wgc

Salvation - Courtroom or Marriage

2011-11-15T11:38:00.000-06:00

This is a great description of how to understand salvation. Greg Boyd nails the truth that unlocked it for me a number of years ago, covenant. Check this out.

Can I Lose My Salvation?

2011-10-12T11:03:00.000-05:00

IC3 - Not A Fan

2011-10-11T17:30:00.000-05:00

We just completed a spiritual growth campaign called, Not A Fan. Here is a highlight video of how this campaign impacted some of the people in our church.

Invocation Johnson County I-Club: 9.23.11

2011-10-06T17:15:00.001-05:00

A few people that know me have asked that I post this video, so here you go. I was invited to pray at the Johnson County I-Club the Friday morning before Iowa played the University of Louisiana-Monroe. This is also the Friday after the Hawkeyes had overcome a fourth quarter deficit to Pitt (27-10) to come back and win 31 to 27. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

The Kimyal Tribe of Papua, Indonesia Celebrate Receiving The Bible For The First Time In Their Language

2011-03-03T22:22:00.000-06:00

Not Your Cause, but a King and a Kingdom

2011-01-25T17:52:00.000-06:00

Trash

2011-01-25T17:45:00.000-06:00

This is a great video. Take a few moments to check it out.

Cocoa the Dog & Abundant Life

2011-01-01T12:16:00.000-06:00

So for Christmas, the family and I were able to travel to Northwest Iowa for a week of country living on the farm. My folks live on the Steele family homestead with a lot of hogs, some cattle and a few cats. So when I say, “the family” that also includes the newest addition to our family, Cocoa the dog. Cocoa is a little Japanese Chin mix who is primarily a house dog, but who loves to be outside. Upon arriving to the farm we quickly discovered that not only do the grandkids love coming to the farm, but the grand dog loves it as well. For Cocoa, the farm equaled Heaven!

Farms and dogs were made for each other. On the farm a dog is free to run. Their senses explode with new smells, and there are a plethora of animals to bark at and chase, oh and the food is so much better (table scraps from Christmas dinner). If there is a dog heaven, I’m certain that it will look like a farm.

So what does this have to do with me and you? Honestly, there are a lot of similarities. (Not to mention your desire to chase squirrels and your love of being scratched behind the ears.) Here’s the first one: We are not home. For Cocoa, the farm is fantastic but it’s not her home. For you and me, we have to admit something to ourselves: we are not home. Even when we kick back and relax in our “man cave” or snuggle in close to our kids by the fire, no matter how hard we try, we are not home. The painful truth is that sin has stolen true life away from us. Sin has separated us from the way life was supposed to be; death, ageing, broken relationships, injustice, and pain---all results of sin. So as we struggle through life. Or watch the news and shake our head at the atrocities we see. As we winch in pain from the hurtful words thrown our way, we need to remember that this is not home…this is not the way things were designed to be. Sin has separated us from how life was supposed to be.

In response to sin, God provided a solution in his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus came to earth to die a substitutionary death for our sins so that we may have life. Jesus said very clearly, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” ~ John 10:10. So while we acknowledge that this isn’t home, Jesus came to give us a taste of what life will be someday when he returns to take us to Heaven.

Here’s another similarity between our lives as Christians and Cocoa’s adventure to the farm: We were made for community. Just like Cocoa was made to run and chase animals on the farm we were made to be together. We were made for relationships. So whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you were still created for community. For you to really discover life it requires community.

So if you are a Christian and you feel like something is missing, maybe consider community. Every Christian needs other Christians in their lives. We need someone who we can talk to—really talk to. We need someone who will pray with us, who will encourage us and tell us the truth when no one else will. You were created for community, and in community you will experience true life.

Now obviously, community is difficult to achieve because of the problem of sin. The shame of sin forces us to go and hide, but in Christ we are free to engage in the lives of people. To experience true life, seek out at least one new relationship this year. It might be a new face at church, a neighbor you have been meaning to have coffee with, or a co-worker who doesn’t connect with the rest of the staff. True life waits when we connect with others in community.

Another similarity between Cocoa chasing squirrels and our lives as Christians is this: We were made for ministry. God created you with specific talents, gifts and abilities. Those jobs, activities, or hobbies that make you come alive or give you great pleasure were “wired” into by God for His great purpose—for ministry. To discover the abundant life that Jesus gives requires each of us to use our talents and abilities to serve people, and advance His Kingdom. If you want to grab hold of true life this year use your abilities for ministry. Jesus himself said that we would be “blessed” or “happy” if we took time to minister to people.

There are many more similarities, but there is one more I want to touch on that is often overlooked. Just as Cocoa’s nose loves all the smells of the farm, we discover true life when we make time for it. As Christians we need to make time for abundant life. The reason so many Christians never discover true life is because they never block out the time for it. We invest so much of our time and energy into jobs and tasks that bring us no life…and in fact take away life. For example, we make purchases on credit that we can’t pay for, so we end up working more overtime to pay off bills—for things that we probably didn’t need in the first place.

Since God created us, He understands the need for people to take a break. This break is called Sabbath. God gave a Sabbath break for his people Israel so they would stop working and doing and instead focus on Him. For there to be true life, God’s people need to create the space, and set up the boundaries so that true life can be embraced and lived. If the abundant life Christ promises seems to be eluding you, maybe it simply requires you blocking out time for true life to happen.

So if your life with Christ has become mundane or maybe seems to be missing something, consider some of these options. You might just find that farm…I mean true life available to you through Christ!

Biblical Illiteracy is Church's Dirty Little Secret

2011-01-01T12:01:00.000-06:00

This article is spot on. The question is this: What are we going to do about it?

Biblical Illiteracy is Church's Dirty Little Secret

200 Countries--200 Years

2010-12-18T12:56:00.000-06:00

This is very interesting. From a theological standpoint what do you think God is doing? From a mission's perspective, what do you see happening? How does this impact the church and what we do? I would love to hear some of your thoughts.

The Sabbath: Creating Space for God

2010-12-01T11:42:00.005-06:00

For the last five weeks, as a church we have been studying the Old Testament book of Exodus. Between our daily readings and weekly messages we have covered a lot of information in a short time period. My goal in doing this has been twofold: 1. we need to spend more time in God’s Word. Any time in the Bible is good and I know that it is a struggle for many of you to keep at it on a regular basis. So my plan with Exodus was to demonstrate how we can take “small bites” of Scripture each day and not only cover a lot of material in a month, but also better understand God’s plan for our lives. 2. I wanted you to see how the Bible fits together. For a lot of people the Bible seems disjointed. It sometimes appears that God has two different personalities, an angry, demanding God in the Old Testament and a loving and grace giving God in the New Testament. As we have discovered those theories are simply not true. The God of the Old Testament is incredibly loving, gracious and forgiving. So reading the Bible helps us better understand the Bible.

So as we move forward as a church I am going to continue to assign Scripture to you. Each week I will provide you with tidbits of Scripture to read to help keep you in God’s Word, but also connect you with what we will be studying each Sunday morning. If it is our goal to grow as disciples, we must continue our pursuit of reading the Bible. So one of the things that you need to do is create a regular space in your life to read and absorb God’s Word. Just so you know, creating space in one’s life for God’s Word is not a new thing.

In the book of Exodus, God brings Israel all the way out into the middle of the desert so that he can spend some quality alone time with these people…in a way he creates space so that these Israelites will not be distracted. Then God does something astounding, he marries Israel. Many rabbis down through the centuries have viewed the Sinai event as a marriage. You have God as the groom taking his bride, Israel and making her his wife. There are the vows, the Ten Commandment which set the terms of this covenant relationship. Then you have the ring. Most of you are immediately thinking, “What ring? There’s no ring?” Ah, but look closer.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the LORD, who makes you holy.” ~ Exodus 31:12, 13

Just as a ring is a sign of a covenant relationship between a husband and a wife, God declares that the Sabbath is a sign for all Israelites to remember their “marriage” relationship to him. So what God is asking his “wife” to do is to simply set aside one day a week where she doesn’t have to cook, clean or go to work. All she has to do is spend time with her husband. (Sidebar here, married couples we should probably consider making this a part of our weekly marriage relationship as well. Yes?) So what is God doing here? Is he being a mean, angry, demanding God who wants his wife to follow all his orders? No, this is a loving husband who wants his wife to not work so hard, and be busy doing things that really don’t matter. This is a husband who simply wants to spend time with his wife.

So what is God asking of you in your covenant relationship with him? He’s simply asking that you make space for him. For a lot of us that is very difficult isn’t it? We have filled our lives so we are overbooked, too busy and exhausted by the time our head hits the pillow. But it’s not just busy work it’s fun and play too. We live in a culture that worships the weekend. We work hard all week so we can play hard on Saturday and Sunday. What’s so interesting is that the God who invented the weekend gets pushed completely out of our minds when Friday afternoon rolls around. We’ve got projects to do, trips to take and games to watch. Then we wonder why God seems so distant or why we haven’t grown as disciples like we thought we would. For a lot of us, our relationship with God isn’t about doing more…reading a new book, getting into another Bible study, or signing up for a new ministry. For most of us it’s about creating space in our lives so we can connect with the one who truly loves us and wants what’s best for our lives.

To connect with God you need to make space in at least three areas of your life: 1) Community worship. You need to gather with your church family as often as possible to worship. The church is the body of Christ; it is the most real way that we can be reminded of God’s work in this world and in our lives. 2) You need to set aside a few minutes each day to read the Bible and pray to God. It doesn’t have to be elaborate and lengthy. It can simply be 15 minutes, but you will be shocked at how God can connect with you in that simple space. 3) Lastly, you need to set aside time each week to meet with a small group of Christians. Whether it’s in a discipleship group or an accountability partner you need someone with whom you can share space with in prayer and encouragement.

Believe me, God wants to transform your life and move you from where you are into a deeper relationship with him. For that to take place you need to make space. So the question I have for you is simple: What needs to go to make space for God?

The Circumcision of Moses' Son - Exodus 4:24-26

2010-11-04T13:54:00.000-05:00

This question has popped up a few times during our reading of Exodus. Here is a good explanation by Peter Enns as found in the NIV Application Commentary.

"Without wading through the interpretive muck and mire, let me suggest that these verses presage the importance of circumcision in 12:43-49. We are able to make several fairly safe assumptions: (1) The object of God's wrath is Moses; no one really disputes this, and it makes the most sense in the context. (2) God is probably angry with Moses because his son (or perhaps both he and his son) is not circumcised. In any event, circumcision has something to do with it. (3) Zipporah's circumcision of her son appeases God's wrath and causes him to relent.
-----
What we see in 4:24-26 is the zeal with which the Lord guards this most important rite (circumcision). We must remember that circumcision as a sign of God's covenant was commanded of the patriarch Abraham (Gen. 17:1-27). Throughout the opening chapters of Exodus we have noted the importance God attaches to the patriarchs, particularly in connection with God's name (Ex 3:15-16; 4:5). It is in his connection to the patriarchs that God is to be known, and it is for the sake of the patriarchs that God will deliver Israel. Yet this connection to the patriarchs also imposes a covenant obligation on Moses and the Israelites. They have been delivered by the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are, therefore, to observe the command given to them: Circumcise your male children." ~ Peter Enns

Speak With Conviction

2010-10-20T10:54:00.001-05:00

Steve Deace: Big Talker

2010-09-15T15:01:00.000-05:00

I love talk radio and listen to it whenever I get a chance. One of the personalities I listen to is Steve Deace. Deace in the afternoon airs on WHO from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on weekdays. Here's a recent story that was written about him.

Big Talker

Who Is God?

2010-09-15T10:49:00.004-05:00

In our culture, everyone assumes they know God; whether atheist, agnostic or Christian. But isn't that a very dangerous assumption? To think we actually know and understand God?

So, one of the most important questions we can ask is simply: "Who is God?" As we read the Bible we need to ask, "Who is God?" As we pray we need to ask, "Who is God?" As we listen to a sermon we need to ask, "Who is God?" Our lifelong journey here on earth is to continually answer the question, "Who is God?"

Let me tell you why this is such an important question to answer. Theologian and New Testament scholar NT Wright tells this story of the time he was the campus chaplain at Worcester College in Oxford, England. As chaplain he would make it a point to meet all the students each year. In introducing himself, a number of the students would say that they probably wouldn't be seeing much of each other because they, the student, didn't believe in God.

Wright had a stock reply. He would ask, "Oh, and what god don't you believe in?"

The student would give a puzzled look. So Wright would say, "Describe this god that you don't believe in."
So the student would describe a god who was distant and uninvolved in the goings on of earth, and who was ultimately angry and upset with people.

Wright would listen, nodding his head. And when the student was done, Wright would reply, "I'm not surprised you don't believe in god…I don't believe in that god either."

We live in a culture and we live lives that assume we really know God. That kind of ignorance and arrogance keeps us from really truly knowing God. One of the priorities of our day should be to humbly approach the Bible and prayer to simply better understand who God is. Why is this so important? As we better know God we are able to move into a closer relationship with him—and isn't that what we are truly are looking for?

What People Wish Their Pastors Knew About Church - Part 3: The No.1 Most Important Thing

2010-09-01T10:02:00.000-05:00

I came across this blog post...good stuff! This is why I spend so much time getting ready for Sunday.

What People Wish Their Pastors Knew About Church

IC Church of Christ: Next Steps for September

2010-08-21T09:28:00.002-05:00

It is so humbling to think that God would invite me to have a front row seat in the work he is doing in Iowa City and in our church. To be able to hear the stories and see the work going on in and around our church is so exciting. Let me share one of the awesome ways that God is working in our church. So far, through the month of July, we are on record pace in regards to our giving towards missions. By the time 2010 is done, we will have given more for missions than any other time in the history of this church! Do you know what makes something like that happen? What makes people generous with their money is their close relationship with a generous God. To truly know God means we understand his love and generosity and it changes us. With all that God is doing in our church, here are some "next steps" that we will be taking in the month of September.
First, we are going to launch a second worship service at 8:30 am, starting Sunday, September 5th. This service will be identical to our regular 10:30 am service, it just will be earlier. The reasoning behind the move to add another service was twofold. 1) Our main 10:30 service was 2/3rds full and we were having some parking issues, especially during the winter. A second service will provide more space for both of our worship services. 2) We wanted to provide another opportunity for people to worship with us. We understand that schedules and conflicts can arise and 10:30 doesn't always work for everybody. Now, there is a second option available. Please be praying for this second service launch and consider possibly making this service your regular worship time.
Second, in addition to this new service we are also launching a spiritual growth campaign called Prodigal God. This campaign is based on Jesus' parable from Luke 15, in what is commonly known as the prodigal son. The structure for the campaign is based off of the book, Prodigal God, written by pastor and author Timothy Keller. This spiritual growth event will begin on Sunday, September 5^th with a video sermon preached by Pastor Timothy Keller. This sermon will unlock the message of the prodigal son in a way you have never experienced. How you understand and relate to God has the potential to be radically changed.
To get the most out of this campaign there are three things that I would like you to do. First, commit to attending every worship service during this campaign (September 5^th – October 17^th). The worship and preaching experiences are designed to help you grow throughout this event. Second, sign up to be in a small group Bible study. The best way to apply the teaching you will be receiving is to have a group to talk, pray and study with. Small group sign up will begin August 22^nd. Third, purchase a Prodigal God book ($15)…and read it! This book will be your guide throughout the study. It will help you unpack what Jesus teaches in this powerful parable. Books will be available in the foyer starting Sunday, August 22.
God is doing some incredible things, the question is: Are you ready to follow? As the saying goes, "You can't go with God and stay where you are." I think it's time to take some next steps!

Prodigal God

2010-08-15T21:37:00.000-05:00

Coming Sunday, September 5th, IC Church of Christ is going to launch into a spiritual growth campaign entitled Prodigal God. Here's a video trailer describing what Prodigal God is all about.

How To Fool A Baboon

2010-08-15T20:59:00.000-05:00

I used this YouTube clip for my sermon on Sunday.

What's the point you say? Well, how about this: What do you need to let go of so you can find freedom?

What's the Best Way To Change a Church?

2010-08-13T10:54:00.000-05:00

Here's a video from my friend Jim Powell, the Lead Pastor at Richwoods Christian Church in Peoria, Illinois. The church he leads has under gone some dramatic growth over the last few years. In this video he shares what the key component was in turning things around.

Untitled from The Nines on Vimeo.

Who Do You Depend On?

2010-07-06T13:35:00.003-05:00

  The last few months have been very challenging for me on a spiritual level and I thought it would be good for me to share with you some of the things that have been convicting me. As most of you know, we have been studying The Sermon on the Mount for the last 12 weeks at church. Couple that with my A.B.F. Class on The Chronological Study of the Life of Christ and it's clear to see I have been fairly focused on Jesus' teachings for the last few months—and that is the issue. One cannot spend time with Jesus and his teachings and not be challenged or downright convicted. That is what has been happening to me.

  As I read through the Gospels I am continually trying to figure out which of the people in the narrative I would be: am I Peter, the tax collector, Judas, the rich man, Lazarus, or am I the Pharisee? More often than not I find myself as a Pharisee, and here's why. The main reason why the Pharisees didn't understand Jesus and his Kingdom message was because they were too confident in their ability to obey the Law and the Prophets; their righteousness came through their own strength and ability. In contrast, the Kingdom of God was all about complete dependence upon our Heavenly Father.

  So I making this realization I began to ask myself, "Am I living my life in complete dependence upon my Heavenly Father?" Or am I dependent upon my own abilities to be good, moral and Christian? This is a challenging question that we as Jesus followers need to continually ask ourselves. To help answer this question I looked around the Gospels looking for some type of indicator…some way of knowing if I am living in complete dependence upon God. In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus gives a very clear description of what Judgment Day will look like. He says:

³¹"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." ~ Mt 25:31-33

  Jesus uses a typical shepherding reference. In Jesus' day shepherds would allow the flocks to graze together, but when it was time for shearing there would be a time to separate the sheep from the goats. So his audience connects with this image of separating one type from another. What we learn is that when Jesus returns a second time there will be a time of separating as well; sheep to the right and goats to the left. Next Jesus says:

³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'~ Mt 25:34-40

  What determines whether someone is a sheep or a goat? Like every other judgment scene of the New Testament it is made on the basis of deeds (Mt 16:27; Jn 5:28-30; Rom 2:5-11; 2 Cor 5:10; 1 Peter 1:17; Rev 20:11-15). So what I have learned from this teaching is that what I do reflects my dependence upon God. Here the sheep engaged in loving and serving people, they were dependent upon God to do his work. What is interesting is that they didn't even realize they had served Jesus. These sheep were just doing the work of their Heavenly Father. So the question I need to ask of myself is this: Am I putting myself in situations where I am dependent upon God to do his work in this world?

  This teaching does raise another question: Does this contradict salvation by grace? How can one be saved by grace but judged by works? It is simply this, when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, the only thing that will really matter is our relationship to Jesus—have we trusted in him? The answer to that question is not in our talk but in our walk. How we live our lives is the surest way to tell what we believe. Our good deeds don't save us. But they clearly demonstrate our primary commitments. They determine how dependent we are upon God.

  It would probably be a great benefit to you to stop for a moment and take inventory of your life. It is so easy to just roll through life and not pay attention to where you are going…we assume way too much! Take inventory of how you are trusting God and relying upon his power to carry out the great work of his Kingdom! You may just discover that you are farther away from your Heavenly Father then you thought. Maybe it's time to come home.

The Acid Test of Being a Christian

2010-06-09T12:01:00.001-05:00

I came across this blog post by Tim Keller and it grabbed my heart. If you are a Christian you need to read this.

The Acid Test of Being a Christian

What Kind of Summer Are You Going To Have?

2010-05-27T14:56:00.001-05:00

With the start of summer comes a myriad of different opportunities to do stuff: vacations, holidays, fun in the sun, and ball games just to name a few. Summer is to be enjoyed and celebrated! However, there is some risk involved in the activities of summer as well, and I'm not talking about sunburns and mosquito bites. I'm talking more about a Christian's spiritual health. Often times during the summer (and others seasons as well) we put ourselves in situations that are risky; compromising situations which have the potential to move us away from God, not closer to Him.

The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 teaches this truth to the Christians in Corinth. He reminds them that while God was with Israel in rescuing them from Egypt and providing for them in the wilderness, many Israelites died and never reached the Promised Land because they put themselves in compromising situations. Read Paul's teaching:

"These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. ¹²So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! ¹³No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

The core teaching here is simple: Don't assume anything. Don't assume that you can put yourself in a compromising relationship and come out unscathed. Don't assume that you can miss out on regular fellowship with other Christians and not be affect. Don't assume that you can ignore a regular diet of God's Word and still grow in your faith. Be careful that you don't fall!

God will always provide a way out, but our God is a gentleman—He's not going to make you do what you don't want to do. If you're in a situation that you shouldn't be, He's not going to pick you up and move you to safety. If you have missed out on fellowship with your church family, He's not going to forcibly pick you up and plant you in church. Your discipleship is dependent upon you intentionally putting yourself in situations where you avoid temptation and are surrounded as much as possible with God's people and His Word.

Please understand that I remind you of these things because I care about you. For too many Christians, summer is a time to "take a break" from their faith. But what if summer was a time of genuine spiritual growth? What if summer provided you with more time of fellowship with Christians? What if summer provided you more time to read the Bible? What if summer provided you more time to walk and pray? What if summer allowed you more time to serve?

Summer is officially here. What kind of summer are you going to have? You choose.

The Gift

2010-05-12T17:30:00.001-05:00

"About to graduate from high school, a young man from a wealthy family was anticipating his gift. It was the custom in that affluent neighborhood for the parents to give the graduate a new car. Jason and his father had spent months looking at cars, and the week before graduation they found the perfect car. Jason was certain that this car would be his on graduation night. Imagine his disappointment when immediately following the graduation ceremony, Jason's father handed him a small, elegantly wrapped package. It must be the keys to my new car, Jason thought.

Upon opening the gift, though, all he found was a Bible with his name imprinted on the front. A Bible? He took it out, looking to find car keys in the box. Empty! Jason was so angry that he threw the Bible down and stormed out of the house. His father tried to stop him, but Jason kept on running. He and his father never saw each other again.

News of his father's death finally brought Jason home again. As he went through the possessions he was about to inherit from his father, he came across the graduation Bible. Brushing away the dust, he opened it and began idly flipping through the pages. A paper tucked inside caught his eye and he pulled out of the Bible a cashier's check, dated the day of his graduation, in the exact amount of the car he and his father had chosen."

This short story very accurately describes how many of us approach our relationship with God. We expect certain things from God because he is our Heavenly Father and he is supposed to be good. If God is good and loves us, we naturally expect things to go well in our lives; good health, great job, obedient talented kids, a full bank account, a fantastic marriage and most of all happiness. Don't tell me that you haven't had those types of expectations of God—we all have.

So how do you respond when things don't work out? What is your response when the job falls through? How do you react when you find out its cancer? Do you run from God? Do you become angry with what He has allowed to come into your life? Or do you stop to rummage through and look into the situation? If we would just stop, and instead of running from God simply ask the question: "God what good thing do you want me to learn?" Or maybe, "God thank you for this gift to teach me ________."

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." ~ James 1:2-5

What Are You Looking For?

2010-05-07T15:13:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across this video I made back in 2007 for Easter Sunday. I thought I would repost it because the message is timeless. Enjoy...oh and what are you looking for?

The Story of Compassion International

2010-04-30T13:21:00.002-05:00

George Costanza - The Opposite

2010-04-29T15:17:00.000-05:00

If you missed the message on Sunday, I used this Seinfeld episode to introduce my message. Check it out and enjoy...oh and consider doing the opposite!

Pianst Plays iPad for Concert Encore

2010-04-22T12:29:00.002-05:00

Two Very Good Reads Written by Bob Lowery

2010-04-21T11:05:00.000-05:00

One of the blogs I follow is written by Dr. Robert Lowery, professor of New Testament at Lincoln Christian Seminary. Here are two posts that would be well worth your time to read.

The Suddenness and Nearness of Christ's Return

Do I or Don't I?

Scot McKnight - Stone-Campbell Lectures

2010-04-19T17:45:00.000-05:00

I love my Restoration Movement heritage. Here are a few words that Scot McKnight had to say about Christian Churches/Churches of Christ.

Stone-Campbell Lectures

Haiti Medical Mission Trip - Jen Erbes

2010-04-13T16:32:00.000-05:00

This is a video of Jen Erbes and her medical mission trip to Haiti. Amazing stuff! Jen is married to our associate minister Ben. We appreciate what they both bring to our church family.

The really cool thing is that on Sunday we raised $1000 to buy tents for Haitians living in the Port-au-Prince area. Haitians are fearful of living or even being inside of buildings. With the rainy season approaching tents are a very viable option for the people living in this devastated country. Mission team members from the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area will continue to travel to Haiti taking tents with them, living in them for the week, then leaving them behind for a Haitian to call home. Basic, simple, and real. That is what sharing the love of Jesus is all about.

Stumbling Through A Small Group

2010-04-09T17:51:00.000-05:00

Check out this post by Ben Erbes. Ben is new to our staff (actually having Ben officially makes us a staff) and he is leading our Build & Send ministries at IC Church of Christ. The post is written by one of the members of his small group named Andy. Enjoy...and be inspired! Stumbling Through A Small Group

Drink Coffee. Do Good.

2010-04-01T17:33:00.000-05:00

At IC Church of Christ we are looking to change how we do coffee. When Suzi and I went to Catalyst-One Day we met up with a group called, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company. Here is the basis for their company from their website:

"What if you could impact a village by drinking a cup of coffee? When we learned that the 1994 genocide in Rwanda devastated the coffee growing community and left the surviving growers in unjust conditions, we invested in a roaster and a few bags of green coffee beans from Rwanda and launched a new experience grounded in coffee, community, justice."

Anyway, this story really connected with us. So we are in the process of changing over all of our coffee to Thousand Hills coffee. It's such a simple way to have a huge impact on people. Oh...and it's great coffee too!

What Does Hitting a Fastball Have To Do With Easter?

2010-04-01T13:38:00.006-05:00

"Yale physicist Robert Adair has been studying the art of hitting Major League fastballs. Scientifically, it's impossible. A batter facing a 90 mph fastball has less than a quarter of a second to see the pitch, judge its speed and location, decide what to do and start to swing. To get a hit, the bat must meet the ball within one-eighth of an inch of dead center and at precisely the right millisecond as the 3-inch spinning sphere whizzes by. This is a superhuman feat that is "clearly impossible," Adair said.

Whipping out his calculators and computers, Adair noted when a pitcher throws a 90 mph fastball, it takes only 400 milliseconds-that's less than a half-second for those of us non-scientifically minded-for the ball to reach the plate. Considering the time it takes for the batter's brain to send signals to swing, the chances that he can actually hit the ball are extremely small, Adair said. Physics proves it, he said."

So, there you have it! It's scientifically impossible to hit a fastball. The only problem with this great scientific research is that I have actually witnessed someone hitting a fastball—and not just one person, but many people. I've seen fastballs hit in batting practice and I've seen fastballs hit in the most pressure packed situations imaginable. So while the physics research is there to prove that a fastball cannot be hit I have personal, eyewitness information that proves otherwise.

What does this all mean? On Sunday we are going to celebrate the single greatest event in the history of the world—the resurrection of Jesus Christ! All the empirical research points to this simple fact: a dead person does not become alive again…especially after being dead for three days. Even our own understanding of life and death, (killing bugs, having pets die and going to funerals) points to the simple fact that something dead doesn't revive and live again. Yet as Christians that is what we believe with all of our hearts—why? We believe in the resurrection of Jesus because it connects with us at a very deep and personal level. You see, the resurrection isn't just about science and facts (Even though the facts and evidence for the resurrection are incredibly powerful!). The resurrection is very, very personal.

Just ask Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples. Thomas didn't want to know the science behind the resurrection, he just wanted to see Jesus after his death. When he did, it changed everything for him. So much so that he gave his own life for the cause of Christ. Why? He gave his life because the resurrection was personal. What about Mary and James, Jesus' mother and brother. Before Jesus was crucified and resurrected, neither Mary nor James understood what Jesus was up to. In fact, James made fun of Jesus. After the resurrection, both Mary and James worship Jesus as Lord. Why? They worship Jesus because the resurrection was personal.

The list goes on and on and on. When it comes to the resurrection we find that our most personal questions and longings are answered. On Easter Sunday that will be the focus of the message I want to share with you and any of the guests you bring. I want everyone to walk out the doors after the service knowing that the resurrection is very deep, meaningful and personal.

'57 Chevy & Discipleship

2010-03-27T00:03:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday during the message I used the metaphor of building a model of a '57 Chevy. I had my son Alex come up on stage and work on the model while I preached about the tools needed to build a disciple. He didn't quite get the model done, so here is a picture to prove that father and son completed the project...together. If you want to listen to Build: The making of a disciple click on the link.

Charity Water

2010-03-23T14:53:00.000-05:00

Check this out. Very practical way for each of us to make a huge difference in the lives of people around the world.

Charity Water

For There To Be Growth, There Must Be Sacrifice

2010-03-05T09:35:00.006-06:00

Recently, in my Adult Bible Fellowship class we studied an event that happened to Jesus on the Tuesday before he was betrayed and murdered. In a conversation with his disciples Jesus makes these statements:

"Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be.” ~ John 12:23-26

The big idea from this teaching is this—for there to be growth there has to be sacrifice. For our sins to be forgiven and for reconciliation back to the Father, Jesus had to die. But he also includes his followers in this equation as well. If we are truly disciples of his, then our path is his path—we must be willing to sacrifice our lives for there to be growth…or multiplication.

Now, Jesus’ disciples all experienced that first hand (minus Judas Iscariot). Every one of them we beaten, imprisoned and except for John, died a martyr’s death. Through their sacrifice the kingdom of God grew and grew. For there to be growth, there must be sacrifice. Deep down we all know this. If you like to garden you know a seed has to be buried for it to multiply. To build endurance one has to exercise. To earn the degree, one has to give up activities to study and study. To raise great kids, parents have to sacrifice friendships and hobbies. Are you tracking with me?

Okay, let’s shift this over to our little piece of the kingdom of God—Iowa City Church of Christ. It is our mission to make disciples here in Iowa City and for this to happen we have to sacrifice because for there to be growth there must be...you guessed it, sacrifice. What that means is you need to take an inventory of what you need to sacrifice for the kingdom to continue to advance. What about time? Can you sacrifice one TV show a week to help in a ministry? Can you sacrifice one eating out meal a week to put an extra $5 or $10 in the offering plate? What about your fear of failure? What about sacrificing your fears and trying a ministry or inviting a friend of yours to church? Or maybe, it’s repenting of a sin and moving into a closer relationship with Jesus.

Whatever the case may be, our church and you personally stand at a very important intersection. We can keep doing the same things—or we can sacrifice and reap the results of growth that can only come from our loving heavenly Father. For there to be growth, there must be sacrifice.

How Are We Saved?

2010-02-05T23:14:00.001-06:00

All right. This is a question or topic that is often talked about in Christian and non Christian circles. I should clarify: How are we saved from our sins/Hell? Another way of putting it would be, "How does one enter into a relationship with God?" One of the problems I have discovered over the years is that a lot of people are very dependent upon what a preacher, priest, pastor or friend communicates to them. But here's the deal, why would you allow your eternal destiny rest in the hands of another person? If you were going to solo sky dive what would you do to prepare? Personally I would take every class I could...I would take a lot of notes and ask a lot of questions. I would also personally learn and pack my own chute, and if someone had packed it for me I would recheck for myself. Are you with me?

I strongly believe that the same should hold true for our relationship with God. Why would you allow another person to tell you how to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus when you can find out the truth for yourself. So what I suggest every Christian should do is find out for themselves. Now, I wish I could take credit for this little exercise but alas I have to give credit where credit is due. One of my college professors, Chuck McCoy suggested this and I have personally done it twice. So if you want to know how to be saved, here is a good exercise to engage in.

Find a good concordance and look up the following words: "saved", "save", "saves" and "salvation." If you're looking for a tool online check out Biblegateway.com and do a "Key Word" search for those same words. Once you have done that, collect and group all the verses that are related specifically to being saved from sin and or Hell. Then make note of what each grouping of verses teaches...then do what they say.

Now, I highly recommend that you do this exercise for yourself. But if you want a quick glance, here are all the verses in the New Testament that use the words, "save", "saved", "saves" and "salvation." Do a read through and see what they say. I would love to hear your thoughts.

New Testament Scriptures using the word, “Save”/ “Saved” / “Salvation” / “Saves”

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ~ Mt 1:21

²²All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. ~ Mt 10:22

²⁵For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ~ Mt 16:25

¹⁶Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ~ Mk 16:16

¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ~ Jn 3:17

⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. ~ Jn 10:9

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ~ Acts 2:21

¹²Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” ~ Acts 4:12

¹¹No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” ~ Acts 15:11

³¹They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” ³²Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. ³³At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. ~ Acts 16:31

¹⁶I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. ~ Romans 1:16

⁹Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ~ Romans 5:9

⁹That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ~ Romans 10:9

²By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. ~ 1 Cor. 15:2

¹⁰Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. ~ 2 Cor 7:10

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. ~ Eph 2:8

¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ~ Titus 2:11

⁴But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, ⁵he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. ~ Titus 3:3

²⁵Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. ~ Heb 7:25

²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. ~ James 1:21

²¹and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. ~ 1 Peter 3:21

Catalyst 09 - Compassion Moment

2010-02-04T14:41:00.003-06:00

I've had some inquiries about the video I showed on Sunday during my message. If you missed it or want to watch it again, here it is. Oh and you had better have some tissues handy...I'm just saying.

One Dollar More

2010-02-03T13:00:00.002-06:00

I wanted to share with you something that we are going to try during the month of February. As most of you know we have been studying through the New Testament letters of 1,2 and 3 John. We will be wrapping up the series actually on Valentine’s Day, which is interesting since the driving force of John’s letters could be summarized in this statement: When you know the truth about Jesus you love. So as you can see, there is a love theme going on here. What we are going to do is enact the power of love on people in our community through a project called, One Dollar More.

Here is how One Dollar More is going to work. What we are going to ask is that everyone who attends our worship service put in one dollar more in the offering plate. So if you usually put in $50, put in $51—simple, right? Then what we are going to do is take the total attendance for the worship service and take out one dollar for each person attending. So, if there are 150 people attending on Sunday, we will take out $150—again, simple. We will then use that money to help someone in the community. It may be a single mom who can’t pay her heating bill. It may be an elderly woman who can’t pay rent in February. We want to show God’s love in a simple and practical way. In fact we already have a family that we are going to assist with our dollars from the offering this Sunday (February 7^th). You will learn more about them this weekend.

Okay, let’s go over this one more time. Each Sunday, during the month of February put one more dollar in the offering plate. If you don’t give anything, why not try giving four dollars during the month of February and see how God uses your money. Also, if you have kids, this is a great way to connect them with how God uses our gifts. If your kids have an allowance, encourage them give one dollar each week. If your child has never given, challenge them to do chores around the house to earn a dollar so they can put it in the offering plate each Sunday. Then each Sunday, they will see for themselves the power of giving in love.

One last thing, I need your eyes and ears in the community. If you come across a need where our, One Dollar More money can go, please contact me. You are the church and wherever you go you represent Christ and his church. If you come across a neighbor that is struggling or a co-worker that can’t make ends meet, let me know. We want to share God’s amazing love in a simple and practical way!

Recent E-Mail and My Response

2010-02-02T16:28:00.002-06:00

The E-Mail:

Good morning, I was looking at your web site and I was wondering what your take is on instrumental music. And Why do you down grade the worship of our Lord with encouraging people to come dressed "comfortably"? What if comfortable to some are short shorts and tank tops??? Seems odd to me that people are getting away from the reason we are to be attending church.. The true christians of this world are going to be the ones that stand out because of what we do NOT do, not because we tag onto the shirt tails of the majority.. After all, when you read the scriptures, where is the majority of the population going to spend eternity? Now you know why!
Thanks...

My Response:

Thanks for checking out our website. Regarding your first question about instrumental music, we use instruments in our worship service. We have many skilled musicians and it is such a joy to hear and see them as they help lead our worship services.

Your second question, "Why do you downgrade the worship of our Lord with encouraging people to come "comfortably"? I guess I don't understand what you are asking. What does manner of dress have to do with worship? Jesus told the woman at the well (John 4) that true worshipers worship in spirit and in truth. That was in response to a question about whether true worship required a specific location. Need I also remind you that King David danced in his underwear...his wife was critical and God cursed her. Be careful about making judgments when you don't know a person's heart--only God knows that. The whole idea of "dressing up" for church is man made...Jesus never made that a mandate for his followers or those seeking him. Did the prostitutes/tax collectors have to clean up before they came to Jesus?

One last thing. You pointed out that only a few are going to spend eternity with the Lord. You speak truth. But that is not God's desire. He desires that everyone would come to Him. He is patient doing whatever it takes to get them to Jesus. The whole thought of people spending eternity in Hell breaks my heart, and I'm going to do whatever it takes to make that "few" as big as possible.

Remember, we are on the same team. We may do things a little bit differently but we love Jesus with all of our hearts and we strive to be obedient to the Scriptures.

Grace & Peace,
Tom Steele

Enjoy - Patrick Henry Hughes

2010-01-22T09:11:00.000-06:00

Youth in lawless Haiti at risk for sex trade, slavery, murder

2010-01-20T14:06:00.002-06:00

Good read on the post Haiti earthquake aftermath. There are a lot of evil things taking place, we have to pray and do whatever it takes to protect the innocent.

Youth in lawless Haiti at risk for sex trade, slavery, murder

IC Church of Christ: What's Next In 2010?

2010-01-14T23:16:00.003-06:00

It was a great year for Iowa City Church of Christ. Financially, we finished the year over budget, something that has never happened before. Our church gave over $21,000 in missions. We averaged 147 in our Sunday morning worship attendance for 2009. Seven people were baptized into Christ, the most since I’ve been here. And God has been working on the hearts of people all year as many decisions were made regarding leadership, ministry, giving, and spiritual growth. God continues to do amazing work in our church.

Now, these results shouldn’t necessarily surprise us. These are the kind of things that Jesus said would happen as we trust him and do what he says. When Jesus came to earth to unleash his kingdom, listen to what he said it would look like.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” ~ Luke 4:18,19 (Jesus reading Isaiah 61:1,2)

So, because we are Christ’s church we are a part of that kingdom, involved in that kind of work. It’s truly an adventure, exciting and fun. But it’s also messy, difficult, and extremely hard. One can’t share good news with the poor without sharing in their pain. One cannot proclaim freedom to prisoners without going into prisons. One cannot release the oppressed without experiencing their brokenness. To share in the Lord’s great work requires much of his people.

There’s one other truth I need to mention as well. Jesus said this about our enemy Satan.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” ~ John 10:10

So not only can kingdom work present a certain set of challenges, it also puts us in direct opposition to the Enemy who wants to thwart the work of Christ and his kingdom by killing, stealing and destroying.

So what does this all mean? Well, it means that if you are a part of IC Church of Christ and you believe in our mission then there are three things that I need you to do every week this year.

1) Pray. God is powering and leading everything that is happening in our church. We need to continue to consult Him for guidance, provision and protection. So here is what I want you to do. Every week pray for the mission of IC Church of Christ to be accomplished (Make disciples). Pray for wisdom for the leadership of the church. Pray for spiritual protection over our church. Lastly, pray for people that you know who don’t know Jesus.

2) Take The Next Step. The disciple journey is not a sprint…it’s a marathon. To become a faithful growing follower of Jesus requires that we do the next thing that he is leading us to do. I don’t know what the next step is for you, but Jesus does and I’m guessing that he has been encouraging you to take that step. It may be joining an Adult Bible Fellowship class or small group. It may be finally uniting with Christ through baptism. It may be joining a ministry and using your ability to advance the kingdom of Christ. Please take a moment and consider what the next step is for you, then make a decision to do it.

3) Give. This isn’t just referring to money, but it may. Let me back up and remind you that if you want to grow to be a better disciple you need to grow as a giver. God is a giver (His Son). Jesus is a giver (His life). If you want to grow you need to give. Maybe this is the year that you take it up a notch in your giving. Maybe you have never tried the tithe (giving 10%) and this is the year you step up and take the challenge. It may be that it’s not money you need to give but instead time. In many ways time is more valuable than money. It may be that you need to give more time in ministry at church. Or it could be that you need to invest more time in relationships…maybe with a neighbor or friend. My personal challenge to you is to commit to giving one hour a week in some type of ministry.

If you would commit to doing these three things this year I know that God will bless you and continue to bless our church as we make disciples for Jesus here in Iowa City.

You Can't Discount The Bible, It's The Real Deal

2010-01-09T23:14:00.002-06:00

Good read on the historical evidence that suggests that the Old Testament could be older then previously thought. You can't dismiss the Bible, it stands up to all tests and continues to prove reliable.

"When Was The Bible Really Written?"

Francis Chan: The Prayer Americans Refuse to Pray

2010-01-07T10:52:00.003-06:00

I came across this vblog post from Francis Chan. It raises a great question that all of us...especially Americans need to answer: Am I really dependent upon God? Check it out. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Avatar, Nature, and Pantheism

2010-01-05T17:13:00.002-06:00

It would be well worth your time to check out this op-ed piece written by Ross Douthat entitled, Heaven and Nature.

The article has to do with Hollywood's obsession with the religion of pantheism, specifically the message communicated in the movie Avatar. I have watched the movie Avatar and found it to be an incredibly entertaining film...very well done.

As Christians we have to always be on our guard filtering images and messages that pass through our brains. Just because something stirs our emotions doesn't make it a truth. Our quest is to always be seekers of truth.

Adolescence - Mark Driscoll

2009-12-21T21:26:00.003-06:00

This is good stuff. Maybe a stretch connecting it to John the baptizer, but good non-the-less. It's a little long, but hang with it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

"This Sh_t Is Awesome!"

2009-12-14T10:34:00.002-06:00

One of the blogs that I follow is by a pastor named Perry Noble. Here is a recent post of his that is worth reading and pondering. Check it out.

This Shi_t Is Awesome!

Congo War Refugee Rescue

2009-12-09T15:06:00.002-06:00

I'm a part of pastor prayer group in Iowa City/Coralville/North Liberty called EPIC. We meet each Tuesday to pray. Over the last year our group has had a couple join us for prayer, Justin and Binua Matiyabo. They lead a church in the Coralville called, King of Glory Church. The Matiyabos are refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has been and continues to suffer horrible atrocities. Thousands of people are killed on a daily basis and there continues to be thousands of refugees trying to find safety and shelter (If you have seen the movies, "Blood Diamonds" or "Hotel Rwanda" that gives you an idea of the evil that is taking place in the Congo now). Justin and Binua still have family in the neighboring country of Benin who are currently living in a refugee camp. We want to rescue them and others. Check out this video and consider how you can help out in bringing these people to safety.

Being A Disciple Also Includes Unity

2009-12-04T14:21:00.002-06:00

For the last several weeks I have been reading up on my heritage—more specifically my church heritage. Let me explain what I mean. For a number of you reading this, you grew up in a particular church, tradition or denomination. Those experiences influenced you greatly in who you are now, probably both positively and negatively. A lot of who you are now as a Christian is related to your church heritage.

My specific heritage comes from a movement called the Restoration Movement and it encompasses primarily churches that you would know as Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. Without getting into an overly detailed account, the movement began in the United States in the early 1800’s as the country was beginning to expand westward. On the frontier there were many people coming together to form new settlements and communities. With these new communities came the issue of people wanting churches but there were not always a lot of preachers, ministers or pastors...in fact there was a huge shortage. And if there was a minister there were usually variety of denominational hurdles that got in the way of people being a part of a certain church. So what happened was there were some leaders in a variety of areas along the frontier who rose up and said in a nutshell, “Can’t we just be Christians, united under Christ with the Bible as our authority on how to live as Christians and operate as a church?”

That idea resonated with a lot of people and it began to spread like wild fire through the areas of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee as well as other states and territories. So what happened was there were Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and non-Christians coming together to just be Christians only and do church in a new way, based not on creeds or denominational guidelines, but on the authority of Scripture. That’s the basis of the Restoration Movement. That’s my heritage. That is where I come from.

In reviewing my heritage, I have discovered that often times if have overlooked the desire for unity and instead have sought to be right, or maybe righteous is a better word. I have probably overemphasized doing things "exactly" like the Bible teaches and not spent enough time extending friendship to those from different Christian heritages. This is becoming more and more relevant for all of us who are a part of IC Church of Christ. As you worship Jesus on Sunday morning you are surrounded, more than likely, by people who don’t necessarily believe what you believe regarding certain aspects of the Christian faith. More than likely there are people around you who are not even interested in following Jesus…at least not yet.

So what that means is, while you always need to follow Jesus and be faithful to his Word, you also need to engage in relationships with those who are different from you; whether it’s a difference in skin color, socio economic background, denomination, or their interpretation of Revelation. Jesus wants his followers to be united, he’s wants his people to be one. How do I know this? Listen to the prayer he prayed on the night before he was arrested.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” ~ John 17:21,22

Why does Jesus pray for the unity of those who believe in him? Jesus prays this prayer because he sees unity as the key to accomplishing the Great Commission (even though technically the Great Commission hadn’t been given yet). So as we move forward as a church and as you move forward as a Christian always keep Jesus at the center of your life, humble study the Bible and do what it says, and always work toward the unity of all those who believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God.

Christianity, Christian, or Disciple

2009-11-19T14:00:00.002-06:00

This comes from Rob Bell in one of his podcasts...I need to do my own research to back it up. So according to Bell's research:

The word "Christianity" is not used once to describe the Jesus movement.
The word "Christian" is used three times.
The word "disciple" 263 times.

What are the implications of this research?
Which one better describes you?
Does a Christian look different from a disciple?

Something to think about.

Help! I'm Going To Jail!

2009-11-03T10:57:00.003-06:00

Now don't get too excited. I'm actually going to jail for a good cause. I'm helping out the MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) of Johnson County to raise money for research. What they are going to do is lock me up until I raise my bail money...so that is where you come in. I need bail money. If you don't know much about MDA, MDA is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to fighting 40 muscle diseases that impact millions of people in our country. In fact probably everyone of you knows at least one person who is affected by some type of muscle disease. If you would be willing to donate some money towards MDA research you would be making a difference in the lives of a lot of people as well as getting the preacher out of jail. And believe me it never looks good to have your preacher in jail for any extended amount of time. If you would like to help me out, you can go to this personal website and donate money there or you can give me a check made out to MDA. I would greatly appreciate it!

Highlights from 10.10.09

2009-10-13T21:50:00.003-05:00

Here are a few highlight pictures from my weekend.

This picture actually took place on Friday. The hawk landed on our deck just outside our kitchen window. He or she was in hunting mode and actually caught a squirrel under our deck not too long after I took this picture. Once I saw the hawk on our deck I knew the Wolverines had no chance on Saturday!

My good friend Joel Milefchik went to Wild at Heart Boot Camp the first weekend of October and really had a life changing experience. One of the things that he was ready to do was to surrender his life completely over to Jesus and be baptized into Christ...the catch was he wanted to do it outside!

Not a big deal in the summer. On this particular day, October 10th, it snowed in the morning! At the time of baptism the temperature was a brisk 37 degrees! I could hardly talk it was so cold, but it was awesome! Joel sent some of the pictures to the Wild at Heart team and they are going to use one of them on their website.

The last picture speaks for itself. I got to hang out in the student section for the Iowa vs. Michigan game. What an environment and what a game. Any time you beat Michigan it's a good day in my book.

So all in all it was a fantastic weekend and all I can say is, "God is good, all the time!"

Making Disciples: Come-Build-Send

2009-10-13T10:36:00.000-05:00

God continues to do some amazing things here at IC Church of Christ! As I articulated numerous times during the last message series, the elders and I feel very strongly that God has positioned us with his blessings to make a huge impact here in Iowa City, around the nation and around the world. God is up to something here at this church…there is no doubt. That is why we have revised our mission statement and our strategy so that we can better focus on using God’s resources to expand his Kingdom. With that being said, here are some thoughts I have collected since completing the message series, Making Disciples, It’s What We Do.
· If you don’t claim Jesus as your Lord, Savior, and Teacher…then whose disciple are you? If it’s not Jesus then who is it…Oprah, Bill O’Reilly, Barrack Obama, or maybe Dr. Phil? Why not choose Jesus? He’s the only one to die and come back to life—that’s a deal maker in my book.
· If you are a disciple of Jesus do you submit to him as Lord? Do you love him as a Savior? Do you listen to him as a teacher?
· If someone asks what IC Church of Christ is all about just tell them, “We are all about making disciples of Jesus who love God, love people and serve others.”
· I love our new strategy for making disciples…do you have it memorized yet? CBS—Come, Build, and Send.
· Everyone who is a part of IC Church of Christ should be able to see where he or she is in the discipleship process. For example, if you are still trying to figure out what you believe about Jesus, then you are in the “Come “ stage. (It’s all right to take your time. After hearing the testimony of the young man who was baptized a few weeks ago, I was reminded that we are to count the cost of what it means to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Salvation is free, but living your life in Christ costs you everything—it’s the most costly decision you will every make.) If you are new to following Christ, then you are in the “Build” stage. Lastly, if you having been following Christ for a while then you are in the “Send” stage. This is a great strategy to not only check your progress, but it also helps you help others along on their journey. You are now a discipleship expert!
· If you are a member of IC Church of Christ you should have a definitive, clear cut answer for each of the following questions:
o Who are you working on, praying for, and preparing to invite to IC Church of Christ so they can, come see Jesus? What’s their name?
o What are you doing to build yourself into a better disciple? What book of the Bible are you reading right now? How is your small group or A.B.F. class going?
o Where is Jesus sending you? What ministry are you a part of here at IC Church of Christ? What ministry or mission ambitions has God put upon your heart? How are you serving Jesus in your neighborhood, work, or family?

So now what? What are you going to do? What is your next step on the journey of following Jesus? Let me leave you with this quote: “Our life is not our project. Our life is God’s project.” God most definitely wants to shape your life into something incredible, he proved that by sending us Jesus. The big question now is this: are we going to allow God to build and shape our lives? Are we willing to surrender our lives into the hands of the great artist? The choice is ours, and honestly I can’t wait to see what he does!

As Seasons Change In Your Life Do You Adjust?

2009-09-22T17:06:00.004-05:00

Life is composed of seasons. Solomon writes,

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…” ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

So as we move through life, just like we move through a year, we are faced with changing seasons. Why bring this up? Why state the obvious? I mention this because we forget. Now, obviously we don’t forget the changing of the seasons because we have to deal with them—falling temperatures requires us to put on a jacket. But what about the new and changing seasons in the rest of our lives? For me, I’m in a new season of life right now. My daughter Samantha just started Kindergarten and so now all my kids are in school…new season. We are now into the second full week of school and we are still tweaking our routine. My wife Suzi is starting a new schedule with her teaching (piano lessons and music classes). Oh and the deluge of activities are starting up for my kids; soccer, volleyball, lessons, and homework just to name a few. A new season and new adjustments need to be made.

Now, think for a moment. What new season are you in right now? Is it the empty nest season, the college season, the surgery/recovery season, or the harvest season? Okay, now that you have identified what season you are in, have you noticed how your priorities have been realigned? Things that use to be really important have slipped off the list. Let me give you an example. Early in my ministry I loved to play golf. When I was in youth ministry I played almost once a week. Just the other day Suzi and I were watching golf highlights on the news and she asked me,

“Do you miss playing golf?” I replied, “Kind of, but it’s just not a priority right now. Maybe when a new season of life comes down the road I might find more time for it. But not right now.”

I bring all of this up because as human beings we can really mess up our lives by not paying attention to what season of life we are in and adjusting our priorities accordingly. Let me give you my short list on how I filter through what is most important in life.

Loving God/Following Jesus – This is the most important thing for me each and everyday. I schedule my life around this priority. If I don’t carve time out of my schedule to connect with God in prayer and read my Bible to be a better disciple, then Jesus is not a priority in my life. Now let me clarify. Does God love me more because I pray and read my Bible? No, but I love God more because I pray and read my Bible.

Being A Loving Husband – I have made a commitment to love Suzi just like Jesus loved the church (Eph. 5:25-30). That is huge! If I’m going to carry out that commitment then it needs to be a priority.

Being a Dad – As a Christ follower it is my responsibility to lead my children to Christ and then make them disciples of him. So, I’m going to talk about God with them, pray with them, read the Bible with them, do devotions with them, and make sure they get to church. My kids also need to know that they are more important then any game, hobby or TV show. Children are an amazing gift from God and a priority.

What would you prefer? A child who grows up to be a star running back or a child who grows to follow Jesus all the days of his life? A child who becomes a concert pianist or a child who dedicates his or her life to serving Jesus? Children like that don’t just happen. Most often, children that follow Jesus are a result of parents who prioritized their lives to make sure their children connected with Jesus on a personal level.

Working Wisely and Diligently at the Job God Has Provided Me – Notice that being a pastor and preacher is not the most important thing in my life. My life is not defined by what I do to make a living. I am a Christian. I am a husband. I am a dad. God has called me into a very specific ministry where I am fortunate enough to provide a great life for my family. God is so good! It’s my responsibility to work wisely…not overloading my “plate” with more then I can handle. Too often we can over extend ourselves in our jobs and careers. Sometimes we can even justify doing it…right? We are trying to get ahead or work up the corporate ladder, but everything comes at a price. If your work steals time on a regular basis from the more important priorities in your life, then maybe it’s time to say no to a few things or find another job.

It’s also important to work diligently. It can be easy to waste time and work, thus prolonging tasks that really don’t take that long. If we were more diligent in our work habits then we might be shocked at home much more time we have to give to the other priorities in our lives.

Serving the Lord in My Church and In My Community – I am part of something that is much bigger than myself—I’m part of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. I have a role to play, a ministry to carry out. If the Kingdom is going to grow and expand then I need to be doing my part. So when I look at my priorities, I have to make sure that I’m serving the Lord in a specific ministry on a regular basis. So I specifically carve time out of my schedule each week to volunteer my time in the church and in the community.

So there you have it, my top five list. Now, I could easily list off a bunch more, but the point is you need to come up with your own list and here’s why? If you don’t prioritize your life then the different seasons of your life will control your life and you will never accomplish the purpose that God has given you for your life. Just a few hours I talked to one of the members of our church. This person is not liking the season of life he is in right now…in fact this season of life owns him right now and he desperately wants to break away. Do you find yourself in the same situation? Do you want to break away from the season of life that seems to be dominating your life right now? Well how about this? Instead of breaking away, why not take control and prioritize your life? Oh and why not start with this little tidbit from Jesus. Ready?

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” ~ Matthew 6:33

What If Starbucks Marketed Like A Church?

2009-09-09T11:09:00.001-05:00

Here is a funny little video that drives home an important point: People want Jesus, but sometimes the church makes it tough to get Jesus.

Myth 4 - The Resurrection of Jesus Didn't Happen.

2009-08-28T09:09:00.004-05:00

This coming Sunday (8.30.09) I will be wrapping up the Mythbuster series with probably the most important myth to talk about...the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here is an excellent video clip from NT Wright to "prime the pump" in preparation for Sunday. If you want to dig a little deeper and actually read something, here is an excellent summary essay written by Mark Moore, Professor of New Testament at Ozark Christian College - "Did Jesus Really Raise From The Dead?"

How Can We Trust The Bible?

2009-08-20T11:47:00.002-05:00

Great video by William Lane Craig regarding the reliability of the Bible.

Follow Up Questions from Message: Mythbuster - The Bible Is Not Reliable

2009-08-19T15:27:00.003-05:00

I was not able to get to all the text questions from the message on Sunday. If you missed the message, Mythbusters: The Bible Is Not Reliable, you can listen to it here. For the rest of you, here are the questions from Sunday that were not answered.

"How can we be sure, (about the Bible) since there are so many manuscripts, that things didn't get lost in translation?"

The biggest reason that we can know that things were not lost in translation is the fact that the manuscripts agree in a majority of the text. Even more encouraging is that the text agree completely in the fundamental truths regarding Christ: his birth, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Also, the areas that don't always line up are marked and footnoted to make the reader aware. Take John 7:53-8:11 for example.

"There are books that didn't make the Bible, is it Judas, so which books didn't make the Bible and who decided this?"

To answer this question, let me connect you with something written by a Bible College Proffessor of mine, Chuck McCoy. You can check out some more information he has at his website here. This is a portion of an article that he wrote about the book & movie, The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

"While there were more than the canonical four gospels written (Luke notes that “many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us” - Luke 1:1), the number of known alternative versions comes closer to 35 than Brown’s claim of “80” and none but those four were given serious consideration by the various churches prior to 325 A.D. The four canonical gospels were not settled on because Constantine ordered it, but were well-researched and widely accepted as the most authentic original sources of information on Christ’s life long before Constantine was on the stage of history. Their credibility was rooted in their authenticity because they were traceable to the time and close associates of Jesus and in harmony with Christian beliefs from the beginning. Acceptance of the canonical Gospels was widespread and consistent amongst the churches prior to Constantine and the Nicean Council (325 A.D.). Even so, the records of the Nicean Council give no evidence of any attempt to “officially” confirm a canon or listing of 27 New Testament writings, as was done in the later Council of Hippo (393 AD) and Council of Carthage (397 AD). Various credible Christian leaders were citing and listing accepted New Testament writings in their own writings from the later first century A.D. and thus it becomes obvious that the Canon of 27 New Testament books was gradually arrived at by the various churches (and sound investigation) over several centuries and was NOT something foisted or forced upon the church by any single leader, Council, or Church hierarchy!^[4]" ~ Charles McCoy

The bottom line is that the councils were set up not to decide what was going to comprise the Bible. The councils were set up to keep the "junk out."

"So did God create dinosaurs to live at the same time as people? And is so what happened to them?"
Yes and they died out...all except Nessie that is;)

"You compared the New Testament to The Iliad, but how does the Old Testament compare?"

I touched on this a little bit, but there are not nearly as many manuscripts for the OT. That is why the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls (1947) was such an important find. The Dead Sea scrolls are thought to be from about 100 B.C. When those manuscripts were put up against the later manuscripts, they found that the manuscripts were nearly identical.

"Why does Isaiah 53 write about the crucifixion in the past tense?"

This is a great question. I read Isaiah 53 at the end of the message to show the unity of the Old and New Testaments and how they both point to Jesus. What I didn't know was how controversial this section of Scripture is, but if you think about it of course it would be controversial if it suggests that Jesus is the Messiah. Anyway, here is what I have come up with so far. The earliest rabbis understood this section of Scripture to be a future description of messiah. They didn't view it as a passed event, but a future event. Interestingly enough rabbis after Jesus changed their interpretation to reflect the actual people of Israel as being the suffering servant, but again it was looking forward.

So while a don't have a great answer regarding the past tense, almost all people who try to interpret Isaiah 53 saw it as a future event and not a passed one. I'm sure if I was a better student of the Hebrew text and the Prophets I could give a better answer.

Probably the biggest clue in regards to interpreting Isaiah 53 comes from what the authors of the NT said. Remember, these were good Jewish men (except for Luke, however he interviewed good Jewish men) and they knew the Isaiah 53 well. Here are a number of NT passages that point to Jesus being the "suffering servant" of Isaiah 53. Luke 24:27,46; Matthew 26:67; John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:11; 2:25; Romans 4:25.

Here is a very good read written by a Messianic Jew on Isaiah 53. I think you will find it to be very helpful.

Clues To God

2009-08-12T22:36:00.003-05:00

Here is a great presentation by William Lane Craig on the best arguments for God.

Living Together First Can Spoil Marriage

2009-07-14T20:57:00.002-05:00

Check out this article, especially if you are dating. Of course, most people say, "Well that won't happen to us!" Well God's Word doesn't lie, nor do the numbers. Maybe there is something to it.

Living Together First Can Spoil Marriage, Study Finds

Antelope Running Into a Tree = To Living A Christian Life By Yourself

2009-07-11T21:57:00.002-05:00

I used this clip at the end of my sermon last Sunday. The point is simple, if you try to live a Christian all by yourself you are just like the little antelope in the video. If you want to listen to the sermon entitled, Rejoice you can catch it here under the series, To Live. Enjoy, but don't miss the point.

A Short Biography of the Apostle Paul

2009-07-10T14:45:00.003-05:00

I'm way behind on my blog posts. It gives you a clue as to how busy my life has been over the last two months. On Sunday I will be wrapping up the series on the NT book of Philippians called, To Live. If you want to check out the messages you can listen to them here.

Through this series, I have gained a greater appreciation for the apostle Paul; his life and his teachings. It's also a great reminder as to why you need to read your Bible. There is so much in there that God wants to teach. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking...there is always more.

I want to leave with you a brief biography of the apostle Paul, provided from the resources of Prof. Mark Moore. Check it out and gain a new appreciation for one of Christ's great servants.

Gotta Serve Somebody - Bob Dylan

2009-05-07T16:02:00.003-05:00

On Sunday I'm launching a brand new message series called, To Live--based on the New Testament book of Philippians. As a way to "tune into" what we are going to be talking about on Sunday, take 5 minutes to watch this Bob Dylan video. I would show it during the message, but it's too long. So here's your homework assignment for Sunday.

Book Review: The Gifts of the Jews

2009-04-27T17:30:00.004-05:00

I just recently finished a very interesting book and wanted to share a few insights from it. The complete title is, The Gifts of the Jews: How a Tribe of Desert Nomads Changed the Way Everyone Thinks and Feels. The book is written by Thomas Cahill who also authored, How the Irish Saved Civilization, which is another fine read as well.

One note about Cahill, he is not a Jew (though he has studied extensively at Jewish Theological Seminary), nor is he a Christian, and he is not a believer in the one true living God (However, I don't think he is an atheist...he's more of an agnostic). I mention those facts because what he uncovers about the Jewish people is really quite remarkable and in many ways strengthens the case for God's work in this world. If what he says is true, then there are two options regarding the history of the Jews: 1) The history of the Jews is an amazing coincidence that has greatly impacted most of the world's population; 2) or there is an author or director of life here on planet earth who has a very specific plan unfolding.

Here are a few ideas that really stood out to me:

Wandering desert nomads, not highly skilled, educated, or sophisticated created a counter culture.
The Jewish people did something amazing in their approach to religion--they were monotheistic. No one else was. This is a huge point. How does a people group step out of polytheism and enter into monotheism? Not only that, their belief in YHWH was vastly different from all the other gods of all the other cultures. YHWH was personal, relational, loving, and protective.
The Jewish people introduced a linear approach to life. All the pagan cultures of the day were cyclical in their thinking and purpose, meaning essentially that life was meaningless. The Jews believed that YHWH was leading them to a destination. His involvement in their lives showed that they were on a journey moving towards an end goal.
Sex. The pagan religions relied on sex as a form of worship and manipulating their gods to engage in their lives. YHWH called his people away from sexual immorality! That is a huge and difficult shift unless YHWH had revealed himself to them in some way...which he did.

Those are just a few of the observations I made. All in all it's a good read especially if you are interested in receiving a non-Jewish/Christian prespective on the history of the Jews.

"God just isn't enough."

2009-04-04T09:05:00.005-05:00

There are many things that I could talk to you about here in this space, but there is one item in particular that has been on my mind for that last couple of day and I would like to share it with you. Most of you know that for the last several weeks we have been studying the Song of Songs and in so doing have discussed marriage, relationships, sex, men and women. Well, over the last few weeks I have received a couple of prayer cards from an anonymous young woman. Without going into great detail, she is asking for prayer because of an inappropriate relationship she is in. She knows that she needs to walk away from the guy she is with, but deep down she doesn’t want to because she enjoys being with him and the things they do. There is a phrase that she has used in both cards that has echoed in my mind simply because she is not the first to utter it. In fact every one of us has said or thought this phrase at some point in our lives…maybe even today. Here is the phrase: “God just isn’t enough.”

Now, if you’re a Christian and you read the Bible you know the statement is ludicrous. Honestly, how could the creator, sustainer, rescuer of the universe not possibly be enough? As ludicrous as it may be, there are times when we all swear it’s true.

You can’t pay your bills—God just isn’t enough!

A relationship ends—God just isn’t enough!

You lose your job—God just isn’t enough!

You can’t get into a relationship—God just isn’t enough!

You’re involved in a sin that you enjoy—God just isn’t enough!

So how should we respond to that statement when it pops up in our lives? Here are three responses from the Bible that can bring us back to the truth:

1) God is for us. He is on your team and he wants what is best for you, and he should know—he created you. The apostle Paul writes, “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” ~ Romans 8:31

2) God is a giver. God’s character is marked by his generosity, grace, and love. So often when we articulate the phrase, “God just isn’t enough!” for one reason or another we have felt like God has taken something from us. Or at least he has denied us something great…from our perspective anyway. However, what is the truth? Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16. Sounds to me like God is a big time giver!

3) God wants us to grow. Because God is for you he is going to shape you, nudge you, push you, and sometimes irritate you to grow. That means God will allow hardship to happen in your life. It means God will put people in your life who will tell you the truth and keep you accountable. It also reminds us as to why God gave us a law and commands. To keep us from pursuing things, people, or activities that ultimately will hurt us and keep us from a relationship with him. Jesus taught this, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” ~ John 15:1,

Now, to the young lady out there who is struggling with the idea that God just isn’t enough, I want you to know that I am praying for you. I’m praying that you will always remember that there is nothing that you can do that will keep God from loving you. God is crazy in love with you…more then any man will ever be! I’m also praying that you will know the truth about God and that the truth will set you free.

The Book of Revelation - South of the Border: Blog Post from Bob Lowery

2009-04-02T12:04:00.003-05:00

Here is one of the blogs that I read on a regular basis. Bob Lowery is the NT prof. at Lincoln Christian Seminary. He has done a lot of work on the book of Revelation. Here is a great post he wrote recently, that would be well worth your time to read.

The Book of Revelation - South of the Border

"Great Sex: God's Way" Sermons Draw Ire In Rural Alabama

2009-03-11T18:06:00.003-05:00

As you know, I've been preaching through the Old Testament book, Song of Songs. For those of you not familiar with the book, it is a series of songs written by Solomon about the love he shares with his wife...first wife. Anyway, it has been a steamy series so far but that is what the Song is all about. I'm only talking about what the Bible already says.

Anyway, I came across this story on the USAToday website. I guess talking about sex in church isn't always well received. Here is the article.

"Great Sex: God's Way" Sermons Draw Ire In Rural Alabama

Good Read: Original Sin or Original Righteousness

2009-03-11T18:02:00.002-05:00

My dad posted this over at his blog a few weeks ago. Original Sin or Original Righteousness. It would be well worth your time to check it out.

Question - The King & I: The Little Foxes

2009-03-04T15:17:00.003-06:00

Here is a text question I received last Sunday during the message, The Little Foxes. The context for the question comes from my stated purpose of the series: To reignite passion in marriages.

The question:

"How does this apply to dating? How can we have passion in our dating life and still remain righteous? What does a good dating relationship look like?"

Well, to start with, the passion Solomon and his wife have for each other is the kind of passion that is reserved for those who are married. As I've stated, I want to allow God's Word to help reignite the passion God intended for the marriage relationship. For those who are single I just want to "light the pilot light" so when marriage does become a reality, the heat can be turned up. Those are the words Solomon's wife repeats throughout Song of Songs:

"Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the swift gazelles and the deer of the wild, not to awaken love until the time is right" ~ Song of Songs 2:7 NLT

So from God's perspective there is a right time for passion...and that right time is within the bounds of marriage. Now, as to what that looks like in dating--as little physical contact as possible. There was a time when I never would have said this, however I have come to understand that maintaining control of passion within a serious dating relationship is very difficult if not impossible. Especially if we chose to live by the accepted norms of our culture. What needs to be done in a dating relationship, actually even before one enters into a dating relationship, are strict boundaries need to be in place. The idea being that we are each in charge of our own bodies/lives and we will one day be held accountable for how we controlled ourselves. You cannot go into a dating relationship and expect the other person to have boundaries that are like yours. That is why it is so important not to date a non-Christian. Once emotions become involved it is very difficult to think rationally.

Listen to what the apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5. He writes:

"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;"

Again, the key being "control." If you have submitted yourself to God then he controls your life...he calls the shots. That means we must then control our minds and our bodies. I know, easier said then done. I'm not claiming it's easy, but if we want to honor God we need to be in control. Even to crank up the "flames of passion" just a notch can lead you to a place you don't want to go. But always remember, that the longer we delay gratification the better the passion will be in the covenant relationship of marriage.

In the coming weeks, I will be painting a more clearer picture of what this looks like in the dating relationship. So stay tuned.

The King & I: Observations and a Question Answered

2009-02-26T22:11:00.003-06:00

Wow! The last few weeks have really opened my eyes to many things about marriage, sex, and the roles of men and women. Let me start by saying that I have never in my entire life studied Song of Songs…ever. It has been very revealing, pun intended. I mentioned this in the first sermon I preached from Song of Songs and I want to get it to you again; a great resource on Song of Songs and one that ever married couple should have is Intimacy Ignited by Dillow & Pintus. It is a great commentary and study guide through Solomon’s song. Seriously, if you as a couple went through this study together it would change your marriage.

Another reason my eyes have been opened, is because of your response. The questions, the high fives (not just from husbands btw), and the “thank-yous” reiterate the need for this biblical, God centered study. This study has long been overdue and right now I’m trying to figure out how we can offer this material on a more regular basis (A.B.F. Class or small group).

For just a moment I want to clarify something that I said on Sunday, February 22nd about the purpose of marriage. I posed the question something like this: “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” The idea being that while many people seek marriage as a means to happiness, they discover that happiness is just one of many emotions that can fill a marriage. One cannot base one’s marriage purely upon the idea of happiness. So what does that leave us with? Well what about holiness? That whole line of thinking is addressed in the book, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas, again another resource that every married couple should read. The bottom-line being that in the covenant of marriage we learn in a very hands on way, about God and in turn grow in our relationship with him. Marriage can be a very effective tool in developing holiness.

So after talking about the purpose of marriage in my sermon, here was one of the text message questions I received:

"So, can we be holy without getting married? Doesn’t Paul say it’s better for people who can survive without getting married to not get married?"

This is a good question. Let me start by saying, we are made holy by the power of the Holy Spirit when we submit our lives to Jesus Christ and enter into a covenant relationship with him. Then by choosing to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead and being obedient to Jesus we continue to live within that holiness. So marriage on it’s own doesn’t make us holy, it’s simply a tool to help us be holy. When I love my wife unconditionally, I’m learning more about God and his love for me. When I serve my wife, I’m learning how God serves me no matter what. When my wife extends to me grace and forgiveness when I don’t deserve it, I learn more clearly about the grace and forgiveness that God has extended to me. Marriage is a tool to help us understand and grow in holiness.

So what about the single person? So if marriage is such a great benefit why would Paul say that it’s better to not be married? Paul is right in that more can be done for the Kingdom of God if one is single. Quite frankly it takes a lot of time and energy to be married and effectively honor the marriage covenant. So where does the single person pick up a tool to help them develop holiness? The church. The church family is a covenant relationship, and in almost every way it demands like marriage, unconditional love, patience, forgiveness, service and grace. Just another great reason to be a part of a local church family, without it you are going to struggle to become all that God planned for you to be.

Question from the King & I Series

2009-02-26T21:30:00.005-06:00

In the Song of Songs message series I've been doing, I have revived the text message questions at the end of the message. Here is a question that I was not able to answer after the message. Let me set up the question a little bit. I was talking about becoming "one flesh" (Genesis 2:25) and how the focus of marriage is to become one in everything. To become one a husband and wife must be able to "both be naked, and feel no shame." (Genesis 2:26) There has to be a level of transparency and honesty in a marriage relationship for oneness happen.

So with that background, here is the question:
"Is there ever a point in a marriage where you can reveal too much?"

You're going to love my answer; "Yes and no." Obviously, the goal of marriage is to move towards oneness. However, it takes time... a lot of time. There was a study done that revealed it takes on average nine years to move from "me to we" in marriage. Selfishness dominates that first years of marriage and it's really not until year ten that some marriages can really start to grow towards oneness. Sadly, a lot of marriages never make it that far.

So the truth is there may be be things that you can't reveal to your spouse (maybe ever), your goal however is to work towards a point where you can "drop the fig leaf" and be transparent with your spouse. It also matters why you tell them. The goal of revealing truths is to bring about oneness not to separate. So the apostle Paul's words need to be our guide as we approach who and what we reveal to our spouse. "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that it, Christ." ~ Ephesians 4:15

So to answer the question, yes there are points in marriage where too much information is probably not the best. However, it should be the goal of marriage to move towards a level of transparency and honesty where you can speak the truth in love.

Mark Driscoll's CNN Interview: Sex & Religion

2009-02-17T12:42:00.000-06:00

My Son Alex's Baptism

2009-02-15T07:16:00.002-06:00

Resources for The King & I: A Love Story from the Song of Songs

2009-02-06T16:19:00.010-06:00

I wanted to provided some extra resources for those of you who are going to be a part of the new message series I'm launching this weekend at IC-Church of Christ on the Song of Songs. One of my main resources is a book entitled, "Intimacy Ignited." It's a combination book in that it is a good commentary on the Song of Songs as well as a good Bible study guide for couples. I would highly recommend all Christian couples add this book to their library. It is very helpful.

The second resource is an actual message series preached by Mark Driscoll, the preacher at Mars Hill Church in Seattle. This last fall Mark preached through the Song of Songs and did a fantastic job. In doing so the church set up a web page with all the sermons available. If you would like to pick up even more biblical insight into the Song of Songs (he preaches for about an hour) this web site is a great resource. The message series they did was called "Th e Peasant Princess" and can be accessed here.

Hopefully these resources will help you out as you journey through the Song of Songs. In the weeks to come I will be posting text questions I receive during the message. So check back periodically to see what questions people are asking and what God's Word has to say abou them.

God Keeps Rockin My World

2009-01-29T18:02:00.006-06:00

God is doing some amazing things here at IC Church of Christ! Sometimes I just shake my head and say, "God is good!" because I know it's not me and all Him. For the last month I've been playing the role of nurse for my lovely wife Suzi as she has been recovering from major knee surgery. Everything with the recovery has gone well and we are almost back to normal.

During the last month my schedule has been anything but normal...I've been more nurse then parent. My routine was thrown off big time and needless to say that can be frustrating. But in those moments of frustration I was able to find peace in what was most important (taking care of my wife and family) and that God would take care of the rest.

Well during the month of January God has rocked my world. Not only has He taught me a valuable lesson about peace, but He continues to work some amazing things here at IC Church of Christ. We had the second largest attendance month (the largest was in September) since I've been here...in January of all the months! Then to top it off we came in $14,000 under budget for our building project. Just another incredible sign that God is working. All of this when I was the least available for the church and the most available for my family. Do you see why all I can say is, "God is good!"

So what have I learned from all of this? Jesus' words ring true,
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." ~ Mt 6:33

The King & I: A Love Story from Song of Songs

2009-01-29T15:32:00.006-06:00

I'm about to do something crazy and insane, for roughly 10 weeks we are going to study in depth the Old Testament book of Song of Songs. To say that I’m a little bit nervous about the whole idea is an understatement. Talking about marriage, sex, the roles of men and women is just a little nerve racking...especially if it borders on PG-13. Thankfully, the Bible says a lot about those subjects and I won't have to rely on my wisdom but God's. So why undertake such an endeavor? We are going to do this study because it’s long overdue and we desperately need to hear what God’s Word says about those subjects.

Let me explain. In our day, people devote an extraordinary amount of time, money, and energy in pursuit of sex, making it the most popular religion in the world. God tells us that people attempt to satisfy their thirst not by drinking from his streams of living water, but instead by drinking from man-made toilets (from Mark Driscoll's translation of Jer. 2:13). This disturbing metaphor rightly describes our culture’s current thirst for smut and sin. In Romans 1:24–25, the Apostle Paul says that people either worship God their Creator and enjoy his creation—including our bodies—or people worship creation as God, and in sexual sin offer their bodies as living sacrifices (which is the definition of worship in Romans 12:1). Paul goes on to explain that those who worship creation invariably worship the human body because it is the top of God’s creation. In this mix up of rightful worship, sex becomes a religion and the sex act a perverse sacrament.

Christians throughout history have struggled to determine how this can be done. Some have chosen to essentially kill their sexual desires out of a fear of temptation to sin. Some lead destructive lives of secret sin that are eventually exposed, causing much embarrassment. Still others are simply confused and uncertain of how to speak to their spouse and children about sex, unsure of what is compatible and incompatible with the teaching of Scripture.

The study of the Song of Songs is meant neither to kill our desires nor permit them to flow into deadly sin. Rather, this series is an attempt to cultivate our desires and channel them toward our spouse according to the wisdom God gives us in his Word. We will learn about gender, dating, marriage, and sex as God intends. I tell this to you for two reasons: 1) Please be in prayer over this whole series—for me, for you, and for whoever attends that morning. This series can be life changing. 2) Make every attempt to attend each week of the series and or listen to the message on line. You are going to have you eyes opened…I guarantee it.

Sermons I Listen To

2009-01-13T13:38:00.003-06:00

On Sunday I was emphasizing Jesus' teaching regarding "hearing the word and understanding it" (Mt 13:23) and how important it is to immerse ourselves in as much of the Word of God as possible. I shared four practical ways to do this:

1) Read/Listen to the Bible. There are many good, readable translations available as well as a number of dramatized audio Bibles. Remember, 5 minutes in God's Word is better then 0.

2) Get to church. A good preacher works to make the Bible practical and relevant to the listener. Your regular attendance provides you with a great resource that can really help you come Monday morning.

3) Listen to sermons online/podcast. As a preacher of God's Word, I'm dependent upon other preachers to encourage me and feed me the Bible in a practical and challenging way. In the message on Sunday it told you that I would share some of the preachers I listen to. If you are a subscriber to iTunes you should be able to type in these names and find their sermons. Click on the "Subscribe" button and the sermons will load on to your iTunes player automatically. If you don't have iTunes you can probably Google the names and find their sermon sites. Here of a few I listen to, or would recommend:
- Andy Stanley (North Point Ministries)
- Southeast Christian Church (Dave Stone/Kyle Idleman)
- Erwin McManus (Mosiac Church)
- Perry Noble (NewSpring Church)
- Rob Bell (Mars Hill Church)
- Ravi Zacharias (Heavy Stuff - For you deep thinkers out there)

4) Read some good Christian literature, there are so many great resources available. Obviously some are better than others so in a future post I'll list out some good books that you might want to check out.