Tuesday, October 30, 2007
103 Krystals
In the paper today, I read an article of a man who set a new world record by eating 103 Krystal hamburgers in eight minutes. The previous record was 97. Joey Chestnut brought home $10,000 for his effort. I actually have never had a Krystal's burger but they don't look too great to me. I know some who really like them but I know Joey doesn't have to worry about me touching his record.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Our Blessed Beeson Year
I began working on this video in May. Delays came and I never finished it. It's not perfect but it is a snapshot of our last year in the Beeson program at Asbury Seminary. It includes family and trips experiences. It's about 10 minutes long and gives you a feel of our year.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Summing Up a Life
Last week, a gentleman in our church died. We just found out on Monday when the Sr. Pastor was out of town. I had met this guy, Karl twice. Once when I first came and the other time a couple weeks ago when he was in the hospital for surgery. We had a good conversation and his death was unexpected. Tomorrow I will do his funeral.
How do you sum up a life? It is not easy. Imagine and remember all the things you have done in your life. All the games, all the meetings, all the relationships, all the sacrifices, and a guy you met twice gets to sum up your life. How would you feel?
Doing funerals for people is always such an honor. Whether they are Christian or non-Christian, it is always special to be there with a family and remember who they loved. Funerals always make me think about what is most important about life. That is the nice thing about being a minister. You get to have your heartbeat on the pulse of life and death and get to enjoy it. I am a person that wants to enjoy life to its fullest. Yes, I use my life and all my possessions to further God's kingdom but I also want to have fun, fun with my wife, my kids. Karl liked to be outdoors, he liked to fish, hunt. These events always make me want to make more time for things I enjoy, like playing guitar, reading books, jumping in the leaves wtih the kids, watching football on Sunday afternoons.
As any preacher would ask, how would you want someone to sum up your life? What do you wish they would say and what would they really say?
How do you sum up a life? It is not easy. Imagine and remember all the things you have done in your life. All the games, all the meetings, all the relationships, all the sacrifices, and a guy you met twice gets to sum up your life. How would you feel?
Doing funerals for people is always such an honor. Whether they are Christian or non-Christian, it is always special to be there with a family and remember who they loved. Funerals always make me think about what is most important about life. That is the nice thing about being a minister. You get to have your heartbeat on the pulse of life and death and get to enjoy it. I am a person that wants to enjoy life to its fullest. Yes, I use my life and all my possessions to further God's kingdom but I also want to have fun, fun with my wife, my kids. Karl liked to be outdoors, he liked to fish, hunt. These events always make me want to make more time for things I enjoy, like playing guitar, reading books, jumping in the leaves wtih the kids, watching football on Sunday afternoons.
As any preacher would ask, how would you want someone to sum up your life? What do you wish they would say and what would they really say?
Saturday, October 20, 2007
What To Do About Halloween
This is a newsletter article I wrote yesterday that will come out in our church newsletter next week.
This upcoming Wednesday Night is Halloween. Halloween got its name from "All Hallows Eve" which is the night before All Saints Day on November 1st. All Saints Day is the day we remember those saints of the church who have gone on ahead of us.
Churches and people have various responses to Halloween. Some choose to boycott Halloween or have Halloween alternatives. They encourage kids to come dressed as Bible characters. I bet not many Churches would be happy if kids chose to come as David dancing before the Lord (2 Sam 6 for more information). While I have had this view in the past, I now see Halloween differently. If your life is like mine, it's busy. We don't have front porches anymore that encourage talking to our neighbors. Instead we have garage doors that open and close when we come home so we don't have to talk to the outside world. Halloween for me is now the best chance I have all year long to meet my neighbors and get to meet kids from my neighborhood.
About six years ago I went to a seminary professor's house in my neighborhood for trick or treating with my kids. This professor sat outside on his porch and greeted my kids warmly. After they took their share of candy and were leaving, he called out, "Wait, Come back." When they came up again, he gave them each another handful of candy. Such is the Christian gospel, giving us second chances, turning darkness to light. Make this Halloween an opportunity to show God's love and grace to your neighbors!
This upcoming Wednesday Night is Halloween. Halloween got its name from "All Hallows Eve" which is the night before All Saints Day on November 1st. All Saints Day is the day we remember those saints of the church who have gone on ahead of us.
Churches and people have various responses to Halloween. Some choose to boycott Halloween or have Halloween alternatives. They encourage kids to come dressed as Bible characters. I bet not many Churches would be happy if kids chose to come as David dancing before the Lord (2 Sam 6 for more information). While I have had this view in the past, I now see Halloween differently. If your life is like mine, it's busy. We don't have front porches anymore that encourage talking to our neighbors. Instead we have garage doors that open and close when we come home so we don't have to talk to the outside world. Halloween for me is now the best chance I have all year long to meet my neighbors and get to meet kids from my neighborhood.
About six years ago I went to a seminary professor's house in my neighborhood for trick or treating with my kids. This professor sat outside on his porch and greeted my kids warmly. After they took their share of candy and were leaving, he called out, "Wait, Come back." When they came up again, he gave them each another handful of candy. Such is the Christian gospel, giving us second chances, turning darkness to light. Make this Halloween an opportunity to show God's love and grace to your neighbors!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Pictures are working again.
This past weekend finally felt like fall. The weather was a little colder, I needed a jacket. I had the most fun in a while. Max is doing cub scouts and they had a camping outing. We went Friday night and went on a hike with them on Saturday. Max like the fire circle at the campfire so I broke down and bought a fire pit so we can burn sticks and logs in the backyard. It was a blast making smores and roasting marshmellows. I also figured out how to put pictures back on the blog from my phone. These are some pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Rich Young Ruler
Sunday I am preaching on the Rich Young Ruler. I was looking for a nice picture on the net but found this video. I thought the music and images were good. It's about 4 minutes. Enjoy
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Tuesday Morning Reflections
Have you ever had time when you couldn't sleep? Last night (tonight) I went to bed early and woke up in the middle of the night. I guess I'm used to getting six or seven hours sleep and going. Either way, I thought I would share some thoughts from the last few days.
I had a creative planning meeting with folks at church on Sunday afternoon to try to think through our services and make them more interesting, impactful, you get the idea. I am preaching this Sunday on the rich younger ruler and how he sought out Jesus because he was still thirsty in his life for God. We talked about thirst. We talked about wanting more out of life. I brought up to this group of folks who have attended church most of their life, that many people I talk to who have been in church a lot are thirsty. Many church folks are thirsty for more than committee / church religion. THey want encounters with the supernatural. They want more than just church meetings, church conversations; they want more. It was amazing to see all the head nodding going around room.
Why is it that good church people are thirsty for more? In some ways I think we have tamed faith down so much that all it means is go to church, go to sunday School, serve on Committees. I remember what George Hunter said about this last year in the Beeson Program. He said, "That kind of Christianity can't and won't change the world."
Last night, I met with a group of people who I invited to join me in trying to discern if we should launch another worship service. We talked about when, who, what kind of service, etc. It was a good conversation, lots of debate, no consensus but some definite directions. One of the things we would have to do to launch a service is to get a core group of people involved in this and excited about it.
I think sometimes the longer we are in church or in life, the less excited we are about new things. I remember a conversation I had with a chruch member about 3 months ago who said when she first came to The Connection (our contemporary service), she was so excited about it. SHe actually told her friends to come and tried to get them to come. God was so working in her life. Last Sunday I met a lady who came to church for the first time who was so pumped about this worship experience. It was something she had been looking for. I had a conversation with a man last Sunday before church who said he had grown up in church and got "out of the habit" and him and his wife realized they need something more in their life and are beginning to reconnect back. The point is that when God is working in your life and you are experiencing a sense of the transcendent, you do not need to have the best advertising to get people to come. People will invite others because what is going on.
As a pastor, my challenge is to experience and be led by the transcendent myself. Too often pastors are busy running the show. While it is challenging, I want to be fully engaged in worship not just leading it.
I must say last Sunday was impacting for me. I finished my sermon series on James by preaching from James 5:13-18 on healing. Healing has always been a difficult for me. I know God heals, I just don't see it as often as I would like. Anyway, we had communion and I prayed for people during communion for concerns they were carrying. About 10 people came for prayer. Some were praying for others, some personal. A few had several tears. It was touching and deeply meaningful to me that people were really crying out for God to intervene in their lives. I felt like God had shown up powerfully. God was present. I remember what my preaching Professor Tory Baucum said about Sundays. He said mostly what people want is that experience that God is real. They need hope that God is working in the world and in their lives. I have seen lately how God is working and I really need eyes and ears to see where he is leading going forward.
I had a creative planning meeting with folks at church on Sunday afternoon to try to think through our services and make them more interesting, impactful, you get the idea. I am preaching this Sunday on the rich younger ruler and how he sought out Jesus because he was still thirsty in his life for God. We talked about thirst. We talked about wanting more out of life. I brought up to this group of folks who have attended church most of their life, that many people I talk to who have been in church a lot are thirsty. Many church folks are thirsty for more than committee / church religion. THey want encounters with the supernatural. They want more than just church meetings, church conversations; they want more. It was amazing to see all the head nodding going around room.
Why is it that good church people are thirsty for more? In some ways I think we have tamed faith down so much that all it means is go to church, go to sunday School, serve on Committees. I remember what George Hunter said about this last year in the Beeson Program. He said, "That kind of Christianity can't and won't change the world."
Last night, I met with a group of people who I invited to join me in trying to discern if we should launch another worship service. We talked about when, who, what kind of service, etc. It was a good conversation, lots of debate, no consensus but some definite directions. One of the things we would have to do to launch a service is to get a core group of people involved in this and excited about it.
I think sometimes the longer we are in church or in life, the less excited we are about new things. I remember a conversation I had with a chruch member about 3 months ago who said when she first came to The Connection (our contemporary service), she was so excited about it. SHe actually told her friends to come and tried to get them to come. God was so working in her life. Last Sunday I met a lady who came to church for the first time who was so pumped about this worship experience. It was something she had been looking for. I had a conversation with a man last Sunday before church who said he had grown up in church and got "out of the habit" and him and his wife realized they need something more in their life and are beginning to reconnect back. The point is that when God is working in your life and you are experiencing a sense of the transcendent, you do not need to have the best advertising to get people to come. People will invite others because what is going on.
As a pastor, my challenge is to experience and be led by the transcendent myself. Too often pastors are busy running the show. While it is challenging, I want to be fully engaged in worship not just leading it.
I must say last Sunday was impacting for me. I finished my sermon series on James by preaching from James 5:13-18 on healing. Healing has always been a difficult for me. I know God heals, I just don't see it as often as I would like. Anyway, we had communion and I prayed for people during communion for concerns they were carrying. About 10 people came for prayer. Some were praying for others, some personal. A few had several tears. It was touching and deeply meaningful to me that people were really crying out for God to intervene in their lives. I felt like God had shown up powerfully. God was present. I remember what my preaching Professor Tory Baucum said about Sundays. He said mostly what people want is that experience that God is real. They need hope that God is working in the world and in their lives. I have seen lately how God is working and I really need eyes and ears to see where he is leading going forward.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
PIGEONS POOPING
Did you hear this story? Apparently the Cincinnati Bengals have a problem with pigeons pooping on fans during games. They poop on them, their food, their drinks. The owners of the stadium asked for city approval to shoot pigeons if they couldn't get them to go away by other means. They received approval for their plan. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spoke out against the plan last Friday. The Mayor came out against shooting the birds. The PETA said they will offer other solutions such as netting, noisemakers. Team officials saying they are looking into other ideas, such as netting or noisemakers.
There are two ways you can address this in my view. One, isn't it amazing how small interest groups get make a stink and get their way while other groups who are in the majority can't do things. Prayer in school comes to mind. The other view is that the rights of all are protected in our society. People in China who are Christians are persecuted because the majority says their viewpoint isn't valid. We tend to want our way when we are in the majority and often don't have room for others who are in the minority. Yet if we try to please the minority all the time, we will never get things done.
What do you think?
There are two ways you can address this in my view. One, isn't it amazing how small interest groups get make a stink and get their way while other groups who are in the majority can't do things. Prayer in school comes to mind. The other view is that the rights of all are protected in our society. People in China who are Christians are persecuted because the majority says their viewpoint isn't valid. We tend to want our way when we are in the majority and often don't have room for others who are in the minority. Yet if we try to please the minority all the time, we will never get things done.
What do you think?
Monday, October 01, 2007
Sunday's Prayer
Yesterday The Sr. Pastor was gone so I had a more active role in traditional worship. I actually wrote out my pastoral prayer. I often don't think it through so well so this helped me. I thought I would include it here.
Heavenly Father, we come to you this morning grateful for who you are, that you do not change like shifting shadows, that in the midst of the storms of life we can count on you. We praise and thank you for every good and perfect gift which you bestow upon us by your love. We praise you for family, friends, work, and rest. We even praise you for the storms of life which come our way which test and refine our faith and makes us stronger.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
Jesus, you who existed before time began, who humbled yourself and became even obedient to death on the cross, who lives today forever and is seated at your Father’s right hand and prays for us, we praise your name. We praise you that in your life here on earth you reached out to sinners and welcomed them into your family. Because of your character and actions of love, we have hope.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
Holy Spirit, you who lives in us and is moving throughout the world, we praise you. Forgive us for not seeing your movement and following your leading. Forgive us our sins, those we willful commit and those we are not even aware of. Free us from our past so that we may live in the light and joy of your Kingdom.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
Today we especially pray for those who are in the hospital, especially Euvella Perryman, Betty Hall, Jim Foster. Touch them special with your heavenly grace. We have others on our hearts we lift to you sliently now. Period of silence.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
And with the confidence as the children of God, we pray the prayer you taught your disciples to pray saying, Our father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we come to you this morning grateful for who you are, that you do not change like shifting shadows, that in the midst of the storms of life we can count on you. We praise and thank you for every good and perfect gift which you bestow upon us by your love. We praise you for family, friends, work, and rest. We even praise you for the storms of life which come our way which test and refine our faith and makes us stronger.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
Jesus, you who existed before time began, who humbled yourself and became even obedient to death on the cross, who lives today forever and is seated at your Father’s right hand and prays for us, we praise your name. We praise you that in your life here on earth you reached out to sinners and welcomed them into your family. Because of your character and actions of love, we have hope.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
Holy Spirit, you who lives in us and is moving throughout the world, we praise you. Forgive us for not seeing your movement and following your leading. Forgive us our sins, those we willful commit and those we are not even aware of. Free us from our past so that we may live in the light and joy of your Kingdom.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
Today we especially pray for those who are in the hospital, especially Euvella Perryman, Betty Hall, Jim Foster. Touch them special with your heavenly grace. We have others on our hearts we lift to you sliently now. Period of silence.
L: Lord in your mercy, P: Hear our Prayer
And with the confidence as the children of God, we pray the prayer you taught your disciples to pray saying, Our father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
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