I'm a runner.. sort-of. I'm working on accepting that statement. Once in awhile I check out the discussion boards on the website of Runner's World. They cover so many different topics in these boards, it's ridiculous. People ask questions and have discussions about things I would NEVER think about. Running is an interesting subculture, one that seems a little intimidating at first. Or continually, for us "sort-of" runners.
Tonight I found myself reading a discussion thread about knowing when you're no longer a beginning runner. There were a variety of answers, but one stood out to me. "It seems as though we can be forever beginners. Just when we think we have this running thing down, something happens and it's like we are starting all over again."
And so it is in the Christian life, wouldn't you agree? Just when we think we've overcome, or understood, or arrived at everything we needed to, we get knocked on our feet.
Hopefully we get knocked on our feet. After I ran my first 5k I got a terrible heel spur. After a few weeks of trying to suck it up and run through the pain, I finally went to the doctor. He noticed that I am a supinator. Which meant there was a problem with my running form.
The pain came from bad form that I needed to correct. By starting at the beginning again. (And just when I thought I had arrived, finishing my first 5k!)
When we get knocked down, perhaps it's because our form needs a bit of correction. And correcting it will hopefully result in less pain and more success. And success in the Christian life is being able to glorify God more and more with our lives. When the stakes are that high, a little bit of pain is worth it.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
You Are Not Your Ministry.
One of the things I've wrestled with for as long as I can remember is an answer to the question, who am I?
I just caught the title of an article on churchleaders.com called "You Are Not Your Ministry." That single five word sentence is like the theme of 2011, and my first full year in ministry.
Here's an excerpt from the article:
I just caught the title of an article on churchleaders.com called "You Are Not Your Ministry." That single five word sentence is like the theme of 2011, and my first full year in ministry.
Here's an excerpt from the article:
I know some things about you:
I know that you are not your art.
I know that you are not your church.
You are not your technical expertise, or lack thereof.
You are not your voice, even though people love it when you’re on stage.
You are not what your authority figures believe about you.
You are not your blog posts, or your readers’ insane responses.
You are not your Twitter count, or your Facebook friend total.
You are not your impact.
You are not your successes, and you are not your failures.
You are not that thing in your life that didn’t work out.
You are not that thing in your life that worked perfectly.
But I also know this about you:
I know that in Christ, you are a child of God.
My friends, there will come a day when you no longer create art. There will come a day when the software you use is no longer in existence. There will come a day when you no longer serve in that church, in that ministry. There will come a day when he’s no longer your boss, and they’re no longer your Elder Board. There will come a day when you quit blogging, and when people put Twitter and eight-track tapes in the same category. There will even come a day when your impact wains.
But there will never, ever come a day when you stop being a child of God.
Read the full article here.Tuesday, January 03, 2012
TCX Theme: Fused?
Every January, a team of Cru student leaders from around the region gathers in Minneapolis to carefully select the theme for the next TCX conference. Last January, the students selected the word "Fused" - adding a reference to John 15, when Jesus talks about being the vine. Each session, the speakers made references to what happens when we abide in Christ, and stay connect to the vine.
Crawford Loritts, a pastor from Atlanta, spoke of our responsibility to pass along what we've learned. "Our walk with God is not just about us. Branches do not eat the fruit they produce." Tom Henderson, a pastor from Sioux Falls, spoke of the correlation between remaining fused to the vine amidst wrestling with deep sins in our lives.
Those are just a few of the connections made as students were encouraged and challenged to live a life that is fused to Christ.
Sunday, January 01, 2012
TCX: looking back
Christmas has come and gone - and so has TCX. As this new year begins, I can't help but think back to my experiences at past TCX conferences.
In 2004, I was a new believer, and learned about what it meant to follow Christ in the midst of a broken world.
In 2005, I learned about the holiness of God - the I AM that had spoken to Moses and so many others had called me to live a life of holiness, too.
In 2006, I felt the Lord prompt me to commit a year of my life to full-time ministry, unsure of how or when or where that would be. I knew why - to make disciples of all nations, as commanded in Matthew 28.
In 2007, with graduation looming, I came to a crossroad. Would I take the first steps in following through on last years' contract to give a year of my life in ministry? I went to a seminar on transitioning from college to staff life, and afterward I ended up sitting down with my now boss, Steve, the Director of Operations in our region, and a team member, Erika, who I'd worked with before on some projects. As they explained about the team, and opportunities to serve in Minneapolis, I became even more interested.
4 years later, here I am - in Minneapolis, working with Steve and Erika on the Operations team, serving staff and students around the region and around the world!
In 2004, I was a new believer, and learned about what it meant to follow Christ in the midst of a broken world.
In 2005, I learned about the holiness of God - the I AM that had spoken to Moses and so many others had called me to live a life of holiness, too.
In 2006, I felt the Lord prompt me to commit a year of my life to full-time ministry, unsure of how or when or where that would be. I knew why - to make disciples of all nations, as commanded in Matthew 28.
In 2007, with graduation looming, I came to a crossroad. Would I take the first steps in following through on last years' contract to give a year of my life in ministry? I went to a seminar on transitioning from college to staff life, and afterward I ended up sitting down with my now boss, Steve, the Director of Operations in our region, and a team member, Erika, who I'd worked with before on some projects. As they explained about the team, and opportunities to serve in Minneapolis, I became even more interested.
4 years later, here I am - in Minneapolis, working with Steve and Erika on the Operations team, serving staff and students around the region and around the world!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
The longing of Advent
I love this time of year. I love cold winter weather, holiday parties, snow, time away from work, time with family, the hopes of am NFL playoff berth (though not this year), presents, singing Christmas carols, my mom's homemade toffee & russian tea cakes ... I could go on and on and on.
When I think of December, I think of all those things. But what I love more than all those things combined is the concept of a season of Advent. This word Advent comes from the latin word adventus, meaning "coming." It describes the waiting and expectation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
One of the least appreciated things in our culture today is waiting. We don't have any patience. Whether its the drive-thru, an elevator, a stop light - it's hard to wait. Some long for other things - a child, a spouse, a job - and find that patience is wearing thin.
This Advent, my church has been doing an sermon series called Yearning. God's been using this series in my life in several ways - to call me out on my longings, and to remind me that nothing can fulfill like Christ.
I don't have to live in misery with my sin. Transformation is possible through Christ. This is such good news! Yet, I'm still left longing. While I can know Christ on this earth, and experience the presence of God in my life, I won't be able to find full satisfaction to the depths that I desire on this side of heaven. I am finding an unexpected peace this Advent, in knowing that I will probably always be longing something more on this earth - but this longing will be fulfilled, and this transformation I desire will be complete the day I see Jesus face to face.
<< And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. >> philippians 1.6
When I think of December, I think of all those things. But what I love more than all those things combined is the concept of a season of Advent. This word Advent comes from the latin word adventus, meaning "coming." It describes the waiting and expectation of the celebration of the birth of Jesus.
One of the least appreciated things in our culture today is waiting. We don't have any patience. Whether its the drive-thru, an elevator, a stop light - it's hard to wait. Some long for other things - a child, a spouse, a job - and find that patience is wearing thin.
This Advent, my church has been doing an sermon series called Yearning. God's been using this series in my life in several ways - to call me out on my longings, and to remind me that nothing can fulfill like Christ.
I don't have to live in misery with my sin. Transformation is possible through Christ. This is such good news! Yet, I'm still left longing. While I can know Christ on this earth, and experience the presence of God in my life, I won't be able to find full satisfaction to the depths that I desire on this side of heaven. I am finding an unexpected peace this Advent, in knowing that I will probably always be longing something more on this earth - but this longing will be fulfilled, and this transformation I desire will be complete the day I see Jesus face to face.
<< And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. >> philippians 1.6
Saturday, December 17, 2011
The danger within Christianity.
AW Tozer said, "What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." If you're a Christian, and you believe in Jesus, chances are you seek to live your life in a way that honors him- telling others about him, giving to those in need, being a good person, etc.
These are great things. The danger lies in the way we relate to God. We can be tempted, in the midst of these great activities, to reduce God to be the means to an end. Whether that end is getting the material things what we want, or achieving our life goals, our lives are about us. We use God to get these things.
Take someone like Mother Teresa. Most of us would agree that she was a phenomenal woman. She lived her life serving the poor and sick around her. Admirable. But even someone as good as Mother Teresa can still using her faith in God to as a means to an end, to give her a sense of purpose for her life. All the good she does becomes about her, and not God.
The difference lies in experiencing God as our treasure. Even if God doesn't give us anything - material possessions, or a ministry to pursue on this earth - he is still available to us, and that's the most amazing thing ever. Do you see him as a means to an end, or as your treasure?
Check out this video from Skye Jethani, where he explains four popular views we have about our relationship to God, and why we might need to rethink our approach.
These are great things. The danger lies in the way we relate to God. We can be tempted, in the midst of these great activities, to reduce God to be the means to an end. Whether that end is getting the material things what we want, or achieving our life goals, our lives are about us. We use God to get these things.
Take someone like Mother Teresa. Most of us would agree that she was a phenomenal woman. She lived her life serving the poor and sick around her. Admirable. But even someone as good as Mother Teresa can still using her faith in God to as a means to an end, to give her a sense of purpose for her life. All the good she does becomes about her, and not God.
The difference lies in experiencing God as our treasure. Even if God doesn't give us anything - material possessions, or a ministry to pursue on this earth - he is still available to us, and that's the most amazing thing ever. Do you see him as a means to an end, or as your treasure?
Check out this video from Skye Jethani, where he explains four popular views we have about our relationship to God, and why we might need to rethink our approach.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Let's Go!
The first deadline has passed to apply for our 2012 International Summer Projects. Praise God for: our 124 applicants so far! In 2011, we had 127 students total participate in International Summer Projects. We have over 50 applicants to Ghana! Pray for: France (no men have applied so far); Uruguay & Australia (only a handful of applications are finished); Students who have not finished applications - that they would discern what the Lord would like them to do this summer.