"How is a Christian identified in the world?"

According to the scriptures, a Christian--a true, genuine, God-loving Christian--is identified by two different aspects. The first, and most obvious, is belief. A Christian is, simply, someone who believes in Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected. This belief involves commitment to Christ and to His Way. The second aspect that identifies a Christian is the Christian's lifestyle. When the Bible talks about "the world," it is not talking about something concrete or material. Rather, "the world" is a concept that brings into unity all the aspects of the human fallen nature: selfishness, greed, indifference to God and man, and extreme self-indulgence. A Christian, however, has embraced a new way of life--the God-life--that is completely opposite of "the world's" lifestyle. Where the world is selfish, the Christian is selfless, serving others in love even at the expense of his or her well-being or comfort; where the world is greedy, the Christian is generous with his or her talents, monies, energies, time, and resources; where the world is indifferent to God and man, the Christian sincerely loves God and other people in an action-oriented love; where the world is extremely self-indulgent, the Christian exists not to satisfy his or her own desires, but to live a life that honors God and serves fellow mankind. The God-life is not easy; rather, it is extremely difficult, because it goes against our primal, animal, human, sinful natures. The Christian, however, despite the difficulties of this life, pursues it. If someone claims to be a Christian but does not model this lifestyle, then he or she is a liar, pretending to be something he or she is not. During His last Passover meal, Jesus tells His disciples, "This is how people will know you belong to Me: by the love you have for one another." Our beliefs and lifestyles identify whom we pledge allegiance to.

"What is the will of God for our lives?"

When one looks across the entire spectrum of the Bible, the will of God is easily summed up in three different cornerstones: first, it is God's will that people believe in His Son. This belief is not just mental assent; it also includes trust in Christ, commitment to Christ. Second, it is God's will that we pursue holiness. "What, exactly, is holiness?" is addressed in the next question. Third, it is God's will that we evangelize. Evangelism has several negative connotations with it, but evangelism simply means sharing the Good News of the kingdom of God. When we live these three aspects--believing in Christ, pursuing holiness, and evangelizing--we are well within the realm of the will of God.

"What, exactly, is holiness?"

To a lot of people, holiness means not smoking, not drinking, not dancing, not cussing, wearing Christian t-shirts and dozens of W.W.J.D. bracelets. The prophet Micah sums up holiness quite well, and it is very different from many modern perceptions: holiness is "acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with thy God." The literary form of this verse (Micah 6.8) is rich: Micah shows us what holiness is, starting with the foundation and allowing this foundation to affect all aspects of life. The foundation is "walking humbly with God." Only God is holy; we are made holy by being in an intimate, dynamic, ongoing relationship with His Son. If you ask the Jews what holiness is, they will most likely say something to the extent of, "Being in communion with God." If one truly is in communion with God, then they will "love mercy." Loving mercy, in this case, means loving the people around us, and not just those whom we're friends with (how many of us have to share great mercy to our friends?). What is this kind of love we are to have towards others? The last aspect of holiness explains this: "acting justly." This is not a love rooted in sentiment; rather, it is a love rooted in action. It is selfless, generous, humble, kind, caring, compassionate, merciful, grace-giving, forgiving and accepting love. Holiness, then, is being in a relationship with God and loving our neighbors as ourselves (remember the two greatest commandments Jesus gave us?). If one claims to be in a relationship with God but does not love other people, that person (according to one of Jesus' closest friends who penned 1 John) is a liar.

The Smoky Mountains = great fun, great food, great laughs. I decided to go along to get a week off work, and when we got there I found out I held the status of a sponsor. This really doesn't mean much to me, except I got a few priviliges the students didn't get. We hiked up a mountain, rafted down the Pigeon River, walked the streets of Gatliburg late at night, and shared in too many conversations and jokes to count. I am glad to be home, though. I am only two weeks away from returning to C.C.U. (and I still need to find a job for my nine months on campus).

I went out-of-town Saturday (more on this in a sec), so when Jeff called me and asked me to teach Sr. High, I knew I would not have much time to write a 50-minute lesson. I've instead decided to hit several current "issues" running over and over in my head:

"How is a Christian identified in the world?"
"What is the will of GOD for our lives?"
"What is 'holiness', really?"
and "Once Saved, Always Saved?"

I'm hoping the kids will be able to contribute to these conversations, and I'm hoping some controversy will arise (I'm betting the last topic will stir up the most controversy, as many of the students [including myself] were raised in a Baptist background that takes a different stance on the topic than I do).

Today I visited my wonderful girlfriend in southern Kentucky. We went on a picnic at Big Bone Lick, took a walk down by the creek, swam in her pool, sat under the gazebo and talked for four hours, went to her cousin's birthday party, and called it a night. We both had an amazing, quack-tastic time. We can't wait to hang out again (I hope to visit her once before school starts; that gives me two weeks).

They're serving pancakes right now, but since I'm writing a post, I will get my pancakes later (Mark promised he'd make me a heart-shaped pancake; I don't know if he did or not). The last few days of vacation have been completely and totally amazing. Not only do I get to wake up three hours later than normal (it's fantastic!), but I've got to spend lots of time with all my friends: Ashlie, Anna, Amanda, Chad, Tommy, Zach, Bowden... It's been wonderful. Jeff was right: the strenuous hike on Tuesday was definitely worth the view; after climbing two miles nearly vertical (I had to use hands and feet together several times), we reached a giant rock that we climbed to have a view stretching out over the mountains in every direction. Yesterday we went white-water rafting, which was lots of fun; our guide was hilarious, and when he found out we were a bunch of rowdy Christians, he started exposing his own beliefs (his beliefs parallel baha'i). I think it's really enjoyable when we gather together and just share our honest opinions on God and the world.

On top of all this, I've been talking with Sonja on the phone every night. She really is an amazing girl. She embodies everything I've always wanted in a girl, in all the aspects: emotional, spiritual, personality-wise, and physical appearance. I thank GOD for her every morning, noon, and night. When night falls, I go out onto the deck, look out over the stars, and find it so unbelievable that a girl as good as her would find interest in an average-Joe just like myself. This Saturday we are going to go on a picnic together at Big Bone Lick, and take a walk by the river. We're both very excited.

Today we are all going to Gatlinburg to visit the Aquarium and walk the city. Mindy just opened the windows, and it's pouring buckets outside. At least all our outside activities have been accomplished. Oh, and I've had to stop reading "a generous orthodoxy" because I have three book reports and four projects due for my Old Testament History class, and they're due in two weeks (being the typical college student, I haven't touched any of the assignments). One of the books I've been reading for it is "Disappointment with God" by Philip Yancey. It is very raw and honest, and I can relate to many of those whose stories are told.

We arrived in the Smoky Mountains around 5:00 or 6:00, and Angie, Mindy and Sandy fixed us a wonderful Italian dinner. The cabin is fantastic: several bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a giant hot tub, and a wonderful view over the mountains. Although I tagged along as an excuse to get out of Springboro and enjoy the company of friends, I've been given the status of "sponsor," and with that tag comes along certain priviliges (for one, I'm allowed to use the Internet while the others are not; hoorah). This morning I woke up, fixed some hot coffee and ate a cream-cheese bagel while watching the sun rise over the mountains, the mist crawling between the trees. We're going to the Chimney Tops today; a four-mile hike roundtrip, but it will be amazing, methinks. Perhaps I will put some pictures of it on here tomorrow or something?

I am reading "a generous orthodoxy" by Brian McLaren. What an amazing piece of work. I love how it draws up more questions than it gives answers, and pushes the reader to think rather than subtly accept whatever McLaren says. I do enjoy the way he says, in essence, that Pentecostals and Church of Christs and Baptists and Catholics have just as much stake in the kingdom of God when they are centered on Christ. Too often we get caught up in silly divisions, forgetting the Messiah who is the Savior and Master of us all.

This is my beautiful blond girlfriend, Sonja (on the right), and her friend Brittney:

I met her about a year ago, and we've been "talking" for about four to five months, ever since early this year (around February, I think?). One of my friends, Brian, knows her well, and he told me she had feelings for me but was afraid to pursue anything because she was worried about me finding a college girl (she doesn't go to my college; she lives in northern Kentucky). Security is one the biggest desires for her, since she's been in a lot of bad relationships and been treated badly many by boys many times. I hope to be a good boyfriend for as long as we're together.

She's one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen, and she's so fun to hang out with--she's a quiet, compassionate, and fun-loving girl. Our first "date" on Saturday went extremely well: Dairy Queen, swimming, and relaxing in the swing while watching the sunset. When I asked her to be my girlfriend, she was so happy and smiling so big that she was on the verge of tears. She told all her friends and they were all excited, too. Her dad really likes me because I'm "determined and intellectual," to quote him (in all truth, I felt a little nervous about how I would appear to him), and her mom and brother really like me, too.

So I'm pretty happy right now. Last weekend was quite the enjoyable weekend, indeed.

Now I'm off to "element"...

Thursday night I drove down to Kentucky to visit my friend Brian. He lives in a parsonage out in the boonies of Verona (south of Florence), and he works full-time as a youth minister at SouthFork Christian Church. We went out to eat at a small country diner before V.B.S., where I got to hang out with all the wonderful people in the youth group: Billy, Austin, Kevin, Nikki, Cassidy, Alexandra, Sammy, and (my personal favorite) Sonja. Brian and I were exhausted Thursday night, so we hit the sack once everyone left the church. On Friday we hung out at the parsonage and drove to Happy Hills Christian Camp to pick up some Jr. High kids; we ate out at Dairy Queen with the kids, then when we dropped them off at their homes, we ate at one of Brian's favorite restaurants, a Mexican place with amazing enchiladas. Feeling worn out, Brian asked me to teach his class Friday evening, so I did; I did not "feel" the vibe flowing from me into those whom I was teaching, perhaps because my thoughts (in all honesty) were elsewhere. Today I got to hang out with a wonderful girl named Sonja; we went out to eat at Dairy Queen, went swimming in her pool, and sat outside on the swing and admired the beautiful countryside. After V.B.S., a bunch of us played a game with an inflatable ball, but Billy took a knife and swung at it as a joke (it deflated quite rapidly).

The whole "Mid-East" crisis is all over the news. From what I gather, Israel has gotten fed up with Hezbollah (a terrorist group) and has decided to pretty much annihilate them. The problem is, Hezbollah is subtly interwoven with the Lebanon government, one of Israel's enemies. Lebanon is considering joining sides with Israel, and Syria and Iran (though quiet right now) are bristling for a fight, being allies with Lebanon. If Lebanon goes to war with Israel, and if Syria and Iran take sides, then America (Israel's allies) will be expected to join in as well. Some people keep saying, "World War III?" but I don't really think about that. What kind of unnerves me is all the Christians saying, "Jesus is coming back! Jesus is coming back!" without realizing that this is nothing new. I'm sure Christians thought that when the Great War and World War II broke out, Jesus was certainly coming. Didn't exactly happen. I'm really not feeling in the mood for eschatology (I'm pretty tired), but I think that this (even though it has the possibility to be big) is not going to draw God into coming back (maybe this is because I am leaning towards post-millenialism at the current moment in time?).

I'll tell you what worries me, though. Kim Jong the Second (I know I spelled his name wrong). He's a deranged, schizophrenic madman who just wants to slaughter people with nuclear weapons. I can see him praying to his gods for Israel to go to war so that he can launch his missiles without the slightest murmur in his conscience. That's just me, though (why hasn't someone assassinated him yet???).

I'm rambling because I'm tired, and I still have to write my lesson for tomorrow. 'Night.

my bible study last night

In one of our last gatherings, the leading pastor said, "By the pattern we have in Acts 20.7, we are to meet on Sundays and Sundays only, based on necessary inference." My question is, "If someone cannot meet on Sunday, or it is inconvenient for them, do you think God is concerned if they meet on some other day to partake in communion, fellowship with one another, give generously, and worship Him?

Four of the gathering said, "It would be wrong to meet on any other day because this is the pattern we have." My friend and I said, "Is there anything biblical that shows God would frown upon this, if you view commands as being of higher importance than examples?" No answer, except several verses taken out-of-context. I said, "God does not find favor in our rituals, but in our hearts. I believe that God finds more joy in His people meeting together on other days of the week and having passion for Him and His kingdom more than He finds joy in people meeting together on Sundays because it is the pattern and doing it only because they have to."

What do you think are the "essentials" and "nonessentials" of the Christian faith? "Essentials" meaning where all Christians, despite being conservative or liberal, Protestant or Catholic, Baptist or Church of Christ, are to "come together" in unity?

Adam and I talked about this last week, and I was interested in hearing what they have to say. Not only did I hear (outside the study) that liberals aren't Christians, Catholics aren't Christians, and Baptists are not full Christians, but I was told that an "essential" included women wearing head coverings in worship (with blatant disregard to the marriage culture in Corinth in the first century). It really bothered me when I asked, in essence, "What is essential for salvation?" and received the response, "Every command is essential. Jesus said that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments." So are we now toting salvation based on the "law code" of the New Testament (I thought the New Covenant and Old Covenant were different? Apparently, the New Testament is the "Torah" for Christians).

If we praise God with or without instruments, what does it matter, as long as we are worshipping God in "spirit and in truth," meaning centered upon Christ (truth) and not mere ritualistic observance with no heartfelt indulgence (spirit)? It seems to me that the method--in this case instruments or no instruments--is mere personal taste either way.

If you're familiar with the Church of Christ movement, the "split" between Church of Christ worship with or without instruments took place around the time of the Civil War; as the north gained new technology such as organs and began implementing them into worship, the southern churches looked for a way to separate themselves from the northern churches and, because they were relatively poor without these new instruments, they banked on being non-instrumental. The issue is not so much a theological one but a divisive one, though advocates use out-of-context scriptures to say that worship with instruments is sinful (referring back to patterns and examples holding the same weight as commands). Those with us are non-instrumental, and they refuse to come to Southwest because we use instruments. Our conversation on this matter went nowhere; eventually, my friends and I were hungry and decided to end the pointless meeting with a trip to Subway. (Disclaimer: while I am a fan of worshipping God with musical instruments just like Old Testament times, I have no grudge against non-instrumentalists; it is a matter of preference and tradition, but when we hold tradition up to the same standard as commands, we have errored).

This gathering led me to investigate what is called "pattern hermeneutics." Basically, this way of interpreting the Bible sees the Bible--especially the New Testament--as a rule-book, not as a guide (as, I believe, the Bible is to be used). Since the Bible is authoritative (interestingly, the Bible never makes this statement for itself), then examples hold the same authority as commands. This shone through vibrantly in our conversation on the essentials of the Christian faith when an associate pastor of the church said, "We look to the Bible to see what is essential and nonessential." I though, "Good, someone understands where I'm coming from." He proceeded to say, "One example is how we travel to our mission fields. We see that the Apostle Paul rode a boat, swam, and walked to his mission fields. These are essential. We don't know whether or not he rode an animal, so this is nonessential." How legalistic is that? Tyler looked over to me and said, in essence, "This is legalism!"

"The Secret Message of Jesus" came in the mail today. I plan on reading it during the 412 trip to the Smoky Mountains next week. Sadly, I haven't read much; "The Shaping of Things to Come" has been sitting in my Jeep for a week. I've just been so extremely busy, with work and friends and all.

A cool short story is frolicking in my head, a tragic vampire romance about how, sometimes, we cannot change the monsters we are, and we must deal with the lot life has thrown us.

This is one of the best movies in the world:

our new dreams fade,

but our old ones remain

for they never leave us

The weekend! I relish these days when I do not have to wake up at 5:00 in the morning to go to work. Amanda, Ashlie and I went down to Cincinnati where I sold my desktop for $400 (Australia money). As we crested the hill of my campus, we had a beautiful view of the city. A giant storm front came over us, stretching out over the city; it looked like a hurricane with rolling black clouds laced with lightning. It started to pour just as we were running into President's Hall.

Two of my really good friends--Chris and Pat--are in a band called "Sea Turns Red." I went to their show at the Garage last night, but, sadly, missed their actual performance. I got to hang out with so many cool people: Pat, Jake, Chris, Ams and Ash, Anna and Megan, Justin and Randy, Antonio... Dad and I watched "The Boondock Saints", and since I could not sleep at 2:00 in the morning, I went to Starbucks to see if any of my friends were there. I did not see anyone, but as I was pulling out, Justin hollered at me and beckoned me over. I parked the Jeep and joined them, relaxing on the curb. Courtney, Carly and Leia showed up, too, reading poetry and playing guitar. I felt a little sick so I ate an oatmeal-raisin cookie with some water. The atmosphere at Starbucks is so overwhelmingly joyful.

I deposited the computer money into the bank today, then went to Clearcreek Park to enjoy the cool morning and think about what I will teach on tomorrow (I have the Jr. High kids). I think I might do a lesson on what it means to love other people, using the exorcism scene from Saved! to show what real love is not like. I might also mingle in some Rob Bell "Bullhorn."

My aunt and grandma came up from Kentucky. We might go to Half-Price books today. I have a few books to sell.

my message Sunday night

Around 884 B.C., King Omri of northern Israel built a new capital for Israel, “Samaria.” Israel had been divided into two sections, a north and a south; Omri reigned in the north, and the ruler of the south was Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. Rehoboam wielded political control because he had the Great City of Jerusalem; to offset Rehoboam’s power, Omri decided to build a new capital in Israel, Samaria. Samaria’s history is rather bleak: constant invasion and besieging. When the Assyrians conquered Israel in 722 B.C., most of the inhabitants of Samaria were dragged in chains to slavery; Assyrian citizens swept into Samaria, bringing with them all their Assyrian gods. The Israelites still living in Samaria, lucky enough not to be transported into slavery, lived side-by-side their foreign neighbors, and they slowly adopted some of the Assyrian practices and beliefs. By the time of Jesus, the descendants of the Israelites in ancient Samaria continued to worship God, but they were considered half-breed Jews because of their slight association with Assyrian beliefs and practices.

As the gospel is spreading through ancient Palestine, the Christian leaders decided to go to Samaria and preach the gospel. When we read about this in Acts 8, we tend not to see the impact this would’ve had on the Jews. In the ancient Jewish mindset, there were three kinds of people in the world: the Jews, who were the good guys; the Gentiles, who were the bad guys; and the Samaritans, the half-breeds, who were worse than dogs when compared to the Gentiles. The Christian leaders taking the gospel into Samaria shows us that God loves everyone, even those whom society sees as the dirty half-breeds, even the people society hates (sadly, the “Samaritans” in our Christian world are often the prostitutes, drunks, and homosexuals—but Jesus loves them just as much as he loves you and me!). There’s a cool story in Acts 8 about what happens in Samaria, a cool story about how a guy tries to buy God’s miraculous power (it doesn’t work out), but the really cool story takes place at the end of Acts 8.

One of the Christian leaders, a man named Philip, is about to go to Jerusalem when God tells him, “Take the desert road to Gaza.” No doubt Philip said, “The desert road? I’m not going to Gaza! I’m going to Jerusalem! And why take the desert road? There’s nothing there!” But God said, “Take the desert road.” Sometimes God will tell us to do things that don’t really make sense to us. Philip decides to listen to God, and he takes the desert road.

Philip goes on his way, and along the way he meets an Ethiopian eunuch riding in a chariot and reading from the Old Testament. Ethiopia as a nation did not exist at this time in the Bible; the predecessor to Ethiopia, the Kingdom of Aksum, did exist, but we know that the man in the story who is called an ‘Ethiopian’ is not an Ethiopian in the sense that we are Americans or Aussie’s are Australian. The Ethiopian in this story is probably a citizen of the ancient Nubian Empire, settled on the Nile River. This man, then, was as dark as the night. He was probably the blackest man Philip had ever seen! Some people think that God loves white people more than He loves blacks, or Caucasians more than He loves Hispanics. It’s ironic that the gospel went out first to the Arabs, then to the Africans, and then the white people would come later. God loves everyone, no matter your ethnicity; He shows no favoritism.

This Ethiopian is also a eunuch. Now, what is a eunuch? A eunuch is someone who has his testicles removed. In the ancient world, there were three reasons—well, four—why someone would be a eunuch. First, a person might be a eunuch because he was born that way, a birth defect. A person might also be a eunuch if he chose to be one in devotion to a cause or in devotion to his god. A person might be a eunuch by punishment; in the ancient world, people were often punished by having their testicles removed. Or, fourth, and this is probably what has happened here, powerful leaders would remove the balls of their servants to curb the hormones causing aggression; by having their balls removed, this would ensure that they would most likely not be motivated to rebellion, and they would place their devotion upon their leader. The eunuch was most likely castrated because he served as treasurer for the Queen of the Ethiopians (the official title is the Kandake or Candace).

The eunuch is reading out of the Old Testament. In particular, he’s reading from the scroll of Isaiah. Isaiah was a prophet in Judah during the reign of King Hezekiah; at this time, the Assyrians had already smashed Israel and were trying to invade Judah. Isaiah gave Hezekiah God’s command—“Repent and everything will be fine!”—and Hezekiah obeyed; God kept His word, and the Assyrians did not break through (this repentance would not last, however; eventually, because of Judah’s amounting sin, she would be conquered by Babylon). Interestingly, Hezekiah’s son Manasseh—not a very good guy—killed Isaiah by sawing him in half while he was still alive. The eunuch is reading the scroll of Isaiah’s written words and prophecies, and he is reading a part where Isaiah is prophesying about the coming Deliverer (Isa 53.7-8).

Philip walks up to the chariot (this would’ve been more like an ox-cart), and he peers inside. “Hey there,” he says. The eunuch, I imagine, is surprised (there’s some random guy walking all alone in the desert), so he says, “Umm… hi.” “Watcha reading?” Philip asks. So the eunuch shows him. Philip asks, “Do you understand who Isaiah is talking about?” The eunuch responds, “No, not really… Do you know who he’s talking about?” “Yeah,” Philip says. “I do. He’s talking about this guy named Jesus.” So he tells the eunuch about how the prophecy is about Jesus’ humiliating death, and he also shares the gospel with him.

This unnamed eunuch is a converted Jew: we know this because he was returning from Jerusalem. Faithful Jews would make three yearly pilgrimages to Jerusalem: once for the Passover, another time for the Feast of Pentecost, and then again for the Feast of Tabernacles. This eunuch, who is reading the Hebrew Bible, understands that there was a promised Deliverer whom would be sent by God, and when he realizes that the Deliverer—Jesus!—had come and offered salvation to him, he got excited! But his excitement weaned; see, he had a little problem ‘down under.’ His balls were missing! According to laws of the Old Covenant, anyone who had a genital defect was not allowed into the presence of God. So the eunuch nervously asks Philip, “So… is there anything keeping me from becoming a Christian? Am I good enough to be accepted by God?”

Philip answers, “God will accept you now” So he baptizes the eunuch then-and-there.

See, God will accept anyone who comes to Him in faith and repentance. Faith isn’t just knowing the facts about Jesus; it involves commitment to Christ. In our modern American understanding of what “faith” is, we have this skewed idea of faith because we see it in a Greco-Roman lens, spattered with Hellenism, or Greek, abstract thought. The ancient Hebrews didn’t have this same kind of abstract thought; when they thought of “faith,” they didn’t think of just believing something; they associated it with a commitment to something. So when Jesus says, “He who believes in me [has faith in me] will live,” he is virtually saying, “He who commits himself to me will live.” If we commit ourselves to Christ and repent (this is not saying, “I’m sorry,” this is actually changing the way you live!), God will forgive us of our past, present, and future sins, and He will accept us as His friends and children!

The Ethiopian eunuch converted to God nearly 2000 years ago. God’s offer for conversion is open to us now. In the Greco-Roman mindset, conversion is a change in the way we think, but in the Hebraic mindset, conversion is a change in the way we live. In a sense, we convert from selfish, greedy, overly-self-indulgent, and indifferent people, and we become a new kind of person in the world: we were selfish, but we’ve become selfless; we were greedy, but we’ve become generous; we were indifferent to others, now we serve others in love; we were self-indulgent, but now we are God-indulgent: we live God-pleasing, God-honoring, God-serving lives. Christians are a new kind of people in the world, a people of love; this is why Jesus said that his people would be recognized by their love for others. God calls us to conversion, but if this conversion does not involve a change in the way we live, then the conversion is a lie; if we believe we’ve converted to Christianity but have not experienced life-change, even in the smallest amount, then we have convinced ourselves that we are something we are not.

Conversion in the biblical sense holds two different, equally important aspects: first, the way we look at God, others, ourselves, and our world radically changes (Gk strepho). This radical change of perspective results in a transformation of the very way we live (Gk epistrepho). We overthrow our old ways of living—lives rooted in selfishness, greed, indifference to God and others, and self-indulgence— (Heb qal) and we completely turn around and reverse in how we “do life”—we adopt a way of life rooted in love (not mere sentimental gush, but a love rooted in action), a life of selflessness, generosity, compassion and care and justice, a life where we live to please, honor, and serve God (Heb niphal). Conversion is a total transformation of both our thoughts and our actions (Heb hithpael).

God’s offer is open to you: if you come to Him in faith and repentance, you will have become a convert, not just in the way you think, but in the way you live. This new way of life is not a life of laws and regulations; it is a life of fearlessly loving God and others in genuine freedom. We don’t have to embrace God; the choice is ours. God will honor our choice, but we must bear the consequences. If we reject God, we will taste death, in this life and the next; if we embrace Him in faith and repentance, we will taste life—beginning now and stretching into eternity.

This is what I look like when I come home from work. We worked all day today, moving, pushing, lifting boxes and crates into the new elementary school behind the high school.

And the humidity gave me a headache.

Anxiety ran through me like a sword Sunday night, so I did not fall asleep until 4:30 a.m. (I crawled into bed around 9:30 p.m.!). Needless to say, I did not go to work Monday. Exhaustion overcame me. I woke up around 10:00, the sunlight arousing me from sleep, fixed some noodles for lunch, and went to Starbucks in Centerville to read and meditate on Jeremiah 31 while sipping cold Green Zen tea. I love Starbucks.

I have never been a big fan of Joel Olsteen, but that's just my own opinion. He seems a little... I don't know word I'm looking for... I guess he just looks a little too money-hungry? I don't know. Something just doesn't sit well in my stomach when I hear him talk. My aunt loves his show, so as I laid in bed Sunday morning, she turned on the t.v. and we watched the program together. Granted, Olsteen is a great speaker, and his message was good (on how our thoughts and words have an influence in our lives, bringing either victory or defeat), but it revolved more around goody-goody, feel-good psychology. It didn't really connect with anything biblical. Two things really got my blood running. Joel said, "Serve God, and you will taste health and wealth." God says, "Serve Me, and you will taste persecution and suffering." Joel said, "Think highly of yourself," but God says, "It is the broken and contrite spirit that I do not turn away." Is it just me, or is there some contradiction going on? Oh well, I won't act like I have it all right all the time.

Adam and I got together this afternoon at Starbucks (did I mention I love Starbucks?) and talked a lot about a lot of stuff. It's good to have someone knowledgeable in the missional-incarnational church (someone a lot more knowledgeable than me!) whom I can have conversations with and learn from. We talked about how the modern church is fast-becoming a failure, and how it is already a failure in such places as Australia and England. We talked about how the gospel is more about "this life" than "the next," and we also talked about how our faith is so mysterious that we will never have it figured out, and we have no say on who is "in" or "out" of what Adam called the "pail of orthodoxy" (i.e., who is or is not a Christian).

Some of my friends and relatives from out-of-town are coming over for a Bible study (I dislike that word, so why do I use it?). It is always interesting, because they are ultra-conservative and, to them, I am a bleeding-heart liberal; the "black sheep" of the family. I think they're trying to get me to abandon my liberal ways and embrace God. I love them to death, and I enjoy the conversations, because they're always so... exciting? They should be here in a few moments so I will go.

I will post my sermon up sometime, as well as a post "on holiness" that I am putting together. I might also throw some thoughts up regarding the heart of the early church, stemming from Acts 2.42-47.

The sermon went amazingly well. I have preached/taught so many times that I am not nervous anymore, though sometimes I honestly wish I were nervous, because the nervousness helps with my clarity (I'm really not sure how that works). I preached on what it means to be a Christian, emphasis on how our behavior is supposed to change from selfish, greedy, indifferent, and self-indulgent behavior to selfless, generous, loving, and God-pleasing, God-honoring, and God-serving behavior. My point was this: "If you claim to be a Christian with your lips, make sure your actions claim it as well. If someone were to accuse you of being a Christian, would they have enough evidence to convict you? Jesus says that his followers will be known not so much for what they believe, but for the kind of people they are--a people of compassionate, action-oriented love in a world overcome with hate and indifference. The scriptures clearly tell us that if we claim to pledge allegiance to Christ but do not actually do so, we are liars. Sometimes we pretend we are Christians so much that we convince ourselves that we are something we are not." It isn't the most pleasant message in the world, I know, but it's wholly scriptural. I also threw in the Hebraic perspectives on faith (i.e. commitment to Christ) and repentance (saying "I'm sorry" and feeling bad about sin doesn't count; there must be change).

On the way to the church, my Jeep broke down. We really don't know what happened. As I write this, we're trying to get the van to work (Doogie chewed up all the wires; dumb dog). If we can't get it to work, then... well... I won't have a car, and I won't be working, and I will be stranded at home. I am selling the desktop P.C., so if I am not able to work, I'll easily make up the money. We'll see what happens.

In French, my name means "Valley of Dry Bones." Actually, I made that up. It'd be cool, though, wouldn't it? Hah!

I spent all day at Red River Gorge, hiking miles through the woods and scaling four cliffs. The first two climbs were pretty hard; the third climb was a free-solo (me and two other guys climbed a 200-foot cliff without any safety; it was pretty much amazing, but kinda scary). The fourth climb went by fine; I got stuck on a bolt for about five minutes, draining my energy, but I gritted my teeth, ignored the pain of my muscles, and scaled the wall to the top. I really love the outdoors. My wife and I are going to go the mountains a lot, me thinks :). We ate at a wonderful climber's restaurant--Miguel's Pizza--and played P.I.G. (I did not win, obviously, if you know my skills [or lack there-of] in basketball). The restaurant is situated against a campground only for climber's; about twenty to thirty tents spread throughout the small valley; Joe said, "It gets pretty crazy here at night; all the climbers are young kids." I wonder what he means by "crazy"? I'm guessing it's something like the worship of the golden calf at the foot of Mt. Sinai; our English translations say the people "played" or "danced," but the Hebrew is very much more explicit. Take a wild guess at what the people did in worship to the calf. You're probably right.

Sara and Joe told me, "We've decided that you really fit in with the crowd here." Hah! I never saw myself as the out-doorsey type, but I guess with the simple clothes I wear, my fascination with and love for nature, and the wild hair, it might work out. I've always seen myself in the "awkward" group; when the "awkward" group gets together, it isn't really that fun; it's just... well... awkward. "Hey, I'm awkward." "Me too." A pause. "Wow. This is really awkward." "I know."

I am preaching at a church tomorrow night. Please pray that it goes well. I am preaching on conversion, and I still need to get some stuff together.

I'm really craving coffee. The chocolate-covered expresso beans we ate during one of the hikes were good, but certainly no substitute for rich, black Ethiopian.

We snuck out the John Deer gator at work and took it off-roading. I almost died three--no, four?--times.

I am reading "The Shaping of Things to Come." In the words of Heather, "A-mazing."

I wish I could go to the beach with some college friends the 13-16, but I have to work (saving up for Australia).

My little sister is probably breaking up with her boyfriend. She really likes him, so it's so sad. She knows it will not work out, so she is going to end it so it doesn't hurt so much if she prolongs the relationship.

I am going to Lexington this weekend with my family. Rock climbing on Saturday, Pirates of the Caribbean Saturday night, and on Sunday I have the privilige to preach at a small church here in town. The message is on Acts 8, special emphasis on the eunuch. The point of the message is, "God accepts all who come to Him in faith and repentance," and I am going to throw in a small message on conversion at the end (conversion in the Hebraic sense is a change of the way we live, not just the way we think).

It has been a wonderful last few days. I'm sure the beautiful weather has something to do with it (the weather affects my moods).

I sat out on the porch this morning before work, thought about the last school year, and can't wait till August 14 rolls around. Not only will I be back on campus again, but I will show Trista that I really am better than her at ping-pong (even if she beat me our last game).

O my soul, bless GOD. From head to toe, I'll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless GOD, don't forget a single blessing! He forgives your sins--every one. He heals your diseases--every one. He redeems you from hell--saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy--a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness--beauty eternal. He renews your youth--you're always young in his presence. - Psalm 103.1-5 (the Message)

As we live our lives in this world of suffering, it is so easy to be overcome by our sorrows and worries and anxieties that we miss the entire scope of the blessings God pours into our lives. We are very blessed creatures, though we often feel neglected, rejected, abandoned, forgotten, alone--even cast off by God Himself! These feelings well from our fallen natures and are in conflict with the whispers of the Spirit within us. The psalmist knows what it is like to fall on the polar ends of human emotions--the psalmist was human, and the psalmist no doubt struggled like every one of us. The author of this psalm was King David, a man who knew all the highs and lows of human existence: the great agony of abandonment, the horrific fear of death, the deep sorrows of regret and shame, and the joys found in a living, breathing, dynamic intimacy with God. He writes this to the people of Israel: "In your suffering, do not forget all the blessings God gives you even in the worst of times!"

Life is really confusing for me, in a myriad ways. At 3rd Place, I asked that my friends pray that God would grant me clarity. Someone piped, "Well, if you find it, bottle it and sell it!" I don't know if I'll ever experience the clarity I desire, but I do pray that God will open my eyes to the many blessings He's given me: the plethora of great, God-given friends who surround me, the family who is nonjudgmental, open, and caring, and the ministry He has gifted me with, now at 412 and later... who knows where? It is a good thing to be a member of God's cosmic family; we do not escape the sufferings of the world (didn't some wise guy say, "If you follow Me, you will suffer."?), but in our suffering we have a Friend and Comforter who knows the pain and enters into it with us.

We've all been there: losing sight of why we're here. Over the past few weeks, it happened to me; for some reason, a reason I cannot even begin to explain, I started living as if I had no future. I don't mean I picked up the bottle or shot heroin or anything, nothing so... drastic... as that. The confusion took place within me, in my mind, and it began eating away at my emotions, eating away at my perspective on life, and a sense of depression and hopelessness came over me. I began shirking God, began eating a lot, began spending lots of time just sitting in my room and staring at the wall. God told me where change was needed, but I am quite the stubborn person, so I resisted; eventually, He won, and here I sit on a rainy Tuesday morning, very thankful for the good God I have, very thankful for the beautiful life He's given me, very thankful for the future He has in store for me, very excited about the girl He's designed me for.

The words of Rob Bell in Velvet Elvis resonate with me:

So my question for leaders--and for Christians everywhere--is, are you smoking what you're selling?

I cannot lead people somewhere I am not trying to go myself. I don't have to have arrived. I don't have to be perfect, but I do need to be on the path. (119)

Am I smoking what I'm selling? Am I living the life that God calls me to live, a life of self-sacrifice, a life of selflessness, a life of humility, a life of serving others in love, a life of grace, forgiveness, mercy, generosity, and justice? Am I living the God-pleasing, God-honoring, God-serving life, or am I a caracature of that which I oppose: selfishness, greed, and injustice, merely wrapped in religious-looking cellophane?

Class went O.K. today; I taught the lesson on "salvation" that I taught the Jr. High kids in March, except I wove in some other aspects of salvation when teaching High School. I have been experimenting with different styles of teaching, learning what works and what does not work in keeping the students captivated and interested. As of now, dynamic storytelling is the route that the kids really enjoy. I put a high value on their enjoyment, for if they enjoy a lesson, there is more of a chance for them to take it to heart.

Sadly, I have been neglecting my intimacy with God lately. I've been so burdened with so much stuff that my times set aside for connecting with Him throughout the day have been pushed aside. I can feel this "withdrawal" from the divine in all aspects of my life: less joy, less peace, less contentment, as well as the animal nature within me (selfishness, greed, and indifference) making its presence known more and more in my thoughts and actions. In short, I've become more grumpy and irritable because I have been neglecting my "desert communion" with God, as John Eldredge puts it.

One of my favorite movies ever is coming in the mail this week. The language is quite raunchy, but the movie is amazing:

random saturdays

I like hedgehogs. I mean, I really like hedgehogs.

I also like peanuts. Salted peanuts. Unsalted are just... o.k.

I like sitting out in my car during thunderstorms. I like to watch the lightning in the sky.

I like to lie in bed at night and think about life.
I realize how good I really have it.
I realize what a future I have.
I realize that I have the chance to make a difference in the world.

I love Jesus' teachings. It all centers on genuine love: selflessness, serving others, sacrifice, humility, and kindness. In a world flooded with selfishness, greed, and indifference, Jesus' teachings offer a beautiful alternative: instead of selfishness, selflessness; instead of greed, extreme generosity; instead of indifference to the rest of humanity, a love rooted in compassion, care, and justice. Selfishness, greed, and indifference produced the sinkhole we live in; if humanity would follow Jesus' teachings, the problems of the world would disappear.

I wish I were a philosopher. I would be able to use big words and talk about old guys and throw in my own two cents on the "meaning of life" with some authority.

I can't wait to see kangaroos, koalas, and dolphins. I think I will like them more than I like hedgehogs. I like hedgehogs a lot. They are my favorite small, furry woodland creature.

Most of all, I can't wait to help people. I want to spend my life helping others. I think that's why we're here.