Mike Vick and I are a Lot Alike!

I was listening to a radio show yesterday (after the massive beatdown Mike Vick put on the helpless Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football). The question was posed, after how well he's been playing, "would you want him on your team?" Now barring (and understandably so) the Atlanta Falcons, I think every other teams should want to have the best player (right now) in the league on their team, because winning is winning. However, the host responded, "I would not want anyone on my team who is capable of doing what he did."

This got me thinking, "what makes us any different than Michael Vick?" Why is it that when people like Vick make these huge mistakes that we start making these strong assertions that we could never have done something like that. The problem is that many of us are fooling ourselves (especially those in the Christian community). Each of us is much closer to Michael Vick or even Adolf Hilter than we'd like to admit. We're all human and given different circumstances, things may have turned out a lot different for us.

It doesn't take a lot to look around this world and notice that there is something wrong. There are a lot of bad people: crooked politicians, shady business men and women, bullies, spouse abusers, drug dealers, pedophiles, rapists, murderers. What separates us from them? The answer is circumstances and God's grace.

It's funny how if a young African American young man or women ends up in jail for dealing drugs or killing someone, many are quick to defend him or her saying that they were a product of their environment. However, Mike Vick makes it out of the ghetto of Newport New, VA on a seemingly super-human athletic ability and we automatically expect more of him despite the fact that no one cared to show him the way. All we cared about was that he was electrifying on the field and how much money was being made off of him. Vick grew up in a community that was steeped in dog-fighting. Are we surprised that it carried over into his professional life as well?

Now some of us need to get down off our high horse and accept the fact that we are products of our environments as well. We had everything we could ever want. Our circumstances were different. By God's grace, we were spared the circumstances that might have lead us down the wrong road. But nevertheless, we are all human and suffer from one major flaw that each of us inherited from a common ancestor. Sin. Any of us is a sinner who have ever lied to our parents, copied homework, held a grudge, looked lustfully at a woman or even held hatred in our hearts for Michael Vick. In God's eyes sin is sin and we have all fallen short of His standard. Stop acting as though your "good" life has earned you the right to cast judgment on others because if anything it should make you more forgiving of others because, by God's grace, you have been spared.

The Bible tells us that "just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12 HCSB). Sin is a part of the human condition and we are all capable of the most terrible atrocities even if we never end up commiting them. Likewise the Bible teaches us that we are not to condemn people for their sins lest we be condemned ourselves (Matthew 7:1-5). Mike Vick publicly claims to have received Jesus as his savior. Therefore, he has been forgiven; period. And if his sin had to lead him into deepest pits of Hell to get him to turn to God; then maybe it was worth it.

Mike Vick has been given a second chance and he's done far more with it than most of us ever could have. Stop your skepticism about whether he is truly repentant! Stop acting like the petulant older brother in the story of the "Prodigal Son," standing outside the party refusing to come in. Rather, like the Father, "celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" (Luke 15:32 HCSB)

So how are Mike Vick and I a lot alike? We've both been forgiven.

Halloween: A Christian Debate

Many Christians express concern, year after year, about the dangers of Halloween and its history to Christian values. Now, I am very much aware of the cultic implications of Halloween and have struggled with whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween. More specifically, I've been conflicted as to whether Christian groups should plan Halloween-themed activities within the Church. I've prayed about this and read scripture and I have come to the conclusion that Halloween can be used as a tool to reach people for Christ. I know that many Christians disagree with me on this and I certainly don't want to offend anyone's convictions, but I do believe that Halloween provides an opportunity to spread the gospel.

Halloween is such a strong part of our culture that disassociation from it may lead to the perception that we are culturally irrelevant but even more so, it can lead to a missed opportunity. Most people in this country celebrate Halloween including most Christians. Therefore Oct. 31, provides an opportunity for us to bring people into the church and engage them in spiritual conversations at a time where they are not only open to the subject, but often expect it.

Let me be clear; we should never embrace the demonic side of Halloween. We should certainly use discretion when picking costumes for our children and ourselves. Nevertheless, we can celebrate Halloween in a way that does not compromise our beliefs and still allows us to engage our neighbors in spiritual conversations that expose them to the Gospel.

In Acts 17, Paul engaged the people of Athens by taking something from their own culture (the altar to an Unknown God) and using it to get them to consider the true God of the universe. I don't think Paul was truly saying that these people were worshiping Yahweh through this arbitrary temple (that would be blasphemous). It was simply an opening for Paul to present the true God. For me Halloween is an opening to present people with the truth about spiritual things. Halloween already makes people think more about the spiritual world so let's use Halloween as an opening to point them to Spiritual Truth.

Martin Luther stated that “the best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.” If Halloween be a demonic holiday in celebration of demonic values, what better way to mock Satan than to use Oct. 31 to further God's kingdom through Jesus Christ.

The Apocalypse Has Been Postponed (For the Time Being)!

There has been so much buzz in recent years concerning what many believe will be with the ending of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012. As people gear up to face the apocalypse, there have been at least 2 reactions: fear and/or determination.

Fear: Faced with their impending death, many begin to fear what's beyond the grave. There's the burning question: is this all there is or what should I expect when I die? People are naturally fearful of the unknown and even more so when that unknown is death.

Determination: Faced with their impending death, many realize that there is so much they hoped to do and accomplish before they died. They wanted to skydive, get married, move out of their parents' basement or just make something of themselves. Some people just naturally work better with a deadline (no pun intended). December 21, 2012 provided that deadline.

As for me, I liked the idea of people thinking that the world was going to end in 2012 (even if I don't believe). For one, fearful people were turning to Jesus for answers concerning life after death. When people seriously question the supernatural, Jesus and the Bible begin to make sense. The frailty of humanity becomes apparent and people begin to see their need for a savior. Jesus is the only third party savior in any religion; everyone else is left to save themselves. Secondly, thinking that the time was running short, Christians were more determined to share their faith with a friend or neighbor. You can't believe the Bible and also believe that everyone will end up in heaven; the Bible talks way too much about "H" "E" double hockey sticks. Christians can't help but recognize that all those who die apart from Christ have no pearly gates of which to look forward. And, naturally, it should be hard for Christians to so willingly allow their loved ones to perish without hearing the gospel. 2012 provided us with this extra motivation.

But now things have been messed up. A recent book "Calendars and Years II: Astronomy and Time in the Ancient and Medieval World" (Oxbow Books, 2010) argues that early conversions of the Mayan calendar (which have been accepted without question for so long) may actually be as many as 50 to 100 years off in either direction. Sadly, the Mayan apocalypse may have already happened with the entire world being, "Left Behind." In actuality, we're back to square one not knowing at all when the end will come. But wait...didn't Jesus say that would be the case anyway? Jesus told His disciples, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority" (Act 1:7 NASB). Then He went into a rant about the disciples receiving power and being witnesses around the world. Interesting...

Ok....fear and determination are good, but the fact that we don't know should make us even more fearful and determined. If I know I'm going to die tomorrow, yes, it will motivate me a little, but if I don't know I'm going to die tomorrow that should make me even more motivated by the very fact that it may happen or it may not. It's that fear of the unknown kicking in. Honestly, each of us should live every day as though it's December 20, 2012. Fear of death should point us toward Jesus and knowing the end could come at any moment should make us all the more determined that none should go down without hearing the gospel.

I like a good deadline because it allows me to pace myself or even procrastinate until the last minute and then work overtime to get it done. But Jesus doesn't want us to wait until the last minute. He wants us to face each day with a faithful attitude that today may be our last and we'll give an account for how we lived each day. There will be no excuses accepted containing the words, "I didn't know!" or "I thought I had more time!" You were warned. So live each day with fear and determination. You never know when tomorrow won't come.

17 Things I Learned from My First Year in Ministry

1. One year isn’t long enough to do/change much.
2. Most people are appreciative of anything that you do to help them and they will notice when you help others too.
3. You can never please everyone. Be careful not to try.
4. Writing skills are very important and very much appreciated.
5. No matter how careful you are in your communication, someone will either misunderstand or be out of the loop…and it’s still your fault.
6. You will never have every position filled with the right person.
7. A lot of people know more than I do and are much more mature in their faith. Learn from them.
8. It’s a difficult thing to be someone’s confidante and it’s even more difficult to find someone to be yours.
9. People really want to see you succeed. We’re all in this together.
10. The children’s ministry is the youth ministry’s minor league. Small investments of time there can and will pay future dividends.
11. It’s hard not to second guess the decisions that you make, even when they go well. Remember the past, but don’t live there.
12. Be prepared for anything and be flexible.
13. Sometimes, the easiest solution is the best one, but don’t be afraid to take risks.
14. At the end of the day, there is still another 10 hours of work to do…you can never get it all done.
15. Put your wife first and make sure she knows it.
16. Make the most of every opportunity; you never know when a door might close.
17. Showing appreciation for what people do goes a long way.

A Soundtrack to Our Lives

I have a friend whose dream job would be to choose the musical soundtrack for movies, but for me I think it would be pretty easy to choose the soundtrack of my own life.

Today, I was looking at my itunes Library, which has far too many songs. I don't listen to every song everyday and some I haven't listened to in years. So, today I decided to move past the music that I've recently purchased and go back. I started listening to songs I know I haven't heard for years. I'm no psychologist or shrink, but I'm willing to bet that music has a special connection to memory. Because, so often, I'll here a song and it takes me back to another time and place. Over the years, I've gained an appreciation for all types of music, so no matter where I am or what I'm doing, if the radio is on, chances are I'll be reminded of the past. Some songs evoke painful memories (Tennessee Flat Top Box by Rosanne Cash), others remind us of happier times (She's Everything by Brad Paisley). Others make us wish we were still 16 (Never Gonna Feel that Way Again by Kenny Chesney). Still others remind us of how far we've come (Don't take the Girl by Tim McGraw).

I know some of us like to think that music is the invention of men and women who, long ago, found a new avenue to express themselves. But there must be something in the heart of God that hemorrhages music. For at least several thousand years, people have expressed songs to and about God. A large portion of Scripture is devoted entirely to music. And when we are truly in love with God, something inside of us can't help but sing. Music involves both words and emotions. And like I said, music just brings back memories. It's also funny that while it's so hard for us to remember what we had for breakfast yesterday, each one of us has memorized countless song lyrics that even after not hearing a song for years, we can still sing along.

The people in the Bible sang to remember what God had done in their lives. In the same way that music can take us back to a different time and place in our own lives, music can also take us back to things that God has done in our lives and throughout history. Moses song to commemorate the Israelites passage through the Red Sea (Exodus 15). David sang on just about every occasion about everything going on in his life (Psalms 1-41). Mary sang about being chosen to give birth to Jesus (Luke 1:46-55). Even Paul encouraged the early church to use music to teach others about Jesus (Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16).

Each new generation must put the acts of God in their own language and in their own style. I think this is what the Psalmists are talking about when 5 times they speak of "Singing a new song to the LORD." Or when Isaiah speaks of "singing a new song" when prophesying of the coming Messiah (Isaiah 42:10). No music that gives glory to God should ever be considered bad, even if it doesn't fit into the broad category entitled "Christian Music." Men and women were created to create, and when we use our creative abilities in writing music, we naturally glorify God even if we don't mention His name. Christians who live godly lives and also happen to be musicians glorify God in more ways than just their music. So-called "Christian artists" who write music to make money and don't live out their songs in daily life, bring no glory to God no matter how many times they mention Jesus.

Far too many people define worship in terms of music, but worship is far more than that. In the Bible worship is a verb. Music does help to remember why we worship God, and when our hearts are pure, it helps us to bring out emotions that evoke worship, but singing a song for the sake of singing it is not worship. Music teaches us about God and helps us to remember what God has done and what He is doing. And God is not done in history. There are still many songs still to be sung and many more still to be written. God is constantly working in our lives giving us more and more to sing about. So let us worship God with our lives and sing songs to remember who He is and what He's done!

What's in a Book?

There is a local thrift store in Livermore, CA that has a great selection of used Christian books. It seems like every time I walk in there I find a great book at a great price. This past week, I stopped in and found "An Unstoppable Force" by Erwin McManus for $2. Previously, I had picked up "Uprising" by McManus for the same price. Now these were great finds for me, but I was a little sad because based on the condition of both books, it was clear that, while they weren't new, neither had ever been read.

Now, no book can be a substitute for seriously studying the Bible, but there are some authors, who, having based their writing on Scripture, can help us to have a better understanding of biblical concepts in the same way that a great sermon can get us to think more deeply about God and His plan for our lives. McManus is one of those authors for me. "Seizing Your Divine Moment" (Now "Chasing Daylight") was the book that helped me to see God's call for me to go into full-time ministry. "The Barbarian Way" helped my youth group and me see that God doesn't call us to a neat, clean and organized faith, but a raw and primitive passion. Right now, "Soul Cravings" is helping me to deal with the issues of intimacy, destiny and meaning.

Each one of the books that I have read by Erwin McManus has left a distinct impact on my life. And I know that I am happy to have found them for such a cheap price. But I wonder what would have happened had the people who donated these books actually read them and kept them. I would not have found them on a book shelf at a thrift store, but perhaps they could have had a substantial impact on someone else's life. How would their lives be different? How would they have affected their relationship with God?

As I look at my book shelf, it is filled with books that I have never read nor have plans to read. How might those book affect my life if I were to read them? Or perhaps if I were to give them away, who might they bring closer to God? What good are books that we never read other than to sit on a bookshelf proclaiming to the world, "Look how many books I have!!!" (Oh how I love books!)?

Just something to think about...

Moving Forward

I can vividly remember the day that I was promoted from the children’s ministry to the youth group. Years of anticipation finally culminated in that day and I couldn’t have been more excited. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the children’s ministry; in fact I became a Christian through the children’s ministry at my church. But there was something about becoming a “youth” to which each of us looked forward. It was a rite of passage; evidence that we were getting older and more mature.

My youth group was a place where I belonged. While at most, we never had more than 15 students, we were a close group of friends who had each other’s back. We learned about the Bible, but we also had fun. Whether inspired by retreats, bowling, pool parties, weekly meetings or Bible study, I am forever grateful for the memories that I have as a result of my youth group. I still keep in contact with many of those guys and girls, and it’s amazing to see what God has done in our lives. 5 of us have gone into full-time ministry as pastors and para-church workers. Most of us have gotten married. Some have kids. But what amazes me even more is how many of us are active members of a church. While statistics tell us that students leave the faith never to return upon High school graduation, most of us defied those odds.

Now, years later, I get to welcome a new group of incoming 7th graders into my youth group. Seeing the excitement in their eyes brings back memories: the excitement and anticipation of being a part of that group all come back. It reminds me that God is a giver of good things and He expects us to be excited to receive them. Each day if we look around we'll see the great things that He has in store for us that day. God is moving forward in His plan for us. Are we willing to follow with anticipation and excitement?

Reflections of a High School Dreamer

June 1 was the 10 year anniversary of my high school graduation. When I realized this, I took some time to contemplate where life has led me over the last decade. As I considered where I am verses where I thought I’d be, I came to the conclusion that these last 10 years can be summed up in one word: GRACE.

I had hopes and dreams. I had direction and I had the ambition to get there. I knew what I wanted do and who I wanted to be. I was on my way. But God, in His GRACE, ruined everything that I had planned. Slowly, one by one, I saw my dreams dashed, my hopes shattered, my direction confused, and my ambition tempered. You see, God had a plan for my life and my hopes, dreams, and direction were getting in the way. Rather than allowing me to continue down the road of selfishness and self-sufficiency, God rescued me from a vain and meaningless life; a life lived outside of His will. That’s GRACE. I could have never seen the perfect plan that God had for me until he took away all hope of the plan I had made for myself. It wasn’t easy, because when you’re going through tough times, it’s difficult to see anything else; especially God. Yet it was God who carried me through those years and brought me out on the other end. I couldn’t see it at the time, but I can look back and see God’s hand working miraculously in my life. As they say, hindsight is 20/20.

So to the class of 2010, I can offer this advice: Be careful with the plans you make; the tighter you hold onto your own agenda, the more it will hurt when God changes your direction. Work hard, but live each day with an open mind. In 10 years, who knows where you'll be? I sure didn't, but I couldn't have dreamed of a better life!