How to Go to Church

Going to church is kind of like CPR—if it works there’s no wrong way to do it.  However, there are methods which, if followed, will increase the effectiveness of CPR.  Those who save the most lives with CPR follow a certain procedure.  It’s the same with going to church—those who benefit the most and who have the most influence in the lives of others on Sunday morning approach the event with a great deal of intentionality and purpose.

Here are a few tips to maximize your Sunday morning worship with the body of Christ:

1.    Church starts Saturday night—when you’re asleep.  If you’re still going strong after midnight chances are your time with the church won’t be what it could be if you get a good night’s sleep.  Go to bed!!!

2.       Simple math saves day!  If church starts at 10:45, what time will Johnny have to wake up, shower, eat breakfast, get dressed, get the kids ready, get everyone in the car, make the drive, check the kids into children’s ministry, and ride the shuttle to the club to be there 5 minutes early?  This is not a difficult problem—a few simple calculations can change your life.

3.       Remember—it’s not about you.  The beautiful paradox is that when we make churchnot about us, we receive a greater blessing.  But if we enter into worship with a consumer mentality, and concerned that we get our needs met, we’re missing something.  Often on Sunday morning I see my friend, Richard, just standing in the gym looking around.  I know what he’s up to.  He’s talking to God, asking who it is he needs to connect with, to pray for, to encourage.  Richard enters worship with a heart to serve, not to be served.  Let’s all do that!

4.       Fully engage, and allow others to do the same.  When you walk through the doors, let your thoughts fly to the throne of Christ.  If someone is on the stage, focus and allow yourself to be led by them in worship.

We have precious little time together on Sunday mornings.  Let’s make every minute count.

Brian

Country Music

Preaching Country Music

I was listening to a newer country song the other day that was talking about the voices that the singer hears in his head all the time. Words from his grandfather to not drink too much, Mom telling him to tithe, and other significant people in his past and the advice that they gave him all the time.

So, my question to you is what voices do you hear in your head? It’s all well and great to get nostalgic about things you remember loved ones telling you, but where do those OTHER voices come from? The ones that tell you that you are dumb, an idiot, a screw up? Where do they come from and what do you do with the message of those voices? You really need an answer to those questions in your life, if you intend on being the man you want to be.

Rom. 8:1 tells us that there is no commendation for those who are in Christ. So, the voice of God is never condemning. If you hear a voice telling you how sorry you are, that’s not God. Which leads me to another new country song that I love by Miranda Lambert.

The chorus goes like this:

'Cause I heard Jesus, He drank wine / And I bet we'd get along just fine / He could calm a storm and heal the blind / And I bet He'd understand a heart like mine /

I just love the thought of there not being anything Jesus can’t accomplish and the inner workings of my being aren’t any surprise or problem for Him! He understands. Don’t believe me, just ask Him. Ask Him which of those voices are His and what you need to do about it.

Strength for the Battle to you guys!

Alex

Arrows in Flight

Psalms 127:3-4
Sons are a heritage from the Lord,
children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

Last week Leslie and I turned the page and began another chapter in life.  We are now in the “empty nest” stage of life.  The last two kids moved out in the same week.  In a sense we are excited about what lies ahead.  We expect it to be a time of productivity in our work and a lot more flexibility in our free time.  We expect it to be a “we-haven’t-lost-our-children-we’ve-gained-a-bathroom” kind of experience.  I know there will be a lot of positives in this stage.

At the same time I can’t help but wonder how I’ve done as a dad.  Are they ready?  Can they handle independence?  Will they live unselfishly?  Will they continue to grow in Christ?  Will they be a blessing to those around them?

As I reflect on the past 23 years and 5 months of child-rearing, I know there are things I could have done better as a dad.  But something Jim said in a talk a couple of months ago has given me great comfort and hope—“Prayer trumps bad parenting!”  If there is anything that Leslie and I have done correctly, it is that we have been consistent in praying for and with our kids.  In the past week our intercession for the kids has only intensified.

The arrows are loosed and are in flight.  Will they hit the target?  Not if it all depends on my skills as a parent.  But I am confident that he who began a good work in them will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6).

A Poser, Me.....????

Hey men,
So a few weeks ago, I gave you a story from John Shore about a man posing. Posing, you might have asked, "what is that and how does it pertain to me?” “ I don’t keep my knowledge sources from my son.” Well, posing is just a term for the things we do to cover up our insecurities, doubts, and fears. Oh yes, fears. The original poser? Adam. “I heard your voice and I was afraid” (remember that was right after he didn’t kill the snake in the garden).
So, you think you aren’t scared of anything? I did for years, and if you looked at my life you would have thought maybe not. But the truth was that there were LOTS of situations that I avoided just because I wasn’t sure how they would turn out. Posers (us) usually only fight battles they (we) know they (we) can win, and when they (we) get into one that they (we) are not sure of, they (we) usually do much damage to their (our) heart and the hearts of others around them (us).
Where does it come from? Adam? Our sinful nature? Part of modern religion would like for you to believe that it is our fallen nature and that there is not much you can do about it (you know, the whole man is depraved thing). My experience has been otherwise, though our nature does have something to do with it. Most of our posing has its roots in our getting our heart broken at some point in our life. Unmet expectations or awful actions of our parents, friends, authority figures (all of which are posers too, you know), all have an effect on our hearts and lead us into protective actions and we call that posing. It can go so far and so deep that we think it is our God-given personality. Really??? God would give us something we hate about ourselves? No wonder He gets such a bad rap in this world.
So what does Jesus have to say about this?

I have come to heal the broken hearted
And set the captive free.

When Jesus announced His mission on this earth, that is the scripture he used. Out of all the messianic prophecies He could have chosen, He used that one. Is it true then, can you be whole-hearted? Can you be the man you have always wanted to be? Strong, faithful, loving, respected? Can your wife be grateful for how well you love her? Can your kids be radiant with affirmation etc, etc? You bet.
Well, I’m ready to sign on the dotted line, close the deal, what do I need to do?
It’s pretty easy, actually, it just requires child like faith that God is really for you, that scripture is true, there is no condemnation for those in Christ, and then to take your hearts deep thirst for affirmation to Jesus, instead of other people (or wherever you take it to, that just happens to be one of our biggest fears). To be free of the fear of what others think, now that’s freedom indeed.

Here’s to the Real you!
Alex

You may already be a hero

A couple of weeks ago Leslie and I met an interesting fellow by the name of Doug.  Doug runs a bed and breakfast on the Katy Trail.  He is a very positive and outgoing fellow---super friendly, a great encourager, and someone who places a high value on friendship and living life to the fullest.

Doug shared a story with us about how several years ago he was almost killed on a Dallas freeway.  It was not the way that most people are almost killed on Dallas freeways—he was the random target of freeway sniper!  As he was driving along a hole suddenly appeared in his front windshield, the passenger side window had shattered, and he was covered with blood because of the flying glass.  The sniper’s bullet had entered by the side window and went through the windshield, missing Doug by a fraction of an inch.

Doug said that he had always felt that God had some special plan for him, and after the sniper incident that sense of destiny intensified.  He used to fantasize about what his great purpose would be.  He pictured himself running to the rescue and saving the life of a child, or some similar heroic deed.  Somehow he would be in the right place at the right time and throwing caution to the wind in the face of great danger with only seconds to spare he would save the day.

However, as Doug has grown older and developed a more mature view of life he realizes that heroic deeds and high purposes may be accomplished in very quiet, unassuming ways.  A kind word to a stranger may turn the tide of depression.  A prayer for a friend may be the thing that changes the course of his life.  A small service rendered with a great attitude may become the door of great blessing in another person’s life—and you may never know it.

Our words and actions can have profound influence that we may never see.  The smallest words and actions can have world-changing impact.  Let us speak and act with that in mind.  Who knows?  You may save a life today, and never know it until you stand before Christ and receive your reward.

Brian

Whats Your Poser?

Hey Guys,
I have wanted to post something about our “posing” here for awhile, but it’s really hard to do that without being viewed as judgmental (or BEING judgemental for that matter). Truth be known, we all do it. Oh yea, for those not familiar with the term, posing can be defined as what we offer the world that we think will make others think more highly of us than we do ourselves; at least that’s my definition. If we talk incessantly, spout off our knowledge; control others through manipulation or even violence, you know, all those things we hate about ourselves, and sometimes think we are powerless to change. So, to avoid appearing judgmental, and to further explain what I mean about posing, I’m going to let John Shore relate a story for me. John is a brilliant writer, though he tends to get way out there theologically, he hits some gold mines like this occasionally.

Stayed tuned at the end for some dove hunt info.

From John Shore:
The other day I went to the San Diego Zoo (yay!), because if you can’t stare at animals while they’re wondering what went wrong with their lives, what good are they?

I was standing alone, beholding the Malayan sun bears, when a father and son came up to the rail beside me. The boy was maybe seven; his father, in belted shorts, tucked-in printed T-shirt, and baseball cap, certainly dressed like he was. But whatever. I was there to stare at the animals in the pens.
The boy pointed at the lolling bears, and asked his dad what kind they were.

“That’s the Helarctos malayanus,” the man pronounced. He went on to give a considerable dissertation on what sun bears eat, where they live, how long they live, how much they typically weigh, and how you could tell the males from the females. What luck for me: that guy really knew his bears! Throughout his talk I kept my eyes on the bears, the better to absorb his information.

Toward the end of his Malayan Sun Bears 101, I looked over at the professor. That guy didn’t know anything more about bears than I do. He was reading from the informative placard the good people at the San Diego Zoo put before every animal display, in case the animal’s hiding and you feel like doing a little reading. And he was trying to hide that he was doing that; he was sneaking his looks at the placard. He had actually positioned his body to block the boy from knowing the placard was there at all.

This faux-yogi of bears was trying to trick his kid (and also me, I guess; he wasn’t exactly whispering) into thinking that he just happened to be the world’s leading expert on Malayan sun bears.

Oh, wretched charlatan!

Then again, what man hasn’t done that? That’s what all men do, all the time. It’s like one of the testicles of every man in the world is named Know, and the other Everything. Once those bad boys drop, every guy is instantly committed to the idea of being Fully Knowledgeable about everything.

Oh, wretched burden!

It really does bite Malayan sun bear booty. Men feel that they must be … well, perfect beings, basically—or they fail. Part of the emotional burden men carry is the pervasive, ever-present conviction that being a man means they’re supposed to:

1.Know everything
2.Be like a magnet to women
3.Be in complete control of their emotions
4.Make a ton of money
5.Be exceptionally wise
6.Be naturally athletic
7.Have everything always go exactly as they planned
8.Scoff at physical pain
9.Know all about cars (and machines in general)
10.Be able to talk with animals
(Well, maybe not talk with animals. But I certainly expect dogs to instinctively obey me, and horses to be compelled by the power of my animal magnetism to do my bidding. And if I were honest, I’d have to admit that I would expect any wolf I came across in the wild to right away show its acquiescence to my domination by whimpering and lowering its head. But I don’t expect to chat with gophers or rats about the weather, or anything like that. I’m not stupid.)

Anyway, this drive to be impenetrably perfect is the reason that on average men die four years sooner than women. They die from the stress of having to be someone they can’t possibly be.

Enough, I say! It’s time that we men relieved ourselves in the bushes of having to be right all the time. That God made us in his image doesn’t mean we’re supposed to be just like God. We’re supposed to be like, well, us. Ignorance, incompetence, and all.


How much better would it have been if that father had said to his son, “I have no idea what kind of bears those are. Let’s see what this sign says.”? And then, side-by-side, his arm around his boy’s shoulders, the two of them, together, could have begun to learn.

from Alex again: Is the term posing more clear now?

The Apple doesn't fall far

Greetings from my beach view!
We are taking a few days of vacation after Tatum's National volleyball tournament in Port St. Joe Fl.
I wanted to relate a couple of stories, one from several years ago and one from this tournament that show how powerful your influence as a Dad goes. After ten years of focusing on ministry to men, I still haven't seen any one thing that has a bigger impact of a person's life than their Dad.
The first story happened when i was coaching my girls in softball. We played in an all too typical 9-12 yr old league of screaming parents and coaches, some worse than others. My commitment was that our team was going to learn the fundamentals well and have a good time without all the screaming. One night we played a team that the coach was over the top screaming at his players. In the handshaking line after the game, I calmly told him I didn't appreciate his screaming, at which point he started screaming at me, which I told him was fine, I could handle it better than those girls. All the parents told me afterwards that it was no use, he was like that all the time, and I said, i'm sure he is, no one wants to confront someone like that, so they just keep on screaming.
Did he calm down, yes, it was noticeably better the rest of the year.
So, at Tatum's tournament this past weekend, we were playing a team from Kansas City that NOBODY likes. Well, it didn't take long to figure out why as one of the Dads was standing at the net screaming his head off. Towards the end of the match, i noticed Tatum giving him the stink eye. At the end of the match, Tatum went to him and calmly but firmly told him she did not appreciate him yelling at her friends (evidently he was not restraining his comments to one side of the net), the poser then tried to justify himself but Tatum walked off. His poor daughter came up later to try to apologize for him saying that he yells all the time. Well, according to the team from Omaha that played them the next day, he didn't say a word during their match.
I wish that all the things I have taught my daughters, or like this, that they caught from me, were this positive, but sadly they have caught a few things that are not. I wasn't even trying to teach anyone anything when I confronted that coach, but, I obviously did.
You are too, weather you are trying to or not.
Heres to being the man Jesus wants you to be, may it be passed on down.
Alex

Upcoming:
Band of Brothers, Friday, 6:15 am. Warehouse. Great chance to get to know some great guys better and be prayed for and pray for others.

Labor Day weekend is the start of dove season. Anyone have a line on a good place some guys from New Heights could go? Or a place to fix a field?

Line from movie we watched last night: I hate to know I had a chance to make myself a better person and didn't take it.