God's prize

Larry Norman was responsible for the first Christian rock album. For
years he was spurned by the mainstream christian music scene and
record lablels. However he stood by his convictions and was eventually
recognized for his unprecedented contribution to Christian music. His
motives were conveyed in the title of one of his better known songs,
"Why should the devil have all the good music?" I remember the first
time I heard it.

Larry went home to be with the Lord this week. I was listening
to the radio and the announcer stated that the day before his death he
told friends, "I feel like the prize in a box of Cracker Jacks and I
sense the hand of God reaching down to pick me up."

I thought that statement was so beautiful, especially coming from a
man who experienced the "cold shoulder" for so many years from the mainstream Christian movement because he stood for his convictions and then battled ongoing physical illness toward the end.

It made me stop and think about myself and my relationship to the Father. Do I feel like the prize in God's box of Cracker Jacks? Do you?

Sent from my iPhone

Trading Consumerism for Calling

I have to say that I am so excited about this past weekend. I took a couple of days at the end of last week to hang out with the elders of the church in a mini-retreat to pray, study, relax, plan, etc. For me it was a very meaningful time and I really enjoyed experiencing how God moved and for the work that we accomplished over those two days. God is doing something that is nothing short of awesome in our local congregation and I am so excited to simply be a part of it!

On Saturday, we worked all morning hanging a new projector at the church. I was sure that it would take only about 30 minutes, and I was dumb enough to make that prediction to Cherie in our conversation as I was leaving the house. Somewhere between the third and forth hour of the project I decided that I'm not going to make anymore assessments as to the time it will take to do projects in the future!

Overall though, the thing that I am so happy about is the recent change that we have made in the meeting on Sundays toward teaching verses simply preaching. I think we are living in a time where the body of Christ needs more than just an exposition of three points sandwiched between a catchy introduction and a conclusion. Not condemning it....just my opinion. Our members need to be fed, educated and most importantly equipped with the message to take it into their world. Simply preaching at them on Sunday is not going to win the cultural war that is raging outside of our church buildings. Emotional sermons mean nothing if they can't be carried out the door. What good is it if you walk out the door on an emotional high, but have forgotten 95% of what was said by the time you put your keys in the ignition?

A friend sent me a link today to a CNN article talking about the decline of Christianity in the US. On the heals of this, tonight while I was studying, I discovered that simply by immigration, tangent faiths (New Age, etc.), Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam are growing at four times (400%) the rate of Christianity in our country. That troubles me, because the majority of Christians that I know have little if no training to confront this. That is why we are so adamant about getting the knowledge in the hands, hearts and heads of the folks at Cornerstone Church.

So if and when you visit: be aware that we've traded our chairs being stacked neatly in a row, for tables, Bibles, notebooks and pencils to educate and equip each member for the ministry that God has called them to. Cherie was making the observation the other night at one of the Life group meetings (these are the small groups that meet in the homes during the week) that in all of the churches where we have served, just a handful of people actually are engaged in doing ministry. This is the first place we have ever been where the overwhelming majority of the congregation is just as, if not more, active in ministry than we are. It is a fact that in most churches less than 20% of the people do 80% of the ministering. That percentage is even smaller in the mega church movement. No wonder our churches are in decline. We've traded consumerism for "the calling". I pray that our congregation continues to be a place where people don't come to see "what they can get out of it", but rather come to be equipped to go out and give.

Blog link break up

Dear... ,

This is really hard for me to say, but things have just not been working out between us lately. I have hit your links on numerous occasions but its just not the same between us. You seem so despondent, so distant. So after a lot of thinking...I have come to a very difficult decision. I feel it is time for us to unlink.

It's not you, it's me....I just need more. I want you to know that I will never forget you. I will always cherish the memories that we made and really enjoyed our time together. The moments we had were special, but I think it is just time for us to move on. You are heading in other directions and I would only be holding you back.

This doesn't have to be forever, and I still want us to be friends. It's just.....well.....I have met some people who enjoy the same things that I do. They have been posting since the first of the year and I think I really need to spend some time linking with them. I know this is hard, but if you search your heart...I know you will see that this is the right thing for both of us. So, this is goodbye...I hope if you ever start posting again, you'll look me up.

When I Became a Christian by Adrian Plass

When I became a Christian I said, "Lord, now fill me in,
Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin."
And He said, "Well, Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
Do you still want to follow me?" I said, "Amen! – I think.

I think Amen, Amen I think, I think I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say, my body may be killed and left to rot and stink,
Well, yes, that sounds terrific, Lord, I say Amen – I think.

But, Lord look, there must be other ways to follow you,” I said,
“I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed."
"Well, yes," he said, "you could put up with sneers and scorn and spit,
Do you still want to follow me?" And I said, "Amen! – a bit.

A bit Amen, Amen a bit, a bit I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say I could put up with sneers and also scorn and spit,
Well, yes, I’ve made my mind up, and I say Amen! – a bit.

Well I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy,
Now, Lord, I said, the Good Book says that Christians live in joy."
"That’s true," he said, "you’re gonna need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
So do you still want to follow me?" I said, "Amen! – tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll say it then, that’s when I’ll say Amen,
You see I got to get it clear, could we just run through that again?
You said that I will need the joy, to bear the pain and sorrow,
Well, yes, I think I’ve got it straight, I’ll say, Amen – tomorrow."

He said, "Look, I’m not asking you to spend an hour with me,
A quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
The cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit.
Now tell me, will you follow me?" And I said, "Amen! – No, I quit.

I’m very sorry, Lord, I said, I’d like to follow you,
But I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do."
And He said, "You forget religion then, and you think about my Son,
And you tell me if you’re man enough to do what he has done.
Are you man enough to see the need? Are you man enough to go,
Are you man enough to care for those whom no one wants to know?,
Are you man enough to say the thing that people hate to hear?
And battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear.
And listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
The moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend?
Are you man enough to hold your tongue? Are you man enough to cry?
And when the nails break your body – are you man enough to die?

Man enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
Man enough to love the world and turn it upside down,
Are you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again"
I said, "Oh Lord, I’m frightened”, but I also said “Amen”.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,"
I said," Oh Lord, I’m so frightened," but I also said, "Amen."

Into the Mystic

I always liked the Van Morrison song, "Into the mystic", but gotta admit, I don't understand what in the world it is about. Aside from that, when I hear the word "mystic" or more directly "mysticism", it conjures up in my brain images of beaded, peace sign tatooed, nature fetished hippie types, hugging trees for some undefined type of "spiritual experience". Pretty weird, huh? I really need to work on these stereotypes I have floating around in my head.

As I have been reading more and more on the missional vs. emergent thing, this whole concept of "mysticism" keeps popping up. What I can't seem to get my brain around is if the term has been adulterated in practice within the emergent movement to be more reflective of my bad stereotype or is it really about making doctrine secondary to feelings? I am not making a statement, it is really the question I have, since there appears to be such disparity between the different congregations within the emergent movement.

Personally, I have a firm conviction that real Christianity, the kind that changes us, is both axiological and mystical. However, I mean this only in this sense: we come to a cognitive assurance of what is true (axiological), which is also "felt" to be true in our hearts (mystical). Without that "feeling" of what is true, I don't know that anyone would stay the course. I am not saying that our feelings are primary. Our faith preceeds our feelings. However, that does not negate the feelings does it?

So here is the question for you to ponder: Pragmatically, what role do feelings play in your day-to-day relationship with Christ?

Being the Missional Church

I have had several conversations lately about what it means to be missional. Michael Frost answers that question. Please take the time to watch this. I look forward to hearing your comments.

Me and Hank...just sad!

I think I know what Hank Williams Jr. was feeling when he wrote, "all my rowdy friends have just rowdied on down." (is "rowdied" really a verb?) Anywho, I'm just going through my links to see what all my blogging friends are writing about and guess what?

Bosephus says, "I think I know what my father meant when he sang about a lost highway". I am really not a Hank Jr fan at all, but after looking at the pitiful sight of inactive blogs, I'm thinking about downloading a whole anthology of that depressing music and mourning the loss of my blogging friends. I hope you guys come back soon! :(