Author: twoznek

Husband...Father...Pastor...

Manic Mondays: The big things

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One of the helpful questions that I like to ask on Monday is: What are the big things that need to get done this week? I then schedule the time needed for them. Often, focusing on what is most important helps get even the “least important” things accomplished. Why?

We need margins in our schedule. God gives us all 24 hours a day and 2 days a week to accomplish His will. Rick Warren aptly stated: If you constantly have more work then you can get done, you’re probably not doing God’s will.

God’s will includes times of rest, reflection and enjoying life: “Eat, drink and enjoy the fruit of your labor for this too is a gift from God.” ~The Preacher of Ecclesiastes

So….Focus on the BIG, and have margin in your schedule

(especially on Monday)

Life is short…Psalm 39

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1 For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David. I said to myself, “I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say. I will curb my tongue when the ungodly are around me.” 2 But as I stood there in silence — not even speaking of good things — the turmoil within me grew to the bursting point. 3 My thoughts grew hot within me and began to burn, igniting a fire of words: 4 “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. 5 My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.” Interlude 6 We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend. 7 And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. 8 Rescue me from my rebellion, for even fools mock me when I rebel. 9 I am silent before you; I won’t say a word. For my punishment is from you. 10 Please, don’t punish me anymore! I am exhausted by the blows from your hand. 11 When you discipline people for their sins, their lives can be crushed like the life of a moth. Human existence is as frail as breath. Interlude 12 Hear my prayer, O LORD! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest — a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. 13 Spare me so I can smile again before I am gone and exist no more.

Why not Wednesday? Embrace constraints

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Need means that which is essential. It is surprisingly small. In ministry you only need three things: Bible, People, A place to meet. That’s it. If necessity is the father of invention, then constraints is the mother of creativity.

The little camps that do
Camp Hickory Hill embraced creativity. Its speakers were largely the staff, mostly college student. Its activities and adventures made up with minimum supplies and resources. I have interacted with well resourced camps, seen them in action. But, their leadership development and problem solving skills do not even come close. There is a quality to “lesser” camps that cannot beat, and they are the qualities you’d want you kid to have. I have heard this statement from camps like Hickory Hill: “They don’t have ___________, but the ministry here is incredible!” Bible, People, A place to meet.

Engaged impact as best
When all was falling apart, I made the call to just pray. Prayer is an essential. This move was bigger, though. Prayer cannot just be an easy fallback. While it was in the first instance, it was intentional on the others. Why? Because a seemingly boring and less than sparkly event had the greatest impact. (Note to self, play towards child-like faith.) The kids engaged in prayer with greater passion and focus than most adult prayer services I have been too. Engagement is best. Entertainment is fleeting. Bible, People, A place to meet.

Singspiration
I attended a singspiration event on a missions trip that took a joyful noise to a whole new level. Wanting to howl like a dog, the singing was so bad, one could not help but notice the passion in the room. A quote from a Civil War documentary said “Abraham Lincoln was so ugly there was a beauty to him.” That described the singspiration. It affected the students more than anything else on the trip. Bible, People, A place to meet.

Captain Kirk
“I don’t believe in the no-win scenario.” Ok, this may not be the most spiritual example, but watching the creative exploits of Captain Kirk and crew always got me thinking about how to be creative, to problem solve. It developed a key skill, how to take what you have and use it to communicate and carry out what is most important. Creativity far outweighs any teaching style or method. Bible, People, A place to meet.

Constraints means faith
Embracing constraints means utilizing faith in what you have instead of praying for what you don’t have. Bible: It is the central message we are communicating. That God wants to be known and to know us. People: The Holy Spirit empowers His people. Jesus died for people. People can pray, people can sing. People make ministry happen. A place to meet: Ministry is not a solo business. It can happen anywhere, in anything. Grassy field, tent, building, house, underground catacombs… The church never runs out of space, it just needs to plant to other venues. Space issues are often paradigm issues, and a paradigm is a self-imposed constrain on a non-essential. Bible, People, A place to meet.

The bottom line:
All you need to make ministry happen is Bible, People, A place to meet. I say this because in many parts of the world that is all the church has. I love technology, good music, sound systems, great architecture, books, toys, gadgets and gizmos galore. But, those are not essential. Ministry constraints are often self-imposed from a foundation of non-essentials. The only thing that can block church growth is no Bible, no people, no place to meet. Embrace constraints, they force you to focus on what is essential.

Book Review: Crazy Love by Francis Chan

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Crazy Love goes on my must read list! The book draws out things that we easily forget, like the transforming reality of God in our life. The interplay between church, theology, and living is hard to navigate. Crazy Love brings these elements together,

What if…
‘What if’ jumps out of this book. The question Francis Chan asked that has my mind spinning is this: What if churches were more known for giving and not taking? This question, and others like it, call for a radical approach to how we live for Christ. One chapter of the book just gives story after story of people living based on God’s crazy love for them. It really is not a fluff book.

Guilt by love
Crazy Love challenges you on the love front. Many people cringe at hell, fire and brimstone (HFB) sermons, saying they’re tired of feeling guilty all the time. Others criticize for ignoring the gruesome aspect of eternity. Crazy Love has the potential to produce more guilt or conviction then any HFB sermon I ever heard. It is the book equivalent of a loving mother looking you in the eye and saying: “I love you, but I’m disappointed.

Tone
Francis Chan writes with the art of a surgeon. He is very careful to say clearly what needs to say, while also attempting to hold back negative emotions that can get one sidetracked. Chan’s book refreshes you in how he specifically speaks against church bashing. He is right in asserting that what we truly love and are convicted about produces the most solid change. His tone focuses on process not perfection, pursuit, not purity. Perfection and purity will come because of what Christ did. The tone of this books would be one many writes should absorb.

Bottom line:
This review is brief for one reason: I don’t want to give anything away, you need to listen and engage yourself! The book will challenge your faith. Some may feel guilty at first from reading it, but it gives you a clear and balanced approach of how God’s love should impact us. For others, this book will reignite you passion to go all out for God.

Manic Monday: The little things…

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As I work at my computer this morning, my youngest slept on my lap. A bad cold is bothering him. In these cases he just wants to be held or his back rubbed. These are little things. Little things make life worthwhile. They are seemingly insignificant, but leave the greatest impact.

So, as I rub my little guy’s back as he sleeps peacefully on my lap, I am reminded of the little things of life. Little things are the whispers of life. What specially little touch can you perform or enjoy today that makes Monday special? We need to enjoy the little things.

(especially on Mondays)

50th Post: Freedom is not free!

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The US Military has a history of paying the price for freedom. It is fitting to have the 50th post to show appreciation for those who gave the greatest price for freedom. America is not perfect, but its history is one of stopping oppression.

To those who made & make freedom possible, than you! Happy 4th of July!

Have we lost commonsense & responsibililty?

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I am an Apple fanboy. This is not about defending Apple.I am merely raising a question.

I remember years ago laughing out loud when hearing the joke “Someone sued McDonald’s because the coffee was hot.” I stopped laughing when I heard it was no joke. It seems the greatest sin these days is to inconvenience anyone. iPhone 4 is another hot cup of coffee.

Lawsuits being filed against Apple for iPhone 4 antenna issues.
Seriously!? Stores sold the iPhone 4 barely a week ago. Within the last few days people had three options: 1) Return the phone 2) Get a case 3) Hold the phone differently. Granted these options may not be convenient. But, suing Apple for a new product that sold less than a week ago is absurd.

I had two phones which had a similar issues: Samsung & Nokia. One I returned within a week, the other I just lived with. Commonsense: Don’t buy a product the first day it comes out, it normally has some flaws. Responsibility: If I violate the general rule, then I need to deal with the inconvenience of the options mentioned.

Have we lost perspective?
Nothing is perfect. We act that way though. The root of our anger and frustration towards anything inconvenient points to a bigger issue. We think the world revolves around us. Worse, we think our lives of première importance to all others. I can’t help but wonder if our sue happy culture is really shirking commonsense & responsibility. Sure, Apple could handle the mess better… Isn’t that thought another form of shirking commonsense & responsibility? “They’re not doing their job right, so I’m ok in how I am…” Frustrating times speak volumes about us and the state of our soul.

Humility, meekness, servant-hood
Humility, meekness and servant-hood are three things our culture could benefit from. Because we ‘can’ do something doesn’t mean we always ‘should.’ Sometimes the prudent thing is to not act on our rights. In all cases we should use commonsense & responsibility. Suing Apple barely a week after a new product coming out is like suing McDonald’s for their coffee being hot. It would be an interesting study to see the economic cost of shirking commonsense & responsibility.  I’m sure the health-care world would have some thoughts on this.

The Bottom line
There is a nasty trend in our culture that needs to change. I am sure there are many more dynamics to the iPhone 4 issue, but those dynamics do not negate our response to that situation or any other. Whether fair or not, warranted or not; we are responsible for our actions & attitudes.  The soul is selfish and loves to blame others, shirking its responsibility for its own lack of commonsense.

Why not Wednesday: Going green

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When I camped as a teenager, we practiced low impact camping. The rule of thumb: leave the place in better shape than when you got there. It stood as law, not principle. It often meant packing out more trash then planned, or more work than anticipated. At the same time, we would cringe at being called an environmentalist. The Bible taught conservation.

Conservation as respecting life
Nature inspires life and breeds respect. I enjoyed the wild and nature in the raw. Taking care of such places was a mater of respect. This respect also demonstrated itself in making sure we were properly equipped for our trek. (I NEVER camped in perfectly dry weather. Nature breathes humor and drama.) Investing time and learning about nature breeds respect, and I wonder if that is why Jesus invest much time in the wilderness. This respect revolves around God placing man to take care of things. The oldest professions are science & gardening.

Conservation as common sense
I don’t know if I would label my grandparents as conservationists, but they were inventive. They did not waste anything. They had a well, and were careful with it. Trash cans were setup to collect rain water off the roof for their gardens and flowers. Used jugs were kept to store and carry rain water. Much of what I saw as a kid was using things up as much as possible. They would often share stories about the depression and using seeming junk for creating adventures. (Or in lieu there of, practical jokes. Grandma could have earned an honorary doctorate.) Common sense was king.

Conservation as problem solving not problem creating
Conservationists solve problems while environmentalists create bigger ones. As a teenager I defined environmentalists as someone who says there is a problem and the creates a solution to the problem that becomes a bigger problem then the problem in the first place. Because I disagree with environmentalists does not mean I stand against the environment. Nor do I see a conservationist as a moderate environmentalist.

I sense the environmentalist movement as acting like an overbearing & overprotective parent. I see conservationists as a parent who teaches principles like respect & common sense that will serve the child well. The first creates bigger problems and solves little, the second creates an environment for solutions. The first produces guilt and worry, the second inspiration and confidence. The first may work in a very short period, the second pushes the envelop of the human experience. The first breeds misery, the second joy.

The Bottom line:
There is a need for a proactive (not reactive) “green” movement founded on respect & commonsense. I feel as though the Christian experience should consider how to act and live in the world God gave us. True, the Bible says it will burn up, but I don’t think that means we can be careless with the planet. Such is not wise. God places a premium on wisdom. I wonder what such a movement would look like?

Millennials: Hey world, I have a soul!

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Millennials are about the rediscovering of the human soul. I read lately about “Millennials.” Depending on what definition you go by, I am one or I am not one; I consider myself one. Time tables are largely arbitrary. What amazes me about Millennials is the focus on significance and impact. There is more to life and its purpose then mere existence.

I am more than my parts
The problem with modernism and the industrial revolution? They reduced everything to a mathematical formula or chemical equation. Reason was supreme, science was king. Under this onslaught of reason on steroids I cannot help but notice- things got worse not better. Reason & science can build you a bomb, but it cannot tell you if you should use it. The atrocities of modernism should cause pause about being enlightened.

Here is what I mean: Technological progress and the acquisition of knowledge does not equate to human progress. Such ‘progress’ lead to events like Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, abortion on a grand scale, pollution on a grand scale, the break up on the family, drug abuse, etc. Modernity forgot something. I am more then my parts. I have a soul.

My soul is fallen
Anyone who states a person is inherently good never worked with children. People, by nature, are depraved. I often get tirades of pessimism when I state this, but it is the truth. If people are naturally good and education the silver bullet, then things should be getting better. They are not. Again, I cannot help but notice how things got worse or at best remained the same.

Millennials focus on social justice, significance and impact may be the realization of something far more critical: We have a soul and it is fallen. The human soul often craves justice. This sense of freedom and justice demands action. They are foundational to the meaning of life.

The law has failed
The rule of law and the destructive nature of religious fundamentalism did not solve the problems. Millennials crave spirituality, but often reject religion. It points to the argument Paul made in Roman’s 7: The law is good, but it cannot save nor sanctify us. (Romans 7 is debated passage. My take is that human nature is not the focus, but the role of the Law (Torah) is.) Milennials want to cut the fluff and get to the real answers.

The Gospel really is the main thing
The Gospel really is the answer to the questions Millennials are asking. Granted there are problems at home, in the work place, etc. We need help in learning how to handle our money, our relationships, our conflicts. The Bible teaches that it is the role of older generations to teach and pass on that wisdom. Millennials are a generation of wanting listeners. But, that wisdom is not the answer they are looking for.

Theology & exposition of the Scripture stands ands as the answer. For this gets to what should be the root voice and foundation for the church: There is a God who wants be known, make Himself known and the Gospel is the only way that can happen. God doesn’t want us to know about Him, in such case general revelation would be sufficient. God wants to be known in community with us. God is active and involved. The story of Jesus Christ is pivotal to the questions Millennials are asking. The answer results and demands action. The Gospel really is the main thing.

The Bottom line
Millennials are reminding human history that we have a soul. The best response to the questions being raised is the Gospel. Teaching theology as about God, or  teaching pragmatic & practical formulas misses the mark of what is asked. One is mere reason against questions of decades past, the other a softer form of legalism, both neglect that God created us with a soul. The Millennials questions bring us back to the main thing: That change occurs best from the inside out, and only the Gospel can produce that change. It’s as if with one voice they are shouting: Hey wold, I have a soul!

Manic Mondays: The little things

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Sunday was a mess. Jadon was, well, having a bad morning. He blurted clearly he wanted to stay home and not go to church. That was hard to hear. We went anyway. So, listening to him cry (I’m glad it was a short car ride), the prayer was a toy train would be there. It was a little thing that could meant all the world: To him and our sanity. The conversation went like this:

Jadon: I don’t want to go to church!
Mom: Look, there’s a Thomas table!
Jadon: Bye, mom!

Answered prayer is a great thing. Jadon learned songs, and he listened, and he played with his favorite toy. The table is a small thing, but it made a world of difference. Pray for the little things, not just the big things!

(especially on Mondays)