Resolve to Dissolve

No where in the Bible does it say anything about making New Year's resolutions.  In fact, the celebration of the new year wasn't really much at all in scripture.  The stories and remembrances of events past--especially when they told of the miraculous things God did--were the hallmarks of all important festivals and celebrations.

Thus, the act of making resolutions is often scoffed at or looked down upon.  Many say, "that's the world's way of lifting up self-improvement as the primary path to a better life."  I agree to some degree that it's true.  We often do find ourselves stuck in the ruts of trying to make ourselves better and professing that this year is going to be different, truly believing that the keys to a good life are in our hands.  If God is truly the source of life and our gifts, then it really isn't helpful that we try so hard to be our own source of growth and change.

But, on the other hand, I do think that God intended us to have times and seasons of renewal, of restarting, of setting things in a new direction.  While most of the Jewish festivals are created on the belief that celebrating them helped the religious community remember, keep in touch with their story and their God, and rekindle gratitude, more so than they were to created to change lives and make things different, there are several other events that lead us to understand that renewal is still a sacred and celebratory event in our religious lives.  We need look no further than the baptism of repentance, the practice of communion, the year of jubilee, the birth of a savior, Pentecost, etc.  Things are supposed to be be new within each of these.

So, I say, "go ahead."  Make your resolution, just as you will every year, and perhaps have in the past.  But maybe not quite in the same way as previously.  Lay the self-help, self-improvement, new-you goals aside.  Let God take care of those.  And instead, take up the celebration of the new year as a remembrance and retelling of how God has renewed the earth and God's people over the course of time.  Let it be a time of getting back in touch with what God can do.  Let it be a time of gratitude.

And then, after you have reunited with the source of all goodness, change, growth, and improvement, when you go to set your resolution, let it be to draw nearer to God:  to God's sovereignty, to God's working, to God's miracles, to God's continual love and grace that will ultimately heal, restore joy, lessen your need, and propel you forward into the life and tasks that He is willing desiring you to do.

Dissolve your inclinations to do it on your own, and resolve to draw nearer to the one who can truly do it!


More to come!

Jason <><

My Hope

The day has finally come.  There is no other day, no other time in the seasons of our lives, that we come so close to the miracle, light, and freedom found in Jesus' birth.  Although I'm sure some may be getting tired of hearing me speak so much about the importance of this birth and the ultimate importance of Jesus in this season and in our lives, I simply can't help it.  In fact, I don't know what else to say--broken record or not!

But in addition to the truth of the season, this is what I hope will come from this truth for all of us:

My hope this Christmas is that...

• ...knowing that we do need to slow down, take a breath, and truly be caught up in the present moment, that we each have that sacred interruption in our lives.  Whether we appreciate it or not, whether we perceive it to be "good" or not, my hope is that it is utterly Holy.
  
• ...each us is struck by the utter impossibility, implausibility, incredibility, vitality, and sacredness of Jesus' presence in our life and what this remembrance means to our lives and the world.
  
• ...somehow, some way, each of us is changed for God's glory.  I hope that each of us can wake up in the morning, whether we go to work, are bombarded by children and family, or are crowed by silence and solitude, in a way, with an understanding, with a new insight that will not let us go back to where we were before--that this season will take us a little farther on our walks with Christ.

 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15

Merry Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Forever!


More to come...


Jason <><

Friday's Sadness, Today's Thoughts

The question when facing tragedies in our communities and world is how much to make it the focus of our lives.  If we sensationalize it, we disrespect those hurting and affected, and we risk reinforcing acts that thrive from the attention.  If we stay silent and shy away from conversations, we run the risk of history repeating and of hurting hearts left questioning.

So as we prepare for another week, and one that no doubt will include further thoughts, reports, and reactions on Friday's events, I offer these simple thoughts:

1. This grief must be felt and lifted up by us all.  We are called to mourn and care for each other (James 5:13-16).  Yet, this grief must not diminish our joy and celebration of Christ's birth.  As Judeo-Christian people, we have always been a people who suffer, survive, and thrive.  Our own God demonstrated this on the cross, which represents our deepest of sorrows in Jesus' death and our greatest of joys in Jesus' eternal triumph over death, both.
   
2. This event must lead us to be even more active in our faith.  Many have and will say that tragedies like this cause us to question, leave, or even reject our faith and our God--based on the inability to conceive of a God who would let these things happen.  Let us all go to those places, let those questions and thoughts be part of our journeys.  But let us not stay there.  Let us realize and recall that the only way we will see to the hope and redemption of this sadness is by our faith and through the mightiness of our God and Savior.  If evil is a darkness always waiting to creep forward into our lives, then let us continue to shed Christ's light that shines through all darkness into our broken world and situations (John 1:4-5).  Let us pour out our love and the good news of the gospel even more.
   
3. This danger must be met with prayer.  So many times we respond to these events in every imaginable way:  heightening security, limiting our public activities, practicing super vigilance, increasing our paranoia of others', fighting to make laws more strict, seeking revenge and placing blame upon those "responsible" for the tragedy, etc.  Some of these responses may seem very logical and helpful.  Yet, they all fall into the human-contrived category of methods for solving our own problems.  Instead, we must pray (1 Thess 5:14-22). What we forget is that God is the one who has the capacity to move beyond just offering solutions to problems.  Our God is a God who has the capacity to create entire new realities.  Only by our prayers and our submission to God's power and our powerlessness will be be able to see God's ultimate work and direction in the midst of this, those affected, and those behind the violence.

Lastly, Horizons, like many other careful organizations in Lincoln, will continue safe and diligent practices for protecting our children and all who come to this ministry.  But we will also strive to put God first, before all other agendas and continue to welcome others with Jesus' love, trusting in the Holy Spirit's protection and presence at all times.  Amen.

More to come!

Jason <><

Swift Kicks, Strong Pushes

I'm a firm believer in the Holy Spirit's ability to work and move in our lives.  In fact, I don't know what life would look like for a person of faith if he or she didn't have an acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit. Whether we are consciously aware or not of the spirit's moving, I know that we are each affected daily by it.

But I'm also pretty sure about the other things I'm daily affected by as well.  For two weeks now, I've been teaching on the topic of preparing the way for our celebration of Christ's birth.  Just yesterday I challenged each of us NOT to do anything this season that will consequently take us away from this nearing celebration and the presence of Jesus.  I mentioned it being nearly impossible, but to what degree is yet to be told.

Paul shares in Romans 7:15, "For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."

This seems to be true in many of our lives.  I know it is in mine at the moment.  I want to step back from the rush of the season and honor the most important things in my life.  I want to let all the "extras" go in light of the "main thing" becoming greater.  I do truly desire these things, and am quite set on getting there.

However, we all know the flip side:  I'll get there AS SOON as I finish...  I know what's most important, but THIS simply cannot be ignored...  I don't really have a choice...  Sometimes, the more we push for what's good in our lives, the more we feel the opposition pushing back.  Sometimes it may even feel like a swift kick from behind that shoves us farther away from where God is wanting us to go.

So what do we do?  What will I do?

Pray more.  Let the Holy Spirit be the strongest pusher.  Let go of my stubbornness.  Trust in God in a way that brings assurance to the things I let go of.  Seek peace over perfection.  Stop making excuses and ultimatums.

After all, we'all far too busy, misguided, and challenged NOT to pray and spend more time in the Spirit's guiding. Is it impossible to do nothing that would take me away from our nearing celebration of Christ's birth from here on out?  I believe it can happen!


More to come!

Jason <><

Content? I Take it all Back!

In the course of a day or week, I'm wondering how many things we end up saying or doing we wish we could take back or do over in a slightly different way.  In most situations in my own life, I tend to live by the thought that we really should only regret our actions and words to the extent that they have hurt others.  In effect then, is the trust that everything we say, do, and experience, whether constructive or harmful is something we can learn and grow from (IF of course, at the end of the day, we are consistently and genuinely striving for righteousness in Christ in our lives).  When we put God into any aspect of our lives, we're sure to find that our paths lead to Him, no matter through which mess that path may first travel.

So, in regard to to above, what exactly is it that I wish to take back this morning??  Nothing.  But, it was a good way to start out my thoughts.

Our three part study on Contentment ("Gratitude and Gravy") that we did in November was one of our most powerful studies yet.  Countless testimonies poured into my e-mail and out of conversations about how each Sunday was really convicting many at Horizons.  I too was convicted by the lessons we learned.  I am thankful for the chance to dig into contentment with such depth and intention.

HOWEVER, this is the other conversation I had with some at Horizons:  am I sure I really wanted to be preaching about being content and comfortable?  Isn't that one of the greatest evils affecting God's church today?  We fall into contentment and thereafter refuse to be moved forward in our faith and relationship with Jesus.  In other words, contentment breads complacency, which ultimately gives way to a dying body of Christ.

This is true.

Here's the twist:  There are two general areas of contentment in our lives:  contentment with what we have from the world, and contentment with where we are in Christ Jesus.  While we must learn to be content in the first, we must refuse to be content in the second.  Let us never give way to complacency in our faith and nearness to our God.

In fact, while it may have been a concern that our conversation on contentment in the world may run over into our contentment with God, the truth is that the only way truly to find contentment with what we have been given in the world is to grow more discontent with our current relationship with Christ.  How else could we expect suddenly to find that we don't have any further needs in the world if we haven't found something greater to replace and satisfy what we once longed for in the world?  Our only option, as I see it, it to shift from seeing all that we lack and want in the world and turn instead to seeing all that we can have, want, and ultimately desire God to fill our lives with.

So, in that case, ultimately, let us NEVER be content with God!  Let us always strive to honor God more, draw nearing in our relationship with Jesus, and grow in our maturity as believers!

And no, I won't take it back.


More to come!

Jason <><

The Church Better "Acts" Like It!

A church can be a pretty peculiar thing to consider as it stands in our current society.  What does it do?  Why does it exist?  What need in people's lives and in our world does it fulfill?  Where does it fit among the other institutions, organizations, and agencies?

For many of us, "church" is never something we've really questioned or guessed about.  It's always been "that thing" that we go to, do, and are members of.  But I'm sure there are just as many among us and farther away who look upon the "churchy" world and wonder.  Why would people go there?  What do they do in there?  How do people act when they're at church?

They're good questions.  Unfortunately, although most of us may have trouble writing down on paper the answers to questions like that, internally, any of us who have been going to a church for a while have internalized the unwritten codes of "church conduct" that are often specific to each church.  It's easy and clear for many just exactly what a person should do, how a person should act, and why a person should "go."  Some may even say it's a "no brainer."

But I wish it weren't.  I'd be excited to see a group of people daily questioning and contemplating how the church should be, how they should and can be at church, and what "being a part of a church" truly means.  My reasoning for this is that too many times I feel that we've settled on the ideas of what church should be about to the point that we forget what it REALLY is all about.

All of this came from my recent reading through the Acts of the Apostles, or the Book of Acts in the Bible.  It's easy to read through those 28 chapters and, although amused and captivated, pass off most of the "strange and radical" behavior of the early church as being only typical of the people who had no previous examples to work from, who had the rare energy that only those who are at the very beginning of things have, and who lived in a different time when religion in general was a top focus for nearly everyone.

I wish it weren't so easy to pass off.  The Acts churches, in my mind, were the ones who were getting it right.  They didn't have any previous examples to go from, so they were constantly consulting the Holy Spirit, God, and each other for direction.  They didn't simply decide to add this new "church" thing to the many focuses and activities that they already had going; they let their new found passion, communities, practices, and beliefs become their focus and activity.  Additionally, even at the beginning of this whole thing we call church, when reading in Acts (particularly in chapters 8-11), we find that they were dealing with many of the same things we're still dealing with today--conflict in the leadership, scruples over who is welcome and who is not, discrepancies over the laws of conduct and "proper" behavior, etc.  The primary difference, however, is that they often concluded in a different way than we do today.  The goal to practice and share Jesus' love and salvation with others nearly ALWAYS trumped other concerns, and their decisions were rarely, if ever, based on politics and money, instead of God's spiritual leading and blessing!

So I say, let us continually look at the raw and truthful examples of the Acts churches and consider how we might rejoin them in our own early journey of inviting others into that relationship with a God who transforms our lives in powerful ways!  Church, let's get our "Acts" together.

More to come!

Jason <><

Creeping on Facebook?

They say that too much preaching to the choir will make an unpleasant sound.  But I say, choir or not, preach away!

As I was reflecting with some today after both services, several attempted to "catch me" in my secret scheming, asking if I had been snooping on their Facebook pages or checking up on them in other ways.  How else could I give messages today and last Sunday that were both so personally directed toward specific people?  I'll never forget the look on one woman's face today when I told her, "yes, I've been intently following the details of your Facebook for weeks now."  She was horrified!  I quickly assured her I actually hadn't been looking at her page.  In fact, unless it were to say Hi or happy birthday, I'm not a very good Facebook creeper.

But this is what I know about how God works and why I DID prepare this and last Sunday's messages just for that woman, just for specific other people, just for you, and just as I prepared them for myself!  In my world, the topics and lessons we cover in sermon series are set long before they get preached--months before.  Rarely then, are they intended responses to things that happened within the week prior to the message.  For each series, I spend some time in prayer, scripture, listening, and pondering developing a theme.  From there, my ultimate goal is to discern where God is leading the theme and how the theme in turn will lead those who hear the messages.  The end result, ideally, is that it's God's sermon series, not mine.  I just do the preaching!

In that way, I am assured that what I talked about today, last Sunday, and the Sunday before actually was addressed toward those who needed to hear it--including YOU.  God knows well before I do, and to a much greater depth, what each person needs to hear.

But there is a second reason that I can be pretty sure I was speaking directly to you and that it may seem as though I have been creeping on your Facebook.  We're all in this together.  Not one of us is above God's word, instruction, reminders, and direction--not even the pastor.  That's right.  Not even the choir!  Most of the messages I feel God leading me to give are not simply lessons I've already mastered and wish the rest of the world to get as well.  They're often things I too am wrestling with or have seen crop up in my own life.  And if it's not in my life, we can be assured that what I teach about is something that has cropped in the lives of those who are close to me.

The truth is that I need the learning and lesson just as much as anyone else.  And when some of us feel like maybe we've already got it, it rarely hurts to have a keen and timely reminder.  In the end, my messages seem like they're addressing you personally because they're addressing me personally, and we're all in this together as the body of Christ.  We move not on our own, but as one, together.

So, although I may not be creeping on anyone's Facebook accounts, I AM very interested in what you're all going through so that we can lift it up to God together for his guidance and direction.  

With that, Sarah and I wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving!  We also wish that over this holiday week you, as well as both of us, will find new chances to discover contentment for the glory of God!

More to come!

Jason <><

I MUST get in a HOME Group!

How could anyone imagine what a HOME group (aka "small group") would do to a person's life until finally joining one?  I couldn't.  I had no idea.  However, while I once was blind, now, I see!

What happens in a HOME Group is quite phenomenal to see.  On Sunday mornings, I meet with a group of men who gather before the services to share, pray, and study scripture together.  They may not formally call themselves a HOME Group, but they should.  These guys have it going on!

At first, my concept, and most likely the concept of many as they decided to try it out, was that this Sunday morning men's group might be a good way to get into the scripture a little more and meet some other guys as well.  But that's only the beginning.  Over the last weeks, I have been utterly blown away by the camaraderie, faith, and trust of this group.  They say that women share their feelings and develop close relationships much easier and quicker than men do, but this group disrupts all the norms.

The men in this group are willing and able to share everything on their hearts and minds.  Each guy brings his honesty, heartbreak, joy, laughter, rowdy humor, prayer, questioning, witnessing, teaching, arguing, and life change to the group, and no one is forcing each other. They are friends, they are brothers, and their faith relationships are growing.

So now I see what being a part of a HOME  Group means and why it has been a foundation for Horizons from the beginning.  A HOME Group is probably one of the most authentically holy places I could imagine being, and I've seen how much it means to those who belong.  As Sarah and I continue to get more settled and make it through the first 6 months here, we both are very excited to see how we help start and join new HOME Groups too!


More to come!


Jason <><

My November GREAT 5!

God continues to rock my world and surprise me each day at Horizons!  If Horizons is a child of God, created and made for something big in the world, then it is clear to me that God has decided it's time for this child to step into a new phase of its life!

Below are five things going on at Horizons that confirm this for me.  Maybe they aren't necessarily the TOP, TOP 5, but they are certainly the first of many that have come to mind:

1. Sister Jesse spent time with us recently, and the hearts of Horizons offered over $3,000 to support that ministry, not to mention the huge number who are sponsoring one of the Orphanage's children for a year.  Praise God for Horizons' generosity!
   
2. Trunk or Treat rocked the house!  Sarah and I had so much fun, and we loved seeing everyone's energy and creativity.  Plus, a ton of people came out in spite of the chill.  Wow!
   
3. As we get ready for a powerful year of leadership in 2013, we have been amazed by the energy of all who will be joining existing and NEW teams and fulfilling our mission in even greater ways.  Amen, thank you!
   
4. We had a very positive response for commitment cards as so many have decided that God is going to work in Lincoln because of THEM and their generosity.  We pray God will continue to lead others as well!
   
5. The staff at Horizons, Amber, Nicole, Derek, Liz, Jill, Jamie have continued to amaze me and support Horizons in very gracious ways.  I am thankful that I get to work with a great team.  I'm also thankful for all the volunteers who make Horizons work on a daily basis!

I lift up all these things to God, and say thank you!  And I trust that all that we do continues to give God glory.  This is how awesome God is.

More to come...

Jason <><

They Cause Me to Wonder...

I've been a pastor long enough that I rarely can imagine what life would be like if I weren't a pastor.  It's what I know and do, and being in the ministry has mostly become the same as being alive.  All this is good!  I wouldn't have it any other way.  But from time to time, I still get those awkward squirms and losses for words when people are first told that I'm a pastor.  I love and cherish those moments!

First, people seem a little shaken.  Apparently I don't act like someone expects a pastor to act--whether they go to church or not.  I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea.  I don't swing from the chandeliers or throw out swear words like compliments when I'm not at church.  But I think people have the idea that pastors are or should be serious, pious, and separate most of the time.  I'm glad to offer the surprise that I'm not.  It helps the world see that ministry/Christianity is more about living life to the fullest and highest than to the greatest restraint.  Quite frankly, I've only met a couple pastors who thought that wasn't true.

Next, I often get the "look too young" card.  "Yes, I am pretty young," I say with a warm smile.  But I assure them that I'm not a good pastor because I'm good at what I do.  I consider myself to be good because I'm good at letting God do it through me.  Other than that, I assure them I have much to learn yet.  I think we all do!

Lastly, once we're made it through the first 2 awkward moments, the third, and sometime final phase sets in. I like to call it the role-play phase.  I know for a fact that we all have a "Christian" self that we put on in our religious settings and context.  Some of us feel the need to put on bigger selves than others--and it's not always because those are the bigger sinners.  Nevertheless, quite often when people find out I'm a pastor, suddenly their language changes and the topic changes as well.  Suddenly my pizza munching, game-frenzied new acquaintance becomes a refined theologian on the loose morals and values of today's society.  It's a little humorous to see the change.  Usually I play along, not needing to go to the depths of everything I've learned in seminary and beyond.  BUT...

All of these reactions help me remember and rediscover an important question:  HOW did I become a pastor?  WHY am I a pastor?  And what does it mean to be CALLED to still be be a pastor?  So this week, on Sunday, I've decided to share a little more about how it all started, and how I ended up here!  It should be fun.

 More to come!

Jason <><

My Costume!

Thanks to several comments on Facebook about this year's upcoming Trunk or Treat, my Halloween costume has pretty much been picked for me!  I won't say what it is yet, but the staff have been told.  Suffice to say, there have been a lot of laughs around the office (it truly pays to be on staff at Horizons :-))  Sarah also has a great costume that will be unveiled this Friday.  Her's is still better than mine, but together we're sure to be an odd match.

But let me give you a little costume history for me:

Last year Sarah and I went to a party dressed as a birthday boy getting his first swing at a pinata.  I was the blindfolded boy, Sarah, wearing an outfit loaded full of paper tissues, was the pinata.  WE thought it was creative, clever, and hilarious.  Others didn't seem to get it.  Maybe we went to the wrong Halloween gathering.

A couple years earlier, when I was still in Seminary, I went to a Halloween gathering with some friends I'd known from high school.  One friend dressed as a lumber jack, the other dressed as Indiana Jones.  Both of their costumes were the hit of the gathering, while mine probably made them wish they hadn't let me get in the car that night.  In my clever, creative preparation for the night, I decided to be a serial killer.  I dressed in a blue jump suite, put vasoline in my hair, and found some crooked coke-bottle glasses to wear.  I looked creepy and imagined it was a great costume.  But as I looked around at the party, I realized "creepy" wasn't what anyone else was going for.  My poor friends had to keep assuring others that I really was a pretty cool guy...

One year I was so excited about my costume that I locked both my keys and my costume inside my car.  I was so upset when I realized that my stuffed-elephant costume could do nothing more than look back at me through the glass, not getting its one chance to change my streak of costume misfortunes.

So, I'm hoping that this year's costume goes over a little better.  It's not creepy, but rather pretty fun--and funny, if you ask me.    If I can get past locking it in the car with my keys, I think we'll be in business.

Lastly, I know that some have shunned the celebration of Halloween for its ties to pagan practices and to potentially demonic beliefs.  However, I'm happy that we as creative, God-loving people, can move past the labels and associations, and make a statement about how WE see the celebration:  a time to celebrate creativity, candy, laughs, and the changing of seasons.

We mark time together through things like this.
We add value to our lives in the ways that we share stories and comic memories of celebrations passed.
We encourage the creative sides of ourselves and process our identities through dressing up.
AND, through TRUNK OR TREAT at HORIZONS, we also have the chance to reach out to our neighbors and community and share with them who we are--both in our faith AND in our faithful world.

I prayerfully believe that we are on the right track.  Now, as far as this year's costume goes, we'll see...

More to come!!

Jason <><

Everything Obsessed?

It was close to a perfect day, and most everything had gone my way.  I was feeling so good about things.  What a shame...

Shame?  The sages of our worldly wisdom are shaking sticks at me:  "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth..."

This is what happened to me last Wednesday that led me to this post:

Last night Sarah and I were given tickets to a concert that another couple was no longer able to attend.  This morning, I found a steal of a deal on a pumpkin (Sarah loves fall.  Sarah will love the pumpkin.), I found the pair of gloves I've been searching for over a week now, and consequently, I found the shorts I bought on the honeymoon and then thought I had lost forever!  I rolled up to the coffee shop, only to be awarded a free coffee that someone else decided he/she was in too much of a hurry to wait for (soy latte.  In case it was yours, sorry for the wait; thanks for the coffee).  And now I'm at the coffee shop, feeling ready and competent to tackle the world!

What a day!  and shame on me...  

I'll be thankful for this day.  I need to be.  It's a beautiful gift horse indeed!

But what about those days when not everything goes well?  What about those days when not every turn renders another unexpected blessing?  What about the days before finding my gloves and shorts that I spent obsessively and relentlessly searching, unsatisfied and unwilling to move on?

In the back of my mind, the world wasn't right again until I found those shorts and gloves.  And admittedly, the days when things don't seem to come together are the days when I have a harder time seeing how good my God is, and how alive Jesus still is, all around and within me.  Shame on me.

YET, Jesus tells a parable about the shepherd who leaves all the rest to find the one sheep that wandered off.  Jesus tells a parable about a woman who sweeps her house clean again and again until she finally finds her lost coin.  Jesus is saying, "No shame there."  Hmmm...  So now what?

Maybe, like most of us, I live in a world that is half right, and half wrong.  Half heavenly, and half hellish.  Half healing, half falling apart.  Half way to reaching Christ (finally),and  half way to our own quick, final destruction.

What I mean is that my day and my excitement reflect both the best and the worst of living my faith.  My obsession over material goods, my joy in the midst of fickle pleasures and satisfactions while the rest of the world continues to ache and hurt with REAL loss, my unwillingness to rest until something has been completed:  these aren't so good.  BUT here's the bright side.  I have the right habits.  I have the eyes to see the blessings around me.  I have what it takes to endure through the challenges in order to find what I'm looking for.  Amen!

Now I just need to refocus them.  Now I just need to make my obsession count for the kingdom.  I need to see the blessings on the days when everything good is everything that's harder to recognise.  Now I just need to wallow in the dissatisfaction of a hurting world rather than the agony of a lost pair of gloves. 

Shame on me.  But at least I'm on my way.  Jesus assures me of this.

More to come!


Jason <><

Pastor, Go Get a Vision!

As it turns out, and to my delighted surprise, I DO have a vision, a dream, a direction.  But it seems as though having a vision or being one who can set a vision and implement it is far more complex than some make it to be.

Truth be known, just like in other avenues of the working and moving world, pastors and churches also need good visions, good goals, and a clear idea of where both are headed.  Of course, the church and the leadership role of a pastor still differ greatly from the business institution and worldly leader in that faith, submission, and selflessness trump over strategy, gain, and personal rewards.  But it is also worth pointing out that if any businesses or institution, or any leader, religious or not, wishes to succeed, there must be a vision for what needs to happen.  There needs to be direction that everyone can sink their teeth (or heart) into.

I've read enough books now that I no longer think the concept is strange or foreign.  They say that a pastor with a vision is like a dog wagging his tail when someone mentions the "w-a-l-k" word.  I completely get it and agree that a pastor should have that.  Why not??  How exciting!  However, in my reading and studying, even as of fairly recently, when I came to those sections in books that pushed me to think about what my vision is for the setting that I am in, I often fell short of feeling like I had one that quickened my heartbeat and made me drool a little (or a lot).

In fact, early on here at Horizons (it's still technically early, but even earlier than now), many asked me what my vision for Horizons was.  I can still remember the uneasy feeling of thinking in my heart, "Oh no...  I'm being asked what my vision is, and I don't know if I have one."  I was a little concerned.  Will I ever have a vision for Horizons???  I hoped so.

But now the months have continued to fly, and as I continued to get more settled and geared up for what's ahead, I'm looking around at my conversations, my choices, my daydreams, and I'm shocked, and pleased, to see and feel that I have a vision.  I know now where God has called Horizons to go.  I know now what God has put on my heart and on the hearts of this ministry to accomplish and see happen.  And I'll be the first to tell you that I have needed to clean up some drool and return some lamps to the upright position!  It's exciting!  Thank goodness no heart monitors were hooked up to me recently!

So what IS my vision??  Why didn't I have one from the start??

The second comes first.  From day one at Horizons, I was told that before I could start casting my own vision, I first needed to join the church in casting their vision.  After some time, I then could begin to transition from the church's into my own.  That seemed fair enough for me.  But I realized along the way that it's not quite that simple.  Instead, the last 3 and half months of my time at Horizons has been a beautiful pouring of two vibrant and complementing colors into the same pool.

Horizons has poured all they are into my life and heart, and I'm seeing myself do the same.  I've learned much about the church, the numerous leaders and contributors, and an exciting history of miracles and efforts.  And, God bless Horizons, the church too has taken the time to learn more about me and hear about my life, dreams, and faith.  And I believe that because of this mutual pouring AND praying AND submitting our lives to God's leading, we have come to see OUR vision.  Not the church's, not mine, but GOD'S that has created for us.

I see now what Horizons has already AND what it needs.  I see now what Horizons can do AND what it needs to do more of.  I've seen where we've been AND where it is essential that we go.  I've also seen what I have that meets what Horizons can use.  I've seen how God has led me to exactly the right places along the way so that as I join Horizons, we'll have everything we'll need.  And, I've seen how we have all begun to respond and awaken to what God is doing and how God is moving at Horizons.  I have a VISION and it's ours together:  Horizons', God's, mine!

So what's my vision for Horizons?  I don't want to spill too much at once, but this is what I can say:  Horizons grew up on HOME Groups.  They've been central and core to who we have become.  Those HOME Groups are the primary way that God has kept this community alive and as vibrant as it is.  I believe in small groups, and I know that we will see them grow and flourish in even greater ways.  I also know that Horizons' Mission is NOT broken.  It is because of our mission to lead seekers and doubters to transformation in Christ that there is so much energy and hope inside and outside of these walls.  I am thrilled about our mission, and I see now that all we need to do is focus a little more on the "leading" portion.  If we all were once seekers and doubters who have been transformed in Christ, then isn't the next step for each of us to grow into the leaders who will walk with others, just as someone once walked with us?

You see?  I do have a vision!  WE have a vision:  HOME Groups and Christian Leadership--all for the transformation of our lives and others' lives in relationships with Jesus Christ.  This is just the beginning, but it's a feast we'll be long gathered at the table enjoying.

Here's to vision and the One who speaks to our hearts so that we have it!  Amen.


More to come...

Jason <><

Why I Missed the Game

What??  Jason didn't watch the Husker game?  The reason runs deeper than me being fickle, but wayward enough to be funny.

Over the years, one complaint of nearly every pastor in Nebraska is about the Husker game that happens every weekend in the worship center or sanctuary.  There is the game on Saturday, and then there is the game on Sunday to see whether the Huskers or the church can capture more of an audience.  Pastors often comment and share sentiments like this in their pastor-friend circles:

"If the Huskers lose, nobody come to church!  If the Huskers win, too much celebrating; nobody comes to church.  If it's an away game, everyone travels to the game; nobody comes to church.  If it's a night game, we might as well have church in the stadium; nobody comes to church.  If it's a byeweek, everyone is trying to get married, run marathons, and take fall trips to Ireland; nobody comes to church..."

When I'm in these circles, I chuckle and nod my head.  A lot of it is true.  But I'm not one to buy into trends like these that explain or excuse certain behaviors.  For example, they say that Pastors need to "time down" and "activity up" the sermon because attention spans are much shorter these days.  In other words, make them shorter and action packed.  But I don't buy it, and I won't employ the trend to explain why people aren't seeming to engage with my sermon.  Most of us went to see the 3+-hour marathon "Hunger Games," loved it, didn't blink the entire time, and now have it at home to watch over and over again.  People can play video games for days straight.  Are our attention spans shortening, or are we engaging in different ways?

So, I don't buy a lot of things that explain or excuse the trends.  Instead, I'm a firm believer that if church is powerful and meaningful enough, if Jesus is present and lives are truly being changed every Sunday, then heck! even the Huskers will start showing up on Sunday!  Same thing for my messages:  if they really matter, are truly guided by the Spirit, and are relevant (among other things), people won't struggle to pay attention.  It'll be Hunger Games every Sunday!

But here's why I missed watching the game on TV this last Saturday:  I bought it.  I fell into it.  As the game got going, I felt the usual panic creep in that the Huskers might not win.  I'm a firm believer that the Huskers never win in the 1st half, but when the ball fell in the third quarter and gave more points to the Badgers, here's the thought that crept into my mind:  "I can't face the agony of watching them loose.  It'll completely take all of my fire and enthusiasm away from tomorrow's message!"

They say that Nebraska's economy spikes after a win, that there are fewer cases of domestic violence, and some even claim that a victory can produce rain.  Apparently, a win or loss can EVEN affect the quality of a preachers message...  Yeah, I bought it.  But now that I've written about it here, I'm taking it back to the store.  I don't want it.

Instead, I'll keep my old mentality:  when it comes to our faith and the way we serve our living God, NOTHING should stir us or shake us from doing what we do--Pastor OR parishioner!

More to come!

J <><  

3 Months is Pretty Sweet

Although this won’t post until “three months and a day,” I wanted to make sure these words came out on the very day of three months!  Three months?  Of what?

Sarah (my wife) and I have been married exactly three months today (this Sunday)!  It’s been very good, and at least at this point, I can confidently affirm and recommend the institution of marriage to any daring couple considering the next step.  Do this!  Hang on for the ride of your life, but do this!

I’m sure many will chuckle and say “Of course it’s been sweet.  Three months hasn’t been enough time for the real relationship to settle in.” 

But let me tell you what’s been sweet about this whole marriage thing and these infantile three months:

• ·         Sarah and I feel that we had both been waiting all our lives to be in union with the other—before we even met.  We were simply waiting for the other to come along in life and light up our lives the way we do.  Thus, regardless the tension or the stress that creeps along in our home from time to time, any night that we lay our heads down under the same roof is far better and more blessed than any alternative.

• ·         In three short months, given all the “delightful extras” God has put in our life, we have successfully pushed and led each other much further into our Christian lives than we could have gone alone.  Sometimes it’s because of those miracles that we witness between us, and sometimes it’s because of the deep theological conversations we have while driving in the car or sitting across from each other at the study table.  But other times it’s because of the elevated need for prayer at times, or because of need to seek God’s counsel and resolution in the midst of challenging moments.  Sometimes it’s because we have the chance to pause for a moment and wonder exactly what God was thinking when he picked us for each other. 

• ·         It’s also been sweet because in the midst of running to separate lives, either in Omaha or south Lincoln, early each day and returning late each night, we have learned to give 100%, to rely on each other to carry the other’s load of responsibilities, and we’ve learned to love each other no matter what state our house is in.  We’ve also learned to catch the beautiful, charming moments of our life together, even though they are often in flight like the activity of finches always coming and going.  

• ·         There are other sweet things about three months as well, but you get the idea. 

Sarah and I don’t know much about marriage, but we know that there is much, much more to come.  We are simply thankful to start off in such a way that begins building a strong foundation for the days to come—both beautiful and trying.  We are also thankful that we had the chance to put Jesus in the middle of who are as a couple from the very beginning.  Through Christ, all things are possible—whether it is 3 months, 300 months!  Amen.

More to come…

J <><

So (too?) Eager!

"Here!  Take my card!  Come see what it's like!"

That's what I keep shouting with excitement to others, and especially strangers, lately.  Sarah has made several notes about my new habit--commenting on the level of "smoothness" verses the level of "creapiness" or "sleezyness" in my approach, timing, and handoff.  

My what I like to call "church cards" finally came in last week, and I have been very eager to pass them out to others.  Obviously, there's little difference between my "church" card and a business card.  A lot of people would probably argue that the whole concept of handing out a card with contact information in regard to Church is altogether too much a business thing.  

But here's the deal:  I love my church cards.  They're attractive and useful, and I know that when others see them, they're going to see and find only good things!  But here's what I love even more than my cards:  Horizons.  

I don't know what people know about Horizons already or what they've already seen.  All I know is what I see right now, and I love it.  I love seeing and feeling how heavy, powerful, and productive the Spirit is in this place right now.  I love hearing on a daily basis how peoples' lives have been changed, reawakened, or affected in beautiful ways.  I love feeling the energy of passion, compassion, hope, and Christ-desire coming off of others as we worship, gather, and share together.  I love seeing where we're headed and where we can go because of the faith that is present.  

When I go to trainings and seminars for pastors, the speaker will often ask us whether, if we were free to choose and make our own call, we'd actually go to the churches where we serve.  It's a good and sometimes cutting question for pastors.  The answer is not always yes.  It makes each of us think.  But this is what I know for sure:  if Sarah and I were to go church shopping and pick where we wanted to go and grow, Horizons would be a top runner.  I'd go here!!  

Is it just because I have an enormous ego about my own pastor abilities?  Hardly.  I might be a little caught off guard by me if I were to walk in and see "that guy" being pastor.  What draws me most is seeing and feeling what's going on at Horizons and who's got it going on spiritually!

And so I get excited.  And when I run into someone, you can be guaranteed that whether it's appropriate or good timing at all, my church card will start flying out of my back pocket.  "Here!!  Take my card.  Come see what it's like!"

I am making no attempt to boast.  But honestly, I think this is how it's supposed to feel for all of us as Christ followers--so excited and convicted that we've simply lost the social filter that helps us see the right timing or appropriateness.  I firmly believe that when Jesus gets in and starts working in us, relighting our lives, we can't help but tell others!  

So join me!  There are a lot of free "business card" services online that will print cards for you. Share with others your faith, your Horizons home, your changed life.  Put your light on a hill and let it shine!

More to come...

J <>< 

Why Be Methodist? Top 3

It's not the first time someone has asked me why I am United Methodist, or why have I stayed in the Methodist system.  In fact, we used to ask each other all that time in seminary--often tauntingly, sometimes jokingly, and once in a while, quite seriously.

Why do I stay?  Why am I a United Methodist?  Lists seem to get to get the most views, so I'll proceed in such a manner.  But first, it might be helpful to note that if I can actually keep my list to three, I'll be demonstrating John Wesley's power to be concise and yet meaningful in his teachings.  If I fail to have just three, I'll rely on the grace upon which much of Wesley's theology also rested.

1. I was born a Methodist, so why not??  Some have heard me say that I'll be Methodist until I have sufficient reason not to be.  But I suppose there might need to be more than that.
   
2. Grace.  Wesley believed it was indeed true that the "grace was always greener on the other side."  We understand that there's God's grace before we know God, certainly as we accept Christ, and (which is rare) that after we are saved, the grace keeps growing in us, bringing us closer and closer to Christ.
   
3. Free Will!  This is the idea that not everything is set in stone for our lives.  We make real choices that matter--to our lives,to others' lives, and certainly to our relationship with Jesus.  In fact, God's love for us and our love for God can only be real if there is this element of free choice.  (If love were forced, it defeats what love really is.)
   
4. Care for our neighbor.  The Methodist Church is at the top of those who selflessly give, love, protect, and support others.  It's beautiful to see Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan be lived into so passioinately by a body of believers.
   
5. In short, Wesley also believed in putting it simply:  Do Good. Do No Harm. Stay in Love with God.  He also proposed 4 sources or norms for our faith foundation:  Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason.  I'd put prayer in there too, but I wasn't asked. This is a list of where we go for direction, what's our foundation, and what lenses we look through to view the world and our faith.  Lastly, Wesley also said concerning money:  Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can.  Brilliant!
   
6. But the REAL question is, why not believe in all the Wesley stuff, but leave the rest behind?  (especially if it makes me move to new places even if I don't want to.)  Truth is:  the Methodist church nurtured and supported my faith from the day I was said to be "9 months away."  If it weren't for that kind of love, I don't know what kind of pastor I would be.  It was the church that walked with me until I saw my call.  It was the church who journeyed along my side as I learned what it meant to be a pastor.  It listened to me, taught and challenged me, it supported me with tens of thousands of dollars for my education, it embraced me, trusted me, gave me opportunities, and has always made sure that I am still growing and still being challenged.  I don't know how others might see it, but what I just described reminds me a lot of how Jesus would be like if he were among us today in person.
   
7. Finally:  My response to how I feel about not being able to decide how long I'll stay at a church or where I'll go next is as follows.  I knew from the beginning it would be like this.  Personally I desire it, although I know it has the potential to make things harder painful for a season.  But the way I see it is that this is my opportunity to give my life fully to Christ, to trust that God is fully in control of my call, and to see myself more as a missionary, being sent and serving wherever, rather than me choosing what I believe is the absolute best for me.  

Wesley always said to his congregations:  to "Think and let think."  It refers to the open community of thoughts and spiritual intuitions that are allowed to thrive in a place of diversity and unity both.  As you can see, I like it, and have thought and thought and thought--although it might be different from what another Methodist pastor may think.

J <><

Help. Top 6!

A question asked of me the other day was where, as a Pastor, do I go when I need help, am struggling with faith questions, or simply don't know.  Great question.  Luckily, although I am a pastor and do feel uniquely called and equipped to serve God in this leadership role, I am still human, and much like the rest of us.  There are a lot of times when I don't know, don't have the answers, or simply need to get a second opinion.  We have to go somewhere!

The only place I try not to go, but often consider going, is inside and away.  I think that one of the worst, yet fairly popular notions we buy into today is that we all our own heroes, that we all have the stuff it takes to be the shining star or our own epic success stories.  We call it the rugged individual, the self-made man/woman, or the diamond in the rough.  But the truth is that we were called to succeed in community, in togetherness.  Otherwise, Jesus wouldn't have called 12, and then 72, and then millions to do his work.  Otherwise, man and woman, family, and churches would not have been part of the plan.  From the very beginning, we would've been out on our own, making the world a better place, solving all our and only our problems.  But this simply isn't the case.

So, where do I go?  To whom do I go?

1. Prayer.  God needs to hear that I'm lost.  God needs to see me come before him in my moments of humility, despair, and confusion.
   
2. Scripture.  It's the foundation I stand upon.  But I rarely go searching by index or google search for scripture to speak specifically to my needs.  I feel like that's forcing what I want to hear--like looking for something to satisfy what I already think I need to hear.  But I don't blindly pick a spot either.  I'm always on a reading schedule, so I usually just read the next chapter or section and read until I feel I need to stop.  God has a mysterious and powerful way of speaking to us through his word, regardless of what the words say exactly.
   
3. Wife.  Sarah is my sounding board for most of life and faith.  She hears it, thinks about it, throws it back at me.  Often she'll respond in just the right ways, as God leads her to.  Other times, she'll also has no clue.
   
4. Fellow Pastors.  I have a covenant group with some other pastors.  We often have wisdom for each other, even if that wisdom simply flows out of our re-hashing the question or situation.  They're essential to be connected to.
   
5. Friends.  YOU might be the one who God chooses to speak through.  We never know.  I trust that God is fully capable of working good through anyone.
   
6. Books.  A quote I picked up on once was that "If you want a new idea, read an old book."  It's very true.  All wisdom started first with God.  From there, we pick it up, build upon it, move on from it, and often need to revisit it.  The point when we've forgotten is the point when we need to go back and remember.  

LASTLY, there are some answers that aren't supposed to be known.  There are some questions that no answer will suffice.  Mystery is sacred.  Not knowing keeps us searching, keeps us from building up our own pride, keeps us from isolating ourselves (Isaiah 6:9-11).  There are those moments when, even as a spiritual leader, I own that I don't know.  Then I draw near to God.  Those are very spiritual moments.

Thanks for asking!  

J <><

Hey, YOU Asked! Q&A #2

Last week I had a chance to reflect on some of my fears, based on a question asked to me on my questions card.  What a scary task that was!  This week I'll go through several questions.  Perhaps life is about answering questions.  But perhaps life is about living through questions that teach us and cause us to grow through asking more questions.  Does that make any sense?

1. "Do you have any pets?  Do you like animals?"
   
   Yes and yes!  Of course, as I stated last week, I have a healthy respect for animals, especially if I believe a particular animal has a secret motive to bite me.  Animals are great teachers, companions, and distractions (whether wild or domesticated).  I like big dogs that like to run.  I like cats most of all.  I became the owner of my cat Gizmo (grey, medium haired female, about 7 yrs) about 2 years ago now.  She came to me, pre-named, by way of being passed off from house to house for the last months.  Her owner was suffering from many addictions in his life, and his body was beginning to shut down.  He didn't have a permanent home and spent most of his time in and out of the hospital.  The one constant in his life was his friend Gizmo.  No matter which hospital or friend's apartment he was in, he could count on Gizmo being allowed to come on the weekends and sitting on his chest.  Gizmo is a very affectionate cat and prefers to cuddle, but she's also very timid and easily frightened.  She had worn out her welcome at all of her owner's friends' places, and was currently staying in a locked bathroom in a basement until her weekend stays at the hospital.  That's the point at which I was approached with the simple, rushed words, "do you need a cat!?"  I knew Sarah wanted a cat, but I told her that there was no getting one until we were married.  But here was my opportunity.  I said yes, as it was labeled a "temporary" situation until her owner could get better.  Gizmo came and lived with me on the weekdays and with her owner on the weekends.  That lasted for 4 months until her owner's body eventually gave away.  Since then, Gizmo has grieved, but moved on.  She's much less clingy these days, but still loves to be close, held, and played with.  She keep Sarah and me smiling and laughing, and honestly, she has been one of the greatest gifts to me--a patient, furry, vessel of God's eminent love for me.
   
2. "What motivates you?"
   
   Challenges motivate me--whether they are of the "impossible" nature or of the "daunting" nature, I tend gravitate toward the things that shouldn't be possible, or that look rather difficult.  This applies to my faith, to church, to my personal hobbies and free time.  I'm a daredevil and an adrenaline seeker.  Sarah says I'm lucky to be alive.
   
   I'm also motivated by love.  Nothing is better than to have a chance to love someone else, to be loved by someone else, to help others love each other, and most powerfully, to see others find Jesus' love and a personal love for Jesus.
   
   Life in general motivates me.  I love the energy found in a crowd; I love the simple sight of people coming alive for a reason or a passion.  I love feeling alive--whether I'm running, skiing, hiking, driving, swimming, worshiping, praying, or driving with the windows down and the music (way) up.  I love being alive in Christ and my creator, feeling the Holy Spirit rushing through me like a hurricane.
   
   I am a worker and a servant, and so I am also motivated by getting things done and helping others!

I am surprised by how much I have written in just two responses.  I'll save a little for latter.  Thank you all for your love and passion last weekend for the Concert on the Hill!!

Jason <><

Q&A #1: Terrified! Spiders, etc.

For the next couple of blogs, I'll be sharing thoughts and responses to questions asked to me in my "listening tour."

A great question to get started with is "What are you afraid of?"

1. Spiders, snakes, squirrels, mice, other rodents, small dogs, and anything that looks like it could bite or sting pretty hard.  I know.  This list is unrealistic.  But, I have been bitten by several small dogs while making home visits.  I don't know why.  But, those bites are enough to make me afraid.  And the squirrels in Bellevue were simply aggressive.  They were terrifying.  As far as spiders go, however, I like to push myself to touch, hold, or let them crawl on me, as a small effort to confront my fears.
   
2. I have a mild aversion to those who enjoy arguing for the sake of debating a point.  It's most likely because I'm too close to the issue or care too much.  I'm afraid of getting caught crying far too much at a movie that really isn't that sad.
   
3. I'm afraid of being wrong or incompetent, or appearing as though I don't know something that I should.
   
4. As for my leadership at Horizons, my initial fear is that I won't have the proper training, force, or skill sets to be an effective leader and pastor.  But then I shake myself and realize that what I need to be afraid of is that I'll get so ingrained in the idea that the success of this ministry is on my shoulders and that I'm the one who is responsible for making it work, rather than fully submitting myself to God and working for God's glory.  God is the One who called me to Horizons, who created me and my journey leading up to this point in Horizons' ministry life.  It's not really up to me and my skill sets.  Like Paul says, when I weak, then I am made strong (2 Cor. 12:10).  Furthermore, it is God who decides how, when, and at what points on the road that Horizons will succeed.  I simply wish to offer my life as a vessel for God's work.
   
5. These are some of the things I could and would be afraid of, if it weren't for my relationship with Jesus:  not having enough money, losing my possessions to theft, misuse, or disaster, losing those close to me, getting into an accident that would severely change the course of my life, living through the next "great depression," the rapture, evil spirits, the "foreigner," etc.
   
6. These are some of the things I should be afraid of, but to my own, and especially Sarah's dismay, I am not:  getting sick from food, getting sick from shaking sick peoples' hands, getting in an accident, having to survive in the wilderness with no supplies, talking to strangers, speaking publicly when not prepared, asking for directions, blood, the sight of others' injuries, fire, expired/spoiled food, picking my nose hairs in public, singing in front of strangers, etc.
   
7. I am currently unsure whether I am afraid of what you, my reader at the moment, might think of this post or of me after finishing.  I'm afraid I'll have to get back to you on this last one.

Jason <><

A Top 10!

This probably doesn't qualify as a top ten list.  Maybe it's 10 musings.  But they're all about the journey, the joys, the adventures, and the great people.  And in classic Jason Kennedy style, there are more than 10.  Go figure :-)

1. I almost have a clean desk!  It's my 6th week, starting today.  My desk has undergone several transformations.  Right now, it's almost clean.  But, I have a feeling it's going to go through another phase called the "brain hurricane."  Good luck desk...
   
2. Prayer, prayer, prayer.  Everybody's praying!  I've found myself praying more than I'm taking gulps from my water pitcher.  The staff keep talking about praying about things.  There's a whirlwind surge of prayers coming across the horizons for a Horizons man needing healing.  Jamie couldn't stop praying this last Sunday.  The only way the message came together last Sunday was through some deep knee-aching prayer.  Amen?
   
3. Bibles!  I love the startled look that I still get every once in a while when I say "open up your Bibles."  We're all getting used to this, but it's been a huge foundation for us all.  I see people with heads down getting deep into the word at hand during the service.  I see the pile of Bibles at the information center gradually going down.  People timidly come and ask if it's okay to use iPhones, Droids, or tablets during the service. Are you kidding me?  Go for it!
   
4. Shorts, sandals, t-shirts.  As cool, young, hip, energetic, etc. as I have pulled off looking up to this point, I've never preached in shorts, t-shirts, or sandals at a main service before Horizons without there being some "extra special reason."  It's a blast!  But wait until I put some robes on for fun.  Or not...
   
5. A van full of fun?  I had the chance to drive the second van to Schlitterbaun Water Park in KC this last Thursday.  I'm sure Nicole had that talk with the youth:  "look, you can't all ride in my van.  some of you are going to have to ride with Jason..."  Well, I think it went pretty well.  No one knows what to think of me the first time something blurps out of my mouth.  No one knows quite what is going on the first time I (safely) burst into dance to a Top 40 song on the radio I probably shouldn't know and/or like (being a pastor and all).  Not even my own, poor wife knew what to do with her husband.  "Who are you?"  She asked with a half-smile.  :-)  We talked; it's all good. 
   
6. A hallway full of MOVE.  Word got out that our sermon series was MOVE.  And then, word got loose and exploded all over the DZ and BOB hallways!  There is MOVE all over the walls and floors and ceilings!  I love it--wish we could do that to the entire building, and maybe individual's vehicles.
   
7. Bible studies, digging.  There is no doubt in my mind that Horizons is starving to go deeper.  I don't think anyone cares whether they are a seeker, a doubter, a seat-warmer, distracted youth, or builder.  Nearly every person I've talked to has expressed the need for us to go deeper!  I've started to see small groups and boys groups and other groups start going there. It's a beautiful thing.  My nickname in college used to be "Deep."  I think my friends were annoyed.  But here, it's okay to be me!
   
8. Never-ending button.  The button that showed up on my desk half way through VBS that says "Why yes, I am the Pastor.  Really."  Is now on display on my desk.  It's quite fitting, and continues to be.  Everyone once in a while I still get mistaken for a grandchild, youth, or recent college grad.  No worries.  I love it, and God can use it!  Really.
   
9. Startled faces with names!  For a new guy, there's nothing sweeter than a directory full of names and faces.  Thank you to all you participated in Horizons' last directory.  There's nothing more enjoyable for me than chasing after people I've never met and calling after them by name.  NOBODY knows what to say when that happens!  For the rest of you, keep me guessing.  By God's grace, we'll get it.
   
10. Grace and gumption.  No matter how God is blessing my memory right now with faces and names, I still make a lot of mistakes and have to keep asking again and again.  But GRACE, even in this rather superficial way, is alive!  Thank you all who have gracefully reminded, even though I should know by now.
    
11. Jesus prevails!  The funny thing about the cycles in a Pastor's week is that it never fails:  Monday is sluggish and sporadic, Tuesday is deep and intense, Wednesday is supper energized, Thursday is end of the office-week stroll, and Friday - Saturday begin the days of getting nervous, anxious, and curious about how Sunday is going to go.  But by Sunday afternoon, Sarah and I are reflecting, often in near tears, as we recall how beautiful God is and how much God is moving at Horizons, no matter the anxious doubts and moments of insecurity.  Jesus is walking, step by step, with us.  We just have to see it and TRUST it!
    
12. I forgot.  I had one more that I was going to jot down as I was typing the above list.  But now that I'm finally here, I've forgotten what it was.  Like most things I'd like to remember, I should have written it down.  
    
13. Thank You!  to all of you who are taking the time and effort to care for the Horizons building!!  You're beautiful people!

Desperate Church Guy!

There is a desperate relationship with Jesus, a connection with God, that each of us should yearn for in our lives.  It's one of the greatest places to be--desiring (desperately) to be fully immersed in that 24/7 pool of God's presence.  All of the crazy stuff that has happened in my and Sarah's life lately has definitely ushered us directly into that pool.  Perhaps we were thrown in to some degree.  But regardless, it's been great.  There have been few times when we've felt closer to God than right now! 

Today I got a card in the mail that was congratulating me for my move and new marriage.  The sender of the card assured me that she has been praying ardently for us, not being able to imagine how stressful it must have been for us to get married and move to a new church all at the same time.  Yet her note spoke of wisdom.  In conclusion, although she couldn't image how we are holding up, she concluded that she was sure that my joy is far outweighing any challenges that come my way. 

She's right!  My joy does prevail...when I let it.  What I suddenly realized from this note is that although I am in one of the most treasured places right now, concerning my closeness to Christ, I'm in constant danger of losing my spot.  When we're desperate, we can be desperate about the right things, but desperation can also be a wrecker of anything good.  A great deal of my desperation has transpired into prayers and requests of success in this new venture.  Success is good, but it's self serving and far from the ultimate point.  Joy, on the other hand, is rich, it is deep, and its source comes directly from intimacy with our maker.  If my desperation transpires into seeking Joy, then the rest doesn't matter.  If I seek joy in this new venture, then I can see the rest of what I do and the rest of what happens through the lens of that joy that Christ has given me.

I've been around enough to know that Joy is sweeter than any success or happiness.  So...Joy...got any plans for dinner tonight?  Lunch?  Now??  I can do now.

Amen!

Wishing I Could Get Ahead

I've been at Horizons for 2 and a half weeks now!  It's been going great, but everything's new.  New people, new routines, new home, new family... yep.  There's so much to do, so much learning.  The first day I was in the office, before I could get started on the new computer, I first had to figure out how the chair worked so I could sit in comfort.  I'm sure it was a sad moment to see the new guy, sitting in his naked office in front of a dark monitor, tinkering with his chair as if that was the key to smooth operations at church. 

But everything's been like that.  Before I can do anything I actually need to do, I have to about 10 things that don't seem relevant at all.  I'm not really complaining though.  It's just a good picture to paint:  with everything I wish to accomplish, there's an equal ammount of learning or tinkering to be done.

So here's the deal.  In my attempt to get settled here at Horizons as quickly as possible, I'm moving like a freight train.  I'm rolling through the stops, plowing through the blocks.  I enjoy moving at this rate.  It feels natural, comfortable even.  But it does get old sometimes.

I get the image of the dog chasing its tail--or something like the Tom and Jerry cartoons.  I'm always trying to get ahead--always trying to create some space for that big break in the action.  The only problem is that the faster I work, the more I do, and the more things I try to get ahead of.  But there's no getting ahead of "being ahead."  So here I am, chasing the getting ahead destination, only to find it's chasing me instead.

At any rate, it's nice to stop trying to get ahead for once, and perhaps even fall a little behind.  That's where God seems to work the best.  When the train slows down, the chariot picks up the pace.  In Life with God, there's no need to get ahead.  There's just today.  Right now.  Getting ahead is senseless and offensive. 

So, I'm not terribly sure exactly how much I'll slow down, but at least there's a chance I'll quit chasing "getting ahead."  Thanks to Jesus for offering that grace as we walk.  Thanks to the staff and crew here at Horizons for your enthusiasm, grace, and understanding.  We'll get to where we're going right on time.

Jason <><