The Pauline approach

I spent the weekend reading in 2nd Corinthians, and I was reminded what an amazing disciple of Christ the Apostle Paul was. Seriously, one quick read through chapter 11 is all you really need to find out the kind of drive and perseverance with which he approached his ministry. Check this out:

"...I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death time and time again. Five times I received the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shiprwecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and gone often without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have gone often without food; I have been cold and naked." (Verses 23-27, NIV)

Wow...when I give that some thought and let that really sink in, all I can say is "wow". "Wow" because so many, including myself, probably would have quit on Jesus before enduring even half of that list...quit at least for a season...but Paul didn't quit. In fact, Paul went on in chapter 12 to explain his philosophy on such hardships.

"That is why for Christ's sake I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
(Verse 10, NIV)

Did you catch that? He said he DELIGHTS in it. "Delight" means that his hardships have a way of bringing him joy. Dude, talk about turning lemons into lemonade.

Needless to say, my journey into 2nd Corinthians this weekend has caused me to seriously self-evaluate. Lord, please help me to be more like Paul. Please help me to stop saying "woe-is-me" and calling 1-800-cry-baby every time something bad happens. I want to live for you, and I desperately want you to be strong in me...even if that means that my weaknesses need to be exposed. Thank you Lord, in Jesus' name. AMEN

Funniest Easter pic ever!

Creepy bunny mask,
freaked out child,
Mom's expression is just like, "Whatever..." This is the best ever!

When I started attending Narcotics Anonymous

I'll never forget the phone call. The trembling voice of a mother of two of the students from my church spoke from the other end of the connection telling me that her kids, Tyler and Allison, had just been arrested for felony drug trafficking and possession of heroine. After several long days of investigation, tears, disappointment, and prayer, the truth was coming out. Tyler and Allison were heroine addicts. They had begun using the drug on a whim at a local party, and they started selling and distributing the drug for local dealers to pay for their new addiction. Needless to say, this family and everyone that knew and loved them were devastated.

The months that followed were tense and agonizing...First came the trial. Next was the sentencing. Then the carrying out of the sentencing. It was ugly. But when Tyler and Allison had completed their time in the local Juvenile Detention Center, they were released to their parents with one court-ordered requirement, mandatory attendance with a local chapter of Narcotics Anonymous. That's when the second phone call came. Tyler and Allison's parents were both working 2 jobs to peck away at the lingering financial burden of old rehab and legal fees, and they simply couldn't get their children to the N.A. meetings. I remember her tears as Tyler and Allison's mom explained that missing work meant foreclosure on their house...And then she asked, "Pastor Mark, would you pray about taking my kids to those meetings?" Long story short, that's when I started attending Narcotics Anonymous.

I took Tyler and Allison every week until there parents were finally able to do it. That was five years ago. Fast forward to this morning...

This morning I received an email from Allison. She wanted to catch up and update me on her and her brother. They're both a month away from receiving their Bachelor's Degrees. They're both actively involved in their local church serving as volunteers in their student ministry. And...thanks be to Jesus...just yesterday they both received their "5 year" pin. That's right...as of yesterday, they've been sober for 5 years! I couldn't hold back my tears as I read these sentences:

"Mark, when no one else loved me, you showed me Jesus, the love of my life, and, when no one else was available, you made the time to get me the treatment that I so desperately needed. Those were the most difficult months of my sobriety, and my gratitude for your sacrifice is beyond measure."

I'm sharing this with you today because this email has been a HUGE reminder to me about what amazing grace is all about...a HUGE reminder to me about what Jesus meant when He instructed us to love God and love our neighbor. You see, I believe that the love of Christ as it is expressed through the words and deeds of ordinary folks like you and me is something that the Holy Spirit uses to give the devil his greatest defeats. Which begs the question...who are you loving for Jesus? Who among the broken, tired, needy, unlovely, addicted, depressed, and jaded in your network are you singling out as a "love project" for the purpose of seeing the Kingdom of God come in their life? Allison said that my small investment of two-and-a-half hours per week made all of the difference for her and Tyler for all eternity. Will you make that investment today?

Starfield #1 on iTunes!

I was just poking around on iTunes, and I noticed that Starfield's new cd "I Will Go" is now the number one selling Christian album on iTunes. I told you that it was an awesome cd! You definitely want to purchase this album. By the way, iTunes has also recently dropped their price on it. I paid $9.99 on Monday. It's $7.99 today, so go buy it while it's so cheap!!! You will not be disappointed.

In the meantime, I'm going to go and lament about the two dollars that I could have saved had I waited until today...actually...I'm not going to do that...having it a couple of days earlier was totally worth the two dollars.

GO BUY THIS CD!

Just Jesus

There’s just one thing I want, and that’s more of Jesus. That’s right…I just want more and more of Jesus. My only prayer is that I would quickly diminish…that everything of me and inside of me and upon me would fade away into the beauty that is Him.

Lest I miss my potential…give me Him.
Lest I live in sin…give me Him.
Lest I forget that which is most important…just give me Jesus.

Oh that love would become my lifestyle…
Oh that servant-hood would define my day…
Oh that I would be captured, captivated, enthralled, dumbfounded, stupefied, astounded, and dominated by grace…His grace…sufficient grace...amazing grace...

Lest I lose sight of my homeland…
Lest I settle for mediocrity…
Lest I glory in another…
Lest I forget Golgotha…
Lest I miss my miracle…
Lest I decide to stay yet another day with Pharaoh…JUST GIVE ME JESUS!

I don’t want another…no substitute will do…Just Jesus...

His blood, shed
His cross in tow
His grave yet empty
His Word ever true
His rod and staff still comforting
He, Him, Emmanuel, My Savior...He is all I want

My banner is clear...
Nothing else will do...
This world has nothing for me...
Just Jesus...
Just Jesus...

I Will Go

I bought Starfield's new cd "I Will Go" yesterday, and I absolutely can't stop listening to it. This is simply one of the best cd's ever recorded. Every song on it is rocks, and the message of the lyrics is right on point. If you've never heard of Starfield, they are a contemporary Christian rock band from Canada. They have two other cd's out that are good as well, but this one is really something special. I strongly urge you to get a copy. It is available on itunes, by the way, that's where I purchased my copy. I was driving to work this morning when a song on the cd called "Reign in us" came on. I got so swept up in it that I just had to pull over and worship. Check out the lyrics: (the bridge is AWESOME!!!)

You thought of us before the world began to breathe
And You knew our names before we came to be
You saw the very day we fell away from you
And how desperately we need to be redeemed
Lord, Jesus, come lead us
We're desperate for your touch

Oh Great and Mighty One
With one desire we come
that You would reign
that You would reign in us
We're offering up our lives
a living sacrifice
that you would reign
that you would reign in us

Spirit of the Living God fall fresh again
Come search our hearts and purify our lives
We need your perfect love, We need your discipline
We're lost unless you guide us with your love
Lord, Jesus, come lead us
We're desperate for your touch

Oh Great and Mighty One
With one desire we come
that You would reign
that You would reign in us
We're offering up our lives
a living sacrifice
that you would reign
that you would reign in us

We cry out for your life to refine us, cry out
for your love to define us, cry out
for your mercy to keep us blameless until you return

Oh Great and Mighty One
With one desire we come
that You would reign
that You would reign in us
We're offering up our lives
a living sacrifice
that you would reign
that you would reign in us

***Go buy this cd! You won't be disappointed! Go, make haste! Go, Go, Go!!!

Call me foolish

I was teaching my small group this week when we turned the focus of our conversation to 1st Corinthians 1:18. It says, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but, to those who believe, it is the power of God." That verse has captivated me ever since I left that night. In fact, God has used that verse to teach me that I've been going about some things all wrong. For example, the verse says, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing"...I have to admit...when I hear that, my first instinct is to try and correct that statement...What I mean by that is for far too long I have placed nearly all of my focus on convincing those around me that the things of Christ are NOT foolish. I've tried to debate and convince, discuss and defend the ways of Jesus to unbelievers with the well-meaning hopes that they would someday see Jesus and want Him in their lives. I have tried to clarify and simplify, rationalize, marginalize, and even apologize for a God who is, and should be, beyond our comprehensions, definitions, and personal theologies...After all, if I were to really be honest with you, there are still times when the message of the cross seems foolish to me...For example - What could seem wise about showing love to your enemies when you are in the heat of anger? What could seem intelligent about "being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you can not see"? What could possibly be prudent in banking your eternity on some poor carpenter who kept company with taxcollectors, sinners, lepers, prostitutes, and "Average Joe's"...Especially if that carpenter abandoned His family's trade for a mission so undignified as to being killed as a common criminal...it's foolishness...beautiful, beautiful foolishness...What I'm getting at here is that this verse in 1st Corinthians is seeming to suggest that not only is the message of the cross foolishness to those who are perishing, but perhaps that it should be perceived as foolishness...Who are we as disciples to think that we need to tone down, dumb down, or water down the real Gospel so much that Jesus might somehow be perceived as nicer, smarter, or more relevant. That's not our calling.. Our calling is to follow Jesus wherever He leads us, to share all that He has given to us, to worship Him with all of our beings, and to love like it's going out of style...When we give our lives to following this calling, we say to the unbelieving world that the ways of Jesus, foolish as they may seem, are still more valuable than all of the wisdom that this broken society has to offer...we say to the unbelieving world that the truth of the Gospel, outrageous as it is, is still greater than any man could ever bear; greater than any cross could ever end; greater than any grave could ever contain; and greater than the kingdoms of this world could ever possess.

So I've decided that I'm going to place more emphasis on living my life foolishly...foolishly by man's standards that is...whenever someone wrongs me, I will immediately forgive them...over and over again if I have to...whenever someone presents a need to me, I will give all that I can...thanking the Lord that He has given so much to me...whenever I fall short in sin, I will confess and repent and bathe in His grace because I know that it is sufficient...even for a sinner like me...and I will love to the point of foolishness; worship to the point of foolishness; serve, study and pray to the point of foolishness...and when the day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest knowing that the God of all creation loves me and finds me pleasing in His sight. And the world can call me foolish...I really don't care.

Just as He said

There’s a phrase in the resurrection account that has caught my attention over the past weekend. The phrase is “Just as He said”. On it’s own it doesn’t exactly stir your passions, but it appears in the bible like this: Matthew 28:6 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” There it was…The angel’s message to Mary and Mary…The fulfillment of the prophecy…The exclamation point at the end of the Gospel sentence…The tomb is empty because Jesus is alive, and it all went down “just as He said”. The Pharisees laughed at Him when He said he’d rebuild the temple in just three days, but He did it…just as he said. In Mark chapter 8 Peter even rebuked Jesus for saying that He would “in three days rise again”, but He did it…just as He said. The disciples didn’t understand Him when He spoke of his resurrection in Mark chapter 9, but guess what…He did it…just as He said. The phrase “just as He said” means that His resurrection wasn’t accidental, incidental, or coincidental. It was simply just as He said. He didn’t execute a contingency plan, but rather, He did it exactly the way that God had ordained it, exactly the way that the ancient prophets foretold it, exactly the way that He wanted it. He did it just as He said. He didn’t need a substitute. He didn’t have to rewrite history. He didn’t change His mind. He didn’t forget about you. He didn’t leave you, and He never, ever, ever will…He rose from the grave…He cheated death…He rebuilt the temple…and He did it all just as He said. Amen

What I've been reading

Here are a list of books that I've read over the past couple of months.

1) Sex God - Rob Bell
I am a huge Rob Bell fan. I get the Mars Hill weekly podcast. I own all of the Nooma's. I devoured Velvet Elvis, and I highly recommend it to any and all who are looking for a good read. That being said, I didn't like this as much as I liked Velvet Elvis. Granted, I read it because I'm a huge "Rob fan" and not because I was all that interested in the deep connection between sexuality and spirituality. I give it a 7 out of 10. There were some parts that were really insightful.

2) Seven Practices of Effective Ministry - Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, Lane Jones
This was required reading for the Senior Management Team of Charter Oak Church, of which I am a member. I was not all that excited about reading this book in the beginning, but that's only because I LOATHE required reading. After reading it, however, I'm in. This book has tons of good stuff in it for anyone who is currently, or will soon be, working in ministry.

3) Living With Questions - Dale Fincher
This book explores some of the most frequently asked "tough questions" about our faith. I read this book because I have spent a season dealing with a significant number of students who are asking these types of questions. That being said...this is an excellent book! Dale Fincher is one of the best Apologists-turned-Authors that I've ever read. This book would make a great recommendation for a seeker who enjoys reading. ps - I shared a copy of Living With Questions with a student who read it and has since gotten saved!

4)Adventures In Missing the Point - Tony Campolo, Brian McClaren
This book is AWESOME! Okay, okay, okay...everyone knows that Tony Campolo is at the top of my "heroes" list, but this book is an honest dialogue regarding the Christian church in today's society. It's probably safe to assume that Brian and Tony didn't make many friends with the message of this book, but it is a great read for anyone who is willing to do the hard work of trying to mold their life and ministry into the image of what the Biblical Bride of Christ is supposed to be. I LOVE THIS BOOK...which is why I can't work for 90% of the churches in America.

ps - I'm about to begin Donald Miller's "Searching For God Knows What"
Happy reading....and happy Easter!

10 Reasons why last night's A.B.S. meeting was awesome

1) Though his skin was white as snow, he played like he was black.
2) The breastplates of righteousness
3) When after defining the word "adultery" to Christian, he said, "I can't take you seriously when you use the word fornicate." The way he said it was hilarious.
4) The yellow hue of the bottom of Deuce's feet...seriously, they were bright yellow. That's just not normal.
5) Having two new visitors....who laughed at all of our jokes....upgrade!
6) Hearing Sammi tell the story about, "All I want to do is just kiss you right now...I'm leaving...And then he walked away. You can't just walk away after you say something like that!!!"
7) And the Pharisees were all like, "Boo-Hiss"
8) FACT: Christian watches The Office. FACT: so does Seth. FACT: Dwight Schrute is one of my heroes.
9) Finding a package of Double Stuffed OREO's in the Rush Room. You know, after eating a "double stuffed" it makes you wonder why they even bother with making the original OREO's anymore...
10) When in the middle of our prayer, Chezla's phone started playing the Hallelujah Chorus. It was beatific and divine...like Rembrandt floating...it gave me the warm fuzzies...and it made me laugh...go figure

ps - I LOVE my A.B.S. group. You guys rock!

Last Weekend's message(s)

As many of you know, I ended up preaching two different sermons over the course of the weekend. God showed up and moved in my heart to preach something at the 11 o'clock service that was completely different from what was preached at the other three services. That being said, I've been inundated with phone calls and emails from people who heard one and wanted to hear the other one as well, so I thought it might save everyone some time to post about it here on my blog.

Both sermons were recorded, and every "cd request" that was made from the weekend will include both messages. Bill Gates, our Director of Worship Arts, and I felt that was the most convenient way to handle the situation. You can obtain a copy of the cd by emailing Bill Gates at:

bgates@charteroakumc.org

Thanks for your interest.

ps - I'm going through the valley because I'm on my way to the mountain!

I'm preaching this weekend

I have the blessed honor of preaching at all four services at Charter Oak Church this weekend, and I'm genuinely excited. I feel like God has given me a fresh perspective on the Gospel message that I first shared with the Student Ministry at our recent Winter Retreat, and I am now getting the opportunity to share it with the adults. So...if you find yourself with some free time, I'm asking if you would lift me up for this task. Please pray that God would empower and anoint me to preach the truth of His word in a way that will connect with everyone present.

Thanks for your prayers.

Deep thoughts after a long week in Ohio...

Ever noticed how bears and worms really have nothing in common until you put the word "gummy" in front of them?

If I ever opened a bookstore, I wouldn't tell people where the "mystery" section is. People would ask, "Excuse me, where is the mystery section?" And I would reply, "Wouldn't you like to know..." And then I would stare at them awkwardly to raise suspense.

Eating contests among my cousins are really just the beginnings of pooping contests later. And interesting enough, the winner of round one is not always the winner of round two...mind boggling, I know...

Why do restaurants put "tiny umbrellas" in smoothies? Is the probability of me meeting a tiny person who is in desperate need of a rain deflection device really all that high? And what's more, do they really think that the tiny person wants the handle of his new umbrella to come to him smelling of pineapple cream? I think not.

Have you ever noticed how the Ohio turnpike is much better maintained than the PA turnpike? I have...that's all I have to say about that.

The next time something really good happens to me I'm going to wait two weeks before I tell anybody about it. That way I'll be able to correctly use the word "fort-night" in the telling of my story. Just seeing the look on the listener's face will be worth the wait.

I'm really afraid of sharks but only when I'm in a water environment. That's pretty much the opposite of how I am with tigers, though.

Why do they include the "about the author" section in autobiographies? That's just redundant.

My pajamas have pockets in them, and I don't know why. Maybe I'm weird, but I don't find it necessary to keep spare change and such in my pants while I sleep. It did just occur to me, however, that the person who thought of putting pockets in pajamas would be a perfect match for the person who put the "about the author" section in autobiographies.

I overheard one of my in-laws say this week that, "board games are for the competive, non-athletic people of our society." I just thought I would share that with you.

Okay, that's enough for now.
ps - this is definitely going to be a better week!

Been doing some research...

As you likely know, my family and I are in Ohio right now dealing with the death of my father-in-law. Long story short, my mother-in-law has asked me to officiate the funeral and focus all of my discussion on Heaven. With that in mind, I've been doing some in depth research over the past 2 days, and here are some things that have touched my heart about Heaven...Likely, most of this will already be familiar to you, but my eyes have been opened to some new things. I hope they bless you as much as they bless me:

The geographical nature of Heaven will be that of an endless land mass rich with plantation and various bodies of water. The center of Heaven is the city of God, The New Jerusalem (Rev. 21,22). The exact dimensions of The New Jerusalem are measured by an angel and reported as "12,000 stadia", or 1500 cubic miles (Rev. 22:15-17). This makes the breadth of the city over two million square miles. Putting that in perspective, that means The New Jerusalem (alone) would stretch from the west coast of the Mississippi River, and from the borders of Canada to Mexico, and cover the entire westward land mass of the United States reaching beyond California and well into the Pacific Ocean...and that's just The New Jerusalem, the city of God. Revelation 22 suggests that the gates of the New Jerusalem are always left open (I love that, by the way) allowing all to come and go from the great city as they please..anyone up for a hike? But perhaps more impressive is The New Jerusalem's 1500 mile height. By present standards, that would mean that the buildings in this city span 780,000 stories tall...and don't forget that John says those buildings are made of pure gold. Take a minute to try and picture that...It is apparently within this vast city that we will have personal dwelling places, which Jesus, Himself, has prepared for us (John 14:2; Luke 16:9; Rev. 21:2). I guess Jesus wasn't exagerating when He said, "In my Father's house there are "MANY" rooms."

Keep in mind that it is never night in Heaven (Revelation 21:25), but there's no sunlight either. The city, and all of Heaven for that matter, will be luminous with the light of God's glory (Revelation 22:4). Think about that for a minute. God's glory is literally so radiant that it gives light to a space that vast...Perhaps that's why God refused to show Moses His glory (Ex. 33:20)...truly no one could ever behold it. While there will be food and drink in Heaven (Rev. 19:9), we won't eat because we are hungry (Rev. 7:16). But rather we will eat out of the pure enjoyment of breaking bread together... well, that and because there are going to be great parties in Heaven (Rev.19). Jesus, Himself, will be hosting these parties, by the way, proving once again that anyone who says "Jesus is boring" has never really read the Bible.

And their will be loud, rowdy, uninhibited worship in Heaven. Check out Revelation 14's description of the type of worship services that will be going on in Heaven, "I heard a sound from Heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder...And they sang a new song before the throne..." We will have responsibilities, or jobs, in Heaven (2 Tim. 2:12). The nature of these "jobs" will be determined by our faithfulness on earth. In fact, some of these jobs will give us authority over the angels (1 Cor. 6, Rev. 3:21, 22:5). And, what's more, these jobs will even afford us the opportunity to sit on Jesus' throne...That's what Rev. 3:21 says, "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne." Wow...

Needless to say, I'm even more excited than ever about getting to Heaven now. Once again, I hope this has blessed you.

My father-in-law died

Yesterday my wife and I received a phone call that we had been expecting for about a month now. My father-in-law, Jim, had passed away. He had been battling leukemia and other bone marrow diseases for over a year. And, I'm not going to lie, it's been a hard couple of days. In fact, my deep admiration and respect for Jim over the 9 years of knowing him has made this pretty stinkin' hard.

Anyways...I have the truly blessed honor of officiating at his funeral on Sunday, and over the course of my preparations for the service I've been daydreaming about what Jim might be doing right now. Check it out:

Could it be that, right now at this very moment, Jim is listening to the "roar" of the redeemed as they sing "like the loud peal of thunder" unto the King of Kings? Or perhaps he's even making a thunder himself? (Revelation 14:2)

Could it be that, right now at this very moment, Jim is seeing the angels "numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand" as they encircle the throne of God. (Revelation 5:11)

Perhaps his very last "tear (ever) is being wiped away"...right now at this very moment. (Revelation 21:4)

Perhaps he's drinking "without cost from the spring of the water of life"...my mouth waters just thinking about what that must taste like... (Revelation 21:6)

Perhaps he's gazing upon the "golden city"...the city of God who's gold is "pure as glass"... (Revelation 21:18)

Perhaps he's mezmorized by the foundation of the city walls...They are "decorated with every kind of precious stone", you know... (Revelation 21:19)

Perhaps he's swimming in a "river as clear as crystal". (Revelation 22:1)

Perhaps he's walking...no, make that strutting down the "great street of the city" noticing the "trees yielding fruit for the healing of the nations" and dreaming of the day when we will all eat of it...and be healed. (Revelation 22:2)

Perhaps he is worshipping at the "throne of God and of the Lamb"...talk about a sanctuary... (Revelation 22:3)

Perhaps he is captivated at the sight of the "face of the King"...we're all gonna see His face, you know...I personally can't wait for that one! (Revelation 22:4)

Perhaps the "name of God is being written on his forehead"...now that's an awesome tattoo! (Revelation 21:4)

Perhaps Jesus is "declaring his name to the heavenly brothers"...can you even imagine how sweet it will be when Jesus calls you by name? (Hebrews 2:12)

Perhaps Jesus is "singing him a song of praise"...that's right, Jesus said that he's going to sing to us in heaven! By the way, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a lovesong. (Hebrews 2:12)

Perhaps he is "ascending the hill of the Lord, or better yet, "standing in His holy place". (Psalm 24:3)

Perhaps he is turning in all of the visas of this world and finally reaping the benefits of "having a citizenship in heaven". (Philippians 3-4)

Perhaps he's moving into His "room"...after all, Jesus has been preparing that room for a long time, and especially for him...Jesus has promised to return and take us to be with Him there, you know...hallelujah! (John 14:2)

Perhaps he is hearing the voice of Jahweh speaking the words that he has so desperately longed to hear, "Well done my good and faithful..." (Matthew 25:21)

Or perhaps he is basking in a glory so rich and pure that our human vocabulary can't even behold it...Jesus is crowned with that glory, by the way. (Hebrews 2:7)

So for now, I'm just going to praise God that my father-in-law, Jim, is finally getting to reap all of the benefits that amazing grace can afford him...and looking forward to the day that the rest of my family and I will get to join him.

Go worship the King, brother...see you soon...