The Role of The Church In America

"The Constitution's First Amendment states that the government will make no law respecting the establishment of religion. That is, the Constitution prohibits the recognition of any religious group as the nation's official religion. Most of the nation's forefathers understood this to mean that no Christian denomination would be named the state church. Thomas Jefferson, however, looked forward to the day when those holding any belief system could freely practice their faith.

Much has been made of the supposed "separation of church and state" called for in the Constitution. The Constitution says nothing of the sort. Jefferson referred to a "wall of separation" in his writings to the Danbury Baptist Association. He told the Baptists there was a "wall of separation between the church and state." In the context of the document, Jefferson was reassuring the Baptists the government was not to involve itself in church affairs. " ~ Mike Hines, The Discipler Blog

Read the rest of the article here.

Astronomers Find Huge Hole in Universe

(Aug. 24) - Astronomers have stumbled upon a tremendous hole in the universe. That's got them scratching their heads about what's just not there. The cosmic blank spot has no stray stars, no galaxies, no sucking black holes, not even mysterious dark matter. It is 1 billion light years across of nothing. That's a giant expanse of nearly 6 billion trillion miles of emptiness, a University of Minnesota team announced Thursday. Read the rest of the story.

Do You Like Big Bibles?

What kind of Bible do you like?

Is "New" Really Better?

We live in a culture where new is better. Or maybe it's just me. Or maybe it's just because I'm a man. Yes I know I have issues!

But doesn't it always seem that if you don't have the newest car, clothes, house, or technology that maybe you are missing out. Worse yet you feel "less then" because you are behind the times? Our culture worships at the church of "What's Happening Right Now".

Quite frankly, Christians are no better in this regard. Newer church buildings are better right? Churches that use video projectors are better right? Churches that play the newest worship music is better right? People that have read the "Purpose Driven Life" are better right?

Settle into this verse for a moment and see where God takes you.

"This is what the Lord says:
“Stop at the crossroads and look around.
Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.
Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.
But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’" ~ Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)

Jeremiah was simply trying to impress upon Israel that newer and different wasn't better or even right. He was reminding them that the ancient ways of the Living God were the only way to live life.

Good words for my heart. Contentment is the ways of God is where life is best...and that is what my heart needs.

So maybe I won't get that extra gig of RAM for my computer...at least for now.

Are You Addicted To Coffee?

Does 58% make mean I have a problem? Because I don't think I have a problem...or maybe that is just denial.

I am 58% Addicted to Coffee

Mingle² - Free Online Dating

Do you need a good laugh? Watch this!

Remember: Christians Are Suffering Around The World

I picked up these two stories from my brother's blog and I thought that I would link to them here at WGC. As believers here in the Western Hemisphere we become isolated in regards to what is happening around the world with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to be engaged in praying for them on a daily basis.

• Myanmar's Repressive Regime

• Kazakhstan Baptists Fear More Persecution

It Came From Within

This is the introduction from the message I preached on 8.05.07 entitled, "It Came From Within" I wanted to post this because the truths from God's Word are so powerful and life changing. If you were able to hear this message, these scriptures will be a good review and are worth memorizing...especially Proverbs 4:23. If you were not able to take in the message, take the time to dive into what Jesus says about your heart, and how he came to change it.

"All of us here have these filters that we put on our lives. We understand that to function in this world (to get job, get a date, get married, to stay married, to have friends) there is a certain way to act or behave. So we modify our behaviors. Most of us learn how to modify our behaviors when we are kids and we just keep adding on to the filter as we grow up.

What happens is that every once in a while something will slip through the filter. In a moment of anger we will say something very hurtful. In a moment of stress we will look at something on the web that we shouldn’t. In a moment of hurt we will hurt someone back. Then we will say, “Where did that come from?”

What we discover is that Jesus knows where those nasty little things came from, he would say that they came from your heart. Not the muscle that beats in your chest, but your true self, your true identity, the place behind your mask, the place where your conscience lives. Listen to what he told his disciples about where unclean things come from.

Mathew 15:16-20

“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’ ”

So what are we supposed to do? Naturally our inclination is to work harder on our filter. But that just doesn’t fix the problem. The only way to fix the problem in your heart is to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus.

Listen to how the apostle Paul describes what happens when we connect with Christ.

"He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith." ~ Acts 15:9

So when we enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus, he sends his Holy Spirit into our hearts to begin a restoration project.

Now, some of you maybe asking,

“Well, I’m a believer and things still keep popping up in my life!”

My response is, “Join the club!”

There is a battle going on for your heart. The sinful world we live in is constantly trying to influence your heart. Satan wants to destroy your heart. Quite frankly there are some parts of your heart that you haven’t given completely over to Jesus and he can’t do his work in your life until you do.

That is why we are doing this series because way too many Christians are missing out on the abundant life in Christ because of what lies within. So the theme verse for this series comes from the wisest man who walked the earth.

Solomon wrote:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23

We can’t fix our hearts, that is God’s job, but we can guard our hearts. That is what we will be doing for the next four weeks; learning how we can guard our hearts from four pesky little gremlin monsters that lurk within."

Security of Salvation--Can You Lose It?

What The Bible Says About Your Tough Questions:

• Security of salvation—can you lose it, if so how?
• Explain Hebrews 10:26,27. If we “deliberately” sin after being saved, will we lose salvation?

The best way to answer these questions is to do a quick review regarding salvation and what it means to be in a covenant relationship with Jesus.

Salvation is best understood when we realize that God is a maker of covenants.

“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on earth—you who keep you r covenant of love with your servants who continue whole-heartedly in your way.” –2 Chronicles 6:14

A covenant is best defined as a treaty, agreement, will, or testament. It also includes the following parts:

Parties – in this case the parties would be God and man

Terms – what man agrees to do for God in entering the agreement

Promises – what God promises to do in entering the agreement

The Bible records the covenants that God planned and offered to man.

· A Covenant between God and Noah – Genesis 6:18; 9:9,11

· A Covenant between God and Abraham – Genesis 15:18

· A Covenant between God and Israel – Exodus 19:5

God has always been faithful in his covenants. (Titus 1:2; Romans 15:4; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Corinthians 1:9)

WHY THE NEED FOR A COVENANT?

We need a covenant with God simply because we are lawbreakers, sinners (Romans 3:10,23; 6:23; Galatians 3:10). A holy, righteous God cannot be in relationship with lawbreakers. It goes against his character. However, he has made a way for us to come back to him, through his son Jesus (Romans 5:6; 8:1,3; Galatians 3:13; Colossians 1:19,20; Ephesians 1:7; 2:4,5,13; 1 John 5:12).

Through Jesus we are offered a new covenant, a new and living way to come to God.

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” –Matthew 26:28

“But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.” –Hebrews 8:6

The parties of the new covenant include God and those who want to live in Christ (Romans 8:1). The promises of the new covenant include:

· Life to the full, John 10:10.

· To have the fruit of the Spirit grow in our lives, Galatians 5:22,23.

· Forgiveness of your sins, Acts 2:38.

· Eternal life, John 3:16.

· The Holy Spirit, Act 2:38.

· The ministry of God, Ephesians 4:11,12.

· To be with us to the end, Matthew 28:20.

· To work in all that happens in our lives to help us become like Jesus, Romans 8:28; Philippians 1:6.

· The power to live for him, Ephesians 1:19,20.

· Wisdom and truth, James 1:5; John 17:17.

· To meet all our “needs”, Philippians 4:19.

· To be a part of his church, Ephesians 1:22,23.

· Reward for faithfulness, Galatians 6:7-9.

· Renewal and refreshment, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

· Persecution, 2 Timothy 3:12.

The terms of the new covenant are to; 1) Worship him alone (Mark 12:30), 2) Grow to be like Jesus (Philippians 2:5), 3) Love one another (Romans 12:5), 4) Serve in ministry (1 Peter 4:10), Make disciples of Jesus (Colossians 4:5).

HOW TO ENTER THE COVENANT

Faith is the first step in entering a covenant relationship with God.

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.” –Hebrews 11:6

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” –Romans 3:22

This faith is more then just an intellectual belief (90% of Americans believe in God), but also a response. In the Bible, faith that is not illustrated in action is not acceptable faith to God. Faith literally means response. Faith is agreeing with what we hear and responding to what we have heard. You are not deemed faithful in your marriage to your spouse or your relationship to your friends by what you say. You are called faithful by what you do. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” –James 2:17

Repentance is the next step toward our covenant relationship with God. Repentance means to change one’s mind, to regret, feel remorse. In other words repentance means turning from having rejected Jesus as Lord and submitting to his authority and Lordship.

“In the past God over-looked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” –Acts 17:30,31

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” –Acts 3:19

Confession is the third step in entering into a covenant relationship with God.

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” –Matthew 10:32,33

“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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” –Romans 10:9,10

Baptism is the fourth step in entering into a covenant relationship with God. The word “baptize” means to dip, plunge, or immerse and was practiced this way in the early church. Baptism is a visible, God-chosen, and God-commanded response of my faith. Baptism:

· is my union with Christ. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.” --Galatians 3:27

· represents my identification with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection; guaranteeing my own resurrection. “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” –Romans 6:3,4

· assures me of the cleansing forgiveness of my sins. “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” --Acts 22:16 (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21)

· is also my union with His Spirit. In baptism, we give ourselves to Him, and He gives himself to us through His Spirit. “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” –Acts 2:38

· is my pledge of allegiance to God of my devotion and life. “And 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.” –1 Peter 3:21 The word “pledge” in the Greek is the same word that was used when two businessmen would enter into a deal. The seller made a proposition and the buyer considered it. If he accepted it, he stood and said, “I pledge that I am going to live according to the terms of this agreement.” This was done before witnesses, and that pledge finalized the agreement and made it binding.

Baptism is to symbolize the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When we are presented the Good News about Jesus, we can either accept it or reject it. There is no neutral ground. We answer yes or no. If we choose to say yes, we finalize the covenant by being baptized. The agreement is then binding on both parties. This pledge is like signing your name on the dotted line of the covenant.

So, can one lose their salvation? First, we have to acknowledge that no third party can remove a person from God’s family (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:31-39). Satan can’t. The Pope can’t. The government can’t.

Covenant relationships are to be lived and engaged in. When we look back at the covenant relationship that Israel possessed with God, it was possible for people to be “cut-off” from the covenant by certain acts of unfaithfulness. It is very evident that membership in the old covenant required the maintenance of an on-going relationship.

In the New Testament this same idea of covenant faithfulness is continued. Neither Jesus nor the apostle Paul said that salvation was so irrevocable that the person himself could not walk away from it. One chooses to live and abide to the covenant terms or to walk away. It is a choice.

Hebrews 10:26,27 points to this idea.

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

Probably a better translation of the verse would be, “For if we willfully go on sinning.” The author of Hebrews is not directing believers towards one particular sin, but instead toward an attitude that leads to repeated disobedience. This is really the main idea behind the letter of Hebrews—a concern that people would drift away (2:1) from the faith and would neglect their salvation (2:2,3). So again, one comes back to the concept of abiding or engaging in the terms of the covenant to receive the blessings of the covenant.

Lastly, when one studies the New Testament there are numerous warnings that only make sense if it were a real possibility that salvation could be lost. For example, why is endurance so important? Jesus taught that those who endure to the end would be saved (Matthew 24:13). That doesn’t jive with the idea that once you’re in; you’re in for good. The apostle Paul taught in four passages that believers in Christ who continued in sinful actions would not inherit the kingdom of God (Romans 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 6:9,10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:5).

So what does this all mean? It means that one’s standing with God is not based on a one-time moment when we said a prayer or were baptized. One’s standing with God is based on an ongoing relationship with Him. Paul says,

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” ~ Philippians 2:12,13

If one so chooses, he or she can walk away from the covenant relationship with God. In doing so they will forfeit the blessings and promises of being connected to God through Jesus Christ.

So to answer the questions, we can lose our salvation if we do not abide by the terms of the covenant we agreed to when we first believed. What this means is that we (those who believe in Jesus) need to take our faith very seriously. We need to be in constant evaluation of our growth and in our following the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Praying Before Eating?

What The Bible Says About Your Tough Questions: Should Christians Pray Before They Eat?

The Bible doesn’t implicitly say Christians should pray before they eat. However, you will find many examples of Jesus giving thanks for food before it was eaten. (Matthew 14:19; John 6:11; Luke 22:17-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24) You will also find in Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray, he instructs them to ask God to,

“give us this day our daily bread”. (Matthew 6:11)

So what does this all mean?

Well, it is not a sin for one not to pray before a meal. You will not reap eternal damnation for forgetting to pray before you dive into your pizza or sub sandwich. What praying before your meal reveals is how you view God.

In Jesus’ day, meals were literally earned on a daily basis. In other words, most people didn’t always know where the next meal was going to come from. Many cultures around the world today, are experiencing the same situation. So how we pray to God about food, and how they pray to God about food is totally different.

For you and I, the rich Americans who have many meals stored away in our freezers, our prayer before a meal acknowledges that we didn’t earn this meal with our own strength and work. Instead it is God who gave us the ability and the opportunity to even have a job as well as have an abundance of food to choose from. Our prayer before a meal moves us (people) from the center of life and puts the focus back on God—the true giver of all good things. So while it is not a "sin" to not pray before a meal, it is a good discipline in helping remind all of us that God is the center of everything in our lives.

Divorce & Remarriage?

What The Bible Says About My Tough Questions: Divorce and Remarriage?

God’s feelings on the subject of divorce are rather clear: God hates divorce. (Malachi 2:16) The truth that always must be remembered is that though God hates divorce, he always loves people and nothing can change that. As God’s people, we need to take the same approach in dealing with divorce. Do whatever it takes to keep divorce from happening, and if it does happen extend grace and love to those who have experienced it.

As complicated and confusing as divorce is for us today, it was even more so in the first century Jewish culture. John the Baptizer had lost his head over the subject, and Jesus was constantly being harassed with questions concerning what was right or wrong when it came to divorce.

There were basically two schools of thought in the Jewish community regarding divorce—both stemming from Deuteronomy 24:1-4. One set of Jewish scholars said that a man could divorce his wife is she committed adultery. The second set of scholars interpreted what Moses wrote and said that a man could divorce his wife for any reason at all…even burning his meal. So when Jesus is asked his take on divorce (Matthew 19:1-12) his is walking into a trap laid by those who oppose him. They know how divided the Jewish populace is regarding divorce and they understand that no matter what Jesus says he is going to make some happy and anger others. Of course when has that ever stopped Jesus?

Jesus’ response takes us back to Genesis and the original design of marriage (Genesis 1:27; 2:24). First off, Jesus points out that God designed a man and woman to be married to each other. They belong together physically, emotionally and spiritually. Second, marriage marks the transition from parent to spouse. In other words, one’s primary loyalty is no longer to Mom and Dad it lies with a husband or wife. This is where we get the picture of marriage being a covenant: a commitment to each other and a sense of oneness. The word Jesus uses for “joined together” means “yoked together” or “co-laborers”. This description makes it pretty clear that God’s design is one man with one woman for life.

The Pharisees response to Jesus reveals the cause and problem of most divorces. (Matthew 19:7-8) Divorce is not a “right” but instead a result of “hard hearts”. The reality of life in this world is the constant battle with sin and sinful people. Marriage is the joining together of two sinful people living in a sinful world. It is not an easy venture and most certainly not accomplished successfully without God’s assistance.

Jesus concludes his teaching on divorce by taking it up a notch and making everyone uncomfortable (Matthew 19:9-12). Jesus says that in cases of “unfaithfulness” divorce may be an option. “Unfaithfulness” is anything that breaks the covenant of marriage, the oneness and commitment. So situations like sexual affairs, physical abuse, or abandonment all fall into those categories.

Jesus’ response is really pointed at those who divorce for convenience. When he says, “And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery” what he is saying is that by marrying again, all hope of the original marriage being restored is gone. When we think of “adultery” we always think of sex. However, “adultery” is the breaking of a covenant whether through sexual unfaithfulness or physical abuse. The prophets of the OT often described Israel’s actions against God as adulterous. Not because they were necessarily sexual in nature (all though sometimes that was the case), but because they were breaking their covenant with God. So if a divorced person remarries, is that person committing "adultery" every time he or she has sex with their new spouse? The answer is "no". The adultery that Jesus is speaking about is not sexual in nature, he is referring to the previous marriage covenant that cannot be restored because a new covenant has begun.

Jesus is emphasizing that the marriage covenant is to be taken seriously, much like how God keeps his covenant with people. Flippant or convenient divorces is not how God operates nor is it how he wants people to operate. Both the entering into marriage and exiting of a marriage covenant need to be carefully considered before any action is taken.

What can we take away from Jesus’ teaching?

• Do whatever it takes to not divorce.

• If divorce happens reconciliation is always an option.

• If divorce happens, remaining single is probably the best option unless sexually speaking it would be too difficult. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)

• Divorce is not the unforgivable sin. (It could be argued whether or not divorce itself is a sin.)

• Temporary separation is a good option to take time and repair the covenant.

Must Watch Video!

What's In A Name?

The reason why understanding culture is important in ministry is because people will respond to you based on their past personal history and their culture’s history. For instance, the color yellow is sacred to China’s culture but signifies “sadness” in Greece’s culture and “jealousy” in France’s culture.

To further reinforce this concept of interpreting the present based on the past, Science Daily reports that Miami University researchers discovered that people will even go as far as associating specific physical attributes with names.

From the two photos below, which do you perceive to be Bob and which is Tim?

An entire lecture hall of students chose the bearded man as Tim and the rounded-faced man as Bob. I did the same. I must admit that I was surprised because I always thought that one’s perceptions of who looks like a “Bob” were shaped by that individual’s own history of personal encounters. But this research would suggest that instead of someone looking like a “Bob” because they look like your Uncle Bob (your personal history), that there is something present in your cultural DNA causing you and many others in your cultural community to make the association (cultural history).

Just how deep does culture’s influence run? And how strong is it?

[Photo Credit: Psychonomic Bulletin & Review]

A Few Thoughts On Revelation

I recently preached a sermon on the Bible book of Revelation and have received a few questions regarding my thoughts. My view on the letter of Revelation is rarely talked about and quite frankly is not very popular, however I feel that it is the most accurate--simply because it fits the same formula used to interpret the rest of the New Testament letters. It's a matter of context.

Revelation was a letter written by the apostle John in the late first century. It was written to a specific group of churches in Asia Minor who were facing specific struggles and persecution. For 21st century Americans to take the writings of this letter and directly apply them to our time and culture is not fair and is in fact, intellectual dishonesty because we don't do that with the rest of the Bible. (It also shows how self absorbed we can be as Americans.)

When we, as 21st century dwellers, read the Revelation letter we are reading someone else's mail. So what lies within the letter, though it is truth, does not always apply directly to our time and place. For example, when we read Revelation why do we think Russian tanks, Iranian nuclear bombs and George W. Bush? Is that what the Christians in Ephesus were thinking when they read the letter? No! Yet they found the letter to be extremely helpful and encouraging.

Why do so many Christians today skip over Revelation or disregard it all together? I mean, it's the only book in the Bible that guarantees that the reader will be blessed if they read it. Most Christians I know steer way clear of Revelation...it just freaks them out. The closest they may ever get to Revelation (at least in their mind) is to read a "Left Behind" book. So let me make a suggestion: What if most of the letter of Revelation has already taken place or is taking place right now? What if only a small chunk of the letter is yet to unfold? What if we have been living in "the last days" for two thousand plus years? What if right now we are in the midst of "the Great Tribulation"? It is not so impossible to believe.

I want to you try out the following exercise. Read the following excerpt of Scripture...I'm not even going to tell you where it's from, at least not yet.

"Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused. Then at your command, O Lord at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare."


Now, does the writing in this section of Scripture sound similar to the letter of Revelation? You could easily drop these verses right into Revelation and not miss a beat. So where is this section of Scripture from and what is going on?

This text is taken from Psalm 18:7-15. It was written by David describing how God rescued him from Saul, when Saul was trying to hunt him down and kill him. Now, when you read the actual account as recorded in 1 Samuel, it doesn't sound like that at all--at least from our vantage point. Yet this is how David chooses to describe it.

So what is the point? In Revelation, when we read of the moon turning to blood, and the stars falling from the sky, the water turning bitter, and crazy demon scorpions coming out of the ground, we need to understand that it is very probable that these events already happened and some may in fact still be happening today. Revelation was written with apocalyptic wordage and though it may not be common place to us, it was for the Christians living in Asia Minor in the first century.

So what should you do? Well, to get the most out of Revelation put aside the notion of trying to figure out who the Beast is and what micro chip may in fact be the number 666. Look to the over arching theme that runs throughout the letter: No matter what circumstances, struggles or persecutions you may be facing Jesus is still the King of kings and the Lord of lords and in the end he makes everything right!

On Loving God and Loving People

Tonight, my daughter Samantha and I walked up to the playground at Lemme School. On the way we walked by one of our neighbors who was outside working in his driveway. He is an older gentleman who needs oxygen on a regular basis, and has a hard time getting around. I stopped to talk to him for a while, just shootin the breeze. When I was done Samantha said to me, "You love that man don't you Dad?" I thought for a moment and replied, "Yeah I do Samantha, I love him." Quite honestly, I hardly know the guy. I have maybe, talked to him a total of three times in my life, but that doesn't change the fact that God loves him. So if God loves him and I love God, that means I show my love for God by loving that man. Think of it this way. Remember the incident recorded in Matthew 22 where Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is? Here is a quick refresher:

³⁴ "But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. ³⁵ One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

³⁷ Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." ~ Matthew 22:34-40

So for a long time I just figured that Jesus couldn't count. I mean, the guy did ask for one commandment and Jesus gave him two. What does that mean except that to really, truly love God, you and I have to really, truly love people. God does...in fact today and everyday, you will lock eyes with people who Jesus died on the cross for. He loved them and we are to love them as well. Have a great day loving people and loving God! Love, Tom

Why Read Those Ancient Words?

Philosopher Emile Cailliet was born in a small French village near the end of the 19th century. His early education was committed to naturalism, leaving no room for God or supernatural intervention in human affairs. But his naturalistically inspirited studies in philosophy proved of little help during his front-line experiences as a lad of 20 in World War I. Confronted with the horrors of war, he asked:

What use, the ill-kept, ancient type of sophistry in the philosophic banter of the seminar, when your own buddy—at the time speaking to you of his mother—dies standing in front of you, a bullet in his chest. Was there a meaning to it all? A [person] can endure anything if only it appears meaningful…. I, too, felt—not with my reason, but with my whole being—that I was naked and, war or no war, destined to perish miserably when the hour came.

One night a bullet found Cailliet, too. An American field ambulance crew saved his life, and after a nine-month hospital stay, he was discharged and resumed his graduate studies. But he had to admit that the books no longer seemed like the same books, nor was his motivation the same. Reading at length in philosophy and literature, he found himself probing in depth for meaning. He testifies:

During long night watches in the foxholes I had in a strange way been longing—I must say it, however queer it may sound—for a book that would understand me. But I knew of no such book. Now I would in secret prepare one for my own private use. And so, as I went on reading for my courses, I would file passages that would speak to my condition, then carefully copy them in a leather-bound pocket book I would always carry with me. The quotations, which I numbered in red ink for easier reference, would lead me as it were from fear and anguish, through a variety of intervening stages, to supreme utterances of release and jubilation.

At last, the day came when he put the finishing touches on, as he said it, "the book that would understand me." He describes a beautiful, sunny day in which he sat under a tree and opened his precious anthology. As he read, however, he was overcome by a growing disappointment. Instead of speaking to his condition as he expected, the passages only reminded him of their context—of the circumstances of his labor over their selection. Then, Cailliet says, he knew that the whole undertaking would not work, simply because it was of his own making. It carried no strength of persuasion. In a dejected mood, he put the little book back into his pocket.

On that same day, Cailliet's wife had come into the possession of a Bible by extraordinary circumstances. Emile had always been adamant that religion would be taboo in their home, and at the age of 23 had never even seen a Bible. But at the end of that disappointing day, when she apologetically tried to explain how she had providentially (as he would later realize!) picked up a copy of the Bible, he was eager to see it. He describes what happened next:

I literally grabbed the book and rushed to my study with it. I opened it and "chanced" upon the Beatitudes. I read and read and read—now aloud with an indescribable warmth surging within…. I could not find words to express my awe and wonder. And suddenly the realization dawned upon me: This was the Book that would understand me! I needed it so much, yet, unaware, I had attempted to write my own—in vain. I continued to read deeply into the night, mostly from the Gospels. And lo and behold, as I looked through them, the one of whom they spoke, the one who spoke and acted in them, became alive in me. ~ Journey Into Light

Still Haven't Found What You're Looking For?

The Wisdom of Job

"God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial. If only there were a mediator who could bring us together, but there is none. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength." ~ Job 9:32-35

A few weeks ago on her show Oprah said,

"There can't possibly be only one way to God."

Hmmm...Oprah, there is only one way to God. It took God in skin, living a sinless life. It took someone to die and come back to life. It took a man named Jesus.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." ~ John 14:6

No matter what you do. No matter how hard you work. No matter what you scheme. No matter what you say, you can't fix the sin problem. Only Jesus can.

The Starbucks Experience

I have recently been reading this book called, "The Starbucks Experience". Here is an excerpt from the beginning of the book that I would like to share with you. "In 1971, the Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spice store started business in Seattle, Washington. Before that first Starbuck opened its doors, people stopped by the corner coffee shop for a 50-cent cup that came with the promise of free refills. For some of us, the morning was not complete without a visit to the convenience store, where we poured our own black, murky brew into a white foam cup. To kill the taste, we doused the mixture with gobs of powdered cream and sugar, and stirred it with a thin red plastic stick (which was supposed to double as a straw). We would hand our change to an apathetic cashier who performed the job just well enough to earn the minimum wage. It was an unvarying and uninspired customer ritual and transaction. Despite the monotonous nature and poor quality of this transaction, most of us didn't know that there was any other way to "enjoy" coffee. While we were slogging through our days with freeze-dried, burnt, or lackluster home-brew, Howard Schultz, Starbucks former CEO and current chairman, asked an intriguing question: 'What would happen if you took the quality coffee bean tradition of Starbucks and merged it with the charm and romance of the European coffeehouse?' His answer: Starbucks could transform the traditional American coffee experience from the ordinary to the extraordinary. By all accounts, Howard's concept was an ambitious idea. How do you change people's view of coffee? After all, coffee has been with us for centuries, and there seemed to be little impetus for a major shift in customers' preferences. How do you inspire a coffee drinker to give up her regular routine while also getting her to pay six or eight times more for rich, exotic coffee blends when 'ordinary' is all she's ever known? Besides, who would make time for a European-style coffeehouse experience when one could grab a cup while buying milk, gasoline, and a newspaper?" ~ Joseph A. Michelli

So if Starbucks can get people to pay way too much for a cup of coffee as well as carve time out of their busy schedules to hang out in their "house", why can't the church take a much better product (Jesus) and do the same? At the beginning of the quote, Michelli describes the average coffee drinkers routine with words like: "murky", "kill the taste", "monotonous", and "poor quality". Sounds a lot to me like the average church goers weekly church experience, and we wonder why church goers are so reluctant to invite friends or people they know to church.

I have friends from Quincy, Illinois who absolutely love their church, The Crossing. Whenever Steve or Susan meet people they are always asking them if they go to church. If they don't attend church, Steve and Susan will tell them The Crossing is a place they need to check out. What makes The Crossing different? The Crossing is passionate about people experiencing Jesus and engaging in a relationship with him, and they will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Likewise, here at IC Church of Christ we go out of our way to do whatever it takes for people to experience and know more about Jesus. From the handshake at the door, to the coffee and breakfast food, to the music, video, and message--everything is done to create this thought in everyone's mind: "I didn't expect that!"

Now we can do better, and we are always trying to improve, but the cool thing is doing church this way is fun! I mean really, who wants black and murky when a vanilla latte is available!

The Ability To See

It has been tough to blog this spring. There have been way too many things going on. It is the kind of busyness that just gets old after a while...almost nauseating. Thus the reason for this post.

I have been reading through the Old Testament in the New Living Translation (I really enjoy reading the Bible in this version). In 1 & 2 Chronicles, instead of using the word "prophet" the translators use the word "seer". Here is an example:

"Then the Lord spoke to Gad, David’s seer." ~ 1 Chronicles 21:9

I read that and thought, "I need one of those!"

I figure that the biggest culprit for most of my problems in life is a simple lack of vision. I just flat out can't see! I plow through life, doing the same thing day after day. Have you ever noticed how everything is so daily? It's like your life is mapped out for you. I find myself on the same yearly routine, and I wonder how I got there.

That same sort of thing happened to the cows on the family farm. It was somewhat humorous in a way. (Of course at the time dad didn't think it was so humorous). The cows would put their heads down and just start to eat grass. You have seen them do this. They just walk along munching grass, paying no attention to their surroundings, totally caught up in eating grass. Then when they look up, they have no idea where they are. There were a number of times we would find cows on the other side of the fence, out in the middle of a field and we had no idea how they even got there. Shoot, most of them had no idea how they got there.

The problem is that cow story sounds a lot like my life, and I don't want to live life like that. I don't want to be a cow. I don't want to just wander through life eating grass then wonder how I got on the other side of the fence. I want to be different. I want to blaze a different trail. I want to breakaway from the herd...and I know that I am not the only one who feels that way. Many in our culture want to get away from the herd. They just try to do it by dumping their wife,or buying a Harley and cruising the open highway, or maybe getting a different job/career...there are countless ways.

I really think that God wants us to get away from the herd too. In Romans 12:2 Paul writes;

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world,"

then later in Galatians 5:15 he writes,

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives."

That is really the whole idea behind this Wild Goose Chase blog. God desires for us to breakaway, we just fail to see. We fail to see that God has a guide for us who is wild, adventurous and free. We are just too busy eating grass!

So here is a challenge for you: stop what you are doing, look around, and see what is going on. Where is God working, what is he doing, where is he leading you? Pray daily that God would open your eyes to see; to see His Kingdom and to see that things that he cares about.

Good Soldier - by Mark Driscoll

Here is a video of Mark Driscoll (Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle) called "The Good Soldier", that was shown at the National New Church Conference. The first part of the video has to do with church planting. The rest of the video deals with the importance of connecting men to the church and how much is at stake if we do not. Definitely worth a watch.

Tryvertising

I came across this article from Trendwatching.com and I found it to be quite interesting. I think if there is a "bottom line" so to speak for those who are Christ followers it is this: we live in a culture that is willing to try just about anything. So the question that must be asked is, "Do we have anything for them to try?" Read on and you will see what I mean.

"Two years ago, we dubbed this growing trend TRYVERTISING: "There's not even a 'relationship' anymore; there's a cold, calculating, experienced, and demanding consumer, and there are humble companies. So introducing yourself and your products by letting people experience and try them out first, is a very civilized and effective way to show some respect.’’

Not surprisingly, an entire TRYVERTISING infrastructure—from 30 second samples on iTunes to firms specializing in relevant product placement—is now in place, enabling consumers to try before they buy.

Here’s a list of (mostly recent) TRYVERTISING spottings that deserve attention if not copying, er….creative replication:

Nike Trial Vans are currently touring the UK/Ireland, France, Italy and Spain, stocking 1,000 pairs of shoes. It’s a free trial, no strings attached. To deliver on the crucial element of TRYVERTISING, total relevance of placement, the vans will pop up in places where people actually run. From athletic events to well-known running spots.

TRYVERTISING and real world product placements work particularly well in environments of 'voluntarily captive audiences' like waiting areas, business lounges, and work spaces. So if hotels, airports, offices, even cruise ships (easyCruise anyone?) are serving as try-before-you-buy alternatives to advertising, who's going to intermediate between venues and manufacturers, brokering placements and audiences? One interesting example in this still pretty uncrowded field is Brand Connections, peddling an organized approach to in-hut, in-room product placement of samples, everywhere from Carnival Cruise Lines to Las Vegas and South Beach hotels, all targeted at vacationers.

In their own words: "Give your target audience your product sample when they are most likely to try it, and associate unforgettable memories with the experience. Your target consumer is greeted with your product sample on the first day of their vacation. At a time when they are without their 'stuff' from home and will have up to 7 days to form a new habit with your brand.“ Absolut is already a client, as are Colgate-Palmolive, Kraft Foods and Unilever Group. Planes, trains and rental cars to follow?"

You can read the rest of the article at Trendwatching.com

What is church?

Snowy days are good for study. For some reason the falling of snow and a hot cup of coffee create the perfect environment to study. If I could have one snowy day a week I could conceivably get more done.

Anyway, I was working on my message for Sunday (40 Days of Community series) and I happened upon some really good stuff written by John William Drane. But before I share that with you just a couple of thoughts.

1. The Greek word for church really has no religious connotations at all. The word "church" was used in everyday life to describe a meeting. The word church means, "a calling out to meet". It was used when people in a community wanted to have a town hall meeting. The key being that those who lived in the community came together to talk about the community and it's purposes.
   
2. Jesus said that upon Peter's statement (Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God) that He (Jesus) would build his church and the gates of Hades would not prevail against it. So in other words Jesus is saying that to those who believe in him as being the Christ the Son of the Living God are "called out" to form this community. A community so powerful that even the Kingdom of Death could not overcome it.
   

Now with that in mind consider the thoughts of Mr. Drane.

" Paul has a dynamic concept of the church, not a static one. He does not think of it as an organization that holds meetings from time to time, but as an outpost of God’s ways of doing things, ‘the kingdom’. This means that Christians do not ‘go to church’, but on the contrary they are the church, wherever they are and whatever they happen to be doing. Their responsibility for the condition of the Christian community does not end while they are at work or at home, for everything that happens to them has its effect on the whole body.

This is true of the human body, of course: an injury to one part will inevitably bring discomfort, or worse, to the whole organism. Paul discovered at his conversion that the church is no different: when one Christian suffers, the whole church is injured. But the opposite is also true: ‘if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness’ (1 Corinthians 12:26). For a Christian to be able to opt out of the church would have been unthinkable for Paul The concept of ‘joining the church’ (or leaving it) only makes sense in a modern church context, where such joining is a matter of enrolling in a particular sort of organization. But for Paul the church was not a club that could be joined or left: it was a commitment to a way of being, and therefore could be thought of as a living organism, in which Christians were inescapably related to and responsible for one another because of their new relationship with God through Christ." ~

Drane, John William: Introducing the New Testament. Completely rev. and updated. Oxford : Lion Publishing plc, 2000, S. 386

So what is the church? Are you a part of one? Are you helping to build one? Are you growing in one? Would your church miss you? Does your church need you?

40 Days of Community

The church I pastor, Iowa City Church of Christ, kicked off the spiritual growth campaign, 40 Days of Community today. It was a great day as we had a wonderful crowd despite the cold weather.

One of the things that I love about IC Church of Christ is how diverse it is. It is truly 31 flavors. We have all ages, many different backgrounds, cultures, and colors. To me it is truly beautiful!

What this all reminds me is how important the word "together" is to God. God wants people to be together. God hates for people to be alone, and for too long the church has been a part of keeping people alone. In a culture where one of the greatest problems is "aloneness" it is time for the church to establish itself as a place where people belong.

Think of it this way, the people who felt the most comfortable next to Jesus were the outcasts: the tax collectors, prostitutes, poor, and outcasts. Why? They found a place of belonging next to Jesus because in the kingdom that he was ushering in was not built upon looks, money, prestige or power. It was going to be built upon the heart, through faith and bound together with love. So different, yet so powerful.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing highlights from our campaign. In the meantime consider how you are engaged in helping people belong.

"It is not good for man to be alone." ~ God

Window In The Skies

Two music groups comprise the greatest percentage of my iTunes playlist: U2 & Third Day.

U2 is one of those groups that the more you listen to them the better they get...it's kind of strange. Anyway there is this song, "Window In The Skies" which really resonates in my heart. Here are some of the lyrics.

The shackles are undone
The bullets quit the gun
The heat thats in the sun
Will keep us when there's none

The rule has been disproved
The stone has been moved
The grain is now a groove

All debts are removed, ooh

Oh can't you see what our love has done
Oh can't you see what our love has done
Oh can't you see what our love has done

What it's doing to me

Anyway, I just thought I would share that with you today. It's amazing what love can do, but it shouldn't surprise us. Remember this?

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." ~ Jesus

The War On Terror

I have been thinking a lot about the war on terror recently. It has been a fairly popular topic as of late, what with the increase in troops being planned and all. Most people are thinking about it and talking about. Plus, it doesn't help that the new "24" season has started and once again Muslim extremists are the focus (of course with the bizarre twists of "24" it will probably turn out to be a twisted, evil scheme from a group of disgruntled wheat farmers in Canada).

But what got me thinking wasn't so much what our country is doing and whether it is wrong or right, it had more to do with what I am to do about the war on terror. As a follower of Christ what is my role? The reason I ask this is because this is unlike any kind of war our country has faced, maybe unlike any war in the history of the world (something to think about). This is as much a spiritual war as much as it is a physical war. So how are Christians supposed to engage?

Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

So here are some questions to ponder:

"What is my responsibility as a Christ follower in responding to the war on terror?"

"What is the church's responsibility in responding to the war on terror?"

The Barbarian Way

I am re-reading a book I received last year for Christmas. It's called "The Barbarian" by Erwin McManus. It is really a great read, I highly recommend it. Here is an excerpt I read this evening that is more true then I care to admit. McManus writes:

"I used to serve on the Board of Intercultural Studies at Biola University, mostly because a friend of mine asked me if I would. One afternoon I happened to be there when the counseling department enthusiastically presented a plan for serving missionary personnel around the world. They were going to provide counseling and mental health to all those working overseas. Even while I was listening, I knew I should remain silent. I kept telling myself to keep my mouth shut. But I just couldn't help myself. Before I knew it I was blurting out, "Don't do it. Please don't do it."

They all looked at me with the strangest expressions of confusion.

Well, it was too late for me to hide in obscurity, so I knew I needed to explain. I went on, "Don't go around the world and make our missionaries mentally healthy. You'll ruin everything. You'll totally mess up the cause. I mean you have, let's say, a husband and a wife from Kentucky and they have four kids and they believe God has called them to an obscure city in Central Asia. Suddenly they find themselves in the middle of two million people who don't speak a word of English, and they don' speak a word of Mandarin or Cantonese or any form of tribal dialect. And each morning they wake up excited and confident that somehow they're going to bring that entire city to faith in Jesus Christ. You go and make them normal, and they'll be on a plane back home the next day."

The board member making the presentation graciously responded, "Erwin clearly has a different view of professional counseling than we do."

If you are a follower of Christ and you have allowed yourself to be domesticated, you have lost the power of who you are and who God intends for you to be. You were not created to be normal." ~Erwin McManus

So the question needs to be asked: "What crazy thing are you doing for Jesus?"