Servin' it up this summer

Summer is almost here! As we move into June, it is only a few weeks until school is out, families are on the move, and teenagers can enjoy the freedom of summer.

But the question is, what are you doing with your summer?

It is important to enjoy family vacations, time with friends, and other summer traditions. But will you look for opportunities to serve as well?

I am excited about how many of our teenagers will be a part of the Mission: Cincinnati effort this summer, but it’s more than just one trip. We must make serving others a regular part of our lives.

I want to challenge students and parents to seek out ways to help this summer. Offer to mow a neighbor’s lawn. If a senior citizen lives near you, watch for a chance to help her carry in the groceries. Hold the door open for others. When you go to a water park or amusement park, let those with small children go ahead of you in line.

Part of the ongoing effort of joining God in restoring Creation is seeking small ways to touch the lives of others. Serving is not just something we experience on a mission trip or some other major event. It is a lifestyle that challenges us to put the needs of others before our own.

shine!
Jason

Baptism as Confession

This is the fifth lesson in a seven-week series that explores the significance of baptism as a part of our spiritual journey. This lesson was presented on Wednesday May 21, 2008. Click on the image below to hear the lesson.

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Students of the Word

I was really challenged and convicted last week at the Resource! Seminar at Rochester College. It was an incredible three days of worship, teaching, and encouragement.

One of the things I was really convicted about is that we as a community are not as serious about studying the Bible as we should be. This is not to say that we don’t study the Bible, but I think we can raise the bar.

If we are going to be serious about spiritual formation and the quest to be Christ-shaped people, we must dedicate time and energy to engaging the Word of God. It must be one of the core aspects of who we are as a family of believers.

This is not to say that Bible classes need to be boring or just filling out paperwork, but we need to be about the task of digging into the Bible for the valuable messages it contains. There is so much wisdom that goes unrealized because we so often just skim the surface.

I wonder if one of the reasons we struggle living out the message of Jesus is because we don’t really know it all that well. I wonder if we would reflect the nature of God more if we committed serious time to learning about His character as reflected in Scripture.

This is a call. It is a call to me. It is a call to parents. It is a call to students. This is a call from God for us to make time for spiritual disciplines. It is a call to be serious about following Jesus. It is a call to become who God created us to be in the first place.

shine!
Jason

Backyard BBQ

Yesterday, over 150 people gathered at our house for our 3rd annual Backyard BBQ. There were hamburgers and hot dogs. Chips and casseroles. Pies and cupcakes. It was quite the feast. But in spite of the vast array of food options, the meal was not the best part.

There were current friendships being strengthened and new ones being formed. People gathered in circles large and small under the shade tree to talk about family, faith, and life. Others played volleyball, football, and several other games. Everywhere you looked there were people enjoying community.

One of the highlights for me was towards the end of the afternoon. A handful of teenagers had started a game of Duck-Duck-Goose. Then a few more joined in the game. Then some of the younger children joined in as well. Eventually there was a game with more than 40 people playing from ages 4 to 18. It was truly a God moment for me to see our teenagers involving our younger children and playing right along side them. These are moments that a child cherishes – times when the teens they often look up to allow them to join in. This is a testimony to the hearts of our teens and the Spirit that is at work among our families.

 

shine!
Jason

The Last Christian Generation

I just finished reading The Last Christian Generation by Josh McDowell. First, I need to confess that it took me a few weeks to read it. Not because it's wordy or hard-to-read, I just had a couple of things consume my time that caused me to take a week off from reading.

This book is challenging, scary, and encouraging. It outlines the struggles the church faces today as we seek to raise up a generation that will continue to follow Jesus. While I don't agree with everything McDowell has to say, he does hit hard on some convictions that I share with him.

One of those convictions is that a good portion of the blame belongs not to the teenagers, but to us. We have allowed too many other things to become more important than spiritual formation and following Jesus.

On the other hand, we must be willing to meet teenagers where they are. This can be a somewhat difficult balance to maintain. I have seen some who want to force their version of Christianity on the next generation. By "version," I don't mean the fundamental core beliefs. There are some things - such as the deity of Christ and the resurrection - that are non-negotiables. But there are too many opinions and forms that some would want to make requirements for every generation.

What is amazing to me is that some of the things we fight for the most weren't even around in the 1st century - or in some cases, even a few hundred years ago. Why do some fight about projectors and video when song books as we know them didn't exist until Gutenberg came on the scene? Why do we argue about what we can do in a "sanctuary" when most early church gatherings were in people's homes? Why do we get into conflicts over what songs we sing when most of them were written less than a few hundred years ago?

I guess my point is this: While we are busy beating each other up about things that are not all that important in the grand scheme, the majority of the next generation is moving on from the church - and in many cases, Jesus. They are walking away from, or never experiencing, a relationship with a body of believers. We have become a museum, something from the past. From their vantage point, we are nothing but a reminder of the history of our country.

If we are going to be honest, often the way we live doesn't help either. We "go to church" (a phrase that Gorden Fee really challenged me on last week) and listen to sermons and sing. But then we go home and live like what we just did isn't all that important. For many of us, that doesn't mean we live immoral lives, but we can tend to live spiritually irrelevant lives.

What message does it send when we sing, "All to Jesus I Surrender," and we put the change from our pocket in the contribution plate? What does it say when we sing, "In Christ alone," and then we proceed to use our credit card so we can buy something we can't afford to give us a feeling of "security"?

If we want the next generation to take Jesus seriously, we need to start by modeling it. Sometimes that means we need to have the courage to make the right decision instead of the one that is easy or popular. Maybe we need to turn down the job that pays more but takes us away from home more. It might be that we need to pass on the brand new car so we can help someone else in the church who can't pay their utility bill. Maybe it will even call us to use some of our vacation to serve others instead of using it all to entertain ourselves.

I don't have all the answers. I don't know how to do it all the best way. But I know that Jesus calls us on this exciting journey to live out life in a way that reflects His character. If we can do that with authenticity and courage, this won't have to be the last Christian generation.

shine!
Jason
 

The winner is...David

Well, last night was the Season 7 Finale for American Idol. My favorite, David Archuleta, didn't win. But I am still happy. The two guys that Chris Lindsey and I expected since the Top 12, made it to the finale.

I did find it interesting that Simon tripped over himself in apologizing to Cook. Did he know the outcome? Did he know the results from the previous week? It almost seemed like he was trying to protect his reputation to pick a winner.

Anyway, my DVR can rest for a little while. It will be nice to get to bed a little earlier on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Great job to both guys! I look forward to seeing what they will do from here.

One more thing. The Idol summer tour comes to Detroit on July 24.

shine!
Jason

SPLASH: Baptism as Creation

I am finally caught up! This is the fourth lesson in a seven-week series that explores the
significance of baptism as a part of our spiritual journey. This lesson
was presented on Wednesday May 14, 2008. Click on the image below to
hear the lesson.

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What an amazing weekend!

I am not sure where to start talking about this weekend.

It began with an absolutely fabulous Friday with my family. We had our home school outing Friday morning and early afternoon. Then my family and I spent the day together. The evening was an incredible date night with Michelle. We enjoyed a meal at Applebees and went to see Prince Caspian. It was a great night!

Saturday during the day was mostly spent at home working in the yard, playing with my son, and enjoying family time. The only bad part of Saturday was when I washed my cell phone in the laundry, but that's what insurance is for, right? That evening we went to the Rochester College Partnership dinner with Robin Roberts from Good Morning America. She came with no prepared notes and spoke from the heart.

She was amazing! She spoke about her life, her experiences, and her battle with breast cancer over the last year. Her faith was evident, her strength was incredible, and her humor was really funny. She spoke a phrase that is one of those that will stick with me for years to come: "Make your mess your message." Isn't that what following Jesus is all about? Robin's words echo the apostle Paul, who said, "Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults,
hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For
when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Sunday was great from beginning to end. In the morning I taught my Parents of Teens class. I love the parents here at Rochester. They engage in class, ask good questions, and are serious about wanting to disciple their children. This was our second of three classes in a series titled, "I'm a Youth Minister?" Each of the three weeks we discuss how parents can be the youth ministers God made them to be. This week we discussed helping our teens to grow. The parents asked some good questions and made some great comments.

After class, I went upstairs for Mosaic service. Bob Russell, the recently retired pastor of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, was the guest speaker. He delivered an excellent sermon on "The Grace of Gratitude." As usual, the worship was great and family communion was a time of hugs, greetings, and encouragement. Patrick did manage to get a jab in on me and Chris Lindsey, our worship minister. Patrick began by saying he could spike his hair and be the worship minister. Then he said he could untuck his shirt and be the youth minister. It made me chuckle that the senior minister could make a joke about that from the pulpit, because at a previous church where I served, the elders scolded me for not dressing up enough at church. Life is funny if you just live it and enjoy it!

After lunch we went to the funeral home to visit a family who had lost a relative. While this was not necessarily fun, it was encouraging to minister to a family in need. After visiting with the family for a little while, their teenage daughter joined us and rode back to the church building with us for small groups.

Our small group time was a great ending to a great weekend. It was our last student small group gathering before the summer. Each group's leaders and members came up on stage and shared how small groups this year had impacted them. It was a testimony to the power of our small groups. It is obvious that God is at work in the lives of our leaders and students. A huge thank you to the adults who give up hours upon hours to minister to teenagers. They are making an eternal impact!

Well, that was my weekend in a nutshell. God is good!

shine!
Jason

Getting over ourselves

Why is it that we Americans are often so ego-centric and self-absorbed? I find it amazing that while nearly a hundred thousand people have been killed by natural disasters in the last week, we are often more concerned with who was voted off of American Idol, who won a basketball game, or what celebrity is dating who.

I wonder if God ever looks at us and wonders when we’ll get the point.

The Kingdom of God is about restoring creation. It’s about making things right in the world. About every human being—created in the image of God—receiving the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace. Patience, kindness, goodness. Faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

The Kingdom of God doesn’t recognize borders. The love of God should not be reserved for a “Christian” nation.

If I am really honest, I confess that I struggle with all of the material blessings I have while people on the other side of the world are dying by the thousands simply for a lack of adequate shelter, food, and water. While I can open my refrigerator and grab a cold drink or go to the sink and get clean water, some people walk miles just to get a drink.

This is not to heap guilt on us. It is a challenge to us!

We should be thankful for the blessings we have. But it can’t stop there. The Kingdom of God compels us to step outside of our comfort and strive not only to share the words of Jesus; we must share the life of Jesus and the way He reached out to every human being, regardless of their nationality, religious affiliation, or social status.

shine!
Jason

Prince Caspian

Last night, Michelle and I went to see the new Narnia movie, Prince Caspian. It was part of an incredible date night that was refreshing and enjoyable. (Thanks, Speedway, for my free dinner at Applebees!)

I really enjoyed the movie. To be honest, I have not read the book, so I can't make a comparison. But I feel like it was an entertaining movie.

One word of advice to parents. You may want to leave the younger children home. The violence is not graphic, but it is pretty intense during the fighting scenes. It is somewhat reminiscent of some of the battle scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies.

I recommend going to see the movie. It is entertaining and action-packed. There were very few scenes that drag on, even the non-action ones. If you see the movie, let me know what you think.

shine!
Jason

SPLASH: Baptism as Cleansing

I am almost caught up! This is the third lesson in a seven-week series that explores the
significance of baptism as a part of our spiritual journey. This lesson
was presented on Wednesday May 7, 2008. Click on the image below to
hear the lesson. (Please excuse the occasional buzzing. We were having some minor tech issues that night.) ;-)

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38 years

Today I celebrated my 38th birthday. The really cool thing is that it's been more like a birthday week. On Monday, the Rochester Church staff took me to Kublai Khan - a Japanese restaurant where they cook in front of you. On Tuesday, I used my birthday coupon from Qdoba for a free burrito. Today was a yummy breakfast omelet cooked by my beautiful wife and dinner at Famous Dave's. My teenagers sang to me before 180 Connections tonight. One of the children from church (a younger brother of one of the teens) made me a birthday card with a Hershey's Kiss attached. A group of preteen girls (who will be joining the youth group very soon) serenaded me as well. Who knows what tomorrow might hold.

Anyway, I am thankful to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday. Between being sung to, Facebook wall posts, emails, text messages, voice mails, and hugs, I felt pretty loved. Other than a lengthy staff and elders meeting after church, this has been a great birthday. (For the record, the meeting wasn't bad, it just wasn't a fun way to end a birthday.)

shine!
Jason

A winning attitude

This morning I was catching up on the news and saw this headline: "Girl wins team title alone." Intrigued, I clicked on the link.

I read on to discover that Bonnie Richardson had won the Texas girls' high school state track title...by herself!

Bonnie was the only girl from her high school to qualify for the state meet, and she made it count. She scored 42 points and beat the second place team (which actually had more than one student) by six points. What is even more amazing is that her school doesn't even have a real track. (At this point, I am thinking we will see a Disney movie about this in the near future.)

I wonder what kind of drive and determination this young lady must have.

We aren't all built to be state track stars. I know I'm not. But we are each created and designed to be something great. A great learner. A great leader. A great speaker. A great servant. A great encourager. Each of us is created in the image of God to be a part of God's dream for this world.

Imagine if all of us who make a claim to be followers of Jesus would follow Him with the same determination that Bonnie displayed. We might not win medals or receive a lot of acclaim. But I believe we would receive a reward far better...the knowledge that we loved God and loved our neighbor. Then we will hear the words we all long to hear. "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

shine!
Jason

SPLASH: Baptism as Commitment

This is the second lesson in a seven-week series that explores the significance of baptism as a part of our spiritual journey. This lesson was presented on Wednesday April 30, 2008. Click on the image below to hear the lesson.

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A Mother's Day gift

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today is a special day when we celebrate our moms. Take time today to thank your mom for all she does for you. If your mom is no longer alive, thank God for your memories and the way your mom blessed you.

I realize that for many teens, their relationship with their mom is not the greatest at the moment. This may even be true for some adults. Like all human beings, moms are not perfect. They make mistakes. They say things they shouldn’t say. They do things they shouldn’t do. But don’t we all.

I believe that almost all moms have the best intentions in mind, even when they don’t get it right.

So let me challenge you. Don’t just thank your mom for what she has done. Forgive your mom for the times that she didn’t get it right.

Sometimes Mother’s Day is treated like a Hallmark card. It’s a nice little poem with flowers and cute words. Sure, we need to share kind words with our moms. Yes, we need to give our moms gifts and thank them for all they have done.

But we also need to be realistic. Maybe the best thing for your relationship with your mom isn’t just flowers. Maybe those flowers need to be delivered with words of forgiveness. Maybe you need to forgive your mom for her imperfections. And just as importantly, maybe you need to ask for forgiveness for the times you have fallen short. That would be a real Mother’s Day gift.

shine!
Jason

All the difference

Today is a special day in my life. Twelve years ago, on May 10, 1996, I was baptized into Christ.

When I look back, it is amazing to consider the journey I have been on since that day. From my marriage to Michelle to the loss of our moms. From moving to Arkansas to go to school to moving to Amherst, Ohio to start full-time ministry. From the birth of Matthew to homeschool. From my first ministry in Amherst, then to Belpre, and finally to Rochester.

Following Jesus is quite the adventure. It has its ups and downs. There are unexpected turns. Sometimes what you least expect is what awaits you around the corner.

As I reflect back on the twelve years since committing my life to God, I realize that God does not determine your path, but He follows you along the way. In moments of victory, God rejoices with us. In moments of sorrow, God sheds a tear. Even in moments of disappointment and failure, God is the Father who is waiting to embrace us.

God never promised that following Him would be easy or without pain. But He did promise a crown of life to those who endure. In spite of all the bumps and bruises, I have discovered that a life of pursuing God is the life abundant that Jesus talks about. It may not look like success according to the world's definition, but it's something far better. This is the life I have chosen, and in the words of Robert Frost...

Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference.

shine!
Jason

Cover up

We are always looking for new ways to define ourselves on the outside.

Women (and some men) wear make-up.

We shop for clothing with certain labels and fashions.

We go to the gym to build muscles and look more toned.

We go to the salon to get our hair done.

We go to the tanning booth.

None of the above are intrinsically bad. But they can all be used to define us on the exterior to avoid dealing with the blemishes inside. And sometimes the focus on the outside can be taken to the extreme.

Celebrities and everyday people struggle with eating disorders; some do so to achieve the "right" thinness.

Some people take excessive medications to achieve the "perfect" figure.

Others will spend thousands on cosmetic surgery in an attempt to defy the laws of nature and aging.

Why are we so fixated on external appearances?

I would argue that for many it is an excuse from the pain, scars, and various other internal imperfections we all wrestle with.

I find it interesting that those who the world often considers "the most beautiful," are the ones who end up in rehab, prison, broken relationships, and sometimes even death.

In spite of all the evidence around us, so many still try to reach for the artificial satisfaction of external perfection. And how has this impacted our youth? This is where I am really concerned.

I talk with teenagers almost every week who struggle with eating disorders, cutting, depression, low self-esteem, and so much more. They feel inferior and worthless. They feel judged and rated by everyone around them. Unless their peers call them beautiful and sexy, they feel they are not good enough.

This is madness. I don't say that to say that the teenagers are to blame. What about the parents and other adults that feed this monster? How often do we fall prey to the message of external appearances? When do we place more value on our teenagers' looks, clothes, athletic abilities, intellect, and more?

Sure, we need to encourage our youth to be the best they can be, but why do we so often resort to defining who they are by what they do? I would argue there are at least two main reasons:

First of all, we have bought into the lie. We watch TV just like they do. We read magazines that propogate the same messages. We play the same games in our lives that they do. We worry about the car we drive, the clothes we wear, and what neighborhood we live in. We compare ourselves to those around us to see who appears - and I emphasize the word appears - to have the best life and lifestyle. We are bringing the lie into our homes, and the in process poisoning our children.

Second of all, too many adults - I believe - try to make their children an extension of themselves in an unhealthy way. For example, I watch parents who appear to base their value on the athletic ability of their child. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your child. I smile with pride when Matthew has an accomplishment. But Matthew's abilities do not define who I am. My self-worth does not hinge on my son's performance. But for some parents, this appears to be the case. Not only does this reveal the adult's lack of self-confidence (likely fueled by a life-long pursuit of performance and appearance based value), it also places an unfair burden on the child.

Maybe it's time for a reality check. Maybe Jesus was dealing with more than the pride of the religious leaders of His day when He said, "You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." (Matthew 23:27-28)

Maybe when Jesus spoke those words He was touching on a weakness of all human beings. Our sense of pride and focus on our outward appearance. Our struggles are not new and the challenge has existed for thousands of years. When we can look like we have it together on the outside, we can try to ignore the inside.

One of the biggest complaints I often hear is that Christians don't look much different than the world. Maybe we need to challenge the church to look inside of ourselves and stop trying to cover up like the world. I wonder how much differently our message would be received if we were willing to stop the cover up.

shine!
Jason

Journey with Jesus update

This past Sunday I presented my "Journey with Jesus" challenge to our students. Right now there are at least ten students who are participating. I think there are one or two more who do not have a good internet connection at home and they are going to write out their answers and bring them on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Anyway, I am excited with the participation. If you want to know more about "Journey with Jesus" visit www.180ministry.org.

Here are a few comments from students so far...

From Matthew 1: I think I can learn something from the way Jesus was put on this earth. If God humbled himself so much that he put his son in such an uncomfortable genealogy, I should be even more humble.

From Matthew 2: One thing I can improve in my life from what I learned is again to have faith that God has a plan for my life and he will always take care of me and will never leave me like he took care of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus and provided for them while they were hiding in Egypt.

From Matthew 3: I need to start producing "better fruit!"

From Matthew 4: One thing that can improve my life is to not give in to temptation.

From Matthew 5: One thing I can improve in my life that you have to be a light to the world, I know when you're a little kid in Sunday school you sing this little light of mine you're more interested in the catchy tune but you really do have to be a light and you can show people Jesus.

I love teenagers. They make me smile.  :-)

shine!
Jason

Finally

What a relief to hear the words, "Jason Castro is going home." This will be really brief, but since I have not had an American Idol entry in a while, I guess I am due.

Last night was a weird night on AI. However, my personal favorite, David Archuleta - in the words of Simon - "crushed the competition." Other than David, everyone seemed to be a little off their game.

Jason should have probably been gone a few weeks ago, but his staying power is a testimony to the voting power of the tweens. It is amazing what can happen when a bunch of eleven and twelve-year-olds have cell phones.

Anyway, Jason is gone, and there are three great performers left to fight it out next week.

shine!
Jason

Going pastoral

This morning at 6:45am, I met with four men whom I greatly respect. These four men serve as shepherds here at the Rochester Church. Our conversation this morning centered on shepherding the families with youth.

I don't think I have ever been more excited about the future of the ministry I am a part of, or the future of the Rochester Church. One of the areas where Rochester has not always been strong - and for that matter, most churches have not - is in the area of shepherding families. Especially for larger churches, this can be a real struggle. However, I feel as though we are making changes and moving in the right direction to correct this situation.

This morning we discussed how we can effectively connect with every family and help them in their spiritual journey. While we are in the early stages of this process, I feel like we are moving in the right direction. I am sure there are bumps and potholes in the road ahead, but I am thrilled that we are moving down the road.

In most churches, there are a significant number of people who come to the building for worship and that is the majority of their connectedness to their church family. This can create a huge vacuum in terms of support, encouragement, and rebuke (when needed) for people in their spiritual formation. Without that network of people around you, the journey of following Jesus can become overwhelming and people often give up or settle.

We as a family of God must do all we can to prevent that from happening in people's lives. We must get outside of our comfort zone, reach out to those around us, and create an enviroment of community and caring.

In this busy and complex world we find ourselves in today, people have connections all over the place - cell phones, email, children's sports teams, etc - but many people are not truly connected anywhere. We run from place to place and activity to activity, but we struggle with putting down roots that run deep.

The result?

Marriages fall apart. Families are crumbling. Lives are shattered. And much of this happens right under our noses because people do not have a safe place with significant relationships to share their burdens.

My dream is that Rochester Church becomes a place where families and individuals can feel safe to share those burdens and struggles - as well as their victories - so we can get away from being a religious country club and become the hospital for those who are hurting. And if we are honest, the vast majority of us are hurting in some way.

There is a song by Casting Crowns called "Stained Glass Masquerade" that summarizes what I am trying to say. I will end with the words to that song:

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

shine!
Jason

SPLASH: Baptism as change

This is the first part of a seven-week series that will explore the significance of baptism as a part of our spiritual journey. This lesson was presented on April 16, 2008. Click on the image below to hear the lesson.

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Journey with Jesus

I wonder how many people know who Jesus is but don’t really know Jesus.

In the month of May, our teenagers are being challenged to take a Journey with Jesus. Maybe you have never taken the time to read through an entire Gospel before. This could be your chance.

There is information about Journey with Jesus available at our ministry’s website, www.180ministry.org.

In the book of Acts, Luke writes the following: The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)

I wonder how often people look at us and recognize us as people who have been with Jesus. I wonder if we are followers of Jesus or simply admirers of Him.

I am convinced that way too many people who claim to be followers of Jesus are just that, admirers.

I challenge anyone to spend a month with Jesus and see what happens. Maybe we should be a little more like Peter and John. Maybe we should be a little more bold about our faith. Maybe we should be people who are willing to do more than talk about Jesus.

Maybe we should spend more time with Him so we can learn to live more like Him.

shine!
Jason

Pizza from heaven

Tonight we had a meeting for our ministry leadership team. As we often do, we had dinner before our meeting.

Tonight's meal was pizza from Kruse & Muer, a Rochester restaurant with great food. One of the pizzas (which was requested by me) was Rocky's Creation. Here is the list of ingredients: Cajun Gulf shrimp, diced tomatoes, garlic butter, artichoke hearts, fresh herbs & cheese.

OK. At this point some of you are thinking, "That sounds disgusting."

Whatever you might think, I believe that this is the pizza that will be served in heaven. Only God could have created such an incredible combination of flavors.

You may not agree with my taste in gourmet pizza, but I am sure you have some weird food likes that I could do without. It reminds me of the fact that we have a God who loves variety. We are each created uniquely by God. In the words of the Psalmist, "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it." (Psalm 139:13-14)

If everyone were like me, the world would be a boring place. (And Rocky's Creation would cost more because of the demand.) So I am glad that we are all unique in our own special way. It makes the world more interesting and displays the wonder and creativity of our God.

shine!
Jason