Soccer or Football

I was talking to a friend this weekend who passed on an observation from someone else.

"Church can be like football or like soccer."

This piqued my curiosity. I am a sports fan after all. I love to watch American football, but I enjoy playing soccer more.

A football game is equipment and support heavy. All the helmets and pads. Several referees. A special kind of field with marks every ten yards. To do it right, it takes a lot of effort and resources.

Soccer can be the essence of simplicity. You need a ball and two spots for goals. That's it.

 The laws of soccer are actually very few, compared with the myriad of penalties and rules for what is acceptable in football. Try explaining to a football novice the difference between running into a kicker vs. roughing the kicker, or pass interference, or illegal formation. The wide receiver covered the tight end? What is that?

Of course kids can play a simple game of football in a park, and soccer can be done with huge stadiums and use a lot more resources. Still, the analogy holds: football is generally a lot of work to actually get to the game, while soccer can be done with a minimal of requirements.

When it comes to church, doing our Outreach Saga has convinced me that doing things simply like the soccer match is a valid way of meeting together as the body of Christ. I recognize that the big football game of Sunday morning church has its place and can do things we can't do in our small group. However, I think both can be used to meet the needs of people around us.

Are we willing to do something small and simple to reach people, instead of always going for bigger and showier?

For now, God's given me a soccer ball. I'm willing to play the game He's put in front of me.

What do you think of the analogy? Does it ring true, or do you have a concern about it? Let's talk about it in the comments below.

Olympic Prayer

If your house is like ours, the Olympics will be on television frequently over the next few weeks. I've been critical on this blog about China and its human rights record and the way Christians especially are treated. However, I view the Olympics at this point as an opportunity. I am disappointed that China continues to clamp down on its people and expression, as evidenced by various news stories in the last couple of weeks, but I don't expect a tiger to change its stripes without divine intervention.

That is the opportunity presented to all of us enjoying the Olympics. I think Christians can take this chance to really pray and intercede for China and the other nations mentioned during the Olympics. I am very globally minded, but I understand that people in general aren't thinking about various countries around the world. Use the Olympics as inspiration to pray for countries as you see events happen. A swimmer from Zimbabwe? A Brazilian beach volleyball player? A Sudanese track star? If the Holy Spirit stirs your heart, take time to pray for these nations. A great resource is Operation World, which has a nation a day for prayer. Of course it has very good information on China. We can especially pray for China while it is highlighted over the next weeks. If Beijing wanted to showcase itself and the country to the world, let's pray that the Light of the world will illuminate the nation and touch the needy souls.

If you want to find a particular country on Operation World, just google the country's name along with Operation World and it should come up easily.

Take this great opportunity presented to the church, to send prayer on behalf of other countries and peoples around the world from wherever we are!

Seven Spheres - Government

Alright, time to wrap this one up. And yes, this is posted on Friday with a Wednesday date.

Did anyone guess what major area of society was left? Has anyone heard a little something about an election this year?

The final sphere of influence listed is Government. This is a no-brainer that it is an area that seriously needs positive influence. Since it leads and guides society in so many ways, it is imperative that Christians are willing to get the training to serve in such an important area.

I personally would want to see believers going into these areas to serve to truly act according to the mind of Christ as listed in Philippians 2. I get very tired of politicians who loudly shout of the evils of unrighteousness and tear down opponents in the process, even for a "good" cause. I am not the authority here, but I would rather see a politician or public servant who is humble, who works with people rather than against people, and find ways to make the best impact on culture without polarizing everything. Maybe the best example of this type of influencer would be William Wilberforce (though he could be polarizing when needed).

So that is it for discussing the Seven Spheres of Influence. I hope that we will see more Christians moving out into areas of culture intentionally, to make a difference through Spirit-led, Biblical principles. From Act One to International Justice Mission to Business Men's Fellowship and many more examples, there are people working to make a change in our nation and in the world. Everyone is called to do something. We can even have Christians making godly highways. Or...something like that (just checking to see if Mark is paying attention).

Seven Spheres - Media

(So no one noticed that this post is listed as Tuesday, yet it is coming out late Wednesday, right? Good.)

The series of Seven Spheres of Influence has the Media for a prayer emphasis on Tuesdays. I'm sure that many people would say that Christians should have a presence in the media. Then I'm sure that an equal number of people would say that we don't need another Fox News or Rush Limbaugh. I'd say that both are true.

I don't have anything against Fox News. Rush? Another story. But Christians in journalism and the media shouldn't be shrill junkets that can't speak credibly. Being called into the media as a mission field means that it will take great wisdom to speak truth. I would love to see reporters who can speak critically of things that deserve it, even within the church. Of course it will be nice to have people who come from a Biblical worldview when speaking of issues that deal with faith, but they really need integrity to speak accurately even when "our" position may be in the wrong.

One more day. Any guesses what we've missed?

Seven Spheres - Family and Home

For those who may remember, there was a great book by Bob Briner that discussed the same topic I've been addressing lately: Roaring Lambs. I can't believe it is from 1993! (How long ago was that again?) It may be hard to find now, but it should be well worth it. His idea was basically that Christians needed to be salt and light in the world. Definitely not a new concept, but it seems that God's people constantly need reminding about getting out and reaching people. Just like the disciples who wouldn't leave Jerusalem in Acts until there was persecution to force them out to Judea and Samaria.

Today's sphere is the Family and the Home. This may not seem like a field that Christians would go out into as a professional, but there is no denying the influence that family and home has on culture in general and people specifically. We know that people can turn out well from broken households, and a good family is no guarantee of kids growing up well. Yet the vast majority will stay true to what they are raised with at home.

I think fields like counseling move into this arena. There's a lot of secular ideology in the counseling and social work fields - all the more reason to have Christians who are strong in their faith and a Biblical worldview to enter this area to touch families where it is needed.

Everyday Christians can do a lot to minister to individual families of kids that come into their lives. Of course, prayer is a vital area, and this is one that we should not neglect. God longs to put the lonely into families - it is His heart, so it should be ours as well.

Seven Spheres - The Church/Religion

I have to say that I'm feeling pretty rushed through this little series, and I don't feel like I'm always able to get my thoughts out the way I want. Before the end of the year, I'd post at lunch at work, and I had time to get my points together. Now I'm squeezing blogging into home and family time, and I fear I'm not coming across the way I want. But there's nothing else to do but press ahead, for now.

One more thing to say in general regarding the Seven Spheres of Influence. Like I said originally, I learned this at YWAM. This teaching was meant to emphasize that we can be missionaries wherever we are called to. Not every one is meant to stay in YWAM - most aren't in fact. The leaders there realized this, and began to work on training people to be missionaries in every field, not just under the specific term "missionary".

Saying that, Sunday's sphere of influence is actually the Church. Yes, the church needs people to come to it with the idea that they will do everything for God's glory and to reach people with the gospel. It may be a sad thing to say, but sometimes this doesn't happen. But it is also more benign than that. There is no denying that religion is a major sphere of influence in culture, and we need to recognize that.

I don't pretend to have the goods to change the church in general. However, I hope my blogging can bring up issues that enlighten people to things they haven't thought of. Also at church, I try to be a catalyst for things that God may be trying to show us there. Since I have had some varied experiences, I try to bring that to the table and offer it up for consideration.

We need to be as mission-minded in church as we are in any other endeavor we take on. It shouldn't be overlooked just because it is our own backyard.

Seven Spheres - Art/Entertainment

Today's focus on Seven Spheres of Influence on culture is the reason I wanted to talk about this on my blog. Saturday is a great day to consider the impact Christians can have on the Arts and Entertainment.

I am very thankful for the worlds of Christian publishing and music. However, there is no reason why we shouldn't have more Christians involved in creating the highest quality entertainment and art in all fields: theatre, movies, literature, music, painting, and more. I've talked plenty about this subject before. I won't necessarily rehash all of those points again (unless anyone out there has questions).

It is very sad that Christians had abandoned the arts as far as producing it to appeal to the masses over the last 50 years or so. As a group we have had so many striking individuals, from Bach to Lewis and Tolkien, contribute great examples of their craft that was appreciated by the world. I don't know why there was a large move away from this in America over the last several decades.

Thankfully, some of this may be changing. The need to engage in creativity and excellence is being noted by Christians across many artistic fields. I think of Barbara Nicolsi as a Hollywood script writer and activist for encouraging faith in her field. David Cunningham is the son of YWAM founder Loren Cunningham, but his mission field is being a major film director. Fiction from a Christian perspective won a major victory with Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, as it won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005. These are just a few examples of what is happening in this arena.

I really hope that we can see more Christians enter the artistic fields, offering up challenging, beautiful art, that is a credit to our faith and our Creator. We know how much influence entertainment can have on a culture. Let us rise up as people who love Jesus to be excellent in our respective craft and make a difference.

Edit from 1/13: Got this link for the article "Christians, Get Creative" from The Point.

Seven Spheres - Business/Commerce

I'm continuing on with looking at seven areas that pretty much encompass all of society, dubbed "Seven Spheres of Influence." I know this is a very late Friday post (read: Saturday), but in the YWAM prayer diary it suggests praying for Business and Commerce on Fridays.

This is a pretty broad category that can include areas such as science and health care as well. When this is taken into account, there are so many areas that Christians can impact acting as professionals in these fields.

One of the basic areas in this area is the impact of general integrity a Christian can provide. I know there are many non-Christians with integrity in these areas, but there's a lot of potential for abuse as well. I know of Christian businessmen who have gone overseas and have really made a difference with all of the graft and corruption that goes on in other countries. Integrity plays a role in all of the various business areas, but a special emphasis on science is crucial. Proper interpretation and ethical consideration is an addition from believers in this field. I think of being in the medical field myself, and the rapidly changing landscape due to scientific advances such as gene therapy. I need to stay educated on the issues to be able to discuss them and the ethical ramifications.

Another area is the plain fact of making money. The love of money is a root of evil, but money itself is neutral. Having Christian professionals who are able to raise capital and support other missionary endeavors. We need knowledgeable people who are gifted at what they do to go into the areas they are called to, and there they can make a great impact.

Hopefully this idea is starting to seep in. I remember a story from early in YWAM's development. Two men came to Loren Cunningham (the founder), feeling a call to missions while he spoke at their church. Their question was how God could use heavy equipment operators. They ended up serving to build a road to a village in Africa. Wherever you are in your life, you can be used by God!

Seven Spheres - Education

In my earlier post I introduced the idea of Seven Spheres of Influence. I basically talked about the concept that Christians can influence culture from several different areas, apart from ministry. There is nothing magical about have "Seven Spheres" - it is a handy way to think and organize it for memory purposes. In fact, YWAM has a great tool they release every year, a Personal Prayer Diary and Daily Planner (in a wonderful array of colors!), that encourages people to pray for these major areas of influence over the days of the week. Isn't that so easy?

In fact, I'm going to go through the different areas in the order that the Prayer Diary lists them, just for ease of keeping track. On Thursday, the prayer focus is on the area of Education. This is obviously an important area to have people who love truth serving kids, teens, and college-aged students.

At no time am I ever going to endorse the idea of theocracy (government run by religion) or that professionals in these fields we'll discuss should use their authority in such a way as to bully people or influence them in an inappropriate way. If a Christian is a teacher, then our laws do not allow her to stand in front of the classroom and lead of all the kids in a devotion. A businessman shouldn't use Christian cronyism to guide all of their contacts or sources.

However, there are a lot of ways where being a Christian can impact these areas. Back to education - a teacher who diligently prays over his classroom before the students come in creates a healthy spiritual atmosphere for learning and protection. Being an example of integrity is important as a lot of children may not see that in other areas of their lives. A good teacher should be able to teach how to think critically and define truth - even if it is not a specific "Biblical" teaching. The Bible doesn't comment on gravity or the Civil War, but a strong teacher can illuminate these arenas without using religious terms or making it sectarian.

Schools are a very hard place to serve. I don't think that teachers get a lot of support anymore. My wife taught 5th grade for a couple of years, and she was amazed how often true "teaching" time was cut into by assemblies, teaching toward a test, or doing lifestyle education like self-esteem or drug-free programs. Many of these things can be good, but in an ever complex world it seems that many subjects are only being skimmed due to the constraints on educators.

It also seems that being an active Christian can be hard, especially in the university setting. College is an area where so much formation is expected, yet if Christians are abandoning this difficult mission field, the positions will be filled by others, and they may not have a favorable view at all of faith and religion.

There is a lot that can be said in this sphere of influence. Hopefully I am starting to show how Christians can be an important influence in these areas. If I'm cutting examples too short or not being clear, please leave me a comment so I can clarify what I'm trying to say.

I'm done with work for the week, the forecast is for steady posts throughout the next few days.

Seven Spheres of Influence

I wanted to introduce a topic that I learned in my time in Youth With A Mission. After the shootings at YWAM Arvada, I was keeping an eye out on the net to see what was being discussed about the mission organization in the wake of the event. Most of the coverage was positive, although I did come across negative publicity, which was bound to happen. No organization is perfect, and YWAM has its warts. However, one of the criticisms was that YWAM tended to produce people that were insular and didn't want to go out of what YWAM was doing.

YWAM is a pretty dynamic, if loose, organization, and it can be very attractive to stay with a group that seems more intense and going than the local church. I've seen folks that have done this very thing. Yet this is antithetical to YWAM's purpose, as evidenced by their teaching on the "Seven Spheres of Influence."

I wanted to introduce this topic because it plays into themes that this blog has touched on. Basically, all of life is under the watchful gaze of God (in Latin it is called "Coram Deo"). I've talked about this regarding creativity and art, but really no part of life is separate from God, especially for us as Christians. If we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, whatever we do can be used to advance the Kingdom of God. (Of course there are limits. I won't be promoting Christian erotica anytime soon.)

After a time YWAM decided that there was a greater role for Christians than just being in specific, called, identifiable ministry. You know, being called "Rev/Pastor/Father/Bishop/Deacon/etc." A Christian businessman could use his influence in his field, mentoring people in Kingdom principles to train a moral workforce in finance or whatever the field may be. There was a great untapped potential for discipleship and transforming not just lives, but entire cultures. If enough Christians entered these "spheres of influence," then a whole nation could be discipled.

I know this idea is not unique to YWAM, but the idea was one of the reasons they founded their University of the Nations to train people in a Biblical worldview of all fields of industry and work. I applaud all others who forge ahead in this way - I think it has the potential to radically change the world.

I'll break down this idea more, and spell out the Seven Spheres, in further posts this week.

"Halo" Church Growth

There has been an interesting discussion going on in the blogosphere due to this article from the New York Times, Thou Shalt Not Kill, Except in a Popular Video Game at Church. It concerns churches/youth leaders using the video game Halo 3 to reach out to kids.

Now's the time for full disclosure - I play video games. I usually don't like the first-person shooters (FPS) games, but I do like the Halo series, more for the multiplayer aspect with friends than the main story of the game.

Also, our youth leader does use Halo as one of diverse elements (a la the Spanish Inquisition) to reach out to the kids, it is only a small part of what he does. It is only a tool, but his desire is to pull kids into further discussion on real issues that matter, and disciple them.

I have said my piece already on the comments of these following links. This is an invitation to check out the dialogue and add your thoughts.

Mike Duran tackles it in a post today. He also links to an article entitled "How to Witness Using Halo 2."

Dick Staub, author of The Culturally Savvy Christian, has perhaps a surprising take on this issue.

The Point, the blog of Breakpoint Ministries, has a plethora of links to explore concerning this. Some veer off into the ideas of masculinity and the church as well. You can find yours truly among the commenters opening my big mouth as usual.

Original post at The Point.
Point 1.
Point 2. (Wherein I quote Optimus Prime)
Point 3.
Point 4.
Point 5.
Point 6.

I've got my opinions out there, but I thought I'd collect some places that are discussing it for reference in this discussion.

Updated 10/12/07

Blog Tour - My Life Unscripted

I don't have teenagers yet. I don't have girls. So why am I blogging about Tricia Goyer's new book, My Life, Unscripted?

Maybe it is because she's a great fiction writer, and I am in the business of supporting Christian writers? Maybe I'm impressed with the project? Maybe it's because she lives in Kalispell Montana, one of the greatest places on Earth?

Yes.

Without further ado, here's info on her book for teen girls, and an interview with Tricia as well.


my life, unscripted
Summary:

Drawing on Biblical prinicples, My Life, Unscripted guides girls through the tumultous teen years by teaching them to have a plan of attack before temptation or hardship come.

Tricia's Script:

Looking back at my drama-filled teen years I now wonder ... What was I thinking?

The truth? I wasn't. I lived from day to day on every wave of emotion. Some days excitement and passion partnered up, pattering wildly within my heart.

Other days, depression and anxiety were my silent friends. I lived each day as it came, with no plan for my future, for my relationships, or for my heart.

I lived my life completely unscripted ... and, well, it didn't go well for me. Teen pregnancy and a broken heart were only two consequences. Yet my prayer is that when teen girls are asked Who's Writing Your Life? their answer will be ME ... with the guidance of God, My Director.

________________________________
An interview with Tricia Goyer!

Q: Tell me about My Life, Unscripted

Sure! With real-life scripts, screenwriting terms, and timely topics, My Life, Unscripted helps teen girls explore their own inner struggles and outward relationships. It's my hope they'll learn the importance of "scripting" their own responses BEFORE challenging life-situations arise.

By contrasting real-life with TV/movies, it's my hope that teen girls will understand they don't have to get caught up in the drama. They don't have to face situations as they arise, but rather they can think about, pray about, and consider how to face these situations before they hit the big screen of their lives.

Q: Is it true that much of YOUR story shows up in these pages?

Gulp. Yes, I'm afraid so. In fact, I shared parts of my story that I SWORE I'd never tell a soul.

My teenage script (portrayed in the book as Trish Valley) wasn't one I'd suggest my daughter, nor my readers to copy.

Q: Tell me about these scripts.

The introductory script of Trish Valley shows a scene where Trish urges her mom to follow Trish's boyfriend into the McDonald's parking lot so she can "spill her news." The other girl in the car and her boyfriend's response to Trish's pregnancy are unfortunately not fiction. I wrote out the scenes as they would appear in an actual script. I even use all the correct terms and layout.

Q: In addition to teen pregnancy, what are some of the other "scripts"?

Do I have to tell? Well, I guess it's in print now! Let me see: fists fights with a rival, sneaking out of my parents' house, getting caught by my boyfriend kissing his best friend--does that give you an idea? Do I have to go on?

Q: No, you can stop there. But WHY? Why did you decide to share these stories?

First, because I want girls to understand the heartache of unwise decisions. I want to them to be able to relate to me, rather than feeling preached at. Also, I wanted to share my stories because many young women have faced the same type of situations, or they know friends who have. And finally because they are great object lessons for the importance of following biblical truth. That is something I did learn!

Q: What does your teenage daughter think about this book?

Leslie thinks it's great I'm able to connect with other teens. She's heard these stories for a while! She was 11-years-old when we first started volunteering together at a support group for teenage mothers together. As I taught the young moms things like nutrition and potty training, Leslie assisted adults in babysitting the toddlers. And while we loved giving and serving, it was the ride home that soon became the most meaningful part. As Leslie sat in the passenger's seat, I could see her mind considering my life as a teen mom, and she started asking questions.

Although it was hard to talk about my past mistakes, I knew this was an ideal opportunity to share real-life truths with my daughter. Each person walking this earth has regrets. Our talks showed me that instead of hiding my past troubles (and hoping my kids didn't find out) sharing my mistakes could actually give my daughter a better understanding to why values and wise decision-making skills are important.

Q: So now you're "having a heart-to-heart" with other teens through this book?

I sure hope that's how they see it! Those first talks with my daughter brought us closer, but I knew not every girl has had someone to offer advice such as: "build a supporting cast of people you can trust" or "consider the character qualities you'd like for a leading man."

Q: Okay, so your book is for teens, but what about the moms out there who feel they have past mistakes they don't want to share?

Well, they could each write a book about their teen years! Ha- just kidding!

But for those moms out there, maybe your teen years were not as drama-filled as mine. Or, if they were, maybe you are fearful of sharing them with your teen. The truth is, teens learn best not with information and knowledge, but rather by hearing life examples and understanding how decisions can affect all parts of our lives. So, time to get brave, Mom. Open your heart and share what worked and what didn't. It just might help your daughter write a better script for herself.

Oh, yes, and consider buying your daughter My Life, Unscripted! Hopefully every teen girl can get some take-away to scripting a bright future!

____________________________________
Bio!
Tricia Goyer has published over 300 articles for national publications such as Today's Christian Woman, Guideposts for Kids, and Focus on the Family, and is the co-author of Meal Time Moments (Focus on the Family). She has led numerous Bible Studies, and her study notes appear in the Women of Faith Study Bible (Zondervan).

She has written seven novels for Moody Publishing: From Dust and Ashes (2003); Night Song (2004), Dawn of a Thousand Nights (2005); Arms of Deliverance (2006); A Valley of Betrayal (2007); A Shadow of Treason (Fall 2007); and A Whisper of Freedom (Spring 2008). Night Song was awarded American Christian Fiction Writer's 2005 Book of the Year for Best Long Historical. Dawn of a Thousand Nights won the same award in 2006.

Tricia has also written Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom (Zondervan, 2004), 10 Minutes to Showtime (Thomas Nelson, 2004), and Generation NeXt Parenting (Multnomah, 2006). Life Interrupted was a 2005 Gold Medallion finalist in the Youth Category. Also, coming out in the next year are: My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson, 2007), Generation NeXt Marriage (Multnomah, Spring 2008), and 3:16-the teen version of the a book by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson, Spring 2008).

Tricia and her husband John live with their three children in Kalispell, Montana. Tricia's grandmother also lives with them, and Tricia volunteers mentoring teen moms and leading children's church. Although Tricia doesn't live on a farm, she can hit one with a rock by standing on her back porch and giving it a good throw.

Tricia has two books that will be out soon ...A Shadow of Treason (Moody Publishing), Fall 2007Generation NeXt Marriage (Multnomah), January 2008

Weekend of Worship

We had a wonderful time with Noel and Tricia Richards with us over the weekend. They are a remarkable couple with humility and a heart for reaching out with the love of Christ. So often contemporary worship can foster a "Bless me Lord" mentality with the lyrics and individual focus. However, "worship without mission is self-indulgent, and mission without worship is self-defeating."

The Richards certainly follow through with that statement. As Noel taught in a seminar and again at our Sunday worship service, it is important not only to worship God vertically with songs and praise, but that we worship Him horizontally by showing His love to the least, the last, and the lost. This has been in my heart for a while now, so Noel's words just confirmed what we've been working through in our church.

One thing I've never seen are worship songs that speak of helping the poor and downtrodden in the lyrics. Yet this is one of Noel's new songs that we sang over the weekend:
We Thank You God

We thank you God for our daily bread
In every way our lives have been blessed
And by your hands we're fed

Why do we pray, bless us O Lord
You meet our needs, still we want more
What is Your blessing for
If not to feed the poor

To love justice, show mercy
This is the Kingdom of God

Open our eyes we need to care
Move in our hearts teach us to share
Your riches everywhere
Love beyond compare

To love justice, show mercy
This is the Kingdom of God

We thank you God for our daily bread
In every way our lives have been blessed
And by your hands we're fed

That is a powerful statement. It is a challenge for us as the church to be out being the church, instead of just holding church. If you get a chance to see Noel Richards, I would highly recommend it. If you haven't checked his music out, he should be getting his albums available through iTunes USA (they're on the UK iTunes, but Americans can't use it unfortunately).

Noel Richards In Blackfoot Idaho

I've been a little behind my preferred amount of blogging because I've been working on a special event my church, Harvest Foursquare Church, is hosting next weekend.

Our church is bringing in Noel Richards, a well-known worship leader from the United Kingdom. He has been to Pocatello before and is well aware of the challenges we face in this area.

Noel has been involved in leading worship since he was 15 years old. He’s worked with many other well-known worship leaders such as Matt Redman, Graham Kendrick, Reuben Morgan, and Delirious. He’s written numerous worship songs for the modern church, perhaps the best known of them being “All Heaven Declares”.

Noel has been involved the last 10 years in organizing worship events in large stadiums across Europe – believing that if people can pack these arenas for sports, why can’t we see them filled with people giving glory to the King of kings? He’s led events at Wembley Stadium in London and at Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

We are having Noel Richards come on Saturday, September 22. He will be giving a worship seminar from 1-4 pm at our church (see map here) for $10 per person. Noel will be presenting 3 separate sessions dealing with issues of leading worship and a lifestyle of worship.

Then at 7 pm we will be having a regional night of praise and worship, led by Noel and his wife Tricia. We're anticipating a great night of worship and coming together in unity for southeast Idaho. This event is free, with an offering taken for the Richards that night.

On Sunday, September 23 Noel and Tricia will be speaking at Harvest. The morning service starts at 10:30 am and usually goes to around 12:30 pm. All are welcome to come and worship with us that day.

Noel will also be speaking in Idaho Falls on Sunday night, sponsored by another fellowship. When I have more details I will update this post.

If you live in southeast Idaho, I highly encourage you to come to one of these events. It is not often we have someone of Noel Richard's caliber coming to our area. I would love to have as many people as possible partake in this. If you have any questions, leave a comment here with your email address (written as yourname [at] yahoo [dot] com to prevent getting picked up by a spammer) and I will be sure to contact you.

Let's praise the name of Jesus together!

Muslim Prayer Focus

This week marks the beginning of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Islam. It is one of their holiest times of the year. As such, they fast from sun-up to sunset, spending time seeking Allah during the day and breaking fast at dusk with feasting.

The last 15 years has seen a coordinated effort by Christians to pray strategically for Muslims around the world during this time. This is the 16th edition of the effort, which has a worldwide reach.

We know that the conflict between the world of Islam and the West is a huge issue with lots of complexity and challenges. I encourage everyone to look into this material and participate with the prayers of thousands of Christians during this time. It has always been an insightful time of learning and blessing for my wife and I as we treat the prayer booklet as a nightly devotion.

You can get involved in a couple of ways. World Christian Books publishes a handy prayer booklet that gives you information on Islam and daily topics to pray through. You can still get one in time to start if you order right away! They even have a kids version of the booklet to do as a family. I've ordered this for the first time to do with my boys.

If you don't want a booklet or have time to order, then there is an online reference you can use as well. It looks to have deeper information than what was put in the booklet.

Finally, in the materials I received with our booklets (our church participates in it), it had an advertisement for The Crescent Project, a ministry that strives to educate the North American church about Islam and equips us to reach our Muslim neighbors. There is a $35 online seminar that can be done through this group. I haven't done this yet, but I think I will. I will report back on this if I do. This looks like a good resource for anyone with a heart regarding this matter.

As the church, we all have an opportunity to do something for the gospel to shine in such dark times and regions. We may not be called to go (although be honest, when was the last time we asked?) but we can intercede for Jesus' light to be revealed and freedom proclaimed to the captives. Please take a look at this material further over the next month.

A Joseph Experience?

It's really hard to complain about life. I have a steady job, working four 10-hour shifts Mon - Thurs, (even though I'm on the bus at 5:40 am to get there). I have a good house in a good neighborhood. My bills are reasonable, both cars paid for. I've graduated from college. I have a computer with DSL and a Xbox 360 (yes, I am waiting for Halo 3...).

Now the important things: I've got good friends at my church and I'm able to minister out of my giftings there. I have three wonderful boys who are a delight to me every day. My beautiful wife is my breath and my joy. I have been redeemed from my sins and walk as a new creation as a son of the Most High King.


My only reaction should be one of continual thanks to Jesus for all these blessings.


And yet...


I don't know why we have such a hard time being content. I do know that God has placed me at my church, at my job, in my town.


And yet...


I can't shake the feeling that I'm in a place of...isolation? It seems that I am far from making a difference with my life, at least the difference I think I could be making. My heart is for ministry. My heart is to actively and consistently be of service to my Lord. I have dreams of doing greater things than what I'm doing right now. My job is quite unfulfilling in the day to day grind of things. Why can't I be doing something else? Then again, last year at this time I was out of work for 4 months, so how dare I complain?


Now, I know that I am called to serve God wherever I am, that my work and my town are mission fields in and of themselves. I know that true worship is walking in the light every day and being a vessel ready to be used by Him at any time. I realize this, and I really do my best to walk in it (not that any of us nail it perfectly all the time).


I ask the Lord to help me be content where I am. I feel like the description Yoda gives about Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, "Always looking to the stars, longing for adventure is he." (paraphrase) I try to stay focused on what is in front of me, not worrying about tomorrow for He knows my needs and His purpose for me.


Still, I can't shake the feeling that I'm in a Joseph place right now. Whether it's in the prison or Potiphar's house, I think I need to do the best I can right now, keeping faith that God will be faithful to the call and words spoken to me in the past. I've been reading some novels where the main character has their "wilderness" experience, frustrated that they're not in the Promised Land yet, but being led by their God into these trying times to test or train them. I wonder if that's where I am right now.

I'm not sure why this post bubbled out of me. I don't want to be a whiner. Sometimes we learn from others' struggles, so maybe someone out there can relate or get something out of this. If you can't get anything here, try Heather over at L'Chaim, who has a good response to this post (even though she posted first!)

Fruit

We’re also seeing a lot of folks who are involved in the worldview side of our ministry through BreakPoint and the Centurions program seizing the day by recognizing that a biblical worldview means they need to change the way they live. They are understanding that if they are going to follow Jesus they need to live like Jesus, and that means getting involved in sacrificially serving the least, the last, and the lost among them. So that’s the kind of thing that I see that motivates me: seeing people seizing the day as Christ works through them in ways that cost them something and yet result in great benefits to those around them.

Mark Early, from The Point blog.

Christian Heroes and Miscellany

Gah. Sometimes I am not inspired with a brilliant thought for this here place. Like...oh say the last two days. Like Dory from Finding Nemo's trailer - "Nope, nothin' in my noggin'". Bleh. Yet here I am, attempting to say something intelligent (this would be a perfect place to link to something regarding Miss Teen South Carolina's now famous "map answer" and drive traffic to my site...yeah, I'm shameless - here's a link to the YouTube posting).

Now for something completely different:
Becky Miller is again having an interesting discussion regarding what should make up a Christian hero. It is related to last week's blog tour over The Legend of the Firefish. Bryan Polivka blogged about the repeated comments that viewed Packer as a potentially weak hero. Several times in the book he steps back and lets things happen according to God's will, whether it ends up in his death, disaster for all around him, or deliverance. Bryan has a great point to make, and Becky gives her take on it. Make sure to check the comments of Becky's post for more of the discussion.

My thoughts: I didn't have a problem with what Packer did, because it is truly a great Christian response - one that I would have a problem duplicating in real life. I would suggest that perhaps the way it was written is more of the contention (which I admitted in my post last week was a minor contention).

The discussion made me think of the book Germ, which is quite a different book than Firefish. In it, the Christian character has regret for past violence, and sacrifices himself in the end to allow others to survive - a very Christian act and imagery for the book. The points being made in Becky's discussion are very valid, but I think that examples like this are in other places in CBA fiction right now as well.

There's a lot that could be said, and I don't have the inspiration to work it out at the moment. I've got a heaping plate ahead of me for the next 6 weeks. Mainly my wife and I are in charge of bringing in and promoting Noel Richards for a worship seminar and concert at our church on September 22. Then I have to take a major recertification test for my physican assistant license on October 5, so I have to be studying through this time. Of course, it doesn't help that I sign up for things like fantasy football.

Don't worry, I'll be around. Hopefully I'll have more to offer in a day or two.

Doing Something Different

Phew. I'm back in the saddle after a couple of days on the couch. Being in the medical field, I could always see that back pain/spasms weren't fun. Now I can testify to the fact. Thanks to all those who said a prayer on my behalf - it is working!

In other news, my little church did something a little different yesterday. We had been talking for a while, wondering what would happen if instead of going to church we tried to get out and be the church. We've got a good core group that tries to shine light in our every day lives, but what if we did something different and a little bit radical as a body?

So, instead of having a church service, we went out to the local park next to the lake. Despite a "rather blustery day" as Pooh might call it, we set up in the central gazebo. After doing some prayer walking around different parts of the park, we put up signs advertising "Free BBQ" and started cooking for any who would come.

The day turned out really well. We had a steady trickle of folks from 12-4. Nothing overwhelming at one time, but we ran out of food at the end! We had cops, bike riders, families, a guy w/the cardboard sign looking for work, and skaters all stop by for a burger, hot dog, or glass of lemonade. We got to visit with several people. At least two families said they wanted to check out our church after this.

It seemed like a simple thing - go bless people. I have to believe it was more profound than that, both in our hearts and the people who witnessed it. We'll see what comes of it, but the main thing to us was the idea that "obedience is better than sacrifice." God is good, and we didn't get blown north.

Anyone else have stories like this? How did it go?

Pledge Drive

I listen to Air 1 all day streaming it at work. The alternative music channel plays some great Christian music and has a pretty good ministry side as well. They are listener supported (thus no commercials), but their last pledge drive only hit about 75%. Its sister station K-Love (which is a little too syrupy for my tastes) is in a similar situation.

If you listen to either of these stations, consider supporting them with a gift or a pledge of monthly support. Here's for Air 1, here's for K-Love.

Funny story: my youngest's name is Caleb. When he was a baby we'd sometimes listen to K-Love in the car. My older boys thought it was cool that the radio was always singing to their younger brother...

Later today, I'll be posting for the CSFF tour, so check back!