Quick letter to my male students

It takes courage to stand out as a man in a culture of guys. But why would you want to do that? How would you do that? How to move from simply finishing to actually winning. Reality check: Women have given up on 'guys'. That should bother you deeply. They are searching for men to be men, but have absolutely no interest in guys who want to stay guys.

DISCIPLINE: Men understand that risk is essential for victory. On the battle front you're thankful for hellish bootcamp. Women are looking for men who are prepared to BE men (goodnews: men will stick out in a guy culture).

SERVICE: Guys live for themselves. Our culture of 'guys' fights against the entire purpose for creation. Guys are selfish and have no purpose to shoot for in life. At some point, you have to ask yourself if YOU would ever want to date someone who is all about themselves (why would you become someone YOU don't even desire?)

Men live for others. Your purpose is much deeper when living for others. Men WANT to make an impact, and impact only happens outside of self. A man is not focused on what HE gets out of a relationship but on what THE RELATIONSHIP gets out of him. 

Being 'one of the guys' is not being a man. If iron sharpens iron, a guy does not sharpen a man. (Prov.27:17)

You are not intended to do this alone; so quit trying to. (Hebrews 10:24-25). Failure is less likely when other men sharpen you.

* Quick letter to my female students

3 reasons your pastor's sermons stink

Does it seem your pastor has been going downhill in his preaching? Does it seem when he brings the Word, you aren't feelin' it anymore? Is your pastor not preaching up to par for what you expected or as he used to? We all have! I hear you! Here are 3 possible reasons your pastors sermons suck:

1. You have not prayed for him Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, "Brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly." Successful preaching of the word has everything to do with prayer. E.M. Bounds wrote, "Prayer opens the way for the word of God to run without hindrance." How often have those who complain actually prayed for the pastor they complain about?

2. You have not prepared your heart In the Parable of the Sower Jesus questions what sort of soil your heart would be when the seed of the Word is sown. Many more sermons could be fruitful if we would prepare the ground of our hearts ahead of time through prayer and meditation.

3. You have forgotten everything There is a story of Martin Luther preaching the gospel of Jesus each and every week for months and years at a time. His congregation began coming to him saying, "Surely we have this down by now. Week after week you preach the gospel message; why can't we move on?" To which he replied: "Because week after week you forget it.

We resist application of things we study. The good ground in the parable are those who hear the word and make intentional efforts to cultivate the planted seed sown.

All is Grace by Brennan Manning [a review]

This was the most difficult book I could not put down. This book was discovering that his or her alter ego anchors every soaring super hero. It was finding out Santa Claus pees and poops just like I do. Brennan Manning used to be my hero.

You are going to hate this book if you are looking for an account of the profound things done by one man in God’s name. You will not find here the account of a faith powerhouse who, with shear grit and discipline, followed God flawlessly.

You are going to love this book if can accept that God’s love for you is ridiculous and entirely impossible to comprehend or define. You will find here a beautifully broken picture of this love we all want to taste, but it is not an orthodox portrayal for you to study.

The writings and teaching of Brennan Manning have been a slow IV drip when my reliance and trust in Abba’s love have dehydrated. They have also been shock paddles to my heart in emergency moments when I am flat lining under the weight of shame, temptation, and failure.

I first heard the word ‘ragamuffin’ in 1999 in Brennan’s book The Ragamuffin Gospel. It ravished my aching heart. I came to understand God’s grace and furious love in a way I had never taken hold of in my life.

The ragamuffin is one with a singular prayer: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Brennan explains further in All is Grace: “any additional flourishes to make that cry more palatable are pharisaical leaven.”

The ragamuffin is one who understands that he, along with every other person, is a beggar at the door of God’s mercy. She is the one who is bedraggled and beat up in life and faith, but have learned to take the hand out of grace without regret or allowing shame to hold them back.

Revealed in this book are all the brokenness and pride, the shame and the wounds, the arrogance and failures that lie behind all the books and accolades. Brennan takes large risks in a tell all memoir, but he would clarify in other books that trust is no trust at all without risk. The amount of risk taken in this book reveals with just how much trust Brennan has fallen on the love his Abba.

One of my favorite poets, Buddy Wakefield defines forgiveness as “the release of hope for a better past.” This book reveals the hope of forgiveness. You see a hero forgive the unforgivable others in his life, namely the unforgivable within himself.

Your heroes will do all they can to keep you from seeing the sad and broken realities behind the capes. Brennan Manning used to be my hero, but this book has made him far more of a hero than he ever was.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j73mYgpxhTY&w=560&h=345]

Get off my lawn

These kids today and their:- skinny jeans - epic fails - lacking knowledge of Tommy Boy or Chris Farley - video games - social media (okay, I like that one) - Jersey Shore -  waning respect for printed books -  flat billed hats - sushi - high "connection" without face-to-face relationships - iPads (jealous) - Justin Beiber, Kardashians, Lady Gaga, and other "celebrities" - energy drinks - autotune - boat shoes (and other styles I am too old to 'pull-off' now, but would if I could) - hooking-up - _________________

Your Opinion Needed: new column

I have been asked to create and maintain a column in a soon to be created quarterly produced by the church I pastor at. My column is to address faith and culture, and more particularly, faith IN culture. What does it look like to live out our faith in our culture? What does faith look like in our culture? A column title is required of me soon, and I have been brainstorming by myself (not really a brainSTORM I suppose). I have narrowed down to 3 possibilities. Please help me with some feedback about these options. (No! I will not even consider calling it "Fulture".)

Which do you like most? Why?

Less Than 3 City (<3C) The most connected culture we have ever had realizes what "Less Than 3" means; it is what you would type to form a heart in text. I love the idea of Christians developing a love for their city. The first step to reaching any group is developing a love for that group. You cannot serve or reach anyone you do not first love.

Lost in Translation: speaking the languages of culture and faith The first thing any good missionary knows you have to do before reaching a foreign culture is to learn the language. As far as most American Christians go, the culture around them is increasingly foreign. Further, most Christians simply do not speak the language of their city, their culture. That needs to change if we are going to reach our cities.

Urban Missionary This seems almost self-explanatory; at least to those of you who read this blog. But without assumptions like that: Though my official title is "pastor", my real ministry identity is that of missionary. I am trying to apply all the same understandings of what missionary would be and do for a "foreign" culture for this urban culture that is increasingly foreign to most Christians. I am still trying to be a light in a culture that most Christians would rather attack for being too dark.

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Alright! What are your thoughts? You may also share completely different ideas if you have them.

Vacation

I haven't disappeared or given up. Its just time for vacation. I'll be back next week.

Sermon Illustration Rafters

It is time to honor some of your sermon illustrations with retirement. They served you well, but they are tired and need to be hoisted to the rafters. It is time to retire

- guy crosses the grand canyon on a tight rope asking someone to jump in the wheelbarrow - draw-bridge operator who had to decide whether to close the bridge on his son or let all the train passengers plummet to the ravine - any and every Braveheart quote or reference - Courtroom Scene: God is the judge, we are the defendants, Jesus comes and takes the sentence for us

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What other sermon illustrations need to be retired?

Support a Ragamuffin Movie

A good friend of mine is directing a film about, who I might consider, the original ragamuffin, Rich Mullins. The idea of the Ragamuffin life of faith may have been communicated first by Brennan Manning, but it was first lived out in its strongest sense by Rich. Please take a moment to watch this small clip by Rich's little brother and a brief trailer for the film.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236553116/rich-mullins-a-ragamuffins-legacy-a-feature-length/widget/video.html

Most Beautiful 3 Minutes of My Day

I was trailed into my favorite coffee shop by a transient man. He stayed just inside the door as I progressed to the counter. The barista kept his eyes attached to the man, but said under his breath to me, "This is the second day he's showed up. He doesn't do anything wrong, though. So I don't mind him hanging there." First tinge of beauty.

Turning around, I watched the vagrant man hangout in the entry way. It is not especially hot or cold outside. So it could not have been for any relief from the elements that brought him to this threshold two days in a row. He didn't want coffee or money or a handout of any sort. So WHAT does he want here?

Naturally, he has attracted dozens of wandering eyes by now, but the beautiful things begin to show up for me.

He begins bobbing his head and twitching his body to the beat of the dance music on the house system. He is dancing. Subtle...but he is soaking the music like it is a hydration station on a marathon of beggared life.

The song ends and he turns to leave.

Beautiful.

Most Important Step to Sermon Prep

When asked, "What is the most important thing you do in preparing to preach each Sunday?" Dr. G.A. Buttrick responded: "For two hours every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, I walk through the neighborhood and make home visits. There is no way I can preach the gospel to these people if I don't know how they are living, what they are thinking and talking about. Preaching is proclamation, God's word revealed in Jesus, but only when it gets embedded into conversation, in a listening ear and responding tongue, does it become the gospel."

Reverse Golden Rule

Realize the Golden Rule also means most people will treat Christians the way they themselves have been treated in our churches.