Worshiping Through “Beautiful Things” by Gungor

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I just returned home from Cincinnati, OH where I took a mission team of teenagers and chaperones to assist a brand new church plant. Velocity Church, led by Pastor Steve Staton, held their very first service last weekend. I was blown away by God’s presence when his people meet together in His name. As the Velocity band played, this song led me to the throne room and reminded me again what an awesome God I serve. I hope as you watch and listen, you to will take a moment to let your heart worship even while sitting at your computer!

Beautiful Things –  Gungor

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way?
I wonder if my life could really change at all?
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found?
Could a garden come up from this ground at all?

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

Oh, you make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
Making me new

You make beautiful things
(You make me new)
You make beautiful things out of us
(You are making me new, making me new)

Oh, you make beautiful things
(You make me new)
You make beautiful things out of the dust
(You are making me new, making me new)

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

Saturdays with C.S. Lewis: Forgiveness Applied > Forgiveness Understood

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The central Christian belief is that Christ’s death has somehow put us right with God and given us a fresh start. Theories as to how it did this are another matter. A good many different theories have been held as to how it works; what all Christians are agreed on is that it does work. I will tell you what I think it is like…. A man can eat his dinner without understanding exactly how food nourishes him. A man can accept what Christ has done without knowing how it works: indeed, he certainly would not know how it works until he has accepted it.

We are told that Christ was killed for us, that His death has washed out our sins, and that by dying He disabled death itself. That is the formula. That is Christianity. That is what has to be believed. Any theories we build up as to how Christ’s death did all this are, in my view, quite secondary: mere plans or diagrams to be left alone if they do not help us, and, even if they do help us, not to be confused with the thing itself. All the same, some of these theories are worth looking at.

Quotes from Mere Christianity, Part 21
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952; Harper Collins: 2001) 54-56.

One Year Later: Remembering John Stott

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One year ago today, July 27th, 2011 the humble preacher, author, and theologian John Stott passed away. I want to take this article, just in case you have never heard of this man, to reflect on some of his legacy.

Some of my favorite Stott quotes:

  • Every Christian should be both conservative and radical; conservative in preserving the faith and radical in applying it.
  • Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.
  • His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us with no other choice.
  • The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears, and too few of us ever weep them.

As described in an obituary by Christianity Today, Stott was “An architect of 20th-century evangelicalism [who] shaped the faith of a generation.” When he passed away the BBC referred to him as someone who could “explain complex theology in a way lay people could easily understand”. Billy Graham said of him, “The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven.”

An incredibly influential work that John Stott wrote was “The Cross of Christ”. At a time when a substitutionary view of the Atonement of Christ was under attack, Stott addressed the issue with grace and truth. Of this book J. I. Packer stated, “No other treatment of this supreme subject says so much so truly and so well.”

While Stott has some theological differences from myself, [for rarely (if ever) can you agree with every single belief of another man], I respect his heart for Christ and the legacy of biblical passion he has left behind for evangelicalism. I pray that more teachers of the faith will rise up like him and shake our generation as he shook his.

Your fellow worker in the field, Adam

Smithsonian Indebted to The Creation Museum?

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Tomorrow I head out with an outstanding group of teenagers and chaperones to Cincinnati, OH for a mission trip. We will be helping out a church plant in it first weekend of operation. One perk of this trip is an afternoon excursion to The Creation Museum. This 70,000 square foot museum is 7 miles outside the Cincinnati airport, just across the state border in Petersburg, KY. This will be my first trip to the museum but I have heard great things about it.

I knew there has always been animosity directed toward creation science from those within the scientific community. At the institutional level many other natural history museums mock The Creation Museum and call it pseudo-science. Well, here is something ironic! The Smithsonian (unknowingly, I’m sure) has used a photograph of one of the dinosaurs inside The Creation Museum on a major promotional brochure for its popular IMAX shows.

This little (plagiaristic and therefore illegal) mix up was uncovered by a true detective. Hannah, an 8 year old tourist, who was visiting the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. She recognized the dino’s ugly mug (yet artfully and professionally crafted) as the same one in The Creation Museum in her home state of KY. After some internet research the parents alerted The Creation Museum of the infringement.

President Ken Ham of the Creation Museum and Answers In Genesis is calling the Smithsonian out on it!

“I’m sure the Smithsonian will be horrified when they find out where this photo was taken. (We just alerted officials there about its copyright violation.)  Now, AiG/Creation Museum does own the copyright on this dinosaur of ours, and the Smithsonian or its ad agency obtained it from a commercial site that is not licensed to sell this photo.  Now, we would be happy to give permission to the Smithsonian to use this photo if they request it, but I’m sure once the word is out that this photo is of a dinosaur at the Creation Museum—well, I wonder what they will do?  After all, we are accused by the secularists of not doing real science—yet the Smithsonian chose one of our dinosaurs (albeit unwittingly) to feature on a major promotional piece.  Now, we are prepared to offer the Smithsonian a license for free, though it would require our copyright notice near the dinosaurs. Regardless, we are not asking the Smithsonian to throw out all their brochures with our dinosaur on them.” (read the full article in his own words here.)

Seems like the Creationists have the upper hand. 🙂  And it is always nice to get a pat on the back for professional, scientific, quality work…especially from the Smithsonian, even if it was unintentional.

Way to go Hannah keeping a close eye on the big shots. We need you to stay on your toes in case they try any other shenanigans. Keep it real Creation Museum, and keep it classy!

Your fellow worker in the field, Adam

5 Things Student Pastors Can’t Fully Teach from a Stage

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Is your teaching/preaching effective? Great. But even with the most dynamic teacher on stage every week, teenagers still learn more through seeing who you really are and how you really live.

Here are my thoughts on 5 things student pastors can’t fully teach from a stage, but MUST teach with their lives.

  1. A Genuine Love for the Word:  If you don’t genuinely love the scripture, your teenagers will see straight through your lame attempts. If you gush scripture at every opportunity, they will see that too. Teach how to memorize and cherish God’s word to your students, not by telling them to do such, but by memorizing and cherishing it yourself! A group will never exceed the level of their leader. Learn to cherish the bible of yourself and watch your group follow suite.
  2. A Real Love for People:  When you interact with students outside your cozy youth room, what example do you set for the teens watching your every move? Set the standard by loving the unlovable. Teach by example by genuinely being concerned for others and pushing your group to do the same.  How impactful would it be if while pumping gas in route on a youth trip, you took a teen aside gave them some money and told them to go inside the store and pay for the gas of that frazzled single mom on the next pump over? I feel confident saying, your leadership in that moment would permanently change that teenager! Take the lead! Really love people!
  3. Be Humble and Teachable:  Admit it! We aren’t perfect. When you mess up, the opportunity has arisen to show how a real follower of Christ owns up to their mistakes and makes biblical steps toward forgiveness and reconciliation.  By modeling humility and a teachable heart you will show a generation that is saturated with pride how a real Christians should act. These moments are not fun, but gain you great respect by responding in a mature and biblical manner. By living a life of humility you will earn the right to speak to teenagers in their moments of need.
  4. Have an Imitable Faith:  The way you handle your faith should be possible for teenagers to put into practice in their own lives. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” As teens watch the way you live, do they see the fundamentals of faith in a way that makes it clear what they should be doing? Do they see you praying? Do they see you correctly handling the scripture? Do they see a love for talking about Jesus? Make your faith a model for them to follow! Don’t cheat them into thinking it’s about degrees on the wall or charisma on the stage? Not all people will have those. But all can love Jesus in a practical, everyday way. Are you and I showing that way?
  5. True Loyalty in a Fickle Generation:  Teenagers need to see stability modeled. In a culture with 50+% divorce rate sometime that is not seen at home. Be the model of how to love your spouse. Be the model on supporting your senior pastor. Remember (and use) a teenager’s name the next time you see them after their first visit. Show your group that some things are truly important in life and it goes way beyond your favorite sports team. Longevity in youth ministry is a rare thing. I’ve heard it said that the best ministry comes after 6 years. When every student in your ministry is a product of your teaching alone you will see the fruit of your labor! Hang in there. Be loyal to what God has called you to.

Praying you will teach these things and more to the teenagers in your area of influence.

Your fellow worker in the field,  Adam

Creative Cover of One Direction

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I am posting this for a few reasons:

  1. It really is creative and a pretty cool video.
  2. To get the 8th/9th grade girls in my student ministry riled up. 🙂 They definitely have One Direction Infection.
  3. To stay relevant…maybe…

It kind of reminds me of this:

Saturdays with C.S. Lewis: Letters to a Child

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In his life, C.S. Lewis received thousands of letters from young fans who were eager for more knowledge of his bestselling Narnia books and their author. Here we get a glimpse of his fatherly words. Lewis writes to the children – as in the books he wrote for them – with understanding and respect, proving why he remains one of the best-loved children’s authors of all time.

One aspect of this particular letter that jumps out at me is the way in which Lewis guides the girl in her understanding of Jesus but allows room for her own spiritual discovery. Lewis is not feeding a prepackaged idea to this girl, but cultivating the soil for the Gospel to grow. He wants her to see the glories of Jesus with her own eyes! How great is that. Also, I love that fact that she sent him a bunch of drawings of the Narnian characters. This reminds me of my own 5 year old girl who draws pictures of all the things she loves.

Read these words of C.S. Lewis as he addresses a fan letter from a girl named Hila.

****************************************

Dear Hila:

Thank you so much for your lovely letter and pictures. I realized at once that the coloured one was not a particular scene but a sort of line-up like what you would have at the very end if it was a play instead of stories. The [Voyage of] “Dawn Treader” is not to be the last: There are to be 4 more, 7 in all. Didn’t you notice that Aslan said nothing about Eustace not going back? I thought the best of your pictures was the one of Mr. Tumnus at the bottom of the letter. As to Aslan’s other name, well I want you to guess. Has there never been anyone in this world who

  1. Arrived at the same time as Father Christmas.
  2. Said he was the son of the Great Emperor.
  3. Gave himself up for someone else’s fault to be jeered at and killed by wicked people.
  4. Came to life again.
  5. Is sometimes spoken of as a Lamb (see the end of the Dawn Treader).

Don’t you really know His name in this world. Think it over and let me know your answer!

Reepicheep in your coloured picture has just the right perky, cheeky expression. I love real mice. There are lots in my rooms in college but I have never set a trap. When I sit up late working they poke their heads out from behind the curtains just as if they were saying, “Hi! Time for you to go to bed. We want to come out and play.”

All good wishes,

Yours ever

C.S. Lewis

Letters to Children, June 3, 1953

The Divine Institution of Marriage Video

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To supplement yesterday’s post on Chick-fil-a’s stand against homosexual, I turn to a lyrical description of the institution of marriage as prescribed by God. I believe this is one of the best understandings of what God meant for the husband and wife union to be a picture of Jesus and the Church.

Maybe the style of this video is not your thing, but listen to the words. Hear the plea for the Lordship of Christ in this incredibly necessary institution. Hear the sound theology undergirding the lyrics of this man’s view of marriage.

Your fellow worker in the field,  Adam

Chick-fil-a Takes Stand Against Homosexual Marriage

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With the recent “coming out” of Oreo, JC Penney, and other businesses in support of homosexual marriage, the lines are being drawn. (Apparently it hasn’t worked out to well for JC Penney so far.)

Chick-fil-a has addressed the issue publicly also. In a day when being politically incorrect can tank a business, President Dan Cathy, son of founder Truitt Cathy, emphatically aligned his restaurant chain with the conservative view of traditional marriage.

“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,'” Dan Cathy, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said in a recent radio interview. “I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we have the audacity to define what marriage is about.”

In an interview with the Baptist Press published this week, Cathy doubled down on his stance against same-sex unions.

“Guilty as charged,” Cathy said. “We are very much supportive of the family—the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”

“We know that it might not be popular with everyone,” he added, “but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.”

Find this quoted section in the full article as reported by Yahoo News, HERE.

I have to say, Good Job for standing up for what you believe in! I love how Cathy draws attention to the right in the United States to operate your personal and business lives according to the values you believe in! While the LGBT community champions this right for themselves, it works both ways. Conservative people and business owners have the right to operate according to their own belief systems too.

I honestly wish that this was a non-issue. I wish fast food chains didn’t have to declare a stance on heated moral issues. But these are the days we live in.

Chick-fil-a has communicated with nothing but kindness and respect while standing firm on their beliefs, yet they are recieving a lot of grief because of it. With a quick google search there are already tons of images being adjusted and turned into weapons against Chick-fil-a as the one posted to the right. There is talk of the LGBT community boycotting that golden fried chicken and waffle fries. We will see what impact this has on the bottom line of the company. But I know one thing for sure, my support of and respect for this restaurant will continue as normal, if not be increased.

Thank you Dan Cathy for standing your ground in difficult times.

Your fellow worker in the field, Adam

The Unspeakable Comfort Of Being Known By God

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“What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it – the fact that he knows me.  I am graven on the palms of his hands.  I am never out of his mind.  All my knowledge of him depends on his sustained initiative in knowing me.  He knows me as a friend, one who loves me; and there is no moment when his eye is off me, or his attention distracted from me, and no moment, therefore, when his care falters.

This is momentous knowledge.  There is unspeakable comfort – the sort of comfort that energizes, be it said, not enervates – in knowing that God is constantly taking knowledge of me in love and watching over me for my good.  There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love to me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me.”

— J.I. Packer, Knowing God, 41-42