My good friend wrote a great post today. You may not agree with him 100% (and that’s o.k.) BUT his final paragraph is well worth the read!

Check it out and my response too!! Let me know what you think!!

I’m sure he won’t mind the extra traffic, so don’t wait.

READ THIS NOW then come back and respond HERE!

So, you might check out the link above or look at the picture and say,”yuck,” or “no thanks,” OR your arteries might begin to harden. You may respond like myself and others and say, “they have something like that at Red Robin!”

Guess it’s because I’m a pastor but after the Red Robin thought, I began thinking . . . why is this “menu item” becoming a hit? why is there a cult following? what’s the big deal? Can a church-planter or pastor (like myself) or any other entrepreneur learn something from this article/event/phenomena?

Of course, and it’s simple: organic ownership. The Mc10:35 is a hit and gaining a cult following because it began with the people. It wasn’t conjured up by a group or committee. It wasn’t propagated through heavy advertising bombardments; but rather, it came about organically. They created, enjoyed, got excited, and are spreading the word.

So, the question for you and I is . . . how can we make that happen with our businesses and churches?  Does it have nothing to do with us at all? OR can we create an atmosphere that allows the people to take ownership and results in organic growth?

One more question, anyone willing to give the Mc10:35 a try and report back to us?!?

MBLGTACC is an annual conference that is held to promote leadership, activism, networking, diversity, health, and empowerment among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and allied students, staff, and faculty around the United States and Canada. It is the largest and oldest regional BGLT college conference in North America.

AND . . . I am so thankful for this opportunity and my wife’s willingness to attend this conference with the student group attending from Joliet Junior College.

I believe we need to live and love like Christ in every context and culture, so what better place to be – yes? I think Jesus would hang out there – why would he choose not too? Quite often, He was condemned by others (those who thought they were more religious or on a “better standing with God”) for spending time with real people.

I noticed this morning that one of the workshops has been titled, “The Bible and Homosexuality 101: The Clobber Passages.”  Sounds like a good one . . . maybe Suzette can attend! It wouldn’t hurt for more of us to hear what we (religion/ the church) has done to further hurt those in need of His love (like the rest of us)!  We all need to learn to live and love like the real Christ and do less clobbering.

If you want  to read a good book on this subject:

Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation With the Gay Community

OR follow Andrew Marin at: http://www.loveisanorientation.com/

TIME FOR US ALL TO “GET REAL!”

A recent article was written about Phillips, Craig and Dean’s song “No Matter How Long”. You will find pieces of the article below. I am not a P, C & D fan, but found some of the arguments somewhat heart-breaking. Therefore, you will see that

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” ~ 1 John 4:7-12

“A quick listen to most contemporary Christian preaching, writing or singing would lead you to believe that God is gaga about humans and just longs to spend time with us.  The latest dreck from Oneness Pentecostals (i.e., they believe in a heretical Jesus) Phillips, Craig and Dean, is a typical example.
“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” ~ Zep 3:17

No Matter How Long

I watched you as you stumbled out of bed,
 Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand. 
And you looked so lost and lonely,
 I knew I had to find a way
 To make you understand, I wanna be your friend.  
So I painted a sunrise in the sky
 And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies, 
And I whispered sweet “I love you’s”. 
No matter how long it takes, somehow I’ll find a way 
Somehow My love will find a way, No matter how long it takes.
I watched you as you fell asleep last night,
And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried.
 So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace.

Evangelicalism appears to have fallen into the pit of Godly romanticism. Evangelicals now present God as a love sick puppy who yearns to spend time with us.  We have exchanged His loving-kindness for a gooey, romantic love.

Speaking about Israel, “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her (to her heart). And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came from the land of Egypt. And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that you shall call me ISHI (My Husband!)”
~ Hosea 2:14-16

Have we forgotten the Song of Solomon? The Song was/is regarded by many either as a typological set of songs describing of the relationship of Christ and the Church or Israel OR as an allegory of the soul’s relationship to Christ and God.

What is wrong with this song?
While I suspect the author is alluding to Psalm 19 and II Peter 3, his repositioning of theology is staggering.  My comments are in parenthesis. REMEMBER, MINE ARE IN BOLD.

I watched you as you stumbled out of bed
 Rushed out the door, your coffee in your hand
 And you looked so lost and lonely (God does not desire to save us from loneliness, but from our sins)
Yes, He wants to save us from sin NOT our loneliness; however he does care about our loneliness:
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6
“For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.” ~ 1 Samuel 12:22
“For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me up.”
~ Psalms 27:10
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” ~ John 14:18

I knew I had to find a way  (This makes God sound less than omniscient)
True, He actually is “the way”.

To make you understand, I wanna be your friend  (While the Bible says we can be friends with God, it means reconciled, not bosom buddies)
Sure, but He does want to be our friend and reconcile us to Himself.

So I painted a sunrise in the sky
 And I caused the birds to sing you lullabies  (God gives us creation to appreciate Him, not lull us to sleep)
God is the Creator and we are to appreciate Him but also enjoy, care for, and love His creativity and Creation. The Bible speaks that His creation is a reminder to us of His love. He saw that it WAS GOOD, why would he not want us to do the same? “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” ~ Genesis 2:15

And I whispered sweet “I love you’s” (Is God our boyfriend or the Sovereign Creator of the universe?)
OK, got it. The Sovereign Creator shouted I love you by giving us His son.

No matter how long it takes, somehow I’ll find a way. (God is not thwarted by anything, let alone us)        
Somehow My love will find a way, (Poor, pitiful God) No matter how long it takes. (“It is appointed unto man once to die, then judgment”)
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” ~ 2 Peter 3:9

I watched you as you fell asleep last night
And I trembled as I watched the tears you cried.
(God trembles?)
Don’t know. He is moved with compassion and when I am moved, at times I tremble. We do know that Jesus wept (maybe trembling was involved.)

So I splashed your face with moonlight, and I longed for your embrace.  (This sounds more like a Harlequin novel than Scripture)
Again, have we forgotten or ignored the Song of Solomon and those Scripture where he shares the intensity of His love for us, His creation. I do also understand however that this eros love can be fleeting. His love for us IS and our love for Him SHOULD BE much more.

Redefining the Atonement
Not a single Bible verse can be found to support the idea that we are so loveable that God yearns for us.  Instead, God desires to restore children of wrath to a right relationship with Himself so that His loving-kindness can be displayed (Eph.2).
Did I misread the lyrics? I don’t believe the focus is on the fact that we are so loveable but rather that He cares for us even when lonely and we feel that no one else does.

God does not pursue us because he finds us so adorable that His heart will just break if He can’t find a way for us to fall in love with Him.  He desires to save the unlovable so that His mercy can be magnified.  The salvation that God offers is for His namesake, for His glory.
I agree. The song does not mention the why. But must every song we listen to or sing mention the whole gospel in its entirety?

Why have we so altered the doctrine of reconciliation?  I am convinced it is because we have abandoned expository preaching and the preaching of God’s Law.  The result?  We have relegated God’s sense of anger, wrath and justice to the Old Testament as if He were a different God than that “nice New Testament God”.

While we do not want to end up in the “God is only angry” ditch, (Thank you) we have to find our way out of our present moat.  My suggestion: we need to preach verse by verse to have a complete knowledge of the character and nature of God.  We need to preach the Law to understand that we are not lovable, but loved despite what we are. (Well said, maybe the author just chose the wrong venue to present a much needed conversation?)

That is my take.  What’s yours?
That is my take.  What’s yours?

This past week I had the opportunity to preview the soon to be released book “Sex, Lies & Religion.”

Randy’s book rightly portrays a God of love and redemption and a holistic view of God and sex as well as the abundant life He offers us all.

His own words from Chapter Eight explains it well,  “Free to give love, not spend lust. Free to share ourselves, not possess others. We are free to caress our lover, not ‘cop a feel.’ Free to view the human body (clothed or unclothed) in wonder, not voyeuristic shame. We are free to understand God is for our enjoyment of sexuality, not against our deepest erotic desires. He is enthusiastically for all that we are as whole beings as we enjoy the freedom and communion of both soul and body.”

I found my self reading the book quickly and craving more.  I must say that (after growing up in legalistic religion and receiving “a flawed introduction to sexuality at an early age”), I often found myself blushing behind my Macbook and asking, “Should I be reading this?” At the same time, each chapter invited me to fully comprehend the true beauty and freedom that God offers and left me with a hunger to enjoy both God and the gift of sex in a way that will result in more fulfilled relationships and a satisfying climax. (I can’t believe I’m posting this.)

Although I still personally struggle with some of the ideas shared within the book (i.e. sexual fantasies and various correlations), I thoroughly enjoyed the chapters about Nudity and Art, The “M” word, Healthy Equality, Sacred Sexuality, and the fruits of the spirit.

If you want to experience a redemptive and holistic God in every area of life (including sex), I would recommend that you read this book with an open heart (and possibly with your spouse close by). Results are guaranteed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from cre:ate 2.0 Publishing to read and post a review on my site. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

TO PURCHASE YOUR OWN COPY: http://sexliesandreligion.skyroo.com

Last week we talked about the stories of risk in the Bible. God used real people and messed up people to do BIG things for God, mankind, and eternity.  Each of them took those small risks, the steps of faith, the leaps forward that were needed to move closer towards their destiny.

I’m so thankful that they were real people with imperfect lives and screwed up pasts and LIKE ME, many took their steps of faith and took their risks while still afraid.

Abraham in Hebrews 11:8  “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

I love what Jonathan said to his armor-bearer when persueing the Philistines.  He knew what had to be done and went forward but not in confidence.  He looked at his armor-bearer and said, “”Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”

Regardless your calling or relational status in life, I do know that you must take risks if you want to reach your God given potential and fulfill your God-given destiny. Sometimes we must run away from security and chase uncertainty, but that’s scary isn’t it?  I took a walk through that valley again this weekend. So, today’s sermon is more like a note . . . a letter to my congregation and the best way for me to bring our REGRET Less sermon series to a close.

“Hey, its your pastor. It’s Saturday morning and, well, I’m afraid.  I believe it s a good thing for a pastor to be transparent with his congregation, so here it is . . .

in all honesty, the last two years have been real tough. I’ve doubted more than ever before, I think I’ve cried more, I have lost more sleep, and I have had big fears about the future.

Right now I am experiencing some anxiety because its tax time. Ya, got my final W2s yesterday.  Was already fearful because my teaching job, well they don’t take out any taxes.  Then yesterday, I got my W2s from my other part time job . . . I knew for sure they were taking out Federal taxes, but I was wrong it was Social Security.  We needed every cent just to pay the bills, to put food on the table and now this?

Now, I’m not expecting a pitty party, although I do enjoy a good party BUT I just wanted to be straight with you . . . I told you the last few weeks that in order to REGRET Less, we ought to all take risks. We need to step out in faith and make those hard and risky choices. So, am I now saying OOPS! I take it all back because reality hit me again?

I’m thinking . . . God has been so good. I have been blessed in so many ways and He will take care of us! Would I rather go back to living the way I did before? With a little more certainty BUT a whole lot less faith, risk, dreaming, or God. No way!

So, once again. I find myself swallowing the lump in my throat and taking another step forward. I took the obsessive compulsive quiz offered on facebook. Not sure why I take those quizzes. I guess sometimes I just enjoy the silly results.  The other day, I took a quiz that was supposed to tell me what kind of gun best resembled me and my personality.  My result: it said I would prefer knives and daggers and if I ever murdered another person I’d want to do it up close and personal.  Wow! (By the way, I’m really a loving and caring person if you don’t know me well yet . . . so no need to fear.)

However, I did take one fb quiz last year. It was called, How obsessive compulsive are you?”  I knew it would be high for me but 100% – common!

I got to admit though, I do like my to-do list and accomplishing each step, I do strive for perfection on almost everything and sometimes to my demise, and (maybe like you), I like control.  I like knowing what lies ahead. I’m not much of an adventurer (unless the journey is completely mapped out).

We like to know where we’re headed and how we’re gonna get there, don’t we? I know it drives my kids crazy AND maybe that’s the reason I do it . . . but, have your children ever asked you “why do we have to get dressed?  Where are we going?” and we answer, “Just wait and see.” It’s miserable waiting and not knowing what lies ahead.

Faith involves a loss of control and a loss of control equals a loss of certainty. Faith is the willingness and readiness to embrace our uncertainties.

Our greatest moments in life are unscripted.  We would prefer life to have a clearly defined plot . . . a mapped out beginning, middle, and end.  Why? Because, it’s hard to take those forward steps of faith and let God have control.

When taking the giant leap forward in moving to Joliet, God gave me a verse. A verse that I can’t fully comprehend , but a verse that has allowed me to keep taking more steps forward.

Proverbs 20:24 tells us “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”

Do we really believe God is ordering every step of the way?

The Bible encourages us to move forward not in certainty but in confidence . . . a confidence that is not contiNgent upon circumstances and certainty but move on with a confidence that relies on the character of God.

My dear friends of Istoria Church, we all have our regrets, but let me remind us once more . . . let’s regret less in 2010.  Let’s never give up dreaming or risking.  Each new day that God gives us, lets just take another step forward.

Keep dreaming. I love you, Pastor Steve

Can I ask your help with something?  Many of you probably know already, but in just a couple of months Istoria Church will have its first service.  God has been soooo good and we’re excited to see what will happen!!

Istoria is Greek for story and we believe everyone has one.  At Istoria we want to share the “big narrative” through various avenues.  One of those story-telling avenues is through song!  Music is a very important part of our lives – and this is evident through our obsession with song.  Just check out the multi-million dollar music business!

So, she asked my wife what kind of music we will use at IC and the answer is simple . . . music that shares a story.  Whether it is worship, hymns, pop, classical, rock-n-roll, etc. – if it helps tell the story being shared about the Good News – we might just use it.

She asked if she could share a couple songs we might could use – songs on her play list that share a part of our life story.  The Answer: I’d love it!!!   And that’s the reason for this blog post.

We relate to our favorite tunes and the stories they tell. So, what songs have helped you on your journey? What songs could I tag on to a sermon or add to our service that we all could relate too?  (Maybe it shares life’s good times or bad times or the daily or relationship struggles we all deal with.)

Respond to this post and help me start an IC play list of “story” songs.  Visit us at Istoria one day and you might just hear your suggested tune and once again be affected by the life stories in song!

By the way, don’t respond yet . . . but I’ll soon be asking for input about “life story” novels, poems, movies, music videos, etc.!!!

“What fun is life if there is a guarantee for the future? Isn’t it funner and more exciting 2 do what you want now and then see what comes of it later?”

So, what do you think.  You write today’s title and post!!!