Fridays are for Friends and Family 01.30.09

Well, since I’m trying to get back into my regular routine, today will function as my first FFF (Friday for Friends/Family) in 2009.  Hopefully, you’ll see them continue as the year progresses.

Ed Stetzer recently published a new book, entitled “Lost and Found.” This book was co-written by his colleagues Richie Stanley at the North American Mission Board and Jason Hayes of Lifeway. You can check it out at Lifeway’s website here.  A first for me: I have been asked to be one of the 75 people who will review it on their blogs. So in February you will find my thoughts on this book which deals with some very significant findings about unchurched young adults.  I can’t wait to read it!

The SUPER BOWL is being played in Tampa, Florida on Sunday and hundreds of millions of people (more than a billion possible!) will be watching as the Arizona Cardinals, in their first Super Bowl play against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are appearing in their record-tying seventh SB championship game. As a result of the presence of Kurt Warner, quarterback in Arizona, in this game and his very out-spoken commitment to Christ, I thought you might be interested in what one columnist has penned about faith and football. Check out “Does God Care who wins the Super Bowl?” here and then write me back and share your thoughts.

In regards to the game, NBC is encouraging the use of 3-D glasses for the SoBe Lifewater commercial (a product of PepsiCo) that will air during the game. These glasses can be secured for FREE at many stores in your area. Check the list here; it’s found in the navigation bar on the top right. And if you’re a fan of the commercials seen during the game, here’s the 10 greatest SB commercials of all time.

NBC is also encouraging you to keep the 3-D glasses for their Monday night return of the TV show “Chuck” (a personal favorite) that will be shown in 3-D this week only. Read about it here.

Finally, I have long been a fan of science fiction and satirical comedy…but what happens when you mix the two? Check out this YouTube video on “Monty Python Meets Star Trek.”

25 Random Things about Me

Well, they tell me on Facebook that what I’ve written there can’t be seen by anyone outside of FB itself. (You can find me on Facebook by clicking here.) Since that’s the case, I’m posting my “25 Random Things” note here for anyone else to see who just might be interested.  Later, I’m planning to move it to the “About Me” page.

1. My first “home” was on the campus of the University of Alabama; I have been a fan of the Crimson Tide football team since that time (It was during the Bear Bryant era.).

2. I once met Bill Clinton personally while in college and carried on a one-on-one conversation with him.

3. I have been a fan of the Boston Red Sox since Carlton Fisk’ famous home run in 1975; however, as a child I had a baseball “doll” that I called Mickey (probably for the dreaded Yankee hero Mickey Mantle, and not for the well-known Mouse).

4. My first date with my wife, Joyce, came after a discussion about predestination “broke the ice.”

5. My very first public speaking experience in church was at Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, TN, when I was a middle-schooler.

6. My parents tell me that if I had been a girl I would have been named “Denise.”

7. Joyce and I originally expected to serve in ministry as missionaries to Japan; not in church planting, though, but in theological education.

8. I played on the championship intramural flag football team at Princeton as a running back on offense and a linebacker on defense.

9. As a college student I drove all the way from New Orleans to Portsmouth, New Hampshire by myself without making a single wrong turn or mistake in navigation. I’ve never repeated that feat.

10. I attempt to “take off work” every Patriot’s Day (a state holiday in Massachusetts), the third Monday of April annually, which commemorates the beginning of the Revolutionary War.

11. I attended the National Championship college football game at the Sugar Bowl of 1973 between Notre Dame and Alabama, called by some “the greatest college football game ever played.” Notre Dame won, 24-23.

12. Before coming to serve in ministry here in Maryland, I was asked to head up church planting in New York City. I determined it was not what God wanted me to do.

13. I have sailed in a sailboat with about 8 people on the Nile River.

14. I once spoke in Chapel at Southern Seminary as a part of the same program with D. James Kennedy.

15. I’ve experienced some “dreams come true” at baseball stadiums—I’ve seen a no-hitter, watched a star hit his 500th career home run, and caught a foul ball.

16. I’ve stood at the podium of the Speaker of the House on the day after President Nixon gave his joint speech to Congress upon his return from normalizing relations with China.

17. I have been to all states in the Union, except Alaska.

18. My childhood pet, a cat named Mittens, ran away after we moved to Tennessee. I have never had a cat for a pet since that time.

19. I led a “turn around” church experience in Maine, helping the congregation to grow by 500% during the summer I was there. If that had not happened, I might not be in ministry today.

20. I ran out of gas on a date while in college, returning from a Barry Manilow concert (yeah, I know). The girl never spoke to me again.

21. As a senior in high school, I tested out as the best student in the state in American Government, winning myself a scholarship to LSU. I declined it.

22. I led my first person, a third grade classmate, to the Lord when I was 9 years old.

23. I wrote a hymn, entitled “Share His Love,” in the late 1990’s.

24. I was a Little League All-Star left-handed shortstop.

25. If God had not called me into ministry, I would have likely become a prosecuting attorney.

An Open Letter from the Bush Girls to the Obama Girls

If you haven’t seen this video, put together by the two daughters of former President Bush for the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia, you need to see it!

All I can say, is Wow…way to go, Jenna and Barbara Bush…

Check it out below:

Monday Morning Rewind: “Change We Can Believe In” pt 1

Today I restart this weekly post, rehearsing what I shared in my message on Sunday morning. This week I started a new series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount, with a sermon on the first half of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5.1-6).

I am one of those who believes that the Beatitudes portray a journey, a developmental process toward God and then following God. As such they depict the life that experiences God’s blessing (“Blessed are…”). My take on it all, though, is that Jesus hammers home that the life of blessing is a life of character, based on his value system, exemplified here. These counter-intuitive, counter-cultural values are at the heart of our relationship to God and then to one another.

It starts with poverty of spirit. This is a proper view of self, an acknowledgment of our own need. It takes humility, a recognition that we need God and cannot “make it” without Him.

It continues with a contrite and penitent heart. This is a proper view of our sin, a brokenness before God regarding our nature and rebellious choices. It is a recognition that the sin for which we mourn has enslaved us and we turn our hearts toward God for help.

It continues with a gentle, teaching will. This is a proper view of others, admitting the world doesn’t revolve around self and ready to serve and learn with the ones allowing God to shape them for His purposes.

It culminates in a passion and priority for God and His ways, the ways of true righteousness. This is a proper view of our Lord and the imputed righteousness He willingly shares with us when we commit our life to Him. Our hunger and thirst for Him is as basic to our spiritual survival as bread and water are to our physical survival. Our live is found in Him.

This week we’ve heard a lot about “Change We can Believe In.” I readily admit that we need change in our land and hope that our new President can help usher in the kind of things that are needful in our society. But I for one, also believe, that the real change we can believe in is not found in the words of a President or the actions of a nation; they are found in the message of Jesus Christ and His life-giving death on the cross of Calvary. That’s the kind of change I can believe in; how about you?

Rev. Lowery’s Benediction at the Inauguration

So many of you have responded to my post on Rick Warren’s invocation at the Inauguration. Thanks for that! As a result, I thought I’d post Rev. Lowrey’s benediction here as well. As you may or may not know, this 80-year old man lived through the Civil Rights Movement and his perspective is personal. Watch his prayer here:

Again, what are your thoughts? Appropriate or not? and, What place do you see “religion” playing in this administration? I’ll post your comments here.

Rick Warren’s Invocation at the Inauguration

Rev. Dr. Rick Warren’s involvement in this inauguration ceremony presented great controversy before the event today.  Here is what he actually ended up praying:

I for one was stirred by his words and his participation in this significant moment in American history. What do think of what he prayed and the controversy surrounding his participation in this ceremony?

A New President, A New Day

Today the United States of America saw the 44th President of this country inaugurated as the leader of the land. In his speech, he spoke with determination and resolve as he reminded Americans of the need for sacrifice and responsibility. Our “patchwork heritage” is a part of our great strength as a nation, he said, and our lifestyle will bring no apology to nations around the world who often criticize us. It was a “stirring” speech, but not a “soaring” one, according to the political pundits, just as the President and his writers wanted and nothing more.

So what does it mean to those of us in this land?

It cannot be denied that this is a historic day of epic proportions. Few days of celebration in my lifetime have ever carried the impact of this one (national tragedies have, but that’s a totally different story). The mass of humanity that descended upon Washington, D. C. spoke volumes to the world. Their mere presence shouted hope, expectation, joy and some sense for many of fulfillment, especially among African-Americans. To them, the ascendancy of a fellow countryman to the highest office in the land is a (at least partial) fulfillment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech from forty-five years ago. It is a day many thought they’d never see in their lifetime.

For all minorities and those previously marginalized by government and bureaucracy, it signaled a potential change of direction and possibly then, opportunity for the American dream to be fully realized in their own lives. As I wrote on Twitter earlier today, today’s events were more an Emancipation Actualization for them, as the President represented the reminder that anyone–even the son of an African immigrant–could make good on that dream. All Americans want to take hold of that “audacity of hope” and believe it can be for them, too.

A new day in America? In the end, rhetoric is easy and celebrations are often mirages. The evidence of whether or not the country enters a era of real change and progress will only be seen in the impact his leadership enables over the coming years. As President Obama reminded us today, we must all put away childish things and do our own part to make America better than ever before.

I for one will pray for him regularly, asking God to grant Him wisdom and grace as He leads our nation into the future. I ask you to join me in this responsibility we have to our Maker and for our President.

Reviewing the Highlights of 2008

2008 was my first year blogging; and what fun it was for me! I “met’ several of you for the first time and found the experience to feed my own soul–something totally unexpected but incredibly meaningful. I’ve learned a lot over the course of the past eight months and I’ve shared several insights that have met with your response. Thanks for the dialogue we have shared. Here are some of the highlights from 2008.

May 2008: There were only three posts in this first month for me at wordpress.com.  I had started my blog posts on our internal company website and for the first month or so, simply transferred them over to this site, so that readers could find a progression in my thoughts. So in this first month online I posted “Happy Birthday, Jonathan!” to my son, as he celebrated his 16th birthday. Check it out here.

June 2008: This month brought a training event at our conference center on “organic” church leadership. Neil Cole, among others, joined us as a trainer for this. As a result, I wrote on “Organic Leadership” and peaked some interest among my readers. Find it at this link.

July 2008: In my third month of blogging here, I posted a thought regarding “The Church that Jesus Intended?” It was easily the highest viewed article I wrote in the first four months of my blog. You can read it by clicking here.

August 2008: This month was the slowest month for me since the first. Fewer people visited the site, but one post about Bob Roberts in particular got your attention. Entitled, “There’s No Such Thing as a Church Planting Movement,” you can go to it directly right here.

September 2008: With the school and church year back into full swing, a post on evangelism attracted your attention. This post, inspired by Jim Henderson, was entitled “Doable Evangelism,” after his seminar of the same title. You can read about it at this link.

October 2008: This month saw a surge in activity at this site and nothing attracted more attention than the new book released called, PlantLIFE: Principles and Practices in Church Planting. This book has been popularly received and involved 42 authors, all church planters connected to our ministry. The post announcing its publication is found here.

November 2008: The most highly viewed post of the year came from a live blogging experience I was doing at the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware’s annual meeting. The Pastor’s Conference was held on the first morning and the guest speaker was Ed Stetzer, President of Lifeway Research and author of several books. Dr. Stetzer always seems to attract a lot of attention, and this was certainly the case here. You can follow my live blog of his thoughts by clicking on this.

December 2008: Finally, in the last month of the year I included a post that discussed my thoughts about Rick Warren’s thesis in “The Purpose(s) of the Church?” and got a good bit of response. Apparently, there are passionate thoughts about this issue everywhere. Read about it here.

All of the posts listed above were the most highly viewed posts in their respective month of online publication. Thanks for viewing them, and for those of you who added your comments. These have certainly enriched my learning this past year, and hopefully it’s got us all thinking a little bit more about what’s truly important.

Tim Tebow and the National Collegiate Football Championship Game

My “left coast” friend in ministry, J. R. Miller, reminded us all today on his blog More than Cake that the BCS Championship game tonight will showcase Tim Tebow, among others. Joe and I agree that while we are not Florida Gator fans personally, we are deeply impressed with Tebow and his commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Miller says,

“Tebow has used his physical talents, his 2007 Heisman Trophyaward and his status as “Superman” to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

Check out this YouTube video highlighting Tim from last year’s Heisman Trophy Award presentation :

Here’s hoping you enjoy the game tonight, and what’s more important: a life like that of Tim Tebow, committed to passionately following the Lord Jesus Christ and His will for your own life!

“Jesus is now following you”

That’s how the message began this morning, as I sat at my computer preparing for our staff meeting. We were getting ready to discuss Dan Kimball’s latest book “They Like Jesus but Not the Church,” in which he mentions early on how the Christian subculture has created its own “bubble” for virtually every area of life.  Little did I realize that a new area of my life was about to be invaded in that way!

So as I was putting the finishing touches on my remarks in regards to our meeting I posted a comment on my Twitter feed that we would be dialoguing about this topic. Lo and behold, within two minutes of that post going online I received a note, “Jesus is now following you on Twitter.” How ironic.

This somewhat humorous anecdote highlights a greater concern.  The message accompanying this note was that Jesus was “happy to be following [me...and] could I help tweet what Jesus would tweet?” Interesting, wouldn’t you say?

Now I’m all for living a life that would please Jesus, including my “tweets.” In point of fact, just about every day I post a Scripture reference from my own daily time with God. Certainly my ministry impacts most of what I share all day long too. But I do worry that, if not careful, we allow such things to pull us into a “Christian bubble” (Kimball’s phrase) rather than intersecting the world naturally, regularly.

Frankly, I think I should be more concerned that I’m following Jesus (on Twitter or elsewhere) than whether “Jesus is following me.” My allegiance, devotion and unconditional obedience ought to be His all the time, in everything I do, say, go, etc. Something inside me, though, (the Spirit?) tells me that He wouldn’t want me to be isolated and “away” from the world–in a bubble–but rather engaging, participating and following Jesus as I live my life, on Twitter or anywhere else.

So to Twitter and to everyone else I say, “I’m now following Jesus.”  How about you?