Near and Far Faith

Tuesday night we began selling a new Bible at Ignite. It one that I've been using for the past few months and really enjoying. Honestly I just wanted to role out what I was having fun with, but during my message (we're working on getting a podcast up in the next few weeks) I stressed our desire at Ignite to take away any excuses that they might have for getting into The Word. I've found that many students just read to check off the "I read my Bible" box for God and don't really take the effort to understand what God's saying to them. So we bought ten of these Bible's and eight of them are gone already with many promising to buy one next week. Our secretary Jill is in scramble mode (well, if she wasn't, she is now) to find more.

People crave the life that comes from The Word. As we exemplify it's power, they will see more clearly their need for communication with God and, I believe, do anything possible to create it.

So it's 10 PM and I just got home from a budget meeting (I know it sounds boring but we sing and play pictionary... really............................ no not really). I've seen this website in Relevant (best mag out there in my op) but i've never checked it out. Cherie and I just spent the last 20 minutes laughing at these rockin' teeshirts. So check out randomshirts.com and, because I've been eying the Target version of this T, here's my favorite:

Hey I'm exploring Blogger a bit and I'm trying out their Polls. Check it out to the right and weigh in!

I'm still in Amos - chapter 7 today. It continues to strike me how God relents. Chapter 7 shows Amos asking God in two visions in which he sees God allowing Israel to be destroyed to hold off - and He does! Can we change God? No, but He tells us that He will listen to us is we are obeying Him. (2 Chron. 7:14)

Amos is helping me relate to God more as a father in view of my own children. When Rory or Tate want something, as long as it won't hurt them in any way, I may give it to them even if I may have said no before - if they ask the right way. Does it make me a softy? Maybe. I'd like to think though that it shows the power of love. And if the power of love simply between us and our children is so great as to change a stubborn a mind as mine, how much greater is the love of Christ?

There are a slew of terms in Christianity that we've lost the meaning to - they've been desensitized after years of using them but not knowing them. God's love is one of those. I'm rediscovering it's power and sheer monstrosity lately. I'm pumped to see it worked out in my life. Down with the Christian-ese that has taken power away from the Bible!

So I've been reading through the Old Testament and the past few months have been in uncharted waters - books I've never read. I'm in Amos currently and what blows me away again and again is how God's grace is so ample and blatant. How could think that God is the far from us or disinterested when time after time He says "it's coming if you don't turn around. If you turn around I will relent."? We must remember that grace is what God has chosen to set himself apart. No other religion or faith utilizes the concept of grace. The being said, is grace the ideal difference in our life?

I'm diggin my new Bible. It's the Drink deeply NLT. I think that it's vital that we keep fresh eye's on the Word. It easy for us to let anything become mundane and whatever helps maintain a renewing mind and hunger for the Bible - do it. I was reading The message remix 2.0, but I wanted to get back to something I was used to. You'll also notice about both of these is the cool packaging - accept the A.D.D. and do whatever you can to STAY FOCUSED!

Hey and check out the new redesigned website! J.T. did an awesome job! It's simple to access and easy for us to maintain. Even the Ignite page rocks!

It ROCKED!!! And yes - that is a "Guitar Hero" guitar tricked out crowder style that he played for "Never Ending". We had great positions (as there were no seats - but the back and foot pain was totally worth it) thanks to Justin Theal. One disappointment: there was a special meet and greet that we were not aware of and that extra moneys were to be paid for. So I was not on track to not getting my copy of "Everyone Wants to Go to Heaven" autographed after being shooed by security. But I got talking to Jonathan from The Myriad who opened the concert and had great conversation. He ran my book over and thus the outcome below:


Yes... Crowder knows my name... now. Phil Wickham has an absolutely sick voice and I'm getting The Myriad's CD when it comes out in March. High point of the show - Crowder and his boys use some crazy machinery to make the music they do. Seeing it first hand brought a whole sense of confusion to the experience. I was rocked. You can have your C.C./ Leeland expensive experience. I'll take Crowder and his funky mechanics (below) any day.