Daniel Rushing

Annunciation, Suspicion, and Magnificat

2012-01-01T20:27:00.009-05:00

This piece comes from my recent re-reading of the "Christmas Story". I was struck by Mary's seeming suspicion of Gabriel's message in Luke 1:29. She was not troubled at Gabriel's appearance, or presence- but at his salutation that she was "highly favored". This is an imaginative piece that, at least for me, examines my own suspicions of God. Why do I struggle to accept God's favor without suspicion. What happens when I trust him fully to the point of courage and fearlessness. I hope you enjoy this fresh retelling.

"Mary, you are highly favored.", declared Gabriel. "The Lord is with you." Mary fell paralyzed, as Gabriel stood there shining like the sun. His sheer size and presence left little space in the room for Mary to even breathe. She was overwhelmed, struggling for each new breath. Her eyes burned like she was looking into the sun as she struggled to catch a glimpse of this uninvited visitor. Her pulse raced throughout her body, even to the tips of her fingers. His words are few. He greets her as "God's favored", but what does that even mean? God hasn't been seen or heard from in centuries! Something about this message does not add up.

By this time, here whole body was trembling. Not from the brightness of his being, nor the size of his presence, nor the thunder of his voice. It wasn't the wings, or the sword, or his authority. It was his words. "What does God want with me?", she thought. "After all this time, not even hearing from Him- as the Romans force my people into poverty and conformity." Here she is: a Jewish young woman, with no identity- just a number in the Empire- and, in many ways, a second class citizen among her own people. "What was she being set up for? This can't be a good thing."

Since the dawn of her own life she had seen her family struggle. Discriminated and persecuted, her people had talked about this God- Yahweh, the God of Israel. Daily she watched as rabbis prayed fervently for Him to come and save them from the Romans. They spoke about His servant who would come and restore David's throne. The spoke of him every year at Passover. But Mary had never heard from God, nor seen any of his miraculous works. All she had were tales passed down to her from her people, shared openly as they read from the prophets in the Synagogue.

Mary was conflicted. While she heard these tales of a righteous God who was bringing justice to the world through her people; she struggled to reconcile that with the current exile of her people. While God stood silent- her people carelessly tried to carry out this righteousness. She had seen naked women drug into the streets for stoning, while the unfaithful man was never tried. And what about the money racket at the temple. Every year she dreaded her family's annual trip to the temple markets where her father would haggle over the price of sheep and goats. For her, the holy days in Jerusalem were little more than a commercial frenzy to prop up the lucrative business of Judaism.

Now this God, who she must struggle to even believe in, is speaking? Now God decides to visit Israel again? And he sends a messenger to declare her "favored"? Her suspicions running wild in her mind- she wonders, "what does that even mean? This can't be a good thing. Why me? Why am I in horror at the idea that God could choose me- when I should be rejoicing? Why can't I enjoy this moment of blessing and choosing? What had made me so suspicious of God?"

As suspicion quickly turned to fear, all at once stillness filled the room and permeated her being as Gabriel softly spoke, "Fear not". Those words fell on her anxiety like a great weight, and in seconds anxiety became brokenness, and brokenness became humility. Those were big words. Abraham had heard those words once. But not only Abraham. Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel- had all uttered these great words to the nation when they needed to hear them the most.

"God can be trusted", Mary thought. "He is good", she thought as her suspicions subsided. Boldness now overwhelmed her. As Gabriel finished delivering his message Mary could scarcely even grasp what was being promised to her. For now, just knowing that God could be trusted again made the moment right. For now, God was bigger than what would be in her womb- he was the Almighty!

Silence was broken only by the soft sobs of Mary who lay face down on the floor for what seemed like hours after Gabriel's departure. Overwhelmed, her cup ran over. Standing up, dusting herself off she begin to sing:

I'm bursting with God-news;
I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It's exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now. (The Message)

Our Lives Will Not Be Better in 2012

2012-01-01T19:16:00.009-05:00

That's right. Life will not be better in 2012.... just because it's 2012. Every year I witness the same phenomenon: Twitter and Facebook explode with resolutions and expectations that this year is going to be the best ever! By the end of the year those same people are happy that the year has ended and begin to hope the next year will now be the best ever.

But the truth is- for things to change in our lives, we have to change. Just because the calendar changes does not mean that anything is going to change for us- plain and simple. Too often we hope that the next year will be a year when people we dislike leave us alone, or that our job somehow miraculously becomes more fulfilling or pays us more. However, the only way things will ever change for us, is if we ourselves are willing to change. So, in the spirit of New Year's lists, hear are five ways you can actually make sure this year is better.

Forgive everyone who upset you in 2011. They don't owe you anything- and God doesn't owe you anything by punishing them. Pray for them to be blessed more than you are this year- and rejoice when God answers your prayer.
Love recklessly. Love is rarely an emotion, and always an action. Do more for others than for yourself, and you will realize that you are actually making yourself and your life better.
Work hard. That's right, get off your butt! Start that project you've been putting off. Clean the house. Go back to college. Work for something better in your life.
Prepare to suffer. Life is painful- and the only way to make it better is meet your struggles head on and work through them. Make those tough decisions you've been afraid to make, and get ready to reap the results... for better or worse.
Be disciplined. Spiritual disciplines are a must, yet are consistently the most resisted practices by far too many Christians. Fast. Pray. Worship. Go beyond just spiritual disciplines. Exercise. Read. Meditate.

Sound tough? Well, life is tough. Changes do not come because the calendar says they will. Changes come because you say they will and make the necessary changes to make sure that happens. Happy New Year!

Occupy Love or Hate The Rich?

2011-12-14T17:40:00.017-05:00

Advocating for the poor is at the core of the gospel and our faith. For centuries the church at large has identified and cared for the poor and needy among us. From our catholic tradition we can draw upon such great examples. The lives of monks, nuns, and other contemplatives was marked by living on the bear necessities so that they might best identify with the poor- and indeed with Christ himself. No matter what your tradition is, there is no doubt that the gospel is announced through acts of mercy and social justice performed among the least of us.

Recent events in our nation have lead to protests and tension which some have labeled as "class warfare". I do not claim to know the answers to the complex questions facing our nation and our economy. I am so on the outside of that conversation that I dare not try to address it at all; especially not in a one sided forum as this. However, two longstanding truths come to the surface of all of this tension. One, money and the love it is always a complex issue that can lead to gross sinfulness. Two, you don't have to be rich to be greedy.

Thomas Merton was a beacon for the contemplative life in our modern world. I have his work New Seeds of Contemplation laying around my house. I never put it on the bookshelf. Wherever it may end up throughout my day, I pick it up and read a section at random. Since I can only digest Merton one thought pattern at a time; it reads really great this way and provides a little extra unplanned devotional time. At times, the words jump off the page and inflame the heart and mind with passion and fresh perspectives.

Recently, I picked it up and landed on his section entitled "Renunciation". Here, Merton addresses the call of the contemplative to identify with the poor. He explains that this does not mean being without good things. He admits that even those who have chosen to live poor must have their basic needs met so they may be of the best use to God and to men. It is, however, his remarks about having the right heart when identifying with the poor that stood out to me:

And yet you will find men who go down and live among the poor not because they love God (in Whom the do not believe) or even because they love the poor, but simply because they hate the rich and want to stir up the poor to hate the rich too. If men can suffer these things for the venomous pleasure of hatred, why do so few become poor out of love, in order both to find God in poverty and give Him to other men?

He continues to issue one of the poignant and convicting statements of the whole section, if not the whole book:

One of the first things to learn if you want to be a contemplative is how to mind your own business.
Nothing is more suspicious, in a man who seems holy, than an impatient desire to reform other men.

While we strive to advocate and identify with the poor, it is important that we remember not to hate the rich. Rather, to love like Christ- to love the poor and to love the rich. I fear that such modern movements as the Occupy Wall Street movement, and the long list of other Occupy movements- do little more than stir up hate and jealousy towards the rich. This is not good for us, or the poor. Jealousy and hatred are putrid sins that destroy the souls of individuals and a people.

Our posture should not be to reform the rich. But to mind our own business while we strive to identify and advocate for the poor. If we choose not to walk in love, hatred and jealousy wait at the door.

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it. -God, to Cain, Genesis 4

3 Reasons I'm Opposed to Bible Reading Plans

2011-12-09T10:04:00.011-05:00

While I am not opposed to ever using a Bible reading plan, I am in general opposed to the use of Bible reading plan as a serious means of, well.. reading the Bible. That's not to say that a reading plan can't be helpful in breaking down large chunks and helping the undisciplined reader stay on track. Reading plans do a great job of that. So don't hear what I am not saying! This blog is not meant to cast any judgement on those who use Bible reading plans.

In fact, I regularly use the reading plans feature on the Bible app on my phone. These reasons, if you will, are meant to highlight the danger in seeing the Bible as a book only to be read in portions- according to some timeline or structure, rather than a collection of whole stories with complete plots, characters, and thoughts. I argue that this former kind of reading of scripture has become dominant among Christians- rather than a simple, book by book approach in which the reader can get a better feel for the whole. Now that my legal disclaimer is out of the way, please hear me out.

1. Too many Christians only know the Bible in fragments. After a near decade of pastoring, I can tell you that most people in the church know the Bible only in bits and pieces: a fragment here and a fragment there. I can also tell you that TOO MANY pastors only know the Bible in fragments. We have been conditioned into viewing scripture as collection of individual truths; like a big jigsaw puzzle in a box. We have all these little pieces, we've worked hard to collect, and the end we are supposed to have a picture. Then we realize the frustration in trying to make all these pieces fit, because we were never conditioned to see them as part of a larger whole. But the Bible wasn't intended to be a puzzle. It was not written as separate individual truths or concepts.

This understanding of scripture has does such harm in helping us understand what God is really saying. We even present the gospel to others with fragmented truths. Just take time and read one of those witnessing tracts, where the gospel is broken down into 5 bite-size pieces and a prayer. We've all heard of the "Roman Road", and the "ABCs" of evangelism. We scan the scriptures, grab the truths we like, package them together- and then sell them as a super-sized theology combo to the masses. I can't imagine the Biblical authors ever intending such mockery.

2. While the Bible can and should be studied, it is not a text book. Reading plans set the tone that the books of the Bible are too big and too complex for us to ever understand all at one time. Thus, it is implied, that while we read we must be studying hard to get it, because it is just so darn complex.

Imagine the Romans, eagerly awaiting to hear from the Apostle Paul, finally receiving the letter and then reading it among themselves one chapter at a time over a 16 week period. I can tell you now, that's not how they did it! The letter was opened and read in one sitting, at one time. Imagine the churches in Asia taking John's letter of revelation, and turning it into it 10 week course- complete with charts, graphs, and symbol legends. Or what if the Jews, when hearing the words of Isaiah opted to take it one line at a time, for the next year and really try to understand what was being said. All ludicrous scenarios.

I think we wear ourselves trying to study scripture, rather than just reading it and hearing it out. When the writers were writing these books, they weren't writing to explain systematic theology. They were writing about God dealing with real life situations. They were writing to and about real people- not scholars- words they felt God wanted to speak and stories they felt God wanted recorded.

I find myself often reading the Bible and thinking: "I should be getting more out of this." Sometimes I am tempted to take a verse and try to interpret it with the different lenses of theology- trying to decipher how one theologian might view it differently than another. All this does great injustice to the text; because that is not the original spirit or intent of the writing.

3. Reading plans may create lazy disciples, or at least lazy Bible readers. People look at you with this blank stare when you suggest reading an entire book of the Bible in a week. Why is that? I think it's largely because we've been conditioned into thinking it's not possible.

Let's get real for a moment. It takes less than an hour to read many of the books in the Bible. Not all, but many. Take Romans for instance. I sat down last night, and read it in less than an hour. Yet most Christians think the idea of doing such a feat is impossible! The Epistles of John: way less than an hour. The Epistles of Peter: Way less than an hour. The Epistles to the Corinthians: maybe a couple of hours. Please tell me we haven't become so illiterate that we can't sit down for an hour and read. (Strange thing is, people who say they never have the time to sit and read for an hour, will discuss TV shows they've spent hours that week watching.)

Reading a book of the Bible in one reading brings such fresh perspective! Just reading it as the original audience did, with no pretense, helps us understand the whole in spite of the fragments.

It's as if the Bible was never meant to be a jigsaw puzzle in the first place; but a full painting visible and understandable to all.

Plato, Jersey Shore, Lady Gaga, and God's Future

2011-12-02T16:35:00.018-05:00

The power of illusion is a gripping one. When life is lived under its spell, rather than in the light of truth- the results are numbing and destructive. Chris Hedges' book The Empire of Illusion was the first work to ever really challenge me to look at the power of illusion; and in particular the grip it currently has in the Western world. Hedges observes that we have become an empire of illusion- accepting spectacle over reality, sexuality over intimacy, educational institution over true wisdom, etc. No doubt with the rush of fools towards internet pornography, so called reality TV, and the great quest of college degrees to hang on one's wall- I can hardly argue with him.

In his work The Republic, Plato records a dialogue between himself and Socrates known as "The Analogy of The Cave".

In the dialogue, Socrates describes a group of people who have lived chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall. The people watch shadows projected on the wall by things passing in front of a fire behind them, and begin to ascribe forms to these shadows. According to Socrates, the shadows are as close as the prisoners get to viewing reality.

In essence Socrates supposed that the people in the cave might find themselves completely content to be entertained by the shadows, rather than to live in the light of the real sun. If the shadows were all they ever knew, it kept their minds entertained, and thus they had no reason for any other reality.

The most haunting observation of those living in the cave is that "the shadows are as close as the prisoners to get to reality". Is it possible that we have become the prisoners? Instead of living out our own adventures with nothing to lose- we live it out vicariously through the cast of Survivor, or The Bachelor, or God help us- Jersey Shore. We no longer have our own adventures, or even form our own opinions. We have Fox News, Steve Colbert, and a full cast of media pundits for that.

Earlier this week Lady Gaga premiered her new music video "Marry the Night", in the opening monologue of this videos she says:

When I look back on my life, it's not that I that I don't want to see things exactly as they happened, it's just that I prefer to remember them in an artistic way. And truthfully the lie of it all is much more honest because I invented it... It's not that I've been dishonest, it's just that I loathe reality.

I think that sums up the thinking of an entire generation. Make up your own illusion, numb the pain of your life- as long as it helps you cope. Reality sucks, so re-imagine it any way you like; just don't face it. We are far from war, far from real poverty, far from the horror of epidemics- and the shadows keep us numb, loved, and comfortable. While in reality the world is full of suffering, at least we are safe and entertained. Selling the illusion that in the end at least all is well with us. All the while, like the church of Laodicea we are poor, naked, and blind.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. -Revelation 3:17

I watch an entire culture captivated by the shadows: emaciated, poor, and dying. All the while denying their "identity"- living so far from that image God made them in in the beginning. Created to run in the sun, and do exploits! I don't want to live vicariously through shadows on the wall. I crave my own adventure. I don't want to sit on the sidelines, or indeed in the cave, while the real action passes me by. I don't want to settle for a camp fire- when I can have the sun.

The gospel beckons me to step forward into God's future by stepping back into his original purpose, design, and plans. To be the creation of God- not the re-manufactured product of the Empire. I crave the brilliance of God's creation- not the plastic substance of consumerism.

Because of this I work really hard to resist any sentiment of this world. While the world drools over Maury Povich and his ilk as they exploit these sad souls whose lives are filled with pain and turmoil- I turn to Jesus and marvel at his power to move creation ahead of this cycle of death. The Righteous one sent to set the world to rights. The one who takes everything that is inside out and upside down about our world- and sets it to right. That's the adventure I'm on! One that calls me to bear my soul, to lay down my life, to suffer with him- so that one day I might pick it up again from his trust. That, my dear readers, is the truth of the resurrection. And there is nothing more real than that.

"I was made a herald, apostle, and teacher for this gospel; that's why I suffer these things. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one I have trusted, and I'm convinced that he has the power to keep safe until that day what I have entrusted to him." - The Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 1:11-12, from N.T. Wrights "Kingdom New Testament"

Identity and knowing when to take a bow

2011-12-02T15:54:00.023-05:00

In high school I was in the Drama Club. While my acting career was short lived- it was not without it's highlights. My first big production was an Agathe Christie tale "A Murder is Announced" in which I played Patrick. The highlight of this performance was that I got to kiss a fellow female actress. Not just any female actress, however. This was the twin sister of a former girlfriend that I had in 3rd grade. So it was a kind of a big deal. My second, and more notable performance, came later in High School when I played Bottom from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer's Night Dream". Among these more notable performances were scattered several smaller ones performed at school assemblies and the like. I had a love hate relationship with the stage. While I loved the beauty and dynamics of performing before an audience- I did not enjoy the backstage nerves and anxiety. I detested the constant running of the lines over and over again in my head, the rehearsing of my marks, and the preparing of any back up plans for possible mishaps.

Somewhere along the way, that kind of backstage anxiety became a real life nuisance. At some point in my life I had become an actor. No stage but the one created in my head. No audience but the one I imagined. And those pre-show jitters started every morning, and lasted all day long. I was wearing myself constantly fearing what others thought, making sure every word was spoken in script, fearful always of flying tomatoes or some other sign that I had disappointed my viewers.

I am certainly not the only one that has struggled with this syndrome. In a world where voyeurism is embraced, if not worshiped, the lie that you are constantly performing for someone somewhere is wholeheartedly accepted as truth by a culture itself that cultivates such delusion. Facebook, Twitter, and every other social networking outlet fuels the fires of such lies- providing a virtual platform where we can edit our lives before we put it out there for the masses. Then we keep checking back for their approval. We have become the producers and directors of our own reality shows. We are given the power to make our own rules, and to delete (or block) those who disapprove. We can retake the photos to get the best angle, rewrite the posts to preserve the right image, and even send messages of anger & hate to those whom we are afraid to confront in real life. In this TED presentation by Amber Case, we are presented with the evidence that technology has afforded us the opportunity to live more than one life: one real life- and umpteen other virtual lives:

In the end, however, it is all grand delusion. There is no audience, there is no stage. There is nothing you, or I, have to prove to anyone. The audience we imagine, are themselves, all actors- all on the same imaginary stage. And for the disciple all of this madness must end! The truth is: Our lives are not lived for human approval or disapproval. Nor did God make us in his image so that we may go and allow other creatures to redefine that image. It is an affront to God, and a disservice to ourselves to live life in such a way. This is what I call "identity": Finding that place of contentment in God where all that matters is His approval of us.

For me this has been a powerful and liberating discovery. I don't wake up and prepare to step on the stage. I no longer rehearse the lines, or memorize the script. I could care less about the spots, or any backup plans for failure. I simply live content to be loved by the Father- and trust that I will lead solely by his Spirit. Finding my identity in Christ, and in no one or nothing else, has given me permission to step out on the stage and take my bow. Goodbye audience, goodbye grand illusion, there is a loftier and more liberating life for me- found only in beholding and being beheld by my Creator- the one whose image I truly bear.

Getting older, confronting lies, and going to therapy.

2011-11-30T16:03:00.016-05:00

I turned 30 this year. Finally the age of Jesus! Well, to some of my critics this is a huge milestone- since apparently I was unable to be called until I was at least the age of our Lord when he began his public ministry.

It was a milestone, but not nearly for any of the theological reasons put forth from those critics. While I try not to be a sentimental person, for fear of being tied to things with little or no real meaning, this turn of the calendar for me opened up a time of deep contemplation. This tick of the clock reminded me what a gift life is, and in turn forced me to reassess the last 30 years of my life. Had I wasted any of it? What did I want to accomplish in my next 30? Where was I- mentally, spiritually, emotionally?

This kind of contemplation pushed me to deal with some "junk" that for too long, I had ignored. Not ignored, but refused to address. In fact there were things in my life (and head) that were getting way too much of my time and way too much control over my life. I was neurotic, stressed out, anxious, and sick. Now, I'm 30 and realize that my next 30 years can't continue in this fashion.

So, I went to a counselor for the first time in my life- real therapy- from a trained professional. And, despite my initial apprehensions- it was the BEST decision of my life. Having another person stare you in the eyes and give you truth is transformational.

I thought having the opportunity to open up and talk to someone would be freeing. When actually, it was being opened up to and confronted with the truth that brought the most liberty. I will keep the content of those sessions private- but it became quickly clear to me that at the root of my neurosis was a long list of lies that I believed and that was misshaping my life in ways deeper and more sinister than I realized.

In his book The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck begins with these famous words: "Life is difficult." He goes on to say that, in general, humans are always trying to free themselves from this difficulty- to be free from suffering. Even in our highest regarded philosophies- this is the goal- to be free from suffering. Buddha's first noble truth was "Life is Suffering". His fourth truth examined the path towards the cessation of suffering. Seems he had the problem in right focus, if not the solution.

I knew I was suffering, I knew I needed to be free. And that's all I wanted. But there's this tiny little element called truth. And the TRUTH is that you can't be free from suffering unless you are willing to confront the difficulty head on and find solutions for your problems.

Freedom is not found by resisting suffering. Freedom is found in suffering with purpose. Accepting that suffering is part of the human plight is the beginning of being freed from its bondage. This is the message of the gospel- and why it actually holds the power to set people free.

To confront suffering, and find purpose, we must be committed to the truth. Because truth, according to Jesus himself, is the path of liberty. Yet truth almost always leads to confrontation. Confrontation that many of us don't want any part of- so instead we choose the opposite and we fill our lives with lies and deceptions. Substituting one form of suffering for another.

I have seen this vicious cycle destroy people all around me. Their total refusal to face the truth and deal with life's suffering has lead them on a path of mental distress, depression, and unspeakable evils. They live life blaming everyone else, making up lie after lie to ensure that they maintain the moral high ground. All the while sinking deeper and deeper in their own deceit. Stuck in a web they've woven themselves.

So I've determined, for the first time in my life, to be totally committed to the truth. This may come as a shock to you- being a pastor and all- that I am just now determine to be an honest person. However, it goes much deeper that just telling the truth. I have determined only to believe the truth. To take my own thoughts, and to weigh them out. To think about what I think and believe- and to go after that which is only true.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. -The Apostle Paul

Hello. My Name is Daniel Rushing.

2011-11-30T15:18:00.012-05:00

At the risk of being labeled a plagiarist (at best), or a poser (at worst)- I am borrowing the idea for this blog post from my good friend Jonathan Martin who posted a blog of similar intent (and indeed content) back in April of this year. In fact it was this original post by him that sparked the idea for my own writing of such subject matter. I determined then, that given the next time I decide to relaunch and commit to doing a blog, I would kick it off with the same sentiment.

Today I am launching that new blog. New name, new URL, and perhaps a new me. But you can judge that for yourself. It has been too long since we last spoke in this forum. So there is some catching up to do. So here it goes.

My name is Daniel Rushing. I am a preacher. I have a beautiful family which I cherish dearly.

I have long hair- but don't let it fool you. I am a Pentecostal, committed to holiness of heart and life. I am not hip.

I am committed to the truth (an issue which I hope to address in a forthcoming post). I feel no obligation to spare you, or anyone else, the truth- even when it forces us to deal with problems or reassess what we believe. In fact, I think the only way to live free is to live truthfully. I am further convinced that a dishonest life (whether lived or percieved) is at the root of most human evil and mental illness.

I enjoy music. All kinds. I am especially partial to The Avett Brothers (particularly live) and The Beatles.

(I like using parentheses.)

I read. I fear that a large, even controlling, majority of our culture is illiterate.

I am an entrepreneur.

I believe in the resurrection. And to steal, one final time, from the aforementioned article by Pastor Martin:

Because of that resurrection, I am utterly 100% unafraid to die, unafraid to live, unafraid to fail, unafraid to succeed, unafraid to be rejected, unafraid to be loved, unafraid of anybody or anything. I am indestrucitible.

As a pastor I love people promiscuously in that I love a lot of people really intensely. That also makes me a bad friend sometimes, because I easily love beyond my capacity to maintain relationship.

I believe in justice. God's justice. And by that, yes, I mean liberating the poor and oppressed. In fact, my politics are those of Jesus and His Kingdom. Period. There is one Lord, and one Kingdom. I believe the Empire is dead, and one day Jesus will return and clean up the ashes of the Empire long dead. And this belief dictates pretty much everything I do.

So there you are. Or, indeed, here we are. I can't wait to share more with you, on this my new blog.

Change Your Mind!

2011-03-20T22:23:00.005-04:00

The first gospel message preached in the New Testament was: "Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is near." Preached by John the Baptist, this message was echoed by Jesus himself: "Repent and believe!" This call to repent is almost always misunderstood solely as some call to confess hidden sins and "get reborn". While repentance certainly carries with it the ideas of grave remorse for our sinfulness, and we are warned that those who refuse to repent are doomed to perish- to Jesus' audience, the verbiage would have meant something much more. It would have been a call to depart from former thinking, and to embrace his new way of living and being.

The gospel makes no bones about it. Repentance is tied hand in hand with the coming of God's Kingdom- the Kingdom of the Heavens. What John the Baptist knew, and Jesus reiterated, is that this powerful connection between repentance and the Kingdom must be understood by us if we are to embrace, and indeed experience, everything the Kingdom has to offer.

Jesus taught us to pray to the Father: "Your will be done, Your Kingdom come, on Earth as it is in Heaven." We are invited to partake in the coming of this Kingdom by being living conduits seeking the Father in prayer for its entrance into our world. Sadly, though, this call to pray for the Kingdom coming often overshadows the call to repent for the Kingdom coming.

In other words, it does little good to pray for God's will to be done and His Kingdom to come into, say, our financial need, if we are not first willing to repent of our spending. The Kingdom can not break into areas that we are not willing to change our mind about. We can pray all day for God's will to be worked out in our marriage- but are we willing to repent of the way we love our spouses? We can pray for God's Kingdom to come to the poor, the impoverished, the addict, and the outcast- but are we repentant for what we think about the poor, the impoverished, the addict, and the outcast. We pray for God to intervene in Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq- but will we turn away from our violence and believe what Jesus said about peace.

Whatever area you desperately need God's Kingdom to break into, you must be willing to repent- to change your mind- and to believe what Jesus says about it. If churches are going to bring the Kingdom into the margins of their communities, then they must first turn from everything they believe about people and believe what Jesus says about people. Repent- for the Kingdom is indeed right beside you.

Falling Out Of The Loop

2011-03-14T01:33:00.004-04:00

What if you completely fell out of the loop? That is the question that has been haunting my thoughts for the last few weeks. What if I didn't know what was going on Facebook? Or who was winning American Idol, Survivor, or Celebrity Apprentice? What if I didn't know what Steve Colbert thought, or what my friends preached on Sunday. What if I went a whole day and didn't read what anyone texted me. I have openly confessed that I am easily distracted. Let me rephrase that- I crave distractions! I am like and A.D.D cat in a room full of feathers. As I am writing this I totally just tabbed over to Facebook to make sure I hadn't missed anything.

Call me OCD, but it is irresistible. I try to remember what it was like before Facebook. Have you ever tried to? Or what I did before I had a cell phone? In fact, there was a time when I refused to have a cell phone. Now, mine never leaves my side. It has everything I need on it- including a Bible; so, it can't be that bad. Right?

My mind has reached a screaming pulse of constant busyness. I am plagued by an addiction to a constant barrage of "connectedness". I know this. I have come to terms with it. And it must stop. This part of me must die. My whole being is screaming for simplicity, a return to living life away from the screen. But to be honest, that prospect scares the hell out of me.

What do I do when I am out of the loop? I am not sure that I know how life goes on. That seems so sad when I type it out, but I honestly do no know. Life is like a great big void outside of being "in the know". Can I function not knowing what is going on? Owning my own business which demands a strong web presence adds even more complexity to the already fiery inner battles that are being waged. Can I run my business and stay disciplined enough to untie myself from this hunger for connectedness?

I wonder what I would actually do with my time. I am already an avid reader and tend to make time for that already. But what would I do with myself if I didn't have Facebook to check or emails to read? What if no one texted me? I don't know what to do. I don't know what we do. The even scarier thing to me, is that I know I'm not the only zombie. I know I am not the only who is scared to death to be out of the loop! Even scarier is the idea that my entire generation may very well be hypnotized while the real world around is taken from us. Much like Plato's The Republic, we are prisoners entertained by the shadows on the wall- so much so that reality itself is a concept that is far too deep and frightening for us. Thus, content we are, to sit in front of the shadows and remain entertained.

But there's this longing within me. To leave the stinking cave! And to get away from the shadows. I don't want to fall off the face of the earth. NO! I want to see the earth! I don't want to miss out on what is out there- all the beauty and all the pain, all the good and all the bad. I want to know what' real, and abhor that which is fake. I want to be simple again. That's all.

So who's with me? It's a scary future, I know. We are thoroughly convinced that falling out of the loop will ultimately be the destruction of ourselves. We have become so attached to the star we are online, that destroying that persona is almost like suicide. And indeed, it is. I have come to the honest conclusion that that person must die. I am not sure how all that will play out in my life, and I still doubt my own courage to pull the trigger- but I know what must happen. And I think you do too.

My New Year's Resolution

2011-01-07T20:00:00.002-05:00

There, I said it, even though I hate it. I hate New Year's resolutions! I think they are overrated, childish, and poor motivators for actual change. However, there is something I have resolved to do this year. I hadn't really seen it as a resolution, or even made a declaration of such (until now).

To provide some context you must understand the tumultuous, yet rewarding, nature of the last 3 months I have just come through. The last quarter of 2010 presented some real challenges and opportunities for soul searching. Only those closest to me know the kind of pain, and eventual joy, that marked that season.

Coming out of all that left me with what I can only describe as a soul ache. A hunger to return to my roots spiritually, and to be me. It was finally safe to be me, completely all of me. As Judy Garland once said, "Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else." I was forced to have an honest dialogue with God. While such a thing sounds pious, it was actually quite terrifying. It was a much needed soul cleansing that I had been avoiding. Out of all of this came this ache and hunger. A hunger to know God more deeply, to search out His depths and to be satisfied with nothing less than being part of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the earth. To experience a true move of God. To shun vanity, and to embrace the purist perspective of reality that can only be found through seeing the world through the Father's eyes.

For 2011 I resolve to: "Fix my thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. I will think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Phillippians 4:8)

Six Minute Sermon: Origins

2010-12-08T15:08:00.000-05:00

Living a Sabbatical Kind of Life

2010-11-22T20:57:00.008-05:00

From the dawning of days as we know it, God provided a Sabbath, a day of rest, for His creation. Once a week man was to call a "time-out" and enjoy creation- and indeed to enjoy the Creator. Beyond the ordinances of Eden, God gives the nation of Israel a calendar that is build around feast days. The life of the Hebrew people was to be built around these "Sabbaths". It is clear that God, the creator, did not want his people to be consumed by work or temporal gain. Their week, and even year, was to be built around these divine pauses; where creation and creator would reunite in a picture of pleasure and rest. God further reinforces this idea of living in complete satisfaction with the creator, rather than being consumed by the creation, by instituting Sabbatical Years and a Year of Jubilee. Every fifty years the entire nation hit reset- no more debt, no more slaves, and families would get land back they may have lost due to bad debt.

The Sabbath was a holy day, or days, set apart for creation and creator to rest together. These "holy days" gave Israel a chance to celebrate, among other things, God's provision, God's atonement, God's law, and God's power to liberate. These moments were not to be mere stoic reflections filled with religious exercise. Even God himself dreaded the holy days when they were reduced to nothing more than such.

God wants creation to enjoin celebration. Not to view celebration as some splurge or indulgence; but, as a way a life. A way to keep us grounded in the most important things: our relationship with those we should love the most, and our relationship with Him. Life was to revolve around these moments. Sabbath provided a way for the people to, at least for a moment, enjoy the peace of God that would eventually be found in the rule of Christ.

Our own holiday season gives us chance to put this celebratory concept into practice. One of the interesting things I find about these holy days in the Old Testament, is how clear God makes it to make these moments enjoyable, and not burdensome. Take, for example, this law on bringing the yearly tithe to the Feast of First-Fruits.

Deuteronomy 14:22-26
22 “You must set aside a tithe of your crops—one-tenth of all the crops you harvest each year. 23 Bring this tithe to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored—and eat it there in his presence. This applies to your tithes of grain, new wine, olive oil, and the firstborn males of your flocks and herds. Doing this will teach you always to fear the Lord your God.
24 “Now when the Lord your God blesses you with a good harvest, the place of worship he chooses for his name to be honored might be too far for you to bring the tithe. 25 If so, you may sell the tithe portion of your crops and herds, put the money in a pouch, and go to the place the Lord your God has chosen. 26 When you arrive, you may use the money to buy any kind of food you want—cattle, sheep, goats, wine, or other alcoholic drink. Then feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and celebrate with your household.

God makes provision for those who might not be able to make the trip to Jerusalem and bring the tithe. He tells them to sell their tithe. They could then take that money and buy meat and drink for the feast once they arrive in Jerusalem. And the menu looks like party food and drinks to me! We would be remiss to look over this as just being another of the sundry laws that the people had to keep. There is no doubt the intentions that God had for this holy day! He could care less if you get the actual tithe to Jerusalem- as long as you make you sure to use the tithe money to party in His presence!

Furthermore, it speaks to our own situation as we approach the holidays in our own context. The beauty of Sabbath was resting in what God had provided for us- and showing contentment in the measure of creation which we ourselves were able to enjoy. God Himself knows that when we overspend and stretch ourselves- we are not enjoying what we have, but are using Sabbath as a means to be selfish gluttons. So this season, choose to live a Sabbatical kind of life. Enjoy the measure of creation that God has made available for you enjoy. Don't overspend on the holidays! Don't spend money you don't have. Don't be selfish and miss out on this beautiful moment to spend with those you love most, and the God that loves you most.

Six Minute Sermon: God is Good

2010-11-19T18:10:00.000-05:00

Prayer for the War-Dead

2010-11-12T13:40:00.004-05:00

While looking for something else by Stanley Hauerwas, I happened upon this prayer from "Prayers Plainly Spoken".

Mercy for the War-Dead
"Dear Lord, at our feet lie dead Iraqis, dead Kuwaitis, dead Kurds, dead Croats, dead Slavs, dead Salvadorans, dead Americans, dead Palestinians, dead Israelis, dead Jews, dead children, dead Christians--dead, dead, dead. We ask your mercy on these war-dead sisters and brothers. We ask for the same mercy for ourselves, for our failure to be your peace, to be the end of war. Save us from the powers that capture or imagination so we think our only alternative is war. We know we cannot will our way to peace, for when we try we end up fighting wars for peace. So compel us with your love that we might be your peace, thus bringing life to this deadly world. AMEN."

Thoughts While Standing on My Front Porch, Which Overlooks the Universe

2010-11-10T11:51:00.001-05:00

I stand, by night, at the helm.

These mountains are my waves.

Stars twinkle as my guide.

Fields of grass keep me afloat,

while whispering the earth’s secrets between each blade.

Deep peace and awe abide,

as I navigate through the memories of the day.

The waves tower over me.

The heavens, deep space, are my horizon;

splashing through the mist of earth and clay.

I stand, by night, at the helm.

The cosmos is my frontier.

On grass and dirt I think I am.

But my mind knows for sure:

while these hills are within grasp, the stars are much more near.

Out here, nothing is still;

furiously trekking, icy breeze in my face.

Gritting my teeth. Eyes wide open!

Speeding through the galaxy, at warp speed!

Calmly navigating my ship through, deep space.

Shooting rocks of fire and ice,

this calm is full of violence.

Burning gases and exploding elements,

all crashing together,

in a breathtaking symphony of silence.

It is just a porch, right?

These mountains are my waves

Stars twinkle as my guide

Fields of grass keep me afloat,

while whispering the earth’s secrets between each blade.

Six Minute Sermon: Keep It Simple Stupid

2010-11-08T18:42:00.000-05:00

Six Minute Sermon: Trick or Treat

2010-11-05T23:10:00.000-04:00

Ebbs and Tides

2010-05-01T22:23:00.003-04:00

One of the most frustrating things in our spiritual journeys are those times where we just have zero motivation. Momentum is a tricky thing. But be comforted- the loss of momentum is natural. It is bound to happen! You will not always be motivated, nor are you currently designed to stay in perpetual motion.

As I thought about these things, my mind drifted to Psalm 23. In this writing, David expresses in vivid imagery some thoughts about his journey with God; from the pasture to the palace, literally. I see a journey filled with ebbs and tides, but founded on one guiding principle: the Lord was the shepherd. I reworded the Psalm a bit to reflect what a lot of our spiritual journeys may look like:

The Lord is my shepherd, and:
- I will never lack anything.
- Sometimes he tells me to walk.
- Sometimes he tells me to lay down.
- Sometimes he restores me and guides me.
- Sometimes I go through really dark places, where all I have is the instruments of his purpose.
- Sometimes I have to eat around people that don’t like me.
- Sometimes my cup is full and overflowing, and I know that I am anointed!! That I am the king of the house!
- Then sometimes, I just need to be a guest of The King-- in the King’s house.

Launching a Rebuilding Effort

2010-04-24T20:56:00.004-04:00

Every coach and team dreads these words: "it's a rebuilding year". Yet, that does not remove the reality that inevitably every team will have a rebuilding season. And fans know how rough those rebuilding seasons can be. As an NC State fan I can attest to this, since we have been in a rebuilding phase for the last decade.

Ministry is also filled with its fair shares of rebuilding stages. Every pastor has been there. You wake up one morning and you realize that the season for your church has completely changed. Your team has some missing faces, some new faces, and maybe some returning faces. Times like these, at least for me, are some of the most exciting times in ministry. As well as some of the most frustrating times. These stages should not be feared! Often times we are too ashamed to admit it to our church, or even to ourselves; for fear that such a confession would reveal weakness or carry negative overtones. These ridiculous fears will only keep us in this stage, and eventually in shambles... for decades even.

Nehemiah was the leader of a historical rebuilding stage. Returning to Jerusalem to help Israel rebuild the city walls and gates. In chapter 1 of his story Nehemiah learns that even though a great number of Israelites have returned to Jerusalem- after being exiles in Babylon/Persia for decades- that little effort has been put forth in rebuilding the city walls or gates. This news is heartbreaking to Nehemiah. His actions in Nehemiah 1 provide for us some key elements for launching a rebuilding effort. These foundational elements are what insure his success (which he prays to God for) in all of his rebuilding efforts.

1. He Had A Burden. Nehemiah responds to the current shape of Jerusalem by weeping for days (v. 4). His weeping is followed by a span of fasting for days. His heart was broken, tears flowed, his appetite was gone-- it affected every area of his life. He reveals to us, in part, why this was so heartbreaking in the prayer that he prays. As he cries out to God, he reminisces on God's choosing of Jerusalem to "bear His name" (v. 9). Jerusalem was to be the city set on a hill, the testimony to the rest of the world of their God (Yahweh), the God of the universe. Nehemiah was heartbroken because he knew Jerusalem was in shambles, and not bearing the goodness, glory, and might that it was chosen to testify of.

When the church is not carrying out the Kingdom of God, just as Jerusalem was chosen to do, it's time for a rebuilding phase. But these efforts will not be effective unless our motives are pure; unless we work with a burden. Until we digest the importance of testifying of Jesus' goodness, glory, might, love... there will little energy to begin the project, and even less to finish it. But when we have a burden, when we weep, when we fast, when there is a heart connection to what the Lord is desiring to do in the world around us-- then rebuilding efforts can be founded on pure motives and fueled by the passion of the heart.

2. He Repented. The burden pushes Nehemiah to his knees. For the greatest portion of chapter 1, Nehemiah prays. His prayer is interesting because he repents to God. Repents! Even though none of this was really his fault. First of all, it was his ancestors fault that they were in captivity in Babylon. Secondly, it was his brothers in Jerusalem that were too lazy to start rebuilding the walls. Yet, Nehemiah prays and repents. I think he understood that if he was going to change Jerusalem, then he had to be changed himself. He places himself in front of God and repents. He prepares himself for new direction by asking God to change him from the inside out. He also prays for God to be with him, and give him success.

The truth is your church can not experience change until you are ready to be changed. Stop playing the blame game, and sit in from of the Lord and ask for change to begin in you first. We can not be an agent of change until we first become the subject of change. Further, we can not expect to be successful on our changed selves alone; but on the continual presence and providence of God.

3. He Dug Deep. We are told at the end of chapter 1 that Nehemiah was "the cup bearer to the king". He was in the service industry. Mind you, not McDonalds, but more like the Grove Park Inn. A service job nevertheless. His prayer doesn't reveal all of his desires yet, however it is clear that Nehemiah is completely prepared to adopt this project as his own. His burden is great, and with the help of God he is ready to surrender himself to the efforts of rebuilding Jerusalem. Where does a cup bearer find this kind of gumption?

If you are going to launch a successful rebuilding effort, then you have got to dig deep! Don't put yourself in the seat of inferiority. Don't let your current vocation, or the disappointments on the past, hinder the burden of your heart. Dig deep!

4. He Recognized Strategic Placement. A cup bearer. Chapter 1 closes with this little piece of trivia. The cup bearer was a service job, no doubt. It's not just any service job though. Because the cup bearer to the king has something that a lot of people in the nation didn't have. He had the ear of the king! I think Nehemiah recognized this advantage he had. Like Esther, that he was here for "such a time as this".

Not only did he have the ear of the king. But he had seen leadership in action. Perhaps he served the coffee at a national summit. He saw the powers of diplomacy and delegation. As we see Nehemiah step into his role as the leader of Jerusalem's rebuilding project- we see him employ the very leadership tactics I am sure he learned from working in the king's court.

Strategic placement is everything. Nehemiah recognized that God had used everything in his life to prepare him for this moment. Recognizing the strategic positions in your life, and learning how to leverage them for success, play a vital role in catalyzing an effort to rebuild. Your past, your vocation, your talents, your opportunities... all given to you to leverage you to being successful in joining with God in the building of His kingdom.

The Waiting

2009-11-18T14:09:00.004-05:00

With the words of Tom Petty ringing in my ears, I confess loudly to all that "the waiting is the hardest part". Four months ago we started this journey of purchasing a home for ourselves. I have been in ministry for 10 years- and in that decade have relied totally on the good graces of the churches I served. With the current incentives, our full commitment to Asheville, and other personal reasons- Crystal and I decided the time was right. We, at first, tried to buy a home in "short sale". After four months of fighting the bank, one word describes that road: NIGHTMARE. Now, we are in the throws of doing a normal purchase, and still we wait. At the same time I decide to preach a sermon series called "In Between", on the story of the wilderness. Little did I realize the significance of such a word in season, both in the life of the church and in our own personal lives.

I have always hated waiting. Waiting brings out the worst in me- it reduces me to some of the base habits of my own carnality: worry, anger, doubt, confusion, and addictions. While I have never been a substance abuser- I will use anything to numb the pain of the wait: TV, junk food, the bed, or just staring aimlessly at at my email program clicking refresh every 30 seconds for hours at a time, just hoping some word will come through (I am not exaggerating). Armed with my cell phone in my pocket, I fidget every few minutes to see if there is an email, a call, a text- ANYTHING to ease the pain of the wait. While all of this may sound bizarre to the reader- it is an embarrassing but all too true confession.

Such behavior has become unbearable even to myself- and in turn has caused me to do some real introspection. Where does the root of all of this lie? It is this course of reflection which lead me to the following conclusion. I am a control freak. I want to be right on top of any and all news that comes my way regarding the house! Or the church, or my job, or... well, anything else. My obsession fuels my impulsiveness. Thus I find myself a miserable soul, bound by my own desires. The very thing I feel makes me free, is actually my slave master.

But why would someone with their own free will choose to live like this? The answer to this question was even more haunting than the previous revelation. My strong desire to be in absolute control was wrapped tightly around my own self love. I am so in love with myself, that I want to give myself all the control and authority that I feel like I deserve! As a fool follows the whims of a dictator or tyrant, I was doing whatever whatever I felt like would please my "Master Self".

Now I must learn how to get free from me! I am praying, seeking, and fasting for the deep inner peace that Christ alone provides- that peace that the apostles wrote about and the Church Fathers preached about. What's more? Recognizing how much I love me, reveals how much I should love others. That is convicting.

Tragedy and Contextualization

2009-10-28T14:01:00.021-04:00

Nothing makes my heart beat faster than a late night phone call. Ten years of pastoring will make anyone gun shy, when the ringing of a phone pierces through your dreams and forces you up from deep slumbering. I'll never forget several years ago getting that call from a wailing grandmother that her 16 year old granddaughter, Kendra, had just died in a car crash. That morning was one of the WORST I've ever spent. I remember driving to her house, crying, and banging my fists on the steering wheel asking God, "Why? Why?" We sat around the living room, with glazed eyes and blank expressions. How do you make this fit? No one expected this. Her family was one of faith- loyal followers of Jesus. But there we were, with no answers. We were all thinking it, but no one was saying it- our faith was shaken.

Two nights ago another one of those phone calls interrupted my sleep. This time, it was for my wife. On the other end her mom tearfully shared that one of Crystal's cousins, in his 20s, had just died in a car crash. Even worse news came in the morning, when we found out that his best friend had died in the crash too. It doesn't fit, does it? Chris and Jodi, in their 20s, gone. And, I ask God, "Why?"

I've seen such tragedies push people away from God. I once knew a lady, a faithful Episcopalian, who denounced her faith when her son was diagnosed with Leukemia. Not just her, but her entire family. All of them, walked away from the Lord. She explained to me how it all went down. After she got the news- she went into a room alone and "had it out with God". Cussing, crying, wet, snotty mess. When she came out- she said she was done with Christ and His church.

How do we contextualize these events? Why do we struggle with God and faith when things just don't fit? How can tragedy cause such polarization between us and God?

I think its because we have a messed up view of God. Religion has played its role in teaching us that everything is somehow black and white, and must have an answer. And if it doesn't have an answer, then it has no place in faith. I assert that this is why tons of people never darken the door of a church! God is viewed as a judge, and the Bible as his trusty law book. Christianity then becomes nothing more than a list of dos and don'ts- and all of life's events are erroneously based on whether God likes us or not (and that is largely based on how well we're following his rules or not). Thus, if bad things happen to good people, young people, innocent people- then something must be out of line, something must have been done to deserve such tragedy. THIS IS NOT THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.

The gospel is not an invitation to follow the rules, or else! It is an invitation to join the grand story of God's creation and redemption. It is the message, that through the words, actions, and spirit of Jesus, God is righting the wrongs, and as Jesus himself said: "making all things new". The gospel is the good news that God loves us! While we struggle to reconcile "God the Lawmaker" with "God the Lover", the gospel has established that there is no tension between "law" and "love". Rather, Jesus announces that the "law is love"! Jesus literally says: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

I don't know why these tragedies occur. I know I did a lot of stupid things in my youth. I should probably be dead, or at least served prison time. I was fortunate, as many of you were, that I got away with it. But while we live on this earth, that is cursed with death- it still stings all of us at some point or another. The good news is, that God is not the one issuing that sting. In fact, Jesus came to do away with death's sting. How? I'll tell you how. We may not have the answers, but we do have each other. And as long as we have each other, we have love. Love eases the pain. Love does away with the sting.

I don't know how all of this came together for me today, but it did. As we suffer tragedies and hardships in this world, let me challenge you to love one another recklessly. Hold hands with someone in grief, let someone snot all over your shoulder, heal the pain, pour in the love- for this is the law of Christ.

My Grandma's House

2009-10-20T21:09:00.005-04:00

This past weekend my Mom and Dad stayed at my house. At my request, Mom brought me her copy of my great-Grandma's journal. Several years ago, my aunt took this handwritten journal and retyped it all word by word and gave it to all the children and grandchildren. She was my great-grandmother, but I called her Grandma. She lived to 80 years old and died while I was still a child. God has given me an amazing memory- and I am thankful to have the memories of her that I do.

Today the reading came with certain solace. As this evening closes out- I am both haunted and excited over the events of the day. Excited because today marks my 8 year wedding anniversary with Crystal, and we are in the throws of purchasing our own home. Haunted because some our dreams have been stifled. We received news today that the house we've been trying to buy for months may slip through our fingers. And, at the same time- our "Plan B" house got sold today right out from under us. Then I read Grandma's journal.

She moved from England to the US in order to be with her daughter (my grandmother) who married an American soldier after World War 2. She survived World War 1 and 2 as a civilian in war torn England. On the coast of Cornwall, where Hitler's airman would unload their bombs before flying back to Germany over the channel. Her journal is a mixed bag- even random at times. I can see a lot of her in me- random and passionate.

While just skimming, I found my anxieties of the day drowning in a sea of gratitude. I wept as I read some of the closing passages- in which she relented the divorces occurring in the family, the death of her son, and her own declining health. Tears ran down my cheek as she described her frail financial status, "I only get $270 a month. I tithe, and pay $60 to heat my house, and have a little left to buy groceries... I was embarrassed today when the lady at Social Services made a scene over my $13 in food stamps." She never had much money- but she had something far greater. In that little house was packed some old furniture, a small gas stove, and a praying widow.

She cherished the simplest of things in life. Hot tea at 5 in the morning, early prayer moments in which she called the names of every single child, grand child, and great-grand child, and evenings filled with silence, solitude, and the Psalms. She wept over the prodigals- but still wrote about them as the real people they were- she loved and cherished them.

While I fret over expensive homes and pieces of land- I am taken back to a home of homes; where there's and endless supply of round butter cookies, small suckers, and red kool aid. Where withered hands knit gloves and toboggans. And feeble knees bow before the Lord of the Universe. Time and again, she declared, "the good Lord had little, and life was hard for Him. We should not expect our lives to be a bed of roses. But, God is faithful!" Enough said Grandma. Enough said.

The Important Stuff

2009-10-16T01:25:00.006-04:00

As a pastor, I am often haunted by feelings of inferiority. This is especially true when my ideas of success aren't being met. Sleepless nights spent with that sinking feeling in my gut: "do I have what it takes?" Pastoring people already comes with its specific set of difficulties. Couple that with the nagging questions of your own performance, and you have a recipe for ulcers. Even more than ulcers, you have a recipe for spiritual depletion. These feelings have risen to the surface time and again, in late night discussions with my wife. With tear filled eyes, we asked the questions, our conversation filled with "whys". Why wasn't our church growing? With the quality of ministry that we have going on, why aren't our people telling others, and why aren't we running 100, or 200, and will it ever happen. Asking, "how can we accomplish noble goals with a little church, and little budget". All the while, knowing what God was uniquely speaking to me had not changed.

More recently, however, all that has changed. Becoming more aware of my unique call, I have grown to hate those feelings of inferiority that try to creep in. The more time I spend with the Lord in conversation over these matters, the more I get it. Maybe the things we think are significant markers of success really aren't important. Maybe, church can look completely different than the steepled building down the street, but still be "the church". While I'm certainly not claiming to start some kind of revolution, the thought is quite revolutionary. What if it was God's desire to have me as the leader of a small intimate community, rather than the vocational pastor of a largely attended church? What if God is more concerned about transformative community, than he is church attendees or offering numbers? What if it doesn't take a lot of people to do a lot of good? I realize that what I am selling, a lot of people aren't buying.... yet. Sometimes I feel like I am speaking a different language- but I know what the Lord is speaking to me. The other night my wife started letting that negative language creep in again- as we talked through it she mentioned that even though she was disappointed in the results- she still knew awesome things were going on among our people. As she elaborated, she mentioned one of the little girls in our children's church. This little one is disconnected from a lot of the kids, and she often acts like she'd rather be anywhere else than church. Last Wednesday this little girl asked my wife if she was going to lead worship; as my wife leads the worship for the children on Sunday morning. Crystal responded that we don't do live worship on Wednesday and the little one frowned. "Do you like it when I lead worship?", she asked. The little girl lit up and smiled and shook her head yes. Crystal commented that this little girl had a certain fondness for her, and she didn't know why. I immediately interrupted, "Crystal, this is what is all about!" My wife had left an impression, on a life. THAT'S HUGE! As we talked on I started sharing some the texts and emails I get after services and throughout the week. These little glimpses into the transformation and growth of those among our small faith community. The real lives, and real people, that were being changed and were learning how to follow Jesus, to love others, to practice justice... oh the list goes on and on!

Last week I used my DVR to record the Pixar film Wall-E. There is a scene in which Wall-E is moving through his jungle of metal, with sand all around, when he comes to a surprising discovery. Underneath some of the junk he finds a little green sprout, in a dirty old boot. He immediately scoops it up and stores it away in his lunch pail that doubles as a collection chest. He marvels at this piece of life- which is no where else to be seen in his vast jungle of garbage. What if we can be that little green sprout in someone's landscape of death? Could it be that our call is not to be the biggest oak in the forest- but the significant piece of life in an environment of death and garbage?

The important stuff is not the events we can pull off, or the people we can attract. Its the little moments we have to share life with one another. Its the humbling chance to touch lives, and leave an impression; to be a significant sign of life in a place that knows only death.

Elijah, Part 1 by John Piper

2009-07-16T07:56:00.002-04:00

The leather lap was smooth as moss
Where lay the little corpse across
The prophet's knees. And camel hair
Made cradle for the toddler there
While pagan relatives stood by
The mother's arm and wondered why
Elijah wept.

The widow's son,
Her only child, had just begun
To love the quiet man who spent
His days in prayer, and sometimes went
For weeks alone among the hills
And mountains, where the silent rills
Flow west to Zarephath — or used
To flow, before the drought had bruised
Phoenician fields and left its brown
And barren wounds along the crown
Of Lebanon. The little boy
Had once let slip excessive joy
And said, "Do you think you could stay
And be my daddy here?" And they
Now wondered why he wept? And why
The sun had set and western sky
Turned crimson while Elijah pressed
A foreign child against his breast?
But even if they knew that there
Was love . . . that lonely prophets care,
With leather skins and camel hair . . .
That underneath, the losses tear
As deeply as a father's grief —
But even if there was belief,
They would not know what had been pent
Up in this many layered lament.
Three times he had composed the verse,
And every time the pain was worse.
And now his memory combined
Them all and drummed against his mind:

A prophet suffers from the truth
And miracles he made.
And dies while he is still a youth,
From prayers that he has prayed.

Round and round his mind the verse
Rolled heavy like a deadly curse . . .

Is not the hope of sinners dashed
And those who spurn the Lord?
Why is a faithful prophet slashed
By wielding Yahweh's sword?

He closed his eyes against the tears
And thought back over all the years
That he had kept himself from wrong,
And day and night had sung the song
Of David, that his heart would be
As pure as snow. And suddenly
God's word had sounded in the plains
Of Gilead, against the stains
Of Ahab king of Israel:

"Elijah, man of God, go tell
The king there shall be neither dew
Nor rain until you give the cue.
How can the king of Israel
Take to his bed a Jezebel
From Sidon with her feeble Baal,
And dig a fountain that will fail?
Think you my spring of Life is out,
O king? Then you will have your drought!"

And so Elijah gave the word.
And his reward? The prayer was heard,
And Ahab drove him out, to hide
With neither food nor drink beside
The brook of Cherith. There he sat
Alone, afraid, and murmured at
The price of faithful prophecy:
"What does it profit here to speak
The truth and die beside a creek?"
But then God said, "You will not die.
Consider how the ravens fly:
Are they not free at my command
To go and come from Ahab's land,
And carry here bread, meat and all
Through windows in the castle wall?
And will I not then care for you?
Consider now what I can do:
Henceforth I make of your distress
A banquet in the wilderness."

And so the prophet's murmurings
Were quieted with raven wings . . .
Until the brook went dry. And then
Elijah groaned, "O Lord, how can
A prophet die from prayers he prayed
And miracles that he has made?
At your command I shut the skies,
And now the thirsty prophet dies?"

"You will not die," the Lord replied,
"But go to Zarephath and hide.
And find a widow there like you,
Who waits to die. She's not a Jew,
She has an only son in need,
And oil enough and meal to feed
The boy and her one time and die.
Now go, and like a raven fly
To Zarephath, and there you three
Will live on what you cannot see."

And so the prophet's murmurings
Were quieted, with unseen things . . .
Until the boy lay dead upon
Elijah's lap, the only son
He might have had. "What have I done
For this, O man of God? Is one
More raven ready now?" she said,
"And can it carry to the dead
Live souls when they are gone, and bring
Back life and make a mother sing?"
The words were not as harsh as might
Have been. She saw the gathering night
Around his face and knew that he
Had felt the loss as much as she.

When everyone had gone, she heard
Him whispering: "Why bear the word?
A prophet suffers from the truth,
A prophet holds a lifeless youth.
How short the life for which I prayed
And brief the miracle I made."

And now a third time God replies,
"Elijah, tell me, is it wise
To think that every raven died,
And every jar of oil has dried,
And every time you hit the wall
Your God is tottering to fall?
O man of God, go up and pray."

Elijah took the child and lay
Three times across the corpse and prayed
All night: "O Lord, this child you've made;
Have mercy now and give his breath
Again, and spare the widow death
On death. And pity me tonight."

And when Mt. Hermon let the light
Of dawn shine through the upper room,
It had become a second womb.
Elijah took the breathing boy
Alive, and folded him with joy
Into his mother's robe, and took
A long, long walk to think, and look
Out on the western sea, and weep
That he is loved and still could reap
Such hope when everywhere is drought
Without, and worse within: his doubt.

Elijah, come and let your light
Shine here in candle one,
For though it flicker low at night,
It rises like the sun.

And though the darkness and the dearth
May threaten life and light,
Remember God still rules the earth,
And ravens fly at night

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Poems/ByDate/1377_Elijah_Part_1/

U2- Where the Streets Have No Name

2009-06-26T22:39:00.002-04:00

What can I say. I'm feeling a little homesick lately. The scene from this video makes me long for the day when multitudes will stand together that place where the streets have no name, and we will sing together. It's going to be awesome.

WNC Meeting Debacle

2009-06-18T10:29:00.001-04:00

I posted the following on a message board, concerning the WNC meeting tonight to decide whether we should go ahead and buy a building, or stick with the original plan of leasing until a prime location for offices is worked out:

Partially in agreement. I think it needs to at least be considered. However, come Thursday, at our conventiently scheduled meeting Rolling Eyes , the pastors will vote to buy the property that the AB has found. His presentation will be good, and there will be little time for good discussion on the matter. And once again, the men will feel compelled to blindly follow the AB and SC reccomendation, and then in a few months everyone will be complaining about how bad of an idea it was.

BUT, we keep putting the same guys on the SC, and we keep voting for everything they recommend.. so its a vicious cycle. Then, when the body actually reccomends something, like the "Vision and Steering Commitee" for Whittier, they make sure that doesn't happen.

I just hope everyone is thinking about these things before we go into this meeting. Let's stand up and talk, and don't be a bunch of wussies (or in the words of one of my retired minister friends: "You know what you are!")

Today I am still very anxious about how this meeting will go. I dread the idea that we might vote to buy this building- WHEN there are BIGGER issues at hand. WNC is falling behind- we have no youth camp, and no real plan to actually have one. We already have properties that could be used- in Kannapolis, Paw Creek, Whittier, etc. There has long been discussions of moving to a more central location.

But, now we might buy a building stuck in Charlotte. A building that needs repairs- roofing and carpet. And, there is no word yet on where the money left over from this purchase will go. Unfortunately it is the generations behind even mine that will suffer. How much will the kingdom suffer in WNC with no youth camp? The sacred event in which many of us were saved, sanctified, spirit baptized, and called into ministry.

I was told by a leading official in our state (not the YCE director), that Youth Camp was a thing of the past, and WNC needs to move on to the future. Then I look at the others states who are doing awesome things, even moving to the future by streaming their camp meetings. And WNC sits on the sidelines, making decisions to buy buildings that will still not provide the needed ministry for the people of this state. I say, if we want to look to the future, then we need to invest in our youth- YOUTH CAMP IN WNC MUST BECOME A PRIORITY AGAIN!! I am so tore up in my spirit about the flippant way that WNC has been approaching these matters that I am actually dreading the possible outcome of this meeting tonight.

Procrastination

2009-05-11T14:09:00.008-04:00

One of my favorite quotes ever is from Ellen Degeneres. On her HBO special "Here and Now", she says:

"Lets say we could save up a whole chunk of time and set it aside, you know what we’d do with it? Nothing. Nothing at all, isn’t that the point? To be able to do nothing at all? But we’re not guaranteed that later chunk of time. All we’ve got is here and now. And that's why procrastination feels so right. Procrastination is not the problem, my friends. It’s the solution. Its God’s way of saying, stop. Slow down. You move too fast."

How true that is. So, it's Monday, the first day of all your weekly procrastination endeavors, and I say balance your procrastination with your priorities, but remember nothing is more important than the here and now- and that's why procrastination feels so right!

Confession: I Am Terrified of Myself

2009-05-07T22:08:00.017-04:00

First, a word about confession is in order. I know I'm breaking all the rules. I'm Protestant, and I'm a Bishop, and as a Christian my relationship with Jesus is supposed to be personal. To confess would be totally, well, just wrong. At least that's what we're taught within our modern Protestant churches here in America. I mean, confession is for the Catholics, right? And, preachers and Bishops should definitely never confess their faults; way too risky! Furthermore, Christians' relationships with Jesus are supposed to be personal- because, that's what Billy Graham says. For sure, the whole concept of confession within our Christian culture has been discarded- throwing the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. Despite countless New Testament exhortations to confess our sins and faults one to another- as well as the historical and doctrinal treatment that confession has received through the centuries. So brace yourself- because, as formerly stated: I am going to break those rules. I have needed to get this off of my chest for some time now. While I am becoming more honest with Jesus about this personal struggle, I need to be honest with his presently incarnated body, the church.

Perhaps the confession in my title line gives it away. However, I need to be real with you. To understand my fears, I need to make some confessions about myself. I am a horrifying creature! Violent, lustful, jealous, idolatrous, covetous... There's no punch line, or moral to this story. It's just who I am. I and scares me! I often find myself restless, and disconnected to others. I avoid contact with Jesus, and fear ever becoming too deep spiritually because that means I will have to face these dark and miserable tendencies of mine. I rather enjoy shallow living and weak spirituality- you know, the kind of bumper-sticker religion we all seem to embrace: silly sayings that we call profound, and sentimental Christianity that can easily be picked up on your local "Christian Music" radio station. While my soul despairs of these comforts, my flesh has an insatiable craving for such piety. I am one twisted individual! More than Satan, more than evil men, more than the pain and sickness in this world- I am afraid of myself. Afraid, because I know what I am capable of- and even what I crave to do.

My flesh is whack! A perverted mess of filth and waste. I cringe even typing out these admissions. But it's true. The Apostle Paul was well aware of I am capable of, he wrote: "The works of the flesh are sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like". I am told that this is a healthy fear, and I am sure that it is; but, that doesn't take away the sting. As I try to live this life in God, through Christ, I must deal with myself. I have to look in the mirror- there are times where I fight against me. Sweaty hands, dry mouth, speeding pulse... resisting the urge to just be me, the miserable wretch that I am. When the guy cuts me off at the light. When the swimsuit model walks across the screen of the TV. When the colleague at work gets recognition, and I don't. The monster rears its ugly head. The beast within tries to resurface.

I've come to the humiliating conclusion that I am incapable of dealing with my own self. It is now apparent that I must have continual supervision by living in the very shadow of Jesus. Around that eternal kind of life, it is the only place that I feel safe from myself. Like when I was 4 and I would grab a hold of my Mom in the presence of strangers. I cower away from myself and gravitate towards Him. Like a timid child, I cling to His legs and hold on for dear life. It's the only way. I can't be trusted, but He can.

There now, that feels better! I admit that I am weak, and scared. I admit that I am afraid of the horrible creature that I am. I admit that I cling to Jesus' ankles in an attempt to get away from myself. He makes me feel safe- and in a strange way, being close to His life brings transformation to mine. He causes me to be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

A Unique Sunday Recap

2009-05-03T15:20:00.004-04:00

So this week, apparently, our church has been cursed with a plague! We had lots of sickness and disease this week for sure. But God kept those who love him from being affected. All you sick people need to repent! Just kidding!
So the setup was good this morning, the church looked great. Even though Eric did it ninja style. I never even saw him come and go; but, he had sick family this morning he had to be with.
Our nursery and kidz church was rocking. You can always depend our kids to be there, and to be ready to worship! Kudos to Stefanie for pastoring this kids and cultivating a spiritual atmosphere for our children.
Worship was bare bones acoustic this morning- which I thought was much needed. As I'll explain later, our church really had a rough week this week. It seemed like everyone and every family was going through something. Probably the last thing everyone wanted was loud music.
It was nice to just relax and worship in the presence of Jesus. It was much needed for me, and everyone I think.
As I have pointed out, our church had a really rough week last week. We had those who had death, sickness, family issues, etc... I felt very strongly that I needed to break off of the "Essentials" series for today and preach a word of comfort to my flock.
I spoke very pastorally on Ecclesiastes 1 and 2 Corinthians 4.
Life is filled with deficits- there is always a lack of money, time, happiness. Even when you have lots of it- it's not enough.
Life is filled with pain, confusion, persecution. But the bigger picture must be embraced. The temporary situation may be filled with despair; but what is God doing in the bigger picture.
Paul endured the rough spots in life, because he knew that his life was making a difference in others. He tells the Corinthians, "I live on the edge of death, so that you can have life".
Everyone was really encouraged, and we had a powerful time of prayer and reflection at the end.
I just want my entire NHC family to know, that I LOVE YOU so much. Hang in there, guys, God has great plans for us.

Essentials: Worship Recap

2009-04-27T10:19:00.002-04:00

First of all, I would like to thank the God of the universe for finally allowing warm weather to set in on the mountains of NC.
We had a great looking crowd again this morning. It is pretty clear that we have broken into some serious growth here at NHC.
All of our volunteers were on their game. Setup, hospitality, compliments, and our media team- you all are doing a great job.
We started off with a brief presentation by Brittany concerning the upcoming mission trip to Mexico. Everything is coming together so well! Now, we just need to pray that swine flu away- I heard today that the US State Dept. has stopped all US travels to Mexico.
Karen rocked, again, on an opening trumpet solo.
Worship was nothing short of stellar. On a Sunday where I was I was going to preach on worship, it was great to experience the shekinah before actually talking about it.
One quote used in our responsive reading stood out to me: "When we're alone with God, there are no more distractions to the development of intimacy. It is just us and Him. The rest of the world must wait." -Wellington Boone.
We resumed our Essentials series this week, and we talked about worship.
Worship is our response to divinely initiated communion. God seeks worshipers (John 4), he is looking for people to worship Him.
Worship is physical. Jesus came in bodily form. God reveals himself to humanity, not despite the human body, but through it. It is only logical that our worship should be bodily- using hands, feet, lips, and tongues.
Worship is emotional. Only in our North American white church is emotive worship so strongly opposed. There are places you will not go with God if you are filled with emotional inhibitions in worship.
2 major hindrances to worship:

Sin- In Isaiah 6, when God fills the temple with His glory, and Isaiah is left alone to face the righteous judge of the cosmos- he becomes acutely aware of his sin. As he cries "woe is me", God provides a burning coal to his lips that cleanses him from all unrighteousness. God was prepared to deal with Isaiah's sin- he had the coals, the tongs, and the angel to do the work. We often stop in worship because we don't want God to deal with our sin- or we feel like because of our sin we should stop worshiping. But God is well equipped to deal with our sin- he comes prepared. He knows exactly where to touch us, and how to deal with our sin.
Sincerity- Yes, sincerity. The curse of our age is the notion that whatever you do, whether sacred or profane, just be yourself. We are indoctrinated to never be fake, to never do anything that feels weird or out of character. This pursuit of sincerity will wreck your worship. Worship involves physical elements that may be out of character: raising hands, crying, dancing, etc. Sincerity is not an excuse to skip worship. Imagine if you were in the Marines, and you told your drill instructor that running just wasn't your thing; or that you didn't sincerely feel like the few or the proud. The analogy carries over- if you want to be a worshiper of Jesus, then its absurd not to practice the physical elements of worship just because you feel it is out of character.

We ended by practicing worship. We were challenged to do something in worship we had never done- to do something out of character. I saw hands go up all over the sanctuary, and God's presence flooded our midst. It was a really powerful time of worship!
Its always so encouraging to see people really experience the tangible presence of God for the first times in their lives. It is such a blessing.
During the closing moments several came down for prayer and encouragement. The Lord ministered to them, and I know that God is going to do a continued work in their lives.

2009-04-27T10:17:00.001-04:00

I am now able to blog from my phone? Are you kidding me? Well, stay tuned to the blog for more updates.

Being Part of Something Bigger

2009-04-14T14:11:00.012-04:00

I remember growing up as a kid, I was always the smallest. I was the smallest sibling, the smallest at church, and the smallest at school. I thought I would never hit this ominous "growth spurt" my parents had promised me would come. This "small time crisis" lead to some real disappointments in my childhood. I was always the last to picked for the kickball team, and was the obvious target of any other kid who needed to make an example of his own dominance on the playground. Most of the time, I just felt like I was in the way. Of course, time heals all wounds- and provides enough space for one to get juiced up on pride. This is all part of the human condition. The fog of pride often blinds our peripheral vision. We find ourselves focused on our own narrow paths, the roads that we are traveling. It's difficult to see our lives or existence as being part of something bigger.

The past few days have brought a clearing of the fog in my own journey. This weekend I had the opportunity to perform a wedding for my wife's sister, Michelle; and, the love of her life, Chris. The weekend was busy, and not without its fair share of wedding stress. When Saturday rolled around, and there I was standing of front of this beautiful bride, and her husband-to-be, I have to admit that I was overwhelmed. In that moment it felt like the lens of the cosmos zoomed out, off of my little journey- and I stood on a stage in the midst of something bigger. I felt the eyes of Heaven were watching. While I officiated the matrimonial service, I knew that I was only part of something bigger. The Holy Spirit was there, tying the knot- if you will. It was as if I stood in the shadow of Christ himself. I felt so small- so in the way.

I drove home that Saturday full of God's peace and refreshment. Upon arrival I had to hit the ground running. On my way into the house I am using my phone to send out last minute texts and emails- preparing for Sunday's big Easter service. I was up until 2:00 AM getting things together, and my wife was up later than that. Sunday came, and I was up early. Again, my own self love began to invade my space- I was tired and stressed. Then service begin, and I felt that lens zoom out again. That day was filled with such beautiful experiences. I watched as at least 5 people, eyes filled with tears, turned their hearts towards Christ. Then, outside in the baptismal pool, I was privileged to baptize 7 new believers at NHC. The presence of Christ was so near, and so real. And, there I stood, so small in the midst of something bigger.

Monday rolled around, and I was able to attend my monthly minister's fellowship group. I have been with this group for a year now- and I love these men dearly. I look forward to these meetings like a kid looks for Christmas! During our meeting we all talked about our lives, our churches, and our families. We shared the humorous, the troubling, and the downright ugly. I sat in that group, and we laughed together, cried together, and prayed together. The fog lifted again- and I felt His presence at our table. I felt His shadow as we prayed to Him. I knew I was part of something bigger. I felt.... so in the way.

We must cherish these moments, and learn to live in them at every given opportunity. Else, we will fall deeply in love with ourselves. And one who is deeply in love with himself is a most wretched creature: good for no one, not even himself. The realization of our own smallness, and the opportunities we have to be part of something bigger, keep us honest and in right relationship with our Lord.

Easter Recap

2009-04-12T19:12:00.004-04:00

Thank God for great weather today!
First of all, I have to say thanks to EVERYONE who helped pull today off. I won't name names, because I will forget someone. But thanks to all who came early, left late, and worked hard.
Everything looked great, felt great, and sounded great.
We had a record breaking crowd this morning. The highest attendance we have had at NHC since I have been here.
nhcKIDZ and our newly launched nursery are rocking it out every Sunday!
Our book table looked pretty busy this morning too. Keep checking it out, there are tons of great resources back there.
Our worship sounded great this morning. The set was perfect for Resurrection Morning.
I had to drum this morning, and everything went down without a hitch, except for me breaking the bass drum pedal... ON THE FIRST SONG!! Sorry guys, my bad....
We are on week 2 of our "Eden to Easter" series. This was one of my favorite sermons.
After dealing with the reality of our own destructive sinfulness, we come to the realization that we need help. We need a savior.
At the appointed time, God sent his son to us. (Galatians 4:4)
Jesus came to overcome, and indeed destroy, the power of sin. He did this 3 ways in particular:

His life and teachings showed us what it looks like to be truly human. He was the image of God, as Adam was before the fall. Thus, he shows us life that is above the curse of sin.
Through redemptive actions, he shows us his power over the power of sin. He healed the sick, cast demons out, cleansed the lepers, and raised the dead. Jesus had authority over sin's power.
Through the atoning act of the cross, he reconciles man to God. For the first time since sin's introduction into the world, man is now able to live forgiven before God, and live above the grip of sin.

But the cross was not the end of the story. Three days later Jesus raised himself from the grave!
The resurrection means that not only is our sin nailed to the cross, but that new life is now available to all in the atonement!
We deny the physical resurrection of Jesus, when we deny his resurrection power working in our lives.
When all was said and done, we had 5 individuals who received Christ!
Following service we had an outdoor baptism and picnic on the grounds.
We baptized 7 believers in a pool on the front lawn of our church. It was AWESOME!
The picnic was great. Thanks to all who brought the fix-ins, and the chicken was great.
This was one of our best days so far. Really great! God is so amazing, and his faithfulness never ceases to amaze me.

From Eden to Easter- Recap

2009-04-06T09:26:00.003-04:00

Today was an absolutely beautiful day.
Kudos to all of our volunteers again! You guys knock it out of the park every week.
We had a great looking crowd this morning. We are still growing at a steady pace. Love it!
Our kids had plenty to do. nhcKIDZ was rocking this morning with LIVE music! We are now offering nursery.
We tried out our new Communication Cards this week. I think the new cards and system are going to be very beneficial.
Don't forget about our information table. Lots of great information, materials, etc.
Worship was great!
This morning we launched our special 3 week series: "From Eden to Easter". We are going to look at the story of scripture; specifically, the story of redemption.
This week we looked at the fall of man in Genesis 3.
I preached a "hell-fire and brimstone" sermon this morning. Well, kind of... It was pretty Johnathan Edwards style.
I preached on sin, its roots, its effects, and our nature. I told everyone in my church 4 things they need to know about themselves:

They are extremely selfish.
Knowing, loving, and obeying God does not come natural to them.
They are prideful, jealous, contemptuous, murderous people.
They deserve to be destroyed.

So... yeah. Pretty hardcore. But so true. The fall of man is quickly followed with a brief history of mankind at its worse; consumating with the destruction of everyone by a worldwide flood.
But thank God for an ark. Jesus is our ark- and he is working to transform the horrible people that we are.
To my surprise, it was one of our most popular sermons her at NHC!
All in all it was a great day, can't wait until our BIG Easter service and baptism

Unexpected Fellowship

2009-04-04T09:50:00.008-04:00

To be honest with you, it wasn't what I expected- but, it is exactly what I needed. Secretly, I was starving for it. These were my thoughts at then end of last night's concert at NHC.

At a concert scheduled to be a fundraiser for our upcoming missions trip to Poza Rica, Mexico- it turned out to be much more than a fundraiser. Let me first say that our expectations were far from met. Our attendance was NOWHERE near what we expected. However, the offerings were satisfactory for the size crowd that we had, and the music was way above par. NHC and EDGE rocked the house! The light show was nothing short of amazing. But, this was a fund raising event, and as the night began we were all completely let down by the small crowd.

But the house lights went down, the stage lights came up- and we all forgot how small the crowd was, and how small the offerings were. Our children worshiped like the house was full! They were stoked about being at a real live concert, with lights, and loud music. They danced at the front of the church.

The night, for me, stands in my mind as a series of vivid images. Crystal and the children dancing in the altars. Ace worshipping with them- dancing and even headbanging. People on their knees at the altars. Children with their parents. A lead singer with little voice still belting out sounds of worship to Jesus. Dave, bass hanging, hands raised, being obedient. I honestly weep as I recall the images even now.

To cap the night off, we had one give his heart to the Lord. Then following service, one of our children was baptized in the Spirit. Little 9 year old Kelsey. While we were praying with her about a need that was very dear to her heart- much to our surprise, she started to pray in a beautiful spiritual language. She didn't even want to leave church last night!

What started out to be a fund raising effort turned into a revival of sorts for our young church. This morning I am still hearing testimonies of what the Lord is speaking to individuals. I looked forward to all the worshipers from other churches coming, and getting to fellowship with them. What I didn't expect, was to have this fellowship with Jesus last night.

To be honest with you, it wasn't what I expected- but, it is exactly what I needed. Secretly, I was starving for it.

Essentials: Fasting Recap

2009-03-29T19:05:00.006-04:00

Today was just flat AMAZING!
Volunteers were great this morning. It's so awesome to see more and more stepping up and getting involved in the church. So, kudos to the setup team, A/V team, compliments team, greeting team, nursery workers, and the information desk attendant.
We started our "Information Table" this morning. This has been a much needed area of our church. We have books for sale, information about current events, sign-ups for baptism (and eventually community life groups), and tons more. This is going to single-handedly change the way we do things at NHC.... way more efficient!
We also launched our nursery this morning. It was a huge success. Again, another much needed ministry.
The baptism service is scheduled for Easter Sunday. I announced the exciting details: There will be a pool set up in front of the church for the baptism! Following will be a MASSIVE picnic for the entire church and all the visitors. We are completely stoked!!!!
Also, our big "Mission Aid" concert is going to be on Friday (April 3) @ 7 PM. $5 cover charge, and love offering. All proceeds go towards our mission trip to Poza Rica in June.
Worship was great, as usual. The set was right on par. Responsive reading is still a HUGE addition to our Sunday worship experience.
Bubba, our Youth Pastor, preached today. He spoke on fasting.
He began his sermon by doing a "spontaneous melodrama". He had actors volunteer this morning, and re-enacted the story of Esther. Unfortunately, Ace was Esther! That was one ugly Esther! But, Ace was a good sport.
Today's message was a mix of instruction and testimony. Testimony from personal experience, from scripture, and from history.
Bubba did a great job. It's always a treat to hear from him. Plus, I like the break.
I heard that nhcKIDZ also had an amazing service. They were served a complete Passover meal as they learn and prepare for Easter. Stefanie does an AMAZING job with our children.
Things are happening so fast around here. Our attendance is growing and growing and growing. Lots of first-timers every week- and lots of excitement.
Keep your eyes open for some new things coming our way: new communication cards, community life groups, and more ministry opportunities. Stay tuned...

Essentials: Prayer Recap

2009-03-22T17:22:00.007-04:00

This morning we continued our "Essentials" series, and we talked about prayer. But not as is usually expected. We looked at prayer as divine interaction.
Today was an absolutely beautiful day! Our setup leader was out to day with a cold. But everyone did their job, and some new volunteers contributed, and everything was set up great!
I think everyone came hungry this morning. Lots of people hanging out around the coffee and danishes this morning. I love it!
Brittanny kicked off service with some info about our upcoming mission trip to Poza Rica, Mexico. We have a HUGE Yard Sale planned for Saturday; and then an awesome concert on April 3. $5 at the door. So if you're in the Asheville area, come check it out.
LOTS of new faces this morning! I am told that about 12% of our attendance each morning is first timers. That's pretty awesome! What's even better is our return rate is off the charts, I don't have the numbers right now, but it over 75%!
The worship was great! Our music is sounding so tight right now. And the songs went right along with the whole focus of our service: prayer.
I challenged the church to understand prayer as more than talking to God and hearing from God. Communication is much more than words.
In our own relationships, we communicate through looks, body language, gifts, and more. With our relationship with God, we tend to lean only on the verbal aspects- and rarely on the non-verbal. But God is trying to communicate with us always.
We looked at both Moses and Jonah. God used very unorthodox ways to speak to his people: bushes, fire, whales, sailors, asses, roosters, etc.
In both cases God spoke by using what was around them, and he spoke to them in a way they would understand. The same is true in our own lives.
The Holy Spirit really visited us during our reflection time at the end. One rededicated her life to Christ this morning! AWESOME! And several who needed prayer for healings and comfort.
We are planning our baptism service for Easter!!!!! IT'S GOING TO BE AMAZING!!!!!! We have had several new converts, and this is my first baptism since being at NHC. I am so stoked!

Free Pizza and Other Miracles

2009-03-19T14:43:00.003-04:00

Let me first apologize for not posting in a while. Life has been mucho busy. The church is doing great, and is requiring more and more of my attention. At the same time, I am working a little more at Best Buy Mobile now that I received a position as the new Sales Lead. However, there are a couple of significant events that have recently taken place in my life that are noteworthy.

It was a long Friday at work, and an off pay week at that. My parents had come up for the weekend to visit us. That morning I went into work at 9 AM, and didn't get off until 5. Dinner time was rolling around, and there was my company to consider as well. Around 6 PM, though, there came a mysterious knock to my door. It was a friendly neighborhood pizza delivery gal. In her hand, a piping hot, freshly cooked, garden pizza! But we didn't order pizza. No, instead a good friend from Chicago, Phil Hoover, had sent a pizza in honor of his own birthday. It was a much needed surprise, and an awesome token of good will. I sort of knew it was coming, because he had to get some info from me to know where to send it to, etc. Nevertheless, it changed my whole day. I felt like a kid again! All day, I was so excited that I was getting a pizza that had been ordered from hundreds of miles away in Chicago. Thanks again Phil, it was a really nice token. Perhaps we can all consider doings similar acts ourselves.

Then, this past Sunday, after church, I received a very interesting phone call. From out of no where, a lady from Texas calls me up. She introduced herself, as we have never met, and proceeded to tell me that she was compelled by the Holy Spirit to call me. As she was sitting in church, in Texas, the Lord prompted her to write something down. When she got her pen and paper in hand, the only thing that coming to her over and over again was my name. When she got home, she Googled my name, and found our church website. She was a gracious servant of the Lord, and her words blessed me immensely. She spoke about some things I had been praying about, and no one could have ever known how much I needed to hear what she had to share with me. It's funny how God works! But ever so amazing.

"Essentials" Kickoff

2009-03-15T15:50:00.002-04:00

Today was an absolutely beautiful day! (Actually it was rainy and cold, but it felt really beautiful to me).
My parents were visiting this weekend, which is always a special treat.
We had a great looking crowd too! Several new faces- and of course the great people that call NHC home were all there.
Setup team (hmm, hmm- Eric's crew) did a GREAT job!
And who made those awesome danishes this morning? Brittany, you have got to quit outdoing yourself!
Karen graced us with another beautiful trumpet solo.
Worship was OFF THE CHAIN! Seriously, one of the best worship sets I've ever been in.
We tried out a "responsive reading" this morning, and went over GREAT! Responsive readings are definitely here to stay.
We kicked off our essentials series- which is going to cover the practices of the faith: prayer, fasting, giving, study, solitude, etc...
In this introductory sermon, I made a case for the essentials, using 3 foundations.

Biblically- The apostles taught a Christian faith that required equipping and preparation. We looked at Paul's "Armor of God" discourse in Ephesians 6. Throughout Ephesians, the church is urged to have real, living, active faith. As he closes, Paul reminds us that such a life can only be lived when we equip ourselves in certain ways- faith, the word, salvation, righteousness....
Historically- The apostles and early fathers wrote freely about the practices of the Christian faith. However, there were little "how to" writings on the practices. How could this be? Because the early church actively practiced the essentials. They did not need instructions, it was common knowledge, because it was common practice.
Jesus Himself- When Jesus spoke about the essentials, he said, "when you pray...when you fast...when you give...". Even though never expictely commanded by Christ, it is clear that Jesus expected that his followers would pray, fast, and give.

We had a wonderful time of reflection at the end. Several came down for prayer. The Lord really ministered to those who came forward.

Following service I was encouraged by a mysterious phone call... But that's another blog for another time. Stay tuned.

Sunday Recap for 3/8/09

2009-03-12T20:50:00.003-04:00

I just realized that this blog never got posted. My bad. I obviously forgot to click the "publish button".

Today was a BEAUTIFUL spring morning!
There was a lot of expectation going into this Sunday, because I did one of those "pastoral" sermons. We are in between series right now, and I took the opportunity to share some things the Lord ahd really been speaking to my heart over the past few weeks.
There were a few first-timers as well, which is always great to see.
Set up went down without a hitch. All of our volunteers are just incredible people!
The worship was really great. I am totally digging the prayer that was read during the set.
I spoke from my heart on some organic imagery the Lord has been giving me concerning our church.
Jesus spoke to his disciples about the church in very organic terms- sheep, goats, fruits, vines, and branches.
Church is not be static, and we should avoid viewing the church in certain lights that place it in a static position- like names, locations, buildings, or ministries. The church is much more than this.
Because of its organic nature, it lives in all areas of our lives. The home should be the church, the job should be the church, life in the body can't be lived outside of the body!
Because of its organic nature, it produces fruit. A fruit is categorized as a seed bearing plant. Church is to be fruitful, and reproductive.
I used some pots, dirt, and flowers to relay some imagery the Lord had given me in prayer about our church. We have been really growing lately- new converts, new members, lots of first timers.
While there are several areas that need immediate attention- starting a nursery, and expanding our children's church to accommodate all the kids. But I have struggled, because I didn't want to tap into our new growth already, and spread out our people on Sunday morning.
But the Lord gave me this imagery, of three pots. One stuffed full of vines, and two that were empty. He then took some of the vines and spread them into the other two pots. It looked funny, the once full pot was now half empty- and the empty pots were only partially filled. Then, the vines started growing again, and eventually all the pots were full.
The Lord was telling us that we need to continue to stretch out for the sake of the empty pots. It will be awkward for a while, but eventually the organic nature of the Kingdom of God will come into play, and our pots will be full!
So I made a mess with dirt and flowers, but I think the visual was very successful.
Our follow up with first timers was very positive. Amidst my reservations about being very pastoral in a setting where there are lots of first timers- apparently they all really enjoyed hearing it.

Snowy Sunday Recap

2009-03-01T14:22:00.006-05:00

Snow, again, today was our enemy. It has snowed the past two Sundays. Warm all week, then snow on Sunday.
Anyway, all went well in spite of the snow. Our numbers were down, which is to be expected.
But the setup team, greeters, and volunteers did an exceptional job.
I saw some first-timers among the crowd.
The acoustic worship was awesome this morning. We were lead into the presence of God- our focus was on the fullness of Christ, the fullness that humanity needed, the fullness that John the Baptizer looked for- it was all found in Christ.
We concluded our "Economy of Jesus" series this morning.
We closed out Matthew 7 in three ways.
1. Narrow & Wide Gate: Jesus is not talking about heaven and hell here, as is often implied. Rather, he is saying that in life within the kingdom, the way we act, interact, and live- that there is a broad road that is well traveled, and then there is small road that is less traveled.
As followers of Christ, we are compelled to take the high road- to turn the other cheek, to live without worry, to live in the blessedness of Jesus life.
2. False Prophets & Fruit: Jesus then moves to talk about false prophets, and false fruit. He closes by teaching that are those who claim to prophesy, work miracles, etc., but He never knew them.
There is perversion in the natural order- just a twisted as it is for an apple tree to bring forth oranges, it is for a person to claim knowledge of Jesus, when Jesus doesn't even know them.
Jesus draws a distinction between religious life and real life. While religious life may offer prophets, prophesies, signs, wonders, etc. Jesus is interested in fruit. Something organic and cultured. Something that reproduces seed.
3. The Lord is Near: I closed by showing that the apostles continued the teaching of Jesus even after he was gone. Paul in Philippians tells the church to rejoice, to pray, to concentrate on pure things, and in the midst of that says the "Lord is near."
Living life in the light that: the kingdom is at hand (the Lord is near) prompts us to live our life as a sacrifice to God, and to do all things for the glory of God.
This is Christ's economy. A kingdom life with eternal potential that is birthed through a firm connection to the Son of God himself, Jesus.

Sunday Recap: Splinters and Logs

2009-02-22T18:35:00.005-05:00

We awoke this morning to snow. So, as I expected, our numbers of first-timers was way down.
Our volunteers were right on this morning. Setup was great, sound was great, lights, coffee, compliments, etc. etc. etc.
Martha brought in more shoes for the orphans of Poza Rica this morning- with many other donations that had been sent. So, before church started, there was a moment of spontaneous and sincere worship around the supplies. It was really great.
We were honored to have Ben with us this morning. He is Karen's son, and is serving in the military. He greeted the people and thanked them for their prayers for him- and for the military.
Worship was amazing. The Spirit of Jesus was very real- He was teaching us that our focus must be on Him, and nothing else.
Words of prophecy were spoken: The Lord has promised to do something with us in Asheville that has never been seen; but, we are not to seek that. We are to seek Him, and in the dark we will find his promises. The darkness of shadows that come to this world, when we live in his blinding light. Our eyes must grow dark, and our heartsight must take hold. Then, we will be given the things we have be assured of as a church.
Worship concluded with a deep experience of God's presence.
I preached from Matthew 7:1-12, where Jesus dealt with the darker elements of our human nature: judgment, condemnation, self-righteousness, and distrust.
A judgmental person only deceives their own self. For to look down on others, you must lift yourself up. You must look past your own sin, and your own propensity to do wrong.
Thus, Jesus says you can't help get the splinter out of others' eyes unless you come to grips with the log in your own eye. The church is a place of zero condemnation. We should be authentic people- because we realize our own battles with sinfulness before we do the state of others.
He then teaches on the absurdity of trying to feed dogs holy items, and trying to feed pigs pearls. We can not impose our liberality on others by patronizing them with good or holy things. Kingdom living is done out of the power of Christ's love within us, and never as a way to flash our pearls or push our holiness.
Jesus ties all of this in with the teaching on ask, seek, knock. Because, this kind of good life, and this kind of church can only be the fruit of a deep trusting relationship with Christ.
We must relinquish our desire to fix people, to a total trusting of Jesus to be able to fix people.
The time of reflection was filled with people needing courage, healing, and comfort.
It's a message, that if we take it to heart, will change our lives and will bring the Kingdom of God near to our city.

Mission: High Five

2009-02-18T15:24:00.004-05:00

I recently stumbled upon a site called "Improv Everywhere". Of course, when combined in the url, it creates this play on words with "improve everywhere". This site, or movement, is dedicated to sowing seeds of chaos and joy in public places. This cultural phenomenon has hundreds of young followers joining the movement. With carefully planned out missions, the group will do such things as invade a Best Buy store wearing blue shirts and khakis. Then, they proceed, to be kind and helpful to customers; even though they don't actually work there!

It's just really refreshing to see a movement like this, even though it belongs primarily to the secular world, it definitely reflects Christian ideals such as joy and kindness. Just to see the way this group can change the atmosphere in public places; from stunts that are silly, charitable, or just plain absurd. Watch this video below as the group pulls of a "High Five Mission" in which one group member gives high fives to thousands of people on their way to work an an escalator. Just watch the joy spread, and the smiles on the faces of the people whose lives have just been changed by an outrageous public stunt.

I have posted an updated link to this site on my "Other Roads to Travel" list on the lefts side of this page.

Sunday Recap

2009-02-15T18:28:00.007-05:00

Another awesome Sunday at NHC!
Crowd numbers were a little down- but morale was still good and our volunteers still provided an awesome worship atmosphere.
The sound crew finally has it all together. The sound was amazing this morning guys!
I loved seeing the new faces- hope to see you all again.
Made the announcement this morning that a small book store will be opening at NHC on Sundays before and after service. Books, resources, and sermon material will be available for purchase.
It was an acoustic Sunday today- which we have around here at least once a month.
Ace and Sarah did a great job leading us into the presence of Jesus. Some new songs, but we loved them.
We only have 3 Sundays left in our "Economy of Jesus" series.
This morning we moved into chapter 6 of Matthew. In chapter 5 Jesus answered the questions: Who is better off? and Who is living right?
In chapter 6, Jesus teaches us two hindrances to living the good life: The desire to be impressive- and- Placing our trust in material treasures.
Several individuals came up for special prayer after our time of refection. Prayers for healing, spiritual renewal, and friends who requested prayer for those who were struggling with poverty, circumstances, and addictions.
We have 52 Sundays to spend together this year. This Sunday was the 6th Sunday of 2009. Which means that we are 1/8th of the way through this year. Now that is mind boggling!

Embracing the Cross

2009-02-14T14:24:00.022-05:00

I am currently reading through some of the writings of Francois de Salignac de La Mothe-Fenelon; simply known as Fenelon. Fenelon, among many things, was the Preceptor of the Duc of Burgundy (the guy responsible for raising the prince to be the next king), and at the end of his life served as the Archbishop of Cambrai. His writings are great devotional and meditation material. I am actually discovering his work for the first time in my life.

This afternoon, aside from preparing for church tomorrow, I cracked it open and indulged in some personal God time. I have for the past couple of days, felt particularly weighty. Not in my actual body weight, but just in my mind and spirit. I am plagued by these spiritual lulls in my walk with Christ. Mostly, these times can not be explained. For years I have struggled with these spontaneous reminders of my own humanity. I wish they could be scheduled in, if they are necessary at all- but such struggles appear with no warning, and leave just as conspicuously. My main frustrations with these struggles, is that I can't figure them out. Thus, I can't fix them.

Then there is Fenelon, my devotional father for the next few weeks. The first writing I read is entitled "Embracing the Cross". And this is the first paragraph:

You need to learn to separate yourself from unnecessary and restless thoughts which grows out of self-love. When your own thoughts are set aside you will be completely in the middle of the straight and narrow path. You will experience the freedom and peace that is meant for you as a child of God.

He continues:

Often, when you suffer, it is the life of your self-nature that causes you pain. When you are dead you do not suffer. If you were completely dead to your old nature you would no longer feel many of the pains that now bother you.

As I meditated upon these words, the Ghost of Jesus (which is the Holy Spirit) began to work in my being. He revealed to me the roots of the fears, anxieties, and weights that infect my spirit. It is my own self-love- my own resistance to surrender all to Christ. I was not condemned, nor guilt ridden. I found myself growing more free, and finding more relief from my sufferings.

"Nothing so shortens and soothes your pain as the spirit of non-resistance to your Lord." -Fenelon.

Solitude

2009-02-11T11:23:00.014-05:00

We are only a few weeks into reading "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster here at NHC. Solitude has yet to be discussed among our midweek study group. But this morning, I had a devotional time with the strangest of mediums. It was quite by accident actually. I was reading an article in Time magazine in which President Obama was being interviewed. It was interesting, and I wasn't searching for anything divine or spiritual. Often, those are the times we open ourselves up for such moments. Such was this occassion.

Our President was asked the question: "What's the best piece of advice that you've gotten from someone about being president..?" President Obama said that he had confided in past living presidents during the course of the campaign, and that many of them had responded with words of wisdom. He said that all of those men had this one piece of advice: that it was important to "carve out time to think and not spend your day reactive. Because there is always a crisis coming at you, there's always a meeting you could be doing, there's always a press conference or a group of supporters that you could be responding to." But, time to think, he goes on, is an IMPORTANT DISCIPLINE.

Time to think. The practice of that discipline was valued by every living president that Barack Obama had spoken with. I have often wrestled with the sin of busyness in my own life. With the advent of cell phones and technology, getting away to think has become more and more difficult. There's always a meeting I know that we need to have. There's always someone to touch base with. I have made myself accessible 24/7. I even get emails immediately! Schedules fill up so quickly, tasks become the order of the day, and there is this sinking feeling in my stomach if all the calls are not returned or all the texts are not answered. I am plaugued with the thoughts that being a good leader means being accessible all the time, responding all the time, reacting all the time. But this is not healthy, as a leader or even as a Christ follower. It is true- most of the positive things that happen in ministry come from times when I've made an intentional decision to just think! Spiritually, it is the times of solitude and reflection that have brought the most growth. How productive we would be as leaders and as Christians if we would do more thinking, and less reacting.

So I ask, "Lord change my convictions about ministry, and about discipleship. Teach me to abandon busyness and free me from the curse of my own mind. Liberate me to live without being tied to phones, or emails, or people- but to be tied to you. Just let me breathe. Just let me think. Amen."

Sunday Recap: The Talk on the Hill

2009-02-08T13:04:00.005-05:00

We had a GREAT day today. A great looking congregation, and several new faces.
Seems like things are really coming together for us. Leaders, we are in our groove. Now, get ready for the next stage! Coming soon!
Volunteers, what an awesome job you are doing. The hospitality table, the greeters, the communication cards. It's really going smooth. This is how assimilation begins.
Setup "guy", Eric, man- thanks for coming out and getting it done this morning. Sorry your son is sick, he is in our prayers.
A/V, what can I say? It was right on this morning! Thanks.
Our Poza Rica missions trip is still coming together. Lots of shoes to be given to the orphans. Fundraisers galore right now. Don't forget about the Valentine's babysitting!
Worship was unbelievable. The set was very well put together.
The Lord spoke prophetically to us through the songs. As Ace lead in "Draw me Closer"- he changed the word to "draw them closer" and exhorted us to long for others to be in God's presence. We should desire that place in God's arms, but we should also desire others come to that place.
The Spirit of God was really there. Some were lead to pray for others and I just felt like true transformation was taking place among the congregation.
We covered Matthew 5 this morning. WAY too much to cover in 1 blog.
BUT, Jesus' teachings were not to be taken as laws to be followed. Rather, he was revealing what His kingdom looked like- and how people that were transformed by him operated.
The "blood and guts" part, where Jesus dove right into the heart of our immorality: anger, lust, cursing, manipulation- was a microscopic view of the kingdom. It's the closeup look at our behaviors and how imperfect they are. Jesus concludes by stepping back in the final verses of the chapter and shows us the beauty of the kingdom. In this new kingdom we reflect God's perfection, and are known as His children.
Up close, his teaching seems impossible. But Jesus is revealing the completeness of his kingdom. In this world we live with just and unjust people, and God is still God. Within this world, is now, God's kingdom in Jesus. And the touch of His spirit moves us into that kingdom, or that economy. In His economy that life that looks hard up close, becomes a reality as it fits into the context of kingdom living. Living in this world, but also in the Kingdom of God.

A Decade of Ministry

2009-02-05T10:15:00.008-05:00

This January marked 10 years of ministry for me. It was on New Years day of 1999 that I stood behind a pulpit and delivered my first sermon. It was in Troy, NC and I was 17 years old. I actually preached for about 20 minutes that night. I reflected back on that sermon for some time yesterday, and while a lot of things have changed, some things have stayed the same. My first sermon was actually quite ironic, considering how my ministry has played out. It's amazing to me, that even though my style has changed, my approaches have changed, and my working knowledge of ministry has changed- that the passion that Christ put it me 10 years ago is still there today.

So what did I preach on in 1999? My first sermon was about Peter in the garden of Gethsemane. He stood and cut the ear off of a centurion that was trying to arrest his Lord. For 20 minutes I spoke about how our good intentions can stand in the way of God's plans. I talked about Peter's sword, and made a parallel with "the sword of the spirit" that Paul wrote about- which is the "word of God". I preached that we may, with good intentions- feeling like we're defending God- swing God's word around in a way that cuts the ears of our hearers off. 10 years later I still believe it. Call me emerging (or emergent, even though your wrong), missional, liberal, or whatever. I've been practicing what I preach for a decade. I have never felt the need to defend God, and I strive to to wield the sword of the spirit in way that leaves the ears of my hearers intact.

In 10 years I have been privileged to serve as a Youth Pastor at Troy Church of God, Hazelwood Church of God, and to pastor Hazelwood Church of God. I am now the Lead Pastor of the NHC replant in Asheville. I have been elected to the WNC State Youth Board twice. I have helped plan youth camps; written small group curriculum for youth camp; and taught the Bible & Small Groups at Youth Camp, which was a dream come true for me. But more than any of these things, I have been honored to be part of the lives of so many wonderful people. I've stood and married many of them; I have wept with them at the loss of their loved ones; to spend sleepless nights at the hospital; to pray with you at the altars; to see you grow in the Lord; to see some of you experience God for the first time; and for some, to stand beside your coffin and pray for your grieving family. Thank you parishioners for an amazing 10 years. And thank you Lord for 10 years of grace, mercy, and peace.

Sunday Recap: Beatitudes Remix

2009-02-01T15:02:00.010-05:00

A beautiful Asheville morning this morning!
Set up team- guys you are NAILING it. Thanks for your early hours and hard work.
We heard a brief presentation about the plans to raise money for our Mission to Mexico trip coming up in June.
Lots of opportunities to give are coming up, so keep you eyes and ears open.
You can take advantage of the babysitting services available for Valentine's Day. Only $10 a kid, and all money goes to the Mexico trip.
Today was a "Membership Sunday". We took in 8 new members! Welcome aboard guys. We are so privileged to have you.
Lots of first time faces. And lots of returning faces, which is nice to see.
We had another great attendance. We are definitely breaking down our growth barriers.
Worship was great. Which is to be expected now around here at NHC.
Week 3 of the "Economy of Jesus" series continued today.
We re-examined the beatitudes, and took advantage of the opportunity to see the people behind the blessings: the grieving, the poor, the hungry, the meek, etc.
This is what the Kingdom looks like, and it's what our churches should look like. Full of rag-tag followers, who have been blessed by the touch of Jesus.
Crystal and Kathy closed us out with a reflective song: "Come One, Come All".
At the end of service we received a "Souper Bowl of Caring" offering for the WNC Children's Home.
Tonight, Super Bowl parties galore!! Feel free to crash a party: at my house, or Karen's house. You're choice. Have fun. Be safe.

Sunday Recap: WOW!

2009-01-25T16:54:00.007-05:00

Setup was tough today. Our Hispanic congregation had a BIG worship event last night. So all pipe and drape had to be reset. Thanks Eric and Cynthia for your help.
We had the new sanctuary lighting into today! So the house lighting was finally the way we like it. We're not finished yet. Look for new ambient light fixtures in the coming weeks.
Thanks to the hospitality team this morning. Greeters, servers, preparers, everyone- you are doing a fantastic job of looking after everyone.
nhcKIDZ launched a new pre-service hospitality time this morning. While parents came in and had coffee this morning, we are now offering kool-aid, snacks, and games down stairs before service. So sign your kids in, and come get ready for worship.
We had a record crowd this morning!! Our HIGHEST ever. For 4 weeks now, we have broke attendance records. So let's keep this trend going.
The band was back together this morning. Ace still has a larynx! lol.
Worship was great. High energy and lots of participation. Plus, spirit filled. You can never go wrong with genuine worship that is Christ centered and spiritually deep.
We are in week 2 of our "Economy of Jesus" series. This week we talked about "Assumptions".
We laid more to the foundation of this series. We looked at how Jesus taught: parable, occasion, and case. Parables are when Christ takes a complex concept, lays a simple story down beside of it, and then says that they are the same.
Jesus did not teach random parables, however. Instead, he used whatever the occasion was as a teaching moment.
Jesus loved to contradict general assumptions of society. We looked at several of these instances. We concluded with the parable of "The Good Samaritan".
This parable was the biggest bomb Jesus ever dropped on the Pharisees. Jesus relegates righteousness to a despised Samaritan, rather than to the priests or Levites.
He showed that in his economy, our prejudices and assumptions about others is not always right.
I could say soooooooooooo much more- but I honestly can't type it all. Honestly though, it was some of the best stuff I've ever heard in church (I can boast, it's my blog!!).
I am working on trying to get audio up of our sermons. Hopefully a podcast! So stay tuned, and I will keep you posted.
During the reflection time, God did a deep work. He dealt with our prejudices, our racism, and our stereotypes. I really felt the Lord changing people's heart.
Some identified with being the rejected Samaritan. Hurt and rejected by church, and religion. But now, knowing that their actions of love show the contents of their heart- and that often it is richer that what is found in the hearts of outwardly religious.

Trapped In a Cage, My Testimony

2009-01-19T12:09:00.010-05:00

I was born in small town: Troy, NC- current population 3,400. I was born and raised in Troy, and spent my entire life as youth in the same house at the same address. I was raised in church. Running the risk of superfluous clichés: "I cut my teeth on the pews of Troy Church of God". I was raised knowing right from wrong- and having a strong sense of "godly fear". My story is typical. I grew older, and I went astray. I am artistic dude- a hippy in my own rite. Music had a profound influence on my life. At 14 years old, I started running pretty heavy with the other kids on my street; as well as some musicians. This lead to some pretty wild times- and some drug use. Never the hard stuff of course. But, weekends were filled with the adventurous search for weed. We would pile our leftover lunch money together and we would hit the spots where we could score a dime bag- or if we were lucky, a quarter bag. I was in the vicious cycle that is Troy. A cycle, that if I didn't escape, would consume me as it did others.

My life was filled with unrest. I have known since the time I was child that I was called to preach. Here I was, not only committing acts of sin, but feeling myself being pulled deeper and deeper into this lifestyle and loving it. Loving it, and at the same time, dreading it. I was so confused. I was at the place where I doubted even the existence of God. Furthermore, if he was real, I was mad at him. I was mad at him because I felt his dreadful call on my life- and I felt he was trying to take my fun. I wanted so bad to know Him, to feel Him, to love Him. But, he forced me to hate Him, and it made me mad. Looking back, I know that all my feelings were unfounded. At the time, however, they were all too real.

One night I laid in my bed, in the dark, and I let God know how I was feeling. I was 16 years old, almost 17. I laid in the dark and wept, and pumped my fists, and cussed, and beat my pillow. I was mad! Haunted by the irreresistable pull of this ominous being. Convicted by this thunderous love. Shaken by this violent fear. I longed to investigate the mystery that was stalking me, but I was furious that He was so interested me. So I laid awake. And through stuttered cries, in one tired breath, I uttered these words, "God, I just feel like I'm in a cage, and can't get out".

The next day was Saturday. And that night we started a weekend revival with the PFCs from East Coast Bible College. Vivid images and sounds from the services that weekend still dance in my mind. That night, during the song "Shout to the Lord", I made my way down the altar. I knew the date God had set for He and I to get together had come. A moment divinely ordered in the cosmos, if you will. As I knelt in the altar, sobs as my only language, I felt a hand on my shoulder. In my ear, one of those college students whispered these words, "God told me to tell you, that the only reason you're still in that cage is because you refuse to turn the other way and walk out the unlocked door". Someone who had never known me, had heard from God concerning the words I spoke to Him last night before I went to sleep. At that moment, waves of supernatural cleansing washed over my soul. That meeting with Christ has forever changed my life. I went the opposite way.

I recently heard this new song by Leeland: "The Opposite Way". This song resonated with me, because it's alomost like they're singing my testimony. Watch the video below and enjoy.

Living in the same town
For all these years
Doing the same old things
Hanging with the same crowd
And it’s starting to get crippling
You’ve never felt in place
And you tell yourself it’s all okay
But something’s different today
You want to run the opposite way

And it seems like you’re locked in a cage
And you need to find a way of escape
When everyone is setting the pace
It’s okay to run the opposite way

The Father sent His Son down
The light of men
The cross He bore was crippling
Rejected in His own town
They couldn’t see the sun shining
He knelt in the garden and prayed
Father, let this cup pass from me
It’s not Your will for me to stay
Your will for me is the opposite way

And it seemed like He was locked in a cage
And He couldn’t find away of escape
But through the cross He conquered the grave
My Jesus ran the opposite way

Oh, and through the cross He conquered the grave
Oh, He ran the opposite way
Yeah, through the cross He conquered the grave
So you could run the opposite way

Sunday Recap: Economy of Jesus

2009-01-18T14:29:00.005-05:00

Let me just tell the setup guys, you are doing great! From the chairs, the drapes, the sound, and the lights. You guys are awesome! The look and sound was great this morning.
Volunteers knocked it out of the park again. Good job serving everyone and taking card of first-timers.
We had several sign up for our membership class, and for the upcoming baptism! This is exciting stuff!
Our attendance was rocking today. It just keeps getting better.
Our worship was great. Ace had the flu- so our band didn't lead. Sarah, Kathy, and Crystal did a great job filling in.
I mean, you never go wrong with real, genuine, heart felt worship being offered to the King of the Heavens. Right?
We had a baby dedication this morning too! I was honored to dedicate Aleeigha Lamb. It was great to meet the entire family.
We kicked off our "Economy of Jesus" series this morning.
We looked at economics, the world's system of value designation. Then we contrasted that with the subversive economics of the Kingdom of God. Christ introduced a kingdom where the first is last, and the last is first. The Kingdom of God declares that blessedness belongs to the poor, meek, and destitute of spirit.
We examined the beatitudes, as part one of the sermon on the mount. The beatitudes ARE NOT a treatise on how to be blessed. Rather, they are a clear message that the designation of blessedness has moved from those who are at the top of religion and society; and to those who had been touched by Jesus.
The spiritually destitute, the mourning, the gentle, the spiritually hungry, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. The crowd he taught on the mountain was made up all these groups of people- and HE, the KINGDOM was there to bless them.
The stage is now set for 5 more weeks about Christ's new kingdom economy. I am so stoked about this series.

My Vocabulary

2009-01-17T20:05:00.004-05:00

So I noticed lately, that there are a lot of words that have taken over my vocabulary. I'm not sure what this says about my personality, but it would be an interesting study I'm sure. So, here are my top 10 favorite words to use. Maybe you can take them and assess my personality. Good luck.

Missional
Subversive
Historicity
Salvific
Advantageous
Integral
Cosmos
Profound
Plethora
Idealistic

Sunday Recap

2009-01-11T14:27:00.003-05:00

It was cold outside this morning! COLD!

But, the people poured in.
Volunteers did great this morning as usual.
We had a special treat at our compliments table. Instead of store bought danishes- Brittanny made scones! Yes, vanilla almond, and cinnamon scones. They were amazing.
We had a LOT of first-timers this morning. Our attendance didn't break last week, though; because, several of our own people were not there.
Probably one of the largest crowds of first-timers that we've ever seen.
Some old friends showed up this morning! They know who they are- thanks for coming.
The worship was AMAZING!!! Our band is just phenomenal.
The Holy Spirit really moved during the worship. For those who know me, I always preach. I mean, God has to really change my mind for me not to preach.
But, this morning, during worship, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart about how to direct the service.
We were gonna receive the Lord's Supper today. The sermon was going to be about the bodily grace of the church, and Christ's enjoining of the sacraments: water baptism, Eucharist, foot washing, and anointing with oil.
Instead of doing the sermon, the Holy Spirit lead me to go right into the Lord's Supper (Eucharist).
We prayed together in a guided prayer- some received Christ for the first time.
Then we had a deeply spiritual time of receiving the Lord's Supper. It was one of the deepest senses of the presence of Christ that I have ever felt.
Then I taught briefly on the anointing with oil- and the power of such prayer for healing and for forgiveness of sins.
Some came forward for healing, others for the remittance of sins. They started a walk with Christ during the guided prayer- but now they wanted the anointing of oil and prayer of the saints to receive a deep purging. This was one of the most powerful times of prayer I've been involved in.
I have to say, today was one of the oddest services we've ever had at NHC. But, it was all spirit guided. It really was. I left knowing that we had exactly the kind of service that the Holy Spirit would have wanted us to have. And that's what it's all about.

The Boobie Poem

2009-01-09T21:48:00.003-05:00

The following is a video of Bradley Hathaway performing "The Boobie Poem" at one of his friend's house. For those who don't know, Bradley Hathaway is a young, edgy, and yes, Christian poet. His poems are amazing. He doesn't just recite them- he performs them. It might not be your style, but he puts the truth out there very raw, and is a voice of and to an entire generation.

A couple of notes. Bradley has nose bleeds when he gets nervous, thus the Kleenex in the nose. He also covers his face when talking about things that make him blush. There is nothing more I can really say to prepare you for what you are about to watch.

The Planter

2009-01-06T17:00:00.003-05:00

Another piece of poetry for your enjoyment.

The Planter

The eyes of others are upon him.
Marveling, doubting, and hoping.
Envious of his courage, of his grit.
Hungry for his passion.
A pioneer. In the flesh.
A sight unseen- a legend, a myth.
Existing.
In front.
The eyes of others are upon him.
From the realm of the unseen.
As he stands and speaks.
Power. Humility. Depth.
It has been seen before, in the past.
Old, but new. Ancient, yet raw.
Depth? Depth.
Creatures in the dark stand at attention.
The eyes of others are upon him.
Studying and proving.
Heretic? Heretic.
Above: something they've seen before.
Souls awakened.
A new way is boldly declared.
They don't understand. They want him to succeed.
They need him to succeed.
The eyes of others are upon him.
He stands in a wide open field.
The kingdom spreads from his footsteps.
They crowd around him; limp, crawl, walk, run.
Renewal! Renewal!
They marvel at the glory; at the beauty.
Simplicity.
Power.
The eyes of others are upon him

- Daniel Rushing, 2009

About Numbers

2009-01-05T19:59:00.007-05:00

So, how important are numbers in grading a church's effectiveness? IMO, I don't put much stock in numbers; at least not at NHC. Our goal is to create a movement conducive to the production of Christ followers who are deeply dedicated to their journey and their discipleship to Him. However, numbers are a part of the component. Because numbers reflect people (souls), that are becoming part of this movement and simultaneously- fulfilling the goal.

I just finished reading Tribes by Seth Godin. On page 25, Godin says that a leader can help increase the effectiveness of his tribe by:

transforming the shared interest into a passionate goal and desire for change;
providing tools to allow members to tighten their communications; and
leveraging the tribe to allow it to grow and gain new members.

He follows this list by stating, "Most leaders focus only on the third tactic. A bigger tribe somehow equals a better tribe. In fact, the first two tactics almost always lead to more impact... The American Automobile Association has millions of members, but it arguably has far less impact on the world than do the two thousand people who go to the TED conference each year."

I think that pretty much says it all. While attracting new members and producing larger numbers is a component of what an effective movement does; it is certainly not the most important component; nor is it ever a good measuring stick for effectiveness.

Sunday Awesome Sunday!! Recap

2009-01-04T14:46:00.009-05:00

I have to be honest, this morning tried its best to be a bad one! Some volunteers showed up later than normal AND I locked myself out of the house- that my Mac and notes were in!
Thank God, through some hard praying, I was able to pick the lock on my front door and get in.
Then, everything came together. Volunteers showed up, notes were in hand, and the doors opened, on a fairly good schedule.
TONS of new faces, and some we haven't seen in a while!
Excitement is in the air at NHC. People expect the presence of the Holy Spirit to be there every time they enter.
Worship was off the chain! (I know that's old lingo, but I still like it.)
The band was on it this morning, and God's presence was there and was so real.
The message went over great. We are ending our "Becoming Human" series. Today we looked at the life between "promise and fulfillment".
Angels declared to Mary and Joseph what Jesus would be and do; then Jesus largely disappears for 30 years, until his baptism in Jordan.
But Luke 2:51-52 says that Mary treasured the word God has spoken to her in her heart, while Jesus grew mentally and physically.
So how do we survive the time between when God speaks something to us, and when we actually see it come to pass?
I dared to be cheesy and gave 3 R's. Remember. Rehearse. Respond (rather than react).
We had an AWESOME time of reflection.
The best thing of all was those who responded to the word that God was speaking to them.
We had one who believed on Christ and became a follower for the first time!!!!
Several faith renewals from people who had drifted away from their relationship with Christ.
Some, who were just inspired as they reflected and meditated upon what God had spoken to them in times past; and in the present.
We had a record attendance today!!!! Which is just too AWESOME for words.
It was a great day. If this is any indication of the way 2009 is going to be, then I"M ALL IN !!!!!!

For My COG Brothers and Sisters

2008-12-29T22:11:00.007-05:00

Recently, on a discussion board, a question was raised about the traditions in the Church of God (COG), and whether or not these traditions were a hindrance to church growth. For those who don't know, I am a Bishop in the COG, and our church is part of that denomination. I have chosen to stay here, even though, in many ways, my approach to ministry is still very new to this movement, and is even unaccepted by other Bishops in this church. But, they are my tribe. Stanley Hauerwas was once asked why he remained a Methodist when he had so many fundamental differences with their doctrine and practice. He responded by saying, "I just feel like you should stick with the people who marked you." Perhaps my answer is the same. The COG has marked me, I am what I am because of it, and I feel like staying on board unless the Holy Spirit ever leads me otherwise. But, I digress...

So the question at hand was this: Do COG traditions hinder growth? My response follows.
This is a subject that hits home with me, as it does most of us who were raised in the COG. Let me first say, that I am thankful, amidst many negative experiences, for my coming up in small COG.

In that church I learned several things. I learned what it was like to feel the power of God. I spoke in tongues in that church first. My first sermon was in that church. I learned how to lay hands on the sick. I learned the value of prophetical utterance. I learned the word in Sunday School. So, I don't despise the raising or the preparation I received. However, as I've matured, I have seen more and more things that have become a hindrance, both to growth, and to the carrying out of the actual kingdom of God.

One thing that has hurt us, is the way we do church, which is largely the result of what we expect out of church. Within our COG tradition, church has become a time when we come together expecting, or at least desiring, a certain set of things to happen; the fulfillment of these requirements qualifies that service as an actual experience with God. These things are:
1. That the preacher be animatedly excited about his sermon.
2. That the music be emotionally charged.
3. That attenders exhibit some sort of bodily response as proof that something supernatural is occurring. (Shaking, rolling, running, shouting, dancing, falling out, tongues, etc.)
4. Messages, interpretations, and prophecies are a plus.

Now while I don't disregard these things as being genuine expressions of our Pentecostal faith and tradition; the sole seeking of these as some sort of validation that our church is in God's will, is killing our churches. Further, it scares the crap out of those who have never been exposed to supernatural manifestations. More so, though, is the fact that the sole seeking of such experiences often forces us to "fake it til we make it". All the above expectations can be faked and manipulated, and unfortunately are. Preachers yell louder, parishioners run more, courtesy drops occur at the altars, and tongues are not even genuine.

So, I have set out to have a different set of expectations.
1. That life change would be apparent in all attenders.
2. That the bread of life is broken and is able to be received by all no matter what level of faith they are on.
3. That God be experienced in deep ways, without any expected bodily response. That is to say, that God may be doing as much in the person is gently weeping, as he is the one who is trembling or shouting.
4. That ALL true manifestations of the Spirit be done decently, according to scriptural precedence.
5. That every Sunday morning, my crowd leaves church both educated and inspired. I want them to know something about the word, and something about Christ, that they did not know when they came it.

This forces us to change the very way we approach church, and the ministry. Instead of preparing the music and service solely for an emotional response, we focus on preparing ourselves to enter His presence and be changed from the inside out. Instead of yelling louder to convince my parishioners that the Holy Spirit is speaking, I rely only on the faith that through my preaching he is doing something deep in them.

Sunday Recap

2008-12-28T15:56:00.003-05:00

Today was an odd Sunday, because our entire worship band was out visiting family for Christmas. However, we were still able to pull it off. Despite my anxiety.
My brother-in-law lead worship, and Crystal and Kathy helped. It was really awesome. It was great to hear them sing together again.
Our numbers were low, but that's to be expected. Lots of people out for the holidays.
Our volunteers were awesome again. They quickly filled absences with other volunteers, and made sure that everyone was greeted, compliments were served, and first timers were taken care of.
Sermon: Frailty. We examined the frail and vulnerable aspects of the incarnation. Following the glory and beauty of the nativity- Joseph is forced to move Jesus to Egypt to protect him from being slaughtered.
It's hard to imagine that God's will can sometimes be so frail; and he chooses to do it this way.
We concluded with 3 lessons from the frailty of the incarnation:

God's will for our life, is a precious gift, and must be guarded, and guided by the Holy Spirit.
God's will is often put on hold. But, it is always for the fulfilling of a greater purpose.
Never despise the frailty in your life. You were designed to be dependent on God. It is out of frailty that God brings glory to himself, and in turn shares it with you

The Holy Spirit was present in all the aspects of the service. At the conclusion he was really touching lives and stirring hearts.
I LOVE GETTING TO DO THIS!!

The Greatest People Ever

2008-12-23T22:16:00.008-05:00

I am a church kid. That confession must be made first, so that the full scope of what I am going to say in this blog can be expressed. My parents were leaders in our little church. Mom always played piano, she directed the drama team, and she was the "church clerk". Dad was a Sunday School teacher and all around church supporter. I was around church people. I saw pastors that worked, and pastors that didn't fit. I saw times when ministry gelled, and times when it was a train wreck. I have scene behind the scenes. You might could say, I have seen the "Good, The Bad, and The Ugly".

I pastored in Waynesville for 6 years (YP and Sr. Pastor). I worked with some really great people- and some that I still try to forget. There, I saw leaders work great together, and I saw them strangle each other (okay, I am using hyperbole). I saw them encourage one another, and at times, tear one another down.

To put it succinctly, church people have been the best thing that has happened to me, and the worst thing that has happened to me. To this day, I still have scars- and I still carry baggage. There are times at night when anxiety over takes me, and I am tortured by past experieces as a leader in Christ's church. I am being real here. It is hard to not be emotionally moved even now as I reveal what I consider to be a thorn in my flesh: that I beat myself up bad, and I was taught to do that in church, by others who beat me down and others down.

Then, I moved to Asheville and decided to replant a church. I came here, knowing that I would never pastor like I used to- and I refused to have a church like I had always been part of. And it was tough! People didn't get it. People didn't get me. People left- and not before the dealt out some pain. Apparently, they too had recieved the same training I had.

But, I have to confess this. It is in my heart so deeply, and events this evening just reminded me of it even more. This church, NHC, the replant, has become the most beatiful and loving church community I have ever been part of. I have enjoyed my past church experiences; there were many wonderful people whose paths we were blessed to cross. There are long lasting relationships that are still cherished to this day. But, I have to tell you: I have never felt so blessed in my life, than I am right now, by the people at NHC. The Lead Team is tight- like finish each other's sentences tight. It is so liberating to just be myself. To talk like me, and joke like me, and act like me, without fear of not being "pastoral" of judged for being "immature" or "worldly" (some of the the kinder names I have been wrongfully called). Here, I am me, Daniel Rushing. The deeply flawed human. The pastor whose mouth often opens for he thinks. The pastor who hates suits, has long hair, and is occasionally crude. The pastor who has a deep spirit life that is understood. I am not a Sunday showman, but a teacher and mentor. I am not expected to call fire down from heaven, but am begged to stir the fires within. I can laugh, love, be vulnerable, and be me.

NHC, you have made me, a better husband and father. You have allowed me the privelege to sleep at night without worrying about what you're saying about me, or each other. I love my church!

This week has been rough. My van broke down 40 miles from home yesterday. I got up early this morning, got the part I needed, then went to work. I came home and Dave met me to fix my van. But, we could not get it fixed tonight. I was in a GRUMPY mood. I rode to Brittany and Dave's to get my wife, who had been babysitting their kids, feeling the defeat of not having my own vehicle to travel in for Christmas. I was angry. On the way, Dave called and said he was buying me some food and would meet me at his house with it. I was there, waiting on him to come, so I could leave with my wife and kids and just sulk. My stupid van! Why couldn't it just work?

Dave came, and I decided to just sit down and eat with him. Something, I have rarely felt doing with other church people. I am running the risk of being way to transparent, but most of the times, I try to get away from church people quickly. But not here, and not Dave. As I ate with Dave and Brittany, my evening brightened up. We laughed, and cut up. I made a lot of stupid jokes- and they afforded me a courtesy laugh. But it was wonderful. Beautiful. When I left, I was not mad. I was not sulking. I was happy, and at peace with the world. Now, that's the kind of church I am part of. That's the kind of church we're building. NHC is without a doubt, full of the greatest people in the world. And that, my friends, is not hyperbole.

Sunday Recap

2008-12-21T15:22:00.010-05:00

Hospitality team is really getting it down! Great job! Everyone was greeted, served, and directed. I am so proud of our volunteers.
Several new families. I am amazed at all these new people who are coming through.
Another good trumpet solo. Thanks Karen.
I love the vibes coming from our group right now. We are small and growing, but there is so much love and acceptance in this house. It's crazy! If we keep this up, people will be lining up at the door just to be hugged. Seriously, through, it's really awesome. I didn't even want to interrupt the socializing this morning, it was great.
Worship was good. Lots of energy. I regret we had some sound issues this morning. But, it's cool, we can't have it back now. At least it got on track before the worship really got to rolling.
Sermon: The Simplicity of Incarnation. Christ chose, in his first coming, to enter the world in a very humble and simple way. So simple, it was complex, and so humble, it was actually glorious. Through this simple entrance, he let us his know his motives were selfless, that he came for us, for humanity. He also reveals that God is not ashamed to be simple. Paul says God uses simplicity to reveal glory. Thus, we should pursue simplicity as Christians. Instead of embracing pride, we should live simply without shame.
The reading of Athanasius went over great! Let's be honest, it's hard to beat that description of the incarnation. Thank God for our church fathers.
Awesome altar service. Lots of prayer and meditation. It's crazy, a Pentecostal church practicing meditation and reflection on the word that was just shared. But, that's how we roll.
Thanks again for all the hard work. Let's keep it, keep the momentum rolling.

Can We Please Stop Whining?

2008-12-18T17:10:00.007-05:00

This post is not about politics, or even Obama. However, it is about the church and the nation. Although, I do have reservations about some of the politcal and economic leanings of our President Elect and the new house and senate- I am just SICK of all the negative rhetoric coming from the Christian right.

Just this week, I was reminded that our nation is really gonna need prayer in 2009 more than ever. Really? More than it ever has? How can that be? Sorry, I just can't wrap my head around the idea that we need more prayer than we ever have- I feel we have always needed to pray for our nation and leaders. I really see no need to call for "more than ever". It just reeks of a fear driven church who wants to send the message that since their man didn't win the election, then its "doom and gloom and misery on me".

How does that play into being salt and light? Could you imagine the early church being so affected by Rome's politics? Yet, we never once see the church depressed because of the leader of Rome. This is because they accepted the fact that the kingdom of God was not mandated or sustained by the secular world system. They operated with much grace, fervor, and enthusiasm in the face of a government that was very un-Christian (to say the least). Yet, our church culture whines, and pouts, and calls it prayer.

I just wish we could live in the kingdom of God and not be so pessimistic about the world around us.

Sunday Recap

2008-12-14T13:51:00.004-05:00

Today was just AWESOME!

- Our hospitality team pulled it off. This is the first day we've done the coffee station and door greeters. These awesome workers pulled it off without a hitch. Without a doubt, we have the best volunteer team ever!

- The trumpet solo Christmas medley was great. Everyone was in the Christmas spirit this morning- lots of love going around. I thought we'd never return to our seats for worship. Gotta love it, though!

- Worship was acoustic this morning, do the stage being set for the drama tonight. Ace and Sarah did a great job. Leading worship, and being lead by the Holy Spirit are two different things. Thank you for being lead.

- Kids church was great. Lots of kids, and GREAT staff.

- We are in week 2 of "Becoming Human". Today we discussed the announcement to the shepherds. God has a soft spot for invisible people. He chose to first reveal himself to the lowly, those who had never been in his presence. They were afforded the opportunity to be in a place where only priests had ever been- the physical presence of God.

- We committed to embracing our humanity, and confessing our weaknesses. Christ embraced the incarnation, and modeled a life that was totally dependent on the Father

- A great close to service. Lots of people with needs, and lots with testimonies.

- I left today with a great sense of accomplishment and hope. It's great to see people worship together, and to see lives being changed.

Even Water Tastes Better...

2008-12-05T21:17:00.005-05:00

in God's presence. I love being in His presence. Tonight, I had the house to myself. I took advantage of the opportunity and meditated at the feet of Christ. The dynamic personage of the Trinity, in my house. Spiraling all around me in glorious streams of awe. In His presence, everything changes; life seems so different. There is a peace, a mystical conciliation between all the elements of life. Doubt and fear seem like ideas from a distant world; an all to real different plane of being. But here, deep in something whose own depth is unknown; perhaps infinte- there is an awesome peace. Geneuinely awesome. In His diversity and unity, He brings a unity to the world that maddingly revolves around me. In His presence, I live better, love better, breathe better, move better, think better.

It feels vain even trying to put into words, or post in a blog, what it is like to share space with the God of the universe. There is no way to convey the power of these moments. During my time of worship, I got a little thirsty. I went to the fridge and got a bottle of water. It was the BEST water I had ever drank. Deeply intoxicated with the love and power of Christ; even water tastes better.

Becoming Human

2008-11-26T12:19:00.003-05:00

I am very excited about a new relationship forming between NHC and Renovatus church in Charlotte, NC. Jonathan Martin and the staff of Renovatus have just been great. We look forward to a long lasting and life giving relationship with them. In light of that, NHC will be joing forces with Renovatus this holiday season. We will be going through the "Becoming Human" series on Sunday mornings with them. This is an exciting adventure, as neither church has ever done anything like this.

You can get more information about the series on the Renovatus website.

5 Holiday Exhortations

2008-11-25T13:31:00.002-05:00

This Sunday I took a moment to be very pastoral at NHC. As we enter the holiday season, I always feel it incumbent upon me to offer some pastoral wisdom. This is the season that promotes excessiveness, business, and often, selfishness. So let me give you 5 Holiday Exhortations to help us make it through the holiday season.

1. Don't be excessive. Abstain from excessive eating, drinking, and spending.
2. Enjoy the holidays; both the religious and secular sides of it. If it promotes joy, peace, and goodwill- then take advantage of it, for this was the way of Christ.
3. Relish in all things good. The angels announced "peace on earth, good will toward men". Take this season and live in that spirit.
4. Take time to rebuild strong relationships with those in your family.
5. Pastor's Orders: Be a servant to Christ by being a servant to others. Find ways to be intentionally kind to others this holiday season.

God Hates the Holidays!

2008-11-22T10:20:00.006-05:00

Apparently, and I was not aware of this, God hates the holidays. Indeed, it is true. This morning I came across an article, and I will not even honor it with it a link, written by an angry "Christian" journalist. The point of frustration that this writer had was: that in recent years the city of Asheville has changed the name of it's annual parade from being a "Christmas Parade" to a "Holiday Parade". The writer goes on to say that the "pagan heathens" of Asheville are stealing away our Christian heritage (as if this is even possible).

I'm trying really hard not be cynical here. Although, I have to be honest, its getting harder and harder within our present church culture not be a little cynical. Since when does the name of parade become a matter of faith? Seriously? It's called a holiday parade, because it is done before Thanksgiving and includes Christmas floats! Christmas is a holiday; guess what, so is Thanksgiving. Its just one more thing for the church to gripe about. That's all it is. We have become miserable failures at carrying out the work of Christ, instead of facing the music we whine about the actions of the secular world. Then, we wonder why the post-modern world is irritated by us?

I'm sorry. Really, I hate being cynical. But its a parade name. The writer of this article said he will not come to the Asheville parade or shop in Asheville anymore. Great! That's one less moron we have to deal with this holiday season. (Did I just type that out loud?)

But, honestly now: Does it not speak of the shallowness of our faith when we view the name of a parade as a matter of faith? What we should be terribly tore out of the frame about, is the number of Ashvillians who were sleeping out in the cold last night. Or, how un-Christlike the church has become. We should be mad at the cruelty, evil, and darkness in our world. Why aren't we angry at the current AIDS epidemic that is plaguing both the gay and straight communities of Asheville? We're supposed to mad about a parade name?? Give me a break. We have missed the mark.

I do understand that Christmas, as a Christian holiday, has been largely commercialized. Personally, I'm okay with that. Christmas has become more of a winter festivity. However, the goodness, charity, and unity promoted during this season (from the secular world and church) are nothing short of Christlikeness. We should embrace the holidays as a time to be like Christ, the one who was "peace and good will toward men".

One final note: The theme of Asheville's parade this year was "The Art and Heart of Giving". Really now? Perhaps the church can take a lesson from the "pagan heathens" of Asheville. Imagine having a celebration of giving, of having a heart of giving. Now, let me praise the name of this year's parade: "The Art and Heart of Giving". I watched the parade to day, and I saw the church floats that came through. I read all there religious statements, you know: "Jesus is The Reason for the Season", "The Greatest Gift of All", etc. There was even a cradle to cross to heaven's gates float (which I found to be a little gay). And I wondered, how much of Christ's mission has been relegated to just getting heathens saved; rather than being a message of personal and communal transformation? In other words: Did Christ come to do something soteriologically only, or was his message one that is relevant to our life now? I think the latter. I can't seperate the gospels away from the teachings of Christ. Teachings that taught intentional and profound goodness. The "greatest gift" cliche should not imply the great "get out of hell free" card, but the completely absurd teachings of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. That's the kind of Christ I serve, and the kind of holiday I am going to enjoy.

Renovatus

2008-11-10T20:02:00.005-05:00

Throughout one's life, there are these moments of unforgettable spiritual renewal. Moments, that are indelibly etched on the material of our lives. This past weekend was one of those times.

This weekend me, and the awesome staff of NHC, went down and spent some time at Renovatus church in Charlotte, NC. My good friend, Jonathan Martin, has planted this really great church. The church is planted firmly in the heart of the artistic community in Charlotte. Right now, a portable church, that meets on Sunday, but is life-giving and active all the time, and everywhere it can be. I know my friend Jonathan despises labels, and so do I; but Renovatus has found its own niche, and I do mean its own niche. In turn, it has created its own church culture, and its own Christian community. As Jonathan explains it, the church has evolved around the people that have helped make it. Renovatus is more than a brand, more than a vision, more that a mission statement. It is people, a community. A community that acts outwardly as the Kingdom of Heaven itself.

We went to spend the weekend in training with some of his staff. We ended up spending a lot of time with Lisa Koons, a beautiful woman of God. We went for one thing, but strangely enough left with another. Different, yet much more valuable. As Lisa begin to work with the group, it was apparent that she saw something we didn't. In a profoundly prophetical way, she opened us up, and opened up to us. It's one thing to be trained in missiology; its quite another to be trained in spirituality. We dealt with the latter.

I will be the first to admit. Such journies into the depths of the soul are hard! Now I know why Paul rekoned this act of causing the flesh to perish so that the spirit might live as being crucified. There were moments where I wanted to get up and leave, because the challenges were too hard, and the questions required to much honesty. I was purged. We were purged. After lots of tears, and kleenexes, we were lead into a time of prayer and debriefing at the 24/7 Urban Prayer Room.

I can honestly say it was one of the most important spiritual awakenings that I have ever been part of. New life was breathed into NHC. Thank you so much Renovatus. We look forward to having a great relationship with Renovatus. Who knows what might be in store.

Risk

2008-09-22T14:07:00.002-04:00

I didn't write this, and don't know who did. But I love it. It speaks for itself:

RISK
Author unknown

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to others is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken,
because the greatest hazard in life is to do nothing.

The person who risks nothing,
does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.

They may avoid suffering and sorrow,
but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.

Chained by their attitudes, they are a slave,
they forfeited their freedom.

Only the person who risks can be free

Either We Have It Or We Don't

2008-08-19T09:40:00.008-04:00

I've been preaching through the book of Acts at NHC, and last week we tackled Acts 3. This particular walk through of Acts is being done to focus on the evangelism of the early church. We are trying to learn, from the early church, the dynamics of impacting our world and winning souls to the Kingdom of God. I just wanted to share some thoughts from this passage.

As you are probably aware, Acts 3 starts off with the miracle of the lame man being healed at the Beautiful Gate. It's easy, especially when coming from a Pentecostal/Charismatic background, to focus on the supernatural aspect of this text. I can't tell you how many sermons I've heard, rallying the cry that we need to see signs and wonders again. The story becomes a soap-box argument for everything that is wrong with the church. The mantra: "Where are the signs and wonders?" is screamed from the pulpits. Yet, as I read this verse, it wasn't the miracle that stood out to me. Rather, it was the phrase Peter says right before he lifts the lame man to his feet. "I don't have silver or gold. But what I have, I am giving to you." Rewind... "what I have, I am giving to you." I was so convicted by the Holy Spirit when I read this statement. It was as if the Holy Spirit was asking me, "What do you have?" You see, either we have it, or we don't. In other words, we often sit around pouting because we get lost in the quest for signs and wonders, that we become ungrateful for what we do have.

Like selfish children, instead of being content with what we do have, we whine about what we don't have. Either we are completely saved, completely redeemed, completely filled; or we're not. By sitting around waiting on the "big bang", we deny the power of God that is already working in us. What was happening in this text was not a call to seek signs and wonders. Instead, it was showing a church that was using what it had to bring healing and restoration to the community around them. No longer am I going to short change the work of God in my life. No longer am I going to grieve the Holy Spirit by denying what he is doing in my life now. We have the power to transform communities through love and restoration. Either we have it, or we don't.

I will probably catch some flack about this, but here it is: I don't think the lack of miracles in the church is any indication of spiritual lack or commitment. I think our lack of community restoration is a lack of spirituality. I don't feel the call to rant and rave about how the world has crept in to the church and stolen our signs and wonders. I do feel the urge to talk about how the church has removed itself from the world, and left Jesus there. The mission of Jesus is not to bring revival to the church; but that his church would bring restoration to the world. To me, the mere preaching of anything otherwise is a perversion of scripture; and has resulted in a perversion of mission. I could say more, but I'll leave it at that.

I closed this week's sermon with this final thought:

"Either we have it or we don't. God is just asking to use what we have to bring healing and restoration to our community. Supernatural activity is the result of reckless abandon to the mission of Jesus. With or without it, there is an empowerment and a call to be the church, to fulfill the mission of Jesus. After all, that's where the true miracles take place. When our compassion touches others hearts, and restoration is brought to a community. There's little more supernatural or satisfying than that."

Wow! Wow! Wow!

2008-08-07T00:01:00.005-04:00

It is hard to find words, or even space on this blog, to describe what went on today at the General Assembly. I will try. First of all, we finished electing the Council of Eighteen. We've been doing that since my last blog! We finally got to agenda item number 2, which some of you are familiar with: "Realignment of Resources". This has been a very touchy subject in the COG for years. Now, I won't get into all of it, so just know: IT IS VERY TOUCHY!

The motion, as presented, would have been deadly to the COG if it was passed. World Missions would suffer, and there would be no good plan of surviving the 2.5% cut that is currently sent in to the COG from our local churches. After some heavy debating from other members, Travis Johnson submitted a substitute motion that was immediately shot down by the chair (Presiding Bishop). Travis then appealed the decision of the chair. At this point, the bishops are allowed to vote whether to uphold the decision of the chair (to reject Travis' motion), or to overturn the decision of the chair (accept Travis' motion). Without delay the PB called for a vote over the appeal. This is where, for me, things got exciting. I stood and called for a "point of order". Now, this is my first time as a bishop, most less speaking at the General Assembly; in front of over 2,000 other bishops! I went to the mic and reminded the chair and the council that a vote on the appeal could not be taken until the appeal was first discussed on the floor by the bishops. The PB acknowledged that I was correct and the floor was opened! I then spoke in opposition to the decision of the PB. Following me, 2 others also rose and spoke against his decision, and 1 arose and spoke in support of the chair. At this point a vote was called for, and the chair was overturned by a good majority!! This is a significant moment.

We then dismissed for lunch, and would return to discuss the new motion. However, when we got back, the PB came to the podium and asked that we suspend the "Rules of Order" and "just talk". This is something that is unprecedented. The PB then went on to just share his heart. He was real, and transparent, and genuine. He was open about the finances. Then, he said that new motion (the one I helped fight to get heard) was actually better than the original!! Not only was the chair overturned, but he actually liked the motion he rejected better after he had a chance to really look at it.

After his pouring out and sharing of his heart, he begin to weep. I was already crying, the whole thing was so... GOD. The entire floor was swept by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Men filled the altars, and knelt at their chairs, and we wept and repented for being so stubborn. The PB called for unity and for us to stop tearing each other up, etc. I was very moved, and have never had so much hope in the COG in my life. And I know it sounds pretentious, but to know that I played a role, is just very overwhelming.

So much more happened, that I just don't have the time to share; but it was awesome. The motion was tweaked a little and passed. Our churches can look to see a cut in the 2.5% by 2010. Praise God for sending a renewal to the bishops of the COG.

History Made at the General Assembly

2008-08-06T01:57:00.003-04:00

Day one of the business sessions started today. It was not business as usual. I must confess, there have been times over the years of ministry, that I have not been proud to have been associated with the Church of God (COG); today was not one of those days. I was very proud to be part of such a great movement. From the opening prayer, lead with such passion by Ray H. Hughes, a giant of the Christian faith, to the following elections, it was a great day.

First of all, Raymond Culpepper was elected (nominated) to the position of Presiding Bishop (PB). This is, of course, pending the approval by the General Assembly. Raymond promised to bring three things to the COG: prayer, mission, and trust. Following his election, Tim Hill was elected as the 1st Assistant to the PB.

However, I am most excited about the election of Mark Williams to the position of 2nd Assistant to the PB. Mark Williams is an outstanding leader, and is a missionally minded guy. He promised to bring transparency and to be missional. It the cards are played right, what you have is this: over the next 4 years, the opportunity for Raymond Culpepper to do some house cleaning and rebuild trust with the local churches, then for Mark Williams to step in and take a whole new COG into the next decade with a missional mindset. Very exciting! The spot of 3rd Assistant to the PB went to David Griffis.

The best news hasn't come yet. In a historical move, Wallace Sibley, a black minister, was elected the spot of General Secretary/Treasurer. This is the first time that any man of color has served on the Executive Committee. He received an amazing ovation, and the men of the COG have genuinely committed themselves to change. There has been a true changing of the guard. The men of the past generation have finally left their positions of leadership. They have lead well, and with much integrity; but change was inevitable, and it is finally coming.

To add to all this, Bishop Pagan was elected as the Assistant Director of World Missions. This too is a landmark moment, because he is a Hispanic missionary from the field, who has been elected to serve in a General capacity. He too received an ovation.

The night ended with the election of the Council of Eighteen. We have only elected 5 spots on this council, and so far, 4 of the 5 are pastors. This is good, because the council serves as a counsel to the administrators on the Executive Committee. The council needs to be pastors to offer a balanced view from both the administrators and the filed workers. It looks like a good balance of pastors is going to be on this council. There were a couple of motions concerning the election of the 18 that I thought were mishandled, but overall I think we are making great strides.

Hello From San Antonio

2008-08-05T02:40:00.010-04:00

It is 1:40 AM here in San Antonio. I have just returned to my room after a long day of travel. After we arrived, Crystal and I went downtown to the River Walk and had dinner. Afterwards, we registered for the General Assembly, and then made our way to the Mission of Jesus Resurgence meeting at the USO. On a more comical note, I just paid way too much for a cab to take me to Wal-Mart to buy a hair dryer, after we discovered that our motel does not offer them in the room. Crystal was willing to go without the dryer; but not I. It did cost a small fortune to go buy one; but I look at it as investing in a week of having good hair.

So, for those who don't know, I am ordained as a Bishop in the Church of God, which is one of the largest Christian churches in the world. It has a long, and great history of winning souls and expanding the kingdom of God; but just as any movement, it has had its fair share of problems. Recently, in fact, some issues of great importance have arisen and need to be addressed. I have come here to serve in my role as a Bishop in this church and also to be a representative from the field of ministry to the general church.

The real business stuff doesn't start until tomorrow. Tonight, however, Travis Johnson and Tom Sterbens spearheaded a meeting downtown at the USO. The intent of the meeting was to get other Church of God ministers and laity to come together and address the issues that were on this year's agenda; specifically the election of the Council of Eighteen. This council acts in an administrative role by supporting and guiding the work of the Executive Committee (EC). Not that any of you care about any of this church polity stuff.

But the meeting was more than just get together about the agenda this week. Travis and Tom have a passionate heart for Jesus. They want to recapture the mission of Jesus, the mission of winning souls. The goal of this meeting was to get together and press toward bringing the Church of God into alignment with the heart of Christ; and amiss the moments of utter chaos, I think that heart came through tonight.

"The meeting tonight also asked the question: "Can we get together and dialog?" That answer, to me, seemed to be a resounding NO. It didn't take long for the "us vs. them" mentality to set in. And the hurling of strong words from the crowd ensued. Tom and Travis did a great job keeping the meeting focused, but at times it was just impossible. I am grateful for the other men in the Church of God (COG), but I am so glad that I don't minister in their bubble. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone around most of them. I mean, my world, my ministry, is soooooo out there compared to their's. Boy, am I glad!

Overall, though, I am confident it was a positive meeting. Tomorrow, I am praying, and believing, that the Spirit of Christ will overtake us, and that his agenda will ultimately be fulfilled. For now, I need to get some rest. Good night, and stay tuned.

From Boredom to Revolution

2008-05-05T10:13:00.021-04:00

And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
And his armorbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
1 Samuel 14:6 -7

Revolution. Its one of the most overused, yet under-experienced ideas in the 21st century church. I mean, every youth group plans for it, every church plant talks about it, and our denominations better start seeking it. But, it's such an ambiguous term; and quite ominous at that. I mean, how does one go about starting a revolution? That kind of task is daunting. Especially when dealing with a 21st century American church that is either steeped in its own traditions, or just too complacent to care about doing anything new or different. Anyone with any discernment will tell you, that right now the church is in desperate need for some type of revolution, or reformation; and, everybody and their brother has a plan to do it. Sometimes, the plans and the methods are just too overwhelming. Nothing frustrates me more than to go to a conference, or read a book, or stumble upon someone's blog, and hear from these guys who have had successful churches, and are changing their communities, and they had a 6 month plan, and they know how to do it, and you can do it too, but you have to do it their way, blah, blah, blah!

When it really boils down to it, every revolution may have the same components, but every revolution is started different and is accomplished differently. History itself teaches us this. This week, I came across a passage in 1 Samuel that really spoke to me. 1 Samuel 14 tells the story of a bored young prince and his armor bearer. Now, we all know, that a bored teenager is a dangerous thing. During the Philistine oppression of Israel, while his father Saul was hiding under a tree with his body guards, Jonathan has a crazy idea: "Let's sneak over to a Philistine garrison".

Now, I wish we could say that Jonathan's actions were premeditated, and that he had an army to go with him; but, we cannot. In fact, the story begins quite abruptly in 1 Samuel 14. Out of nowhere, Jonathan gets a wild hair, and his armor bearer goes with him. They cross through some really treacherous land, actually traveling along a ridge that was surrounded by sharp rocks. And then, they arrive at the garrison, which is on a hill, and Jonathan and his armor bearer actually crawl on their hands and feet up to the enemy, before killing all 20 of them. Like I said, there is nothing more dangerous than a bored teenager.

Out of sheer boredom, and insane recklessness, Jonathan actually starts a revolution. Word spread throughout the Philistine camp, and the men begin to shake. There was an earthquake shortly after the attack, and the Jews interpreted it to be the shaking of their enemies. Israel rallied her troops. Instead of sitting under Philistine oppression, Israel again begins to fight her oppressors. This war will lead to the confrontation of David and Goliath, and the eventual crowning of a new king. But it all started because of the reckless behavior of a bored teenager.

Perhaps the most profound statement in the whole story occurs in verse 6. Jonathan says, "just maybe God will give us the victory". Jonathan persuades his armor bearer to charge a garrison of Philistines with just a "maybe". Furthermore, Jonathan reminds his armor bearer that God can use a few, just as well as he can use many.

And that's exactly where I find myself at. I don't have all the answers, or even all the plans. What I'm doing here in Asheville is going to be so completely different than anything that has ever been done, that I don't even have a model to follow. I'm literally living on a maybe. Because, inside of me, I'm just bored! I'm just tired of status quo, tired of hearing about everyone else's victories, tired of failing by using other people's methods. So I'm going for broke, I'm gonna give all I got, because I got nothing to lose. Boredom is driving me insane, so I'm gonna be reckless for Jesus. I wonder if there are any others out there with me. Who wants to turn their boredom into a revolution?

A Surprise Visit

2008-04-30T11:48:00.004-04:00

No one likes visitors to drop in on a lazy Sunday evening and interrupt your chill time. Right? I value my alone time greatly. The older I get the the more introverted I get. Yet, a surprise visit may not be all that bad.

Take this Sunday for instance. I'm sitting in my living room, watching my boy Kyle Busch take the lead at Talladega, when I receive a text message. A text asking if it would be cool for someone to drop in and pray for me. Perhaps I need to do a little explaining here. We have an awesome couple that heads up our music here at NHC: Ace and Sarah. Sarah's mom is pastor at another church, a church planter at that. Her ministry is really awesome, reaching all kinds of people, and meeting all kinds of needs. Apparently, on this Sunday evening, Sarah's mom felt compelled to drop in and pray over me and Crystal.

When I got the text, I knew something was up. You know, you always get this sense that some sort of divine intervention is taking place. So I totally conceded to the request. Within a matter of minutes, I have this woman of God, her elderly mother, and another prayer warrior in my house, interrupting my day of rest. But it was all so right. This woman spoke a word of encouragement that hit the nail on the head. Some might say, "She read my mail". God had sent her this way, and what she said totally helped me refocus on my calling and my mission.

Then, she prayed. And it was awesome! I felt the comfort and the power of the Holy Spirit in that instance. Woman of God, thank you for interrupting my Sunday evening. God, thank you for interrupting day of rest.

Beautiful Mess

2008-04-22T11:50:00.007-04:00

Let me first say that I apologize for not posting a blog in while. Things have been busy. I have been finishing up this semester at Lee and working on getting my Bishops license. But this morning I scratched down a little piece of poetry, and I thought I would share here on the blog.

Beautiful Mess

Let me paint a picture with my words.
Flowing and growing, spewing and brewing
like streaks of paint on a canvas.
Strokes of red and black, pastel pink and blue.
Tacky and bold like me.
Misguided perhaps.

Is there a pattern or a method?
My words, my paint still searches for it
at the edges of the canvas.
Pulling out from the center
And being persuaded to go back in.
My words drip down the edge.
A mess of progress.

Too many lines above? I know.
Crowded thoughts, too much paint
yet such great flow, perhaps a little slow.
Yep. Tacky rhyming, mismatched colors.
A beautiful mess.
It all spills over.

Let me paint a picture with my words.
Flowing and growing, spewing and brewing
like streaks of paint on a canvas.
Strokes of red and black, pastel blue and pink.
Tacky and bold like me.
Misguided perhaps.

God is Good

2008-03-18T16:23:00.006-04:00

I know, the church's favorite cliché, right? But, isn't it awesome when God does something good? I wish there was another to say it, to explain how you feel; but it all boils down to "God is good".

This Sunday was the best Sunday we have had at NHC. There was not a huge crowd. I didn't even preach a message. But during the worship, the Holy Spirit just begin to minister throughout the church. People were laying in the altars, I even lost some of my singers, as they knelt away from their mics to honor the King of Glory. Then, to top it off, God spoke.

God spoke in a profound way, by using me in the gift of prophecy. I didn't really even know it was coming. I just opened my mouth, knowing something was going to come out. God spoke. I am still overwhelmed by it all. God is good.

Truly Pentecostal?

2008-03-11T16:33:00.013-04:00

When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Acts 2:6 (NIV)
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. Acts 2:14 (NIV)

So by now, I think everyone can agree, that the church has been going through a lot of transition. Now, I'm no expert on the subject, but I know the last decade has presented us with fresh new innovations, and a whole new set of challenges. The church has seen the resurgence of the organic home church, and the "emergence" of both the Missional church and the Emergent church.

Of course, as with every change, there has been resistance. What is interesting to me, however, is how much resistance has been presented by those of my faith tradition: Pentecostalism. I am not surprised by this resistance, because every group within Christianity has created its own set of traditions, and those are often hard to see past. But, it is interesting, that Pentecostals feel a call to settle in and defend the old fort; when the roots of Pentecostalism paint a very different picture of the church.

First of all, let me say that Pentecostals have always been known for being on the fringe of mainstream Christianity. It is our presence on the fringe that has made us, in large part, leaders in missionary and evangelistic efforts. To me, Pentecost is unique, in that we emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit in our spreading of the gospel. And rightfully so, we should. This reliance on the move of the Spirit has kept us innovative. We use phrases like "fresh anointing" and "fresh word". These phrases imply freshness, newness, and innovation. From the roots of Pentecost, we can see that it was the Holy Spirit's purpose to use an innovative way to capture the attention of an audience, so they could hear and respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While strong emphasis is placed on the speaking of tongues as initial evidence, perhaps not enough emphasis is placed on the purpose and significance of tongues. In Acts 2, it is the speaking in other tongues, that captured the attention of the crowd that was gathered in Jerusalem. Men looked in bewilderment at each other and said, "They're speaking our language." The tearing down of the language barrier got their attention. Why? Because individuals who should not have known the language of others, did. What an awesome testimony.

Wouldn't it be great if the church could get the attention if the world, by speaking their language. What if people said, "That church is speaking my language. They shouldn't be, but they are!" Recently, I read that only 4% of individuals born after 1983 are currently active in any church. What an astonishing statistic. Could it be that we don't draw the attention of a new generation, because we don't speak the language of a new generation? There is no one way to do this. Every local church, in every location, must find the language of the unchurched people of its community. Chances are this group is going to largely be young people.

So let's return to being Pentecostal. Let's pray for a fresh filling of the Spirit, that will empower us to speak the language of the people around us, and open their eyes to the truth of the gospel.

Community

2008-02-26T14:04:00.028-05:00

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

Yesterday was a great day, mainly because it began with a gathering of some of my closest friends. We meet once a month, at each other's churches, and talk about a different topic each time. The group is secure, what is said stays in the group, and we commit not to judge each other. It is just a free exchange, and even though there are great differences, our similarities are greater. This, in itself, is an important idea to keep. That among all of the differences of opinions you might find among Christians, or even your church; it is the sameness that makes us one and keeps us strong. But I digress.

This time we met at my church. The time we spent together was great. In fact, I look forward to these gatherings every month. This group is so diverse, and yet we are all in love with Jesus, and we have all grown very close. The fellowship we have has become an integral part of my life. I honestly do not know what I would do without it. I find it strange, each month, how much I crave getting back into connection and fellowship with these men. I am literally starving for community!

So where has this practice of Christian community gone? It would appear to me, that beyond the supernatural signs often equated with Pentecost and the early church, that there was another sign that the modern church largely overlooks: the sign of community. Without any prompting, early believers felt compelled to sell their belongings and to live together and share together in community (see Acts 2). Perhaps this is the sign that Jesus spoke about in John 13:35; that the presence of brotherly love would be a sign of discipleship to Christ. But the American church is much too busy, and much to private for this. We are too busy fighting the government, and signing petitions, and having church, and preaching sermons, and speaking in tongues, and living holy, and pouting because we aren't making an impact. Not that any of these are inherently wrong, its just that we keep doing the same things over and over, when there are all these other dynamic Christian disciplines we overlook. Community is one of those overlooked practices.

I am one that feels we should strive to make church look as similarly to the early New Testament church as possible; in practice, in design, and in dynamics. The spontaneous community of early Christians is a sure sign that there is something to be said about this practice. So I have made some observations.

1. Community is inspired.
Without any apparent prompting from the disciples, early believers sold all their possessions and lived life together. This does not necessarily mean that they all lived in the same residence, or that families did not live somewhat to themselves. Acts 2:42-47 says that this group of early believers sold all of the possessions, gave to those who were in need, had all things in common, met everyday in the temple courts, and they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. This type of connection and unity is something that most churches and pastors struggle to make happen. Right now I have been looking at some ideas where I can promote unity and connectedness in my church. Yet, this group, was just inspired to do it. The Holy Spirit must have played a role!

Is it possible that the church has grown so distant from the work of the Holy Spirit that we have lost the inspiration to be a Christian community? Perhaps we have limited the Spirit into doing only the things relative to our faith traditions; like speaking in tongues or conviction. Instead there is a whole plethora of things the Holy Spirit might be wanting to do among us. God help us.

2. Community aides the believer in good spiritual health.
Looking back at this text in Acts 2, we can see the outcome of this communal type of lifestyle. It is established that the church was living daily as one. They ate together, and prayed together. They shared all that they had, and they watched out for those who had less. In the end, they had all things in common. In other words, all things were shared. If it was one believer's, then it belonged to all believers. This daily living out of Christian community results in their souls being uplifted. The Bible says that they ate with "gladness" and "sincerity". Sincerity is from the Greek ῾αψελοτητι, meaning smoothness or simplicity.

While modern churches are aspiring to simplicity, both in structure and vision, the early church found simplicity through community. This type of connected living lead to believers who were both happy and simple. Joy and simplicity are two outcomes of a deep and strong spiritual walk. There is something about community that improves spiritual well being.

Solomon spoke of this in Proverbs 27:17, using the analogy of iron sharpening iron. For iron to sharpen iron there has to be friction, and compromise. The two pieces of iron had to work against each other; but one eventually has to give in to the other, and vice-versa. This process of interaction between people takes place in community; it is where the iron meets the iron. We dislike putting up with people. Often, we don't want to deal with other Christians outside of Sunday. Yet, it is this interaction among individuals that improves the spiritual health of the community.

3. Community is evangelistic.
One final outcome of the early church's inspired community was evangelism. Acts records that this group of Christians living in daily community, had "favor" with all the people (λάον). This word, λάον, means "general populous". This group was not persecuted. On the contrary, this group found grace in the eyes of the people they lived among. There was something special about this group. Community was more than a distinction, it was a draw. Scripture says that the Lord added to their number daily.

The fragrance of Christian community can not be overstated. As previously stated, Jesus himself taught that the love among his followers would be a reflection of their loyalty to Christ.

Community is one of those dynamics that brings fragrance and flavor to Christianity. The church must return to the practice of Christian community. We don't have to move in together, or give away all of our things. Rather, we should determine to live life together. To laugh and cry together. To walk and run together. To challenge one another, and to find resolve. Just like iron.

The Holistic Gospel

2008-02-22T18:58:00.012-05:00

"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 (NIV)

Recently, I have been intrigued by the various notions that different ministries have about gospel preaching. For a large majority of American churches, the gospel has been relegated to being a religious message that demands some sort of religious response. It is a message that all have sinned, and need to get out of their pews and move down to the front to pray a prayer, and receive salvation. This type of missiology has one goal in mind, get people to move into making some sort of confession of faith concerning Jesus Christ, so that in turn, they can make Heaven their home. End of story.

However, this type of message doesn't seem to be finding much resonance with non-Christians these days. Some would argue that this is simply a sign of the times. While those who are not responding to our churches or our message, would say that this archaic message of religious salvation, has no relevance to them. Perhaps, its a little bit of both. Is the message that the church is offering the world, the same message that Jesus brought to the world? Maybe the world finds no connection to our message, because it has lost its fragrance, because we have removed the aromatic elements.

It would appear to me, that the heart of the gospel is not just a message of soul salvation, or even religious experience. I admit, that this is a major part of the gospel: that Jesus did come and die for our sins, and that all should repent. I believe in Heaven and Hell, and I believe in the "blessed assurance" of salvation. But, can we now admit, that there is more to the gospel message, than just getting people to repent, and having them move into our altars for salvation?

In the preceding verses from Luke's fourth chapter, Jesus gives us a snap shot of the mission he was on. After completing his fast in the wilderness, Jesus enters the synagogue and reveals his intentions. Using the prophecy of Isaiah, Jesus gives us his "Mission Statement"; and it comes in five statements of purpose:
1) To preach good news to the poor.
2) To proclaim freedom for the prisoners (Greek: properly "prisoners of war".)
3) To proclaim recovery of sight to the blind.
4) To release the oppressed (bruised or crushed).
5) To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

While we can't take this scripture as the one and only statement of purpose for Jesus' earthly ministry, I believe that it was the first, and therefore, primary description of what Jesus came to do. Jesus' ministry was to revolve around spreading a message, and doing things for people. It is the last part of this that I think the church needs to refocus on: doing things for people. The gospel message was not just a message to repent and be baptized, that message was preached by another New Testament prophet. Indeed, the message of repentance is central to Christianity, but it is not the only gospel message. The gospel message is that Jesus came to bring good news to those who need it most, to spread a message of freedom to those who are the prisoners of life, to bring sight to the blind (both physical and spiritual), to release the oppressed (bruised) from their pain, and to proclaim that his coming shows that this is a time favored by God.

It is my opinion, that the earthly ministry of Jesus, translates to the mission of the church while it has a presence in this world. This mission statement, is no longer Jesus' alone, it is now ours as the church. And this mission is not one dimensional. While centered around proclamation, it is about much more than just proclamation. And Jesus' ministry reflected this. He healed physical ailments, dealt with human pain and grief, gave spiritual guidance to the wanderers, casted out devils, raised the dead, taught the precepts of righteousness, and called for the repentance of mankind. The gospel of Jesus, and the ministry of the church, is holistic in nature. Reaching out to touch the mind, body, and spirit.

So, why, do we react strangely when a part of the church wants to lead its parishioners into having good marital sex, financial stability, purpose driven lives, and fulfilled living. Can we confess that church is not all about just getting people saved; but, it is about the salvation of the soul, the body, and the mind. and the Christ of the Bible has something to offer to every part of our being?