I Am Santa Claus

The following post has become a Christmas season tradition on this blog because it is so full of great memories for me. I hope it brings back a few for many of you as well. Only 1 more sleep 'til Christmas...

Way back in 2010 I put together a little slideshow featuring pictures of kids from the various youth ministries I served over the years and jolly old Saint Nick. Most of these pictures were taken at youth group Christmas parties. Some of the "youth" in these old photos are over 40 now. Many of them have children of there own. Others are still in college. The point is, I can look back at these pictures and remember all of the love and Christmas cheer we would all share this time of year and it is very special to me. For you see in every single picture in this slideshow, I am Santa. It's me under the beard. I always loved doing the Santa thing, and looking back at these memories is great fun.


I chose the song I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday from one of my favorite old school bands, All Star United. This song is full of energy and joy, but it also carries an important message. How much better would this world be if we were the people all year long that we try to be at Christmas? Enjoy the slideshow. And if you happen to be in it, thank you for some unbelievable memories. I would love to hear from you all. Have a very, merry Christmas!

  

Let It Shine

Every now and then the lyrics to an old familiar song jump off of my iPod and smack me upside the head, bringing some clarity to feelings or thoughts I might be struggling with at any given time. Yesterday featured one of those moments. The song was There's A Place In the World For A Gambler by my old favorite Dan Fogelberg, and these were the words that hit home. No further explanation is needed.

There's a light in the depths of your darkness,

There's a calm at the eye of every storm.

There's a light in the depths of your darkness...

Let it shine, oh let it shine!

Now if only I can heed Dan's advice...

Stars

The music of the late Dan Fogelberg has had a profound influence on my life. A classic 1970's singer/songwriter, Dan's music spoke to my heart from the very first moment I encountered it, when Paula Teague and friends used his brilliant song To the Morning in the first Quaker Lake Camp slide show in 1976 or '77. His music became a staple around camp- especially the Crafts Hut- and was used numerous times for devotions and in slide shows over the next 8 years or so. I purchased all of his albums and saw him in concert 3 times before his death from prostate cancer in 2007. His song Along the Road was featured in the first post on this blog; his lyrics have been used in many other posts along the way. But more than that, Dan's lyrics reside deep in my heart, and on many occasions I find myself turning to his words for consolation, comfort, encouragement and peace. That is still true today.

Dan's music is seldom heard anymore on radio or in movies. His mellow style and comforting voice once caused one of my 1990's Kissimmee students to refer to him as "Dan Fogelfart." Even if you are an old-timer like me, you may not know many of his songs. Songs like Same Old Lang Syne, Part of the Plan, Leader of the Band, Place In the World For A Gambler, Missing You, Language of Love and Power of Love were hits in their day, but few remember them. His great love song Longer is still a favorite at weddings. But for me, the true greatness of Fogelberg is found in listening to entire albums, not singles. Great hidden gems like Wishing On the Moon, Morning Sky, Souvenirs/The Long Way, Once Upon A Time, Stolen Moments, Scarecrow's Dream, Ghosts and Lessons Learned are deep cuts that are among my favorite songs from any artist. And then there is Stars.

The second cut on his 1972 debut album Home Free (right after To the Morning), Stars is a love song- but it is anything but typical. The lyrics capture those moments so many of us have felt in the reality of romance, somewhere between "She loves me yeah, yeah,yeah" and "She ripped my heart out and stomped that sucker flat!" The reality that everything you feel is honest and true and seems to be the most important thing in your life, and yet the other person just does not feel that way...at all. It is a song about how love can be both "true" and unrequited all at the same time. Love can be one-sided and still be authentic and overwhelming. Which, as Dan notes, makes it almost impossible to give up on. How can that kind of love not be shared, not be mutual? It is a question most young people get to ask over and over again in life. Stars is about that kind of love, about that kind of obsession. And for me, it is simply haunting. Sure, it's been a few years since anyone could spend a dime to make a phone call. But many of us know the feeling of trying catch a falling star with some grand romantic gesture...and having that star fall right on top of us. The lyrics hold up so well. Read them. Listen to the song once or twice. And then try to get it out of your head. I dare ya...

Stood out in the rain

Let it soak me down

Before I called you, I called you

Didn't see me there

Hidden by the rain

Beneath your window, but I saw you

Putting on your face

Before the mirror on the wall

Dreaming that the looking glass was me

Catching your fondest gazes

Living through your fickle phases

I love you

And it's getting easier each day

To weep about you

Harder every night to sleep without you

How many years must I be driven

By this dream of love with you?

Spend my dimes on phones

Trying just to talk

But you don't answer, you let it ring

Spend my nights alone

Catching falling stars to give to you love

They're just for you

For stars fall every time

A lover has to face the truth

And far too many stars have fell on me

And as they trail the skies

And burn their paths upon my eyes

I cry

And it's getting easier each day

To weep about you

Harder every night to sleep without you

How many years must I be driven

By this dream of love with you?

With you

With you

Thanks Dan, for writing songs that make the things we feel seem normal- even when they are not. Most love songs strive to make us wish upon a star. You remind us, to quote another of your songs, that sometimes we have to "Wish upon the moon tonight; there's not a lucky star in sight..."  

Happy Hump Day, my friends!

"I'm Gonna Be..."

You know that thing where you would do anything to show another person how important they are to you? Yeah...this is about that. I woke up singing this song today. Now it will be stuck in your heads too! :)

Now that's commitment! Have a Happy Hump Day, my friends!

Throwback Thursday: Breathe Deep

Happy Throwback Thursday! Today we're blasting back to my youth pastor days at FUMC-Kissimmee, when we used to sing this weird song at youth group on Sunday evenings. At the time, I had never heard a recorded version of the song- I found it in the Songs & Creations songbook put together by one my heroes, Yohann Anderson. So we sort of made up our own version. We liked it because it was different. We liked it because it had a message of hope for the hurting, the outcast and the disenfranchised. And we liked it because it was full of big words we had to look up to actually get what the song was about! That group loved to sing- and this Terry Taylor tune was one of the songs we sang with gusto.


We live in a day and age when the Church universal struggles with how (and how much) we reach out out to the poor, the different, the hungry and the sin-filled. The fact is there should be no debate, as scripture seems very clear to me. The love of God is for everyone- including the very people from whom you and I seek to "protect" ourselves. We don't get to pick and choose the people who are in the family of God based on our prejudices and preferences. Everyone is entitled to breathe deep the breath of God. The more broken or damaged we are the more we need it. When we breathe in the essence of our loving God, things like fear and worry fade. And we begin to feel alive again.

So listen to and watch the video below from the band Lost Dogs. It turns out the old FUMC-K gang was pretty close on the melody. The lyrics are included, but you must follow closely to catch them all. If you have never heard the song before, I promise the listing of who should be allowed to "breathe deep" will stun you a bit. That's a good thing. And then when you are done listening, pray for the people in your life who need to feel grace and forgiveness from you, and who need to know that the breath of God is for them...too. Because one of those people may be you...

And one more thing. When we sang this song in Kissimmee we shouted the last line of the final verse with power, like the bold statement of faith it was meant to be. I hope you will feel the same way - that "EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE!!!" deserves to know they are safe in the arms of the love of God whose name is Jesus. Amen and Amen!

Because of Jesus,

It Is Well

One of my favorite hymns of the church is the great classic It Is Well With My Soul.  Written by Horatio Spafford in 1871 after his family drowned at sea, it has been sung in churches for many years. It is a glorious reminder of the saving grace of Jesus Christ, even in the midst of our greatest struggles. It is a song of hope and perseverance. The song has lifted my spirits on the numerous occasions when I realize that I, like all humans. am a sinner saved by grace. It was the last hymn we sang my final Sunday at Springfield Friends Meeting in 1994; it was a song that brought me comfort at times of great personal darkness. The song is a brilliant reminder that Jesus loves not because of what we do or who we are, but in spite of those things.

Despite my head-knowledge of the love and grace of God, there are days when my heart still hurts. I imagine this is true for everyone. Yesterday we said our final earthly goodbyes to an old friend; already this morning I have hugged my friend Lisa who is staying with us as she goes through the hard days following her recent chemo treatment. Life can hurt. But God is ever present, and the love of God whose name is Jesus can bring us peace even in our pain. So today I have a challenge for you. Watch this very cool video (complete with lyrics) of a modern arrangement of the song by the great band Jars of Clay from their album Redemption Songs. If you listen to this song and feel a sense of true worship and a sense of thanksgiving for the sacrifice Jesus made for each of us, then take some time and praise Jesus on this Sabbath. If you don't feel those things, you may need to get your heart checked. I'm just saying...

Because of Jesus,

We All Got Scars

The other day I found myself driving Will's car and in the stereo was the new solo project from Nate Ruess, the lead singer of the band FUN. It was quite enjoyable so I kept listening. There was one song that jumped out of the CD player at me- a song called Harsh Lights. It's the inspiration for my post today.

Many of you know that I don't sleep very much. Bedtime is never before 11 PM and wake-up is seldom after 6 AM. Sleep is just not all that important to me, and it never has been. Unlike many insomniacs, my issue is seldom stress or worry about what is to come or things that we need in life. When laying awake at night or early in the morning, my thoughts are almost always focused on the past. On what has been and things that I once hoped or still hope could be. My needs are few, and they are not complicated. My wants are an entirely different issue. That's not healthy either, but my brain is not easily turned off at such times. And the line between past and present gets blurry. Nate says it like this:

And it's so hard just to be
There's such a fine line between the things you want
And the things that you need
So I'm not going to sleep

My mind often turns to those I've offended and those whose love I've lost along the road. I am reminded of failed ventures and lost dreams. The struggles with the past are real, and often life is viewed through what Ruess calls a "harsh light." But in that light we discover one incontrovertible truth- "we all got scars." Everyone falls and everyone fails- and we have to move on. Again, Nate's words:

I'm slipping into midnight under harsh light
And nothing gets me down
Running into old friends I don't need anymore
Tonight I'm gonna show 'em
We all got scars, we all got scars
We all got scars, we all got scars, so what?
I'm slipping into midnight under harsh light
And nothing here is bringing me down
No, nothing here is bringing me down

Regret is such a huge word for so many of us. But there comes a times when we have to cast them aside, we have to go out and face not only who we are but who we can still become...

And my heart is always breaking for the ghosts that haunt this room
We fall asleep to revolution, but wake up next to a sad excuse
Oh, what a shame how we got in our own way
So tonight I'm going out, tonight I'm gonna stay out
And it's so hard not to scream (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
There's such a fine line between the things you are and the
And the things that you've been...

For so many of us our scars are a reminder of the pain and failures of times gone by. But scars can serve another purpose as well. They can serve as a reminder that we are not alone in this world, that the struggles we face are the same as so many who walk the road of life with us. My nights will probably not get longer and my sleep will likely remain restless. But I'm okay with that. We all got scars. And we all have to live with them.

Peace, my friends,

As Useless As a Screen Door On a Submarine

"It's about a useless as a screen door on a submarine

Faith without works, baby- it just ain't happening..."

One of my interviews trips during the great job search of 1999 took me to a UMC in Indiana. Strangely enough, it too was located in the suburbs of Cincinnati. Even more bizarre, because Indiana does not recognize daylight savings time, the little community where the church was located spent several months each year in a different time zone from the city to which it was most closely connected. I sure knew how to pick 'em, huh?

But that's not what I came to talk about today. On that same interview there was a great deal of discussion (disguised as an argument!) about the direction the adults involved thought the youth ministry needed to go. Some wanted more serious Bible study (I think one guy suggested all the students memorize Lamentations) while others thought that service to others should be the group's primary focus. A few wanted to play more 4-Square. When asked which of these I felt was more important, I presented them with my philosophy of youth ministry. Ministry should be "wholistic" (from J. David Stone) and purpose driven (from Doug Fields). When they said I had not fully answered their question, I went all Jesus on them and told them a parable. A parable I had learned from Rich Mullins.

A man was in a rowboat- the kind with two oars, one on each side. He decided to row only with his left arm so he could make it stronger, but soon found his boat went only in circles. He switched to his stronger arm, his right arm, and rowed- but found he had only reversed the circling. It was only when he rowed with evenly both arms that he traveled a straight path on the water. So it is with faith and works. Following Jesus requires both.

Rich was not trying to say that we can be "saved" by the things we do. We cannot earn salvation. If we have faith, salvation is a gift from God. But it is also true that if we are followers of Jesus we will be in service to others. If we truly believe, our hearts will be broken by the things that break the heart of Jesus. The hungry, the homeless, the sick, the weak- all of the "least of these (Matthew 25)" that Jesus demands we look after, we will want to love in the name of God! As the scriptures tell us, if we truly believe then our lives will show "fruit."

I don't think they liked my answer. They never offered me the job; I wouldn't have taken it anyway. I still believe Rich had it right. He put his thoughts into this amazing little song called Screen Door. Listen, watch and enjoy. But also take this chance to check your own life. If you call yourself a Christian, what do people see in your actions that would confirm that for them? Too many people base the evidence of their faith on the things they don't do. Jesus asks,"What did you do for the least of these brothers of mine?" Don't let your faith become useless...  

You Are My Sunshine

I am a very blessed man in many ways, but perhaps the greatest blessing in my life has been the gift of friendship. My old friends are plentiful and wonderful. There are friends from my own youth group days at New Garden Friends Meeting who should have given up on me years ago- but didn't! I have high school and college friends who are still part of my life. My days at Quaker Lake Camp connected me with campers and staff who have stayed in my life as we have all grown up- or at least pretended to! My work at various churches left me with dozens of adult friends and hundreds of former youth who are now adults, many of whom are still a very active and important part of my life. My dear friend Lisa is one of the lights of my life. And Marilyn and Will are not only family, they are my friends- the best and strongest kind. Old friends are the best!

Over the past few days this has become more apparent than ever to me as several old friends who had been absent from my life for a while reappeared with a wonderful flurry of activity. It was so great to have them back; but it was also like they had never been gone. That's how it is with old friends. They can move in and out of our lives seamlessly without truly losing the connection we share. It is such a great gift. 

But regretfully, there are partings along the way. There are people we lose track of, either for short periods of time or because life leads us in different directions. Saying goodbye is never easy. Letting go is often hard. Back in 1982 I was working at QLC and thinking a lot about saying goodbye to a wonderful group of high school campers (one of whom gave me the mug pictured at top) that I didn't know if I would ever see again. At that time I wrote a song that was never sung in public. It began and ended with the chorus of the old standard, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you, so please don't take my sunshine away." Last night I found myself humming that, and suddenly the words I wrote back in '82 were fresh in my mind. I share some of them here today- my ode to old friends.

People come and people go through a life like mine

You never know just who you can count on

But whenever I reach out for you you always seem to hear me

And you take time to shine your light my way

The thought had never crossed my mind that I could lose you

'Cause I don't think I could ever let you go

But now I see that we could have to say goodbye and mean it

The pain is real and it just won't go away

CHORUS: I wish that I could find the words

To say how much I love you

I wish that I could know that this really isn't the end

There must be 1000 ways to explain the things that I'm feeling

And to let you know that you'll always have a friend...

I know I've sometimes let you down, I know I've sometimes failed you

But you have always loved me anyway

We've shared some special moments and some special people

I just won't believe that our time has come to an end

But the time will come again when we will walk this trail together

It's part of our past, but yet it takes us home

And even if the sunshine becomes just the flicker of a candle

It still gives us hope that we'll never be alone!

Old songs are much like old friends. They take us back to times of joys and sorrow, times of jubilation and frustration. And they remind us that we are loved. Sometimes we misplace them, but real friends are never really lost to us. Where there is love, there is always hope. My old friends- the ones still present in my life and the ones I have misplaced- are indeed my sunshine. They give me courage, hope, love and support when skies are gray and when the sun is brightest. I hope they know how much I love them. And I thank God every day for never "taking my sunshine away." Have a blessed day, dear ones!

Have You Seen Jesus My LORD?

I originally shared this post in April of 2012. Last night I found myself on another walk with Conner, once again humming this song. Seemed right to share it again (even though last night was hot & muggy rather than cool & breezy) on this fine Sunday morning! :)

Last night I was walking my dog. That is not at all unusual. I walk Conner every night, usually between 8:30 and 9:00. Lately I have filled this time with phone calls and texts, entertaining myself while I walk. But last night I didn't even take my phone. It was a beautiful night with a slight chill in the air (so rare in Tampa this time of year) and a sky full of stars. As I walked and looked at God's creation, I suddenly found myself singing. Again, that is not at all unusual- I sing to myself quite often. Then I realized what song I was singing. It's a song called Have You Seen Jesus My Lord?  This gorgeous praise song, written by John Fischer (and published by one of my heroes, the great Yohann "YO" Anderson for Songs & Creations) in 1970, was a song we sang at camp in the early 70s. The Quaker Lake Camp staff used to sing it when we led worship in local churches on Sunday mornings during the summer. It had a great harmony part on the chorus that I loved singing with Martha Ratledge Farlow. I had probably not tried to sing it in nearly 20 years. Yet there I was, walking under the stars, remembering every word and every note. And I was worshiping. Big time. Too often we think of worship as something that happens on Sunday morning. Worship is a lifestyle. These words reminded me of that as I offered praise to my God last night. I hope they will remind you today. God is everywhere, Look around you. See the evidence. 

CHORUS

 Have you seen Jesus my LORD?

He's here in plain view

Take a look. open your eyes

He'll show it to you

Have you ever looked at the sunset

with the sky mellowin' red

and the clouds suspended like feathers?

Then I say...you've seen Jesus my LORD

CHORUS

Have you ever stood at the ocean

with the white foam at your feet

felt the endless thundering motion?

Then I say...you've seen Jesus my LORD

CHORUS

Have you ever looked at the cross

with a man hangin' in pain

seen the look of love in His eyes?

Then I say...you've seen Jesus my LORD

CHORUS

Have you ever stood in the family

with the LORD there in your midst,

seen the face of Christ on each other?

Then I say...you've seen Jesus my LORD

We don't have to search for Jesus. He is already where we are. The question is, are we too busy, too loud and too self-involved to see Him and to give him the praise He deserves? May I suggest a nice quiet walk to put things in perspective...  Be blessed, my friends!

Because of Jesus,

Create In Me

One of my very favorite youth group worship songs was a little chorus called Create In Me. I often used it to close out singing and worship times, because it was such a simple prayer. This was yet another song I learned from the godfather of group singing, Yohann "YO" Anderson, the man behind the Songs & Creations songbooks. It was written by Mary Rice Hopkins, who went on to become a very popular writer and singer of children's songs. I was blessed to hear her sing it in person once in the middle of the exhibit hall at a NYWC. Even in the midst of that chaos, the song created a sacred space. It is based on Psalm 51:10-12 which reads:

Create in me a pure heart, O God

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51 is a song of David. David is one of the great men of the Old Testament. He slayed Goliath. He became King of the people of Israel. He led his people through many difficult times and many terrible battles. He was called "a man after God's own heart." He wrote many of the Psalms. He also committed adultery and had the husband of the woman killed. In other words, David was like us. Sometimes a sinner, sometimes a saint. And that is what makes these words so special. David knew he needed his heart cleaned- just as we all do! And we know we cannot do it on our own. We need Jesus.

I don't know that I ever played and sang this song without getting at least one tear in my eye. Most often I was looking out at a youth group singing along with me, and I could not help but sing this song for the students that I knew were lost and hurting. Over the past decade it has become a daily prayer for me. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, that I might serve you..." I invite you to pray this prayer with me today and every day. Have a blessed Monday.

Because of Jesus,

Jesus Takes Care of the Rest

Keith Green

"You just keep doing your best, and pray that it's blessed,

and Jesus takes care of he rest!"

My senior year in high school (1976-77) I became friends with a dynamo of a freshman girl named Sandra Payne. She and her friends adopted me as their big brother (actually the 7 of them called me Snow White- but that's a story for another day!) and Sandra's family treated myself and my friend Steve as if we were relatives. It still, even some 39 years later, feels funny to call her Sandra. Everyone knew her as Punky. Punky Payne. Among the many things she brought into my life that year was my first introduction to what is now known as Contemporary Christian Music. She played albums for me by artists like Evie, Amy Grant and Keith Green. One of the Keith Green songs she played over and over was called He'll Take Care of the Rest. And just for Punky (wherever she may be) that song is my devotional for today!

Keith Green was truly one of the pioneers of early modern Christian music. As with most of his peers, he saw music as a ministry more than entertainment, and his concerts were often accompanied by some serious preaching. He and his wife Melody were the founders of Last Days Ministries. In 1982, while flying over some land that had been purchased for the purpose of expanding the ministry, Keith and 11 others were killed in a plane crash. His death at such an early age left an huge hole in the ministry of the church, and he is still missed today. He remains an inspiration to many of today's artists and ministers.  

He'll Take Care of the Rest was not one of Keith's best known songs, even back in 1977 when it appeared on his first solo album For Him Who Has Ears To Hear. It would have been easy to pick a more popular (yet still seldom heard in today's world) Green song, such as Asleep in the Light, So You Wanna' Go Back To Egypt or You Put This Love In My Heart. But He'll Take Care of the Rest holds a special place in my heart- in part because of Punky, and in part because it is a reminder that God often calls the unwilling to do the improbable. In many ways that feels like my story too. It is a reminder that God doesn't always call the equipped; sometimes God equips the called. Plus, this song is just flat out fun. So enjoy it, and then go check out more of Keith Green's story online.  You will be inspired. This one's for you, Punky. And just so you know- among the 7 dwarfs she was Dopey.  :)

Because of Jesus,

Flashback Friday: These Times

With everything going on in the world around us, the time seems right to share this post again- if only for my own sake. Sometimes a Flashback Friday is a great excuse to say something important for a second time...

A couple of years ago I was watching the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown with my wife and son when we encountered one of the most uplifting, hopeful and spirit-filled songs I have heard in a very long time. The band is called SafetySuit. I cannot speak to the religious convictions of the band members. It is is not "Christian" music. But if you are a Christ-follower, this song speaks to the condition of so many of those around you. People are hurting.Times are hard. And one of the most precious commodities the church has to offer is hope. If you are in student ministry and have not yet built a message around this song, then get busy. This video will inspire you, because whether intended or not, Jesus is all over it, just oozing from each frame.  It is my hope that it will move you as much as it did me. So here is the official music video for These Times...

"Throw up your hands and believe it. These times are hard.  But they will pass..."


Because of Jesus,

A Modern Prophecy

There was a Flashback Friday post all queued up for today, but last night God gave me a new plan and a different kind of flashback. I was listening to my iPod and heard the classic Larry Norman song The Great American Novel (1972). The late singer was one of the first prominent voices of the Jesus Movement of the early 1970s and a pioneer of contemporary Christian music. To my mind he was clearly a leading voice of that generation and I have long loved his music. But as I heard this song last night the lyrics overwhelmed me, just like hearing it for the first time. The song seems to have been written for a time such as this. No matter your politics or your point of view, the words are like ants in your underwear- uncomfortable, irritating and hard to shake off. There are lines that make me angry, yet are difficult to refute. In scripture, prophecies were always painful to hear. This 43 year old song speaks to NOW in ways that can only be called prophetic. Listen & watch. Think about the lyrics. Squirm a bit. And don't miss the truth and the hope found in the very last line of the song. Then get down on the knees of your heart and pray for my country. As another prophetic radical once said, "Let those with ears to hear...hear!"

Because of Jesus,

Haven't We Been Here Before?

This is the first in a series of random posts you will see over the next few months that I am calling Things I Believe (and you probably don't)! Some will be goofy. This one is not. So be warned...

This world is a mess. We have known that for a while. But lately it is this nation that concerns me more. Laws have been passed, presidential campaigns begun, verdicts handed down, history rewritten, leaders quoted and social media exploding all with the same message- unless you are like me, I don't want you here. And it doesn't matter where here is, you aren't welcome. This would be disconcerting under any circumstances, but to hear so much of it coming from people who call themselves Christians is especially painful. My heart hurts. My brain hurts. And as a student of history I find myself asking the same question at my prayer time each day- Haven't we been here before?

It seems that many of my brothers and sisters (although some of these folks could care less what my sisters think) in Christ have taken a stance that anyone who does not agree with them is not only wrong, but somehow less a child of God than those who do agree. They come from two primary angles. You must be Christian- their version of Christian- and exclude and fear anyone who is not. In this version of the faith, judgement is a key element, and you worry less about your own soul and more about how to make others more like you. You must also hold to the theory of American Exceptionalism. It is no longer enough to love your country. Now to prove our patriotism we must adhere to the thought that the United States is and always has been superior to the rest of the world. If that means throwing out the facts to make history agree with the point, so be it. This country was not founded on exceptionalism, it was founded on and by the "wretched refuse." Our forefathers were kicked out of every decent country in the world! These two ideologies are being used by the "elite" to exclude anyone who doesn't agree with them. People of color, our LGBT friends, immigrants and people of differing religions are more and more being targeted by people who claim to have a relationship with Jesus and being told that they do not belong. They are not Christian enough and they are not American enough. How is "religious freedom" enhanced by laws that encourage discrimination? 

History has taught us that there are few things more dangerous that religious extremism and radical nationalism. We live in a world where terrorists who fly an Islamic flag have made us afraid of all Muslims. ISIS is a band of extremists (who, by the way, walked into a leadership void WE helped create when we invaded Iraq in 2002) who in no way represent the entire religion. A few weeks back President Obama compared the extremism of ISIS to the Christian Crusades and was taken to task for it by many (As a side note, I read someone attack Obama by saying George W. Bush would have never said anything like that, and I cannot agree more. I have little doubt that W. has no idea what happened in the Crusades...). The truth is, he was right. There have been numerous atrocities committed in the name of Jesus, from the Crusades to standing in support of slavery to blowing up abortion clinics. Extremism is ugly no matter who is carrying the flag. Nazi Germany was all about lifting one nation, one race and one religion above all others and seeking to wipe out anyone who didn't "fit in." It almost worked. And yet even with all of this history to learn from, we find ourselves again posting new versions of "Whites Only" signs, fearing religions we don't understand and hating people we don't know. And doing it in the name of Jesus. We have been here before.

My big issue is this- these Christians who claim religious and cultural superiority often do it by choosing to ignore the teachings of Jesus. They see his teachings about peace, love, justice, mercy, grace and forgiveness as a part of the biblical narrative that can be debated and diluted through filtering and watering down. Then they can use their religion to exclude people, when Jesus clearly preached inclusiveness. His call to love our neighbors means loving our gay neighbors, our black neighbors our Muslim neighbors and our really hard-to-love neighbors. Some would respond with Old Testament scriptures (which Jesus gave a new spin) or twist the teachings of Paul, saying Jesus is only part of the story. Well friends, listen up, because I am about to drop some serious theology on you. Jesus is not a part of the story- Jesus is the POINT of the story! If we are willing to ignore his teachings, then everything else falls apart. Yes, there is a theology of salvation and a standard of morality that Christ-followers seek to embrace. But as Paul wrote in that passage they read at all the weddings, without love none of that other stuff means skubala (Carl translation). When we use our arms to push away rather than embrace, we are ignoring his teachings.

I confess there are days when this all seems hopeless, when it feels like the church is failing badly and there is nothing we can do about it. We are too often part of the problem in this country. But we must not- we CANNOT- give up. We serve an awesome God, a God of light and love, and we must take back our faith from those who seek to pervert it. Back in the early 1980s the band Styx recorded a rock opera called Kilroy Was Here about a morally superior bad guy named Dr. Righteous. He knew all the rules but understood nothing about love, mercy and individual freedoms. The story followed a band of rebels who worked under dangerous conditions to get the truth out- a truth that Dr. Righteous controlled. My favorite song on the album (yes, even better than Mr. Roboto) shares its name with this blog post. The lyrics are below:

Haven't we been here before
Footsteps lead down to the note on the door
That says I can't stay here anymore

And haven't we felt this same way
Sure in our hearts, but afraid just the same
To say I can't stay one minute more

You might think that it's hopeless
Beyond our control
But that's not necessarily so
Can't you see there's a chance
For the daring young soul
Who's finally learned to say no

No, I won't be misused
Ignored or refused
And I won't just give up and let go

So tonight hold me close to you
And don't give up what's important to you
And as time rolls on
Nothing can stand in our way

And I believe if we learn from the past
We'd find keys to unlock every door
Dark would turn into light
We'd be strong
We'd be right

So tonight hold me close to you
And don't give up what's important to you
And as time rolls on
Nothing will stand in our way

And I believe if we learn from the past
We'd say haven't we been here before
Oh, and I believe if we open our hearts
We'd find keys to unlock every door
Hearts could change overnight
We'd be strong...We'd be right
So stay with me now
The future is ours
And we'll be the ones who go on

The time is now for a Jesus Revolution. It is time for us to be the daring souls who say no to this blatant misuse of Christianity. Politics can corrupt the church; they cannot corrupt Jesus. Exclusivity may be championed by our politicians, but it will never be championed by Jesus. It's time to take a stand and Take Back Our Church- #TBOC (It should really be take back HIS church, but TBOC is a much better hashtag). Christianity was never intended to be a religious organization, it was intended to be a movement founded on the life and teachings of a radical Rabbi who was also the Son of God. It's not about moral superiority, or cultural warfare or national exceptionalism. It's all about love. Think of those final words of the song as being a direct order from the Christ. "Stay with me now, the future is ours, and we'll be the ones who go on." More than ever, it has GOTS to be all about Jesus! And that's all I have to say about that...

Because of Jesus,

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Official GMD autographed
 baseball- 1997

I've spent the last couple of day at Spring Training baseball games. Saturday, my wife and our friend Lisa headed to Clearwater to see the Phillies and the Blue Jays. Yesterday I joined the Todd Willis family in Lakeland to watch the Tigers and the Nationals. It was a great way to combine two of my passions, baseball and my love for all the students who passed through my youth ministries over the years.. Today, with a little help from my old friends Geoff Moore & the Distance, I'd like to think a little about both...

In the great song Home Run, Geoff (and co-writer Steven Curtis Chapman) use the imagery and passion of baseball to remind us of a very different story-  one that is extremely relevant today. There are many differences between the people who call themselves Christians. We can read the same words in scripture and come away with very different interpretations. But we do claim to follow the same Jesus. The words of the song remind us that "we're on the same team though we're not all the same, that's why we have to learn to play together." The bridge lays out some steps we need to take to do just that.  

You gotta keep your eye on the ball, swing straight

 and true and follow though

Don't be afraid what ever the call

Because we're never alone, 

our Coach is there to cheer us on...

And therein lie two of our biggest problems. We have stopped listening to the Coach- Jesus! We are trying to save the world under own own power. And we are afraid- so afraid that we have lost trust in the overwhelming power of the Creator of the Universe. It is so much easier to argue about sin than it is to love a sinful world, and so we are afraid we cannot do it. In doing those things, we have forgotten our primary purpose in God's plan. We are called to be the carriers of the disease known as The Good News. It is our job to spread God's love to the world. And so many of us want so much to be a part of that effort.  As the song says, "I didn't join this team to sit on the bench, I'm going deep and swinging for the fence- I've got some friends on base I've to get home!"  

My youth group in Kissimmee in the mid 1990s loved this song. We talked about the meaning a lot, and we focused on the references to the biblical Great Cloud of Witnesses. The lyrics say, "We are not the first to pass this way or stand over this plate. We are surrounded by a legacy..." Wanting to do our part to fulfill the Great Commission was one of the reasons we invited Geoff and the band to do a concert for our community at the Tupperware Convention Center in the summer of 1997. We were trying to hit a home run. We risked a great deal and lost a lot of money, but people came to Jesus that night. "You gotta pray and swing, then watch it as it's going, going...it's GONE!" But we had to work together to make it happen. We could not focus on the things we do not agree on. We had to focus on the ONE we do. And we had to share his love to with the community. The ENTIRE community!

We got to hear this song performed live that night, just like you will hear it here in a video I posted to YouTube (it's got over 4000 hits, which is  lo for one of my videos!) back in 2012. For our FUMC-K family, it turned into a sing-along as we celebrated being the family of God- a true team. My prayer is that in the days to come the Christian community will set aside the things that divide us and focus on the mission we have been given- sharing the love of God whose name is Jesus with our world. If we will do that, we can make the Coach proud. He is indeed cheering us on, saying- "GO! GO! All the way!" Enjoy the video, filled with lots of great baseball images and a few select shots of my youth families. Now get out there and Play Ball!

Boy Like Me, Man Like You

Do you ever feel like that seeking to be closer to Jesus is like being stuck on a performance treadmill? We think, "If I can only be good enough then God will love me." My friends, that is stinkin' thinkin'!!! Over and over again Christians confuse being on the #NarrowRoad to following Jesus with being perfect even as Jesus was perfect. We aren't- so we try to hide our faults and our sins. We bury our transgressions and try to make our lights look brighter by seeking to diminish the lights of others. Or perhaps you are like me and just allow perfectionism to become so discouraging that you give up trying to stay on the path and forge your own way. We will always fall short when we compare ourselves to the man who was both human and the Son of God. But what about when Jesus was a kid? Was he more like us? Maybe a few glimpses into his childhood would give us much more hope as we seek to be the people he calls us to be- people on the #NarrowRoad.

Seriously- do you ever wonder what Jesus was like as a kid? Those stories are conspicuously absent from the Gospels, except for him teaching in the temple at age 12 or so. We know that He lived without sin, but how close to the line did He walk? Was he a teacher's pet or a class clown? Did he flirt with the girls? He was tempted an as adult- how much greater was the temptation at age 9? I know none of this really matters historically, but for those of us who want to be Christ-followers a little more info could have been helpful. Today I share the words of one of my favorite songs, written by one of my favorite people- the late Rich Mullins (pictured at top). Rich was more like Jesus than any man I ever met, but he also understood that it was grace, not perfectionism, than keeps us on the #NarrowRoad. Think about Jesus, the man, and Jesus, the Son of God. And let the last line just wash over you and become your prayer- Jesus, let me be like you! We will never get there, but we can let the love of Jesus shine through us. If we ever really do grow up...

Boy Like Me, Man Like You

You was a baby like I was once, You was cryin' in the early mornin'

You was born in a stable Lord, Reid Memorial is where I was born

They wrapped You in swaddling clothes

Me they dressed in baby blue

But I was twelve years old in the meeting house

Listening to the old men pray

And I was tryin' hard to figure out

What it was that they was tryin' to say

There You were in the temple, they said You weren't old enough to
 know the things You knew

Well, did You grow up hungry? Did You grow up fast?

Did the little girls giggle when You walked past?

Did You wonder what it was that made them laugh?

And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old? Stories about their faith?

They say stories like that make a boy grow bold, stories like that make a man walk straight 

And You was a boy like I was once But was You a boy like me

Well, I grew up around Indiana, You grew up around Galilee

And if I ever really do grow up, Lord I want to grow up and be just like You

Well, did You wrestle with a dog and lick his nose?

Did You play beneath the spray of a water hose?

Did You ever make angels in the winter snow?

And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old? Stories about their faith?

They say stories like that make a boy grow bold,
stories like that make a man walk straight

Did You ever get scared playing hide and seek?

Did You try not to cry when You scraped Your knee?

Did You ever skip a rock across a quiet creek?

And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old? Stories about their faith?

They say stories like that make a boy grow bold,
stories like that make a man walk straight

And I really may just grow up and be like You... someday

I think Jesus the boy would have made one heck of a friend...but he makes an even better Savior!  And as for me ever really growing up...keep praying everyone!

Because of Jesus,