12 People

A friend once told that if he could find 12 people totally sold out to Jesus. God would change the city of Portland.

I am looking for 11 people to change the city of Federal Way. Anybody interested? Since when did God want his church to be totally irrelevant in the culture it exists in? God is alive and active int eh world and in the city of Federal Way. I am looking for some people to journey together. Don't know what it looks like or how it is done. I do know that God is there in there in the journey so any takers?

Random Thoughts

Basketball is approaching. College basketball is my favorite sport to watch. I cannot wait! Maybe this year will be the year of the Jayhawks! That is Kansas for those of you that are not fans of college sports.

I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. I have mixed emotions though. Shelia Dunaway will be coming over for Thanksgiving but her husband will not, he is in Iraq. Pray for him! He is spending a year there and just left last Monday. He also has a small baby daughter born earlier this year. I cannot wait to spend Thanksgiving with my wife, Shelia and Elizabeth!

Hope. God will take care of tomorrow because he is already there!

Talked to Jeff Sordahl, Jr. today. He graduated a few years ago from my youth group, but he is a friend! I enjoyed our talk Jeff!

Mike Lewis, I am still praying for you and your family!

Kevin Woods, I continually remember you in my prayers!

PUMP staff, I pray God will expand your loving touch into the community and lives of those families you are in contact with and pray for. Love them the same way Jesus loves them!

Moved Again

I watch Hotel Rwanda again today. I shed tears every time they save the children. One man making a difference that the whole world can see. One man can change the world. Actually he already did. His name is Jesus. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be him now.

Incarnational ministry!


A friend is leaving his ministry position. God will take care of him and his family. I am confident of that. Word to you Mike! Prayers going up for you!

Parable

I attempting to write a parable. I am using a swimming metaphor. I am trying to be blunt but not blunt (much like parables). Hopefully this attempt will do what I am desiring it to do. When it is done I will post it and let you read it.

White Sox rule!

One of my best friends leaves Monday for Iraq. He has already been there once. It wasn't that hard last time, but this time is different. We are much closer. AND, he has a baby girl now. It is going to be tough. I pray God will protect him. Pray a prayer for my friend if you don't mind when you are praying.

God, protect Pete! May he be a blessing to those he is around and may he show your glory. May he bring honor to your name. Bring him home safe to his family and friends. May his year go by fast. You can do anything! Please grant this request. In the name of your precious Son and my Savior, Amen!

Thanks for lifting him up in your prayers. I know his wife will appreciate it.

Transformation

What would it look like if we emphasized spiritual transformation? Conversion has been taught and abused (if I may say so)! But transformation? Nothing. Transformation speaks of journey. God's Spirit is transforming my spirit into what God intended all along.

That speaks to me. Transformation says even though I am not all together and sometimes my life isn't together at all, God is still continuing his saving work in my life and the life of the church. What if we taught transformation? Would we be more loving? Would we be more forgiving? Would we be more willing to extend grace and less quick to judge (because they do not look like us and I am not writing about our belief dogmas)?

Going a journey with God speaks of excitement, danger, and security. Going on a journey with God speaks of holiness, love, and faith. Going on a journey with God speaks of compassion to less fortunate, the blind seeing, and the lame walking. Going on a journey with God speaks of His Kingdom on this earth not just in the eschaton but NOW!

I desire to journey with God like that! Anybody with me?

Dogs

We have two dogs. My wife's dog lives inside with us and my dog, Maximus (his name should resonate how big he is) lives outside. This week Daisy got really sick. She could not keep anything down. I will save the details from you. We went to the vet on Wednesday. All of us were effected by our sick dog. Julie was worried. I was trying help where I could. Maximus didn't get the normal nose touching from Daisy.

There was uncertainty in the air. She is all better now. A shot and some medicine later makes thing better. It is interesting how dogs become part of the family. When they become sick, the whole family is affected.

Knife of Dreams

I can't wait. Tomorrow is the day. Book Eleven (that's right eleven) of the Wheel of Time series written by Robert Jordan. I am predicting a Borders stop on the way to the office Tuesday morning.

The evil empire lost tonight. Cheers for the halos.

Post Christian

I have been looking for where youth ministry has been needing to go for some time. I have read and read and read about postmodernity. I have been excited and disillusioned at the same time with the postmodernity mindset. I knew it was not going to last. Postmodernity (in my opinion) is a house divided. It is only a matter of time before it begins (if has not already) to collapse on itself. I was down at ElderLink at sponsored by Abilene Christian University. I heard a phrase that I had heard before but it was defined in a new way. The speaker defined the West as a Post Christian place. Augustine made Christian beliefs the norm for culture. And we have been living in this "norm" for hundreds of years. Now for the first time in a long time, Christian beliefs are not the norm. Christianity on the west coast has been pushed to the margins and even had hostility vented against it. The margins. Think about that. The margins! Christianity has not been in the margins for a long time. When the Church was being persecuted early in the first century, Christians lived in the margins. Persecuted. Look down upon. Humble. Living day to day by the Spirit. It is going to be good in the margins again. Hello youth ministry in the margins.

How far will you go?

As I sit here writing this blog, I am currently on another computer (office laptop) working up a video for my friends who just addopted a baby girl from China. It is late and they are leaving town to go to their parents house tomorrow and they really wanted to take a dvd video with them. I went to their house this afternoon because he was having problems with his computer. Thought I would take all his videos home and deal with at my house and I had problems.

I am still having problems. But I told my friend that he would have his video by in the morning before they fly out. In the big picture of things, this is really nothing but I find myself thinking about "how far will I go?"

How far will I go to help save a life? How far will I go to love God? How far will I go in dying to self and letting Christ live in me? How far will I go to surrender my life to God? How far. . .

Sometimes I know how far. Other times I can honestly say that I have no idea. How far?

Hiking

Julie and I went hiking last Sunday. We went to the a place called High Rock Firehouse Lookout. It was close to 6900 feet up. It is now one of my favorite places to be.

Summer

This summer is going by so fast. If is hard to believe it is almost August. Our mission trip to PUMP is in a few weeks, but before then I need to get my CDL. Pray that is happens. Otherwise we do not get to take our bus.

Star Wars

Tonights the night. Here I come to see Yoda kick some Sith butt.

Shocked. . .Not really

One of our local news stations reported a story about an offensive license plate. On the license plate was "John 3-16). A woman who was driving behind the car reported to the State Department of Licensing that she was offended and did not want to be "prayed over" by a license plate and that there is separation between church and state. Since this was a filed complaint, the owner of the plate will have to defend her plate in front of a review committee. She has had the plate for 21 years.

You can read the story by clicking on this link. http://www.komotv.com/news/story_m.asp?ID=36833

I am not shocked at this story. We live in a post-Christian society in America. We have left the times when church and faith was the norm. I live in a state that the majority of the population is nonreligious (and that includes any religion). Not only has America become a secular country, it has rebelled and revolted against Christianity. All religions will be tolerated except Christianity.

I will not be surprised if the owner of the vehicle is required to change her license plate. I will not be surprised if this story gets more involved. Sadly, I will not be surprised if this goes to court or even the Supreme Court of Washington. I believe now more than ever the world needs the message of John 3.16. Christians need to be introducing people to God's love. God loves everyone so much, that. . .

Many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

At HOME groups tonight, we read most of John 6. Toward the end of the passage many of the followers decided that Jesus was not worth following. I asked the question "why is it so hard to follow Jesus?" That opened up over an hour discussion on reasons why it is hard to follow Jesus. We had answers anywhere from his hard sayings to taking the leap of faith. There comes a point in your life when you will be faced with the choice to take the leap. Sometimes we have relied upon science to help make this decision easier (but it can't). Sometimes we have relied upon our rationality to make this decision (but many of the things God does are irrational).

We are stuck with the leap of faith. Are we willing to take that leap and decide to believe or stay in our neat little "controlled" worlds? What would happen if we did have that faith as small as a mustard seed?

If we do take that leap, God begins to work through us but also he begins to transform us. Those are exciting and great futures. But God also begins to demand things from us. The rich man could not give it up. Judas couldn't see past himself. Pilot lost courage. But the roman soldier at the foot of the cross echoes in the house of faith "surely this man was the Son of God.

Faith is a simple but very complex thing. Good thing God gives it to us.

Must read

This is a must read. Read the Thursday May 12th post.

http://mikecope.blogspot.com/

The Atrium

I helped teach on 1 Corinthians 11 this morning in the adult class. Paul is writing to the Corinthians about how they are abusing the Lord's Supper. They have split the Christians into socio-economic groups. The rich and the free get to eat in one room and the poor and slaves arrive late and eat in the Atrium. All the late comers get to eat is the leftovers, if there were leftovers.

I told them how I grew up having the "latecomers" (those that came to Sunday night rather than Sunday morning) sent into another room to take communion. And I ask wouldn't it be a better representation of the Lord's Supper if we the body (to use Paul's language) took communion with them? Most agreed from what I saw.

Fast forward to Sunday night. We had our quarterly singing tonight. What happens at the end? They ask if anybody had missed the Lord's Supper this morning. And what do they do? You're right! We send them out. Go figure!

Ready

I am ready. I am ready for people to let God transform them from the inside out. I am ready for us to get over our selfishness and let God work through us. I read an email about Jeff Cash today. For those that do not know who Jeff Cash is let me tell you how God is using him.

He is a missionary in Uganda. He has been asked by two warring tribes in the eastern Congo to hold a peace conference. If you have no idea what is happening in the Congo, go see Hotel Rwanda. The tribal leaders have approached Jeff to hold two conferences, both are four days long. Everybody from the tribes will be invited for the first three days (estimated 15,000 in attendance at the first conference and 10,000 at the second conference) and the tribal leaders for the fourth day. Imagine God placing this opportunity to be a "peacemaker"--a true peacemaker at your feet! Tribes that have been at war with each other are now seeking a humble Christian to help bring peace to their tribes and regions.

Jeff is currently praying for God's wisdom of what to do. If he chooses to accept this opportunity he will have to get the UN's approval and then imagine peace being talked about. God trying to restore peace to a land of civil war, not by human means but by God's means.

WOW! Can you see God there? I can. I see God working through someone who is ready to do God's will. I see God working through a single individual to bring a message of peace (and probably Christ). You can encourage him at this email address: jeffcash@infocom.co.ug

I am ready for that to happen over here. I am ready for our "religiosity" to be replaced by people who are ready for God to work in powerful ways.

I am ready! Are you?

Ethical decisions

I do not know what to think about the Terri Schiavo situation. On the one hand, I believe the protection of life is important. On the other hand, is she really "living"? Have we over developed our technology without a good theological base for it to function properly?

Can technology and faith live together harmoniously? Living in a fallen world, what we create for good seems to always be tainted with our fallen nature. We corrupt the very things we create for good purposes.

I do not know what the ethical decision in the Terri Schiavo situation is. Living by faith in a fallen world is tough. Decisions are not always black and white. Living in the greys presents many quandries for faith (when both sides seem to have merit).

Many people will disagree with this and say it is very "black and white", I do not know if it is that easy. Maybe we should be looking at God's love?

The Prodigal

I have been thinking about the parable of the prodigal son. There are multiple threads to think about.

The Son (who leaves)
What would entice him so much to leave a place where he is loved, clothed and blessed? Maybe he was disillusioned about what the future can bring. I do not know what he could have been thinking. I do know what I think when I become the prodigal son. I think I can do it on my own. I do not need anybody. I can do it better. All of those ideas are lies. All of those ideas are deceptions I buy into not with money but with my life. I pay to do those ideas with my life. That is an expensive exchange. The good part of the son is that he comes to his senses and goes home.

The Father
He loves the son no matter what! He loves the son because he is 'the son'. He loves because that is what he does.

The Other Son (who stays)
He doesn't understand. He can't get passed himself because he has always been the 'good' son.

Sometimes I think we can transition from being a prodigal son who is very thankful to be loved after we leave and come back, to the older son who complains about never leaving. Like we have the 'right' to complain because we have never 'strayed as bad as others'. We are blessed to be born into the family. What did we do--NOTHING.

I love to be loved by the Father. I know he delights in my right choices. I know he empowers me to walk the paths of righteousness. I know he loves to love me. I delight in that. I love to be loved by the Father. Try it some time and let God love you the way he wants to love you.

Busy!

Life is so busy right now. I have been teaching a theology class on Friday nights. This class is 2 hours and goes for another 8 weeks. I am leaving Monday to fly to Arkansas to do a seminar for the Youth Ministry Department. Study for that has not gone as fast I need it to happen, but I am pushing through. I get the priviledge of teaching youth ministry majors for 13 hours. I am teaching a class on communion on Sunday mornings to adults. The quarter just started. 12 more weeks to go. All this on top of running a youth ministry and trying to keep involved in the teens lives. We have had a flood gate of visitors lately--trying to get to know them and get them to come back. On top of all of that try to keep my marriage in good shape.

This may sound like I am complaining. I really am not. These are all good things to be involved in (especially marriage). I am just really busy. Oh well, God be praised in all things!

Hotel Rwanda

I saw Hotel Rwanda last night. I walked away disturbed! (To put my feelings lightly.) Even now I think about the movie and my eyes begin to tear up. I remember the endless and pointless killing. The bodies laying everywhere. It happened over 10 years ago. I do not remember any of it. What also bothered me was I did not know how the story ended. I did not know if Tutsies were completely wiped out or not. It ended that Tutsie rebel army pushed the Hutus out of Rwanda and ended the mass killing in Rwanda.

I am disturbed on multiple levels. First, what did we (U.S.) do to help stop this. According to the movie--nothing! Second, we invade and begin a war in Iraq but do nothing about the killing in Rwanda when it was happening. Both are equally cruel. Both are injustice. Both deserve better. Why choose Iraq over Rwanda? I know Rwanda happened while President Clinton was in office but that doesn't change the injustice and the crimes against humanity. Do not give me a terrorist argument. Thirdly, where was the Church in all this?

At the end of the movie, there were people helping the Tutsie refugees with food, medical care, and bare necessities to live. I wanted to be one of those people. They were there fighting against injustice. They were there caring for the homeless. Christ would have been there.

All Christians need to see Hotel Rwanda! It will change you.

Hotel Rwanda

Practicing God's Presence

I am in the middle of Brother Lawrence's book title Practicing the Presence of God. I am amazed at the life the he lived. I have been trying to practice God's presence for the past three weeks. Just trying to do 5 minutes every hour. I do not spend the time praying. I spend the time reminding myself that God lives in me and God is near me. I have been amazed at how that changes those five minutes. They are more peaceful. They are more focused. But it is getting harder to do those 5 minutes. I have become more busy in my life. I have taken on more responsibility at church. I find myself being incredibly too busy to even take the time to spend 5 measly minutes thinking about God's presence. It seems there are more good things out there to do, and I am just longing to "be". A few questions have come to my attention through the past 3 weeks:
1. Am I becoming more aware of the things God desires for his servants to do?
2. Is Satan trying to tempt me into doing all these good things and keep me from the presence of God?

I long for time to be with God. I long for His presence to be real and me to aware of it constantly. Brother Lawrence said even when the kitchen at the monastery was busy and everybody was working, talking, and giving orders, he still felt the presence of God in all that. What is that like to be able to experience God's presence when things are so incredibly busy? I am extremely busy but seldom in my busyness am I keenly aware of God's presence. Lessons to be learned from a Christian who lived over 400 years ago.

More about Brother Lawrence at the following site:
Brother Lawrence

Neighbors

I met my new neighbors the other day. They seem nice. He is a Pierce County sheriff deputy. I had a conversation with another one of my neighbors (Ray). He commented on how our neighborhood seems very unfriendly. I commented on how things have changed even from the time I grew up in Oklahoma. What does it mean to be community any more? My wife and I live in this small 15 house neighborhood, but our community is elsewhere. What would Jesus still say about our neighbors? I want my "neighbors" to know Christ! My neighbors are nice and I talk to some of them. I know even less of them by name. Is that a reflection on our individualism or a reflection on my witness to them? Maybe both?

God is wants all me to come to know him. It does not matter who you are or where you live. I need to look at "who is my neighbor" again and see what God wants to communicate.

History of the Church

Jerry and Terri Wolfe and Julie and I teach a theology class on Friday nights to people from our church. We were discussing the history of the church, specifically the 2nd century controversies concerning the deity of Jesus. How is it we have raised people up who are ready to throw out centuries of Church heritage just because they can "read the Bible for themselves."? I do not believe it is that easy to throw out centuries of God using His people in history. Where would we be with out the Church fathers? Where would we be without Martin Luther? Is that attitude rooted in something else. Are we too individualistic? Does God even recognize us outside the community of faith--his churchh? I do not understand how we can just toss the history of the God's church out like we toss out the garbage? Maybe we need to asking for forgiveness!

I love my wife (Julie) and God's creation. 

The valley of the shadow of death

Why do we get anxious? I have been meditating on Psalm 23 and David cried out even in the valley--God comforts and protects. So why get anxious about anything? I will have to dwell on this more.