Five posts to brighten the end of your week...10/11/13

1. 50 First Dates (via MarriedPeople.org)

What were you like when you first met your spouse? For most of us, it probably wasn’t the day-to-day, mundane, just getting through the week type of expressions that we so easily can fall into after a few years of marriage. Read the rest here

2. 9 Things You Should Know about Casinos and Gambling (via Gospel Coalition)

Throughout most of the twentieth-century, legal casino gambling in the U.S. existed in only two locations: Nevada and Atlantic City, N.J. Beginning in the 1990s, casinos spread across the nation at an accelerating pace. Today, 23 states have commercial casinos, a category which includes land-based, riverboat, dockside, and racetrack casinos. In the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, nearly every adult now lives within a short drive of a casino. Read the other 8 here

3. 10 Jaw-Dropping Pumpkin Carvings by Ray Villafane (via twisted sifter)

4. Pakistani Muslims Form Human Chain To Protect Christians During Mass (via Huffington Post)

Hand in hand as many as 200-300 people formed a human chain outside the St Anthony’s Church adjacent to the District Police Lines at the Empress Road, in a show of solidarity with the victims of the Peshawar church attack two weeks back, which resulted in over a 100 deaths. (read the rest here)

5. Don't tell anyone, but I'm a fan of musicals and Wicked has been far and away my favorite. Check out this video of Kristin Chenoweth singing with a guest from the audience. Unbelievable. (via YouTube)

2nd Greatest

This will come as no surprise to you: Jesus was a master teacher. He came to the earth to bring a New Covenant to God's people. He changed mindsets and broke through traditions and brought about new thinking. His ability to communicate change was impeccable. He had his share of opposition, of course, mostly in the form of guys like me...the religious leaders. The Pharisees and Sadducees weren't inherently bad guys. They knew the word of God better than most. They lived and breathed God's work as they knew it best. They tested Jesus time and time again. One of my favorite examples of Jesus' teaching the religious leaders comes from Matthew 22:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" [They were referring to what we know as the Old Testament. How could anyone say what part of the Bible is most important? Clearly a trap!] Jesus replied: "Love The Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. [He doesn't stop there.] And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

See what He did there? "Love The Lord your God..." Clearly, who could argue with that? Commandment number 1. Well played, Jesus, well played indeed. He could have stopped there, but he used this moment to teach you and I something. "Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." See what he did there? He summed up everything in God's story in two commands.

No Christian I know argues the necessity of loving God. The loving your neighbor part, that ones a little tougher isn't it? Jesus defines "neighbor" as everyone but you. I understand the need to love others. My problem arises with how Jesus defines others. I can love people like me and people who like me. People who disagree with me? That's a different story. People who don't like me, people who have a different worldview than me, people who understand life different than me, people who act different than me...now Jesus is just meddling.

It's easy to love people that are easy to love, isn't it? What do we do about the rest of the world? I heard a quote from Reggie Joiner recently. He said:

"Jesus didn't say, 'Change your neighbor as yourself.' He said, 'Love them.'"

Ouch. It's easier to give money to people who will help those people, isn't it. It's easier to simply avoid situations where you might encounter those people, isn't it. It's easier to try to make them change to become more like you than it is to love them, isn't it.

Jesus didn't say 'Give them money to make yourself feel better for your inaction.' He said love them. Loving your neighbor is messy. Loving your neighbor means understanding them where they are, no matter where they are or where they have been. Loving your neighbor means pouring your life into their life. It means giving time, attention, and energy.

Why would we do that? Why would Jesus say that this is so important? Because this is exactly what He did for you, isn't it? We were messed up (Who am I kidding? We still are aren't we?). Jesus was willing to reach down from the throne room of heaven in all His glory, to take the human form in all its weaknesses, frailty, and filth that He might restore us to a right relationship with God. He poured his life into the poor and the wealthy, the religious and the irreligious, the thieves and the beggars, me and to you that we might know the grace of God.

Why does Jesus tell us to love them? Because he first loved us. We have the best news, the Good News. Who aren't you loving because it would get too messy? Maybe it would be better stated: Who do you need to love today?

About the win...

It's easy to let things get you down, isn't it? The amount of time spent on dealing with problems often greatly outweighs the amount of time celebrating victories. This has the propensity to derail us from what is important. Let me let you in on a little insight from our church staff. We recently decided that we are going to spend some time each week focusing on the "wins." 

Like any other organization, we can get bogged down with what's next and what's wrong. Each week we ask "What's right?" This forces us to think about what our goals are for everything we do so that we can see the victories. Our ultimate goal at Campbellsville Christian Church is to be "rooted in God's love." We want to be rooted in Loving God and Loving Others (Matthew 22:36-40). We have isolated 6 expressions of that love: Study, Prayer, Stewardship, Discipleship, Community, and Service. As a staff we look for people and events that are evidence of our people becoming "rooted in God's love." That's a win for us. Here's a look at a few of the "wins" we've seen recently:

• Our Senior High students created "Homeless Kits" with essentials for people who are seeking assistance  Instead of avoiding eye contact or simply handing out cash, they are keeping these kits in their cars to hand out when they are out with their families. That's being rooted in service. 
• We have a lady in the church who, without fail, drives a group of folks from Jackson Towers to Wal-Mart so they can do their shopping. 
• There are some ladies who teach a weekly Sunday School lesson to a group of ladies at Jackson Towers each week. That's being rooted in Study and Discipleship.
• As a church, we are starting 40 Days in the Word next week. We look forward to seeing some great results from our investment.

That's just a few we talked about. What about you? What are some wins you've observed?

Friday 5 - 10/4/13

1. Favorite Marriage Article - 3 Ways to Say Yes to Dating - (via Married People)

“Date Insurance” – Booking a babysitter gives you “date insurance.” Knowing you have someone already lined up will make sure that dinner and a movie actually happens. Find someone that you trust and book them about a week out. This prevents that “We are free to go out to dinner, but we don’t have a sitter” conversation. We all know that things don’t happen if they aren’t on the calendar. The same is true for date night. READ THE OTHER TWO HERE

2. Favorite Parenting Article - 10 Easy Steps to Spoil A Child - (via Ron Edmunson)

• Give children everything they want.
• Never tell them no.
• Fight with your spouse over discipline.
• READ THE OTHER 7 HERE

3. Favorite Sea Creature - Cookie Minster Sea Sponge - (via Geekologie)

4. Weirdest Food I've Seen - Deep Fried Soup - (via Neatorama)

5. Favorite Science Toy - Kinetic Sand - (via Geekologie)

Doubting Again (from the archives)

**Originally posted October 2012**

This is the 2nd and final part of a series on doubt. For part one: CLICK HERE. 

Last week I said that everyone has doubts - everyone. The good news is that we don't have to feel guilty about it. We can embrace our doubt and allow it to lead to belief. 

So, how do we take all the doubts that we have and live from a position of faith? What do we do when doubts creep in on the big stuff, like God? When we doubt that God hears us when our lives are a mess, or our social life is non-existent, or temptation is stronger than its ever been? What do we do when we doubt that God is even paying attention or even care about our lives? What do we do when we doubt whether God is there at all?

Belief is comprised of one or both of the following two things: our knowledge and our experience. The strongest faith is formed when we use knowledge and experience together. When we combine what we know with what we experience, we can navigate through our doubt.

Right in the middle of the Bible, the book of Psalms overflows with the kind of emotion found in knowledge and belief. Many of the Psalms describe events in the life of King David. Psalm 13 doesn't have a specific story attached to it, but I think these words could have been written at almost any time. Check out David's words:

“How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2 NIV).

Ever felt that way? For a "man after God's own heart," David sure sounds like he's dealing with some doubts! Thankfully, the Psalm doesn't end there. A few verses later he writes:

“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me” (Psalm 13:5-6 NIV).

What? Is this even the same guy? How did he get from the point of having all of these questions to saying things like "I trust in your unfailing love?" 

This is key: David started with what he felt and ended with what he knew. He was honest with God in his frustration. He did this like a friend who just needed to be honest. Maybe he felt forgotten, but he knew his trust was in God.  

Check out more of the Psalms to see how the writers dealt with their feelings!

Here's how this plays out in our lives:

1. When you doubt, be honest about it. How has God shown up in your past? What is he doing currently in your life? What do you see God doing in the world around you?

Once we are able to see what God has done and is doing through both our experiences and our knowledge, we are better equipped to manage the doubt.

God is bigger than your doubts.

Re | Engage

This past weekend 13 married couples from the church gathered at Cumberland Falls State park and participated in a Re | Engage Marriage Retreat. Dr. Scott and Elizabeth Wigginton were the facilitators. It was a great opportunity for couples to clear away the clutter and focus on what's important. A big thanks to Shaun and Paige Hord for their leadership in marriage ministry and coordinating a wonderful weekend!

Starting Wednesday, October 16th, Shaun and Paige will be leading a Wednesday Night Deeper Life Group called "The Marriage Challenge." This class will be a highly interactive time with your spouse. I am very excited for the opportunities for strengthening marriages. If you're not serving in another group on Wednesday nights, be sure to put this on your calendars! 

Friday Five (9/27/13)

It's time for this week's installment of helpful, humorous, and some other "h" word that would create alliteration images, videos, and links to lighten and enlighten your day!

1. Favorite Article for Parents - Make Time Matter More - (via Orange Parents)

Three practical ideas to make the little time you have with your child matter more: Count It Down, Mark It Up, and Measure It Out. Read about these here.

2. Favorite Hairstyle - The Hair Net - (via Neatorama)

3. Favorite Idea - Applying Never Wet to Concrete with Stencils - (via Neatorama)

4. Favorite Cell Phone Commercial - TrueMove: Giving - (via YouTube)

It's done in Thai, so you'll have to read the subtitles.
5. Favorite Art - (via Laughing Squid)

**Disclaimer: I can't decide if this is sacrilegious or hilarious. You decide. 

Doubt (from the archives)

**This post is from October 2012

You remember when you first began to doubt the existence of the tooth fairy? When you started considering the validity of a fairy who collected little children's teeth? The whole concept is creepy. She sneaks into your room while you're asleep and takes teeth. Ever wonder why we believe this in the first place? Ah...yes, the cash. As the whole fairy thing begins to unravel, the idea of a giant bunny that delivers eggs every spring or a man in a red suit...it all gets sticky. 

When it comes to doubt, the only thing we know for certain is that everyone has it. We often talk about people who doubt as less spiritual or weak. We associate certainty with strong leaders. What if I never doubted. What if I never questioned the existence of the tooth fairy? While I might be an interesting person to talk to, you certainly wouldn't take me seriously. Doubt isn't always a bad thing. It can actually be a very good thing or a very destructive thing.

The Bible tells the story of a man who mastered learning to live in faith while dealing with doubt. His name is Nicodemus, and he is one of the few people, apart from the disciples, who the Gospels record interacting with Jesus throughout the course of Jesus’ ministry. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, so he was kind of a big deal in the Jewish community. If you think about the synagogues as a kind of private school for that time, the Pharisees would be like the honor students—the ones with the high SAT scores and off-the-charts GPAs.

 . 

Nic and Jesus had an interesting dialog in John chapter 3:

Nic: “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God” (John 3:2 NIV).

Jesus: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3 NIV).

At this point, Nic has to be confused. He was tracking with Jesus until this point. Here we begin to see his doubt:

Nic: “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” (John 3:4 NIV).

Somehow, it didn't seem to matter that his first encounter with Jesus left him with doubts. We know Nic continued to work through some things with his faith. The last time we hear from Nicodemus is in John 19, following Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus' disciples had all scattered in fear, the women were mourning and only two men remained to deal with the aftermath: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Nicodemus, an otherwise pretty important guy, took time off from a major Jewish holiday to come to the cross to prepare Jesus for His burial.

Somehow Nic managed to believe and to live in spite of his doubts. 

We have to figure out what we are going to do with the faith that we have. We don't know that Nicodemus ever got all of his questions answered. There's no book, chapter, and verse that says so. We have do determine what we are going to do with the doubt that we do have. 

Let us learn to embrace the doubt and allow it to lead us to belief.


You can read part two of this post here. 

Rooted in Study.

Last Monday I recapped a little about what it means to be "rooted in God's love." We have identified 6 areas of God's love that we call "Expressions of God's Love." They are: Study, Prayer, Stewardship, Discipleship, Community, and Service. 

Today, I want to focus a little more closely on the first expression, Study. This is the first of three expressions on the "Love God" side of becoming "rooted." We evaluate study using this statement: 

"I am deepening my understanding of God's word through regular study and other resources."

I know something about you that you don't really want to admit. Studying God's word is tough. It's tough to be motivated, sometimes it's tough to understand, and sometimes you just don't want to hear what it has to say. You know how I know this? Because I have said all of those things before. Here's the other thing I know: when I faithfully study God's word, my life is enriched, I make better decisions, I am a better husband, father, a minister. 

God says:

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty,  but will accomplish what I desire  and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

When I invest in my IRA my investment could return void, or at least lose value. When I invest God's word into my heart, mind, and soul, it will never return empty. 

Those are nice words, but it doesn't make it easier to do, does it? Investing God's word into your heart, soul, and mind can feel so overwhelming that it is easier simply not to do it. 


Beginning October 13th, we're going to be giving you some great resources to study God's word through our series called, 40 Day's in the Word. Through this sermon series and corresponding small group study you will learn that becoming a student of God's word is attainable. You don't have to be a Bible scholar to gain insights from God's word. You will learn practical skills and have the opportunity to hone those skills within the context of community. God's word is the most valuable resource we have on this earth. Let's not let it collect dust any longer. 

 

Friday Five - 9/20/13

1. Favorite Parenting Article - Secrets for Dad's From a Daughter - (via Orange Parents)

Secret one: Rolling my eyes didn’t always mean what I was communicating to you.
I remember rolling my eyes as a little girl when my dad needed to take me by his office. The funny thing is I also remember REALLY wanting to go. I just didn’t want him to know that. Yes, we do play games, and I’m sorry it’s so confusing! I loved feeling like I was important enough to be around my dad’s workplace. It made me feel like he was proud to be my dad. READ THE REST HERE. 

2. Favorite Article for Everyone - 5 Alternatives to Gossip - (via Ron Edmunson)

 1. Say Nothing At All - As the saying goes, “If you can’t say anything good, don’t say anything at all.” Silence can be golden. Proverbs 17 says, “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue” (17:27-28). READ THE REST HERE.

3. Favorite Picture - Walking With Attitude - (via My Modern Met)

4. Favorite Video - Frame of Mind - (via YouTube)

5. Favorite Dizzying Video - Cheerleader Sets Record With 40 Backflips - (via YouTube)