Two Guys Who Shouldn't Sit Together

This is a legit picture. These guys should really rethink sitting together. It's almost like one guy's shirt saying, "I'm with stupid," and the other guy's shirt saying, "Stupid."

Join My Ninja Army

Are you on facebook? If so, click here and join my evil ninja army!

A Confession, of sorts (notice the tongue in cheek)

Okay. I have a confession to make. It's a moment that I realized I have a deep dark part of me that surfaces daily. But I must tell the whole story so you get a sense of my depravity...please read with great understanding as I bear my soul.
Here we go. As many of you know, I ride a motorcycle as my primary means of transportation. I ride a 2001 Harley Davidson Electra Glide Standard with Thunder Headers and Thunder head pipes. It's not just loud, it's a deep throaty loud that every bike should sound like. There have been times when I've started "Harley" and the sound has caused women to scream from being startled and children began weeping, covering their ears, and running. It's so loud and deep that as I rode to the "office" one day, my wife was at the bank drive-thru (around behind the building) and she heard me ride by.
Anyway, I digress. My schedule is as such that it's usually mid to late dinner time before I head home in the evenings. And some nights it's later. And my usual traffic pattern is to ride by a restaurant that is in my neighborhood. It turns out there is an employee of that restaurant that has a white Ford Mustang with an alarm that is sensitive enough that my bike will set it off. It has become a daily event for me to see if I can set that alarm off with my bike. As I ride by it, I drop a gear and accelerate until I see the Mustang's headlights start flashing (since I can't hear the alarm because of the bike). It's a regular part of my day to set that alarm off. Well, last Friday, as I watched the lights flashing and imagined the horn honking, this evil laugh escaped my lips..."Mwuaah hahahaa!" Then it occured to me: what if the kid who owns that Mustang thinks there is something wrong with his alarm and keeps taking it in to get it worked on? What if he thinks that someone in our neighborhood keeps trying to break into his car at work? What if he thinks his alarm doesn't work and quits setting it? All because I enjoy setting it off...Does it make me evil if I enjoy, nay seek out, setting this alarm off daily? What do you think?
Well, there it is. My dark secret is out. If any of you know where I could find help for this devious addiction, please let me know.

My Little Dare Devil

"My little Dare Devil" When I say this, you probably think of the boy child, but it's not! Last night, Cayla, Jeremiah, and I went to our local amusement park for a school-wide event. Now, our kids think Joyland is a lot like Six Flags, but it's not. It's actually like a permanent traveling carnival. And most of the time, our kids want to ride the little boats that go in circles, or the little cars that go in circles, or the little planes that go in circles (you see a pattern here?). Well, last night I almost "tossed my cookies" riding the big rides with Cayla. She couldn't get enough! Jeremiah had met up with some of his friends and was riding rides he normally wouldn't ride. But the peer pressure begins early, and he went with the guys!
Cayla, however, spent most of her time riding with me, running from big ride to big ride, unable to get enough. She rode the big rollercoaster 3 times, the tilt-a-whirl twice, the Octopus, and several other lose your lunch kinda rides. There were some great moments that stood out to me as she and I rode together. Both times included me looking at her with her face in the wind and hair blowing back. She had this look of enraptured delight as she squealed with glee! The one moments that typified the night happened on this ride that we call "The Umbrella Ride." It's a ride that goes in a circle, but the circle is at a 45 degree angle to the ground, so it goes from ground level to about 35 feet in the air. And, although it's going in a circle, it's at a HIGH rate of speed so you feel like you are launching into space with each pass. Imagine a ferris wheel on steroids and leaning severly and you will have a pretty good picture. She was sitting on my right, with her legs extended into space, hair blowing straight back, and her eyes squinting. We were on the downside of the circle when I began to watch her to make sure she was having fun. As we bottomed out and started the upswing, her mouth curled into this elated smile and a squeal came out as she leaned her head back just a little. I'm sure she was imagining flying. I, too, was lost in the moment. But my joy came in seeing my little girl enthralled by the experience. As the ride began to slow, she looked at me and said, "Again!" I told her there were many more rides, and if we had time we would come back As the ride stopped, she looked at the attendant, an older man probably in his mid 60's, and told him, "Thank you." Then she took off running for the next near death experience. As we went back to The Galaxy, the big rollercoaster, she looked at me and said, "Thanks for cancelling your trip to come to Joyland with me." I was supposed to be meeting some friends to talk church planting and spend some time dreaming, planning, and being encouraged. I had actually told the kids we couldn't got to Joyland because I had to be out of town and Caryn had rehearsal. They were upset, but had been gracious to me since we were going to schedule something special later. Circumstances began to pile up on me yesterday morning, though, and my trip had to be cancelled because there was much to do here. Little did I know that Cayla would have such a good time. And I would have never guessed that she would understand enough to be grateful for cancelling the trip.
"My Little Dare Devil" was why my trip needed to be cancelled. And, because of last night, I see her in a different light. Usually the last to try new things, she really surprised me. I learned I have to help her see the upside to the new things, and not just ask her to do them. I can really see her heading into the dark world to make a difference for the Kingdom, hair blowing in the wind, mouth curled in a slight smile, and squealing all the way as she launches into the adventures of life. I also learned that I can slow down and enjoy the ride and not be so ready to rush off to the next thing. Some rides should be enjoyed twice! I'm glad I stayed home.

My Own Theme Music

Du du da du da du...Sing it with me...
So maybe having a radio on Harley isn't the greatest idea...or it's the coolest thing ever. I have a habit of tuning into the classic rock station here every now and then to see what's on. I love the old Boston, Kansas, Rush, etc.
Well, twice this week "Bad To The Bone" by George Thuroughgood and the Destroyers came on while I was riding. On a big black Harley, when that song comes on, it's like having your own theme music. You slow down a little bit, settle into your seat a little deeper, and just know that you are who he's singing about!
Of course, the converse is true, too. Just after that, Sammy Hagar's "I Can't Drive 55" came on...and the next thing I knew I was zipping through traffic to the pace of the song...

The Work Of God

"Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.' So they asked him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.'" - John 6: 28-33
The generations before us had a reputation for hard work. Our grandparents, for the most part, were known for their "pick yourself up by your boot straps" mentality and work ethic. Such is their reputation, that their generation was named "The Builder Generation." It's an attitude that permeates our American culture. When it comes to social justice, benevolence, or welfare, most USAmericans believe that you get what you earn. And we, like them, often times shift into "make it happen mode," knowing that God helps those who help themselves (that's not Scriptural thinking, though). I know that I find myself in that mindset often: If I am going to succeed or survive, I've got to do more and do better. I awoke this morning amazed at the fact that I have a house to live in, and took a certain amount of pride in the fact that I make my house payments and I am a provider. I actually earn enough money to provide a house, utilities, clothing, food, cars, etc. for my family. And it feels good. Then, during my quiet time, I came to this passage. Isn't it funny how often the Bible speaks to us in a relevant and timely fashion? In my morning of triumphant thinking, God brings His Word to my mind to remind me that I do not really provide for my family. It's Him who provides. The Jews of Jesus' day were guilty of similar thinking. They had given credited Moses for their provision instead of God. And now they were asking Jesus to provide for them like Moses so they would know He was from God. As always, Jesus' response is prolific: I am your provision. Initially, they ask Jesus what work they must be doing to be in good standing with God. He tells them that God's work is to believe in the one He has sent. So they tell Him, "If God sent you, provide for us." And Jesus reveals His nature to them as the provision they are seeking. That ought to be comforting, wouldn't you think? But, by the time this dialogue is over, Jesus has offended everyone and only His 12 remain. Does the thought that it's all up to Jesus offend you? Your gut reaction may be an emphatic "NO!" But think about it this way: do you really, truly, honestly trust Him and look to Him as your provision? If the answer to that is an emphatic "NO!" then maybe there's some work to be done; the work of believing in the One God sent to be your provision. In the midst of hard times, struggles, and turmoil, where do you look? Are you looking for a miracle? Are you trying to figure out how you could work harder to make things happen? Or do you look to the One who is your provision and trust Him to provide? Easy words to say, hard words to do. But necessary, none the less. Remember the words of Solomon, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own understanding. In all your ways remember Him. Then He will make your paths smooth and straight." (Prov. 3:5-6 NIRV)

Speaking of Big Catfish

My friend, Madd Matt, sent me these pictures taken at Lake Conroe near Houston. This catfish is slightly smaller than the one that produced the skeleton in my last post! Yes, that's an inflated basketball in his mouth.

One BIG Catfish

Here's a picture of Jeremiah, who is just over 4' tall along side a catfish skeleton that is just over 4' long! Pretty huge. I read about a catfish that was just over 4' long and it weighed over 150 lbs. The fisherman trying to catch it was drug out of the boat to his death! 150 lbs. is a big fish.

Much Needed Vacation

Why does driving make you so tired? We spent about 7 hours driving yesterday to see Caryn's parents and hang out with some of our friends at Mosaic Arlington. And, for some reason, sitting in a car for that amount of time wiped me out.
Caryn's parents (Jim and Peggy Kean) are the park attendants at a state camp site. It's a primitive camping only facility, so it's not very busy in the heat of August. The humidity here is stifling. I know we grew up here, but how did we ever breath with all the water in the air? The Kean's have a 40' fifth-wheel trailer that is very nice, and sits within 100 yards of Lake Lavon. It makes for a great view, but the humidity is off the chart. We just got back from playing in the huge "sand box" (which is really a net less sand volleyball court), and Pawpaw is hosing the kids off outside. I can hear them squealing outside.
It's good to get away from home on a non-business related trip. I traveled a lot the last 6 months, but almost all of it was for ministry. So a trip like this offers the chance to not think about what's waiting at home.
Tonight we will get to spend some time with fellows church planters/pastors from Mosaic Arlington. We'll swim, cook out, and just catch up on life. And then, tomorrow, we'll get some of the best catfish in the world as we trek back to Lubbock. We really ought to do this more. I realized yesterday that my kids are growing up. Hahahaha, they just walked in from "showering" outside. They are running through the trailer naked and just giggling. Anyway, I was looking at Jeremiah's face yesterday and he has changed in the last week. He's growing up and even looks different. Our time with them will be gone before we know it. I am amazed that I spend so much time thinking about work (which will always be there and always need to be done) and not enough time with family. I'm going to make it a goal to take a family trip once a quarter, and to keep our weekly Family night sacred. After all, it does no good to reach the world and lose your family! If you ever need a place to get away to, come see us in Lubbock! We'd love to see ya!Peace, Jase.

The Muppet Show

Have you ever seen The Muppet Show? There are these two character that sit in the balcony. Thier names are Statler and Mr. Waldorf. Well, imagine those two guys standing around my table at the coffee shop every morning and you'll have a great picture of my mornings...

Today's topic: that the word "expression" has it's roots in the same germanic word as "esspresso," meaning "in a hurry." Never mind the fact that "expression" is spelled with an "x" and "espresso" is spelled with an "s." As I try to convince them that the word "esspresso" is not spelled "eXpresso," Mr. Waldorf gets aggitated and begins to get louder as he tries to convince me that they are still the same. Statler eventually walks off to do "useless things," as he puts it. If only Fozzie Bear would show up and do a comedy routine to make this more bearable.

Post Mortem

As I discussed my love of writing with a friend this morning, we began to talk about how many authors and artists realize fame and influence following their death. We joked a little about that, not really knowing why, but landed on something else: our best work and effort is realized after our death, too. I understand this much more deeply than the author thing. When we die to ourselves, our hopes/dreams/plans for our future, and yield to Christ, we become something far greater than ourselves. And the only thing that can stand in our way is really us! The great part is that we don't have to physically die to watch what Christ does. If anything, just the contrary is true. We don't truly live until we die. People like Mother Theresa are shining examples of that. While authors like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, or Dietrich Bonhoffer and artists like Buddy Holly and Keith Green achieve their greatest point of fame post mortem, the same is true of us, but we still get to be involved. When we lose our lives for Christ sake we find real life, and accomplish our greatest point of impact and influence. We are truly living sacrifices. Just a jiggy musing from a conversation this morning...

They've done it again.

I must say that few bands impress me with their grasp of theology and culture. But Jars of Clay seems to be the exception. In "Love Song For A Savior" they show a deep understanding for the doctrine of Salvation. And, in their latest song, "Work," they capture the essence of the human condition. I am moved when I hear these lyrics:
I cannot trust these voices; I don't have a line of prospects that can give some kind of peace. There is nothing left to cling to that can bring me sweet release.
I have no fear of drowning.
It's the breathing that's taking all this work.
Do you know what I mean when I say, "I don't want to be alone"?
What I mean when I say, "I don't want to be alone"

On the nose! Life is hard. And no one wants to be alone.

Finally...

Man, I've had NO time to blog, and now my blogging vein is clogged. I've got so much to get out there that I'm not sure where to begin. My summer traveling schedule has had me swamped, but now it's winding down. It seems like it was just yesterday when I thought, "Well, it's the end of May. Summer is coming." And now it's all but gone. So, all that to say there will be more coming...and very soon.

West Texas Karate Kids

Have I mentioned that I have been training in Tae Kwon Do? Jeremiah and I started training together in April. It has been a lot of fun. We are both Yellow belts now, having passed our Orange and Yellow tests. For our tests, there are 3 parts. The first part is Poomse. We must demonstrate the required forms (Jeremiah is 2 forms ahead already. I'm having to slow him down so he can remember which one he will test on!). We must also demonstrate proper form on kicks, stances, and punches as part of the forms.
The second part is called Gyoroogi. In the second part, we spar to show proficiency in fighting. It was funny because for my sparring match I sparred a man 4 belts higher than me. Grand Master Sang Kim thought it would be funny to let us spar for longer than normal...needless to say that I could barely move afterwards! I held my own very well. It wasn't a win, but I could have been destroyed and wasn't. Jeremiah LOVES to spar. He sees it as a fun competition/game. Most of the kids he has sparred are higher belts, but they take it too seriously and end up crying. The other kids see it as a fight (usually) and take it very seriously. Jeremiah sees it as two friends playing together by reigning blows down upon each other. It's so much fun to watch him because he is just loving it. He spends too much time watching me to see if I'm watching, though...oh well.
The third part of the test is called Kyuk Pha, or breaking. And it's simply that: breaking boards with your hands and feet. During our last test, Jeremiah and I had to use our hands. He didn't do so well with his hand. He hit it and it didn't break, so the blow was absorbed by his knuckles. After that, he didn't hit the board hard any more. I had to break two boards, and actually moved the instructor (I hit the wood off-center and knocked the instructor into the wall). My wood didn't break, either, but my knuckle felt like it broke. We both ended up using our feet to break the wood. I learned my lesson, though, and will be successful next time.
In the mean time, two great things have happened. One is that Jeremiah and I are sharing a hobby that we both greatly enjoy. The second is that I have built a relationship with the Grand Master, Sang Kim. He was the US Olympic TKD coach in 1984 and again in 2000. He has great influence in the TKD world and among the Koreans of our area. We've been working with his wife on her English skills, and I have been working on his TKD web site. He has given me the title of Spiritual Advisor to the dojang. Last month I had the opportunity to lead 14 students to Christ. It was pretty awesome. Be praying for us as we continue to build relationships there. Pray for more opportunities to share and see people come to Christ. Pray for our knuckles!

Life On The River

So, we're running the Rio Grande River just Southwest of Taos, New Mexico, in a section of the river called The Box. I've split the youth group into two boats, a guy's boat and a girl's boat. And it turns out that I am in the girl's boat with our 8th grade girls. As we approach the next set of rapids called Power Lines, our guide informs us that this is a Class 4 rapid. Now, if you didn't know, rapids can have a grade of 1 - 6. A Class one section of river is just a smooth flowing easy ride. Class 6 is unraftable. Our guide, Tony, is telling us about how we're going to set up for the steepest drop on the river. It drops 18' over the course of about 100 feet, and is a funnel that we have to slip through or we'll high side (get squished agains a huge rock where the water will trap us and we'll be stuck). We've worked all morning on listening to our guides commands and being able to work as a team. We're setting up to slip into the channel when all the other girls freak out and lean in instead of digging in and rowing forward as the guide commaneded. I, on the other hand, dig in with my paddle and steer us off course because I am the only one paddling. We smash the big rock, take on a huge wave, get slammed into the other side, and out I go. That's right! Out I go into a Class 4 rapid. I emerge from the 35 degree water and assume the white water rescue float (feet first on your back looking for the raft or the shore. I see both, but neither are close, so I just ride it out to the screams and yells of the folks still in the raft. They were no longer working their way through the rapid even though the guide was still barking commands. My exit from the boat distracted the team from the task at hand. Eventually, I see an Eddy (a still place on the shore where the water is not flowing) and manage to float into it. All is well, and I'll soon be back in the raft. But there were a couple of spiritual moments for me (aside from begging God to spare my life!) that happened along the river following the "incident," as we now call it. The first is that it's vital to follow the commands of the guide, just as it is vital for us to follow the commands of The Guide. Doing so can be the difference between being in the raft, in the water, or in even greater peril. There's no guarantee that we would have navigated the rocks successfully. We can look back though and see that we stood a better chance had we been doing what the guide wanted. That thought brought me to another thought...I was doing what the guide commanded us to do, but the rest of the team wasn't. The result could have been much worse. As the Body of Christ, we need to all be attentive to the commands of The Guide so that the team doesn't suffer. Yes, it's important to get team members back into the raft, but not to the detriment of the mission. As Jesus talked to His Disciples in Luke 15, he talked about some lost things that were sought after by the owners (sheep, coin, and son). If our team doesn't keep it's focus on the mission, we can become real busy trying to keep the 99 in the boat and miss the mission of our lives. So, that was my rafting trip epiphany. Listen to The Guide and stay focused on the mission. It was a timely message for the Bishop Family as we dig into the summer duldrums of collegetown, USA. Listen to The Guide and stay focused on the mission. Everything else will be fine. Peace, Jase

There's A New Barista In Town

Many of you know of my great passion for coffee (so much so that it drove me to Seattle to visit the first Starbucks - a pilgrimage of sorts). Well, if you live in or around Lubbock, stop by Aroma's some afternoon and I'll make you your favorite drink! Due to a shortage of people at Aroma's, I am now the "fill-in" barista. So, come on by so I can experiment on you!
J

Politics and Friendship Update

Well, I thought you should know that "B" from my last post came in to Aroma's on Friday, sat at my table, and carried on a conversation like nothing happened on Tuesday and Wednesday. Who knows? But, everything is back the way it was as far as "B" is concerned.

Friends and politics

Yesterday the coffee shop became a battleground as two of my friends (we'll call them "A" and "B") fought about politics. One friend I agree with (A), the other I don't (B). But the one that I don't agree with (B) will never be changed by arguing, so I've never fought with him about his views. But yesterday "A" did go at him pretty hard. I'm not sure why. I don't think "A" thought he could change "B". I think "A" was just tired of being stereotyped by a generational bias that says that all conservatives are rich, money-grubbing SOB's (to put it in "B's" terms). It was pretty heated for about 20 minutes as "B" began yelling at "A". It was disturbing for me because "B" has been someone I've worked hard to be friends with for over a year. He's been family to our family, in spite of our differences.
Then, this morning, "B" told me that we could no longer be friends because I have such conservative friends. "B" informed me that he would no longer be bothering me with his boring liberal rhetoric. He then slammed his truck door in my face and drove away.
Sad day. Sad day, indeed.

It's God who sends the fire.

One of my favorite passages of the Bible is the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel. He's like the Rambo of the OT. He stands up to the pagans and proves that God is real, he brings down rain after a 3+ year drought, and then outruns the king's horse-drawn chariot back to town. This story impacts me every time I read it. But today, it struck me in a new way. Elijah's actions would have had no impact had it not been for the God who sends the fire. I am reminded that, in spite of my best efforts at relevance and impact, it is God who moves and impacts. God sends the fire, and not at my command, but in His time. When I get frustrated at God's lack of moving in the lives of the people I'm trying to impact, maybe I should be asking a different question. Maybe it's not because I wasn't relevant enough. Maybe it's not because my desire wasn't great enough. Maybe I just forgot that it doesn't depend on me at all. It depends completely on the God who sends the fire. I'm at Origins this week (a conference at Mosaic Los Angeles), and we are unpacking their core values. One of their values is Relevance to culture is not optional, which I believe with all my heart. I believe that an irrelevant presentation of the Gospel is sin. But, the greater sin is to think it depends on me and my relevance. God sends the fire, and my relevance is how I step aside for God to pour it down on the offering (me). I'm going to stop asking God to make me more relevant, and start seeking His Fire. That's the real point to the story of Elijah. And that should be the point of my life.

Cool Stuff

I'm in LA for my second Origins Conf. I'm rooming with my friend, Roy, who just pointed me to a blog where I found the one of the coolest apps ever! Check this out:
Jott.
This allows you to send emails via a phone call. You can even send to-do items to your Backpack pages. Awesome. I signed up tonight, and sent myself a Jott. Too cool. Check it out.
It's mentioned on a web site called Pastorhacks.net.

The Journey's First Baptism

This is Michael, and he is The Journey's first baptism! The pool was 56 degrees and I lost the feeling in my legs!

Snow Day

Well, it's actually the 7th of April and we got a couple of inches of snow...in Texas! Check it out:

Biblical Eldership, Pt. 2

Here's a thought on elders: they are men appointed to lead the body. I was reading Titus and a commentary on this topic, and found this: "Appoint elders in every city as I directed you" (Titus 1:5b). By doing this, Paul is going against customary cultural practices because both the Jewish synagogue and Greco-Roman society commonly practiced one-man oversight. Thus Paul's choice of the elder structure of government is intentional. He is not simply accommodating himself to current social norms. His instruction to Titus establishes an apostolic directive that should be followed by Christians today.

Moreover, the appointment process seems to be the installation of a leadership model, and not just asking mature believers to lead.

If you have time, and want to read a VERY WELL written document on eldership, check this out: http://nccn.net/~brennanp/BEphamphStrauch/PAMPHBEDOC.html

Elders or not...

Here's a question for all you scholars out there: What is your take on Biblical eldership? Some friends and I recently hashed this around, as we usually do, discussing the various ways to interpret the NT's suggestion for local church leadership/pastoral role.

Yes, The Black Hat

For all of you who guessed "the guy in the black hat", that's right. It's me at age 18. Here's another picture from that night...ugh, what a look that was...

A Blast From The Past

Wow! My High School mentors sent me a picture of me and the guys at a Youth Valentine's Day C&W banquet. I believe this picture is February, 1988. Can you guess which one is me? Yes, I am in the picture.

"They say that the road ain't no place..."

It's official: I'm old. I turned 37 a week ago, and didn't really think much about it. However, two Disciple Nows later, it's hit me. At both places there were leaders who were so young they could have been my kids. At the DNow in Groesbeck, there were several of the leaders who were teenagers in my youth groups. And, after two weekends on the road, my body is feeling it. Can anyone tell me why it takes 4 hours to fly from Lubbock, TX. to Harlingen, TX.? Ummmm, because you fly from Lubbock to Dallas; Dallas to Houston; and Houston to Harlingen. Thank goodness I'm home for the next 12 days. Then, it's a DNow in Seminole, a DNow in Houston, a ski trip to Telluride, a speaking gig in Houston, and a speaking gig in Tyler to round out March! Oi Vei! I'm feeling it this morning.

I remember a time when Lock-ins were a joy and required no recovery time. Now I have to recover from being up past midnight! I remember when a popping sound as I did something strenuous was a rarity. Now I have my own sound effects while doing routine things. If you ask Cayla how old I am, she'll tell you 37, but she says it like it's 86. And, honestly, if the average male lives to be around 72 years old, 36 is middle age, and I blew threw that a year ago.

A nostalgic look at how to know you're old:
*You know what "psych!" means.
*You know the profound meaning of "Wax On Wax Off".
*You know that another name for a keyboard is a "Synthesizer".
*You can name at least half of the members of the BRAT Pack.
*You know who Tina Yothers is.
*You wanted to be a Goonie.
*You know who Max Headroom is.
*You ever wore Flourescent, neon clothing.
*You could (or wished you could) breakdance.
*You believed that "By the Power of Greyskull," you HAD the POWER.
*Partying "like it's 1999" seemed sooo far away.
*You thought that Transformers were more than meets the eye.
*You wanted to be on StarSearch.
*You remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off.
*You have worn a Banana Clip, or knew someone who did.
*You owned a doll with "Xavier Roberts" signed on its butt, or knew someone who did.
*You knew what Willis was "talkin' 'bout".
*You HAD to have your mtv .
*You hold a special place in your heart for "Back to the Future."
*You know where to go if you "wanna go where everybody knows your name."
*You thought Molly Ringwald was REALLY cool.
*You actually thought "Dirty Dancing" was a REALLY good movie.
*You have heard of "Garbage Pail Kids".
*Punks actually "shocked" people.
*You knew "The Artist", when he was humbly called "Prince".
*You actually saw Ted Danson as the MacDaddy he played "Sam" to be.
*You remember when ATARI was a state of the art video game.
*You own many cassettes.
*You were led to believe that in the year 2000 we'd all be living on the moon.
*You remember and/or owned any of the CareBear glass collections from Pizza Hut, Or any other stupid collection of glass they came out with.
*Poltergeist freaked you out.
*You carried your lunch to school in a Gremlins or an ET lunchbox.
*You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the ONLY female smurf.
*You wore biker shorts underneath a short skirt and felt stylish, or know someone who did.
*You ever had a Swatch Watch, or three.
*You had a crush on one of the Corey's (Haim or Feldman).
*You had a crush on Bo Derek or Heather Locklear.
*You remember when Saturday Night Live was funny.
*You had WonderWoman or Superman underoos.
*You know what a "Whammee" is.
*You had a crush on Jon BonJovi, or knew someone who did.
*You thought eating Reeses Pieces would attract your own Alien.
*You have ever called 867-5309.
*You had a poster of Rob Lowe, Kirk Camron, or Michael J. Fox on your wall.
*You held the top score on PacMan.
*You owned a T-Shirt that said, "I shot J.R." or know someone who did.

My Freebirds Story

I was recently contacted by Freebirds about helping with a commercial. I called in and told the story of our camp out at the Lubbock Freebirds. They made it into a commercial with me narrating. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpSsEirKxzE. Enjoy! And, if you live in a Freebirds market, it's playing on TV even as I type this.

Video Blogging

I have a bit of a dilema. Freebirds sent me my commercial this morning, and I want to post it here, but I'm not sure how. If any of you techno gurus out there can coach me thru posting it, I would be grateful and forever in debt to your wysiswig debt.
J

The Tabernacle is Moving...

I've just finished a great conversation with the owner of Aroma's (Yes, I know they changed the name to Aroma's Therapy, but old habits die hard...), and it looks like The Journey has a new location for our Gatherings. Starting February 4, our worship gathering will be moving to the coffee shop. We'll be changing our time to 6:30 - 8:00 for The Gathering. It's an exciting time for us as God asks us to pack up the tabernacle and move across town with it.

The Illusionist

Last night, after putting the kids in bed, Caryn, Ken, Miho, and I watched "The Illusionist." It was a rather entertaining movie. Aside from a greatly predictable plot, it was clean, engaging, and fun. I give it a thumb up!

How shall two walk together?

"Daddy, they said I am beautiful today." It was Cayla's first response to me after her first day back at school. As I mentioned last week, she got her ears pierced, and apparently the boys likey-likey. But the breaking of a father's heart in watching his little girl worry about what the boys think of her appearance is overwhelming sometimes. There was an instance earlier in the year where a new girl came to Cayla's class and started getting all the attention. Cayla wanted to know if she could wear a headband so she would be prettier and get the boys attention back. The odd thing is, she is a beautiful little girl that is well loved and well cared for by her family. We tell her all the time how great a person she is, how beautiful, creative, and energetic she is. And yet, she sees herself through the eyes of her peers. Normal? Certainly. Healthy? Probably not. But don't we do the same thing? Every one of us has a Father who loves us, cares well for us, tells us of our great attributes and loves us inspite of our bad ones. We have a Father who sees in us so much more than I see in my daughter, and yet, I base my self image and worth on my own impression of other's view of me, or my distorted view of myself. This week I am dwelling on my Father's view of me. I am focusing on allowing Him to define me. I will not allow others to define me. It's not just a healthy thing for my little girl, it's paramount for my own health. But there's more to it than that. My dear friend, Claude Townsend, used to ask me how well I accepted myself. Dr. Townsend had a slight speech impediment AND a Mississippi accent, so it is very distinct in my memory. He'd say, "On a scale of 1 - 100, how well do you accept yourself?" I would answer with a high number, saying, "Oh, on the average, probably 80% of the time." He would respond with, "That's good. How much does God accept you?" Of course, the answer is 100%, now that I am His child. Then Claude would say something very profound. He would pause and then say, "If God accepts you 100%, why don't you? Amos 3:3 says, 'Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?' IF we are going to walk with God, don't you think we need to agree with Him and see things His way?" So true were his words nearly a decade ago that they have stuck with me to this day. How can we walk with God if we don't agree to walk with Him? And how can we agree to walk with Him if we don't see things His way? The agreement to make this journey with God is an agreement to see things His way. And that goes for how we see ourselves. Let me ask you a question. How well do you accept yourself? Today rest in the FACT that God accepts you 100%. When He looks at you, He sees His Son in whom He's well pleased. Don't worry about how others see you. Find yourself in Christ today and be at peace.

Multi-Cultural/Multi-Generational Christmas 2006

We had our first multi-cultural/multi-generational Christmas Day yesterday. We shared the holyday with our friends from Taiwan (Ken and Richard), our friend from Japan (Miho), and our friend from the coffee shop (Mr. Dillon). We had an outstanding time. One of the highlights was the gingerbread house competition. I think the girls won. Thank you Ken, Richard, Miho, and Mr. Dillon, for making our family Christmas Day a memorable one.

In the picture (from left to right): Caryn, Cayla, Miho, Ken, Jeremiah, Mr Dillon, and Richard (in the foreground)

Los Angeles

I had a great time in Los Angeles. I went with my friends, Roy McClung and Joseph Cartwright, to spend some time dreaming and processing some kingdom thoughts with our friend, Neil Cole. Between meals (isn't that how it always is?) we talked philosophy and theology for the kingdom and coming harvest.

From left to right you have Roy, Neil, and Joseph. We're enjoying the SoCal weather and a cup of coffee from It's A Grind. It's always great to find out that I am not a freak because of the way I think the kingdom should grow...or that I am, but at least I'm not alone! Thanks, Neil, for your gracious hospitality. I'll be posting more on my thoughts from our "think-tank."

Snow Day!

Last Wednesday, as I drifted off to sleep, the snow was falling and the wind was blowing. Thursday morning, we awoke to somewhere between 4-8 inches of snow. Snow? It's only November! And, from what I read this morning, more could be on its way.

Yamagata

Caryn and I spent Thanksgiving night with some new friends. Our friends, Ken and Miho, own the Yamagata Japanese steak house on W. 82nd. They were closed for Thanksgiving, but wanted to use the down time to decorate for Christmas. Caryn and I helped decorate, and then the 5 of us went to TGI Fridays. The 5th person with us was Ken's older brother, Richard. Richard is new to USAmerica, but is having a great time. One of our friends, Parke, helped make Richard's first night in America a much better night than it would have been. Richard was stranded at D/FW airport because he missed his flight to Lubbock. Parke took great care of him and made sure Richard got on the plane to Lubbock the next morning. Thanks Parke!
Yamagata is a regular part of our week, so Ken, Miho, and Richard have become regular friends in our week. We are thankful for our new friends, and encourage everyone in Lubbock to give Yamagata a try. The food is great and the service even better! If you stop in, tell Ken that you read about them in my blog!

Happy Turkey Day

I just wanted to tell everyone "Happy Thanksgiving." I'm settling in to watch the Cowboys beat the Bucs. Have a blessed and relaxing weekend.
J

Be still and KNOW

Being still is such a hard thing to do. I mean, here I am sitting on Lake Austin, at what may be my favorite coffee shop on the planet, Mozart's, and I'm working...

I discovered Mozart's about 11 years ago by accident. Caryn and I lived here right after we got married in 1996. I was serving a small country church as the Youth & Music Minister, and coffee shops were just becoming hip. I was surfing the internet checking out the local coffee scene when I happened upon a review of Mozart's. We loaded up a van full of teenagers and came to listen to jazz music on the deck that overlooks the lake. It became a regular outting for us. Caryn and I would come here often and just sit on the deck. I would have coffee and she would get a smoothie from the health store next door. There's a funny story I always think about when I'm here. After Caryn and I moved away, we would come back to Austin and meet with former students who were now adults. One of our former students had just met a girl at the university where he was attending, and wanted us to meet her. He brought her over, and we all sat out on the deck. Right in the middle of our conversation, a bird swooped down on her and pooped in her hair! She was mortified and embarassed. We were all very comforting, assuring her that it could have happened to any of us. Her greatest fear was that we would only remember her as "the girl that got pooped on at Mozart's." Well, they didn't date long. And sure enough, when we talk about that fateful day, we don't remember her name. We just say, "Remember that girl that got pooped on at Mozart's?"

So, anyway, here I am 11 years later, and it's just like I remember it, except they have wireless internet now (which didn't exist when I first came here). I'm out on the deck, literally over the water of the lake. Ducks swim by. Birds are chirpping. A gentle breeze is blowing. I couldn't ask for a more ideal setting (other than the guy having a conference call on SKIPE next to me would hang up or move away!). The guy two tables over has his headphones on and can't hear his cell phone ringing, but everyone else can. There's seven of us on this side of the building, perhaps 20 more on the main deck. Almost to a person, there are laptops, cell phones, PDA's, Blackberries, and briefcases everywhere. I've got my headphones on listening to my Lounge Worship collection (who knew I liked lounge music? hahaha). Strangely enough, though, it's peaceful (again, accept for headset man next to me). My heart is beating somewhat slower. The breeze rolls by at just the right moment to make sure that it doesn't get hot out here. And, somehow, I feel like I can hear God better. It's weird, I know. How many of the people here are experiencing what I am? Maybe all of them. Probably not. It occurs to me that I am precious and wonderful to a God who put this lake here for His glory and my connection. It's a divine moment. Like the water, God brings life and refreshing. Like the breeze, He moves where He wants, His timing perfect. Like the birds, He creates a symphony unmatched by any other. And me? I'm like one of the speed boats over there that zips and zooms through it all oblivious because I'm moving too fast. That is, until I run out of gas. That's the real danger, I think. I think we can miss what God is doing because we are so busy and so surrounded by distractions. We miss who He is because we are so caught up in trying to be who we are. Take a moment this morning (a much needed moment I'm sure) to stop and breathe. Breathe God in. Breathe Him out. Notice Him in the world around you. Are you tired? Stop. Be still. KNOW that He is GOD. Look for Him. Those who seek Him find Him and find eternal life. In Him we live and move and breathe. And when we do find Him, He is able to use us to exalt Himself in all the world; but especially our lives. Shhh. Rest. Wait. Hope. Breathe. It's gonna be alright. Look for Him. He's here. He's waiting. He's moving. Just stop and wait.

Life on the Road

The last two years, when DNow (Disciple Now is a retreat done usually by local churches for their students) season hits I get swamped. I didn't realize last year that this year would be even more hectic. Last weekend was the only weekend I didn't have a trip scheduled (and I did take a trip rapelling in Palo Duro Canyon. You can see the pictures here: http://www.theheightsfellowship.org/youth/canyonexcursion.htm ). This weekend it was a bit different. The DNow was in town, and I had a great time. Next weekend, NOTHING! and then the next is Thanksgiving, followed by a college retreat in Birmingham, AL. Then a trip to California, and then it's just about Christmas time!
Thanks to all of you who have been praying for me as I travel. God has done some amazing things.
I leave in the morning for Austin, and a much needed break. I'm looking forward to getting to hang with some friends, eat some good ol' Austin food (Chuy's, HydePark Grill, etc.). If you are down that way, drop me a line. I'm still looking for an affordable place to sleep! Maybe I can get some Barry and Cory G. time!
Anyway, things are going well with The Journey. We're actually starting to see folks step up and take on the ministry. We're starting to multiply our efforts and God is blessing.
well, that's it for now. It's 1:30 a.m. on Sunday night/Monday morning, and I'm off to bed.
Peace in the East,
Jase

And a part of me died...

Aroma's, my favorite coffee shop, changed ownership last week. The new owner seems to be a very personable lady. She's swept in and is making changes. Some of them very necessary and very good. She's working on the music system, rearranged furniture, adding live music, changing the art and decor. Business seems to be picking up. From a business standpoint, it looks very good and promising. But, I knew that some of these changes were going to be painful and difficult the first day she was "at the helm." I walked into Aroma's Therapy (the new name...) and instead of the familiar waft of coffee scent that greats my senses when I walk in, my pallet encountered the smell of berries from a strong scented candle. As I entered I noticed celaphane gift baskets on the counter. That's when it happened: my brain screamed, "the coffee shop has been feminized!" And a part of me died...

A Black Day Indeed

I just found out that Aroma's is being sold. That may mean that my time with the current staff is limited. For the last 18 months this has been my 3rd place. Will it continue to be? Will I be starting over with a new staff? Man, Oh man.

Hank Hill Would Be Proud!

I just got back from a great conference in Littlefield, TX. FBC there (one of The Journey's supporting churches) held a Global Impact Conference. They brought in missionaries from around the world, and treated us like heroes all week long. It was a humbling experience, to say the least. To be included in such a group of great men and women was quite an honor for my family. Thanks Joe, and everyone else from FBC, for a great week!

On another note, Littlefield is a rural town outside of Lubbock. I was without wireless internet and a coffee shop. HOWEVER, R & W Supply (the local propane suppy store) was kind enough to allow me to use their confernce room and cool coffee machine. So, at the local propane store I had wireless and great coffee. Hank Hill would be proud!

Longing

Coffee, music, art abound
all a shallow facade
That represent the path of life
most have chose to trod.

But here, stirring, growing
from deep within my soul
An engulfing, eager longing
to express that I am whole

And in expression, perhaps, to see
in another's face
A similar anxious longing
to live in Jesus' grace

Love Proceeded

For the last few weeks I've been pondering something that first occured to me while sitting in a little bistro here in Lubbock and listening to Dr. Skoob and the electric groove (great local band). The question that popped into my ears is, "Is it true that giving and generosity are always preceeded by love?" The question came as a result of hearing a conversation nearby during a break in the music (you know how it goes. Two people talking really loud toover the music when it suddenly stops...it was funny!) In the break, I caught most of the question and really began to mull it over. Does love always preceed giving and generosity? My friend Jib posted an article by his dad, that does an excellent job of hitting the nature of giving in his article "Community: Rich With Joy, Ripe With Hazzard." As he asserts, there is an element of selfishness in our giving. But the question still remains do we give as a product of love? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this...

Cloning Culture

As you have read in a previous post, "Cloning Culture, Killing Life," you know that I don't think it's healthy to try to recreate culture...that is, unless you are Weird Al. He Rocks! Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWs1FF-BS7c I think the most disturbing thing is that so much of White & Nerdy's life looks like mine...

My 4-day "Retreat"

Thank you to so many of you who have been praying. Many of you may not know that I have been in the hospital since Saturday afternoon. Late Saturday night I underwent an emergency apendectomy (sp). It seems that my appendix had not ruptured yet, but had been seeping infected fluids into my abdominal cavity. So, now it is Tuesday morning and I am still at Covenant Lakeside (rm 516) awaiting word that all the infection from the seepage (gross word) has been killed. I have LOTS of staples in my stomach. It's kinda cool looking; like a zipper across my midsection. I have four holes from the laproscopic procedure. The down side is that, as many of you know, being off my feet since Saturday is driving me nuts! We were hoping I'd go home yesterday morning, and then hoping again this morning, but so far, no word. Thanks for praying for us. Caryn and the kids have been troopers. And many of you stepped up to help watch kids, visit, and make sure that the Bishop family was well loved/cared for. I appreciate that greatly. So, keep praying.

Good Stuff

Have you ever eaten somewhere that you eat all the time only to realize that you like more than you remember? Freebirds is that way for me! Freebirds world burritos Rocks! We ate there last night, and it's still on my mind, and possibly on my schedule for dinner tonight!

The Newest Member of the Bishop Family

Please welcome the newest member of the family. Her name is Harley!

The Centering Prayer

“Choose a suitable time for reflection and frequently consider the loving-kindness of God.” -Thomas a Kempis

Welcome back. Prayer can be a time of making our requests known to God. It can be a time of crying out for help. It can be a habit before a meal. We forget, though, that prayer can be a time of moving toward utter stillness and listening. This type of prayer is called Centering Prayer. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon reminds us that, as humans, we should be careful to approach the throne of God with few words, writing, “Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.” That stings a bit! I can almost see this sacrifice of fools in my own life: that I approach God with my busy life, offer many words that I think should be important to God, and go away the same man. Centering Prayer can be traced back to the writings of one of the desert fathers named John Cassian (c. 360 – 430), who came from the west to the desert to learn the ways of contemplative prayer. If you can get it, read his book, The Conferences. It’s a collection of his thoughts and conversations with the desert fathers written to acquaint the Western Church with the teachings of the desert fathers. In this work, he writes about a conference with Abba Isaac on the topic of true prayer. Abba Isaac prescribes a formula for prayer that will assist us “to maintain an unceasing recollection of God” by keeping it ever before us. The formula, Cassian writes, is this: “O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me.” Obviously, there is nothing magical or mystical in the mindless recitation of a mantra. But should you recite it with a heart-felt stirring, a desire for God to really do as you are asking, Isaac says the result is that “by God’s light the mind mounts to the manifold knowledge of God, and thereafter feeds on mysteries loftier and more sacred…the prayer wherein, like a spark leaping up from a fire, the mind is rapt upward, and, destitute of the aid of senses or of anything else visible or material, pours out its prayers to God.” [Pennington (1980) 11,12] It is this approach, brought forth by Cassian, that was the primary influence on monastic practice for over 1000 years.

In the 14th Century, there was an anonymous mystic who wrote The Cloud of Unknowing. This is the first of the spiritual classics in our language, and is a reaction to the intellectualization of theology and spirituality. This work admonishes follower of Christ to return to a prayer of the heart, giving techniques and ideas on moving into existential realities of contemplation and silence. This unknown mystic takes the prayer of Abba Isaac and combines it with the discipline of utter stillness and silence in an effort to accomplish a centering prayer. Johnston writes, “Here is what you are to do: lift up your heart to the Lord, with a gentle stirring of love desiring Him for His own sake and not for His gifts. Center all your attention and desire on Him and let this be the sole concern of your mind and heart. Do all in your power to forget everything else, keeping your thoughts and desires free from involvement with any of God’s creatures or their affairs in general or in particular. Perhaps this will seem like an irresponsible attitude, but I tell you, let them all be; pay no attention to them.” [Johnston, ch. 3]

Unlike the Jesus Prayer, it’s not a repetitive model. The one praying is encouraged to choose a simple, monosyllabic word, like “hope” or “Christ.” During this time, when the mind is distracted or chooses to wander, the word is used to bring it back to focus. In The Cloud, this silence is pointed to as the quiet of Elijah in 1 Kings 19. The NRSV calls it “sheer silence.” The anonymous mystic also points to Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus in Luke 10. While Martha goes about the rigors of preparation and necessary tasks of the “active life,” Mary sits at Jesus feet serving as an example of the contemplative life. In the midst of the busyness of the moment, Mary forgot all and was completely wrapped in His presence, turning to Him with all of her heart. It’s not that she observed Him, noting His body, voice, or odor, but she centered on Him and is basking in His love for her. This is what makes Centering Prayer different from Ignatian meditation (a form of meditation where the one meditating place themselves into the Biblical narrative and imagines being there in the action as the narrative unfolds around them).

In Practice, the Centering Prayer has been practiced with many minute differences, but these 5 steps are the essentials that seem to be in common with all of the various forms.

Step 1: Find a place to sit comfortably, and with your eyes closed, let yourself settle down. Let go of all tensions, worries, thoughts, sensations you feel and think about God’s love for you. Begin to rest for the moment in God’s love as Mary did. Remember, He is the God that dwells in you.
Step 2: Effortlessly, take up a word, a symbol of your desire/intention to give yourself completely to Him and His presence, and let that word be gently present, a murmur of your mind rather than an asserted point. The word should be monosyllabic and should communicate God’s love to and for you.
Step 3: When you become aware of your thoughts, or you begin to notice sensations, or as internal sensations arise, use that as a signal to return to your word again. This helps to affirm your desire to separate from the external and to go rest in God’s presence.
Step 4: If your thoughts do subside and you find yourself resting or restfully aware, you can even let go of the word. Just be in that stillness. When thoughts begin to stir again, gently return to that word. Answer your thoughts with that one word. For instance, as I practiced this method, my word was “peace.” As I sat in silence, and began to rest, my mind drifted to a retreat I was planning for. My internal “to do” list popped up. But, in response to that desire to plan/prepare/work, I said, “peace.” “Jason, you need to be getting ready.” “Peace.” What if no one shows up?” “Peace.” What if it doesn’t go as planned?” “Peace.” “peace” was my response to my thoughts, questions, and anxieties.
Step 5: At the end of your prayer time (I’m working towards 20 minutes in the morning and 20 in the evening), take a couple of minutes to come out of the silence, like coming back into reality at the end of a massage. This is a great time to express your thanks to God for His care for you, and to lift others to Him for His care.

Give it a try. See what happens, and check back for more later. If you’d like to read more about his topic, and some of the others I’ve been talking about, check out www.lectiodivina.org/centering .

Peace

The Jesus Prayer

"Let all your thoughts be with the Most High, and direct your humble prayers unceasingly to Christ." -Thomas a Kempis

The Jesus prayer began, so it seems, as one young man's attempt to discover how to really pray without ceasing. In his travels, he discovered an old hermit that explained to him that "The ceaseless Jesus Prayer is a continuous, uninterrupted call on the holy name of Jesus Christ with the lips, mind, and heart; and in the awareness of His abiding presences it is a plea for His blessing in all undertakings, in all places, at all times, even in sleep. The words of the Prayer are: 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Anyone who becomes accustomed to this prayer will experience great comfort as well as the need to say it continuously. He will become accustomed to it to such a degree that he will not be able to do without it and eventually the Prayer will flow from him." {Jones p. 60} The hermit pointed the young man to the ancient writings of Desert Fathers in a collection called the Philokalia. Through the use of a prayer rope and this prayer, the young man began to build this prayer into his life as a repitition, a habit that became an essential part of his life. The young man later travels the country side of Russia teaching this prayer to all who would learn. You can read about his travels in the anonymous book The Way Of The Pilgrim, a journal of his travels.

His discovery has actually been a foundational part of Eastern Christianity since the early 1400's. It seems that this practice of the Jesus Prayer can be traced back to Abba Philemon of the sixth century. The Jesus Prayer is a combination of Greek asceticism (excercise/training) and hesycahsm (quietness) seeking to combined the mind and heart in a unified prayer. The early church fathers taught that when this is accomplished through the quieting of the mind and focusing of the heart (through the use of this simple repetitive prayer/phrase) the believer will be illuminated, particularly with the truths fo Scripture. This Jesus Prayer speaks to the very nature of our travails in life; the fact that God is always ready to enlighten us, but our own nature seldom remembers the need for it.

In our times, the Jesus Prayer has been amended to have a tag that makes it read like this: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I prefer to leave the last phrase off because I am no longer a sinner if I've been redeemed by Christ. The New Testament calls me a saint. However, if the goal of this repetetive prayer is to remind us of our need for God's mercy, it may be an appropriate tag for the exercise. As I've put this into practice, trying to recite it as many times as I can during the day, I am finding that as my mind quiets, my lips purse and the prayer comes out. It's bleeding into my subconscious. The practice has become somewhat of a mantra for me. The desert fathers suggested recitation of this prayer upwards of 5,000 times a day! I'm nowhere near that, but with this prayer on my mind, it slips into my day and reminds me contstantly of my need for Christ Jesus.

In practice, I've tried to focus on a rhythmic pattern. As I breathe in, I say, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God." Then, as I exhale, I finish, "have mercy on me." Give it a try and let me know how it goes for you. It's been a great thing for me.
Next up, centering prayer...

Silence And Solitude

"In silence and quietness the devout soul makes progress and learns the hidden mysteries of the Scriptures." - Thomas a Kempis
"Hectic" best describes most of our lives. "Noisy" and "Busy" come to mind as well. The wisdom of Proverbs admonishes us, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." (18:21) The Scriptures attest to this in several places. The ancient fathers bear witness to its truth, as well. And yet, we live lives that are contrary to the consensus of these witnesses. They agree that much talking is a vice and that silence is a virtue. I know I forget that often. The greatest witness to this is Jesus, Himself. Although He taught publically, He also valued times of silence and solitude, seeking to emerse Himself in prayer and reflection. He also prepared for times of distress with times of solitude. But that word frightens many of us today. Solitude, silence, the idea of being alone and left to ourselves rattles us. For the Christ-follower, we're never turly alone, and silence is only a greater opportunity for us to listen. To quote the book I'm reading, "All in all, no spiritual discipline is more universally acclaimed as necessary than the practice of silence." Rufinus, Jerome, Benedict, and even modern day pilgrims like Willard and Foster commend silence as a necessity. But why solitude? It really isn't about withdrawing to avoid evil or people. It is about posturing ourselves to better listen to The Father. Richard Foster, one of my favorite all time writers, connects solitude with silence, saying, "Without silence there is no solitude. Though silence sometimes involves the absence of speech, it always involves the act of listening. Simply to refrain from talking, without a heart listening to God, is not silence." The need to listen requires silence, and the need for silence requires solitude. It's no wonder that with all the noise of life (iPods, CD players, TV, cell phones, etc.) that we have a hard time hearing God's voice. All of the ancient writings point toward silence and solitude being foundational in developing our love of God, self, and others.

In addition to needing to hear from God, silence and solitude provide us the opportunity to find what we can learn from ourselves without the external stimuli that are around us. St. John of the Cross (1542 - 1591) says that this type of silence often leads to The Dark Night Of The Soul. We can't truly pursue silence without ending up in a season of deep dark doubt where we hear nothing but our own depravity. Our desire to be plugged into God, fully listening and fully aware brings us to a place of dealing with that which hinders us most: ourselves. But when we enter into that lonliness, that deep dark doubt of our own inner struggle, we emerge with more patience and fortitude. We hear and are made stronger for it. Our faith is bolstered. We become aware of our true selves when we're "swallowed up" in God; realizing the freedom of being rather than doing. And when we discover this new self, fulfilled only in our immersion into Christ, we begin to bear fruit. It is in The Dark Night Of The Soul that the soil is replentished. Then the seed takes root and fruit is produced. John Climacus writes, "Intelligent silence is the mother of prayer, freedom from bondage, custodian of zeal, a guard on our thoughts, a watch on our enemies...a companion of stillness, the opponent of dogmatism, a growth of knowledge, a hand to shape contemplation, hidden progress, the secret journey upward." Richard Foster's quote on the product of silence and solitude bears great weight in whether it is worth the pursuit, He writes, "the fruit of solitude is increased sensitivity and compassion for others. There comes a new freedom to be with people. There is a new attentiveness to their needs, new responsiveness to their hurts." Summary? Being quiet and being alone on a regular basis makes us better people and better disciples. It makes us more useful, more set apart and more aware of the work of Christ in and around us.

Will you join me in the practice of regular silence and solitude? I am building into my life this discipline by working out 2 hours a week (not necessarily consecutive) of silence. I will be building to a 1/2 day a month and a two-day retreat a year. I've already contacted a monastery in Pecos, NM, about the use of their facility. Like any other worth-while things in our lives, we must make them a priority and get them on our calendar. Will you put silence and solityde on your calendar?

Lectio Divina

The first of the Via Contemplativa (the way of contemplation) that I want to bring to the table is that of Lectio Divina, or Divine Reading.
All too often, Christ followers come to the Holy Scriptures for advice or to prepare for a lesson instead of a contemplative reading that allows Scripture to shape us as God sees fit. I know that my life is full of reading. That reading is usually around an event or a need, rather than a contemplative or meditative reading. Sound familiar? Thomas a Kempis counseled believers saying, “Do not read to satisfy curiosity or to pass the time, but study such things as move your heart to devotion.” The Scriptures and early church fathers testify that by entering deeply into the text of God’s Word as a believer gives God an avenue to reveal Himself to us, to speak to us, and to direct our lives. Paul affirms this in 2 Tim. where he says that Scripture is inspired and profitable. St. Benedictine (c. 480 – 550) found this such a primacy that he built it into the practices of his monastery, cementing this practice into Western Monasticism. Indeed, on this topic of Divine Reading, Guigo II (c. 1115 – 1198), the ninth prior of the Grand Charteuse (a Carthusian order in France), gives us great insight into what he called “The Ladder Of Monastics.” He says divine reading consists of four “steps” that I want to encourage you to put into practice this very day.

The first step is reading (lectio). Find a distraction free place, which is hard to do in our society. Also, grab a copy of God’s Word that is free from distraction. That is, find an easy to understand translation. I would also encourage you to get something that flows freely without study notes. Too often we allow the study notes to be what we take from God’s Word, and not The Word Himself. The New Jerusalem Bible, or the William’s NT are great for this. Sometimes we don’t think our reading places through, and a lack of light, or a stirring hunger, or a lack of sleep keep us from giving the text our full attention. We must give this time of lectio divina our full effort. Once you have all the distractions removed, choose a text and ask for/expect direction and insight from God.

Oh, one other thing; read slowly! Savor each word. Educator Michael Casey reminds us, “we need to slow down, to savor what we read, and to allow the text to trigger memories and associations that reside below the threshold of awareness.” As you read in this fashion, some things will stand out to you. That brings us to the second step.

The second step is meditation (meditation). During meditation we grasp the “interior intelligence” of the text. We wrap our minds around the values, the underlying assumptions, and the presumptions of the passage. It’s in attending to these deeper meanings that we begin to meditate. Dwell on the things that stand out to you, and explore the feelings and emotions that are conjured in your inner being. Embrace the sorrow of lamentations, the joy and sorrow of the Psalms, the tension and passion of the Passion week. Explore and chew on what your mind is fed.

The third step is prayer (oratio). Engage The Father in meaningful conversation about what you’ve just taken in. Allow Him to speak to you in the moments that follow. The Master Teacher wants to instruct and embrace you with His guidance, wisdom, and direction.

The last step of the lectio divina is that of contemplation (contemplatio). This final step will prove to be the hardest of the four. True contemplation drives us beyond words and intellect; into what Tony Jones calls the “thin space” where time and eternity almost touch. He says, “It’s in moments like these that some of the greatest saints in the history of the church have had a ‘mystical union’ with Christ. This step requires us to imagine our existence in the new paradigm of what God has just shown us. To think back to how life would be had we already been practicing the lesson of the Teacher, and to think ahead to how life will be different marks real contemplation. Don’t just converse with God about the lesson of the reading, ask Him to paint a picture so vivid it’s beyond description. Contemplation is the embracing and dreaming of that vision.

A lot to chew on, I know, but worth the effort. Next up will be Silence and Solitude. Enjoy.

The Shaping Of A Soul

Welcome back. I've been reading a book called "Soul Shaper." It sat on my shelf neglected for the better part of a year because it looks like the Owner's Manual for a new car. Last week, I picked it up and started to read it. What a refreshing surprise. The book covers one of my favorite topics: Spiritual Disciplines. Over the next few weeks, I want to share some of those with you here. I will be sharing two catagories of disciplines. The first is the Via Contemplativa (The Way Of Contemplation). The second category covers the Via Activa (The Way Of Activity). I hope you'll come back and feed your soul on what's about to come.

Signs, Signs, Everywhere there's signs...

Planting a church has opened my eyes to many things church related. I've noticed how many churches choose to market themselves through their marquees. Living in the Bible belt, I see lots of church marquees. And I'll start by saying that I've never seen a good church marquee. I quite often ask myself, "What were they thinking?" Seriously, do these marquees bring people into the kingdom? Do people drive by and say, "You know, they are right. I need to go to that church."? If you know someone who came to faith because of a church marquee, would you comment about it below?

The signs I see are mostly Christian wittisisms that speak to the people inside more than they speak to the people outside. If they do speak to the people outside, it's usually negative because the people inside don't understand how to speak to those on the outside. A church marquee near my home dares people to try their web site. If they really understood people, it would double-dog dare you to try their web site. One sign says, "Tell Satan to go to hell...He needs to go home." If you are reading this, and you are in charge of your community's signage, just put your service times up, or special events you're having. As a tool for advertising, advertise your product instead of saying, "Come inside...We're prayer-conditioned."

Here's the real point, though: Your people should be your signs. Jesus made that clear when He said things like, "By this all men will know you are My disciples, if you love one another." or "Let your light so shine before men that they see your good deeds and they glorify your Father in Heaven." Trust me, people living missional (making disciples) and incarnational (the presence of Jesus in the real world) lives are a much better outreach tool than your marquee.

WOW!

What a whirlwind! In the last week I have fished and eaten catfish on Lake Texoma, stayed 2 nights at Eisenhower state park, visited with my in-laws and my mom, spoken at Mosaic Arlington, attended their leadership meetings, took the kids swimming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; been to Six Flags, driven through Weatherford, arrived home, and barely made it to game night last night! All in all, it was over 1,000 miles of driving. The best I can figure, I spent 18 hours behind the wheel of our Saturn in the last 6 days. It was a great trip, but I am glad to be home.
During my trip, I noticed a couple of church signs that were thought provoking. I'll post on that soon.
While I'm thinking about it, check out where this blog got mentioned: http://www.sbtexas.com/default.asp?action=article&aid=3060&issue=7/31/2006
My friends Stephen and Roy are cited their, too. So, I'll be back later with my thoughts on church signs.
Peace,
Jase

Routines, Cocooning, And Sabboth

I never thought of myself as a creature of habit. But, it turns out I am. I realized over the last two months that I need a regular schedule. I've always prided myself on flexibility and my "always on the go" lifestyle. This summer's hectic pace has driven home the reality that I'm not as young as I used to be. Consequently, my age has brought to light my need to rest and relax. So, last week and the coming week, I'm making the most of my time off. We have a trip scheduled for August 3 - 8. Until then, I have some time to kick back, and I've been doing just that. Have you ever hit the wall? I'm near it, but doing nothing won't fix it either. My natural desire is to flop and sleep. God's advice is to cocoon. It's what every Sabbath should be. Instead of freedom from activity, it's freedom to rest in Him, to be refreshed by Him. That's the season I'm in for the next week. It's a habit that I need to make sure I build into my routine.

I'm ready to get back into the routine of the school year. I just don't think I can jump back into the routine and hope for calm. I must receive my calm from The Calmer, and then slip into the routine. On top of that, though, I really feel that this semester will be one of supernatural progress for our family and our church. So pray for us, and pray that we are not blinded to the supernatural by the routine. And be sure to build some cocooning time into your schedule. You'll fare better.

Home At Last!

Well, I'm home after two weeks on the road. It's good to be home, sleep in, etc. The family gets home tomorrow. I'm looking forward to getting back into a schedule and my blogging routine!
Peace - J

Super Summer

One of the things about Student Ministry that always made the work more challenging is the fact that you have such a diverse group when it comes to interest in all things spiritual. I would spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to impact the student who really wants to dig into God's Word AND the student whose parents drug him/her to the church and the last thing they want is to listen to me...It could be frustrating at times.
But this week I am at a leadership training event for students who want to be better equipped to lead, Super Summer. I've been involved with Super Summer since 1989, and this will be my 23 session to serve in some capacity. It's my privelege to be Dean of the Orange School (students entering 10th Grade). We have 170 students and 30 adults in Orange School this year. My responsibility is to lead this group in teaching (with the help of my Asst. Dean - Michael Murrie and my Team Leader Coordinators - Goose Gast and Mark Tissue), worship (with the help of Jake Turner), and recreation (our 22 Team Leaders). I love it. Here's a couple pictures of the students arriving yesterday.

The Drive In Movie

Drive in theaters rock! I always seem to forget that when it comes movie time. Last night I took my family and our youth group to see "Cars" and "Nacho Libre" at our local drive in. The movies were good, but that's not what makes the drive in great. The drive in experience includes several elements that make it a great time:
1) A Community Enviroment - we all brought lawn chairs, blankets, pillows, and pulled our cars/trucks together to watch a movie as a group. We could talk, share food, and enjoy the experience together.
2) Cost effective - in many ways, the drive in provides current movies at prime times for low costs. My kids got in free, and Caryn and I were $5 each. The WHOLE family got into Cars for $10! The drive in also realizes that you can bring your own food, so they price their food and beverages to sell, not to bankrupt you. We ate a late dinner last night for $15. That included corn fritters, nachos, hamburger, corn dogs, and two "glow stick" bracelets for the kids. At the indoor theater, our tickets would have been $25 for our family, and an additional $20 for snacks. Add to that the fact that we could also bring a cooler full of stuff with us, and it's hands-down the most economic movie option for a family.
3) Memories - my kids will always remember sitting in the back of my truck as a family, sharing food and drinks, sharing laughs, and not having to be told to sit still, be quiet, calm down, or anything else you may have to say in an indoor theater. They will also remember sitting in mommy and daddy's laps and snuggling when it got cold (it got really cold last night). I still remember going to the theater with my family for the all-night Godzilla movie marathons. It was a magical time for me that I get to share with my kids. My 4 year old daughter just smiles when we talk about it, and says, "That was fun, daddy." My 6 year old son was amazed at how bright the projector was and how big the screen is.
We'll be going back soon, and I hope you will join us at the drive in. It's a great piece of American history and a good lesson in community.

The West Texas Winds

After a night of storms, multi-car pile ups, and one fatality here in Lubbock, TX, the winds have died down. Here's a couple of pictures from the dust storm yesterday. It's like something from "The Mummy." This wall of dust was 70 - 100 miles in length.

When Cleaning the Men's Room...

It's important to wear gloves. But, if you wear gloves and then wipe the sweat from your forehead with your hand that is wearing the aforementioned gloves, you've defeated the purpose of wearing said gloves... It's about the same as putting your hands on your knees while wearing those same gloves...

Oh, the agony

My Mavs, My Mavs, once again my heart's been broken as you build my hopes and squash them from a lack of mental toughness.

Not that I'm superstitious, I guess the real problem was with the Dallas city council announcing the Championship Parade Route after game 2. What were they thinking?

Going, Going, Gone

Well, it happened today. Nathan and Elaine officially drove out of Lubbock. For those of you who don't know, Nathan and Elaine are long time friends and original members of The Journey. I've known Nathan since he was a teenager. I've had the opportunity to watch him grow into a Godly man. In the 7 years I've known him, we have walked through some tough times together. He even lived with us for a short time a few years back. More than anyone else in my life, he's been my Timothy. He has been our Lead Worshipper since The Journey began. It was hard to say goodbye last night, even though we know we will see each other a couple times a year, at the least.

I've known Elaine for almost 2 years. She's a relatively new friend, but I've had the privelege of watching the "lights come on" for her in reguards to missional living. Having grown up Church of Christ and then non-denom., what we started at The Journey stretched her sometimes. But she gets it. And, more importantly, she's started living it and teaching it to others. She and Nathan are funny, and fun to be around. They will be sorely missed as they head off for the next chapter of their lives at seminary in Ft. Worth.

Nate & Elaine, thanks for all you've done; your generocity and kindness, and your willingness to step in and do what needed to be done. Do well, be blessed, and keep the faith. More than anything else, cling to Jesus. And always know that you have family in Lubbock.
Peace - Jase

Unpacking Origins Pt. 3 - Creativity

It's so great to be home, even though the rafting adventure was GREAT!

If you've never rafted, you should give it a try. This was my 4th trip down the Arkansas river. I've hit the Royal Gorge three times. This trip was much more leisurely, though. We had several beginners and one girl from our group who was 12 years old. So, we did Big Horn Canyon. As you can see by the picture, the Royal Gorge can be brutal. But Big Horn Canyon was two soild class III rapids and the rest was just floating at about 2450 cfs. I had a lot of time to enjoy and think as we just floated the 22 mile trip. And, as has happened a lot lately, my thoughts drifted back to Origins. In Romans 1, Paul reminds us that God's invisible qualities are revealed in His creation. The beauty of the canyon reminded me that we have a very creative Deity. Since we are created in His likeness, we are designed with this same creative bent. Too many people think that they must be artistic to be creative. The truth, though, is that as humans we are creative. All of us. We're just creative in different ways.

So, here's my dilema: it seems that much of what we do as a church looks like some sort of cloning of the world around us. I've mentioned this before (Cloning Culture), but with a different emphasis. As I think about this now, I realize that we stiffle the creativity of people by asking them to replicate safe versions of things we find in our culture, or to plug into our prepackaged model that someone else has had success with. As the body of Christ, we possess all the creativity we need to be what the church ought to be; a relevant expression of faith and spirituality to a hopeless world. Navigating The Journey means I am charged with unveiling and unleashing the creativity of our people. Instead of trying to plug them into the mold that I envision, I should be striving to help them develop their character and tap into their divine creativity so that they can do life as God intended. I am giddy with anticipation of a faith community that God uses to impact our culture in a way that no other community can because of the individuals He has brought together for The Journey. The challenge for me is to get out of the way and let the body be the body in a wonderfully diverse and creative way. Instead of designing a plan, simply cast the vision and allow the body to uniquely and creatively accomplish the vision.

Convection Oven Speed Ball

Imagine coaching a baseball team...well, a t-ball team that uses a baseball. Now imagine that team being made up of boys and girls ages 4 - 6. Add to that the fact that it's 105 degrees here in Lubbock, and you can begin to imagine what our first t-ball practice was like last night.

Many of you know of my love for baseball, and that I played ball into college. I love the sport, and was excited that my children have shown an interest in America's sport. So, in my excitement, I signed on to be an Assistant Coach for the Orioles, Jeremiah and Cayla's team. My traveling schedule and my work schedules really prohibit me from doing much more than that, or so I thought and explained to the lady who told me last Thursday that I was THE coach for the team. It seems that as the only one to say I would help, I got the whole thing. And it doesn't matter that I'll be gone for 5 of the 11 games...

So, last night we had our first practice. My team has 13 kids on it, 12 of whom showed up, and most of whom have never played. So, in the 105 degree heat, I did my very best to teach, hold their tiny attention spans, and still make progress. It went pretty well, I think. Caryn made much of it happen with the behind the scenes prep (snacks, etc.). Try to imagine playing t-ball in fast forward speed while in a convection oven and you'll get a feel for how it was last night. But this is the ideal thing for me/us to be involved in. The Journey will sponsor the practices, helping with the kids, and serving the snacks at every practice. We'll build relationships with the kids and their parents. The season lasts through July 17th, so we have a few weeks to get to know the families involved. Pray for us! PRAY FOR ME! Tomorrow night, I'll get there early to work with one of my boys, Roosevelt, who has potential to throw both ways. His dad mentioned that he'd love for Roosevelt to learn to do both, so I told him we'd meet early each week to work on it.

And for all you Journey pilgrims, thanks for your help with the snacks last night. If you want to come and help with practice tomorrow night, be there at 5:15 (same place).

Unpacking Origins - Pt. 2

Envisioning how we train our future leaders for The Journey brings me to the concept of discipleship. Having served in a pastoral role for nearly 18 years in various churches, I believe discipleship is greatly misunderstood among USAmerican believers. There has been a movement among churches to do a better job of discipling their membership. I've even heard people say that they miss the days of "training union," an old term for a discipleship program of the local church. In many of the churches that I have served, leadership realized that they were falling behind in discipleship, and they pushed to introduce programs designed to deepen the faith of the believers in their flock. Along with this movement, publishers have packaged, repackaged, and promoted a plethora of materials for this need. You've seen some of them: Experiencing God, The Purpose Driven Church/Life/Worship/lawn mowing/whatever, Master Life, The Mind of Christ, Beth Moore's stuff, etc. All great materials written by Godly men and women. All designed to help us get a greater grasp on God's Word and will for our lives. The problem, as I see it, is two fold.

1) How much more knowledge do we need? I am constantly reminded that James said that those who hear and don't do are like men who look in the mirror and immediately forget what they saw. Please hear my heart on this. Being one who has a master's degree in divinity, I see the importance of knowledge and study. I've been a student of some sort all my life. But what good does it do for us to have more and more knowledge that we never apply? Sure, we could win Bible Jeopardy, but we're losing our communities. As more and more churches strive to find the right program for their people to have a deeper faith, they need to ask how their people are already putting into practice what they are learning. Maybe the best discipleship model would be to find someplace to spend your free time and practice what you've learned before we move onto the next thing to learn... I am reminded of a story about a young Pastor who came to his new church and preached a great sermon on his first Sunday there. The people were amazed. Then, the next Sunday he preached the exact same sermon. The people were a bit confused, but it was a good sermon, so they didn't mind too much. The third Sunday he again preached the same sermon. The people were a little put out. So much so, that the head Deacon approached the young Pastor after the service and pulled him aside. When the Deacon asked the Pastor if he realized he'd preached the same sermon for the last three weeks, the Pastor responded with, "Yes, I know. And once we start living that one, I'll get onto the next one."

2) Who was the focus of New Testament discipleship? When Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep, Pete didn't call the 12 together for a weekly Bible study on living with purpose and meaning. Instead, he went and proclaimed Christ to the people of Jerusalem and 3,000 were saved. Looking at the Great Commission of Matthew 28, we see that making disciples is tied heavily to the proclamation of Christ as savior and people coming to faith. I believe that we have greatly misunderstood that discipleship includes everyone, especially those who have not yet embraced the faith. Since the ultimate goal of discipleship is making disciples, consider this in light of Merriam-Webster's definition of a disciple: "one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another." As disciples, discipleship is the calling of our lives. And in it's purest form, discipleship is accepting and spreading the doctrines of another (in our case, The Christ).

How do I unpack this? It's paramount that I know the doctrines of The Christ in order to live well and and to teach them to others, especially those who need to be saved by Christ. But I can't wait until I know all I need to know. Like Peter, what I know at this point must be shared. Like Paul, I understand that I must pass along what I know to those who will be faithful to pass it on to others. Christ's call for each of us is to make disciples while being disciples ourselves. I firmly believe that the future leadership of The Journey will be people reached through the discipleship process; that is the spreading of the kingdom and the spreading of the doctrines of Christ. In those we reach, we will invest. This is discipleship, and it's how people will realize their great potential for the kingdom. That potential is what I'll "unpack" next.
Peace