Student Small Groups

I am so completely pumped about our Student Small Groups. In less than two weeks we will have over 20 volunteers working with around 70 students. Every Wednesday night these groups will meet in various places at the church building to engage in study, sharing, and prayer. I know that God is going to accomplish great things through these groups.
Please be in prayer for the adults and students that will be a part of this ministry. I know that it will be challenging at times, but I also know it will be very rewarding. I believe that small groups will be the most powerful and significant part of our student ministry from this point forward.

shine!
Jason

Student Small Groups

I am so completely pumped about our Student Small Groups. In less than two weeks we will have over 20 volunteers working with around 70 students. Every Wednesday night these groups will meet in various places at the church building to engage in study, sharing, and prayer. I know that God is going to accomplish great things through these groups.
Please be in prayer for the adults and students that will be a part of this ministry. I know that it will be challenging at times, but I also know it will be very rewarding. I believe that small groups will be the most powerful and significant part of our student ministry from this point forward.

shine!
Jason

What ever happened to holiness?

Yesterday I taught the high school class and our topic was holiness. Actually, the title of the lesson was "God's Most Frightening Feature." This lesson has really been picking at me since yesterday and caused me to ask the question above. What ever happened to holiness?
In the rush to be relevant, tolerant, and trendy, many churches and Christians have lost a grip on the holiness of God. Think about it. Think about a lot of the worship songs that are coming out. How many of them sound like secular love songs with God serving as the boyfriend? This love affair with a "warm, fuzzy" God paints only part of the picture.
Now, before you think I am some right-wing, moralist, fundamentalist, hear me out. I agree we need to reach out to people where they are. I am 100% behind grace. There is no way we can reach the lost if we condemn them for the situation they find themselves in. My concern is not with the lost, but with the ones that call themselves saved.
While there are probably a hundred reasons for the demise of holiness, let me ponder a few.
One of the first things I would consider is the whole idea of Americanized Christianity. You know the kind I am talking about. It's the one where your baptism stamps your passport for heaven. The one that has 5 steps to salvation. The one that is packaged neatly and can be picked up at your local Barnes & Noble. The one that produces love songs for Jesus. Need I say more?
When we begin to look at following Jesus as an individual event as opposed to a community endeavor we lose something. Being a Christ-follower suddenly becomes all about me and not about others. It's about what I need to do to get into heaven, not who I need to be to bring heaven to earth. Me. Me. Me. Didn't the apostle John write, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."? (see John 3:30)
Which brings me to my second thought. Now, this is where I get into one of those chicken and the egg discussions. What came first, Americanized, individualized Christianity, or consumerism? Or did they both feed off of each other? I ask this question, because wasn't our country founded on individual liberty? So I struggle to see what came first. An economy with "God-given" liberty or a religion where you pick your type of God. Is either really that healthy? Or are both a unhealthy marriage of spirituality and materialism?
All that to say that holiness is not Christianity on our terms. It isn't something where we have wiggle room. We can't pick and choose on holiness.
This has nothing to do with worship styles, translations of the Bible, or even what church you attend. It has everything to do with what your life looks like the 165 hours a week you are not in a building that our society calls a church. It has to do with the words you use. The choices you make. The way you treat others. The things you allow to shape your mind and heart. The people you allow to become your closest friends. The time you spend developing your relationship with God.
Consumerism has unfortunately become the air we breathe. We worry more about how people look when they worship than how people dress and cause their fellow Christians to struggle with lust. We worry more about the color of the carpet that why the skin color of most of the people in our church is the same. We worry more about what the Bible class teacher says than whether or not we even open our Bibles at home.
Our society has turned church into McReligion. The kind where you order what you want, consume it, and you're done with it by the time you get to your next stop. Church is for Sundays. It doesn't matter what my life looks like on Monday as long as I look right on Sundays. I can treat people how ever I want at work as long as I take Communion. I can lie, steal, or cheat to get ahead in school as long as I show up for youth group. I can ignore my neighbor in need as long as I throw a few bucks in the collection plate.
What happened to holiness? What happened to staying pure physically, emotionally, and mentally? What happened to keeping ourselves separate from the ways of the world? What happened to looking so different from the world that we would be persecuted, put down, and abused?
I think that many have traded in the old rugged cross for the little plastic one on the end of a necklace. What would Jesus do?

shine!
Jason

What ever happened to holiness?

Yesterday I taught the high school class and our topic was holiness. Actually, the title of the lesson was "God's Most Frightening Feature." This lesson has really been picking at me since yesterday and caused me to ask the question above. What ever happened to holiness?
In the rush to be relevant, tolerant, and trendy, many churches and Christians have lost a grip on the holiness of God. Think about it. Think about a lot of the worship songs that are coming out. How many of them sound like secular love songs with God serving as the boyfriend? This love affair with a "warm, fuzzy" God paints only part of the picture.
Now, before you think I am some right-wing, moralist, fundamentalist, hear me out. I agree we need to reach out to people where they are. I am 100% behind grace. There is no way we can reach the lost if we condemn them for the situation they find themselves in. My concern is not with the lost, but with the ones that call themselves saved.
While there are probably a hundred reasons for the demise of holiness, let me ponder a few.
One of the first things I would consider is the whole idea of Americanized Christianity. You know the kind I am talking about. It's the one where your baptism stamps your passport for heaven. The one that has 5 steps to salvation. The one that is packaged neatly and can be picked up at your local Barnes & Noble. The one that produces love songs for Jesus. Need I say more?
When we begin to look at following Jesus as an individual event as opposed to a community endeavor we lose something. Being a Christ-follower suddenly becomes all about me and not about others. It's about what I need to do to get into heaven, not who I need to be to bring heaven to earth. Me. Me. Me. Didn't the apostle John write, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."? (see John 3:30)
Which brings me to my second thought. Now, this is where I get into one of those chicken and the egg discussions. What came first, Americanized, individualized Christianity, or consumerism? Or did they both feed off of each other? I ask this question, because wasn't our country founded on individual liberty? So I struggle to see what came first. An economy with "God-given" liberty or a religion where you pick your type of God. Is either really that healthy? Or are both a unhealthy marriage of spirituality and materialism?
All that to say that holiness is not Christianity on our terms. It isn't something where we have wiggle room. We can't pick and choose on holiness.
This has nothing to do with worship styles, translations of the Bible, or even what church you attend. It has everything to do with what your life looks like the 165 hours a week you are not in a building that our society calls a church. It has to do with the words you use. The choices you make. The way you treat others. The things you allow to shape your mind and heart. The people you allow to become your closest friends. The time you spend developing your relationship with God.
Consumerism has unfortunately become the air we breathe. We worry more about how people look when they worship than how people dress and cause their fellow Christians to struggle with lust. We worry more about the color of the carpet that why the skin color of most of the people in our church is the same. We worry more about what the Bible class teacher says than whether or not we even open our Bibles at home.
Our society has turned church into McReligion. The kind where you order what you want, consume it, and you're done with it by the time you get to your next stop. Church is for Sundays. It doesn't matter what my life looks like on Monday as long as I look right on Sundays. I can treat people how ever I want at work as long as I take Communion. I can lie, steal, or cheat to get ahead in school as long as I show up for youth group. I can ignore my neighbor in need as long as I throw a few bucks in the collection plate.
What happened to holiness? What happened to staying pure physically, emotionally, and mentally? What happened to keeping ourselves separate from the ways of the world? What happened to looking so different from the world that we would be persecuted, put down, and abused?
I think that many have traded in the old rugged cross for the little plastic one on the end of a necklace. What would Jesus do?

shine!
Jason

Shhhh....

Imagine a place of peace for you.
Is it sitting in a small boat in the middle of a secluded lake?
Is it the back porch of a cabin in the woods?
Is it a bike ride through the country?
What is that place for you?
Close your eyes for about 30 seconds and just focus on that place.
(If you didn't stop and close your eyes, read the sentence above and follow directions. LOL)
OK. Why do we long for peace? Why do we long for a time of quiet? I believe that God placed that desire for quiet so that we would have times to listen for Him to speak. Consider this exchange between Elihah and the LORD.
"Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:11-13)
I firmly believe that God speaks to us often. He may not speak audibly, but by the Spirit He longs to speak to our hearts and minds. He wants to meet us in those quiet places. Why else would the Psalmist write, "Be silent, and know that I am God!"?
This week the Rochester teens are participating in a Media Fast. (Therefore many of them may not see this until next week.) This is a week where we have dedicated ourselves to not watch TV or movies, not listen to music (other than praise and worship), and not browse the internet or spend significant time chatting. It is a time to turn off a lot of the "noise" that crowds our minds and drowns out the voice of the Lord.
I want to invite you to join us on this journey. If you are reading this weeks later, make an effort to engage in your own media fast. Take time to be silent and know that He is God.
If you are participating or do participate in a media fast I would love to hear back from you when it is over. How did you hear God's voice in those times of quiet? What impact did it have on your walk with God?
If you have any other questions about the Media Fast, please feel free to email me. May God be glorified in all that you do, say, and think.

shine!
Jason

Shhhh....

Imagine a place of peace for you.
Is it sitting in a small boat in the middle of a secluded lake?
Is it the back porch of a cabin in the woods?
Is it a bike ride through the country?
What is that place for you?
Close your eyes for about 30 seconds and just focus on that place.
(If you didn't stop and close your eyes, read the sentence above and follow directions. LOL)
OK. Why do we long for peace? Why do we long for a time of quiet? I believe that God placed that desire for quiet so that we would have times to listen for Him to speak. Consider this exchange between Elihah and the LORD.
"Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:11-13)
I firmly believe that God speaks to us often. He may not speak audibly, but by the Spirit He longs to speak to our hearts and minds. He wants to meet us in those quiet places. Why else would the Psalmist write, "Be silent, and know that I am God!"?
This week the Rochester teens are participating in a Media Fast. (Therefore many of them may not see this until next week.) This is a week where we have dedicated ourselves to not watch TV or movies, not listen to music (other than praise and worship), and not browse the internet or spend significant time chatting. It is a time to turn off a lot of the "noise" that crowds our minds and drowns out the voice of the Lord.
I want to invite you to join us on this journey. If you are reading this weeks later, make an effort to engage in your own media fast. Take time to be silent and know that He is God.
If you are participating or do participate in a media fast I would love to hear back from you when it is over. How did you hear God's voice in those times of quiet? What impact did it have on your walk with God?
If you have any other questions about the Media Fast, please feel free to email me. May God be glorified in all that you do, say, and think.

shine!
Jason

That's Entertainministry!

Am I the only one who thinks it is maddening to reach people for Jesus by seeing who can put on the best performance? But isn't that really what most of youth ministry has become?
Who can have the coolest name?
Who has the flashiest logo?
Who has the best band?
Whose teen room looks the coolest?
Which group does the best ski/rafting/fill-in-the-blank trip?
Now, before you run off and accuse me of advocating boring speakers, irrelevant lessons, and no fun, hear me out. I am all about having fun while we live for and learn about Jesus. I think Jesus enjoyed life. As a matter of fact, didn't He tell us following Him would bring more abundant life? Of course. But here is the question of the hour...what did this life look like?
Did His abundant life come by seeing how much entertainment we could shove in our lives? Did it come by going on trips designed to entertain? Did Jesus get a rush by riding roller coasters, watching movies, or taking excursions? (I'll give you a minute to refer to the Gospels if you need to.) I don't see any of that in the Bible.
The last time I checked, the abundant life Jesus spoke of consisted of serving others, putting your life on the line for the outcast, and giving up everything else for the sake of following Jesus. I doesn't seem as though many youth ministries are buying into that model.
Let's consider what Jesus might embrace...
Racing down a river in a raft or reaching inner-city children?
Movie nights or a night in prayer?
Lock-in or looking for ways to serve senior citizens?
Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with having fun. Buy how much more fun (and abundant) is it to enjoy life while aiding God in redeeming creation? Why not find the kind of peace and fulfillment Jesus talks about in His "Sermon on the Mount?"
From what I see, most youth ministries look more like another club at school than they do a movement going against the grain of culture. They seem more concerned with how many students come to an event than how many students are transformed to look like Jesus.
I will conceed that most youth ministries do strive to "convert" students. But convert them to what? A self-serving experience that says we can still have our life but come to church events and worship? A club where we feel good because we go to church. A place where sins often reigns 153 hours a week and Jesus makes an appearance the other three?
I know I am being hard on my vocation. And I will readily admit that many of the things I have said above are self-condemning. I am not innocent at all in regards to the way I "do" ministry. I still struggle with the balance between relevance and faithfulness. I often wonder if I am too hardcore or if I am selling out to society's expectations and norms.
The bottom line is this. Jesus did not ever want us to look like culture. He did not come so we could feel good in the midst of our sinfulness. Jesus never intended following Him to be a self-help adventure or a chance to just escape Hell. No way. No how.
Jesus calls us to something much more profound and life changing. We are challenged to engage this world of darkness to bring light. And when youth ministry doesn't look much different than the rest of a teen's world and doesn't challenge young people to find their identity in Jesus, what kind of light is that? Who wants to subject themselves to more rules and waking up early on Sundays while they don't significantly change the way they live the rest of the week?
When youth ministry strives to create churchgoers, good citizens, or someone who saves sex until marriage, we have completely missed the point. Jesus wants radicals. People who buck the status quo. People who live in contrast to the self-centered, consumeristic world we find ourselves submursed in.
Hey! This makes me think about the experience of baptism. When we dedicate ourselves to God in baptism we are submursing ourselves into a new world. A new way of living. A new appraoch to life. We are making Christ our LORD and Savior. When Jesus calls Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life, He is not only talking about a path to heaven. He is talking about a new path here on earth. The Way to restore creation to the way God intended. The Truth about what is really important. The Life that is abundant here and in the world to come.
It's time for youth ministry to get out of the recreation business and into the transformation business. Let's stop worrying about how many teens we can entertain and start worrying about how many teens we can change. Now there's a cross I'm ready to bear.

shine!
Jason

That's Entertainministry!

Am I the only one who thinks it is maddening to reach people for Jesus by seeing who can put on the best performance? But isn't that really what most of youth ministry has become?
Who can have the coolest name?
Who has the flashiest logo?
Who has the best band?
Whose teen room looks the coolest?
Which group does the best ski/rafting/fill-in-the-blank trip?
Now, before you run off and accuse me of advocating boring speakers, irrelevant lessons, and no fun, hear me out. I am all about having fun while we live for and learn about Jesus. I think Jesus enjoyed life. As a matter of fact, didn't He tell us following Him would bring more abundant life? Of course. But here is the question of the hour...what did this life look like?
Did His abundant life come by seeing how much entertainment we could shove in our lives? Did it come by going on trips designed to entertain? Did Jesus get a rush by riding roller coasters, watching movies, or taking excursions? (I'll give you a minute to refer to the Gospels if you need to.) I don't see any of that in the Bible.
The last time I checked, the abundant life Jesus spoke of consisted of serving others, putting your life on the line for the outcast, and giving up everything else for the sake of following Jesus. I doesn't seem as though many youth ministries are buying into that model.
Let's consider what Jesus might embrace...
Racing down a river in a raft or reaching inner-city children?
Movie nights or a night in prayer?
Lock-in or looking for ways to serve senior citizens?
Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with having fun. Buy how much more fun (and abundant) is it to enjoy life while aiding God in redeeming creation? Why not find the kind of peace and fulfillment Jesus talks about in His "Sermon on the Mount?"
From what I see, most youth ministries look more like another club at school than they do a movement going against the grain of culture. They seem more concerned with how many students come to an event than how many students are transformed to look like Jesus.
I will conceed that most youth ministries do strive to "convert" students. But convert them to what? A self-serving experience that says we can still have our life but come to church events and worship? A club where we feel good because we go to church. A place where sins often reigns 153 hours a week and Jesus makes an appearance the other three?
I know I am being hard on my vocation. And I will readily admit that many of the things I have said above are self-condemning. I am not innocent at all in regards to the way I "do" ministry. I still struggle with the balance between relevance and faithfulness. I often wonder if I am too hardcore or if I am selling out to society's expectations and norms.
The bottom line is this. Jesus did not ever want us to look like culture. He did not come so we could feel good in the midst of our sinfulness. Jesus never intended following Him to be a self-help adventure or a chance to just escape Hell. No way. No how.
Jesus calls us to something much more profound and life changing. We are challenged to engage this world of darkness to bring light. And when youth ministry doesn't look much different than the rest of a teen's world and doesn't challenge young people to find their identity in Jesus, what kind of light is that? Who wants to subject themselves to more rules and waking up early on Sundays while they don't significantly change the way they live the rest of the week?
When youth ministry strives to create churchgoers, good citizens, or someone who saves sex until marriage, we have completely missed the point. Jesus wants radicals. People who buck the status quo. People who live in contrast to the self-centered, consumeristic world we find ourselves submursed in.
Hey! This makes me think about the experience of baptism. When we dedicate ourselves to God in baptism we are submursing ourselves into a new world. A new way of living. A new appraoch to life. We are making Christ our LORD and Savior. When Jesus calls Himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life, He is not only talking about a path to heaven. He is talking about a new path here on earth. The Way to restore creation to the way God intended. The Truth about what is really important. The Life that is abundant here and in the world to come.
It's time for youth ministry to get out of the recreation business and into the transformation business. Let's stop worrying about how many teens we can entertain and start worrying about how many teens we can change. Now there's a cross I'm ready to bear.

shine!
Jason

Seeking identity

Everyone wants it. People will pay great money for it. People will steal for it. People will lie to get it. People will give up their dignity to maintain. People will sacrifice their purity to keep it. People will give away almost anything else to have this one thing.
Identity.
As I write this I find myself in the midst of an identity recalibration. I am really not sure what else to call it. It's not a crisis. It's not a total change. It is a recalibration; an adjustment.
My identity is in Jesus, by what that means is certainly changing. It is changing away from things like how I do church and what I believe about a thousand different "doctrines." This is hard, because "church" is my employer. It is my job. And that creates a extra set of expectations and issues. It is a blessing and a curse. (Well, curse might be a bit strong, but I hope you get the idea.)
God is shaping more and more into finding my identity in the person of Jesus Christ. Not in the church. Not in my faith. Not in my spiritual disciplines and habits. Simply in Jesus.
I am a part of a faith community who has tended to seek it's identity in the way we "do church." It has affected the way we interpret texts. It impacts our approach to life. In a practical way it affects the way we live our lives. I have seen plently of people who will fight to the death for the way we do church, but the rest of their life tends to look very little like what Jesus talks about throughout the Gospels.
The problem is that many (in and out of our specific religious tribe) have made church a part of their identity instead of making Jesus their ONLY identity. This mindset has allowed many Christians to be faithful on Sunday mornings while mistreating employees, friends, and family on Monday. It creates situations where teenagers praise Jesus on Wednesday night and sleep with their boyfriend on Friday night. It makes it "OK" for us to put a few dollars in the contribution plate while ignoring our neighbor who needs food or clothing. I could go on and on, but the point is this: when our identity is in anything other that Jesus Himself, our life will be filled with inconsistancy and identity confusion.
I say all this above because at many points along my walk I have been that person. And, to be honest, parts of me continue to be that person. But God has really worked on me over the last couple of months and started opening my eyes to what I could be. He is showing me that identity anywhere but in His Son is selling ourselves short. It is a problem that started in the Garden of Eden and continues today.
I have plenty more to say, but I will stop for now. I just want to encourage you to pray about where you seek your identity. Is it in your job? Your friends? Your possesions? Your boyfriend/girlfriend? Your music? Your spouse? Or one of a hundred other places?
Seek your identity in the one place that the One who made you wants to find it: Jesus Christ.

shine!
Jason

Seeking identity

Everyone wants it. People will pay great money for it. People will steal for it. People will lie to get it. People will give up their dignity to maintain. People will sacrifice their purity to keep it. People will give away almost anything else to have this one thing.
Identity.
As I write this I find myself in the midst of an identity recalibration. I am really not sure what else to call it. It's not a crisis. It's not a total change. It is a recalibration; an adjustment.
My identity is in Jesus, by what that means is certainly changing. It is changing away from things like how I do church and what I believe about a thousand different "doctrines." This is hard, because "church" is my employer. It is my job. And that creates a extra set of expectations and issues. It is a blessing and a curse. (Well, curse might be a bit strong, but I hope you get the idea.)
God is shaping more and more into finding my identity in the person of Jesus Christ. Not in the church. Not in my faith. Not in my spiritual disciplines and habits. Simply in Jesus.
I am a part of a faith community who has tended to seek it's identity in the way we "do church." It has affected the way we interpret texts. It impacts our approach to life. In a practical way it affects the way we live our lives. I have seen plently of people who will fight to the death for the way we do church, but the rest of their life tends to look very little like what Jesus talks about throughout the Gospels.
The problem is that many (in and out of our specific religious tribe) have made church a part of their identity instead of making Jesus their ONLY identity. This mindset has allowed many Christians to be faithful on Sunday mornings while mistreating employees, friends, and family on Monday. It creates situations where teenagers praise Jesus on Wednesday night and sleep with their boyfriend on Friday night. It makes it "OK" for us to put a few dollars in the contribution plate while ignoring our neighbor who needs food or clothing. I could go on and on, but the point is this: when our identity is in anything other that Jesus Himself, our life will be filled with inconsistancy and identity confusion.
I say all this above because at many points along my walk I have been that person. And, to be honest, parts of me continue to be that person. But God has really worked on me over the last couple of months and started opening my eyes to what I could be. He is showing me that identity anywhere but in His Son is selling ourselves short. It is a problem that started in the Garden of Eden and continues today.
I have plenty more to say, but I will stop for now. I just want to encourage you to pray about where you seek your identity. Is it in your job? Your friends? Your possesions? Your boyfriend/girlfriend? Your music? Your spouse? Or one of a hundred other places?
Seek your identity in the one place that the One who made you wants to find it: Jesus Christ.

shine!
Jason

Being relevant?

There seems to be this new movement in churches to be relevant. Well, maybe it's not new, but there is a new angle. It seems to me that some are submursing themselves into the culture for the sake of being "relevant." I struggle with this method.
As I consider the words of Jesus he called people to a higher standard. While I believe He abhored "morality" without mercy, I also think Jesus would be bothered by allowing current culture almost completely unchecked access to our hearts and minds. Whether it's music, movies, TV, lifestyle, or any number of other areas, I wonder how Jesus would live in America today.
I do not have an answer to the questions below; they are simply food for thought.
Would Jesus spend his evenings watching American Idol or Survivor?
How often would Jesus go to out to eat at restaurants?
What would Jesus have in His iPod?
I guess I could go on and on.
I will admit that I am a fan of culture. I enjoy a good movie. I listen to music quite a bit. I enjoy Olive Garden, Chili's, and a host of other places. But I struggle with the balance between cultural awareness and cultural acceptance.
I know that Paul said, "Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:22) But Paul also said one verse earlier, "But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ."
So where do we find the balance? How do we reach the world without looking like the world? How do we follow the mandate of James which states that, "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us." (James 1:27)
We are called to compassion AND purity.
God demands mercy AND holiness.
We seek to reach the lost AND remain faithful.
I want to reach the lost - especially teens - but what does that look like in the year 2006? The words of Dan Stockstill (my YM professor at Harding University) still ring in my head. "What you win them with is what you win them too."
Are we trying to win the lost with culture plus Jesus? Are we seeking to be relevant at the expense of holiness?
I often fear that we sometimes make Jesus in the image of our culture as opposed to letting Him shape our interaction with culture. For example...
Jesus the action figure who is at our disposal when we need Him.
Jesus the social activist who seeks to addresses issues without a call for holiness.
Jesus the lucky charm who helps us when we are in trouble or need luck.
Jesus the drive-thru window who gives us our house, our car, and other material items.
While Jesus does help us in times of need, calls us to help the poor and outcasts, and provides for us, He first and foremost calls us to be completely sold-out and dedicated to Him. This is a goal that all of us should strive for, but none of us will ever achieve completely. Sin will continue to trip us up.
The question at hand is that do we sometimes seek to be so relevant that we give sin an outlet into our innermost being?
Yeah, you may think of the easy targets, like sexual impurity and violence. But what about the ways that we are gently, subtly shaped in the image of our consumerist culture?
(I am about to indict myself severly.)
How many families in Africa could be fed by the money I spend on a dinner for three at Texas Roadhouse?
How many poor children in America could actually have a week's worth of clothes for the cost of one outfit from Old Navy?
How many American inner-city single mothers could pay one (or more) month's rent for what it costs for an iPod?
Yes, I believe the church in America has a long way to go before we realize the dream of God. I am beginning to more vividly understand the words of Jesus when He says, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" (Matthew 19:24)
I think that while Jesus is primarily talking about eternal life, there is certainly a sense in which this applies to our lives in this world. How can we fulfill the dream of God when our vision is blurred by the culture we live in?
I write the words above as a challenge to me and others as we seek to be the body of Christ in the world we live in. Being a true follower of Christ in the richest nation in the world is certainly challenging. And the more I get to know Jesus, the more I realize how much I need a merciful Savior who loves me in spite of my failings and misunderstandings. I an thankful that God remains faithful to me as I continue to fail Him.

shine!
Jason

Being relevant?

There seems to be this new movement in churches to be relevant. Well, maybe it's not new, but there is a new angle. It seems to me that some are submursing themselves into the culture for the sake of being "relevant." I struggle with this method.
As I consider the words of Jesus he called people to a higher standard. While I believe He abhored "morality" without mercy, I also think Jesus would be bothered by allowing current culture almost completely unchecked access to our hearts and minds. Whether it's music, movies, TV, lifestyle, or any number of other areas, I wonder how Jesus would live in America today.
I do not have an answer to the questions below; they are simply food for thought.
Would Jesus spend his evenings watching American Idol or Survivor?
How often would Jesus go to out to eat at restaurants?
What would Jesus have in His iPod?
I guess I could go on and on.
I will admit that I am a fan of culture. I enjoy a good movie. I listen to music quite a bit. I enjoy Olive Garden, Chili's, and a host of other places. But I struggle with the balance between cultural awareness and cultural acceptance.
I know that Paul said, "Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:22) But Paul also said one verse earlier, "But I do not discard the law of God; I obey the law of Christ."
So where do we find the balance? How do we reach the world without looking like the world? How do we follow the mandate of James which states that, "Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us." (James 1:27)
We are called to compassion AND purity.
God demands mercy AND holiness.
We seek to reach the lost AND remain faithful.
I want to reach the lost - especially teens - but what does that look like in the year 2006? The words of Dan Stockstill (my YM professor at Harding University) still ring in my head. "What you win them with is what you win them too."
Are we trying to win the lost with culture plus Jesus? Are we seeking to be relevant at the expense of holiness?
I often fear that we sometimes make Jesus in the image of our culture as opposed to letting Him shape our interaction with culture. For example...
Jesus the action figure who is at our disposal when we need Him.
Jesus the social activist who seeks to addresses issues without a call for holiness.
Jesus the lucky charm who helps us when we are in trouble or need luck.
Jesus the drive-thru window who gives us our house, our car, and other material items.
While Jesus does help us in times of need, calls us to help the poor and outcasts, and provides for us, He first and foremost calls us to be completely sold-out and dedicated to Him. This is a goal that all of us should strive for, but none of us will ever achieve completely. Sin will continue to trip us up.
The question at hand is that do we sometimes seek to be so relevant that we give sin an outlet into our innermost being?
Yeah, you may think of the easy targets, like sexual impurity and violence. But what about the ways that we are gently, subtly shaped in the image of our consumerist culture?
(I am about to indict myself severly.)
How many families in Africa could be fed by the money I spend on a dinner for three at Texas Roadhouse?
How many poor children in America could actually have a week's worth of clothes for the cost of one outfit from Old Navy?
How many American inner-city single mothers could pay one (or more) month's rent for what it costs for an iPod?
Yes, I believe the church in America has a long way to go before we realize the dream of God. I am beginning to more vividly understand the words of Jesus when He says, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" (Matthew 19:24)
I think that while Jesus is primarily talking about eternal life, there is certainly a sense in which this applies to our lives in this world. How can we fulfill the dream of God when our vision is blurred by the culture we live in?
I write the words above as a challenge to me and others as we seek to be the body of Christ in the world we live in. Being a true follower of Christ in the richest nation in the world is certainly challenging. And the more I get to know Jesus, the more I realize how much I need a merciful Savior who loves me in spite of my failings and misunderstandings. I an thankful that God remains faithful to me as I continue to fail Him.

shine!
Jason

Jesus is not a Republican (or a Democrat)

The more I get to know Jesus, the more I realize He would turn over tables at the Republican National Convention as much as He would at the Democrat's. He would wonder why so many people who so strongly support "family values" worry more about staying at work late for extra money than spending time at the dinner table. He would wonder why people who want tax cuts would spend all of that money on themselves instead of using to bless the poor.
Now before you think I am turning Democrat, let examine the other side. I am not in favor of the government taking my money and distributing it for me. First of all, there are way too many people between my tax dollars and the poor. My guess is that most of the money that goes to welfare serves the welfare of government workers, not those who are in need. Second, government is providing help without a heart. There is money, but very little guidance.
As we look at this mess called poverty no party is innocent. The Republicans love to blame the Democrats for creating an entitlement mentality, and they are right. When people are giving money without accountability what do you expect. But the Democrats have a point when they say Republicans don't care about the poor either. They allege that Republicans don't care about the poor, and they are right. One side wants to hand out money. The other side wants to force responsbility.
Both sides have good motives, but they both fall miserably short. Let's look at Jesus and see how He would handle this situation today. (And since we are the body of Christ who is called to be His hands and feet, don't you think we should consider what Jesus thinks?)
Jesus helped the poor and held them accountable. He was willing to give His time, His energy, and even His reputation to help those who were "unwanted" by society. He was both Servant and Savior. He loved and challenged people. When He encountered the woman caught in adultery, He didn't just give her a handout and He didn't tell her to help herself. He protected her and gave her new direction in life. When Jesus met the woman at the well, He gave her living water and challenged her to change her life.
Jesus would have rediculed the Republicans for being self-centered as much as He would have chastised the Democrats for being self-centered. Responsiblity without support is just as bad as a handout without support.
While I could go on and on, I will finish with this thought. If Jesus wouldn't have claimed a political party, why should I? Will I still vote? Yes. Jesus said to "give unto Caesar, what is Caesar's." But will I claim allegence to a political party? I am working through that right now.
I have been a Republican all my life. I have a minor in political science. But Jesus seems to be calling to me to rise above all the noise, namecalling, and nonsense. I will follow Him and see where it leads me.

shine!
Jason

Jesus is not a Republican (or a Democrat)

The more I get to know Jesus, the more I realize He would turn over tables at the Republican National Convention as much as He would at the Democrat's. He would wonder why so many people who so strongly support "family values" worry more about staying at work late for extra money than spending time at the dinner table. He would wonder why people who want tax cuts would spend all of that money on themselves instead of using to bless the poor.
Now before you think I am turning Democrat, let examine the other side. I am not in favor of the government taking my money and distributing it for me. First of all, there are way too many people between my tax dollars and the poor. My guess is that most of the money that goes to welfare serves the welfare of government workers, not those who are in need. Second, government is providing help without a heart. There is money, but very little guidance.
As we look at this mess called poverty no party is innocent. The Republicans love to blame the Democrats for creating an entitlement mentality, and they are right. When people are giving money without accountability what do you expect. But the Democrats have a point when they say Republicans don't care about the poor either. They allege that Republicans don't care about the poor, and they are right. One side wants to hand out money. The other side wants to force responsbility.
Both sides have good motives, but they both fall miserably short. Let's look at Jesus and see how He would handle this situation today. (And since we are the body of Christ who is called to be His hands and feet, don't you think we should consider what Jesus thinks?)
Jesus helped the poor and held them accountable. He was willing to give His time, His energy, and even His reputation to help those who were "unwanted" by society. He was both Servant and Savior. He loved and challenged people. When He encountered the woman caught in adultery, He didn't just give her a handout and He didn't tell her to help herself. He protected her and gave her new direction in life. When Jesus met the woman at the well, He gave her living water and challenged her to change her life.
Jesus would have rediculed the Republicans for being self-centered as much as He would have chastised the Democrats for being self-centered. Responsiblity without support is just as bad as a handout without support.
While I could go on and on, I will finish with this thought. If Jesus wouldn't have claimed a political party, why should I? Will I still vote? Yes. Jesus said to "give unto Caesar, what is Caesar's." But will I claim allegence to a political party? I am working through that right now.
I have been a Republican all my life. I have a minor in political science. But Jesus seems to be calling to me to rise above all the noise, namecalling, and nonsense. I will follow Him and see where it leads me.

shine!
Jason

Brazil!

Tomorrow our team of 29 will leave for Brazil. We will be working with the Victory church in Rio for the next 10 days. Please pray for our safe travels, and more importantly, pray that lives will be touched by God. Ask God for an outpouring of His Spirit and that we can be His hands and feet to the church in Rio and the Brazilians we will meet. Thank you for your prayers!

brilho!

Re-imagining the church as a village

Last Sunday I had the honor and privilege of sharing the pulpit with our pulpit minister, Patrick Mead. Together Patrick and I presented a fundamental paradigm shift in how ministry to youth and their families is done. The lesson was entitled "Re-imagining the Church as a Village." While this concept has been around for several years (and is actually more biblical than the one most youth ministries follow today), it is certainly a new direction for me and for the Rochester church. God has been leading me this way for a few years and it is exciting to see God continuing my journey. You can listen to the sermon by going to http://rccaudio.christianwitness.us/. There you can either download the lesson or listening to it in streaming audio format.

shine!

Brazil!

Tomorrow our team of 29 will leave for Brazil. We will be working with the Victory church in Rio for the next 10 days. Please pray for our safe travels, and more importantly, pray that lives will be touched by God. Ask God for an outpouring of His Spirit and that we can be His hands and feet to the church in Rio and the Brazilians we will meet. Thank you for your prayers!

brilho!

Re-imagining the church as a village

Last Sunday I had the honor and privilege of sharing the pulpit with our pulpit minister, Patrick Mead. Together Patrick and I presented a fundamental paradigm shift in how ministry to youth and their families is done. The lesson was entitled "Re-imagining the Church as a Village." While this concept has been around for several years (and is actually more biblical than the one most youth ministries follow today), it is certainly a new direction for me and for the Rochester church. God has been leading me this way for a few years and it is exciting to see God continuing my journey. You can listen to the sermon by going to http://rccaudio.christianwitness.us/. There you can either download the lesson or listening to it in streaming audio format.

shine!

Blind-spot

TODAY'S READING: 2 Samuel 12:1-14
Have you ever been driving down the road and when you go to switch lanes you begin to move over and you hear someone honk their horn? When you look again there is a car in the lane you were moving into. Most of us who drive understand there is a blind-spot that we must be aware of when we drive.
How many of us are aware of our spiritual blind-spots? David certainly didn't see his. I am sure that when he slept with Bathsheba, found out she was pregnant, and plotted to have her husband killed, he was aware of the sin. But, he continued to plot and hide the truth.
Then, when Nathan told the story we read today, David never saw the parallel between what he had done and what Nathan had said. It wasn't until Nathan said the words, "You are that man!" Then Nathan goes on to remind David of all the blessings God gave him.
David committed a serious sin in spite of all the ways that God had blessed him and been with him. David's blind-spot caused him to create a huge mess. And the rest of David's life would be filled with struggles because of this.
No matter how successful we are, all of us have spiritual blind-spots. That is one of the reasons it is essential we have healthy, close relationships with spiritual-minded people. Those relationships will help keep us accountable. It will take spiritually-minded close friends to help us see our blind-spots.
Do you have at least one close friend who keeps an eye out for you? Do you have someone who you can share your struggles with that will keep you accountable. As you strive to become the person God wants you to be, make sure you surround yourself with people who will watch your back in this journey called following Jesus.

shine!
Jason

Blind-spot

TODAY'S READING: 2 Samuel 12:1-14
Have you ever been driving down the road and when you go to switch lanes you begin to move over and you hear someone honk their horn? When you look again there is a car in the lane you were moving into. Most of us who drive understand there is a blind-spot that we must be aware of when we drive.
How many of us are aware of our spiritual blind-spots? David certainly didn't see his. I am sure that when he slept with Bathsheba, found out she was pregnant, and plotted to have her husband killed, he was aware of the sin. But, he continued to plot and hide the truth.
Then, when Nathan told the story we read today, David never saw the parallel between what he had done and what Nathan had said. It wasn't until Nathan said the words, "You are that man!" Then Nathan goes on to remind David of all the blessings God gave him.
David committed a serious sin in spite of all the ways that God had blessed him and been with him. David's blind-spot caused him to create a huge mess. And the rest of David's life would be filled with struggles because of this.
No matter how successful we are, all of us have spiritual blind-spots. That is one of the reasons it is essential we have healthy, close relationships with spiritual-minded people. Those relationships will help keep us accountable. It will take spiritually-minded close friends to help us see our blind-spots.
Do you have at least one close friend who keeps an eye out for you? Do you have someone who you can share your struggles with that will keep you accountable. As you strive to become the person God wants you to be, make sure you surround yourself with people who will watch your back in this journey called following Jesus.

shine!
Jason