Mingled Joy and Stupid Hats

       I met with a room full of doctors and surgeons this morning and explained a concept to them through a funny hat I had to wear in high school.  I got a job at my dad's restaurant when I was in high school and was ecstatic to have an easy job so I could make some easy money.  All my friends were just waiting for me to start so that they could try and scam some free food off of me.  My first day, they sent me to the bathroom to change into my new uniform, which wasn't too bad except for the hat.  This stupid looking hat was a big puffy chef looking hat violently colored by a black and white hounds-tooth pattern.  I put it on with total disgust and shame.  I looked at myself in the mirror and asked myself out loud..."How bad do you really want this job."  I was pretty vain for sure - but this hat was really stupid looking.  My excitement was now tempered with obligation.  I actually faked a comment card and told whatever manager that I (as a customer) thought the hats were ridiculous and had to go.

       I am meeting too many people who serve Jesus as if they had a stupid hat on.  They don't enjoy it - they are just there to make a paycheck.  Their salvation is one in which Jesus is a boss waiting every morning by a time clock.  If they do a good job, their boss loves them.  If their game is a little off - well, they get demerits and maybe a reflection of disapproval through their paycheck or something.  It is a salvation by one's own hand, one that is impossible to enjoy.  Our joy is mingled with a weird obligation.

      James says to "consider it pure joy" in our walk with Christ, but some have more of an alloy.  James says that even in trial we are to enjoy our position and grace.   I agree.  I want to see a city serve God with faithfulness because of joy and confidence in Jesus, not an obligation due their mean boss.  It changes everything, especially from the vantage point of a critical and skeptical world.

       I have been asking people, "How much do you enjoy Jesus...not the church, or the Bible....but Jesus?"  I usually get fours or fives.  People usually avoid those things they don't enjoy.  Kind of like I did with that stupid hat.  I can't even speak of that hat without saying "stupid".

       We aren't fascinated with what we don't enjoy.  We aren't devastated by the sacrifice of something we don't care about.  We don't relax around people or things we don't enjoy.  You get the picture I hope.  Ask yourself, "How much do I enjoy Jesus?"  Maybe it is time to quit "working" your tail off for a boss you avoid, and begin enjoying the King who defeated death with you in mind.  What is the "hat" for you?  What is alloyed or mixed with your joy of Jesus that brings an obligation?

My flesh

Something I have been meditating on, over the past few weeks
I was thinking about what it is that I am fearing, have I dealt with this and what is the answer?

Will I be the man that has the ability to lay down my selfish life and do what GOD wants me to do.  Its scary when you know you could just remain where your at in life- what kind of man could do such a thing? I think these past 10 years I have been living like that. Instead of calling out to Christ, I just stayed in the "boat" (Mathew 14:22-33).

As I have been typing this up GOD gave me this scripture.

Psalm 23:2-3

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk

through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

A surrendered man saved by grace-

The burden is on Jesus, he is the Shepherd-

Lots of thoughts right now-

I need to chew on this a bit more.

Why Blog It All Over The Place??

For the last several years I thought that things like Twitter and Blogs in general were for "bleeders".  In fact many people do bleed out for all to see more than not.  Drama everywhere.  

The whole purpose of this blog (and we don't know how long we'll keep it going) is to chronicle the thoughts, revelations, and observations of a core group planting a church in Knoxville, TN from the beginning days.  We promise we won't bleed.  There is in fact a lot of carnage, loss, and pain in such an endeavor, but our desire is to carry every experience to the cross of Jesus.

We endeavor to see everything through gospel-centered glasses, and any experience that doesn't eventually point to Jesus typically points to ourselves.  This is because mankind is broken and we are totally fascinated with ourselves when left to ourselves.  If we don't show you the very good gospel, we end up, well.......bleeding all over you.

We plan on planting many more churches and works all over the area, because we believe it is the best and most efficient way to reach a city.  This blog, we hope, will help future planters and plant team members understand the battle and victory felt in the early days.  Why blog all of this all over the place? Because we want to steward the experiences we all feel by leaving them as a legacy and guide to the next generation of church planters.