RELEVANT Magazine - More Than a Follower

RELEVANT Magazine - More Than a Follower

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REJECT APATHY: An Invitation to Action!

Last night we started to explore the prevalence of apathy in our community. Nobody is perfect. And none of us have it all together. But there is a massive difference between a life that is characterized by the lukewarm, the indifferent and the unchanged and a life that is in the process of being radically transformed. I wanted to send a brief message this afternoon to remind us all that Jesus didn’t say if you want to follow me you can do it in a lukewarm manner. He said “take up your cross and follow me.”

Because that’s exactly what He did. He took up the cross and He gave everything. And he asks us for everything. But we try to give Him less.

And if, like me, you’re absolutely fed up of giving Him just a little then I want to remind you that there’s an invitation for you to come and see me this week so that we can figure out together how we can view God for who He really is, practice and celebrate the spiritual disciplines, worship Christ with our whole lives, and start working towards being known as a community that puts its faith into action. Reject apathy – even as you read this – reject it. And take some action towards the radical transformation.

I’ve cleared my schedule. I’m waiting to hear from YOU.

You have a choice: to adjust how you live daily or to stay the same.

Prayer Request for our Man in the Pearl:

I have just received a couple of messages from David Harrison's Mom asking me to pray for David (our Man in the Pearl). Rioting has broken out in Kampala and she wanted us to pray for his safety. Her second message is copied below. Please pray for Dave and the Harrison family. "Hi! I was able to talk to David a few minutes ago, at 9:30PM Ugandan time. He is locked down at the Peace Corps training center in Wakiso, just NW of Kampala where the violence broke out. Yesterday he was picked up by a driver and the two of them made the rounds to pubs and other public places. They told shops to close and warned people to go home. Now the streets are on fire and the rioting continues. He said Sat is going to be worse. The good news is that at the training center he is sleeping great! For the first time since arriving in Uganda, he said he awoke this morning feeling refreshed and clear headed. The shower and electricity are an added bonus! We will talk to him again tomorrow. Donna"

Flag Football Tailgate Party

Gearing up for the tailgate party tonight. Already purchased the food from Costco, just need to make sure the grill is working now...

Kick off at 6:30pm and police escort from the field at 9:00pm!

Come and join us. Bring your trucks. And bring your friends. Park up on Grace field and be ready for some good grillin'. It's FREE food and drinks, flag football, and a tailgate jacuzzi.

What more can I say???

Come early to help setup. Call me on 626 335 4067 x104 if you have any questions.

Empty Broom Cloests...

The Olive is still MIA.

So too is #16.

Life in the broom closet is all too quiet.

For today...

Big plans for the week ahead though, and lots kicking off starting tomorrow. More news to follow on the service this Sunday. We will have the new t-shirts available for purchase (bring $12.50 if you want one). And we're developing some new media ahead of our APU day on Friday. We should be on all local campuses over the coming weeks. But we're starting at the APU Freshman Orientation. If you're at APU then stop by and say hello. We may even try to get Olive involved via the majesty of skype! The promise of that alone should be enough to entice.

Evolution is a Fairytale: Thursday's Thoughts...

In January 2005, two remarkable events occurred. The first was that Oxford atheist and Darwinian scientist, Richard Dawkins, was publicly asked what he believed to be true but could not prove. This was an interesting question because he is on record as saying that you should not believe anything without evidence. Now he concedes, “I believe, but I cannot prove, that all life, all intelligence, all creativity and all design anywhere in the universe is the direct or indirect product of Darwinian natural selection.” He continued, “ Design cannot precede evolution and therefore cannot underlie the universe.” In other words, he admits that much of what he believes, including his fundamental assumptions about the universe, are a blind leap of faith, unsupported by evidence.

The other extraordinary event was that the international doyen of philosophical atheism, Prof. Anthony Flew, now aged 81, publicly announced that he has abandoned his atheism, and had done so on the basis of scientific arguments, which now persuade him that there is a God.

So two of the most prominent atheists in their fields have made startling confessions. The scientist admits that much of his belief cannot be supported by scientific evidence, while the philosopher abandons the very atheism that made him famous, precisely because of the scientific evidence. How much intellectual fun is that?

What Dawkins cannot verify concerns the creation of the universe. What persuades Flew that there is a God is the current scientific evidence about the origins of the universe.

Come and hear more about this on Sunday night as we uncover some of the popular dialogue between creation and evolution and discover the real relationship between faith and reason. Sunday night, 6PM @ Grace Church of Glendora.

Evolution is a Fairytale: Does Science Contradict Religion?

I've been looking at some other articles this morning and one in particular drew my attention - especially in anticipation of our guest speaker this weekend. This particular aticle responded to the belief that science is the only path to objective truth and is therefore in conflict with the subjective feelings and irrational dogmas supposedly characteristic of Christianity. One thought raised by the author (Philip Vander Elst) is:

"The advance of science over the last half-century has revealed powerful new evidence that life and the universe are the product of intelligent design, especially in the fields of astrophysics and microbiology. At the cosmological level, it has become increasingly apparent that the physical laws and parameters governing our universe (e.g. the force of gravity, the energy density of empty space, the difference in mass between neutrons and protons, etc.) are so exquisitely fine-tuned to permit the emergence of life, that even the tiniest alteration in any of these laws and parameters would have catastrophic consequences. Astrophysicist, Dr Hugh Ross, for instance, has identified 148 astrophysical parameters that must be ‘just so’ for a planet to exist that can support human life, yet the odds against this happening by chance are, he calculates, many times greater than the total number of stars in the entire universe! Given such facts, even so great an astronomer and former atheist as Fred Hoyle, has written: “I do not believe that any scientists who examined the evidence would fail to draw the inference that the laws of nuclear physics have been deliberately designed with regard to the consequences they produce inside stars.” That and other such observations from Hoyle have prompted Harvard astronomy professor, Owen Gingerich, to comment: “Fred Hoyle and I differ on lots of questions, but on this we agree: a common sense and satisfying interpretation of our world suggests the designing hand of a super-intelligence.” Or to put it even more plainly, consider the verdict of Robin Collins, an American scientist with three degrees and two doctorates in mathematics, physics, and philosophy: “The extraordinary fine-tuning of the laws and constants of nature, their beauty, their discoverability, their intelligibility – all of this combines to make the God hypothesis the most reasonable choice we have. All other theories fall short.”"

Join us on Sunday night at 6pm to find out more. (Grace Church of Glendora, 1515 S. Glendora Ave, Glendora, CA 91740)

Evolution is a Fairytale: Monday's Musings...

We're having a discussion this week that will focus on the popular debate between creation and evolution. We're having a guest speaker in on Sunday night but I'll still spend some time glancing over relevant books, articles, etc. One thing I'm interested in reviewing myself is whether or not faith and reason are mutually exclusive. Popular opinion seems to hold that it is. But I just found a couple of comments by some guys you might be familiar with:

Albert Einstein said, 'Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.' And C.S. Lewis makes the point that, 'The laws of motion do not set billiard balls moving; they analyse the motion after something else … has provided it.'

James May explores this dichotomy further and writes: "As an accumulated body of knowledge about the physical world, science is a magnificent tool, but as a description of the human condition it is clumsy and inadequate. Isaac Newton himself believed that science revealed the majesty of God’s created order. There may not be any ‘monsters’ in the forest, but it is another question to try to remove God as creator, and to destroy human value, morality and significance. Knowing how a clock works does not tell us the time. We may be able to describe life’s mechanisms, but what does it mean?

It is an error to read the creation story in Genesis through our modern eyes as primarily a scientific account of how the world came into being. It is rather a description of who made it, and why humans have a special place in it. Many Christian scientists therefore see no intrinsic disagreement between the biblical creation narrative and evolution as a possible description of the process God used during creation, though many doubt that evolution has the explanatory scope that is often claimed for it.

The Bible reveals what science is cannot explain: the origin of all matter created out of nothing, the basis of human value and purpose, and the reason human beings make such a mess of the world. Most importantly of all, it reveals the justice and mercy of the loving God who created the whole universe and then revealed himself within it, in the historic person of Jesus Christ."

Divorce is ALWAYS Destructive: Thursdays Thoughts...

WOW! I've almost missed an entire week...

Perhaps it's a result of Casey and Oli (or #16 and Olive) having left me to fester in the broom closet all alone and with too many loose ends to tie up. Come back fellaz; your COMPANY NEEDS you!!!

That said, it has been a busy week. So I decided to find some quiet time this morning and came to Classic Coffee on Scooty Puff so that I could continue studying and writing with fewer interruptions. This is my "sanity break" - coming up for air after too much time in text.

This week we're looking at divorce and having just read some intersting analysis from the Barna Group I thought I'd share some stats from their 2008 study as well as some analysis offered by George Barna himself:

• Among adults who have been married, the study discovered that one-third (33%) have experienced at least one divorce. That means that among all Americans 18 years of age or older, whether they have been married or not, 25% have gone through a marital split.
• Born again Christians who are not evangelical were indistinguishable from the national average on the matter of divorce: 33% have been married and divorced.

George Barna, who directed the study, noted that Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life.

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage," the researcher indicated. "Interviews with young adults suggest that they want their initial marriage to last, but are not particularly optimistic about that possibility. There is also evidence that many young people are moving toward embracing the idea of serial marriage, in which a person gets married two or three times, seeking a different partner for each phase of their adult life."

Divorce is easy and marriage is hard...come and find out why Grace states that divorce is always destructive.

Update on our man in the Pearl...

Hey,

For those interested in knowing how Dave is doing, here's an update I received from his dear old mum earlier today:

"If you haven't heard, Dave has been placed with his host family on a farm. The accommodations are better than some, with a 10ft X 12ft concrete building to himself. There are three of these buildings on the farm and the family lives in the other two. For the next 10 weeks, he has a daily 45 min bike ride each way to the training facility for intense language and culture school. Upon completion, he will be given his two year assignment.

He was going to have to figure out how to do his laundry. I guess that's where the host family comes in handy."

Please keep Dave in your prayers and check out his blog for regular updates: http://davidinthepearl.wordpress.com/

GAY IS NOT OKAY: Wednesday's Wonderings...

Most Christians have a hard time separating the sin and the sinner. Jesus did not. He didn't make the distinction between the outward sins and the less visible sins of the heart. So why do we?

Mike Haley was just one speaker at Biola's Torrey Conference last year. The conference focussed on "Sex and the Soul". In one session titled: "Beyond 'It's Wrong': A Christian Response to Homosexuality" he described a unique approach to this issue. Instead of elevating sexual sins committed between homosexuals to a whole new level and completely ostracizing the gay community through judgment, he calls for a response that encourages all sinners to strive for holiness. His simple reasoning is that any individual will sin less the closer they walk with Christ and the more they resemble Him.

I don't have an audio or video file from the conference. But I do have a clip of Mike Haley sharing some thoughts with the Catalyst Road Trip in 2008:

GAY IS NOT OKAY: Monday's Musings...

As the nation’s culture changes in diverse ways, one of the most significant shifts is the declining reputation of Christianity, especially among young Americans. A new study by The Barna Group conducted among 16- to 29-year-olds shows that a new generation is more skeptical of and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago. Why is this?

"Interestingly, the study discovered a new image that has steadily grown in prominence over the last decade. Today, the most common perception is that present-day Christianity is "anti-homosexual." Overall, 91% of young non-Christians and 80% of young churchgoers say this phrase describes Christianity. As the research probed this perception, non-Christians and Christians explained that beyond their recognition that Christians oppose homosexuality, they believe that Christians show excessive contempt and unloving attitudes towards gays and lesbians. One of the most frequent criticisms of young Christians was that they believe the church has made homosexuality a "bigger sin" than anything else. Moreover, they claim that the church has not helped them apply the biblical teaching on homosexuality to their friendships with gays and lesbians."

Are we guilty as charged? Keep an eye out for further postings on this topic throughout the week, and come to the service this Sunday night to discover what the Bible really says and what role the church and the gay community have played in creating this common perception of Christians.

Human Life is Sacred - Thursday: Abortion

Another issue we’ll be dealing with this Sunday is abortion. There will be a lot more said on Sunday night with reference to this issue. There are many aspects to the issue itself, but fundamental to the pro-life vs. pro-choice position is the question, at what point in the process of gestation does the unborn become a person?

I believe that the fetus has full personhood from the moment of conception. Professor Scott Rae forms the argument this way:

1. An adult human being is the end result of a continuous growth of the organism from conception (this premise has hardly any debate).
2. From conception to adulthood, this development has no break that is relevant to the essential nature of the fetus (this is the debatable premise, but any proposed breaks are not comments on the nature of the fetus).
3. Therefore, one is a human person from the point of conception onward (and no one debates that this conclusion follows from the above two premises).

One key to this argument is: From the moment of conception, the fetus possesses all the capacities to develop into a full adult. Therefore it is wrong to speak of a fetus as a potential human being. Rather, the fetus IS a person with the full potential to develop all of its latent capacities.

If you’re interested in this topic I would highly recommend Scott Rae’s book Moral Choices, the Stand to Reason website: www.str.org, and coming along on Sunday night to hear from Pastor John.

Human Life is Sacred - Wednesday: Another Issue We Often Muddle

Euthanasia: there is a distinction between refusing treatment and causing death. But we do little to enlighten people when we do not differentiate between euthanasia and refusing medical treatment.

Another tactic employed by advocates of euthanasia is to present euthanasia as the only recourse for people who are unable to die as they wish. Rob Moll writes: "'Death with dignity' or the 'right to die' need not be euphemisms for suicide. Dying can be done in relatively comfortable and painless ways, without intrusive machines and tubes. For the increasing number of patients with progressive illnesses, we need not offer death by prescription—especially when doctors can instead pursue patient comfort and give patients time to prepare themselves psychologically, relationally, and spiritually for dying."

What do you think; is death with dignity only plausible through some form of suicide? Does it really even matter? Why or why not? Come and hear from Pastor John this weekend.

Human Life is Sacred - Tuesday's Thoughts on Stem Cell Reserach

Stem Cell research is definitely a hot topic and that's one of the reasons we'll be looking into it a little more this week. It seems to me that many people weigh in on this topic without the least bit of basic knowledge on the subject (when is that not true of a politically incorrect topic and bullish individuals?); but this specific issue seems to be one in which many are particularly lacking. Now, I don't have an adequate knowledge myself, which is why I'm taking some time to look into it this week. But it would seem that I know a little more than some leading speakers on the issue.

The last time I read anything about stem cell research was probably at the end of 2006 when I was breezing through Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation, and laughed at the sheer lack of basic research and understanding on the issue. His polemic attack on Christianity completely failed to address the key distinction between embryonic and adult stem cell research. An oversight that is common among people who have little regard for the sanctity of life. Back then it was the case that more breakthroughs were being made with research on adult stem cells than embryonic stem cells. In fact, no breakthroughs had been made with research carried out on embryonic stem cells, so it seemed fair for pro-life advocates to rally against the destruction of embryos for fruitless study. A case made stronger by the promise of advances in induced pluripotent stem cell research. And three years on it would appear that the pro-life case is even stronger.

Congressman Mike Pence acknowledges the distinction as he reflects upon the empty promise of embryonic stem cell research. He writes: "There is no right more fundamental than the right to life. There is no realm in which more exciting progress has been made than that of science. And the two are not inherently opposed to one another…I am a Christian who believes that life begins at conception and that a human embryo is human life. Therefore, I believe it is morally wrong to create human life to destroy it for research...Over the past two years, scientific breakthroughs have rendered embryonic stem-cell research obsolete, effectively removing any perceived need to destroy human embryos in the name of science. Adult stem cells have been used to treat an estimated 11,000 patients in the United States in the past two years alone, and over 70 diseases, including Parkinson's and diabetes, have been treated using adult stem cells.

But that's not all. By adding strands of genetic material to adult skin cells, researchers were able to turn normal skin cells into cells that are biologically identical to embryonic stem cells. These altered cells are known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and unlike embryonic stem cells, iPS cells do not require the destruction of human eggs or embryos...Ethical stem-cell research is a marvelous and wonderful exploration of human cells that will lead to more life-saving discoveries...Not only are iPS cells more easily obtainable, but they are also more cost-efficient and effective."

More to come on the sanctity of human life this week and especially this Sunday. Make sure you’re at Grace to discover what the issues are and how to respond.

Are You Ready To SERVE?

Last night we explored the concept of work as outlined in the Bible and contrasted it against the popular opinion of society. We discovered that society says that work is a means to an end – we work to live. Scripture tells us that we live to work. Society says that it’s okay to hate work or deny it. To avoid it and be enabled to do so because the government will provide for you. But Scripture says the exact opposite. It says that work is part of our purpose. It says that it’s not the role of the government to provide but the role of the church. God wants us to work so that through the church He can provide for those who can’t. So we are called to work and to provide for those in need. But not for those who willfully choose to be in need.

Work is intended for the fulfillment of man, the benefit of the community, and then, most importantly, Scripture teaches that through work God should be glorified. Is that true of you?

Are you ready to serve? To serve through your work and to serve in the church? COMAPNY122 NEEDS YOU!

This Sunday @ COMPANY122

We're moving forward with the Politically Incorrect series and this week's statement is:

"Those who won't work should NOT eat!"

Whew! How do we get our heads around that one?

Come on Sunday night to find out. We're meeting in Building A this week to make room for the VBS setup in the gym. We'll do CONNECT in Common Grounds and out on the Plaza from 9-10PM.

It's Communion Sunday and we have a challenging message as well as a fantastic call to worship led by Miguelito.

It's also our last opportunity to see Mr. David Harrison before he takes off on Monday morning to spend the next two years in Uganda. Make sure you show up to wish him well and join us in prayer.

See you all on Sunday night IN BUILDING A @ 7:30PM.

NEW COMPANY122 T-SHIRTS - Check them out!!!

Oli has done a fantastic job of designing us some new t-shirts with the COMAPNY122 logo. We're even ready to put in an order. So if you like what you see and want to get hold of one from the first run, then email me at: jparker@grace-church and let me know how many and what size.

Those who won't work should NOT EAT.

What did Paul mean when he wrote: For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."?

Seriously, I'm asking.

What did he mean and how does it relate to us today? How would God appropriate this verse for us?

Post some comments or send me an email.

The Problem of Evil...

Being a Christian isn't about knowing all the answers is it? But it isn't saying, "We can't know enough to make any decisions about spirituality" either.

There are a lot of questions being asked at COMPANY122 at the moment. Here's one response I found to the Problem of Evil:

Hell? No! Friday's Feelings.

There is one very serious defect to my mind in Christ's moral character, and that is that he believed in hell. I do not myself feel that any person who is profoundly humane can believe in everlasting punishment.

Bertrand Russell, atheist

Hell is God's great compliment to the reality of human freedom an the dignity of human choice.

G.K. Chesterton, Christian

Who is right? This is a difficult issue. D.A. Carson offered the following conclusion on hell:

"Hell is not a place where people are consigned because they were pretty good blokes, but they just didn't have the right stuff. They're consigned there, first and foremost, because they defy their maker and want to be at the center of the universe. Hell is not filled with people who have already repented, only God isn't gentle enough or good enough to let them out. It's filled with people who, for all eternity, still want to be the center of the universe and who persist in their God-defying rebellion.

What is God to do? If he says it doesn't matter to Him, then God is no longer a God to be admired. He's either amoral or positively creepy. For Him to act in any other way in the face of such blatant defiance would be to reduce God himself."

Hell? No! Can Hell be a part of evangelism?

I'm reading more about Hell this morning as I prepare to speak on Sunday night. Douglas Groothuis has this to say about the doctrine of Hell:

"We should encourage biblical preaching and teaching on hell set in its proper theological setting and presented with much prayer and compassion. As Francis Schaeffer said, the doctrine of hell must be taught 'with tears.'

Our everyday witness must involve a warning as well as a welcome. We welcome people to find eternal life in Christ, but we must also warn them of the eternal death that awaits those who reject the gospel. Pascal said, 'Between heaven and hell is only this life, which is the most fragile thing in the world.' Given the biblical warnings about hell, the non-Christian ends up betting his or her eternity that Christianity is a lie. We should challenge people to investigate intently the claims of Christianity, considering all there is to gain and all there is to lose."

Is he right or can we ignore the doctrine of Hell and simply love people into heaven?

Hell? No! Sharing the hope we have...

Ever seen this?

Are you willing to risk your life for an enemy? Because truth be told, it’s not even your life is it? It’s your reputation or your embarrassment that you’re risking most of the time. Christ gave everything. He filled the sand with crimson. And we are surrounded by the terrorists he gave His life for. And we’re watching them die. We’re watching them roll on the ground as they try to put out the flames of hell. Because we’re not willing to share the hope that we have with people who have no clue.

Hell? No! Tuesday's Musings...

We're talking about hell this Sunday night and I'm beginning to pull a sermon together. I've been pondering the fate of those who haven't explicitly heard the gospel today: can a good God send people who haven't heard the gospel to hell? Well, there's a lot to be said about that question alone, but one thing I have been thinking about is general revelation: there is no-one that is totally ignorant of God. All of us have some knowledge of him and will be judged according to that. God 'will give to each person according to what he has done', not according to what he had no opportunity to do. Those who have really never heard the gospel today are in a similar position to those who lived

before Christ. Is it not possible for them to respond to the knowledge of God they do have?

Pastor Gene put it this way to me: Light received brings greater light. Light denied can bring the night.

We'll explore this together on Sunday!

"You don't need the bible, creeds or the Church to be spiritual"

C.S. Lewis tells a story of an officer in the RAF who, after listening to a talk on Christianity, burst out with the protest: "I've no use for all that stuff. But, mind you, I'm a religious man too. I know that there is a God. I've felt him: out alone in the desert at night: the tremendous mystery. And that's just why I don't believe in all your neat little dogmas and formulas about him. To anyone who has met the real thing they all seem so petty and pedantic and unreal!"

And Lewis remarks that, in a sense, he quite agreed with that man. He may well have had a real experience of some sort in the desert, and "when he turned from that experience to the Christian creeds, I think he really was turning from something real to something less real."

"In the same way," Lewis writes, "if a man has once looked at the Atlantic from the beach, and then goes and looks at a map of the Atlantic, he will also be turning from something real to something less real: turning from real waves to a bit of coloured paper. But here comes the point.

The map is admittedly only coloured paper, but there are two things you have to remember about it. In the first place, it is based on what hundreds and thousands of people have found out by sailing the real Atlantic. In that way it has masses of experience just as real as the one you could have had from the beach; only while yours would be a simple isolated glimpse, the map fits all those different experiences together. In the second place, if you want to go anywhere, the map is absolutely necessary. As long as you are content with walks on the beach, your own glimpses are far more fun than looking at a map. But the map is going to be more use than walks on the beach if you want to get to America."

(Mere Christianity, p.121)

This Sunday at COMPANY122 is a sweet ONE WAY event as part of the Politically INcorrect series! We’ve prayerfully and tactfully planned some elements that we hope remind all of us that ONE WAY IS THE ONLY WAY.

Pastor Gene made a distinction last week between diversity and pluralism. No one disagrees that there are differences in this world and that diveristy for the most part is a good thing. However, the argument of pluralism, that truth is relative and everyone can be right is fundamentally flawed.

The mantra that there is no absolute truth allows us to live the lifestyle we want without the threat of ever being wrong. But if truth is our main concern then we have to accept that these views all present claims that contradict one another – and they cannot all be true.

What if I asked three of you to describe my mother? Tell me her height (and don’t be cruel). Tell me her hair color. And tell me her weight. Three suggestions. The reality is that I would probably get three different answers. And if more of you submitted a response the diversity of answers would increase.

Now two points:

1. Firstly, you can’t all be right. My mum cannot simultaneously satisfy all these descriptions.
2. Secondly, sincerity is not enough. Any one of you could sincerely believe that your answer is correct. You can even persuade a million people that you are correct. But if my mother doesn’t satisfy your description then you and your followers are wrong. Truth is not relative.

And this is the case with religion too. Every religion can't be right because they fundamentally contradict one another. And Christianity makes the "wildest claims" of them all. So it makes sense to start with Christianity and try to disprove it first. If it stand the test then it is right and every other religion is wrong. If not, then we can move to the next one.

So, here's an idea of what will happen this Sunday:

1. Mig and the band will open with a music set to lead us to worship.

2. Brett Kunkle from Stand To Reason will present a case for Christ as the only way.

3. Mig will lead us in a "One Way" response before we grab pizza and soda and return to our tables.

4. Tim will lead a Q&A session will you munch and muse. You can text your questions in for Brett to answer. Put him to the test - more to the point, put Christianity and Christ as the only way to the test!

Please be praying now for God’s will to be so done and for the free reign of the Holy Spirit to be evident on Sunday!

No One Laughs at God...

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God
When the doctor calls after some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God
When it’s gotten real late
And their kid’s not back from the party yet

No one laughs at God
When their airplane start to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God
When they see the one they love, hand in hand with someone else
And they hope that they’re mistaken

No one laughs at God
When the cops knock on their door
And they say we got some bad news, sir
No one’s laughing at God
When there’s a famine or fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious
Ha ha
Ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’ve lost all they’ve got
And they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize
That the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

Lessons in Leadership: Into Practice

JD recently passed something across my radar: an article on "stupid" leadership mistakes. I was glancing over ot again earlier today and sheepishly relating to the top ten with my own moronic moments, when it occurred to me that God is blessing COMPANY122 in spite of my faux pas'.

The fourth lesson in the list is Delegating tasks instead of responsibility. Tony Morgan writes: "When pushed into a corner, I naturally revert back to my perfectionist tendencies. I know in my mind the way it should be done. And, if I let myself, I'll fall into the trap of thinking I'm the only one who can get it done. First of all, I'm not that good. Usually someone else can do it better. Secondly, the failure to empower others with real responsibilities is a guaranteed recipe for limiting the potential of your ministry. This is the number one reason that most churches don't grow beyond a couple hundred people. In those situations, the pastor will, at best, delegate tasks. Real leadership development doesn't happen, though, until an effort is made to build a team and give away ministry responsibility."

In the past few weeks I've seen this lived out at COMPANY122. I'm certainly not that good. But thanks to Casey and Oli joining in the office fun and ministry run we have certainly succeeded way beyond my abilitiues and despite my tendency to delegate tasks instead of responsibilities. As I've let go of the reigns more their talents have been unleashed to take us to the next level, and the next.

But even our combined efforts fall way short of what is needed and we acknowledge that it is God who ultimately has His hand on COMPANY122 right now and is blessing us silly. Lesson learned and praise Him!

Why do I see God as a friendly pussy cat instead of a powerful lion?

In C. S. LEWIS' children story, "The Silver Chair", Jill, a little girl from our world, accidentally stumbles into the world of Narnia. She is extremely thirsty and comes upon a stream. But a Lion, Aslan, is sitting by the stream. She is terrified. Aslan says to her, "If you are thirsty, you may drink.'' She doesn't move.

"Are you not thirsty?'' said the Lion.

"I'm dying of thirst,'' said Jill.

"Then drink,'' said the Lion.

"May I, could I, would you mind going away while I do?'' said Jill.

The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And, as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked a whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.

The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.

"Will you promise not to do anything to me, if I do come?'' said Jill.

"I make no promise,'' said the Lion.

Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.

"Do you eat girls?'' she asked.

"I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,'' said the Lion. It didn't say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.

"I daren't come and drink,'' said Jill.

"Then you will die of thirst,'' said the Lion.

"Oh dear!'' said Jill, coming another step nearer. "I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.''

"There is no other stream,'' said the Lion.

I was thinking of this story on Monday night when I read an A. W. Tozer quote: “The voice of God is a friendly voice. No one need fear to listen to it unless he has already made up his mind to resist it”. I began to wonder if my impression of God had become a little too friendly and familiar. Have I lost a reverence and fear of the Lion of Judah?

Timothy's Goals

Paul had two goals for Timothy: that he would be strong and that he would risk making an impact. Will you accept the same goals? One is for your spiritual character. The other is for your actions for Christ. One is being; the other is doing. When both come together, you have a powerful witness for Him.

WORSHIP NIGHT IN 5 DAYS!!!

So things are gearing up for the Worship Night and Graduation Celebration this week. Hope to see you all there on Sunday. Use this opportunity to invite a friend to church. And please let me know if you're graduating...

Shut-Out

A friend told me that he was emotionally "shut-out" by someone he love dearly last week, and it sucked! (His friend probably isn't even aware of how much they hurt him). He continued by saying that it occurred to him that this is what he often does with God - for weeks at a time.

I thought it was an interesting analogy. God doesn't want to be shut-out from our lives. Is he shut-out from yours? And are you the one He loves dearly and yet you're not even aware that you're shutting Him out; or do you care enough to stop, open up and reciprocate His love?

It is impossible to be thankfully discontent.

Kenny Luck points out this self-evident truth and looks to the life of Paul for some inspiration. Paul writes his letter to Philippi from prison. He is a prisoner in body but a completely liberated man in heart, mind and soul.

 

“I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:10-13).

 

Where does your strength come from?

Thank-Therapy

My dad started to teach my brothers and I to pray with thanksgiving some time ago. He reasoned with us that God knew our needs and instead of asking all the time we could spend time seeking Him through thanksgiving and praise. He modeled the prayer of thanks to us and taught us how to bow our hearts before God and simply say thank you for all the wonderful things he has done.

 

I tried to lead a group of seminary students in this form of prayer and was absolutely astounded at just how difficult they found it. We’re so ingrained to come before Him and make our demands like petulant children that we barely have the skill set to come before Him and acknowledge His goodness alone.

 

I was reminded of this as I read a challenge this week: to begin each day by thanking God for at least twenty five things. This is “thank-therapy”. And the promise is that it will not only change your level of contentment, but also your character. Try it out. It’s quite liberating.

Still Confused...

Last night I was thinking about this summary of life and I began to wonder what the plaque in the British Museum would read if I was on display. If somebody saw fit to add me to the artifacts in the British Museum, what would they write on the plaque beneath me? How would they summarize what characterized my life? I don’t think it would be too different to the post below. So the question is: what do I need to do to erase that plaque and write a new one? How should I be living life to have a plaque written that would honor God?

Confused?

What characterizes life today? In the British Museum a sign proclaims that "Trade, feasting, and warfare dominated secular life in the Middle Ages." Are we that different? Kenny Luck writes: We still confuse net worth and self-worth, trade character for gratification, [and] seek power through position. Not exactly a poster board summary of the Christian life; but a fair reflection all the same. How confused is your life?

Two thirds of British men would rather play with themselves

2 April 2009 11:38 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

1 in 3 British men would prefer to play video games than be with their partner, with 72% claiming they’d shun their missus for the night to play a new release. From a study of 1130 British men, of those in relationships, 32% that said they would prefer to play video games gave reasons ranging from their “partner being hard to please” to the prospect being “not as much fun” as gaming.  Further cementing the sad truth about video game addiction in the British male, 41% said if they were given $50, they’d spend it on a video game.  The research was carried out by PlayStation3 site.

I saw this on a friend's Blog and had to share it. Now I have to find some research claiming that 92% of American men would rather play with themselves. Why do my countrymen always let me down?