I See The Lord

Some of you, no doubt, recognize those words as the beginning of Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6. Others immediately think of the Chris Falson worship song we've sung many times from that passage, "I see the Lord, seated on the throne, exalted; and the train of His robe fills the temple with glory".

This morning 'I see the Lord' takes on an a whole new meaning - as in, 'I see the Lord! There He is right there on that piece of sheet metal!'

That's right folks, you can own a piece of sheet metal said to bear an image of Jesus' face supernaturally. The item is up for bid on eBay... as I type this the bid is up over $2000 and more than 40 people have entered bids. What are you waiting for? Click here to view the item.

$2000???? I am going to poke around the building. Certainly there is something around here that looks like Jesus.

What's On My Mind?

I saw this headline this morning and couldn't help but chuckle: "Bill Clinton Needs 25 Interns For Meaningful Service". (Imagine Bill Clinton voice imitation here: 'Honey, I've got a very important job for you!') Here's the link if you're interested.

The MHDC Dancers had a great weekend at KAR in Northampton, MA. I'm proud of the team. I'm especially proud of Amanda - she showed me the heart of a champ this weekend.

Simeon, Derrick, Mike, Brian, Shelton and Booger. Without a new Collective Bargaining Agreement in the NFL, these and more of my favorite Buccaneers may be leaving Tampa. It's setting up to be a sad day in Tampa Bay. (And yes, that 350lb. d-lineman likes to be called Booger - What do you have to say about it?)

My mom's health - she was recently diagnosed with diabetes. She always rises to a challenge, so I will once again be inspired to see her face this one.

Winter break for the girls from school. Chores, chores, chores! And they collectively groan, "DAD!"

Maderyna - a young friend in Namibia who is said to be living on her own at 14. He is a 'Father to the fatherless'. I pray to see that truth realized tangibly very soon in her young life.

A quote that a friend just sent me from a Lee Stoebel book: "To have a relationship with Jesus Christ goes beyond just knowing the historical facts about him, yet it's rooted in the historical facts about him. I believe in Jesus on the basis of the historical evidence, but my relationship with Jesus goes way beyond the evidence. I have to put my trust in him and walk with him on a daily basis."

What will people think when they find out you're a Jesus Freak?

Dog, the Bounty Hunter... why is he on my mind? I don't know. My mind is a dangerous place.

What's on your mind?

Along The Way (25/Feb./2006)

Saturday... Greetings from Northampton, MA. The girls are preparing to compete at K.A.R. this afternoon. I stayed up too late reading and working on some writing. When I finally went to sleep it lasted about an hour when at 2:30am I was jarred awake by a couple having a very serious argument outside our room. Thankfully the argument didn't last too long and never escalated beyond yelling and cussing (I'd have hated to have to toss some foul mouth kids off the hotel balcony). But, the damage was done as I remained awake for another hour or so before I could fall back asleep. So, I spent time praying for you - those who read these words on Saturday.

I'm enjoying a few books right now. I just began a new Thomas Jefferson biography, having finished Teddy Roosevelt last week. I'm really enjoying Eugene Peterson's 'Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places'. I'm purposefully reading it only a few pages a day so that I can really ponder it. I also tossed Henri Nouwen's 'Here & Now' in my bag leaving the office. This is a little book laid out to be short daily readings that I read over vacation in 2002. I've felt like revisiting it for a while, so between dance numbers this weekend is the time.

Oh yes, and the gospel of John with my friends in the small group. It's chapter three this week - yes!!! It's a Jesus-Freak favorite chapter, for sure. New Charlie Hall in the player... liking it more than I expected since I've not been a big Charlie Hall fan. Have a great weekend!

Coming To A Coffee House Near You

Someone, who I shall mercifully allow to remain nameless, sent this link to me. It is a Christian artist's (and I use the word artist very lightly) parody of an old Sir-Mix-A-Lot rap called 'Baby Got Back', a song about girls with large rear-ends. This one is called 'Baby Got Book'... enough said. Why do Christians do this stuff?

Those of you who are familiar with the original version, imagine what I could do with it singing about the big 'buts' of the Bible. Hmmm. I'm feeling inspired. Get the band assembled! Who's got a turn-table? "I like big 'buts', I cannot lie..."

Generational Perspectives (pt. 2)

The second half of our study last Sunday took us to 1 Timothy 4:12-5:2. That first verse (v. 12) acknowledges what is a natural inclination, younger leaders are very often looked upon with doubt by those of more mature generations. That is not unreasonable as wisdom and experience come with time. Yet Paul's admonition is this: make it be about your character, not your age.

Paul goes on to say (in v. 14) "Don't neglect {your} gift". A natural tendency in light of being taken lightly is to give up and walk away.

As members of the younger generation you have much to offer. Hear Paul's challenge: make it about character not age, and then share what you have to offer, because it is God who has given your giftedness and your passion to the church.

Parson to Person

#17 - An ongoing 'imaginative/non-fictional' series.

My next few days were filled with drop clothes, paint rollers and a fair amount of ‘goof-off’ to clean up the mishaps. Dani’s room was officially ‘rusting’ now. She was thrilled! The effort to makeover Dani’s bedroom had given me the opportunity to talk about Catholicism with her. I’d identified the book she had located on my shelf – Roman Catholicism by Lorraine Boettner. Dani and I talked about the book.

“Honey, that book was written 50 years ago. It was a textbook in an Apologetics class, or something like that.”

“Well Dad, the liner notes basically say Roman Catholicism isn’t genuine Christianity, but rather that it gets in the way of real faith in Christ. Do you believe that? Do you believe that someone can’t genuinely believe in Jesus Christ and be active in the Catholic Church?”

“Dani, I don’t think the book is about whether someone believes in Jesus Christ, but rather it questions some of the doctrines of the Catholic Church that are Biblically indefensible.”

As we went back and forth I felt like I was avoiding her real questions. I wondered whether I was sidestepping because I didn’t have answers or because I didn’t like the answers that I had. We both agreed that we would continue the conversation. Before we moved on to other topics, Dani had a surprise for me.

“Dad, Renaldo and his parents are going to come to Covenant on Sunday.”

I was genuinely excited to hear that. In our conversations Dani had spoken very highly of the Santiagos. I looked forward to meeting them.

Sunday came. Dani introduced me to Hector and Lucienne Santiago and to their son Renaldo. Our introduction was nothing more than a quick exchange of pleasantries, however, as it was almost time for me to start the service.

I headed to my office to grab my notes when I heard an all-too-familiar voice: “Good morning Brian.”

Jay and Evelyn Dukes had walked through the door. With them were Earnest and Sylvia Wright, a couple I hadn’t seen at Covenant for quite some time. The Wrights had left Covenant after a church budget meeting saying they disagreed with the direction Covenant was headed. I assure you, it did my stomach no comfort to see the Dukes and the Wrights enter the building together this Sunday morning.

The Atheist Was Sold... For $500

Many of you recall that I mentioned an eBay auctioned atheist - that's right, a man auctioned himself off as an atheist willing to visit and participate in church services for a price. The winning bidder was a group called "Off The Map". They paid $500 for the atheist, Hamant Mehta. Take a look at Off The Map's website and poke around the 'Atheist' links. Read Hemnant's journal on his first couple of encounters with the church, and read some of the posted comments. What a hoot! What interesting and thought provoking insights! Where can CCA buy an atheist?

Generational Perspectives (pt. 1)

The first part of our consideration yesterday was from Deuteronomy 6:4-9. That text focuses attention on the manner in which God's story is conveyed from older generations to younger generations.

Jesse led us through a reading from Psalm 136, and then he and the music team led us in singing the song 'Forever', based on that same Psalm. The Psalm is arranged in such a way as to demonstrate God's particular care for His people over many generations; beginning with the Creation work of God, continuing thru His redemptive work in the Exodus, continuing thru His provisional work during the wilderness wandering and settling of the promise land, and then on to His faithfulness during the present day experiences of the Psalmist. At each step the refrain is sounded 'His love endures forever'.

Certainly the New Testament and the history of the church continues to add to God's story. Those of the more mature generations today can add their particular experiences and those of their forefathers to the redemptive history storyline. And all of this to the benefit of those younger in their faith - His love endures forever!

We live in a day when those more mature in their faith are often tempted to 'retire' in the life of the church, thinking the younger generations have no use for their perspective. That could not be further from the truth. Your wisdom and your experience are needed. Are you willing to lend your experience to the continuation of God's story?

Along The Way (19/Feb./2006)

Well it was a week late (drats that snowstorm!), but still a blessing to celebrate my sixth anniversary at Christ's Church. Thanks to Jesse, Lisa, Paula, Peter and Kirk for leading us in song. I cannot tell you what a blessing our team of leaders and musicians have been to me. This morning I watched Carey show up early and make his way around handling all the last minute details. Jim and Germaine were in the booth making all the necessary adjustments to sound and visuals. It was a pleasure to have Leanne with us from Bosnia to share an update on what God's doing there. Awesome day!

This afternoon we gathered at Pinkerton Academy to see the MHDC dancers perform for Make-A-Wish. In addition to my girls' participation, it was fantastic to see many of the girls that went to Namibia with us last summer perform. It brought back memories for me, as Make-A-Wish last year was the day after our first team meeting, when we had just begun to get to know the dance team. I'm proud of the dancers. They do indeed dance to make a difference.

More From Bono

A few days ago I posted an article entitled 'Check Your Theology' which mentioned U2 frontman Bono's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. On Mark D. Robert's blog, here, he gives a review of Bono's thoughts with commentary. I offer this for those of you interested in reading a little more of Bono's philosphy on the poor globally and the church's obligation to minister. I say it's all interesting to ponder. Enjoy.

For Our Saturday Night Readers (try, try again!)

As you might expect since we managed to miss last Sunday's services, I am planning to bring the same study that I had planned for last weekend in the morning. We will complete our six week study related to our Vision and Core Values, focusing on 'Generational Leadership'.

Tonight you might read thru the texts that we will read in the morning: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 1 Timothy 4:12-5:2. You might also take a look at Psalm 22:30-31 and Psalm 78:4.

Prepare your hearts to worship in hearing testimony of the immensity of our God. Leanne Gallick is with us from Bosnia, and she will briefly share an update of what God is doing on the other side of the globe.

In song, Jesse and the team are preparing to lead us into the Lord's presence with some of our favorites, old and new. The list includes Great Is Thy Faithfulness, I Love You Lord, Satisfy and How Great Is Our God - something for every generation of musical tastes. I look forward to worshipping together with you tomorrow.

Same-Sex Marriage Makes Sense

If you take God out of the equation!

Leading voices in the fight to legalize same-sex marriage frequently ask the question, ‘Do heterosexual married people have the right to say who can and cannot marry?’

No we don’t.

That answer begs us to ask ‘Who, then, has the right?’ and in so doing it harkens us back to the inception of marriage. The real question that we need to answer is this: Who designed marriage?

This is at the very heart of the ‘One Man + One Woman’ versus ‘Same-Sex’ marriage debate. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say that if we take the One who designed marriage out of the equation, any definition we come up with for marriage makes sense. For who is to say what can and cannot be called marriage?

If marriage is to be defined by people, an allowance for ‘any individuals wishing to demonstrate their commitment to one another publicly’ makes sense.

If marriage is to be defined by people, then needs for expediency, the administrative, social and legal hurdles that some in committed relationships experience should be enough to qualify any shared living arrangement for marriage.

It is at this point that proponents of same-sex marriage may accuse me of fear tactics – claiming that by allowing homosexual couples to marry we step onto a slippery-slope that will lead to legalizing polygamy, polymory (group marriage) and so on. That is not my point. My point is simply this: if we take the One who created marriage out of the equation, than every voice – every voice! – has as much right as the next. Every argument bears the same authority.

The debate over same-sex marriage is not about the legitimacy of any couples’ love for one another. This debate is not about any couples’ rights under the law. It is not about equality. It is a debate over the very definition of marriage, a definition that has not changed since it was instituted – the union of one man and one woman; two becoming one – by the One who designed it.

Along The Way (17/Feb./2006)

Friday... The end of another week. I realized that in canceling our services last week I did not get to celebrate my sixth anniversary with a worship service. Bummer. Ah, but this weekend we'll have our friend Leanne Gallick here from Bosnia to worship with us. Leanne will share for a few minutes during our services this weekend, and she'll be available between and after the services for folks to greet her and hear about what God is doing in Bosnia.

The only bad part about Leanne's visit is that it will require two trips to Logan in the next few days. I view it as a James 1 experience: an opportunity to consider suffering to be pure joy in the confidence that God is doing a good work in me. What? I have NO idea. But, He's God.

Check Your Theology

A few weeks ago I linked to a back-and-forth between Brian McLaren and Mark Driscoll on the subject of a Pastoral Perspective on Homosexuality. Most comments, those posted here and those in conversation 'off Blogway', trended against Driscoll's thinking.

Here's another opportunity. On Mark Driscoll's blog this morning he has offered a perspective on Global Poverty, examining the views of U2 frontman and humanitarian Bono. Give this article a read and let me know what you think by posting a comment. I'll chime in with my opinion a little later.

Stirring It Up!

My friend Don intended this to be a comment on the earlier article 'Is Marriage Evolving?' I asked his permission to post it as a contributed article. Enjoy!

Throughout history society has been afforded the opportunity to create new words. For your reference I offer the following web link:

http://www.randomhouse.com/words/newwords/index.html

You'll notice some of the new words have some similarity to an older word but, because it was slightly different it needed another word to describe it; ergo a new word and its own definition. They didn't just redefine an existing word.

You'll also notice that some of the words also were created, or evolved into existence, as a result of new technology or yes - (ahem) new ways of life or realities of life; goofball in the 1940's, doublespeak in the 1950's, hippie in the 1960's, chairperson in the 1970's, virtual reality in the 1980's, granny dumping in the 1990's, or how about one of this year's new words: mouse potato (person who spends much leisure time at a computer).

So as you can see, these new things or ways of life got their own word and their own specific definition.

Now, imagine a world (not too distant future?) where word meanings and definitions get changed simply to satisfy the desires of different groups or situations as they happen to come along "or evolve". Where by long standing definitions are modified to be all encompassing and less specific. What would be next, changing widely accepted theories or outcomes like the sum of 1+1?

At the risk of starting another moral debate concerning test tubes and Petri dishes or cloning, by definition could or will a mother or father end up being anything other than a female or a male? And heh, what about female and male? Perhaps someday it'll be argued that we've been interpreting those definitions too strictly all along and some ill-guided court will rule that God was wrong in His definitions of female and male as well. But wait; maybe if the definition of male and female were broadened or expanded, there would no longer be an issue with the use of husband and wife in the definition of marriage. End of debate. Let's find something else to redefine. Hey, I know, there must be something in the Ten Commandments that need updating to suit someone's needs.

I submit that the definition of marriage is, as it was defined from its early beginnings, a union between a man and a woman - as originally intended and created. To me, and by current definition, the phrase "same-sex marriage" is simply oxymoronic. If others want to come up with something that describes their union, a union that is not between a man and a woman all the power to them and I encourage them to do just that. Everything should have its own description and name.

Why not expand the meaning of the word mirage and use that? It's close enough to marriage, has some of the same letters and might better describe the type of “marriage” that exists between same sex couples. If not mirage, I'm sure there are all kinds of words in the cosmic word bank that are available and would better describe such a union other than “marriage”.

In choosing the one descriptive word or phrase for the union of other than a man and a woman, as much as I might not like to see the final rendition of the word and its description include the word "marriage", I would concede that something like "virtual marriage" is rather 21st century'ish sounding and might settle any non-God related arguments and serve the purpose.

However, I suspect that insurance companies, the IRS and a myriad of other bureaucratic groups, who have adopted God's long-standing definition of "marriage" for their classifications, might be hard-pressed to adopt any new rendition with open arms.

Perhaps that's the real issue here; and an issue best left for another thread on another forum.

This Is Our God

Last week I picked up the Chris Tomlin live CD and I've really been enjoying it. One song in particular has been a blessing, This Is Our God, a duet with David Crowder on this CD.

Consider these verses:
A refuge for the poor, a shelter from the storm - this is our God
He will wipe away your tears, return your wasted years - this is our God
A father to the orphan, a healer to the broken - this is our God
He brings peace to our madness and comfort to our sadness - this is our God
A fountain for the thirsty, a lover of the lonely - this is our God
He brings glory to the humble and crowns for the faithful - this is our God

These verses are interwoven around a chorus that proclaims:
This is the one we have waited for - Jesus, Lord and Savior - this is our God

I especially like the ad-lib part that David Crowder adds in: we are waiting... for You, for You on the latter choruses and the way the chorus changes from this is the one we've been waiting for to You are the one we've been waiting for as the song nears the end.

I've come to experience Jesus as all of these things at one point or another in my life. This song stirs those memories and my love for Him. My prayer is that you will discover Him to be all of these things - to be the One you've been waiting for.

Be My Valentine?

This is what's on my heart this Valentine's Day...
They say that opposites attract. My wife Shari and I may be living proof. The closest we came to having something in common is found in our high school records: she was always on the Dean's list and I was regularly being sent to the Dean's office.

I was a rebellious teen, and my folks decided that I needed religion to straighten me out. My family began attending Faith Presbyterian Church.

That first Sunday at Faith I will never forget. Right over the minister's left shoulder, seated in the choir loft, was a beautiful blonde with blue eyes. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. As we were leaving church my parents remarked, "Darin seemed really engaged in what the preacher was saying - he never took his eyes off of him!"

The very next Sunday I dragged my friend Todd to church. I told him, "Do you see that girl? I'm going to marry her!" Todd responded, "It's good that you're here in church - you better start praying."

The next week I brought a couple more friends along. My folks were so pleased, "Not only does Darin love our new church but he's inviting all his friends along. He's a budding evangelist."

There was one problem: I was deathly afraid to talk to her. She was a 'church girl', the choir director's daughter, no less.

For the next year and a half I admired her from afar. I suppose these days they'd call it stalking. I followed her to and from school and to all her extra-curricular activities. Everywhere she went I showed up. I got to where I knew her schedule and routines better than she did.

At the end of 1984, Bruce Springsteen was on tour. My friends and I camped out and got some really good tickets for the show. This was my chance. My hands trembled as I dialed the phone. My friends all crowded around to see how it would go.

It took Shari a few minutes to figure out who I was. I couldn't very well say, "You know, the guy who is stalking you." Eventually she figured it out. I mustered up the courage and asked her to the concert. She replied, "I'd like to go, but could you get an extra ticket for my boyfriend?" My heart sank, but I heard myself say, "Sure, I'll get him a ticket too."

Thankfully, the boyfriend decided he didn't want to go, and our first 'date' was set. It spelled the beginning of that guy's end.

There's just something about Jersey Shore music. That night we both knew that we had found a dear friendship. In the coming months our friendship deepened. We walked on the beach holding hands. We talked about our hopes, our dreams and our fears. Along the way, we found true love.

After a few years of dating, I did indeed marry that beautiful blonde in the church choir. This coming May we will be celebrating our 17th Anniversary. Along the way we've been blessed with four wonderful daughters.

Our differences turned out to be a strength. We compliment each other. My wife and I are an ideal fit: two having become one.

Over the years one thing has not changed. My heart still races whenever I see her. I'm still thrilled when she reaches to hold my hand. There is nothing that makes me prouder than stepping out into the world with my wife on my arm. There's nothing, this side of heaven, more precious to me that Shari. I love her more than words can express.

So for Valentine's Day, tonight, we'll likely curl up together to a little Bruce Springsteen music. You can be sure, I'll be the happiest guy in town.

Is Marriage Evolving?

I've been asked to write a series of short articles on issues surrounding the Marriage debate. Here's the first.

A frequent argument among proponents of same-sex marriage is that history demonstrates marriage to be an evolving institution.
Here’s the evidence:
· Prior to 1865 African Americans were not permitted to marry in many states.
· In 1933 married women were granted the right to citizenship independent of their husbands.
· In 1965 the U.S. Supreme Court overturned laws prohibiting married couples from using contraception.
· Prior to 1967 interracial marriage was forbidden in many states.
· In 1969 laws were established allowing the dissolution of marriage for reasons of ‘irreconcilable differences’.
· In 1975 laws were established allowing married women to establish credit independent of their husbands.
· In 1976 laws were established that allowed married women to get an abortion without spousal notification.

I would suggest another look at this argument. Does it really suggest that marriage is evolving? In the above timeline, do you see where marriage changed?

To be thorough, take the argument even deeper into history and more broadly across cultures.
Consider this:
· In the farthest reaches of history a great number of marriages were arranged and involved no consent on the part of the parties.
· Down through history a great number of marriages had nothing to do with love or consenting relationship but were arranged for religious reasons, tradition or the preservation of a bloodline.
· The official recognition of marriage covenant across time has included everything from the exchange of property, to the payment of dowries, to the public exchange of vows, to a court recorded document.

Did you see where the institution of marriage changed?

In all of these examples, those from American history and those from the farthest reaches of history, marriage in its very definition has not changed: it has always been a relationship between one man and one woman. Be they black, white or interracial, consensual or arranged, for reasons of religion, tradition or love, solemnized by exchanging sandals, the family dairy cow or a marriage license – marriage has always been in definition the relationship of one man and one woman.

The argument for same-sex marriage must be placed into proper context: it is not simply a ‘next step in the evolution of marriage’ – marriage is not evolving. It is, rather, an assault on the very definition of marriage.

Parson To Person

#16 - An ongoing 'imaginative/non-fictional' series.

Just before I left the office I decided to give Robin a quick call.
“The doctor says a procedure called a laparoscopic-section will take care of it all. No need for chemotherapy or radiation or anything like that. The surgery is set for Monday. A day or two of recovery and I’m good as new! Isn’t that great? I’m sure Sarah told you, my doctor is a Christian and prayed with me right there in the room. God was there with us. I’m sure of it.”

I celebrated the answers to our prayers with Robin for a few minutes. As our call came to an end I told her I’d likely see her at the diner. She responded, “Well, if not, I’ll definitely see you at church Sunday.” I revisited that statement in my mind as I hung up the phone. God is at work in her life. I’m so thankful to be witnessing this.

That afternoon Dani and I went on our Home Depot paint expedition.
As they mixed the paint she wanted, I imagined her room, looking like the walls were rusting (a horrible orangish-brown color called ‘Spice’). She was thrilled. We looked at border paper. Then we grabbed some color samples for trim. I convinced her that we should wait to buy trim paint until after we see what the walls look like‘rusting’.

We stopped for a sandwich on the way home.
“I’m bothered by something you said to me last night. You said that you didn’t think I’d like your friend Renaldo because his family is Catholic. Honey, what would have given you that idea?”

“Well, just the whole Protestant / Catholic thing”, she said matter-of-factly.
Before I could inquire further, she continued, “You’ve got a book on a shelf in your study that says Roman Catholicism is a cult. That’s what you think, isn’t it?”

Not sure of the book she was talking about and stunned that she paid any attention to my library, I attempted to answer her question with a question, “Well, what do you think?”

“No, Dad. Don’t make this about me. We’re talking about your views on Catholicism. What I read in that book doesn’t seem like the way Jesus would view Renaldo’s family. You know that I am a Christian. I don’t agree with your book. I think Renaldo’s parents are Christians. Renaldo? Well, the jury is still out on him. He says that he is because he’s been confirmed. We’re still talking about it. I’m sharing the gospel with him.”

I sat there in shock. Of course I was thrilled that my daughter had taken all of this much more seriously than I would have imagined. I was also at a real loss for an answer. What do I think? I imagined the voices of my college and seminary professors in chorus: “What do you mean asking yourself ‘What do I think?’”

Along The Way (13/Feb./2006)

Monday... a day off with very little 'off' involved. Yes, the list of things that need my attention has gotten long enough and the deadline (company coming later this week) had gotten close enough that I really need to get on to some chores today.

Later today I will be posting a few new articles, one on the marriage controversy and a new Parson to Person imaginative/non-fictional piece.

By the way, I had someone who has been reading that series come to me last week and say that they were outraged someone would call for my job for such ridiculous reasons (as is happening to the pastor character in the story). Let me be clear, the story is not real. It is imagined. I call it imaginative/non-fiction because the circumstances and settings are all too real in a number of settings across the country, but it's imaginative in that all of these characters and places are made up. None of the storylines have ties to Christ's Church. Sorry for the confusion.

Off to the chores... at least I'll have the Chris Tomlin CD I picked up last week to keep me company. Enjoy your Monday.

For Our Saturday Night Readers

As you prepare to worship the Lord as a congregation in the morning, here are a few important items to consider:

First, know that due to the expected snow storm that we've cancelled the 9AM service. We will worship together at 11AM tomorrow. I hope you can make it.

Next, we will be considering our Core Value of Generational Leadership tomorrow. You might read these texts for a little background: Psalm 22:30-31, Psalm 78:4, 1 Timothy 4:12-5:2 and Titus 2:1-7. I will likely include Psalm 136.

Finally, tomorrow morning we will be led in music by By Faith - a group of our regular Christ's Church worship musicians who are preparing to travel to Namibia this coming summer.

I look forward to worshipping our God together with you! See you in the morning.

It's All In Good Fun

This morning I've read a number of blog articles concerning the 'Emergent Church' controversies. John MacArthur's recently had a seminar on the evils of what he calls the Emergent Movement. In an article about that I see he has taken aim at David Crowder's book "Praise Habit" (see tallskinikiwi page linked on the right). Oops, I loved Crowder's book.

Anyhow, in poking through a number of links I found this one and it made me smile entitled "How you know the Emergent Church isn't for you". It's all tongue-in-cheek, so don't be offended. I hope you smile as you make your way down the page.

Along The Way (9/Feb./2006)

Thursday... I would very much appreciate your prayers today. I've set this day apart to tackle some important writing projects; there are a few Op/Ed articles on Marriage for Cornerstone Policy Research that I need to get out as well as work needed on my Pastor's Annual Report. Please pray that I can find and frame the right words, especially for the CPR articles. I really want to speak to the issue beyond the standard and anticipated Christian arguments.

News from the court... some have emailed and IM'd asking how the basketball went last night. There were no injuries. Shari and I both got to play along with a few other parents. The team (7-8 year old girls) had one of the coaches on their team defending their basket. He happens to be about 6'10". The first time I got the ball on the post I made a move to the hoop. Take that Shaquille! Shari caught it on tape - I'm beaming with pride! However, the next time (Becky takes great joy in reminding me that it was actually every subsequent time) I touched the ball, the giant in the paint stuffed me. We did have some fun though. I'm actually very impressed with how much the two coaches accomplished with these little girls over the couple of months they were together. It was a fun season. So this Saturday is their last game, with a chance to finish the season undefeated, and then a pizza party. I'll go to the party simply to ask other parents if they'd like to see the video of me "schooling" coach Dan. That's if ESPN hasn't bought the tape from me by then.

Recovered The Lost Post

Other than a general acknowledgement on Blogger's main page that they had some issues this past weekend, we really don't know what happened to one of my posts and its accompanying comments that disappeared sometime on last Saturday. Here is the article that we've recovered from our site.

Congress 2006
There were a number of highlights for me as I took in Friday at Congress. Certainly to lend my voice to a couple thousand others as Graham Kendrick and his band led us in song is a highlight. The three keynote speakers that I saw today all gave me much to think about.

Ted Haggard challenged me to consider my love for others. I recognize how easily I blur the line between selfless and selfish in my application.

Brian McLaren spoke from his book More Ready Than You Realize (a great read by the way) and challenged me to consider the importance of conversation and genuine relationships as I desire to share the love of Christ with others.

Joe Stowell challenged me to consider the manner in which I might show my love for Christ - by loving those that He loves.

Another highlight for me was the very few minutes I got to speak to Brian McLaren as he signed a copy of one of his books for me. He asked me about our congregation. We teased him about coming to Namibia with us (Brian, the offer was genuine!). I did mention the Leadership Journal back and forth that we've been watching. He simply asked me to pray for him where that's concerned. By the way, I've been liking your comments on that matter, both in the comments posted and in conversations we've had about it. I'm planning to chime in with my thinking on the matter tomorrow afternoon.

The best highlight for me? Sharing the day with G, Mike, Jackie & Ralph; spending a little time and sharing conversations with Dick & Kristen; seeing Allard, Sharon, Pam, Kathy and Kim; bumping into Mike & Michelle, Rick & Vicki, Steve & Linda, Brian and Bob; hearing a man that I don't know sing horribly - and very loudly - sitting right behind me (you know how it thrills me when people sing praises from the bottom of their hearts). It was thrilling to share another day of this journey in Christ with other Jesus Freaks.
originally posted by Darin on Friday 2/3/06 at 9:43 PM

Along The Way (08/Feb./2006)

Wednesday... I spent some time this morning praying with a few of the local pastors (our Wednesday morning routine) and getting updates on what God is doing in their congregations. Very encouraging! At lunchtime we had our weekly Staff Meeting here. I really enjoy just slowing down and taking stock at what God is doing in our midst... and then daydreaming a bit together about where He will lead next.

Word today from Namibia on a few fronts. A young lady we dearly care about in Rehoboth with Hope's Promise continues to really struggle. As I've been praying fervently for her for months I have come to really believe the Lord is going to use our team to make a difference in her life. A few of the logistic details we've been waiting on have come together. That is a real blessing. These things tend to happen much slower than my American mindset expects or desires. But, to have some things inked in today feels very good. Now on to the other 10,341 things we're still waiting on.

Basketball tonight! Yep, tonight is my daughter Becky's last practice of the season so the coach invited parents out to play the kids tonight. A little known secret: I still own freshman scoring records at my high school... right up until the time they threw me out (another story for another blog entry). I figure to totally dominate these little 7 and 8 year old girls! I'm going to slam dunk like mad on these 8 foot high hoops! I'm going to talk 'smack'! I'm going to own the lane! Those little girls hit the paint and I'll be throwing elbows! I'll be pulling rebounds off the boards! 7pm tonight... tip off! The preacher's got game!

After the game you can find me at home. I'll be looking to find my tube of BenGay and I'll be sleeping on the living-room couch so as to avoid having to climb the stairs. I should be fully recovered by Sunday.

A Small Part Of A Much Bigger Whole (pt. 2)

As I've reflected back over our study on Sunday I've been struck at how well YOU are articulating the message - Partnering as a Core Value of ours at Christ's Church. I'm thankful for YOU.

That first point: Partnering moves us outside of ourselves.

As a congregation there are a number of ways in which we've been stretched in relationship with those 'outside' our four walls. Certainly the intentional way we're growing in relationships with other congregations across our area is an example. Beyond that, the many growing relationships we have with other ministries in our region and the way we've been able to give into those relationships is another example. The way we've worked to further our international relationships is yet another. The effort in partnering last summer with a dance team from our community in coming alongside of our partners in Namibia stands as a pioneering example in this whole realm of relationship building and partnering. YOUR willingness to dream 'out of the box' and to, as a congregation, 'live and move out of the box' causes me to give tremendous thanks to God.

And, thank YOU, Christ's Church!

Coke or Pepsi?

Or that OTHER soda?

I stumbled upon this story thru an aggregate. This falls in that 'you're kidding, right?' category. People routinely tease me about my Coke preference (and I truly pity others for their Pepsi preference). The Soda Wars appear to have a new entrant. Please note how difficult it was for me to post this free of off-color puns and sarcastic humor about the nature of competition this competitor might bring to the table. Then rejoice that our citizenship is in heaven!

Parson to Person

#15 - An ongoing 'imaginative/non-fictional' series.

When Dan left I tried to move on with my day. Nevertheless I returned a dozen times to framing arguments and answers to the Duke’s complaints in my head. This whole thing seems so ridiculous! I worried about Sarah. This would worry her. And the girls. After all, Dani had already picked up hints of this from the Annie Duke at school. I wondered what kind of a toll all this would take at home. I offered my simple, oft repeated prayer, “Lord help me?”

Mid-morning, Lois offered a welcome break from my mental wrangling.
“Brian, there’s a Jesse Gerry on the phone.”

“Jesse, how are you?”
“Brian, your prayers made a difference. I called to thank you.”

We talked for a few minutes. The doctors had determined that he had a gastro-intestinal bug and that there was nothing wrong with his heart.

“Man, I’ve never been so scared in my life, but when you prayed with me… I don’t know, I was still worried, but… I can’t put it into words really… I just… I don’t know. I want to talk with you about this. What's your schedule look like?”

We made some tentative plans to get together as couples over the weekend, but acknowledged that we’d both need to check with our wives to dial in the time and place.

Later in the afternoon Sarah called. She had gone with Robin to her doctor. The news was good. The doctor was optimistic that they had caught things very early and planned to proceed with a ‘gentle’ course of treatment.

Sarah continued, “I’ve got to tell you what else happened. While we were waiting to see the doctor Robin asked me to pray with her – right there in the waiting room. Well, the doctor must have observed us praying because he mentioned it when he came in. Brian, he told Robin that he was a believer too and offered to pray with us before the visit was over. That had to be one of the most amazing thing I’ve seen. The doctor prayed for Robin! She was blown away. She talked about it all the way home.”

It’s amazing how those two conversations refueled my tanks. Could either Jesse or Robin possibly think their experiences were coincidences? Or is it that God is still God? I knew it was God, doing those God-things that He does. What an abrupt change to my mood!

And, there was more good news to come.

Another Banner Day At Church

A few months ago I posted a link to an article about a church choir that refused to quit singing when it was time for the preacher to speak - so he called the police and had the choir forcibly removed from the church. The paper referred to them as the rogue choir.

Today I ran across this article about a church that apparently fired their pastor, but he refuses to leave. So on Sunday the cops were summoned to interrupt his sermon. Give it a read. What do you think? I'm getting worried that people might leave Christ's Church for some more entertaining Sunday morning services. I'm also wondering, what if the rogue choir and the obstinate preacher got together?

A Small Part Of A Much Bigger Whole (pt. 1)

Yesterday we considered our Core Value of 'Partnering' looking at Luke 5:1-7.

I suggested four things that our Core Value of Partnering accomplishes:
(1) Partnering moves us outside of ourselves; (2) Partnering moves our concentration from mechanics/structures to people; (3) Partnering moves us to more closely resemble our Father; and (4) Partnering moves us to worship in a way He has intended.

I'm curious. What has been your impression of this Core Value at Christ's Church? How do you think we're doing with it? Are you seeing any of these four abovementioned results?

Blogger Issues?

Greetings Friends!
A few of you have noticed that a posting from Friday night that reviewed the first day of Congress 2006 and subsequent comments that were posted disappeared on Saturday. We're not sure how or why that happened. There were some issues with Blogger.com's server that day, but we're not clear on why the post and comments would have been deleted. Because our site is hosted on the Christ's Church site we should be able to recapture that posting and repost it later today. In addition we've put an inquiry into Blogger seeking an explanation. We'll let you know if we learn anything. In the meantime, apologies!

For Our Saturday Night Readers

As we prepare our hearts to worship as a congregation in the morning, here are a few things we might consider.

We will worship the Lord in the morning by observing the Lord's Supper. A passage you might read in preparing for the Eucharist is Matthew 26:17-30.

In the Scriptures tomorrow we will consider Luke 5:1-11. Give that text a prayerful reading tonight. See if you can guess which word in that text I plan to really expound.

As we worship in song come prepared to sing LOUD. The music set Jesse and the team have prepared includes the great hymn O Worship The King and the new David Crowder song Here Is Our King that we learned before Christmas. There are a few more favorites on the list. I look forward to worshipping our King together in the morning.

Off-Blogway - My Thinking?

A few days ago I began a series of three postings (see the Off-Blogway entries) linking to an article Brian McLaren wrote for Leadership Journal concerning a Pastoral Perspective on Homosexuality, a response from Mark Driscoll and then a follow-up reply from McLaren. I promised that after I gave you a few days to comment that I would chime in with my thoughts. First let me say, I’ve thought your perspectives, those few that were posted as comments and the many that we’ve discussed in passing during the week, were fantastic.

Allow me to frame my thoughts in three pieces, corresponding to the three entries in the story thus far.

Part 1 - I really liked Brian’s original article. I was particularly challenged to think about how I respond to people’s questions. How often do I speak too fast? How often do I miss opportunities to really speak into an issue by too quick a response? The term that comes to mind for me is ‘bedside manner’. I remember when my daughter Amanda was born there was concern that she was a month early. They wanted to check out her respiratory system and all of that, so they took her to a neo-natal unit briefly. While she was away from us a young intern came to see us. He read us all the textbook possibilities. Terms like “Infant Mortality” seemed to spill out of him. Before he left Shari and I were a wreck. I quickly called a friend of mine who was a seasoned doctor. He made a call to the intern and then called me back to give it to me in plain English. When I answered his call he was laughing. He assured me there was nothing to worry about. It was all a matter, he said, of this young doc not having developed a bedside manner. I concluded later that it also had a lot to do with the fact that for the intern I was simply another patient. To my friend, well, I was a friend. His answer to my questions was patient and considerate, because my total well-being and understanding was his aim.

I’ve been that intern doc. Looking back, I’ve tossed out a few black and white answers of which I am absolutely convinced (note the tense, ‘am’) but failing to realize the inquirer is living in a gray world. I’ve been the guy to quickly answer as if the inquirer is impersonal to me, failing to seize the opportunity to relationally approach their question. I don’t want to be that pastor anymore.

Part 2 – Let me begin here by saying I like Mark Driscoll. I’ve read some of his writing and really enjoyed a video he made about ministry in the 21st century. But, I think he blew it with this response. I really like the comment posted on my blog that reminds us that often we can generate more heat than light with our comments. I was reminded of a conversation I had with a homosexual friend this past summer (yes, this pastor has a homosexual friend). She shared with me an unpleasant encounter she had with a ‘born again Christian’ co-worker who regularly reminded her in front of their other co-workers that “God did create Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!” As she told me about how that hurt her (not the Adam and Eve part, but the co-worker seeking laughs at her expense) my heart broke. I really wish Mark’s response would have been sarcasm free and that he’d have chosen words a little more carefully. I think that would have made for more meaningful dialogue.

Lest you think this pot would call the kettle black, let me admit, I’ve been that guy too. I’ve dropped a sarcastic word or tossed a glancing blow in conversation or sermon to get a laugh that wound up instead touching a nerve. I don’t want to be that friend, preacher or teacher anymore.

Part 3 – I appreciate Brian’s reply to the replies. I think he makes very valid points, especially when he points out that he never did, in his original article, state his views on homosexuality, yet almost every response spoke as if he had. I think we often read through pre-devised lenses. Perhaps those lenses snap into place whenever we see a key-word. Try a few of these: Emergent; Evangelical; Conservative; Liberal; Republican; Democrat; Contemporary; Traditional, etc. Those words and others like them probably color our listening skills more than we realize.

In closing, let me heartily agree with Brian concerning the matter of ‘we’ as opposed to ‘us’ and ‘them’ in the way we conduct ourselves. I want to be that guy in conversation, realizing the person I am talking to is the apple of God’s eye. I want to agree where I can, and lovingly and respectfully disagree where I must. I want to do it all in such a way as to continue and further the conversation, not bring a halt to it. I too believe I’ll be wrong about a few things in the end. One thing I know that I am not wrong about is this: He loves it when brothers dwell together in unity.

Off Blogway - But Wait! There's More.

There is one more piece to the 'dialogue' between McLaren and Driscoll. I've posted this link so you can read McLaren's answer to Driscoll's rebuke and comments left by others. Once again, I invite your thoughts. I will post an article this weekend with my thoughts on the whole matter.

Read The Book! Don't Wait For The Movie (pt. 2)

Someone has said that Word and Sacrament are at the heart of our Christian walk, yet it's often the case that we keep ourselves very close to Sacrament but at a distance from the Word.

When I use the word 'sacrament' here, I am referring broadly to our religious practices, certainly including our observances of the Sacraments, but broader still, our propensity towards 'things religious'. We're a religious people. It is not uncommon that we continue in our religious practices more out of habit, upbringing or conviction than of heartfelt affection for the 'Object' of our religious devotion.

And what of our familiarity with God's Word? The Apostle Paul urged that we present ourselves to God "as one approved, a workman who does not need to ashamed, who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).

"Your word is a lamp to MY feet and a light to MY path" (Psalm 119:105). Can we make the profession the Psalmist makes?

Off Blogway - A Follow-up

Yesterday I posted a link to an article Brian McLaren wrote on the topic of homosexuality for Leadership Journal. Today I include a link to Mark Driscoll's response to McLaren's views. So give this a read and chime in. What do you think? I'll still plan to drop my thoughts in a little later.

Woop! There He Is!

This past Sunday I mentioned those occasions when people think they've seen a Theophany - or a supernatural manifestation of God. I mentioned the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that was sold for thousands of dollars on eBay because it was said to bear the image of Christ on it. Well, straight from the headlines, here's the latest. I found this story thru an aggregate site, Jesus' likeness seen on a wooden door at a church in Indiana. Let's arrange a pilgrimage... who's in? If I were the pastor of the church I'd put the door up on eBay. Someone would spend a mint for it.