Just how important are some things?

Man stuck in toilet looking for phone

On this day, October 31, 1517 Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door at Wittenberg. The world hasn't been the same since.

I have heard many voices calling for a second reformation, but are any saying it loud enough? Are any convincing enough? Is there even a possibility that the world could be turned upside down again by people willing to follow Christ no matter who or what organization it offended as Luther did, or has our society 'grown' to the point that real people living as followers of Christ wouldn't make that much of splash anymore?

Jennifer and I are deeply saddened to hear of the death of Mike Yaconelli. Over the years his influence, through youth ministry resources, books, articles and Youth Specialties Conventions has been huge in our journey. Our approach to youth ministry may be influenced by Yaconelli and those that he mentored more than by anyone else. At a chance encounter with Mike in Atlanta in 2000 at the Youth Specialties Convention, I remember being struck by the guy's honesty and humility. He stood there in the middle of a crowded hotel/convention center and took five or ten minutes to engage and talk to me. As we talked, he never once spoke down to me or offered me a 'quote from my latest book' tip on ministry. He just looked at me and listened and smiled that 'I'm so proud of you' smile that encouraged me into believing that what my wife and I were doing truly had meaning. When he said, "I'm glad you are here" and "Keep up the good work!", I really believed him.

We loved his rants on the silliness of the modern church. Mike said in Dangerous Wonder (47), "Mistaking this active life of faith for an institutionally backed and culturally bound belief system is similar to reducing the Mona Lisa to paint-by-numbers." We liked to hear him talk of the uncertainty of life, the smallness of humanity and the wild ferocity of God. A session that Mike did in Sacramento in 2001 opened my eyes to the awesome truth that our God is alive, moving and untamable. Yaconelli seemed to have a great perspective on the transcendence and sovereignty of God. Also, the stories of his own life, family and personal pastoral ministry always helped us keep our lives in proper focus.

Our prayers and concern are with the Yaconelli family (Mike's wife Karla was running the labyrinth Prayer Journey the first time Jen and I went through, and his son Mark is a lead voice in the 'contemplative approach' movement - both of which have had a large impact on us). Without being trite, I can only think that Mike is truly blown away by the wonder and the fantastic existence that he is now experiencing.

We thank God for Mike Yaconelli.

(This news story is fresh and I am sure there will be many for informative sites available soon, but for now check out this link.)

Discovering Fire
Teilhard de Chardin

Some day,
after mastering
the winds, the waves,
the tides and gravity,
we shall harness for God
the energies of love.
And then,
for the second time
in the history of the world,
man will discover fire.

Read about a life lived on fire.

When asked why so many people were drawn to his meetings, John Wesley replied, "I set myself on fire, and people come to watch me burn." If someone were to 'harness for God the energies of love' what would it look like? What if a person became the love of God to those around them? Better yet, what if I began to personify the passion and mercy of God, how would people respond?

We have just had a great extended weekend, and enjoyed some needed rest. It was great to spend some time in Camden with Jen's folks. The boys and I, got away Monday afternoon and fed some crickets to the fish in a pond near Frenchport. They had a great time fishing, but probably enjoyed the paddleboat the most. It was an awesome moment to savor as I stood on the bank of the pond, going through the motions of fishing, but mostly watching my two sons zip around in a paddleboat, playing pretend navy games. Their imagination and sense of adventure is amazing.

Tuesday we rode to Little Rock and tooled around some of the stores. Wednesday we made our way over to Texarkana, where my band was playing at the 'Hallelujah Party' for Redwater First Baptist. The kids had a blast enjoying all the games and free candy. After the party we found ourselves around a table at McDonalds in Texarkana. Jennifer and I just laughed and enjoyed the experience so much as each of the kids, including Zoe, told funny stories and made jokes. We must have been carrying on quite a bit, but I will always remember the whole family's laughing faces. I prayed on the way home that we would always be able to sit around a table and enjoy each others company so much.

Check out this discussion on Punk Rock music. I believe this is an intro to a forth coming book. Read the introduction and tell me what you think. Is there such a thing as a Christian Punk? If there is, what does he/she look like? What is important to them and what do they stand for? Are they bad or good for the Kingdom of God?

I know some people who look the part of a punk, but are just as plugged into the machine as anyone else. And at the same time, I meet others who are inwardly very 'punk' in their attitudes and approaches. I think for me the question is just how vocal does Jesus want us to be in our following his teachings. If you believe in practicing the Sermon on the Mount and swear off of normal Christian abuses, like materialism, pride and lust, and spend a majority of your time railing against the other 'Christians' who haven't been enlightened like yourself, haven't you missed the point entirely? Er....wait...Jesus did alot of that didn't he? (What I mean to say is a good portion of Jesus' words were to the Scribes and Pharisees who were missing the point.) But that's just it, how radical is Jesus? How controversial is Christ? From what I am learning, the term revolutionary fits in well with Lord, Savior and Teacher.

Man in Black - Johnny Cash
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

...I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

...I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

~Cash. 1932-2003

What do I have in my life that calls attention to the needs of others? Do others get even 1 minute of air time in TV of my heart? Jesus was completely about others. I am, many times, completely about me. Jesus tells us to "Love God and Love Others as yourself" Is my 50% obedience making the grade? Can you really even truly love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and not love others?

Don't you just love the baseball playoffs and World Series? I personally think that this year's MLB playoffs have been the most exciting in years. Even though I am upset about the Braves loss to the flame-out Cubs, I have still enjoyed the games very much. Here is an interesting article that I came across involving the physics of Baseball.

As philosopher Yogi Berra so aptly put, "In baseball, you don't know nothing." I believe he's right. That's why you play the game isn't it? I mean who would have thought that the dismal start Marlins would hire a 70+ manager and they would be up a game on the Yankees in the Series? Very few people even in Miami would have bet money on that, and that illustrates that you don't always know how everything is going to turn out...in baseball and in life. Jennifer and I look back and wonder how in the world we ever wound up in Mena with the CMA. We talked just yesterday about what we had anticipated our lives to be like 10 years after we were married when we first fell in love. And while we both looked forward to a great happy life serving the Lord together, we never could have written this script! It's so surprising and so exciting. I'm glad that in life we get to play every pitch of every inning and watch the game unfold before us as we play it out.

Here is another article about wisdom gained from baseball.

Our favored "Hogs" have gone through two tough weeks. After losses to Auburn and Florida, we are all hoping that this week, the boys can get back on track. Go Pigsooey!

A new friend of ours just said, "Sincerity is the key, and if you can fake that, you've got it made."

I've often wondered if by just looking into people's eyes I could see whether or not they are sincere. It seems to me that the higher up the social-religious society ladder we climb, the easier it is for us to fake it. I truly want my eyes to mirror the love of Christ in me for others. If it's not in there, help me work on developing it, instead investing all my efforts into faking it.

God really talked to me this morning about judging someone else. I had said some things that seemed right and justified at the time, but this morning all I felt was that I was a puffed-up arrogant somebody. The truth is, knowing what is right and proper, while valuable in social settings, isn't anything compared to being a humble instrument for the Lord to use.

Changing of the Colors was a great time. We had a blast hanging out with Jeff and Tami, the guys from Invincible and all the students from Fouke. We also enjoyed meeting some new friends and sharing some things in common. Scott Etheridge from Benton First A/G was cool and Jack Coleman from Humble Rock Camp was great too. We also saw some of the coolest bikes.

It's been over a week since I last posted, and I really hate that. These past 10 days have been incredible. Both extremely exciting and extremely exhausting. Jen and I and the whole family are completely spent. After feverishly preparing for the Colors Rally, 3 full days of CMA Leadership Conference and then 5 more days at the Changing of the Colors Rally here at Iron Mountain have just about worn us down. Tomorrow, Jen and I start a week long CMA Evangelists Meeting (9-5 each day).

There is so much to talk about and say, and I have planned more than a few posts about the things that happened at the rally, but suffice it for now to say that God spoke to us in a number of different ways, God moved in the hearts of a great group of young people and Philmore ROCKED!

Here is an interesting discussion on beauty and the arts.
I haven't painted or drawn since I moved to mena. I got to get back to it.

Preparing for Unexpected Good
J.R.R. Tolkien
I sometimes feel appalled at the thought of the sum total of human misery all over the world at the present moment: The millions parted, fretting, wasting in unprofitable days - quite apart from torture, pain, death, bereavement, injustice. If anguish were visible, almost the whole of this benighted planet would be enveloped in a dense dark vapour, shrouded from the amazed vision of the heavens! And the products of it all will be mainly evil - historically considered. But the historic version is, of course, not the only one. All things and all deeds have a value in themselves, apart from their "causes" and "effects." No man can estimate what is really happening sub specie aeternitatis*. All we do know, and that to a large extent by direct experience, is that evil labors with vast power and perpetual success - in vain: preparing always the soil for unexpected good to sprout in.
Excerpt from a letter by J.R.R. Tolkien to his son Christopher, 10 April 1944.
* "beneath the splendor of heaven"

~It's real easy to shrink back from the challenge of the advancing the kingdom of God when all you see around you is the advancing tide of 'evil'. In working with students, one might easily say, "It's no use; Teenagers are rebellious. I can't relate or make any difference at all." It sometimes feels as if what we do for Jesus' kingdom is 'enveloped in a dense dark vapour'. But that is only because we can only see from a veiled perspective. It would be ignorant to deny that evil is succeeding in our world today, but it would be equally as ignorant to give up, saying, "It's no use." My God is ultimately more powerful than anything else. He has conquered evil, and continues to conquer evil on a daily basis. There is another 'version' of the story of the world that I see around me: It's God's story and though the plot may be complicated and twisted, the climax has been already written.

I think that today I am going to try to look at things through that lens.

Things are really busy for us as we prepare for our first official national rally. The Changing of the Colors rally here at Iron Mountain is the homecoming/end of the season rally for the CMA. It will be the first rally where we have youth ministry available, and we have put lots of time into planning. We are really excited about the late night SOAK services where we will have an hour or so of worship and seeking God. Jennifer and I will be playing 2 of those nights, and Invincible (texarkana) will be playing the other two. Saturday will be a long day, but it should be fun. We are hosting a concert stage from 12-10PM, ending with Philmore.

What makes it an especially long week is that Jen and I will be at the CMA Leadership Conference leading up to the actual rally and at an Evangelists Team Meeting for 4 days after. All in all it will be about two weeks of very full days, but it should be exciting.

Last night after work, we ate with some friends at Pizza Hut, hung out and talked a little bit, went home and watched playoff baseball. I really like life.

Go Hogs Go!

We took a little ride last night down to Texarkana. I was going to play with the guys in the band, but the church was being used for something else. It worked out great because we got to go shopping for a few hours. It was a very fun time. On the way back home, as we drove through the night, Jen and I had a good time playing word games with the kids. It is really a blessing to be a part of a family.

Spencer Burke, creator of The Ooze, just posted this article. This really resonates with me, because I have felt those same feelings. Jennifer and I have struggled with the same questions about our family.

What is church? What did Jesus mean for it to be? How much of a radical or a heretic must you really be to truly desire to be the body of Christ in your community? Can the emerging church and the existing church cohabitate? Are there any rooms big enough to hold all of our egos?

All pertinent questions. I think I'll work on answering them tomorrow.

I've had this article for a few weeks, but I've been really reluctant to put a link to it from my blog. Anyways, here goes.

What Would Jesus Do?

Yes, I know that this guy is sarcastic, maybe even sacrilegious, but is he making a valid point? After I got done licking my wounds (he even touched on some of my favorites), I began to wonder how Christlike it is to market the gospel or to sell our love for Him? Maybe I'm slipping off the edge of the Christian sub-culture map, but how many end times books can those guys write? Better yet, how many will I buy?


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A love so undeserved, a gift that's free
You lavish on me
A peace I could not earn
And mercy for the freedom of my soul

That's what's so amazing about Your grace
That's what's so amazing about Your grace

Forgiveness runs so deep
Within Your heart of loving kindness
And should a soul forget
The cross of Christ reminds us every day

That's what's so amazing about Your grace
That's what's so amazing about Your grace

Freely I've received now freely to give

Matt Redman
(C) 2002 Kingsway's Thankyou Music

~Thank Jesus for his unexplainable desire to show us grace.

San Diego rockers and McPherson family favorites, Switchfoot are experiencing some mainstream success. What is different about these guys can be sensed in the things that they say. Read some lyrics and check them out for yourself. Rolling stone had a little blurb about them recently. Also check out their clean, "we've graduated from the homemade flash site", slick web site.

If you have ever read the book, Roaring Lambs, then you know what these guys are about.

It's the Monday morning after the braves have been eliminated from the playoffs, and I am...well....sad. It was really exciting to watch them win Saturday and tie the series up, but then just as quickly they choked. I guess that is why you watch it though....the "drama". It's just one of those love-hate deals. On the one hand you're a rabid braves fan, you really love them, and on the other hand, nothing frustrates you more than when they don't perform up to their perceived ability. (Wait a minute, that's the way I feel about my children some times...I really need some help.)

At any rate the braves baseball season is over, and I can proudly say, (through gritted teeth) "Way to go Cubs, we'll get you next year!"

Go braves! (sob, sob)

"What words can adequately describe God's gifts? They are so numerous that they defy enumeration. They are so great that any one of them demands our total gratitude." Basil the Great: Detailed Rules for Monks

Right now I am totally grateful for God's love to me. Why would he love me? What makes him so forgiving? How does he look over my goofiness and still like me? Must be that 'abba' thing again. God's love for me seems extravagant and way out of balance. He must truly enjoy showing mercy. I am so thankful for his love for me.

Last night the braves were awesome. a little desperate, but still awesome. I love baseball, especially when the braves are winning. Check out this site for all the latest braves info.

What happened to the Red Sox though? That's a tough one to lose.

Walking with Zoe
Last night at soccer practice, I took Zoe into the middle of a huge field and let her walk. I sat her on the ground and told her to go anywhere she wanted to go. Watching her toddle across the field was incredible. She doesn't look ahead very much, most of her concentration was on the ground right in front of her, making sure she didn't stumble over something or walk into a hole. Every 10 or 15 steps she would stop and look over her shoulder just to make sure I was still following her. Then, after she knew I was still right behind here, she would turn and start walking again, almost aimlessly, but in full confidence that I was going with her.

I think she had a good time walking with me. She seemed excited to just be able to rush out into open country. She explored new places, covered lots of ground and enjoyed the journey with me.
But probably more enlightening to me is that I really enjoyed it too. I enjoy watching her. It's cool to see her attempt to go farther than she has ever been before, and it's awesome to study her learning processes. Most enjoyable though, was the feeling I got when she would look around and make sure that I was still walking with her. She felt safe and willing to go on as long as she knew I was right behind her.

You know sometimes I think my proud father's heart is just going to explode.

Later on in the night, Jen and I were talking about my experience with Zoe. I had never really stopped to think how Abba Father must enjoy 'going' with us through our life. Because I love them, being involved with my children is something I love to do; I enjoy it immensely. Does God enjoy it that much too? How does he feel when I pause, look toward him and make sure that I haven't gotten too many steps away?

I think he must like it. I think I'll try to do it more often.

Michelle Picard writes, "yes..... I think it is a bit much that he prayerfully intercedes for his team. And perhaps he should see a doctor if it's something that's getting out of hand. It's a sad thing to put that much emphasis on something so unholy. Now, if you'll excuse me.... I need to hurry up and get the kids to bed so I can watch Survivor."

~I'm so glad we are all above such petty obsessions.

O.K. I'm still having problems with my blog html code. I'm still losing the sidebar and the comments seem to be down right now. Sad thing is, right now I don't even have the time to look into it.

Well, the braves lost their first game in the divisional series. I guess I can still find the will to live.