Signal Fire

HT to Bob Hyatt for this one. Don't know how I could've missed it.

Last night I woke up just thinking about stuff. My mind races whenever things get still, so middle-of-the-night thinking equals insomnia. I'm speaking this weekend on one of my favorite Christmas stories that has nothing to do with Jesus' birth. I'll probably post the manuscript when I'm done. I'm taking a narrative approach, which I've never done before, so it could go either way. But I am excited about it.

But most of my thoughts went to church planting, and pastoring in general. I'm in constant evaluation mode, and that makes me miss some of the real value that's being brought in our community. I'm thinking, "How could I have done that better?" or "Is this working?" or "Am I making the most of every opportunity?"

So, I just prayed last night for God to do stuff, because, no matter what I do, I can't make it happen.

Yeah, this post is boring and going nowhere. It's like Alexander Pope said:

"While pensive poets painful vigils keep, / Sleepless themselves to give their readers sleep."

So go take a nap for me.

Orange Santa Giving

As most of the regular readers know, our church is involved with Hutto's Orange Santa program. I created a link at Resonate's home page that will allow individuals to give toward our goal of $6,000 for this year.

If you would like to give, you can use Google Checkout. Fifty dollars would cover the cost of one child, and help make their Christmas bright.

Click here if you would like to donate.

Kylie, Kathryn and Cousins

Getting two preschoolers to look the same way, and two babies not to cry was quite the feat. We did get this one great picture!

Front Page

Kylie was featured on the front page of The Hutto News last week for Orange Santa.

We took tons of pictures to get this just right.

The Mist Review

I went to see "The Mist" last night with my brother. I'm a fan of Stephen King, especially his movies with Frank Darabont at the helm ("The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile"). This is Darabont's first entry into a more traditional King story.

The story begins with a thunderstorm. While the residents of the town survey the damage, they notice a strange mist moving off the mountain. As they head to the local supermarket to pick up supplies, the mist rolls in, along with a local screaming, "There's something in the mist!" What remains of the movie is a story of survival.

I'm not a fan of your typical, gore-laden horror movies. "Saw" and "Hostel" and all of the remakes aren't too appealing to me. The unseen is what is truly scary. And the mist is thick with unseen, but horrible creatures. The special effects aren't too special, and are delivered in small doses that don't pull you out of the film to notice.

But the best part of the movie is the interaction between the survivors. In the midst of fear, prejudice, denial, hostility, and pure crazy bubble to the surface. The role of crazy is played by a fundamentalist gloom-and-doom fear-monger (Texan Marcia Gay Harden, who I would assume has seen her fair share). During the movie, my brother said, "This doesn't portray Christians in a good light." I told him I found it more anti-crazy than anti-Christian. She works up the crowd, slowly convincing them that God's judgment has fallen.

The questions posed during the film aren't sufficiently answered, nor should they be. If it tried, it would seem pat. The same struggles that humanity has wrestled with for generations are asked, but the question really is, "What would you do?"

The ending, which I won't spoil here, was one of the most jarring moments in the film. For a moment, I thought to myself, "Surely they won't go this direction." But they did.

So, like "Shawshank" and "Green Mile", Darabont presents a film that forces you to think. And feel.

In the Way

On Sunday morning, Kylie and I went around town dropping off donation bins for Orange Santa. Yep, we skipped church to do it. While we drove around for a couple of hours, we had the chance to talk about a lot of stuff (the truck we borrowed was without A/C or radio, which made it even better).

One of the concerns raised about our approach to church is, "What about the kids?" There's not really anything geared for them. And I have to say, this has caused me some concern as well. I'd love for Kylie to have what I didn't have growing up.

But, in the same regard, those couple of hours spent helping others was meaningful, and, I hope, memorable. We talked about how we can show people that God loves them when we help them. We talked about how we can give away things and be thankful for what we have, because it comes from God. Little stuff, but foundational.

And, sure, we sang Disney songs and told jokes (she's doing that now), and had fun. It was one of the best Sundays I've had in a while.

Just Thought I'd Say

Just thought I'd say how great my wife is. I came home from lunch to find a house full of kids and moms playing, making crafts and having fun. I love that my kids are being exposed to such a wonderful, family-filled environment. This week has been tough on her. But she doesn't miss a beat. Best yet, she's letting me host a poker night at the house tonight.

She makes life look easy. Her attitude is so genuinely giving and joyful that I find myself just having to stop every once in a while to be grateful for her. I'd fall apart without her.

Reminded

Couldn't get this verse out of my head since last night:

2 Timothy 1:8-12

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Revealed

For those in church leadership, this might mean something to you. And for those who are engaging church planting, this definitely means something for you. The video above is just a teaser to a complete video.

The traditional approach to building faith in people isn't working. It's great at starting faith, but sucks at making true followers. I want both. I want to introduce people to a life-giving faith that impacts their very core. So much so that they learn how to be life-givers themselves.

Tag it however you like: emerging, contemporary, missional, incarnational, liberal, whatever. I think the bottom line is that something's gotta change in the way we approach "church". And I'm talking more than just music or style.

I meet people who genuinely desire a relationship with Christ, but the forms and approaches that we mandate aren't functional. And rather than open the way for them to find access to God, we conclude that they are just godless sinners living in rebellion, and essentially hope they get what's coming. No one really says this out loud, but it's there.

I think there is a more excellent way.

The Indian Princess and the Pea

Going Viral

I've been thinking a lot lately about what multiplication looks like for our church, and how we can really have an impact by being more organic and less that what your typical church looks like. As we approach getting a weekend service off the ground, I'm intrigued with the other side of the coin: a decentralized, organic type of church where people's devotion to Christ isn't a measure of attendance. If fewer and fewer people are being impacted by one hour on Sunday, why keep putting all of our eggs in that basket?

Speaking of viral, it's finally hit our house. If you read any of our church family's blogs, you'll see that everyone has been struggling with illness. Last night, around 1 am, Kylie woke me up just in time for me to take her to the bathroom, where she threw up. And so the story goes for the next five hours.

I slept with her (well, I laid down with her; any time she moved I was ready to go, just knowing that I was about to get barfed on). I stayed home from work today, taking care of her while Erika went and got the needed feel-good remedies, and kept Kat as far away as possible.

I'm speaking this weekend, so I hope I can hold out until all of that is done. Wish me luck.