It is about 10:45 on Friday, and I am leaving in about 6 hours to attend a conference in Nashville tomorrow. I hope to make it there by breakfast. I'll blog more about the conference next week.
-----------------------
On Sunday, I will preach the 2nd to last sermon in a series I've done on some of the major threads that run throughout all of Scripture. Over an 8 week period, I've attempted to highlight some of the broad strokes we see weaving their way through the OT & NT.
This Sunday, I will be preaching on community. What is the church? What is the purpose of the church? Why do we exist?
My text will come from 1 Corinthians 12:12-26.
Just out of curiosity, what have been the most memorable moments you've experienced in community (church, small group, camp, mission trip, funeral, etc.)?
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Minimum Wage
Hold your breath people, minimum wage is about to increase by 70 cents--from $5.85 to $6.55. By next year, they should be making $7.25 an hour.
Way to go DC! (he writes sarcastically) Those making minimum wage have gone from making a lowly $12,000/annually to a whopping $13,600. Next year, they will have it made with their $16,000 a year.
That doesn't include benefits, health care, transportation, childcare, paid vacation, sick days, etc.
Something seems to be wrong with this?
(I've changed the language from the original post. The word "sin" was too strong. Don't want that word to hinder this conversation.)
Way to go DC! (he writes sarcastically) Those making minimum wage have gone from making a lowly $12,000/annually to a whopping $13,600. Next year, they will have it made with their $16,000 a year.
That doesn't include benefits, health care, transportation, childcare, paid vacation, sick days, etc.
Something seems to be wrong with this?
(I've changed the language from the original post. The word "sin" was too strong. Don't want that word to hinder this conversation.)
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Words...
Here are a few words that drive my prayer life, my ministry, my sermons, my theology, and every aspect of my life:
-Intentional
-Formation
-Discipleship
-Prophetic
-Pastoral
-Creation
-Reconciliation
-Image of God
Here is a word that I'm trying to find in my life:
-Rhythm
What words are driving you?
-Intentional
-Formation
-Discipleship
-Prophetic
-Pastoral
-Creation
-Reconciliation
-Image of God
Here is a word that I'm trying to find in my life:
-Rhythm
What words are driving you?
Monday, July 21, 2008
ESPYS & SVC
Did any of you watch the ESPY'S last night? It was a great show.
What was the best moment?
What did you think of Justin Timberlake?
I still can't stop laughing over Will Ferrell receiving Tiger Wood's award for the best male athlete of the year. One of the funniest moments ever on television.
Last night gave me a whole new appreciation for Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Two men who used their opportunity to speak out against injustice. They were not anti-America; they were anti-injustice. It was a wonderful moment as they received the Arthur Ashe award for courage.
------------------------------
On another note, we had a great day at Sycamore View yesterday.
Ty Jones shared a testimony that was convicting, formative, and inspiring. I'll let you know if we can get it on the web.
What was the best moment?
What did you think of Justin Timberlake?
I still can't stop laughing over Will Ferrell receiving Tiger Wood's award for the best male athlete of the year. One of the funniest moments ever on television.
Last night gave me a whole new appreciation for Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Two men who used their opportunity to speak out against injustice. They were not anti-America; they were anti-injustice. It was a wonderful moment as they received the Arthur Ashe award for courage.
------------------------------
On another note, we had a great day at Sycamore View yesterday.
Ty Jones shared a testimony that was convicting, formative, and inspiring. I'll let you know if we can get it on the web.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Have You Heard this Parable Before?
I just returned from a 2-day trip to Houston this week. For the 3rd straight year I was able to partner with my lil' bro. He is a talented worship minister!
-----------------------------
Have you heard this parable?
A devoted Republican looks up to heaven and prays,
“God, thank you for my beliefs. I am pro-life because every form of life in a womb deserves to live. I am pro-marriage, because when I read Scripture, I am convinced that marriage was created to be between a man and a woman. Thank you for giving us, the Republican Party, our convictions to stand up for Christian morals, ethics, and principles. Thank you for not making us like those democrats."
A straight ticket Democrat puts their hands together and prays,
“Oh God, we care for social issues because you are a God who has always cared for the poor, the oppressed, and the least of these. You want all people taken care of medically with no regard of race or how much money is a wallet. Thank you for making me, and us, the champions of a greater cause than them. Thank you for not making us selective moralists like those Republicans."
An older person sat in church one day. They are disturbed by the service because it is senior Sunday and the youth group is doing everything in worship. They are up there singing all of "their" songs which are so totally different than the songs "we" grew up on--happy clappy and throwing hands up in the air. Praying informal prayers. And that sermon was more about stories and jokes than it was about the gospel. And worst of all, look at the way they are dressed—jeans, tucked out shirts and flip flops.
Then, one of teens says, “Bow your heads and let’s pray.” And the older person prays,
“God, thank you for how we did church years ago. You were so pleased with it. We were dressed in our Sunday best. We sang the songs that the apostles sung with Jesus, “How Great Thou Art,” “Gloryland Way,” and “Blessed Be the Tie that Binds.” We heard gospel sermons with 3 points. God, forgive them. And teach them the paths of maturity. Thank you for not making me like that."
A teenager sits in worship one Sunday morning. She rolls her eyes because three straight songs were sung that were written before 1980. "I feel like I’m at a funeral," she says. "Just bring out the pallbearers. Play the soft music. Someone must be going 6 feet under today. Man, what is up with these people. Oh no, is that Brother Bob getting up to pray? Oh man. Brother Bob prays those long prayers with all of those Thee’s and Thou’s. Nobody uses that anymore."
Then, she prays, “God, thank you for church camp because at camp we get to worship how we want to worship. We get to sing the good songs that actually brings smiles to your face. Thank you for making me young and not like those older folks."
Then, there walked in a 17-year-old girl. Her hands are clasped over her pregnant belly. Part of her wishes that she knew who the daddy was. The other half of her is glad she doesn't know. She felt the need to come to church one day. She walked in, but no one seemed to pay any attention to her. As is the case in most churches, all of the pews in the back were taken, so she walked to the front. Then, the song was sung, "Listen to our hearts. Here are spirit sing. A song of love that flows from those you have redeemed." With those words she fell to her knees and grabbed her heart praying silently to herself, "Have mercy on me, I am a sinner."
Who is justified in this story?
WHOEVER IS THE PERSON WE LOOK DOWN UPON IN THIS WORLD, THEY ARE THE ONES ACROSS FROM US IN THIS PARABLE!!!
PS--if you haven't figured it out. Look at Luke 18.
-----------------------------
Have you heard this parable?
A devoted Republican looks up to heaven and prays,
“God, thank you for my beliefs. I am pro-life because every form of life in a womb deserves to live. I am pro-marriage, because when I read Scripture, I am convinced that marriage was created to be between a man and a woman. Thank you for giving us, the Republican Party, our convictions to stand up for Christian morals, ethics, and principles. Thank you for not making us like those democrats."
A straight ticket Democrat puts their hands together and prays,
“Oh God, we care for social issues because you are a God who has always cared for the poor, the oppressed, and the least of these. You want all people taken care of medically with no regard of race or how much money is a wallet. Thank you for making me, and us, the champions of a greater cause than them. Thank you for not making us selective moralists like those Republicans."
An older person sat in church one day. They are disturbed by the service because it is senior Sunday and the youth group is doing everything in worship. They are up there singing all of "their" songs which are so totally different than the songs "we" grew up on--happy clappy and throwing hands up in the air. Praying informal prayers. And that sermon was more about stories and jokes than it was about the gospel. And worst of all, look at the way they are dressed—jeans, tucked out shirts and flip flops.
Then, one of teens says, “Bow your heads and let’s pray.” And the older person prays,
“God, thank you for how we did church years ago. You were so pleased with it. We were dressed in our Sunday best. We sang the songs that the apostles sung with Jesus, “How Great Thou Art,” “Gloryland Way,” and “Blessed Be the Tie that Binds.” We heard gospel sermons with 3 points. God, forgive them. And teach them the paths of maturity. Thank you for not making me like that."
A teenager sits in worship one Sunday morning. She rolls her eyes because three straight songs were sung that were written before 1980. "I feel like I’m at a funeral," she says. "Just bring out the pallbearers. Play the soft music. Someone must be going 6 feet under today. Man, what is up with these people. Oh no, is that Brother Bob getting up to pray? Oh man. Brother Bob prays those long prayers with all of those Thee’s and Thou’s. Nobody uses that anymore."
Then, she prays, “God, thank you for church camp because at camp we get to worship how we want to worship. We get to sing the good songs that actually brings smiles to your face. Thank you for making me young and not like those older folks."
Then, there walked in a 17-year-old girl. Her hands are clasped over her pregnant belly. Part of her wishes that she knew who the daddy was. The other half of her is glad she doesn't know. She felt the need to come to church one day. She walked in, but no one seemed to pay any attention to her. As is the case in most churches, all of the pews in the back were taken, so she walked to the front. Then, the song was sung, "Listen to our hearts. Here are spirit sing. A song of love that flows from those you have redeemed." With those words she fell to her knees and grabbed her heart praying silently to herself, "Have mercy on me, I am a sinner."
Who is justified in this story?
WHOEVER IS THE PERSON WE LOOK DOWN UPON IN THIS WORLD, THEY ARE THE ONES ACROSS FROM US IN THIS PARABLE!!!
PS--if you haven't figured it out. Look at Luke 18.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
The Name of Jesus
I'm giving you about 5 minutes of my sermon from this past Sunday. I preached on the power of the name of Jesus from Philippians 2:5-11. I spent all week thinking about what I wanted to share with the church and the following flowed straight from my heart.
-His name has made people drop to their knees and a day is coming when his name will bring every human being who has ever walked on this earth to their knees again.
-His name has the power to sweep people off of their feet
-His name will be spoken on the tongues of those who confessed him while on this earth and his name will be spoken from the mouths of people who failed to confess him on this earth
-His name made the demons shudder.
-His name sparked curiosity in rulers like King Herod who weren’t even interested in a coming Messiah.
-His name has offered hope to the hopeless and encouragement to the faint-hearted.
-His name has been the source of comfort in waiting rooms and funeral homes throughout this world.
-In the words of a great author today, the name of Jesus “is good news for sick people and is disturbing for those who think they’ve got it all together. "
-This world is not in need of more churches with more programs; instead they are in need of people who understand the seriousness of speaking the name of the One and Only.
-The name of Jesus can’t be watered down to morality and good ethnics, though we’ve tried, but instead the name of Jesus is a way of life to be embraced and lived out
-His name is a name that demands better morals and ethics for our lives. We can be moral but not alive...Morally pure, but devoid of any life, joy, or celebration
-The name of Jesus isn’t just about bringing smiles to faces, but it is also about making knees knock, hands tremble, and voices quiver; because though he is a great companion, he is also the King of kings and the Lord of lords and the Lion of Judah.
-The name of Jesus transports us from complacency to action, from ordinary to something daring, from staleness to participation.
-His name is not an invitation to tiptoe through life, though I, and we, have tried, but instead his name begs people to run, hop, skip, and (heaven forbid) dance through life
-We are guilty of treating his name as if it is a battery than has run out of power and we are simply waiting for the day when God will come re-energize; instead of embracing the greater reality—that the name of Jesus still has the power to penetrate into the deepest places of our lives.
-In a world in which people live in fear of death each and every day—fear of terrorism, fear of tragedy, fear of sickness—the name of Jesus asks us, “Do we believe in the resurrection anymore?” Or do we truly believe that his name has the power to lift up the dead from the ashes, to resurrect dead bodies, and to make all things new right here and now?
-We, the churches of Christ have done many things well, I would not be ministering in a C of C if I didn’t like them, but one thing that we are guilty of is that too often we have tried to get Jesus into the heads of people, but we failed to get him into the hearts. We have emphasized study and memorizing and knowing, but we have failed to invest in the formation of the heart of our people.
-We’ve believed a person will gain access to heaven because he is knowledgeable about theology, because he can win at a game of religious trivia, do good things, associate themselves with Christian morality…” but faith establishes roots when Jesus enters into the center of our being (DM)
-Our world is not in need of more formulas attempting to piece together the biblical story; instead our world needs people who will lift up the name that is above every name. (We’ve messed around with formulas too long)
-We want the name of Jesus to cover over our sins, but in many ways we have become what Dallas Willard calls “Vampire Christians”—that we just want Jesus for his blood; not for his new life
-We have made Jesus to be the place of safety. We say to the world, “Come to Jesus and you will be safe.” Though he is the shepherd of his sheep and the protector of all his children…the presence of Jesus isn’t necessarily safe. There are safer ways to live than by being a Christian. His name is demanding, and all-consuming, and it embodies every form of sacrifice and selflessness.
-His name promotes safety but it also promotes danger. If Jesus preached in NY, LA, and DC what he preached on the hillsides of Judea, we’d lay him in his grave again.
-His name isn’t a key to financial success as so many write about today, because for his followers his name was motivation to live fearlessly. In losing everything, they gained everything.
-Our hands are not big enough to carry a wallet and a cross.
-It is a name that won’t allow us to point fingers at the world in attempts to tell them how dirty they are because his name is not a name used to demoralize or dehumanize. His name is a name that gives value and dignity to every human soul.
-His name has the power to calm the soul and stimulate the soul.
-The name of Jesus is above the every title of power that this world knows. His name is above every law in the land.
-His name lifts up the sinners. His name brings the dead to life. His name can heal the sick. Free the prisoners. And proclaim release to every captive. His name is what will drive the church into the 21st century.
·
-I want to live and minister as if I truly believe that his name is above every name, and that his name still has the power to bring people to their knees and confessions from our tongues.
-His name is the fire in my bones.
-It is the name that won’t let me go.
-It is the name that wakes me up in the morning.
-I want that passion. I want that passion for us.
-His name has made people drop to their knees and a day is coming when his name will bring every human being who has ever walked on this earth to their knees again.
-His name has the power to sweep people off of their feet
-His name will be spoken on the tongues of those who confessed him while on this earth and his name will be spoken from the mouths of people who failed to confess him on this earth
-His name made the demons shudder.
-His name sparked curiosity in rulers like King Herod who weren’t even interested in a coming Messiah.
-His name has offered hope to the hopeless and encouragement to the faint-hearted.
-His name has been the source of comfort in waiting rooms and funeral homes throughout this world.
-In the words of a great author today, the name of Jesus “is good news for sick people and is disturbing for those who think they’ve got it all together. "
-This world is not in need of more churches with more programs; instead they are in need of people who understand the seriousness of speaking the name of the One and Only.
-The name of Jesus can’t be watered down to morality and good ethnics, though we’ve tried, but instead the name of Jesus is a way of life to be embraced and lived out
-His name is a name that demands better morals and ethics for our lives. We can be moral but not alive...Morally pure, but devoid of any life, joy, or celebration
-The name of Jesus isn’t just about bringing smiles to faces, but it is also about making knees knock, hands tremble, and voices quiver; because though he is a great companion, he is also the King of kings and the Lord of lords and the Lion of Judah.
-The name of Jesus transports us from complacency to action, from ordinary to something daring, from staleness to participation.
-His name is not an invitation to tiptoe through life, though I, and we, have tried, but instead his name begs people to run, hop, skip, and (heaven forbid) dance through life
-We are guilty of treating his name as if it is a battery than has run out of power and we are simply waiting for the day when God will come re-energize; instead of embracing the greater reality—that the name of Jesus still has the power to penetrate into the deepest places of our lives.
-In a world in which people live in fear of death each and every day—fear of terrorism, fear of tragedy, fear of sickness—the name of Jesus asks us, “Do we believe in the resurrection anymore?” Or do we truly believe that his name has the power to lift up the dead from the ashes, to resurrect dead bodies, and to make all things new right here and now?
-We, the churches of Christ have done many things well, I would not be ministering in a C of C if I didn’t like them, but one thing that we are guilty of is that too often we have tried to get Jesus into the heads of people, but we failed to get him into the hearts. We have emphasized study and memorizing and knowing, but we have failed to invest in the formation of the heart of our people.
-We’ve believed a person will gain access to heaven because he is knowledgeable about theology, because he can win at a game of religious trivia, do good things, associate themselves with Christian morality…” but faith establishes roots when Jesus enters into the center of our being (DM)
-Our world is not in need of more formulas attempting to piece together the biblical story; instead our world needs people who will lift up the name that is above every name. (We’ve messed around with formulas too long)
-We want the name of Jesus to cover over our sins, but in many ways we have become what Dallas Willard calls “Vampire Christians”—that we just want Jesus for his blood; not for his new life
-We have made Jesus to be the place of safety. We say to the world, “Come to Jesus and you will be safe.” Though he is the shepherd of his sheep and the protector of all his children…the presence of Jesus isn’t necessarily safe. There are safer ways to live than by being a Christian. His name is demanding, and all-consuming, and it embodies every form of sacrifice and selflessness.
-His name promotes safety but it also promotes danger. If Jesus preached in NY, LA, and DC what he preached on the hillsides of Judea, we’d lay him in his grave again.
-His name isn’t a key to financial success as so many write about today, because for his followers his name was motivation to live fearlessly. In losing everything, they gained everything.
-Our hands are not big enough to carry a wallet and a cross.
-It is a name that won’t allow us to point fingers at the world in attempts to tell them how dirty they are because his name is not a name used to demoralize or dehumanize. His name is a name that gives value and dignity to every human soul.
-His name has the power to calm the soul and stimulate the soul.
-The name of Jesus is above the every title of power that this world knows. His name is above every law in the land.
-His name lifts up the sinners. His name brings the dead to life. His name can heal the sick. Free the prisoners. And proclaim release to every captive. His name is what will drive the church into the 21st century.
·
-I want to live and minister as if I truly believe that his name is above every name, and that his name still has the power to bring people to their knees and confessions from our tongues.
-His name is the fire in my bones.
-It is the name that won’t let me go.
-It is the name that wakes me up in the morning.
-I want that passion. I want that passion for us.
Monday, July 14, 2008
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