Going Primal

Nineteen months ago I went to The White House for the National Day of Prayer and thoroughly enjoyed hearing President Bush speak (for the last time as president) on the importance of prayer. I invited a pastor friend to go with me and afterwards he suggested going to a coffeehouse near Union Station called Ebenezers. He told me about a creative pastor named Mark Batterson and hoped we would get a chance to meet him. I must admit, I had never heard of Mark but he sounded like someone I could appreciate. As it turned out, Mark Batterson was available and took time to talk with us. He was very gracious and answered all our questions. My friend asked me if I had read Mark's book, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, to which I said no. One week later I knew why he raved about it so much. After getting my own copy I devoured it within a few days. How could Mark ever hope to best In a Pit and his last publication, Wild Goose Chase . . . by going primal. Primal - A quest for the lost soul of Christianity just came out and all I can say is "unbelievable!" Mark Batterson was already a good writer, but Primal proves that he has matured into a great writer. In Primal, Mark takes us on a journey down the stairs in The Church of San Clemente in Rome, and backwards through the portals of time to a place where Christianity is raw and untamed. He invites the reader to rediscover the wonder of who God is, and helps us to understand how we can know the Creator of the universe in new and more meaningful ways. For me personally, I appreciate Mark's transparency about his own Christian walk and his honesty to admit what most pastors are afraid to - namely that there are times when God seems silent. There are times when pastors walk in the wilderness too. The important thing is not to stay there and Primal is a great book for helping Christians renew their love relationship for God and His Word. If you are looking for a great read this Christmas, I would highly recommend Mark Batterson's Primal. If it hasn't hit your local bookstore yet, you can find it by going to RandomHouse.com. Have a Merry Christmas.

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Thoughts from the Festival of Marriage

It might seem strange that I am blogging about the annual Festival of Marriage (FOM) from nearly two weeks ago, but it has taken that long to digest much of what happened there in Ocean City. First, all of our workshops were well attended and we thank God for that. Some couples even brought chairs from other rooms to attend. We can prepare the material and pray for God's blessings - but He is the One who gives the increase. This was our third year teaching for LifeWay and we appreciate the professionalism of Mark Satterfield and the event staff. All we had to do is show up and minister to the couples, and there were a lot of couples in need. As a pastor, when I counsel, there are usually opportunities to see the end result, but at these conferences we have to have faith that the couples we train will follow through, using the new tools in their marriage toolbox. FOM is an incredibly fulfilling and powerful event that leaves you in amazement days (and even weeks) after it is over. As we said last year, there is no way of knowing how many years the Lord will allow us to continue teaching at FOM. So until the invitations stop, we will seek to impact as many couples as we can.

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Not Ashamed to Beg

On Thursday we will leave for Ocean City, Maryland to teach at the Festival of Marriage(FOM) for LifeWay. This is the third year that we have been asked to lead workshops for FOM and we don't take the privilege lightly. One of the realities that keeps us grounded is knowing that these workshops could make the difference with couples who are about to call it quits. The last time we were in OC, we spent nearly as much time counseling between workshops as teaching. Couples are hurting and marriages are in danger of falling apart. So this is a begging blog. Since you are reading this, won't you please take a few minutes and pray for those couples coming to FOM? Crystal and I need your prayers for strength to teach in the power of God's Holy Spirit. Powerless teaching is not an option because the kids of these couples will ultimately suffer if their parents can't make it work. So add us to your prayer list. Everyone is busy, and you might not have much time - but if you can't give minutes to pray, we'll take whatever moments you can spare. Just throw us a bone. Thanks.

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Like Pulling Teeth

Last week I went to the orthodontist to have a tooth extracted. Believe it or not, it was a baby tooth that did not have a permanent tooth underneath - so it just sat there for all these years. Before the extraction, I asked my tormentor if the tooth really had to come out. The pain I experienced a couple of days before had subsided a little, so maybe pulling it was unnecessary. He told me that I could deal with the problem now with minimal pain, or come back later when it would be excruciating. I opted for minimal pain. Problems are a lot like a bad tooth. If you deal with them quickly, there will be discomfort but soon things begin to heal. If you wait too long, problems never go away - they always get worse. It may seem like there is peace for awhile but the infection is still there under the surface, ready to come back with a vengeance. Are you putting off dealing with something because you know there will be conflict? Are you resisting having a talk with that person who really needs it? Don't! In the end you are only prolonging their handicap. Deal with it now and learn whatever lessons God has for you. It may be like pulling teeth, but trust me, you'll be glad you did.

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Faking It

I believe God is leading our church into greater depths of authenticity, which is why we are starting our Fake message series this Sunday. Over the next several weeks we will be taking a hard look at things in society that are fake - religion, friends and finances. But perhaps the most difficult thing that we will examine is the fakeness found in ourselves. As I see it, this is what is missing in our churches today. How could that ragtag band of believers in Acts 2 stay in prayer for ten days waiting on the Holy Spirit? Where did that passion come from? I believe it came out of the authenticity of their relationship with Jesus. We are living in the last days and there should be a sense of urgency in the church about reaching lost people with the gospel. But we will never have a corporate sense of urgency in our churches if individual members (and pastors) are not willing to find what's fake in their lives and trade it for truth. Don't be fake!

When you have time, read Matthew 7:21-23

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Stress Test

We recently had a problem with an outdoor faucet and had to call in the experts. Our plumber replaced the faulty faucet and inserted a gauge to test the water pressure. When he turned the water on, a greater problem was revealed. There was a split in the copper pipe that wouldn't have been caught if pressure had not been applied. So pressure is a good thing. Pressure helps to reveal where the flaws are. It works for copper pipes and for personal character. God allows us to live in seasons of pressure because he is forming us into the image of His Son. And while we might not be able to control an atmosphere of pressure, we can control the handle of the spigot. We can examine our own physical, spiritual, mental and emotional health, and control what we'll allow to come into our lives each day. If my batteries are charged-up, I can loosen the handle to take on a little more. If I'm feeling drained, I can tighten it. Of course there are emergencies that are beyond a person's control, but most of the time we have the ability to choose. Wayne Cordeiro said it this way - ". . . no one will monitor your energy level or your personal and emotional health." He said that, "One day when you lie in the hospital, suffering from fatigue and stress, they (friends, family, church members) will say, "Why, he should have taken better care of himself!" This is not just true for pastors, but for everyone. So watch the gauges, and be sure to allow more things into your life that strengthen you, rather than drain you. My visit from the plummer was not cheap, but it certainly costs less than a stay in the local hospital.

When you have time, read 1 Corinthian 10:13

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The Hero Inside

I was reading my new Collide magazine yesterday and came across an interesting article on why we tend to love the antiheroes of today. You might be asking, "Craig, what is an antihero?" An antihero is a severely flawed individual who is the main character or hero of a story. We find ourselves cheering for them even if we would never want to be them. The reason people exchange their heroes for antiheroes is because many of their heroes are flawless. We cannot relate to Superman because he is perfect. He has no real problems. But all of us, living in the real world, have real problems. So we gravitate to characters who have human failings and hope for some redemption to take place in their lives. The problem is, if they ever get that redemption and change for the better - we probably won't like them anymore. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, in a way, you are an antihero. I don't mean this negatively. We all have our weaknesses because of the sin nature inside of us. But Christ also dwells in us and because of Him, we can do heroic things. We can make a difference in this world, not just for time, but for eternity.

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Throwing the Box Away

The message of the gospel should never change, but the methods we use to deliver that message should be ever-changing. The longer I pastor, the more I am convinced that the church today looks very little like the one we see in the book of Acts. We have created a religious box and put God inside - at least the god conceived in our minds. The one true God cannot be contained by our traditions. At Kingdom, we are thinking outside the box and I love it. On Wednesday nights, some of our small groups are meeting in area cafes for Bible study and fellowship. Parents can drop their kids off at the church and be at their life group within five minutes. Having so many cafes nearby allows us to take our faith outside the sanctuary walls and into the community. Most churches doing small groups meet in homes, and that's cool, but studying God's Word in Starbucks or Caribou Coffee is just awesome. As the culture changes, it will become increasingly necessary to think outside the box - or just throw the box away. Churches cannot continue to do things the way they've always been done. If we foster a take it or leave it attitude, unchurched people will just leave it. If we are going to go backwards in our thinking, let's go all the way back to the beginning when all the church had was Jesus and the abiding presence of the Spirit of God. Let us remember that the simple growth plan for the first church was an emphasis on God's Word, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer (Acts 2:41-47). Let's start there and ask God what what he wants the church to look like today.

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I'll Walk Right Beside You

My son is growing up. He used to want me to carry him. He used to want to hold my hand. Now he wants to do everything himself. I guess that's OK. I certainly don't want him living in my basement at 30, with no job, playing video games in his underwear. Yesterday we were out at a store and I said, "Son, hold daddy's hand." To which he said, "I'll walk right beside you daddy." Of course that lasted all of 15 seconds before I had to call to him again. When my son got too far ahead, or lagged to far behind, I would ask him to hold my hand and he would repeat his new declaration of independence. Finally, when Joshua said, "I'll walk right beside you daddy," I answered, "Are you really going to walk right beside me?" It was then that it hit me. How often do we promise God that we will walk right beside Him, only to run too far ahead, or lag too far behind? Walking with God means just that - walking with Him. When we get ahead of God, our best plans are disastrous. When we fall behind, we miss out on what God is doing all around us. The best place we can possibly be is walking right beside our God.

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All Is Right in the World

I know that we are fighting two wars, facing a financial crisis that rivals The Great Depression (or at least the Carter years), job losses, banking problems, world hunger, the AIDS epidemic, corrupt politicians, bailouts, illegal missle tests, border conflicts - and I could go on. But today, all is right in the world because my Tarheels are the national champs. Way to go UNC!

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A True Honor

I recently had the honor of officiating a funeral for a retired Washington, DC Capitol Police officer. The night before, at the viewing, there was a changing of the guard, as two officers stood watch over his body. The next day we had the funeral at Quantico with a full honor guard. It was incredibly impressive. I must admit that I still get choked-up whenever I see the American Flag folded and presented to the spouse of the fallen officer. As I drove away from the graveside, it reminded me of the importance of honor and dedication. When someone gives their life for the good of others, we should take time to honor that person. John Maxwell says, "If you want to know how important you are, just remember that 15 minutes after you're body is in the ground, everyone will be back at the church eating potato salad." Sad - but true. How amazing would it be if we got into the habit of honoring those we love before they die. I want my family to know how much I appreciate them now. I want my friends to know how much I appreciate them now. I want to eat my potato salad with a clear conscience. Take time for honor, because if we don't, our sense of morality won't mean much.

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Bragging On God

One of the fun things I like to do with my son is flex my arm and say, "Joshua, what is that?" To which he will say, "That's a big muscle!" He is an intelligent boy. Lauren is too old now to tell me what I want to hear. In Daniel 9:3-7 we see a prayer that would be a good model for each of us. Daniel takes time to brag on God before asking God for a thing. In fact, it's not until v.17 that we even see a request from Daniel. I believe that we need to take time to brag on our Heavenly Father before we ask Him for things. I know that He is God and that He is totally self-sufficient, but I believe the Lord does appreciate it when we acknowledge all of His awesome attributes. So the next time you want to ask God for something - make sure to tell Him how big His muscles are first.

Psalm 89:13
You have a mighty arm;Strong is Your hand . . .

personal photo donated by Pastor Polston . . . yeah right.

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A Heart on Fire for God

Last Sunday morning I was looking over my message again before getting ready for church - reading the biblical story of Elijah and the widow. 1 Kings 17:8-9 says, Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you. Yet when Elijah found the woman, she was not preparing a meal for him, but for herself and her son. In fact, I have to wonder if she was trying to make and eat the meal as quickly as possible before Elijah got there. Elijah had to teach her a valuable lesson that many Christians have not learned - namely that God expects us to put Him first in everything we do. God wants the first part of our day, the first day of our week, the first part of our income and first place above all other relationships. If we want to live lives that are Spirit-filled and walk with steps ordered by the Lord, we must make Jesus Christ priority number one. When the men of our church returned from a recent Bible conference in North Carolina, one man asked how we can continue to have that feeling that comes from attending an exciting event. The only way that I know for a Christian to have a heart on fire for God is to listen as God speaks through His Word - and respond by speaking to Him in prayer. It might not sound new and fresh, but it works. Give God first place and see what happens.

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I Was Afraid This Might Happen

In Job chapter 3, Job says something that I never noticed before. He said, "For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me." Is it possible that this man of God had a secret fear - that all he possessed would one day be taken away? If that is true and the devil knew it, then it makes perfect sense that the devil would attack Job by creating his worst fear. What do you fear? If you know what it is, then chances are the enemy knows as well and would love to get God's permission to make your fears come true. Conforming to the image of Christ means facing our fears. Jesus was troubled at the thought of being separated from His Father and asked for the cup of judgment to pass from Him. But ultimately our Lord said, "Not my will, but your will be done." Conquering our fears has more to do with trusting God and less to do with relying on the power of our own will. When we refuse to trust God we are giving leverage to the enemy that will be used against us when we are most vulnerable. Face your fears.

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When you have time, read Job 3

With Friends Like These . . .

I've been doing some reading in the book of Job lately and wanted to share a personal observation. We all know that Job's friends were unkind and ultimately disciplined by God, but have you ever read what they said to Job about God? Much of what they said was right - so why did God have to rebuke them? The reason . . . because they attributed motives to God that were not true. They assumed that God was punishing Job for his sins, or the sins of his children, but that was not the case. It's a reminder that we must be careful about telling people we know God's will when we don't. We cannot attribute motives to God when we do not understand the way He thinks. It's only by His Spirit that we can understand His Word, and even that can be challenging at times. God is God and He is the only one who truly understands what He is thinking. So the next time you are asked to give counsel, be careful not to pretend to know the mind of God. Allow your counsel to come from scripture and let God reveal the "why" of His plan to them personally.

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When you have time, read Job 5:17-27

Going All The Way Baby!

Last night I had an incredible spiritual experience - watching my Tarheels beat the Duke Blue Devils. Now I know there are a lot of Duke fans out there, and I feel your pain, but the only thing better that watching Carolina beat Duke would be watching Carolina win a national championship. I read a smack sign on facebook that said, "If you hate Duke, breathe." Now I don't hate Duke. In fact, if UNC were out of contention for the championship, I would cheer for Duke . . . or any ACC team. But on a day like today, I have to say, "Ha! We won, we won, we won." Now you might be saying, "Craig, where is the spiritual application in this blog?" Here it is. I am bragging, and you should not do that. In fact, I'm sure that I am sinning and will need to repent . . . tomorrow.

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Prescription for Unbelief

I know I write about my kids a lot, but they do say the cutest things. Last night I read Joshua a Bible story before bed and told him I would stay with him while he said his prayers. Lauren has been sick, so Joshua was sure to pray for her, "Dear Jesus, thank you for Lauren's feeling better." My son is still learning how to pray, but I love how children have an automatic faith that God will do what we tell them He can do - even when we have trouble believing it ourselves. Even though Lauren was sick, to Joshua, Lauren's feeling better was a done deal. How often do we say that we believe God can do something, yet allow the memories of the past to tell us otherwise. In Mark 9, there is a man whose son has a mute spirit. When Jesus asks him how long he has lived that way, the father tells him from childhood. Jesus then asks the father if he believes and the father says something remarkable, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." In other words, "Jesus, I want you to take full control and I will trust you for the results." Isn't it amazing how much we can trust God when we are desperate for His intervention?

When you have time, read the story in Mark 9
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Dream Team

John Maxwell challenges people to come up with one example of someone doing something of great significance - without the help of others. We all have dreams of what we want in life. Hopefully those dreams have passed through the filter of God's Word and will help many people if they come true. The question is, what are you doing to help others realize their dreams? On Friday I drove my daughter to school as my wife was preparing to take a three hour trip to her brother's house. Crystal was planning to be gone until Sunday and Lauren was asking why mommy had to be gone for so long. "Lauren, mommy is going up to help aunt Amy because uncle Billy is away, training to own his very own Chick-Fil-A restaurant." I told Lauren that we were helping uncle Billy as he pursues his dream. What are your dreams and who do you have on your team to help make those dreams come true? Maybe a better questions is, "Do you look for opportunities to help others make their dreams come true?" It should make us feel good to see others excel and know that we played a part. Ask those around you what their dreams are, then get on their dream team. The people you bless may be the ones that God uses to help you fulfill your wildest dreams.

Even Nehemiah needed help to fulfill his dream of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Read Nehemiah 2.
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Presidential Providence

While there are those who are disenchanted with President Bush, I truly appreciate him and am thankful that he was our President for the last eight years. While many may argue with his policies, we cannot argue with the biblical truth that it is God who sets up kings and it is God who removes them. During Bush's second run for The White House, I remember John Kerry desperately needing some television coverage right before the election. Then former President Reagan died - and the country was reminded of a great Republican President. At Reagan's funeral, President Bush gave one of the best speeches ever and later went on to secure his second term. Bush has certainly benefited from many of these "coincidences" over the years. Now, as he prepares to leave office, how fitting that the President, whose first term was symbolized with the airplanes of 9/11, now departs with the symbol of an airplane - US Airways flight 1459 that recently crash landed in the Hudson River. The first planes symbolize a terrible tragedy while the latter plane symbolizes hope and courage. How unbelievable that this recent episode would happen on the same day that Bush delivered his farewell address to the nation. I know that even now, as Bush has one foot out the door, there are angry people who have to get in their last hateful opinion. But as long as Bush defines his success as having kept America safe so that his detractors could be alive to have an opinion, he will win. Thank you President Bush!

Another Way to Win

Last night I went to a parent/teacher event at my daughter's school. The kids got their report cards - then had the opportunity to perform for all of the adults present in the classroom. They played a tic-tac-toe spelling game with the girls pitted against the boys. When my daughter was asked to spell the word polite, she did so (flawlessly I might add) and went to place her X on the board to win the game. But instead of winning, she placed her X in another spot and extended the game a little longer, giving the girls two possible routes to win. After the girls won, I asked her why she didn't just end the game when she had the chance. She said, "Daddy, I wanted to make sure our team had another way to win." Her comments blessed me in two ways. First, she doesn't have a killer instinct to win. She just enjoys playing the game and I appreciate that. Second, her example reminded me that God is not in Heaven trying to keep us from winning in this life. He wants us to win, and if we self destruct, He will create new ways (paths) to help us fulfill our ultimate purpose. If you have made mistakes in your life, don't believe the lie that God can't use you to make a difference in this world. God knew you were going to fail before it ever happened in real time. He is patient, and loving - and if you will surrender your situation to Him, He can find you another way to win.

When you get a chance, you may want to read Isaiah 42:16
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The Way God Thinks

Today I had the opportunity to talk to my church about the way God thinks. We are starting a new message series called The Second Advent - dealing with all the activities surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ. I told the church that the events of the end times are not negotiable . . . they are going to come to pass. In fact, God was able to play out every scenario in his infinite mind before Genesis 1:1 ever happened, so God would not have enacted His plan if He was not pleased with the ultimate outcome. In Revelation chapter 8, the Bible speaks of a star that falls from the heavens and contaminates the earth's water so that people who drink it will die. Some have said that this star could be some kind of asteroid. If that is true, then I believe the asteroid was created and set on a trajectory towards the earth at the same time God created the heavens and the earth. God's mind is so infinite and His will so sovereign that to Him it's like end time events have already happened. I don't claim to be able to think like God but the Bible does teach me that He knows the end from the beginning, and that his will is going to happen whether we like it or not.

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Will You Please Say Yes?

A few days ago my son Joshua (3) wanted to watch a video on the television, so he said, "Daddy, can I watch cartoon?" But before I could answer, he followed up by saying, "Daddy, will you please say yes?" That was a new approach for my son to get what he wanted - but I liked it. The reason I liked it is because I could envision myself talking to God that way if I had a desperate need. "God, will you help me? Will you please say yes?" I don't always know what's best for my son, but God always knows what is best for His children. The Lord delights in saying "yes" but I believe He wants us to want Him more than the things He can do for us. Just a quick thought for the road.

When you get a chance, check out James 1:17
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