Imagine!

When I was a kid I imagined that my dad was the strongest man on earth and the best at everything. I remember very vividly kicking around a soccer ball in our vast backyard with my brother one afternoon. The goal was to kick the ball as high into the air as possible. My "superdad" decided to join in the game, and with authority kicked the ball so high that it disappeared into the clouds. No, really it did! Okay, maybe it just looked like it did. Can you understand though, how from the perspective of a six year old that ball looked like it had disappeared among the clouds, especially since it took like two hours to come back down to earth? That "disappearing ball" moment simply confirmed my suspicions about my dads superhuman capabilities.

For some inexplicable reason that moment still lingers in my memory after all these years. I still recall it as a moment when I felt so proud of my dad and his abilities (real or imagined). I trusted my dad implicitly and anything he said was as good as money in the bank. I realize now that the reason for my confidence in him was the apparent authority (real or imagined) with which he did and said everything. Jesus deals with us in much the same way except for the fact that his authority is never imagined. He offers to show us the way and fix the problems. He offers to show us why on earth we are on this earth. Don't we all need to learn this?

We know so much, and yet we know so little. The age of information is the age of confusion: much know-how, hardly any know-why. We need answers. Jesus offers them. Make Jesus your polestar, your point of reference. Set your sights on Him and then take your bearings from the light that He shines into your life and circumstances. What do you believe about Jesus? What's in your wallet... I mean, in your imagination?

What's Your Flavor?

It's absolutely amazing how different we all are, and yet how much we strive to be the same and conform to certain norms and expectations that society places upon us. I heard someone once speak on the fact that everyone in kindergarten is a creative artist (because they all believe they are) but by the sixth or seventh grade "reality" and "conformity" begin to set in and we begin to question our abilities and creativity. Society tells us what we can and can't achieve, and places limitations on us based on our gender, culture, or education. I'm still blown away by the fact that in our "socially advanced" culture I still hear statements like "I'm not sure this country is ready for a black or female president." What??? As if being black or female is somehow a handicap!

Being different is a gift from God. Being different is what creates innovation, development, and change. In order to create the kaleidoscope of color on the canvas that is our world, we must encourage and celebrate our differences. I am truly grateful for the churches in our region that are so different from us, as they reach a segment of our community that we are unable to reach. I am so grateful for the things that I'm learning from them as we build relationships and commit to helping each other fulfill our calling and purpose. That's what makes Baskin Robbins so successful. Every one has an option of their favorite flavor. I heard a preacher say one time "because I'm not your flavor doesn't mean I'm not in God's favor." I like that! It speaks to the very essence of our differences being a part of God's plan and purpose.

So I encourage you to keep being you, even as you conform more and more to God's will for your life. Don't try to shape or model yourself after someone else otherwise you'll deprive the world of the true gift that God designed you to be. I'm learning this truth in the most profound way in ministry. I must be true to whom God called me to be, no matter how much I interpret other people's methods or systems as being the recipe for their success. What are some of the things you struggle with wanting to do but don't for fear of being labeled different? For that matter, what are some of the things you're doing, simply because others are doing them, but shouldn't be doing? Care to share your thoughts with us?

Pain Junkies

I am pretty strongheaded! It takes me a few times of falling flat on my face before I get it. Now it's not necessarily because I'm a pain-junkie or anything like that, it's just that sometimes I'm so convinced about something, that life has to smack me around a few times before my perspective begins to change. Take for instance the time that my son was mouthing off to me about how old I am. Being the balanced, intelligent and emotionally calm parent that I am, I challenged him to a race to demonstrate my agility and ageless speed. In all fairness to me, I did at one time run a 12 second 100 meters, so I can't be blamed completely for thinking that somewhere inside me still resided the "beast" that once was.

Reality often paints a far different picture from fantasy, and I discovered this fact yet again, the hard way! I stretched and warmed up in preparation while my son picked his teeth and looked entirely disinterested in the proceedings. My wife, being the good sport that she is, was the starting umpire and tried to give me every possible advantage. We took off running the minute she said "go" and to my utter surprise and amazement I found myself well in front of my son. All went as I envisioned until about the 50 meter mark, when my aging body went on strike. I felt this agonizing pain all the way down my left leg and thought I would keel over. Common sense, among other good reasons dictated that I stop immediately, and so like the wise man that I am I doggedly limped to the finish line neck and neck with my son who would have overtaken me if we had had two more feet to go. The sprained muscle in my leg took over a month to heal (don't you hate that about getting older?).

You can be sure that's the last time I ever challenged him to a race. Even I know to quit when I'm ahead (or neck and neck) depending on your perspective. Sometimes this type of tenacity comes from a deeper place than "pig-headedness." The Bible actually says that the righteous man may fall seven times, but he will rise again. In Jeremiah's treatise, he rhetorically asks, "if you have run with footmen and they have wearied you, how can you hope to contend against horses...." My tenacity prepares me for some of the rigors that life throws my way. I refuse to quit in the middle of the race, no matter how much pain I'm in, because I know that, "though weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning." What's your pain threshold like? Do you quit the race at the slightest twinge or are you impervious to pain?

Doctor Dunkenstein?

I find that the real me is not as cool as I sometimes think I am. I'm not quite as smart, I have to hold my belly in to get that washboard look, and I'm clean shaven because I'm bald and not because it's the fashionable look. Taking stock of reality can be depressing at the best of times (that's why we go to the movies, so we can escape reality for a couple of hours and fantasize about being the hero) but it is truly essential in order for you to make the right decisions.

I discovered that truth the hard way. I tried to dunk a basketball not too long ago while I was messing around with my very athletic son. I'd done it in the past, and I had convinced myself that, with all the weight I've lost and my religious committment to exercising and staying fit, I would repeat the feat. All went well until I slammed the ball against the rim and came down really hard on my side. I hurt for a month! In fact, I hurt now just thinking about it and it happened over a year ago. Having taken stock of that reality, I now enjoy watching others dunk, and live vicariously through them.

Wisdom dictates that I let some things go as I take stock and accept the truth about my limitations. The good news is that the things I have to learn to accept are not always bad. Take God's love for example. God will not let you go. He has handcuffed Himself to you in love. And He owns the only key. You don't need to win His love. You already have it. And since you can't win it, you can't lose it (unlike the ability to dunk a basketball). What things are you discovering about your life that inform the need for change and reevaluation?

Fair Weather Fans

Wow! It's been a rough football season for me so far. You see I'm a Notre Dame fan and a Denver Broncos fan. Need I say more? Just when you think it can't get any worse, it does. It's bad enough that Notre Dame has looked like a pretty decent high school team all year long, sporting the worst record in their storied history, but to lose to Navy for the first time in 43 years! Gosh, do you realize what that means? The last time Notre Dame lost to Navy, your grandparents were sitting on the couch in their parents homes watching the game (at least it feels as if it was that long ago).

Then there are the dear old Broncos. And that really is what they looked like yesterday... old! They looked like players at the end of their careers struggling to keep up with the young players with something to prove. They have the distinct dishonor of being the worst team in the NFL at stopping the run. That fact was indisputably evident in yesterdays mauling by the Detroit Lions, 44 - 7. They were porous on defense and anaemic on offense. After watching yesterdays debacle by the Broncos, the Washington Redskins should feel good about the fifty-something points scored against them by the Patriots, at least they can hang their hats on the fact that it was the Patriots (potentially the best team in any era of football by the time this season is all said and done). To what do the Broncos attribute their embarassing loss?

But, I am a legitimate fan and not a fair-weather-fan. I proudly sported my Broncos hat while I visited with a group of buddies to watch the Patriots win against the Colts. I endured all the good-natured ribbing, while trying to save-face by explaining the tremendous benefits of remaining loyal even in the face of tremendous adversity (I'm sure there's a spiritual lesson in there somewhere). I was pulling for the Patriots as I really would like to see them rewrite history by going 19 - 0. Come to think of it, I live a little closer to Boston now than I do Colorado. Maybe I should consider becoming a Patriots Fan!

Growing Pains

The Christian "journey" is fraught with incredible opportunities for growth. They just don't look like what we expected. The challenges that we constantly face, force us to flex our spiritual muscles and sometimes stretch us to just within breaking point. But the results of lifting weights and exercising is always good for us no matter how painful the experience at the time. So it is with the trials we face in our Christian walk. I'm discovering that everything has its antithesis. Where there is opportunity for love, there is opportunity for hurt. When betrayal comes what do you do? Get out? Get angry? Get even? You have to deal with it some way. How? Observe how Jesus saw Judas. Jesus response to him as he (Judas) walked up to Him in the Garden of Gethsemane with the temple guards, "Friend, do what you came to do."

Friend!?!?!? How? Why? I have a million questions about that one, and you probably do to. But He is our example on how to navigate through not only the smooth portions of the road we're traveling but also the treacherous stretches too. Sometimes the betrayal comes from the most unexpected quarters but the source of the hurt has no bearing on your response. The opportunity to demonstrate God's love is never contingent on the circumstance or potential recipient of that sometimes elusive characteristic of God's nature. What opportunities for growth have you had recently? How did you respond in the midst of your trial?

Contemplating my belly-button

It's November first! Where did the year go? I guess the saying is true that the older you get the faster the years fly by. I'm entering that time of year when I become introspective about a lot of things as I review the year gone by. I try to quiet myself in contemplative introspection (no, this is not yoga), so that I can hear a little more clearly in order to make the adjustments that I have found to be necessary for the journey I'm on.

I find this exercise to be incredibly productive as well as regenerative. You see I'm learning that, in order to successfully navigate through life's myriad pitfalls, I must learn to focus on my soul at least as much as I do my body. I really enjoy lifting weights and road biking (I actually bike an average of 100 miles a week). All too often though, I find myself giving more attention to these activities than I do to prayer and study. Sadly we live in a world that has learned to elevate the body and degrade the soul. We pamper our skins while we pollute our hearts. It appears that our values are completely reversed and our priorities are messed up.

That's why I feel the need to slow down and contemplate something other than my belly-button. It really helps me refocus on the real priorities in my life. So how do you take stock of your life? What do you do that makes you more successful at navigating lifes potential pitfall? Care to share?

Guest blog: A Tapestry of Beauty from Ashes (Part 2 of 2)

This is the final instalment of my friend, Steve Vickers guest article. Let me know what you think. “Why,” I asked Him, “Why did all this happen?” “That is the wrong question, Son,” He replied. “Do not ask Me why, but rather, what now.” Obediently I asked, “What now?” although everything within me wanted to know why. Why did everything fall apart? Why did friends turn against me? Why did I have to start over? Why? Why? Why? But I realized the “why” would have to be left alone with God. If he chose to tell me, then great, but if not, so be it.

Like a coach, a mentor, the Lord began to walk me through the “what now”. Step by step we started over—the Lord, Denice, and me. As we were beginning that journey, the Lord said, “On the rubble of what you have endeavored to build, I will build a church, my son.” And so He has.

If I could go back in my life and redo or undo things, I would not change what happened in that time. Did I make mistakes? Mistakes—that’s one of the constants in my life; I continually make mistakes. And though I don’t plan to make them or want to make them, I certainly don’t fear them. I’ve truly discovered that God is far greater than my mistakes. My Christianity, my hope and my faith are not held together by the glue of anything I do but by the unbreakable bond of what God did in Christ. So to answer your question—yes, I made mistakes during that time, and I have learned from those mistakes. Yet, I still would not change the path we have walked. I believe God has woven a tapestry that is our life (Denice’s and mine) and that, hopefully, to Him is beautiful. The dark threads have given brilliance to the bright ones. The contrast is what created the beauty. The dark threads have given clarity and definition to the picture.

Your life is a tapestry being woven right now. Perhaps it’s a bright, beautiful thread that’s being put in place now or perhaps a dark, dreary thread. Every life must have both to create the tapestry. Anchor your hope, your trust in God and do not be moved from Him, regardless of the weaving that is being done in your life at the present. Look to Jesus; focus on Him not the threads of your life. Whether victory or suffering is present in your life, never forget that Christ is also present, and He is what matters.

When you stand before God, will it be the victories you’ve won and the successes you’ve gained that truly matter, or will it be the wonderful truth of Christ in your life? Will He be your greatest gain? I think so.

Guest blog: A Tapestry of Beauty from Ashes (Part 1 of 2)

Steve Vickers, president and founder of Harvest Churches International is one of my dearest friends. One of the wisest men I know, Steve planted and pastored Christian Life Church in Montgomery, Alabama for many years before heeding the call of God to relocate to Southern California and start again. He left a successful, growing and thriving church in his middle-aged years, eschewing the comforts and predictability of what he'd already built for the relative insecurity of a new life. Steve is one of the true "Barbarian warriors." I will be posting a two-part article that he wrote that really speaks to my heart deeply. I sure hope you enjoy it.



As I look out the window, the air is filled with smoke from the fires that remain. Though a number of the fires have either been contained or have burned out, nine still continue as of the time of this writing. But only one of those really gives any cause for concern.

This has been a harrowing experience for hundreds of thousands of people here in southern California. Many have lost everything but their lives. Some have even lost that. Thousands of families returned to find only rubble where their homes once stood. What do you do when you stand on the rubble of your life? What do you do when, suddenly, without notice, your life is turned upside down and dashed on the rocks of tragedy? What do you do when you stand, looking at the broken pieces of what used to be your life? What do you do in the heart-wrenching emotion of that moment? Your body tired, your emotions drained, your mind dumbfounded—what do you do?

My heart has gone out to those who have suffered such loss. Those who make light of it or try to downplay it make it obvious that they have never been there. Loss is never easy or fun; it always costs. Yet it is a necessary and normal part of life. We all suffer loss at times. No declaration of faith will keep us from it. Loved ones die, ventures fail, relationships cease—these and other pains are a part of everyone’s story. For some reason we don’t hear of them though, especially in Christian circles. It’s as if they were somehow mysteriously erased from the story of our lives, leaving only successes, gains, victories, and great times.

Well, don’t erase them from my life. They cost me way too much. Nothing that came at such a high price to me will be erased or even relegated to a secluded corner of my life. They are a part of the very fabric of my life—a part of who I am. They have helped to define me. To erase them is to erase a part of my definition. I lived them; I walked through the valley they plowed in my life. And it is not a sign that I missed God or that He somehow forgot about me. On the contrary, like their victorious cousins, they are another facet of the testimony of God’s never ending love and unwavering faithfulness. God’s character and power are not so fragile that I must eradicate from my story anything that doesn’t speak of success and victory as defined in the narrow minds of the religious.

That’s one of the problems with American Christianity; it has too many man-made parts—parts which cannot stand up to the test of the realities of life. So a fantasy world is guardedly maintained. And if you are honest about your life, then you are expelled from "their" beautiful place. I have suffered their rejection because I was going through loss. And I am grateful for it. When they rejected me and erased me from their memories, I thought I was all alone. Then I heard a beautiful voice saying, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” They had left me alone with Jesus, and there in His hand was a nail print. Looking closer, I was stunned as I saw my name engraved in His hand by the nail print.

He loves me, He loves me not...

I performed a wedding yesterday afternoon. I have done a few weddings in my lifetime but this was my first ever Sunday wedding. I absolutely love to perform weddings, and with me, you never really know what you're going to get. I think that weddings should reflect the character of the couple as well as the consuming joy of the occasion. For this reason, I don't do stiff and formal weddings 'cos I just don't marry stiff and formal people (even if they started out that way, by the time we're through with their pre-marital counseling they've lightened up considerably).

The theme of yesterday's wedding was love. Well isn't that the theme of every wedding you ask? Hold your horses a second and let me explain. You see, the couple is bi-racial. He: Quintessentially Midwestern-white-American from Iowa. She: Classic hot-headed-beauty from Haiti. Now before you begin to pontificate on the demerits of interracial marriages, let me save you the trouble by assuring you that all of those arguments are lost on me. I am irreversibly and irrationally sold out to the cause of the Body of Christ being a reflection of the heart of God. He has every tribe, tongue and nation inscribed upon His heart, and the more integrated we are, the more we resemble the church that looks like heaven. So, off my soapbox and back to my story. The theme was love because that is what motivates and drives this couple. They are under no illusions that they will (yes, even in todays post-modern age) draw stares and comments. They are patently aware of some of the cultural hurdles they will have to jump over. They are even conscious of the fact that their union will cause some doors to slam shut in their faces. But they did it anyway. Love makes you that way. It makes potential stumbling blocks look like stepping stones to greater heights of accomplishment.

Consider the story of Jacob working for his beguiling father-in-law Laban, for seven years so that he could marry the delectable Rachel. Imagine his utter shock and horror when he wakes up the next morning to find one-eyed Leah in bed beside him instead of Rachel. As a result of Laban's deceit Jacob has consumated a marriage with homely and unattractive Leah instead of with his beloved Rachel. What to do? Laban profers a solution: Work for me for another seven years and I will give you Rachel's hand in marriage too. Without a thought for the deceitful way in which his servitude has been contracted, Jacob agrees to this proposal. The Bible says that "...Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her." Do you see it? A stumbling block becomes a stepping stone because of love.

This is why marriage, according to the Scriptures, is the closest thing on earth to the relationship between Christ and the Church. It is motivated purely and solely by love (certainly His love for us). Again you ask, "Aren't all marriages motivated by love?" Apparently not. They should be. But many aren't. That's why the statistics indicate that there is as high of a divorce rate in the church as there is outside of the church today. We say we are motivated by love when we get married, but all too often, we are misinterpreting passion, desire, attraction, companionship and a lot of other good qualities for love. Love is completely selfless! Love desires to give and give and give again. Love takes stock of all the reasons why you shouldn't and then you go ahead and do it anyway (Like dying on a cross for a world that would still reject and ridicule you).

This is the kind of love that was celebrated at yesterdays wedding. It's called Agape. It's a Greek word that translates as "The God kind of love." I for one am thrilled to have a front row seat to watch this couples incredible story play itself out. So what about you? Are you in love? If you're married, are you married for the right reasons? If not, you can begin to make the change today. If you're not married but you're thinking it might be in your future, are you doing it for the right reasons? If you haven't yet, pause and think about that.

Halloween's Deadly Door: Fact or Fiction? (Part 2)

You that love the Lord, hate evil

It must be understood that no matter how much we disguise it in its modern day application, the celebration of Halloween cannot be divorced from the accompanying spiritual implications and the attendant demonic attachments. Halloween is much more than candy and costumes, and its celebration, regardless of your motives, promotes and celebrates the spirit behind it.

Consider this excerpt from the Colorado Springs Gazette.com of October 30, 1998:

But Halloween also is a serious celebration in the pagan religious year, when the wall between the living and the dead is the thinnest. In other words, the holiday signifies an unusual closeness to the spirits of the dead.

On Saturday night, 150 to 200 people, many of them pagans, are expected to gather at All Souls Unitarian Church of North Tejon Street for a potluck supper along with some drumming, dancing, and ritual ceremonies relating to the dead.

“Halloween is a big holiday for us”, said Chris West, a founder of Earth Spirit Pagans, a group of about 70 people who practice witchcraft and sponsor an annual Halloween celebration (emphasis mine) [1]

If, according to the above excerpt, communicating with the dead is indeed a focus of the celebration of Halloween, then it is in direct violation of the scripture which states:

When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? -Isaiah 8:19

Ted Haggard (former senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs), displayed remarkable insight into the occult roots of Halloween in an article that he wrote. He had this to say:

During the weeks that surround Halloween, people seem to be uniquely aware of the supernatural realm. It is the only holiday in this country that focuses on death and darkness. Halloween is the time when Americans visit haunted houses, hold séances, dress like vampires and warlocks and watch scary movies-all in fun. But many people lack a basic biblical understanding of the spiritual realities associated with death and the devil – and what they don’t know can hurt them. (Emphasis mine) [2]

To fully understand the negative spiritual impact of Halloween on our society we must understand that there are three kinds of spiritual forces in operation, which exert influence on the human spirit.

· The Holy Spirit (John 4: 23-24)
· Angels (Psalm 8: 4,5)
· Satan and demons ( 2 Corinthians 11:14,15)

The influence of one or the other of these is always actively involved in the affairs of humanity, whether we give credence to that fact or not.

There is a constant battle waged between darkness and light for the control of the human soul and Halloween is a major entry point for Satan and his demons to sway the battle in their favor. Here are just a few reasons why:


·The Jack o’lantern came from the tale of a notorious man named Jack, who was turned away from both heaven and hell. Consigned to roam the earth as a spirit, Jack put a glowing coal into a carved-out turnip to light his way through the night. This harbinger (which became a pumpkin) symbolized a damned soul.

·Halloween costumes come from a Celtic druid idea that ceremonial participants should wear animal heads and animal skins to acquire the strength of the beast they portrayed.

·Trick or Treat came from the Irish tradition when a man led a procession to levy contributions from farmers, lest their crops be cursed by demons.

·Masks have traditionally been an animistic means of superstitiously warding off evil spirits or changing the personality of the wearer to communicate with the spirit world.[3]

Trick or Treat will bring defeat

So, how do we respond in prayer to the celebration of this feast I hear you ask? Well, I’m glad you asked since I was going to tell you anyway.

.We must pray that God would open the eyes of the parents so that we see the harm that is being done to our children through the celebration of this feast. (Acts 28: 26-27)
·We must pray against the influx of the demonic into our cities during this season. We must actively bind the strongman of the occult and witchcraft. (Ephesians 6: 12- 13)
·We must pray that witches and warlocks do not find our city conductive to their ritual celebrations during this period (Proverbs 26:2)
·We must pray that guardian angels with flaming swords will place a hedge of protection around our city during this period. (Genesis 3:24)
·We must saturate the atmosphere with worship and praise during this season so as to invite the presence of the Holy Spirit (Psalm 22:3)
·Finally, we should engage in an alternate celebration completely unassociated with Halloween. Family (Hallelujah) Night or a focus on Reformation Day, are two alternatives. At The Well we host an annual event we call Noche de la Luz (Night of the Light). It was October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg;[4]

[1] Ardy Friedberg, Halloween a potluck for pagans, (the Gazette, 1998)
[2] Ted Haggard, Speak of the Devil, (Charisma magazine, October 1998)
[3] The selling of Satanism
[4] David L. Brown, The Harm of Halloween, (logosresourcepages.org, 1998)

Halloween's Deadly Door: Fact or Fiction?

Over the next few days I will be posting a series on halloween from an article I wrote for Pray! magazine a couple of years ago. The article itself was excerpted from a book on witchcraft that I was working on at the time. If you don't believe in this sort of thing that's fine. I write this for those who are obliviously ignorant of the inherent dangers of the dark spirit world, and who might, in this season when darkness is unwittingly celebrated, be opening themselves up to more than they are aware.

Welcome, won’t you come on in?

It’s late in the evening and the lights are out in most homes on Kennedy Boulevard. Except for a few vagrants foraging through the garbage for scraps of food, and an occasional barking dog, the streets are devoid of life. An eerie silence hangs over the little town of Asgard as ominous storm clouds gather, casting long shadows against the backdrop of gray buildings. The thirsty ground sucks up the driving rain, as the vagrants scurry for shelter, leaving the impression of a ghost-town.

A few of the bolder townsfolk tentatively peer through theirs shutters, but most of the inhabitants huddle together in their living rooms, whispering, waiting, and wondering. The mysterious and gory deaths of four of the town’s residents at last year’s celebration of the feast have left a bitter taste in their mouths, and they can’t help but wonder what this year’s celebration has in store for their small but close knit community.

It is the feast of All Hallows. Unseen to the natural eye, there is a flurry of activity in the town of Asgard. This is the one feast that demons look forward to, the one celebration all year that pays homage to ghouls, goblins and ghosts, darkness and evil. It is the time of year when the line between the dark spirit world and the human world is thinnest. The demons swarm in like hungry locusts looking to devour everyone in their path. But they are not here as uninvited guests. You see, unwittingly, the inhabitants of Asgard have invited them into their town, their homes, and consequently their lives.

Sound like another Frank Peretti bestseller? Unfortunately, this is not fiction. Like Peretti’s books, the town above is fictional, but unlike his books, the story line is real.

Open doors lead to open hearts

The Bible is replete with warnings against “opening” ourselves up to the dark spirit world, and reminds us that we are continually in a battle that is not being waged against humans but against unseen spiritual forces in the heavenly places.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms – Ephesians 6:12

One of many doors that open our cities up to the dark world of the occult is the celebration of Halloween. Among numerous other practices that are an inadvertent venture into the occult, the celebration of this feast leaves us exposed to the influx of the demonic.

Halloween is a feast that celebrates the dead and the dark spirit world. As unsuspecting, well-meaning people delve into all sorts of “fun” things like “trick or treat” and dressing up in costumes (the more fiendish or devilish the better), they open themselves up to spiritual influences that they may not even be aware of. In almost every store on Main Street USA, you will find an entire section dedicated to Halloween costumes promoting dark fantasies. Ordinarily parents would be concerned if their children came home from school decked out in vampire costumes complete with fangs. However during Halloween this is quite acceptable. Harmless fun? You be the judge!

The origin of Halloween should serve as a warning for us to stay away from such activities. The celebration of Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic people. They lived about 2000 years ago in the geographic are that today marks out Ireland, the United Kingdom and France. The feast, originally known as the feast of Samhain (pronounced sow-ain), was celebrated on November 1 in commemoration of their New Year. The Celts believed that on the night before the New Year, the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead became blurred. On October 31, the eve of the feast, they believed that Samhain, who was generally recognized as the lord of death, assembled the spirits of all who had died during the previous year. During this time, it was said that the spirits of the dead returned to earth to visit the living.

During the actual celebration of the feast, crops and animals were burned on a huge bonfire as sacrifices to appease the appetite of Samhain. By the 800’s the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, and in the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saint’s Day to honor saints and martyrs. This celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowsmas (from Middle English alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

Can-nosed people

I've recently been studying about being committed to a cause, and being "burdened" with a purpose. This is a really big idea for me as, in my humble opinion, it essentially represents the ultimate goal of the Christian life.

One of my pet peeves is consumer Chrisitanity. I don't know if it's cultural or just my tenacious drive to achieve my purpose, but I am convinced that as christians we shouldn't be so much about "shopping" for a church that meets our "needs," as much as we should recognize that we are the Church, and the reason we exist is to be God's "love-letter" to a hurting world. Recognizing this big idea should change the way we approach ministry, church, and people. Like Jonathan's (king Saul's son) aide-de-camp, when we understand that we are simply part of an army that has a larger cause than ourselves, our response to our "commanders" call to battle in the face of impossible odds is "Let's do whatever you say. I am with you heart and soul."

This kind of trust requires more than just belief in a good idea. It requires a confident trust in God's ability to work through the "Body" to accomplish His purpose regardless of what the prevalent circumstances appear to dictate. It requires a certainty of your calling in the face of insurmountable odds. It requires a knowing that our hearts must continually be pliable in God's hands even when we have suffered "loss" in the midst of the battle. Battle scars have a tendency to harden our hearts in an effort to help us cope with the perceived losses. But hard hearts and accomplishing God's purpose are diametrically opposed ideas. This is why consumer christianity is dangerous. It has the tendency to create in us a sense of entitlement. In other words, our christianity becomes milque toast and self absorbed instead of selfless and others focused. Listen to what the Scriptures have to say on this issue: He who hardens his heart falls into trouble (Proverbs 28: 14).

One of the stories that I read in my recent studies that best illustrates this, is the story of the cow that stuck her nose in a paint can while grazing, and couldn't shake it off. Apparently can-nosed cows can't breath really well, and they can't eat or drink at all. This put both the cow and her calf at serious risk. The family that owned the cow chased the cow around the pasture for three days in an attempt to help get the can off her nose. Each time they approached, the cow ran. Finally, coralling the cow with pick-up trucks and ropes, they cornered and de-canned her. How does this relate you ask? Well, have you seen any can-nosed people lately? Malnourished souls? Dehydrated hearts? People who can't take a deep breath? All because they stuck their noses where they shouldn't, and when God stepped in to help, they ran away. Many of us often resemble bull-headed people ducking God and scampering around, starving and struggling, yet trying to make it all work on our own terms. We often run from the very One who can help.

These can-nosed people are trying to make life work on their own terms. Committed to a cause, it's all about them! When the cause that burdens you is all about you, you are guaranteed to stick you nose where it doesn't belong and come up wanting. It's imperative that we find our calling and purpose so that we may live out the God induced burden that keeps us awake at night with divine indignation. What's your cause? What are you burdened for?

Relevant or relative Christianity? (Part 4 of 4)

In this final part of exploring how to find the balance as we reach the lost and the irreligious, I want to examine a certain assumption we’ve made which influences our approach to ministry. We’ve wrongly assumed that being relevant is synonymous with watering down the gospel to accommodate a less-than-godly lifestyle. In reality though, relevant ministry is essential if we are to make an impact on the culture and environment in which we have been called to serve. However, relevant ministry does not entail blending in to look like the culture we are trying to reach. It does, however mean that we must learn to communicate in a language that they understand. Take Music for instance. Music is considered a universal “leveler” since it breaks the barriers created by the differences in language and culture. This does suggest that people are more likely to be attracted to music that is upbeat and appealing more so than they would be to music that sounds like a funeral dirge.

Interestingly enough, Craig Groeschel happens to be blogging on a similar topic today (I promise you that I didn’t know that before I began this four part series), and so I will borrow from some of his ideas rather than reinvent the wheel, since he is expressing my sentiments almost verbatim. Here’s what Craig had to say regarding being a relevant church.

“When I was a kid, many churches didn’t engage my generation. Most of my friends ‘went to church’ but we didn’t follow Christ. The American church (for the most part) lost touch with how to engage the younger generations.

The church needed to change. And it did. We needed to become more relevant in the way we engaged non-believers, challenged believers, and presented God’s Word. One result was the ‘seeker-sensitive’ church. This movement brought some very positive changes including:

We don’t assume everyone is a believer when they come to church.
We don’t assume everyone knows our language, has a Bible, or even cares about Christ.
We are more outward-focused

In my opinion though, in recent years, the pendulum has swung too far. Now, in some places, church is so relevant that we almost seem to worship culture more than Christ.”

Maybe Craig read my blog the past few days. It’s amazing how much in tune we are on this subject. You see, I agree that we can really overdo the stuff that we think makes church cool and relevant. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with all the stuff. The problem is when we begin to think that it’s the stuff that impacts and changes people’s lives rather than the pure, unadulterated message of the Cross of Christ. What truly changes lives is not the coffee shop in the lobby, not the lights and cool video footage we show, not even the casual dress style and haircuts we sport. It is simply the love of God that changes a life. The goal of being relevant should be to create an environment where people can come and experience Christ and learn of His love for them in a language to which they can relate.

Let me illustrate that point with a story. When I was in Bible College, my Hebrew teacher was one of the guys who had worked on translating the NIV Bible, as well as one of the few people left who could read and translate Ugaritic (one of the more obscure languages of the Old Testament). He once explained to us that he came from a long line of Christians, and that many of his siblings were in fact missionaries. He told us about his brother who was a career Missionary in Papua New Guinea. His brother had given his life to learning the language of the people of New Guinea, teaching the tribe he lived with and served, how to read, and then translating the Bible into their language. A tall order under any circumstance right? Well get this: he had to also figure out how to translate the Scriptures so that they would be relevant and make sense from the cultural context of the people he was called to reach.

He ran into a major roadblock with the verse where Jesus was saying to Peter, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” The tribe had no sheep and didn’t even know what they were. The dilemma: If they didn’t understand the value of sheep, they couldn’t understand the value that Jesus was placing on the ones He was charging Peter to love, disciple and serve. He knew that his primary objective was to communicate the love of God to these people in a language they would understand. The solution: Pigs were their livelihood. They traded pigs for daughter’s hands in marriage. Pigs represented their most valuable possessions. The verse was translated, “If you love me, feed my pigs.” Blasphemy I hear some of you say. I guess you’re still stuck on the KJV of the Bible (which by the way is not a literal translation of the Hebrew or Greek). The larger point here is the fact that we are constantly faced with the challenge of translating God to the unbeliever, and our lives represent the language He uses. God’s love demonstrated through us speaks louder than any of the trappings of ministry we might employ that make us relevant, or for that matter, louder than the holier-than-thou Christian who doesn’t want any sort of change that suggests a leaning towards the culture of the day.

I don’t know about you but I am personally convinced that I can reach the lost one person at a time as long as I speak a language that they understand. I for one want to be relevant. Love is a great cultural equalizer. Love is relevant under any and every circumstance. By the way, I’m convinced that those wonderful people of Papua New Guinea who painstakingly learned to read so that they could read the Bible in their own tongue and accept the Lordship of Jesus, are all going to heaven right alongside you and I even though they think Jesus loves pigs and not sheep! Now that’s what I call relevant!!

Relevant or relative Christianity? (Part 3 of 4)

As I attempt to share some of my thoughts with you on the issue of finding a balance in the way we do church let me relate a conversation I had this past weekend with a pastor friend of mine. While sitting down to lunch with himself and his wife, our conversation drifted in the direction of discussing our favorite Christian authors. I mentioned that I was particularly partial to Erwin Raphael McManus whereupon my friends wife proceeded to tell me that she had heard that he was too “seeker sensitive” in his approach to ministry. I asked her to clarify her assertion and she further explained that the seeker sensitive crowd were the people who watered down the message of Christ so drastically that it lost its potency. I then asked her if, in her estimation he was not preaching the gospel and reaching people for Christ and her answer shocked me to the core. She said she didn’t know!

Wow! I didn’t know how to react to that. Her response seemed to imply that because a Sunday service does not incorporate “miraculous” healings, speaking in tongues, “falling-under the anointing,” prophecies and various other demonstrations of “super” spirituality, it would of necessity have to be labeled seeker sensitive, as if that is somehow a blight on the character of Christianity. Jesus Himself said He had come to seek and save those that were lost. Before you begin to question my stance on supernatural ministry, please believe me when I tell you that I have absolutely no issue with supernatural manifestations, in fact I have been both the instrument and the beneficiary of supernatural healing, but I also recognize that sometimes, these acts are forced during church services in an attempt to create a sense that God is moving. I have heard horror stories of people being pushed down as the preacher prayed for them and “released the power of God” so that they would fall under the anointing.

As we further pursued the discussion, I realized that we were in many ways at complete divergence in our approach to doing church. They were convinced that church is meant for the Christian; a place for discipleship, supernatural manifestations and the like. They opined that the irreligious or the unbeliever was welcome to attend the service as long as he was aware that it was a believers meeting. I on the other hand am just as convinced that church is an extension of Jesus and is meant primarily to reach the lost. This fundamental difference in philosophy, though on the surface simple, is really the crux of our approach. You see if you believe that church is primarily where Christians receive their spiritual nurturing, where supernatural ministry occurs, and where marriages are healed, then you will think that everything has to be accomplished in your Sunday service. You will believe that this is the only opportunity you have to “minister” to the visitors that come, so that they are impacted by the power of the anointing.

If on the other hand, you are persuaded that your Sunday celebration is primarily a point of contact to introduce people to Jesus, then you are less inclined to think that everything that the visitor needs has to be accomplished in that one service. The goal, at least from where I stand, should be to create an environment where the irreligious are accepted not threatened or confused (note that I didn’t say where they are comfortable), so that it opens the door to dialog and ultimately a desire for a relationship with Jesus. This has been our amazing experience at The Well, and I have learned that it is much easier to pray for healing in a marriage in the privacy of my office than it is to “prophesy” from the pulpit about a husband who is cheating on his wife, but about how God wants to touch and heal their marriage if he (the husband) will come forward and repent.

I take this position largely because I believe that you must earn the right to speak into people’s lives. You do that by creating a safe and non-threatening environment of mutual trust. I am not your pastor simply because you attend a Sunday Celebration Service at The Well, I am your pastor because you have learned to trust my calling, my commitment to you, and my ability to coach you in living life well according to the dictates of the Scriptures. All of this suggests that it’s actually not a sin if you don’t speak in tongues from the pulpit on Sunday morning. It means God is not necessarily mad at you if prophecy doesn’t happen after worship. It means you don’t have to have a separate sermon for the offering in order to “convince” people of the need to give. That’s what small groups are for: To teach people the doctrines of the Bible. That’s why we have encounter retreats, and discipleship classes, and growth tracks, and all the other things we do that provide an avenue for growth in, and ministry to the Body. Tomorrow I will explain a little bit more about the idea of finding balance in doing effective ministry.