i read an article this morning that challenged me to evaluate my leadership by asking the question, “what do i need to stop doing?”. this is a good question. the worth of our leadership (maybe our entire lives, also) is defined not just by what we do, but also by what we don’t do.
as i read about the lives and impact of great men and women throughout the ages, especially great leaders, one of the characteristics they share is the ability to stay focused on the goal…to strip away the things that keep them from achieving their dreams and forge ahead with singlemindedness.
the apostle paul lived this kind of life.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1
now, here’s where my struggle is this morning… great leaders, in order to achieve great outcomes, must make difficult decisions where relationships (sometimes significant relationships) are the casualties.
this is obvious in the corporate world. ceo’s are hired for their ability to make strong and swift assessments and are rewarded for their resolve and determination to be decisive when it comes to the success of the organization. a company that exceeds expectations and rises above the riff raff of mediocrity almost always points to leadership that has had to come in and make the “tough decisions”.
in my experience, that means people are hurt, relationships are severed, dreams are squashed, and friendships are sent packing…all for the good of the corporation.
don’t get me wrong. i understand the need. baseball coaches have to cut players that are not good enough and replace them with better ones if they want to win. businesses must get rid of poor producers and raise up more successful sales people if they want to turn a profit. bosses need to be bosses…and employees need to know that their jobs are not safe just because their superiors are “nice guys” or “nice women”. i get it.
but what is supposed to happen in the church? what are we to do when the workers are late or sloppy or ineffective or careless or thoughtless or inconsiderate or unconcerned? what are we to do when the product we present is second-rate or offensive? what if the ministry we perform is substandard or even harmful to the mission? what if there is disagreement with the direction of organization or a challenge to the leadership position?
what if, in our effort to fix the problem, people get hurt and relationships get torn and friendships get shattered? what if, in spite of our best effort, decisions result in people leaving?
apparently, a strong leader says that the greater good has been served. what do you say?
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Prayer
this past sunday, i talked about prayer. even doing my post-sunday, armchair-quarterback analysis of the event is still difficult. prayer is the most dramatic, intimate, mysterious, and defining moment in a disciple's life. it says more about who we are and about who god is (to us) than anything else we do on our journey. prayer is hallowed ground. prayer is the secret place.
- prayer is an act of remembrance...
- prayer is refocus...
- prayer is an expression of faith...that which i cannot see (or feel) is non-the-less real...
- prayer is realignment...
- prayer is a command...it puts me in the right place!
- prayer reprioritizes...it puts my issues in the right place...underneath the umbrella of god's greater issues.
more than anything else, prayer is recognizing that i am not in control. no matter how hard i try, i can’t do it! prayer is acknowledging that i cannot do it on my own…no matter what “it” is. prayer is where i willingly admit that i don’t know what’s best for my life (or anybody else’s life, for that matter), but god does. prayer is admitting that am human, that am weak, and that i’m really not too bright.
i am reminded, everyday, that people make bad decisions. decisions that hurt others and mess up lives and make mockery of god's grace and god's law. i see the effects of people living "out of control". god help us. amen.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Giving our money 4
here's another thought about giving money from paul's second letter to the christians in corinth...
the churches in macedonia had collected money to give to struggling christians in jersusalem. in this passage, paul expresses what the real motive is for giving money:
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." 2 Corinthians 8:13-15
as foreign as it sounds, the desire is for equality among believers. sometimes, god blesses people with a great deal of resources...while at the same time, there may be others that are in great need. the goal is for everybody to have their needs met (equality). sometimes, you will give out of your supply. sometimes, others will give out of their supply...maybe even to you!
it's kind of fascinating to me that paul's first goal is not to meet needs, but to experience equality. do you realize that the great "equalizer" is not what you make, but what you give?
the churches in macedonia had collected money to give to struggling christians in jersusalem. in this passage, paul expresses what the real motive is for giving money:
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little." 2 Corinthians 8:13-15
as foreign as it sounds, the desire is for equality among believers. sometimes, god blesses people with a great deal of resources...while at the same time, there may be others that are in great need. the goal is for everybody to have their needs met (equality). sometimes, you will give out of your supply. sometimes, others will give out of their supply...maybe even to you!
it's kind of fascinating to me that paul's first goal is not to meet needs, but to experience equality. do you realize that the great "equalizer" is not what you make, but what you give?
Monday, May 14, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Giving our money 2
the apostle paul writes some amazing things about generosity in his second letter to the followers of christ in corinth. the macedonian churches had stepped up to financially provide for the church in jerusalem. paul uses that situation to teach us about giving in chapters eight and nine. here's one of his lessons:
Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:10-12
wow! can you imagine being the first one to give? and not just to do it, but to really want to do it? more than anything else, giving is a matter of the heart. but it isn't just a good intention or a willingness to do it, but it is actually the completion of it. we aren't to talk about giving. we aren't to hope to give. it's not enough to want to do it. we've got to do it!
the cool part about giving, though, is that it is to be done according to our means. god doesn't ask us to give what we don't have. he doesn't ask us to give above our income. he just says to do it in relationship to what we do have. if there is good heart, the worth of gift is judged by what we have...not by what we don't have or what our neighbors have or by what the person sitting next to you in worship has.
i think it's pretty comforting to know that, even though giving is required, it is never burdensome, never unfair, never taxing, and never unrealistic. god would never do it that way.
Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:10-12
wow! can you imagine being the first one to give? and not just to do it, but to really want to do it? more than anything else, giving is a matter of the heart. but it isn't just a good intention or a willingness to do it, but it is actually the completion of it. we aren't to talk about giving. we aren't to hope to give. it's not enough to want to do it. we've got to do it!
the cool part about giving, though, is that it is to be done according to our means. god doesn't ask us to give what we don't have. he doesn't ask us to give above our income. he just says to do it in relationship to what we do have. if there is good heart, the worth of gift is judged by what we have...not by what we don't have or what our neighbors have or by what the person sitting next to you in worship has.
i think it's pretty comforting to know that, even though giving is required, it is never burdensome, never unfair, never taxing, and never unrealistic. god would never do it that way.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Giving our money
This past Sunday, I talked about why giving my money matters to me. Here's a look back...
It’s part of our heritage. God’s people have always taken care of God’s business. In the OT, God required it. In the NT, Jesus modeled it. I am a direct descendant of a giving God. I am related to those who left all behind to follow. I pursue the path of those who lived lives of generosity.
It reaffirms that it’s all God’s anyway. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11
It has always been a tangible way to teach our kids (and anyone else’s) where our priorities really are. It put our money where our mouth was. We showed them that our faith meant business. When we said that we would seek God’s Kingdom first, they knew what that meant, because they saw how we directed our money. Giving our money showed them one of the most important ways we shared in the responsibility of being part of the family!
It has trained us to live on less…and put us in a place to give more. Giving our money to God (through the ministry of our church family) has always been a planned decision. Often, we have had to go without things we wanted, because we made a commitment. But, because it was planned, we did it. And we've always been able to give beyond…and God has always taken care of us!
Giving our money puts us in a place where we have to trust God. We (all of us)are an educated, talented, privileged people. It is easy to trust our ingenuity, our hard work, our training, our instincts, our experience, our abilities. But we are to trust God. One of the most tangible and life-changing ways to do that is to give enough of our money that we really have to trust God for something!
The best of all…When we give, we are blessed. All of those things we talk about and preach about and dream about and wish were happening in our spiritual lives begin to happen. Giving our money is powerful.
Check back in the days ahead. I promise I'll give you more to think about...
It’s part of our heritage. God’s people have always taken care of God’s business. In the OT, God required it. In the NT, Jesus modeled it. I am a direct descendant of a giving God. I am related to those who left all behind to follow. I pursue the path of those who lived lives of generosity.
It reaffirms that it’s all God’s anyway. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11
It has always been a tangible way to teach our kids (and anyone else’s) where our priorities really are. It put our money where our mouth was. We showed them that our faith meant business. When we said that we would seek God’s Kingdom first, they knew what that meant, because they saw how we directed our money. Giving our money showed them one of the most important ways we shared in the responsibility of being part of the family!
It has trained us to live on less…and put us in a place to give more. Giving our money to God (through the ministry of our church family) has always been a planned decision. Often, we have had to go without things we wanted, because we made a commitment. But, because it was planned, we did it. And we've always been able to give beyond…and God has always taken care of us!
Giving our money puts us in a place where we have to trust God. We (all of us)are an educated, talented, privileged people. It is easy to trust our ingenuity, our hard work, our training, our instincts, our experience, our abilities. But we are to trust God. One of the most tangible and life-changing ways to do that is to give enough of our money that we really have to trust God for something!
The best of all…When we give, we are blessed. All of those things we talk about and preach about and dream about and wish were happening in our spiritual lives begin to happen. Giving our money is powerful.
Check back in the days ahead. I promise I'll give you more to think about...
Monday, April 30, 2007
Confronting uneasiness
this morning, i read this quote in a daily devotion i subscribe to:
It is not what happens to us in any day that gives content to our lives, but whether or not we let its experience sink into us. ... It is one of the highest powers given to anyone. In reflection I come upon feelings that I had been too afraid to experience in the moment. In the quiet of reflection I take the risk and the time to let censored thoughts as well as feelings into consciousness, to discover what is causing the uneasiness in me. - Elizabeth O' Conner
when she writes that in moments of reflection, she comes upon feelings that she was too afraid to experience in the moment...well, that resonates with me. i think there are things we go through...conflicts, temptations, challenges, memories, or even simple life events...that are overwhelming. sometimes it's just for the moment and other times those feelings seem to linger forever!
have you ever had censored thoughts? those things that you push down and away from your daily consciousness so that you don't have to deal with them. i think we all have. that's why daily quiet and reflection is so important. if we don't slow down, if we don't listen, if we don't take time to stop talking and doing and running and planning and chasing the experience, we will never hear the whisper of god.
it's only in the whisper of god that we can confront the uneasiness we live with. it is only in the quietness of listening that we can truly be honest about what hurts and scares and concerns and belittles and depresses us. and without that honesty, we will never know the joy that god breathes into our existence when he whispers.
why not carve out some time to be quiet so you can listen. i think i will.
It is not what happens to us in any day that gives content to our lives, but whether or not we let its experience sink into us. ... It is one of the highest powers given to anyone. In reflection I come upon feelings that I had been too afraid to experience in the moment. In the quiet of reflection I take the risk and the time to let censored thoughts as well as feelings into consciousness, to discover what is causing the uneasiness in me. - Elizabeth O' Conner
when she writes that in moments of reflection, she comes upon feelings that she was too afraid to experience in the moment...well, that resonates with me. i think there are things we go through...conflicts, temptations, challenges, memories, or even simple life events...that are overwhelming. sometimes it's just for the moment and other times those feelings seem to linger forever!
have you ever had censored thoughts? those things that you push down and away from your daily consciousness so that you don't have to deal with them. i think we all have. that's why daily quiet and reflection is so important. if we don't slow down, if we don't listen, if we don't take time to stop talking and doing and running and planning and chasing the experience, we will never hear the whisper of god.
it's only in the whisper of god that we can confront the uneasiness we live with. it is only in the quietness of listening that we can truly be honest about what hurts and scares and concerns and belittles and depresses us. and without that honesty, we will never know the joy that god breathes into our existence when he whispers.
why not carve out some time to be quiet so you can listen. i think i will.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Church membership...again
i can't stop thinking about this church membership thing...
on sunday, i said that church membership (at least as we have come to know and love it) is not really talked about in the bible. amazing. something that important and it's not addressed in the book?
well, that's not entirely true. even though church membership is not talked about specifically, there is enough said indirectly that we can get the picture...
when paul says in the roman letter that, as members of one body, we belong to each other, we get our most vivid glimpse of what god intends. we belong to each other. you belong to me and i belong to you. you're mine. i'm yours. we're stuck. or at least we should be if we are members.
i guess that's why the church as a family means so much to me and why we have to get our understanding of church membership from that image. if we don't, we run the risk of creating a faulty expectation for membership. paul talks about the church as a family in his letter to the ephesians:
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22
households (or families) are complex, but it doesn't take a degree to understand what god expects! members of families belong to each other. they don't run away. they work out their problems. they share the responsibility. they own up to mistakes. when the dust settles, they are for each other, with each other, and connected to each other.
the church better wake up.
on sunday, i said that church membership (at least as we have come to know and love it) is not really talked about in the bible. amazing. something that important and it's not addressed in the book?
well, that's not entirely true. even though church membership is not talked about specifically, there is enough said indirectly that we can get the picture...
when paul says in the roman letter that, as members of one body, we belong to each other, we get our most vivid glimpse of what god intends. we belong to each other. you belong to me and i belong to you. you're mine. i'm yours. we're stuck. or at least we should be if we are members.
i guess that's why the church as a family means so much to me and why we have to get our understanding of church membership from that image. if we don't, we run the risk of creating a faulty expectation for membership. paul talks about the church as a family in his letter to the ephesians:
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22
households (or families) are complex, but it doesn't take a degree to understand what god expects! members of families belong to each other. they don't run away. they work out their problems. they share the responsibility. they own up to mistakes. when the dust settles, they are for each other, with each other, and connected to each other.
the church better wake up.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Some more thoughts on college life
we have a really good college group. i am really proud of them. they are hard working and have really begun to understand god's calling to a servant lifestyle. they are spiritually aware and have a deep awareness of god's presence and kingdom priorities. they have had good modeling and are well taught in the fundamentals of christian discipleship. and i like them. but i am painfully aware that they are not necessarily the norm, nor does having a good college group ensure that new kids will follow in their footsteps in years to come.
the college years are difficult and navigating through them is a treacherous journey where many, even most, fall flat on their face after they leave the protective womb of adolescence and the safety of the church youth group they have grown accustomed to. did i say treacherous? yeah.
there are a number of possible reasons for the drop off in church attendance (or the abandoning of christian lifestyle) once a kid enters college:
the new-found freedom is tough to handle... there is no question that adulthood and the post-high school lifestyle is one full of amazing opportunities for both good and danger. with freedom comes responsibility. unfortunately, that new-found freedom usually lacks the component of accountability. nobody even makes you get up on sunday mornings anymore!
new social circles... the high school youth group is a pretty cool entity. you don't have to think much. you don't have to plan much. you don't have to initiate stepping outside your comfort zone. it's full of familiarity, fun, tradition, and a ready-made group of safe, similar friends...even for the most edgy of kids. trips are planned. meetings are planned. friendships are orchestrated. spiritual experiences are blueprinted. life is good. when a kid goes to college, it is full of new possibilities and new friends and new circles. and nobody scripts out spiritual experiences.
the tidal wave of education... if high school kids think their faith is challenged now, just wait until their first philosophy or ethics class! or what about the first microbiology lecture? biblical faith is assaulted from the moment a kid sets foot on the campus of most any of our nations institutions of higher learning. defense of the faith can only be done by those that have built a defense. that leads to the next problem:
our youth ministries are not necessarily preparing our young people for what's ahead... kids are all about having fun, hanging out with their friends, pursuing their own dreams, developing strong and nimble digit motor skills (for effective computer gaming), and, did i already say...having fun? it's incredibly easy to play to the lowest common denominator when it comes to attracting a crowd of young people. just ask them what they want to do! often, church youth groups are nothing more than glorified boys and girls clubs with a spiritual veneer...and then they are left to face that reality as they naively wander off to college.
finally, our kids have watched the adults at church for years (often, their own parents) and have concluded "what's the point?"... they see adults who claim allegiance to christ and loyalty to the kingdom and, at a minimum, are confused. they see adults who are consumed with their own lives, their own homes, their own vacations, their own money, their own time, their own reputations, their own rise up the ladder, their own petty jealousies, their own unresolved anger, their own legalism, their own abuse of freedom, their own worries, their own fears, their own inconsistencies, and their own empty spiritual lives. what do we expect our young people to do with that?
what will you do to help change this trend?
the college years are difficult and navigating through them is a treacherous journey where many, even most, fall flat on their face after they leave the protective womb of adolescence and the safety of the church youth group they have grown accustomed to. did i say treacherous? yeah.
there are a number of possible reasons for the drop off in church attendance (or the abandoning of christian lifestyle) once a kid enters college:
the new-found freedom is tough to handle... there is no question that adulthood and the post-high school lifestyle is one full of amazing opportunities for both good and danger. with freedom comes responsibility. unfortunately, that new-found freedom usually lacks the component of accountability. nobody even makes you get up on sunday mornings anymore!
new social circles... the high school youth group is a pretty cool entity. you don't have to think much. you don't have to plan much. you don't have to initiate stepping outside your comfort zone. it's full of familiarity, fun, tradition, and a ready-made group of safe, similar friends...even for the most edgy of kids. trips are planned. meetings are planned. friendships are orchestrated. spiritual experiences are blueprinted. life is good. when a kid goes to college, it is full of new possibilities and new friends and new circles. and nobody scripts out spiritual experiences.
the tidal wave of education... if high school kids think their faith is challenged now, just wait until their first philosophy or ethics class! or what about the first microbiology lecture? biblical faith is assaulted from the moment a kid sets foot on the campus of most any of our nations institutions of higher learning. defense of the faith can only be done by those that have built a defense. that leads to the next problem:
our youth ministries are not necessarily preparing our young people for what's ahead... kids are all about having fun, hanging out with their friends, pursuing their own dreams, developing strong and nimble digit motor skills (for effective computer gaming), and, did i already say...having fun? it's incredibly easy to play to the lowest common denominator when it comes to attracting a crowd of young people. just ask them what they want to do! often, church youth groups are nothing more than glorified boys and girls clubs with a spiritual veneer...and then they are left to face that reality as they naively wander off to college.
finally, our kids have watched the adults at church for years (often, their own parents) and have concluded "what's the point?"... they see adults who claim allegiance to christ and loyalty to the kingdom and, at a minimum, are confused. they see adults who are consumed with their own lives, their own homes, their own vacations, their own money, their own time, their own reputations, their own rise up the ladder, their own petty jealousies, their own unresolved anger, their own legalism, their own abuse of freedom, their own worries, their own fears, their own inconsistencies, and their own empty spiritual lives. what do we expect our young people to do with that?
what will you do to help change this trend?
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Some thoughts on easter sunday
some thoughts on easter 2007...
i really liked the change in our service times! it was awesome to have nearly 70 people in our first service. i think we have something to build on now.
it was great to have my whole family together for easter. even tho wanda couldn't eat (don't ask), we enjoyed our traditional easter foodfest at baja fresh anyway.
i loved seeing all the new faces.
watching the logjam at the rear doors between the two services was very cool.
over $5700 was put in the kingdomsales jar. wow.
i know there are always going to be people that are in a hurry to leave right after the service is over, but they are really missing something by not hanging around and experiencing the expressions of friendship that go on...long after the band has packed it up and the lights have been turned off. even tho it was easter, it was business as usual for a lot of people...
the band sounded really good. and the new song ("by his wounds") is a winner.
there is no topic better to preach on than the resurrection of jesus. nothing.
the warmth of relationship in our building was powerful. i wish you could have seen what i saw during our welcome time. it was genuine. it was moving.
i hope people feel as convicted to invite a friend this coming week as they did yesterday. our responsibility is to offer the invitation. it the holy spirit's job to do the rest.
it was a good easter, but now i am really looking forward to this sunday. and i'm not even going to baja fresh.
i really liked the change in our service times! it was awesome to have nearly 70 people in our first service. i think we have something to build on now.
it was great to have my whole family together for easter. even tho wanda couldn't eat (don't ask), we enjoyed our traditional easter foodfest at baja fresh anyway.
i loved seeing all the new faces.
watching the logjam at the rear doors between the two services was very cool.
over $5700 was put in the kingdomsales jar. wow.
i know there are always going to be people that are in a hurry to leave right after the service is over, but they are really missing something by not hanging around and experiencing the expressions of friendship that go on...long after the band has packed it up and the lights have been turned off. even tho it was easter, it was business as usual for a lot of people...
the band sounded really good. and the new song ("by his wounds") is a winner.
there is no topic better to preach on than the resurrection of jesus. nothing.
the warmth of relationship in our building was powerful. i wish you could have seen what i saw during our welcome time. it was genuine. it was moving.
i hope people feel as convicted to invite a friend this coming week as they did yesterday. our responsibility is to offer the invitation. it the holy spirit's job to do the rest.
it was a good easter, but now i am really looking forward to this sunday. and i'm not even going to baja fresh.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Mexico, again
it is good to be home. the older i get, the harder it is to be gone. don't get me wrong, though. there are not a whole lot of things more fun, more fulfilling, more revealing...than spending five days with a bunch of men. really.
i love our men's mission trip to mexico. i'm so impressed with the group of men who choose to take time away from work and family and house chores and making money and recreational pursuits to join with other men to build a house for family in mexico. it's hard work, time consuming, costly, exhausting, and risky.
the work is painful. especially for the old guys. like me. two long days of mixing cement by hand in wheel barrows. sawing lumber with hand saws. gripping twenty-eight ounce hammers and swinging them until our forearms burn. for some of us, that's about fifteen swings and a whack on a thumb. pulling wire. shoveling sand and gravel. lifting plywood on a roof. lifting five gallon buckets of water. stretching chicken wire. mixing and spreading stucco. the hardest physical labor that i do anymore is mowing the lawn and running the snake through my plugged plumbing.
the men have to pay $275 to go on the trip, plus all of their travel money. that's not chump change. i'm sure that money could go for a lot of other things. but it doesn't. it goes to giving a family a new house. amazing. a whole new house. for about the cost of a new car stereo or a new callaway driver or new power spray washer, a family gets a new house. did i say amazing?
the best part of the trip, though, is where the greatest risk is. it's not the long hours of travel. it's not crossing the border. it's not drinking the water. it's being trapped for five days with other men and having to be honest and open and real. and having to talk. oh, there's a lot of groaning and whining and sarcasm and suspicious story telling. but, more importantly, there is good conversation. we get to know each other. we become better friends. we have been in the trenches together and we are deeper and stronger because of it. and god is pleased.
sign me up for next year.
i love our men's mission trip to mexico. i'm so impressed with the group of men who choose to take time away from work and family and house chores and making money and recreational pursuits to join with other men to build a house for family in mexico. it's hard work, time consuming, costly, exhausting, and risky.
the work is painful. especially for the old guys. like me. two long days of mixing cement by hand in wheel barrows. sawing lumber with hand saws. gripping twenty-eight ounce hammers and swinging them until our forearms burn. for some of us, that's about fifteen swings and a whack on a thumb. pulling wire. shoveling sand and gravel. lifting plywood on a roof. lifting five gallon buckets of water. stretching chicken wire. mixing and spreading stucco. the hardest physical labor that i do anymore is mowing the lawn and running the snake through my plugged plumbing.
the men have to pay $275 to go on the trip, plus all of their travel money. that's not chump change. i'm sure that money could go for a lot of other things. but it doesn't. it goes to giving a family a new house. amazing. a whole new house. for about the cost of a new car stereo or a new callaway driver or new power spray washer, a family gets a new house. did i say amazing?
the best part of the trip, though, is where the greatest risk is. it's not the long hours of travel. it's not crossing the border. it's not drinking the water. it's being trapped for five days with other men and having to be honest and open and real. and having to talk. oh, there's a lot of groaning and whining and sarcasm and suspicious story telling. but, more importantly, there is good conversation. we get to know each other. we become better friends. we have been in the trenches together and we are deeper and stronger because of it. and god is pleased.
sign me up for next year.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Mexico 2007
i'm always consumed with our spring break mexico trip for a couple of weeks. here's a few thoughts from this year's trip...
- after all these years, i still love to hear singing around the campfire
- work trips bring out the best...and sometimes the worst...in people
- i love the people of mexico
- i am always reminded that mexico is a "work in progress". unlike our country, where people have to have things right now, the people there are content to build with what they have and are willing to wait until they have a little more to continue. the patience and contentment blows me away!
- there's a lot of nothing between dallas and el paso
- bucket showers get easier with age
- leaving wanda for a week at a time does not get easier with age
- i wish i were in a place that required me to learn to speak spanish
- there is something really empowering about serving
- it was awesome to see our college young people step up into leadership on this trip
- there is much that the rich can learn from the poor
- it's fun to listen to middle school kids pray out loud for meals
- road markers are much easier to drive by than street signs
- there was more dust than ever
- it is an incredible experience to build an entire house by hand
- everybody should have the experience
- deep life change for young people begins on trips like these
- it's always good to get home!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Rules
who decides what the ground rules are for church? in the old testament, god says for his people to remember the sabbath and keep it holy. ultimately, this is a command about resting and trusting and acknowledging that god is in total control. at a minimum, though, this command defined the day that god's people set aside for special worship...for thousands of years.
after jesus was raised from the dead, it appears (from both historical records and the tradition of the church) that the special day of worship for the church shifted from saturdays to sundays. i grew up believing that sundays were "the lord's day", and that sunday mornings were the most important time of the week for god's people.
not only were sunday mornings sacred, but so were the times. my family would be at the church building at 9:00 for "opening exercises" before sunday school...a time where we would sing a couple of choruses to get our minds and hearts prepared for study and then we would be dismissed to our classes. at 10:20, we would finish our classes and then begin moving back over to the sanctuary to prepare for our worship service at 10:45. on good days (when the preacher wouldn't preach too long), we would conclude with a rousing chorus of "blest be the tie that binds"...not one of my all-time favorites...and we would all be pulling out of the church parking lot by 12:15.
that was 40 years ago. and i still go to a church that keeps the same schedule!
i know it's ok for the church to gather for worship on friday nights or saturday afternoons or sunday mornings or whenever. there is no rule that says we must meet at a particular time. i know this...and so do all of you!
in three weeks, we are going to change our sunday morning schedule. we are doing away with the 9:00 hour...mainly because we are a church family that functions a little better a little later. we are going to have a 10:00 service and an 11:15 service. and even though i am totally convinced this is an awesome decision for all the right reasons and...there is absolutely nothing wrong, bad, unlawful, illegal, immoral, unscriptural, or unspiritual about the decision...i am still a little uneasy about how people are going to respond.
but not uneasy enough to change the decision. i mean, come on...who wouldn't want an extra hour of sleep on sunday morning?
after jesus was raised from the dead, it appears (from both historical records and the tradition of the church) that the special day of worship for the church shifted from saturdays to sundays. i grew up believing that sundays were "the lord's day", and that sunday mornings were the most important time of the week for god's people.
not only were sunday mornings sacred, but so were the times. my family would be at the church building at 9:00 for "opening exercises" before sunday school...a time where we would sing a couple of choruses to get our minds and hearts prepared for study and then we would be dismissed to our classes. at 10:20, we would finish our classes and then begin moving back over to the sanctuary to prepare for our worship service at 10:45. on good days (when the preacher wouldn't preach too long), we would conclude with a rousing chorus of "blest be the tie that binds"...not one of my all-time favorites...and we would all be pulling out of the church parking lot by 12:15.
that was 40 years ago. and i still go to a church that keeps the same schedule!
i know it's ok for the church to gather for worship on friday nights or saturday afternoons or sunday mornings or whenever. there is no rule that says we must meet at a particular time. i know this...and so do all of you!
in three weeks, we are going to change our sunday morning schedule. we are doing away with the 9:00 hour...mainly because we are a church family that functions a little better a little later. we are going to have a 10:00 service and an 11:15 service. and even though i am totally convinced this is an awesome decision for all the right reasons and...there is absolutely nothing wrong, bad, unlawful, illegal, immoral, unscriptural, or unspiritual about the decision...i am still a little uneasy about how people are going to respond.
but not uneasy enough to change the decision. i mean, come on...who wouldn't want an extra hour of sleep on sunday morning?
Friday, March 09, 2007
Friendship
i was talking with a friend of mine recently and he was telling me about the death of a friendship that he had experienced in his world. somebody that he thought was a true friend and valued coworker turned out to be the exact opposite. i was incredibly impressed by my friend's determination to work out the difficulties, see things from the other guy's point of view, take responsibility for mistakes that he had made, and, more than anything else, the value my friend placed on relationship, teamwork, and kingdom priorities. he really wanted to work things out, but the other guy had already made up his mind and had walked away...with no reconciliation.
in return for his effort, my friend received rejection, slander, and the severing of communication. it makes me think about the relationships that all of us experience. i gotta tell you, good relationships are hard. they seem to be harder in the church than anywhere else in all of society.
i have seen this story again and again: someone makes a mistake, says a thoughtless word, or breaks a promise and another person is left to interpret. rather than going right to the person and asking for clarification, they just shrug their shoulders and breathe out a hearty "whatever" and they move on.
the problem is whenever this kind of pattern begins, it becomes easier and easier to avoid talking about it and then grow comfortable with assumptions. over time, relationships erode, fake smiles replace genuine friendship, gossip begins and the search for people who will validate the assumptions takes over. and pretty soon, people just walk away...without ever giving us a chance to work out the problem.
let me give you this advice: if you get your feelings hurt or if someone is doing something you think is wrong, go talk to them!!! give them the opportunity to listen and change. give the holy spirit the opportunity to do what you can't. for crying out loud (which i want to do sometimes), don't walk away from this church family, from a friendship, from a work relationship...without giving people a realistic chance to make things right.
the power of reconciliation is so much greater, so much better, so much more life-changing than the temporary pursuit of the personal comfort we gain by running away.
if you've got relationships that have grown stale or empty or fake or purposeless, go back and try again. ask the holy spirit to prepare the way and give you wisdom and depth. the world needs to see us act differently. they already see enough running away.
for the record, i am deeply grateful to be surrounded by some tremendous people who don't run away from conflict. i need more of them. so do you.
in return for his effort, my friend received rejection, slander, and the severing of communication. it makes me think about the relationships that all of us experience. i gotta tell you, good relationships are hard. they seem to be harder in the church than anywhere else in all of society.
i have seen this story again and again: someone makes a mistake, says a thoughtless word, or breaks a promise and another person is left to interpret. rather than going right to the person and asking for clarification, they just shrug their shoulders and breathe out a hearty "whatever" and they move on.
the problem is whenever this kind of pattern begins, it becomes easier and easier to avoid talking about it and then grow comfortable with assumptions. over time, relationships erode, fake smiles replace genuine friendship, gossip begins and the search for people who will validate the assumptions takes over. and pretty soon, people just walk away...without ever giving us a chance to work out the problem.
let me give you this advice: if you get your feelings hurt or if someone is doing something you think is wrong, go talk to them!!! give them the opportunity to listen and change. give the holy spirit the opportunity to do what you can't. for crying out loud (which i want to do sometimes), don't walk away from this church family, from a friendship, from a work relationship...without giving people a realistic chance to make things right.
the power of reconciliation is so much greater, so much better, so much more life-changing than the temporary pursuit of the personal comfort we gain by running away.
if you've got relationships that have grown stale or empty or fake or purposeless, go back and try again. ask the holy spirit to prepare the way and give you wisdom and depth. the world needs to see us act differently. they already see enough running away.
for the record, i am deeply grateful to be surrounded by some tremendous people who don't run away from conflict. i need more of them. so do you.
Friday, March 02, 2007
You gotta check this out!
my friend bill passed on a story to me tonight that i think is amazing and needs to be shared with as many as possible.
his daughter has a close friend who has a cousin who lives in australia (did you get all of that?) his name is nick and he has no arms and no legs. it is a truly amazing story and he tells some of it at a televised church service in southern california. here's the link to the broadcast:
http://hourofpower.org/video/video.cfm
his name is nick vujicic and you need to scroll down to where his name appears as a special guest.
you need to set aside a few minutes to listen to his story and be inspired. all i'll say right now is that it's time to stop whining and get busy serving the god of wonders...
his daughter has a close friend who has a cousin who lives in australia (did you get all of that?) his name is nick and he has no arms and no legs. it is a truly amazing story and he tells some of it at a televised church service in southern california. here's the link to the broadcast:
http://hourofpower.org/video/video.cfm
his name is nick vujicic and you need to scroll down to where his name appears as a special guest.
you need to set aside a few minutes to listen to his story and be inspired. all i'll say right now is that it's time to stop whining and get busy serving the god of wonders...
Monday, February 26, 2007
Church membership
i started thinking about church membership yesterday. i grew up in an era where membership meant something different than it does today. and i can't say that it really bothers me. don't get me wrong, though...
when i study about the church, there is no question that relationships mean something. the bible writers talk about the church as a family and a good family is where commitment is lived out, intimacy is forged, conflict is resolved, tasks are shared, trust is built, backs are covered and responsibilities are not optional. it is also where the essence of membership is defined.
i read recently that it's getting progressively more difficult to define a church member, but you definitely know one when you see one. i think i agree with that.
i like it when i hear people say, "this is my church!" i like it when i hear ownership and pride (the good kind) and heart when they talk about their church family. i like it when i hear folks say, "these are my people!" it really means something to me when i learn of people who are willing to lay down their opinions and tastes and wants and differences in favor of friendship and warmth and load sharing and bigger vision.
church membership is all about none of us being as strong as all of us.
i guess there will always be people who say they are members of particular churches. maybe even ours. but don't you think that if you have to wonder whether someone is a member or not, maybe there's a problem? most of us know...instinctivley...whether we are part of the family or part of the team. the same should be true of church.
when i study about the church, there is no question that relationships mean something. the bible writers talk about the church as a family and a good family is where commitment is lived out, intimacy is forged, conflict is resolved, tasks are shared, trust is built, backs are covered and responsibilities are not optional. it is also where the essence of membership is defined.
i read recently that it's getting progressively more difficult to define a church member, but you definitely know one when you see one. i think i agree with that.
i like it when i hear people say, "this is my church!" i like it when i hear ownership and pride (the good kind) and heart when they talk about their church family. i like it when i hear folks say, "these are my people!" it really means something to me when i learn of people who are willing to lay down their opinions and tastes and wants and differences in favor of friendship and warmth and load sharing and bigger vision.
church membership is all about none of us being as strong as all of us.
i guess there will always be people who say they are members of particular churches. maybe even ours. but don't you think that if you have to wonder whether someone is a member or not, maybe there's a problem? most of us know...instinctivley...whether we are part of the family or part of the team. the same should be true of church.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
The college group and the 9:00 service
i had some great discussion this past sunday night with some of our college students. their insights into scripture are profound. their pursuit of truth is admirable. their love of north point is obvious. their desire to have an honest and life-changing connection with god is what keeps them coming. they are a really good group.
in our discussion, we beat around the topic of worship service times on sunday mornings. we've been trying, for months, to grow our 9:00 service (another post...another day), but we are not quite "there" yet. one possible solution would be to have an entire group...like the college group...make a commitment to that service and help it grow. the problem is there is no way, no how, not in my lifetime or yours, that our college group would make the decision to come at 9:00 on a regular basis. but not for the reasons you might think...
it is true that most of them stay out too late on saturday nights. many of them don't have mama to wake them up in the morning anymore. a lot of them probably get up early every day of the week to go to work or classes...and the thought of losing a "sleep in" day doesn't sound too appetizing. but those are not the reasons why they don't want to come at 9:00.
the best part of sunday mornings for our college students is not the sermon. hard to believe, but it's not. (i'm over it.) it's not the opportunity for communion...nor is it the nifty music we play as we worship. the new padded chairs are sweet and really comfortable, but they aren't the best part. no...the best part of sunday mornings for our college group is when it's over.
as soon as the service ends, our college young people go right back to doing what they were doing when the service started. enjoying each other. talking...laughing...poking fun...comparing notes about their weeks and school work and jobs and music and fantasy sports and relationships and pretty much anything else that comes to mind.
if you watch them, they take over the room. their relationships spill over. most weeks they have to be kicked out of the auditorium, so they begin to slowly file out and continue the fun at their restaurant of choice.
the reason they won't come to 9:00? they couldn't hang out afterwards. they would get a sermon and sing songs and pray and take communion and experience all of the other components of the service. but it just wouldn't be the same. and it's ok with me.
in our discussion, we beat around the topic of worship service times on sunday mornings. we've been trying, for months, to grow our 9:00 service (another post...another day), but we are not quite "there" yet. one possible solution would be to have an entire group...like the college group...make a commitment to that service and help it grow. the problem is there is no way, no how, not in my lifetime or yours, that our college group would make the decision to come at 9:00 on a regular basis. but not for the reasons you might think...
it is true that most of them stay out too late on saturday nights. many of them don't have mama to wake them up in the morning anymore. a lot of them probably get up early every day of the week to go to work or classes...and the thought of losing a "sleep in" day doesn't sound too appetizing. but those are not the reasons why they don't want to come at 9:00.
the best part of sunday mornings for our college students is not the sermon. hard to believe, but it's not. (i'm over it.) it's not the opportunity for communion...nor is it the nifty music we play as we worship. the new padded chairs are sweet and really comfortable, but they aren't the best part. no...the best part of sunday mornings for our college group is when it's over.
as soon as the service ends, our college young people go right back to doing what they were doing when the service started. enjoying each other. talking...laughing...poking fun...comparing notes about their weeks and school work and jobs and music and fantasy sports and relationships and pretty much anything else that comes to mind.
if you watch them, they take over the room. their relationships spill over. most weeks they have to be kicked out of the auditorium, so they begin to slowly file out and continue the fun at their restaurant of choice.
the reason they won't come to 9:00? they couldn't hang out afterwards. they would get a sermon and sing songs and pray and take communion and experience all of the other components of the service. but it just wouldn't be the same. and it's ok with me.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Sermon redux
i gotta tell you, i don't think i would have liked listening to most of my own sermon this past sunday. in preparing for my sermon on the rich young ruler (matthew 19:16-24), i became super convicted by what jesus was saying to this guy. really, what i was convicted of was the similarity between the the young ruler and our culture.
he was rich. we are rich. and that's the part i don't want to hear.
but no matter how much i don't want to hear it, it's true. and to have some preacher stand up in front and say it...out loud...with no regard for personal struggle or financial stress or awareness of unique situations... with no apparent sensitivity to the fear or worries or depression that people feel when they labor under the relentless burden of financial pounding...well, i'm sure i wouldn't have liked listening to me.
i made reference to a website that points out just how rich we are compared to the rest of the world. and that's the problem. when i live under the crushing weight of finances gone wild, my vision becomes myopic. i can't see beyond my own mess. my financial chaos becomes so demanding, there's no way i can look at others...let alone see how much better off i am. and i definitely don't want some preacher telling me to start admitting how great my life is.
but truth is truth. no matter how bad our financial condition gets, jesus still tells us to measure our lives by the plight of the world's poor. sell your possessions and give to the poor was not jesus' answer to the shortcomings of the welfare system (or was it?). in this passage, he was simply telling the rich (rulers and common folks like you and me) what they needed to do to live underneath the rule and authority of the kingdom.
rich people need to admit they are rich. we need to admit that our wealth...and all the good and bad that comes with our wealth...is the most powerful force in our lives. and we need to recognize that until our addiction to money...and all the chaos and worry and stress and pursuit it demands...is surrendered to kingdom wisdom, there will always be problems. as ironic as it seems, without our wealth, we would not have these problems.
and the best way for rich people to get things straightened out is to remember the poor.
All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. Galatians 2:10
he was rich. we are rich. and that's the part i don't want to hear.
but no matter how much i don't want to hear it, it's true. and to have some preacher stand up in front and say it...out loud...with no regard for personal struggle or financial stress or awareness of unique situations... with no apparent sensitivity to the fear or worries or depression that people feel when they labor under the relentless burden of financial pounding...well, i'm sure i wouldn't have liked listening to me.
i made reference to a website that points out just how rich we are compared to the rest of the world. and that's the problem. when i live under the crushing weight of finances gone wild, my vision becomes myopic. i can't see beyond my own mess. my financial chaos becomes so demanding, there's no way i can look at others...let alone see how much better off i am. and i definitely don't want some preacher telling me to start admitting how great my life is.
but truth is truth. no matter how bad our financial condition gets, jesus still tells us to measure our lives by the plight of the world's poor. sell your possessions and give to the poor was not jesus' answer to the shortcomings of the welfare system (or was it?). in this passage, he was simply telling the rich (rulers and common folks like you and me) what they needed to do to live underneath the rule and authority of the kingdom.
rich people need to admit they are rich. we need to admit that our wealth...and all the good and bad that comes with our wealth...is the most powerful force in our lives. and we need to recognize that until our addiction to money...and all the chaos and worry and stress and pursuit it demands...is surrendered to kingdom wisdom, there will always be problems. as ironic as it seems, without our wealth, we would not have these problems.
and the best way for rich people to get things straightened out is to remember the poor.
All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. Galatians 2:10
Friday, February 09, 2007
Thinking too much again
i don't want to make a big deal about this, but these things bother me a little...
why is it that people can get up early, get dressed, take care of the kids, make a lengthy drive and manage to get to work or school on time...all the time...but can't get to church on time?
why is it that we will stand and passionately cheer our favorite athletic team, but sit quiet and motionless during the time we worship the greatness of the king of the universe?
why do we cry over the loss of our pets, but not over the thousands who die every day in darfur?
why do we know the names and plots and characters of countless movies and tv shows, but don't know the names of the twelve apostles?
why do we consider school events more worthy of our time and money than church events for our children?
why can we walk for hours at the mall or stand for hours at sporting event, but our legs get weary when we have to stand up to sing two songs at church?
would we read our bibles if they had more pictures?
why is it so hard to give 10% of our income to god through the church, when we don't think twice about spending the other 90% on ourselves?
why is it so difficult to accept that some people have got it wrong? why does that fact have to be deemed "judgmental" or "intolerant"?
why is it so hard to walk up to someone we don't know and start a conversation?
why is it so important to get revenge? why can't we control our anger...even when we know it's doing no good for anybody...including us?
when will we realize that worry is a sin and a blatant distrust of god as our provider?
when will it dawn on us that hanging around christians all the time is like living in a ghetto?
why is gossip soooo acceptable among christians?
why is it more important for us to be right, rather than to do right?
just what i was thinking tonight.
why is it that people can get up early, get dressed, take care of the kids, make a lengthy drive and manage to get to work or school on time...all the time...but can't get to church on time?
why is it that we will stand and passionately cheer our favorite athletic team, but sit quiet and motionless during the time we worship the greatness of the king of the universe?
why do we cry over the loss of our pets, but not over the thousands who die every day in darfur?
why do we know the names and plots and characters of countless movies and tv shows, but don't know the names of the twelve apostles?
why do we consider school events more worthy of our time and money than church events for our children?
why can we walk for hours at the mall or stand for hours at sporting event, but our legs get weary when we have to stand up to sing two songs at church?
would we read our bibles if they had more pictures?
why is it so hard to give 10% of our income to god through the church, when we don't think twice about spending the other 90% on ourselves?
why is it so difficult to accept that some people have got it wrong? why does that fact have to be deemed "judgmental" or "intolerant"?
why is it so hard to walk up to someone we don't know and start a conversation?
why is it so important to get revenge? why can't we control our anger...even when we know it's doing no good for anybody...including us?
when will we realize that worry is a sin and a blatant distrust of god as our provider?
when will it dawn on us that hanging around christians all the time is like living in a ghetto?
why is gossip soooo acceptable among christians?
why is it more important for us to be right, rather than to do right?
just what i was thinking tonight.
Monday, February 05, 2007
The Superbowl
tony dungy, the coach of the superbowl champion indianapolis colts once said, "god is here...even in the ugly things." he should know. he said this after the suicide of his eighteen year old son.
i had interesting feelings about this year's superbowl. being the resident sports authority of my world, people would ask me who i wanted to win the big game. honestly, i didn't care from a player or favorite team point of view. once the chargers handed their tickets away, i didn't have enough emotional energy to invest in another team. but i did care about tony dungy.
i think it is significant that tony dungy is an african american in a sports world that is run by wealthy, white owners. it is significant that he is the first african american coach to win a superbowl. it wasn't long ago that african americans were not considered "coach" material. i can remember the day when owners and coaches didn't think that african americans "had what i took" to even be the quarterback of a pro team. it was a great moment to watch tony dungy accept the trophy. it was an even better moment to listen to him talk.
when one of the sportscasters ask him what the secret to victory was, he replied, "we did it the lord's way." did it the lord's way? what an amazing comment! he didn't say that god wanted them to win. he didn't even give the obligatory glory to god we so often hear from entertainers and athletes. he just stated that there was a right way to do things and wrong way to do things. and as the leader of the colts, he chose to lead the lord's way. we should all learn from his simple formula...
watching tony dungy on the sideline is a lesson in anti-football coaching behavior. no screaming. no ranting. no over-reaction. no stripping of player dignity. calm. personable. friendly. patient. humble. the high school football coaches i have witnessed in texas should be required to watch tony dungy coaching videos.
watching his players hug him after the game was touching. watching the players from the other team hug him after the game was amazing. listening to the cynical journalists extol his personal and professional virtue this week has been nothing short of astounding. he did it the lord's way and he has been noticed for it.
when his son committed suicide last year, this very private man in a very public position walked through life's toughest situation with dignity, honesty and an unashamed and unapologetic faith in god that was beyond inspiring.
in the big picture, there is waaaaay to much blending of sports and religion in america. i am weary of hearing athletes talk about how god is blessing their effort. in a world that labors under the effects of sin and disaster in epic proportion, i find it hard to fathom that god is particularly concerned with the outcome of the games we play. but he is always concerned with the way we live our lives in the face of a world that is looking for meaning and purpose.
i am grateful for tony dungy.
i had interesting feelings about this year's superbowl. being the resident sports authority of my world, people would ask me who i wanted to win the big game. honestly, i didn't care from a player or favorite team point of view. once the chargers handed their tickets away, i didn't have enough emotional energy to invest in another team. but i did care about tony dungy.
i think it is significant that tony dungy is an african american in a sports world that is run by wealthy, white owners. it is significant that he is the first african american coach to win a superbowl. it wasn't long ago that african americans were not considered "coach" material. i can remember the day when owners and coaches didn't think that african americans "had what i took" to even be the quarterback of a pro team. it was a great moment to watch tony dungy accept the trophy. it was an even better moment to listen to him talk.
when one of the sportscasters ask him what the secret to victory was, he replied, "we did it the lord's way." did it the lord's way? what an amazing comment! he didn't say that god wanted them to win. he didn't even give the obligatory glory to god we so often hear from entertainers and athletes. he just stated that there was a right way to do things and wrong way to do things. and as the leader of the colts, he chose to lead the lord's way. we should all learn from his simple formula...
watching tony dungy on the sideline is a lesson in anti-football coaching behavior. no screaming. no ranting. no over-reaction. no stripping of player dignity. calm. personable. friendly. patient. humble. the high school football coaches i have witnessed in texas should be required to watch tony dungy coaching videos.
watching his players hug him after the game was touching. watching the players from the other team hug him after the game was amazing. listening to the cynical journalists extol his personal and professional virtue this week has been nothing short of astounding. he did it the lord's way and he has been noticed for it.
when his son committed suicide last year, this very private man in a very public position walked through life's toughest situation with dignity, honesty and an unashamed and unapologetic faith in god that was beyond inspiring.
in the big picture, there is waaaaay to much blending of sports and religion in america. i am weary of hearing athletes talk about how god is blessing their effort. in a world that labors under the effects of sin and disaster in epic proportion, i find it hard to fathom that god is particularly concerned with the outcome of the games we play. but he is always concerned with the way we live our lives in the face of a world that is looking for meaning and purpose.
i am grateful for tony dungy.
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