“I want to hang out with Joe–he’s so cool.” Or, “I want to hang out with Sarah–she’s so neat!”
Those are two phrases that fit within the average middle school student’s vocabulary. But those are phrases that die sometime following middle school and preceding college, right?
I thought so, but now I think that was wrong.
Sure, people don’t use phrases like that…those phrases sound foolish and worthless. But it seems that so many of our actions and implicit comments say those very things.
We want to hang out with “cool” people…we want to be around people who we like. We like fun people and want to avoid social misfits. We say, “This is only natural. We don’t want to hang out with losers.” Or, “They’re no fun.”
Some of those statements may be true: some people are boring. Some are bitter. Some are angry. And some are no fun to be around.
But none of these things correspond to “loser” or “cool.” In fact, neither description is useful in defining people. The term “cool” is completely worthless and means nothing, because, in reality, what is cool?
Is cool really that important when it comes to people? Our actions indicate that it is. We may joke about it in private (but never on Sunday), talk about how they aren’t good enough for us, and ignore their phone calls while philosophizing why this position is palatable.
The root of the issue is a belief that we are superior to others. We look down on others because we feel that they are not as good as us. In some state of stupor, we fail to realize how foolish and lame that we are?
It’s a sordid state of affairs.
Why is this? Why do we do these things? Why do we do this in spite of the very things we say we believe?

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)

Not only this, we have been called to love everyone:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

And we have been called to be ambassadors of Christ:

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

And I think loving people is more important than being “cool.”

I find myself constantly battling apathy–a laziness that seems to be deeply inbred into my very being. And the laziness I speak of tonight isn’t related to work; it’s not related to studying or learning; it’s related to relationships.
One thing that constantly amazes me about life is how so many of my conversations revolve around the thoughts that cycle through my head. And the conversations I speak of aren’t necessarily started by me–so it’s not like I’m driving conversations based on what I’m thinking, although that happens as well.
Rule one about life: People are difficult.
We’re rotten, disgusting, arrogating, selfish, uncaring people, by default. This, however, is a discussion for another day…
Rule two about life: It is difficult to deal with people.
There are people who constantly grate on your nerves. There are people who you just don’t get along with. There are people that you wonder why you hang out with them, why you live with them, etc… And for me, dealing with them is a terrible proposition, but a proposition that fills every day of life.
My tendency is to work really hard…to put all my effort into these sort of relationships because effort equals results, right? It’s wishful thinking because effort and results don’t always correlate perfectly. Sometimes your best efforts don’t work out.
And for me, as soon as I realize that my best efforts amounted to nothing, I quit. I wash my hands of the affair and say “you’re not worth it.” I can think of at least three specific times I have done this–and it’s likely more.
I said, sure, I’ve done my job…look at Romans 12 for yourself:

Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

And so I said, “I tried. It just didn’t work out.” But I didn’t really try, because I relied only on myself. My mindset should be (Matthew 18):

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

So what’s the point here? I guess that we give up far too easily in our quest to do good. We try and fail, but instead of realizing that the fault lies in our own efforts, we move on to other things and forget about our call to turn the other cheek and try again.

Wednesday marked the third funeral I’ve attended this year. Mrs. Maxcine Sanders died in her sleep on Thanksgiving. She was 63.
All three of the people that died were Christians. Every funeral was filled with unabashed proclamation of Jesus Christ followed by a confident assertion that we know where they are. We are sorrowful that they died, but we know they are now alive. The vestiges of humanity have been stripped…
But it makes me think: what is it like going to a funeral of an atheist? Hope? I doubt it. Peace? No way. Assurance? Not so much. What is the content of the funeral? Happy memories of their life and the realization of that they are gone. Forever.
What a sad way to live. And a sadder way to die.

Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody.
Romans 12:16, The Message
via Mike Taylor

What are deacons?
I grew up in Baptist churches. My dad served on the body of deacons from time to time. I know their role is something akin to “servant leader.” But what do they really do?
Are they the gray-haired men with receding hairlines that pass the offering buckets between rows? Are they the men that open the doors? I suppose they call new members. Maybe they volunteer more than others. Perahps they are called deacons as a reward for faithful church service. Do they do anything else?
Most of the stories I remember about deacons are regarding inner-church fighting. Or a new pastor comes to a church only to find a less-than-receptive group of deacons who aren’t interested in change.
Perhaps deacons are perfect servant-leaders. They do what needs to be done without any fanfare or praise. Perhaps that’s why I don’t know what they do. And maybe they don’t do very much.
I don’t know. Maybe I should figure it out.

Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, recently spoke at CedarCreek Chuch’s anniversary celebration:

“My greatest fear,” he told the crowd, “is for you to think this is normal. This is so not normal.” …”

“You may think that a church that cares for lost people is normal,” Mr. Hybels said. “The average church on the corner of Elm and Vine doesn’t give a flying rip about people far from God. They’re an annoyance. They use bad words. They sleep in the wrong bed. They drink too much booze. They’re an annoyance.”

And this from Kevin Hendricks at Church Marketing Sucks:

Sadly, Hybels is right. Too many churches don’t care about lost people, and that fact comes across loud and clear in their actions. Those actions, in effect, become their marketing.

Unfortunately, it’s so sad but so true. Read the full article here…

Today, Champion Forest announced our long terms plans to help those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Over the next 90 days, we will be paying for over 100 families to stay in nearby hotels [Read about it here]. The cost is roughly $10,000 a day (or around $1 million total), but I am guessing that most of the cost was paid for today.
It was a great challenge, and I think the church body is up for it. And at least it’s clear that we are doing good things to help people. Sure, we’re not a Red Cross shelter, but we’re providing a way for people to live in a dignified manner–and that’s awesome!
On another Katrina note, I found this great video [it's a zip file, download it then unzip it] produced by Ecclesia in Houston. [Via]

Today was a good day at Champion Forest… I can say that we actually have done/are doing some things that will make a definite impact in people’s lives. (And I’m not saying that spiritual things are not important…)
More will be coming tomorrow, but what I can say now is that we’ve adopted some folks to help, and we’re going to be using some of our space to collect and distribute items for the Red Cross.
But mainly, we’re doing things to help people. And we’re doing it at the right time and in the right way. We’re even using the website better than I think we have done before…well, we’re using the website as the powerful medium it is.
Anyways…I’m pumped about this.

I went to Lakewood Church tonight…it was an interesting experience. And sadly, it was exactly what I expected-health and wealth Gospel. Everything sounded nice-it was like honey flowing from Osteen’s lips. But it was vapid speech that meant so little…
Joel Osteen: “All things work out to your advantage…”
Bible: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Osteen: “God will give you the credit you deserve…”
Last time I checked, I don’t deserve credit. Sometimes I crave it, but I never deserve it. The whole sin things corrupts me and makes me unworthy of credit.
Osteen: “God is fair”
God is just. Romans 12:19 – “It is mine to avenge, I will repay….” But the Bible does speak of judging “fairly” so it is doable. However, hearing “fair” makes me think about children who constantly whine about how life is not fair.
Fair – Webster’s Dictionary – definition #8 is “Consistent with rules, logic, or ethics” which is what Osteen talked about. The seven previous definitions don’t fit with God’s character.
Osteen: “Job had a restoration attitude”
Job was bitter…and sad. And he also believed that God was in control. Restoration wasn’t what God was looking for in Job. God was looking for obedience and trust. Because Job had those things, God restored the tangible things in his life.
Osteen: “We are more than conquerors…[conquerors are winners]”
The interesting thing is that in Romans 8, a preceding verse says, “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered” and is followed by “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
These verses don’t tell me that I’m a “winner.” They say that I face great strife and great hardship because of Christ. My life isn’t defined by worldly success.
Osteen: “God will pay us back double and triple.”
God doesn’t owe me anything. Period. I am not entitled to anything. And I can’t think of any biblical promise that guarantees triple blessings. It sounds nice, but it’s not biblical.
Osteen: “If you believe, all things are possible”
Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” The key to this statement is “through him” – Him being Christ. The key isn’t me and any random belief I choose but the person to whom I believe. Matthew 19:26: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Once again, the key isn’t necessarily the belief, but once again, it’s whom you believe.
I can believe that my coffee table will save me. But that doesn’t mean anything. I can believe that I’ll be making 6 figures next year, but it doesn’t mean much.
It’s really too bad…I was hoping there would be more.