Ending the moratorium

The moratorium is officially over. In the Steckel house, we do not begin listening to Christmas music and putting up decorations until after Thanksgiving. But after Thanksgiving, it's Christmas 24/7. :-)

If you want Christmas 365 days a year, you can drive an hour north from my house up I-75 to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan. (It's a pretty cool place. If you've never been there, it's worth the trip.)

Many people have their own family traditions regarding Christmas and when they begin celebrating the season. Some enjoy Christmas music in October and November. Others wait until the week of the big day. Which ever one you prefer doesn't really matter.

But I also see a lot of Christians who treat their walk with Jesus like I treat Christmas music. They treat their week like I treat Christmas from January to November. They consider it a time to take a break from things that focus on Christ. The music of their life is whatever they choose, but Christ-focused living is packed away in boxes until the next Sunday.

Then it's time to pull the decorations out and get ready for church. Time to put on the Christian mask and start using church-speak. Time to celebrate Christ for a day until it's time to put things away until next weekend.

On Monday, it's back to living for self-centered agendas and forgetting the life worthy of the calling we have received. Just like I pack up the Christmas decorations and my home returns to normal, some will pack away the things they sang about on Sunday morning.

This is not what we are called to do or be. Consider these excerpts from Ephesians 5...

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.

So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.

So be careful how you live.

Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise.

Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.

Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We all need to live our lives like Bronner's celebrates Christmas - 365 days a year. Being a Christian isn't something we should celebrate once a week; it should be something we live every day of our lives. When we assemble on Sundays, it shouldn't only be a reminder about God and His work in the world. It should be a time when God's people come together to celebrate how they have been caring out the work of the Kingdom of God all week long.

shine!
Jason

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a very Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so many things....

A loving God

A wonderful partner in my wife Michelle

An amazing son in Matthew

A great dad who is also a wonderful grandpa

A church family at Rochester that is a constant source of blessings

A great youth group

A church staff that is second to none

A supportive group of elders

A house to live in

Food to eat

The grace and mercy of Creator God

The sacrificial life of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

The gift and outpouring of the Holy Spirit

The ability to love

What are you thankful for?

shine!
Jason

If it feels good...

Have you ever heard someone say they did something because it "feels right?" Emotions are a powerful thing. They have started wars, ended marriages, and changed the dynamics of families.

So how do we know when to listen to our emotions? Whether it's your "gut instinct" or one of those "I've got a feeling moments," how can we determine when to listen to that voice inside?

First, I believe we should be very careful about letting our emotions take control. This can be very challenging for us today. It was only a few decades ago that our culture frowned on emotions. Just think about some of the phrases that still remain in our lexicon:

"Real mean don't show emotions."

"You want me to give you something to cry about."

"Crying is weakness."

"Why are you so emotional?"

Obviously, times have changed. We now have an entire teen subculture named after being emotional. The pendulum seems to have swung the other way. This is even true in many churches.

If you think about the songs and style of worship, much has changed. The "old hymns" seemed to carry a deeper, internal emotion that was to be displayed. They told stories or proclaimed truths about God. They were designed to stimulate our minds much more than our hearts.

Today many of our songs are praise and worship songs that touch our hearts (sometimes to the neglect of our minds, I fear). Emotion appears to be much more accepted in today's church.

So what does all of this have to do with listening to our emotions? First, we must acknowledge that we are often handicapped because the previous generations don't have the experience to help us sort through all of this. Many who are my age and older have parents who did not live in the world we live in. Their world wasn't as open to a public display of emotions.

Second, we have to understand that God created us to be a holistic person. That means that emotions and facts are both important, and neither can stand alone. They must both have their place at the table.

Without emotions, we make decisions that look at the "cold hard" facts. This can cause us to hurt other people and ourselves because we are blind to the emotional aspects of our actions.

On the other hand, decisions made without engaging our mind can lead to foolish decisions that didn't consider the consequences. Proverb 15:14 says, "The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly."

So how do we find a good balance? Why not ask the One who designed us in the first place. Let's consider the words of the Apostle Paul...

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. (Philipians 1:9-11)

True balance comes through having the right perspective. Paul's prayer was that their love would abound in knowledge and depth of insight. How do we listen to our emotions and our mind? We seek the heart and mind of God.

I have found in my life that the more distant from God I become, the more my balance gets out of whack. Sometimes I will make decisions without engaging my emotions and other times I will act on my emotions without thinking. Both can have damaging results.

If I have a "gut instinct" or a feeling about something, I will begin by considering the heart and mind of Christ. That means I need to be in tune with the heart and mind of Christ. Without that connection, the discernment is much more challenging.

I realize that some of us may be overwhelmed by emotions or emotionally numb. (And sometimes both at the same time.) Those extreme situations may require professional help or at least a long period of working through things. That can be a long, challenging journey, but it is worth it.

In today's "if it feels good, do it" world, we are in a battle for our hearts and minds. If we can seek that balance that is centered on God, then we can be "filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ."

shine!
Jason

Shhh

Music… TV… Cell phones... Text messages... Internet... Movies... Earphones.

Silence…

We struggle with silence. There are so many things that distract us and keep us from simply being still. For many, it has gotten to the point where being silent is extremely uncomfortable.

One of the biggest barriers that keeps many people from growing closer to God is the lack of silence in their lives.

Consider the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see the works of the LORD,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
    he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
    he burns the shields with fire.
Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

In the midst of our trouble, we should be still. When defeat seems inevitable, we need to be still. When trouble is before us, we must be still.

If we want to experience God and hear His voice, maybe we need to quiet the hundreds of other voices that can drown His out.

The problem is that we like the noise. It helps us try to cover the pain, confusion, and hurt that many of us hide below the surface. Maybe it’s time for you to be still and know that He is God. Let Him be your fortress instead of settling for a bunch of inferior, noisy alternatives.

shine!
Jason

 

Welcome home

This is a great video...

The church?

What do you think of when you think of church? A building? An activity? Worship?

I think that the early Christians would look at our meanings for the word "church" and wonder what we are talking about.

Constantine did the body of Christ a huge disservice when he essentially hijacked it for his purposes. When he decried Christianity as a "socially acceptable" religion, he opened the door to the institutionalization of the church.

While I believe God used this to aide his purposes, I also believe it began the distortion of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.

No longer was following Jesus a risky proposition. Instead of a conscious decision to follow the way of Jesus, regardless of the costs, following Jesus became a part of the Roman Empire. The orders of one man took a counter-cultural movement and integrated it into the mainstream.

So what does that mean for us?

It impacts us in many ways and forces us to evaluate what it means to be a "Christian." Consider some of the things Paul wrote:

"Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)

"Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." (Ephesians 4:15-16)

"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs." (Acts 17:24-25)

I often hear people say things like "you can’t say that in church" or "you can’t do that in the church building." How would our behavior change if we acknowledged that we are the "church building?"

We are the temple of God and the body of Christ. We are called to be the presence of God wherever we find ourselves. It doesn’t matter if we are in a building with a sign out front that says "Church of Christ", sitting in our living room, at work, or walking the halls of our school. If we are a baptized believer, then we are the church. We are the dwelling place of God in this world. The only building that really matters is the body that you live in every day.

shine!
Jason

An afternoon at Focus: HOPE

Yesterday was our first Sunday afternoon at Focus: HOPE. We had over two dozen students and adults venture down to the Focus: HOPE campus in Detroit to make some new friends. While there were not a lot of children this first time, I feel like we made an impact on the children and adults that were there.

During our time there, we were able to share a meal, play some games, and build relationships. In the months ahead, I am hopeful that the numbers will grow and we will be able to meet more children from inner-city Detroit. But one thing I have learned in ministry, is that numbers aren't the most important thing. If we are able to make a positive impact on the life of one child, our trip has had value.

I am looking forward to developing an on-going relationship with the children and adults at Focus: HOPE. As we seek to live out Jesus-shaped lives, this is a great opportunity to live out our faith. And in the process, we can show the love of Jesus to those we encounter.

shine!
Jason

Bridging the gap

I love the Fall. I think there is something amazing about the changing leaves and the cool air. There are few things more beautiful in the world than the color of Autumn leaves.

The amazing thing is that the beauty emerges, even in the face of death. The changing of the leaves from green to red, orange, and yellow is actually the process of leaves dying and falling off of the tree.

While we appreciate that beauty, we often miss the beauty to be found in the older members of our society.

In recent years, our society has been more and more trained to look down on senior citizens and even middle-age adults. Many shows aimed at teenagers and pre-teens show parents as foolish and clueless. Commercials often portray the children as the smartest person in the family.

I don’t discount children and teenagers, and I admit that there have been times that their voices have unfairly been silenced or minimized. But swinging to the other extreme doesn’t make things any better.

I am witnessing a generation who is growing up without listening to very many of the voices of experience. Our mobile culture that moves families around the country and away from family has severed those connections. Churches where the teenagers often sit together and away from the adults has cut off that spiritual connection.

It saddens me when I listen to students who feel abandoned and alone. I know that there is plenty of blame to go around. Adults have ignored youth just as much as youth have pushed away from adults. But the reality is that there are as many lonely adults – especially senior citizens – sitting in the pews as there are teenagers.

I believe that one of the most overlooked opportunities in many churches, especially larger ones, is the chance for youth to connect with our older generations. In a world where so many institutions and organizations drive wedges between generations and separate us into sub-cultures, the church has a unique position. We can be a place where generations are drawn back together and voices of all ages can be heard.

If you are a teenager or pre-teen, my challenge to you is to approach an older member of the church and build a relationship. For our older adult members I would say this: Don’t be afraid to connect with the youth. While it may seem like their world is so much different than the one you grew up in (and it is), there are still many things where you can find common ground.

If the church can grab onto this great opportunity for community, I believe it can have a positive impact for everyone involved. Let’s bridge the gap.

shine!
Jason

 

"Star Wars" - an a capella tribute to John Williams

I found this on YouTube. It is worth the 4 minutes, especially if you are a John Williams or Star Wars fan!

The morning after

The commercials are done. The speeches are over. The votes have been cast.

History has yet to determine what this election means for our nation. In a little over two months, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States. Then we will see what the future holds.

While I fundamentally disagree with much of Obama's philosophy and many of his approaches to the role of government, I can't deny the historic relevance of this election. While I hope that those who voted, voted for the candidate's platform, not his race, I know that for some that is not true.

Regardless of how you voted and why you voted that way, it's time for our nation to display the spirit of unity that has held us together for over two centuries. This nation has suffered through many challenging times, but the beauty of our country is the peaceful change in leadership that has helped make us who we are.

I will still stand up for what I believe is the best way for our government to function. Just like in the church, unity does not mean everyone agrees. Unity means that everyone stands for one purpose greater than themselves. Whether we are talking about the Kingdom of Heaven or the United States of America, this message rings true. When we can look beyond ourselves to the greater good, we can overcome.

Today is a new day in America. We have elected to office a man who would have likely served on a plantation, not had a right to vote, and only counted as 3/5 of a person earlier in our nation's history. Agree or disagree with his style of governing, this is a historic day in our nation's history.

On the other hand, I hope that we don't let the significance of this moment keep us from engaging in serious dialogue in the days ahead. Some would use the historic nature of this election as a buffer to dispel disagreement and silence dissent. To me, that would discount the importance of this moment.

As with most things in life, we must always seek a balance between sensitivity and substance. We must strive to find ways to work together while remaining true to our principles. It is of the utmost importance that as we move into the future, we start from our common ground and engage in serious dialogue about the issues at hand. This is how we can mature and seek what is best.

While I am talking about our country, I believe the same is true with the church. We can disagree about the way we "do church" and the methods we use to engage our mission, but we must start with Christ as our foundation, our cornerstone, and our starting point. From there we can embark on our mission that will call us to change the world and bring the Kingdom of God to the lives around us.

shine!
Jason

My vote

I am glad this is finally over. While I have a minor in political science, I get weary of the long political season.

As I woke up this morning, something hit me. Why do Christians invest so much in the election of a President?

Don't get me wrong, I think it's OK to be involved in the political process. I believe we have a responsibility to participate in elections; that's not what I am talking about.

I am referring to Christians and Christian groups who have spent hours and hours making phone calls, handing out fliers, and investing a significant amount of energy campaigning - for either candidate. Giving that kind of time is not inherently a bad thing. But here is the question I want to pose against this:

If a follower of Jesus spends hours and hours campaigning for a candidate for President, how much time are they investing on a regular basis in the Kingdom of God?

I don't take issue with those who consistently engage in spiritual disciplines and offer their time and resources to carry out the work of the Kingdom. My concern is with those who generally give a lot less time to Kingdom work than a political campaign. Where are they putting their trust?

At the end of the day (or maybe days, depending on what happens - remember 2000?), our nation will have elected a new President. On January 20, 2009, either John McCain or Barack Obama will be inaugurated as the 44th President of United States.

While I am voting today, and I do feel that one man is the better choice, my hope does not rest on who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My hope rests with the One who sits on the throne of Heaven. So that's where I want to invest the majority of my time, energy, and resources.

I will vote for the President of the United States, but I live for the Lord and Savior of all mankind.

shine!
Jason

Significant or symbolic?

I walked by a high school football team practicing yesterday and noticed the oddest thing. They didn’t have a football. The offense just ran their plays, but without a ball to throw or run.

Then I watched a mechanic working on a car. It was weird; he didn’t have a wrench. He used his fingers to tighten the lug nuts.

Then I walked in the front door of my house to find Michelle in the kitchen, cooking dinner. The weird thing was she was trying to mix some ingredients together, but she didn’t have a spoon. She was kind of tilting the pan from side to side, hoping the ingredients would mix together.

OK, so none of these stories are real. But I witness something equally as strange weekly. I see dozens of students coming to Bible class without a Bible. I was especially surprised a few weeks ago when the class I was teaching divided into groups to look at a passage of Scripture. In a class of over two-dozen students, only two students had a Bible.

A football player wouldn’t imagine going to practice without his equipment. A mechanic would never think about working on a car without his tools. Michelle wouldn’t entertain the idea of cooking without utensils.

Paul wrote the following words to the church in Colosse:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17)

Paul encourages the church to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” He reminds each of us about the importance of letting the word of God be a part of who we are.

I am not sure what the reason, but it seems like the number of people bringing their Bible to church has significantly decreased, especially with teenagers.

We set our TiVo so we don’t miss our favorite shows. We carry our cell phones everywhere so we don’t miss a call or text message. We always have our debit card for that purchase we might want to make.

But the Book that contains the words of God and wisdom to make us more Christ-like? Evidently, it is supposed to stay on the bookshelf at home where it’s simply a symbol of the faith we claim.

shine!
Jason

 

Media Coverage

I generally focus on spiritual and/or personal stuff on my blog, but I came across this today and had to share. With the election this close, you must have figured a guy with a minor in Political Science would have to mention something. Whether you like or agree with Bill O'Reilly at all, these statistics are pretty amazing.

Render Unto...

I have not been blogging much lately because we are having one of those weird computer issues in the office where I cannot access my blog from there. Anyway...

Tonight, I was able to be a part of something unique and interesting happening at the Rochester Church. For the month of October, we have conducted a Wednesday night series entitled "Render Unto..." The purpose of this series was to hear from four different people in the church regarding how faith shapes their politics.

While I disagree with each of the presenters in some way, I have a tremendous amount of respect for each of these men for the willingness to share their convictions in a public setting such as this. They knew in advance that some people would not agree with their views. They were probably also aware that some people would react in a negative fashion towards some of their opinions. But, they all offered to present in light of these things.

Tonight, in the fifth and final evening of the series, I was asked to serve as moderator for a panel featuring all four men. This was an honor and a challenge. Over the last week or so, members of the Rochester Church have given me questions that they hoped the panel would answer. I had to consider all the questions and decide how to choose the ones that would make it to Wednesday night.

This was not an easy task. There were a lot of good questions. I had to eliminate some, reword some, and combine others. In addition, I listened to all four presenters' talks twice in the last 5 days. It has been quite an interesting week.

Tonight when we gathered together, I attempted to frame the evening with the idea that this is a time of dialogue. One of the things I learned this week from listening to these men, and subsequently shared with the crowd, was that we need to listen to people's stories before we react to their positions. We all bring a unique story to the conversation, and that story shapes who we are and how we act and react.

After a brief introduction, we spent about 40 minutes engaged in healthy discussion. In all, I believe we addressed six of the questions I had prepared for the evening. We covered issues ranging from the role of government to the sensitive subjects of homosexual marriage and abortion.

One of the things that impressed me most, was the way all four men handled themselves. I have watched plenty of political talk shows over the years, and inevitably, someone on the panel always loses their cool, resorts to cliches, or just gets plain nasty. There was none of this - zero!

I closed out the night by refering to Jesus' words to His disciples:

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:34-35)

If we want to be the body of Christ to the world, our primary identity cannot be our positions. I agree that we need to stand up for what is right. We cannot ignore morals and convictions. But, when we stand so firmly for our position that we are not even willing to listen to our brothers and sisters in love, then what are we fighting for?

shine!
Jason

Does God have one person chosen for you?

Last night I attended a Parenting for Purity seminar at a local church here in the Rochester Hills area. I am not one to talk bad about other churches, so I will not name the church. My point here is not to bash anyone, but to consider the question you find in the title of this post.

While I fundamentally agreed with much of the practical aspects of the presentation last night, I disagree with several of the "pillars" of purity the speaker discussed. He believes that, "God has a specific person He intends for someone to marry." His next two pillars state that, "It is God's responsibility to bring two people together" and "God reveals to a person who that specific person is."

If you read some of the essays I posted here during my grad class with Dr. Rubel Shelly, you have already read some of my thoughts on the overall issue of free will and determinism. I also wrote a lengthy term paper for the class examining this topic. (If you care to read this "enthralling" piece, I would be glad to share it with you.) ;-)

Here is my struggle with the idea that God has one special person picked out for you:

Does God really determine the details of our lives and pick things out for us? I find it hard to believe that God has picked out everyone's mate and has arranged everything for that to happen. If he has, why is the divorce rate so high? Those who believe God has chosen that person would argue that you ended up with the wrong one.

Well, if God is really in control enough of my life to pick my spouse, shouldn't He make sure I end up with that person? If I don't pick the right person, is that sin, since it is - in essence - disobeying God?

Having an "arranged" marriage from God is not really the core issue, and I understand that. Essentially, this view emerges from a broader approach to Scripture and God. There are those who believe in determinism, which basically teaches that God has a plan for your life and that every detail is already determined by God. Your job is to figure out what that plan is.

I have to disagree.

I agree that God has created each of us with unique gifts, personalities, and passions. We are made for a purpose. And we are made for a plan. But I don't believe that God has scripted the details of that plan.

If we follow that argument to its logical conclusion, then God has determined when I will eat, what kind of car I drive, and more. If God maps out the details of my life, it's not really my life; it's His.

I believe that we have the free will to make choices about our lives. We will choose the job we want. We will live where we want to live. We will marry whom we choose to marry.

I do believe that God knows who we will marry. While God may not control our lives, He is aware of the choices we will make. However, His foreknowledge does not equate to His controlling our choices.

I believe that our task is not to seek out the one person God has prepared for us. Rather, we are to select someone who shares our values as a Christ-follower and then be the person God wants us to be in that relationship. Marriage is not about finding the person God picked out for us; it's about being Christ to the person we pick.

As I said earlier, outside of this significant disagreement, I found myself agreeing with much of what I heard. While our starting point is different, I agree with the idea that we must be faithful to our spouse long before we meet them.

The speaker argued that since God has already chosen someone, you should be faithful to them even before you meet them. I agree in principle with his point. Whether you meet your future spouse at 5, 15, 25, or later, you must prepare yourself to be the best partner you can be for that person.

What does that look like? It means you live the same way before your wedding as you do after. Would you have a sexual relationship with someone else besides your wife or husband? (I would hope you answer no.) So what makes it any different before you get married? If giving away a part of yourself emotionally or physically is bad when you are married, how can giving away a part of yourself emotionally or physically be good before you get married?

I know that some people will argue that you need to "learn" before you meet that person so you can be a better spouse. So let me get this straight. If I give away parts of my heart (through emotional and/or physical bonding) to someone else, that will make me a better partner in my marriage?

I find it hard to believe that memories of ex-boyfriends/girlfriends and the times you had with them will make you a stronger spouse. When times get tough in marriage (and they do in every marriage), how many of us want our spouse thinking back to that high school or college sweetheart (who they didn't have to share the struggles of day-to-day life with) and comparing us to them?

While I don't believe that God has one person picked out for you, I do believe that He wants you to pick one person. But before that day comes, your responsibility is to focus on your own walk with God and become the best man or woman for your future partner. When we take our eyes off of that goal and look to fill our selfish desires, everyone will lose and the world will suffer.

shine!
Jason

Old? or Young?

Over the last week, I have had two conflicting events regarding my age. One made me realize how old I am, while the other reassured me that I am still young in some ways.

Last Saturday was our Annual 180 Harvest Party. One of the staples of this event has become the football game. This is the one tackle football game we play each year. (As a side note, the older teen boys do a great job of controlling themselves when it comes to tackling the girls and younger kids. I am impressed.)

I didn’t feel that old during the game, although the next youngest player was at least twenty years my junior. What I lacked in speed I made up for in size. Not many teenage boys weigh in at over 200 pounds, so once I got going, I could be difficult to stop.

It was the next morning that I was reminded of my age. I have a new found respect for NFL players near the end of their career still playing into their mid and late thirties. Although they have trainers, medication, and more, they still have bodies that are over thirty years old. This whole experience reminded me that I am not in my twenties any more (and thirties for much longer).

But then, Wednesday came. I had a meeting with two other area youth ministers, one of which is about five years older than me. Let’s call him Jim. Anyway, Jim offers to buy breakfast for me and the other guy. While we are ordering, Jim asks if I would like to add something else to my order. The lady ringing us up looks at us and says, “Is this your son?”

I immediately had a huge grin on my face, and Jim gives me this look that says, “I’ll never hear the end of this.” Then we explain that we are not related. I thought it was pretty funny. I am not sure if Jim completely agrees with me on this one.

So, in the span of a few days I went from feeling like the old guy to the kid. I never changed ages. I still live in the same body. It’s all about perspective.

Which makes we wonder, how often we look at life’s circumstances and make them more or less important than they really are because of our perspective? I look back on situations in my life where I either overreacted or failed to react sufficiently because of my perspective.

This is the value of community. It provides a group of people who can offer varying perspectives on whatever is happening in our lives.

It becomes even more valuable when it is a multi-generational community because the range of perspectives multiplies significantly. This is one of the reasons I cringe when students gather in groups apart from the larger community and shut out those who might offer a different perspective. Adults might look old in some ways, but they have much to offer to those who find themselves at a different place on the journey.

shine!
Jason

 

Joey

Back in April when I spoke at a youth rally in Beamsville, Ontario, I met a young man named Joey Merling. Joey was no ordinary teenager. That was obvious from the moment I met him and his noticeable lack of hair.

As Joey and I sat to talk, it seemed like hair was the only thing the cancer had taken from Joey. The more I spoke with him, the more I was amazed at his faith. Here was a teenager who was facing death square in the eye, but his faith remained strong.

I am sure that in darker, lonelier moments, Joey would ask the questions all of us would:

Why me?

Did I do something to deserve this?

Why can’t I have a “full” life?

If we are honest, all of us have moments when we ask those questions…and many more. Some of us question God. Others question if God is there. Others even question God’s existence.

I talk with teenagers every week who encounter a variety of struggles and difficulties. Some of them are the direct result of decisions they have made. Others are the result of the actions of other people. Some of them deal with situations that seem to come out of nowhere.

God never promised us a carefree life. He never promised it would easy. As a matter of fact, Scripture tells us to expect difficult times.

Joey’s difficult times came to an end this past week. He lost his struggle with cancer at the age of 18. After a courageous battle, Joey is experiencing the ultimate victory.

Although my time with him was brief, Joey Merling left a mark on my life. He reminded me that life is not about me. He demonstrated an incredible faith and outlook on life.

When I complain about things that are not all that important, sometimes I remember sitting in the gymnasium at Great Lakes and talking with Joey about life and his battle. The words he shared about his faith echo in my mind.

Some people spend their whole lives hoping to make an impact. They dream about becoming a celebrity or achieving success in a sport or other endeavor.

Joey Merling was a superstar in the Kingdom of God. He is not famous. He never graced the front cover of “Us” magazine or appeared on a Disney Channel show. But he lived a life that far surpassed the lives of most people.

In eighteen years, Joey made a more significant impact in this world than many people make in eighty years. He did more than talk the talk…he walked it. And in the process, he brought the Kingdom of God to life everywhere he went. I can’t wait to see him again someday and sit down for another talk.

shine!
Jason

 

Revive

Today I was enjoying a 'Revive' Vitamin Water and read this on the label:
"If you woke up tired, you probably need more sleep. If you woke up drooling at your desk, you probably need a new job. If you woke up with a headache, on a ferris wheel at the Idaho State Fair, wearing a toga, you probably need answers. Not to mention this product."
Sometimes ministry is the same way. You can wake up sleep deprived, on the floor in some house, wondering what the day holds.
The difference is that we are revived by the Spirit of the God who offers living water. The only 'product' I need is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He is the source of real revival.

shine!
Jason

Focus: HOPE

This week I had an exciting meeting down in Detroit. I met with several people who work with Focus: HOPE. This is an organization that aims to celebrate diversity and help build up their community.

Here is Focus: HOPE’s Mission Statement:
"Recognizing the
dignity and beauty of every person, we pledge intelligent and practical
action to overcome racism, poverty and injustice. And to build a
metropolitan community where all people may live in freedom, harmony,
trust and affection. Black and white, yellow, brown and red from
Detroit and its suburbs of every economic status, national origin and
religious persuasion we join in this covenant." (Adopted March 8, 1968)

Starting on November 9, our ministry will partner with Focus: HOPE
one Sunday a month to interact with some of the children in the
community. In some ways, this will look much like a smaller version of
our Mission: Cincinnati summer mission trip. We plan to engage in
activities with the children as well as help with things like reading.

I am looking forward to our time in Detroit with the children.
Please be praying for our group, the children, and the community where
we will be taking the love of Jesus.

shine!
Jason

Back in the flow...kinda

Have you ever jumped out of a car while it is moving? Then a little later tried to jump back in while it's still driving down the road?

I think I kinda know what that feels like now.

I am still not 100% back in the swing of things since my vacation. I don't know if that is good, bad, or both.

It could mean that I was away too long and got out of the groove. In that case, it's a bad thing.

It could mean that I don't take enough breaks and I am not used to slowing down. (Don't ask my wife for her opinion on this one.) ;-)

Maybe I am just a creature of routine and 12 days out of routine is not routine for me.

Regardless, life can be a challenge when we change things up. That can be a good or bad thing depending on the situation. All that said, I will get back in the flow of blogging soon. I just need to climb all the way back in the speeding car called life in ministry and buckle up. More adventures to follow...

shine!
Jason