that jumped out at me is the reminder that God does not change. More important, His goodness and generosity will not change. It's almost as if it's impossible for this to change with God. And once again, the response is worship!

Application
What will my response be to God today? Will it be indifference? Will I take His work for granted? Or will I worship Him?

Prayer
Father, I thank you for your goodness and provision in my life. I know that I take your good work for granted so often. Help that to not be the case today. My I worship you through my words and my actions today.

Happy Day

Adam's new favorite song is "Happy Day", by Tim Hughes. He loves to play drums (real or air) and sing the chorus at the top of his lungs...although some of his lyrics are a little different. The first two lines of the chorus are:

Oh, happy day, happy day
You washed my sin away

Adam's version is:

Oh, happy day, happy day
You sent my wife away


I've assured Mandy that I didn't sing that this weekend when they were out of town.

Proverbs 3-4

Scripture
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Proverbs 3:9-10

Observation
Stewardship is first and foremost knowing that God is God and I'm not. He is the creator of everything. He is the owner of everything. He has given me the task of managing (stewarding) his creation. The tricky thing is that God doesn't force me to give back to Him. He sets up a principle by which it is in my best interest to do so, but He doesn't force it on me. That's why stewardship is also about trust. Do I trust God to give me all that I need? God doesn't need the firstfruits. It is just a part of the principle. When I tithe, I am in a sense saying that I trust God to do more with 90% than I could do on my own with 100%.

Application
God has never failed me in this area. Mandy and I have always tried to be faithful in the area of tithing, and God continues to give us all that we need, and more so. He has blessed us with abundance. We want to do our part by honoring and trusting our Faither, and we know that He will continue to provide for our needs.

Prayer
Father, it is so easy to forget that you want to take care of your children's needs. Help me to honor you with my wealth, and help me to trust you to take care of me. Amen.

Bachelorville

Mandy and Adam are visiting the grandparents in Paducah, KY. They've been gone since Wednesday afternoon and will be back tomorrow afternoon. This is the longest I've been away from Adam, at least since he's been old enough to miss me. It's been nice having the house to myself, but I'm ready for them to come home.

This morning my friend allowed me to fill his truck with mulch, and two hours later I had it spread throughout our flower beds. It's so cool to see flowers that we planted beginning to blossom - we didn't kill them! I'm also beginning to notice the grass in the backyard beginning to turn green. For those of you who don't know, last spring we laid down zoysia in the backyard.

So what will I do today without my lovely wife and son???

Watch a lot of basketball!!!

Listen to the Externally Focused Churches Webinar

Leadership Network just made the webinar I blogged about the other day available. I haven't figured out how to download it yet, but you can listen to it here.

Proverbs 1-2

Scripture
...then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Proverbs 2:5-10

Observation
Statements with the word "then" in them usually begin with the word "if." Solomon says that it is possible to understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God, but only if we do certain things:

• Receive my words
• Treasure up my commandments
• Make your ear attentive to wisdom
  
• Incline your heart to understanding
• Call out for insight;raise your voice for understanding
• Seek it as if you were seeking for silver or hidden treasures
  

Application
It's one thing to ask for wisdom. It's something entirely different to want it this bad. Do I desire wisdom, knowledge and understanding this bad? In Proverbs 1:20-21 we see that Wisdom wants to be found. She's not playing hard to get. But there are still things that I must do in order to receive her.

Receive my word/Treasure up my commandments (Am I coming to God every day, asking Him to speak to me?/Am I meditating on the word of God?)

Make your ear attentive to wisdom/Incline your heart to understanding (Am I in a place to receive from God? Is my heart pure? Have I confessed my sins to Him?

Call out for insight;raise your voice for understanding (Am I asking? James said that we do not have because we have not asked)

Seek it as if you were seeking for silver or hidden treasures (Am I willing to do whatever it takes to receive what God wants for my life? Sometimes God wants me to simply sit and receive. Other times, though, God wants me to seek after it with everything that I've got.)

Prayer
Father, thank you for speaking to me this morning through your holy Scriptures. It is so good to hear from You. I pray that these words would go with me throughout my day. Amen.

Psalm 34

Scripture
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Psalm 34:8-10

Observation
This psalm of David is very different than yesterday's. In Psalm 26 he is desperate for God's help. In Psalm 34 he has experienced God's help. The result of this help is overflowing praise and thanksgiving. Again, the theme that stands out to me is the fact that David knows his God. David knows that he doesn't have to fear what man can do to him. If his God's will is to protect him, then that is exactly what will happen, no matter what!

God is good
God is our refuge
We fear God
We lack nothing

Application
Do I "know" God more when times are tough or when times are good? I want to know God the way David knew God. It seems to me that David's relationship with God is seen most clearly when he thinks God is nowhere to be found. Yet when God is near, or when God has delivered David from the impossible, David seems to want to just linger in His presence. This again is rooted in the fact that David knew that he was loved, and he knew that he could trust God.

Prayer
Father, thank you for this reminder from David's life. May I trust you with everything today, and may I long to know you more than anything.

Externally Focused Church Webinar

Last Wednesday I listened to a webinar with Eric Swanson and Rick McKinley. I've listened to and read quite a bit from Rick McKinley, and I always come away with some new insight. This webinar was no different. Below are some notes.

Four Paradigm Shifts a Church must make to become Missional

1. From How-To to Want-To

• If we are not on mission, it's not because we don't know how, but rather because we choose not to be.
  
• If we desire to be on mission, the first step is repentance.
  
• Only God can change our sinful and selfish hearts.
• We talk a lot about sins of commission, but we also need to deal with sins of omission.
  

2. From Coming to Going

• Attractional churches (how do we get people to come to church) vs. Incarnational/Missional churches (how does the church go to the people)
• It's not that one is good and the other is bad (it's not a good thing if your church is un-attractional). However, if we are going to influence the culture, we need to figure out how to be incarnational.
  
• We often believe that the world exists for the church. This is a faulty belief.
• We are the Sent people of God
• The church's best expression isn't on Sundays. It's when we see our workplaces, schools and neighborhoods as our mission fields.
• We are not here for our own agenda but for Jesus' agenda, and his agenda is about loving people.
• Which is more difficult, to get our church to go out into the community or to get the community to come to our church?
  

3. From Protection to Proclamation

• Our focus is often "Us vs. Them", especially when we see the culture all around us changing. Yet we aren't here to protect. We're here to proclaim.
• Here in the U.S., we're not going to be killed for proclaiming. Why, then, are we still in protection mode? Does God need to be protected?
• Our job is to joyfully serve and proclaim His reign (Kingdom of God)
  

4. From Relevance to Influence

• Relevance became such a hot topic for the church because we were often very irrelevant to the culture at large.
• However, many of us have stopped at relevance, and we're not even sure why we are trying so hard to be relevant.
• The purpose for relevance is so that we will have influence in the culture. That is the goal.
• We can't be so focused on relevance that we fail to preach the entire Gospel (including the difficult parts).
  

Final Thoughts

• We need to teach the people in our churches what redemptive work looks like. Their work has a gospel-based focus and a gospel-based outcome.
• Do the people in our churches know how to "Go?" What does this look like?
• Our budget has to reflect this shift
• Rick McKinley: "If you took away the work we were doing in the city, and I was just preaching every Sunday, it would make a major difference in our influence."
• Rick was asked, "How do you lead a very traditional church to becoming missional?" His response: "You have a better shot at making them missional than making them attractional. You have to be honest with your condition. If you are an older congregation that sings hymns, that is not a bad thing. The question is, are we willing to go through the process of repentance?"
  

Psalm 26-27

Scripture
For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. Psalm 26:3

Observation
I have always been interested in David because of his authenticity with God. I am thankful that his relationship with God has been captured in the Psalms. David is in need of vindication in this Psalm. Rather than trying to defend his own name (or whatever else needed vindicating), he brought his case to God. David writes with such imagery, and this verse is no exception. He knows God. His relationship with God probably began on the hillside while he was tending sheep. There was no one else to talk to, so he talked to God. By this point in his life, he isn't simply aware of God's presence. He KNOWS God. He knows that he is loved by God, and because of this, he knows that he can trust God to get him out of whatever predicament he is in.

Application
There are times when I completely trust God to do what only he can do. At times, though, it's as if I completely forget that I know him. It's at times like these when I make things much more complicated than they were meant to be.

Prayer
Father, thank you for your steadfast love. I ask that your remind me today of your love for me. Help me to trust you in all things today. Amen.

Psalm 23

This week my plan is to blog my daily Bible reading reflections. Here is a previous blog post on our reading plan, as well as a link to our website where you can download the plan. Today we are reading Psalm 23-24. Before I begin to read, I ask God to reveal one thing to me. This morning the verse that seemed to be highlighted was Psalm 23:1.

Scripture
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Observation
If the Lord is my shepherd, what does that make me?
A sheep?
What would it be like to not be in want?
Is that God's desire for us?

Application
I typically don't think of myself as a sheep. I guess I prefer to think of myself a little more highly than that. But maybe that's the problem. In order to have all of my needs met by the Shepherd, I must be completely dependent upon Him. That means quite simply that I cannot be dependent on myself. This is another one of those "Upside-down Kingdom" issues. The world teaches me to be self-reliant. It doesn't teach me to be a dependent sheep. But in the Kingdom of God, this is the plan. If I'm being honest, sometimes I get it, but many times I rebel. But when I do "get it", it's good. It's right.

Prayer
God, thank you for being my shepherd. I know that Your desire is that I would place my trust completely in you. I ask that You would help me to do that today. Amen.

Easter Weekend

Another Easter has come and gone, and I feel in some ways that I missed it. The last few weeks have been such a blur that I have found it difficult to sit and be still. Friday night Jason and Barb hosted a Good Friday observance. They spent a lot of time preparing for it, and it was a very moving experience for me. Today was a little weird, though. I realized yesterday that the Tigers were set to tip off a little before our Easter Egg Hunt began. I think that caused me to do a little sulking today. I was very pessimistic about today's events.

Our group planned on getting to the Skinner Center at 3:30, and the Easter Egg Hunt was set to begin at 4:00. None of us were really that prepared, in part due to the fact that we didn't know if anyone would show up. I went outside to the park a few minutes after 4:00, and began telling people that we were getting ready to have an Easter Egg Hunt. I went back in. When I returned, there were quite a few people waiting.

I told the kids that the Easter Bunny, played with excellence by Josh, (I'm glad our kids can't read) was on his way, and that we would begin as soon as he got there. As you can imagine, there was much excitement at the notion that the Easter Bunny would there. When he got there, we released the kids to find their hidden eggs. We then invited anyone who wanted to have their picture taken with the bunny.

When it was all over, Mandy told me that there were at least 35 kids, plus their parents. I'm not sulking anymore. I am very happy that we had the opportunity to give kids a good time and meet some new neighbors in the process.

The Church's Role in God's Mission

Here's another quote from Craig Van Gelder's The Ministry of the Missional Church:

Spirit-gifted believers living out their lives in the world both collectively and individually bear witness to the redemptive reign of God in Christ as they exercise the gifts of the Spirit and live out of their new nature in expressing the fruit of the Spirit. They become a demonstration to the watching world that God intends that all of life might flourish, and they become God's agents in the world through the leading of the Spirit to help cultivate this reality (45).

NBA What If's?

If you're an NBA fan, this is a great article. Bill Simmons of ESPN lists the top 15 What If's of the past five years. And I'll give you a hint: the #1 What If has something to do with Memphis. Any guesses?

Read the article.

Southern Baptists and Creation Care

By Brian McLaren

As the nation's second largest denomination (after the Roman Catholic Church), Southern Baptists have been given much, so their potential to do good is considerable - as is the danger of missing opportunities to do good. Sadly, until now, constituents and leaders of the 16-million-member Convention have tended to lag behind other large Christian communities when it comes to addressing the issue of environmental stewardship in general and climate change in particular. But that may be changing.

In 2007, the Convention took the positive step of passing a statement affirming the need for Baptists to care for creation, but a new group of Southern Baptists - including many notable Baptist leaders - have said the statement was too timid: it could be interpreted by "the world," they said, as "uncaring, reckless and ill-informed." Through the new declaration, "A Southern Baptist Declaration on the Environment and Climate Change," these leaders are calling Baptists to keep moving forward in care and healing for God's precious planet. Jonathan Merritt, a young leader who helped inspire the new declaration, expressed his motivation in language that resonates deeply with Southern Baptists: to trash this beautiful planet - which is God's handiwork and declares God's glory - is like tearing out pages from the Bible.

True, many SBC notables have not yet signed the new statement. But current Convention president Frank Page did, along with 43 other exemplary SBC leaders including Ed Stetzer, Larissa Arnault, David Clark, Timothy George, John Hammett, Darrin Patrick, Jonathan Merritt, and two previous Convention presidents, Jack Graham and James Merritt. Their website (www.baptistcreationcare.org) has room for additional signatories, so we may see the center of gravity shift further toward environmental responsibility in the coming days and weeks.

Read more.

What I'm Reading

Our church is going through Genesis right now, and I have the opportunity to speak about Abraham's life this Sunday night. The topic is faith. I've been reading a few books I thought I'd recommend:

Dangerous Wonder, by Mike Yaconelli
Seizing Your Divine Moment, by Erwin McManus
Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper

New Job

I'm getting ready to start with a new mortgage brokerage this week. The name of the company is Midas Mortgage. It was difficult leaving the other company I had been working with, but I realized that this made sense in the long-term. They're based in Memphis and have been around for 6 years. This week I begin some training, which will be really great. I went through some initial training when I first started in the business a little over a year ago, but, like any other new venture, I really didn't have a framework of knowledge, and so most of what I learned just kind of spilled over. Now I've been working for a year, and am ready to gain some knowledge.

More on Education

My former pastor (no, he's not dead) wrote a great post last year on why they chose homeschooling over other options. It is very well written. As of today, homeschooling is our second option for Adam, for a lot of the same reasons that Mark has shared. There's one thing, though. I don't want to do that alone. This has in some ways become a community decision, though I don't think anyone would necessarily voice it that way. The momentum has come as the numbers of interested parents has increased. That is what has made this so exciting. So, if public school doesn't work out, I think it would be great if several of us do homeschooling together. I'll share more thoughts on this at a later time. For now, I invite you to read Mark's thoughts on the subject.

Public School Education

A few weeks ago Al Mohler's new book, Culture Shift, came out. One of the chapters is entitled "Needed: An Exit Strategy for Public Schools." I have not read the book, but have read a few articles and blog posts about this chapter (see below). This topic is very near to my heart. When we were first planning to move to Memphis, one of the first questions that came up was, "Where are you going to send Adam for school?" We were told that the public school system was in a mess, and we would most likely end up moving out of the city when Adam turned five. We knew that it was going to take longer than 4 or 5 years to see a church started, so we had to find other options.

In our first year in Cooper-Young, we started learning about Peabody Elementary School. Last April we held a forum at the school, and discovered that the question of where to send our children was near to a lot of people's hearts. We discovered that many of our friends desired to live holistic lives that revolved around their neighborhood. They didn't want to leave the city, and neither did they want their kids going to school outside of the city. Mandy is now on the leadership council at Peabody, even though she teaches at a different elementary school. We have been so encouraged by what we have seen there. In three weeks we are going to have a new playground. The CYCA, Peabody, Home Depot, and a nonprofit called Kaboom have teamed up to build a playground on March 20. This is going to be such an exciting time for our neighborhood and our school.

I am proud of our little church because everyone is behind this. And I'm definitely proud of my wife, because she has played such a large role in getting much of this off the ground.

When I hear someone say that we need an exit strategy from public school, I am saddened. On one hand, I want to be live with a lot of grace in this issue . My child is not in school yet, so who am I to judge someone for choosing one way or the other. This is not an easy decision. I would like to think that all of us will stay in this neighborhood and fully support the public school, but I want to be realistic. I'm sure that some of us will end up moving out of the city or sending our children to private school. That, however, is not going to stop me from working hard to try to get more and more people to consider public education.

As a follower of Jesus, I feel that this is one of my roles. I'm getting ready to preach from Genesis 12 in a few weeks. God's covenant with Abraham was that he and his descendants would be blessed...in order that they might be a blessing to the world. I desire to be a blessing to my neighborhood and my city. The only way that will happen is for me to be a part of my neighborhood and city. That's why incarnational ministry is so essential. The original incarnation featured Jesus (aka God) becoming flesh and blood like us and moving into our neighborhood. Praise God for that!

I'll leave you with one resource. This is a blog post from Scot McKnight's site. Read the comments as well. As of now there are 136 of them.

Baby Boy

Mandy corrected me that a baby boy is in fact not growing her stomach. It's growing in her uterus. Thank you, dear, for that correction.

Thoughts on Paul's Calling

We're now almost through the book of Acts in our church's daily Bible readings. I think it's taking everyone time to get in a routine, but I hope that everyone will continue on with it. I know that God wants to speak to us as a community.

I've been thinking a lot about Paul's conversion experience. Often, when we talk about our conversion, or when we talk to someone else about turning their life over to Christ, we talk about going to heaven, or having a more fulfilling life. Don't get me wrong; I totally believe that this is a major part of becoming a Christian, and I am truly grateful for both. However, I've been caught off guard when reading about Paul's encounter with Jesus.


When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he encountered glory. He was knocked off his horse, saw a light brighter than the sun, heard a voice, and then went blind. From Acts 9 we learn that this voice, whom He quickly learned belonged to the Lord Jesus, told him to go into the city of Damascus and "you will be told what to do" (9:6). In Acts 22:10, the wording is, "you will be told all that is appointed for you to do." Finally, in Acts 26:16-18, we get even more details:

" 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 16'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

What strikes me is the clarity of calling that Paul receives. What is happening is that allegiance is being shifted. Paul goes from persecuting Jesus one day, to becoming His servant the next. As you can see, he receives "'forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (eternity in heaven), but these are just a small part of Jesus' plan for Paul.

From the very beginning, Paul learns that he will suffer in this calling (Acts 9:16). By the time Paul is in Caesarea standing before Festus and Agrippa, it's safe to say that around 25 years have passed since his conversion on the road to Damascus. Paul has been faithful to his Master's calling. And during those 25 years, he has suffered a great deal. We learn through his writings that he wouldn't trade that suffering for anything, because it has led to the Gentiles becoming disciples of Jesus.

I am so encouraged by Paul's life. And as I continue to read the story of the early church, I am in awe of Jesus. His plans are so beyond my plans. His thoughts are so beyond my thoughts. I put Him in a box so often (or at least I think I do). I desire to see this type of transformation, but am I willing to go through all that Paul went through?

I guess that's the question we all have to ask ourselves every day.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:34

A Good Day

Yesterday we found out that there is a little baby boy growing inside of Mandy's stomach. We took Adam to the ultrasound. It was great to experience that together as a family. After the doctor's appointment we went to Chuck E Cheese, or, as Adam calls it, "Chuck E Jesus." We figured this would be the way a 2 1/2 year old boy would properly celebrate this news. He was very much in awe the whole time we were there. All in all a very good day!

Nearly a third of recent homebuyers have negative equity

I knew things were bad, but I didn't realize it was quite this bad.

According to a report released today by real estate portal Zillow, nearly a third of U.S. homebuyers who purchased a property in the last two years now owe more than the home is worth.A whopping 30.4 percent of those who purchased homes in 2006 and 2007 have negative equity, largely because single-family homes posted a year-over-year decline of 5.5 percent, while condos slid a record 7.4 percent.

To highlight the severity of the problem, only three percent of those who purchased a home in 2003 currently owe more than their homes are worth.

Homeowners were hit hardest in areas like California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada, where home prices saw the worst declines and borrowers put little to nothing down.

Read more.

Free Wi-fi: Coming soon to a Starbucks near you

Is the end of paying for Wi-Fi near?

By Michal Lev-Ram

You know the feeling: You just ordered your carmel machiatto (extra foam), sat down at a table and opened up your laptop. You log on, hoping to quickly check your e-mail, when all of a sudden a screen pops up asking for your name and credit card information. That’s when you realize that hopping online won’t be as quick — or as cheap– as you’d hoped.

Say goodbye to all of that. On Monday Starbucks (SBUX) announced it was dropping T-Mobile’s (DT)’ s $6-an-hour Wi-Fi service for AT&T, which will provide coffee- house customers with two free hours of Internet access a day. With about 7,000 Starbucks locations in the United States, that’s a major boon for AT&T (T). Now the question is, how long will hotels, airports and other venues be able to continue charging sky-high fees for a service that many people see as essential as running water and electricity.

“This is something that people want,” says Morningstar analyst John Owens. “I think customers will embrace this move.”

Of course, Starbucks’ hopes free Wi-Fi will convince coffee drinkers to not only opt for Starbucks but also to stick around longer and buy more lattes. To log onto the company’s new Internet service, customers will need to have an active Starbucks card.

“This is what customers have been asking for,” says Starbucks spokeswoman Sonja Gould. She says a typical Starbucks Internet customer uses one hour of Wi-Fi a day. The company will begin rolling out the new service at select locations this spring. By end of 2008, it will be available at all Starbucks’ U.S. stores.

Read more

When I Don't Know What to Do

This morning over breakfast we were listening to Tommy Walker, and the song "When I Don't Know What to Do" came on. I thought back to my post from last night, and was reminded that this is an appropriate response to tragedy. It reminds me of something I read once by Jimmy Abegg (from Ragamuffin Prayers):

Sometimes the best prayers are something like this: "Oh my God, Help!"

The amazing thing is that God welcomes the "Oh my God, Help" as much as he welcomes the lifting of hands and singing praises. Here are the lyrics.

When I Don’t Know What To Do
Tommy Walker WeMobile Music ©2005

Lord I surrender all to
Your strong and faithful hand
In everything I will give thanks to You
I’ll just trust Your perfect plan

Chorus:
When I don’t know what to do
I’ll lift my hands
When I don’t know what to say
I’ll speak Your praise
When I don’t know where to go
I’ll run to Your throne
When I don’t know what to think
I’ll stand on Your truth
When I don’t know what to do

Lord I surrender all
Though I’ll never understand
All the mysteries around me
I’ll just trust your perfect plan

Bridge:
As I bow my knee
Send Your perfect peace
Send Your perfect peace, Lord
As I lift my hands
Let Your healing come
Let Your healing come to me

2008: So Far, So ???

We're less than six weeks into the new year, and I feel like it's becoming the year of tragedy. First there was the death of Amber Mathenia. Next was the death of our friend Linda Griffin. Bob is doing better but still has a long way to go. Updates can be found here. On Monday I heard that my friend Dieter Zander had had a stroke on Sunday night. Dieter was a mentor during my time in the Bay Area. The latest on Dieter is here. Finally, there were the tornadoes last night. I graduated from Union University in 1997. If you'd like to read updates, go here.

As I reflect on all of these tragedies, I am reminded that life is precious, and that it is a gift from God. I am also reminded that God works everything to the good of those He loves. I've seen this through Linda's death. I am so thankful that they were a part of a church like Hillside. It's also evident with what has happened at Union. Today on CNN I heard a student being interviewed. It was powerful. I know that God will share His grace and love with many people through these tragedies.

Super Game

What a game last night. We hosted a party, and had around 30 friends show up. Of those 30, one third of them were kids, all between the ages of 1 week and 3 years. There were only a few of us left by the end of the game, but it was a great time. Hopefully an annual tradition.

Neighborhood Church Bible Reading Plan

Here is our church's daily Bible reading plan. We believe that the Bible is God's primary way for speaking to His people, and we decided awhile back that we wanted to create a culture where Bible reading was normative for everyone. We read two chapters a day, and then reflect through journaling. If you'd like to get more details, go here.

Vote Chooser

Answer 10 questions, and this website will tell you who you should vote for. Pretty nifty!

Foreclosures up 75% in 2007

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The number of foreclosures soared in 2007, with 405,000 households losing their home, according to a report released Tuesday. That's up 51 percent from the 268,532 homes that were repossessed in 2006.

Total foreclosure filings soared 97% in December alone compared with December of 2006, according to RealtyTrac, an online seller of foreclosure properties. For the year, total filings - which include default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions - grew 75%.

More than 1 percent of all U.S. households were in some stage of foreclosure during 2007, up from 0.58 percent the year before.

Read more

Watch a Show on the Wall

This morning I am at home with Adam for a few hours. My mom will be here a little before lunch, at which time I will go into the office. Until then, though, it's dad/son time. The projector from church is here, so I decided that we would do one of Adam's favorite things: watch a show on the wall. We rented Madagascar this weekend, so, as I write this, we are in bed, watching a show on the wall. Good times!

The Church@ Hickory Hollow

This past weekend marked the 10th anniversary of The Church@ Hickory Hollow's first worship service. Mark, my former pastor, wrote a great post here. I did most of my reflection a few months ago.

Tragedy

This afternoon I learned that a friend (Linda) from our church in California (Hillside Church) was killed yesterday in a car crash. A drunk driver was involved. Her husband, Bob, is in critical condition, and as I write is going into his second surgery. He does not know that Linda had died. They have two daughters (Basia, age 5, and Bo, age 3), both of which have only minor injuries.

What is the response when something like this happens? Right now my only response is to pray, first for Bob's physical healing, but then primarily for spiritual healing. I know that our Father draws near to the broken-hearted, and my prayer is that he would make himself so real to our friends.

A blog has been set up here for updates. Please join me in praying.

The Gospel

Yesterday I finished reading Mark, and today I started reading Galatians. The Gospel is a common theme throughout both of these books. I decided to look up verses that contained either "gospel" or "good news". Here is the list if you're interested.

Small Groups at National Community Church

Here is a list of NCC's 83 different small group opportunities offered this semester.

Here is an FAQ on their small groups.

How did the housing market get to where it is today?

If you've ever asked that question (and chances are that if you own a home you have), here's a possible answer.

It wasn't inevitable that Alan Greenspan would tout adjustable-rate mortgages in February 2004, when the average rate on a 30-year fixed was hovering just above 5.5 percent. Remember what Greenspan said back then? "American consumers might benefit if lenders provided greater mortgage product alternatives to the traditional fixed-rate mortgage."

I repeat: When Greenspan uttered those words, the average rate on a 30-year fixed was 5.6 percent in Bankrate's weekly survey. Five-point-six percent for a fixed-rate mortgage, and he was saying how adjustable-rate mortgages were a good deal!

It wasn't inevitable that lenders would take Greenspan's hint to provide greater mortgage product alternatives. They started marketing subprime ARMs to anyone with a pulse who was willing to exaggerate his or her income. It wasn't inevitable that lenders would underprice their risk (or, in other words, charge rates that were too low). It wasn't inevitable that so many borrowers would lie about income or occupancy status on their loan applications.

It wasn't inevitable that homebuyers would get swept up in the mania, taking advantage of cheap loans to bid up the prices of houses past the point of common sense. As a matter of mass psychology, the house mania was understandable. But it wasn't inevitable. Some people saw that they were in a housing bubble, and they didn't succumb to house fever. Two-and-a-half years ago I profiled four families who were what I dubbed bubble sitters -- they saw that house prices were inflated, so they chose to rent. They waited for the bubble to pop.

"I'm pretty sure the prices around here will plummet," economist Dean Baker said in the summer of 2005. A few months before I interviewed him, Baker and his wife had sold their two-bedroom condo in Washington, D.C., and rented a similar unit nearby. "We felt it would have been foolish to stay there," he said.

Prices fell later than Baker had expected. But the bubble did burst, and prices did fall. He and the other bubble sitters were right.

You didn't have to be an economist like Baker to see that a bubble was inflating. The Fed, legislators, the White House, regulators and lenders could have recognized the problem before it got too big. The bubble and the burst weren't inevitable.

For Paulson to say that the housing bust was inevitable would be like saying that Bill Clinton's heart bypass surgery in 2004 was inevitable. The guy clearly liked Big Macs and doughnuts. After he ate a train carload of them, a heart bypass was necessary. But it wasn't inevitable. He could have chosen to eat broccoli and falafel instead of burgers and fries.

Policy makers, lenders and borrowers made choices that caused the housing bubble to inflate and for it to pop. Nothing inevitable about it.

RATES: Bond prices have spiked since Friday's lousy employment report, and that means mortgage rates have plunged. In last week's Bankrate survey, the average rate on a 30-year fixed was 6.14 percent. This week, it's on track to be 5.9 percent. It hasn't been that low since September 2005.

Take that as a hint that this would be a good time to get a fixed-rate mortgage instead of an adjustable-rate loan.

2007 Top Ten List: Books for 2008

Here's my final Top 10 list. These are some books on my shelf that I'm hoping to read (or reread) this year...

1. Community and Growth, by Jean Vanier
2. The Radical Wesley & Patters for Church Renewal, by Howard Snyder
   
3. Renovation of the Heart, by Dallas Willard
4. Seeking the Face of God, by Gary Thomas
5. Breaking the Missional Code, by Ed Stetzer & David Putman
6. A Theology as Big as the City, by Ray Bakke
7. Ministries of Mercy, by Tim Keller
8. unChristian, by David Kinnaman & Gabe Lyons
9. The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, by Leslie Newbigin
10. The Externally Focused Church, by Rick Rusaw & Eric Swanson
11. The Confessions, by Saint Augustine
12. Confessions of a Pastor, by Craig Groeschel
13. Money, Possessions & Eternity, by Randy Alcorn
14. Extraordinary Leaders in Extraordinary Times, edited by H. Stanley Wood
15. The Bible, or at least most of it - here is our church's Bible reading plan for this year
    

Adam's Trip to the Hospital

Yesterday Adam fell while playing at the Children's Museum. The cut was right above his eyes. It was small, but Mandy said that it bled a lot. Mandy called me and I met them at the Children's Museum. About an hour later we ended up at Lebonheur. Five hours and $100 later, we were home with with some Neosporin and a Band Aid. I don't know about you, but that seems a little extreme to me. I don't know if it's just my sense of entitlement, or if the system is just this bad. I've heard stories about people in other parts of the world waiting all day to get basic medical care, so I'm grateful that it wasn't longer than five hours. I'm also grateful that he wasn't more seriously hurt. There were lots of other kids there who had much more serious issues.

I don't know if it's the same way with all other emergency rooms throughout Memphis, or if it's just this way here in the heart of the city. I think we'll do a little research before we have to do this again.

I do have to praise Adam, though. He was such a trooper. He was much more patient than Mandy and I were, and he's the one who was hurt. I was very proud of him.

Acts 18:24-19:10

Before beginning the story of Paul's third missionary journey, Luke introduces another character to us: Apollos. Apollos was a Jewish convert from Alexandria. He had been taught about Jesus, and now his passion compelled him to share what he knew. This eventually led him to Ephesus. He was apparently a great communicator, but he lacked one thing: thought he "taught accurately the things concerning Jesus...he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25). Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak, and sat down with him to explain things more accurately. His desire was to go to Corinth to share there. Apparently a new church was emerging in Ephesus, because the men of the church decided to write a letter of reference to the Corinthian church on Apollos' behalf. Luke says that when Apollos arrived in Corinth, "he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus" (Acts 18:28).

Paul arrived in Ephesus soon after Apollos left for Corinth. Ephesus was the third largest city in the Roman Empire, after Rome and Alexandria. During Paul's day, the population probably numbered around 250,000. The city's most famous landmark was the temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

When Paul entered Ephesus, he met "some disciples" (Acts 19:1). It is unclear who these people were. It is possible that they had been disciples of John, or at least followed the teaching of John, but this does not imply that they were Christians. Paul asked them if they had received the Holy Spirit, and their reply was that they didn't know what the Holy Spirit was (Acts 19:2). They had received John's baptism, which dealt with repentance. It seems that they did not know that John's ministry was to point to Jesus as the Messiah. They were eager, though, and when Paul told them about Jesus, their desire was to be baptized into this new way of life. The Holy Spirit came on them, and they began to prophesy and speak in tongues. Luke points out that there were twelve men.

From there Paul went into the synagogue, most likely with these twelve men following him. For three months he had an audience there, and he "spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God" (Acts 19:8). Some of the Jews refused to believe, though, and began stirring up trouble. Paul took the disciples and went to the hall of Tyranus, where he spoke of Jesus every day from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The hall of Tyranus was a public meeting hall, and thus had to be rented. Paul therefore must have had a few wealthy converts in this young church. Paul lectured there every day for two years, and the end result, according to Luke, was that "all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks" (Acts 19:10).

Bankrate's 8 Smart Moves for 2008

Acts 18:18-23

After Paul's encounter with Gallio, he stayed in Corinth "many days longer" (v.18). After that, it was time for him to leave. It seems that this time, Paul was very deliberate in his leaving. It was time for him to go to a new city, and he knew exactly which city that would be. It also seems that this time, Paul was intentional in his strategy. He had a plan. He would go to Ephesus. First he asked Priscilla and Aquila to leave Corinth and move to Ephesus. He wanted them to go ahead of him, most likely to get settled and for Aquila to get his business going.

I've always been very fascinated by this story. The Corinthian church had been with Paul for over 18 months, and now he was leaving. Not only was he leaving, he was taking Timothy, Silas,Priscilla, and Aquila. What would they do? We have to remember, though, that they were not the only leaders of this church. If Paul could raise up leaders in just a couple of months, imagine the leadership that was in Corinth. The names we know are:

• Crispus - former ruler of the synagogue (Acts 18:8); baptized by Paul (1 Cor. 1:14)
• Stephanus - one of Paul's first converts in Corinth; baptized by Paul (1 Cor. 1:16)
• Gaius - baptized by Paul (1 Cor. 1:14); would later work with Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:29)

The lesson once again is that Paul trusted the Holy Spirit to grow the church and to raise up leaders.

Before boarding a ship bound for Ephesus, Paul cut off his hair. It is not completely clear why he did this. He most likely was coming to the end of a Nazarite vow that he had taken earlier. Part of the Nazarite vow forbid cutting one's hair (Numbers 6:2-5). At the end of the vow, the one taking the vow was called to shave their head, then dedicate it as an offering to the Lord...in Jerusalem (Numbers 6:13-21). That is why Paul needed to go to Jerusalem.

Their first stop was Ephesus. They stayed there for a few days, long enough for Paul to spend a Sabbath at the synagogue. He reasoned with them there about the Messiah, but when he was asked to return the following week, he told them of his vow. They understood that he must go to Jerusalem. He did tell them that he hoped to return to them soon.

After leaving Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus, Paul, Silas and Timothy boarded a ship headed for Caesarea. Many scholars believe that this voyage marked Paul's second shipwreck experience (2 Cor. 11:25). From there they walked the fifty miles to Jerusalem. After fulfilling his vow and spending some time with the church, Paul, Silas and Timothy journeyed north back to Antioch.

This marked the end of Paul's Second Missionary Journey. The year was AD 52.

2007 Top Ten List: Music

This is a hard one. I love music, and I love finding new music. This Top 10 list is a little random. It consists of artists, albums, and even songs. Enjoy! Oh yeah, I'm breaking another rule: there are a few bonus selections.

1. Dave Barnes - I actually first heard Dave Barnes at last year's Catalyst Conference (October 2006), but I didn't purchase his albums until this year. So good.
2. Andy McKee - I discovered Andy McKee from Steve McCoy's blog. I have one of his videos here. Listening to him is good. Watching what he does on a guitar is amazing.
3. Damien Rice - Mandy and I got to see him at the Orpheum this year. It was just him, his guitar, a bassist, and a drummer. They were super tight.
4. Bibo No Aozoro - This is from the movie Babel. After watching the movie I went straight to Itunes to buy this track.
5. Derek Webb - His last few albums (I See Things Upside Down, Mockingbird, & The Ringing Bell) have been great. Not a week goes by when I don't listen to something by him.
6. Hide and Seek - Imogene Heap is kind of weird, but this song is amazing. I also love the Frou Frou album Details.
7. Hillsong United - I purchased United We Stand and All of the Above this year. I missed a chance to see them live this year. That would have been an awesome experience. If you're not familiar with them, check out this and you might just find yourself wanting to.
8. Continuum (John Mayer) - I know that this album is a couple of years old, but I still have to include it for the number of times I've listened to it this year. When it first came out I didn't like it that much. Not sure why, but a few months ago I started listening to it nonstop.
   
9. O Magnum Mysterium - This is on my top 10 list every year. It's from a composer named Morten Lauridsen and from a recording by the LA Master Chorale. I bought the CD quite a few years ago, but I listen to it any time I just need to be still. Here's a great recording of it on YouTube.
   
10. Over the Rhine - OK, I know they've been around for awhile, and I'm not sure how I've missed them...but all is not lost...I'm making up for lost time! My dad had burned me a couple of their CD's (yes, I know that's not good but this too is ok for I am now buying their CD's). Anyway, a few months ago Mandy and I were painting our front room and I tuned into OTR on my Ipod. I was captured by their music on the spot. I'll stop writing now. Just watch this.
11. Give Yourself Away (Robbie Seay Band) - I haven't really gotten into their previous albums, but this one is awesome! My favorite songs on the album are "New Day", "Shine Your Light on Us", and "Song of Hope."
12. Jon Foreman - You might know him as the frontman for Switchfoot. I heard him to a solo performance at Q last April. He is an amazing guitarist. Let Your Love Be Strong is one of my favorite songs of the year.
    

2007 Top Ten List: Podcasts

I've really enjoyed listening to podcasts this year. Here are my favorites for the year (in alphabetical order).

1. Acts 29 Network
2. Catalyst Podcast
3. The Dave Ramsey Show
4. Fermi Project
5. Imago Dei (Portland)
   
6. The Journey (St. Louis)
7. Mars Hill Bible Church (Grand Rapids)
8. Mars Hill Church (Seattle)
9. The Official LOST Podcast
10. Resurgence