Revolution Forever

Revolutionary movements attract those who are not good enough for established institutions as well as those who are too good for them. George Bernard Shaw

Three months ago I did what many considered unthinkable: leaving my full time job. After years of avoidance and evasion, I capitulated to the call of God to help ignite a passionate, fiery revolution among this generation.

For nearly a year, I have been privileged to serve as student minister for Revolution at Epic Church in Decatur. From our dedicated, tireless staff of volunteers to each and every teenager, I have grown to deeply and irresistibly love them all in a profound, powerful way.

We have a very unique and special group of students. I have dealt with probation officers and psychiatrists more often than coaches and teachers. It has been beyond worth it. The griping over the ridiculous games we planned only to see their hysterical laughter as they threw themselves at the challenge. The late night text messages. The tearful phone calls. The exhilarating moments of seeing the ‘light’ come on as God’s Word came alive inside of them.

One thing I have always attempted to convey to our students is the need to be recklessly obedient to God when He speaks – no matter what it costs. Whether it is our comfort, convenience, or our reputation absolutely nothing is worth missing the very best plan that God has for our lives.

Several weeks ago I discussed the desire to pursue student ministry full time with our Epic Church leadership team. An explanation was given that it would be close to a year or more before they could make that kind of commitment.

This left me with a dilemma. Should I set aside what I perceived was the clear voice of the Holy Spirit telling me to relentlessly pursue His will for me and our family? I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as a part time student pastor. I eat, sleep, dream, and spend nearly every waking moment laboring over ways to make the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers real to our crew.

There is no other occupation.

There is no other path.

It is with a blend of profound sadness and intense anticipation that I must make one of the hardest decisions of my adult life. I will step aside as student minister of Epic Church.

Some of you may ask what my plans are during this transition. I will say that God has opened some potentially exciting doors for us in the weeks and months to come. We are still waiting on His perfect timing, so your prayers are greatly coveted.

Before the apostle Paul was executed for His faith in Christ, he wrote a letter to a young man named Timothy who has served alongside him for several years:

You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, He’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for His coming. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 The Message

For my incredible team and the students I love as my own dear children: You do not belong to me. You do not belong to Epic Church. You follow Jesus Christ.

The single most important thing I want to leave with you is that whatever happens from this point forward, as much as I love each of you it pales in comparison to God’s unfathomable love. People will always come and go, circumstances will change but God never will. He has a very specific plan and purpose for your life that is beyond anything you could possibly comprehend.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

 Though I will no longer serve in the official capacity of student minister, I am always only a phone call, text message, or email away. You will forever hold an incredibly special place in my heart.

Viva La Revolucion.

 I know and all the world knows, that revolutions never go backwards. William Henry Seward

 

 

For the Frustrated

I know you are supposed to answer ‘Jesus’ when asked who your favorite Bible personality is, but whenever I come to a place of decisive frustration, my thoughts typically turn to the ancient prophet Elijah.

Elijah was a two fisted, rough around the edges, back alley preacher who had no trepidation in walking directly into the presence of carnal, earthly royalty and boldly proclaiming whatever message God wanted him to relay.  He walked with a holy swagger when faced with daunting, overwhelming odds because he knew the One he served would back up the word he declared.

Even to the point of sending an atomic explosion of fire just for the asking.

God is well aware that I cannot be trusted with the whole ‘calling down fire from heaven’ thing just yet. I can barely handle the car rider line taking my children to school. That is trouble just waiting to happen.

Each of us eventually comes to a place where we feel stuck. God has spoken to us about a change of direction or taking on a new challenge. We seize with exhilaration the vision He gives us and are ready to start with no hesitation.

Elijah was like that. He bravely strode directly into the presence of two of the most evil rulers in his nation’s history and declared that God was sending a drought on the land that would not end except at his word.

While he was printing business cards, God told Elijah to do something completely out of the ordinary.

And then this happened: Elijah the Tishbite, from among the settlers of Gilead, confronted Ahab: “As surely as God lives, the God of Israel before whom I stand in obedient service, the next years are going to see a total drought—not a drop of dew or rain unless I say otherwise.”

 God then told Elijah, “Get out of here, and fast. Head east and hide out at the Kerith Ravine on the other side of the Jordan River. You can drink fresh water from the brook; I’ve ordered the ravens to feed you.”

Elijah obeyed God’s orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan. And sure enough, ravens brought him his meals, both breakfast and supper, and he drank from the brook.

 Eventually the brook dried up because of the drought. Then God spoke to him: “Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.”

1 Kings 17: 1-9, the Message

Having been encouraged by that account multiple times, I have always considered how God provided for Elijah’s basic daily necessities. A fresh brook to drink from; carry out without ever having to pick up the phone.  Glorious solitude with intense times of worship, prayer, and reflection.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  I always read that passage believing the prophet waited with a worried expression as each day the brook began to dry up. Now, I am not so sure.

Do you believe that, after starting with such great fanfare and bravado, that it drove Elijah crazy to have to sit at that brook day after day waiting on God to tell him the next step? I am certain there were times of powerful intimacy and devotion for Elijah, but if we were to share similar traits of any kind there were perhaps moments where this devout, spiritual giant looked at the cracking creek bed and yelled ‘ dry up already!’

Elijah had no idea that centuries later he would be remembered as one of the greatest examples of faith and power in the entire canon of Scripture. He was not even aware that not long after this he would face off with close to a thousand false prophets in what amounted to the greatest heavyweight fight of all time (read 1 Kings 18).

All Elijah knew was that he felt called to accomplish great things for the God he desperately loved and longed to serve, and all he could do was wait for ravens and drink what was left of a muddy riverbed.

Frustration does not begin to describe it.

Yet God was very much at work while the prophet waited. As Elijah vacillated between worship and worry, the One he passionately wanted to serve was molding, shaping, and creating a powerful identity inside of him.

Elijah prayed for power, God was producing patience. He knew power minus patience could equal catastrophe. The prophet sought confrontation on his King’s behalf, his King desired character. In the end it was less about waiting on the water to recede and more about God waiting on Elijah to become a man who could be trusted with the incredibly powerful tasks he would be called upon to one day perform.

Each day after leaving the school parking lot I attempt to walk a nature trail at a nearby park to clear my mind before the day begins. Crossing one of the small bridges, I noticed a small creek that typically runs underneath it was nearly dried up. In that moment, God reminded me of my Old Testament hero.

I am learning to focus less on my eventual destination and more on becoming the person God will need once I get there. However long that takes.

The King of Beasts

 

On a visit to my alma mater yesterday to the University of North Alabama, my wife and I took our five year old son to see the two majestic lions in their habitat enclosure on campus. The only two live male and female lion mascots in the country were mere cubs when they arrived with much fanfare several years ago.

The residing royalty are now full grown and an incredible spectacle to behold. The inside of their living quarters, complete with a man made water fall, is made to appear as much like their natural territory as possible.

As usual, when we arrived these two ferocious beasts were lying serenely in the sun, undoubtedly their bellies full from the generous amounts of red meat given to them by their handlers. The large male even had his tongue sticking out as though enormously satisfied with his surroundings.

It struck me as we stood there admiring these regal beasts that I was staring into the soul of many within the modern church.

I have recently started a phenomenal book by Erwin Raphael McManus called The Barbarian Way: Unleashing the Untamed Faith Within. This revolutionary manifesto calls those who follow Jesus Christ to forsake the ‘civilized’ religion Christianity has become and to rediscover the raw, primal way of life it was always meant to be.

The lions living in the safety and security of their pen have a terrifying roar, a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and claws that can rip open foe and prey alike. Their kin living within the merciless world of jungle warfare are lean, efficient killing machines.

They may look and sound like their brethren, but they never have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. There is no rivalry or competition for mates to propagate their noble lineage.  

They are safe. Contented. Satisfied.

“We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah,” turning Jesus “into a household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies.” Dorothy Sayers

Somewhere through history the visceral Christ that audaciously commanded those with the courage to forsake everything, follow Him and die has been severely domesticated. McManus says that the so-called refined gospel claims “Jesus died and rose from the dead so that you can live a life of endless comfort, security, and indulgence.” We calmly placate those who are in desperate need of a life transformation with promises of a heavenly reward, an assigned seat on Sunday morning, and a lifetime of health, wealth, and prosperity.

Safety. Contentment. Satisfaction.

Romans 8:11 says “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.”

The same Holy Spirit that hovered over the surface of the deep awaiting the Father’s Word during the creation of the world.

The same Spirit that led an entire nation of people through a harrowing desert with a pillar of cloud and fire.

The Spirit that descended from the heavens and consumed the sacrifice of Elijah like a vicious nuclear explosion.

The same Spirit that infused supernatural life into Jesus and raised Him from the dead.

He dwells within the heart, mind, and life of every disciple of Jesus Christ. The life He desires to ignite within us is not just a leisurely stroll on the golden streets of eternity but an insurgency to completely cause the downfall of our docile enclosure we have built for ourselves.

The imposing lions on our fair campus are content to live the remainder of their lives behind steel bars in their imaginary kingdom. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must unleash the untamed Spirit that lives within us to stop playing nice and become the ruthless royalty God intended.

Yes We Can

 

Nearly ten months ago our nation, with great spectacle and pageantry, elected Barack Obama President of the United States.

With the allure of personal magnetism and an enigmatic message promising hope and change, Obama fulfilled the dreams of countless Americans as he stepped into history as the first African American to reside in the Oval Office.

I was one who did not cast my vote for the current Commander in Chief. Based on a set of principles and convictions that were purely non-negotiable I exercised my constitutional right by selecting another candidate.

Since November my heart has been heavy. But not for the reasons you may think.

The airwaves of cable television and talk radio have been intensely raging with vicious diatribes over everything from Obama’s birth certificate to serious discussions over policy issues such as health care reform.  What has concerned me more than these have been the response of fellow believers in Christ to President Obama and his supporters.

What I am about to say may draw ire, criticism, and even border on heretical with many who I have agreed with politically.

Our primary citizenship is in God’s Kingdom, not the United States.

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time as “foreigners in the land.” 1 Peter 1:17 

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 1 Peter 2:11

Living in a democratic society we have the right and privilege to question our elected leaders. It is our duty to engage in vigorous and respectful debate over the policy issues that will define this nation for years to come. There is an old adage, however, that states ‘it isn’t what you say, but how you say it.’

There were over 65 million Americans that voted for Barack Obama. Of that number, how many of them would be considered outside of faith in Jesus Christ? For many of these individuals their perception of Christianity has been poisoned by those who faithfully worship on Sunday and proceed to post malicious statements about the President on their Facebook profiles.

I am by no means defending President Obama’s stance in issues with which I still prayerfully disagree.  Yet we have become more passionate about defending our narrow opinions on representative government than representing Jesus Christ to those outside of our own socio-political backgrounds.

In their groundbreaking book UnChristian, David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons devote an entire chapter to the perception that many outsiders have toward present day Christianity. “Though Christians have won votes and shaped legislation, this does not ultimately define the success of a Christ follower. We are representatives of Jesus to every person in our culture, regardless of whether we agree politically. Our lives should reflect Jesus, which includes not just how we vote, but every element of our political engagement—our conversations about politics as well as our attitudes about ideological opponents. This may seem obvious, but based on our research on this subject, we must realize that our political activism, if expressed in an unchristian manner, prevents a new generation from seeing Christ.” 

In the grand scope of world events, whether or not health care is radically transformed or the Supreme Court is altered more liberally is not nearly as important as where our friends, neighbors, and even those we disagree with politically will spend eternity.

Jesus Christ is not Republican. Or Democrat. Or Libertarian. 

He is King.

Is it possible to transform our nation by changing our attitude toward the person of elected officials we vehemently disagree with on the issues?

Yes, we can.

For a free download of the chapter Too Political from the book Unchristian, click here or visit the website at unchristian.com.

Erica in 628

My Saturday morning consisted of the stench of beer, numerous broken bottles, and a ladies undergarment.

Before speculating that you ran across the wrong blog, rest assured you are reading this accurately.

While many comfortably nuzzled under their warm blankets, the Revolution student ministry purposefully rose early to spend their day serving those less fortunate at the Decatur Dream Center. On the first and third Saturday of each month, volunteers from churches and organizations across the area come together with one goal:

To share the love of Jesus Christ with the hundreds who arrive. No strings attached.

Besides a piping hot meal, free clothes, haircuts, and a powerful gospel presentation we spent most of the afternoon taking enormous bags of groceries to the vehicles, bicycles, and buses our guests arrived in. Looking into their eyes, hearing their stories, and having the opportunity to simply ask their name and shake their hand gave all involved a sense of dignity and purpose.

Prior to this we were strategically dropped off in one of several local housing projects to invite the community to the outreach. With sacks of candy for the children, a detailed flyer explaining our intentions, and a large black garbage bag our team prayerfully began going door to door.

Of all the personalities we encountered, one stood out.

As we picked up empty beer cans, food wrappers, and yes, the aforementioned undergarment, a young woman opened her front door.  The sound of a party that either started way too early or had gone on far too long emanated from behind the walls.

“They got somebody picking up our trash out here!”

Upon my approach, I realized she must have believed we were doing some kind of work release or community service project. When told we were doing this just because we wanted to serve them, she began laughing and calling us crazy.

Then reality dawned on her. I was serious.

As the details of the Dream Center were explained and others began coming out of the house, it became apparent that there had been a long, difficult road she had travelled. For all of the braggadocio, swagger, and attitude she exhibited a deep sadness that belied her hard exterior.

Before departing for the next set of buildings this woman mockingly yelled inside the door to an unseen acquaintance that they needed to watch their behavior or we might come inside and pray for them. It was then that I asked if we could pray for her.

Her neck stiffened. With a set jaw she looked me directly in the eye and boldly declared that she could pray for herself and did not need any of our help. She smiled at her friend and began to walk back inside.

Then she turned around.

“When you pray tonight, remember me. Erica in 628.”

The door closed. While our crew moved on, my heart and thoughts remained at their entrance. This was an individual that God Himself created with a plan and a purpose. Someone He passionately loved with such an overwhelming zeal that He would allow His Son to die for her. Yet through choices and circumstances of her own or someone else’s choosing Erica found herself in a place of tremendous complication.

In Matthew 23:37-39, Jesus openly wept over the inhabitants of the ancient city of Jerusalem. “How often I’ve ached to embrace your children, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you wouldn’t let Me. And now you’re so desolate, nothing but a ghost town.”

Our cities and communities are filled with desperate, hurting people just like Erica. While many of us are content to lift our hands high in worship on Sunday morning, God expects us to extend those hands outward the rest of the week.  If we would be brutally honest, were it not for God’s magnificent grace and mercy we are only a couple of bad breaks from being in that same position of near hopelessness.

When you comfortably nuzzle under those same warm blankets tonight, join me in praying for Erica in 628 and the millions around the world who desperately need not only the salvation that Jesus Christ brings but someone who will have the courage to step into their world to offer the hope that is within us.

If you have the guts, pray that He would send you.

 

For more information visit the Decatur Dream Center online. I also highly recommend Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution through Serving by Dino Rizzo.

Thy Distant Fire

 

 

The fire seems so distant now.

This outlying desolate tract of desert is both frightening and familiar. The intolerable heat and the jagged crevices beneath my feet are scarcely discernible compared to the gnawing frustration at my core.

The heavens that once presented an audacious display of supernatural supremacy now seem strangely silent.  The sacred swagger that once defined me has been replaced with the specter of uncertainty.

I desire to share my melancholy with no one. As those who once walked beside me now remain a distant memory, I forge ahead on this final journey. Vultures encircle overhead, and I welcome their presence. It is fitting actually. Once ravens sustained me, now the end of this misery will provide them sustenance.

Where would be the best place for them to find me? A broom tree in the distance. There is where I will breathe my last.

God, where are You?

I have done all You have asked of me.  I am no better than the others who came before me. As I close my eyes, please take my life.

 

Awakened by angels and yet still here.

A hot meal and cold, refreshing water are prepared for me. Surely I should eat; after all one should not depart this life on an empty stomach.

The despair does not wane but in fact deepens. The paranormal provision serves only as a reminder of a distant Deity who fails to answer my prayers. Lying down once more, perhaps now I shall breathe my last.

An added rousing, an additional provision. Departure was my desire, the destination is Yours. A long journey is ahead of me. A faint but familiar supernatural infusion takes me further into the vast unknown until I arrive at Your mountain.

Here the ancients trembled at the thought of touching the rocks below. Where Your Word was first given to Your chosen ones. The peak now resounds with stillness where a divine inferno once consumed the skies.

Midnight in the cave was strangely comforting, but then You speak at last. “What are you doing here?”

“I am alone, God. I have sacrificed all for You and taken the road far less travelled. My eyes have seen; my ears have heard the epiphany of the miraculous. All for what?”

“Go stand before Me on the mountain.”

 

The air is thin. The only sound is the immense heaviness of my own breathing.

Then from seemingly nowhere the furious collision of wind and rock resonates against the massive crest on which I once stood. I lie facedown, motionless until it passes expecting Your voice.

Nothing. Followed by silence. Again.

Regaining my balance is made more difficult as the vibrations begin beneath my feet.  A titanic display of teutonic power.

Heaven remains tightly shut.

Then it comes. The fire. Glorious, overwhelming, all consuming flames.

A near agonizing heat begins to devour the few trees and shrubs that exist up here. The hairs upon on my arms are singed as I lift my hands expecting Your voice and the triumph that came before.

Silence. No glory, no response, no presence. Incredible displays of divine destruction with no celestial evidence.

The mouth of the cave beckons again, but then Your gentle whisper echoes in the barren recesses of my soul. Like a trickle of refreshing water promising the deluge to come. Concealing the tears in my cloak I finally comprehend I had sought You in the grand displays instead of waiting for Your Spirit to speak. You were speaking the entire time.

In the dryness of this wasteland, at the depth of my despair You pursued and protected me. This desperate striving has not been a wasted endeavor. Here, even here, You remind me that I am not alone. This present condition is nothing more than a grain of sand at the tip of Your eternal fingers.

I am only one among thousands who cling to Your endless majesty.

God.You were here all along.

“For joy to my heart is the proud part Thou bearest in Heaven at night, and more I admire Thy distant fire, than that colder, lowly light.” Edgar Allan Poe

Prison Break

 

Driving to Epic Church on Sunday gave me ample time to reflect on my prison stay over the weekend.

The Revolution student ministry traveled to the Motion Student Conference at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama. Several dropped out at the last minute, including one young man I have been diligently praying for who was placed in jail for three days prior to our departure.

Preparing to take our crew to the first event many of them had ever attended was both a spiritual and a strategic challenge. It seemed to go against all logic that those in our faction who could have gained so much from this environment the most were not able to join us. Those that were in attendance were visibly altered by their experience with two choosing to be baptized upon our return.

The perpetual souvenir of excursions such as this is the intensity of spiritual struggle that inevitably ensues following the return home. Some are laughable, such as being trailed by a police officer for several miles down the lonely back roads at midnight in my endeavor to take several of our young people home.

On my bumper as I drove the dangerous speed limit of twenty five miles per hour. The terror watch level must have increased in Lawrence County and we were simply unaware.

Others were not nearly as ludicrous. The mixture of physical exhaustion and mental strain only exacerbated the intense malaise overwhelming the sacred conviction that had been infused inside me for the past three days.

The plan that Sunday was simple. I was going to come to the third service, slip in the back door, and avoid direct contact with as many people as I could. Personal fears and professional uncertainties had crept in; threatening to invalidate whatever hard fought momentum had been won while in Birmingham.

Then I saw him. The student who had been in lock up for the time he was supposed to be with us.

As I approached, he excitedly informed me that there would be a surprise during the final service at Epic.  While behind bars, with nothing but a metal bed and a Bible, this young man openly wept and asked God to forgive Him and asked Jesus to be His Forgiver and Leader. He followed this life changing declaration by asking to be baptized; outwardly proclaiming to the world what had already taken place within.

A clean slate.

While we had soaked up the atmosphere at a church conference, this young man sat in a jail cell. Yet while I was allowing the irritancies of multiple frustrations to literally pilfer the outstanding victories won, he found the only real freedom that exists while alone in the bleakest of places.

The only one in prison had been me.

I can never escape from Your Spirit! I can never get away from Your presence!

If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I go down to the grave, You are there.
 
If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there Your hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me.

I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from You.  To You the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to You. Psalm 139:7-12

Dear brothers and sisters,when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-4

Divine Insurgency

 

The history of the world is the story of revolution.

The rise and fall of kings and kingdoms from ancient times until our present day are an integral component of the human record. As long as there is subjugation and suppression, there will be those who courageously rise up to confront and conquer despots who seek to rule in tyranny.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” 
Lord Acton, 1887

Earthly regimes, even with the most admirable intentions, eventually can succumb to the corruption of power. Individuals in secular leadership positions rarely govern long before the taste and temptation of authority begin to alter their priorities. The prayer that Jesus taught His followers in Matthew 6:10 centers on asking God to set up His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Until Christ victoriously returns to earth as promised throughout the evidence of scripture, God’s desire is to implement the seeds of His Kingdom through His church.

Not the cathedrals built by brick and mortar, but the living, breathing organism inhabited by the Holy Spirit Himself.

It is a mystery to many why the Creator of the Universe would leave the keys to eternity in the possession of mere mortals who are prone to the vices of power and control. From the moment Jesus established the church as His chosen means of reaching lost humanity, the central impetus was to genuinely love others out of an authentic devotion to our Heavenly Father.

The book of Acts is the written record of the single greatest spiritual revolution the world has ever seen. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were meant as the spark to ignite an unquenchable firestorm within the lives of people spreading to entire communities and around the globe.

Then the unimaginable happened. As those who experienced the cloven fiery tongues in the upper room left this world for the next, they passed this great sacred inheritance to the next generation of leaders. With each passing era, an incremental change began. The select began to exchange the easy yoke of Christ for their own pious rules and regulations. The very sin that Jesus had come to forcefully confront in the synagogues of ancient Palestine had crept into His church.

The legacy that began as believers selling their worldly possessions to further the spread of the gospel, sharing meals from one home to the next, and multiplying on a daily basis dissolved into petty issues of management and control. Their definition of love could be expressed within the appropriate confines of religious propriety – and to the select few.

From Luther and Calvin, to Edwards and Spurgeon, God continued throughout history to fan the flames of the revolution Jesus came to instigate. As corrupt leadership took the centrality off of Christ and continued to worship at the altar of their own agendas, brave men and women boldly risked their reputations and their very lives to rescue this divine insurgency from the ash heap of empty religiosity.

Two thousand years later the war within continues to rage. We have exchanged the glorious revolution of Jesus Christ for a set of convenient rules and regulations that we can achieve through our own effort. We wear the proper attire. We speak the correct devout language. We remain a courteous distance from one another and insulate ourselves from the malevolent wickedness of our ‘worldly’ counterparts.

The previously radical movement sparked by Jesus and His coarse, uneducated group of followers claimed to have separated themselves from the world but in essence have become the very epitome of the system they so vehemently claim to oppose. Instead of a living, fluid organism the church has endeavored to mirror the corporate and governmental institutions complete with their organization, principles, and values.

Love within the prescribed limits.

Serve those who conform to the unwritten rules of the sacred standard.

Salvation is no longer through the beautiful sacrifice of Jesus Christ but by our ability to adhere to the easily attainable standards we have set for ourselves.

Yet the embers of revolution continue to smolder. The celestial flame that ignited our early church brethren to turn all of humanity upside down is burning within the hearts of a new generation. This is an assembly of believers that refuse to be defined by denominational boundaries and tired traditions. These choose to love and serve their fellow man with no limitations. A remnant that is fearless in their quest to share the unadulterated gospel to every person from any walk of life.

The dirt and grime of mankind is no longer a cesspool to be avoided but fertile soil to plant the seeds of divine change. The country club mentality is shattered in exchange for a counter culture mindset.

A conviction that the church is not a place to visit once per week. Instead it is to act as a relentless, unrelenting force in answer to Jesus’ prayer.

Eternity hangs in the balance as the fire of revolution beckons…

I am Iron Man

One of the best parts of having a raucous five year old son is sharing with him memories and interests from my own childhood. Much of our quality time consists of watching, reading, or role playing whatever superhero he is in the mood for that day.

Besides the absolute enjoyment of spending these moments with Walker, these occasions often give me the opportunity to share life lessons with him regarding good versus evil and self sacrifice. For now, Iron Man is holding a slight lead over his Marvel counterparts Wolverine and Spiderman.

For the comic illiterate, the Iron Man saga revolves around billionaire inventor Tony Stark. He is a suave, sophisticated charmer who seems to have achieved all of the wealth, success, and celebrity status that a man could possibly aspire to.

As if that weren’t nearly enough, Stark has also created a fantastic high tech suit of armor capable of supersonic flight, blasting through solid walls, and firing powerful blasts more than ample to level any foe.

Iron Man has only one vulnerability. His heart was damaged by a shrapnel blast during a battle with enemy forces. Through his scientific expertise and ingenuity Stark is able to remain alive through a rechargeable battery device that he must regularly connect to.

While those who follow Jesus Christ have a higher calling than achieving material prosperity and affluence, there are two very significant lessons that can be gleaned from the Iron Man narrative.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17

Unlike the villainous caricatures portrayed in the cartoons and comics, we face an actual, malevolent enemy that opposes God and seeks our unending destruction. It is unfathomable to most of us that God would make available His very own armor as our protective covering.

Instead of the glistening metallic attire worn by Tony Stark, when we embrace Jesus Christ as our Forgiver and Leader we are given spiritual weapons intended not only to defend us from hostility but to be vehemently wielded in perpetual combat.  Notice in the verses above that there is no armor provided for the back – ours is an aggressive, forward position.

Lest we begin to believe our own press clippings as we grow in our faith and experience victory, we must also maintain contact with our Source in order to stay animate. For all of Stark’s outward successes and inward motivations, death is certain if he fails to recharge in time.

Jesus states in John 15:5   Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. While Iron Man must revitalize his heart with twenty first century technology, our hearts have to stay replenished through steady relationship with Jesus Himself.  

It is unbelievable fun vanquishing imaginary adversaries as Walker’s sidekick.  One day he will exchange his foam and plastic costume for an authentic suit of armor that the very gates of hell cannot stand against.

Come to think of it, perhaps it’s about time some of us adults do the same.

Be Careful What You Ask For

 

Pride goes before a fall. Proverbs 6:18

When did prayer become so dangerous?

As I lay staring up from the cement pad into the night sky, I could barely remember the few seconds before. The last thing that went through my mind was walking up the hill from the back yard at our lead pastor’s house. As we wrapped up our student ministry 4^th of July celebration, my rather large frame began a harrowing, face first downward descent toward the pavement below.

Somehow, it appears I managed to twist my body at the last second and landed on my back. Between shouts of helpful inquiry and the accompanying laughter from my supportive students, my first concern was not how serious my injury could have been but how incredibly stupid I must have looked going down like a clumsy behemoth.

I was embarrassed and angry. On the surface I tried to laugh it off. But the thought of having the teenagers and staff see their fearless leader fling his Blackberry and car keys in opposite directions as he tripped over his own feet was humiliating.

Humiliating and humbling sound an awful lot alike.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Psalms 19:12

The perilous prayers mentioned earlier have been taking place over the last year. One thing I have been asking God is to reveal anything in my life that is hindering me from knowing Him more intimately. If there is any sin or offense that could be an impediment in our relationship I want to know about it.

Granted, pride and self-importance are areas that have been near the top of that list. (If you gave a hearty ‘amen’ to that statement, I don’t want to know about it.) Perhaps I would have appreciated an angelic visitor verbally sharing this truth instead of tripping me in the carport.

It probably would not have sunk in nearly as deep.

The Message paraphrase of James 1:2-4 says “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

When we ask God to reveal areas of struggle and sinfulness, we may be given the opportunity to face them.  I know that no matter how many times I read a verse or heard a message on pride or arrogance that the lesson would not have had the impact my massive frame laying on the cold hard ground did.

Maybe our students needed to see a real leader that could get up, dust himself off, and keep going after such a mortifying experience. Or perhaps God just answered my prayer in a way He knew would get my attention.