Christmas Letter from Jesus!

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that once in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15:1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their
employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS

Question of the Day! (QOTD)

So I had an idea the other day about this blog. I’m thinking it might be time to mix it up a little bit, throw in some fun stuff every now and then. So I’m going to institute a “Question of the day” as well as some “Top 10″ lists. Feel free to comment or add ideas for future QOTD’s or Top 10 lists.

So today’s QOTD is, “Do you text and if so how many texts do you send in a day? Week? Month?”

One Month To Go!

It has been about a month since my wife and I accepted a position at New Life Christian Church.  While we are very excited about the opportunity there is also a lot to be done.  New Life Christian Church is a multi-site church.  While this isn’t a new idea in the church world, it is definitely an exciting thing.  Basically, a multi-site is one church that meets in multiple locations.  In New Life’s case, they meet in three locations making them a three campus church.  The vision of the church is one but the implementation of that vision is carried out over multiple campuses.  While I feel like I understand the multi-site thing, there is still so much more to learn.  I am excited to have the chance to learn some new things and broaden my ministry horizons. Here is a short video describing what multi-site means.

That being said, I joined a network for multi-site Campus Pastors and Leaders.  On this site they can connect and learn from each other about multi-site churches.  If you are interested in learning more, you can follow the link below.

Visit Leading Multi-site

Please continue to keep my family in your prayers.  We are under a little bit of stress trying to get everything finished up before December. Please be in prayer for…

Our home selling soon.

Finding a new place to live.

Getting everything packed.

Reserving the moving truck to get us to VA.

Our children to have a smooth transition.

Grant (my oldest son) to accept the change well.

For God to be with us and to bring peace to our home in this stressful/exciting time.

And sorry that I haven’t kept this blog up the way I should.  Things have been a little crazy lately.  Give me a little bit of time to get settled and I will try to pick up the pace a little bit.  Thanks for reading.  Peace.

Book Sale!

Hey everyone.  In an effort to downsize my library before my move to Virginia, I have posted a couple of items on eBay.  I thought I’d post the links here to spread the word about what I’m selling.  So I hope you will check out the following links to see if you might be interested in them.  I have some books available as well that aren’t sets or commentaries.  So if you are interested in other resources, contact me and I’ll see if I have what you are looking for.

Matthew Henry Commentary Set (Old and New Testament)

The Pulpit Commentary (New Testament only)

Clarke’s Commentary (Old and New Testament)

Barne’s Commentary (Old and New Testament)

Bible Study Textbook (Old and New Testament)

Thanks for checking them out.  Feel free to bid, a lot :), and help me get these sets sold.  Thanks.

Glo Bible

Let’s all be honest with ourselves and confess that we are now living in a technological world.  Almost everything is done through either a computer or electronic advice.  There is probably little argument that atop the list of modern day gadgets sits the iPhone.  Download an app (application) for nearly anything you can possibly imagine.  Use your iPhone (or other smart phones) to look up recipes for dinner, download music lessons, stay connected to friends and family through facebook or twitter applications.  Grab the app that shows you step-by-step how to make your own espresso at home.  And there are thousands more; everything from home design to catching your favorite teams score.

Now, step into a “typical” church.  Sit down in “your” pew (no cafe or Starbucks here).  Listen as someone tells you to pick up a book from the shelf in front of you called a him, hem or hymn book.  You’re not sure which it is but you do as you’re told.  Turn to page number 264.  Turn a page?  You have to be kidding me.  Is there an app for this thing?  Now listen as the man in the front begins to preach a sermon.  He says some things that you aren’t too sure about.  You would really like to ask some questions, but judging from the looks and demeanor of those around you, it is either really a bad time to interrupt with your question or that just isn’t accepted here.  When the service is over, one in which there was no Starbucks or app for the hymns you just sang, you head to the church library looking for something that might be helpful in your search for answers.  Blow the dust off of an old commentary set or get lost in a book that is full of symbols.  It’s all Greek to you though.  Again, there’s no app for this.  There’s no current, modern or up-to-date way to get the information you want.

Better yet, there doesn’t seem to be a way to get the info your soul craves.

What your soul needs.

So you give up looking there.

Perhaps, you give up searching entirely.

What if there was an easier way?  What if there was a way to get the Bible out into the hands of millions of spiritually hungry people in a way they can understand?  In a way that is modern, quick and yes, even cool.  Can the Bible be cool?  Is that possible?  Or is that some form of heresy that must be rejected?

There is a great new resource available to people who are interested in searching the Bible in a whole new way.  It is called Glo Bible.  It is an entirely new way to explore the Bible and find the answers you are looking for.  I included a short video that briefly introduces this great new product.  If you like what you see, head over to their website and buy it for yourself.  I promise, you won’t be disappointed.  Maybe, just maybe, the church has found a way to get the Bible into the hands of people in a 21st Century way.

YouVersion!

YouVersion.com is a great site for those who are interested in reading Scripture on a daily basis.  It also helps to connect you with others who are reading the same Scripture.  You can read other’s comments, learn from them and input your own ideas.  I love having YouVersion available for spending time with God.  I posted this a while back on my YouVersion account.  I had read Matthew 17 and was inspired by it.  So, check it out and let me know what you think.

“There has just been a lot of good reading on YouVersion.  This section of Scripture I am so intrigued by.  Second to the post-resurrection appearances, this has to be a time when the disciples see Jesus the most clearly.  This has to be a chance for them to see Him for who He really is.  When some of the greatest prophets of their entire faith appear, Elijah and Moses, next to Jesus, enveloped by a bright white cloud and Jesus starts shining like the sun (and they didn’t have any Oakley’s to shade the eyes) and the voice of God speaks to them.  This is a huge moment in their journey with Jesus Christ.

Is it me or does anyone else want to see Jesus that clearly?  Sometimes I want Him to appear to me, shining like the sun, enveloped in a white cloud, maybe standing next to Tom Osborne and Johnny Rodgers.  Then just tell me what’s going on.  Just lay it on the line for me.  ”This is who I am, Stan. Get it?”  Yep, I got it that time.  Show me who You are.  Reveal Yourself to me I pray.  Show me Your glory.  Let me walk and live in the light that You created.  Help me to see You as You really are.

I don’t have to see Jesus this way to believe in Him.  I just want to experience the fullness of who He is.  This seems like a pretty good way to do that.  Matthew 17:1-13“

Exciting News!

There is some very exciting news that I want to share with the readers of Cultural Awakening.  My family and I are about to begin a new chapter in our lives.  We have accepted a Campus Pastor position at New Life Christian Church in Virginia.  We currently lead the Petersburg Church of Christ in Illinois.  This will be a huge change for us but one that we are very ready for and can’t wait to tackle.

For those of you who would like to know more, please continue reading.  New Life Christian Church is a church planting church.  They seek to be a church for the unchurched.  They are a multi-site church.  A multi-site church is one church that meets in different locations.  They currently have three campus that meet in Haymarket, Centerville and McLean, Virginia.  My wife and I will be transitioning in to the Haymarket campus.  Haymarket is located about an hour or hour and a half directly west of D.C.  The main campus is in Centerville.  The church has a total attendance of nearly 1000 people and the Haymarket campus is running 180.

Not only is this an incredible opportunity for us to take on a new challenge, it also presents a very exciting future for us.  For six or seven years, my heart has been leaning toward church planting.  This is an added benefit to working with New Life.  As a church planting church, I have committed 5-7 years of being on staff with them.  While I am there, I will have the opportunity to learn about church planting and to get connected with many church planting organizations.  In 5-7 years, my wife and I will have the opportunity to plant a church.  Just writing that sentence gives me chills.  I couldn’t be more stoked about this opportunity.

I want to send out a message of love and encouragement to my family in Petersburg, the people at the Church of Christ.  You have been my spiritual family for a little over five years.  I am so happy that God has allowed our paths to cross, even if it feels like it was for just a short time.  I want to encourage you to keep loving people as Jesus did.

Never stop loving them.

Never stop giving to them.

Never stop giving of yourselves.

Pour yourselves into the ministry and life of Petersburg.

It is on your backs that PCOC is able to do so many of the wonderful things that it does.  I have been privileged to be a part of it.

There is probably even more to share.  More details, small things that I have forgotten.  I would be happy to talk with any of you more about this opportunity.  Feel free to comment me on this blog, on facebook, twitter or email.  I look forward to hearing from you.

If you are interested in praying for us, I have a couple of things that we are praying for as well.  We are praying for our house to sell quickly.  Most people complain about the market or economy, but I’m still pretty sure God is bigger than the economy.  We have specifically prayed that God would bring around the right buyer at the right time.  We are also praying for our church family here, that they will be strong and be able to continue working hard for God here in Petersburg.  We are also praying for a smooth transition to New Life.  That includes everything from our move, to settling down in Virginia and getting started in the work there.  Please keep us in your prayers.

There are many mixed emotions, but ultimately this is a door that God has opened to us and we are so excited for the opportunity to be a part of New Life.  Thanks everyone for reading Cultural Awakening and I’ll try to keep you all posted as to updates here as well as a whole new perspective from the East Coast.

Grace and Peace,

Stan

The Church and Sex!

It’s a topic that the church rarely discusses.  When sex is discussed it is usually in context of how evil and dirty it is.  Most often is associated with a guilt trip or manipulative message designed to scare us away from something that God built into us and created us for.  Within the covenant of marriage that is established by God, there is nothing more beautiful than a healthy physical relationship with your spouse.

There are many who have taken sex and turned it into a show for the world to see.  Many have seen a porn magazine or adult film while others frequent adult bookstores.  There is one problem for our culture with sex being done this way.  The problem is that it’s not anonymous enough for us.  We want to stick to our fetishes and our fantasies with a little more privacy.  And as the blog below shows, the internet has allowed us to do that.

Here’s the scary part.  Most people want to make a huge divide between the church and the sex industry.  Yet, how different are they really?  Especially when it comes to anonymity.  Ready to stretch yourself and your view of the church?  You should really read this blog and on twitter follow @JesusNeedsNewPR.  So what are you waiting for?  Go and read the blog.

http://jesusneedsnewpr.blogspot.com/2009/09/anonymous-life-sex-wednesday.html

Sermon Player –

Leadership Summit Part 3!

Have you ever had that feeling that you just weren’t good enough?  Something inside of you that says you will never succeed.  I have felt that way on different occasions.  Maybe you are working really hard toward a degree and it just doesn’t come as naturally for you as it does for someone else.  Or maybe you are working in a church ministry as a volunteer and you just can’t seem to get your ministry off the ground.  Maybe you are a pastor or church leader and it just seems like everything you try, fails miserably.  Pretty soon you begin to hear that voice inside that says, “You’re just not good enough.”

There was a man by the name of Michael Jordan.  He used to shoot a round ball through a round hoop about 10 feet off the ground.  He soared through the air like a bird.  In fact, his line of shoes are called “Air Jordan.”  Yet as successful as Michael has been on the basketball court, he was cut from his high school basketball team.  I bet that coach hasn’t slept a night since Michael’s days at North Carolina.  Rather than write out for you all of the times Michael has failed just watch this video to hear a few from the man himself.

And these are just to name a few.  Michael failed many times and through his failures he became known as the greatest to ever play the game.  High praise for someone with so many failures.  But now back to your failure.

Ironically, this is the part of your life where you should feel the best about yourself.  Chip and Dan Heath, authors of the book “Made to Stick,” and the soon to be released, “Switch,” call this the “valley of insight.”  I like that terminology much better than failure.  They say that in this “valley of insight,” we learn many valuable lessons.  We have insight that helps us to learn and overcome our mistakes.  As we come up out of this “valley of insight,” we begin to experience confidence.  I guess we can grow confident about things when we learn from our mistakes.

I happen to like this idea very much.  I like the idea that when I feel like I am at my worst or that I am utterly failing at something, that chances are I am also learning.  It is the people who can look at their failures and learn from them who have what is called the “growth mindset.”  This is the mentality of a man like Tiger Woods.  He went on a winning tear early in his career.  At the pinnacle of the game, no one could even come close to him.  It was at that time that he went out and reworked his swing becuase he felt that he could get better.  This is the mentality of people who will grow and succeed.

In the church world we are notorious for certain phrases.  One of the most often quoted is a simple, seven word phrase.  It goes like this, “We’ve never done it that way before.”  This mindset leads to mediocrity in the Kingdom of God.  This is the mindset that prevents the church from keeping up with the current generation.  This is the mindset that says, “Failure isn’t an option,” when in reality failure is the only option.  Because only in our failures are we actually doing anything.

Only in our failures are we trying.

Only in our failures are we learning.

Only in our failures are we growing.

Only in our failures will we ultimately succeed.

How many of you want to be mediocre leaders in the Kingdom of God?  Or in your business?  Or in your school?  Or in your home?  My guess is that there isn’t anyone who wants to be mediocre at anything they try.  I can guarantee you one thing; if you are so afraid of failure that you don’t try, the only thing you will succeed at is failure.  And the church is the last place we can afford to fail.  The church is the hope for mankind, it is the Kingdom of God on earth designed to reach out and share a wonderful message of salvation and grace to a hurting world.  This message and mission have eternal consequences.  In this we can’t afford to fail, therefore we can’t afford to be afraid of failure.  Church leaders have to look failure in the eye and say, “Bring it on.”  If I fail, at least I tried.  But while I’m on earth I’m going to give all I have to share this message with the world around me.

What are you afraid to try because you think it will fail?

What is your church afraid to do because they think it will fail?

What thoughts do you have about this topic?  How can we begin to look at failure as the “valley of insight?”