Well...last night, we went, placed our order, grabbed our drinks, and sat down in what was an uncommonly empty In-n-Out.  We had both remarked at how weird it was since it was usually so full.  Well, as we ate and chatted about our days, a steady stream of people started coming in...nobody really came together...just a random rush of people wanting Double-Doubles, I guess.

After about 10 minutes I looked around the restaurant and noticed something...it was a surprisingly diverse group there that night.  Behind me was a retired vet and his wife (elderly).  Behind Sarah was an elderly Asian man and his adult son.  Next to us was a Middle Eastern family where the women were wearing burkas.  Catty corner to us was a group of teenagers.  A group of police were in the corner.  A table of African-American teenage girls further down who were next a group of 20-something guys.  There were families of 4, and a family of 7...some with older kids, some with younger.  There was a painter, some Hispanic businessmen, and a young couple who looked college age. 

As I sat there I remarked to Sarah that this was a beautiful thing that we rarely see in our culture.  People of all ages (my estimates were my daughter on up to a few people at least in their late 70's), speaking different languages (I only counted 3, but there could have been more), with different skin colors, from different economic backgrounds (the parking lot had a couple Mercedez, Lexus, Volvos, along with old beat up Fords, Chevys, Hondas, and a couple bicycles)...and all of these people came to that place to really only get one thing...hamburgers (well...minus the vegetarians...they got "grilled cheeses" which is just a Double-Double w/out the meat).  Regardless...everyone was there for one thing...dinner, and there aren't really any major alterations you can make to your dinner (go ahead and try and order chicken or curry or pizza there...I'm pretty sure it's not on the "secret" menu).   

My thinking didn't end with a remark on how diverse of a community we live in, or how great In-n-Out must be.  I thought, why can't the church look like this.  Now, I've known churches made up of those who would fit into one of aforementioned ethnicities, economic classes, and generations.  These are some beautiful ministries impacting so many cultures around our world...which really shows the universality of the cross, but they typically only reach one small part of their mission field (i.e. Hispanic ministry, Korean ministry, Youth Ministry, etc.)  But, my question is this, "Why can't the church, and, more specifically, any local congregation look more like that In-n-Out?" 

In Revelation 7:9-10 we get this image that on the last day every tribe, speaking every language, from all peoples will be gathered to the throne of God singing His praises.  We've made this mistake in our culture as to say that people from different people groups need these ultra-specific ministries tailored to their needs (i.e. we need more left handed, white, female, youth groups who can only meet on the first bi-quarterly Tuesday in this part of town).  Maybe we, in the church, should seek to break down some of these barriers and see how we can bring the simple message of the cross to more people.  If In-n-Out can gather such a diverse crowd even late on a Wednesday night (they really only have hamburgers), then the church should be able to do the same...even more so, in fact.  As the church, we only offer one thing, too...salvation through Jesus.  He came to die for all of creation...the elderly, babies, the rich, the poor, the educated and the not yet educated, youth and adults, from any nation...even those outside of the kingdom who don't know Jesus yet. Jesus died for all people.

As Christians, we have a more universal message, and a more universal feast to offer the world.  The difference between the church and In-n-Out (well...one of the many...but one for this argument) is that In-n-Out has more missionaries, or, at least more zealous ones.  When my family recently came into town, we went a couple times.  When someone visits us for the first time, it's one of the first places we go.  We talk about it, rejoice in it, and eat it like it's going out of style. 

Imagine people having the same passion for Jesus.  Everyone who enters our homes...we speak of His goodness.  Jesus comes up in conversations.  We feed on His Word during our lunch breaks at work or school.  We head out late after a movie to read The Word.  We rejoice as we get to rub elbows with people who we normally would not interact with, but Christ has broken down our walls.  This is the mission that Jesus has called us to.  His love is more powerful and more fulfilling than anything this world could offer.  Let's share that love Animal Style! 

Here's what got me thinking.  In the church we suffer from a great deal of self-centeredness.  It can be expressed in many different ways, but it's still self-centeredness no matter the flavor.  Many congregations will focus on a "Jesus and me" mentality, where worship is completely an individual act despite sitting next to someone else.  We sit in a chair or a pew and simply think about just "Jesus and me", without any concern to our neighbor.  In this case, our hearts seek to exist as a spiritual island of sorts. 

Still, other churches seem to focus on true ministry only happening by the staff.  Only the pastor can forgive/teach/and point people to Jesus.  Like the brothers and sisters above, you show up to a building as a consumer...simply a receiver of ministry.  There might be an evangelism committee, but they accomplish little more than putting "clever" sayings on their new church sign (Note: please stop putting puns on your church signs...it's not cute...it's annoying).

Other congregations will hear the Word and glory in their perfect theology, and how they have things down...essentially domesticating and paper training the divine.  Satisfaction is found in your own perfection...and the attention is solely upon "Me" and how everyone else needs to be like you.  Though lip service might be given to bringing the gospel to your community, it simply looks like proper liturgies being performed with perfection that is just shy of divine...all the while, there are people walking right past your perfectly executed Te Deum or altar call and heading straight to hell.  Ministry ends up looking much more like putting a light underneath a bushel basket than anything (which I'm pretty sure doesn't reflect the petition "they kingdom come").   

Well, as we see in 1 Peter 2, where Peter refers to us as "living stones" and a "royal priesthood", this should really draw our attention outward.  Now, I know that many of us sit in a worship service seeking grace for your sins (a very good thing), and how God can change you (another very good thing) and what a true understanding of Scripture is (also very good), it should also draw our hearts and meditations outward.  The priesthood was a very public ministry.  It was established for the people.  They were the "go-betweens" for man to God.  In the same way, the church (that is...the people of God) has been established for the people (that is...the people that Jesus came to save...which is everyone).  This means that though there should be a component to worship and study that deals with "Jesus and me" and even seeking out sound theology and doctrine...it also means that worship/study/prayer/etc. should always move us outwards into the public.  Being a royal priesthood means that the King of Kings has washed us clean with His blood and now sends us all out into the public to be an agent of grace in that place by pointing people to the cross.  The further we dive into God's Word, the further it should push us out to the four corners of our communities to listen to the needs that others' have, and then continually point them to Jesus who satisfies all needs and forgives all sin.  I pray that your inclusion into God's "royal priesthood" moves you out into your community to share the good news of salvation found in Jesus. 

When we launched we had only a handful of families committed to the mission to spread the Gospel in the Antelope Valley through this ministry.  We set out to be a church that was not attractional (having the best ads, most comfortable chairs, perfect music, perfect sermon, most programs, and best discipleship program).  Rather, we just set out to serve Jesus.  We weren't given much human direction as to what neighborhood to focus on, or help in methodology.  It was simple Spirit movement out into the streets of the AV to share the truth (without going door-to-door seeking converts). 

Many saw our methods and questioned us saying, "Why aren't you doing more advertising?", "Why don't you do cold calls?", "Why don't you have a youth program yet?", "Why are you going to that neighborhood?", and "Why do you spend so much time in relationship building?"  Well, here we are, 2 years later, and many can see that we have not exploded in growth, we still don't have a youth program, and we do very little advertising. 

Yet, despite looking from a worldly perspective where we have had limited "success", I still feel truly blessed to be a part of this community, and I see a great deal of spiritual growth and people coming to faith. Reflecting on these two years, I've seen much change beyond now having a physical location.  Our approach to worship has changed, how much education we provide has changed, how we serve our community has changed, and, most importantly...the number of missionaries who are sent out every week has changed.  The spiritual growth I've mentioned isn't visible in study of the Word and increase in prayer life (though, those are wonderful things)...it's visible in the stories I get to hear about people sharing their faith in Jesus, inviting people to Community Groups/worship/BBQ's, helping out people in need, forgiving people who have hurt them, and standing up for the truth.  

2 years ago we set out to be what would be a mission church that didn't do "outreach".  We wouldn't just call out from the front porch of the church asking people to come in.  Rather, we would be an "inbreaking" church where we brought the Gospel into the places where we already live (our home, neighborhood, work, school, athletic team, band, book club, etc.).  This is who we will remain to be, because this is who God has called us to be...inbreakers. 

I look forward to hearing another year's worth of inbreaking stories from all of you.  Praise God for allowing us to follow Him on this unorthodox yet beautiful journey of mission, love, mercy, and service.

Our friend Cindy Charlton who is a missionary in Japan recently visited The Well and spoke about her ministry.  One story that she shared has stuck with me.  When she first arrived to Japan, Cindy's Japanese wasn't very good.  She remembers sitting in a worship service only being able to pick up on the occasional word, but every week she was still able to get something out of worship.  You see, every week there were flower arrangements placed throughout the worship space with flowers arranged in a very particular manner. 

In Japan there is a style of flower arranging called Ikebana.  In short, Ikebana is very different than Western flower arranging.  In the West we make a vase full and fairly symmetrical, and there is little meaning behind what we do outside of achieving a good aesthetic.  Ikebana, on the other hand, is minimal, asymmetrical, and has a great deal of meaning.  There are many different Ikebana schools around, but they all arrange with a purpose.  Many times that purpose is to show the relationship between man, heaven, and earth.  In many Christian circles they communicate the relationship we have with Jesus and the Father. 

So every week, Cindy didn't understand the words that were said, but she understood the message being delivered in flower arrangements.  They spoke of grace, forgiveness, and Jesus.  Imagine that...flowers communicating forgiveness.  As Christians we forget that when we forgive, we must communicate forgiveness with our whole self.  We can't just say "You're forgiven", it must be lived out.  We talked quite a bit on Sunday about how this works with our relationship with the individuals we encounter.  We must be as Jesus in Mark 2 where He ate with sinners...He showed them that all sin is gone and what is left is reconciliation and communion with Him. 

But how does this look for the church as a whole?  When you think about it, we are just one giant instrument of grace to the world (you know...a light in darkness, a city on the hill, etc.).  Seeing that our culture is leaving the church and seeking other gods, maybe we are not communicating grace and distributing grace as we have been called to do.  It seems that we are communicating something that former Christians have received as hate, apathy, legalism, or something else that is not of God.  Now, we could chalk it up to the world just being "the world", but I feel that the church is not communicating the grace of Jesus Christ in all that it does.  Rather, we've communicated something else.  Maybe we need to take a more careful look at the "little things" that we do (advertising, programs, worship, bulletins, art work, worship space, music, community service, mission, board meetings, how we talk to children...even flower arranging).  Maybe being the body of Christ means that every aspect of our body communicates the Gospel from our hands, to our feet, to our belly buttons.  We are all called to communicate the gospel in all that we do.  Maybe it's time for the church to do a little auditing on everthing that it does, because there may be some aspect of our ministries that does not communicate the Gospel.  

I know that if Ikebana has a role in showing one of our missionaries the Gospel, then maybe everything else I, and the church does can help point others to the cross. 

Today, I was inspired to come to you all out there and write because today is September 11th.  It's a day that our nation was impacted exactly 8 years ago.  Now, I know that every generation has a moment like this (Kennedy's assassination, Pearl Harbor, etc.), but this being one of the moments that has impacted me...I am compelled to remember this day in a more vibrant way.  On 9.10.01, I went to bed and woke up the next morning to some construction workers outside my dorm talking about some plane crashes.  I couldn't believe it, so my roommate and I turned on the TV and were shocked...uncomfortable...angry...saddened...wondering if Chicago (where we lived) was going to be next...and throughout that day we clung to the embrace of our God to bring us comfort.

This morning began in the same way...no I have not moved back into a dorm, and Palmdale is a far ways from Chicago...but I woke up in ignorance.  Maybe I have had too much on my mind regarding The Well and all of the work that needs to be done...maybe I've grown too self-involved...maybe the forced/generic patriotism that followed 9/11 put a bad taste in my mouth...maybe I just forgot...maybe my dislike for all cable news has caused me to miss out on the tiny nuggets of news that they actually bring (like reminders of 9/11).  

Regardless, I woke up, got ready, got in the car, and headed off to work like it was any other day...and as I drove I heard that it was 9/11.  I was shocked bordering on ashamed.  Our country is still at war trying to bring the minds and hands behind the horrendous acts done 8 years ago for crying out loud!  This day has brought us into two wars, completely changed how we travel, removed our American comfort bubble, killed thousands, devastated millions, and showed us that even we are vulnerable.  This should not be a day to forget. 

Now, since this is not a political or military blog, I'm going to refrain from speaking about what our attitude should be towards the perpetrators from those angles. Today is about God and what he is doing in our hearts...the hearts of His people.  Maybe forgetting is something that we need to do.  Again...this is not a military or political statement...justice is a good thing.  But as I started being frustrated with myself for not remembering, an important passage came into my head "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:34b and quoted in Hebrews 8:12).  God shows us that in the new covenant with Jesus, our sins are remembered no more.  Christ's blood is powerful and it washes out sins completely away to the point that there is no record of them anywhere.  So if Christ's blood is that powerful and has touched our lives in that way...and since He has granted us a new life in Him...then maybe we need to have that same kind of heart.  Maybe this morning of forgetting can help all of us know that we must forgive those who have hurt and killed thousands of innocent people. 

This is not an easy prayer, but I know that this will be my prayer for today.  I don't want to forget in a way that dishonors those who were brave and helped those in need, or those who were killed or injured, or disgraces the families of those who were impacted, or even forget in a way that I begin to think that my country is bulletproof.  My prayer will be for a forgiving heart so that I can have the heart of God...so that I can love all people.  Even if those who did this are not repentant, we have all been called to love...to forgive...and maybe on a deep soul level...forget.  This is the power of the cross...and the power of living under the cross.  

So if you've been watching TV or reading the paper lately, I'm sure you've heard that Michael Vick is being released from prison today.  Vick (former Atlanta Falcons quarterback) served almost 21 months in prison and will be serving another two months in home confinement due to his involvement in dog fighting at his home.  Now, I don't want to debate whether or not his sentence was justified or not, but what got me posting today was many of the conversations I've heard and saw.  The big debate now by the talking heads is whether or not he deserves a second chance in the NFL.  Before his arrest he was arguably the greatest player in football.  Now, I'm not sure how well he could perform in the NFL after having two years off, but it seems that people don't want to really know "if he could play"...they want to know if he deserves another chance.

I think that the reason why everyone is talking about it is because we have to deal with this very situation all of the time in our lives.  We have people who have wronged us in some way, and we debate in our hearts and even amongst our loved ones whether or not they deserve forgiveness and reinstatement into our lives. 

I'd like to leave this up for discussion, but I will say right off the bat...does Vick deserve forgiveness...NO.  Nobody deserves forgiveness, but Vick is forgiven because Jesus loves him.  The challenge is this, "How much should we allow people who have wronged/hurt us back into our lives?"  Does not allowing Vick back into the NFL mean that they have not forgiven him?  Where does self-protection get in the way of forgiving and goes against Matthew 5:40 and Matthew 18:21-22?  Let me know your thoughts.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090514/people_nm/us_slumdog_dwelling

This morning, in a Bible Study with Sarah, I felt convicted.  The verse was Romans 2:24, "As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."  Paul was talking about how because of some of God's children's poor witness, and their false teaching, and hypocritical walk with God, people were misunderstanding the truth.  It was convicting, because I realize how important my witness is to others.  If I misrepresent Jesus to someone, then it causes them to fall.  If I am a hypocrite in my actions, then it can condone my actions to a nonbeliever in the name of Jesus.  Now, I don't bring this up for any specific reason, rather, I bring this up, because on Sunday we saw how important righteousness is to God's mission.  I pray that we are faithful in our witness to others, and humble in our approach to righteousness.

I really wanted to post something today, because I'm sipping coffee from a "Flight of the Conchords" mug that some friends gave me.  Those same friends gave Sarah and I some firewood to help us keep warm since propane is worth more than liquid gold.  Saturday night, Sarah and I burned some of the wood and stayed nice and warm on that cold night.  This morning I'm drinking coffee from my mug, and it reminds me that when we give...when we are generous...there are lasting impacts.  When I warmed myself next to that fire, and when I drink from this mug, I think of my friends who were generous and giving with me...who for no reason just wanted to brighten my day and help. 

Easter is a day that we celebrate the fact that Jesus gave...generously (He gave everything, in fact)...and because of the Resurrection...we are given daily reminders of how giving He is...and how much He loves us.  I pray that Easter encourages all of you to be giving also.  Christ gave all of Himself, and it has changed our lives eternally.  Granted, we cannot achieve eternal impact with our giving, but we can give and it can have lasting impact.  It can show people not just that we love them, but that Christ does, too.  So be generous...you'll never know how long your love will resonate in the heart of someone you care about.

This morning as I sipped coffee I thought a lot about what we talked about on Sunday.  If you missed it, we focused on how God does not desire us to be a church made up of people like those who greeted Jesus with palms saying "Hosana!".  They wanted a Savior who could serve them and wipe out everyone else.  It was all about lifting them up, and not about the cross.  I could go on and on, but I won't. 

For those of you who are coffee drinkers you know the joy that comes with a cup of joe in the morning.  But you also know how that last little bit tastes when it has been sitting in the pot, baking away.  Well, this morning, I forgot about that last little bit and it sat there for hours...baking...and getting thicker and thicker.  I decided to give it a whirl, and I think my whole body quivered.  When coffee sits too long in the pot it becomes sludge and is undrinkable.  The same is with us.  When we sit too much and all we do is listen to the occaisional sermon, then we become stale.  God pours himself into us...lights us on fire with His Spirit, not because he wants us to sit around and bake...but so that we might pour ourselves into others.  You are being filled for a purpose...to go out and fill up others.

I thought that even though this week is only half over, it has been a good indicator of who we are doing this mission for and that our ministry is people focused.  On Monday I gave a call to a woman whose son went to trial just yesterday.  She is only a recent acquaintance, but I called to encourage her and see if she needed anything.  I reassured her that I, and others are praying for her, and offered other assistance.  She was very grateful and our relationship is building...but that relationship only occurred because a mutual believer friend had been ministering to her already.  Loving her and her family as Jesus would. 

On Tuesday, I got to sit down with a young man who is going through a divorce and many other struggles with life.  We had lunch and he was able to talk about his healing process and I was able to guide him through some Scripture.  We're planning on meeting regularly and going through Scripture as he continues to heal.  Just like the mother on Monday...I met him through a friend.  Someone who befriended him and showed him the love of Jesus before I was ever introduced.  He was someone who knew Jesus at one point in his life and strayed away...but the Spirit has lead him into our community.

Last night, I taught Confirmation class and talked about the Lord's Supper around a family's dinner table.  These are kids that have been around the church quite a bit, but to see their eyes opened to different aspects of the Christian life is always encouraging as a pastor.  To hear their questions and be a part of their lives is a huge reward that I've been given.  And tonight, I will lead our second Midweek Lent Gathering.  Even though we don't have a building, we still gather for Lent and meditate and prepare for the cross and the resurrection.  To hear a living room full of people sing praises to Jesus is more powerful than any cathedral full of people singing the same song.  Both the group of Confirmation students and those who will come tonight, have decided to come along on this journey loving people in this community.

As you can see, we, as a community of faith, have been called to nurture those who already have faith, and to reach out to those who don't know Jesus.  The people that I have been able to help this week have only been connected to me through the witness and realtionship of people of faith...through all of you.  Mission happens through you when you love someone as you desire to be loved...when you share the love of Jesus just like how someone had done for you.  So keep praying for those in your life, whether they know Jesus or not....and also pray that God moves you into life of mission where you are able to bring the love of Jesus to the many people whom you know.

We were able to come back, pray, and continue worshiping.  It reminds me that there are so many distractions that the world throws at us that gets in the way of our worship.  We must be aware and able to resist, and when it's a fire alarm that distracting you...know that God's Spirit is strong and He is strong enough to pull us back into His presence with loving arms and refocus us back on Him.

So, thanks to all who were flexible with the inconvenience, and if you missed worship on Sunday...you missed an interesting one...who knows what this week has in store for us?

If you're interested in what we'll be talking about on Sunday, I thought that I'd give you a little preview from my notes.

See you on Sunday...hopefully this will all make more sense.

Today, though, is a different day.  Growing up in what has been labeled as the most segregated city in the country (St. Louis, MO), I've seen racism penetrate deep into the hearts and minds of both black and white.  It's an evil that still lingers, and may always be present until Christ comes again.  But today, I feel that our nation has taken a step beyond racism.  Though, you may not approve of Obama's politics, the man represents a huge step for our nation.  The son of an immigrant and a minority has long been the mantra of "what could be", but now it simpy "is".  It's a giant step for us as a nation...but it is also a giant step on a very long journey.  We are still crippled by hate, evil, and greed.  As children of God, we must understand that the abolishment of these things will not be achieved by a president or any one man.  It will only be achieved by Jesus Christ enacting His perfect Will through us...His followers.  All of the promises of ending war at home and abroad, ending racism, providing opportunity for all, helping the helpless, giving hope to the hopeless, welcoming the alien, enacting justice, and loving the loveless can only be done by the creator of all good things...our God.  So, if you want to see promises and hope realized from today forward, then pray for our president.  Pray for him and all of our leaders.  Pray that they hear God's voice above and beyond any other.  Pray for their protection, for wisdom, and for God's Will to be done.

You know...no matter how much we talk and reassure ourselves that eternal life is our reward for a life of faith...death is still scary.  Even if you're not really scared of it...there are always questions as to what it will be like.  These sorts of questions are universal.  In the Scrubs episode the doctors put aside their 10 year tradition of "Steak Night", to comfort a dying patient.  If you're interested...you can watch the episode here.  Now...I tend not to look to sitcoms for my theology, but I do feel that seeing shows, reading the news, and seeing the art that the world puts out can help us use our theology...and seeing this episode reminded me of something very important 1) everyone deals with death and 2) we have so much to offer people who are in need of comfort when they lose a loved one or maybe they are dying themselves. 

So if you're someone who doesn't really like to think about death because it's too scary, just remember that we have a God who is faithful to us and has promised us eternal life.  Though we will depart when our numbered days are complete...we can look forward to that day that we are released from this world and are asleep in the Lord.  Until then...there is always comfort to be found when we rest in the arms of Christ...and Jesus has chosen us to be his arms incarnate while we are here.

I thought that I'd wish you all a Happy Epiphany.  Epiphany is a church holiday that always falls on January 6th.  It's a time where we celebrate the Magi visiting Jesus and worshipping him.  It's an important day because the Magi weren't Jews.  They didn't really know God.  So this story is important because we get to see God including all people into his plan of salvation.  So I hope you have a blessed day as you remember that you are included in God's story of salvation, and that we have been called to bring the good news of Jesus to people from all walks of life.

Okay, so I came across this book in my drawer of randome things today.  It's called "How To Be Enthusiastic All The Time.  I was at a pastors' conference this fall and there was a big table of free books.  I poked around the table to bit to see if there were any gems, and this one jumped out at me.  I read through it, and found it to be virtually obserd.  Here is Charles M. Simmons' "history making" view on how to be enthusiastic all the time:

Yeah...some things on his list I'm sure are good nuggets of advice, but it just all seemed a bit cheesy and surfacey to me.  Granted, it's 1970 copyright may have something to do with the cheese-factor (I think the church from the late 1960's through just recently has suffered from overfluffing the Christians life).  My favorite bit of advice is "Walk Enthusiastically!"  As he explains it, he tells you to "walk like you're anxious to get somewhere".  It's quite amusing. I think if I did that I might look like I was running from the cops.  

So this Christmas...if you are feeling low...if you're feeling overwhelmed or runnning on empty...don't forget to "Be Entusiastic!"  As you shop...try "Walking Enthusiastically!"  And don't forget to "Watch That Food!".  And most of all "Don't Hold Back!", and "Believe in God!". 

I think I've just found our next 14 week sermon series....and that makes me ENTHUSIASTIC!

all the time you were burning my letters
you were only acting the part
you think without me you'll get on much better
but you dont even know your own heart
come home, darling
come home quickly
come home, darling
all is forgiven, so come home quickly

i treated you as if you were a princess
you treated me like a cop
i gave you boundaries to save you from certain death
dangling from the end of the rope

come home, darling
come home quickly
come home, darling
all is forgiven, so come home quickly

but your still playing for a love you'll never find
outside of these arms of mine

the whole town is one step behind you
with the hang man on call
they've got the judge and you're convicted without a plea
darling, they will listen to me
darling, they will listen to me
darling, they will listen to me

As we dive into the work of different prophets this Advent season, I thought that this would help us see that the prophets were called to radical lives of love, service, courage, and honesty...lives that speak to universal truths of the Christian life.  And the result of their courageous and honest work, we can further understand God's mercy to us.  I look forward to this adventure during Advent as we all get ready for Christmas.

I know some of you were sick, and some just weren't in town...don't worry, we'll do it again.  Keep praying for this mission.  Like I said in my last post, I know God is changing us, and we just need to be open to what His Will is.  I'm looking forward to the future, and I feel blessed that your heart is strong and willing to follow Christ. 

I came across this quote today and it made me think a lot about The Well.  We are going through all sorts of changes right now.  Last year at this time I know I had no idea what God was going to do with this church.  I knew that God was going to change me during this process as well as change everyone else.  I knew that it would be hard, but I was unsure as to what was going to be the hardest on me or anyone else.  To be honest...as hard as it is...I am loving this experience.  I love, as Ken calls us, my fellow Wellians.  I have seen profound spiritual growth in many of you, and I have met new people who have grown in their relationship to Christ.  I have met new people, and seen how Christ can touch the lives of people who haven't always felt comfortable in the church. 

Granted some days are hard.  Last Sunday was one of them.  I saw very few people in worship.  The people who were there are all loved ones...for sure.  This is definitely confession time for your pastor...though I have always said that numbers aren't important (they still aren't), I am still affected by it (and some say we don't have a sinful nature...whatever!). 

After some soul searching later that night, I remembered a Sunday I had at another mission church that I used to worked at.  We had launched only two months before and that particular Sunday we had 9 people in worship (that included me, Sarah, the vicar, his wife and two daughters, and the coffee shop employee).  I remembered a picture we have of me from that night.  I don't know why we were taking pictures, but we were. In that picture I have a giant smile on my face while cleaning up afterwords.  Seems odd, huh?  Right after what was a fairly deflating experience, I was grinning ear to ear.  I remembered why I was smiling.  I was moved in that service.  I felt a spark from the Holy Spirit that I needed that night. 

You see, it was that night, that things really started to change for that ministry.  That congregation had always seen themselves as a campus ministry due to their proximity (they shared a sidewalk) with a large university.  The students had gone home for the semester break just before that worship service.  That Sunday began Plan B for that church.  The leadership who was there all realized that they had a new mission in front of them.  The campus outreach was always going to be there, but they knew that God was calling them in that moment to a new mission.  To be honest I wasn't the only one smiling that night...we all were, because we knew that Christ was present that night and that He was opening a door for that ministry. At that time none of us had a clue as to what God was really doing...but now that church is going strong and they baptized 10 people last year.  They finally have a full time pastor and they have been able to reach out in a couple of nearby neighborhoods.  Just like that quote...they understood Plan B, and, that Christ is the giver of all Plan B's.  He is always there to forgive and to move us into a new life. 

I'm smiling right now...just to let you know.  I feel that Christ is moving us into another Plan B.  This last Sunday has been an eye-opener for me.  My evening afterwords was spent with someone I hadn't chatted with in quite a while, and he spoke some serious spiritual words.  He reminded me (though he may not know it) that we have been called to reach out to the lost of this valley...and we have also been called to wrangle in the sheep who have gone astray.  I feel a change coming on at The Well.  I know that there are some outside factors that may impact some things that we do, how we do them, and who does them, but what will never change is that the Holy Spirit will guide us into powerful ministry here in the A.V.   

My day off was split between exploring some new parts of L.A. with Sarah and going over and over again in my head what I have done wrong, what others have done wrong, and what needs to be fixed.  I woke up this morning thinking that it was time for some change.  Jesus is giving us a Plan B.  There will be a New Well coming out in the coming months.  It may be a rough transition, but I know that Christ is renewing us as a community...and when Christ is the one who does the renewing...it not only accesses the strength of the Almighty God, but it also comes out newly created by the hands of the creator of all that is good.  I look forward to Plan B with you.  I hope you are looking forward to Plan B with me.

Oh good...it's back.  I'm okay...I think I'll stay under here, though, in case any hypothetical aftershocks comes my way. 

Thinking about this drill reminds me about how foolish it really is.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm fully aware that we live on 4 major fault lines so I do highly encourage being prepared for earthquakes.  It's important.  You should make sure your things are secure and that you have a place to go in every part of your home, work, or school when the ground starts rumbling.  I think that some of the ways that people are preparing for this earthquake are a little ridiculous.  I spoke with a special needs teacher last night about the Shake Out and he said that their principal wants them to make sure all of the kids have gone to the bathroom, kids that might be in transition at 10 AM are just sitting in the classroom, and that all kids who might be out of their wheelchairs for therapy are in them.  We both laughed at how articifial this preparation really was.  Those kids won't really be prepared for the big one.

I feel like we do the same thing with Christ and His return.  We aren't really prepared for it.  We might artificially say that we are...but are we?  Just like the next big earthquake He will come again like a thief in the night.  Will you be ready?  The good part about Christ's second coming is that, unlike any movie out there, for those who have faith in Jesus you will not need to worry about anything.  It will be a joyous occasion.  In fact, until then, we can even pray "Come, Lord Jesus, Come!"  Because it will be the last day that Jesus will have his final victory over Satan and our sin.  I can say with certainty that when Jesus comes...I won't be under my desk.

All of this voting and lobbying that occurred last night definitely got me pumped up for voting today (though that could have just been too much chili talking).  Sarah and I got up early and headed over to our local polling place.  To be honest, there are very few times that I feel like belting out a patriotic song...but today is one. 

Standing in line with people in suits, bikers, retirees, students, women, men, black, white, Hispanic...it's always encouraging to see our nation going to the polls and casting their vote.  I thanked God today that my vote was worth the same as everyone else.  Nobody has a better or worse vote.  I heard a couple sound bites on the radio afterwords of the Presidential candidates voting, and it's cool to know that their vote counts for the same as mine. 

I was asked my opinion by Uncle Sam today, and I gave it to him...even though many races/propositions were quite tough.  It's hard to believe that the government of the most powerful nation in the world wants my opinion on how to run things and who should oversee all of it, and how my state wants me to tell them how I feel billions of dollars should be spent.  That's why we need to pray before we vote.  I know I said many "arrow prayers" (I had a prof in college who called those prayers where you say "help me God with this" arrow prayers, because they don't need explanation...they just go straight up).  I have also been praying for the candidates over these past few months.  Knowing how complicated politics truly is, and how fallen even our local and federal leaders are...it's good to know that I have a God who can provide me with clarity and administer His justice despite of how we vote.  

So if you haven't voted today...go vote.  If you didn't register...you're forgiven...pray for the voters.  If you are running for office...you are in my prayers.  Today is definitely a day where I praise God that we have a God who is just....and merciful.      

I know that Halloween has a pretty bad rap amongst the church going folk, and I'm sure many of you have wondered what to do this year for Halloween.  If you are struggling theologically with whether or not to have your kids celebrate Halloween first I'd like to point your attention to Colossians 2:16 where Paul dealt with similar issues.  I would say that it is okay for Christians to celebrate this holiday, but there are certainly bad ways to celebrate and better ways.  I say, take this as a chance for mission.  Here's a couple ideas on how to use Halloween to share Christ's love.

1. Have your kids make pre-made Thank You cards to give to the neighbors that give them candy and have them even include their favorite Bible verse on it. 

2. Give out candy that has a Bible verse tied to it.

3. Greet all your neighbors as you're out and about.  Halloween is a great time for you to build relationships with your neighbors. 

4. If you're going to sport a costume...keep it tasteful.  I'm all for a good scare, but recently the trend for girls has been to have a revealing costume.  I say don't follow the crowd.  The world doesn't need more lemmings.  Everyone appreciates something that is clever more than something scary or revealing. 

I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween!

I was listening to a song earlier today called "Messiah" by Phil Wickham where he says,

"Look, the road is narrow and hard to find
With secret battles inside our minds
Who can last
God we need your strength to fight
Your light to guide us into the night
You're our only chance"

I realized that in all of the fast changing lives we live, there is always one place that we can turn to that is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow and that is Jesus.  The changes we go through sometimes are joyous.  I know many of you have become new parents/grandparents, taken on new jobs, moved, gotten through health issues, had some dramatic relationship changes, started going to church/changed churches, and so on.  Sometimes the changes are tougher, though: losing your house, friends/family moving away, losing your job, kids falling away, health issues overcoming you, relationships ending, etc.  In all of these fast changing times, know that you have one permanency that is unchanging...Jesus.  He is always there for you to forgive you and to guide you onto the narrow way to eternal life.

Here's the video edited so that you can hear what the world doesn't want to hear.

Since we had some time we decided that we wanted to see something fun.  Since the area is known for two things: golfing and shopping, we had to look a little harder to find something fun to do that wouldn't require us maxing out our credit card or getting sunburnt looking for my shots from the tee into the rough.  Well, we decided that it would be fun to go to Joshua Tree National Park.  It wasn't very far away and we always love a good hike.  Now, we know that we live amongst the Joshuas, but we figured that it if it's a National Park, that it's got to be awesome. 

We were right...Joshua Tree is awesome.  It was beautiful.  But we missed out on a lot.  You see, since this was an impromptu excursion, we went their without a camera and we were both wearing flip-flops.  We didn't even have a water bottle until we stopped at the Visistor's Center.  We drove around and we would get out from time to time to look at the view...but not hike...remember...flip-flops and desert don't mix.  We got to the hike where you get to see a natural spring and an old dam that was built back during the gold rush.  It was about 1.5 miles round trip.  We gave it a whirl (it was shorter than many of the other hiking options).  There was even a point where I really wanted to boulder and it didn't quite work out in bare feet. All during that hike, we kept saying to each other...why didn't we, at least, wear tennis shoes.

As I was hiking around I realized something...I was completely unprepared for this journey through one of the most amazing chunks of desert in the world.  Often, this is how we live our lives, too...wearing flip-flops when we need some sturdy hiking boots or at least tennis shoes.  This is even how we approach the Bible, too.  We aren't really able to fully appreciate it, because we aren't properly prepared.  Sometimes that even pushes us completely away from getting into The Word.

The last time I posted about the vision for The Well, I spoke about how we are put here to serve.  We are not a church that serves ourselves.  Well, in order to get to that point we need the proper tools...we need the right shoes, because when we take that approach to ministry, things can get rough.  This is why we have worship and Community Groups (as well as other things).  These are central to the ministry of The Well because they will give you the right shoes.  They will help you understand the Word, God's Grace, your faith, and your salvation so that you are able to walk with Christ and get the most out of the Christian life as possible.  The Well is not only a serving church, but we are an equipping church.  One that equips for low, easy roads, and one that prepares for the harsh climbs and decents through the desert wilderness.  In my favorite book of the Bible, Habakkuk, the last verse (3:19) says "The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights."  Habakkuk saw God as an equipping God, and we do to...that is why we are also an equipping church...so that God might enable you to 'go on the heights' and not just be stuck in the car admiring greatness from a distance.

I guess I was just young and naive...I never thought that there would be anything that would impact me like that.  I was wrong. 

I remember 9-11-01 very vividly.  I was in my dorm room at Concordia University Chicago.  I had an appointment that day with an academic advisor to make sure I was on track to graduate.  That was an appointed I never made.  I woke up to a bunch of construction workers talking right outside my window.  My roommate and I both heard the men saying something about a building in New York City getting hit by a plane.  We turned on the TV with just enough time to see the second plane hit.  We were glued to the TV.  I watched a little more coverage on CNN and then headed on over to the chapel where it seemed like our whole student body was there.  We all just prayed.  Some students knew people in New York...some were just shocked that something like that could happen like that on our soil. 

The next few weeks were weird.  Our school was fairly close to O'Hare Airport and we would always have planes going over our campus.  It was a familiar sound.  On 9-11 and then for over a week afterward...the air was silent except the occasional fighter jet.  You could go to the top of our parking garage and see downtown Chicago.  You could clearly see, what normally seemed like a vibrant city skyline, wasn't anymore.  Even the skyline seemed nervous and worried.  The only activity were two Harrier jets who made almost a permanent home over the Sears Tower and the Hancock building.  It was weird. 

In the days following we attempted to get back to normal with things, but it was always hard.  I remember the first time a commercial plane flew over our heads.  I was on my way to class and I was walking amongst a handful of other students.  We all looked up with an extremely nervous feeling and stopped whatever we were doing.  Was it a good thing....or a bad thing?  I wasn't sure.  We all moved on with the same look on our faces "I hope that was a good thing."  Later on that day a few others flew overhead and it felt better...more like we could move on and not just sit around and wait for something else bad to happen (I've realized that that is not a good way to live). 

To this day, I've never seen people more fervent in prayer and devotion to Christ.  Even on a Christian college campus, I was impressed over how people were clinging to the cross during their time of both shock and mourning.  It was a place that we all needed to be, because we knew that it was the only place that was sure...true...and strong. 

It was a day that I hope I never forget...not because I knew someone who died in the twin towers, but because we, as a nation, had to come face to face with our own vulnerability.  We are vulnerable as a nation...and as people.  Now, don't take this the wrong way...9-11 was a tragedy, and this is not a theological discourse on why God allowed this to happen...this issue is far more complicated than can be covered in this blog...but one thing I learned was that God really wants us to be vulnerable and occasionally He needs to remind us that vulnerability is a good state to be in.  He doesn't want us protecting ourselves or relying on other people to be our "rock" and our "protector"...people and stuff and organizations will fail...strength and protection is His job...and He does it perfectly every time.  I don't want to forget this day because it's a day where I remember how I am not invincible...my country is not invincible...and nobody on this earth is either.  That's a good thing for us to remember.  We are all weak...and we all need God's perfect strength.  I am vulnerable...how about you?

'It is a very great incentive to mercy to share in others’ misfortunes, to help the needs of others as far as our means allow, and sometimes even beyond them.  For it is better for mercy’s sake to help someone’s case, or to suffer contempt rather than to show hardness of heart.  So I once brought contempt on myself because I broke up the sacred vessels to redeem captives….Who can be so hard, cruel iron-hearted, as to be displeased because a man is redeemed from death, or a woman from barbarian prostitution, or boys and girls and infants from those things that are worse than death?...it is far better to preserve souls than gold for the Lord.  For He who sent the apostles without gold (Mt. 10:9) also brought together the churches without gold.  The Church has gold not to store up, but to lay out, and to spend on those in need…It is better to preserve Christ’s living vessels than gold ones.  The glory of the sacraments is the redemption of captives.  Truly the Eucharistic vessels are precious ones, for they redeem people from death…when the chalice redeems from the enemy those whom His blood redeemed from sin.' -Ambrose, On The Duty of the Clergy

I thought that this was important to share especialy since we had our first church meeting a couple weeks ago where we talked about money.  God has blessed The Well, and all of its people, so that we can be a blessing to someone else.  That is why, as a church, we will make sure that our money isn't used for big lavish buildings, a BMW for the pastor, or ornate communion sets...nor should these sorts of things be what we spend our own money on.  Instead we should seek as to how we can use what God has given us to serve those in need.  

Our church began and will remain a place where people serve...not a place where people can come to be served.  Our culture simply looks at churches as places where they can be served...church life becomes a passive existence.  As we begin to move forward in ministry I hope that each of us has such an awesome opportunity to serve others boldly like Ambrose did...because that is why we are here...to serve those who are in need, and bring them the same freedom Christ has given us.

Now, I don't know if Mr. LaFontaine was a man of faith or not, but I think that his theology of gifts is right on.  I also think that if we all used our gifts, which are just as special and unique as his (though different than his), the world would know Christ's love even more.  Here's a clip about his work from YouTube.

You know what I'm talking about.  You sit there and someone really has something 'important to say', but really they could have said what they needed to in about 5 minutes, not an hour and a half.  Blah-blah-blah. 

Well, today (and a bit of tomorrow) is an exception for me.  Today I've been surrounded by other church planters, like myself out in Phoenix (which is a frigid 93 degrees).  It's always encouraging to hear stories of struggles and successes out in the mission field.  I love sitting down and talking with other guys who have such a passion for reaching those who don't know Christ. 

It's good to know that there are others out there who are in our position (brand new, small, and really excited, but still waiting to see what God will do next).  It makes me think of Paul when he wrote in Philipians 1:3-5,  I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now..."  Paul always got excited when he saw people in the churches he planted serve Christ in their context.  I'll let you know, too, that the same joy that Paul had is what I have when I think of us at The Well.  I love those moments where I see people take ministries head on, when they tell me a story of sharing their faith with a friend, when I get messages of people wanting to help out with stuff going on, and with knowing the sacrifice that you make for our church.  It's a joy to be your partner in the gospel.  I look forward to coming back to the AV and bringing living water to our thirsty neighbors.

This article struck me because Sarah and I are walking through the Proverbs like Travis asked us to.  After Reading Proverbs 6, we talked about how, whether we like it or not, we represent Christ wherever we go...and it's important for us to reflect a genuine and true Jesus.  Whether we like it or not we are under a microscope.  I realize that more and more being a pastor...I especially notice it when people cuss.  They always cover their mouths and look to me and say "Sorry".  I always get a kick out of that.

Regardless, we need to remember with all that we do, with all that we say, we are a "letter of recommendation" for Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 3:1-6).  Now, this is not to say that Strang was not representing Jesus by "looking like a Democrat".  We must remember, Jesus is neither Republican or Democrat...He's God and He has the power to use any idiot (I mean "candidate") we put in office.  For Strang, he knew that being an influential Christian man, he had a responsibility not even appear to condone things that he didn't agree with (i.e. Jesus=Democrat or Jesus loves Obama...well that's true...but He also loves McCain just as much...and even Ralph Nader...He's good at that). 

Personally, I applaud Strang for his decision to back out...and at the same time a little bummed that he is unable to provide a witness to the convention.  My gut says that "Well, Jesus ate with tax collectors and prostitutes, so why couldn't he pray with Democrats?"  Well, we have to remember that Jesus was Jesus, and Strang is Strang (i.e. not Jesus), and Democrats aren't prostitutes (I guess sometimes they are tax collectors, though). I guess my point is this: Strang followed the Holy Spirit in his decision.  I have to trust that his decision came from the indwelling Holy Spirit and not from fear of loss of readers or from pressure from other church leaders.  It seems that he just felt that his witness wouldn't have been strong enough to warrent such misunderstanding.  Maybe the backlash would have been a worse letter of recommendation.  In all of this, it makes me understand the outrage of Jesus' adversaries even more...and that scares me.  I don't want to agree with any of Jesus' adversaries.  

So there it is...the tensions of life where God's wisdom is ever more needed.  Would I have made the same decision that Strang did?  I don't know...I've never been asked by the Democratic National Convention to do anything (the Republicans and Green Party haven't asked either...though I am waiting patiently by the phone for my invitations).  I would have to trust that I would seek God's Spirit like Strang did and if all else fails...Sin Bodly for the sake of sharing Christ with others.

Ask yourself the following questions:
*Did Jesus condone prostituion and tax collecting practices by eating with them?
*How often do I misrepresent Jesus to others?
*What sort of balance do I need to not fall into sin, but yet still show love to people who might bring me into sin?
*How would I feel if Strang would have turned down the Republican National Convention?
*Read Proverbs 6

So today I ate lunch at home and Sarah wasn't at home, so I decided to turn on the TV to check out what was going on over in Beijing.  Well, a commercial came on advertising one of those CD's that just has a bunch of different groups and songs on.  Usually, I pay no attention to these commercials...they're usually just noise to me.  Well, they kept playing a bunch of songs that brought back all sorts of memories for me.  You see, many of these songs were popular when I was in college.  During my college years, I spent many of my summers painting houses, condos, fences, and anything that needed a new coat.  Almost all of my work was outside up on ladders or on a roof somehwere.  One of the ways we passed those hot summer days at work was playing an old radio that was covered in paint.  There was typically only one station that we could all agree on and that was the alternative station. 

Well, if you've ever listened to a radio station for more than a half hour, you notice that they really don't have a lot of music to choose from.  I heard an interview one time with a former president of a large radio corporation who said that almost every Rap, R & B, Alternative, and Pop stations typically have no more than around 9 songs in their daily rotation.  Needless to say, our summer days up on ladders had a soundtrack that often repeated itself over and over again. 

As I heard those songs replayed on that commercial a number of memories of my days spent in white Dickies and an old hat, paintbrush in hand.  It was one of those moments where you reminisce and even miss "the good ole' days".  I remember riding around in my Jeep, hanging out with my brother and my friends, and having that carefree feeling that comes with being 20.  After a quick wave of memories, I quickly remembered that those days weren't as great as I remember.  I worked 18 hour days (most of which was spent in 90+ degree heat with 90% humidity), my Jeep was always broken, no matter how much money I made I was always broke, and most of my days were spent alone at work and then I was really too tired most of time to hang out with anyone.  Far too often our "good ole' days" aren't as good as we remember. 

Despite all of that I think that there is something to those sorts of memories.  Those experiences, people, and situations have all shaped who we are, and how we live today.  Even though my Jeep was always broke, Sarah and I still want another one.  Even though I spent most of my days alone, I made many friends whom I still keep in contact with.  Even though those days were tough, they shaped who I am today.  The quesiton I wrestle with as a Christian is "How am I being shaped today for my tomorrow?"  I wonder as a pastor if what we are doing as a church will cause us to look back years later with joy and a smile on our face because Christ shaped us in profound ways.  If that is truly going to happen, it isn't going to come from hearing a song we used to sing, or seeing a guy with a faux-hawk, or installing forest green carpeting in our homes.  It's going to happen in our interactions with the grace of Christ...it's going to come by allowing Christ to shape us. 

We are embarking on this amazing journey together.  I've had other pastors and other Christians call me crazy for doing what we're doing.  They don't understand why I and a church full of people would take such a risk.  Yeah, somedays are tough...some sacrifices seem like they are just too big to make sense...but they all have a purpose greater than we can even comprehend...because Christ is shaping us.  We do all of this for the sake of those who don't know Christ...so that they might know His love and grace and the life that He gives.  

I pray that when you come across a passage of Scripture that has recently been unpacked for you, or you hear a song we've sung recently, or you get into a Community Group for the first time in a long time, or even come across forest green carpet, that you reminisce on the joy that you found in Christ calling you to such a crazy mission...and how that has shaped you and your faith for the rest of your llfe.

Just click the link here and a QT file should come up.

This was a place that Sarah had already been with her mom and she told me that I just had to go.  She and her mom had been going on and on about how great this place was.  They met a worker there who was extremely nice, very helpful, he enjoyed what he did, he even refused to let them carry anything...he did it.  They left the store with a few plants and some new knowledge on gardening in the desert.  Sarah kept telling me, "you'll love this place.". 

Okay...so I was looking forward to going...so we set off for this garden store.  We walked in and we were immediately greated with a smile and we continued to browse.  Well, we decided kind of what we wanted, but we had a couple questions.  It was easy to find someone to help (unlike going to the big box stores...does ANYONE work there?), and our questions were answered, so we told the guy what we wanted, he grabbed them and helped us load up our car.  We went in to pay for the couple plants we bought and realized that we needed some hedge trimmers.  We didn't see any and asked the guy who helped us for some, and he ran (literally) to the back storage and pulled some out.  They seemed like they had been sitting somehwere for quite some time.  They had a little rust and dirt on them...but their hedge trimmers...so who really cares, right?  Well, I wanted to make sure that they would work...so I asked the expert...he felt they were fine, so I paid and was getting ready to leave.  Just then another worker looked at them and decided that they were too rusty to sell.  He took them and walked around the sales room and found another pair...a better pair...with telescoping arms that cost much more than the ones already paid for.  The other worker gave them to me and said "Here...these are better."  I said, "Wow...these are nice...how much more do I owe you for them."  The other guy shook his head and told me not to worry about it.  I told him that I wanted to pay the difference, but he insisted.  I walked out the door with gardening sheers with telescoping arms at a discount price.

So you might be wondering why I'm sharing with you a story of a "great deal" and is this just an add for the local garden store?  You see, I left that store thinking a lot about The Well and last week's message about David and Goliath.  We don't need to be big.  I could have gone to a place with more selection and better prices, but I left that store wanting to go back because they were there to serve.  They saw me as a guy who needed help...not just another customer.  I felt treated as a person.  I feel that we can be the same way as a church and as Christians.  We can treat those who walk in the door, or the people we interact with daily as people who can give us something or we can view them as people that we can serve.  To be honest...when I go to a big box store...I have never left really wanting to go back.  When I left that other store...I really wanted to go back, and if I needed more plants I would have. 

God has called us to be servants...to serve others...to give to others, not because we can get something in return, but because we have already been served.  This is what will cause people to want to come back to the well and to be more engaged in our lives.  People can see your heart...we know when someone cares about us or not...and a servant heart is contageous.  The whole reason we serve as a church is because Christ has already served us.  Can you imagine...our tiny little church starting a movement of faith and servant hearts all over this valley?  I can.  I pray that The Well is a place where people can come and be served and to serve others.

I figured that Sarah and I have had family in town for around 3/4 of the month of July.  We love our families dearly, but we are looking forward to normalcy...routine.  Summers are filled with joy, laughter, vacation, friends, family, newness...change....life.  But soon, summertime will be over (that is...the summer mentality...you all know that we're going to have blazing heat well into the "fall").  Sometimes we look at the routine to come with a bit of distaste, but when we look at Psalm 19, we see that God finds joy in the normal...in the routine.  God causes the sun to rise and set every single day...no vacations...it's always there without fail.  God finds joy in causing the sun to rise and set everyday. 

Can we find joy in the ordinary...the everyday?

I think we can.  So as the sun rises and sets over the next few days, as your mustache goes away, and as kids' minds begin to look towards the school year I hope that you find joy in the everyday normal activities of your life and that you find a deeper spirituality in normalcy.

Well, the blood kept a flowing no matter how hard I put pressure on it.  I was so confused.  It didn't hurt, nor was it some sort of machete on the back of the hanger...just a mildly sharp piece of metal.  Recently, I've been talking with a few people who have been hurt by others for various reasons.  Some in our community...some not yet a part of it.  I've realized that sometimes things that are said and done...though they were not said in order to hurt or to cause a division...they did hurt...and they even caused some serious damage.  Sometimes things can be said or done that can really hurt someone even if it really should not have.  Regardless of how our intentions may have been honest or we are even convinced that they are "godly"...they can still cause some serious damage.  It's in those moments where we do need to apologize even if the intention was good.  All the hanger wanted to do was hold up pants in a manner where they looked somewhat attractive to a buyer...it's goal was not to draw blood upon potetial buyers...but that's what happened.  I was cut...by a stupid hanger.  And that's what happens to us in our interactions with others.  Sometimes we cut...sometimes we get cut.  Either way, when anyone is hurt, we, as followers of Christ have the chance to show people true healing and that is in Christ.  This is the most precious thing He has given us...the power to forgive and be forgiven...let's take advantage of it.

It made me think that sometimes we feel this way with God.  We think about Him.  We know He's around and we know where to find Him...yet for some reason, something is blocking us from getting reconnecting with our Savior.  I've found that, just like with old friends, that you just need to jump in.  Just get on your knees and start talking to God.  He wants to hear from you and misses you dearly.  You never have to worry about Him not responding or hitting you up for a past debt (He's a pretty forgiving guy).  So if it has been a while, maybe a week, maybe a month, maybe many months since you've prayed or opened up your Bible, then stop what you're doing right now and do it....

right now...hop offline and go...

Well to my surprise when I was at the Red Box (not usually good for finding weird movies), Sarah pointed out a movie that neither of us had heard of. On the cover it had a number of awards from different festivals (typically a good sign). The synopsis looked decent so we gave it a whirl.

That movie was "Bella". "Bella" (in their words) is a love story that goes beyond romance. I would call it a story of redemption when you least expect it.  It's a story of love, family, and redemption. Their description reads: "Sooner or later every one of us will face an irreversible moment that will change our lives forever. If it hasn't happened to you yet...it will. BELLA is a true love story about how one day in New York City changed three people forever."

I was absolutely pleased with this movie. To be honest it took me a little bit to get into. At times in the first 20 minutes or so I thought that it wasn't going to be good. What I realized is that "Bella" has a different flow to it that I just needed time to see. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone. Keep in mind, it is rated PG-13, and I would say that some of the content would probably bore most kids anyways, but I think that rating was due to some intense, real issues as well as some disturbing images...not sex, drugs, or violence. I would not recommend this movie for a kid under 13, but I'm also not a parent, so I'll leave the discretion in your hands. Enjoy, and after you've watched it...I'd love to talk with you about what you thought.

10. No matter how small our kitchens have been...that's where everyone gathers.  (Maybe we should hold worship in a giant kitchen).

9. Kids and adults alike are wiling to grab each others' hands and pray together...and pray for each other.

8. You put up with last minute changes by your pastor.

7. Change and adjustment are just a part of life at The Well.

6. You are excited for what God has been doing with this church so far...and what He will do.

5. We have people who are just excited to learn about Jesus....and to teach others about Him, too.

4. Even in a room full of adults, you are willing to color with markers and crayons...and have a good time doing it.  (my favorite from Wednesday was "Utopia in Spring: Day 5" by Will and Jen...all of your works of art are up on our fridge btw)

3. After Bible Study is over we have multiple groups of people discussing everything from faith issues to the worst injuries we've ever had hours after the study is over...and we can flow from one thing to the other in conversation easily.

2. You all love to laugh.

1. Even after all this time you still trust the young, punk, pastor with earrings.

Thank you all for being a part of The Well.  I look forward to how God will use you to do amazing things in this valley.  This valley is going to change...I know it...and God is going to use each of us at The Well to help bring about that change.

As Sarah and I were on our way to drop off a couple boxes at our new place and, yes, take down some more sin (I mean wallpaper), a certain story caused us to stop our conversation and listen in.  It was on transgender children (basically little boys who want to be girls and little girls who want to be boys).  They were interviewing a gender specialist about this one boy from Toronto in particular (I know I'm no scientist, but I think I could be a gender specialist...I did get an A- in Anatomy class in high school).  This gender specialist talked in circles in regards to gender issues and how parents can help children transition from one gender to another, and how transgenderism is not a disorder but a simply a variant way of living.  Now, I'm sure you can imagine the discussion that followed us listening to this.  We were a little frustrated that people who feel that they want to cut off their arm because it makes them uncomfortable have a disorder but little boys who want to cut something else off don't. 

Anyways...this post is not a debate on the theology or logic behind LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Queer population).  I think that this is a cause for us, as a church to reflect and evaluate.  What?!?  Shouldn't we be condemning this anit-Biblical lifestyle?!?  Well, we definitely shouldn't condone it...but I'll save the judgment for the one who's better at it than me.  I think that we should be able to ask ourselves, "Would someone who was LGBTQ be accepted at The Well?".  Now, I know that this may ruffle a few feathers, but before answering that question we should also ask ourselves if we are able to accept and welcome other sinners.  I know that our community has sinners of every variety (people who do things that are immoral, illegal, and unspeakable), and they are accepted and welcomed (though their sin is not...I need to make that clear...nobody's sin is every accepted...it is forgiven).  Our sin should never be tolerated, yet I think that people need to be accepting because Jesus accepted us as His own when He went to the cross....and He calls us to accept others with the same kind of unconditional love that we received. 

I knew a guy on my vicarage/internship who I talked to a fair amount about a number of these issues.  He told me a few stories about how he would go out to a bar with his friends to have a beer and he would feel so uncomfortable and unsafe because there would be people stareing, pointing, and suggesting that he leave "or else" simply because he appeared to be gay.  He said that he had to leave a few places with his cell phone on, 911 typed in, and his finger on the "Call" button as he left a place simply because he felt physically threatened because he was gay.  To top it off he even talked to me about how he used to be Christian, but he had a hard time with the church since many of those threats were from self-proclaimed Christians.  It honestly breaks my heart when I hear stories like this.

Imagine...The Well being a place where people from the LGBTQ can seek out and find Jesus.  Imagine a church where people who are confused about their identity can find clarity.  Imagine, a place where addicts, prostitutes, drug dealers, liers, fornicators, the greedy, bigots, speeders, even the people who keep the money when they are given too much change at the store...Imagine all of them having a place to come together...as sinners...to hear the Word of God and receive forgiveness.

Well, the house that Sarah and I are moving into has a fair amount of the stuff all over the place. We spent last night over there for about 4 hours and got about 1/8 of one room done. I even made the remark to Sarah that I don't believe in a personal hell (thought I do believe in the real hell), but if there was a personal hell and I didn't have faith...I would be taking down wallpaper for eternity (and probably eating cauliflower while I was doing it).

As I was scraping away at that floral patterned misery, I thought a lot about sin. With the many prayers I gave to God that night for the paper to be taken away, it made me think about how I really don't have the power to take away my own sin. Our sin is like bad wallpaper. We can scrape and scrape away at it, but we really can't make a dent. We need someone to come in and take on our behalf. So next time you sin...think about wallpaper and how it sticks to you and never looks quite right. Christ desires to take it away from you...and that's a good thing.

This is just one of the reasons why living in California is great. I love looking at mountains outside my window and knowing that the beach is only a short drive away. I like having culture at my fingertips as well as Pink's and In-and-Out. I even love having the former star of the "Terminator" movies and "Jingle All The Way" as my governor. This morning NPR was interviewing the Govenator in regards to a vote that he made a few months ago and all he talked about was weight lifting (tell me that doesn't give you a chuckle).

Alright...back to the commute. I was listening to th entertainment portion of the news (which is usually better on NPR, because it's not who's dating who and who's wearing what...they talk more about the industry itself), and they were talking about Molly (sorry...I've been corrected...I mean Miley) Cyrus/Hannah Montana. Apparently the 15 year old had taken some suggestive photos for a magazine. You'd think that this would be the point where I'd go on a rant about the oversexualization of our culture (which is true...but I'll save it for another post). Something else stuck out to me. The "expert" that was being interviewed was asked if this would hurt Miley Cyrus' career and he responded by saying, "Any publicity is good publicity." This is a very common notion in Hollywood today and I think has leeked into our culture.

Now, I know that we're not all trying to "get our name out there" so that we can land our next record deal...but I almost wonder if we care as much as we should about our reputations. The 8th Commandment says that "You should not give false testimony against your neighbor." God gave us this Commandment in order to protect our reputation. Our reputation is valuable in the eyes of God...so it should be valuable to us, too. Now, this doesn't mean that we should always be concerned about what others think about us...rather we should look at Luther's explanation to the 8th Commandment: "We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way." I think that we can also apply this to not only how we deal with others...but also how we deal with ourselves. It's not about worrying about what others think about you...it's about not betraying yourself. You are God's child. He's given you that reputation, and we should do all that we can to make sure to speak well of what He has done for us and to explain who we are as His child in the kindest way. Your reputation is valuable, because it's from God. That's why we need to pay attention as to how we portray ourselves and how others view us...they are not only seeing who we are...they are also seeing God, too.

There was a man who lived during the 4th century named Augustine (think St. Augustine, Florida...it was named after him). He was a very wise man, well educated, a philosopher, and even a professor of rhetoric (think debate and public speaking). He grew up in a small town in present day Algeria (North Africa) where he studied rhetoric and philosphy. He was such a brilliant kid that his parents (with the financial help of a friend) sent him off to Carthage, Rome, and eventually Milan to study at the universities there. It was during that time that he was converted to Christianity and in his book "Confessions" he writes about his conversion. In one section he talks a lot about his mother, Monica. He recalls here faithfulness to her family, her husband, and to Christ. Monica really embodies the godly woman that Peter talks about in his letter. She was patient and supported her husband though it tore her apart that he didn't have faith and that he didn't want his children baptized. Eventually through the witness of his mother and the influence of one of his rhetoric mentors, Ambrose, Augustine was eventually baptized. He spent the next few years diving into the writings of other great Christian thinkers and eventually devoting his life to the church and he became the Bishop of a region not far from his home in Algeria.

In His book "Confessions" he writes about how his mother was committed to her husband even though he didn't have faith and didn't follow Christ. Through her witness, Augustine's dad was eventually baptized before he died. Augustine recalls her servant heart and her committment to sharing the gospel with a love that only a wife and mother can give.

I know that many of you are in a relationship where one of you has faith and the other doesn't. Maybe you're married...maybe you're just dating. The thing to remember is that whether you are a guy or girl...our witness matters. We still need to follow Christ in our relationships, and that can produce the best witness of all. This is really nothing new. The struggle of who to date and marry has been around forever. I would hope that you would all seek the one who God is calling you to, but also one who can encourage you in your faith...but I also know that we end up in relationships with people who have drastically different views of God than we do. I think God shows us something in this story of Augustine and his mom, Monica. He shows us the power of our love and witness...especially when it's directed towards our spouse. I pray that God uses you as His light in your relationshiop.

The reason why I wanted to bring up something that we've talked a lot about was because of a course I recently took. Last week I went down to Brea for a lecture on church planting lead by Erwin McManus who is the pastor of Mosaic down in L.A. One of the things he talked about was the need, as pastors, to love the community we serve. I think that as priests in this area this is also true. We need to be able to look at the people we have been called to serve and be able to love them. This can't be forced though. You can't force love...not at all. I think that as a church and individuals, we need to be able to let go of our prejudices, presuppositions, worldly standards, and our worldly expectations and see the beauty that we are surrounded by.

We need to let go until we see the beauty. Just think about it. God has made every human being on the face of this earth. He made the ones in the blighted areas and the ones in the affluent areas...He made us the same...equal. We are all still sinners, though...and we are both loved and pursued by God, too. We just need to let go of who we are and what we expect until we see the beauty that God sees. Last night we talked about people in our lives who are not only unbelievers, but have a dislike for the church, Christians, and God's Word. Most of us even know people who will even antagonize us until we get angry...just to see if the righteous one will fall. Even the worst antagonizers, the worst criminals, the biggest jerks, the most immoral, the rudest, and those who we feel are so far away from the truth have something in them that God sees as desirable...something that resulted in Him sending His Son to die for them just as much as He died for us...and God has called us to be a priest for them. I pray that The Well is a place where the priests can be filled so that we can bring God's grace, peace, and mercy to the most unlikely people...the ones that we would never expect to come to a worship service or let alone have a saving faith. I know we can...God has promised that we can. I hope you all have a chance today and this weekend to be a priest for the unlikely ones...the ones so far gone that nobody dares be a priest for their sake. Just let go...you'll see the beauty...and you'll begin to love as God loves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crnPfls0fHw

Anyways, I said a few sentances of clarification and then still without making eye-contact he said, "I go to a non-denominational church" (which typically means closet Baptist).  He continued, "It's great...It's huge...I do a lot there...It's called _______.  I love it there.  It's so big.  It's really big.  We do such a great job of outreach.  We're really really big.  Have you heard of it?"  I hadn't.  He went on (still looking at the wall) and he told me again about how big and wonderful his church is.  Just to let you know, his church isn't up here...it's down below, so don't get any ideas.  His phone rang, and I had to go, so we parted ways. 

What struck me was that I felt that he didn't care about me at all, but he still wanted to brag about his church.  To be honest...I can't stand church bragging.  I like Jesus bragging and God bragging (we should even do some more Holy Spirit bragging...He's God, too), but not church bragging.  I really felt like this guy was an elk trying to show off his giant antlers...I mean really really big, giant, huge antlers.  Now, don't get me wrong...I think that we should, of course, be absolutely invested in where we call our church home.  It should be a family.  It should mean a lot to us.  But we should never try and compare any two churches.  I think that this is not a conversation about the theological differences of denominations...those are good and necessary conversations, but comparing congregations is absurd.  God has put different congregations, with different pastors, in different places, to serve different people.  We are not restaurants.  You can compare the Lemon Leaf with Chili's (the Lemon Leaf is WAY better by the way).  We can't compare the kingdom of God with the kingdom of God.  

I hope that each of you is excited about The Well (I know I really am excited and I love each of you like family).  I hope that you love telling others about it, too.  Just please don't brag about it.  We're not huge...we're not perfect...we don't do things perfectly...and we never set out to put another church "out of business" so that we can have a monopoly on the market because we've got a great sales pitch and we're so wonderful.  I hope you're excited because of what Christ is doing through us...through you...to serve God here in the AV.  It's about Jesus and what He's doing...not about how cool and great The Well is.  We don't do anything because it's cool...we do it because Christ has put it upon our hearts.  If we wanted to be great and cool I thinkt that everyone would have a Laz-E-Boy, a personal flat screen, a personal masseuse, a waitress getting you all the BBQ you could eat (for free, of course), and we'd probably set up a Ferris Wheel in the parking lot. 

Sorry for the rant, but I think this is vital for us, as a church, to know.  The Well is here for Christ...and to share the good news of salvation through Him to those who don't know it.  Please....brag about Him...He deserves it.  He's big...really really big.     

Well, my 14 year old brother in law was in town and we wanted to watch a movie, and this seemed to be our best bet. After taking advantage of the local Red Box (movies are only $1!!!), we headed on home and popped it into the DVD player with low expectations and...it was actually good.

Without giving anything away, "We Are Marshall" is based on a true story about the Marshall University football team from 1970. Almost all of the players, coaches, and a number of prominent local team supporters went down in a plane crash after one of their games. The rest of the film is the rebuilding of their football program along with helping the town heal.

**If you haven't watched it yet, then skip this paragraph!** Sorry, I hate it when people spoil movies. While I was watching "We Are Marshall" I realized that this movie provides a wonderful analogy for church. Now, at The Well, we are quite young. We not only have only had a handful of worship services but both staff are in their 20's and we don't have many people hanging around in their 50's. That being said...it won't take too long before The Well, becomes established and gets older as a church. It may take 10 years, or it may take 30 years. Regardless, there comes a time in every church's life where things are going as they are supposed togo and then all of a sudden some sort of travesty happens. Maybe it's not a plane crash...but maybe it's a staff leaving, a natural disaster, a prominent member dying, a scandal, worship attendance shrinking, or maybe things just changing. It is at that point that the church is faced with the same problems that the townspeople were in the movie..."should we play?" Everyone in the movie had to answer that question, and most really struggled with it. I think as a church, we are asked with whether or not doing this whole church thing is worth it and should we press on as a congregation even though things are different than before. Just like the first Marshall team, in order to press on, it demands a great deal of heart and sacrifice. It also means that in order to get past the struggle...one must be willing to let go of how things used to be. The character "Nate Ruffin" had the hardest time with that in the beginning...even to the point of not wanting one of the new players wearing one of the deceased player's number on his jersey. Sometimes it doesn't take too long for us to assume too much ownership in what we do as a church. What we must realize is that we are servants and that we have a greater goal in mind as we go about the work of the church. And whether we are confronted with a travesty or not...God always wants us to go out there and "play the game" (See Romans 5:3-5).

So, overall, I would recommend "We Are Marshall". It really adds something significant to the Sports movie genre. Though it's no "Hoosiers" or "The Natural", it was still good. I thought McG, the director, did a great job at taking a real story and making it into something interesting and worth watching. I honestly think that some of my favorite parts were the some of the fast cuts that occurred throughout. It was shot quite differently than most sports movies. It had many different camera angles, zooms, and cinematography. It's only rated PG due to a little bad language and a pretty scary plane crash but I'm not sure that little kids would like it (they may get bored unless they have a fascination with either football or Mathew MaConaughey...and if the latter is the case then you and your family are probably reading too many celebrity magazines). It's honestly a movie that adults will enjoy and not just a movie that adults can put up with. Overall, I would give it an "7.8". If you want to know more just check out the movie description on IMDB.

Well, we prayed (and to be honest, I think that my prayers were more geared towards asking God to perform some sort of miracle that my lunch might have some sort of nutritional value along with blessing it), and then we continued on with our lunch.  As we began to finish up the lady who sat next to us came up to our table and said with a sense of awkwardness and fear in her voice, "I noticed that you all prayed before you ate." We answered, "Yes".  She looked at me and said that she just got off the phone with a dear friend of hers up in the Seattle area.  She said that her friend's daughter who is 12 was just diagnosed this week with Leukemia.  The woman was, honestly, extremely nervous just asking us and shaken up by the news.  We asked a couple more questions about the situation and then I prayed for the young girl (Autumn) and for this lady (who's name we never got).  

She thanked us and went on her way.  After it happened so much was going through my brain.  I was thankful that we were there and that she asked us to pray for this young girl.  Prayer is such a powerful thing that God has given us.  It really made me think about not only the power of prayer but how everyone needs it.  We were in the middle of the Hollywood/West Hollywood area...a place not known for a plethora of Christians.  Pink's is a place where people expect to eat a delicious hot dog and maybe get the chance to see a celebrity...not find strength and peace from God.  Regardless, that is what happened yesterday afternoon.  Someone who, I'm sure, just came to Pink's for a bite, and left with encouragement from the God of the universe.  It reassures me that God is at work everywhere...and that He is needed everywhere even in those places where nobody really wants to think about spiritual matters...His relevance to the lives of every man, woman, and child never fades.  It also reminded me that we, as Christians, need never be ashamed of who we are and what God has to offer.  I don't know if this woman was Christian or not...regarldess the Spirit was working on her heart in that moment to seek out answers and comfort from Him.  She didn't know I was pastor...she didn't need to.  She just needed someone to pray for her and for this girl.  I hope that we can all be ready when some stranger in a strange place asks us for us to pray for another stranger.  It's really the beauty of the Holy Spirit.  We've each been given the same Spirit and have the same living God working through each of us.  I hope you each have the joy and honor to have such a strange...and such a powerful random encounter.   

I wanted to take this blog space to thank everyone who came, who helped, and who prayed for us. We know that people were praying around the globe for Sunday night and for the many Sunday nights to follow. Thank you to all of our prayer warriors from Japan to Minnesota...God answered your prayers. I look forward to seeing what He will do this coming weekend on Easter. I know that having an Easter evening worship is rather unconventional, but I am not sure that there is much about The Well that is truly conventional. Instead of Easter sunrise worship we'll do Easter sunset (for all of those who like to sleep in, hunt for Easter eggs, eat some brunch, take a nap, and then go to worshiop).

I also want to thank all of you who participated in Jump Start. It was a lot of fun, and for those who skipped out on finger painting...you missed out. There were some beatiful palms made! I think we also learned a couple of things and will make a few small adjustments so that both parents and nonparents get the most out of the break out time.

Keep checking the website throughout the week for pictures, the sermon, and some info on Easter.