I missed this when I was out of the country. I have "reprinted" it here from MMI Weblog:
When young pastor Matt Brown announced he was supporting a ministry for women in the sex industry led by an x-stripper, he was expecting applause. Instead, he got cold stares and an e-mail inbox filled with angry letters. At issue was Heather Veitch, an x-stripper turned evangelist. She looked too much like a stripper and was leading Christian women into the dark world of strip clubs for so-called "outreach." Capturing it all, was documentary filmmaker Bill Day for his new film "The Pussycat Preacher."
“Most Christians know that Jesus spent time with prostitutes and tax collectors because that is where the word was needed. But believing the ideal is one thing and living the reality is another,” says Day.
“If we all took a vote on being Biblical versus being respectable , we would all vote for Biblical,” says theology expert Professor Sarah Sumner PhD from Azusa Pacific University in the film. “But the reality is many churches are more concerned with respectability.”
Pastor Greg Laurie from mega-church Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside was one of pastors who didn’t believe Heather’s method of winning souls was worth the risk. He warned Brown to stay away from Veitch.
“When a Pastor you look up to tells you something like that it’s scary,” Brown confesses. “I’m a pastor and I am supposed to love people. But I didn’t love strippers. What Heather did was she birthed that in me and my congregation.”
Instead of backing away from Heather, Pastor Brown put up $50,000 of church money to support the ministry. But in no time at all, a rumor got started that the $50,000 was being used by Brown to buy lap dances for himself. Brown suddenly found himself on the verge of losing his church facility housed on the campus of Southern California Baptist University.
For her part, Heather Veitch claims she is winning souls and that is what matters. For evidence, she has the documentary which shows a number of strippers making their first venture into church. “Now comes the hard part,” Heather smiles.
Day says the film is not rated but very ‘’PG’’ It has no nudity or offensive language. It will be available on DVD, pay to download , or ‘’watch free’’ with advertising at the film website http://www.pussycatpreacher.com/ starting Feb 15.
SO: What do you think about this? Is Greg Laurie wrong on this one, or is he right that this is just too risky?
Friday, February 29, 2008
Heard About the Pussycat Preacher?
$1.34?!?!?!
Okay, so I wrote this book and really Baker Books was taking a risk on me, and I had no idea how it would go (although I felt confident my mother would buy a copy). And it's been out now for exactly one month and it's actually going well. Sales are good. Relevant Magazine made it their recommended book of the month in their January issue. People have been leaving great reviews on amazon and blogs. A bunch of churches are already or are planning on doing the series we're providing for free.
So what could burst this bubble?
You can now buy a used copy through Amazon for $1.34. Wow. They say that something is worth what you'll pay for it, soooooo...
Okay, I had to make myself feel better. So, I thought "The Life You've Always Wanted" is one of the best books money can buy ... so I checked out the price, and you can get a used copy of it for $2.76. It's twice as much as my book and, in my opinion, twice as good.
I guess I can live with that.
- featured on newchurches.com
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Whiteboard!
The Series Isn't Lousy
When Baker asked me to write a book, we discussed how we could use it to bless churches and pastors. One idea was to create a message series and offer it (along with all kinds of creative content) for free. That idea became a reality and has been available for about a month at http://www.lousytshirtbook.com/. I just received this e-mail (which I have permission to use) and I have to tell you that this is EXACTLY what I was hoping for:
Vince, I am a planter/pastor in a frontier called ... Wyoming (yes, that is in the United States!) I lead a small congregation of a church that is 100 years old and most of the congregation is over what I would say (being as PC as possible) old.
As a young pastor, I sometimes struggle to develop message series that will touch their lives in a way as to reignite their passion for Christ. I have to say the book and materials that you have produced in "I Became A Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" have truly been a blessing from God. I wasn't sure at first how they might respond to it, but have been overwhelmed by the comments that I have received.
I preach to people who have been Christians for decades and have been in the same old religious rut for many years. The themes of Lousy T-Shirt help to to explore possible reasons why they have lost their fire and explores ways to get it back. However, part of the beauty of the series is that it is written is a way that it touches the hearts, not only mature Christians, but that of new believers and non-believers alike.
Being a pastor in a small, rural church challenges me to incorporate multimedia into the services, primarily becuase of lack of resources and time. I will be ever thankful for the materials that you all have put together that work to enhance the message, from the "Counseling" videos to the graphics. It probably wasn't your intent to help out a dude in Wyoming when you wrote the book or produced the Experiencing Together materials, but know that you have accomplished just that. I pray that many churches will incorporate this series into their churches soon!
In Christ,Willy Maxwell
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“Not That There’s Anything Wrong With It” (4 of 4)
I’ve done a one week series on the topic of homosexuality. As I’ve freely confessed from the beginning, I am not an expert on this topic, but our church has “reached” some gay people. I thought I’d end this series by asking, and trying to answer, some of the tough questions with this issue. And, yes, I realize how dangerous this is and how stupid I am for attempting it:
What does the bible really say about homosexuality? The Bible is clear (at least when Vince reads it) that homosexual behavior is not a part of God’s perfect plan for humanity, and is therefore sin. See, for instance, Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:24-27.
What causes homosexuality? This is a hotly debated topic. Gay people claim, “It’s okay because I was made this way.” Most Christians would argue that people are created in the image of God, and therefore no one is born gay. Research has shown that many gay people were raised by a dominant parent of the opposite gender or experienced sexual abuse early in life – often by someone of the same gender. This research seems to indicate that homosexuality is a “learned” behavior. Even if some are born with a tendency toward (or put into situations that would increase the likelihood of) homosexuality, this does not justify the sinful behavior. Others are born with a tendency toward (or put into situations that would increase the likelihood of) heterosexual sin, or alcoholism, or anger, but this does not excuse their acting out with sinful behavior.
Can homosexuality be “cured”? The Bible teaches that people can be set free from sin in general (see Romans 6:18) and from the sin of homosexual behavior in particular (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). There are Christian ministries in the United States dedicated to compassionately helping people out of homosexual lifestyles. For instance: Desert Stream , Exodus International, and Pastoral Care Ministries. Several books have been written by people who have come out of the homosexual lifestyle. Pursuing Sexual Wholeness, and Strength in Weakness by Andrew Comiskey, and The Broken Image: Restoring Personal Wholeness through Healing Prayer by Leanne Payne.
How is homosexuality different from same-sex attraction? Same-sex attraction is a temptation. Homosexual behavior is acting out on that temptation. It’s not wrong to be tempted to sin, it’s wrong to be engaged in sin. The distinction is important because some will struggle with same sex attraction but out of obedience to God never act on it. Others may leave a homosexual lifestyle behind, but continue to struggle with same sex attraction. This can be confusing and difficult but, again, it is not sin to be tempted. A lot of this has to do with identity. Many people identify themselves as homosexuals; to them it is who they are. There are others who, while they struggle with the temptation of same-sex attraction, would identify themselves as a child of God, made in His image.
What should a Christian say to a friend who claims to be gay? The Bible teaches us to speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15) and so this is our guiding principle. In general, gay people know what Christians think because the truth has been loudly proclaimed by many. Therefore, we probably need to put extra emphasis on the love component of Ephesians 4:15. In this we follow the example of Jesus (who sinners were drawn to) because He treated them with compassion.
I thought about turning off the comments so I don't get destroyed for any of this, but go ahead, destroy me.
- featured on newchurches.com
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
“Not That There’s Anything Wrong With It” (3 of 4)
As I concluded yesterday, sending an e-mail is easy. Living out the implications of having homosexuals in your church is not. Not only will you be judged by Christians, you will face some difficult situations. For instance…
One Sunday I walked in and saw a gay couple working at our “Welcome Table” in the lobby. I thought, “Ooooh, that’s not good.” We met and explained that they are welcome to attend our church, but could not volunteer at the “Welcome Table.” It gave the impression that they represented our church, but as two people who continued to live out a homosexual lifestyle, they do not. It’s not because they’re not perfect; none of us are perfect. But, in my opinion, the fact that they continued to live together and had not made the choice to abstain meant that they should not serve in that kind of position. I would have said the same to an unmarried heterosexual couple who lived together and were having sex. So these guys heard all that, and I expected, “Forget you, we’re out of here!” But they said, “Okay. Where can we serve?” And every Sunday since they show up at 8:00 a.m. for set-up. Why? Because although they heard painful truth, at our church they have always experienced overwhelming love.
I’ve also sat across a table in the food court of the mall and explained to an actively gay man that he could not go on a mission trip. There would be some mission trips he could participate in, but because of the nature of the trip he was interested in, I just thought it would be best for him not to go. In fact, I thought it wouldn’t be fair to him to be involved. He was disappointed. It was painful, but I had to speak the truth. And he continues to attend our church, because he knows he’s loved.
In his book, “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” Philip Yancey illustrates both the truth and the love on this issue. He tells the story of Mel White, who used to be a prominent Christian author, but then admitted to the world that he was gay, and left his wife, kids, and ministry to embrace a homosexual lifestyle. A network news show did a piece on Mel White. They interviewed his parents, who were conservative Christians and disagreed with Mel’s decision. The interviewer said, “You know what other Christians are saying about your son. They say he’s an abomination. What do you think about that?” With a quivering voice his mom answered, “He may be an abomination, but he’s still our pride and joy.”
That’s what I would say about the gay people in our church. It’s also what God would say about me. I am an abomination. But I am also God’s pride and joy. My life has been changed by the radical, perplexing grace of God. The homosexual people in our communities will have their lives transformed when they experience the radical, perplexing grace of God. But they will only experience it if we speak the truth, and do so in overwhelming love.
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Tuesday, February 26, 2008
“Not That There’s Anything Wrong With It” (2 of 4)
Seinfeld famously dealt with the topic of homosexuality in their “Not That There’s Anything Wrong With It” episode. It’s quite possible that I’m nuts to deal with this topic at all, but I’m doing it anyway. I mentioned last time that I was asked to write an article on this once, and it led to my receiving several hate mails. So, I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.
Well, last time I shared an e-mail question I received from Annette. Here’s how I responded: I told Annette that absolutely she was welcome in our church and that I’d be disappointed if she didn’t show up, that I’d love to meet her. But I also (carefully, gently) explained that we are a Bible-based church and the Bible is clear that because of His love God has a perfect will for our lives. His perfect will does not include homosexual behavior. In fact, it is sin and to be strictly avoided.
But I also told Annette that the Bible does not highlight homosexuality as a sin deserving a higher degree of condemnation from God or His people. Homosexuality is lumped into lists including a variety of other sins (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-11) – some of which I have been guilty. I explained that I lovingly try to convince everyone at our church that God has a better life for them, and I invite them to lovingly convince me of the same. I let Annette know that I don’t think God’s primary objective in her life is to change her behavior. Instead, I think God wants her to truly experience His love, and to find her true identity in Him. If that were to happen, I think changes in behavior would follow. And that this is what I’ve been experiencing in my life.
Well, sending an e-mail is easy. Living out the implications of having homosexuals in your church is not. Not only will you be judged by Christians, you will face some difficult situations. Tomorrow I’ll share a few of those from our experience at Forefront. By the way, if you want to read more on this topic, you should check out John Burke’s book, “No Perfect People Allowed” Chapter eight focuses on this issue and is better than anything you’re going to get in this blog.
- featured on newchurches.com
From Israel #10
Today is our last day in Israel, and we had a "free day." I spent most of it at my new favorite place in the world, St. Anne's Church in Jerusalem. It is allegedly built on the location where Mary (the mother of Jesus) was born. It is noted, though, for being the church with the best acoustics, maybe in the entire world. So every tour group that comes in will gather together and sing a worship song or two. It's amazing. In St. Anne's I heard groups from 16 different nations sing to God. It made me long for Heaven. I could sit there for days on end.
So while I was experiencing all that I opened my journal and just started writing. I'm going to share what I wrote, but I'm hesitant to do it because it may come off a little ... well, I don't know, but I'm hesitant. But since I'm trying to share my journey and my thoughts with you, here's what I wrote:
God, I want more. I want to love, cry, smile. I want to be a radical. I want to pray. I want to sweat blood. I want to feel. I want intimacy. I want passion. I want power, resurrection power. I want to see You. I want to touch Heaven. I want to hurt, to suffer. I want to walk, run, and fly. I want to scream. I want to rejoice. I want to laugh till I ache. I want to ache. I want to care. I want to be in the rebellion. I want to lead the rebellion. I want to be the rebellion. I want to live with reckless abandon. I want to be astonished and afraid. I want to dream. I want to see visions. I want to hear the clatter of dry bones coming together. I want good friends. I want to love my enemies. I want holiness. I want to experience the sacred, the divine. I want to hallow Your name. I want to walk on water. I want to dance on water. I want to touch the sick, I want to experience their pain, I want to heal them. I want truth. I want to be set free. I want to be hungry, and I want to be full. I want the Spirit. I want to drink the Spirit. I want to be falling down drunk on the Spirit. I want guidance, direction, discernment, wisdom. I want to be a warrior. I want to never look back, turn back, or go back. I want to attack. I want to cause trouble. I want to induce fear. I want to turn the world upside down. I want to pour myself out and pour myself into today like there's no tomorrow. I want to be comforted. I want to thirst for righteousness. I want to be an agent of justice. I want to shine. I want to blaze. I want to bathe in grace. I want beauty from my ashes. I want to seek first the Kingdom, I want to bring the Kingdom, I want the Kingdom to fill me up and spill out of me. I want to carry the cross till my legs burn and my shoulder bleeds. I want to see that the tomb is empty. I want Jesus. Lifted up, easy to see, leading my life, overwhelming my life with His life. I want Jesus. I want Jesus.
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Monday, February 25, 2008
Lousy Trucker Hats?
Apparently some people are buying my book, which is cool - and some churches are deciding to do the (free!) series based on the book, which is great - but here's the biggest surprise: There has been a groundswell of interest in getting shirts with the book title/cover on it. And we listen to you! (By we, I mean my publisher - Baker Books, and especially Lauren who works there and is awesome and always ready to meet your needs.) So if you go to http://www.cafepress.com/lousytshirtbook you can order all kinds of things with the logo on it.
Like what you ask? Well: shirts, trucker hats, a shirt for your dog (!!) - and I am totally not kidding. (Shouldn't the trucker hat say, "I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy Trucker Hat"?!?!)
My concern is that if people see you wearing something that says, "I Became a Christian and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" on it, they may think that you're saying the Christian life really does suck. So here's my advice: If you choose to wear something with this on it, please use it as a conversation starter. Don't let the person leave thinking that you're really saying that, but instead seek to have a (brief) (gracious) (creative) conversation about it. Maybe say something like, "This is what a lot of people think of the Christian life, but I've actually found it to be an adventure..." or, "This is how I used to feel, till I read this incredible book by Vince Antonucci (who should be worshipped) and now my life is perfect..." Got it? Okay, wear 'em with pride people!
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"Not That There's Anything Wrong With It" (1 of 4)
“Hi, I heard your radio ad and I was wondering if I can come to your church? You see, … I’m gay … but you seem like a church that might welcome everyone. Thanks, Annette”
We promoted our church’s opening day with radio ads on secular rock stations. I received that question from Annette, and I quickly found several e-mails in my Inbox asking the same question. This confused me a bit: I wanted to e-mail my own question to churches: Why is it that gay people need to ask this question?
A couple years later I received another e-mail. It was from a Christian magazine: Would I consider writing an article on our church’s “ministry to homosexuals.” I stared at the sentence. Again I was confused. It had never occurred to me that our church had a ministry to homosexuals.
Our church’s ministry is to be God incarnate. Jesus came as God in a body. He exactly represented who God is (Colossians 1:15). The church is to be Jesus in a body (1 Corinthians 12:27). We are to exactly represent who He is.
Jesus ministry was to seek and save the lost. People drawn to Jesus’ ministry were those deemed the most sinful by society. The church’s ministry is to seek and save the lost. Those drawn to our ministry should be those deemed the most sinful by society. In our culture, this will include homosexuals.
Why were the “sinners” drawn to Jesus? I think it’s because in Jesus they heard the truth they needed, but also experienced the love they longed for. When will the “sinners” of our society (including homosexuals) be drawn to us? When “speaking the truth in love” is not a cliché we talk about but a reality we live out.
So what did I say to Annette? And how has our church handled all this? I thought I’d do a short series on this. I am far from an expert on this topic, and our church is not the best I know of with this (if you’re looking for the church that may reach homosexual people the best, try http://www.ecclesiahouston.org/v2/index.php), but I can share a little. So next time I’ll pick this back up. Until then, rock the Kasbah.
- featured on newchurches.com
Saturday, February 23, 2008
From Israel #9
There are two places in Jerusalem where they believed Jesus' tomb may have been. One is a little more likely, the other one is way better (to look at, pray at, etc.). Today I was at both, here's something I wrote in my journal afterwards:
Thank You Jesus for walking out of the tomb (as I just did) alive. Thank You for all the evidence You left, which helped lead me to You and which assures me when my faith is shaky.
Thank You God for the power You worked in the tomb that raised Jesus from the dead. Thank You that that same power is still at work in the world and is working in my life. Thank You that no matter how bleak things look, no matter how much death is present and at work in this world, in my life, in my circumstances, that You are present and Your strength is greater, Your power mightier and that You overcame and overwhelm death. Thank You that with You, life follows death, not the other way around. Thank You that You always can bring life out of death in my life, and that at the end of this life, I'm going to walk out of a grave.
God, I pray that I would walk in Your resurrection power each day. So often I feel discouraged, defeated; I act as though I don't know that I serve a risen Savior and that life follows death, Sunday follows Friday, power follows mercy, and laughter follows sorrow. Please help me not to leave the empty tomb here, or resign it to pages in my bible, but to carry it with me in my heart, my smile, and the way I hold my head high as I walk with You.
You have risen indeed.
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Survey Saturday!!!
Don't have a heart attack and don't poop your pants, but it's another survey Saturday!!!
Here's the question: What church has the best web site out there? Especially thinking of a person far from God checking out the site and thinking, "This is actually cool, I might be willing to go check out this church."
So whose site is super fantastic?
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Friday, February 22, 2008
From Israel #8
Today we walked the Via Delarosa (the way of suffering) which is the path Jesus walked from His trial to His crucifixion. Along the way there are 14 "stations of the cross." If you're new to this stuff (and not Catholic), the stations of the cross are 14 spots along the way where it's believed that something happened. Some of these are incidents that are recorded in the bible (like Jesus falling) and some are not in the bible but have become "tradition" (like a woman named Veronica coming out of the crowd to comfort Jesus). So, anyway, here's something I thought about during the walk, and wrote down immediately after:
When we began this holy walk I was prepared to travel this path in a sacred focus.
But quickly my attention was assaulted by a myriad of distractions. My first reaction was that all of it was unbelievably inappropriate. However, I then realized that this was the path, with all the distractions, that Jesus had to walk. And that this is the path, with all the distractions, that I walk. So my attitude changed...
When people tried to sell me something, I thought, "You know, it would be inappropriate for it not to be this way."
When all the noise pulled my attention away from Jesus, "It would be inappropriate for it not to be this way."
When my view of the divine was obstructed by signs of politics and power, "It would be inappropriate for it not to be this way."
When the bra and underwear stands gave the allure of sex, "It would be inappropriate for it not to be this way."
When I realized that yesterday I had shopped and purchased things in a store on this holy path, without realizing I was standing in a holy place, "It would be inappropriate for it not to be this way."
When my mind would not stop wandering, "It would be inappropriate for it not to be this way."
Jesus' life, the circumstances and sights and sounds of His life, were not clean and sterile, purified from the stain of this world. He did not have holiness served to Him on a silver platter.
Why would I expect my life, the circumstances and sights and sounds of my life, to be any different?
Jesus, please help me to find the profound in the profane; to hear your still small voice in the rumbling big volume of this world; to see You everywhere I go, slipping in and out of the crowds, peeking through life's circumstances; to know that this place, and everyplace, is a place to take off my sandals - for it is all holy ground.
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Lessons from a Puerto Rican Hillbilly (Part 4)
I'm in Israel and so I'm having a guest blogger - Kevin Colon. He's one of my favorite people but, more importantly, started a church in what may be the most difficult place in the United States - Boulder, Colorado. Kevin is the real deal and we can learn a lot from him. Here's Kevin:
Ok…let’s do a little recap action:
* You’ve learned to be you first (people will come to trust you before they trust Jesus)
* You’ve learned to be about Jesus first and the church second. (which may mean you won’t have a job…woo-hoo!)
* You’ve learned that it’s going to take a while to really reach people that are far from God.
* You’ve learned that the art of apology is a crucial evangelistic tool
So…here’s one last nugget for you.
Stop doing so many of your own events.
Church events gather Christians.
Early on…year one…we started doing this cool thing early on called “Mom and Pop’s Night Out” Five hours of babysitting for $5 per family. Now that’s a deal. We rented out the school, we brought in bouncy houses, we fed the kids dinner, we showed a movie on the big screen, we had goodie bags on the way out, we even had t-shirts and they weren’t lousy. We advertised the heck out of it and it was a HIT!
We did it five times all together….enough times to really get to know our clientele and guess who they were…..YES! CHRISTIANS! Oh no! What the…?!? That’s not what we wanted!
We let go of that soon after we found out.
Later, about a year and a half in, we did Preview Services. Five of them. Great crowds. But all Christian, all members of other churches, all just checking out the new kid on the block. UGG!!!
We let that go, too.
So we did what I had heard some rogue guys did. Instead of doing our own events, we committed ourselves to our town’s events, our Home Owner’s Association’s events, our Chamber of Commerce events.
ChiliFest—we’re there
Spring Fling—count on us
4th of July Celebration—no problem
Road-side Clean up day—how many people do you need?
Family Skate with Santa—do you want us to wear hats?
Within a few months I got a call from the Mayor’s office and they wanted me to come in to the Town Board meeting. I thought we messed up. I thought we had done something wrong. I thought we were getting kicked out of town. But instead they presented our church with the most outstanding gift I think I’ve ever received. It was a Proclamation. I still don’t know exactly what the heck it is…but it was one of those fancy political ‘whereas this’ and ‘whereas that’ type documents and it was urging the people of our town to follow the spirit of volunteerism that our church had exhibited. And that document is in the books. It will forever be in the history books of our city.
I don’t have my diplomas hanging up on my walls but I do proudly display that Proclamation from the Board of Trustees as one of the greatest achievements of our ministry. And you wouldn’t believe how many doors that have opened. The best part? Our church has a rep in our town. They know us. They know what we’re about. They know we’re here for them. And they know that we’re not going anywhere. I like to think that maybe God is smiling about that.
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
From Israel #7
Here's a background note you need for this post: The "Primacy of Peter" is the location where scholars believe that Jesus appeared to Peter after His resurrection and said, "Do you love me?" three times and told Peter, "Feed my sheep" (see John, chapter 21). The Catholics believe Peter was the original Pope and so he has "primacy."
So one of our guides on this trip is a Professor who is insanely smart and knowledgeable. He is like a world-class archeologist and expert in Semitic languages and has been here tons and all this stuff. So yesterday we were leaving the region of Galilee and I went up to him and said, "You're an archeologist and an expert and all, so you know all this stuff, but I'd have to say that for me, the biggest surprise so far was in the Primacy of Peter bathrooms ... the condom machine." So he looks at me and says, "Seriously? They have condom machines in there?"
That is hysterical! One of the funniest jokes I've ever thought up, and the fact that this guy bought it, holy crap that's good...
Speaking of condoms. A guy from our group was in a pharmacy and saw a rack of condoms. Above the display the sign read, "Men's Ware." That is almost as funny as my joke! Like people in Israel must be all, "So, what's the dress code for this event?" And the host says, "Oh, it's not too formal, why don't you go with men's ware."
Okay, I've got to go before I laugh so hard I get a stomach ache.
I'm having a great time. We're in Jerusalem today and tomorrow (and then the Dead Sea and then Bethlehem). I'm seeing and learning great stuff, and God is doing some really cool things in my heart.
Later...
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Lessons from a Puerto Rican Hillbilly (Part 3)
I'm in Israel and so I'm having a guest blogger - Kevin Colon. He's one of my favorite people but, more importantly, started a church in what may be the most difficult place in the United States - Boulder, Colorado. Kevin is the real deal and we can learn a lot from him. Here's Kevin:
So what else is there to learn? How about this one: Learn to Apologize.
The majority of my conversations with people that are not interested in God go like this:
“Hey, how’s it going, I’m Kevin.”
- “Hello.”
Bla, Bla, bla, bla, bla (I’m not trying to be crass here….just speeding along the conversation.)
- “Oh so I hear you’re a pastor here”
“Yep…can you believe it?”
- “Oh yeah I can believe it.”
“So you guys have any kind of faith background”
- “Yeah…but that was a long time ago.”
“Not a good experience, huh?”
- “That’s an understatement.”
“That bad?”
And then they go into the usual hypocrisy, judgmental, anti-everything, rules and regulations talk about the church and Christians that we all know about.
And then I have a choice to make about my response.
1. I can justify and try to explain the absurd actions of my brothers and sisters (OH…I hate having to love them…pray for me) OR
2. I can say… "I’m sorry."
Now, this is where you’re going to have to be brushed up on your church history. I usually say, “I’m sorry” and I follow that up with the atrocities of the church for the past several hundred years and I’ll throw in a couple of contemporary examples as well. You wouldn’t believe the response I get.
“Wait…you agree. You’re sorry? You’re not going to fight back and defend this stuff?”
“No way…you’re right…you’re absolutely right. We suck as Christians. But that’s the funny thing….Jesus knew we would screw it all up and that’s why he ends up being such an important part of history.”
“What do you mean?”
And then, of course, I take out my four spiritual laws, my napkin with the bridge illustration and my Jesus Film on my IPOD and get busy. NOT!
Then I finally get to tell them my story….how my life was full of religion and then I found what Jesus actually wanted.” Short, sweet….just another something-something for them to nibble on.
More questions….more sharing…..more listening….more nodding ….more trust building….more connections….the magic starts happening…hearts are being opened….God is getting to do the inside stuff….and you are just there for the ride….
And you know what that gets you? A second conversation! And that’s a HUGE WIN! When you can get to the second conversation with a person that is outside the family of God and they’re cool with you and receptive to what you’ve got to say then pat yourself on the back, take yourself out to Outback and get the 11 oz instead of the 8 oz. Outback special and start dancing on the ceiling with Lionel Richie.
Learn to apologize and win the second conversation! (Just don’t screw that one up.)
- featured on newchurches.com
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
From Israel #6
Today was cool. We had a free day so 7 of us rented a van and drove (directed by fearless leader Mont Mitchell) to a cliff called Arabel which overlooks the whole Galilee region. It was killer windy - like the strongest winds I've ever felt other than a hurricane. I literally was "hiding" in the cleft between 2 rocks, giving Psalm 18:2 (and other similar verses) new meaning. Just sat and prayed and listened to music (on my iPod) for an hour. I'm not much of a Christian music guy, but this was the appropriate occasion so here was my playlist: (1) I See You, Rich Mullins; (2) Step by Step, Rich Mullins; (3) God of Wonders, Caedmon’s Call; (4) Storm, Lifehouse and some Keith Green (kickín' it old school!).
Then we drove to the city of Haifa on the Mediterranean, probably the most dangerous place around.
Then we went to Tagba, where they think Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish. I don't know why, but I love that place. Playlist: (1) All I Can Say, David Crowder; (2) Amazing Grace, Chris Tomlin; (3) Enough, Chris Tomlin; (4) Reach, Joe Heilman; (5) Everything, Lifehouse.
We also went to Bethsaida - mentioned several times in the N.T. and went to a archeological dig and went into a restricted zone...
Having an awesome time! Please keep praying for me. Tomorrow we go to Jerusalem...
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Lessons from a Puerto Rican Hillbilly (Part 2)
I'm in Israel and so I'm having a guest blogger - Kevin Colon. He's one of my favorite people but, more importantly, started a church in what may be the most difficult place in the United States - Boulder, Colorado. Kevin is the real deal and we can learn a lot from him. Here's Kevin:
So if you’re in for the long-haul, if you’ve found your place, your people, than what? How do you make an impact on people that may never step foot into your church?
Lesson 2: The message that resonates is Jesus (and Jesus in you)
When we moved to Colorado, Amy and I would take the grill out every other Saturday to the pool next to our apartment and we would grill burgers for anyone that would want one. They would say…”Hey why are you guys doing this?” And we would just let them know…”Just new here…wanted to meet some people.” They didn’t need to know we were pastors, we were starting a church, or that we were anything else than people. I wanted people to know me as Kevin first. I wanted them to judge me as a guy that was a Christian that just happened to be their neighbor.
And so amidst the burgers, the beer, the half-naked women and the colorful language we began to make friends. My first friends here were an ultimate fighter, a car mechanic and this hot, hot girl that turned out to be a man (kidding…totally kidding). Anyway…it was a bunch of guys…and we started playing Texas Hold ‘Em poolside and talking about life…chomping on burgers. Little by little they came to know about my faith…but since they got to know Kevin first, they were cool with that and they were cool with my perspective on things. They eventually started asking questions, and on several Saturdays I’d say we were having church out there as I won all their money because they were so distracted by my fancy theology. (no…just kidding again…I’m against gambling…unless you have it in your entertainment budget) Ok…moving on.
Here’s the deal. People want to see if your faith is real and they’re OK with it if it’s real. They’re OK with the Jesus talk if it’s real and if it’s truly about something that will work for them….instead of work for YOU. The minute they catch a sniff that you are trying to get them in for your gain….your done. Let me explain with another story.
We started a Bible Study…our first one. And about 5 people in the group were nonbelievers and 5 of us were Christians. We were going through the book of Mark and it was just smoking hot. It was awesome. . .great conversation, great revelations, incredible connections. And then one day, I decided that it would be good to share a little vision about the church that would someday be here. And so I took a whole Sunday night and with great passion shared The Vision! I nailed it, too. After the meeting, one of the non-Christian couples came up to me and said, “Hey Kevin…we really came here to hear about Jesus and if this is going to turn into some kind of rally to start a church….well….we’re not so sure we’ll be back.”
I nodded and smiled but it took me a while….and then it hit me….of course….Jesus….that’s why I came here. Right! I get it.
The next Sunday I apologized to everyone. I assured them that Sunday nights were reserved for Jesus and if anyone wanted to hear about the church we would have another meeting at another time.
My non-believing friends kept coming and they crossed the line of faith a few months later.
Phew….close one!
- featured on newchurches.com
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
From Israel #5
So I have something incredible to report from the Holy Land, but it may depress you. It turns out that while American scientists have been working on nuclear weaponry and getting men on the moon, the Israelites have been hard at work perfecting toilet technology. I'm not joking. Israeli toilets have two (yes 2) flush buttons. One is a quick easy flush, while the other produces a deep serious flush. So you choose your button depending on what you have deposited into said toilet.
It's genius!
My only question is: What happens if you hit both buttons at the same time? My guess, but I have nothing to back this up, is that it's sort of like the flux capacitor from Back to the Future, and that by hitting both buttons at the same time you send your poop back to like 1971 where some dude is sitting on a park bench and suddenly gets a huge load of poop on his head. He has no idea how it happened, but people in Israel are laughing as they pull up their pants.
Wild stuff, and it makes me wonder if I should even come back to America. I mean, how can I live the rest of my life with such inferior toilet technology???
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From Israel #4
Today we went to Nazareth, where Jesus basically spent 30 of the 33 years he had here on earth. Back then Nazareth was a little podunk out-of-the-way town of about 500 people. Today it's become a small city of about 50,000 people. So it's obviously changed a lot.
However, looking around at the topography and vegetation and scenery, that would also basically be the same from when Jesus was there, so it was cool walking around and thinking that this is what he would have seen, that he would have walked up this hill to get to the town well, etc.
There are two "Churches of the Annunciation." The annunciation is when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she was pregnant and would be giving birth to the Son of God. The two churches are built over the two spots where they think that might have happened in Nazareth. It's wild to think that you might be standing on ground where something that significant happened.
We also got to see what many archeologists believe was Mary's house. Back then they would build their homes in front of caves, so the cave kind of served as a backroom, or a basement. The house is no longer there, but the cave still is. Crazy!
There was some very interesting art in both churches.
Probably the most fascinating thing to me was the people of Nazareth. We saw LOTS of little boys (like 4 to 6 years old), and other boys who were more like 10 to 14), and also a bunch of guys who were 20 to 30. There is virtually no variation. Everyone has the same skin color, hair color, eye color. They're (obviously) not all twins, but even their features were similar. And so it seems rather obvious that Jesus, who was a Nazarite, would have looked a lot like these Nazarites. And, news flash, these guys looked NOTHING like the pictures we have of Jesus. They all had dark hair, dark eyes, and olive colored skin.
There should be pictures up on our group internet photo album. Go to http://picasaweb.google.com/2008pilgrims and check out the pictures of Mark Jones (he's kind of acting as our group photographer) and I think I have some pictures up too.
Check ya later!
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Lessons from a Puerto Rican Hillbilly (Part 1)
I'm in Israel and so I'm having a guest blogger - Kevin Colon. He's one of my favorite people but, more importantly, started a church in what may be the most difficult place in the United States - Boulder, Colorado. Kevin is the real deal and we can learn a lot from him. Here's Kevin:
I thought Cool River was going to be a church in South Florida. My wife, Amy, and I spent a lot of time getting ready for that move. We raised a lot of money. We were on the verge of purchasing a house and moving ….and then God stepped in with an airplane ticket to Denver, Colorado, and everything changed. (a God story that I’ll have to fill you in on at another time)
So instead, God brought us to a place that was 95+% unchurched. He landed us in a place where 9 out of 10 people that you lock eyes with don’t have a relationship with Jesus. Imagine that! A place where (unlike the South) doesn’t hide the fact that they aren’t Christians…they’re actually proud of it…and they aren’t afraid to tell you.
I’ll never forget one of my first conversations when I arrived in Boulder County. I met this guy, we shook hands, we exchanged the usual weather-talk and then we got to the occupation thing….and I let it slip. I know…it’s my fault, but, I just flat out told him I was a pastor. His eyes widened and he shot back, “Well, hey, just want to let you know I’m not a Christian, I don’t want to be a Christian and you just should know that you don’t even need to try to evangelize me!”
Or how about the lady that found out I was a Christian and said, “Oh…that is so good….so good. It’s so nice that you’ve found such a lovely path to God.” I was excited, “So you are a Christian?”
“Oh, no…I’m a Buddhist but it’s so good for you that you are a Christian. Good for you.”
You see, in Boulder there is either this overwhelming tolerance or just a straight-up animosity toward Christianity, Christians and organized religion. (and yes…I hear you….that kind of thinking has already reached some of you in the more prominent Christian regions)
Yep…it quickly went from Len Sweet and Brian McLaren talking about it in a book to reality in my face, and needless to say, I learned some huge lessons in just a few conversations.
Here’s Lesson 1: This is going to take a lot longer than you thought
In our context there are not enough Christians to build a church fast. We have so many people that don’t want any God-stuff that it takes a year or two to build enough of a trust relationship to get them to even hear you out about Jesus.
Here’s the challenge for you: You are going to have to make a decision….a choice. You’re going to have to put a stake in the ground and say, “I’m in. As long as it takes to build the right kind of trusting relationships where people will see me as a real person who loves and follows Jesus authentically…that’s how long I’ll be here for.” I’ve learned that if you can’t make that kind of commitment in ministry these days, you’ll gather your Christians and end up in the same statistical pile with the rest of the transfer growth churches.
You see, in just five years of this church-plant I’ve seen five other churches come and go here. And you know what all of their fatal flaws were? They loved the church more than they loved the people. If the church didn’t get up and running soon enough….they bailed. If their model didn’t work, they didn’t know how to morph. They didn’t want to morph. If the people rejected their message it was their fault, it was the people’s fault. And so they came and they went and the non-Christian community said, “You see…there…it happened again. They said they cared but they didn’t. They said they were here to bring hope, but they’re hopeless. They said their God is strong, but a little adversity and they fold. The church is a weak, non-committed, powerless JOKE!” And those of us who stay…we inherit that reputation. Sadness!
So guys, let me BEG you….before you start a church or if you are already there….ask yourself, “How much do I really love these people? Do I love them more than the church? Can I stay here and continue to be a strong influence for Christ even if the church fails?” If the answer is yes…you might just be ready for actually reaching people that are far from God.
- featured on newchurches.com
Monday, February 18, 2008
Wow
Writing a book you spend a lot of time (or at least I spent a lot of time) wondering, "Will anyone read this? Is this going to help anyone? Is this worth it?" and then your book comes out, and nothing really happens, so those same questions are still circulating in your brain. And then you read something like this and it (seriously) is all worth it, all at once. I have no idea who this guy is, but my publisher made me put a Google Alert for my book title, so I'm notified when someone mentions my book on the internet. So I've actually been getting a lot of those, and they've all been gratifying, but I just got this one, and it blew me away. Thanks Ryan, whoever you are. You just made writing that book worth it.
- featured on newchurches.com
From Israel #3
So I expected all kinds of things going on a trip to Israel, but the one thing I didn't expect was an earthquake. But that's what we got. Was it a holy earthquake? I don't know. I do know it was a 5.2 on the rector scale, and that is 5.2 bigger than any earthquake I've ever experienced, since I've never been in one.
We were in a museum which features a boat that was discovered in the last few years, which dates back to Jesus' time. After examining it we were standing out in the lobby talking when all of a sudden the floor was lurching. It was kind of like being in a boat on rough seas. One lady in the gift store ran out, another started screaming, someone else dove under a table. I didn't know what to do, so I just stood there and tried not to fall down.
Pretty fun! What would have been really cool is if the quake caused the boat to fall apart, because then I could say I was the last one to see it. But then I might get blamed for wrecking the thing, and who wants that on their conscience....
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A Puerto Rican Hillbilly in Colorado
I'm in Israel and so I'm having a guest blogger - Kevin Colon. He's one of my favorite people but, more importantly, started a church in what may be the most difficult place in the United States - Boulder, Colorado. Kevin is the real deal and we can learn a lot from him. Here's Kevin:
There are lots of things I never thought would have happened to me. . .
- I never thought I’d leave Puerto Rico…my homeland, the shinning star of the Caribbean.
- I never thought I’d end up living in Kentucky (my pharmacist parents always dreamed of having a farm)
- I never thought I’d be a pastor (I actually wanted to be a Veterinarian….or a cartoonist)
- I never thought I’d start a church (that’s just crazy!)
- I never thought I’d love people that were far from God (you’re not even supposed to hang out with them, right?)
- I never thought I’d live in Boulder, Colorado (I always dreamed of getting back to the beach)
- I never thought I’d do my overseas ministry in Vietnam (a Spanish speaking county would have made more sense)
- I never thought Vince Antonucci would see me naked.
But here I am, and as I write to you I can testify that all of these things did indeed happen! Goes to show …you just never know what life is going to throw at you.
So let me tell you a little of the story…this is Kevin Colón.
I was raised in a Catholic home in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. I was a happy Catholic kid. I did everything I was supposed to do….up, down, up down, down, up, up down. Then we moved to Southern Baptist country…Elizabethtown, Kentucky, where I learned to be a good Southern Baptist boy. Talk about culture shock!
All of that wasn’t all bad though, as what I learned from the Catholic Church and the Baptist Church sort of balanced itself out—Reverence and Relationship. And all along the way…good people crossed my path, too. Some of them, of course, were denominationally centered and others….you could just see Jesus seeping out of their pores in the most authentic way.
So let’s fast forward….I became a follower of Jesus, I committed to working for him and I headed off to seminary….in Texas. (They were right…it was big!)
Through unexpected circumstances I ended up getting a job at a church called NorthWood with this crazy pastor named Bob Roberts. NorthWood was known, even then, as a church planting church, but I was a youth pastor and I didn’t have any idea what church planting was all about. I don’t think I really even cared.
After working there for a while, one day Bob asked me into his office and said, “Kevin, what do you think about starting a church?” I thought I was getting fired, but Bob assured me that was not the case. Realizing my shock at his question…he said, “Just pray about it.” And so I did...and God began to move my heart toward this crazy thing called church planting. This meant that I had to be the lead pastor guy, and like I said before, I was a youth pastor. I had already decided that was not an option. I had actually already had that conversation with God. Youth ministry was a “Yes!”…but being THE pastor was a very strong, “NO!” I even made a list of reasons to prove it to Him.
Then, God checked off the list…he didn’t give me any way out and I had to do the only thing I knew he was calling me to. . .starting a church. But how do you do that anyway? I sure didn’t know then…and I’m not sure I really know now…but I’ll start telling you what I have learned tomorrow.
- featured on newchurches.com
Sunday, February 17, 2008
From Israel #2
Hey Anyone Reading This Blog,
Comin' at ya from Israel. We've been here for four days, I think. And it's been very cool. We have been to: the Mount of Beatitudes (where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount), the place where Jesus miraculously fed the 5,000, Caesarea Philippi (which is where Jesus asked Peter, "Who do people say I am" and then "Who do you say I am?"), Capernaum (which is where Peter lived, and where Jesus spent a lot of His time and did a lot of His miracles - including the one where the paralytic is lowered down from the roof), and we've taken a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, stopping at (approximately) the place where Peter was out fishing when Jesus called out (post-resurrection), "Dude, cast your net on the other side" and they caught lots of fish (153, but whose counting?) and naked Peter put clothes on to jump in the water (weird!) and swam into Jesus, who then did the whole "Do you love me?" - "No, do you REALLY love me?" thing.
In the next few days we're going to Nazareth and I don't even remember where, and then on to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. It's all been very good. The coolest thing (maybe) is getting a real feel for the area, what it's like, how far things are from each other, and that sort of thing. A couple quick impressions: (1) This is the most rocky area I've ever seen. There are rocks everywhere! (2) What the Bible calls "mountains" are more like hills. But I guess the "Sermon on the Hill" doesn't sound quite as cool maybe. (3) Things are way closer than I'd imagine. Like to go from the place where the Sermon on the Mount was, or the feeding of the 5,000, or to Capernaum is all very close. (4) It's colder here than I ever would have guessed. I have never pictured Jesus being cold, but I am stinking freezing most of the time! So much for global warming! (5) I came here kinda thinking that it'd be cool to have Jesus be my tour guide and have Him show me around His old stomping grounds. But I quickly realized that I would probably feel more at home here than Jesus would. Because of "progress" this area (in many ways) is probably more like America today than it is like Galilee 2,000 years ago. (6) All the religious and political tension here really bites.
Well, those are some quick impressions. I don't know if I'll get to an internet cafe again or not, but I'll try to post more. Until then, stay away from the falafel!
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Lousy Excerpt 6
I'm in Israel for two weeks (which is weird and very cool) so I can't write new posts. Next week I'm having a guest blogger (don't miss it) but this week I thought I'd give you a few fun and/or (hopefully) thought-provoking excerpts from my book that just came out. So here you go:
Here are some other questions I’m learning to ask myself:
- If I feel most alive when I’m watching a movie or playing a video game or reading a book or watching sports, if those are consistently the best parts of my day, what does that say about my life? Shouldn’t it be more exciting to live my life than to watch someone else live theirs?
- In the Bible Jesus led his followers into dangerous places. Do I often find myself in dangerous places? And if not, what does that mean?
- Despite being completely righteous, Jesus attracted the worst of sinners. Are sinful people drawn to me, or are they put off by my so-called righteousness?
- When Jesus came into contact with people, their lives were radically transformed. Are people’s lives changed by knowing me?
- Do I have sinful habits I can’t seem to shake? Why?
- What do I dream about? What does my mind automatically turn to? What should it?
- Would the people who know me best say my life is characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?
- Do I read the Bible and pray because I can’t wait to spend time with God, or because it’s what I’m supposed to do as a Christian?
- And why do I skip my Bible and prayer time on weekends or when I’m out-of-town? Is that time really just a habit, a part of my routine, or is it the sacred conversation it’s supposed to be?
- Am I living in a safe Christian bubble? If so, why does the world scare me?
- What do I use to escape from my problems? Why do I need to escape from my problems at all? Shouldn’t Jesus help me handle them?
- Do I serve because I get to, or because I have to?
- Do I get upset about things in a way that is disproportionate to their importance?
- What are the top items on my current wish list?
- The word Christian literally means “little Christ” – so am I a Christian or do I just call myself one?
- Why isn’t Jesus enough for me?
[want to read more? sure you do, so buy the book!]
- featured on newchurches.com
Saturday, February 16, 2008
From Israel #1
This is something I wrote in my journal as I sat in an airplane in Frankfurt, Germany about to fly to Tel Aviv, Israel. It may not do anything for you, it may not even make sense, but when I wrote it I had only slept one hour in the previous 24, so ... here it is:
He sits across the aisle from me all grey hair and grey curls and grey beard and black pants and black jacket and black hat. He is chanting. The moment he took his seat he began reading his Hebrew Scriptures. I grabbed the In-Flight Magazine to see what the movie might be.
Is he reading out loud, or praying, or singing? What radio stations can I listen to with these headphones?
I get out my journal, to do some calling on God of my own. He's calling a flight attendant.
"God, can You help me?" I write. "How can I help you?" the stewardess asks. "What can I learn from sitting next to this man?" I ask God. "I cannot sit by a woman," he tells the flight attendant. "Let's see what she does about this," I think. "Let me see what I can do about this," she says.
She walks away. He goes back to reading. I go back to writing. A young lady walks up and prepares to take the seat in front of me. I look up. He looks up. I look down. He looks up again. I look at him. He looks up again, and again, and again. He's checking her out! I think, I'm pretty sure. No wonder he must sit next to a man. So is it good that he knows his weakness? Or is it bad that he is so much a "separated one" that he has separated himself out of real life?
God, I don't want to be of this world, but I do want to be in it. I want to be both approachable, and beyond approach. I want to love You and people. I want to breathe You in and also breathe You out. I want to feel Your touch and I want to be Your touch.
God, help me to be like this man across the aisle, and please make sure I am not like him. More than anything, I want to be like Jesus.
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Lousy Excerpt 5
I'm in Israel for two weeks (which is weird and very cool) so I can't write new posts. Next week I'm having a guest blogger (don't miss it) but this week I thought I'd give you a few fun and/or (hopefully) thought-provoking excerpts from my book that just came out. So here you go:
Friday, February 15, 2008
Lousy Excerpt 4
I'm in Israel for two weeks (which is weird and very cool) so I can't write new posts. Next week I'm having a guest blogger (don't miss it) but this week I thought I'd give you a few fun and/or (hopefully) thought-provoking excerpts from my book that just came out. So here you go:
My first image of “following Jesus” was of him steadily walking a straight, narrow path with a Christian dutifully trailing behind, trying to never get distracted and led off course. Most of the people I talked to seemed to hold this view.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Lousy Excerpt 3
I'm in Israel for two weeks (which is weird and very cool) so I can't write new posts. Next week I'm having a guest blogger (don't miss it) but this week I thought I'd give you a few fun and/or (hopefully) thought-provoking excerpts from my book that just came out. So here you go:
Growing up, I had a vague sense that something was not right about my name. Something seemed off about my identity. I couldn’t explain it. I wasn’t sure why I felt that way.
Finally, the answer came out. Actually, the answer came down … from my mother’s attic.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Lousy Excerpt 2
I'm in Israel for two weeks (which is weird and very cool) so I can't write new posts. Next week I'm having a guest blogger (don't miss it) but this week I thought I'd give you a few fun and/or (hopefully) thought-provoking excerpts from my book that just came out. So here you go:
I think the word that best describes how many feel about their Christian lives is not abundant, joyful, or purpose-driven, but disappointing.
And when I met Christians for the first time as a sophomore in college, I was disappointed. I was disappointed at their disappointment. And I swore I would never be like that.
But I have to be honest.
Over the years I have, at times, descended into the world of the t-shirt wearers. I have found myself going through the motions. I’ve lost my purpose and passion for so long I had to put them on the back of a milk carton. In honest moments I’ve asked those same despairing questions. I’ve been disappointed.
And I’ve wondered if maybe God is the problem. I mean, he does want everyone to say yes to his offer. And if someone is trying to sell me a new car, vacuum cleaner, or cell phone, I don’t expect the