Strength in Weakness

So I’m still getting some feedback from last week when I spoke on Sunday Morning.  And It’s good, and people think that I’m down in the dumps and depressed. And I don’t think I am but who knows.

But I will tell you this.  there are days when I want to throw it all in and just drive a truck from here to Iowa every week, because that sounds like a nice predictible job where it’s just me the road and my iPod.  But that’s not what God has called me to, so I’m not going to do it.  God has called me to be a minister of the Gospel, and he’s teaching me in struggle, and he’s building something in me.

And even if you are not a pastor you know what I’m talking about, where you feel like the world is crashing in and you just don’t know what to do.  It’s those times when you need to just trust God and the call that he has put on  your life.  And it’s when you can do that, that you can really worship, and you can Count it All Joy!

If you are feeling that way, let me recommend a couple of messages that I have to go back to over and over again because the speak to me deeply.

Both of these are from last years Resurgence Conference.

Darrin Patrick’s Opening Session is incredibly honest and powerful.

The Second is Gravity, from Matt Chandler.  Both of these messages have spoken to my heart and they both have really helped me in the struggles and frustrations and trials that ministry and life in general throw at me.

I hope that you download these and that you find encouragement in them.

Hanging Out

Yesterday I had the opportunity to hang-out with Matt Vaughn of Rock Church in Lynnwood.  We’ve had the opportunity to hang out a couple of times before, he works full time for a local software developer who just recently released their new “view”.  Matt is an amazing guy and he loves students deeply.  I admire youth pastors who work full-time and do ministry on top ofall that.  It takes dedication and love.

It was fun hanging out with him and we are going to try to hang out more regularly.

I love youth pastors.  I’m glad to be one and I love getting to know other dudes who are trying to shape students to become more and more like Jesus.

Outbreak — Review

Just finished Outbreak by Greg Stier.  This book looks at ways to increase evangelism through becoming viral.

Greg Stier leads Dare 2 Share, which is a great ministry.  This book however is not that great.  there are some good points but many of those can be picked up from the section headings.  I felt like I’d read this all before, no new information.

on a 1-10 scale, I’m giving it a 5

Thanks

Hello to all,

I started blogging as a way to get my thoughts and feelings out of my brain and it has really helped me to grow.  So even if no one read this blog I would do it anyway, but thanks to everyone who does.  I hope you are finding inspiration and encouragement in all of my ramblings.

recently the traffic to this blog via feedreaders has really grown so thanks to those of you who have made this site a regular stop on your internet journey.

Anyways, thanks.

The Deity Formerly Known as God — Review

One of the most formative Classes I ever took at Northwest College was Old Testament Metaphors for God.  This class taught me a lot more than word pictures.  It taught me about how people think.  Generally we think in pictures and when it comes to a topic like God, pictures are really the only way to come to understand God.  This was a huge eye-opening moment for me as a christian and as an aspiring Pastor.  It changed the way I read the Bible, it changed the way I pray, it helped me to see God in many different lights.  It was a brilliant class, taught by a brilliant prof.  Dr. Stallman.

Anyway, that class is what drew my eye years later to The Diety Formerly Known as God by Jarrett Stevens. In the book the author sets out to examine the commonly held views of God, such as Cosmic Cop, our Parents on steroids, an all you can eat buffet, etc.  But he doesn’t just leave it there.  He also goes on to examin some of the pictures of God that we get from the Bible, such as Tired-Eyed Father, a Gardner, etc.

Stevens does a great job of breaking down this metaphors in a clear easy read sort of way.  I was reminded over and over again about OT Metaphors, and I loved each chapter.  This book is a great introduction to some really basic theology, and metaphor thinking.  This book, or the ideas from the book, would be a great resource for a sermon series about the Image of God.  I think I will have to come back and revisit that notion.

On a 1-10 scale, I’m giving this book a solid 7.  Not the best book I’ve ever read, but really fun to read, the Author comes across as an actual person and not just words on a page.