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confession is only $1.99 (for a limited time)

Turns out there wasn't an app for quite everything yet... 

Little iApps recently made confession easier by creating a mobile app - Confession: a Roman Catholic App. As if that isn't enough to blow your skirt up (sorry, probably need to go download that app now), the Roman Catholic Church has actually given the app their blessing. But, to their defense, Pope Benedict XVI did admonish the denomination to "embrace the digital world" *commence front hugs* (just looked up the app... it's $1.99, which could be a bargain or a rip-off depending on your "usage"). The app, affectionately nick-named "the pocket priest", will track your admitted sins and will even allow you to examine a customized conscience (something everyone needs from time-to-time, right?!?).

What I found really interesting about this app is the user must still go to a priest for absolution. Though it may be a great tool for confessing and tracking your sins, it doesn't appear as though confession booths will be phased out any time soon. Here's why, per the Pope, "It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives."

Even as evangelicals (or protestants, as the liturgical world calls us), we must be diligent to avoid substituting virtual contact for true contact. It's great to listen to podcasts, watch Christian TV (sort of), and read inspirational books... but to engage, discuss, emote and confess with real human beings is the beginning of appreciating the complex beauty that is the Body of Christ. Even more, if we will be diligent to engage, discuss, emote and confess with the real, living God, we will discover Life: joy, peace, freedom.

And all this can be yours, no app needed (unless you're using it to read your Bible... or listen to a podcast).

two realities

Scripture reminds us that if one member of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. 

If I stubbed my toe, I would probably walk with a bit of a limp in an effort to keep pressure off my toe. This may cause me undue "attention" by my office friends because the "hitch in my giddy-up" would look funny and could even cause me to incur other aches and pains (because I was trying to compensate for the pain). 

Or if I had a stomach ache, I might avoid the day's tasks and lay my entire body down to rest (since I have yet to learn how to lay only my stomach down to rest). 

Or if I had a headache, my overall focus and productivity would be hindered and, if it was severe enough, I might even need to be motionless in a dark place with my eyes closed to reduce the pain.

Though each of these ailments are fairly localized - my toe, my stomach, my head - they each have the potential of far reaching effects across my entire body... and can even cause peripheral symptoms (if not graduated problems). 

But Scripture also reminds us that if one member of the body rejoices, the whole body rejoices with it. 

There is much in life that demands critical thinking, discerned evaluation, intentional decisions and focused execution - in other words, there is much in life that can cause a cafeteria of suffering. BUT... let's remember that all of those hard things in life:

• should be preceeded by the ONE NECESSARY thing (see this)
• must be carried out in the MOST EXCELLENT way (see this)
• will be worthless without THE ONE true builder (see this & this)

Our God is an unbelievably powerful and faithful God... except that we - His children - actually DO believe He is just as powerful and faithful as He says He is.

And THAT is where our HOPE comes from... sitting at His feet to listen and feel His presence, loving with His heart and remembering our experience of His grace in the faces of others, working and building under His leadership, by His blueprint and in His timeline... like Joesph, Moses, Noah, Hosea, David, Paul, Jesus). 

We have work to do. Some of it will be hard, even painful. But we do not do anything in this life as those who have no hope.

wahoo.

the prefix in serve

Deuteronomy 6.1-2 reads:

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

The most important word in this passage is "observe" and here's why... I'm convinced that if every Christian in the entire world had their Bibles taken away and never learned another Christian truth or principle for the rest of their lives, BUT was faithful to observe all that he/she had already learned, God's Spirit would rock this planet.

Most Christians have enough "biblical information" to lead a God-honoring life. Most Christians know how to give their best to God, their families and their "neighbors". Most Christians know enough of God's character, promises and loving boundaries to navigate the slippery slopes of life. And most Christians simply fail to observe that which they already know. Yes, we will make mistakes, draw inaccurate conclusion, make inappropriate judgments... but most Christians also have enough biblical information to know what to do once they realize their mistake.

 
To OBSERVE is more than just seeing... it's seeing and submitting, it's awareness and adherence, it's learning and practicing... it's faith and action. One without the other is death... and then you still get fined!

what kind of fisherman (or woman) are you?!?

I'm reading the book "Same Kind of Different As Me" by Ron Hall (a wealthy white man) and Denver Moore (an uneducated, homeless black man), and am thoroughly enjoying it! Without going into too much detail, just know that Ron and Denver build an extraordinary friendship. Yesterday, I read a portion that literally caused me to put the book down and take a deep breath - it was a conversation they had when their friendship finally became "official". I wish I could say it resonated within my soul, but feel it might be more appropriate to say it echoed in my heart.Here is an excerpt of their conversation:

Ron had asked Denver if he would be his friend, to which Denver replied, "Let me think about it."

About a week later, over breakfast at a local cafe, Denver said, " I been thinkin a lot about what you asked me." Ron was at a loss because a week had passed since their last conversation, "What did I ask you?" " 'Bout bein your friend," Denver replied. Ron's jaw dropped... he had not only forgotten about the question he asked a week ago but Denver had spent that same amount of time pondering the question.

Denver looked up from his coffee and fixed his eyes on Ron, "There's somethin I heard 'bout white folks that bothers me, and it has to do with fishin'." Ron didn't dare laugh but he was a bit taken off guard, "I don't know if I'll be able to help you; I don't even own a tackle box."

Denver continued, speaking slowly and deliberately, keeping his eyes steadily fixed on Ron. "I head that when white folks go fishin they do somethin called 'catch and release.'" Ron nodded. Denver went on, "That really bothers me. I just can't figure it out. 'Cause when colored folks go fishin, we really proud of what we catch, and we take it and show it off to everybody that'll look. Then we eat what we catch... in other words we use it to sustain us. So it really bothers me that white folks would go to all that trouble to catch a fish, then when they done caught it, just throw it back in the water."

Denver looked away then locked onot Ron again with his drill-bit stare. "So, Mr. Ron, it occurred to me: If you is fishin for a friend you just gon' catch and release, then I ain't got no desire to be your friend... but if you is lookin for a real friend, then I'll be one. Forever."

Jesus said he was calling us out to be fishers of men... when we are out in the world, are we perceived as a catch-and-release religious folk, or I'll-be-your-friend-forever folk?

all for some?

In our weekly staff meeting, we take turns sharing a devotion... kind of a cool way to get to know each others heart and hear what's going on in our lives. This past week, Sam shared from an article he read. The phrase was that reverberated so strongly in my mind and heart was this: faithful presence.

The author's simple point was we ought not live our lives for the sole purpose of being excellent nor for the sole purpose trying to evangelize. Both are amiss. Instead, we might live to be excellent what we do because we know we represent Christ and desire to live a life of worship and thanks to him. Therefore, it would be through our "faithful presence" that opportunities will arise in which we may share the hope, peace, joy, and salvation we have in Christ.

It made me think of when Paul said he worked so hard to be ALL things... to ALL people... so that by ALL possible means... he MIGHT... save SOME. That seems like an awful lot of ALL-ness for only the potential of a small return. Doesn't it? But, maybe this was Paul's way of saying he was committed to be a faithful presence wherever he may be, whomever he may be around, whatever it might demand, so those around him might see and experience the presence of Christ through him.

Isn't that the example of Jesus, too? Wasn't he a faithful presence of his loving Father,only saying and doing what the Father instructed?

Here's a hard and humbling word picture God has challenged me with on so many occasions (including recently):
Who ran to Jesus? Who sat with him for hours while he spoke? People. Yeah, we could call them "sinners" but really they were just people like you and me, looking for peace, healing and love. So, when was the last time "people" ran to you or sat down to listen to you while you shared of your heavenly Father? Or, when was the last time "people" ran to our church to sit for hours while shared of Christ's life and his love for them? Until we experience the response Jesus evoked in "people", we still have something else to learn about living a life of faithful presence.

I am so humbled by that.

the whoosh-quotient

Have you ever played the game Minesweeper? If you haven't, click the Minesweeper pic to give it a try. 

The goal is to uncover (left-click) all the spaces without mines but using basic math skills to locate and flag (right-click) the spaces with mines. If you uncover a space that has a mine the game is over. If you uncover all the spaces without uncovering a mine, you win! 

My favorite part of this game is when you uncover a space and WHOOSH... a whole bunch of non-mine spaces open up. Sometimes I would even restart the game if I didn't get a good whoosh-effect. 

I've been in a season of whoosh-ness lately. Nothing over the top; God has just seen fit to allow me to uncover a few spaces that have had fantastic whoosh-quotients. I am learning the coolest repeatable experience in this planetary life is uncovering new spaces of my personhood. Sure, there can be some fear when uncovering new spaces because the potential of a mine lying in wait is very real. But... when I uncover a space because I've done the spiritual math in faith and then WHOOSH happens, it is absolutely exhilarating. 

God created us in such cool ways and we get to experience all that coolness "click-by-click" as we uncover new spaces within our selves. Settle into the reality of God's complete work in you and that "working out our own salvation" (though it may be with fear and trembling at times) is an exhilarating journey of discovering who we are in Christ as we learn more of who He is in us. 

There are so many gifts 

Still unopened from your birthday,
There are so many hand-crafted presents
That have been sent to you by God.

The Beloved does not mind repeating,
"Everything I have is also yours."

~hafiz

live out loud

I recently discovered that our beloved JEREMY MILLER has an album on iTunes. Yes. Jeremy. iTunes. (how cool is that... and isn't he just a dreamboat in that pic?!?)

His album dropped in November 2006, as a single with two songs. Now, I know Jeremy pretty well, so I will say this for him (and because he already said it to me)... the album was not fully mastered prior to being released (i.e. it sounds great but don't be too picky). And, to his praise, he wrote these two songs as well as many, many more! I say we do our best to keep him writing!

[ok, here's a little attempt at being spiritual]

The coolest part of being in the Body of Christ, specifically the creative part, is that our gifts - by their very nature - are visual and aural expressions of Christ in us. Paul wrote in Philippians 2.12 "my beloved... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." 

Salvation is life (forgiveness is just the door we pass through to receive life). God has worked into us all that makes us unique: our gifts, passions and personalities. And it all is for his pleasure. 

So, another way to say what Paul wrote might be: Hey friends, lets live our lives out loud for God and the world to see, but let's be intentional to do so with humility and grace; it is God who gave us this life (and all the intricacies that make us "me" and "us"), so there is no greater gift to give him then to use and share all he has given us with one another and the world!

how deep is your mercy? (part 3)

I'm speaking next week for the launch of iSERVE. I'm hoping it's an eclectic experience of solemn worship and exuberant celebration. Hoping... and praying. So, as we approach this launch of servitude, I wanted to share something with you that has stayed in my heart ever since I first read it some 15 years ago. It's from Calvin Miller's "The Table of Inwardness".

The intrigue of the table in Psalm 23 has marked my life as a pastor. The metaphor mixes itself in glory. The shepherd becomes the sheep and God becomes the shepherd. There is no flock. There are only two. The shepherd and his love walk along and uninterrupted from the pleasant fields through the threatening chasm and back again. There glory is not the path they walk but their togetherness.

And how do we come to the table in the wilderness? Exactly as we would to any other table - hungry. Our hunger is for him whom we really can never know fully in a group, no matter how religious that group is.

Do we not feel a certain reluctance to be there, alone with our Host who knows everything about us? Do we not feel repentance even as we sit at the table? Do we not desire to weep? Do we not feel emotion surging? Yes, but emotional feasting is not the reason we come to the table. We do not come to vent our emotion. We come to be with him. Deep feelings may be our response. Our fellowship with Christ, like all of life, may be marked by laughter and tears, but we meet with him because we need him and not because we need to laugh or to cry. 

Yet what of those times when our enemies gather against us? There is no panic. With our Host we sit in quietness with food as rich as our relationship. Those who brandish weapons and make threatening advances do not understand how we can act as though we are secluded in some grotto. The marvelous truth is that there is a grotto. It is not carved with stone or shaped by events. It is a grotto of the heart.

how deep is your mercy? (pt. 2)

I recently watched a movie I have had in my Netflix Queue for months, "Molokai: the story of Father Damien". I was humbled... and moved.

Damien was a Catholic Priest from Belgium in the 1800's who volunteered to the mission of being the only Priest on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i; specifically, the northern peninsula which was a government-sanctioned medical quarantine for those with Hansen's Disease (leprosy).

Father Damien arrived to Molokai at the age of 33, in the year 1873. Six months later, he wrote his brother in Europe saying, "...I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ."

Damien's arrival was a turning point for that neglected community. Under his leadership, basic laws were established and enforced, shacks (which were few) became over 350 painted houses, working farms were organized and schools were erected. At his own request, as well as that of the lepers, Father Damien remained on Moloka'i after his one month mission had expired.

In December of 1884, while preparing to bathe, Damien inadvertently put his foot into scalding water, causing his skin to blister... he felt nothing. It was then, 11 years after his arrival, he had finally contracted leprosy. Despite this discovery, Damien worked vigorously to complete building projects, enlarge the orphanages, and organize his work so it would continue after his death. 

Not a day too late, four strangers came to help the ailing missionary: a priest, a soldier, a male nurse, and a nun. Louis Lambert Conrardy (a Belgian priest), Mother Marianne Cope (the head of the Franciscan-run St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, New York), Joseph Dutton (an American Civil War soldier, whose marriage had been broken by alcoholism) and James Sinnett (a nurse from Chicago) each took their experiences, skills and gifts to continue the vision and work of Father Damien. Conrardy took up pastoral duties; Cope organized a working hospital; Dutton attended to the construction and maintenance of the community's buildings; and Sinnett nursed Damien in the last stages of his disease. 

It wasn't too long before Father Damien was seen walking the island with one of his arms in a sling, a foot in bandages, and dragging his leg behind him. Damien knew more and more every day that his death was near. 

He became bedridden on March 23, 1889, and after 16 years of being the utmost servant, Father Damien died of leprosy at 8:00 am on April 15, 1889 (age 49).

"I think the company helps... but I know the prayers do." 

~ Father Damien, speaking to an uninfected islander and unbeliever as he walked into the hut of a leper.

(short article on Molokai and Father Damien)

how deep is your mercy?

Have you ever really pondered the depth of God's mercy? And with it, have you ever really considered the vast reach of his grace? 

Next Sunday - Jan 23 - we will sing a remake of a hymn written by Charles Wesley in 1740, entitled Depth of Mercy. Read the words to this hymn through the lens of these three verses: 

Depth of Mercy

Depth of mercy! Can there be 
mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God his wrath forbear, 
me, the chief of sinners, spare?

I have long withstood his grace, 
long provoked him to his face,
would not hearken to his calls, 
grieved him by a thousand falls.

I my Master have denied, 
I afresh have crucified,
oft profaned his hallowed name, 
put him to an open shame.

There for me the Savior stands, 
shows his wounds and spreads his hands.
God is love! I know, I feel; 
Jesus weeps and loves me still.

Now incline me to repent, 
let me now my sins lament,
now my foul revolt deplore, 
weep, believe, and sin no more. 
------------------------------------------------------


Ephesians 2.8 ~ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Matthew 10.8 ~ Freely you received, freely give.

change begets change...

Communications & Arts Party ~ Sunday, January 9th @ 3:00 pm

chris, christie and camille's home
16301 dry creek blvd, prosper 75078 (map)

EVERYONE: please bring a finger food or dessert of your choice!

let us know if you're coming -->
(all staff and elders are welcome, too!)

Like all things in life, change begets change. iTunes has made some changes that make it difficult (if not impossible) to post iMixes like I have in the past. That little change has created an avalanche of other considerations... so, I am exploring the "blog option" as the primary method to help keep us all connected and informed BUT it will require something of you, too.

FIRST, let me know your thoughts on utilizing the "blog option" for our communications - it's easier and allows for more flexibility on my end, but I would like to know your thoughts (there is a poll on your right).

SECOND, I would really like ALL arts & communication folks to subscribe to my blog so you will receive automatic notifications of new posts. This way, when I have something to communicate to our a&c posse, I can have the confidence of knowing you're all getting the update. 

THIRD, if you want to view each Sunday's iMixes, you can follow me on Ping (which is iTunes' social network). Or, you can follow me on Twitter or Facebook for all of my updates, which will include notifications of new iMixes, new blog entries and other philosophical (though maybe peripheral) thoughts. Sorry for all change... but with no change, there is no appreciation. ;-)

Oh, almost forgot... here's my new year's deep thought for you:

To discover the will of God you don't know, 

do the will of God you do know.