The Gift of Going Second!

This short video demonstrates an amazing principle of leadership. I encourage you to take a moment and watch it! I love the notion of giving people the gift of going second. Often the person who leads out is the one who gets to be criticized, judged, ridiculed, laughed at.... The reality is that all too often, many of us want to embrace the same concepts or ideologies. Many of us want to walk the same path, but we're too afraid of the repercussions. The one who goes first, gives the rest of us the gift of going second and mitigates the tension and fear of going first.

Three Days To Live!!!

I know the blog title sounds rather melodramatic, but it's true. My project (not me) has only three days to live unless you help provide "life-support!" It’s the 27th of September and it appears that social media has not worked for me quite the way I’d hoped. At the beginning of the month I posted a blog asking people to help vote to give our idea $250k through the Pepsi Refresh Project. I posted a link to the info on Facebook (and got reported as spam for my troubles). I tweeted frequently about it, and… as of this morning I’m 248th on the list of potential winners of $250k. On the bright side, that’s 248th out of over 1000 applicants. On the not-so-bright-side, who cares?! You see, in order to win I have to be one of the top two vote getters. That means – and I’m no math whizz - I still have 246 places to climb!

It would seem impossible right now, with only three days of voting left, that I would even remotely entertain the notion that I might still end up in the top two, but that’s the beauty of faith. Actually, faith aside, it’s still possible statistically. While I don’t know exactly how many votes it would take to win, I’m fairly certain that if 1000 people voted for me by text and online every day for the next three days (that would total 6000 votes for those of you who sweat the details), that would more than likely do it. Is that likely to happen? Well I don’t know, have you voted yet? If you live in the USA, or know people that do, you can help by voting or inviting them to vote. It’s a worthy cause (go here and refresh your memory) and it will impact more than just the kids whose lives are being changed in the immediate, so I’d urge you to consider voting today through September 30th.

Listen, I know your life is busy and I know you have myriad things to get done today, so you probably can’t be bothered with all the time it takes to sign onto the Pepsi Refresh page and register to vote, but think about it a moment will you? I’m not asking you to commit your hard-earned dollars, I’m not asking you to sleep on a mat in a rural African mud hut in the wide open Okavango basin, I’m not even asking you to jump on board and commit your time and resources to being a part of making this project happen. I’m simply asking that you consider voting for the next three days so that we can get the funding to make it happen. What might end up being a minor inconvenience for you, would serve to dramatically alter many lives for good. Is it worth your time and effort? I sure think so. Please vote. Oh, before I forget… on behalf of the kids and their families who may never meet you this side of heaven, thanks a bunch in advance for your vote.

BTW, the amount of time it’s taken you to read through this post is more time than it will take you to register and vote right here.

Making Sense of Nonsense!!! (Part 2)

Following yesterday’s blog, the premise of my post is the fact that, contrary to what we might have been taught to believe, pain and suffering, and trials and tribulation, all form part of the fabric that God uses in shaping and molding our life stories. Before you begin to argue the basis of my theology let me point out a couple of verses in 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 which read, “These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye” (The Message). The CEV translation declares; “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. Things that are seen don’t last forever”

An acute understanding of these verses is essential in order to find a place in life’s seemingly arbitrary puzzle for such pain as, the deformity of a child, the magnitude of an earthquake’s devastation, or even a senseless event such as the 9-11 plane “bomb” disasters. The only way to make sense of such “nonsense” is to see these types of events through the lens of an eternal perspective. When we understand that God is writing a story much larger than just our own, when we can embrace the fact that the intersection of life’s difficulties and God’s larger purpose can often hold confusion and misunderstanding for us in the immediate, only then can we understand that what doesn’t seem to make sense in this season of life will make perfect sense in the next. For that matter, what appears to make no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. Proof: you in the womb.

Every moment of your time in utero prepared and equipped you for your life here on earth. Your bones solidified, your eyes developed, your umbilical cord transported nutrients into your continually developing frame… why? So that you could remain in the womb? Absolutely, resoundingly, no! Womb time equipped you for earth time. Some of your prenatal features went unused before birth. Your nose, eyes, tongue, toenails, and hair all served no function in the womb. Aren’t you glad you have them now? We often think that certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary, such as suffering, loneliness, disease, holocausts, martyrdom, and even the 9-11 disaster. If we assume that the world exists just for pre-grave happiness, then these atrocities disqualify it from doing so.

But what if this earth is eternity’s womb? Is it potentially possible that these challenges and difficulties serve to prepare and equip us fro the world to come? Better yet, what if your current trials and suffering are merely preparation for your next season of life? Imagine what it would be like if you had to go through this life without those features that you developed but didn’t need while you were in the womb, but that are essential to the life you’re living now. Maybe, just maybe, you’re in the womb of your life’s story, being prepared for what the future holds in store for you. Live the adventure! Enjoy your story!!

Making Sense of Nonsense!!!

I make so bold as to declare that pain, trials and tribulations, and disappointment and hurt, are all necessary parts of living a good story! For that matter, they are essential parts of God shaping our lives for His purpose. You see, living through these circumstances forces change in us, especially because humans, by nature are not given to readily accepting and embracing change (especially when it moves us out of our comfort zone) without a “prompting.”

Every branch of the special forces of the US military “forces” change by inducing more pain than any normal person thinks they can endure. At the end of their torturous training, ordinary men become precision weapons, and well oiled machines because of the changes they have had to undergo in order to successfully become whatever special force it is they aspire to become. Those who resist or cannot endure the change, are destined to fail, or doomed to repeat the cycle of training until they embrace and fully accept the change necessary for success.

I find it exceedingly difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that, if you want to become a coast guard rescue swimmer, you must first learn to embrace death by drowning. What? If you think about it carefully though, it really makes sense. In order for you to rescue someone from drowning, while yourself contending with twenty foot high waves in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight, you must first know what it feels like to drown so that you can anticipate and prepare for their reactions. Failing this, you may well find yourself drowning too. So in training, they simulate worst case scenarios so that you can experience drowning before you ever really have to experience drowning. Make sense?

God’s broader purpose for us is to be used by Him to change our world so that it embraces Him. In a sense, this cannot happen until we embrace the changes that He’s orchestrating in us. Often, as God’s changes reshape and alter our perspectives and our world view, He also alters our assignments. Gideon went from being a farmer to being a general. Mary went from peasant girl to mother of Messiah. Paul went from local Rabbi to world evangelist. Joseph went from rejected and scorned kid brother to Prince of Egypt. David went from goat herder to king of Israel, and Peter from fisherman to first church leader. In each one of these cases, the process of change was painful, and was not without its unique trials and tribulations, but the “fruit” of each one of their changes is still being felt in our world today.

I'll finish my thoughts on this idea tomorrow. In the meantime, feel free to share yours.

It's The End Of An Era!

Over the last week or so I've wrestled back and forth with whether or not I wanted to post a blog about the end of an era at The Well, and I'd been leaning toward not posting anything. I finally decided that the compromise would be that I would post the letter I sent out to all our regular attendees and friends so that you can get a direct sense from me as to what's going on as opposed to second-hand information, since, just like second-hand smoke, second-hand info can kill.


June 1, 2009


Dear CATWeller and Friends,

Yesterday was arguably one of the most difficult days of my life, yet one of the most inspiring and positive. We had an amazing service! The worship was so powerful and engaging, and the atmosphere was saturated with the presence of God. Sadly, it is with much regret that I inform you that it was the final service of The Well as we’ve known it. Now this may come as a bit of a shock to many of you, especially since, to all intents and purposes our church is growing and we are healthy and connected.

You see, over the last few weeks I’ve been wrestling with this decision for a number of reasons, not the least of which is my family’s wellbeing. The last three years have been at once the most incredible yet the most difficult journey of our lives, but we wouldn’t trade them for anything. I have personally grown in ways that I didn’t know were possible, and my kids have become stronger and more committed followers of Jesus because of our experiences. Sola has allowed her love for women to come to the fore and she has really shined as she has poured her heart and soul into “Thinking Pink.” I honestly can’t thank you enough for trusting me as your pastor and committing yourself to the journey. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we made a great community of faith, and I was truly inspired by the authenticity, friendliness, love, and heart of service that I saw constantly demonstrated in you and the rest of our amazing church family.

I must admit though that I am sad because of the relationships that I won’t get to nurture each and every Sunday, but I’m thrilled at the growth in maturity and leadership that you’ve shown over the times we’ve spent together seeking truth from God’s word. I’m convinced that because of your encounter with Jesus at The Well, you’ll do well (pun intended). God has something greater in store for all of us even though it may not seem like that at the present time. My family and I don’t know what God has in store for us next, but we know that whatever it is, it will be the next step in the journey toward fulfilling our destiny. After all, The Well is where your destiny begins! Our family will be remaining in the area for the month of June, and on the 24th we get to drop our son off at college at USF. Sola and I only have six more years before our youngest child goes off to college too, and so we want to be sure to give everything we can to enjoying our time with them.

As we seek for the next step in our journey we realize that it may well take us to any part of the U.S. (or the globe for that matter), and so while we’re still here in Central Florida we’d like to spend time hanging out with you too, so please don’t be a stranger. Call us up whenever you want, and if you need a Thompson fix then drop by and play a game of “Mad Gab” or “Balderdash” with us. I’d like to leave you with these powerful words that I’ve always spoken over you from the Scriptures in Isaiah 60:1… “Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”

I love and deeply appreciate you always.

In His Grip
Joseph

What's love got to do with it? Everything!

I know many of you watched the youtube video of Sam and Esther which I posted a few days back (incase you missed it watch it here before you watch this one), and I know that it impacted many of you in much the same way it did me. Many of you didn't leave direct comments on the blog but left comments on facebook, while others of you actually called me on the phone or e-mailed me directly (I do wish all the comments were left on the blog so that others could read all the incredible thoughts that so many of you shared with me in private). A few days have now gone by since that post and you've had lots of time to digest it, so the question is: do you still feel the same way or have the emotions settled and the need to make a difference faded?

However you answered that question let me tell you that every little bit will make a difference in the lives of countless, faceless people whom you may never directly encounter this side of heaven, but whose testimonies will hinge directly on the fact that you were willing to do something besides pray. This video is a follow-up story to the original Sam and Esther saga. It has an incredibly inspiring ending and it's proof that there are people out there in our world who will do the right thing once they are made aware of a pressing need that borders on life and death. Please. please be one of such people. I ask you again to give, go, love, serve, pray... shall I go on?

Where did you bathe this morning?

I have to honestly say that when I watched this video it didn't tug at my heartstrings. It figuratively ripped them to shreds, stomped on them, and then threw them into the abyss of human pain and misery. Please watch this video! For the sake of your children you need to watch this video. I am not playing the emotional card here, I'm simply telling you that this video will change the way you see your children, and hopefully the way you see other children and your call to love, serve, give, and go. I pray that this video will undo you the way it did me. If it does, then don't just weep and say how sad this is. Do something about it! You can connect with the ministry that's serving these kids and help them help others. You can go and serve, and easiest of all, you can pray. Please do as many of those options as you humanly can. Sam and Esther and many others like them are counting on your brokeness to help them live.

Here's what's happening in our world... (Another open letter to Mr. and Mrs. Christian)

Dear Cousin Christian,

It’s been a while since I last wrote to you regarding the state of our world. At times I feel like throwing my hands up in exasperation and declaring loudly to the world that we’ve failed. Who’s “we” you ask? I’m talking about you and I. Us. We who claim to be Christ’s representatives on earth to a hurting world, that’s who “we” is. Have you looked around lately? No, I mean really looked? No? Well here’s what’s happening in our world even as we purchase our Venti Vanilla/ Carmel Macchiatos. Here’s what’s going on while we revel in our acute global nescience.

Taliban fighters have stormed and taken over the Swat Valley in Pakistan. Their objective: Convert the entire valley to Sharia law whether they like it or not. Their methods: Torture, rape, murder, and wanton destruction. According to Hajji Karim, a 55-year-old bus driver, when the Taliban fighters first entered his village last month, they said they had come to bring peace and Islamic law. The next day two of the fighters attempted to slit the throat of a policeman. Karim’s conclusion: “What sort of people have come here? And what kind of Sharia is this? Cutting off people’s heads has nothing to do with Islam. The people are filled with great rage, and great fear.” Sher Mohammed, a property dealer, stated “I feel like I have lost my mind, I work hard to make a respectable life and educate my children. Now we are living in a camp, and my sons are talking of guns.” This, my friends, is the real world. The world into which Jesus sent us as lambs among wolves. While the Taliban enervate the people of the Swat Valley, we act as if the biggest problem in the world is the fact that the US economy is unstable, and consequently might affect our ability to upgrade our lifestyles.

Here’s one final snapshot from the relief agency office in Islamabad. On Wednesday, two teenage sisters huddled on a flour sack next to a few cooking pots, covering their faces with veils. They had fled their village four days earlier after their father was warned that the Taliban were coming. “I don’t know what the Taliban are, but everyone was very afraid. I am very worried because my father went back to get my brothers, and we don’t know what happened to him” said one of the girls. How devastating is that? This is not some temporary separation caused by an airline foul-up, this is real life tragedy. So, cousin, incase you’re wondering why I think it’s important that you know this, here’s why: A spokesperson for a private relief agency based in Swat said, “People in Swat are angry and confused… we are trying to provide them with decent shelter and support, but we need more help so they won’t fall into Taliban hands.” What can you do? You can go, you can give, and you can pray. That’s what Jesus meant when He said, “I’m sending you out as lambs among wolves…”

There's probably no God...!!!

Last week in one of my posts, I alluded to the incredibly popular atheist bus campaign currently running in the UK, Scotland, and Wales. Posted on buses around the country, it states, “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” I grudgingly admit that I admire the campaign! What??? I know, I know, many of you ‘religious’ Christian folk are already up in arms that I would make a statement like that. Many of you might even suggest that I’ve become soft, ‘seeker-sensitive’ and unwilling to take a stand for what I believe in. Whatever! I still admire their pluck, creativity, and foresight. So here’s the real story. Last year a comedy writer named, Ariane Sherine, while riding the bus noticed a ‘Christian’ ad which stated, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on this earth?” That quote, taken from Luke 18: 8, inspired her to check out the website listed below the ad, where she discovered that non-Christians were hell-bound in a very literal sense. Now, as true as that statement may be, I’m not sure it’s the overarching message of the Gospel.

Ariane proceeded to write an article on the Guardian’s blog in which she suggested that “An atheist bus campaign would provide a reassuring counter-message to religious slogans threatening non-Christians with hell and damnation.” She further suggested that if atheists contributed 5.00 pounds each, they would be able to cover the cost of the campaign. The fund raiser was launched on October 21, 2008 with a goal of raising 5,500.00 pounds. Within hours they had surpassed that goal and have currently raised over 135,000.00 pounds (I wonder if Christians can learn anything from this?).
Meanwhile the Christian response has been nothing if not predictable. The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) have received almost 150 complaints suggesting that the ad is “Offensive to Christians and other religions that believe in a single God.” Wow! What about the campaign that ran quoting Luke 18: 8? Wasn’t that offensive to people who don’t believe in a single God? Why would we advocate such a double standard? Why would we think it’s okay for us as Christians to advertise anything we want, yet deny others the same right?

Stephen Green, the national director of Christian Voice, argued that the atheist campaign broke the advertising code on the grounds of substantiation and truthfulness. Green further said, “It is given as a statement of fact and that means it must be capable of substantiation if it is not to break the rules.” Why do we as Christians always want to win the battle and lose the war? Since when did the word “probably” indicate a statement of fact? All this complaining simply sounds like we’ve lost focus on what’s important and are merely fighting for the irrelevant. If atheists question God’s existence, it’s “probably” because of the way we have portrayed Him to our world (last I checked God hasn’t been down here recently to represent Himself). When asked why the use of the word “probably” instead of a more definitive term, Ariane responded, “…it means the slogan is more accurate, as even though there’s no scientific evidence at all for God’s existence, it’s also impossible to prove that God doesn’t exist.”
So what exactly are Christians up in arms against? By her own admission, Ariane cannot say with any empirical certainty that God doesn’t exist. So the only part of the campaign that rings with loud clarity and indisputable truth is the following: “…Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Has it occurred to Christians that this is God speaking through the mouth of Balaam’s proverbial donkey? The only true part of their campaign is overwhelmingly God’s message to His creation. Don’t believe me? Check this out:
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Luke 12: 25)
“Don’t worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him.” (Philippians 4: 6)
If we are ever going to reflect the true nature and character of God to our world, we must learn to have a conversation with people who believe differently than we do without drawing swords and slashing away at everything that doesn’t look, sound or feel like we think it should. What are your thoughts on this issue?

Losing sight of the shore!

If the first blog of the year (besides a happy New Year blog) is expected to be profound and life transforming, then I'm under tremendous pressure to 'perform.' However, if it's simply meant to convey a profound truth that I'm learning, then that's a relatively easy task since I'm learning new things every single day. I recently read the newsletter of a friend of mine (I should inform you that this friend has quite a way with words), and he painted such a picture with his words as to transport me to Southern California, to an idyllic spot beside the Queen Mary. He likened the QM to a Christian who had been created to "sail the vast oceans" yet had settled for being moored by the shore. He went on to say:

God’s destiny will always challenge us to step out of our comfort zones, to go far beyond anything we are capable of, to risk all on something that has no guarantee of success in the natural and is absolutely the wrong logical choice. The Bible is filled with stories of those who accepted such a challenge.... They (the great heroes of life) choose to throw off the mooring lines, weigh anchor, and set out to the open waters, knowing they will face storms and the possibility of sinking. Their choice is not without thought, rather it is with a much deeper searching of the soul. They know quite well the possible consequences of their choices but also of refusing to make the choice. They would rather end at the bottom of the ocean than tied to the dock.

One of the things I'm learning is that the people God seems to use the most are the ones who make the fewest assumptions about their limitations versus God's abilities. Stepping out of your comfort zone, losing sight of the shore and sailing into uncharted waters, are all prerequisites to finding God's greater purpose. Don't believe me? Then check out these folks whose stories you and I are familiar with:

• Joshua didn't assume that the sun couldn't stand still
• Elisha didn't assume that an iron axe head couldn't float
• Peter didn't assume that men can't walk on water
• Mary didn't assume that virgins couldn't get pregnant
• Andrew didn't assume that 5000 people couldn't be fed by 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish
• Abraham didn't assume that 90-year-old women couldn't have babies

What assumptions have you made that might be keeping you from experiencing God's purpose?

Sticks and stones...!!!

Lately I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about ‘caged’ Christianity and 400-pound gorillas in reference to living out loud, and being an effective, adventurous Christian. I had the opportunity to speak at the church of a friend of mine this past Sunday, in Sioux Falls, SD. I know, I know, I must really love him to be willing to go up to Sioux Falls at this time of the year. Seriously though, I had an amazing time, and it wasn’t just at the church services. I love hanging out with Steven and his family. They are warriors and true examples of what it means to live life ‘outside’ of the cage. They are often battle scarred and weary from the many ‘skirmishes’ in which they find themselves as they defend, with all that’s in them, the mandate they believe God has assigned them.

Steven and Kristin continue to lead the charge as a voice for the unborn, not only in South Dakota, but nationally, and not only during election years (as sadly is the case with too many Christians), but at every season of their lives. Steven is passionate about his need to find justice for the voices of those who cannot speak for themselves, and he has invested everything he has to fulfill this calling, often at an unimaginably high and exceedingly painful price. My heart bleeds for him and his family, as I know they often feel alone in the battle they’re fighting on a national scale. This bloodthirsty demon that seeks to destroy the lives of countless unborn children through abortion, is a behemoth.

Because of their very vocal stand against abortion, the Hickey’s often find themselves the object of not just ridicule, but downright hostility and even death threats. This past weekend was a prime example of such hostility. As we drove by the church on Saturday evening, we noticed that someone had spray-painted graffiti all over the church bus used to transport the handicapped. The words “Despise” and “God is dead” were liberally painted all over the bus, requiring them to get the whole bus repainted. We waited outside in the biting cold while the police came by to do an inspection and file a police report for insurance purposes. Through it all Steven and Kristen’s only response was to indicate that the bus needed a new paint job anyway. What an incredible approach to living outside the ‘cage’. What an amazing example of living the adventure. Any thing exciting happened in your neck-of-the-woods lately?

An open letter to Mr. 'Christian'

So, Mr. 'Christian' did you have breakfast yet? How did you sleep last night? I imagine it was a fairly comfortable night, what with your nice fluffy pillow and 400 count egyptian cotton sheets. Heading off to work this morning? Are you catching the metro; braving the traffic so you can park in one of those $10.00 a day parking lots; or simply car-pooling? Talking about breakfast, isn't it tough how they make us have to go through so many choices? Bread: white, wheat, sourdough or rye? Meat: Do you want canadian bacon, turkey bacon, sausage patties or sausage links? While we're at it, how would you like your eggs? Over easy, medium, scrambled or how about a choice of six different omelets that we offer? Juice: you pick your 'poison'!

And still we complain and murmur about how difficult our lives are in light of the current recession!!! We fight over who we want as president. We are divided over who is God's choice to lead us through the next four years, yet we all 'prophesy' that our candidate is God's choice, and for good measure we remind you that if you don't vote for him, God's gonna getcha! We can't even agree on whether the economy, abortion, or the war in Iraq is forefront on God's mind, though we all 'prophesy' that whichever one is dearest to our hearts is dearest to God's. Funny though, that we only seem to have these disagreements every four years. Funnier still is that they seem to coincide with Presidential election years. While we rant and rave, and wield our big 'Christian stick' pointing out how everyone who doesn't believe like us is the 'enemy' , true Christianity is living in the places where the 'stench' of pain and poverty is at its greatest (James 2: 14-26).

So if you did have breakfast this morning (or even if you skipped it by choice), let this picture of a Congolese refugee child, a victim of tribal insurgence, remind you of what Jesus really died for. This child is eating his meal (who knows when and where the next one will come from) mixed with sand from the dirt trampled by a thousand people just trying to survive for one more day. You can interpret this post any way you want. You and I can pontificate and justify our often extravagant and ungrateful lifestyles, or we can fall on our knees in prayer, give generously to help someone live, or go and serve people who are less fortunate than us. Whatever you choose to do will reveal your own heart. Judging from true Biblical prophecy and the prevalent global trends though, we won't always be the most prosperous or for that matter, the most powerful nation on earth.

Pray!!!

I'm writing this from my hotel room in Birmingham, AL. I flew in today for a couple of pivotal meetings that will help determine a number of major decisions that need to be made. I am spending time praying today! I'm persuaded that prayer is what changes the course of human history and orchestrates the plans and purposes of God for whole nations. I admit that I am ambitious. I desire to see whole nations impacted with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This does not occur without significant resistance and so I am praying! I'm praying that God's wisdom will be made manifest. I'm praying that the "arm of flesh" will fail and only the will of God will be done. I'm praying that the city to which I've been called will experience an awakening the likes of which have never been recorded in her history. I'm praying that our nation will be ignited with a 'fire' that will set her on course to her world changing destiny. I'm praying that His purpose is accomplished in and through me no matter the personal cost. Will you join me and pray too? Our nation could use a few more 'battle-hardened warriors' to fight in the spirit realm where the battle is won or lost.

We are not alone

Let's not forget them, shall we? There have been over 150,000 lives lost in the last month as a result of tragic events that struck Myanmar and China. What makes the tragedy in China even harder to bear is the fact that China has a "One-family-one-child" policy. Entire schools were wiped out with not one survivor, thereby eradicating an entire generation of families. Many people don't know where to turn as they look for answers in an attempt to cope with the unimaginable pain they have to contend with.

As Christians, while we may not have the answers, we know, and are well acquainted with the One who does. These tragedies present an unprecedented opportunity for us to give and to pray! This is not the time to be apologetic about prayer, or to suggest that prayer does little to alleviate the pain and suffering. God responds to the cries of a hurting people, so more than ever before, lets raise a clarion call to prayer. And while you're praying... give generously!! As a church we are giving through Save The Children. Having researched a number of organizations that are all doing tremendous work in helping victims and survivors of these tragic events, we settled on Save The Children for a number of reasons which I won't elaborate on here.

The photo in today's post is a photo of a school girl that had both limbs amputated at the site where she was found. She was the only survivor in her school (that has so far been found), but in order to save her life, she had to lose her legs. How often are you and I confronted with choices like that. Please pray and give to help people whose lives are so far removed from your own. After all, Jesus said, "Whatever you do to the least of these, you've done it to me also."

Jars of Clay

If you're not careful you could miss it. If you don't pay particular attention it could escape your keen and observant eye. I'm talking about the story behind the story of the widow woman in 2 Kings chapter 4. On the surface it may appear as if her miracle may have been contingent upon her obedience to the prophet Elisha's instructions, as obtuse as the instructions may have sounded. Okay, if you don't believe me check this out: She tells Elisha that her dear departed husband's creditors have now focused their attention on ensuring that she repays his loan. They have determined that they are taking her two sons into slavery to pay off his debt. We're not told how much the debt is or how old the boys are. All we know is that she is in panic mode so she "cried out to Elisha." His response: "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few."

Huh? Excuse me??? It's my son's lives in danger here and we're talking about starting a jars of clay collection (pun intended)!?! Before we miss the point of the story though, do you see what I see? (I'm full of cliches today). She had to borrow empty jars from her neighbors! And, according to the story she didn't borrow a few. So here are my questions: How many neighbors did she have to go to in order to get all the jars she collected? Since she didn't know what the prophet's intentions were, what did she tell them she needed the jars for? And finally, the really big question: What if she had lived a poor witness in front of her neighbors, would she have even been able to approach them to ask for the jars? You see, the first thing we are told at the start of the chapter is she said to Elijah, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord."

Evidently everyone on their cul-de-sac knew that Mr and Mrs "Oil-Jar" were believers, and so would have watched the way they lived their lives, really closely. If the neighbors hadn't consented to loan her the jars she would have been in a rather tight spot, because, according to the story, the minute she ran out of jars, the oil stopped flowing. By that time though, she had filled enough jars with oil that she could pay off her husbands debt and live off the rest of the money from the sale of the jars of oil. Which tells me something else: If you're selling jars of oil, clearly you're not returning the "borrowed" jars to your neighbors, so the jars were probably given to her and not loaned. So, the moral of this story is: husbands don't leave debts for your wives! Seriously though, the real moral of the story can be summed up in my final question: How's your relationship with your neighbors?

I'm going dark!!!

I'm going dark! No, I don't mean my complexion silly, I'm talking about being off the internet for a few days. I'm speaking at a men's conference in Garner State Park (90 miles outside of San Antonio, TX) and they are apparently still in the dark ages with no access to phones or internet (gulp! How will the world survive without me for a few days?) Anyway, that means that this will be my last post for the week. Instead of posting on the just concluded ARC conference (I'll give you my final thoughts on that next week) I figured I should post on something spectacular and unprecedented that is about to take place in June.

Craig Groeschel came up with the idea of One Prayer which asks the question what if...? (I bet he borrowed the idea from my post of the same title). What if we all prayed one prayer as a church globally? This, apparently led him to the idea that he would teach a message titled Make us One, and have that message shared by video in as many churches as were interested in being a part of One Prayer. For the entire month of June, a different message would be preached by a different speaker. For instance, at Craig's Lifechurch.tv he would have Perry Noble teach on Make us dangerous, and then Ed Young Jr. would teach on Make us creative (all of these via video). Pastors from across the globe who wanted to participate in One Prayerwould submit a teaching to the website teaching on whatever their One Prayer for the church would be.

We would all have access to any of the messages submitted, so that we could pick and play any three of them over the month of June at our local churches (obviously the fourth message would be the one you are teaching). The Well will be participating in this amazing adventure and I will be teaching a message titled, Make us passionate. If you're interested in finding out more about this and who will be participating go here. If you want to sign up to be a part of One prayer go here.

Of Nails and Donkeys

This past Sunday was Easter Sunday! I know, I know, I have a remarkable ability to state the obvious. I say that only to tell you that because it was Resurrection Sunday, we had a special service at The Well that was really well attended. As we scrambled to set up extra chairs as more and more people showed up, I thought to myself, "It's a great problem to have, having to deal with setting up extra chairs. I hope we do this more often." Anyway, I digress. Our little monologue dramatization was titled The Nail. I love productions like this one because I tend to think somewhat differently from most people, in that I'm always looking for signifcance and relevance in the most obscure of things.

For instance, I'm the guy who, when I get to heaven (while everyone else is hobnobbing with Moses and Elijah, David and Samson and so many other "greats" of the faith), would be more inclined to seek out Zaccheus and find out what was going through his mind as he climbed a sycamore tree wearing his expensive "tax collecting" designer suit, in the hopes that Jesus would pass by where he was so he could get a close-up glimpse of the professed Messiah. You see, I'm fascinated by the fact that Jesus chose to dine at Zaccheus' house. Why? Zaccheus, I'm sure, was not the only irreligious man in the crowd that encountered Jesus that day, so why him? What about the guy whose donkey Jesus' disciples "borrowed" so He could ride into Jerusalem? Or Rahab the harlot, whose rope helped the Isrealite spies escape Jericho?

God seems to use the most common of people and things to create the most uncommon of miracles. Who knew that the fate of a nation rested in the decision of a harlot and her willingness to provide shelter and a rope that had probably sat in the corner of her kitchen gathering dust from misuse? Did any one have an inkling that one day Jesus would send his disciples to fetch a donkey that was as much a fixture of everyday activity, so much so that it blended into the scenery like wallpaper? I mean, "What real King rides a donkey?" Could the iron worker have had any idea, as he carefully crafted those 8 inch spikes, that they would one day be used to nail God to a wooden cross? So, if you're reading this today and you're feeling as if you don't possess any great skills or gifts... if you believe that you're abilities are commonplace and nothing special... then you're the perfect candidate for the miraculous. You see, He delights in using the common to create the uncommon.

Drinking and Driving

What is value to me? I've been asking myself that question a lot lately. Ministry often requires precision fine tuning. What the heck does that mean you ask? Well, it's really easy to look around at all the 'successful' ministries and determine that they are successful because of a certain thing they do. Logic dictates that, if you do the same thing, it should breed success for you to, right? Wrong. While what they are doing may be the reason for their success, it isn't a bottled formula (like the elixirs the traveling show men sold many years ago that purportedly healed everything) and so may likely not work for you.

At it's core, the reason it works for that church or ministry is because it is value to them. Simple, but true. Whatever is value to you will be evident by what you pour your heart into. I've often said that The Well's primary focus is on the lost, the hurting and the next generation. Lately I've been getting a ton of phone calls from hurting people and from young people, many of whom have never met me, but were referred to me by someone else that suggested I might be able to help them. I love it! I'm developing a 'reputation' for being someone who can help the hurting and the next generation. How cool is that?

So I've been thinking about what is value to me, and what I'm willing to pour my life out for with no expectation of reward. I know what it is. Whether or not it makes me successful is irrelevant, but I am committed to touching the lives of the lost, the hurting and the next generation not only as the lead pastor at The Well, but in every waking, functioning moment I have, wherever I may be. This is my legacy being carved out in the lives of the people I am privileged to serve no matter where I am or what I'm doing. I want to be able to confidently say, like Paul said in his letter to the Philippian Church, "I am being poured out as a drink offering for you..." So my friends the big question of the day is: What's value to you? Are you driven to be poured out as a drink offering for something or someone?(okay 2 questions) Do tell!

It really is that simple!

I'm a little late posting today because I'm actually traveling. I'm writing todays blog entry from Charlotte International Airport. I've been reading a few blogs lately that talk about the upcoming presidential elections. Some of them make bold predictions based on trends, others merely conjecture as to what might be, while others jump ship from a particular candidate and 're-speculate' after each caucus vote. Of all the blogs I've read, I most enjoyed Perry Noble's take on it. In a post titled, I'm not endorsing your political candidate he very succinctly explains that too many Christians get the process wrong when they vote based solely on political parties or propaganda. He contends that too many of us vote someone into office and then pray that they will do the right thing. No! He emphatically states. What we should do is pray THEN vote.

I like that. It is in keeping with my contention that in order for us to be more effective Christians we must learn to simplify. There is nothing that exemplifies simplification more than prayer. A lifestyle of prayer says that I know that I don't have the answers nor do I have to come up with them. Instead, I can simply trust that God has my life in His hands and has a better plan for me than any that I can come up with. Ann Jackson, on her blog, talks about the idea of not doing more for God but instead doing less so that He can do what He wants to do through us. It seems to me that the general idea is to simplify. When our lives are so cluttered that we can't remember whom we told what (much like the politicians soliciting our vote), it's time to slow down. It's time to simplify. It's time to pray. It really is that simple!

I ain't lyin', I ain't lyin', I ain't lyin...

Yesterday I nearly developed a hernia from laughing so hard while watching Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail. Tyler Perry is an amazing story teller, interjecting the right amount of humor and 'food-for-thought' that keeps your head spinning with all the myriad life lessons behind each play. His life story is also quite an amazing testimony of rags to riches, but what makes his story even more impressive is the fact that his wealth, rather than change him and embitter him towards a society that "trampled" on him for so long, has simply provided the means for him to serve people the way he's always wanted to.

At the end of the play, while introducing the cast as he usually does, he mentioned the fact that he was giving $1,000,000.00 (yes, this is not a typo, I said one million dollars) to victims of hurricane Katrina from the ninth ward district in Louisiana. To ensure that every red (or bronze) cent went to the beleaguered victims, he was not going to give the money through an agency, but was going to personally walk the streets and listen to the stories of the people. He went on to explain that the only reason he was sharing this information publicly was because he realized that many people may have wanted to give towards helping displaced Katrina victims in the past but were financially unable to do so. He further opined that, since he was able to do this primarily because of the largesse of people who purchased "anything Tyler Perry," this meant that they were also giving vicariously through him.

What an incredible way to start the week! First I get a sore stomach from laughing so hard at the ingenuity of the writing (and the brilliant ad libbing) of his play, then I get a sobering reminder of what true wealth is all about: pouring into the lives of others who don't have. You're not wealthy, so you can't give like that you say? Therein lies the beauty of wealth. It's not found only in the abundance of material possession. I am confident that you have a gift or a skill that would change someone else's life for the better if you would only be willing to share it. So I dare you! Do a Tyler Perry today and give a personal gift to someone that isn't expecting it. Can you do that for a brother?