Acts 3- Get Up And Walk

Have you ever argued yourself out of understanding the Holy Spirit? The common way to justify a lack of looking into the mystery of the Holy Spirit is to read the bible with the thought that the Holy Spirit only worked that way during a specific time period... Really? Even when I write that I begin to feel the heresy. It is so like us to dismiss God's ability so we don't have to wrestle with our lack of faith. 

We don't believe that God is still doing phenomenal healing and certainly not through someone like me. But what was unique about Peter and John? A couple of poor guys that followed Jesus and Jesus commissioned them to do His work... wow, sounds a lot like us. Some spiritually bankrupt people that God has chosen to be His instruments of grace to the world. And, Peter said, "look at us! ... silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk" (vs 4-8). 

As I picture you dear reader I see you as being spiritually lame... It is easy to fall into the category of sitting by the side of the road begging because you are lacking faith... You are lacking faith in Jesus and you are lacking faith in His ability to move in your life. If you are honest you relate way better to the lame man... So I say to you in the name of Jesus get up and walk! 

Stop writing off the Holy Spirit and His ability to work in your life and do amazing things through you. Stop laying around looking for a petty spiritual hand out. Get up and walk. Put your whole trust in Jesus and stop doubting the Spirit's ability to make you whole.

Youth Ministry Thoughts ... Continued

4. Community

A huge element to faith is relationship. It is hard to arrive at any sort of conclusion other than relationships help form Christian convictions. So, I think it is important to help students to develop relationships with their family, with their peers, with their youth workers, and with their youth pastor.

Family relationships need to be a part of our strategy and I believe this needs to be developed more in our ministry. We are working to train parents with seminars and conferences, provide resources to biblically train children, and host family nights to provide an opportunity to have parents and teens in the same place worshiping.

Relationships with peers happens on multiple fronts. We try to encourage relationships through free time during youth group, extra curricular activities like hanging out at Culver's after church, youth group trips, small groups, and the 9am class.

Relationships with youth workers happens at youth group and during the small group times... we try to encourage students to interact with their leaders and ask questions because we know that the relationship with older more mature Christians will have a profound impact on our students.

Relationship with the youth pastor happens obviously at youth group. And also through contacting (meeting one on one at the church or at a public place). 

We recognize the importance of these relationships in developing our students into Godly men and women. Community is the only context that many truths in the bible can be understood and we make an effort to nurture that community at CSM.

Evaluation pt 3

Here is where it gets recent... 2008 was such an incredible year for me. You might read about my many adventures and my rock star lifestyle that I used to live in 2007 and even before and then see my 2008 as being a boring youth pastor, but I actually traded up. When I took the job here at Central I was being blessed with an opportunity to mentor students. A whole lot different approach then doing an outreach. It is the opportunity to see someone on fire one week and then struggling the next. Having to help people understand the God of the bible and trust Him completely. It is the opportunity to counsel and lead by example. It has been awesome. I admit that I spent pretty much my whole first year trying to figure it out. I mean who presumes to know what they are doing in ministry?! Even a seminary graduate will be humbled very quickly when they realize the weight of shepherding students.

As I look at photos of the students I am so blessed. We have a special group. We have such unique individuals and God loves every one of them so much. He is giving me a fatherly heart towards all of them. And I just want the best for them. So, 2008 was a huge win for me. 

And 2009 is going to be crazy awesome. God is good. 

Evaluation part 2

So after Haiti I travelled south to spend time with the OP12 wake team. I needed to make sure that we were all on the same page and God had obviously taken me much deeper than previously. We met weekly for a team bible study and discipleship time. So for a month I was down in Florida training for the wakeboard side of things and mentoring the guys to be ready for the spiritual side of things. God was continuing to work on my heart and I was excited to have an avenue to share.

The summer was a whirlwind. I won't tell you all of the ins and outs of our ministry but we had camps and demos in Florida, Missouri, Illinois, North Carolina, Minnesota, Washington, Virginia, and South Carolina... Many people were blessed by the ministry of Op12 that summer and it was so wild to think that only a few years before we were just a couple of bums feeling like God was calling us to pioneer a ministry and now we were a moderately well known sports ministry.

But, fall came. I hate fall. I don't hate the weather or the season but it always felt like hitting a wall because ministry would come to an abrupt end and the pace that I set earlier in the year was so fast and then nothing... It was always a time of deep depression and reevaluation. In 07 it was different. Not that it wasn't a depressing time but God was opening new doors. God had given me a passion for more than just sports ministry but for the Bride. A passion for the local church. After several weeks of being bored and miserable I started helping at the youth group of the church that I grew up attending... Central Christian Church. The nature of the group was pretty wild because they had a director but no teaching pastor so it was an easy fit for me to begin teaching and preaching for the youth group.... Long story short, I began to feel God calling me to put some roots down here. To settle in and get comfortable because God wanted to take what He had taught me and impart it to these students. My prayers began to get very specific and God started to open doors for me to come on staff at Central.

The decision was made by the end of 07 that starting in February of 2008 I would come on staff as Central's new youth pastor.

Evaluation part 1

Let me just give you some reflections on the last couple years... 

07' was the wildest year of my life...

It started in a van ride to Georgia with my friends from Heartland:PM to attend the Passion Conference. I literally spent new years eve in a 15 passenger van. The conference was awesome... I was a little wounded because I had just had surgery on my knee a month before and I was recovering from a few personal issues that I was suffering at the time too. I was discouraged and ready to bow out of ministry. God had a different plan. When I attended the conference I really connected with one of the speakers, Francis Chan. He shared how he had left his church for a few months because he wanted to make sure he was legit. It was music to my ears. And, his remedy from discouragement was to focus on God through the Word. I began to see God give me a bigger glimpse of his glory and it left me trembling and worshiping.

The next portion of my year was a trip to Africa for a month. I felt that I needed to use my down time to minister to the least of these so I planned to be in Africa from January 20- Feb 18th. During that time God stoked a passion in me for His name and His glory. I was so far removed from the mundane casual mediocre christian life that I led in America. God was transforming me to be completely discontent with living a casual life. The return home was equally exciting because I felt that I was leaving one mission field to go to another. I realized that God was calling me to be an American Missionary with an seemingly impossible task of helping nominal christians actually fall in love with God. I was nervous but prepared.

When I got back stateside I had a trip to California planned for Operation 12 for some snowboard event planning. Before I departed I sent an email to Francis Chan to let him know I was coming out there... I got a hold of some people from his church and made arrangements to spend some time at their church. It was awesome. I was actually at Cornerstone(The church that Francis pastors) when they rolled out the plans to give 50 percent of their income away and make budget cuts to allow them to do so. They also revealed that they were abolishing their building plans in favor of doing something more cost effective. I was crying as I realized that God is raising up a bunch of Christians that are so sold out to God that they would break the mold of church growth and the mega church mentality. I ended up spending several days with Tony Cruz the technical director of Cornerstone. We went surfing a couple times and talked about life and ministry. It was so uplifting and so encouraging. From there I travelled up to the mountains to spend some time with several op12 snow candidates. That was awesome too as we worked out the details of the snow team and what we wanted to accomplish. Even though my knee was still busted up I was able to do a little riding on Mammoth Mountain and it was incredible. But, the trip came to an end and I had to be home so off I went in a little diesel Jetta.

The next trip was a week away. It was a trip to Haiti with my family and pastor David and Deby and a few other friends. Wow, Haiti is an oppressed place. God was revealing the depths of the darkness of sin and showing what it looks like when it runs rampant. In America sin is easily disguised and seldom is exposed for what it truly is. In Haiti there are no pretensions. Satan is the prince of the earth and he parades his darkness across a poverty stricken land with no need to try to market his ways. Being in Haiti made me realize how absolutely terrible sin is and we need to call our friends to a more radical holiness. The trip was awesome but now it was time to start focusing on OP12's busy line up...

Jonathan Edwards Makes Plans for the New Year

At the beginning of the year we all make a bunch of wimpy resolutions... anything from eating better to going back to school to paying off debt. And, I think it is great that we are all focusing on what we could do to make 2009 better.

In 1722 a 19 year old by the name of Jonathan Edwards began writing his resolutions... Remember this is written by a teen and I have been so encouraged by how incredible all 70 of these resolutions are. I commend you to read them and ponder over them. Let's let Edwards lead the way in 2009 of making God glorifying goals.

Be Blessed!

BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God. July 30.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do any thing, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him. (Resolutions 1 through 21 written in one setting in New Haven in 1722)

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God' s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then, both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, never willfully to omit any thing, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, never to say any thing at all against any body, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Proverbs 20:6,‹A faithful man who can find?Š may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, to do always, what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without overbalancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.

34. Resolved, in narrations never to speak any thing but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord' s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Resolved, never to do any thing of which I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

41. Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.

43. Resolved, never, henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God' s; agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.

44. Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. January 12, 1723.

45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan. 12 and 13, 1723.

46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eye: and to be especially careful of it with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, to endeavor, to my utmost, to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented and easy, compassionate and generous, humble and meek, submissive and obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable and even, patient, moderate, forgiving and sincere temper; and to do at all times, what such a temper would lead me to; and to examine strictly, at the end of every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or not; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.

49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.

50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.

51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age, say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.

55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if, I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether I have done my duty, and resolve to do it, and let the event be just as providence orders it. I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty, and my sin. June 9, and July 13 1723.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.

59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 11, and July 13.

60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4, and 13, 1723.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.

62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty, and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, to do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man:‹knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.Š June 25 and July 13, 1723.

63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. January 14 and July 13, 1723.

64. Resolved, when I find those groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those breakings of soul for the longing it hath, of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be weary of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this, all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness, of which I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton' s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26, and Aug.10 1723.

66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what am I the better for them, and what I might have got by them.

68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. August 11, 1723.

70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. August 17, 1723.

The Beauty of Introspection

I remember in my Psychology class as my professor enumerated the benefits of introspection... how good it is to take a self inventory and to evaluate... the beauty of journaling.

It is a new year and almost everyone is taking inventory right now... which is cool but for most busy people it will last only a couple days. I am resolving to take a little time this new year and really think through the past few years of my life(the most diverse and formative years as of yet) and the next several(where God might take me and what that might look like).

I am at my uncle's cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin right now, the perfect place for this kind of work. Hopefully the fruit of this trip will be a good hearty introspection.