widows and orphans <><

It has been too long...

2010-01-30T22:33:00.003-06:00

I've really got to get back into this "blogging" thing...I know my millions of fans out there have been missing my thoughts and musings of certain things of Christ...so I'm gonna do a better job of it. Married life has been amazing...I have the most amazing wife in Lauren...she has a heart of gold, for me, and most important for the Gospel...I know God is ready to do HUGE things through this marriage...we can't wait.

La Croix Church is where Lauren and I spend most of our time these days...La Croix Church is an Acts 29 church plant here in Baton Rouge, LA that we are helping Pastor Barry Lagg get off the ground...it has been an incredible experience so far...Barry and I have become great friends and partners in the Gospel...Nerrylee Lagg and Lauren have become really close as well...

I am working for Amedisys Hospice Services in Gonzales, LA as the Chaplain...I love it. I work with some really great people and have some great opportunities to minister to them, our patients, and our patients families on a daily basis. God has been so incredibly faithful to me this past year. I just hit 28 a few days ago...hard to believe...I officially feel old...

I will be using this blog for personal reasons, La Croix reasons, and theological and doctrinal reasons...sometimes it is good to have an audience to see and feel what God is teaching me through my daily interaction with Him in the Word, in life, and through other people. Great days are truly ahead.

WESTERN CHINA - SUMMER 2010 - WILL YOU GO?

2009-10-07T20:48:00.002-06:00

La Croix Church (www.lacroixchurch.net) is partnering with brothers and sisters in Western China next summer. Will you join us in His mission in such a beautiful land? Email me at justinsmccain@gmail.com if you are interested.

A Call To Anguish

2009-10-01T09:32:00.001-06:00

Please do yourself a favor and watch this video.

A sermon by David Wilkerson.

This is what we desire to be at La Croix Church.

"All pure passion is born out of anguish."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMG_PVaJoI

IMB Update

2009-09-04T15:04:00.001-06:00

Even after 2,000 years of Christian influence, more than 1.5 billion people are still missing out on the opportunity to hear the Gospel. They are hidden behind cultural, physical, political and language barriers to a Gospel witness. Many of the world's people missing from God's family live in concentrated pockets of lostness. The pockets we are focusing on in 2009 comprise:

About 40 nations and 700 languages
34 percent Muslim
32 percent Hindu
13.5 percent Animist
6 percent Buddhist
6 percent unknown religion
4 percent nonreligious/other

Although there is a small percentage of Christian, the rest are a mix of ancestor worshipper, shamanist, Jewish, Taoist and Sikhist. About 80 unreached people groups still have no contact with the outside world.

Week of Prayer 2009 will feature people groups who represent these pockets of lostness.

The Bible says the lost are living in darkness, alienated from God and without hope in the world. But our obedience will give them hope. God calls every church and every believer to be on mission with Him to break down the barriers. Learn the ways you and your church can be on mission to help bring a lost people into God's family.

Watch the theme interpretation video, "Who's Missing? Whose Mission?"

View or download maps of people group information, including people groups on Google Earth.

Please join us in prayer for the Muslims of the world as they enter into their annual Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. It is during this month that Muslims observe the Fast of Ramadan. Dates for Ramadan 2009 (or 1430) are 22 August – 20 September.

Click on this link for resources and information on how to pray that God would reveal Himself during this time that Muslims are searching after god but do not truly know the one true God- http://www.30-days.net/islam/basics/ramadan/

You can also click on the 30 Days photo to download the 30 Day Prayer Guide and many other free resources. 30-Days International produces the well-known "30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World" Christian prayer guide coinciding with Ramadan each year. Did you know that it is estimated that arouns 8,000 Muslims come to Christ each day? You can play a part in what God is doing in the last frontier. Join us in praying this month.

Upcoming Events: Click on the links for more information. As always, if I can serve you, please do not hesitate to contact me via phone or email. God bless.

Missionary Appointment Service

Jacksonville, Fla.

Sept. 16, 2009

More ...

REAP North Peru Vision Conference 2009

Lima, Peru

Oct. 1-9, 2009

More ...

Central and Eastern Europe Summit

Forney, Texas

Oct. 12-13, 2009

More ...

Impact Your World Pastors Conference

Euless, Tx.

Oct. 12-14, 2009

More ...

Asia Minor Alliance

Hendersonville, Tenn.

Nov. 4-6, 2009

More ...

East Asia Summit

Shreveport, La.

Nov. 4-7, 2009

More ...

Missionary Appointment Service

Shreveport, La.

Nov. 10, 2009

More ...

Third Annual Medical Missions Mobilization Summit

a miniature world

2009-06-19T10:19:00.001-06:00

If the world population were reduced to 100
it would look something like this:

61 Asians
12 Europeans
8 North Americans
5 South Americans & Caribbean
13 Africans 1 from Oceania

50 Women & 50 Men

47 live in an urban area
9 are disabled

33 are "christian"
18 are Muslims
14 are Hindus
16 are non-religious
6 are Buddhists
13 practice other religions

43 live without basic sanitation
18 live without an improved water source
6 people own 59% of the entire wealth of the community
13 are hungry or malnourished

14 cannot read
Only 7 are educated at a secondary level
Only 12 have a computer
Only 3 have an Internet connection

1 adult aged 15 to 49 has HIV/AIDS

If you keep your food in a refrigerator,
your clothes in a closet,
if you have a bed to sleep in,
and a roof over your head,
you are richer than 75% of the entire world population

If you have a bank account
you are one of the 30 wealthiest people in the world

18 struggle to live on $1.00 US per day or less
53 struggle to live on $2.00 US per day or less

To see a Flash version of this go to
http://www.miniature-earth.com/

Engaged!

2009-05-19T16:56:00.003-06:00

Lauren and I are engaged (for those of you that do not already know). We both know that God has an amazing plan for our lives and that He simply wants us to take small steps obedience in order to find His long term direction. Thanks so much for your prayers for us over the past few months...God has brought us a long way since last September when Lauren came into my life. If you haven't met her yet...you are missing out...

Summer is here. I am in Baton Rouge for the time being...enjoying living close to Lauren...doing some wedding planning...looking for some employment...still trying to "figure out" God's plan. Still thinking about doing Air Force Chaplaincy...we still want to live in Southeast Asia at some point to spread the Gospel there...we are looking at doing a beach wedding on October 17th...we are needing your addresses...email me at justinsmccain@gmail.com to give me your current address...

I just graduated with my Masters of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. A blessing for sure. I am trying to have the proper perspective on achieving this degree. How do you master divinity anyway?? Anyone have a answer to that? I'm grateful for my parents who have supported me in this call on my life...a church that also supported me in Istrouma BC in Baton Rouge, LA...and also friends and family who have supported me over the past 5 or so years.

In the mean time...I'm trying to catch up with old friends...make new friends for the future..."figure out" God...myself...and others...to make Him more famous in this nation and all nations. I pray that you are doing the same thing...do not be overwhelmed with life...let Him overwhelm you with His GRACE today...and for the rest of your life...that is the only way to live...and trust me...I am preaching to myself...

Simplified Missional Living :: Jonathan Dodson

2009-05-09T22:59:00.001-06:00

I found this article on The Resurgence website...found it to be incredibly practical...thought I'd share it with you...I pray that it helps you to live more "on mission."

Eat with Non-Christians

We all eat three meals a day. Why not make a habit of sharing one of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians? Go to lunch with a co-worker, not by yourself. Invite the neighbors over for family dinner. If it’s too much work to cook a big dinner, just order pizza and put the focus on conversation. When you go out for a meal, invite a non-Christian friend. Or take your family to family-style restaurants where you can sit at the table with strangers and strike up conversations. Have cookouts and invite Christians and non-Christians. Flee the Christian subculture.

Walk, Don’t Drive

If you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighborhood, apartment complex, or campus. Instead of driving to the mailbox or convenience store, walk to get mail or groceries. Be deliberate in your walk. Say hello to people you don’t know. Strike up conversations. Attract attention by walking the dog, carrying along a 6-pack to share, bringing the kids. Make friends. Get out of your house! Last night I spent an hour outside gardening with my family. We had good conversations with about four of our neighbors. Take interest in your neighbors. Ask questions. Engage. Pray as you go. Save some gas, the planet, and some people.

Be a Regular

Instead of hopping all over the city for gas, groceries, haircuts, eating out, and coffee, go to the same places at the same times. Get to know the staff. Smile. Ask questions. Be a regular. I have friends at coffee shops all over the city. My friends at Starbucks donate a ton of leftover pastries to our church 2-3 times a week. We use them for church gatherings and occasionally give them to the homeless. Build relationships. Be a regular.

Hobby with Non-Christians

Pick a hobby that you can share. Get out and do something you enjoy with others. Try city league sports or local rowing and cycling teams. Share your hobby by teaching lessons, such as sewing, piano, knitting, or tennis lessons. Be prayerful. Be intentional. Be winsome. Have fun. Be yourself.

Talk to Your Co-workers.

How hard is that? Take your breaks with intentionality. Go out with your team or task force after work. Show interest in your co-workers. Pick four and pray for them. Form moms’ groups in your neighborhood and don’t make them exclusively non-Christian. Schedule play dates with the neighbors’ kids. Work on mission.

Volunteer with Non-Profits.

Find a non-profit in your part of the city and take a Saturday a month to serve your city. Bring your neighbors, your friends, or your small group. Spend time with your church serving your city. Once a month. You can do it!

Participate in City Events

Instead of playing XBox, watching TV, or surfing the net, participate in city events. Go to fundraisers, festivals, cleanups, summer shows, and concerts. Participate missionally. Strike up conversation. Study the culture. Reflect on what you see and hear. Pray for the city. Love the city.Participate with the city.

Serve Your Neighbors.

Help a neighbor by weeding, mowing, building a cabinet, or fixing a car. Stop by the neighborhood association or apartment office and ask if there is anything you can do to help improve things. Ask your local Police and Fire Stations if there is anything you can do to help them. Get creative.Just serve!

HELP END SLAVERY!! BUY SOME COFFEE!

2009-05-01T16:57:00.001-06:00

Dear Justin,

This month, drinking great coffee can literally change lives.

During the month of May Storyville Coffee is dedicating 100% of its revenue to IJM — up to$1,000,000 — to stop slavery, human trafficking, and other forms of violent oppression.

Simply go to WWW.STORYVILLE.COM, purchase coffee, receive fresh roasted coffee beans in the mail, brew and enjoy — or consider a gift of gourment coffee for Mother's Day or to celebrate graduations this month.

Storyville is based on the idea that coffee is a ritual that gives us time to think, create and dream. In dreaming, we remember those who cannot. Your support can enable victims of modern-day slavery to dream again and to build new lives.

Spread the word by forwarding this email to a friend.

Warm regards,

Pamela Livingston
Vice President of Communications
International Justice Mission

C.H. Spurgeon

2009-04-11T11:02:00.000-06:00

“Human nature’s way of salvation is, “Do, do, do.” But God’s way of salvation is, “Done, done, it is all done.” C.H. Spurgeon

Colbert verse Ehrman = Hilarity...

2009-04-11T10:47:00.003-06:00

Bart Ehrman currently serves as the chairman of the Department of Religious at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. I had the privilege of seeing Bart Ehrman and Daniel Wallace debate at NOBTS at the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum: http://www.greer-heard.com/about2008.shtml

Ehrman became an Evangelical Christian as a teen. His desire to understand the original words of the Bible led him to the study of ancient languages and to textual criticism, to which he attributes the inspiration for an ongoing critical exploration of the basis of his own religious beliefs, which in turn gradually led to the questioning of his faith in the Bible as the inerrant, unchanging word of God. He now considers himself an agnostic.

Nevertheless, Ehrman has kept ongoing dialogue with evangelicals. In March 2006, he joined theologian William Lane Craig in public debate on the question "Is There Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus?" on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross. In April of 2008, Ehrman and evangelical New Testament scholar Daniel Wallace participated in a public dialogue on the textual reliability of the New Testament. In January of 2009, Dr. Ehrman debated Dr. James White, Director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, an Evangelical Reformed Baptist scholar on "Did the Bible Mis-Quote Jesus?

Anyway...I'm really not sure how Stephen Colbert talks some of these people into coming onto his show...but he surely does. Check out this dialougue between Colbert and Ehrman about Ehrman's "new" book...Jesus Interrupted...

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbenwitherington.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fcolbert-interrupts-ehrman.html&h=74c96ec58db658124f0609cfc2980c03

Trevi Fountain

2009-03-25T07:10:00.002-06:00

Mamertine Prison

2009-03-24T23:16:00.002-06:00

A Race At Circus Maximus

2009-03-24T22:35:00.003-06:00

Roma, Italia (Day 5)

2009-03-18T15:31:00.001-06:00

Another day down in Rome! We had another full day. We hit up the Coliseum this morning. Our presentaiton of Roman Gladiators went great! Thanks for praying. Kevin and I armwrestled instead of fighting and the reward for the loser?? death...

kidding of course...but I did win...So I would have lived to see another day back in the 1st Century...

Anyway...I am attaching a couple of pictures from the Coliseum today. It was pretty amazing to be in such a place as the Coliseum. Imagine the sheer terror that it struck in the hearts of many people in early Rome...imagine having pleasure in seeing people brutalized by the sword and wild beast. It really was tough to swallow at times to think about some of the atrocities that took place in the Coliseum. I believe that Ignatius (traditionally the first Christian killed in the Coliseum) said it best: "I am as the grain of the field and must be ground by the teeth of the lions, that I may become fit for His table." Wow. How would we react in the face of sure death? What if our faith could become so immovable that we could stare in the face of a lion and say...bring it...Christ awaits me...

We also got to see the Circus Maximus (think Ben Hur), The Forum (the early Roman gathering place), Palentine Hill (where Roman Emporers such as Nero and Domitian built their palaces), and Mamertime Prison. I'll talk about being in Mamertime Prison a little bit. It was truly amazing to be in there. If you do not already know, this is the traiditional holding place of Peter and Paul before they were murdered by the Romans in the early 1st Century. It was as small, cold, and dark as you imagine it might be. Yet still, God saw them fit to pen the words of Scripture from this very cell...a place of imprisonment...writing words that would set the captives free...

May we, the people of God, be set free from our captivity...and live...

Rome Update

2009-03-14T10:28:00.000-06:00

Hey guys!

I wanted to send out a brief update so far...I'm exhausted...it is about 5:15 p.m. over here (11:15 a.m. your time). Our flight was fine...had a great conversation with an Oceanographer who teachers at William and Mary College...he travels all over the world studying microorganisms...how cool is that? His wife is actually from Guanzhong, China...he met her there and she moved back to the U.S. with him. I told him that I had some friends who just moved to Guanzhong and what they were doing there. Pretty cool.

We traveled to the ancient port city of Ostia Antica today...spent a few hours there...it is the place where St. Augustine's mother lived and is buried...this city has been excavated over the past few decades...it's crazy how old the city was. Of course now it is abandoned and is a tourist attraction. It is very possible that Paul would have sailed out of Ostia Antica's port to sail for Spain on mission (although there are some who don't think Paul made it to Spain).

Our guide is Carla...she is awesome! She is full of energy and incredibly knowledgeable. Our last stop today was St. Paul's Basilica. It was amazing. Words can't express how beautiful this place was. This is also the traditional burial spot for Paul...so it was pretty amazing to be so close to where Paul is buried. It was also a sad realization to me in how messed up Catholic theology is and how ironic it is that core Catholic doctrine would have Paul pulling his hair out...sigh...but I digress...

Rome is a beautiful city. I can't wait to get rested up and explore it!

I'm pretty wiped out...we are having a meeting around 7:00 and dinner at 7:30...I'm trying my best to stay awake so I can be fully rested for tomorrow and the coming days. We are having a blast so far...thanks for your prayers, support, and love for me and my crazy adventures!

counting the cost...

2009-02-25T12:48:00.005-06:00

...this is something that I've been thinking about a lot actually. I did a lot of study the last couple of months on the book of Acts in preparation for three teaching sessions I had the opportunity to do for a course in Baton Rouge entitled Perspectives On The World Christian Movement. The topic that I taught on was "Unleashing the Gospel." It was great...I loved every minute of it...my friend Amber, who is coordinating the three classes in Baton Rouge, asked me back in December before I left for China. Anyway...counting the cost was one of the main things that I wanted to get through my head about the early church...about the fact that they were willing to count the cost of following Christ...

What if God put you in a dangerous situation? Our automatic thought is that God would not do something that...right? Or would he? What if...what if God values you SO much...that he is willing to put you in a situation where you would have the privilege of defending your faith to a king like Paul did in Acts 26? What if...what if God values you so much that He is willing to allow you to suffer...for His glory...

I had a great time this weekend camping with my mom's side of the family in Vidalia, Louisiana. Below are some pictures from the Mardi Gras weekend. I sure am blessed with an incredible family! Praise God. There is a disclaimer that I have to give for the last picture...my Uncle Allan and my dad deemed themselves "Trophy Husbands" this weekend...judge for yourself...

...only a few weeks until my next international journey...this time I am off to Rome, Italy, traveling with some great people from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. I am taking a course in conjunction with the trip on The Social Setting of the New Testament. I actually just finished reading two books for the course that were phenominal reads...The Social Sciences and New Testament Interpretation by Richard Rohrbaugh and Windows on the World of Jesus by Bruce Malina. The Malina book was particularly enjoyable because the way he wrote the book was to write hypothetical situations using modern day people and placing them in 1st Century Judea...and by doing this I was able to really connect with why 1st Century Mediterranean Judeans reacted to certain situations the way they did. If you are looking for a profitable book to read in your spare time...let me reccommend this book to you...you won't be disappointed.

I am happy to report that one of the Chinese guys that I really connect with over Christmas wrote me an email on Valentines Day that simple read in the subject line..."I Believe." I cannot express through writing what an incredible feeling it was to get an email like that...to see someone who truly knew what it meant to "count the cost" of following Christ and still deem it worthy to follow Him! My Chinese friend was not a product of the system. He was a product of REDEMPTION! He was looking for something to fill a void in his life...and he knew that there was nothing of this world that could fill it. This is what he said in the email he sent me:

Hey Justin,

It's really a long time from your going back. One thing I think I should let you know. I'm a believer now. I believe in Jesus and what Bible says. Now we are family. You and Noah are the first two people I need to thank because you let me know Jesus. Hope you have a happy Valentine's day.

Kevin

I was blown away. My buddy, Luke Johnson, put it best when he responded to me in a text message: The Lamb has received the reward of His suffering. I was so challenged in Spirit to remember that the Lamb has received the reward of His suffering in my life too! I have victory in His suffering. I have victory in His blood. I have victory in His life! Too many times I am blinded by my own selfishness to recognize a need around me. Satan convinces us that our problems are more of an issue than the eternal destiny of souls all around us every day...and people are lost from the kingdom daily because we are deceived...

Kevin was worth it. Totally worth it. This kind of Christ Victory story is the reason I want to bring truth to those who have never heard. Do not be mistaken...there are 1.6 BILLION who have never even HEARD of Jesus...but even more who HAVE heard of Jesus...but have never heard the TRUE GOSPEL of Jesus Christ...the fact that God came to man...because man could NEVER get to God on his own...it really is an amazing story...redemption...do not let it become a petty "fact" in your life...redemption is a miracle...

Let Me See Thy Face And Die

2009-02-12T17:59:00.002-06:00

To Thee, great God of love! I bow,

And prostrate in Thy sight adore;

By faith I see Thee passing now;

I have, but still I ask for more,

A glimpse of love cannot suffice,

My soul for all Thy presence cries.

I cannot see Thy face, and live,

Then let me see Thy face, and die!

Moses Thy backward parts might view,

But not a perfect sight obtain;

The gospel doth Thy fullness show

To us, by the commandment slain;

The dead to sin shall find the grace

The pure in heart shall see Thy face.

I cannot see Thy face, and live,

Then let me see Thy face, and die!

Surrounded by the saints of old,

We now by faith approach to Thee

Shall all with open face behold

In Christ the glorious Deity;

Shall see, and put the Godhead on,

The nature of Thy sinless Son.

I cannot see Thy face, and live

Then let me see Thy face, and die!

Words: Wesley Hymn # 284

"Follow Me"

2009-01-25T17:45:00.008-06:00

This phrase has had an huge impact on my life...albeit...recently. I have to confess that during my younger years as a church goer...I had no idea what it meant or took to follow Christ. I could never have imagined what this simple phrase might change in my life. Following Jesus cost the Apostle Paul everything...yet he gained his life?He was murdered for that very faith in Christ. Yet he gained his life. That just isn't logical...someone who doesn't realize their sinfulness cannot understand such a concept. I am thankful for God's grace every day...knowledge of sin is grace...conviction is grace...salvation is grace...eternal life...grace...

But now...I'm learning. Day by day...I'm learning more and more...that following Jesus costs so much. It costs myself. It costs my own intentions. It costs my own kingdom. And my kingdom...is...or used to be...GREAT. My plans were large...and selfish...and damning. Thankfully...through His grace everlasting, God ruined my life...He ruined my plans...because his grace is totally sufficient to look over and cover my lifelong disobedience...my lifelong pursuit of self...got me nowhere... and fast. It left me wanting more...everytime.

Yes...God ruined my life. I'm not afraid to say that. I'm happy to report such a thing! I'm learning that following Jesus is sudden...immediate...passionate...different...than anything else that I could follow...anything else I could pursue...it's just different. If you are reading this and cosider yourself a follower of Christ...and not simply religious...you know what I'm talking about. There is this deep yearning in my soul to know God fully...right now...but I can't know Him fully right now...God knows I'm impatient...however, He is calling me to know Him now...and fully later...to worship Him and follow Him now will lead to eternal worship of Him...and in the mean time, not let the trivial things of this world to stop me...like...myself...my thinking...my "kingdom"...my plans...God is calling me (and you) to strip ourselves naked of any other pursuits and find ourselves before Him...only desiring Him...only desiring His cause...His purpose...His glory...and His face...Follow Him...fully and wholly...because eternal worship of Christ begins now...and lasts forever...and ever...because we know that one day...every knee will bow...and every toungue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...the Christ...worthy is the Lamb of God who was slain for my sin...my pride...my own kingdom...Praise God through whom all blessings flow...Jesus...

Akimu's Story of Faith...

2009-01-20T13:01:00.003-06:00

I wanted to share this really cool story of faith to you. As many of you know, I had a chance to go to Uganda two times in 2005 and 2006. The second time around...I had the awesome privelage of going with Becky Miller. Becky dropped everything recently...and followed God's call on her life back to Uganda. How many of us could do such a thing? To leave it all behind...to follow Him. Could you? If God led you in that way...how would you respond?

I'm so glad to know her and to see the amazing stories of faith coming out of "The Pearl of Africa." She shared this story below recently in a newsletter she sent out to her prayer supporters.

Allow me to tell you some of Akimu’s tragic and inspiring story. Akimu was born to a Muslim father; not sure what his mother believed at the time of his birth. She and Akimu’s father are divorced and she is now a believer. Akimu became a Christian a few years ago when someone here at the Mityana Baptist Church shared Jesus with him. His father was furious and said that “Akimu is dead to me; when he dies throw him out with the garbage.” Akimu at that time was probably 16 or 17 living without family here in Mityana. But I learned the other day from the pastor that this past Christmas when Akimu was in Kampala for two weeks with his mom and brother that his father’s Clan called a meeting with Akimu. At that meeting they told him he must renounce Christianity and return to the Muslim faith. Akimu said he would not; they then pronounced that they would give him 100 strokes (whipping). To which Akimu replied, “Go ahead; even if you do that, I will not turn my back on Jesus or Christianity.” The men then gathered the sticks, but God protected Akimu and they did not go through with the beating. They did tell him that he was no longer a member of the clan and had been disowned and treated as dead. What a stand for a 20 year old to take!

perspective...

2009-01-13T07:40:00.003-06:00

Perspective. Do you have it? Do I have it? It's critical...and I think that God is teaching me daily about His "perspective." I have been reading in Matthew this month. I can't seem to get out of it. There are so many radical perspectives that Jesus has taught me through the passages in Matthew's account of the life of Christ. It truly is amazing how everytime I dig into the Gospels I always seem to "find" something that I've never realized before about Jesus. For instance...how sarcastic Jesus was with the "religious" of his day. I really like that about Him...he knew they had zero perspective...it was all about what they already knew instead of seeking the Truth of God.

I've been amazingly blessed in 2008 (and in 2009 for that matter). God granted me some amazing experiences here in the U.S. and abroad. As most of you know, I just had a 3 1/2 week excursion in Asia and truly witnessed what matters in this life...the moving of Christ is the lives of people. God is continuing to ruin my life. These experiences are truly ruining me to the the things that don't matter in this life. Like...stuff...material stuff...my own "feelings"...retirement...savings...self-indulgences...advancing our own "kingdom" (as if we have one), constant worry of how we look to others...perception of self and of others...all of this...does not matter. Why can't we get that? Why can't we understand this? What does matter then? Things eternal...people...love...acts of undeserved love...justice...compassion...mercy...radical living...prayer...real, genunine fellowship with your creator and savior...things that change your perspective...things that change your daily living...the way you see people...the way you love them...things that make your faith move...

The church in the West can learn so much from the church in the East. I had the opportunity to join a team from Brazos Pointe Fellowship for 5 days in Cambodia. There were 55 pastors and church leaders there who were so eager to dig into the Word with us and learn more about the application of Jesus' teaching. As I was standing there...teaching them about Baptism and the importance of baptism in their communities of faith...I could only think of how I should be learning from them...and how they minister to the people of Cambodia. The Church in Cambodia looks A LOT more like the church in Acts than it does here in the U.S. There is no arguing that. You have church leaders there with perspective. Church leaders who are pastors of one community...but move to other communities for short term to plant churches amongst other communities surrounding their OWN community. Imagine that? Would that be going on in the U.S.? Not only would we not go into another community...we COMPETE against each other for more "members" in OUR churches (because their surely not God's churches). We make sure to communicate to people that church is FOR them...not what they can bring to the table...church is FOR them...(because it surely isn't for the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ). When will we truly get it? I'm afraid it will be eternally too late before we do...

I recently witnessed a young Christ follower break down in tears at the very thought of the people of China dying without knowing Christ. Is that type of passion in you? Is it in me? It better be. If we claim to know Christ...and to know the truths of eternity...then it better be in you...and in me. To treat someone you meet with radical urgency of eternity...that is radical living for Christ...that looks NOTHING like ANYTHING the world can give them. They may look at your crazy...they may (gasp) persecute you...they may start avoiding you...they may talk about you behind your back...OR...the message you bring MAY make sense to them. We are called to testify to the gospel of grace in our own lives to others...to be obedient to share Jesus with others...and when they are ready to listen...their perspective changes...

I was recently sitting in the Beijing airport...sitting down against the wall...checking my email...minding my own business...and in comes this college student from the University of Minnesota...he asks me "can I get in on this plug with you?" God plopped him down right next to me. God told me to share with him. I was unsure. I was tired...really digging the quiet of being alone...and here comes this guy...he offers me a bottle of water to watch his IPOD for him...so I oblige. When he gets back...we just dive into "perspective." He was a Christian in name only. He was a "good" person...no doubt. But his life had never been changed by the reality that Christ stood in the gap for him...and that truth has never changed his own perspective on "his" life. God gave me the opportunity to share my own experiences with him...that advancing my own kingdom was the only thing I was concerned with...and that being a Christian was very safe...secure...and easy.

There are two types of people in the world today...those who are ready to hear...and those who are not ready to hear. This guy was ready to hear. No doubt. I met people in China who were ready to hear. I met people in China who were NOT ready to hear. I met people in Cambodia who were ready to HEAR. I met people in Cambodia who were NOT ready to hear. God told me recently that he only wants me to obey Him...be obedient in sharing the truth of Himself and His son...and let HIM take care of the rest...

does that make sense? I hope it does...the urgency of eternity is NOW...not later...

I'm so confident in God. I'm not confident in myself...but only confident in who God has made me. I am completely unworthy...yet fully justified...I was once utterly wretched...but completely loved...once wrath was on me...but now grace covers me...I have no right to preach the truth of Christ...but I now have been shown mercy and grace to preach the Gospel. Please...remember...to preach the Gospel of Christ is not a right you have...you never deserved to hear it in the first place. You...and I...we deserve death...but we now LIVE because of Christ...mercy, grace, and love have been freely given to us...SO CHANGE...search your soul, Christian...how has Christ changed you? how has Christ changed your perspective?

Cambodia

2009-01-08T08:40:00.013-06:00

Georgina M. Taylor Hymn

2008-12-15T13:27:00.002-06:00

Oh, to be nothing, nothing,Only to lie at His feet,A broken and emptied vessel,For the Master’s use made meet.Emptied that He might fill meAs forth to His service I go;Broken, that so unhindered,His life through me might show.

Refrain

Oh, to be nothing, nothing,Only to lie at His feet, A broken and emptied vessel,For the Master’s use made meet.

Oh, to be nothing, nothing,Only as led by His hand; A messenger at His gateway,Only waiting for His command;Only an instrument readyHis praises to sound at His will,Willing should He not require me,In silence to wait on Him still.

Refrain

Oh, to be nothing, nothing,Painful the humbling may be,Yet low in the dust I’d lay meThat the world might my Savior see.Rather be nothing, nothing,To Him let our voices be raised,He is the Fountain of blessing,He only is meet to be praised.

Refrain

the world we live in...

2008-12-05T10:58:00.003-06:00

This is the world we live in. A world that hates God. It really is funny to me that these so called "atheists" who don't believe in God expend all of their energy trying to disprove God or tear down the faith of followers of Christ. My question is simply this: why waste your time trying to disprove something that doesn't exist?

In Washington, D.C., the American Humanist Association began a bus ad campaign this month questioning belief in God. "Why believe in a God?" the advertisement asks. "Just be good for goodness sake."

"I happen to be a Christian, and I don't agree with the display that is up there," Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire told The Olympian newspaper. "But that doesn't mean that as governor, I have the right to deny their ability to express their free speech."

We have created a monster in this country. Being a Christian now in the U.S. is more of a political stance than it is a movement of the Holy Spirit.

God have mercy on us...

The Law of Opposition

2008-12-04T07:14:00.001-06:00

I read this today and My Utmost For His Highest and thought it was right on. Enjoy...and be changed...

The Law of Opposition

"To him who overcomes..." {Revelation 2:7}

Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.

Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.

Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.

And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation . . ." {John 16:33}. This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, ". . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness.

Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.

Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.

going from "me-ssional" to missional

2008-11-14T09:32:00.004-06:00

that's a cute little title right? I was out jogging around the NOBTS campus yesterday...I was contemplating my thoughts about how we can best get the message of being "missional" across. And then...I realized we can't...we can't until "me-ssional" living gets out of the way. "Me-ssional" living can definately include short term mission trips. No doubt. Me-ssional living can definately include bustings down the doors of the church every time they are open. Me-ssional living can involve someone leading a Bible study. Me-ssional living and missional living cannot co-exist. Do not make that mistake. more on that to come...later.

the joshua project website is an absolutely phenomenal resource. Let me suggest that you put it in your favorites...on your website toolbar...or somewhere where you'll be reminded to check it out from time to time. The link that I have above will take you to the current status of the advancement of the Gospel all around the world at this time. I urge you to take a look at it...and remember to pray for the advancement of the Gospel to all nations...and be reminded that the only thing we know about the timing of the return of Christ is when all nations and peoples here the gospel...then and only then will our KING return. So here is the forumula for you and your family...Pray For a Specific Region--->Support the Workers in that Region--->Pray more--->Go To That Region Yourself--->Invest your heart into that Place--->Mobilize Your Family/Friends to Go With You.

I cannot really say that I have ever been really, really thirsty...you know...to the point of me about to pass out from lack of water. But there have been those times when I felt it to be the utmost necessity to have a drink of water and feel the cold shoot of liquid down my insides that quenches that momentary need of water...there is no feeling like it. I was reading in Isaiah 55 yesterday...and was completely blown away by what I read. Check it out...(especially the bold). Listen to the invitation that God gives to those who thirst. We have to realize, followers of Christ, that the world is thirsty...their dying from this thirst...this lack of knowing living water...

The Compassion of the LORD

1"Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.

2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.

3Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.

4Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.

5Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.

6"Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;

7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

9For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

12"For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

I heard someone say recently: "We don't need to be afraid of failure...we only need to be afraid of being successful at something that is useless." I connected with that so much. Working at the New Orleans Country Club right gives me so much insight into the lives of some of the richest people in the Greater New Orleans area...and I must say that there are some pretty successful people who frequent the place...doctors, surgeons, lawyers, CEO's, philanthropists, etc. As I am working there...I constantly pray for God to break them of their success...their pride...and the king-ship that they have over their own life. I ask God to break those who simply religious just to give their kids a moral upbringing...I pray that God's mission is shown to them...that it isn't about success, wealth, health, good times, easy living...it is all about bringing glory to God with our lives. God could care less about our success...our riches...he owns them all anyway. There is such an urgency within my soul right now...such a deep burden for those in the U.S. who have no clue what is really going on around our world...and honestly couldn't care less. God, continue to bestow mercy over me and my family to never become complacent with the world as is...there are so many people who need the Gospel...over 1 Billion who still haven't heard...yet we sit...waiting for something to happen...forgetting that you have already comissioned us TO GO to them...to bring justice...truth...love...the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The thing is...it will not be easy...no, it won't. It isn't the most glamorous life...no doubt...but it is the only life. We have to quit treating this place as if it is our home. It isn't. Peter urges us to not give in and be fooled by the "stuff" this world has to offer. 1 Peter 2:11 says "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." We can all connect with what Peter is saying. Our flesh...our sin...our thoughts...they wage war against us...we are new creations in Christ...yes...but we have to win these battles while we are here on earth because we are confident what awaits us in eternity...Ephesians 2:18-20 gives us another concept of being not of this earth...but this time from a Kingdom perspective..."For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." We are no longer aliens in the Kingdom of God...we are now reconciled by God through the blood of Christ...we are no longer strangers to him...we are no longer dead to him, Christian. Live this way. Live in victory. Live in freedom of your once alienated existence from God. Live in a way that shows the world, who is alienated from God, that your cares and passions go far beyond this life...

roots

2008-11-01T07:20:00.000-06:00

"Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country nor language nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity, but inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities and following customs of the natives in respect of clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly paradoxical manner of life. They dwell in fatherlands of their own country, but only as aliens. As citizens they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland and every fatherland a foreign land. They marry as do all; they beget children, but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all."

London Pics - Enjoy peeps!

2008-10-22T18:06:00.009-06:00

This is the street we are staying on in London. We are three minutes from the Waterloo Tube.

The Tower of London was amazing...so much history there...we spent 4 hours at the Tower.

We were able to see them raise the Tower Bridge. Pretty sweet.

The Tower Bridge in the evening was beautiful. London at night = amazing.

We saw Les Miserables at the Queen's Theater. I'm laughing at my friend Nicole who almost got stroked by a London City Bus.

killed for proclaiming Christ

2008-10-20T09:24:00.002-06:00

The Taliban in Afghanistan killed a woman for preaching Christ.

This is going to start happening more all around the world with each passing day.

Please pray for the Taliban. They need Christ.

between the Holy Land and London

2008-10-16T22:14:00.006-06:00

I was reminded tonight on the phone that I actually have a blog to write on. I've been slacking since I have returned from the Holy Land. It has been a crazy couple of weeks...but God has been so sufficient in my return to New Orleans. I have officially "caught up" on all my Master's work. I am going back to Prospect, LA this weekend to give an Holy Land presentation to New Prospect Baptist Church with my dad. New Prospect is the church that I grew up in...a place where the good Reverend Leonard Free used to roam...where Mary Ann Jones (now Brunson) took care of all the kiddos...and where I began my journey of knowing the creator of the universe. I am forever thankful for that church and the people of that community. I am praying for revival in that church...and in that community. Maybe it'll go down one of these days...

I wanted to give my boy Luke Johnson a plug really quick. I'm convinced that guys like Luke are a dying breed. Luke is a proclaimer of the Gospel. He is a proclaimer of the need for repentance...turning from your sin...glorifying God by following Christ. Luke is an incredible proclaimer. He isn't a teacher. He is a preacher. Old school, dawg. Old school. He is a constant challenge to me and the way I think...the way I desire to commuicate the gospel to people. Let me encourage you in this way as well...we teach sound doctrine...we teach disciple making...but we are called to PROCLAIM Christ...PROCLAIM repentance...PROCLAIM the need for life transformation. If you want Luke to come bring the Word of truth to your people...to your community...check him out at his website @ Luke Johnson Online

I'm taking off for London on Monday afternoon. I am going with several friends of mine from NOBTS. God has definately been so amazing in giving me another opportunity to go see another place he has created...full of people who do not know him...full of people who have been created to worship and glorify God...yet they have no clue about it. The God of the nations is with our Christian brothers and sisters in England...I am praying for an awakening throughout England and the rest of Europe...it can happen...God is ready to move there...

We are going to be going to the Saints and Chargers game in Wimbley Stadium on Sunday the 27th. That should be a great time. I'm giving you guys a heads up so you can be looking for me on the tube when you are watching the game (I know most of you will be). We will be coming back to New Orleans the next day. I'll be finishing up my semester down hear at NOBTS and gearing up for our China training in Birmingham on November 8th. If you think about it...please be lifting up our China team as we prepare.

“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.” That is Psalm 25:14-15. It swept me off my feet tonight...literally. I fell down a few minutes ago after coming in from a run...no worries...I'm doing ok. I love that promise...that our fear of God leads to his covenant being known by me. I was having a conversation the other day with someone about the fact that every time I take my eyes off of Him...I go astray...I screw up...I get confused...God seems to disappear. But just as the psalmist writes...when my eyes are gazed upon his grace, mercy, and power...he releases me from my pit of self-righteousness...self-pity...doubt...and even my pride.

Let us remember that the Holy Spirit is here for our benefit. Have you read John 16 lately? Does it sound odd to you that Jesus convinces a bunch of guys who gave it all up to follow Christ that it is to their "benefit" that he leave them? I can only imagine what they were thinking. You're leaving??? Come on, Rabbai. You gotta be kidding. We gave it all up for you...

but check out what Jesus says...

5"Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

Jesus knew that he would die for the entire world. All of mankind. All of humanity. And he knew that the Counselor (That is Jesus not contained by his flesh) could roam the earth in the hearts of all of those who confess Christ and follow Him. Isn't that amazing? Jesus knew who was coming after him. Jesus points to the Father in all He does. Now the Holy Spirit will come and point to Christ in all His work. Make no mistake...the Holy Spirit is at work...the Holy Spirit is active in the world today...maybe not in your world...maybe because you're scared of what he MIGHT do...but let me challenge you, Christian, to not be scared of what the Counselor COULD do in your life.

God convinced me this past week that "I haven't seen anything yet" when it comes to seeing the work of the Holy Spirit. I know that the Holy Spirit of God is pointing new people to Christ every day all around this world...and all I know is that I want a peice of that pie...I want to experience the Holy Spirit in a fresh way...in a way that is going to challenge me to step out on faith even more. It isn't the most comfortable place to be...but it is the right place to be...I'm convinced of that. I'm having to pray for patience on a daily basis because I'm so ready to be used. I pray that you are being used...and if you aren't...will you pray a dangerous prayer with me?...and ask God to use you...

A Faith Story

2008-10-02T12:45:00.000-06:00

Check out this amazing story of faith

What is truly evangelical?

2008-09-29T07:42:00.002-06:00

A buddy of mine, Luke Johnson, sent me this excerpt from a book on an email while I was gone to Israel. This subject of what is truly evangelical has been on my mind a lot lately and I thought this was a great excerpt from a book from Harry Conn called The Four Trojan Horses. Enjoy.

"If the Christian is truly evangelical, in the sense that he believes
God deserves our determined, persistent efforts to tear down the
sinner's hiding places, then he will challenge the objectivity of any
discipline, philosophy, or worldview that relegates the activity of the
Savior to the realm of 'meaningless' subjective experience. We must
affirm the personal experience of salvation as wholly personal and
unique (because each of us is unique). At the same time, we must
insist that the facts of salvation in history and in its public aspects
are objective and verifiable, and that the fact of salvation in the
individual life is verifiable by the objective change in the character
and works of the saved.

The subjective/objective dualism relegating spiritual matters to the
subjective realm has allowed for easy believism, because a person can
now have a subjective experience of salvation apart from any objective
change in his life.

Feelings of shame, remorse, contrition, the need for forgiveness, and
'relative peace,' may be experienced in the Christian meeting because
the Holy Spirit is working to convert the sinner. This may be
misinterpreted to mean the presence of the Holy Spirit is a salvation
relationship when the gospel is stripped of the call for objective
holiness of character and works meet for repentance in external
relationships with others.

...Men are admonished to 'accept Jesus' so they can go to heaven when
they die. The real motive for preaching ought to embrace the fact that
Jesus deserves the due reward for His suffering, 'those for who He die'
(which are all the people of the world). We don't seem to be aware of
what 'sin' does and has done to God and that He deserves to be obeyed.
We seem preoccupied with what sin has done to man.

...most Evangelical theology and teaching is now mainly concerned about
man's happiness after he dies by holding out the joys and rewards of
heaven as the main motive for Christian allegiance...

While true religion will produce happiness for man, it is not the end
for which we should live. Religion (that is, a right relationship with
God and our fellowmen) must be an end in itself, and not simply a means
to an end."

- Harry Conn

Israel - Day 9

2008-09-26T08:51:00.006-06:00

We finally had the chance to go to the Western Wall today and experience the madness that is the Wailing Wall. It was actually a pretty cool experience to see all of the hardcore Jewish guys praying and reciting the Torah. Notice that I did not have a head covering on in this picture and promptly after taking this picture a good Hebrew fellow scolded me harshly for not having a head covering. I picked up a paper Yarmulke...put it on my head...and that seemed to please him. I wrote a prayer last night and put the prayer inside the wall and then prayed that God would capture the Jews and Muslims of Jerusalem...break down their walls...and acknowledge Christ as their Redeemer.

To end our day and our journey through Israel, our group visited the Garden Tomb site in the western part of the city. Today was Mosque day for many Muslims across the city because the end of Ramadan is nearing. There were an estimated 300,000 Muslims on the Temple Mount today praying to a false god. It was hard to swallow...to imagine that that many people are praying to a false deity. It also felt as though we were being watched...the spiritual warfare was so obvious to me and several other of our travelers.

As soon as we entered the Garden Tomb, however, all of that warfare ceased and a peace and calm came over us. As if God were calming my spirit and reminding me that he has captured my heart through the sacrifice of his Son...and I was about to see the place (most likely) that he was ultimately carried to...buried...and eventually would rise up...and give hope to his then followers and his future followers. Our guide at the Garden Tomb gave us a lot of information of why this site is a very possible location of Jesus' tomb. More details later on that.

This was the sign that was just inside on the door inside of the tomb. It sent chills up and down my body to read that and be exactly where I was. It was an amazing reminder that he surely did rise...he sure did walk from that place of death...and claim victory over those who tried to kill him. God can't be held down by death. Hope was lost...and then was suddenly found in the empty grave. Christ wasn't in that tomb today. Nor is he in any other tomb. He is risen. Amen...

I saw this inside of the Garden Tomb site and thought it would be a great picture as a finale of our Israel travel blog. This sign truly does capture exactly what followers of Christ need to pray to Jehovah...we need to pray this with passion...with brokenness...with conviction...with urgency...and with hopefulness. God can do it. He has already conquered death. There are so many in this city that need the peace of the soul that only one can give. No human can give eternal peace that is found in Christ. I ask that you join me in the coming years in praying for Jerusalem...the people...the children...the Jews...the Muslims...and pray that they will see God in miraculous ways...maybe we'll hear about them in the days ahead...thanks for reading...

Israel - Day 7

2008-09-25T09:11:00.007-06:00

This is a shot of the Dome of the Rock from the Mount of Olives. It was another amazing teaching from Stuart from the top of the Mount of Olives and realize that this is the exact spot where so many biblical references are made such as Jesus weeping over the city of Jerusalem. Weeping was kind of the theme of this day. Just being in this city has made me realize how much of a spiritual crisis that the people are in. There is so much rich history of God here yet so many people here reject the truth of God day by day. Jesus wept over the city from this place because you can see the whole city from here. I weep too for Jerusalem and pray for spritual awakening here...

Speaking of weeping, what a powerful experience it was to stand in the Garden of Gethsemani and see the exact place where Christ chose to come be alone with his Father...and grieve...furiously...to the point of sweating blood. The humanity of Christ was in full display at this place...even to the point of asking his father to allow this cup to pass by him...but not at the risk of disobedience. That is what's amazing about Jesus...he was fully man...fully God...full of grace, wisdom, and mercy...full of truth...full of agony for the sin of the world...and chose to obey...beacause that is all he knew to do. Oh...how I long for that day when all I know to do is obey my Father...

I absolutely love this picture. It will always be a reminder of what I was just speaking about above. We had the amazing opportunity today to sit on the Temple Steps!! The same steps that Rabbi Jesus would have taught on...as in...I literally stepped where Jesus stepped today!! Dad said it best today when he said that this tops it all for the entire trip...and we have seen a lot. Neil Armstrong (you know...the Moon guy) visited the Temple Steps a few years ago and said this: "Knowing that I have stepped where my Christ stepped means more to me than stepping on the moon ever could." Armstrong is the only man on the planet who can make that kind of statement. How true it is.

Continuing with the theme of "weeping" was our visit to the Holocaust Museum. This was probably one of the hardest things that I've done on the trip so far. I honestly thought about not going in...just because I knew that I was about to learn more about quite possibly the worst human to human disaster in the history of civilization. I'm glad I went in though. I learned a lot about the Jewish culture during the time of the Nazi regime...I learned more about the horrors they had to face...and I learned about the resiliency of the Jewish people. At the end, they have a "Hall of Names" of the 6,000,000+ that were murdered. This is a picture of just a few of those who lost their lives.

Israel - Day 6

2008-09-23T13:01:00.007-06:00

We had a great stay at the Dead Sea. This is a shot from this mornings sun rise from the 16th floor of our amazing hotel. We really have had the set up this trip. Sar-El tours has really treated our group well. Stuart Rothberg gave a passionate gospel presentation today as we were overlooking Bethlehem...it was the greatest moment of the trip so far. Dad got it all on video. We have been so lucky to get to be here with Stuart and Sue. Actually, dad and I have made a lot of new friends on this trip. We have met a lot of great people from Sagemont and The Heights.

We next took off from the Dead Sea and headed for Beer-Sheba, the southern most city of Israel where Abraham built an altar). The picture you see here to the right is a shot of the Elah Valley...aka the place where David slew the giant Philistine, Goliath. This was another cool experience that has brought a fresh new "live and in color" aspect to this great story of strength, faith, and courage. Stuart gave a teaching on the story at this point and pointed our right where the Israelite army would have been sitting and where the Philistine army would have been sitting. Ronnie, our guide, then gave us a demonstration of how to use a sling like David would have used. We then went down to get some "smooth stones" from the riverbed where David got his stones.

This is Stuart in front of the old city of Bethlehem and like I said earlier...he gave a passionate address to our group in telling of the birth of Christ in a fresh way...challenging our fellow travelers and myself to be sure that we have "peace with God." Peace with God...what an interesting way to understand where you are in knowing God. I was telling someone today that a God that I can fully know is no god at all. That is why I am at peace with God...because there is so much more that I can know and want to know about Him. I pray that as you read this, whoever you are, that you are at peace with God at this moment. It is more true to me now than ever that God became man...as an innocent baby in Bethlehem...to become the greatest savior...the greatest rescuer...the greatest peace-giver...in the history of civilization. Jesus has come. Jesus was murdered. Jesus was buried. Jesus is no longer on that cross. He is no longer in that grave. He is no longer on this earth. He is leading the lives of his followers all over this earth through the Holy Spirit of God...changing lives from nation to nation...every day...with no apologies...only eternal security.

We finally made it to Jerusalem today! There is an old saying that you always travel "up" to Jerusalem. It isn't necessarily only geographical in nature...but spiritual in nature. At this point, you can see the Dome of the Rock right in the middle of the picture between dad and I. Just to the right of that is the Mount of Olives (where we'll be going tomorrow). It was so amazing to actually be standing there overlooking the city and the people that God loves so much...

Israel - Day 5

2008-09-23T11:01:00.008-06:00

I have to say that swimming in the Dead Sea today was one of the wildest experiences that I have ever had. As soon as I got in the water, I had to turn around and put on my "crocs" because the salt deposits on the sea floor were rock hard. You don't "swim" the Dead Sea...you float. It is literally like laying on a sheet of glass. I could only handle about 15 minutes of laying in that water before I had to get it....it burned!! But it was a great experience nonetheless. I actually have been able to go jogging down the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and now the Dead Sea on this trip. How cool is that?

Our next stop was Masada. Being on the top of Masada and being reminded of the story of the Jewish Zealots who defended themselves against the Romans to the death (literally). It is interesting that the only historical recording we have of this incident is by Josephus. After losing Jerusalem, these Zealots went to this "stronghold" (this is more than likely the "stronghold" that is mentioned throughout the Old Testament) for several years before the Romans came to chase them out. Instead of being taken in slavery, the Zealots killed each other...with the last man falling on his own sword. It really is a sad story. Our guide, Ronnie, brought up the "what if" question if the Zealots would have just waited on God to intervene. Interesting point considering how often God rescued the Jews out of impossible situations throughout Scripture.

En Gedi is without a doubt the most beautiful place that we have visited so far. This is the place where David fled from King Saul. En Gedi literally means "Spring of the Wild Goat." You can check out 1 Samuel 23 and 29 for some commentary from Scripture on the significance of this site. Several of us took the walking path to a beautiful waterfall at the end of En Gedi and saw the cave where David probably hid out from Saul and plotted his attack against him.

As you can see, we got to get right underneath the waterfall. I can see why David would have fled to an area like En Gedi. This is without a doubt the most attractive landscape in the area...it's in between the Jezzreel Valley and Judean Wilderness. I can also see why Saul would know where to go looking for David...what an incredible place. It was amazing how hot it was outside...but once we got within a few hundred feet of En Gedi...the temperature dropped about 20 degrees.

Israel - Day 4

2008-09-23T09:02:00.010-06:00

Day 4 began with us journeying over to Bet She'an National Park. It was an amazing ruins site of an old eastern town in the Jezreel Valley. This was by the far the hottest day in Israel so far...it was blazing! Behind me in this picture is the Tel at the old city where beheaded Saul and hung his body. You can check out the story in 1 Samuel 31. I climbed the Tel (or Mount) with several other of our sojourners and took some incredible shots from the top. Mt. Gilboa is just west of this site.

In this shot you can see how old this site was. We were really in awe to see how much history was just sitting right before us. In the picture below you may be wondering what in the world I had going on. If you read in Judges 7, you read about how God chose the 300 men to fight the Midianites. The Israelites went from 32,000 men to 10,000 men...then down to 300...to fight the HUGE Midianite army. We sat and had a teaching at this site on that passage and the peculiar way that God chose the men. We were sitting on the site were Gideon's men came down to the spring for a refreshing drink of water. I decided to "lap like a dog" to symbolize how important for us to always be ready when the Spirit of God tells us to move our feet. Gideon receives a visit from an angel with a simple yet powerful charge: "Go Save Israel." Go read that passage. I know it has so much more significance to me now.

We also went to Qumran and learned more about the amazing discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls back in the 1970's. It is important to remember that along with scrolls of Scripture (such as the oldest documented copy of Isaiah...which is 11 yards long) there were also many other documents other than Scripture. Qumran is just south of Jericho (which was an amazing site to see as well) and east of Jerusalem. It, oddly enough, was a Muslim goathearder who actually found the scrolls who then and went to sell them in Jerusalem. We actually got to see cave #4 and look inside of it. The picture below gives you a good idea of what the area looks like and a good look at Cave #4.

Dad and I are having a blast...as you might imagine. It is so amazing to know that Jesus not only walked in this place, taught in this place, miraculously healed in this place, physically and spiritually, and gave up his life in this place...for all of us. It's going to be an interesting experience to see how God uses this experience in his land in my life and ministry.

Israel - Day 3

2008-09-20T11:16:00.007-06:00

Man...this what quite a full day in the Holy Land. We started off the day with a solid breakfast down at our hotel and a beautiful sunset coming up over the Sea of Galilee. This was definately this best sunrise since we have been here. It has been such a great trip so far. I feel as though today was a huge day for the cohesion of our entire group. Today was baptism day in the River Jordan and I was able to baptize about 25 people in the same waters that Christ was baptized in. Stuart Rothberg had asked me the day before and I was honored. What an amazing privilege that was to be a part of people's lives in such a small yet significant way.

Even cooler...I got to baptize my dad! It was blessing enough to get to travel overseas with him but to also get to baptize him was a real great thing. It is probably without a doubt the most important thing that I have done in my ministry experience so far. To get to proclaim dad as professing Christ as his savior and the evidence of a transformed lifed was simply awesome! The gentleman next to me (he's a pastor at East Leesville BC in Leesville, LA) got to baptize his father, wife, and daughter! There were also two staff members of The Heights church in Dallas baptizing the rest of the crew. All in all, there were around 1oo people who got baptized in the Jordan today.

We visited the ancient city of Tel-Dan. It is documented in the book of Joshua 19:47 which says "...therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and dwelt there within, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan, "their father." The picture you are looking at here is a 4,000 year old (that is not a typo) Caananite City Gate called the "Gate of the Three Arches." We also visted the spot were King Jeroboam, son of Nebat, eastablished a cult at Dan as an alternative to the Temple in Jerusalem. Jeroboam placed a golden calf in the city and built a house of high places. It was incredible how much biblical history sat right where we walked today.

We got to travel up to Caeserea Philipi after Tel-Dan. "Pan" was one of the most pagan cities in Israel. Caeserea Philipi was the northern most place of Jesus' ministry. This is the spot that Jesus was referring to when he was speaking to Peter in Matthew 16:17-18. 17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." It was believe that that cave you see in the picture contained "Hades." This passage is amazing to do a word study on...the way Christ spoke of Peter as a pebble and the church as the "rock."

We visited an old Israeli Army Post in the afternoon to get a better grasp of the geo-politics over the past 75 years between Israel, Syria, and Lebanon. At one point today, in the Golan Heights (the finger of Galilee), we were within two miles of the Syrian border and a mile of the Lebanese border. Our guide kept joking about anyone wearing red today needed to stay far away from the group to keep us from getting fired upon. He was joking, of course (I think). Anyway...this picture is taken from that Israeli Military Post and you are looking into Syria. Kinda crazy that Syria was that close. I was unaware that Israel has a peace treaty with Jordan and Egypt.

Tonight is our last night in Tiberious overlooking the Sea of Galilee. I just went for a run down the coast of the Galilee. It's a beatiful night here. I picked up some rocks from the shore for Dad to give to some friends back home. I even picked up a couple for myself. People were looking at me all crazy for jogging with a bunch of rocks in my hands. We are heading towards the Dead Sea area tomorrow. I'm trying to talk dad into getting a professional "Dead Sea Massage." We'll see how that goes over. I know I'm getting one. I should be another great and interesting day tomorrow in the Holy Land.

Israel - Day 2

2008-09-19T12:39:00.008-06:00

This is Dad and I at the Mount of the Beatitudes this morning. This is the very place where Jesus stood and changed the religious system that had been in place. If you haven't had a chance to read the Beatitudes lately...go read it...and read it slowly and intently. I'm convinced that this is the event that was Jesus' death penalty in the eyes of the religious zealots of his day. He spoke with authority...he gave new teachings that surpassed the law of Moses. I can imagine how scared the Pharisee's must have been of Jesus. The Mount of the Beatitudes was a beautiful place. It currently has a Catholic church sitting on the top of it with a crazy nun running the place. I gave her a "pound" and some "dap" (you know...the whole hand pound thing) and she was a bit perplexed of what I was doing. I think she is gonna adopt it as the new handshake of the church that sits upon the Mount of Beatitudes. Watch and see. Interestingly enough, Mussolini actually founded this church. As our guide put it, "Mussolini was definately a raving facist...but he was good Catholic."

This is a black iron cross that was sitting upon a fence at the Mount of Beatitudes. The cross is actually only about 6-8 inches tall...I thought it might be a good abstract kind of shot...I took several more...you can see the city of Tiberious, the Sea of Galilee, and landscape surrounding it all.

We got to take a boat ride out on the Sea of Galilee this afternoon. It was quite a cool experience. We got on this boat together...went out onto the water...sang songs of worship (in Hebrew and English)...had a teaching from Stuart Rothberg...and simply enjoyed the moment of realizing all of the "Jesusology" that took place here. We sang "Amazing Grace" together as our two boats were tied together. Over half of Jesus' 33 miracles took place in or around the Sea of Galilee. The "sea" is 13 miles long and 7 miles wide and about 686 feet below sea level. Tilapia (along with 26 other varieties of fish) inhabit the Galilee.

Capharnaum was an amazing place to visit because of the fact that it was Jesus' basis of operation throughout his ministry. It was very eye opening because we learned how strategic Jesus was in choosing Capharnaum as his home base because of the fact that it is located on the most important trade route of that time: the Via Morris Tradeway that starts all the way in Jaffa and Caesarea. Jesus knew that many men would be coming down that trade route and he used that to his advantage for many people to be exposed to the miracles that he performed. This was also Jesus' synagogue, the home of Peter and the place where Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. John 6:17 says "And he entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum." This verse has taken on a whole new life because I now have the actual physical geography implanted in my mind. What an amazing blessing!

"The Jesus Boat" was found by two guys walking around the Sea of Galilee back in the 80's when there had been a long drought in the region. This boat was preserved and is now in display. This boat is around 2,000 years old and was probably the same type of boat that Jesus would have fished in with the disciples. As our guide said today...there is about a 50/50 chance that Jesus actually used this actual boat...either he did or he didn't.

Israel - Day 1

2008-09-18T17:45:00.011-06:00

What a few days this has been...it was a mad rush trying to get over here but it has been worth it. Our first day in the Holy Land surely did not under deliver. We had an incredible day in which most cases our jaws were dropped upon hearing the history and impact that some of the sites we visited.

We spent the night in Tiberious last night. Tiberious is a city that is on the coast of the Sea Of Galiliee and interestingly enough is never mentioned in Scripture. You may be convinced that you've heard of it and you probably have because it is named after Tiberious Caeser. When we step out onto our balcony...there is the Sea of Galilee. See that boat on the water? We are going to be on one of those in the morning and we are going to have a worship time together. I think that seeing the Sea of Galilee last night as we drove into Tiberious was the most surreal moment for me of the day knowing that this is a place where Jesus walked on the water to show Peter...and us that our faith is real, authentic, and life transforming...if we just let it transform us.

Our first stop of the day was at the Roman Theatre in Caeserea. It was a really cool place with a lot of ancient stones and statues from the 1st Century. We went there and sat in the theatre as a group and Stuart Rothberg started giving us a teaching on the site and its significance. This is the same site where Peter and Cornelius met in Acts 10. This theatre was build in 22 B.C. This is also the site where Paul defended his faith in Christ to King Agrippa and convinced King Agrippa that he should consider following Christ. Acts 26:18 has Paul speaking to Agrippa and saying "...to open their eyes, and to turn them from their darkness to light...that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." It really was surreal to know that I was standing in the very place where these events occured.

This is a picture of me at the Roman Aqueduct (with the Med. Sea right behind me) in Caeserea build by King Herod. It was contructed to bring water from the Carmel Mountatin range all the way down to the Roman captial in Caeserea. It was a modern marvel of engineering because of the length (10 miles) and that there the difference in how level it is from the beginning to the end is only 10 inches! Imagine how percise the workers of this project had to be to get so close in leveling this aqueduct.

We next went to an overlooking spot of the Jezreel Valley or also known as the valley where it's all gonna go down in the end. This valley is huge. You can see how why Napoleon wanted his armies to have control of this area during war. You could easily fit an million man army in this valley. This is taken from Mount Carmel (which means literally God's Vineyard). You can actually see the width of Israel from this spot because we could see into Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. We saw a statue of Elijah and then realized that this is the same site where Elijah took on the Baal worshipers and prophets in 1 King 18. Go check it out. Elijah was an amazing man. Elijah challenged them to gather 400 Baal prophets and 450 prophets from another god. Elijah had some divine sarcasm going on when the Baal god never showed up. Maybe Baal was sleeping.

I think we can all see why God chose not to have my father as Baby Jesus. It might have been pretty tough on ol' mama. I told dad to give a "sexy" pose and this is the the product...what's everyone think? This is actually the type of manger that Jesus would have been born laid in after he was born. You might have imagined that he was place in a nice, soft wooden manger...but you would be wrong.

Our first day in the Holy Land was a blast. And exhausting. We have a full day tomorrow around the area of the Sea of Galilee. I'm sure we'll have some great stories from that. Stay tuned...

we made it...

2008-09-17T13:37:00.002-06:00

I'm hoping there are a few of you guys who are gonna keep up with me while I'm gone. We made it to Tel-Aviv! The flights went flawlessly. The flight to Tel-Aviv from Atlanta wasn't that bad actually. I watched Kung Fu Panda, Iron Man, and played a lot of Trivia. So I kept enterntained. Plus, I met a couple of new friends...Owen, who works for BP here in Tel-Aviv, and an Arab girl (I couldn't spell her name if I tried) from Nazareth. It was cool to have conversations with them.

Dad is already asleep. I'm just so stoked to be here that I can't sleep right now. I think I'm about to go for a walk down the Mediterranean Sea in a few minutes to clear my head a little bit...journal about the last couple of days...and listen to God speak to me. It seems as though I hear God so much more clearly when I'm not in the midst of "noise" and distractions.

Check out our itenerary below and see what we are up to tomorrow. Thanks for your prayers. I'll post some pictures tomorrow night, hopefully. Today we sang "God of the City" (love that song) and my eyes just got teary when I think about the way God feels when his people constantly reject him...yet He still loves them the same. I love my God...even more so when I realize that he loves in a way that I never could...

Israel Itinerary

2008-09-15T12:31:00.002-06:00

I've posted this once before...but here is our itinerary for Israel. Pray for safe travel...the Spirit moving amongst us...revelation from God...and for the ones we will talk about about Christ. I'm praying to get to have conversations with Jews, Muslims, and Pagans alike about the gospel. Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday / September 18
This morning we drive north on the Via Maris to Caesarea where Peter proclaimed the good news to the Roman centurion, Cornelius. We will visit scenic Caesarea with its famous Roman theater, harbor, newly excavated hippodrome and palace, concluding at the aqueducts. We continue on to Mount Carmel to visit the traditional place where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. Next we arrive at Megiddo, Chariot City of King Solomon, where we will explore its remarkable excavations and view the Valley of Jezreel, the location for the future gathering of the nations at Armageddon. Our next stop is Mount Precipice for a magnificent view of the Jezreel Valley, Mount Tabor and Nazareth. We will pass the Horns of Hittim where Saladin defeated the Crusaders, before ending our day by walking to the top of Mount Arbel for a breathtaking panorama of the Sea of Galilee and the biblical sites of Jesus’ public ministry. Dinner and overnight in picturesque Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Friday / September 19
Following in the footsteps of Jesus and the disciples, we board a boat for a time of worship on the Sea of Galilee. Afterward we visit Capernaum, the city of Jesus, and walk the streets that witnessed so many of His miracles. Then we will head to the ruins of Chorazin, a city condemned by Jesus for its lack of faith. Crossing the Jordan River to the other side, we will stop at Kursi, the site where the demons entered the swine after being cast out of the demoniac. The culmination of our day will occur at the baptismal site on the Jordan River before we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Saturday / September 20
This morning we will begin at the Mount of Beatitudes for a time of worship overlooking the Sea of Galilee while the other half of our group will end their day here. We journey north past the Old Testament city of Hazor on our way to the ancient city of Dan. A beautiful nature reserve provides a refreshing backdrop as we visit the northernmost city of ancient Israel, and see the spot where wicked King Jeroboam set up a golden calf. After a short ride we will come to the New Testament city of Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mount Hermon, where Peter made his great confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Driving up to the Golan Heights, we will focus on modern Israel’s struggles with Syria and Lebanon and discover why this region is so strategic. Then we will return to our hotel for our final night in the region of Galilee.

Sunday / September 21
This morning we journey past Mt. Tabor, where Deborah and Barak led the forces of Israel to victory, before arriving at the Spring of Harod where Gideon chose his 300 men. We continue down the Jezreel Valley to the ancient city of Bet She’an. We will walk through the remarkable restoration of the Roman ruins that sit in the shadow of the hill where the Philistines once displayed the bodies of King Saul and his sons. We then proceed down the Jordan Valley past Old Testament Jericho, the ancient Canaanite city where the “walls came tumbling down.” We will continue south to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Our journey then takes us to the lowest point on the face of the earth, the Dead Sea, where we will overnight along its shores.

Monday / September 22
We begin our day by focusing on the wilderness areas traversed by the young shepherd David. We will depart early for Masada where a ride on a cable car will take us to the summit for a tour of the magnificent ruins of Herod’s lavish palace/fortress where Jewish zealots made their final stand in their revolt against Rome. We will then drive to the oasis of En Gedi to relive one of David’s historic encounters with King Saul. Early afternoon we will return to our hotel along the shore of the Dead Sea and spend the afternoon relaxing and swimming in this unique body of water.

Tuesday / September 23
This morning we travel to the Old Testament city of Beersheba, the southernmost city of Israel in the Old Testament where Abraham built an altar to the Lord. We then journey to the western slopes of Judea. We will visit Bet Guvrin to see some remarkable ruins in the region where the prophet Micah once lived and ministered. Late afternoon we will arrive at the Elah Valley and relive the battle between David and Goliath. Traveling further north we will visit the city of Beth Shemesh in the Sorek Valley where Samson struggled with the Philistines. Late afternoon we will enter the magnificent city of Jerusalem where we will stay for the remainder of our tour.

Wednesday / September 24
Our day begins from a panoramic vista on the Mount of Olives where we are reminded of what the Messiah saw as He looked out over Jerusalem. We will walk down this historic hillside to visit Dominus Flevit, the traditional spot where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed the night he was betrayed. We will then journey to the Bethlehem overlook to reflect on the gift that was given to us on that blessed night. This afternoon we will visit the model of Herodian Jerusalem which provides an excellent picture of the city as it would have looked in the time of Christ. We will conclude this memorable day with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s unforgettable memorial to the six million Jews killed in the
Holocaust.

Thursday / September 25
Our morning begins by entering the Old City and view the Temple Mount, which includes the El Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the spot on which Israel’s Temple once stood. Our next stop is the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the man at the pool. We will visit St. Anne’s Church before beginning our journey along the Via Dolorosa (the Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. En route we will visit Antonio’s Fortress, where the soldiers mocked Jesus and placed a crown of thorns upon His head. This afternoon we will visit the excavations of the Southern Steps of the temple, a place where you can actually say, “I walked today where Jesus walked.” We will conclude our afternoon with a visit to the original City of David to see the platform on which David’s palace was located, as well as Warren’s Shaft, the “waterspout” through which David’s forces climbed to capture the city, and tour the Pools of Siloam. We will also have the option of a “wet” walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel.

Friday / September 26
Today we enter the Old City at Jaffa Gate. Our first stop is the magnificently restored ancient Citadel first constructed 2,000 years ago by Herod the Great. The Citadel is now known as the Tower of David Museum and traces Jerusalem’s long and eventful history. Zion Hill, the traditional site of the Upper Room where Jesus met with His disciples, is our next stop. We will wind through the narrow streets and the colorful bazaars of the Old City on our way to Hezekiah's city wall and the Cardo, touring the Herodian Mansion where Christ stood mute before the High Priest and was condemned. We will conclude our time in Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb (Gordon’s Calvary) for a special communion service to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Our final evening will be spent together rejoicing and reminiscing over the extraordinary days spent in the land of our Lord.

Psalm 86

2008-09-11T07:34:00.003-06:00

I was reading in Psalm 86 last night and this morning. What an incredible Psalm. It spoke so much to me. God reassured me that he will never leave me or forsake me...despite how sinful that I am...and how selfish I am. We serve an amazing God. His Word is so penetrating. Incredibly transforming.

I was just getting my daily update on some Baton Rouge news when I came across this definition of looting by our great state. "Looting is defined in state Revised Statue 14:62.5 as breaking into a structure when “normal security of property is not present by virtue of a hurricane, flood, fire, act of God or force majeure of any kind.” I thought the "act of God" inclusion was pretty funny and interesting. I now would like to know what their definition of an "act of God" is.

I had an amazing reminder last night about why I love serving our great and mighty God. I went downtown last night with some guys from Edgewater Baptist Church to the "Bunkhouse," which is basically a half-way house for guys who are trying to get their lives back together after getting out of drug/alcohol rehab, prison, etc. Well we met some interesting guys last night. One guy named Graylon, a guy named "The Wizard" (i'm not kidding), and another guy named Thomas. Thomas was the reason we were there last night. It's always so confirming to know that a divine appointment had gone way before you. Thomas is hurting. He is crushed. He is humbled. He just got out of prison. Has no car. No money. No job. His skill is welding. But he has no equipment. He told us last night that he felt as though "God has forgotten me."

I can't explain how my heart hurt for him so much. I try to imagine the way God feels when we hurt...if we hurt so much for Thomas last night...I cannot imagine the pain God feels for those he loves when they are hurting. God loves Thomas. We told him that over and over again last night. It was obvious he wanted to believe it. So badly. But I'm not sure he does quite yet. I'm hoping he realizes God loves him because we were there last night. Sharing about our screw ups. Where we have failed God. Or even times when we think that God had forgotten about us. We connected with Thomas last night...deeper than a human level...on a soul aching level...

Pray for Thomas if you think about it. I'm confident that God is going to answer his prayers. I think this because Thomas is broken...physically and spiritually. Thomas is the kind of guy I want to give my life to. No...he isn't the guy who is going to watch LSU football games with me, play pick up basketball with me, or even talk much about God with me...but he is the hurting...the poor...the needy...the afflicted...and he needs to know God's love more than anyone I know right now. I'm praying that Thomas will hear from God...believe God...and trust that God will deliver his soul if he will only trust him.

I'm just so amazed that God wants to use me in Thomas' life. I'm expectant. I can't wait to see what happens.

"i hate war"

2008-09-05T06:51:00.004-06:00

i was glad to hear McCain say that last night at the Republican National Convention. It was a funny night. Some liberals got loose in the convention hall and found it necessary to interrupt McCain's acceptance speech. unreal. gotta love those liberals. I'm glad God loves them...because if it were up to me...they'd be in bad, bad shape. I kid, I kid. It really is a crazy political world though. It gets kinda old to constantly hear the parties talking down on each other. McCain said it best last night when he said "there is much more that unites us than divides us." I wish that was a more common thought...

...I wish that were a more common thought amongst God's people too...

I am warming up more and more to the pick of Sarah Palin. I worried for a little while that McCain was simply try to win the election instead of picking the best candidate. However, just looking at McCain and Palin...they fit the part. I listened to her RNC speech on YouTube last night and was impressed. I think she'll do a great job. I'm not gonna lie...there are some things I like about Obama...he definately is a better speech giver than John McCain...but there is somthing about ol' Barack that I just don't trust...so I'm just gonna go with that I guess.

I just saw this 78 year old Roman Catholic Nun on the news competing in an Iron Man Triathalon...and she made an awesome comment when she said she "trains religiously." I'm sure it was made in jest...but that is hilarious. I'd like to hang with her for a little while and hear more of what she has to say. In other random news, Chad Johnson of the Cincinatti Bengals has officially removed "Johnson" as his last name and it is now "Ocho-Cinco." What a moron. Seriously. It is amazing what people will do for attention these days. Sometimes I wish I lived in the days of no internet, 40 news channels, and 10,000 media members covering the same story over and over again.

i evacuated to Alexandria, LA for Hurricane Gustav...not such a good move in the eyes of the experts though...the eye wall passed just to the west...so we got pounded. I spent most of the day yesterday cleaning up my parents yard. The road I live on looks like a disaster area. Sadly, one lady did lose her life when a tree fell on her trailer. I've been thoroughly impressed with how hard the energy crews have been working to get power back on. I went to Nachitoches on Wednesday with my mom and we ran into some guys who were from the state of Washington and driving to Baton Rouge to to help out with the power restoration effort. Pretty cool to see people come together for a common good cause.

Israel is on days away now. I'm going to do my best to post some pictures of our adventures in the Holy Land while we are there. Check back every now and then while I'm gone so you can see.

prayer for southeast LA

2008-09-01T03:36:00.002-06:00

...it's 4:36 am on Monday, September 1st, 2008. It's also labor day. But there is also a weird vibe in the air in Louisiana with Hurricane Gustav bearing down on our coast this morning. I figured I better get this in while we still have electricity. We are expecting a ton of rain here in good ol' Prospect...hopefully not too much of anything else. Be praying today that our good God spares New Orleans from another bad hit...the people of New Orleans probably just can't take another one. I've become more and more fond of that city and really hope to get to go back soon.

I've been doing this workout in the mornings called "crossfit." You can check out exactly what it is as www.crossfit.com. My roomates (Kevin and Ronald) and I have been waking up at 6 am every morning and joining some of our seminary homies at our police chiefs home. We like to called it "Hoot-Camp." The guys name is Hoot. I'm sure there is a story there and I'd really like to be able to tell you what that story is...but I can't. Anyway, it has been a real physical and mental challenge to wake up in the mornings and finish that workout...but we have.

It is amazing what the term "total wellness" incorporates. I don't know about you...but total wellness for me has to include some sort of physical challenge every day. I just don't feel totally right spiritually if I don't. So...the last couple of days while I've been at my parents home, I've been biking 12.5 miles around the community. It has been a really good challenge. I think I could get into biking...

I've been enjoying working at the Country Club of New Orleans. After working on a church staff for the past 3 1/2 years, it is nice to be able to get out into the "real world" and mix it up with the big wigs of New Orleans. I've met some really nice people working out there. I've also met some jerks. But that is to be expected.

I had an interesting conversatoin yesterday with an old friend about what my plans are after I graduate from NOBTS in May and he confirmed my interest and possible calling into Army Chaplaincy. I see some amazing ministry opportunities that would be in front of me in an environment like that. We'll see. Nothing is set in stone yet (obviously). I just want God to put me in a position where I can make an impact for his kingdom. I'm not really interested in ministering to people who are comfortable with their Christian lives and those who are in it (and especially with those who are not in it).

I'm not sure if you've ever noticed the quote at the top of my blog...but that is the type of ministry I want to be involved in...Christians are called to be rescuers...proclaimers...lovers of the unlovable...servers of the unservable...because the love that we show will be an unnatural phenomenon in the life of those we love and serve...if we had more Christians who were ready to serve this way...what would happen?

another spiritual awakening...that's what...

God's Purpose For Evangelism

2008-08-28T08:45:00.002-06:00

Declare His Glory In All Nations - The Purpose of God in Evangelism

- 1 Chronicles 16:24 – “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

The Purpose of Creation – Display His Glory

Genesis 1:26-28

Genesis 11:1-9 (The Tower of Babel)

Total disobedience to the mandate of God

Total disregard for the glory of God

Isaiah 43:1-7 – “Whom I have created for my glory”

- We were created for God’s glory.

The Purpose of God’s People – Declare His Glory

“All the nations of the earth will be blessed…”

Genesis 12:1-3

Genesis 26:4

Genesis 28:14

Exodus 14:14

Deuteronomy 4:5-6

1 Kings 10:1-19

Daniel 3:29; 6:25-26

“…for the sake of my Name.”

God's Purpose for Evangelism In Judgment and Blessing

Ezekiel 20; 36:22-23

God's Purpose for Evangelism In Salvation

Luke 24:47

God's Purpose for Evangelsim In Worship

Mark 11:12-21; Isaiah 56:7

God's Purpose for Evangelism In Surrender

Nehemiah 1

Psalm 67 Principle – God desires to bless his creation…so that His purpose might be fulfilled.

no cable...no problem...

2008-08-22T19:37:00.004-06:00

It has been a pretty interesting transition to life down here in the Big Easy so far. This is a really amazing city. I'll have to admit that I bought into the terrible reputation that it is...and that reputation precedes itself...but this city offers so many amazing opportunities for ministry and loving and serving people. I'm pretty excited to see what is in store. One of my roomies down here is a really neat fella named Ronald. He is a PhD student from South Africa. We have already made a pretty good friendship.

I realized really how shallow my "needs" are this week. I must confess that I had an addiction this summer and even before of watching three channels: ESPN, Discovery, and the History Channel. I've been in New Orleans since Saturday and haven't watched one of those shows yet...because I do not have cable...and don't plan on getting cable. The scary thing is that it has been a pretty easy transition. I've found myself reading a lot more...spending more quality time with the Father...getting up at 6 a.m. to run, and feeling a lot more productive in my day to day life.

I got a job today at the Country Club of New Orleans. I'm going to be an assistant at the CCNO pro shop. I'm looking forward to making some money and meeting some of the "big wigs" of New Orleans. There are 1,400 members of the CCNO. I'm hoping I get to make an impact on some lives during my time there...and make some money in the process...

Israel is only days away now. Dad and I got our tickets in the mail today. Baton Rouge -> Atlanta -> Tel Aviv. It is going to be amazing. I've been telling my professors this week that I'd be out for a period of time and they have been pretty gracious. As each day comes I'm getting more and more excited about walking where my Savior walked...where he taught...where he healed...where he rose...and where he still lives!

back in the red stick...

2008-08-15T10:45:00.002-06:00

I spent a few days up in good ol' Prospect, LA with my parents after driving back from Lake Jackson on Sunday night. So get this...I left Lake Jackson, Texas about 10:15 p.m. on Sunday night to drive back to my parents house...roughly a five hour drive. I've been catching a lot of flack from some people for even attempting something like this...but I really don't think it's a big deal. I got home around 3 a.m. and stayed up for another hour checking email and watching the Olympics. Does anyone else drive good at night or is it just me? I just get bored during the day drive...but at night...there is no one on the road...a large coffee or large Dr. Pepper fountain drink...sunflower seeds...Shawn McDonald...and FREE night-time minutes on the ol' cellular make this a pretty pleasant experience for me...so there...hopefully I've justified my insanity.

It feels a little weird to be back in Baton Rouge for a few days knowing that this is not my final destination. I'm leaving for the Big Easy in the morning for a ten month excursion and experience of New Orleans. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to the possibilities that await me there. Did I mention that I'm going to the Saints/Chargers tilt in LONDON in October?? I'm beyond excited. Thank the good Lord for frequent flyer miles!!

That is all for now. I'm sitting in my favorite CC's in Baton Rouge waiting on a friend of mine to come meet me so we can catch up. Should be an interesting rest of my day/life. I'll do my best to keep you updated on all my New Orleans adventures that are coming up.

another summer gone...

2008-08-08T21:12:00.002-06:00

I'm laying in bed...watching the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and can't help but think of John's Revelation in chapter seven when he writes in verse 9-11:

"9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

I'm watching Dirk Novitski walk in the German flag...Serbia proudly bearing their flag...Sierra Leone emphatically waving their flag...and last and not least (especially this year) in comes China led by Yao Ming. This is quite possibly the greatest moment and greatest week in the modern history of China. I think most Chinese people would agree with that. This is their moment on the world stage to strut their stuff...and show off the 70 billion dollars they spent to make these the greatest Olympics of all time.

All of these things are great. The Olympics...the pageantry...the patriotism...the pride...the love of their own people...and the gathering of nations. Sadly, most who congregate and watch these Olympics have no clue about what is truly full of pageantry and love...a type of love that is life transforming and when compared to one's love of country, it pales in comparison.

As I watch...I am praying for an awakening of Christ in each country...for those warriors for the gospel who are already there to push forward with reckless abandon to see people know the truth of Christ. I am praying for brokenness that leads to salvation...in each nation represented...and I hope you are too.

This has been a pretty cool summer for me. A "de-toxing" time as some have put it. I've enjoyed to get to know so many of the great people that make of the community at Brazos Pointe Fellowship. I've made lifelong friends here. I'm completely grateful for my time. I pray that I get to serve on a team as cohesive as the team at BPF. They get it here. They get that it isn't about "going to church" but more about "being the church." I love that. It isn't about "big church" but about making disciples. Seeing lives transformed. To see marriages restored. Physical ailments healed. Depression turn to joy. All for the glory of God.

I'll be heading down to New Orleans in a few days for a year...to finish up my Master of Divinity degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. I'm looking forward to serving at Vintage Church in Uptown New Orleans (www.vintagenola.org) with my good buddy Rob Wilton. I'm looking forward to the relationships and friendships that are in the works down there. I'm looking forward to continue to move forward in God's plan for my life...and how he wants to use me for his glory and his kingdom. It has been a great ride so far...26 years worth...and I'm confident God has plans for me that will blow my mind...I can only pray for such an honor.

If you don't know already...my father and I are journeying together to the Holy Land of Israel in mid-September. I cannot explain how blessed and privileged I feel to be able to go on a trip like this with my father. My dad and I are pretty close...but I have a feeling that this trip is going to do amazing things not only for our relationship...but continue to transform our minds into the image of the Son. We have an amazing itinerary...here are a few of the things we'll be getting into...

Thursday / September 18
This morning we drive north on the Via Maris to Caesarea where Peter proclaimed the good news to the Roman centurion, Cornelius. We will visit scenic Caesarea with its famous Roman theater, harbor, newly excavated hippodrome and palace, concluding at the aqueducts. We continue on to Mount Carmel to visit the traditional place where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. Next we arrive at Megiddo, Chariot City of King Solomon, where we will explore its remarkable excavations and view the Valley of Jezreel, the location for the future gathering of the nations at Armageddon. Our next stop is Mount Precipice for a magnificent view of the Jezreel Valley, Mount Tabor and Nazareth. We will pass the Horns of Hittim where Saladin defeated the Crusaders, before ending our day by walking to the top of Mount Arbel for a breathtaking panorama of the Sea of Galilee and the biblical sites of Jesus’ public ministry. Dinner and overnight in picturesque Tiberias on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

Friday / September 19
Following in the footsteps of Jesus and the disciples, we board a boat for a time of worship on the Sea of Galilee. Afterward we visit Capernaum, the city of Jesus, and walk the streets that witnessed so many of His miracles. Then we will head to the ruins of Chorazin, a city condemned by Jesus for its lack of faith. Crossing the Jordan River to the other side, we will stop at Kursi, the site where the demons entered the swine after being cast out of the demoniac. The culmination of our day will occur at the baptismal site on the Jordan River before we return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Saturday / September 20
This morning we will begin at the Mount of Beatitudes for a time of worship overlooking the Sea of Galilee while the other half of our group will end their day here. We journey north past the Old Testament city of Hazor on our way to the ancient city of Dan. A beautiful nature reserve provides a refreshing backdrop as we visit the northernmost city of ancient Israel, and see the spot where wicked King Jeroboam set up a golden calf. After a short ride we will come to the New Testament city of Caesarea Philippi at the foot of Mount Hermon, where Peter made his great confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Driving up to the Golan Heights, we will focus on modern Israel’s struggles with Syria and Lebanon and discover why this region is so strategic. Then we will return to our hotel for our final night in the region of Galilee.

Sunday / September 21
This morning we journey past Mt. Tabor, where Deborah and Barak led the forces of Israel to victory, before arriving at the Spring of Harod where Gideon chose his 300 men. We continue down the Jezreel Valley to the ancient city of Bet She’an. We will walk through the remarkable restoration of the Roman ruins that sit in the shadow of the hill where the Philistines once displayed the bodies of King Saul and his sons. We then proceed down the Jordan Valley past Old Testament Jericho, the ancient Canaanite city where the “walls came tumbling down.” We will continue south to Qumran to see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Our journey then takes us to the lowest point on the face of the earth, the Dead Sea, where we will overnight along its shores.

Monday / September 22
We begin our day by focusing on the wilderness areas traversed by the young shepherd David. We will depart early for Masada where a ride on a cable car will take us to the summit for a tour of the magnificent ruins of Herod’s lavish palace/fortress where Jewish zealots made their final stand in their revolt against Rome. We will then drive to the oasis of En Gedi to relive one of David’s historic encounters with King Saul. Early afternoon we will return to our hotel along the shore of the Dead Sea and spend the afternoon relaxing and swimming in this unique body of water.

Tuesday / September 23
This morning we travel to the Old Testament city of Beersheba, the southernmost city of Israel in the Old Testament where Abraham built an altar to the Lord. We then journey to the western slopes of Judea. We will visit Bet Guvrin to see some remarkable ruins in the region where the prophet Micah once lived and ministered. Late afternoon we will arrive at the Elah Valley and relive the battle between David and Goliath. Traveling further north we will visit the city of Beth Shemesh in the Sorek Valley where Samson struggled with the Philistines. Late afternoon we will enter the magnificent city of Jerusalem where we will stay for the remainder of our tour.

Wednesday / September 24
Our day begins from a panoramic vista on the Mount of Olives where we are reminded of what the Messiah saw as He looked out over Jerusalem. We will walk down this historic hillside to visit Dominus Flevit, the traditional spot where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed the night he was betrayed. We will then journey to the Bethlehem overlook to reflect on the gift that was given to us on that blessed night. This afternoon we will visit the model of Herodian Jerusalem which provides an excellent picture of the city as it would have looked in the time of Christ. We will conclude this memorable day with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s unforgettable memorial to the six million Jews killed in the
Holocaust.

Thursday / September 25
Our morning begins by entering the Old City and view the Temple Mount, which includes the El Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the spot on which Israel’s Temple once stood. Our next stop is the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed the man at the pool. We will visit St. Anne’s Church before beginning our journey along the Via Dolorosa (the Way of the Cross) to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. En route we will visit Antonio’s Fortress, where the soldiers mocked Jesus and placed a crown of thorns upon His head. This afternoon we will visit the excavations of the Southern Steps of the temple, a place where you can actually say, “I walked today where Jesus walked.” We will conclude our afternoon with a visit to the original City of David to see the platform on which David’s palace was located, as well as Warren’s Shaft, the “waterspout” through which David’s forces climbed to capture the city, and tour the Pools of Siloam. We will also have the option of a “wet” walk through Hezekiah’s Tunnel.

Friday / September 26
Today we enter the Old City at Jaffa Gate. Our first stop is the magnificently restored ancient Citadel first constructed 2,000 years ago by Herod the Great. The Citadel is now known as the Tower of David Museum and traces Jerusalem’s long and eventful history. Zion Hill, the traditional site of the Upper Room where Jesus met with His disciples, is our next stop. We will wind through the narrow streets and the colorful bazaars of the Old City on our way to Hezekiah's city wall and the Cardo, touring the Herodian Mansion where Christ stood mute before the High Priest and was condemned. We will conclude our time in Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb (Gordon’s Calvary) for a special communion service to celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Our final evening will be spent together rejoicing and reminiscing over the extraordinary days spent in the land of our Lord.

Sorry for such a long post...but I wanted to give you guys an idea of what my dad and I will be doing. How amazing does that sound? I pray for an opportunity for you to go one day as well. I think it should be the goal of every Christian from any land to make it to the land chosen by God...because I believe it will give us a better understanding of how amazing it is to be personally chosen by God...through Jesus Christ.

"That's My King" by Dr. S.M. Lockeridge

2008-08-06T09:45:00.002-06:00

The late Dr. S.M. Lockeridge, a preacher from San Diego, California who said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976...

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King. Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King?

David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King.

He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centrepiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.

He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.Do you know Him?

Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . .but He's indescribable. He's indescribable. That's my King.

He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

forever

2008-07-24T22:43:00.003-06:00

i'm continuing to learn about the thankless calling that I have...
that we have...
and the fact that it is ok...

eternal satisfaction...
to know that we know God...
and that we strive to make Him known...

to the nations...

sometimes it doesn't feel enough...
to know Him...
yet...he doesn't get offended...

he just continues to shine...
to be glorified...
to make himself known...

and then I realize...
how satisfying it is to know Him...
in all His glory...

the fact that he has chosen me...
through the tree...
to be reconciled unto his name...
to be set free...

I owe my life...my all...to Him...
forever...
...and ever...

Yet, I struggle...
everyday...
dying to my own needs...my own desires...
and to totally live sacrificially...

but He is still always there...never offended...
but completely loving of me...and of you...
undeserving souls...who know God...

the true God...above all other God's...

How wonderful it is to know you, O' God...
I rejoice in the eternal satisfaction of who you are...
and who I am now...through Christ...

chosen...set apart...justified...made right...a new creation...
yet...it is still a thankless calling...
the world does not understand...
and cannot understand...

I long to know you, O' God, authenticly...genuinely...radically...
without reservation...
uncaring of what the world thinks...
all to bring glory to your name...

I long for the nations to know you as I do...
I cannot wait for that day...
For the meeting of nations...praising you...

Forever...

2008-07-12T13:32:00.002-06:00

I'm learning more and more every day of my life that obedience is something that takes so much out of me. I received an email recently from someone who called me a "God-chaser" and that it is a "lonely calling" and one that will take enduring obedience that will cover a lifetime. This is a pretty overwhelming thought for me because I really do not view myself as the type of person who can handle a lifetime of that kind of pressure. I pray every day that God continues to be the filler of my cup...because when I become the filler of my own cup...it becomes empty within seconds...literally.

I'm more confident than ever that God is leading me in a direction that will fully surpass my own imagination and thinking. But I agree that it will be a lonely calling. I am praying that God give me that endurance that surpasses my own mind and thinkings ability to comprehend what exactly God is doing in my life. I know better than anyone (besides my creator) how incredibly weak I am in so many areas. I'm prideful (but desire divine humility). weak in the flesh (and sufficiently powerful in the Spirit). Depressed (yet joyful in God's calling). Incapable (but completely capable). Doubtful (yet I have the truth implanted deep within my soul).

I'm not really scared of God anymore. I used to be. A lot. Like God was this judge like character ready to bring down the "guilty" verdict on me at any moments notice. I'm fearful, now, of God's wrath on those who don't know the truth of his Son. I'm fearful of not chasing after God...to know him more...to know him intimately...to know him through his Word...to know him through his people. Those things...Yes...I'm fearful of.

God...continue to give me the ability to be completely fearful of you...yet completely awed by the grace you have bestowed on my life. I pray this for those who read this as well. To live free...through grace...through shed blood...that leads to life...eternal life. How ever amazing eternal life with you sounds with every passing second of my life. I love this place...yet I hate it. Continue to give me the ability and capacity to love people...and love your people unconditionally...without expecting anything in return...because you knew that when you allowed sinful men to kill your only Son on the cross...you would get NOTHING in return...except ALL GLORY. amen...

Our Promise - Following the Leader

2008-07-08T12:53:00.002-06:00

We are all sinners.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
But, perhaps, we have a chance of redemption;
A chance to be washed clean through Christ's blood and resurrection.
Behold, in Christ we are a new creation!
We have been cleared of our iniquities.
We have been given a second chance,
Another try...
To get it right.
A new life.

Now that our ways are new, we must repent
and change our ways.
As new creatures, we are called
To follow God, the Leader,
Savior of all.

Alone it cannot be done;
The road is long and hard.
Our vain attempts have left us scarred.
But together,
Together in the LORD we are one,
Following the Son;
We can overcome
This world and its hostility.
Through Christ,
We have the ability.

By submitting to God
We are being made strong,
For we are in this world,
But it does not own us.
Let us conform no longer to the patterns of this world,
But let us be transformed by renewing our minds
To conform and commit to Christ,
Who is our Savior...
Our deliverer...
Our sustainer...
Our Leader

And Let Him who is without fault lead those whom He has made faultless.
We believe in this:
That we will shed our old selves and become new
In the pursuit of Christ,
And for the sake of His name we will perform many things
And acts of service in His name and by His orders.

We will overcome this world
And Christ will lead us on
To our deliverance.

Surely.

Surely we believe this.
This is our promise.
Surely, since He has freed us,
This is what we owe,
And the world will know
That this is our promise.

--- By Ellena

Christmas In China

2008-06-23T21:55:00.004-06:00

Anyone want to join me? I've felt led to spend my Christmas 2008 season and experience in Shanghai, China. I'm 26 years old...and have been blessed incredibly over these years with amazing Christmas' with my awesome family...friends...giving gifts...receiving gifts...sleeping in...going deer hunting...whatever...but God has lead me to do something a little different this year. I'm really looking forward to giving the most amazing gift to the people of Shanghai this Christmas...the Gospel. I'm trying to put together a team of people to go...and if you're interested...let me know. Yeaaaa...I know...we've been brought up to believe that Christmas is only a time for family and friends to be together...and I think that's a great thing...but I've been really challenged lately by wondering if I've ever truly celebrated Christmas the way God desires for me to...celebrating the birth of Christ by sharing the truth of Christ to those who don't know Him!

Below are some pictures from my recent trip to Yuxi, Shanghai, the Great Wall, and Beijing...enjoy!

testing your faith...

2008-06-21T19:34:00.002-06:00

2Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

5If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

9Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

This is a passage that I have been trying to wrestle with the past couple of weeks...and I'm quite honestly struggling with. I have been at a point in my life for awhile that finds me feeling completely alone...with apparently absolutely no one I can truly lean on...be honest with...or trust. It has definately been a trial...a huge trial...one I have yet to get over...and I finally realized the other day that I have not yet become steadfast in my faith...and thus...I'm not perfect and complete in this trial. I'm praying that with this revelation comes steadfastness...and completeness...and peace...I need it so badly...

I'm striving to become the man of James 1:12 which says, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." It is tough...and I'm not there yet...not even close...what about you? are you there? If you have found the answer...please...elaborate...call me...email me...encourage me...

The very next issue that James addresses (don't you love how James goes from subject to subject without a smooth transition...yet doesn't lose you?) is double mindedness. This is something else that I have struggled with my entire "adult" life...the older that I have gotten...the more double minded I have gotten. I am the best at teaching...discipling...advising...whatever...someone to do the right thing...to do something a certain way...yet I'm incapable of convincing myself of the very same truth...it's weird...I'm sure other people struggle with this too...but I'm driving myself crazy!! thanks for listening...

In other news...I received my second concussion of my life today at the ocean. The Greysell's (amazing people) have some jetskis that we took out to the ocean...well when we were putting them up for the day...I stepped on an algae infested rock...slipped...nailed my head on a rock...cut my left hand all up on some barnacles...all for the glory of God!! I'm ok...don't worry...it actually probably helped me!! The cool thing was that while we were riding the jetskis...some dolphins actually started traveling with us...a bunch of dolphins! It was sweet...

Lake Jackson has been cool so far. Just hanging out with students...the Greysell's...I saw Kung Fu Panda...which was awesome! Go see it. Big Stuf Camp at Panama City Beach was really cool. We'll be heading to Student Life in Ruston, LA in a couple weeks. I've had a chance to hang out with some youth home students this summer...some guys named Jesse, Michael, Roman, Chantelle, and Alexis...they all come from some rough backgrounds...but all of them are just awesome...several of them came to Big Stuf with us and it was cool to see them respond to the week by possibly sponsoring a Compassion Child...how cool is that?

Anyway...i'm out...I do ask that you continue to pray for me...as I do for you...I love you guys.

LSU back to Omaha!

2008-06-13T20:40:00.002-06:00

I think this is the first time I've posted anything sports related on my blog...but...here it goes...most of you know that I love LSU baseball...when I was in junior high and high school...LSU baseball was KING of the diamond...5 championships in a decade...13 trips to Omaha since 1986. Well...after a two year hiatus from post-season play and four years since our last trip to Omaha...we're going back!

LSU has won 25 of their last 26 games (including a SEC record 23 games in a row)...and I came across some stats during the streak that are just amazing.

The streak started when Ryan Schimpf stepped into the batter’s box to lead off a road game at Turchin Stadium. His routine fly ball to left field gave no indication “the streak” that would follow. Ryan Verdugo took the mound that night as the Tigers doubled up the Green Wave 8-4. June 9, going into the College World Series, the Tigers have won 25 of their last 26 games, inclulding a school record 23 straight.

During the streak SO FAR…

* The Tigers fell behind the opponents in 19 of the 26 games.
- They trailed in the first inning of 11 games.
- They trailed in the second inning in 12 games.
- They trailed in the third inning in 11 games.
- They trailed in the fourth inning in 10 games.
- They trailed in the fifth inning in 10 games.
- They trailed in the sixth inning in 9 games.
- They trailed in the seventh inning in 8 games.
- They trailed in the eighth inning in 5 games.
- They trailed in the ninth inning in 4 games (including the one loss).

* Four games went into extra innings. Two games went 10 innings, one went 11, and the game against UNO on May 13 went 15 innings.

* The Tigers have won in their final at bat in 6 of the 26 games.

* The Tigers have scored 254 runs in those 26 games, while their opponents have scored 126.

* The Tigers have 327 base hits in the 26 games while giving up 246.

* TheTigers have left 189 men on base. Their opponents have left 200.

* LSU has committed just 23 errors while their opponents have committed 48. During the streak thus far, LSU has 11 error-free games, and has committed 3 errors only twice, on May 10 against Mississippi State when they won by 9 runs, and on May 17 against Auburn when they won by 8 runs.

* The Tigers have hit 73 doubles, 9 triples and 50 home runs during the streak, for a total of 132 extra base hits, or 5.07 extra base hits per game.

* LSU pitchers have struck out 216 while opposing pitchers have struck out 188 Tiger batters.

* Twelve different Tiger pitchers have made appearances during the streak. In order of the number of innings pitched, with appearances in parentheses, they are…

Ryan Verdugo 45.2 (8)
Blake Martin 38.2 (7)
Jared Bradford 33.0 (11)
Daniel Bradshaw 25.1 (8)
Louis Coleman 26.1 (11)
Jordan Brown 21.1 (6)
Austin Ross 17.0 (8)
Paul Bertuccini 11.1 (8)
Anthony Renaudo 10.0 (6)
Nolan Cain 7.2 (5)
Ryan Byrd 6.1 (2)
Shane Ardoin 1.1 (3)

Of the 26 games, 14 were played at Alex Box Stadium and 12 were played on the road, though LSU was the home team in two games at the SEC tournament.

16 of the 20 wins have come against SEC opponents. The Tigers have defeated seven different SEC teams during the streak, including South Carolina 4 times, Kentucky 3, Mississippi State 3, Auburn 3; and Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Alabama once apiece.

BIG INNINGS:
The Tigers have score 4 or more runs in an inning 21 times during the streak

April 25 - 5 runs in the second inning against South Carolina
April 26 - 4 runs in the seventh inning against South Carolina
April 29 - 5 runs in the fifth inning against USL-LA-LA
May 4 - 4 runs in the fifth inning against Kentucky
May 9 - 7 runs in the second inning against Miss State
May 10 – 5 runs in the fourth inning against Miss State
May 16 – 4 runs in the fourth inning against Auburn
May 16 – 4 runs in the seventh inning against Auburn
May 17 – 5 runs in the seventh inning against Auburn
May 21 – 4 runs in the ninth inning against South Carolina
May 22 – 4 runs in the fifth inning against Vanderbilt
May 24 – 6 runs in the eighth inning against Alabama
May 25 – 5 runs in the fifth inning against the runts
May 30 – 4 runs in the first inning against TSU
May 30 – 4 runs in the sixth inning against TSU
May 31 – 4 runs in the fourth inning against USM
May 31 – 4 runs in the eighth inning against USM
June 1 – 6 runs in the sixth inning against USM
June 8 – 5 runs in the ninth inning against the Eaters
June 9 – 6 runs in the first inning against the Eaters
June 9 – 7 runs in the fifth inning against the Eaters

update...

2008-06-10T13:22:00.004-06:00

hey guys...sorry for the lengthy delay in updating what's going on with me...that's really not the purpose of my blog...but from time to time I will use it that way...just because I can...

China was incredible. I have so much to say about my experience there. But for now...I'm keeping it in. All I can tell you is that the harvest for that place is NOW...not later...trust me on this. For those of you who have been to China before...you know exactly what I'm talking about. I got to spend two weeks in a country of 1.3 billion people who are devastated right now because of the effects of the earthquake in Sichuan Province. We got to see the Olympic Torch come through Shanghai. We got to experience the incredible humbleness and receptiveness of the Chinese people to Americans. We got to scale the Great Wall of China. We got to see Olympic Village where it will all be going down on August 13th, 2008. We were there for the first "moment of silence" in the modern history of China. We were there to see the hope in their eyes. It was amazing. We saw people born-again. We saw people ask questions like, "He rose from the dead?" "How did he do that?" "Can you tell me more?" and of course...our answer was "YES! You can."

I miss that...already...I really hope to get to go back during Christmas...

I am serving at Brazos Pointe Fellowship in Lake Jackson, Texas this summer. It has been cool so far...and a refreshing new start at another fellowship of believers. I'll miss Istrouma...but it was definately time for me to move on...no doubt about that. I love the people of that church though, man. I just can't wait to see what God is going to do in that fellowship once a few people truly get what's important...and what's eternal...and what truly matters. Religion sucks. Religion kills. Religion has gotten us where we are today. Christ saves. Christ redeems. Christ is forever.

We are leaving for Big Stuf camp in Panama City Beach, FL in a few hours. It's a rough life. My brother, Jeremy, thinks I'm on a permanent vacation....and I tend to agree with him. I love the opportunities God has given me and will continue to give me. I get down on myself all the time because of where I am in life sometimes...but then I remember how blessed I really am. God is good to me...and always has been. His grace has fallen like rain on me...

much love...i'll post again soon...

2008-06-06T14:48:00.001-06:00

"the pain of our shattered plans is for the purpose of scattered grace."

pray...

2008-05-16T11:37:00.002-06:00

moving on...

2008-04-29T07:54:00.002-06:00

there are times in life when it is just time to move on. we have all experienced it i am sure. i have experienced this several times already in life. if you haven't yet...get ready...because it's coming. this coming sunday will be my last at istrouma baptist church. a place where i have given five years of my life. two years as a student. almost three years on staff. that is a long time to dedicate to one place...especially in the stage of life that i am in. i have enjoyed it. at times...i've hated it. but overall...God has truly shown himself to me through the things i have experienced, the people i have met, the conversations i have had, and the tough times that have shaped me. i'll surely miss istrouma. i'll miss the people that i love there. however at the same time...i'm excited about the future...i'm excited about moving on.

I'll continue on posting here every now and then...I'll be a little more personal with my posts when it comes to the details of life. i use this place more now to use it as an emptying tank for me to pour myself into. be praying for our team of people leaving for China in a couple of weeks. I'll be serving at Brazos Point Fellowship this summer...and moving down to "nawlins" in the fall for a year to finish my M-Div degree at NOBTS. If you're in New Orleans...look me up...

an apostolic passion

2008-04-22T07:19:00.004-06:00

I feel led by the Lord to share something that I have read. Not because it is something that I completely have control over in my own life. But the Christian described is a dangerous one. I came across an article written by a guy named Floyd McClung called "Apostolic Passion." Of course, it intrigued me. After reading this...I realized that I have never acquired an apostolic passion for Christ...for ministry...for people. McClung defines apostolic passion as a deliberate, intentional choice to live for the worship of Jesus in the nations. It has to do with being committed to the point of death to spreading His glory. It's the quality of those who are on fire for Jesus, who dream of the whole earth being covered with the Glory of the Lord.

...imagine a world with Christians that dream like that...

I do dream that way. I do use speech that would suggest that seeing the nations reached for Christ is a dream. However, I lose my apostolic passion for this dream so easily. I lose it through my own selfish desires. Desires such as MY future glory...instead of His. McClung says "I know when apostolic passion has died in my heart. It happens when I don't spend my quiet time dream of the time when Jesus will be worshiped in languages that aren't yet heard in heaven. I know it's missing from my life when I sing about heaven, but live as if earth is my home. Apostolic passion is dead in my heart when I dream more about sports, toys, places to go and people to see, than I do about the nations worshiping Jesus Christ.

...does this resonate with you, Christian?...

McClung goes on to say "I have lost it too, when I make decisions based on the danger involved, not the glory God will get. Those who have apostolic passion are planning to go, but willing to stay. You know you have it when you are deeply disappointed that God has not called you to leave your home and get out among those who have never heard His name. If you will not suffer and sacrifice for something, you are not passionate about it."

...that is the bottom line...

We can reflect on Romans 15 where Paul describes that it is his total passion in life to make Christ known to everyone. Paul collided with Jesus Christ...and his life passion was completed turned upside down. His life's passion was persecuting and killing Christians to being persecuted and ultimately losing his life for Christ.

...Paul had apostolic passion...

McClung says that "too many people want the fruit of Paul's ministry without paying the price that Paul paid. He died. He died to everything. He died daily. He was crucified with Christ." Literally. Well...he might as well have been. "This strong-willed, opinionated man knew that he must die to self. He know that in flesh, he couldn't generate the revelation of Jesus; he couldn't sustain the heart of Christ. So he died. He abandoned his life. He abandoned himself."

...does this challenge you?...

Get on board. This apostolic challenge is over my life now. Let it be yours. I pray that it doesn't flee from me. Father, strengthen me through your Word and Spirit to be filled with the Spirit to display an apostolic passion that changes others...

...for eternity...

change

2008-04-15T13:57:00.004-06:00

it's inevitable. it happens. daily. to everyone. at some point. someone is born. someone dies. someone loses. someone wins. people let you down. people lift you up. a new job is birthed. a long time job is taken away. passions come. passions go. love comes. love flees. do I understand it at all? I will never. but accept it. I do. why can't we have it the way we want it? God is bigger than your dreams. Than my dreams. his vision is an everlasting one. yours...mine...limited. hang on to that. let that be your driving force. the everlasting vision of el shaddai. change is not the end. it is only the beginning. it starts. inside. in the depths of your soul. that only He can see.

Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum

2008-04-05T09:08:00.003-06:00

I had the opportunity last night to hear an outstanding dialog between two very, very smart guys...Daniel Wallace, professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, and Bart Ehrman, the chair of the department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (which I am very jealous of...since I would have loved to go to college at UNC) and author of the book Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. I actually had the opportunity to meet them both and get them to sign their books that I had purchased. You can check out the Greer-Heard website to see more for yourself.

This topic was very interesting to me: The Textual Reliability of the New Testament. All I could think about last night is the fact that about 99% of Christians out there have no clue how the Bible came to be the way it is in its English form today. I actually have been doing a lot of studying and reading on the subject lately and my findings have been quite remarkable. I actually had a great opportunity to sit in a class this week called "The History of the Bible" under the leadership of Dr. Bill Warren of NOBTS. It was a phenominal experience because I got the opportunity to be exposed to some things about Scripture, ancient manuscripts of the Greek and Hebrew, a few lectures by Dr. Martin Heide (a German believer who studies ancient languages extensively), and how many of the manuscripts we have today.

It is interesting to note that Bart Ehrman admittedly had a "born-again" experience as a teenager. He grew up in a home where they went to church but were not particularly religious...but had that experience of God and decided to do what else...go to a Christian college! Of course...that's what we should all do...forget those pagan schools (I hope you are picking up on the sarcasm). After attending both the Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton College...Ehrman went to Princeton Seminary where apparently one comment by one professor in the Gospel of Mark class changed his life forever...against the validity of Scripture. You'll need to read Misquoting Jesus...it's worth the read.

The whole problem that Bart Ehrman has with the Scriptures is the fact that we do not have the original copies that were made by the disciples, apostles, and prophets. And because we do not have the copies...the originals...how do we know that they were not altered...manipulated...for the purposes of Christians? They called these changes "variants." Dr. Wallace pointed out that 99% of these variants have zero effect on the Scriptures because most are spelling errors...misplaced words...etc. Seemingly though, Ehrman has an issue with that 1%. I can see his point, honestly.

I believe that the essential parts of the Christian faith were not lost in translation. I'm confident that the scribes understood the message while copying the copies of the copies of the copies. Were there errors?? Of course there were. We have evidence that they made errors. Ehrman believers that there were some errors that we purposely admitted or edited. Passages such as John 7:53-8:11 (The woman caught in adultery), the last twelve verses of Mark, and "The Angry Jesus" (Mark 1:41). This may come as a shock to some of you...but the woman caught in adultery story was not in the latest manuscripts that we have of the Gospel of John. Ehrman believes that the last 12 verses of Mark were added later because it tells of a resurrected Jesus instead of ending with the two women at the tomb. Lastly, the latest manuscripts show Jesus angry at the leper in Mark 1:41...not compassionate. Interesting stuff huh?

I wanted to share some of the comments the Ehrman had last night:

There are places in the Bible where we don’t know what exactly what the author wrote in the original. This is not a big problem for a lot of Christians because they don’t have a high view of Scripture.
We have 5500 ancient manuscripts of the New Testament today. A lot of them a mere fragments but are counted as a manuscript.
The oldest manuscript we have is a manuscript called p52 or the 52nd papyrus (the material that old scrolls were made out of) manuscript. This manuscript is dated back to 125-130 AD. About 30 years after the Gospel of John was written.
How do we interpret the New Testament? It’s hard to know what the words mean when we don’t know what the words were.
What happens when books are copied by hand? People make mistakes.
He ended his session by saying that there is no way we can know the New Testament is accurate.

Daniel Wallace, I thought, did an excellent job of countering Dr. Ehrman's points about the reliability of the New Testament. He started off, interestingly, by giving the facts that he agrees with Dr. Ehrman on. Such facts like...the number of variants (around 400,000), the significance of most of the variants is limited, the controversial passages Ehrman mentioned, and the fact that orthodox scribes changed the text in some places.

Dr. Wallace was quite funny...poking fun at Dr. Ehrman on several occasions for his "partial theism" view of God. Dr. Wallace pointed out again that we have 5,500 Greek manuscripts, over 10,000 Latin manuscripts, 5,000 more ancient manuscripts of other varieties, and over one million quotations of Scripture from the early church fathers. Dr. Wallace countered flawlessly and even brought up the faith aspect of the Scriptures. The essentials of the faith were known by the scribes...by the ones who did the copying...and didn't screw that up...the essentials of the faith have never been lost in translation...that is knowing Jesus Christ as the substitute for you...who became a curse for me...so you and I can be reconciled before a Holy, mighty, and eternal God.

Understanding the Emerging Church by Ed Stetzer

2008-04-04T14:20:00.008-06:00

I am sitting in a lecture by Dr. Ed Stetzer, head researcher at Lifeway, about the Emerging Church and the Emergent Church: Are Southern Baptists Ready to Join the Conversation? It has been an incredible discussion on what is going on amongst us...amongst those who are angry with the institutionalized church...amongst those who are truly only concerned with seeing a community transformed to the image of Christ...and how we can help each other. You can check out Dr. Stetzer's blog over to the right of this page. Check out this article that he wrote in January 2006...join the conversation...

...oh and by the way...thanks for calling me out in the middle of the lecture Dr. Stetzer...that was priceless...

It’s been interesting to watch the emerging church conversation over the last few months. Important issues are being discussed. Unfortunately, like many conversations, good things are lumped together with bad and important conversations are lost in more heat than light.

My own observation as one who speaks at some events classified as “emerging” is that there are three broad categories of what is often called “the emerging church.” Oddly enough, I think I can fairly say that most in the emerging conversation would agree with my assessments about the “types” of emerging leaders and churches -- and just differ with my conclusions.

In this too brief article, perhaps I can make a few suggestions on how conservative evangelicals should view these types of emerging churches. I believe that some are taking the same Gospel in the historic form of church but seeking to make it understandable to emerging culture; some are taking the same Gospel but questioning and reconstructing much of the form of church; some are questioning and revising the Gospel and the church.

Relevants.

Yes, I made up the word. Sorry about the grammar. However, it expresses an important idea. There are a good number of young (and not so young) leaders who some classify as “emerging” that really are just trying to make their worship, music and outreach more contextual to emerging culture.

Ironically, while some may consider them liberal, they are often deeply committed to biblical preaching, male pastoral leadership and other values common in conservative evangelical churches.

They are simply trying to explain the message of Christ in a way their generation can understand. The contemporary churches of the 1980s and 90s did the same thing (and some are still upset at them for doing so). However, if we find biblical preaching and God-centered worship in a more culturally relevant setting, I rejoice just as I would for international missionaries using tribal cultural forms in Africa.

The churches of the “relevants” are not filled with the angry white children of evangelical megachurches. They are, instead, intentionally reaching into their communities (which are different than where most Southern Baptists live) and proclaiming a faithful biblically-centered Gospel there. I know some of their churches -- they are doctrinally sound, growing and impacting lostness.

Reconstructionists.

The reconstructionists think that the current form of church is frequently irrelevant and the structure is unhelpful. Yet, they typically hold to a more orthodox view of the Gospel and Scripture. Therefore, we see an increase in models of church that reject certain organizational models, embracing what are often called “incarnational” or “house” models. They are responding to the fact that after decades of trying fresh ideas in innovative churches, North America is less churched, and those that are churched are less committed.

Yet, God’s plan is deeply connected with the church (see Ephesians 3:10). God’s Word prescribes much about what a church is. So, if emerging leaders want to think in new ways about the forms (the construct) of church, that’s fine -- but any form needs to be reset as a biblical form, not just a rejection of the old form. Don’t want a building, a budget and a program? OK. Don’t want the Bible, scriptural leadership, covenant community? Not OK. (For an excellent summary, see NAMB’s document by Stan Norman called “Ecclesiological Guidelines to Inform Southern Baptist Church Planters.”) Also, we must not forget, if reconstructionists simply rearrange dissatisfied Christians and do not impact lostness, it is hardly a better situation than the current one.

Revisionists.

Much of the concern has been addressed at those I call revisionists. Right now, many of those who are revisionists are being read by younger leaders and perceived as evangelicals. They are not -- at least according to our evangelical understanding of Scripture. We significantly differ from them regarding what the Bible is, what it teaches and how we should live it in our churches. I don’t hate them, question their motives and I won’t try to mischaracterize their beliefs. But, I won’t agree with them.

Revisionists are questioning (and in some cases denying) issues like the nature of the substitutionary atonement, the reality of hell, the complementarian nature of gender, and the nature of the Gospel itself. This is not new -- some mainline theologians quietly abandoned these doctrines a generation ago. The revisionist emerging church leaders should be treated, appreciated and read as we read mainline theologians -- they often have good descriptions, but their prescriptions fail to take into account the full teaching of the Word of God.

Does that mean we cannot learn from them? Certainly not. I read mainline theologians like Marcus Borg and George Lindbeck like others in the past read Karl Barth -- good thinkers, but deeply wrong on issues I hold as important. I read many emerging church writers the same way. They ask good questions, but I am driven to Scripture for the answers.

So, where do we go from here?

Much of SBC life is absent from the emerging church conversation. Let’s jump in -- John Hammett at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary has done a great job not just in his paper, but in entering the theological conversation that has flowed from it. His paper can be read here.

To be in this conversation, we need to think biblically and critically. We should journey and partner with the “relevants,” seeking to make the Gospel understandable in emerging culture. We can and should enter into dialogue with reconstructionists -- learning, discussing and applying together what Scripture teaches about church.

But, we can and must speak prophetically to revisionists that, yes, we know the current system is not impacting the culture as it should -- but the change we need is more Bible, more maturity, more discernment and more missional engagement, not an abandonment of the teachings of scripture about church, theology and practice. Every group that left these basics has ended up walking away from the faith and then, in a great twist of irony, is soon seen as irrelevant to the world they tried to reach.

This is an important moment in the emerging church. Many “emerging” evangelicals are distancing themselves from the revisionist leaders. Papers have been presented, publishing relationships have been altered, and many in the blogosphere are questioning the ecumenical nature of new partnerships. That’s good. Let’s affirm the good, look to the Scriptures for answers to the hard questions, and, yes, let’s graciously disagree when others hold views contrary to our best scriptural understanding of God, Bible and church.

2008-03-23T14:20:00.002-06:00

resurrection...new life...

2008-03-22T19:41:00.005-06:00

I absolutely love this time of year. There have been a string of absolutely gorgeous days here in Baton Rouge and it has been incredible to be outside during that time. March Madness is here as well. My bracket is doing decently right now...but not great. I still have all of my Final Four teams in it...and 7 of 8 Elite Eight teams. Resurrection Sunday is tomorrow...always an amazing time to reflect on the Lord Christ and his resurrection. Istrouma's Good Friday service was this week and it was an amazing time. We sang songs like "To God Be The Glory" and "The Wonderful Cross" and I was moved in a way that changed me again. It's good to be constantly changed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the teacher...the counselor...the changer...but we have to let Him. We can't expect change without devotion...without obedience...without brokenness...it cannot happen without those things happening to us.

I frequent a particular LSU message board a pretty good bit and I was reading a thread about what certain people were having for lunch tomorrow to "celebrate" Easter. I wondered to myself...why is Easter such a big deal to them? Do they even know what they are celebrating? I'm betting they have head knowledge of what they are celebrating...but the heart knowledge is non-existent. All over the United States tomorrow, churches will fill with people who have so much head knowledge...and yet have no idea what it means to follow Christ. They'll sit comfortably in their seats tomorrow...sitting and standing when told...yawning...thinking about lunch and march madness instead of letting the Word of God penetrate their prideful hearts...and they'll leave comfortably...feeling good about going to church and giving God the privilege of their time. Certainly God is satisfied with such attitudes. Amazingly...God cannot and will not be discouraged...he'll press on...using those who will be used to show his glory to all nations day after day...Praise be to our God...

In other news...A Prominent Muslim Becomes Catholic On Easter...well...that is great and all...but I wonder if he was born again...

Happy Easter everybody...

On The List...

2008-03-19T20:47:00.018-06:00

I found this quote from the journal of former missionary to China, Hudson Taylor and when he realized his call to be sent as a pioneer of the gospel to China. I just found this excerpt from his journal to be an amazing revelation. When I read it...I truly related to his "spiritual agony" he was experiencing. Through this experience, his whole life changed.

"On Sunday, June 25, 1865, unable to bear the sight of a congregation of a thousand or more Christian people rejoicing in their own security, while millions were perishing for lack of knowledge, I wandered out on the sands alone, in great spiritual agony; and there the Lord conquered my unbelief, and I surrendered myself to God for this service. I told Him that all the responsibilities as to issues and consequences must rest with Him; that as His servant, it was mine to obey and to follow Him — His to direct, to care for, and to guide me and those who might labor with me. Need I say that peace at once flowed into my burdened heart?" J. Hudson Taylor called, Heaven answered; and men and women were in waiting for the hour. Soon there were a goodly number in training for China.

I have a good friend of mine that I get to converse with a pretty good bit. He has been writing some poetry and I had a chance to read some of them the other day. This is one of them and the one that I thought was right on. This is about the church being a movement more than an institution. This is what is needed in Christians today.

I hope you enjoy this poem written by my buddy, Luke Johnson...hope you enjoy.

On The List

In a world of cheap preaching,
The pulpit engrossed in sin.
The masses quickly perishing;
They have not been born again.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

The cry is the same from place to place
“God exists to bless me today,”
This utilitarian worship fronts our face
Only revival will change this way.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

Repentance and surrender from the pulpit have gone
Silenced is the Law of God
“Repeat after me” the preacher says before long
Revive us from these steps we trod.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

Our services traditional, emotional but still dead
The Living Christ nowhere to be found
Why have we severed from our Sacred Head?
Our religious members by sin still bound.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

The church is the devil's laughing stock today
Blind from the power she needs
Proclaiming cheap grace as the eternal way
The tare still contains no seed.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

The world drives past our buildings mocking
Seeing through dead sermon and song
The situation that is most shocking
We do not see the glory has gone.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

In times of past when Your people were in sin
Rebelling from Your Word and Face
You have always been faithful to raise up men
Desiring for revival to shake the place.
Lord, I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

Now Holy Spirit, please baptize this heart of mine
Pour down Your fire in my midst
Possess all my heart, empower and refine
I want to be on Hell's most wanted list.

how to pray today

2008-03-18T08:07:00.004-06:00

Missionaries attacked in North India

Christians Unite for the Persecuted

Burma Orphanage Torn Down

Pakistani Mob Attacks Christians

Evangelist Facing Execution in North Korea

Chinese House Church Activist Freed

In parts of Central Asia where the state religion is mandated, Christians are considered traitors to their country and their families. Family members are beaten, and then thrown out of their house and onto the streets.
In the Middle East and parts of Western Asia and Africa, laws prohibit Christians from evangelizing, and forbid citizens from choosing Christianity over the religion into which they were born. Christians caught sharing God's Word are chased out of town, beaten, or worse.
Whilst modern Western society is built on the foundations of Christendom, the non-Western world is predominantly Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Animist, Spiritist and Atheist/Communist.
In 1960, more than 70 percent of the Church worldwide was still Western (white and middle-class). But indigenous mission movements were beginning to emerge out of indigenous churches. Since the 1980s the non-Western Church has grown at such a rate that the Church worldwide is now more than 70 percent non-Western.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

2008-03-15T19:48:00.005-06:00

This is a passage that I've been wrestling with this week. Check it out. Digest it. Meditate on it. Figure out what implications it has on your life. My next post (hopefully Sunday or Monday) will deal a little more in depth with it.

19Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

was moses on psychedelic drugs???

2008-03-06T11:47:00.006-06:00

I have not gone anywhere...I'm here...I've just been completely swamped with assignments and ministry these last few days. This is gonna be a really short entry...I am needing to read my Life's Ultimate Questions by Ronald H. Nash (you should read this...by the way) for my Introduction to Philosophy of Religion class.

A buddy of mine sent me this article the other day and I was blown away by the ridiculousness of it. You can click the link for the actual article or you can read the article here below. I find it hard to believe that this educated "researcher" came to this conclusion based on purely an experience she had with psychedelic drugs in the Amazon. I am not really sure if I am irritated more than I am amused at the silliness of the "conclusions" that are drawn about Moses and the nation of Israel for that matter. Pretty much...any spiritual experience are the result of being high. I've never experienced a "high" like I have when I met God for the first time...and I couldn't tell you what a being high on drugs is like.

High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week.
Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.
"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.
Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the "burning bush," suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances.
"The Bible says people see sounds, and that is a clasic phenomenon," he said citing the example of religious ceremonies in the Amazon in which drugs are used that induce people to "see music."
He mentioned his own experience when he used ayahuasca, a powerful psychotropic plant, during a religious ceremony in Brazil's Amazon forest in 1991. "I experienced visions that had spiritual-religious connotations," Shanon said.
He said the psychedelic effects of ayahuasca were comparable to those produced by concoctions based on bark of the acacia tree, that is frequently mentioned in the Bible.

what has religion done to faith?

2008-02-25T18:17:00.005-06:00

I was sharing this week with some of the college students about the fact that Jesus came to earth to wipe out religion. Not to wipe out the law but to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17). He did however come to wipe out the religion in the religious. The tradition that nulls faithfulness. The "roboticness" of the law to be freed by grace. Jesus was not religious. That is whats amazing. Jesus was the last thing from religious. Jesus would never had considered himself a "religious" man but a faithful man to his Father who was led by the Spirit of God in all things. This is obvious by this passage in Luke.

1Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The religious were hacked about the fact that Jesus taught his followers to commune with "sinners." I find it interesting that the word sinners is in quotes in my NIV. Jesus was no affected by the fact that he was hated for "welcoming sinners and eating with them." That is opposite of religious. That is Spirit led faith. That's why "sinners" flocked to Jesus Christ. This is also why "sinners" are not flocking to buildings where "church" is held today. I heard a pastor say one time say this: "Modern day Christianity is the only thing holding back a true advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the United States." It offended my spirit the first time when I heard that. It may have offended you too when you read it...but read it again...slowly...and try to understand where he was coming from.

We are in need now more than ever of some (what I like to call) "Jailbreak Christians" who break outside of the walls of buildings that we call "church" and start communing with sinners...eating with them...teaching them about faith...and not about religion. I came across the article above on CNN tonight and again was really taken back by the loss of interest in "religion" in this country. The more I think about it though...maybe this is just what we need to happen to see a true movement of Jesus Christ in this country. The fact is, North America is the only continent on earth where the church is NOT growing. Think about that....chew on that...I hope that bothers you as much as it does me.

Jailbreak Christians are the ones who are held within spiritual prisons we call church. Jailbreak Christians feel suffocated being there. Jailbreak Christians are going to be the ones that break out of these spiritual prisons and the ones that start revival around the world. It is already happening.

passion living...what i'm learning about it...

2008-02-17T18:49:00.003-06:00

I can never understand why coffee shops choose the music that they do...I'm sitting here in a CC's in north baton rouge and it is driving me NUTS. I can barely concentrate it is so bad. No worries though...I just slung on my IPOD headphones and now I'm jamming to some Pearl Jam and Jeremy Camp (odd mix huh?) As you guys know...I like to share a lot about some things that I read...and things that I am learning at this particular time. I hope you enjoyed the "Ministry of Presence" entry below...it truly did a lot for me this week. It changed a lot in me. I hope to apply that to my daily life.

I am learning right now about certain things like the Kingdom of God...my place in that Kingdom...Cat and Dog Theology (call me and ask me about that...that's a lot to explain)...Paul's Apostolic band...apostolic passion...apostolic prayer...yada yada yada (I like to throw in a Seinfeld reference every now and then). Below is an excerpt by Floyd McClung called "Apostolic Passion" and how that applies to the life of the Christian. It is amazing...and convicting...and hopefully life changing stuff.

Apostolic Passion by Floyd McClung

What is apostolic passion? The term "passion" is used to describe everything from romance to hunger pangs. I don't know what it means to you, but for me passion means whatever a person is willing to suffer for. In fact, that's the root meaning of the word. It comes from the Latin paserre, to suffer. It is what you hunger for so intensely that you will sacrifice anything to have it. The word "apostle" means a sent one, a messenger. "Apostolic Passion," therefore is a deliberate, intentional choice to live for the worship of Jesus in the nations. It has to do with being committed to the point of death to spreading His glory. It's the quality of those who are on fire for Jesus, who dream of the whole earth being covered with the Glory of the Lord.

I know when apostolic passion has died in my heart. It happens when I don't spend my quiet time dreaming of the time when Jesus will be worshiped in languages that aren't yet heard in heaven. I know it's missing from my life when I sing about heaven, but live as if earth is my home. Apostolic passion is dead in my heart when I dream more about sports, toys, places to go and people to see, than I do about the nations worshiping Jesus.

Paul says in Romans 15 that it is his ambition - his passion, if you will - to make Christ known. It began for him with a revelation of Jesus that he nurtured all his adult life. Paul not only encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, he kept on meeting Jesus every day. This revelation of Jesus, and his study of God's purposes, gave birth to Paul's apostolic passion. Knowing Jesus and making him known consumed the rest of Paul's life. He "glorified in Christ Jesus in his service to God" (Romans 15:17). By comparison, everything else was dung, garbage, stinking refuse. Paul's ambition was born from his understanding that God longed for His Son to be glorified in the nations. it was focused so that the "Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16).

Human enthusiasm cannot sustain apostolic passion. When God invests His own passion in you - the desire to see His name glorified among all people - you must build and develop what God has given you. Four things will help: Apostolic Abandonment, Apostolic Focus, Apostolic Praying, and Apostolic Decision-Making. (Disclaimer: He explains all of these things in the article...but for sake of time I just listed them)

If you have apostolic passion, you are one of the most dangerous people on the planet. The world no longer rules your heart. You are no longer seduced by getting and gaining but devoted to spreading and proclaiming the glory of God in the nations. You live as a pilgrim, unattached to the cares of this world. You are not afraid of loss. You even dare to believe you may be given the privilege of dying to spread His fame on earth. The Father's passion have become your passions. You find your satisfaction and significance in Him. You believe He is with you always, to the end of life itself. You are sold out to God, and your live for the Lamb. Satan fears you, and the angels applaud you.

Your greatest dream is that His name will be praised in languages never before heard in heaven. Your reward is the look of pure delight you anticipate seeing in His eyes when you lay at His feet and the just reward of His suffering: the worship of the redeemed.

I don't know about you...but that pretty much sums up what I desire for my life to be like. I am nowhere near where I need to or want to be...but I am confident that God is shaping me and preparing me to be a man of God...filled with His spirit...with Apostolic Passion...and to become one of the most dangerous people on earth.

"wherever you are...be all there"

2008-02-15T10:17:00.004-06:00

That is a quote that Istrouma's new "Associate Pastor to Ministries," Mike Holmes, shared with our staff a couple of weeks ago in a staff meeting. It is something that has stayed with me over these past two weeks. One of the toughest things to do as a minister to college students at Istrouma these last two years has been to have this mentality. I am always thinking about what to do next...who I need to talk to...what I need to be sure has gotten done...where I need to be at a certain time...and by doing this, I forget about the person that is in front of me. Ministry makes robots. I don't want to be a robot. This passage from a book I've been reading pretty much wraps it up for me. Enjoy.

The Ministry of Presence by Henri Nouwen

More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people,
enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be know
as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privelage to have the time
to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple
as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or
to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up
by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from
walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize
people around an urgent cause, and not feel that you are working directly for
social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn't
be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their
stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs
that you do not simply like them, but you truly love them.

what exactly is joy?

2008-02-14T11:06:00.005-06:00

I was driving down to New Orleans this morning and I was listening to a sermon by Erwin McManus (who is one of my favorite pastors/speakers/writers) on the subject of joy....what it is...and what it isn't...how to obtain it if you don't have it...and how to keep it if you do have it. The word "joy" appears 242 times in the Bible. There seems to be some kind of theme there.

I'm a big fan of a certain LSU football message board that I read just to keep up with the average fan and I read one post yesterday that really set me up for this message I heard in my car this morning. The post simply read "What is the deal with these people who smile all the time? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? You're grocery shopping...it can't be that great!"

I'll be honest and say that I laughed when I first read it. I totally understood what he was talking about. And then I realized...I'm NOT one of those people. There are times I have this certain disease...but most of the time I don't. Why don't I go around infecting people with the joy of the Lord? There are a lot of reason that can all be captured in one word: self-worship. I am always concerned about what I have to do...what I need to do next...who I need to call...what I need to study...what I need to do to get ready for Sunday morning...I...I...I...I. That is self-righteous, self-worship if I ever heard of it. I don't live for that moment...thus I forget about the person in front of me. Instead of realizing a ministry opportunity in front of me...I miss it because I'm concerned about the "bad news" I just received. When we don't live in the moment...we miss so much. You know? I'm striving to start living in the moment and not living 30 minutes ahead of time...I'm betting God wants to show us so much more if we start living that way. That's the way Jesus lived. He never missed that moment. He was always ready. He was much more concerned about ministry to one over ministering to a hundred. You can see that just by reading about him in the gospels. Sure...there were times he ministered to more than one at a time...but not many...he was always in the moment...

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Nehemiah and there in Nehemiah he gives all believers a type of freedom we often forget we have. Nehemiah said in 8:10 to a group of people who had been grieving after here the book of the Law,

9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."

Nehemiah was encouraging the people of God to no longer grieve. Don't worry about what you've done. Don't grieve over that because the joy of the Lord is your answer...your strength...your way to overcome all that you've gone through. Nehemiah had a disease. He was living in that moment. Not racing ahead of God...but right along side of him.

I heard a story recently about a Japanese guy who heard the Gospel of Christ and so badly wanted to answer that calling of the Holy Spirit that he had. He knew that God was begging him to repent and be saved by the blood of Christ. The believer who had a chance to minister to him asked him, "Why is it that you won't submit your life to Jesus Christ." And his response was something that I have never heard before. The Japanese man said "Because of grief." The believer was confused and said "because of grief...what do you mean?" And the Japanese man responded..."If everything that I have read and heard about the riches and life transformation abilities of knowing Jesus as my Savior and Lord...I have wasted the first 45 years of my life...and I'm not sure if I could live with myself if I do this." I was stunned...I cowered into a little spiritual hole for awhile...guilt just covered me...

I'm not really sure what happened after that. I pray that the man got over this "grief" and was born again. This "grief" is something that we all deal with. I deal with it everyday. Just things from my past. Stupid things I've done. How I have wasted my time...wasted others time...how I could have handled a situation differently...and it just sucks the life out of me...it sucks the joy out of my life. I forget that the joy of the LORD is my strength. I handcuff the Holy Spirit by thinking this way about myself. God wants to do amazing things through me...and he will...and he has. I just cannot imagine the things he is going to do with and through me once I truly am able to experience the joy of the LORD consistently...without pause...without hesitation...because when I...when we...truly are able to consistently allow the the joy of the LORD to be our fuel for life...we'll never have to fill up again...because we will be full...daily...minute by minute...for eternity.

God has so richly blessed me. For no good reason...seriously...I can't figure out why. I am so thankful that God doesn't give up on us. If he did...he would have left me by the roadside a long time ago...and I wouldn't have been able to blame Him. I'm the last person that you'll see in a grocery store that will infect the people around me with the joy of the Lord. Yea...there are some good days when I'm "feeling good" that I'll have joy...but that joy that comes from the LORD is not something that defines my life. And I want it to. You know those days that no matter how blessed you are...no matter how many things in your life are going great...no matter how many people love you...no matter the circumstances...you are going to think the worst about yourself...your life...your situation...your circumstances...your job...your dog...your house...everything. The joy of the Lord is just not present. I have those days quite often. I'm still trying to figure out why. It's usually when I feel alone. That's when that feeling (or lack thereof) attacks...but it's more than a feeling...it's me allowing Satan to control my view of myself...God calls me a Saint...I have power over Satan...he only has power when I allow Him in my life...I know this...yet I still allow it.

To see the world transformed...Christians have to become like a disease. I'm convinced of this. We have to become infectious. Even to other Christians. The world isn't going to change. Neither are many Christians. The world is always going to be corrupt...fallen...sinful...depraved from the worship God calls out for. That's why we have to become like diseases...because when we are infected with disease...something has to change. Something new comes along. I'm trying to become a disease ridden Christian. I haven't made it where I want to be yet...but I'm trying. Become disease ridden with me. Become the type of Christian that changes the people around you...affect them...because of the way Christ has affected you.

Unity...Diversity...In the Community of the Trinity...

2008-02-12T18:41:00.000-06:00

I've been exposed to some pretty radical responses to questions by Dr. Jeremy Evans this semester in my Intro to Philosophy of Religion class. Ravi Zacharias is one of, if not the greatest, Christian thinkers and writers of our time. Check out this video when Ravi was at Penn State University answering a question about the Law of Non-Contradiction. He gives an incredible response to a question about the Triune God that we worship as believers and how this does not contradict the law of non-contradiction. Listen attentively...and enjoy...

jesus the revolutionary teacher

2008-02-10T19:10:00.000-06:00

I have been camped out in the Gospels lately. Literally camped out. I have not left the Gospels in a few weeks just because I am becoming enthralled more and more by the teachings of Jesus and how revolutionary he was in the way he taught others about his Father, the Kingdom of God, who can be saved, and how to become a disciple. The 12 disciples were probably not the sharpest knives in the drawer...they were just ordinary guys who Jesus called to be great. I find it amusing that even though Jesus was teaching them over and over that he was going to die soon...they still did not get it. He was telling them that he was going to die and be raised after three days...yet their next question was not why would this happen...but it was...can we sit by your side in glory? Check out these two separate passages in Mark 10.

The Rich Young Ruler

17As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother."
20"Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
21Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
22At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
24The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
26The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
27Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
28Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Check out the last verse in that passage. Revolutionary. Unheard of. This kind of teaching about the Kingdom of God was brand new. Check out the last verse of this passage in Mark 10. It pretty much wraps up the purpose of Jesus' life. Maybe even Jesus' life purpose statement (as if he needed one).

The Request From James and John

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."
36"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.
37They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
38"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
39"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Another revolutionary teaching of Jesus Christ. Our calling is to love others so much so that our lives are at ransom to see others know Christ in the way we do. Our lives in this place mean nothing compared to the riches and glory of Christ for eternity. That is our calling. Our life purpose statement (as if we need one). The odd thing about this particular passage to me is that directly before this teaching of Christ...Jesus (for the third time) predicted his death and resurrection. And this was the response of James and John...can we be on your right and your left in your glory?

The problem with the people who make of the church these days is that it is made up of James and Johns who are totally missing the point. They are caught up in their own "religiosity" and not caught up by the Spirit of God. That is why public worship is no longer significant to them...because their private worship is no longer significant to them. James and John finally started to understand what Christ was talking about when he finally did die...and finally did rise again...the teaching of "the last will be first and the first will be last" was understood. Because Christ lived it out. Living out the Gospels is the way to live. Lets start becoming a church that gets it. That Christ has called us to a life of serving others more than ourselves...and to love every minute of it.

deadly shooting in Baton Rouge

2008-02-08T20:46:00.000-06:00

I plead with you to be praying for the families that were affected today by the shootings at the Louisiana Technical College here in Baton Rouge, LA. It has been so strange today to be in the middle of a media freenzy amongst another school shooting. I had a chance to see a video of the mom of one of the young women that was shot today and it was so tough to watch. She was so crushed. So confused. I found one thing that she said to be pretty amazing. She told the family of the girl who did the shooting "I'm sorry for your loss too." It's easy to forget that that girl, even though how unstable she obviously was, lost her only life she'd ever have. I cannot imagine things getting bad enough where I would want to take my only life I would ever live. There is so much spiritual warfare going on all around...everyday. We need to be aware. I bet there was some chance for someone to encourage this girl who did the shooting today...but missed the chance. Things got so bad...it was just too much to take. Hard to imagine...but that is the way a lot of people feel every day.

the gospel of the kingdom of God

2008-02-04T22:40:00.000-06:00

Mardi Gras is here upon me again. Never really been a big fan of Mardi Gras...but it does give me an extra day off to get some studying done and some ministry stuff done. It is very odd that Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl fell on the same weekend this year. Never heard of that before. I guess that means Easter is going to be earlier this year then? I just imagine a couple of old guys...smoking pipes...talking about the stock market while they determine the dates for such things every year...just trying to throw everyone off (ok ok...I know...it has to do with the equinox...but it sounds good). I was studying for my missions class and my Greek class tonight. Check out my Greek alphabet skills. Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Episilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa, Lamda, Mu, Nu, Xi, Omicron, Pi, Rho, Sigma, Tau, Upsilon, Psi, Chi, Phi, Omega. Impressed? You should be.

I was studying this passage tonight at a coffee shop here in Baton Rouge and really enjoyed reading about Jesus truly being the "chosen" one. This passage, Matthew 12:15-21 quotes Isaiah 42:1-4...read it slowly and really capture the imagery that Isaiah used in describing the 1st coming of Jesus Christ.

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

"Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory.
In his name the nations will put their hope."

Notice the first three words: "Aware of this." I know I catch myself a lot of times reading a passage without knowing what came in the previous passage. In this case, it is critical to know what verse 14 says.

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

Jesus was incredibly smart. Incredibly aware of his surroundings. Aware that people hated him. Also aware that many people loved Him...and believed Him. Alert to the fact that he was going to die an excruciating death. Yet...he continued to preach the coming of a kingdom unlike any kingdom that has ever dawned the face of the earth. A kingdom that had nothing to do with owning a particular piece of land...or being from a heralded family lineage...or having a lot of money. This was a kingdom that would destroy another kingdom for all of eternity. Jesus lauded the Kingdom of God to destroy the Kingdom of Satan. This was a kingdom being preached that not even John the Baptist understood at first when he asked Jesus through the disciples; "Are you the one who has come or should we expect someone else?" (Matthew 11:3). Yea...I'd call that a kingdom that would be revolutionary amongst the nations for all time. The cool thing is that God is allowing me...us...to be apart of it. The kingdom of God advances with every step you make...with every word you speak...with every relationship birthed. The kingdom of God is advancing even now (as I sit here watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off...great movie). We serve an amazing God...amen?

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

pretty fly...for a Rabbi

2008-02-01T22:31:00.000-06:00

I called my former pastor, Stuart Rothberg, Rabbi from time to time just to mess with him. He is a former Jew in practice and was born again in while in the Army. I'll be honest...I enjoyed calling him Rabbi just because it sounded so respectful. I respected the way he treated the Word of God and the way he communicated God's word to the people @ Istrouma. Just saying the word Rabbi seems to have the aura about it...I guess mainly because of the significance of Rabbi's in the Old Testament. Oddly, I came across this passage (Matthew 23:5-8) and found it ironic what was taking place.

"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.' "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.

These "phylacteries"...That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead and arm...were made "wide" and the tassels "long" to bring attention to themselves. Even the Rabbi's weren't immune to the disease of pride..."me-ness"...their "importance" before men...and they loved for men to called them "Rabbi." Interesting. Even a Rabbi is subject to display humility...I'm sure they were the best at teaching it...yet when it came to practicing it...they were out of their league.

I'll be honest...I'm not sure if I could walk around with a box of Scriptures on my head and a big tassel swinging around. I know myself reletively well and I think I'd have to ditch those things if I was a Rabbi. I guess that's why I'm not a Rabbi? These "phylacteries" provide incredible imagery though don't you think? Keep the Word of God close to you at all times. Keep the Word of God close to your heart and your lips at all times. The imagery provides a great lesson in realizing how readily available His Word is to us...yet it is so easy to turn on ESPN and check out the latest "Top 10" Plays of the Day instead of meditating on his Word. Keep the Word of God close to your heart...your mind...your soul...that is what these Rabbi's were trying to display.

One of the toughest things that I deal with on a daily basis is the fact that so many things are available to me. Stay with me here. I seem to struggle with things just being easily accessible to me. Like TV. It's there...so I watch it. If it wasn't there...I probably wouldn't...and would be just fine without it. Like food. If it's there...I'm gonna eat it till it's gone. But if it isn't there. I'm good. I can't figure out why the same principal doesn't apply when it comes to reading the Word. It's in front of me daily...yet a struggle to pick up at times. We must quit letting the evil one convince us that God's Word isn't worth investing in. It is...completely worth our time. God...the Living God...is there...just waiting. I feel like garbage at times. Then God says..."no. Don't. I love you, Justin. Let's hang." That frustrates me so much sometimes...but I love it all the same. God is so unique...mysterious...all knowing...all loving...all encompassing...forever.

I went to Beth Shalom ("House of Peace") Synagogue tonight with two of my buddies, Joel Odor and Chris Verrett. We walked into the service around 7:30 and the first thing the Rabbi told me was this: "Could you please take that coffee back outside?" I nervously answered, "Yes, sir." We already felt a little uneasy about busting up in there service...and that only added to it. Those people were looking at us like we were Bin Laden walking up in back country Southern Baptist church and taking a seat. They all knew we weren't there for the same reason they were. It got a little easier as the Rabbi continued on with the service. Their version of "hymnals" was pretty interesting. The Hebrew Bible reads right to left...so that is the way their "hymnal" read as well. It was in Hebrew and English (for us Gentiles). The Rabbi made reference to a phrase "Kicking Yak" several times. I'm still trying to figure that one out.

The message he brought was also pretty interesting. Exodus 23:19 says "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk." The Rabbi started giving an explanation of the particular verse and what is "kosher" and what wasn't "kosher" according to this verse. He explained that he interpretation of this verse had to do more with "shunning idolatry" than it did with something dietary. He actually said something that really shocked me when he said it. When referring to not eating a certain type of meat for a long time, he said "It really isn't even that tough of a sacrifice for me anymore." I was really shocked that he said that so freely to the crowd of about 35. I looked at Joel and said "Did he really just say that?" Laughing to myself the entire time. He looked like the type of Rabbi you might want to hang out with and here some things he would have to say. Who knows...maybe we'll go back...

As these shabbat candles give light to all who behold them
So may we by our lives, give light to all who behold us.

As their brightness reminds us of the generations of Israel who have kindled light
so may we, in our own day, be among those who kindle light.

O Source of light and truth
Creator of eternal law of goodness
help us find knowledge by which to live.
Lead us to take the words we shall speak into our hearts and lives.

Bless all who enter this sanctuary in need,
all who bring the offering of their hearts,
May our worship lead us to acts of kindness, peace, and love.

That was the first song that was sung when we showed up. Pretty fitting. It was actually sung in Hebrew. The Rabbi would instruct the people to stand up at times and sit down at times. It honestly felt a lot like a Baptist Church...we are so trained when to stand up...when to sit down...when to pray...when to raise our hands...when to be quiet...when to say amen. We are like robots. So were these Jewish people. Worship was never meant to be robotic. I want to be totally free from the chains that bind me from fully worshiping God in any environment. Worship is not a certain time. It's all the time. Worship is not a certain way. It's any way. I really hope to teach people to be this way...and to continue to worship God freely while I'm doing it...

I'm going to leave this post with another song that was sung towards the end of the service tonight. I call this stuff "Great Old Testament Theology." It was so interesting in all the language that was used...words like God...Adonai...Creator...these were all used...but noticeably absent was the name of Jesus Christ...and it truly did sadden my heart. I can sense how close they are to knowing the Messiah they are still waiting for...

Exalted and hallowed be God's great name
in the world which God created, according to plan.
May God's majesty be revealed in the days of our lifetime
and the life of all Israel.

Speedily, imminently; to which we say Amen.
Blessed be God's great name to all eternity.

Blessed, praised, honored, exalted, extolled, glorified, adored, and lauded be the name of the Holy Blessed One, beyond all earthly words and songs of blessing, praise, and comfort.
To which we say: Amen.

your purpose

2008-01-31T14:15:00.000-06:00

"The seed of worship is planted in the soil of salvation."

"Worship is not cheap entertainment; it's a costly experience."

1 Corinthians 2:6-16 says this...

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" — but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ."

Let that soak in for a bit...what is your purpose? What do you exist? Why did Christ exist? Why was it necessary for Him to die? Why is it necessary for Christians to die for their faith all around the world today? Why must we suffer in refusing to die to ourselves and exalt Christ?

...there is surely an answer to all these things...

leaders of a free world...eat God's dust...

2008-01-30T20:55:00.000-06:00

It has been pretty entertaining this Wednesday evening to watch the Republican debate on CNN for the last hour. For some reason, I have really got into checking out the candidates...their convictions...their opinions...their idiosyncrasies. It has been a good experience for me to be involved in this race. The last two presidential races never even crossed my mind. I remember battling my old roommate in Kirby Smith Dormitory back and forth during the Bush vs Gore days. I really couldn't understand why someone would want to vote for someone who claimed to have invented the internet...I mean seriously. That was about the extent of my involvement in the 2000 Presidential race. In 2004, I was really seeking myself and what God was going to have me do after graduation from LSU. I've only recently moved my voter registration to East Baton Rouge Parish. I just know that because I've finally done that I'm going to be called to jury duty in a matter of weeks. I just know it. I'll just tell them that I'm a pastor and I'm sure they go ahead and ask me to leave.

It has been humorous to follow the Republican guys to say the least. I think I'm pretty sold on a particular candidate that I'm not going to reveal right now because I want to hear some more from him. Ok...so there's a hint...I'm not voting for the chick. She just gives me the creeps. Ok...both Demo's give me the creeps this go around. Anyway...I was working out earlier (at one of those 24 hour places with like 100 TV's) and noticed that the moderator totally ignored Ron Paul the entire time. It seemed as though Anderson Cooper was not asking Ron Paul any questions and when he did...he cut him short every time. It was really kind of sad and hard to watch. McCain seemed to take some enjoyment out of it too. Romney seems to have a big chip on his shoulder against McCain. Huckabee just loves everyone. He's a good ol' Baptist preacher as we all know. He just wants us all to get along. It is really funny to hear Huckabee use terms like "inerrant" and "infallible" when referring to former presidents and their lacking to be perfect presidents. That Systematic Theology class sure didn't pass him by while he was getting that theology degree.

It surely is going to be another interesting year. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to my M-Div degree from NOBTS. Finally. It is going to be a great day when I get out of there. Not that I haven't enjoyed it. I've met some great students and profs down there. It has just been a continuous challenge...starting with my first semester (Hurricane Katrina). Trying to balance seminary, college ministry, and actually trying to have a life is a tough gig. I'm taking my biggest load of my life this semester. I am taking Intro to the Philosophy of Religion with Dr. Jeremy Evans (who is freakin' brilliant) this semester and is going to easily my most interesting class. Philosophy is fundamentally interested in two questions: What do you mean? and How do you know? We have already dealt with a lot the first three classes and I'm looking forward to the challenge that Dr. Evans brings to us.

So get this. I actually have a prof (God love Him) say this: "If God drove a car on the earth I think he would have a bumper sticker on his car that says "Eat God's Dust." Granted, he was giving an analogy or illustration to what ancient worship looked like when the men and women would actually get down on their hands and knees and put their faces in the dirt. It just cracked up the back row of the classroom. I do know this...God wouldn't be driving...He'd take a bus...I'd bet money on it. Anyway...Dr. Phelps is a great guy...it was just pretty funny hearing that God would be in on this whole "folk theology" thing. I'm pretty sure God wouldn't be wearing "Jesus is my homeboy" shirts and eating "Jesus Fish Mints." But whatever...

I do ask that you be in prayer for our Istrouma Uganda Mission Team as we prepare to head for Mityana, Uganda to bring the Gospel of Christ to the people there. We are going to be having some training sessions to learn how to tell stories effectively to the people of Mityana. I have a feeling that my acting skills are going to be enhanced here pretty quick...because we are going to have to act out some scenes from Scripture to make them real for the people. I even found out today that we are going to go to the Uganda/Kenya border and minister to the Kenyan refugees who have had to flee to the Uganda side because of the violence and bloodshed going on in Kenya. This pumps me up. I can't wait. Kenya has been on my heart big time lately. The people. I look forward to meeting some of the people I/we have been praying for. I'll keep you guys updated. Hopefully, if I can access internet while I'm there, I can post pictures while I'm out there.

After Uganda, I'm heading to a couple of college campuses in West Beijing, China to train some leaders to be more effective in their ministries. This venture has me a little more nervous than any other before because China is going to be a brand new place for me. I am heading over there with some other college pastors from all over the country and Mike Lopez of the International Mission Board. Mike is the student mobilization guy at the IMB. I think we are even going to get to take a walk on the Great Wall at the end of the trip. The Great Wall is the only man made object that can be seen from space....a pretty impressive stat.

At the end of June, I'll be heading to England on the Oxford Study Trip with Dr. Bob Stewart and Dr. Jimmy Dukes. Check out the link above to learn a little more about this trip. I'm looking forward to taking an Exegesis course on the book of Ephesians by Dr. Dukes. We will be touring some pretty incredible things on this trip including:

Westminster Abbey
St. Paul’s Cathedral
John Wesley’s Chapel
Bunhill Fields
Metropolitan Tabernacle
Wimbledon
British Museum
Tower of London

We will fly into Edinburgh and tour the Edinburgh Castle, John Knox's Church and Museum, Royal Mile, go to a Scottish Dinner Show and visit Old Town/New Town. We will also see York, hear a lecture from N. T. Wright, See Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare), Visit John Bunyan’s Church and Museum, and even tour the city of London. Finally, we will, Bask at Bleinheim Palace, and visit C. S. Lewis sites. It is going to be an excellent experience and I look forward to bringing back some incredible images of Scotland and England. I also hope to learn a lot from Dr. Stewart and Dr. Dukes.

The first week in August, I am leading a team of college students from Istrouma to Botswana. You can check out our trip to Botswana last year right here. I'm looking forward to leading this team to the bush in Botswana for a lot of reasons but mainly because I know the spiritual condition of the people we will be encountering will be that of very spiritually hungry people. There will be people there who, through normal American eyes, don't have too much. They don't have much money. They don't own homes. They don't have IPOD's. They don't have refrigerators. They don't have lazy boys (like the one I'm sitting in now). They "only" have each other. They "only" have their family. They also have the same chance to know God as anyone else. It's going to be an awesome opportunity. I am praying that God even now start putting together the team that He wants in Botswana from Istrouma in 2008. I found this excerpt on the Istrouma website about missions in Botswana.

Pray for Botswana. It is a country that has worn out missionaries and discouraged them since 1817 when the first missionary arrived from the London Missionary Society. The IMB has only 6 or 7 missionaries in the whole country. Their work is cut out for them. These men and women are no different from us. They are no super human dynamo. They are common people doing the uncommon. They get discouraged, wish they had central a/c, have problems with their kids, argue with their spouse, and look to retirement just like we do.

This is so true. I've been around this missionaries in Uganda the past two years. They are so discouraged a lot of the time. They are so worn down. But it is so encouraging to talk to these same missionaries and hear them say that they aren't out there for themselves...they aren't out there to please anyone...they are out there to bring Glory to God...because ultimately that is the purpose for everything that we do.

It's going to be a great year...to God be the glory...

The Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford

2008-01-28T17:41:00.000-06:00

To Believe
"To believe, and to consent to be loved while unworthy, is the great secret."

To Refuse
"To refuse to make 'resolution' and 'vows'; for that is to trust in the flesh."

To Expect
"To expect to be blessed, though realizing more and more lack of worth."

To Rely
"To rely on God's chastening(child training) hand as a mark of His kindness."

To Hope
"To 'hope to be better' (hence acceptable) is to fail to see yourself in Christ only."

To Disappoint
"To be disappointed with yourself is to have believed in yourself."

To Discourage
"To be discouraged is unbelief-as to God's purpose and plan of blessing for you."

Too Proud
"To be proud, is to be blind! For we have no standing before God, in ourselves."

To Lack
"The lack of Divine blessing, therefore, comes from unbelief, and not from failure of devotion."

To Preach Devotion
"To preach devotion first, and blessing second, is to reverse God's order, and preach law, not grace. The Law made man's blessing depend on devotion; Grace confers undeserved, unconditional blessing: our devotion may follow, but does not always do so-in proper measure."

is kleenex on to something??

2008-01-28T11:58:00.000-06:00

I have seen this commercial a bunch of times the past year or so and for some reason it really makes me feel good. It usually comes on in the middle of Everybody Loves Raymond, Seinfeld, or a late night Sportscenter and it really affects me every time. I watch it and my heart feels full. I imagine this is the way that it was meant to be. Genuine community, that is. Just some random guy...on a couch...making a connection with people...somehow. Logic tells people to keep walking and not open up to some random guy on a couch. It just doesn't make sense! Who knew that the Kleenex people were such innovators!

This is the way that the Father desires for us to be with Him. Real. Authentic. Genuine. Vulnerable. Weak. Helpless. Yet...stronger because of it. It really makes me realize that people really do just want to let it out sometimes and only need an arena to do it in. Church community has the ability to be this way. The community of the church of Jesus Christ needs to become more like this commercial. I am not just speaking of the vulnerability of people but also about celebrating each others joys and passions. It is so tough sometimes to celebrate with people. However...we must celebrate. The church was never meant to be a place full of perfect people. The church should be the arena for the world to let it out...and realize that there is an answer for their hurt...an answer for their void. Jesus. Yahweh. El Shaddai. King of All Glory.

Maybe all it takes for the world is a good listener (a believer in Christ)...the Holy Spirit of God....(and a box of Kleenex).

Maybe...

exerpt from the field...

2008-01-27T17:04:00.000-06:00

Friends...this comes from a lady named Lori on the field in Kenya. As you know, I have been posting lately about the things going on in Kenya and how we can be praying. This is a personal journal entry about one person's viewpoint of the crisis going on in Kenya.

"Kenya is going through some sort of civil war and uprising as a result of the presidential elections that were held on December 27. Our team arrived there on the 19th, so we were there during all the campaigning and saw everything unfold from the beginning. The riots began all around us on the 28th and 29th as the votes were being counted. We had to stay inside our house one day because it was unsafe to be outside. One of our team members was attacked at a road block set up by mobbers and was forced to flee from danger and spend the night in the airport because it was the only safe haven that could be found in the city. After that, the riots worsened. The Embassy contacted us to make sure we we were alive and well. Western Kenya was the worst place for rioting and violence through this whole ordeal, and that is where we were stationed. The Embassy informed us to either stay put and lay low in the village (literally, put ourselves under house arrest for an indefinite period of time, possibly weeks or months) or get out of the country immediately.

We chose to evacuate midday on January 2nd. We had to quickly say goodbye to the children at the school where we had been serving. With many tears and hugs, we quickly loaded up and headed home to pack. We could only pack a small bag and had to leave most of our belongings behind since there was no room to bring bags on the vans. The only safe way to the airport, which was about 2 hours away, was with a police escort. Our team rode in vans with armed guards carrying machine guns to get safely to the Kisumu airport. We were so scared that a few people were sick to their stomachs.

The ride to the airport was unforgettable. We saw smoke rising all around us in the villages where the riots had been taking place. People had been setting each others houses on fire and destroying business and stores as a result of the corrupt election. Vans and cars were turned upside down and burned in the middle of the roads. All the debris was still there, so we were forced to go off-road at times to dodge the destruction. It was like being in a war movie...

Once we got to the airport, we were "safe" as there were armed guards there to watch over us. Half of us spent the night in the airport that night and the other half were able to get a flight out to Nairobi. After about 3 days of travel, we were able to safely get back home to the States.

It's crazy...people keep asking how I am dealing with all of this. They naturally assume that I won't be going back anytime soon because of the sudden, fearful evacuation. To their surprise (and sometimes mine), I tell them that I can't get back to the mission field soon enough. Why? Because God is bigger than our fears, our doubts, our struggles. He was with us the entire time and allowed His peace to be bigger than our understanding. However, if God would have decided to take me home during that trip, what better way to leave this Earth than by doing the will of the One who called me? I can't think of one..."

"The Living God is a Missionary God"

2008-01-24T22:43:00.000-06:00

That is the name of the lesson in my Perspectives course that I am taking on Thursday evenings. In a few days, I am going to share a little about "Cat and Dog Theology" that we have been hearing about in this course. It has been a really interesting view about humans and how we view God, his purpose, His Son, and his view of humanity. You may be wondering what "Cat and Dog Theology" could possibly be. Just think about it a little bit...I bet you can get close.

I learned a few years ago that I want my life to make a difference in the kingdom of God for the Glory of God. I learned that I, nor God, is interested in my life being comfortable, safe, cozy, and easy to understand. I have learned that life is not necessarily meant to be fair to me. When it comes down to it, God's ultimate Glory is what Christians should live for. The fact is, Jesus came to earth for the sole purpose of bringing GLORY to God. Saving mankind from eternal separation from God was secondary. That is weird to think about...but it is true. God created me to bring himself glory. That takes the focus off of me...and all on Him. I'm such a selfish person. I complain to God all the time about simple...meaningless...non-eternal matters. For instance...I'm kinda going through some finacial issues right now...and God is constantly saying..."Justin...just give it to me. Don't worry. It's going to be great. I'm going to receive glory for your life. Just follow me. Listen to me. Obey me. Your problems are temporary. Small on the eternal scale." I hear this and praise the Lord. I'm starting a new semester at Seminary. I am essentially taking 18 hours this semester. By far my heaviest load since I have been at student at NOBTS. I only pray that God will receive glory through this semester...through the relationships built this semester...and through the things I learn this semester. I am taking Greek, Philosophy of Religion, Worship Leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Perspectives, and Basic Church Administration. Should be an interesting semester with Uganda lined up for March. I still feel as though I should go. It is going to be a new experience in Uganda for me this year. Much different than what I did in Jinja. We will be in the city of Mitiyana telling bible stories and training the Pastors of that city.

I get sick of hearing bad news. Don't you? But we crave it don't we? There is some sort of sick part of people that love bad news because it makes us feel a little more sane...a little more secure...and little more "on top of the world." Baton Rouge has one of the highest crime rates in the United States post-Katrina. Daily I hear on our local news about another murder. Another robbery. Another family devastated because of a drunk driver. It really is depressing sometimes. Ok...not sometimes...but all the time. Now we consistently have to hear these presidential candidates banter back and forth about mindless things that really do not matter. Bad news sucks...

Sooo....

Here Is Some Good News

There are 600 evangelical churches for everyone ONE unreached people group in the world, making the Great Commission very, very doable!

155,000 people become believers every day.
54,000 from Africa
46,000 from Latin America
43,000 from Asia
12,000 from North America

Globally, 60,000 new churches are planted every year.

200 million pray daily for world revival.

50% of all world evangelization has been done in the past 200 years; 50% of that since World War II and 50% of that since 1980. God is on the move like never before!

prayer for Kenya

2008-01-19T21:37:00.001-06:00

Just a reminder to you that we need to be constantly praying for the church in Kenya...the people of Kenya...the children of Kenya. There is a lot of bad stuff going down over there right now. If we consider ourselves a people with a Biblical mission mandate, we should be praying like we are. We need to pray that these kids get food soon. We need to be praying that the work of the evil one is halted there soon. CNN has had a lot of coverage of the crisis in Kenya going as far as saying it is a "humanitarian crisis." I sure hope God's church steps up and meets this need...so we don't have to rely on Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and Oprah to do it for us.

jesus' tomb controversy

2008-01-17T11:30:00.000-06:00

There are plenty of times when I have questioned how Jesus actually resurrected...not if he did...just how it happened. Of course, I would have loved to have been there...to experience the actual resurrection of Christ...to see the empty tomb. How amazing to even think about. This tomb pictured there is supposedly the tomb that Jesus laid before resurrecting. I'm not expert on all that stuff...I know already all I need to know about that piece of Christian history.

I find it interesting that there continue to be people in the world who pursue something to disprove it. Why would people waste their time so hard to disprove something that they don't believe in in the first place? Is their hatred for faith so great that it feeds their pursuit? Is the very idea of faith so detesting to them that they will live their lives to prove it to be wrong? There are millions of believer's in the resurrection of Jesus Christ around the world. What is so detesting about having faith in God? It is confusing to me. My reaction to this is very simple: bring it on. It only proves to me that there is something worth having faith in. I would have a hard time believing without those who try to disprove our faith. It makes me realize how active Satan is in the world even today. I love that people now days are pursuing to disprove the God-hood of Jesus Christ and the significance of the cross and resurrection. At least they are pursuing something of God. Even if it is to disprove Him. Isn't that better than them being apathetic towards eternity? Eternity is real. I bet even the people trying to disprove the resurrection in the article above would have some opinion about God and eternity. That's cool. That's a big step into coming to faith in Jesus Christ. That pumps me up. I hope they continue to seek Jesus by trying to disprove him. To discredit him. Jesus dealt with people who were trying to discredit him all the time. He dealt with it. Matthew 12:14 tells us that people were so ticked at Jesus that they wanted him dead. NOTHING HAS CHANGED!

But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

I was reading in Acts 6 the other day (I actually taught on it on Sunday to the istrouma college students) about how Stephen got his start and how some priests were saved through his ministry. Pretty sweet deal. Then they wanted him dead...and he ultimately did.

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

You think some priests and Jewish religious freaks were going nuts about this? Ask Saul. He killed Stephen for it. Why is it that when something is proven to be even greater than we can imagine...a sacrifice so critical that we cannot understand...some blood shed that is absolutely necessary for all of man-kind...and an empty tomb that no one can explain...it cannot be true? I remember a day came when I was 16 that it had to be true. All of it. There had to be something greater than myself. There had to be a bigger purpose for my existence. I found it in the truth of Christ. For all time. Peace came over me. For all time. I still struggle with sin. I constantly question myself and God. But I do know that he is risen...for all time...and that cannot change. I pray that those who seek to destroy God will come to God with broken spirits. No man can destroy a love so great. A love so great that even the man who tries to destroy it is still loved and worthy of salvation through Christ Jesus. It angers people to know they are loved that much....I guess.

life

2008-01-12T20:44:00.000-06:00

It has been pretty cool to talk to some people recently who are actually reading my ranting on this site...thanks for reading! I don't find myself to be a particularly good writer but I like to do it. I guess I started liking writing after my first 40+ page paper in Systematic Theology I. That paper was a beast. I never thought I was going to finish. I did learn some incredible things by being exposed to that much writing at one time...so I'm pretty sure that is why I took to it. My professor, Dr. Stan Norman, did an incredible job of challenging our class with some questions that were not exactly comfortable. He asked us some questions about some things that were considered to have concrete answers. Come to find out...they weren't so concrete after all. That was the semester of Hurricane Katrina...my first semester. It ended up being the only class I took that semester (well besides an online course learning about the good ol' Cooperative Program)...which was kind of a joke. Ironically, that course really shaped my coming course loads at NOBTS. It prepared me for coming papers...deadlines...challenges. I've still yet to take my Greek and Hebrew courses...those are to come in the next couple of semesters. Not looking forward to those...I've never been one to good with languages (or particularly interested) but I think learning them will be instrumental for my understanding of Scripture and teaching of Scripture to others in the future.

I've been really getting into this whole upcoming Presidential election. I've been watching the debates between the 'pubs and the 'dems and getting a crack out of watching Ron Paul get constantly picked on in the debates. I kinda felt sorry for him last night during the South Carolina 'pub debate. The orator from FOX asked him this exact question: "What makes you qualified to run for President of the United States?" Ouch huh? Ron Paul looked stunned. Kinda like when Bentson pulled the whole "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" line on Dan Quayle back in the day. Check out that line here. Anyway...I haven't been that impressed with any of the candidates so far...but I guess I never will be totally in any election. We are dealing with fallen men here. I've been really zoning in on good ol' Uncle John (McCain) and he seems to me to be the best overall candidate so far taking into his foreign relations experiences from the past. I definately want a president that is going to be taken seriously by other countries...and McCain doesn't pull any strings.

It has been only recently that I have actually changed my voter registration to East Baton Rouge Parish. My mom has been on me for several years to change it...but I've just been too lazy to do it. Well...it is done now. I guess Baton Rouge is "officially" my home now?

2008 is gonna be a great year, I think. I hope so anyway. I'm planning on going to Uganda in March (Istrouma), China in May with some college ministers and Mike Lopez from the International Mission Board, England in June for 12 days to take a English Exegesis class on 1 Corinthians at the University of Oxford and Regeants College, Botswana in July (bringing 8-10 of my college students there hopefully) to minister to some people in the bush, and POSSIBLY a trip to the Holy Land in September with my former Pastor, Stuart Rothberg. It would be an amazing experience to go there with Stuart because he is formerly a Jew in religious practice and is culturally Jewish. He has great knowledge of the Holy Land and would be able to direct me to where particular things happened in Scripture. Hopefully, I'll get to go. It is something I've wanted to do since I have really started learning more of the Old Testament. I think I'm turning into an "Old Testament" guy. I've been warned about those guys from the "New Testament" guys at NOBTS. Don't get me wrong...I'm a big fan of the New Testament too.

Psalm 118:5-6

2008-01-11T00:10:00.000-06:00

In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

I read this verse a few minutes ago online and it really spoke to me. King David truly had an incredible relationship with God. It's motivating to know that God is willing and ready to listen to me. A lot of times, I don't even want to listen to me...but in that anguish that I am constantly in, God is ready to give an answer to us that will literally set us free. Learning how to be free isn't something I'm truly comfortable with yet. I'm hoping that day is coming. No doubt I desire it. But I'm just not ready. This passage is an incredible promise from God to his kids.

experience the SHIP!

2008-01-09T23:37:00.000-06:00

champs again...

2008-01-09T23:14:00.001-06:00

I'm sure if you are reading this that you know by now that I had the opportunity to go to the 2008 BCS Championship game between LSU and Ohio State on Monday night. My roommate at the present time, Bill, had two tickets and was gracious enough to sell me his other ticket. 2nd row...LSU endzone...I could have spit on some of the players (sorry for that image). I'm not gonna lie...it was tempting to sell that puppy and pay for my next semester at Seminary...but I just had to go. If you know me...you know that I can't stand the city of New Orleans...pre-Katrina and post-Katrina. But...I still had to go. It was one of the most incredible experiences ever. The crowd was so incredibly loud when The Golden Band From Tigerland belted out Daaa Da Daaa Da! It hurt my ears. It was even louder when we spelled out T-I-G-E-R-S....TIGERS! The Ohio State fans were amazed how loud our cheers were. Then the game started. It was intense. It truly took over my life for a couple of hours. I was constantly getting text message after text message from people who wanted to know how the experience was going.

I was reminded over and over even as I was watching the game how much of myself I had been pouring into this game the previous weeks and that day...and how defeated I felt knowing I don't cultivate that relationship with the Lord daily with that same type of passion. I couldn't help but think that all of the people in the stadium were created to scream, holler, yell, and praise...God. Not LSU. Not Ohio State. The praise that these players and coaches were getting was in the beginning meant for the Triune God. God created us to celebrate. To engage Him. To be excited...about Him. We live in a sinful world...so we direct this created celebration in the wrong direction. Even me. Don't get me wrong. I had a blast in the Superdome. I had a blast being around some of my college students that go to Istrouma...celebrating the Tigers victory. I wanna learn how to celebrate living under the grace of God. I'm not sure if I truly know what that is like. I'm in the process of learning...and I'm looking forward to the day when I do understand how to celebrate Him constantly...daily...minute by minute...and be satisfied only in that celebration.

orphans and widows...?

2008-01-01T10:39:00.000-06:00

"Religion that God our Father considers pure and faultless is this: to look after the orphans and widows in their distress..." - James 1:27

I am listening to a sermon series called Ancient Proverbs For Modern Times by Erwin McManus and came across this verse...and it stunned me. It holds so much truth within it. I am still stunned. There are so many situations in life that I feel so sorry for myself and have the "how could this happen to me" mentality. It is such a struggle at times to praise Him at all times...but he deserves it all. It isn't like I have never read this verse before. But...as I learn more about God and his character, the more obvious that verses of Scripture like this one have so much more meaning than I have ever given it credit for. It is amazing how mysterious my God is. I love knowing that I will never know all about him...because it makes Him worth pursuing.

It is a brand new year. 2008, baby. What to do with this year? 2007 was a good year for me. I learned a lot about myself...again. It wasn't the best year for me emotionally. It was a year that I really continued to crush myself. Maybe it was God doing the crushing. I pray for bigger strides of faith in 2008. I pray for God to use me...make me uncomfortable...to make me dangerous. I wanna be dangerous...

I'm not a big fan of New Years or the whole resolution thing. I am only a advocate of such things if I know for a fact that I will be changed because of such a decision. If I know for a fact that I am going to be strong enough to carry through with it. You know what I'm saying? What's the point if you are going to wimp out in March...or for that matter, ever.

I want to look after these orphans and widows with my life. That is my decision for 2008. Who knew religion was a good thing? It says so right there in James. God usually trumps my views on such things...and he has again. I have been watching all the stuff going on in Kenya the last couple of days. There was an election and the President Mwai Kibaki was reelected. His reelection sent the people of Kenya into an uproar and they have been rioting in the streets for a couple days now. Yesterday in the town of Kiambaa (185 miles NW of Nairobi) some church-goers were attacked and the church was burned to the ground. 50 charred bodies were found. Many of them were children. Their crime? Being willing to worship their God despite their circumstances. You can read about it here.

There are some new widows and orphans to look after. I want to look after them. Although I can't...now...I pray that there is a soldier of Christ out there who is swooping in to the rescue to look after these widows and orphans. This is pure and holy. This is what we (believers) have been called to do. These type of actions take priority over our jobs, our families, our responsibilities, our free time...EVERYTHING. Does it eat at you, Christian, to not being doing such things? It does me. That is why I am so grateful to Almighty God that he has called me to be a rescuer to His people as Christ was my rescuer and continues to be.

I wonder why the desire to be a rescuer of people has been lost in the church? I was having this conversation with two buddies yesterday at Ruffino's (great Prime rib...by the way). We now have a "missions pastor" who heads up all the "mission trips" with the "missional minded" people. That kind of mentality is insane. It seems to be a sad state when we actually have a group of Christians designated as the "mission minded" group and everyone else is ok with that. Man...that's messed up. I don't know too much...but I do know that every believer has been called to look after widows and orphans...and to care for them...and love them...provide for their needs...and evangelize them...disciple them...and celebrate and worship with them for eternity. It really is pretty simple when you break it down.

I'm tired of normalcy. I'm ready to see a movement.

sad news...

2007-12-27T08:59:00.000-06:00

With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week.

Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote 'The Hokie Pokey' died peacefully at the age of 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in. And then the trouble started.

Shut up. You know it's funny.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

"still"

2007-12-27T07:31:00.000-06:00

The more I get alone
The more I see I need to get alone more, more
Cause just when I think that I'm alone
Your Spirit calls out to me
And even silence has a song
Cause that's when You come
Sing over me

Still, let me be still
Let me be okay
With the quiet in my heart
Still, I want to be still
I'm so quick to move
Instead of listening to You
Shut my mouth
Crush my pride
Give me the tears
Of a broken life
Still

Of this world, it falls around me
And flutters all it's beauty in my eyes
But let me choose the solitude
Simplicity has always simply changed my life
Cause even stillness makes me move
Cause that's when my heart
Learns to dance with you

Still, let me be still
Let me be okay
With the quiet in my heart
Still, I want to be still
I'm so quick to move
Instead of listening to You
I'm your child
Tame my heart
Obedience
To me impart
Still

hold me, cleanse me, change me, oh God
Change me while I am
Still, let me be still
And know that you are God
And You're always enough
Still, I want to be still
To take all that I am
And simply lift it up
Shut my mouth
Crush my pride
Give me the tears
Of a broken life
Still

perspective

2007-12-27T06:49:00.000-06:00

we all need it. I need it daily. it is so easy to go throughout an entire day and forget about the people around us and how much they are hurting. I remember getting the news about Sam Seidel when I was in Uganda in March. I was unaware...about the circumstances. I just knew that he was hurt. And a family at the place I serve was hurting. Mrs. Kahne wrote about the perspective she has in her last journal on the website Caring Bridge last night.

2007 has been a difficult year for the Seidel family. As many of you know, on March 24^th, we experienced a tragedy unlike any other we’ve faced before. Our youngest son, Samuel, then 2 years old, fell into our swimming pool while playing outside. After nearly fifteen minutes of frantic searching, Danny and some neighbors located Sam and immediately began CPR. For reasons unknown to us, God chose not to take Samuel home that day, and we began a journey unlike any other. It’s been a long nine months, full of ups and downs. Samuel spent 8 weeks in the PICU of our local hospital, followed by 7 weeks at a rehab hospital in New Orleans. One thing that I can say is that God has never left our side and has carried us down this difficult road. He has been our comfort and our strength during the darkest time in our lives. It is with a smile on my face that I tell of the many miracles God has worked in Samuel’s life. Sam’s initial prognosis was very poor, because the pH of his blood upon arriving at the hospital was that of a dead person raised to life. God breathed new life into Samuel that day and is gradually restoring our precious son to health. Samuel has already overcome many of the obstacles that were before him – many that medical professionals doubted he would ever overcome. He recognizes his family and also many everyday objects. He is beginning to speak again and is growing stronger everyday. He is starting to sit unassisted and takes steps with help. He eats some food by mouth and has no difficulty breathing or swallowing. His precious personality is still intact as he returns to us more and more each day. We are so blessed to have the precious miracle of Samuel in our lives. We share this story with you so that you will know of God’s mighty power and of His miracles. At this special time of year, we celebrate the greatest miracle of all – the birth of His son, Jesus Christ - His precious son who died for our sins and was raised to life so that we may have eternal life through Him. We pray that you will experience the wonder and miracle of the Christmas season this year. We wish you a very merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Dan, Kahne, Rachel, Jackson and Samuel Seidel

Talk about perspective...I sure got it...and continue to get it...