Sunday Replay 12.21.08

Let’s just get this out of the way first – BRRRRRRR!!! – It was 2 degrees when worship began at 10:00 AM, the wind was howling like crazy, and I had seriously wondered if we should cancel services.  I didn’t expect much in attendance, but to my surprise we had a full house with some new faces!

The worship band did a good job with their first Christmas service together – the traditional carols and hymns sounded great with a little tweaking to ”contemporize” them. 

We finished out our “Joy to the World” message series with “Receiving the Gift,” focusing on the revelation of the Gospel in the Christmas story.  Jesus’ birth was announced as “good news” for all people – not just good people or holy people.  God also sent word that we are objects of His pleasure, and that the intention of it all is so that He will be glorified and we’ll have the peace of knowing that everything is OK between us and Him.  We looked at John’s summary statement of the Christmas story, from that famous verse in John 3:16: For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in “

In spite of the cold and the wind, we had a great turnout for our “Financial Peace University” preview.  I’m personally excited about this course – Vicki and I will be students right along with everyone else! – and after getting a little taste of Dave Ramsey’s teaching, we’re raring to go!  I think we have 13 or 14 families signed up!  If you are still interested but have not enrolled yet – DO NOT WAIT until Sunday to talk to me!  Call me at the office, home, or cell, or send me an email ASAP.  We need to order the kits right away so if you wait until after Christmas, you might not make this session.  Don’t worry though, we plan on offering FPU again in the fall.

If you are interested in the vision and direction of Jubilee – you do not want to miss this Sunday!  We will be talking about “Changing the World from a Cornfield.”   We’ll be casting some big, scary vision - definitely not for the faint of heart or the “church as usual” crowd – the kind of vision we KNOW we have to depend on God to see become a reality.  Come prepared to be challenged and stretched!

This is the second to the last of our “Sunday Replays” – after the first of the year I plan on changing up some things on the blog, and will not do the recap of Sunday like we’ve been doing.  We will be putting the messages up on the website – still looking for a free sermon player to link to – to allow people to get a sneak preview or get caught up there.

2008 is almost over – a year of great change and building momentum.  Thanks for all you do!

Have a great week and Merry Christmas!

Friday Remix: Found and Lost

There’s a widespread problem in the Body of Christ – We tend to place all of the emphasis of Grace at the point of our initial forgiveness, but almost none on the ongoing work of transformation of  our lives where it is so desperately needed.

We get saved and then immediately take control of our lives out of His hands.  We plunge right back into “making it” by our own efforts. We assume that we have to live a life pleasing to God as a “thank you” for redemption, a type of repayment for the cross and eternal life in Heaven.

We know we need to live a Godly life after we have experienced Christ – but we have one insurmountable problem – We are not capable in the slightest of pulling off the “look how godly I am now” life.

At the end of the day, we’re too often left confused and full of spiritual self-loathing as the consequences of our repeated noble, but vain, attempts to live “the Christian Life”. We’ve reduced Grace by making it just about the forgiveness of sin, and disconnected it from the transformation of our lives, with frustrating results.

God not only gives us our salvation, but He’s the only one who gives us the power to actually change and live a holy life through his Grace. Note, I didn’t say perfection – but there’s a difference between “imperfection” and the conscious choice to sin  – a choice that testifies that we are still in bondage to the very things that dominated us before we ever knew Christ.

In the book of Romans, Paul says that it is by faith that we have access to Grace, and that it’s by Grace that we stand. Grace begins with mercy, but it’s more than mercy. Grace is also the outworking of God’s power in our life to transform us by the renewing of our mind.

But we never really seem to grasp that truth.  It seems too good to be true, and so often, we don’t take seriously the reality that God can deliver us from the things that have owned us for so long.  The result is that we just keep trying, failing, crying, hiding, and repeating, all the while hoping that maybe Jesus will return on Monday morning between 1 am and 6 am before we’ve had a chance to mess up the forgiveness we just re-pleaded for on Sunday night. We’ve given up on the power of God being able to change us.

Here’s an alternative – Let’s get alone with Father and say something like this: “God, it’s by Grace that I’m saved. Thank You for the love, mercy, and forgiveness You provided for me through the death of Jesus Christ. I realize if I’m going to live this life You’re calling me to, I also need massive amounts of Your Grace to do it. Thank You for the Grace by which I’m saved, and the Grace by which I stand. I want Your Holy Spirit – the ‘Christ in me’ that is my ‘hope of glory’ – to transform me and lead me to life more abundantly.”

Amen.

Wii Fits

My oldest son, Ben, is my only child who reads the blog, so it should be safe to talk about this here…

The boys want a Wii for Christmas.  Vic and I decided to get them what they wanted as a family gift, and then scale back on their individual presents.  But we really had no idea how difficult it would be to get our hands on one… 

Ben and I travelled 26 miles each way to Walmart at midnight last Saturday and stood in line for over an hour – turned out they had 10 and guess who was #11 in line?  There were no visions of sugarplums dancing  in our heads on the ride home, but the caffeine from our Starbucks coffee gave us a nice warm glow…

Target?  “No Wiis until after Christmas…”  K-Mart, same story… Meijer?  “We won’t get a truck until Wednesday, and we have no idea how many, if any, Wiis would be on the truck…”  Best Buy?  “We’ll have 70 for sale when the doors open at 8 AM on Sunday morning, but you will probably need to be in line by 5…”  (Perhaps it was selfish, but I decided to go to church and preach instead…) Circuit City?  “You’re kidding, right?  Seriously, you know this store is going out of business?”

We were getting desperate.  Then HALELUJAH! I found one on lowestdeal.com that was “in stock” and “guaranteed Christmas delivery,” but, silly me, I procrastinated one more day looking for a better deal.  When I went back – lowestdeal.com had raised their prices by $20!  I bought one quick, and paid a premium to have it shipped.  That’s also my last purchase from low-life scum who would operate a business like that, exploiting  men like me who are desperate to be “SuperDad” on Christmas morning.

So, we are going to be white-knuckling it until the daggone thing gets here – and hoping we won’t have to resort to wrapping a picture… “Look kids, this is what you’re GONNA get, one of these days.”

I swear, this better be the BEST video game experience of my life!  I’m talking Biblical proportions here… 

But hey, anything for the kids.

Christmas wishes…

What follows was written by my oldest son, Ben.  I’m FAR from objective, but I think it’s AWESOME.  Ben is 18, an aspiring writer, a photographer, a poet, a worship musician and future journalism student.  His also known around the church as “Pastor Scott’s right arm.”   For the first born of ignorant parents who thought they were smart, he turned out pretty good… I pass this sample of his most recent work along with good wishes of Christmas blessings.  Enjoy!

Christmas -

You can hear it in the ringing of bells
And the soundest of stories
You can see it in the way the snow falls
And the way the world is full of light
It is the magic all around us
From the stories of brighter stars
And the idea that maybe
Reindeer can fly in December
And magic hats can bring cold men to life

Right now,
There are some wrapping gifts to give
And others are lighting candles
All the while
The saints are outside singing
Of the Messiah
Of God here with us
Of wishing you a merry Christmas
And maybe we could join them

But it is a silent night
And baby,
It’s cold outside
So stay awhile
Stay here in the warmth
Of vivid lights and winter memories
And remember that the breath of heaven
Exists just beyond us
Just beyond the firelight
Where the smoke billows out of chimneys
And where Nicholas watches and waits
For us to fall asleep
With dreams of sugarplums dancing

And remember that faith
Is something that keeps us warm
And keeps our spirits merry
So deck the halls
And let it snow
Because I have heard
That there are saviors born
Under bright stars in Bethlehem stables
Meant to bring peace to all of us

And right now,
There are living nativities
And children rockin’ around evergreen trees
All the while
There are angels in the sky singing
Gloria
Of the messiah
Singing of joy
And maybe we should listen

‘Cause it’s a holy night
So remember Jacob Marley
And the little drummer boy
And remember the truth of the Christmas story
That it’s a wonderful life
And that if Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree
Taught us anything
It is that a little love, can make us grow
So let it snow, let it snow
Let it snow.

Friday Remix: Redemption Drama

The woman was not a “penitent.”  She was terrified and certain she was going to die a gruesome death. She most likely pleaded for her life and promised not to do “it” again. But repentant? Not hardly.

She is dragged, kicking and fighting and probably nude, to the feet of the rabbi.

Her “captors” – all men - are cocky and confident. If they didn’t have to drag this naked, spitting, screaming woman they would be swaggering or doing a George Jefferson-style strut. “This deal is airtight,” they think. “He’ll trip himself up this time and we’ll have him right where we want him…”

The woman is being dragged to what she knows is a death sentence. Wide-eyed, wild-eyed, stomach-churning fear wraps itself around her unable to replace her missing clothes.

The men rush to vindication and victory. Soon the troublemaking teacher will be out of their hair and the status quo will be restored. Glee is the order of the moment.

They are all stopped cold by the Master.

“Rabbi, we caught her red handed… in “the act,” if you know what we mean (and we think you do)… Moses said we could stone women like her. What do you say?”

The Master says…nothing. Instead, he stoops down and begins to write in the dirt. We’re not told what he writes. There is much speculation – the names and/or sins of the men, the law they were referring to. Whatever he writes, it has no affect on the crowd. They keep asking, “What do you say? C’mon, tell us what you think we should do?”

The Master stands up and brushes the dirt from his hands. “The sinless one among you can throw the first rock.”  Not quite what they expected. The mental calculations begin, as the Master stoops again to write in the sand.

“Well, I can’t throw a rock – that guy over there knows that I…”

Rocks are dropped like they’re hot, and one by one, the men suddenly remember urgent tasks, appointments, and important responsibilities that require them to be anywhere but here.

The Master and the woman are alone.  She’s not sure what to expect, doesn’t know she’s in the presence of the only man qualified to throw a stone at her. But instead of a rock, he throws her a lifeline. “Where are your accusers?” the Master inquires. “They’re gone,” she replies. “I’m not going to punish you,” the Master declares, “Go, and pursue a life free from sin.”

The blunt force grace of the Master’s statement hits me hard.  I have lived two roles in this little drama.

I have been brash and self-righteous, confident that God was on my side in the fight and was in fact holding my coat.  I have put on the judge’s robes, ignoring the ill-fit as I pronounced certain judgment on those who surely deserved it.

The Master’s words have stung me. “If you’re sinless, go ahead, pass sentence and carry out the punishment.”

And I have been naked and terrified, exposed in my sin for all to see. I have been convinced that this was the last straw, all the Master could stand from me. I have been sure that the stones were about to fly.

The Master’s words have soothed me, saved me. “No condemnation. Go, and don’t sin anymore.”

We need both the words that expose our judgmental folly and the words that heal and forgive. It is the truth of our sordid condition and the liberating reality of our salvation that gives us hope.

A ragamuffin reminder

Wow… I was going through some old files a little while ago, and I found a paper I had typed up a few years ago – I had to study it a few minutes before I realized what it was… It is something I had adapted from Brennan Manning’s book, “The Ragamuffin Gospel.”

It was one of those handful of books that have caused a profound shift in my entire life. It fell into my hands when we were in the middle of a church plant that was crashing and burning. The combination of the simple truths and beautifully told stories was used by God to do a tremendous work of healing in my heart. I have read and re-read it, bought it for people and recommended it to others. Frankly, the book is one of a handful of factors that are responsible for me still being in the ministry instead of pursuing corporate success in northwest Arkansas…

What I adapted was from Manning’s “A Word Before” at the very beginning of the book – My paper begins:

This is the kind of pastor I want to be and the kind of church I want to lead…

…not for the super-spiritual.
…not for muscular Christians who have made John Wayne and not Jesus their hero.
…not for academicians who would imprison Jesus in an ivory tower of exegesis.
…not for “feel-good” folks who would manipulate Christianity into a naked appeal to emotion.
…not for hooded mystics who want magic in their religion.
…not for “Alleluia” Christians who live only on the mountaintop and have never visited the valley of desolation.
…not for the fearless and tearless.
…not for the red-hot zealots who boast with the rich, young ruler: “All these commandments I have kept from my youth.”
…not for the complacent, with their tote-bag full of honors, diplomas, and good deeds, and who actually believe they have it made.
…not for legalists who surrender control of their souls rather than run the risk of living in union with Jesus.

But for…

…the bedraggled, beat up, and burned out.
…the burdened who are constantly shifting their heavy suitcase form one hand to the other.
…the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don’t have it all together.
…inconsistent, unsteady disciples.
…poor, weak, sinful men and women with faults and limited talents.
…earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay.
…the bent and bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God.
…smart people who know they are stupid, and honest disciples who admit they’re good-for-nothings.
…myself, and anyone else who has grown weary and discouraged along the way.

Mostly Manning’s words, but my thoughts – then and now.

Sunday Replay 12.07.08

This is some kind of record – the latest Sunday replay I’ve ever done… 

Seems like every family I know has someone with some kind of sickness – strep, flu, sinus and ear infections, plain old colds – yucky stuff just making the rounds.  That’s one reason we ended up with only half of our worship band on the stage.  But you know what guys?  You totally pulled it off!  I know you felt a little out of whack – but in this case, our basis for comparison is not where we want to be, but where we’ve come from.  This time last year?  CD’s.  So hold your heads up – you are doing an awesome job!

We kicked off our “Joy to the World: Unwrapping the True Gift of Christmas” message series talking about the total lack of bad news on that night so long ago.  We are predisposed to expect bad news – especially when it is coming from someone in authority – but when God interacted with our world the day Jesus was born, it was not to bring bad news, shame, or guilt.  He brought good news of great joy to ALL people.  The gospel is not just for “good” people… or church people… or consistent people – it’s for those of us whose cheese is sliding off our cracker (thanks to Brennan Manning for that word picture).  The bottom line of the Christmas Story is God saying to us: “Don’t be afraid, I am pleased with you.”  When we embrace that message, everything changes.

I’m pumped about our Second Saturday community service project this week!  This is a great opportunity to get involved in giving and serving by helping others.  Bring your children and make service a way of life in your family!  This month we will be working on our Community Christmas Baskets. Every year we prepare Christmas gift baskets for needy families in our community.  Second Saturday volunteers will shop, help assemble, and deliver the baskets to the families we are helping.  See you Saturday morning!

We’re offering a lower level of activity this holiday season – even our children’s program is a “one rehearsal” deal.  Yes, it was a deliberate decision to take some “stuff” out of  Christmas, and hopefully allow everyone to break the hectic, crazy cycle that seems to start spinning this time of year.  This year, relax some… skip a party… make one or two less batches of goodies… and instead, enjoy some extra moments of connecting with your spouse, children, and friends.

We’ve got some exciting things stacking up for next year – some changes to the worship service… some upgrades and improvements in several areas of our building… some challenging and potentially transforming messages and message series.  2009 could almost certainly go down as a pivotal year in our church’s history and mission to this community.  We are going to change the world from this corn field!  Don’t miss a minute of it!

Have a great week!

How to make the BCS not suck…

Why is the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A ) the only intercollegiate sport that does not have a tournament/playoff that determines a national champion?  Almost everyone agrees that the BCS is a complete mess.  But I think I have found a way to make it work.  Greater minds than mine have given this a shot but here goes…

• Eliminate all bye weeks, standardize the schedules at 11 games
• Mandate that the regular season ends the 2nd Saturday in November
• Use the 3rd Saturday for conference championship games if necessary (though they largely become superfluous as the plan progresses)
• Use the BCS ranking system to determine the top 32 teams in the nation
• Seed the teams by region, and tournament play begins the Saturday after Thanksgiving
• By the end of the day on the third Saturday of December, we’re down to 2 teams and…
• they meet up on New Year’s Day for the Championship.

Keep the the existing bowls, but now they become playoff games, and because I’m a college football hyper-traditionalist, rotate the Championship among the “old school” bowls – Sugar, Rose, Cotton, and Orange.

It’s simple, and only adds 1 or 2 games to most schools - Most schools already play 12 games and a bowl game – this plan would add 1 game for 32 schools, 2 games for 16 schools, and you get the idea.

It would work.

A pain in the neck

Wow… Seems like I blinked my eyes and it’s been a week since I blogged…

For one thing I’ve been hurting – Saturday I developed some kind of strange pain in the back of my neck.  It hurt to swallow; Couldn’t raise my chin or turn my head to either side.  Couldn’t open my mouth wide enough to eat much; I was producing unusual amounts of eyeball snot.  (OK, I made that last one up…)

By Sunday night it was impossible to sleep, so I headed out to the chiropractor’s office on Monday.  That’s always fun and a little surreal…

Dr. Bones: OK, I’m going to start with #6 – that’s the most common source of problems… (He grabs my chin and the back of my head and gives it a jerk.)

Me:  Aaaaaayeeeee!

Dr. Bones: Let’s try it in the other way direction – just relax…

Me: Yeeeeeoooowww!

Dr. Bones: Hmmm… did that hurt?

Me: Yeah – did the screams and the tears give it away?

He cracked my back in a couple of places, massaged my neck so hard my eyeballs bulged out, and gave me a treatment with a device that felt like a rapid-fire series of charley-horse punches to the back of the neck.

Doc concluded that I was having muscle spasms and recommended a couple days of intermittent moist heat.  I tried to convince Vic that I also needed regular neck rubs from a loving companion, but she didn’t buy it at all.

Anyway, today I feel much better, pretty close to 100%…  And I’d lose my “preacher’s cred” if I didn’t find some kind of spiritual/philosophical point in all of it…

My pain was quite localized, but my entire body felt the effects.  That’s because the head leads the body, and when the head isn’t leading, or is incapable of leading, the body doesn’t function well – the simplest tasks become monumentally difficult.   Sometimes leadership is a pain in the neck…