Just a few minutes left in Erin's 22nd birthday. We've had a good holiday and celebration: A late breakfast at Susan's and then I grilled inch and a half T-bones for dinner. Stacy baked a birthday cake. And Erin got new tires. I guess when you're 22, you stop getting fun things and get what you need! We had a good day.
But tonight I also had a reminder of what holiday this was - Memorial Day. Tonight, ABC's Nightline broadcast was devoted to Ted Koppel reading the names and showing the pictures of the over 900 servicemen and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan over the past year. I watched most of the broadcast - just names and pictures. Most of those who have died were no older than Erin.
It is so easy for us to hear the reports about the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan and let them to in one ear and out the other. Nightline's broadcast helped to remind me that those names have faces and families. That those individuals are worthy of our respect and of being remembered - not just on Memorial Day, but on each day that we enjoy the freedoms that we have in the US. For most of us, Memorial Day is usually about hanging with the family, mowing the lawn, washing the cars. We should be thankful for reminders of those who have sacrificed for us - and of those who continue to sacrifice.
Monday, May 30
Monday, May 23
Graduation Weekend
Stacy's graduation weekend has come and gone. We had some family come down to take part in the festivities - my mom, Gina's folks, and my brother and his family. We all trekked up to Bud Walton Arena at the UofA for the ceremony. Now Stacy's an official high school graduate. The next stop is the UofA. I'm looking forward to having her up here with me and involved with ConC. It will be fun having both girls involved in the ministry for a year.
It's hard to believe that both of our girls are out of high school now. It seems like just last week that Dr. Rogers was trying to get Gina to hurry up and deliver Stacy so he wouldn't miss the kickoff of the Cowboy's Monday Night Football game against St. Louis. She was born at about 7:58 pm on Sept. 29, 1986 - and Dallas beat St. Louis 31-7. Everyone ended the night happy.
On Saturday night/Sunday morning, Gina and I helped with "Project Graduation" - an all-night party for the graduates at the Jones Center here in Springdale. They had the pool and ice skating rink open, as well as a whole collection of "inflatable", a casino, an electric bull, a band, a DJ, the game room, and food. Everyone won a door prize, ranging from Wal-Mart and restaurant coupons to laptop computers. We were there from 8:30 pm until almost 4:30 am. It was a long night! But it was fun to be there for Stacy's last high school event.
Our baby graduated and staying up all night about killed us. I was even too tired to go see Star Wars on Sunday. Yes, we are feeling old.
It's hard to believe that both of our girls are out of high school now. It seems like just last week that Dr. Rogers was trying to get Gina to hurry up and deliver Stacy so he wouldn't miss the kickoff of the Cowboy's Monday Night Football game against St. Louis. She was born at about 7:58 pm on Sept. 29, 1986 - and Dallas beat St. Louis 31-7. Everyone ended the night happy.
On Saturday night/Sunday morning, Gina and I helped with "Project Graduation" - an all-night party for the graduates at the Jones Center here in Springdale. They had the pool and ice skating rink open, as well as a whole collection of "inflatable", a casino, an electric bull, a band, a DJ, the game room, and food. Everyone won a door prize, ranging from Wal-Mart and restaurant coupons to laptop computers. We were there from 8:30 pm until almost 4:30 am. It was a long night! But it was fun to be there for Stacy's last high school event.
Our baby graduated and staying up all night about killed us. I was even too tired to go see Star Wars on Sunday. Yes, we are feeling old.
Tuesday, May 17
Running in the Right Way
Last weekend I had the opportunity to officiate the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Nashville, TN. It was a good weekend (with the usual thunderstorm) with good competition in the events I worked (high jumps and pole vaults). And, of course, the Razorbacks won another conference championship. But the weekend also had an unusual situation in it.
The NCAA has a rule called "The Honest Effort" rule. The rule says that if an athlete does not give an honest effort in an event in which he or she is entered, then he or she is disqualified from the rest of the meet. During the course of the SEC Meet last weekend, we had an "honest effort" ruling and minor controversy regarding an athlete's participation in the high jump.
The situation made me wonder what would happen if God had an "Honest Effort Rule." What if God, once you "entered the race", let you continue or disqualified you based upon your effort? What if your continuation was determined by how hard you worked at growing? At serving? At sharing your faith? At loving others? At sacrificing? What if all of those who didn't make an honest effort at living a life pleasing to God were disqualified from the race?
Would you be in or out?
I don't want to get into a discussion of eternal security or "once saved, always saved" here. You can check out the "Ask Mike" link on this blog later this week to see a more detailed discussion of that. What I want to do here is get you thinking about how you are living your life. What kind of effort are you putting into your Christian walk - into living a life that is honoring to God?
The NCAA has a rule called "The Honest Effort" rule. The rule says that if an athlete does not give an honest effort in an event in which he or she is entered, then he or she is disqualified from the rest of the meet. During the course of the SEC Meet last weekend, we had an "honest effort" ruling and minor controversy regarding an athlete's participation in the high jump.
The situation made me wonder what would happen if God had an "Honest Effort Rule." What if God, once you "entered the race", let you continue or disqualified you based upon your effort? What if your continuation was determined by how hard you worked at growing? At serving? At sharing your faith? At loving others? At sacrificing? What if all of those who didn't make an honest effort at living a life pleasing to God were disqualified from the race?
Would you be in or out?
I don't want to get into a discussion of eternal security or "once saved, always saved" here. You can check out the "Ask Mike" link on this blog later this week to see a more detailed discussion of that. What I want to do here is get you thinking about how you are living your life. What kind of effort are you putting into your Christian walk - into living a life that is honoring to God?
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." I Corinthians 9:24
"Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules." II Timothy 2:5
Saturday, May 14
Senior Assembly and Nashville
Yesterday morning was the Springdale High School Senior Assembly. It's kind of hard to believe that in a week my "baby" will be graduating from high school! Yesterday's assembly was a time for the seniors to reflect on their school careers through words and pictures (Stacy made a presentation about middle school) and then to receive scholarships and awards. The head counselor said that this graduating class has been offered about $8 million in scholarships. Stacy was recognized for her UofA scholarships, as well as received awards for straight A's through high school and for the work she did in putting together the CAP book (the book that lists all the classes the school offers, with a description of each). She's done a great job in school - and is a great young lady. We're very proud of her - of what she has done and of who she is.
It is kind of sad, however, that this is the last graduating class from Springdale as a town with only one high school. Next year the new high school will open and some Springdale kids will graduate from there. The new high school is needed (Stacy's class will probably have close to 800 in it), but it will definitely bring about a change in the community. One of the things that we have loved about Springdale is that, even though it is growing so fast and has one of the largest school districts in the state (with over 15,000 students), it is a community that has revolved around its churches and schools - and especially the SHS Bulldogs. All that will change to some degree.
After the assembly, Erin and I took off for Nashville, TN for the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. For the past three years, Erin as gone to at least one meet with me. She is friends with athletes on both the men's and women's teams - and their parents. So she will hang out with them while I'm working. In fact, thanks to our old friend Josh Willoughby, we are staying at the same hotel as the Lady Razorbacks, so we ate breakfast with Paige and Dee Gee and others. We ate dinner last night with a couple of the men athletes, a Ladyback, and their parents. We haven't made it to the track yet. Guess I'll have to head that way soon. Hopefully the rain will hold off. I'm doing the high jump and vault this weekend.
It is kind of sad, however, that this is the last graduating class from Springdale as a town with only one high school. Next year the new high school will open and some Springdale kids will graduate from there. The new high school is needed (Stacy's class will probably have close to 800 in it), but it will definitely bring about a change in the community. One of the things that we have loved about Springdale is that, even though it is growing so fast and has one of the largest school districts in the state (with over 15,000 students), it is a community that has revolved around its churches and schools - and especially the SHS Bulldogs. All that will change to some degree.
After the assembly, Erin and I took off for Nashville, TN for the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. For the past three years, Erin as gone to at least one meet with me. She is friends with athletes on both the men's and women's teams - and their parents. So she will hang out with them while I'm working. In fact, thanks to our old friend Josh Willoughby, we are staying at the same hotel as the Lady Razorbacks, so we ate breakfast with Paige and Dee Gee and others. We ate dinner last night with a couple of the men athletes, a Ladyback, and their parents. We haven't made it to the track yet. Guess I'll have to head that way soon. Hopefully the rain will hold off. I'm doing the high jump and vault this weekend.
Wednesday, May 11
Random Thoughts ...
Just a few random thoughts along the way ...
* Today was our semi-annual, end-of-the-semester, all-day staff meeting. We reserved a room in the Union and spent several hours (including lunch at Uncle Gaylord's) reviewing the past semester and making plans for the future. Though not everything went the way we had hoped it would this year, it was still a good time to reflect back on what God had done, the lives that were changed, the students who grew and stepped up into leadership and ministry. God is so good to let us have a part in what he is doing in the lives of these students. The meeting was also a good time of dreaming and planning for the future. We feel that God is leading us in some new and exciting directions. We just have to be faithful in listening to him and stepping through the doors he opens for us.
* I have a couple of "Ask Mike" questions that I will post soon - along with responses. I do want you to know that the questions you send come to me in an anonymous email, so I don't know who they come from. So if you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to give an answer that is concise and based on Scripture.
* I have three books I'm reading at the moment: Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller, Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts, and The Teammates by David Halberstam. Here is a passage from Searching For God Knows What that is worth your consideration:
"To be honest, though, I don't know how much I like the idea of my spirituality being relational. I suppose I believe this is true, but the formulas seem much better than God because the formulas offer control; and God, well, He is like a person, and people, as we all know, are complicated. The trouble with people is they do not always do what you tell them to do. Try it with your kids or your spouse or strangers at the grocery store, and you will see what I mean. The formulas propose that if you do this and this and this, God will respond. When I was a kid I wanted a dolphin for the same reason.
I remember watching that television show I Dream of Jeannie when I was young, and I wondered at how great it would be to have a Jeannie of my own, complete with the sexy outfit, who could blink a grilled-cheese sandwich out of thin air, all the while cleaning my room and doing my homework. I realize, of course, that is very silly and there is no such thing as a genie that lives in a lamp, but it makes me wonder if secretly we don't wish God were a genie who could deliver a few wishes here and there. And that makes me wonder if what we really want from the formulas are the wishes, not God. It makes me wonder if what we really want is control, not a relationship.
Some would say formulas are how we interact with God, that going through motions and jumping through hoops are how a person acts out his spirituality. This method of interaction, however, seems odd to me, because if I want to hang out with my friend Tuck, I don't stomp my foot three times, turn around, and say his name over and over like a mantra, lighting candles and getting myself in a certain mood. I just call him. In this way, formulas presuppose God is more a computer or a circus monkey than an intelligent Being. I realize that sounds harsh, but it is true." pp. 12-13
* I have also reconsidered the online Bible discussion. Several have looked at the forum Jake set up for me, but I'm now thinking that it is more complicated that I want it to be. So what we are going to try (if there is interest in it) is more of an email Bible discussion. Soon (like, as soon as Jake can do it for me) there will be a like on this page where you can email me and let me know that you want to be a part of the email group.
* Typically, I don't do "Thoughts of the Week" during the summers. But with the blog, I'll be writing through the summer. So keep checking back!
* Today was our semi-annual, end-of-the-semester, all-day staff meeting. We reserved a room in the Union and spent several hours (including lunch at Uncle Gaylord's) reviewing the past semester and making plans for the future. Though not everything went the way we had hoped it would this year, it was still a good time to reflect back on what God had done, the lives that were changed, the students who grew and stepped up into leadership and ministry. God is so good to let us have a part in what he is doing in the lives of these students. The meeting was also a good time of dreaming and planning for the future. We feel that God is leading us in some new and exciting directions. We just have to be faithful in listening to him and stepping through the doors he opens for us.
* I have a couple of "Ask Mike" questions that I will post soon - along with responses. I do want you to know that the questions you send come to me in an anonymous email, so I don't know who they come from. So if you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to give an answer that is concise and based on Scripture.
* I have three books I'm reading at the moment: Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller, Red Moon Rising by Pete Greig and Dave Roberts, and The Teammates by David Halberstam. Here is a passage from Searching For God Knows What that is worth your consideration:
"To be honest, though, I don't know how much I like the idea of my spirituality being relational. I suppose I believe this is true, but the formulas seem much better than God because the formulas offer control; and God, well, He is like a person, and people, as we all know, are complicated. The trouble with people is they do not always do what you tell them to do. Try it with your kids or your spouse or strangers at the grocery store, and you will see what I mean. The formulas propose that if you do this and this and this, God will respond. When I was a kid I wanted a dolphin for the same reason.
I remember watching that television show I Dream of Jeannie when I was young, and I wondered at how great it would be to have a Jeannie of my own, complete with the sexy outfit, who could blink a grilled-cheese sandwich out of thin air, all the while cleaning my room and doing my homework. I realize, of course, that is very silly and there is no such thing as a genie that lives in a lamp, but it makes me wonder if secretly we don't wish God were a genie who could deliver a few wishes here and there. And that makes me wonder if what we really want from the formulas are the wishes, not God. It makes me wonder if what we really want is control, not a relationship.
Some would say formulas are how we interact with God, that going through motions and jumping through hoops are how a person acts out his spirituality. This method of interaction, however, seems odd to me, because if I want to hang out with my friend Tuck, I don't stomp my foot three times, turn around, and say his name over and over like a mantra, lighting candles and getting myself in a certain mood. I just call him. In this way, formulas presuppose God is more a computer or a circus monkey than an intelligent Being. I realize that sounds harsh, but it is true." pp. 12-13
* I have also reconsidered the online Bible discussion. Several have looked at the forum Jake set up for me, but I'm now thinking that it is more complicated that I want it to be. So what we are going to try (if there is interest in it) is more of an email Bible discussion. Soon (like, as soon as Jake can do it for me) there will be a like on this page where you can email me and let me know that you want to be a part of the email group.
* Typically, I don't do "Thoughts of the Week" during the summers. But with the blog, I'll be writing through the summer. So keep checking back!
Wednesday, May 4
Senior Night
Last night was our final Christ on Campus worship service for the 2004-2005 school year. As is our custom, we had a cookout on the lawn and "Senior Night" - a night where those who are graduating get a chance to share what God has done in their lives during their time at the UofA. It is always a special time as students talk about what they have learned and how they have grown and leave words of wisdom for those who are coming after them. There are a lot of laughs and memories, as well as a few tears. It could very well be both my favorite and least favorite night of the year. It is my favorite because we get to celebrate what God has done. It is my least favorite because it means saying good-bye to students who mean so much to me and who have contributed so much to my life.
Every year on Senior Night there is a recurring theme: The importance of community and relationships. As those who are graduating talk about what has made a difference in their lives, the comments almost always come back to the friendships they formed and the community of which they were a part. This community picked them up when they were discouraged and encouraged them when they failed. It stretched them to get out of their comfort zones and serve in sacrificial ways. It held them accountable and provided support when they felt alone. It was the primary method that God used to mold them and teach them and equip them.
I don't think I have ever had someone mention a sermon I have preached. Or a Bible study lesson that they took part in. Though those things are as important to spiritual health as the meals you eat are to physical health, they aren't (most often) the things that touch our lives in the deepest ways. Sometimes we who are "religious professionals" forget that. We forget that the things that most shape the lives of people are not the lessons taught or the facts given, but the relationships formed and the love shared.
Every year on Senior Night there is a recurring theme: The importance of community and relationships. As those who are graduating talk about what has made a difference in their lives, the comments almost always come back to the friendships they formed and the community of which they were a part. This community picked them up when they were discouraged and encouraged them when they failed. It stretched them to get out of their comfort zones and serve in sacrificial ways. It held them accountable and provided support when they felt alone. It was the primary method that God used to mold them and teach them and equip them.
I don't think I have ever had someone mention a sermon I have preached. Or a Bible study lesson that they took part in. Though those things are as important to spiritual health as the meals you eat are to physical health, they aren't (most often) the things that touch our lives in the deepest ways. Sometimes we who are "religious professionals" forget that. We forget that the things that most shape the lives of people are not the lessons taught or the facts given, but the relationships formed and the love shared.
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
Tuesday, May 3
Campus Ministry in Time Magazine
Here is a link to an article in the current issue of Time Magazine. It's about Christian students who are living out their faith on the University of Indiana campus. It is well written and really highlights the tensions faced by Christian students on the university campus and the determination of many of them to live as Christ desires and to influence their worlds. It also mentions the Christian Student Fellowship - a ministry with which some of my friends work. Check it out:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1056294,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1056294,00.html
Monday, May 2
The KC Royals, me, and God
I'm a Kansas City Royals fan. There. I admitted it. I have been since they played their first game in 1969. There really isn't much reason to be a Royals fan now-a-days. Especially in Arkansas. This is Cardinal country. It's easy to be a Cardinal fan. They spend a lot of money. Have a lot of good players. They win. They are easy to love.
But it's not easy to be a Royals fan. They haven't won anything since about 1985. They have lost 8 of their last 10 games. (They didn't lose tonight! But then, they had the night off.) They have more losses than any other major league team. I probably couldn't name five players on their roster. The Royals aren't an easy team to love.
But I'm a Royals fan. This summer I'll probably head to Kansas City and watch them play (and probably lose) a couple of games.
Sometimes I'm sure God thinks of me like the Royals. I'm not always easy to love. I can put on a good show sometimes. But you don't have to watch too long before my failures begin to show. I am often self-centered. I'm impatient. I'm not loving. Not pious. Not zealous. Distracted. The list could go on. I'm not an easy person to love. But God is a Mike Armstrong fan. He loves me in spite of my inconsistencies and failures and sin.
And he loves you, too. Sometimes it is easy to forget that. Sometimes we get distracted by our failures and forget that we are loved. Regardless of our test scores. Regardless of our "relationship status." Regardless of how we rate on the financial scale or the looks scale or whatever other scale people measure each other by.
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
But it's not easy to be a Royals fan. They haven't won anything since about 1985. They have lost 8 of their last 10 games. (They didn't lose tonight! But then, they had the night off.) They have more losses than any other major league team. I probably couldn't name five players on their roster. The Royals aren't an easy team to love.
But I'm a Royals fan. This summer I'll probably head to Kansas City and watch them play (and probably lose) a couple of games.
Sometimes I'm sure God thinks of me like the Royals. I'm not always easy to love. I can put on a good show sometimes. But you don't have to watch too long before my failures begin to show. I am often self-centered. I'm impatient. I'm not loving. Not pious. Not zealous. Distracted. The list could go on. I'm not an easy person to love. But God is a Mike Armstrong fan. He loves me in spite of my inconsistencies and failures and sin.
And he loves you, too. Sometimes it is easy to forget that. Sometimes we get distracted by our failures and forget that we are loved. Regardless of our test scores. Regardless of our "relationship status." Regardless of how we rate on the financial scale or the looks scale or whatever other scale people measure each other by.
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."
I John 4:9-10
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
Back in 1982, a Christian singer named Bob Bennett released "A Song About Baseball." The song never mentions the name of Jesus. Never mentions the name of God. But it is all about his love for us "no matter how we play." It's a great song. I bought the CD just for this one song. Stop by my office sometime and I'll play it for you.
Back in 1982, a Christian singer named Bob Bennett released "A Song About Baseball." The song never mentions the name of Jesus. Never mentions the name of God. But it is all about his love for us "no matter how we play." It's a great song. I bought the CD just for this one song. Stop by my office sometime and I'll play it for you.
Thursday, April 28
Clarification on Sun Tans and Seat Jumping ...
Thoughts Along the Way
When I was a senior in high school in 1977, I weighed about 170 pounds. The "Fat Man's Relay" just referred to those who were only in field events and not in running events. It wasn't necessarily a physical description of the participants!!! "You are only big boned ..." hrmmmph!
Now, 2005 might be a different story ...
When I was a senior in high school in 1977, I weighed about 170 pounds. The "Fat Man's Relay" just referred to those who were only in field events and not in running events. It wasn't necessarily a physical description of the participants!!! "You are only big boned ..." hrmmmph!
Now, 2005 might be a different story ...
Tuesday, April 26
Makes My Heart Glad ...
Thoughts Along the Way
Some of the reasons that I love what I do ...
* Shelley, her heart for service, and her efforts in putting together a "service small group", as well as her and Samantha's leadership in the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter.
* All of those who give their Friday nights to run the 2:00 AM Grill - Brio, Travis, Erin, Becky, Woody, Joey, Bill, Thomas, Clarkie, Valerie, Lance, Eric, David, Kristin, Shelley, and others that I don't know about ('cause I'm not usually up at 2:00 AM). Last Friday night they served hamburgers and hot dogs to about 300 (mostly intoxicated) college students - sharing God's love in a practical way and starting conversations and relationships that can be bridges for the Gospel.
* Kristin, Felicia, Gilia, Brio, and others who fix lunch a couple of times each month for the Seven Hills Shelter.
Watching people take their faith and put it into practice in ways that touch the lives of people just makes my heart glad.
"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Some of the reasons that I love what I do ...
* Shelley, her heart for service, and her efforts in putting together a "service small group", as well as her and Samantha's leadership in the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter.
* All of those who give their Friday nights to run the 2:00 AM Grill - Brio, Travis, Erin, Becky, Woody, Joey, Bill, Thomas, Clarkie, Valerie, Lance, Eric, David, Kristin, Shelley, and others that I don't know about ('cause I'm not usually up at 2:00 AM). Last Friday night they served hamburgers and hot dogs to about 300 (mostly intoxicated) college students - sharing God's love in a practical way and starting conversations and relationships that can be bridges for the Gospel.
* Kristin, Felicia, Gilia, Brio, and others who fix lunch a couple of times each month for the Seven Hills Shelter.
Watching people take their faith and put it into practice in ways that touch the lives of people just makes my heart glad.
"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Monday, April 25
Looking Behind the Curtain
Thoughts Along the Way
Being a native of Kansas, one of the unfortunate associations that people have with you is the Wizard of Oz. (Apologies to my family in Liberal, the home of Dorothy.) Even in 2005, it is not unusual to hear comments about Toto or tornadoes or Dorothy. I guess it's part of the price I pay for everyone's jealousy over my birthplace.
The Wizard of Oz is a piece of cultural lore about which virtually everyone knows. I'm sure that you're familiar with the story and the "mighty Oz" whom Dorothy and her companions seek out to help with their problems. But at the end of it all, the curtain is pulled back and the mighty wizard is revealed as an imposter. Not a mighty wizard, but just a trembling little man hiding behind a curtain and a loud voice.
That scene came to my mind today as Jason and I were reading from II Timothy. In the passage, Paul is talking about what life will be like in the "last days" - especially the attitudes among those who would consider themselves religious people. He uses three phrases that jumped out at me. And troubled me. In II Timothy 3:1-9, Paul writes about those who are:
"lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God"
What a description of our times! How often do I choose pleasure over God? The pleasure of my bed over time with God? The pleasure of watching TV over reading God's Word? The pleasure of some mindless entertainment over giving of myself or my resources to the things that are important to God? The pleasure of pleasing another person rather than God? How many different ways do I choose my pleasure, my comfort, my will, my wants over what's important to God and what honors God?
"having a form of godliness but denying its power"
Outside of attending religious meeting, is there any evidence of God in my life? Can people see something of God in how I live and act and speak? Do I talk about how God can make a difference in life and yet have no evidence of God's difference in my life? Does my life show evidence of God's power? Am I being changed? Am I demonstrating power over sin? Fear? Worry? The need to impress? Can people who interact with me tell that God has touched my life? I remember the words from Acts regarding those who were followers of Jesus:
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13
Can people tell that I have been with Jesus?
"always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth"
A great description of a university campus - people always studying and learning, but not always looking for the truth. Many times, the pursuit of knowledge is more important than finding the truth. And so you have a campus full of smart people who know a lot of facts, but have somehow missed the point.
But you have churches (and campus ministries) like that, too. We can become great Bible scholars and never let what we learn intellectually influence how we live practically. Can you tell me one way that your worship or study of God's Word has changed your life in the last three months? If not, why not?
Being a native of Kansas, one of the unfortunate associations that people have with you is the Wizard of Oz. (Apologies to my family in Liberal, the home of Dorothy.) Even in 2005, it is not unusual to hear comments about Toto or tornadoes or Dorothy. I guess it's part of the price I pay for everyone's jealousy over my birthplace.
The Wizard of Oz is a piece of cultural lore about which virtually everyone knows. I'm sure that you're familiar with the story and the "mighty Oz" whom Dorothy and her companions seek out to help with their problems. But at the end of it all, the curtain is pulled back and the mighty wizard is revealed as an imposter. Not a mighty wizard, but just a trembling little man hiding behind a curtain and a loud voice.
That scene came to my mind today as Jason and I were reading from II Timothy. In the passage, Paul is talking about what life will be like in the "last days" - especially the attitudes among those who would consider themselves religious people. He uses three phrases that jumped out at me. And troubled me. In II Timothy 3:1-9, Paul writes about those who are:
"lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God"
What a description of our times! How often do I choose pleasure over God? The pleasure of my bed over time with God? The pleasure of watching TV over reading God's Word? The pleasure of some mindless entertainment over giving of myself or my resources to the things that are important to God? The pleasure of pleasing another person rather than God? How many different ways do I choose my pleasure, my comfort, my will, my wants over what's important to God and what honors God?
"having a form of godliness but denying its power"
Outside of attending religious meeting, is there any evidence of God in my life? Can people see something of God in how I live and act and speak? Do I talk about how God can make a difference in life and yet have no evidence of God's difference in my life? Does my life show evidence of God's power? Am I being changed? Am I demonstrating power over sin? Fear? Worry? The need to impress? Can people who interact with me tell that God has touched my life? I remember the words from Acts regarding those who were followers of Jesus:
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13
Can people tell that I have been with Jesus?
"always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth"
A great description of a university campus - people always studying and learning, but not always looking for the truth. Many times, the pursuit of knowledge is more important than finding the truth. And so you have a campus full of smart people who know a lot of facts, but have somehow missed the point.
But you have churches (and campus ministries) like that, too. We can become great Bible scholars and never let what we learn intellectually influence how we live practically. Can you tell me one way that your worship or study of God's Word has changed your life in the last three months? If not, why not?
What if someone pulled back the curtain on your spiritual life? What would they find? Would they find a lover of God? A life of power? A practitioner of truth? Or would they find an imposter?
Thursday, April 21
He Changed His Mind
Thoughts Along the Way
Antony Flew was raised in a Christian home, the son of a Methodist minister. But at the age of 15, he became an atheist. He studied at Oxford, where he won the John Locke Prize for Mental Philosophy. He taught at Oxford and three other universities. He has written 26 books. He lectured in classes taught by CS Lewis and debated many on the existence of God. The Times of London called him "one of the most renowned atheists of the past half-century, whose papers and lectures have formed the bedrock of unbelief for many adherents."
And he has changed his mind.
Last year, Anthony Flew - one of the world's prominent atheist philosophers - decided that he had been wrong. He decided that, in fact, there must be a God. Some argue that the change came because Flew is getting old (he's 81). But, according to Flew, the reason is simple: The evidence demands that there must be a Creator. After examining the evidence of Intelligent Design, he has concluded that there is indeed a Creator. It should be noted that Flew's move is just to deism (he calls himself a Jeffersonian Deist) and not to Christianity. The April 2005 issue of Christianity Today contains an article by James A. Beverley about Flew and his change of mind. It is worth reading. At this time, it's not online, but I'm sure it will be soon. You can check at www.ChristianityToday.com.
Two thoughts struck me after I read this article. The first was an admiration for Flew. He had built his career and reputation on defending the position of the atheist. Yet he was honest and humble enough to publicly admit that he was wrong and change his position. How many times do we let our pride keep us from responding to what we know to be true and right because it might involve admitting we were wrong? Or because it might be embarrassing to us?
The second is that often on a university campus it is easy to feel that those who believe in God are in the minority and are not taken seriously by "real" scholars. Though there are thousands of Christian students on campus and many Christian professors, there is often a sense that those who believe in God and follow Christ aren't quite "up to snuff" intellectually. Yet I'm convinced that there is a solid foundation of evidence for the things that we believe. We aren't just making this up off of the top of our heads. When you see a prominent opponent of God examine that evidence and change his mind, it just reaffirms the truth of what we believe and the evidence that supports it.
I don't need Antony Flew's agreement for me to believe in God. But it is good to see that the evidence that points me to God is strong enough to also convince him.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." Psalm 19:1-2
Antony Flew was raised in a Christian home, the son of a Methodist minister. But at the age of 15, he became an atheist. He studied at Oxford, where he won the John Locke Prize for Mental Philosophy. He taught at Oxford and three other universities. He has written 26 books. He lectured in classes taught by CS Lewis and debated many on the existence of God. The Times of London called him "one of the most renowned atheists of the past half-century, whose papers and lectures have formed the bedrock of unbelief for many adherents."
And he has changed his mind.
Last year, Anthony Flew - one of the world's prominent atheist philosophers - decided that he had been wrong. He decided that, in fact, there must be a God. Some argue that the change came because Flew is getting old (he's 81). But, according to Flew, the reason is simple: The evidence demands that there must be a Creator. After examining the evidence of Intelligent Design, he has concluded that there is indeed a Creator. It should be noted that Flew's move is just to deism (he calls himself a Jeffersonian Deist) and not to Christianity. The April 2005 issue of Christianity Today contains an article by James A. Beverley about Flew and his change of mind. It is worth reading. At this time, it's not online, but I'm sure it will be soon. You can check at www.ChristianityToday.com.
Two thoughts struck me after I read this article. The first was an admiration for Flew. He had built his career and reputation on defending the position of the atheist. Yet he was honest and humble enough to publicly admit that he was wrong and change his position. How many times do we let our pride keep us from responding to what we know to be true and right because it might involve admitting we were wrong? Or because it might be embarrassing to us?
The second is that often on a university campus it is easy to feel that those who believe in God are in the minority and are not taken seriously by "real" scholars. Though there are thousands of Christian students on campus and many Christian professors, there is often a sense that those who believe in God and follow Christ aren't quite "up to snuff" intellectually. Yet I'm convinced that there is a solid foundation of evidence for the things that we believe. We aren't just making this up off of the top of our heads. When you see a prominent opponent of God examine that evidence and change his mind, it just reaffirms the truth of what we believe and the evidence that supports it.
I don't need Antony Flew's agreement for me to believe in God. But it is good to see that the evidence that points me to God is strong enough to also convince him.
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." Psalm 19:1-2
Wednesday, April 20
Sun Tans and Seat Jumping
Thoughts Along the Way
Yesterday afternoon I slipped out of the office for a little while to watch a high school track meet. I wanted to watch some of our SHS FCA guys, touch bases with some of the coaches from Springdale and Fayetteville, and see some other kids I know. I don't go to many meets just to watch, but being at this high school meet brought back some memories ...
When I was in high school, I played football (intense, serious business), wrestled (hard work and I was bad), and "ran" track (a chance to get out of school early). I was a shot putter - which was the best event! Practice consisted of jogging a couple of laps, maybe running up and down the bleachers a few times, and throwing for about 30 minutes. On some days, we would then head out to the lake to ski. Not a bad life. But on meet days it was even better! Meet days went like this:
1) Get out of school early, grab a blanket and a Coleman cooler full of sandwiches, candy bars, and Cokes, and go to the meet.
2) Throw the shot (usually the first event) and be done in 30 minutes.
3) Sit on the blanket in the infield, work on a sun tan, eat sandwiches, drink Cokes, eat candy bars, talk to girls, and make fun of the runners who were working so hard they made themselves sick.
4) Go to the bus for some competitive "seat jumping". Seat jumping was a contest that we invented where you would stand a one seat on the bus and then dive (head first) to see how many seats you could jump over. It was never an official track event - but a regular part of our trips.
5) Do more of #3.
Now, once in a while I did have to take part in a running event. Some meets would have a "Fat Man's Relay." (How politically incorrect!) It was just for those who only did field events and I would run in it when the event was held. Sometimes - especially in smaller meets - I would have to "run" the 2-mile. But I had a very specific purpose in that race - to take as much time as possible so that the real runners would have time to rest before the mile relay. My instructions were to "jog the straights and walk the curves." And go as slow as possible.
No wonder I love track and field so much!
Yesterday afternoon I slipped out of the office for a little while to watch a high school track meet. I wanted to watch some of our SHS FCA guys, touch bases with some of the coaches from Springdale and Fayetteville, and see some other kids I know. I don't go to many meets just to watch, but being at this high school meet brought back some memories ...
When I was in high school, I played football (intense, serious business), wrestled (hard work and I was bad), and "ran" track (a chance to get out of school early). I was a shot putter - which was the best event! Practice consisted of jogging a couple of laps, maybe running up and down the bleachers a few times, and throwing for about 30 minutes. On some days, we would then head out to the lake to ski. Not a bad life. But on meet days it was even better! Meet days went like this:
1) Get out of school early, grab a blanket and a Coleman cooler full of sandwiches, candy bars, and Cokes, and go to the meet.
2) Throw the shot (usually the first event) and be done in 30 minutes.
3) Sit on the blanket in the infield, work on a sun tan, eat sandwiches, drink Cokes, eat candy bars, talk to girls, and make fun of the runners who were working so hard they made themselves sick.
4) Go to the bus for some competitive "seat jumping". Seat jumping was a contest that we invented where you would stand a one seat on the bus and then dive (head first) to see how many seats you could jump over. It was never an official track event - but a regular part of our trips.
5) Do more of #3.
Now, once in a while I did have to take part in a running event. Some meets would have a "Fat Man's Relay." (How politically incorrect!) It was just for those who only did field events and I would run in it when the event was held. Sometimes - especially in smaller meets - I would have to "run" the 2-mile. But I had a very specific purpose in that race - to take as much time as possible so that the real runners would have time to rest before the mile relay. My instructions were to "jog the straights and walk the curves." And go as slow as possible.
No wonder I love track and field so much!
Sunday, April 17
Thoughts Along the Way
Thoughts Along the Way
Welcome to my blog.
As I sit on my deck, looking at a sky full of stars, listening to the waterfall in the background and the Phillies/Braves on the net, I'm wondering what I'm getting into. I never really thought I would be doing this. Blogs always seemed to be a little pretentious. Or for those who were more tech-savvy than me. Or more poetic. Or deeper. Or funnier. Or at least thought they were those things. I just never thought of myself as a blog kind of guy.
But over the past few months, the idea has been growing on me. Hopefully it's a God-thing. And through the help of Jake, "Thoughts Along The Way" came to be. But what will it become? That is the question. And that's also where you come in. In my "vision" for this thing, I wanted an interactive forum that can keep the discussion going about God, the spiritual life, the world, and whatever else comes along. In trying to make things as complicated as possible, my blog has three parts:
1) The Blog Itself - The space where you get to "hear" me rant or ponder or think out loud. It's the place where I'll get to develop more fully things I've been thinking about or talking about. It's the place where I'll get to comment on things I see and experience. I don't think it's going to be anything "preachy" - just thinking out loud. My hope is to be able to do this two or three times a week. One of my big fears in doing this is that I won't have anything to say. But after reading a bunch of blogs, that doesn't seem to stop anyone else - so I guess I can do it too! But I'll want your comments and feedback to hone my thinking and understanding. And I want to add this disclaimer: It could be that much of what I write will be "thoughts in process" and shouldn't be taken as my final position or that of Christ on Campus or anyone else related to me!
2) Ask Mike - One of the favorite ConC traditions over the years has been our "Ask Mike Nights" where students can anonymously ask whatever questions they have and I get three minutes to answer them. We're going to continue that on here. Feel free to email me any questions you would like a response to and I'll give it a shot. But I do reserve the right not to publish every question!
3) Bible Discussion - I would like to have an ongoing, online discussion on a Biblical text. I'll pick a book, publish a section of it on the forum, and we can spend a week asking questions, sharing insights, and finding applications.
I guess I'm asking a lot of this. But I do think the title kind of catches where I want to go. We are all trying to figure out how to best live our lives in a world that is often confusing, amusing, disgusting, heartbreaking, beautiful, and more. For those of us trying to live our lives in relationship with God, the world can often be antagonistic - or at least apathetic. Along the way, we struggle with fears and questions. But it is wrestling with these tensions - our thoughts and prayers and doubts and convictions - and our interactions with God and people along the way, that shape our lives and the path we take. Hopefully, this will be a place where we can sort through some of those things.
Welcome to my blog.
As I sit on my deck, looking at a sky full of stars, listening to the waterfall in the background and the Phillies/Braves on the net, I'm wondering what I'm getting into. I never really thought I would be doing this. Blogs always seemed to be a little pretentious. Or for those who were more tech-savvy than me. Or more poetic. Or deeper. Or funnier. Or at least thought they were those things. I just never thought of myself as a blog kind of guy.
But over the past few months, the idea has been growing on me. Hopefully it's a God-thing. And through the help of Jake, "Thoughts Along The Way" came to be. But what will it become? That is the question. And that's also where you come in. In my "vision" for this thing, I wanted an interactive forum that can keep the discussion going about God, the spiritual life, the world, and whatever else comes along. In trying to make things as complicated as possible, my blog has three parts:
1) The Blog Itself - The space where you get to "hear" me rant or ponder or think out loud. It's the place where I'll get to develop more fully things I've been thinking about or talking about. It's the place where I'll get to comment on things I see and experience. I don't think it's going to be anything "preachy" - just thinking out loud. My hope is to be able to do this two or three times a week. One of my big fears in doing this is that I won't have anything to say. But after reading a bunch of blogs, that doesn't seem to stop anyone else - so I guess I can do it too! But I'll want your comments and feedback to hone my thinking and understanding. And I want to add this disclaimer: It could be that much of what I write will be "thoughts in process" and shouldn't be taken as my final position or that of Christ on Campus or anyone else related to me!
2) Ask Mike - One of the favorite ConC traditions over the years has been our "Ask Mike Nights" where students can anonymously ask whatever questions they have and I get three minutes to answer them. We're going to continue that on here. Feel free to email me any questions you would like a response to and I'll give it a shot. But I do reserve the right not to publish every question!
3) Bible Discussion - I would like to have an ongoing, online discussion on a Biblical text. I'll pick a book, publish a section of it on the forum, and we can spend a week asking questions, sharing insights, and finding applications.
I guess I'm asking a lot of this. But I do think the title kind of catches where I want to go. We are all trying to figure out how to best live our lives in a world that is often confusing, amusing, disgusting, heartbreaking, beautiful, and more. For those of us trying to live our lives in relationship with God, the world can often be antagonistic - or at least apathetic. Along the way, we struggle with fears and questions. But it is wrestling with these tensions - our thoughts and prayers and doubts and convictions - and our interactions with God and people along the way, that shape our lives and the path we take. Hopefully, this will be a place where we can sort through some of those things.
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