Make Today COUNT!!! October 31, 2005

I was full of energy and excitement as I sat down at my computer a few minutes ago. I have this routine that I go through nearly every morning…I get a bagel and a cup of coffee, drive to work (usually listening to FOX news), check my e-mail and then some BLOGS that I really dig–and then I open up my blog and try to write something inspiring and creative.

But this morning my plans changed…I am stunned…I am numb…I can’t believe what I have read.

Maybe you have heard about the story–maybe not–but the pastor of University Baptist Church in Waco, TX (the one where the David Crowder Band leads worship) died yesterday during a worship service. Apparently he was preparing to baptize someone and, while standing in the water, grabbed the microphone–something that he had apparently done many times. However, yesterday something apparently went MAJORLY wrong. You can read about the story here and here.

My heart goes out to this church–to this mans family–to the people he had the privilege of teaching and leading. I can’t believe it! In fact, when I first read the story I thought, “This is a sick joke–a REALLY sick joke.” However, the story is true…and my heart is broken.

I realized the blessing and the urgency of life with my own close call back in July–that event really did cause me to make some serious changes…and I am continuing to do so–especially after reading a story like this.

Let me make you a promise–Kyle did not get up yesterday morning planning to step into eternity, but apparently it was his time…I believe that–I believe that God reigns, He is Sovereign, and that He has a reason for everything that happens.

In Scripture we are promised a lot of things–but we are never promised a tomorrow. My question to you is this, if you knew you had six months to live–what changes would you make? How would you treat your wife? Your children? Your friends? How would that affect your relationship with Christ?

My challenge is answer those questions–and then begin to implement the changes. WE DO NOT KNOW how much time we have on this big ball of dirt called earth–we need to make our lives count.

Please pray for Kyle’s family and his church as they go through this time. And as far as you and I–we are still here–God still has a purpose–let’s live life to the fullest.

Walking By Faith–Super Cool Person of the Week October 28, 2005

Lucretia and I do not have children yet. (NO–she’s not pregnant!) She’s always said she wanted two–I used to say that I wanted four…until I went to visit a friend who has four boys. I changed my mind and Lucretia still thinks to this day that the trip I took was God ordained!

FOUR BOYS! WOW–don’t get me wrong, the boys in the home I visited were very well behaved, it was just that nothing ever slowed down–ever. It was wide open from the time we woke up until the time we went to bed.

I came away from that thinking, “Who in their right mind would have four boys–that’s insane.”
And then last year I had the privilege of meeting Shane and Cherie Duffey–who have…you guessed it–FOUR BOYS (Austin, Tanner, Griffin, and Grant)

Shane Duffey is on staff at NewSpring (so is his wife–but I will save that for later.) What is his role you ask? Basically he is over everything you see inside the auditorium on a Sunday…lighting, video, music, sound, stage design…everything. He doesn’t actually do the work–but he leads and manages the people who are responsible for getting the work done.

This area has truly thrived under his leadership…and it amazes me the amount of work and the quality of work that comes out of his area. (Just wait until you see the video next Sunday!)

We hired Shane back in the spring. I remember sitting in Cracker Barrel with him and his wife & asking him to consider the job. He had been with State Farm insurance for around 18 years. He had risen up the ladder and was doing quite well in every aspect of being in the corporate world. He could have laughed at the offer–it was for less money (trust me!) and it would mean that he would have to walk away from a very comfortable job with a definite future and step into a world where everything was operate by faith!

It didn’t take him long at all to come to a decision; in fact, he accepted the job without even knowing what his salary would be. WOW–how many people do you know that would do that?

I admire Shane in so many ways. He is one of the godliest men that I know–and I see that in the way his wife and his children look up to him.

He is also one of the most intelligent men on the planet–he can read something that John Piper writes and understand it the first time! (OK all you Piper people–that was not a crack, John’s writings are pretty in depth–it takes me a couple of times–that’s ALL I’m saying!)

AND he is also an inspiration to me when it comes to being a dad. I’m not a dad yet–but Shane is a walking example of the fact that kids to not run the house–the parents do! He spends one on one time with his kids a lot–makes sure he is involved in their lives–and his family has not suffered because of him being wrapped up in ministry!

Oh yeah, one more thing…he is an inspiration to everyone who knows him when it comes to loving his wife as Christ loves the church. The relationship that he and Cherie have is amazing. They are walking examples that kids do not ruin a marriage (remember–they have four) AND that kids do not ruin romance (you can tell they are very much in love) AND that when you have kids that you do not have to quit doing things that you enjoy (they both workout & take care of themselves–and they go on dates–AND leave the four boys with a sitter!!!)

Can I just say this–they are examples that parenting is hard work–but if done right it can bring a couple closer together and not drive them apart. I am sick and tired of pathetic parents blaming their marital problems on innocent children!!!

Sorry about that rant! Shane Duffey is the man…he walks by faith and is an awesome example to all of us. He is my Super Cool Person of the Week!

Blogging King of the World! October 27, 2005

Yes ladies and gentlemen, the majority of you got it right–the blogging king of the world is Mr. Terry Storch!

I had the privilege of having lunch with Terry a few months ago–and got a picture with him–but have just recently discovered how to put pictures on my blog. (I know, some of you know all the ins and outs…remember…I am technically challenged!!!)

Terry is the man and has forgotten more about blogging than I will ever know. (I am not exactly sure if that is a compliment!) One day I hope I can be as cool as him! :-)

Confessions of a Recovering Legalist October 27, 2005

I owe my first church an apology. I remember it well, 1990…I was full of energy, passion…AND a list of rules that would have made the Pharisees envious! I went into that youth group with both barrels blazing, “Don’t listen to this music…don’t go to these types of movies…”, you know, typical stuff that good hearted youth pastors try to accomplish.

We had a great time–the kids listened to good Christian music and only attended PG movies–they were good kids…and then when I left–keep in mind I was the drill instructor–and their base of knowledge was no longer there and they went off to college, well, let’s just say that some of them went a little wild. They began to do all the things they were told not to do.

WHY?

I’ll tell you why–I taught them the rules and didn’t focus on teaching them how to fall in love with Jesus. I am convinced that a person who is radically in love with Jesus will do and say the right things…and they listen to HIM!

I guess I felt like if I could create a list of rules then the kids could be controlled, harnessed…I was there to protect them and I knew best–yeah right!

The focus of Christianity is not rule keeping–it is not doing your spiritual checklist–it is a personal relationship with the living God! Don’t misunderstand–there are right and wrong choices–and what the Bible says is right and wrong…I will declare that! (For example, sex before marriage is WRONG! Getting drunk is WRONG! Gluttony is WRONG! Gossip is WRONG!)

And saying that those things are wrong is not legalistic or judgmental–it’s just Biblical fact. The problem comes when we begin to impose our personal set of values on others and then judge whether or not they are good followers of Jesus based on OUR standards–not HIS!

I have personal convictions; however, I have had to learn to distinguish between personal convictions and clear Biblical instruction. And my goal as a pastor is not necessarily to put out a list of rules to be followed–BUT to teach people how to fall in love with Jesus and His teachings.

Jesus is the most amazing man that has ever lived–and He had a sense of humor and was incredibly creative. I had the privilege of speaking to our high school group last night and sharing with them a little bit of who Jesus is–that He wasn’t this boring dude who talked in 1611 language and was always telling people what not to do…but rather He was the guy that “tax collectors and sinners” wanted to hang out with.

Trust me, “Tax collectors and sinners” do not hang out with boring, dull people.

My challenge today–continue to strive to fall in love with Jesus–OR maybe get to know Him. The Bible contains four accounts of His ministry in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He has changed my life…and continues to rock my world even to this day!

WOW–that was deep for me! On a lighter note–I figured out how to put pictures on my blog all by myself–yeah Perry! SO–I will be posting a picture of me later on today with the blogging king of the world–anyone have a guess who that might be? We will count your votes and tally the results after 4:00 today!

Hitch October 26, 2005

This Sunday we are beginning a new series of messages at NewSpring entitled “Hitch.” There is a ton of excitement about this series–especially among our staff.

Why a series on singleness and dating you ask?

I heard the other day that 66% of all couples that get married this year will either get separated or divorced. SIXTY SIX PERCENT!

Is this what God had in mind when He created man and woman and instituted marriage? I don’t think so! Marriage is under attack in the world today…and statistics show that the divorce rate among people who claim to be Christians is just as high as the rate among non-Christians.

One of the reasons I believe this is true is because the church has remained silent on the subject for too long. I have not heard of many ministries that tackle this subject head on. Many times I feel like pastors think they can talk about the Tabernacle in the desert and hope that out of that people can get something that may apply to their dating life.

But we are going to take a different approach…I promise, the tough issues will be addressed. We will talk about sex before marriage, living together before you are married, dating someone who isn’t a Christian, and a ton of other stuff as well.

We will also talk about what the Bible says regarding sex between a husband and a wife, going where some speakers fear to go–The Song of Solomon. (For those who think this book is a metaphor of Christ and His love for the church–uh, sorry, you’re wrong! This is a book about a married man and woman enjoying the gift that God has given!!!)

Now the married people may be wondering, “Well, why should I come–I’ve already been through the dating process.” Let me give you a few reasons…

#1 – The singles sit through the sermons on marriage and learn–the opposite can be true for you. I do not want to be the church that forgets single people–and we won’t!

#2 – Some people that are married may need to learn how to date their spouse–just because you stood before a pastor, took vows, and now live in the same house does not mean that there is an abundance of romance in the home.

#3 – God’s Word will be taught in a bold and uncompromising way. Scripture works–period, and no one who applies Biblical principles to their dating life or marriage will fail–NO ONE! And for those who think the Bible has nothing to say about our society today–you are in for a HUGE surprise.

#4 – If you are a parent then one day you will have to talk to your kids about sex, love, and dating. Let me be honest–many parents stink at this! Trust me, I was in youth ministry for nearly a decade. It amazes me that there are parents that are bold at work–they bark commands, they fire people, they make sure the right things get done…and then they come home and cower before their teenager because they don’t have the courage to stand up to them and declare what is right and wrong when it comes to dating.

That’s about it! Pray for us as we begin this series…and invite people–I promise you that this Sunday you will see and hear things that you have never seen and heard before in church!

And for those who may not attend NewSpring but want to hear the messages–you can go to our website here and download them for FREE anytime after lunch on Monday.

Critics On The Internet October 25, 2005

The internet is a tremendous tool…there is so much amazing information available to us today that was not there 20 years ago. I am an internet junkie–I read blogs, do research–keep up with sports…great stuff.

However, the internet can also be a place where, if you are not careful, you can get caught up in what the Bible calls “foolish and stupid arguments” that are completely fruitless and will not impact the Kingdom whatsoever.

BUT–yesterday I was tempted to throw Biblical wisdom to the side and I almost became involved in a debate on a blog that I discovered that were taking shots at myself, NewSpring, Ed Young, Andy Stanley, Reggie Joyner, and a few others as well.

I read the blog several times…I am not sure who has the blog because the person refuses to identify themselves…and I thought about it all day yesterday and even prayed about it in my quiet time this morning. I don’t know if you have ever dealt with this–but if you do let me share with you what I wrote in my journal this morning that has helped me a ton.

#1 – Don’t Take The Criticism Personally

Easier said that done, right? But if you are going to open your heart and share your feelings in any type of public forum then you WILL be misunderstood, misquoted, and criticized–I promise.

And the majority of the time the person who criticizes you the loudest is the one who probably doesn’t know you at all. In the case of the person yesterday…I have never even had a conversation with them–and they even admit on their blog that they have never even darkened the doors of NewSpring.

I listen to criticism–the book of Proverbs says to; however, it says that wounds from a FRIEND can be trusted…and people who tear you down from a distance and remain anonymous while doing so is not what I would call a friend.

#2 – Look At The Source

I had to do this for a long time yesterday…consider the source, where does this type of criticism really come from?

Here is my conclusion–I cannot force myself to believe that God has raised up an army of warriors to create random (and once again anonymous) blogs that do nothing except tear down the work that He is doing.

I can’t help but think about the Apostle Paul here…everywhere he went he was criticized…heck, there were people in the book of Acts that traveled from town to town just to beat him up. But he knew where that type of resistance was coming from…and it didn’t deter him from his goal.

#3 – Do NOT Engage In Fruitless Fighting

As I stated earlier–this was hard for me yesterday. I felt like my heart and love for Jesus and His church were called into question. I began to reason with myself that if this person could just see my passion for those who do not know Christ then they would be convinced that I really believe in this work that God has called me to do.

You and I both know that isn’t the case.

The people around me know my heart…I do not believe you can sit through a service at NewSpring and say that I do not believe what I teach…and I try my best to live that belief as well. BUT someone who criticizes you from a distance will never believe that–ever.

In this person’s blog I was called out because I did not respond to his/her e-mail several months back. Let me say this–nearly every e-mail that comes into this blog gets some type of response; however, we refuse to become in fruitless fighting…and NEVER respond to people who e-mail without identifying themselves.

My job is not to debate the already convinced–but to reach as many for Christ as possible…and to stray away from that goal to debate an anonymous critic would be foolishness.

#4 – Agree To Disagree

There is a lot of debate in the Christian community today…predestined or choice…speaking in tongues or reverent worship…traditional or contemporary…mega church or mini church…and none of these debate will EVER be settled by some random blog post over the internet.

However, if we are Christians, Christ Follower–lovers of Jesus Christ–then we need to simply agree to disagree. After all, we are all going to the same place–I guess I’m just focused on trying to take as many with us as possible & so as long as we can say Jesus is Lord and that He is alive and necessary for forgiveness…then the rest is just details.

#5 – Finally, Don’t Go There!

If you KNOW that there is a website dedicated to tearing down you as a person OR your ministry–don’t go there! I know it is tough–trust me, I wanted to go to the site I discovered yesterday and read…but it will not do me any good, nor will it help the people around me. It WILL affect your mood…thus affecting the way you treat others.

That is why I will not provide you with information on where this person’s site is…I know some of you would go there and try to debate this person…others would try to begin sites that bash him/her…it’s not worth it.

Love Jesus–love others–those are the two most important commands–let’s try our best to do that and pray that our attitude–even on the internet–reflects that our effort is wrapped up in Him!

Go Tigers!!! October 24, 2005

Last night Chansi Stuckey and Reggie Merriweather came to NewSpring…they heard I had some incredible athletic abilities and wanted to know if I could help them out. I sat them down and taught them all I know about the game of football–it took a whole two seconds!!!

Seriously–these dudes are real–they love Jesus and we had a great time. More pictures later!