From the "WOW!!!" Files

I'm thinking about attending this church for their "30 Days" series!!

Here are some details:

The Relevant Church in Tampa's Ybor City has issued a 30-Day sex challenge. Single men and women can't have sex for 30 days, and married couples are urged to have it every day.

"If you look at the studies, studies say in 30 days you can develop a habit," said Pastor Paul Wirth. It definitely caught the church wives by surprise. "Our married people are far more fearful than our single people," said Wirth.

You can check out the entire article here and the church website here.

Microsoft's New Initiative?

Robert Scoble is making a big deal out of the forthcoming announcement by Microsoft on February 27th. Here's what he has to say:

It’s not often that I see software that really changes my world. It’s even rarer that I see software that I know will change the world my sons live in. I can count those times pretty easily...While watching the demo I realized the way I look at the world was about to change.

Those are some pretty big words! Many have speculated that this is an open-source software that picks up where the 1993 World Telescope Project left off.

Anyone else have any insights?

Look Who's Blogging Now

This guy has announced that this guy is now blogging.

Granger Community Church has led the way in creative and practical seminars for various ministries. It will be interesting to read some more personal thoughts and commentary from their senior pastor.

Oh yeah...it's also the previous home of this guy as well.

Needing A Valentine? Think Again.

It's that time of year again - Valentine's Day. Some would argue that big business (such as Hallmark, floral companies and the like) has created an all-consuming culture around this day. What's your stance? My wife, Melissa, and I try to find creative ways to celebrate this holiday. From notes to emails to conversation, we enjoy finding creative ways to share our love for one another. But it doesn't stop there. We like to celebrate Valentine's Day every day. Why wait for one day out of the year to remind your loved one how special they are?

I thought I would share a bit of history behind Valentine's Day. Relevant Magazine has another wonderful insight in their latest newsletter. Check this out:

Some believe that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men so that his crop of potential soldiers would multiply; all current engagements were also nullified. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied the emperor and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. Swooning yet?

When Valentine's actions were discovered, he was arrested and imprisoned by the emperor. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the jailer’s blind daughter, whose vision he restored by a saintly miracle. The emperor found out about the healing and ordered that Valentine be beheaded. On the eve of his execution, he wrote a farewell note to the jailer’s daughter, dripping with love and words of affection, signing it “from your Valentine.”

Nowadays, the commercialization of the holiday may have distorted our understanding of the passion of this event by incorporating cards with SpongeBob SquarePants on them signed, “from your Valentine.” However, the original story is as achingly romantic as they come. It is further believed that the “from your Valentine” tradition carried on after the saint’s execution through an annual Roman festival where young men gave handwritten letters of affection to the young women they wished to court. The festival was held on February 14, and determined the romantic fate for young people in the coming year. Fortunately, present-day Valentine cards that kids pass out during class do not determine their romantic destinies, so the switch to candy was probably a smart move in this case—unless arranged marriage is what you have in mind for your children one day.

Check out the entire article here.

Mobile Posting?

Okay, I'll admit that I'm a bit behind my technology brothers in "mobile posting.". This is my first official blog entry via my BlackBerry. We'll see how this goes!

Pressed Coffee In 10 Easy Steps!

Kay asked about how to make pressed coffee, so I thought I would share my "recipe" with you. This certainly isn't the only way to do it, but it seems to be working for me.

PRESSED COFFEE IN TEN EASY STEPS

STEP 1: Purchase a coffee press. I enjoy my Starbucks press that also serves as a stainless steel carafe. That way when I'm finished pressing it stays nice and hot!

STEP 2: Select your coffee. I mentioned in my last post that right now I am very fond of Starbuck's Sumatra. There are many great companies and websites that have phenomenal coffee. I'll talk about those sites and different types of coffee in a future post. MOST IMPORTANTLY - Always use fresh beans - never pre-ground!

STEP 3: Grind beans. I am currently using a regular blade grinder, but I'm hoping to get a nice burr grinder some day. Burr grinders make a coarser ground which makes for better pressed coffee (smaller grounds may get pushed through the press screen). Here's one example of a burr grinder.

STEP 4: Pour ground coffee into bottom of press. I use slightly more coffee than your average bear. I stopped "measuring" many moons ago, but you'll want to end up with two heaping tablespoons when finished grinding (for 8 cups of water).

STEP 5: Boil water. I use a typical tea kettle on the stove. You could also microwave your water, but this can lead to inconsistent temperatures. Boiling in a kettle is my preferred method. Remove the water just before it reaches a complete boil - this is a great temperature!

STEP 6: Pour water over grounds. Once filled, stir the water/grounds mixture to ensure complete coverage. You'll start to smell that wonderful coffee aroma!!

STEP 7: Cover your press (but don't press yet!!) and let the grounds steep for 4-5 minutes. NOTE: this is the step that can vary depending on your taste. If you like a lighter coffee - steep for 3-4 minutes. If you like a stronger, bold taste, then stick closer to the five minute mark.

STEP 8: PRESS! Start pressing your coffee by pushing the plunger/screen downward in a VERY SLOW and VERY STEADY motion. Make sure your plunger stays perpendicular to your counter top.

STEP 9: Pour your coffee and ENJOY!! You'll notice a bit of "chaff" (not grounds) in the bottom of your cup. This is normal and by the way, it doesn't have a bad taste at all!

STEP 10: Repeat every day!! You'll have to settle for brewed coffee at some point, but when you can get it, pressed coffee will forever be your favorite!!

My Own "Sagging Hulk"

I apologize once again for the lack of posts - only three in 2008!! After averaging nearly 5 posts a week in 2007, I'm going to have to get back on the writing trail to catch up! I'm also nearing the 500 post mark which I'm looking forward to as well.

Why the lack of posts? Besides the dreaded "B" word (busyness!) my trusty laptop is finding old age to be quite the problem. My battery has been going out for some time, and this week my fan started making noises reminiscent of the men's restroom at Wal Mart. On the very same day my power cord decided to bite the dust which led to my hard drive acting up and nearly complete failure. After three and a half years, my beloved Sony (and yes, I LOVE SONY machines!) and Windows XP Pro are slowly winding the path towards retirement.

By the way, I am rapidly becoming a MAC fan. After swearing most of my adult life that I would NEVER touch, let alone own a Mac, I am hooked. We are using two MacBook Pros in the Creative Arts department and they ROCK! So...if God allows, I hope to replace my "sagging hulk" of a laptop with a shiny new MacBook Pro! (NOTE: The MacBook Air looks awesome, but early reports put it well behind the MacBook in performance!)

So here's to a plethora of posts in the future - may they be well written and well read!

My New Best Friend

My wife gave me a coffee press for Christmas and WOW...it is the bomb!! Anyone that knows me realizes that I am a coffee freak, but pressed coffee is by far the best type of coffee I have ever consumed. I've had pressed coffee at a restaurant before, but to make it in my own house is incredibly awesome. If you like coffee and haven't tasted pressed coffee before, give me a shout and we'll brew some together!!

Special props to my buddy "Pipstah" for turning me on to the "home press!"

By the way, my favorite type of coffee to press? Starbucks Sumatra. Anyone else recommend some coffee?

Manifesting Your 2008

As we start the new year, many of us are thinking about goals for 2008. I'm working on a list of "Bucket Goals" (inspired by this blog and the movie "The Bucket List") as well as updating my 2008 Life Plan. The new year is a natural time to celebrate your accomplishments in 2007 and then to take a look forward and develop and establish goals for 2008.

Before you finalize those plans however, I want to challenge you to read this manifesto from Mark Batterson. This manifesto was developed for his book "In a Pit With a Lion On A Snowy Day" (which I highly recommend) and is great food for thought. Here's to an incredible 2008!

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Success Comes In "Cans"

One of the favorite quotes from my good friend John is this, "Success comes in cans, not can'ts!" How true this is! A positive mindset can truly make a difference.

There were many people who said we couldn't do it. Some who called us crazy. Some who even doubted God. But in the end, God worked through some ordinary people to build His dream called Meadow Heights Arcadia Valley. As of this past Sunday, we are now one church in two locations!

You can check out several photos here.

Thank you to so many of you who dedicated countless hours towards the completion of this project. A special thanks to Greg and Ragen Amelung for leading this project and giving their all to fulfill God's mission.

And finally a special thanks to Bryan for leading all of us as we enjoy this dream turned reality. We have taken the first step to impacting our world and I know it is only the beginning. I know that God has designed the plan, but He also needed a great leader to empower the rest of us. He made the right choice.

Meadow Heights stands upon a new day. We will never be the same and yet, we haven't changed. We will always continue to love God, love people and do our best to impact the world. We'll do our part and we'll let God take care of the rest. After all, He can do far more than we could ever imagine or guess or request in our wildest dreams!

Are You Slowing Down Yet?

Our friends at CCC come up with some phenomenal videos - usually their VERY funny and incredibly creative. I thought I would post this latest one that is simple but the message is quite powerful. As we finish up this Christmas season, many of us will struggle to find a quiet place to reflect on the true meaning. From busyness to overcommitment, many will forget to spend a moment and thank God for sending Jesus humbly into this world. Glory in the Highest was sent down as a baby born in a manger on that silent night - one that would change the course of history forever.

I pray this video will remind all of us of the power of that quiet moment - a simple conversation with a loving God. Merry Christmas.

The Mystery of St. Nick

I don't often reprint articles, and this is a long one, but I think it's relevant to the season. Too often "political correctness" creeps into many aspects of our life. From Barbara Walters griping about a Christmas card from the White House that included scripture, to stores like Wal Mart and Target who can't decide if it's Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday, I hope this story sheds some light on the mystery behind "Ole' St. Nick."

It’s complicated. Like Keith Richards, the Santa legend is ancient, murky, and fairly disturbing. The cuddly version — grandfatherly St. Nick employing elfin labor to make toys for the children of the world — is only the latest in a long line of iterations. Santa has evolved.

The original Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop in 4th-century Myra, geographically located in modern-day Turkey. As an adult, Nicholas gained a reputation as a generous man and the protector of innocents. These saintly traits largely arose from two horrific legends, both of which eventually led to his canonization. The first is said to have occurred during a terrible famine. A local butcher, in need of something to sell, lured three unsuspecting boys into his shop. He killed the boys, chopped them into pieces, then stuffed their remains in a brine tub, hoping to cure them enough that he could sell the parts as ham. Nicholas was visiting the afflicted region at the time of the crime. Somehow Nicholas became aware of the butcher’s wicked deed. He visited the shop, uncovered the crime, and hastily reassembled the three boys. They came back to life, a bit salty but otherwise in good health. Despite the happy ending, it’s not exactly the kind of story that gets told at the Christmas Eve candlelight service. In the second legend, a poor citizen of Myra had three daughters, but not enough money to afford a dowry for them. No dowry meant no marriage, and unmarried women in those days generally had one career choice: prostitution. The father was less than thrilled by this possibility, but too proud to ask for help. Nicholas discovered the family’s predicament the night before the first daughter came of age. Not wanting to embarrass anyone, he approached the family’s house late one night and tossed a bag of gold through an opened window. He did the same thing the night before the second daughter came of age. Both gifts were enough to cover the dowry, and both girls were spared the consequence of their poverty. Before long, the third daughter was ready to marry, and the appreciative father wanted to find out who was behind the lavish gifts. When the time came, the father hid next to the window, hoping to catch their anonymous benefactor in the act. Nicholas learned of the father’s plan and improvised: Instead of lobbing it through the window, he dropped the third bag of gold down the chimney. It wasn’t long before people began to suspect that the kindly bishop Nicholas, who had inherited money from his affluent parents, was behind these mysterious actions and a great many other secretive gifts to the poor. After he died of old age on December 6, 343 AD the people of Myra continued providing for those in need. In fact, they made a practice of giving gifts anonymously, always attributing them to the late Bishop Nicholas. Before long, the bishop — who had worn liturgical robes of red and white — was canonized as a saint. Saint Nicholas became venerated as the protector of innocents, the patron saint of children, and a secret giver of gifts. Of course, the traditional American idea of Santa Claus — along with his British/Canadian counterpart, Father Christmas — originates in the stories surrounding Nicholas of Myra. As far as saints go, St. Nick was especially venerated in the Netherlands, where he became known by the Dutch variant Sinterklaas. When the Dutch came to the New World and settled in New Amsterdam (today’s New York City), they brought with them the story of the now-anglicized “Santa Claus.” And as is our custom, we Americans made the story bigger and gaudier, tacking on details from several unrelated sources. The karmic idea of rewarding good kids and punishing naughty children is rooted in old Norse folktales. The stuff about the reindeer and Santa’s sleigh got added once Clement Moore’s poem, “Twas The Night Before Christmas,” swept the nation in the early 1800s. Decades later, the magazine Harper’s Weekly commissioned several Thomas Nast engravings which depicted Santa in his workshop, reading letters and checking lists. The legend grew. And here we are today. Kids leave cookies near the fireplace, parents are careful to preserve bootprints in the ashes, and Santa has transitioned into the 21st century. No longer does he oversee the building of simple wooden toys in his elf-staffed workshop. Nope. These days, little boys and girls — whether they’re good or bad, or rich or poor — probably expect Santa to drop a new iPod Nano in their stocking. Or, at the very least, the High School Musical 2 DVD. A wooden toy train? Unthinkable. You have to feel for St. Nick. The legendary protector of children and distributor of anonymous gifts to the poor has turned into a victim of the worst kind of western entitlement and consumerism. Kids are more demanding. Chimneys are smaller. Families are leaving skim milk and low-fat cookies instead of the real stuff. It’s hard out there for a right jolly old elf. Somewhere deep within the folds of Santa’s suit, we’ve lost the story of St. Nick. I’m always an advocate for stripping away the Santa Claus stuff at Christmastime and focusing on Jesus. But there’s a wide chasm between baby Jesus and Santa Claus, and maybe it’s a lot to ask a Christianity-averse culture to make that long journey from one side to the other. Perhaps a better idea is to move them toward the middle by resurrecting Saint Nicholas of Myra. Annoyed with all the Jesus talk? Don’t want to celebrate Christ at Christmas? Fine. Then let’s celebrate someone else. Let’s talk about the 4th-century dude who kept little boys from grisly deaths and kept little girls out of the sex trade. Let’s talk about the revered religious figure who freed those in bondage, who restored life to the lifeless, and who refused to overlook the suffering of the innocent. Let’s talk about the man of God who gave out of his prosperity, who dispensed grace with no strings attached, who lived to bless those trapped in poverty. Let’s talk about Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, Sinterklaas 1.0. Because when we peel away the red robes and silly hat and centuries of tradition, we might just see something, in the Santa legend, that we Christians recognize: It’s the Gospel. It’s the Good News. It’s the face of Jesus. It’s hope for the hopeless, liberty for the captives, abundance for the poor. Maybe the distance between the North Pole and Bethlehem isn’t so great after all. This story has been adapted from an article that originally ran in issue 30 of RELEVANT.

Author: Jason Boyett Jason Boyett is the author of Pocket Guide to the Bible and several other books.

Putting the Ivity in Creativity

This quote via these guys strikes me as an interesting one. How many of you would agree with its premise?

Next question - how does this apply to the church? Is creativity measurable in a worship experience? Then there's the question of impact. What if one person's life is changed forever because God chose to work through a creative moment? Does that make it irrelevant for everyone else? Is it less important for others in that moment?

I'd love to hear your feedback on how creativity impacts you. Your thoughts?

Creating Memories (In 30 Days or Less)

Christmas is a natural time of the year when families create life-long memories together. But this post by this guy reminds us of the importance of the holiday season.

We're also launching an new series (and a new campus!) on the first weekend in January entitled, "30 Days to Live." This could possibly be one of the most important series in the history of Meadow Heights Church. It will not only launch a new year and a new campus, but it could launch a whole new chapter in your life as well. DON'T MISS IT!!

Here's a sneak peak!

What if you learned you had just 30 days to live? How would your life be different? Is it possible to make the most of every day, right now?

As we begin a brand new year, join us for “30 Days to Live.” Once you hear the stories of some real people facing challenging circumstances, and experience God’s truth, you’ll never look at life the same.

Amazing Movie? Maybe...maybe not.

I finally had the opportunity to watch the film "Amazing Grace" over the weekend. The film itself was not all that spectacular, but the message that lept from its frames was quite powerful.

William Wilberforce was a man of passion - he fought for something that he believed in from the depths of his soul. He stopped for no one and his endless pursuit of his dreams finally became a reality near the end of his life. His pursuit was not simply for justice in the world, but a fulfillment of an obligation and duty toward God. As Wilberforce puts it, he did not find God...God found him.

Two of the best quotes from the movie come from John Newton, the former slave ship owner now reformed. He was the original author of the words we now know as Amazing Grace.

God sometimes does His work with gentle drizzle, not storms. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly. I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.

It was amazing to watch William Wilberforce pursue life with an unending passion. I think we all start out with this in our hearts, but somewhere along the way someone has told us to stop dreaming. We tend to settle for the status quo and our dreams die along with a small part of us. It's not always how we live life on the outside, but what is going on in the depths of our soul that really matter. Anyone can live life...dreamers that activate their passions change the world.

What part of your dream have you allowed to die?

Owning the Moment

I attended an event last weekend that reminded me of two important leadership lessons:

(1) Never apologize for a project, event or group in advance. All you're doing is making yourself feel better and your project/event/group feel worse. Most of the time your audience can't tell the difference anyway, but now you've brought attention to it and they'll be focusing on the wrong things.

(2) Never try to build up your project/event/group right after you've apologized for them (see #1). Why did you just spend five minutes telling us it wouldn't be as good as you hoped and now your trying to sell us on the brilliance of your project/event/group? We didn't buy it before and we sure aren't going to buy it now.

Confidence breeds confidence. As the leader, proceed with the confidence and surety that this will be the best possible execution of the project/event/group that can happen at this particular moment in time. Own the moment. Afterwards you can spend time celebrating and evaluating. Don't spoil it for everyone else - work to create a defining moment, even if it's a small one. Your audience will remember that little defining moment much longer than they will your entire performance.

Finally, evaluate why you felt compelled to use #1 and #2. And remember, people end up where you lead them.

Gift Cards Are For Chumps

Gift cards are for chumps. I love that line. Seth Godin hits a home run with his thoughts on the holiday season. If you're like me, you still have some much needed shopping to do. You'll have great intentions but time will run short and you'll do the inevitable - purchase a gift card for someone.

I mean after all, then they can get whatever they want with it right? Wrong. Listen to these stats:

Last year, more than $8,000,000,000 was wasted on these cards. Not in the value spent, but in fees and breakage. When you give a card, if it doesn't get used, someone ends up keeping your money, and it's not the recipient. People spent more than eight billion dollars for nothing... buying a product that isn't as good as cash.

I know what you're thinking. You're just being thoughtful. It's a GIFT card. You can't give them the cash right? That would be "Christmas Taboo" - like there are rules somewhere. Who decided that cash wasn't a great gift? We get a gift card so it looks like we looked for a gift and we don't end up the chump. But guess what? Gift cards are for chumps!

So forget about it this year. It's a scam. It's a business driven model that has proven to be effective only for the companies, not the consumer. It's time for cash to be king. Hello Mr. Ben Franklin!

One Million Witnesses

At Meadow Heights Church we talk a lot about practical ways to share your story. People can argue about religion all they want, but no one can argue with your story. Especially when you are a living example of how Jesus has radically changed you at the core.

ChurchRelevance points us to "One Million Witnesses." It's an incredibly creative way to share your story and help those in need as well. Here are the details:

For a minimum donation of $10, you can create a block featuring your testimony. The first 100,000 blocks go to helping Living Water International build about 100 wells. Non-profits to benefit from the remaining 900,000 blocks have not yet been determined.

Stop by the site and check it out - it's a great way to help!

Jesus: Political Revolutionary?

I was talking with an old friend the other afternoon as we were both waiting on a concert to begin. Several minutes into our discussion he asked me a question I wasn't quite ready for - Did I consider Jesus to be a "political revolutionary?"

My first response? Of course! I focused on the word revolutionary and immediately associated that with Jesus. Most everyone you ask would tend to agree. By His very own nature, Jesus was a revolutionary. There is no doubt that He revolutionized what it meant to be a worshiper of God, to seek the truth and know that grace is abundant. He absolutely changed the course of history! So to agree that Jesus was a revolutionary was not a very big leap.

But how about political? Was Jesus political? While Jesus never engaged in an active role in politics such as government or the state , was it fair to say the He had an impact nonetheless? Obery Hendricks Jr., in his book "The Politics of Jesus," claims that Jesus employed seven political strategies during his time on earth:

"To say that Jesus was a political revolutionary is to say that the message he proclaimed not only called for change in individual hearts but also demanded sweeping and comprehensive change in the political, social, and economic structures in his setting in life: colonized Israel," Hendricks writes.

It is true that Jesus changed the course of society by promoting care for the sick, healing those in need, feeding of the hungry and many more. Those are all hotly debated items in the political arena. Does this mean Jesus was a political revolutionary simply by association? Most political revolutionaries have used deadly force to accomplish their agenda. This is not true of Jesus. At His core He was a man of great love and compassion to say the least.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this issue. I'm not sure there is an easy answer but I do know this - the conversation will be an interesting one! My friend and I closed our brief talk and I could see that gleam in his eye. He had been thinking about this one quite awhile and was no closer to a complete answer than he had been on first thought. But for that moment it didn't matter - he had started another on the same journey.

Dreaming a God-sized Dream

I had a great conversation with a young man last week. He is trying to figure out what God is asking him to do with his one and only life. We had some great discussion and I was able to challenge him on his future. I've noticed that a lot of teenagers and twenty-somethings are wonderful dreamers, but if they aren't challenged at some point they tend to fall into an idealistic trap. Here are three pieces of advice I gave him:

(1) Dream. Don't stop dreaming. Some of the greatest ideas come from those who dream. There's something incredible about creativity that is directed by God.

(2) Decide. Once you've explored your dreams, it's time to decide. After careful prayer, thought and wise counsel, decide on a course that will honor God and achieve your goals. After all, you can't keep dreaming forever.

(3) Do. You can dream and you can decide, but if you don't develop a plan of action, nothing will be accomplished. Dreamers by themselves never changed the world - it's the one who implemented a plan that made the dream a reality.

I closed our conversation by letting him know that there will be many people along the way who will tell him he "can't do it." Don't give in! After all, with God all things are possible!

What advice do you have for today's young adults?