Letting it go for Good!

So the balloons from yesterday's services were on the floor by the time I checked in at 5:30 this morning. Hopefully the resolve of those who released 600 balloons over the 3 services will last longer than the hot air in the balloons.

Well, I hope those of you who read this blog will find this to be a great week. I hope it is productive and that you are in a place where your relationships are strengthening and not declining.

Remember to let your anger go and be like Jesus every chance you get.

Quit horsing around: Making the most of everyday!

From my first memories of childhood I was around horses. This picture is one taken of my father probably around the time I was born. While visiting someone in the church he jumped on this horse for a quick ride. (and a picture)

It reminds me of the seasons of our lives. Nothing lasts forever. The last church I pastored was in the country and I had horses. (1987 -1990) I remember when I became aware that I would possibly be moving on to another ministry away from this wonderful country setting in Pennsylvania that I would try to soak up every time I saddled the horse and rode. I wanted to embrace the moment, the views and I can still take you to a spot where I remembering pausing one spring morning just a ten minute ride from the barn where I could see for about ten or twenty miles in every direction. I realized I would never have this opportunity on a daily basis again. I tried to inhale that moment and take it in with all my senses. I have never forgotten the sight, sounds, smell and feel of that moment.

Are you making the most of your life? Are you embracing each day, your family, your job, your relationships and anything else that comes to mind as an opportunity that will one day be lost or perhaps never be there for you again. Relationships change. Our kids that once were little get older and move on. Our health which is reasonably good today may change tomorrow so let us seize the day. Seize the moments that are around us and live them to the fullest.

The best thing happened this week. I played racquetball with somebody from the church that I hardly knew at all and found out he has a farm and seven horses. I offered to become a farm hand on my days off! Seriously I hope to be spending some time back in the country. In fact, one of these days I may move out into this beautiful countryside that surrounds the city of Newark! I'm thinking the place might need to have a barn! Here are a couple of options! Too bad they are not in Licking County!

Saturday Night Blues

This Saturday evening I ventured out beyond the walls of my comfortable family room, (an ironic term considering that I sit in this room by myself 98% of the time) and the relative ease of my favorite chair for an evening of friendship and great blues music.

What you are looking at in the picture is the cafe located in the Vineyard on Cooper Road in Columbus. Jerry Loos and his band were just incredible and I hope to go back again. It was fun being with Tim B. and John B. and just hanging out. WARNING: Use moderation when drinking the low-carb ice drinks at this cafe.

Another Saturday evening monumental event was the crowning of the Granville Christian Academy Spring Formal Queen. My daughter came home with a tiara on her head but somehow I missed it at 11:45 at night so I was told about it at church on Sunday by someone else! That's the way love goes I guess.


Today I spent most of my day in the office and I enjoyed every minute of it. Sometimes it is a gift to have a day of uninterrupted work. Well I am rambling so I will quit for the night and try to find something deep and philosophical to write about next time.

Oh by the way this Sunday we are going to take a look at murder and anger from Jesus perspective. It might be a good idea to go ahead and start dealing with any unresolved conflicts, hatred or contempt for others you have laying around! Don't say you weren't warned. (smile)

This week I facilitated a NewStart Assessment Center in St. Marys Ohio. Nine couples and ten assessors gathered at the Northwest Ohio Nazarene campgrounds for three days. As always this was a time of evaluation and learning as many of these couples are on the verge of doing something new in ministry.

They are responding to a new challenge and to be honest many of the couples who come to these assessments are just plain tired of hitting their heads against the wall with "churched" people who just don't or won't get it.

Unfortunately, much of the church is America is a long way from the biblical model of what the church is supposed to be about. The church is not about a building. The church is not about church people. We were left on this earth to be Christ body. His hands and feet. His eyes and to have His heart of compassion.

Someone asked this week, "Where was God during the Virgina Tech shootout?" Where is God? He is in the lives of His people and the only way He gets around is when we get around. The only way sin is held back in this world is when we have been out of our church buildings and engaging the culture. There is something better than just conversing and that is a conversion from living for ones self and living for God. When the church is truly being the church we are salt and light in the world in which we live. I heard the question and wondered what churches or Christians in the area could have or should have interacted with the Cho family. Would it have made a difference in this young shooter's life? Maybe it was someone who refused a call by God to go to his native land and share the message of Christ.

An acquaintance wondered out loud recently if I wasn't a little too radical on this idea of being mission driven. From my point of view we were put on this earth for one reason and that was to be Jesus to our world. That means everything we do should matter. I think that is the way Jesus taught His disciples.

That is the kind of church I want to be a part of and the kind of church I hope to stand before God someday and be able to say I lead.

Hypocrites!

So what we are looking at here is the home of actor John Travolta. Recently he was heard giving a politically correct speech chastising "us" for our wasteful use of natural resources. Of course it is perfectly fine for him to fly himself around in one of his five airplanes. Would this not be wasteful when you could ride in the crowded public airplanes like the rest of us.

I am in a bad mood because while I don't condone the words of radio personality Don Imus it is hypocrisy of the worst kind to see the press bow down to the likes of Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton. Both of these individuals have uttered horrible things and now they are casting stones and we are bowing to them. Al Gore, (internet inventor) is living in a house that uses an enourmous amount of gas and electric but we are not supposed to care about that. We are supposed to sacrifice and save on gas and electric.

Truly our country has sunken to a new low.

Let's see we can't ride in our cars without seat belts and fear of being arrested, (some think it will one day be mandated that we wear helmets in our cars) we are afraid to ride our bikes without helmets, and we are told to not talk on the phone while driving or pumping gas. KFC recently bowed to the pressure of Bill Clinton and the food police so now there is no longer trans fat in original recipe chicken. Guess what it is not "original" anymore and it taste horrible. Like I remarked to the poor manager of the last KFC I was in, "If I want to die from trans fat that should be my business." Maybe someday we can all live in government issued bubbles. I am tired of it and thinking of moving to the country where I can live back a long lane, have no TV, internet, cell phones, email, Wal-mart, urban anything, mega anything, etc. . . I would drive an old truck and have a dog for a best friend. Happy dreams!

Real Life, Newark Naz. and Easter Weekend

It is hard to believe that one year ago this weekend Real Life Church of the Nazarene reopened and started trying to be a church that would be effective in touching their neighborhood with the message of Good News. Saturday night and Sunday morning over 90 people attended services in this once dying church! What an amazing testimony to the power of God's willingness to inhabit the work of those who surrender the church to Him.

This church is our first multi-site location and I can't think of a better place or people to represent the ministry of Newark Naz. I am grateful for God's help this weekend and it is my prayer that the over 1300 people who showed up in six services held in these two locations were touched with the message of hearing God's wake up call and coming to life. This picture of our Williams Street location was taken the Sunday before Easter but it tells the story. It is a great place to be when God shows up. What a great joy it is to see these seats full each week with people hungry to know God and His will for their lives.

On this Easter Lord's Day it is clear that Christ has risen, He is risen indeed!

Emergent Humor

I know that the Emerging, Emergent, Post-modern, etc. . . thing, (I am still not ready to call it a movement and I sure am not going to call it a new reformation. Reformations usually get labled after the fact not going into it!) is serious business but here is a little humor to lighten the load. Take a break from "saving the church" and smile.

This picture is what I call an emerging church!

Passover in Cincinnati

Here are a few pictures from last evening. A long time ago while in college, I was very involved with a Jewish family in Cincinnati. Twice now in the last twenty three years I have gone back and celebrated Passover with them. It is an amazing thing to be connected to this family and feel the love that still exists after all these years.

Last evening we shared a Seder meal together. This is always an evening of intrigue and a lot of memories. Here are some pictures of the members of the Friedman family. This night was "different from all other nights" because it was a reunion with some people who greatly affected my life and exposed me to life experiences I would have never known without them.