ERC Is Moving!!!

For those following the saga which is Emmaus Road Church as it joins in God's movement in Toledo, I wanted to give an update as to where we are.

Next month ERC will be moving out of our current location into a new one. We will be sharing space with Campus Crusade and Younglife at the corner of Nebraska and Westwood Ave. about a mile south of where we are now.

This new place provide a much larger space for worship gatherings and also a large area for children's church. At the same time, the rent is significantly less than what we're currently paying. It's a real answer to prayer as our lease was up this month and we knew we were in need of a larger space.

Here are some pictures of the new place. Keep us in your prayers as we transition to 3 preview worship gatherings (Jan. 10th, Feb. 7th, Mar. 7th) and then our launch date of Easter 2010.

Last Meal

I found it interesting that the most requested final meal of inmates on death row was a cheeseburger and fries (read about it here). I would probably pick the same thing (add a milkshake), but I have to confess it feels a little creepy to share culinary choices with murderers and rapists.

Okay, so clock's ticking . . . what's your final meal?

Does God know the future?

Had an interesting converstation with a friend on Facebook today (thanks Keith). He was prodding me for my thoughts again on a subject we've discussed before. Here's the transcript (edited, of course):

12:54pmKeith
I have a theological question for you. Explain what your justification is for God's ability to only know every thing that has happened and not everything future included

12:58pmAndy
Let me ask you this first: Does God know God's own future?

12:59pmAndy
If not, then how can He know our future (aside from bringing about the fulfillment of His will and design) in any specific detail?

1:00pmKeith
hmmm.....I don't think so. Otherwise how then would you explain him changing his mind when Moses asked him to spare lives?

1:01pmAndy
You would have to say He knew He would change His mind.

1:01pmKeith
right....and that doesn't make sense.

1:02pmAndy
And if that's the case, then how does He know our future without it impinging on our freedom AND without our future being little more than a ruse?

1:03pmKeith
agreed.....so .....prophecy

1:08pmAndy
Forthtelling aside, I see in prophecy not so much prediction as predetermination. As I'm sure I said to you before, if I tell Oscar that he will be punished if he lies to me, and then he lies and is punished, that's similar to God saying Israel will suffer punishment for its sins. Or you could say that prophecies concerning Jesus' birth are simply God bringing it about in a way He has forordained. You could also argue from the perspecitve that the writers of the Gospels picked and chose which prophecies they saw Jesus as the fulfillment of. In other words, there are many "prophecies" that did NOT refer to Jesus but perhaps could have . . . had He done something to fulfill them.

1:10pmKeith
Is that a slippery slope to saying that Christ was not the chosen one, rather he was just fulfilling prophecy that was written about someone else?

1:12pmAndy
Well, it's commonly accepted that the Suffering Servant referred to a person (or nation, i.e. Israel) contemporary with Isaiah but we also believe it refers to Jesus as well . . . so, is that a slippery slope?

Jesus said I did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. If that's the case, then even if the law (or prophecies) referred to someone else originally, Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of all that God had revealed to the Nation ofIsrael.

1:13pmKeith
i accept that :-)

1:17pmAndy
Back to the future . . .

1:18pmAndy
If when God created us, time, as we know it began, and as time bound beings with personal freedom we are able to make free choices and those choices have real influence over future events, then how can we say that God knows the future when it does not yet exist? Is it really limiting to God to say that He doesn't know something that can't be known or doesn't exist in His creation? I don't think it is. Although we may feel worried about limiting God, it doesn't seem that He's worried about it because He's already done it by creating us with autonomy and more especially through His own Incarnation in Jesus Christ.

So, what do you think? Does God know the future?

The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter--it's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.

--Mark Twain

Straining credulity . . .

I just read a USA Today article concerning the guest list at the White House so far in this administration. It notes that some of the first visitors were prominent celebs and lobbyists. Nothing too surprising there. But here's what absolutely blew my mind:

"The list also includes some names that would draw attention at first glance: Michael Jordan, Michael Moore, William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright. The White House was quick to note that the visitors were not actually the basketball star, the documentary filmmaker or the controversial activist and preacher — just people who share their names."

Are you kidding me? Do they really expect us to believe that it's just a coincidence that there are four people with the exact same names who happened to receive an extremely rare invitation to the White House. In my 35 years of existence, I've never known a single person who shares any of those exact names.

Please hear me out, I'm not a Fox News junkie (never watch it) or a fan of polarizing talking heads like Limbaugh or Coulter, but I've got to say to this--C'mon! Whatever happened to truth and transparency and avoiding politics as usual?

U2 Concert

For those who missed it, here is a replay of the live U2 concert in Pasadena on Sunday night.

As a side note, my sister-in-law who lives in LA said she could hear the concert outside and there was about a 30-second delay. Amazing when you consider the footage was concert quality and was being beamed live around the world.

Enjoy.

A God Moment

Very few times in my life can I point to an occurrence similar to what we experienced recently. More specifically, while I've obviously never heard God speak audibly, on a very few rare occasions, an answer to prayer or bit of guidance has been so specific, direct, and timely that it's about as close as you can get to experiencing God's activity in your life in a tangible way.

For those who've never been a part of one, planting a new church from scratch is, well, a scratchy business. Emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually it can be a bit like a ride across the Rockies--up and down, ad infinitum.

Last week was yet another valley for us. Questions with no answers piled up like the autumn leaves outside. On Wednesday morning after breakfast, Barb and I were reading the Psalms together, and then Barb prayed for us. But she prayed something we don't often pray--she prayed that God would provide us with definitive encouragement on that very day, encouragement that we were still in step with Him on this whole church planting thing. "Lord, show us today that You're not through here yet and that we aren't crazy for doing this."

As the day went on, her prayer made its way to the back of my mind until I'd nearly forgotten it. Then, that evening, just before we left the house for some errands, I decided to check my e-mail. What followed was an unmistakeable God-moment for us. Here is the message that greeted us:

"Hi Andy and Barb--
I just looked at your new website and read through all the pages. It looks great! I felt prompted to encourage you and share something God is reminding me--we are not after a destination or end product, but each day is about being who Jesus called us to be that day. I don't share that because I think you are focused on the wrong thing at all, but Jesus reminded me of that recently (more than once, because I am slow I guess) when I was having feelings of discouragement.

Lord Jesus,
Please encourage Barb and Andy and their walk of faith. They are surrendered to You and depending on You to use them. When they are discouraged, fill them supernaturally with the amazing power of Your Holy Spirit. Remind them that their love and obedience is all You desire. Protect their marriage and their children from plans that would harm or destroy them. Provide them with discernment and clarity as they seek Your direction. Meet their needs and fill them to overflowing with You. Amen.

Praying for you both as God brings you to mind!"

In a moment of grace and through the obedience of an old faithful friend, God broke through the noise and spoke peace and encouragement into what is at times the disorienting fog of following His will.

I share this to reveal to you a God who still demonstrates His care and guidance in tangible ways. I share it to encouarage someone else walking through a valley. And I share it to say thank you to the person who listened to the Holy Spirit and delivered God's grace that day.

Poker Playing Priest

Came across this article on a priest who's playing poker to "raise funds to help build a new, bigger church." You can read it here.

So what are your thoughts on gambling and the way of Christ?

Ready when you are

In the Gospel of Luke chapter 11, we read the account of the disciples asking Jesus for instruction on how to pray and Jesus teaching to them what we call the Lord's Prayer (vv.1-4). As I've been teaching on this for the last 7 weeks at Emmaus Road Church, one of the more curious things I've noticed about this request is when it takes place.

By this point, the disciples had been with Jesus for many months. So why hadn't Jesus taught them this already? If you or I were in charge of a movement that we hoped would change the world, don't you think we'd start by teaching our followers the fundamentals, like how to really pray to God? Of course we would. But Jesus didn't. Why not?

Simply put, I think Jesus recognized that the disciples weren't ready. So instead of forcing something upon them they could not really apprehend, Jesus simply modeled it for them until they were ready. One writer puts it this way,

"Jesus simply prayed. He just prayed and prayed until [the disciples] eventually asked, 'How do you do it?' By way of answer, He said, 'Try this.' It was so important He didn't insist they learn to pray until they themselves perceived they were missing something."

After reading that, I grasped just a little more fully what the point is of much of our frustration when it comes to life--especially our spiritual life. By not answering our flippant requests, the ones we usually offer Him as we're falling asleep or when we're in some desperate situation, God creates in us a dissatisfaction, a longing for something more and something greater. In this way, he weeds out all things trivial in order that what is fundamental and true can grow tall and strong until we recognize it as that which we most truly and desperately need.

It's not that God's unwilling, it's simply that we're not ready. In fact, God is always ready, but most than that, He's ready when you are.

Burning up

The church that some of our friends attend in downtown Toledo recently burned to the ground. It was a devastating loss, but the great thing is that they've decided to remain in the downtown and rebuild.


The other great thing is this sign they hung out in front of the burned-out shell of their sanctuary. Would that we all had the same perspective in tragedy.

.

10,000 Hours

My friend Eric offered a thought-provoking post a couple of days ago on the observation that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of doing something to become an expert at it. So many implications . . .

Here's a link to his post: Ten Thousand

Back to School

My son Oscar cried himself to sleep tonight because he starts 1st grade tomorrow. He's not scared or anything, he just doesn't like to have to do "work and stuff." I wish life were that simple.

Edie then called me to her room and said, "Dad, I'm not so sure I like school anymore because Oscar doesn't like it." Empathy through and through.

We prayed a special prayer with each of them tonight--for them, their peers, their teachers, and the staff for this school year.

They grow up too fast.

Trust

This is a working definition for me:

Trust=Calculated Risk

------------------------

If you can't say anything nice . . .

After this post, it will be obvious that it's a good thing I usually filter what I'm thinking before I say it . . .

Do you ever do something that makes you mad, just to make yourself madder? I think that's me with Facebook. I've grown to hate it, well at least some of things people do on it. Here're a few things that are stickin' in my craw (not in any particular order):

#1--I hate the stupid quizzes people take, and I guess I hate reading the results even more. For example "Which Hollywood Diva (Hunk) Are You?" The person taking the quiz could be the homeliest person on the planet and yet the results are inevitable: "You are Julia Roberts (or George Clooney)" They should quit wasting their time and actually take the quiz "Which fantasy world do you live in?" The result? Backwards world.

#2--I hate it when people fake humility. For instance, "Buster Compton is really tired today after completing marathon in the morning and swimming the Atlantic Ocean in the afternoon." Or here's another one, "Wily Dedridge is feeling humbled after sharing my proposal today with the mayor of (name big city) and her entire cabinet." I'm sure the mayor thought about as highly of you as I do right now, so go get a life.

#3--I hate it when people send millions of invitations to join things I don't know or care anything about. Like this: "Jane Posetta invited you to join 'I like the old Facebook--you know, the one before they moved that one button on the bottom left-hand corner two centimeters to the right'." Or "Samson Franks wants you to join, 'I bet we can find fifty million Facebookers who wear loafers'." Hey, here's one: "Andy invites you to join 'Look Ma! No Life'."

Seriously, am I alone in this?

Getting Sick on Vick

So how screwed up is it when we pay a recent criminal $1,600,000 this year, and $5,300,000 next year, to play a silly game like football, while untold thousands of men, women, and children in our country (not to mention the rest of the world) languish in abject poverty?

I'm all for second chances, but come on.

The Furious Love of God

I recently showed part of this message from Brennan Manning to Emmaus Road Church. It spoke powerfully to us. Perhaps God will use it in your life. I hope so.

Pass the bacon

I think bacon is God's way of saying, "I'm still here, and I love you. Everything's gonna be alright."

It's never the right time, but there's never been a better time

As I've continued to reflect on the journey that has brought us to this point in our lives and the life of Emmaus Road Church, I've become convinced of the following statement:

It's never the right time, because it's always the right time

A simple illustration to explain: As the Allied forces prepared for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the element of surprise was their greatest weapon. Although they amassed hundreds of ships and thousands of well-trained soldiers, it was only a minuscule number compared to what would eventually be needed to break out of the beaches of Normandy and eventually liberate continental Europe.

The point is this, had they waited until they had every last ship, tank, cannon, soldier, and bullet they thought they'd need, they would never have landed and the outcome of the war would have been vastly different.

There are times in our lives, and I believe they are many, when God calls us to some great and difficult task. We sense it in our hearts and perhaps even long to respond, but the fear that we're underprepared holds us back. "I don't have the right training." "Who will go with me?" "How will I provided for, and how will I provide for my family?" Such questions, while legitimate, can become the antithesis to walking by faith.

I've recently met two women who have stepped out beyond the need for answers to these questions to the front lines of faith. They're an inspiration to me to continue in what God's called us to at ERC. They've chosen to walk at the edge of faith where only God knows the way ahead and He must come through for them.

From time to time, young married couples will ask Barb and I "When is the right time to have children?" I simply tell them that there's never a "right" time--there's nothing you can ever do to fully prepare yourself for the wonderful challenge of parenting; choosing to have children is something you step into knowing that it's a decision you have to grow into.

Following God's calling, obeying His voice, joining Him in reclaiming the earth for Him requires us to recognize that although it's never the "right" time, according to our standard of how things ought to work, there's never a better time than the present.

Now is the time!

Sucker for infomercials

Over the course of 13 years of marriage, Barb and I have picked up a few items directly from informercials or after they've shown up in stores (don't mock, I know more than one of you own a George Foreman Grill). So, if you're brave enough to admit it, I was wondering what items others of you have purchased and whether they've been crap or actually decent.

Here's my list:

My first purchase (I was in high school) of an infomercial product was the famous "Soloflex". You know, it looked less like a machine and more like a work of art. I didn't, however, buy it from tv, but snagged it (w/attachments) for $350 from an ad in the paper. It was sturdy enough and well designed, but I never liked the feel of pushing and pulling the rubber band weights. Used it more for chinups and dips than anything else. Sold it 10 years later for $200. I'd give it a grade of C.

"Sweepa" picked up at Ohio State Fair in late 90's. Still have it, and it actually works like it says. Grade: B+

"Salsa Master" also picked up at the Ohio State Fair. Makes a great fresh salsa. Also chops nuts well and cleans up quickly. We don't use it much though. Grade: B-

"Walk Fit" shoe inserts. After paying hundreds of dollars to a podiatrist and purchasing expensive inserts from his office that did nothing, I decided to try out these babies. Ordered about 7 years ago off of TV from a hotel room in Effingham, IL (funny name--say it aloud). Still wearing them today. A+

When we lived in Kansas City, one of our homes had Brown Recluse spiders, aka Fiddlebacks. Not something you want around unless you like huge, festering lesions on your skin when they bite you. So we tried the plug in pest repellers, which we bought at a store, to get rid of them. These absolutely did not work. Grade: F

"Magic Bullet" ordered directly from television (bad idea). Good product--we've used it a lot. Great for protien/milkshakes, smoothies, grinding coffee and chopping nuts and hard candy. Juicer does not work well at all. Grade: B

"Tempur-Pedic" mattress. Okay, no, we didn't spend $1500+ on a mattress, but we were convinced we wanted to try out the "memory foam". So, when it was time for a new mattress, we bought a really firm one, and then I found a foam supplier online and ordered a 3" memory foam mattress "topper" with a similar viscosity (that's important, fyi) as a Tempur-Pedic mattress for about $200. Truth be told, it is very comfortable (although hot) and I'm guessing the Tempur-Pedic would be great. I don't think you really sleep any better though. Grade: C because of cost.

The "Swivel Sweeper". So, if you have hardwoods or any other hard-surface flooring AND you have young children, you probably should run out and buy one of these now. This thing cleans up crumbs like the LAPD cleans up a crime scene. Parents purchased our first one from a box retailer. The second one we picked up new for $5 at a garage sale. The only down sides are that it's not as great as it says at working on carpets--not bad, but not great--and it's not as durable as you would hope for $35 new. Both are now defunct, and we're using the "Sweepa" again. Grade: B because of durability.

A year and a half ago, I was up late watching the 50-year-old Tony Horton doing the kinds of pushups and chin ups I could only dream about at 33. Ordering the P-90X DVD series wasn't far behind. Learned my lesson, though, and bought it off of ebay for cheaper and without all the hassles of S+H. The workouts are for real and the videos are great quality, but alas, I've yet to complete the 90 day routine. Grade: A+

Here are a few items I don't, and probably won't ever have, but would like if I could afford it.

#1 Fein Multimaster--Always need more tools, especially cool ones.

#2 Snuggie (just kidding)

#3 Chef Tony's "Miracle Blades"--Can you say "rock and chop!"?

So, what do you have, and how's it working out?

Rewind

Watched Paolo Nutini on "Austin City Limits" the other night. Can't stop listening to his songs. Here's "Rewind." You're welcome.

Things you may not want to do as a pastor #237

Tonight some good friends of ours invited us to join them for a night out. So, after the babysitter arrived, we met them at Blue Pacific Grill for dinner and then went on to the Funny Bone comedy club at Fat Fish Blue to catch some live stand up comedy.

We had a great time with our friends, but I learned something of great value tonight, and it's this:

"Pastoral Tip #237"--For future reference, it's probably best NOT to invite a neighbor or friend to a comedy club as a way of building a relationship with them--unless incessant profanity and vulgarity are elements of your approach to witnessing.

A word to the wise.

Dumbest movie of all time?

Recently, while on vacation, I witnessed an abomination to our collective intelligence. Actually, I didn't even see the whole thing, but I saw enough of "Happy Feet" to secure it's place as one of the dumbest movies I've ever seen.

Imagine a break-dancing, hip hop-imbued version of Michael Flatley from "Lord of the Dance", except he's not Michael Flatley but a stupid penguin, and you get the idea.

Please, do yourself a favor and don't watch it.

GPS: Reorient Yourself

A couple of weeks ago I began the journey of reading through the entire Bible in 90 days. Here's a link with the schedule if you're interested.

While reading through the books of Exodus and Numbers, I was struck by the sheer amount of rituals and sacrifices and holy days and feasts and . . . well all of the myriad things that God called the Israelites to follow. Some of it sounds confusing, even bizarre, to our modern ears, but it must have had a purpose. What possibly could be the reason behind such an all-encompassing list of rituals and regulations?

As I prayed and asked God to help me understand, slowly I began to see what a radically tranformative way of life this must have been. God's purpose in calling and creating the Israelites as His people was to demonstrate to the world how best to live in relationship to God and with others. They were to be the nation through whom all nations would be blessed. And so, as they participated in the worship patterns laid out for them by God through Moses, their entire way of thinking, believing, and being was transformed.

Like a mountaineer alone in the vast wilderness of Alaska taking a GPS reading to locate her precise position, each time the Israelites gathered for worship, each time they kept the feasts and performed the sacrifices, they reoriented themselves according to God's loving direction.

The insight gained into Israel's worship also gave me insight into our worship and this question:

What lies behind our modern-day rituals, liturgies, and celebrations? Is it not the desire to reorient ourselves to the Kingdom of God, to the Way of the Cross, to life in the Holy Spirit?

Lord, let it be so.

(S)he who has ears . . .

I've offered this thought for reflection before here. But reading Brennan Manning's book "The Furious Longing of God" last night brought me to the same idea in a slightly different way. It's worth reprinting Manning's words here.

"How is it then that we've come to imagine that Christianity consists primarily in what we do for God? How has this come to be the good news of Jesus? Is the kingdom that He proclaimed to be nothing more than a community of men and women who go to church on Sunday, take an annual spiritual retreat, read their Bibles every now and then, vigorously oppose abortion, don't watch x-rated movies, never use vulgar language, smile a lot, hold doors open for people, root for the favorite team, and get along with everybody? Is that why Jesus went through the bleak and bloody horror of Calvary? Is that why He emerged in shattering glory from the tomb? Is that why He poured out His Holy Spirit on the church? To make nicer men and women with better morals?"

"The gospel is absurd and the life of Jesus is meaningless unless we believe that He lived, died, and rose again with but one purpose in mind: to make brand-new creations. Not to make people with better morals, but to create a community of prophets and professional lovers, men and women who would surrender to the mystery of the fire of the Spirit that burns within, who would live in ever greater fidelity to the omnipresent Word of God, who would enter into the center of it all, the very heart and mystery of Christ, into the center of the flame that consumes, purifies, and sets everything aglow with peace, joy, boldness, and extravagant, furious love. This, my friends, is what it really means to be a Christian. Our religion never begins with what we do for God. It always starts with what God has done for us, the great and wondrous things that God dreamed of and achieved for us in Jesus Christ."

Leviticus 19:27--Is this what they had in mind?

This is flat out awesome: The World Beard and Mustache Championships.

Enjoy.

Btw, Leviticus 19:27, "Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard."

Church Signs Gone Wrong

I read a church sign today that said this:

"Before you hurt someone, think about God's love"

Ummm, okay.

It's not me

Recently I heard the pastor of a church living on the edge say this to pastors:

"Don't take credit for when the numbers are up, because if you do, you'll be tempted to take the blame when the numbers are down."

Please don't hear me falling into the numbers game, but tonight we had 24 people at Emmaus Road Church. That's 4 more than we had at Easter (20) a few weeks ago when 8 of those people were my family members--and four people who are there every other week were gone tonight. I'm blown away (but I shouldn't be) at what God's been up to since Easter this year.

What's even more exciting is that we had an awesome time of worship, prayer, and listening to God's word together followed by most of the folks coming over to our house for ice cream and cake afterward. I can see community starting to grow among those who were there, and I'm so thankful that I'm beginning to see that it's not me doing it, but God's Spirit at work bringing to fruition His kingdom right there on Central Avenue.

We've got a long way to go, I'm sure. But I wanted to thank God publicly for what I've been privileged to see Him doing tonight and this entire year.

Francis Chan at Exponential 2009

Francis Chan spoke at Exponential 2009 conference for new churches. He gave a powerful testimony, challenge, and encouragement to those of us participating in the conference. I thought many others may find it as challenging as I did.

Here it is.

Last night at Emmaus Road Church we talked about the passage from Luke's gospel 24:13-35 where Jesus appeared to the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus after the Resurrection. The amazing thing is that even though the disciples had already heard reports of the resurrection, they were still lost and confused (v. 17). It wasn't until they actually experienced the resurrected Christ and their eyes were opened that they were transformed.

So many in our world, even in the Church, have yet to really experience the resurrected Christ--and to have their eyes opened. Our vision for Emmaus Road Church is to be a place, a people, a church, where people com into a life-transforming experience with Jesus Christ--where their eyes are opened to the reality that He is there, and has been there with them all along.

I believe we're beginning to make strides in that direction and that people are starting to catch the vision. Every week since Easter we've had one or two new faces at ERC. I think it's only a matter of time before things begin to snowball. What an encouragement to finally begin seeing something happen.

One more thing, pray for me as I perform my uncle's funeral this week. He and my aunt were there for my family when my father was killed in a car accident. I pray that I can bring some of Christ's hope and peace to them now.

Coincidence? I think not!

Most skeptics, when they offer their objections to the existence of Sasquatch, point to the dearth of actual photographic evidence. They couldn't be more mistaken.

To the contrary, there actually exists a great deal of photographic evidence. In fact, said evidence is observable in both large cities and small towns all across this great land of ours. Not only is this evidence easily observable, but it also points to the reality that Sasquatch has clandestinely infiltrated one of the highest government agencies in America.

I took a few minutes to gather some of this indisputable evidence into one place (my blog) for your consideration. I defy anyone to observe with an objective eye the following photographic attestations and still contend with any semblance of integrity that incontrovertible photographic evidence for the presence of Sasquatch is not obvious all across the United States (and Canada).

EXHIBIT A

EXHIBIT B

1967 Patterson-Gimiln Film Frame 352

EXHIBIT C

SASQUATCH, WE KNOW YOUR LEGEND'S REAL!

What if . . . ?

This will be quick because I'm subbing in 15 minutes at Oscar's school, but I wanted to offer something to think and meditate on.

I just got back from the Exponential conference in Orlando. Nearly 3,000 church planters from around the country. If you know me, you know I don't say this about very many things, but it was life-changing. If they ever put the messages from the plenary speakers online, I will post them in a future entry for you to hear.

To sum up and combine the challenges from two of the speakers, Craig Groeschel and Francis Chan, I offer this question:

What if we stopped living out of our preconceptions about what life in Christ really is and instead started living out what Scripture reveals it to be? Imagine how radically that would alter our churches and our personal lives.

Well, what if?

Christianity's Hollow Side

Being Good Friday, today we remember with humility and thanksgiving, the crucifixion of incarnate Love on the Cross. With His life, death, resurrection, and ascension nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ reconciled us to the Father for eternity (here's a great blog post by a friend of mine, Joe Boggs, on the Resurrection). Praise be His name!

One would think that in light of an act so infinitely powerful and grace-filled that we would never come to the subject I'm reflecting on today, but, sadly, we have. I'm talking about the sentimentalization of our faith in Christ.

Recently I was reading a humorous article in Newsweek titled, "Murder on Music Row: Taylor Swift? Songs about cute Little Kids? What happened to Country music?" You can find it here. The writer wonders where the gritty, hard-scrabble, down-and-out country music of yore has gone and wandered off to. At one point he asks: "How did we get to this strange, alien land where there's a country-awards show that honors pop-music teeny-boppers and a lot of the songs aren't really country by even the stretchiest definition?"

Where am I going with all of this? Well, a couple days after reading the article, I was sitting in a church service on Sunday morning listening to the "special" music for the day (why do we even have "special" music in church anyway--talent showcase? Or lack-of-talent showcase, as the case may be?), and I got to thinking about how the song was so indicative of the state of Christianity in America today. The song (I can't remember the title) was about a child's view of the crucifixion, and it really played up the emotional, tear-jerker side of the whole thing. And I thought to myself, this is a huge part of our problem; we've gutted Christianity of its real meaning. We've reduced our faith to nothing more than sentimentalism.

Is it any wonder that the Church is in steep decline in the Western world when all we have to offer it is a Hallmark version of the Crucifixion? Would you give up your comfortable way of living, turn the other cheek, walk the second mile, give the shirt off your back, even surrender your life for a religious faith that proffers you little more than a sports figurine of Jesus? (More websites talking about Christian kitsch, here, here, and here.

Several years ago, I asked myself the question one Sunday morning, "Is this all that Jesus died for? So we could get together for an hour once a week and half-sing a few songs and decide where to eat lunch during the sermon?" (I copied a quote from Francis Chan on this same subject a couple of months ago here.)

I don't know what this all means or even what the answer is (though I think Alan Hirsch is on to something in The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church. Check it out here.), but I'm willing to journey toward finding out. I'm ready to get past the sentimentalization of Christ and Christianity and find out once again what's worth giving my life to.

Are you?

Heroscape saves the day!

Many of you know that I'm a bit of a boardgame fan. In fact, I have about 70 games in a closet in my basement at this very moment. Now before you go asking how I could justify spending thousands of dollars on silly games (avg. $20/game x 70 = $1,400) let me make it clear that nearly all of them have been purchased at garage sales for pennies on the dollar.
But that's all beside the point.

One of my favorite games (and used to be Keith's until he became a loser) is Heroscape. You can find out more about it here. I know it sounds rather geekish, like something you'd find being played by a bunch of middle-aged, balding men with no lives (and it is), but it's also a fun family game. Barb and Oscar and I have had a lot of fun playing it together since we got into it.

Well, here's the gist of the story: this afternoon while Oscar was at school, we were out running errands for Emmaus Road Church. While we were out, we stopped at a WalMart, and I just happened by the toy department and saw an expansion set for the game which we didn't have, so I bought it. It was one that Oscar had been asking about for a while.

Later, we picked up Oscar from school, and when we got home I let him open it. After opening it, he asked if we could get out the rest of the game and if he could play while I worked upstairs. So I headed down to the basement to get it, and lo and behold there was 1 1/2 inches of water on one half of the basement floor (we've had A LOT of rain the last few days). Very frustrating to say the least, especially since several boxes of my books were on that floor .

Plumbing Guy was called. He came over and brought the requisite equipment (including plumber's crack) and cleared the drain. Now the cleanup process begins.

Anyway, without our trusty old friend Heroscape, the water may have sat there for a while or may have even risen as more rain is expected. Fortunately, we'll never know.

Thank you Heroscape!

Write. Erase. Repeat.

Quick back story: About a month ago I began subbing for the Toledo Public School district. Although I've taken to it far more than I thought I would, there's one thing I've found particularly delightful . . . chalk!

Nothing in the classroom satisfies me like the dry, powdery, cool feel of a stick of chalk. And there is little that can compare to the pleasure of striking and dragging said stick across that black porcelain enamel wall (a.k.a. the chalkboard).

Write. Erase. Repeat. Sheer simplicity and genuis.

During a lecture, I've found that nothing drives home the point like a series of staccato strikes and scratches from my cylinder of calcium sulfate. In other words, chalk gets the job done: its stark white on black burns the image of isosceles traingles and object pronouns forever into the minds of those entrusted to my tutelage.

Further delight is to be had when the larger pieces of chalk shrink from use and are then able to be shaken in a loosely-clenched fist (imagine shaking a pair of dice). It's quickly become a habit that may be akin to the smoker who incessantly flicks the ashes off her cancer stick. The students that I've had for more than a couple of days have noticed and taken to my quirky proclivity. Last week a couple of them began emulating my behavior by picking up their own chalk bits and giving them the requisite shakes. Ah, there's nothing like molding young minds.

Alas, the elementary school at which I've spent most of my time teaching so far will move into a new building in 2010. I fear that my precious chalkboard and its accoutrement of chalk tidbits, dust, and felt erasers will go the way of the dinosaurs, and I'll be left with the annoyances of white boards. Then, fingers besmirched by dry-erase markers, I'll make my lonely way into the 21st century mourning the loss of one of humanity's greatest of inventions.

An Ode to Chalk:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

and have not chalk, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,

and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,and have not chalk, I am nothing . . .

And now abideth faith, hope, and chalk, these three; but the greatest of these is chalk.

Emmaus Road Church Remodel Photos

Some of you have asked how the Emmaus Road Church building is coming and if I would post some new pics, so here goes.

Things are progressing well, although they've slowed a bit since I've started substitute teaching with Toledo Public Schools full time. We've finally gotten to the point where a lot of the major work is finished--a lot of the stuff you don't really see or realize how much work has gone into it. So far, between our own work and the work of volunteers, we have close to 400 hours into the building.

Today, we just started priming and painting and that's when you really begin to see things coming together. I want to mention briefly the people and churches God has used to do His work at ERC: John and Kathy from ERC, Dan from the Alliance Church, 5 work teams from Lima Community Nazarene, and 3 work teams from Bedford (MI) Nazarene. We would never have been this far without all of you.

Below are a few photos of the not-yet-finished product.