the current

NEW BLOG! (wordpress)

2009-08-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hi Ladies and Gentlemen - I switched my blog over to wordpress. My new address is http://ryanedwinpaulson.wordpress.com/ - update your links! Sorry about the change, but wordpress offered a little bit more versatility.

Yahtzee!

60th Anniversary

2009-07-31T11:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the awesome opportunity to celebrate my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. What an accomplishment! It was so fun to be together as a family and to see the impact that their marriage has had. What a great legacy. it's really fun to see the way that God's grace has been evident in my family for so many generations. I'm grateful! 60 years, that's a long time. Can't wait to celebrate 60 with Kelly!

Fun day

2009-07-03T20:30:00.000-07:00

Today, for the first time, we went swimming with Ethan! Here are a few pics. He was so funny in the water. He loved it.

Become a Fan

2009-06-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

My message for this week in our series "The Gospel According to Facebook" is called "Become a Fan." I am so stoked to give this message. The whole fan thing has been one of my favorite developments in facebook over the last few months. The things that people come up with to be fans of is absolutely hilarious! I was doing some research for my message this weekend looking at some of the crazy things people are fans of. One that caught my eye was "Laughing when people fall." I thought to myself, "that's about the dumbest things I've ever heard." Not only that, but it's simply not nice to laugh at people when they fall. Anyway, I went to the site to read what people were posting (which I'd never done before, but people write some really funny/ridiculous things), and I found this video posted. I was in my office crying I was laughing so hard! Evidentially I am a fan of "Laughing when people fall" and I didn't even know it! Watch this... please.

Friend Request

2009-06-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am continuing to teach this week in our new series called "The Gospel According to Facebook." This week my message is called "Friend Request." I have been studying friendship in the Bible and feel like the Lord is giving me a good message to deliver, but I can't get the stupid Michael W. Smith song "Friends" out of my head. It's absolutely killing me. So many good/disturbing/emotional/cheesy memories attached to this song. I might have to share a few on Sunday night.

Push play... I dare you!

Facebook Generation

2009-06-19T15:23:00.003-07:00

I a starting a new series this weekend called "The Gospel According to Facebook." I'm so excited to teach on this. I am going to use the phenomenon of facebook as a metaphor for the Christian life. As I have been thinking about facebook and why it is so popular it seems to me that its popularity is driven by the way that it touches so many of the desires and cravings that we hold in common as human beings. For examples; connection with other people, causes to believe in, groups to join, etc...

Anyway, as I was studying, I ran across an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about the "facebook geneeration" and the way that they are changing the way that business is conducted. Here are the 12 main things that they see:

1. All ideas compete on an equal footing.
2. Contribution counts for more than credentials.
3. Hierarchies are natural, not prescribed.
4. Leaders serve rather than preside.
5. Tasks are chosen, not assigned.
6. Groups are self-defining and -organizing.
7. Resources get attracted, not allocated.
8. Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it.
9. Opinions compound and decisions are peer-reviewed.
10. Users can veto most policy decisions.
11. Intrinsic rewards matter most.
12. Hackers are heroes.

It seems to me that the church might do well to take notice of some of these realizations that the business world is coming to. I think that there are a lot of them that are applicable to the way that churches operate. Thought?

Liberty?

2009-05-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

I read today that Liberty University will no longer recognize the Democratic Club on their campus. Now, I am not a democrat (nor would I consider myself a republican), but I think this is a bad move on a few different levels to kick them out. And, I must point out that the name Liberty seems a bit ironic at this point! The University said that they will no longer recognize them because "the national party's platform goes against the conservative Christian school's moral principles." If you want to read the article, click here and read what The Washington Post reported.

To make the statement that "the national party's platform goes against the conservative Christian school's moral principles" are you implying that the Republican Party is wholly in line with your values? I certainly hope not. The marrying of Christianity with one political party has weakened Christianity for long enough. Hopefully we can move beyond blind support one party and think about ALL issues through Biblical lens.

Those are just a few of my thoughts, I'd love to know what you think about the story.

Free Goods

2009-05-22T00:17:00.000-07:00

I saw this link to a free Coldplay Live album. Here is the link. I haven't had the chance to listen to it yet, but hey, it's free.

Enjoy!

Mission Trip Blog

2009-05-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Our mission team for the Dominican Republic started a blog a little while back. You can got to it and check out thoughts and prayer requests of people on the team. Also, we will post pictures when we are there (hopefully, that will depend on technology) and then we will share stories once we are home. Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.thewellefcc.wordpress.com/

Sheer Randomness!

2009-05-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't had the chance to blog ina while, so I thought I would post a few random thoughts...

my son peed in his eye this morning. that's right, you read that correctly, he peed in his eye. like a good dad I just started screaming. he smiled at me. evidently it wasn't as big a deal to him as it was to me!
is Charles Barkely the worst golfer in the world? I saw this clip of him golfing this weekend where he hit someone in the crowd with the ball. he was playing at some sort of pro am fundraiser and he took someone out who was sitting in the front row. i'm not sure who is at fault here... who in their right mind would stand there when barkely is teeing off? have they seen his swing? i seriously couldn't stop laughing.

I'm really enjoying teaching through the book of James, but man is it convicting! It seems like every message I prep for God really challenges me through. This last week was on the way that faith expresses itself through speech. ouch.
I am so excited for the Nuggets in the playoffs. They are playing so well right now and just can't wait. Bring on the Lake show!

National Day of Prayer

2009-05-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

I had the chance to share at North County's National Day of Prayer breakfast this morning. It was truly an honor to be able to speak to a room full of people who are far more prestigious than I will probably ever be. I shared about the power of prayer and how I had the chance to introduce a student to Jesus over at Palomar College just yesterday. One thing that I have realized about prayer is that it really forces me to get my agenda in line with God. Yesterday God just literally brought this student up to me and I just responded to the opportunity that he had obviously given to me.

I read this quote about prayer by Henri Nouwen that really got me thinking about the way that I think about prayer and often times compartmentalize my prayer life. Nouwen wrote,
"To pray, I think, does not mean to think about God in contrast to thinking about other things, or to spend time with God instead of spending time with other people. Rather, it means to think and live in the presence of God. As soon as we begin to divide our thoughts about God and thoughts about people and events, we remove God from our daily life and put him into a pious little niche where we can think pious thoughts and experience pious feelings. ... Although it is important and even indispensable for the spiritual life to set apart time for God and God alone, prayer can only become unceasing prayer when all our thoughts -- beautiful or ugly, high or low, proud or shameful, sorrowful or joyful -- can be thought in the presence of God. ... Thus, converting our unceasing thinking into unceasing prayer moves us from a self-centred monologue to a God-centred dialogue."

What a great truth to keep in mind!

Great Quote

2009-05-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

I ran across this quote this morning as I was doing some reading. It resonates with me because this is exactly what I want the focus of my life to be.

THE GREATEST USE
OF A LIFE IS TO
SPEND IT FOR
SOMETHING THAT
OUTLASTS IT.

Faith You Can See

2009-04-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

I started a teaching series on the book of James two weeks ago in the college ministry. When I started it I knew that it was going to be a challenging book to study, but it has really blown my own expectations out of the water. It is REALLY challenging and really practical. This week we are looking at James 1:19-27 which paints a picture of what true faith looks like. As i have studied, there are really 4 different things that James points out. Faith expresses itself in the way that we deal with anger, the way we listen and respond to the Word, the way we speak, and the way we care about the things God cares about.

This is a really challenging passage, but I think James a book that the church needs to embrace in a new way. We (at least in Evangelicalism) have told people that faith is saying a prayer and being convinced in our head of some theological truths. After spending time with James, I think he would say that is a pretty weak definition of the word 'faith.'

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts....

Go Natinals!

2009-04-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Are you kidding me? The worst franchise in baseball just became a bigger joke. Two weeks ago two of the Nationals players (their 2 best players by the way), walked out onto the field to play a major league baskball game... with the name of their team logo spelled wrong on the front of their jersey! Way to strive for excellence Natinals! You go Natinals! The Worlde Seris is rite arownd the korner.

Thankful

2009-04-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in a seminary class last night, talking about ministry and I was just struck by how thankful I am for the people that I get to work with and share life with. Seriously, we have the best staff! Here is a recent picture that's on a postcard we send out to new people who come. (for some reason the colors are messed up when I upload it, but you get the picture).

Earth Day - Stopping Short

2009-04-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

So, it's Earth Day today. I have never been a big celebrator of Earth Day, but I am intrigued by people who do celebrate this 'holiday.' To me it really just seems like it is stopping short - no, not in the same was as the Seinfeld episode. It reminds me a lot of what Paul writes in Romans 1:25 which says, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen."

For me, the fact that this day even exists is a reminder to not stop short. To not worship the things that God has created rather than God himself. The Bible affirms that the things God has created are good, but we miss the point when we give those things praise rather than the person who gave those things to us for our use and enjoyment. May we press forward to the giver of all good things. We are too easily satisfied.

I am reminded of a famous C.S. Lewis quote where he said, ""It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." May we not be so satisfied with the gift, that we miss the giver. May our desires grow that we will long for so much more!

The Love of God

2009-04-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

I heard the song "The Love of God" this past week and was just absolutely taken by the last verse.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

What amazing poetry, truth, and beauty. It's so good to be reminded of this truth this week. I needed it!

Bees... they're sting crazy!

2009-04-10T10:33:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting experience last Saturday. I was on the driving range getting ready to play a round of golf with my father-in-law. I saw a cloud type thing emerge in the distance, sort of like the smoke monster in Lost... It moved towards me and the other people hitting balls on the range. As it go closer, it became clear that it was a swarm of bees! I'm not a huge fan of killer bees, so along with the other people on the range, I backed up under the canopy (like that would have protected me!).

Eventually, the bees calmed down a bit. They seemed to be leaving, but when I looked closer, they weren't leaving at all, they just found a place to congregate and make a new home... right on my golf bag!!! That's right, there were literally a few thousand bees that made their home on my golf bag!

To make a long story short, the golf course had to call an exterminator to come. They put a bag over my golf bag and took the bag and the bees to a hive near the Wold Animal Park. I got my golf bag back at the end of my round. The people in the pro shop told me, "It has a little bit of wax and honeycomb on it."

CRAZY!

Resource for Holy Week

2009-04-06T09:20:00.001-07:00

I found a great resource for Holy Week on a blog that I read. Here is the link. I hope that it is helpful to you as you think about the significance of this week.

A practical resource for Holy Week

Resurrection

2009-03-31T21:29:00.000-07:00

Being that it is Easter next weekend, I have been doing a lot of study lately on the subject of resurrection. A lot of my study and thinking has centered around N.T Wright's book "Surprised by Hope." One of the things that has been solidified in my mind is the future hope of a bodily resurrection. While my thinking has been impacted by Wright's work, it is also being molded by 1 Corinthians 15. I have always been firm in my conviction of a bodily resurrection, but have never been too sure of where that fits into the generally accepted idea of heaven.

I am really enjoying "Surprised by Hope" and highly recommend it... I don't agree with everything in it, but it has stimulated some really good thinking and discussion.

Fire Danger

2009-03-27T09:42:00.002-07:00

The Donkey King

2009-03-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

I wonder if we really understand just how ridiculous and counter culture Jesus truly was. I am preparing to teach this weekend and we have decided to spend these next two weeks pointing to Easter and the cross (then we are going to teach through the book of James... so excited!). My focus this week is going to be the triumphal entry. It's one of those stories that we have heard so many times that we might no longer hear it.

Jesus comes into town, being crowned as a king, and he comes in riding on a donkey! That's crazy. No king in their right mind would have ever ridden into town on a donkey,; especially when they are being declared to be the king. You have to wonder if the people who were watching and cheering and laying down their clothes for him to walk into town on were wondering what the heck he was doing. It would be the equivalent of President Obama riding in a Pinto during his inaugural parade. It would never happen.

It seems to me that Easter and all the events that lead up to it declare that God does not do things the way that we think he should. Are we willing to get on board with that kind of God? A God who rides into to town on a donkey?

New Best Invention... EVER

2009-03-17T20:52:00.000-07:00

It would not be quite as funny if wasn't such a useful idea. I want to get paid to come up with stuff like this!

The Influence of "New Calvinism"

2009-03-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

I recently saw that Time magazine anointed "New Calvinism" as one of the most influential ideas in 2009. If you want to read the whole article, here is a link to it. The New Calvinism got just edged out by "Jobs are the new asset" (meaning that people are having to start working again to earn money) and "Recycling the Suburbs" (meaning that people aren't as enthralled with strip malls as they used to be). I'm curious as to how Time decided on their list, but I'm more curious as to how they chose "New Calvinism" as being worthy of the top three. I'm guessing that it is because New Calvinism is backed by two of the strongest voices in conservative Christianity today; John Piper and Mark Driscoll.

I want to be clear, I have nothing against these guys whatsoever, in fact I really like and admire both of their work (especially in the pulpit). I am just curious as to why this theology is gaining such momentum and force. In a culture that is moving more and more towards relativism, New Calvinism stands in stark contrast this idea (thankfully). Anyway, i would like to know what you think and why you think this movement is growing with such vigor.

Just a side note: I'm glad that the "New Calvinism" is growing... and not the "Old Calvinism." Seeing as how good old John Calvin and his followers were responsible for the deaths of many Anabaptists. Not one of the brighter times in the history of Christianity.

One of my favorite times of year!

2009-03-17T16:48:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite times of the year. Spring is in the air (not that it really leaves for all that long in the winter here in SoCal), the quarter at Seminary is winding down, and we are gearing up for summer.

All that is fine and good, but let me tell you what really gets me going. March Madness baby! I can't wait for the tournament. I love all the upsets, come from behind victories, and the Cinderella team that inevitably shows up and makes a great run.

Oh, I can't wait!!!

Jesus the Post-modern Evangelist?

2009-03-12T14:40:00.001-07:00

Was Jesus a post-modern evangelist at heart? Let me explain what I mean by that. I have been studying for this weekend's message that I am teaching on John 17. I am so excited because the passage is just absolutely jam packed full of applicable truth for the church today. However, one of the things that Jesus said in this prayer really got my attention.

Jesus says,"May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." (John 17:23) The "they" in this verse is talking about followers of Christ; the church. So, Jesus' point is that the way that the world is going to know that Jesus is the Son of God (see also v. 21) is through the unity that the church exhibits. It's not through well crafted arguments, its not through diagrams or pamphlets, and its not through evangelistic crusades. Not that any of those are necessarily bad, but they are not the way that Jesus said people would know that he was the Son of God. Simply, he stated, people will know that he is the Son of God by the way that the people who claim to be his followers love each other and the world around them. So, one of the great evangelistic methods that Jesus taught was a unified body!

That sounds very post-modern. It sounds very experiential. It's almost like Jesus was saying that people have to have an experience with the truth before they are going to really, truly believe it. I wonder if the church has more to say to the post-modern mind than we have originally thought. I also have to wonder if we could make a bigger impact if we were more unified.

Thoughts?

Comm.unity

2009-03-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

The word community is a loaded word. Have you ever really thought about it? The first part of the word, 'comm,' means together. The second part of the word 'unity' means single-minded or the state of being one. So, the word community really means; together being one. Talk about a loaded word!

I have been thinking a lot about this word a lot today especially. As The Well (the college ministry that I pastor) has grown, its been something that has been a challenge to maintain.

As a pastor there is nothing that I would like to see more than people who are connected with each other and who really care for each other. As I have been spending time thinking about the core attributes of God over the past few weeks, one of the things that stands out to me is that God is a communal God. I think especially to Jesus' prayer in the garden where he prays for the believers who were going to believe in him later (you and me). He prays that we would be one, just as he is one with the Father. There was no competition between Jesus and the Father, there was no division, there was no envy, there was no...

So, as I think about this aspect of God, I would live to get your feedback. What do you think the main detractors for community for the church today? Help me with my message this weekend!

Worst Sermon Ever?

2009-03-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

You have to see this video. Please do yourself a favor and watch it! Absolutely hilarious. This pastor preaches a message on the phrase "I will destroy him that pisseth against the wall." Seriously watch!

Wright on Colbert

2009-03-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

As you know I have been reading N.T Wright's book "Surprised by Hope." Some people have asked who he is, so I thought I would add a link to an interview with him. A friend shared this with me today. The interview actually gives a fairly good summary of N.T. Wright's premise in the book... when he is able to get a word in edge wise with Colbert. Anyway, Colbert... is always good for a laugh! Let me know what you think about his two-stage afterlife existence.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Bishop N.T. Wright

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Political Humor

One of my favorite pictures!

2009-03-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite pictures... of all-time!

Surprised by Hope - 1

2009-03-02T21:36:00.000-08:00

The premise of this book is pretty clear in the first chapter - at least Wright's view on heaven. His claim is that new creation a "new heaven and a new earth" have already come in Jesus of Nazareth. Essentially Wright's claim is that heaven is not a place that we should be hoping to go to one day when we die, but a reality that can be fully realized today. While on a lot of levels this type of argument is enticing, I don't think that it is completely Biblical.

There is definitely a literal place called Heaven described in the Bible. Just a few passages off the top of my head that come to mind are Isaiah 6, Revelation 4-5, and Paul's description of the hope that we have in 2 Corinthians 5.

But my question is, does it have to be either or? If we affirm that heaven is a place that followers of Christ will one day go when they die, do we also have to say that hope in Jesus Christ cannot be fully realized now? I think we fall into a unfortunate place when we limit the Kingdom of God to a place "out there" somewhere, OR when we say that it is fully here right now.

I am excited to continue to dialogue with Wright on this subject. He is one of the most respected historical Jesus scholars today. He is absolutely brilliant and I appreciate his work a ton... all that said, I don't expect that I will agree with him 100% on this subject.

2009-02-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

I decided that over this season of Lent I am going to read through the book "Surprised by Hope" by N.T. Wright. I don't usually read other books while I am taking classes, but I have heard a lot about this one lately and the subject matter is really interesting. The subtitle is Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. I thought that it would be a good read before Easter. If you have read it let me know what you think. I will post thoughts about it as they come.

Ash Wednesday

2009-02-24T17:04:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Lenten season. As a college group we are going to celebrate the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday service. I am well aware that the Evangelical Church has not typically celebrated Ash Wednesday (or even Lent for that matter), but as a staff we wanted to do something to make the Easter season more impacting this year. The past few years I have felt like Easter has just flown by with a one hour long service on a Sunday morning. So, if you are curious about what Ash Wednesday is all about from an Evangelical perspective, I have included a link to Mark Roberts' blog where he wrote about Ash Wednesday. I think he does a good job of giving a summary - and he is a reputable scholar and pastor.

Let me know what you think about the Evangelical church celebrating Ash Wednesday. Have we gone too far in distancing ourselves from some of the "high church" holy days? Not too far in the sense that any of the days/celebrations (like lent and Ash Wed) provide salvation, but that we are missing out on something that could potentially help us tend to our spiritual lives in a greater manner? I'm interested to know what you think.

http://markdroberts.com/

The Power Team

2009-02-19T09:27:00.001-08:00

I was studying for this weekend and thinking about the omnipotence of God. How do I adequately describe the power of God. That he is all-powerful, there is nothing that eh is unable to do. I went around and filmed a video over at palomar college asking students what the first thing that came to their mind when they heard the word "powerful." A lot of people said the president... and there were a few other random answers.

But for me, the first thing that I think of is... The Power Team. Do you remember the power team? It was/is a group of guys who go around and rip phone books in half all for the glory of Jesus. What a brilliant idea (?). Here is one press release that cam out about the power team:

THE POWER TEAM is a group of world class athletes who have performed the world’s greatest exhibitions of power, strength, speed, inspiration, and motivation in every state and in over 40 countries for over 30 years. These giant men, many weighing over 300 pounds, can blow up hot water bottles like balloons, snap baseball bats like twigs, lift telephone poles overhead, rip phone books and license plates like pieces of paper, and smash walls of ice and concrete.

I don't think that's the direction that I'm going this weekend, but it sure does bring back some good/funny memories. Check out some of these promotional pics!

On second thought... I might see if they are open this weekend!

Best Valetines Gift EVER!

2009-02-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

I always like to give a little bit of "practical" dating or marriage advice (see Biblical dating post :) on my blog, and I think I found something that could really help you out. I ran across what I think could possibly be the best Valentines gift ever and the world must know that it exists! It is called the "Hug Me Pillow." (seriously, this is a real gift... and its on sale now at overstock.com.) Because, really nothing says "I love you" quite like a pillow in the shape of an arm.

It's a bold move by somebody to market this, but I appreciate it the risk they have taken. I hope Kelly doesn't read this post... it will completely spoil her Birthday!

Erwin McManus - 2

2009-02-16T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is my second post about the one day conference that I went to where Erwin McManus presented. One of the things about Erwin that is pretty impressive is that he is a consultant to people in the business world and media industry - giving advice about how to help people connect more to the "human story" (as he puts it). As he shared, he told us there were three things that every good story has (movie, book, etc.), and three main cravings that the Bible points out that all human beings share:

Intimacy - he said that all people, everywhere, want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. That's why we are so big into: nations, cities, communities, teams, etc. When people give up on intimacy, they move towards immortality or isolation – even when people are wounded in LOVE, they still have the desire to be loved and to love.
Meaning – humans have found endless ways to communicate – we create ways to find meaning. When people give up on meaning and move to a place of doubt and despair – becoming superstitious (we give meaning to meaningless things).
Destiny/Progress – we are designed to believe that tomorrow can be better than today. When this is thwarted we move towards apathy or anger – and mental illness.

Erwin said that as we communicate to people, the more we can address these issues of the heart, the more effective we will be - both in preaching and in evangelism. Oh, and just a quick side note, the three cravings are the core content of his book Soul Cravings - a great read if you haven't read it yet.

Erwin McManus - 1

2009-02-13T08:31:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday I had the chance to go down to a one day Pastor's conference with Erwin McManus. If you're not sure who he is, Erwin is pastor at a church in Los Angles called Mosaic. He is truly one of the most innovative and interesting people I have ever had the chance to be around. For my own reflection on the conference, I am going to blog over the next few days on some take aways.

One of the things that Erwin said was, "We need to be come more spiritual and more familiar with the voice of God." The whole room of pastors sort of looked at him slightly insulted because, well, we are pastors! But then he explained further. 2 things he said are huge take aways from the day. He said, "Moderns are more willing to accept a religious experience without God, post-moderns are not as willing. Sometimes Christians have a harder time seeing Jesus in things than non-Christians. And the he said , "People want to get engaged with Christianity to see if it is real… very different than wanting to be a Christian to go to Heaven."

His point was that the questions post-modern people are asking are different. They aren't better, they aren't worse, they are just different. He talked about the fact that when he shares the gospel with people, he really believes that the Spirit of God is already there, already active in the person's life, and that it is his job to show the person how and point out that Spirit as the Spirit of Jesus. I wonder how our evangelism tactics might differ if we really believed that the Spirit of God was actively working in the person's life that we were talking to. Would we feel the need to present an ironclad argument... or could we point out for them what the Spirit is doing in their heart?

It's very different. One of the things that I love about the gospel is its adaptability. The gospel has survived/thrived in a pre-modern world, a modern world, and now in a world that is moving towards post-modernism. The message hasn't changed in any of these settings, but the tactics and the focus that people have has. What a beautiful thing, what a brilliant God, that his word would be relevant and applicable in so many different cultures and situations.

Interviews at Palomar College

2009-02-12T15:46:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite ways to start conversations with people about Jesus is to do interviews and find out what people think about a certain subject. This time when we went around were filming for a new series that we have coming up called I AM. The series is going to be on the attributes of God, so we thought it would be fun to see what words people would use to describe God. What we found was pretty interesting. Check out the video below.

Biblical Dating (?)

2009-02-12T10:02:00.001-08:00

As a college pastor, one of the main things that I deal with is relationships. I ran across this list of Biblcal ways to find a wife. So, let's end the debate about dating and courting. I want to be Biblical on the way that we encourage people to find a mate. Here are 15 suggestions!

THE TOP 15 BIBLICAL WAYS TO ACQUIRE A WIFE

Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she's yours. (Deuteronomy 21:11-13)
Find a prostitute and marry her. (Hosea 1:1-3)
Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock. (Moses--Exodus 2:16-21)
Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal. (Boaz--Ruth 4:5-10.
Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife. (Benjaminites--Judges 21:19-25)
Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. Note: this will cost you. (Adam--Genesis 2:19-24)
Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman's hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That's right. Fourteen years of toil for a wife. (Jacob--Genesis 29:15-30)
Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law's enemies and get his daughter for a wife. (David--1 Samuel 18:27)
Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you'll definitely find someone. (It's all relative, of course.) (Cain--Genesis 4:16-17)
Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest. (Xerxes or Ahasuerus--Esther 2:3-4)
When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, "I have seen a ... woman; now get her for me." If your parents question your decision, simply say, "Get her for me. She's the one for me." (Samson--Judges 14:1-3)
Kill any husband and take HIS wife (Prepare to lose four sons, though).
(David--2 Samuel 11)
Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It's not just a good idea; it's the law.) (Onana and Boaz--Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth)
Don't be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity. (Solomon--1 Kings 11:1-3)
A wife?...NOT? (Paul--1 Corinthians 7:32-35)

The Beauty of Sleep Deprivation!

2009-02-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

As many of you know my wife gave birth to our first child on Friday January 30th! We are adjusting to being parents pretty well I think. When people tell you that life is going to change, they really mean it. Everything seems to be different; the way I look at the world, the way I pray, the way I think about God, etc. It really transforms a lot of things... in a good way!

The most popular question that people seem to as is, "Are you getting any sleep?" I'm not sure if its because I look tired or because most people with newborns don't get a lot of sleep. As I reflect on the question, yes, I am getting less sleep! However I can't think of anything that I would rather have interrupt my sleep than hearing Ethan's cry. As I begin on this journey of becoming a parent, even sleep deprivation is a beautiful thing! I'm not totally sure it will always be that way, but right now I will revel in the newness of it all, the beauty of it all, the blessing of it all, and enjoy even the lack of sleep! (spoken like a new parent I'm sure! :)

Inauguration

2009-01-20T14:18:00.001-08:00

I went for a run today and as I was running I had the chance to watch a little bit of President Obama's Inauguration Parade. I have heard that between 1-2 million showed up for this historic event. No matter where you stand on the election of Obama as President, you have to admit that this is a historic day - a day that a lot of people thought would never come; when we would have an African American as the president of the United States. While I am convinced that the election of Obama will in no way shape or form solve all of our problems (as is exhibited by the stock market dropping a staggering 350 pts today), I do sense that there is a renewed hope and excitement for what the future might hold.

One of the things that I like about Obama is that he was willing to have Rick Warren pray at the inauguration - a move that he received a ton of flack for from his Liberal counterparts, and a move that Warren received flack for from the conservatives. We all know that Warren and Obama don't stand together on all the issues, but it is great to see people who aren't clones of each other have a mutual respect and admiration for one another. I hope that this move sets the tone for the way that Obama will proceed with his presidency.

One final thought on the election of Obama. I wish celebrities would shut the heck up. Just because I'll pay to watch you act in a movie doesn't mean I care a lick about you political views. I'm tired of hearing celebrities who have a platform because they have been in movies talking about things that they have no expertise in whatsoever! That's for free!

That's all I have!

There's probably no god...

2009-01-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

I saw this article a few days ago highlighting a new ad campaign in England. (Here is a link to the news-article in the BBC newspaper) The goal of the campaign is to place on the sides of at least 60 buses around England the phrase, "There's probably no god, now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

While I don't think the campaign will be highly successful (probably about as successful as Christian advertising on buses), I do think it will make people think a little bit. To be honest I think that this is the way that the majority of people live anyway, even many of those who call themselves followers of Christ. I think when it comes down to the way that we live on a daily basis, I think this ad might describe us better than "taking up our cross and following Christ."

The second thing that stands out to me about this ad is the word 'probably'. "There's probably no god..." It's almost as though the people that created the ad (Richard Dawkins and friends) are admitting that this assertion they make has gaping incongruencies in it. Not exactly strong advertising.

Anyway, I thought that it was interesting. Hope it makes you think. If the trends hold, these ads will be on buses in the US in the next 20 years (we're about that far behind Europe).

Beautiful day

2009-01-14T13:44:00.000-08:00

This just in... it is already summer time in San Diego! I love it. I am sitting on the patio of a coffee shop, studying for this Sunday's message, enjoying the fact that it is 83 degrees in January. I love my life!

Lately I have just been really grateful to God for how good he has been for me. I am enjoying life a ton and can't wait for the next phase... fatherhood! Thank you Lord for your goodness to me.

Retreat

2009-01-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

We had a retreat this weekend for The Well. If you missed it, you missed out! It was a great time. I think my favorite part of the weekend was seeing our group really bond together. We did a lot of playing and it was so fun to see groups mingle and people hang out with people that they didn't previously know.

The second highlight was the band. They really did a good job leading us in worship.

After this weekend I am reminded how grateful I am to serve God, to serve him with people that I truly love, and to serve people that I truly love and care about. I'm very tired today, but very grateful for the life God has given me and the calling that he has given me.

Worship Class

2009-01-07T09:21:00.000-08:00

This quarter I get to take a class on worship. After having the first session last night, I am really excited about the class - what we are going to read and the discussions that we are going to have during class. Last night the prof handed out a quote by Erwin McManus. Erwing wrote:

"A church near the beaches of Santa Monica gathers each week with the ten remaining members whose average age is at best in its seventies. They cannot decide what to do. They are paralyzed by fear of death and the lack of life. Around the country, churches that were once over a thousand in attendance have literally ceased to exist... The only way church buildings stay filled through generations is if the church lives and dies and is born again over and over."

I love this quote by Erwin McManus, but to be honest I am a little bit scared of what it means for my future as a leader. I am sure that it means that at some point in my life as a pastor it will mean that I will have to kill soemthing that I really like, that I may even conect with, for the sake of reaching more people for the gospel. My hope is that I am mature enough to make that move and that I have led well enough, that when it is time, people will follow.

Great start to the class,

The best invention of all-time?

2009-01-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I have lived 28 years without one of these. You have to check this video out. It's a real commercial!

Reasons I'm Excited for '09

2009-01-01T16:04:00.000-08:00

As I sit here watching the Rose Bowl on the first day of 2009, I am fairly confident that no previous year will bring as much change to my life as this year. I say this knowing that in 2007 Kelly and I moved from our longtime home of Colorado to Southern California. In 2002 I married the love of my life (a great and a drastic life change). But, I'm not sure that any of them will rival 2009. In 2009 we will welcome our first child into the world. From what I hear, my life will never be the same. I can't wait! That's the #1 thing that I am excited about for '09.

Other things seem to pale in comparison, but I'll throw out a few other things that I'm looking forward to:

Seeing The Well go to the next level. I'm excited to focus my time this year on equipping student leaders and helping students connect with each other. We are going to make an impact on campuses in '09!
Running a marathon. 2009 is the year that I am going to run a marathon. May 31st baby!
Finish my MDIV at Seminary. It's going to be a heck of a push, but I'm going to give it my best.

I don't think I have ever been this excited for a New Year. Bring it on 2009. Bring it on!

Life on the Run

2008-12-29T11:43:00.000-08:00

Over this vacation I have finally had some time to think and reflect on what series that I want to do next with The Well. I have had some time to read, study and pray, and the next series that I am going to do is going to be on the book of Jonah. I was captured with the way this story so dramatically illustrates the human condition. It shows our propensity to run both from God and from the call that God has on our life. Jonah shows the way that we even run from God in the name of religion.

The series is going to be called, "Life on the Run." I read a quote from an author and he said, "All human beings should learn, before they die, what they are running from, ad to, and why." I think that's true. I think it is a fair statement to say that we are probably all running either from or toward something. Once we figure out what we are running from or toward our life will make a lot sense.

Recession?

2008-12-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

Here in Southern California we have been hearing a lot lately about the current economic downfall we have been experiencing. Houses are being foreclosed upon at an all-time high rate, the unemployment rates continue to rise, and poor little boys and girls can hardly afford to go to Disneyland anymore. Sad day! This economic downturn is not only effecting CA, but the rest of the nation as well. As I'm sure you read, the big three auto makers went back to congress to once again beg for a 14 billion dollar buyout (of their poorly run companies). Thanks goodness that congress once again shot them down... they will eventually give in though. These happenings are just a few examples of the signs of the times.

As a baseball fan, I'm glad to see that the current economic situation has not effected the Yankees. It amazes me that they continue to spend at an alarming rate. Just this week (in the midst of economic chaos in our country) they offered CC Sabathia a $161 million dollar deal. $24 million dollars per year. Not only are these types of contracts bad for baseball in general, they are a bad example to set for a country in peril. Personally, I hope this move comes back to bite the almighty Yankees... luckily, most of the moves they have made over the last few years have.

Milk: An Interesting Experience...

2008-12-10T11:48:00.000-08:00

Thursday i finally finished this quarter of Seminary. It was a tough quarter. I took 4 classes which I am pretty convinced was 2 too many, but I'm done for a while! For our last class in Film and Theology we decided to go and see the movie Milk. It just came out. It has Sean Penn in it who plays Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person to hold a public office. We went to see the movie on opening night... in Hillcrest. Hillcrest, if you're not familiar is probably the most openly gay community in Southern California. Needless to say, the theater was filled with homosexuals, and they made that known throughout the movie. It was one of the most interesting experiences that I have had in a long time!

As we entered the theater we were invited to a march against prop 8. Every time the movie showed a shot of the church or religious community (which it did often to show the way that church had opposed Harvey Milk and the homosexual population in general) there was open animosity shown. People booed, gasped, etc... you could feel the disdain for the church. At one point Anita Bryant was shown (actual footage from the 70's) making the statement "We love all people, we just don't approve of the homosexual lifestyle." When she said that the theater nearly erupted with laughter. I was caught off guard. I was surprised because I think I have said nearly the same thing before. It is interesting to know that taking that viewpoint is laughable to the homosexual population.

I left the theater pretty impacted by the movie, but deeply impacted by the experience. I am convinced that the church has a very long way to go in order to make inroads into the homosexual community. Unfortunately, the passing of prop 8 didn't help that journey in any way, shape, or form. We have a lot to overcome, but as always our hope is that the light of the gospel might shine in the darkest of areas and that it might bring hope to those who need it most. May the church make inroads and show love in such a way that when we say we love... it isn't laughable.

Genesis

2008-10-24T21:32:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm done! I spent this week taking a Genesis intensive class at Bethel. ^ hours of class every day of the week. I think the only word for that is brutal. Actually I ended up rally liking the class and being extremely challenged by it. The prof held to the JEDP theory of authorship - which holds that Genesis was written by 4 different authors over the course of a few hundred years. While I don't leave the class holding the same position, I do walk away having a greater appreciation for the context in which Genesis was written and the theological implications of the book. I'm glad to be done!

An Experience in Hell

2008-10-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

I had an experience yesterday that I think could only be rivaled by Hell itself. I moved to California almost a year ago to the day... so I decided that it was high time to get CA plates on my car. So, I had to go to the DMV. I had been putting it off for a long time, but I just decided to bite the bullet and go. The DMV is bad enough in and of itself, but I also am taking a Genesis intensive class next week. The class has a ton of reading for it, so I took some of the reading to the waiting room of the DMV. The reading was on the Ancient Myths of Mesopotamia. So, picture this, I am in the DMV, waiting in line, and reading ancient Mesopotamian literature. Friends, I promise you, it doesn't get any worse than that!

What you really think...

2008-10-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to go hear a few lectures by Dallas Willard. He is the author of The Divine Conspiracy, The Great Omission, and a bunch of other great books. While some many find lectures like this to be a bit boring, it was seriously like a massage for my soul. His central point is that Jesus calls us to discipleship... not believership. I won't go off here about how the church has gotten that backwards (especially the evangelcial church), but he did share one comment that really stuck with me. He said, "What you really think about Jesus will show when you realize that you don't have to do anything."

Today I want to spend time with Him, learning to be like Him.

A tribute to facial hair

2008-09-11T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is the video some guys from The Well made for the Academy Awards night that we had this summer. I figured I would continue my recent trend of flooding the world with bad videos (Healer being the first!).

Hilarious

2008-09-08T14:30:00.000-07:00

A friend sent this video to me... hilarious!

Gospel of Mark

2008-09-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Bible was originally transmitted orally. People would sit around and tell stories about Jesus. Chris, a man from my Seminary (Bethel), memorized the book of Mark and does a dramatic presentation of it. He is coming to EFCC on September 12th @ 6:30. It is going to be a great night.

Martin Luther King, Jr speech

2008-09-04T11:05:00.001-07:00

As I was studying for this weekend, I ran across a great speech by MLK. He wrote this from jail:

There was a time when the church was very powerful in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being "disturbers of the peace" and "outside agitators"' But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were "a colony of heaven," called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God intoxicated to be "astronomically intimidated." By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests.

Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an archdefender of the status quo. Par from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent and often even vocal sanction of things as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it vi lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

HOT or NOT

2008-09-04T10:52:00.000-07:00

A while ago there was a popular website called, Hot or Not. It still exists, but I'm not sure of its popularity level anymore. Anyway, the whole premise of the site is that people upload pictures of themselves onto the site and other people vote on how hot they are. Pretty funny, huh? (if you wouldn't mind taking a few mins to rate me, I'd really appreciate it... just kidding)

This week i am teaching on Revelation 3:14-22 - the passage where Jesus tells the church that he would rather them be either cold or hot, but because they are lukewarm he is going to spit them out of his mouth. Harsh words. Words that demand that we ask the question... "Am I hot or not?" As I was studying this passage I started to develop a sense of gratitude that this is the kind of God we have. A jealous God. A God who gave all of himself and in return wants all of us. What would it say about him if he didn't? It would be like a husband saying to his wife, I really don't care if you cheat on me and have other lovers... We would have to question whether or not the husband really loved his wife. So, because we have a God who loves and gives passionately, we also HAVE to have a God who is jealous for our affection.

Unfortunately I think because of the comfortable nature of religion in the States, we have become a church where Jesus is more like a hobby than a way of life. This passage demands that Jesus be more than a hobby. More than a Sunday morning activity and a nice ideal. This passages begs that I ask the question, I am I HOT or NOT?

An Open Door?

2008-08-29T09:11:00.000-07:00

This week I am teaching on Revelation 3:7-13 and Jesus' letter to the church at Philadelphia. In this passage it says that Jesus holds the keys of David and the door He opens, no one can shut. What a great statement. It displays the power, majesty, and activity in our world. On the surface this statement seems pretty understandable. I mean, it seems logical that the doors that God opens for us have good things behind them. I wonder if God's perspective of an open door is different from ours.

In Acts 16 Luke describes a scene where Paul had really wanted to go to Asia to preach the Word, but the Spirit of God had kept him from doing so. Finally, in a dream God tells Paul that its time to go to Asia and preach... there is an open door! Behind the open door there is a woman who responds to gospel, but there are also a few other things waiting for Paul and Silas. They were: stripped, beaten, severely flogged, and thrown in jail. Sort of makes you wonder if you want to walk through the "open doors" that God provides.

Here is the kicker. They are in jail singing (?), and there is an earthquake that shatters the jail walls and they walk out. One of the things that I think we need to remember about open doors is that God calls us to walk through them, to trust him in the midst o the hard parts of life, trusting that he will be faithful. As followers of Christ we are called to see the beauty breaking through the brokenness. We can only see that if we are willing to walk through the open doors that he provides.

healer faker

2008-08-28T10:41:00.000-07:00

In my previous post I talked about how cool it was that this guy sang the song 'Healer' with oxygen tubes in his nose... turn out he is a faker. He faked the whole thing - 2 years of faking cancer... not even his family knew. Issues! You have to wonder what was going on inside his heart to amke him want to do this. As I have thought about this a little bit over the past week, I think there is something a little deeper that God would want us to see through this.

I would love to say that I am surprised, but it seems as though Christian leaders (not that he was a leader, but a prominent person) have a habit of letting us down. I guess this should serve as a reminder that only God is worthy of our worship. Often times we elevate people to that status, maybe unknowingly or unintentionally, but in case you haven't notcied there are definitely Christian celebrities. I guess in that sense it's a good thing that people continually remind us that they are unworthy of our worship. May we fix our gaze on the only one worthy.

Healer - Hillsong

2008-08-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

The song “Healer” appears on the new “Hillsong Live - This is Our God” album (i highly recommend it). The story behind this song is amazing. The song was written by Mike Guglielmucci from Planetshakers (another australian chrisitan band that I also like). He was diagnosed with a blood disease, some kind of cancer, that kept him in a wheelchair for a long time. While suffering he wrote this song:

I BELIEVE that YOU’re my HEALER
I BELIEVE YOU are all I Need
I BELIEVE YOU’re my portion
I BELIEVE YOU’re more than enough for me
JESUS, YOU’re ALL I NEED

You'll see on the video that he is still singing - even while still on oxygen. While we know that God doesn't always heal our physical aliments (anybody who believes that he does must be ignoring the staggering statistics on the % of people who eventually die), at times he does still choose to heal. Better yet, he is constantly healing and softening and drawing the hearts of people... an even greater miracle. Anyway, check out the song and video. They removed the best one (the one about the story), but this still gives you a great idea. It's a great song!

The Office: Can't wait!

2008-08-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

the olympics are killing me...

2008-08-15T10:25:00.001-07:00

Last night I told myself things would be different. Yesterday I had three people tell me that I looked tired. I was tired! I had been up until 1:30 watching the olympics. They are like heroin. No matter how hard you try, you just can't tear yourself away. So last night I told myself that I was going to go to bed early... well, 1:00am rolled around and I was still watching gymnastics. Evidently I have little to no self control. Go USA!

D.A. Carson quote

2008-08-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

"People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord.

We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated."

- D. A. Carson

Drifting

2008-08-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

I am currently doing a series in our college group called "Postcards from the Edge." The series is on Revelation 2-3 and Jesus' letters to the churches. These letters are just jam packed with relevant encouragement and correction. This week I am teaching on the letter to the church in Pergamum. I think it's one of the most cryptic letters out of the seven, but after some study I feel like I have wrapped my mind around what it's saying.

This whole passage is about compromise. It references the Nicolatians in Rev 2:15. There is a lot of debate about who these people were and what they believed. What I found was that early church tradition held that the Nicolatians were formed by Nicolas who is mentioned in Acts 6 as one of the men chosen to help lead the church at Antioch. Revelation 2:12-17 tells the story of a slow slide. Attrition. Drifting.

It's so easy to do isn't it? Especially in a culture that values busyness and constantly having something going on. I mean, when was the last time that I turned my cell phone OFF? As I studied and read this passage (and looked into the background), I am convinced that God would have something to say to his church through this passage today! It's easy to drift and not know it. Maybe we aren't even drifting yet, but you can see your eyes are starting to wonder.

The other night I was watching the men's 4x100 relay. Awesome. But the things that stood out to me was how France faded in the end and the US finished stronger than they started. I want to keep growing... I don't want to fade.

Good News

2008-07-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I have told most people by now, but I am going to be a dad come February. I'm so excited for that change that is coming. I'm not sure if you're ever totally ready, but I feel pretty ready.

I inserted picture to the right... I think he/she looks like me!

Faith = Seeing?

2008-07-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

I have been wrestling with the passage that I am teaching on this weekend. I am teaching out of Hebrews 11:1 and finishing our series on Childlike Faith (called Wide Eyed Wonder). The passage in Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. As I looked at the meaning of the words 'sure' and 'certain' in the Greek, I was even more confused...

The KJV translation of passage is "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (by the way, I don't usually side with the KJV translation, but in this case I think might have gotten it). See, they translated faith as evidence. At first that doesn't make any sense, in fact, it seems like circular reasoning. But then I ran across this C.S. Lewis quote... I think he nailed what this passage means and is getting at.

Lewis (in The Weight of Glory) wrote, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." In this sense, faith is evidence. It is seeing. It is seeing God's invisible attributes through the things that he has made (Rm 1:20). Faith doesn't create something in and of itself, it sees what is really there... lying almost eerily just beneath the surface - waiting and wanting to be exposed.

They Like Jesus 2

2008-07-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

As a college staff we are continuing to go through the book, They Like Jesus But Not the Church. As previously posted, I highly recommend the book. This week we read a chapter where Dan Kimball interviews people and asks them what they think about Jesus. Some of the adjectives they used to describe him were: powerful, good teacher, moral, loving, beautiful, etc. I read the comments that most of these people made and I thought that I could easily be listening to someone who was a follower (and a strong follower at that) of Jesus Christ. Yet, non of the people professed to be Christians.

I have to ask the question... why not? If Jesus is that captivating to people, why aren't they followers? I think that the people Kimball chose to interview represent a pretty accurate view of people's perceptions of Jesus. I hear many of the same responses when out am out on the local campuses. So the question ruminates in me. Honestly, I don't have an answer. I know that Kimball's conclusion is that they are turned off by the church. I'm not sure that I buy that as the sole reason... especially since most of their conclusions about church seem to be drawn from television evangelists. This is a question that I will be thinking about for a while.

One of the reasons that come to mind is that it is easy to look upon someone or something and find it attractive or beautiful, yet not be willing to pay the price to have the thing. I think that people realize the beauty of Jesus, yet they also recognize (maybe more fully) what it demands to follow him. I think its the same thing that happened to the rich young man (Luke 18). He had seen the glory of Jesus, yet he was unwilling to forsake all to follow.

Whatever the reason, I am once again encouraged that people are far more open to Jesus than I give them credit for.

They Like Jesus...

2008-06-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading the book "They Like Jesus, But Not the Church" by Dan Kimball with our college ministry staff. It is a phenomenal book. I highly recommend it to anyone working in Christian ministry or anyone who has been a Christian for a while. It has been so challenging to me, and it has pointed out some areas in my life that I really want to change and grow in. It has forced me to see the way that I have become part of the Christian bubble. I spend most of my time on the church campus, hanging out with Christians, ministering to Christians. This book is really inspiring me look at my schedule and in a very practical way find times that I can intentionally be away from the office.

It has been so encouraging to see the way that people outside the church view Jesus. In fact this is very consistent with what I have seen at CSUSM and Palomar. Every Wednesday I go to palomar and talk to people about fauth, they are very willing to talk about Jesus, they are very interested in who he is and open to those discussions. I am excited to pursue that further next fall!

American Idol

2008-05-22T20:58:00.000-07:00

I play basketball on Wednesday nights with a bunch of guys from the college group. Usually when I get home I can't fall asleep for a while because my adrenaline is still going strong. Last night I decided to watch the finale of American Idol that I tivo'd. I watched the 2 hour program in 20 mins literally... oh the glory of TIVO. But there was one catch. It got to the end of the show where Ryan Seacrest was going to announce the winner. He said, "And the winner of American Idol 2008 is..." and my TIVO cut out. I guess the show went a little bit long last night. Classic!

Louie on Laminin - Awesome!

2008-05-21T11:44:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine sent me a link to this video... it's awesome. Take the 10 mins and check it out.

Filtered Living

2008-05-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

This week I am going to teach on Colossians 3:15-17. I'm so excited about it because I think it answers a lot of questions that college students (and just people in general) have. I can't tell you ho many people I have talked to who really truly want to know what God's will is for their life. I think this passage helps us answer that question. Here is Paul's advice - it's threefold and then the result follows.
(1). Let the peace of God rule in your heart
(2). Let the word of God dwell in you richly
(3). Be thankful

Those are the three commands that Paul gives. now, I understand that these still leave much potential ambiguity when it comes to decision making, but I am starting to fully believe that is the way God designed it and exactly the way he wants. See, this ambiguity forces us to stay constantly connected to the vine.

The result that follows is... do whatever you want! If you let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, dwell richly in the word, and are thankful... do whatever you want and give thanks a glory to God. What a freeing message. I'm stoked to teach it this weekend.

St Augustine

2008-05-19T22:42:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about a quote by Saint Augustine. In talking about God's will and knowing what to do in order to follow Him, he wrote, "Love God and do what you want." Is this too simplistic? Is it true to scripture? I'd love to know your thoughts.

No Country For Old Men

2008-05-19T22:30:00.001-07:00

I finally saw the movie "No Country For Old Men" this past weekend. It was a great movie, the best I've seen in a long time. One of the things that I appreciated about the movie were the theological implications that it drew out. I think the main point that the movie made was that sin perpetuates itself and eventually kills us. Its interesting how one bad/immoral decision had so many implications on the main character's life - and the lives of all the people in his family.

As I have been studying Colossians over the past 2 months one of the things that stands out to me the most is the difference that happens in us when we are transfered from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His son whom he loves (Col 1:13-14). No Country For Old Men illustrated 'beautifully' what it looks like to continue living in the kingdom of darkness.

Eight Bells

2008-05-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if you saw the Kentucky Derby this past weekend - but it was quite the event. I'm not into horse racing at all, but to see 150,000 people packed in to see the event is pretty impressive. The thing that stuck with me from the race was the horse Eight Bells. She ran a great race, but when she crossed the finish line she collapsed, having broken both of her front ankles. The veterinary staff has to put her down right there on the race track.

This race got me thinking about the issue of pacing and balance in life. I don't want to be the kind of person that goes so hard in ministry and life in general that I collapse. I think a lot of times our tendency is just to go all out until our bodies and soul disintegrate. For me this race was a reminder to rest. We were created with the need to stop. We were created with the need to take time doing nothing except remembering that the world continues to spin on its axis even if we aren't working. That's what the sabbath was all about. That's what this race reminded me of.

The gospel according to Oprah

2008-04-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

I have gotten a few emails that people have sent me in the past few days about Orpah and her new found boldness in speaking out about her religious beliefs, mostly in connection to Ekhart Tolle's book, A New Earth. First of all, I must comment on the fact that Oprah (or anyone else for that matter) thinks these ideas are new. Tolle's "new earth" is simply Buddhism, maybe with a bit of new packaging. Both Tolle and Oprah assert that God is "a feeling experience, not a believing experience." God is a power or life force, not a personal deity. On a practical level I take exception to God being a feeling... if God is a feeling than he/she/it is always changing. Not only is God (or should I say, god) always changing, but he/she/it is always changing based on ME. That's scary. One of the things that I have come to appreciate about Christianity as different from new age philosophies such as this, is that I am not the center of the universe. The deeper you look into what Oprah/Tolle are teaching, the more you will see that the individual (me/I) stands at the center of the universe. Isn't that original sin? Wasn't that what Adam and Eve really wanted in the garden? They wanted to know what God knew so that they could become like God. Essentially, they wanted the story to be about them.

I am proud to be part of the Christian tradition that unashamedly asserts that Jesus Christ is the only way to get to God. I am more convinced daily that I could never get there on my own. Not only that, but I am grateful to know a God who stands at the center of the universe; having spoke everything into existence, unmatchable in power, glory, and splendor. I am constantly humbled that this same God would want to have a relationship with me. To me, that's good news. I'm eternally thankful that I don't stand at the center of my world, but that God (personal God, not an idea or a force god) does.

I'll end with a verse from Colossians that I touched on last night. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophies, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." Colossians 2:8

Go Granny, Go!

2008-04-22T09:42:00.000-07:00

This is a funny video of a grandma walking across the street. There is a guy in his car who honks at her because she is taking so long (no repect for the elderly these days). Granny hits the guy's car and his airbag goes off. Hilarious!

Big differences...

2008-04-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

I am taking a World Religions class this semester and I have been struck by some of the similarities in other religions, but am also convicted of some major differences. As I studied Colossians 1:24-29 this week, Paul makes an unbelievable statement; "The mystery of the gospel is Christ in you, the hope of glory." As I think about this statement and the way that it intersects with both Buddhism and Hinduism, the differences are glaring. Both Hindus and Buddhists teach that we are to detach from all and purge ourself from all desire, and in doing so we will find nirvana (not the band). As Christians we have a completely different hope. Our hope is that Chirst lives inside of us and that we are placed into Christ. The implications are huge. That means that I don't try to purge myself of desires, but that I push into Him - who is my greatest desire. If Christ lives in me, then my very nature is changed at the core of who I am.

My hope is that as followers of Christ, we might come to understand the hope of glory to which we have been called - that Christ lives in us. It's far different from anything any other world religion offers. It is the mystery of the gospel.

Christ in You

2008-04-16T14:48:00.001-07:00

This week I am preaching on Colossians 1:24-2:5. Once again this is such a rich section of scripture. As I have studied and thought about what I feel like God is asking me to communicate this weekend, the phrase, "the mystery of the gospel is Christ in you, the hope of glory" has really stood out to me. As I am taking a class this semester on World Religions, this statement that Paul makes is even more extreme when seen within the context of other religions. The fact that God would come and take up residence inside of us is absolutely ridiculous... amazing. When we put our faith into Jesus Christ, he actually comes and lives inside of us. Talk about a personal religion.

I am reminded again this week that my only hope is Christ living in me. As a go about me week, my prayer is that I reflect that hope to the people around me and that I can teach it well on Sunday night.

Starting conversations about Christ

2008-04-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this blog on The Resurgence website and thought that it was worth sharing. It's a pretty good resource for starting spiritual conversations.

Click here to view the article.

Relativism in seminary

2008-04-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

This winter I started taking classes at Bethel - finishing up my mdiv. One of the classes that I am taking this semester is World Religions. It' s a great class and it brings up a lot of good discussions. Last night during a break, a woman from the class asked a bunch of us sitting around some tables, "How many of you believe that Christianity is the only way." Much to my surprise, the group of students was just about split down the middle - about half of them said that they did NOT believe that Jesus is the only way.

I was surprised at the response, but I wasn't surprised at the way they tried to justify their reasoning. All of the reasons were based on emotion and not on a Biblical hermeneutic. When asked what they would do with Jesus quote in the garden when he said, Father if there is another way, let's do it that way." The response from my fellow seminarians was, "God's grace must be bigger than that." God's grace bigger that the blood of Christ? Think about that statement. What showing of grace could be bigger than the sacrifice of a son? That act, in fact, defines grace.

I fully expect to encounter these views when I go and talk to people on college campuses, but I didn't expect that at Seminary. I think of Paul's response in Galatians when he says, "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you."

What I realized last night, was that those who contend that Jesus is the only way will continue to fall more and more into the minority - not only out in the world, but also in the church and even in Seminary. My hope is that there would be a resurgence of people who are committed to a theology based on solid Biblical interpretation... not based on our emotions.

A. W. Tozer quote

2008-04-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

I thought about this quote as I was preparing for a message that I am going to teach this weekend on Colossians 1. It is sucha rich passage and I was reminded by Tozer how important it is that we truly grasp and understand what Paul is saying. If Tozer is right, than it may be the most important thing about us.

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.

For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God.”

–A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (New York: HarperCollins, 1961), 1.

one of my favortie things

2008-04-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

I was reminded today that one of my favorite things is going onto college campuses and talking to people about faith, Jesus, and inviting them to come and check out our college group. I was once again surpried today at how open college students are. I can really sense that God is working and moving, changing lives as only he can. Today I am humbled that he chooses to use me. What grace!

John Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

2008-04-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

I just watched it this John Piper youtube video. Interesting. I thought it was interesting that he added to his “catch-phrase" in order to make his point. His catch phrase is “God is most satisfied in you, when you are most satisfied in Him,” and in order to make his point he changed it to “God is most satisfied in you, when you are most satisfied in Him… in the midst of loss.” To be honest I agree more with his first statement. Why is God more glorified in me in the midst of loss than he is in the midst of joy? His illustration of the girl flying through the windshield was way over the top and obviously made for dramatic effect…

To be honest with you I think Piper may be reacting to a beast that he helped create. His book Desiring God has the subtitle “Meditations of a Christian Hedonist.” While I have read the book and understand his point (I’m not saying that I agree with his point, but I understand what he was saying), I wonder how many people took it out of context and equated Christian Hedonism with Prosperity Gospel. It’s really not too far of a jump is it? What do you think?

Best time of year...

2008-03-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, this is one of the best times of year! March madness is in full swing, the weather is starting to get warmer (that was more of a big deal when I lived in Colorado, it's pretty warm in San Diego all year), and... baseball season is starting TODAY! I can't wait. Opening day of the baseball season is always so fun. My prediction from a few weeks ago still stands. I think the Rockies will win the West and I think they will win the series.

It's a great time of year!

Gone Barry, gone

2008-03-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Today I saw an article posted on espn.com that said the San Fransisco Giants took down all of the pictures, plaques for the records, and basically every memory of Barry Bonds - because of the allegations of steroid usage. What a crock! There is no doubt in my mind that Bonds used steroids, I mean the man's head grew to the point where he looked like a caricature of his former self. But are the Giants trying to tell me that they didn't know that Bonds was on roids last year when he broke Aaron's record? Of course they did... it just benefited them because he was hitting tons of home runs and they were selling out the stadium every game because people wanted to see him play. Now that he is not on the team anymore (and the Giants have already reaped the benefits for having him there when he set the record) they are taking down all memory of him.

That is what we call relativistic morals. When something benefits us, it is okay, but when it stops benefiting us, it becomes wrong. While it's easy to point the finger at the Giants and accuse them of having relativistic morals, I constantly need to check my own heart for the same thing. I think in the church we need to check for the same thing as well. Do we allow certain things because they benefit us? Do we stand up for what is right even when it is hard and when it's going to cost us? See, the Giants could have easily found out that Bonds was taking roids and then cut him from the team... but that would have cost them money, fans, etc...

Are we willing to count the cost of doing what we think is right?

Beautiful Collision

2008-03-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

Next week I am starting new series that I am going to call Beautiful Collision. We are going to be studying the book of Colossians. As I have read through this book a few times over the last few days, I am just amazed at how Christological the book really is. I hope that the people at The Well are struck with the truth of what happens when the gospel really collides with our life. My hope is that we might be changed as we see Christ for who He really is.

Steve Jobs on Ministry

2008-03-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is Steve Jobs talking about business... it sure sounds like he could be talking about ministry. I saw this post on a friends blog and wanted to share it. Thanks Dusty!

Earthquake

2008-03-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

So, this Friday night Kelly and I went to bed around 11pm... yeah, I know we are party animals! Well, at about midnight we both woke up to what we thought was an earthquake. We looked at each other, I asked if she felt it also, and by that time the shaking had stopped. We both wrote it off to just being really tired.

Today I found out that there actually was an earthquake on Friday night. I guess it was a 2.8 on the richter scale and was based in Ramona (about 15 miles from us). The crazy thing about it was that this Friday was Good Friday! 2,000 years ago there was also an earthquake as Jesus hung on the cross (Mt. 27:54). Crazy!

last words

2008-03-23T18:16:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled across a blog series that Mark Roberts (past, author, blogger, etc.) did on the 7 statements of Jesus on the cross. I found them to be quite though-provoking. Here is the link.

Enjoy

rose colored glasses?

2008-03-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

Around Easter we rightfully talk a lot about the work that Jesus accomplished on the cross. This year I have been thinking about that question a lot. I have heard people and churches say that because of what Jesus did on the cross, God now sees you (if you put faith in Him) as righteous. As I look through the pages of scripture I cannot find anywhere that it says that God sees me as righteous. What I find as I look through scripture is that Jesus' atoning sacrifice on the cross has made me righteous. There is a BIG difference.

When we state that God now sees us as righteous, it's almost like we are saying that he's wearing rose colored glasses when he looks at us. It's true that we are now hidden in Christ, but we are seen as righteous because we are righteous. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "He (Jesus) became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God." He sees us as righteous because Jesus has washed us clean and made us pure... righteous.

If we really start to believe this truth, I think it will greatly impact the way that we act and live. Maybe its just semantics, but I think it has more theological undertones than we would care to admit. Because of what Jesus did 2,000 years ago... you can be made righteous, pure, cleansed.

Hearing the story fresh

2008-03-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard a story so many times that you no longer really hear it? I wonder how many of us are like that with the story of Easter. I wonder if its old new that Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death. My desire for myself this year (and for you) is that we would hear the story with a fresh set of ears and that it would shock us once again. I thinkthis quote by author Steven James summarizes it well.

“Over the years I’ve become more and more wary of people who try to make Christianity sound reasonable. God said his message would be foolishness rather than sensible, that it would be offensive rather than politically correct. The reality of the cross and the naked corpse of God is highly offensive. Until it offends us, we will never believe.”
- Steven James

Glad I don't have to kill bulls

2008-03-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I taught on the passage where Jesus says, "It is finished." (John 19:30) I've always wondered what exactly he was talking about - but I think there are a few things we can be sure that he finished. He finished atoning for sin and he finished/fulfilled the old covenant. I was studying for this message and I spent a lot of time in Leviticus and Hebrews - and I was reminded of all that people in the Old Testament had to go through in order to have a relationship with God. In Leviticus 16 it describes this ritual that the priests had to do every year in order to atone for the sins of the people. The process took a few days and it involved killing a bull and a goat.

Just by way of commentary, can you imagine killing a bull. I went cow tipping one time and I accidentally jumped in a pen with a bull - it was as scared as I have ever been in my whole life. Crazy.

I'm so glad that Jesus finished his work on the cross and that we no longer have to kill bulls in order to have a relationship with God. This Easter may we take advantage of the unbelievable truth of the finished work of Jesus Christ.

This just in... Catholic Church Names 7 new sins

2008-03-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

That's right, that Catholic Church named 7 new sins on March 11th. Here is the list of the "new" offenders. Let me know what you think...

Polluting the environment
Genetic Engineering
Being obscenely rich
Drug dealing
Abortion
Pedophilia
Social Injustice

To call some of these sins 'new' is hilarious. For example, social injustice is one of the main themes of the old testament. We could go on and on, but I'll leave it at that for now. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

March Madness

2008-03-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

Now is a great time of year to be a sports fan. There are a ton a basketball tournaments taking place... and march madness is right around the corner. I can't wait. It's always a great time. The glory of the tournament is that there are always upsets and you never know who is going to win. My pick this year... UCLA. I think they are going to surprise!

Into the Wild

2008-03-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Last night I watch the movie "Into the Wild." I though it was a great movie overall (there were a few unnecessary scenes - if you know what I mean). The movie is based off of a Jon Krakauer book by the same title. The book was better, but the movie was very good as well.

The story is about a man who graduates from college and embarks on a journey to find true life. He is disenfranchised by the typical American existence and sets out to find his own way. The movie does a great job portraying the longing that exists in every human soul - the desire to be fulfilled in life, to feel like your life has significance, etc.

I won't spoil the movie for you, but I thought the last line of the movie summarized the point brilliantly. Christopher McCandless wrote, "Happiness isn't real unless it is shared."

How true!

Famous Last Words

2008-03-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend we are going to be starting a new series looking (over the next 3 weeks) at the words that Jesus said on the cross. Through all 4 gospels, we only have 7 statements that he made. We have to assume that these utterances were important.

The first statement we are looking at is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me." As I thought about this amazing cry of Jesus, there were a few things that came to my mind. First, the trinity was separated for the first time... ever. I had a theology prof that used to say that we in the west see the trinity as a problem to solve - when in reality it should be a mystery to enjoy. We serve a relational God. Embedded within this cry is the pain of relational agony. The father and son separated. The second thing that I thought about was the way that Jesus actually became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21). What an amazing truth, and yet I really can't wrap my arms around the concept.

I think that one of the things I resonate with most about these cries of Jesus is that we have a God who can relate. We have a God who can relate to loneliness, pain, a broken heart, etc. Our God can relate to where we are at. What a wonderful truth.

My hope this year is that we don't journey so quickly to the open tomb that we fail to see the crucified savior. I think that especially evangelicals (maybe protestants in general) are so quick to pass by the crucifixion. This year, let's really think about the sacrifice that God made in order to make a way for us to be with him. Jesus took the separation that we truly deserved.

No More Masks

2008-02-25T23:14:00.000-08:00

That's the title of my first message on our retreat this weekend. The weekend series is going to be called "What Lies Beneath" and is about journeying deep into relationships with other people. I am excited for our students to hear from God's word on topics like - God's desire for us to be who we really are, to not wear masks. As I thought about this message, I was struck by how many masks I wear, most of them without even thinking about. I am struck by a God who asks us to come to him and to each other just as we are. It's interesting to me that Jesus saved his harshest words for those who he called hypocrites. Literally, actors or mask wearers.

My hope and prayer is that as our group begins to get real with ourselves and with each other, that ultimately we would find healing and assurance in the one who says, "My grace is sufficient for you." I love he fact that God doesn't want me to feel like I have to get dressed up to come see him. I love the fact that God wants us just the way that we are.

One parting thought... The passage I am teaching on is Matthew 23 where Jesus chides the pharisees for cleaning the outside of the cup and making it look all nice and clean without worrying about the inside of the cup. As I thought about this passage, it struck me that Jesus never condemns the pharisees for the DIRT. It's like he knows that the dirt is going to be there, the question becomes, what are we going to do with it.

can't wait

2008-02-21T18:30:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again... spring training. The baseball season is right around the corner and I personally I can't wait. While the Rockies won't be a surprise this year, I am going to go out on a limb and say that they are going to win it all this year. Go you ROX!

Funny Picture

2008-02-18T12:32:00.001-08:00

I saw this picture on Marko's Blog... hilarious!