we are about to start a new series at cLife that focuses on the relevance and reliability of the scriptures. i ran across this blog by mark batterson that i thought was thought provoking. i hope you do as well...
I know I'm fixated on Bible reading right now. But I make no apologies for it. There is no substitute. You've got to read the Bible and you've got to let the Bible read you. Came across a verse that has always fascinated me in Deuteronomy 17. The Lord instructed the King to "make a copy of the law" in the presence of the Levitical priests. He was told to "keep it at his side at all times." Who knows? Maybe he even slept with it. And he was told to "study it everyday." Interesting isn't it? Studying the law was the King's primary responsibility. I have no idea how long it took to copy the law. But here's my question: why copy it? You're a king. You're busy. You have servants. Why not let someone copy it for you. Why did God insist on him copying it? Because that way it was in his own handwriting. So he had his own personal copy of the law. And he was told to keep it at his side at all times. If we interpret that literally, then we ate with it, rode with it, slept with it, fought with it, and ruled with it.Finally, he was told to study it everyday. No other spiritual discipline is more vital to your spiritual growth that daily Bible study. Period. It has to be a daily routine. By the way, here is a little factoid that Braveheart fans will love. Did you know that William Wallace never went anyplace without his boyhood friend and personal chaplain, John Blair. In addition, he always carried his personal copy of the Scriptures with him.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
the team
our staff had a great day today just enjoying each other and having fun. after a great easter weekend with well over 1500 people on our campus we decided everyone was due a day to just play. we started off the day by taking staff pictures and having a brief team meeting. after the "business" was taken care of we ate lunch at a hibachi grill, played laser tag, air hockey, dance dance revolution and who all knows what else before finishing off our time together at bahama bucks! whew....it was a blast! a couple of take aways for you and your team/family...
1. if you focus only on your goals/destination you will miss the scenary of right now. i think it is vital that teams set aside time to play together. honestly, i'm not sure we do it enough. when we get to the end of our lives if all we know for sure is we made it...but can't remember having fun along the way....what a shame.
2. don't take yourself too seriously. some people are better at eating bahama bucks than they are at playing laser tag. these outings give everyone a chance to "do their thing."
3. there is something very refreshing about playing whirlyball or laser tag with your team. in these settings people are able to allow their inner kid to come out....and creativity/bonding/trust are all developed. if you're thinking: we can't afford to do something like that in my office/home i would suggest you can't afford not to!
do something crazy....budget in a little time and money to do something fun. it may be a real difference maker in the morale of your team and your effectiveness.
1. if you focus only on your goals/destination you will miss the scenary of right now. i think it is vital that teams set aside time to play together. honestly, i'm not sure we do it enough. when we get to the end of our lives if all we know for sure is we made it...but can't remember having fun along the way....what a shame.
2. don't take yourself too seriously. some people are better at eating bahama bucks than they are at playing laser tag. these outings give everyone a chance to "do their thing."
3. there is something very refreshing about playing whirlyball or laser tag with your team. in these settings people are able to allow their inner kid to come out....and creativity/bonding/trust are all developed. if you're thinking: we can't afford to do something like that in my office/home i would suggest you can't afford not to!
do something crazy....budget in a little time and money to do something fun. it may be a real difference maker in the morale of your team and your effectiveness.
Monday, April 13, 2009
bunny dilemma
ok.....looking for a little feedback on this one. if you do not have a google account and are unable to leave a moderated comment on the blog feel free to e-mail me directly at rwade@clifec.com.
yesterday my family was driving home from lunch when my daughter asked: why didn't the Easter bunny bring me anything this year? i asked why she thought the easter bunny was going to bring her something and she responded "because a lot of my friends at church said the easter bunny brought them some fun stuff!"
over the past couple of years i have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the whole idea of perpetuating the mythical figures our culture has produced over the years. from santa claus to the tooth fairy it seems like everytime i turn around i am being asked to lie to my kids. i am all for feeding their creativity and allowing them to be children. i want them to be able to look back and know that they experienced the fullness of being a child. however, i also want them to know that i lived by the same virtues i instilled in them....namely the virtue of honesty.
i know that billions of children throughout the course of history have not only believed in the fictional characters but eventually came to the understanding that they weren't real and managed to carry on fully functional and productive lives. my concern isn't with scarring them emotionally. i just doon't want to create any obstacles that might keep them from believing me when i tell them about Jesus. let's face it....believing in His story requires a full-throttle faith.
if i tell my kids that they will be rewarded for being good (santa) am i also teaching them that in some way good works will earn them the reward of salvation? if i teach them that there is a fairy that will visit their room after they lose a tooth and that there is a bunny that brings them gifts on easter and a jolly old man that mysteriously makes it down the chimney pipe at Christmas (none of which are true) am i also making it more difficult for them to believe that there is a God in heaven who loved them so much that He sent His only son to die on a cross for their sins? will they find it hard to believe that this same Jesus that dies for their sins was raised from the dead so that they too could defeat the burden and consequence of sin?
i know some of the responses that may be headed my way:
1. it is the spirit that draws people into an understanding of who God is so my kids, Lord willing, will be drawn into that relationship regardless of what I may or may not teach them.
2. lighten up wade! it's just harmless stories that allow kids to be creative and to imagine!
3. that is your decision as a parent....just tell your kids not to ruin it for mine :-)
4. it won't affect them negativel and your not really "lying" to them....your just playing along with their childish ways.
any thoughts????
yesterday my family was driving home from lunch when my daughter asked: why didn't the Easter bunny bring me anything this year? i asked why she thought the easter bunny was going to bring her something and she responded "because a lot of my friends at church said the easter bunny brought them some fun stuff!"
over the past couple of years i have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the whole idea of perpetuating the mythical figures our culture has produced over the years. from santa claus to the tooth fairy it seems like everytime i turn around i am being asked to lie to my kids. i am all for feeding their creativity and allowing them to be children. i want them to be able to look back and know that they experienced the fullness of being a child. however, i also want them to know that i lived by the same virtues i instilled in them....namely the virtue of honesty.
i know that billions of children throughout the course of history have not only believed in the fictional characters but eventually came to the understanding that they weren't real and managed to carry on fully functional and productive lives. my concern isn't with scarring them emotionally. i just doon't want to create any obstacles that might keep them from believing me when i tell them about Jesus. let's face it....believing in His story requires a full-throttle faith.
if i tell my kids that they will be rewarded for being good (santa) am i also teaching them that in some way good works will earn them the reward of salvation? if i teach them that there is a fairy that will visit their room after they lose a tooth and that there is a bunny that brings them gifts on easter and a jolly old man that mysteriously makes it down the chimney pipe at Christmas (none of which are true) am i also making it more difficult for them to believe that there is a God in heaven who loved them so much that He sent His only son to die on a cross for their sins? will they find it hard to believe that this same Jesus that dies for their sins was raised from the dead so that they too could defeat the burden and consequence of sin?
i know some of the responses that may be headed my way:
1. it is the spirit that draws people into an understanding of who God is so my kids, Lord willing, will be drawn into that relationship regardless of what I may or may not teach them.
2. lighten up wade! it's just harmless stories that allow kids to be creative and to imagine!
3. that is your decision as a parent....just tell your kids not to ruin it for mine :-)
4. it won't affect them negativel and your not really "lying" to them....your just playing along with their childish ways.
any thoughts????
Sunday, April 12, 2009
overwhelmed
three years ago God gave me and a couple of my friends an opportunity to start a new church. we were scared to death but knew, without any doubt, that God was prompting us to find a school and start a new local church body in forney. many people asked why we thought we needed to go to forney. some would even ask "aren't there already enough churches in the area?" there were times when i didn't know how to respond to that question. sure...there were probably enough churches but we couldn't shake the reality that God was leading us to start something new.
the vision of cLife was going to be simple: connecting people to God and one another. nothing really fancy huh?!? that was it....we sensed that God was going to do something big in the lives of people and we trusted that it wouldn't be limited only to the people in forney but that it would reach well beyond geographical boundaries and impact the lives of many from many different places.
i'm overwhelmed because God has blown away all of my expectations. people are coming from all over....mesquite, sunnyvale, forney, heath, rockwall, wills point, canton, kaufman, combine, crandall and the list goes on and on. people have caught the global vision and donated financially to dig water wells in remote villages in third world countries, helped to build a church in africa and launch a new children's home in guatemala. marriages have been restored, people have found freedom from the oppression of the financial situations and many have crossed the line of faith....stepping from darkness into light because of the shed blood of Christ on the cross.
as i looked at all the people who came to cLife today i was overwhelmed by the stories that God has allowed me to see unfold over the course of the last 3 years. overwhelmed because He has exceeded my limited expectations of what He was calling me to be a part of just a few years ago.
what is He calling you to? what is it that God is leading you to do or become that will require some sacrifice on your part? i can't promise that He will meet or exceed your worldly desires but can guarantee you that you will not regret stepping in His direction. i know i haven't.
the vision of cLife was going to be simple: connecting people to God and one another. nothing really fancy huh?!? that was it....we sensed that God was going to do something big in the lives of people and we trusted that it wouldn't be limited only to the people in forney but that it would reach well beyond geographical boundaries and impact the lives of many from many different places.
i'm overwhelmed because God has blown away all of my expectations. people are coming from all over....mesquite, sunnyvale, forney, heath, rockwall, wills point, canton, kaufman, combine, crandall and the list goes on and on. people have caught the global vision and donated financially to dig water wells in remote villages in third world countries, helped to build a church in africa and launch a new children's home in guatemala. marriages have been restored, people have found freedom from the oppression of the financial situations and many have crossed the line of faith....stepping from darkness into light because of the shed blood of Christ on the cross.
as i looked at all the people who came to cLife today i was overwhelmed by the stories that God has allowed me to see unfold over the course of the last 3 years. overwhelmed because He has exceeded my limited expectations of what He was calling me to be a part of just a few years ago.
what is He calling you to? what is it that God is leading you to do or become that will require some sacrifice on your part? i can't promise that He will meet or exceed your worldly desires but can guarantee you that you will not regret stepping in His direction. i know i haven't.
easter
i have oftentimes been referred to as the "debbie downer" in my social circles. it seems like anytime someone shares something as a celebration i have the unique ability to ....listen for the wah - wah sound....turn it into a negative. i have determined that i am not going to do that with easter. why? because there is nothing negative about it at all! it is a great reminder to me and other believers all over the world that JESUS IS ALIVE!!!
i know that He was alive yesterday and will still be alive tomorrow but there is something special about having a day when the world turns its attention to God's story. even skeptics are forced to at very least overhear our conversation about the God who sent His son to die on a cruel cross only to be raised from the dead.....which brings us the victory!
if easter seems like it has become a little "over done" by preachers and churches i want to encourage you go back to that place when you first tasted the goodness of God. why? because when you get to that place i am confident you will be reminded why we celebrate.
will He be alive tomorrow? yep! will He be alive 6 months from now? yep! should we as Christians celebrate His resurreection on a daily basis? yep! should we do everything we can to take full advantage of the opportunity that exists to speak the truth of the life changing promise of God into lives today? you bet we should!
i hope your Easter is a happy one....because He lives!
i know that He was alive yesterday and will still be alive tomorrow but there is something special about having a day when the world turns its attention to God's story. even skeptics are forced to at very least overhear our conversation about the God who sent His son to die on a cruel cross only to be raised from the dead.....which brings us the victory!
if easter seems like it has become a little "over done" by preachers and churches i want to encourage you go back to that place when you first tasted the goodness of God. why? because when you get to that place i am confident you will be reminded why we celebrate.
will He be alive tomorrow? yep! will He be alive 6 months from now? yep! should we as Christians celebrate His resurreection on a daily basis? yep! should we do everything we can to take full advantage of the opportunity that exists to speak the truth of the life changing promise of God into lives today? you bet we should!
i hope your Easter is a happy one....because He lives!
Friday, April 10, 2009
good friday
in our current culture it is really hard to grasp the tension that this day respresents for Christians. in north america we really do not have to suffer for our faith....certainly not to the degree that Jesus did over 2000 years ago. good friday creates a tension because to really observe this holiday we are forced to grapple with the darkness that came over all of creation when Christ was nailed to the cross. to see our hero beaten beyond the point of recognition is terrifying....he was supposed to be the savior. to see him carry his own cross up the side of golgotha isn't the way it was supposed to be....he had already carried so much for us on his shoulders. to see him nailed to a cross and mocked was sickening....he didn't deserve any of it.
i hope as you move into this easter weekend you will pause at least for a moment today and REMEMBER what this day represents. luckily we know how the story ends so there is peace. however, if we ever get too far away from the truth of what preceded the resurrection we might just miss the point.
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.8By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?9And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53
i hope as you move into this easter weekend you will pause at least for a moment today and REMEMBER what this day represents. luckily we know how the story ends so there is peace. however, if we ever get too far away from the truth of what preceded the resurrection we might just miss the point.
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.8By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?9And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53
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