Missional Living

That’s the mantra of Craig and Mike at xxxchurch.com. Their site offers free internet accountability software (x3 watch) and is promoted as the #1 Christian Porn Site. You won’t find pornography, but support and encouragement for those who struggle with it.

I met these guys a couple of years ago in Dallas, to preview their independant film/documentary. The film, titled Missionary Positions, gives a behind the scenes look at the porn industry and the ministry they and their wives have begun in trying to be a light to a very dark world.

Their latest project, The Trinity Project, has been the journey of helping a former porn star find a way out of the industry, and a way into mainstream life to support here daughter and get an education and job. It’s amazing. Read about it here.

Why has it taken us so long to begin to reach into that world with the grace and love of Christ? Oh, we’ve been making picket signs, shaking our Bibles, and screaming that our God hates porn….but when do we get around to forming authentic relationships with those who are trapped in spiritual darkness for the sake of making disciples.

Whatever your take on their ministry, I’d encourage you to do a few things:

First, pray for Mike, Craig, and xxxchurch. Someone needs to go to that world. If it ain’t you, then it better be somebody.

Second, download the x3 Watch accountability software. I dare you. If for no other reason than to show your family you value them too much to let porn ruin your house. It happens in the best of families and no one is immune.

A Cloud of Dust

For those of you who read here from time to time, my apologies for being away so long. Crazy schedules, family travels, changes in ministry have all taken their toll.

But no worries. Although things have kept me from posting in the last few weeks (which seems like an eternity), This week begins a new time of letting the dust settle. In the coming days, I’ll be posting some thoughts and prayers that God has been birthing in me over the last two weeks. I’m not sure where they will lead, but no big deal.

Sometimes God moves in us in ways that words can’t often adequately express. I’ll try to verbalize some things this week that God has shown me, but I’m sure I’ll fall short of doing it right.

For now, here are 2 things that I hope encourage you today.

1. God is in control. Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God? Nothing catches Him by surprise. He wasn’t having coffee this morning, reading the paper, and realized “Wow! I totally forgot about that Iraq thing! I better get to the office early this morning…!” Not a sparrow falls to the ground that He doesn’t know. He clothes the flowers of the field. He feeds the birds of the air. And YOU are more important to Him than they are. Spend today dancing like flowers and eating like birds. Cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you more than you understand.
2. God’s grace is bigger than you can possibly imagine. I had a recent conversation with someone about this. At one point, she said, “I know what you’re trying to say, but it comes across like you believe you don’t have to ‘do’ anything…like God will love you anyway.” I responded, “Oh, good. Because that’s EXACTLY what I’m trying to get across!” She looked at me like I had horns. God’s grace NEVER depends on how well I perform, how loud I sing, how much I read my Bible, how often I witness, or how little I think I’ve sinned. Never. Ever. Period. Anything else is religious bondage. If you see that hanging around, put a bullet in its head before it gets any bigger.

*the following is a prayer from my journal. I hope it speaks to your heart, not your intellect. If it speaks to no one…I’m okay with that.

My Creator and God,
You’ve proved Yourself over and over in new ways in the past few weeks. Just when I think I know You, You move and I see a new facet of Your being that blows me away. Like Icarus, I’ve built wings to fly on my own. But my wings don’t sail me to the sky. I only come crashing down on the rocks below.

Jesus told me that would happen. But I’m not sure I listened.

At times my soul is restless. I endlessly flip channels on my Dish, my XM radio, looking for …something. I’m not even sure what. My favorite shows don’t interest me anymore. My favorite bands are shallow at best. A dim reflection of something much better. Like standing on the edge of something large, yet settling for something much smaller.

Jesus told me that would happen. But I’m not sure I really believed Him.

The problem is I know a little of who I am not. Of what I am not. But I’m not sure I really know all that I am. Not the husband/youth minister/dad/guitarist-guy-who-loves-to-fish part of who I am. That part I know. But what about the adopted-son-of-the-King part of me? What about the more real part of that has been reborn into the image that looks like You? What about the Child of Grace? The problem is I don’t know as much of that as I claim.

I’ve devoted my heart to You. But my heart isn’t built to stay. It continually wanders. It keeps running away. But You give grace to my wayward heart.

Jesus said You would. But I’m not sure I really understood.

I’ve traded You for a mountain of Fool’s Gold, yet You’ve filled my cup with grace. I dumped it out on the floor, then came crawling back for more. Yet, you filled it again.

Jesus said You would. I didn’t believe you really would though.

You make me believe that I could trust you. You make me think that real love exists. That somewhere out there, there is a love that never fails. That there could be a love greater than my sin.

That’s what Jesus said. I’m beginning to believe him.

Reason # 186:
Here.

Thanks, Howie, for pointing this out.

Evidently, the Christian community doesn’t have enough junk already cluttering up the bookstores and internet. I was mistaken–I thought there was an abundance already. But no. Someone, somewhere, for some reason, figured we needed more. You can actually go here and buy your very own ‘I Watch Joel Osteen’ lapel pin, in the hopes that someone will stop you on the street and come to know Christ through, yes, Joel Osteen’s ministry.

Dear God help us…

[murmuring about making a whip and turning over tables....]

OK. I realize that this is probably not what Brandon Boyd had in mind…but you can go here and create your own avatar (icon).

Check me out…I look much cooler in cyberspace.

Yesterday in Waco, we’re sitting at a local coffee house waiting for Brennan Manning NOT to show. (see post below.) One of the girls in our group orders her drink, a ‘Flaming Idiot’–a sort of latte with cinnamon and other girly stuff.

Just before the ‘coffee artist’ (whatever that is…) tops off her drink with whipped cream and little chocolately sprinkles, she asks, “Do you want everything on this Flaming Idiot?”. Only her inflection sounded more like “Do you want everything on this, (you) Flaming Idiot?”.

Good times.

Twelve years ago, I was privileged to spend a weekend with Rich Mullins. It changed my life forever, but not in the ways you’d think.

During a retreat in McKinney, Rich and Beaker led worship and spoke to nearly 500 students. I was volunteering as a leader with a college group and we were staying at a nearby house each night. After each service, Rich would come to the house and hang out with us. Drinking coffee, talking theology, and sharing stories, we’d laugh and cry until the wee hours of the morning. Like hundreds of others, Rich’s music, life and ministry had impacted my own in ways that hadn’t even surfaced yet. But each night, his words dripped with wisdom. They were like drops of living water that splashed on my thirsty tongue. One night, after all but two of the group had gone to bed, Rich asked us, “Do you guys like to read?”

“Sure.” I said.

“Ever read any Chesterton?”, he asked.

“Nope. Never heard of him.”, I replied, feeling a little ignorant.

He stared at me. “Man. You need to read him. He’s almost as good as Brennan’s stuff.”

Now he had me. “Brennan?” I asked. “Who’s Brennan?”

Rich then launched into an eager, passionate description of his friend Brennan Manning, of which his favorite, of course, was The Ragamuffin Gospel.

“Brother, it changed my life,” he said, “Brennan helped me realize that the gospel of Jesus is not about giving my best for God, but about realizing I have nothing to give Him. That everything I have is nothing but a gift, an expression of grace, straight from God. Everything I have is from Him…I’m just a beggar-turned-son.”

I did just what you would have done: I bought The Ragamuffin Gospel at 9am on Monday morning. Although I’ve bought and given away approximately 30 copies since then, I still have that copy. In fact, as I type this it is within arm’s reach.

Brennan was scheduled to speak today at BU. So, James, tg2 and I loaded up and drove a couple of hours to sit on the front row and soak up the wisdom of my personal Yoda: a feeble, frail man who has been weathered by alcohol, depression, divorce, and religious legalism, but who has been rescued and reborn by the free handout of amazin’ grace, and whose eyes still dance with the wide-eyed wonderment of my toddler’s.

But he didn’t show.

Brennan was rushed to the hospital Saturday night, due to complications of emphysema and, although, released Sunday afternoon to his New Orleans home, was not able to travel to Waco.

If you don’t have a copy of Ragamuffin, I’ll sell you my first copy for $10,000. Or you can run here and get one before they close tonite. Don’t wait for Amazon to ship it to you…it may take 2 days or more. In the meantime, religion can choke you under it’s yoke.

And pray for Brennan.

Thank you.

It’s been nearly a week since my last blog entry. So much has happened. Maybe later I can go into details in a future post, but you know me: I’m a bottom-line kinda guy. So, here goes:

Last week our family was blessed in an incredibly generous act of love and grace. We had a need that only God could provide….and He did so through some fellow believers in our little community of faith here in P-ville. I’ve cried nearly every time I’ve thought or talked about it.

As ministers, our vocational job is to meet the needs of others and to train fellow believers to do the same. Ministry is an incredibly rewarding experience when the crosshairs of your efforts are aimed at blessing others instead of trying to ‘get yours’. (that’s another post for later…)

However, being on the receiving end of such a tremendous blessing is both an honoring and humbling thing. After 15 years in the ministry, Heather and I were blessed last week like never before. By anyone. Anywhere.

All I can say is ‘thank you’.