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Archive for the ‘Community’ Category

You Have To Live It

Posted in Community, Family, Parenting on April 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday, I had a young man meet me at my office to discuss baptism.  He was raised in a different faith but has been attending our church for quite some time.  I was excited about his initiative – through our friendship, he actually approached me with his questions.

As we began, I explained the differences between the beliefs common in the Baptist denomination and those common in the faith of his childhood.  We discussed the importance of having a real life relationship with Jesus.  We also discussed the reasons for following through with Jesus’ example of baptism.

Then we moved on to being a part of a church family and the benefits of actually putting down roots and getting involved.

Through all of this discussion he was in agreement and had his mind made up that he wants to “go public” with his decision.  He wants to make it official and get plugged into our 1st B family.  So we began to discuss the process that our church recognizes for taking this step.  He has been in our services long enough to have seen the process play out and he is ready to take that step.

All of what I have shared here is exciting.  But what he said next made me sit back in my chair.  He relayed to me that he knows this is what he needs to do for his own journey, but he also really wants his young daughter to see her dad take this stand.

Parents, it is so important for you kids not only to hear what you have to say about faith and following Jesus but to also see you modeling it for them.  Kids have the innate ability to sense “fake.”  We can tell them all their lives what they should do and how they should live but if we are not living it out in front of them, our words and empty and meaningless.  You have to live it.

Make sure you model Jesus’ love for your family today!

Be blessed!

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Virtual or IRL?

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on April 12, 2012| 1 Comment »

Image

Everything is virtual.  Well not really.  But our world is moving toward a virtual way of doing just about everything at a scary pace.  We can talk to people around the world and actually see their image on the screen in front of us.  We can hold meetings with multiple people at the same time without being in the same town much less the same room.

We can order just about anything we want and have it shipped to our homes and never leave the sofa.  It is possible to live in our world with little to no human contact.

But that is just sad!

This week in our church we will be talking about the importance of connection.  One might argue that the things I have mentioned here would qualify as connection but for me, I believe what our world is missing and needing desperately is IRL connection.  Sound technical?  Nope – IRL is in real life.

Living resurrected lives meanswe are called to make an impact on those around us – in real life, in real time.

In most ways, the church stays behind the times when it comes to advances in technology and other things.  But here is an instance that the church has been on the cutting edge.  For years, we have been doing ministry and missions virtually.  Long before technology supported a virtual world, the church had built a system that promoted virtual ministry.  People, in the comfort of their pew can write a check so that someone else will serve others – virtual ministry.

But Jesus called each of us to get our hands dirty – to get involved.

That is living resurrected.  It’s a pretty cool way to live.  Give it a try today!

Be blessed!

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Living Resurrected

Posted in Church, Community, Formation, Hope on April 11, 2012| 1 Comment »

Easter has come and gone.  Or has it?  The Christian calendar now actually moves into the season of Easter.  For the next 50 days (leading up to Pentecost), we will be in the Easter season.

I must confess, I was not raised to pay an overwhelming amount of attention to the Christian calendar so when I talk as if I know of which I speak – I really am just learning – part of my journey.  At any rate, I don’t suppose I have ever really given much thought to the idea of a season of Easter.  But as I have thought about the importance of Easter – the day – I have begun to realize that there is so much more going on here than just a single day.

Easter Sunday is the day we celebrate the miraculous resurrection.  Part of that celebration is the realization of what it means for you and for me.  As believers, we live in and through this resurrection.  We no longer have to fear death and be, as Hebrews 2 says, slaves to that fear.  We begin to understand that Easter is not a day but a way of living.

This Sunday, we will start a new sermon series entitled Living Resurrected.  I ask that you pray for our 1st B family as God teaches us what it means to live resurrected lives.

I am also asking  for your input (which just might make it into the sermon).  What does the idea – living resurrected – mean to you.  Comment here are leave me a message on Facebook, Twitter or email.

Be blessed today.

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Not-So-Random Act of Service

Posted in Community, Formation, Leadership on April 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Today is Thursday – Holy Thursday.  We have walked with Jesus this week as he has moved closer and closer to the cross.  This morning we turn our thoughts toward tonight.  Jesus instructed his disciples to prepare for the Passover.  I can imagine that they hurried around purchasing the items for the meal and getting the room ready.  They were excited about celebrating this time together.

As they gathered that night, Jesus took the opportunity to spend his last few hours with them trying to pour into them as much as possible.  He had taught them that the last will be first and that the true way to greatness in God’s eyes is through serving others.  But tonight we will remember one of Jesus’ most vivid illustrations of service.

He took off his outer garments and wrapped a towel around his waist.  He put water in a basin and then he went one by one to his disciples and washed their feet.  This was one of the most lowly acts known to their culture.  The disciples were shocked.

Have you ever had someone show you this type of kindness?  How did it make you feel?  Uncomfortable?

That is what the disciples felt.  Here was their teacher – their master – doing what they would never think to do.  Foot washing was the lowliest servant’s task.  But that was what Jesus was doing.  Peter even tried to stop Jesus.

But Jesus persisted in order to make a point.  If the disciples were to follow him – really follow him – they would have to learn to put others first.  They would have to come to the realization that being a true follower  means serving.

I pray that as we move through this day and rememberer the events of Maundy Thursday, that we will be reminded of who we are called to be and what we are expected to do – the first will be last and the last will be first.

So Holy Week continues.  Keep walking.

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Quiet Wednesday and Betrayal

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace on April 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It is Wednesday of Holy Week as we remember that fateful week in Jesus’ life.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread would start tomorrow and the excitement was building in and around the city.  The disciples were beginning to think about planning the supper – thinking about a place to eat together and all the preparations that would need to be made to make sure the Passover Meal was just right.

But one of the disciples was distracted by other thoughts.  At some point, Judas met with the religious leaders in Jerusalem and agreed to look for an opportunity to turn Jesus over to them.  His take in the plan?  30 pieces of silver.

Was he evil or was this part of his plan to force Jesus’ hand to step up and lead a revolt?  Any answer to that question is speculation but what we do know is that the trial and crucifixion were direct results of his betrayal and afterwards, he felt guilty enough to end his own life.

So in the midst of the celebration and festive environment, one of the disciples was at work plotting against Jesus.  For whatever reason, Judas had come to a place of realization that who he expected Jesus to be and who Jesus truly is were not the same.

It is easy, 2000 years after the fact, to condemn Judas and look on him with hatred.  But before we pick up the first stone to throw his way, ask yourself a question, “Am I any different?

Has your perception of God ever conflicted with the reality of God?  Let me ask it another way.  Have you ever made up your mind that God wanted something for you?  Maybe a job.  You prayed and read scripture and truly sought God’s guidance and felt that God must want you to have this particular job.  It was going to be great – you were made for this job and God wanted you to have it.  But then, for some unforeseen reason, you didn’t get the job.  Now what?  Did God mess up?  Did God drop the ball?

You probably felt betrayed or mislead.  For a time you might have even felt angry at God.  You might have even turned from God for a time with an attitude of “I’ll show you!”

But the reality of that situation is that God has a bigger plan.  God is still God and the plan is for us to grow into the people were created to be – through good experiences and bad.

So before we demonize Judas too badly, maybe we need to look at our own betrayal.

Jesus is about to be betrayed by one of the ones closest to him.  Will you walk the rest of the way to the cross with him or will you turn and run away and come back around on Sunday?

Stay close – Holy Week is about to get dark!

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How Will You Honor Jesus?

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace on April 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

As we walk together through Holy Week, we are at Tuesday.  Mark records that two days before the Passover, Jesus was in the house of Simon the Leper having a meal with his followers.  While there, a woman came and brought a container of extremely expensive perfume and used it all to anoint Jesus’ head.

This sparked some debate among the group because of the extravagant nature of the act.  This perfume, we are told, was worth a year’s wages.  In today’s terms, according to the national average income for 2011 in the US, that would have equated to roughly $43,000.

For one, I don’t have $43,000 to spend on perfume but even if I did, I am not sure I would have been willing to sacrifice it all to put it on Jesus’ head as an act of submission, honor and worship.  But that is what this lady did.

Those present rebuked her for “wasting” so much money when that money could have been put to much better use.  But Jesus stopped them and explained that she was following her heart and not holding anything back, but rather, was willing to serve him and honor him in what would be a preparation for his burial.

As I think about this event, I have to ask myself: how do I honor Jesus?  Am I willing to worship him and serve him extravagantly?  Or am I only willing to worship and serve him with my left overs?

What about you?

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Walking Through Holy Week

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, tagged , on April 2, 2012| 1 Comment »

Yesterday was Palm Sunday.  A day we remember as the day Jesus entered Jerusalem with his face set toward the cross.  The people who lined the streets on that Sunday had no idea of what was coming.  In fact, they were welcoming a king – the savior of the world who would restore Israel to its rightful place and banish Rome forever.

They cheered and sang praises.  They laid their coats down in the road as a sign of submission and praise.  It was a day electric with excitement and anticipation.

BUT . . .

Those same people, just a few days from then would be the same people yelling “Crucify him!”

This week we will be thinking about what Jesus endured that last week of his life here on earth.  Yes, Easter is coming.  The day of the resurrection is coming but between now and then we have to pass through some of the ugliest territory ever known to mankind.  We have to pass an open doorway and overhear plots to kill Jesus.  We have to look into the face of Judas as he decides to betray his friend and master.

We have to stand in the crowd as Jesus is tried and hear the screams of the people as they call for his execution.  Then we will witness that horrific event on Friday, when Jesus was beaten and murdered.

Yes, Sunday is coming, but we must not rush past this week.  True, it is not for the faint of heart, but it is necessary for us to linger here just a bit – pausing to remember.  Stopping long enough to feel the gratitude we must feel for what Jesus willingly did for each of us!

Stay with me!

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Who Put Jesus on the Cross?

Posted in Community, Grace, Hope on March 29, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I love music – all kinds of music (not particularly fond of the red neck stuff – but even that I can take in doses).  I love to sing too.  Unfortunately, I am not all that good at it.  It’s kind of like when people ask me if   I am a golfer; my common response is that I love to golf but I would not call myself a golfer.

The reason I bore with you with these little tidbits of information about me is this: I have agreed to sing a song during our Tenebrae service next Friday as part of our Holy Week activities.  Yikes!

The song that has been on my mind for months is a song by Todd Agnew entitled Blood On My Hands.  It speaks to the fact that Jesus died for me and for you.  The first line of the song says, “Each crack of that whip was for my mistakes – his blood is on my hands.”

We are entering into Holy Week.  This is a time we set aside each year to stop and think not only about the cross and the sacrifice – but why it was necessary.  Richard Niebhur said there would be no Christianity without the cross.  I think he was right.  It was for us Jesus died.  We need to live with that fact this week.

So who put Jesus on the cross?

I did . . . and so did you!

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Thinking About Connection

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on March 26, 2012| 1 Comment »

I have been thinking.

Last week I mentioned that I have the opportunity to speak to a group of pastors and church leaders at a social media workshop today.  I asked for your help in defining the impact this ministry of Clay In The Hands has had in the lives of the readers. I have to tell you, as I have read all the emails and comments, I have been overwhelmed and humbled by how God is using my feeble attempts to communicate life in the Way – this journey that we share.

As I have continued to think about the presentation for the workshop and more importantly, why this ministry has become a part of my daily life – one thing stands out regarding impact.  Connection.

The fundamental reason that I take up room in cyberspace is to create a platform by which to connect with people.  Through the comments I received last week, it would appear that connections are being made.

God has taught me some things along the way:

1) Some days, it just doesn’t happen!  There are times that, regardless of how hard I try, the words just don’t come.  That’s OK.

2) Regardless of what I think of the post, God can use it in ways I never considered.

3) People are looking for transparency with integrity – we all need to know we are not alone on this journey.

4) People are gracious!

In many ways, Clay In The Hands is my own personal spiritual journal.  It is a place I can work through things and share some thoughts for the trip.  It is also a place to connect with others who are on the same path – some a little further down the road and some just getting started.  We are all in this together as believers.  We need each other!

Thanks for reading!

Be blessed today.

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I Need Your Help

Posted in Community on March 21, 2012| 3 Comments »

I have the opportunity to speak at a social media workshop next week.  My part will be to speak to the use of blogs and Twitter in ministry.  It has had me thinking for the past couple of weeks as to my motivation for offering up my ramblings 3 or 4 times per week here in this format.

As I have thought about it, a few things have come to mind.  At the heart of the “why” I do this is compassion and hope:

1) I write here in hopes that God can use my words to impact another life

2) My words are a window into who I am as a man, a husband, a father, a believer and a minister who is on the same journey as you

3) I write because I care for people and I am striving to learn to care more through God’s love

This platform has never been about self-promotion it is about connection and relationships – at least that has been my hope.

So I had this idea, and it is going to sound like a complete contradiction to my last sentence.  In fact, I have struggled with this idea and prayed through it and still feel it just smacks of looking for ego stroke – but that is the last thing I want.

As I stand before the folks in the workshop next week, one of their questions is going to be “How do you know your time and effort are making an impact?”

Quite honestly, I feel that God is using this ministry to touch folks – but it is difficult to quantify that belief.  So here is my request – would you consider emailing me or leaving a comment here on this post or on Facebook or Twitter as to how Clay In The Hands has touched you?  I am not looking for an ego boost – even though it sounds like I am.  I am simply trying to gather examples of how this effort has made a difference.

I humbly look forward to hearing from you.

Be blessed today!

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