Searching for Meaning and Purpose...

As we continue the E100 challenge (read yesterday's post to find out what we're talking about and join in!), today I read Genesis 12. Now, this might not seem like a very earth shattering passage, but as everything in the Bible is God writing a love letter to us, it carries some import. As something out of the ordinary in life, it carries even more for us. Abraham is often called the father of faith because of this story, but I think there's a lot more importance than his faith. I mean, faith is great, but we need to see something about that faith. In Genesis 12, here's what happens: 1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed thro...

The New Testament is full of the analogy of "running" or "walking" as a descriptor of faith. Have you noticed that? Just like my stories about football seem to dominate my mental pictures, running and other athletic analogies dominate the writings of Paul. He must have been an athlete or loved the games! As I think about it, it could also just be the fact that it is such an apt descriptor of what faith actually is like! Today I talked with the 46! middle school students who came early to JumpStart about what God asks us to do in terms of faith... Let's see what God had to say to us: Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one...

So the title of this post might have you wondering what I'm going to be talking about, but it's something that springs out of the series we've been running through in Jr and Sr. High. As we look at the low expectations people have of teenagers versus God's expectations (and who He made each of you/them to be!), it's amazing how much it resonates with my students. So many of them have been assigned a lesser role (or had no role assigned to them at all!) because of their age and what most people "think" teenagers ought to be capable of. But, the thing is they can do so much more! However, that's not what we're looking at today... Safety nets are an important part of life in many occupations. Trapeze artist for example, is a job where not having a safety net could mean death. I know working as a lineman and climbing telephone poles and such for a living, as much as I hated them sometimes, my safety harness and belt kept me from a lot of pretty...

Here are some thoughts from by Ed Gungor courtesy Relevant Magazine: " I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! " Mark 9:24 TNIV For many people of faith, the idea of experiencing doubt at all makes them very nervous. They view the questions that rise in their minds as evidence of a lack of faith, which surely disqualifies them from being authentic believers. So they shove their doubts into their subconscious in Pollyanna-ish fashion. But what if it's not true? What if honest doubt is actually the essence of faith? What if real faith has doubt in the mix, as a coin has two sides? That would mean struggling with doubt is not a lack of faith; it would actually be faith! I think it is healthy to be uncertain every now and then. Frederick Buechner wrote, "Every morning you should wake up in your bed and ask yourself: 'Can I believe it all again today?' ... At least five times out of 10, the answer should be 'No' because the 'No' is as im...

I've been cruising through Hebrews right now, so you get to join with me some more as we look at chapter 12 today. But, more than just some thoughts, I want to show you how to study your Bible as you read it. So journey with me now as we toss out the opening text... Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. I love this set of verses. It's encouraging to know that the...

Bill spoke of real faith Sunday, and it was awesome. The idea that believing alone isn't all we're called to is so much bigger than we say. Just as God called Abraham to leave his home or Peter to leap out of the boat, He calls us to live a life as He did! How does that relate to Ephesians 1 you might ask? Simple, Paul speaks of God as having "blessed us with every spiritual blessing...because we are united with Christ." One of the blessings, whether we see it or not, is faith! It might sound odd, God giving us faith to believe in Him, but it's the way it works. Without God's gentle (or not so gentle!) nudging, none of us would have ever found Jesus Christ, much less come to a saving knowledge of Him. The Psalms say it pretty clearly: "No one seeks God...no not one." We weren't seeking God, He was seeking us. Why would He do that? He is perfect in and of Himself; why seek us, imperfect, flawed, and ungrateful as we are? Short answer: ...

So, today I saw my sister in-law become an RN. It's always weird watching one of the kids I've had in my youth groups graduate college, get married, etc. but to have more invested is even beyond that. There's the pride, the hope, the joy contained in that one moment and then some because they're family. Not to say that seeing my youth kids graduate isn't emotional and full of pride, hope, and joy! There's just a difference. It's still the knowing that this is one of those moments they won't forget. It's the knowing that this is the line in the sand between one life and another. It's so MUCH! Yet, we seem to do little in the average youth ministry to celebrate. Yeah, there might be some cheesy slideshow (although note: I did not use "Friends" by Smitty this year as one of the tracks!) and maybe a luncheon, maybe even a spiffy Bible or CD or both (you know, Interlinc sells those sweet combo packs!). But, what lasting impact is ...

Here's my thought: why do we try to do so much alone when we can do so much more together? I look at all the synergy (yes, I stole the corporate buzz word) created through the ministerial alliance and youth ministerial alliance here in El Dorado, and I am floored. There is more potential and, most importantly, willingness here to be the Church than to be a church. Just looking at what there is between the churches is incredible: we're looking at adding other churches into our after school program to make it a larger endeavor and help more kids have a safe place to go to and get help with school work. At the same time we're planning other events that none of us could pull off alone (like a kicking New Years party) and it rocks! Why then do so many churches behave instead as if they were the only ones in the world that mattered? Is it a deep seeded denominational fight? Or is it the theological differences (like infant or immersion baptism, predestination or free choice,...

After a great weekend of master's classes and the Frequency conference at Indiana Wesleyan University, I am thinking, a lot! I am going to deviate from thinking about what it means to be a Christ follower into what it means to "minister" and what a "ministry" really is. Ministry is a broad term, covering anything someone does in the name of Christ (minister means to give aid not someone who is of the clergy, that's something we associate to it, not the original meaning!). So in theory, feeding someone who is hungry is a ministry (particularly as we fit both contexts, the idea of doing something in Jesus' name and the "professional" idea of someone who does things for the church) especially as it was something Jesus told us to do? However, should there ever be separation between the "professional" idea of ministry and the actual process of giving aid? I think not, but we've made it so. Is there a place for preaching? Yes. Is...

"Why should anyone read the Bible, it's all made up anyways?" A student asked me this question once, and as surprised as I was by the question, it is one with a relatively simple answer. Because the Bible is literally the God of the universe speaking. That may sound crazy, but I'll explain. First, let's start with some of the dismissals of the Bible. Some dismiss the Bible because it's "all made up." However, nothing could be further from the truth! No portion of the Bible has ever been proven wrong. Even with what seemed like easy facts to prove wrong, lo and behold, the proof was there. Think David, a biblical king of the Israelites (from Goliath fame...) whom scholars said didn't exist. They kept saying he was made up because there was no proof of this military mastermind who established Israel as a powerhouse until they finally dug up references to "David king of the Hebrews" relating to conquests of their people. Hmm , do...