A Call to Men, to Fight!

Yesterday was Father's Day. Though my father has been gone for many years, Father's Day still holds a special place in my heart. When I say a "special place", I don't mean a place that is "moved" by quaint greeting cards or silly gifts...I'm talking about a place of quiet and solemn reflection....a place where I evaluate the kind of dad I am.

Ours is a world the diminishes the role and importance of fathers...to the great detriment of our society. I want to be a dad who loves the glory of God enough to point my children to Him. I want to be a dad who is more concerned with providing godly discipline and instruction to my kids than with being their friend. I want to be a dad who will be able to look my boys in the eye when they graduate from high school and college, and when they grasp the hand of their new bride, and when they hold their first-born child, and when they are my age....and ulitmately when we both stand before our Savior in heaven....to be able to look them in the eye and know with confidence that I lived a life of bold and courageous faithfulness for the glory of God that set a model before them that was worthy of being emulated.

O, to be the kind of man that will fight the good fight!

Men, I challenge you to pick up your sword and fight!
Check out this video of Paul Washer...doing a much better job articulating this than I ever could. Allow yourself to be challenged men!

If you're up for the challenge, then join me and other men from our church on Saturday, August 1st, as we go to FightClub '09 for a one-day training event, that will prepare you for the battle.Register for Fight Club '09

Blessed by my brother

Yesterday morning I had the privilege of riding to church with my family. Maybe that's something you get to do every week, but its been quite a while me.

As a pastor, I am usually out of the house by 6:30am at the latest on Sunday morning. I stop by Starbucks for a caffeine injection and then head to the office to begin final walk throughs of my sermon. I actually love that part of my job. I've done the work of study and preparation and have sought the Lord for His message and His direction for the day. But as I drive to the office on Sunday mornings, there is always the excitement of waiting to see how God is going to pull it all together. It often starts with a man-centered "anxiety" where I end up needing to confess that despite my efforts, the manuscript that lies in the manila folder in the seat next to me as I drive to church is paltry reflection of the magnificent revelation God desires to communicate through me. I admit to Him that I am incapable of such a calling, and surrender to Him...that's where the fun begins. I begin to prayerfully walk through the sermon, and slowly God unveils what His heart is for the morning, and I sense that anointing that only those who have done this can know of. Its quite amazing!

Yet, I had not realized the simple joy I have been missing. The joy of waking up my boys, and welcoming them to the Lord's Day. Of helping my wife with what she normally does all on her own each Sunday....getting out clothes for twins, ensuring the older boys look "presentable", cooking breakfast, and our usual favorite...."family worship time". Family worship takes on unique significance on Sunday mornings. What a joy I have been missing.

In fact, I had not been able to do this in so long, that even yesterday as I had the morning off, (thanks to Kevin Sanders who filled in for me - more about him in a bit), I got up early out of habit, and started making my way to church as usual. I made it about halfway to church (5 miles down the road), when I realized what I had done....I turned around, and headed back home. Needless to say, Susan was surprised to see me back, but a smile spread across her face when she realized it wasn't because I had left my Bible, but because I wanted to spend the morning with the family.

It wasn't a Normal Rockwell morning, but by God's grace, it was everything I needed to remind me how blessed I am to have such a wonderful wife and amazing boys. Thanks Lord, for all these blessings. Thanks, Lord for turning my car around, and bringing me back home. And thanks, Lord, for my brother and fellow pastor, Kevin Sanders who filled the pulpit for me.

Kevin did a marvelous job. Clearly, the Lord's anointing was on him yesterday as he brought a message straight from God's Word. It was such a blessing to sit next to my wife and listen to what the Lord wanted to say to me; to hear Kevin as he poured out to us what God had poured into him. Thank you, Lord, for both Kevin and Tyler...two young pastors who are maturing at a rate twice that of mine. I pray that He continues to use them in mighty ways to spread the fame of Jesus among the nations...and that He would grant us the privilege of seeing them continue to grow.

A wonderful Lord's day.....thanks God!

Evangelism Linebacker!

I think this is a super idea. Maybe I should stop preaching about evangelism, and bring this guy on staff!

...then again, maybe I should just start obeying the Great Commission myself! Afterall, if this guy were for real, he would be working overtime getting in my face....

Penn and the Bible

been too long since my last post - embarrassingly long. Anyways....

I ran across this today. Apparently it's been out there for a while, but I'm never one to deny that I am generally "behind the times".

On Sunday I delivered a message about the command within our Great Commission to "make disciples of all nations", and hit pretty hard on evangelism, or as Penn says in this video, "proselytizing". Wish I had seen this video before Sunday....I would have shown it in the service.

Talk about convicting! Don't enjoy this video. Let it impact you, and then do something about it.