Saving Grace

I was just getting ready to turn the TV off last night when an episode of Saving Grace began. I had seen commercials for the show but had never seen an episode, so I decided to stay up and see what it was all about.

If you are not familiar with the show, click here for an overview. In a nutshell, Holly Hunter plays Grace Hanadarko, a cynical detective who lives hard and fast by drinking too much, sleeping with numerous men (most of them married), and defying authority. One night she cries out to God for help after hitting a man while driving drunk. Suddenly an angel appears and begins to spend time with Grace trying to help her straighten out her life.

Before I go any further...I am not endorsing this show. It is laced with profanity and sexual overtones, so if you choose to watch it, you have been warned.

I am, however, stating that it is an interesting collision of the secular and the sacred. My gut is telling me that most Christians would condemn the show; however, in doing so they are also unwittingly condemning Scripture. Let me explain...

Throughout the Bible, we encounter people just like Grace. Think of the woman at the well (John 4:1-42).

We read her story without truly grasping who she was. We sanitize the story to make ourselves feel better. We read that she had five husbands and was living with a man who wasn't even her husband, but we don't dwell on that fact because we prefer to fast-forward to who she was after she encountered Jesus.

That's the way we like our Christianity - clean, safe, and sanitary. Unfortunately, the people who really need to encounter Jesus live messy lives.

We watch shows like Saving Grace and are repulsed by Hunter's character, but we don't stop to think that these are the very people that God loves and wants to embrace the most. Remember Jesus words, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." (Matthew 9:12)

If we are to be a people and a church after God's own heart, then we had better get used to spending time with and getting to know people just like Grace. It will be messy at times, but it is what God desires the most.

Weekend in Review :: 9-30-07

Charlie Dean, Pastor of Young Adults at Northwoods Community Church, was our guest speaker this weekend. Bill gave him free reign to teach on any subject, so he talked about anger and forgiveness. Charlie is high-energy and did great with the topic; I think people really connected with what he had to say.

We did communion after the message, and it worked great to transition into a time of personal reflection as we participated in a practice that Jesus himself established for the church. Following the teaching found in Matthew 5:23-24, we challenged people to let the trays pass if there was a relationship in their life that needed to be reconciled.

Nate was gone this week at Innovate 2007 at Granger Community Church (check out his blog for his thoughts on the conference), so he had a volunteer lead worship. Dave did a great job leading the church into the presence of God. During communion he did a song by American Idol contestant and worship minister, Chris Sligh. It was just him and his guitar while we took communion. I loved it! Here's the set list...

* King of Majesty - United Live - Hillsong
* You Are Good - Lincoln Brewster
* Hallelujah (Your Love is Amazing) - Vineyard
* How Great is Our God - Chris Tomlin
* Communion Song - Chris Sligh (American Idol guy)
* Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman

We start a new six-week series this coming Sunday. The series is called "What's In Your Wallet?" and will be focusing on stewardship and generous giving. This weekend I will be setting the stage for the series and dealing with common misconceptions people have when it comes to the church and money. Can't wait!!!

Small Group Trend #1: Beyond Group Format to Group Process

Small Group Leaders :: Here is a great article by Bill Donahue from Willow Creek Community Church. It looks like he will have a series of these, so I will keep them coming for you...

"As I continue to observe communities in action there are a variety of components that make them thrive. But many groups get too focused on format while ignoring process. Think of process as the environment you create for growth, like ingredients for a growing a plant in a greenhouse. It needs water, oxygen, nutrients, and temperature control. All this takes place in a structure—a greenhouse—made of glass and pipe, with electrical wiring and ventilation systems. You the nutrients and the structure—but groups often focus too heavily on the structure.

If you look at it another way, format is the skeletal and muscular systems in a body. Process is the nervous and circulatory system. In groups that pay attention to process leaders observe relational connections, recurring themes and issues, follow the flow of the Spirit (not just the curriculum), and are attentive to communication patterns. What is the group climate like? Do people give and receive feedback well? Are all opinions welcome? Is it safe? Are we free to speak truth about God, self and others?

You need enough structure to facilitate and guard the process. That is why leaders (or guides or shepherds) are called for in the bible. They guide and facilitate process—they make sure all the ingredients are present for growth. And they make sure there is just enough structure to keep the process moving. It’s a tension leaders must navigate." - Bill Donahue

Why I Blog

So here I am...sitting in my overstuffed chair with my feet up on the ottoman. Karen and the kids are all taking a nap, so the house is finally quiet for a few moments. I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on my blogs that I track. I love learning from other leaders and catching up on stories from friends. It got me thinking about why we blog. Here's what I came up with...

1. Connection - Inherent in all of mankind is the need to be connected with other individuals. Blogs and other social networking sites allow us to maintain some level of connection with people all over the world. No matter where our friends are or where other leaders live, we can feel like we are a part of their lives. Yes...I would love to sit down face-to-face with the authors of the blogs I track, but it probably won't happen any time soon. Until that day does occur, I will continue to connect from a distance.
   
   
2. Transparency - As a pastor, one of the core values I feel I need to bring to those I lead is transparency. They need to know who I am...especially since most people in the church probably won't have a chance to sit down for a cup of coffee with me. They need to know my likes and my dislikes, my joys and my struggles, my coherent thoughts and my random thoughts. They need to know that I am a real person who deals with the same issues they deal with whether they be parenting, marriage, finances, or spiritual struggles.
   
   
3. Discipleship - As the church grows larger, there is a greater need to disciple people. Blogging can provide pastors with an expansive network of discipleship partners. As we teach and lead through the blogosphere, people throughout the church and around the world can enter into conversation and debate. We can provide these "on-line disciples" with resources and additional insight into Scriptural interpretation and application. For teaching pastors, especially, we can take what we talked about on Sunday morning and explore it a little bit deeper on Monday morning. This way, the conversation can keep happening throughout the week as people ruminate upon the truths we presented during the weekend services.
   
   
4. Stewardship - Blogging is wise stewardship of time and energy. Imagine the time it would take to sit down with every person in the church over a cup of coffee so that they could get to know me on a more personal level. Imagine the time it would take to personally disciple every member of the church. Even if I did all of this in small groups of people, it would occupy entirely too much time. It would take me away from my other responsibilities in the church, and, more importantly, it would take me away from my family far too often. Yes...blogging takes time, but it is a much wiser use of my time than trying to be all things to all people.

So those are the reasons why I blog. How about you?

How Do You Handle Childcare for Adult Small Groups?

Childcare is one of the biggest hurdles that adult small groups will face. Another major hurdle is birthing new groups, but we'll talk about that one later.

Here are some ideas (taken from multiple sources and personal experience) that you may want to consider. There are a few other ideas out there, but they do not match up with our culture/philosophy at Great Oaks (e.g. Starting Point is the only small group allowed to meet on Sunday morning during Children's Ministry programming).

• Parents are responsible for finding their own childcare.*
• Parents pitch in to pay for childcare services that are provided in the host home.
• Parents pitch in to pay for childcare services that are provided in a nearby home.*
• Parents take turns with childcare duties in the host home or a nearby home.
• Parents in different small groups that meet at different times cover each others' childcare needs.
• A small group consists of two subgroups. One provides childcare while the other meets, and then they switch places.
• Small groups have some nights where childcare is provided and other nights where it is not.
  
• Small groups are designed for the entire family to participate.
• Retirees in the church provide childcare services for small groups as their ministry.
• The church pays for a babysitter if the parents cannot afford one.

Let me know if you have any other ideas that you have tried. They can be ones that have succeeded or failed. Who knows? An idea that didn't work for you could work great for another group.

*Preferred option if at all possible...

Great Quote

"We cannot settle for anything less than Jesus' dream of community." Building a Church of Small Groups by Bill Donahue & Russ Robsinon

What is Jesus' dream of community? Read John 17...

Growing Pains

Children and churches both experience natural and predictable growing pains.

For some reason, people expect growing pains in their children but not in their churches. As the church moves through the various stages of growth, numerous dynamics are experienced.

As the church grows and more people come through the doors, there is a sense of loss at the family feel the church possessed when it first started. One day, the core group looks around and says, "Who are all of these people?"

As the church grows and more people who were previously unchurched join the family, the teaching begins to be focused on helping them grow in their faith and their knowledge of Scripture. This can leave the mature Christians who started the church wondering where the "meat" is that they are wanting to eat.

As the church grows and more worship services are added, there can be an acute sense of disconnect from other people in the church. First service people don't know third service people, and the Saturday night crowd never sees the light of day on Sunday morning. The worship services themselves begin to take on a more "professional" feel.

As the church grows and more leaders emerge, there are greater expectations placed upon past leaders to become specialists. They are expected to change where they spend their time and with whom they spend their time.

As the church grows and more volunteers are needed, volunteers come face-to-face with job descriptions and higher levels of excellence being placed upon them. Musicians and vocalists must audition. Potential leaders must be interviewed. Some volunteer roles are reserved for a few highly gifted people.

All of these changes and more can create a sense of frustration and loss in people. Most church members will tell you they want the church to grow and reach more people for Christ. But here's the rub...they don't want the church to change how it does things.

Let me ask some simple questions...as a child grows, do parents change how they relate to that child? Do they change how they dress that child or feed that child or spend time with that child? Of course! And the same goes for the church.

Encounter with a Soldier

I was doing some reading at Panera today and met a young man on crutches. I struck up a conversation with him by asking what happened. Turns out it was a motorcycle accident that happened in June. Somebody pulled out in front of him, and he flew over their hood about 20 feet...broke his pelvis and fractured his leg in a couple of places.

He went on to tell me he was home on leave after a second tour in Iraq with the Marines. Get this...he said it was a blessing in disguise! He is getting some extended time home with his family that many soldiers don't get.

Do me a favor? I don't care what your political leanings are towards the war in Iraq...just send up a prayer right now for our soldiers. I've got some guys I grew up with back home in Newton that are over there, and I know they, as well as all the others, would appreciate your prayers. Thanks!

Random Thoughts

* I am teaching the college group tomorrow night. They are watching Rob Bell's Nooma videos and then discussing. Should be good...

* I just had an Oscar Mayer Fast Frank microwaveable hot dog in a bun. It was surprisingly good! The packaging is designed to lightly toast the bun, too.

* I love sitting around and dreaming about the future with other leaders. Just had a jam session with Jason & Dan sitting on bean bags in the Student Room talking about how to integrate Children, Student & Adult Ministries. We are reviewing the "Think Orange" movement from Reggie Joiner and will be reading The Big Idea by Dave Ferguson next.

* Got a call from a small group leader who had too many people sign up for her group. Great problem to have! We discussed options, and I set her loose to decide the best course.

* I'm currently reading Building a Church of Small Groups by Bill Donahue & Russ Robinson.

* Can't wait for Vegas to connect with some great leaders and long-time friends!

* I missed my workout session this morning. I'll do it tonight after dinner sometime. We talked in staff meeting this morning about the need to stay active and in good physical condition. (I am balancing the hot dog referenced earlier with some yogurt and whole grain Wheat Thins.)

* We are launching a new series in two weeks called "What's In Your Wallet?" I am teaching the first and last Sundays of the series. Watch out for David Spade and those barbarians!!!

* I watched some interesting videos on YouTube yesterday at somebody's house. The people who make these have way too much time on their hands.

* Barq's rootbeer is the best!

Weekend in Review :: 09-23-07

We had a great morning as we wrapped up the 2-week mini-series on authentic community.

Bill talked for a few minutes on needing to have people in our lives who have "refrigerator rights". These are people who have earned the right to open up our lives (our refrigerators) and see what's inside. Sometimes they will even need to tell us that something stinks and needs to be taken care of. (We borrowed this metaphor from Craig Groeschel.) The church responded well to the metaphor. He emphasized that small groups are the optimal environment for accountability, care, and Biblical study.

Nate and the band did a great job leading us in worship. It was an amazing experience to stand in the front row and hear all of the people singing when the band stopped playing for a couple of minutes. I wish I could have seen the audience from the stage at that moment. Here's the set list...

* Let the Praises Ring :: Lincoln Brewster
* I Will Boast :: Paul Baloche
* Beautiful One :: Tim Hughes
* Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble :: Delirious

I concluded the service with a few minutes talking about the picture of the early church painted in Acts 2:42-47 with an emphasis on the fact that they met in both large and small group environments. I then invited three couples on stage for a 20-minute panel discussion on what actually happens in the life of a small group. The goal was to alleviate the fear of the unknown by "pulling back the curtain" on small groups (think Wizard of Oz).

I heard from several people that they really appreciated the format we used this morning with the panel discussion. In my opinion, it is good to hear things every now and again from the mouths of "non-professional Christians" (i.e. pastors)!

We had a number of new people sign up for small groups through the Kick-Off. I will post actual numbers in a week or so after I get the rosters back from small group leaders. Early indicators tell me the Small Group Kick-Off was a great success!

Leaders are Learners

I've got some great learning opportunities coming up in the next couple of months. I have always been an avid reader, so I am constantly learning "from a distance". However, it is always a joy to sit in an audience or across the table from some great leaders and digest their knowledge and experiences first-hand.

In October, I am heading to Las Vegas to attend Central Uncensored a two-day behind-the-scenes look at how Central Christian Church does ministry. The second day will be spent entirely in a break-out session with Jon Bodin, Executive Director of Ministry Development, as he downloads his experiences with small groups and "five purpose" ministries. I'm going to have the privilege of sitting down with him for some one-on-one time as well.

During my stay in Vegas, I will also be connecting with other leaders at Central as well as some extended time with my long-time mentor and friend, Loren Trethewey. I've already requested some of Deanna's homemade cookies!!!

In November, Bill (Lead Pastor) and I are heading out to Saddleback Community Church to attend the Exponential Conference. This two-day conference is geared towards helping pastors lead their churches to become generous givers. As the tag-line for the conferences says, "Is your congregation tipping God or is it experiencing the joy of giving?"

One of the big hurdles for churches to continue growing beyond the 500-700 barrier is financially supporting the ministry efforts that are needed to take the church to the next level. Our hope is that we will be able to bring this knowledge back to the leaders and people of Great Oaks to continue the amazing growth the church has seen in the last 12 months (39+% since moving into the new building last July).

While I am in Southern California, I will be tacking on a few days to go see my grandmother in San Diego and my family in Los Angeles. Should be a great time!

New Books!!!

I just got in two shipments of books that I am looking forward to reading. Thought I would share them with you...

In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson
Red Letters: Living a Faith that Bleeds by Tom Davis
Confessions of a Pastor by Craig Groeschel
The Big Idea by Dave Ferguson
Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Connecting by Larry Crabb
Walking the Small Group Tightrope by Bill Donahue & Russ Robinson
Coaching Life-Changing Small Groups by Bill Donahue & Greg Bowman
Leading Life-Changing Small Groups by Bill Donahue
Building a Church of Small Groups by Bill Donahue & Russ Robinson
How People Grow by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
Community 101 by Gilbert Bilzekian
Making Small Groups Work by Cloud & Townsend
The Seven Deadly Sins of Small Group Ministry by Bill Donahue & Russ Robinson

Kick-Off Success

My first Sunday at Great Oaks Community Church went very well!

We had our first Sunday of a two-Sunday kick-off for small groups. We had the leaders of our groups waiting at tables in the foyer to interact with new people and get them signed up for a group. Bill taught about how we all need to be connected with other people if we are to grow in our faith; we can't rely on our commitment and convictions alone.

Almost every group had new people join them for this next season of group life. We have several groups that need to move into the birthing process to launch new groups. One group has enough people to birth three new groups! I know the birthing process is always painful (ask any mother), but it is also rewarding as more children are brought into the family.

One more Sunday to go! I'll report back next week to let you know stats on small groups at GOCC and whether or not the kick-off was a success or failure. Bill & I are team-teaching this Sunday. I will be conducting an interview of three couples for my portion. Our goal is to "pull back the curtain" (think Wizard of Oz) on what life in a small group is like. Should be good!

Bushwhacker

I found my local outdoor store! Bushwhacker in the Metro Center in Peoria.

I spent some time there yesterday talking with the staff about local places to hike, bike & kayak. They had a brochure created in-house that featured some locations around the greater-Peoria area and the rest of Illinois, and even Wisconsin & Indiana. I knew about many of them already, but it was still good to have. They also had a list of local outdoor clubs.

First Sunday at Great Oaks

Tomorrow is my first Sunday morning as an official staff member of Great Oaks Community Church. It seems like it has been much longer than just one week since I was at FVCC.

We are hosting a Small Group Kick-Off tomorrow and next Sunday in an effort to get more adults involved in small groups. This is my primary role at Great Oaks...to develop and implement a strong small group program that will assimilate new people into the life of the church.

I still have yet to meet all of my small group leaders, so the Kick-Off tomorrow will provide me with a great opportunity to connect with them.

Looking forward to it!

S'mores & Senior Citizens

I just got back to the house after an evening at Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Eureka, IL.

We spent a couple of hours with the residents sitting around a campfire on hay bales, singing songs, and making S'mores. It was a relaxed time of encouragement for the residents and connection for church members. As a new pastor on staff, it was a great way to meet people in the church.

This is one of the ten community service projects the church is doing in 2007-08 to mark their 10th anniversary.

Cross Country

So I'm sitting in my new office at Great Oaks yesterday afternoon and, out of the corner of my eye, I see somebody running across the church parking lot. I look up from unpacking my boxes and notice 15-20 middle schoolers training for an upcoming cross country race. As part of the church's strategy to have "influence with outsiders" they have opened up their 42-acre campus to the neighboring middle school to use for their cross country course.

This afternoon, I returned to the church campus after running a few errands and discovered an actual cross country meet taking place! There were 30-40 middle schoolers running the course that meandered around the campus, and their parents were all waiting for them at the finish line at the back of the building.

What a great opportunity to reach out to people who may never come to church on Sunday morning!

Death by Committee

How many committees are really necessary? (And I'm not talking about a church...)

Karen & I were reading through the materials sent home with Ethan from his Kindergarten teacher. Included in the mountain of paperwork was a list of the PTA Committees. There are 34 different committees that parents could get involved with!

My personal favorite was the Standing Committee Chair Committee. This is the description provided...

"The Standing Committee Chair Committee helps to make sure that all of the committees have chairs and committee members." Seriously?!?

New Setting

I have begun working at Great Oaks Community Church. It is somewhat surreal to actually be here after all of the weeks of interviewing and waiting. I don't think it has really sunk in yet!

My last Sunday at Fox Valley Christian Church was both encouraging and heartbreaking. The people at FVCC have played such a large and important part of my life for the past 11 years; it was difficult to leave them. We didn't say, "Goodbye" though...we agreed to say, "See 'ya later!"

I am looking forward to returning to FVCC in the future when we visit our family in Geneva/Elgin for holidays. It will be great to see all of the old faces. For now, though, I have a lot of new faces to get to know!

I spent most of today unpacking my office and getting to know where things are situated in the church. I still have some organizing to do, but it is coming together. I already have a preaching date (October 7) and some classroom teaching dates set. I have to become familiar with their core class curriculum this week and next for those classroom teaching dates.

I am partnering with existing staff members to host a two-Sunday small group kickoff these next two Sundays. I will also be meeting with my small group leaders in the coming days and weeks so that I can become familiar with them and their groups.

Things will be pretty busy for a while as I assimilate into the life of Great Oaks...keep checking back for regular updates!

On the Market

I've been out of the blogosphere for a while as we have been working hard to get our house on the market. We were finally able to call in the realtor a couple of days ago to have it listed in time for the Labor Day weekend. Keep us in your prayers as we all know the market isn't all the great. Thanks!

HSM2

We watched HSM2 last night with the kids. (For those of you that aren't in the loop, HSM2 stands for High School Musical 2 - the much-anticipated sequel to the surprise Disney-hit.)

Ethan absolutely loved HSM, so he has been eagerly anticipating the premier of HSM2. The date has been circled on our family calendar, and he has been going through the process of X-ing off the days and keeping track of the official count. For the past two weeks, we have gotten our morning countdown update during breakfast.

We let the kids stay up late last night to watch the movie. When it was over, we attempted to quickly whisk them off to bed; however, Ethan suddenly broke down in tears. He couldn't explain why, but I think the weeks of anticipation combined with the sudden reality that it was over was simply too much to handle.

Good thing it will be on every day for the next two months!

What Will It Be Like?

I have been wondering lately...what will it be like to say goodbye to the FVCC family on September 9th?

Karen & I have been a part of the FVCC family for the past eleven years - ever since graduating college back in 1996 and moving to the Fox Valley area to own a Dairy Queen. During these eleven years, we have experienced a multitude of joys and struggles alongside our friends at the church. During these eleven years, I have discovered what it means to be a pastor and to be called by God to serve with my whole life.

How can you express how much you love an entire church? How can you explain why you must leave? How can you say goodbye?

I've got four more weeks to figure it out...

Heading to Peoria

It's official... I am joining the staff of Great Oaks Community Church in Metamora, IL which is a bedroom community for Peoria, IL.

The whole family spent last weekend with the church. I taught during the worship services and had my final interview with the Leadership Team on Sunday afternoon. The Lead Pastor, Bill, informed me later that afternoon that they would like to extend the invitation to join their staff. My primary focus will be adult small groups.

I am excited about this opportunity to use my giftedness and passions to help people discover the joy of living the Christian life in community with others. I truly believe that people grow the best in small groups as they are prayed for, challenged, encouraged, and held accountable.

It looks like my last Sunday at FVCC will be September 9th. I must admit that it is difficult to temper my excitement about this opportunity before me. I know it will be tough to leave FVCC and all of the friendships we have developed over the last 11 years, but the peace we have tells me it is the right step to take at this time.

To all of you who have prayed for us - even if you didn't want to and even if you prayed against us leaving - thanks for playing your part in our story!

My Brother Got Married!

My older brother, Steve, recently got married in a Buddhist wedding ceremony in Thailand!

He met his wife, Nok, (sounds like "Coke") during a vacation last year. She is a friend of one of his co-worker's wives. When she learned that he was considering a vacation to Thailand, she connected Steve with Nok via email. While in Thailand, Nok served as his in-country liaison and informal guide. During this vacation, they fell in love, and at the end of the two weeks, Steve proposed.

Since that time, they have been working together to file all of the paperwork for Nok to immigrate to the US. Last weekend, while my family was gathering together on a farm in southern Indiana, Steve was in Thailand getting married. They were schedule to return to Chicago a few days ago, but I haven't heard anything yet.

Insomnia

It's 5:15am on Sunday morning, and I cannot sleep.

I am preaching this morning at Great Oaks Community Church in Metamora, a bedroom community to Peoria, IL. Later this afternoon I will be meeting with the Leadership Team for my formal interview. These are some of the last steps in the process for GOCC.

Nervousness is not the source of my insomnia. I admit I am anxious to preach, but it is the good type of anxiousness (excitement). I think mostly my lack of sleep is concern about missing my alarm clock and my ride to the church. Karen and the kids are staying behind at the hotel and meeting me at the church for the second service. (On a side note, it is extremely difficult to get ready in the morning in a pitch black room with your entire family trying to sleep!)

I couldn't ask for a better environment, though, since I can't sleep. I am sitting in a secondary lobby of the Stoney Creek Inn in East Peoria. The lodge setting with moose & bear, a two-story river-rock fireplace, and a big-screen TV with the Great American Country channel playing country music videos suits me just fine (currently playing: "A Little More You" by Little Big Town and, no, the remote is not broken...I chose the channel!)

I'd really appreciate your prayers this morning and afternoon...thanks!

Under the Door

Following our family reunion yesterday, we stayed in the Hampton Inn in Princeton, IN. We went swimming, ordered some late-night pizza, and stayed up way too late watching a movie.

This morning I wake to find Ethan walking past the foot of my bed. I smile and wave as I roll out of the bed and stretch. I walk towards the bathroom to find him standing by the door to the room looking at the floor. He turns and says to me, "Somebody shoved a piece of paper under our door."

Knowing it was our bill for our night's stay, I look beyond him to the floor. I don't see anything.

"What did you do with it?" I say.

He looks at me somewhat strangely as if the answer should be obvious and replies, "I shoved it back out!"

An Open Letter to FVCC

The following is a letter that was mailed to the church late last week informing them of my recent resignation and my search for where God is calling me next...

Dear FVCC Friends & Family,

There are times in life when decisions need to be made that are neither easy nor enjoyable. Now is such a time…

I wanted to let you know that I recently submitted my resignation to our Elders. I realize that this may surprise most of you, but please know that this was not done lightly or quickly and only occurred after several months of prayer, reflection, conversations with mentors, and intense personal struggle. I love this church and the people in it, but it is time for me to move on to another phase in my ministry. I have not yet identified where God is calling me, but I wanted to be above reproach with the Elders and the church by informing you of my decision to pursue such a transition.

Every church and every pastor has a preferred style of ministry, and it is vital for the health and growth of the church that this style of ministry be shared by each. During the last few years, I have noticed a growing discrepancy between my preferred style and that of the church. Please understand that neither is better than the other; they are simply different. FVCC is pursuing some great ministry initiatives, and I pray that God will continue to bless this church, the leaders, and the members in the coming years.

It is with great sadness, and eager anticipation for the future, that I leave the only church I have ever served. FVCC is where I discovered my calling into ministry. It seems like it was just yesterday that the church took a risk and asked me to accept a staff position despite having a lack of experience and education. Since that time, I have discovered the joys and struggles inherent in being a pastor. I am who I am today because of my time here at FVCC.

For the past 11 years, my family and I have been blessed to be a part of this church family. We have spent time with you in countless worship services and small group gatherings. We have laughed together over meals and cried together over pain and suffering. We have celebrated the birth of children together and mourned the loss of loved ones together.

Along with the sadness, though, comes a great deal of peace in this decision. Karen and I understand it is the right decision, despite the pain and disappointment it may cause. The reality is that if I were to maintain my current position with everything I am experiencing, I would be dishonest to our God, to those around me, and to myself.

Please pray for Karen and me as we attempt to determine where God is calling us. It will be difficult to move away from the church and the Fox Valley area, but we are open to God’s leading. I look forward to the time we have remaining together, and I thank you from the depths of my heart and soul for allowing me to be your pastor.

Personal Branding

Have you ever noticed how people "brand" themselves without even thinking about it? Many of us put bumper stickers or logos on our cars. We have t-shirts that reflect experiences or organizational involvement (most of my t-shirts are FVCC event shirts!). These things immediately tell everyone around us some little piece about our lives. So why am I telling you all of this?

I was at my local gas station this morning pumping gas when a woman pulls up to the pump in front of me. As she puts the car in Park, I immediately see the Jesus fish on her trunk and a cross hanging from her rear view mirror. Right away, I realize that she has some level of faith and is probably involved in a local church.

As she steps out, I see the Teva sandals and a muted-colored t-shirt with a picture of a whitewater rafter clutching his oar flying upside down out of his boat. The tag line on the shirt reads, "Getting this high in most states is a felony." She's a rafter.

I walk over because I have just discovered from her personal branding that we have two major things in common - Jesus and whitewater rafting. (On a side note, I think Jesus would have liked rafting...)

Now mind you I don't know who this person is, so in an effort not to surprise her as I walk over (friends tell me I can appear a little intimidating to people that don't know I am just a big, friendly bear) I say loudly and from a distance, "So where do you raft?"

She turns with a look of confusion on her face and then looks down at her shirt. She replies with a tone of amusement, "I wondered how you knew I go rafting! I raft the Youghiogheny." I tell her I typically raft the Gauley (see picture), and we have a brief conversation about rafting. We soon part ways and continue in our day.

Moral of the story: if you brand yourself, be prepared for somebody like me to start a conversation with you.

Voice from Iraq

I was working in the office today when an IM popped up from a good friend of mine who is serving in the Special Forces over in Iraq. We grew up together back home in Newton, IL. He played a significant part in my accepting Christ, and he was also the best man in my wedding.

We used to have these late night discussions together standing out in his driveway along with his two brothers and some other friends. We would talk through all of the normal stuff of life - school, sports, girls, motorcycles, cars - but we would always end up on the topic of faith. I miss those late-night discussions...

It was great to be able to connect with him even for a short time. He isn't due back until next year, but I am looking forward to getting together with him when he does. Be safe, JQ, and know that I am praying for you. Love you, bro!

iPhone Hype

This post is for all of you fans of the new iPhone, but it is primarily directed towards two of my closest friends and co-workers. You know who you are!

Here is the first paragraph of an article from tech-blog www.switch.com...

"Contrary to what the hype would have had you believe, Christ himself did not return to Earth this past Friday to render judgment. Apple simply released a cell phone. Now that the day of days has come and gone and the planet is recovering from its collective hangover, we think it's time to step back and ask ourselves just what the heck happened. What did we all get caught up in?"

For the full article, check out http://www.switched.com/2007/07/03/does-the-media-love-apple-too-much/

You Know You Live in a Small Town When...

Yesterday morning, my wife and I were starting the day and we are making plans for the evening. I made the assumption that we would be doing projects around the house or in the yard. Suddenly she says, "Maybe you should take the kids to the worm races tonight."

Excuse me? The worm races? (I am not making this up!) It turns out that our library was hosting an activity for kids to learn about earthworms, so after dinner last night I packed up the kids and went out for an evening of small-town fun.

The head librarian read a kid's book about worms and then it was off to the races! She gathered the kids around three different rifle-range targets, placed a huge nightcrawler for each child in the bullseye, and then sprayed them with water (the worms...not the kids).

After a few minutes, the worms started moving and writhing. The winner was the worm that moved outside of the target area first. I was proud to say our table won! (You couldn't really keep track of whose worm it was...maybe next year we can paint little numbers on each of them.)

After the races, they took the kids in the back of the library and had them make their own worm out of tongue depressers, decorative craft balls, and googly eyes. It was honestly a lot of fun for the kids and the parents. That's life in a small town...

Transformers

I went with some friends to see the Transformers movie last night. AWESOME! It is easily one of the coolest movies I have seen in a long time. Michael Bay and the crew from SKG did an amazing job on this movie. The plot line was solid. The action was intense. The special effects were seamless.

Two thumbs up...five stars...whatever top rating you want to choose, this movie is worthy of it and more. You have to go see this movie! Some of the people who went last night were not into Transformers as kids, and they even loved the movie.

Since it was the first showing of the movie in the Chicago market, there was a ton of energy in the crowd. We were clapping, cheering, shouting, etc. It was entirely contagious! The best was whenever Optimus Prime (the lead Transformer for the good guys) would roll up and start kicking butt. The whole crowd erupted; it was awesome!!!

We were seriously considering staying at the theater to watch the midnight showing...it was that good! I am definitely seeing this one in the theaters again, and it will be added to my personal library when it comes out on DVD.

The Dangerous Book for Boys

I was just reading in Newsweek about the book, "The Dangerous Book for Boys." The book is gaining popularity - not because of it's ability to offer trivia, history, and advice for pre-teen boys - but because of the nostalgia it provides for men in their 30s and 40s. "Picture a world where your father walks with you down a starlit road, pausing to point out Orion. He recites Robert Frost, knows how a battery works - and all the rules about girls."

The article was commenting on how men, in our technologically-driven, modern world, feel they have litte, if any, fatherly advice or experiences to pass on to their sons. Quoted in the article is Stephanie Coontz, author of "The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap," who says that parents worry they aren't spending as much time with their kids as past generations did. In truth, she says, "people are spending more interactive time and resources on their kids than ever before." The real problem is they think they have less to teach them.

I know I thought about this even before I had children. I am not mechanically-inclined. I don't know how to fix an engine or build a tree house. As I jokingly state, "I have the spiritual gift of lifting. If you need something moved, call me!"

What skill-set am I supposed to pass on to my son and daughter? What happens if they are small and weak and cannot lift anything? What will they thank me for some year down the road as they tell my grandchildren everything they learned from me? "Yeah...your grandfather...he really understood how to move a piano..."

Maybe this is why I am so passionate about getting my kids out into the wilderness. Here is a skill-set, an experience, that I can pass on to my children and to their children. I want them to discover the joy of camping and hiking and rock climbing and whitewater rafting. I want to see their surprise and appreciation as they encounter wild animals in their natural habitats and as they stand at the edge of a cliff overlooking a deep, mountainous valley. I want to hear their laughter as they swim in a mountain stream and explore the tidepools along the beach. I want to watch their eyes twinkle and their imaginations expand as they watch a sunset or gaze up at the Milky Way. I want them to eat food that was cooked on a fire in the middle of nowhere. I want them to get dirty and smelly and learn how to poop in the woods.

I want them to learn to love the unknown and to experience the thrill of discovery. I want them to learn ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness as they adapt and overcome any obstacle that comes their way. These are traits, after all, that will benefit them no matter what course they choose in life. And these are traits that I can pass on to each of them.

Reflections on Sunday

We had a great experience yesterday during our 10:00am adult service. We had 8 people place membership with two of them being baptized in the service. I had the privilege of baptizing one of them (water was cold!) who has recently joined my couple's small group along with his wife, and the other individual was baptized by a fellow friend. (One of the things I love about FVCC is that you do not need to be a pastor to baptize someone. We allow any immersed believer to perform baptisms.)

It is always amazing to see people accept God and discover a new way to be human. Both of these individuals had grown up in the Roman Catholic Church, but their families had never made their faith personal. God... church... whatever... were all kept at arm's length as something you do out of requirement not personal belief and conviction.

This is not to say that all Catholics do this; some of the most devout Christians I know are Catholic. But for these two individuals, they made the conscious choice to make their faith personal as adults, and it happened to occur as part of our family here at FVCC. I am looking forward to seeing these two guys grow in their faith and knowledge of the Word.

Baptizing Charlie

I had the privilege of baptizing Charlie last Sunday during our 10:00am adult service. It was an awesome experience all around!

Charlie and his family are very special to me. His father, Mike, is a member of my Wednesday morning Men's study and one of my whitewater rafting partners. His mother, Suzy, is our Women's Ministry team leader at FVCC. She is so optimistic and keeps me laughing all the time.

Just a couple of months ago, I had the privilege of presenting Charlie with his God & Me award during a Cub Scout ceremony. This was an award for walking through an extensive study of the Christian faith and beliefs. As an Eagle Scout and a Pastor, this was a great experience.

While I would love to take credit for Charlie's faith and spiritual growth, I believe the credit falls to Mike & Suzy for doing an awesome job raising Charlie and his brother in a strong, Christian home. Great parenting, guys!

Family Emergency Plan

I saw a commercial this evening that reminded me of something I would see in the background of movies like V for Vendetta (2005) or Children of Men (2006). Both of these movies are set in the not-so-distant future when the world is falling apart and there seems to be no recovery. (This is not an endorsement of these movies; they are simply provided for illustrative purposes.)

The commercial I witnessed tonight began with innocent-faced children asking their parents how long they should wait after school... after soccer practice... after piano lessons... before going to a friend or relative's house. The sincere but stern voice-over then stated, "Will your family be ready in case of a terrorist attack? Make sure your family has an emergency plan in place."

What?!? I didn't see that one coming...

I understand that we live in a world where terrorist attacks are possible. I understand that we live in a world that is much different than it was just seven years ago. But have we already moved into the not-so-distant future as portrayed in Hollywood science fiction?

Along the same lines are all of the recent advertisements from the CIA seeking out new recruits. Have you seen these? Isn't the Central Intelligence Agency supposed to take a more subtle approach to recruiting?

Please understand that I am not making a political or social or even spiritual observation here. I am simply lamenting the recent historical turn-of-events and wondering aloud what the future holds for my children and grandchildren.

Honestly...this is why I don't watch the news. Call it avoidance if you will, but it seems like everything on the news deals with death, destruction, greed, etc. I would much rather watch Man vs Wild or Survivorman. After all...if a major terrorist attack happens and the world falls apart around me, I am taking my family into the wilderness! Remember Red Dawn (1984) with Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, and Lea Thompson?

Sorry for the most depressing post I've ever done, but that commercial really got me thinking...

Weekend at the Lake

A couple of weekends ago, Ethan and I went camping with some friends at Devil's Lake in Baraboo, Wisconsin. We had a great weekend hiking, climbing, swimming, fishing, and connecting with God through His creation.

The forecast for the weekend was rain...all weekend. We were very fortunate that we only experienced a few sprinkles and one major shower (which we had advance warning of thanks to some friendly neighbors in the campground).

The first day at the Lake, we decided that the guys would go hiking and rock climbing on some of the bluffs surrounding the lake. We parked at the trailhead and hiked to the top of the bluffs. Alex and Jay started setting up the top rope when I quickly realized that Ethan & I needed to be at the base of the cliff...not the top. One of the guys asked if Ethan could rappel down the 100 foot cliff. I don't think so!

Alex said he thought there was a shortcut up the trail some that would lead to the base of the cliff we were climbing. Russ, Ethan & I started off in search of the shortcut. We never found it, but there were some possible routes if we were simply willing to go bushwhacking. Ethan was game, so down we went.

We got down about 100 feet - slipping and sliding on the mud, holding on to roots of trees - only to find ourselves at the top of another sheer cliff. I left Russ & Ethan there for a minute while I scouted out a new route. About fifty yards to the north, I found a 150-200 foot boulder (talus) field that presented the best option for descending the rest of the bluff face.

Ethan was a little skeptical at first, but he soon got the hang of downclimbing the boulders. There were a few times where Russ & I had to pass Ethan down a drop that was too big for him to climb down. By the end of the climb, Ethan was doing it all on his own and picking out his own routes. It was awesome to see him overcome his fears and enjoy a new challenge. The rest of the weekend, he was looking for any opportunity to climb on some boulders!

TV Guide

Just thought I'd give you some insight into what was on the TV in my house tonight as we got the kids settled down before bed, did some laundry, and posted on the blog...

America's Funniest Videos - the old ones with Bob Sagget (my kids are big Full House fans, so they love to see Danny Tanner in a different light)

NBA Finals - Congrats, Spurs!

Throwdown with Bobby Flay - wings this time...and Bobby lost!

Ace of Cakes - that guy is awesome! Who else uses power tools to make cakes?

American Chopper - Australia bike...not my favorite bike they've ever done...

Donald Miller & David Crowder

I went to Willow Creek Community Church last night with some friends and fellow staff members from FVCC. We went because the David Crowder Band was leading worship and best-selling author, Donald Miller, was speaking (Blue Like Jazz; Searching for God Knows What; Through Painted Deserts; To Own a Dragon).

I've got to tell you... it is so refreshing as a pastor of a church to simply be another face in the crowd during a worship service. I didn't have to worry about people missing their cues. I didn't get anxious when the microphone didn't work (which happened last night; it was really encouraging to all of us pastors to know that happens to them too!). I didn't keep watching the clock wondering if we were going to end on time so we could get people out of this service and in for the next service.

I really appreciated Donald Miller's words last night. Using the story of Joseph, he walked through the elements of a great story - a great protagonist; negative turns in the form of pain, suffering, struggle, and rejection; positive turns in the form of healing, redemption, and acceptance; and a great ending (and it doesn't have to be a positive ending - think Friday Night Lights).

He challenged us to embrace the negative turns in our story...to understand that the challenges and struggles we go through only add to the greatness of our story. As a follower of Christ, we already know the ending of our story. As a result, we have the freedom to embrace the positive and negative turns life throws our way.

One of my favorite illustrations he used last night was from his experience hiking to the great Incan city, Machu Picchu, in Peru. The hike to this UNESCO World Heritage Site takes 3-4 days, covers 26 miles, and crosses three mountain passes. About three miles into the hike, the guide stopped at a fork in the trail.

He stated that if they were to take the trail to the right, they would arrive in Machu Picchu in about six hours. If they took the trail to the left, they would arrive in the city in three days after hiking another 23+ miles. He told them that the Incas only allowed individuals bringing goods into Machu Picchu to take the trail to the right. Everyone else had to take the longer and more challenging trail to the left. The goal was that by experiencing the more arduous journey of the longer trail, the citizens would appreciate the city - the destination - even more.

After hiking the trail to the left and arriving in the city three days later, Miller shared that his appreciation for the city was exponentially deeper than the tourists who took the bus to the famed city. In the same way, we will one day look back on our lives and appreciate the struggles and challenges we experienced because they helped us grow in our faith.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." (James 1:2-4)

Sports Parents

Karen and I entered a new realm of parenthood last night. We are now official, card-carrying members of the Sports Parents Society.

This week marks the beginning of Ethan's athletic career. (One which I am sure will end with a Hall of Fame nod as a south-paw pitcher in the Major Leagues.) We ventured out as a family last night to his first t-ball practice through the Sycamore Park District.

Before practice began, one of the coaches called the parents over to check-in their children. As Ethan & I walked over, I noticed a single-file line quickly forming. I was impressed with my fellow Sports Parents as we behaved in a calm, orderly fashion. We were not going to be the kind of Sports Parents you read about in the newspapers and see in the amateur cinematography on the local news stations.

But just as quickly as I made this mental note, it began...

Other parents, who weren't willing to follow the precedence set by myself and the other Sports Parents, shunned the line and huddled around the coach waiting for any opportunity to seize her attention away from us rule-following, line-forming parents. We were gracious, though, since this was the first day of practice.

But in the midst of this whole experience, my mind had already gone back to my days in school where there were two classes of students - the jocks and the rest of us. I remembered how the jocks - so it seemed - didn't have to follow the rules. They had a personal relationship with the coaches that seemed to transcend the need to do what seemed right and appropriate by the rest of us.

I was honestly taken aback by the thoughts entering my mind about these parents. I began to jump to conclusions and form opinions about them that were completely biased and uninformed. My tension was rising, but I wasn't about to let it show...

A few minutes after check-in, with Ethan out on the field meeting the rest of his coaches, Karen and I settled onto our blanket with our two-year old daughter, Morgan, to watch practice. Almost immediately, a pair of the rule-breaking, line-shunning parents stood directly in front of us effectively blocking our view of the field and the amazing athleticism of five and six year old kids.

Even though I knew they were not going to be there permanently - they were, after all, just coming closer to hear the coach go over the rules - I was immediately frustrated with them. There was plenty of room to stand around the coach without blocking our view. How in the world could somebody be so inconsiderate? Don't they realize that this is our little boy's first-ever team practice? What would they think if I stood in front of them and blocked their view?!?

So here I am...a pastor in a church...an easy-going, roll-with-the-punches kind of guy...going internally ballistic about people I had never met. What in the world just happened to me? Why I am thinking these things?

Now I understand why Sports Parents do crazy things. I don't condone it, but I understand it.

Forty years from now, as Ethan is being inducted into the Hall of Fame, I hope the only amateur video anyone can find is of me cheering from the sidelines and congratulating my fellow Sports Parents. And there will be...as long as everybody forms a straight line and nobody blocks my view of the field.

Caribou Question of the Day

What ship bears the identification number - NCC 1701?

The Crazy Ones

Here's to the Crazy Ones!

The misfits...the rebels...the troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently.

They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.

You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.

Because they change things. They push the human race forward.

Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

[Author: Apple Computers, Inc - adapted from a commercial]

Fatherhood

My accountability partners and I are reading through the Bible this year; we are currently in Proverbs. I was reminded this morning of the following words from Solomon's personal plea to his sons...

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil."

As I read these words this morning, I pictured myself sitting down with my children providing them the wisdom and guidance they will need to live as children of God. I'll be honest, there are times when I feel I don't know what to say or I am overwhelmed in trying to explain the world to my children. There are times when I just want to keep them in the house and away from the pain and heartache they will inevitably experience as wanderers in this world.

I watch as my 5-year old son becomes more observant of the world around him. I sit in amazement as I realize he is already discovering that women are beautiful and wonder who taught him to say, "Hubba, hubba!" when he sees an attractive woman on the television. I listen as he begins to try on new words he learned from the kids at school or the kids in the neighborhood... sometimes saying them softly and hesitantly because deep inside he knows he shouldn't.

I wonder at times how simple the world must be to my 2-year old daughter...sleep, eat, play...repeat. I sit in amazement as I watch her nurture a baby doll (preparation for motherhood starts young, doesn't it?). I understand her need to ask, "Why?" all the time and am amazed when my answers placate her need for knowledge.

How simple it would be to remain distant and aloof from my children. How simple it would be to ignore the words they choose and to turn a blind eye to what they see on the television and in the world around them. How simple it would be to avoid answering their questions and simply reply, "Because..."

But I choose not to ignore. I choose to guard their hearts and satisfy their thirst for understanding. I choose to love and nurture and discipline and guide them on this path. And this choice requires sacrifice.

There are times when I don't get to watch what I want or do what I want. There are times when I must overcome weariness and laziness to be this type of father, but this is the very thing God has called me to do. This is the mantle that I can not, and should not, put down. This is the mantle that can not be carried by any other person. I am their father, and I will be until the day I die.

I know there will be times when I fail (there have been so many already), but I must pick myself up and learn from the failure. And with humility, determination, prayer, and perseverance...press on.

Hunger & Thirst for Righteousness

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matt 5:6)

How often have we suburban, diet-frenzied Americans glanced past this verse without truly grasping the lesson Jesus is trying to teach us? Is it possible for those of us who have never experienced near-death starvation and thirst to truly appreciate this verse? In Jesus' day there were people walking around who hadn't eaten a substantial meal in weeks and who, living in an arid, desert region, knew thirst for water like we will never appreciate.

Perhaps we would do well to spend a few days in the desert with no food and no water and then re-read this verse. Maybe then we will understand how deeply we are to desire and pursue the righteousness that only God can offer...

Caribou Question of the Day

What was Bruce Willis' character's name in the Die Hard movies?

Great Pastor or Great Dad?

Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC, made the following comment in a recent podcast: "At the end of the day, I would much rather be a great dad than a great pastor. The church can find another pastor; my kid can't find another dad...you can't be all things to all people, but you'd better try your best to be all things to your family."

One of the struggles I see on the horizon is how to balance everything that my family will be involved with - work for both Karen and me, meetings at the church, kid's activities both in the church and in the community, special events, holidays, etc.

I have had this struggle for some time, but with Ethan entering Kindergarten this Fall there is a whole new level of balance that will be needed. Soon he will have more frequent plays and sing-alongs at school that I want to be at. And then there is the future involvement in sports and Cub Scouts and... And Morgan is growing up right behind Ethan, too!

I know that many of you are already struggling with this balancing act, but I am quickly approaching my day. Keep me in your prayers...and share those tips with me through the blog. Thanks!

Caribou Question of the Day

What board game was banned in the Soviet Union?

Me & Morgan

My wife, Karen, and my son, Ethan, leave this Sunday for Florida. They are traveling with Karen's mom for a week-long visit with Karen's grandmother who lives in Englewood, Florida. I am excited that Karen and Ethan will have some extended mother/son time. On the flip-side, I am looking forward to having some father/daughter time with my 2-year old, Morgan, back home in Illinois.

While Morgan and I may not be spending any time at the beach, we are still going to have some great times together. If it warms up, I might take her camping. I will definitely be taking her hiking at some local forest preserves. We also have a couple of play dates (and lunch meetings) to attend. Later in the week, my parents are coming up for a two-day visit to help me paint our living room.

But what do you think we should do next week? Are there any places you think we should visit? Are there any 1 or even 2-day trips we should venture out upon? Let me know your thoughts, and I'll keep you all posted throughout the week...

Does God Exist?

I am teaching this Sunday during our God Questions series. I have 23 minutes to address the question: "Does God exist?" I think I need more time...

Good Friday

The following is a rough transcript of my recent teaching from the Good Friday service...

Good Friday - interesting wording isn't it?

"Good Friday" is most likely derived from the earlier English name, "Godes Friday" which means "God's Friday"

In Israel, this day is called "Big Friday"
In Germany, it is called "Friday of Lamentation"
Other countries refer to it as "Great Friday," "Holy Friday," and "Long Friday"

Regardless of what we call this day, it is the day Christians around the world remember the crucifixion of Christ as an eternal sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. In this regard, “Good Friday” may not be a bad name because of the overwhelmingly good things that came as a result of Christ's sacrifice.

We have been talking all this month about the cross, so I wanted to take a little bit different approach to our gathering this evening. I wanted to talk to you some about the meal that Jesus and his twelve apostles shared the night he was arrested.

Significance of meals in our culture today…
- Being invited to a meal is a sign of friendship, openness to doing life with another individual
- A friend who recently won a meal for 10 at a restaurant in Naperville
- I felt honored to be invited and I am looking forward to gathering together with this friend and the rest of the people she invited

Meals in the Jewish culture had great significance, and they still do. I asked my mentor to contact one of his Jewish friends and inquire about the significance. Here’s what he had to say…

“Sharing a meal with someone puts them in a special designation as a friend. It is a traditional way of elevating your relationship. An invitation to a meal is personal and should be seen as an intentional sign of desire for a friendship bond. The food is not the focus as much as the conversation and gesture of friendship.”

Do you remember the movie, Cars? In the movie there is a scene where Lightning McQueen is talking with his sports agent, Harv, who is Jewish. When Harv tells Lighting that he has tickets for his closest friends to come to the final race, Harv tells him that he better save some time to "break bread" with him when he gets to town. Again, this idea of gathering together for a meal is a sign of friendship.

This is why the Pharisees had such a hard time with Jesus eating at Levi’s house. They understood that when Jesus ate with the tax collectors, the prostitutes, and other sinners he was elevating their status in the world. The Pharisees simply could not stoop that low, but Jesus could (see Phil 2:5-11).

Now within the Jewish faith, there are numerous festivals centered around meals and fellowship gatherings…

In Matthew 26, we see the disciples come to Jesus to ask about preparations for the Passover meal. The Passover Meal was one of the most important annual festivals that Jews celebrate. We read about the purpose & origin of the meal in Deuteronomy 16:1-3…

Observe the month of Abib and celebrate the Passover of the LORD your God, because in the month of Abib he brought you out of Egypt by night. Sacrifice as the Passover to the LORD your God an animal from your flock or herd at the place the LORD will choose as a dwelling for his Name. Do not eat it with bread made with yeast, but for seven days eat unleavened bread, the bread of affliction, because you left Egypt in haste--so that all the days of your life you may remember the time of your departure from Egypt.

If you recall, Moses and Aaron have been in Egypt for some time trying to convince the Pharaoh to let the people go out into the wilderness to worship their God. However, Pharaoh continues to refuse their requests, and as a result, God sends down several plagues onto the people.

The final act that God performs is the killing of all of the first-born sons of the Egyptians. In preparation for this, God tells the Israelites to slaughter a lamb and smear blood on the doorframes of their homes. When God came down to Egypt, any house that had the blood of the lamb was passed over (i.e. Passover).

This final act convinces the Pharaoh to release the nation of Israel and so begins the mass exodus and the official formation of an entire nation set apart for God.

God knew that the nation of Israel would need something to remind them of what He did, so He instituted the Passover Meal. In fact, Exodus 13:8 tells us that the purpose of the Passover Meal was to teach the children about Israel's departure from the tyrannical rule of the Egyptians. During the meal children are especially encouraged to ask questions about God and the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The food that is eaten during the Passover Meal has great significance. They eat unleavened bread as a reminder that when they fled Egypt they did not have time to add yeast to their dough. They eat bitter herbs which represent the bitterness of slavery. They eat a sweet paste which represents the mortar they used to cement bricks together while in slavery. They also dip vegetables in salt-water - the dipping is symbolic of royalty and freedom and the salt-water recalls the tears they shed while in slavery.

They also drink four glasses of wine, or grape juice, during the course of the meal. There are different schools of thought on the significance of these four glasses. Some say the four cups represent the four expressions of deliverance promised by God in Exodus 6:6-7: "I will bring out," "I will deliver," "I will redeem," and "I will take."

Another perspective is that the four glasses represent four worlds: this world, the Messianic age when the Messiah would reign, the world at the revival of the dead, and the world to come.

Another perspective is that the four cups relate to the four historical redemptions of the Jewish people: the choosing of Abraham, the Exodus from Egypt, the survival of the Jewish people throughout the exile, and the fourth which will happen at the end of days.

So…when we see Jesus reclining with the Twelve Apostles eating the Passover Meal, there is great significance in the ritual and in the food that is eaten. This is no casual dinner.

Throughout this entire meal, they are being reminded again of the historical reality of God interacting with humanity through the nation of Israel. They are remembering the suffering and persecution experienced while in slavery, and they are remembering the redemption and freedom they experienced after being released from slavery. In one sense, Jesus is using the Passover Meal to make them aware of the current state of spiritual slavery they were in and the freedom they were about to experience because of his sacrifice.

It is into this rich blend of history and culture and significance that Jesus institutes what we call Communion. It is after they got done with this history lesson that Jesus grabs some unleavened bread and says, "This bread is my body, broken for you."

Deuteronomy 16:3 calls this bread the "bread of affliction." Knowing what Jesus was about to go through - the false arrest, the beatings and persecution, being hung on the cross - there is great significance in this terminology.

This bread - the bread of affliction - is Jesus body. His affliction goes beyond any affliction the nation of Israel went through in Egypt. As the Apostles are sitting there thinking back on what the Jewish people went through, Jesus foreshadows for them that he is going to go through far worse.

After the bread, he takes the cup and says, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

Again, as the Apostles are sitting there with this fresh history lesson, thinking about the blood of the lamb being smeared on the doorframes of the Israelites homes in Egypt, Jesus introduces a new covenant. One being established - not by the blood of an animal - but by the blood of their Lord, their Rabbi, their Mentor, their Friend.

Paul, when writing to the church at Corinth, reminds them of this reality when he refers to Jesus as our Passover Lamb.

Again, it is in the midst of this amazing blend of history and culture and religious turmoil that we see Jesus institute an act that Christians 2,000 years in the future would celebrate. Communion is an invitation to a regular meal-gathering with Christ.

We need to view this invitation in the same way as if a modern-day friend would invite us to a meal. It is a sign of openness and friendship. It is a sign that Jesus wants to take our relationship to a whole new level.

As we move into our times of communion, I want to encourage you to imagine yourself sitting at that table with Jesus. Knowing what you know about the significance of meals in the Jewish culture….knowing what you know about the history of the Passover Meal…knowing what He was about to go through, imagine hearing Jesus say to you, "This is my body, broken for you. This is my blood, spilled for you."

College Reunion

Karen & I packed up the kids and made the journey downstate last weekend for an annual reunion with the Christian Campus House at Eastern Illinois University. With grandma & grandpa watching the kids, it was primarily a much-needed, much-appreciated date night!

We had a great time reuniting with friends we hadn't seen in years and with friends we saw a week ago. It is interesting how you end up hanging out with the exact same group of people you spent so much time with in college. We did the cursory conversations with people we knew from back-in-the-day, but the majority of our time was spent talking with people we have stayed in contact with since college.

(The temptation is there, of course, to promise to try to stay in contact better, but we all know those are mostly empty promises. I am doing better at not making those and just accepting the realities of life.)

We ended up heading out to Steak-n-Shake with some friends following the banquet where we all enjoyed milkshakes and cheese fries and remembering again what life was like before kids. Although, by 10:00pm, we all accepted another reality...we do have kids, and we cannot stay awake much longer because we are exhausted and the kids will be up before the sun rises tomorrow morning.

For all of my fellow EIU/CCH grads...see you next year!

Gospel of Grace

I am "reading" two books right now - Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas by Jud Wilhite and The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I say "reading" because I am listening to an audio version of Manning's book while driving the car.

Both books discuss the nature of grace and the misunderstanding many Christians and non-Christians have about this attribute of God.

The questions are timeless: what does grace really look like? What does it mean to hate the sin but love the sinner? How am I supposed to love those who continue to sin day in and day out with seemingly no regret or remorse?

Jud talks about this in his book...how his view of grace was rocked by a few sentences by C.S. Lewis.

Lewis stated that there is someone each of us loves even though we don't always approve of what they do. There is someone we accept even though we don't like all of their actions.

That someone is me. No...not me, Chris Genders, but each one of us.

We don't always approve of everything we do, but we still love ourselves. We don't always like all of our actions, but we accept ourselves.

If we can extend grace to ourselves who continue to sin day in and day out, we had better extend grace to others. We need to find a way to look past their sins - whether they be sins of intention or sins of ignorance - and extend the love of God to every man, woman, and child who was made in the image of God. After all, this is what God did when he extended his love to us.

1 John 4:7-10
"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. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

I'm Sorry I'm So Cheap

The following is a great article from Jarrod Jones. I received this in the most recent e-newsletter from Relevant magazine...

I sat in a coffee shop the other day minding my own business. I had a cup of joe at arm’s length, my face buried in my laptop, a newspaper folded to my right, and a Bible sitting to my left. I was looking busy and religious. People came and went as always, and I paid no attention until I overheard a patron say to the barista, “Can I order a cup of hot water?” It shocked me a bit. Who has the guts to order a cup of hot water at a coffee shop where people are spending five bucks for lattes and macchiatos?

After rolling my eyes, I turned to see what character I’d discover. He appeared to be in his mid-20s. He didn’t look thoroughly homeless, but close. His clothes looked like they hadn’t been washed in a couple of days. It seemed he hadn’t showered either. I noticed that the barista was taken back a tad by his request too. The guy sensed it, no doubt, because he sheepishly said, “I’m sorry I’m so cheap.” His words softened me, but I was still suspicious.

Hot water in hand, he walked over to the island counter, which provided the sweeteners, half-and-half, skim and whole milks, honey and so forth. Unwillingly, I caught his eye. I looked away, burying my face deeper into my laptop. From the sound of things behind me, he was producing his own drink concoction. He sat down directly in front of me, a little to my right, about three feet away. His choice of seating made me think, “He’s calculating his move. Any minute now will come the sob story.”

I was obsessed with skepticism. I was convinced he was setting me up—my leather briefcase-toting, cell-phone-addicted, laptop-hypnotized, coffee-sipping, spoiled-rotten Christian self—for a handout.

He began skimming through the pages of a book. I lifted my head from behind my laptop, peered over his shoulder and noticed words on the page like “attitude, success, achievement, strength.” Then I watched him slowly raise the cup to his mouth, pause and take a sip of his hot water. And that did it. Suddenly, a stereotype shift occurred in me. The curtain lifted to reveal that I was the stereotypical one—a self-absorbed, cynical-thinking, judgment-bearing, Bible-toting Christian. On my throne I had singled him out and analyzed negatively his every move. I labeled him and judged him. I was the “cheap” one.

The Lord emptied my heart of cynicism and filled it with compassion. Then He took i t a step further. He pressed me to put hands to His compassion. “Jarrod, talk to him.” I’m not one to say that God audibly talks to me, but I felt a heavy pressing of His Spirit on my heart. I confess with regret and disgrace that I didn’t. I exited the coffee shop after a quick trip to the restroom. With every step I took toward my Explorer and away from the coffee shop, the Lord’s pressing words faded.

Jesus had uncrossed my folded arms of judgment and placed in my hands soothing waters of compassion. The Spirit wanted to quench his thirst, and instead I quenched the Spirit. “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water … truly I tell you, that person will certainly be rewarded,” Jesus said (Matthew 10:42, TNIV). Cold water soothes. Hot water burns. Cold water quenches a thirst; hot water mocks it. I not only missed an opportunity to present him something better than hot water, I denied him a hand out of it.

Offering cold water is not just an opportunity to share the Gospel with words, but to share the Gospel with hands. Had I to do it over again, I would have invited him to my table, bought him a grande cup of bold and sweet coffee, chatted with him about March Madness maybe and inspired him in his pursuits. If he was game, I would have set up a time to meet again and take him to lunch. I would have bought that book for him following our conversation and dropped it onto his table as I headed out the door. With his heart encouraged, his trust assured and his stomach full, I would have offered him the priceless One, the One who quenches the deepest thirst, Jesus. But I completely missed it. I left him thirsty.

Have you noticed anybody “thirsty”? Just look at the office or desk or cubicle or table next to you. There are thirsty people everywhere, longing for cold, living water. They’re not thirsty just to hear about it, but to taste the spiritual living water overflowing from our lives. I’m going back to that coffee shop next week, and the next. I hope to see him again. If I do, a cup of cold, living water and a hot latte will be waiting for him. And then, seeing him through the eyes of Jesus instead of the eyes of judgment, I want to tell him, “I’m sorry I was so cheap.”

Author: Jarrod Jones

Jarrod Jones is the author of The Backward Life (Baker/Revell). You can visit his website at www.jarrodjones.com.

Las Vegas

I am back home and back in the groove of life in the greater Chicago-land area after an amazing time in Las Vegas. It truly was a joy to "do life" with my friend and mentor, Loren Trethewey, and his wife, Deanna, for four consecutive days and nights.

All of our previous mentoring times were 1-2 hours at the most. This was non-stop conversation from the time we got up until the time we went to bed. It truly was a relaxing, refreshing, encouraging, inspiring, educational, and challenging time.

Aside from the intense conversations I had with Loren & Deanna, the highlights from the trip include...

• seeing the Strip in person - especially the fountains at the Bellagio and the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris casinoe
• touring Hoover Dam - what an amazing piece of human construction
• hiking and rock-scrambling in Red Rock Canyon - I could have spent hours in this place
• visiting Central Christian Church and seeing what God is doing through this church to reach out to the unloved and overlooked
• conversations with Chris Trethewey and other leaders at Central as we hashed out universal and cultural leadership principles and swapped resource recommendations

I cannot wait for another opportunity to travel west. And, yes, Loren & Deanna...Karen and the kids will be coming with me for the next visit!

Las Vegas

I am in Las Vegas this morning sitting at the table of my good friends and mentors, Loren & Deanna Trethewey. I arrived last night after an uneventful flight from Chicago. I will be here for a few more days - visiting a local church, sitting at the feet of my mentors, and sharing stories about my family and the church.

It was somewhat surreal to see The Strip in downtown Las Vegas in person after seeing it for so many years in movies and on TV (CSI, of course) and in print-media. We will be heading down there one night this week to see it up close and personal.

Before I left Chicago, there were all of the pre-requisite jokes about traveling to Vegas... particularly for a pastor...

"There's a religious town for a pastor to visit."
"People pray in Vegas...every time they place a bet!"
"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

There is definitely a sense of detachment from the normal routine of life for many of the people who come to Vegas. That was evident from the number of people around me on the plane talking about all of the "fun" they are going to have while they are here. I sensed in some of these people that this trip is a completely different experience than if they were heading to the Caribbean or some other warm, exotic place. (For some people the experience is probably the same no matter where they go...)

For a couple of people sitting near me on the plane, though, I detected a desire to fully embrace a hedonistic, self-gratifying, regret-nothing-that-happens experience. A true embodiment of the "what happens here stays here" mindset.

I realize that not all people who come here have that desire, but my instincts are telling me that it doesn't take long for some people to adopt that mindset once they are here in Vegas.

Loren & Deanna showed me a book their pastor, Judd Wilhite at Central Christian Church, wrote about the stories of life-change that have occurred in the church here in Vegas. The back of the book states that once you read these stories, you will begin to see Vegas as "grace city" rather than "sin city." I am looking forward to reading the book in the future.

I will try to post more entries as the trip goes on...

Quote from King George VI

And I said to a man who stood at the gate of the yard, "Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied: "Go out into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God, that will be to you better than a light, and safer than a known way."

Prayer Update :: 2-28-07

In the past I have had a team of 30+ people regularly praying for me through a weekly prayer update I would send out. For some reason, I stopped sending these out last year. Thanks to some recent accountability from family and friends, I have begun this discipline anew. As I pressed "Send" on the email to this prayer team, I realized I should post this prayer update on my blog as well. With that said, here is this week's prayer update...

Let me begin by saying this is an interesting season of life I am in. I am struck each day by God's presence, by how quickly my kids are growing, by how much my wife loves me despite my shortcomings, by how insignificant I am in the grand scheme of things, by the fact that God would want to use me despite my insignificance, and by the amount of time I spend focusing on both meaningless and meaningful things. It is a tremendous and trying season of life.

Please pray for the following this week...

- My family as they recover from being sick
- My upcoming trip to Las Vegas to spend time at my mentor's feet once again
- My family as I am in Las Vegas
- Balance of work and family
- Clarity and conviction in decision-making
- Continued shifts in my ministry to fulfill my calling as a "leader of leaders"

Thanks for your partnership. I will make a diligent effort to continue in this discipline in the coming weeks!

Colorado Bound

I had written earlier that my sister and her family are moving to Colorado soon. The original plan was for my brother-in-law to move in January to begin his new position with the National Weather Service and then my sister and the kids move in May/June after my sister finishes her Spring semester of teaching.

Well the plans have changed...

During a visit in early December to find housing, my sister interviewed for a teaching position. She recently received confirmation that she obtained the position, but it comes with a catch...they want her to begin January 8th!

As a result, they are going to spend their Christmas packing and preparing for the big move. My step-dad, Mike, and I are going to help them make the drive and then unpack. I have been working with my sister to coordinate travel arrangements; it looks like it will be quite an adventure.

I am taking the Amtrak from Chicago to St. Louis where they will pick me up on their way through. We will then take two days to make the drive with a 24-foot moving truck, two cars, four drivers, two kids, and two cats. When we arrive in Grand Junction, we will unload the truck and begin getting them settled into the house. When we are done, I will be flying back to Chicago with a layover in Denver and a layover in Omaha.

Assuming everything works smoothly (yeah, right!), I should be back home in time for a quiet evening with the family before going back to church on Sunday.

Going to School in your Underwear

Have you ever had that dream where you go to school without realizing you are only wearing your underwear? You know the one...

You walk through the halls and everybody is snickering, laughing, and pointing. You can't figure out why until your best friend or your girlfriend hurries over to your side and whispers in your ear, "Did you forget something?"

Did you know that preachers have their own version of that dream?

We are standing before the church and realize that we never wrote our sermon for that Sunday. We hem and haw and stammer our way through something vaguely resembling a sermon until we walk off the stage with our head hanging low. When someone tells you it was good, you reply, "Good to be over!"

I had this dream two nights ago...I spent some extra time on my sermon later that day...