september.28.2009

It was a cool quiet morning and the wildlife was just beginning to stir.  As the crickets came to life and the birds began to chirp I found myself praying for a successful day.  Just as I was settling in I remembered that I had not yet tested the pull on my bow with a broadhead on the arrow.  I was a little nervous that the broadhead would not clear with the short arrows I used so I nocked one up and pulled it back to test.  I breathed a sigh of relief when the tip cleared with room to spare and slowly released the arrow.   Just then I looked up and not 20 feet from me there was a huge head with white ears and a rack staring back at me.  Almost instantly the buck turned and high tailed it through the woods before I could even lift my bow.  Three hours later we trudged our way out of the woods and back into the car that was covered in cow manure from the farm and began cleaning up for the long ride home.  Wouldn’t you know it, just then I received a phone call and Carrie who told me she was headed to the Hospital for the birth of our third child.  Dirty from my first day on a hunt I was almost thankful I hadn’t gotten one this day.  I jumped in the truck and prayed that I would make it back in time for the birth.

It’s funny how on the very day I was out to take from the land God brings about new life.  On Monday a little girl was born and I again found myself speechless and in awe of our creator.  One week later, a little sleep deprived and dazed from the concept of raising a girl, I find myself praising God for his creation of new life.  After meeting with our community last night I also find myself pondering the new life given each of us when we trust in Christ.  Jesus, when talking to Nicodemous in the gospel of John says; “unless you are born again you cannot see the kingdom of God.”  Now I don’t want to dwell on the concept of being born again as Nicodemous did but rather I find myself wondering if the awe of new life has been lost in our attempts at evangelism?

Evangelism 101 was all about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I remember the class well and as a seminary student thought it was a little strange to take an entire class based on one way to share the story of Jesus.  I can remember the guest speaker who came in for a few weeks who shared a method of evangelism using tracks called “Good news, Bad news.”  It’s the same message we have been sharing since the birth of modernism and an essential part of the story of a redemptive God.  However, if you are like me, you may have shared this message, encouraged someone to pray the prayer and then given them a big pat on the back and said welcome to the club… or something along those lines.  But, I think that maybe somewhere in that whole pray the prayer thing, put another notch on the belt, I forgot that awe that comes with new life!

What a reminder to see a little girl enter the world and to have my heart filled with joy!  What a celebration we have as we love this little girl.  I am inspired again to watch as people come to believe the story, and to celebrate the joy of those who are born again.  The words have such poor connotation in our culture today yet represent so well the change in life that takes place and the awe that should come with it.

just a few thoughts -Cheers

september.17.2009

Thursday, on our walk back from the Brewers Hill Pub and Grill I had the opportunity to pray with four other men who are seeking to know Jesus and encouraging me to do the same. It’s become a weekly rhythm of life to walk down to a new pub each week on a Thursday night, grab a drink, and talk about our lives and how the Lord is challenging us through the Scriptures. In the midst of our time I found myself reflecting on the fact that 5 men who love Jesus can comfortably go and sit in a pub, have a beer, and talk about our deep love for Jesus all in the same night.  To some, this is close to blasphemous, and yet I felt total piece and ease as I sat around the bar and observed those around us watching with curiosity as we perused our bibles.

Here is a question for you.  How far is too far to connect with our community and our culture?  Where is the line of being in the world but not one with the world?  I don’t have an answer, and every answer I hear seems to be different.  But I do know one thing…

Jesus was more concerned with the hearts of the disciples than with the rules of the road.  Jesus expected more from his disciples than to sit around in temples all day engaging each other in trainings to become better than those outside the church.  Jesus confronted those men who lifted themselves and cared more about the law than people.

We could build a Christian coffee house and stay in to meet, but how would we eat and drink with those who don’t know Jesus?  We could stand in the streets and proclaim our goodness but how would we impact the world when we are caught in our sin?  We could keep our community locked in a closit where no one would find us, but how would we fullfill the Great Commission?

Sitting there tonight with a Bible in one hand and a beer in the other, that was living.  Sharing my life with four other guys and watching as others listened in, that was being a witness.  Yes I agree that drinking a beer with everyone is not the answer, but that’s why Paul said “to the Jews I became like the Jews, and to the gentiles I became like the gentiles.”  We do not cross the line into sin, but we do step out into the world, and pray that we are answering the call of the Great Commission.

September.08.2009

The alley was covered in plastic bags, beer cans, dog feces, and even remnants of a city rat undoubtedly left from a local cat.  I was on another prayer walk that was brought about through the frustration of another day in the life of a follower of Christ.  Not that I am frustrated in my efforts to follow Christ… no matter how often I mess it up I am always encouraged by the work of Christ.  No, on this particular day I was frustrated by my own efforts at creating a community of disciples who multiply.  As I walked along and asked God to show me what He would have me do I couldn’t help but long for every person I passed to know Jesus.  The plumber who was working outside his truck, the carpenter who was renovating a house, the young professionals walking their dogs who leave me little presents in unexpected places, and even the bar keeps who stand patiently by their doors waiting on the evening crowd to fill their bars.

It feels like I have had this conversation in my head at least a thousand times in the last year… If I remain faithful then God will work on their hearts… If I remain faithful then God will build His church.  And yet I return time and time again to a place where I want to change hearts and I want to build His church.

I desperately desire to be part of a community of people who are not only passionately in love with Jesus, but who desire others to be passionately in love with Jesus and are willing to step out in radical and unthinkable ways to see that the name of Jesus is proclaimed.  And while in some cases I find that beginning to happen, I question myself and find myself standing helpless before Jesus.  And so all I can do is love God well, love others well, and strive to be more like Jesus.  I model these three things out, I encourage others, and I seek ways to equip others to make disciples.  It’s not complicated though it can be difficult.

God, is faithful… He rewarded me today with a renewed encouragement.  I sense of excitement at what the Gospel can do and the need that exist on every street in my neighborhood and throughout Baltimore.   The next few months will be challenging indeed but then again I can think of nothing better than to face a challenge for the sake of Christ.  Pray for me servants, I have much to learn.

Cheers