Soli Deo Gloria

7 Gospel Resolutions

2012-01-03T08:39:00.001-06:00

On Sunday at The Journey Church, we laid out 7 Gospel Resolutions for the Christian life. These are resolutions that should not only be adopted for 2012, but for a lifetime. They aim should be to read and reflect on them once a week. Many people wanted to know where they could get a copy, so here they are:

Gospel Resolutions:

I. Resolved, to do all things, whether eating, drinking, or whatever else it may be, all to the glory of God; recognizing all things come from Him and are to be received with gladness and thankfulness in our hearts.

II. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same faults or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

III. Resolved, to extend to others the same forgiveness which Christ extended to me when he shed his blood to offer reconciliation to the Father; committed to not only forgiving sins committed against me, but intent on restoring relationships that sin has attempted to ruin.

IV. Resolved, to spend scheduled, focused, time in the reading, meditating, and memorization of God’s Word and, to persevere in scheduled and spontaneous and fervent prayer.

V. Resolved, that the gospel of Jesus Christ would be spoken daily from my lips; first, to my own heart for its edification, and second, to others, for God’s glory and their good.

VI. Resolved, as an individual and with my church, to live as if I really believed that the gospel is the only hope for a world lost in their sin, heading to destruction and ruin; letting that fuel the urgency to share the gospel, live as salt and light, and welcome the outsider.

VII. Resolved, to commit myself to a local church by consistent attendance at worship gatherings, discipline to grow in faith through relationship with others, faithfulness in stewarding the finances God has provided, and sacrifice to others in the body with my spiritual gifts, time, and service, all for the purpose of God’s glory, my growth, and the church’s good.

Sharing the Gospel With One Another

2011-10-11T09:28:00.001-05:00

There is a misconception among many Christians these days that the gospel is for unbelievers and that believers move on to more "profound" things. It is absolutely true that the gospel is for unbelievers. We are to preach the message of Christ's life that brings us righteousness and his death that brings us forgiveness. We should urge unbelievers to heed the gospel's message and repent of their sin and turn to Christ. However, we are to preach the gospel to one another as believers as well. We never graduate from the gospel, but continue forward in our education and strive to become "doctors" of the message of grace - experts.

Biblical evidence for this is found in Romans 1:15 as Paul is beginning his letter to the church in Rome. He tells these believers, "So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome." Paul had not been to see the Roman Chrisitians. They had been evangelized and formed as churches by Paul's understudies, Paul had not been there to evangelize or meet the believers. Paul longed to go see the believers and share in the fellowship of Jesus Christ with them. Part of that fellowship was to preach the gospel to them, not because they didn't have it or know it, but because it is a message, the message, that must be repeated over and over again. The gospel must be shared by believers, to believers.

What does that mean for us today? It means that as believers we should be preaching the gospel to ourselves daily. It means we should be sharing it with our brothers and sisters in Christ in our homes, churches, and other places. The reason we keep preaching the gospel is that it continues to ground us in the reality of God in His holiness, justice, and power. It grounds us in the reality of the sinfulness that marks our lives and our complete unworthiness. It grounds us in the life-giving sacrifice of Jesus Christ who atoned for our sin by his death and it is the basis of our hope in his resurrection. We are grounded in the reality that he who predestined us, called us, he who called us justified us, and he who justified us will glorify us (Rom. 8:29).

This is good news worth repeating every day, even with believers.

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FORWARD

2011-09-26T11:08:00.000-05:00

Journey family,

We are in the midst of exciting times. 2011 has been the most fruitful year of ministry in our church’s 5 year history. We have seen incredible numbers of professions of faith, baptisms, and numerical growth in the church. You guys are a big reason for why these things are happening. You invite people to experience what is happening. You give faithfully to see our ministries continue to thrive. You serve unselfishly to see kids ministered to, people welcomed, and the worship gathering to glorify God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

With all that is going good, we are also in a dangerous place. The danger we are in is that we could easily grow complacent with where we are. We have buildings. We have decent tithe dollars. We could just mail it in and call it good. However, you know that is not how we roll. The Journey Church is not interested in playing it safe. We are not interested in growing comfortable or complacent. We believe there is a lost and dying world in need of the gospel, which demands our comfort zones be shattered. There are too many people in our neighborhoods, schools, families, and workplaces who have yet to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we have the mandate and privilege to go after them.
With all of that being said, the elders of the Journey want to introduce some language to the congregation that we want to start using, to remind ourselves of our mandate and the great need around us. We want to use this in our conversations at church, in small group, and when we are with our church family sharing in fellowship. We want to see this language used on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking places. We want this to become a part of the very DNA and fabric of our church. What is the language:

#FORWARD. FORWARD as a church, FORWARD with the gospel!

Our church can’t sit and grow complacent, we must move FORWARD. The gospel is not just for us to sit around and talk about, it must go FORWARD. There are cities around us to be reached, we must go FORWARD. This also includes our personal lives. We have to learn obedience to God in all things, we must move FORWARD. We need to be immersed in His Word and in prayer, that’s how we move FORWARD. We must give our time, dollars, and energy to see this reality accomplished among us, we have to step FORWARD.

On Sunday, October 9th, at our Sunday morning services, we will be announcing more details about how we are going to move FORWARD. Until then, be praying and asking God about what you and your family will need to begin doing in order for you to move FORWARD. FORWARD in your faith and FORWARD in your service to your church family.

Great things are coming Journey Church. Let’s believe that God has greater things in store for us than we have already experienced. It’s time to move FORWARD!

Journey Church: if you are ready to move forward and want to let others know about it, share this post on your Facebook and/or Twitter. Let's get the word out!

Union & Communion With God

2011-09-06T13:05:00.000-05:00

I have always had questions concerning how we can never be snatched from the hands of God, but at the same time experience seasons where He feels distant from us. The issue here is about the ebbs and flows of our relationship with God. If we are forever secured in relationship with God through Christ, do our sins committed after our conversion have any effect on us? This has often puzzled me.

Recently while reading John Owen's book Communion with God this issue was brought up. The way Owen described this issue was that in Christ, we have union with God. This union is forged by our faith in his death and resurrection. At our conversion we were joined in union with God, justified before Him. This union is forever and irreversible. Once we have experienced this union with God through Christ, we can then participate in communion with God. This communion is a relationship that we can experience with the Lord Almighty as a result of our union through Christ. However, our communion with God, unlike our union, can have seasons of great delights and seasons of great sorrow. Our communion with God can fluctuate depending on our willingness to pursue God, be in His Word, seek Him in prayer, repent of our sin, and other things like this. Communion with God is forged as we seek Him and come to Him. Communion is disrupted and slowed when we do not seek Him and have sins that have gone unchecked.

It is important for us as believers to understand this dynamic. In Christ, we have union with God Almighty, and that can never be taken. However, our communion with God, the feeling of being close to Him and sensing His presence in our lives, is dependent on our seeking of Him. Communion with God will have some seasons that are better than others.

We should all desire to draw nearer to God in closer communion and fellowship with Him. If we do not feel close to Him, it does not mean that we have no union with Him, but could point out to us that our communion with God is struggling due to some area of neglect in our lives. This serves to encourage the believer that even when we have failures in our lives, our union with God is never shaken. But this also rips away the deception from people who believe they can experience closeness with God, yet live in unrepentant sin.

What are your thoughts? Does the distinctions help you to understand the dynamic at work in our relationship with God? What insights does this give you concerning this subject?

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Suffering Shame and Hatred from the World for Christ

2011-08-22T12:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we taught through Matthew 10:16-25 where Jesus speaks about the persecution that will come to his followers. The premise that we ultimately set forward was this: Followers of Jesus will be persecuted for their allegiance to him; therefore, if you do not experience persecution, you either 1. do not belong to him or 2. are living a sinfully quite life about your faith in Christ. There is really no in between. Jesus promises that suffering will come.

We need to begin living much louder lives about our faith. The world will grow increasingly intolerant of followers of Jesus, but true believers will endure to the end (Matt. 10:22). Instead of dreading this persecution, why don't we consider it a privilege? It is a great privilege to suffer for the sake of Jesus' name and fame. Let these words from Peter resonate in your mind and heart today and throughout the week:

1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV) - 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and God rests upon you.

Why do you believe we are so quick to run from persecution when Scripture calls us "blessed?"

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Let This Define Our Church & Lives

2011-08-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

Ray Ortlund, a pastor in Nashville, TN of a church named Immanuel Church, posted on his blog this morning about the five marks of revived churches. Ray blogs regularly at The Gospel Coalition. May this 5 marks go beyond defining our church, but also our lives! Enjoy.

1. Awareness of God’s presence: “The first and fundamental feature in renewal is the sense that God has drawn awesomely near in his holiness, mercy and might.”

2. Responsiveness to God’s Word: “The message of Scripture which previously was making only a superficial impact, if that, now searches its hearers and readers to the depth of their being.”

3. Sensitiveness to sin: “Consciences become tender and a profound humbling takes place.”

4. Liveliness in community: “Love and generosity, unity and joy, assurance and boldness, a spirit of praise and prayer, and a passion to reach out to win others, are recurring marks of renewed communities.”

5. Fruitfulness in testimony: “Christians proclaim by word and deed the power of the new life, souls are won, and a community conscience informed by Christian values emerges.”

My Growing Skepticism of the Modern-Day Role of the Pastor

2011-08-15T11:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday at church was a great day. We dedicated over 16 children. We baptized 6 people (almost 80 for the year) who were making public professions of faith in Christ. We had one service and the building was jammed packed! It was an incredible day.

However, my day continued on into the afternoon. I had three meetings that afternoon with people from the church. One meeting was with a new couple who attends the church and the Lord is working on their hearts in phenomenal ways. They are wanting to honor the Lord with their relationship and were asking for accountability. The second meeting was with a man in his fifties who for the first time in his life, the gospel is making sense to him. He wanted to know how to draw closer to the Lord and truly give his life to Christ. We talked about seeking the Lord fervently and with desperation. The third meeting I had was with a lady who had tremendous trials and tribulations in her life over the last few years. She was inquiring as to how she could walk through those things in faith and know that the Lord is with her. We had such a good time of searching the truths of Scriptures and seeing how God can turn trials into blessings. I left these three meetings feeling truly used by God to help people apply the gospel to their lives.

Why do I mention these meetings? What is the point I am aiming for in this post? The answer is this: I see the meetings that I had in the afternoon equally as important as the services that happened in the morning.

In the world of pastoral leadership and church discussions, one of the major questions asked and raised is whether the pastor can be hands on with the congregation he leads and the church still grow. In others words, can a church keep growing and reaching people if the pastor is still assessable to the congregants? Most involved in this conversation say "no." Most do not think that a pastor can remain involved in the meetings about salvation, premarital counseling, and other type meetings and the church still grow to reach a lot of people. I am not saying that this is a false assertion, but I do have my doubts and points of skepticism. Where does my skepticism come from?

One of the things I enjoy doing is reading. I read a lot of books. Most of the books I read are theology books and things concerning the Christian life. My favorite books are the one's that have been written by dead people. I love old books, particularly the Puritans, and those who are Puritan-influenced. One of the things that I have noticed when I read these old pastors is that they frequently visited with and met with their congregants. They met with them over all sorts of issues. They met with them despite how big their congregation was. Richard Baxter visited every one of his thousand plus congregants in a year's time. Ichabod Spencer had Sunday night inquiry meetings where people would flood his home and he would meet with and answer questions for hours. In addition to Sunday night inquiry meetings, he made weekly house calls to congregants and those seeking the way of salvation.

When I read things like, this and then I think about what popular wisdom and opinion in our church culture today has become, I question whether they were ignorant of the ways to really grow their church or whether we are ignorant of what it means to be pastors.

I desire to be available to the congregation I lead. I know that it cannot be completely dependent upon me and that there will be limitations to my availability to every person. However, I wrestle over the popular opinion that pastors have to limit their involvement with only a select few in order for the church to grow. I cannot escape the thought that as a pastor, I am called to walk with anxious souls concerning the way of salvation, and that goes beyond preaching to them on Sunday mornings.

These are just some things on my heart and mind right now. What are your thoughts on this? What do you make of the popular opinion today of the role of pastors? Do you believe the Puritan-model is more biblical? Do you believe there is a middle ground?

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Away with the Traditional "Sinner's Prayer"

2011-08-09T15:18:00.001-05:00

How does someone come to faith in Christ? Is there a magic prayer which changes our status as hell-bound sinner to heaven-bound saint? Are our words alone enough to change our heart of stone to a heart of flesh that feels and beats for the Savior King?

Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the "Sinner's Prayer" has gained mass popularity by television evangelist, revival preachers, and now, most mainstream churches. It typically goes something like this, "Just admit to God that you are a sinner, tell him that you believe in His Son Jesus, and commit your life tonight/this morning that you want to be a Christian. Friend, if you prayed that prayer then you are now saved. Your sins are forgiven and you will one day spend eternity with God when you die." Other things are often added or expounded upon, but for the most part, this is something we have grown accustomed to hearing from others. The question we should ask is: is this right?

Before this became the "popular" and "acceptable" way of leading someone to the Lord how did pastors, laypeople, and others instruct sinners on finding grace? This is a terribly important question! A friend of mine, pastor and blogger Tim Brister, recently posted a "Sinner's Prayer" on his blog from 19th century bishop J.C. Ryle (whom I thoroughly enjoy reading). I have posted this prayer below, see if you can notice the difference in how one should seek grace. See which of the prayers best models a biblical picture.

Ryle's Prayer:

When does the building of the Spirit really begin to appear in a man’s heart? It begins, so far as we can judge, when he first pours out his heart to God in prayer.

If you desire salvation, and want to know what to do, I advise you to go this very day to the Lord Jesus Christ, in the first private place you can find, and earnestly and heartily entreat him in prayer to save your soul.

Tell him that you have heard that he receives sinners, and has said, “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” Tell him that you are a poor vile sinner, and that you come to him on the faith of his own invitation. Tell him you put yourself wholly and entirely in his hands; that you feel vile and helpless, and hopeless in yourself: and that except he saves you, you have no hope of being saved at all. Beseech him to deliver you from the guilt, the power, and the consequences of sin. Beseech him to pardon you, and wash you in his own blood. Beseech him to give you a new heart, and plant the Holy Spirit in Your Soul. Beseech him to give you grace and faith and will and power to be his disciple and servant from this day forever. Oh, reader, go this very day, and tell these things to the Lord Jesus Christ, if you really are in earnest about your soul.

Tell him in your own way, and your own words. If a doctor came to see you when sick you could tell him where you felt pain. If your soul feels its disease indeed, you can surely find something to tell Christ.

Doubt not his willingness to save you, because you are a sinner. It is Christ’s office to save sinners. He says himself, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32).

Wait not because you feel unworthy. Wait for nothing. Wait for nobody. Waiting comes from the devil. just as you are, go to Christ. The worse you are, the more need you have to apply to him. You will never mend yourself by staying away.

Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you. Just as a mother understands the first lispings of her infant, so does the blessed Saviour understand sinners. He can read a sigh, and see a meaning in a groan.

Despair not because you do not get an answer immediately. While you are speaking, Jesus is listening. If he delays an answer, it is only for wise reasons, and to try if you are in earnest. The answer will surely come. Though it tarry, wait for it. It will surely come.
Oh, reader, if you have any desire to, be saved, remember the advice I have given you this day. Act upon it honestly and heartily, and you shall be saved.

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Exciting Days Ahead of Us

2011-08-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday's message at The Journey Church was an important one. It was a jolting reminder of the necessity of staying focused on the mission of the gospel. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. As we scan our cities and we behold the vast number of lost people who have not made Christ the treasure of their lives, we should be filled with compassion and determination to about our Father's business. We are also called to pray that God, the Lord of this great harvest, would send laborers to reach His people, chosen from the foundations of the earth.

There are exciting days ahead of us as a church. The excitement is centered on envisioning hundreds, if not thousands, of people coming to Christ, being baptized, and joining the mission of reaching the harvest. However, excitement around these things is not enough, we need commitment. We will need sacrifice. In the coming days these commitments and sacrifices will become more defined and more clear, but for now, the challenge is for us to pray and ask God to prepare our church for the task He is calling us to.

Please pray for me church, that I would lead as He has called me to. Pray that I would be submitted fully to Him to say, do, and act upon the things He is revealing to me. Pray for all of our elders (James Ulmer, Tim Davis, Kim Working, Kyle Heckman, Shawn Allen, me) as we huddle to pray, plan, and prepare our church for where God is leading us in the months ahead.

Greater things are yet to come!

I Love Pastoring

2011-08-03T16:36:00.005-05:00

I had such an incredible experience this summer preaching to over 3000+ students and adults leaders. I have preached sermons which the Lord has used to bring conviction, salvation, restoration in relationships, and other types of visible fruit. These experiences have been great, and the people I have met and worked beside have been fantastic. But at the end of the day, while preaching to these large groups of people, my heart finds more joy in pastoring and shepherding the congregation in which God has made me an overseer.

I do not say this to minimize the opportunities to preach to others, but I say it to express how blessed I am that God has given me such a love for the people I pastor. I want to see them discover the riches of Christ more and more each day. The difference between being a pastor and an itinerant, is that I get to continue to walk with those and shepherd those I preach to. I enjoy this part of it more than the hour (sometimes more LOL) I am standing and exhorting them from God's Word.

We need itinerants, so this is not a knock against them, but we need more men who love their congregations, not use their congregations as stepping stones to something greater. I never want to prostitute the congregation I shepherd so that I can have more "opportunities" or a bigger platform to speak to others. I want to walk with a group of people who know me, warts in all, and still love me, and still love for me to use my gifts and calling to lead them.

I am first and foremost a pastor. I love shepherding people. I love discipling new Christians. I love sitting down with families who's marriages are struggling and pointing them to Christ and to the gospel. I love marrying people and doing their premarital counseling. As our church has grown, I have not been able to do these things for every single person, but these things still matter to me. This summer, and the opportunities I have experienced, have served to make me grateful for the Lord's favor and opening of doors to preach the gospel, but it has also served to show me that the Lord has called me to be, above any other ministry role or opportunity, a pastor. I never want to abandon the local church and her ministry for some larger platform. Regardless of what doors the Lord does or does not open for a larger platform to teach others, my heart is always to be a shepherd of a local church, who are learning together what it means to live out the gospel together.

I thank God for this. I love you Journey Church.

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Spurgeon's Heartfelt Cry & Our Evangelistic Zeal

2011-08-01T09:47:00.000-05:00

"When I think of the thousands of souls in this great city that have never heard of Jesus, that have never listened to him; when I think of how much ignorance exists, and how little gospel preaching there is, how few souls are saved, I think - O God! what little grace I must have, that I do not strive more for souls." - Charles H. Spurgeon

The above statement, spoken by Charles Spurgeon in a sermon to his congregation in London on October 14, 1855, is still ringing with truth; it is dripping with humility and sincerity. He made the statement concerning his own heart. As he surveyed the condition of his city and the people inhabiting it, he wondered why his soul did not year more vehemently for those without Christ. This was a man who pastored what could be considered one of the first mega-churches in history (thousands of people). If you have ever read a Spurgeon sermon, you would quickly see that his zeal for the Lord and the lost is much greater than many of us would attribute to ourselves. Yet, he yearned that his soul would care more.

As we begin our week, where would we rate our zeal to see those who are lost find Christ? Do we truly see the spiritual implications of what it means for them to be ignorant of Christ? Do we truly understand the magnitude of why we were sent by Jesus to go (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)? Would we cry out and pray as Spurgeon did above?

This coming Sunday at The Journey Church, we are going to be studying Matthew 9:35-38. In this passage, Jesus states that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. The land is ripe for a harvest of the gospel, but there are not many laborers willing to go. May we do as Jesus commands, "pray to the Lord of the harvest for laborers for the field," but may we also be willing to be the answer to that prayer.

Would love to hear your thoughts: Why do you think our hearts are so easily hardened and shut off from caring about the lost? What do you think needs to happen for this to change?

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Who's The Boss?

2011-07-28T08:43:00.000-05:00

Everyone has authority over their lives. It does not matter what environment you are in, there is usually someone in authority over you. We have bosses, coaches, teachers, parents, elders, husbands, and all sorts of different authority figures in our lives, everywhere we go. But a great question to ask yourself is this: who is the true and ultimate authority over my life?

All of us have to answer that question. The Sunday school is answer is: Jesus. The true answer is "Jesus," but many only say that because we are supposed to. While saying Jesus is our ultimate authority, many of us live as if we were. We make our decisions, doing what we want, with who we want, when we want, and how we want. "This is my life" is the mantra for someone who believes they are the ruling and reigning authority over their lives.

Others have a different authority over them. For some, their friends are their ultimate authority. This may sound strange, but when you look at how they make decisions in life, it is based off of how they believe their friends will accept or approve their decisions. What they wear. Who they hang out with. What they do with their free time. The way they talk. The activities they engage in. All of these things, and more, mark the life of someone who's friends serve as their ultimate authority.

Some of us have let the opinions of our culture and society, which changes like the weather, to be our ultimate authority. If our culture says it's okay to sleep together before marriage, then we do it. If our culture say's homosexual relationships are okay, then we approve it. If our culture says it's okay to pursue vain and lustful desires, then we engage in it. We must stand apart from a world that seeks to live according to its own desires. We must stand firm in the authority of Christ and His Word, even if the entire world were to go against what God's makes clear about His ways and what He wants His people to do.

We need to take a hard look in the mirror and evaluate whether we are truly living under the authority of Christ. Many who say they live under God's authority are only saying it, their lives and actions say something very different. To live under the authority of Christ means that we care more about what God thinks than what we or any other person thinks. We let God's Word serve as our guide, not our own opinions. This is why every word of Scripture should be taken seriously, not only the parts we have highlighted and underlined.

Pray and ask God to reveal to you how you are doing in submitting to His ultimate authority.

Questions for reflection: What things in your life need to be aligned today to better surrender to Christ. What attitudes and actions need to be repented of so that you can serve Christ as your ultimate authority, instead of someone else?

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Who Are You Trusting Today?

2011-07-26T09:16:00.000-05:00

How aware are you of your need of Christ today? If you are a believer, at some point in your life, you came to recognize how deep your need for a Savior was. However, this is not suppose to lessen once we become a Christian. Even as a believer, we should recognize daily our deep need for the grace and mercy of Christ Jesus in our lives. We should see how utterly helpless we are without his strength and power. If you are not a believer, then you certainly need to recognize your deep need for Christ. You are only one breath away from coming face-to-face with Almighty God, who will judge you with righteousness, and you will be found guilty of law-breaking. Guilty law-breakers are sentenced to eternal death. Condemnation awaits those who have labored and toiled for their own selfish ends, rebelling against God and His ways.

Everyone, believer and unbeliever, has desperate need for Christ today.

Our recognition of this reality will make all the difference between a person who lives self-reliant and fully surrendered. When we view our need for Christ as only a one-time event, then we miss the truth. The truth is this: we are helpless and in need of everything; we have nothing in ourselves that is sufficient or suitable for navigating the daily obstacles and challenges that we face. We need Christ. We need him more today than yesterday. As believers, we are not called to be growing in our independence from him, but in our dependence on him. We are to be fully surrendered to Christ. Each day the challenge is to lay down our lives. We are commanded to pick our cross, embrace our daily deaths, and let him live in us.

So who are you trusting today? Yourself? Or the One who said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)

I'd love to hear your thoughts: why do we seem to lean on ourselves (even as believers) instead of daily trusting Christ and leaning on him?

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Forgiveness in the Midst of Tragedy

2011-07-22T09:39:00.000-05:00

I am speaking about forgiveness today at Fuge Camps to over 1000 students. The subject is important to me because I have had to learn some tough lessons about it. I wrote today on Consuming Grace about my journey of learning to forgive the doctor who removed Kaleb's kidneys by accident. This was a difficult road, but one that was worth all the pain.

My story is not the only remarkable story of forgiveness. I watched a video today of another remarkable story. It is the story of young woman who was raped and had to learn how to forgive the one who did it. Take a look at her story, and the let God work on your heart about those in your life that need forgiveness.

Let God speak to you today on the issue of forgiving those who hurt you. There is freedom in Christ from all the bondage we experience, including the bondage of our past hurts.

Measure Your Love For God

2011-07-21T09:12:00.000-05:00

We have been taught from the time we were young that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. This teaching has been repeated so often that we are almost numb to its shocking and radical nature. The truth of the matter is this: if you want to measure your love for God, test and evaluate your love for others. Then you will get an idea of the answer. There are some mind-blowing implications from the teaching "love your neighbor as yourselves," here are a few:

1. It comes on the heels of another command, the first great commandment, to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). They are connected together and inseparable. You cannot divide these two commandments from one another because they hinge on one another. Love God and love others.

2. The love we are expected and commanded to love others with is outside of our natural capacity to produce. The love we give others, that God commands and is satisfied with, comes from Him, not ourselves. This is why we must start with loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, because it is then that we can love others. This is why the two commands are connected together. It begins with God, then moves to others.

3. We cannot say "I love God," but fail to love others. Because the two commandments are tied together, it does not allow for you to say you love God but not love others. It also means you cannot say "I love others" but fail to love God. You will not love others as you have been commanded because it will be all self-driven and self-willed. If you have no relationship with God, you will be very selfish in your love with others because love is from God (1 John 4:7).

4. A failure to love our neighbor as ourselves is not a problem with our relationship with our neighbor, but with God. At the end of the day, our love for our neighbor is a reflection of our love for God. In Christian circles we love to say, "I love them, I just don't like them." That is our "Christian" way of saying, "I don't love them." We feel like it excuses us of sin, and that's what being unloving to our neighbor is - sin.

If we say we love God, then we must love our neighbor. If we truly love God, then we WILL love our neighbor as ourselves. It will be a natural overflow.

Pray this prayer: Father, I recognize today that I am incapable of loving others as you have commanded me to. I am sinful, selfish, prideful, and often love conditionally. Forgive me Lord. I turn from this wickedness today and cast myself upon the mercy of Christ. I need you Lord. Strengthen me, help me, and shape me into the person who is able to love because I have been loved by You. Thank you for not casting me aside when I sin. Thank you for the love you demonstrated for me when you gave Jesus for me, even when I was still a sinner. Open my eyes today to see ways in which I can love as you have loved me. I pray for the Holy Spirit to empower me with a love that can only be supplied by You. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

Offer a thought: When you look at how you love others, what does it reveal about your love for God? In what ways do you think the definition of love in our society differs from the Bible's definition to love?

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Gospel-Centered Parenting

2011-07-19T10:36:00.002-05:00

I am reading a book right now on parenting. I usually do not read books like this, not because I dislike learning about parenting, but because most of the books I have seen are flesh-driven, rule-driven books that fall short of sharing how to parent with a gospel-centered approach. My interest was captured recently when I learned about a book from Timmy Brister on how to parent with grace and the gospel driving your philosophy and approach. The name of the book is Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids With the Love of Jesus. It is a fast and easy read. This is a book that goes beyond giving parenting tips, it teaches you the gospel. Not only does it teach you the gospel, it shows you how to contextualize the gospel in different parenting situations.

Check out a few quotes from the book to get an idea:

In talking about the need for God to do a work in and through our children, instead of trusting that our "good parenting" can fix/change/save our kids: "There are no promises in the Bible that even our best parenting will produce good children. None." (59)

"We have far too high a view of our ability to shape our children and far too low a view of God's love and trustworthiness." (57)

"Raising good kids is utterly impossible unless they are drawn by the Holy Spirit to put their faith in the goodness of another. You cannot raise good kids, because you're not a good parent." (50)

On the encouragement and accolades we give our kids for "obeying the rules" or "being nice" they say, "Our encouragement should aways stimulate praise for God's grace rather than our goodness." (43)

"If a Mormon can parent the same way you do, then your parenting isn't Christian." (37)

On the issue of teaching our kids to flesh and fear-driven obedience, "Every way we try to make our kids good that isn't rooted in the good news of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ is damnable, crushing, despair-breeding, Pharisee-producing law." (36)

"Instead of the gospel of grace, we've given them daily baths in a "sea of narcissistic moralism."" (20)

You can tell from these quotes the tone and nature of the book. It gives lots of practice helps and examples to accompany the biblically-centered truths. At the end of the day, I want to be a parent that teaches my kids the gospel, through my parenting. I do not want to preach the gospel to them, only to then teach moralism and flesh-driven obedience. This book has sparked in me a desire for other parents to evaluate their parenting through the lenses of the gospel. This fall, I am considering doing a parenting seminar around this book. Let me know if this would interest you.

I would love to hear from you: Is your parenting grace-centered or law-centered? Are you teaching your children the gospel through your parenting or are you encouraging and celebrating the idea of their own efforts to "obey rules" and act like "good little boys and girls."

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Affection-Driven Devotion

2011-07-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

I am hitting the road this morning to preach two more weeks of Fuge Camps in Greenville, S. Carolina. I was called to fill in for a guy who had an emergency situation with his family. I have already preached three weeks and it has been an amazing experience. I blogged about it here recently.

The message I open camp with each week is the difference between the Affection-Driven life vs the Obligation-Driven life. As Christians we are often taught about our need to read the Bible, pray, serve others, attend church, give, love one another, submit to authority, relate to the lost, and the list goes on. These things are not wrong or bad, but they can become stumbling blocks if not taught properly. The motivation behind "why" we do them is equally as important as doing them.

Many of us have been taught throughout our lives and our Christian experience the do's and don'ts, the right's and wrong's. The issue we need to wrestle over is not "do I do these things" but "why do I do these things?" Is my obedience the fruit of my relationship with Christ or am I attempting to make them the root of my salvation. In other words, do I do a lot of things in an effort to make God happy with me or do I do these things because they are a naturally outpouring of my affections for Christ? We are called to do the right things and live the Christian life in obedience, but these things stem from a heart filled with a love for God that has been created by the grace of God, through the faith provided as a gift by God.

In Psalm 42:1-2 David speaks about how his soul thirsts for God, the Living God. He talks about how a deer pants for water, and that likewise, his soul pants for God. This is the writing and expressions of a person who's affections for the Lord are stoked white-hot. When is the last time you could say David's prayer and heart expression has been your own? His heart is a great example and model of one that exhibits great affections for the Lord.

When it comes to evangelism, we don't need new strategies, we need new hearts. Hearts driven by affections for the Lord. When it comes to relating to authority, we don't need to try harder to submit to imperfect leaders, we begin by submitting to the Lord who has placed those leaders over us. When it comes to loving others, we don't wait until people are more lovable, we begin by loving the One who fuels our capacity to love. When it comes to forgiving others, we don't wait until people deserve forgiveness, we begin by praising the God who forgave us through the precious blood of His Son. This drives us to forgive others. It all begins with our relationship with God.

This is what it means to live an affection-driven life as opposed to the obligation-driven life. We cannot and will not live the Christian life with any joy or fulfillment if it is done as a duty or obligation. We must be driven by our affections for Christ Jesus, who is altogether lovely, who is altogether beautiful. Fix your gaze upon him and find your affections stirred and raised to fervent pitch! Hallelujah, what a Savior! How could we not want to live for him and his glory!?!

What are some things you have found that help to stir your affections for the Lord? For me it is reciting the gospel to myself and reflecting on the unique aspects of Christ's roles as Redeemer, Bridegroom, Advocate, and Friend to me. These always serve to fan my devotions for Christ into flame.

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Big Day in the Life of The Journey

2011-07-17T19:56:00.001-05:00

Today was a HUGE day in the life of The Journey Church. For years now we have had no membership in our church. It has taken a lot of study and a lot of listening from leaders far smarter than me to realize that it is biblical and necessary. The elders and I engaged in a lengthy process of studying this subject and walking through what a healthy membership would look like in our church. We begin offering membership classes next week and will continue to offer them quarterly. I am excited about what this means for us as a church.

What benefits are there in membership? Why should we do this?

1. It allows for the elders and staff to more effectively shepherd the flock God has brought to The Journey.

2. It sets out clear expectations as to how leaders in the church will serve and pastor the flock, while also providing clear expectations as to what it means to be a member of a church.

3. It allows for people to know what we are about as a church, as we have the opportunity to teach and talk about it in the membership format.

4. It creates a definable group at The Journey that we can call "the church."

Some time early this week the message from Sunday will be on the website under the "Stand Alone" messages category. You can listen to the sermon I gave about why church membership is a biblical expectation. In the message, I lay out why this subject is so important.

If you do not go through the membership process at the church, we are not going to ask you to leave or treat you like a second-class citizen. That is not the aim of installing membership. But I must add to that promise, a second promise, which is we will not stop pushing you and challenging you as to what it means to be a Christian, to be connected and committed to a local body of believers.

This was a BIG day in the life of The Journey. We have a long ways to go before we are able to say we have arrived, but I can honestly say that I have never been more excited about where we are as a church. The things I see our church growing in go far beyond numbers of people in the seats. I see us growing in our desire to be biblically faithful. I see us growing in our desire to live out what it means to be the church. I pray this continues. May we continue to remain connected and committed to one another, under the banner of Christ, as we the bride follow him in covenant together.

It is my joy to be your pastor.

Why do you think it is becoming harder in our culture to have people covenant with the church in membership? What can be done to help with this?

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The Short Life-Span of Suffering

2011-07-13T08:25:00.003-05:00

One day suffering will be swallowed up. It will be engulfed. The things that often torment and haunt us now will eventually be defeated and we will triumph with joy abounding forever. Eternity offers us the hope that our present sufferings are only temporary.

Paul says in Romans 8:18 (ESV) "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

These things we face, and everyone faces them, will eventually be history. God has promised victory. One day those in Christ will experience this victory. Dostoevsky, the 19th century Russian novelists, understood this. In his book The Brothers Karamazov he makes this amazing statement:

"I have a childlike conviction that the sufferings will be healed and smoothed over, that the whole offensive comedy of human contradictions will disappear like a pitiful mirage, a vile concoction of man's Euclidean mind, feeble and puny as an atom, and that ultimately, at the world's finale, in the moment of eternal harmony, there will occur and be revealed something so precious that it will suffice for all hearts, to allay all indignation, to redeem all human villainy, all bloodshed; it will suffice not only to make forgiveness possible, but also to justify everything that has happened with men."*

Many are going through different trials and tribulations today. Would you pray for them today and ask the Lord to strengthen and encourage them? Would you also pray for the Lord to bring forth the day in which all things will be restored, and the above description comes to pass? Suffering does have a short life-span. We must remember that. It is partly how we are able to carry on in the midst of it.

How can remembering suffering has a short life-span serve to better endure it?

Related posts: A Prayer for the Overwhelmed

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*Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002), 235-236

The Guardian - Releases September 1st

2011-07-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

Robbie Cheuvront, the worship leader at The Journey Church, and one of my best friends, and I have been in Atlanta the last few days doing interviews with television and radio programs. We have been here to talk with people about The Guardian. The Guardian is a book that Robbie and I wrote that is a fast-paced thrill-ride where a young girl is trying to unlock the secret of an ancient scroll passed down to her through her family from the disciple John. It has the feel of a National Treasure type goose-chase.

The book is a fiction book, but it is not just entertainment. The beauty of the book is that it is communicating spiritual principles and the gospel through story. It is a great book for someone who is not a big reader of non-fiction. It is a great book for someone you may want to have a conversation with about faith. It is a great book for believers to be forced to wrestle with their own willingness to do what God calls them to do.

We are incredibly excited about it and we are getting phenomenal feedback from everyone who has read it. We would love for you to purchase a copy. Take a look at the video trailer for it below.

You can pre-order the The Guardian now from Amazon or pick it up at your local book retailer on September 1st.

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The Gospel Still Works

2011-07-11T18:47:00.001-05:00

I have been behind on blogging for the last week. I was speaking for Fuge Camps at Belmont and could not find the time needed to do it. This summer I had the opportunity to speak for three weeks at Fuge Camps, two in Missouri and one here in Nashville. I had insecurities going into this experience because I questioned whether the 31 year old pastor, who preaches for almost an hour, would be accepted. I had heard how some camp pastors approached their messages at these camps and I did not feel that is what God was calling me to do. I made the decision to approach camp like I approach preaching at church: being faithful to the Scriptures and preaching Jesus.

To my amazement, though I should not have been amazed - THE GOSPEL STILL WORKS.

The way God moved in the three weeks I had the opportunity to preach at Fuge just grounded me further in the fact that the preaching and teaching of God's Word is the key to seeing lives changed. Humor does not change lives. Sappy emotional stories do not change lives. These things are not bad things, but if they replace the gospel, they are. The good ole' fashion gospel message is still enough to change people; in fact, it is THE THING that changes people.

Instead of feeling like we need to make God more likable or Christianity more palatable, we should lay before people the unadjusted gospel message. We should be quick to communicate the truths of Scripture and call them to believe. I do not know the full impact of the three weeks I preached camp, but I do know that many students came to believe, an adult chaperone became a believer, and many youth pastors and leaders encouraged me that it was such a great week for them.

I praise God that He would use me to be a part of His great redemptive work. I am amazed that He would, but I should not be, because it is the gospel that holds the power, no matter who shares it, or how old they are.

What things do you feel we try to replace the gospel with in order to make God more likable to sinners or Christianity more palatable?

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What is the Gospel?

2011-07-05T10:28:00.001-05:00

So many people talk about "the gospel" but so few define it the same way. There are many versions of the gospel that are not the gospel at all. There are distortions of the gospel which only set forward part of the truth, while neglecting other parts. An example of this would be a gospel that proclaims that God is love, which He certainly is, but neglects to speak about the wrath of God poured out on unrepentant sinners, which He absolutely will. If this is the gospel message shared, then it is not the gospel.

I cannot cover every aspect of the gospel, nor will I try, in one blog post. But what I do want to attempt to do is give you a skeleton for understanding and explaining the gospel. I did not create this; in fact, there have been great books written on the subject which go into incredible detail about this gospel skeleton and other facets (two of these would be What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert and Counterfeit Gospels by Trevin Wax). Here is one way to help remember and explain the gospel.

The Gospel:

1. God - the gospel message begins with God. The Bible tells us that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God was here first. God is eternal. He is Creator of all things. God is Sovereign King over all things. The Bible describes Him as ruling and reigning the world. It is His sovereign plan that governs everything. In addition to being creator, God is holy. He is holy, more holy than any of us can fathom. He is perfect in all His ways. He cannot sin, nor can He put up with sin. Because of sin, God will also be Just Judge of the world. In His perfect righteousness He will judge the world according to His perfect standard. God created humanity to experience close and loving fellowship, to be His image-bearers in the world.

2. Man - man, who was created in the image of God, for fellowship and worship of God, has rebelled. We all, like sheep, have gone astray. We have chosen our own ways over God's ways. We are selfish at our core, and we willingly sin against His perfect standard. Our condition is a result of the fall of Adam in Genesis 3, yet all are guilty because sin is done willingly and often. In our fallen condition, man is separated from God and will one day suffer under His righteous and just judgment for sin. We must all stand before God and give an account for our lives. The Bible declares that all are guilty. In this state, man is without hope.

3. Christ - But God, being rich in mercy, showed His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ Jesus died for us. God made him (Jesus) to be sin, who knew no sin, so that we might become His righteousness. The story of the gospel is the story of God's rescue and redemption of sinners through His one and only Son Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Godhead, has existed from the beginning of time. He willingly stepped out of heaven and into history, so that he could live a perfectly righteous and sinless life, accomplishing the demands of the law, and went to the cross, so that he could take upon himself the sin of his people. At the cross, Jesus Christ drank dry the cup of God's wrath reserved for sinners. He took what he did not deserve, so he could give what humanity did not deserve. He gave his life for sinners and was killed on the cross, but on the third day he rose again. He was raised in victory, conquering Satan, sin, and death, and ascended back to heaven where he sits ruling and reigning the world, awaiting the day he will return to bring judgement and the restoration of all things.

4. Response - the only thing that we as sinful humans can do in response to this good news is reject it or surrender to it. This news requires a response. We cannot simply agree with it, rather belief in it requires a surrender to God. Our response is faith and repentance. We turn our lives over completely to the will of God. We trust Jesus Christ and we follow him. Our lives are made new in response to this message. We are forgiven, saved, redeemed, restored, and made new in Christ. We are then called to live our lives for the glory of God in all things, seeking to love as He has loved, and to share this good news with others.

This is just one tool that can be helpful for remembering, reciting, and reflecting on the gospel. Take time to review this with yourself. Practice sharing it to yourself. Remember God, Man, Christ, Response and learn to take your faith and the gospel everywhere you go.

Have you found other tools that are helpful for sharing the gospel? What things about this method do you think can be helpful for you?

An older post similar to this topic: The Death of Orthodoxy

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Homosexuality and Christianity

2011-07-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Homosexuality and Christianity. Can these two words go together? This issue is a hot-button topic. As Christians, we are being bombarded as to how we are to receive homosexuality as an acceptable choice for people to make. We are told that we should not speak against it. We are made to feel that if we disagree with this view that we are the ones who are weird and from another world. I have preached a sermon on this topic and shared my views on this subject. I will probably do another one in the near future. For now, I want to offer a great read from Al Mohler in the Wall Street Journal about this topic.

Al Mohler Article in the Wall Street Journal

I would love for you to comment here your thoughts on the article and this subject. Please be respectable in your comments, showing Christlike character, regardless of what side of this issue you land on.

Greed is the Enemy of Gratitude

2011-06-30T09:48:00.000-05:00

"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." - James 1:16-17 (ESV)

Every good and perfect gift is from above. This statement is a reminder of the source of every blessing we have. There is no such thing as something that you have earned or attained for yourself. There are many who work hard, do the right things, and strive to succeed, who do not experience the desired outcome. We should be reminded that "every," not some, of the blessings we have received come from God. This should be cause for gratitude to well up within us as we think about every thing in our lives worth giving thanks for:

* our family

* our home/residence

* the meals we eat

* the air we breath

* the electric bill (because we have air-conditioning)

* our vehicle(s)

* our children

* your job

* the computer you are reading this on

* our health

This list could go on and on; in fact, you should attempt to continue the list for the purpose of seeing just how blessed you are. We have every reason to be people of gratitude as we think about our many blessings.

The enemy of gratitude is greed. Greed is not just an attitude that says, "I want, I want," but it is an attitude that thinks, "I deserve, I deserve." Greed is the sinful trait in us that wars against gratitude. Instead of being thankful for every blessing we have been given, we feel like we deserve everything, and more. Greed moves us to take for ourselves. Greed says, "take for yourself; get what you deserve; put your own needs first." If we understand that God is the giver of every perfect gift and blessing we have, then it should produce gratitude, which ultimately produces generosity. If we are not people of generosity then we have a problem with gratitude. If we have a problem with gratitude then we can be assured we are battling greed.

It looks a little something like this:

Your Life - Gratitude = Greed

Your Life + Gratitude = Generosity

Gratitude is the key. If we are people of gratitude we will soon become people of generosity. If we are not people of gratitude we will find ourselves struggling with greed. If you want to help boost your level of gratitude, continue to reflect on James 1:16-17. Take Scripture's advice: do not be deceived, God is the giver of everything you and I have, and for this, we should be eternally grateful.

Take time today to reflect on the many things you have to be grateful for, and recognize that God is the Author of the blessing. What is your biggest struggle with gratitude vs greed? Does your level of generosity demonstrate your gratitude accurately or does it demonstrate your greed?

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Treasuring the Word of God

2011-06-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

I watched this video yesterday and it ROCKED MY WORLD. You do not have to watch the entire thing to walk away changed, just watch the first 5 minutes of it. Notice the enthusiasm these people have as they anticipate receiving the Bible in their language. Listen to the prayer the elder man prays around the 3 minute mark as they receive the Bibles. Watch how grown men weep as their people receive God's Word for the first time in their community.

Question: do we treasure the Word of God in this way? In what ways does this make you grateful for having God's Word and how will it move you to engage it more?

Compartmentalizing our Lives

2011-06-27T09:48:00.000-05:00

Many churches work hard to build and instill the Christian faith and life in to their congregants. They do not want to just teach them about the faith, they want to see them live the faith. One of the core reasons why it often appears to fail is that people live compartmentalized lives. This is when our lives are broken into different segments such as our "work" life, "home" life, "school" life, "social" life, "recreation" life, "church" life, and so on.

What often happens is that we hear teaching from the Bible that informs how we should live, think, and align our lives to God's will, but we only apply this to our church life. In other words, we add it to our databank of thoughts and behaviors inside of our church life, but while at home, work, school, and in our social lives, we are left unchanged. This is compartmentalizing our lives.

I hate to say this, and I could be wrong, but I believe a majority of American Christians live this way.

I know the second I make this statement that most reading this will never put themselves into that category. Most believe they are living their Christian lives just fine, even though there are blatant discrepancies in most other areas of their lives. The Christian faith is an all-encompassing, all-consuming thing. Faith in Jesus is meant to permeate every other area of your life, so that what Christ desires from you becomes the preeminent factor in every other area of life and decisions made in it. So what would be some examples of living a compartmentalized life?

**If you try to be nice to people at church because you are "supposed to," but at work you ignore people that you do not know or new people who are hired, you are living a compartmentalized life

**If you have "church" friends that you act one way around and then "non-church" friends that you act another way around, you are living a compartmentalized life

**If you have the money to dine out regularly, buy vehicles, and take vacations, yet say you do not have the money to honor God by tithing/giving, you are living a compartmentalized life

**If you tell unchurched friends and family they need to be in church, yet you virtually miss the entire summer because you are on the lake or doing other things, you are living a compartmentalized life

**If you engage in a wild and licentious lifestyle on Friday and Saturday nights, but see no contradiction with calling yourself a devoted Christian on Sundays, you are a living a compartmentalized life

These are but a few examples of how it is easy to begin compartmentalizing our lives. We need to repent of this sin. We are not honoring God if we only follow what He wants in some areas of our lives instead of in all areas. God does not want to rent a compartment in our lives, He wants to own the whole thing. When God owns and speaks into every area of your life, then your whole life will reflect a commitment to the things that please God, not just some parts.

Questions: what other ways have you witnessed people compartmentalizing their lives? In what ways have you struggled with this?

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Fighting With Your Spouse in Light of the Gospel

2011-06-24T10:34:00.000-05:00

Every married couple will have arguments. It does not matter if you are Christian or not. There are several reasons why we fight with one another: 1. because the other one is always wrong (figured I would get that one out of the way), 2. because both people are sinners, 3. because both people are different from one another, and 4. because both people are sinners (did I mention this one already?).

As a couple, dating or married, you are different from one another. You have different backgrounds, different experiences, different personalities, different likes, different insecurities, different expectations, and the list goes one. The reason you will have arguments with one another is because you married someone different than you. The reason you married someone different from you is because you cannot marry yourself, because of this, you will have arguments.

The other big cause for trouble in our relationships is sin. In addition to marrying someone different than you, you married a sinner. Yep, that's right, they are a sinner. And so are you. Because we marry sinners, and our spouse's marry sinners, there will be clashes in the relationship. We will show a lack of self-control. We will fail at being slow to anger, as the Bible says, and instead, have outbursts of anger. We will lack patience, compassion, and at times, energy. Because we are sinners, we will have moments where we will fight to have our way, to advance our own personal kingdom and agendas. Because we are sinners, we will care more about trying to conform our spouse rather than focusing on transforming ourselves. Being sinners will cause fights within our marriage.

Are we left helpless? Does the gospel inform us on how to navigate this?

I want to list some ways that the gospel can help us as individuals, and as couples, to navigate the times when we are arguing or fighting with one another. I wish I could say I have mastered these and have no problem with them, but I cannot. This list goes out to broken people from a broken person. May we all learn to apply these.

1. Remember that it was God the Father's providence and plan that brought you together with your spouse. This is important to remember when you are thinking, "what the heck have I done in marrying this person?!?" You committed, before God, for the long-haul; that means the "d" word has no place in our vocabulary.

2. Understand that the purposes of marriage are to glorify God and to sanctify one another. What does this mean? It means that you are called to glorify God through your marriage, but it also means that God is sanctifying you (transforming your character) through your marriage. Sometimes sanctification hurts because it requires we die to selfish tendencies. Embrace it.

3. Communicate to your spouse in a way that acknowledges they are a child of God. It is okay to clearly tell how you feel to your spouse when upset, but do it with intent to communicate not instigate, condemn, or tear-down. We do not avoid having conversations about how we feel as Christian couples, but the way we communicate aims at seeing a productive result, not tearing the other down or creating a fight. We have to remember their value in the eyes of God before we sin against God in our communication to them.

4. Commit to only speaking to your spouse in such a way that is glorifying to God. In other words, make sure that the words, tone, and attitude behind your speech would be something glorifying and pleasing to God. The Bibles says in 1 Cor. 10:31 "so whether eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." This includes our communication with our spouse. If you are too angry to do this properly, then you should begin praying for God to help give you strength, self-control, and patience to only speak to them in a way that glorifies Him.

5. Extend grace & forgiveness to one another with the lavishness that God has extended it to you. God has given us (followers of Jesus) grace. This grace has forgiven us of our sins though we deserve the most severe of punishments. If you struggle to give grace and forgiveness to your spouse when they mess up, just ask yourself why you believe you deserve grace and forgiveness from God for your daily mess-ups.

6. Give love to one another unconditionally, even when it is undeserved. Why should we do this? God has loved us through Christ with unconditional love. We did not earn His love, we received it unconditionally. Even when we mess up, God does not take His love away from us. We cannot operate with a conditional love toward one another by only showing our love when the other has done something to merit it.

7. Trust Jesus Christ to be sufficient to meet our needs as we have struggles. We often run to a million other things when we are having problems. Jesus wants us to come to him. We must not see Jesus as someone we only run to when we have religious questions. He desires to be our strength in times of weakness. He desires to be the first one we turn to, not the last.

8. Look to the power of Holy Spirit to help you in the midst of your arguments. In the heat of the moment our flesh desires to be right, to get the last word, to hurt the other's feelings, and so on. We must instead ask prayerfully for the Holy Spirit to be our guide, to be the Great Helper He was promised to be in Scripture. The fruit of the Holy Spirit's work will include: patience, self-control, and selflessness. These things are needed in our marriages.

These are just a handful of ways that the gospel informs how we are navigate arguments with our spouse. In the end, Christians should be modeling a different way of approaching marriage, not mirroring everyone else in the world. The way we do this is looking to Christ and seeing how the Scriptures inform what the gospel requires of us in any situation. This includes how to fight in our marriages.

Leave a comment below: Which of these is the most helpful to you and why? Why do you feel we forget as Christians that the gospel speaks to how we should handle conflict with one another?

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Ambition: A Potential Enemy of Faith Alone in Christ Alone

2011-06-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

I am a naturally ambitious person. This can be a very helpful quality and trait in our world today. Employers like to hire ambitious people for their companies. People like to be around ambitious people. People with ambition seem to be going after something, striving for great things. So ambition in our world today is celebrated and applauded, perhaps rightfully.

There is one major drawback, that I have experienced, to being full of ambition: when as a follower of Christ your ambition serves to create unreachable standards and unattainable goals over you, leading you to feel as though you have failed when you do not meet them.

I fall victim to this trap ALL THE TIME!

Here is what it looks like for me: I will determine that I am going to begin reading, praying, and exercising for X amount of minutes per day. I get all of these things lined up and organized. Then I will also add some goals for other things I want to do: work on foreign language, disciple people, activities I want to do as a family, things I want to do at the church, and the list goes on. I get all these "good" things lined up in my mind that will 1. help me to grow in my walk with God and 2. serve the kingdom of God.

Then something happens...

I fail.

I will fall short on one or more of all of the things I organized and set out to do. After failing I feel as though I have let God down. I get hard on myself and wonder if I am really the Christian I thought I was. The problem with ambition is that it can serve as a master over you. If you are not careful, you will find yourself turning away from faith alone in Christ, and turning to works of the flesh and law for your right-standing with God. The things I organize for myself to do are not things that God says I MUST do in order to be made right with Him. No, I am made right with Him through my faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ, who shed his blood to purchase my life. That is what makes me right with God, not my best efforts or accomplishments.

Ambition can cripple you as a believer when you do not meet your lofty goals.

So am I wrong for wanting to read more or pray more or serve more? No.

Am I wrong for making reading more, praying more, and serving more my foundation for pleasing God or growing in my faith? Yes.

We may not wrestle over being circumcised or obeying the Jewish food laws today, but if you struggle with what I just described of myself, then you too are guilty of the sin of the Galatian Church: turning to things other than Christ for your justification and sanctification, and putting over your head an unattainable standard that will only leave you a slave to your weaknesses.

We must look only to Christ, not our ambitious goals.

Leave a comment below to the follow questions: Do you struggle with this in your own life? If so, in what ways?

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My Struggles & the Gospel's Remedies (Part II)

2011-06-21T10:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I talked about my struggles with anxiety and how the gospel helps me to get through it. I want to follow-up that post by talking more specifically about my struggles and how I have learned to deal it with it along the way.

One of the things I have learned about when my anxiety begins to intensify is that I am usually tired, stressed, not exercising properly, or dealing with a specific situation that is causing me to worry. I can go months without the least bit of a problem and then find my heart-rate rising in some weird random situation, and I immediately begin to examine my life to see where I am out-of-balance. An example of this is my plane ride home last week from Kansas City. Leading up to the flight home I found myself getting anxious about the flight. One of the things that often triggers my anxiety is the feeling of claustrophobia. The thought of being on a cramped airplane and unable to get off it for at least two hours started my mind and heart to racing. The interesting thing about this is that I had been on three flights in the previous two weeks that did not create this anxiety at all. My family and I flew to Orlando and back home. Then I flew to Kansas City to speak at a Youth Camp for two weeks. None of these flights created anxiety in me. But as I found myself heading to the airport to fly home, I already sensed the anxiety beginning. After two weeks of preaching, I was physically exhausted. I was tired. This was a trigger. As I boarded the plane my heart started pounding through my chest as I realized it was a jam-packed flight. I sat by the window with two other guys on the row with me. It was the definition of being trapped in a tight space.

As I sat in the seat of the airplane and watched person after person continue to board the flight, I had thoughts of getting off. I had thoughts of ordering some wine to knock the edge off. I had thoughts of going into a full board panic-attack. But as I sat in the seat, thinking all these thoughts, to the ignorance of everyone else on the flight, I started to pray. I started by telling God that I did not want to look to any other source of strength than Him. I shared honestly with God my fears, however irrational, and that I needed Him. I began reminding myself that even this struggle was part of my sanctification process. By being in a position where I could not control how I was feeling, I was forced to recognize my deep dependence on God. I was forced to remind myself of my lack of strength. It was a hard lesson to grasp, but I had to learn that God had me right where He wanted me, turning to Him, when I was tempted to turn toward something or someone else.

We need to understand something: our struggles and challenges, whether physical or emotional, can be used by God to teach us dependence and submission to Him. They teach us that we are still in process, we have not arrived. They teach us to look toward the day when these struggles will be no more. But while they still exists, they teach us that God works through them to work on us. I am going to say something that some of you may not agree with, but I am learning first hand to be true: the anxiety that I struggle with is a gift from God. It is a thorn in my flesh that I have prayed be removed and taken from me, but God continues to remind me that His grace is sufficient for me. His power is made perfect in my weakness. So I boast all the more in my weakness, for when I am weak, He shows Himself to be strong. My flight home became a moment of worship and communion with God, as He showed me that He is indeed enough.

Questions: What types of worries, struggles, or situations in your life are you trying to learn to apply the gospel to? Why is it that we often try to fix things ourselves or with methods other than applying the gospel?

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My Struggles & The Gospel's Remedies

2011-06-20T10:19:00.000-05:00

I want to share something I have not told a lot of people. I struggle with anxiety. Different times and seasons bring differing levels of intensity, but it has been a continuous part of my life for the last 6+ years. It started soon after my son Kaleb had been through a lot of medical issues after birth. I think trying to be strong for the family without ever letting my own guard down took a toll on me emotionally. Out of the blue one day I had a major anxiety attack and thought I was having a heart-attack. I have struggled with anxiety in some shape or form ever since.

The reason I am writing about this today is because I want to show how the gospel of Jesus Christ is sufficient for dealing with anxiety or any other issue. We pigeon-hole the gospel as a "get out of hell free message," when in reality, the gospel is an all-consuming, life-transforming message in every area of our lives. The first several years I struggled with anxiety I did not realize this. I did not seek the gospel promises as my hope through times of anxiety, instead I looked to my own mental strategies to cope with it. I have never been on medicine for it (not that I am against that) because I have grown to realize that medicine cannot be my Christ. Either Jesus is enough through my anxiety or he is not. I do not want medicine to be my idol, the thing I run to to give me peace, contentment, self-control, comfort, and hope - the very things Jesus has promised to be for me.

Ways my anxiety and anxiety attacks have served in my sanctification process:

1. This body will one day be deceased. I am weak and fragile, despite how often my mind wants to think I am invincible. My body is broken and in need of ultimate redemption. In Christ I have a promise that it will be, in this my hope is secured.

2. My theology of who God is and His care for His children is put into action. When I am feeling anxiety rushing in and my heart-rate rising, I begin to quote Scriptures that remind me, "his grace is sufficient...his power is made perfect in weakness...he will not leave nor forsake me...I do not suffer alone." My faith in God's Word and His promises is put to the test when my flesh is seeking another relief from the anxiety. Instead of turning to something other than Christ, I throw myself at his feet and beg his grace and mercy over me. In him I am comforted.

3. People face things everyday that go unnoticed and undetected by others. Most of you probably did not know that I struggle with anxiety. How many people do we walk by and work beside everyday that have serious struggles and issues that we are unaware of? We have a gospel that speaks to the struggles of life, not just the problem of hell. We have a God who is more than enough for our struggles, not just enough to save us. Ask the Lord to help you to be more sensitive to those around you. Pray that He would give you the ability to speak the promises of His Word to them and minister to them.

Questions: What struggles do you have that need to be submitted to the gospel's promises? Do you find yourself turning to remedies other than Christ during your difficult times? Do you think taking medicine for issues like mine is wrong? Why or Why not? What can you do today to better trust Christ through all circumstances you may face or experience?

Tomorrow I will share more about lessons I have learned as I have dealt with this issue.

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The Motivation for Giving

2011-06-16T09:57:00.000-05:00

Here we go, a post a giving. Everyone can now let out your collective sigh (insert sigh here _______ ).

The dreaded post on the subject of giving. For some reason, and I have several ideas, we get a little uneasy when the subject of money is brought up, especially the subject of our giving of it. I am not going to quote the typical passages on giving or get into a massive debate about Old Testament requirements vs New Testament requirements. We all know, regardless of what % you believe the Bible requires of believers, that followers of Jesus are called to be generous with their finances, and that giving/tithing in the local church is rooted in biblical foundations. Instead of debating the nuances of giving, I would rather get into what I believe is the most important thing: motivation.

In order to help discover your motivation, let me create a mock scenario and see how you would respond.

We are going to pretend for a moment that someone in the church struck it big financially. Rather than getting into a lottery debate, we will just say that someone started a business that became the equivalent to Apple or Microsoft. In other words: BIG BUCKS! This person in the church loves the Lord and is a generous person and so they give millions upon millions every year to the church. We can even take it up a notch; they give so much money that the church is wealthy and is searching for ways to give the money away for ministry purposes. Here is the question for you to answer: if this were the case in the church that you attended, would you continue to give faithfully or would you begin to tell yourself that you need the money more than the church does? Would you continue to give like the church needed every penny or would your giving be adjusted because of the perceived lack of difference it is making?

The reason I pose this scenario is because it is one way of getting to the core of your motivation. If you quit giving in the same way that you had previously, then your motivation for giving is driven by the basis of need that you believe exists, "The church needs my money; therefore, I give." Your giving in this scenario has less to do with a conviction about what giving does to you, and has more to do with how you feel your giving is contributing to the cause. I do not want to discount the importance of feeling like our giving is being used for the kingdom, but the primary motivator for giving should not be based on the "return on investment."

The motivation for biblical giving is supposed to be a desire to please the Lord because we love Him and His church. Our motivation for giving should be the fact that we have been given everything, yet we deserve nothing. Giving is supposed to be an overflow of our worship to God. We give cheerfully and with joy because we are serving the King of Glory in this way. Even if the church became independently wealthy, our individual giving should not plummet or disappear, rather it should continue as we always have, driven by a desire to give back to the One who has given us everything. Giving to the local church has less to do with the needs of the church (though that is important), and has more to do with the heart of the individual giving, and how the Lord is transforming them.

I would love to hear your thoughts or comments. What do you think about the motivation for giving? What other motivators (good or bad) do you see?

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Bearing With One Another vs Putting Up With One Another

2011-06-15T10:36:00.000-05:00

Ephesians 4:2-3 (ESV) - Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

The apostle Paul, through the power of the Holy Spirit, gives a command to the Ephesian church that still stands as the expectation for believers today. Paul tells them to "bear with one another." In speaking about the relationship with fellow believers, particularly those who worship in the same local gathering of believers (the church), there is a high expectation as to how we relate to one another. We are called to bear with one another.

Why is this necessary?

BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JACKED UP! People gossip; people make commitments that they do not keep; people are selfish, people make critical statements; people get jealous; people judge others wrongfully; people hurt other people with dirty looks and cold shoulders. Why do people do this? BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JACKED UP! We are sinners! Last time I checked, that included EVERYONE, me included.

In the midst of all this, we the church are called to live differently. We as followers of Jesus, in the middle of a broken world, with broken people, in which we are counted among them, are called to live differently, not out of the power of our own strength, but through the strength provided in Christ through the Holy Spirit. What does Paul tell us to do? Bear with one another...in love. This is how unity can be found amongst people who are very different. This is how unity can exist when sinners are the constituents.

But there is a big difference between bearing with one another vs putting up with one another. The first has everything to do with enduring through tough times & with tough people as the Lord gives you strength, the ability to forgive, and the reminder of your own sin. The latter just suggest that you DEAL WITH IT. You may have bitterness and resentment toward someone who has hurt you, knowingly or unknowingly, yet you just PUT UP WITH IT...because that is what Christians do.

Christians are not called to "put up" with one another, but to "bear with" one another, in love. We do this as we trust Christ to give us a love for those who sometimes are unlovable. We do this as we look to the Lord to help us forgive those who have hurt us. We do this as we see ourselves more and more clearly, and realize that we are part of the problem. It is much easier to bear with others when we realize the great need we have for others to bear with us.

It is a gospel-imperative that we bear with one another, not simply put up with one another.

Leave a thought below on: ways in which you think believers can grow in their ability to bear with one another. What other differences can you highlight between bearing with one another vs putting up with another?

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A Prayer for the Overwhelmed

2011-06-14T10:35:00.004-05:00

We often find ourselves tired, worn-out, and at the end of our ropes. Sometimes we become overwhelmed with all the circumstances that life has thrown at us. For many, this can become an incredibly difficult time in your faith. Many different things and scenarios can create this feeling, but regardless of the situation, the Bible tells us that Christ is enough. Our great God has given us the promise, in His Word, that He is with us and for us. In these times it is important to pray and to seek God through these times, not turn from Him. I have offered a prayer, for those of you who may struggle with the words to find when life is weighing you down. Pray this prayer from your own heart, and trust the Lord to do what He does for those who seek Him.

Father, I begin with praising Your name. You are worthy to be exalted and praised in all things, even when I am stressed. You are worthy to be lifted up and glorified, in and through my life, even when all is in chaos. I humbly come to You, my great God and King, and declare that it is true that You are all I have, and all I really need. While my heart knows this to be true, my flesh often runs to meet my own needs and relys upon my own strength. Help me today Lord to recognize that You are the great Sovereign Lord over all things, and that You invite me to bring every need I have, big or small, to You. You desire for me to bring my anxieties, depression, financial burdens, relationship problems, addictions, sins, and all things to You, as You teach me that I cannot bear them on my own. Help me to live in submission to You today. Help me to let go of things that I cannot control, though I desperately cling tightly to them.

I want to pray specifically for those pressing issues in my life Lord, that perhaps only You know about. I pray for physical and emotional strength to walk through this day in such a way that only You receive the glory. I know in order for this to happen, I will need for You to undergird my faith and give me spiritual strength. Help me to face the battles that surround me with a confidence that can come only from You. Help me to keep my eyes focused on Jesus, the One who gave His life so that I would not walk alone. May the presence of Jesus in me be real today. Lord, I need you and I want you. Holy Spirit come, lead me, guide me, comfort me, help me through this time in my life. Help me to live in faithful obedience each moment of each day, and to not get overwhelmed by my circumstances. I know that you oh God are over all things. I know You can absolutely step in and change my circumstances. But even if You don't oh Lord, I will follow You still. I know that if You leave me in these circumstances, then there must be something You intend to do in me through them. Help me to learn to trust You instead of trying to be You.

Thank You Triune God: Father, Son, and Spirit, that I am invited to come to You. Though I have no merit of my own, through Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, I am invited to experience deep fellowship with the Father as I pray to Him. I know that You are with me. May that comfort me today in all I do.

I pray this in the name of Jesus, precious Lord & sufficient Savior, Amen.

Leave a comment below: What things can I or others being praying for you about? Do you ever find yourself so overwhelmed with life that even praying can become difficult? Explain

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The Therapeutic Gospel

2011-06-13T09:51:00.002-05:00

I read a great book recently by Trevin Wax entitled Counterfeit Gospels. I have had the privilege of getting to know Trevin recently and I am pleasantly struck by his deep love for the gospel and his belief in the local church. This book helps believers to know the true biblical gospel versus a counterfeit, because "even those of us who have walked with the Lord for many years may be inclined to accept cheap imitations of the truth."(13)* We live in a day where there are counterfeit gospels everywhere. The scary thing about a counterfeit gospel, as with counterfeit money, is that it can look authentic, which is often why it is believed to be real.

As followers of Jesus, we are carriers of the gospel message. We have been commissioned to go and tell (Matt. 28:18-20/Acts 1:8), but we must get what we are telling right or there can be devastating results.

Let's look at one of the counterfeit gospels we face so that we will be more prepared to stand firm. Let's look at "the therapeutic gospel." The therapeutic gospel completely changes the intent of the gospel because it attempts to diminish the effects of "the fall." Trevin writes, "We call this counterfeit "the therapeutic gospel" because it confuses our spiritual symptoms (a troubled marriage, anxiety, anger, addictions) with our spiritual disease (sin). Because the diagnosis is superficial, the treatment is also superficial."(44) There are many different ways in which the therapeutic gospel manifest itself.

Versions of the Counterfeit Gospel:

- The Happy Meal Gospel (45-46): This counterfeit distorts the gospel by making our lives all about the pursuit of happiness. When we make the central goal of life being happy, we will often use our happiness to trump Scriptural authority over our lives. Our gospel message becomes about how Jesus came to give you the happiness you are looking for.

- The Fill'er Up Gospel (46-48): This counterfeit distorts the gospel by posturing that people are really just "like a car running low on gasoline." We have bad self-images and self-esteem. What we need is to believe in ourselves. Sin in this gospel distortion is anything that would make us doubt our worth. The gospel prescription becomes a pep talk which champions a belief in yourself: you can do it, try harder, you are a winner, etc.

- The Paid Programming Gospel (48-50): This counterfeit distorts the gospel by treating the gospel as a commercial for a product that promises to make your life better. This gospel preaches to people that coming to Jesus will make your life better. The problem is we do not define what "better" means. For some, better means that some of your emotional or physical circumstances are going to improve. The problem though is that it does not get to the heart of our real problem: spiritual brokenness.

- God as the Vending Machine (51-52): This extreme counterfeit distorts the gospel by presenting God as the dispenser of blessings if you do your part. It is often called "the prosperity gospel." The ultimate problem with this false teaching is that it puts God in our debt, when in reality, God owes us nothing! As Trevin states, it "inverts our relationship to God, making him out to be a puppet whose strings are pulled by our actions."(52)

There is much more that could be said when describing these. The counterfeits are subtle and can be easily missed in the sermons we hear and books we read. The gospel message is not therapy to help us cope with our lives. The gospel is the awe-inspiring announcement that sinful, undeserving people are given the gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who bore the wrath of God reserved for us. Yes, we deserve wrath and condemnation for our sin against a holy God. The gospel is about the rescue we experienced through Christ, not the help we were given to cope with life.

To conclude this discussion about this counterfeit gospel and the true gospel, Trevin captures it like this, "The therapeutic gospel makes grace expected. The biblical gospel makes grace amazing."(61)

Leaven a comment below around the following questions: in what ways have you seen these counterfeits in or around your life? Why do you think we are so quick to be drawn to these counterfeit versions of the gospel? What do you believe are protective measures we can take to prevent falling for a counterfeit in our own lives?

* All references from the book are in parenthesis

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Lessons God Taught Me This Week As I Taught Others

2011-06-12T16:49:00.001-05:00

This last week I have been in Bolivar, Missouri for Fuge Camp. Fuge Camps are an amazing ministry to thousands of teenagers throughout the summer and winter months. I have had the great privilege of serving as Camp Pastor this summer for 3 weeks of camp. I miss my family and kids terribly. I miss worshiping and being with my church family The Journey Church. Despite how much I miss both my family and my church, this last week (as I'm sure the other weeks will be) has been an opportunity for God to work in my life. I have been amazed at how God has placed hundreds of students, youth pastors/workers, and camp leaders in front of me, that I did not know prior to this past week, and has given me such a deep and profound love for them, to pastor them. I would love to think that I am just an all-around good guy who loves people naturally, but I am not. It is truly the work of God to perform this act in my heart towards these people. It has brought me such joy to serve the students, youth pastors, and camp leaders with the Word of God. I have been filled with a love that started, not with me, but with God, for those God has brought me into contact with through Fuge.

I have also been reminded this week that it is the power of God's Word that changes lives, not gimmicks or stand-up comedy routines. I feared at the beginning of the week that I may not be what people at camp had become used to getting. I struggled internally with whether I should try to be something I am not. In the end, God lovingly reminded me that it is not about me being accepted or approved of, but to fulfill what He has called me to do - faithfully preach His Word. For a guy used to preaching upwards to an hour on Sunday's with my church, I was not sure Fuge Camps was ready for me. But praise be to God, His Word never comes back void. The Lord blessed the ministry done this week in powerful ways. I was reminded not to conform to what I believed won the applause of men, but to keep the pleasing of God as my ultimate goal.

I pray this coming week, as well as the week of camp I have in July, will serve to further the glory of His great name. I pray that He will continue to amaze me with the work He is doing in my own life. As we plant and water, He brings the growth.

It's funny; I thought I was coming to do the ministering at camp, but it is me that is being minister to. God is teaching me that ministry has less to do with specific age groups or areas of ministry, but it has more to do with being open and willing to minister to whoever God has put before you. The goal of all ministry is to exalt and praise God and His glory. It is all about the glory of His Great Name.

Leave a comment below around these questions: Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever walked into a situation where your preconceived ideas were completely uprooted by God? What kind of lessons did you learn from those times?

Tomorrow on the BLOG: We will take a look at the difference between the true gospel and the therapeutic gospel. What are the differences? How do we cling to the first, and avoid the trap of the latter?

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What Happened At Your Conversion?

2011-06-08T10:42:00.000-05:00

When you stop to ponder what happened at the moment of your conversion (new birth) it can be hard to find the right language to describe it. If you had to explain to someone else what took place could you put words and terms to it?

Today I want to give us a look at what happened at our conversion. This will be helpful not only for understanding your own conversion, but also knowing what needs to happen for those who have yet to trust Christ.

Here's what happens:

1. We HEAR THE GOSPEL. This could be through a sermon, evangelistic encounter, or just a personal relationship in which the gospel has been made known. (Romans 10:14-17)

2. Once we have heard, we believe by FAITH (which is a gift of God) the gospel message and surrender our whole lives to Jesus Christ. This surrender includes REPENTANCE of sins by turning from our wicked ways and turning to God. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Acts 2:38; Matthew 4:17)

3A. At the moment of faith & repentance we are PARDONED of all our sin. This simply means that our record of debt has been canceled. We are forgiven. (Isaiah 55:7)

3B. At the moment of faith & repentance we are JUSTIFIED before God. While being pardoned cancels our record of sin, being justified restores us to relationship. So instead of only being without a sin-record before God, we are also given right-standing with Him. (Romans 3:21-26)

3C. At the moment of faith & repentance we are ADOPTED into the family of God. We are not born children of God, but children of wrath. In order for us to be made children of God, we must be adopted into God's family. He did this for us at our conversion. (Galatians 4:4-7; 1 John 3:9-10; Ephesians 2:3)

3D. At the moment of faith & repentance we are REGENERATED and are made new by the Holy Spirit. We are made new creatures in Christ, the old is gone and the new has come. (Ezekiel 36:24-27; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

This is what happened at our conversion. We HEARD THE GOSPEL, in some form, and we believe by FAITH (a gift from God) and REPENTED of our sins. At the moment of faith & repentance, God, in one simultaneous action, PARDONED us, JUSTIFIED us, ADOPTED us, and REGENERATED us. Praise be to His name!!

This is the order of salvation. It is what happened to you and to me. This teaches us as believers that we must be messengers of the gospel, since it is the catalyst for all of salvation. God saves sinners. He has done this great work in us. We should live to glorify Him in all we do, for how could we live for another?

Please leave a comment below based on the following questions: Is this something that helps you to understand the work of God's grace in your life? Does this finally help give some language and structure to your understanding of salvation? What was the most helpful for you?

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The Scandalous Nature of our Love for Scandal

2011-06-07T10:31:00.002-05:00

Because of the continuous number of scandals that are reported on a regular basis, we are no longer shocked by the news of yet another one. The headlines have been filled lately with the story of Rep. Anthony Weiner and his lewd photo that was tweeted from his account. This politician is just one of many who have been busted for doing inappropriate things while in office. We have become numb to the stories because we have been exposed to so many of them.

Here's the questions I want us to interact with or think about: why does this headline create so much stir? Is it because we demand integrity from those who lead us or is it because we enjoy wallowing in the muck of scandal?

I ask these questions because I want you to think about why these stories reach such national recognition. Do we really think that Capitol Hill is fighting for good morals and values? The answer, in my opinion, is a resounding "no!" The legislation passed in the last several decades goes to show that values have slid further and further from the minds of politicians and their policies.

So why the fuss?

I postulate that the reason Capitol Hill seems to care so much about this inappropriate photo taken by this House of Representatives member is the same reason why we care - we enjoy wallowing in the muck and mire of sin. We enjoy watching other people fall. We like to see how dirty people are.

Why do we enjoy this? Because it makes us feel better about ourselves.

The real scandal is the scandal we pull on ourselves. The real scandal is that we convince ourselves that we care about integrity and moral values, but in reality, we just like to see people fail. If we were honest with ourselves, we would admit that we take a quite, unsuspecting pleasure in watching other people get exposed and brought down.

How do I know this is the real motivation? Because I know myself. I know the grotesque pleasure I often find myself having when I see people fail. I pray that God would help me through the scandal I have pulled on myself, and that I would be saddened by these stories instead of finding hidden pleasure.

Leave a comment below around these questions: What do you think about this? Do you think I am right about my assessment about why we pay attention to these things? If so, what would you add to my thoughts? If not, why do you think I am wrong? I would love to hear your thoughts.

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The Gospel of Sin Management

2011-06-06T09:58:00.000-05:00

We cannot manage sin...

Sin is an ever-lurking, ever-consuming aspect of human existence. We sin as naturally as we breath. I am not applauding this fact, but merely stating the truth as it exists. We may want to sin less. In fact, if we are followers of Jesus, we should want to sin no more. But the way we view our sin will have a great deal to do with how we engage it.

There is a false gospel that circulates Christian thought and churches of all kinds. It is the gospel of sin management. The gospel of sin management encourages us to work hard at trying to subdue our sin. The gospel of sin management seeks to have us avoid our sin issues, perhaps even ignore them.

We cannot manage sin, we must kill it! Sin is not something to be managed, we must slay it. When I speak of "sin," I am not referring to a general concept of it, but actual sin in our lives, i.e. greed, lust, pride, anger, drunkenness, cheating, lying, laziness, deceptiveness, gossiping, slandering, etc. Rather than getting sin under control, we must kill it. We must aggressively go after sin issues in our lives because they will militantly come after us.

God warns Cain in Genesis 4:7 "sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." God's words to Cain were a warning that sin was crouching, ready to pounce on him, if he did not slay it first. Sin's power is real. It is a beast that cannot be tamed. It must be killed.

If sin could be managed in an effort to overcome it, then Christ's death on the cross for sins was unneeded. If sin could be managed, then we have no need for a Savior that takes our sin, guilt, and shame upon himself so that we can be liberated. Remember this: the gospel of Jesus is about how Christ came into the world to take upon himself the sins of his people so that they would be liberated from the devastating effects of sin, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, able to slay it. If we come to Christ for salvation and justification before God, why would we then later attempt to manage the sin in our lives?

Looking to Jesus Christ and relying on the power of the Holy Spirit is not just something we do to be justified before God and forgiven of our sins, it is what we continue doing in order to slay the ongoing assaults sin will wage against us. We never graduate from turning to Christ to conqueror sin. We MUST rule over it or it will rule over us.

What sins have you been trying to manage through your will power? What sins do you find yourself continue to struggle with? Turn today to Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, kill the sin in your life. Look to the Savior who says, "my grace is sufficient" (2 Cor. 12:9) and who Paul declared "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13) Through Christ alone can we overcome sin. We cannot fix our sin through our own fleshly efforts. No amount of will power will overcome the power of sin. We must fix our eyes on Jesus and go on the offensive against it.

Answer one of these questions by commenting below: Why do you think we attempt to manage sin instead of killing it? In what ways have you found sin to be crouching at the door of your life?

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Collecting Experiences Instead of Stuff

2011-06-03T08:09:00.000-05:00

Our family vacation is coming to a close, but it has been such a great time. This was the first trip to Disney for our children and they have had such a great time. As a parent, my desires on these trips have changed. When I was younger it was all about the rides and the fun I was having. The only thing I care about now is how this experience is for my family.

Even now as an adult, the most memorable moments that have lasted with me from childhood involve experiences. I remember going fly-fishing and camping at Centerhill. I remember family trips to Panama City Beach. I remember trips to Gatlinburg/Pigeonforge. I even remember specific events and instances from these trips. These moments have lasted with me while most of the stuff from my childhood has long disappeared.

Taking time to reflect on this has shown me very clearly that what matters most for me as a husband and father is to create experiences for my family. It matters more for me to create moments that live forever in their minds than it does for me to buy them stuff. Stuff will eventually be tossed in the trash, but memories that matter will stay forever.

What childhood memories do you still have? What type of experiences do you believe are the most lasting? What recent experiences/moments have you created lately for your family?

Making Time for What Matters

2011-06-02T09:29:00.000-05:00

Life moves at a rapid pace for everyone. We have to quit making excuses for the things we fail to do. "I am just too busy" or "I just can't find the time" is not a valid excuse for failing to do things that are important. There are many things that are important for us to do in our lives that we have managed to carve out daily time for:

1. Sleeping
2. Eating
3. Bathing
4. Brushing Teeth
5. Etc.

We would all agree that these things are important for our daily physical health, and so we do them. We have learned over the years to create a routine and pattern that allows for these things to happen. We rarely have to think about doing these things, we just do them.

But what about habits that are necessary for our spiritual health?

Do you have a built-in routine and schedule in your daily life that allows for:

1. Scripture Reading
2. Prayer
3. Family Worship
4. Fasting
5. Etc.

We will do things in our lives that we have planned to do. You may feel that the spiritual disciplines I listed above are different from the habits we have created for physical necessities, but their not. The spiritual health of our lives are just as vital as our physical health. In addition, our spiritual lives will absolutely effect our physical lives. We must carve the time out and develop routines that make these things as second nature as eating, bathing, brushing our teeth, and sleeping. These things should be non-negotiable. We do them not because we "need" to but because we "must."

The benefits of building these routines into our lives far outweigh the costs. Not only will we be building great habits into our lives, the real benefit gained is that these disciplines are a means of grace that God has given to us to fellowship and grow with Him. They are not an end, they are a means to an end - communion and fellowship with God. We need this more than we need our next breath. It is the most important matter in our lives.

So the question I pose is: are you making time for what matters?

What routines have you created to help you build these disciplines in your lives? What struggles do you have when trying to implement these? Which of the few I mention do you find the easiest to do and which are the hardest?

The Illusion of Freedom

2011-06-01T06:45:00.000-05:00

Being a pastor is certainly not an easy task. I encounter of hundreds and hundreds of people on a weekly basis, each from different backgrounds and each with their own ideologies or takes on the world. One of the ideas that I have heard and encountered on many occasions, particularly by those who do not follow Christ or attend church regularly, is that they are not Christians because they want to be independent and have their freedom. When people speak like this what they are really saying is that they want to live how they want to and make their own choices without someone telling them how to live.

This type of thinking is an illusion.

The person who lives under the "illusion" of freedom always seems to be doing the same thing others are doing. People who say that they want to make their own choices and live how they want to live always seem to be following the masses in their choices. Just think about it. The person who says they do not want other people telling them how to live seem to be the one's who are out getting drunk with regularity and living in sexual promiscuity, doing exactly what "the world" says freedom is. In their "independence," they tend to live like everyone else. In their "freedom," they tend to be following the masses, not thinking and living for themselves.

Here is the truth of the matter: the cry to live independently and without having someone tell them how to live is nothing more than a desire to fill the cravings of the flesh. There is no independence in the lives of those who stray from God, they are only choosing a different set of rules to live by. The rules that govern the "independent" are heavy loads to carry, loads that often end up breaking the backs of those who shoulder them. Those who sought their freedom from God and rules, often find themselves under a more deadly set of rules: the rules of lawlessness. It is in this condition that they find they are not free at all, they are only serving another master, one who is oppressive and unbearable.

Take time to think about this. The illusion of freedom for those living lawless lives is truly an illusion. I do not know of many who have engaged in this type of life that feel free. They live routine lives of party at night, suffer in the morning, and start again the next evening. They are drones to their "freedom."

Did you ever suffer under the illusion of freedom? If so, what was it like when you finally found real freedom in Christ? Have you encountered this type of thinking from people you know? If so, do their lives model the freedom they think they have?

The Fallout from Missing Integrity

2011-05-31T07:01:00.000-05:00

Integrity still matters a great deal, even in a culture that seems to be saying it does not.

Yesterday the news stations and internet sites (ESPN, CNN) all rushed to report the news of the firing of Jim Tressel, the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. I know not all of you are football fans, or sports fans for that matter, but this was a story that made mainstream news because of the gravity of it. Jim Tressel has been one of college football's most winning coaches in his time at OSU. He has dominated his conference and won a National Championship. The reason for Tressel's resignation/firing was because of his lying to his university and NCAA investigators about his knowledge of recent scandals and infractions involving his players. His players had been violating NCAA rules by selling their memorabilia from games and awards. The OSU players were also receiving illegal benefits from businesses and school donors. Tressel was aware of all of this, and had been for some time, but lied about it. He lied to his athletic director, the school president, and NCAA investigators. For months now the facts have been surfacing and Tressel's reputation has been declining. Yesterday it all came to an end and Tressel resigned. The great run of this coach over, his legacy tarnished.

Rather than getting into the details and facts of NCAA rules and the rights of players to collect benefits for their services, I want to ask a simple questions: what did Tressel's lack of integrity cost him?

We know for a fact that his lack of integrity cost him his job. We know for a fact that his lack of integrity cost him a lot of money. These things are evident. But here is a question for you:

What did Tressel's lack of integrity cost him as a father? grandfather? husband? son? role-model? friend?

The fallout from missing integrity goes far beyond what ESPN, CNN, and others will ever report. Eventually the story will die down, but there is still fallout that will take place. Rather than using these opportunities to tear down people, coaches, athletics, or things like these, we should use these opportunities to evaluate our own lives. We may not operate under the bright lights that Tressel lived under, but integrity is no less important.

If you are a father or mother, husband or wife, your integrity matters a great deal because there are people watching and learning from you. If you are a Christian, integrity matters a great deal, because non-believers look at your life and measure it to your words.

I am challenged by the Jim Tressel story to not overlook what takes place when nobody is looking. These moments in secret will eventually be made public. Our integrity is about making sure that what people see on the outside is true of what is going on inside. Our integrity is about making sure that what is seen in public matches what takes place in private. We must be people of integrity.

Why do you believe integrity is so important? What are the biggest struggles you have as a Christian with integrity?

Living Through Gospel-Shaded Glasses

2011-05-30T06:56:00.001-05:00

The gospel message is the foundation of the Christian faith.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message that we know the world needs to hear. We know it is a message that served as the catalyst for our conversion and faith. We know the gospel is something that churches, and those who are a part of them, should proclaim with vigor.

With the gospel message serving such a place of importance and primacy in our faith, we must become skilled in it understanding it, seeing it, and explaining it.

One of the ways that we can begin to grow in our gospel understanding is to live our lives through gospel-shaded glasses. What does that mean? It means that we begin to view all of life and the day-to-day events of our lives through the context of the gospel message. This will help us to see that the gospel message is always being told through the events and people that we encounter on a daily basis.

Let me give some examples of this. Yesterday my family and I flew to Orlando for a week vacation at Disney. We have been looking forward to this trip for months. There are several things just on a trip here that remind me that the gospel is always being proclaimed. First, the complete beauty and awe-inspiring view from thousands of feet above the ground is amazing. Even though flying is not new to me, I never cease to be captivated. The skies were breath-taking and the little white clouds hovered below us like cotton balls. It is in those moments that I am reminded that there is a majestic God whose beauty surpasses even what my eyes behold. I am struck by the fact that this beauty comes from the hand of the Master Artist who designed all the landscapes that I see below. Even in flying to Disney I am reminded that there is a God who is radiant and lovely.

Second, the rebelliousness of my daughter. For the sake of being a loving father to my little baby girl, I am going to refrain from giving every example of her struggles yesterday. She was not able to get a nap after church because we went straight to the airport. She was incredibly tired and irritable. She did not enjoy taking off, riding in, or landing in the plane. If you're keeping up, that is the whole flight. She cried, even screamed a couple of times. She rolled around the floor and almost got into the next set of seats because she crawled away from us. She finally fell asleep in the rent-a-car in Orlando. I love my sweet girl, but I was reminded of the rebellious nature of man. My daughter may have been tired, but she did not listen and she was not interested in listening. I wish I could use being tired as an excuse for my own rebellious behavior on a daily basis, but I cannot. It was a snapshot of this reality of sin in our lives.

Lastly, once we got to the hotel and got settled, we finally got some peace. It had been a long day, one that caused us to question our method of travel choices. I was reminded that true and lasting peace only comes through Jesus Christ. Showers and beds may give some relaxation, but only Christ gives rest to the weary soul. He is the one we are to turn to in our weariness and unrest.

Every day offers moments where the gospel is being told. It is learning to see these moments that will help us to become well-versed in the gospel. It is learning to see these moments that will help us to grow in our faith. We must live our lives through gospel-shaded glasses.

What kind of moments have you had lately that tell the story of the gospel? What kind of reminders can you give yourself for living with this view? What kind of benefits do you think can come from viewing the world through the lenses?

BLOG Relaunch

2011-05-28T10:12:00.006-05:00

I am excited to be relaunching the BLOG. The purpose of this BLOG is to be a resource for those seeking to live their lives for the glory of God. With the church growing at the rate that it is, it is impossible to individually pastor everyone; however, with tools like this one, it allows for me to reach out to a lot more people than I could face-to-face on a daily basis. Each day of the week we will look at different aspects of the Christian life. We will look at topics such as:

* The Gospel and its Implications

* World Events/Cultural Issues

* Spiritual Disciplines

* Theology

* Marriage/Relationships

* Book Reviews

* Church Stuff

The BLOG purpose will be to offer practical thoughts for how to live our lives for the glory of God in the midst of a world that does not. The old catechism offers the question: "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is: "the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." That is our aim and goal. This BLOG, by God's grace, will serve as a help for doing that in the days ahead.

I pray that this would be a place that you would visit daily and that it truly serves as a help for you on your journey.

*Are there things that would be helpful for you that you would like to read about on the BLOG? Leave your ideas in the comments.

Yearly Spiritual Diagnostic

2010-04-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

In life it is good to do annual checkups. We should do them for our physical health. We should do them for your vehicles and homes. We should also do them for our spiritual health. An annual checkup on how you are doing spiritually is vital to ensure you are growing and progressing in your walk with Christ.

In my small group and with other leaders in the church, I'm giving them a spiritual diagnostic tool for them to gauge where they are in their walk right now. When it comes to spiritual growth, you are either progressing or regressing, there is no standing still. So how are you doing spiritually? Are you further in your walk with God right now than you were a year ago? Since we celebrated Easter this past Sunday and the new life we can have in Christ, let's use this as a chance to gauge how that new life is coming along. Take time to prayerfully answer the following questions:

1. What kind of time are you spending in God's Word each week?

none barely any regular daily

2. What kind of time are you spending in prayer each week?

none barely any regular daily

3. How frequently are you sharing your faith and/or inviting people to church?

never rarely sometimes all the time

4. How generous are you with your time, talents, and treasure for God's Kingdom?

none very little fairly good very generous

5. When you evaluate your walk with God over the past year, how would you rate it?

neglected lazy good, but needs improvement strong

6. What actions do you need to take to strengthen your walk with God?

So how are you doing?

Are You Coasting or Sprinting?

2010-04-06T09:41:00.004-05:00

God didn't save you so you could coast toward the finish line of life. If you hear nothing else from this post, please hear that. None of us were saved so we can sit comfortably awaiting our ticket to heaven. Just the opposite is true. We are saved for a purpose that goes beyond relationship with God and the promise of heaven. We were saved for good works, which God prepared for us before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 2:10).

Do you understand what this means? If you have been saved by the grace of God, then you realize that this salvation leads to a transformed disposition toward our lives and actions. God wants us to join Him in the salvation of others. Some of us are given gifts that will build up and equip the next Billy Graham. Some are given gifts that make possible the environment for the next Billy Graham to hear the gospel. In other words, we all, if we are followers of Christ, have been given specific gifts for specific purposes. How do you discover them? Not by doing nothing. You must get off the sidelines and into the game. We must begin to serve.

If God were to evaluate your level of service to the Kingdom of God, like a performance review, would you look forward with anticipation or shrivel with dread? Lets get busy. There's work to be done. Coasting is not in the playbook. We must finish the race marked out for us and we are called to run with the intent to win.

What is Church About Really?

2010-04-01T09:37:00.002-05:00

I'm glad to be blogging today. I've been on a couple month sabbatical from blogging. I finally feel that I have something to say after taking a break. The question I want to ask and briefly explore is: what is church really about?

This is a question that as a church right now, is vital that we answer. Since we have started utilizing video, there have been some comments from people saying things like, "well, we can just watch a video at home" or "I can watch videos online." While these things are absolutely true, they reveal a much deeper issue. If church is nothing more than going to listen to a preacher talk, then yes, you can absolutely do that at home. HOWEVER, is that all a church is really about? My answer is a big fat NO!

Church is much more than "GOING & GETTING." Church is about "GOING & SERVING," "GOING & CONNECTING," "GOING & GIVING." There is a big difference between the first one and all the ones that came after. Church is not about sitting and listening to a live preacher, it is about much more than that. It is about WORSHIPPING CORPORATELY TOGETHER, it is about BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE TO SHARE LIFE WITH, it is about GIVING YOUR GIFTS TO THE BUILDING OF GOD'S CHURCH. You can't do these things from your computer at home or from your couch.

So let's reevaluate what we are saying when we begin to make comments about what the church is really about. It is much more than watching a live preacher. May God grow us in our understanding of the church, and lets move from being consumers of a service, to people who are consumed with serving.

American Idols

2010-02-10T09:02:00.003-06:00

In my reading time this morning I read a passage that I have read many times before, but a particular verse resonated with me and caused me to ask a tough question. The verse is from Acts 17:16 where Paul is in Athens and he is about to give his infamous address to the Areopagus. Scripture says:

"Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols."

When I read this I just paused and thought to myself, "does it bother me the way it bothered Paul that people in my city and culture are immersed in idol worship?" Sure we don't have as many physical idols (images and statues intended to serve as gods), but we have idols everywhere. For some, the big football stadium is an idol. It's where we go worship our heroes. For others, the big house is an idol. Still others are more subtle. There idol is how they look or status at work or a title. An idol is anything that we put before the One true God in our lives.

So back to my original question I asked of myself: does it bother you that idol worship is alive and well around you? My guess is that we have grown so use to it that we don't even recognize it or deem it as a big deal. For Paul, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw the city was full of idols. He understood what they were costing themselves. He understood how desperate they were to worship, but they worshipped things less than God.

Pray today and ask God to open your eyes to the idols around you, maybe even in your life. Pray that God would stir your heart to compassion and mission to those you see entrenched in idol worship. Ask God to reveal Himself and make Himself known to those who are worshipping things less than the Real Thing. Ask Him to break your heart for the same thing that broke Paul's.

The New, but Old Deist

2010-02-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

Some Christians are Deists who would claim that they are not. What is a deist? It is a term that started to really gain steam post-Enlightenment period. Deists were people who believed in God, but did not believe that God could play a role in the created order. He was outside of time and did not enter into time. He was much like a clockmaker who creates the clock and then lets it run. God has set the world into motion, now we are left to figure it out and fix it, if it can be fixed. That, in a general explanation, is Deism.

Now how is that still practiced today by Christians? Well, first, the traditional Deism mentioned above is still very alive. Many Christians who are connected to science (not all) still maintain a very deists view of God. But there is a very new type of deists in today's church. It is not that new, but it has a new package. This person is one who cuts out all the passages of Scripture that doesn't match with his/her worldview. This is exactly what Deists of the Enlightenment period did too. Thomas Jefferson created his own Bible (Jeffersonian Bible) that eliminated all the miracles of Jesus and the New Testament because it didn't align with his scientific belief. Why did he believe he had the authority to do this? Because the Bible didn't align with him in certain places, so he just took out those places.

Many are still in the habit of this practice today. Many skip or ignore completely chunks of Scripture, even entire books of the Bible because they don't like what they say. They would rather hang on to one or two verses that affirm their worldview than the entirety of Scripture and full counsel of God. As much as they would deny this charge, they are indeed modern Deists. You simply cannot make the Bible what you want it to be because it doesn't fit your worldview. You must either call it a lie and turn from it or you must heed its words, all of its words, if you indeed intend to call yourself an orthodox Christian.

Do some examination of your own heart in this matter. You may find, as I did, we all have some Deist habits.

What are some ways you have seen this type of Deism displayed? Why do you think we are so willing to ignore passages of Scripture that don't align with our worldview?

Holiness: Possible and the Key to Being Used by God

2010-01-26T11:25:00.004-06:00

The Bible tells us in Leviticus 11:44 that God says, "⁴⁴For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." The command is one that we almost passively read through because at the end of the day we know that we won't be holy as God is holy. We know far to well that we are sinners. We are not just people who sin, we are sinners. It is a part of our nature. Yet, this does not excuse us from God's command to be holy.

R.C. Sproul, a great theologian, lays out in his book Chosen by God that we are born with a sin nature. The reason for this sin nature is that we are under the curse of Original Sin from our first parents Adam and Eve. Before the Fall of Adam and Eve, man was able to sin, but he was also able to not sin. He has the choice between obedience and disobedience. After the Fall of Adam and Eve, the nature of humanity changed. We were now able to sin, and unable not to sin. In other words, we were free to sin with our choices, and at the same time, our freedom is restricted in the sense that we are unable not to sin. We will sin as a result of the Fall of Man. The beauty of the gospel and being a person set free in Christ is that we are no longer obligated to sin. Whoever the Son has set free, he is free indeed. When we are born-again we now go back to our pre-Fall nature: we can sin and we can not sin. The process of holiness is trusting and leaning on Christ more and more to be able to choose not to sin when sin is before us. If we are in Christ, we curse him if we continue to say that you sin because you can't do otherwise. Not so if you are in Christ. Will we still sin? Yes. But make no mistake, we no longer have to sin. Before our rebirth in Christ, we are unable not to sin because of our corrupt hearts, minds, and nature. In heaven, when we finally are glorified and redeemed fully, we will be able not to sin and be unable to sin. So we will not only have the ability to not sin, we will lack the ability to sin. Praise God for that!!

Back to the issue of holiness. Holiness is possible. If you are reborn in Christ, you can be holy, you can choose not to sin. People often talk about how they want God to use them. I hear people ask me all the time, "just pray that God would use me." I don't have a problem praying for that, but here's the deal: God will use you if you are 1. reborn in Christ and 2. living a life of holiness. If you are not doing those things, no need for me to pray. In fact, look at the passage from 2 Timothy 3:20-21

²⁰Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work."

The passage shows us that it doesn't matter what kind of vessel it is, as long as the vessel is clean it can be ready for honorable use. If it is clean, it can be set apart, useful to the master, ready for every good work. Paul is saying this: it doesn't matter what your spiritual gift is, your background, your age, etc. what matters in the issue of being used by God is holiness. We must be holy because God is holy. We must quit excusing our sin on our nature when in the rebirth we were given the ability not to sin. We must seek to be holy if we want to be used by God. We should quit praying for God to use us and instead focus on holiness. When we do that, God will wear us out.

Women Submit, Men Check-out

2010-01-20T14:14:00.003-06:00

I know that the title of my post is exaggerated. I'm very aware that not all women submit and that not all men check-out. The husband/wife dynamic is an interesting one to say the least. Throw into the mix the standards by which God expects us to uphold within that relationship according to the Scriptures and you have yourself a mess. The Scriptures in Ephesians 5 lay out the standard by which husbands and wives are to relate to one another. The popular passage from this chapter is the one that tells wives to submit to their husbands. Every man, Christian and non-Christian, has likely quoted that passage to his wife at some point in their relationship, only to have her chip back with something clever in return leaving him with no response.

The Bible does tell women to submit to their husband's leadership in the home. The wife is supposed to respect her husband and fall under his leadership. The problem is: most guys do not lead in such a way that merits their wives to submit to them. Most guys checkout of their role as husbands and leaders of the home. The Bible gives men an even more difficult role than wives. The Bible says for men to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Christ gave his life for the church, and this is the example given for how husbands should love and honor their wives. 1 Peter 3:7 even tells us that the prayers of the man who doesn't honor his wife will be hindered. In other words, being the man God has called you to be to your wife and children is a HUGE responsibility.

I want to wrap up this post with a reminder of the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Who was the one who ate from the forbidden tree? The wife. However, Adam, who was checked-out, was right beside her. Eve is having a conversation concerning their obedience to God with the serpent and Adam is just chilling and not acting. Eve eats of the forbidden fruit, gives her checked-out husband a bite too. Then they recognize their sin, hide from God, and await what they know will be a dreadful encounter. What happens next? God comes, they are hiding, and God addresses the issue. Who does God question about the incident? Eve? No. God asks Adam, "what have you done?" God went to the leader of the family and asked what he had done. Eve was the culprit and God was fully aware of this, but God went to the man, the husband, and held him responsible.

Men, are you checked-out? Step up. Quit playing it safe from the sidelines and be the man your wife wants you to be and needs you to be. Wives, submit to your husbands, even when they fail in their leadership. Don't chastise him or belittle him. Let him lead, be supportive, encourage him to lead as God desires. This is the picture of the marriage God designed to exist. We need to relearn what healthy relationships look like and quit defining the parameters for ourselves.

Haiti Disaster Relief

2010-01-19T14:23:00.004-06:00

In response to the tragic earthquake in Haiti last week, The Journey Church will be working in conjunction with several local churches and organizations to collect the following items to send to the people of Haiti:

1. New or used shoes (adults, kids, babies)

2. New clothes (adults & kids)

3. Cases of bottled water

4. Preferably new tents, blankets, and duffel bags

5. Baby food and formula

6. Diapers (mainly sizes 2 & 3)

7. Baby bottles (with nipples) and sippy cups

8. Flashlights and batteries

Note: we will be collecting these items starting this Sunday 1/24 through Sunday 2/21. You can drop the items off at the Pathways table at the campus you attend each Sunday. If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 615-547-7070 or John Griffin atjohn@thejourneytn.org.

Let's try to step up Journey Church to do our part in being the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

Haiti, The Gospel, and God's Sovereignty

2010-01-14T13:26:00.002-06:00

The tragic story of what has and is happening in Haiti is astounding. To think of thousands in a matter of moments being killed by such a unsuspecting event is horrifying. Yet in the midst of this tragedy and sorrow, we must be reminded that God is sovereign. Though we wish we could turn away and it disappear, we must be reminded that our world is broken and awaiting the return of its Savior to bring it to final redemption. And though we don't always understand why or how things like this can happen under God's watch, we are reminded that the people of Haiti need the gospel, and this tragedy will and can usher that in.

Unlike crazy Pat Robertson, who I can't believe I have to call a brother in Christ, I do not believe God was acting out some kind of judgment on Haiti. Instead, I believe it is a good reminder from God's Word (Romans 8) that all creation is moaning as in the pains of childbirth, awaiting the redemption of the sons and daughters of God. Awaiting the return of Christ. Awaiting final restoration.

As a church (The Journey), we are looking at ways that we can help bring relief to Haitian people. We will have updates to come soon on how you can get involved. In the mean time, here are several things we should partner together to pray for:

1. That the relief efforts and aid being sent and delivered would help relieve some of the physical suffering going on.

2. That the gospel of Jesus would come in power and that many would find hope and salvation.

3. That parents who lost children and children who lost parents would be comforted by the great Comforter.

4. That as a global community, God could use a tragedy of this nature, to remind us that the "betterment" of earth is not where our hope should lie. It is in Jesus Christ in whom we put our faith. We believe he is going to return to make right the wrongs that have occurred on earth. There will be final restoration. We look to that day.

Take some time today to pray for the country of Haiti. Pray for the people. Pray for the relief workers and missionaries who are hitting the ground. Pray for a mighty move of the Spirit of God there, that Jesus may be made known.

Church Discipline

2010-01-11T11:57:00.002-06:00

I was in a class all week last week for my class: History of the Baptist. I know what you're thinking. It was exactly what I was thinking when I realized it was a requirement for my Master's Degree: "great, this sounds like fun!" Note this was said sarcastically. To my surprise, I learned more in that class than I have in many classes. The class was loaded with church history, theology, and the question of how church polity (governing) should be. I know some of you are still thinking, "wow, sounds like fun," but in my own little nerdy way, I really enjoyed the class.

This leads me to what I wanted to bring up in the blog. We learned a lot and studied a lot on the practice of church discipline. Now I know this is not a very familiar term today, but church discipline is something that happened from the New Testament churches all the way to the present, though presently very few churches practice or know church discipline. A definition of church discipline would be: the action taken by church governing bodies against individuals or groups of individuals whose actions, beliefs, or reputation effect the holiness and purity of the church body. It is important to note that this happened within the context of single congregations. Members of the church were held accountable for various types of attitudes, actions, and beliefs both inside and outside the church. The church would regularly conduct "tribunals" to try cases being brought up. Evidence would be presented for the accusation and the church would vote on a verdict, then a proper sentence would be given. Sometimes the sentence involved repentance and reconciliation with members of the church, and in many cases, the sentence was expulsion from the church. There were some who refused to undergo such trials to respond to accusations against them, but for the most part, individuals absolutely went through this process.

You see, in the past, church wasn't viewed as simply a place to show up on Sunday to worship. Churches were families. They were communities of faith. There was much love and affection for each other, but there was accountability. They believed the only two ways to leave a church were 1. death or 2. expulsion. You didn't want the reputation of having been expelled from a church. You would not be quickly received by other churches because they assumed that you had doctrinal or character issues that they didn't want exposed to their churches. Purity in the church was paramount!

When I read of this and reflect on what happens in our society today regarding church, I cringe. Very few people would dare to hear a charge brought against them, more-less publicly repent in order to be restored to the "right hand of fellowship" within the church. Today's churchgoer would simply leave and go somewhere else. The church they would go to would blindly receive them into the fold and more than likely, more issues would arise later.

Here's my questions for you: what are your thoughts on church discipline of the Church of the past (NT - 1800's) vs. the Church of today? Would you undergo church discipline or would you leave? What are your thoughts on how churches can, to some degree, recapture the ability to handle issues of discipline, yet retain the individual within the fold of the church? I would love to hear your thoughts.

The Price of Integrity

2009-12-28T08:53:00.003-06:00

How much does integrity cost? Well, that depends. It depends on what your willing to do to maintain it or what you are willing to do to lose it. Integrity takes time to build. In order to create a legacy in your life of integrity, you need to demonstrate over time, with big things and small things, that you are willing to do what is right, what is true, what is moral, despite the cost. As long as it takes to build integrity, the sad thing is, it can be lost in an instant. Integrity is only as good as your latest choice.

Let me give you an example of how easy it is to slip in your integrity:

Let's pretend for a moment that a friend was able to get tickets to a game that you really wanted to watch. However, the tickets were not bought or gained honestly, instead, they were bought from a scalper in a place where scalping is illegal. Now, you didn't buy the tickets, but you are using them as a result of an illegal purchase. Are you wrong for doing this or is it only the fault of the person who bought them illegally? The answer: YES, you are at fault. YES, you are sinning. YES, you have comprised your integrity. In this scenario, you sold your integrity for $40 or so, simply because you didn't want to purchase the tickets for full price.

I know for many this sounds extreme, but here's the deal: as followers of Jesus we are called to above reproach, to set the examples in speech and action, to be light in a world of darkness. We are called not to just have a "belief" in God, but to honor Him with all choices. What is the price of integrity? It is a high price to pay if you want it, but it can be lost for the price of nothing.

It All Points to Jesus

2009-12-21T12:51:00.003-06:00

I love Christmas. We celebrate the birth of the King of Kings. We are reminded that God initiated a rescue plan to redeem us and reconcile us back to Himself. Where do we get our evidence that the birth of Jesus was the hinge point of history? Where do we learn that Jesus' birth changed everything and was the promised hope we were looking for? The Gospel accounts tell us the story of Jesus and what he accomplished, but it is the Old Testament Scriptures that show us why Jesus' birth is so important. It is the Old Testament that tells us that we should be expecting a king, a messiah, a Savior.

As Christians today we often ignore the Old Testament as if were just a bunch of history. Sometimes we view it as the story of the vengeful and wrathful God, only to give way to the loving God of the New Testament. Not only is this view wrong, it is downright heretical. God is unchanging. The same God who announced judgment and enacted judgment in the Old Testament, is the same God who brought Israel out of exile when they repented, spared the city of Nineveh, and promised to provide redemption through a Savior. When we begin to think about Jesus, we need to understand that he came as a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and promises.

Jesus himself tells us that all of the Old Testament points to him. After Jesus' resurrection he appears to two men on the road. They did not recognize Jesus and were actually telling Jesus about what had happened to Jesus. In the midst of talking with them Jesus had to tell them the meaning of it all because they did not understand: ²⁵He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. - Luke 24:25-27 Jesus says that the Old Testament Scriptures point to him. Notice he even references every section of the Old Testament (Moses and the prophets). Jesus explains to them how the Scriptures (being Old Testament Scriptures at the time) pointed to and spoke of him. After Jesus leaves them they discuss how their hearts burned within them as he opened up the Scriptures.

It all points to Jesus. Remember this season that God communicates with us through His Word. Remember that God fulfills His promises. Remember that there is no difference between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament...God is not divided, there is but One God, distinctly understood in three persons (Father, Son, Holy Spirit). Remember that salvation was bought for you at a price. The price was the life of Jesus Christ, who became the sacrificial lamb, and who died a death in our place, that we might live. He who was rich became poor so that we who are poor could become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). That richness is a life lived redeemed and justified before the Living God. Remember in the midst of all your family get-togethers, services, dinners, gifts, and all the festivities: it all points to Jesus.

The Incarnation

2009-12-15T09:27:00.005-06:00

This Sunday at the Journey I'm going to be unpacking one of the greatest, most under-appreciated realities of the Christian faith: the Incarnation. Without the Incarnation there is no cross of Calvary. Without the Incarnation, there is no atonement, no resurrection, and no significance to the person of Jesus. The Incarnation marks an amazing period in the history of man, God becomes flesh.

I don't want to go to much into detail about the Incarnation here on the blog because I still want you to come to church :-) but I think this is a misunderstood and rarely celebrated points in our faith. There is a beautiful reminder laced right in the middle of it: the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Why? To save us. To rescue us. To redeem us. To pull us from the dominion of darkness and to bring us into the glorious light of his Kingdom. The Incarnation is a like a Navy Seal parachuting into a war zone to go in and win the victory. The Word became flesh, he parachuted in to rescue us. This should elicit a response of praise and worship.

This Christmas season, be slow to make it about all the other things: trees, lights, Santa, gifts, food, family, programs, shows, etc. and be quick to make it centrally about the radical, saving actions of the God who rescues and became flesh to do it.

What are your biggest questions or confusions about the Incarnation?

Problems with Neighbor breed Problems with God

2009-12-14T08:01:00.006-06:00

Let me ask you a question: are there people in your life that you are less than cordial with? Let me ask a better question: are there brothers and sisters in Christ that you would say that you don't like very much? I ask the question rhetorically because I already know what the answer is: YES!!! I know there are people that get on your nerves. I know there are people who's personality gets under your skin. As a pastor I witness this reality between people, but I also fall victim to it as well.

If the Word of God, and not our emotions, opinions, and broken assessments, are to lead and guide us, then we need to take caution to what it says. When our lives don't align to its commands we should repent, meaning, turn from. We must ask the Spirit of God to stir our hearts toward change and we must go to our brothers and sisters in which we are not in right standing and reconcile. Take a look at what the Bible says about this subject:

1 John 2:9 (NIV) Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.

1 John 2:11 (NIV) But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

1 John 3:15 (NIV) Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

1 John 4:20 (NIV) If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

These are but a few verses that are contained in one book about this subject. These words are convicting. If you say you love God, but you have problems with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, then the love of God is not in you. No eternal life in he who hates his brother. So at the end of the day, God doesn't care about your excuses or reasons for why you don't like somebody. How do you combat this type of thinking?

Be reminded regularly that while you were still a sinner and enemy of God, Christ died for you (Romans 5:8). If God could love you, in all your sin, in all your rebelliousness, in all your wicked ways, how is it that you, who has been forgiven, cannot seem to find love for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. In God's eyes this is unacceptable. Take time today to reflect on what people in your life you have had a hard time loving and repent today. If necessary, talk to this person and reconcile with them. Make a vow to God to love them with the same measure of love in which you were given through His Son.

Why do you think this is such a problem in our churches and lives?

The Death of Orthodoxy Part 2

2009-12-08T08:34:00.003-06:00

We are products of our culture. Regardless of how much you would like to think you have escaped the snare of the culture around you, you are immersed in something that has formed you. As Christians we know that our role in the culture is to be counter-culture, and live the ways of Jesus over and above the ways of this world. We are not supposed to be people who disconnect from the culture and try to hide from it in an effort to be holy. The Amish have attempted to do this. They don't live with electricity or phones and many other things we would consider normal because they are trying to live "set apart." The problem is this, the culture is so consuming that even the Amish can't escape it. You see, the Amish often have businesses in which they sell the goods they produce to the world outside of their farms. If you venture into an Amish dairy farm you will notice quickly just how difficult it is to escape culture. They have regulations they have to meet which requires them to conform to the rules. They have a phone located in the facility. They have particular equipment and machines. They follow the rules. Even the Amish, who try to live untainted by the culture, cannot escape the power of the culture around them.

So here's where I'm going with this. In my travels the last three weeks to other churches, I have seen many different styles, sizes, and types of churches. I have seen churches meeting in traditional buildings, warehouses, and schools. The one glaring thing that has stood out to me in my visits to these churches is the overwhelming, undeniable effect that culture has played on what the churches are doing. I'm not talking about the use of video, having heat and air, or sitting in chairs, rather, I'm talking about what seems to be a Bible anemic, commitment lacking, consumer product. At many of my visits I never heard the Bible preached. Often when it was used it was referenced to support the ideas and examples the pastor had mentioned, instead of the text of Scripture providing the points. I witnessed worship time that resembled concert performances more than participational worship. Communion was not served at any of the places that I visited, which has become something in the American church that seems to have been made into an "occasional" ordinance of the church, instead of what it was always viewed as by the apostles and early church: essential.

The culture has played an undeniable role in shaping our churches. Not all of this is bad, but not all of it is good. I believe it is okay to use and redeem some of cultures advancements and technology to allow the gospel message to be further spread; however, there are some things in the church that should be non-negotiable, unchanging, and staples of our gospel communities: participatory worship that brings glory to God through both its content and spirit, preaching of the Bible as the centerpiece of our messages and not man's wisdom or humor as the central component, the practice of taking Communion/Lord's Supper regularly (some churches perform more skits in a year than they take Communion), and a spirit of unity and community, not a feeling of attending a show, performance, or concert. Some of the things that separate churches who demonstrate these and those who don't are small and subtle things. At the end, we should be desirous of seeing our churches glorify our Father and His Son, as we carried by and united by the power of the Spirit. The design of a church is to never glorify a pastor, a worship leader, to impress or satisfy attendees, or to lift technology or creativity over and above Jesus. To bring glory to God and share His gospel is why gather and exist as churches.

These things, things I've mentioned before, and other things not wrote here are why I believe there has been a Death of Orthodoxy. I desire to lead the church I pastor and participate with to honor God in staying true to the things that are not on the table for debate and if needed, stand as a voice crying out in the wilderness for repentance.

Confessions of a Pastor Who's Still Learning

2009-12-03T10:46:00.004-06:00

I'm a lousy spiritual leader in my home.

I think I needed to start the post by just getting that out of the way. I'm a pastor who can lead and shepherd and care with the best of them, but I have felt a conviction from God lately that I'm not doing all I should/could be doing to take my home to the next level. Now don't get me wrong. We are not a pagan household. I do regular discipleship with my son. We will pray as a family and we have no problem talking about God. You see my problem is not with the family, it is with my wife. I don't feel that I'm doing enough to help us to grow as ONE spiritually. I don't want to sit down and teach her the Bible like I'm leading a class, because the last thing she wants is to feel like I'm making her go to school. I have had a hard time finding good marriage devotional. So I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to help create and foster that time for us.

There are also fears attached to this. I have never seen this modeled for me in my life, so much of it is going to be starting from scratch. I fear some of the levels of vulnerability that it is going to require. I fear not doing a good job. I simply want to be better, and I know it is going to require some changes of my habits.

I started by confessing and repenting before God, then I sat down and talked to my wife and apologized and told her my conviction. Thankfully she is desirous of a deeper intimacy together as well through our walk with God. Now comes the hard part: doing it. If you have suggestions as to what you do as a husband and wife, I'd love to hear it. If you have a devotional that have seemed to work well, leave a comment and let me know.

Do you find yourself struggling with this? Why do you think this is such a hard thing for us to do in our marriages?

He Is Not Like Us

2009-12-02T05:45:00.001-06:00

Forming and shaping God into our image is a very popular thing to do these days. If you want your cause to have more weight, say that God is for it and try to find a verse (though usually out of context) to support it. We forget that we are shaped into God's image and that a major responsibility humans carry is to be image-bearers. This can be tricky to think about because at the end of the day, we know that we often don't do a good job at reflecting God. There are attributes of God, things that are a part of His essence that we share, known as communicable attributes. Things such as: love, kindness, knowledge, etc. These are attributes of God that He shares with us. There are some things about God though that show us that He is not like us. These things teach us a great deal about God's richness. These three things about God, when understood, provoke deeper understanding and worship of Him.

3 Attributes of God that remind us that He is not like us:

1. God is Eternal - God has no beginning and no end. He does not live in successive moments of time, but instead sees all time equally vividly, yet God sees in time and acts in time. God is transcendent in that He is bigger than time and space. No one has given him life, and no one can take away that life. God has life in himself. Before the world was made, God needed nothing to make him happy or to make him God, he is self-existent and self-sufficient. God has it all, without beginning and without ending. (Psalm 90:1-2)

2. God is Holy - The Bible speaks of a lot of God's holiness. To be holy means to be different from all else - to be unique or separate or set apart. An important element of God's holiness is that He is completely separate from all that is wrong or impure or sinful. He has life that cannot be stained by anything bad. Because God is truth He cannot lie or believe a lie. Because God is faithful He cannot go back on His word or break a promise. Because God is righteous, He cannot do what is evil or consider the evil that others do as okay or acceptable. He is holy, and so he is separated from anything that is contrary to his own life as God. (Isaiah 6:3; Exodus 15:11)

3. God is Unchangeable - God is God, and this means He cannot be less than who He is as God, just as He cannot be other than who He is as God. God has every quality within his own life as God, and because of this, He simply cannot change for the better or for the worse. God is the same today as He was yesterday or 5,000 years ago. God is who He ever is, and nothing in the very character of God can change. He can be relied on, trusted, and followed, for He does not sway like the trees with every passing wind. (Psalm 102:25-27)

Considering that God is eternal, holy, and unchangeable should bring us to both praise for God's greatness and trust because of the faithfulness of His character. We can count on Him. He has all power, wisdom, and goodness. Knowing these things lead us to honor Him, worship Him, trust Him, and humble ourselves before Him. He is not like us.

The Death of Orthodoxy Part 1

2009-11-24T08:49:00.005-06:00

So much of my story as a follower of Jesus has been trying to understand the way in which my life and walk will reflect and bring honor to the Father. While this is often a challenge and lifelong journey, the one thing in my observations about the church is that there has been a death to orthodoxy. By orthodox I mean: the historical doctrines and creeds established by the apostles and early church fathers, informed by the teaching of Jesus and the words of Scripture.

As I journeyed deeper into trying to be a leader in the Kingdom of God, I soon discovered that there were so many ways of "doing" and "being" the church. Most of my earlier years as a true follower of Jesus were spent critiquing the type of church I grew up in. Most of my reasoning for this was that its methods for sharing the message of Jesus were outdated and irrelevant. Though I still hold to this idea, I'm becoming more aware of a trend: sound doctrine and orthodoxy are a dying breed in the American church, especially the "contemporary" church.

Now, before I explain myself, know that I'm not one of those guys who is cynical and angry at everybody and looking for something to complain about. Also know that I'm on the front-lines of trying to help initiate change both in my church and in the Kingdom at large. That said, I seeing a growing trend of churches becoming schools of morality and self-help instead of gospel centers where Jesus is preached, the Bible guides us, and people are challenged to align their lives to both. In the quest for relevance, and often times as a reaction to EVERYTHING associated with a "traditional" church, the solid, foundational message has been tossed along with the outdated methods. We must never mistake the message from the methods. The methods should always change. The message is unchanging. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a message that is changing or should change, for it contains the power to change and transform lives.

In our quest to be relevant, we must never sacrifice sound doctrine. We are warned repeatedly by the apostle Paul throughout his writings that the day is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine and teaching and will instead find teachers to give them what their itching ears long to ear (2 Timothy 4). I'm afraid to say that I feel I'm living in those times. I also feel an amazing burden to see that challenged and changed. Living here in the buckle of the Bible-belt, it is even more needed. Most who call themselves Christians cannot articulate the gospel, more less live it. I want to work relentlessly to see that changed.

Do you find yourself rejecting orthodoxy for the sake of relevance or even relativism? Why do you think churches are changing the message as they change the methods?

3 Prayer Requests

2009-11-12T08:11:00.001-06:00

As a pastor I'm often taking prayer request, but rarely sharing them. The reason I love the social-networking world is that it allows for communication among greater numbers of people during the week than I could ever possibly sit in front of. It also gives me instant communication ability, good or bad, with hundreds and thousands of people. Because of the power of that technology, I want to utilize for my own spiritual growth and encouragement. I need your prayer. There are 3 things that I'm in need of your prayer for.

** in no particular order

Prayer Request #1 - My Health

I have been having back issues from an old Army injury for about 4 months now. The pain has varied throughout this time, but it has been consistent. I'm doing much better lately, thanks to the prayers of others, but would ask for continued prayer. Another big part of my health prayer request is losing some weight. I'm not grossly overweight by any means, but I want to lose about 10lbs at least. I need to do this for several reasons: 1. I don't want to be grossly overweight 2. I think it would help my back 3. I want to feel healthier than what I feel right now. I have lots of little aches and pains (getting older) that I want to ensure are not a lack of exercising. So please pray for me in this area.

Prayer Request #2 - My Prayer Life

I really want to go deeper in my prayer life. I truly want to spend more quality time in God's presence. I don't want to just fill time talking, but I want to cultivate a deeper prayer life than I've ever had. I don't necessarily know how to do this other than pray for it. I would appreciate your joining me in this, as I have many things I'm desiring to hear God clearly on right now in my life and leadership.

Prayer Request #3 - My Heart for the Lost/Unsaved

This last prayer request will hopefully be something that can help be answered by my second prayer request. I want God to help break my heart for the lost and unsaved in our communities. I want to be bothered, even more so, by the numbers of people drifting through life aimlessly without the hope of Christ in their life. I want God to burden my heart so badly that I can't sit idly by and do nothing about it. I challenge you to not only pray this for me, but to add it to your prayer life as well. You cannot divorce being a Christian from being evangelistic.

Wednesday's Four Silly Questions

2009-11-11T09:39:00.002-06:00

Our Wednesday tradition continues...

1. Food: Mexican or Chinese food?

2. Alternate Sport: Hockey or Nascar?

3. Your tea: With lemon or without?

4. Sleep Habits: Bundled up or Sprawled out?

Bonus Question: Thermostat: + or - 71 Degrees

MY ANSWERS: Mexican (all-day), Hockey, w/Lemon, Bundled (no skin exposed), definitely 71 or higher

To Care or Not to Care, That is the Question

2009-11-10T09:36:00.003-06:00

Lately I have been doing a lot of reflecting about the importance of followers of Jesus to be about sharing the gospel message. I know that immediately when I say that it causes anxiety, fear, and worry in some because you seriously doubt your abilities to share the gospel effectively. I too share with you in this personal fear; however, the more I think about this fear, the more I realize how ridiculous it is. I'm really just more concerned with my ego not getting bruised or looking ignorant if they have questions I can't answer. Really and truly my fears are more about me than the people who desperately need to hear the hope of Jesus.

Something that I have come to realize the longer I have been in ministry is that many people believe in the right things, they just don't care about them. We believe in the things, but because we don't care about them we don't act on them. For example: many believe it is important for those who are not Christians to hear the gospel message of Jesus and respond, yet this belief for me is never acted upon because we don't care. Many believe its good to contribute both financially and through service to the church, yet many don't because ultimately they don't care. You will never act on a belief unless you care about it. It is impossible to care about something that you don't believe in, but many of us have learned to believe in things that we don't care about.

So getting back to the issue of reaching out to people. When is the last time you invite someone to church or a small group? How many people in your life are truly unchurched/pre-Christian people? We have a heart issue at hand, myself included. We need to ask God to break our hearts for the things that break His. We need God to disturb us from our complacency so that we wake up and realize that many are living lives of emptiness and attaching meaning to everything but the One thing they need the most. Many will experience the sad words from Jesus at the judgment "depart from me, I never knew you." May these words not be spoken to them simply because I feared to open my mouth. Lord, help me to care more.

One Church?

2009-11-05T08:08:00.003-06:00

Is the body of Christ, the Church, really one as Jesus prayed we would be (John 17)? My answer is a resounding no. In fact, one of my greatest frustrations is the constant pissing contests (yes I said that) that go on between churches and even different camps of churches.

You see, if you read my blog as someone who is part of The Journey or someone who is starting to journey back toward Jesus/Church then I want to let you in on a reality happening right now in the American church. A movement away from the traditional style church was launched 20+ years ago. Churches started to reevaluate their effectiveness and ability to reach their communities for Christ. This shift led to changes in style of music, buildings, sermons, and outreach endeavors. This style of church has since become traditional in many ways as well, but there has been another movement. The "emerging" church has become a movement of people who have reinvestigated the entire thing again and are implementing changes once again. Within the emerging church are 3 very different camps.

1. The Relevants - this group is doctrinally and theologically orthodox and seek to find ways to make the message of Christ more relevant for a secular world and society, while seeking to serve the mission of Jesus both personally and communally.

2. The Reconstructionist - this group is usually doctrinally and theologically orthodox, but they spend most of their time critiquing methods and styles. Though they are sound theologically, sometimes they are light on sharing the message because they use most of their time criticizing other churches or camps. Preaching is replaced with conversations. Coffee houses replace buildings or other more traditional gathering spaces. These are not bad changes, though they are often treated as important as the message and ignore that they are simply their chosen methods. This group is often so critical of traditional churches, but can't seem to understand why those traditional churches won't engage in dialogue with them or partner with them in joint endeavors to advance the Kingdom.

3. The Revisionist - this group is not theologically and doctrinally sound. In fact, because of the secularization of our society they have been transformed with it. Methods and Message both have undergone major changes. Core tenants of the Christian faith have been tossed aside as outdated and irrelevant in a 21st century postmodern America. Because of doctrinal wariness this group has often been categorized as the Emergent Church, as opposed to the "emerging" church.

I self-identify in the Relevants camp, if I'm forced to be in one. I don't have a problem with Reconstructionist, but they are often highly critical of anyone not them that they are hard to engage with sometimes. The Revisionist in my opinion is not truly a church. For the church of Jesus is committed to the teaching of sound, biblical doctrine. See any of Paul's letters.

Why do I bring all this up? I'm just so frustrated when I look across the landscape of the church in America and see not only a decline in effectiveness, but fighting between the different camps. Instead of clinging to the message that unites us, we are divided by methods designed by us. I wonder if we really believe Jesus when he said the world would know we are his disciples by our love for one another. If we did believe it, would some of this change?

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Igniting a Jesus Movement

2009-11-02T09:18:00.003-06:00

Do we want to be a part of a church or do we want to see a radical movement of Jesus?

I vote for radical movement of Jesus. In fact, I desire to see our community shaken up by the number of people surrendering their lives to Christ and all take notice. With this being said, there are several things that come with being a part of a movement that you may have to truly look at:

1. It may call for sacrifice. This can mean sacrificial giving, giving up parking spots so more people can have parking spaces, serving in the children's ministry at one service so kids can be taught about Jesus and then attending a different service, helping start a new campus or new service time, and many other potential sacrifices.

2. You have to become an inviter. You see here's the deal, with nearly 300 adults in worship each week, if everyone brought someone, we would have 600 adults hearing the gospel. This is called EXPONENTIAL GROWTH. This isn't 10 new people on a Sunday, this is multiplication. These are the things that have to happen in order to begin igniting movements. Each one reach one. Who have you invited to church recently?

3. It may mean you don't know everybody you go to church with. A big misconception about church is that intimacy only happens when you know everybody you go to church with. The truth is: you can only truly know a few handfuls of people really well. You may have acquaintances, but genuine friendships are limited. This is why regardless of the size of the church, you can only really know a certain amount of people. This is another reason why small groups are so important.

4. It means you have to become more inclusive. The problem with churches is we like showing up and seeing all of our friends. This is a good thing and big reason why we stick to churches. The only question that should come to our minds is this: what about the people who just came in who don't seem to know anybody? Are we making them feel welcomed? Are we treating people like guests in our homes or like strangers we pass in a store? The answer should and must be: guest in our home. If someone comes to your home you don't go to the next room and leave them by themselves or simply let them show themselves around the house. You walk with them. The church that wants to stir a movement must be the same.

Wednesday's Four Silly Questions

2009-10-28T11:58:00.002-05:00

Okay, here we go. I want to know your answers.

1. Do you sleep with the TV on or off?

2. World Series or Football?

3. A good book or a good dinner?

4. Your favorite: Winter clothes or Summer Clothes?

Bonus Question: If you could only pick one, what would it be: free pizza for life or free tank of gas per month for life?

My answers: TV on, World Series, good book, winter clothes BQ: Free Pizza, who cares about gas, I'm a pizza-holic. :-)

Do You Love the Bible?

2009-10-27T15:39:00.004-05:00

This morning in my personal time of Bible study and prayer I was reading from Colossians. I love reading the Scriptures and letting God preach to me. I fill up on His Word daily. I always read with a notebook and pen handy because I'm constantly writing down things that God is both revealing about me and revealing about our world and circumstances in general.

This morning I was just struck by two particular pieces of the Scripture I read. I read Colossians 1:1-14

* The first thing that caused me to stop and take notice was an often skipped and ignored section of this passage. In vs. 7 Paul is talking about how the church in Colossae had learned from Epaphras. Then Paul gives this description of Epaphras: He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf. When I read that I just paused and wondered to myself, "How great would it be that my legacy when all is said and done would be these words: He is a faithful minister of Christ? That is a legacy worth having and one that Epaphras has forever been remember by.

* The second thing that caused me to stop and erupt into praise of God was and is vs. 13-14. It reads, "13He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." The thing that overwhelmed me was the phrase: He has delivered us. He did it. It is author of our salvation. He is the one that has delivered us from darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his Son. Through the Son, Jesus, we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sins. I don't know about you, but I'm eternally grateful for a God that has provided, offered, and granted me forgiveness of my sin.

I'm a man who can live with gratitude today because I'm a man of freedom and hope because of Jesus. I love the Bible. I love that I can hear the words of God to me anytime I choose to open the Scriptures. I'm grateful that God preaches to us every moment we approach him with ears to hear and hearts to receive.

Question for Discussion: How often do you get into the Bible to read it and allow God to speak to you? What are some of the study techniques you use?

Sermon Outline for: God Can Rescue

2009-10-26T12:59:00.002-05:00

Last week was a crazy week for me. My little daughter Kaleigh Grace entered the world and she has been wrecking me ever since. Because of her birth, I didn't get a chance to develop the outline for my message this past Sunday. So, here it is for those who want it.

Highly Flammable: God Can Rescue (Week 3)

Highlighted passage that we are unpacking: Daniel 3:16-17

Four questions that help us to understand more about God's ability to rescue:

1. How do we know God can rescue?

God is Sovereign. Sovereignty means that God is in control of all of his creation. He is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible with God, because God is above all things.

Two aspects of God's Sovereignty:

i. Transcendent otherness: God is beyond us. He is over and above the creation. He is not dependent on the creation to be God. His throne is in heaven and the earth is his footstool (Isaiah 66:1).

ii. Immanent nearness: God is at work within his creation. Though he is above that which he has created, he is at work in that which he has created.

Because of these two things, we know that God can rescue. Our God is Sovereign above all things. He can rescue because he is both above and beyond his creation, yet he is immanent in that he works intimately in his creation.

2. In what ways does God rescue?

i. Miracles

A miracle is God changes a set of circumstances that were deemed as unchangeable. A miracle is not God's intervention because this would imply his absence or distance from the situation (deism).

ii. Decrees

A decree is when God speaks forth his words and they set into motion that which he has spoken. We see this in the creation of the world (Genesis 1). God can still decree our rescue and it will set into motion the changes that are necessary.

3. How can we evoke God's rescuing action?

i. Prayer

Prayer changes how God acts. God has ordained that the prayers of his people will shape how the world we be.

ii. Faithfulness

Living a life of faithfulness means to live a life devoted, loyal, and obedient to Jesus Christ. Faithfulness is not church attendance, its moment by moment relationship to the Savior.

4. Why does God rescue?

i. God rescues to point us to the reality of the Kingdom's advancement.

ii. God rescues to bring himself greater glory.

iii. God rescues because of his love and compassion for his children.

Ultimately, if you want to know if God can rescue you from your circumstances and trials, look no further than the cross. For the cross of Jesus Christ is the greatest demonstration of God's ability to rescue.

Kaleb's Baptism

2009-10-19T06:37:00.005-05:00

This was definitely one of my most memorable weekends in a long time. There were many reasons why it was so good, but the number one reason had to be my son being baptized. He got baptized Friday night, October 16th, at The Journey Praise and Worship night. It was a special opportunity for me to be a part of that. There have many conversations around the Reed house with Kaleb about following Jesus and being baptized. He has wanted to get baptized for a couple of months now and I have been hesitant because of his age. The more I talk to him the more I realize that he really does understand what Jesus has done and why he did it. He may not be ready to write a doctrinal dissertation on the dynamics of the Trinity, but neither are most. He has much to learn, and being a child, he needs to do it at his pace and timing.

The one thing that I feel especially burdened for is discipling him. Too often children come to Jesus and commit their life to him and they fade away as they get older. Why does this happen? Is it because they didn't really know what they were doing? No. It is because they stay at their same level of faith and it is not enough to equip them to overcome the trials, tribulation, temptations, and other things that will test your faith. In other words, children who come to faith often stay children in their faith, even though they get older. I have a book I'm doing with him that I'm tailoring especially to him. The book is called Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware. It is a book that helps parents/adults teach children theological truths and concepts, not just Bible stories, though telling Bible stories is important.

Several weeks ago I was thinking about the whole conversation of Kaleb getting baptized. As I was thinking about it, the thought the came to my mind, "what if something happened to him and I never had the opportunity to do this?" I knew then that if he truly understood the basics and he was willing to make that very public step in front of everyone, then I needed to do it. The rest is history. Now comes the real journey: a life-long process of helping to form my son into a warrior for the Kingdom.

Vamos a España.

2009-10-15T09:35:00.004-05:00

Vamos a España. You better get use to learning what those words mean and more because we are going to be a Spanish speaking church! Why? Because, vamos a España! We are going to Spain! That's right. After months of praying and meeting, our missions coalition team has pinpointed Spain as the Journey's global mission focus. There are many exciting things to share about how this particular country made it on our radar, but God is in it in big ways!

You will be learning more details soon about the exciting opportunities we are going to have in the days ahead. To give you some backdrop to our global missions strategy. We want to be a church that invests over a long period of time in an area, not just short-term, in and out trips. We want to be married to an area. In this way, we can plant churches, partner with existing churches, send missionaries, send teams from the church, and have a long-lasting impact in that area. There will be many more details to come in the days ahead, but there are some exciting times in our future.

One of things we are going to be offering soon are Spanish courses online via Rosetta Stone. Throughout the year(s) we will be providing opportunities for people to lean to speak the language of the area we feel God has called us to invest in. I hope you are excited, we feel The Journey can have a huge impact in this area of the world that is the second largest Western European country, yet is increasingly more and more unchurched. The gospel would radically change this area, we feel we can do something about it.

Wednesday's Four Silly Questions

2009-10-14T10:17:00.002-05:00

We missed last week's 4 Silly Questions so we have some ground to make up today. Like always, pick one of the two possible answers for the questions. You can even give some explanation to your answer if you're ashamed and feel the need to explain yourself.

4 Questions with a Bonus Question:

1. Morning Beverage: Coffee or Soda?

2. Navigation: Main Roads or Back Roads?

3. Vacations: Beach or Other (Mountains, Cities, Etc.)?

4. Favorite Shows: Reality T.V. or Other (Sitcoms, Drama, Etc.)?

**Bonus Question - Sleep Habits: Night Owl or Morning Person?

I'm interested in hearing your answers. Here are mine:

1. Coffee 2. Back Roads 3. Beach 4. Other (LOST, The Office) Bonus: Morning Person

Pastoral Confession: I Struggle with Comparison

2009-10-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

I have a confession to make: if I'm not careful, I will compare myself to others. To some degree I think this is a natural part of human nature, but it is an unhealthy one, and can lead to discouragement. I will hear of things going on at different churches across the country and I'm happy for their success and God's Kingdom moving forward, but I will also have a part of me that gets discouraged because I'll compare myself to them. Questions that arise: Am I not as good of a leader as them? Am I not a good enough communicator as them? Am I too young? Any many more.

The comparison game is never healthy. First off, it keeps you from appreciating and enjoying the fruits of what God is doing in your life. Second, none of us were created to be carbon copies of other people, we are called to be who God created us to be. Our "sameness" should only be in the realm of becoming Christ-like. Comparing ourselves to others will keep us frustrated and wondering why our lives don't look like others. For me, I can get discouraged at not being where someone else is.

So there is my confession. Here are some actions I have taken to help with it: 1. I've quit trying to keep up with or follow after too many different people or churches because it can lead to a constant comparison game. 2. I have decided to keep all of my focus on the things that I can control (my hard work, the responsibilities God has given me, etc.) and not things I cannot control (other people's churches, buildings, budgets, etc.). 3. I'm picking a few leaders/mentors to follow and not worry about the rest. I can't keep up with everybody, nor do I want to live in envy or jealousy of their success. 4. I'm praying for God to release from the need to compare myself to others and instead be content with where I am, while striving to move toward where God wants me.

What is your level of struggle with comparison? What things do you find yourself comparing? It's confession Tuesday so feel free to share openly without the fear of condemnation.

Weekend Reflections

2009-10-11T21:03:00.002-05:00

I just want to start by saying that I love being a part of The Journey Church. This church and her mission is so much bigger than any one person, including me, and it excites me to see all that God is doing. This is not a church that will be great for all people, but it is definitely a church that will be great for a lot of people. God is stirring some amazing things right now and bringing a lot of leaders our way. Are best days are ahead of us, but some amazing days are happening now.

Some things worth getting excited about:

1. We have some huge renovations coming to the Children's Areas at each campus that will help us take that ministry to the next level.

2. We are excited about the progression of the Hartsville Campus. This campus will start having previews early 2010 and will launch Easter 2010. More details coming soon.

3. A team of people have been meeting together and praying for several months now concerning God's direction for us for local, regional, and global missions. All I will say is this: we have some absolute amazing opportunities ahead of us that everyone is going to be pumped about!!

4. I'm excited about this new series and the ground we are going to cover, but we have some very neat things coming in the weeks and months ahead at The Journey. I will give more details soon, but I'll say this: we are going to be a church, unlike most churches, in which our people will be biblically and theologically equipped to deal with a cynical and skeptical world.

5. We have baby dedications and baptisms this coming Friday night for our Praise and Worship Night. This will be an awesome night. It never gets old celebrating changed lives!!

Thank you Journey Church for all you do and your commitment to the mission. God is doing some amazing things in our church and will continue to do so as we are obedient to Him. I'm honored to be a part of it.

3 Lessons from my Twitter/Facebook Sabbatical

2009-10-05T08:35:00.002-05:00

I took a one week sabbatical from Twitter/Facebook this past week. I missed being on there to see what is happening in the lives of people. Now that my sabbatical is over, I have had a chance to reflect on some lessons that I learned from the time.

1. I need to take more scheduled breaks from Twitter/Facebook. The one thing I learned from this thing is that breaks are good. I didn't take off of work, but taking off of Twitter/Facebook kind of felt like a vacation. I didn't realize how often I check the sites to see what is happening. I was a much more focused worker last week. The thing I will take away from this is that I need to only check the sites at certain parts of the day, and I need to take regular breaks from it. My family sure appreciated it.

2. Twitter/Facebook is a great tool for ministering. The one thing I missed about Twitter/Facebook is the ability to connect with those I have a chance to influence through it. These tools have allowed for me to interact with people who eventually came to church and made faith decisions and were baptized. With over 300 people who attend The Journey and the countless others that I know and interact with through these tools, it allows me to connect to more people in a given day or week than I could ever do by meeting face-to-face with them. I still cherish the face-to-face gatherings, but tools like these allow for more opportunities to connect with people.

3. Twitter/Facebook can lead to discouragement. This may sound strange, but if you follow people in your profession it can lead to comparison. The one thing I noticed in my time away from it is that I quit worrying about what other churches are doing or their successes, and focused more on the things in front of me. I think these tools can be used to learn from others and to be connected to others, but if we are not careful, it can put us on rat-race of trying to measure up to what others are doing. We should focus on who God calls us to be and trust Him for the results.

Milk or Solids?

2009-10-01T08:47:00.005-05:00

We are only a handful of days from having our second child in the Reed home. Little Kaleigh Grace could be here any day now and we are real excited. We are doing all of our homework and preparations for feeding and caring for her as we await her arrival. When she is born she will obviously start off needing milk for nourishment, but will eventually grow to need solids. For her to progress in healthy manner, she doesn't need to stay on milk forever.

I was reminded of the reality that as followers of Jesus we are not supposed to stay on milk forever either. We are supposed to mature and develop to be people who can take in solids. The writer of Hebrews reminds of this is when he says,

"¹¹About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹²For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, ¹³for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. ¹Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God..." - Hebrews 5:11-6:1 (ESV)

We are called to move forward in our walk with God and not stay the same as when we came in. Many should move from needing to receive the basics to teaching others. We should be growing toward maturity.

Questions: Why do some struggle to ever move from milk to solids? What things have you done personally to help yourself mature in the things of God?

Wednesday's Four Silly Questions

2009-09-30T09:31:00.002-05:00

Keeping with our Wednesday tradition, we will have our 4 silly questions. I've got to be honest with you, I'm loving seeing everyone's responses. We have a lot of similar people, but different one's also. Remember, your answers are your preferences as a whole, maybe not necessarily what you have currently have.

1. Coke products or Pepsi products? (you can only pick one!)

2. Cable or Satellite?

3. Summer Olympics or Winter Olympics?

4. Automobiles: Foreign or Domestic?

My answers: Coke products, Satellite, Winter Olympics, Foreign (even though I drive a Jeep)

Tribes

2009-09-28T09:29:00.002-05:00

Yesterday at The Journey we spoke of every person's desire to have a tribe to belong to. If we look at our lives we can often identify several tribes. I have attend several schools and universities, so in some way, they are my tribe. I have a favorite football team, so in some way, they are my tribe. The Journey Church is an evangelical church with evangelical doctrine, so in a way, that is our tribe. We are connected to several networks and affiliations, in a way, they are part of our tribe. You get the point.

What I talked about yesterday is that all of us seek desperately to find community and relationships, but until our relationship with God is in the right place, we will put all of our focus on our other tribes, only to find ourselves still searching. Once we connect to God, we then must learn to connect to the tribe of God - the church. The church is called to be an important tribe in our lives. The church has many warts, short-comings, and scars, but that is because humans inhabit it. God designed for the church to be a tribe in which we found grace, mercy, and forgiveness. It is a tribe in which we gain acceptance, despite our flaws.

Tribes also have a mission. The cool thing about the Tribe of God is that we are called to help people enter into our tribe, it is not exclusive. We help lead people to connect with God and others.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this: What do you think keeps people from embracing the Tribe of God? What has been the greatest thing in your life about being a part of the Tribe of God?

Believing vs Caring

2009-09-24T10:00:00.002-05:00

In my small group on Tuesday night we had a great discussion around a central question. The question that was asked was this: What methods/strategies do we deploy as churches/Christians to help people understand that their need for significance, purpose, and meaning in life is only found in a life committed to Jesus?

This question led to discussion that eventually brought us to a revelation. People are often sold on what they should believe. Churches and Christians fight hard to convince people of what things they should believe. The problem is that many people believe things that they don't care about. You can have a belief in something that you don't care about; however, it is impossible to care about something that you don't believe in.

Instead of trying to convince people to believe the right things, we need to work at helping people care about the right things. Christians believe its important to share their faith, but most don't. Why is the case? Because they ultimately don't care about it. Many people believe its wrong for people to suffer injustices, but most people don't care enough to take action. People might believe that living their life obeying God is the best things to do, but most don't care enough to actually live it out. In other words, we have to find ways as churches and Christians to help people care about the right things. That will be the only time that they will act on their beliefs.

I would love your feedback: What are things in your own life that you would say you believe in them, but you don't care about them? What are ways the church/Christians can help people care about the right things?

Wednesday's Four Silly Questions

2009-09-23T09:01:00.003-05:00

Today is our Wednesday's Four Silly Questions. Last week we had a lot of people chime in our their preferences and we learned a lot about some folks here on the blog. Most people were dog-lovers over cats. Most were automatic over manual (stick). Most were grocery stores over Wal-Mart. And most were mustard over mayonnaise. I can't wait to see your answers to these:

1. Body-wash or Bar of Soap?

2. Flip-flops or Crocs?

3. Steak or Chicken?

4. Music or Talk-Radio?

Bonus Question: College or NFL?

My answers: Body-wash, Flip-flops, Chicken, Talk-Radio, College

Poll Question

2009-09-21T11:16:00.002-05:00

I have a poll question that I would love to get your feedback and responses from.

Question: What do you feel is the number one factor in getting somebody who is not involved in church to come to be a part of a church experience (service, group, etc.)?

I know there are some generic answers out there, but try to really think about deeper than the surface level. Allow for the surface level answer to be explore further to see if there is a root to it. Also, just because an answer are popular answers doesn't mean they are the only answers.

Questions to think about as you try to come up with your answer: what was the biggest factor in your involvement in a church? what was your biggest factor in staying away from church?

Power in Silence

2009-09-18T06:14:00.004-05:00

This morning I had a time of prayer unlike any other. It wasn't a time in which I presented my requests to God. It wasn't a time in which I gave Him thanks for all my blessings. It wasn't a time in which I told Him how great He was. No, this prayer time was not like most of my times of prayer. This time was filled with silence. Yeah, silence. I didn't necessarily go into my time of prayer with this objective in mind, but it kind of happened.

As I was getting ready to pray I started thinking about the LORD and who He is and what He has done. I was trying to get my mind focused. As I started to do this I found myself just focusing in deeply on Him. Requests and needs were no longer on the front of my mind, and the only thing that filled it was Him. I had yet to speak a single word, yet I continued to focus my mind on Him. Then a passage of Scripture came rushing to my mind: "Be still and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10)

As I thought about this passage it became like a roaring command from God to me in that moment. What needed to happen this morning was not for me to fill the space with talk, but to simply be quite. In those moments I was able to remember, though I've always known, that I'm conversing with the Living God, Creator of the universe. There are none like Him. He is the God that part the Red Sea while freeing the Israelites from Egypt. He is the One Elijah called upon on Mt Carmel who consumed the alter with fire from heaven. He is the One who called and anointed David to be king over Israel. And He is the One who sent His Son to give us life. As I sat in silence this morning I was reminded: sometimes our greatest prayer is to be quite and reflect on the glory and wonder of God.

Questions: Do you ever have those moments of just sitting quietly to reflect on God? What is the most difficult challenge, in your opinion, to being still and quite during a time of prayer?

Intellectual Faith

2009-09-17T10:13:00.003-05:00

I'm noticing a growing trend. I'm not sure if its just because I read a book that opened my eyes or if God has been allowing me to become more aware of it lately, but I've noticed a something in Christianity: not a lot of people really KNOW what their faith really is. I don't mean that people don't know that Jesus Christ died on the cross and three days later rose from the dead. I'm talking about having an intellectual grasp of their faith to such a degree that they could answer questions from skeptics, cynics, and unbelievers.

The more I look around I don't see this true knowledge and understanding of the faith. It makes me wonder if I really know the things that I should. So that I'm not vague, let me give some examples. How would you answer these questions intelligently?

* Is the Bible really God's Word without errors and flaws, or is it simply an inspiring book, but not one that should be taken literally?

* If asked why you believe that God created the world in the way in which the Bible describes instead of the process of evolution, what kind of answer would you give?

* If while sharing your faith with someone that said to you, "I believe that all ways lead to God and there is no one way." how would you respond?

* If told, "The Bible was put together by men who picked which books would be in there and which books wouldn't, plus many books were left out." How would you answer this claim?

Skeptics believe they can pick on Christians intellectually because they don't believe we are capable and equipped to answer their questions. I personally think that needs to change. Beginning in 2010 I'm going to be diving deep into a bunch of teaching series that will be aimed at equipping Christians to give an account for their faith and at the same time, answering questions that skeptics may be asking.

Questions for you to answer: What things do you personally feel unequipped to answer about your faith? What subjects would you like to see taught on this issue? I would love to hear your answers.

Wednesday's Four Silly Questions

2009-09-16T08:23:00.002-05:00

I wanted to have a little fun on here today and get to know everyone a little bit better. I want to ask four questions that you have to give an answer to. Your answer will be between two possible answers. This will be a fun way for everyone to find out something about others they didn't know, and perhaps see how different others are from us. Be sure to post your answer even if you have never answered or posted on the blog before. You can answer without having to have a blog account, you simply answer as a guest.

Questions:

Pet - Dog or Cat? (even if you don't have a pet, which would you go for?)

Vehicle - Automatic or Standard?

Condiments - Mayonnaise or Mustard?

Grocery Store - Wal-Mart or Any other Store?

My answers: Dog, Standard, Mustard, Any other Store.

What about you?

Sex Series Ends

2009-09-14T08:47:00.005-05:00

It was an incredible weekend. The last four have been. The Sex series is a series that I believe will mark a time in history of our church that changed us. I believe we have grown spiritually in a major way during this series. We tackled issues that most churches would blush at bringing up. Why did we do this? Was it to stir a buzz around town? No. Was it to see how controversial it could get? No. I'm learning more and more these days that there are churches who desire to link with other churches, even churches different than them, and there are churches that like to criticize every church that is not their church. We did this series for one reason: to talk about an issue that dominates our culture, yet doesn't get much representation from God's perspective. For the most part, we have a lot of ignorant Christians walking around on the subject of sex. The statistics we talked about spoke of how Christians and non-Christians are having sex before marriage, outside of their marriage, and even same-gendered sex. I believe the reason this is happening is because churches turn their faces away from this subject and the culture through the media, television, magazines, and movies educate us and define us for sexuality.

I believe we are a church that can now stand and give an account to others as to why God's desire is for them to honor Him sexually, in addition to other areas. To ignore sex is to ignore something central to who we are as people. Discipleship is supposed to be holistic, which means we don't pick and choose what we want, it means we are supposed to teach the full counsel of God (Acts 20). I hope that you have been challenged by these messages and that you will share them with others you know. We need to redeem this act that was created by God and teach the world how God intended for it to be practiced.

What things will you walk away with from this series? What lesson(s) stood out the most to you? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Journey Happenings

2009-09-11T06:04:00.001-05:00

As we head into the weekend I want to share with you some things that are happening at The Journey over the next two weekends. Check it out:

Untitled from Erik Reed on Vimeo.

Too Busy Not to Pray

2009-09-09T11:44:00.002-05:00

Here is Part II of some thoughts about prayer right now. I think they will challenge you. After watching the video I would love to hear your answer to this question: What are some of the things that make it hard to find that time to get away and pray?

Eliminating the Noise to Hear from God from Erik Reed on Vimeo.

Investigating the Content of Your Prayers

2009-09-08T09:35:00.004-05:00

Do you pray? I know most people would say, "yes, to some degree, I pray." I think there is a much more important question than "do you pray?" I think a better question is "what am I praying about?" The content of our prayers says a lot about what we are thinking about, it shows us where our hearts are at, and it tells us about what things we are hoping and expecting from God. I get disappointed when all I see on a prayer list is the needs of sick people. Its important to pray for the sick, but most people when asked, "do you have any prayer requests?" always start naming sick or injured people. We should praying about deeper and broader things than just those we know who are sick.

For example...

I'm praying right now for my daughter's (who hasn't been born yet) future husband. I'm praying that he grows up in a home where his parents demonstrate a godly marriage. I pray that his dad would be the role-model of a servant for him so that he grows up in a home that teaches and prepares him to be a man of God and a great husband. I'm praying this right now for my daughter who will be born in 4-6 weeks.

I'm praying right now for God to make me more aware of His presence around me each day. If I truly believe that God is omnipresent, then I must believe that He is always around me. I want to be more sensitive to His presence being around me. I want to take more time to hear His voice and sense His leading each day. I don't want to live the moments of my day forgetting that God is all around me.

I'm praying right now for God to give me good rest at night so I can wake early to spend more time with Him. The thing that keeps me from spending that quality time with God is when I wake up groggy or with a headache. I want to rise in the morning with urgency, with focus, and with a rested mind and body.

What things are you praying about right now? What things do you need to begin praying about? Take time today to evaluate your prayer life and discover what it is you spend your time and focus taking to the Lord. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

3 Questions You Should Be Asking?

2009-09-02T09:37:00.000-05:00

Could there be more than three...sure, but then it wouldn't have that catchy little title. Plus, all you people who love the three steps to _________________ lists wouldn't keep reading. So to save all of us the trouble, I've listed three questions each of us would be well serve to ask ourselves regularly.

1. Am I closer in my walk with Christ today than I was a month/year ago?
This question is a matter of progression versus regression. There are only three possible states of your relationship with God: stagnant, regressing, and progressing. This question must be asked regularly, because at any moment we can begin to slip from our walk with God or become neutral. We can't possibly lead the charge of a mighty movement of God's Spirit in a state of regressing or being stagnant. Cry out to God and ask Him to help you move forward.

2. Is my heart growing more skeptical or compassionate for people?
This question deals with our attitude toward people. A true sign as to the condition of our spiritual health is how we view and treat people. The reason I ask about your heart is because you can put up a front that pretends to like people, but you know whether or not you are growing more hardened or compassionate. Followers of Jesus who are on fire for him have a burning desire to love people, even those who are unlovable and undeserving. Pray for God to break your heart for the condition people are in.

3. What things in my life am I putting before God?
This is the hardest thing to ask ourselves. We don't ever admit to putting things before God. However, if you look under the microscope close enough, many things can begin to edge God out. Anything put before God is called an idol in the Scriptures. What are the idols of your life? Look at your checkbook, your calendar, and your desires and see if they balance out with God's dream and hope for your life and this world. Pray for God to reveal the things in your life that are coming before Him, repent, and put God in His rightful place in your life.

New Sunday Night Service

2009-09-01T10:37:00.003-05:00

I am so pumped about some of the things happening at The Journey. In addition to growing at both campuses, we are seeing tremendous life change happen in the lives of people. This is why we are so excited about beginning a new service time at The Journey.

Sunday, September 20th at 6pm @ the Lebanon Campus will begin our new service time

The intention and purpose for this service time will be to create another gathering opportunity for people to come and worship. This service will be an exact duplicate of the morning service except for it will have extended praise and worship time. We hope to reach out to Cumberland University students with this service, as well as people who go to Titans games, work night shifts, or simply just want to sleep in and hang with family on one of their days off. This service will not have full blown Children's Ministry the way we do in the morning services; however, childcare will be provided on a scaled down version.

Be sure to let people know about the new service time. We are looking for people who would be willing to serve on the Host Team, Coffee Bar, Worship Team, Tech Team, and a few people who could help with putting a movie on for the kids. More details to come soon, but be sure to get the word out.

Sex Questions: Part II

2009-08-28T05:08:00.004-05:00

Here are the answers that I have for the remaining questions. You can see all the questions asked Week One of the Sex Series and Part I of my answers here. I'm sure the next three weeks of the series will produce further questions, so check back regularly as I answer them here on the blog.

* Is it a sin if your other half swings and you're ok with it but you don't?
My answer to this question is a resounding yes, you are in sin, both of you. You have to remember that sex outside of the marriage covenant of one man and one woman is outside of God's boundaries that He has designated. You are allowing your spouse to commit adultery, even if it is permitted adultery. That's like being the parent of a teenager who smokes marijuana and you want to know if they are breaking the law, even though you are okay with them doing it. The answer is still yes. The law is being broken. Here is where my biggest concern is: what kind of condition is your relationship in with your spouse that you are okay with them having sex with people other than you? That is not a healthy relationship; in fact, it is one that is probably on the verge of divorce. You are either extremely insecure and are afraid to speak out against your spouse or you are extremely naive to how damaging these actions are to your marriage. Either way, you need to ask your spouse to stop immediately, and you two need to seek marriage counseling.

* What if your only partner is your husband, but you had sex before marriage? Is that still going to condemn me to hell in God’s eyes? We were engaged and had made a covenant to each other.

Yes, sex before marriage will condemn you in God's eyes. Can you be forgiven in God's eyes, yes, when the sin confessed,repented, and surrendered to God. This means that people who do this habitually can't just say, "Lord forgive me" everyday as they engage in sex outside of marriage. Repentance means turning away from the sin and to God. Now, about the covenant you made to each other. That sounds all sweet and cuddly, but here's the deal: you did not make a covenant to each other. If you were really committed to each other you would have had gotten married earlier or waited before having sex. People who choose not to get married and opt for shacking up instead have basically said, without words, "I'm with you until something better comes or I'm tired of you." A true, biblical covenant between a man and a woman will not be some pinky-promise in which we make ourselves feel better for accommodating our sinful desires.

* What is marriage? Is it the vow we take or the actions in sex? If it is sex, then were we considered married before in God’s eyes if we had sex before marriage?

This is a great question. In the biblical days, there were formal weddings and ceremonies. We see this when Jesus goes to the wedding banquet and turns water into wine. The "icing on the cake" if you will, was the act of sex to consummate the marriage; when they got home, not at the banquet :-). In a our current culture and society, rarely do man and woman wait until making their vows of commitment and legally marrying before having sex. Does it make them married in God's eyes if they have, no. Does it make them fornicators (people who had sex before marriage), yes. Marriage is marriage. The state doesn't see you as married unless you do it legally, and we are to follow the laws of the land according the Scripture, so marriage is marriage and sex is sex. The order should be 1. a legal and binding marriage, recognized by the state and God. 2. sex between the husband and wife after the legal and spiritual commitment has been made.

* So no sex before marriage, is marriage the commitment to each other or the legal recognition of that commitment?

Same answer as the question above.

Sex Questions: Part 1

2009-08-27T10:06:00.003-05:00

Here is the start of answering some of the questions that were texted in during service on Sunday. The following answers are in no way reflective of the Journey Church, my friends, or family...though they probably should be. LOL

* What does God say to teen girls about chastity & purity?

God says the same thing to teenage girls that he says to everyone else about chastity and purity: in order to engage in sexual activity it is expected that we are in the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. All sex outside of this context is sin. Unless we are in the boundaries that God designed for our sexual behavior, we are all to remain sexually pure. Marriage is described as a covenant in Malachi 2 and Proverbs 2. It is outlined in Genesis 2:18-24 as being between one man and one woman, and confirm by Jesus as this in Matthew 19:4-6.

* Is it a sin to have sex before you are married?

This is a softball and thank you to whoever asked this. YES. Watch the sermon online here or read the answers to the other questions.

* Is my foot fetish a bad thing? I am single. I don’t have to have pretty feet to get off but I have a hard time to go out with women with ugly feet?

My initial response would be to say "no" your foot fetish is not a bad thing. I would say that being single, and saying that you don't have to have pretty feet to "get off," you are probably sinning in that way. In other words, you shouldn't be "getting off" until you are married. When it comes to having a hard time dating someone who has ugly feet, I'm not sure what to tell you. I think you have to start by being more concerned with who you are dating and who they are as a person, instead of wondering what their feet look like. I would say not to look at their feet until you know their heart and know their personality. You could lose the person of your dreams because their toes are longer than you would like. That seems to be a high cost for some feet.

* Is sexual sin different than other sin such as a prideful nature or gluttony?

No. Sexual sins are no different than any other sins (prideful nature or gluttony). All sins condemn us before God and sentence us to an eternity in hell. Our only hope to put our faith in what Jesus Christ has done for us, confess, repent, and surrender to him. I will add; however, that sexual sins have major physical, emotional, and spiritual effects that sometimes other sins may not bring with it.

Sex Questions Texted in during Service

2009-08-26T09:41:00.006-05:00

There were some really good questions asked on Sunday during the message through our text-a-question element. Many of the questions were questions that will be answered in upcoming sermons. Others were questions that were able to be answered during service. The ones that didn't make the cut, I will answer on the blog over the next couple of days. Take a look at the questions.

Questions that will be answered in upcoming weeks:

* Do you feel like gay people have the right to worship God?

* How can you punish someone for being born gay? DNA change in them is a fact proven. It to me is being wronged for being born with blue eyes.

* Is living together before you’re married a sin?

* If a husband or wife wants to have sex and the other spouse is “not in the mood”, who has to make the sacrifice & why?

Questions I answered Sunday:

* Is there sex in heaven?

* Where do you look in the Bible for guidance for the talk & how do you take out prejudice if you were molested as a child?

* Why was it not a sin to have more than 1 wife in the old testament? Because the man would lust for the second wife before he married here therefore he would have sinned against the first wife.

* Sex is created for husband & wife only. All other is sin. God does not recognize divorce. That is created by man. So if remarried, are you not committing sin?

* My boss is divorced & has a boyfriend that she has sex with. She is supposed to be a Christian. Should I talk to her about this?

* When you are rapped, are you responsible for the sexual sin?

Questions I will answer on the blog over the next few days:

* What does God say to teen girls about chastity & purity?

* Is it a sin to have sex before you are married?

* Is my foot fetish a bad thing? I am single. I don’t have to have pretty feet to get off but I have a hard time to go out with women with ugly feet?

* Is sexual sin different than other sin such as a prideful nature or gluttony?

* Is it a sin if your other half swings and you’re ok with it but you don’t?

* What if your only partner is your husband, but you had sex before marriage? Is that still going to condemn me to hell in God’s eyes? We were engaged and had made a covenant to each other.

* What is marriage? Is it the vow we take or the actions in sex? If it is sex, then were we considered married before in God’s eyes if we had sex before marriage?

* So no sex before marriage, is marriage the commitment to each other or the legal recognition of that commitment?

Book Giveaways

2009-08-24T16:38:00.002-05:00

We did something Sunday that we haven't done before at The Journey. We did a book giveaway to someone in the crowd around the topic that we are talking about. The following books will be given out during the series. If you don't get one, you can still have the information to go get them.

How and When to Tell Your Kids about Sex by Stan and Brenna Jones (gave this away Week 1)

A Celebration of Sex by Douglas E. Rosenau

Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God by C.J. Mahaney

Intimate Issues by Linda Dillow an Lorraie Pintus

Going All the Way by Craig Groschel

Sunday Evening Reflections

2009-08-23T19:12:00.003-05:00

This has been one incredible day! I think this is by far one of my favorite ministry days in all my time in ministry. Our services this morning were awesome in my opinion. Our Lebanon Campus broke an attendance record and our two campuses combined today broke all Journey attendance records, including Easter. There are some amazing things happening right now in our church and you can just tell that God is about to blow our minds with some things.

I felt really good about the message today. I have to be honest with you, I rarely get nervous before speaking, but I was jittery before getting up this morning. I barely slept any Saturday night because of the anticipation. I pray that God will use the message to stir conversations, convict hearts, and call people to repentance. We have to get use to talking about sex if we are going to live in a culture that is in constant conversation about it. I look forward to the weeks ahead as we keep engaging in this important conversation. Be sure to send people to the website if they want to see the sermon or go download it from itunes.

We also had our first Hartsville Campus info meeting. We had a great time talking about what we believe God is going to do in that area. You will hear more info as we keep moving forward, but we are targeting Easter 2010 as our official launch date. We will begin preview services sometime early 2010. John Griffin has officially been named as Campus Pastor for the Hartsville Campus. We are excited about John moving into this role. Please congratulate him the next time that you see him. More details on Hartsville coming soon!

Finally, we announced today the start of our new 6pm service time beginning September 20th. This service will be at the Lebanon Campus and will be a mirror image of our Sunday morning service. The goal is to create another opportunity for people to worship with us, and particularly, reach Cumberland University. In addition to Cumberland students we seek to reach people who may attend Titans games, sleep-in on Sunday morning, and other unchurched folks. We are pumped about this service. Let people around you know about it.

God is doing a major work right now. Don't take this for granted Journey Church. Savor these moments. Be in prayer for our leadership. Please pray for me as I try to continue hearing from God and serve Him faithfully. We are moving closer every week to living our desire of being: One Church, in Multiple Locations, Igniting a Jesus movement.

Confessions of a Sinful Pastor

2009-08-19T06:36:00.005-05:00

I'm a very optimistic person. I will rarely take the side of pessimism when comes to anything. I simply refuse to be the person who has something to complain about around every corner. I try to take this optimism into every environment I'm in. Recently, I've noticed that there is an area in my life where I am pessimistic. What is that area? Other churches. That's right, I said it, I'm pessimistic about other churches.

The reason I say this is because I tend to have doubts about other churches and church plants/planters motivations. I know many people have genuine hearts to plant churches so that they can reach people, but I also know that church planting has become the hip and trendy thing to do. I have found myself getting pessimistic. The thing that is worse, I've been unconsciously jealous or envious of other churches success. I have had the mindset of "if they are successful, we may not be." It is a ridiculous way of thinking, but one that God revealed to me that is in me.

Here is what God began to show me. God revealed to me that if I'm not careful, I will be concerned with my success over and above the success of other churches. Which at the end of the day means that I desire for myself to be known more than I desire God to be known. God gently reminded me of the passage in John 3:30 where John the Baptist says of Jesus baptizing more people than him, "He must become greater, I must become less." I think that is what needs to happen in me. He must become greater, which means more churches having more success. I must become less, which means that I remember that its not about me or "my" success. Recently, I have started a habit of praying for all the local pastors and that God would bless their family and church, and make them successful. I pray that you would join me in that endeavor.

I hope my honesty doesn't repel you, but it is simply a confession from a man who needs forgiveness for my selfishness.

Sunday Evening Reflections

2009-08-16T18:39:00.004-05:00

Today was a milestone day at The Journey. It is so exciting to be a part of what God is doing in the church. Every week we see new faces, more commitments of faith, and more lives transformed to follow Christ. I love being able to look back at where we have come from and just sit back and be in awe of God. We are in some exciting times right now in the life of the church.

The more I reflect on all that is happening the more I realize that we have an amazing opportunity to reach our communities. With that opportunity comes major responsibility. God is giving us an influence and a voice and we must bring glory to Him with that voice. My prayer is that we would stay hungry for His Presence. That we would stay hungry to see lost people become found people. That we would stay hungry to see lives transformed. If we stay hungry Journey Church, there is no ceiling as to the influence and impact we can have in our region.

I'm grateful to be the pastor and one of the leaders at such a great church. I love the people. I love the mission. I love our commitment to the things of God. May He continue to be lifted up by us and in us. May we live each day with an eye for those who need Him and take big risks to love those who most cast aside. May we stand amazed each time we gather because He is moving powerfully in our midst.

We have a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT this Sunday so don't miss. Also, the new Sex Series starts this Sunday and it is going to be one the best series we have ever done. Get there early each week and bring friends! Final Stats today: Biggest crowd in the history of the church, Easter included, and 13 baptisms!

Friday Fun

2009-08-14T10:10:00.003-05:00

I thought we would have a little Friday fun. Take a shot at creating the caption for this photo or if you like, create the next sentence out of this guy's mouth.

My caption: Huhhhhh, I promise at was at home last night!

The Cost of Discipleship

2009-08-12T06:24:00.002-05:00

You may or may not be familiar with the book The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, but it is a classic on the life of one who desires to "carry their cross." I spoke on discipleship on Sunday at church, but the lesson I'm learning about it is still ongoing. I'm being challenged by God in a big way. Discipleship is that process of transformation in which we reflect the image and likeness of our Lord through our lives. As I have thought about this, there are many things in our lives that could destroy that process of transformation.

I was reading a tweet from Rick Warren the other day and it said this: "What we laugh at reveals a culture's heart. When impurity and mediocrity are considered hilarity we have a problem." When I read that it stung me. I kept reading it and reading it. The thought that came across my heart and mind was, "there are things that I laugh at that really show that my heart needs changing." I watch movies and T.V. shows that have crude humor. As I thought about it, the things that I laugh at make me no different than a culture I'm trying to reflect Christ to. I'm not one of those people who in anti-everything because I am Christian. But I'm realizing that if I'm not careful I will be swayed and lulled into a comfortable drift along with the rest of the culture. Think about this for a moment: how far off-base have comedy movies over the last two decades drifted? Think about the difference between "Caddy Shack" and "The Hangover." I do not recommend "The Hangover" to anyone simply because of how crude it is.

As I find myself seeking to become more like Christ, I have to evaluate what things that I engage with and consume from our society. Do I really need to watch that show? Is this movie that important to go watch? Is this music truly honoring God? I know some of you may say, "oh, come on, it is not going to hurt anything to watch this or listen to that." But my question back to you would be: "is there not a cost to discipleship?"