putting faith to work

This morning, Pantego Bible Church elders and their families arrived at Oakcrest Family Church (a supported Compassion agency of our church) and got busy. We worked alongside Oakcrest faithful folks pulling up carpet throughout their building, painting the exterior and organizing children's ministry classrooms. At noon, we threw burgers on the grill and shared lunch together. The hours drew us closer in deeper relationships and gave us an up-close look at this vital east Fort Worth ministry to the down and out. I am personally grateful for Fred Breese, PBC Elder Chairman, who has been leading the charge in this neck of the woods for many years. It's just another expression of how, in community, people are putting their faith to work!

the homeless count #2

Last night, Grant and I joined Stephanie Gillespie, Arlington police officer and Pantego Bible Church attendee, for the 2009 Tarrant County Homeless Coalition "Homeless Count." In one evening [all over the country], a team of volunteers canvasses their city looking for the truly homeless staying in temporary encampments, under bridges, behind buildings and near vacant homes.

First, we met a beautiful women, on the road to recovery, who has recently adopted a young boy (from another mother who is an addict) and is re-starting a new life. Susie was a picture of hope and a reminder that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can dramatically rescue a person from sinking sand.

Next, we travelled to the pay-by-the-day motels in east Arlington. Tenants, living under the shadow of a multi-billion dollar stadium are packed into 300 square foot rooms--sometimes 7 or 8 in a unit. From there, two teenage boys led us back into the dark woods to a little settlement of a tent, blankets, rain tarp and folding metal lawn chairs. Nobody home.

At a nearby park, we interviewed "Bob" who claimed to be a former white collar worker, now on the street because of unemployment. We talked to "Jimmy" about how accustomed he's become with jumping around the social services that keep him making it day to day. Through a toothless smile, he spoke of a dream of having a steady income one day. We passed by pimps and their call girls, street corner drug dealers, a couple living out of the trunk of their car and grade school kids too young and innocent to be playing outside at 10 o'clock when the temperature was below freezing.

As we approached the end of our night, we spotted a pile of blankets on the back dock of a warehouse. As we pulled closer, a head poked out from beneath the mounded cocoon. A fifty-something man, unshaven and a wild mane of hair, was clearly put out by the disturbance. I wrote "unresponsive Caucasian male" on my survey and we left him alone.

The unshakable truth from our evening ride is that people are ever-moving toward something. The motel misfits are "moving" each day just trying to make it to the next. Kids caught in the cycle of poverty are "moving" through life, perhaps looking across their classroom [the only structure to their life] and dreaming that they might have a home and vacations and cool back packs like the other kids...one day. The "Bobs" and the "Jimmys" of the streets are "moving" from place to place. Home is where they lay their head. They have the keep "moving" because movement is survival.

And Susie---the adoptive parent that started our adventure---proved that God can "move" anyone to new places. When His Spirit is on the move, He can move hearts and move obstacles and move the hopeless to higher ground. With this in mind, I am once again reminded that people matter. All people. The mentally incompetent who picks up trash in his shopping basket, the deceptive drug pusher, the child with lice and a shirt she has worn for a week, the prostitute who waves and winks, the man who sits on the sidewalk and tells us mostly half-truths. The homeless do count. They count to a God who numbers the hairs on their heads, the fears they posess and the days of their lives.

May God move me more and more to make the poor count in my heart too.

lunch with Jesus

Though officially closed to pay homage to our "ice day," I decided to come into the office today. An hour later, I ventured out for lunch and exited Wendy's with a couple of chicken sandwiches. To make the loop back to the church, I had to pull through several parking lots and there I encountered Charlie.

As I passed him, my conscience kicked into overdrive. I circled down the hill and into the parking lot of a liquor store hoping that all my congregants were snugly at home and wouldn't see me idling there. Charlie made his way cautiously down the ice-covered sidewalk and stepped over the guard rail to make his way under the bridge. I hollered across the creek bed, "Hey, have you had lunch?" Like a cat hearing the can opener, Charlie came the half-block toward me and we introduced ourselves.

"I thought you were Gary," I said, referring to another fellow I met a month ago.

"Gary?" he said. "You mean 'Big Green'?" We laughed as he described the monstrous post-six-foot friend that also lived in his secluded encampment.

"Have you had lunch today?" I asked.

"No," Charlie answered, still unsure where this connection was heading.

I said, "Well, it's either Panda or Jack-in-the-Box. You choose."

Charlie's eyes lit up. "Panda of course!" Why would anyone settle on a burger when the opportunity for a 3-entree meal was offered? As he tossed his backpack on the front floorboard of my SUV, he added, "It's nice to know that there are still good people in the world."

Good? My mind raced quickly to Mark 10:18: “Why do you call me good?“ Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone." Funny thing is, Jesus, as God, could have easily claimed that virtue for Himself. But me? I occasionally stumble over good things. But I have such a long way to go to be "good."

Lunch was chow mien noodles, shrimp, orange chicken, ragoons, shrimp crispers, chicken egg rolls and Gatorade. If Charlie pointed to it, we packed it up for him. Then, I ordered my modest "Panda Bowl"---a meal portion foreshadowing the fact that I would have another opportunity to eat in 5 hours. It's something I never even have to think about.

Charlie has been on the streets, off and on, for 10 years. He was remarkably cogent and shared his story: growing up in Savannah, Georgia (I spent 3 years in Lithonia); joining the Marines at age 19; building tractor trailers at 23; plucking chickens at a Butterball factory for several months; married twice; two 20-something children. I laughed when he told me about "plotting" the coordinates for air attacks when he was in the Marines. "And, I was no good at math in school!" he said. "The thing about math is that you just can't know the answer. You gotta know how to get the answer. It's the formula that matters!"

Wisdom. Pure wisdom. As a Christian, I know that Jesus is the "answer." Getting people to Jesus is equally important. It's seeing people like Jesus did, perceiving their need, loving the unlovely (aren't we all!?) and being Christ with flesh and bone to the world around us.

I invited Charlie to have dinner at our home tonight. The offer clearly made him uncomfortable. "I'd hate to put you out," he mumbled. His eyes shifting down to the restaurant floor.

"Charlie, I would be our highest privilege to have you as our guest. Think about it. At 5 o'clock, I'm going to come back to the parking lot and honk a couple of times..."

"I don't want to be rude, but I don't think I'll come. I'll be alright..."

"Charlie, please think it over," I insisted. "Five o'clock. If you're there, great. If not, we'll catch up with each other later."

Before I left, I gave him the two Wendy's chicken sandwiches still bagged in the back seat of my car. At least he'll have dinner tonight. And, I got to have lunch with Jesus today [Matthew 25:31-46].

out of bounds

As I continue to learn about the Down & Out of our community, I am coming across a variety of resources that put flesh onto the bone of poverty. You might consider checking some of these out:

An incredible, 1987 Life magazine photo essay on homelessness [NOTE: some strong language]

Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger resource that gives one perspective of the global issue

Fort Worth and Arlington Plans to End Chronic Homelessness

A timely collection of music from known artists to support compassion

the homeless count

I have continued to be personally challenged by all that I am reading and studying regarding the poor and marginalized in our world. Truth is, the more I read, the bigger the issue becomes. What I thought was a social topic actually proves to be economic, political, global and spiritual. I have been grateful for those who have accommodated interviews for me to learn more about showing compassion to those in need.

All of this is in preparation for a sermon series starting next Sunday, February 1, titled "Down & Out: Reaching Beyond to Our Neighbors in Need." I am so hopeful about each message and initiative that we will take on as a church to make a difference in our community.

To gain a bigger picture, I am excited to ride out with Stephanie Gillespie, PBC attendee and officer with the Arlington Police. This Thursday evening, Grant and I will join her for the Tarrant County Homeless Count. We will venture into wooded areas, under bridges and among vacant buildings to count and connect with those who won't be sitting on their sofa watching a sitcom this evening.

Please be in prayer for this series and all of our hearts and we learn more about what it means to "go BEYOND".

you are here

I hope you caught each installment of George Lynch's explanation of his triptych "You Are Here"--a 3-painting series designed specially for Pantego Bible Church. Each 4' x 6' canvas is designed to illustrate a piece of our spiritual life pathway. We come out of darkness into the place where we BELONG. As we discover what it means to belong to Christ, His church and community, we move into the current of life-change. This is the place where we BECOME more like Jesus Christ. Through this life-transformation, we overflow into the world BEYOND. This is the place of personal mission.

You can catch George explaining each canvas under the "You Are Here" series archive at the Pantego Bible Church sermon site.

You can enjoy more of George's art at http://www.glynch.com/.

Explore more about the spiritual pathway for your own life at http://www.inagodplace.com/.

the habit of enjoying the disagreeable

As I continue to reflect on my previous post--leanring to resolve and reconcile conflict in relationships--I am reminded of a profound devotion by Oswald Chambers on May 14. You can read more from the late Chambers at www.myutmost.org.

May 14th
THE HABIT OF ENJOYING THE DISAGREEABLE
"That life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh." 2 Corinthians 4:10

We have to form habits to express what God's grace has done in us. It is not a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved in order to manifest the life of the Son of God in our mortal flesh, and it is the disagreeable things which make us exhibit whether or not we are manifesting His life. Do I manifest the essential sweetness of the Son of God, or the essential irritation of "myself" apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy the disagreeable is the keen enthusiasm of letting the life of the Son of God manifest itself in me. No matter how disagreeable a thing may be, say - "Lord, I am delighted to obey Thee in this matter," and instantly the Son of God will press to the front, and there will be manifested in my human life that which glorifies Jesus.

There must be no debate. The moment you obey the light, the Son of God presses through you in that particular; but if you debate you grieve the Spirit of God. You must keep yourself fit to let the life of the Son of God be manifested, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means of manifesting how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure the Son of God is. The thing that ought to make the heart beat is a new way of manifesting the Son of God. It is one thing to choose the disagreeable, and another thing to go into the disagreeable by God's engineering. If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient.

Keep your soul fit to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on memories; let the word of God be always living and active in you.

falling forward

Our Home Group is still reading Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas--a fresh and insightful book that challenges ideas we all have about relationships. Last night, our chapter 9 discussion focused on the intentionality of marriage and the inevitability of conflict along the way. The more I thought about those two ideas, the more I see their connection: My intentionality in my relationship with Tiffany will often stave off conflict. However, when conflict does arise, it's that same intentionality that carries us through to reconciliation.

Thomas calls this "falling forward." He uses the image of once jumping a wide creek bed. His friend warned him to remember to fall forward. In other words, if you miss the mark, be sure to fall toward safe ground, not backwards into the water. Similarly, couples must choose to fall forward as they attempt to jump the choppy waters of their relationship. The question isn't if we will occasionally fall short, but which direction will we choose to land.

for the new year

In the post below, I mentioned that Tiffany was going to start memorizing a verse from a different book of the Bible each week in 2009. She has started a blog, WordAWeek, to invite others to join her and encourage them along the way. I'm going for it and I'd challenge you in this spiritual discipline.

new year's resolution

I was walking with Tiffany last week and she mentioned her new year's resolution: Memorize Scripture. That's a great spiritual discipline [see 1 Timothy 4:7-8]. We began to talk about which verses would be the best to commit to memory. I suggest that she and her friends memorize 1 verse from each book of the Bible. Fifty-two weeks...66 books...merge a few prophets...skip a couple of books....you could end up with quite a catalogue of spiritual truth at the end of the year.

It wasn't long before I began to reflect on the verses that I would propose:

Genesis 50:20
Exodus 34:6-7a
Numbers 23:19
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (add vv. 6-9 if you can!)
Joshua 1:8
Judges 21:25 (theme of the book of Judges)

OK. If you dare, that gets you started. I'll continue to work on the rest of the list.

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
[Psalm 1:1-3]

the challenge of Christmas

Christmas morning was incredible in the Daniels' living room. Not surprisingly, the kids required no second call to get out of bed. I flipped gingerbread pancakes [from one of my favorite restaurants in Austin, Kerby Lane Cafe] and we gathered around our Duraflame log to read the Christmas story. To keep our conversation lively, I posed several questions from Luke 1-2:

1. How many angelic appearances are listed?
2. How many "songs" are sung?
3. What was the significance of Zechariah's occupation?
4. What was Zechariah made mute?

Then, we proceeded to open our gifts to one another. Tiffany and I both came from backgrounds (me especially) where Christmas was the "grand haul." Kids could expect 10-15 presents on Christmas morning. Parents could make up for any failure of the year at Christmastime. All was forgiven with stacks of presents that took multiple trips to carry to our bedroom. So, for years, we showered our kids with similar extravagance.

Then, not long ago, we made a family decision. We explained that we would purchase 3 gifts: a "large," meaningful, very personal gift; a medium gift; and a small gift. We've made it three years, but it hasn't been easy, I promise you. While, I know that volumes of gifts don't make Christmas any more "christmassy" and I'm sure that my kids don't estimate our love for them by whether they have 3 gifts vs. 12 gifts under the tree, it's still strangely difficult. There's a cultural battle that Tiffany and I fight each Christmas. It's a war against expectations [truly loving parents don't put a price tag on gift giving, do they?] and against comparisons [the kid across the street also got an XBox, but it was gold-plated...and plugged into the rear seat headrest of his new BMW]. More than that, it's really a war against security: Do we really trust that our kids [and other kids] know how much we treasure them apart from any gift we give?

As I wrestle with this, I conclude that greater confidence will come from the way we lead our children and love them throughout the year. And then, whatever gifts we give them along the way won't become substitutes, but symbols of our affection for our kids.

OK...if this doesn't make sense to you, it may be because it is still trying to make sense to me. Post your comment and let's encourage one another.

old thoughts for the new year

I just finished Ron Sider's The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience and was quite stirred by his insight of the dilemma facing American Christianity. His subtitle poses the indicting question: "Why are Christians living just like the rest of the world?"

For such a brief read, Sider does a great job of highlighting the moral apathy of Christians [especially in the areas of divorce, compassion, fidelity, racism and physical abuse] and puts forth a call to counter-cultural living that rejects individualism and isolation and embraces community and accountability in order to model Jesus' intention for the church. Though published in 2005, Sider's reflections resonate with the church today.

You can read Sider's book in a day or two. But, his challenge will stick with you for a long time. I'd highly recommend this book.

i'm still here

OK....I haven't posted for 2 weeks. Most of you probably have given up on me. But, I've been busy. To give you a peek into my top 12 activities during the 12 Days of Christmas:

1. Raked leaves.

2. Wrote and delivered 4 sermons.

3. Hosted Christmas parties for friends and teenagers (not the same group....).

4. Started reading Religiously Transmitted Diseases. Lost interest. Started and almost finished The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience by Ron Sider. About to start reading Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by the same author.

5. Met with Faith Nibbs to talk about social justice and gather my Christmas reading list for research and study.

6. Worked on a new set of ministry brochures for Pantego Bible Church.

7. Walked with my wife.

8. Went bowling with my boys.

9. Watched Elf and The Grinch with my girls. Snuggled with my daughter for a late-night movie: Prince Caspian. Great film!

10. Enjoyed great evenings at the Mission Arlington Christmas Store and Oakcrest Church. Marveled at the generosity of folks at our church!

11. Wrangled with car repairs. Thanked God for my friend, Carl Deaton, who has come to my auto rescue on more than one occasion.

12. Put my Home Group community in danger with a Christmas gift exchange battle. Hysterical!

props to our photo phriend

Terry Ip, a friend and professional photographer, just delivered our family portraits. To be honest, this was an investment that I've been hesitant to make for many years--one of those expenses that makes you think, "I'm in the wrong business." But, the final product was worth it. Terry was patient, creative, professional and we're thrilled to have a great picture of our family, captured in time. Check out Terry's work on his website.

quest for compassion

This year, my dear friend, Don Wisthuff, gave me a copy of Same Kind of Different as Me. I read the touching journey of two unlikely friends on our flight to Spain and I highly recommend it! It's the story of a high society art dealer in Fort Worth and his unsuspecting connection with a sub-poverty plantation worker from Louisiana. By the end of the book, both lives have been dramatically changed and compassion is awakened.

2009, is "The Year of Community Impact" at Pantego Bible Church. As I prepare for a series of messages on social justice, poverty, prejudice and other topics, I am scheduled for several ridealongs with Arlington and Fort Worth police; interviewing directors of our church-supported compassion agencies; and inviting Ron Hall and Denver Moore, authors of this life-changing book, to join us at Pantego Bible Church for this series. Our desire is for PBC to become the kind of church--the kind of people--that compassionately changes our world as God changes each one of us!

an ongoing conversation

Alejandro, Nikolas, Herman, Hector, Fernando, Cesar, Mattias... We have connected with some incredible students at the Sefovan Seminary in Madrid. I have completed my conference, we have served our American Thanksgiving meal and my family has visited the beautiful cities of Toledo and Segovia. We have enjoyed a fantastic introduction to the ministry of our friends. I am looking forward to the continuing conversation for many years to come. Thanks for praying for us!

happy thanksgiving

not lost in translation

We arrived in Madrid on Saturday--15 hours in flight and layovers and very little sleep. I preached this morning from Luke 18 and Manny did a great job translating my sermon on prayer. Of course, that's only from my perspective. I'd have no way of know for certain. We're the minorities, subject to our hosts and the rules of a different culture.

Tonight, we toured downtown, sipped an over-priced Starbucks, watched two street performers play dueling Hammer Dolcimers, stopped by the oldest restaurant on the planet [1725], stood in the plaza where Christians were burned at the stake during the Inquisition, gawked at architecture fit for kings...literally. Madrid is a beautifully bustling city that begins its nightlife after 9 p.m., right when we were getting in our minivan to return home. 

The most exciting part of our trip is the opportunity to connect with a handful of present and future church planters in a conference setting starting Tuesday. Less than 10% of the Spanish population is Christian with less than 1/2 of 1% proclaiming evangelical Christianity. The harvest field is very white, but reaping is difficult business. To make an impact, our missionaries and all who partner with them will need to stay committed to the task. Please continue to pray for the work ahead. 

give thanks always

A mystery-lover take his place in the theater for opening night, but his seat is way back in the theater, far from the stage. The man calls an usher over and whispers, "I just love a good mystery, and I have been anxiously anticipating the opening of this play. However, in order to carefully follow the clues and fully enjoy the play, I have to watch a mystery close up. Look how far away I am! If you can get me a better seat, I'll give you a handsome tip."

The usher nods and says he will be back shortly. Looking forward to a large tip, the usher speaks with his co-workers in the box office, hoping to find some closer tickets. With just three minutes left until curtain, he finds an unused ticket at the Will Call window and snatches it up. Returning to the man in the back of the theater, he whispers, "Follow me." The usher leads the man down to the second row, and proudly points out the empty seat right in the middle.

"Thanks so much," says the theatergoer, "This seat is perfect." He then hands the usher a quarter.

The usher looks down at the quarter, leans over and whispers, "The butler did it in the parlor with the candlestick."

Give thanks always for everything [1 Corinthians 1:4].

no bull

Before you can say Ole!, the family and I will set sail (actually fly) to the other side of the world to spend Thanksgiving in Spain. I have been invited by our good friends and missionaries, Manny and Jamie Fernandez to teach a conference at the Sefovan Seminary in Madrid. I'm honored to teach church planters my "3B" spiritual lifeway and give them some tools to disciple those in their churches. God willing, I will also have opportunity to preach at two churches represented by leaders who have previously studied at the school.

During the week, Tiffany and the kids will be helping to shop, prepare and serve a special Thanksgiving meal at the school for students, faculty and their families. In addition, we'll have the privilege of joining students in open street evangelism. We're also looking forward to learning more about the rich history of the country.

Remarkably, Spain is an extremely unreached place. The opportunities for church planting and other ministry abound and we are exploring future possibilities of sending others from Pantego Bible Church to join the movement there. Please check out the Fernandez' web site and consider supporting the Kingdom commitment they have made. Like the apostle Paul in Acts 20:24 (my favorite Bible verse), they consider their calling "no bull."