Soul Cravings - A Review - and other books I'm reading.

 Just finished reading this book, Soul Cravings. the author talks about what the human spirit desires, craves, longs for. In the book, Erwin McManus, articulates the way and need for the journey of which we are on. The need for trust, intimacy, and ultimately a relationship with a loving God. I appreciated the very honest and different entries about how one looks at life. His interaction with others and how they view this world, and the ideas of each other, life, and ultimately God.

Ultimately it comes down to how we look at life, and how we choose to go about living the life of which we've been given. A very well written book, with some good sermon illustrations within.


Next on my reading list is: The Healthy Pastor. Easing the pressures of Ministry by Dennis Bickers and The Power=Based Life - Mike Flynt (The last one was given to me to review and blog about from Thomas Nelson publishers). A good leader is a reader. Keep reading.

Sometimes Justice is messed up.

So Brett Favre gets $50 000 fine for not cooperating what could of been a sexual harassment suit. A wife gets 7 months for killing her preacher, husband.
And yet people want someone executed (who was jailed for over 2yrs) for dog fighting?

And Two sisters
have been in jail for over 16yrs for stealing $11.

Now I say all of that to say - YES Justice isn't fair. In fact God isn't fair. He isn't. We all deserve the penalty of death, and to go to hell. The fact that God is perfect in His wrath, justice, and grace, love, mercy and forgiveness is why we needed Jesus.  Jesus - that's justice messed up. Getting something we don't deserve to help please justice. So what's why there is Grace. Aren't you thankful for that?

Campaign for God

50% off Christ

Saw this sign. (Actually it said 50% off Christmas merchandise  - but that's another rant on the commercialism of Jesus)

Yet it is so true. 50% off Christ. We treat Jesus as if He is someone we can only use half the time, or when it is convenient. Don't expect me to be changed, or to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus everyday - Sundays is just fine for me, right? Wrong.

Jesus wants all of us. He died for all of us. Can you imagine if God said "OK Jesus, you carried your cross - you were halfway there .. you really have nothing left to proof - you don't have to die from the Cross, or raise from the dead. Only doing things halfway? Ridiculous.Yet that is how some people treat the God of the Universe. Only when it fits into their schedule. Oh, we don't have to goto Christmas Services or the Day after Christmas because we were just at the facility on Christmas Eve.

We make Jesus, or rather our Christianity into something of convenience rather than life changing, transformation, disciple-making, changing the world inside out, and letting God do the changing. The biggest problem is it all comes down to pride. I'm just as guilty. We treat God as a genie; rather than the Great "I AM." Let's stop the whole wussification of our Christianity and start living it.

We should no longer ask, "Want some donuts and coffee with your Jesus?" But start being the Church God has called us to be. Afterall, Jesus gave 100% of Himself ...not a 50% off discount. The least we can do is give back 100% to the One who first Loved us.

Christmas Eve!!

Christmas Eve Service is at 7pm.

Hope you can be here!

Here's Good News!!

This Sunday - message comes from Matthew 1.

Hope you can be here!

Twas The Night Before Youth Ministry

I had originally wrote this 6 years ago: Enjoy.

Twas the Night Before Youth Ministry

'Twas the Nite Before Youth Ministry,
When all through the church
Not a church was stirring, not even a pastor.
The budget minutes were done for the year with care.
In hopes that funds for the ministry next year would be there.
The church-goers had gone. All full of themselves.
With visions of only thinking of Thyself. 
The Leadership wanted the last say on everything.
And the Senior Pastor had to be right on every theological thing.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter.
Several of us had sprung out of the church to see what was the matter.
As we entered the church parking lot What did we see?
But Angry parents and students wanting youth ministry for FREE!

More rapid than insults, the crowd made demands.
They had expectations of what they thought youth ministry looked like and added their demands.

They started to name the youth orgainzations by name:

Now "Youth For Christ, Young Life, FCA, and such, Campus Life, CEF, First Priority too let's put all these youth pastors to shame"

"You need to be like Bo Boshers, Doug Fields or some other mega church name ...maybe its 180 and putting all others to shame."

"To the top of the denomination, to the top of the glee of the crowd, we'd rather have glorified babysitting and we want it now."

So as the demands of the parents, full of themselves ....
Several others had cried as the silly demands had abound.

Youth Ministry is not a thing dressed up and made good.
It sometimes speaks of sex, drinking and peer pressure as one should.

It isn't about looking cool.
Or even having a Dodge Viper or Hummer or 2.

Youth Ministry is sometimes about stuff you don't have a clue.

It's about Jesus, church, loving God and others too.
And not another marketing tool.

All of the gimmicks make me want to laugh.
"Teach like Jesus" or get this item for half price and have your church grow without having the Spirit in it at all!

O the marketing - be the next Mega Thing rather than 
Be Who God created you to be and not something else.

When will we learn?
When will we turn from this youth ministry as glorified babysitting thing?

Then I knew I had nothing to dread.
Jesus loved me, instead of these angry parents instead.

Jesus spoke such kindness and did such a good work.
He gave of Himself, and never was a jerk.
He was born as God's Son. 
Human became. 
Loved, died, rose, and is Coming Again!

As I think of Jesus, Youth Ministry and all ....
Its about being the church
And not this programming call.
So the next time someone gives you a complain.
Turn to them and proudly proclaim:

"I serve my Christ offering Him to all;
Love God and others is my Call."

Thus Youth Ministry is a calling and not sort of thing.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.


Parody by Gerrard R. Fess.

Copyright 2010 Permission granted to share everywhere just note the author.

Woman Claims Jesus Return in 2011

And here I thought people were saying 2012.

Article

I wonder what she does with the passage: Matthew24:36"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (see also Mark 13:32, Acts 1:7)

Its All About the Dash!

In Erwin Raphael McManus' book, Soul Cravings, he mentions one of his favorite speakers, Chip Anderson. Chip is giving a speech on It is All About the Dash, and about the totality of our lives.

You visit your local cemetery and see that it is how one lives their lives that people remember.

We all have an appointment. How we live our lives in this world reflects Who we'll see in the next. Jesus died for us that we can make our "Dash" marks reflect Him and have the Hope of eternity.

The interesting thing about the Dash mark for Jesus - is it has no real beginning ... other than In the Beginning the Word was with God and the Word was God. And then later the Word became flesh. Jesus' body died and was resurrected to give us that Hope. (see John 1:1, 14; 3:16-18) Sure our own dash marks don't Earn our way into heaven, (We have Grace for that) ... We are to be living the Christian life because reflecting what God has done for us. He has given us the greatest gift ever, Jesus.

We're born into sin. We all have an expiration date. What are you doing with the time you have? What are you doing with your "Dash Mark"? Spending it wisely I pray. Spending it for God, and what He has done for you. Afterall, Jesus was born to die. Jesus was born in the shadow of a tree; The Tree of Calvary.

A Social Network Christmas

THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY

Troop 252

This year our congregation started to sponsor a Boy scout troop. The troop had to be chartered and basically had nothing. They had to be given a different number from where they came from - thus I suggested 252. Why? It is the only passage of scripture where Jesus is mentioned around 12 years old. Luke 2:52 "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

Just under a dozen young men and their families meet at our facility weekly. They started this Fall. We, also have a Cub Scout Unit that meets here too, and about to be re-chartered here as well.  So once a week - we have near a 100 people come to our facility that might not do so otherwise.

Needless to say, people would think this would be a challenge. Not so. We been trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus to our community; and this helped us to do so. We've had several people help make anonymous donations to the troop to make sure they had the equipment they needed to do their trips etc. (Most Troops would already have this and their fundraising would go to support their Children's activities and not the equipment needed for these events (Because most troops have had them for years and even decades)). It indeed has been a good thing.

Last night, I had the honour (along with my family) to be at their end of the year Court of Honor. It feels like they are family. We're still getting to know one another, support one another, and our church - well Be the Church and example to these young men. We've had several families come to our congregation as a result.

Continue to pray for these families.

Scouting is a good thing. My son looks forward to the time - He can join scouts, and my girls enjoy the time they have in Girl Scouts. Look for ways you can be involved.  I received last night (on behalf of the church) the Charter that was granted to the church. It was a Great moment.

Settling for Mediocrity

This Sunday I'm preaching on Dumb Move Number 8 on things Christians do. It is settling for mediocrity.

God wants us to do our best, and what does that look like. We examine God giving His best to us, Jesus.

See you Sunday.

Retooning the Nativity

Jesus in Dominos!

This past Sunday, my pre-teen class (Tweeners) were studying on the birth of Jesus. Of course I got asked the famous question: "What's a virgin?" (To which I responded that is when you are not married ..and left it at that) Because the angel said to Mary: "His name is to be Jesus" We built the name of Jesus out of dominoes and had some fun. Here is the pictures from that day.

Free Bibles ...

Every week I mention that if people need a Bible - to take one ... that's what they are there for. I was the Guest preacher at a church in Ohio recently and that literally happened. Someone took a Bible home.

This week, I had a young woman wanted a small pocket Bible for her son (as a stocking stuffer) - I made sure she got one. Our congregation has invested in the Word of God. We need to make sure it is in the hands of our people so they can be living out what the Word says.

So what does your congregation do with all its Bibles? Do you give them away? When was the last time you gave a Bible away? How about even opened it and read it? May we be known as people of the Word presenting Jesus as the WORD who became flesh.

North Point's iBand

2010 Calgary Hitmen Teddy Bear Toss

Mountains N Molehills - Oh, My!!

This Article
is Great.

Here is a portion  of the Article I liked Very Much: (Let's keep pointing people to Jesus)

For many years Jack Ballard led Mount Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia. One year before Jack’s death in 2007 he wrote a letter to his close friend, Wayne Smith, who enjoyed a lengthy tenure as the senior minister of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. Wayne shared with me a copy of Jack’s letter and permission to share it. Here’s what Jack wrote to his long-time friend:

The wave of change comes as relentlessly as ocean tides. You and I have seen a lot of it. We’ve been part of it. Now I am old and adjusting to it is extremely difficult. I really believe the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Lord’s church in the face of changes these young preachers are bringing. It has survived you and me.

Ah, yes, I don’t like the informality. I don’t like the new music. I don’t like the long hair and no socks. I don’t like the ear rings. I don’t like Saturday night services. I don’t like the darkened auditoriums. I don’t like applause. I don’t like silly dramas. I don’t like words on a screen. I don’t like the preacher not sitting on the platform. I don’t like backup singers. I don’t like ball-caps in church. I don’t like men serving the Lord’s Supper in short sleeves. I don’t like people holding up their hands. I don’t like the NIV as much as the King James Version. I don’t like . . .

Whoa, all the above would be classified as opinions, right? Here I am, an old man, wanting the world to adjust to my likes and dislikes. The big question is, ‘Is Christ being preached? Is the Lord’s Supper being served? Is baptism still performed in the ancient and biblical way? Is the Lord still exalted? Is the Bible still accepted as authoritative? Are elders still being honored as men of integrity? Are people being won to Christ?’ The answer is ‘Yes.’

THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY

Missing Golden Opportunities

This Sunday's sermon is on missing golden opportunities. Making most of every opportunity.

The Christmas Story on Facebook

My Friend Derek Tang put together this wonderful edition of how Advent would look like if interacted on facebook.

Larger Version

HT to Marko

What some Kids do during the Sermon Time!

One of the young children gave me this picture after my sermon one Sunday. I've kept it.  I like it. What was the last picture or drawing you were given? If you are like me - you have children's pictures all over the place ...

A Letter from a Child!!

This was from my daughter.

Fighting Among Ourselves

This Sunday's Sermon is on "Fighting on Among ourselves" We'll be looking at our family feuds and how to remain calm and ultimately be the hands and feet of Jesus.

A Ministry Idea

Here is an idea you can use. I have done this recently and think it is a good habit. After my funeral message, I have asked the family if they wished a copy of my message and would send it to them for their own records. Why do I do this? One for closure. People like to have something special and remember their loved one in their final good-byes. Secondly it helped showed I cared to give them a copy and that extra something they can cherish. And finally it says you're trying to be helpful in people's time of need. Don't forget to follow-up on those hurting and griefing.

Each Church has a History

Had a chance to visit Sudley Methodist.


what is your Church's history?

One that Jesus would be proud of?

Changed Lives!

[sigh no more from JJ Starr on Vimeo.

a reflection of beauty]