Last week I posted some Action Steps I was taking to be a better man and do everything with excellence. As I have been taking a good hard look at my life I realized that most of the issues of stress and ineffectiveness I face stem from my failure to faithfully observe the Sabbath. In his DVD, “Everything is Spiritual”, Rob Bell talks about the rhythm of creation and the significance of God taking a break from that rhythm and pattern on the 7th day. Here’s what it says in Exodus:
Exodus 20:9-11 (New International Version)
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
It’s one of the 10 commandments, and I fear it’s the one I break most often as a pastor. I am on this journey to discover everything I can about the Sabbath and balance that with what Jesus said in Mark:
Mark 2:23-28 (New International Version)
23One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. 24The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”
25He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”
27Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
This is not a debate or discussion about whether or not to take a Sabbath or if failing to do so consistently has been harmful to my health, marriage, and spirit. What I would like to see happen is for a discussion to take place about how you’re making this happen? How are you unplugging for a day? What boundaries have you placed in your life to help you celebrate this holy time? What day is your Sabbath? Is there a day of the week when your church offices are closed so everyone can have a Sabbath? As for me, here’s where I am starting:
1. Commit to one day a week where I am totally unplugged technologically.
2. Make sure that I don’t follow my daily routine other than have my son at school by 7:55 am on that day.
3. Discover and rediscover hobbies that God can use to restore my soul.
4. Do everything I can to insure that my wife is able to have a Sabbath as well.
5. Study the roots, beginnings, and traditions of the Sabbath to see how God has used this holy day to renew and restore his people throughout history.
What about you? What steps are you taking or are you already having an effective Sabbath day? More to come later.
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Last November, I told you about my wife and I going over to see the big reveal for ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover about 8 miles from our house. A quick disclaimer: I’m wearing a Yankees hat in that video because I lost a bet. Last night our local affiliate, ABC 45, had a behind the scenes look at 7 pm with the regular episode airing at 8 pm. I was proud to see my wife’s name listed with all the other great volunteers. The shift she worked ended up being on air for about a second(late night footings being poured). This has always been one of our favorite shows and last night was no exception. From the 2 hours, we learned so much more about the builder, the Creasey’s, and everything that goes into making this miracle happen. All I keep hearing is what an amazing family this is and they will be opening up their home for special tours to raise money for cancer research. While the house has been built and the episode has aired, we still have an opportunity to impact this wonderful family and others like them. So here’s what you can do:
1. Pray for the Creasey’s especially as Tricia continues her cancer treatments.
2. Head over to this site to make a donation to the family and get a behind the scenes DVD.
4. Nominate a Family to get an Extreme Home Makeover
5. Buy a ticket to take a tour of their home.
Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti last week, my friend(and fellow Wesleyan youth pastor), Stevan Sheets started the website http://www.thisishaiti.com. His goal is to raise awareness and funds for the people in Haiti through World Hope International. Already, the site has raised close to $2,000 for relief work. Here’s an article on his efforts. I had the chance to interview Stevan and get the story behind the site. You can also check out his blog and church. I encourage you to make a contribution and make a difference for the people in Haiti. Kudos to Stevan for responding to the nudge of the Holy Spirit. How different would the world be if we exercised our faith in practical ways? Stevan is Chasing His Lion!
Before you view the video let me say that you will need to adjust your volume. I am too loud(what else is new?) and Stevan’s audio is much softer.
I had a student one time who was dealing with some serious anger issues. Caught up with them one day to talk about things and they were listening to their iPod. When they took off the earphones all I could hear was rage being pumped through at a barely legal decibel. I said, “Dude, what are you listening to?” “Just some music” was the reply. I asked if they listened to the music because they were angry or if they were angry because they listened to the music. Blank stare. I told them they were just feeding their anger with the music. They had a right to be angry about things happening in their life that was no fault of their own. The problem wasn’t the anger, but the outlet of it, and I believed that their music choice was only escalating an already volatile situation. I helped them picked out some different music and, while their home life did not settle down, they began to deal with things in a healthier and more productive manner. What are you feeding yourself? Yes, if you literally eat junk all the time then eventually your health(and figure) will reflect that. Rather, what are you feeding your mind and soul? The old saying(probably originated with a youth pastor) is, “Trash in. Trash out.” Are you reading anything that is trashing your mind? I am an avid blog reader. Over at Church Relevance, they’ve complied the top 100 Church blogs. Many of them are by pastors. I don’t read all of them, but the ones I do read greatly inspire me. I encourage you to add some of these to your daily reading list. They will lift your spirits and challenge you to chase your lion everyday. #26 on the list is my personal favorite by Tony Morgan. Now, here’s a tidbit for you newbies on how to easily keep up with all the blogs you want to read. Many of them allow you to subscribe by email by entering your information. Many of them have a big orange button(like the one on the right over there) that allow you to subscribe to the RSS feed and receive the blog in whatever format is best for you. Personally, I use Google Reader and it highlights any new entries when I check it. You just need a free google account. By the way, if you’re not using Gmail and all their other tools then I highly recommend them. It basically gets all your life in one place. I would love to hear from you which of the blogs listed you find the most inspiring, entertaining, practical, or helpful. Have a great week and happy reading!
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It’s only fitting that we take on Monday to spotlight the man whose book inspired this site. Mark Batterson is the Lead Pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. They are reaching the city in an innovative way by meeting in theaters and coffeehouses throughout the area. It’s truly an amazing story. You can read more about he and his family here. On top of being a pastor, Mark travels the country speaking at various conferences and has written three books(In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, ID: the true you, and Wild Goose Chase) with a third(Primal) on the way. I love listening to his weekly podcast and his blog, www.Evotional.com, is on my reading list. Here are a few video clips from Mark. One is him telling the story behind their coffeehouse, Ebenezers, and the other is his teaching from the Nines conference. His books and teaching will challenge you to strive for more and not settle for less than what God has planned for you. My prayer is that he will be as much an inspiration to you as he has been to me and that you will wake up and Chase Your Lion!
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If you watched Extreme Home Makeover last night then you heard the story of the Montgomery family and saw their lives changed. Nathan left his engineering job to start Salt and Light, a ministry to the less fortunate. Somewhere along the way, he and his wife decided to “Chase Their Lion” and because of that countless individuals have been fed, clothed, and helped in their time of need. What if he had kept his old job and not pursued his purpose and passion? How many lives have been changed because of his family’s sacrifice? Sometimes, God births something in our heart that cannot be contained. Fear and doubt creep in and try to dissuade us from walking in obedience. Eventually, we must make the choice to pursue it with all we have or let the dream die a lonely, painful death. Despite obstacles(and probably naysayers) the Montgomery’s allowed God’s vision to become reality in their lives. There’s lots of coverage of their story here. There are many videos covering various aspects of the show and their ministry. It’s a great behind the scenes look at a great show, but also an up close look at the Montgomery family as well. It’s inspiring stuff. You can find out more about their ministry here and make a donation here. They have have a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Are you being salt and light? A great ministry…a great family.
Tony Dungy is a rare man. It’s not because he was the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl. It’s not because he’s one of only 3 men to win a Super Bowl as a player and a coach. It’s not even because he walked away from coach at the top of his game. No, Tony Dungy is rare in that he has accomplished all of this with a level of integrity and depth of faith and character that is “Uncommon.” He may well be the most respected man in and around the NFL. He left coaching to pursue a higher calling: helping young people. His highest profile case so far is Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Michael Vick whom Dungy took under his wing while Vick was serving prison time for running an illegal dog fighting ring. My respect for him only grew as he endured the toughest thing a parent can face, the tragic loss of his son, with bravery, dignity, and hope. Here are some comments on that event and a great testimony from a Super Bowl breakfast a few years ago.
He is Lion Chaser because of his pursuit to serve Christ to the best of his abilities and use the platform he has been given to make a difference. To find out more about him you can visit his bio here or his home page here. On top of all of this, he is a best selling author of two great books, Quiet Strength and Uncommon. There are also small group materials available. Tony Dungy: a class act, a great coach, and a true Lion Chaser.
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Came upon this young man’s story and it is truly remarkable. He’s got my vote for the Lion Chaser Hall of Fame. This book chronicles his journey to help suffering people in Africa. Ever asked yourself if one kid can make a difference? This book’s answer is a resounding: YES! This story captures the heart of what Chase Your Lion dot com is all about. It’s about people using their passion to fulfill their purpose through amazing possibilities. This book not only tells Austin’s story, but has lots of information on other possibilities that await you.
