She haunts me. I see her wherever I go. Her words ring in my ears. The woman on the bench.
This past Sunday, Lead Pastor Lee Towns played a video called "An Unspoken Plea" in the conclusion of his message. In the video, a woman on a park bench talked very frankly about how we, as Christ followers, treat her. She says we call her "lost," and has no idea what that means. We judge. We condemn.
The woman on the bench asks questions are like daggers through my heart.
"What are you going to do when you leave this building? Are you going to share with me what you've been learning? Or are you going to just bottle it up and pull it out next week for your friends?"
Ouch.
Funny thing. Now I see her everywhere. In every conversation I have with my friends at work. In the car next to me at the intersection. In the eyes of every person I see. There she is...the woman on the bench.
I have to admit that I've had a miserable few days since meeting her this Sunday. Suddenly God is allowing me to see people as He sees them. It's both awesome and awful at the same time.
It's all because of the woman on the bench.
In Christ,
Jay
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
A Lame Hobby
Church is a really lame hobby.
I heard Matt Chandler of the Village Church in Dallas say that in his weekly podcast. No truer words were ever spoken! He talked about if church is only a hobby to you then it's really nothing more than weekly Christian version of Halloween. You get all dressed up in your costume and pretend to be something you're not.
Church is a really lame hobby.
I think that's what Jesus was talking about when He said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God" (Matt 15:8-9 NLT).
If church is only my hobby then I'm just wasting my time. And yours. Church is SO much more than that. It's folks in community who share a radical and counter culture belief in Jesus and who are on a mission to reach as many others with His message as possible. Church is no hobby. It's a passion. A passion for Jesus. A passion for people.
If that's not what church is to you, then go home. Do something else. Sleep late. Play golf. There are plenty of great hobbies out there. But Matt Chandler was right...
Church is a really lame hobby.
In Christ,
Jay
I heard Matt Chandler of the Village Church in Dallas say that in his weekly podcast. No truer words were ever spoken! He talked about if church is only a hobby to you then it's really nothing more than weekly Christian version of Halloween. You get all dressed up in your costume and pretend to be something you're not.
Church is a really lame hobby.
I think that's what Jesus was talking about when He said, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God" (Matt 15:8-9 NLT).
If church is only my hobby then I'm just wasting my time. And yours. Church is SO much more than that. It's folks in community who share a radical and counter culture belief in Jesus and who are on a mission to reach as many others with His message as possible. Church is no hobby. It's a passion. A passion for Jesus. A passion for people.
If that's not what church is to you, then go home. Do something else. Sleep late. Play golf. There are plenty of great hobbies out there. But Matt Chandler was right...
Church is a really lame hobby.
In Christ,
Jay
Thursday, February 5, 2009
A Coat Rack Moment
It was a "Coat Rack Moment." Not to be confused with a Kodak moment.
I've had a couple of them recently. One in a very physical sense. Another spiritually.
The first "Coat Rack Moment" happened a couple weekends ago. I was carrying wood into the house to stoke a crackling fire. Somehow, someway, I stepped on the foot of the free-standing coat rack in the front hallway as I was closing the front door.
WHAM!!!
The coat rack cracked into my forehead and sent me and the firewood sprawling in the hallway. My forehead was cut open like Ric Flair in a cage match. Needless to say, it got my attention.
The second "CRM" was this past Sunday at church. Lead Pastor Lee Towns sermon dealt with "forgetting what lies behind" from Philippians 3:12-14. His basic message...get past your past. As he spoke, I realized that I had some pretty nasty bitterness from the past year that I had never really gotten over. The day before, I received an email that didn't just poke at an old wound, it torn it wide open. Bitterness and unforgiveness boiled over. So as Lee preached his message on Sunday, the Holy Spirit slammed His divine coat rack into my forehead once again.
WHAM!!!
No blood this time...but a boat load of conviction. I've had the chance to confess my sin to close friends over the past couple of days. That's REALLY helped me drain the bile from my life. I needed to confess. I needed to repent. I'm sure there's still more work to do. But I'm thankful that God used this moment to get my attention, however painful it might have been.
A "Coat Rack Moment."
In Christ,
Jay
I've had a couple of them recently. One in a very physical sense. Another spiritually.
The first "Coat Rack Moment" happened a couple weekends ago. I was carrying wood into the house to stoke a crackling fire. Somehow, someway, I stepped on the foot of the free-standing coat rack in the front hallway as I was closing the front door.
WHAM!!!
The coat rack cracked into my forehead and sent me and the firewood sprawling in the hallway. My forehead was cut open like Ric Flair in a cage match. Needless to say, it got my attention.
The second "CRM" was this past Sunday at church. Lead Pastor Lee Towns sermon dealt with "forgetting what lies behind" from Philippians 3:12-14. His basic message...get past your past. As he spoke, I realized that I had some pretty nasty bitterness from the past year that I had never really gotten over. The day before, I received an email that didn't just poke at an old wound, it torn it wide open. Bitterness and unforgiveness boiled over. So as Lee preached his message on Sunday, the Holy Spirit slammed His divine coat rack into my forehead once again.
WHAM!!!
No blood this time...but a boat load of conviction. I've had the chance to confess my sin to close friends over the past couple of days. That's REALLY helped me drain the bile from my life. I needed to confess. I needed to repent. I'm sure there's still more work to do. But I'm thankful that God used this moment to get my attention, however painful it might have been.
A "Coat Rack Moment."
In Christ,
Jay
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A New Adventure
"Well, that didn't take long."
Those were my wife's words when I accepted a position at The Church at the Triangle heading up their Creative Arts Team. And really, who can blame her for saying it? It's only been 3 1/2 months since Freedom River closed its doors.
But when God gets involved, I guess it's really not surprising at all. Looking back at the sequence of events at both the final days of FRCC and what the Lord's been up to at CATT, His fingerprints are all over this situation.
Probably the most surprising thing is that I actually stopped to talk to the two people who had veto power: Jesus and my wife. It would have been VERY easy to blurt out a "YES!" before Lead Pastor Lee Towns ever finished making his offer. But I took the time to pray over the decision and also make sure Debbie was on board.
One reason for the amazing ease of the decision is my growing friendship with Lee. He and I have hit it off from almost our first conversation. We have a very similar view of church and ministry. We read a lot of the same authors. We listen to many of the same podcasts. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Lord will deepen our relationship. And I'm very excited to serve under someone who has such a clear vision for the months and years ahead.
I'm looking forward to leading worship for the first time at CATT this week. Jesus is up to something. Come check us out some Sunday morning.
In Christ,
Jay
Those were my wife's words when I accepted a position at The Church at the Triangle heading up their Creative Arts Team. And really, who can blame her for saying it? It's only been 3 1/2 months since Freedom River closed its doors.
But when God gets involved, I guess it's really not surprising at all. Looking back at the sequence of events at both the final days of FRCC and what the Lord's been up to at CATT, His fingerprints are all over this situation.
Probably the most surprising thing is that I actually stopped to talk to the two people who had veto power: Jesus and my wife. It would have been VERY easy to blurt out a "YES!" before Lead Pastor Lee Towns ever finished making his offer. But I took the time to pray over the decision and also make sure Debbie was on board.
One reason for the amazing ease of the decision is my growing friendship with Lee. He and I have hit it off from almost our first conversation. We have a very similar view of church and ministry. We read a lot of the same authors. We listen to many of the same podcasts. I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Lord will deepen our relationship. And I'm very excited to serve under someone who has such a clear vision for the months and years ahead.
I'm looking forward to leading worship for the first time at CATT this week. Jesus is up to something. Come check us out some Sunday morning.
In Christ,
Jay
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Home Again
Looks like our church search is over.
Since Freedom River's last meeting on October 5, 2008, my wife and I have been on the lookout for a new church home. We've visited some great places. We've met some wonderful people. We've seen God at work in a variety of cool churches.
But something special happened when we visited the Church at the Triangle for the first time on November 16th. The atmosphere was like no place I've ever visited. More like a cool coffee house. Ever sit at round tables during a worship service before? Well, you do at CATT.
The people were warm and friendly. The band was tight and rockin'. The sermon was biblical and applicable. For all of the other neat places we visited, this just clicked. It was like putting on your most comfortable pair of old jeans. Most importantly, God is clearly at work.
Lee and Carla Towns began laying the ground work for CATT more than a year ago. They launched August 24th of 2008. I mean this thing is brand-spankin' new and fresh out of the box. It still has that "new church" smell!
One thing that has made this even more special is the fact that several Freedom River refugees are also attending CATT.
Deb & I are looking forward to serving Christ's Kingdom at CATT in the coming weeks. What will do? Wherever the Lord wants us.
Join us sometime. Check us out at http://www.churchatthetriangle.org/.
It's good to be home again.
In Christ,
Jay
Since Freedom River's last meeting on October 5, 2008, my wife and I have been on the lookout for a new church home. We've visited some great places. We've met some wonderful people. We've seen God at work in a variety of cool churches.
But something special happened when we visited the Church at the Triangle for the first time on November 16th. The atmosphere was like no place I've ever visited. More like a cool coffee house. Ever sit at round tables during a worship service before? Well, you do at CATT.
The people were warm and friendly. The band was tight and rockin'. The sermon was biblical and applicable. For all of the other neat places we visited, this just clicked. It was like putting on your most comfortable pair of old jeans. Most importantly, God is clearly at work.
Lee and Carla Towns began laying the ground work for CATT more than a year ago. They launched August 24th of 2008. I mean this thing is brand-spankin' new and fresh out of the box. It still has that "new church" smell!
One thing that has made this even more special is the fact that several Freedom River refugees are also attending CATT.
Deb & I are looking forward to serving Christ's Kingdom at CATT in the coming weeks. What will do? Wherever the Lord wants us.
Join us sometime. Check us out at http://www.churchatthetriangle.org/.
It's good to be home again.
In Christ,
Jay
Friday, January 9, 2009
Job Insecurity
The headlines and evening news are chock full of downturns, bailouts and layoffs. Seems everyone is concerned about job security.
But let's talk about "Job insecurity." Not job, but Job. You know...the guy in the Old Testament. Yeah, THAT Job. You see, Job had lost it all. Not just his job, but also his health, his wealth and most of his family.
I sat down and read through this amazing book in one reading the other day. What an incredible reminder to me about reading the Bible. So often, I'll check out a verse or two here or a chapter there, but never see the B-I-G picture of an entire book. Not this time. Read Job in one sitting.
For 37 chapters, we read about this once proud man whose life is now nuked. We hear the loving "advice and encouragement" of the three stooges: Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. We are right there when Elihu lovingly and firmly speaks some sense to this broken man. We read Job demanding a hearing with Almighty God.
And then God shows up. Oh, does He ever show up!
God hits Job with an unending barrage of challenges that start with phrases like, "Have you ever..?" and "Can you..?" and "Do you know..?" The Creator questions him on such topics as geology, astronomy, zoology, biology and philosophy. Imagine the hardest blue book exam times a gazillion. And Job had no idea this would be on the final.
Job is left there...stuttering and stammering. "I am nothing--how could I ever find the answers?" (Job 40:3a NLT).
"Job insecurity."
Interestingly, God never tells Job why he lost it all. And Job is fine with that. After experiencing first hand the awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping power of God, it just doesn't seem to matter. And God drenches Job in His amazing grace by restoring him. "So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning" (Job 42:12 NLT).
If you ever doubt the power, the majesty, the holiness or the knowledge of God, crack open your Bible to the book of Job. Read it all the way through. I think you'll experience "Job insecurity." And that's a good thing.
In Christ,
Jay
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A Heart away from Home
Ever go some place far away yet it feels just like home? Well, that's how I feel about "The Heart," a wonderfully funky church in Boone, NC.
Over the past few years, my wife and I have dropped in on the folks at "The Heart" on some of our little weekend getaways to the North Carolina mountains. Our first visit just felt right. Do you know what I mean? Even though we didn't know a soul in the place, we felt right at home. We love the people. We love their band. We love the sermons. But most of all, we love the way they love Jesus.
My relationship with the folks at "The Heart" took a couple of giant steps forward in December. Pastor Richard Miller graciously asked me if I would preach while he was out of town. So, I humbly took him up on the opportunity, continuing his series "The Grinch: Enlarging Your Heart."
On December 14th, we looked at enlarging our heart to be more passionate. Using Mark 12:33 as the basic text, we learned that Jesus wants to change our hearts so we would have...
-A Passion for His Presence
-A Passion for His People
-A Passion for His Plan
It was great to be back preaching again. First time since September 28th at Freedom River.
Then two weeks later, the worship pastor at "The Heart," John Hawkins, asked me if I could fill in on guitar. Wow, did that feel good! Again, the first time to play in a praise band since October 5th, our last service at FRCC.
If you're ever in Boone over a weekend, I highly recommend a visit to "The Heart." They meet at Watauga High School and the service starts at 10:30am each Sunday. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Check'em out at http://theheart.us/.
I want to thank Richard Miller, his wife Terri and John Hawkins for graciously inviting me to be a part of God's work at their church. But most of all, I want to thank Jesus for opening the door and making this happen.
Can't wait to see what He's up to next!
In Christ,
Jay
Over the past few years, my wife and I have dropped in on the folks at "The Heart" on some of our little weekend getaways to the North Carolina mountains. Our first visit just felt right. Do you know what I mean? Even though we didn't know a soul in the place, we felt right at home. We love the people. We love their band. We love the sermons. But most of all, we love the way they love Jesus.
My relationship with the folks at "The Heart" took a couple of giant steps forward in December. Pastor Richard Miller graciously asked me if I would preach while he was out of town. So, I humbly took him up on the opportunity, continuing his series "The Grinch: Enlarging Your Heart."
On December 14th, we looked at enlarging our heart to be more passionate. Using Mark 12:33 as the basic text, we learned that Jesus wants to change our hearts so we would have...
-A Passion for His Presence
-A Passion for His People
-A Passion for His Plan
It was great to be back preaching again. First time since September 28th at Freedom River.
Then two weeks later, the worship pastor at "The Heart," John Hawkins, asked me if I could fill in on guitar. Wow, did that feel good! Again, the first time to play in a praise band since October 5th, our last service at FRCC.
If you're ever in Boone over a weekend, I highly recommend a visit to "The Heart." They meet at Watauga High School and the service starts at 10:30am each Sunday. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Check'em out at http://theheart.us/.
I want to thank Richard Miller, his wife Terri and John Hawkins for graciously inviting me to be a part of God's work at their church. But most of all, I want to thank Jesus for opening the door and making this happen.
Can't wait to see what He's up to next!
In Christ,
Jay
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