-Money Blog Part 4: Tithing vs. Giving-

Churches and church leaders have gotten a bad reputation over the last few decades when it comes to teaching or even mentioning the practice of giving to the church. Much of this reputation has been earned by a only hand full of "christian preachers" who were basically caught stealing from people. I mean, the was more to it than that but when you break it all down, that's what they were doing. So because of these hand full of people, pastors and teacher and church leaders with genuine hearts and motives have been hamstrung when it comes to talking about giving money to the church. People come in already jaded because of the now defunct "preachers" they've heard about on the news and are hypersensitive to ANY church leader talking about giving. This has led to pastors and church leaders being over-paranoid about talking about giving and the topic has been basically ignored in many churches in our culture out of fear of being labeled "all about money." That being said, today I want to talk about giving to your church.

One of our biggest problems as a Church (when I say "the Church" I am talking about ALL the Christian churches everywhere not just MY church) when it comes to giving is that, just like everything else, we can't agree on it. Some churches take up and offering, others don't. Some churches teach to give a specific amount, others teach to give "whatever God puts on your heart." Most churches, however, teach the biblical principle called "tithing." Tithing is simple. It simply means that you give 10% of your income to your church and this is the practice that I, personally believe is a great start.

Many from with the Church argue about the practice of tithing. They have "theological" points to show how we don't really have to tithe anymore. And if 9 out of 10 of these people had this view out of a desire to give and love then I'd be totally okay with it. However most of the people I've heard use these types of arguments seem to o it in order to absolve them of guilt for not actually giving to the church at all. Lets talk about some of the common arguments against tithing that are heard, shall we?

One argument I hear a lot is, "Tithing isn't really talked about in the New Testament." This is a pretty ignorant point to try to make. we have to remember WHO wrote the New Testament; Jews. Jewish people who believe in Jesus were the ones God used to pen the words of the New Testament. And when they devoted their lives to Jesus they didn't STOP being Jewish. They continued to practice Jewish Law. In fact, many of them we emphatic about it. So they wouldn't HAVE to mention tithing. It was simply assumed as a normal practice. Beyond that, what happens if we decide to use the New Testament as our only guide? In the gospel we see Jesus telling a man to sell everything he has and give it to the poor. Later in the book of Acts it says that all the believers sold their possessions and had "everything in common." So if you want to use strictly a "New Testament pattern" you'd better be prepared to give 100% because that is what the New Testament describes... and more than once.

I also hear a lot that the practice of tithing is a part of "the Law" of the Old testament and the the New Testament says we're not under the Law anymore. Okay, yes tithing is described in what we call "Levitical Law," meaning it is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus which lays out much of the Law the Jews were to live by. But what many people don't realize is that by that time, tithing wasn't new. If you read Genesis, God asks Abraham to tithe. Abraham passes this practice on and we see his grandson, Jacob, committing to giving a tenth of all he has to God as well. Leviticus is simply making the practice "official," but it existed LONG before Moses gave the Jewish people "the Law." So the practice of tithing actually precedes even the 10 Commandments.

I also hear about how Jesus didn't talk about tithing and that we never read about Him actually practicing it himself. Once again this is an ignorant argument because Jesus was also Jewish. In fact, Jesus followed the spirit of the Law better than anyone else. He was a Jewish rabbi, living in a Jewish country, teaching Jewish people to live the Jewish way. Once again, they wouldn't need to mention Jesus tithed because it would have been assumed by virtue of His culture. It also doesn't say He ever went to the bathroom, or blinked, or laughed, got cold. So are we assume those things never happened too? Beyond that Jesus DOES mention tithing in Matthew 23:23. He affirms that the Pharisees have tithed but ignored things like mercy and justice. Bet then Jesus goes on to tell them that they should, indeed, have been tithing without ignoring mercy and justice. So, apparently Jesus is actually pro-tithing. Which really shouldn't surprise anyone because, once again, He was Jewish!

Finally I want to make it clear that I believe wholeheartedly in tithing not because I want or need your money, but because our money is usually one of the last things we're willing to let go of and trust God with. Because He's not really God unless He's the God of everything. Even our money. Sadly, in most churches today 15-20% of the people pay 95% of the bills. If everyone in our churches began tithing, many churches would know what to do with all the money. It would open whole new possibilities for the church to contribute to the lives of others. I think that it could be amazing. I also believe something else about tithing. I believe it's simply a starting point. I think 10% is a good place to begin but not to end. And I think that if you began to tithe and experience the joy of giving to God obediently you'll actually get greedy for giving. Try it. I dare you. Prove me wrong.

-Money Blog Part 1: Currency vs. Character-

Even if you don't believe anything else the Bible says one thing that is hard to argue with is 1st Timothy 6:10 which tells us, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil..." Take it from someone who worked in bank branches in Orange County, CA (a region where you can find one of the most concentrated groupings of wealth on the planet), for almost a decade. Loving money can cause problems. I once listened to a brother and sister argue in front of me for 20 minutes about who should get the extra 1 CENT from their recently deceased mother's savings account because it wouldn't split evenly into 2 parts. There's something wrong there. Something terribly, terribly wrong.

I think one of the biggest problems happens when we assign value to money. If you're thinking, "What are you talking about John? Money already has a value. We don't assign it one," that's not at all what I mean. What I mean is the value we allow our money to give us. I'll explain. Often times in our culture, we equate someone's value as a person with their affluence. The car they drive, the area of town their house is in, the places they eat, the clothing they wear. These are all ways in which we gage someone's wealth and, in turn, gage their value. That is a problem in it's own right but it leads to an even bigger problem. Comparison.

We begin to compare what we have with what others have. Is my car as nice as theirs? My clothes? My home? But comparisons like these are actually a double-edged sword. We can't win. If someone else's "stuff" is better than ours then we feel inferior. It their "stuff" isn't seemingly as nice we feel superior to them. either way we are basing not only their value as a human on their money, but also OUR value. Then it becomes about being "as good as" someone else. So rather than basing our value on what we ARE, we base it on what we HAVE. When this happens, money becomes more than just currency, it becomes our character.

We, as individuals, must make conscious decisions to end this mentality. We must stop confusing our self-worth with our net-worth. Until we do, we won't have our money, it will have us. We must remember that money and "stuff" is not the goal itself but simply a tool we can use to help us achieve our goals. Because when our goals in life revolve around the accumulation of cash and "stuff" then in the end, we have done nothing with significance. We have simply hoarded and taken and allowed our currency to be more important that our character.

-Jesus Blog Part 4: A Life of Significance-

One of things I hate the most is when Christians have a "transaction mentality" of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. What I mean by this is when they see their faith as a transaction with God. They say, "Okay God, I'll believe in you and accept Your Son and in return, when I die, You'll let me into heaven." Of course this isn't usually a conscious thought. Usually it's just totally normal because that's how faith seems to work in Western Christianity, (western word not west coast). We put in our time at church and try to play by the rules and in the end we avoid hell. Yay for us. And what makes it even more difficult is that this is really the only kind of faith people know. So, well meaning people who really do love God simply live their lives the way they're told they're supposed to.

But providing us an opportunity to go to heaven when we die is not what Jesus lived, died, and resurrected for. It is simply a fruit of what he actually came to do. Jesus' life was about the restoration of all things. He came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10) and by save he didn't mean simply saving us from hell. He meant saving us from ourselves. Saving us from our own attitudes and our own perceptions of how life should be lived. He talked a great deal about loving the unloved and caring for those who couldn't care for themselves. He discussed at great length the idea that forgiveness and reconciliation are much better than living with grudges and bitterness. He talked about loving God, loving others and, yes, even insinuated that you should love yourself. He got frustrated when those closest to Him stopped believing in themselves because He believed in them.

You see, Jesus also said that He came to give us " a rich and satisfying life," (John 10:10). I think we like to quote this verse but then we forget it. Jesus gives me a better life NOW. Not just when I die. And he didn't mean a life of wealth. He meant a life of significance. A life that has an impact on the world around it. A life that He doesn't just pour into, but a life he also pours out of. This is the life that Jesus came to give. Here. Now. At this time. In this place.

So yes, Jesus came to give an opportunity to go to heaven. But He came for so much more. And when we fail to recognize and respond to that we rob the gospel of all it actually offers us. We lose a great deal of value in our lives when we think of it as an "after-death" arrangement. And we tear away a significant amount of Jesus' sacrifice when we don't let it infiltrate our whole life.

A life of significance. That is what Jesus offers. Not just a ticket to heaven. And until each of decides to grab hold of the life Jesus extends to us, we will continue to rob the gospel of all of it's weight and meaning. And unless we begin exploring the life of significance Jesus offers, we will redeem our ticket to heaven only to find that when we get there, it's not as full as it would have been had we taken Jesus up on his offer. A life of significance. Jesus had one. Jesus came to give you one. Will you accept it?

-Jesus Blog Part 3: Love & Insecurity-

I'm a people-pleaser. Like most pastors, I am wildly insecure, (though few will admit how deep their insecurity runs). So I work and work and work and try to make sure that people love and accept me. I try to be funny and entertaining and supportive and empathetic and charismatic and talented and I'm really good at making it appear as if I have my crap together. Because I want people to like me. To accept me. To trust me. To love me. Is that so bad?

As I look at Jesus and read about His life I discover that he wanted those things too. Jesus wanted to be liked, and accepted and trusted and loved and He still does today. In fact the entire premise of the Gospel hinges on the idea that we love, accept and trust Jesus. So I have to conclude that my longing for that same love and acceptance is okay. It's okay that I want, desperately, for people to admire and love me for who I am. It's also okay that you want that. Now, before you get all agitated with me for making assumptions about YOUR insecurity and need to be loved lets just be honest here. You are human and therefore I CAN make that assumption.

You see, I believe we were created by God. I don't presume to know His methods or understand how it all happened or worked but I believe with everything in me that God, in some way, created the universe and then us. I also believe that when God created us, He created us in His image. This means we were instilled with the same thoughts and feelings as Him. It means that we have been wired to share some of the attributed of our Creator. It's like He signed us as a painter would his masterpiece. And so when I look and see that our Creator has a need and longing to be loved and accepted then it is easy for me to see why we, His masterpiece that bears His signature, also have those same needs. The difference between God and us however, is how we handle or desire for love.

I look at the life of Jesus and see it as God's way of literally stepping into our shoes. In Jesus, God takes away our ability say, "But You don't know how it feels." because He DOES know. And in reality, He always has known but we needed the extra evidence of Him actually becoming human. But as I examine Jesus' life and I see that He had the same need for love and acceptance as me, I also find that HIS need for those things manifested in much different ways. Jesus responds to the human condition not by hoarding love but by giving it out generously.

It's as if Jesus is showing us that we are misunderstanding our own need for love. That we have tainted our original design. That our need for love isn't that we receive it as much as it is that we give it away. And that through the acts of giving our love and acceptance to others, it will somehow find it's way back to us. Jesus was NOT like me. He was NOT a people-pleaser. His energies weren't spent so much on being loved and accepted but rather, on loving and accepting others recklessly. I wonder what it would be like if I did this. How much good could I do in this world if I took all the time and energy I put into being loved and accepted and, instead, put it into loving and accepting others? This is what Jesus SHOWS me I can do. This is why Jesus died willingly rather than fighting it. To show us that real love will go the whole way. Real love isn't the kind you long to receive, but the kind you long to give. And I want to start loving like that.

-Jesus Blog Part 1: "Me Too"

Sometimes I think we, as Christians, really dehumanize Jesus. I think we get so over-zealous about ensuring His place in the Trinity that we make him out to be super-human. We imagine Jesus as someone who always knew exactly what to say and what to do in any situation. we imagine Him with a certain strut or swagger about Him that exuded confidence because, we think, "He knew who He was." But I think we miss out on so much of Jesus when we do this. Now let me make it clear, I believe that Jesus is God in the flesh and i believe that He knew who He was. But the fact is that Jesus was and is a man. During His life on Earth I believe he was just as susceptible to human emotion and yes, even insecurity.

The bible tells us then when Jesus took on a human form that He became, "a little lower than the angels." (Hebrews 2) It also tells us that He was profoundly hansom or attractive that we should be drawn to Him in any way. (Isaiah 53) Jesus was a child as well. We know He grew up with human parents, had brothers and sisters and went to school. So for me, it is safe to conclude that for all intents and purposes, Jesus dealt with the same range of feelings and emotions and hurt and joy and struggle and that we do. But what convinces me most that this is true is what I hear in His voice when I read those red lettered words.

I think often times when we read the Bible we read it as a text book. It's a book that has information that we need to learn in order to improve out lives or so we know the right things to say and do so we can go to heaven when we die. This is probably due to some of the language we use. We talk about "studying" the Bible. We call it "Text." We refer to it as our "Instruction Manual for Life." Our "Study" Bibles contain "footnotes" and "glossories" and "dictionaries." We have inundated ourselves with the idea the the Bible is a very important text book. But we have forgotten that it is also a story. A narative. With history and songs and poetry and passion and agony. Lately, I have begun reading the words of Jesus like this. And I am finding a whole new side of Jesus that I wish I knew before.

Listen to this short passage; "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve." (John 6:66-67) When I read the question Jesus asked the twelve I hear in Jesus' voice a very sad, hurt and even insecure tone. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" Can you hear the angst? The anxiety? I hear in Jesus' voice a man who is desperate to be accepted because He knows what it means. A man who hopes and prays that He is saying the right words and doing the right things. A man who has just been deserted by many of His "friends" and is asking other if they are going to bail on Him too. "You don't want to leave too, do you?" It feels like a plea that they not leave Him alone. Because Jesus doesn't want to be alone.

I get like that too. I'm desperate to be accepted. I hope and pray that I say the right words and do the right things. I don't want to be alone. And I feel a little better knowing that Jesus, the SON OF GOD, felt some of the same insecurities I do. To know that that He can feel my turmoil within because He has been there. He has felt it. He knows exactly...what...I'm going through. And I find it comforting to know that Jesus can say to someone like me, "Me too, John. Me too."

-Letters To Myself Part 3: Dear 40 Year Old John-

Dear 40 Year Old John, (March 30, 2018)

I wonder about you a lot. It seems sometimes that I'll never actually be where you are but I know that it's inevitable. Time always seems to move slower when you're looking forward than it does when you're looking back. So no matter how far off you "seem" to be, I know that, baring some accident that takes my life, I will, quite literally, be in your shoes. And so I wonder about you.

What are you doing? Are you still an associate level pastor? Did you make the jump to a Lead Pastor role yet? Are you even in a pastoral position at all? Have you written a book yet? There are so many things I wish you could tell me about the plans and vision I have today for my life tomorrow. Am I living a life of significance? Am I helping change the world by changing lives one at a time? Am I being the inspiration that I want to be that pushes others to make a difference too? What have I done right? I have so many insecurities about becoming you that it is overwhelming sometimes. If I could just talk to you. Listen to you. Get your advice. Sadly, I don't think it would change much would it? I'd still have all my insecurities. I'd still wonder about the man I am becoming. Even if I could talk to you, I'd still be me. And if being me isn't good enough without talking to you, then neither will it be good enough if I could. So maybe the best I can do is to take the steps now to ensure that just being me IS good enough. And maybe by the time I'm you, I'll be proud of the man I am becoming.

What kind of friend are you John? Do people trust you? And if they do, do you really deserve their trust? Do you put your own agenda aside for others? Do you make people feel loved and valued and important? Or have you given up that pursuit? I fear that a lot. That over time I'll slip back into being the critical cynic that I have fought so hard to subdue. He's always there you know. Wanting to come pouring out me and point out all of the the flaws of everyone and everything around me. But I don't want to be him. He pretends to love people but refuses to accept them for the wonderful and amazing people that they ALREADY are. I hate him. Have you overcome him? Have you finally beaten him out of existence? I hope so. Because people mean too much to be ridiculed and judged into believing they aren't good enough. But you're probably still fighting him off too. Like I said: he's always there. I hope you haven't become him again. I pray we are pushing him farther and father from us. I don't want to become him again. So I'll keep fighting for people. To love them. To accept them. To welcome them the way Jesus did and still does. And maybe, by the time I'm you, he'll be gone.

What about your family John? Are you good enough for Krissy yet? Do you deserve her yet? Probably not. Even if you have grown as much as I hope you have since you were me, you'll have a long way to go. She's always been out of your league though. You know that as well as I do. But I hope we've never stopped trying to be the man she deserves us to be. And what about your kids? Felicia turns 15 in a few months from where you are. That means boys re alive and kickin' in her life and that hormones are a daily part of life. Have you taught her to have high standards? Have you treated her in such a way that she will always expect the best from any guy that comes in her field of vision? Does she know by the way that you treat her and her mother that she should expect nothing less than someone who would lay down his life for her? Have you made her feel valuable and loved and respected? Because that's what I want for my little girl. I hope you've done your job with her. And likewise, what have you demonstrated to Ian? Have you acted like the man you hope he becomes? A man of strength and patience and love and responsibility. Have you taught him self-control? Have you given him confidence in who God has made him to be? I hope you have taken your responsibility to him seriously. And I hope you can still make them all laugh and smile and help them to love life. But there is no way for me to know what you do. So, I'll love my family in real, tangible, expressible ways now. And maybe, by the time I'm you, they will know how much they fill my life with joy.

So I guess it doesn't matter what you would say to me does it John? Because it's up to me to take the right steps and do the right things here... now... today. And then to wake up tomorrow and chose to do it again. And you simply can't help me do that. I have to do it. It's up to me to make sure that you turn out to be the man I hope you are. So today I make a promise to you John. I'll try. With everything that is in me I will try to make the choices today that will ensure you become the best man you can be. I can't promise perfection. I'll most certainly make some bad, wrong and even selfish choices. But I promise that I'll try. And maybe, just maybe, by the time I'm you, I will have begun to leave my mark upon this world. And it will be a better place because I am in it. Maybe...

Truly,

-John Hall (Age 31)

P.S.

This is the hardest, most deeply personal thing I've ever written. I hope it means as much to you as is has to me. God speed John. Never forget the man you hope to one day be and never stop trying to become him.

-Letters To Myself Part 2: Dear 25 Year Old John-

Dear 25 Year Old John (March 30, 2003),

It doesn't seem like that long that I was you, but so much is going to happen to you over the next few years that you won't know how you managed to navigate through it all. You will mature more over the next five or so years than you did in the previous 15 combined. So buckle up and put your helmet on because life isn't the "roller coaster" it's been made out to be, it's more like the bumper cars.

You got married about a year and a half ago and that has worked out quite well for you hasn't it? But you're still learning to be unselfish aren't you? It's not easy but you're finally starting now to understand that in marriage you can't think in terms of "me" but always in terms of "we." Continue to cultivate this attitude. It will be invaluable to the success of your marriage. You've also set some good ground rules with Krissy that will serve you well for the upcoming years. The "veto" rule was good. Giving your spouse the power to tell you you're not allowed to do something and knowing that they have given you that same authority shows a tremendous amount of trust and respect. You were also wise to agree to never let an argument cause you to spend the night under different roofs. These simple things have proven to strengthen your marriage like nothing else could. You love and respect and trust Krissy and she does the same for you. This will only continue to grow over the years causing you two to become closer than you knew was possible and you will have the ability to talk about anything without fear. Ultimately, you will realize that what you were suspicious of all along is, in fact, true: she is way too good for you. Fortunately, for you, she loves you anyway.

You're also just a few months away from being a father for the first time. Now, I won't ruin it by telling you if it's a boy or a girl but I want to prepare for a few things. Holding your child for the first time is going to wreak havoc on your equilibrium. Never will you feel so important yet so insignificant at the same time. Nothing will inspire you to be the best you can possibly be like this event will. You fell in love with Krissy over time. You got to know her. You got to know about her. You interacted with her and came to appreciate her personality and uniqueness and it has grown into a deep sense of love and devotion that could never be replaced. But it happened over time. When you hold your child for the first time, all of that love an devotion is going to come crashing down on you in a matter of nanoseconds. You WILL be overwhelmed by it. But even as i type this i know my words aren't even a fraction adequate enough to prepare you. So, good luck. As for the actual birth part, you're about to see Krissy in a whole new way that will simply add to your knowledge of how amazing she is.

Professionally John, you've got a long way to go. You're still cocky and think you know it all. But an off the cuff comment from Billy Phipps is going to snap you back into focus. He won't know it when he says it because he wasn't even really talking to you or even about you; but will be a ginormous, (that word will be added to the dictionary in 2008), wake-up call and you will never forget that moment. Right now you are learning to always be learning and that is good. But in a few years a book recommendation, (once again Billy Phipps will play a major role), will altar how you see the church, the world, people, politics, ministry, and relationships. It will set you on a path of learning and growth that take you to new heights and help you combine your intellect with your spirituality. This step is a major turning point for you.

Introspectively you will really start to come into your own. You will be filled with ideas and dreams and visions for amazing things. When you don't make them all real it will be taxing for you. It will even hurt. But you will press on and find more and more creativity hiding just beneath the surface. It's there for the taking but there will be obstacles in finding it. Pride and self-centeredness will always be a struggle for you. You will have to come to terms with this or you will never be able to grow. This won't be easy for you but I hope that in the long run, growth will be more important to you than always being right. Keep learning and keep loving because if you don't there will be no reason to keep living. You're becoming a grown-up now John. It's time to put away childish things. There is more to you than your sarcastic fun-loving exterior. There is depth. There is the ability to affect people on a deeply personal and spiritual level. Dig deep John. Find it. Bring it out. Make a difference. It's up to you.

Truly,

-John Hall (age 31)

P.S.

I didn't mention your trips to the Philippines and Fiji that will shatter your life into a million pieces. You will see things that will rock your world. They will bring you to tears and to your knees. Breathe in these experiences. They will help you understand your role in this world.

-Church Blog Part 3: Broken & Messed Up Together-

One thing I can honestly say is that I know I am loved. And not just by my wife, kids and other family members but also people outside my circle of relatives. And not even just a few life-long friends either. I know. that I know. that I know that I am loved by a lot of people. People older than me, younger than me, smarter than I am and more talented. People better looking with more money and a better sense of who they are. I'm also loved by people who have less money, less education, and less of a sense of who they really are. I'm even loved by people who don't like me. I am loved by a lot of people, and they are loved by me too. Because the "church," is a beautiful idea.

I believe with all that's in me that I would not be as loved as I am were it not for the church. And please know that when I refer to "the church" I'm talking about Christians everywhere and not just the local church that I am a part of. The church has provided me with and endless supply of people to care about. I could rattle off name after name. Some of them I've only met once, some of them I've known for years and some of them I have simply only heard of. It's funny how that works. Yes, the church has provided me with mentors, proteges, and peers alike and I have learned from each one of them.

I think that's one of the main functions God has in place for His church. That we learn from one another. That it doesn't matter who you are, where you came from, what you've done, or how long you've been around. If you here, I can learn from you. You have something to contribute. And your contribution may open up whole new possibilities that I could never imagine without you. The church is a community, an entire Kingdom of people that are committed to loving God by loving each other. Service God by serving each other. Learning from God by learning from each other. Like I said, what a beautiful idea the church is.

So, where do you fit in this Kingdom? Because I promise you, you fit somewhere. And when you find your place or even just begin trying you add value to us all. Your presence and contribution make us better, stronger, and more complete than we were before. And the more people that join God's Kingdom, the closer we become to God's picture of what the church is supposed to be. Now don't get me wrong, I know the church isn't perfect. When you get people involved in something they tend to mess it up a little and the church is made up entirely of people. So naturally, we have our problems. Many outside the church often talk about how the church is full of hypocrites. And you know what? They're right. It absolutely is. So they should fit right in then.

You see the church is filled with broken, messed up people living in the same broken, messed up world that everyone else lives in. We are simply compelled by Christ to be broken and messed up together. And when we are broken and messed up together, we find strength. A strength that only God can provide through His people working in His Spirit to build one another up. To remind one another that we are not alone. To allow God to give us hope, peace, strength, love, joy, laughter, friendship companionship, and comfort through His people. Because when someone else in the church laughs or cries or prays or sings or hopes or celebrates or embraces me, it is not just them that does it. It is God laughing, crying, praying, singing, hoping, celebrating or embracing me through them.

The church is God's way of doing life at our side and not just above our heads. The church is God's way of being with us through life not just after it. The church is God's way of saying to us, "me too." The church is a beautiful idea. It's an idea worth dying for. It's an idea worth living for. If you are already a part of it, I thank you and honor you for your contribution. If you are not, we stand here waiting for you. Anticipating all that we can learn from you and all the ways God can love you through us. We are just broken, messed up people living in a broken, messed up world. But we're doing it together. We hope you'll join us.

-Church Blog Part 2: Don't GO To Church-

My pastor once told a story about a member of the church pulling him aside one Sunday to talk with him. (Note: If it's possible, don't pull your pastor aside on Sunday. His/Her mind is in a million different places and it'll be better for BOTH of you to just call him during the week.) The long time church member proceeded to explain to Pastor Brad that another church member was struggling financially and that she had been assisting her for several weeks now. The well meaning church member went on to say, "I think the church should do something about it." Pastor Brad responded by asking her, "You've been helping her lately?" and the woman reiterated that she had been. "Then the church IS doing something about it," he said. And the conversation ended.

I love this story because it's a real life, flesh and blood example of what "church" actually is. Often times we get confused because of our modern, western understanding of the word "church." So lets explore the origin of the actual word. The word we translate as "church" comes from the Greek work "ekklesia." To understand the significance of this it's important to understand what the word "ekklesia" meant to a First Century person living in the Roman Empire. When a city within the Empire pledged it's loyalty to Cesar and Cesar alone, Rome would formally adopt that city and it's inhabitants would become citizens of Rome. Being a Roman citizen was extremely valuable at the time and came with rights that other were not given. (i.e. Paul's right to appeal his case to Cesar in the book of Acts.) Because of this, many cities were more than happy to give their loyalty to Cesar. They would adopt the currency, styles, rituals and holidays of Rome. They would learn to say things like, "Cesar is Lord." or "There is no name under heaven by which man can be saved than that of Cesar." (Sound familiar?) And for their loyalty, Cesar would declare their city an "ekklesia." You see, First Century Christians hijacked the word church from the Roman Empire.

They did that a lot actually. Hijacking Roman terms and mantras that we still use today. For instance we still say "Jesus is Lord." rather than "Cesar is Lord." And we still call gatherings, "churches" or "ekklesias." Why is this important? Because we should always remember that the very name we use to identify ourselves was meant to fly in the face of human power structures. The term "church" as it was used by First Century Christians was never meant to describe a hierarchical organization with a "top-down" leadership structure. Sure it had, and has, leaders but not in the same sense as we know it. The leadership came along side of it's people, it's didn't rise above them. But over the centuries the church has become domesticated. We began a wild lion and have become a common house-cat. We institutionalized ourselves, segmented ourselves, we fight amongst each other. Sadly, the Kingdom of God has grown more and more like any other kingdom in appearance and function over the last 2 Milena. Somewhere along the line we lost our desire to fly in the face of human power structures and replaced it with a desire to conform to them. We stopped being an insurgent, counter-culture revolution of people who love God and love others. Tragic.

That brings me back to the story my pastor tells. What was he saying to this very well meaning and kind-hearted lady? He was reminding her that "the church" is not a location. It's not a building, it's not staff, it's not service on Sunday. He was reminding her that "the church" is all of us. All of that claim to follow Jesus are the church. The church is alive. Rick Warren recently tweeted "The Church is a Body, not a business; an organism, not an organization." I love this quote because it's a reminder. It's a reminder that church is something we ARE not something we DO. Something we should BE not somewhere we should go. Church is found in people not in places. Today, when we gather as a "church' we call it "going to church." But in doing so, we lose the beauty and honor and wonderful responsibility of BEING the church. Please, don't just GO to church, BE the church. For God, for each other and for the world that needs us to fly in the face of human power structures.

-Church Blog Part 1: Stay Home-

OK I admit it, sometimes church bores me to no end. Sometimes I'll go to a service somewhere and 15 minutes into the service I've checked out mentally and am thinking about what I'm going to order for lunch. And why is it that the most boring churches have the longest services? What is it about the mundane that it somehow always breads an over-consumption of time? We have lives outside of church man! Let us go! I mean, if you can't make your point in 20-25 minutes you're certainly not going to be able to make it 45 minutes. Besides, I've heard all this before. Teach me something I DON'T know, don't just tell me the things I already believe. And another thing... wait I'm getting off topic. I'll cover boring sermons and having a life outside of church in the weeks to come. For now I'll just stick to "checking out" while at church. Because even when church bores me to tears, I never go in with anything but a sincere hope and desire for God to speak to me and invade my life.

I cannot tell you how often I look around in a church and see people who have tuned everything out. They are there physically, but have no real desire to get anything out of church. They're like mannequins in the seats showing you what it "looks like" to be in church but are rigid and unmovable. Please know that I am not talking about MY church. I'm talking about every church I've ever been to, seen or heard of and all the ones I haven't heard of either. This is a serious issue. We have developed routine Christianity in our lives rather than living out real faith. Because truly following Jesus should be anything but routine.

But there they are week after week filling our pews and chairs and occupying a space that may otherwise go to someone who is thirsting for interaction with their Creator and Savior. We do that sometimes as Christians don't we? We get in the way of someones opportunity to have a real encounter with the living God. Maybe we don't mean to. But sometimes, our mere presence is like a fence that keeps out the Holy Spirit. I hate this because we're the ones who are supposed to be the example to show others the joy and fulfillment that comes with interacting with a very real God in a very real way. But what message do we send when we're just sitting there in the seat mindlessly staring at the stage daydreaming about other things? What message do send when church is simply routine instead of real? What message do we send when church is an item on out "To-Do List" rather that one on our "To-Be List."

Sadly, this syndrome seems to be most prevalent in Christians who have been Christians for a while. It seems the longer you're a Christian, the more infected by routine you get. I am absolutely petrified by the idea that this will happen to me. What is even more frightening is that in many ways, it already has. But I still have yet to go to church just to check off my "to-do list." I still have yet to sit in a service without anticipating and longing for a real, powerful, life changing encounter with God. I still hunger and thirst to hear His voice. Do you? When in church do you long for a life changing experience? Do you pray that you would somehow, in some way be different when you walk out the door than you were when you walk in? Because if that's not the attitude you carry into church with you, maybe you should just stay home.

I know that many people wont like that idea. I know that many people think you should always be in church and for the most part I agree. But in this case, I simply don't. I think that if you aren't interested in a real interaction with God when you go; if all you're going to do is sit there with a mind-numbed expression on your face instead of seeking God; then you're just getting in God's way. I know that there are people who will suggest that, "At least if they're in church God may get their attention," but I don't agree. First off, if they don't want God to get there attention then going to church isn't going to make it happen and secondly, God doesn't need them to come and sit in a specific building on a specific day of the week, at a specific time of the day to get there attention. He can do it whenever and where ever He wants.

So please, when you sit in service, seek God. Seek life-change. Seek His voice. If it's time to sing and worship, then sing and worship. Cry out to God as His church with a single unified voice that you are there for Him. To hear from Him what He wants to do in your life. Consider the words and message behind the lyrics to the songs. Let them our out of your heart and soul instead of just reciting them from memory. When it's time for the speaker to teach/preach, listen attentively as if you were hearing the words of God Himself because in many ways, you are. Don't just fill in the blanks and then throw our bulletin away. Consider what God is saying to YOU through the message that day. Encounter God. If you're not interested in that, just say home. Maybe someone who is thirsty for God will use your seat that day.

-The Lakers, Stan Van Gundy, and The Church-

Well, they pulled it off. The Lakers managed to secure the franchise's 15th NBA Championship title in just five games relying on excellent play from, among others,  Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, and Kobe Bryant and being commanded by Head Coach, Phil Jackson. This is the 10th time Phil Jackson has coached a team to the title, a new record for ANY of the four major American sports, (Basketball, Football, Baseball and Hockey).

What struck me most about this whole series however was something that Stan Van Gundy, (Head Coach for the Orlando Magic who lost the series to the Lakers), said in a post-game interview after a gut-wrenching loss in game 4. An interviewer asked him to comment on the importance of experience in a Championship series like this, alluding the the fact that several Lakers players have been in Championship contention before but none of Orlando's players had been. He responded by saying the experience had nothing to do with it. He said it was "too chiche" to say it has to do with experience and that this was simply just another basketball game.  I wonder if the fact that this was HIS first time to the NBA Championship Series had anything to do with that opinion. I also wonder if he'll be saying the same thing if he gets there again in the years to come. Something tells me that the more times he coaches a team to the Championship, the more he'll come to realize just how important experience is.

I think many young and new Christians, (especially Christian leaders and professional ministers), have the same problem as Stan Van Gundy though. Right now the Church as a whole is in the middle of a paradigm shift. New voices are starting to be heard and even sought out within the Church. This is a fantastic thing. It happens every few generations and is important to the survival and growth of Christianity. But, as it often happens, many of these "new voices" are blatantly critical of the "old voices." What an remarkable tragedy this is. It is 100% unBiblical, 100% counterproductive, and 100% ignorant. It makes absolutely no sense for someone to criticize and berate those who came before them and claim they didn't do anything right when they, themselves, would not be where they are in their faith had it not been for the very people he or she is criticizing. In other words, If yesterday's Church couldn't do anything right then their wouldn't be a Church today.

Don't get me wrong, I'm am by no means saying there is nothing to improve upon. I believe wholeheartedly that the Church has dropped the ball in many ways and hope we can pick it back up and start making the difference God calls us to make rather than the difference we think we should be making. But we have nothing to gain by pointing fingers at those who came before us. In fact, we should be honoring them and even seeking their council. At the church I am currently serving in there are many who have been loving God and loving people for longer than I have been alive. I have learned to listen when they talk. I have learned to seek out their opinion. I have learned that there is wisdom in experience. I may not follow their advice to the letter. I may not do exactly what they think I should do. Often times I will reinterpret their thoughts to meet the needs of those I mean to minister to.  But there is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that comes from age and experience, (just read the book of Proverbs if you don't believe me), and I don't want to be like Stan Van Gundy and deny that while I lose. Because the Church losing is just a basketball game. It means people miss out on a life changing message that brings them closer to God now and forever. Please, lets reinvent the church for the emerging generations. Lets see their needs and adjust our methods without adjusting our message. But let us not forsake the experience of those that came before us. Let's take advantage of it. Let's leverage it for the betterment of our endeavors for God. Because experience is wisdom. And we could all use more of that. 

-Gay Marriage Questions For Everyone-

I've been pretty deliberate to not blog when it comes to politics or my political views. I usually try to keep my blogs to spiritual issues or, in most cases, my own mindless ramblings about things I think are fascinating but the rest of you wonder what I'm even so interested in. And while I think this post is more spiritual than political, many people will view it as the reverse. With that disclaimer, I'll begin.

Yesterday, (05/26/09), the California Supreme Court ruled to confirm the November 2008 California ballot initiative known as Proposition 8. In a nutshell, Prop. 8, which passed by a margin of 4%, defined marriage in California as being between 1 man and 1 woman, effectively closing the door to gay couples getting married. The State Supreme Court basically said, what the majority of voters want is OK with us. (Of the 7 judges, 6 voted to confirm Prop. 8 and only 1 voted to overturn it.)

I don't know where any one of you stands on this issue. Due to the general content of most of my blogs, I am persuaded to believe that most of you are against gay marriage. I'm some of you aren't and quite frankly where you stand on this issue is not my concern. The point of this blog is NOT to influence anyone to one side or the other. What I want us ALL to do is ask ourselves a few questions and really consider then before "towing the party line," whatever party you may be in. So, below are some questions we need to ask ourselves before we get so emphatic about this, clearly, polarizing issue. 

1. Are we all prepared for the probability that gay marriage will be legal within the next 2 election cycles?

It is VERY likely that gay marriage will be legal in California in a matter of just a few years. Those against gay marriage should not simply plug there ears and pretend this isn't true. This is the direction that our culture is headed and that's all there is to it. I am not suggesting you change your beliefs or that you give in and vote contrary to your own convictions. I am simply suggesting that, baring an act of divine intervention, (which God rarely does in matters like this), the outcome will eventually turn toward legalizing gay marriage. Now, if you are for gay marriage you should prepare for this day with a certain degree of anticipation but please, if and when gay marriage is legalized, accept it with humility and not with an "in your face" attitude.

2. If gay marriage IS legalized, where then do we draw the line?

What happens when we redefine marriage? Other groups will come out of the woodworks with a cry of "Hey, what about us?" Will polygamy, (the practice of having more than one spouse at a time), be allowed next? Will someone be able to marry a dog? A tree? A corpse? I know these sound like far-fetched examples but if there is anything we have learned about people in our society it's that there is not limit on how far we can take something. Look up an organization called NAMBLA and you'll find proof of what I'm talking about. We need to be aware of where the line should be drawn.

3. Are we too hung up on the word "marriage"?

This is a question for both sides. If you are against gay marriage you probably feel that way because of certain faith-based morality and applaud your commitment to your convictions. But if God doesn't recognize a union between a gay couple then do we really care if the State of California does? Why are we OK with it if a heterosexual couple who had sex while they were dating gets married? Isn't their life-style just as sinful? If you are FOR gay marriage you may not be aware that same-sex couples who had civil unions already have the exact same rights as married couples in California. So why the NEED for the word "marriage"? Is it out of spite for "those religious people" who you just don't like?

4. What happens to clergy and church rights if gay marriage is legalized?

One of the reasons many churches are against gay marriage is because it creates a concern that the ministers, pastors and priests will be FORCED to perform ceremonies for a same sex couple regardless of their own personal convictions. As a pastor, I could be fined or jailed for refusing to perform a wedding ceremony for a same sex couple because I would discriminating. Doesn't this infringe on my Constitutionally protected freedom of religion? The same is true for the actual church facilities. Churches could theoretically be fined or lose their tax-exempt status for not allowing a gay couple to be married in their church. I think this is a travesty. You don't extend rights to one group, and in doing so trample the rights of another. And before anyone starts the, "Gay people don't want to do that to churches" argument, let me just say this. You're wrong. While the VAST majority of the gay community wouldn't want this to happen, there are activists in that community that would do just out of spite for how they've been, "mistreated by those religious people for years." It's the few that WOULD make an issue out of it that worries me.

5. For all our talk of love and equality, what's our real agenda?

All of us need to check our hearts. If you are against gay marriage out of your commitment to Biblical principles then you must also take into consideration the attitude with which you express those principles. Are we, as Christians, being an extension of God's love and grace? Is that the message we are sending? I believe there is way to disagree with someone's lifestyle without alienating them. I believe you can be against gay marriage but not against gay people. because Jesus was and is always FOR people. He expressed our need to change by dying for us. As Christians, are we willing to express others need to change by dying for them? If you are for gay marriage, is it really about equality for you? Or is it just about winning? If people against gay marriage should just accept you for who you are then shouldn't you just accept them for who they are? 

I have made a VERY concerted effort to not list where I stand on this particular topic. Those of you who know me probably know that. But the point of this blog wasn't to express where i stand but to try to help all of you have a better understanding of where you stand and, hopfully, where others are coming from. All of these are highly personal questions that I am not saying an entire people group should ask themselves but that individuals should ask themselves. Don't answer for the group of people who share your point of view but answer for yourself. With brutal honesty. Then encourage others to do the same. Only by seeing someone else's point-of-view will we really grow. I am not saying we have to agree with them. But I am saying that we should make an honest effort to understand them. Then, maybe we can disagree without demonizing our opposition.

-Guilt In Church Clothes-

Over the last few days I've been bombarded by the facebook phenomenon of "becoming a fan." If you don't know, basically what happens is that little messages pop up on the side of your facebook page with a tiny picture and a label and asks you if you'd like to be a fan. These things range from organizations like, "In-N-Out" or "Disneyland" to specific things like "cookie dough" or "The Office" and even activities like, "sleeping" or "jogging." Participation is completely voluntary but sometimes you just cant help it.

 

On facebook, I have "become a fan" of several things. Twitter, The Angels, Samoa Girl Scout Cookies, U2, Dr. Pepper, and Cow Bell are just a few examples of what I am a facebook fan of. But earlier this week I added three more things. Earlier this week I became a fan of "Jesus," "God," and "The Bible." (Sorry Holy Spirit but I haven't found a "become a fan" for you yet.) That got me thinking about how many other people became a fan f Jesus, God and the Bible more out of obligation than desire. I hate that idea.

 

I've never been a big fan of guilt, especially being guilted into something. Every now and then when Krissy and I are having an argument she or I will will throw something out there because we know the other person will feel guilty. It's stupid really. But the first time she did it I said, "Pack my bags!" The said, "What?" and I repeated, "Pack my bags." "Why?" she asked playing right into my hands and I closed the set up. I said, "Cause' I'm going on a guilt trip!" (Husbands, don't make jokes like this in the middle of arguments, it only increases the likelihood that you'll be sleeping alone that night.) But I wonder how many people feel guilted into being a facebook fan of Jesus.

It's like those Christian chain-letters that I HATE with every fiber of my body, mind, and soul. You know, the ones that always end with, "If you really love God, send this to 20 people bla bla BLA." Some of them even go as far as to say something like, "If you don't really want to stand up for God just delete this." (FYI to all my friends; I delete these immediately upon receiving them and never think about them again.) I seriously can't see Jesus talking to me after I die and being disappointed that I didn't forward the email to my friends. "Well John, Dad and I had big plans for you and Ghosty was all ready to make it happen. But then you deleted that email and it sent shock-waves throughout eternity that caused unparalleled repercussions. We thought Lucy, ha ha he really hates it when we call him that, was going to win there for a second."

 

I believe that Jesus came to set us free from guilt. To help us let go of the past and move forward instead. Jesus demonstrates this over and over again with Peter, the woman at the well, and the adulterous woman just to name a few. He says, "Nor do I accuse you." You can't be found guilty if you're not accused. But we Christians have dressed up guilt and given it a different name. Christian guilt is called, "conviction." Are you serious? Conviction is just guilt in church clothes. We can't be convicted if we're not accused either. So what's it called when we really do feel bad or awkward because we've done something we know God isn't fond of. I think a better word is "remorse". I don't think we feel convicted because Jesus didn't come to condemn. I think it is our heart and soul feeling remorse for letting our body take us a step away from God. Yeah, remorse is a better word.

 

Incidentally, I am a facebook fan of Jesus but not because I felt obligated. I wanted to. The word "fan" is actually short for the word "fanatic." If I'm going to be fanatical about something or someone, I think it should be Jesus. He was pretty fanatical about us so I'll gladly return the favor. But not out of guilt. Not out of conviction. Not out of obligation. Not even out of remorse. Out of joy. Out of love. Out of gratitude. Out of choice. I hope He doesn't get upset that I just deleted another Christian chain letter.

-Unfriendly Friendly Fire-

I'm a reader. I wasn't always but thanks to a man named Chris Sonksen, one of my life's great mentors, now I am constantly reading. Now, I devour the pages of a book like a Catholic at a BBQ the day before Lent begins. If you're not into reading books, do yourself a favor and start. Force yourself to do it if you have to. It'll just take one book that really grabs you to get you hooked. Start now and don't stop.

Nothing comes without some degree of disappointment though. I read a lot from the different philosophies of Christianity. The Main-liners, the Evangelicals, the Fundamentalists, the Emergents, the Emergings, the Traditionalists, the Ecumenicals and even those who claim to have no attachment to any label. There is so much information and wisdom to be found in each of these points of view that it would be ludicrous for me to pigeonhole myself to only one school of thought. That's one of the advantages in being 2000 years removed from Jesus. It means we have 2000 years of study and wisdom to glean from. Unfortunately it also means we have 2000 years of opinions and personal agendas to sift through. Not an easy task.

In reading various books by various authors representing the various groups of Christianity, I have come to the conclusion that each of these groups share two things in common. First, they all love God and are just trying to point people to Him the best way they know how. Whether it's loving acts of kindness, friendship evangelism, fire and brimstone preaching, tent revivals, stadium crusades, street corner preaching or even telling people they're going to go to hell, all of these people have the same motive; getting others closer to Jesus then they are right now. These techniques are all flawed and no single technique has a 100% success rate.  And while I have my own opinions about the constructiveness of each of these, I do believe that they all aim to point people to God in their own way; and that is a comforting thought.

The second thing these groups have in common is that there is inevitably some people within them who can't wait to tell you how right their group is and criticize the others. All of them. Not one single group is void of this type of mentality. Don't believe me? Go to youtube.com and type in a name of a Christian leader and you will inevitably find a video of another Christian leader telling us how ridiculous the first leader is. The Emergants hate the Evangelicals, the Main-liners hate the Fundamentalists, the Traditionalists hate the Emergings and everybody hates the Ecumenicals. It's sad really. The Army of the Kingdom of God is the only army that shoots it's own soldiers on purpose. It's like we have to watch out for "Unfriendly Friendly Fire."

It's funny that this happened in the book of Acts too. Different groups of Christians arguing over the superiority of their particular philosophy. Paul and Peter calling each other out in public. Paul even went as far as to say he wished that some "agitators" in the other group would just cut off a certain body part. Brutal!

And here we are, with the benefit of 2000 years of study and wisdom and "growth" and we're doing the same thing. Why? Why can't we move beyond our petty need to be right? Jesus said that people would know that we are His disciples by the way we showed each other love. Are we any good at that? It's no wonder that church attendance in the USA is dropping even during a time where interest in the spiritual and supernatural is growing. Who wants to be part of a splintered and combative faith? Don't we have enough conflict in our lives already?

I don't what to do about it really. I mean, I have my own struggles with being critical and needing to be right all of the time. It's a daily challenge for me and love doesn't always come out on top. I just wish that we were better at showing ourselves at Jesus' disciples by loving each other. I wish I was better. What can we do? Any ideas?

-Why Christianity Needs Simon Cowell-

So last night Season 8 of American Idol premiered.  Even if you don't watch the show there is a 96.78% chance that you have a general understanding of how it works.  People get up and sing in front of some judges who critique their performance.  Sometimes they have positive feedback and other times they tear the contestant a new one.  In either case, the feedback they give is generally honest with different degrees of "bluntness" from each judge. But the judge that always gets the reaction is Simon Cowell.

Watching Simon give feedback to people for the first 3 or 4 weeks of each season is the whole reason I enjoy the show.  Is that wrong?  Every freaking year there is a veritable parade of tone-deaf people who are absolutely convinced that their vocal chords have been endowed with the voices of the angels.  Simon sees it as his personal mission to bring them back down to earth.  What strikes me is that just about all of these utterly hideous singers have people in their lives telling them that they are supremely talented.  Who are these people?  Why would you let your friend or kid or sibling embarrass him or herself on public television?  Some people think Simon is cruel for being so blunt with them.  I think it's their friends and family who are cruel for NOT being so blunt with them.  Isn't it better to know what we can and, especially, cannot do?

I think the same rules apply to someones area of involvement in a church.  I think the church would run better, more efficiently, and ultimately closer to God's design for it if 2 things happened.  (1) Christian quit being so stinking hypersensitive and (2) we Christians got ourselves a Simon Cowell.  One of my former pastors was absolutely right when he told me, "It's easier to get a person into a ministry than it is getting them out."  The fact that it's so true is what is so sad to me.  If you can't sing, you shouldn't be singing on the worship team.  If you have leather eardrums you shouldn't be doing sound.  If you have no patience and are annoyed with kids you should stay out of children's ministry.  If you can't remember lines get off the drama team.  But pastors and other church leaders can't say that to people because they'll freak out.

I think as a whole, Christians have become too self-involved with their service to their church. Too many people think that simply handing out a program or setting up chairs or even cleaning up after an event is beneath them.  People try to find a way to get stage time too much.  But what if that isn't what God called you to do?  What if that's what you're not made for?  There are lots of people in my church that LOVE to sing but that couldn't find a key in an empty room with a metal detector.  I hear them every week.  But just because you enjoy something doesn't mean it's what you're MADE to do.  Peter enjoyed fishing but he sucked at it and Jesus told him as much.  I think we need more of that.  I think we should be able to tell someone that they're just not operating in their God-given skill-set and that they need to try something else.  This will only be better for the church as a whole.  The problem is, just like those contestants on American Idol, too many Christians are convinced that they are supposed to be doing what they're doing and will actually leave the church if you tell them otherwise.  This is so sad.

That's the attitude that hamstrings church leaders.  they want to build a better, more effective church in order to make a larger eternal impact but the people in the church are so self-absorbed in doing what they want to do that they don't get it.  they don't see the bigger picture because their tunnel vision is pointed directly at themselves rather than the church as a whole.  The vast majority of these people undoubtedly love God and want to serve Him with all they have.  Their intentions are good, but nearsighted.  We need to be able to accept guidance from our spiritual leaders.  We need to trust that they are trying to build the best most effective ministries for the whole church.  If that means that we, as individuals, need to sacrifice some pride then that's the way is should be.  Jesus made a lot of sacrifices as did many of the first Christians.  They understood that they couldn't be so nearsighted and self-involved because there was something much bigger than them at stake.  In the book of Acts, it was an honor to be chosen to serve widows.  I think if our attitudes were the same, there would be beautiful and wondrous  results. But until then, I think Christianity needs Simon Cowell.

-Perpetual Infection of Siblings Syndrome-

My one year old son, Ian, has been sick this week.  It's the first time he has really thrown up so he has no clue what's going on.  The odd thing is that he doesn't have a fever and he's acting totally normal except for the whole horking up chinks of food thing.  Then there's the joy of the obligatory parental clean of the chunks.  Yeah, not exciting stuff.  But if you have multiple kids, you know what I mean when I say there is an even greater concern when one gets sick.  It's called PISS, Perpetual Infection of Siblings Syndrome.  It's a real disease with doctors and drugs and everything.

OK so maybe it's not but it does actually happen so we will treat it like it is.  The general rule of PISS is that one sibling will pass it on to another and they will continue to pass it back and forth for what seems like forever.  The more kids you have, the longer PISS generally lasts.  there is also no real form of prevention.  It's like swimming in a public pool...there's just no way to keep the PISS off of you.  Often times PISS is followed by Chronic Release to Adult Parents or CRAP for short.  If this happens, there is an 87% chance that at least one person in your home will be sick for 10.7 consecutive months.  And don't even get me started on what happens if you have pets.

Krissy and I are currently trying to minimize the effect of PISS and CRAP in out home and scientists are hard at work trying to find a prevention measure.  But until that glorious day finally arrives the rule is simple:  When one of us is sick, we're all sick.  I think this is how it's supposed to be though.

We have a bad habit, as Christians, of alienating other Christians when they have made mistakes and allowed temptation to get the best of them.  People who were once considered close friends are all of the sudden ostracized because they slept with their boyfriend, got caught looking at internet porn, are struggling with alcoholism, or voted for a democrat.  Why do we do this?  Why is it that when these people need the love and support of Christ the most, His representatives, Christians, shun them like they're the Antichrist?  Even an elementary reading of the Gospels would conclude that this is not how Jesus acted or intended us to act.

Christians, every one of us together, are described in the New Testament as "the Body of Christ."  In alienating and ostracizing other Christians we are effectively amputating a part of the body that isn't even infected yet; just wounded.  If I get pneumonia I don't rip my lungs out of my chest because they're making me feel bad.  I devote my energy into helping them heal so that my whole body can function properly once again.  I think this is what Jesus had in mind.

I think He put us here and connected us together as a family of faith.  he gave us a new commandment that we love one another.  He actually used the word commandment not suggestion.  I know it sounds strange, but as a family of faith I think the PISS and CRAP rules apply.  When one of us is sick, we're all sick.  And we should spend our energy helping heal the illness rather than trying to just pull it out of our chest.

P.S.

When I stated that Christians ostracize people for "voting for a democrat" I, in no way, meant to indicate that there is something wrong with democrats who Christians who vote democrat.  I was simply pointing out that many Christians get all worked up over the republican/democrat debate and believe, for whatever reason, that the republicans actually care about the causes of Christ and that democrats worship Satan.  Both perceptions are absurd.