30

This past Saturday (May 17th) I experienced my 30th birthday. Yes, that’s right………30. It was an amazing day. My beautiful wife Heather made the day extra awesome by giving me some great gifts and taking me to the Braves game with some friends. Even though they ended up losing 5-4 to the Oakland A’s, I didn’t let it get me down. I mean it was my 30th birthday for crying out loud!!! Now some people freak out about milestones like this. I on the other hand don’t really get too obsessed with it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I work with teenagers. They really do keep you young when you spend a lot of time with them. Then, when your kids become teenagers I hear it all catches up with you and you age three to four times faster than normal!!

What’s the point of letting a 30th birthday bother you?! It’s inevitable!! It’s called the space-time continuum and none of us have any control over it whatsoever. With every tick of the second-hand on a clock we age until it all compounds and finally we’re 73 years old sitting in a padded rocking chair, rubbing the few hairs still clinging to the back of our head, asking “Pardon me?” after every question we are asked, while our spouse wipes the prune juice from our chin.

Actually I’m kind of glad I’m 30. I was reading a blog the other day where the author pointed out that the Talmud (Pirkei Avot 5:26) declares: "At age 30, one receives strength." The author of the blog went on to say:

“The Code of Jewish Law (O.C. 581:1) instructs congregations to seek certain qualities when choosing a cantor to lead the services on the High Holidays. One of these qualities is that he should be at least 30 years old. Why? The Mishna Brura explains that it is because a 30-year-old is humble and broken hearted, and can thus sincerely "pray from the heart."

It would seem that the Torah understands age 30 as a "moment of truth" when certain realities of life firmly take hold, and it is only through the acquisition of these realities that one can be a leader -- whether in public life or in prayer.”

I’ve always thought it was interesting how according to Genesis 41:46, “Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” And Jesus, of course, was 30 when he began his public ministry. So maybe 30 isn’t that bad. Why should I be depressed about it when apparently it’s quite a significant milestone in Jewish culture?

I have entered into a new season of my life. I want to be a faithful, passionate man of God for the next 30 years of my life and beyond. Thirty years from today I hope to be talking with my wife, Heather, about all the amazing things we saw the Lord do in and through us. And hopefully the vast majority of them occurred after I had turned 30. But until then I will thank my Lord for the 30 years he has given to me so far. And maybe….just maybe……I’ll go buy some dark socks, wear them with my flip-flops and purchase a really huge fanny-pack to put my chapstick collection in.

Leaders

I had lunch with my friend Keith Sargent yesterday (aka "The Sarge"). Keith is a high school teacher/ driving instructor extraordinaire and he serves faithfully in the High School Ministry. I first met him when we went on our Philadelphia mission trip almost 2 months ago. Keith was in my van (or should I say I was in his) and he drove us all the way from the ATL to "The City of Brotherly Love" without ever taking a break. I offered to drive but Keith said he was OK. I still don't know if this is because he just really loves to drive or if he was still trying to figure out if I was over twelve years old. I knew, however, that this guy was an ironman if he could drive a van filled with cackling/ laughing/ singing teenagers over 13 hours straight without ever stopping to bang his head against a guard rail.

Yesterday as we ate at Chic-fil-A {thank you sweet Jesus!} and talked about things like high school ministry and Greek Orthodoxy {you don't wanna know} I was reminded how blessed this ministry is to have people like this serving in it. Keith stands tall like a linebacker but he has an incredible heart that beats for Christ. And he can grow facial hair which, as always, causes me to envy greatly.

The Trail

Yesterday when I left the office I went for a run. Little Mulberry Park is really close to our house so I changed, muscled down a sandwich, gulped a water, and jumped in the car. I needed a little time to re-boot and clear my thoughts.

I haven't had much time for recreation since we moved back to Georgia and joined 12Stone. With the move, learning my new job, and all the small tasks in between, putting my body through a grueling regimen has not been high on the list. I felt the need to renew this discipline yesterday though.  

Little Mulberry Park is a magnificent place with miles of running trails with views of incredible forests and lakes. It is definitely a place where you can clear your mind and think deep thoughts. My deep thoughts however consisted of plugging the i-pod into my ears and blasting Drivin' & Cryin' while focusing on dominating the trail that lie before me!

I once heard a leadership guru who visited my former church in California talk about the importance of making time for play and how it is especially vital in the life of a pastor. He spoke of how sad it is that many guys in full-time ministry never make time for recreation and even sometimes feel guilty for doing so. I agree with him.

As I ran I got tired which made me breathe faster which caused my heart to beat faster which caused the oxygen to be pumped throughout my body at a much greater rate of speed which caused my brain to receive more oxygen than usual which caused me to think clearly and even sort of relax mentally and emotionally which made me want to run more. Very cool. Not to mention the song Fly Me Courageous was causing me to want to break something with my bare hands while I sped forward.

Last night after my friends Jason and Brett left, as I watched the NBA playoff game I had a thought. Running a trail like the one at Little Mulberry Park is a lot like living life. There are tons of different variations to the path you find yourself on. Some parts are curvy, some are straight. Some parts of the trail are a downhill cruise while others seem to go straight up a 70 degree incline. There are places in the trail where the scenery overlooks a majestic array of green trees, reflecting lakes, and even a large swan leading her baby chicks like a scene right out of a Mother Goose book while other portions are dark and over-layed with gloomy trees straight out of an Edgar Allen Poe story. Sometimes while looking at the scary scenery you even fall and scrape your knees.

You pass a lot of different people while on the trail. Old and young, skinny and not-so-skinny, young yuppie professionals and blue collar workers, nice looking couples and even the occasional scary looking man with dark eyes who looks exactly like that crazy dude from No Country for Old Men who made me have bad dreams for like a week and the whole time you're passing him on the trail you are totally freaked out just praying under your breath that he doesn't pull out one of those creepy bolt-gun things from that movie and start to...... wait....... sorry.

My point is that the trail we're running on is always changing. The hope that we have is that the ONE who runs with us never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same GOD who is running with me and leading me on this trail of my life is the same GOD who led and ran with the Apostle Paul on his trail of life. I find amazing peace in this truth.

Right now in the ministry I lead there are 2 separate sets of parents involved in serving in the ministry who are dealing with pretty big health issues with their children. They are incredible parents with an inspiring faith and trust in the Lord Jesus. I have learned a lot from them as I've talked to them over the past couple weeks. Right now they find themselves on an uncomfortable piece of the trail. Sometimes it's probably even scary. But nevertheless their eyes are staring ahead. And with the promises of GOD blaring out of their invisible i-pods into their spiritual ears they press on. They are heroes and they inspire me to do the same. 

And the cool thing is that one day, when this trail comes to an end, those of us who have trusted in Christ will begin to run on a brand new trail. A trail where there are no more gloomy places, no more dark corners, and no more creepy villains with dark eyes, a bolt gun, and a really bad bowl haircut. That trail will never end. And we will never ever fall and scrape our knees again.

Preach

This morning I spoke at Mill Creek High School about 2 miles from where I live. The most recent studies show Mill Creek to be the largest school in Georgia with over 4,000 students (Thank you Wikipedia!). A club called "Morning Manna" (See Moses and the book of Exodus) meets every Tuesday morning at 6:45. Tomorrow night I will preach at The Point @ 12Stone Church. No matter where it is I absolutely love to preach. It's the reason I'm in ministry. Along with having relationships with the people I'm ministering to, preaching is what fires me up about ministry.

In the 80's Oscar

 winning movie Chariots of Fire, the main character Eric, an Olympic sprinter makes the famous statement "When I run I feel God's pleasure." Well, when I preach I feel God's pleasure. Don't get me wrong.... it's not easy. Not ever. The Word messes with you in preparation, the Spirit convicts, and the Truth many times hurts. To this day I feel a mixture of queasiness, excitement, and extreme adrenaline rush before I step before a group of people to unfold and teach the scriptures. But it never ever gets boring!

When I was a kid in school (even in high school) I hated the thought of standing before a crowd and talking. In fact, I'd have much rather been strapped to a chair and had metal clips holding my eyelids open while being forced to watch a 10 hour long Justin Timberlake concert than speak in front of a crowd. A lot can change when the LORD grips your heart and (thankfully) refuses to let go. 

Preaching teaches you a lot. It forces you to pray more because there's no way you can share anything eternally significant relying on your own carnal strength and wisdom. It forces you to study because you need to preach as one who has authority. It forces you to repent because not to do so would be hypocrisy. It forces you to listen because the preacher who is worth his salt needs to know what the LORD wants to say and what the people desperately need to hear.

I'm reading a classic book on preaching right now called Preaching & Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. It is both challenging me and blowing my mind. The following excerpts are a few that I've loved.

"Emotion is regarded as something almost indecent [in preaching] . My reply to all that, once more, is simply to say that if you contemplate these glorious truths that are committed to our charge as preachers without being moved by them there is something defective in your spiritual eyesight."

"But, if there is no power it is not preaching. True preaching, after all, is God acting. It is not just a man uttering words; it is God using him. He is being used of God."

"What is preaching? Logic on fire! Eloquent reason! Are these contradictions? Of course they are not. Reason concerning this truth ought to be mightily eloquent, as you see it in the case of the Apostle Paul and others. It is theology on fire. And theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is a defective theology; or at least the man's understanding of it is defective. Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire.......I say again that a man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be in a pulpit;and should never be allowed to enter one."

"Preaching is the most amazing, and the most thrilling activity that one can ever be engaged in, because of all that it holds out for all of us in the present, and because of the glorious endless possibilities in an eternal future."

So tomorrow I will take the platform again. After feeling a mixture of exuberance and intense nausea, I will ask the Holy Spirit to empower me and speak through me with words that only he can give. I will sweat like a horse in Haiti and spit like a sprinkler in a corn field. I have to. It's truly like a fire shut up in my bones. I pray that the LORD will show up in a huge way and that many lives will be changed by the Gospel. And maybe......just maybe.....we might even have fun!

ENGAGE Retreat and Hebrews 11

So I just got back from taking about 30 student leaders in our high school ministry on an overnight retreat. I'm just now getting to know these students so it was a blessing hanging out with them on a retreat like this. There's nothing quite like driving a van full of teenagers singing "Grin Again Gang" for 30 minutes straight and telling stories of a barber named Bill, his doll-faced wife, and and the dinosaur he tried to shave {don't ask}! I'm learning that transitioning into a new ministry is a lot like being a space shuttle making a re-entry into the stratosphere. It's a bit bumpy and awkward at times but the payoff for persevering is well worth it.

During the retreat I shared a devotion with these students. The Lord had put the topic of "real faith" on my heart. We read from the incredible faith chapter, Hebrews 11. What amazes me about this scripture is that you see what it means to really have faith. In the case of everyone mentioned in this chapter (From Noah to Rahab to everyone else in between!) there is a specific "faith progression". First, God made a promise. Then the person with faith risked it all by believing God. Then God showed up in a HUGE way. But none of the people were shown exactly how everything would turn out before they lived by faith and believed God.

The scripture that burned a hole in my heart was the last part of verse 27. When talking about Moses, the writer of Hebrews says, "he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." What?! Does anyone else see something weird here?! How in the flip do you see something OR some-one that's invisible?! Then it hit me. The more often I risk it all to live by faith the more often I will likely see God. If I never live by ridiculous faith I probably won't see the invisible God. Moses saw him who is invisible because he believed God and obeyed Him. The result: God showed up! Moses saw God show up! Moses saw God!!

This idea seems to carry even into the New Testament when we look at the ministry of Jesus. The end of Matthew chapter 13 tells us about Jesus going to his hometown of Nazareth. He had grown up there which made it difficult for the people there (parents of the kids he played with, teachers at the local school, etc.) to believe he was actually Messiah. They did not have faith. The result is what seems to me to be a haunting scripture.

"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." (Matthew 13:58)

There seems to be a connection between believing God and seeing God move. Rather than doing more miracles in a place where unbelief reigned in order to prove who he is, Jesus instead does few miracles. All because these people lacked faith.

The bottom line for me is this: I don't want to miss God. I don't want to not see the invisible God. May my life be one of ridiculous faith that I may see God move in powerful ways. And if He chooses not to move in the ways I long for Him to I will still believe that He must have a better plan than I ever did!

I believe that God has brought me to this place. I believe that God has brought me to this ministry for such a time as this. I believe that God has brought me to these students. I believe that God has brought me to these adult volunteers. I believe that God has led me to this city. For such a time as this I find myself here. I believe that God is getting ready to unleash a whirlwind of power. I want to risk it all for the sake of my King. And if I perish I perish. But either way..... I will see God

2

Last weekend we got together with a few friends to celebrate Annabelle's second birthday. Elmo and Abby Cadabby (of Sesame Street fame) were plastered all over our house as toddlers blew bubbles, bounced balloons into the air, and scurried up and down the stairs like ants marching in a parade.

I was reminded on that day that one of the most amazing sounds in the galaxy is a child's laughter. There may be no other sound so filled with hope and optimism. 

It's hard to believe that this little girl is already two. As I write this blog my little munchkin is flopping around on the floor like a captured fish singing a song that has only one lyric: "da be doo-doo-doo.....da be doo-doo-doo". Her little pink bow (strategically matching her shoes) hangs sideways like a tattered war-torn flag......a casualty of her new game. The more I watch my daughter play her made up games, blow out Elmo-candles, and eat cake with her hands, the more I continue to understand why Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me."

What Friendship Means

Today I spent some time with one of my best friends, Joel. We talked about life and ministry as we ate hot wings and way too many curly fries. We laughed about old memories and dreamed about what the future may hold for each of our families. As we sat there in Beef O'Brady's Restaurant surrounded by sports memorabilia and about 16 flat screen tv's,  I felt blessed. Striking up these old friendships has been a gift from GOD over the past month-and-a-half. In addition to being at a church where I have learned a year's worth of lessons already, I have been able to hang out with friends I feel a real kindredness to. Joel is one of those friends I can imagine myself sitting on a patio with when I'm 70 complaining about the rising prices of prunes and milk of magnesia. 

Another good friend of mine is Jason. We have been friends for about 10 years now (Dude, i'm getting old!). I love talking to Jason (whenever we have a serious conversation) because even though we have vastly different backgrounds we think extremely similarly about ministry. His office is about 7 doors down from mine at the church. We actually live officially 3 doors down from Jason and his family. I consider it a joy getting a knock on my front door at 11pm from him asking if he can borrow one of my Nintendo Wii games. 

Here at 12Stone I feel like I've already made some pretty cool friendships with the guys on staff with me too. Brett (Middle School Pastor) is a stinking trip! It was a touching experience spitting lugies off of the bridge at the church and racing the 12Stone golf carts in the parking lot in our own makeshift Daytona 500. Berry (One of the Children's Pastors) is the master of one liners. The dude literally makes me laugh every time he opens his mouth! Miles (the College Pastor) is an inspiration to me. The way he blasts his music next door so loud that it makes my bookcases rattle inspires me to buy ear plugs. But it also makes me laugh. The favorite part of my week is when we find ourselves huddled around someone's computer watching the latest hilarious youtube video that one of us has victoriously tracked down.

I've learned some lessons about friendship over the past few weeks. Friendship is a gift. To have compadres in this life is crucial. Especially when you're in ministry. Having dudes with you who can relate on a close level to the life GOD has called you to is vital. Having guys I can laugh with and who can remind me that "we should take Jesus seriously, but not ourselves" is a blessing I am thankful for.

I miss the friends I had over on the west coast. Especially the few fellow soldiers who know me deeper than anyone. I miss them greatly. But I am very grateful that the LORD has provided more here at 12Stone. What does friendship mean to me? It means always having a reason to smile.............. and laugh my butt off at a youtube video.