Dean Inserra

Tonight at the Well was our best night so far at our summer location. Not sure what I mean by that…but it was a great night overall.

We had Eric Stites come tell us about his drum-line ministry that connects with and ministers to kids in need of godly role models. God is truly using him and it is going to be a treat for the Well to help him along the way.

Tonight I basically crammed 4 sermons into one talk by finishing Romans chapter 8. I hope everyone reads through that chapter again this week. So rich! I am sure some guys in their 20s will somehow refer to it as Epic. Not really sure what that means, but I don’t think the people that use that word to describe everything do either.

We are rolling full speed ahead into June. Please pray for the Well and my family. Things are great. Satan hates that.

Sitting here watching Son In Law. Anything with Pauly Shore and I am in.

Pumped for our summer Adult community group starting Tuesday night.

Most people were brought up on the same cliches.

If I said “actions speak louder,” you would easily be able to finish the sentence with a memorized and familiar, “…than words.”

The great thing about this one from our childhood is that it is actually Biblical! Shout out to all our parents for that one. I wonder if parents know that they are coming straight out of the book of James when they tell their kids that actions speak louder?

I see the need to start quoting this to adults today.

You see a lot of talk about the importance of reaching people, the crucial time we are in, how believers have to step up, the urgency of the moment, etc.

Well, what I have learned is that many in Tallahassee are full of crap.

The words are wonderful and true. I think there are good intentions.

The actions?

Get safe.
Need to get fed.
Church hop.
Do a mission activity a year (get the t-shirt).
Let the Church’s “evangelism program” handle it.
Hide the kids.
Being “stretched” means a good discussion with believers.
No mess.
No unbelievers over for dinner.
No gay friends.
Arm-chair QB during FoxNews.
Expect Church to keep them busy.
WayFM only.
Pick a Church based on programs.

They sound like Jesus with their words, but certainly do not model His life by living in a cozy, “Christian,” sub-culture. I think He would turn their tables over.

So Tommy, when Mom and Dad tell you that actions speak louder than words…hopefully it will not be  just about cleaning your room and sharing your toys. I hope it will be about living your faith in the urgency of now in a world that needs the Gospel. I hope you see us as living that cliche. You have already seen the mess of ministry by living in our house as a 2 year old. That will only increase as more and more hurting people come to our home. We will not hide you from it…we want it to be a normal part of your life. You will never attend a Church that has an Evangelism Director. It will be a lifestyle. My prayer is that it will point you to the Gospel when you are old enough to understand and not to some American, Christian version that would be unrecognizable to the Authors of the New Testament (to quote my friend, K.Y.).

I hope my actions speak louder. I am praying this in my own life.

I have been encouraged by many at the Well who are living this cliche from childhood. This one is much better than “when God closes a door He opens a window.” Still not sure what that means.

Sports: With the exception of the Celtics, I cannot watch the NBA regular season. I love the NBA playoffs. How are they so different?

Congrats to my good friend Shane Knipple (aka Dwayne Twitty) for his beloved Pens making the Stanley Cup Finals. Lets Go Pens!

I woke up this morning to an almost 3 year old right in my face saying, “come play with me Daddy!” It was early. Thank you Tommy. Dump-Trucks and Bulldozers at 7am is my passion. We need to put a fence around our bedroom door.

Great discussion at the Well’s college community group last night. The adults who were there rocked it as leaders. When you are a college student at the Well you definitely do not sit in a circle and takes turns saying “what this verse means to me.” We are doing the Society Room studies and you can see the kiddos being stretched. We even have a few campus ministry kids coming who are getting everything they have ever practiced questioned. Love it. A very cool crew of students. I really enjoyed chatting with some guys from Crusade last night.

College Students at the Well just get it. They are far from perfect, but they get it.

Morning Reading: I busted out some Titus 2 this morning. I also read this from Jesus…as you go, preach this message: the kingdom of heaven is near (Matthew 10:7). Urgency! Jesus literally said to go and preach the truth!

Okay, Christians who watch John and Kate plus 8 officially have problems. Stop it.

Going to see the Canes in the Gainesville regional Saturday. Hopefully it will be the winner’s bracket game that night. Shane…can you grab some tickets?

My new favorite show is Southland. Love it. Rounding out the top 3 are CSI Miami and Law and Order SVU. Not sure whats up with my liking of Cop shows.

Happy Random Thursday! This week has flown by for me. Ready for Sunday night.

Reading:

The Convergent Church, by Alvin Reid and Mark Leiderbach.
The Shape of Faith to Come, by Brad Waggoner

Listening:

Don Carson’s talk on John 1:1-18 from the NEXT Conference held over Memorial Day weekend.
Hillsong’s new album.

Praying:

For a friend in drug rehab, and two students who have been around the life of the Well currently sitting in jail. Visited them both today.

For tonight’s college community groups.

Wondering:

When in the history of the Church…believers became apathetic towards those who are not inside the Church and started to worship comfort?

Hypothetical in my head:

If a candidate supported Slavery and one did not vote for that candidate because of that issue…would he/she be condemned for being a one issue voter?

Wanting:

To see myself become a disciple. When you think about what that really means it is kind of scary.

This is the paradox of grace. He who insists he is right will be pronounced wrong, while he who admits he is wrong will be declared right. The righteousness of God is only given to those who stand in the sinners place.

- Stanley Voke, Personal Revival