I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane...

Johanna and I fly out early Wednesday morning to St. Louis, MO to spend a few days at the National Youth Workers Convention...It's that time of year again when the incredible people at Youth Specialties spend a few weekends pouring into the lives of Youth Workers across the nation. I am PUMPED, for a couple of reasons. I LOVE the NYWC and I don't throw that "love" word around...It is an incredible time of renewal and refreshment. I also am pumped because I know I'll come away with some great, challenging stuff from the sessions and the learning opportunities...But most of all, I am super excited to be around FAMILY. Johanna and I are meeting two of my closest friends and their wives, who are also Youth Ministers, at the convention...And that will be great because we always have so much fun together...But it is more than just that family that I am excited to be around...We get to be around Youth Worker Family...Those people who know, and understand, and get it...And I cannot wait...I need this and it is coming at just the right time...Not sure what the hotel internet situation will be like, but I am planning on blogging so check back for updates from now until next Monday...I hope the rest of your week is as absolutely incredible as mine will be...

Worlds Series Highlight (Thus Far...)

I am sitting here watching Game 2 of the World Series and as the game heads into the ninth inning, I am hoping that the Rockies' bats come to life and that they turn the tide and take down the crappy Red Sox, whom I hate...But in risk of losing my "man card" I am going to have to say that my highlight thus far in the Series just occurred a couple innings ago...My highlight thus far has been listening to Boys To Men sing God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch...They are one of my All-Time favorite groups, so that was definitely the highlight thus far, especially since the Sox have been doing so well...

I'm Lovin' Me Some Marc Driscoll....

Copied this video off of a friends facebook...I really like what Driscoll has to say in it...I think it is a challenging look at the prosperity gospel that is so prevalent among today's churches...Those of you who read this blog regularly know I am a Driscoll fan and that his Radical Reformission book is one of my all time favorites...Take a look at this and let it get ya' to thinking...

Short Term (and long term) Memory Loss...

As I sit and reflect back on the past several months of ministry I have begun to realize that the Church is struggling with memory loss...In so many congregations around the country we see a people hindered by fear. No. We see a people strangled to death by fear...We fear change. So we don't do anything different and yet expect in some miraculous way our churches that are dying will come back to life...Even those of us who seek to be agents of change fear it somewhat. We fear inadequacy...What if we seek to follow Christ into the unknown and we fail. What if in the end we just aren't capable of pulling it off, of getting the job done, of covering the cost, or of sticking to the commitment...We fear the unknown...So many times we stick with what is known, even though we know it is a terribly inefficient choice for the times we face. But it is known, and it is comfortable...So in our fear we stay with what we know, even when we know it is failing...We fear what people think. I feel that so many decisions in churches are based not on what God thinks but on what other people think. We fear that following God might make the "wrong people" angry, so they might quit coming or giving. So we base our decisions on what we perceive to be the response of others, rather than on the call of God...And we fear leading. I believe that the church in America is in a desperate stage in her life. And we need godly, brazen, courageous, fearless leaders know more than ever. But when I look at the Church, I see so many people who ought to be leading in a better, more visionary way, simply step back and watch because they are afraid. They fear for their paychecks, their jobs, the security in which those things provide for their family...They fear failing and being told "I told you so." They fear others in power who resist change because it might mean a change in power. And instead of the church being lead by brazen, courageous, godly leaders who fear only God and follow only God, it becomes lead by a group of cowards afraid to follow God because of what men might think or say...

And in the midst of all this fear, I say that we have a short term memory loss. In fact, we have a long term memory loss too...We have forgotten the power and the ability of the God we choose to serve...We have forgotten that God qualifies and empowers those He chooses to use...We have forgotten that the same God who calls us to step out on faith and follow Him into the unknown is the God who parted the Red Sea, who delivered powerful enemies into the hands of the Israelites, and gave the promise land to His people. We have forgotten that this God is the same God who saved His people from the Egyptians, who turned water into wine, who healed the sick, made the blind see, and brought the dead back to life...And in our forgetfulness we have become controlled and ruled by our fears. We have a memory problem.

It is time for those of us who are leading in the Church here in America to Remember. Our churches and our communities do not need those who will sit idly by and watch as fear overtakes the people of God and the Church of God...Our communities and our neighbors need leaders who will remember. They need leaders who will look back at what God has done and remember his power, his stregnth, his ability, and his faithfulness. We need leaders who will stand and say, "I may not know the future, the outcome, or how it will all work out, but I know and follow the One who does." What the Church needs most is leaders who remember. And whose memory causes them to follow...

Great Article on Rockies' Faith In Clubhouse...

I was already rooting for the Colorado Rockies in the world series for a couple of reasons. First of all, I absolutely HATE the Red Sox...It's in my blood as a Yankee's fan...Second of all, I've been to a game at Coors Field, home of the Rockies, and really enjoyed the experience...But this is a great article that seals the deal for me....Click on the blog title to read the article...

Too True To Be Funny?...

Found this on MarkO's site over at ysmarko.com...The small caption bellow the pic reads "Ostrich Church"...

Wow...This shocked me...

Click on the title "Wow...This shocked me..." for a link to this story....

It's about the Shreveport Baptist Association in Louisiana, comprised of 125 churches, accepting it's first predominantly black church into the association...in 2007. Wow...I am shocked at this, but I guess it goes to show the old saying true: "The most segregated hour in all of America is 11:00 AM on Sunday morning." Shame on us...

The Weekend Update...

I am exhausted. I literally am having to force myself to stay awake at my computer today...This past weekend was incredbily tiring. My grandfather had surgery to remove an area in his leg where they recently removed a cancerous tumor. He had a spot on his knee and after removing the tumor, the doctor decided to do a thigh and knee replacement to remove any bone area that the tumor might have infected with the cancer...So I left the LOC after our mid-week youth service on Wednesday night and made the 4 hour trek to the DFW area...Lucky for me, my brother drove about 120 miles out of his way from Houston to pick me up so I could ride with him...We got to DFW about 1:30 AM on Thursday morning, slept for a few hours, and then were up at 6 AM for the surgery...The next few days I spent staying the nights in the hotel with my grandfather...I had the late night shift, staying at the hospital from 7:00 PM to 4:00 AM...The doctor wanted someone from the family to stay with him becuase he would get more attention that way...So Johanna and I would drive to the hotel at 4 AM when my parents relieved us each morning and sleep for a few hours...Then we'd get up, grab some lunch, and go back to the hospital...Needless to say, I know why I am so tired...We got in around 4 am this morning and I was at the office at 8:30...Not sure if I'll make the whole day...

That about sums up the weekend, but on another note, I love my wife. She is incredible...Not only does she put up with my messiness and constant teasing and jokes, and not only does she serve alongside me in a position, as a minister's wive, that has little reward and lots of gripes, but she is a champ in situations like this weekend...She headed up to DFW on Thursday as soon as she finished up her classes and spent each night with me in the hospital so I didn't have to stay up there alone...What a trooper! I love you babe, and am so thankful that God blessed me with you...

Now, if I can just stay awake for a little longer...

Joe Says No...

When it comes to baseball I am a HUGE Yankees fan. I love the yankees and I bleed pinstripes and Yankee blue. I have been a Yankees fan since I was a little league baseball player, when I began playing baseball and played first base. My baseball hero since I was in elementery was Don Mattingly...It's only natural that a 7 year old kid who loved the Yankees and played 1st base would be a Mattingly fan...I have SI issues that cover Mattingly's carreer and almost every baseball card with his face on it...

That being said, I am in mourning today. I love Joe Torre. I had a conversation with a stranger I met at a hospital this morning about what an incredible man and manager Torre is (the guy saw me wearing my Yankee hat in the waiting room and struck up the conversation...he's a fan too). I think that, while Torre did have the biggest payroll in baseball, he still did the absolute best job of managing a team of anyone in the MLB. So today Steinbrennner's ego reigns again. Once again Steinbrenner's insane power trips and rants hurt the team...And for a few hours I will swear off the Yankees in my mourning and in my frustration...And, just maybe, in a few weeks I will be over the frustration and pain caused by US losing OUR manager...There may be some guys in the league as good and as solid as Torre, but there are none better...Some may be close to his caliber, but there aren't any above it...In the columns of wins and losees, my Yankees lost today...and it was a BIG loss...

Life is for Living, Not Getting Old...

Check out this article:

'The Senior,' 59-year-old Mike Flynt, plays football after 37-year layoff

Click the title of this post to go to the article website...

Ragamuffins...

So I have been silent from blogdom for almost a week...My apologies to my readers (mom), but I do have a good reason...I left Sunday night to head to the annual Youth Ministry Conclave in Arlington, TX. It's an event put on by the BGCT that is aimed at helping, encouraging, and supporting Youth Pastors and Youth Workers across the state of Texas. Anyway, we stayed at the Sheraton, which is a four star hotel and is the "conference" hotel of the Arlington Convention Center and the internet was $13 per night! How can a hotel like that get away with not providing free wi-fi in this day and age?!?! I can't believe it, but nevertheless, thus sums up my lack of blogging...

On to the important part of this post...I got to spend the first part of this week with my absolute favorite people in the world...And it was so refreshing. I got to hang out with some of my closest friends, who just happen to be some of the best youth pastors that God has placed on this planet...I got to rekindle old relationships and meet up with guys who have taught me so much about life, ministry, and what it means to follow Christ. I got to meet some new friends who are beginning this crazy journey of what we call student ministry...And after all that, I can honestly say that I am convinced we are a group of ragamuffins. We are a group of outcasts. We are an insane, irrational, hard-headed, slow learning, scary, dangerous, rambuncious, rebellious, unpredictable group of folks...And I believe that Christ loves it! Who else would believe that the world can be changed through hormore infested 14 year olds?!?! Who else would be crazy enough to think that the ones in the church with no money, no power, no clout, and not even their own transportation could be the ones who would lead us to a great movement of God that might end in unreached peoples hearing for the first time the love and grace of Jesus? Who else would be bold enough to actually SPEAK OUT what everyone else knows and say that the church must change or die? Who else, but this crazy group of ragamuffins, would look at all the world has to offer, and choose to invest their lives, hearts, carreers, and souls in teenagers, knowing that the hours are ungodly (literally), the pay is poor, the strain on your own family is enormous, the encouragement and praise are few and far between, and the lot you've chosen is so many times seen as nothing more than babysitting?

But I am so glad I am among their numbers. I am so glad to be one of the few chosen to lay it on the line to connect the God I love and am passionate about with the students I love and am passionate about! Of all the talent and all the power and all the ability in the world, God chose this crazy group to be his arm of love to a generation of teenagers who so often have no clue what love is. And I can honestly say that I was honored to be in the midst of these ragamuffins for the past three days...I was among family...And it felt like home...

Busy Week...

Got a busy week this week and a day is already gone! I'm preaching Sunday so not only do I have to prep my Wednesday night message, but I also have to get a sermon for Sunday done...Don't get me wrong. I'm pumped for the opportunity to share the Word with our entire congregation, but it just makes for a busy week...Plus throw in the fact that I'm out most of Thursday with a Drs. appointment in Temple and that I am also getting things ready to be out for three days at a conference next week...It just makes for a busy week...So what am I doing? I am blogging about how busy it is instead of getting after it...Oh well, I guess it's back to work...

The Weekend Update...

It's been a while since I've blogged so I thought that I'd share a few highlights of the weekend...

I spent Friday night with some good friends on a thing we call the Texas Tour. A couple years ago a good friend of mine, and fellow student minister, started this weekly ritual for Fall Friday nights called the Texas Tour. A few guys get together each week for a road trip to find some good football. The goal: Simple. To watch some of the best players, teams, and games in the state of Texas. We spent Friday night watching Liberty Hill and Wimberly...It was an ok game, but a great time of fellowship, sharing old frienships and investing in new ones.

Sunday night was definitely the highlight of the weekend. My wife and I, along with some good friends and a couple of our students, headed to Stubbs in Austin, TX to hear Lindsey Kane in concert at her CD Release party for the new CD. What an awesome night! First of all, Lindsey is an incredibly talented artist and a fantastic worship leader. My ministry has been blessed by her willingness to serve and be used by God in such incredible ways...Then there's Stubbs. What a great Austin-ny kind of place...I know that's not a real word, but it best describes Stubbs...It's a great live music venue with a charisma and personality all its own. Lindsey Kane and her band rocked it out too...The music was great and Lindsey always has a great, hilarious, funny, authentic, real feel on stage. But the highlight of the evening for me came in the middle of the set...In the middle of Austin, TX, in a place like Stubbs, built for honky-tonkin' and having a good time, God showed up. In the midst of a CD Release party where everyone was having a great time, worship occurred. And Stubb's was turned into a sanctuary. Right in the middle of the set, Lindsey led us all in How Great Thou Art and what happened in that place was nothing short of worship...It was incredible. Linsdey is one of those artist's whose raw authenticity, incredible talent, and availability to God allows for those types of God-moments to take place when she's on stage...It was definitely the highlight of the weekend, and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

Finally...

This clip is on espn.com today and you can check out a less blurry clip of it there...But it is of Mike Gundy, head football coach of Oklahoma State University, defending his players from what he feels is unfair criticism by the media...I'm not sure about the article or about the player referred to, but it is nice to see a coach stand up for his "good kids"...In a day and age where we have so glorified sport that it doesn't matter about the character of a person as long as they can perform, its nice to see a coach that sees things differently...In a society that places far more value on atheltic talent than character and integrity, it's nice to see a coach who's values seem to be in order...Enjoy...

Pray by Kendall Payne...

I will pray for you now for you have been my faithful friends
While the road we walk is difficult indeed
I couldn't not ask for more than what you've already been
Only that you would say these prayers for me

May your heart break enough that compassion enters in
May your strength all be spent upon the weak
All the castles and crowns you build and place upon your head
May they all fall come crashing down around your feet

May you find every step to be harder than the last
So your character grows greater each stride
May your company be of humble insignificance
May your weakness be your only source of pride

What you do unto others may it all be done to you
May you meet the one who made us
And see him smile when life is through

May your blessings be many but not what you hoped they'd be
And when you look upon the broken
May mercy show you what you could not see

May you never be sure of any plans you desire
But you'd learn to trust the plan he has for you
May your passions be tried and tested in the holy fire
May you fight with all your life for what is true

I have prayed for you now all of my dear and faithful friends
But what I wish is more than I could ever speak
As the way wanders on I'll long to see you once again
Until then, would you pray these prayers for me?
Oh that you would pray for me.

Tom Brokaw's Speech...

I found this on a blog I read regularly written by the president of Youth Specialties, Mark Oestreicher. He has some great stuff on not just student ministry, but also on culture, the church, and the challenge of following Christ in today's world...Check it out at www.ysmarko.com...Great stuff. Anyway, here is a brief part of Tom Brokaw's Commencement Address at Emory University...

You have been hearing all of your life that this occasion is a big step into what is called the real world. What, you may ask, is that real world all about? What is this new life? Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2005 at Emory, real life is not college; real life is not high school. Here is a secret that no one has told you: Real life is junior high.

The world that you’re about to enter is filled with junior high adolescent pettiness, pubescent rivalries, the insecurities of 13-year-olds, and the false bravado of 14-year-olds. 40 years from now, I guarantee it: You will still make a silly mistake every day. You will have temper tantrums and you’re feelings will be hurt for some trivial sleight. You’ll say something dumb at the wrong time. And you will wonder at least once a week, “Will I ever grow up?” You can change that. In your pursuit of your passions, always be young. In your relationship with others, always be grown-up. Set a standard, and stay faithful to it.

A Great Day...No Matter What...

Today, September 19th, is a great day. For the last six years, each time this date has rolled by on the calendar, it has been a great day...It has been a day to celebrate God's goodness and great favor toward me and my family. It has been a day to offer thankfulness. It has been a day to reflect back on the great blessings that God has bestowed upon me and my family...

Six years ago on this day, Sept. 19, 2001, I had surgery to remove a putuitary tumor from the front of my brain. Literally thousands of people were praying for me that day. People were asking God to guide surgeons hands, to give doctors wisdom, and to bless me with healing...AND HIS ANSWER WAS YES!

So this day for me is a day of celebration! There has never been a bad September 19th from that year on in my life...Today I celebrate and I thank God for what He has done for me...

Mourning...

Unfortunately, I've got mourning and grieving on my mind the last couple days...Our community lost a great young man in a terrible car accident this past weekend. The young man had been in our youth group and was now in college...He was one of those kids that everybody loves...Always smiling, always laughing, and always having a hug and an encouraging word for others...Some of our other students also lost a close family member this weekend...The young man's funeral was today and the grandmother's funeral is tomorrow morning...So it's easy to see why I've been thinking about how people grieve and mourn, and more specifically how we, as Christ followers, mourn...

God brought a verse to my memory on Sunday out of 1 Thessalonians...1 Thessalonians 4:13 says that "we do not grieve as those without hope..." Basically, that we should grieve and mourn differently than others, especially when a fellow Christ follower passes away, because we have something the world doesn't: HOPE. We don't grieve like those without hope because our hope is found in Christ. For those in Christ, death is not the end...The grave does not have the final say for the Christ follower. We cannot be beaten by death and the grave because we are not those without hope, but rather those with true hope, a hope in Christ Jesus.

So as I mourn and grieve and watch those around me mourn and grieve, I pray that those of us who are Christ followers might mourn differently...Not that we still don't shed tears and feel pain and need to grieve properly...But that we mourn as peoople who have hope and that others who do not know that hope might see the difference in the way we approach the grave and death...Mourn, but don't mourn like those without hope, because we have hope in the person of Jesus...

Quote of The Day...

I'm on a couple email lists that send me different kinds of quotes each day...Got a great one today, so I thought I'd share it...

Do not pray for easy lives; pray to be stronger men. Do
not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers equal
to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no
miracle, but you yourself shall be a miracle. Every day you
shall wonder at yourself, at the richness of life which has
come to you by the grace of God. - Phillips Brooks (1835-1893)

Funny?...

These might be funny if they weren't such a true reflection of things...Sad thing is, I can put names and faces on these cartoon figures...