Hitting the Wall

God’s love for us is so large…

His grace for us seems inconceivable…

The blessings He has planned for us are incredible!

Until that wonderful day when I surrendered my heart to Jesus, I was unfazed by the vocabulary of evangelical Christians. Simple terms, like ‘grace’ or ‘blessing’, had no greater meaning for me than their dictionary definitions. Certainly, the term ‘mountaintop experience’ was an empty expression I was quick to scoff at or ridicule. How ironic that the moment I accepted Christ as my Savior, God would bless me with one of those mountaintop experiences.

Try to contemplate being lifted so high as to see beyond your imagination! Imagine standing at the pinnacle and seeing the world connected in ways you can barely comprehend. Imagine being at such a height that there were no limits or boundaries. Imagine being at such a dizzying height, but secure, and at peace, and in God’s presence. Until it happened to me, I could not have imagined anything close to that experience.

And yet, it seems that many Christians who are raised up in the faith have not received such an experience. Perhaps it is only those of us who, like Doubting Thomas, require some special intervention. I imagine myself as having been to the mountaintop, but I did not get to stay there. In the here-and-now, I’m right back with all believers: delivered out of bondage by Christ, and now moving ever toward a deeper relationship with God. Though I may be off the mountaintop, I can clearly see the incomprehensible mountain of God’s love, blessings, and grace.

Now, go with this picture of a mountain of grace, and love, and blessings for a moment. It’s easy to move forward toward a more meaningful relationship with God, as long as we keep the mountain in sight.

Satan, however, doesn’t want us to be moving toward God. So, he throws up barriers in front of us to try and stop us or turn us away from God. We may be moving toward God in one moment, and suddenly… BAM… we hit a wall! “Ouch… that hurt!” That’s our natural reaction. Now, since we are right up against it, we cannot see anything but the wall. All we see are the impenetrable stones that have stopped us. We can’t see God’s mountain of grace anymore because there’s a wall in the way; it’s not a very high wall, but it blocks our view. After a while, if we just focus on the wall, Satan will convince us that we are supposed to go no further. Once we give in to that, we might then be convinced that we should even go back to where we first started… it’s an easy and wide path back to where we were.

We all hit walls. Satan is pretty equal opportunity when it comes to stopping us from moving toward God. What walls have you hit? Are you up against a wall right now? One of the most formidable walls that Satan erects is one that just seems temporary. Then Satan comes along and tries to convince you that you are not worthy, since you have lost sight of God.

This is exactly why we need fellowship; why we need to travel through life together as believers in Christ. When a wall of despair is thrown up in front of me, my brothers and sisters in Christ help me over. When I crash into a wall of hopelessness, they lead me around. And when I’m inches away from a wall of sin, they support me with their prayers, they strengthen me with their encouragement, and they carry me right through the barrier as if it wasn’t even there… on their faith. In fellowship, in love, and in Christ, we can all reach the mountaintop… together.

I’ll see you during the climb this week.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave Hoag

Good News Ministry

The other day, I was with some friends, studying the Bible. We had recently completed reading through the Gospel of John, and were starting to delve into the Gospel of Mark. Immediately, right from the first chapter, we were struck by the simplicity and the urgency of Jesus’ ministry.

14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18At once they left their nets and followed him. 19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Mark 1:14-20)

In verse 14, Jesus started his ministry. He didn’t need special training, or a doctorate of divinity from the Sanhedrin Seminary. Equipped ONLY with the good news of God, he went into the world. When he called people to follow him, they too, needed no special training, no degrees, no rituals or prayers to recite, and no release forms to sign. The invitation from Jesus was a simple call: “Come, follow me.” Immediately, at once, and without delay they dropped what they were doing, left family, friends, and community… and followed Jesus.

21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

(Mark 1:21-22)

Teaching in the synagogue was nothing new. There were plenty of teachers willing to give their interpretation of the law. The people were amazed at Jesus’ teaching because he taught from the authority of God’s word; not interpretation, not the laws of the synagogue, and certainly not the laws and traditions imposed by people who were looking to bolster their own importance or position.

29As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31So he went to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33The whole town gathered at the door, 34and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons...

(Mark 1:29-34)

Ever have a fever? A fever pretty much incapacitates you, and you usually don’t know (or care) about what is happening around you. Jesus simply took the hand of Simon’s mother-in-law and helped her up. Immediately, the fever left her and she began to wait on them. Now, you can think: “how chauvinistic,” but you would be wrong. Over and over again, Jesus tried to impress the importance of us becoming servants. Jesus had just healed her, so it is natural to assume that she would want to wait on him, but the Bible clearly shows that she waited on all of them… in receiving the healing power of Christ, she naturally wanted to serve… everyone!

If you live in this world, you are likely to be sick or demon possessed at one time or another. None of us are perfect, and all of us are under constant attack. A cruel word or deed can wound your heart more seriously than a wound you can see. Which of us has not been attacked by the demons of jealousy, pride, addiction, or fear? Which of our friends or family have never sustained such attacks? Mark says that the whole town gathered at the door. Jesus brought the good news, but he never forced it on anyone. As word spread, it took less than a day for the entire town to come to Jesus. I wonder if WE could be bold enough to tell people that they can hear Jesus preach the good news into their hearts. What would it be like to have the whole of OUR town gather at the door to our church?

Notice that Jesus taught in the synagogue, but he healed in the home. Don’t be shy inviting him into YOUR home! Pray that people want to gather at YOUR door… because they know that a new life in Christ awaits them on the other side of the threshold. See you on Sunday… in OUR church home.

Your brother in Christ, Dave Hoag

Olympic Spirit

I love watching the Olympics… from the amazing opening ceremonies, to the thrilling competitions, to the emotional medal ceremonies, all the way through to the closing ceremony with its hope and challenge for the future.

Yet it seems that so many commentators (and many of my friends) have a hard time focusing on anything but the negative aspects of the Olympic Games. Who in the world doesn’t know that the beautiful little girl who sang during the opening was actually lip-syncing for a girl with better pipes… but who was deemed not cute enough? The amazing fireworks… it turns out they were digitally enhanced. So many controversies: the actual age of gymnasts, scoring irregularities, people displaced to make room for a sterile Olympic environment, doping accusations, and so much more. As always, people persist in looking for the splinter in their neighbor’s eye, while ignoring the log in their own eye.

I started off on this Olympic theme because of a comment by my good friend, Monica. She mentioned how Olympic athletes train for competition; specifically how swimmer Michael Phelps eats somewhere in the neighborhood of 12,000 calories per day! That’s 4-6 times what most of us take in on a daily basis. Of course, he burns all of those calories training 5 hours every day, and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve seen what that training can accomplish: 8 Olympic Gold Medals (in just these games). Monica drew the analogy that if we exercise and grow our faith more, we need to be nourished more… spiritually! She graciously suggested that this blog is one opportunity, but there are so many more ways that we can train, and grow, and be strengthened, and… be nourished by the power of God’s Holy Spirit.

Think of all the ways that you might enhance your spiritual training beyond Sunday worship; you could (deep breath):

• Add your voice to the choir;
• Join a prayer group;
• Participate in Bible Study;
• Volunteer your talents;
• Serve on a committee or counsel;
• Pray for someone;
• Give joyfully;
• Turn away from sinful habits;
• Share the Good News with a hurting world;
• Be open to new spiritual growth opportunities.

(I bet you can think of many other ways).

For me, I will continue to train. I will continue to run the race. For me, there is no Olympic medal stand, but for every spiritual victory I will delight in the glory of God. I won’t wrap myself in a flag of some nation… but I will be covered in the love, and forgiveness, and salvation of Jesus Christ.

I’ll see you on the practice field! Your brother in Christ,

Dave

Lessons from a Birthday Boy

Today, my little grandson turned “one”. My wife and daughters could not let the momentous occasion pass without a celebration, so family and friends gathered at our house to celebrate Jeffrey’s very first birthday. I must admit, I had a lot more fun than I thought I would. My wife, Patti, and my daughters, Jennifer (Jeffrey’s mom) and Wendy, did a fantastic job of creating a fun party atmosphere, providing food and drink, and surprising everybody with games that were fun and creative, and where Jeffrey was a part of the game. Everyone participated, and everyone had a great time… especially little Mr. Birthday Boy!

Having a baby in the house is an even bigger upheaval than the earthquake I wrote about last week. LOL! It has also been a very great blessing for me and Patti to be a part of his “growing up”. Surprisingly, babies have a lot to teach us. I know that many people do not have an agent of chaos (a baby) in their home, so… this week my prayer is that I can share with you what my grandson has taught me.

I pray that you let babies teach you…

How to laugh with joy and abandon,
How to delight in each new discovery,
How to love with no restrictions or limits,
How to grow and learn every single day,

And most of all, that you let babies teach you…
How YOU, like tiny babies… are a blessing and a gift from God!

May blessings and love fill your home and surround your family… in Jesus’ name.

Your brother in Christ,

Dave Hoag

Upheaval

This past Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 11:42 am, a magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred on a fault 8 miles below the surface of Chino Hills, California. The epicenter is only 5 miles north of where I live, so the cities of Placentia (where I live), Brea, and Yorba Linda (where the church is) were pretty much at ground zero. The experts say that the Chino Hills earthquake was caused by thrust and sinistral strike-slip faulting. The experts aside, what it felt like was a big hand slamming into the side of the house!

Everything in our house that was on a north or south facing wall, and wasn’t bolted down, went flying. Shelves and cupboards emptied themselves, drawers opened, pictures tilted or fell, and bookcases went down. I don’t know if your bookcases are anything like ours, but our bookcases are pretty full of stuff… er, were pretty full of stuff. When they topple over, they pretty much avalanche down to the floor. Bookcases with doors on them did little to keep the contents from spilling across the room. What a mess! We are still going through it all.

The earth was in upheaval for a few seconds, but our lives have been in upheaval for days. People look at the photographs of the state our house is in and say: “How terrible.” I look at the situation and say: “Look how God has blessed us!”

When the earthquake occurred, my wife Patti was in Fullerton and I was in Irvine. We experienced the quake as a moderate “jolt” or “bump.” My daughter Jennifer, and our grandson Jeffrey (who is not quite a year old) were in the car… running errands. None of us were at home. None of us were injured by flying encyclopedias, toppling bookcases, or breaking glass. Look how God has blessed us!

Sure, cleanup is a chore, but that has proven to be a blessing, too. As we sift through the wreckage on the floor, we comment: “Why had I been holding on to this thing?” Many useless things that were weighing us down, now broken by upheaval, are now more easily cast into the trash. Useful things, once lost at the back of a shelf or cabinet, are rediscovered. On the very top on one pile in my office, I found a $300 airline voucher I thought was lost forever. Look how God has blessed us!

Look at the great heroes of the Bible: often, they were closest to God during the times of greatest upheaval. When God rocks your world, are you looking to Him? Do you curse your misfortune, or do you see the opportunities God is shaking loose for you? “Here I am, Lord! Shake me loose from sin and apathy. Anchor me to the rock of your salvation. Cause an upheaval in my soul that delights in your Holy Spirit. Let me reflect your power, your peace, and your love to a lost and broken world… in Jesus’ name.”

Your brother in Christ, Dave

A Spirit of Power

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

Examine the verse in Second Timothy. What sort of spiritual gifts has God given us? That’s right… a spirit of power, and a spirit of love, and a spirit of a sound mind. Notice that God has NOT given us the spirit of fear. Satan, that great deceiver, encourages and stokes up fear in our lives.

What are some of your fears? Afraid you might look or sound stupid? Are you afraid of being embarrassed? Are you afraid that you might be getting some disease? Are you afraid that grief will crush you? Are you afraid that you are damaged beyond hope of forgiveness because of addiction or sin? Satan uses fear to attack all of us; he would love to see us cower in hopelessness and despair. Did you watch the video with this post? Satan’s big dog of fear looks meaner and really, really REAL, but it has no more bite than my little paper illusion.

I realize that all of us have very real challenges in our lives. Some are bigger than others, but we all have stuff we go through. The bottom line is that GOD gives us the spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Guess what you have to reject to accept fear?!? All you need is a tiny seed of FAITH to grow God’s spirit of power, love and sound mind in your life. Write down the verse (2 Timothy 1:7) and carry it with you… read it… speak it… and believe it. After all, it IS God’s Word.

I once had a friend tell me two things about fear:

Fear knocked at the door, FAITH answered, and there was nobody there.

And:

The acronym for FEAR is: False Evidence Appearing Real.

If you let it, this verse from Second Timothy is like a seed that can grow into so very much more! It can grow to touch your worship, your study, your outreach, your giving, your life, your family, your community, and the world. Do you think God is stingy with what He has given us? How much power do you have faith to use?

Blessings with all the power of God’s spirit of love…

YBIC, Dave

Worship

This week, I’m sharing a chapter from my friend Kim Schweder’s upcoming book: “With All Your Heart, Soul, and Might”. It’s a little longer than most of my recent posts, but it is WELL WORTH the few minutes of extra time.

Does My Cat Know More About Worship Than My Pastor?

by: Kim C. Schweder
Copyright 2008
Joy Factor Productions
All Rights Reserved

Before embarking on a dissertation of worship, I feel compelled to disclose, and perhaps even admit to myself…my name is Kim and I am a cat person! I have been a caretaker of cats off and on since I was a small child. At present, I live with, in addition to my "normal" family, 6 handicapped cats, otherwise referred to as "the girls". Two of my cats, Shadow and Sadie, each have only three legs. Both had been run over by cars. I have another cat, Sarah, who came to me about 20 years ago with a broken tail which created a spinal disorder, which manifested further into a personality disorder requiring regular doses of Prozac (at least according to my neighbor whose German Shepherd had been attacked by Sarah). My fourth cat, Molly, was diagnosed early in life with a heart condition and temporarily adopted by a Veterinarian who treated the problem with a successful open-heart surgery. Maggie, my fifth, was severely abused by her former owner and used as a football. She has one eye, a ruptured vocal chord, an amputated tail and no teeth. Lastly, my sixth cat, (really a step-cat by marriage) Buttercup, was fairly normal until the other five moved into the house. After six months of trying desperately to integrate Buttercup into the herd, the Veterinarian and I, agreed to resort back to a tried and true treatment and place her on, you guessed it, Prozac. With the preceding remarks being said, I fully realize that I may have already lost any hope of credibility with regard to my opinions on the subject of worship, but indeed, this is an important piece of the puzzle.

One warm summer evening as I was driving home, I was replaying in my mind two separate meetings in which I had participated that day. The subject of both meetings centered on the concept of worship and what elements were involved in preparation of a worship service. Clergy of two separate yet mainline protestant denominations attended their respective meetings. Questions were tossed about…"Why do people worship?", "What can be done to encourage others to worship?", and “What elements did we have to provide to motivate others to attend worship”? The committee members along with those clergy present wrestled with these concepts. In both meetings, I had mentally noted an absolute passion to carry out the Great Commission of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, and in sharing that passion; there was an unmistakable love toward those for whom worship was being planned. They were not unhealthy conversations by any stretch of the imagination. All of the questions asked within the two meetings were good questions, questions of concern, and the answers to which were sought as an act of love. Mainline churches have certainly discussed all of these questions for decades if not for centuries.

I was exhausted after going through a day in which two meetings of this sort had taken place. It was late in the evening and I knew that the "normal" members of my family were either upstairs in bed or otherwise involved in some activity. I walked through the front door as I had done hundreds of times. Opened the front door slowly as I knew I could expect not less than three of "the girls" sitting on the rug in the entry way, patiently waiting for my return home, and more specifically, their dinner. I paused briefly as I usually do and whispered in a soft voice "How are my girls doing?", I bent down and gave each a gentle stroke on the head between the ears as each of them leaned into my warm touch. As I set my papers down and walked through to the kitchen, ten legs and eleven eyes followed me, as they knew their evening meal was about to be set out for their dining pleasure. As I do in my typical routine, I grabbed three plates and three cans of food, placed them on the kitchen counter and began to open the cans and empty them onto the plates. By this time, the numbers had grown to 18 legs and 9 eyes (5 cats in my household). With the numeric growth began a chorus of meows as I carried the plates to the laundry room, changed the water and cleaned out the litter pans.

I walked quietly upstairs, greeted my stepson, and asked him about his day. I then quietly walked into the bedroom where my beautiful and patient (I entered the marriage with the five cats!) wife had dozed off while watching television. I got a warm feeling as I looked at her. I walked over to the bed and held her hand and kissed her on the cheek. She awoke briefly to lovingly hear about the joys and frustrations of my day as she briefly told me about hers. As I prepared to take my shower, I noticed she had once again drifted off to sleep.

By now I know there are many of you who think the cats got a better greeting than my wife and kids. I can assure you that as much as I love my animals, my family is loved and appreciated countless times over. I say this only to avoid losing still further credibility on the subject at hand!

With that said, I took a nice long hot shower that seemed to make all the cares of the long day vanish . I finished brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed. As I looked around the dressing room, two of the cats were on the bathroom counter each on their own side of the sink. One was directly behind me awaiting her nightly scratch on the head, one was sitting on the stool at our dressing table, another was sitting in the doorway between the dressing room and the bedroom, and Buttercup in her modified state of being (Prozac) was watching my every move as she peered out from her well protected spot under the corner of the bed. I turned out the lights and headed toward the bed. As I got comfortable, two joined me in bed. A third climbed onto a couch in the bedroom, number four hobbled onto the bed and curled up beside my wife, the fourth climbed up to a spot on the top of a four story cat tree, a fifth laid down on top of a chair by the desk, and then there was Buttercup, who has not yet had enough Prozac to venture beyond her corner beneath the bed. As I glanced around the room, everyone seemed happy and content. I was not sleepy, but just laid in bed realizing my own contentment with life. I have a fantastic family, a loving and caring wife, a deep faith, a purposeful vocation, enjoyable hobbies, and a generally great life.

As I lay there thinking, I started looking around the room and began to smile. The cats, while seemingly happy, were not sleeping. Indeed, they were all close, feeling secure, purring and two just looking in my direction from other sides of the room. The thoughts of my day started to race through my head interrupted at that point only by a notice of the soft vibration of a cat’s purr or an effort to get closer.

I recall the thoughts flowing through my head that these crippled, broken animals really loved me and understood that I loved and cared for them. As cruelly and unfairly as these pets had been treated in their
lifetimes, they somehow knew and trusted completely that I would never set out to hurt them. Their own routine tells me that in the morning shortly after I crawl out of bed, they will be talked to, they will be fed, their water will be changed, and each of them will be talked to and/or given a moment of tender loving care. As each evening they greet me, they know that before I go to sleep, I will again spend a few moments with each of them, talk to them, touch them and take care of them. I believe with all of my heart that they are capable of great love and unconditional trust. Indeed, on some level, my handicapped cats worship me. There is no requirement that they follow me around the house. They are not forced to spend the entire evening within 10 feet of my tired body. They are not tied down in the entryway of my home to greet me in the evening, and they certainly do not enjoy the sight of my stepping out of the evening shower. They are there because from the multitude of choices they have in a fairly large home, their conscious and perhaps sub-conscious desire is to be in my presence.

It was at that moment that the concept of worship became instantly clear. Worship is not something that we "make" to happen; it is something that we allow to happen, or in "church" words, we facilitate. We can have a hundred meetings on the topic of how to increase worship attendance. We can hire the finest musicians, the most charismatic pastors, the most creative children's ministry people, and the most dynamic youth directors. We can do all of these things and more. Any who are leaders for worship can find talented musicians to play and preachers to preach. The world is thankfully full of talented individuals. The key is found not in strategizing all of the elements necessary to entice or require participation from others, but rather in creating a setting and atmosphere that warmly invites others to open their hearts and minds. THAT is when worship is allowed to take place.

The more difficult part of the equation begins and ends with leadership. In most mainline protestant congregations, the pastor carries the responsibility for worship planning. I would like to think that the claim to this responsibility is by choice, but often I find it is by default. "Worship is the Pastor's job" seems to be a common cry particularly among the mainline protestant churches. If it is to be our goal to provide an open worshipful atmosphere that gives worshippers the freedom to openly offer praise and thanksgiving to God, then it is an absolute imperative that those responsible for leadership in this area, particularly clergy, surround themselves not only with individuals gifted in certain areas, but indeed equally imperative that those individuals themselves possess conscious and sub-conscious passion for worship and a sense of urgency to allow others to share in the same joyous experience. In much the same way as the emotionally and physically broken cats follow from room to room, as worship leaders we too must understand that we are spiritually and physically broken and long to be in the presence of our Lord, trust that we are cared for, know with absolute certainty that we are loved, and filled to overflowing with the desire to worship from a sense of sub-conscious instinct and not one of conscious obligation. This core understanding of worship can, I believe, be the fuse that ignites the explosion, which manifests itself in evangelism, contagious enthusiasm, and uncontainable joy. Further than, as reluctant as I am to even place this on the list of benefits, numerical growth.

Can we ensure that individuals within our leadership groups each possess this uncontrollable passion for worship? I would submit that the answer to the question is yes, but only if the passion for worship starts at the top (the pastor or other spiritual leader), continues as an integral part of the interview process for leadership participants as well as employees, and is placed as a cornerstone for all future planning. It is impossible to plan for worship without being grounded in worship and its components of prayer, praise, study and thanksgiving. The Sunday morning worshipers will never rise higher than those central to planning worship. Hence, worship needs to be a central part of the planning process. In order for worship leaders to be the fuse that ignites the explosion, we need to slow down and spend a few moments within the process to practice in the planning what we are expecting to fulfill in the execution. In other words, we need to worship in order to plan worship.

The most challenging and yet exciting fact still remains. There are countless people right in our own back yard who are hungry to be touched, not understanding that they are loved, feeling that they are not cared for, and experiencing an unexplainable emptiness. This is why a passion for the expression of worship is so vitally important in the leadership of planning. If the fuse is properly set, the contagious passion begins to spread not only within the walls of our individual congregations, but far into our local communities and to reaches beyond our wildest imagination. Even more importantly, as passions begin to ignite, we begin to possess and embrace a strong conviction to move from the generally accepted philosophy of "welcoming a stranger into our midst" to an obvious and unmistakable feeling of relating to others the message of "welcome home". The visitor on a Sunday morning is not "crashing" our family picnic, but is rather a member of our family with an open and unconditional invitation.

Does my cat know more about worship than my Pastor? Not really. Does my cat know more about worship than I do? Probably not; but sometimes it takes 22 legs and 11 eyes to help explain things and place them into a proper perspective that helps me to understand that I am a broken sinner, and I have countless reasons to rise up from my brokenness to worship a savior who once died and now lives that I might have passion for worship in this life, and eternal salvation in the next.

Hey… I can hardly wait to join you at worship!

Your brother in Christ, Dave

The Great Commission

What do you think of when talk turns to missionary work? Building houses in Tijuana? Digging latrines in Guatemala? Building a medical facility or school in Africa? Traditionally, Christians use the words of Jesus, when after his resurrection he gave some pretty simple and specific instructions to his disciples:

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:16-20

Ever wonder how you (yes, I mean YOU personally) are supposed to fulfill the Great Commission which Jesus charged us with in Matthew 28:16-20? So many Christians seem content to leave the making of disciples, the baptizing, and the teaching to their pastors and spiritual leaders. But clearly, Jesus did not say to make believers, or members, of all nations… he said to go and make DISCIPLES of all nations. Churches are filled with believers and members, but that begs the tough question: “Is anybody here a disciple?”

Let’s take a sport analogy: baseball. Why, there are literally tens of thousands that pack into the stadium every week to see their team play. They are fans (believers), but certainly not players (disciples). Still… some might be disciples… they learn the laws of the game, they teach them to their children, and they teach their children how to play, and love the game, and be IN the game.

Are we (as Christians) just sitting in the stands (pews)? Do we cheer for the Pastor when he hits a home run with a sermon? Do we vocalize our displeasure with an error to those around us in the stands? Do we grouse about the price of admission? Do we pray that our team will get us to the Finals?

Well, guess what… no matter how much you cheer, no matter how loyal a fan you are, and even if you hold a season pew (ticket), you don’t win the prize unless you are active AND on the field. You don’t really get to be part of the real celebration after the final big win, and eventually… you are escorted out of the stands and told to go away.

The good news, for us as Christians, is that Jesus really wants each and every one of us to be on the team! There is no talent requirement. Once you join the team, God supplies you with all the talent and equipment you’ll ever need for any position He might call you to play. But you need to submit to the team’s rules, you need to show up for practice, you need to step up and be willing to swing for the fences for God. Make no mistake, there will be disappointments, there will be sacrifice, there will be night games and away games, but we are also guaranteed winning the final series… and God’s prize is better than any World Series trophy or ring!

The sad truth for most people is that they never need to decide whether they will play for the Angels or the Devil Rays, because they never want to leave their place in the stands (pew). Come on! God has scouted you, Jesus has a place for you in the lineup, and the Holy Spirit is ready to coach you to your most amazing season ever! I’ll see you at practice.

Your brother in Christ, Dave

Independence Day

God’s blessings on you this 4th of July. Here in the United States of America, we celebrate the Fourth of July as our Independence Day. This is a day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. John Adams had written to his wife Abigail about the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, stating that the day:

“… will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

John Adams’ vision of future Independence Days was pretty accurate… with the exception of “solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.” On this day Americans DO picnic, visit with family and friends, celebrate with parades and fireworks, and remember the freedoms which are guaranteed by our Constitution… the Preamble of which is known to virtually every American… and desperately sought after by people who long to escape tyranny and taste freedom. The words of the Preamble echo through history, and are as powerful today as they were at the formation of our Union:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

With such powerful and profound words, I can only believe that this Country’s founding Fathers were led by God’s Spirit. They recognized that freedom is an inalienable AND God given right of ALL people. God created us as free people, with the freedom to choose… to choose good versus evil, to choose right over wrong, to choose mercy when revenge seems justified, and to choose obedience instead of sin. The trouble is, when sin entered into human existence, it became a merciless tyrant… marching us ever farther from God, and always closer to despair. As Christians, our Independence Day is celebrated as the day Christ died for our sins. His death and resurrection frees us from the tyranny and bondage of sin, so that we are free to follow God… to live in His Spirit, and to live the lives of abundance God has planned for us.

On a slightly different note:

Monica emailed the following “...when is someone else going to join the conversations?” Well, there is always a reason... vacation schedules, kids in summer programs, SoCal sensory overload... take your pick. I do hear from people (when they bump into me at church) that they regularly read the blog, but they don't seem to have time to post comments. I just keep encouraging them to add their voice to the conversation. Monica is a good friend, communicates with me quite a bit, and is faithful in participating in our blog, and yet... a LOT of encouragement has gone into getting her to post HER thoughts on the blog.

I think it is easier for the very young to do this (post comments), as they are already texting pretty much 24/7. Plus, they are comfortable communicating on multiple threads with different groups of people. To them, communication is free and instant and real... not to be structured or constrained. They use text shorthand (which is gr8), emoticons ;- ), and acronyms (IMHO u r my BFF. LOL!). I find young people usually alive with questions... testing the established ways of doing and thinking... hungry to be involved, but finding it difficult to gain real entry or recognition in established hierarchies; be they politics, business, or church. I once heard that it is easier to make an impact on new people, than it is to raise the dead. Hahahaha! I know which group most people consider themselves to be a part of, but I wonder if their pastors would make the same assessment!

You are unique. You have a unique perspective to share. Your voice and your comments are welcome here. Feel free to question, disagree, agree, edify, propose, think, AND draw closer to God's Spirit as you fulfill God's plan for you.

Celebrate your independence in Christ!

Your brother in Christ, Dave

Being Creative in the Spirit

Have you ever written a song, a poem, a prayer, a letter, a story, or anything similar while you were creative in God's Spirit? I know that many of you have. Indeed, some of the previous posts and comments authored by others are overflowing in God's Spirit!

Hopefully, this post will start a long and creative comment thread... of example of your creative efforts while tapping into God's Spirit. Share with a comment how you came alive creatively in the Spirit. Share how you felt. Share the result (poem, story, song, etc.) in a comment. We are all family here, so there's no need to be shy, so go ahead... share.

Here is a song I wrote to include in my annual Christmas card in 2001. I print and fold 500 cards, and then give them out (personally, by hand) to family, friends, co-workers, and my Messiah family at most of the services on Christmas. This song only took me about an hour to write. Sometimes the Holy Spirit just lays things almost fully formed on my heart. I almost feel like I just have to transpose it. Praise God!

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They Call The Child Messiah

(to the tune of “They Call The Wind Mariah”)


Messiah… Messiah…
They call the child Messiah.

On a cold and starry night
One star shone bright as fire,
Three wise men came and each brought gifts
For the child they call Messiah.

A baby born to be like us,
To feel each base desire.
Temptation had no hold on Him
On the child they call Messiah.

Messiah… Messiah…
They call the child Messiah.

To touch his cloak or see his face
Shook you to your soul.
When his eyes turned to gaze at you
You had faith to be made whole.

Ten outcast men cried out his name,
Diseased and surely dying.
All were healed, but just one returned
With praise to God, and crying…

Messiah… Messiah…
He called the man Messiah.

To pay our debt, he sacrificed
Himself to set us free.
He kept his word, and rose again
And will walk with you and me.

So now you know you’re not alone,
But you don’t know where to start.
It’s not too hard to feel his touch,
Simply open up your heart.

Messiah… Messiah…
Just call out to Messiah.

Messiah… Messiah…
Such great love for me… Messiah.

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Your brother in Christ, Dave