What I've Been Reading...

Not as Good as I Expected

I'm trying to make a conscious effort to focus on my marriage in the midst of all the emotional, financial, and spiritual challenges we have been going through. I listened to this audio book from the library and was pretty disappointed. It's boring. Overly technical at places and a little blib at others. Did I mention it was boring? As a skeptic I wonder if this is little more than a commercial for their new E harmony Marriage subscription service. Surely the marketing partnership left a bad taste in my mouth. With only three audio discs this was TOO long for what it had to say.

Just Walk Across the Room

I often struggle with the SaddleCreek / WillowBack Mega church models, methods, and ministries. This is the first book I've read by Hybels. It's a bit cliche but I like his "3D" evangelism model.

1. Develop Relationship

2. Discover Another's Story

3. Discern next steps

Books I've Read or am Reading

Despite a pretty busy and stressed out schedule. I've managed to do pretty good on my reading latey. I also read Vindicated, by Jose Canseco (which wierdly enough also has a red cover). I've been doing some periodical bathroom reading from TIME, Relevant, SPIN, the West Valley View, LEADERSHIP, and Ministry Today.

I can highly recomend all of the above books. Shane Clairborne's book is beautiful. Thanks largely to my friends Ryan and Holly. It really challenges some ideas like "just war" theory and was quite the follow up for Jim Wallis's Great Awakening. (I know the authors are friends and I happened to read Wallis right before Clairborne). Clairborn does an excellenet job of using the entire biblical narrative to illustrate the different way of Jesus and how that way may influence our politics and way of life.
Prothero's work is very interesting and I think everyone should take his Religous literacy quiz. I at least passed and actually probably would have got an "A" if it was graded on a curve. I'm just not too good with the Hindu stuff and I'm always confusing my sacrements. I wish I would have read "the Last Word..." before I jumped into McLaren's "Everything Must Change". Both cross some theological lines I am not confortable crossing but I do appreciate the conversation that is happening and I really enjoy the narrative eavesdropping approach found in McLaren's Triology. Lastly I'm reading Boundaries as something we will use at church. I'm having a hard time being critical of my own boundaries (and lack of them) while at the same time maintaining a "whatever it takes" approach to church planting.

What's up with the red / orange covers? I'm not sure. What are you reading? Anything interesting?

Marriage, My Mom, My Mentors, & Music

In John Eldridge's WILD AT HEART he suggests that every male is longing to answer the same question... Do I have what it takes?

As we settle into our recent monumental changes, I ask this question often. Being a husband, dad, pastor. Do I have what it takes?

Diligence. Faithfulness. Consistency.

Those are the three words for this new season. Three concepts I'm longing to understand better. Three attributes I want my kids to see in me. Three causes I wish the Church would wear better.

My wife is the best. I can't imagine living this adventure with anyone else. She has sacrificed so much in answering this call. When my time is in such high demand, I know our time is often what I neglect. Saying "I'm sorry" seems like an understatement and insufficient expression of my heart. I am hopeful for her to somehow know peace and quiet in a house with three small children.

My mom is a special lady. How do you forget to call your mom on her 55th birthday? Is that a symptom of overwhelming changes or a well meaning compliment? As we celebrated Mom's day at church Sunday, I was reminded of how my mom continues to go out of her way to make my life better, easier, and more meaningful. I can only hope she sees the grace and redemption in the legacy that is our family.

I was so encouraged to meet with a group of pastors this week; my peers, mentors, and friends. No one pointed out my failures. No one said "You shoulda...". They prayed for me. They acted like this little church plant in West Phoenix was the most exciting thing happening anywhere. And many of them drove a great distance to do so.

I struggle with creativity. Part of me longs to be an artist, a poet, a musician. Often people in those vocations frustrate me, yet I am envious inside. You may not know this, but from 6th grade - high school graduation I played Trombone. Marching Band, Jazz Band, Offertory Orchestra at church... that was me. I never really over achieved in any of these ( I got awards like "most improved" and ""most inspirational"), but I always enjoyed the social outlet of hanging out with musicians. There's always been something inside me that has great respect for those who can create expressions of beauty. Most recently I am impressed once again by Cobalt Season. Their new Song Time Will Tell resonates with some of what I'm feeling. You could listen on their myspace and check out the lyrics if you are interested. (By the way, I am biased towards the trombone accompaniment)

Diligence. Faithfulness. Consistency.
I am thankful for those listed above who have demonstrated these to me.

In case you were wondering...

The new church is doing well. Last month we were with-in $100 of covering all of our expenses (excluding my salary). The whole valley is not saved yet, and there is less than a million dollars in the bank, but I am hopefully optimistic that what God has begun, He will be faithful to complete. I belive very soon we will see fruit (like those who live outside of the church being impacted by the gospel), and I am hopeful for increased attendance and financial stability. Last week was a kinda cool disaster. Worship included the guitar and keyboard in different keys, a run away drummer doing his own thing, and a very distracted sound guy messing it up worse. The kids class had play dough being thrown and junior high boys being a real thorn in the teachers side. If all of this wasn't enough, after church we had a first grader make a false alarm call to 911 that no one knew about until the police showed up. It felt like we were having real, mature, church issues. Honestly, we are shooting for the quality, polished, well done presentation of truth, and I am almost at the point where I can laugh about Sunday. For now, I am thankful for the process and the grace being shared with in our growing core group.


This is what I'm reading...

This is what I'm listening to

Sheet Music

I'm just about finished with Kevin Leman's marriage manual "Sheet Music". I've been trying to take some proactive steps in keeping my marriage healthy during this stressful time of transition.

It's been fun. I'm sure many people would disagree with him. Some probably think he's an uptight prude while other's would probably question his salvation. It was refreshing to me to read a book from a Christian worldview that deals with sexual technique and physical intimatcy. Where I grew up, there just wasn't alot of discussion about ky jelly, orgasm, oral sex, erogenous zones, or the other topics Dr. Leman tackles.

It really is the kind of book I wish I would have read seven years ago. Any newlyweds out there? Check out this book!

Books and Toddlers

My oldest, the boy, is brillant. Recently he pulled the game cube out of a mess of video game accesories. He then went on to find the correct power cord, the correct AV cables, and also the correct controllers. Amazing, knowing that a psone, xbox, vsmile, and who knows what else were all sharing the same box. He then plugs everything in correctly and starts playing Namco Classics. Not bad for a five year old. I'm actually a very proud ex-gaming dad, just a little bit concerned that the game he most often chooses is "Primal Rage" For those of you who missed the 90's fighting game craze this one pits evolutionary dinosaurs and other creatures against each other with really cool neon "blood" flying everywhere. I know, I'm pretty much ruining my son, right? Well I try to balance this with a healthy love for books too. So myself and the oldest two were reading "Gigi, the Princess" when the boy says, "Hold on Dad, Pause it" and goes to check on something. That's right...pause the book. Priceless.

On Deck...

I "Forgot" what this book was called.
So instead the book club will be reading McLaren's latest.

It's Not ACTUALLY our Anniversary...

Until September 23rd. Since I'm preaching that night and taking students to Six Flags the day before, we celebrated this weekend. Just me, the wife, the Ashe Cabin, and no kids. No Blogging. No Internet. No movies. NoTV. It was fantastic. I beat my high score for Dig Dug on my wifes phone... twice. I finally finished Freedom of Simplicity by Foster and also Things You Should Know by Now by Jason Boyett.

Spent lots of time with the wife. Drank lots of coffee. Ate half a gallon of Ice Cream, and slept often.

I also had time to re-evaluate some goals I made at the begining of the year.

Here are the dissapointments....
It's after Labor Day and I weigh more than 250 lbs. I have not taken the classes I planned to and I have not been disciplined in my good eating habits or my walking. I have yet to make it to a local youth pastors gathering this year. I'm half way to my bro's 08 b-day and I am not half way done with my Bible reading. My debt is just as overwhelming as it was before and I still wish I made more time for the wife and kids. While blogging quite a bit, I have not submitted any articles or manuscripts to anybody.

Here's the good news...
I have made huge steps in the way I value relationships. I feel like things are good with the wife and each of my kids. While I haven't attended too many meetings, I have stayed fairly connected by email, phone, and blogging to several friends, local youth pastors, guys in my fellowship, and also emerging circles. I made three book club meetings and am looking forward to what's next for that unique group. I feel like I have been being mentored and am also mentoring others. I go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. I have a more regular schedule that usually involves breakfast. I've read a ton of books this year. I am managing my time better, and I am in the process of implementing some good changes in our youth ministry. It has been a struggle, but I have been intentional in keeping student ministry the prioity in what I do for the church. I have taken some fairly significant steps towards one day planting a church. I feel like my bro is more healthy and more at peace than he was at the begining of this year, and I feel like I had a part in this.

Conclusion.
I want to value PEOPLE not programs or policy. I want to value RELATIONSHIPS not rules and regiment. This has been a healthy good change in my life. This has been difficult and time consuming. This goes against what I used to be, and goes against the functional practicality of the culture I live in. There were events that I could not have planned for that impacted my health, time commitments, financial commitments, and ability to meet all of these goals. I am still a largely undisciplined, weak, imperfect person who becomes overwhelmed easily and often finds accomplishment in doing the least effort required. I am still a part of a local church that schedules so much ministry and outreach that sometimes I feel like there is little time left for any real ministry or outreach. My goals were good goals. I will continue to work towards them.

150th Post... Kids in Crisis

If and when I write a book, Dean Merrill is the one I want to edit it. He sent me a copy of his new book and I've jumped in with two feet. It has a slight clinical slant to it but seems to focus on the old "relationship with rules" approach. Very helpful and written in an accessible manner that should me helpful to parents, youth workers, and anyone else who is making a difference in the lives of young people.

What I 'm Reading

I am a little irritated that it's taking so long to receive...

I should be more patient since it only costs me 75 cents.

I've decided to go ahead and do a quick read of Orthodoxy while I'm waiting. This should make my friend Mr. G very happy. Here's a quote from the first chapter where Chesterton is seeking common ground with his reader on the basis of "...this desirability of an active and imaginative life, picturesque and full of a poetical curiosity..." Beautiful. He goes on to say, "...we need this life of practical romance; the combination of something that is strange with something that is secure". I'm a little anxious to find out what lies ahead.

Heaven, Exodus, and Ordination

I finished Simply Christian yesterday... before the book club. This represents a small miracle. I actually had a wonderful opportunity to sit in a manicured courtyard at University of San Diego and read for over an hour. It was cool. The birds were singing. The breeze was blowing. And I could smell the low tide. I sat at a table with a virgin Mary statue reading over my shoulder while I went through the second section of this meaningful work by an Anglican Priest. This is about as multi-cultural as I get. I'm kidding. NT Wright is wonderfully balanced, gracious, and on views of biblical history, seems fairly conservative. I enjoyed his book and the discussion at the book club immensely.

N T Wright communicates this re occurring theme through out his book. There are circumstances where heaven and earth intersect. With out getting too far out there (some of our book club discussion was on witching hours, Constantine, and Celtic thin spaces), I think this is a beautiful and accurate picture of kingdom living. While we wait for the second coming, be it a "left behind" type rapture or a more ahmillennial "new heaven and new earth", may we live our lives in such a way that heaven can intersect with earth. May HIS will be done on earth as it is in heaven, even here and now.

Another reoccurring theme is the scriptural idea of exodus and return. This was an encouragement to me. Even when we seem like we are lost in the desert, God's plan is still the promised land. This was something I needed to here.

So much of our discussion at book club was not related at all to the book. As we were all cleaning up I find out Rev Rock, well he's not really a Rev. In fact, he's kinda opposed to ordination. I spent all morning trying to find the biblical example with certificates and clergy cards and inscribing REV on your Bible. Those specifics aren't there! My own ordination service was a wonderful time of confirming what God had already spoken in my life, alot like the laying on of hands we see in Acts. Licensing was done behind closed doors but my ordination was out in the open alot like baptism is a public confession of faith. Kevin suggested that licensing you can get out of, but ordination is for a lime time. I know this is irrelevant to most of you, but it's got me all stirred up. I'll post more later. Your thoughts?

Justice, Spirituality, Relationship, and Beauty

These are the four apologetics N. T. Wright points to in the first section of Simply Christian, which I just finished. I just finished the first section, not he whole book. I'm wonderfully pleased so far, and anxious to finish before Thursday night's book club. This first section has wome wonderful discussion on the ideas of truth and tension.

Wright suggest that "truth must relate to, and make sense of..." at least five things we all do.

1. We tell stories.

2. We act out rituals.

3. We create Beauty.

4. We work in communities.

5. We think out beliefs

On to section 2, but first I have to run the bus for our student gathering.

Death by Suburbia?

My brother hates suburbia. Super Target, Applebees, and Krispy Kreme would not be high on his list of what is needed where he wants to live. I actually kinda like these retail establishments, but my bro and I have had some great discussions about the "toxicity" of suburbia, the felt safety that seems to stealing life out of the very beings of our friends, family, and society.

I was at a birthday party last night and the five year old birthday boy got a really awesome skate board from his parents. The sweet old lady (who I love dearly), sitting right behind me, shouts, "Where's the helmet? He'll likely kill himself". I remember riding in the back of a van pre-seat-belt-law days (oh the good ol days). I remember going down scalding hot aluminum slides and hanging on monkey bars that had gravel under them. I remember when only the geeks wore helmets and Nintendo didn't exist. In a sorta old guy skepticism I have a hard time believing anyone is safer. In fact, I could pose some pretty good arguments to why our kids are not better off!

I see a trend among young families getting out of suburbia and purposefully moving to smaller spaces in more urban areas... places where their kids might be less safe but you can walk to get a gallon of milk... Places where art, music, and diversity are a little more accessible.

There are quite a few books recently published that deal with how suburbia is affecting our lives, and even our perceptions of Jesus. One is by David Goetze , who was recently interviewed by Cutting Edge magazine. Here are some excerpts that spoke to me.

"the journey is one of simultaneously becoming distant from our culture, and at the same time deeply belonging to it in order to serve it"

"the answer is not to leave the suburbs but to stay and figure it out, and find Jesus there"

"so the thicker life in my thinking means a life filled with joy, that embraces suffering, that exhibits the fruits of the Spirit"

I think I may be called to be a suburban missionary. Is it possible to live a missional life in suburban culture? Any Thoughts?

Sabbath?

Today, I don't have to work...aaaaahhhhhh. Deep breaths. Very nice. Tonight should be interesting. I have been invited to one high school graduation, one graduation party, two birthday parties, a house show, and to go swing dancing. Need more info? I don't dance, that's an easy one to say no to. The parties are all at the same place, one party, celebrating three people. I will do a classic "greet and go" at the front end of the graduation, chill at the party for a while, and quite possibly catch the end of the show. 3 out of 4 wouldn't be bad. And most of these things count as rest, except for the graduation. For now... I'm going to read the latest edition of "Cutting Edge" and then I'm going to start N.T. Wright. AAAAAAHHHHH. Deep Breaths.

Maintenance

Quick Goals Review...

300lbs... still... will get back on track after N.O.E. and church's 20th anniversary.

Reading books like crazy. About to finish Thomas à Kempis and getting ready to start N. T. Wright.

Debt still a real struggle... but I have a plan, especially now that Citistreet knows where I live.

See the time stamp on this post to see how I'm doing about going to bed earlier... Oh well.

Looking for Something to do?

This Saturday....

My friend Paul will be signing books at Borders. If you are near the plaza between 3PM and 5pm stop by and say hi! Tell him Topherspoon sent ya.

ALSO...

My friend Dan is hosting a rock show the same night at Anthem. Check it out!

I see Irony...

Everywhere!... I see irony. It is one of my spiritual gifts. My wife and I are reading Conspiracy of Kindness, a refreshing new approach to sharing the love of Jesus by Steve Sjogren. Our copy has a big red marketing sticker declaring that this is the 10 year anniversary edition. I get a little peeved when books change their names so I'm glad Regal hasn't changed the title yet. Just wondering... How many years does it take before something is no longer " a refreshing new approach"?

This is like the one pound Cheez it box that says "Family Size" on the front and "Get your own box" on the back. Which one is true? I welcome ironic, or even oxy moronic, comments.

Random Links, which deserve entire posts, but not now.

I am a high "I". I often consider legally changing my name and putting letters from my first name into my last name so I can be a motivational speaker. This guy rocks, was very helpful, and the world series ring is for real.

Yes I was at Kaiser last Thursday. Yes it hurt. Yes I'm feeling better.

This is really cool!

I've been reading. I finished this, and that, and I'm almost done with this.