A Lighted Path

To The Limit

2010-02-18T07:46:00.002-07:00

The Olympics are in full swing and I am loving it. The Winter games only roll around once every four years so I get a little excited when it comes time to watch events like bobsledding, the skeleton, snowboard cross, and...yes...even curling.

Last night was the much anticipated women's downhill where USA skier Lindsey Vonn took home the gold. What a phenomenal skier! Even with a couple of mistakes and rough patches, she hits the turns with such amazing speed that she still posted the best time and stood atop the podium to receive the gold medal.

One of her best friends is the German skier, Maria Riesch, who was the final skier to run that could beat Lindsey's time. Unfortunately, the two skiers before Maria took brutal falls that (praise God) they were able to walk away from. Since Maria is the only person to have beaten Vonn in the World Cup there was much anticipation going into her run.

However...something interesting happened. Riesch skied very conservatively. She stood up tall on her skies rather than crouching low for maximum speed through the turns. She seemed hesitant. She seemed reserved. It seemed like she wanted nothing to do with contesting Vonn's speed.

I thought long and hard about the two runs. Riesch's run was much safer than Vonn's...but Vonn got the prize. Vonn took her run to the limit, testing the edge as well as her already injured right shin. She ran the race with courage, with determination, and without fear.

Sometimes the race that we run (our Christian journey) is much like taking a run at the downhill. It is scary. It is frightening. And sometimes, we have seen too many people before us take some nasty spills. I just hope that along the way...I find the courage to run the race on the edge and without fear. To run for the prize that has been laid up for me.

As time passes on the hill

2008-09-23T07:09:00.004-06:00

July 24th. That was the last time I posted on my blog. My how time flies by.

Speaking of time...I just turned 29 years old. Now...first of all...I know that 29 is not old. However, I did discover that I am aging. I think it finally hit me. I have always acted...well...more immature than my age suggested I should but have never noticed any problems with that. That is...until last week.

My family and I took a vacation to go camping at the Warren Dunes in Michigan (where I spent many vacations growing up). It was a beautiful week. One in which we hiked, went to the beach, etc. One day we even hiked over 6 miles up and down hills. Melissa had a backpackers pack on with all the beach stuff and I have Maggie on my back. Yet, we still made the trek without any major problems. After that...I still felt young and fresh.

The problem came when I attempted to go down one of the sand dunes. You see, when I was little we used to run down the hill as fast as we could. Many times the only way to stop was to fall down and roll through the sand at the bottom. As I started down the hill I noticed very quickly that my knees really did not want to do it. At least not like I used to.

It was this moment that I noticed that I had grown up. I was no longer the young kid that would spend all his time running up and down that hill. I am 29 years old. I am married. I have a child. I have a full-time job. I have responsibilities and stresses. Things just aren't like they used to be. And...I think a part of me died. I was bummed that I would never be that person again. The care-free child that could run up and down any hill whenever he wanted without a concern in the world.

I grew up with this as the greatest place in the world. It was my favorite place to go. And...my favorite thing to do there was to run down this hill. Now...I stood just a short distance from the top...hit with the realization that I will probably never run like that down this hill again. Standing there...looking down the hill I had spent so much time on...a part of me died that day.

That all happened on day one. No one else was around. I had just taken off to climb the hill that evening because I missed it so much and I left a part of me there. But a funny thing happened over the rest of the week.

That week I began to notice something. I was sharing with my wife and child the place that I had loved for so many years. I had a chance to tell all the stories of all that had happened over the years with my family. My family! Suddenly I realize that I have grown up and I was a new man.

You see...I always wanted to be just like my dad. I made life decisions and moves to be like him. Over this week...as I looked at my family I realized that while we are still very different...we have the greatest thing in common. We have families. I have a little girl to share things like the Warren Dunes with. I have a daughter I can show how to pick a good walking stick for hiking. I have a sweet angel of a child who will learn from me like I learned from my dad.

So...this week a lot of me died. Sure...I still act more immature and childish than my age would suggest...but that won't change. But...with death comes life. And I guess...after all of this...I see a little more clearly what it means to die to myself.

I recall the words from the Gospel of Luke that state, "If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)

If we want to become something more (in my story...a father, a husband, a man) we have to, in a way, die to ourselves. We have to do away with our "childish ways" as Paul puts it and life into something else.

It is all about being transformed. Transformed into something more...something better...something new. As we seek to follow Christ...it is the same story. We want to be like Him and we strive to live as He lived. However...if we truly want this to happen...we have to be willing to do away with some of those 'old' things.

So...I will never sprint down that hill again. But...that is okay. Because I get to share it with my little girl...and that is far greater than anything else.

In the same way...I will never go out and do the things I did in College. But...that is okay. Because I get to share Jesus Christ with my little girl...and that is far greater than anything else.

Settled

2008-07-24T12:09:00.001-06:00

Well...it has been a while since I posted last. And...it will be a little longer yet. However, we are settled in (for the most part) and have been really busy at Mt Etna. We are in a great church with amazing people. God has truly blessed us with the gift of a great community of believers who hope to see God work in amazing ways. So, until things slow down (which...in all honesty...I hope it takes a while...because things are great) blessings to you all.

Second Chance

2008-06-16T08:32:00.002-06:00

My family and I were blessed by our Sunday School class as they sent us off with a picnic. We will be leaving in a short two weeks and they wanted to have a get-together...to thank us I guess. But...the reality is...we should thank them.

We were welcomed into the class from day one. They were friendly and receptive of us both...and when Maggie was born we were REALLY accepted. There were bumps and bruises along the way at times...but those are good.

Toward the end of the picnic someone thanked me for giving them a second chance. You see...we had certainly not gotten off to a good start with one another. He saw me as sitting in my ivory tower...while I...in all honesty...saw him the same way. I believe there is truth to perceptions. Whether I or he wanted to admit it...we probably in some sense came across that way somehow. The shocking thing to me was when I received a message via email from this person who stated...bluntly...that he did not care for me.

I was shocked. How could someone say something like this? Some Christian he was, I thought. However, as time progressed...I began to respect what he did. You see...too often we hold back from revealing what we truly feel. We reserve our emotions and hesitate to be honest with one another. Accountability is an important part of Christianity...and sometimes...that means being honest. Why is it that this is so hard for most people? The answer: because it is not "nice". We are taught to be nice...not honest. We are taught that if we can't say something nice don't say anything at all...not honesty.

Is our relationship perfect now? I don't know. I could probably be better but distance and schedules (and gas prices) made it difficult to attend the men's lunches and really invest in building a relationship. I wish I had more time over the past few months...and more money for gas. Then I would have been able to make more of an effort. Because I know now that this person is a good man. But what I really learned is that I would probably have never known that about him if he never told me that he did not care for me because I am not sure I would have had the honesty to do the same. So...the reality is that we both probably needed a second chance...and I think that is what we got from one another. And...it all started with honesty.

Stole-n

2008-05-21T12:42:00.006-06:00

Next week I will be honored to kneel before God and be commissioned in the United Methodist Church (North Indiana Conference) by our bishop. I am humbled by the opportunity, by the realization of where God has taken us, and by the fear-filled, eager anticipation of what lies ahead.

This will also be the first time I will wear my clergy robe (other than seeing how good I look in our mirror). Those of us being commissioned were told that we need to have our robes but a stole will not be necessary. I wondered at this statement as I was unaware that one would even wear a stole for such an occasion.

I attended the ordination ceremony a couple of years ago for my friend/mentor. When he was ordained, he received a stole. He received a stole for a reason. A stole is a symbol of one's ordination...therefore...if one is not ordained they should not wear one.

Is it that one is not worthy of wearing a stole until they are ordained? Maybe. Once commissioned, you are placed on "probationary membership". To be put crudely, this means that the UMC is watching you to make sure you are fit and prepared for ordained elder status. Therefore, I ask the question again. Is one worthy of wearing a stole before they are ordained?

According to the United Methodist Church...the answer is no. "The stole is a sign of ordination, and it is placed on the shoulders of elders and deacons at ordination. The stole should be worn only by the ordained clergy." (http://www.gbod.org/worship/default_body.asp?act=reader&item_id=1768 Copyright © 2000-2003 The General Board of Discipleship.)

Yet...many people who are not ordained continue to wear a stole even though the are not "worthy". Maybe "worthy" is a strong term...then again...maybe not. There is something to be said for what God has done in the lives of those who have been ordained. And...if that is the case...I find it is important to pay my respects toward those individuals by not adorning myself with the symbol that has been placed on them. If I do...doesn't it devalue what the stole means? Or have we already devalued what the stole stands for?

Good...Grief...Good Grief

2008-04-22T19:14:00.008-06:00

Children grow. It is a plain and simple truth of life. A little under 8 months ago, as you know, Melissa and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl. Over the 8 months, we have seen her grow and advance through the stages of development. Now she is crawling...or should I say...trying to skip crawling?

Maggie has always been strong. She has been able to support her own weight on her feet for...well, as long as I remember. since she has been able to crawl she has been pulling herself to her feet. This is awfully early as far as I am concerned.

This is all very good. We enjoy the fact that she is advanced in pretty much all areas of her development. I am not saying she is a genius...well...yes I am. I am a proud father...I can do that. I love the fact that she is growing up. I love the fact that she is developing and learning new things. It is exciting. (By the way...she just sat up on her own for the first time tonight. How exciting!)

But...you know...when I see her do these things like crawl, pull herself up, talk, etc. I begin to feel something else. It is a little depressing. I remember the first time I saw her crawl across the floor without stopping. I felt as though I lost something...something special...something I will never get back. And...I did. I lost my little girl. The little girl who could only get to her knees and rock. But...when she did that...I lost the little girl that couldn't even get onto her knees. It goes all the way back to the first time I held her in my arms. Through the tears in my eyes I saw Magdalene Rae Johnson. My daughter. My child. The center of my world...in my arms. In a way...as she grows up, I continually lose that. It is a sense of grief.

So, things are good. She is developing better than average. It is exciting...it is joyful...it is good. But it is also sad. It is depressing to see your little girl grow and realize that she will never be that little girl who stared up at me that first day, laying her eyes on her daddy for the first time. But, it is a grief that we seek because we want her to grow and learn and develop.

In the end...maybe Charlie Brown had it right. Maybe it is not good. Maybe it is not grief. Maybe in the midst of a cartoon that has entertained for generations is found the term that best describes the feelings of a fairly new father who loves his daughter more than the world will ever know and struggles to find the words to express these emotions. "Good grief!"

This is the Great Life that God has Given Us.

2008-03-25T18:58:00.008-06:00

As I read my wife's post about Maggie and her first Easter (which you can read at http://miamidolfans.blogspot.com/) I noticed something that made me really think. Toward the conclusion of her post, Melissa said that, "this is the great life that God has given us."

As I read this I could not help but think about Easter. Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is through this great miracle that we were given the gift of eternal life. Life...a gift from God. But, it is important to note that she said it was a "great" life. This is the point in which I realized that we have been residing in Easter for the past six months.

Often times in referring to those who are grieving, we speak of what day they are experiencing. They could be experiencing the pain and loss of Good Friday, the wilderness that is Saturday, or they could be experiencing the hope that is found on Easter Sunday. As we celebrate Lent and Easter, we walk a journey in this way. This year I feel as though we, meaning Melissa and I, simply skipped Good Friday and Saturday and proceeded right to Easter. Allow me to explain.

It all started on September 5th, 2007. It was this evening that Melissa informed me that she was having contractions that were five minutes apart. For those of you who do not know...this means that you are close to the point of going to the hospital. We left that evening to go to Central Baptist and would return a couple of days later, never to return to life as we knew it before.

We came home with the most beautiful, happy, precious little girl in the world. The level of pride that we have in Magdalene and all that she has done since then is tremendous. I cannot begin to tell you how much she has taught us about God...and how much we love her. She is the single greatest thing that has ever happened to us. She has done nothing but strengthen our marriage and our family. God definately blessed us with this child and through her...we have experienced Easter.

On February 24th, I had my commissioning interviews with the Board of Ordained Ministry. It was a nerve-racking experience that created much stress and doubt in my mind. I was worried as the North Indiana Conference has had more pastors than they have had appointments. When I returned home that evening, I recieved a call informing me that I had indeed been approved for commissioning. This means that Melissa can stay at home while I serve as a pastor of a local church because an appointment is guaranteed for those who are commissioned. God blessed us in this news and through this...we have experienced Easter.

Approximately one month later, I recieved a phone call from my DS. I was told it was extremely early to find out...but nonetheless...I was informed that the Bishop had appointed me to a local church as the lead pastor. Needless to say, we were thrilled. Finally, we could see what we have been striving toward for quite some time now. God has blessed us with an appointment and through this...we have experienced Easter.

All of these things made it difficult to really place myself into a "Lenten" state of mind. The reality is that we have been in Easter for quite some time now. And...I am not entirely sure that I will ever be able to really experience Lent like I used to. Each day I have the wonderful opportunity to hug and kiss Magdalene. And each time that she looks at me and smiles from ear to ear when I come home...or for that matter...simply enter the room, I experience Easter all over again. In that I see hope...I see love...I see Christ.

But...I guess I have to remember...we live on this side of the resurrection. We are celebrating the Easter joy continuously. Do we have to really experience Lent in a particular way? I don't think so. Because, in the midst of Lent we understand what Christ did for us. We observe the dark day of Good Friday and the wilderness of Saturday. However, unlike those who stood near the cross like Mary Magdalene...we know what is to come. There is hope...there is joy...there a peace in knowing that we are loved.

So, I guess, each time God blesses us with something like an appointment or the beautiful smile of a little girl...we can always rest in knowing that, "this is the great life that God has given us."

She's Everything

2008-03-07T07:25:00.003-07:00

As I am no poet...there are times that you hear the lyrics to a song that seem to speak words that you couldn't find on your own. Maybe it is because I have not tapped into my semantic reservoir. Or, maybe it is because I am not talented at poetry. I like to think it is the latter.

In any regard...as I drove down the road the other day I heard a song I had heard a number of times before. This time it was different. I think it was because I was on my way to a job in the evening while my wife and daughter were at home. I really am not a fan of being gone in the evening because that is my time with my family...and that is extremely important to me. So, as I drove toward Lexington I guess I was slightly bummed that I was headed north rather than heading south toward home. The song came on, the one I had heard many times before, but this time it spoke a little differently to me. I guess for the first time I actually took the time to listen to the words and understood that the lyrics were really my own.

Brad Paisley - She's Everything

She's a yellow pair of running shoes
A holey pair of jeans
She looks great in cheap sunglasses
She looks great in anything
She's I want a piece of chocolate
Take me to a movie
She's I can't find a thing to wear
Now and then she's moody

She's a Saturn with a sunroof
With her brown hair a-blowin
She's a soft place to land
And a good feeling knowing
She's a warm conversation
That I wouldn't miss for nothing
She's a fighter when she's mad
And she's a lover when she's loving

[Chorus]
And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
I talk about her, I go on and on and on
because she's everything to me

She's a Saturday out on the town
And a church girl on Sunday
She's a cross around her neck
And a cuss word 'cause its Monday
She's a bubble bath and candles
Baby come and kiss me
She's a one glass of wine
And she's feeling kinda tipsy

She's the giver I wish I could be
And the stealer of the covers
She's a picture in my wallet
Of my unborn children's mother
She's the hand that I'm holding
When I'm on my knees and praying
She's the answer to my prayer
And she's the song that I'm playing

[Repeat chorus]

She's the voice I love to hear
Someday when I'm ninety
She's that wooden rocking chair
I want rocking right beside me
Everyday that passes
I only love her more
Yeah, she's the one
That I'd lay down my own life for

And she's everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me
Yeah she's everything to me

Everything I ever wanted
And everything I need
She's everything to me
Yeah shes everything to me
everything to me

Appointed!

2008-03-02T20:21:00.002-07:00

Well...it happened. On Tuesday, I received the phone call I have been waiting for. My District Superintendent called. When I returned the call, he gave me the number to my new DS because the Bishop had appointed me to a church in his district. Just a couple of days later, Melissa, Maggie, and myself were headed for Indiana to meet with the SPRC (Staff Parish Relations Committee). After meeting with them...it was official. Starting in July, I will be the Senior Pastor of Mt. Etna United Methodist Church in Indiana.

It feels good knowing where we are going...and...at the same time...it is terrifying. After years of waiting, I have met some of the over one hundred people that I will be ministering too. The task is so daunting, yet so exciting. Thankfully, just as God has gotten us through this journey, he will lead us through the new season in our lives that begins in just a few short months.

Below is a picture taken from Google Maps (I looked up Mt Etna, Indiana). The picture shows the church property just west of "town" (I use "town" loosely because there are more people in the church than there are in the town). They built the church in 2005, and from the looks of the picture, it too was created in 2005. Picture a pond between the church and highway 9...and some grass...and you have the church. From all of the Johnsons (even Maggie)...God is good.

I Hope...

2008-02-13T11:08:00.006-07:00

As I have stated before, having a daughter has completely changed my life. Since day one people have continually asked the question...'who does she look like?' Well...we have found that it really just depends on who you ask. If you ask Melissa's side of the family, she is a spitting image of Melissa. If you ask my side, she looks like me. But, I chalk both of those up to the fact that each side of the family has only watched one of us grow up. So...for a decision we must resort to the parents...that being us. And we say, she does not look like either of us. She is Magdalene Rae Johnson. Thank God she is not just like either of us. She is completely her own person and I praise God for that every day. She does not look like one of us in particular and she does not act like one of us in particular. She is a beautiful blend of both Melissa and myself.

With all of these questions, however, I have been compelled to think about who she is like (which there is little conclusion on anything about her) and who she will be like in the future. So, I have compiled a short list of what characteristics of us that I hope she picks up.

When she is challenged, I hope she fights like me.
When she is happy, I hope she laughs like mom.

At day, I hope she plays like me.
At night, I hope she sleeps like mom.

When it storms, I hope she is in awe like me.
When it snows on Christmas, I hope she rejoices like mom.

I hope she thinks about her beliefs like me.
I hope she holds to them like mom.

I hope she cheers for her team like me.
I hope she can let go like mom.

I hope she is emotional like me.
I hope she is strong like mom.

I hope she is encouraging like me.
I hope she cares for her loved ones like mom.

I hope she is proud of being American like me.
I hope she is proud of her ancestry like mom.

I hope she runs like me.
I hope she swims like mom.

I hope she hugs like me.
I hope she hugs like mom.

I hope she learns from her mistakes like me.
I hope she avoids mistakes like mom.

I hope she finds someone who loves her like me.
I hope she loves him like I am by her mom.

I hope she leads like me.
I hope she follows like mom.

I hope she stays up like me.
I hope she wakes up like mom.

I hope she forgives like me.
I hope she loves like mom.

But, most importantly, I hope when people look at her they don't see me or her mom...but Christ.

Commissioned!

2008-01-27T13:58:00.000-07:00

Over the course of August, September, and October, I spent a lot of time completing paperwork for my conference. After completing it all, I had to ship it to my registrar. 100's of pages and 150 staples later, it was complete and I could breath.

But, not for long. It was shortly after turning in all of this work that I was informed that things were tight in the North Indiana Conference and they may have to limit the number of people being commissioned. This was a bit nerve-racking. For those of you who don't know the UMC process, commissioning, in a nut-shell means a guaranteed full-time appointment and that Melissa would be able to stay at home with Maggie once we are placed in a church. This, needless to say, would be huge in giving us at least some security going into the future.

On Wednesday I met with the Board of Ordained Ministry for my interviews. The evening, we received the news of our blessing that I will be commissioned on May 31st of this year. What a blessing it is to know that even when we doubt ourselves and worry about our future, God is always encouraging, supporting, and providing. We truly do serve an amazing God.

I told you so.

2008-01-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Well...I hate to be the one to say it. No...that's not true! I love it! I was right! The Colts lost in the playoffs only to end in a disappointing fashion for all those who have been misled into cheering for them. I guess there is little to be said here other than. I told you so. (See previous post entitled "Not a Two Horse Race")

I wasn't the only one who predicted such a feat. (See previous post entitled "The Joy of Parenthood")

It has been a great playoff so far. The Chargers and Patriots are still in the mix. The Colts, Cowboys, and Steelers are all out. All things are looking good. And there is still more football to come.

The Joy of Parenthood

2008-01-12T01:38:00.000-07:00

Ah...what a joy it is to see that your child is growing up right. It warms my heart to see such a beautiful and wonderful sight. ;)

What did I tell you? Simply marvelous!!

An Intense Focus

2008-01-08T07:16:00.000-07:00

You know...having a daughter is probably the most humbling and amazing circumstance that I have ever had in my life. From day one she has captivated my heart and all of my attention. She is by far the most important person in my life. I always thought after meeting Melissa that I could love no one more than I love her. I don't know if it is that I love Magdalene more (I hate saying that I love any human more than my wife) or if it is just different. I think the safe way to go is to say that I love them differently. In saying that I avoid the false connotation that I do not love Melissa as much as I do. I mean...seriously...I would die for either one of them in the blink of an eye.

There is just something different with Maggie. I can't really put my finger on it. Maybe it is the fact that she is really the amazing result of the love that Melissa and I have. Maybe it is that every time I look at Magdalene...I see her mother. Maybe it is that every time I look at Magdalene and see how happy she is I see how happy we are. Maybe it is that every time I hear her I am breathless and in awe of the miraculous blessing that God has placed in our lives. Maybe...just maybe...when I look in her beautiful eyes I find myself looking at the majesty of God.

Over the past four months, I have learned a lot about God. Most of the time this comes from the emotions and revelations I have when I consider and understand my relationship to her. But over the past couple of weeks, Magdalene has taught me something new. It is not about how God feels about us or how much he loves us. This time it is about how we relate to God. It is a lesson about the relationship from the side of the sinner.

Like always, Maggie has been doing this thing that melts my heart every time. It can happen at pretty much any time. She will stare. She will sit in her mother's lap or in the corner of the couch and stare. The lesson that I found is in what she stares at. She stares at me. I mean right at me. There is no question what she is looking at. She does not blink. She does not turn away. She is intently focused on my face. As if she is trying to see into my soul...she just stares. I have tried on a number of occasions to have a staring contest...but she always wins. She is good.

She just sits there and is intensely focused on her father's face. It makes me think about how we too should be focused on our Father's face. The face is the reflection of one's character and their personality. We do not judge people's personality by their feet or their hands...but rather by their face. Throughout Scripture the face of God is used in a way to signify the presence of God or the character of God. This is not always the case...but sometimes to refer to the face of God is to refer to the presence and character of God.

We do well to intensely focus on our Father. To look into His face is to understand who He is and learn from Him. As Maggie focuses on me, she will also try to mimic the movements of my mouth and the sounds if I exaggerate them for her. She is learning from me because she is focused on me. How often is it that we are in a position to look into the face of God but fail to do so. All we have to do is turn away from whatever it is that is taking our time and turn our heads toward Him. Who knows...maybe we will learn something. Maybe we will become more like Him because we will begin to mimic His character and His personality. Maybe, a mere child can teach us all something about our relationship to our Father and how we should interact with Him. It is not enough to simply glance at our Father. Instead, our focus on our Father should be one of intensity and determination...where we do not blink.

Not a two horse race!

2008-01-03T16:25:00.000-07:00

I found it interesting as I was in Indiana over the holiday that the hatred for the New England Patriots is so strong. The Colts' pseudo-fan contingent makes assertions such as..."they are cheaters," or "their coach is a jerk," or "they run the score up on people. That is the only reason Brady broke the record." Ah...the joy I get from hearing such fallacious arguments. It makes me chuckle. For one...it is clear by the way the patriots got to 16-0 that any cheating on their part would be unnecassary and pointless. No cheating would enable them to do what they did. Secondly, get over the fact that Coach B. keeps to himself and does not seem to like shaking hands after a game. Thirdly...Tom Brady just complete what could be considered the single greatest season for a quarterback...ever! This is coming from someone who is a dedicated Dan Marino supporter, who before this year held that honor. Tom Brady's breaking of the TD record was momentous and far greater than the 49 that the QB for Indy threw for in 2004. Which, oddly enough, if you watched that season, one would see that they too "ran the score up" on opponents. So yes, Tom Brady's record is just as "legit" as the QB in Indy's was. Besides, Marino's 48 was a greater accomplishment than 49 in 2004...and there is good support for such a view. Trust me.

It seems that the entire focus in the minds of those who support Indy for now...while they are winning...is on New England. However, we do well to remember that in the AFC playoffs are 6 good teams. All of which could beat anyone else. I would say the weakest is probably the Titans. So, if we toss them out, we are left with the Chargers, the Steelers, the Jags, the Colts, and the Patriots. I would not want to face either of these teams in the playoffs. They are all dangerous...and they can all beat each other. During my trip to Indiana, however, I hear countless people tell me that Indy would go to New England and end their unbeaten streak. For your sake...I hope that the Colts aren't thinking that. Because most likely, they will be playing San Diego first...who beat Indy in the regular season after handing the game to Indy on a silver platter. Apparently Indy did not know how to take it...because they tossed that game away.

It is much too easy to look forward too far. We can look at where we want to be but forget that we have to take ourselves there. We must first have victory "A" before we can ever have victory "B". Maybe it is time that Colt fans stop hating New England. At least stop lying about why you hate them. You don't hate them because they cheat, or because of their attitudes, or because they run the score up. You don't even hate them because they are good. You hate them because they are better. And that stings.

A New Day

2007-12-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

It is official. A new day is upon us where children rejoice and men weep with joy. A day that brings great happiness and jubilation. A day that will forever be etched in the minds and hearts of all who are living. The Miami Dolphins have been victorious. They have defeated the Baltimore Ravens. Let's hear it now...three cheers for the Phins. Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!

Indeed, the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers retain their sole claim to the only winless season. Pop the cork on the champagne! You can celebrate once again Buc fans...you don't have to share the record books with anyone!

As the Dolphins awaited a Matt Stover (Ravens) field goal attempt in overtime you could feel what was going to happen. You see the Phins have lost 6 games by three points. 6 games! That means there have been 6 games that the Phins almost won. As Stover, who is a pretty clutch kicker, lined up...you just knew that this would be number 7. But, to our great ecstasy...he missed. We had another shot.

A couple plays later Cleo Lemon hit Greg Camarillo with a short pass and Greg proceeded to sprint to the goal line for a 64 yard TD! The Phins win! The Phins win! Going into the game on Sunday, Camarillo had only caught one ball for 2 yards. The only time his name was ever really mentioned in the post-game comments before was in regards to a holding penalty that brought back a Ted Ginn Jr. kick return for a touchdown. They lost that game by three points.

In Miami...and the hearts of Dolfans everywhere, Camarillo is a hero. I guess you could say that he is the savior of the Dolphins season. A receiver who no one expected would change the game as he did. The defense accounted for the speed of Ginn and the strength of Booker. They even took care of Martin. They didn't however account for what an unknown receiver who after leaving Stanford, was not recruited. If you watch the play...you can see that the safety did not respect his abilities. He was too worried about the other guys.

The defense was watching for something. They were watching for many things. They thought the "savior" would be Ginn or Booker. Never did they think it would be Camarillo. But it was. And, they were not ready for it.

It sounds a little like people waiting for a savior that fit their paradigm of what a savior should be. The Bible depicts many people doing the same thing. They were looking for a king or a warrior. Anything...but certainly not a child...born in a manger...to a family that was not of royalty. A boy that would grow up to reject the idea that a savior had to be a warrior or a king. He was who He was...the unexpected expected one.

The moral of the story? Well...the Dolphins win!!!!!! That was pretty much my point...the rest were just rambles. Do with it what you wish.

No Fairweather Fans Here

2007-12-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

So, if you have not heard this before, my biggest pet-peeve is when someone is a fairweather fan. You can be a fan of any football team and you don't have to have any good reasons to be a fan...I mean...look at Colt fans. While I was in high school my frustration with fairweather fans developed. I even wrote an article about it in the school newspaper. Not many people liked the article because...I think...they knew I was talking about them.

Fairweather fans are those who only like a team when they are doing well. For instance...Colt fans. They are the ones that spurred the article in the first place. The year was 1995. Jim Harbaugh was the quarterback and the Colts were entering the playoffs. It was just four years earlier that the Colts went 1-15 for the season and just 8-8 in 1994. Things were different now. Not because they were in the playoffs...while that was different. No...things were different because there were fans! The Colts were winning and people were supporting them. I predicted that year in my article...I remember my words clearly..."When they lose...and they will lose...no one will care about the Colts anymore." Within 2 years the Colts' record was 3-13 and the fans were gone. They then drafted a quarterback from Tennessee and some fans began to pop up. Now they win games and there are fans again. Shocking! Many of these people grew up in the very area in which the Colts play...and they finally become fans when the team could be considered "winners". They never even acknowledged that the team was there before. What will happen, I wonder, when they struggle again like they did for so many years? Will the fans turn back to the Pacers...who they have bailed on...since they don't win like they used to?

If you can't tell or don't know, I don't like the Colts (if you don't know that...you don't know me very well). So imagine my frustration. All these fairweather fans watch their team win (who they have supported for a couple of years and claim that "I have always like the Colts") while I, who have remained a Dolphins fan since I was five years old am enduring a season that could end up 0-16...while I do not think it will.

People have asked me..."Why do you like the Dolphins? They suck!" My response...well...I guess it is loyalty. For me it is not about following a winner. That would be selfish on my part wouldn't it? I mean...do I really need a sports team to fulfill some void in my life of overcoming something or of being better than someone else? I hope not. I could always go cheer for the Patriots. They win. But...then I wouldn't be a fan. I would just be a passenger on the bandwagon waiting for the next one to drive by.

An article was recently posted on the Miami Herald's website about the Dolphin fans' viewing habits. Viewership is up. We have not won a game...but more people are watching than years past. Why is that? Because we are fans. We are not fickle. We are loyal. I am proud to be a Dolphins fan. Being a fan in a season like this provides some sort of ownership of my fandom. It is a season like this that builds a real fan...not a fairweather fan...not a Colt fan (I had to get one more jab in there).

Tomorrow I leave for Buffalo to attend the Dolphins vs. Bills game. Win or lose...I am still a Dolphins fan...just maybe a little more frustrated. So...enough with the questions on why I am still a Dolphins fan. Because...the question is really more telling of the asker's fandom than my response is of mine.

Magdalene's Balancing Act

2007-11-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

We have been extremely impressed with Magdalene's strength. Between holding her head up really well from week one to rolling over three months before she is "supposed to", we have come to see that she is a very strong little girl. Recently, I discovered that she will sit up in my hand. With a little bit of balancing on my part, she balances herself really well. All I have to do is make sure she does not jerk around and fall off. Check out the video of Maggie's balancing act. I am a proud father!

Hate Mongers

2007-11-03T14:36:00.000-06:00

I use the term hate mongers...only because it is the term that was used by ABC News...and I guess, like television I use it for sensationalism. Last night I saw two minutes of television that made my heart weep. You may have heard about Westboro Baptist Church (They are not actually associated with the Baptist denomination). They spend much of their time protesting funerals of fallen U.S. soldiers. The protests are not anti-war protests. What they are claiming is that the soldiers are evil because they fight for and support a nation that supports homosexuality.

The Church, started by Fred Phelps, consists of about 70 people or so...most of which are his extended family. They have protested numerous funerals over the past couple of years. They hit the news recently because they were ordered by the courts to pay around $11 million to a family who's sons funeral they protested at. They will appeal. The interesting thing is that they have hired got the ACLU to support them. This is slightly humorous to me. They protest soldiers and call them evil for fighting for a country that supports homosexuals...yet they are willing to employ the services of a group that spends much time doing the same thing.

Their signs say things like, "God hates you" or "God hates fags" or "Fags die, God laughs". Their message, while sounding harsh and...well...mean, is seen as kind by those who preach it. They feel that it is a message that needs to be spread all across the world. And...from the sounds of it they will continue to spread this false gospel.

I think this group can easily be considered a cult. At the very least...they are not preaching the Gospel message that we call Christian. However...like many cults, they too claim to get their message from the Scriptures.

I mentioned before that this two minutes of programming made my heart weep. The real reason that my heart wept was because of how they are raising their children. The segment of the news program that I observed was focused on the children. They protest too. The mother was arrested, in fact, because she allowed her ten year old son to trample an American flag at a protest.

These children are so young (some younger than ten). And...they are brainwashed. Here are some excerpts from the interview (you can find the entire story on abcnews.go.com/2020):

"They just want to kill us pretty much," said 8-year-old Noah Phelps-Roper, one of Shirley's 11 children. "Because we're preaching the message. … Because they don't like our message."

Ten-year-old Jonah Phelps-Roper says his favorite flag is one that says "Fags Doom Nations." "I like that sign," he said.

When asked what the word "fag" means, Jonah replied "A fag is someone … who … I can't really explain."

"A fag is someone who does not obey the word of God," said Noah.

What is not recorded in the transcript online (which was posted before the broadcast so not everything is there) is the final words in that conversation by Noah. He said..."A fag is someone who does not obey the word of God. A fag is like a Jew."

Wow. This breaks my heart. These poor kids don't even know what is meant by "fag" as their parents use it. They seem to have no idea. At the conclusion of the show a young girl...maybe two years old...sang a song. It was a song of hate. It spoke of God's wrath and how we are all going to hell.

I am left speechless and saddened at such a horrible reality. Is there a difference between them and the KKK, White Supremacy groups, Skinheads, etc.? I am troubled at the unfortunate fact that there are many funerals that people are seeing these protests...and that is their interaction with...well so-called Christians. Will they use the same brush to paint our churches as they use to paint Westboro? Will we be seen in the same light? Also...who will be the ones to reach out to the poor children who have been wrapped up in the hate and intolerance of their families?

My heart continues to weep, knowing that the name of Christ is being used in such a way. May this never be.

I know that the issues of homosexuality is a polarizing one. I do not wish to delve into this topic...only to say that I believe it is incompatible with Christian teaching. I do not believe, however, that our soldiers are being punished for our nations support of homosexuals.

Here is what I do believe. I believe that all people are made in the image of God. There is nothing about anyone that is beyond the redemptive work of Christ.

As we have two sides to this issue...the answer is not hate...nor is it blind tolerance or pluralism. We must, as the Body of Christ, find a way to love all people and speak truth. This is possibly the most difficult choice. It is much easier to enter into pluralism as to avoid the issue or begin to hate as this group has chosen. It is more difficult to love and speak truth in a loving way. But...this is the way of Christ...and therefore the way of the Body of Christ.

The Holy Church of...Blackjack?

2007-10-09T18:53:00.000-06:00

The Church should stand as the moral and obviously spiritual example to the world. As a prospective minister in the United Methodist Church, I commit myself to living by the highest ideals of a Christian lifestyle. All ministers in the UM Church take this pledge. As representatives of the Church it is important that we do this. This is important for all Christian denominations and groups. It just seems so obvious why this is important.

Last weekend, Jessamine County (in which I reside) had their yearly "Jessamine Jamboree". It is a fun time (I guess...I was not there). As I read the flyer listing the numerous events and activities taking place, something struck me as odd...and to be honest...disheartening.

The local Catholic Church was participating in the activities. I have heard recently that they brought in over $30,000 at their church. That is pretty good for two days of work. $15,000 a day is considered in most circles to be a good profit. However, the means by which this money came is what concerns me so much. What did they offer the people of Jessamine County you ask? Well...they sold beer and held Bingo, Texas Hold'em, and Poker events. They were not using fake money and the beer was not non-alcoholic.

Now...I am not up on Catholic theology to speak to their doctrines and dogmas in regard to drinking and gambling. I do know though how the United Methodist Church views these things...to which I am in full agreement.

Gambling - "Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government. As an act of faith and concern, Christians should abstain from gambling and should strive to minister to those victimized by the practice...The Church should promote standards of personal lifestyles that would make unnecessary and undesirable the resort to commercial gambling - including public lotteries - as a recreation, as an escape, or as a means of producing public revenues or funds for support of charities or government." - United Methodist Book of Discipline, Paragraph 163G.

Alcohol - "We affirm our long-standing support of abstinence from alcohol as a faithful witness to God's liberating and redeeming love for all persons." - UM BOD, Paragraph 162J.

I do not think, judging by the UMC's stance on these issues, that this would fly in our church. At least it shouldn't. This is not to say that the UMC is any better than any other Christian group but that all Christians should have these views.

Drinking is simply pointless and gambling is a poor use of finances which, as far as I am concerned, is against everything that Jesus taught about the use of financial resources. However, my thoughts are not the issue. The question is whether or not a church should promote and facilitate such activities.

It is probably clear by now that my answer to that would be a resounding...NO!! As an example of the things that could go wrong...I was told by someone who was there that a gentleman was talking to a young lady when another man approached him and informed the first gentleman that he was speaking to the wrong girl. Apparently they were an item. The second man told the first that he would be waiting for him. Following the first man's departure, the second man and a couple of his friends "jumped" the other man and beat him to the point that he was taken to the hospital. This all started at a drinking and gambling event at a church. But hey...they took in $30,000.

My biggest issue with this actually comes from Scripture. Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth, addresses the issue of food that has been sacrificed to idols. The question was...do we eat it? He responded by saying that the idols are false in the first place. They are, in effect, sacrificed to nothing. There is only one God...not many. But, as Paul says, not everyone knows that. Some people think that in eating the sacrificed meat they become defiled...because they are so used to idols. "But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do" (1 Cor. 8:8). There you have it. It does not matter because food sacrificed to a false god is no more than any other food. You may be wondering where I am going with this. Well...I think I am better off letting Paul make the point.

"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall." (1 Cor. 8:9-13)

Paul does not decide not to eat the meat because it was sacrificed to idols. That didn't matter to him. He decided not to eat the meat because it may hurt the faith of others. "The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ by proclaiming the good news of God's grace and by exemplifying Jesus' command to love God and neighbor, thus seeking the fulfillment of God's reign and realm in the world" (BOD, Paragraph 121). If this is our mission...and we are stumbling blocks to our brothers and sisters...we have to ask ourselves...are we paying attention to the right thing?

I think that Paul's message extends far beyond eating sacrificed meats or holding drinking and gambling events at church. Paul speaks to the heart and soul of everyone. If we are going to care more about Christ and His people then we should be willing to give up some things that will cause others to stumble. Whether it be drinking, gambling, stealing, cheating, fighting, swearing, or...$30,000...we do well to ensure that it does not get in the way of allowing the light of Christ shine through us. Otherwise...not only are we doing a dis-service to those around us...but aren't we also doing a dis-service to God?

A taste of the Divine

2007-09-12T14:36:00.000-06:00

Every once in a while, God gives humanity what I call a taste of the Divine. Sometimes these are grand movements in the Church, and sometimes they are simply moments in the personal experience of a servant of Christ. A couple of nights ago, I received a taste of the Divine through the heart of my wife.

Magdalene was having a rough night. She was little gassy but at the time, we did not know what was wrong. She has been absolutely perfect for us. She rarely ever cries and when she does it does not last for long. Feeding her did not work, nor did holding her against my chest, which works most of the time. We tried to burp her, but to no prevail.

It was a frustrating time for both of us. But, this is why we did not want people staying with us. We need to get through this stuff on our own.

As I sat on the floor of Magdalene's room, fretting over trying to determine what was wrong, Melissa came in and sat beside me. Eventually I passed Maggie over to Liss and she held her for a few minutes. I noticed soon enough that tears began to stream down Melissa's face. As she looked at Maggie she said, "I just love her so much. I just want to fix whatever is wrong." There it was. A taste of the Divine.

I believe that God looks at us at times, with tears in His eyes and says, "I just love you so much. I just want to fix whatever is wrong." The love that God has for us will never be comprehended. it is too great. In the same way, Magdalene will never know how much we love her. It is too great.

As Melissa said these things, Magdalene's crying slowed down and soon stopped altogether. I like to think that she felt her mother's love at that moment. When we are in pain...when we are crying out...when we need love...do we feel the love of God?

Here is the good news. In our relationship with God, we have an advantage over Maggie's relationship with her parents. We can tell God what is wrong. We can hand over the reigns to our pain, our sorrow, and our heartache and allow God to heal. He desires to fix us...we just have to let Him.

Becoming a parent has truly opened my eyes to the love of God in a new and fresh way. Without hesitating...without pause...without thinking twice...I would die for that little girl. It is interesting how Christ felt the same way about us.

Maggie's Smile

2007-09-11T15:30:00.001-06:00

We have noticed over the past couple of days that Magdalene will actually smile while she sleeps. She has also done this a couple of times while feeding and just looking around but it most often occurs while sleeping. Is she aware of what she is doing? Probably not...but she does it, and as far as I am concerned...that is a sign of a happy baby. At least a baby with happy dreams. Here is a very short video of her doing her nap-time smile.

Welcome to the real world!

2007-09-08T16:08:00.000-06:00

MAGDALENE RAE JOHNSON

Well...after Bible study on Wednesday night, our precious little girl decided that hearing about Jesus was so great that she wanted to join us. That's right...we are now proud parents! Melissa was actually in labor during the Bible study but it was obviously not difficult labor for her since she did not tell me until about an hour afterward.

By the time we got home... the Doctor told us to come in to the hospital. We arrived at approx. 10pm and were told that this was the real deal. We realized then that we would never go home again as a simple couple...but always as a complete family.

Magdalene Rae (named after the first person to spread the good news that Christ was risen) was born at 2:06pm on September 6th, 2007. She is perfect! So beautiful, so sweet, and so small. She was only 6 pounds and 3 ounces and measured in at 19 inches long. She is amazingly good. Hopefully it stays that way...but no matter what...she is the cutest little girl I have ever seen.

Here tiny little self is so small that it fits in the palm of my hand. In fact...if you go to http://babycentral.centralbap.com/default.asp?group=41358 you can see the picture that Central Baptist posted online. She is sitting in my hand and it really shows how tiny she really is. Notice the hair on her shoulder and back. She has a lot of hair. It is really cute. Mommy had hair like that when she was born so it is only right that Magdalene has that too. It is their special bond. As for her head...you can see that she has a lot of hair up there. In fact, a pastor who came to visit us in the hospital said that he was very jealous of her. He is not so fortunate in the area of hair up there.

Melissa did it all with no drugs. She went completely natural. She is my hero. As I watched her go through it all, I knew that she would make it without drugs but I never thought she would do it with flying colors like she did. She is stronger than I could ever be. I know that labor can be tough...and extremely exhausting but she made it look so easy. She was made for this.

Anyway...our lives have changed dramatically for the better and we couldn't be more excited. God has truly blessed us and I pray that she will be a blessing to Him as she grows up to become a better disciple of Christ than we are.

I have to say...when all was said and done, God did quite a number on my humility level. When you see your child born and hold her the first time...your priorities get in line if they weren't before and you feel the love of God in a whole new way. In a way that you just can't describe. She is truly a gift from God. Thanks be to God!

Thank you to all who were praying for us and thinking about us. Hope to see you all soon.

This is awesome...for the first time I get to sign off by saying..."So long from Tony, Melissa, and Magdalene!" That feels nice.

Battle for the Toybox!!

2007-08-25T14:02:00.000-06:00

The battle-lines are drawn. The sides are waiting in anticipation of the coming events. The battle is enevitable. Children all across america will witness the mayhem and destruction within the comfort of their own rooms!

Okay...maybe a little dramatic. But the "Battle for the Toybox" as it is being marketed has begun...and it started in none other than Wal-mart. This time...Wal-mart is on the side of the good guys.

One2Believe has produced the "Tales of Glory" figurine sets. They call them faith-based toys. Some would argue with the use of the word faith rather than Bible since other faiths are not included...but that is a pointless argument that I don't care to venture into.

There are action figures of Jesus with a little boy and a basket of fishes and loaves, Jesus with a disciple and a boat while he walks on water, Daniel and a lion, Moses and the plagues, Jesus in the manger with mom and dad, etc. Asking price is approximately $8. Not bad.

They even have larger figurines, called Messenger of Faith dolls, of Jesus, Esther, Mary the mother of Jesus, Moses, Noah, David, Peter, and Paul. These figurines cost around $20. But wait...it is not only because they are bigger but because they tell their own biography. A biography that quotes Scripture and can be paused. According to their description, they can be used to help children:
a. Learn Bible stories.
b. Understand Biblical survey and the chronological history of the Bible.
c. Learn the cultural background surrounding the Bible characters and their stories.

What a great idea! I am sure this is not a new and brilliant idea as there have been toys made before like this. The great idea is to sell them at Wal-mart.

The only "glaring" problem that I see is in the poster above. That is Samson with a choke-hold on Goliath. As far as I can recall...they never did that. But...how often to little kids use toys accurately anyway?

I think...with our little girl's birth rapidly approaching, I will get one. Maybe a Jesus Messenger of Faith doll. Maybe and Esther. It has to be much better than playing with Barbie.

A Top Ten Music Video

2007-08-08T16:01:00.000-06:00

I laughed fairly hard while I watched this display of raw talent. This is such a far cry from the quality of music videos that we are accustomed to. However, David is big in Germany I hear. Click on the link and watch the video entitled "Hooked on a Feeling".

http://www.tv-links.co.uk/listings/5/489

Jack & The Beanstalk

2007-07-20T17:01:00.000-06:00

As time has gone by, I have found a few ways in which I can interact with my unborn daughter. The most common of these is the nightly bedtime story. Interestingly enough, she actually responds (or at least becomes active) when I read each night. Now, whether that means..."I like this" or "Shut up dad!" is yet to be determined.

A couple of things take place. First of all, she is hopefully getting used to my voice. Secondly, it starts a habit for myself of reading to her each night which will continue until she is...well...sick of it. Thirdly, it is a way for me to bond with her in a more "tangible" way I guess. Fourthly, Melissa and I get to revisit some stories that we grew up with...for instance...Jack & the Beanstalk.

Upon reading this book the other night...I was shocked! I guess I forgot what the story was like. Allow me, if you will, to recite the final page of our "Jack" text.

He (Jack) swung the axe at the beanstalk and it came crashing down. The giant also fell to the ground and died at once. Now Jack and his mother were safe and were never poor again.

Are you kidding me? I beg you...what is the moral of this story? That is what children's stories do isn't it...give some sort of moral teaching? Not in this one. Jack sells his cow for magic beans. Mom gets mad and throws them out the window where they grow up into the sky. Jack climbs the beanstalk and steals the gold coins. They ran out of money, so Jack climbed up again and stole a hen that laid golden eggs. "But Jack became greedy and he decided to climb the beanstalk again" (Those are actual words from the story). This time he stole a golden harp and the harp ratted him out.

It is here that you begin to think...

Jack got greedy and tried to steal more...but this time the giant chases him. So, logic would tell you that Jack will soon learn a lesson from this unfortunate incident. A lesson that I can teach my children. But...soon we read the final page. Jack cuts down the beanstalk...the giant falls...the giant dies...and they were never poor again.

Based on the recurring phrase of the giant ("Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread."), I always thought that he was the bad guy. Now, however, I think that Jack is the bad guy. And what kind of mother is this who would condone such a thing?

The overriding theme that I can see here is this: If you are poor, go steal from someone who has more. And if you get caught, kill him...it is okay because you will not be poor anymore.

Obviously I am being a bit facetious here. But still...what do our children learn from this story?

Demo Derby

2007-07-11T20:26:00.001-06:00

Tonight was quite a night. Melissa and I traveled to the Jessamine County Fair (which is quite small) with our friends Chad and Meredith Brooks. We went, not for the food...or the rides...or the rip-off games on the "mid-way". We went, rather, for the demolition derby.

As we sat on the bleachers, I will have to say the most entertaining thing of the night was not the flinging of mud or the smashing of cars...but the people.

Allow me to delve into what could be a touchy area. In no way, shape, or form am I attempting to be degrading to anyone or any social class. But, I must say that this sort of event attracts a certain type of person. I can say this...because I was there...so...in a way...I am one of them. Some would call them "red-necks" while some would call them "white-trash". I do not advocate the using of either term...but the unfortunate fact is that by stating those two phrases, you probably know what I am trying to get across. I pray that my descriptions and phraseology does not offend anyone. If it does, I sincerely apologize as that is my last desire for this post...I am simply "over-stressing" things to make my point.

Although they do not live life as I do, or as I may think that they should, there are some things that we can learn from this "type" of person. They may not have fancy clothes, fancy cars, or a lot of money...but I think that I see in them something that many people lack. They have close relationships. Their families seem to be close and their friendships seem to be close.

Just by overhearing the conversations, one will notice that they sincerely love one another. Tonight, I heard a father who was proud of his pregnant daughter (not of her pregnancy but of her), a young woman who deeply cared for an entire family that she was not part of, and a small child who desired to be like his daddy as was obvious by his mimicking his dad's mannerisms and style of dress.

Maybe it is all the stuff (of which we do not have an abundance) that gets in the way of our building relationships. Maybe it is all the concern over having a nice car, nice house, nice clothes, etc. that makes it difficult to truly love one another. Maybe money gets in the way of love. Maybe there is more truth to the words of Christ than we know...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." - Matt. 19:23-24

John 1:1-4

2007-07-07T05:49:00.000-06:00

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. -John 1:1-4

Matthew begins his gospel account of Jesus with a geneology of Christ and His birth. Mark opens his with John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus of Nazareth. Luke introduces readers to Christ by addressing the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. John, however, takes a different approach.

The phrase "In the beginning", is a mirror image (even in the Greek) of Genesis 1:1. We do well to remember that in Gen 1:1, God existed...and this is what John is picking up on. In fact, John spends the first two verses trying to point the reader in this direction. Not only is God in the beginning, which is implied in the fact that He created the heavens and the earth, but the Word is present as well. The Word, is not a created thing. The Word was with God...in fact...the Word was God! And, just for good measure, in case the reader misses it..."He was with God from the beginning."

Verses 3 & 4 (creation of "things"), places the Word as an agent of creation. In Genesis, we see that God is the Creator but now John is stretching our understanding of who this Creator is. The Word, in some sense, is the Creator. Again, this language points us back to Genesis as we remember the creation event and connect it to the life of Christ.

So, why does John speak this way? Obviously (as you can tell also from other texts within the Gospel of John), John is concerned with the identity of Christ. He is not simply some guy in a long line of people since Abraham. He is not simply the son of Joseph and Mary. And He is not just some man from Nazareth who was baptized by John the Baptist. It is not that these things are untrue, but rather that they do not capture the fullest essence of who Jesus is.

Jesus was with God. He was in a relationship with God. Not only was He in the beginning of time with God, but He was present when the beginning of time began, therefore, He was present before the creation event. Jesus and God were together as co-Creators if you will. Furthermore, Jesus was God! They are one in the same. Now we are getting to some theology. Jesus and God are two different persons...but yet...they are the same. I think that John understood the concept (at least to a certain extent) of the theological construct that we call the Trinity today. As you begin to read the Gospel of John, it is important that you know who Jesus really is. He is divine! He is God! Yet, as we soon find out as we read on, Jesus also become flesh.

I will note as well that God speaks things into creation by speaking (e.g. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. - Gen 1:3). The Greek word is "lego"...which is a verb. The Greek word used to describe Christ as the "Word" is "logos"...which is a noun. I will allow my Greek oriented friends add some commentary to connections here. I simply found it interesting and...possibly...extremely important in seeing how God spoke things into creation and the Word created all things. Maybe...just maybe...finding the relationship between the Greek words allows one to see how these two statements coincide.

Lyrical Interpretation

2007-07-05T09:43:00.001-06:00

Well...it has been quite some time since my last post. I am really busy with coursework this summer in preparation for the arrival of our baby girl in September. So...I thought I would post the lyrics to a song by my favorite band, Hootie the Blowfish.

The song is entitled The Killing Stone. I would be interested to hear some interpretations of the lyrics. I find them interesting...and puzzling...especially since I am entering the pastoral ministry in a short time.

The Killing Stone
by: Hootie the Blowfish

I heard a preacher man speaking on the radio

Remember thinking that I’d like to tell him where to go

Go back to that book that you’ve been waving around
Open it up, and go to that part about

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

He’s turning it over, to the other side

He’s turning it over now, ‘cause now you can’t hide

All that lies beneath, all the lies beneath

The killing stone, oh

Saw another fella talking on the TV show

Trying to tell me how to live and just how I should vote

He says he believes in the sanctity of life

100,000 died

Tell me are you sanctified

Now you without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

He’s turning it over, to the other side

He’s turning it over now, ‘cause you can’t hide

All that lies beneath, all the lies beneath

The killing stone, oooohhhh

We’re all looking for redemption

But is it for our souls

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

You without sin, pick up that stone

He’s turning it over, to the other side

He’s turning it over, turning it over now ‘cause you can’t hide

All that lies beneath, all the lies beneath

You can’t hide beneath

The killing stone, oh, oh, oh

Killing stone

Oh no, you’re down on

(The killing stone)

Stone, stone, oh

(The killing stone)

Stone

Any thoughts?

...and it was very good.

2007-05-23T17:58:00.000-06:00

I often think about the opening chapter of the Bible. God makes many things and, in God's judgment, they are good. Toward the end of Genesis 1, God creates man (and woman) in His own image. Verse 31 reads..."God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." Not only is God's creation good...it is VERY good.

Melissa and I used to often debate one another on whether people were naturally good or whether they were naturally bad. They were fun days. I say "were" because, even though one of us does not like to admit it...we now agree. I would say that people are naturally good and Melissa would reluctantly concur. This may seem like a silly little debate between a married couple, but I think that this issue is extremely important...and I wanted her to get it right. And, yes...I truly do mean "get it right" because I believe that people are naturally good and I believe that it is crucial to understand this fact.

I point back to the creation of humanity and the fact that man and woman were made in the image of God and it was "very good". This is who we are! We are made in the image of God. To say that the image of God is bad is to say that God is bad.

Okay...what about our fallenness? Sin is a stain. It is a tarnishment that takes away our true beauty and our value. But, as we all know, tarnish can be cleaned and stains can be removed, just as the blood of Christ cleanses us.

As Melissa and I are expecting our first child (which is a girl!) I find an example, which I believe is what swayed Melissa to the "good" side. We love our unborn child. We will love her always. In everything that we do, we will love her with all that we have and all that we are.

I asked Melissa..."What happens if she murders someone and goes to prison? Will we still love her?"

"Of course," she says.

So, I ask..."Why will we still love her?"

She responded, "Because she is our daughter."

"Wait a minute, " said me. "You will still love her, even though she murdered someone and is in prison, simply because she is your daughter?"

"Yes!" Melissa interjected. "The fact that she killed someone does not change the fact that she is my daughter. It does not change who she is."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed.

You see, such a horrible thing such as murder will not make us stop loving our daughter. It will make it difficult considering the fact that she is in prison and there is hurt to overcome. But healing can be had and she can be rehabilitated to be a valued asset to society and our family.

If she committed murder, we would continue to love her because we know that at her deepest core...she is our daughter. The same little girl that I read to each night in Melissa's womb. The same little girl who will someday bake cakes with her mommy, and learn to play softball with her daddy. It is the same little girl who will make me cry on her first day of school, when she graduates from High School, and when she weds. No amount of horrible deeds will ever change the fact that she is the image of me and Melissa.

Likewise, no amount of sin will ever change the fact that we are made in the image of God. Sure, there is sin in our lives that make it difficult to act as though we are made in the image of God, but it does not change the fact that we are. It is one of those great truths! No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape where you came from. You cannot change who your parents are and you certainly cannot change who your Creator is.

No matter how much sin you have piled upon yourself, you are still made in the image of God! This is your deepest core! It may be buried pretty deep, but it is there, if you search hard enough.

I mentioned before that I thought this was a really important truth to grab ahold of. One reason because of the implications of the "good" view and the "bad" view. The "good" view says, "You are not bound by your sins. You can be holy! You can become entirely sanctified." The "bad" view, on the other hand, tells us that, "You are bound by sin forever. You cannot escape the grasp that sin has on your life. Entire sanctification and holiness are not in your lifeplan."

Personally, the "good" view give me an optimistic outlook. But, it does not mean that the "good" view is easier. In fact, it is harder...at least it should be because the "good" view tells us that we should not be sinning. We have no excuse for it anymore. We were made to be better than sinners and we should strive not to be sinners. Rather, we are to return to what we were meant to be...perfected in love...entirely sanctified...holy.

Sanctification

2007-05-01T06:41:00.000-06:00

There is much debate, at times in regard to sanctification. In our Wesleyan heritage, our belief is that entire sanctification, or what John Wesley refers to as Christian perfection, is obtainable in this lifetime. At least...I thought it was what our heritage gave us.

As I sat in class last night and we discussed this issue, I became all too aware that we are losing our holiness roots. The T.A. asked if becoming perfected in love (Christian perfection) was possible in this lifetime. As I nodded my head yes, and a couple other people did the same, I realized that we were the only ones standing on this ground. Some were shrugging their shoulders and some were shaking there heads no.

As the conversation progressed, most everyone agreed that we were striving for entire sanctification. The problem was that many did not believe that it was possible. How can one truly strive for something that does not exist? It is like striving for a grade higher than an "A". You will never get it...because it does not exist. Thoughts like these (striving for something that we cannot obtain) bring to mind the popular Ecclesiastes verse..."Vanity of vanities!,: says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." (Ecc 1:2)

Later on...we began to discuss why the Gospel is no longer treated as good news. Maybe...just maybe...we don't treat it as good news because we have lost the idea that we can overcome sin and can be perfected in love and be entirely sanctified. We are not defeated. We are victorious through Christ's victory over death. We must understand that if we truly want to follow Christ. We are freed from our bondage to sin to become the people that we were meant to be. Believe that you can be that person. Sin reigns no more in your life...but Christ sits on the throne and calls you to be holy! So...we should strive for this sanctification...with the expectation of achieving it.

Poetry

2007-04-17T18:51:00.000-06:00

I often argue with my good friend Anna Flemming (I hope you don't mind my mentioning your name Anna) about art. I personally do not get it. Basically, what I have learned is that art is completely subjective. Anything can be art and it can mean whatever you want it to. Extreme postmodernism?

Anyway...within our discussions we often talk about poetry...which I really do not get. So, I came across this Sherman's Lagoon comic (Best comic strip ever!) which, in reality, summarizes our disagreements.

Time for Some Yum-Yums!

2007-04-12T07:23:00.000-06:00

I have noticed over time in chapels at Asbury that communion is a fixed part of the weekly worship services. Each Wednesday the Eucharist is celebrated as a celebration of the resurrected Lord.

However, I have been disheartened recently at the post-Eucharist actions taken by many...and I do mean many people within the community. Let us first review what takes place after our communion services.

As always...we conclude with a benediction. This is great! However, the problem comes when people begin to dismiss. If you simply sit back and observe, you will find that people begin to approach the table and grab large pieces of the communion bread and...in no uncertain terms...snack. They joke around as they do this and have conversations about a large number of things...which rarely include Christ.

I know what you are saying. Consuming the elements is one of the ways in which we are supposed to "properly" dispose of the elements. Let us take a moment to review what the United Methodist Church says in this regard.

"The consecrated elements of bread and wine are used for distribution to the sick and others who wish to commune but are unable to attend congregational worship. If any bread and wine remain, they should always be disposed of by (1) the pastor and/or others at the pastor's direction consuming them in a reverent manner following the service; (2) returning them to the earth by pouring (2 Samuel 23:16), burying, scattering, or burning." {http://www.gbod.org/worship/thisholymystery/elements.html}

Take a very close look at #1. Notice the term "reverent". The question that must be posed now is whether or not "snacking" at the table is a reverent action. I would give a resounding NO! Maybe some of my problem is that the consuming takes place in such a way at the table itself. It takes place in front of people who are still worshipping. It is as if the elements are consecrated during the service and the benediction somehow unconsecrates the elements.

Why don't we treat the elements the same way after the service as we do during the service? As a friend noted...maybe it is because, for the most part, we are low-church within this community. This would entail a fairly low view of the sacraments. If this is the case...maybe it explains things. But...does it make it right? Maybe it is just easier not to allow our theology to influence how we worship. If we did...we would have to be intentional about things.

Do not, therefore, regard the Bread and the Wine as simply that; for they are, according to the Master's declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ. Even though the senses suggest to you the other, let faith make you firm. Do not judge in this matter by taste, but -- be fully assured by the faith, not doubting that you have been deemed worthy of the Body and Blood of Christ.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (22 [Mystagogic 4], 6)

Reverence, therefore, reverence this table, of which we are all communicants! Christ, slain for us, the sacrificial victim who is placed thereon!
St. Chrysostom (Homilies on Romans 8:8)

No Easter?

2007-04-07T00:27:00.000-06:00

As I sat in a relatives home here in California, I watched the local Los Angeles newscast about a school's new policy in regards to Easter. Their policy: No Easter baskets or Easter celebrations were allowed.

The reason that they gave for such a rule is that they do not want to show preference or a bias toward any one religion. Therefore, they will not celebrate any holidays that are based in religious tradition. How stupid is this? I guess I can understand...from their point of view...what they are trying to do. But...from a Chrisitian point of view...this is not a good thing.

This story got me thinking though. The kids probably just think that Easter is about a large bunny who brings candy and possibly a gift or two. A distant second to Santa Clause I might add. I mean come on...Santa is much cooler and more popular.

If the kids do not think of Easter as a religious holiday, then why punish them by not allowing them to celebrate Easter. After thinking even more...I began to think...maybe this is a good thing. Maybe, if the kids are forced to take their decorations down and take their Easter baskets home...maybe they will ask their parents why. And maybe...just maybe...some of these kids will hear for the first time what Easter is all about. No longer will Easter be about a bunny with candy but rather Easter will be about the resurrection of Christ. Wouldn't that be a welcomed addition to a young childs pool of images?

Besides...is it the school's responsibility to ensure that kids celebrate holidays? Or, is it their responsibility to ensure that the kids learn? Just so you know...I am not on the school's side here. I guess I am just an eternal optimist...hoping that through this the kids will grow closer to the Truth of Easter.

Jesus in Houston????

2007-03-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

So...I am watching TV last night...as usual...and I see a Primetime special on a man who claims to be the second coming of Christ. That is right...he claims to be the second incarnation of Christ.

There are many problems with this. First of all, he states that the same spirit that was in Jesus is now in him. I smell heresy all over the place. He smokes and drinks. He drives a BMW and wears a diamond encrusted wristwatch. He has been divorced and filed for divorce from his second wife. He claims that there is no sin, there is no devil, and there is no hell. He calls the children the "supreme race" and they salute him...much like with Hitler.

He says that it is okay to drink but never to get drunk...for him anyway...I mean come on...he is Christ (obviously I am not serious here). However, he said that he became the second incarnation while he was in jail for theft in 1973. (Oh yeah...he used to be addicted to heroine). I believe the show found that he was arrested and convicted of a DWI or DUI somewhere between 1997 to 2000. Looks like he lied about not getting drunk.

So...according to this so-called Christ...Christ is a lying, stealing, person who serves no real function because there is no such thing as sin, the devil, or hell. So...why do we even need him?

Unfortunately, people do follow him. They give him money and gifts. One young couple, who were millionaires, gave him millions and now live in a small apartment because of it. It feels and sounds much like a cult. It is frightening. Oh yeah...devote followers get a tattoo. The tattoo is "666". Are you kidding me!!!!! It is basically a slap in the face to Christianity and because this guy also calls himself the anti-christ. If you want all the facts about this guy...just google "de jesus" and you are sure to find something.

Here is the problem I have...well one of many in this case. Why are people following him? I will tell you why. They follow him because they are hungry for truth! Although this guy is not speaking truth...he sells it that way. He is charismatic and wins people over. Sure...there are some who are just...well...crazy, but I am sure some follow him because it artificially fills the void in their hearts where Jesus belongs. Some day they will realize that this man is not the real deal. Hopefully they will find the real Christ and realize what it really feels like to have the void filled...I mean really, truly filled.

Maybe...just maybe...he succeeded where the Church failed. Maybe the Church fell short with a lot of these people. Maybe we didn't care enough about them to help them see the light. Maybe he shows them something that the Church has not done.

There are a lot of dynamics involved here...but the point is...they need Jesus. We know they need Jesus...and Jesus knows that they need Jesus. They even know they need Jesus. They are just confused on who Jesus is. I think it is times like this that the Church needs to step back and consider whether we are doing enough in teaching who Jesus is and what Jesus is all about...because this guys is contrary to who Jesus is...and they follow him. They have no ides.l

Who raised Jesus?

2007-02-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

So...if you could have spent some time in our home over the past week or so, you would have been witness to a "theological" conversation between my wife and I. First of all, those are the best type of theological conversation because she has not been tainted with various theological teaching and theories. She simply approaches knowledge of God from the perspective of faith. Maybe we would all do well to approach it in that manner. Plus, it enables me to make an attempt at speaking theologically in a way that can be understood by those who are not trained in the area. Isn't that what we are being trained to do anyway?

The question that was pondered was...who raised Jesus from the dead? It may seem like a stupid question...but allow us to ponder this for a moment. Was it the Father who raised Jesus from the dead, or is it essential to believe that Jesus raised Himself from the dead? If we believe that Christ conquered death in His death on the cross...then I guess it can be the Father. However, if you believe that Christ's resurrection is what conquered death...then it seems as though Christ had to doing the raising on His own. This could be supported if we assert that Christ is the keeper of the keys to heaven and hell.

It seems, at this point anyway, that one's answer to this question is dependent upon whether or not it is the death or resurrection that overcame death. If Christ came to conquer death, then He had to do this on His own. If it was the Father who did the raising...then how can the ressurection be significant?

A second discussion that developed out of this was...what happened to the Trinity when Christ died? If we subscribe to the concept that Jesus was forsaken, what happened to the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? If we subscribe to the statement that Christ descended to hell in the Apostle's Creed, then this is an ever more prominent issue.

The essence of the question concerns how Jesus was forsaken. In order to take on the sins of the world, Jesus had to experience what we deserved for our sinfulness. What is the culmination of our sinfulness? A separation from God. This is interesting. How does a person of the Trinity experience separation?

Many answers have developed. There were two major possibilities that came up. First, maybe the Trinity did cease to exist until the resurrection. Secondly, perhaps there was no separation, which would indicate, in some way, that Jesus did not recieve the cost of our sins.

To wrap this up sooner rather than later...I conclude that the answer is both...sort of. You see, Christ is fully human and fully divine. We have no problem stating and believing that to be true. He can walk among us and be tempted as we are while, at the same time, being fully God.

I believe this answers both questions that I posed. In Jesus' death, He did experience the consequences of our sins. He felt the separation from God. He knew, during that time, what it was like to be totally and completely out of the presence of God. However, He still remained a person of the Trinity. I know...it sounds rediculous and contrary to commonsense. Many times, commonsense is wrong anyway...just as it is in trying to understand the Trinity itself, the incarnation, etc.

Since Jesus can be fully God and fully human, he can experience the reality of being God, while, at the same time, experience the reality of being human. He can experience temptation, sorrow, pain, and many other things that we experience...and...at the same time know what it means to be in a perfect, harmonious relationship with our heavenly Father. If you accept my proposal, which I am sure is not unique to me, than accepting that Jesus can feel complete separation from the Father and the Holy Spirit while still being in the Triune relationship is completely intelligible...and valid.

Furthermore...if Jesus can exist in such a relationship, then Jesus can play a role in His own resurrection. He can raise Himself. He can do this because the divine characteristics of Jesus did not cease to be. This still maintains the importance of the resurrection as a prime role in overcoming death.

To conclude...the reality of who Jesus is answers the questions that I posed. The supposed contradiction between Christ being human and Christ being divine is a false dichotomy that all-too-often serves as a stumbling block when we do not even realize it. There are many issues and questions that are followed with..."How can this be?" The answer...many times...is...because of who Jesus is. At least that is what I see the answer to these questions to be.

On the Insufficiency of Human Strength

2007-02-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

The following excerpt from Way of the Ascetics was written by Tito Colliander. Tito was born in Russia but spent most of his life in Helsinki, Finland. He was an artist and a novelist and an Eastern Orthodox layperson.

This article can be found in From Christ to the World: Introducing Readings in Christian Ethics (p. 284-285) or it can be found online at http://www.stvladimirs.ca/library/way-ascetics-two.html.

On the Insufficiency of Human Strength

The holy Fathers say with one voice: The first thing to keep in mind is never in any respect to rely on yourself. The warfare that now lies before you is extraordinarily hard, and your own human powers are altogether insufficient to carry it on. If you rely on them you will immediately be felled to the ground and have no desire to continue the battle. Only God can give you the victory you wish.

This decision not to rely on self is for most people a severe obstacle at the very outset. It must be overcome, otherwise we have no prospect of going further. For how can a human being receive advice, instruction and help if he believes that he knows and can do everything and needs no directions? Through such a wall of self-satisfaction no gleam of light can penetrate. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight, cries the prophet Isaiah (5:21), and the apostle St. Paul utters the warning: Be not wise in your own conceits (Romans 12:16). The kingdom of heaven has been revealed unto babes, but remains hidden from the wise and prudent (Matthew 11:25).

We must empty ourselves, therefore, of the immoderately high faith we have in ourselves. Often it is so deeply rooted in us that we do not see how it rules over our heart. It is precisely our egoism, our self-centeredness and self-love that cause all our difficulties, our lack of freedom in suffering, our disappointments and our anguish of soul and body.

Take a look at yourself, therefore, and see how bound you are by your desire to humour yourself and only yourself. Your freedom is curbed by the restraining bonds of self-love, and thus you wander, a captive corpse, from morning till eve. "Now I will drink," "now I will get up," "now I will read the paper." Thus you are led from moment to moment in your halter of preoccupation with self, and kindled instantly to displeasure, impatience or anger if an obstacle intervenes.

If you look into the depths of your consciousness you meet the same sight. You recognize it readily by the unpleasant feeling you have when someone contradicts you. Thus we live in thralldom. But where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (11 Corinthians 3:17).

How can any good come out of such an or biting around the ego? Has not our Lord bidden us to love our neighbour as ourselves, and to love God above all? But do we? Are not our thoughts instead always occupied with our own welfare?

No, be convinced that nothing good can come from yourself. And should, by chance, an unselfish thought arise in you, you may be sure that it does not come from you, but is scooped up from the wellspring of goodness and be stowed upon you: it is a gift from the Giver o life. Similarly the power to put the good thought into practice is not your own, but is given you by the Holy Trinity.

1 Samuel 15

2007-02-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

This chapter is really Saul's final "mistake" which immediately preceeds the anointing of David. Allow me to summarize this chapter for you:

Samuel tells Saul that the Lord intends to punish the Amelikites for the way they had treated Israel while Israel was in the wilderness. The instructions were to...(1)attack the Amalekites, (2)destroy everything, and (3)spare nothing. The key here is #3. Spare nothing! As the chapter progresses, Saul attacked the Amalekites. #1 is accomplished. Good job Saul. He destroyed all of Agag's (king of Amalekites) people with the sword. #2 accomplished...sort of. You see, Saul decided to spare Agag as well as the best sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs. He spared everything that was good.

Then the Lord speaks to Samuel to inform Samuel that the Lord is grieved that He ever chose Saul. So, Samuel confronts Saul. It happens like this:

When Samuel reached him, Saul said, "The LORD bless you! I have carried out the LORD's instructions." But Samuel said, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?" Saul answered, "The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but we totally destroyed the rest." "Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night." "Tell me," Saul replied. Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.' Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?" "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:13-22)

We often shake our heads at Saul after reading this story. How could he have been so thickheaded? How could he have messed up so badly? The problem is this; Saul was trying to do a good thing. He thought that saving the king and the best of the best for sacrifices would be seen as honorable and noble in the eyes of the Lord. At least that is what he says.

We can very easily come down on Saul here...but...how often are we in his shoes? How often do we fall victim to doing things that we think will be "good" in God's eyes when it is not within God's will? This could be anything. It could be trying to keep a ministry alive...when it should die. It could be forcing a relationship into your idea of what it should be...when God's idea of what it should be is different.

I am sure that our intensions are in the right place. The reality is, however, that our intensions may not be right. Our intensions...no matter how good they seem...could be contrary to God's intensions. I don't think that any of us would want to do something contrary to God's will...but it happens. It happens all too often.

Saul did what he thought was right because he did not know what God's will was. I believe that he had to do this. He had to think of something because his relationship with Yahweh was dead. He had a strained relationship with God that made it difficult to follow the will of God.

We do well to ensure that our relationship with God is one that enables us to hear His guidance and His will. If not...we may here the words that Saul heard from Samuel..."Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?"

Fairweather?

2007-01-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

Many of you know...I hate the Colts. I have a large number of reasons...but all you need to know at this time is that I do not like them...at all...not even a little bit. As the Dolts (not a typo) enter into the Super Bowl, I find myself in many arguments, most in passing to and from class, with various individuals about their beloved Dolts. They go on about how great their players are and how great their record is.

Here is the interesting thing. I have been a Dolphins fan since I was 5 years old. I have hated the Dolts pretty much just as long. I remember many games I attended in Indianapolis that had more Dolphins fans than Dolts fans. Keep in mind it was a Dolts home game. However, now that the Dolts can win some games...fans come out of the woodwork. They claim that they have always been a Dolts fan...they buy the jerseys...they buy memorabilia...yadda...yadda...yadda. But...in reality, they are merely fairweather fans. Fans who only accept a team when they do well. Fans who bail on their team when the going gets tough. Indianapolis is notorious for fans like this. Are you one? We will see when they begin to stink again like they have in the past. (By the way...Indianapolis Dolts cannot claim the history of the Baltimore Colts. Baltimore does not claim you...so don't claim their history. You never had Unitas...so stop claiming him.)

I am proud to be a Dolphins fan. That will never change...even when they go 6-10. That is what being a fan is all about. Anyone can cheer for a team when they do well. It takes a true fan to support a team when they struggle. Our faith is much the same way.

Anyone can claim Jesus to be Lord and Savior when things are going well. But the true test is when things go wrong. Who is your Lord then? Do we claim Christ when it benefits us the most and shove him aside when it serves us better to do so? The question we must ask of ourselves is: Are we fairweather Christians?

This is an important question that we must all search for the answer to. Being a Christian means standing up and claiming Christ no matter what the outlook is like, no matter how bad things are, and no matter who is winning the game.

My biggest pet-peeve is a fairweather fan. The worst are those who are fairweather fans and ridicule me for being a Dolphins fan and standing firm on my convictions. I believe that those fans do a severe injustice to dedicated fans. What sort of injustice are we doing to the Christian faith if we are merely fairweather Christians? Let us all stand firm on our convictions...and claim Christ!

Go Fins!!! Down with the Dolts! (I had to get one more shot in)

God Shuffled His Feet

2007-01-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

Below are the lyrics of a song by the Crash Test Dummies, entitled "God Shuffled His Feet". As I was listening to the random songs on my computer, this one played and I noticed the continued reference to God. So, I looked up the lyrics and read them over. After reading them, I sat perplexed. What is the message here...or is there one beyond simple words? Take a look at the lyrics and tell me what you think...if anything at all.

After seven days
He was quite tired so God said:
"Let there be a day
Just for picnics, with wine and bread"
He gathered up some people he had made
Created blanket and laid back in the shade

The people sipped their wine
And what with God there, they asked him questions
Like: do you have to eat
Or get your hair cut in heaven?
And if your eye got poked out in this life
Would it be waiting up in heaven with your wife?

God shuffled his feet and glanced around at them;
The people cleared their throats and stared right back at him

So he said:"Once there was a boy
Who woke up with blue hair
To him it was a joy
Until he ran out into the warm air
He thought of how his friend would come to see;
And would they laugh, or had he got some strange disease?

God shuffled his feet and glanced around at them;
The people cleared their throats and stared right back at him

The people sat waiting
Out on their blankets in the garden
But God said nothing
So someone asked him:"I beg your pardon:
I'm not quite clear about what you just spoke
Was that a parable, or a very subtle joke?"

God shuffled his feet and glanced around at them;
The people cleared their throats and stared right back at him

A challenge to lead

2007-01-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

There is a quote in the book Leading Congregational Change by Jim Herrington that says something like this...

"Managers are those who do things right and leaders are those who do the right things."

Although this is a quote that we would all, for the most part, agree with, I think many of us would be surprised that we tend to fall into the "manager" category more often than the "leader" category. For those of us heading into the pastoral ministry, or any other full-time ministry position for that matter, this should be alarming.

We are called to be leaders...yet we manage. We want our congregations to grow...yet we maintain the status quo. We want to create new and innovative forms of worship...yet we continue to follow the same format that we always have.

Jesus was an innovative guy. He did not manage...He lead. The simple quote, "Follow Me" illustrates this point plain enough. Jesus certainly did not maintain the status quo. In fact...you could say that He died because He didn't maintain the status quo. Finally, Christ did not continue worship in the same old fashion. He turned what it meant to worship the Living God on its head. Jesus Christ was a leader.

What differentiated Jesus from managers was that He took risks. They were not risks for risk's sake. They were risks for the sake of the Gospel. Maybe we too should take more risks. Maybe we should be willing to fail for the Gospel. Fail for the Gospel? What a great idea!!

Let us move from our fear of failure to an acceptance of failure. Let's embrace new paradigms of worship, new methods of leading, and challenge the status quo. I challenge you...as well as myself...to take a risk for the sake of the Gospel.

If we are taking the risk for the sake of the Gospel and fail...we succeed. Because the failure was an attempt to seek the face of God. Isn't that what we are supposed to do anyway?

Pizza King

2007-01-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

Well, Christmas is over and another journey to north Indiana is under our belt. We had a good time. One of the best parts of going to my parents is the pizza. Living in Wilmore, we are faced with sub-par pizza selections. That's right! I said sub-par. The local pizza, that is often raved over, which comes from a drug store...is...how do I say it...not good. Maybe it is raved over because it is local. Or maybe it is because it is from a drug store. I don't know. All I know is that the Pizza King in Hartford City, Indiana blows the local pizza joints out of the water.

Here is a photo of this delectable pizza...or "pie" as some may say...

Is it the best in the world?...probably not. Best in the state of Indiana?...probably not. But...it is the best I have ever had. But...I guess you will have to go to Indiana to see for yourself because my telling you that it is the best will not do the trick because I have been told a number of times that the local pizza is the best or another pizza joint is the best...only to be disappointed in the end.

How does this relate to our faith? I am not sure. Maybe there is no substitute for the best thing...i.e. Jesus. Or, maybe proof is needed in order to believe something to be true. That one would be supported by the closing verses of the 20th chapter of John. However, in the end, I think the point of this story is that the local pizza is really not as good as some think it is.

Maybe this is one of those rare posts where I simply take a shot at something and have no real point to be made...only to post a picture of the pizza we ate.

Are churches too feminized?

2006-12-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

I recently read an article by Robin Russell called Are Churches 'Too Feminized' for Men? It was rather intriguing and made some amazingly excellent points.

To summarize the article...churches are so feminized that men no longer feel comfortable in churches. Here are some of the statistics found within the article:

5 out of 6 men consider themselves Christian but only 2 out of six attend church.

Church attendance is roughly 1/3 men and 2/3 women.

Nearly 1/4 of married women attend church alone while their husbands play golf, sleep in, or mow the lawn.

I could go on listing the statistics of men and church attendance, but I think the stats above paint a clear enough picture. Authior David Murrow says that other religions have little trouble attracting men. His theory is that Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam offer more "uniquely masculine" experiences for men. However, in Christianity, faith is painted as an unconditional love relationship with Jesus. This may be true to a certain extent but this presentation of the gospel will attract more women then men...and it has.

Just think of the terminology that we use to describe our faith. We refer to ourselves as the "Bride of Christ" and speak of God's unconditional love and the commandment to love one another. This sort of language appeals to women (stereotypically) and not as much to men (again...stereotypically).

The way we do church...its structure, organization, presentation, decoration, and its teaching...is geared toward women. I know, I know. As we continue in the push to be gender nutural in our language and in our actions...we leave men behind. As we attempt to avoid sexism against women...we commit sexism against men.

I know, I know. Someone is thinking that I am a sexist pig right now...but allow me to put it this way. Imagine you are driving your car down a snow covered road. The snow is packed down pretty good so it is a little slick. Suddenly, you lose control. You begin to "fish-tail". What do you do? Well...if you have ever lived in these conditions...you simply make a correction by keeping the tires pointed in the direction that you want to go. But...if you steer too far in one direction...you have overcorrected and you will continue to fish-tail.

This is what we tend to do in the church...on many issues. We fish-tail. I am all for women in the ministry and making things more equal. The problem is that, sometimes, we overcorrect and when we do that it sends us into a fish-tail that excludes someone else...in this case...men.

No doubt many of you have heard of people referring to God as "Sophia". This is overcorrection at its finest. Imagine how a man feels when the God that he has known as Father his whole life is now called "Sophia" and referred to as his mother. Of course...I know many women who would struggle with this too.

So, anyway...at some point we must learn how to correct this vehicle we call church the right amount. Overcorrecting has never solved problems...it has only replaced one problem with another.

I am still processing this information and I encourage you to do the same. This article can be found on the following website...

http://www.goodnewsmag.org/magazine/SeptemberOctober/so06feminized.htm

A New Paradigm...For Me Anyway

2006-12-06T12:35:00.001-07:00

So...the community debate continues. But now I have a new thought process which is radically different than my previous arguments. I believe that my arguments were wrong. Can you believe that? I admitted that I was wrong. Mark this on your calendars...because as my wife can attest...this never happens. However, I also believe that those things I would argue against were wrong. I think that our mindset must be reoriented in regards to community (I use "reoriente" on purpose).

As my friends on the Worship Development Team decided to make me wake at 5:15 in the morning this past Sunday to celebrate Advent...which is another thing that never happens. Well, I take that back...I will wake that early for golf. Although I did not want to go and the last thing I wanted to do that early was spend time with people (I am not a morning person) it was actually quite good. During our little worship service, we all faced the east where the sun was beginning to wake itself. It is here that God slapped me with a new paradigm...for me anyway.

As we gazed upon the sunrise, it was mentioned that we were orienting ourselves to the east, which is believed to be the direction that Jesus will return from. When we are reorienting ourselves, we are turning our focus to the east (which is what orient means) in expectation for the coming Messiah (see? This is Advent!). As we stood there, for the first time I thought to myself...we are in community! For those of you I have had these debates with...this statement may be shocking to you...so...I will leave you on a cliffhanger.

In class today, we talked about the 17th chapter of John when Christ prays to the Father. It is here that Jesus says, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20-21).

We see that it is Jesus' desire for us to be "one". So, we strive to build community. We should spend time with one another, love one another, act in certain ways to one another, etc. What we forget is that in the passage above, Jesus gives us the example of how to be in unity. The example is His relationship with the Father. It was close...that is undeniable. Jesus' ministry was a ministry of prayer and intimacy with the Father. What we do, however, is interprete this to mean that you and I have to be that way with one another. I agree...however...I think we need to reorient ourselves. The meat of this passage is not on my relationship with you.

As we stood in the circle on that chilly Sunday morning, we looked upon one another...we read Scripture...we prayed...we participated in quality liturgy. However, when we turned and all faced to the east, I saw the picture of what community is. We were oriented to the Savior. We were facing to the east and looking for Christ. Our focus was not on one another...it was on God!

When we try to establish community, we spend a lot of time ensuring that there is fruit. In the words of A.W. Tozer, in his book The Root of Righteousness, he states, "the (church) fathers were concerned with the root of the matter, while their present-day descendants seem concerned only with the fruit.” What Tozer is saying is that in order to pursue righteousness, we have to be focused (or oriented) toward Christ rather than the fruit. The fruit will come with a proper relationship with Christ. If we spend all of our time focusing on manufacturing proper fruit than we miss the source of the fruit...and as we know...without the root, the fruit will die.

So...what is community. My paradigm shift is to say that community is formed with a common focus. A common orientation...to the east...to Christ. Let us cast away the idea that we must produce fruit on our own. We do not have to change people into what we think they should be. If you are oriented to the east...and I am oriented to the east...we are in community. Even if you are on the other side of the world...we are in community because we are abiding in Christ and it is within Christ that we find community with the Body of Christ.

Is community the group of five or so people you hang out with? Or, is community the entire Body of Christ?

This is where I am...trying to correct my orientation. Moving my focus from the fruit to the root...of righteousness...of community...of LIFE!!!!!

Socialization

2006-11-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

Over the course of this semester, I have been in a number of debates in which I find myself arguing against "community" as it is commonly stressed in some circles.

To clarify what I mean by the "community" that I argue against...I have discovered a term that better fits this sense of "community". That term...socialization. To be defined, socialization is something done to somebody by somebody else. This is the mentality of "community" at times. People within this "community" aim at pressing the way they do things (whether it is fellowship, discuss, work, etc...) into the lives of others. This can be beneficial. It can introduce individuals and groups to the rich resources of the Christian faith and specific religious traditions. It can add support and encouragement to someone's life.

However, there are also many bad aspects of this socialization. For starters, it can lead to pathological dependency. It can become something that you have to have and your ability to hear the voice of God (or perform other acts of faith) will become totally dependent upon this "community" that performed socialization on you. Another major problem is that it tends to encourage a group superiority complex and exclusiveness.

Any time that you are approached by a member of a socialization community and asked to change your behavior because it does not match what the "community" desires, you are suddenly slapped in the face with the fact that the norms and standards of the "community" are necassary to become fully a part of the "community". This sounds an awful lot like group superiority to me and an excluusion of anyone who does not meet the norms. Before you reply and tell me how important it is to follow a groups norms because of morality, ethics, etc..., please note that I am speaking of non-essentials here. I totally agree in the following statement:

In essentials unity
In non-essentials liberty
In all things charity

(I think I have that right)

It is often humurous to me that many times, within the "community" debate, I find myself being accused of having views that are dead wrong. I am often told that it would benefit me greatly if I changed my thoughts (this is often because people don't listen and take the time to discover what I am saying...they simply hear something that seems contrary to their beliefs, and I think that frightens them). The interesting thing to me is that it is rare for someone I am speaking to to acknowledge that there is a small chance...an astronomically small chance...that they are wrong. I will be first to admit...I MAY BE WRONG. Obviously, I do not think so...but it is a possibility.

I believe that community is something far greater than socialization. Community involves an acceptance of how each of us has been made differently by the same God. There is a reason that I am the way I am (please keep all jokes to a minimum in regards to that phrase). If I am forced into participating in a community that practices socialization, who I am will be snuffed out and I will cease to be who I am. And...as I have said a million times...one cannot know who he/she is in community, if he/she does not know who they are as an individual.

True community molds people into the likeness of Christ...not the likeness of themselves. The problem is that the majority of the time, we do not know that we are trying to form people into the likeness of ourselves. The ratiolnale is, "This is how God made me, so this is how God wants everyone to be." This is the breeding ground for socialization.

Just because I don't fit into the paradigm of what you believe community is, does not mean that we cannot have great Christian community. In fact, I challenge that we could have fantastic Christian community. The problem is that we must first understand that what community is may not look like what we are picturing.

I shall conclude my rant............now!

The Whipping Boy

2006-11-15T12:57:00.000-07:00

As days pass to become weeks and weeks pass to become months, I become all the more aware that the time to graduate is rapidly approaching. Granted, I am not graduating until December of next year, but I have been here for one year thus far and it has flown by. So, I have no reason to think that the next year will be any different.

As I think of the coming years, I try to imagine what my life will look like and I see only a void. It is not something that I can predict. It is the first time, that I can remember, that my future has not been fairly clear. In fact, in trying to look past December of 2007, other than being able to tell you the "general" area that we will be in, I have no idea what to expect. I am terrified.

My wife is entertaining me by allowing me to read her a chapter every night of my favorite childhood book. I love this book! Reading it simply makes me feel good. Tonight we will complete this amazing text when we read the final chapter. The book is called The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman. It is a story about Prince Brat and Jemmy-From-The-Streets, who is the Prince's whipping boy. You see, you cannot whip the Prince, so each time he gets in trouble the Whipping Boy gets whipped.

Last night we read the chapter in which Jemmy and Prince Brat were in the sewers, running from Hold-Your-Nose Billy and Cutwater. They are the bad-guys of the story...the highway men...the scoundrels...the ruffians...you get the drift.

While they are in the sewer Prince Brat is scarred. So scarred that he grabs hold of Jemmy's hand (a little background...shaking hands with the Prince was forbidden...no one shakes the Prince's hand). Instead of letting go, Jemmy allowed Prince Brat to hold on and he led Prince Brat through the sewers because Jemmy knew which tunnel to take.

As I read this portion of the book, I find myself relating to Prince Brat. As I stand in a place that consists of looking for direction and some sort of plan, I find myself scarred. Prince Brat knew exactly what he was doing. Jemmy-From-The-Streets used to make a living as a ratcatcher. He did this in the sewers. Jemmy was in his element and Prince Brat was not. The Prince knew this and grab ahold of the one who is in his element.

As I stand in the dark, searching for the right path (or tunnel), I find that the only thing that I can do is reach for the One who is in His element. I think that this is part of ministry. Having things planned and organized is not the objective. Sure, we can plan things and organize things in our ministries, but we can only do it if we are connected with Jesus. When we lose that grasp on Jesus, we may stray down the wrong path. In the book, the wrong path would cause you to be attacked by thousands of rats and be eaten alive. If we lose our grasp on Jesus and head down the wrong path........our consequences may be far worse.

Tony's Mid-season Awards

2006-11-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

On a few occasions I will deviate from the normal content of this blog. This is one of those times. Prepare yourselves for my very own NFL mid-season awards!
10 - NFL's biggest embarrassment goes to: Terrel Owens (This guy has no concept of what it means to be on a team. He is an amazing reciever. Imagine how good he would be if he would shut-up and play football. On a side note, if he is going to claim to be the best in the NFL, he hasgot to stop dropping balls. He has dropped way too many passes to be the best reciever in the league, or ever as he would lead you to believe.)

9 - NFL's worst rule goes to: Illegal contact (This rule, or the over-enforcing of this rule, is the number one reason that Manning broke Marino's TD record. It remains one of the main reasons that he continues to throw TDs. Watch the Colts a couple of times and see how often the defense is called for this violation. It is a lot...and usually it is the sort of contact that should be allowed. The enforcing of this rule came about because the Colts did not like how physical the Patriots were with them in the AFC Championship game...so they complained and whined. The rule is now enforced which may explain why the Colts get all the calls. This just proves that if you want to get your way...just whine and complain...maybe even cry about it...Peyton fits will here. With this rule in place, defensive backs should be called defenseless backs. But, I digress.)

8 - NFL's biggest disapointment goes to: Cincinnati Bengals (I thought at the beginning of the season that the Bengals were going to win the Super Bowl. I rarely switch teams in mid-season but they have me on the edge getting ready to jump ship.)

7 - NFL's most errogant team goes to: Pittsburgh Steelers (Come on guys. You were beat by the Oakland Raiders and your season has been flushed down the toilet, yet you continue to think that you are someone special. One Super Bowl and even Hines Ward struts like he is Terrell Owens. Any time they get a first down, they celebrate and jump around as if they just scored a 30 point touchdown. I guess with a QB like Roethlisberger, a first down is a big deal. Hate to break it to you guys...but you have already lost your crown as the NFL champs. Party is over. I think someone forgot to tell them that defending Super Bowl champions were supposed to defend their title.)

6 - NFL's worst pregame analyst goes to: Jerome Bettis (He wins this one hands down! Sterling Sharpe and Chris Collinsworth simply laugh at him every single Sunday night because he has no idea what he is talking about. Maybe he should just stick to the "Man Law" commercials. But, hey, I guess every show could use some comic relief.)

5 - NFL's worst Color Commentator goes to: John Madden (I am shocked that this man ever coached football. He never says anything of substance and always sounds as though he is explaining football to fourth grade girls. Secondly, he is one of the reasons that people like Ben and Peyton are overrated...because he never stops worshipping them. I think he has a shrine of Peyton Manning in his bedroom that he bows to every night...facing East of course.)

4 - NFL's most underrated team goes to: Miami Dolphins (I know, I know. You are probably saying, "He only says the Dolphins because he is a Dolphins fan!" Well, that is the benefit of it being MY list! We are going to see, however, that the Miami Dolphins will play havic with their opponents along the line in their chase for the playoff spots. Keep in mind also that Miami has the third toughest schedule throughout the rest of the season.)

3- NFL's most overrated team goes to: Indianapolis Colts (With a run defense that opens like the Panama Canal...they have no shot at winning the SuperBowl. Plus Manning will choke anyway...hence one reason he is one of the most overrated player category.)

2 - NFL's most underrated player goes to: Mark Bulger (Is this a surprise to you? If it is...it is probably because you have not heard that he has thrown for 2300 yards, 13 TDs, only 1 INT, and has a QB rating of 102.1. Pretty impressive for a guy you never hear about or talk about. By the way...he plays for the Rams.)

1- NFL's most overrated player goes to: Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger (There is a tie! Ben Roethlisberger is horrible. He has managed to lose games all by himself, which, I guess, is impressive that he does not need the rest of the team to help him. Ben has 7 TDs and 14 INTs!! He is better than Charlie Frye though...but not by much. And what about Peyton "The Cry-Baby" Manning, or Captain Choke as I like to call him. The analysts and announcers, especially Madden, treat him like he is just a small step from being Christ. Any time that a QB can throw four incomplete passes, that should have been completed, in a row and follow it with a five yard screen pass, and you hear someone say, "That is why Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback in the NFL," you know that they are overrated. I wonder if his middle name is Midas. It seems, by listening to people like Madden and all the fans that are influenced by someone like Madden, that everything he does turns to gold. However, he can't seem to put a gold ring on his finger.)

So, there you have it! Tony's mid-season awards for the NFL. The winners of these awards will be notified in the coming days of their honors. I believe that the Steelers were notified of their award yesterday when they lost to the Broncos.

What color is the grass at night?

2006-10-23T17:56:00.000-06:00

As I continue in my Inductive Bible Study course on the Gospel of John, I find that the majority of my mind's time is focused on this portion of Scripture. An interesting theme that is found in the Gospel of John is the concept of light and darkness.

This makes me think back to my Physics course in high school. I loved that class. We learned things that surprised us and intrigued us. One thing that stuck with me since that class is how light works. Allow me to explain.

I often ask people the question, "What color is the grass at night?" The common response is something along the lines of..."Green...duh!!" Well...I am sorry to burst bubbles here (not really), but green is the wrong answer. No object, whether grass, a car, a book, water, etc... has a color. They simply reflect color.

There is an inevitable stat that you are bound to hear at some point that red cars get more tickets than any other color car. Some would call this prejudice toward red cars by police officers. Some would even call this auto-racism. The fact of the matter is this...the radars that are used by police officers operate with a red laser beam. That red beam travels to the travelling automobile and bounces back. Based on the pigment in the paint of the car the beam will travel back to the radar at various strengths. Since a red-pigmented car reflects red, it is easier to get a reading from a red car. Have you noticed that black shirts are hotter than white shirts? That is because, white pigmented shirts relfect all colors while black absorbs all colors thus holding the heat.

I have tried numerous times to explain this concept to loved ones but to no avail. Sometimes people just want proof. I have even seen people go out with a flashlight to check the color of grass. I hope that this sounds as stupid to you as it did me. In case it does not, just to let you know, adding light to an object will cause it to reflect some of the light...so the grass appears green. So, there is really no way to "prove" this concept.

It is simply a fact that is supported by scientific facts of how light and pigments work. The presence of light is what makes things take on color. The absence of light brings darkness which eliminates color.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus (or the Word) is described as the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man." (John 1:9). The presence of Light give every man color. Jesus brings life and fills the void and darkness of our souls. It is only by this light that we are able to become who we were created to become. God created grass to be green, but it is only by the presence of light that makes this possible. God created each of us to be something, but it is only by the presence of the true Light that this is possible for us.

One of my favorite verses now is John 1:5 which says, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it." You will find many different translations of the Greek here, such as; understand, comprehend, overcome, conquer, etc. The importance here is that Light is in contrast with darkness.

Throughout the Gospel of John there seems to be a "battle" between the Light and darkness. You see this played out. Those who believe in Jesus have the Light while those who do not walk in darkness. The darkness is trying to overcome the Light (as seen in John 1:5). Here is where the similarities with grass break down. The light from the sun will give way to the night sky on a predictable cycle. Jesus however, has conquered darkness. Darkness will never "overcome" the Light. This is extremely important! Jesus Christ has come to this world to give Light to every man! A Light that darkness cannot drown out.

On a final note, when Jesus was placed on the cross, one of the things that happened was that the sky turned dark. As Luke puts it, "It was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining." (Luke 23:44-45). I may be stretching things a bit but there was darkness when Jesus died. It seems that darkness has won at this point. However, we know the rest of the story. Jesus lives! I imagine that when Jesus walked from the tomb, the sun was shining bright because Light overcame darkness. And, it is by this Light that we are able to have life...because the true Light gives us color.

Too willing to praise

2006-10-12T20:55:00.000-06:00

As Christians, we try really hard to ensure that we do not hurt someone's feelings or make someone feel like they are important and gifted. This is a good thing. On the Worship Development Team, we have a sort of team Scripture. It is as follows...

My purpose is that they be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Col. 2:2-3)

I think this is a good purpose statement for a group to have. Allow me to list a few conceptions about Christianity and the behavior of Christians. They may not all be from the Scriptures but few would argue that they are good virtues of a Christian.

1 - Treat others as you wish to be treated.
2 - If you don't have anything good to say...don't say anything at all.
3 - Love one another.
4 - Encourage one another.
5 - Share in others' struggles.
6 - Be respectful.
7 - Be kind.

I stopped the list at seven because of the implications of perfection. Also, because I knew that I could go on for quite some time but I think seven of them get the idea across.

As Christians we try very hard to accomplish these things. When someone gives their testimony, preaches, sings, prays, or does any other act of service, we give encouragement and support. If we didn't, then we often feel as though we have not succeeded at the seven (and many others) items listed above.

The other side of this issue is criticism. We, as Christians, do not want to be critical of our fellow believers. When they are finished, let's say preaching, we encourage them and praise them for a good message. We make them feel good. The last thing we want to do is be critical and make them feel inadequate. Many times, we see cases of people being too critical which is contrary to what we believe we should be doing. One case takes place on Asbury campus every day. All I have to do is say the name Joel Osteen and criticism will happen. We criticize him, people criticism Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, John Ortberg, and pretty much anyone who preaches on TV.

My point is, regardless as to whether or not any of these people should be criticized, there are times that we go too far. However, I believe that we, much more than we know, go too far with encouragement and praise. Let me say that again...I think we are too quick to praise someone for a job well done.

I believe that at many times our ambition to be good Christians and encourage and praise blinds us to reality. Maybe what that person preached was heresy or horrible theology or against what the church is about. In this case, when we praise them and encourage them, we are only adding fuel to the poor teaching.

If we get right down to it accomplishing the seven goals that I laid out above may look different than we think. Maybe, if the teaching and/or preaching was bad...we should tell them. Consider this:

1 - Treat others as you wish to be treated.
-If I am wrong...I want you to tell me because I desire to be right about this faith.
2 - If you don't have anything good to say...don't say anything at all.
-The question is...who is it good for. If it is good...then it will lead me to a better relationship with Christ because I will have a chance to correct my mistakes. Besides, shouldn't we worry about what is good for the Kingdom rather than what is good for me?
3 - Love one another.
-When you truly love one another you can voice these things. Did you read my last post? It read, "The fear of conflict breeds false harmony." If you are afraid to approach me, then the "harmony" that we have is false. I want real harmony.
4 - Encourage one another.
-If you showed me how to correct my mistakes, I would be encouraged for next time. You can be encouraging and still be honest.
5 - Share in others' struggles.
-Obviously, if I was off-base, I will be struggling. Walk that road with me.
6 - Be respectful.
-If you respected me, expressing your concerns would be respectful.
7 - Be kind.
-The right thing, and kind thing, to do would be to tell me.

There is a lot of overlap within the seven listed above. In case, you don't like my perspective...let's look at what Proverbs has to say within its wisdom.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. (Proverbs 27:5)
He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue. (Proverbs 28:23)

Do I have a point in all of this. Maybe. We must keep our eyes open. All too many times we hear or see something that is wrong and we do and say nothing. Maybe we simply choose not to act...maybe we don't realize the wrongness...maybe we are simply blinded with our drive to encourage and praise that we fail to evaluate and scrutinize what we heard or saw.

To encourage does not mean to praise and lift up. It does not mean to overlook negatives and only stress positives. As a Christian...sometimes encouragement means taking that difficult step and speaking out in some fashion for the gospel. And sometimes, just sometimes, that means rebuking another person.

Being able to rebuke openly and honestly will breed true harmony. And nothing sounds better than true harmony.

Harmony

2006-10-05T14:37:00.000-06:00

The fear of conflict breeds false harmony.

Portal to the past

2006-09-27T14:55:00.000-06:00

The period before 1935 was called the "Mechanical Television Era". There were televisions then, just nothing like what we have today. In fact, the screen was only about half the size of a business card and really gave no picture at all. Owning one of these television sets was virtually unheard of...there was no reason to because nothing was being broadcast. It was not until 1935 that television stations began to broadcast...mostly test...with a handful of televisions in the hands of consumers.

That being said...the image here is of a radio that I recently acquired. I like this radio for two reasons. First of all, I have a broadcast background and I have always liked old radios. Secondly, I like this radio because it is from 1928. This is significant. You see, television was not around then. Radio was the form of entertainment. When a family finished a meal, they would gather around the radio and listen to their favorite shows. Shows like Amos 'n' Andy, Abbott and Costello, The Bob Hope Show, Gene Autry, Buck Rogers, Batman, and many others. I can picture a family sitting around this very radio. Spending time with one another and enjoying a common interest. Much like a family gathers for a favorite show or movie, families gathered around this radio.

When I think about it, the Bible is just like this radio. Many years ago people gathered around in groups to hear the Scriptures read to them. It was quality time that they spent with one another. They enjoyed listening to the Word of God read to them. It is what they did. So, each time I pick up the Bible I am participating in something that was a central source of entertainment for many people a long time ago.

The problem is this...Families do not gather around the radio anymore for their favorite shows. In fact, radio ratings are based on 15 minute time frames...maybe because people are not interested in it for long periods. The interest in radio has turned from a central means of entertainment to background noise. Many times, we do this with the Bible. The Scriptures become background to our own experiences and other things around us. When the radio took a back seat to the television, people stopped appreciating radio. When the Bible takes a backseat to anything, we stop appreciating the Word of God.

I am guilty of this...like all too many of us are. The television has replaced the radio. What has replaced the Bible in your life? What is your "television"? Think about it...figure it out...it is important. I am trying to figure it out for myself as well.

Plea for blessings

2006-09-25T18:23:00.000-06:00

Of late...my wife and I have been seeking a blessing. The very concept of seeking a blessing is quite interesting. As we read Scripture we see numerous blessings. Whether it is a child given to Abraham, seeing your brother raised from the dead, or being one of the 5,ooo people that Jesus feed, people experienced huge blessings in their lives.

We also see blessings in the lives of people around us. People seem happy...in fact some people seem to recieve that blessing that we so earnestly seek. As we sit in the midst of others recieving that blessing...it becomes difficult. Why does God not give us this blessing?

Sure, we understand that God has a plan for our lives and maybe...just maybe...that blessing is not in God's plans right now. Some would say that we should only seek God's will and not seek particular blessings. I disagree...strongly disagree.

This is how I see it. No matter what I pray and what I ask God for, my desire for this blessing is strong. It is there...and God knows this. It is a prayer written on my heart and God has read and continues to read my heart, so when the prayer leaves my lips...it is no surprise to God. The key here is that blessings, I believe, are a means of grace. To experience blessings in your life is to experience God. To seek blessings is to seek God.

We know that ultimately God's plan for us is best regardless of what that is. But, we want to experience God in one way in particular. Asking for this is not wrong...in fact...it is right. To seek God for this is to acknowledge before the blessing is ever recieved that the source of the blessing, and all blessings, is God.

So, we pray, we ask, and we seek. In the end...in some way...we will experience God.

Daddy

2006-09-21T19:08:00.000-06:00

The other day, during our Monday night prayer service, a good friend of mine prayed with me. In his prayer, he said something along the lines of, "Lord, show Tony that you are still his Daddy." As soon as he said this, an image popped into my mind.

When I moved to California, to follow God's call on my life, I found myself standing in the backyard (if you call it that...in CA, they don't have backyards, only strips of grass between your house and the house behind yours), saying goodbye to my parents. As I hugged my father, he began to cry, which I think I had only seen him do on three or four occasions. His words to me were, "I'm going to miss you Bozo."

Ok...let me explain. When I was little, my dad always called me Bozo. It was my nickname...probably because I was a little dorky goober.

As we grow up, our relationships with our fathers change. We mature, an naturally, our relationships mature as well. I was making a huge leap of faith in my life. My life was changing drastically. I thought I was all alone. But, as my father hugged me, he reminded me...my father is still my daddy. That will never change.

No matter how old I get or how far away from him I am...he is still my daddy and I am still his little bozo. I should not have to explain how this relationship is like our relationship with God. God is our Daddy. He always will be, no matter how far from home we go.

God is our Daddy! It is so great to say! When I am in pain and hurting...He is my Daddy. When I am alone and scared...He is my Daddy. When I need a refuge for safety...He is my Daddy. So, it is with pride that I say...My Daddy loves me...and I love my Daddy!

If we listen

2006-09-13T22:27:00.000-06:00

As I read through the Gospel of John I come across two passages that I find to be personal favorites of mine. I list the passages to follow:

After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’ ” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not a sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”
John 5:1-14

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”
John 8:1-11

I can't help but put myself in one of these situations. How many times have I experienced the healing power of Christ in my life and not know how to fully explain it. To be confronted with questions about how and who and where and when. What a wonderful feeling to know that Christ will give us the power to walk when we think we don't have the strength.

At times, I feel as though I can relate with the woman caught in adultery. Caught in a sin. A sin that I should have known better not to commit...yet forgiven by the amazing mercy of a loving Savior. To stand in front of your Lord and Savior and face the consequences of your poor moral decision, and to hear the words..."I do not condemn you." The relief that you have at this time. The peace that you are overcome with. The joy of hearing those words from the one who can speak those words and know that it is ultimate reality.

However, I have yet to touch on the area of these stories that entice me the most. The important part here is what Jesus says after His healing and forgiving are completed.

To the healed man, Jesus said, "Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you."

To the woman He says, "Go. From now on sin no more."

It is here that I hear the strong message that rings ever so loudly. It resounds. Jesus tells each of them what He had done for them saying, "I have made you well" and "I do not condemn you." It is following thes statements, the statements that Christ has done a work in your life that only Christ can do, that this command is made. Stop sinning! Flea from sin! Strive to perfection!

Our response to Christ loving us and dieing for us and raising from the dead for us is simply this; leave our lives of sin behind. This is what we are called to do. This command does not simply reside in these two verse. It stretches from Genesis to Revelation. We are to be "perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mat 5:48). We are to strive to be conformed into the likeness of Christ. This is our goal to strive for. This is what Jesus is calling the adulterous woman and the healed man to do. This is also what Jesus calls us to do. All we have to do is listen to Him. He is speaking. Are we listening?

I imagine that if I took the time to listen after Christ does something great in my life, I could hear Him say..."Tony, leave your life of sin behind." If only I would listen...maybe I could hear the whispers.

Invisible Lines

2006-09-04T21:02:00.001-06:00

As Melissa and I were flying back from a weekend in California, I found myself doing the same thing I do every time I fly. I was looking out of the window wondering what state we were over at the time. This time, it got me thinking. We, as a culture, are surrounded by invisible lines.

We mark off invisible lines that divide countries. Invisible lines divide states. They divide counties, and even townships. Property lines, many times, are established with invisible lines. Some of us...me for example...have invisible lines of "personal space". Our world seems to be overrun by these invisible lines and we live our lives obeying the restrictions and barriers that these invisible lines manufacture.

However, as you fly over this wonderful country of ours...you see none of these invisible lines. All you see is a mass of land that is shared by everyone below...each car...each home...each person. They all share the same place. I imagine God looking at things from a "high" place much like I was in our small aircraft. He sees us all sharing the place that He created. There are no invisible lines in God's eyes. There are no countries...there are no states...there are no townships...there are no property lines.

We are intended to live in harmony and peace. Unfortunately, this is very difficult because of our invisible lines. We hear of wars over these invisible lines. We even hear of arguments over which state is better. Don't we all live in the same place. All of our land is connected...therefore, we are all connected. But...we don't like that. We like our invisible lines because it separates us from one another. The invisible lines tell me that you and I are not alike. I am from Indiana...and most likely...you are not. If you are...you are probably not from the same town and certainly not from the same property (home).

Maybe a lot of the struggles that our culture endures is caused by the invisible lines. Many people refer to the "Acts 2" church. It didn't seem as though they had many invisible lines and things seemed pretty good there. So good that people today desire to establish congregations that are modeled on the "Acts 2" church. I just wonder how much each of us struggle with invisible lines. How much does it hurt our ministry? How much does it hurt our friendships? How much does it hurt our marriages?

As I sat high above the earth in my cramped seat I couldn't help but think...what does God think about our invisible lines? What would God want us to do about our invisible lines?

Maybe something that we need to do is erase the invisible lines. I know that the reality is that this is difficult if not impossible...but isn't it worth a try? In order for these lines to be erased, we must first start small. By small, I mean those invisible lines that we draw around ourselves, our heart, our minds, and our souls. It is only then that we can even begin to focus on bigger invisible lines.

An insight from the ropes course

2006-08-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

Today, the WDT (Worship Development Team), which I am blessed to be a part of, spent the morning participating together in a "ropes course". Little did I know that I would experience something there that I will surely never forget. For simplification reasons, I will simply say that I was blindfolded and had to get from one platform to another without touching the ground. I was the last one left. Everyone else was on the "safe" platform. The team arranged the boards the best that they could for me to cross...and off I went.

I must make the comment that...when you are blind...you can't see anything! That may sound obvious but until you are blind...you cannot understand what that truly means. We had established that Anna would be our contact person as we crossed (two others crossed before me). She would be the one who talked to us and helped us across the dangerous poisonous waters below (really just mulch...you have to play along).

Anyway...as I was crossing the death-defying balance beam of torture, I felt alone. I was reaching out for help in the form of Anna's hand and it was when our hands met that the very concept of safety and comfort actually entered my world again (at least somewhat...you know...with all the poisonous waters rushing just inches below my feet).

Suddenly, the wet boards, which were overlapped to walk across because one was not long enough on its own, slipped off of each other and I tumbled to my demise. I was allowed to go back and try again and we were able to accomplish the task in front of us.

It was not until later that I reflected and imagined watching the whole scene. Tears began to fill my eyes...like most of you know happens quite often. I was overwhelmed with the implications that I could draw off of that simple little occurrance. You see, Anna reached out to help me in need. I needed her to help me get across those boards and she was there. Her voice and her hands were there to help me to salvation (the "safe" board). She extended herself to so far that she fell in on my first attempt with me! She was that vulnerable...for me!

I know...you are thinking...it was just a silly little exercise. It is not like she risked her life for me. First of all, I know I have not known her long...but from what I do know...I am sure it would have been no different if it was a life or death situation. I believe that any one of those men or women on that "safe" platform would have done the same thing. Secondly, I mentioned before that I found implications in this event. That is what struck me so.

I have a picture of the Sistine Chapel's painting "Creation" in my living room. The picture is of the hands of God and Adam. I have heard different peoplesay different things about this picture but I tend to see it as representing our fallenness. You see, God is stretching out for Adam but Adam is hardly trying to reach God. Adam's hand is limp! The focus here for me is on God's outstretched hand. God reaches out for us...He draws us in.

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself."
-John 12:32

This is how I see this picture. God will draw us in. He draws us with His love. The love that made Jesus become man. The love that made Jesus resist temptations. The love that made Jesus die on the cross and raise again. The love that reaches out to us now, calling us to Him. The love in the form of a friend's hand reaching out in vulnerability and saying "I will help you to a 'safe' place."

Today...I saw the love of Christ through the hands and voice of a friend. Now, I am faced with the question...who am I reaching out to? Who am I vulnerable for? Who am I embodying the love of Christ for? Am I allowing the Spirit of God to draw people in through me?

Welcome!

2006-08-28T21:37:00.000-06:00

Ahhh. A new blog to fill some of the time that I do not have to offer. I have decided to create a separate blog for my own personal rambles and insights in the world of faith. Well...at least my world...that hopefully plays some role in yours.

I have named this post "A Lighted Path" as a testament to our lives. As we all seek to become those children of God that we were created to be, we have the graceful light of Christ to guide us on our journey. Sometimes the light is bright and illuminates everything in front of us and sometimes, maybe it seems more often, the light appears dim. So dim that taking another step involves entering into the unknown. I hope that this blog addresses both our times of great joy in the presence of the radiance of our King as well as the uncertainty of the darkness. No matter the circumstance, it is my desire to find and draw attention to that light. Because no matter how dark it seems there is still light, and Christ is still their.