Lopsided Christmas Trees

The tree is lopsided this year. Despite my best efforts, it either leans, or the star bends one way or the other, and don't get me started on the ornaments. There are broken ornaments, ornaments that look like they came from garage sales or thrift stores, and even a few home-made ornaments. Some parts of the tree have two or three ornaments on a branch while other parts are as bare as Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. But what do you expect when you have four children age 10 and under that try to help decorate? Add to that two cats (one who thinks the branches are chew toys and the other who likes to use the upper boughs as her personal sleeping space). The tree has been nearly knocked over once, re-decorated twice and re-arranged more times than you will hear "White Christmas" on the Christmas music only radio station. Still, it's lopsided.

Yet, to my children, it is the most wonderful thing in the living room. When they see it, their eyes light up brighter than the tangled strands that adorn the limbs. It is their tree, and it is in their living room. And that makes it special to them. They can't see that it's lopsided.

I imagine God looks at us the same way. We have parts that are broken. We have areas of our lives that we try to cover up with superficial decorations while other areas remain unattended and bare. We are lopsided. Yet God sees us differently. We are His people; the objects of His affections. We are special to Him. It's not that He can't see we're lopsided, He chooses not to. That's why Christ came into the world... to set the lopsided things of this world straight.

So to all my lopsided friends out there, from one lopsided tree to another, I wish you a Merry Christmas!

The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittister

In The Liturgical Year, Joan Chittister explores the liturgy of the Catholic and more orthodox faiths. She begins by explaining what the liturgical year is and that it's purpose "is to bring to life in us and around us, little by little, one layer of insight after another until we grow to full stature in the spiritual life." She then moves into more specifics, like advent (the beginning of the liturgical year), and Christmas, and Lent, then Easter followed by the Saints days and Marian feasts. Not only does she describe the symbolism of each, but also what the spiritual implication is to the believer who observes them.

I picked up this book from a purely educational standpoint. I am not a Catholic and their practices have always seemed mysterious to me. Overall, I enjoyed the book. I greatly appreciated the emphasis on Christ's redemptive work on the cross that is weaved throughout the yearly observances. The chapters dealing with advent and Christmas helped me appreciate even more the Christmas season and the "coming" of Jesus. I did find the chapters on the Saint days and Marian observances a little at odds with my protestant beliefs, yet they were historically enlightening. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to walk closer with Jesus on a daily basis or for anyone trying to understand what their Catholic friends are doing.

What Will You Give Jesus?

It must have been a long journey. Twenty-four months on camel back eating dust and sand. Two years following a star that pointed out not just the birth of a king, but the birth of THE King. Now these wise men, these magi, have arrived in the sleepy little town of Bethlehem. I wonder if they were taken aback by the humble surroundings. Were they dumbstruck by the fact that royalty did not dwell in the Herodian Palace, but in what was most likely a two room flat in an unimportant town? I bet they asked themselves, "Is this the right place?" Nevertheless they proceeded to the appointed destination.

Now put yourself in Mary's shoes. A caravan of perfect strangers arrive at your house asking if this where the King of the Jews live? That must have been an amazing conversation.

In the most humble of dwellings, a King receives His court. The king is a toddler and the court is a group of complete strangers from thousands of miles away. God loves to work through contradictions, and Jesus came to point out that God shows up in the most unlikely of places

But notice the wise men are truly wise, for they do not let doubt arrest their worship. They not only worship the God-child, they unveil the gifts they brought to Him. Expensive gifts. Thoughtful gifts. Gifts that not only proclaimed His royalty, but foretold His death. These were not only gifts of sacrifice, but gifts of worship.

As the Christmas season approaches, I have been consumed with what gifts to give to family and friends. After having a year of moving expenses, picking up two car payments, and going from two sources of income to one, I have been preoccupied with the fact that this Christmas may not be as nice as previous ones. But as I prepare my sermon this week God is pricking my heart. I have been convicted by the fact that my focus is on the wrong things. It's not about what I give, but about what God gave and continues to give. I've been reminded that most of those moving expenses were paid for by a loving congregation, that my job with it's benefits of parsonage and utilities pays nearly as much as the previous two incomes did. That while I have two car payments, I have one less college loan payment. God has given me so much this year, not to mention the bottomless well of grace that I drink from everyday.

So while the gifts under the tree may not be as numerous or expensive, my focus is elsewhere. It's on what can I give Jesus this year. He gives me so much, I feel compelled to give to Him. Not to earn grace, but because of my love for Him. What can I give Jesus? I can give Him the same things the Wise Men gave Him... worship and sacrifice. Worship as my God and Savior and sacrifice in the form of not living for me but living for Him.

I sacrifice my desires to His will.
I sacrifice my dreams to His plans.
I sacrifice my self-reliance to His care.
I sacrifice my family to His upbringing.

Now, what will you give Jesus this year?

A Testimony

Have you ever encountered someone whose life has radically changed because of Jesus? You know, the type of person that was totally lost before Jesus.

The pusher turned pastor.
The murderer turned minister.
The abuser turned anointed.
The sinner turned saint.

I can remember growing up in church an hearing about how someone was able to conquer the demons in their life because of Jesus. In Bible College I met many people who did not come to Christ until their adult years, including one guy who dabbled in things like the occult and satan-worship. When I heard their testimonies, and how real God was to them at the moment of their salvation and I saw how God was using them, there was a part of me that got jealous.

That's right; jealous. I used to feel that I had no testimony of my own. In my opinion there was no major life change that had occurred. I grew up in a Christian family with a strong Christian heritage. Everywhere I looked there were examples of faith in my grandparents and parents lives and examples of God's grace as they raised me to the best of their abilities. Going to church wasn't an option, it was a requirement when I was growing up. Dad was a deacon/sunday school teacher/ board member/ interim preacher while mom was a sunday school teacher/VBS worker/volunteer. Both were incredible examples to my sister and I. Not because they were perfect, but because they lived what they believed. What I saw in them on Sundays I saw on Mondays-Saturdays. It's no wonder that they raised a son to be a preacher and a daughter to be a missionary.

But this upbringing, in my younger mind, was no earth-shattering testimony. I used to think that growing up in a Christian family and carrying on that tradition was nothing to brag about. There are no surprises in that story. No life-altering, heart-moving moments. No one would shed a tear at that kind of testimony.

However, over the last several years I have started to come to grips with something. My grandparents' testimony was a life that was sincere and integral enough to produce God-honoring children. My parents' testimony is the same. As I have grappled with this idea, I have recognized that my witness, my testimony, my gift to God must be my children. This is difficult as I realize what this may entail. I have watched as my parents pray and support a daughter in Muslim Africa. I have heard the concern in their voices when their preacher son struggled to make ends meet because the small churches he served could not afford to pay much. I have seen them lay their Isaacs on the altar of God and give them to Him, and to be honest, the prospect of doing that with my children scares me.

But, I am my mother's testimony. I am my father's testimony. More importantly, I am God's testimony to the world that a life lived for God, no matter how "mundane" is a light that shines in darkness. If I am to stay true to my call, to my heritage, I must trust God not only with finances and choices and relationships, but with my most cherished possession, my children. I want my children to be God's testimony. To reflect their Father in heaven. That will be my testimony.

I Once Was Blind...

Yesterday my wife had a PTO meeting to attend, which gave me the rare opportunity to watch whatever I wanted on TV while she was gone, so like most red-blooded American males the clicker clicked and ESPN tuned in. The show was E60, a sports news magazine that covers some of the more personal interest stories in sports.

One story, titled "Blindside" was about High School freshman Charlie Wilks (see the video @ http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4642733 ) who, because of a brain tumor, lost his sight at the age of five. It was an inspiring story of how a kid would stop at nothing to pursue his dream of playing football. His grandfather was an offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs and played in the first Superbowl. The story covered all the obstacles and objections that Charlie had to overcome just to play football.

I couldn't help but be moved by this young man's story. There were so many lessons to take from it, like when a teammate admits that Charlie's example makes him try harder. There's also the lessons of hard work and determination. But, by far, the most thought-provoking of the entire segment was when Charlie stated his biggest fear. It wasn't getting hurt. It wasn't not making the team. His biggest fear? Getting his sight back.

You heard me right. There's no need to re-read, and if you don't believe it, hear it in his own words by watching it yourself. Charlie Willks biggest fear is getting his sight back. Why? Because he, like many blind people, envisions the world to be a perfect looking place, and he doesn't want to lose what his mind's eye perceives the world to be.

There are so many things to take from this. I could talk of this young man's maturity as he learns to not only accept his condition, but chooses to thrive in spite of it. But as I mulled his words over, I couldn't help but wonder about the spiritually blind. Could it be that the real reason that some chafe whenever they hear the gospel is because it threatens their perception of reality? They feel their little world is perfect, and Jesus' call would shatter that world. His light of holiness would expose their flawed lives and sin-filthy souls, so rather than be cleansed and perfected, they choose ignorance and blindness.

Maybe some of you remember that dark existence. You might even remember the trepidation you first felt when the good news of the Gospel began to challenge your fictitious, perfect lives. But now you see. You see that the world is flawed, but you also see the danger before you are upon it. Remember your darkness when you proclaim sight to the blinded. Recall why they are fearful, and encourage them that Jesus wants to give them sight so that they can see the truth, and as Jesus said, "the truth shall set you free."

If I could speak to Charlie, I would tell him how amazed I am at his abilities, how impressed I am by his spirit and determination. But I would also tell him not to fear sight, for although the world is imperfect and ugly at times, the beauty of God's creation overwhelms the imperfections, and the same can be said of our re-created souls.

Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World

Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World is a refreshing, practical look at end-times prophecies. Dr. David Jeremiah looks at several passages, that at first glance may appear all doom and gloom, and mines out of them a message of hope and a call to return to practical Christian living. Admittedly, I was reluctant to pick up the book, because most books that deal with prophecy involve themselves so deeply in trying to "predict" the end of time, that they forget the point of the prophecy. Dr. Jeremiah does just the opposite as he outlines ten specific actions we can "stay" involved in, while anticipating Christ's imminent return.

The positives of this book are it's practicality to everyday life and the real-to-life illustrations woven throughout the teachings. It made the points easy to understand and easy to apply. The only negative was that I found this book simplifying truths to the point of redundancy. Some chapters that took twenty-plus pages could easily have said the same message in less than ten pages. This made the book, at times, a difficult read as you mulled, "didn't I just read this point." Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with their faith in the midst of troubling times.

What I Learned in Louisville

For those of you who don't know, last week I went to the Leadership Conference at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. This was their first conference in five years, and it was worth the wait. I've been to their conferences twice before, and one thing that impressed me then continued to impress me this year and that is ANY size church can benefit from the principles that Southeast is committed to and has built upon. Not once did I ever get the impression that I was a small fish in a big pond or that "well, yeah, of course you can do that, you have an army of volunteers" feeling. The stress was always on the principles of a healthy, Biblical Church. I just wanted to share a few reflections, or lessons, from my experience.

LESSON 1: It's not the size of your congregation, it's the size of your God that matters. If we believe that God is all-powerful and can do anything, then we must believe that He wants His Church to prosper and that He can enable it to succeed. I am not saying that every church must be 18,000 members in order to be considered faithful. That is a ridiculous assumption. Take the congregation I serve as an example. There is not a population base nearly large enough to warrant that size of a congregation. I don't think there are 18,000 people in a 10 mile radius of where I sit right now! However, I believe God wants us to grow and reach people with the Gospel, and if we believe in His power, we must put faith into action and try some things that stretch our faith and will fail if God is not in it with us.

LESSON 2: God cares about lost people, and so must we. Every community, large or small, has people who are outside of Christ. When's the last time you wept for them? I'll admit, until this month as I prepared a series of sermons on God's prodigal prophet, Jonah, it had been a long time since my heart was broken for the lost. All too often we make excuses, "what can I do?", "I might offend someone," "evangelism is not my gift," "isn't that the preacher's job?" I'm so glad Jesus didn't make excuses. Imagine if He told God, "I might offend some people, and it will hurt, and death just isn't my gift, especially death on a cross, and it's not my problem anyway, I didn't sin." God has a passion for the lost, and that passion must be translated through us into our communities as we meet needs and proclaim Jesus.

LESSON 3: Everything we do should be done as an act of worship to God. As I mentioned before, this was my third trip to Southeast. I have also had the privilege of attending their worship services there occasionally, and for a brief period of time my sister called this congregation home. I have yet to see any church more committed to excellence than Southeast. Whether it is their music, videos, teaching, preaching, greeting visitors, childcare or simple building maintenance, Southeast is committed to doing everything with excellence. Why? Some say it's a show. Others say it's all to get numbers. But when you talk to the leadership, the real reason is because they love God and want to give Him the best they can humanly offer. In other words, it's about worshiping God. I challenge you to approach every task as an act of worship. Meeting a deadline is being obedient to your boss, a principle found in scripture. Do it, not because you might get fired, but because you love God and desire to obey God. Not only will you meet the deadline, but you will do better work. This principle applies to everything, from family to financial to free time, everything can be an act of worship to God and thus it deserves your best effort. When this principle is applied and practiced in our churches it results in a congregation that not only works together, but worships together, and that unity attracts people to the God we worship.

LESSON 4: It's God's Church. If there was any one thing that struck me more than anything else, it was the humility of the elders and lead ministers. Not one of them had the attitude of, "That's the Southeast way!" or "Look what we've accomplished." Rather, they were humbled that God had used them to help build what is now the largest church in our brotherhood and one of the largest in the world. They all gave credit to God, and continually mentioned how they always sought God's will above their own in each and every situation. God honors such humility, and we would do well to remember that the Church is God's. Our opinions should take a backseat to what Christ desires for His bride. Jesus once said, "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few." More than once I have heard of or even experienced the damage that can be done when the "vocal minority" forces their agenda above God's in a small church. Let's not play politics and give to God what is rightfully His to begin with.

LESSON 5: Truth matters. It's human nature to second-guess success. When an athlete has a better-than average year we wonder if he's using steroids. When somebody strikes it rich on a business deal we assume they had insider information. Even long and sustained success brings out the inner skeptic as we question business practices and integrity. Unfortunately the same is true of churches. We see a large church and are tempted to assume they have compromised on some Biblical truth. It was refreshing to see such a large church that had so many "traditional" elements. Many of our churches have done away with the invitation at the end of the service. "We address those issues in small groups, etc." is the explanation given. Not at Southeast. They still believe in the power of preaching, and offer an invitation. Some of our brotherhood churches have adopted the denominational practice of having "baptismal services." Now in a church plant or building where a baptistry is not readily available, this is understandable. But Southeast believes in having baptisms as part of their worship service. Not only is it an act of obedient worship, but it becomes a teaching moment for all who are in attendance. I was privileged enough to witness 6 new births into Christ. Southeast's commitment to truth stands as a testament that truth does not need to be compromised in order to achieve growth.

These are just a few things I picked up while in Louisville. I already find myself looking forward to next year!

Some more pics from my trip are below.







The Main Worship Auditorium, seats 10,000+













Exterior of the Worship Center, all 7 stories













One side of the Student (High School) Center, aka "the Block"












The other side of "the Block." Seats 1,000+