Great Thought For Friday

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says: 

But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

A tree’s confidence is its roots. A tree’s roots support it, nourish it, and provide for its sustenance.

We are to function in much the same way.

Our confidence comes from having our roots firmly grounded in the Lord.

Look what the verse says . . . The tree that has roots in the river does not fear the scorching heat of drought.

If our roots are sent out into the character of God, when the heat of trials come (and it will . . . it always does), we will be able to persevere. Heat is still hot. It’s still uncomfortable. But the leaves of the tree by the river stays green through the heat. If we are rooted in God, the leaves of our lives will remain even through the toughest trials.

Not only will we persevere, but we will come through the drought better off. Rooted in the Lord, we will never “fail to bear fruit.”

A lot of different folks stop by this blog, and I am thankful for each of you.

  • If you are a parent, what are you doing TODAY to help your child send down roots grounded in the Lord? How are you equipping them to weather lives dry periods?

  • If you are a youth worker, what example do you set for teenagers? How do you stay strong in the midst of life’s parched moments? What are you doing in your ministries to take your students deeper into a knowledge of God?

  • If you are a spouse, how are you helping turn your partner’s attention to the Lord? What are you doing to create a relationship, a home, where God is truly foundational?

May each of you find your roots solidly planted in God.

Have a great weekend.

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Have You Ever Felt Like This?

How I have felt lately . . .

Helping a ministry in need

You will very rarely see me promote an organization on these pages.

I am a huge Compassion International advocate because I have an intimate knowledge of their organization—its values, its infrastructure, its financials—and the real-life impact it has on children.

But that’s just the thing. There are not that many organizations that I can personally vouch for. I won’t risk misusing my voice (however insignificant) to promote an organization I cannot personally say is the “real deal.”

Well, today I want to very briefly tell you about an organization that IS the real deal . . . and they need your help.

Living Hope Community Center in Cape Town South Africa is an organization run, in part, by an amazing man named Jon Thomas. I have had the privilege of hearing Jon speak twice and have shared a brief conversation with him; He is a man passionate about the “least of these.” My wife and I are even planning on spending some time at Living Hope next year.

Living Hope is truly special. They do too many things for me to list in this short post, but their primary work is working with a population truly decimated by AIDS. From their website:

Living Hope seeks to bring the hope and compassion of Jesus Christ to the chronically sick and dying in a holistic way and do everything possible to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.

In addition to helping spur economic development for the communities they work with, they also run a day school for children, which is HUGELY important for these kids living in the midst of extreme poverty.

And this is where you have the very real chance to make a difference.

The work Living Hope has been doing is so important they have actually been receiving funds from the US government and the UN over the past few years. This strikes me as amazing for a Christian organization. But it just goes to show how vital their work is in this area.

Our current presidential administration has decided to cut funding to Living Hope. This puts the day school for these poor children in a perilous position.

But you can help . . .

If you have a moment, please consider watching this short video, listening to Jon, then praying about your role in being a solution. If you cannot support them personally, please consider taking their cause to your church leadership, small group, or posting this video on your blog or Facebook page.

Watch this video, then, if you feel compelled, please go to Living Hope’s site to read about their DAD (Dollar A Day) program.

The Disease of Criticism in (and of) the Church

This isn’t the post I was going to write. But, I’ll save it for another day . . .

I am at a conference in New Orleans. After a late night last night, the conference deosn’t start back up until tonight. So, today has been a productive day of catching up in a nice hotel room without the distractions of meetings and fires needing immediate “putting out.”

I just finished lunch, and was perusing my Google Reader when I came across a very thought provoking article by David Swanson on Christianity Today’s leadership blog, Out of Ur. The article was a good one, generally asking an question I often deal with about the nature of the Gospel and pure representation of it through public testimony. It was a thought provoking piece on how our methodology is affected by our theology (and vice versa).

I get to the end of the piece and was going to make a comment. That’s when I made the mistake of reading some of the other comments. They weren’t bad. Not nearly as offensive as you might see elsewhere. And they weren’t personally affrontive.

Some of them were just really critical. And not really critical of the real issue David was raising.

Two of the comments took specif issue with some of David’s characterizations of the people in the article, taking to time to sort of lecture about this or that . . .

The specifics really aren’t important. What kind of stopped me in my tracks is the realization of how critical we have become as a Church.

We have this wonderful medium, the Internet, that has been harnessed to create virtual environments where incredible knowledge is being communicated. Meaning is being created on the spot! Wonderful articles and sermons about culture, theology, praxis, and so much more occur on blogs and sites across the Internet.

But inevitably, each article ends and the comment section begins.

And here is where so often things get ugly.

In every single comment section on any meaningful post or site, there are “trolls,” people who use that little blank text box to attack and ridicule. They do not really offer any meaningful new information about the issue at hand. Many times, they will pick a tangential point made and use it to hammer home their personal soap-box speech about this or that. Instead of informing a discussion, whether it be with a dissenting viewpoint or a supporting one, they divide with their words.

One of my favorite writers, William Barclay, once wrote, “There is room in God’s Kingdom for different opinions.” I believe in the civil exchange of different ideas.

I welcome it.

What I have grown so weary of (and I mean truly weary, I cannot overstate this) is the culture of criticism that absolutely pervades Christendom. It has become a cottage industry.

I hate it. I really do. And it is almost enough to make someone despair.

Have we lost the spirit of Paul’s words in Ephesians 4:29 and 1 Thessalonians 5:11?

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up.”

There is room for healthy critique . . . but in the name and spirit of Christ.

There is room for discipline and rebuke . . . but only in accordance with the model set by Christ in Matthew 18:15-17 and Paul in Galatians 6:1.

There is absolutely no place for self-righteous criticism (aimed at another person or an entity made-up of people) that does not build up the individual or the Body.

I hate to be so blunt, but the old cliche comes to mind: If you aren’t part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Certainly it is rarely this cut and dry, but the sentiment seems appropriate for this issue.

How would your interactions with the Church, with other specific believers, change if you measured everything you say by whether or not you were building the Church up, or tearing her down? Whether or not you were encouraging someone to think abotu a different view, or attacking what you perceive to be their shortcomings.

We have been tasked by Scripture to build each other up through our words.

I wish this were a truth we, the Church, felt compelled to embrace . . .

New Orleans Bound

Heading here today . . .

I’m pretty pumped . . .

And I know you will be waiting for some really awesome posts in response, right?

Right?

 

 

A Picture of True Friendship

So, I get to work this morning and in my inbox is an email from an old friend of mine. The time stamp on the email was last night at 2:45 AM.

The email starts off with my buddy saying he was having trouble sleeping when he felt God compelling him to pray for me. Because he is a faithful guy, he prayed for me. In the body of the email he included what he prayed for me.

This was his prayer:

I am praying for a hedge of protection to be placed around you and Brendt, your marriage and those awesome girls of yours. That Satan would have no place to break into your home. That peace, and love (not the 60’s kind) be the overwhelming feeling in your home. That the girls will come to know Christ at an early age and spend their lives serving him. That you and Brendt would and continue to be more and more accurate reflections of Christ to the girls, however imperfect that reflection might seem to be sometimes. That the your personal scope of influence would be increased greatly and that God would bless you and reveal himself to you and Brendt in a very real and powerful way this month.

Needless to say, I was floored.

It is a timely prayer for many reasons. But I was touched by two things:

  1. That the Holy Spirit works in the lives of some to intercede for others. What a thought . . . the Holy Spirit urged someone to pray for me, in the middle of the night, several States away.
  2. Christian community is awesome. How incredible is it that while I was sleeping, a saint was praying for me and my family?

Here’s the humbling part . . . I haven’t been a great friend to this guy lately. In fact, I’ve been a pretty crummy friend. I use excuses to explain why I don’t call or email. Which is super lame. My buddy reminds me often what it means to be a friend, what it means to be a brother in Christ.

He challenges me.

So here’s my challenge for you today:

  • When was the last time you prayed for someone like this?
  • Who in your life needs this prayer right now?

Let my friend’s example move you to stop what you are doing and pray for someone . . . And then, shoot them an email and tell them what you prayed.

 

You have no idea how encouraging this was for me today.

 

Be that encouragement for someone else.

How Small Groups Become Communities

We go through seasons in our spiritual development. At least I do.

I have been in a season where God has been teaching me about the need for community, and what true community looks like.

I am in a great small group, really for the first time in a while. I have taught teenagers in small groups for years. This year my wife and I decided to take a year off and join an adult small group. While I miss teaching teenagers on a weekly basis, I have been so strengthened and encouraged by the community that I have found with this new group of believers.

So, I have been thinking about how to define, or quantify the idea of community.

What is the biblical blueprint for community?

More importantly, how can a small group transform from a disconnected group of individuals into a biblical community?

When I considered this question, I automatically turned to Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-35. (I allude to this here, as well.) Looking at these wonderful passages, we get such a great view of the fledgling Jerusalem Church. Through their example, I think we see the amazing potential small groups have for developing real community. I have developed a diagram that helps me think about it.

Here’s the diagram followed by a short explanation:

Bib Community Final

Proximity and Frequency: At the heart of the definition, the foundation if you will, is frequency and proximity. Acts 2:42 says the believers were “devoted to fellowship.” I use proximity to refer to fellowship. Fellowship cannot happen unless we are close to one another, both in a figurative and literal sense. And for fellowship to develop, proximity has to happen frequently.

Acts 2:46 says the believers met “every day.” Fellowship is the foundation of community. And it doesn’t happen unless you are meeting, person to person, regularly.

Accountability, Transparency, Generosity: Fellowship (proximity + frequency) is the foundation for the key characteristics of biblical community: Transparency, Accountability, and Generosity. Acts 2:44-45 says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” There is great transparency here. These believers did not hesitate to openly bring their needs to the group. They were not concerned about image.

There is generosity here, as well. These believers put others needs above their own worldly possessions. (This generosity is demonstrated in Acts 4:32-35, as well.)

To find accountability, I go over to James 5:16, where James writes: “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” As I stated in an earlier post, accountability is designed to happen within biblical community. If  a small group is “one in heart and mind,” as the church is described in Acts 4:32, then accountability comes naturally. Accountability is the by-product of biblical community.

Compassion: Over all of these things flies the banner of compassion. Transparency, accountability, and generosity are all contrary to our human nature. These are great challenges. The temptation is to sit in judgment of our brothers and sisters as they are transparent, or as we are being held accountable. Compassion must rule! I find the best expression of this in Paul’s words to the Galatians in chapter six, verses two and three: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” If there is no compassion, there can be no true transparency, accountability, or generosity. There can be no fellowship.

Committed to Spiritual Growth: Finally, for a small group to become a biblical community, there must be a commitment to spiritual growth. Acts 2:42 says “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” Acts 2:46 says “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.” Acts 4:33 says “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.”

It is an elemental presupposition that a desire to grow spiritually must form the underlying foundation of any small group that desires to become a biblical community. Without it, you’re just hanging out. You’re no different than any other group of people that gather. And the goal of any biblical community is to grow together towards Christ-likeness.

 

Well, there you have it.

I wonder what you think? What did I miss?

I wonder what your group looks like when you apply this?

What Veterans Day Is Really About

Today is Veterans Day.

There will be many people today who will realize this fact sometime mid-morning. They will acknowledge it without much of a second thought. And then will move on with their day.

Maybe these individuals do not believe we should be at war with Afghanistan or Iraq. Maybe they have never had a family member serve in our country’s Armed Forces. Maybe some of them are simply detached from current events. Maybe others have forgotten the history lessons they learned in grade school.

For whatever reason, the significance of today will not register with a great many people in our country.

And this is a shame.

Because Veterans Day is a day for all Americans. It is quintessentially American.

Veterans Day should be a day set aside for remembrance and awareness.

Remembrance is about the past. We should remember the young men and women of yesterday . . . those who gave greatly in service of something so much bigger than themselves, whether that service was meted out on Normandy or Omaha Beaches, on islands named Tarawa or Iwo Jima, at the Chosin Resevoir or the Que-Son Valley, or whether the service occurred in munitions factories in Birmingham, St. Louis, and Cleveland.

Let us remember . . .

These men and women are our grandfathers and grandmothers. Our fathers and mothers. Time makes it hard for us to personalize their experiences. Their service seems mythical. We are detached from its reality. But remember, most of them were mere children when they devoted their lives to serving our country. 18-year-old boys rolling into Paris on tanks, liberators. 22-year-old nurses running triage in steamy medical tents in the jungles of Vietnam.

Remember their service today. Remember with them. If you have the chance, call your grandparents or your parents and ask them to tell you stories of their service. It’s the least you can do for the sacrifice they willingly made.

But today is also about awareness. The awareness of the thousands of men and women serving in warzones on the other side of the world. These men are husbands, sons, brothers, fathers. These women are daughters, wives, sisters, mothers. And they are serving on their own accord. They volunteered for this . . .

Let us be aware today . . .

There is room for discussion about just war. There is room for criticism of policy. There is room for philosophical discussion about diplomacy.

But today, separate your feelings about politics from your admiration of those in our armed services. These people may be the tip of the spear (a spear wielded by diplomats safely tucked away in sterile conference rooms). But they all have names. They are people. And every one of them has willingly committed to sacrificially give themselves to the service of the common good. Few among us can say he or she has made such a sacrifice.

Remember today those who fought and those who died in service of our country.

Be aware today those who at this moment are serving at the behest of this country.

And if you can find it in your heart to do so, learn from their willing sacrifice.

God’s Glory and You

When we begin to appreciate the nature of God as the infinitely perfect Creator who deserves all praise, then our hearts will not rest until we give him glory.—Wayne Grudem

Here’s something fun to think about . . .

What does God want? What does He desire?

Scripture answers this question in a variety of ways. But there is one thing that God desires that comes up a lot in the Bible.

God wants all the world to know of His glory.

Here, let me show you . . .

God desires that His glory would be revealed among the nations . . .

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57:5)

Sure . . . But isn’t defining God’s glory kind of tricky? Well, yes and no. The Hebrew word that translates word “glory” is kabod. It means “weightiness, abundance, and riches.” Think of the weightiness of all that God is . . . Think of the combination of all His attributes, His majesty, His power, His nature . . .

Now think of what it would be like to reveal all of this, to communicate God in the fullness of His character.

This is God’s glory! The revelation of all that He is.

And God desires that this, His glory, be made known in all the earth.

So, what do you think about that? Is His glory being made known on the earth?

Hold that thought . . .

The cool thing is that it’s happening in heaven . . .

Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. (Psalm 29:1)

The angels and the saints who have gone before us are making God’s glory known.

Something else cool? God’s glory is being revealed in nature . . .

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)

Created things attest to God’s glory . . .

But what about us? How can we make this happen? How can our lives be given over to revealing God’s glory to the world?

We can do it through our words . . .

Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name. (Psalm 66:1)

My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. (Psalm 71:8)

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. (1 Chronicles 16:24)

And, we can do it through our actions . . .

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

So, let’s review . . .

God wants His glory revealed.
It’s being revealed in heaven. Right now. As you read this.
Creation is revealing it at all times. Even today.
And we can play our part by revealing His glory through our words and actions.

Simple enough?

OK, then ask yourself these questions . . .

How will you reveal God’s glory today or this week? In other words, what will you do to communicate in words or actions who God is? Or how God is?
Who in your life needs to know God more? What is keeping you from revealing Him to them?

You have been given this day. It is a gift. Make it count for God.

He is worthy of it.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. (1 Chronicles 29:11)

Friday Is For Fun (Student Life Edition)

So, Fridays are indeed for fun. This Friday, we had a little fun at Student Life.

Dana, Student Life’s Resources Events Manager, is cold-natured. Actually, that’s an understatement. Dana is to cold natured as Kanye is to embarrassing public spectacles. Dana’s great-grandfather was apparently either a reptile, amphibian, or some other cold blooded species.

If this problem only affected Dana, it would be one thing. But Dana apparently has tremendous sway over Student Life’s facility manager. By most afternoons, it is hotter than the Devil’s armpit in our section of the office.

Something had to be done. Enter Jenny, one of Student Life Bible Study’s resource development managers. Jenny had a great plan to ensure a more comfortable environment for all . . .

For your enjoyment:

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Hmmmmm . . . What could it be?

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Hysterical laughter! Frantic Opening Of The Gift! Frantic! Frantic!

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What Could It Be???????

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SNUGGIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! SNUH-GEEEEEEEE!!!! Snuggie, Snugie, Snuggie!!!

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The Proud Parent Shows Off Her Little Bundle Of Snuggly Joy!

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Now I know why these things sell like they do . . . How becoming!

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Leopard Print . . . Classy!

And, a video that is both fun, and that should hopefully challenge you to be creative today. (Erin, Watch this like, 19 times.)