TATTOO on the HEART

Things have changed, but a lot of things are the same…and some things are worth talking about…

// February 8th, 2009 // OUT LOUD THOUGHTS

The very reasons that gave me so many false starts when it came to blogging in the first place have come to haunt me now.

•  The pressure to always have something to say that’s compelling.

Well, so much for that.

•  The simple fact that time slips by so quickly that you’re just out of date with everything you’re talking about.

So I’m going to face those fears right now and get it over with…

January Job Loss the Worst in 34 Years….

For Job Losses, No Sign that the Worst is Over

 
So how’s the church when it comes to relevance right now? Just out of curiosity, I checked out some of the well known churches in San Diego to see if they’ve decided to share the conversation of the world.

With just a cursory look – basically a look at the churches who pay google to rank their websites higher or that pay for googleads – here’s what I found.

A series on how to have great relationships (they do have one of those small group studies on managing your money. It’s easy to manage money when you don’t have any though). A series on managing your life with one week that’s on tithing in disguise. A series on King David (though this same church did do a one time teaching on anxiety a couple of months ago). A series on the character of God. A series on Nehemiah (which really could be awesome if the conflicts are explored in depth). A one-weeker on trials.

Only one church I found is willing to spend a few weeks exploring difficulties of life. They are exploring God’s grace revealed during struggle.

You know what? If what we’re talking about on the weekends is a reflection of God’s priorities right now, we’re in deep trouble.

I think that’s the message that we’re sending the world.

You can keep going on with your plans, but when there’s an elephant in the room there’s an elephant in the room. People don’t come to your church and check their conversations at the door.

Bring these people some hope, Church.

Ehhhh. Maybe next month we’ll truly be relevant….

SUPER BOWL

If you didn’t see my previous post, I was really bummed about the Super Bowl loss by the Cardinals. I’m recovering now I suppose.

MICKEY ROURKE

Speaking of comebacks, I’m thrilled that Mickey Rourke won Best Actor. Obviously I am a huge pro wresting so a film actually getting it right is encouraging. But I love the humility of Rourke. Seeing someone experience grace is something that never gets old.

BRIAN MCLAREN

Brian McLaren spoke at Point Loma Nazarene University this week. Afterwards I got the change to talk to him for a few minutes. When you have a guy who’s both been demonized and praised by the church, you kinda expect them to have a huge ego about always being right and to be pretty withdrawn. In my experience with Brian (yeah, we’re on a first name basis now) I found him to be quite humble and gracious. Both of those qualities are difficult to fake I think. Brian’s going to be taking a look at my book, “Tattoo on the Heart” and we’ll be in contact in the upcoming months.

ORLANDO

I got the chance to go back to Orlando mid-month to speak at a youth event. I was able to get in to town a day early and hang out with my friend Bobby who took over from me at my old youth ministry – EPIC Orlando. He’s a phenomenal guy both in talent and as a person. I arrived in Orlando at 11:30pm EST (8:30 my time) and we headed to Steak and Shake with a couple of the guys – one of them being Matt my old intern who’s on staff now. We stayed up till around 3am their time, and I was back up by 6am. This started a whole weekend of sleeplessness since I couldn’t adjust to the time zone, and I was living on adrenaline from speaking all weekend.

Friday, I was handed off into the custody of Andy – a megachurch youth pastor in Winter Park . I knew him and his associate Chris while I lived there, and after I had so much fun with those guys for the weekend, I’m so disappointed that we never got to hang out much while I loved there.

The weekend went smooth. Highlighted by Shane Burlison on worship and KJ-52 who did a late night performance on Saturday night. I actually slipped up and cried during my second session – I hate it when speakers can’t control themselves!!! I’ve never done that, and I have to say that it was one of those Holy Spirit motivated things because my wife tries to get me to do that during sappy movies and I just won’t. Plus – again – I hate it when speakers do that. For me, it was just such a profound thing that God was doing, I was just blown away.

Right before we pulled out of the parking lot to head to the event, I met their senior Pastor Bob. He told me he was looking forward to the weekend and hearing me speak. I told him, “I hope I don’t mess it up.”

In all the events that I’ve done over the years, this is literally the first time I’ve had a senior pastor actually attend which is one of many wonderful things that there is to say about Bob. I mean, I was nervous at first, but especially after seeing him share a cabin with a bunch of 9 th grade boys and lead a small group, I saw exactly where his heart was.

Right before I got up to speak in the second session, I got a chance to talk to him for a few minutes. I actually told him how much I appreciated him coming to the event. As a longtime youth pastor, I know how much that means to have your lead guy not just talk support, but to be there in person as a fan – even a volunteer!

He knew what I used to in youth ministry in Orlando and asked me about church planting out here in San Diego . I told him the kind of ministry that we were attempting out here and how different it was from anything I’d done before and he just looked at me and said, “I’m so envious.”

He shared with me how he shut down the typical expensive Christmas Eve services at his church and did the services in a local pub. He explained to his church members – as well as all the outsiders who were in attendance – “God is just as present here as anywhere.”

The cool thing is I know Bob’s not just being trendy. He’s got a lot to lose because his denomination isn’t that progressive and his church has 3 traditional services of the 4 they do every weekend. The way their church is structured, he could get voted out for less. And he’s not a young guy, and he has no security to fall back on.

He just cares about people. He cares about the people that Jesus would be trying to reach if he was here.

I smile thinking about Bob. He’s nuts. He’s a risk-taker. This is guy who dresses up wherever he goes.

And my favorite story – that he didn’t tell me but someone else shared with me – was that he leaves the office and will go out into the woods where homeless people live. I just crack up when I think of him in his slacks and dress shoes walking through unsteady, wooded terrain just to get to people and hang out with them.

I mean, he’s just a megachurch pastor. He doesn’t have anything else to do. He’s freed up to go on youth retreats and to venture out during the week.

He told me that He just really desires for his people to get it – that it’s about the people on the outside who aren’t ours yet. And he said point blank: “Paul, who am I to tell people what kind of life that they should be living if I’m not doing it myself. I have to be outside the 4 walls to model it for them.”

Thanks Bob. You’re pretty amazing.