Scary Thinking?

Bob has some great stuff to say about Spencer Burke's latest book, you can check it out here.

Now, I have not read the book, but I've heard nothing but great things about Spencer as a person. That being said, the statements that he is making/claiming/discussing etc, are scary to me; like this one:

"Institutional Christians tend to have a very narrow and literal interpretation of the Bible. Christianity is the only way to reach God, certain Christians argue, because the Bible says so. It tells us that Jesus said, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'... So how do I interpret this particular Scripture? In the next chapter, I'll explore it more fully, but I don't believe it can be used to argue that Christianity is the only true religion. First, Christianity as a religion didn't exist when Jesus spoke these words. Compounding this point are two additional facts: no one actually recorded Jesus' words at the time he spoke them, so we have no proof that they are indeed his words, and what he did say, he said in Aramaic, which means that nothing in the Bible as translated into any other language can be taken literally anyway... to read this as a literal statement requires that I take the other statements about he makes about himself as literal. For example, Jesus declares that he is the bread and the vine and the Good Shepherd. Does that mean he is literally a loaf or a bread or a plant? Of course not! These are metaphors, clues to something about his character and person."

______________________

This does not make sense to me. I'm an open-minded dude, but...If this is the case, and if Spencer's argument rings true, then should not ALL of the Bible be thrown out also? Could we not include some other key elements like the life, death and resurrection of Jesus? Why then should we love our neighbors? Or "go" preach the gospel...? Hmm, why should I do that? Who do I preach to, who do I tell them about? To me, this type of thinking really pulls the rug out of the "authority" of the Bible. And if this is true, then Jesus and his story is great and cool. Kind of like Gandhi, or Martin Luther King Jr, or Desmond Tutu or some other great dude who lived a great life, but that is far from being God, and forgiving sin, and over-coming evil.

But, it has nothing to do with forgiveness of sin, the state of man, and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

This is why I continue to distance myself away from the emerging conversation. About a year ago, I began to re-think the word emerging and I decided to use the word missional, because I'm still an Orthodox Christ follower and I still believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. And I do believe heaven and hell exist.

Now I differ on much of my belief system I had from the 90's, and I'm culturally more liberal. And I would say I'm not a "fundamentalist" Christian anymore.

But I do believe in foundational Christian theology. Like the fact that there is "One true God," the Bible is "inspired" by God, and I have a calling to tell the world that Jesus died a bloody death on a cross because mankind messed up. And that Jesus came to remove our guilt and teach us a better way to live.

New Review Blog

My buddy Ken has created a new website called I Radio Heaven.

Basically, he is reviewing all the fun things to do in life, like drink beer, listen to music, read books, eat at restaurants, and watch cool movies and TV shows.

Plus, he is a great writer, and I'm assuming, hoping and praying that he is doing some writing and he will also add that to his site in the near future.

So, check it out, read it, blog it, RSS it, and leave a comment and let him know your thoughts.

He just posted a review of "The Killers" new album. I'm waiting for him to review "Amos Lee's" new album. If you have a request, leave him a comment,I'm sure he will oblige.

Weekend Reflections

Someone forgot to tell mother nature that fall starts in late Sept. So it's still rather hot right now.

Notre Dame won, which is good.

Last night we hung out with Tony & Candy who are planting a church in Cedar Park. We grubed at the Texas Road House, good food and it felt good to get out of the house.

This morning I got up and felt horrible. Allergies were beating me down. But I mustered enough strength to head out to Austin Java to grab some brunch. They had some killer breakfast tacos. I feel at home when I'm in downtown Austin.

Then we headed over to Austin City Church to check our their gathering. Which was cool. Very Sacred (ish), felt good.

They also do some GREAT things in the community. It almost felt like they were doing more cool things outside the four walls of the church then inside. Pub theologies, school of theology, festivals, art shows, teaching Greek & Hebrew etc.

Now it's time for another week. Looking forward to it!

New Book Alert

Mark Batterson, who serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC, and is a daily blogger @ Evotional.com, (which has been one of my favorite reads for the past 3 years) Mark lives on Capitol Hill with his wife Lora and their three children.

Mark has a new book coming out: In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars.

Book Description

Your greatest regret at the end of your life will be the lions you didn't chase. You will regret the risks not taken, the opportunities not seized, and the dreams not pursued. Stopping running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path.

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day is inspired by one of the most obscure yet courageous acts recorded in Scripture: Benaiah chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it (II Samuel 23:20-21).

Unleash the lion chaser within!

I would encourage you to pick up a copy, read it, blog it, share it and pass it along to your friends. When i read my copy, I will do a review.

Peace & Love from Austin, TX

Vintage Jesus

Mark Driscoll had a great post on Vintage Jesus.

Below are a few quotes about Jesus from various famous folks:

Mark Twain:“If Christ were here now there is one thing he would not be—a Christian."

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: “Socrates died like a philosopher; Jesus Christ died like a God.”

John Lennon: “Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first—rock and roll or Christianity."

Sick Sick & Sick of Being Sick

I'm sick, which sucks. Hate being sick. Thank God for Golf, vodcast, podcast and books.

Gordon Conwell Rocks!

If you are looking for an in-depth theological study look no further. The good folks at Gordon Conwell have created this.

I must say that I'm highly impressed. They even offer you a certificate of completion. What is the charge? NOTHING, that is right it's free.

I love how the church is becoming more open-source. Free graphics, messages, bible studies etc. That is a good thing for the Kingdom of God.

HT: emergesque.

Hostage in school standoff dies

This story is to sad.. Freaking unbelievable.

I can vividly recall an erie phone from my buddy Rawd when I was a youth pastor in Dallas. He told me I needed to head to the office quick, one of our youths cousin was killed in the columbine incident. So sad, later that night, this couple was all over the national news. Crazy!

An innocent young girl is dead because some reckless dude. Sad, Sad, Sad!

Halo The Movie-Looks Good

Kids Rule Parents Drool

Spent the weekend in Dallas, doing our monthly work that we do up there. Fun, I guess. Good to see the family and play some poker.

I was reflecting on parenthood these past few days. Now that Bailey is in first grade, we have more restrictions on our schedule. Necole and I are free spirits, so it's been an adjustment. Bailey has close to an hour of homework per night.

Of course, school is never enough, parents have to try and keep up with other parents, so their little one "don't fall behind." How lame is that? Of course we are looking at outside school activities; like cheer-leading, soccer(gag), tennis, and gymnastics. Plus, every freaking Saturday is another b-day party to attend. So far we have gotten 4 invites in six weeks, enough already! It kinda sucks, I want my kids to be involved, I know that their is value in these activities. But sometimes I wonder how healthy it is for the whole family structure? Maybe mom's and dad's should spend more time together, that way they can still be married when their kids grow up, go to college, get married and have their own little ones.

Kids rule the roost, I love it, and I hate it. Parents can easily lose their soul to work and kids activities. As for me, I refuse to be one of those parents who live their life for their kids. If you know me, you know I love my girls more then anything, I would literally kill someone if I had to in order to protect them. I'm pretty much a pacifist...But, you got draw the line somewhere.

In the meantime, if you don't have kids, go make a baby :)

Notre Dame Is Killing Me

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Notre Dame is killing me. Hanging in Dallas for work this weekend, and I just got home and fired up the tv in hopes that ND would be spanking Mich St butt.

Well, I guess not...They are spanking our butt. Last week I thought Michigan was THAT good. This week, I'm starting to think that ND (defense) is THAT bad.


Man we need a freaking miracle. C'mon touchdown Jesus!

BTW-If I lose in fantasy football tomorrow, I'm going to quit.

Alcohol use and the believer

There has been an on-going debate within the Southern Baptist circles in regards to alcohol consumption by it's clergy.

I personally call this extra biblical teachings. Don't dance, don't smoke, don't drink etc. Of course, very few times do you hear these denoms talk about over-eating, or what the bible would describe at gluttony.

I think it's sad that we pick & choose which issues are more important. I mean, at the end of the day, I think it's wrong for any believer to be addicted to anything. Like money, caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, FOOD, etc.

If we will not allow planters to pioneer a church if they drink, maybe we should not allow them to plant if they lack the discipline to eat a proper diet. Of course I would be in trouble. But for real, how many times have you seen a fat pastor tell his congregation that drinking and smoking is wrong, yet the buttons from his shirt is about to pop out. I call this hypocrisy!

Also, it seems to me that Jesus did not mind drinking some wine. And for those who say it was non-alcoholic wine, well they should study history. Although to be fare, the alcohol content was not quite what it is today.

The Pathway: Home: Alcohol use and the believer: Theology on-tap

HT: Steve McCoy

Tim Keller

DJ Chuang posted some great (dangerous) thoughts on his blog:

Why I like Keller more than Piper.

Tim Keller is by far one of spirtual hero's. I love this dude, he is wise, smart, and urban. He loves church planting and he walks with incredible humility. Which is something I need to learn :)

Go enjoy DJ's thoughts. As for me, I'm going back to study systematic theology and it's not even for a degree. It's because a friend unknowingly spoke wise words that left me convicted. So I'm spending an hour a day studying theology. NT Wright trilogy is next:)

Look & See

My favorite brown truck came to visit me today :)

Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community: Books: Ed Stetzer,David Putman

The Last Word: Beyond the Bible Wars to a New Understanding of the Authority of Scripture: Books: N.T. Wright

Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology: Books: Eugene H. Peterson

Reflections on Gospel

This morning I'm hanging at Genuine Joe Coffeehouse in N. Austin. At one time this cofeeshop was literally a house. It has a 70's retro vibe; yah-know, couches, beads, and the old round kitchen tables with the square-ish brown leather chairs. I love their tagline.

" A place for boots, suits, hippies and techies."

Wow, so creative, they understand their mission and what they are called to do.

On my left are two hippie chicks, on my right is a Jewish Rabbi, a Muslim just walked out, and a few dudes in suites are having a meeting and talking loud. Outside, some guys are playing the guitar, laughing and enjoying the moment.

It's cool cause I get to see a reflection of Austin and the greater American culture. So many people, backgrounds and faiths all mixed into small geographical area. And somehow the gospel is relevant to all of them, somehow the story of Jesus is greater than their backgrounds, faiths, identities or mistakes.

The challenge is this, how do I communicate the gospel to this culture? My calling as a Christ-follower is to love and serve the city that I live in. It's not really optional, and it has nothing to do with official ministry or church planting.

I'm called by God to reach my neighbor, my community and my city. For me it starts with conversations, it starts by building community and allowing trust to be established.

I think for the most part we have a timid Christian culture in America, we worry about fitting in, we want to be "liked" by those in our community. We spend much of our time at church or Bible studies or playdates with other Christian parents. My prayer this morning is for a broken heart and crushed spirit. I want to be wounded for my city, I want the pains of sin and godlessness to overwhelm me. There comes a time when the story must be told with boldness, clarity and faith. Yes we have to be incarnational, but I wonder how many times we refuse to share the gospel because we make up lame excuses, or we are scared of rejection of being the outcast. I know I do. Somehow, I want to change that.

Mark Driscoll

For some reason Mark Driscoll has captivated the evangelical landscape. Why, well I guess because he is a controversial figure. He is outside the box for sure. Plus he's doing some great stuff for God in a city that is spiritually complicated and hard to reach.

So, I was a bit surprised to read this post from Driscoll's blog. Very authentic and human.

In 1999, I moved to Seattle to attend school. My buddy Ken in Sac-town kept telling me I needed to go to Mars Hill Church. I was pretty distraught with church at the time. I just resigned a position at a mega church in Dallas. I was tired of the corporate church structure, I did not understand my role in the church. I was bored. I did not become a pastor to get a paycheck, I became a pastor to help make the world become a better place, to lead people to the story of Jesus and to help equip them to find their role within that narrative. This is why I will plant another church even though my first one failed.

Now back to the story:

So I went to Mars Hill. It was the first time I had communion with real wine. I loved the make up of the crowd, young and old, hip and nerdy, rich and poor. I loved the vintage feel, no purpose driven concert shows that tried to impress people as if the gospel story cannot stand on it's own two feet.

All I can say is this, I never felt the presence of God like I did on that night. It was rich, deep, reflective and real.

I don't always agree with Driscoll, and every mega church has it's issues. (or should I say every church) But I did appreciate his the honesty that was laid forth.

I'm A Wimp

So tonight I feel like a wimp, why you ask? Because I watched LOST tonight on DVD instead of Monday Night Football. Not good, the addiction is getting stronger.

Lets Try Again

Jasen & Amanda have posted some great Austin pics on their blog from this weekend.

Weekend Roundup Day 2

So Sunday morning we got up, ate breakfast and did the 360 trip again. Austin locals, Chris Larson and Rachel Ray kept telling me I need to get some grub at the famous Salt Lick BBQ. Which is like 40 minutes in the boonies. Man, I got to tell you, it was really good.




After lunch we headed downtown to the infamous 6th St. WOW, so cool. Lot's of stuff going on...I even found a local cigar shop that rolls their own cigars, right in the shop. NICE!

Then we headed to the tattoo shop for some body piercing for my sister-in-law. After that, we headed home for one last game of poker. Fun, Fun, Fun, and yes I also won again :)

Now, I'm blogging, watching a freaking amazing lightening storm outside. This was a great weekend. God is good, and life is good. (Except for ND losing to Michigan, of course Ken blogged it, that dude does not even like football, or at least I thought he didn't like football. Hey Ken, Michigan wins a lot, why blog about them beating ND? Ya, go ahead rub it in, now I just hope they beat Ohio St. and lose to Mich St.)

Ok, I'm signing off, I hope your weekend was as good as mine!

Weekend Roundup Day 1

So Friday night, Jason and Amanda drove over from Houston. They were attending the Sufjan Stevens show. We met them downtown to grab a quick dinner at Wahoo's, which was/is a favorite of theirs from So. Cal.

After the show we met at my place. It was great to catch up and chat, it's been awhile, or should I say-too long.

The next morning, we ate some breakfast and headed downtown via the 360, which is a freeway that cuts through the Hill Country. It's a beautiful drive, and most folks are amazed at the rolling hills and beautiful scenery, usually the response is; "I can't believe this in Texas."

After the drive, we headed to the Soco district to grab some Ruta Maya coffee and lunch at Shady Grove. The burgers were great. Shady Grove is funky fun rugged place. After filling our stomachs we made our way over to BookPeople. Of course, if you hang out with the Ashdown's or Nussbaum's, you know you gotta find the local record store, and we did, next to Bookpeople is Waterloo Records, and next to Waterloo is Amy's Ice Cream. So we hit all three, yummy, yummy!

After the downtown tour of sorts, we headed back home. The Ashdown's had to leave and head back to H-Town. We had a blast with the J & Amanda, hope to see them soon!

Then

Our family from Dallas came in later that evening. We headed back to downtown for dinner, and then we walked to the congress bridge to see the "Bats." It was a beautiful night. We saw over 1.5 million bats head out into the night to eat mosquitos (go bats) and do whatever bats do at night as we mere mortals sleep.

Man, I love the vibe of downtown Austin. So much energy. Everyone is hanging out on the patios, drinking beer, and having fun. Right up my alley!

We finally made it back home to play a little family poker. Good times for sure. But the fun is just beginning. And yes of course I won the poker game :)

Dog The Bounty Hunter

I love the dog, I think he is an authentic follower of Christ. It's ironic that he was aressted & freed on bail. Hope it works our for him.

Also, Notre Dame got rocked, so pissed. Last week Texas, this week ND, lame.

Austin City Limits Music Festival Live Feed

Austin City Limits Music Festival started today, over 200,000 people will swarm Austin over the next 3 days, nuts!

If you are a chump like me, and you have no tickets; you can still catch the show live. The feed is here.

Enjoy, and hopefully next year I will be able to attend?

We are now off to brave the crowd downtown to hang with J & Amanda and eat some fish tacos at wahoo's Wahoo's.

HMM

Lovely day in Austin, it feels like late spring. (I think fall comes in late Oct)

Cool and crisp in the morning, hot and sunny in the afternoon and just amazing at night. The skies are mesmorizing; So blue, so great. And every morning we get to watch the sun break through the darkness, it's really sweet. I get to sit on the balcony, sip my shade grown organic ruta maya coffee. (which is the best drip coffee I've ever had; but if someone from the Nussbaum's clan, Tre, or the Hudson's want to send me some vivace, zoka, ladro, or zita beans, I have a feeling I would be really happy about that; c-mas is soon and my b-day is March 1st).

Why do I say all this, because life goes fast and I'm always thinking about the future. But this week God is speaking to my spirit, I need to learn to stay in the now, yes the present. Enjoy life. So I'm trying.

Austin City Limits start tomorrow. The weather is suppose to get toasty and humid this weekend, which is not good if you are hanging in a park in the hot sun for 3 days. I wish I could be there, but, I have another treat, the Ashdown's are coming from H-town this weekend. I'm looking forward to hangin out, catching up and enjoying some of the finer things in life.

Now it's off to the balcony, to enjoy the remainder of the day.

Peace & Love from Austin

One Month

We've been is Austin for a month now. It's been what I would call a beautiful struggle. So far the hardest part has been rhythm. We have not been able to afford pre-school for Kenzie. So Necole and I kinda tag team the babysitting thing. We are sad, because Kenzie really needs to be in school. Hopefully, sooner rather then later, we will get her in school?

We love Austin, it's a great city, yet at the same time, I spend most of my time at home. Which is not good, because I hate being at home. So much to explore and do. In the meantime I try to be patient and work the plan that we have.

It takes time to get re-established, to find rhythm and community. To re-acquire all the basic stuff we need, like couches, tables, dishes and of course the XBOX.

At the same time, I've really learned what it means to rely on God, to learn how to pray and seek God, and read the Bible, to hope and trust. Spiritually speaking, the past 5 months have been a breath of fresh air. Healing has taken place, vision has been restored, and passion is alive and well.

If someone asked me to describe the past 5 months, I would say sovereignty. God has been sovereign. And for that I'm grateful, I find hope and I know my story, is precious to God and important to humanity.

So the struggle continues...But it's a good struggle.

RAIDERS SUCK!!!

UPDATE: Not that you needed proof, but just in case:

Stats of the Week: The Oakland Raiders had as many sacks (9) and punts (9) as first downs (9).(ESPN)

Also, just to let Devries know, I will not become a Texans fan. I mean how lame can you get, they passed on R. Bush, crazy. I don't think AL Davis would have done that. Of course, Al Davis did give up on chucky, and chucky took Al and Raiders down in the Superbowl. (Thanks for reminding me-Ashy!)

So this year, in honor of my formal cities in which I lived in and still love. I shall cheer on the Seahawks and the Panthers. So there you have it, I'm no longer a Raider fan.


I grew up in the Bay Area. (kinda) I remember watching the Raiders play the Eagles in the Superbowl in 1980. I also remember the Raiders taking down the Redskins in the Superbowl in 1983. I attended the championship game in 2000 (?) when the Raiders lost to Ray Lewis and the Ravens. Another words, I'm a huge Raider fan.

But the last few years I've been trying to "let go" and move forward. You can only be faithful for so long, and Al Davis is a complete idiot.

As for last night, I could hardly watch. The game was so bad, the Raiders were so bad. Man, these are not good times for Raider nation. Although, I think the HATED Broncos and Chiefs both lost, so that helps, at least for a week.

The Let Down

I headed to the mailbox today, pretty normal right. I got out my key, placed it in the lock, turned right and swung open the door. Cool, got a couple new mags, paycheck and wait, no wait...Where is it? No Lost, what...OH MY GOSH!!!! How am I gonna tell Necole? Who cares about the mags and paycheck...WE NEED OUR FINAL DVD OF LOST! You know, now we have to wait another day to find out about the hatch, and the raft and the kidnapping of the kid. URGH!!!!!!!!

Blockbuster, how could you...This is why I was so hesitant to switch from Netflix. Yes, I love the four movies passes I get per month, but...Not more then my LOST DVD!

Ya see, here is how it works. I send the movie back which is day 1. (It takes one day to get to the warehouse.) So, the next biz day, blockbuster received my movie and they ship another one out to me, which is day 2. And on day 3, the movie shows up in my mailbox.

But not this time, I hope this is not going to happen on a regular basis. If so, Netflix here I come.

9/11

I have a lot of thoughts in regards to 9/11. But I think I will remain silent for the most part. The one thing that still makes me sad is the fact that the killing that started that dreadful day, has not stopped yet. Sometimes I wonder when It will end, or will it ever end?

Sunday Musings

Got up this morning and headed to church. Tony was quite depressed over the Texas loss, but he pulled through and spoke a good message. The folks were quite nice, they served hot dogs, snow cones and did some face painting for the kids. (post service of course) Bailey and Kenzie were pumped and they were hoping that church is tomorrow so we could go back. Anyhow, good times for sure.

Then we headed home to chill, I caught some boring NFL football. After Bailey finished her homework we decided to head out to Suzi's Chinese Grill, which is kinda like PF Changs. Of course the locals think it's better then Changs. I'll reserve judgment for later. Suzi (the owner) was there, saying hi, and serving her customers. It always feels good to spend the hard earned dollar on a local business.

Now it's time to get the little ones in bed, fire up the DVD player and finish watching Lost. We have two more discs and we will be done with season one. We need to catch up, so we have to watch the whole 2nd season by next week, which is the season premier.

Peace & Love from Austin

Bummer

Well it looks like the better team won tonight. The game was good, but not epic. Texas QB was not quite ready to play a team like Ohio St. However, I do not think the season is over for Texas, they will be much better at the end of the year than they were today!

Notre Dame

Notre Dame took care of business today against Penn State. Although, it does not get any easier next week as Michigan come to play ND. Should be fun!

Now, If only Texas can take Ohio St, that would make today, a great sports day.

I can say this, Austin is packed with folks, the hype is huge. If only I had tickets :(

Blog Buzz

Some good conversation taking place at the bob.blog. Basically Bob responded to a post by Driscoll on Multi-Site/Video Venues.

Darrin Patrick, who is an ACTS 29 board member (I think) and Elder @ THE JOURNEY Church left a comment. Which set off some more comments. FUN FUN FUN!

Honestly, lot's of good conversation and insight If you love church planting, culture and leadership then make your way over and chime in. This is a good chance to get into the head of some cool leaders who are doing their best to bring heaven to earth and move the church forward.

Peace & Love

New Contact

I was surfing PlanterPlanet the other day and I happen to click on one of the blogs...Lo and behold this particular blogger was in N. Austin/Cedar Park, which is were I live. How cool is that.

So I emailed Tony to see if we could touch base, which we did today over some yummy Rudy's BBQ.

We had a good time chatting, dreaming and discussing all things in regards to theology, church planting, culture etc.

Tony's church-Legacy Fellowship, is gearing up for their fall launch. So please keep them in prayer.

Anyhow, It's great to get out and meet people, good times for sure!

Peace & Love from Austin.

NFL-WHY!

I just realized something horrific-Being in Austin, I now have to watch the Cowboys & the Houston Texans on Sundays. Another words, I'm going to miss all the great NFL games because I live in a city that is close to both Houston & Dallas. SUCK!

NFL

NFL starts tonight, sweet! Fall is in the air, it's only 92 in Austin :)

Pellet, you should come down Saturday and watch the Texas game?

BTW, I've been messing around with wordpress, it seems real cool. Although, I still need some help from the tech God's.

Peace & Love

WHAT WOULD I HAVE DONE?

Taken word from word from JR Woodward blog, this is such a touching story, I wonder what I would have done? Or, maybe I already know.

"I love this story that Max Lucado shares. If you are familar with the book of James, you will understand the message even more. Here is how he recounts what happened in his church in San Antonio, Texas.

“Some years ago, David Robinson, who plays basketball in San Antonio, visited our church. He's not a member of our church, but he shows up occasionally. You can imagine the stir that occurred when that seven-foot striking fellow walked into the auditorium. We have two worship services, and he came to the first one. At the end of it, people mobbed him. Kids all wanted his autograph. Dads lined up, allegedly to get things signed for their kids, but we all knew the truth. The brouhaha finally settled down and David went his way, and we began the second service.

In the second service that day, I was standing to do the announcements when something happened that has never happened since. A homeless person walked in the back of the auditorium, came down the center aisle with his backpack, ratty jeans, torn T-shirt, unshaven face, and distinct odor. He walked down to the front, and he sat down.
The contrast struck me. When David Robinson entered, he was immediately swarmed. People wanted to touch him and be close to him, be next to him. However, I'm sad to say that nobody jumped up to run and sit next to the homeless man. After two or three awkward minutes during which I was trying to act like nothing was happening, one of our elders got up from his seat and sat by the man and touched him. I was struck. Wouldn't you have been as well?

The message that I received in my heart that morning was: Which of these men do you think touched Jesus? If you want to touch Jesus, whom do you touch? Jesus said, 'Whatever you've done for the least of these, my brethren, you've done also to me.'""

HT: JR Woodward

Trying To Connect

Brand Guerilla which is a subsidiary of Blink is attending Austin Game Conference for the next three days.

K-Dub is down there now passing out t-shirts and I hope to make it soon.

We hope to connect with the creatives who roam around Austin, these folks have huge dreams and we hope to partner with them and help brand their companies and dreams.

Free Book

Billy Graham evangelistic Association is offering a FREE book by John Piper called 'Don't Waste Your Life." Go here to fill out the form and order your copy.

HT: Goodmanson

Coach facing felony charges in football brawl

I keep seeing the replays on espn and the national news, some dad runs on the football field and crushes a 13 year old kid because of a late hit. I thought that was sad, crazy and very immature.

Then I realize that this happened in the city in which I was raised. Yes, good ole Stockton, CA aka "the ghetto." I played against the team that was attacked by this crazy dad/coach. People always ask me why I left Cali, this is a big reason. Story below.

Coach facing felony charges in football brawl

Prayer Request

My friend and church planter Jeff Ramsey had surgery this morning. You can read his story on his blog. Please pray that he has a speedy recovery and that he gets a clean bill of health.

The Life After Ours

I was watching some of Steve Irwin's past episodes last night. Needless to say, it's always sad to see tragedy, knowing that a wife, daughter, son, dad, mom and friends are hurting.

On the episode I was watching Steve was talking about how short life is, and he made this statement, "when we cross over from this life to the next, whatever that is."

I could not help but wonder the spiritual fate of Steve Irwin. Now don't get me wrong, I have no clue as to his spiritual upbringing or beliefs. But my heart was broken. Did he know Jesus? Was he ever told the story of God in a legitimate way? I wonder, I wonder?

Somehow I hope moments like these will always grip my heart. I wonder if I really care about people, do I really understand the responsibility that I have as a Christ-follower to share Christ's love to this world. It's not like Jesus told us, if we have time then "go" and tell folks about me.

Part of the story of God is realizing that we have a role to play. That we get to partner with God (because of His grace) and help redeem and restore the world and the people living in this world to their rightful place.

As I stare in this cafe, I look into the eyes of the people. Do they know? Do they know what I know? Have they been given a chance to see and know Jesus?

I have a passion to remove the layers of religion that have been placed on the person of Jesus because I have a conviction that if the world sees Jesus through a pure lens (if they see the Jesus that I see, one that frees us up to live life to full, to experience deep forgiveness and to understand grace and mercy) then they will follow this Jesus; not out of fear, but they will follow Jesus because they will realize that Jesus came to teach the world how to "live the best possible life." (thanks Rob Bell for that thought)

Another words, if Jesus is lifted up... Man, that is our goal...How do we lift up Jesus in our culture? I pray my heart is always crushed for those who do not know Christ. I was almost 17 years old when I first heard the strory of Jesus; that's right, 17, and I lived in America. God have mercy!

"I can change the world, with my own two hands, I can make peace on earth, with my own two hands, I can make it a kinder place with my own two hands, I can clean up the earth with my own two hands, I can reach out to you, with own two hands. I'm going to make it a brighter place, I'm going to help the human race, with my own two hands."

Jack Johnson & Ben Harper (Harper wrote the song)

Fantasy Football

I just participated in my first ff draft. The bad news, I drafted last. But I think I did ok. Below is my team, wish me luck. Ashdown, what are we going to bet?


QB: Trent Green
QB: Matt Hassleback
RB: R. Brown
RB: Cadilac Williams
RB: DeShaun Foster
WR: Chris Chambers
WR: Joey Galloway
WR: Joe Horn
WR: Keyshawn Johnson
WR: Jerry Porter
TE: Jeremy Stevens
TE: Dallas Clark
K: Jason Elam
Def: Pittsburgh
Def: New England

Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin, the self-proclaimed croc hunter died last night. Tre and I used to talk about when one of these wild animal tv personalities were going to die. Of course I think it sucks that it came true.

One thing I can say about this guy, he seemed to really love what he did for a living. I think it's so important to love what you do, and not just do what you do to earn a paycheck, pay the mortgage and take a week's vacation a year. Life is to short to not do what you are called to do.

WHEW!

Close game, I was getting a little stressed. But hey, whenever you can win on the road against a good team, you gotta take it.

Next Sunday will be insane here in Austin. Ohio St Vs. Texas, enough said.

Peace & Love

Fantasy Football

I decided to give fantasy football a try. This will be my first year. Any tips? I have to beat Ashdown and his H-town crew. Of course, these cats have the experience. Man, I do not want to lose!

Theology And A 6 Year Old

I can't tell you how many times Bailey has come home from school or Sunday School and she tells me what a friend or teacher said. Man, people and their wacked theology!

So Bailey comes home today, and she tells me her friend from school told her that the Devil is real and that he throws people into hot lava forever. So Bailey asked me if the Devil is real and is the Devil out to get her.

So I tried to tell Bailey about God, the Devil and the cross. I also tried to tell her that the Devil is not out to get her...That she is safe.

Her response was-Why did God make the Devil? When the Devil was a baby did God not know that the Devil had evil powers? Why did God kick the Devil out of heaven? Where is the Devil now (I told her that God had the Devil on a leash like a dog, she then asked if the leash was a laser lease, oh boy)

So we tried to tell her about God, Jesus, Devil, Fall, Cross and Resurrecting etc. And that God gives us a choice to do good or bad.

She then wanted to know why an angel turned mean. So we taught her a little bit about pride and living selfish lives.

Of course she then wanted to know who is God's mom and dad. And what time God goes to bed, Oh boy!

First of all, I wonder what these folks are teaching their kids? I mean, I do not want my 6 year old to assume the Devil is out to get her. But, I did not want to tell her the Devil does not exist either...Let's just say, I walked a thin fine line trying to explain the Biblical narrative, evil and good and how to make good choices. I tried to explain to her that Jesus teaches us the best way to live, and we try to be like him.

I hope I did a good job...I just know that her little mind is spinning, as she progresses into a little girl, who feels, thinks and wonders what life is about.

Man, It's really important to understand theology, I do not want to "steer" my girls in the wrong direction.

Parenting can be tough stuff.

Some Bono Thoughts

Below are some thoughts from Bono at the recent Willow Creek Leadership Seminar. Convicting for sure. HT: Dave Ferguson:

# 'The most rewarding part of this past year? Selfishly, it is to wake up with a melody in my head and heart. But beyond my music it is the work we are doing with the ONE campaign.'
# 'I never had a problem with Christ...it was Christians that gave me problems...they seemed completely disinterested culturally and politically...they seemed very strange to me.'
# 'The world works on the principle of Karma; what you put out comes back to you...but then enters the story of grace in the person of Christ and it turned the world on it's head.'
# 'Duality is the mark of really great art and it's what is missing in Christian art. It's missing the tension that is missing...the attempt to wrestle truth to the ground is often absent.'
# 'Much of gospel music seems fake to me...pretending that everything is o.k...I relate more to the blues...that sounds like the song of David to me.'
# 'Jesus was either a Charles Manson - a nut case or he was who he said he was. I'm fascinated by a child born into straw poverty. The Christmas story is a remarkable story that never ceases to amaze me.'
# 'How in a world of plenty can people be left to starve? We think, 'it's just the way of the world'. And if it is the 'way of the world' we must overthrow the 'way of the world."

Football is in the air

For the most part, I've lived in cities that are not wild about college sports. Northern Cali and Dallas are not college cities. Now Dallas does have a nice Texas Vs. Texas AM thing going on. But, for the most part, pro sports rule.

Then I moved to Raleigh. Now Raleigh is a great city, I really miss the place. It was the first city I lived in where college sports dominated the culture. Although, this year I'm sure hockey was HUGE.

But I loved it, I love Sept to Mid-March. And I learned something, college sports is so much cooler then pro sports. Now, I've always loved college sports, huge Georgetown fan, (b-ball) and Notre Dame fan in football. But it was always second fiddle to pro sports.

All that to say this, I'm so stoked college football season begins today. Raleigh taught me a lot about college sports, the passion, dedication and commitment that fans and alum have is truly amazing.

So let's get it started, I just hope Notre Dame and Texas do not play each other in the championship game,

Films Shot In Austin

UPDATE:

Looks like I made someone mad with my love for Austin. (not sure why, of course I'm not sure if people know, but bloggers can read all incoming links and who they are and all that) Of course, this person was a wimp and posted anonymously, ya no guts at all. So, I had to turn comment moderation back on, which is lame. BTW-This is my blog, so if you do not like my comments about the city I live in then delete me from your blogroll-just a thought, you DO NOT HAVE TO READ MY BLOG!

Sorry for the interruption...Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

______


Films Shot In Austin To Be In Theaters Soon.

Austin is becoming a little Hollywood. I think close to 10 films are being shot in here as we speak. Below are a few that will make it to the theatre's soon.

-Idiocracy
-Infamous-Sandra Bullock
-Texas Chain Saw Massacre:The Beginning
-Fast Food Nation
-The Return
-Grind House-Quentin Tarantino


It will be fun to see these flicks.

My Blog World Is getting Bigger

I'm always keeping up with the blog world. I've met so many new friends and I get to keep in touch with all my friends, it's a win-win for sure. Now these cats below are some real cool people doing great stuff for the Kingdom.

Eugene is the lead pastor at Quest Church in Seattle. I really dig Quest, and if we plant here in Austin, they will be a model for us along with a few other churches.

I've just found Earl Creps blog. Earl leads the D.Min program Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. At one time I was on track to attend AGTS. Anyhow, Earl is a much needed Pentecostal voice to the emerging or should I say missional conversation. Earl also has a new book coming out: Off-Road Disciplines: Spiritual Adventures of Missional Leaders

I hope you enjoy these folks.

Peace & Love from Austin

New Friends & Ventures

I hung out with Brian today at Seattle Best Coffee. Brian is on staff at Vox Veniae. (formerly Liquid)

Vox Veniae's first gathering is Sept 10. So please pray for them. I had a good conversation with Brian. Austin pastors seem very committed to unity and the overall kingdom. So that is refreshing.

In other news...I have been asked to join Blink Consulting. I'm giving it a trail run for the next month. My buddy Kevin has some mad skills. So my job is to drive business. We have lots of idea's. So please pray that God will give us wisdom & of course deals. Looking forward to jumping in.

Peace & Love

Austin Stats

Interesting:


Austin is:
1. The 2nd best place to live. 800,000+ unchurched
2. Home to the largest university in the country. 50,000+ unchurched
3. The #1 city for singles
4. One of the fastest growing cities in the US"

Via Vox Veniae.

Busy Weekend

We finally made it back home from Dallas. Two long days. But fun and worth it. A few interesting things that happened:

Saturday morning we were driving on the freeway in Dallas and we noticed cars quickly stopping in the middle of the freeway...I looked ahead and I saw the 4 lane freeway empty, no movement, no lights or sirens. Then, two other cop cars quickly swooped in and forced traffic off the freeway. All of sudden, I noticed a fire truck on the overpass. Some dude climbed over the overpass fence and was trying to jump and commit suicide. Man that was so sad. How could someone get so desperate that they would climb a fence and jump off a bridge on the freeway?

We hung out with family Saturday night at Blue Goose. Good to see them, and the food was great.

We are no longer Ikea virgins. That's right, for the first time in our lives, we went to Ikea. That place is nuts, I thought we would never get out. We did not spend much cash. (Thank you Jesus) It was a bit surreal walking out of the store, like 30 mini- vans had pulled up to the front so they could load up their stuff.

Although, I was a bit disappointed when I unwrapped our dishes and found out they they were made in Chine. Hmm...Not cool!

We came home tonight with only three family members...Kenzie stayed in Dallas to hang with grandma. So sad. I miss her already.

Time to go...Hope you had a great weekend.

Peace & Love

Some Stuff

I hung out with Jim Mueller, who is planting Austin City Church. They have their first gathering Sept 10th. I dig their sanctuary, they made it into an art gallery and they have some really cool paintings available to view. I think this church is going to do real well. Plus Jim studied in Cambridge, so jealous.

Jim also took me to Flipnotics, which is a great cafe with a huge outdoor patio. So cool. Thanks Jim for hanging.

Also, my buddy Jeff Foust called me Tuesday, he was going to be in town and wanted to hang out and grab some drinks. I was like negative on the drinks (they cost money) and then he informed that the drinks are on the firm (he is a lawyer) so I was like sure, I have the whole night free :)

So last night I headed downtown for my first Austin night life experience. Let me just say this, WOW! Downtown was filled with energy, so many people it was crazy. We headed to Flemings, which is a steak house & wine bar. These lawyer boys & girls are crazy, dropping $100 bottles of wine like it's tap water. I sat next to a judge, how fun. Someone asked the judge how he got his job. He relied back, "well I started to tithe, and God blessed me and opened up the door." Let's just say that changed the tone of the room quite a bit :) Of course my buddy boss owns a share in a private jet, has a house in Colorado and the Carribean. He found out I was clergy, we started chatting, he goes to church every Sunday, of course latter that night he headed to the strip clubs. He asked me about being a Christian, I told him I do my best to follow Christ, he relied...Well, I go to church every Sunday, I never miss. I told him a lot people go to church and Sunday, but they do not follow Christ. He asked me what I meant, I told him a true Christ follower follows Christ outside the walls of the church. He was silent, but he still paid for my drinks and food. AMEN!

We are now off to Dallas for the weekend to work and hang with the family, should be fun.

blogger is a pain in the ass

So a few days ago I see this nice new blue box in my blogger dashboard. It tells me that I've been chosen to migrate my blog to blogger beta. I'm pumped, and in a moment of stupidity I do it. (Usually I wait for bugs to be worked out before I do stuff like this)

Well, my blog crashes, I'm locked out of my dashboard and I get this lame page for the past four days telling me that my blog is being moved. Maybe you have seen that page?

I email blogger, jump on the blogger help boards etc. Well, nothing. Nope, blogger did not reply to my email. A blogger employee did respond to my post in the help boards after a few days of me whining and screaming like a little puppy dog that just got attacked by a pit bull.

So today I tried to login and see if my blog was working. Yep, it is...kinda. My blog is working with the old blogger platform, but not new beta. So what gives blogger? You cats really screwed this up big time. Hopefully google will not be the next microsoft. To big to be any real use.

Now to be fair, I like a lot of the new tools that beta has. So I'm not giving up yet. Although I did create a wordpress blog just in case I jump ship.

I will keep you updated, and my advice...Do not migrate your blog for a while.

Getting To Know Some Folks

I had lunch with Don, who is the pastor of Austin Mosaic. It felt good to get out and be in conversation with like minded folks. Austin Mosaic seems very similar to Sacred, which is way cool.

Since Don is a local Austinite, and I am not a local Austinite (yet), he took me to a real cool Brazilian Tex- Mex place, yummy!

Tomorrow I'm hanging out with another pastor, should be fun. I love to explore, build relationships and learn from other folks.

Sunday Reflections

Yesterday we decided to get out and explore the city of Austin. We headed downtown and went to Amy's Ice Cream . Amy is a local business owner and she is really involved in the community. And her ice cream is real good, but it's also a little expensive.

Then we headed to Ruta Maya Coffee House. Ruta Maya was ranked one of the top 10 coffees in America by Food & Wine Mag. So I had to check it out. I bought a pound of fair trade, organic coffee for $8.50. How sweet is that! Looking forward to going back and hanging at this place.

After some joe, we headed to The Austin Stone Community Church. Austin Stone is one of fastest growing churches in America. Chris Tomlin lead worship and Matt Carter (lead pastor) spoke on tithing. Lot's of young worshippers and the place was packed.

After church we headed to Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q. Man this place is so good. The best BBQ I've had. And it's another locally owned business, which is cool. I love the fact that all the cash that we spent yesterday went to locally owned businesses. Out of every $100 we spend, if we buy corporate, only $14 goes back to the local economy. If we buy local, $44 goes back to the local economy. (I'm pretty sure those numbers are correct) So it feels good to support locally owned businesses.

Now it's time for the weekly grind. And the Red Sox SUCKED this week.

My Theology?

I re-took this test just for fun. I think they got it right, for the most part. I consider my theology to be somewhat of a mixed bag. I refuse to be boxed into any label. I think labels can be counter productive to any theological conversation, because when we "label" ourselves we tend to do whatever it takes to prove why we are right in what we believe.

Of course, the flip-side of this is you have to know what you believe and be able to communicate that belief system to some extent. So the tension exists. I'm not sure if this is right or wrong; but it's me. Below is a snap-shot of my basic beliefs.

Quick Thought, this is very much a stream of consciousness, so I could easily disagree with myself. :)

1. I'm in the middle of the calvinism/arminism debate.
2. I believe all the spiritual gifts are in operation today; I just do not like how most are portrayed and I feel like most churches abuse the gifts; such as prophecy, tongues, miracles etc...
3. I believe that heaven and hell exist. Who goes where? Well that is a little more complicated, and I do not have time to discuss what I believe. Nor am I sure I could articulate my beliefs.
4. I believe that women can be elders in the church. But I also believe that men are called to be leaders in the household. I also think this theology is really abused and most folks do not get this right.
5. I still consider myself conservative, with a liberal bent. That being said, I tend to want to distance myself from the conservative party or what may be known as the evangelical right, who supports conservative politics. I DO not believe that Ted Haggard, Pat Robertson or The Liberty dude (forgot his name) speaks for me. Nor do I think Brian Mclaren, Emergent Village, Mark Driscoll or any other "big-wig" speaks for me. I respect all of the above that I mentioned, but I also sharply disagree with them on many issues. (especially, the first three mentioned, ouch) But I try to learn from them all.
6. I believe in a humble orthodoxy; one that respects and listens to all people, yes, even other religions. But I also believe that we must be people of conviction and we have to learn when to "stand firm."
7. I think it's vital that we connect with culture. I think we tend to add layers of "don't do's," that hide the beauty of Jesus and bring forth a "religious spirit" that is not Godly or healthy. So, I do not mind smoking, drinking, dancing, playing cards, and hanging out with the "bad" people or what may be otherwise known as sinners.

Although, we must pursue holiness. Which to me is loving your neighbor, serving the world, saying no to consumerism and spending your money right (or should I just say, learning to be a good steward in life in general). Messy is good in my book, as long as it's not an excuse to live in sin.

I also believe that faith and struggle are essentials to the Christian faith.

Ok enough, not sure why I even did this, but I think the biggest reason is simple; I'm constantly trying to understand myself and my role within the church. And at this point my conclusion is, I do not fit in with any certain organization or denomination. But I do desire to help all Christ-followers to become missional believers, who walk "humbly before God" and who desire to bring "healing to humanity," which can only be done by God's love, grace and power. AMEN!

======================

You scored as Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan. You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God's grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavily by John Wesley and the Methodists. Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 82% Emergent/Postmodern 71% Neo orthodox 68% Reformed Evangelical 57% Charismatic/Pentecostal 50% Fundamentalist 46% Classical Liberal 43% Roman Catholic 36% Modern Liberal 29% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

RED SOX FUNERAL

Um, what happened to the Red Sox? Dude, how can they allow 26 runs in two games and get swept by the freaking Yankees at Fenway!

So freaking lame...Man it makes me want to cry, or yell or something.

Lost

Necole and I watched Lost for the first time last night. It's so good.

I'm not sure if it's better then 24, but it's close. Now it's time to start season 1, disc 2. SWEET!

Blogger Beta

In case you have not heard, Blogger Beta is now available. For a tech-slacker like me, It seems they have added some really cool features and it's real simple to use. My one complaint is the lack of creative templates available. Oh well!

Also, cable dude came today, thank God. Although he did try to over charge me, so I spent like an hour on the phone fighting with Time Warner. They originally told me the install was $76, but they wanted me to pay like $130. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. So, the dude is done with the install, and he ask for my check of $130. I'm like no way dude, call your people and let's talk...So he did, and they (TW) told me I needed to pay the full amount and a supervisor will call me in two hours to hammer out the details and see if they over charged me. Even though I had in writing and the customer service rep's name in front of me, that I was to pay $76. So, I told the dude to unhook everything and I will find another provider. He was not happy (although he told me this always happens) but hey, I can't afford to give away 40 bones...He then called his people back and somehow they decided that they should charge me was they originally told me :)

Customer service seems so lame anymore, I told the "supervisor power-hungry lady" that they should send an email confirmation so this crap does not happen. She told me that was a good idea and she would pass it on. I mean, is that really that innovative? Nope, I wish I was that good!

Ok, but now the net is on, cable is on, the red sox are playing the yanks and PGA championship is in full swing and I can get on the net from the comfort of my own home. Good day for sure!

I Must Stop Reading

The last few days have been a bit strange for me. I have such a real sense of God's "aliveness," my spirit is a bit overwhelmed. On one hand, I'm doing my best to focus on practical issues that I'm facing. But, to be honest...I just want to take a Bible, a few books, some good music and a journal and go on a week long hike, or spend some time at a monastery or a camp. But that not happening right now.

In the meantime, this scripture is crushing my soul:

Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. Col 4:12

I want to stand confident in God's will, I want to hear His voice. But, that is easier said then done, right?

and this quote by MLK JR had got me thinking for sure:

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter."

Honestly, I think much of this burden that I feel has to do with some of the books that I'm reading, like Driscoll's latest book Confessions of a Reformission Rev.

This book is raw, honest, funny and heavy. But really good. I can only read a few pages and I want to spend time in prayer and reading other "views," but no time for that. Sometimes I also want to take my cigar and light the book on fire and throw it in the dumpster, but hey...I keep reading.

I'm also reading Dallas Willard latest: The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus's Essential Teachings on Discipleship.

Dallas simply paints a picture of who I want to become as a Christ follower.

And finally I'm still reading NT Wright Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense.

Another really good book. Wright & Willard works have such a huge impact on me, I guess the best way to put it is that I simply resonate with what they are saying. It's so natural for me.

Now Driscoll is a different story, he makes me mad, but in a good way. We differ on much theology, but not on missiology.

Of course, if you add the Bible to these books, no wonder my heart is so freaking burdened and messed up. This stuff will screw with you, cause you to think, ponder, wonder and change, of course change is hard, and difficult and not fun, but its needed.

Lord change me, for your glory!

Whew, Net Access

Thoughts on my first few days in Austin:

Three flights of stairs is really hard, I about died taking what little stuff we had, it's 40 stairs in all, man I'm way out of shape. For my NC friends think "Chris getting lost in the mountains, and he is close to passing out." Only problem is I did not have Faas to help me :)

We went to Cici's pizza, let me just say this, the best thing they have is COKE! (blah)


Do not go shopping for school clothes with a 6 year old. It's freaking impossible. She knew what she wanted, and she was not about to budge. Bailey's whole wardrobe has some kind of pink in it.

I love the business climate in Austin. It's young, creative and energetic. Looking forward to diving in.

It's hard not having web access, it seems like my life is on the web, and without instant access, I get a little lost.

So far, our apartments are real cool. Saturday night we had folks BBQ (ing), playing poker, and playing football in our square. It's a mixed bag, families, singles, young and old married couples etc. Tonight, we our heading to a "back-to-school" pizza party at the pool. Good chance to get to know our community.

Time to go.

Peace & Love

More Random Thoughts

We are here and ready to start the lovely job of unpacking. We are on the 3rd floor. (FUN) I do not have net access for the 1st week, so it looks like I will be getting to know all the cool cafes in town. (who would have thought)

Bailey starts school on Monday, Necole starts work on Monday and I take my Real Estate test on Friday. 10 hour study days ahead. Fun!

I may head to Houston and take on J and his crew in poker. Of course I will need to win to cover the gas money :)

Yesterday was hotter then the hottest part of hell, (at least I hope) it was wicked, 104 PLUS HIGH HUMIDITY. (As all my Seattle friends laugh)

Well, time to leave. See you on the flip side.

Peace & Love

Random Thoughts

We head to Austin tomorrow, sweet!

Can't wait for Fall, I hate the month of August. My least favorite month of the year. And Fall, Winter & Spring in Austin is great, Summer, not so.

We really need some rain, bad.

Red Sox are driving me nuts right now. How we get swept by the FREAKING Royals?

Football season is soon, how cool is that? Go Raiders. Maybe, just maybe we will be 8-8 this year. I just hope the Broncos suck. I mean, did they not draft Clarett?

I hope Notre Dame wins it all, but I think their schedule is to tough.

Off to bed...Peace & Love

Just A Thought

So today Necole received a phone call, it was Bailey's new 1st grade teacher. She wanted to introduce herself and answer any questions that we may have. She spoke with Bailey for a few minutes and Bailey was like the happiest 6 year old in the world.

Now I personally never heard of something like this, it was creative, professional and very encouraging.

You Are Not Alone!

So the last few days I've had a kinda of mini personal revival. I guess I would call it a time of refreshing. I'm so pumped to be a Christ-follower, to partner with God and use my gifts to help reconcile my generation back to God, so they can understand their role in His story. That is what makes me tick. Man I'm so pumped.

I was praying tonight, I have so many needs (or so it seems) yet I hate when my own prayer life becomes about me. So, I prayed for some others, so I thought I would blog my prayers:

1. I prayed for Hungry and the new church plant in Raleigh. Man, I love Jeff and Gore. These are some great men of God, and God is going to do some real cool stuff with them. Guys, I may be like 1500 miles away, but I with you in spirit.

2. Prayed for Vintage 21. Great church and Tyler is a real cool authentic dude. I think this church will make a huge impact in Raleigh.

3. Prayed for Ken and Brenda. That they would have a smooth transition, and God would bless them and lead them to a new future and with a new community in Seattle. I love and really miss those guys, even Sally!

4. Prayed for Pathways Church in Mill Creek, WA. I think these boys are on to something. How to build a missional church in a suburban context. A real need for sure. Plus, I had a long conversation over IM with John today, needless to say I was getting a little excited, of course I ranted a bit to!!!!!!! (I prayed for theohacks, is that what it's called? It's been so long, I dunno) :)

5. Prayed for the Ashdowns. That God would surround them with an amazing creative community in Houston. And that they would have kids soon. (j/k)

6. Prayed for Ryan Van Sickle and his trip to Africa. Ryan, don't let the burden die!

7. Prayed for my missionary friends who are living out life abroad. Steven in S. Africa and Mark in Budapest. That God would provide for them, protect them and use them to share the beautiful story of Christ Africa and Europe.

8. Prayed for many of the Sacred folk that I love and care for, who are still in Raleigh trying to live missional. Sacred is over, but the impact never dies. (I can tell you story after story that I've heard about in the past few weeks, very refreshing)

I get so excited to hear what God is doing. Man life is short, live hard for God!

Speak Up Now

What is your opinion?

The last few months we have lived on the east coast, west coast and mid-America. Each location has it's good points and bad points for sure. One things that is frustrating is trying to locate your favorite fast food joints, because the cool ones are regional.

So I was asking Ashdown if he preferred Bojangles or In-N-Out Burger. I will let J speak for himself.

So the questions is this, what is your favorite fast food joint? Leave a comment.

The Light Is Getting Bright!

So yesterday was a good day. We landed jobs, good jobs. So that is a blessing. Now we still need to come up with the funds to move in this Friday. We have money coming in next week, but hey, that is not this week :)

So the struggle continues...But the light is at the end of the tunnel and it's getting brighter.

BTW-Mad props to the person who sent me this. I came home late last night and I saw a cool Amazon box. (it's been awhile since I saw one of these bad boys)

Anyhow, I will give you a hint of who he is: Plays guitar, loves Bojangles' * Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits, married up, lives in H-town, loves LA, (soon to be Austin)drinks way to much Hennessey, smokes rolled tobacco, plays halo (I beat him all the time), one of the best worship leaders in America.

Peace & Love

YouTube - OK Go - Here It Goes Again

WOW, very creative and fresh approach. This video has been seen over 2 million times in just two weeks. Can you say viral. Check it out- YouTube - OK Go - Here It Goes Again

Got It or Should I Say Got Them!!!

Whoops-Necole now has three job offers :)

Necole scored two jobs today! WOW, now we have to choose. So pumped, thanks for your prayers.

Peace & Love

Andy Stanley

Good quote by Andy Stanley:

"Leaders chase opportunities."

That is really really really good!

Apple News

Tiger, now Leopard.
Does it seem strange that pc users still have Window X`P. I thought Vista was suppose to come out like two years ago. :)

Prayer Request

Update: Necole scored a few more job interviews. And she got a second interview (the one that she really wants or should I say the one that we really need)tomorrow in Austin. So, we are off again in the morning. My faith is high and the journey is good.

____________________________

So we are now 5 days till we move to Austin. I have 6 major needs that I've been praying and fasting for. Of those six, only two has come to pass. *sigh*

So, here are some prayer request that I have.

1. We need the remaining funds to move into our place. ($600)
2. Necole's job. She has one that she really wants. Pray that they choose her (if God willing) and that she starts sooner rather then later. ( I have a part-time gig for now)
3. Daycare for Kenzie.

That is enough for now. It feel good to be able to blog this, knowing that friends from all over the world will be praying for me tomorrow. I think sometimes we have to lay our pride down and ask for help. I'll let you know when the prayers are answered and thanks ahead of time for your prayers.

Peace & Love and my hope is sooooooo high, God is so good.

The Village Church

UPDATE: So for some odd and unknown reason, we went back to the Village tonight. Now I've only been to a few churches in the past 4 months, so I was surprised that I had some motivation to try to make it to the 5PM service.

The service was great, Matt is a great communicator, brought the word and mixed in some good humor. Plus, I NEEDED to hear what he said. It was a blessing.


So we attempted to go to the The Village Church this morning. We arrived right when the service started. We put Bailey and Kenzie in their class and headed towards the sanctuary...Only to find out that the church was full. Yep, we had to leave. No luck. I could be pessimistic and complain, but I think it's great.

I know for a fact that they have planted another church last year and they have 4 services each Sunday. Now they are adding a fifth on Saturday night. Anyhow, that was the first time in my life that I could not attend of a church for a lack of seating.

Peace & Love

Life-Or The Lack Thereof

Necole and I have had multiple conversations about our crazy journey that we have endured and embraced over the past four months. One thing is for sure when you go through times like we have, you tend to ask a lot more question. To be truthful, it seems like it's easier to focus on God and to process life when you are in desperate situations. I keep asking a few key questions; like hearing God's voice, or knowing God's will.

I guess you could say that Necole and I know a lot more about ourselves now than we did 4 months ago. Here are some observations:

We love simplicity. Life is so complicated and stress levels run high. But I think the church must be a voice of simple living.

Status Quo oh no-We are truly not interested in status quo living. It's so boring and mundane. (Although sometimes necessary) Our goal is not to get good jobs, have a few kids, buy a home and attend 27 soccer games per week. By no means is this wrong, but it's just not us. God just did not design us to be this way. Ed Young Jr. has some good things in his book Kid CEO. So many parents design their lives COMPLETELY around their kids. Is that healthy? I think not.

Community-For the most part, we have very complicated family situations. I think this is the biggest reason why we desire community. Community means more to us than money, success, title, or even being right. I love community, especially diverse community, community where people disagree and live messy lives, but a community where love is true and acceptance is not optional.

Missional Living-Nothing really matters to us outside of being missional followers of Jesus.

Adventure-Necole and I often wonder why parents assume when they have kids they have to stop "living." Now, there is a season where Neocle and I would rather have stayed at home. Like when Kenzie was a baby and Bailey was a toddler. Remember, my first point was simplicity. :) Life is not simple with a baby and toddler.

Anyhow, we dream of doing so much; like traveling, exploring, educating, understanding other cultures, dealing with poverty, helping our global brothers and sisters in Christ. I dream about hanging with Mark in Budapest, or Steven in South Africa. I want to help, bring hope and feel like I'm living a life based on eternity and I'm not going to regret my life when I'm 60.

Why I'm I saying all this? When you go through tough times, times when It seems like the voice of God is silent, your decision making is flawed and life is not going the way you want. It is in these times that you find your values, what makes you tick, and what keeps you up at night. I know myself now more then I did 4 months ago. I know what I want to do with my life, I know I want to live a life of no regrets, a life of adventure and I life that is based on mission. I want to live life, follow Jesus, love my family and be a "friend that is closer than a brother." I do not want to live in safety or the mundane.

Life is meant to be lived to the full. And that is why I love living.

eBible Pimp

I've been called the eBible.com pimp. So, let me do some more pimpin. I got three invites. If you want one leave me your email address in the comments.

Peace & Love

Austin Is Home

I'm in Austin. When I'm here I feel alive, I feel home. I'm now starting to network and meet some pastors in the area. Some cool churches doing some cool things in the city. I'm looking forward to "jumping in" and seeing what God is going to do.

Peace & Love from Austin.

BTW-Gore you never called me back you sucka!!!! :)

Music Is Soooooo Good

For whatever reason I've been blessed with some cool friends who are worship leaders. Over the past few days I've been spinning their tunes in my times of prayer or study. It's been a true blessing to hear their music and their hearts. I know I've posted about them before, but of you are looking for some cool indie worship music, I would check these guys out:

Ryan Van Sickle's blog & music website.

Wahba's blog and music website.

Jasen Ashdown's blog & myspace.

Enjoy

Peace & Love

Test Time (Yikes)

I finally got the paperwork that I needed in order to take my real estate test. Which is cool. But now the stress begins. (fun fun fun)

Anyhow, I take the exam next Friday. So please pray for me.

Also, tomorrow Necole has three interviews in Austin. So pray for her.

Peace & Love from one stressed out dude!

BAD NEWS ALL THE TIME

Is it me, or does the world seem so negative these days? Maybe we have to much access to information. Wars, robberies, poverty, political upheavals etc.

I know the "gospel" is good news, right? Yet, to be frank...It seems like all I personally ever hear about the "good news" is how many people showed up to a Sunday morning gathering. Now maybe that (numbers) is good, and I think they are or could be. But, is that it, Is that the climax? Is the ultimate goal to get a lot of folks to church on Sunday mornings?

Of course, you always have the flip side: people that tend to do nothing but criticize the church, or politics or whatever they are upset about. I mean, I've stopped reading some blogs that do nothing but complain about Bush, or the church. That is so boring! Say something if you want, but also tell stories about God and His goodness and what he is doing to help restore the world and His kingdom. PLEASE!

What does good news look like these days...? When I read the Bible, I can feel the good news...Healing, miracles, a new way of living, forgiveness being poured out, self-esteem being returned, hope renewed etc.

Hey, maybe it's me. I do not want to ignore the issues that our world faces, I personally think we as Christ-followers are called to stand in the crossroads of our generations and point people in the right direction. BUT, I just get so tired of hearing negative news all the time.

10 Days & Counting

Well well well, we have 10 days till we move to Austin. We are so pumped. For a moment, we thought we might stay in Dallas. But, to be quite frank, we just did not feel peaceful about the DFW area. While we will miss family and friends, we know we are doing the right thing, which is to follow our hearts to a city that we love and want to do life in.

We just spent the weekend in Austin, and we love the city, the vibe and the potential. It's fresh, funky & smaller. Austin was just ranked the 2nd best big city to live in by Money Mag. The economy is doing really well and the housing market is exploding. It's also one of the cheapest big cities to live in with the median home price close to $170, 000. To some extent, Seattle ruined us. We love the creativity of Seattle and we desperately missed it while in the DFW area.

Also, I'm truly amazed that our destination will be Austin. It may be the best city for us; it's outdoorsy, cheap(er), sunny (300 days a year...Rock on), the energy is high and the culture is laid back. The business climate is young and hip. Also, the spiritual climate is very open-minded. From what I understand, Austin leans more left than right if you know what I mean. :) So, it will be fun to engage culture with the gospel and see the amazing grace of God unfold.

Now if we could just get some of our friends to move (Corey & Renee) and, of course, our family.

While in Austin, we went to the Lake and through the rolling hills/canyons. Our kids were like, "hey mom and dad, is this Seattle?" I guess when they think of water they think of Seattle; who can blame them.

We got the apartment that I blogged about a while back. We enrolled Bailey in school, and now we are looking for jobs and daycare for Kenzie.

So please pray for us, like I said; Necole is looking for a job, I'm taking my real estate test in the next few weeks, we have to find a good and affordable daycare for Kenzie, and we will be looking for a home to church to connect and serve.

New numbers are below, we will be emailing our new address soon:

Chris (512) 733-4109
Necole (512) 733-4116

Peace & Love and let the thrill ride begin!

Rick Warren is Blogging.

Rick Warren is now blogging. I have nothing but respect for this guy. Of course two years ago I would not have said that. I was not a big fan of the purpose driven life phenomenon. But I was wrong, God has used that book and Rick Warren in so many ways and on a global scale. I love the fact that Rick has taken his wealth and fame to help those in poverty.

HT:Andrew Jones


Also, I found it very interesting to hear that Andy Stanley was hanging out at the Atlanta Emergent Cohort. How cool is that? It's not about being right or wrong, macro or micro...But missional. So many ways to express the beauty of God.

HT: Pomomusings.

iPod is FULL

I just wanted to let all my good music friends know that after owning my 15 gig iPod for three years I finally filled it up this morning. I downloaded 9 sermons and that did me in.

So, it looks like I should have gotten that 20 gig iPod, crap! :) :) :)

Peace & Love

Some Middle East Thoughts

My friend Kezia sent me this link today. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to discuss the Middle East crisis with many Christians. I tend to get two pat answers. 1. Israel is God's chosen people so whatever they are doing must be right. 2. Kill those terrorist who are evil and ungodly and don't deserve to live.
I got in a heated debate with a fellow Christian at a cafe. The dude basically told this teenager, from Europe, that American is God's chosen country, we are called to take them out and help Iraq become like America. I was an innocent bystander and I overheard the conversation. I spoke up (who would have thought) and asked this youth pastor what he (yp) thought about love; and did he forget that mercy is better then judgment? I also asked him if he thought that the Iraqis were our enemies? He said yes. I then asked him how we should deal with the issue at hand (war, Iraq, etc.)? He replied with, "well we need to take them out." My response was simple, "what about loving our enemy?" Is God not a God of love, mercy and grace? Did he not come to heal our world and bring peace? Are we not called to be "seekers of peace?"

The dude quickly backpedal, and said yes...BUT! Of course their is always a BUT, right? I looked at the teenager and I told him that God is love, and that God loves Israel, Iraq, Lebanon and America the same. God does not show favoritism. The teenager replied back with a quick response. He said that made sense to him, that God could love everyone.

At this point, the fundamental youth pastor dude quickly jumped out of his seat, shook my hand and left the cafe. The teenager said "thanks" and he left. And I sat there amazed at the fact that so many folks in my tribe really think that America & Israel has all the answers and somehow we are better than the rest of the world; Which is totally not true. But it is what it is, and to be quite frank, I do not know what to do about that. And I do not like the fact that we cover the story of Christ with a bunch of junk that does not reflect who (I think) Christ is, and who (I think) Christ wants us to be. Anyhow, check out the article, maybe you won't agree with is all, but at least it's an alternative viewpoint that could cause more of a balanced conversation to take place.

Peace & Love

'Who Is My Neighbor' in the Lebanon-Israel Conflict:

"Through the responses that I received, it became clear to me that there are many misunderstandings about certain realities in the Middle East. The first has to do with the use of the term 'terrorist.' The term has been so grossly misused for political rhetoric in the past few years that only those who are willing to question deeply-rooted conventions will be able to hear me. 'Terrorist' cannot;should not;be used as a noun or in the substantive. It can only be an adjective to describe an act. The fact is that the 'terrorists' of one group are the 'heroes' of another. "

BTW-By no means am I saying that these terrorist groups are doing the right thing. Nor am I rooting or totally agreeing with either side. I just think violence sucks and the church needs to make a stand for peace!

You Are Invited

The writings of Dallas Willard have had a huge impact on my thinking and spirituality. So needless to say I was stoked when I learned (somehow I had no clue this book was coming out) that Willard had just released a new book called: The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus' Essential Teachings on Discipleship.

With all that being said, John Chandler has decided to start a book study via a blog.

So, here is were you come in...You can follow the conversation and add your .02 in the comments. Or you can be a contributor to help get the conversation rolling.

Now, I can tell you that some real cool cats are participating, so I'm sure this is going to be a great study that will enhance the "book" experience and cause some major discussion to take place.

To learn more please go here. The study starts soon, so don't delay. If you are "in," please leave a comment and let us know...If you want to be a contributor let me know and I can forward your info to John. (or just let John know) Peace & Love, and don't miss this!

Spidy 3

BTW-I also saw the previews of Spiderman 3. It looks so cool. Why do we have to wait till next summer? Also, Spiderman looks so much cooler then Superman.

Peace & Love

Thirty-Something

Yes, Necole turned 30 today...Last night we had a family get together and played a little poker.

Today, we awoke early (thanks to Bailey) and I made some french toast. Then we headed out to see Superman. But, we were told that this Superman showing has close captions. Of course, they told us we could barley see the words and it should not bother us-Wrong!

So we jumped ship and caught Pirates of the Caribbean 2. I thought the movie was ok. It seemed a little slow to start, and way drawn out at the end (or no end).

Now we are back at home for a bit and they we are headed to dinner with the family.

I think Necole is adjusting. 30th b-day is hard, your still young, but you are also old. Major transition for sure.

Crazy Life

Life been a little crazy...Necole and I took a step of faith today and rented some apts...They are nice. Good value and all...But, please say a prayer as we still need to come up with the fund to move in.

Also, pray for Necole, she is doing the job hunting thing. Which can be discouraging. We are at the end of our emotional rope. Bailey starts school soon, and we have to find daycare for Kenzie. So, lot's of decisions coming are way.

Also, Necole turns 30 this Monday. So be sure to give her a call, shoot her an email and all that good stuff.

We hope to celebrate soon. I'll let you know.

Peace & Love from Dallas, were it's like 106 *sigh*

Family Musings

Bailey: "Dad, can I get a rabbit?"
Dad: Um, well..."Who is going to clean up the poop?"
Bailey: Eyes roll, "Well, that is gross...Can we get an animal that does not poop."
Dad: Well, "all animals poop."
Bailey: "I got an idea, you (dad) can pick up the poop."
Dad: "What about a cat, they have litter boxes?"

10 minutes later

Kenzie: "Dad I want a little sister, can we get one?"
Dad: "Why do you want a little sister, what about a brother?"
Kenzie: "Well, I want more girls, so we can beat dad up."
Dad: Um, well then..No on the little sister request, that would mean three wedding and of course my early funeral."

Ok, now I'm off the to coffee shop...Being a dad rocks, even if they want me to clean up the poop and beat me up!

Peace & Love

This is the guy I follow

Most folks I know get a little frustrated with many in the evangelical world. (which includes me)

I have my reasons, for instance: I was in a conversation about tattoos. Necole wants to get one and another person overheard me say that Necole wanted one. (tattoo)

So, like most opinionated right wingers this person spoke up . This person pretty much said that God hates tattoos and that she was pretty sure somewhere in the bible it says tattoos are wrong. My first reactions was....%$%$@@@!!@##%%#. Ok, so I should not repeat it!

Anyhow, why do people try to use the bible to justify things they don't like?

And how do people read the story of Jesus and not see him as a rebel. Someone who broke rules and pissed of the religious institution of his day?

I'm so attracted to Jesus, but I'm so turned off by the right-wing ethos that tends to dominate and control the story of Jesus and the gospel.

I personally think this weakens the church, and causes us Christ-followers to focus on issues that are not prominent to God.

Anyhow, I read the scripture below...And I was reminded of the beauty of Jesus and why I'm willing to learn from His teachings and willing to lay (or at least try) my life down for His cause.

I personally think if Jesus was walking the earth today, we would find him at the local pub or cafe, hanging out with people and loving them. He would be teaching them a new way to live and telling them "truths" that would sting and hurt, and cause them to re-think how they live life and how life works. That is how, I feel, Jesus would love our world.

I think Jesus would be happy to sip a fat tire, laugh, smile, hug, love, teach, and be-friend. But, he would also challenge us. He would never be satisfied or allow us to stay the same; to stop learning, growing and being. I'm sure when he was done with his beverage, he would look us in the eye and say go. Go love, go hug, go pray, go read scripture, go to work and work your hardest, go and serve your enemy and love your neighbor, go and help change the world. And, I bet he would also leave a good tip.?

Peace & Love...Sorry...I have not ranted in a while.

Matthew 11:19
19The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and people say; Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine, and he is a friend of tax collectors and sinner's.; But wisdom is proved to be right by what it does."

eBible.com

I got another round of invites (3) for eBible.com. If you want one please leave a comment with your email address.

Peace & Love

Conflict, War and Jesus

I hate war, I'm tired of war, and I'm tired of Christians thinking war is ok and the way to go, and all that OT stuff that they use to justify war, is lame. I do not have the answers, and I'm not even saying war is ALWAYS wrong. But, firing missiles into neighborhoods where normal families live, is plain nuts. In the last few days, I've been really saddened by the conflict in the Middle East. I'm by no means an expert in this area, but it seems to me that Israel has gone a little (or a lot) overboard on how they have reacted.

Don't get me wrong...It's not cool to kidnap soldiers. And if you do, you will have to pay a price. But at the same time, Israel is close to starting the mother of all wars and that is not good for the global world. Trust me, if Iran and Syria do anything then it's going to cause America to do something. And that will cause the Europeans to do something, and yes that will not be a good thing.

I hate war, and I hate violence. I know the Bible says "blessed are the peacemakers," and "seek peace and pursue it." I know Jesus was subversive, and he preached a message of love and peace. When the Jews wanted to go to war and overthrow the Romans, Jesus responded by telling them to love their enemy, give their taxes and work hard unto the Lord.

Sure that is simple, and I KNOW I'm reducing a complicated subject into only a few biblical verses. But at the end of the day, I just think Jesus would be so saddened and heart-broken. I'm sure he would condemn those in leadership who abuse their power and I'm sure he would rebuke those who create mischief and desire evil.

And I'm also sure he would be with those who are wounded and hurting; those innocent folks who have lost loved one's, limbs and homes. Or families who are hoping their loved one's, who have been kidnapped, will return home safely and unharmed.

I have a strange feeling that Jesus would not stand by Israel or Hezbollah, instead he would be on the front lines loving and serving those who are impacted by the evil of those in power.

A few other bloggers are taking on this subject. Ryan has a nice string of comments going on his blog and Adam has some interesting thoughts on his blog.