Strange word from 1 John 2:2 explained...

In the text we studied in our 2nd message in the series “Overcomers - The Letter of 1 John” we didn’t talk about a strange word John uses in 2:2 that the NIV and the ESV English versions translate as “propitiation”.  In context, John writes, 

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.  But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

The word comes from a Greek term that signifies an ‘atoning sacrifice’ (for sin) or an ‘expiation’ of sorts.   Ok, those terms may not help us much. The term has been defined like an ‘appeasement of wrath by an angry diety’ but, this is the true picture for the story we find in Christ.  As John Stott puts it, 

There can, therefore, be no question of human beings appeasing an angry deity by their gifts. The Christian propitiation is quite different, not only in the character of the divine anger but in the means by which it is propitiated. It is an appeasement of the wrath of God by the love of God through the gift of God. The initiative is not taken by us, nor even by Christ, but by God himself in sheer unmerited love. His wrath is averted not by any external gift, but by his own self-giving to die the death of sinners. This is the means he has himself contrived by which to turn his own wrath away (cf. Pss 78:38; 85:2–3; 103:8–10; Mic. 7:18–19).

Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 92). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

So, God is the one who not only pursues us fiercely because of His love, He actively paid for our sins Himself to satisfy and fulfill all righteousness.  It is ALL ABOUT GOD here!  That is some GOOD news!

Pastor Ben

Rain falls

So the Bauman family had a tough day yesterday as Dylan was pre diagnosed with moderate Chron's Disease.  We are sad and shocked by the news and are now reading and learning all we can about this condition.  We are also just praying for God's comfort and presence with Dylan as he wrestles with the reality of this news.  Lord, have mercy on us.

Hitting 9

This past weekend Dallas Church reached a milestone - 9 years old and counting!  I had a lot of mixed emotions heading into the weekend.  Overall, I wanted to see the church still engaged in our community, still interested in seeking people far from the Lord and building a community of faith that puts faith and love into ACTION!  

The message Sunday was simply the story of how God created Dallas Church.  It was a personal, risky and at times scary journey for my family and others.  Here are a few things I also wanted to communicate Sunday...

Taking a cue from the story of the sheep & goats (Matthew 25), we find that love without action is sentimentalism; actions without love is cold legalism, but, love flowing through action is beautiful.  

So, the big question is, what is God calling YOU to do?  What are your resources, gifting, talents and passions pointing YOU to?  It may not be to move across the country and start a new church like the Baumans, but, there is a role for YOU to play in growing God's kingdom and network of love here in our world.

Here are a few big sky dreams I believe God may be calling us all to...WHAT IF:

We were a catalyst for arts in our community?

Our worship gatherings were more dynamic, engaging, challenging, inspiring were people were spontaneously praying for each other in our gatherings; encouraged one another - challenging and supporting each other?

We were all having meals and connecting w/ friends, neighbors who are not part of a church?

Our disciples went into the US south/Bible belt to plant new churches?

We were known by our love of people and our devotion to prayer and we had an undeniable hunger & thirst for the Lord & His kingdom?

God performed miracles in and through us as we prayed hard for His will daily?

Our faith was so strong in the Lord that we could indeed move mountains?

Marriages in our church were stronger than ever?

Our generosity reached such a level that we changed some people's lives forever?

It's time to keep dreaming about what God could do in and through us in 2017!

Join me in the journey!
Pastor Ben

What fills your tank?

I've heard people say this in the treatment of burnout, stress and even depression, but, I rarely hear much about HOW you figure out what fills the tank.  Today I found this article and though I'd post it...I like the idea of trying out some new stuff!

http://www.ibelieve.com/health-beauty/keeping-your-emotional-tank-full.html

Prayer lifts us up!

Good quote today...

Gregory Palamas, a fourteenth-century monk of Mount Athos, said, “This is the nature of prayer: that it raises one from earth to heaven, higher than every heavenly name and dignity, and brings one before the very God of all.”

Seasons

As the mornings grow a bit colder and the evening comes quicker, I have been reflecting on the last several weeks.  I've handled about 4 funerals.  I officiated a wedding.  I'm facing my last class needed to complete a Masters degree and my daughter got married.  My son will have his license soon and he's got a car.  In all this, my wife is back at full time work and we're getting more used to our new smaller house.   Tomorrow I'll have another coaching session with a guy who moved his family to New Zealand to plant a new church.

In the midst of all this I realized that I have probably prayed more this year than any previous year.  God is still in charge and He still speaks in the quiet.

What will the fall season bring?  This past Sunday, in speaking about being devoted to prayer, I shared this statement taken from Paul E. Miller's book A Praying Life:

If you are not praying, then you are quietly confident that time, money and talent are all you need in life. (p49)  This is functional atheism.  You simply cannot do this life alone.  Jesus knew this, so, MAKE TIME TO PRAY.

Whatever comes, I know that staying close to the Lord in prayer will be the rock for this guy!

On Prayer...can't lose!

There was a TV series a few years ago that was about high school football in a small town in Texas called Friday Night Lights.  I don't really remember much of the individual episodes but one mantra was repeated by the coach and the team before every game.  It was:

CLEAR EYES, FULL HEART, CAN’T LOSE! 

Now, if you were to ask me what spending time in prayer does - well, that might be my answer most days.  The Holy Spirit just resets my life in those moments...

Preparing for September's Prayer [devoted to] series...

In Paul E. Miller's book, A Praying Life, he notes how prayer is essentially getting to know a person (God), and, in our fast paced culture, he writes, "Learning to pray doesn’t offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart." (Miller 2009, 23). 

So, we lean in to discover the heart of God Himself.  Exciting journey ahead!

On Prayer...

I have been reading a few books for the upcoming sermon series on prayer and I loved this statement in the discussion of just praying during our ordinary, everyday work lives..."In a world in which Winning Through Intimidation is the order of the day, I am attracted to people who are free from the tyranny of assertiveness.  I am drawn to those who are able to simply meet people where they are, with no need to control or manage or make them do anything." (p. 174)

Yup.

Thanks Richard Foster for your book Prayer!

Words from Martin Luther King...

I read this today and was challenged about what it means to develop colonies of heaven in every place Christ followers live...

Martin Luther King Jr. said this: “There was a time when the church was very powerful. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being ‘disturbers of the peace’ and ‘outside agitators.’ But they went on with the conviction that they were ‘a colony of heaven,’ and had to obey God rather than man. They were small in number but big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be ‘astronomically intimidated.’ They brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contest.”

She met Jesus (literally)

This morning I spent time in silence, prayer and meditation on Scripture and I read John's account of Jesus speaking with a woman in Samaria (John 4).  It is a fascinating conversation that centered on water and worship and Spirit.  At the end, she tells him (an interesting stranger to town) that one day the Messiah/Christ will come and will tell her and the world all things.  In a rare moment, Jesus identifies Himself "I who speak to you am he."

She met Jesus LITERALLY.  Her life and apparently a whole town's future was changed by this divine meeting.

What could change in our world if those of us who've met Jesus simply talked Him up a bit more?

Prayer Trumps Activity - it is THE Activity!

I read this statement in a doctoral dissertation:  "God’s glory is revealed when weak servants submit to his supernatural power through prayer."

 

Here's the link to the paper:  http://place.asburyseminary.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1273&context=ecommonsatsdissertations

Prayer is crucial.  Why do modern Christians do so little of it?

Power of Forgiveness

An old friend showed me this article from the Mayo Clinic about forgiveness and what it means to offer it when we are offended or hurt by someone else.  There is power in this act!  Jesus said it best in the parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18 - forgive often and authentically!

Here's the article:  http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-20047692

Creating

In reading Chris Guillebeau's book Born for This, he quotes an artist named Leonie:  "Done is better than perfect."

How many things to I (we) leave undone?

God has a good memory

Jeanne Jugan has written, “Go and find -Jesus when your patience and strength give out and you feel alone and helpless. He is waiting for you. Say to him, ‘-Jesus, you know exactly what is going on. You are all I have, and you know all. Come to my help.’ And then go and don’t worry about how you are going to manage. That you have told God about it is enough. He has a good memory.”

Prayer of Humble Access

This prayer is often used early in the church worship gatherings to help prepare people's hearts for worship in the Anglican and some Catholic traditions:

he 1552 revision (in the modernised spelling of the 1662 Prayer Book) reads as follows:

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

Prayer for Father's Day...

Reflecting on this prayer from common prayer.net today:

Lord, wherever there is mercy, justice, freedom, and kindness, we know your good news is echoing in human history. Give us ears to recognize the sound of glad feet coming and grant us grace to join you wherever you are moving. Amen.

Commanded to delight?

I was reflecting on this prayer this morning:

"Shine your light on our darkness, Lord : and teach us the duty of delight."

Psalm 37:4English Standard Version (ESV)

4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

When we gather as a church...

I read this prayer today and thought about how powerful it is when we make the time to meet together as a church - especially on Sunday mornings.  With the tragedy in Orlando last week we were able to pray just hours after the horrible events happened asking for God to empower His people in Orlando to love on the victims and their families.  God moves when we meet!

Ignatius of Antioch said, “Take heed, then, to come together often to give thanks to God, and show his praise. For when you come frequently together in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and his fiery darts of sin fall back, worthless. For your unity and harmonious faith prove his destruction, and the torment of his assistants.

Taking note...

I have been thinking about this statement made by the religious establishment in the first century toward followers of Christ as recorded in Acts 4:

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Later these guys would celebrate the fact that were given the 'privilege' of suffering for the sake of Jesus' name (Acts 5):
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

Makes me ponder my own life in Christ.  Can people tell I've been with Jesus?  Do I consider suffering something to rejoice over?  

Bless us with discomfort...

God, give us discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that instead we may live deep within our hearts. Grant us anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of -people, so that we may wish for justice, freedom, and peace. Bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.

Prayer for the day...

Grow us slowly, persistently, and deeply, Lord, to be -people who watch without distraction, listen without interruption, and stay put without inclination to flee. 

Amen.

Being a MENSCH...

Just read Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki and he speaks of, in leadership, we ought to be aiming to be not just good leaders but great humans that attempts to make the world a better place and give people the benefit of the doubt.  Good thoughts!

Becoming the Answer...

Fresh off of Memorial Day, I thought this recent article from commonprayer.net today was relevant for those who are part of the community of Jesus Christ...

Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers: A Few Ideas

1.   Wash your clothes by hand and dry them on a line. Remember the 1.6 billion -people who do not have electricity.

2.   Learn to sew. Try making your own clothes for a year.

3.   Eat only one bowl of rice a day for a week. (Be sure also to take a multivitamin.) And remember the twenty-five thousand -people who die of malnutrition and starvation each day.

4.   Keep the Sabbath holy. Rest one day a week this year — ​don’t answer the phone or the door, and don’t use the internet. Do something that brings you life that day.

5.   Go to a city council meeting. Pray. Speak as the Spirit leads.

Where does help come from?

I read and pondered this Psalm today.  When we are in need, where is the first place we turn?  To Jesus or to friends, family, the church, government, etc.?  We are tempted to try and either fix it ourselves or find the easiest short term relief.  Yet, the psalmist gives us something else which echoes Jesus telling us to seek first His kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be added to us.  The hymn tells us plainly, "I lift my eyes up to the hills.  From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

Lord, teach us to come to You first.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm+121&version=ESV

Lectio Divina or Sacred Reading

In the last few years I have become aware of some ancient practices that have helped followers of Christ for centuries and some have been helpful for me.  One of those is called 'lectio divina' or the practice of sacred reading.  The idea is simple but powerful.  It breaks down like this:

Preparation - find a quiet place, take deep breaths, and relax.  To help quiet your mind you might recite the Jesus Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner) or simple phrases like "here I am Lord", "Speak Lord for your servant is listening" or even just "come Lord Jesus".

Read - now you read and ponder a passage of Scripture - Psalms are great for this.  Listen for a word or phrase that you sense God directing your attention to.

Reflect - you now meditate and consider what this passage is saying to you? How does it connect with your story and life right now?

Respond - what can you speak back to the Lord based on what you have encountered?

Rest - coming back to square one you settle back down and rest in God's Word.

Resolve - pray and begin to live out what God's Word spoke to you.

Summer teaching series on Galatians is heating up folks!

I'm so excited to be going verse by verse and drawing out what the Lord wants our church to hear this summer in the letter of Paul to the Galatians!  I've been studying up for awhile on this 6 chapter letter and have enjoyed NT Wright's work on the letter.  In fact, when this series kicks off in June, I'll be departing from my usual use of the English Standard Version and using his translation of Galatians as our key text!  You can get a copy via Amazon if you so choose...it is a nice addition to other translations.

Here is a sample from HarperCollins:

Return to the Psalms

I just finished another class towards my master's degree from Hope International University, and, it was a great class focused on Psalms.  What struck me about the class was the reality that a good portion of the songs, hymns and poetry of the Psalms comes in the form of lament.  When do we lament in our corporate worship gatherings on Sundays?  Where do we voice our honest complaints and concerns to God corporately?  Ancient Israel didn't seem to shy away from such raw emotion - why do we?  Isn't God big enough to handle our frustrations that the world is not quite what it is supposed to be?  I'm pondering how to put more of this ancient hymnbook into our modern worship environments...

Oh, this was a great article I read today...http://worshipleader.com/worship/the-psalms/

Ben

Old School Devos...

I often post prayers and thoughts from this website resource that I discovered a few years back after reading some of Shane Claiborne's work.  He wrote The Irresistible Revolution and Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals.  It might help spark some new thinking in your devotional life.  Here is the website:  www.commonprayer.net.

In Christ!
Pastor Ben

The Jesus Prayer

I've used a simple prayer from the early days of the church that some call The Jesus Prayer.  It is a simple prayer that helps me center my focus on Jesus in our crazy, busy, noisy world.  It goes like this:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy On Me, A Sinner."

No, it is not some kind of magical formula or touchy-feely mantra to repeat over and over but a way to refocus a wandering mind in prayer.

I hope that helps you as much as it has helped me to be more prayerful this year!

Pastor Ben

Spring Madness!

TIME FOR A BLOG UPDATE...Well, it has been an interesting year for my family to say the least!  As of last week, we are relocated into a new (to us) home in Dallas.  I am also happy to be in the last phase of finishing up my Masters of Ministry from Hope International University.   Our daughter Emma will turn 20 in July and get married to her fiancé Tyler the first week in August at my parents' farm near Sheridan, Oregon.  Dylan is becoming quite the musician, singer and actor while also getting back into pitching baseball for Dallas High School.  Jackie and I celebrated 23 years of marriage.  She is still my sweetheart.  Dallas Church celebrated 2 years of being in our own facility last weekend.  I bought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and sold my trusty old 1951 Chevrolet Pickup.  American politics are weird right now.  Feeling like God is maturing me this year as my ONE WORD for the year (instead of a list of goals) was "prayerful".  All in all, I know God is in control and He is truly good!

Deep & Wide

I just finished reading Andy Stanley's book Deep & Wide and I'm once again pumped up about being part of a church that is relentless in expecting, welcoming and being irresistible to those who are not part of it!  He writes in his conclusion, "Let's decide not to do anything that makes it unnecessarily difficult for those who are turning to God" (Stanley 2012, 317).

Amen.

Tough Questions Series

I'll be attempting to bring some answers to some of the tough questions raised in our sermon series called "Tough Questions" for July and August at Dallas Church.  Don't miss a Sunday as we navigate real questions that we often wonder about and maybe keep us up at night!

From commonprayer.net today:

"Twentieth-century Presbyterian theologian and writer Frederick Buechner has written, “Who knows how the awareness of God’s love first hits -people? Every person has his own tale to tell, including the person who would not believe in God if you paid him. Some moment happens in your life that makes you say Yes right up to the roots of your hair, that makes it worth having been born just to have happen. Laughing with somebody till the tears run down your cheeks. Waking up to the first snow. Being in bed with somebody you love. Whether you thank God for such a moment or thank your lucky stars, it is a moment that is trying to open up your whole life. If you try to turn your back on such a moment and hurry along to Business as Usual, it may lose you the whole ball game. If you throw your arms around such a moment and hug it like crazy, it may save your soul. How about the person you know who as far as you can possibly tell has never had such a moment? Maybe for that person the moment that has to happen is you.”

Professionalism and Ministry

I spoke about this recently at a gathering of local Pastors in Dallas:

DMA Devotional for May 7th, 2015

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  

He concludes, “11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

We are tempted to to be RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS…John Piper, in his book Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, says that professionalism in ministry alludes to our education, skills and clergy-defined practices that are all possible without Jesus.  He adds: “…professionalism can push our supernatural center more and more into the corner while ministry becomes a set of secular competencies with a religious veneer.”

I’m tempted to coast on my up-front skills.  i look Spiritual but is it authentic?  In the pursuit of doing our very best, honing our skills in preaching, teaching and equipping, may we not lose our center, our core dependence upon Jesus as our Savior, Lord and boss!

Jesus said, “5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Let me end with this prayer from John Piper today:  “Banish professionalism from our midst, O God, and in its place put passionate prayer, poverty of spirit, hunger for You God, rigorous study of holy things, white-hot devotion to Jesus Christ, utter indifference to all material gain, and unremitting labor to rescue the perishing, perfect the saints, and glorify our Sovereign Lord.  In Jesus’ great and powerful name, Amen.”

Daniel Fast 2014 - COMPLETED!

This morning coffee was a nice addition to the time with the Lord...feeling very blessed.  May God lead me into a new season of celebration of all His creation.  Thank you Lord for fasting to teach, encourage, discipline and bless!

Day TWENTY-ONE of Daniel Fast 2014

So we made it.  It feels good to have accomplished this with my wife.  I couldn't have done it without her and the mutual encouragement made it workable.  For me the journey was important not just for the weight loss, cleansing and resetting of my physical system.  The act of self-denial is a practice that I was able to embrace.  Lord, help me continue in this daily process of denying myself and embracing all You have to offer.

Now, what to add in?  All I know is that the coffee maker is set and ready for my 6 AM wakeup call and I can't wait.  Goodnight world!

Day TWENTY of Daniel Fast 2014

Monday was MLK day and all the family had the day off.  I took some time off to work on my old Chevy.  After several hours I had the door off, the heater control remounted and a good start on some new cab/door weatherstripping.  I also mounted my cab headliner but found that the reinforced cardboard hard to manipulate.  Its a hack job but it will suffice until I can do it properly.

I am excited to be finishing this fast.  For probably a variety of reasons, this time through the fast has been especially difficult.  However, I'm thankful for the change of pace, the cleansing and the renewed time with the Lord.  We are such creatures of habit that switching things up can really jumpstart a new path.  God, may I continue to maintain what You've stirred in me this season.

Day NINETEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

Day 19 - just a few days left on the fast.  As I got up yesterday to prepare for the church gathering,  I realized that this fast had truly raised my daily awareness of God's presence and His provision for me and my family.  There is so much to be thankful for that we take for granted over and over again.  Here I am getting to choose my daily food and many around the globe cannot make any such choice.  We are the rich Jesus warns in the Scriptures to keep an open hand toward those who are orphans, widows and those who cannot meet basic needs.  In that way, as Paul writes Timothy, we are rich toward God.

God, may my heart be broken for those who don't have their basic needs met.  May it bother me and bring me divine discontent until I am moved to act.  Open my eyes to the need daily.

Day EIGHTEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

I woke up this morning with a weight of 204.4.  When I started this fast, I registered 216.  I do feel a bit lighter and I'm starting to sleep a bit more soundly.  I'm thankful for this effort of spiritual and physical cleansing and renewal.  In fact, it wasn't so bad making eggs & toast for Dylan and his buddy Alex this morning knowing that I got through last night's cheeseburger temptations!

I've been simultaneously reading Thomas A Kempis's Imitation of Christ while also slowly studying through Revelation in the New Testament. Its been great to expand my prayer life through Kempis and my visioning heart with John.  Lord, continue to shape me into the best version of me You designed through all this...Amen.

Day SEVENTEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

Yesterday marked 17 days on the fast and I have to say that the menu options are getting stale.  With Jackie and Emma gone to a ballet intensive tryout in Seattle, I found a few things to throw together but the kicker was making Dylan a cheeseburger & fries.  That was a tough test of wills!  Frying up that beef sure smelled good.  I was again reminded that our bodies are God's and that what we choose to eat can be an act of worship to Him with our hearts in the right spot.  Yes, I wanted that burger but having made a vow to God of what I would and would not eat for 21 days, I was renewed in my commitment to stay the course.  God, thank You that our lives are so much more than what we put in our stomachs!

Day SIXTEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

Just a few days left now.  I am thankful for the extra time in prayer and the focus that this self-discipline creates.  God, walking with You is so much more than food, drink and the temporary things around me.  Yesterday my son Dylan saved me from violating the fast as I mindlessly grabbed a breath mint (sugar).  He's like a little food cop.

Lord search my heart and purge out the selfishness, greed and wrong desires and help me walk in Your way and truth and life today.

Day FIFTEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

Today marks the start of the last week of the fast and I'm visualizing coffee again.  I made a pot for small group tonight and the smell was heavenly.  Hard to not partake.  We had leftovers from the last several days of Jackie's experimental meals.  I always feel the pressure to eat them up because she usually is done with the meal about halfway through her dish...

Day FOURTEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

So the 2 week milestone arrived yesterday.  I went into Salem to have lunch with Jackie and we again realized we can't go to any restaurant - even the Vegan friendly ones.  So, we hit the local health food store which luckily had a deli with labels disclosing all ingredients.  Good that we're doing this journey together because I don't think I'd have what it takes on my own!

Day THIRTEEN of Daniel Fast 2014

I've been reading, praying and studying the John's Revelation in the New Testament during this fast as well as trying to absorb the writings and prayers of Thomas A Kempis.  Here is a passage that really hits home today for me:  "Behold, meat, drink, raiment, and all the other necessaries for the maintenance of the body, are burdensome unto a fervent spirit.  Grant me to use such refreshments moderately, and not to be entangled with an over-great desire of them.  To cast away all the things is not lawful, because nature is to be sustained; but to require superfluities, and those things that give the more delight, the holy Law forbiddeth; for then the flesh would wax wanton against the Spirit.  Herein, I beseech Thee, let Thy hand govern me and teach me, that there may be no excess."

Day 13.  almost to the 2 week mark.  I've lost weight and feel much more focused and healthy.  I wish my sleep would return to a more sustainable level though.

Day ELEVEN of Daniel Fast 2014

Saturday mornings at the Bauman house usually has me making a big old fashioned breakfast with bacon, eggs, has browns and often pancakes or cinnamon rolls...none of which are the fast...oh, bacon!  However, we had a shepherd/elder meeting this morning and it was a good time of prayer, thinking, and visioning.  I'm blessed to have some great shepherd/elders in the trenches with me!

After that I worked several hours assisting with a local funeral.  I felt groggy most of the day however but it can't be from caffeine - that withdrawal was over several days ago.  The last 3 nights have been difficult sleeping so I'm hoping that I can figure out what that's all about.

Seeing the Seahawks win against the Saints made up for no coffee though!

Day TWELVE of Daniel Fast 2014

Sunday morning came early yesterday as I still struggle with a 2-3 hour waking up each evening to hit the restroom.  I definitely think I'm 'cleansed' out!  I didn't get any promptings from the Lord the last few nights but I'm open to that as I wake in the night.  God, please speak, You're servant is all ears!  I was excited to preach at Dallas Church on how we got started in 2007 and how God moved in big ways to make the vision come to life.  Talking about mission gets me pumped up.  There are a lot of good things a church family can do, but, the BEST is to introduce as many people to the way of life in Jesus Christ.  God, help us as a church family stay the course!

Later in the day I had a 2 hour nap before the shepherd/elder in training meeting at 7pm...I'm getting old!

Day TEN of Daniel Fast 2014

Its Friday, my usual day off but I'm feeling anxious.  Had to deal with 3-4 hours of office work and that sort of took over the time.  I was able to finish a book series I've been reading though with a crazy ending...won't spoil it for anyone.

The food choices are getting old.  Jackie has been doing a great job coming up with weird new concoctions but all of it tastes fairly bland without my trusty hot sauce.  I still miss coffee greatly and the headaches are pretty regular still.

God, may I continue to make You the focus not my own petty issues during this time.

Day NINE of Daniel Fast 2014

Once again I am glad for soy fruit smoothies and date honey!  Since I've been drinking only water I definitely feel fully hydrated, however, there is a tendency between smoothies and large volumes of water, to feel a bit bloated.  Lord, may this cleanse truly work on my health and allow for further renewed energy and vitality and may I be able to serve You better and better in the days and months ahead.

Day EIGHT of Daniel Fast 2014

Ok, well, getting a little tired of the menu choices now.  I am glad for Trader Joe's and some of the cereals offered by the Ezekiel company however AND date honey.  Spending extra time in prayer and meditation has been extremely helpful and I am feeling more clarity through the Holy Spirit than I have in a long time.  God has a plan for each season of our lives and each situation that comes our way - of that, I am sure.

Yesterday I also checked in with my doctor on some blood work and we made a plan to reduce my bad cholesterol in the next 6 months.  God, help me maintain the courage and discipline to stay on this healthier path.

Day SEVEN of Daniel Fast 2014

So I hit the one week mark yesterday and I have to admit one lapse...I drank a decaf Americano at Starbucks for a guys group.  I thought I should purchase something while using the coffee shop's hospitality.  For the record, it wasn't very good.  Decaf just isn't the same.

On another note, I'm praying for an 'abnormal' cholesterol report from the doctor.  One of my goals I've prayed about this last week has been celebrating my future 50th wedding anniversary with Jackie.  To do that, I need to be healthy!  God, help me be healthy to serve You and love my family for a long, long time.  Amen.

Day FIVE of Daniel Fast 2014

Woke up bright and early this morning ready for the Dallas Church worship gathering.  I'm generally sleeping better now and my digestive system is starting to even out.  The headaches are still present but I had more energy today than the last several.  Spent time thinking about worship with Revelation 5 and how we're designed to worship Jesus Christ as the only worthy recipient.  I also started thinking about how I could walk the perimeter of Dallas's city limits and circle the city in prayer?  Hmmm...

Day FOUR of Daniel Fast 2014

Energy is not back to normal (maybe due to no sugar) and the headache from lack of caffeine but great time spent with the Lord and finishing the book by Mark Batterson The Circle Maker.  I was challenged to surround big dreams in prayer!

Day THREE of Daniel Fast 2014

This year I'm focused on prayer.  With that I'm reading and meditating on prayer ideas from the past and present.  Prayers like the Jesus Prayer, Hesychastic prayer, prayer circling (thanks to Mark Batterson and his book The Circle Maker) and even the ideas I picked up in Bible College like the A.C.T.S. format.  No matter what the 'technique', for me it takes an intentional pulling away from busy activity and allowing the time to be still and focused on God Almighty.  There's my challenge.  During the fast (and beyond for the year), this will be my aim.  The early church was devoted to prayer, and, more specifically 'the prayers' (set daily prayer times) and they encountered amazing God only miracles.  Maybe God has come miracles in store for me and for the church family I'm honored to lead?  May God provide new vision, guidance, confidence and even a taste of the miraculous this season!

Day TWO of Daniel Fast 2014

Woke up with what I believe is a caffeine withdrawal headache.  After a late night for New Years (say 3:30am), and a family reunion/party at 2pm where we couldn't eat anything, we headed home for a quiet night and now, heading to work with a bit of a head thing.  God, I still give You this day to mold and shape me into the likeness of Your Son Jesus.  Amen.

Day ONE of Daniel Fast 2014

So, first day of the new year and my wife Jackie and I begin a 21 day journey of special fasting like Daniel did with his friends as exiles in ancient Babylon.  Nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink for 3 weeks.  May God's blessing, wisdom and insight flow from this special start to the new year.

Drawing Near to God's Heart

Something I've been really hearing from God about lately is simply this...time. My personality type seems to drift easily toward a 'check-mark' Spiritual life...so, read those 4 chapters a day (check), pray a little (check), watch my life (check), but, maybe God would have me, just me, rather than so much focus on the 'do' part. Lord, help me simply spend TIME with You. I know when I do, its the best place I could be!

Sampling the local night life

A good friend and I went out last night in our small town of Dallas and tried to sample some of the local night life. What we found was quite interesting. We first checked out the papers and craigslist to see what was being advertised. After that we struck out in my old '51 chev pickup. First stop...a long-running local musician jam at Guthrie Park Community Center. There were over a dozen musicians sitting in the round playing songs together. A lot of the material was older - maybe like the soundtrack of 'O Brother Where Art Thou' with a few other various tunes. Some interesting moments included a woman playing a saw (no joke) and steel bucket bass player! After about an hour, and a donation, we headed out for a younger crowd. That took us to a local bar called Blondies. As soon as we drove up, we heard some pounding, current sounding music and, upon entry, we found our younger crowd. The room was smoky and packed with 20 somethings. Not much dancing going on, but, every pool table was taken by young guys. We wanted to check out some of the other local haunts, however, my old chev's 6 volt battery wasn't going to hack it, so, we headed home early (11pm). All in all there are certainly some things to do on Friday nights even in a small town!

Plan away....but, God has the final say...

I've been in 'crunch' mode for the past month or so getting ready to start a new church (with a great team I might add) here in Dallas, Oregon. This morning, as I was praying and reading through Scripture, a new insight from God really sunk in. Me, the staff, and our Launch Team have been planning and working hard, and, we've been staying in constant prayer. Even with all this momentum, I've been anxious and worried about whether or not this church plant will work. I confess that I've stressed over no one showing up on Sunday...oh me of little faith right? Well, in reading Proverbs 16 today, I had a 'divine moment' if you will. Three times in that chapter, it says, in effect, plan away, but, God has the final say. The whole chapter starts and ends that way. This gives me a bit of peace...all our plans will succeed with God's hand. Our job is to be faithful, diligent in planning and working, and then rely on God to do His part - the BIG part...whew! I feel better already...

MCC sealed the deal!

After we met the staff of Monmouth Christian, we were pretty impressed! The talents and Spiritual maturity we encountered made quite an impact on us. With a group of committed followers of Jesus ready to help us and even mentor us in the process, we sensed God's involvement in a powerful way. Having a 'mother church' so close and willing to make this mission happen helped us begin to see church planting in Dallas as pretty doable. We returned home with a lot of excitement, and yet a lot of fear for the road ahead. In fact, our next fear was informing our church family in Maple Valley about our decision. That was really, really tough...more on that soon!

Asked for a NO, but God said...

That's right, after we prayed for a simple 'no' from God, friends, family, coworkers, etc. all of them overwhelmingly came back with "YES"! So, the sense of calling was growing and, even though we were sensing a strong leading, we wanted more clarity about Dallas. We wanted to know if it was the right fit for our family. As a kid, I spent a lot of years in Dallas, but now I wasn't sure if our next church planting adventure should be there. To help us, the staff from Monmouth Christian Church, led by Stan Peterson, invited us down to meet the staff and get a better feel of the community. We journeyed down from the Seattle suburbs to check it all out. At this point, you might be thinking that we had a bit of a 'Jonah' complex...meaning that God was clearly calling us and yet we were looking for a different message. We really wanted to be sure, though, so, we made the trip down to Oregon. You might guess what we discovered...(to be continued)

Asking for NO!

Ok, so, I promised to keep writing about my experiences with starting a new church, and, I'm behind (like so many other projects these days). Any-who, my wife Jackie and I began to dream about the possibilities, but, we were also asking God for a clear NO. In fact, we agreed to go to a church planter assessment in February 2007 thinking that they'd see how imperfect we were and help us with God's NO. As it turned out, they put us threw the ringer with questions, interviews, social interactions and other tests and instead of NO, they said, YES, green-light go! So, the plot thickened for us...is God really needing us to step out in faith again and this time lead a church plant? Surely not, right? Thats when we decided to go to friends, family, business associates and others in our lives who could shoot straight. We asked them to pray, fast, and consider this decision with us...you'll never guess what they came back to us with...(to be continued, heh, heh)

No fear of God...from Psalm 36

Last night at our prayer walk for the Dallas community, many sensed the weight of people who don't have any fear of God. So many in the city don't even consider God at all in their life decisions and are blinded by this neglect. The Psalm talks about people who, when they don't fear God, become arrogant in their confidence and live confused about evil and good, unable to know which is which...wow, God, help me and the launch team reach people like this...Amen.

Starting a new church...the journey begins...

Ok - over the past several months, I've been thinking I should document this journey of starting a new church, and, this morning, well, I think its time to begin. Since last night was one of the first official meetings we conducted with some of the 'launch team', I thought this documentation was well past due! You see, last night we met (over 20 of us) to pray around the town and seek God's wisdom in planting this church here...it was really cool! Back to what I started here...anyway, I was in Spokane in January helping a friend of mine lead worship for a men's purity conference (Pure Warriors) and I got a call from Jim Penhollow of East 91st Street Christian Church who lives in Portland and works to recruite church planters for the Northwest. Since he was instrumental in 2003 in getting me to leave a wonderful life in Tennessee for the unknown world of helping to plant a church in the Seattle suburbs, we had a bit of a track record. Anyway, after a quick no, but a promise to pray, I returned to the Seattle area to begin praying, dreaming and thinking about the possibilities...(to be continued...)

God-Directed!

There is a passage in the Bible in Acts 16 that never fails to ignite my curiosity. In this section of Scripture, Paul and his companions are traveling around the ancient world spreading the good news of forgiveness through Jesus and planting new churches. What is odd is in verse 6 where apparently Paul was ‘prevented by the Spirit’ from preaching in the province of Asia, but then, in the next few verses, Paul has a dream or vision showing someone requesting to hear Jesus’ message, and so, Paul concludes this was also God and thus enters Asia. It’s even more interesting to learn that from that point on, Paul and his traveling buddies face some pretty tough resistance to their ministry of telling Jesus’ story. You might think they’d start doubting that vision.

The reason this Scripture has always made me feel a bit unsettled is because I wonder what messages God has directed toward me through dreams and visions and through the Holy Spirit, and, I’ve been too boneheaded and missed them. In fact, I’ve wondered how of God’s direction we’ve all missed. So, recently I’ve resolved to try and give God more and more opportunities to speak into my life His plans. In Bill Hybel’s book Courageous Leadership, Bill highlights ways to maximize our ability to hear and receive vision from God, which he forms in a series of questions like: Have we totally given God our lives? Have we asked Him about what vision He’s got for us? Have we fasted? Have we prayed? Have we been quiet and waited in silence for Him? Have we cleaned up sinful patterns in our lives? Have we weeded out all the distractions and noise that would keep us from hearing what God might be saying? Have we read about, traveled to and looked at areas where God is already working for inspiration? (pg. 37 & 38 of Courageous Leadership by Bill Hybels Zondervan © 2002)

As we enter year 3 as a church, I pray that we would all get rid of anything that prevents us from really hearing from God and seeing His vision of where He wants to take our church!

Christianity & Science...friends again?

I recently read a book that is really messing with my mind - called God at the Speed of Light by Dr. T. Lee Baumann, MD (no relation ok?). Anyway, he uses a lot of technical jargon to show how the sciences are rediscovering the mystery of matter and especially light and how it works. The concept of light behaving differently when viewed or observed is stunning...blows my mind! The one thing I still wonder is where or not Dr. Baumann sees God as PART of the creation, or God being intimately invovled but completely INDEPENDENT of creation...? Either way, the read was pretty curious and, yes, a bit exciting because I do think that science and spirituality are all part of God's truth.

Christ The Lord - at least it ends well...

I just finished a book that has been on my night stand for a few months...Anne Rice's Christ the Lord. It is a fictional story about Jesus's childhood with much liberty taken and much apocrphyal info added...thanks Gospel of Thomas, eh? Why was it on my night stand for that long? Well, it just wasn't that compelling. The story lacked passion. I did, however, enjoy the wrap up where Mary finally reveals his birth and his real identity...that was cool. Too bad it took 300 pages to get there...

I'm not giving up on Rice though - maybe I should read her other stuff - the vampire stuff? Not enough time in the day...

Wonder Struck

I have been rereading a book called Your God is Too Safe by Mark Buchanan and I ran across something that really spoke to me. Buchanan writes of the need for us to let the Bible, and God, be a bit mysterious and awe-inspiring rather that cold, meticulous, safe and comfortable. Rathern than disect everything to death, we do well to let God's truth be discovered in the story and in the wonder. He writes on page 60, "The worst consequence of losing our imagination, our wonder, is that we no longer see the Christward life as an adventure. We see it as a duty, a chore, a list of dos, don'ts, and how-tos...the stories we read in Acts about the church 'turning the world on its head' (Acts 17:6) - well, what would that kind of thing do to our tax-exempt status?'" We could really do our community, our church and our families a great justice by getting ourselves wonder struck! Well said Mark!

Generation EX Resource

Many people have asked me about the book I recently read about adult children of divorce called "Generation EX"...here is a link to order the book:

http://www.familylife.com/1-800-358-6329/detail.asp?id=10050&p=&c=&g=

Generation EX

I recently spoke at my church (Common Ground Church) on the touchy subject of divorce, and, specifically, being an adult child of divorce. Since that message, I've had a lot of people comment about their experiences and how they believe divorce has effected them. I am beginning to notice that kids of divorce who find and commit to following Jesus seem to be working through life better than those who do not have a relationship with Christ. God's power not only can create something (like Earth!) from nothing, it can also heal brokeness from divorce. I've been reading through the Psalms and finding comfort from phrases about God healing brokeness, protecting His children and defending those who love Him from all kinds of evil. There is a God who cares about what we care about! He cares about what is hurting us! Pslam 55:22 says, "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let teh righteous be shaken."

A Musician's Key Scripture - Psalm 33!

A few days ago I was reading Psalm 33 and ran across a great couple of phrases that showcase the value God has on musicians and songwriters. The Psalm begins with the idea that singing and praising God is simply what those who love God do, period. Next we see how instruments enhance this practice of singing and praising God, and specifically (to my liking), STRINGED INSTRUMENTS! Finally, in the third verse or phrase of this Psalm, we see that playing well, or skillfully, is extremely important. Musicians, vocalists and writers must be offering our best to the King - it's crucial to the overall worship of the people of God! What an awesome yet incredibly weighty task we musicians have! I pray that God would help me shoulder this great burden and assist me in being the kind of musician and songwriter He needs me, and the other church musicians I work with, to be!

Worship Opens Doors...

I was reading Psalm 34 this morning and I was blindsided by a great phrase Eugene Peterson uses to translate verse 9 - check it out: "Worship God if you want the best; worship opens doors to all His goodness" - wow! That phrase has stuck with me...that when we give God the worship from our very depths it opens doors to the very best life has to offer. Sometimes I treat the worship of God way to unimportant. Worship should be center in everything we do whether working, playing, resting, etc. I want God's best - and, I think many would agree with me. Let's be 24/7/365 worshippers y'all! It's the KEY to open the doors to God's best!

How Did Sunday Go?

Sometimes when people miss a Sunday morning at Common Ground, they'll come up and ask me 'how it went'? I confess, I have no earthly idea what the answer to that question should be. Would I say, wow, we had lots of people there? Or, maybe, wow, we had a big offering that day? Or, maybe they want to know if the sermon was good or that people generally had a good time? Now, I'm not trying to be contentious here, but, what should the measure of a great Sunday morning worship time be? Beyond having a big crowd of people who are genuine and generous, how do we really gauge a great Sunday? I guess if you were to ask me how I measure Sunday morning's 'success' (beyond techinical stuff and musicality), I'd say simply that if people encountered and worshipped God, it's a success! I think its a success if we walk away from a Sunday morning feeling encouraged, inspired, and more in awe of God - what about you?

Praying the Psalms

In my lifelong quest to grow in my spiritual life, I've discovered something that is helping - praying the Psalms. I certainly didn't INVENT this idea, but, its simple and it is a great tool for directing my prayers on days when I'm not feeling all that 'spiritual'. Today I prayed through Psalm 9 and I really reflected on the simple act of praising God. I realized that if I really focusing on praising God, other stuff seems less important. Anyway, I'm a work in progress and maybe praying through these Psalms will further that progress...

The Heart of God - Generosity

I recently read a book that a friend gave me to read that talked about living life the way God intended us to live it - blessed. The writer, Robert Morris, pointed out that there are 3 levels of generosity or of being a good steward that the Bible presents. The first, and the most I've ever really thought much about, is the tithe or the tenth. This is a principle laid out way back before the Jewish nation of the Old Testament even had the 'law'. Morris thinks that statistically most of those who claim to follow Jesus don't do this today. In Morris' opinion (and from a passage in Malachi 3), those who don't give God the top 10% are subjecting themselves to a curse. Ouch! For me, I give my 10, but, I have to admit that God has been dealing with me about the 90...it's still not MINE...its His and always will be - He's just loaned it to me. Morris digs deeper to talk about going above the 10% into the realm of both offerings AND extravagant gifts (like a year's salary or a car or house or something). In both of these 'above the 10' categories, he speaks of relying on God's Spirit to direct us. So, after reading this book, called "The Blessed Life", I realized that my attitude had to change regarding the 90, and, that I need to be walking close to the Lord and listening to Him on opportunities for me to be generous in the 'above the 10' category...Lord, help me obey You in this and help me be truly GENEROUS!

Barna's 'Revolution'

I recently read this book (Revolution by George Barna) for myself and am struggling with why some of my peers are saying that Barna, the writer, calls for all church members to abandon the contemporary church, period. I didn't get that from the book. I did get a feeling that Barna, like myself, senses both by intiuition and statistics, that disciples are not necessarily being made in our current 'church' culture. In fact, the church, as a whole, is losing membership at an alarming rate - partly due to the fact that our culture has shifted in many different ways such as postmodernism, globalization, isolation, etc. As our culture has shifted, the church has not made appropriate changes. Barna talks about broadening our picture of what church should be by including valuable movements like home churches, smaller churches and other non-traditional discipleship methods. I personally liked his approach - the church in the New Testament did meet in larger groups, but, more often, they met in homes and focused on loving God and loving each other - it wasn't a big show each meeting with a 30-40 minute sermon by a designated 'preacher' with everyone staring at a stage as if it were a theater - passive onlookers, etc. Somehow we've got a church 'culture' that is all about the show, and thus, as Dallas Willard calls it, we've got a bunch of consumer Christians who shop for the best show. It's about becoming disciples of Christ who can make disciples...nice work Barna.

Emma's Baptism

It's been brewing in my head and heart to journal about this, and, since it's been so crazy this Summer, I'm just now getting to it - ouch! Emma-Anne, my 10 year old daughter, was baptized into Christ on Monday, August 14th in the Bumping River at the Indian Flatt campground. That was an amazing evening. Many friends from our church were there and I was confident Emma knew what she was doing, why she needed Christ, and understood what baptism was for. Really, she preceeded my own baptism, in age, by 4 or so years. It is a humbling experience being used by God to bring others into His kingdom, and that evening was very, very special. I must mention that the evening was made even more special by the fact that some other dear friends Tim & Heather were baptized after Emma - what a night! God was and IS moving in hearts young and old. Sometimes it takes longer for some, shorter for others to decide to jump in with God, but, when it happens - AWESOME!

The Time Flies

My kids both had birthdays recently and as I watched them enjoy opening gifts and laughing with friends, it occured to me that the time we have with our children isn't long in the scheme of things. In fact, my daughter Emma turned 10, which means we're only 8 years away from the time she'll be leaving the nest - just 8 years. Dylan, my son, is 6 and is already not playing with the things he used - the sandbox in our backyard, the Tonka dump trucks, etc. Emma loves to dress up in ball gowns and have me dance with her in the front room. Yes, she's loved that since she was 4 but now she can almost look me square in the eye - she's looking more grown up than ever. Lord, help me remember that these 2 precious people are only in my care for a limited time -help my wife and I shape them into the people You want them to be Father.

Cool Bible Version Trick...NAS & The MSG

This morning, as I was reading and meditating on the Scriptures, I tried something I hadn't done before - reading one line from the New American Standard version and then repeating that same line in The Message version...I did this with Psalm 23 - wow, what an eye-opening, enlightening experience. This is a great way to get a literal and more conversation view of the same Scripture! Often the more literal versions of the Bible (say KJV, RSV or the NASB) seem a bit out of touch with the way we talk today. I guess maybe the feel a bit more stuffy than the relaxed way that current American English sounds. This is why I like versions like The Message and the New Living Translation. However, to make sure we still have our bearings in more literal word-for-word translations from the original Biblical language, I like reading both together. I'm going to be doing this more often! Maybe God will unlock His word in my life in a new way!

The 'Dream of God' (aka the kingdom of God)

The kingdom of God was something that Jesus spoke of many times during is ministry. The New Testament records many statements from Him regarding this topic using phrases like, …. The problem for us reading this language today is that it doesn’t resonate with the world we know. Kingdoms are a thing of the past and bring about notions like Shakespearean chivalry or in the case of current kings - more of a formal or ceremonial reign for pomp and circumstance. In Jesus’ day however, the language of kingdom was much more current and relevant. So, in reading a new book by Brian McLaren (The Secret Message of Jesus), I was struck by the idea of how one might talk about this kingdom of God in today’s language. Terms like the ‘the dream of God’, the ‘revolution of God’, the ‘mission of God’, the ‘party of God’, the ‘network of God’, or even the ‘dance of God’. We should feel free to describe God’s kingdom with these and possible many other terms so that the culture in which we live can be let in on the beauty of God’s work here and now for eternity’s sake.

The Secret Message of Jesus

Sounds almost scandalous doesn't it? Yet, in His ministry among us, Jesus opted for indirect teaching as the crowds grew - from parables to the use of probing questions, He wanted people following Him to be transformed - not simply informed. That's part of the premise behind McLaren's newest book The Secret Message of Jesus. Well, I don't want to spoil it for you, but, this book, akin to Dallas Willard's Divine Conspiracy, is about how the kingdom Jesus talked about wasn't something only accessible after death, but right here and now - the kingdom among us. I liked a few chapters in particular beginning with the decision making process that potential disciples or apprentices encounter when confronted with Jesus's teachings. I think that chapter is called 'Getting It, Getting In'. He talks about the 'steps' in the conversion or decision process which are: rethinking, believing, receiving, going public and practicing a new way of life. Rethinking (repentance) is the idea that we've realized we've been heading toward the wrong direction. Believing is the trust that God's kingdom is really good news. Recieving is where we are open to receive forgiveness, acceptance, love, hope, empowerment, strength, encouragement, perseverance...everything we need to live in the kingdom of God. After rethinking, believing and receiving, we're ready to go public and be immersed (baptized) and identify with God's kingdom. This leads to living the rest of life as a follower of Christ...the practice of following Jesus. This was a great way to describe, in my opinion, the decision to follow Jesus. More to come...

Everyday Stuff; Indelible Memories

In the front room of my house I have an old upright piano weathered by time and barely in tune. It was made around 1903 and it takes up the entire back wall! Me and my family love it though because it has special meaning. You see, when I was a little boy, I remember my great, great grandmother playing songs on it when we visited her in Redmond, Oregon. So, when my mother told me that the family wanted us to have it, I was moved almost to tears. The piano may not be that valuable on the antiques market, but, it has a lot of sentimental value as a gift of love. Have you ever been given a gift by someone you love who has since died? Or maybe you might have something that belonged to someone that was close to you but is now far away from you. Those things are now very valuable to you regardless of how everyday they might seem to other people. One of the last things Jesus did before going to the cross to die for us was to give us a way to remember Him. Of all the things He could have done, He decided to give us something that was very everyday and simple. He chose common meal items: bread and wine. Then, He gave a blessing and told His followers to continue to remember Him through this very simple, everyday meal where the bread represents His broken body and the wine represents His blood poured out for everyone. So, the simple ‘meal’ of bread and wine (often grape juice in our case) becomes very valuable to us everytime we remember what Jesus did on that day at the cross.

Consumer Christianity vs. Disciples

I've just finished Dallas Willard's extensive work on the Kingdom of God called The Divine Conspiracy. There is so much meat in what he's writing about, that it would be silly for me to sum it all up in a blog entry. However, 2 chapters (chapters 8 and 9) really hit me. They both talk about the immediate, urgent need for making disciples rather than more consumer Christians. Every church leader, no, every follower of Christ would be moved by his words. American church membership has become a very consumer-istic institution, and thus, even talking about radical commitment to hearing Jesus and doing what He taught sounds crazy. Followers of Christ must fight this bland, psuedo-Spirituality. He recommends a 'curriculum for Christ-likeness' to help emulate Christ's methods for training His apprentices...so, as I chew on this 'curriculum', maybe we all can chew on how to be so 'ravished by God and His kingdom' that we cannot help but do what He would have us do!

Prayer & Fasting

Of all my years of following Jesus, I think the hardest Spiritual practices or disciplines for me have been in these 2 areas. It's easier for me to read, study Scripture or listen to worship music and sing out to God than to stop what I'm doing, get alone or at least away from distractions and talk with God. Equally so, I've found that going without food has been difficult to do on a regular basis. I've decided recently to infuse more of these 2 practices in my weekly life. I'm definitely dwelling on God and His kingdom more as a result of this new venture. My desire is to drink in more of God and see that invigorate every area of my life. I even think this will then spread to my position as lead worshipper for my church and my other leadership responsibilities. I desire to know God in a way I've not known Him - Lord, open my heart, my schedule and my mind to the deeper waters You dwell in.

Musical Cheating...?

I just finished reading an article in Recording magazine which highlighted the new version of the popular vocal tuner called Auto-Tune (first made famous by Cher's "Believe" pop hit a few years back) and I was stunned at what it can do...it's CHEATING man! This new version can actually manipulate HOW the singer sang a particular part - changing the throat pattern, amount of air, mouth shape, etc. Now, if that wasn't enough, it also allows you to automatically build a choir with various singers and note ranges based on the lead vocal's style, etc. It can also do a famous studio trick of duplicating a performance on another track - as if the singer sang it several times to different tracks and then blends it to the lead track...wow...it's getting too easy people!

SIDE NOTE: I confess that I do use an earlier version of Auto-tune...

Prayer

I just finished reading a book by Richard Foster called Prayer and I'm really wrestling over all the different types of prayers he covers in the book. He covered some things that I really wonder about - things like praying in tongues, becoming unconscious while praying, gifts of laughter while praying and even his call to healing prayer. I was struck by one of the statements he made about how many times people prayed in the Bible with a position of face-down, flat on the ground with hands out stretched. That doesn't seem very comfortable, but, it sure seems humble and unashamed. The book really opened my eyes to how little time I devote to really let God get a hold of me through prayer. I have so much room to grow in this area - God help me!

God said it, I believe it...

I read a devotional book recently that poked a bit of good-natured fun at this popular Christian bumper sticker/t-shirt slogan which says, "God Said It, I Believe It, That Settles It". The devotional pointed out that it should really say, "God Said It, That Settles It" because no matter what my opinion might be, God's Words are always right, true and perfect. Whether or not I believe what God says has absolutely no impact on the reality of it being true. God's truth doesn't change even as culture and opinions constantly change. That foundation is pretty comforting to realize.

Following Jesus by NT Wright

I just finished this short study from a British minister on discipleship and found it surprising. Let me just say that I'm happy that the book was short - I think more Christian writers should take heed...less filler, keep to the point ladies and gents! What I found enlightening was the return to the center of following Christ - His return from the dead. That changed (and changes still) everything. It is the only thing that brings any real hope - for humanity and all creation. He says that as Christians, we are like Sunday (post-resurrection) people living in a Friday (still dead) world (page 61). He also surprised me by mentioning that the most frequent command in Scripture is 'do not fear' - I've got to check that out. Finally, his concept 'being more human' is pretty cool...in that the more we conform to Jesus's way of living, we are actually being more human - like we were created to be. He goes so far as to say that Christ, as the glorified, perfect human, remains in the glorified state and will return in that state - He didn't just vanish back into some 'divine mist' - He's still the glorified 'son of man' that will return. I've got to chew on all this more...

My girl Emma

As I drove my daughter Emma-Anne to school this morning and watched her run off to class, I felt my chest get really heavy. I still remember holding her in my hands - she barely filled them back then. Now she's independent, almost as tall as me, and on the verge of double-digit age 10. She's becoming a young woman - even talking about youth group! I got my start in ministry with being a youth minister - she's almost that age...it's too much for me sometimes. I wonder what she's learned from her mom and I, what she'll remember from her childhood. I wonder who she'll first fall in love with and where she'll graduate from college. I wonder about her future and where she'll live and what she'll be doing. Will she ever know how much her mom and I love her? I've always done this silly little thing with her since she was little...I'd ask her "who's my favorite girl?" I'd then run through random girl names until I would whisper Emma...then she'd say yes! Little things like that will forever be etched in my memory. I find myself praying about her teenage time - Lord, help me have wisdom, love and patience for this next phase of Emma's life...and to enjoy every moment with her!

What the Bible REALLY says…

Ah yes, the big buzzword here is ‘interpretation’. Well, if you read over my lengthy translation vs. version comments, proper Biblical interpretation hinges on having a couple of trustworthy Bible versions handy. I think it also is important to read how other trustworthy Christian teachers have explained parts of the Bible. Interpretation is really just an explanation. The problem with all of this is that we can often be led away from truth by poor interpretation or bad explanations or teachings can’t we? I’m sure God grieves every time His words are misused to divide the church, start wars, and mess up lives. How can we be confident with this whole concept then, of interpretation? This is a deep subject, but in essence, I think that the Bible has a lot of straight-forward, easy to understand ideas. Things like loving your neighbor, trusting in God’s goodness, accepting the grace and forgiveness from Jesus, helping people around us, being thankful, etc. - those are all pretty clear. When it comes to the confusing parts or at least the harder to understand parts, we all must be careful. Jumping to conclusions too quickly is an easy trap. Let’s start, then, with the idea here: CONTEXT IS KING. No more taking a verse or two out of it’s chapter or book and making big conclusions from just a few words…that’s a no no! In respecting context, we’ve got to ask questions like: Who is this written to? Who is writing this part of the Bible? Where are we in history? What part of the story of the Bible are we in? Etc, etc. Second, let’s realize that the Bible should never say what it never said. Look, we’re already at a disadvantage when we read it in English (not the original language) as we sit in our nice clothes drinking coffee in the free, democratic Western world, so, let’s not make it worse by claiming that Scripture says stuff that the first century world would never have read into it…let’s be fair! Having the humility and the patience to put ourselves into the sandals of a first century Christian can help us avoid bad interpretations. Finally, embrace Christian community and find out how the majority of Jesus’ followers interpret or explain it. This is really, really helpful. If you think about it, the Bible has been around for a while – people have been studying it for a while – maybe they’ve found some common ground in explaining some of those hard parts. One final thought…is it ok to have a difference of opinion on some of the harder passages? I should hope so – and NEVER let that be a cause of division. Humility is a key for all followers of Jesus –so, let’s show some with each other!

Translations vs. Versions…help!!!

I’ve been asked this question a lot since I’ve been a Christian. I guess it might be time to actually put this out there. Yes, there is a difference between these two words in relation to the Bible. You see, few if any people I know read the Bible in the original languages that it was written (namely old Hebrew, Aramaic and Koine Greek from the first century). So, most read the Bible in English or another current language. If you stop by a local bookstore, or better yet, a Christian bookstore, you’ll find lots, and lots and LOTS of choices in your search for a copy of the Bible in English. Which one is the ‘true’ English copy – I’ve actually been asked this…well, there is no ‘true’ copy that I know of, except maybe some would say that the first English popular Bible, the old King James (or King James Version – KJV for short). In any case, most all of us need a translation or else we’d need to know the original languages. Since we don’t, we have to choose an English copy. Since each English copy has its root in either a direct translation (the author or editor did the translating him or herself or with a group of translators), or indirect translation (a modern update of an earlier English translation – like the New King James Version), let’s rather talk about versions. There are ‘literal’ versions and ‘free’ versions. The literal tend to stick to the original languages a bit closer making them a bit harder to read for us modern English speaking folk (like KJV, or the New American Standard – NAS). For studying, I like to use one of those more literal versions. Now, the ‘free’ versions are much more readable, but, they tend not to follow the original languages as closely. The editors of these free versions take liberty to give readers more of the ‘gist’ of the original language rather than a word for word reading. Obviously this can lead to the editors swaying the meaning for the reader one way in one version and another way in another version. So, here is what I do, I use a couple of English versions. I use my trusty New American Standard (NAS) for study and my new favorite ‘free’ version, the Message for more of a modern, nice flowing reading text. If there is something I see that seems a bit strange, I check the versions next to each other to make sure I’m able to interpret that part of the Bible accurately. Oops – I brought up that pesky word ‘interpretation’ – that will be talked about in another time! Anyway, the more literal versions would be the KJV, the NAS, and maybe the RSV (Revised Standard Version), whereas the free versions would including the NIV (New International Version), the NLT (New Living Translation), or The Message. Don’t let one editor sway you – check one or two more before you simply settle! Happy reading! If you want more on this, check this little resource out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible_version_debate

Drawing Near

Once a person admits that there is a God and then sees that Jesus is that God who walked ‘among us’, there is a question…what now? Once a decision is made to follow Jesus, what is the next step? The Bible talks about how the first followers of Jesus not only believed this, but also took steps. Steps like going God’s way instead of their own (repentance is the big word here), and agreeing with God about who they were and are – sinners (that’s called confession) and even admitting their need for God to save (in what Jesus did on the cross). The early followers also did these things in a public setting, culminating in the physical/spiritual act of immersion - totally covered by water (this is that big word baptism). Then, these early followers began a life-long process of becoming more like their savior/rabbi Jesus. This is where the ‘drawing near’ concept hits all who’ve embarked on this life-long process. How do we draw near to God? The Bible promises that God will draw near to us if we will draw near to Him (James 4:8). This comes in the middle of the chapter which speaks of what we as followers ‘do’. Sometimes we can draw near to God by doing what Jesus would do – being about justice, mercy, kindness, gentleness, love, patience, etc. Other times we draw near by listening to God in times of being still and quiet. We draw near by reading the stories of what Jesus did in the Bible – that shows us how he lived and walked and worked. We draw near by making every moment an opportunity to see Him, talk with Him, reflect on Him – act like Him. Drawing near means that everyday we are alive, we do something consciously to grow in our faith. The things we do can be done for God’s sake and He believes in us – we can do it. God promises that if we’re about that in our lives, He’ll reward us with drawing near to us – that’s amazing! I’ll end with the words of King David to his King-elect son Solomon (from I Chronicles 28:9): “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”

Celtic Christianity – Listing to the Heartbeat of God

I’ve always wondered why some in the Christian church are so enamored with Celtic stuff. I mean, the Celtic crosses, the artwork, the old stone church buildings, the ‘mystery’, what’s this all about anyway? I then read a short little book about Celtic Christianity called “Listening for the heartbeat of God – A Celtic Christianity” by J. Philip Newell and I really connected with this whole Celtic thing for the first time. What really resonates with me is this idea that God is the heart of all creation, and, since He is, when you really dig deep in every human heart, beneath the surface sin and evil, you will ultimately find the good placed there by God. This is counter to the notion which has it’s roots with the early Christian church father Augustine who taught that the human is basically evil and unable to do anything good without God. It was this very view of creation that got the first Celtic ‘philosopher/theologian’ Pelagius excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Many more excommunications followed as Celtic monasteries revealed this similar belief in creation and the elevation of women and the marriages of Celtic priests. I also find that I resonate with the Celtic idea of following Jesus in such a way that we spend the time really leaning in and listening to God, rather than the easier ‘do, do, do’ busy Christianity. Even the early Celtic missionary methods resonate with me – in that they sought to show the Britons that their pagan spiritual practices were actually calling for the one true God and that Christ fulfills all that their practices were meant to fulfill. So, instead of violently changing or destroying the culture of the Britons, those missionaries would simply help them see how Christ is the root of all that the human heart has been yearning for all along. There is much more to this, so, I’m really chewing on how this relates to followers of Jesus today…now I know why I’ve always loved ‘St. Patrick’s Day’ – all Guinness aside…

East 91st Street Christian Church – VISION!

My wife and I recently returned from a weekend spent in Indianapolis, Indiana visiting a church which, in my estimation, has incredible vision for people who don’t know God. I was amazed at the 20-30 church planting leaders that flew in for this gathering all representing churches that were started in part by the support and love of this church in Indiana. Hearing stories about people finding faith through all these new churches reiterated to me and Jackie how important new churches are for people who are far from God. We had a great discussion with a couple from the UK who had surprisingly similar stories about the lack of interest in church – much like the Seattle or Northwest region. One of the elder members of the church drove us back to the airport on Monday morning and I shared with him how humbling it is to be used by God in church planting. He then spoke with pride about how each year, as the budget is presented, some church members protest the money spent on planting new churches. He, with passion, told Jackie and me how, as a church, they are not backing down from their commitment to see new churches planted. Wow – now, that is a church deeply committed to the kingdom of Jesus!