"Put your hands up"

When you see a deer you see Bambi
And I see antlers up on the wall
When you see a lake you think picnic
And I see a large mouth up under that log
You're probably thinking that you're going to change me
In some ways well maybe you might
Scrub me down, dress me up but remember no matter what
I'm still a guy When you see a priceless French painting
I see a drunk, naked girl
You think that riding a wild bull sounds crazy
And I'd like to give it a whirl
Well love makes a man do some things he ain't proud of
And in a weak moment I might walk your sissy dog, hold your purse at the mall
But remember, I'm still a guy
I'll pour out my heart Hold your hand in the car
Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around knock some jerk to the ground'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by
I can hear you now talking to your friends
Saying, "Yeah girls he's come a long way"From dragging his knuckles and carrying a club
And building a fire in a cave
But when you say a backrub means only a backrub
Then you swat my hand when I try
Well, what can I say at the end of the day Honey, I'm still a guy
I'll pour out my heart Hold your hand in the car Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around knock some jerk to the ground'
Cause he copped a feel as you walked by
These days there's dudes getting facials Manicured, waxed and botoxed
With deep spray-on tans and creamy lotiony hands
You can't grip a tacklebox
With all of these men lining up to get neutered
Getting out of being feminized. I don't highlight my hair
I've still got a pair, Yeah honey, I'm still a guy, Oh my eyebrows ain't plucked
There's a gun in my truck Oh thank God,
I'm still a guy

-Brad Paisley-

-Warning Label-
I in no way am responsible for the catchy lyrics and sweet rhymes

arithmetic leave it in the calculator

So something happens when we start to follow Christ. Something deep down, and for goodness sake, on the surface happens, we start to work. I'm not talking Philippians 2, "working out your faith with fear and trembling", I am talking about this idea of adding and subtracting that we do.

We have this idea that we have to add and add and add in order to please something that is just dying for us to mess up. The same idea in subtraction, we put following Christ as a lists of things to add and things to subtract.

Simply put, it is not the case, Christians want so bad to for grace not to be free. With every ounce of added rules and quick fixes for any issues. Grace is free, now we have to understand what that really means. Does that mean that you grab your number when you walk into the DMV. No by no means is that grace, when a person responds to Gods calling and repents of their sin grace covers their sin. Plain and simple. You don't add these things and then subtract these things to kneel before God free of trespasses.

Reading scripture and praying are things we do because the grace that has covered and changed us is so beautiful and Yahweh who gives it is so glorious. We run from sin, because why would we willingly offend and turn our faces to another. Anything that is added or subtracted is not to gain acceptance it is because of acceptance. We are to love Christ through all things, we have been accepted by our loving Father and we strive to be like him.

Love Christ with all you have, love him above all things.

"oops I did it again...."

So mucho hora has passed since the last (newly updated post) haha, well it was newly updated when I did it. Things are well we travel a lot to different places, but it has been a blessing and something we are excited to do. I graduated from Seminary and Abby finished her 3rd year of teaching.

We went on a cruise we had been planning for almost 2 years, and we are under 30 days until we move to Fargo. big stuff, periodically I will update personal things on here but this blog will be for thoughts and reflections and also Church planting things. Abby is keeping up with a great blog, http://johnandabby.wordpress.com/ , that will do more with personally whats going on with us.

Save her blog she is in the beginning stages of it but as we all know she is flippin brilliant... More later.

Community

We don't get to tell people much about Sojourn, this is the name for the community of believers that meet at 930 Mary Street, L'ville. WOW, it is such a blessing to join such a great community of Believers in worship. Check out their website see what they are all about.

On Wednesday night Abby and I had the pleasure of getting to gether with the pastor to talk about membership and Church planting. We were very excited to meet with him because he invited us to come and talk to him about membership and Church planting. (Side not we just finished their Gospel classes (membership classes 6 weeks 2 hours each, it was fantastic)), so the next step is a membership interview. I can't tell you how encouraging he was and how he paved the way for us to get some great training before we leave for Fargo. Thanks Daniel and Sojourn for everything you are doing for us and we look forward to getting more involved.

Side note

April 7-9th we have our NAMB interview in ATL we will let you know how it goes.

The Gospel of Best Practices

I know someone out there has already thought of this and has written something incredibly profound and copyrighted, of course. I went to a conference the other day where the speaker said that "best practices are the most important things".

Now first off we need not mention how "best practices" are pretty fluid, what might "work in one place with a specific people group, might not work with another in another place. I know I know how crazy does that sound.

Best practices are not the drive force and do not dictate what we do. What works is not the most important thing that drives the mission. Biblical Faithfulness and cultural relavence are driving forces. Biblical faithfulness is unchanging, there are not people groups and cultures that change this fact. We Hold to the scriptures as if there is no tomorrow, or better yet as if there is. Now this doesnt mean that we hold ourselves up in the corner and forget about the people groups to which we are to minister to. We study the people groups and express the Gospel in an understnadbale way taking into account, language, tradition, road blocks among other considerations but a best practice from some someone somewhere is not the Gospel that we hold to.

So where do "Best practices" fit. They belong to the people that have studied the people they are ministering to. They can find a method that works well but all the while undersntad that it might working with this person or thee people but it is not a blanket "thus saith the Lord" on how everyone should minister. Find a way to express the Gospel in a Biblically faithful and culturally understadable way.

So when we go to Fargo "best practices" or the "what works" of the 80's 90's and even since the turn of the millenium are not going to drive the mission. The way that we minister to one people group there could and will look different from that of the other groups.

Will you partner with us on this mission?

Take one down and pass it around!!!

This is the cover letter we created to pass along to people letting them know about what the Lord is doing and ways to partner with us in this mission. If you or anyone you know are interested please pass this along for people to check out.

Roll ON!!!

No not the deodorant.

So This blog has been on the back burner for a while huh.

Quick update
Abby and I live in Louisville, she teaches 1st grade and is working on her MATS at Southern. I am in my last semester, working at Jersey mikes subs and a research assistant to Ed Stetzer. We go to one of the most amazing Churches, Sojourn Community Church.

Abby and I have finished the application for NAMB and we are being interviewed on March 24th.

The big news is we have sent out our Support packets Round 1. There are many coming your way. 60hrs and 4-5 a pop we finished them and did Abby ever do a great job.

Some of you should be receiving them today or tomorrow and we are pumped to talk to you about them. This blog is back so check back int he coming days there will be much more to come..

Is this true?

Teenagers views on Eternity
Is this true?

What about you guys???

This is a great website Lifeway research.

You should spend some time on this site!!!

PODCASTS You should be listening to...

These are the podcasts that I have on my iTunes library. I listen to these all the time. Listen to these guys, turn off the music sometime and listen to something that will bless your soull . (Yes Christian music is good but seriously the same lyrics over and over don't hold a hat to Biblical teaching or conversation.) If there is a 1 means listen to it, it's the jam. I would love to hear what you guys have to say about these in the future.

I have them divided into 1. Church planting, Church, Culture, these are the ones that I find interesting about Cultural issues, Church and Church planting stuff. Preaching it different places I listen to good Biblical preaching. Finances are something that I take and interest in I am hard core about staying out of debt and glorifying God through giving and building for the future. Lastly are the weirdos, these are the crazies I listen to to keep up with what the other side is saying.

I am going to break these down by topic and here is the key.

(1). Listen to this one and don't miss a one

(2). Listen to this when I get a chance but really enjoy what it says

(3). Listen to this when I am doing research

(4). I pick and choose who I want to listen to from this one.





Church Planting, Church, Culture stuff

1. Acts 29 Network Podcast: http://www.acts29network.org/mediafiles/sermons.xml This podcast are the sermons and lectures fromt he acts 29 events which include thier Church planting boot camps and general conferences.(1)

2. Dallas Theological Seminary Dialogues: http://www.dts.edu/feeds/dialogue/ Dallas Theological Seminary does this every once in a while and they cover different hot topics in culture, very thoughful and interesting. (3)

3. Inside Lifeway: http://feeds.feedburner.com/InsideLifeway Lifeway is up to some really cool things in culture and research. This is surprisingly interesting. (1)

4. Ravi Zacharias International Ministry: http://www.rzim.org/includes/rss/jtPodcastRSS.php Ravi is an incredibly good thinker, a great philosopher, and wonderful to listen to. (2)

5. North American Missions: http://feeds.feedburner.com/NamWeeklyPodcast Dr. J.D. Payne, my church planting prof at Southern, does this on Church planting Issues in North America, does a great job and is worth the listen. (1)

6. North American Mission Board: http://www.namb.net/cpgpodcast This is NAMB, North American Mission Board, podcast it is good kind of outdated but useful to understand Church planting. Worth the listen definetly.. (4)

7. Renewing your Mind Podcast: http://broadcast.ligonier.org/podcast/podcast.xml R.C. Sproul is a great thinker and theologian. Sproul has been doing this for years and there is a treasure chest of things to listen to here. (1)

8. The Albert Mohler Program: http://albertmohler.com/rss/podcast.php Al Mohler is the president of Southern Seminary (the one I go to) he does a fabulous job interacting with culture from a Biblical worldview. I never miss one of these, great place to hear about current issues and how to think Biblically about them. (1)

Preaching Podcasts sermons etc...

1. Capitol Hill Baptist Church: http://www.chbcaudio.org/?feed=rss2 This is the sunday sermons and also the special events that Mark Dever and his staff do at CHBC in Washington D.C. I love this Church and never miss one of these. (1)

2. Song of Solomon: http://dbcmedia.org/podcasts/love_song_podcast.xml Tommy Nelson Podcast on Song of solomon, this is a world known study that he has done, great resource for anyone. (3)

3. Desiring God Radio: http://podcast.oneplace.com/dg/9999999.xml John Piper is one of the most influential people in my life. I read lots of his stuff and I don't go a week without listening to this. Piper preached through Romans for 8 years just finished this past January. This is the Web Radio Show of his sermons, Desiring God (his ministry) takes his sermons and cuts them up into 15 or so minute bites and puts them out there. There are interviews commentary etc here as well. USE THIS!!! (1)

4. Desiring God Sermon Audio: http://desiringgodorg/feeds.sermonAudio/ Bethlehem Baptist Church; This is updated week to week and is the up to date with the sermons that John Piper is preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church. I don't miss this ever!!(1)

5. Mars Hill Church: http://rss.marshillchurch.org/mhcsermonaudio Mark Driscoll is another great influence in my life, I love the stuff he does and really he is one of the best out there in thinking, preaching, cultural interaction I never miss it. (1)

6. Paul Washer sermons: http://www.sermonaudio.com/rss_search.asp?speakeronly=true&keyword=Paul+Washer Paul Washer tells it like it is. Great guy to listen to you should listen to him. His preaching is incredibly convicting. (2)

7. Resurgence Podcast: http://theresurgence.com/podcast/feed/itunes I never, I repeat never miss what is on this podcast. Mark Driscoll oversees this ministry and it is spectacular. Things about culture, theology, scriptrue, family. There are youg guys, older guys all across the board but very missional and very conservative. (1)

Seminary/University Podcast

1. Southeastern Seminary: http://www.sebts.edu/chapel/chapelPodcast.xml Great seminary and there are some great sermons hear. (4)

2. Southwestern Seminary: http://www.swbts.edu/audioswbtspod.xml Refer to the previous (4)

3. Southern Seminary Podcast: http://www.sbts.edu/rss/chapel.xml Refer to the ones above but the difference is this is my seminary so there you go. (1)

4. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary: http://www.nobts.edu/chapel/podcast/ New Orleans Seminary Chapel Podcast is good, I listen to it when there is someone good preaching, depends on who is doing it. (4)

5. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: http://www.mbts.edu/audio/podcast.xml(4)

6. Dallas Theological Seminary: http://www.dts.edu/feeds/chapel Theologically this school and I have some differing views but it has some good stuff on it. I pick and choose who I listen to on here, no just anyone. (4)

7. Union University Podcast: http://www.uu.edu/audio/podcasts/chapels.xml Really good stuff on this, they have some good speakers and they have some good conferences as well. (4)


Finances

1. Crown Financial Ministry: http://crown.org/radio/podcast/programs/moneymatters.xml Crown has been huge in my life and Christians is regards to using your finances to glorify God. Intensely practical more so about what God has to say about money. USE THIS!!!! (1)

2. The Dave Ramsey Show: http://www.daveramsey.com/media/audio/podcast/podcast.xml Another great place for financial advice, a little more secular but still Dave is a Christian. There is a wealth of things here, listen to it and avoid debt and using your money to consume and instead of glorifying God. (1)



Weirdos...

1. Emergent Podcast: http://www.emergentvillage.com/podcasts/emergentpodcast.xml I have to say I DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE PEOPLE THEOLOGICALLY AND MANY WAYS PRACTICALLY. I like to keep up with what the otherside is saying and doing so I can know how to talk about it. (3)

2. Doug Pagitt Podcast: http://rss.mac.com/pagitt/iWeb/pagitt%20PodCast/rss.xml Refer to the disclaimer and explanation above. (4)

3. Relevant Podcast http://www.relevantmagazine.com/beta/podcasts/relevant.xml Really funny people on this one. There is some good stuff but overall it is an entertaining podcast. (1)

4. Tony Campolo Podcast: http://www.tonycampolo.org/podcast.tonycampolo_podcast.xml Dude, is crazy but good to listen to the other side. Remember the weirdos I don't agree with on most everything but they are good to listen to. (3)

5. Catalyst Podcast: http://catalyst.libsyn.com/rss This podcast is the Catalyst organization they do stuff on leadership and are affiliated with John Maxwells group. Theologically there are issues with these guys but they are great to understand what all these different leaders think and do the very good and the very bad. (2)

Misc Podcast soon to come.

Sick?

Today I had a heated discussion with someone about strip clubs, and I made the comment that those going there are "SICK." Not sick in the sense of making sexual sin a disease, but in the sense of the perverseness of it. I was disagreed with(this person usually disagrees with everying I say, but that's beside the point). He made the point that all of our nation's military, or at least a huge percentage of it, that this is their bread and butter. I said, "they're sick." Well, the rest of the details are frivolous, so I want to tell why it is "SICK".

When you have royally screwed up, which feels better, when someone says "ahh you can do better next time", or "you screwed up, keep on pluggin"? Well, stupid question, but humor me. Of Course, the first one feels so much better. While both are expressing something was done wrong and both exhort the person to keep on troddin', secular "psycho-babble" has told us to not say the way things are. Instead of saying you lost, we say betterluck next time, or instead of saying you are sinning, we say that there are character issues. We make things sound so much nicer rather than the reality of the situation.

How many times have we said "I am struggling", or "I struggle with X...., you know everyone does" "I could always do better in X...." I mean just look at that language and I think I would not be pointing this out if this method would have helped. But IT HASN'T. We have a bunch of people out there who could justify anything and make themselves feel better for everything that they have done wrong. Seriously. Now, I know there are those that want to quote, "A harsh word...", or the fruits of the spirit and I want to assure you that those texts are completely taken into account with this. Those passages don't say, "you're wonderful, you're nice, and dawgonnet people like you." They say you need to strive for this becasue you love God and ya know what you MISS THE MARK.

So what in the world does this have to do with the price of tea in China? Saying that going to a strip club is sick is NOT being mean or judgemental, Matthew 5 does that far too well and authoritatively. No, depravity is sick, women putting their God given (and something altered) bodies to be gawked at rupped on and paid for like some animal is sick. And men paying money to visually rape, take advatage of, and be turned on by such a person is just what I said, SICK! We need to pluck more eyes and cut off more hands for goodness sake. It is sick and so is sin itself, put it into perspective ye who justify your sin. You are willingly shaking your fist at the Holy of Holies and spitting on the gift he has given, choosing the maggot ridden dirt over the lucious steak that has been provided. We are playing the whore as a people and we need to call it what it is and repent because we LOVE God and more importantly HE loved us first.

THE END!!!!!!!!!!