Snake in the Grass

Have you ever heard someone say, "Better watch out for old so-and-so; he's a real snake in the grass!" Well, after this morning's brush with death (OK, maybe that's a little exaggerated), I'll have a new appreciation for the phrase. Let me explain...

Early this morning, I went outside to water the flower beds. As I walked over to the side of the house to turn on the hose, my heart raced as I heard a rustling sound at my feet. I looked down, just in time to see a large black snake slither out of sight into the tall grass along the fenceline. (I had nearly stepped on him!) By the time I went to the garage, got not one but two shovels, and returned to the scene, the snake was gone.

I should've been glad, but instead, I couldn't stop wondering where else in my yard he was hiding. You see, may I remind you I have 4 daughters...and so far, none of them seem to be particularly excited about snakes. So, I spent the next 30 mins combing the tall grass around the A/C units, along the fence line, in my overgrown flower beds. Never did find that guy...

There are probably lots of lessons to be learned here (never water the flowers in flip-flops; always carry a shotgun with you before 7am; teach all family members how to suck the venom out of a snake bite; move someplace where they don't have big, black snakes!), but I want to share one simple observation:

My grass is too tall.

You see, if I had done a better job mowing, edging, and weed-eating my lawn, it would have been a less-attractive hiding place for snakes. (As any golfer knows, if you always keep your ball in the fairways, you don't have to worry about those "Beware of rattlesnakes" signs. Snakes like the security of the "rough" more than manicured greens. Duh!) So, because I have allowed my yard to become a residential dream for reptiles...it's no wonder he moved into the neighborhood.

Now, let's bring this closer to home. In my spiritual life, I need to be careful not to let the enemy slither undetected into the tall grass. I want my heart to be safe. I want to protect my family from danger. So, the tall grass of temptation needs to be mowed regularly. The weeds of unforgiveness make a great hiding place for the enemy of my soul. As the 23rd Psalm says, "Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil." Be alert. Watch and pray. Guard your heart.

Always, be on the watch for a snake in the grass...but also, keep the grass short enough that you can see him. (...and then chase him away with not one, but two Holy Spirit Shovels!)

The Secret Place

Do you have a "secret place" where God meets with you?

A place no one else goes but you Him?
A place you "hide away" with Him to learn His ways?
A place where He "works" on you?
A place where He's making you more like Him?
A place where you seek wisdom?
A place where you find strength for each day?
A place where He renews your hope?

A secret place.

Last night, I heard Rick Dubose share a message on "The Secret Place," and I was challenged! I am humbled by the reality that God wants to meet with me...but I allow the busy-ness of my life to crowd Him out. In essence, I have often "stood him up," left him there waiting, day after day, with nothing but weak excuses and promises that things will be different next time. If I treated anyone else that way, I would either be an absent-minded knucklehead, or simply a jerk! (Lord, forgive me. You deserve better...)

Consider this: Jesus appointed the twelve to be disciples..."that they might be with him." (Mark 3:13). That's pretty much everything to a follower of Christ. Just be with Him.

Find your secret place...and go there! He's waiting...

Drink Coffee, Do Good

Just a reminder: all of the coffee we brew on Sunday mornings is from Land of a Thousand Hills. This is a ministry based in Atlanta, Georgia that serves the families of the victims of the Rwandan genocide, by helping them begin new lives by earning a living producing some of the world's finest coffee. (...in my humble opinion)

In addition to the FREE coffee we brew & serve in the lobby, you can purchase bags to take home ($10), as well as t-shirts, coffee cups, travel mugs, and more.

A cool thing happened this week. Some officers from the Pflugerville Fire Department dropped by our office for their annual inspection. As they walked through the lobby, they noticed the LOTH display, and inquired about it. Before they left, they had purchased 2 bags for themselves, and were very interested in checking out the website to learn more about the ministry in Rwanda.

(And oh, by the way, we also have an emergency light bulb that needs to be replaced...but they were so nice while writing us a warning! Gotta get right on that...)

You never know when something as simple as the coffee you drink will be an opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ. So, keep up the good work: Drink Coffee, Do Good!

I Don't Think I Fit In Here...

These are some of the most awful words I hear as a pastor: "I don't think I fit in here." And when I do, it makes me want to scream into a pillow, or eat chips & salsa, or go for a 3-mile run--anything to let out a little frustration, but without doing something I'll have to repent of later. I want EVERYONE to fit in here! I want everyone to find a place to worship, a place to serve, a place to hang out, a place to grow, a place to find healing, and a place to "get the inside jokes." Is that asking too much of a local church? I don't think so.

So, why do these words bug me? Did the person who uttered them say something wrong? Is it their fault? NO, of course not! I appreciate the straightforward honesty. But to tell you the truth, there are lots of reasons for someone to say this, and it's not always easy to tell what's really going on in their lives. For some, it's a genuine cry for help. For others, it's a selfish cry for attention. For some, it's the prodigal son desperately wanting to find a home. For others, it's the older brother who's frustrated that he's no longer the center of attention. Try to follow me here...

No one can ever really know the heart of a man except that man, himself. But, for those making a cry for help, this is what I think is going on inside their heads:

"I really like this church, and I've been coming for a while. The worship is inspiring, the sermon speaks to where I am living, the children's ministry seems to be effective...but something's missing. I'm starting to wonder if I truly belong here, or if anyone would miss me if I was gone. Am I developing any true friendships? I definitely feel like I am 'buying-in' to this church's vision, but I still don't feel personally connected. Maybe, it's me. I don't think I fit in here..."

If the words above are like a page torn from your journal, please hear this: You DO belong here! A local church is a family where everyone has a seat at the table, and also, helps with the dishes afterward. The local church is an army where every ranking officer has orders that must be followed, in order for the battle to be won. The local church is a body where every single member is important (including eyes, ears, pinky toes, colons, and vocal cords). The local church is awesome--but it's not-quite-as-awesome-as-it-could-be unless everyone goes along for the ride!

The Bridge Church is in transition. That's obvious to see...but the day we STOP transitioning to the next thing God has for us, will be the day we start dying. (And in case you can't discern the rhetorical irony here...I don't intend to let that happen on my watch.) Change is uncomfortable. If we're not careful, things (and sometimes, people) will get lost in tranistion. And we can't let that happen either.

So the next time you hear your brother or sister wondering aloud if they fit in here... look them in the eye and say, "Yes, you do!" Then take them to lunch, invite them to a small group, go to the driving range together, pour them a cup of Rwandan coffee, or give them a big hug and say, "I love you man!"

(Now, to be honest, some of my jeans don't fit like they used to, but that's another issue...)

LOST: My ox named, Rover

Recently, I read a few verses from the Bible (Deuteronomy 22:1-4) that challenged my understanding of "ministry." At first glance, the passage seems culturally irrelevant, but it contains powerful truth. These verses describe an age-old tendency that many of us have:

When we see someone else's problem, instead of getting involved or helping them out...sometimes it's easier to look the other way. To do nothing. To ignore it.

But that's not what the Bible says here. Instead, it says when you see an ox or sheep wandering around (insert dog or cat , if it helps you relate better to the story), do not ignore it. Rather, go and find it's owner. And if you don't know who it belongs to, take it home with you. Give it food, water, and a bath! Then, when the owner comes, give it back to them gladly.

3 times in 4 verses this phrase is repeated: Do not ignore it. Why?

Could it be that God's Word is pointing out how callous I have become? For someone who thinks he's a servant-leader, what if I'm a selfish-leader instead? Surely not. When my brother has a need, I would never ignore it! (...or would I?) Do I only help people I like? Or only when it's convenient? Or only when there's life-&-death hanging in the balance?

After all, this isn't an emergency room visit; it's a lost pet, for goodness sakes! How big a deal is it, anyway?! Don't sweat the small stuff, right? Wrong! Because what's "small stuff" to me might be "big stuff" to my brother.

The point is: Do not ignore it. Care. Listen. Be there. Get your hands dirty. Get some mud in your floorboard.

And don't just take my word for it; try this one on for size:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus... (Philippians 2:3-4)

Pumped up about popsicles!

I am so excited about Saturday! I can't wait (and neither can my kids) for the Deutschenfest parade coming up on May 16th. We've got our green t-shirts ready, we're practicing our smile in the mirror, and we're praying for divine encounters with the people in the crowd. (OK, maybe only 2-out-of-3 of those things are real...) It's going to be a blast.

What are we doing on Saturday? About 75 volunteers from BCC will be walking the parade route passing out frozen pops. Instead of riding on a cool float, waving at the crowd, or throwing candy on the street, or even having our band play Christian music--we want to do something unexpected. So, we've got 6,000 little surprises, frozen & ready!

In case you don't "get it," here's the Big Idea: We want to "build a bridge" with the community by serving people in a tangible way. Love in action. Kindness on display. And why? Because I think sometimes you have to show Jesus before you can share Jesus. It's kind of like going the second mile. Offering someone your coat. Giving without expecting to be repaid. It's like giving a cup of cold water in Jesus' name...except instead of water, it's a popsicle!

Who knows, maybe next year we'll give away pints of Blue Bell. Nothing's Too Hard For God, right?

Wanted: Mentors

Happy (belated) Mother's Day to all of you! And in case I forget to tell all of you dads on or before June 21st, Happy Father's Day, too!

Yesterday, I shared a message about the need for mentors in the church today. But this wasn't just some sort of theoretical idealism talking--it's a topic that is fast-becoming a passion of my heart. I keep asking myself, where are all the spiritual fathers (and mothers)? No matter where I am in my spiritual journey, there are individuals who have gone before me. And there are others who are following behind me. Which points to something very interesting:

I am BOTH in need of a mentor...and I must be a mentor to someone else.

So I ask myself, are either one of these happening in my life? What about in yours? If I am a Timothy, where is my Paul? And who are the Timothys that need me to be their Paul? What should I be receiving from my Paul? What am I supposed to be giving to my Timothy? When should we meet? How often? What should we talk about? Should this person be my pastor? Could it be my spouse? Will they come and find me, or should I go looking for them?

You may be thinking, "Yeah, yeah, yeah...and which came first, the chicken or the egg?" (OK, so this may seem a little overwhelming, or a little too intensive for you. But my point is simple--Jesus told us to make disciples, and that can't be done on Sunday mornings only. Three worship songs and a sermon don't cut it. Too much of "LIFE" happens in those other 6 days. There's got to be more to this spiritual life thing...

So, let me paint a picture for you:

We need people taking other people under their wings. We need big brothers & big sisters. We need older couples investing in younger couples. We need college students spending time with 5th-graders. We need Mr. Grey Hair (or NO hair) taking Mr. Spiked-Hair out to lunch. Or to a ballgame. Or on a fishing trip. And then instead of talking about the NBA playoffs, or the economy, or the stinking weather--we actually dive in head-first to conversations that really matter in view of eternity! Let's talk about things like my prayer life, my marriage, my relationship with my kids (and how I can improve as a dad), my ministry calling, my finances, my fears, my physical health, my understanding of Scripture, or even my struggles with temptation.

For some, this may be too weird, or too intrusive, or too time-consuming. I get that--I really do. It will take time to do this. The time you devote to a mentorship will be taken from something else--your family, your hobbies, your yardwork, or even your sleep. Nonetheless, I can't help but believe it would be worth it in the long run...not to mention, it's what Jesus told us to do!

(NOTE: For those of you who question the biblical imperative for this stuff, take a quick glance through 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus chapter 2. Let me know what you think...)