Everything I Know I Learned From the Movies

This has the potential to be an epic fail.  Evidently, there is an asteroid floating around in space that is large enough to warrent the attention of the Russian Space Agency.  The asteroid is possibly on course to collide with Earth in 2032.  The Russias are considering a mission to send a rocket up to knock the asteroid off course- averting another ice age or really cool meteor shower.

Evidently, movies from 1998 are just getting to Russia.  Both Armageddon and Deep Impact came out in 1998 and feature storylines of an incoming meteor and humanities attempts to knock it off course.  Since it worked so well in the movies- it's worth a try to knock an 885 ft. asteroid off course as practice for when a larger asteroid or the moon attacks (Oh, we already bombed the moon this fall.).

At any rate, here's hoping that the Russians send the rocket up to space with Areosmith playing in the background!

Up...Up...Up....And Away!

Andrea and I finally saw the movie Up last night and it was fantastic!  For someone like me who really enjoys movies, we've really fallen behind on seeing any movies.  We might go to the theater about once a quarter.  When Abbie gets a little older, we'll be able to catch some good kid flicks.

Up was an all-around enjoyable movie.  While you probably already know that, it's a movie worth considering the messages/images that are in it.

1. Marriage- I loved that the movie showed marriage in a positive light.  Extremely positive.  Carl and Ellie were childhood friends who married and enjoyed a lifetime of love and adventure.  Even after Ellie died, Carl continued to express his love for Ellie.  Even though it's a cartoon, we need positive images of marriage and love.  It's important in our churches and our personal lives that we find our own "Carl and Ellie's" to be inspirations, mentors, and illustrations of how fulfilling marriage can be.
2. Life's Adventures:  Ellie and Carl had a dream to go to Paradise Falls because of their affinity for adventurer Charles Muntz.  Ellie had made an adventure book around this idea.  The final pages of the book called "What we did" was blank- wating to be filled.  Isn't that really how our live's are?  Our lives are blank pages waiting to be filled.  They are not pre-determined- yet God has a plan for us that  goes beyond what we could hope or imagine.  Do we continue to have a sense of adventure about our faith, our God, and our life? What kind of story do we want written in our book?
3. The Mundane:  The boy in the movie, Russell, when recounting memories of his father says "Come to think of it, it's the boring stuff that I remember the most."  How many times do we look for adventure, greener pastures, etc. when what is most meaningful is the day to day living of life together?  For me, some of my best times with my daughter are just laying on our living room floor and laughing together.  Sure, we could go to the park, or a play place, or the beach, but it's the everyday intentional living together that she will remember the most.  Can we find contentment in the mundane?  The routine?  Can we experience God while we do the dishes?  Mow the lawn?  Or are we waiting the the next big "experience"?

These are just a few thoughts from the movie. There are other themes that could be explored (Charles Muntz's obsession with this elusive bird (Kevin), What young and old can learn from each other). I'll definately be looking forward to watching this movie again!

A Few Random Links

It's the Christmas week rush, which means that there is a lot going on as we prepare for four Christmas Eve services and three more services on Sunday.  It's doubful that I'll get to write anything of substance this week, but I may try later on.  I wanted to pass a long a few articles to you for your reading enjoyment.

1.  Tiger Tales:  I've not written anything about Tiger Woods and the situation that he has put himself in.  We certainly don't need another person popping off about it.  But I want to suggest that you read Eric Park's entry about the whole ordeal.  It's certainly on point and written entirely better than I could have done!  You can read the entry here.  Also worth a read is Ben Witherington's blog on Tiger as well. 

2.  Christmas Is Here:  That means there are plenty of blogs to read and check out!  Start out with Ben Witherington's blog about the Christmas story (he's not paying me any money to link up!).  He's helping us re-think Christmas from our scene to what like happened.

3.  Just for Fun:  Check out http://www.nickkeyphotos.com/ .  Nick and I went to the same college and played baseball together.  His photos are great and his blog is humorous and filled with great pictures. 

That's about it for now.  Sometime over the holidays will come a real update!

Mighty In Prayer

I think it was Dr. Budd at Asbury College that first introduced me to E.M. Bounds.  Each class, Dr. Budd would read a selection from one of Bounds books on prayer- which he wrote at least eight.  Bounds was known for getting up everyday at 4:00 a.m. to study the Bible, pray, and write.  I've had a collection of Bounds books for awhile and thought I would begin reading them again as part of my own personal study time.

Let me make a confession here...I am terrible at prayer. 

I don't know what it is, but I have a hard time spending an extended period of time in prayer.  My mind wanders.  I want to get up and move around.  But I have been working on it the last several months to become more disciplined at it.

In the book, Power Through Prayer, Bounds writes something that is incredibly important.  Many church leaders flock to conferences on church growth, read books on church growth, or want to keep up with the latest trends for growth and communicating the gospel.  To an extent, that describes me.  I want to learn new ways to effectively communicate the gospel.  But list to these words...

"What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men [leaders] whom the Holy Spirit can use- men [leaders] of prayer, men [leaders] mighty in prayer."

I am sure that in my ministry, I have sacrificed prayer in pursuit of a quicker method or a more efficient way.  I am guilty of trying to learn something new rather than coming before the throne of God in prayer.  Now, there is nothing wrong with new methods- but I think Bounds is correct, the church needs leaders who are mighty in prayer.  Leaders to whom the Holy Spirit can mold and shape to have a powerful influence for the kingdom.

As we turn towars 2010, let us cultivate a deep, vibrant prayer life.  Whether we are called to minister in the Church, our offices, our families, or our schools, let us seek to become mighty in prayer.

A Christmas Question to Ponder

I read a Twitter update from someone I follow (I honestly wish I could remember who tweeted this so I could give proper credit.) and they posed this question:

How would your celebration of Christmas be different if it were not a national holiday?

This is an interesting question.  The celebration of Christmas (or the holiday season) has become a month long extraveganza beginning the day after Thanksgiving and running through New Years.  The federal government gives declares that Christmas is a national holiday and many have the day off.  Retailers extend our sense of celebration by promoting sale after sale with images of the 'ideal' Christmas celebration/gift/lifestyle.  Even though Christmas is a Christian Holy Day- it has become more of a cultural holiday to where non-Christians celebrate the Christmas (although in a consumeristic manner)

How would Christmas be different if it was not a national holiday?

• First, I believe that Christmas would be entirely less about presents and gifts and more about the presences of God in flesh and the gift of worship that we offer through our lives. 
• Since it would be less of a cultural thing- I think Christmas would be a time when the Church would gather to worship.  Sure, we get together on Christmas Eve- but I think there would be a deeper more profound experience if you didn't have to get through the cultural expectations of Candle Light Services, Christmas Cantatas, Children's Plays, or tip-toeing around Santa.
• There might be a greater emphasis on Easter and the weeks leading up to Easter.  You can't have Easter without Christmas- but we can't leave Jesus as a babe in the straw either.  Christmas is only the beginning of the Easter story.  Can we do a better job of framing Christmas in the Easter story? 

As Christmas approaches, I'll be thinking about this question a little bit more- especially as I prepare my Christmas Eve message later in the week. 

On a side note- seminary just ended for the semester last night.  I hope to be a little more regular in my posting.  (Maybe more thoughtful too!)

Godly Sorrows Turns Into Repentance

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvaton and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."
2 Corinthians 7:10 TNIV

Paul is writing, again, to the Church at Corinth.  He has received word from Titus that the Church in Corinth has turned away from false teachings and turned back to Paul's teaching- the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul is aware that his previous letter caused the Church some sorrow or grief because he was willing to confront what he believed were to be false teachings.  He spoke truth, and in verse 8 he acknowledges that it "hurt" the Church in Corinth.  Yet, through some godly sorrow, some godly grief- those in the Church turned away from the false teaching- Paul rejoices because this godly grief led to repentance (which seems to be a theme on this second week of Advent)

How often, as Christians, Pastors, leaders, friends are we unwilling to cause a little godly sorrow or grief because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings?  Or maybe we're afraid that we'll come across as judgemental.  Or we don't like to rock the boat and are content to live with the status quo.  Does you ever find yourself in that place?  I have to admit that I do.

In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus says these words,

"If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault, just between the two of you.  If they listen to you, you have won them over.  But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

Jesus tells his disciples and us that we are to confront our brothers and sisters in sin.  Why?  Because sin leads to death.  It leads to seperation from God.  Do we love our brothers and sisters enough to confront in love and grace?  Do we love our brothers and sisters enough to hope that they would confront us when we sin?

No one likes confrontation.  I generally try to avoid it.  But confrontation that Paul and Jesus speak about can work when it is done with love, grace, and prayer.  We must care enough for our church members and our friends that we are willing to speak up rather than keep quite in silent approval.

A while back, I had to deal with a situation of someone on a leadership team of a ministry I was leading.  It absolutely killed me to have to confront this person.  I was in tears because I loved and cared about this person as a friend and as a Christian.  After our meeting, I knew I had stepped on their toes.  I knew that I had caused them grief.  I wondered if I had gone too far. 

A few weeks later, in the middle of a Bible Study- this person spoke of that meeting and how it helped them come to a place where they could turn away (repent) of their sin and turn back to God.  I praised God that night that Godly sorrow could lead to repentance.  I praised God that the Holy Spirit worked in their life to bring them to a place of repentance.  I thanked God that God was showing me how to confront in love and grace because I care about the spiritual condition of the church.

So, let us as Christians, be encouraging to one another.  Let us speak words of life and grace into each others lives.  And when a brother or sister strays from God- let us love them enough that we would risk some godly sorrow that they might turn back to God.  Let us love our brothers and sisters enough that when we stray from God- that we will allow them to speak into our lives as well.

Reflections from Sunday's Worship

It's 8:00 a.m.  Abbie is still in bed as she is sick this morning.  While I wait for her to wake up, I thought I would evaluate the 9:30 worship service where I preached.  If you read my previous post, you have a general idea of what I preached on.  In Advent week number 2, the lectionary focused on John the Baptist and his preparations for the coming Messiah.  So here are a couple of thoughts on the service.

Order of Worship-  I changed the order of worship around some this week.  It accomplished what I hoped it would (change of pace, more space for the sermon/communion). 

Environment-  I had my friend, Joe, bring in all sorts of construction signs and barrels to place throughout the sanctuary and hallway.  One of our high school students, David, dressed as a construction flagger and directed traffic in the hallway with his Stop/Slow sign.  All he needed was a lunchbag to look truly authentic.  The signs really piqued people's interest in what was going on that morning. 

When I came out for the sermon (I was hiding in the back room), I had on an orange safety vest and a hard had.  With my dark jeans and a tie, I said that I was the project foreman.  While it felt a little strange preaching in a hard hat- it couldn't have been stranger than John Wesley preaching on top of his father's grave stone!

Heat-  We have an old water boiler heat system.  And for some reason, it kicked out overnight and the sanctuary was really cold at 8:00 (even colder when I arrived at 6:45 a.m.).  When the boiler was reset, heat started pouring in- and it did not stop!  Our system tries to get the room to 68 degrees as fast as possible.  Which means that it's kicking out 80-85 degree's of heat.  It would take both hands to count the number of people I could see falling asleep at various times during the service- which may have been better than sweating as badly as I was because of the heat!

There are plans to replace this system in the relative near future.  I will be quite happy to have a trustworthy system in place so we don't have Sunday's like that.  No heat might have been better!

If you were able to attend the service, I'd love to hear your feedback!  As a staff, we're always looking to improve what we do.

Site Preparations

"He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: 'A voice of one calling in the desert, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.  Every valley shall be filled in, every mountian and hill made low.  The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth.  And all mankind will see God's salvation.'""
                                                                                         Luke 3:3-6

The passage from Luke is the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry- one calling people to repentance.  Luke quotes Isaiah 40 as John is one calling out in the desert to prepare the way for the Lord.  On Sunday, we're going to focus on how we prepare ourselves for God. 

Just outisde of Milford, a new shopping center is going up.  For the last several weeks/months, there have been heavy equipment on the property clearing brush, leveling the ground, and moving dirt.  These preparations are necessary for the buildings that will be placed on the properties.  This site preparation has a practical function.  There is another function of the site preparations- people begin to ask questions; "What's going on here?"  "I wonder what they are building?"  "When will they be complete?"  In a way, the preparation of the site is a marketing technique.  It piques ones interest in what is going on.  If it is a store or restaraunt that we enjoy, then we wait in anticipation for the construction to be completed.

The quotation of Isaiah and Luke speaks of a construction project.  The valleys will be raised, the mountains will be made low.  The crooked places will be straightened out.  The rough patches will be made smooth.  And everyone will see God's salvation.  These verses tell of a great reversal of nature.  The lowly will be raised up and the high and mighty brought down. 

Out near the Jordan River, John called people to prepare their hearts for someone greater.  He called people to prepare their heart by repenting for the forgiveness of their sins.  Repentance is more than a state of mind, or something abstract- it repentance requires action.  Repentance is turning away from sin and turning back to God.  Repentance clears the way for us to experience God's salvation.

On this second sunday of Advent- God is drawing near.  Jesus Christ, the Incarnate God, has come to earth and will come again.  Creation will roll out like a red carpet to note God's arrival.  Likewise, we too must have our hearts prepared and ready for Christ to dwell in us.