Category Archives: Chan

Read It While You Can

15 Monday Aug 2011

Posted by in Chan, harsh, hell, tongue

≈ 1 Comment

There’s been some debate recently about hell being a literal or figurative place and some mud-slinging to go along with it.  I’ve stated my position of ignorance in the past (March 22, 2011 Blog) and still want to be more in tune with what God would have me do today and live it out than argue with someone about hell.  At any rate, with any book about anything controversial more books will come out with the other argument and I guess my good buddy (I don’t really know the guy but he makes me think) Frances Chan has responded to Rob Bell’s book and below is a link for an excerpt.  I appreciate Chan for bringing out things that I overlook at times.  For instance, I can get rolling with the argument that hell is for bad people who do bad things and Chan points out that the Bible says people who talk harshly about others are those very folks doing bad things.  Now, I know for a fact that there is some gossiping going on at lots of church buildings because a) I’ve heard it and b) I’m pretty sure I’ve joined in before and a good bit of that gossip fits under the category of speaking harshly about others.  Something to think about…

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Here’s the link to Chan’s excerpt.  I’m not sure if I can legally borrow it or not but I’ll give it a whirl and hope it simply makes you think. 

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Chan on hell

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Grace and peace to you.
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Neutral

21 Friday Jan 2011

Posted by in Chan, Crazy Love, neutral

≈ 2 Comments

I feel like I’m stuck in neutral.  I have a desire to do things for the kingdom yet each day I feel like I am just going through the motions to get through the day.  My prayer life is in neutral.  My reading is in neutral.  My journaling is in neutral.  Oddly, while I feel completely in neutral, I have people from a Bible study I lead at work telling me how meaningful some of the things I mentioned meant to them or helped them in how they see things in their life.  I’m thankful because all I ask is that God will speak through me and it makes me wonder if I feel like I’m in neutral simply because I’m not trying to be in control as has been my custom for many years.  Maybe I am in neutral and allowing God to work but I wouldn’t expect to feel like I’m in neutral if that’s the case.  I’m baffled.

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I am looking forward to the coming weeks of our workplace Bible study.  I will be leading a study through one of my favorite books, Crazy Love.  I expect to lose my feeling of neutral while going back through Chan’s book because it has moved me so deeply in the past.  Or, maybe I’ll feel the same as I ask God to again speak loudly and deliberately through me during that study. 

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Grace and peace to you.
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Obsession

05 Wednesday Jan 2011

Posted by in Chan, Crazy Love, obsessed, obsession

≈ 4 Comments

I’m teaching class tonight as we continue working through Crazy Love.  I think I was asked to teach the chapter on being obsessed with Jesus because it’s one that I need to work on so much.  I don’t know that I’m obsessed with anything but when I think about what I might be obsessed by “Mercedes” pops into my head.  I’ve always wanted one and now the Mercedes G500 is on my list of things I really, really want.  I have no need for it.  I don’t have the money it takes to acquire one.  I just want one.

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Frances Chan, in the study video for Crazy Love, talks about how it makes sense to him that the early Christians were obsessed with Jesus.  They had been around him and listened to him, then they saw him die followed by seeing the empty tomb and the resurrected Christ among them.  They were living in the middle of it so the fact that they gathered together, sold their possessions and took care of each others needs doesn’t seem far-fetched.  He goes on (and this is the part I like) and says it would be much harder for him to believe they were obsessed with the Christ if they had said, “hey, let’s have services once a week and sing some songs and listen to a sermon and then go our own way the rest of the week.”  Cracks me up…and it doesn’t change his comment for me very much if you throw in Sunday night and Wednesday night.

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I’ve been satisfied for far too long with making an appearance at the church building and going on my way saying I was a follower of Christ.  I want to be more obsessed with the things Jesus was obsessed with.  Sure, he spent time teaching but his time was much more about helping others with their spiritual AND physical needs.  The church I’ve attended all my life touts our “pattern theology” and, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t feel I have been a part of the group that follows the pattern of the church in Acts 2:42.  I’m more accustomed to thinking about what I have, not what I am giving away to someone who needs it.  I’m more accustomed to worrying about tax rates and savings accounts and the size of my 401k than being willing to give all I have and trust God will provide all I need.  I want to look more like that church in 2:42.  I want people to identify me with that body.

I don’t want to be misunderstood (though I can imagine it easy when dealing with my crazy mind) so I want to be clear that what I’m talking about is a heart that is willing to give everything to God.  Does that mean that could include physical possessions?  Yes, definitely.  Does that mean I earn any standing with God because I did something?  NO!  I don’t want anyone to think I’m saying I have to do some physical act to get in God’s good graces.  I lived that theology for far too long.  I’m talking about a heart and mind that is obsessed for God and, I believe, if I have that the physical acts will follow from a desire to be a servant to others.

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Chan talks in the video about how the 2:42 church shared all their stuff – their houses, their money, their cars.  It makes me think.  I don’t care if anyone borrows my 2002 truck.  It’s got 150,000 miles on it, plenty of scratches and I’m not worried about it.  But, park a Mercedes G500 in the driveway and I’m not sure I’m as willing to let you take it as the old truck.  At that point, what am I really obsessed with?

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I want to be obsessed with living the life God wants me to live.  Maybe that includes a car that doesn’t seem reasonable for me, more likely it doesn’t.  Either way, I want to give, to share, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give the thirsty something to drink…to be more like Christ.

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Grace and peace to you.
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Wowsy Woo Woo

08 Friday Oct 2010

Posted by in Catalyst, Chan, Compassion, Esau, giving, Project 7, stew

≈ Leave a comment

Good writers would tell me to work on my titles I’m guessing.

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How about those Rangers?!  I can’t believe I’m missing the games but glad they are winning without me.

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I’ve spent the last 2 days and will spend today at a Christian Leadership conference and I am getting filled up.  It’s tough because I’m overfilled and can’t process it all right now but what a great blessing to be a part of this.  A few thoughts from the past 2 days:

* Francis Chan in person is SO MUCH BETTER than in a book or on a video.  What an incredibly inspirational guy.  The funny thing is, he doesn’t want to be that guy.  He simply wants to see his life fit in the Bible story so that if you read a story of his life, it would fit with the stories of the apostles.  Novel idea.  (Short aside here, if you haven’t read his book Crazy Love I think you are missing out.  I think it’s a must-read for any Christian.  Make that MUST-READ.)

* Andy Stanley is a great storyteller.  I heard the story of Esau today in a way I never had and it convicted me I need to be careful of stew.  I hope that makes you wonder what I’m talking about it because I hope to share it one day.

* There are a lot of Christian leaders who need a new hairstyle, need a shave, need new shoes, need to drop the skinny jeans.  I’m also guessing the guys with lots of piercings and tattoos aren’t from the Church of Christ (but I think Rick and Jacob could start a new trend!).  

* There are some incredibly talented musicians/singers serving the Lord.  I really liked the reggae stuff I heard today.  (Shout out to EC!)

* Beth Moore said she felt odd speaking today because the audience is predominantly male.  T.D. Jakes is up tomorrow and I wonder if he will feel odd also.  The audience is very light skinned!  🙂

* I’m looking forward to hearing Jakes.  I’ve watched some video clips and he certainly brings it in what I’ve seen.

* I got to spend some time Wednesday night with an old friend.  I appreciate how time helps our perspectives on the way we see things.

* Compassion International does incredible work.  Project 7 Coffee is a great new opportunity.  Check ’em out.

What has been driven home the most…I want to give more.  More money, more time, more love.

Grace and peace to you.

More Chan Man

02 Thursday Sep 2010

Posted by in Chan, Crazy Love, God, Prayer

≈ Leave a comment

We started talking about ideas offered in the book Crazy Love by Frances Chan in class last night.  Thinking about it has re-energized my mind and heart for how I want to serve God and live in His will for me.  In the video clip we watched tonight, Chan talked about our prayer life and how we approach God – whether it be routine or whether we are blown away each time we come in the presence of God to talk to Him.  He related how, after reading Revelations 4, it stopped him and humbled him before talking to God and got him thinking, “when I come into the presence of God, what will be the first thing I want to say?”  Think about it.  We sometimes talk about the questions we want to ask but what will really happen when we approach the presence of God, the Creator of the world, the Author of life, the Healer, the Savior.

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If you haven’t read Crazy Love I can only ask why.  It will challenge the strongest Christian to draw nearer to God, to reassess their life and the path they are walking. 

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Grace and peace to you.
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