Pastor Jason's Blog

Election Day Musings

2010-11-02T11:39:00.002-04:00

I’m sitting at the church watching the RV’s come and go today - covered in election/political signs. Each one is filled with young men and women trying to look serious and official while hiding their giddy excitement about being involved in something so much bigger than themselves.

Whether you are Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Constitutional or Independent or whatever, as an American, you have the distinct privilege of participating in the governing process. There is no precedent in Scripture to look to if you want to know “how to vote.” In the First Century, the Church had no say in the governmental process and eventually became objects of its wrath. It wasn’t until after 300AD that Christianity had any influence in the Empire.

Here is what I find interesting...the Church flourished and grew when she was oppressed and suffering. Once she had influence and power in the world, she really stopped flourishing. There were (and are) pockets of faith communities growing and thriving in healthy relationships, but those became less and less the norm.

Even today, the Church in America is very visible and stable, but I wonder how truly vibrant and transformational she is. I am constantly thinking about who much it DOESN’T cost me to be a follower of Jesus. I wonder how much stronger my faith and my relationship with Christ would be if I needed it more.

Living in America is a great privilege that I do not take lightly. Yet, if I am honest, I must confess that such a great blessing can also serve as a my greatest curse. I have never had my faith tested in such a way that my life truly depended on it. I might never experience that living in America. And so I wonder how strong my faith really is.

This election day don’t forget to vote, but also take a few minutes and remember that we live in a society that makes it easy to be a Christian. While this is great on some levels, we can never forget that Christ’s call of discipleship was a call to come and die. While you might never face that reality in our culture today, don’t ever get complacent with your faith and your relationship with Christ. Take time each day to stop and connect with God lest you forget that your relationship with Him is built on a bloody cross, not in a voting booth.

Viagra for your Faith

2010-06-22T22:15:00.000-04:00

I'm so tired of getting spammed with messages about growing certain parts of my body. Apparently enough people click through those ads to pay them to keep sending them. Well, maybe we can turn this viral craziness into something good!

This Sunday we are starting a new series we are calling "Big Faith." We are going to explore 5 things that God uses to grow your faith to ginormous sizes! These are things that you don't "do" but things that you experience and God uses them as catalysts to expand your faith.

While this list is not some list quoted from the Bible, it is based on things we see in the Bible - as well as some things I've observed over the last 17 years of ministry. I do want to give credit to Andy Stanley for giving such great titles to these 5 things (I couldn't come up with such catchy phrases).

Practical Teaching
Providential Relationships
Private Disciplines
Personal Ministry
Pivotal Circumstances

God's desire for you is that you become more dependent on your relationship with Jesus.

If you are hoping to see your faith grow... join us for this series.

Sundays (beginning June 27) at 11am.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

A Brief Story of our BuildOUT Campaign

2010-05-12T16:39:00.000-04:00

Miraculous Developments...

This Sunday, Terra Nova will have our first ever "Pledge Day" for our BuildOUT Capital Campaign. We are trying to raise $90K to pay one year of rent and the build-out costs for a new location. This new space will more than double our capacity to reach people in Delaware County. The whole process has been a roller coaster ride of faith, doubt, fear, amazement, and ulcers! Here is a taste...

The process of acquiring this building (5542 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center OH 43065) and figuring out what the space would look like has been far from easy! Here are some of the highlights of the hard work the Leadership Team has put into this project as well as times God intervened in a miraculous way.

Over 1 year ago, we called about this property...the owner was not interested in talking to us.

We pray...

Over the course of the year, we see several new families attending TN who have some expertise in areas of lease negotiations, construction, and such. Four months ago, we called again (on a whim...) and the owner not only wanted to talk, he was willing to take half of the asking price for rent.

Conceptual drawings are started. The costs are overwhelming and almost kill the project.

We pray...

We cut every “extra” we can trying to get down to the bare minimum of what it would take to get into the building and still be able to hold services.

The Health Department informs us that there is no way we can have a church there because the septic system cannot handle the sewage.

We pray...

After multiple emails, phone calls, meetings, and revisions to the plans, we meet with the Health Department and EPA at the site. They discover a section of the septic system they did not have record of existing and decide to simply “keep an eye on it” with the understanding that the landlord would pay to tap into the public sewer system in the very near future.

Construction estimates are still beyond our budget.

We pray...

Some tough cuts are made in the drawings trying to make the space useful, economic, and expandable as we grow.

The owner is approached by another potential renter...with a lot more money than us.

We pray...

In order to close the deal, we agree to the owner’s updated timeline for the commencement of the lease knowing that God will have to work with the government agencies to expedite permits and such. Initial signs from these agencies are very positive.

We ask the congregation to commit to giving $90,000 over the next 6 months to pay for the build out of the new space and the first year of rent.

We pray...

BuildOUT Pledge Day

What will God do through you? Keep watching and see!

If you would like to make a donation to our project please send checks to

Terra Nova Community Church

825 Houk Rd. Suite 215

Delaware, OH 43015

Philippians 1:27-30

2010-04-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

Philippians 1:27-30
27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

As I write this it is a bit ironic because my wife and oldest daughter are watching American Idol and the performer is singing "The Boxer" by Simon & Garfunkel. He is singing about a fighter who is beaten and bearing scars, but he still remains standing. As I hear those words, I read these verses...

"Don't be intimidated by your enemies..."
"For you have been given the privilege of suffering for him."
"We are in this struggle together..."

There are days, lately, that I have begun to feel a little bit more of the struggle and fight of being on the front line of "fighting together for the faith." I am in no way saying that I have been persecuted like too many of our brothers and sisters around the world, but lately I'm simply feeling the struggle of living out my faith.

What does this struggle mean to you? Have you felt the presence of the enemy in your life? How are you in this struggle with? Who do you look to as an example to inspire you?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Philippians 1:20-26

2010-04-22T06:00:00.004-04:00

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better.23 I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. 25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith.26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

This passage almost always gets me thinking! Can I honestly say that for me, TO LIVE MEANS LIVING FOR CHRIST, BUT DYING IS EVEN BETTER? Really? Is my concept of being with Christ so palpable that I can almost taste it? Am I living my life with so much faith that death is even in the realm of possibility due to my living out the Gospel each day?

One issue that I find myself working through as I read this passage today is this: do I believe that God is actually using my life to "continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith"?

What questions does the passage evoke in you?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Suggested Resources:

Philippians 1:8-19

2010-04-21T06:00:00.001-04:00

As I look at today's text I can't help but ask myself a couple of questions...

Is my determination to share the Gospel anywhere near as focused as Paul's when he says that even his imprisonment is a chance for the advancing of the message?
Do I see setbacks and obstacles as simply new opportunities or do they discourage me?

As you meditate on today's text, think about your commitment to the Gospel. Paul was facing people who were trying to make him look bad, but as long as the Gospel was being proclaimed, he didn't care. Maybe you don't have anyone trying to get you trouble by talking about God with others, but what is going on in your life that you might need to work on your attitude and focus in light of what God wants to do in and through you?

Let God's Word transform your mind today.

Jason

Some Suggested Resources:

Philippians 1:3-7

2010-04-20T06:40:00.000-04:00

In these verses, Paul let the Philippians know how he is praying for them. As you consider this text, here are some questions to get you thinking...

With whom do you have a close enough relationship that they are praying for you like this?
Who are you praying for like this?
With whom do you have a "partnership in the gospel"?
What good work is Christ doing in you?
What will it look like when He completes it?
What role do you have in the process?
What other areas of the text jump out at you? Why?

I thank you for your partnership in the Gospel. As your pastor, my prayer for you is that "your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God."

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Daily Meditation - Philippians 1:1-2

2010-04-18T23:36:00.001-04:00

April 19, 2010

Philippians 1:1-2
As we begin spending time in this letter, we need to set the stage.

Paul is writing to the Church in the city of Philippi. This city was given special privilege by Octavian. After 31 BC he ordered the citizens of Philippi to surrender their land to his veterans. Apparently citizens in Philippi had supported Antony and Cleopatra rather than Octavian, so their land was taken and given to Octavian’s soldiers. The city was then given the title “Colonia Iulia Augusta Philippensis” which basically meant that people who lived there lived as though they were on Italian soil - they had some breaks when it came to taxes and such.

Philippi was a favored city and the citizens were very proud of their colony. As you read this letter from Paul, look for allusions to this fact.

To better understand the establishment of the church in Philippi, one must go to Acts 16. While we could spend much time reflecting on this passage, I refer to it only to provide context for Paul’s words in our passage. Lydia is the first convert. She is a probably a Gentile who was more than sympathetic to Judaism, but she was also a very successful businesswoman.

Upon establishing the church in Lydia’s house, Paul soon ran into trouble with the law. He cast out a demon from a young slave girl who would tell fortunes. Her owners realized that they lost a major source of income and got the city into an uproar against Paul. In the end, the city was embarrassed because they improperly treated Paul who was a Roman CItizen (something highly prized in a favored city like Philippi!).

As you read verses one and two, here are some things to consider:

Paul calls himself (and Timothy) “slaves of Christ Jesus.” Despite our modern concept of slave, this term does refer to ownership and servitude, yet Paul uses it to introduce himself. When you are introducing yourself to others, what images do you want them to have of you? What matters to you when it comes to how others think of you? Would you consider yourself a slave of Christ? How do you see this play out in your daily life?
Next, Paul refers to the people in the church at Philippi as “God’s holy people.” The Greek really says to the “saints” at Philippi. Throughout the New Testament the word “saint” (haigos) is always in the plural, referring to a group of people. How do you see yourself as part of the “Saints” of Terra Nova? What does that mean when it comes to how you view yourself and others in our church?
What connections do you see between Paul and Timothy being “slaves of Christ Jesus” and the members of the church being called “Saints in Christ Jesus”?
Lastly, Paul calls special attention to the overseers and deacons. This is the leadership of the church. In what ways do you view the leadership of the church? Do you pray for them? Do you support them by helping out and encouraging them?

As you go through your day today, allow this passage to guide you. What key thoughts impress you as you slowly read the passage? What is God saying to you through the Holy Spirit?

Under the Mercy,
Jason

The Yen and Yang of the Christian Life

2010-04-17T09:55:00.000-04:00

If anyone actually reads these, I apologize for my lack of writing recently. Blogging has simply dropped on the priority list. Beginning Monday, I will update a daily guide for meditation on the book of Philippians for Terra Nova. We will all explore this book together for a week or two for the purpose of "renewing our minds" with the energizing impact of Scripture. We are currently working through John Ortberg's new book "The ME I Want To Be." All of our Life Groups are doing the small group curriculum and it has been a really study. For more go to www.terranovacc.com and click on the podcast button.

Now, a few random thoughts on John 1:17.

John writes that Moses brought the Law but Jesus brought GRACE & TRUTH. The comparison of Moses and Jesus and Law and grace & truth is very fascinating. The image that came to my mind as I thought about this passage was the Yen/Yang symbol.

The symbol represents wholeness of life - the tension that keeps balance in the universe. The concept has been used to represent many opposing forces that bring balance. Jim Collins uses it to represent how a great organization balances preserving the core with stimulating growth. I wonder if we couldn't hijack the symbol and use it to show the tension between these two aspects of God that bring balance and wholeness.

Grace: receiving what you do not deserve. Demonstration of undeserved love and acceptance.

Truth: absolute without compromise. Foundational. Rock solid.

Jesus brings in His incarnation the completion of both of these concepts. He is grace - giving what we do not deserve. He is truth - absolute, complete, no falsehood, all that is right.

Most of my life seems to lean to one of these concepts or the other, but rarely do I find myself completely immersed in both simultaneously. I'm either full of grace (and feeling like I'm compromising on Truth by giving in a little here and there) or I'm full of truth (unbending, uncompromising, and declaring what is right and wrong). It is rare that I bring to a situation (as Jesus did and still does) BOTH grace and truth.

Maybe if we, as members of the Church, began to consider how we might be more like Christ in this way, we might be more of a positive influence on the world today.

Grace & Truth...tension? Balance? Completion? Christ.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

I Finally Stopped and Listened to God

2010-03-19T11:30:00.001-04:00

Lately, God has really been asking me to spend more time with Him in quiet meditation and prayer and study. I have to admit that I have not really been listening to invitation until this week. But this week I have finally slowed down enough to listen. Here are some things I’m learning.

First, relying on my own power to do His work is silly and leads to either arrogance or humiliation (and sometimes one leads to the other!). I have been spinning my wheels trying to be “all that and a bag of chips” while forgetting the still small voice of the Spirit. This week as I have started to do more listening I am realizing how quickly that slippery slope falls.

Discipline in your spiritual life is not about gaining points with God, it’s about choosing to cultivate your relationship with Him. I have been forced to ask myself how important is my relationship with God? Answering that question is less easy when you do it through the rubric of how you spend your time, what you feed your soul with, and where your money goes. As I evaluated these things, I realized I was heading in a direction I ultimately didn’t want to go. I have had to work hard this week on re-disciplining myself.

Second, I realized that God wants to work in and through me. God really loves me and wants an intimate relationship with me. I don’t have to convince Him I’m worth His time. I don’t have to prove something to Him before He will look my way. I don’t even have to get His attention. I already have it! Instead, I just need to turn my attention toward Him.

Last, I have learned that I am not nearly as great as I often think I am nor am I as terrible as I sometimes think I am. It is quite amazing how much of a role external forces play in my self-perception. When I am being praised I feel great. When I sense someone is not happy with me, I see myself as a loser. One minute I have the confidence of a champion in battle, the next I’m a whimpering puddle of pathetic self-loathing. All because of what I think someone else thinks of me.

As I have spent more time simply being in the presence of God, I am sensing a much more healthy and consistent self-understanding in myself. As I learn to listen to the Spirit’s still small voice, I begin to quit worrying about what others might think or say and seek only to be obedient to Him. My self-concept is no longer shaped by what others think (or what I think they think!), but by my creator and and savior. When my priorities are shifted toward simply cultivating my relationship with God, I am free to see myself as God sees me. This protects me from utter conceit and arrogance as well as self-defeating attitudes of worthlessness.

I share all of this hoping to encourage each of you. I understand what it is to have times of spiritual dryness and even drought. I know what it is like to get busy and simply forget about cultivating your relationship with God. I know that it is hard to be disciplined about spending time alone in God’s presence. I know where it leads when we get on that slippery slope. But I also know that God isn’t looking for a bunch of perfect people, He is inviting us to be with Him and enjoy His company.

This week, I’ve been re-introduced to keeping company with God...and I am enjoying it so much! I would love for you to share in this feeling.

Thoughts on Short Term Mission Trips

2010-03-12T15:22:00.002-05:00

I had a wonderful lunch today with a couple from Terra Nova. They are a solid family who really love Jesus and want to serve Him in whatever way they can.

Recently, they have felt drawn to an amazing work in South Africa that is doing great stuff ministering to the homeless, to AIDS victims, to orphans and a whole lot more. This couple just returned from a meeting in Tennessee where the founders of this mission shared about what has happened and what is happening at the mission.

They have sensed a moving in the Spirit in their lives that they should go to this mission on a short-term mission trip. There are a ton of reasons they shouldn't go - it's expensive, they are not rich, they have children for whom they would have to arrange childcare, it's Africa (that's a long way away!), I could go on. But they can't shake this feeling that God is asking them to go.

So they asked me about it.

I have many thoughts on short-term mission trips. The primary principle that I have learned over the years is that short-term trips benefit those going far more than they benefit the people you are "ministering to." I'm not saying houses don't get built, leaders don't get resourced and equipped, and generally positive things don't happen. I'm just saying that the work of the Kingdom of God revolves around building relationships and the mutuality of community. That cannot develop during a week-long trip between those visiting and the "natives."

But here's the rub...

The impact these trips have on the people who go is infectious. They come back with a whole new perspective on life. They see life and stuff and priorities completely differently.

And most of all, they have learned a little bit more about being submitted to the Spirit. They have learned about sacrifice. They have learned about obedience.

I don't care if you are going downtown to serve at a soup kitchen or around the world to spend a few weeks at an AIDS shelter, if you feel God asking you to step out...GO! While you may not change the entire cycle of injustice and poverty in Africa, you just might begin to hear more loudly and more clearly God's still small voice. And that could end up changing eternity for those around you.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Reflections on Ministry (pt. 4)

2010-03-08T10:07:00.000-05:00

Okay...last thought on this set of entries.

Dr. Lobody recounted the beautiful history of Coventry Cathedral (Coventry, England - for a virtual tour click here). It was bombed during World War 2. As the town decided how to rebuild, they were faced with some options.

Leave the ruins as a tribute.
Remove the ruins and build something new on top of them.
Abandon the site and start fresh somewhere else.
Find a way to incorporate the ruins into the new design.

They chose number 4.

I wonder how many times in our lives we see failure or difficulty or pain and choose one of the other options.

We leave the ruins and can't ever get past them. Maybe it was a failed relationship so we never open up again. Maybe it was a painful experience that we just can't get past.

We remove the ruins as though they were never there and just keep plugging away. It's easier to go forward if we pretend like nothing ever happened. Of course this means we probably don't learn anything from the experience...

We move on, never looking back. In other words, we run away - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. We don't want to be the person who lived there or experienced that. We just want to start over somewhere else.

Or maybe, we have the courage to do what Coventry did. We celebrate the past, we commemorate the ruins and rubble, and we allow our past experiences to inform us as we move into our new future. Our lives are not isolated incidents. They are a narrative building with each chapter and scene. Each scene must inform the next. Each chapter must help shape you into the person God is calling you to be.

As you move forward in your story, embrace your experiences (good and bad) as resources for a bank of wisdom. Celebrate what has happened around you and learn from everything. You are not alone. You are surrounded by "a great cloud of witnesses" cheering you on - in Heaven and here on earth! Keep moving forward, but do it with the wisdom of a life of experiences used for God's glory as you become all God has called you to be.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Reflections on Ministry (pt. 3)

2010-03-06T11:51:00.001-05:00

I could not relate to Dr. Lobody in the story she told to illustrate this next point because she talked about what it was like to be a woman and be ordained in the last part of the 20th Century. While I understood what she said, because I am male, I could not completely grasp all the dynamics of her struggles.

But her lesson was much deeper than a gender issue.

This is an issue I have struggled with my entire life, and once again I will turn to Henri Nouwen's amazing little book In The Name of Jesus for some more insight.

Dr. Lobody's lesson was this: We are to be faithful even in the ministry for which we are not remembered.

I remember looking over the time line so beautifully illustrated by the artistic team at the church. I remember seeing all the pictures blown up into huge posters like a life-sized scrapbook detailing the last 5 years of ministry at this young church where I had been serving. The church was only 5 years old and I had been there three and half of those years. We had seen amazing growth and God had done some wonderful things in that community.

But all I noticed was there were not any pictures of me.

I was supposedly someone important, but if you had not been part of this community and only saw this gallery of pictures, you might never know that I had even been there.

At first I was hurt. Then I was mad. Then I realized that maybe I was a little less important than I made myself out to be. God had to remind me that if I was in this vocation for recognition and fame, I needed to leave His service.

Back to Henri Nouwen. Using Jesus' temptation as a model, Nouwen notes that Jesus' second temptation was to be spectacular. Jump off this parapet and let the angels catch you!

In ministry, we often want to be the professional, the expert whose talents and skill save the day and fix everything. We want the people to stand in awe of us as we keep a safe distance from them. We want to be popular.

I want to be remembered.

But that is not our calling. Our calling is more like John the Baptist. I must decrease that He might increase.

We are called to be faithful, not remembered.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Refections on Ministry (pt 2)

2010-03-05T09:36:00.000-05:00

Another lesson Dr. Lobody mentioned revolved around a story from 9/11. She was teaching at The Methodist Theological School of Ohio then and came onto campus that fateful Tuesday morning hearing the news on the radio. Being from New York, she knew lots of people who lived, worked, and had ministries all around Manhattan and the towers.

After a day of processing and praying with students and faculty (and not being able to really talk at all), she prepared to teach a class on Wednesday. Obviously, the syllabus was thrown out the window for a while.

As she began to lecture the class, tears streamed down her face and she wept as she taught.

A lady in her class was blind and had a service dog named "Walter." Service dogs are working animals and generally one is not interact with the dog like a pet. So each day Dr. Lobody greeted Walter as though he were part of the class but did not pet him.

This day, as Dr. Lobody lectured and the tears streamed down her face, Walter got up from under the table, walked over to her and simply put up his paw. She took his paw and for the rest of the class, Walter simply held Dr. Lobody's hand as she taught.

This is a beautiful picture of the role many of us neglect: the ministry of simply holding someone's hand.

Henri Nouwen, in his book In the Name of Jesus, comments that Christian leaders need to move from competence to contemplative prayer. In other words, we need to shift our focus from being the fixers to being incarnation - the presence of Jesus for those around us.

Sometimes we forget that the most powerful act of ministry is to simply hold someone's hand.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Thoughts on Ministry

2010-03-04T11:04:00.002-05:00

For the Delaware Ministerial Association meeting yesterday we had asked a veteran seminary professor from Methodist Theological Seminary of Ohio to come and speak. Dr. Diane Lobody shared with us a summary of some ministry lessons she has learned in her 35 years of being an ordained minister.

Over the next couple of blog entries, I want to share a couple of these and what they mean to me (I am approaching 20 years in the ministry).

Dr. Lobody sat on the desk at the front of the room and simply began with a story. Let's face it, stories are what make up our lives, so any life-lessons have to be in the form of a story. I won't tell all her stories, but this one deserves a summary.

Thirty-five years ago she was in her Bronx apartment with her family preparing to go down the street to her church for her ordination service. Her elderly grandmother, who was from Slovakia and was a losing grip with the world around her due to age, asked where they were going. Dr. Lobody's dad, with all the pride a father can muster, told her, "Diane is getting ordained." Grandma didn't quite understand what this meant and they tried to think of the Slovakian word for ordained. Since nothing came, he told Grandma, "Diane is becoming a Priest!"

Diane's grandmother walked up to her and in the holiness of that moment uttered some of the most profound, spirit-filled words that Diane could hear as she began her journey into ordained ministry...

"Don't take shit off nobody!"

And she walked away.

Dr. Lobody's take on this piece of advice was to listen to the grandmothers in the church, they have a lot to offer. I agree 100% with this and have made it a habit to listen them. As a young man in ministry, I remember always looking at the older generation for wisdom that a young punk like me would need.

I want to go down a different path with this. I want to comment on the advice itself.

Jesus was a pacifist and literally gave Himself up in the face of violence so that through His death and resurrection we might be saved from God's wrath. But Jesus did this when the time was complete and at His command. If you look through Jesus' life, He never backed down and He never took "S**t from anyone." Without being mean or hurtful, Jesus was able to be confident in Himself, His purpose, and His task.

I wonder how many of us can truly say that we are confident enough in our purpose and our self to stand up in the face of criticism and resistance and not lose our focus. I have struggled with this for years. I feign humility, but in reality it is a lack of confidence in the calling that God has placed on my life.

Today, I want to encourage you to be strong in your calling (everyone is called into ministry, some of us just happen to do as our vocation as well - so this is for everyone!).

For the Spirit God gives us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. (2 Timothy 1:7-8)

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1)

You have been called by God to serve in His Kingdom. Be confident in this.

And don't take any s*** of nobody.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Irony and Evangelism

2010-02-02T11:55:00.002-05:00

I stopped to get gas at Kroger today. I looked up and beside me was a driver training car. The person got out of the car smoking a cigarette, left the car running and proceeded to put gas in the car. After she got the pump going, she got back in the car (it was still running) to wait for the pump to finish. When it finished, she proceeded to “top off” the tank.

The irony of the situation made me simply laugh. A driver training car breaking every rule at the gas station! The only thing left for her to do was to talk on her cell phone while smoking the cigarette dispensing the gas!

On top of all this, there is an oil change place just beyond the gas station and out of the vents on its roof black smoke was coming out and it smelled like burning oil.

The more I thought about this, the more I realized that the irony of this situation is nothing compared to the irony of a community of people who believe with all of their heart that they have been given the gift of eternal life and the command to share it with everyone, yet they don’t. How many of our friends and neighbors and family members have no hope in their lives - no meaning, no significance? We say that we love them (and we mean it!), but do we offer them the ultimate gift?

Join us this Sunday as we begin to explore what it means to share our faith without being jerks. Over the next couple of weeks we will learn what salvation really is and how to talk about it without coming off like an idiot or kook. It’s going to be fun! Bring your friends.

Under the Mercy,
Jason
jason@terranovacc.com

Out of Sync

2010-01-20T07:47:00.001-05:00

Have you ever been through a time where you just feel out of sync with the rhythm of your life? It's not that there is anything particularly wrong or some big sin in your life, you just feel "off"?

For some strange, unknown reason that is how I have felt lately. Prayer is work and too often it feels pointless. Spending time in Scripture is a drudgery. I feel very undisciplined and a bit aimless.

Yet...

I've been working with a couple whose marriage was literally about to end and in 2 weeks time God truly did a miracle. I say miracle because that was the only hope they had.

Terra Nova continues to grow in spite of my weakness (or maybe because of my weakness...).

I'm seeing people I love dearly find new ground in their spiritual journey and it thrills me.

Maybe we are prone to get stuck in the morass of difficult times so that we are forced to realize that it is not our strength or our abilities or our greatness that provokes God to move and act. It is actually quite the opposite. It is in our weakness that God is strong.

Don't let your spiritual inabilities get you down. Don't let "off" times make you feel like less of a Christian or less loved by God.

God loves you because you are you, not because of how consistent you have a quiet time or pray. God loves you because you are His creation, not because of all you have accomplished. This means that even when you are under-performing (in your mind) you are still extremely loved by God. He still is quite fond of you.

Rest in that. I know I am trying to.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Pat Robertson & Haiti

2010-01-14T10:58:00.001-05:00

I posted my status on Facebook yesterday by saying this, "Someone needs to tell Pat Robertson to shut up." I still feel this way. Robertson basically said the the people of Haiti swore a pact with the devil and this is why they are suffering. He is citing a story he read (he does not give a reference) about how they did this to drive out the French.

I know that telling someone to shut up is not a very nice thing to say, and I know that Pat Robertson in no way represents what the majority of Christians think, but it really angers me that people like that become the loudest voice in the crowd. The more I hear about what happened in Haiti, the more amazed I am at the devastation. I pray that we, the Church, will be able to help restore and rebuild this country.

The Church is not in (nor should it engage in) a public relations war. We are to let God justify us. Our love for each other and the world around us ought to be evidence enough of our faith. When outspoken men or women declare things about us or about God that are simply untrue and misrepresent the truth, our job is not to shout louder in return, but to demonstrate love with even more fervor.

I hope Robertson realizes the damage he has done to the credibility of the Gospel, yet I also know that I, too, am guilty of misrepresenting God's love in a million small ways.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

2010: A Year of Living Missionally

2010-01-12T21:27:00.002-05:00

At Terra Nova we are committing to living one full year in a missional way. This means that we will commit every day to live in such a way that the people around us will see and experience God's love. Want to join us?

The "how" of living missionally

These are 3 questions we are asking as we pursue an entire year of living missionally (they are from Dave Gibbons' book "The Monkey and the Fish"):

1. Where is Nazareth?
In John 1 Nathanael asks what good could come from Nazareth. At Terra Nova, we are asking where is Nazareth? Where are the people that are the outsiders, the outcasts, and the oppressed? Where are those that I don't really want to believe in. Who do I think is "less than"?

When I can answer this, I know who I need to be focusing on in my pursuit of living missionally.

Craig Groeschel said, "To reach unreached people, we have to do what is not yet being done."

Who are the people around you that need to hear about HOPE?

2. What is my pain?
In 1 Corinthians 1 Paul says that to the Jews the cross is a stumbling block and to the Greeks it is foolishness. The Gospel is about meeting people at their point of pain. Too often in our culture we are focused on success and being "all together." We want to hear success stories and how we can become our best self. We want to relate to people within the context of success.

Unfortunately, the most common denominator between us is not success but pain. If I am going to relate to the people around me in a real, authentic way, I need to be willing to accept and even embrace my pain. It is within the context of this shared pain that we will be able to truly touch those around us.

3. What is in my hand?
In Exodus 4 God asks Moses a very simple question: "What is that in your hand?" The question encourages us to focus on what we have not what we are lacking. What do you have that you can use? What talents and gifts do you have now that will help those around you?

As we wrestle with these questions, we will begin the process of living every day with a missional mindset.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Rick Warren's Plea...

2010-01-03T13:53:00.003-05:00

For those of you who haven't heard, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church just south of Los Angeles wrote a letter to his congregation letting them know that due to the recession and the church reaching out to help the 10% of its members who had lost their jobs (this is a church of 20,000), they were going to end the year with a $900K deficit. He asked for everyone to pitch in and cover the deficit. By New Year's Eve they had raised $2.4M. See the full story here.

I'm trying to process how I feel about this. Terra Nova runs lean. We do not have any extra cash. We have very generous members who are the best in the world. I am truly blessed to have a community like the people of Terra Nova!

My emotions are mixed as I read this story. I am familiar enough with Rick Warren to know that he is a godly, honorable man for whom I have tremendous respect. I am not a "mega-church-basher." I know that a lot of what Saddleback does is tremendous and benefits not just its members but the poor around the world.

I am also a bit discouraged as a church-planter. I can't imagine starting this decade with a surplus. I probably need to repent a bit for my jealousy of Saddleback. I am so proud of Terra Nova. Today we reviewed some of things we saw God do in 2009. My only reaction is WOW! TN was really generous and willing to serve in amazing ways. I have no room to be jealous! They are going to have to run me out of town before I will leave Terra Nova. No amount of money could lure me away from this community!

Maybe reading this article ultimately reminded me how wonderful my church community really is. I hope it reminds you how blessed you are (or can be!).

Under the Mercy (and very content!)
Jason

The Theology of a Hug

2009-12-27T09:04:00.002-05:00

Christmas Eve we had our first ever Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. I honestly didn't expect more than 40-50 people to show up. I was blown away when we ran out of chairs and had people standing in the back. It was a good night.

The short talk I gave centered around the theology of an embrace. Here are a few thoughts from that message.

Seeing Santa in the mall reminds me of Mark 10 where the children are scrambling to sit around Jesus to receive a blessing. Mark 10:16 says that Jesus opened his arms and blessed the children. There is something spiritual about a hug. Something almost mystical.

Miroslav Volf (professor of theology at Yale Divinity School) says this:
“An embrace involves always a double movement of opening and closing. I open my arms to create space in myself for the other. The open arms are a sign of discontent at being myself only and of desire to include the other. They are an invitation to the others to come in and feel at home with me, to belong to me. In an embrace I also close my arms around the others - not tightly, so as to crush and assimilate them forcefully into myself, for that would not be an embrace but a concealed power-act of exclusion; but gently, so as to tell them that I do not want to be without them in their otherness. I want them to remain independent and true to their genuine selves, to maintain their identity and as such become part of me so that they can enrich me with what they have and I do not.”

The first Christmas was an example of God opening His arms to embrace us. It was (and is) and invitation to come in and feel at home with Him and belong to Him. Sending His son as a baby, vulnerable and weak, demonstrated God's invitation rather than an act of power. God desires to give us meaning and significance in Him. He wants us to find our true self which can only be found within the context of a relationship with Him.

The baby in the manger is His invitation to this relationship. It is God's open arms, welcoming us into Himself, creating space for us to be us within Him.

As you think about this past week and the week to come, think about all the hugs you gave and received. Think about what they meant (and didn't mean). Think about how you welcomed others into yourself and vice versa. Think about how every hug you give is a picture of Christ - an open invitation to another to find space within you to be loved and accepted.

Let's all be a little more willing to hug this next year - to invite others into a safe place where they can be themselves and find meaning and significance.

Under the Mercy,
Jason

Joyful Anticipation

2009-12-24T08:03:00.001-05:00

My kids got up early this morning and Macy said to Maddy, "Maddy, it's finally Christmas Eve!" Oh, that we would all once again revel in anticipation of something more than the next episode of our favorite TV show, the next juicy news from Hollywood, or the next big sale at a department store. Today I choose to be joyful because I am loved beyond reason.

My $20 Challenge

2009-12-19T20:07:00.000-05:00

Sunday, December 20th, 2009 we will take our Christmas offering of stories. I thought I would jot mine down for anyone to read (if anyone actually reads this blog!).

It was simple this year, but I asked God to show me who would be most blessed by receiving $20. There is a young Hispanic lady who works at the Bob Evans where I have my Friday morning Men's Bible Study. Every week she greets me with such a beautiful, humble smile. She keeps a table open for us - the same one every week.

This past Friday I just sensed God telling me to give her the money. And so I did. I just told her our church was trying to change the world twenty dollars at a time and felt like God was telling me to give her $20. I told her that there were no strings and she didn't have to tell me how she used it.

She was so gracious and obviously blown away by the gift.

Honestly, I'm not sure if I was supposed to give her the money because she needed it or because I needed to give it away. I guess only time will tell.

Under the Mercy,

Jason

Terra Nova's Christmas Show

2009-12-05T09:42:00.001-05:00

Last night the Terra Nova band did a wonderful job with the 2nd annual Christmas Show. The room was packed, the energy was high, and the music was great! Pastor Jason shared a few brief comments...here's a summary:
Welcome to Terra Nova. Tonight we hope to help you get your soul ready for Christmas. We spend a lot of time and energy (and $) getting every other part of ourselves ready for Christmas, but tonight, we want you to set that aside long enough to prepare your heart for this season.

Christmas is all about lists isn’t it? Naughty and nice list. Wish list. To Do List. List of who you are buying for. Christmas Card list. You almost need a list of your lists! For the next few minutes, to help you clear your head, jot down some of your lists. Parties to attend, decorations to put up, family members to visit. Write it down. At least do enough to get the big picture of what the next 20 days are going to look like for you.

I wonder what God’s to do list looked like on that first Christmas?

Put Star in the East for the Wisemen
Convince Joseph to stay with Mary
Immaculate Conception
Get Mary & Joseph to Bethlehem
Fill the rooms so they end up in a stable
Send Angels to the shepherds
Make sure birth goes okay

I wonder what God’s Christmas list might look like in 2009. Does He use Post-its? Does an angel write it down? He seems to like books in the Bible, maybe He has a big journal. I don’t mean what He wishes for or wants, I mean the list of things He wants to do this Christmas. What do you think that might include?

As you look over your lists, is there any crossover between what you think God wants to do this Christmas and what you want to get done this Christmas?

We are going to finish with some Christmas Carols. We would love for you to sing along. You’ve probably heard them so many times that you don’t really hear the words any more, but tonight as you consider what God wants to do this Christmas, let this be a time when you consider how you might join Him.

Suffering (and the $20 Challenge)

2009-12-03T09:11:00.004-05:00

Note: this blog entry was first published at the $20 Challenge blog for Terra Nova. To learn more go to www.my20dollarchallenge.com.

Rick McKinley writes an interesting chapter in his book "This Beautiful Mess" about suffering. The key point he makes (much more eloquently than I will in this short blog entry!) is that we Westerners spend most of our lives doing everything we can to avoid suffering. We even, without meaning to, consider ourselves somehow superior to those who suffer.

Even when an American Christian goes some place and suffers, they usually have speaking engagements, movie rights and book deals waiting for them when they return.

"The American church doesn't produce martyrs; we produce celebrities."

As I look at my life, this statement breaks my heart because most of my life I've secretly (or not so secretly) dreamed of being a celebrity, not a martyr.

Suffering is doing without, living in pain, being abused and overpowered. I have never purposefully put myself in a position where there is even the possibility of that happening. Yet many of my brothers and sisters around the world (and throughout history) were rarely in a situation that didn't involve suffering or the fear of suffering.

$20 may not seem like much right now, but to me, it is a starting point. It is the place where I take a stand and say that I will take the road that might involve suffering - sacrifice, energy, time, resources, pain. I will choose this road and make it mine. I see my $20 as a down payment on "the pearl of great price."