Christmas: It's Not What It Appears To Be

When it comes to Christmas there are so many times when I miss "it". Do you know what I mean? I remember a time about five or six years ago when Christmas was over and I thought to myself, "Is that it?" I know that I am not the only one who has missed "it" at Christmas time. I recently heard a popular radio personality talk about why he has given up on Christmas. He said, "The holiday season is just another opportunity for me to fail." Wow, talk about some serious pain and resentment. Why is it that Christmas brings out so much negative emotion? One of the elders in the church here is from India. I asked him if Christmas in India is anything like Christmas here in the United States. He said that Christmas is not commercialized in India, so there is not an emphasis on gift giving. He said instead they focus on food, family, and food. So here is the deal: the reason I have missed Christmas so often is because I fail to unwrap it. That's right, Christmas sits as an unwrapped present underneath the tree. All pretty in it's wrapping and bow, and I marvel at how wonderful it looks...but I never open it. You see that is pretty much how I operate with Christmas from year to year, doing the decorations and buying the presents...but Christmas is so much more. In fact I think it could be said that Christmas isnt' about trees, lights, or even the giving of gifts. According to John's account of the first Christmas, Christmas is about believing. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. ~ John 1:10-13

I think that probably one of the curses of humanity is that we just flat out miss it. Because of the darkness in which we live we just miss the obvious. But to those who unwrap Christmas, for those who seek and find, for those see it, they discover that God broke through the dimension of time and put on skin to restore, redeem and rescue his creation. When we believe that with all our hearts and follow that light Christmas becomes more real then anything we can ever imagine.

Here's the best part: When we believe we belong. One of core desires in our hearts is to belong. That is why we dress the way we do, act the way we do, seek out people who are like us. We do that because we desperately want to belong. Let me give you an example. In my little neighborhood all the houses around us do Christmas lights outside. Last year we did not do that. So when you drove up to our house at night we were the only house without Christmas lights. This year we have Christmas lights outside. Why? We have Christmas lights outside because we want to belong.

Our hearts yearn to belong. We do so many strange things just trying to fit in. That is probably why we miss Christmas. We miss it, or should I say, we fail to open it because we are trying to find a place to belong. But we do have a place to belong. When we believe in Jesus we are adopted into a family, God's family...and finally we have exactly what our heart was looking for. Because when you believe, you belong.

Come Up And Breathe

I will never forget seeing Crystal’s body at the bottom of the swimming pool. She was one of the many kids attending the children’s portion of the Iowa Christian Convention, which I was helping out with. One of my jobs that day was to watch the kids as they swam in the pool. There were a lot of kids swimming, but between myself and another adult, I felt like we had the situation under control.

Then in a kind of surreal moment one of the kids said that there was someone at the bottom of the swimming pool. I immediately thought that the youngster was joking, but upon further inspection, at the deepest part of the pool right over the drain, was a little body. As I dove into the water, I feared that it was too late. I had no idea how long Crystal had been down there, had it been seconds or minutes? I pulled her limp body to the surface and with the help of others was able to get her onto the deck. Immediately prayers were prayed and CPR was performed. Crystal’s body had been deprived of oxygen long enough that her lips had turned purple…I was extremely worried. But then she began to cough and out came water and in flowed air…air filled with oxygen. So after minutes of being deprived of life giving oxygen Crystal breathed in all she could—in deep long breathes. That was so good to see.

When things calmed down, we tried to figure out how this could have happened. What did we do wrong to allow this little girl to be put in such a life threatening situation. As it turned out, Crystal had no idea how to swim. In fact she had hardly ever been around water for most of her 11 years on earth. When she saw all the other kids swimming and having a good time she jumped right in…she wanted to have fun too. But she didn’t know how to swim.

We all know that our bodies cannot survive without oxygen, but what about your spirits? How does your spirit “breathe”? Most of us dive right into the busyness of life everyday. We plunge head long into our to-do-lists without even thinking. To make matters worse now that the holiday season is upon us the busyness is going to go up a notch or three: shopping, parties, concerts, shopping, decorating, and shopping. There is so much to do and so little time. So with all this activity going on how does your spirit “breathe”?

You do know that you are spirit right? You are part physical and part spiritual. We all know how to take care of our physical bodies, but what about our spiritual bodies. Maybe what your spirit needs this holiday season is to come up from the depths of all your busyness and breathe…breathe in God. Over the next few weeks make it a priority to stop what you are doing and be still. Talk to God, read his word, or just admire his handiwork. Take time to breathe…your spirit is desperate for it.

"Be still, and know that I am God!” ~ Psalm 46:10

Drive Conference: Repairing the Transmission

Day 2 at DRIVE CONFERENCE from down here in Atlanta. It was cold and rainy...not what I expected. I actually heard that it was nicer in Iowa then down here. Oh well.

I just have to say that I have never had so much fun at a conference, or laughed so hard. I know, I know, I am supposed to be doing spiritual things, but who says conferences can't be fun?

THE MAIN THING THAT KEEPS COMING UP: CREATIVITY

I am just blown over by the creativity of this church. Here is the thing: every church can be like North Point, not in copying them but in the fact that each church has creative people in it and when they are unleashed to be who they are it just energizes the church. And it attracts the creativity of the community. Just today we saw a musical number taken from The Music Man (There's Trouble Right Here In River City) that had been re done. It was just awesome. There are many other examples, but this place just oozes creativity. Anyway, let me throw this out for kicks: what if the 2nd greatest sin of the church (I will talk about the number 1 sin later) has been in stifling the creativty of people?

Repairing The Trany

The overarching theme about this morning's session really looked at the system of the church. Churches are notorious for changing pastors or adding in new programs. Some work some don't, and so the churches assume that it was the pastor or the program when in reality it probably was the church system. Here are a few bullet points about church systems.

• There are organizational systems that are conducive to ministry and organizational systems that impede ministry.
• Systems Create behaviors. ( For example the preacher can preach on evangelism and people can even agree that they should do it, but they won't because the overall system hasn't changed.)
• Anytime you hear, "Well, our people just won't..." you are listening to someone who doesn't understand the influence of systems."
• Systems have a greater impact on organizational culture than do mission statements.
• In the NT we discover what the early church did. The NT does not lay out a comprehensive plan instructing church leaders what to do. (I may have to blog more on this sometime. Very interesting.)

Bottom line: if you want to change or improve your church you need to change the system. More tomorrow.

Drive Conference: Changing the Filters

I am down here in Atlanta, Georgia for Drive at North Point Community Church. The conference began last night with a session from 7:30 to 9:30. Andy Stanley talked last night about "Replacing the Filters". Here are a few talking points from the session:

• Non-Christians think that church is for church people.
• In communities around the world there is an incredible hunger for God...but the church gets in the way. The church is an obstacle not a conduit.
• Stanley examined Acts 15 as an example of how first century church tried to "get in the way" with people becoming Christians through circumcision.
• Here is a verse to put to memory and have your church live out: "It is my judgement, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God" Act 15:19
• The Gospel (Good News) has to be easy and accesible.
• The natural gravitational pull in churches is to become "insiders". Meaning that we make it difficult for the "Gentiles who are turning to God" How is your church keeping outsiders from coming in?
• We need to be more committed to reaching then to keeping. (Why? The ones who will be leaving are going to go to heaven any way.)

Just a few thoughts from last night. I will give you more later.

Must See Message

On Mondays I usually download, reflect, and look towards another week. It's a day in which I try to recharge my batteries. I came across this message video in a blog that I read. It is an absolute must watch if for anyone. If you are a Christ follower it will help you better focus your life. If you are trying to figure out the whole "Christ following thing" then you will get a peek into what it looks like to follow Christ.

Here is the link to the website. Suburban Legends
Click on the Video Picture on the lower right hand corner. I must warn you that if you have a dial up connection it will take a long time. Sorry about that. Also, one other thing. This will only be up for a week. This is taken from the weekend service at Granger Community Church...so they will have another service up next week. If you want to skip the opening music, fast forward to about 14 minutes and you will jump right into the opening video.

How Christians Live

I came across this quote in a book I was reading (The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne) and it made me think about my life as a follower of Christ. Maybe it might stir something in you as well. "If you ask most people what Christians believe, they can tell you, "Christians believe that Jesus is God's Son and that Jesus rose from the dead." But if you ask the average person how Christians live, they are struck silent. We have not shown the world another way of doing life. Christians pretty much live like everybody else; they just sprinkle a little Jesus in along the way. And doctrine is not very attractive, even if it's true. Few people are interested in a religion that has nothing to say to the world and offers them only life after death, when what people are really wondering is whether there is life before death. As my teacher Tony Campolo used to ask, "Even if there is no heaven and there were no hell, would you still follow Jesus? Would you follow him for the life, joy, and fufillment he gives you right now?" ~ Shane Claiborne

So What's Your Story?

All right, I have an assignment for you: What is your faith story? Here are the guide lines:

• 100 words or less. It must be concise, focused and true.
• No "christianese". In other words, only use words that everyday regular people use.

Every follower of Christ needs to be able to cleary articulate their faith story. Your faith story is the most powerful tool you possess in connecting people to Jesus.
(Read Just Walk Across The Room by Bill Hybels)

Think of it this way. What is the Gospel? It is quite literally, "good news". It is a story. Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, die on the cross for our sins, went to heaven to prepare a place for us, and one day will come back for those who follow him. It is not a formula, doctrine, fives steps to salvation. It is what it is: Good News. What people who are seeking God want to hear is how that "Good News" changed your life. They don't want you to spout out the basic Bible doctrines, refute evolution or support the basic tenets of Christianity, they want to know your story.

Infomercials have been doing this forever.

"I was overweight forever, then I bought this Bowflex and now I'm ripped!"

"My parties were boring, then I bought this Greatest Hits of the '70's and now my parties rock!"

My favorite faith story of the Bible is found in John 9:25. Jesus has healed a man born blind. The man has been dragged before the Pharisees for questioning, here is his story.

“Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

Simple, concise and to the point. One other thing, he doesn't defend Jesus or try to prove anything. He just tells the Pharisees and his friends and neighbors how Jesus changed his life. Sometimes that is all God seekers want to hear. So here is the deal: What's your story? Please share your story in the comment section below. It is a great exercise to help you prepare for connecting people to Jesus.

Here is mine to get things rolling. Remember no more than 100 words!

Much of my life was spent trying to prove to God that I was good enough for him to love me. My problem was that I was never good enough. My life was marked with guilt and shame because of my obvious inadequacies. In 1998 during a Christian conference the light bulb finally went on and I realized that no matter what I had done God loved me anyway. That realization changed my relationship with him and gave me a clear focus on how to live life. Today I live for him because of his never-ending love for me.

Following The Rabbi

"A talmid did not follow a rabbi as a student. They desired to gain the rabbi's knowledge, but for a greater goal-they wanted to become like the rabbi himself.

A talmid followed the rabbi everywhere-every day, and every hour of the day-often without knowing or asking where the rabbi was going. The talmid rarely left his rabbi's side for fear that he would miss a teachable moment. He watched the rabbi's every move, noting how he acted and thought about a variety of situations.

Talmidim trusted their rabbi completely. They were eager to hear the rabbi's teachings and they worked passionately to incorporate the rabbi's actions and words into their lives. The disciple's deepest desire was to follow his rabbi so closely that he would start to think and act like the rabbi himself." ~ Ray Vander Laan

A thought for you to ponder: Is it still possible to follow the rabbi Jesus in this same manner?

Becoming A Talmid

"In Jesus' day, gifted students would listen to various rabbis and then approach their chosen rabbi and ask, "May I follow you?" In effect, the student was asking, "Do I have what it takes to be like you?" The rabbi would either accept the student as a talmid or would encourage him to pursue a trade.

Jesus broke this pattern when he chose his own talmidim. As he asked his disciples to follow him, they knew without a doubt that their rabbi believed in them. And as they came to see Jesus as the Messiah, they realized that God believed in them too." ~ Ray VanderLaan

Isn't that one of our basic needs as humans? To know that someone believes in us, to feel that we have something to offer. Jesus enters the scene and changes everything about how we view our place in the world. He initiates a Kingdom then invites us to be a part of it. He invites us to learn from him, to serve with him, and fight for the hearts of others at his side. This rabbi did it different...and I for one am glad he did.

The Talmidim

"The Hebrew word for disciples is "talmidim" and in Jesus' day, it was common for a group of talmidim to follow and learn from a rabbi. These disciples were usually in their teens when they began to follow a rabbi, and most of Jesus' disciples were probably fifteen years old or younger.

Being a disciple of Jesus-a talmid-was not a simple matter. It was a radical and life-changing commitment. Jesus' twelve talmidim ultimately followed in the footsteps of their rabbi: They changed the world, and most of them gave their life in the process.

As we learn about the disciples' life and goals, Christians are challenged to imitate the radical lifestyle of a talmid as we follow our Rabbi." ~ Ray Vander Laan at followtherabbi.com

Your Prayer Agenda

For the past couple of weeks we have been doing a sermon series on prayer. It has been good for this preacher to revisit prayer. There are so many things I miss or forget. Anyway I came across this story from my dad's blog (www.testeele.blogspot.com) and I thought I would share it here as well. The point I caught hold of was this: we miss "it" when it comes to prayer. Why? Because we start with our agenda not God's. Here's the story.

I found this story in a sermon by Peter Marshall that I want to share with you; it is supposed to be historically accurate.

In 1540, Martin Luther's great friend and assistant, Frederick Myconius, became sick and was expected to die within a short time. On his bed, he wrote a loving farewell note to Luther with a trembling hand. Luther received the letter and instantly sent back a reply, "I command thee in the name of God to live. I still have need of thee in the work of reforming the church. The Lord will never let me hear that thou art dead, but will permit thee to survive me. For this I am praying, this is my will and my will be done, because I seek only to glorify the name of God." One week later, Myconius recovered and died two months after the death of Luther.

Jesus the Rabbi

As a Western thinker, my approach to Jesus has always been very cerebral--I try to learn from Jesus through knowledge. Though knowledge is one of the pathways to being a disciple it can be limiting and quite frankly boring. In my humble opinion, one of the reasons some people walk away from following Christ is because they cannot make the connection between knowledge and living life. Perhaps this is becasue pastors, ministers, and teachers have "muddied the waters", I know I am guilty of that.

With that being said, I have found it refreshing to discover Jesus the Rabbi. It provides a new perspective on what it means to follow the Christ. Here is another excerpt from Ray Vander Laan on Jesus the Rabbi.


"The Text tells us that Jesus was recognized as a rabbi. A Pharisee, a Sadducee, a Roman, and a Gentile-all refered to Jesus as "rabbi." Like the typical rabbis of his day, Jesus:

- depended on the hospitality of others (Luke 8:3).

- traveled, teaching outside or in synagogues, homes, and even the Temple courts (Luke 4:14-6; Matt. 5:1-2; 26:55; Mark 6:2).

- was accompanied by his disciples (Matt. 17:24; Matt. 20:29). He selected a group of students who followed Him, learning as they went.

- encouraged his followers to take on the "yoke of Torah" (i.e., they would commit to obeying Torah as the rabbi taught) (Matt. 11:29-30).

- taught mainly from the first five books of the Old Testament.

Like many rabbis of his day, Jesus told parables and gave object lessons to convey truth. He was a master storyteller who often wove biblical concepts and passages together in a new way.

The people of his day recognized Jesus as being a rabbi with s'mikeh-he was an exceptionally gifted rabbi with the authority to teach his own interpretations of the Word. As Matthew 7 records, "the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."

As a s'mikeh rabbi, Jesus had probably memorized the entire Hebrew Testament. His teaching assumed that his audience also knew a great deal of the Text by memory. He often quoted a portion of a passage, knowing that his audience would remember the rest.

Jesus was careful to use passages and concepts that his audience would know. When speaking to women, for example, he quoted from Psalms, one of the books that girls studied during their synagogue education. And when teaching in non-Jewish areas, he would not quote from the Text at all, but would draw on word pictures and concepts from their own culture." ~ Ray Vander Laan from www.followtherabbi.com

The Rabbi

I am a self proclaimed Christ follower. I have chosen to dedicate my life to the pursuit of trying to live as the Christ lived. Jesus, the Christ, was a rabbi and I have recently been doing some reading on the role of the rabbi in the Hebrew culture. Over the next few days I will share with you a few of the tidbits I am picking up regarding the role of the rabbi and his disciples. I hope that you find it helpful. I know I did. A great resource for this kind of information is www.followtherabbi.com

"Of all the times and places he could have come, Jesus lived and taught in the religious communities of first-century Galilee. Rabbis played a significant role in these communities, serving as both teachers and role models.

Today, it is hard for Western Christians to imagine what Jesus' life and ministry were like. But the gospels reveal one important aspect of Jesus' life: He lived and taught as a Jewish rabbi.

As we learn about the lifestyle of first-century rabbis, we gain a rich picture of Jesus as our own rabbi-an amazing teacher we eagerly follow."

Types of Rabbi

"In Jesus' day, the title of "rabbi" was not a church office or degree. Rather, it was a title of respect and honor given by the community.

Most rabbis practiced a trade while also teaching the Torah. They were commonly called "Torah teachers" or "teachers of the law." They had memorized the Torah and become master storytellers, but they were limited to teaching only the accepted interpretations of other rabbis.

Some rabbis, who achieved special recognition and wisdom, taught their own interpretations and were able to support themselves entirely by teaching. These brilliant rabbis were recognized as having s'mikeh¾the authority to introduce new teachings. They had memorized the entire Old Testament, were exceptional teachers, and were trusted to provide new insights from God's Word." ~ Ray VanderLaan at www.followtherabbi.com

Suzi Update

For those of you who don't know, my wife Suzi has been dealing with some excruciating back pain. Your prayers would be greatly appreciated. Our lives have been turned upside down and there is no relief in sight. We have several doctor visits (we have had a lot already) this week, and with each one we hold out hope that something will come of them--but so far, not.

Our family, church family, friends, and neighbors have been awesome! The love and support has been overwhelming. I don't know how people do it when they don't have a support system like we have. Just having a loving church family is reason enough to go to church. Even if the preacher was boring, the coffee was bad, and the worship team was a man playing a bagpipe, I would gut it out just to have the opportunity to love and be loved. Life is so much better when it's lived with someone else. There is no place on earth like the church.

Well we are off to anther doctor appointment. Suzi and I just ask that you keep praying for us, this could be a long haul. We will keep you updated. I guess you never know where the "goose" will lead you.

Hawkeye Football Is Here!

I couldn't help myself. I love to talk about anything, Hawkeye. With football season just weeks away I thought I would throw out a few tidbits just for fun.

The football team is a good week into practice and here are a couple of insider pictures.

On the left is of course All Big Ten quarterback, Drew Tate. My prediction is that Drew is going to have a Heisman type of season. Set back and just enjoy watching him run Iowa's offense this fall.

The young man on the right is a true freshman from Youngstown Ohio by the name of Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (DJK). He was a late commitment that slipped through Ohio State's fingers. I was able to see some video of this kid and was very impressed. Pending his production in camp, don't surprised to see him on the field in some capacity (probably returning kicks). The only reason I throw out his name is because he adds another intagible on special teams that wasn't there last year (Iowa was last in the Big Ten in kick returns last year). We know Iowa is going to have a good offense with many weapons. It's always nice to get those one or two extra touchdowns from special teams play that you don't always count one. Here is a link to a story about DJK if you would like to learn more about him.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=169&p=10&c=392199&refid=4781

One last thing. If you are hungry for some Hawkeye football, here is an Iowa Football Highlight Video to whet your appetite. (If you have dial up internet it will take a long time to load, just so you know.)

http://web.mac.com/burton_hogg/iWeb/Site/2005%20Iowa%20Football.html

Friendship

I promise not to burst into a rousing rendition of Friends Are Friends Forever by Michael W. Smith. However, I did read this exerpt of a letter that author C.S. Lewis wrote to his good friend Arthur Greeves that I wanted to share with you: "Friendship is the greatest of worldly goods. Certainly to me it it the chief happiness of life. If I had to give a piece of advice to a young man about a place to live, I think I should say, 'sacrifice almost everything to live where you can be near your friends.' I know I am very fortunate in that respect..." ~ C.S. Lewis

I have heard of people who have moved because of a job, better weather, or to be by family. I don't think I have ever heard of someone who moved to be by a friend. Is friendship really that good? Or maybe most people have never really experienced true friendship. I hope you have a friend. If not, maybe try being a great friend to someone else. Without a doubt our world could use a lot more friends.

Trust

The last month here at the Steele household has been quite trying. My wife Suzi has had a series of physical setbacks that have left her basically helpless. Without going into great detail, it has been a combination of severe back pain and vertigo caused most likely by a viral inner ear infection. It has really been a bizarre experience...and quite honestly we are not out of it yet. Truth be told, it feels like it will never end.

I have had many moments to think over the last few weeks and today I made this observation about trust. There is this hymn that I have sang off and on for most of my life that goes, "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word..."

Considering all the pain that my wife is going through, and all the prayers that we have prayed for God to intervene, and to see this pain and suffering drag out day after day, I have concluded that it may be easier to NOT put your trust in God.

"Why?" you may ask. Well, when bad things happen and you do not believe in God or any gods for that matter, you can write it off as maybe bad luck or karma. But because I believe in God and trust Him, I have to factor through a number of different scenarios to try and make sense of what is going on.

"Was it something that I did?"

"Did I say the wrong thing?"

"There must be a hidden sin in my life somewhere."

Believe me, all this questioning can become quite tiresome and I would love to just dismiss everything as just a bunch of bad luck. But because God loves me I choose to enter into the unknown, full of questions, looking for hope. It was in these moments of searching in which I stumbled upon a memory.

In the spring of 2005 my son Alex had a serious infection in his lymphoid. It was very painful and we had to take him to the hospital. While in the hospital they had to put in an IV to start the antibiotics his body desperately needed to heal. Kids and needles usually don't mix and so Alex was not coping well with the situation. To make matters worse, they were having a difficult time getting the needle in his vein. So Alex is screaming bloody murder from the pain and confusion, and so I hold him tight and say, "Alex, you are going to have to trust me. The only way to get better is to let them put this IV in." It took a lot of convincing, and a lot of hugs, and some force, but finally the nurse got the IV in and the healing began.

It was in that difficult moment that Alex really learned to trust me...he got better. As much as I would like to dismiss this pain and confusion it's in the confusion that I am finding trust. When bad things happen don't walk away from them or try to blow them off. Instead walk into them and maybe...just maybe you might get a glimpse of the Father. Believe me, you can trust Him.

How God Uses Culture

I was doing some research for my sermon on Sunday and I came across this interesting little tidbit about the Ark of the Covenant.

"God spoke to his people through their culture. He used their language and their customs. He described himself as a shepherd, for example, an occupation they knew well. When God commanded the Hebrews to build the tabernacle and temple, the builders followed cultural patterns that had been known for centuries. Moreover, long before God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, ancient peoples used tablets as symbols and summaries of covenants." ~ http://www.followtherabbi.com/

There are many paths which one can take from this paragraph. The one that immediately stood out to me was that "God spoke to his people through their culture." Interesting how in the United States there is a Christian counter culture. There is "Christian" music, clothes, slang, books, and even entertainment (Gaithers, Left Behind Movies, Veggie Tales)

Why can't Christ followers, instead of walking away from culture and calling it "secular" choose to engage culture and be a part of its renewal and restoration? The reality is that God is probably more at work in "secular" culture than He is in the Christian counter culture. What is interesting is that we (Christians) have tried to make Jesus look "cool" by creating this counter culture. The problem is that Jesus created the culture, it is a part of the story that is unfolding. So instead of trying to create something different, why not "ride the wave"? Use the culture as God is, to communicate the unchanging truths of His love for the human race and His plan to redeem it.

The World's Fastest Indian

On Saturday I was able to watch the movie, The World's Fastest Indian and was very impressed. There are a few scenes that are probably not appropriate for children, however the rest of the story is entertaining and very inspiring. The movie is based on the life of New Zealander, Burt Munro. I don't want to spoil the movie for you if you would like to see it, but the general plot is that Burt has devoted his entire life to making his Indian motorcycle go fast, and it's his dream to go over 200 mph. His destination to accompish this feat is in Utah at the Bonneville salt flats. The story that unfolds demonstrates the difficulties, and pains of trying to accomplish one's dream. But it also reveals the hidden joys of having other people, unexpectedly, joining in the pursuit of your dream.

The one thing that stood out the most about Burt's story is that one in never too old. Burt was 68 years old when he broke 200 mph! Not only that, but he had to put the bike down on the salt going 206...and he walked away to ride again! I have met too many followers of Christ who have given up on their dreams. God sets us apart with a dream--a purpose and it is never too late to pursue and achieve the dreams that God has given us.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;” ~ Jeremiah 1:5

I have met people who have dreamed about doing many different things; like starting an orphanage, taking a mission trip, planting a church and yet they felt like it will never happen. I have also met so many retired people who feel like they don't have a place in what God is doing...that ministry is for those who are younger, etc. No matter who you are or how old you are, it is never too late to live out the dream that God has put in your heart! So what is your dream?

The Duke On Courage

"Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway." ~ Actor John Wayne (1907–1979)

When was the last time you needed courage? Really--think about it, when was the last time that you needed to be courageous?

Can you remember?

Generally, there are two occasions which may require courage:
1. Something bad or challenging happens to you. You find out you have cancer. A tornado hits your home. You are in a car crash. These are all situations which are out of your control and you are forced to "play your hand". You will either choose to be courageous or timid. This is the area in which most people use courage. In my life, it has been almost exclusively situations like these in which I have decided to be courageous.

2. A dangerous or risky situation arises that does not directly affect you. You have a choice to engage in the situation, a situation the will require courage, or walk away. I think of Jonathan and his armor bearer (1 Samuel 14) choosing a suicide mission that wasn't required of them. I think of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus took courage to enter into his mission on earth. It wasn't something that happened to him, he chose to engage it. Most people live their lives never choosing to engage in this kind of courage. Most followers of Christ in the United States will never engage in an activity that requires them to muster up courage.

The author of the New Testament Hebrews letter describes "courage" #2 and hope as the building blocks of God's house.

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast." ~ Hebrews 3:1-6

Since I am a Christ follower I should be engaged in activities that require courage and hope. I can't wait for moments that require courage to come and seek me out. Instead I must be aware and ready to enter into moments that require me to "take a shot of courage." (I actually just heard that lyric on the radio, weird.)

So when was the last time you needed courage?

To Live...

One of my favorite movies is Braveheart. Every time I watch it, something inside of me is stirred...something about what life really is. This clip from the movie (post below - "Sons of Scotland") always gets me. Each time I watch it I am ready to charge the English with Wallace, sword in hand. Deep in my heart I want to be like William Wallace.

The cold reality is that I am like the man two rows back with a hoe, which says something to the effect, "If we go back home we will live." I want to save my life just like him. I cherish comfort way too much...but comfort is not life.

Jesus said,

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” ~ Matthew 10:39

What this world needs are followers of Christ who have decided give up their lives to...live. I am fully convinced that the war on terror will only be won when Christ followers with love strapped to their bodies enter villages in Iran. Starvation will end when Christians bring their potluck dinners to the villages of Somalia. Abortion will be no more when Christ's church engages the culture as opposed to running from it. Racism will be forgotten when the churches move from the suburbs back into the city.

Life is there for the taking when we choose to give up our lives and engage in the things that God cares about. That is what it means to live.

Every man dies...not every man really lives.

Sons of Scotland

Sons of Scotland

Why "Wild Goose Chase"?

You are probably wondering, “What the heck is up with this wild goose chase?” Let me explain. I came across this article written by Bill Tenny-Brittian and it stirred something in me. There was a part of me that said, “Yes, that is it!” So I decided to record my journey with the wild goose. I thought it my be fun to invite others to join me so I invite you to read, comment or just ponder my observations from my wild goose chase. Who knows, maybe you will see the goose too.

Flight of the Wild Goose
by
Bill Tenny-Brittian

One of the most delightful things I experienced at the National House Church Conference in Denver was a taste of Celtic Christianity. The Celtic Christians, led by St. Patrick, stood in stark contrast to their Roman Catholic counterparts (although Celtic Christianity was a part of Roman Catholicism, their ways were significantly different. For one, the Celtic Christians were more a “Do as I do” tribe rather than a “Do as I teach” group. This meant that those outside of the Christian faith saw the Celtic Christians living the Christian life and were both amazed and interested in becoming a part of the faith. Conversely, when you think of Christians you know, which of their lives is so attractive that you just can’t stand to not be like them? Where is that kind of life?Which brings me to the wild goose. The Celts looked at nature and saw God revealed in all His glory and they understood God best when they took symbols from what they experienced. The Holy Spirit was symbolized by the wild goose. Doves were docile and delicate, but the wild goose was untamable, free, and unpredictable. Instead of a soft coo, the wild goose was noisy and raucous. And it seemed always to be on the move—on a pilgrimage ordained by the Lord Himself.

Jesus said that those Christians who were led by the Spirit were like the wind—you don’t know where it comes from and you don’t know where it’s going. A Christian who follows the wild goose is wild and free themselves. They have lives that are less than predictable. They live life to the full (John 10:10). They are wild and free, untamable either by society that would bind them with lies or by religion that would chain them with duty and obligation.

A life following in the tailwind of the wild goose. That’s the kind of life that calls to our innermost being and awakens the lethargic longings within. The problem is, we know few—if any—Christians who have discovered the flight path.

I wish I could tell you that there were seven simple steps to achieving that life, but the truth is, that isn’t so. Learning to fly with the Holy Spirit is to learn a different kind of life. It’s learning faith and trust and how to let go. It’s letting God explore the nooks and crannies of your heart—not with a candle, but with a miner’s light so He can crawl down into those hidden caverns beneath our shame to excavate and alleviate the wounds. It’s healing those hidden wounds and realizing they’re not shameful, but that they’re scars worthy of a Purple Heart, because we got those wounds doing battle for our soul. They’re only shameful in the dark. In the light of day they are what make us strong.

There is much to learn and much to experience before we can fly with the wild goose. However, doing nothing is the guarantee that we’ll never even leave the ground—like so many Christians we know. To get a running start, here are a few things I’ve learned that may help.

Learn to pray. Most of us don’t know how, so it becomes either something we avoid and try not to think about, or else something we do from a sense of duty and obligation. Prayer creates the fronts that drive the wind, but the wind won’t fill our sails or lift our wings if we don’t take the time on our knees.
Learn to listen in prayer. Even fewer of us know how to do this. Mostly we’re taught to pray some litany of requests and a few thank-yous, and then we’re finished. But how can we follow the wild goose if we don’t listen to where the Spirit is going? How can we learn Jesus’ will and wishes for our lives if we can’t hear? I think it’s incredibly sad that so many Christians admit they’ve never heard Jesus speak to them. He does speak and, if you’ve tuned in your heart to the Spirit’s frequency, you too can hear.
Commit to obey what you hear. Here’s the rub. We don’t fly with the wild goose because all too often we refuse to flap our heart’s wings and go where He’s going. Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who are my disciples.” He didn’t say they would precede us—the signs don’t show up until after we do. That means taking a risk, opening our mouths, turning our footsteps, and following in faith.
Discover the desires of your heart. When I was young I struggled with the notion of being a Christian minister because I was sure God would tell me I had to go to Africa. Now I look back and wonder why I had such a terrible impression about my God? The Lord has yet to ask me to invest my life in anything that hasn’t brought me unspeakable joy. The Scriptures say that the Lord wants to give us the desires of our hearts, but we so often find ourselves desiring false-wants. Instead of wanting the true desires, we find ourselves “settling” for something less or something counterfeit. It may take some praying (see #1 and #2) to discern what your heart really wants, but when you find that…there is nothing more freeing and more invigorating than chasing that desire.
I could go on, but that’s a start. If you really want to live life to its fullest—to live a life that follows the wild goose, I’d invite you to begin talking about this very thing in your House Churches. Share your desires. Learn to pray and to listen together. And commit to following wherever the wild goose flies.

Something Is Coming Soon

I had to sign up for a blog just to comment on someone else's blog. That is some incredible manipulation. Oh well, more will be coming soon. Back to the Chase