The CCJ Blog

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. — Romans 6:23

I’ve noticed something very telling in my life. Sin has the ability to not only seperate me from God, but it also seems to take a toll on my physical and mental being. I’m not a doctor but I’m sure the two are connected somehow. When I choose to walk away from God and into the temporary pleasures of sin (which is really into darkness), my entire physical being feels different. My mind is worn out, my body is worn out. I think this may be why, after the fall of man, death entered the world. Sin kills. Literally. I’m not saying that someone gets cancer or anything like that because of a certain sin. I’m saying that we all will die because of our sin. Each sin sullies us and weakens us.

Thank God for grace. It truly is amazing. Even though I’ve purposefully walked away from Him into the trap of sin (and even did it when I knew it was/is a trap), He still loves me enough that the perfect blood of the perfect lamb (Jesus) was shed for me in order that I might come into a relationship with Him.

An Associated Press story, found here, tells of billionaire Warren Buffet giving away a huge amount of money to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to be “used to seek cures for the world’s worst diseases and improve American education.”

However, the truly heartbreaking thing about this story is this quote from Buffet:

“There is more than one way to get to heaven, but this is a great way,” said Buffett. He presented the biggest gift to Gates, and $1 billion donations to his own foundation and the foundations run by each of his three children.

It’s heartbreaking because, here is a man doing such a great thing helping people with his wealth (which is what we should all be doing with WHATEVER we have), but at the same time, he thinks his donation will help him enter heaven (and that there are multiple ways to get there).

In many ways, though, we all think this way. I’d dare say the majority of Christians really, deep down, think this way. We feel like if we just work hard enough to do good, we can earn God’s favor. The reality is, according to scripture, is that nothing we do can earn us favor with a perfect God because, we are not perfect in any fashion. We must rely on God’s grace. Pray that we (myself included), as well as Mr. Buffet, truly begin to grasp this.

Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself; It is the gift of God.”

UPDATE from NPR.org: “Billionaire Warren Buffett will give part of his fortune to a foundation set up in his late wife’s name, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. The foundation, which gives money to pro-choice organizations and projects, has had a small budget. People on both sides of the abortion debate are wondering what effect the new money will have.”

Even sadder.

I know many may tire of me talking about some of my heroes in the ministry but it is just a lot of who I am. A lot of kids are dreaming of being the next Dwayne Wade (Or when I was younger Bird or Magic) but I was dreaming of being the next Billy Graham or Bob Russell.

Well Saturday night Holli, myself and several friends attended Bob Russell’s last service at Southeast Christian Church. (Actually there were two services on Sunday as well). It was one of the most inspirational and incredible services I have ever attended. As my friend Chad Doerr said, “It reminded me how fortunate I am to be a preacher of God’s word. I can only hope God will allow me to be in one ministry for 40 years.” We worship, laughed and cried all the way through the service.

I used to be hesitate to talk about how much I admired Bob because I was afraid it might come across as hero worship or giving to much credit to a man who is admittedly flawed and imperfect. That is just it; I have never seen anyone who balances humility and confidence quite the way he does. Under his 40 years of leadership SECC has grown from 150 to 18,500 yet he deflects the credit sincerely to God. His ministry has always pointed to the cross.

So I read the Apostle Paul who wrote to the church, “Follow me as I am following Christ” and I realized that it is okay to have heroes in the faith as long as they are modeling Christ. Bob Russell does that. Even though he is one of the most gifted communicator and preaches at one of the nations largest churches, he is the same guy in the hallway as you see in the pulpit. That is what I aspire to be in my ministry.

To all of the people with burdens and pains
Keeping you back from your life
You believe that there’s nothing and there is no one
Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless
Rest for the weary
Love for the broken heart
There is grace and forgiveness
Mercy and healing
He’ll meet you wherever you are
Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

We hurt. I hurt. For you, for me, for family, for friends, for strangers. Mac Powell of Third Day says in his song story about Cry Out to Jesus, “Not only do we all know these people, but we are these people. In those times of trial, I hope that we can remember that we can find our strength, peace, and hope when we cry out to Jesus.”

Broken. But not hopeless.

You just reach out
You just cry out to Jesus, cry to Jesus

Found this online. This proves that people have tooooo much time on their hands.

(AP) First there were the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Now, for many Christian moviegoers comes another gospel. As the hype machine shifts into high gear for the upcoming release of “Superman Returns,” some are reading deeply into the film whose hero returns from a deathlike absence to play savior to the world.

Read the whole article here.

From the devotional, “My Utmost For His Highest.” (A fantastic, challenging devotional I would highly recommend to everyone).

The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. Until we get into this right and proper relationship with God, it is simply a case of our “hanging on by the skin of our teeth,” although we say, “What a wonderful victory I have!” Yet there is nothing at all in that which indicates the miracle of redemption. Launch out in reckless, unrestrained belief that the redemption is complete. Then don’t worry anymore about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ has said, in essence, “Pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints of God, and pray for all men.” Pray with the realization that you are perfect only in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of this argument: “Oh, Lord, I have done my best; please hear me now.”

Thanks to AngieS for reminding me of this great, eye-opening paragraph via email.

“For by grace we are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not by works, lest any man should boast.”
— Ephesians 2:8-9 (Daniel’s memory version)

What have you and I made our savior?

What good things have we placed above God?

What is our personal hell? What have you deemed will get you out of that hell?

Think about this.

You know that ‘what would you do if you won the lottery’ question? Your TRUE answer is your idol.

Is it religion?

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.’ We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
— I Corinthians 10:7-13

One of the fellows we are interviewing for the associate ministers job said something very cool. He said we have the most culturally relevant plea of all. I thought that was great and so cool. At a time when people are so fed up with card board religion, rules, and corruption, there is such a draw to a Restoration independent church. A movement that has no book but the Bible and has as its plea, “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak, where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent” sound pretty attractive. Another part of our movement is the desire to offer liberty on matters of opinion, unity on the essentials and offer love in all things.

It is an exciting time to be in the Christian Church. These next few weeks we are going to be in a sermon series titled, “When God Is Moving in a Church.” I am very excited about this series. This series is a great time to invite your friend to see what CCJ is all about.

Except, I hope our flatbed trailer will be decorated a little more than this. Narrow Path isn’t U2, so we need some help to draw attention to the float.

This years North American Christian Convention is probably the biggest event in the Christian Church/Churches of Christ in the last 25 years. Over 100 years ago there was a split in the Restoration Movement primarily over the use of musical instruments. Praise God many on both sides have realized this should have never happened and should not be a test of fellowship. We do not have to worship the same way to fellowship and serve in the mission of Christ together. This year at the NACC in Louisville KY we will come together on a large scale for the first time in years. Many of the best speakers from both the Christian Church and the a cappella Churches of Christ will bring messages. Please pray about attending one or all of the days of the convention. It will take place June 27-30. There are workshops and activities for all ages.

You can read more about it by going to this site.

Many thanks go to Nancy Baer Trucking for donating a large flatbed trailer, semi and driver for this year’s CCJ Strassenfest Parade float. Narrow Path will once again be playing on the parade float (the band did once before in 2004).

There are still a few loose ends to tie up for the float though. The contact person for this event is Miriam Sermersheim (Phone: 482-9546). Please give her a call if you can help. You can also find out a little bit more at CCJ’s Jobs page.

The band is planning on playing 2-3 songs (since we’ll have a new audience every couple of yards). Give me your suggestions (that, of course, doesn’t mean those are the songs we will do, but it does give me a good start).

Also, be thinking of ideas for decoration and/or theme. REMEMBER: We seek to be relevant to our culture and seek to speak its language so “church-y” and cutesy stuff isn’t a good idea. The trailer is 40 ft. long, by the way.

I stopped by the building location today. They are really making progress. They are planning on pouring the floor early next week. It is exciting and amazing the details it takes to get this thing done. Randy Berg has been and is absolutely amazing as a project manager. I have had to devote very little time away from ministry to handle building issues and that is because of him. Make sure you thank Randy when you see him.

From a devotional stand point it is amazing how impatient I get waiting for something to go up on the site. As you drive by and see the workers working hard you tend to think, “Boy I can’t tell what is happening.” The prep work is hard stuff with little visible to show for it. Do you ever wonder if that is how God feels about us? He just keeps building away patiently and eventually he will start to see things going up.

Galatians 6:9-10 says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Paul says in 1 Corinthians: “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”

I found Mars Hill Church’s (Seattle, Wash.) podcast last year sometime while searching for podcasts. Anyway, MH in Seattle is doing a great work in the most unchurched area in the nation (Fact: There are more dogs than Christians in Seattle). Their pastor, Mark Driscoll, is always hammering home the concept of being missional, that is doing what Paul talks about in the above verse.

This week’s sermon has me thinking about my lack of fortitude in bringing the news of Jesus to others. It also should convict any who get caught up in the methods over the message.
My favorite line is when Driscoll says:

I get this all the time, people walk in - ‘how come you don’t wear a robe?’ ‘Cause I’m not a JEDI KNIGHT! That’s why… I care if the gospel is preached and people meet Jesus. Everything else - distant second.

He also makes a point that Darrel has made to us a bunch of times about styles and architecture. “If we’re still playing the same kind of music in 10 years, then we’re doing something wrong.”

People will go to hell if we do not adpat to speak the language. The message, as Darrel says, doesn’t change, the methods always will.

Subscribe to Mars Hill’s podcast directly through iTunes here.

Subscribe to CCJ’s podcast directly through iTunes here.

Make fun of me all you want, I cannot wait until June 28.

A lot of people have asked me where the Christian symbol of the fish came from. The symbol of the fish is an acrostic.
The Greek word for fish is Ichthus, and the five Greek letters in that word–iota, chi, theta, upsilon, sigma–were used by the early Christians to stand for the Greek words, “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.” [iesous/christos/theos/huios/soter]