Rednecktheologian's Exposition

Marine Corps Marathon 36: My First Marathon Recap

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:55:00 +0000

I know it has been awhile since I've posted on this blog. Life has been busy and writing has been put on the back-burner. If it makes any of you feel better, I have another blog, www.living-wisely.org, which I have also neglected recently. One of the things that has occupied my time is my personal health. When I last posted on this blog, I was hovering near the 300 pound mark. I knew that if I didn't make changes, I would never make it to a ripe old age, and I probably wouldn't be as effective for Christ as I should be. so in January, 2010 I began to run. It was slow and painful at first, but as I changed my eating habits and shed the weight, I came to a point where I enjoyed it. Last week, I accomplished a goal I had set 10 years ago. I had kept to myself that at the age of 30, I decided to run a marathon before I turned 40. So with 54 days left, I ran my race. The following is my race recap:

The day before the marathon, the weather was horrible. Nearly every type of bad
weather occurred. It was cold, rainy, sleeting, snowing. In short, it was terrible. Even
still, I was resolute. I was going to run the Marine Corps Marathon in a blizzard if
necessary. But Sunday morning came and it was gorgeous. My family and I were
staying with my aunt and uncle in Mount Vernon. Uncle Stuart drove me down to the
starting area.

It was nice to have him there for encouragement as the butterflies made the rounds in
my stomach. I had invested a great deal of time in training, but I still had questions
about this distance - 26.2. I was so energized with anticipation, that I didn't need a
jacket on the cold morning. I dropped it off with my bag, and made my way to the
starting line. We were encouraged to cue with others at our anticipated pace, so I went
to the 4:30 to 5:00 group. I would be happy with under 6 hours, but really wanted to
break 5.

I watched with interest as three people skydived to the starting line. Two Osprey
airplanes flew over. I sang the National Anthem with fervor. And then the start! After two
years of training, I was finally running a marathon! I remembered the advice and
coaching of my running friends, run slow Jeff. Don't start out too fast. Be comfortable. I
remembered the advice, but I didn't heed it. I occasionally checked my Garmin and
would see a 9 or 10 minute pace. I would slow down for a bit, but then the speed would
creep back up.

The first 4 miles were fun. I talked with a guy from Charlottesville VA for awhile, then he
moved on. The first bridge I crossed was a bit slippery, but I managed without incident.
It was about this time (mile 4 to 5) that I learned marathoners lose their modesty fairly
quickly as dozens would duck into the bushes for what I assume to be the call of nature.
Entering Georgetown was awesome. There was a bluegrass band, and a little later, a
bagpiper and drummer encouraging us onward. About mile 6.75 to 7 miles, I started to
feel some pain in my calves. I decided it was probably from running too fast or from
running on asphalt (which I didn't do enough of in training), so I ignored it and pressed
on. I was looking forward to seeing my wife and kids at mile 10, but I missed them in the
crowd. I struck up a conversation with Dave, who was running his second marathon,
and we ran together for the next 5 miles. Dave was crucial to my success because he
kept me running at a better pace than I previously had been running.

Dave and I lost each other at the mile 16 water station, and shortly after that, I saw my
family! What a wonderful feeling to be cheered on by your loved ones so late in the
race. Paige, my youngest, was holding a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts so I grabbed
one of the three in the box. After eating half of it, Brooke told me that I had just eaten my
wife's doughnut. At that point, I didn't care, but later I apologized. It's amazing what
running a long distance race will do to you. I've avoided sweets and fatty food for so
long, and during this race, I didn't think twice about shoving that stuff down my throat!
The next 3 miles were uneventful, but I was starting to slow down a bit. I made it to the
14th Street Bridge in a little over three hours (mile 20). I was happy to "beat the bridge"
as the Marines stop runners by a certain time. When I reached 20.5 miles, my world
changed. I experienced pain and fatigue in a way I've never experienced before. I felt
like a popped balloon as all of my energy immediately left my body. My quads and
calves were so sore. I bent over and tried to stretch. I knew that if I didn't start moving, I
never would finish. So I walked. Each step was painful and full of effort. I prayed that
God would take the pain so that I could finish the race. I knew my family were waiting at
the finish line. I knew that my friends were cheering for me from around the U.S. I didn't
want to let anyone down, especially myself.

At about mile 21, I started to run. Slowly at first, but in no time, I was back to about an
11:30 pace. I found the second wind to continue! It's true that you can go farther than
your body thinks it can. I was a bit slower around mile 23. At this point, the 5 hour pace
group caught up with me. I tried to keep up, but they steadily pulled away. I determined
to keep running and get to the finish as best I could. Between mile 25 and 26, a guy laid
down in the road and didn't get up. I said a prayer for him and kept moving. At mile 26, I
could hear the crowd at the finish line. I knew it was almost done. I made the turn and
started the uphill run to the finish. I was not going to walk up this hill!

With a tenth of a mile to go, I saw my aunt and uncle in the crowd. They were taking
pictures and waving excitedly. I picked up my pace. I saw the finish line. Legs pumping.
Legs screaming in pain. I kept moving forward. As I crossed the finish line, I thought,
"why in the world did I do this?" I felt horrible. After a couple of minutes, it sank in that I
had just completed a race that a third of those who entered did not finish. I realized that
I had completed a goal I had set for my self ten years ago. I completed something that
two years ago I knew was impossible. Waves of relief and joy washed over me (but I still
ached horribly).

A second lieutenant placed the finisher's medal around my neck, shook my hand, and
told be congratulations. I soon saw my mother and father on the other side of the fence.
I got their attention and told them I wanted to go home. Seeing my family at the finish
line was a source of great joy. My girls rushed up and hugged me. At that point I thought
about the time they granted me to be away on training runs. I appreciate their love and
support.

I want to say that the Marine Corps Marathon was incredibly well organized. I don't
know how many hundreds of marines provided assistance along the route, but I
appreciate them all. Semper fi, Devil Dogs. Semper fi!

Civil War Part 2?

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:34:00 +0000

This article, http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94803, has been causing a considerable amount of concern for me. On the one hand, I am happy that the government is watching out for dangerous attacks, but on the other hand, I am worried about who they think the enemy might be. I agree that domestic terrorists, supremacist groups, and fringe militias need to be monitored. However, as I read the article, I see a number of issues (many important to me) that are not fringe issues. I am concerned that supporters of "right wing" causes may be unfairly targeted.

The first sentence of the article noted that the DHS report "warns against the possibility of violence by unnamed "right-wing extremists" concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty and singles out returning war veterans as particular threats." What conservative American isn't concerned about illegal immigration, increasing federal power, restrictions on firearms, abortion and the loss of U.S. sovereignty? More disturbingly, the DHS report (and thus the federal government) considers it's own military veterans as a threat.

Couple this article with the statements made by the Texas governor (I respect this so much I may nearly consider moving to TX) about the 10th amendment state's rights, and one may think that a serious struggle is being played out underneath all of the political mumbo-jumbo. Could it be that a president who purportedly models his presidency after Lincoln is leading the nation into a second civil war?

I pray this is not the case.

Thoughts on the End of Evangelicalism

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Michael Spencer wrote an article which was published on the Christian Science Monitor website earlier this week. The link is here: http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0310/p09s01-coop.html. I think a number of things Spencer wrote are right on target, however I disagree with a number of statements he made. For instance, Spencer stated, "We are on the verge – within 10 years – of a major collapse of evangelical Christianity." While evangelical Christianity is experiencing a major change, I disagree with the notion of a major crash. What I believe is occurring is a realignment of priorities and a shift in methodology. It is true that evangelicals were too closely aligned with the cultural war and political conservatism, but this is due to the fact that political conservatism is the ideology most closely aligned with the values of evangelicals. Furthermore, we are to engage our culture in order to transform our culture. We are to be a city on a hill. The problem arose when evangelicals decided to engage in the culture wars through political action RATHER than through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit by means of the gospel. While Spencer and I agree with the cause of the problem, we disagree with the result. Spencer believes that "Evangelicals will increasingly be seen as a threat to cultural progress. Public leaders will consider us bad for America, bad for education, bad for children, and bad for society." When examined from a global perspective (as well as a historical perspective), we learn that the church flourishes when it is the subject of public persecution.

Spencer's second point about the failure of the church to pass on orthodox doctrines would appear to be correct. In order to sustain the church through the shift and persecution, we must do a better job at passing on a biblical worldview. The same is true for his fourth and sixth point. The three points are essentially the same point made several times.

The third point Spencer made was "There are three kinds of evangelical churches today: consumer-driven megachurches, dying churches, and new churches whose future is fragile. Denominations will shrink, even vanish, while fewer and fewer evangelical churches will survive and thrive." I think the notion of three kinds of evangelical churches is simplistic and naive. While it is true that there are megachurches, dying churches, and new churches, it is also true that there are a number of small, medium and large (not mega) churches which are thriving. Furthermore, there are unknown numbers of simple churches thriving and multiplying across the nation. These churches fly under the radar and are ideal for urban centers. The evangelical church is growing, but it doesn't look like the 20th century church.

Spencer's last point is ironic since he previously railed against consumer driven churches. Suffice it to say that the Kingdom of God does not rely on money to flourish. Neither does evangelicalism. We are not talking about an organization in the same manner as a business or non-profit (though churches are classified as such). What we are discussing are ideals, theologies, and principles. A reliance on money is what stifles the growth of the church. How many pastors of dying churches have said "we can't start new churches because we don't have the money." This lack of faith in the provision of God is a root problem for a number of churches.

It is true that denominations are declining, and a large number of churches will close their doors. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just as the vinedresser must prune sickly branches, so too does the church need occasional pruning.

But are we losing the culture wars? According to the American Religious Identification Survey, http://www.americanreligionsurvey-aris.org/, the situation is not clear. Baptists have gained two million adherents in the last 7 years, but are still declining in proportion to the population of the United States. Mainline denominations are declining with 38.6% of mainline Protestants now identify themselves as evangelical. Most significantly, 27% of Americans are functional agnostics/atheists in that they do not expect a religious funeral. Obviously, the work is set before us. It will be difficult work, but it is the task set before us. Jesus Christ promised his church "but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." The church will grow when it returns to its mission.

Should Church Planter's Ask Community What They Are Looking for in a Church?

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:38:00 +0000

LifeTree Church is involved in a canvassing campaign where we are
going to talk to every person within a one mile radius of our meeting
location in the next 4 months. We're not just leaving cards or door
hangers. We will come back to the houses we miss. Our goal is to share
the gospel with each household. I was recently talking with a good
friend about this campaign and he asked the question of whether we
were just witnessing or were we also asking what people were looking
for in a church. My answer seemed harsh to him (and it is contrary to
Bill Hybels). I said that I don't really care what the unchurched
people are looking for in a church. It isn't that I am not concerned
about their needs. I offer to pray for them.

When I read the scriptures, and study the first century church, I see
that the Holy Spirit guides the church not the community. In fact,
when I think about who God made responsible for the direction of
ministry at LifeTree Church, I see that it falls to the elders of the
church in prayerful obedience to the Holy Spirit. That means it falls
to me and the other elders of the church.

When we allow people outside of the church to dictate our direction,
we are telling them that our God doesn't know where to take us or that
we can't hear God at all. I think that the church is experiencing
difficulty in reaching the lost partly because we place ministry
directives in the hands of non-regenerates. We have the truth. They
are either searching for the truth or happy to live a lie. We need to
be more vocal in proclaiming that we have the truth they need.

Isn't that what Paul did? Look at Acts 19:1-7 for instance. Paul met
some disciples in Ephesus, but he seemed to think they were missing
something. Why else would he ask if they had received the Holy Spirit?
When they replied that they didn't even know about the Holy Spirit,
Paul proclaimed to them the truth. He didn't ask if they thought they
needed to know Jesus. Further on, he is presented before Felix,
Festus, and Agrippa. Each time, he doesn't ask what the Romans would
like to see in the church. Rather, he tells them why they need to be a
part of the body of believers. Agrippa even commented in Acts 26:28
that Paul was on the verge of convincing him to become a Christian.
The point is that Paul knew what he had was valuable. In fact, the
gift of salvation in Jesus Christ which Paul conveyed to every Jew and
Gentile he encountered was more than valuable. It was vital. That is
why he was content to suffer.

We, the Christ followers of the twenty first century need to
understand this. We certainly need to ask people what concerns of
theirs we may pray for, but we also need to know that the truth to
which we witness is greater than any program we offer or market
analysis we might conduct. To know our community is important. To know
our mission is vital. To know Christ is the greatest of all joy.

The State of the Church in the United States

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:40:00 +0000

We are at WAR!! The church has been engaged in a war from its very institution. No, we are not fighting against the any particular religion or nation. We are fighting against powers and principalities. We are followers of the one true God fighting for the kingdom against the powers of darkness. So how goes the battle for the kingdom in the United States?

According to some we are losing the war at home. Bill Easum stated that 75% of churches in existence today will not be here in 22 years. Church membership has been decreasing in nearly every denomination. C. Kirk Hadaway calculated that 70% of Southern Baptist churches were either plateaued or declining. However, he did not differentiate between the churches which were growing by conversions and those growing by transfer growth in the 30% of churches experiencing growth.

Bill Day of the Leavell Center for Evangelism and Church Health noted that when one defines healthy church growth to include conversion growth, the number of growing, healthy churches drops to 11%.

Based on these statistics, it seems like we need to change our tactics. Is there a new gospel presentation that will be more effective? Maybe we need to change how we worship God. We should have more drums. We should have less drums. Perhaps the answer is a bus ministry. All of these ideas are useless for our current church membership!

When a king mobilizes his army, he doesn't simply give people weapons and send them to battle. Not if he wants to win. Weapons training and state of the art weaponry are important, but if the king has an army of weaklings, it doesn't matter what kind of weapon they carry.

Similarly, the methods of evangelism a church utilizes is important, but if the pastor does not build up the body of believers, they will fall in the fight (don't stretch the metaphor too much. I am not saying they will lose their salvation. I am saying that they will be ineffective and afraid to engage in the battle).

I believe that churches are declining because we pastors have set low expectations for membership. Let me describe a typical church process for membership. The pastor finishes his sermon. The time for the invitation is at hand. The pastor may or may not share the gospel, but he will offer an invitation for people to come and give their lives to Christ, recommit their hearts to Jesus, or join the church. When the potential new member comes forward, a brief discussion ensues, a pray is lifted up, and the person fills out a membership card. The amount of discussion depends on how much time is left in the song of invitation. Afterwards, the pastor presents the person for membership (either as a new believer or as a transfer of membership), and calls for a vote to approve the person for membership. Everyone says "amen." Any opposed? Of course there are none. Welcome to the family.

Does this sound familiar? Certainly there are variations, some churches have added a new members class. What I would like to know is "How is the church protecting the sanctity of the body?" Another question I'd like answered is "how does this process make effective disciples?" The answer is that it doesn't. If it worked, then people would be progressively becoming like Christ.

There isn't a single answer to solve this dilemma, but I think that a greater emphasis on discipleship and accountability would go a long way in developing Christian soldiers. I also think that churches should institute a member candidacy period in the process. When someone desires membership in the church, they should be encouraged (new believers should be celebrated via baptism), and then entered into the member candidate stage. During this stage, the pastor and spiritual leadership (elders, deacons, etc. whatever the ecclesiology of the local church stipulates) watch and pray for the candidate. When the candidate displays fruit, then he/she should be invited to covenant with the local church body. It is very much like an engagement period prior to marriage.

Also, we should disciple our church members and hold them accountable for their spiritual growth. We need to help them develop the heart of Christ within them. Then our church members will see the lost and seek to rescue them from the fires of hell.

Our churches need to change how they operate. We are in sleep mode because the buildings are paid for, salaries are being paid, and we're able to keep the lights on. If established churches acted like church plants – if we operated under the principle that we either win souls or lose our funding – then we would operate differently.

This is a great time to be a soldier for Christ. The amount of spiritual interest is high. People are searching for meaning in their lives. They are looking for solutions. Unfortunately, they are not looking to the church. We need to show them that the church has the answer. We need to show that Jesus Christ is the only answer that will satisfy.

I invite comments on other ways we can help the church to become more effective at making disciples. Let us labor together to share the good news.

I'm Coming Back!!

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:54:00 +0000

My apologies to all of you who would like to read my blog on a more regular basis. I have found that blogging takes time, and I have needed to devote time to other things over the last four months.

Well, things are still hectic, but I think there are some thoughts I need to get down. People get ready. Jesus is coming, and I am writing again.

My next post will be this evening and it concerns the state of the church in the USA.

Simple Living in the United States

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 03:47:00 +0000

I have been reading Christopher Heuertz's book, Simple Spirituality: Learning to See God in a Broken World. There are a number of things Heuertz wrote that I don't agree with, but one area in which God has been challenging me has to do with living a simple lifestyle while caring for the needs of the poor. As I read, I think about all of the material blessings we have been given and know in my heart that my family needs to get rid of many things. A plan has come together to sell those things we absolutely don't need, pay off all of our debts, and give more of our income to the church to be used for ministry to the poor.

A great plan, but then I get a strange thought. What if the body of Christ, the church, lived this way? What a testimony we would have in this culture of excess!!

Why don't we do it? A proper understanding of stewardship reveals that nothing we have and nothing we are belongs to us. It is all God's. We are merely entrusted with His riches to use for His glory, ministering to His children and those He loves. This doesn't mean that we live as paupers. It means that God gave us the resources to use properly. What does that mean? In the next few days (or weeks, months, etc.), I am going to be thinking about the theology of wealth. Please share any comments or thoughts you have on the subject. Join me on this journey.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:39:00 +0000

I have a number of friends who are affected by the hurricane, Gustav. While watching the news this morning I am prayerfully optimistic that New Orleans will be spared the worst of the storm. However, my good friends, Steven and Missi Perry, are going to need some help after the storm.

Steven is the pastor of FBC Grand Isle. I spoke with him just a moment ago and he is preparing for the recovery effort in Grand Isle and the surrounding area. CNN has showed about five feet of water washing over the island. Most of the buildings are on stilts so many should be okay, but there will be a great need for clean up after the storm.

If you are able, please gather together water bottles, gas, chainsaws, and food to send to the area. I am planning to take a group to Grand Isle on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how the storm works out. If you can go with me, please let me know. If you cannot go, but have some of the bold printed items above, let me know so that I can take it to those who need it. This is one of those opportunities to show God's love to people who need it. Pray for Louisiana, Texas, and all of those who are affected by the storm.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:06:00 +0000

I just finished reading a few articles dealing with family theology over at 9Marks.org. There was an article I'd like to recommend for parents because it really provided some valuable insight. Check out the article here. As the pastor of a family focused church, the article resonated with my desire to disciple families. It is always prudent to gather wisdom from those who have gone before.

An area of ministry I am currently praying over for LifeTree Church is missions. There is a great article about family missions here. Please pray for LifeTree Church as we seek where God would have us invest our mission efforts. It has to be a place where there is a great need for the gospel, but also where we can take the whole family to minister. If you have suggestions, you can leave a comment below, or email me at jeff@lifetreechurch.org.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:12:00 +0000

While preparing for last Sunday's sermon, I thought a great deal about servant evangelism. I think at a beginner's level, Servant Evangelism is okay, but for a churchwide service strategy (or even a personal spiritual discipline) it comes up short. We should definitely show God's love in a practical way, but we should focus on meeting real needs.

I know I am being critical of servant evangelism. I just wonder whether God's love is practically shown by giving somebody a coke when they don't really need it or want it. It is a nice gesture, but it is not really necessary. I am reminded of something I read on Skip Kazmarek's website. He wrote, "There is a difference between self-righteous service and true service. Self righteous service is insensitive. It force itself in and demands the opportunity to help. True service listens with tenderness and patience before acting. Self-righteous service is temporary, mainly occasional projects and "special" acts. True service is a life-style."

The spiritual discipline of service means that we should be prayerfully attentive to the people we come into contact with each day. Just as we are to expect a divine appointment to share the gospel, we are to expect a divine appointment of meeting needs. Serving could mean helping your co-worker on a project and doing your best despite the fact that it could potentially put him in a position to be promoted ahead of you. Serving could mean coaching a baseball or softball team even when you would rather be at home relaxing after work. Serving could mean adopting your neighbor's yard as a project because her husband has deployed (or has left, or is out of town on business, etc.). Serving could mean helping someone carry groceries to their car.

The point is not what you do, it is that you do it as an act of love toward God. Servant evangelism suggests serving with no strings attached, but there is always that hope that the person will respond favorably and end up at your church. Serving is helping people as an act of worship. I love God so I tend His flock. What do you think?

The Discipline of Service

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:16:00 +0000

I am getting a head start on posting for my sermon a little later today. There is just so much that can be said about serving God by serving others. The big question is, "who do you serve?"

When we serve others for personal gain, then we follow the way of the world. "I'll help you, but what's in it for me?" is the predominant mindset that we see everyday. Jesus taught against this many times. Most notably was in Matthew 6.

Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

When I read these words, I think about so many times that I have been recognized for doing something for others. True, the attention did make me uncomfortable, but on deeper levels, I really liked it. Now don't misunderstand, recognizing people for good deeds isn't wrong. However, it is a dangerous thing for Christians to get comfortable with praise. We can become so enamored with the good feelings, that we begin to serve ourselves. No one can serve two masters.

When we made Christ lord of our lives, we willing entered his service. In order for us to reflect Christ, we must think as he thinks, pray as he prays, and live as he lives. Jesus is the servant of servants. He gained sustenance by doing the will of the Father. Even though it is tiring work, it is healthy work.

Last week, I read an article about Michael Phelps. It said that Phelps eats 12,000 calories a day! I come nowhere close to that amount, but I guess I can hold my own. I may eat a tenth of what Phelps does, but he and I will never be mistaken for identical twins. Why does Phelps look so trim when he eats so much? It is because he participates in healthy work. Phelps has a very intense training regimen which he practices every day. By exercising and swimming daily, he hones his body into an incredible, competitive instrument.

In the same way, we are to spiritually exercise our bodies. When we read the Bible, pray, meditate, and worship God, we are taking in loads of spiritual calories. Many of us have progressed from the milk to the meat of the word. If we do not combine service with our spiritual intake, then we will become fat, unhealthy Christians.

This week, I will post more. Specifically, I will share some practical suggestions for serving God by serving others.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:21:00 +0000

Last Sunday the message at LifeTree Church's worship celebration was about prayer. I would like to expand my comments in this entry and describe some beneficial and creative ways to pray. These are by no means my own. I have gleaned many of these prayer forms over the years from friends and fellow believers. Others I came across online while researching prayer.

At any rate, I encourage you to use the following ideas to help strengthen your prayer life.

Praying Scripture

Perhaps the best way to start praying if you are new to the discipline (or if you are unsure of what to pray) is to read scripture and pray it to God. Much of King David’s Psalms were prayers using Old Testament Scripture. God answered King David straightaway and considered David His friend. If your heart’s desire is to be known of God, as David was, use the Psalms in your prayer life. Watch what God will do on your behalf!

Praying Scripture is helpful in extending one’s aloneness time with God, creating an intimate relationship with Him.

The following are examples of how to pray God’s Word:

“I command you--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" Joshua 1:9.

Thank You, Lord for being with me wherever I go. I will be strong, brave, and encouraged. I will not be afraid or dismayed. I will pray, and go, and do Your will. I thank You, Heavenly Father. Amen.

"I am leaving you with a gift -- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid” John 14:27.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the peace that You give. I accept this peace, so my heart will not be troubled with the affairs of this world. I thank You, Heavenly Father. Amen.

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to depart to the other side of the sea. Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead." Matthew 8:18-22

Father, help me to be like Jesus, who when the scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever You go." Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead." Help me to know what this focus means for me as I live my life.

Prayer with Hymns and Songs of Praise

A great way to pray is to pray the words of a hymn or song of praise to God. Let Him know how you feel towards Him by singing a prayer or praying a song to Him. This is kind of like finding a love song that expresses how you feel toward your wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend. A band that I really appreciate, The Swift, has a song that always speaks to me. I have prayed this song to God on many occasions. The song is called "I Need You." The lyrics are listed below:

My heart is restless in me
My wings are all worn out
I’m walking in the wilderness
And I cannot get out
I need You, oh I need You
Blessed savior come
I need You, oh I need You
Fill the every longing of my soul

Oh how I need You Lord
I need Your perfect word
With tearful eyes I see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today

My bed is soaked with sadness
My sadness has no end
A downward spiral of despair
That I keep falling in
I need You, oh I need You
To You my soul shall fly
I need You, oh I need You
Yahweh how I love you more than life
Oh how I need You Lord
I need Your perfect word
With tearful eyes I see
The sin that I afford
I need to weep and pray
For all the thousand ways
That I have failed You just today

Your silence is like death to me
So won’t You hear my desperate plea

Today my soul is soaring
Way over mountains high
Though I can see the valleys
They are all just passing by
Its not that I am stronger
Look at my feeble wings
But I’ve been lifted higher
Yahweh’s lifted me in His own strength

Oh how I love You Lord
I love your perfect word
With tearful eyes I see
The God who always will endure
Now I will celebrate
For all the thousand ways
That you have shown me grace
And made my heart in grace to stay
You made my heart in grace to stay
Lord, make my heart in grace to stay
I need You, oh I need You .

Silence

As many of us have busier and busier schedules, I have found that a valuable form of prayer is to sit in silence and listen to God. This does not mean no action or thought. Some people call silence meditation. The danger, though, is to think of meditation the way that it is taught and perceived by the world. Transcendental Meditation, or non-Christian forms of meditation, require that the participant empty themselves in order to achieve transcendance. The process Christian meditation is to focus intently on the one transcendant One and find ourselves in Christ.

As Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." We pray in silent meditation when we get away from all distractions in the world and ponder whatever attribute of God the Holy Spirit brings before us.

Prayer Notebooks

Use a notebook to keep track of prayer concerns you lift up to God. Be sure to record the date you began praying for the need, and the date and method God used to answer the prayer. This is beneficial when you enter low periods of life. You can look back through your prayer notebook and see how faithful God has been.

Prayer Journals

Similarly, you can keep a prayer journal. While a prayer notebook contains prayer concerns (usually as a list), the prayer journal is a place for you to write out your actual prayers to God. Many people benefit from this practice. Give it a try and see what you think.

Family Prayers

Praying with our family is a great way to disciple your children to grow into Christ followers. Find a time during the week for the entire family to gather and pray. Begin by asking each family member to describe their day and how to pray for them. Ask God to be a part of your family as He has made you a part of His family. Pray for your family members (be specific), that God would bless them and strengthen them.

Keep track of family prayer concerns in a family prayer notebook.

Prayer Research

Read books about prayer, and read the prayers of great Christian historical figures. Often we can pray the same prayers they prayed. The point is to incorporate their passion for Christ into our lives. It is not to become followers of Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, etc. By reading books about prayer, we are able to see prayer from another's perspective.

Prayer Walking

Take a walk around your neighborhood and pray for your neighbors. Use visual cues along with guidance from the Holy Spirit to know how to pray for them. For instance, if you see toys in the yard, you can pray for guidance for the parents as they raise their kids. Also, you can pray for the kids.

Creative Prayer

A number of people choose to paint, draw, dance, or sculpt their prayers. This type of creativity is a gift from God. Use it to express your relationship with Him.

Resources

Here are some resources on prayer:

Prayer, Does It Make a Difference, a book by Phillip Yancey.

Hearing God, a book by Peter Lord. This may be out of print, but it is an outstanding book.

http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.1556013/k.9BA6/Prayer_Help.htm North American Mission Board prayer helps.

http://www.opendoorsusa.org/content/view/5/14/ Prayer website for persecuted Christians around the world.

http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ppt_homepage Presidential Prayer Team. Regardless of who is in office, we need to pray for our leaders. This website provides information to inform our prayers.

http://www.upperroom.org/prayer_center/ The Upper Room is a devotional publisher. This is their online prayer center.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:51:00 +0000

I read this article today http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121694247343482821.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries. It examines parallels between Bush and the newest Batman movie. While I have my own thoughts on Bush (and Batman for that matter), the author makes a valid point in describing the simplicity of morality. There are some things that are always right and other things that are always wrong. As Klavan states, "Left and right, all Americans know that freedom is better than slavery, that love is better than hate, kindness better than cruelty, tolerance better than bigotry. We don't always know how we know these things, and yet mysteriously we know them nonetheless."

While the secular world would try to convince us that there is nuance and ambiguity in morality, we must be bold in the face of relativity. As Christ followers, we are to be more than bold. We are to passionately point people to the truth.

Apologetics Analogy

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:17:00 +0000

The other day I was talking with a friend about analogies of the existence of God. He had told of an example of faith in God as faith in a chair. We see a chair and have faith that it will support us if we sit in it. I don’t think that is a good example. Another example is to consider the wind. You can’t see it but you know it is there because you feel it and see the result of its presence. This example is a little better, but knowledge of the wind is relative to your experience of it.

I believe faith in God is more like oxygen. We need oxygen whether we know of it or not. Oxygen is mandatory for us to live. Life cannot be sustained without oxygen. When we breathe, we have faith that the air we breathe will have the necessary oxygen to support our lives. I can say that there is no oxygen, yet it exists regardless of my belief (and sustains me despite my disbelief).

Don’t believe in God? Stop breathing.

Exponential Day Two

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:42:00 +0000

Today was a great day to be in Orlando. I was able to interact with several people I hoped to meet with as well as met some new people. Perhaps the best session I attended was Alan Hirsch talking about the mission Dei, or mission of God. More accurately, it is God's mission. The one that Jesus told the church to join in. I really appreciated his blunt approach to sharing the mission and applying it to the church.

This being my last day at the conference, I am going to make one astute observation and then pack to go home and get in bed.

There seems to be two main strategy camps present at this Exponential. The first camp, represented by people like Alan Hirsch and Neil Cole, is focused on the organic nature of the church. Call it house church, simple church, or organic church if you like. The primary focus is on simple rapidly reproducible church structures. The second camp, represented by people like Dave Ferguson and Bill Easum, is focused on launching as big as you can and then moving quickly to establish satellite campuses. To be fair, Ferguson did suggest going to multiple services before going to satellites, but the point is that these two camps are basically opposites. Organic churches are relatively small, loosely networked communities of believers. Satellite campus churches are essentially decentralized mega churches.

My thoughts on this observation are that I feel sorry for the church planter who is uniquely called to plant a church of about 100 to 300 people, and I wonder at the wisdom of the satellite strategy. It seems prone to pastor ego inflating.

Exponential Day One

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:48:00 +0000

This first day of Exponential in Orlando Florida has been very productive. Ed Stetzer gave some great insights for church planting based on research. You can find that research here. He then moderated a panel discussion among pastors effective at church multiplication. I had an opportunity to speak with Neil Cole and the strategy guru – Jack Allen.

Andy Stanley taught a good lesson on communicating the vision. I am going to review the LifeTree Church vision and see if it needs tweaking.

I am staying with my good friends, Ron and Stacey. They have been gracious enough to let me stay in their home for the next couple of nights. Tonight, we laid sod in their front yard. I volunteered to help because (a) I enjoy doing that kind of work, and (b) I think that this is what the church should be about. A fellow brother has work that needs to be done and not enough time to do it. Another brother is perfectly capable of helping and so he does.

I am looking forward to a great day tomorrow. More on that later.

Meating of the body

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:32:00 +0000

Tonight the Farmer family enjoyed an evening meal with our friends. We met at a great Brazilian restaurant on Delk Rd. It is called Carne no Espeto. I don't know what that means but it sure was good. The family we with whom we ate dinner have been attending LifeTree Church for about a month now. They truly are wonderful people. We enjoyed a great meal and several hours of conversation. On our drive home, I was thinking how a meal cements relationships. There is something about sitting around a table in a relaxed atmosphere that drops defenses and builds cohesion. I think we will try to have a meal with LifeTree Church families at least once per month.

Next week I will be in Orlando for the Exponential Conference. I am praying that I will learn a lot while there.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:18:00 +0000

I am always amazed at what people think the church should be. By the same token, I am sure that there are people who are pretty amazed at my understanding of the church. What LifeTree Church looks like today is not what I expected the church to look like, but it is a pretty authentic representation of those in the church.

We are an extended family related only through Christ. That is definitely enough, but we need to be more open to the community around us. I am sometimes frustrated that the only ones who participate in the community outreach events is the Farmers and the Perrys. I really would like for everyone in the church to participate, but it just hasn't happened. This is depressing when a part of our core values (the DNA of LifeTree Church) is to be missional.

Pray for Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:21:00 +0000

I have been reading an excellent book on prayer called The Kneeling Christian by an Unknown Christian. I am barely into chapter 3 and I realize that I do not have the prayer life that I could or should have. The author refers to a man named John Hyde, whom everyone referred to as Praying Hyde. Hyde was a missionary in India who learned the value of fervent prayer.

The point that drives home in me is that he was already serving in India when he realized that he was not operating at full strength simply because he was not praying to the fullest of his ability. The author wrote at the beginning of chapter 3: "A preacher who prays little may see some results of his labors. But if he does, it will be because someone, somewhere, is praying for him. The fruit is the pray-er's –not the preacher's. how surprised some of us preachers will be on that day when the Lord shall 'reward every man according to his works.'"

My desire is to become the prayer warrior I should be. If you are reading this blog, please pray for me to be fervently devoted to prayer. I tend to value action and interaction as a means of obedience. I pray that God would foster in me the discipline of fighting on my knees!

Our First Worship Celebration!

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:41:00 +0000

Today was the very first worship service for LifeTree Church, and the days and weeks of prayer and preparation truly paid off. We had a great group of 26 people present. Kent Caperton led the worship music, and he was excellent. Kent is a real pro.

I had a couple of things that I felt I could improve, but on the whole I really feel like God was glorified today. We are now working towards the second Sunday in February. Keep us in your prayers.

The week before the week before the first worship celebration

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:58:00 +0000

What an incredibly busy week this has been! I have been working feverishly to get all of my writing done before next week so that I can focus on details to the setup of the worship celebration. The sermon is ready. The powerpoint is basically ready. I have talked with my worship leader and he is ready. Right now I am trying to get the family bible studies together for the next month. I don't know if anyone has ever mentioned, but church planting is A LOT of work!

I know that I am inviting more work for myself by writing the family bible studies myself, but I think that our core values of excellence and placing a high value on scripture mean that I should write the studies for what needs to be done rather than what I can find.

Speaking of finding things, I found a wonderful resource for family integrated churches. Scott Brown at Hope Baptist Church http://www.hopebaptistchurch.info/hope/Welcome.html in Wake Forest, NC has excellent articles for the family Bible study. I also like his concept of the five year discipleship plan. We are going to seriously consider implementing a similar plan at LifeTree Church.

January One

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 16:38:00 +0000

Last night, we had a family night as we awaited the new year. After dinner, we had a Bible Study and family prayer time. Then we played board games until 11:15. Brooke was really into the Star Wars Trivial Pursuit, Karen eventually quit. She said she just isn't dweeby enough for it.

Karen and Paige went to bed at 11:30. Couldn't keep their eyes open. Brooke and I stayed up till the "ball dropped," and went outside to see the fireworks. It was COLD. I pointed out constellations. Today we are having corned beef. It has been years since I had corned beef. Mainly because Karen hates corned beef. Maybe she will eat chicken fingers instead.

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:00:00 +0000

The last day of the year! I want to give a quick "Happy Birthday" to Biff. His birthday is always a major party. I have experienced a number of victories in 2007. Perhaps the biggest was finishing my Ph.D. at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Also, LifeTree Church is coming together nicely. I am blogging about LifeTree Church here.

One of my commitments for 2008 is to keep both blogs updated on a more regular basis. I realize that this sounds like a resolution made for breaking, but I feel confident that I will be able to do so. Last year was so hectic with all of the dissertation research and writing. I just didn't feel like being on the computer for anything else.

Another goal I have for 2008 is my health. Karen and I have acquired an elliptical machine, and I plan on using that all year. I'd love to average losing a pound per week for 2008. That would be incredible. I have some friends who are planning to run a half marathon this spring. I am nowhere near ready for that. But I'd like to run a race of some sort by the fall. Perhaps I could do the Atlanta half marathon at Thanksgiving.

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 16:02:00 +0000

I have been thinking lately about what one on one discipleship will look like at LifeTree Church. One of our obstacles is time. People in Paulding County typically work outside of the county, and spend a great deal of time commuting. My wife, Karen, generally spends 3 hours a day driving. The fact that people have less time during the week to spend with their families is a major consideration for the family integrated church format. It just doesn’t make much sense to me to ask people to give up time spent with their families on the weekend in order to strengthen the family and communicate biblical values.

So how do we accomplish one on one mentoring in a family environment? As far as mentoring goes, there is no good substitute to time shared together. This is one reason why children take on the attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of their parents. The kids see mom and dad in their most unguarded states. When out in public, we tend to project a persona. We guard our actions and control our emotions so that the world only sees what we want them to see. Sometimes this doesn’t work, but in general, everyone does this. However, at home, we let down our guards. We are uninhibited in our reactions and emotions. Home is where one can let his guard down and simply be.

This transparency is beneficial for the children. They see who we really are and emulate us. They perceive which beliefs we truly believe and which ones we merely give lip service. Because they see us and hear us, they model themselves after us. This is why the Bible talks about the sins of the father being passed on from generation to generation. Parents model life to their children, the children follow in the parents footsteps, and generally commit the same mistakes, hold the same beliefs, and value the same character traits.

This is where my thoughts are at the moment. Obviously, LifeTree Church will utilize the parents to disciple the children. But how do we disciple mom and dad? How do we share life together with a large number of adults, but do so effectively?

Feel free to respond to these questions.

Paige Ballet Recital Dance

noreply@blogger.com (rednecktheologian) — Wed, 16 May 2007 00:52:00 +0000

Click to Play

Paige had her Dance recital on Saturday, May 12, 2007. Here is the ballet portion of the recital.