everlasting truth, ever-changing culture

I remember watching College Football Live the day after Alabama beat Texas (w/o Colt McCoy..side note), in the BCS title game.

The topic of conversation: Will Bama repeat as champions in 2010?

North Carolina won the title in Basketball last season. This year? They might not make the tournament.

The Saints won the Super Bowl on Sunday Night and everyone is partying in the streets. Today everyone was back to work, those who still have work in NOLA…that is.

After Boston won the World Series, “the curse had been lifted,” now they are pissed the Yankees are better again.

Larry Coker was fired from the University of Miami 5 years after winning a national championship.

My buddy Luke scored 19 points in a game last weekend. If he misses 19 shots next game, he will get boooed.

I love Sports, but there is a major lesson to learn: success, titles, glamour…it only lasts for a moment.

Three signs of maturity as a Christian:

1. When confronted about sin, you do not throw out the “don’t judge me” card.

2. You are comfortable around people who do not agree with you and actually want to be around them.

3. You are generous with money.

My top ten QBs of all-time:

1. Unitas

2. Montana

3. Brady

4. Manning

5. Favre

6. Staubach

7. Bradshaw

8. Elway

9. Aikman

10. Marino

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.~Colossians 4:5

How seriously do you take those commands from God’s Word?

Don’t be a tool or do stupid things around unbelievers. Take advantage when God gives you an opportunity.

What would it look like if we took Colossians 4:5 as seriously as we took other commands in God’s Word?

As serious as believers take getting drunk, sexual sins, cheating, lying, etc?

Am I being extreme? Don’t think so.

What does “getting it” really mean in the context of our role as Christ’s ambassadors on earth?

I often talk to guys with the best intentions. They really want their folks back home at the local Baptist Church to “get it.” The major issue is that they are missing the boat when it comes to getting it.

I have friends who seem like their passion/calling in life is to get believers with a traditional preference of “doing Church” to embrace a certain style of music. That usually means adding a guitar or rearranging an old hymn, starting the legendary “contemporary” service, or getting dad to lose the tie. With the best intentions, they believe they are helping folks get it.

Others think it is about helping people see that it really isn’t about programs and having 387 ministries at the Church.

The truth:

Attracting people from the Baptist Church across town because they want different music, and helping the 45 year old mother of 3 feel a little hipper because of the guitars and music she hears on WayFM….does not equal getting it.

Lost people do not care. They have fun music at the local patio bar and grill in town. I have never met a lost person who decided to go to Church because he heard the band was great, preacher funny, and he could wear jeans.

Getting It means that people follow Jesus into the World and understand that the Church was established because of the mission.

We do the things we do at the Well because we want our folks to get excited about their Church’s gatherings to the point where they want to invite their friends.

The real mission happens when our folks go to their friends. It is their job to communicate the Gospel.

We then hope that because of the many conversations, their friend will come to the Well, hear Biblical preaching, and enjoy their experience.

Getting It means knowing one’s responsibility to follow Jesus.

Our job as leaders is to make sure our folks have full confidence that we will help them in the process and by God’s grace, not suck when the friends walk in the door.

The only way friend comes…is if we go to them.