For you faithful readers (the ten or so of you) I had a fun but sad conversation with a police officer this afternoon. I had called the police to notify a detective that my guitar had been found. The police officer had asked me if I were going to give the person who brought my guitar back the money he had lost in "buying" the guitar. The police officer insisted that I not give the person his money back because of this persons struggle with drugs and the fact that he was on probation. We had an interesting little discussion in that the police officer said, "you see we’re both about the same thing when it comes to helping this guy who I think took your guitar." "We’re both about rehabilitating this guy." "The only difference is that I want him in jail and you want him to have Jesus." He then asks, "what do you want me to do with this guy?" I said, "nothing." My only struggle now is I don’t want to contribute to his "stuff." I’d rather give him my guitar, go buy him a gift certificate for a guitar, or a bunch of food vouchers from a super market. What would you do?

I find it interesting that both Reformation Sunday and the two year aniversary of Yaconelli’s death have landed on one of the most important days within the life of the church universal. I can’t help but think of what church historians will write about Yaconelli over the next fifty years when it comes to youth ministry within the church. As youth ministry continues to grow as a recognized and valued ministry within the four walls of church, I hope folks will include people like Mike Yaconelli. Although I watched Yac from afar, listened, read, and fed off the words the Lord gave to him from upon high to feed us youth folks, I’m grateful for the impact he has had on the kingdom…the church…and the heavenly responsibility of loving kids as Christ loved them. So, on Yacoformation Sunday tomorrow, let us remember why we do what we do with kids…thanks Mike for teaching us to "jump first…fear later."

(HT:ysmarko)

(Brokaw interviewing Ted Haggard, President of the National Association of Evangelicals) Tonight I watched NBC’s "In God They Trust… It was an interesting interview on evangelicals and their influence on politics…I’m not much of a politician…I heard some of the themes discussed tonight when I was in seminary. It’s tough. I know there are evangelicals who don’t want to be clumped into this "we love Jesus, we rock" type of Christianity. I also know that there are folks who are turned off by an evangelicalism that scares folks away because we’re labeled as the ultimate of Jesus freaks…not that there’s anything wrong with this…I’d be the first to admit this…this is where I appreciate the emergent discussion as a pastor. It excites me that both the right, the left, the middle, and the upside down are conversing on issues that have been tough to talk about as the body of Christ, a conversation that is pushing the church to becoming more of a missional body, going out into the world, being sent by Christ, to model and live out a gospel that draws the brokenhearted into the presence of God. If anything tonights interview is another reason to read books like the "Post-Evangelical." It’s not the answer, but it is a discussion that will force the church to go back to it’s roots…I wonder of Brokaw was following the liturgical calendar this weekend? Isn’t it Reformation Sunday this weekend? How would have Luther reacted to Brokaws interview?

Thanks marko for the link. I’ve been wanting to get my kiddoe hooked on one of my favorite bands...yeah, no more nickjr!

Found this in an email this morning…how many of you got this today or will get this very soon?
1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.
2. You haven’t
played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone
numbers to reach your family of 3.
4. You e-mail the person who works at
the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with
friends and family is that they don’t have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull
up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help
you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web
site at the bottom of the screen.
8. Leaving the house without your cell
phone, which you didn’t have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is
now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get
up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
11. You
start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )
12. You’re reading this
and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you
are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there
was no #9 on this list.
15. You actually scrolled back up to check that
there wasn’t a #9 on this list.

AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

I’m not sure yet how I feel about this. I think I’m on the middle and I don’t want to stifle what the holy spirit can do with folks who are very intentional and don’t want to be cheesy when it comes to the proclamation of the gospel. I also know this is old news. I saw it last week somewhere on yahoo news and just read it hear. Thanks to Pastor Warren who God is using in many ways, I now can drink my morning devotion in the form of a venti non-fat carmel machiatto…it’s a WWJD bracelet on a cup (I’m one of the dorks who got kids to buy the bracelets in the 90’s)?  How will those who are turned off by extreme evangelicalism react to Jesus junk on a cup? I’m almost finished with "The Post-Evangelical," and I’m guessing this would be one of those things that push some over the edge…when it comes to in your face Jesus junk…anyways…more power to Rick…maybe I’m just jealous that Starbucks didn’t come to me…I’m the one who continues to help their stock grow…I could of come up with some Jesus stuff for their cups…and maybe even make some of my money back he-he…

(A local hangout…)

One of my favorite subjects in the church has now appeared in the form of a simple little blog on leadership. It’s worth the read. ysmarko is the latest of cats interviewed.

A picture says so much…

Chopper
Originally uploaded by patlike.

In ministry all we can do is look up. Looking up keeps us focused on what seems like brief moments of God’s grace that rain down upon our souls. It’s what keeps us going in ministry. For me as a pastor I need those droplets of grace. I need the hand of God to replinish my soul that thirsts for more and more of God’s over abundance of grace. When I look down I loose sight of those brief moments of grace that somehow seem to teach me, mold me, and shape me into the person that Christ has called me to be in all that I do and say as a follower of Christ. I then get to help move others into the presence of Christ, to facilitate those moments in life, where God’s grace seems to fall upon us. I get to help others to look up…