I Am Right...& You're Stupid!

Recently I have encountered a few things on social media and in real conversations that have made me scratch my head and say, "Really?" These were not the usual outlandish religious views or political posturing, but just things that were said that seemed totally outside of my own experience. Here are a few classic examples...

• On my wife's Facebook I saw where one of her friends made the following post: Can someone please explain the Beatles to me? I just don't get it. You mean aside from the great music, the cultural impact and being the single biggest influence on popular music of the 20th century? Those Beatles? Maybe they are just a fad. Or maybe they matter because my son's grandchildren will still be listening to them!!!
• A dear friend of mine (who is a bit memory impaired when it comes to names) sent me a random text the other night asking me if I knew that "Neil Patrick...someone...was gay?" I laughed for 5 solid minutes, literally falling out of my chair. Partly because Neil Patrick Someone is a great name, and partly because it seemed impossible to me that there was anyone on the planet who didn't know NPH is gay. But she really didn't. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
• And speaking of Seinfeld... I read a blog post the other day that said the show was never funny because all of the characters were jerks. I give that one two big DUHS. Of course they were jerks. They were supposed to be- it was what made their take on life interesting! And the fact that they knew the characters were total a-holes is what made the much dissed finale ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! Seinfeld not funny? Geez. I guess next I'll hear that Chuck Norris is a mere mortal.
• A link I saw on Twitter last week took me to a blog form a "Disney Specialist" entitled 10 Must-Do Attractions at the Magic Kingdom. It was a fine list, I guess, but I found the whole thing to be irrelevant because they did not mention Pirates of the Caribbean! It may as well have been a list of top 10 pizza toppings with no mention of cheese, or of ice cream flavors with chocolate left off. Not only is Pirates a must-do, it's what you must-do first!!!
• I was telling the Neil Patrick Someone story to a young adult friend, thinking they would get a big laugh out of the tale. Instead, I was stunned to discover that she had no idea who NPH was. None. I think the word I am searching for is "flabbergasted."
• I saw a list of all-time movie franchises based on the personal opinion of the writer through a link on Twitter the other day. The list was a good one for the most part, until I got near the top. They had the Twilight series ranked ahead of Star Wars. I thought my head would explode. Shiny vampires and shirtless werewolves over Darth Vader and Hans Solo? Even Jar-Jar knows better than that. "Me no thinks so!"
• If I see one more tweet proclaiming LeBron James the greatest basketball player of all-time I may just go postal. That's just stupid. Actually, calling that stupid is an insult to stupid people! The name they are searching for is Michael Jeffrey Jordan. End of story.

And there are more...but I will spare you. These things seemed beyond belief to me, that people could go through life so uninformed, no ignorant, so wrong and so...not me. It hit me that the real problem with all of the things I listed is that they are all simply my opinion. None of them really matter in the big picture of life, but all of them are important to me. And when they aren't important to other people, I get frustrated. I lash out. I defend my turf. And unfortunately, that is a reflection of the society we live in. We don't understand why people don't see things our way, and when they don't, it is our tendency to pronounce them WRONG instead of different. More and more individuals in our USAmerican society are seeking to proclaim things as black and white- but only by their definition of black and white. One political party is always right, the other always wrong. My way of doing communion is always right, and yours is always wrong. Downton Abbey fans see no possible reason anyone would ever watch The Walking Dead, and vice-versa. And I watch neither of them! As a result of this stubbornness, there is no longer any rational debate in our country about much of anything. I state my opinion, you state yours, and then we argue- with absolutely no chance of either of us ever admitting we are wrong, being willing to compromise or giving in to any form of enlightenment.

This best description of this attitude I have heard comes from the world's current greatest TV show, How I Met Your Mother (If you don't agree then we have nothing to talk about...oops...see what I mean?). The character of Robin, who is Canadian, is about to take her U.S. citizenship test, and Barney (played by Neil Patrick Someone) has been tutoring her- albeit about things no one really needs to know. He finally pronounces her ready, and then says he has one more question. The following conversation ensues:

Barney: Last question. Who is this?

[Holds up picture of Jim Varney]

Robin: That is the fine actor best known for the Hey Vern series of films. And his name is Jeff Foxworthy.

Barney: Wrong. It's Jim Varney.

Robin: It's Jeff Foxworthy, you idiot!

Barney: Robin, not only were you wrong, but you stubbornly stuck to your guns and insulted me in the process.

[Salutes]

Barney: Congratulations, you ARE an American!

I am afraid that more and more that scene describes who we are becoming. When people disagree with us we grow angry, loud and defensive. It seems that far too often people choose arguing their point, their position and their opinions over seeking the truth. And if by some off chance someone can prove us wrong- well, there's always someone else to blame, isn't there?

I cannot fix this problem. I can, however, resolve to live with the understanding that there are many people who do not live, think or act the way I do. And that's perfectly okay. Everyone is not like me- and I thank God for that! Everyone has their own take on the issues of the day, both important and trivial. There is much to be learned from people who are different from me. We seem to have come to the conclusion that we are somehow tasked with making everyone believe the things we believe and enjoy the things we enjoy. Christians may be more guilty than most. My job, as a follower of Jesus, is not to change everyone I meet- it's to love them. And it's hard to love someone when you can only think of them as wrong. 

So to all of those people I felt superior to because they don't care about the same things I care about, I apologize. Except for the Twilight/Star Wars thing. I mean C'mon, man!

Because of Jesus,

#DangerDays: Andrea Ward's Story

Today's guest post comes from another Twitter friend, Andrea Ward. Andrea and her husband Drew live in Hickory, NC- a place I knew well some 35 years ago when I was a college freshman there! They have supported, encouraged and prayed for me over the past few years, and I look forward to meeting them someday soon. You can follow Andrea on Twitter @citrus_sunshine and visit her blog (which I HIGHLY recommend!) at http://jesusyoume.blogspot.com/.  I know you will all be inspired as Andrea gives you a glimpse into her vision of the #DangerDays...

When Carl first mentioned the idea, I immediately thought, I have nothing to contribute. I was a total goody two shoes in high school. I was a brainy Magna Cum Laude college student. I got my first job teaching and then got married after a couple years. We moved a few times due to job related stuff, but didn't have huge marital issues. I have lived a relatively boring life and not done anything dangerous or radical. So why am I writing this?

I read this quote:"Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.” (Read more at http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/12-essential-bonhoeffer-quotes#dHwPIfP7r3H4FfGU.99)

Even though I may not have lived some crazy life, I have done a few things that raised eyebrows and made people wonder about me. I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't do it to be a rebel or make a statement. I did it because God told me too. 

I left my teeny tiny farming town and went to Mexico to study for a summer. That felt dangerous, but God didn't leave me another option. My husband and I put our house on the market and planned to move across the country in a horrible housing market. That one didn't feel dangerous. It just felt like the right thing to do. Before we had taken the boxes off the moving van, we discovered that I was pregnant. I had no insurance or job that was scary, but this was God's plan.

Now before you start thinking of me as some Super Christian. There are plenty of times that I didn't do what God told me to do. I remember several years early in my marriage where we were doing it our own way. That cost us a few thousand dollars and two cross country moves. In the end, God put us right where he wanted us. We just took a longer more painful route to get there. So that was a whole different kind of dangerous. Those years when we were doing it our way keep me focused on God's will now.

So most recently, my husband switched jobs and we switched churches. That was a hard following. It wasn't a hard decision because the decision wasn't ours. We heard from God and it was confirmed by 3 other people. I was not happy about it and I didn't want to have to do it. However, I know that following God is really the only option for a follower of Jesus. So we followed where God was leading even though it was hard. And I didn't really think much more about it. I felt some more about it and sometimes still do. Feelings are much harder to put to rest, but my brain is satisfied that we did the right thing and don't need to worry.

We have spoken with some people at our former church. We get a mixed reaction. Some are supportive and some are offended or hurt. It was never our intention to hurt anyone or offend anyone. It wasn't our intention to cause a stir amongst anyone. We were simply following the leading of The Lord. In the 'fall out' after our leaving (or following), I came to realize that I have often done something dangerous. I have often followed the leading of The Lord before following the wisdom of society or friends or family. 

Sometimes you are dangerous without even trying. When Jesus says, "Follow me" and you do, you are participating in #DangerDays.

To see previous #DangerDays posts, just click HERE! If you would like to write a guest post for this series, please contact me at Youthguy07@aol.com. Thanks!

Abide In Him

Sometimes those of us who profess to be Christians need to be reminded that we are human beings, not human doings. The Christian life is not about what we can do on our own, but allowing Jesus Christ to bear his fruit through us. In John 15:5, Jesus tells us that if we will abide in him then he will abide in us. We must nurture the Holy Spirit within us through love, worship and obedience. This is what it means to abide. 

Unfortunately, taking the time to abide in Jesus is somewhat of a lost spiritual discipline. Much like silence, it is so intimate and so foreign to us that we do not pursue these amazing moments with our Savior. To help us along that path, today I'd like to suggest 10 ideas to help us focus on knowing Jesus, loving Jesus, experiencing Jesus and being linked to Jesus. Remember, John 10:10 teaches that Jesus came to bring us not just life, but abundant life. Let's seek it together. Try one of these each day for a while and see if you feel a stronger connection with the Christ.

1. Listen to 3 of your favorite worship songs (consecutively) with your eyes closed, picturing Jesus in the room with you. Sing to him. Worship him.
2. Fast for a meal or a full day and focus the time you gain on love, obedience and worship.
3. Apply John 15:12 to your life by asking Jesus to show you who needs your unconditional love today.
4. Make a list of the Top 10 Reasons You Love God.
5. Do an Alphabet Worship Time. Write down a prayer of praise, thanks or intercession for each letter of the alphabet.
6. Read the 5th chapter of the Gospel of John, highlighting any verses that speak to you about love, worship and obedience.
7. Set aside time for a silent prayer vigil- at least 30 minutes. Be still.  Know God.
8. At 10:27 (AM or PM) prayerfully read aloud Luke 10:27 to be reminded of the love of God.
9. Memorize The Beatitudes, found in Matthew 5:3-11. They are the condensed version of everything Jesus taught.
10. Take time to focus on the love of God by writing a letter or e-mail to someone who needs to know that you love them unconditionally because Jesus loves you that way.

Fall into the arms of a Savior who loves you more than you can imagine.  Spend time with him. Abide in him.

Because of Jesus,

Taboo

ta-boo: proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable

Over my years in student ministry we often talked about the radical nature of Jesus. We sang songs like Radical Man. I heard gifted teachers like Tony Campolo tell me about the radical nature of following the Christ. We talked about becoming radical ourselves- maybe extreme enough to be considered Jesus Freaks. But most of us shrink from those thoughts in a world where following Jesus is becoming taboo. I'm not talking about being "christian"- just take a stand against the right things and for the right politicians and you can claim to be "christian." I'm talking about standing strong and telling the world who Jesus is and why He came. I'm talking about living like the resurrection actually happened and like Jesus is alive. And perhaps most importantly, I am talking about loving people the way Jesus told us to love each other. God does not care what country you are from, who you voted for or if you protested the "right" issues. According to Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39, the greatest commandment is to "love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second is like it- love your neighbor as yourself." If we truly believe that Jesus is "the Way, the Truth and the Life," then we will let nothing stand between us and living like we know Him. So be improper and unacceptable. Love the unlovable. Offer peace when the world wants aggression. Forgive when the world wants vengeance. Almost everything Jesus taught goes against the "normal" of the society we live in. Are you ready to be taboo?


Read these lyrics. And answer for yourself the last question posed- "Do you claim Jesus' name as the ultimate truth?" Have a blessed Sunday!

Taboo-  Ian Eskelin (from the album Save the Humans) 2004

For the sake of argument
Say Jerry Springer were the president
“No Inhibitions!”
The national theme
There’d still be one thing
Makin’ Donahue scream

“Taboo!”
We’ve come to the last
Taboo
There’s an audible gasp
When you claim there’s a God
Who’s objectively true
It’s taboo

Party on, let freedom ring
For the shock jocks and the gangsta kings
But mention Jesus in the public square
The tables turn and the tempers flare

Taboo
That’s a no-can-do
Taboo
The A.C.L.U.
Say when we sneeze
Could we please
Drop the ‘God bless you’
It’s taboo

God isn’t really dead
He’s under house arrest
Will Amnesty protest?
No I don’t think so

I could kiss a kangaroo
Sic my Spitz on your Shih Tzu
No one blinks at anything I do
Until I claim the resurrection is true

“Taboo!”
I’m breaking the last
Taboo
How about you?
Do you claim Jesus’ name
As the ultimate truth?
It's Taboo...

Because of Jesus,

The Opening Ceremonies: A Few Snarky Thoughts

I am somewhat of an Olympic junkie as many of you know, and so I watched most of the 3 and half hour spectacle last night that was the opening ceremonies to the 2014 Winter Olympics. I also followed along on Twitter. And here are a few of  my takeaways...

• Bob Costas was reporting to us from Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
• Four out of five Olympic rings is NOT "close enough..."
• The official sponsor of the United States team must be Bill Cosby. I can think of no other excuse for those sweaters.
• At this point in his life, Matt Lauer has already retired. He might as well have commented by phone.
• It was good to see that "The Most Interesting Man in the World" will be skiing for his native Mexico.
• Will someone be live tweeting any breaking news on Costas' pink eye?
• I think it will be best for everyone involved for the Russians to win the gold medal in hockey. Sounds like the entire nation may fall apart if they don't. And NO ONE wants to be there for that...
• If you are are staying at a hotel in Sochi, you should apparently abide by the old retreat axiom, slightly revised- "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, GET OUT OF TOWN! Whatever you do, DON'T FLUSH!!!"
• Shaun White is an adult with a real haircut and everything. Who knew?
• We learned that the Russians are proud of their history- well at least the parts they showed us. We saw brilliant examples of their ballet and heard much of the classical music they have contributed to our world. The Communist era was symbolized by a train on its arrival and red balloon floating away for its fall. There was no mention of Lenin, Stalin, Siberia or Chernobyl. And worst of all was no update on the whereabouts of my 2 favorite Russians of all time...

But the torch lighting was cool, there were no disasters to speak of, and the games are underway- so it's all good! Now bring on the curling. And go Norway!

30/30: My Favorite Scripture

Welcome to week 4 of the 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge. Today's prompt is a tough one for me- one verse or passage of scripture that I would call my favorite. Just one? Who makes these things up? Oh wait... Anyway, I'm gonna' give it a go!

As I began to form this post, so many verses came came rushing to my mind. From going to Quaker Lake Camp back in middle school in I still remember 1 John 4:7-8: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." That same summer I learned Ephesians 4:32, and it's never left my heart: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." I made up a song for VBS one summer using the words from 2 Corinthians 5:17: "If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Everything old has passed away, see everything has become new." The Psalms have always been very meaningful to me, especially numbers 23, 51. 100, 119 and 139. Micah 6:8- "Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God"- is what I see every time I turn my phone on. I love the first verses of the Gospel of John, where we learn that "the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it." The words of Jesus in John 3:16-17 and John 10:10 are words that I use almost daily. Matthew 25 and the parable of the sheep and the goats has long been a favorite, in part because so much of the modern church likes to pretend that Jesus didn't really mean it. It's that radical. My life verse for ministry was always 1 Thessalonians 2:8: "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." That, to me, is the very definition of what ministry should be. And Acts 2:42-47 is the definition of what the church was meant to look like: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." I believe everyone in the Body of Christ needs to be accountable to the question, "Do we do Acts 2:42?" But none of those scriptures get the nod as my favorite. In fact, the decision was fairly easy for me. And here's the winner: 

Matthew 5:3-12

That's right...The Beatitudes! Ever since memorizing the passage after the late Rich Mullins told me back in 1990 that this scripture was the condensed version of EVERYTHING Jesus taught, it has been at the core of my faith. These verses speak simply yet powerfully to the calling we have to be different from the world we live in. They remind us that Christianity is not about some set of religious guidelines or following some leader...it's about grace, peace and mercy and about following THE leader! I would go through them one-by-one and offer commentary, but this paraphrase from Eugene Peterson's The Message does a wonderful job of that. Here we go:

3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.

4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.

7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, Ido! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.

I mean how good is that? And how clear is it the Beatitudes call us to something different than "doing church?" I remember someone saying to Rich all those years ago that they didn't like this scripture, because all of the things Jesus says will make us happy actually make us look weak. Being poor in spirit, being meek, being merciful and being peaceful seemed to this guy to be good ways to get run all over by our world. Rich responded that the man was right. By the world's (and often the church's) standards they do make us appear weak. Those same attributes made Jesus seem weak as well. He was weak to the point that he allowed people to push him around and eventually kill him. But that "weak" man would defeat death, conquer sin and save every one who believes in him. Rich finished by saying that if being weak means being like Jesus and being able to generate that kind of love, then he wanted in. And I do too.

One last editorial thought: I am so tired of Christians whining about how they're persecuted by society (see Duck Dynasty). First, most of us aren't. And secondly, if we are? Celebrate! Confused? Go back and check out verses 10-12 one more time...

Thanks for stopping by. Join me next Friday when we change gears and deal with the prompt, Junk Foods You Can't Refuse! Have a blessed weekend!

Because of Jesus,

Magic Moments: The Old Rugged Cross

From March of 2000 through October of 2001 I was the youth pastor at the Union Church of Hinsdale, a UCC church in the Chicago suburbs. It was a tough 18 months for me, often feeling like I didn't fit in. I had been there 3 weeks when I traveled with a group on their traditional Spring Break Mission Trip, which they called Work Tour. I had discovered quickly that there was much work to be done in that ministry, and the first days of the trip had been shocking to me in many ways. But then, as so often happens, God provided a Magic Moment. A big one...

Sunday morning came cold and clear in Dungannon, VA. We walked down the hill from the mission center to attend worship at a very small Primitive Baptist church. The sign said that worship began at 11 AM, but when we walked through the door at 10:50 there were about 15 people sitting in the sanctuary listening to a man preach. The 25 of us slipped in as quietly as we could and sat near the back. I felt bad, thinking we had missed the service and were causing a distraction. A few other people continued to wander in, and then about 11:05 the man stopped preaching. People stood and stretched for a minute, and the pastor walked back to where we were sitting. It turned out we had walked in on Sunday School; now it was time for worship. The pastor greeted us warmly and said that he wanted us to say something to the congregation during worship and perhaps sing a song for them. I said I would gladly bring greetings, but that we were not prepared to sing and I didn't have my guitar with me. He assured me that he had one I could use, and pretty much refused to take no for an answer. We were going to sing.

There was one major problem- I had already discovered that the youth of the Union Church didn't actually know any songs. At least not any appropriate ones. And yet I had just agreed that they would sing. As I sat in my pew waiting to be called up front, my mind was racing. What would we sing? I didn't want to embarrass the kids or take away from worship. And then it hit me- the night before a small group sat around singing, and that group should be able to fake the chorus to Step By Step (O God You are my God). I know I must have been smiling like an idiot as I sat there; once again God had provided despite my doubts. We all went up front, I brought greetings from Illinois, and we sang for them. It was a blessed moment, and one that we all later agreed gave us a real sense of unity. We finished our song, and the pastor thanked us and then said words I had not foreseen: "How about another one?" Once again God intervened, giving me the wisdom to say, "Why don't we sing one together?" I then led the entire congregation in Amazing Grace, which only a few of the students knew. It didn't matter, because the congregation (of about 30) sang with such gusto that the roof was lifted. It was awesome. The youth were all smiles. I silently thanked God for His provisions. We could have left then and there filled with the Holy Spirit and a new excitement. But the blessings of that morning had just begun. 

We had just returned to our pews when the pastor announced that it was prayer time. Now I had worked in a pretty wide variety of churches, and attended an even wider variety. I didn't think anything they could do during a prayer time would surprise me. The youth of Union Church were a different matter entirely. Worship at UC was very formal and very controlled. Nothing happened that was not planned- and then planned again. So as prayer time began that morning I said a prayer and held on...

The pastor began taking prayer requests from the congregation. And almost everyone had one. Some were for physical needs; others for salvation for family members. One elderly woman gave her testimony and then requested that we all sing the classic hymn The Old Rugged Cross. So we did. It was an old favorite of mine from my childhood, but totally foreign to my new youth group. As I mentioned before, it was a very small church, but they sang out very loudly- especially the woman who made the request. She was singing at the top of her lungs. She couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, but the song clearly meant the world to her. She sang with such vigor and passion that after a few giggles at the quality of her singing, the group was mesmerized by her. You could feel the Holy Spirit moving in her. It was a moment we would talk about for weeks to come.

But prayer time was not over. After a few more requests, the pastor invited everyone to come up to the altar and pray. In my experiences, when this happened the people would go forward and kneel and someone would pray for the requests. Not that morning. The pastor said "Let us pray," and everyone did. All at once. Out loud! My first reaction was to see and hear it as total chaos. My next understanding was much deeper. They got it. The God of the universe doesn't need us to sort out our prayers so He can hear them. He doesn't need us to sing with beautiful voices in order to sing praise to Him. He wants to hear us. As the voices mingled together in a beautiful, confused noise, I knew God was listening. I opened my eyes and saw my youth with mouths hanging open, unsure of what to make of this. It would become a wonderful teaching moment later that day. It was truly "beautiful noise..."

I don't remember a thing about the sermon. We had already been to church. Later that afternoon we went out hiking on a nearby trail, and as we sat around talking it was amazing to hear the reactions of these wealthy, big city students to what they had seen and heard that morning in that little "hick" church. And I began to understand more about how this trip was coming together. We were going to be doing some work for poor local families. That was the Work Tour part of the adventure. But the mission- the real opportunity to change lives in the name of Jesus- was about God opening the eyes of my own youth to what real faith and real worship are all about. God was moving among us, and kids were coming face to face with Jesus- many of them for the first time. It was time for them to understand why The Old Rugged Cross- the song and the event- is so meaningful to so many. It never felt like there were many "victories" in my short 18 months in Hinsdale. But that morning was a Magic Moment I feel certain none of them have ever forgotten. I know I never will.

Because of Jesus,