CHRIST, COMMUNITY AND CULTURE

God, David Copperifield, Corvettes and Orphans

2012-01-02T06:49:00.009-05:00

Does anyone remember David Copperfield? He was an illusionist who used to do some crazy stuff, like make airplanes and the Statue of Liberty disappear. I remember watching him on TV as a kid and being mesmerized by his stunts. Of course, it's TV so you figured it was all done with mirrors and camera tricks, but it still sucked you in. He had these crazy eyes that made you wonder if maybe he had some kind of supernatural powers. Of course, he didn't. He was just a dude wearing funny clothes, hamming it up for the cameras. Impressive nonetheless.

Copperfield did some amazing things. However, not even his greatest stunts matched something I saw God do recently. Who else but God could take a beautiful, fire engine red, 1975 Corvette and turn it into an acre of land in Africa? Now that is amazing!

Not long ago a gentleman approached me to tell me that he wanted to donate his beautiful red corvette to the church to be used for one of our "crazy love projects". A crazy love project is something that we do to be a blessing to someone in need. Whether it is repairing someone's home here in the U.S. or building a home for someone in Guatemala, this is our way of letting people know that Jesus loves them, with no strings attached.

So we all prayed that God would use the finances from the sale of the car to do something crazy to show His love to someone in need.

It wasn't long after that when we connected with Jeff and Lucy Osborne, missionaries to Kenya. They shared with us about a young pastor (Samson Kiriinya) who was feeding some needy children in an impoverished area called Taveta. Some of the children are orphans who have lost their parents to AIDS, while others are just victims of poverty. Samson and his small congregation took it upon themselves to try to help these children.

A few months ago I had the privilege of going to Africa with some other men to visit Jeff, Lucy and pastor Samson, and to see the work first hand. It's hard to explain abject poverty. It is one thing to hear about poverty and see pictures, but when you actually meet the people who are living like this, it changes everything. It is then that you realize that poverty has a name, a face and a smile. It is then that your heart breaks and you realize that God's heart breaks as well.

After some inquiry we found out that we could buy a piece of property to build a feeding/educational/activity center for these children for about the same amount of money that we could get from selling the Corvette that was donated. So that's what we decided to do.

When we returned to the States, we shared this story with the people at Journey. At the end of the service a gentlemen approached me to let me know that God had put it on his heart to donate the finances to help build the facility for these children. I was almost speechless.

Only God can turn a shiny red Corvette into a piece of property that will one day house a facility that will change the lives of countless children for generations to come.

This is one amazing journey!

Modern Day Slaves and Future Abolitionists

2011-12-07T11:51:00.007-05:00

Three days ago I received an email from Samson, a friend of mine in Kenya. He was writing to regretfully inform me of a tragedy that had just taken place in their small town. Jane, a young girl that I had met while on a trip to Kenya a few months ago, had lost her father. He died of an illness that probably could have been prevented if good medical care was available.

Jane is 13 and she is one of the young people who has been helped through the Taveta Children’s Assistance (TCA) program. I remember when I first heard of the TCA’s efforts to help feed and educate orphans and impoverished children in Taveta. One of the things that caught my attention was a praise report in one of Samson’s monthly newsletters. He said “Praise God that since we began helping, there have been no cases of girls engaging in immoral behavior to earn a living as was previously the case.” The “girls” he is speaking of are all under the age of 16.

When children have nobody to protect them, they are very vulnerable. Prostitution, slavery and human trafficking is a much larger issue among at risk children than many of us realize. Children who are orphans and or homeless are among those with the greatest risk of being trafficked. According to statistics compiled by the Polaris Project, 1 million children enter the global commercial sex trade every year. Take a moment and try to wrap your head around that number. One million!

As I think about Jane, I think about a young girl without a mother and father. I am so thankful that she is a part of the TCA and that we have the opportunity to help in her situation. She will be fed, taken care of and educated. However, many children like her are much less fortunate.

What can we do to make a difference? First, it is important for us to be educated on the issue. This is a real problem affecting not only those on the other side of the globe but it extends right here to our own city. It was only months ago that the police arrested a man who was holding a minor against her will and prostituting her to men here in Jacksonville.

According to the organization Force4Compassion “Human Trafficking is the second largest crime in terms of dollars transacted and is the cruelest form of crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them”

Through organizations such as Force4Compassion, Transitions Global, Shared Hope International, Meet Justice and Shop to Stop Slavery (just to name a few), you can be educated and start making a difference.

Recently I was given a "freedom chain" from Robin Rossmanith of Shop to Stop Slavery. The bracelet was actually made by a survivor of human trafficking. Not only is it a cool bracelet, it is also a chain that reminds you of the bondage that people all around the world are suffering. The chain came from Force4Compassion and can be seen here. At first glance it may seem like any other piece of jewelry, until you put it on and allow yourself to engage the thought that a real person who experienced the real horrors of this issue, created it with their own hands.

The issue is personal.

It is personal to God and should be personal to us.

Jesus said “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

How can we read passages like this and think that we have no responsibility in the matter? It is reprehensible to think that those who follow Jesus and are aware of such injustice, can simply sit by and do nothing. I fully understand that there are many worthy causes in the world and that every person cannot be involved in everything. However, I am convinced that all of us can and should do something!

We need to stop believing the lie that says "I can't change the world".

Yes we can! We can all do our part in changing the world one person at a time.

Scripture tells us that Jesus lives in and through His followers (Col. 1:26-27). As we read in Luke 4, He desires to bring good news to the poor, proclaim freedom to prisoners and release the oppressed. How do we expect Him to do this?

If not us, then who?

I believe that He is simply waiting for everyday people like you and me to make our time, resources and talents available to be used by Him to accomplish great things.

I encourage you to consider these things and seek God as to what part you can play in helping those who are hurting.

Let's join Him in bringing healing, deliverance and hope to those who find themselves in desperate need.

Peace,

vic

Steeple Envy

2011-11-17T05:50:00.003-05:00

I recently completed my first book, Steeple Envy - Losing My Religion and Rediscovering Jesus. Although I hope that people will read it and be encouraged and challenged by the message, this was never intended to be a money making venture. This book was the result of many sleepless nights where I simply felt compelled to write about my thoughts and experiences concerning Jesus and His Church. Being a pastor for more than 18 years, I have seen and experienced a lot from the inside of the American church. To be honest, I wrote the book as much for me as for anyone else who might read it. It was a therapeutic exercise of sorts. :)

The church in America is an interesting thing. It often looks very little like the Church described in the pages of the New Testament, and to a large degree it is consumer driven and corporate run. The Church in the book of Acts seems to be much more organic. It is defined by people, not places and it doesn't seem to have the top down structure that we see in a lot of churches today. As a result we have pastors that achieve rock star status and labor week in and week out to put on a great show in order to keep the crowds coming.

In the book of Acts we read about this group who were on the move. Sure they came together and met in the temple courts but they spent most of their time in each others homes, as well as sharing the love that they had found, with anyone and everyone who would listen. It's actually quite beautiful. The Bible talks about a group where people were even willing to sacrifice for each other, so that there were no needy among them.

James, defines pure religion this way: "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." (James 1:27) Somehow we have gotten to a place where this is a sidebar at best in the life of the "church".

The reality is that the church in America has fallen out of favor with most people and we either don't realize it or we scratch our heads and wonder "why? " Maybe it's because it is time for some much needed change. Maybe it is time for the church to take its eyes of itself and to spend more time looking at a world that is out there dying without Jesus. Our beautiful buildings, best gimmicks, bright lights and great music aren't going to be what draw most of them in. It is going to take us going out, IN LOVE.

The world needs to see a people (the Church) who care. They need to see a group of people (the Church) who are not fake and who love people right where they are. What the world really needs to see is Jesus, and too often the church doesn't look a whole like like Him (see the book UnChristian by Lyons).

Now, I don't claim to have it all figured out and I certainly don't have all the answers. However, there seems to be a huge disconnect between the life of Jesus, his early followers and the current life of the the church in our country today. All I am suggesting is that we become more like Jesus and begin to lift Him up, above our institutions, programs and agendas. In fact, we are to lift Him up, even above our very lives.

I think there are people all around us who are just waiting to see the love Jesus on display in a way that they can relate to. Jesus was good at relating to people and we should be as well (think woman at the well, woman caught in adultery, story of the good samaritan etc.). We are told that when He is lifted up, He will draw people to Himself (John 12:32).

Therefore let us be a people who above all things, lift up Jesus and show His love to those around us. It doesn't appear that we need the latest and greatest "next thing" in the church. What we need is to love God with all our hearts, love our neighbors as ourselves and lift up Jesus, then watch the Spirit work in miraculous ways as He draws people.

Love always and

LOVE.

vic

www.steeple-envy.com

In His Presence

2011-10-31T08:20:00.004-04:00

I have a friend in Guatemala named Cesar. He is one of the strongest men of faith that I have ever met in my life. I will never forget the times that I have sat with him and listened to him speak of the wonders of God. He always shares about how much God has blessed him and how he can’t wait to one day see Him face to face, to run on streets of gold and to be in His presence. Cesar knows God in an intimate way. He has experienced His presence and power in such ways that there is not a shadow of a doubt in his mind that on the day he breathes his last breath, he will be with him for eternity.

Cesar is very sick and barring a miracle, he will soon find himself in the presence of his Maker and Friend. I appreciate your prayers for him and his family.

In my book, Steeple Envy, there is a chapter that is written by Brock Johnson, a friend of mine and missionary in Guatemala. He’s the one who first introduced me to Cesar. In the chapter that he wrote, he tells Cesar’s story so I thought I would share that with you today.

“Cesar is a friend of mine who lives in a shack in the middle of a
beautiful Guatemalan forest. He is a husband and a father. When he
was 26, he was enjoying a normal life. Cesar had a beautiful wife and
was starting a family. He had a pretty good job (any job in rural Guatemala
is a good job), and he was a star in the local men’s soccer league.

Suddenly, his back began to bother him. For three years, he continued
working his manual labor job, but with each year, the back pain
grew worse. Soon, he couldn’t bear the pain to even get out of bed.
With limited resources, Cesar and his family began to seek medical
help. What they discovered was terrifying. Cesar had an incurable and
fatal degenerative bone disease. He was told he would not live much
longer and that he would be bedridden for his final months or years.

By this time, Cesar had three beautiful young children. As Christians,
Cesar and his wife believed God for healing. But they also began
to accept the reality that God’s will for their life may be drastically different
than anything they had ever imagined.

After enduring three years of deterioration, the pain and suffering
grew to its worst. In the most excruciating night of pain that Cesar
can remember, he was surrounded by doctors and family. His doctors
advised him that he would not make it through the night. A wife
prepared herself for life without her husband, and young children
prepared to say goodbye to their daddy.

Cesar slipped into a coma. He recalls the story beautifully. “I looked
down and saw angels at my feet, their beauty indescribable. Each one
took the weight of one of my legs in their arms and gently caressed
them. As they comforted me, a distinct voice whispered into my ear.
The voice was very clear and very close. When I turned to look for
the person, no one was there. But three times the voice said the same
thing: “Read Matthew 9:12.”

After three months, Cesar awoke from the coma. That was several
years ago. Today, if you have the privilege to visit Cesar, you will
leave his home blessed beyond measure. He has the majority of God’s
Word memorized. He preaches God’s power, grace, mercy, love and
mystery better than any trained evangelist I have ever heard. Weighing
next-to-nothing and fighting through severe head, jaw, throat, back
and leg pain, he shouts worship songs to his Heavenly Father with
heartfelt depth and passion. He looks you in the eye, asks you questions,
listens intently, and longs to know you.

It’s hard to explain, but I always come away from hanging out with
Cesar feeling deeply loved. Yes, I am always challenged, convicted and
awed at his committed life of steadfast faith. Everyone who meets
him is. But as I walk home from his house—every single time—I
come away with an overwhelming confidence in the fact that he loves
me and cares for me. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know that he
prays for me, for my wife and for my kids. I cherish those prayers because
I know that God hears the prayers of a righteous man. 34

My point goes much deeper than sharing a heartwarming story
about a sweet Guatemalan family. The point is that I have never seen
a greater expression of life, hope and joy than I have through the life
of a man who happens to be suffering through a long, painful, terminal
disease. It simply defies logic. It destroys the false teachings of the
prosperity gospel, extinguishing its flames with the refreshing Living
Water of Jesus.

Today, a new home is being built for Cesar’s family through the
“12x12 Love Project.” This one is unique, being constructed throughout
with wheelchair accessible sidewalks and with lots of windows so
he can see the beautiful Guatemalan forest and wildlife from his bed.
While Cesar is very thankful for his family’s new home, he always reminds
us that his real home is not here.

“In my eternal home,” Cesar said, “I will run on streets of gold
with a new and perfect body. I will be in the presence of my loving
Heavenly Father. I will run, jump, and play soccer again. But until
then, I will give thanks to God for the life that He has given me, for
my family, and for my sickness. I ask Him every day to glorify Himself
through my weakness.”

Cesar’s testimony reminds us that true victory is not found in this
life and its temporary gains. It’s not found in comfort, security or even
in friends and family. It’s not found in a career, salary, home, education,
vacations or retirement. Rather, it is found in making the name
of Jesus famous, and this is done as we give ourselves away completely
for His sake.”

May we all experience the fullness of life that Cesar has come to know and experience!

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:18

Slow Down and Simplify

2011-09-13T06:08:00.000-04:00

As Americans we have a tendency to complicate things. Let's face it, our lives are complex and very busy. We are doers. We run around from one thing to another at an exhausting pace. However if we were honest, I think many of us would admit that when it is all said and done we often feel like we have accomplished much, but very little that really matters. It's almost as if we are afraid to slow down.

What would happen if we made an effort to simplify our lives? What if we chose to do one less sport with the kids this fall? What if we decided that we were OK with driving an older car that was paid off, rather than working longer and harder to pay another $300 car payment? What if we stopped trying to please people who are virtually impossible to please? Maybe we would find ourselves with more time, energy and emotional bandwidth to invest in things that really matter.

Life is simple. We make it complex. That is our tendency, to complicate things.

We do this in life and we do it with our relationship with God. When I read the Bible, the gospel seems very straightforward and simple. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." According to this verse, there is only one thing that we must do.

Believe.

God has done the rest.

He loved us so much that He gave His one and only Son. Jesus lived a life that we could never live, died to pay a price that we could never pay and rose so that we might be able to experience eternal life.

It is finished.

He did it all.

However that's not good enough for many of us. It doesn't feel right because it is too simple. Therefore we must complicate things. Believing is important but is it really enough? Can we rest in what God has already done? Isn't there more that we must do? This is where we step in and create our man made religions that are centered more on us and what we do, than on God and what He has done.

The gospel is simple and beautiful. Religion is complex and burdensome.

Jesus left us with one or two simple commands to guide us into a life full of meaning and purpose and free us from the complexity and shackles of religion.

He said "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus takes something that is very complex and makes it very simple. So what does this mean to us? What must we do?

Slow down and simplify.

Believe.

Receive.

Love Him.

Love others.

Live to the full...

Losing My Religion

2011-08-23T04:56:00.000-04:00

I know a lot of religious people and for the most part they're no fun to be around. Not to mention that some of them are flat out weird. They use words that many people don't understand and they think that anything that resembles fun is sin. I used to be a very religious person. If you knew me back then, I'm sorry. Really, I mean that.

Often times religious people think that they are superior to others who aren't quite as "sold out" as they are to their faith. The sad reality is that according to the apostle Paul, many of these people are actually "sold in" to slavery and they don't even realize it.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.
Galatians 4:8-11

Through Christ, God fulfilled the requirements of the Law and as a result He gave all of those who would believe in Him, the right to become sons and daughters of God. Heirs to the promise that was originally made to Abraham. This means that we have been adopted into the family.

I know some people who have adopted children and those children are a part of their family just as their biological children are. The adopted children are not required to do specific things in order to maintain their status as family members. They are simply a part of the ______________ family.

Family relationships are based on love, not law. I love my children and they are my children because of who they are and there is nothing that can change that. They have no need of proving themselves in order to be accepted as a family member. Family relationships are based on love.

Religion on the other hand is based on law. IF you do certain things, then you will be accepted. In this system there is an inherent need to work in order to feel loved and accepted. It is burdensome and unfulfilling and in the end it leads to destruction, rather than life.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

So what does this mean? Does this mean that a person can be a family member and live however they desire? Well, not exactly.

The relationship is founded in love. Although one receives love and is accepted on the basis of love, there is also an expectation that love would be reciprocated in the relationship.

I love my kids and accept them, period. As a result, they have the freedom to be themselves and to enjoy the things that bring them joy and happiness. However, if they truly love me, they will desire to live within the boundaries that I have given them. If they choose to step outside those boundaries, there is no love lost, but there are consequences. These consequences are also based in love. Because I love them, I have given them boundaries that are ultimately in their best interest, whether they fully realize it or not.

I know this is a human example and can break down, particularly if parents are overbearing etc. But our heavenly Father is perfect and His love and Law are perfect.

All that to say, our obedience is based in love. Jesus said "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching" John 14:23. We love Him because He first loved us. It is not burdensome and it is not an issue of measuring up in order to be accepted. It is actually the freedom we have in knowing that we are loved - period! As a result, those of us who are family members and know that we are loved, honor Him because we love Him and have come to know His love.

The Law no longer hangs over our head and we are not a slave to religion. Therefore, we should live within the freedom of God's love and share this "good news" with any and all who will listen!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23

On death and dying

2011-06-20T11:06:00.000-04:00

Death is not something that many of us like to think about. That's kind of funny because it is inevitable for us all. The reality is that we will all breathe our last breath sooner or later and none of us know when our day will come. But we still live from day to day like we are invincible, never thinking that today could be our last day on the earth.

My dad lives with our family and was recently diagnosed with fourth stage colon cancer. He is 83, so he has lived a long life. Nonetheless it is still difficult to stare death in the face. On Father's Day I wrote him a letter to let him know how much I love him and how much God loves him. I remembered a poem that I saw in one of those Daily Bread devotional booklets almost 20 years ago and included it in the letter.

What Cancer Can't Do
It cannot cripple love
It cannot shatter hope
It cannot erode faith
It cannot eat away peace
It cannot destroy confidence
It cannot kill friendship
It cannot shut out memories
It cannot silence courage
It cannot invade the soul
It cannot reduce eternal life
It cannot quench the spirit
It cannot lesson the power of the resurrection

Whether it is the result of cancer, a car accident or a long life that ends by natural causes, death awaits us all. However, those of us who know Christ are not without hope. Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25) In other words, we will all leave our earthly bodies behind one day, but those of us who believe in Christ will live.

The apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:54-58
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Paul seems to have a healthy view of our lives on this earth and eternity. He realizes that "Death has been swallowed up in victory" and as a result we can stand firm, living out the rest of our days with purpose. He goes as far as to encourage us to always give ourselves "fully to the work of the Lord." Why? Because our labor is not in vain. We have the opportunity to join God in what He is doing on this earth and that is the main reason why we are still breathing.

Rather than fear death, we should live in such a way that when our time comes, we will be left with no regrets. Lately I have found myself aksing this question "If my last day were tomorrow, would I have any regrets?" As a result, with God's help, I am trying to live in such a way that the answer would be "No".

"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins." James 4:13-17

Thankful

2011-04-05T04:30:00.000-04:00

I have had two things happen to me recently that have helped me to be more thankful. A few weeks back I took another trip to Guatemala and as usual my eyes were opened to the burden and blessing of poverty. It's a burden for sure and you can see that as you visit people. Like when we sat with this beautiful family and heard the struggle of a mother trying to take care of her son who had a cyst on his brain. They sold everything they had of value, including their beds, to get tests done and buy medication. She had nothing and could do nothing. Her desperation was tangible.

And the blessing? The blessing was seen in the beauty of simplicity. We met families who lived in shacks and had very little, yet possessed a joy that escapes many of us who live in the land of plenty.

Then I had surgery this past week. Nothing too major, but not fun either. Sometimes it isn't until you are on your back for a while that you begin to realize how much you take for granted. Just being in bed for a few days helped me to see how blessed I am to be able to run and play with my kids. My wife was great and took good care of me, but by the third day I was feeling like a burden. You know, there are things you want to do and should be able to do for yourself, but you can't. So you have to rely on others for all of those things.

I thought of Cesar, a man we met in Guatemala who can't get out of bed because he has a rare disease that is causing his spine to fuse together. He has a wife and 3 beautiful kids. I thought for a moment what it would be like to be in his situation. In thinking about that, I was convicted of the fact that I am not as thankful as I need to be for the many blessings that I have. Not only am I pretty healthy (aside from the 10lbs or so that I could afford to lose), but I also live in extreme wealth when compared to the rest of the world. I have so much, yet say "thank you so little". And Cesar, who has very little and cannot even get out of bed on his own, is full of thanksgiving! I sat in his house for 3 hours listening to him tell of the goodness of God, expressing thanks to Him over and over again. Shouldn't he be the guy who is struggling with bitterness and anger?

Life is way too short to sweat the small stuff and God is way too good to allow the things of this world to pull me away from Him. This is all passing away. True joy is found in living for something beyond what this world has to offer. So I am going to make a more concerted effort to be thankful. I have been reminded of how blessed I am, so I will try to say "thank you" more.

Thank you to the many beautiful people that God has put in my life. You encourage me more than you will ever know.

Much love on the journey,
vic

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Love Wins

2011-03-17T11:09:00.000-04:00

When I read the scriptures I am reminded of the fact that "God is Love". It is out of His great love for us that while we were sinners, with our backs turned toward Him, He stepped out of His world into ours to pay the price for our sin.

That is love.

God then invites us into a relationship where love is exchanged. He extends His love to us and asks us to love Him in return. We are also commanded to love those around us. When this exchange of love takes place in a person's life, it changes everything. It not only affects them, but the rest of the world as well. When God's love is displayed through His people it is a beautiful thing.

In this sense, I believe that love wins.

Recently there has been a firestorm of debate over Rob Bell's new book with this title (Love Wins). From John Piper tweeting "farewell Rob Bell" to Joshua Harris saying that Bell is "teaching a false gospel", everyone seems to have an opinion. With that being the case, I figured I would add my two cents to the mix.

Let me begin by saying that over the past 5 years I have been challenged and encouraged by the teachings of Rob Bell. I also had the opportunity to meet him and interview him a few years back when I was going through a transitional time in life and ministry. God used Rob in a significant way to help me during that time and for that I will be forever grateful. Over the years, Rob's ministry has been challenged and criticized by a number of people, so when I heard the latest I wasn't too surprised. I believe that it is always important to go to the source, rather than taking what other people are saying at face value. With that, I decided to read "Love Wins".

I finished reading the book this morning and I have to say that I was more than a little disappointed. While Rob is masterful at asking questions, I don't think he does a very good job of supporting some of his conclusions with solid scriptural evidence. I was surprised by the number of single verses used to support his viewpoint as well as his willingness to make speculations based on these verses. Rarely does he go into the context of the verses cited, rather they are often used as proof texts to support his views. Also, there are verses and whole passages that would challenge his conclusions, which are completely ignored.

It is not my goal to go through and point out everything I disagree with in the book. I simply don't have the desire, nor the time or energy to give to such an endeavor. A simple google search will give you a slew of opposing viewpoints, if you desire. However, I do want to make it clear that Rob has come to some conclusions that not only leave me uncomfortable, but that I would stand in direct opposition of. For instance, I can find no solid biblical support for the idea that people will have the opportunity to turn to Christ after they die, and Rob certainly implies this in the book.

Is he a heretic and does this discredit his previous body of work?

The bottom line is that Rob does a pretty good job of covering his bases. He would unequivocally say that he is not a universalist and that he believes that Jesus is the only way to the Father. He would also say that he believes in heaven and hell. However, his definition of what these things mean may be a little sketchy.

Personally, I have a hard time with labels, particularly when they are selectively used by individuals. Heresy is a strong word and I would hesitate to apply it to what I have read in Bell's latest book. Are his views any more heretical than John Calvin's view regarding infant baptism, Luther's view of baptismal regeneration or the way catholics view the eucharist? I would say no. Do I find some of his views troubling, as I do these others? Absolutely. So before we start a witch hunt or burn anyone at the stake I think we must be willing to extend grace and love. That being said, there is always room for correction based on biblical truth.

I would also say that although Love Wins would not be a book that I would personally recommend to people, I don't think that nullifies his previous body of work to this point. God has used Rob and his ministry to reach countless people and I believe that He will continue to do so. All of us in the evangelical stream of Christianity have gained much of our heritage from the likes of Luther, Calvin, Wesley and others. We would do well to remember that there are things that each of these men taught that would not sit well with many of us and in fact would probably make most of us cringe.

With that, let us always extend grace and mercy. And when we feel there is need for rebuke and or correction, may it all be done in the Spirit of Christ and for the cause of His Kingdom.

For what it's worth, that's my two cents,

Vic

Sad but true...

2010-12-27T16:55:00.000-05:00

A missionary friend of mine in Guatemala recently posted the following blog, which I felt compelled to share.

Hope from ashes

"This morning a young man, 25 yrs. old, knocked on our door for about 30 minutes straight. When we finally answered, there stood Daniel Gonzalez. He nervously explained his situation.

He did not want to come to our house today, but some friends had convinced him that it was his best and last chance. He said he was not the type of person to ask for things, so he was sorry for coming. He explained that yesterday he had lost his home in a fire. A husband and father of 2 young kids, they had lost almost everything… house, bed, clothes, TV, food, and belongings - all ashes.

We were his last hope. I am thankful for that much – just being here, able to be that hope for somebody. That hope has a name – Jesus – and it is always amazing to me that we can “be” Jesus…

Now to the frustrating part. Why exactly were we his “last” hope?

Before showing up at our house, Daniel had exhausted his options. Most alarming was the response from his church, from whom he was misled regarding “God’s justice.”

Rewind just 2 months… to when Daniel and his wife Martha lost their 3rd child. Following childbirth, Florcita (little flower) spent 20 days on life support. Born two months premature, she hung on for 3 weeks before letting go. Daniel spent all 20 days & nights in the hospital at his wife’s side, praying for Florcita to pull through.

Following their daughter’s death, they returned to their church. Daniel, who was striving to become a deacon and took seriously his role collecting the weekly offering, was put on “probation” for missing 3 Sunday mornings and several other gatherings. He was told that missing church, for any reason, is a sin and requires discipline from the church authorities.

Now, after losing his house and all his belongings in the fire, the “church authority” explained to Daniel that God is righteous, punishing them for missing a few church services while clinging bedside to their dying daughter. The only effort to bring comfort was a simple reminder of the story of Job, and how God won’t give you more than you can handle.

After being denied by his church for help, they decided to try another church, this one well known for helping the people of his neighborhood. This specific church has been working in his neighborhood for years, even recently completing a new community center to better serve them.

Martha returned home with the news. The church said there is nothing they can do, because they only help families in the community who are members of their church.

Broken, denied, and ready to give up, he knocked on our door.

When we showed up at the site of their house this afternoon, Daniel made small talk for about 5-10 minutes. He was cheerful, seemed thrilled actually, to see us. When he introduced us to his kids, and showed us the extent of their remaining belongings, he got quieter, clearly trying to hide some emotion.

When he shared about the response from the churches, he broke. Confused and hurt, he began sobbing. It wasn’t the loss of his daughter, or his house, that brought on the sobbing. It was the pain inflicted from the “church” that ultimately crushed him.

The very thing that is supposed to bring life, support, love, help, and hope… was killing him.

I wondered to myself if Daniel’s pastor that avoided helping (but reminded Daniel about God’s justice and Job’s sufferings) had forgotten, or ever read, where Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself. Paul’s teachings about carrying one another’s burdens also came to mind.

I also wondered how, as members of the same body of Jesus Christ, we could possibly deny help to those who aren’t “members” of our own little private congregations.

But as we prayed, grace and hope started replacing the anger that was raging inside me. As frustrating as the pious, prosperity-blessing, false religion that poisons this culture is, in this moment God was giving us another opportunity to demonstrate His grace.

We prayed that this time of suffering would somehow bring freedom and set them free from the bondage of legalism. I hope that as we love on them they will experience the real Jesus, his grace, and his church.

Praying for hope to rise from these ashes." - Brock Johnson

This is the kind of thing that can cause people to give up on church and even God for that matter. It is so sad and unfortunately it's not an isolated incident. It never ceases to amaze me how people can be so heartless and manipulative all in the name of God and religion.

Now for the encouraging part...

As sad as this story is, I am encouraged that there are people out there who represent God differently. Those who love Jesus and genuinely desire to follow and serve Him in such a way that they show His love to others unconditionally.

The morning after this message was initially posted, I received an email informing me that someone from our small fellowship took it upon themselves to commit to raise the money to build a new home for Daniel and his family. That money has already come in and it is my hope and prayer that this family feels the love of Christ through this tangible gift, given in His name with no strings attached.

This world can be an ugly place at times. But be encouraged, you and I can make a difference. We have the ability to bring beauty out of ashes and joy in the midst of pain and heartache.

Live like Jesus, love like Jesus - Change the world!

www.1212loveproject.org (check it out)

I don't really like church

2010-12-13T15:15:00.000-05:00

A phrase that I often hear these days is "I don't really like church". That may not be an exact quote but I hear that communicated in different ways quite a bit. In fact, rumor has it that a pastor even said that from the stage this past Sunday ;)

Church has fallen out of favor with many today. Right now I am sitting in Panera and there is a guy sitting next to me and I am going to turn to him right now and ask him what he thinks about church and then I will write his response. Seriously, I am going to do this. Hold on.

OK, I did it, really I did. I found out the guy's name was Ron and the conversation went something like this...

Me: "hey, I'm sorry to bother you but can I ask you a question?"

Ron: "sure"

Me: "what do you think about church?"

Ron: "In what context?"

Me: "I don't know, I was just wondering what you thought about church. Do you go to church? What's your opinion of church in general?"

Ron: "Well, I became a Christian in 1986. At first when it was just me, Jesus and my Bible everything was great. Then I started going to church and it was OK for a while, I guess. Then after a while I started to see a lot of stuff and, well... I don't know. I know it is bad to say this but it got political, or maybe it was just people's egos that got in the way. The church ended up going through a split and some other stuff. So eventually I just stopped going."

Me: "That's hard."

Ron: "Yeah, it seemed like people had more bad things to say than good. For instance in my denomination people would really slam Catholics and I pretty much just listened and went along with it. Not too long ago a friend of mine was in a situation where he was really in need. The Catholics were the ones who helped him out. No questions asked, they just helped him in his time of need. They helped him when people from my denomination wouldn't lift a finger. If I were to talk to someone from that group now, I would be cordial. But I can tell you if they ever said anything bad about the Catholics I would tell them to take a hike!"

"So when it comes to church, I guess I can take it or leave it to tell you the truth."

Me: "Man, I'm sorry it sounds like you have seen some ugly stuff along the way..."

There was more to our conversation but I think you get the gist. Ron didn't come out and specifically say "I don't like church" but he clearly isn't big fan.

Our conversation was a good one and as it continued he reminisced about his time leading a small group for singles in the church he attended. He told me a few stories. Like the time after one of their meetings they all decided on a whim to just go swimming with all their clothes on. Then there was the time that they ended up helping a homeless guy. He had a smile on his face and you could tell it really meant something to him. He said that he misses that at times.

This makes sense to me because those are the things I love about "church". Not necessarily swimming with my clothes on, but being with people, doing life together and serving God. And the reality is that the things that turned Ron off, turn me off as well. In fact when he was finished he asked me what I thought about church. So I told him that as far as I could tell from reading the Bible, church is all about people. It was never described as a place or something we do, it is the people who gather. I went on to say that there are a lot of things about church that I don't like and that I wondered if God liked them either.

Can you believe it? What are the odds that I would get that kind of response from the first guy I ask? Unfortunately pretty good these days. When the church becomes an institution or an organization rather than the life giving organism described in the Bible, I think we are in trouble. That is where we find ourselves today. Many people see "church" as somewhere they go or this entity that has a life of it's own. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are the church and the church has life because we have life. The church reaches out to those in need, when we reach out to them. The church also can be inward and self absorbed if we become inward focused, self absorbed people.

While the "church" may not be at the top of the opinion polls today, Jesus is still held in high regard. His love is still compelling and His Spirit is still at work in people's lives. Just during a short conversation with Ron today, I saw a part of him come alive as he recounted the times that he was "being the church" with others. So what is going to take for him and others like him to reengage or engage for the first time? As simple as it sounds, I think that they need to meet Jesus. They need to meet the Jesus that is alive and well, living in His people, and they need to see the beauty of the church lived out before them. There are too many cheap substitutes these days, people are looking for the real thing.

Sometimes I talk to people about this and they say "what can I do?" It's really not rocket science, just start by doing the things that Jesus did. Show compassion to the poor. Find a way to help someone less fortunate than you. Extend grace to people who have been marginalized or shunned by society in some way. Extend love and forgiveness to someone who has hurt you and take time to pray for them. Turn to a guy or girl sitting next to you in a public place and ask a simple question like I did. Find a group of people to share your life with on a deep level. Be vulnerable. Live for God and His purposes the best you know how and don't hesitate to share your story with others.

If you do this be prepared. Be prepared to tell God's story of love and redemption expressed to us through Jesus. Because if you live like Him, people will be drawn to you and they will ask...

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." 1 Peter 3:15

Searching For True Religion?

2010-11-03T06:30:00.000-04:00

I am in the middle of reading two pretty good books right now. Currently I am rereading "Searching For God Knows What" by Donald Miller and "True Religion" by Palmer Chinchen.

Chinchen does a good job of reminding us that "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27) He points out the ways that the "American church" has failed in this regard and challenges us to align our agendas with God's. He reminds us of the global horrors of pain and suffering that exist in our world today and challenges us to do something about it. It's a great book that I highly recommend.

As for Donald Miller, he is funny and does a great job of getting his point across in such a way that most anyone can understand and enjoy. Although I love his humor, I find a lot of depth in what he writes. In Searching For God Knows What, Miller talks about how our lives are a story and how God has written a story to help us understand the meaning of why we exist and what it is that we are all searching for.

What has stood out to me recently is how we have taken this beautiful love story found in the Bible, dissected it, and reduced it to a formula. Although we all like routines and formulas with predictable outcomes, relationships don't always work that way. God invites us into a relationship, not some formulaic religion. Although relationships can be messy, they are also exciting and exhilarating. This has helped to remind me of the relational side of our faith. It has also caused the Scripture come to life as I read it through a relational lens as opposed to a more academic approach. I understand that there is a need for both but I am convinced that although our theology must be good, it is worthless outside of a relationship with the creator.

All of that said, if you are looking for a good read check out either of these books. I think you will be both challenged and refreshed in the process.

money, money, money...MONEY!

2010-09-16T06:24:00.000-04:00

So as I look at the landscape of the American church and reflect on the things that God has been doing around me lately, I thought this would be a good time to put some thoughts out there on what is probably the most controversial topic in the church in America today - money. We all should be aware of the fact that money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Therefore how we approach this topic as well as how we handle money within the church is very important.

One of the biggest complaints that we hear from people outside the church is "all they want is your money." My suggestion is that before we try to counter this in any way, we simply admit that, yes there are churches, pastors and ministries out there that this would be true of. There are television ministries that exist for the sole purpose of raising money. There are churches that spend so much time talking about money and taking offerings that it would be hard to not conclude that it is the most important thing to them.

There are churches and pastors that do ridiculous things with money, that is reality. The fact that this reflects on the church as a whole, drives me crazy. Therefore, I have to say to those looking in with a jaded eye, "I understand your questions and concerns and I share many of them as well." There are a lot of things that we do in the church in America today that I simply do not understand. So much so, that maybe I should reserve that for a much deeper discussion which may fill many more pages, if you know what I mean. But for now let me just say that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He has enough money to do all that He desires in and through His church. Does this mean that we are not called to give? No. Does it mean that we don't receive offerings? No. It simply means that we should give to him with a cheerful heart and not under compulsion as we are taught in Scripture (2cor. 9:7).

God desires for us to give and even give sacrificially. However for this to take place in a biblical way where there is no compulsion and with a cheerful spirit, one must have confidence in the people and place they are giving. The needs of people must come before bigger buildings and church budgets. We must have a global awareness of how rich the poorest person in America is, in comparison to the rest of the world. Church books should always be open and no question about church finances should ever be shunned. People shouldn't feel bad when they ask questions about where money goes. Answers should instill confidence and not more questions.

The lives of church leaders should look more like Jesus than they do the CEO of a company that is comparable in size to the church they lead. A humble spirit should accompany a modest lifestyle. I have heard people say crazy things to justify the extravagant lifestyles of some church leaders like "I am glad that my pastor is blessed, because that means I am going to be blessed as well." That is messed up on so many levels. First of all that's not biblical, that's prosperity propaganda. Also when we equate blessing solely with finances, we miss the fact that blessing can come even in the midst of trials, pain and poverty (take the lives of Jesus and all the apostles for example).

Jesus desires that we give him our lives. As we give him our lives, that means we submit our finances to him as well. We have an obligation to be good stewards. This applies to us as individuals as well as to the church as a whole. We are all on a journey of growing and following Jesus. The key is that we must be led in order to follow. When we are led by him and seek first his kingdom we are promised that all of our needs will be met (matt. 6:25-34). If our needs as individuals or as a church are not being met, I think the first step is to look at what we are seeking first and foremost. Are we building and seeking His Kingdom or our own?

I am so glad that I do not have to be a fund raiser for Jesus (as I was once told that all pastors need to be). It is hard enough to try to stay close to Him and follow His leading. I can't imagine having to try to raise funds to build giant facilities and support exorbitant salaries.

To keep it simple, we must live for Jesus and use the money that He gives us to do the things that He calls us to do. When that is happening there will be no need for arm twisting and manipulation. People will see the beauty of serving, loving and giving to those in need and they will find that attractive.

We would all do well to remember the following verse...

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." - Matthew 6:24

peace,

vic

Alive and well...

2010-08-10T16:02:00.001-04:00

Since it has been about 3 months since I have blogged I thought I would at least write and let anyone who may read this know that I am alive and I am well. To be perfectly honest it has been a strange couple of months. My role has expanded from pastor to project manager and even amateur, hack, construction worker as we renovated our new building. It has made for an interesting time to say the least. I am very grateful for the blessing of our new facility and I will share that story another time. However I have also seen how easy it is for church people and pastors to get caught up in things like buildings etc.

What I have realized is that while it is nice to have a cool place to gather, it should never take precedent of the mission of God in the lives of His people and His Church. With that said, I am ready to go Guatemala to serve the poorest of the poor with a group of Kingdom minded people with huge hearts. We leave in the AM and will be back in a week. Pray for the leading of God's Spirit and for His will to be done as we show the tangible love of Jesus to those we come in contact with.

Oh and don't forget that simply living in America marks us among the richest people in the world. We are also some of the loneliest and most medicated people as well. Go figure...

"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" Luke 9:25

Love.

2010-04-26T06:50:00.000-04:00

Love.

So what does love look like?

Love looks like a person who sees a woman on the side of the road with her two children and feels a compulsion to stop, so they do. Love looks like a guy who decides to take blankets downtown to offer to those on the streets on a cold winter night. Love looks like a group of people who decide that it is more important to build houses for those living in third world abject poverty than it is to invest in a bigger building for their growing church. Love looks like a wife and mother who makes it her mission to see human slavery abolished in her lifetime. Love looks like someone who gives anonymously to the couple who are out of work during economically challenging times. Love looks like those who don’t give up on the drug addict who continues to fall time and time again but expresses a desire to be free. Love looks like a founding pastor who walks away from a big established church after sixteen years of ministry with a group of people, because he feels led to take a step of faith into something unknown.

Love looks like people who choose to die to themselves to do things like those stated above, expecting nothing in return.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

Ultimately love looks like Jesus.

When we look at the life of Jesus we see that his love is very different than ours. Rarely do we love people without expecting anything in return. Even if it is a simple “thank you” we expect there will be some reciprocation for our love. Jesus loved people, period. He loved with no strings attached. He expressed love to people who had no ability to repay him. He loved simply because it was the right thing to do.

Freely we receive love and freely we should give. I think that would make the world a better place.

vic

letdown

2010-01-29T22:21:00.001-05:00

Well since it has been two months to the day since my last post I figured I ought to say something...

I am in awe of the things that I see God do in this world. I know there are a lot of people out there (maybe reading this) that don't even believe He exists and that baffles me in some ways and in others I totally understand. It baffles me because of the beauty and many miracles that are seen throughout creation. I guess it all could be by chance but honestly I don't have enough faith to believe that. I have also seen God interact in "my world" on numerous occasions in ways that I would have to deny my very being in order to chalk it up as coincidence. On the other hand I have witnessed things done in the name of God that are nothing short of evil. So I do understand how people could look on at the church and people who claim to represent God, with a jaded eye.

I'm a pastor and I am far from perfect. However my heart's desire is to please God and to love the people that He puts me in contact with, so that in someway I might reflect His glory in this world. We live in a kingdom that is full of pain, sickness, heartache and death and I believe that God would have those of us who follow Him, do our best to help alleviate that by expressing His love and grace to people in their time of need.

Today I heard a story that broke my heart. I listened as a brother of mine shared how he was treated by a man who claims to follow and serve the same God as I. Without saying too much about what happened, let me just say that it was just WRONG. Now I'm not going to go so far as to say that this guy doesn't know God or serve God, but in this instance his actions looked nothing like the God that I know. When I see christians and particularly pastors doing things that serve nothing but their own self interest and egos, I begin to understand why there are so many people in our country who don't believe.

So tonight I simply wanted to say something to all of you who have been hurt, disappointed, letdown or abused by people who claim the name of Jesus...
I am sorry. I am sorry that you have experienced what you have, but I can tell you that there is a God and He looks and acts nothing like those who have wronged you. He is a God of love, grace and mercy and personally I rely on that everyday of my life.

It is my prayer that somehow His love and grace will breakthrough the pain and that the people of God would wake up and begin to live for that which really matters. God let it begin with me...

Significance

2009-11-29T21:18:00.000-05:00

So have you ever felt like your life was insignificant? I have. In fact there are times when I wonder if I am making any difference at all. I often feel like my contribution to this world is like a tiny pebble being thrown in an endless ocean where any ripples created are immediately swallowed up, disappearing without notice or impact.

Then there are those moments when God allows you to see how you have touched someone's life. You know what I mean, you do something for someone and somehow brings hope where there was hopelessness or comfort to someone who is hurting or brings joy to those shrouded in sadness. These are the times that make me feel like I have something to contribute to this world. Though they may be few and far between, I think we have all had these moments.

So why do we feel so insignificant when we have the power to bring comfort, hope, joy and even life to people when they are desperately in need? Could it be that as much as God wants us to experience these things and share them with others, there is a battle raging to keep us feeling small and insignificant? Could it be that we are no different from the "insignificant" men and women who have gone before us and are written about throughout the pages of history? Just think for a moment about some of the people that God has used in the past. Moses, who didn't even think he could speak well enough to represent God let alone lead His people. How about David the shepherd boy who was overlooked by his father? Or the same David who was an adulterer? How about an insignificant teenage girl named Mary? Or a small group of fishermen and tax collectors who would literally turn the world upside down with their message and by laying down their lives?

Our lives are filled with meaning and purpose. This world is filled with meaningless stuff that is put here to distract us and keep us from experiencing all that God has created us for. Some people go with the flow and live for their own selfish ambition, while others will move to the beat of a different drum. They make decisions not based on what is best for them but what is best for Him and His Kingdom.

Today I was encouraged to continue swimming upstream and I thought that I would just write a little something that just might encourage some others to do the same. You have nothing to lose when you give your life away to others, but you have everything to lose when you give your life to this world.

I think Jesus said it best when He said:"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:39) and "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36)

One day we will all breathe our last breath and on that day we will really know how significant our lives were.

whatever happened to community?

2009-09-01T20:46:00.000-04:00

A friend recently shared this quote from a book and there is no way that I could come close to doing it justice without just posting it. It is a bit long but worth every minute you will spend reading it.

"Our weaknesses and fears, much more than our achievements and successes, drive us inward and put us in touch with what is deepest, softest and most worthwhile within the heart. In that part of the heart we discover who we really are and there we understand that we are not what we achieve, but what is given to us.

Outside that, when we posture strength and lie and pretend, we learn falsely that life is not a gift to be shared, but a possession to be defended. The road to love and intimacy lies in a compassion born out of the perception of shared struggle and shared fear. When we genuinely see another's wound and struggle, then that other enters a deeper, more real, part of us.

But it is precisely here that the problem lies. More than anything else, we struggle not to reveal our pain and fears to others, for we have been falsely taught that community and love are grounded upon something else, namely upon impressing each other. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to intimacy and community is that propensity to believe that others will love us only when we are impressive or strong.

Because of this, we go through life trying to impress others into liking us. Rather than sharing ourselves as we really are--vulnerable, tender, struggling, full of fear--we try to be so sensational that there can be no possible reason not to love us.

Like the inhabitants of Babel, we try to build a tower that is so impressive that we overpower others. The result for us, as the result then, is counterproductive. Because of pretense, we go through life "speaking different languages," that is, unable to find a common ground upon which to understand each other. Understanding takes place through compassion and compassion is itself the fruit of shared vulnerability.

Thus, as long as we hide our struggles and fears, we will not find intimacy. When fears and struggle are hidden, when achievement, health, attractiveness and friendship are projected as automatic, then our talents, intelligence, wit, charms, beauty, and artistic and athletic abilities cannot be seen for what they are intended to be, namely beautiful gifts which enrich life.
They are projected, then, as objects of envy and they become forces which create jealousy and further wound.

When there is no shared vulnerability life becomes what we can achieve, and our talents are possessions to be defended. We must therefore admit to each other the cost of our struggle. Our real fears must be allowed to surface. Intimacy lies in that.

Intimacy and community will be achieved only when we are so vulnerable that others can see that we share with them a common condition.

The threads of compassion and a concomitant intimacy will appear automatically when we present ourselves as we really are, without false props, as tender."
-Ronald Rolheiser

I have often wondered "whatever happened to the love and community that I read about in the New Testament?" "Why is it that to a large degree, the church today looks nothing like the Church we read about in the Bible?" Could it be that a lot of it has to do with fear? For instance, pastors are afraid to let people know that they don't have it all together and they don't have all the answers. In turn, people are then afraid because they now have this "superchristian" example that they feel like they need to live up to and the last thing they want is for others to find out that they are actually human. As a result, there is less intimacy and vulnerability and the church and the world are worse for it.

Or maybe I am just crazy and everything is OK. Maybe God never intended for us to live like the people in the New Testament. Maybe he just put that there so that we would learn and become so enlightened that we would never have to suffer like them or die to our own selfish wants and desires. Maybe in our day and age we wouldn't have to be failures like virtually every person (outside of Jesus) that God has ever used in a powerful way.

Yeah maybe everything is just the way that he wants it in our little world of fish sticks, i mean stickers, and Sunday morning churchianity...

Could It Be?

2009-08-04T11:44:00.000-04:00

I recently returned from a mission experience in Guatemala. Inevitably after each of these trips I hear similar feedback and comments. One thing that people often ask is "why is it that I sense God's presence more in Guatemala than I do when I am at home in the States?" People also say things like "it seems like I can actually see God working here in a way that I don't see back home".

Is God more present in a third world country than He is in the U.S.? According to the Bible the answer is a resounding "NO!" God is omnipresent which means He is in all places at all times. So why is it that time and again people feel like this?

I am reminded of a story in the Bible where Jacob had a dream and encountered God. When he awoke he said "Surely the Lord is in this place and I was unaware of it." (Gen. 28:16) Could it be that as it was with Jacob, the Lord is actually "in this place" and we are simply unaware of it?

But what would make us more aware of His presence in a place like Guatemala as opposed to here?

Well, there are a few things that are different in Guatemala. First of all there is no television available to us. We have no access to the Internet and only limited access to a phone while we are there. We are not driven by time and our days are consumed with serving others and spending time in community as well as corporate worship and prayer.

Could it be that the reason we are able to see and sense God more during times like this is because we have less to distract us? Could it be that in some ways many of the "blessings" we enjoy have become a form bondage that keeps us from seeing and experiencing God in a deeper way?

Could our experience or lack thereof really have more to do with our own personal choices than God's presence being stronger in one particular place than another? Could it be that it is God's desire for us to experience Him in this way on a regular basis?

What a tragedy it would be if day in and day out "the Lord was in this place" and we were simply unaware of it.

Predestined to be divided?

2009-07-15T10:05:00.000-04:00

I often get questions about theology, doctrine and hot button topics. One that has come up a few times lately is the issue of predestination. While I feel that it can be profitable to explore such issues, it has also proven to be quite divisive.

Why do we feel a need to be so dogmatic about things that God has not spelled out clearly in His Word? Nowhere do find a neatly packaged explanation of the mysteries of divine sovereignty, predestination or election. If these issues where so important as to divide churches and break fellowship among brothers, why wouldn't Jesus have sat down and clearly laid this out to his disciples?

It is funny to me that so many followers of Christ feel the need to have ALL the answers. It is like they have to have God totally figured. What happened to the childlike faith that Jesus talked about. I am not talking about a faith that asks no questions or that doesn't challenge things. I am talking about an educated faith that is mature enough to allow room for God to be God.

In case you are wondering where I stand on this, I will simply say that I do believe that God is sovereign as His Word says. I also believe that we as individuals have the ability to make choices as we see throughout God's Word as well. When it comes to reconciling the two, I choose to leave room for God to be God.

I whole heartedly agree with A.W. Tozer who said:
"God will not hold us responsible to understand the mysteries of election, predestination and the divine sovereignty. The best and safest way to deal with these truths is to raise our eyes to God and in deepest reverence say, "O Lord, Thou knowest." Those things belong to the deep and mysterious profound of God's omniscience. Prying into them may make theologians, but it will never make saints"(The Pursuit of God, pg. 64)

Vic

P.S.
Were you predestined to read this or did you have a choice? Can you choose whether to agree or disagree with what I have written or was that predetermined? Must I keep typing because I was predestined to do so, or can I choose to get on with living a life that brings glory to God?

Could the answer simply be...yes?

What do I seek First?

2009-06-09T09:03:00.000-04:00

This morning I spent some time with a small group of guys talking about a passage in the Bible where Jesus commands us not to not worry but rather to seek first His Kingdom (Matt. 6:25-35). Could it be that the reason we worry so much is because our focus is on so many things other than God's Kingdom? He says that worrying cannot add a single hour to our life and it solves nothing. If that is true, why does it consume us at times? Is it a lack of faith and trust that God will provide for our basic needs or is it that we have become so attached to our American lifestyle that we fear being stripped of some of our luxuries? I think for most of us it is the latter. Our fear isn't that God will fail to provide for our basic needs, our real fear is that we might be reduced to such a lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the blessings of living in such a prosperous country as much as the next person but it is sad to think that we often worry and fret over losing things that many people in this world only dream about ever having.

I just want to know the contentment of Paul who said; "I 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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Contentment brings peace and I believe it is the cure to the bondage of worry and fear.

God help me to seek First You and Your Kingdom and to be satisfied with what you give and what you take away...

19 Years and Counting...

2009-05-17T20:57:00.000-04:00

My wife and I just recently celebrated 19 years of marriage. It is crazy to me to think that we have been married for that long! Time has flown by and I just love her more and more as each year passes. We have gone through a lot together and learned a lot in the process. I am forever thankful that God gave me such a beautiful, godly woman to share life with.

I read this note on her Facebook the other day and I couldn't help but share it with you. Rox, I hope you don't mind...

What I learned in Guatemala (Roxane Cuccia)
Fear not!
Do not be afraid of what people think about me, what people might do to me. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.

Love more.
Love as Jesus loved. See past the person and into the heart. Be the hands and feet of Jesus by loving. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

Things deceive.
American culture teaches us selfishness, self-centeredness and greed. Things are to become powerless in my life. They will rob me of my joy and steal my attention. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

Live simply.
Live simply so I can share all I have with others.
I can buy new GAP jeans, or I can feed a family in Guatemala for a month. Do I really need GAP jeans? Am I afraid what you will think if my jeans are from Walmart or the thrift store? I tend to be shamelessly self-absorbed. What would Jesus choose? What would Jesus have me choose?

"If anyone is to follow me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

It is a profound privilege to have met the beautiful, precious people of Guatemala. It breaks my heart that they work so hard every day of their lives, just to survive.

If I choose to live with less, I could give away more. Give away food, medicine, love, life.

What is God calling you to do to make this world a better place? It will be a better place if we start to live a radical Christian life that is not about us.

Sweet Jesus Christ my sanity
Sweet Jesus Christ my clarity
Bread of heaven broken for me
Cup of salvation held up to drink
Jesus the mystery
Christ has died, and Christ is risen
Christ will come again.

After the last tear falls, may God be pleased with the way I loved His creation, and may my children see that they can change the world – one sandwich, one smile, one person at a time.

Quiet!!

2009-03-20T13:07:00.001-04:00

How ironic is it that the Bible clearly tells us "Be Still and know that I am God" (psalm 46:10) and the world that we live in is filled with things that distract us by the minute? Why is it so hard to be still? What is it that keeps us from the quiet? I have recognized that even in the "quiet" moments where there is no sound, there are distractions that flood my mind. In fact, even as I type this in the quiet space of my office I have been distracted by the buzz of my cell phone vibrating on the desk from an incoming call that I "had to take", another buzz from a Facebook post that I "needed to look at", the office phone ringing which I actually did need to answer so I could buzz someone in downstairs and the ringing sound of my computer telling me I have a new email. Literally this was all in a five minute period. And we wonder why it is hard to be still and know that He is God. Often I invite "noise" in my life more than I invite God in on a daily basis.

To know that He is God is to be reminded of who He is and to know, believe and understand His goodness, love, grace, mercy, compassion and endless blessing in our lives. If I could just be still long enough to ponder these truths maybe life wouldn't be so stressful. Maybe anxiety and worry would wash away as the truth of His presence in my life washes over me, giving me the peace He promised.

Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us "The Lord's lovingkindesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." He is faithful and He is true to His word. Too often we overlook His faithfulness and focus on the things that we don't have. Much of the time what we don't have, we don't need and what we do have, we overlook as His blessing. As the verses above state, His lovingkindness Never ceases and His compassion Never fails, they are new every morning. He gives us enough for today.

He promises to give us enough for today and my hope and prayer is that I can learn to be quiet and slow down enough to recognize His provision and simply rest in that. Tomorrow will bring a new set of needs, concerns etc. and along with that will come a new dose of His provision, which is..."new every morning" great is His faithfulness!

Another Man's Treasure

2009-01-25T16:46:00.000-05:00

Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a cornstalk hut with a dirt floor in an area where the temperature gets down to the 40s during the winter and upper 90s in the summer? No bed, no heat, no air conditioning. Just a dirt floor with some blankets and walls that you can actually see through. During the rainy season, not only do you get wet but the floor turns to mud.

Now think of a young child that you know and love. Maybe your own child, a sibling, niece or nephew or a grandchild. Can you imagine what it would be like to live in these conditions with that beautiful child by your side? How would you cope? What would your conversations with God be like? Could you bring yourself to believe that God is good even if you had little hope of change, outside of a miracle?

It's hard to imagine what that would be like. Most of us will never experience such struggle and pain personally, so when we see pictures or hear stories it is difficult to grasp the reality of it. It is so far removed from the way we live that we cannot understand the gravity of the situation.

So you can only imagine the rush of emotions I felt as I stood in the center of this very primitive structure that a beautiful family of four once called home. Words cannot do the experience justice. I can only say that it caused me to rethink almost every aspect of my life.

Thanks to the generosity of some God loving people, this family now lives in a modest block home that keeps them sheltered from the elements. Although the parents and children share the same room, they actually now have a floor to stand on and beds to sleep in. By our standards this would still be considered "extreme poverty", but they are not only content, they are extremely grateful. They would even call this a miracle.

Try to wrap your mind around that for a moment. We have all heard the expression "one man's junk is another man's treasure". These people look at this new home as an incredible blessing from God, while many of us would feel abandoned by God if we were reduced to such living. To give some perspective here, most of us park our cars in nicer structures than the new home this family enjoys.

Yet God loves us all just the same. God loves the people of Guatemala as much as He loves Americans. God loves Rosa and Luterio and their two beautiful sons, Manuel and Oscar, as much as He loves you and your family.

So why are some so blessed while others struggle desperately to survive? Why do some of us get to choose from a variety of colors of paint, carpet and tile while others don't even have walls around them or a floor to stand on?

Maybe we have some responsibility in the matter. Maybe the fact that we sometimes spend more on one meal in a restaurant than some families earn in two months time says something. Maybe it actually has something to do with obedience. Consider the words of John the Apostle who said:

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."
1 John 3:16-18

My hope and prayer is that this makes you as uncomfortable as I was when I stood in the middle of that cornstalk home less than a week ago. I can only pray that the people of God, including myself, would come to a deeper understanding of what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves.

Someone once said "there is too much need, we can't do it all". I would agree and simply say that God never intended for us to do it all, He just wants us to do our part. The big question is this; how will we respond to what God puts before us? Will we be obedient and help or will we be selfish and hoard?

The way I see it, God is inviting us to join Him as He answers the prayers of those in need...what an awesome oppotunity...how can we pass that by?

Merry Christmas

2008-12-22T21:14:00.001-05:00

Although my postings have been sporadic at best lately, I thought it was time to at least write something as we are approaching Christmas. It really is the most wonderful time of the year, isn't it? There is nothing better than spending time with family, singing Christmas carols and watching the face of loved ones as they open their gifts on Christmas morning. It is a joyful time for most.

However we should never forget that there are many people who don't have the privilege of experiencing such things. There are a lot of people out there who either don't have family to spend the holidays with or would rather experience a root canal with no Novocaine than spend time with the family they do have. Then there are those with family that they know and love but because of a slowed economy, they will forgo gift giving in lieu of just trying to keep their heads above water and simply pay the bills.

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Do hard times, broken relationships and trials erase the good news of great joy that is announced by the angel? A closer look at the New Testament would indicate that hard times and struggle are to be expected in this life. The good news of great joy is not deliverance from all pain, heartache and struggle in this world. The good news is that the Savior is born. He is the One who has overcome the world. This good news involves a reality beyond this world. It's a reality that can bring peace in the midst of even the greatest struggle.

Does the truth mentioned above absolve us from any obligation to those who are experiencing these difficult times? Absolutely not, it actually puts more weight on those who would call themselves Christ followers. We would all do well to remember that this good news of great joy is often made known through those who know the Savior.

Let's not forget those around us who are struggling during the holidays. We should all look for opportunities to reach out to those in need. Maybe you could invite someone in your home who would otherwise be alone this Christmas. Give a gift to someone who is struggling or volunteer time at one of the many local organizations that are serving those in need.

In doing so we just might have the opportunity to bring good news of great joy to those who desperately need it right now

Nothing to Say

2008-11-24T21:51:00.001-05:00

I haven't blogged in a while because I really haven't had anything to say. I'm not one who just writes to just put something out there. If I am going to write something, I want to say something that matters, even if it only matters to me... :)

With that said I will simply pass on a portion of a recent email I received from my friend and brother Brock Johnson in Guatemala. We are helping a family that he is currently reaching out to.

"This has been an exciting and emotional project. They are such a sweet family and genuinely thankful. Their family members (parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews) all gather around frequently to watch the construction.

The family has many needs. They frequently go without water. They get very cold at night and the boys are currently sick. We've given them lots of blankets... 3 days ago, manuel emelio went into convulsions and had to go to the hospital. It was a combination of the cold, and the constant breathing in of the coal fire in their house that they cook from. Yesterday i asked them what medicine he was on and they said "nothing, we have no money for it." So, i am going into the city today to get his prescription filled. this project has been a combination of joy and heartbreak.

love to all! pass along our thanks to the journey family!

That reminds me... every time i see him, luterio (dad) says repeatedly "gracias hermano brock, gracias a Dios, y gracias yurney" (thank you brother brock, thanks to God, and thank you Journey). awesome...

crazy love-
brock

I am speechless as I sit in my comfortable home watching Monday Night Football and posting this as my children sleep in their warm, comfortable beds.

Why was I born here in a land of plenty while these precious people struggle to survive? Could it be that I have a responsibility to help them? Could this have something to do with why the Bible has so much to say about loving my neighbor, not storing up treasure here on earth and loving the least of these? I don't know, but it is scary thing to think that Jesus said "whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me" and then to wonder if it is "Jesus" who needs water, a blanket and medicine in Guatemala...

God, Poker and the Poor.

2008-10-23T18:31:00.000-04:00

Recently I have been amazed by how a simple act of faith can affect so many people. In our spiritual community we have recently been faced with the problem of needing a new place to meet in. We currently occupy a small but nice facility that God miraculously blessed us with. Over the last few months it has become evident that we need to find something a little bit larger to meet our current and future needs.

For some, the solution might be easy. Just do a capital campaign, raise some cash and rock and roll. Unfortunately I have this thing where I really don't think that God needs pastors to be fund raisers. Not to say it's wrong or that someone else shouldn't do that, I'm just suggesting that God can provide other ways. Call me idealistic, stupid or whatever, that's fine it's just my conviction and for now our Leadership Team is in agreement.

Anyhow, we are still waiting and praying and honestly watching some people come and go in the process. Who knows if it's because of the facility being full or simply the fact that the I don't wear a tie and our worship leader has tattoos. Regardless, it's our reality.

In the midst of this we have recently connected with some missionaries in Guatemala. As a result we have learned about how some of our brothers and sisters in Christ are living in extreme poverty. We also learned that for $3000 we can build a house for someone in desperate need. So we said, "what if we decided to build a house a month for the next 12 months for some people who need it much more than we need a facility?"

The next Sunday we introduced the idea to the church and people seemed genuinely excited. Until you see that kind of poverty put on display and have some kind of connection with it, it's easy to act like it doesn't exist. Our people were genuinely moved.

Over the last three weeks we have seen God do some incredible things. Right off the bat we had a member of our leadership team commit to funding a house. Then the day after we made the announcement, I got an email from a friend that I haven't seen or spoken to in over a year. Among other things he said, "We want to support what you are doing and I have a check here at my office for $2500, when can you come by?". He has never been to our church and had no idea about the project. When I told him that we would put the money toward a house for a family in need he responded "That's great and count me in for two more."

There are other stories of generosity that are just blowing me away. We recently had a first time visitor who is a professional poker player commit to raise money among other players to build a house. In fact one of the guys he contacted expressed interest in going on one of our trips to Guatemala.

As I see all of this progress, I wouldn't be surprised if God provides in such a way that we don't end up spending any money from our regular budget on this project. It also wouldn't surprise me a bit if we see God provide a new facility for us in the right place at the right price, sometime in the near future.

I will keep you posted on how everything plays out and if you are interested in knowing more about the 12x12 Love Project click here

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." - Jesus

Where Is God When The Chips Are Down?

2008-09-29T20:45:00.000-04:00

It's so easy to believe that God is with us when things are going well. We readily acknowledge that he loves us and always has our best interest at heart. We say things like "He has all the hairs on our head numbered" and "if God is for us, who can be against us".

Then when things get a little tough our tendency is to be like "Oh God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!" That's right, we even get religious enough to pray in King James.

Why do we do this? And where is God when the chips are down?

Maybe the answer actually has a lot to do with the chips. Not Lays or buffalo. In case you were wondering, "When the chips are down" is a reference to betting. What do we do when the chips get low and we are losing? How do we respond and react?

Well that depends what kind of hand you have. If you have a royal flush, which is the best poker hand possible, then you bet it all and don't sweat it because you can't lose. If you are holding a pair of Kings you might have some confidence but most people would still sweat it, especially when the chips are down.

Well as of today, the chips are officially down. The Blue Chips that is. While our economy has been shaky to say the least, today we saw the largest single drop in the Dow in history. As a result, there are many people who are struggling and some that are surely asking the question "God where are you?"

So what do we do when the chips are down? Well to go back to the earlier illustration, it depends on what you are holding. What is it that you are trusting in? Do you have a sure thing? If our trust is in anything other than Christ, it's time to sweat.

If our hope and trust is in Christ alone then we simply cannot lose. Now this might sound like the trite, idealistic answer but I don't think so. I think it is actually very realistic and it is times like these that show us where our treasure truly is.

I mean what is the worst case scenario in a situation like this? You might think "well our economy collapses and we see times equal to the great depression." That could be a realistic concern I guess, but again, where is our trust? I can't help but think about the fact that even if I were to lose my house and what little savings I have, I would still be better off than how some brothers and sisters live on a regular basis.

At our church, we are currently in the process of helping to build a home for a family in Guatemala. They are followers of Christ, in fact the father is a pastor, and they currently live in a shanty that you can only imagine if you were to see it. They rarely are able to eat meat with their meals and often have only one meal a day. This is everyday life for the Mundo family, who believe in and serve the same Jesus as I do.

So, where is God when the chips are down? He is still on the throne, in complete and total control, reminding us daily that this world is not our home. Our hope and trust should be in Him and if that is the case we simply cannot lose.

Don't get me wrong, like everyone else I enjoy the luxuries that we experience in the good old U.S. of A, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, when our hope and joy in life are tied to that, then we are in trouble.

Like Christ himself, believers throughout history have struggled and faced trying times. In fact, I think there are no better words in times like these than that of the Apostle Paul who wrote in his letter to the Philippians:

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This command is not circumstantial and neither is the promise found at the end. May Christ alone be our hope and as we fully trust in Him, may he be our peace. Even when the chips are down...

Church In Your Skivies

2008-09-08T20:41:00.000-04:00

So I was thinkng about going to this conference that is kind of noted for being on the cutting edge of where things are going in the church. It has a reputation for being the conference to go to if you are a part of the next generation of leaders among Christians.

So I go to the website and couple of things catch my eye. First off, they have this promotion where you can sign up once a day to win a free plane ticket anywhere in the U.S. and they pick a winner like once a week up until the time of the conference. Although I went ahead and signed up, because I am a sucker for free stuff, I have to admit this raised some questions in my mind.

Why give away plane tickets to get people to come to your conference?

I wonder what you could do with the amount of cash spent on 5 plane tickets anywhere in the U.S.? ($2,500?)

Another thing that I noticed is that the conference was a little bit pricey by my standard. Now I am admittedly cheap when it comes to these things but 3 bills for a conference plus gas and hotel for a couple days adds up quick. If you take a couple people you are dropping $1500 fast. But I guess if this is the conference to be at and if you really want to be on the cutting edge then maybe it's worth it.

So I decided to check out the speakers. To my surprise the conference that has been noted for being a forerunner among next generation christian thinkers and leaders, had a lineup that was more like a typical Willow Creek leadership conference. Can you say sell out?

For starters I see Jim Collins (author of Good to Great) among the main speakers. Now that's fine I guess, but I didn't start a business, I planted a church. Not to mention I have already heard him speak at a Willow Conference, which left me asking the same question. And listen, I know that all truth is God's truth and blah blah blah so save it. I'm just saying this doesn't seem like anything new to me.

So all that to say I decided to save God's money. But as I said earlier, I did sign up for the free plane ticket. Well, apparently I didn't win that, but I got the consolation prize...a personal phone call from some confernce pusher trying to get me to buy their stuff.

After some hey bro's and small talk, I told him that I wasn't planning on going and he asked me why. I went on to explain my disappointment with what was being offered and that I would be saving God's money this year. He was real quick to let me know that they had a real hot up and coming leader who was going to be speaking and he was a name that I was going to be hearing a lot from in the near future. So he asked me if I had heard of this guy. "He pastors a church that has grown to over 3,000 in two years!" like that is everyone's goal and this guy should be my super hero or something. I felt like saying...well I probably shouldn't write what I felt like saying, let's just say I overcame the temptation.

What in the world is going on with the church today? Is it all about who is the biggest and how to grow the fastest? Adding video venues seems to be what's "hot" now so let's all jump on that band wagon or better yet why not stay home in your pajamas and just watch it on the TV or internet. Honestly that is what I would rather do. Why get up on Sunday morning and go somewhere to watch TV when you can do it at home in your skivies while eating donuts and checking in on Sportscenter during the boring parts?

Really, what's next? Holographic virtual pastors? Drive through communion windows? ATMs in the church, oops too late that one's already been done!

Ok, now I am rambling or maybe venting, so I guess I should stop. There just comes a point where you say enough is enough, will someone stop the madness? And just as soon as it seems like you find someone who will take up the mantle, they either sell out for the cash or start believing crazy stuff like Bin Laden is going to be in heaven or that Oprah is actually a prophet of God!

Deep breath.

Alright I better pray, God keep me humble and help me to simply do all that you have called me to do in the midst of the madness. May we never think we are better than anyone or that we have all the answers. May we respond to wolves, critics, frauds and fanatics with the same love that you showed those that you encountered. And may we represent you well as we just try to figure this all out. Thank you for your love and grace which we all desperately need.

Trusting God

2008-08-11T22:43:00.000-04:00

Our culture has set us up to be people who work our whole lives in order to get to a place where we do not have to trust or depend on anyone. In fact for most of us (myself included) simply living in America has kept us from understanding what it really means to trust God. Don't get me wrong I think it is great that we get to experience the blessing of the prosperity of our country.

The problem is that as a result we have become spoiled (again, myself included). Therefore when we experience a small trial or the need to step out by faith into the realm of the unknown, we struggle. It's as if we are stretched to the limit and we wonder how we will ever make it.

Now in no way do I want to minimize our struggles, but rather help us put them in perspective. We tend to forget that there are people in this world who genuinely don't know if they will have food to eat the next day. There are those who have seen friends and loved ones maimed and even killed for the same faith that we have the freedom to enjoy publicly day in and day out. Some of these people treasure mere pages of the Bible because it is nearly impossible to own a Bible in their countries.

Do we really know what it means to trust God?

I dare you to do the following:

Go to this link and try this simple one question test:
www.globalrichlist.com/index.php

Then pray this prayer found in Proverbs...

Proverbs 30:7-9
"Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.

Surprised by your ranking? Scared to pray the prayer?

Me too...

God help us to trust you more as we learn what it means to give ourselves away just as you did for each of us.

Testamints

2008-07-21T20:21:00.000-04:00

I'll never forget the first time that I walked into a "Christian" bookstore and low and behold there it was, right before my eyes "Christian" candy. "Christian" breath mints to be exact, complete with the cheesy Christian cliche name "Testamints". My initial response was "you have to be kidding me, Testamints!" After a double take just to be sure, my worst fear was confirmed, I was not having some bizarre acid flashback/hallucination, someone was actually producing and marketing "Christian" breath mints.

Of course my vivid imagination immediately conjured up the marketing piece for this product. The scene is the pearly gates and there is Peter with a long line of people waiting their turn to stand before God and upon entering Peter cordially makes the offer "Testamint?"

I wish that were the end but of course Testamints were followed by other ingenious offerings such as Scripture cookies, the "Christian" version of fortune cookies, and a whole array of treats offered by the "sweet Jesus confection company". Don't get me started, oh yah I guess I already am...

So what is the purpose of this post? I guess to pose a simple question; what is it that makes something "Christian"? Is it the fact that we slap some label on it? I don't think that works with people let alone candy, music, movies and the many other things we lump into this category. Furthermore, why do "we" need such things? Why is it that Christians need their own candy, coffee shops and what next, maybe commodes?

I know that we are to be in the world but not of the world but aren't these things in effect taking us out of the world? We now go into a "Christian" bookstore to buy our books, music, movies and treats. At some churches you can also buy such things, along with a latte and a pastry but don't worry they take visa.

Anyhow, I think Scripture clearly teaches us to not be "of the world" but doesn't it also teach us to be "in the world". In fact Jesus prayed this very thing in John 17 where He asked the Father not to remove his followers from the world but to protect them in the midst of it. His prayer was that we would be protected from the evil one and that the Father would "sanctify us by truth" and He goes on to say "your Word is Truth".

To sanctify is to set apart. We are to be set apart by truth, not by labels and our own "Christian" subculture that we create. By doing such things we have in effect set ourselves apart and limited our effectiveness in reaching this world. But we are proud that we are set apart, untainted by this world.

Does it mean anything that Jesus stepped out of the perfect place in heaven with the Father to enter our world, full of sin, selfishness and hate? I believe He did this to not only pay the price for our sins but to also leave us with an example. He stepped into our so that we would follow His example and step into the world around us. In fact, He tells us so much...

"As you have sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world"
Jesus (John 17)

May we be people who follow the commands of Jesus as well as His example. There are people all around us who are waiting for someone to step into their world and offer them...not a testamint or some other trinket...but love and hope! Jesus prayed for the Father to protect us, we should be OK at Starbucks, Barnes and Noble or the local pub for that matter, if it that is where God leads us to go and make His presence known.

Therefore let us be people who are willing to obey the call to be in the world but not of it. May God give us grace and wisdom to know how to EFFECTIVELY do this very thing, for His name and His cause.

rest for the weary

2008-07-09T20:59:00.000-04:00

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Jesus

My guess is that if you were to survey a group of Christians to see if this passage accurately represented the way they feel as a result of their faith in Christ and involvement in their local church, the results would be less than favorable. In fact if I were a gambler I would lay fat wad of cash that this is the case.

Why is it that so often the things that Jesus speaks of, promises, and personally exemplifies and represents, end up foreign to our modern day Christian experience? Could it be that Jesus' life and teachings are so radical and counter cultural that often his own followers and the very institution that claims to represent him, find it hard to believe and teach such radical claims? Has Christianity become more about us and our agenda rather than about Him and His mission? As a result who is it that benefits and who is it that suffers?

When we water down, change or alter the message of Jesus in any way, everyone loses. The Church has done a great job of telling people what their responsibilities are and what it means to be "radical" for Christ. We are reminded that the "faithful" are those who are at Church every time the doors are open and who serve in 12 different ministries.

As a result we have become a very religious people and religion makes you tired and sometimes bitter and mean as well. Jesus confronted religion and the one's who taught such things and put such heavy loads on people in the process. Look at what he said about them...

"They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'"

So what am I saying, what should we do? How about we begin by following Jesus and His Word? Let's be sure that our focus is His focus. If this is the case, then we should experience joy, freedom, fullness of life and rest for our souls.

If you are spiritually tired I would suggest you ask yourself a few questions.
-Why are you doing the things you are doing? Out of passion or obligation?
-Who are you trying to please? Jesus or someone else?
-Are you doing too much? If so, prayerfully consider what should go.
-Jesus is gentle and humble in heart, is that represented by those in leadership of the fellowship you attend? If not, find somewhere else to go.
-Lastly, are you motivated by love?

We love Him because He first loved us. His love is unconditional. For those of us who know Him, we should know that we are accepted and loved, not because of what we do or don't do but because we belong to Him.

May His love motivate us to do what we do and may His love allow us to accept ourselves just as He accepts us. Find rest in Him, for His yoke is easy and His burden in light.

Oh and sorry for the month between posts...I needed rest.

Grace and peace.

Jesus, Rob Bell and the Pharisees

2008-06-10T17:14:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been personally challenged to rethink much of what goes on in "church" today. For too long I, like many others, had taken many things at face value rather than weighing them against the only anchor that we have for Truth, the Bible. As a result of my journey, I believe that there is a lot being done in the name of Jesus that He probably would not want His name associated with. I could go into a long explanation here, but quite frankly I am a bit tired and that is not the purpose of this post.

What I want to say is that I am not surprised in the least bit that many people today are walking away from the institutionalized "church". Religion has done a lot of damage in our day and there are many people, pastors and ministries that have given Christ and His Church a bad name. As a result there are scores of people who have become disillusioned with the organized "church".

That being said, I am not one who has lost hope. In fact I believe that there are those of us who God has called to help renew hope in our day. Not hope in religion or hope in the institutionalized church, but hope in Christ and His Church. When I say "His Church", I mean His people, those who are His followers and who live out the very example of love that He set before us. It is our responsibility to represent Him and we should represent Him well.

A little over a year ago I had the opportunity to sit down with Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, and ask him a few questions. Although I may not agree with everything he says, writes or preaches, I must admit that I am in agreement with his answer to my question below...

As a pastor what would you say to someone who has become disillusioned with organized church or what they have seen of Christianity?

I would wager that the things that most turn them off are the things that most turn Jesus off. There is not one instance in Jesus’ teachings where he gets angry with somebody who isn’t a follower of his or someone who doesn’t love God. His anger is always for religious people who claim to speak for God but live in another way.

So if you find hypocrisy absolutely revolting so did Jesus. If you find people who think they are the moral police of culture repulsive, so did Jesus. If you find people who are ready to throw stones at the next sinner very hard to take, so did Jesus. And if you think that people who use Jesus to accumulate political power, to coerce people to live according to their laws, well Jesus had a problem with such things as well. I would say that your anger is shared by Jesus. He’s angered by all the same things.

Maybe it's hard for you to think of Jesus being angered by these things. I have been reading through the gospel of Mark recently and I found it interesting that on more than one occasion, Jesus did get angry at the stubborn, hypocritical religious people of His day. Read Mark 3:1-6 and you will see Jesus frustrated and angry with these people.

It is important for us to realize that Jesus was angry but never sinned. It's O.K. if legalistic people frustrate you. There is nothing wrong with being angry when people represent Jesus in ways that would not be true to His character or teaching. The key is to heed the words of Paul in Eph. 4:26, "...In your anger do not sin."

So when we meet people who have written off Christianity or have given up on the church we must be very slow to judge. They may be frustrated by some of the very things that frustrated Jesus. For this reason I would suggest that we follow His example. He showed unconditional love to all people and never once compromised the Truth. Truth expressed in love makes all the difference.

May we be people who hold fast to the Truth and love those who are desperately in need of it!

Codename Jesus

2008-06-01T21:07:00.000-04:00

I know very well the Bible verses that talk about the opportunity that we have to represent Jesus to people around us. The Apostle Paul says that we are ambassadors (representatives) of Christ. Jesus' followers were even referred to as Christians, which literally meant "little Christ". Then there are people who will say things like "you may be the only Jesus that those people will ever see..."

I believe all of this to be true but even so, I must admit that there are times that I forget the deep reality of this. Do you know what I mean? You believe something to be true, try to live it out, and maybe even teach it to others but somehow you lose the depth of the reality of that particular truth. Then God does something to remind you in a powerful way just how real it is.

That is what happened to me today. I had the opportunity to sit and listen to testimonies of How God had used regular people to show Himself to others in the midst of difficulty, pain and struggle. One woman shared the names of those who had really been a blessing to her and went on to say that they were really just codenames for Jesus. In other words it was Jesus who met her in her time of need and He did it through these individuals.

Wow! Now that brings the reality of this truth home in a powerful way. When you hear something like that and see a person who has experienced the love of God expressed through His people, you cannot help but be both encouraged and challenged.

It is true that God still uses people today to accomplish His purposes! He often reaches out through regular, everyday people just like me and you. That being said, I can't think of anything more challenging. Not only do we have an opportunity to make an impact but we have a responsibility to do so. As those who know and follow Christ, we must consider the importance of how we use our time, gifts and talents.

Are we available to be used by Him? Do we make a point of purposely building relationships with those God has put around us? Lastly, is there anyone we know who might say that _______ _______ (fill in your name) is really just a codename for Jesus in my life? I am challenged to pray and strive to be this kind of person.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words!

2008-05-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

There are people all around us who are in desperate need. Please watch this video and consider what part you would have in showing Christ's love to "the least of these".

Meet Freddie Wright...

Ready For Freddie

2008-05-23T14:28:00.000-04:00

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Can it be that we really have the opportunity to do things for Jesus as we serve and help those marginalized by our society? How incredible is it to think that if I take the time to minister to or simply serve someone who is in need that I am doing that for Jesus. I think if we were to orient our lives to a more biblical perspective we would find ourselves less burdened by the needs of those around us and more encouraged by the opportunities.

Our spiritual community has made a commitment to doing things for "the least of these", since that is one way specifically that we know that we are doing something for Jesus. There are a lot of things that we do in "church" today that make me wonder who or what we are actually doing them for. However when we do something for those in deep need there seems to be no question that this is done unto Jesus.

With all of this said I must admit that it is still easy to walk by, overlook and forget about the many needs all around us. For this reason we have decided to be sure to at least do one large project each year that engages our whole community in this type of service. This year we will take two weekends to help a man that we have been introduced to through a great ministry here in Jacksonville called Builder's Care.

Last week I had the privilege of meeting Freddie, the man we will be helping. Freddie has cerebral palsy and spends much of his time in a wheel chair. He lives in the house that he grew up in here in Jacksonville which now is basically coming down around him. I can't tell you how humbling it was to stand in his living area looking up at the large hole in his ceiling where water had recently been running through and thinking, "I don't know many people who would live like this or let someone they love live like this". That thought was followed by "this is someone that Jesus loves and surely He doesn't want him to live like this."

There is no way in a brief post to explain what it was like to meet Freddie and to know that I am a part of a community of people who are going to be helping to make a life changing difference for him. I know there are people who will say things like "but what good is it to help someone physically if you aren't preaching the gospel to them?" I would begin by suggesting that these people ask Jesus that question, since He told us to do it. Secondly, I would be sure to remind them that there are many ways to preach the gospel and words do not always have to be the first part of the equation.

Freddie actually already knows and loves Jesus, which makes his situation all the more humbling. Here is a struggling brother in Christ living with holes in his roof, no AC, sewage backing up into his tub...need I go on? Nothing needed to be said to him in order for the gift of our service to evoke genuine praise from his heart to God. We haven't even done anything yet and I have seen first hand the fruit of our offering.

I believe the impact this project will have on us as a community can be as powerful as the impact it will have on Freddie. I hope and pray that it becomes a catalyst in each of our lives to make us more sensitive to the needs that are all around us, that we often overlook. I have begun to see this already in my own life and it is both exciting and very challenging.

There is nothing like being on mission with God, especially when you know that the things you are doing are pleasing to Him. To some that may sound arrogant but I am just referring to the biblical truth mentioned above "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me."

Together, let's do more for Him...

(If you are interested in being involved in this project, it will be on Sat. June 14&21. Just check out www.jcjax.com for details)

Simple Reminder

2008-05-16T17:29:00.000-04:00

In a world where so many people make so many claims and do so many things in the name of Jesus, I thought it would be wise for us to be reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John:

Galatians 1:1-8
Paul, an apostle-- sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt.21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

1 John 4:1
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

May Christ always be the center of our lives, our ministries and our churches. May His Word, love and character be that by which we measure the fruit of all that would represent Him and bear His name.

Just a simple reminder...

Paul

2008-05-07T22:04:00.000-04:00

Paul is a man who experiences joy even in the midst of deep suffering. He also is a man who asked God to take away his "thorn in the flesh" but God said His grace was sufficient for him. Paul is a real encouragement to me and he challenges me in my walk with God and the way I choose to live life. Paul is a man I met at Starbucks today...

Today I met some guys at Starbucks to talk about a few things, one of which was the current state of the church in America. As we were engaged in a lively discussion about where the American church is and where it is headed, we were interrupted a few times by an amen and a little encouragement from a guy sitting alone behind us. He was one of those guys you look at and you don't know what to think. Sitting alone, drinking his coffee and smoking a cigarette. Cowboy hat laid on the table revealing his bald head, complemented by his scraggly santa like beard. Anyhow, we had some brief interaction and then carried on our conversation for another half hour or so.

When we got up to leave I decided to go and introduce myself to the man sitting alone, his name was Paul. As I got close to him I noticed that his bald head revealed a large scar stretching from ear to ear over the top of his skull. I also noticed that on the front of his cowboy hat he had sketched three crosses, a large one in the middle and a smaller one on each side. He began by telling me that he heard us talking and that he agreed that God is everywhere waiting for people to come to Him. He said they called Jesus a wine bibber just because He went where the people who needed Him most hung out.

Then Paul started to tell me his story. How he retired from the Navy, became a truck driver and is now retired from that as well. However his recent retirement was not voluntary. He shared with me that about a year ago he started doing some strange things and his friends and family became concerned about him and urged him to go to the doctor, which he reluctantly did after some time. After a CT scan the doctor realized what was wrong, he had a tumor about half the size of my fist on his brain. In November of 2007 the doctors removed as much of the tumor as possible. He learned that untreated this type of cancer is usually fatal within three months.

Paul looked me in they eye and said "Most days I'm ok with it, today is one of those days". He went on to share that although he doesn't understand why, and he still has many questions, the Lord has given him a sense of peace through it all. He also said that they recently discovered that the tumor is growing again. I asked him if they could do any more surgery and he said that it depends on what direction it grows. "If it grows to one side they can go back in and trim some of it away. If it grows to the other side, it's up the Lord how long I have."

Paul got a little emotional as he talked but it was amazing to me the sense of peace that this man had. It was obvious that he had a real relationship with Christ, but he was the kind of guy that most Christians would walk by and not say a word to, let alone think that he might be a brother who they would one day spend eternity with.

I asked Paul about his relationship with God and he said "Do you have some time, let me buy you a cup of coffee." I didn't accept the coffee offer but I had some time, so I sat and listened to his story. He told me that his brother was a pastor and that he visited his church one time about twenty years ago and he has never been back. "Those are some of the most judgmental people I have ever met" he told me. Then he went on to share how in the course of conversation with a friend he expressed his faith in God, although he didn't attend church or know that much about Him. This friend gave him a Bible and said well if you believe in Him then you really should read this because it's His Word written to us. So Paul did just that. H read the Bible in about three months and one night about four AM alone in his truck, he cried out for Jesus to save him.

At some point in the conversation Paul asked me what I did and I told him that I was a pastor. I shared with him how we have this small community of believers who are just trying our best to love God and show that love to others. I told him that we want to experience a sense of connectedness with God and one another, kind of like family, to which Paul said "I'm still looking for mine". I invited him to come sometime and just check out the community of believers at Journey, to which he responded very positively. I hope Paul comes, I hope experiences the love of Christ and maybe he will find acceptance among brothers and sisters who can lift him up and encourage him in his journey.

I don't know how to explain what God did in me today during this brief encounter. I just know that He was there and through Paul, God revealed things to me about His love and His nature. Before I left Paul said to me "Can I pray for you?" I thought "that's the pastor's line" but I simply said, "please do and let me to pray for you as well". So we prayed for each other, wiped our eyes, shook hands and departed.

Paul has learned something about life that I have yet to learn. It seems that he understands on a deep level the words written by another Paul "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. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

God give me the faith of my brother Paul...

consumers

2008-04-25T22:32:00.000-04:00

My last post was a response to what I experienced upon registration for the conference I attended this past week. What I walked into wasn't anything new or surprising but for some reason it made me think about how our consumer culture has impacted us as people of faith. In no way do I fault the people who sell these things, in fact I am quite sure that the vast majority have pure motives and are actually trying to help people. However, I had no idea how much this whole concept of consumerism and the church would impact me during this conference.

Consumers are people who are product driven, they buy what they feel will meet a perceived need. The question that has haunted me over the last week is; how much has this affected the church in America? Have Christians become "spiritual consumers" and has the church been reduced to a product that is to be consmed?

Indulge me for a minute here. Could this be why the attractional church model is the most popular way of structuring ministries? The attractional model focuses on the Sunday morning experience, trying to make it as appealing as possible to the masses, sparing no expense. I was talking to a friend the other day who is on staff at a church up north. He told me that their church was going to launch a second campus where the pastor would be beamed via video to preach the message. During the planning they talked about how all they had to do was to be sure the worship was top notch and they wouldn't have to worry because, and I quote, "we will be the best show in town".

Since when did church become a show? The answer to that question is harder than you might think because it's actually been a while now. If this is not the result of our consumer based society I don't know what is. With all honesty, can we find anything in the Scriptures that would remotely suggest that our main focus is to put on the best show in town? Don't get me wrong, I agree with excellence and we should pursue it in all we do, but how has this become the focus?

That's not all, it even affects us in more subtle ways. It's not just what some would call "seeker sensitive" churches that are affected by this. It seems that many people are driven by what church can do for them and how their needs can be met. Is the worship "annointed", how good is the preacher and are my kids happy? I am not saying that people shouldn't enjoy the church experience but should it really be like shopping for ice cream? Just find your favorite flavor and for that matter it may just be the flavor of the month.

When did church and the Kingdom of God become about us? Jesus seemed to always call his followers to lay down their lives and take up their cross. Maybe the reason it is so hard for people to find a church to their liking is the lack of willingness to engage in the mission of God.

Could it be that what is missing in the equation is you? Could it be that it is not that we need more gifted teachers and worship leaders, but rather people who are using their God given gifts and talents to be the "church" in everyday life. The hopeless, hungry, disillusioned and broken hearted people of this world ultimately do not need a place, they need a people. They need someone to show them the love of Christ and an organization cannot do that; only a person can.

Paul understood this when he wrote, "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

No consumerism here. Paul says don't live for yourself, live for Him! Ultimately it's really not about us, it's about Christ and His Kingdom. I believe that if we really want to experience the fullness of what God has for us it will not be found in the next best thing the "church" has to offer, it will be discovered in the times when we lay down our lives and give ourselves away. This is the way of Christ and it is what the world so desperately needs...the church at its best.

what if?

2008-04-21T21:56:00.000-04:00

Flyers, videos, people, posters, and display tables filled with books, piles and piles of books. Welcome to the world of church conferences. This week I am attending "Exponential" a conference that is geared toward church planting and new churches.

Upon registration I was given a the typical bag full of "stuff" that you receive at these sort of things. In that bag were two important items, my badge for the conference and the schedule of events for the next four days. Also in that bag were no less than 32 pieces of advertising from people trying to peddle their wares to the newest "up and coming" church leaders. I have to admit that some of this stuff is pretty slick. From the "Brown Cow" creative design flyer to ELI (emerging leadership initiative) whose flyer highlights a dude who looks like he could be straight out of the next power pop band and a cool girl with more ink than kinkos, both next to the line - "are you one of these leaders?"

Don't get me wrong, I know this is going to be a great conference and I believe that God is going to teach me things and speak to me while I am here, in fact that process has already begun. However, I do find myself asking questions like "how did the apostle Paul and others ever make it?" I mean, what did people do when they were trying to start churches before there were things like "Church in a box" (yes that was a real display I saw) and these great flyers that promise to show you how to increase attendance at your church if you will simply stop by their booth.

I don't know how Paul and Timothy did it. It must have been pretty tough to have nothing more than God's Word to guide them! Forgive my sarcasm but I do find it humourous to see so much being peddled, even at a conference like this. Then again, should we be surprised? We do live in a consumer based society and church leaders are the consumers and this stuff is apparently necessary to start the next best thing on the block.

What if we didn't need to be the next best thing? What if it didn't matter how cool we were? What if people were more important than processes and communities more important than cathedrals? What if all we had was Jesus? Would that be enough?

Just something to ponder...

Sheltered

2008-04-13T21:19:00.000-04:00

In the last three days I have become keenly aware of my own sheltered existence and the impact this has had on me, my family and the church. It is so easy to be consumed with life as we know it, that we can literally be blinded to the plight of those in need all around us.

Even those of us who acknowledge our responsibility as Christ followers to love the "least of these" and be a part of God's plan to free the oppressed can fall into the trap of believing that this is something we do, more like a project, than who we are called to be in everyday life. It is one thing to talk about helping those in need but it is a whole other experience to immerse yourself in doing so.

Through a series of events, in the last three days I have had face to face conversations with individuals who are experiencing life in a way that I cannot even begin to imagine. One family tells of what it is like to flee their country in fear of being persecuted and killed because the name they carry is identified with people from the "south" and the government now sees them as a political threat. Imagine what it would be like to be arrested and then finding favor with someone who graciously sets you free and says "go down that road and keep going, don't turn to the left or to the right and whatever you do, don't come back here." That was ten years ago and they have never gone back.

Another family tells a different story. A story of homelessness and struggle. An experience just last night that is so horrific that it would render many of us literally incapacitated for weeks. One so painful and personal that I can't even write about it. However somehow they carry on, with their lives literally in two garbage bags and a back pack.

I feel humbled, convicted, ashamed, thankful, hopeful and determined.

Paul said in the book of Philippians "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me". As I have experienced these last few days I have come to believe that this is part of the reason that Christ has taken hold of me. That somehow, in some small way, I could be Christ's expression of love to people in need that He brings across my path. I find myself compelled to do so and I will encourage all who will listen to do the same.

We can't take the weight of the world upon us, but we can open our eyes to the world around us. When God brings real people into our lives with real needs and we have the ability to meet those needs, I believe we have some responsibility.

I am so thankful that I walk with people who are committed to helping in situations like this. It was the sensitivity of individuals who decided to stop rather than drive by, that brought these people into my life. I simply pray that more of us (including myself) will have a deeper sense of responsibility and sacrifice when it comes to the world around us.

Jesus help us to love as you do, unconditionally, expecting nothing in return.