Life in the Big Potato

My Workspace

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:33:00 +0000

You can tell a lot about a man by looking at his desk. See if you can spot the following items:

Thick academic looking books to make me feel smart
Quirky nose-shaped tissue dispenser
USB powered Secret knock candy dispenser I built myself using Arduino technology
Ancient clock radio
Spare capo just in case someone shows up in my office needing to quickly change keys
Books I actually use stacked horizontally on top of books I rarely use
Remote for my remotely controlled electrical outlet (completely unnecessary, but everything wireless is better right?)
Bag of Skittles to refill candy dispenser
Spoon for eating soup at my desk
Contigo coffee cup that will keep my coffee warm until about 11:34
Powered USB hub with seven USB connections
Wireless Mouse
Christmas lights with fade effect
5-year-old laptop still awesome
Bluetooth connected speaker streaming Pandora
Family pictures

I also have a mood light I built myself using Picaxe technology. It changes from red to green to blue and it is powered by the USB hub.

So what does this say about me? I love the Bible and superfluous use of technology. Candy, guitar, and family also play important roles in my life.

Let's Move Away From Religion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:17:00 +0000

NPR did a story on how More Young People Are Moving Away From Religion. In the piece David Greene asks six "young people" (they're all about my age) about their move away from the religion they were raised with. I think you should go read or listen to the article. If you are not moving away from religion then you should think about why. If your religion is not meaningful or true then it is about time you give it up and look for things that are meaningful and true. My heart is moved toward those in my generation who are seeking answers and not quite getting them. I took the time this morning to consider how I would respond to the concerns of these six people. I share these thoughts now addressed directly to them.:

Thank you all for openly sharing part of your story with the world. I'm offering these responses not to offend or take advantage of your openness but simply to continue the discussion. None of you are alone in your doubts, but not everyone comes to the same conclusion. If you ever come across this post (caught you Googling yourself! Ha ha!) I would love to discuss these things further.

Miriam Nissly

I would love to hear more about your religious practices and why you enjoy them. You seem to at least appreciate that there is something a bit mysterious or unanswered within you. I recognize that in myself as well. For me that feeling of being connected with a culture is a clear sign that I was made to be connected—to be in relationship. As I have sought to find and know God I have discovered that Jesus answered the questions I have about God and how to relate to him not only with his teachings, but also with who he claimed to be, how he died, and…you know, all the stuff that followed. It’s probably that stuff that prevents you from believing the stories about Jesus. All I can say in a brief space is that the more I look at it and apply it to my life the more it looks and feels profoundly true.

Yusuf Ahmad

I was unaware of the Koranic account of Abraham’s son turning into a goat. I’m sure you are aware of the older version of the story recorded in the Bible where God himself provides the goat. Still, people have struggled for ages over the moral implications of this story. Why would God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son? I’ve read lots of explanations. Some say God was testing Abraham’s faith. Some say God was revealing his uniqueness from other gods of the time in that he would not allow the sacrifice of children. It is an ancient story full of meaning. Many Christians understand the story as a revelation of God’s character. Romans 8 talks about God sacrificing his own son, Jesus, as a sacrifice in our place. I’m sure that just leads to more questions, but you should realize the story of God goes much deeper than a magical goat!

Kyle Simpson

“What about love? What about the ideas of forgiveness?” Evolution and science say nothing about those things. “Evolution and science” in fact, say very specific things that have nothing to do with your questions about God. While there are some prominent scientists, journalists and authors who declare science has disproved God, there are also many who are committed to science and truth who fully believe in God. It was belief in an unchanging God that led western philosophers to form the methods of science. There was a time when men and women became so confident in reason and science that they thought it would eventually solve all the questions and difficulties of life. This optimism has faded as science hasn’t been able to answer questions about or solve problems for evil and suffering caused by human nature. Science has no answers about morality, fairness, forgiveness and yes love. There are worse mistakes an 18-year-old can make than to commit to something that you admit is bigger than yourself and has the ring of truth in your heart.

Melissa Adelman

Faith is a very complex issue. From your brief description I see you have moved away from Catholicism, but I do not know what you have moved to. I believe one of the greatest and most surprising things about Jesus is that he told people they can talk directly to God. He spoke to a society full of priests and rituals and lots of religious procedures, but he told his disciples to pray in his name and God would listen. This is revolutionary because while our faith in God must be rooted in the community of faith to help us and protect us along the way, it is also a deeply personal and intimate journey with God. Jesus did not give people a complex system of moral rules to follow. He simply asked people to follow Him. The rest is all part of the journey. My point is that isolated issues that you find distasteful because of your culture should not prevent you from seeking Jesus. The Bible says things that bother everyone. Remember the Bible doesn’t just speak against homosexuality. It condemns adultery, murder, lying, hate, oppression of the poor, injustice, and on and on. The Bible is the book that reformed Western society. It bears further and deeper understanding.

Rigoberto Perez

I too am heartbroken over the amount of suffering humans face. There is an injustice to life that can feel like a heavy weight on our hearts that will not go away. Unfortunately, many have used religion to explain away these feelings. In fact, I would argue that is the basis for all man-made religion everywhere. Even the Christian religious establishments can’t help adding layers of man-made nuance to the Gospel message. The fact is that Jesus never taught that prayer would bring an end to anyone’s suffering. He taught that we should pray in spite of suffering. He taught us to look for and expect God to do miracles, but more importantly to trust God whatever this life may bring. The symbol of the Christian faith is a cross. We all too often forget that that symbol represents suffering and death. God’s answer for the suffering of mankind was not to magically remove it leaving us to feel nothing at all, but to give it real meaning and, when all is said and done, to replace suffering with joy and restore all things to perfection. Hope is an interesting concept in that it seems completely and increasingly foolish and unfounded right up to the moment when it is vindicated. I’m truly sorry for the loss of your brother, and I hope that you will continue seeking meaning, Truth, and comfort in God.

Lizz Reeves

Suffering, death and loss leave all of us searching for meaning. Isn’t it interesting that comfort and prosperity rarely cause us to evaluate what we are here for? I don’t believe that the Bible teaches “there’s a reason for everything.” That concept is a crutch even for believers who cannot accept that God allows bad things to happen to good people. When Jesus gave his famous speech imploring his followers to love their enemies and bless those who curse, He also reminded them that God “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” So in essence Jesus revealed that circumstances are not usually the result of your moral decisions. His teaching guides us to deal with our circumstances come what may.

I think you are absolutely right to seek purpose and meaning in your brother’s death. There is no better way to honor and remember your brother than to live your life differently because of him. That is exactly what Jesus asked his followers to do after his death. For me, seeing suffering, death and loss around me serves as a reminder that God has taken personal action to put a stop to it, He is at work in this world to heal and rescue, and will one day vindicate us and restore all things. That last part may sound religousy and preachy, but it is a desire within me that is beautiful and deeply true. It serves as evidence for God in the face of other doubts.

FEAR in these Modern Times

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Today is Protestant Reformation Day. I’ve also been reminded that it is Halloween and my friend Dave’s Birthday. On top of all that, there is a giant meteorological event being dubbed “Frankenstorm” and an impending presidential vote of evidently unheard-of historical consequence. I’d like to take this opportunity to address what I see as a major problem facing America (a.k.a. U.S.A.). This problem is fear.

random art I found on the side of the road, unrelated to this post

I’ll start with the presidential race as an example of why fear is a big problem for us. This election is being trumpeted as a fork in the road for this country. I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard someone say something like, “This is the most important presidential election in our lifetime.”

Let’s pause and reflect on that logic for a moment. What is that phrase meant to portray? It implies that if the election goes the wrong way then the unthinkable will happen. Never mind that the unthinkable is completely undefined or that there are rarely concrete examples of what real changes will result. The important thing the user of such a phrase wants you to know is that you need to be afraid. Very afraid. The further implication is that if someone doesn’t do something quick, something really bad is going to happen, and it won’t be their fault because they’re the one who told you that this was important. What reaction am I supposed to have to such a statement?

Concerned citizen: If [the candidate I happen to disagree with] wins this election then it will be too late to save this country!

Me: Oooooohhhh noooooooooooo!!!!! I don’t want it to be too late. I’ll do anything. What do you want me to do? How can I help?

Concerned citizen: Oh. Um. Ok. Yeah, I’m glad you are also concerned.

Me: Of course I’m concerned! You just said it will be too late to save the country. Are you crazy? We have to save the country. What are you doing to stop the evil man from not saving our country?! I’ll join you.

Concerned citizen: Well, you’ve got to vote.

Me: Duh. Yeah, of course I’m going to vote. I always vote even when the fate of my country doesn’t depend on it, but what else?

Concerned citizen: You should tell your friends.

Me: Tell my friends to be scared. Got it. What else?

Concerned citizen: Ah, you could write your elected officials.

Me: Ok, who do I write? What is their address? And what do I ask them?

Concerned citizen: You’ll have to look that up online, I guess. I’m not Google for crying out loud.

Me: Haven’t you written any letters?

Concerned citizen: Well, I signed an online petition once. I got a free bumber sticker. Anyway, what can one person do? We really don’t have a voice anymore.

Me: So why should I care about the election?

Concerned citizen: Honestly, I just wanted to frighten you.

Me: Why?

Concerned citizen: *Breaks down crying* Because I feel scared and weak, and I don’t want to be the only one!

Me: There, there. Who can blame you? It’s hard living in the wealthiest nation in the world. Of course you’re scared. It is unsettling living in a country with religious freedom, a free media, free speech, free public education, and reliable internet. Sure we’re more stable, secure and prosperous than most of the human race that has lived throughout history, but that could change at any moment. Our forefathers worked hard to earn us these privileges, and now people are expecting us to take responsibility and keep working hard for them. It really is too much. Let’s just go put you in a snuggie and watch some cable news.

You see, I try to pay attention. As a child I listened closely to the adults who surrounded me. I remember distinctly hearing phrases like, “This election will change the course of our country like no other!” or “If that guy gets the office it is the end of our country as we know it.” It scared me then. So did the weird shadows I sometimes saw on my bedroom wall that I thought may or may not be mutant creatures ready to pounce on me as soon as I closed my eyes. It scared me then because as a child I felt even more helpless. I couldn’t even vote for crying out loud. My future as a first worlder was dependent on the decisions of adults that I had zero influence over. What good would it do me to survive elementary gym class if the next president was going to mess up my life anyway?

Today I’m not scared. I’m not scared when I see shadows on my walls because I know that it is probably the streetlight casting a shadow on the jacket I threw on the chair before I went to bed. Even if I really thought it was a mutant, I probably wouldn’t get up to find out as long as the mutant was quiet and didn’t disturb my efforts to sleep. I am also not scared that the next president is going to ruin my life. There are TWO VERY IMPORTANT REASONS I’M NOT SCARED…

ONE. I don’t think the president has that much influence over the ruination of my life.

I know. I know, what over half of you are thinking. You just don’t understand how our government works. He’s the leader of the free world! He appoints judges and stuff! I’m sorry. I’ve read the documents and the arguments, but what I’m convinced by are the numbers and my experience. With every presidential election I’ve seen good things and bad things happen. I watch as presidents make decisions and claim or disavow responsibility for this result or that result. Yes, certain presidents have had certain effects on certain issues. I’m not denying that presidents have the power to do good and evil. I am only saying that as I try to weigh out the net good or evil done by any one man in office, it usually comes out more or less zero compared to the Big Picture. For all the good things one president might do concerning one issue, he usually drops the ball on some other issue. I’ll also point out that it is rarely the decisions that make the big headlines that are having the most effect in this world. In other words, most of the bad stuff (or good stuff) the president does, you’ll never find out about.

My experience tells me that bad presidents don’t destroy us, and good presidents won’t save us. One could argue that good presidents have saved us throughout history (Washington, Lincoln, etc.), but who’s to say that another man might not have been equal or better in the same situation. I have great respect for Washington and Lincoln and all they did, but a lot of people died during their tenure. There was a lot of violence and loss that might have been averted under a different leader. The point is they did not know how their decisions would turn out and neither do we.

I cannot think of one case where my life was directly affected by the decision of a president acting on his own. Yes, I am affected by laws and regulations put in place by congress or agencies, but all the president’s ideas have to be filtered through committees, lobbyists, bureaucracy, and so on to extent that it could hardly be blamed on the president acting alone. My homeowner’s association has more direct influence over my life than the president of the United States. After all, if I decide to paint my house with a scene depicting Frodo and Sam climbing Mt. Doom there is not one thing the President would do to stop me. In campaigns and debates the candidates take responsibility for all sorts of things and blame all sorts of things on their counterparts, but I am not convinced that their assertions bear much validity at all. Economies, climates and wars are big and mysterious things with all kinds of factors. It would take a big man indeed to claim a modicum of influence over any of these much less the life of little old me. People think the course of the nation is a result of who our president is. I think the course of the president is a result of what our nation is.

TWO. The second reason I’m not scared is that I’m not a spineless wimp.

There are lots of more colorful ways to express this sentiment. Since I am a pastor and a family man I’ll keep it as clean as I can. Stop being a bunch of wussies! Bad things happen. Bad people do bad things on purpose. Good people do bad things by accident. Life doesn’t hardly ever seem fair (even though it technically is). These things have always been true, and they always will be true unless something greater than us intervenes. Spoiler alert: I believe something greater has intervened, is intervening, and will intervene. We’ll discuss that later. So, given the perpetual state of the nearly-encompassing stench of life, why oh why do we worry that more stinky things are going to happen? Every generation has understood this. No one argues with it. Even very optimistic people don’t see an end to conflict.

Indulge my nerdiness. Stark Trek presents one of the most optimistic portrayals of the advancement of the human species in all of popular science fiction. In the world of Star Trek the human race has overcome the frailty that was imposed on it by evolution and improved itself through science and technology to the point of being a benevolent race of explorers traveling through the galaxies governed by idealistic prime directives and such. Yet, even in the imaginary world of reformed and restrained human existence there is enough conflict to fill hundreds of TV episodes, dozens of movies, and countless books, conventions, clubs, games, and ill-advised costumes choices. It is an un-provable, yet universally accepted axiom that bad things will happen no matter what.

Given the afore proved stinkiness of life, there are two ways to live your life.

You can attempt to at all costs avoid the stench. You can insulate, fortify, censor, run, hide, beg, complain, manipulate, maneuver, or whatever you have to do to try to keep the hardship of life out. You can leverage all your resources toward the futile effort of never facing difficulty, never suffering, and never having conflict. You can live your life that way. You will fail. You will, after all your efforts, still be afraid, and in your fear you will feel alone. Because no matter what protections or distraction you put in place there is nothing that can keep you from fearing the things that you cannot control. In the end how much control do you have anyway?

There is a second and better way to live. It is not to flee from fear but to laugh in the face of it. Unfortunately, many Americans think courage means sticking a polarizing bumper sticker on their car. Many Americans think courage means refusing to listen to opposing viewpoints. Many Americans think courage means reposting a fear mongering Facebook status knowing that two of their distant friends may disagree with it. I propose to you real courage means acting with conviction and reacting with a firm hope. Let me explain.

Our actions need be guided by our beliefs. Fear rarely tells us to take action against our beliefs. Fear simply tells us not to act, or to act in a way that has no effect on our beliefs at all. Acting in courage causes us to discover and confront the roots of our problems. Acting in fear causes us to avoid and ignore the roots of our problems. If you say you are concerned about abortion, what have you done about it? Is your first inclination to find someone who is contemplating abortion or who has already gone through with it to ask them why? Are you willing to make changes in your life that will impact the root causes of abortion? Fear tells you that is too hard. Fear says you should complain to the government to fix it. Fear says you should use shame and guilt as a tool to influence others. Fear says that as long as you hold the right opinion and aren’t afraid to say it, then you are not responsible for what else happens. If you say you are concerned about the less fortunate, social justice, unemployment, violence, the environment or whatever, what actions are you taking? Are they courageous actions carried out with humility, or are they fearful actions cloaked in false courage and self-righteousness.

Our reactions need to reflect a firm hope. No matter how powerful you are you will often get bad news. Dr. Seuss explains it all in Oh The Places You’ll Go. “Hang-ups and bang-ups will happen to you.” When the bad news comes, our fear-based reactions are: despair, anger, whining, bullying, self-medicating, blaming others, addiction, selfishness or denial. The list could go on. The problem America is facing is that these reactions are the accepted standard. Got a problem? Of course, you should be protesting! Have you been wronged? You need to sue! Did you screw up your life? Find an excuse! I believe that Jesus taught against this attitude. When He tells us not to worry about tomorrow, when He reminds us that no one snatches anything out of his hand, when He implores us to abide in him—He is telling us that when we are afraid we don’t have to resort to any of the self-defeating reactions that come so naturally to us. When we are afraid we can trust in him alone.

That doesn’t mean that we need to blindly believe that every situation is going to have a happy ending. We are promised that it won’t turn out well for all of us all the time. That’s the point of the word “hope.” Hope means that no matter what situation you face, you can endure it with the knowledge that this is not the end! The darkness will not endure. You see if we believe the Bible, then we have to believe that God is powerful and He is good. Don’t you see what that means? It means that when bad things happen we don’t need to cry like little babies. It means that the lady that cut you off in traffic isn’t deserving of the condemnation you are calling down on her. It means that you should stop listening to a media that is constantly trying to scare you into listening to more of their commercials. It means that you are free to enjoy the good things in your life and fight against the bad things the best you can.

I am not writing this because I’m annoyed at the pervasiveness of political news (though I sometimes am). I’m writing this because I am concerned about the fear I see in my friends who should know better. I hurt for all of you and those you know who are living scared of the world that God created and rules over. Cast off the chains of fear, people, and live your life! That is all.

What a Kroc!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:27:00 +0000

I break my blogging silence only because I have found a piece of newsworthy information that I bet few other people would ever come across. If you are a religious statistic enthusiast...um, let me be more realistic. Almost none of you are religious statistic enthusiasts. BUT, chances are 9 out of 10 that you have seen or heard religious statistics used in a discussion, a sermon, a classroom or maybe scratched into a public bathroom wall. I'm skeptical of 93.6% of all statistics I hear. It is not that I mistrust the statisticians. It is that I mistrust most people's interpretation of findings. Using a statistic in a quote generally leaves out all the *'s and †'s and other marks of exceptions, conditions, and caveats that accompany complete and well documented statistics.

FOR EXAMPLE
The ARDA's 2010 data for Kootenai County is available on their website. I've poured over the 2000 data for a few years, so I was very interested to finally see the changes for 2010. There's plenty I find remarkable about the data (like, 71.3 out of every 1000 people in our county attend Real Life Ministries in Post Falls). One number caught me completely off guard. I was reading down the list of denominations trying to guess the numbers that would follow when I came to Salvation Army.

Denomination: Salvation Army
Tradition: Evangelical Protestant
Family: Holiness
Number of Congregations: 1

This much, I knew. The Salvation Army received a grant from the Kroc Foundation (McDonald's) and other government and non-government organizations to build the most awesome community center a non-metropolitan area has ever seen. We're talking fitness gym, water park, playgrounds, recording studios, everything. It is called the Kroc Center. It just so happens to house the local Salvation Army Church called "Kroc Church." It is the number that came next that blew me away.

Number of adherents: 18,269!

Really? They just opened the place about three or four years ago. Their auditorium seats maybe 200 people. I'm pretty sure they only have one Sunday morning service. Are there 91 other services I haven't heard about? Clearly, when asked to report their "membership" the Kroc Church reported everyone who was a member of the Kroc Center. This is a paid membership, like a gym membership that community members use to access the services of the Kroc. I'm sure this number is even bigger since 2010 as they've had to build a huge parking garage to keep up with demand.

Anyway, this just goes to show that the numbers never tell the whole story. They don't even always tell an accurate story. If we took this one number at face value then the Kroc Church would be the fastest growing church in America. These numbers "prove" that 131.9 of every 1000 people in our county go to a Salvation Army Church. It could also make us think that 57.74% of people go to church. Actually, without counting that one church it would be more like 44%. Then you have the reported 8,000 Mormons and over 7,000 Catholics. Without them we have 33% of the population going to church. In my intolerance there's another 3% of the remaining churches who are not considered Evangelical. So we are looking at 30% of the population of our county attending a church that's somewhere in the ballpark of being what I consider biblically Christian. Getting into the details we could argue about which churches should and should not be included, but they don't make a big difference compared to the numbers I've mentioned.

I'm also really curious about the 21,009 adherents claimed by the 23 non-denominational churches of our county. I'm pretty sure the average size of non-denominational churches here isn't 913. There are very few churches here that can hold that many. I could be wrong, but I feel like there is a major fault with the reporting on this number. That could drastically change the percentages by up to 15%!

The moral of the story is, don't put a lot of emphasis on statistics. If you want to know if you are successful in ministry, ask Jesus. He's the one who's opinion matters, and He has more control over the numbers than we ever will.

Why Haven't We Planted Another Church Yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 19:42:00 +0000

I'm working on a team within the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention exploring how to mobilize our churches to impact our region through new churches (we call it "church planting). Over the last decade there has been, among church and denominational leaders, an increased emphasis on church planting. Statistics show (trust me) that starting new churches is one of the best ways to reach more people with the Gospel. You can argue that point if you want to, but it is pretty clear no matter what numbers you look at that there is a need for more churches.

NorthStar was launched seven years ago. We were started with the vision of not just becoming another SBC church in a place where there are few, but to become a church planting church. Along the way that vision has never been lost, yet still we seem to have made little headway in fulfilling that vision. There are plenty of excuses I could offer, but forgetting the past I'd like to explore with honesty in introspection why we still haven't planted a church. Where are we now, and what will it take to reproduce?

I hope to be exploring this and other related topics here in the coming weeks.

Life Goes On

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:10:00 +0000

I'm simply posting to assuage the guilt I feel over having not posted anything since October. I don't have anything striking to report. I'm not feeling especially creative. There are plenty of things going on, but I'm lacking the creative juices to get it typed out at the moment.

In short we've been very busy with traveling and suffering colds and whatnot. Life is absolutely beautiful in everything it brings to us and each day it is a blessing that life goes on.

In lieu of a proper post I'll do the next best thing and toss up a cute picture of some of my kids.

New Blog Design and Quick Update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:36:00 +0000

Did I forget to mention that we have our certificate of occupancy? We'll we've had it for three weeks now. I've been busy getting settled in to a new office and trying to find all my stuff.

More to Come.

New Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 21:43:00 +0000

Jesus said "You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the earth." With modern technology (Google Maps Distance Measuring Tool) we can now easily measure what is physically the farthest point on the globe from Jerusalem. Turns out it is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean south of the Cook Islands. With a little work it seems to me the farthest point is 12,444 miles away from Jerusalem.

Also, there are new pictures of the NorthStar Church Build at www.northstarchurch.us.

Building Update

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:57:00 +0000

The building is going up so fast, I haven't even had time to
update! I'll go get some current pictures and post them soon. Until then
I can let you know that volunteers from North Carolina are putting
sheet rock up inside, and the siding is going up outside. This is only
our 5th volunteer team and we have 9 more groups coming to work.

We are still praying for God to continue to provide the resources
for the completion of this project. This year we have already raised
over $46,000 dollars for the building fund. I am praying that God will
provide an additional $54,000 by the end of the build, and that we will
have unexpected savings on material, labor, and permits. I admit that
both of those things would be miracles. But how exciting it would be for
God to bless us with a new building debt free!

Please be in prayer for our church as we push through this project
during the busiest time of year for most families. Summer is usually
when people choose to travel and enjoy all there is to do in this
wonderful place we live. Pray that as we are blessed with new resources
that we won't lose our focus on the task we've been given. Pray that
our members can all grow into bold witnesses in this community for the
Gospel, and that our actions of love and service will back up our claims
of being a community of redemption in the name of Jesus. Also pray for
our volunteers, coordinators, building team and others involved in the
project--for their safety and for a fervent walk with Jesus guided every
step by the Holy Spirit.

Thanks!

more at northstarchurch.us/thebuild

The Latest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:58:00 +0000

There's a lot going on. First, two quick links.

You can read the latest update on our church building project at northstarchurch.us/thebuild.
You can follow us on Facebook.

I'm just back from spending a week in Mississippi visiting my family and helping my grandfather celebrate his 90th birthday. This time just my 15-month-old son and I made the trip, and it went pretty good. The little guy turned out to be a good traveling buddy and was pretty patient with the pains of air travel. He sure did earn us a lot of smiles walking through the airport.

Make sure to follow those links and subscribe in whatever way you wish so you can know how best to be praying for us. As this project continues we are sure to face more and more resistance. So please pray for endurance for our church and its leaders as we raise the remaining funds, host volunteers, and ADVANCE THE CHURCH!

Praise Report

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:44:00 +0000

NorthStar has been approved for a loan to cover the construction of a new building! If you've been following our story you know that this has been a long time coming, and it is a major blessing. This means that construction can begin (barring any surprise setbacks) in a week or two. This means that volunteer teams that are planning on arriving in early May will actually have something to work on. This means that we could be worshiping in our new building by September...of THIS YEAR!

Our church decided to seek this loan as a means of making the best use of volunteer labor to accomplish this build quickly and cheaply without delays due to a lack of cash. Our desire is to raise as much of the construction costs as possible before construction is complete, thus avoiding a large mortgage. When construction is complete we plan to move out of our rented facility as quickly as possible so that our lease expenses can go to cover any remaining monthly payments from the loan. As you can imagine, it is an exciting and yet stressful time for us as we try to navigate this process with wisdom and diligence.

Please pray four our church, the building team, my family, and others involved in this process. Most urgently, pray that the city of Hayden will not find any further reason for delay in granting us the permit to build!

Oh, and if you've been wanting to join us in this project by contributing financially, but weren't sure when would be the best time to do so--Now would be a great time! Go to www.northstarchurch.us/partnership to see the best way to give.

Acts 1 part 3: An Angel's Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:36:00 +0000

When I am preparing for a sermon I sometimes just start writing speculative essays to get the creative juices flowing. I thought I would share this along with the previous two posts. Thanks for indulging me. Perhaps it will inspire you to write some of your own...

ANGEL BLOG

By now you’ve probably heard about the terrestrial events from yesterday. Most of you have been busy with HIS reception and the establishment of the Holy Ministry of the Light. When you get a chance you should catch up on the story of HIS exodus from the earth. You can get a good play-by-play from Lucious’ post from last night. We both had a ring-side seat, and even got to be a part of the action.

I won’t retell the story, but I would like to give my thoughts on what happened. Of course, all of us knew part of the story before it happened. We’ve been gazing at it for all of eternity. But what we didn’t get to know until now is what part the humans would really play in all of this. What amazing creatures the Father has created! Oh, I wish all of you could have been there to see their reactions and hear their thoughts.

One thing that blows me away is how surprised they were. They knew what was going to happen as well as any of us do, but they convinced themselves that what they knew wasn’t real. It’s a weakness they have that is part of the FALL I suppose, but it leads to all kinds of interesting situations that we just don’t get to (have to?) experience. I sensed that they knew in their hearts exactly what HE was about to do. Each one of them suppressed that knowledge and convinced themselves that the REALITY was impossible. As HE proceeded (it is always enthralling to watch him taking part in TIME) for the life of me I don’t know how HE kept a straight face. HE calmly talked to them as if it were any other day. HE joked and smiled and hugged and shook hands all around the way humans do. All the while HE was about to shake their world again. HE patiently listened to their questions with tenderness and concern that only HE could show. Brothers, any one of us would have drawn a sword of destruction upon these just for having the gall to appear before HIM in such a way. HE was with them as if it took no effort.

Anyway, when his moment came HE gave them the final word then up up up HE went. Even in the way HE left them HE shielded them from the full glory of the event. I was expecting a flash of burning light with a thunderous boom that would have left them with some singed beards and ringing eardrums. Instead HE simply appeared to float up into “Heaven” until HE was hidden “by a cloud”. As if those vapors could dim his glory in the least or mere distance would in any way remove his presence!

The men and women just stood there looking up. HA! If I had not been in awe of his glory I would have been incapacitated with laughter over the look of their faces. It was humorous and beautiful to me because they were experiencing a revelation of the TRUTH that deep down they already knew. Even then HE was reversing the deception they’ve been subject to so long. Finally, the HE made them aware of us. They saw us as men wearing white, and yes, they really do find this most impressive :-). When we spoke to them as directed (we were not allowed to laugh) it was hard to suppress a smirk. Oh, People of Heaven, imagine getting to share with the humans a glimpse of that story that we already know--the Ancient Story written in the Song of the King that holds all things. Imagine getting to share with that mysterious race a hint about the TRUTH that is absolutely obvious to all of us. It was a joyful moment for me made no less so by the fact that even then they tried to convince themselves that what they were experiencing was impossible.

I can’t wait to see what happens when the GIFT is given! Glory to GOD in the Highest!

Acts 1 part 2: Eisegesis

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:22:00 +0000

Maybe this is how the meeting went before they got to Acts 1:8...

“Ok, friends, there are a few more things I need to share with you. I noticed some of you came prepared to be here a while. That’s good. I want you to stay in the city until you receive what’s coming. Don’t look at me like that. I’ve explained everything before. Its the gift from the Father that I spoke of. John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. What I have to say is very important so could some of you lads go tell the latecomers to hurry
it up! While we wait let’s sing!
******

Andrew, Peter, nice of you to join us. Peter! Your beard looks beautiful today. Thanks for washing up for the occasion.”

“My beard is not nearly as clean as you have made my heart, My Lord. If you’ll permit, before you speak on, some of the brothers have a question.”

“When have I ever denied the curious? Indeed, I am so amazed by the refreshed appearance of your groomed visage I could watch you talk for hours if we didn’t have more immediate business. Ask on Mr. Rock.”

“If I had known you were so impressed by fastidious facial hair I would have bought a comb years ago, dear Rabbi. The question, I think, may pertain to our immediate business. We have been amazed by the way God has worked these forty days since you revealed yourself as Master over death and all Creation. Now we are wondering, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

“Now we come to it. I will answer your question without delay, and you must be satisfied. Listen closely...”

Acts 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 21:50:00 +0000

If they'd had text messaging in the first century...

Ptr: Big Mtg @ Zchra’s house 4 lunch tomorrow

Andrew: What’s up?

Ptr: Not sure, but everybody’s gonna be there. He’s got something major to share.

Andrew: Its about time. Everything’s turned out better than expected, but what now?

Ptr: I’ve got a weird feeling. He’s been “finishing” things again if you know what I mean.
Andrew: You mean like before Jerusalem? What do you think he’s planning?

Ptr: I can’t get a thing out of him, but it seems like he’s been preparing us for something. He’s been asking me some weird questions ever since the day on the beach.

Andrew: I’ll never forget that breakfast! What kind of questions?

Ptr: He keeps asking me if I remember the things he did. He want’s me to retell the same stories over and over again. Its almost like he doesn’t remember.

Andrew: Weird. Maybe he doesn’t want you to forget. He introduced me to some new believers as, “Pastor Andrew”. last night.

Ptr: He’s been doing that to me too. Makes me feel strange, but when he touches my shoulder and speaks to me I feel like a centurion. I would lead anyone into battle for him.

Andrew: LOL! I don’t think that’s what he’s planning!

Ptr: But you know what I mean? Whatever this is leading to, I have no fear, no doubts, no reservations. This is going to change the world forever, and we get to be a part of it.

Andrew: I feel the same way, but even now I don’t see HOW. The last month has been great, but this can’t go on forever. Can it? Maybe that’s what the meeting is about.

Ptr: It will be 40 days tomorrow. You’re right. This must be the next phase. Let’s tell everybody to be well prepared. Bring extra food and supplies in case.

Andrew: In case of WHAT?

Ptr: In case tomorrow is the DAY! Call be crazy, but maybe tomorrow the Kingdom will be restored.

Andrew: Let’s see, what to pack for Kingdom restoration...????

Ptr: Haha! Just put on some clean underwear for a change. That’s about all we can expect from a son of a fisherman I guess ;-)

Andrew: You should know! I’ll just be glad if you wash the goat cheese out of your beard. Seriously, you’re scaring the children with that thing.

Ptr: You are jealous. I wonder what dad would think about all this.

Andrew: The Lord knows. Well, maybe tomorrow we’ll understand more what this all means.

Ptr: Yeah. Let’s meet early at the market. We can discuss it before lunch.

Andrew: Sounds good. See you by Sarah’s candle stand just after sunrise.

Ptr: I’ll be there bro.

Not Another Statistics Post

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:57:00 +0000

According to the 2000 Census for the cities of Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, and Hayden combined there were:

1,790 Single Moms
1,326 Households living below the poverty line
5,833 Households of married couples living with children
2,433 Seniors 65+ living alone
6,138 Divorced (661 Separated)
423 Grandparents caring for their grandkids

According to another report there are 644 homeless people in our county.

In contemplating Christ's command to "love your neighbor" I've been doing a little research to better understand who my neighbors are. I know these statistics don't really tell me who these people around me are, but it is a place to start when I pray for my community. Instead of just praying, "Lord help all those people out there," I can pray for the 1,790 single moms who I know are facing difficult daily issues or the 2,433 seniors or live their days without much human contact.

Please join me in praying for our community.

What are we doing here?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:55:00 +0000

Report problems to embedding@chartle.net
Coeur d’Alene Idaho is the largest city in the North Idaho Panhandle. Its cultural influence extends north into Canada, east into Montana, and south to Moscow and beyond. It is in some ways connected with Spokane, Washington, but maintains its own distinct culture and feeling of community.

Coeur d’Alene along with adjacent towns (Dalton Gardens, Hayden and Post Falls) has been a major population growth area. With this explosive growth there has also been some addition in the number and size of some churches. However, Southern Baptists are sparsely represented. There is one other SBC church in Coeur d’Alene and one in Post Falls. There are currently no Southern Baptist churches in Hayden where we are planning to build and relocate. The spiritual climate of the area is one that for many people may include some church attendance, but there is often a lack of commitment in the form of church membership, tithing, or serving in the church. Also, because of a mixture of many diverse beliefs among supposedly Christian churches, many of the people who consider themselves Christians are still very confused about the Gospel.

While an estimated 25% of the population was a member of some congregation, only 6.6% of the total population of Kootenai County were members of evangelical protestant congregations in 2009. The Roman Catholic population represents 5.9% but that is supposedly 7,941 people attending 8 catholic congregations! 7.9% of the population are members of congregations in the category “Other” which may include some non-denominational Christian churches, but may also include various cults and sects that do not teach orthodox Christianity. So even if we include mainline denominations (2.8%) and half of “Other”(4%) that leaves us with only about 13.4% of Kootenai as members of non-Catholic, Christian congregations.

Of course, statistics don’t tell the whole story. There are many Christians who may not technically be members of churches, but let’s be honest. Most churches tend to over report their membership or have members who are no longer attending. There could be members claimed by three or more churches!

What do all these numbers mean? 104,922 people in our county aren't claimed by any sort of religious body. Of the 32,553 who are, only about half of them are members of churches that teach the Gospel more or less as we understand it. That leaves us with about 122,000 friends and neighbors who are not part of a church where they will get to hear the true Gospel preached. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that even the 6.6% evangelical protestant population is full of people who are still in need of authentic Bible teaching.

The numbers mean that we do have something very great to share with those around us. Please pray for us as we try to obey our Lord and share God's plan for redemption with the world.

All statistics were collected from www.thearda.com.

Apartment Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:20:00 +0000

We've been praying and seeking ways to minister to some of the thousands of people in multifamily housing in our area. It hasn't taken long for us to get connected to an apartment complex where one of our members lives. Our ladies took the first step by hosting a Christmas party for the residents. Now or men are hosting a Super Bowl party. As a result of organizing these events I've now met all of the apt. management staff (I think) and built a good working relationship with them. They are great people and seem to like us!

After initiating this work I was surprised to find out that a man and his wife had been praying for a church to reach out to these apartments! God has already been paving the way for us and perhaps been waiting for us to follow his direction for a while now. In any case, our next step is to start a Bible study for ladies meeting in the apt. club room. Assuming no problems it will begin next Thursday.

Please pray for a continued good relationship with the staff, and that we can be an actual benefit to that property as well as the people we are seeking to minister to.
Please pray that people who need to hear the Gospel will have a chance to hear and respond through this relationship.
Please pray for wisdom that we won't unintentionally or unnecessarily offend anyone in this culture that is ultra sensitive to being "proselytized".
Please pray for more opportunities to reach pockets of lostness in our city and our region.

Ladies Ministry (follow-up)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 21:02:00 +0000

In my last post a few minutes ago I referenced the efforts of the
Women's ministry at our church. I praise God for a group of women in our church who
have followed God's calling on them to minister to the hearts of women.

When planning 2010's Ladies Christmas party our Women's Leadership team had a problem. They realized they had become too successful. After a few years of great Christmas parties that were very well attended and memorable, they were yearning to do something that wasn't "all about us." Someone suggested the simple idea of hosting the party away from the church and doing it in a way that could benefit some ladies outside the church. What a revolutionary idea! My wife asked me what I thought about them having the party at a nearby apartment complex. I thought it was a great idea in theory, but I had my doubts about the possibility of it.

Showing uncharacteristic optimism I went to the apt. management office to ask for permission to have the party. I was prepared to be met with confusion and ultimately rejection. To my surprise I was directed to talk with a maintenance manager who was eager to help. You see, he and his wife had been praying that a church would reach out to the people of this apt. facility! He started brainstorming how we could do it and said, "This would be so much easier if you had a church member who lived here."

So far I had neglected to tell him that we did indeed have a lady living at the apartments and that was the reason we had chosen those particular apartments. With this revelation the problem was solved. Residents can host whatever kind of event they want in the club house.

Since that Christmas party the door has been opened for future ministry at the apartments. The men are going to host a Super Bowl party and the ladies are even planning to host a weekly Bible study right in the club house!

The Still Conference
Another huge thing going on with women's ministry at NSC is the Still conference. We are hosting a one-day conference for women in the area. Last I heard, over 40 women are planning to attend. God is showing us again and again that there is no limit to what He can accomplish when we are willing to let him lead us. Please be in prayer for NorthStar, this women's conference and the future of ministry here in North Idaho.

Catch Up

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Whoa! Over a month since I've updated. As a result, I'll just give you some random summaries.

The building process is currently delayed while we put in the work to discover the possibility of getting a loan should we decide to get one. We have found that it is very difficult to get approved for a construction loan if you have already begun construction. Good to know. Fortunately, the weather seems to be keeping the door open for us to begin once we have the approvals, permits, etc. we need.

Also we have received some outside support for our building project. In fact we've received more than $4,000 from donors whom we have never met! This is very encouraging for our church to know that others are willing to support the work we are doing here. Now all we need is another $246,000! Actually, the final figure for our estimated need has not come in yet. We have estimates from $150,000 to over $300,000. We hope to have a more precise figure soon. In any case we are grateful for any help we get.

Part of the reason we would like to get started soon on the initial building phase is that there are teams planning to come this summer and finish the build. If you are interested in sending a team go to http://www.baptistsonmission.org/Projects/United-States/Rocky-Mountain/2011-Special-Project. There are six open weeks left, but your team may be able to come at the same time as other smaller teams. More info is available on that website.

The church is doing well. I have just begun a series of sermons summarizing some of the major doctrines of the church. We have three adult small groups meeting and one student small group. Our ladies are very active. So much so that I will write a follow-up post dedicated solely to the recent efforts of the women of NorthStar. So stay tuned.

In looking at the demographic information needed for some of our loan work, we discovered a few very interesting things. One, was that 28% of the people attending NorthStar are aged 12 or younger. Now, we are a small church so that amounts to 19 people from 0-12 years old, but still that is a lot of kids for our congregation! Another interesting discovery that at least 90% of our families who are members are regular contributors. I don't know if this is above average or not, but I'd say its not bad for a church with some families on fixed incomes or limited incomes due to unemployment.

How you can be praying for us:

Pray that we will be able to connect with and invite new families and individuals to come to our church.
Pray that a culture of discipleship will be established in our church.
Pray that we can find ways to minister to the many children in our church.
Pray that our building and financial process will go more smoothly than could be expected.
Pray for Bennett (pastor) and Tom (worship pastor) and their families.

A Time to Build

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:12:00 +0000

Several weeks ago NorthStar Church voted to embark on a building project. This is something that has been in the works for years. The dream of building a new building for a Southern Baptist church in this area predates the the planting of NorthStar. Since the land was purchased major new neighborhood developments have sprung up around the property (satellite image). The road just south of the land has become a major thoroughfare, and they built a Wal Mart nearby!

Since the beginning of NorthStar plans have been made, funds have been solicited, the neighborhoods have been prayer-walked and surveyed. We had a meeting with the city of Hayden to get a special use permit. Still, after setbacks along the way, the dream of an established, church-owned place to meet seemed just out of reach.

Well, now we have a set of plans and we have enough money to get started on them. God has provided us with funds to complete the "shell" of a building. Our roof, windows and exterior walls will all be in by next spring, barring any major interruptions.

For those of you who have followed our work here and care about NorthStar it is important to know that we are still in very great need. This is a major step of faith for our congregation. We believe that God is going to provide the funding, materials, and labor that we need to complete the interior of the building. Our people are committing to give sacrificially for the completion of this building and to use it as a tool for God's glory in North Idaho. As we approach the end of the year I'm asking you to start planning now for how you can be a part of what God is doing in our church over the next year.

First of all, if you live in the area and are looking for a great church, come check us out. God is giving us a passion for his glory, knowing him, and offering hope to this area and the world. We would love for you to be a part of that no matter what our building or location is.

For everyone else, the main thing we are asking you to do is remember us in prayer. I am so thankful for those of you who have faithfully been praying for God's work here. Some of you have been praying for us for over four years now! I'm so grateful for churches like FBC Houston, MS who have added us to their ongoing prayer list. It is very encouraging to know that fellow believers are interceding for us. We will be giving continued prayer request updates at Life in the Big Potato and at northstarchurch.us. If you'd rather receive email updates or "real" paper copies let me know in an email.

If you are itching to come help build our interior you can put together a group of skilled labor and volunteer through Baptist on Mission. See their website for more info. By the way, our summers are awesome. Don't believe me, just look back at some past blog posts.

And finally, if you have a large pile of cash sitting around that you don't know what to do with, we would be happy to help! We are asking God to provide for the rest of our building expenses. Estimates are still dependent on a lot of other factors, but we are guessing between 200 and 300 thousand dollars. We hope to fulfill as much of that as possible through our church, but since Idaho isn't known for high wages, and we already operate on a "faith budget", we are asking friends of the church to consider joining us in giving toward this project. So if you are doing your year-end tax evaluation or you are setting up your 2011 budget we would really appreciate it if you could take us into consideration. One-time or monthly tax-deductible gifts can be sent to:

NorthStar Baptist Church
Building Fund
1604 W Lee Court
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 83814.

If you have questions about the details of this project please contact me by email at bennett (at) northstarchurch.us

Merry Christmas from Idaho

noreply@blogger.com (Jana) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 22:43:00 +0000

Let Peace Flourish Christmas Card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Top Ten Signs the Winter is almost Here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 21:18:00 +0000

I'm taking a break from sermon writing to bring you this very important information about the culture in North Idaho. Enjoy.

10. You have to wear a jacket when you mow your yard.

I grew up in Mississippi where the grass stops growing and turns brown before the leaves fall off the trees. Here in Idaho the grass only seems to slow down and won't really stop growing until we've had a good freeze. In fact, I have even mowed while ice was pelting me in the face. Proof of the fallen state of Creation.

9. The Cars sound like bees.

Two words-- Studded Tires. This time of year all those super-prepared non-procrastinator types get their studded snow tires put on. On the dry pavement it makes this annoying buzzing sound that makes me think of the dentist's office. This also results in all of our roads needing to be resurfaced every two years or so. The plus side is, once you get into the right ruts your car will steer itself.

8. Steam is shooting out of the ground.

In Mississippi, we didn't use sprinklers, and if we had we wouldn't have bothered to hire some one to blow them out. In Idaho sprinklers are as common as microwave ovens. In Mississippi I prayed for summer droughts so the grass would die. In Idaho we are so hungry to see something growing after a long winter that we pour tonnes of fertilizer and water onto our grass just so we can cut it for the four months it isn't covered in snow. The steam I referred to is from everyone having their sprinkler's blown out. Some time around the end of August you start seeing signs promoting "Blow-Outs $29.99!" What a deal. Next spring you'll have to pay it again to get someone to turn your sprinklers on and send a letter to the city proving you are up to code.

7. Rigs (Pick-up trucks) transform into plows.

Jobs are tight in North Idaho. But if you are prepared, you could have all the work you want, given the right weather conditions. It's a gamble, but investing in a snow plow for your truck could pay off big time if we have another winter like three years ago. So even though we haven't had a flake of snow on the ground, I'm seeing blade-equipped trucks all over the place.

6. Men are growing beards and calling in sick.

They are actually going hunting. Don't tell their boss. Actually, their boss is out hunting too. And by the way, women are hunting also. Only most of them aren't growing beards.

5. Ski Swaps

A great place to get deals on winter sporting equipment.

4. Some people are starting to wear socks and pants.

I believe the locals are equipped with thicker skin and antifreeze blood. They tend to dress as if it is summer until the temps get below 40. Right now some people are just now turning in their flip flops. I've seen a few scarves and hoodies, but only the tourists are wearing real winter coats.

3. I cleaned my garage.

There is only one thing that can motivate me to organize and clean out my garage so that I can fit my truck in there. The threat of having to clean the snow off of my windshield. So every year I push all our junk into the nooks, crannies, and rafters of our garage so I can squeeze my truck into our (barely) two-car garage. This morning I wasn't careful and bumped my mirror on the way out of the garage. Yeah, its a tight fit, but worth it.

2. My Headlights are always on.

My truck has automatic headlights that come on whenever there is insufficient light outside. They were on when I drove to work this morning, and they will be on when I go home. As winter approaches our daylight hours reduce to maybe seven on a clear day. As my 2nd grade friend said about Daylight Savings Time, "It really doesn't seem like we are saving anything."

1. People are visiting churches.

Average Church attendance doesn't actually start going up till after December, but now is the time when people are checking out which church they will go to once their Seasonal Depression sets in sometime between January and March. People who have experienced winter here know that no matter how independent you are it helps to have human interaction whenever you haven't seen the sun for a month. Also, you want someone to come searching for you if you get lost while shoveling your driveway or drive into a snowbank in the Kmart parking lot.

What other signs do you know of that mean winter is almost here?

Catching up Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 06:07:00 +0000

Catching up on posting Videos 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 05:58:00 +0000

Happy Birthday

Catching up on posting videos 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 05:56:00 +0000