Beating the Heat

We spent this weekend running from the heat. Two of those days were spent at Santa Barbra and Santa Monica. I do love photography and captured some nice moments. Enjoy.

Sword Battle

Ah, my boys playing swords in the backyard on a summer afternoon...watch and enjoy.

Natural History

I admit freely that I am in awe of natural history. This clip is one reason why.

Season Pass

Everyone has dreams of things that they would like to have or do. I am not a materialistic man, and I have never had any inate desire for worldly goods...except three things. 1. A ski-Boat with something to pull it with 2. To visit The Magic Castle 3. To be Disneyland Season Pass Holders. I have desired these strange things from my youth.

This year I was able to visit The Magic Castle (thanks to Jeff Lewis) and the RD's gave us season passes Disneyland. I have visited twice in the last two weeks...because we could. I have to admit...I realy like going to Disneyland with my family and friends.

My Best Man

Heidi and I celebrated our 10th wedding Anniversary on June 14th. It is surprising how we can look back with thanksgiving on all the Lord has done while shocked at how fast it has happened. I was reminded of the "vaporness" of life when we spent the day with the Spansel's (Mark was the Best Man at our wedding) and realized that none of these kids were born yet. I told Heidi that the next 10 years of marriage will be the most rich and fulfilling yet (she rolled her eyes and agreed). At my 20th anniversary who knows what this picture will look like.

CMD 4 Life

There is a former student of mine that has cmd4life as the prefix to his e-mail...and for good reason. There is one thing about TMC that can not be underestimated. The undisputed power of a good idea in the hands of Chapel Media to build TMC Spirit. They are in the business of making and mirroring college memories. Here is an old favorite of mine.

Why do we watch what we watch?

I believe that film is the number one platform for worldview conversation among college students. This is for good reason. Film is the most powerful platform for popular cultural and political commentary (music is second). An inconvenient truth proved it and Sicko is going to trying to and America is still not ready for Children of Men (I-Tunes profits will tell the rest of the story).

I listen in on the kinds of films being made and what the reviewed commentary are, and gain some insight into what form and what message is being preached. When I do watch a movie, it is well informed as to why and what I am engaged in. Sometimes I can fully understand a movie without ever watching it. I never watch a movie without its context.

Knocked-up is getting some incredible press. Some have labeled it a "era-defining comedy like little miss sunshine and when harry met sally." I have also gotten a good review from some well meaning Christians.

I was reading my WORLD Magazine and they reviewed the movie. Then I ran across the Rolling Stone interview of Judd Apatow. I believe that this movie could be an "era-defining comedy" and Apatow as its genius comic writer. Don't be deceived, this "mainstream form" of sophomoric and campy comedy has calloused the humor of Americans and the undiscerning christian. Knocked-up has the look of a clever comedy, but it is just a Trojan horse for the same kind of comedy found in Anchorman, Talledga Nights, and the 40 year old virgin...one of the mainstream platforms for the crass social commentary of Apatow. Movies like these give nothing to the thinking christian...they only take away.

What is funny? What is good humor? This era has not defined it well and the unwise christian is depicting it. What satisfies your appetite for laughter and humor? Why do you rent or watch the comedies that you do? What are you laughing at and why? What is funny today that was not funny 5 years ago, and in turn what is not funny today that made your side hurt last year?

Listen, I love to laugh...mostly at you. Those questions just bring warning and reflection on what the world values and what the Kingdom values and how that battles on the field of our heart. It also calls to account what dominates our worldview and why. Everything in life and art proclaim something in material what is true in the immaterial. Whether the tragedy and the shallow hopes of sin or the beauty of redemption in Christ alone.

So, know why you watch what your watch...and watch with a discerning eye and not a self-deceived heart.

Homosexuality

I have had the privilege of walking though this issue in the lives of several young men and this issue is gaining national recognition. I believe that homosexuality, gender identity, and bi-sexuality will be a core issue in the church in the next five years. I had lunch with a friend that is dealing with homosexual desires yesterday. I am thinking about how to bring some clear thinking about how men can disciple men through the issue of homosexual desires. You don't think that a christian man can struggle with homosexuality...that is exactly the mindset that should be investigated biblically. The only guy out there that is talking about it from a current perspective is Albert Mohler. I was reminded of this article and thought I would share it with you.

I am currently working on a lecture entitled "I know homosexuality is a sin, so now what?" I want to develop some clear gates that every man dealing biblically with the issue of homosexuality should walk through. Hopefully, these gates will then become common vocabulary for spiritual men to help those dealing with this issue. I am prayerfully considering teaching this material at the TMC men's split chapel this fall.

"9Do you not know that the unrighteous^[b] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,^[c] 10nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God
" I Corinthians 6:9-11

Best Sports Movies

Rotten Tomatoes has run some well informed "best of lists" and I like the sports one for summertime movie fun.

Sleeping with a 3 year old

I have been catching up with my family this week. Namely, camping and visiting the grandparents. This means that I have been sleeping next to Sam. This has been a great time to enjoy him and my family. It has also given me much appreciation to Heidi for what she does all day. I have also enjoyed the simple pleasures of being awakened by my son every morning.

Being in this stage of life with young kids places things into perspective. The christian life really is lived in small acts of faith in obedience. That rhythm being established into the heartbeat of the daily life. It is just as godly to listen to and serve my 3 year old as it is to preach a sermon. The same spirituality is required although the mechanism is the same.

Sanctifying the Common

A TMC Alumni sent me this Justin Taylor link about Martin Luther's take on changing diapers for the glory of God .

There is a false dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. To say that one activity is more "spiritual" than another is to regulate the dominion of Christ to particular arenas and not to give Him lordship over every area of life. It has always been about the heart attitude (Prov 4) employed toward a particular activity that validates its spiritual authenticity. To be sure, I am not talking about anything that is prohibited in the bible and clearly sinful...rather I am talking about redeeming the ordinary moments of life for the glory of God. It is the small acts of faith done in the everyday moments of life that creates a sanctifying ripple effect into all areas of the spiritual life. This is the practical expression of the christian worldview....not just that you can discern through humanistic rhetoric, but to discern what car to buy. The christian life is one that acquires biblical understanding and can practically apply it to everyday moments in everyday life.

Summer Jobs

Enjoy this article in the L.A. Times I read while getting my car washed yesterday....In honor of our beloved SCV "amusement" park, summer jobs, and Nate Busenitz who (as legend has it) also grew up while serving an over priced hamburger.

Practicing Our Positional Holiness

1 Peter 2:9-12 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Word or Worldly

In today’s postmodern “informationally saturated” global economy, people are looking for meaning beyond words. Deep down, people want to be engaged in a dialog not a debate. Authentic relationships that intersect with a person’s “story” create platforms for influence. So…what I do/how I live authenticates what I say I believe. How I live biblically in small moments fills in the dialog for the method and meaning of true significance.

I see many young leaders try to influence their peers more by spiritual propaganda and rhetoric than through the power of personal holiness. Paul understood the primacy of proclaiming Christ through his life that would validate the authenticity of his spiritual insights (II Corinthians 2:1-5).

The process of interpersonal discipleship or spiritual influence should be contextualized by culture (or “relevant” if you don’t think that’s a dirty word)…not as a goal unto itself, but as the means/method/process to personally deposit the unmitigated truth of the gospel. Relationships are central to communicating the rich truths of our faith. Relationship is the dynamic that is missing in today’s society and the one thing every human longs for.

On the pathway to authentic dialog, people can loose more than they gain when their life is described better in worldly terms than defined by the Word. The world is not something to be courted, but rather contrasted through a biblical worldview/lifestyle. I am convinced it is when Christians live according to the word and not the world it will display The Compelling Significance of this lifetime…and the one to come (I Peter 1:13-22).

In this thinking I started to highlight a contrasting list…in the end I always constrain/edit myself to ten.


The Word (I John 2:4-6)

Knowledge of God (Col 1:9-10)
Accountability (Heb 3:12-13)
Mortification (Col 3:1-3)
Suffering (Jms 1:2-7; Heb 12)
Known (I Thess 2:8)
Giver (I Tim 6:18; Acts 2:44-45)
Active (II Tim 2:1-15)
Selfless-Love (Phil 2; I Cor 13)
Driven by Christ (II Cor 5:14-15)
Perfection (Phil 3:12-13




Or Worldly (I John 2:15-17)

Knowledge of Things
Autonomy
Explanation
Comfort
Known About
Consumer
Apathetic
Self-Love
Driven by Cool
Performance