What’s up everyone?  I’ve taken a couple of weeks off from blogging, but now I’m back.  I frankly was too busy to worry about blogging!  I’ll try to keep things fresh here for the summer.

• Enjoying summer so far
• “The Happening” is the dumbest movie EVER!
• Why is money (not having any) always a problem at Church?
• Continuing the “OnePrayer” series tonight.  It’s going well thus far.
• Our Flag Football Tournament is fast approaching.
• Just got my first “Moleskin”!
• I have a serious book addiction.
• I have alot of good new music….will be posting soon on some of my favorites.
• Can’t wait for “The Dark Knight”!
• Been struggling with headaches/fogginess (pray for me if you think about it)
• The NFL season is fast approaching, so is the release of Madden ‘09.
• UFC Fight Night is tonight!  The Ultimate Fighter Finale!
• Had a great Fathers day.  I love my boys so much.

My biggest fear is that I get to the end of my life and find out that I’ve gotten it all wrong.  Not about God or who Jesus is….I’m very confident of that, but that I’ll have gotten this whole church thing wrong.  I mean are we as the church in the world’s richest country getting it right?  Are we as pastors getting it right?  I find that so many pastors nowadays (is that a word?) are doing less and less pastoring and more and more “leading the leaders”.  Let’s face it, being a leader of leaders is sexier than just sheperding a flock of people.  Some pastors I know spend more time traveling, speaking at conferences and writing book than actually doing the work of a pastor.  I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I wish that I could be recognized, well known, traveling and speaking, writing…a leader of leaders.  But is that a pastors calling?  It’s hard work (and certainly not glamorous) to pastor people, to put yourself out there for people, to get your hands dirty with the sin and shame in people’s lives.  And my fear is that we as the church in America are missing the boat.  Jesus meant for us to love and help people, to meet needs, to give of ourselves until we are empty, but we’ve become so consumed with church growth, leadership, conferences, seminars, being relevant to pop culture, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for all of that, and I believe that we need those things, but we need to be loving people by giving until it hurts.  The church should outgive the Salvation Army or the Red Cross or any other organization that helps people.  Earthquake victims in China, Cyclone victims in Myanmar…we should be helping these people…we should be the church God intended us to be.  Maybe, I’m ranting here because I’m dissatisfied with my own brand of Christianity. Simply put, we need more of Jesus and we need to be more about what He did.  I’ll shut up now.

This is my last week as a staff member at Arundel Bay.  It makes me sad to go from this place because I have really enjoyed working here for the past 2 years (and the previous 4 at Riverdale).  I really have never worked with a greater group of people.  It’s hard to imagine that I won’t be coming in to work anymore and hanging out with Steve, Monica, Ryan, Syd, Alyce, Wini, Mel, Kristi-Anna, Lisa, Roland, Kelly, Joy, Vicki, Crystal, Stacy, Joy G., Stephanie, Penny, Amy, Sherry, Renee,  Kristi, Melissa,  Kim, Jody, Schavonne and the best principal in the world, Tammie.  I’ve worked alot of places and have never felt the closeness and family feeling that exists at ABCA.    It’s hard to leave kids that have become such a part of your daily life. Great kids that I won’t name because I don’t want to forget anybody.  I Love you guys!  You  helped me love kids again (I had lost that before I came here).  I wish all of you the best. I will truly miss all of you, but you will see me…I promise.  Change is hard.  Change is scary.  Change is uncomfortable.  Change is necessary. I know that God has been calling me to make this change.  Let’s face it, I’ve been comfortable.  I’m no P.E. teacher, I’m a pastor.  I needed to step out and work closer to my church.  Step out and work amongst those who need to hear about Jesus.  I am willing God to step out, not knowing the outcome, not knowing the future, but trusting you to provide simply because you are God.  You can only do great things through me if I make myself available to be used.  Use me up God.  I waste myself on you…I want more of you and more of your kingdom coming to earth.  I want to be obsessed.

• Summer is upon us!
• Saturday went really well.
• I was feeling the message…True Disciples are Obsessed!
• Are you obsessed with bringing God’s Kingdom to the earth?
• Looking forward to a very productive summer
• Really trying to set ourselves up for big growth in the fall!
• I’m a little sad right now…it’s my last week at Arundel Bay (more on that in a later post)
• I’m wondering why some people don’t grow a set!
• There’s not too many guys out there who are better men than my friend Steve
• I’ve been reminded lately of how very blessed I am.
• God has blessed us at The Journey Church with many first time guests!  How effective are we at making people feel comfortable?
• My Glorious rocked on Saturday night.
• My goal for the summer….lose 30 pounds! Seriously!
• I am really getting into MMA.  I was rooting for Kimbo Slice to lose.  Almost!
• Welcome to Emily, our summer intern at The Journey Church.
• Will miss church on Saturday for a family reunion.  I hate not being there…it’s home!
• The O’s are finally coming back to earth.  Can’t wait to see this team in two years!
• Looking forward to hooking up with tons of people this summer who I want to reconnect with!
• I hate the Bachelor/Bachelorette  shows.  What a joke!
• I’m really upset that they canceled October Road….it was a great show.
• Looking forward to our Summer Blockbusters series in July.

Wow!

His name is Robert Muraine and he is awesome!

Now that’s a tongue twister!

• We had 10 first time guests on Saturday!
• People are hearing about and checking out our church!
• Robby was great on Saturday…Dirty Disciples make a Difference!
• This was a much needed 3 day weekend.
• Looking forward to OnePrayer.
• I dropped my new copy of “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan in the toilet!  Pre-use thank God!
• Anyone want to borrow my new copy of “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan?
• Saw Prince Caspian.  Was a good movie.  Not as good as the first, but good.
• Can’t wait to see Iron Man.  I’m so far behind on movies.
• Thanks to Scott for filling in on guitar this week for us!
• I watched the movie, “Parenthood” this morning.  That movie makes me cry several times.  I’m a sap!
• I’m really looking forward to the summer at Journey.  We’re doing some different things and it definitely won’t be the same old, same old.
• Have been getting a great response to my Top 50 Church Websites.
• My buddy Steve did his first wedding this Saturday!  How’d it go?
• I can’t wait for the season finale of Lost.  That show racks my brain!
• Got an angry e-mail because I said that Rick Warren farts!
• Ok, he only farts with a purpose!
• That’s just wrong!

I just finished reading a blog post from a pastor who just returned from the WhiteBoard Conference in Washington DC.  It disturbed me a little bit (ok, a lot!) because he wrote that he was so in awe of all of the “successful” pastors that were there.  He went on to say that he felt that he didn’t belong there…that he was somehow inferior to these other men.  That breaks my heart as a pastor.  I get a little weary of this celebrity pastor subculture that even I sometimes buy into.  We as pastors think that just because Pastor Fill-in-the Blank runs 5,000 in his church that he is more of a success in God’s eyes.  Or if Pastor Fill-in-the Blank has written a book on church leadership or how to get your church to grow, that we are somehow not on the same level as they are.  Look, I’m glad that we can go to conferences and read books and learn from each other, but when we start placing these pastors up on a pedestal, we are missing the mark completely.  God has called each of us to be pastors, to be ministers and he has given each of us different work to do and there is nothing wrong with that, so let’s stop comparing ourselves and our ministries to the so called celebrity pastors and start being confident in the position that God has placed US in!  I thank God for each of the pastors that I have learned from, guys that set the example for the rest of us.  I really believe that most of them would tell you the same thing….

• Rick Warren farts just like everyone else!
• Andy Stanley picks his nose at the red light!
• Perry Noble doesn’t feel “spiritual” all of the time.
• Bill Hybels probably deep down feels insecure about himself sometimes
• Steven Furtick has probably had an argument with his wife in the past few months.
• Ed Young’s breath stinks really bad in the morning!
• Francis Chan questions his devotion to Jesus alot!

I don’t write that to insult those guys…they are great guys being used by God, but that’s the point…they’re just guys like all the rest of us.  Let’s stop placing the pastors on the pedestal and put Jesus there where He belongs!

Saw this quote over on Missional Thoughts and had to post it.  Very convicting.

“Unfortunately it [the church growth movement] fell victim to an idolatry as old as the Tower of Babel, the belief that we are the architects of the work of God. As a result we have the best churches men can build, but are still waiting for the church that only God can get the credit for.”  - Reggie McNeal

Love these guys!