moving offices

It’s begun. The goal is to move our Journey Church offices to the building on our new property at 3574 Read Mountain by the end of May. I look forward to how occupying the new space will help us expand our ministries and impact more lives for Christ. I’m already grateful for the over twenty people who have volunteered to lead in the renovation of our offices. God has given such a wide variety of skills and abilities to our family of faith. God is good.

it depends

Read this today. “The number of people who come to your funeral will depend on how hard it is raining at the time.” What does that have to say about the depth of our relationships? Hmm.

report on (im)morality?

These are some findings from the report on American morality entitled “The Day Americans told the Truth.” 1. Nine out of ten people admit to lying in a regular basis. 2. One in 10 believe all of the Ten Commandments. 3. Ninety percent say they believe in God, but for most religion plays virtually no role in shaping their opinions on a long list of moral questions. 4. One-third of married people admit to having committed adultery. 5. Twenty percent of females testify to having been date-raped with less than 3% of the rapes reported. 6. Twenty-five percent of people under 25 admit to having lost their virginity by age 13, compared with 10% for ages 45-64 and 5% for ages 65 and older. 7. Seven percent said they would be willing to kill a stranger for 10 million dollars.

teams and leadership

A Price Waterhouse team report called The Paradox Principle argued that team-based processes require more, not less, strong leadership at the center of the organization. That’s something I’m trying to wrap my mind around.

following God’s leading

John Mark Skammer, Journey’s Pastor of Connections, has sensed a new direction for his ministry. He’s following God’s leading in moving to Richmond where he will serve as a church’s Associate Pastor of Student Ministries beginning June 1. I’m confident that we all at Journey want for John Mark what God desires for him. I’m grateful for the positive ministry he’s had with us. I trust we all look forward to how God will use him in transforming the lives of youth for Christ in the years to come.

everything would collapse?

There’s a story about Pope John XXIII. A member of the curia was continually nagging him to fix this or that problem; this official lived as though he alone saw the severity of the problems facing the church and the world, and as if without his warnings everything would collapse. Finally the pope had had enough, so he took his hyper-conscientious advisor aside and confessed that he, too, was sometimes tempted to live as though the fate of the world rested on him. He was helped, he said, by an angel who would sometimes appear by the side of his bed and say, “Hey, there, Johnny boy, don’t take yourself so seriously.”

giving blood

I gave blood yesterday. For me, it’s a spiritual discipline. It’s a way of physically experiencing the piercing of my skin as an act of sacrifice. Although it is of no comparison to what Jesus experienced, it brings to mind how he gave what I don’t deserve. As I pump out the blood, I think of his unfathomable love. In my own small way I share life through giving blood to people I don’t even know. It’s an honor.

exceptionalism

Do you know what the first step on the path to adultery is? According to research, it’s the notion of exceptionalism, the notion we don’t have to follow the rules like everybody else. Exceptionalism holds: “It’s all about me. I can do whatever I want to get what I want.” Exceptionalism is wrecking homes, ruining lives, devastating our society.

two pockets

The theologian Martin Buber wrote: “Everyone must have two pockets, so that he can reach into the one or the other, according to his need. In his right pocket are to be the words: “for my sake was the world created,” and in his left: “I am dust and ashes.” We do well to remember that we are the crown of creation, cherished by God, and at the same time remember we don’t deserve any of it.

a right spirit

Psalm 51:10 says: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” The healing of mind and body begins with a change of heart, a change of attitude, a right spirit. What’s a “right spirit”? It’s seeing yourself as God sees you, understanding God’s delight in you and God’s dreams for you. Nothing more and nothing less.

release what’s good

Author Larry Crabb says that we Christians often communicate to each other one of two solutions: “Do what’s right” or “Fix what’s wrong.” Instead the New Testament holds up a better way: “Release what’s good.”

experiencing God’s absence

Want to experience God’s absence? C. S. Lewis offers this advice: “Avoid silence, avoid solitude, avoid any train of thought that leads off the beaten path. Concentrate on money, sex, status, health and (above all) on your own grievances. Keep the radio on. Live in a crowd. Use plenty of sedation.”

who are you talking about?

This is a conversation between two kindergarten girls from Journey. Caroline: “Sarah, do you believe in Jesus?” Sarah: “I believe in God.” Caroline: “No, do you believe in Jesus?” Sarah: “I believe in God.” Caroline: “I’m not talking about God; I’m talking about Jesus.”

humble yourself

Imagine a world where everyone tried to out serve the other. Just think of that kind of humility. Some might ask: “but if my focus is on serving others, how am I going to get my own needs met?” If we’re genuinely seeking to serve others, God will give careful attention to our needs being met. 1 Peter 5:6 says: “Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor.” Humility isn’t about having low self-esteem or a poor self-image. It’s not about putting yourself down but about giving yourself away. If we’ll just concentrate on that, we’ll find our true selves and God will give us all the grace we need.

let me be the focus

Just got this email from a first time guest at Journey: "There aren’t words to explain my experience in worship yesterday. God had been preparing my heart. I found myself glued to every aspect, music, scripture, and the message. God had my complete attention. Although I saw bodies all around me, it was if I was there alone and He was speaking to me. At some point I heard in my spirit Jesus say, 'Love ME, let me be the focus of your love.'"

full of it

Gandhi said that he would become a Christian if it were not for Christians. What will it take for those of us who are Christ-followers to quit doing things that turn people away from Jesus? When we are most full of ourselves, we are most likely to make fools of ourselves. When we are full of ourselves, we leave no room for God.

what will it take?

We want choices. But we’re tired of making choices. We want information. But we’re suffering from information overload. We want excitement. But we quickly get bored. We want to go faster and faster. But we want to slow down. What will it take to satisfy us?