Finding Joy in a Crashed Car

We reached a milestone this weekend. It wasn't the most pleasant of milestones, but more of a right-of-passage that we have all been through. Our teenager had her first car accident. She is still driving on a permit so I was in the car with her. She wasn't texting, listening to the radio or distracted by her siblings. Just needed some more experience to know that she could take the shoulder when there wasn't room to stop. Now she knows. No one was hurt, the car may be done but it was an old car bought in anticipation of this very thing (you can still be praying about how we will replace it though!).

The odd thing was as I got back in the car after talking to the man in the very large, high pick-up truck we had the misfortune of hitting, I felt this odd sense of Joy come over me. To really understand where that was coming from, we need to flashback nearly 25 years to a drainage ditch on the side of a road in Williamsburg, VA where my old ’69 Ford pick-up lay dying. It had just started raining and the roads were slick. I over corrected for a fishtail and the rest is automotive history. My dad met me with our family car and sent me on to my meeting while he waited for the tow truck. The biggest consequence was that my truck was dead. He felt no need to rub it in, just graciously helped me learn what needed to be learned from the incident.

As I sat back down in this newly crunched vehicle – which, by the way is also a Ford – I realized that I had been waiting for the day for almost 25 years! Finally, I would get to pass along the grace I had been given. I would get to be understanding and gracious exactly like my dad had been to me. It was a bit later as I reflected on the moment that a deeper realization hit me: Why don’t I feel that Joy every time I am wronged? Why don’t I relish the opportunity to forgive the guy that just cut me off, to show grace for the repairman that is running late, or be understanding (though firm) when a child disobeys? Where do I get this sense of entitlement that says ‘I should never be wronged’?

Could it be that I am not focused the grace I am given every day? Grace from God that allows me to walk in His presence, to kneel before Him, to know His Peace and His Joy. I think this may have been what was driving Paul as he sat in a prison cell and wrote to the Philippians.

“For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear…Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.” (Philippians 1: 14, 18)

How else could someone start a thought with “I am in chains” and end with “so I rejoice” except that he knew full well the grace he received daily in Christ? He knew the message that was being spread was the same one he had received - offering him grace and forgiveness beyond expectation or even comprehension. I’m not suggesting that Christians should become doormats for the world to walk over, but it is possible to stand for injustice while living out the fullness God’s grace. I doubt we could measure the impact on our lives of simply shifting our perspective from what we believe we deserve to what we have been so freely given.

The insurance adjuster should be here soon to assess the damage, but if he’s running a bit late today I think I’ll be alright!

The Auto-Bio Anomaly

I recently had to write a bio to go on the staff page of our church website. I sat down to get it done – just checking another thing off the “to-do” list – and was suddenly hit with the worst case of writers block. It wasn’t that I had nothing to write about. It wasn’t that I had too much to write about. I wrestled with the thought that I was having a hard time because I thought that nothing I have done has any relevance or eternal impact – but prayerfully dismissed that as distortions of truth.

After a day or two in prayer, God finally allowed me to see the problem: I was writing about me. Isn’t that the point of a bio – to tell about a person: who they are, what they’ve done and what qualifies them to have a bio published somewhere in the first place?

The thing is God doesn’t ask us to tell people about us, there is no benefit in it for them. My story is only valuable in as much as it points people to Him and brings Him glory. It’s not that my life (or our lives) has no meaning. It’s simply that our lives should be lived as a means to an end, not the end in themselves. The approach I was taking to the project was in conflict with the commitment I made to God to keep him at the center of my life and work.

I was finally able to get something on paper, a little more aware and conscious of being on mission, and one less “to-do” to be done. 

Lessons of 2011

Everyone has a time for reflection. For some it’s a birthday (might be for me again this year as I leap into a whole new decade of life!), perhaps an anniversary of marriage or of coming to know Christ (your spiritual re-birthday). Personally, New Year’s has always been that time for me. Traditionally I’ve been engaged in some sort of Christmas “happenings” in a local church or other venue and the turn to a new year is a natural time stop, slow down and breathe, then look back at the last year - how it fits into the context of God’s calling, my obedience and actions – as well as look ahead and resubmit myself to being faithful to God’s purpose in my daily actions and leading my family to do the same.

This year as I look back at 2011 there are four major lessons that stand out.

1) Love without hesitation. It’s difficult to walk in obedience unless we first submit to the Holy Spirit and love with His Love.

2) Serve indiscriminately. It’s not up to us to decide where and when God needs us. If we truly desire to honor Him we’ll be ready to go when He says go.

3) Trust cautiously. There is no biblical mandate to trust anyone or thing but God Himself. The less we put our trust in people around us, the more we are free to love and serve them (see #1 & #2).

4) Follow slowly. To elevate another to the status of “leader” in our lives can set us up for success or just as easily keep us from accomplishing #1-3! Whether it’s a pastor, teacher, politician, boss or peer, we owe it to ourselves and ultimately to God to be wise – and sometimes that means slow – in who we allow to lead and shape us.

I saw an interview with a GOP candidate on the trail in Iowa this morning. He was asked by the journalist if he was calling another candidate a liar. His only response: “Yes”. First of all, it was refreshing to get a simple one word answer from a politician. Second, his ability to answer that question so directly shows that he knows who he is and and I'd be willing to bet that every morning when he gets up, he doesn’t need to be reminded how to act or think. Granted it hasn’t always worked in his favor, but I'm pretty sure he sleeps better at night.

My desire for 2012 is that God continue to shape and mold each of us so that we can be bold and direct in representing Him to a lost and hurting world. I pray also that these four notions will more and more define me – to the praise of His Glory!

Praying that we all may delight in the year ahead!

-B

Kindness Follow Up

I know I’ve been on a kick lately about “kindness” at Christmas. Our family has been blessed by all sorts of kindness over the years, so I don’t want to come off too cynical. It’s not really the kindness that bothers me, it’s the apparent motive. I firmly believe that true kindness comes from a transformed heart and that can only happen once the Spirit of God is moving and working in us – transforming us with His kindness, His compassion and His love.

Here is an illustration. Suppose I randomly pick ten guys off the street – from graduate PHD students to blue collar labor. Every morning I gather them together, give them each some Nerf footballs and tell them they each need to throw the ball through a hoop 50 times before we move on to anything else. After a week of this, I realize that some are doing OK, most are still struggling. To help out, I take away the Nerf balls and invest in NFL regulation pig skins. After another week, a few of them just aren’t going to make it – they usually give up after struggling to get just 10 “completions.” A few of the others are starting to excel, but most still falter. As a next step, I hire John Elway and Troy Aikman to work with them on arm strength and throwing technique. At the end of the week, there are only two men standing. One shows up early and throws extra passes, while the other still needs a wake-up call.

What’s the difference in the two? One obviously has a passion for throwing footballs – he is doing it from the heart - and the other is simply going through the motions. No matter what rules were established, equipment purchased or training given, it all boiled down to what was going on in the hearts of the players.

So I shouldn’t be surprised when the world isn’t kind or when they turn their noses up at the “good” things the church often pressures them to do. To expect anything different would be asking for results where the passion does not – even cannot - exist.

While there is only so much that can be done to nurture a passion for football, there is a way for passion to be re-built into the hearts of people, only it’s not our job to do it! Christ came to restore a relationship that allows the Spirit to dwell in us. Transformation from self-centered, hard-hearted men and women to passionate, loving believers is His specialty.

Truth be told, as Christians we aren’t simply kind at Christmas – we are kind because of Christmas.

Have a merry Christmas and a “kind” new year.

“In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:16

The Problem With Kindness at Christmas

I was with my two younger kids the other evening at a middle school production of “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Clause.” If you’re not familiar with the story I’ll summarize it for you: girl is growing up and questions the existence of Santa Clause, after seeking advice from everyone from parents to siblings and friends, she is in the end advised by a down-on-his luck reporter that there is a Santa Clause as long as there are people with hearts good enough to believe in him.

I’m going to resist the urge to address the “good enough” and “believe in him” notions. Instead I was taken back at how moved I was by a scene when the well-off Virginia gives away her gloves and scarf to a friend whose family was standing in the soup line. What is it about Christmas that makes a simple act of kindness seem so touching? Hollywood has been capitalizing on the seasonal sentiment for decades, but what about kindness at Christmas moves us, even confident grown men, to tears.

Then I had a more disturbing thought: it’s not the kindness that stands out, it’s the fact that kindness has a season! It’s the fact that for a few weeks every year we prove that we are capable of caring, of putting others first and thinking beyond ourselves while the other 40+ weeks a year we what? Choose not to care? Don’t see it as a big deal? Are too busy to stop and notice?

The problem with kindness at Christmas is that it stands out as an exception. My hope and prayer is that Christmas becomes less sentimental – only because our kindness has become the rule.

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

It's a year round commandment!

Merry Christmas.

May you know Emmanuel – God with us – in a very real way.

Time Goes Faster at Christmas

With schedules filling, events and holidays piling up like little league linemen, and no less normal stuff going on (haven't the kids had enough candy? Do they really need us to fix them dinner too?!) - it's very easy to let the big stuff slip away from us. Investing on our spouses, withdrawing for times of quiet listening and reflection - just resting in God's unending presence are all keys to health living and managing the stress that consumes this time of year.

At Redeemer Church, we've been focusing on Celebrating Emmanuel: God With Us. If we forget that he desires our company, then there way not much point to the manger, the cross, the Pentecost or your own journey to come to know Him.

I had a great ride on the North Pole Express with our 6 year old and her fellow first graders today. It was a great moment to see God's presence with us as we shared this memory making moment!

P.S. - If you've been following the great Floods of Thanksgiving 2011, the adjuster came out and they are going to replace all the flooded areas and then some! HUGE answer to prayer.

Floods of Thanksgiving

What do you get when you cross a frozen turkey, a bathtub, a to-do list and a man whose multitasking skills are only so-so? Answer: a flooded bathroom, master bedroom, 6 year old's bedroom and hallway!

That's right, after turning the water on to allow the turkey to thaw, I was called away by the kids then absent mindedly went on to the next thing on the list - which happened to be removing the broken pieces of the old play-set in the back yard. As best I can figure the water as running for nearly an hour and a half!

The carpets are now draped over ladders in the back yard, the carpet pads in a soaking pile ready to be discarded and the concrete floors are nearly dry. Not the way I planned to spend Thanksgiving eve, but I'm sure God has a great way for this to turn into a blessing. I look forward to posting exactly what that turns out to be!

But for now it is 12:01 - officially Thanksgiving. So here it is: I'm thankful it was a flood, not a fire; I thankful for neighbors who lend a helping hand; I'm thankful for kids who will pitch in when the going gets tough; I'm thankful for a wife who knows me, understands me and loves me anyway (it's not our first time around this block. There was an incident with a fish tank a few years ago, but that's another story!).

Hope you all have a great, safe and DRY Thanksgiving!

Pre-Thanksgiving Gratitude

It continues to be a time of taking new ground in our lives. Both Meryal and I are very grateful for the opportunity we have to serve at Redeemer Church, for the great effort all three of our kids put into everything they day and for the little ways that God shows us that He is present each and every moment - whether we bother to acknowledge Him or not!

Next week officially kicks off the Holiday season and along with it most us will be putting our schedules into high gear - and many of us don't have much margin in our normal schedules to crank things up at all.

My prayer for our community (geographic and virtual) is that we will not sacrifice the Joy of the season in the name of perpetuating the season itself. In that sense the holidays are very self-defeating!

Have a great week and enjoy the world God put you in for what it is.

Exciting Times at Redeemer Church!

OK - here it is again - another attempt at becoming an avid blogger. I have a great deal of admiration for those of you out there who have mastered this communication tool. I'm praying for an extra measure of grace to follow through this time! So here's the goal - once a week church update and once a week family/spiritual journey stuff - sound like it should be doable!

One thing that I'm hoping will help me stay on task is all the things going on at Redeemer Church. Since July, we have been more and more engaged with the church and are working toward a part-time and then full-time position on the staff - still working out the details of what the title for the position will be, but the focus is simple - let God work through me (us) to build His Church. I just plan on being surprised quite often at what that means on a daily basis. It's a very young church, so we have some big hills to climb - that's really when we start to seek God at work with no ability to take credit for anything that is happening!

This week, we are going to welcome back Robbie Buie to lead us in Worship. Please be praying with us for a leader that is in a place to commit to serving and growing with us over the long haul. We've had some great guests over the past few weeks, but we really need someone who can be a part of our community and engage in this journey with us.

We are also in the throws of planning for our Christmas Eve service and should have some announcements about that time-table with in the week.

Have a blessed week and be a blessing to someone else while you're at it!
-B

Everyday Evangelists - Part 4: Tools

This is the fourth and final installment in this series. Enjoy!

Tools
When I was in fourth grade, my Dad and I built a soapbox derby. As an imaginative kid, I had a vision in my head of how this process was going to work and what the pieces and parts were going to look like. The kit we received from the organization included all the necessary hardware and a shopping list – so we headed off to the lumber yard. Had the shopping trip gone like I imagined, we would have had a trailer full of large boards and metal peices to pull home that day – after all we were building an entire car! I was both perplexed and disappointed when the largest pieces we bought were a sheet of 4x8 plywood to cut the sides and top of the car and one 2x16 board for the base of the car. Everything we got that day fit in the back of Dad’s truck! The reality of what we needed was much simpler that my over-active imagination made it out to be.

Starting as early as Jr. High School, I have been taught, practiced, and worked though more techniques, methods and sure fire tools for gospel presentations and personal evangelism than I can recall. From the relationship evangelism style of Young Life to the mall surveys that were an assignment in a personal evangelism class, I have seen and used a broad range of tools of the trade. There are four elements that I have found constant necessities regardless of the context or approach to sharing the gospel.

1) The Word of God. “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”2 Timothy 3:14-17

As discussed above, a passion for God’s Word is a key element in developing a passion for evangelism. Having it nested firmly in your toolbox, however takes interest in the scriptures from a passion to a practice. As we undertake the process of evangelism, we need to be grounded in what God has to say about key issues such as sin and salvation, heaven and hell, and life and death. Understanding what the Bible teaches on these topics does not require an in depth knowledge of the doctrinal history of each issue. The goal of understanding is to provide a base knowledge of the truth we seek to communicate and a filter we can use to sort out false doctrines we may encounter as we broach spiritual topics with an unbelieving, ungrounded world.

2) Prayer. “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” I Thessalonians 3:1

“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1

While this may feel painfully obvious, it is often a most neglected tool in the evangelism process. Prayer is our opportunity to quiet our minds to things of this world and refocus our thoughts and sensitivity to God and His will. While prayer for general efforts in evangelism is never a bad idea, there are several specifics that should be at the forefront of our prayers.

· Pray for specific opportunities that are part of your natural course of life: a PTA meeting, an office picnic, etc.
· Pray for specific people in your life. It may even be beneficial to develop a list of the top ten or top five people God has put on your heart to be on regular alert for outreach opportunities.
· Pray for protection and stamina. Engaging in the act of evangelism is something our spiritual enemies will not take lightly; rest assured that the deceiver will be at his best to thwart our efforts. Evangelism is one of several activities that move a person from religious defense – just trying to live a good life and not do wrong things – to spiritual offense – proactively seeking to take new ground in our lives as well as the life of others for the sake of Christ.


3) Your Testimony. “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.” 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5

Your testimony is the story of the specific events leading up to your personal decision to follow Christ. This is your account of the change that God made in your life and is longing to make in the life of every unbeliever. You should be able to share your testimony in less than five minuets, support your claims about the process in your life with scripture, and include an example of how the change that took place at that moment continues to impact your life today. The goal of your testimony is to share with an unbeliever that you understand and have experienced first hand the truth that is revealed in scripture. This is often, but not always, a good time to invite a person to experience God’s love in a personal way by accepting Christ as their savior. The timing for this invitation is something to you will need to look to the Holy Spirit for prompting toward. Don’t assume that it’s your job to make this happen. The work in the heart of a person is something we have no control over, no matter how persuasive, convincing or knowledgeable we may be.

4) Your Story. “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:4-9

In contrast to your testimony, your story about more than the moment you received Christ; it is a collection of experiences and events in your life that demonstrate God’s faithfulness or support your claims to his truth. Paul pulled from his history in the Jewish culture and traditions to lend credibility to his claims. In a similar way, your story pulls from your personal experience. It is not about your spiritual or personal success. On the contrary, your story may leave you in a very open, vulnerable and consequently uncomfortable place. Paul does not set out his religious qualifications as a way to elevate himself, but rather to show his once misguided reliance on religious tradition.

You should be able to share your story in short slices, making them relevant to a specific context. For example, if you grew up in a broken home, you may relate that part of your story to an unbeliever who is dealing with their own kids through a divorce. You may have lost a job, experienced the death of a parent or close friend, been on a mission trip or built a house with a neighbor. Nothing is off limits. Anywhere you have been, anything you have experienced that points your life closer to God is worthy of your story.

In spite of my delusions of grandeur, we did get that car built and had several successful runs down the track (and one not-so-successful, but that’s another story!) By keeping the big picture in perspective and following the lead of those who have made a few trips down that mountain, we can set ourselves up with the right tools for the right opportunities to share God’s truth as He leads us through our daily lives.

While we are not all called to pursue a vocation of Christian ministry, every believer is called be a minister to the world in which we live, work and play. Left to our own random efforts, evangelism will be become a “by-the-way” activity that we occasionally embrace. With minimal effort and deliberateness, any believer can adopt a lifestyle that fulfills our biblical mandate to be an everyday evangelist.

It’s Time to Go
Since the beginning of this year at our home church here in North Texas, our pastors have ended our Sunday services with a challenge to “live it forward.” While a traditional “benediction” (literally meaning “to speak good thoughts or blessings”) marks the end of a service, this challenge reminds us that when we walk out the door we are continuing a process – one that involves more doing than speaking and doesn’t always fit into our plans and schedules, but one that God himself has set into motion and has ultimate control over. As everyday evangelists – Christians seeking honor God in our hearts and use the tools he has giving us to make the most of every opportunity – it is our calling to seek God daily and consciously bow our will to His.

I’m still sitting in the study looking out the window and there are still people walking by. Our community is no different that every other community across our country and around our world: it’s full of people who need to experience and know the tangible love of our God and His risen Son!

I think its time to turn off the computer, go outside and say “hello”!

Everyday Evangelists Part 3: Opportunity

(This is part three of a four part series. Parts 1 & 2 are posted in the June Archives.)

Opportunity
When my wife and I were married, I did what every red-blooded American man should do: I registered at The Home Depot. While I was sure to include the big-ticket items – a table saw, lawnmower, etc - I also included several small tools that I knew my closest friends could afford. A friend of my parents, who had been a general contractor for thirty plus years, got a hold of the list and, in his own words, “took some liberties with my selections.” Instead of the inexpensive pack of screwdrivers I had on the list, he presented me with a vintage set of forged tools (which I still use on a regular basis), and instead of the light hammer I had on the list, he gave me a heavy framing hammer, forged from a single piece of steel. While this is a great tool – one I doubt I could even buy today – it sits idle in my tool box for one simple reason: I have never framed a house!

If I ever want to but my framing hammer to use, I will need to go out of my way to find a frame to build. If we want to pour out our hearts and use our tools for outreach, we need to either find or create opportunities to do so! From my experience in intentionally reaching out in our communities, there are two ways opportunities present themselves: they cross our paths as we go through the course of our everyday lives or we plan them in advance and intentionally prepare to be productive in specific areas. Furthermore, a key essential to fostering opportunities for outreach involves a deliberate step out of our comfortable church circles. (As I said, these are my observations from my life and experience, so there is not scripture attached to each of these points.)

1) As life brings it. Drawing from my hammer illustration, I can think of a few situations that I might need a framing hammer along the course of life. Living on the edge of tornado alley, the reality that a twister could tear through our neighborhood with little warning is ever present. If that should happen and I find myself with neighbors in need of shelter or need to clean up the wreckage left in the wake of the storm, I know I have a tool in my box that will be valuable.

The same is true with opportunities for outreach: live long enough and they will present themselves. Every new person we meet, every pot-luck dinner we attend and kids sporting event we watch presents a chance to interact with people who may have never been adequately exposed to the gospel. With the right tools in your toolbox, you will be prepared to take advantage of these opportunities as life brings them your way.

2) As you bring it into life. While I am a big fan of being prepared for what ever comes along, simply having a tool in the box does not make one a craftsman. While being prepared for opportunities when they arise is important, it is just as valuable to proactively create opportunities to engage the un-churched. This could be as simple as inviting several neighbors over for a cook-out or as organized as gathering with other believers to hand out free popsicles in a park on a hot summer day.

3) Stepping out of the Holy Huddle. While it is essential to a healthy Christian life to be grounded in fellowship with other believers, it is not at all realistic to expect to have an active evangelistic life if we limit our social, business and civic encounters to those within our spiritual circles. If the world is to know us as Christians by the love we share, we have to be in close enough proximity to them for it to rub off!

The proactive measures we take as believers to create opportunities for interaction with non-Christians are the first steps in moving simple relational evangelism to a more strategic endeavor. Maximizing our evangelistic energy comes when we couple those efforts with the appropriate knowledge of God’s word and sensitivity to God’s will.

Next Post: Tools

Everyday Evangelists Part 2: Heart

(If you havn't read the first part, you might want to do that or this may not make much sense!)

Heart
I would venture to say that in the history of film there has not been a character that shows more heart and passion for a person, a cause and a country than William Wallace in Braveheart. His love for Scotland, the drive that came from a desire to avenge the lives of his wife, father, brother and hundreds of others pushed him to be a creative problem solver, a charismatic leader and fierce warrior. When a person has a big heart, it’s obvious – it shows in the decisions they make, the words they choose and lives they lead.

The question in evangelism is not so much about having passion, but rather about where we need to focus our passion. Three areas come to mind – there are probably more, but we are limited on space here!

1) A Passion for Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

I can always tell my daughter’s latest crush simply by counting the number of times a particular name comes up in conversation. When someone is on her mind, she talks about him – even if she tries not to, the name works its way into everyday conversation. When we develop a passion for Christ – truly living by faith in him and dying to ourselves - talking about him will be as natural as discussing Saturday’s ball game or our favorite fishing hole.

2) A Passion for People. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” I John 4:7-8

In the evangelism process, we have to see the people around us, believers and unbelievers alike, a more than just territory to be conquered. Each and every soul we encounter has a story. Our aim in evangelism is not to abduct them from their current life and place them as drones into ours. Our goal is to introduce them to the Author of all life, and in doing so help them see the fullness of life that they are missing. If we focus so much on the religion of Christianity that we miss the people that are, and will become Christ followers, we rob our neighbors of the full extent of God’s power unleashed uniquely in each believer’s life. The only way we can remove our own bias is by loving people more than processes and by having more faith in the God who gives life than in our own limited experience of life. With these priorities in line, God will unleash in us a passion for people that will become contagious!


3) A Passion for the Word of God. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long; Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me; I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes; I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts; I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word; I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me; How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth; I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” Psalm 119:92-104

God’s Word is our primary source for knowing him, understanding His desire to relate to His people, and learning how to relate to them. The more we know the word, the stronger our passion for people will become. As we devote ourselves to God’s word, letting it become ingrained in every expression of our lives, it will begin to takeover our hearts, overflow from our lives, and spill out onto everyone around us. His passion will become our passion. Our will becomes less and His will takes over.

Of the three elements up for discussion, “heart” is perhaps the most elusive. Western culture tends to view our passions as inalienably connected to our personalities to the extent that we believe the issue of heart or passion is relegated to the same category as those “new tricks” we can’t teach an “old dog.” While there is some truth to this, the greater truth is that God is in the heart changing business. Effective evangelism and outreach begins with a heart that is broken, submissive to God and ready to be remolded in His image, taking on the passions of our God as our own.

Everyday Evangelists

While I have been looking for a new job/ministry, I have taken some time to focus on putting some of my thoughts on evangelism and personal ministry down on paper (at least the virtual equivalent of paper!) This first post is just an introduction to the first article, which I'll post in 3-4 parts. I would love your feedback either here or on my facebook wall! Enjoy:

Everyday Evangelists
By Bryan Buchleiter

Summer is just around the corner and already the BBQ’s are blazing, the sidewalks are sizzling and mowers are churning. Sitting in my study looking out the front window, I notice something I have not seen in about 7 months – people. People who have been holed up in well lit indoor spaces surviving the short days and cold nights of winter, eager for some sort of personal interaction with anyone and everyone who is willing to take the time to stop and talk, eat or play with the kids.

Not only are the social muscles aching from a winter of apathy, but for many believers, the evangelism muscles are begging to be stretched. Youth mission trips, week long camps and special outings all mark the hot-bed of the peak evangelism season in America – second perhaps only to the emotional swell that comes around the holidays. This is the time of year where people are out, engaged and ready to relate. This is the opportunity meet them where they are with the Love of God. This is what the evangelism class during the spring semester has prepared faithful churchgoers for, this is why you stocked up on gospel tracks, this is why you memorized the four spiritual laws, this…is usually where, despite your best intentions, your outreach efforts come to a screeching halt.

One of two things usually happens: our schedules get in the way or we get in our own way. We remember that summer back in 1989 when laid out the Roman Road for a high school buddy, and never spoke to each other again. We remember standing on a Chicago street corner having tracks thrown back in our face (and then blown across Michigan Avenue to the chorus of a dozen honking cabbies). We also remember the neighbor we have known for several years now but never broken any spiritual barriers, or the co-worker that invites us out the lake every weekend and comes back Monday with the hangover to prove what a “good-time” he had.

In short our lives are a web of a message without relationships and relationships without a message. There is a cycle here that is the evangelistic equivalent of a typhoon surging through our mental landscape. The good news is that our early detection system is intact. We know what is on the horizon we can be ready for what lies ahead. Our aim is to be intentional in our relationships for the sake of the gospel.

Evangelism Defined: again.
If you are looking for a definition of evangelism you need not look too far. There is no shortage of texts on the subject at every level of interest, for everyone from the seminarian to the newest believer. For the sake of discussion, however, I’m going to use the following definition: Evangelism at its heart is a process in which an individual with a passion for something persuasively communicates that passion to another person. While such a simple definition might shatter some preconceived thoughts that evangelism is a heady activity for the well training theocrat, (I didn’t even have to look up any words to spell when I wrote it!), its practicality and application are anything but simple. It takes a myriad of assumptions to translate that definition into the life of an individual believer. Are believers consistently passionate about their faith? Do they know how to communicate what they are passionate about? Do they have relationships with people that need to hear it? And the list goes on and on.

In an effort to apply this basic definition of evangelism and address these assumptions, we need to light a fire in our souls. Once the fire is burning H.O.T., consider the following:

Heart
+ Opportunity
+ Tools
Impact

Granted, formulas for the process of evangelism are almost as common as definitions, but my prayer is that by exploring these three concepts we can see evangelism as not only theoretically simple, but also it in a practical context.

Next Post: "Heart"

2007 Update!

The whole point of this blog is to keep in touch with friends and family who support and pray for us on a regular (or even semi-regular) basis!. So, as we kick off the New Year we thought it would be helpful to give some updates on what God is doing in our lives. Since that covers a bunch of territory, this post is a bit longer than we will usually throw at you, so sit back with a cuppa joe and lets get reacquainted!

Neighborhood Life
We have been both amazed and blessed by what has been happening here at Chadwick Farms. There are now about 300 homes in the neighborhood. We have enjoyed getting to know many of our neighbors at our regular community events. Here are some recent highlights:

• About fifteen women have been meeting this fall to look at Proverbs 31 through a book called “Feminine Appeal” by Carolyn Mahaney. They will continue next semester with a Bible study by Beth More.
• We had a big fun with our “Pumpkin Patch Party.” Trapped in the neighborhood by traffic from the Texas Motor Speedway, we obtained a permit to close one of our main thoroughfares and had games, races and snacks for young and old alike. We had great attendance for the event and were blessed when over 30 families volunteered to help make it all happen!
• In November we kicked off a Life Group in the Neighborhood as we worked through Bill Hybels book, “Living Beyond Myself.” Our prayer is that this group will expand this winter as we study Gary Chapman’s “Five Love Languages.”

On The Career Front
For the past three years, Bryan has served at the Apartment Life (AL) Support Center in various capacities, most recently as the Director of Recruiting and the Director of Neighborhood Life (NL). This past August AL made some strategic shifts and put a hold on the development of NL. Combined with fundraising shortfalls, this move led to the elimination of Bryan's position. At the same time a long term project that Meryal had been directing to encourage church partnerships with AL was terminated. The net result was that we were both suddenly without income.

AL was able to offer a severance package that carried us to the end of October. Also, David Weekley has continued to support our work as a CARES Team with Neighborhood Life which provides a monthly housing stipend. All added up – we have been blessed with many ways to walk in faith and allow God to show His unique provisions. (see the post “The Blessings of Neighbors”)

There are several possibilities for new income/career tracks. Updates on that front will be the subject of further blog postings in the very near future!

On the Family Front

• Doodle Bug has been active in her middle school cheerleading program and very busy getting ready to be a teenager. She also serves with the children’s ministry at our church and is cutting her teeth in the baby-sitting business for a few families in the neighborhood.
• Tater Bug has enjoyed getting started in Karate (he earned his Yellow Belt this fall), learning chess with the chess club at the elementary school, and collecting Star Wars figurines with some other kids in the neighborhood.
• Sugar Bug loves hanging out with friends at preschool and church. She is very busy most days hosting tea parties for Care Bears, taking cares of her “babies” or coming up with new ideas which are usually announced with “Hey guys, I have a great idea!”

We are in the middle of birthday season and when all is said and done we will be 13, 8 and 3. Mom and Dad of course will not be aging the slightest bit this year!

On the Horizon
When we learned that AL was going to be making some strategic shifts and not continue developing NL, both of us had the same feeling that God was not finished developing this exciting community based outreach model. As we continue to pray and seek God guidance, we are developing a plan that we believe is going to provide a valuable resource to individuals with a heart for "living intentionally for eternity". That’s L.I.F.E. is our working name for this new venture. Please join us in praying for God's affirmation, direction, and financial provision as we strive to be obeidient to this calling. Keep an eye out for future updates and developments on this ministry.

A Paulesque Conclusion
Say what you want about the apostle Paul, but the man knew how to write a letter (OK – that whole ‘Holy Spirit’ inspired thing sure helps). But borrowing from his style… We truly thank God for each of you. The prayers, words of encouragement, gifts and other blessings we receive from you are literally God’s instruments of peace and strength for our lives.

As we seek to be faithful to His calling, there is nothing more valuable than being surrounded by men and women of faith who urge us on and hold us accountable to the path God has laid before us.

Please let us know how we can be praying for you and your families as we all look forward to great things in the coming year.

The Blessings of Neighborhood

(Note: This is a follow-up to our 2007 update. This will all make more sense if you read that entry first!)

With our finances strained as we headed into the holiday season, we sat the kids down to let them know that things were going to be different this Christmas. We explained that our current situation was an opportunity to focus on serving others and not on what "stuff" we would be getting for Christmas.

What we learned in the weeks to follow is that sometimes serving others means being willing to accept God's blessing through them. We have seen God provide not only for our finances but for our spirits. It seemed that whenever we felt at our ropes end, there would be a note, a card, a conversation, a call or a ringing door bell - each with some token of God's presence and persistent care through willing and giving neighbors, friends and family! The story of God's provision isn't about a single event, it's an unending process of an ever faithful and loving God working through obedient, loving people.

Thanks to everyone who has been such a blessing to our family. We are very excited about all that God is doing in our lives and your generosity has been a beautiful picture of Him at work around us!!!

Any Unfullfilled Promises?

As we wrap up 2007 and look forward to God's blessings in 2008, I came across a "joke" that hit a nerve. Here it is:

Christmas Present

It was the day after Christmas at a church in San Francisco. Pastor Mike was looking at the nativity scene outside when he noticed the baby Jesus was missing from the figures.

Immediately, Pastor Mike turned towards the church to call the police. But as he was about to do so, he saw little Jimmy with a red wagon, and in the wagon was the figure of the little infant, Jesus.

Pastor Mike walked up to Jimmy and said, "Well, Jimmy, where did you get the little infant?"

Jimmy replied, "I got him from the church."

"And why did you take him?"

With a sheepish smile, Jimmy said, "Well, about a week before Christmas I prayed to little Lord Jesus. I told him if he would bring me a red wagon for Christmas, I would give him a ride around the block in it."

So here's the question I'm asking myself - do I have any unfulfilled debts to my Lord? Not that we owe Him anything - he holds no accounts - but at the same time we are indebted to him for everything. It's what being a bond servant of Christ is all about.

There is nothing we can do to earn more of His Love or compassion, but our actions - our promises fulfilled - can go a long way in building our relationship with Him. And once that starts to happen there is truly no limit to what he might do in and through us.