We had a great weekend honoring our volunteers. Our theme this year centered around “Superheroes” and our new ministry opportunities guide looked like a comic book. Joe did a phenomenal (there! I said it!) job of design work, and we tied it all together with “Super Hero” shirts, red and blue “super hero fabric,” and some great looking red “fabrigo” chairs from Ikea!

It was great to hear some stories from our different ministry areas, and a chance to raise the value of serving. It was also a great reminder for me – we have hundreds (and I do mean hundreds!) of volunteers that serve on a weekly basis, most of them behind the scenes. And what I love the most about our volunteers is that we are all on the same page, the same mission, the same vision. I would bet that you won’t find many churches who would say that everyone is moving in the same direction in terms of mission and vision. I’m so thankful that we’re all on board to serve God through our ministry at MH!

I was reading an article today about digital access and whether or not increased technology would make the world a better place. It seems like the computer has been around forever, but for most of us, the “modern day” computer and especially the internet has really only been around since the late 80′s.

I remember my first computer, the Atari 800, came with a “basic” cartridge and a tape drive. Just enough for a 13-year old hacker to write a few programs. And then in my first few years of college, dialing in to the “bulletin boards” to play my favorite text game – that is if the line wasn’t busy. Things have certainly changed in the past 15 years!

Did you know that as of 2004 only 12.4 percent of the world had access to a PC? AMD CEO Hector Ruiz recently unveiled the company’s “50 x 15″ program, which aims to put half of the world online by 2015 – quite an ambitious endeavor. Other companies are working on PIC’s (personal internet communicators) that can be sold for as little as $100 to give access to as many people, especially students, as possible.

All of this made me think about the effort we’re putting into technology. Do we even put a fraction of that effort into talking about God? What about the Bible? Do we have a goal to put the Bible into half of the world by 2015? Would they call us nuts? I can’t help but to remember the words of Jesus when He commanded us to “go and tell.” It seems we have chosen to stay and remain silent, hoping people will discover Him on their own.

The article finished with a bold statement that the countries with decent education systems, good infrastructure and free markets were the places that technology has taken off and as a result, it has helped those societies. That sounds pretty elitist now doesn’t it? Does that sound familiar?

Remember the Pharisees who had the “infrastructure,” the “education” and so much more? They held God so close and would not dare to share Him with anyone outside of their own. And then Jesus came along and said that His yoke was light; His yoke was easy. And most importantly, His yoke was free to everyone.

What happened to embracing that truth? Instead we act more like the Pharisees and hold God so close to us that no one can even catch a glimpse of Him. God is only for us and no one else. Share? Hardly. Control is the key. And besides, it’s much safer, right? God in a box, an iPod if you will. We can listen when we want. We can download what we want. We can even put on our headphones so that no one else can hear.

I think it’s time for the “music” of God to resonate with full volume. Technology was created not to bottle up the truth, but to help us communicate with the world. It’s time to go and tell what others have been keeping to themselves for such a long time. If companies like AMD and Dell can bring technology to the world by 2015, surely we can share the simple truth of Jesus in a compelling way.

Technology may continue to rapidly change in the future, but one thing we can count on is the foundational, never-changing truth of Jesus. Let’s get back to the “free market” system of religion – a relationship that is life-changing and free to anyone and everyone.

A quick update since I haven’t posted for awhile;
*It’s June already…I can hardly believe it!!
*A great weekend at Meadow Heights – the essence of Christianity in a message about the always amazing Jesus and another afternoon/evening of great discussion in CLASS
*A quick trip to the city on Monday – lots of food, a bit of shopping, more food, and finally, a stop at the best custard place in this part of Missouri – Lix
*Preparing to help my wife this week – it’s the big garage sale weekend!
*Also preparing for Volunteer Celebration this weekend
*Packing for a quick trip to Chicago, leaving this Sunday afternoon

Always much to do, so little time to do it in, and never enough accomplished. On the bright side, I am making progress on my office (after nearly two years!!) and it should start coming together by the week’s end if everything arrives. I’ll shoot out some pics soon.

I’ll put out a challenge as I have with some of my teams over the weekend – take a moment and build into someone this week. It might be a quick conversation, an email, or even a phone call, but find someone that is making a difference and let them know what they’re doing is important. Sometimes we forget that a simple affirmation can make all the difference in the world. I think you’ll find that you’ll be the recipient just as much as the person you’re talking with. Until next time!

It’s finally over. From the never-ending clips of hopeful auditionees to the last note of the fifth American Idol winner, this season has been one of the best ever. I truly believe this season had some of the best talent ever.

Tonight’s episode was one not to be missed. All 12 finalists were back, along with so many guest artists…they just kept coming and coming!! I loved the musical montage segments as well as the individual solos. I had forgotten much about those who had left the show earlier, but it wasn’t hard to recognize that they needed to go. There was a HUGE disparity of talent from those who were voted off earlier and the last few finalists. It was very evident tonight.

It was also very evident that Chris Daughtry was by far one of the best vocalists, and as many I have talked to agree, he probably should have won. But that simply wasn’t the case. In the end, the bubbly, entertaining, fun-loving and “just-can’t-help-but-like-him” Taylor Hicks stole the show. I can’t think of a better role model for young and old alike.

So that wraps up another year of Idol. Even though the Bible tells us to have “no other idols,” this year’s “idols” captured my attention, if even for a short time. Now that this season is over, it’s time to get back to the real “idol.” Hmmm…I wonder what Simon Cowell would have to say about my “idol?”

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.
Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

You find yourself in a boat in the middle of a lake. The only thing with you is a metal pail. The small hole in the bottom of your boat continues to let water rush in. Not at a pace that will cause your boat to sink…at least not yet.

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

Your pail moves in and out of the boat. “I’ve got to keep going. No time to stop now. If I can only get through this pail of water,” you exclaim. Time passes. You’re still bailing water.

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.
Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

Sometime life feels like you’re in a boat bailing water. Your boat might be your job, or your family, or your house, or a relationship, or even a combination of things. But you keep bailing water. You bail water to keep your boat afloat. There’s no time to look outside the boat because that might distract you from the task at hand.

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

You’ve got some choices. You can keep bailing water, hoping the leak in your boat will miraculously stop. Or you might possibly decide to give up and let the water consume you; sinking down into the depths of the lake. Or perhaps there is another option.

Peter and several disciples find themselves in a boat and Jesus tells Peter to do something that is against human conditioning. Matthew 14:28-31, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

Life can sometimes feel like you’re in a boat. There is another way. Jesus tells us that we must get out of the boat and follow Him. But we’re too consumed with fear. We have to keep bailing water.

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

“You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” The human response is to doubt isn’t it? You can only focus on the “tasks” at hand. If you look up you’ll be distracted. But Jesus clearly tells us that we must step out of the boat. The only way to shore is by trusting Him and walking on the water.

Dip. Slosh. Fill. Lift. Empty.

But you keep going. Your boat keeps floating. You keep bailing. Life keeps on passing you by. Before long, you’re too old to bail the water any longer and your boat begins to sink. But there’s another choice. You can still step out of the boat.

Dip. Slosh…

Silence. For the first time, longer than you can remember, the peaceful sound of silence enters your ears. You can smell it. You sense it. You feel it. Faith. John 14:1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” Sometimes you have to abandon what you know and trust in what you do not know. As God promises us in Jeremiah 29:11, “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”

What boat is keeping you captive today? Will you continue to focus on the “tasks” at hand, or look to a new life that God has promised, a future to hope for? If you step out of your boat, Jesus will stretch out his hand. It’s time to walk on water. Faith is here. Faith is now. Faith is forever.

Thanks to my buddy Mac for the inspiration for this post.