One way....

Just about every really good evangelist or preacher that I've heard speak has at one point or another, invited us to test our Christianity. "God isn't scared of your questions" I remember hearing quite a few times throughout my earlier years as a Christian. I think this is a remarkably awesome concept! We should examine who we are in Christ, who Christ is, and why we believe it to be so. The problem I have, (of course I do....) is that the same people that tell you to question your faith get upset if you arrive at answers different than the ones they have.

For example, what if you were struggling with the concept that God was going to send your Muslim friend to Hell because they didn't believe in Jesus. Your friend is a phenomenal person, selfless, gives up their time and resources to help those around you, and frankly, is one of the best images of Christ in your life. You attend church one Sunday, and your (Baptist/Methodist/Lutheran/etc) preacher tells you God isn't afraid of your questions, so you start to question what really happens to your friend. Through that process, you become a sort of Universalist. You hear God tell you that He can and will reconcile your friend in His own way, a way beyond your understanding. You learn that He is in control in a way far more complex and beautiful than you had ever imagined, and you fall more in love with Him than you ever thought possible. Lets all postulate for a moment what you think would happen if you went back to that preacher and told him you were a borderline Universalist. Can you imagine that conversation in his office?! Talk about the hot seat!!

The point of all this is not to pick on Prodistant preachers (Jesus loves them and so do I!) but to illustrate that the Church is quick to tell us to explore our faith, but slow to allow us to stray beyond what is considered "acceptable Christianity".

The whole point of Christianity is to have a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus Christ. Imagine if I introduced you to a friend of mine, then scripted how you must act around him for the rest of your life. I told you what topics were OK to talk about, I told you how to dress around him, how to answer his questions, and what parts of your life you had to change so he would like you more. That isn't a personal relationship, it's a scripted play. To really engage with someone, YOU have to be the one writing the script. My personal relationship with Jesus is going to look different than yours. It has to by definition. I can no more teach you how to develop a grown up relationship with Jesus than I can script your friendships in your daily life.

So what does that look like to step out and explore? Well, for starters we need to start examining what we believe and why we believe it. We need to toss out our ideas of salvation, Hell, the trinity, Heaven, Angels, the devil, .... Jesus, all of it. We need to stop believing what the Church has taught us and start believing what God is teaching us. We need to connect with God and let Him rebuild our faith in a personal way that He and only He is capable of.

I seriously hope that anyone reading this right now is slightly offended or thinks I'm nuts. If you already agree with me than I haven't done a good enough job stating the fact that I CANT SCRIPT YOUR FAITH. This means that even what I'm saying you should question before God. With that out of the way, I hope you all see the danger in this.

What if I stop believing in Jesus?
What if I decide there is no God?
What if I find Christianity isn't right?

In short, what if this very act destroys your faith. Isn't what I'm talking about very dangerous? In truth, I can't think of anything more dangerous than questioning the very fabric of your faith and beliefs. If you desire to know God in this way, you must put your faith on the alter. We do it with our money, our relationships, our jobs, our life (salvation anyone?)...why have we never put our faith on the line for Jesus?

Please understand I don't type this lightly. I have witnessed firsthand what happens when someone questions everything and comes up short. I have seen a close friend fall from the church into a life of uncertainty and confusion. It would be so easy to encourage my friends to simply accept what is around them and blindly follow, but I just don't believe that God wants a bunch of blind sheep obeying the Church without question. I believe that God wants us to risk everything in His name and I believe that my God is sovereign enough to bless those that are willing to do so.

And now the disclaimer. (I can't tell you how much I hate doing these but words on a page are so easy to misinterpret) I think the Church is amazing and I think that Jesus loves it with all his heart!! I think that everyone needs to be taught Christianity just like a 5 year old needs to be taught lessons in school. But just like every child grows past the point of instantly believing everything an adult tells them, we too as Christians, must reach a point where the Church has carried us as far as it can and we need to step out and critically examine the world around us. At some point the Church stops being your "grown up" and starts becoming your partner in service and faith. Also, I am sure (and hope) that people reading this don't agree with me. Like I said, it is all about a personal relationship with Christ and if your path leads you to the conclusion that I'm totally bonkers, than I praise God for your journey and hope you are willing to spark those around you in a similar quest, and support then regardless of the outcome.

The sense of depth

Perspective is such a vital component in life. Without it, we become two dimensional. Our sense of urgency and duty can become so skewed and we can waste so many resources on such frivolous things.

I'm going to keep up the world focus theme of the blog that has arisen recently and shift focus to Africa today. I remember the first time I heard about the war in Uganda via Invisible Children but it is so easy to lose sight of anything beyond our shores. There are some new videos and such up that we all need to spend some time with today and remember to put things into perspective.

Don't lose sight of the great commission. Don't lose sight of our call to help the poor and suffering. Don't lose sight of our duty as Christians and human beings to wake up and fix the world around us in a real and meaningful way. Use your resources wisely and always seek to deepen your perspective.

Now please watch the human side.

More than a feeling....

Early in my walk I couldn't shake the feeling that something didn't line up with my view of God and what the church taught me, although I couldn't say specifically what. I think the feeling was really based on the fact that many things didn't line up from my life experience and what Christianity taught me. So I started asking questions...

As a human, I seek to understand the world by defining in words things around me. Explaining things in tangible, real ways. The problem with exploring God in this way is attempting to define an infinite being in a finite language. The more I asked questions and sought to understand God by defining things, the more my existing definitions started to disappear. In the end, God ended up replacing so much of my explainable definition of who/what He was with simple feelings.

That's what God really is when you get down to it. A sentence can't even begin to define God but a feeling is a passionately emotional thing. A feeling exists in every part of your body, evoking a reaction thought out each and every part of you.

On the other side of that particular journey, God reconciled all of my problems, but I can't explain a single one in a way that makes sense or fits really. All I can say is that God has left me with feelings. I feel what God has instructed me to do, what I know he can reconcile because of his greatness, and I feel who God is. It's so much better than being able to define it!!

Plus grand que vous.

Growing up has been a pretty amazing experience for me. I have been surrounded by the rich and elite, middle class, and less fortunate. I have lived in New England and the South East. I have experienced life on the West Coast, Europe, and Asia. My first memory was riding a donkey in Greece at the age of 1. I spent the first two years of grade school in Tokyo, Japan. I had my 7^th birthday in Hong Kong. (I had cake with whole strawberries in it…. Yuk!) I have walked on tropical beaches next to armed guards with Uzi’s. I have been to countries that you can no longer travel to safely. I have had friends growing up that were Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, gay, and every nationality you can think of.

What I really treasure from my childhood is the attitude that it afforded me. I feel so blessed to be where I am. Even at my poorest moments in life, I always knew I was so lucky compared to the cities I’ve been to in Thailand for example. Further more, I’ve always felt that Americans are so isolated geographically and it is so easy to become disconnected from the world around us. I’ve learned so much from all the different cultures, people, and experiences I’ve been around, and it has really shaped the person I am now.

As a Christian, I’ve evolved this cultural philosophy into my faith and view of God. I realized it was pretty vain to assume that the American Protestant Christianity was God’s intended purpose all along. When you realize that African Christianity is so different from South American Indian Christianity, and both are so different from our own, you have to ask yourself “which one is God in?” The obvious answer is all of them. I have learned that the more you get out into the world and the more you step outside of your sphere of influence, the more you learn how big God really is. I think it is vital to bring different styles and cultures into our knowledge base so that we never become victims of a limited vision of God and never fall into the trap of believing that our way is “the best and only way”.

Anathema

I've wanted to use this word for so long and I am stoked I finally get to do it.

Anathema:
1. to be formally set apart,
2. banished, exiled, excommunicated or
3. denounced, sometimes accursed.

But there is more to the word itself. The word we now translate as "anathema" in English comes from the Greek word ἀνάθεμα (ä-nä'-the-mä) as found in 1 Cor 12:3. Here it is used to say that no one shall call Jesus "accursed" however there is also a very different meaning for the word. ἀνάθημα (ä-nä'-thā-mä) also translates to "anathema" in English but is used in Luke 21:5 to describe a "gift" that is set apart or raised up to God. Something set aside and very positive.

In modern english, the positive version is never used. It always means "accursed" even though it once had a positive connotation. So who the heck cares?

Well, it occurred to me that the term "Christian" has become anathema to the world in recent times in both the direct translation, and as a metaphor for the transition. What once had a positive connotation has now become synonymous with being accursed. I think that's why so many people have tried to rename themselves.

I remember the first time I heard someone say they weren't a Christian but rather a "Christ Follower". At first, I really liked the term, but the more time I spent with it, the more it left a bad taste in my mouth. I understand the reason people try to distinguish themselves from the millions of other "Christians" around them, but why do we have to invent a new word for it?

Lets be honest, if I tried to sell you a silica-based crystal that facilitated the rapid consumption of delicious liquids, wouldn't you be a little bit disappointed when I handed you a plain glass cup? Wouldn't it be so much better if I offered you a glass and handed you something unexpected and beautiful? (I'm thinking a really awesome Scooby-Doo collectible!!)

A small part of me (very small) is grateful the world has a jaded view of Christianity because it makes it all the more amazing when they finally see a glimpse of who Jesus really is.

I don't want to focus on terminology anymore. I want to focus on how my life reflects Jesus, and let him do the rest. I'd rather show people how different I am from the world than tell them.

Inbreeding?

If I ever get the choice to surround myself with leaders, I think I will do my best to pick people I don't really like.

This may seem the exact opposite of what I should do, but too often I see a leadership team become a clique that is full of very similar people. While this allows them to spend very little effort functioning as a team, it can really bog down those they lead. This is even more evident in a team with many volunteers who are free to come and go as they please, yet are so vital to the success of the group. When a volunteer comes and feels "outside the clique", it is very hard to retain them. Likewise, when a volunteer has been around for a while and feels they are not as valuable because they aren't the right "type" of person, they will be more likely to leave.

Some of the most rewarding and challenging relationships I've had recently have been with people I never would have thought I'd be around. These people bring different life experiences, ideas, and opinions that combine to make the body a stronger element.

Now, this concept can create many problems as well. A team of very similar people doesn't have to work very hard to gel together. A diverse team needs to be reminded why they are there in the first place. They need to know the vision, know what is at stake, and have a mutual respect for each other and their differences. The rewards for this is a team that is stronger, more flexible, and more likely to connect to those they lead. Imagine if you always had someone in leadership that you felt comfortable with and would always listen to you and could voice your opinion to all the other leaders.

This is one thing I think my generation does really well. I have been hearing a lot about Generation Y recently. I guess a new study came out or something. Apparently, we're really good at working in teams and being in diverse environments. I guess my blog is just one example of that.

But yeah, I think if I ever get the chance to build a team of leaders, I will try to find people that may be against my "instinct" (read: people I instantly feel comfortable around because they are just like me).

Big "C" Church

I'm so glad to see the new emerging Church in America. A group of communities that are passionate about seeing the word of God preached, and not consumed with their own agenda.

I've spent the last week thumbing through the vast amount of materials that churches now make available for free on the internet. Many have entire sermons available complete with videos and graphics. Others post their music, skits, messages, and promotions to give you ideas and further the cause of Christ.

10 years ago anything you got from another church, you paid for. You didn't talk to the Lutheran church down the street, and you certainly didn't rejoice when they did something controversial and thousands of people showed up to hear the gospel. But things are changing now. We can rejoice at the success of those around us. We can rejoice when we see Church grow. We can partner with Christians that may have different theological beliefs from ourselves, because we see they are passionate about spreading the word of God.

I know I gave her a shout out earlier this week, but Brittney has made the single greatest blog post I think I have ever encountered, and you all need to check it out. I can think of no better way to close that that.

Read it here.

Faith or insanity? (part 2)

Several months ago God called me to the city of Charlotte. He told me that He was going to use me in a greater role than I ever imagined, but didn't tell me what that would be. He provided a fantastic job, a place to stay, a place to put my things (I had a lot of stuff), a fantastic group of friends and a wonderful church.

Then he put in my heart a hunger for more. Through my struggling with that, God revealed to me that my new job was not where he wanted me. I prayed for discomfort (it was a fantastic job) and everything went to crap. Two weeks later I could reach no other conclusion but to leave my job.

I have spent the last 3 weeks with no cash flow and honestly, wondering if I was the dumbest person alive. I know how stupid it is to leave a job without another one to go to. I know how stupid it is to leave a job in less than 6 months. I know how stupid it is to wait on God in the mean time.

Then again, I also know how stupid it is to delay obedience. God has spoken to me and given me the ability to filter His purpose and I would be stupid to ignore that.

Through this process I have asked God to really shore up my faith. To teach me to act quicker when he calls. To question less and obey more.

In my 25 years, I have never needed anything. I have been blessed with parents who provided for me. I have been working since the age of 15 and had some pretty amazing jobs. I have never wondered how I would pay a bill or if I would make it to the next month without running out of gas/food/etc.

Now, with no cash flow for almost a month, things are getting tight. I'm about to start nibbling away at my savings account and I really, really don't want to do that. I know very clearly what God has planned for me now, but I don't know the time frame. It could be months or years before he sets my career in motion, and I've really started to wonder what I was going to do in the mean time.

My good friend Brittney made a post on Monday that was really a blessing in my life. She brings up Mathew 6:26 and through that, reminded me how valuable I am to my Father. That verse gave me the encouragement to trust God just a little longer.

Tuesday, I came to work for a friend of mine on a project car that has been taking much longer than anticipated. When it's finished, I will have the money I need for a few months, but until that time, I need cash to pay bills. Today he offered to pay me to install a roll cage in one of the cars we're working on (that takes me about 3 days) and just a few minutes ago, he offered to pay me to finish a car he's renting this weekend. On top of that, he is paying me for some work I did on a house of his not to long ago.

Did you catch that? God just gave me an avenue to pay for all my immediate bills.

Yesterday I also spoke with my good friend and old boss about the job I left. Things have been pretty tight for him recently too. He isn't getting as much business as usual, and I can tell he's a little stressed by it. God reinforced to me that His timing was indeed perfect. I left my old job just before work got tight and even more stressful.

I think I'm going to trust my Father and rely on him to provide for me for the first time in my life. I think it's time my faith stretches a little bit more, and that I have confidence in the gifts my Father has given me.

Faith or insanity?

I'm a bit of a dreamer according to my mother. She worries that amidst my scattered ideas and idealistic thoughts, I'll spend the better part of my adult life listless and adrift, never settling on a "secure" path. She's from the old school, where success is measured by your career path in the corporate world. Where the greatest thing you could tell someone at your 10 year high school reunion was that you were now middle-management for a Fortune 500 company. That is the world she grew up in and that is the world that provided for her and her family.

I have so much trouble wrestling with the worldly view of success, and the idealistic view. Growing up I never wanted for anything. My parents were fantastic providers. I went to great schools, had all the love I craved, and never needed anything. My dad worked for IBM for 32 years before he retired, my mother worked for over 20. We traveled around the world for the first 10 years of my life. It was amazing. I want nothing more than to provide for my children in that same way.

On the other hand, my dad's job was very stressful. He worked long hours and took many trips. At the age of 63, when I was only 12 years old, he passed away from a heart aneurysm.

The practical side of me wants to be the corporate shill. Wants to aim for the promotions and the pension and the nice house and the nice car. The idealistic side of me wants more than just an extra zero on my pay check. I want to impact the kingdom of God in a serious way. I want to stand before him in Heaven and know that my life was used to the fullest.

This is such a hard thing to balance. How many of my decisions are youthful ignorance and idealism? How many of them are powerful affirmations of my faith in Jesus Christ? I praise Jesus for the spiritual gift of discernment. Without it I think I would have tapped out a long time ago. Still, I'm in the hardest stage of my life and my walk with God that I have been in yet, and it's hard to not have doubts.

More to follow...

Why me?

I am so humbled by how my God invests in my life that words cannot begin to explain it.

For the life of me I can't explain why on earth God would spend time to invest in me the way he does. Follow me on my journey this morning...

Check out what Craig Groeschel at Lifechurch.tv wrote on leadership today.

This is such an amazing concept. I want to take it beyond just staff though. Our church uses so many volunteer leaders who have real power over their teams and a real chance to connect with their volunteers. We need to challenge ourselves to take seriously our responsibility to know our team and focus on their spiritual walk in addition to our other duties.

Yesterday I took a field trip back to Newspring Church with a few of the other members of Elevation. The trip itself was very insightful for us, and so was the time spent with the 5 of us. On the way back to our car, Lindsey mentioned something about Willow Creek doing a study, finding out they made some mistakes, something something. We tried to follow what she was saying but I think none of us got the message.

This morning, while reading the Lifechurch.tv blog I stumbled on a comment made by a woman with her own blog. On her blog she mentioning Willow Creek and their research study, the same study Lindsey was telling us about last night. I followed the link to an article, and then a link in the article to Willow Creeks own site.

I can promise you a large sum of money I would never have gone that far had Linsdey not mentioned this last night. Thank you so much girl!!

So here's my Amen moment. On top of God already revealing and challenging me in an area of leadership I had neglected above, he showed me this video that must be watched.

Greg Hawkins of Willow Creek

By the end of the video I was seriously in tears. My entire view on creating disciples in the church was identical to that of Willow Creek. A strategy that does not work. I have to pull two things from today.

1. God is actively preparing me for something that he has yet to reveal, but that is so far beyond me that I have to lean on him with all my heart to have the slightest chance of success.
2. God is moving in the Church and I think we're all in the midst of the largest revolution Christianity has seen in a thousand years!!

Praise Jesus!!

So What?

Passiveness is a big problem today. I truly feel it is the root cause of nearly all of the things men struggle with.

Not only do I struggle with it every day, but I grew up in a house of men who struggled with it. My father was an incredible dad, an amazingly successful business man, and could be extremely passive at times. Even as a 5 year old child I could see this play out in his life. When I got older and began to struggle with it, I made the decision to not let it grip me in the same way.

But why is it such a problem for us? If you look at Genesis 3:6, I would argue passiveness is the original sin, not Eve disobeying God. Adam set the stage for us, so again I’ll ask why is it such an issue?

I think there are a few answers to this problem.

Selfishness:
Sometimes stepping up and putting yourself on the line (ie being a man) requires a sacrifice. I think some times we are so consumed in our own little world that we won’t step outside of our comfort and be men.

Insecurity:
I believe this is the biggest one. Our insecurity tells us to play it safe and not take action. We think this is the best path because lets face it, we’ve all stepped up at one point and immediately regretted it. But how often do we immediately regret passiveness? Typically, the problems we create (even though they’re more damaging in the long run) don’t manifest themselves for long periods of time, or are transferred to other people. Because of our insecurity as men, I think many times we pick what we assume (and have been conditioned to feel) is the “safe road”.

Scope:
Our lack of scope causes many problems. We lose focus or vision or whatever you want to call it. If we can continuously remind ourselves what is at stake, what are the consequences and what are the rewards, we can get a grasp on this problem. Satan downplays things in our lives, and it’s time we bring them back into the spot light and remember how much destruction they can cause.

So what are your thoughts? There are few areas I am more passionate about and I really want to hear insight from others. Comment and let me know what your take is on this issue.

Then you're Passive.

Ok, here it is. The one everyone has been waiting on.

I freaking hate PMS!!

Passive Man Syndrome….

Literally, it makes me irate just thinking about it. Like it or not, God has called us men to step up and be leaders, fighters, and defenders. However, I keep running into passive men over and over again. We think being passive is the safe road, but it doesn’t work like that bro-ham.

I am sick of seeing my brothers in Christ abuse their girlfriends emotions just to make themselves feel more secure. I’m sick of guys not being open and honest and allowing doubt and worry enter their relationships. I’m sick of guys talking down to girls. I’m sick of guys who can’t make a decision. I’m sick of guys who won’t defend their girlfriends in public or private. I’m sick of guys who are selfish in their relationships. I’m sick of guys that pretend they are better that their girlfriend spiritually.

Here’s the deal guys, get over it and do it fast! Grow up already and be a man.

If you’re going to date, make her spiritual walk with Christ the focus of your relationship. See that you are serving her in every conceivable way with a desire to deepen her connection with God. Be a brother in Christ and protect her fiercely. Don’t cause her to stumble. Don’t be a source of temptation, but one of inspiration and support. Spur her onto good deeds. That is your mission on this earth!!

If you’re lucky enough to have girls that allow you to speak into their lives, you are called to the same standard! It’s frickin time that men acted like men. It’s time to make it a priority to protect ALL of our sisters. For the life of me I can’t understand why Christian men look at their sisters in Christ as something to consume.

Consume her beauty. Consume her body. Consume her heart.

Can you imagine a world of true Christian men…

Protect her beauty. Protect her body. Protect her heart.

If you're not active...

My Christian experience has been characterized by many mini-revelations that the world isn’t actually how I thought it was growing up. For example, the story of Adam that I learned as a child went something like this:

God created Adam
Adam was lonely
Adam didn’t want an animal companion (thankfully)
God created Eve
Eve was deceived by Satan
Now we all live in original sin

Isn’t that the story we were all taught? Eve did it. But look at Genesis.

"When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." Gen 3:6 (NIV)

This pisses me off big time. For years we were taught that Eve was to blame, but there it is clear as day, Adam was with her. The whole time Adam just sat there and absolved himself of responsibility. Did he step up and protect his wife? Not at all. He stood there and watched her be seduced by Satan and fall into sin as she disobeyed God. Not only did he not violently protect his wife, but he stood in quiet defiance of God as the serpent clearly twists the word of God. I’m sick and tired of men not standing up and fighting for their sisters in Christ. I don’t know why Genesis isn’t taught this way from the beginning, but it’s time we all stop running around blaming Eve for the fall of man. Clearly, Adam was the one who needed to step up.

More to follow…