A much nicer picture of my friend Josh who just started blogging. He is more fully clothed this time.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Family is Great!
My dad and mom were visiting this weekend. It sure was great to be together even if for only a few days. My kids really miss them and enjoy them being around. They left this morning and I miss them already. It was cool to have them around for our Tenebrae (Good Friday) service that I helped put together and to have them a part of Easter services.
My dad and mom were visiting this weekend. It sure was great to be together even if for only a few days. My kids really miss them and enjoy them being around. They left this morning and I miss them already. It was cool to have them around for our Tenebrae (Good Friday) service that I helped put together and to have them a part of Easter services.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Easter... what's the difference?
Don't let this title fool you into thinking I don't really care about Easter or its meaning. On the contrary my dear Watson, (I always wish I could meet someone named Watson so I could say that) I find the Easter "season" undervalued and appreciated by most of those I know in church. So many of our Nazarene tribes don't even do any special services for holy week. I just don't understand that.
If we are to be the storytellers for our time and generation about Christ and the things of Christ how can we not use this week as a time to tell the story? I think we should be doing it with our lives - how is that week different? How am I different because of Christ? I think we should be doing it together in services/gatherings (What is Maundy Thursday anyway? Why does Jesus dying 2000 years ago matter to me today? What is the real story anyway?).
Of course most of us really love Easter. I think maybe its our love of pastels and new clothes:) Seriously, I hope that somehow in the midst of our full lives we somehow would find the space to realize that what was once dead... is now alive and that we can have that same new life in our lives as well. That's just good news!
Don't let this title fool you into thinking I don't really care about Easter or its meaning. On the contrary my dear Watson, (I always wish I could meet someone named Watson so I could say that) I find the Easter "season" undervalued and appreciated by most of those I know in church. So many of our Nazarene tribes don't even do any special services for holy week. I just don't understand that.
If we are to be the storytellers for our time and generation about Christ and the things of Christ how can we not use this week as a time to tell the story? I think we should be doing it with our lives - how is that week different? How am I different because of Christ? I think we should be doing it together in services/gatherings (What is Maundy Thursday anyway? Why does Jesus dying 2000 years ago matter to me today? What is the real story anyway?).
Of course most of us really love Easter. I think maybe its our love of pastels and new clothes:) Seriously, I hope that somehow in the midst of our full lives we somehow would find the space to realize that what was once dead... is now alive and that we can have that same new life in our lives as well. That's just good news!
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
How "holy" is our holy week?
I often wonder about our lives and the rhythms and patterns we keep. Do we really look for what's important or do we just allow others to claim for us the important dates and times in our lives?
On the one hand we do usually celebrate one another's birthdays. This is an indication that we actually pay attention and care for one another and that there is more to life than ourselves.
On the other hand, how often do we buy cards, gifts, flowers, etc. only because someone tells us its a holiday?
I wonder about how we truly integrate the things that we claim as "important" or even "life changing" into our lives? For example, this week is commonly known as holy week. A celebration and re-telling of the story of Jesus Christ, his life, his death and his resurrection. If one claims to be formed by this Christ and to be attempting to follow him as much as possible, then shouldn't this be a really BIG DEAL in the rhythm of life? But how many of our churches don't even take the time to do another service on Friday or how many of us actually make some changes in our life rhythm for that week?
I'm not trying to guilt anyone into doing something they don't want to do or to guilt someone into going into a service they don't want to be a part of... there's enough guilt in our churches and teachings already. Perhaps what I am trying to do is raise the question about our pattern of life. If someone watched my life from afar, but watched it intently what would they think was important? Not important?
So I'm cringing as I write these questions realizing that TV would be pretty important, and perhaps family not as important as sending some emails and pushing the administrative junk through to make people happy.
I'm sure that's enough melancholy for the day for you all... but that's where I am today.
Tomorrow I'll publish some thoughts on Maundy Thursday (celebration of Last Supper) with some pics and links!
I often wonder about our lives and the rhythms and patterns we keep. Do we really look for what's important or do we just allow others to claim for us the important dates and times in our lives?
On the one hand we do usually celebrate one another's birthdays. This is an indication that we actually pay attention and care for one another and that there is more to life than ourselves.
On the other hand, how often do we buy cards, gifts, flowers, etc. only because someone tells us its a holiday?
I wonder about how we truly integrate the things that we claim as "important" or even "life changing" into our lives? For example, this week is commonly known as holy week. A celebration and re-telling of the story of Jesus Christ, his life, his death and his resurrection. If one claims to be formed by this Christ and to be attempting to follow him as much as possible, then shouldn't this be a really BIG DEAL in the rhythm of life? But how many of our churches don't even take the time to do another service on Friday or how many of us actually make some changes in our life rhythm for that week?
I'm not trying to guilt anyone into doing something they don't want to do or to guilt someone into going into a service they don't want to be a part of... there's enough guilt in our churches and teachings already. Perhaps what I am trying to do is raise the question about our pattern of life. If someone watched my life from afar, but watched it intently what would they think was important? Not important?
So I'm cringing as I write these questions realizing that TV would be pretty important, and perhaps family not as important as sending some emails and pushing the administrative junk through to make people happy.
I'm sure that's enough melancholy for the day for you all... but that's where I am today.
Tomorrow I'll publish some thoughts on Maundy Thursday (celebration of Last Supper) with some pics and links!
Friday, March 18, 2005
Festival of Life
We're having a great time at our Regional Festival of Life event in Boston. I'm loving the time with friends, who I don't often get to spend time with from around the region. We are hanging out laughing right now in fact. Anyway, a quick update before grabbing some sleep.
Spent a lot of time today with THE Dave Curtiss who is my friend and mentor. It's just good to be with him. We're talking a lot about the next NYC event and how we can get the youth pastors and others geeked up to go and how we can really make it helpful. I love seeing people focused on making the local church all it can be!!!! It's just a better life. More on that better life business later.
We're having a great time at our Regional Festival of Life event in Boston. I'm loving the time with friends, who I don't often get to spend time with from around the region. We are hanging out laughing right now in fact. Anyway, a quick update before grabbing some sleep.
Spent a lot of time today with THE Dave Curtiss who is my friend and mentor. It's just good to be with him. We're talking a lot about the next NYC event and how we can get the youth pastors and others geeked up to go and how we can really make it helpful. I love seeing people focused on making the local church all it can be!!!! It's just a better life. More on that better life business later.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
2 dreams come true!!!!
Dream #1 - Free wireless high speed internet connection - it was discovered recently by my missionary and slightly nomadic friend David Rebello that Panera Bread does indeed provide free high speed wireless internet access (Panera is now to be referred to as "Brian's other office" or "the great and mighty Panera Bread"). God is truly great and has blessed me with many blessings!
For some of you this is no big deal, but when I physically CANNOT get high speed internet at either my home or office, this is the cause of much great rejoicing.
Dream #2 - As I mentioned the other day, I was able on Tuesday to present a seminar on the "Emerging Church". This is a dream of mine for a couple reasons. One, I love the emerging church and what it means for those of us in ministry. Two, I love sharing those dreams and thoughts with others who just might catch a vision for their own world. (For more really good thoughts on the emerging church check out Andrew Jones' blog which you can link to through my links on the right.)
So I did it and it went well and some people were really happy to find some like minded folk in the world. There were some there who are in the desperate stage for their local church because they are an aging and dying church. They are looking for anything to help them move forward. Then there were some in established kind of churches and looking for some ideas or trying to put words to some of the things they are already thinking and feeling. Then there were a few there who were already doing some of this and were looking to connect with some others. Hopefully our short time together was helpful for all. I shared a resource list which I hope will be the greatest asset to them of all.
But the other really funny story of the day comes from breakfast (and later lunch). I sat down for breakfast at a table of complete strangers who immediately revealed themselves to be from the same staff of a Southern Baptist church. Then they began grilling me on what "emerging church" meant and were trying to figure out if I was going to hell and trying to take others with me. After some brief discussion, they seemed pleased to find that I actually was pro Jesus and pro church. They were kind of digging our conversation and so they invited me to join them for lunch and I accepted and we continued conversations over lunch. Before breakfast they didn't think they were going to like me at all, after breakfast they liked me a lot and after lunch they were pretty confused and heading back toward dislike.
Here's the really funny part - we were talking about faith in Christ and that whole thing of "getting your ticket punched" so you won't go to hell after you die. We were kind of joking about it and they said, "well is your ticket punched? Do you know you aren't going to hell?" And I said, "no," just to see what they would do and one of the guys actually reached into his shirt pocket and started to pull out a tract - then massive laughter (started by me) errupted. Man, how great is it that I was almost given a tract on not going to hell by a Southern Baptist pastor at a pastor's conference?!?!?!?! Life sometimes is so great and so funny!
Dream #1 - Free wireless high speed internet connection - it was discovered recently by my missionary and slightly nomadic friend David Rebello that Panera Bread does indeed provide free high speed wireless internet access (Panera is now to be referred to as "Brian's other office" or "the great and mighty Panera Bread"). God is truly great and has blessed me with many blessings!
For some of you this is no big deal, but when I physically CANNOT get high speed internet at either my home or office, this is the cause of much great rejoicing.
Dream #2 - As I mentioned the other day, I was able on Tuesday to present a seminar on the "Emerging Church". This is a dream of mine for a couple reasons. One, I love the emerging church and what it means for those of us in ministry. Two, I love sharing those dreams and thoughts with others who just might catch a vision for their own world. (For more really good thoughts on the emerging church check out Andrew Jones' blog which you can link to through my links on the right.)
So I did it and it went well and some people were really happy to find some like minded folk in the world. There were some there who are in the desperate stage for their local church because they are an aging and dying church. They are looking for anything to help them move forward. Then there were some in established kind of churches and looking for some ideas or trying to put words to some of the things they are already thinking and feeling. Then there were a few there who were already doing some of this and were looking to connect with some others. Hopefully our short time together was helpful for all. I shared a resource list which I hope will be the greatest asset to them of all.
But the other really funny story of the day comes from breakfast (and later lunch). I sat down for breakfast at a table of complete strangers who immediately revealed themselves to be from the same staff of a Southern Baptist church. Then they began grilling me on what "emerging church" meant and were trying to figure out if I was going to hell and trying to take others with me. After some brief discussion, they seemed pleased to find that I actually was pro Jesus and pro church. They were kind of digging our conversation and so they invited me to join them for lunch and I accepted and we continued conversations over lunch. Before breakfast they didn't think they were going to like me at all, after breakfast they liked me a lot and after lunch they were pretty confused and heading back toward dislike.
Here's the really funny part - we were talking about faith in Christ and that whole thing of "getting your ticket punched" so you won't go to hell after you die. We were kind of joking about it and they said, "well is your ticket punched? Do you know you aren't going to hell?" And I said, "no," just to see what they would do and one of the guys actually reached into his shirt pocket and started to pull out a tract - then massive laughter (started by me) errupted. Man, how great is it that I was almost given a tract on not going to hell by a Southern Baptist pastor at a pastor's conference?!?!?!?! Life sometimes is so great and so funny!
Monday, March 14, 2005
Dream Chaser
Okay let's get the rough stuff out of the way... I've been a bad blogger. But, in my defense, sickness has been to blame. Really. I was dead to the world for four days (yeah, thanks for noticing) with a bacterial infection. I'm on drugs now and will be fine.
Onto the good stuff... so I'm out chasing a dream. I have been on this journey to find the best life and one of the things a good friend (Kent Groff) said to me recently was, "chase your dreams". And so here I am doing an workshop/seminar on "Ministry to the Emerging Church" at this conference for church leaders. Tomorrow morning is the beginning.
Let me explain a bit. I love talking about and thinking about and doing new things in ministry. I love to dream with people about how we can bring the story that so many are interested in - to them. So I've been a part of this conversation called "Emergent" for almost 5 years now. It all started at a conference I was attending when i heard these two guys (Chris Seay and Mark Driscoll) talking about postmodernity and gospel. Well, it was like the glass slipper that finally fit for me. I connected immediately with the conversation and began hunting (probably not too strong a term) down others in the conversation looking for any meat at all.
And I found it. But the rub with me has been that I've felt like I can't fully chase this vision for new things and for re-imagining old things because my present context isn't exactly in the same place I am. So I've been considering myself a missionary of sorts to the place where I am so that I can bring change (and I have, God has blessed my relationships). This is all good.
So to catch up very quickly to tomorrow. I'm finally at a place where I'm able to talk in depth about the things I love with people who are experiencing similar things that I have or am. It's a dream that I've been chasing. Not that this makes me an expert or even really knowledgable, it just puts me in a place to facilitate others into the conversation and along the way in the conversation. Which is what I love to do... help people realize and live out their dreams. God made me for that I'm sure.
There. A long post to make up for my extended absence. More tomorrow.
Okay let's get the rough stuff out of the way... I've been a bad blogger. But, in my defense, sickness has been to blame. Really. I was dead to the world for four days (yeah, thanks for noticing) with a bacterial infection. I'm on drugs now and will be fine.
Onto the good stuff... so I'm out chasing a dream. I have been on this journey to find the best life and one of the things a good friend (Kent Groff) said to me recently was, "chase your dreams". And so here I am doing an workshop/seminar on "Ministry to the Emerging Church" at this conference for church leaders. Tomorrow morning is the beginning.
Let me explain a bit. I love talking about and thinking about and doing new things in ministry. I love to dream with people about how we can bring the story that so many are interested in - to them. So I've been a part of this conversation called "Emergent" for almost 5 years now. It all started at a conference I was attending when i heard these two guys (Chris Seay and Mark Driscoll) talking about postmodernity and gospel. Well, it was like the glass slipper that finally fit for me. I connected immediately with the conversation and began hunting (probably not too strong a term) down others in the conversation looking for any meat at all.
And I found it. But the rub with me has been that I've felt like I can't fully chase this vision for new things and for re-imagining old things because my present context isn't exactly in the same place I am. So I've been considering myself a missionary of sorts to the place where I am so that I can bring change (and I have, God has blessed my relationships). This is all good.
So to catch up very quickly to tomorrow. I'm finally at a place where I'm able to talk in depth about the things I love with people who are experiencing similar things that I have or am. It's a dream that I've been chasing. Not that this makes me an expert or even really knowledgable, it just puts me in a place to facilitate others into the conversation and along the way in the conversation. Which is what I love to do... help people realize and live out their dreams. God made me for that I'm sure.
There. A long post to make up for my extended absence. More tomorrow.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
A Busy Weekend
So this is how my weekend is shaping up. I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon to spend some time with my friend Kevin and his Middle School group for a ski retreat. I'll be talking about "True Love Waits" stuff and hopefully laughing a lot! I'm really looking forward to this. In part because I really want to spend time with Kevin and in part because I believe I'll get more sleep there than here at home this weekend. (The kids are sick).
Then I'll drive back home Saturday night and try to sleep here. Then its up early to preach the three Sunday services in Bel Air. I really do love to teach/preach. I hope that all my preparation and prayer that has gone into these talks enables me to move out of the way of what God is trying to do in our midst.
Anyway, if you think of me pray for me. I'll be crashing Sunday afternoon no doubt.
So this is how my weekend is shaping up. I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon to spend some time with my friend Kevin and his Middle School group for a ski retreat. I'll be talking about "True Love Waits" stuff and hopefully laughing a lot! I'm really looking forward to this. In part because I really want to spend time with Kevin and in part because I believe I'll get more sleep there than here at home this weekend. (The kids are sick).
Then I'll drive back home Saturday night and try to sleep here. Then its up early to preach the three Sunday services in Bel Air. I really do love to teach/preach. I hope that all my preparation and prayer that has gone into these talks enables me to move out of the way of what God is trying to do in our midst.
Anyway, if you think of me pray for me. I'll be crashing Sunday afternoon no doubt.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Watch out for those kids
I love the Simpsons. One episode had the town banning kid's rights. The kids had to rally together to stop the adults from doing away with kid laws and kid privileges. At the end of the episode the kids lose out on all their bids to undo the adults and so they gather all together for their last ditch effort, their "ultimate weapon". They lure all the adults of the town to their school and then all the kids start hugging the adults. Now here's the best part, the adults all start coughing and sneezing and getting sick. The kids have shared their "kiddie illnesses" with the town!
If kiddie illnesses aren't the ultimare weapon I don't know what is. My crew all has the fever/stomach thing. I've had it and still fight it a little. My wife is praying that somehow she will avoid it. I hold little hope.
I love the Simpsons. One episode had the town banning kid's rights. The kids had to rally together to stop the adults from doing away with kid laws and kid privileges. At the end of the episode the kids lose out on all their bids to undo the adults and so they gather all together for their last ditch effort, their "ultimate weapon". They lure all the adults of the town to their school and then all the kids start hugging the adults. Now here's the best part, the adults all start coughing and sneezing and getting sick. The kids have shared their "kiddie illnesses" with the town!
If kiddie illnesses aren't the ultimare weapon I don't know what is. My crew all has the fever/stomach thing. I've had it and still fight it a little. My wife is praying that somehow she will avoid it. I hold little hope.
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