I recently read something by Brennan Manning that really hit between the eyes to how blessed I really am. In The Ragamuffin Gospel, he writes, “We are equally privileged but unentitled beggars at the door of God’s mercy.†(Ouch!) I live most of my life in belief that I deserve this or I am worth that, but the simple fact is that I deserve zilch, zero, nothing. One of the beautiful mysteries of God is this that I deserve nothing less than rejection and death, but he pours out His love and mercy to me everyday. If a man ever walked on this earth that deserved His love and grace, it certainly is not I. The greatest gift I ever received was offered to me before I was even conceived before my ancestors ever considered their lineage; love and mercy. I so readily accept and take for granted this gift, but wondering what my life would rally look like if I could live this realization out for a mere week or even a day?
Archive for the ‘Follow’ Category
entitled to zilch
Tuesday, November 6th, 2007The Pittsburgh Project
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
I wanted to draw your attention to one of the most amazing community development organization I have ever been had the privilege to be involved with, The Pittsburgh Project. I was an adult leader that took a group of high school students with a church I attended in college. In that week I witnessed so many heart changes not just with the family my work team assisted, but also the kids I lead. The organization was so well ran and the projects that the kids are given make real impacts and life changes, not just cosmetic that fade once they are gone. I highly recommend this trip for any Youth Pastors considering Spring Break or Summer Youth Trips.
Go, serve a community one home at a time.
another man in the boat
Monday, July 2nd, 2007
There has been a reoccurring theme in my life for the past year and it revolves around the story of Peter getting out of the boat and walking on the ocean to Jesus (Matt 14:24-32). The story has influenced or tormented me so, that is the basis for the name of this blog, Just Jump.
Recently, I have been praying for something as clear as I what heard roughly a 9 months ago at the 3C Leadership Conference on my next step. This story of Peter stepping out of the boat started to haunt me after this conference and a message given by Dave Ferguson entitled Jump. Well it came on Sunday at The Orchard and delivered by Scott Hodge. The message was in reference to us living out the potential that God has placed in us, that He has a plan for each of our lives, and God wants us in spite of our mistakes and failings; all we need to do is ‘Just Jump’. We need only have the faith to trust God. The message came from Matthew 14:24-32 the story of Peter having enough faith to step out of boat. It wasn’t obvious or did it make sense that Peter would step out of the comfort of the boat during the storm, but he did.
It felt as though the message was written and Scott was delivering it directly to me. I know, call me deranged and narcissistic, but it definitely spoke to my spirit my inner conflict. It is really awesome how the Holy Spirit can take a singular message and deliver it directly to person like me, because I am sure there were others there that felt as I.
I secretly want to be Peter, to have the courage to climb over the rail of the boat and completely trust. I hear God calling, but I am struggling with leaving the comfort of the boat behind.
a decision to jump
Tuesday, June 19th, 2007Since October of 2006 I have believed that I would be soon tested to step out in faith, to just jump from my boat of security. I immediately accessed my need to have faith and trust the call and found comfort in the story of Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14:28 -33). I knew the time would come that I would have to make the decision one day to jump from the boat and rely on my Lord. I wondered would I have the trust in the call enough to believe that I would not sink, could I fully commit to my convictions.
Well, a few months later that moment came and here I stand in indecision; wrestling with a decision for a few weeks now. I usually have my anxieties over the decision well under control, but there are those days where it is the one thing that keeps me from being productive. I am certain the decision to step out and follow this call is the right call, but the realities of this life keep me grounded and incapable of making the move. I found myself saying, yes, but only if all these bases are covered. I hear the call, the doors are open, and I thought I was willing, but only if it is fits the plan I resolved to follow. I thought for a long time that if God wanted me to fulfill this opportunity he would make it painless or at least more comfortable. I wrestled with why God would open the doors but not complete my checklist. Em (my wife) started to ask me if I truly believed in the call and challenged my not moving forward, well this is when things started getting tough. I rationalized why this was out of my hands and all in God’s timing not mine. When I had just about rationalized everything in my heart and brought myself to a peaceful place once more, when I was slapped across the face with a story from Luke (9:57-62) about discipleship.
There black, red, and white print was the story that paralleled what I was dealing with and my behavior. In the story a man called to the Lord saying, I will follow you. Jesus places a barrier by letting the first would-be disciple that He has no place to lay his head. Jesus then calls another, that disciple responds that he must bury his father. Jesus responds to him by saying, “Let the dead bury the deadâ€, clearly identifying that His call is above any other obligations. The third would-be disciple asked to follow Jesus, but asked to return to say farewell to his family before he follows, essentially setting his terms with his discipleship. Jesus responds, “No one, after putting his hands to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.†Clearly Jesus establishes that a life of discipleship is not a life of compromise and dictates from the disciple, but is to be directed by God. (I think this would make a great teaching.)
This story has placed me in a conundrum, who will I be like in this story? I am so torn between fully accepting the call without question, but unsure about my current obligations. I ask myself daily, “If you truly believe in the call, then why are you jumping out of the boat?†I could have continued to right about this all evening, but I guess I need to close. I close with a request; please pray that my decision become clear and my heart and mind become obedient.
Costly Grace
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007
I am in the process of going through a strenuous read that was given to me by a really close friend suggested I read. The book is “The Cost of Discipleship†by Dietrich Bonhoeffer and is focused on the relationship between ourselves and teachings of Jesus. It is very thought provoking thus far. In chapter 1 Bonhoeffer focuses on how we have made something that was very costly, grace, into a cheap commodity. Here is his description of cheap and costly grace.
Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.
This initial chapter was a challenge to revaluate what grace truly mean to me? How do I present it to others in a manner that upholds the truth, majesty and price that was paid for the grace that I so readily accept without consideration to what it cost our Lord.
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Grilling and Communtiy
Sunday, June 3rd, 2007Father’s Day came early. I have wanted a grill for home for moths, but have been unable to make the commitment to purchased one. Well it finally happened this past weekend. Em and the kids purchased me one for father’s day. We picked it up at Target and on sale, score. 
Much like a kid on Christmas I couldn’t wait to open the box and play with it. At 10:15pm, I read the instructions on the assembly to see if it indicated how long assembly should take, 30 to 45 minutes. To make a long story short the timing estimate is for the engineer that designed it. Well at 12:30 my new toy was ready.
I had to do the obvious next step and invite people over for the inaugural grilling on Sunday evening. A few friend’s came by and we ate until we couldn’t eat any more. There was a moment at the end of the evening, where I kick myself for not having a camera. Shawn sat on a recliner near the steps on the deck and leaned back. The moments preceding that were in slow motion and gut splitting hilarious. When he leaned back the chair kept moving and his feet went straight up, Jeff reached for him, but stopped half-way to save his water or something. Then the chair came to rest on its back then rolled to the left where it dumped Shawn down the steps. The scene was much like you would see in a movie slow an animated as slid down the stairs and hit the ground. Shawn just laid there as kids and wives piled out of the house to see what the commotion was all about. Shawn thinks for the laugh.
After Sunday’s food, fun and friends (the three F’s) I am only certain of one thing that the deck and grill will be open for backyard community gatherings all summer. I am certain moments like these were part of God’s plan when developed and required us to live in community.
Sharing Jesus
Thursday, May 10th, 2007
Listening to a podcast by Rob Bell this evening, I was challenged to look at something in my own life more closely. Do I look for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus to those in my life? I believe the answer is many times, yes. I believe that often I have used excuses for not having the discussion, such as it isn’t PC in the workplace, that it may turn them off, they aren’t ready to hear. But, tonight I was reminded of something that I knew, but find so easily forgotten. The Gospel of Jesus does not have to be spoken it is experienced. I am already sharing what Jesus is like. People know I profess Christ as my Savior, so they look to me and my actions as a representative of Christ. They experience or do not experience Christ through knowing us, so am I always reflecting Jesus? This is even the case with people that don’t know my faith, because we are to show the Love of Christ and bring glory to His name to all people.
Reflecting Jesus
Tuesday, November 28th, 2006I have recently completed the book, “Irresistible Revolution†by Shane Claiborne. 
Within the book a way of life is described that reintroduces the world to the heart of Jesus. This reminiscent Jesus that Shane is in love with is not unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but He is unseen and unsettling in many “Christian†circles today. He displays a Love for his fellow man; which is displayed by compassion, servitude, and a broken heart for the hurting. This Jesus that Shane is attempting to emulate has reverberated in me and has caused me to reflect on how I try to reflect Jesus in my life. Am I willing to truly to give all of me up to make myself so vulnerable to the recklessness of Christ’s love for me and his creation? If we were able to love our fellow man as Jesus loved us, what a difference we could make. I know that I have been asked to carry my cross and not Shane’s, but I think this may be a cross we are all to bear.Â
If you were to ask me what I think the greatest gift we offer one another as the Body of Christ it, I would say Community. This has driven me to perfect community and increasing the sphere of influence, which has many times left me questioning the purpose. I am concerned if the development of community has become a task that we check off our leadership assessment then is it real, I think not. Community will only become real and vital to people’s lives when it mirrors the community that Christ lived. Community 
should come from genuine love of the people in my life, those I pass on the street, my co-workers, the homeless man on the corner begging for change and even those that push every hot button I have. What would small groups, church congregations, families, and our place of work if we started see the people in our communities as Christ sees them? Can you imagine the change in people’s lives; loneliness, fear, and hunger to name a few could become eradicated. I believe that people are looking for more and it isn’t more programs, more dazzle, more meeting times, but more from us in their community. People inherently want to know do they matter and when we learn to love one another in true Christ centered community; they will know they are significant.
Scum of the Earth
Tuesday, October 24th, 2006As I was flipping through a book titled ‘Inside the Organic Church’ by Bob Whitesel the name of a church in Denver, CO grabbed me, “Scum of the Earth Church“. I opened the book to the chapter on the church, but only really expecting a clever name for a typical white suburbia church. What I found was a mission to reach society’s outcasts, the untouchables, and those typically not welcomed in a “normal†church. This provokes me to wonder if I could be as brave as the founder Mike Sares and truly take the good news to outcast of society.
Their Foundation:
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)
Their Mission is to be a church who:
- seeks intimacy with God and honest relationships with others
- cultivates creativity and uses everyone’s gifts
- asks questions while seeking Truth
- recognizes our need for a Savior
- passionately yet respectfully shares the saving love of Christ
- demonstrates God’s love in our community
My only point to this post was to bring attention to an incredible ministry and to show what Following Christ may look like. Take a look at their site and let me know what you think about their ministry.
