You Need to Go (Part 2)

Continuing my thoughts on “Leaving Jerusalem” I want to talk about the first of several reasons we all eventually need to leave our immediate surroundings to bear witness to the work of Christ in our lives, as Jesus instructed his followers to in Acts 1:8.

Though we often think the main purpose for leaving what we know is to help OTHERS, I believe we first need to see how much it helps US. Your motives may be as pure as fresh fallen snow, but until you understand and surrender to God’s will, no matter what that means, you will never know what it means to truly follow him. That doesn’t mean that people who leave our country to preach the gospel in third world countries are holier that the rest of us, but in many cases it does mean that they have stepped out of what they knew and into what they didn’t. That not only takes courage, but it takes surrender and a realization that sometimes WE NEED TO GO in order to understand what it means to surrender our lives to God’s will…and not ours.

So, maybe the reason you need to leave Jerusalem isn’t that you’ve done all the work, it’s that you need a work done to all of you. As we step out of our comfort zones, God steps into our lives. The last five years of my life have been one continually lesson on this subject. In the last six months my family has moved from the comfort of the Mid-West to the unknown world of South Florida. We didn’t just wake up one day and say, “Gee, I’d really like to live 18 hours away from here…maybe somewhere near a beach.” We saw God moving and arranging THE opportunity he had prepared for us and we stepped out of what we knew and into what he was going to teach us through it all. It hasn’t been easy, but it has always been the right decision. What it has taught me is priceless to my pursuit of Christ.

What it comes down to is this. When we simple stay in what we know we struggle to grow. And according to Acts 1, we’re called to more than that.

 

Leaving Jerusalem (Part 1)

Sunday I preached about the pattern of movement that Jesus instructed his disciples to follow just before ascending to Heaven in the book of Acts. Before he left the earth he said, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). It’s a powerful statement where Jesus clearly lays out a mission for those who had been with him during his ministry. They were to be his witnesses, telling people what they knew of him after he was gone, and this grass-roots approach is how Christianity spread across the world. There was no plan B.

As I said Sunday, the reality is that most of us read that statement and go straight to the “end of the earth.” For whatever reason, it’s often more enticing to share the gospel with someone across the world than across the street. Then, when faced with the difficulty of crossing cultures and countries we get discouraged and disappointed and don’t do anything at all, or we don’t find real worth in anything other than exotic outreach. We forget that Jesus told his disciples first to be his witnesses in Jerusalem, which is where they already were. You see, what is often overlooked is the fact that we are called to be witnesses of Jesus’ work in our life in our “Jerusalem” FIRST. Before we cross the state, region, or country we need to bear witness where were already are.

Because I purposefully over-communicated this reality on Sunday I’m going to write a series of posts this week with reasons why you need to eventually leave your “Jerusalem.” The early church followed these instructions carefully, but they didn’t stay in Jerusalem forever. Eventually, they left the city and changed the world. This week, my hope is to encourage you to do the same.

Sermon audio: “Witness” (Acts 1:8)

 

Kingdom Relocation

I know, I know…it’s been far too long since this blog has seen any kind of regular activity, but today you find out why.

For the past several months Jenna, my wife, and I have been wrestling with God’s direction for our family. Not what he wants us to do, but where he wants us to do it. Ministry has been ingrained into our DNA and we have one heart that beats for Christ and serving His church. So, since he closed a chapter of our lives last December, with the closing of Horizon, we have eagerly anticipated the opening of another. We weren’t sure if that meant another “kingdom relocation” was in our future, but we knew we had to seek His best for our lives and not our own desires or comfort. Through this experience God has, once again, taught us patience and humility, and in the end we believe that he has yet again been faithful in bringing us to His path in His time.

So, with great excitement I have accepted the call to serve under Christ at the First Christian Church of Boca Raton, FL as Lead/Preaching Minister. God has given Jenna and I great clarity and confidence in this decision and in the end it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. God arranged all of the pieces from beginning to end and I am particularly excited to serve with this group of people. It’s easy to see the hand of God already at work in their lives and in their hearts.

I know that many of you have supported my family in prayer throughout this process and I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation for your partnership. In the same way Paul received Joy from the partnership of the Philippian church we have been encouraged and overjoyed by those of you that have labored in prayer over this decision with us. As I’ve said before, this many change some things for my family and me, but it won’t change the important things. We’ll be living with the same purpose, pursuing the same mission, relying on the same grace, trusting and serving the same God, and doing it all with great passion an excitement. I pray that no matter where God leads you the same would be true in your lives.

So, look out south Florida. Here we come.

 

I Was Going to Blog Today…

I was going to blog today, and then I read this post from my wife. I don’t think I can say it much better. Give it a read for yourself.

“Stuck in Saturday” on Soul Splash

 

Context

Context is a powerful thing. It can determine the appropriateness of a statement, the wisdom of a decision, and the state of a situation. Several weeks ago, at a conference, I heard Doug Fields say, “It’s okay to take your shirt off at the beach. It’s NOT okay to take your shirt off at Wal-Mart.” Context is everything.

Last night my oldest son Reed accompanied me to Target. We we’re just running in to pick up something small and didn’t plan on being in there for more than a few minutes. We go to this particular Target location multiple times each week to get nearly everything, and it was by no means new territory for him. After checking out we started to speed out the exit door, but Reed began to insist that we couldn’t go out that way. Admittedly, I was curious so I asked, “Why can’t we go out this way buddy?” He said, “That is a red sign…and red means stop. We need to find the door with the green sign.”

Was he right? Absolutely. His logic, almost anywhere else, would have been flawless, but in context it was faulty. If you’ve ever been in a Target before you know that EVERYTHING is red. The carts are red, the signs are red, the shelving is red, the floor mats are red…I think you get the picture. So, it’s not surprising that the sign marked EXIT was red too. In the context of Target, it makes sense. However, in the context of a four way intersection it doesn’t make sense. I think you get my drift.

My ultimate question is this. What is the context you are living you life in? Are things exactly as they seem or is there more to your life, in context? If we spend our lives pursuing God then sometimes “STOP” means “GO”. STOP doing what you want to do and GO do what God wants you to do. Sometimes a “NO” is really a “YES”. NO to what you want, YES to what God wants. Too often we get caught up in not getting the results we desire that we miss the context our lives should be lived within. So, go live your life…in context.

 

To Complain..Or Not To Complain?

My last week has been very hectic. Between trying to get things caught up at work, my one year old son’s birthday party, and the continual state of working on my home I have barely had a moment to think. However, in times like this the one thing I continually find time to do is complain. Even if I don’t do it out loud, I still complain in my head. So, I thought I would share with you all the things I remind myself of as this mentality creeps into my brain (in no particular order), just in case you are prone to complaining.

• Don’t you have food to eat? Lots of people don’t.
• Don’t you have a place to call “home” and keep you out of the weather? Lots of people don’t.
• Don’t you have a job? Lots of people don’t.
• Don’t you have the hope of Christ in your life, and confidence in your eternity? Lots of people don’t.
• Don’t you have a loving family? Lots of people don’t.
• Don’t you know better?

The answer to all of these questions, in my life, is a resounding, “YES!” Without a reminder every now and then it’s easy to become the complainer that God never intended you to be. So, count your blessings (literally), quit your complaining, and get back to what he’s called you to do.

 

Cooper’s First Year

Yesterday, my youngest son, Cooper Henry, turned one. The occasion really snuck up on me, and though we’ve been planning his first birthday party for months it wasn’t until last night that I really started thinking about what that meant. Something I’ve done since my first son Reed was born three years ago is write my children letters on their birthdays. I’ve never given them these letters, and they might be more for me than them, but they help me to process just how much of a blessing they are to me. Here’s my letter to Cooper as we celebrate his first year of life.

Cooper,

My first year as your dad has been eye opening. With your brother, Reed, everything I experienced was a first. My first diaper change (and the first time someone peed in my face), my first time disciplining a child, my first time struggling to strap a child into a car seat, etc. Now, I realize that everything I experience with you could be the last time I experience these things as a father. Your mommy and I are very content with the size of our family, but only time will tell. Though you may never have a younger brother, or sister, I can say that you are easily the best little brother you can be. You love Reed unconditionally, and will probably never stop following him around seeking his approval and attention. Even if you guys tangle (as you do from time to time) you are the first to crawl over and apologize with a hug and a sigh. When he is the one who has mistreated you we still catch you trying to sneak down the hall to the “time-out” corner where your “bubba” is. I pray every day that your relationship stays this way. I know that there are many issues that can tear brothers apart, but I hope that there is nothing that keeps you two from always being bros.

You are far sweeter than I ever was as a child, or adult. You’ll hug a complete stranger, and you’re the first one to the door when I get home from work every day. Even in the beginning stages of getting to know your personality I can say that you are more like your mother than you may ever know. You two share a spirit of kindness that is rare in this world, and I hope that it never leaves you as you grow and experience the harsh realities of this life.

Though your personality may match your mother’s, I believe your spirit is a carbon copy of mine. You are strong, determined, and rarely scared. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found you playing in a dark room. Completely unafraid of the unknown. You’ll try anything, almost to a fault, that you see your big brother doing and have picked up most things quicker than he did. Beyond that you have the courage and determination to stick with something even if you fail time and time again. Eventually, you do what you’ve set out to do, and find great satisfaction in that. Few things could ever make me more proud.

You’ve got many more great years of life ahead of you. I can’t wait to see how God uses you as you grow into the life he has prepared for us together. Even when you don’t want me, don’t need me, and have outgrown my advice I will still be here. I’m proud to be your “daddy”.

 

Cover Up

This weekend my wife and I packed up the kids and sent them over the river and through the woods to grandma (and grandpa’s) house so we could do some much needed work on our main bathroom. We weren’t planning on doing a lot of work…just sprucing the room up a bit and giving it some much needed attention. We painted the walls, put down new tile, and were planning on installing a newer, smaller vanity to make the room feel bigger. Our plan was moving along pretty smoothly until we removed the old vanity and found a GIANT sized hole in the wall behind it. My first reaction was the simply put the old vanity back in place to cover the obvious problem, but after some careful examination I realize that was not an option.

The previous owners used the oversized cabinet to cover the obvious problem; a huge hole in the wall. However, in order to do that they actually covered up a large portion of a floor vent and just scooted the cover over eight inches. Here’s the problem with that. For over twenty years hot air, that was meant to heat the room, had been blowing directly underneath the bathroom vanity and had no where to go. It was being directed right underneath the cabinet with no where to go. So, when we made our discovery the bottom and side of the cabinet, as well as the wall were covered in black soot. Thankfully, there was no real damage to anytime but the cabinet.

Isn’t it funny how a solution meant to cover up a gaping hole often creates a whole other set of problems? These problems might not be as prevalent or visible as what we’re trying to cover up, but they can often be more dangerous. Our entire house could have burnt to the ground because someone wanted to cover up a hole in the wall. While it may have been an eye sore and a bit of a hazard to have around small children this huge hole was never going to destroy our home. Are you seeing the parallels?

When you have a problem…deal with it. Don’t cover it up, don’t grab something big to put in front of it, and don’t be dumb enough to believe that deflecting from that problem won’t create additional problems in your life. Bring it out in the open and patch the hole. Sure, people might see some of the junk behind your wall in the process, but that’s better than a fire in your bathroom. Trust me.

 

“Sometimes, I’m the Daddy.”

“Sometimes, I’m the Daddy.” That’s what my son said to me last night as stated his case for taking control of the television remote. He knows that Daddy controls the remote most of the time, and if he wanted to take control he had to be the Daddy. Pretty funny stuff right? I had a good laugh myself. Now, I know it’s funny when kids say things like this, but more than that I believe that these are little gems of wisdom. Kids see things as they actually are with more clarity than most “adults” ever will. So, here’s what my wonderfully wise three year old reminded me of yesterday.

This is what we often try to do in our relationship with God. I know I struggle with it. You see, God is the one who should be holding the remote in the living room that is our lives (good one, right?). When we try to take control of our lives what we’re really trying to do is become God. We would never say, “Sometimes, I’m God.” We just like to take the control from God sometimes. But, in these moments the only difference between us and my son who wants control of the remote is our level of honesty. We try to hide the fact that we’re stepping into our father’s role, and he sees it as plain as the nose on his face.

Maybe we all need to be a little more honest with ourselves. Maybe we need more people who are going to be honest with us. Either way, we need to realize that sometimes we ALL try to be “Daddy,” and in the process take away the control in our lives that we freely and willingly gave to Christ when we placed ourselves under his grace and Lordship. Maybe it’s time to give back the remote.

 

Watching the Drummer

The past month has been strange for many different reasons. Not only have I been continually adjusting to a new way of life, but I’ve been adjusting to a new role and position within the church. I have temporarily gone from corporate leader to corporate participator, and it’s been over a decade since I’ve sat in “the pew” on a weekly basis. It almost seems like I’m on vacation every week.  Kind of like that one couple at the campsite that’s been “on vacation” for way too long.

However, with this change has come some unexpected blessings for me. It has been nice to leave the house with my family on a Sunday morning. My wife and I have enjoyed worshipping side-by-side, and I have been blessed to be lead into worship by some very capable and passionate people. That is a true blessing, and it has taught me some things that I was unable to learn in the past ten years of leading in the church.

You see, when a band is leading worship I have a strong tendency to watch the drummer. My wife thinks I’m crazy, but that’s what I do.  Sure, there are people in the band with more visible roles, but to me there is no more vital player in a band than the drummer. Why? Think about it. The drummer sets the tone…the beat…the mood for each song simply by banging on the drums. Pretty cool, I know. A good drummer can really set off a moment, and a bad drummer will quickly become distracting for even the musically illiterate. How the drummer plays lays a foundation for everything that happens within a band. It’s built on top of the beat.

Here’s my point. Like many people, I often get caught up in worrying about the details before I lay the framework. We worry about the frivolous before the foundational. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about your family, your job, your church, or your hobby. Make sure your base is firmly established before you start building on top of it. This may be as simple as a sunday school song, but it’s true and putting it into practice will change your life.

Simply watching the drummer…