I came across this article from John Zens' (he spoke at Apex in the fall) posted on Frank Viola's Blog, which I thought I needed to do my duty to pass along.   Zens does a great job addressing one of the biggest issues within the church today, and discussing the negative effects that it has on people.   Here's a quote, but go read the article:

Have you ever noticed that speech that tears others down travels like a brush fire, but news of repentance and restoration seems to move along at a snail’s pace? Why is it that we often immediately believe and embrace negative assessments of people, but reports of repentance, change, or the dispelling of a false rumor are met with skepticism? As believers, the exact opposite should be our practice: we should be hesitant to entertain and skeptical of adverse words about others, and quick to rejoice in and embrace news of the dispelling of a rumor or another’s repentance!

During our trip with AIA Basketball this summer, I was given the opportunity to learn from our tour director, Coach Mo, in his environment.   Coach has been walking with God, and pouring his life into others much longer than I have been alive.   He's full of so many amazing nuggets that allowed him to share such godly truth into the lives of the men we brought on tour with us.

One of the key things I learned from Coach Mo was a model of discipleship that I feel is so well balanced for people seeking to walk with God.   Balance in today's fast-paced society can be so crazy at times, and if we are not careful, it's easy to pour ourselves out to the point where we become tired and empty - leaving us at times, vulnerable.

The model is simple:

• We have a disciple that we are pouring into
• We have a mentor/discipler that is pouring into us
• And a sojourner/friend that is walking day to day beside us.

I think if we have all three of the people in place, we will see a more biblical discipleship process take place.   Think about it.   The original disciples were being discipled by Jesus, walked beside one another, and were sent to make disciples themselves.  They were never alone in the mission they had before them.  

This model looks different for everyone, but it still works today. Marriage as a discipleship provides a "built-in" sojourner by our side at all times.   And within the house church environment, we have many chances to have relationships with disciplers/disciples.

Learning to live this model is a goal of mine, as I am not sure I think some of my circles are being occupied at all times.   That is a goal for 2009 for myself to really define what & who is in this model for me, knowing that some circles will be filled by more than a single individual.

So, you know those calls you receive that you hope never end.    The ones that are so refreshing, encouraging, and thought-provoking.  Yeah, that is how I would describe my call from Bethany six-weeks ago.   I am still thinking about what I learned from that call seeming everyday.

Now Bethany is not who you think.  Bethany is not an old girl-friend, or an old crush.  Bethany is a little town, two miles from Jerusalem, and about six weeks ago I was give a small book on her, and the significance she had in the life & ministry of Jesus Christ.   Bethany in a short summary is great model for what house church looks like, which is how Apex chooses to do ministry.

The book was written by Frank Viola, and is available here as a free download from his website.   I have also enjoyed reading his blog as some follow-up!

There are four clear verses in which Bethany's importance is displayed. 

The one which was most familiar is from the Book of Luke, 10:38-42.   The passage is Mary & Martha, where Mary chooses to sit at the feet of Jesus, and Martha spends her time hosting the King of Kings.  At the end of the passage Martha complains that Mary didn't help, but Jesus supports Mary's decision to sit at His feet.

But there's some other passages within the Gospel that I felt were significant to the story of Bethany too:

• John 11:1-44 : Lazarus' Death & Resurrection took place in Bethany
• John 12:1-8 : Jesus' would teach in the temple all day, and then go to Bethany each night for rest, encouragement, and fellowship during his last 6 days before being crucified.
• Luke 24:50-53 : Jesus went out to Bethany before ascending into heaven.

There's a lot packed into these four verses, which I would love to share, but I summarized some key points from the article, as well as some challenging thoughts for me and house churches!

1. Jesus is the center & supreme - when he came to Bethany they treated him like a king deserved to be treated.
2. We are to FEAST on His Word, and then RISE and SERVE.
3. Jesus came to Bethany because He loves us, and is our friend --- and we believe that!
4. In Bethany, Jesus gives us the command to set others free from those things binding them.

Challenges to Me:

• We must learn how to see God at work in our lives, and how to share it.
• Content-Time in house church is centered on real-life situations, led by our centeredness on Jesus.
• If we all study for content, it will allow Christ a better chance to lead.
• We must sit at Jesus' feet.  When things aren't go our way, it usually a sign Jesus is speaking to us about our issues, not someone else's.

My hope is that I will continue to learn, practice, and live in a way that mimics Bethany, both at house church, and at home.   The people in Bethany were so important to Jesus, that He spent His last six days on earth with them, my prayer is that we all are people Jesus' would spend the last six days with.

Chelsey and I had a splendid time celebrating the union of Josh and Emily last weekend.   It was chilly in Denver, but it's never too cold to stare at Mountain Peaks.   Our sleep schedules were crazy, and I very well might have gained 5 pounds from the sugar & caffeine in-take, but it's all well!

I learned a lot this weekend, about both myself & Christ, that I wanted to share, but first a bit about the wedding.  

Saturday was not about Josh and Emily.  That was clear.  There wedding provided a picture of the union between God & His People (the church).   The ceremony was so spirit-led; from worship to the pronunciation of husband & wife, I felt like this was one of the more clearly presented pictures of the gospel than in weddings I've seen in the past.   That's a testimony to the hearts of Josh and Emily, but also the others involved -- Jason & Phil Wing included.   I pray that those present who don't have a relationship with Christ will remember it well.

But as I spoke about in the previous post, I was hoping this weekend could be a little vacation for Chelsey and I as well -- which I felt like we received (hopefully she feels the same).

There are two things that I felt God has laid on my heart as a result of this trip:

• Community is Key - The groomsmen spent the night up in a cabin near Beckenridge.  It was beautiful up there, as the snow had already began to cover the roads, and there air was bitter.   We had fun, guys being guys.  There was plenty of jokes, flatulence, and junk food.   But there was also this sweet since of community among us, and to be honest, it was uncomfortable for me.   I realized that for a variety of reason, I haven't had good guy-time community in my life, and I need more it.  I need to be able to share struggles, but also carry others as well.    I need time to joke-around, like only boys can, but also talk in-depth about the same things too.   I was refueled and challenged by the community we had.

• Serving our Spouse - A deeper book-report is coming out shortly, but I have been reading the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas.  It has been a tough read, as it really challenges us that marriage is not simply about our pleasure, but God's Glory.   On our flight between Indy and Denver on Wednesday, I read the chapter entitled "Make Me a Servant."   Wow, did it knock me over.  I spent the weekend pondering the thoughts witch it planted, and how I need to be asking myself the tough questions about my role as servant, especially to my wife, more often.   It is so easy for me to forget that the  best way to lead is to serve.   We, Chelsey and I, have had some good conversations about this since the weekend already.   I want God to continue to mold me in this area, and help me learn how to die to self daily.

Last but not least, some photos to share:

It became a reality today that one of joys & pains of being a home-owner is that my vote this election has more implications in my life than just whether or not my moral standards are going to be held up by some elected official I choose to vote for.    Not that I don't take voting seriously, trust me, I do.   On the road to becoming an Eagle Scout, we're required to earn all the Citizenship merit badges - Community, Nation, and World.   So I am all about living out my civic duty on election day.

But in reality, even as late as primaries this past March, voting to me was more centered on which candidate did I see having the most Christian-worldview,  and there were few things that had an influence on my vote beyond that.   Let's face it, increases in taxes mean little to most people who do not own any property, so it's difficult to know how to vote on such issues, in which case I choose to not vote on them at all.

But now I have voice with reason to speak-up on such matters.   As I looked at the DDN Voters Guide (available online), the reality is that now as a home-owner, these ballot issues mean a whole lot more to me now than before, because now I have to decipher not only their need for the community, but whether or not I am willing to pay for those needs.  Greene County has four ballot issues that would cost us a total of a $200 increase in taxes over five years if all passed, all of which are for services we do not necessarily use.

It's my hope that I fight the choose to keep honor God first with my ballot on November 4th, and not let the fear of taxes prevent me voting for something God might use to help those in my community that might be in need.  

One of the highlights of our trip to Bulgaria & the Czech Republic was the opportunity to lead discipleship with the guys with us.   For our Bible time, we took an in-depth look at the book of James. 

As a reference, I am posting a file of the notes I prepared for leading the study.  

This collection of notes is probably one of my more memorable accomplishments for the year.   I felt like I was able to get a good handle on the text, and then pull out and share very tangible lessons.  

James 1: 22-25

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

No one can deny that we've had one crazy summer, but I have really felt challenged recently to reflect on what has really happened over the last 6 months.   We've have had some of the highest of highs combined with the lowest of lows.   There's got to be something to be learned from all that we have experienced.

If anyone would have seen us the night of the 11th of July, you'd of thought that we either just got engaged or just found out we were pregnant (that came later).   The truth is, we had just signed a contract on a home that neither of us ever expected we'd be able to get.   We were beside ourselves that night with both pure joy and disbelief.  We didn't deserve that house, but it was going to be ours.   

But that excitement was changed three days later.  At 10pm that next Monday we were notified that our apartment building had caught on fire.   The short story is that we were unable to return to live there, and even though we just had water damage to our apartment and little loss, there has definitely been a feeling of displacement since then. 

That drastic change in emotion has been going on and on all summer, and throughout we have felt like God was really trying to teach us about entitlement, or lack there of it.   I've taken the past week or so to finally sit down and explore what God says we are entitled to, and how and why this summer has been so good and yet so challenging.

Here are some simple truths I've learned:

Our God is a GIVING God.   He loves to give to his people.  He gave bread to the people of Israel when they were hungry.  He gives wisdom and knowledge to those who ask Him for it (James 1), and ultimately He gives life through His son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16).  

I am sure one could identify plenty more examples of where God gave His people something they had asked for.   But I think there are a few things that we have to remember when talking about entitlement.  

1. God gives to His people.  Therefore, we must first be in Him.
2. God's giving isn't always because we're entitled to something.

His Word shares with us scripture to explain this.  First, in John 14:13, Jesus tells us that when we ask for something to do it in his name, and it will be given.  This is not flippant. When we ask something in the name of Christ, believing that He is who He says He is.   But we must also ask with right motives.  James 4:1-3 warns us about asking God for things for our own selfish pleasures.

Second is the idea that everything we ask for, and that which we may receive, doesn't always give us an entitlement to it.   I can't help but to think of the Israelites here.   God gave them manna to eat, time and time again.  But I don't think they were necessarily entitled to the manna, but given it as a gift because of God's grace.     In Matthew 6:5-8, Jesus instructs us to be specific with our prayers, because the Father already knows our needs.

I think the struggle for me has been the task of taking Matthew 6 and knowing how to balance it against Psalm 37:4 -- "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."  For us, the fire or the fear of even a miscarriage, is nothing we would've asked for or even desired.   So how does that fit into the Lord giving us our desires?

One thing that I often want to forget, but I think is an essential piece of this thought process if that sometimes what we need is not always going to be what we desire, and sometimes it may even be discipline.   Hebrews 12:5-6 says that the Father will discipline the ones He loves.   We never desire that, but sometimes, we need it.  

I might never know the answer, but I have come to a point where I am not going to be afraid to ask if there's been something that has been in the way between me and God.   Was there an idol? "our perfect little apartment", that I became too content with and was prohibiting me from a proper view of God?  Or was it all an accident, and just a lesson in rolling with the punches? But the biggest shame here I think would not be to ask at all.

Which ever may be the reason, I do know this.  That we can't take anything for granted.  Our life, whether it feels like it's on a high or low is in the hands of God.   He's got the plan.   It's my desire to learn how to better honor and glorify him through it all.   And that even in the middle of the unexplainable hard times we can still pursue happiness.

Chelsey and I are now into week 11 of pregnancy, and it's crazy to think we're over a quarter of the way done.  Last Friday we had our first "official" pre-natal visit which was so cool.   We actually got to hear the heart-beat of the little one inside. What a crazy thing that was.  At first, we just could hear Chelsey's heart, then all the sudden there it was -- "chuchu, chuchu", almost like a train.   It was like twice as fast as her's, just chugging along.  

I went to the waiting room for the rest of the exam, and couldn't help but to tear up.  How humbling?!  I am humbled that I have been allowed to be part of creating a child.   That God would allow me, so undeserving, to father a baby.  Even now, there's a weight to the responsibility in doing so, yet I believe it's a healthy one.  Not overwhelming, just a new challenge to grow closer to Him so that I am leading others His way too.  

I am not sure how often I might attend these appointments (our doctor is notorious for being behind), but I am blessed to have been a part of that moment.  To experience the signs of life we've created, in such a real way, is unreal.

"My frame was not hidden from you, when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth" - Psalm 139