Fridays are for Friends & Family 04.17.09

Welcome to another edition of FFF! The week has been a big one in the Jackson household as we celebrated Easter as a family last Sunday and have our daughter, who is a student in Vancouver, British Columbia, arriving home for a visit tomorrow. We are so excited to see her. Today she is interviewing with the Vancouver (Winter) Olympic Committee for a journalism job (who knows what that might entail). If you are interested in visiting Vancouver during the Olympics in February 2010, then click on this link for the official site. And if you get there, say ‘hi’ to Sarah for me, will you?

This week the NBA playoffs begin. My team, the defending champion Boston Celtics, look like they’re in for a very difficult time. KG (Kevin Garnett) has been injured and may not play, and now today is was reported that their general manager, Danny Ainge, has had a heart attack. In light of these things, I thought it might be of interest to post this video comparing your worship experience to an NBA game. Check it out:

Do you live where people are moving? or are they moving away? The Pew Research Center has data that shows where people are headed in these current days. You can check it out, along with a lot of other social and demographic trends at their website by clicking here.

Our current President is the first in many years without a “home” pastor he calls his own. The New York Times among others has been wondering who our leader turns to these days for spiritual counsel and direction? They recently ran an article which suggests President Obama turns to five different pastors when he’s looking for guidance. You can check it out here.

Next week I’ll be on the road at “Exponential 09,” the national Church Planting Conference.” The website for the event is here. It’s going to be great to hear some of the leaders in church planting and to check up with many friends and colleagues. Will you be there? If you are and you want to hook up, drop me a line.

Until next week…

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.

The Best of 2008

Well, it’s been quite a holiday season, full of fun and lots of transition for me and my family. But as we come to the end of the year, it seems appropriate to reflect on 2008 with my first annual “Best” list of what I personally experienced. Mind you, these “bests” are not a critic’s view, they are my personal view on what meant most to me during the past twelve months.

BEST MOVIE I SAW IN A THEATER: None. I was underwhelmed by all the movies I saw away from my home setting during 2008. There were certainly none that caused me to pause and say that’s one of the best ever.

BEST DVD I SAW: August Rush, without question.  It is, in my opinion, the best movie I’ve seen in years! If you like music–no matter what kind–and you value family, you’ll enjoy this powerful story.  I wanted to watch it again as soon as I finished watching it the first time.

BEST BOOK I READ: Wild Goose Chase, by Mark Batterson. This book spoke to me and the place I’m at in my own spiritual journey. Much of it was a “refresher” on basics, but I found the book chocked full of pithy, thought-provoking statements that resonated deep within my soul. A close second: The Shack by William P. Young.

BEST TV SHOW: For me this year it was “Chuck,” hands down. Perhaps it was the element of surprise (I didn’t expect much from the show when I started watching it), but the entertainment value has been high.  Not a serious show by any means, it has been a lighthearted delight for me in an otherwise serious year.

BEST MUSICAL EXPERIENCE: My daughter Rebekah’s first Annapolis Youth Orchestra performance. She has been playing the violin for several years, but to see her on stage with all these other musicians was incredible! Second place: My wife and I attending the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra’s last summer outdoor concert on our anniversary in August. Sweet. Special.

BEST SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: Soul Care Retreat at Skycroft Conference Center. This retreat was an attempt to facilitate a time for the participants to slow down, detach from the world and “re-connect” with God.  It certainly did that for me. The notes and insights I gleaned will mark my life for years to come. A close second: Easter Services at Calvary Church, Bel Air.

BEST CHURCH PLANTING MOMENT: While this may seem self-serving, please forgive me as I say it was the publication of PlantLIFE: Principles and Practices in Church Planting. This compiled book is the “story” of church planting from those church planting leaders here in the field who will now continue to teach us through their own lessons and experiences.

BEST SPORTS MOMENT: For sheer delight personally, it was the Red Sox comeback in game five of the American League Championship series against the Tampa Rays. Down 7-0 in the seventh inning, with only 7 outs to go, the Red Sox staged the most dramatic playoff comeback since 1929 to win the game, 8-7. A longer “moment”: the entire Boston Celtics season, including the incredible finals series victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.

BEST POLITICAL MOMENT: The choice of Sarah Palin as Republican Vice-Presidential candidate. Her selection–a virtual unknown–was a total surprise to me; she easily added energy and personality to a sluggish party campaign. She is a breath of fresh air for the future in that party…it will be interesting to see what develops in her life and career down the road.

BEST HISTORICAL MOMENT: The election of Barack Obama to be President of the United States. Not only does this decision shape the present of our country, it will change the course of the future for our nation like few non-miliatry moments ever.

BEST FAMILY MOMENT: Our trip to Niagara Falls during the summer. All five of us, including Sarah, were able to travel again to this small, tourist town on the border…and we loved every minute of it. It was a memorable experience for us all, one that we will treasure for a lifetime.

BEST NEW DISCOVERY: Facebook, hands down. I’ve written about it before, so I won’t belabor the point here. For me, it’s simply the best ministry “tool” I’ve ever found to keep up with others and serve them from a distance.

Well, that’s it for me…now it’s your turn. Anyone out there who wants to share here about their opinion on what was “best” in 2008? Send your comments in and I’ll post them.

And here’s a tip of the hat to each of you for listening to my rants and raves during the previous months. Thanks for helping me grow and learn, as we together move into the future. 2009, here we come!