Now that I've got your attention (and possibly offended you) with the title of this post, I want you to read a verse that I haven't been able to get away from for the past month.  And quite honestly, I have no idea what to do with it.

Ezekiel 16:49-50: Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.  50 They put on airs and lived obscene lives. And you know what happened: I did away with them.  (NASB and MSG)

So let me ask you again... Are you guilty of Sodomy? Not by the Webster's definition of course but according to this little kick in the face.

Because to me, this sums up America quite well.  Before Sodom was judged for the sexual depravity and immorality that we always associate with it, God lists a few things that look eerily familiar...

1. Arrogance
2. Preoccupation with luxurious living, comfort and leisure
3. Ignoring the poor and oppressed and disregarding their needs

Lately, I've been wrestling with all of this.  This idea of a comfortable suburbia existence where we just want a quiet life and nice things.  This incredible self-absorption in our capitalistic society that is nothing more than a materialistic grab at the American dream, the building of an empire and our own little personal kingdoms. 

Material things and abundant blessing were always intended to be for others, not to build and preserve our little empires whether personal, in business, or church.  Blessing should never be misconstrued as favoritism or entitlement.

What I hate most is that it's so damned difficult to break from this system because it's so pervasive.  It's everywhere.  It's in our culture.  It's in me.  It's in you.  And sad to say, it's in the church which shouldn't surprise us because the church is me and you.

Arrogance... check. The pinnacle of "having arrived" is found in that published book or amount of Twitter followers or RSS readers or blog hits or weekend attendance or an online store with the next greatest "resource" that shows how to build a great life empire, just like me.  Let's all get together and talk about how the way we do things is the right way.  And while we're there, let's cloak our questions so it's not so blatant that we're really just comparing numbers and size.

Preoccupation with luxurious living, comfort and leisure... check. While we're there at the conference or denominational gathering comparing and secretly resenting others' "success", why don't we just pull down our pants and play the "which youth room is cooler" or "which sanctuary has the newer fancier HD projectors instead of the old kind" game.  Because isn't that the measure of success for all Americans? Having nice things and lots of them.

Ignoring the poor and oppressed and disregarding their needs... check. It seems that our definition of success is mainly found in the things listed above.  The accumulation of stuff and the building of empires when God's definition of success is caring for the widow, the orphan, and the poor.  How much of our "programming" is geared to blessing the poor, needy, and oppressed?  Very little, if at all.  It's not on most churches' radar and it's not on most our personal radars either.  It's all about me.

And while I realize the tone of this post has been much more about tearing down than building up, I must say that I'm having a hard time stomaching it all really and this is just my rant.  If I'm honest, the root of all of this frustration is that I don't quite know what to do with these three detestable things inside me.  The arrogance, the preoccupation of having a bunch of nice things, and the disregard for those hurting and in need all around me. 

While I'm thankful for the country and churches I've grown up in, we are way "East of Eden" and I'm not sure how we get back.  This system of anti-Kingdom has invaded my soul and I feel like a man in exile because although I love my church and I love the Church, I've left a lot of the silliness and ideology that it embodies behind but I have nothing to replace it with. 

My biggest fear is that like the disciples, I'm just looking for another kingdom (see Acts 1:6) to replace it with.  The disciples didn't want the kind of Kingdom Jesus was after.  They still wanted one with horses and military bases and palaces... they just wanted all these things to be theirs and not the Romans.  They spent years with Jesus and they still didn't get it.  I wonder if we ever will.

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.

So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

He loves us.

by John Mark McMillan

I was chatting with a friend on iChat earlier this morning and I wanted to recognize this important day but somehow "Happy Good Friday" just seemed inappropriate so I settled on a rather weak and cliche "God bless you and your family today."  It's the best I could come up but I meant it knowing today should be a day of sober reflection for every follower of Christ.

Even the name "Good Friday" is paradoxical.  It's a good day for us but it wasn't so good for him.

But I also find that Jesus' final words carry a bit of paradox that a lot of people can relate to and resonate with.  I know he was fufilling prophesy but it doesn't diminish what I believe Jesus was really feeling in that moment and was honest enough to come right out with it...

Matthew 27:45-46: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Have you ever felt this way?  Ever felt like Almighty God was letting you down?  Ever wondered, "What in the world are You waiting for? Step in and DO SOMETHING!"

I know I have.  But, I love how God in his wonderful grace and mercy has placed things in his Word so human and so raw.  It's not the glossed over Gospel that is often times presented today.  It's real.  It's gritty.  It's to be wrestled with and grappled with.

The Beautiful Paradox of Good Friday and the Final Words of Jesus can be seen in his follow up to this incredible feeling of despair...

Luke 23:44-46:  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The same God who Jesus felt had left him out to dry, was the same God he committed his life to... committed his spirit to... committed his pain to... committed his trust to.

Jesus is our perfect example.  He's the essence of beauty and life.  So...

May you, on this day, even though you feel forsaken and torn and broken and bruised... even by God himself... turn to Him because he's good.  He's loving.  He's faithful.

And He cares for me and you.

A good friend and I were talking yesterday about life and the future.  I've been wrestling with the whole concept of a life of significance and it was just good to have a sounding board.  It's so easy to internalize everything and we're usually not quick to engage others with all that we're processing.

A lot of times, I think our whole concept of significance comes more from our Westernized American culture than a true biblical understanding of worth.  Big is almost always better.  Well-known almost always means respect.

But what if our filter was turned on its ear?  What if contentment and surrender ruled the day?  What if we surrendered our concept of significance and a life of meaning to God?  What if the striving and busyness and hyper-activity gave way to "If the Lord allows me...?"

I love the letter John Piper recently wrote to his church on his blog, Desiring God.  I think his move is a beautiful example of right priorities and definitely worth the read.

So, I'm climbing a mountain this July.  For all the details and a great opportunity to doing something special, please visit www.ClimbForTheKids.org.  As for this post on DNSLNS, I'm gonna rant a little bit about why.

It's not like I set out to climb Mount Rainier.  In fact, it wasn't even my idea.  It was my friend Adam's idea.  We were talking about "bucket list" stuff and he mentioned it.  So I said, "why not do something we want to do and try and make a difference as well?"  And that's how ClimbForTheKids came about.

But deep inside, for me, there's something more.  Here are some reasons (in random order), I'm climbing Mount Rainier:

• Jesus is all about the orphans and suffering and it's time we take those teachings a little more seriously
  
• I want to extend compassion in Jesus' name instead of just playing politics and all the church silliness that's done in His name every week
• Children are important
• Children are close to the heart of God
• I tried saving the world once and it almost cost me my marriage. This time around, I'm just trying to do my part however small it may be
• I think we can do so much more together than we can by ourselves
• I think Josiah would dig that I'm climbing a real mountain
  
• Maria thinks it's hot and Ben thinks it's cool
• My sons inspire me to be more giving
• Jesus never calls us to remove suffering.  He calls us to ease it and get in there with others even especially when it hurts
• The Church should be doing more than the world in extending generosity and compassion to the hurting
• I like the challenge of setting a big goal and working towards it
  
• It gives me a solid reason to get healthy

We've always been a giving family and although not wealthy (by most standards we are extremely wealthy) we've been blessed to give.  But, I find myself giving more and more "smaller" donations believing that our giving coupled with others can make a huge impact.

So, please don't wait until you feel you can write the big check.  Do something... now.  It doesn't have to be ClimbForTheKids (although we'd welcome it) but it does need to be something.  Find what resonates with you and don't ignore it.  It's probably the thing you're supposed to do.

Weeks ago I got an email from my good friend, Big Norm, over in Ireland across the pond.  Basically, it said... I miss DNSLNS and you need to start blogging again... "I know you have it in you," he says.

For whatever reason I've remained silent for months.  Call it busy life... call it lack of energy... call it why-bother-no-one-reads-this-silly-thing-anyway... but here I am and (again) for whatever reason, I felt compelled to come to my keyboard and type.

Tonight, I was lying in bed and was reminded of a song that played in a small youth room in Los Angeles, California.  I was a youth pastor and striving to "make a difference."  I wanted so badly to "reach" people that somehow (and this happens a lot with leaders) I had missed the simple truth that I am loved by God no matter what.

I think it's easy for all of us to lose this incredible concept along the way.  We get caught up in all the "Christian" and "church" stuff which basically translates into what we should and shouldn't be doing.  Anyway, I'm there in our youth room and this song begins to play...

I'm your beloved
Your creation
And you love me just as I am
You have called me chosen
For your people
Not ashamed to call me your own
I am your beloved

A good friend put it on repeat and I remember lying there face down, crying like a baby.  I cried so hard, in fact, I had two black eyes from popping all the little blood vessels around my eyes.  Have you ever cried that hard before?

Even though I grew up in the church, I never fully knew that He loves me no matter how much or how little I accomplished...  No. Matter. What.

Doesn't matter how big the youth group gets.  Doesn't matter if I get on the board.  Doesn't matter if you think I'm a loser.  Doesn't matter if I make it to the top of Mount Rainier.  Doesn't matter if we raise a lot of money.  Doesn't matter.

With many many failures and quite a few successes (BTW, our failures don't ruin our successes), I'm reminded ever so randomly of this amazing truth.  Because for me, all my insecurity and dysfunction comes from straying from the simple fact that in some miraculous way, Almighty God loves me.  No. Matter. What.

And so, here I am, twelve years later and there's a sense of contentment and satisfaction I've never known or experienced.  I don't know all that God does.  I certainly don't know how he does it.  He's more of a mystery to me than ever before.  As matter of fact, I still have a hard time talking and walking with him after losing Josiah.

But you can take this to the bank and you can count on it with your life... He's a good God.  And, He's full of grace.  And, He's patient.  And, He loves me.

And, He loves you too.

No. Matter. What.

I know my blogging is sporadic at best and I still sometime wonder if it's worth it or why even bother.  But, here I am... unfiltered, uncensored and certainly unpolished.

The statement above (the title not the one about sporadic blogging) is so in contrast from the way I lived my life for years.  Most of my life, I was told to "dream a big dream."  Dream a big dream of doing something great... something big... something awesome for God.  And, make sure your dream is bigger than anything you can accomplish on your own or else it's probably not God which is code for you are doing it all in the flesh and without faith and... you get the point.  You've probably heard it too.  Heck... I even preached a couple of these in my day.

And, like most things in life, I'm evaluating everything.  It's just where I am these days and at this point in my journey.  So, I've been thinking about these statements and more importantly these concepts that we throw off on people in the Western church.  And, I've been looking to the Word (there's a novel idea) and comparing this line of thinking to the examples we find in there.

By and large, I don't see this as the line of thinking in the examples the Holy Spirit, in His limitless wisdom, decided to hand down for all generation to benefit.  Most of the men of faith had a measure of contentment rarely seen in church leaders in America.  You don't see the pressured "build it as big as you can, as fast as you can" stressed out, "why isn't this working, so let's try the next thing" frenzy that a lot of church leaders exist in.

I don't see the "big dreams" beginning with man at all.  It's always been initiated by God.

• God comes and taps Noah on the shoulder and somehow this drunkard of a man saves the planet and repopulates the earth.
• God comes to Gideon and his response is, "Certainly, not me."
• God comes and hits Moses up and Moses argues for three chapters why God got it wrong and he's not the guy.
• God chooses mere fisherman who are content at working the family business to launch a global movement.

The only figure I can identify with a lot of ambition and "big dreams" to do "great things" for God is Saul... before God knocked him off his horse and he became Paul.  He was killing Christians in the name of God and in the name of doing "great things" for God.

So, somewhere along the line, we have to stop the madness of it all and stop the frenzy of it all and just walk.  Struggle if need be.  And focus on what's most important.  And if somehow God taps us on the shoulder for something extraordinary then fine.  And if not, that's fine too.

We all have our part to do in raising our families.  Doing the simple work of caring for others.  Loving... truly loving our neighbors.  Being generous and humble.  Expressing devotion to God in simple service.  And, I think in those things, God may just be more pleased than us getting all worked up about fulfilling the "big dreams" and building it as big as we can, as fast as we can.

Some may say, "that's a cop out" but honestly I pity those that still live in that completely unbiblical, stressed out, fear-filled world of Amercian church leadership.

I for one, am living the dream and it may not be big to others but it is big to those closest to me.  And I've never been more content.

Ok... so let's talking giving, or better yet, the "T" word... tithing.  A friend and I are having an ongoing conversation about this issue lately.  It came up when he told me the associate pastor of his church asked him, in front of some other people what "his deal" was.  And by that I mean... asking if his family had been giving cash in the offering because he looked at the tithe records and said there's no way they were tithing regularly.  So, this pastor was asking him... in front of people... what the problem was and why he wasn't giving and it's biblical and what's the deal and blah blah blah.

After I got over my shock at how brazen and stupid this associate pastor was, we began an ongoing dialogue about giving and what it's for and what the Bible says about it.

Some people say tithing (10%) is a requirement.  Others say that's a good target but not required.

What do you say?  Where do you stand on the issue?

It's Tuesday... Let's Talk: Giving

A couple months ago I commented on a post about Philippians on friend’s blog. Here’s the passage that was up for discussion... Paul writes in Philippians 1:12-14:

I want to report to you, friends, that my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect. Instead of being squelched, the Message has actually prospered. All the soldiers here, and everyone else, too, found out that I'm in jail because of this Messiah. That piqued their curiosity, and now they've learned all about him. Not only that, but most of the followers of Jesus here have become far more sure of themselves in the faith than ever, speaking out fearlessly about God, about the Messiah.

“...my imprisonment here has had the opposite of its intended effect.”

It's not what you think but first I want to apologize for missing last week's It's Tuesday... Let's Talk.  Things were a bit crazy but I will say I did enjoy the break from blogging.  But now, I'm glad to be back and really looking forward to interacting with everyone that drops by.

So, here we go... It's Tuesday, Let's Talk... What Would Jesus Wear?  No, we're not talking about modesty either (that might actually be next week's).  We're talking about this...

A church in East Sussex has unveiled a bronze statue dubbed "Jesus in jeans" depicting Christ as a man of the 21st century.  Christ is wearing jeans and a shirt billowing in the wind while his hair and beard are neatly and fashionably trimmed.

Marcus Cornish's sculpture was funded by money left by a member of the congregation who passed away last year.  Father David Buckley unveiled the £35,000 (US$57,000) seven-foot high bronze statue at the Our Lady Immaculate and St Philip Neri Catholic church in Uckfield.

Father Buckley said: "You are always looking for new ways to enrich people in the experience of Christianity and it is good people can be open-minded to appreciate it.  On the continent you often encounter modern representations of Jesus but it is not so common over here. We wanted a figure of Christ not in suffering but dynamic and welcoming.  We felt this design summed up the spirit and activity of Christ perfectly and I think it speaks for itself."

I have my own thoughts which I'll reserve for the comments section.  I don't have any springboard questions.  We just want to hear your intial reactions... go.

via Telegraph UK