by Josh Monda | Jun 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
I know that is seems that there is controversy over Rap Music in fact I know of some people that would hate rap music no matter how Godly the lyrics might be. However I do not fall into that camp. In fact I love Rap Music. That reminds me of an old DC Talk song that said ”I luv rap music, I always have, and I always will”.
A little over a year ago I started listening to Shai Linne and was immediately blown away by the lyrics. This guy’s music in one song typically has more then you hear in one year of some churches. This morning while exercising on of his songs came on the ipod. The name of the song is Atonement Q and A. I have to tell you as I was going through my exercise and listened to the song I could not help but think how often our churches are failing at teaching any type of theology from the pulpit yet in one song a lot is taught. I may not agree with every minor point but at least and attempt is made. So look at the lyrics below and perhaps learn some Theology from a rap song.
Verse 1
Who is God? God is the universe’s Creator
And Sustainer plus the only Savior, there is no one greater
He is triune, holy, omnipotent, omniscient, absolute
Loving, sovereign and righteous are a few of His attributes
How do we know this? Well, we know this from the Bible
Where God has revealed Himself- anything else is just an idol
What’s the Bible about? Man’s complete ruin in sin
And what God has done in Christ to bring us to Him again
What is sin? Sin is the breaking of God’s law
Plus our condition, which means from birth we all got flaws
What’s the result? The result is by nature we’re God’s enemies
And must pay the penalty unless God provides the remedy
What’s the remedy? The remedy is the cross of Christ
Where He suffered all the strikes for the lawless type
I’ve been rescued by the Lamb, I’m convinced that He’s risen
And blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven!
Chorus
Just fall back, and with the eyes of faith
Behold the beauty of surprising grace
Because the Lamb has died, third day He had to rise
He’s magnified- God’s wrath is satisfied
Just fall back- there’s an atonement now
The cross of Christ is holy ground
Because the Lamb has died, third day He had to rise
He’s magnified- God’s wrath is satisfied
Verse 2
Regeneration- the Holy Spirit’s true work in His love
To the elect, who receive new birth from above
Expiation- expiation means God’s removed my filthiness
The old testament type was the goat into the wilderness
Redemption- we’ve been freed from slavery to sin
And His very own blood is the price He paid, my friend
Propitiation- Propitiation means since the Lamb has died
His work is finished- God’s wrath is satisfied
Adoption- adoption means God is now my Father
I got the hottest Poppa and by the Spirit holler Abba
Reconciliation means there’s no more enmity
God is now a friend to me, we’re no longer enemies
Justification- God declares us righteous
Sanctification– we’re being made into His likeness
Glorification– that’s what happens at the finish
When God conforms believers perfectly to Christ’s image!
Chorus
Verse 3
God’s grace is magnificent, He slayed His innocent
Son- through faith and repentance we get the benefits
What is faith? Faith is a gift from God- when we receive this
We trust and treasure the person and finished work of Jesus
Repentance? Repentance is turning from your sin
And trusting Christ as the Spirit cleanses you within
What is grace? Oh, grace is unmerited favor
Our inheritance major ‘cause we cherish the Savior
Right, and if I may quote again, we were doomed with Satan
But believers get Jesus’ righteousness through imputation
Imputation? God takes Jesus’ righteousness amount
Through faith He credits it into the Christian’s account
Anything else? Well, I guess this overview must suffice
But none of this is possible apart from union with Christ
And finally, once you know the ways of the Lord than the
only thing that you can say is Soli Deo Gloria!
Chorus
by Josh Monda | Jun 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
It has been a week since I have had a post so I thought I would get in gear. I have been watching some basketball games of the local High School here. The girls team is ranked numbers in the state for 3a ball and they are undefeated they have a good club I hope they do well. Well anyways I am not going write about basketball but continue my series from the book Why Guys Need God by Mike Erre. Today I want to share a couple of quotes from chapter 10 and talk about them a little bit.
When we come out of hiding in front of each other, relationship will take hard work and lots of grace. The church gets lots of criticism because of its imperfections.
So many times we hide who we really are. Sometimes it is like we have to put on some sort of facade so people do not see the real us. I am not sure what drives this perhaps it is fear of people seeing the real us or fear that we are not good enough. Rarely do we tell people our real struggles or the things that are keeping us from being all we want to be in Christ or all we can be in Christ. The truth is if we really do be ourselves then in fact it will take alot of hard work and lots of grace. Grace to forgive others even when we really do not want to and grace to ask for forgiveness even when we do not want to. But if we continue to pretend to be someone we are not then the church is just a place where we go to be fake. The church definitley is not perfect and we are indeed a bunch of reformed sinners going thorug the process of sanctification yet many times we act like we have already been fully sanctified and that we have no problems whatsoever.
I often wonder what would church be like if people were real. What if a man walked into Sunday school and said I am struggling with pornography and I need help, or what if a woman walked in and said I struggle with gossiping I need help, or how about I have bitterness in my heart I need help. The church is supposed to be a community loving each other and holding each other accountable but I am afraid we have become a community where everything is based on only what we want people to perceive us to be and not who we really are. We don’t want people to know our secret sins what will is take for us to stop being superficial and just be honest. It is so hard. Here us the second quote.
Most churches teach men how to pretend behind religious fig leaves. We learn to act in the right religious ways, look the right religious ways, sing the right religious ways, and so on. We usually are not encouraged to actually share how things really are. So even though we need to connect with other guys at a really deep level, the church actually often hinders this process.
Prayer isn’t a place to be good; it is a place to be honest.
I already spoke about this above. I do not think this is a problem for just men either. I think often we go to church to pretend. Pretend to be someone we are not and we rarely go just to be honest and admit our struggles.
by Josh Monda | Jun 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
I know much is said about Rick Warren and there are verying opinions of him especially in conservative circels. However I praise God for the prayer he delivered today. Here it is both by video and the text
Almighty God, our Father: Everything we see, and everything we can’t see, exists because of you alone. It all comes from you, it all belongs to you, it all exists for your glory.
History is your story.
The Scripture tells us, “Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one.” And you are the compassionate and merciful one. And you are loving to everyone you have made.
Now today we rejoice not only in America’s peaceful transfer of power for the 44th time, we celebrate a hinge point of history with the inauguration of our first African American president of the United States.
We are so grateful to live in this land, a land of unequaled possibility, where a son of an African immigrant can rise to the highest level of our leadership. And we know today that Dr. King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in heaven.
Give to our new president, Barack Obama,
the wisdom to lead us with humility, the courage to lead us with integrity,
the compassion to lead us with generosity.
Bless and protect him, his family, Vice President Biden, the Cabinet, and every one of our freely elected leaders.
Help us, O God, to remember that we are Americans–united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice for all.
When we focus on ourselves, when we fight each other, when we forget you–forgive us.
When we presume that our greatness and our prosperity is ours alone–forgive us.
When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect that they deserve–forgive us.
And as we face these difficult days ahead, may we have a new birth of clarity in our aims, responsibility in our actions, humility in our approaches, and civility in our attitudes—even when we differ.
Help us to share, to serve, and to seek the common good of all.
May all people of good will today join together to work for a more just, a more healthy, and a more prosperous nation and a peaceful planet.
And may we never forget that one day, all nations–and all people–will stand accountable before you.
We now commit our new president and his wife, Michelle, and his daughters, Malia and Sasha, into your loving care.
I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life—Yeshua, ‘Isa, Jesus [Spanish pronunciation], Jesus—who taught us to pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
by Josh Monda | Jun 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
Dec 31
My Conversation With An Atheist
Posted by Josh
I wanted to write a short post about my recent conversation with an Atheist. Sometimes I think Christians are intimidated to talk with someone that believes that there is no God. However I had the privilege to do just that and trust me I am not all that intellectual if you know me you know this is true ha. This guy had his phd in Micro Biology I believe it was so trust me I was way out of my league I know little about biology. However I greatly enjoyed our conversation and my opportunity to learn why he believed what he believed.
I would like to say that many times Christianity gets lumped into just being another religion. However when I stopped him and said I am not part of a religion and that I can never get to God but that my faith is about God coming to me he stopped for a moment and said well it is all semantics. When I confronted him that it is not all semantics but rather there is a large difference he agreed with me. It is good to have conversation without arguing. The fact is I will never argue someone into heaven and I wil never be argued out of my belief that God exists. There are people alot smarter than I scientifically that believe in Jesus Christ.
I must say I really wrote this to say this. In my conversation this man relayed to me that the most hatred that he has seen from people have come from those that profess to be followers of Christ. He then said that he had friends that were Christians but when they found out he was an Atheist they wanted nothing to do with him. Isn’t this a sad commentary on our faith. How often do we do this to others just because they believe differently than us. These are the very people we find Christ hanging out with and if someone who does not believe in God does not see God lived out in us then we have a major problem.
I guess what bothers me the most is that we are notorious for making excuses we say things like “they are not interested in following Christ so it does not matter” or I have heard one pastor say “if they really want to grow they will grow” I have said similar things at times we so often excuse our failures and even sins as no big deal.  This is just not acceptable.  We must show Christ to the unbeliever.  I hope in some small way I showed Christ to this man.  When he left he thanked me for talking with him and told me it was good to meet me I told him the same. Â
I am thankful that on that day I had a conversation with someone that did not believe like me.Â
God Bless.
Uncategorized
Dec 27
What A Great Story
Posted by Josh
I remember hearing about this story but this is the first time I have seen video of it. This story is such a great story and very moving. Watch the video.
Amazing Softball Story – Watch today’s top amazing videos here
Uncategorized
Dec 24
The Gospel Lived Out
Posted by Josh
Please take time to read whole Story. So powerful.
They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.
It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.
Did you hear that? The other team’s fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, “Go Tornadoes!” Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on by name.
“I never in my life thought I’d hear people cheering for us to hit their kids,” recalls Gainesville’s QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. “I wouldn’t expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!”
And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he’d just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.
But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five handcuffs ready in their back pockets and marched them to the team bus. That’s because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.
Please Read the Whole Story here.
Uncategorized
Dec 18
Learning From an Atheist about Evangelism
Posted by Josh
I believe this video speaks for itself. You may recognize him from Pen and Teller fame. The video should really cause us to rethink our evangelistic efforts.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Dec 15
President Bush is Fast
Posted by Josh
I happen to like president Bush and I know that is hard for some to believe especially living in a world where he seems to be hated by so many people.  When I saw this clip on the news I was not surprised by the guy throwing his shoes I was surprised by how fast President Bush was able to get out of the way.  Not only that I was surprised that the President kept a smile on his face the whole time.  Well here it is.
Uncategorized
Dec 08
Unconditional Acceptance It Is real
Posted by Josh
The phone rang at about 7:35 this morning and my wife woke me up and said it was a school wanting me to sub.  As I answered the phone and was asked if I could come in an sub this morning I agreed and then asked what class i was subbing for.  The response Kindergarden.  I have greatly enjoyed my time in the classroom and my time substitute however I have not subbed for elementary in a long time much less I have never subbed for Kindergarden.  Suddenly I had vision of the Movie Kindergarden cop and I wondered how in the world will I deal with 21 Kindergardeners. Â
I arrived to the classroom and immediately had two teachers helping me out and showing me the ropes.  A day that I thought might turn out to be a day that I definitely would loose my last few hairs turned out to be a day that was awesome and a day that God used to teach me more about acceptance than anything.  I walked into the class with some preconceived ideas but I left with not only a greater appreciation for Kindergarden teachers everywhere but with a realization of how we can influence such young children.
Granted my day was filled with alot of tattle tailing, whining, and crying but that is not what the day was about.  The day was bout the kids that accepted me as their substitute and how they listened and most of all about all of the hugs I received from these little children and how they would tell me how much they liked me and even tell me they loved me.  Now we might say that is just the way these kids are but in them I saw Gods wonderful creation today.  I could not help but wonder what if we accepted others the same way these children accepted me.  What if we hugged on one another and let others know we loved them and we really did care about them.  What if we took the time to love on those that we barely even our acquaintances.  many times in the church we find it difficult to love those we know well this way much less those we barley know.  What would it look like if we only learned from these little kindergarden students.  I wonder.
Uncategorized
by Josh Monda | Jun 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
Yesterday was a busy day for me. Â I spent the day seeing patients for the first time and spent the day with several people. Â I had a good day it was fun to spend time with some people yet at the same time difficult knowing that these people are in the last days of their lives.Â
I enjoyed my time with one patient in particular. Â We took time to look at an old car magazine together and I read to him about some of the cars. Â We looked at the prices of some of the cars when they first came out and I shared with him what the horsepower was. Â Even though he could not speak well enough fro me to understand him I could see in his expression and in his eyes that he liked the fact that I took the time to be with him. Â It saddened me to know that perhaps this guy had a very little interaction with men now that he was in a nursing home and more then likely he was lonely and wanted a man to just show some interest in him and who he was. Â I knew he liked cars because he had a picture of an old car hanging on his board. Â My time with him was valuable.
However, this got me to thinking.  What would it be like to talk to someone and to know that they can not understand you.  I know his mind works but it must be difficult to know you can not communicate in a way that people understand you.  For some reason my thoughts turned to forgiveness.  What would it be like to want to say to someone “I forgive you yet not be able to”.  How difficult that must be.
My thoughts have turned to my father.  My father was alcoholic and that is really all I knew him as.  In fact it was a rare moment that my father was sober.  I remember the yelling and the screaming I remember the violent way he behaved when he was drunk.  I could not stand it.  I wanted an escape a way out.  Eventually my mother and father were divorced and I rarely saw my dad.  It got to the point where I never say him and in fact did not even know where he was.  I remember when my dad first found where I was and I m in that first letter he wrote and asked if I would ever be able to forgive him.  My response was “dad I forgave you long ago”  It was barely a year later that my father was murdered on the street of Arizona for a measly 11 dollars.  But what if I had never had the opportunity to tell him I forgave him and what I he never had the opportunity to ask.
This has been on my mind. Â Forgiveness can be a powerful thing and I am so thankful that I have been forgiven by Jesus Christ. Â I am so thankful for the grace that is experienced through the blood of Jesus Christ. Â It took me a long time to get to the point where have forgiven some in my old congregation and how things were handled. Â In fact if I am honest bitterness began to take root in me. Â Do I agree with how things were handled? Â The answer is a resounding no. Â Do I forgive how things were handled the answer is yes. Â I did not want to forgive but God began to break me and I got to the point where I knew without forgiveness my life would eventually be useless in the hands of the potter. Â Now perhaps there are those that think they have done nothing wrong but regardless of the fact I forgive, and have forgiven those that have hurt me. Â I pray God’s grace may abound.
I also know that in my life I am not so naive to think that I do not need forgiveness.  I know I have screwed up many times and many times my errors have hurt others maybe those I have hurt will forgive me.  This I know without forgiveness we are not following Christ.  It would be a terrible thing to want to tell someone you forgive them and not be able to say a thing. Â
Tomorrow I will spend some time with a man that will most likely be dead very soon I am responsible for his spiritual care.  What would it be like to pass away without forgiving I pray I never know.
by Josh Monda | Jun 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
Sep 29
Free Porn Book Porn-Again Christian
Posted by Josh
I was recently doing some online surfing and came across this free ebook on Mark Drsicoll’s site. Â This book deals with men and porn and is title Porn-Again Christian. Â All of the book is not there yet but it will be soon. Â Simply click on the link below and bookmark the site they also have an RSS feed. Â Warning this book will be very frank.
…some years ago I sat down and in one day wrote a small booklet about male sexuality that we published in-house. Since then we have gone through thousands of copies and literally cannot keep it in stock. I asked some Christian publishers if they wanted it, and they said it was too hot to handle and so they declined.So, I decided to just put it online and give it away for free. The book has had a small amount of editing and rewriting since its original version. We’ll give it away at the Resurgencea bit at a time in conjunction with the Song of Songs series I am preaching titled “The Peasant Princess.” Once the entire book has been put online, it will then be posted as a file that guys around the world can download and read on their computer, forward to their friends, or print copies of to hand out as they like.
I hope this thing goes nuts and hundreds of thousands of guys read it.
In closing, I want to say two things. One, a lot of folks will not like the content or tone of this book and I love them and wish them well. You get what you pay for and this is free. Two, a lot of young guys (and some older guys too) tell me they have been helped by this content and if God uses it to help some guys I would be overjoyed with that. So, let the critics fire away and I’ll gladly take the shots for the guys who are walking wounded in an effort to help them get their shield up and sword sharpened.
Until we see Jesus,
Pastor Mark Driscoll
Porn Again Christian e-Book
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 23
I vote for Life
Posted by Josh
This is something I recently read concerning Obama.
David Freddoso:
When Barack Obama spoke on the Illinois Senate floor in 2001 against Illinois’ born-alive protection bill, did not say that a pre-viable baby is not a “person.” He argued, rather, that even though the state should perhaps provide care for these babies, any recognition of their personhood would create unacceptable consequences. Again, his words, at length, so there’s no uncertainty about context:
There was some suggestion that we might be able to craft something that might meet constitutional muster with respect to caring for fetuses or children who were deliever in this fashion. Unfortunately, this bill goes a little bit further, and so I just want to suggest, not that I think it’ll make too much difference with respect to how we vote, that this is probably not going to survive constitutional scrutiny. Number one, whenever we define a previable fetus as a person that is protected by the equal protection clause or the other elements in the Constitution, what we’re really saying is, infact, that they are persons that are entitled to the kinds of protections that would be provided to a – a child, a nine-month-old – child that was delievered to term. That determination then, essentially, if it was accepted by a court, would forbid abortions to take place. (Taken from the transcript of the Illinois 92nd Assembly, Mar. 30, 2001.)
Wow. Did you catch that? Since Roe vs. Wade is threatened, then we are allowed to commit murder? You would think it would be the other way around, right? We should not be allowed to kill babies that are born alive from survived abortions and if Roe vs. Wade is threatened, then so be it. Does that logic not follow? But Obama’s stance is as follows: If we have to sacrifice some born alive infants to make sure “women have the right to choose” then that’s what we’ll have to do. How backwards is that?
Read this again: “Number one, whenever we define a previable fetus as a person that is protected by the equal protection clause or the other elements in the Constitution, what we’re really saying is, infact, that they are persons that are entitled to the kinds of protections that would be provided to a – a child, a nine-month-old – child that was delievered to term…”Â
You would think that if you read this paragraph in isolation that what would come next is, “so we need to do exactly that. Protect these persons.” But sadly, it’s not. For Obama, our personhood is not defined by anything specific other than the need to uphold Roe vs. Wade. I think the basis of our personhood should be rooted in ground that is much more solid than the pragmatic need to see the Democratic ticket upheld. Would you not agree? Does this not follow for you Obama voter?
Friends, this man has morally disqualified himself on this issue alone. Don’t drink the Obamalaide.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 19
How do You Change a Church?
Posted by Josh
I snagged this post from over at church relevance I enjoyed it and wanted to put it up here on my site.
Scott Hodge of The Orchard (Aurora, IL) opened up day 2 of MinistryCOM with a keynote on change. Scott is not only the lead pastor but the communications director as well. Here are some “tweaked” highlights from his talk:
How do you change a church that has been doing things the same way for too long?
The biggest challenge is changing the way that people think about church. People want to reach people for God, but they like to reach them on their terms.
God can birth a new culture for your church.
A communication director’s job is not to decide or dictate the vision of the church. A communication director’s job to to translate and clrify the vision so that people can get it.
Sometimes whole visions live or die on the basis of the words the leader chooses for articulating the vision.
-Bill Hybels ::Â Axiom
When you have a clear and compelling mission, you have the opportunity to create alignment.
Vision is not sticky. you have to recast it and recast it and recast it.
-Andy Stanley
Ask Yourself Three Questions
- Who is God calling us to reach?
Who has God positioned us or uniquely equipped us with the ability to reach effectively?
- What is it going to take to reach them?
What is it that we need to stop doing in order to effectively reach the people that we are called to reach? Sometimes your clearest vision starts simply by knowing what you do not want to be and stopping those things that feed it. What do we need to start doing?
- Are we willing to pay the price?
When you start trying to reach the people God has called you to reach, some people will not like it. You will lose something (reputation, appeal, etc).
You have the opportunity to create culture. That culture is created by everything, including what you choose to celebrate as well as who and what you allow to have influence in your church.
Communicate the why behind the what. Do not just tell people what is happening. Explain why you are doing it.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 17
What are we waiting for?
Posted by Josh
In my reading of “Confessions of a reformission rev.” I came across this.
I am still not sure if most pastors are aware that their churches are comprised of people they don’t yet know. Â Those people will never come to the churches so the Pastor must go to them.
This is definitely not the norm.  Rarely do we see pastors taking this to heart.  This is once again a difference between a missional church and other churches.  The missional church believes in the fact and clearly teaches that everyone is a missionary what more the missional church teaches how every member can be a missionary.  To often the pastor pawns it off on the people and the people pawn it off on the the Pastor.  However the Pastor and the people must work in concert with one another.  Both must be out meeting knew people.  People are not just going to show up at our churches anymore we have to go get them.
Here is a second quote I found
It was at this time that I realized that our church would never have a sign out front that said “everyone welcome,” because I did not want everyone.
Now perhaps we would say that Driscoll is wrong for this. Â But is he really? Â How many churches have this idea that everyone is welcome and sure they say that but in reality they do not mean it. Â In fact certain people show up and they quickly realize they are not welcome. Â What about the person that comes in and causes division in the church are they welcome? Â We can think of many circumstance where people may not be welcome cant we? Â Something to chew on.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 16
I Shouldn’t be Alive
Posted by Josh
Last-night on “Hannity and Colmes” Gianna Jessen shared some of her story.  If Obama was president at her birth she would be dead.  She handles herself well.  Check out the video.  This issue is going to heat up in this election especially with the fact that Sarah Palin’s baby Trig being born with Down Syndrome.  It is estimated that between 80 and 90 percent of all pregnancies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are murdered.  Watch the video below.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 12
Change and grow don’t change and don’t Grow
Posted by Josh
I am reading a book by Mark Driscoll who is the pastor of Mars Hill Church.  The title of the book is Confessions of  a Reformission Rev.  I will probably post about this book throughout the coming weeks as I find things in it that I find interesting.  I am definitely intrigues by the book and love the way Driscoll rights though for some I am sure he would be considered harsh and brash.  While reading the book it was speaking about change and something really stood out to me.
For a church to grow it must also accept that the church will change. Â The problem with most churches is not that they don’t want to experience conversion growth but rather that they don’t want to change, which negates their ability to grow and is a sin to be repented of.
Over the years I have been blown away by churches that refuse to change.  Not change just for the sake of change but change in order to be most effective where they are at.  Instead they want to keep things they way they are the same music, the same standards, the same lack of vision, the same programs, etc.  In reality this is sin and should indeed be repented of. Â
If the church does not change I am afraid the church will eventually die.  By our refusal to look at and do things in a different way we are telling others they really mean little to us and worse we are often telling our communities that they do not matter.  We are to often inward focused and rarely outward focussed.  Instead of evaluating our community and doing inventory of how we can effectively reach it we get stuck in the rut of doing things the same old way, and think by some miracle people are going to be drawn to our church.  Sadly this is primarily seen in the fundamentalist mindset and the churches refusal to change to a Missional mindset causes stagnation within the congregation and breeds discontent for the generation that wants to be an effective force in their community.
The message to the church has to be clear Change and grow don’t change and don’t grow.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 11
May We Never Forget
Posted by Josh
In some ways I absolutely hate the fact that my birthday is today.  That the day I celebrate my life is the very day that such a tragedy struck the heart of our country.  At the same time I know I will never forget.  I have posted a video below of the events how they unfolded that day.  May we never forget.
Life, My Thoughts
Sep 08
Catering to the Minority
Posted by Josh
This has been on my mind alot recently.  I have often thought why does society cater to the minority and why in the world does our church cater to the minority.  Of course we could say that Jesus tells the parable of the man leaving the 99 sheep to go after the one lost and I suppose we could try to make a case for catering the minority out of that parable.  However that is not what that passage of scripture is speaking too.  It is speaking directly to the shepherd going after the lost.
I suppose what really got me to thinking about this is the desire to drill in Alaska.  When watching the news one evening there happened to be conversation on whether to drill in Alaska or not and my step dad who has worked in Alaska many times stated they don’t care whether we drill there or not.  He said this because one of the people in the debate said if we drilled we would be taking out the food chain for a select group of eskimos.  Well this got me to thinking why do we cater to the minority.  I mean think about it.  I am not saying the majority should rule everything but why do we change laws, rules, the way we do things, our way of life, based upon what the 20 percent might say.  Why is it that at times we do not make decisions in our churches based on what 20 percent might say as opposed to what the other 80 percent says.  I am not sure if I am making sense.
I often wonder though why do churches in particular get so caught up into this. Â I have seen churches divided because a minority of the people did not agree with a decision. Â I have seen pastors leave a church based upon a minority of the people that wanted to make it difficult for him. Â I have seen elders boards totally ignore a direction the majority wanted to go and instead go the direction of the minority. Â These decisions are usually made for the sake of unity and I understand that to a certain point.
 This is coming from someone who resigned from their former church for the sake of unity.  I even allowed for half truths and lies to be said about me for the sake of unity.  For the sake of unity I allowed myself to be thrown under a bus and for things to be said about my family that no one should have to sit through nor endure.  All of this for Christian Unity, and all of it coming from not the majority but the minority.  I watched as friends left a church because the minority ruled it and I even at times backed the minority for the sake of unity. Â
Here is what I don’t understand.  If we realize that progress will not be made by continuing to listen to the minority then why in the world do we still allow the minority to rule our churches.  Why is the minority the loudest voice that is heard?  Why do we make decisions that compromise the majority and in the end we chalk it all up to unity?  I really do not know the answer.  This is me just thinking through how we do things.
I really feel as long as we allow the minority to rule all we do we will not see progress. Â I suppose the flip side is what if the majority refuses to move ahead? Â God does promise that in the MULTITUDE of counselors is wisdom.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 03
Are You Jesusbranded?
Posted by Josh
I have been a Youth Pastor for 14 years.  Trust me I have gone through an onslaught of t-shirt companies trying to pawn there wares off on me.  It typically goes something like this we want to send you 50 t-shirts for you to evaluate and what you don’t sell you send back to us.  I have to admit that this is a great marketing idea because Youth Pastors are procrastinator’s they let the t-shirts sit around forever and then the next thing you know they have to buy them all.  In addition to that alot of these t-shirts are kind of lame.  They lack in style and seem just kind of cheesy.  You can see I clearly don’t ascribe to the “they will know we are christians by our t-shirts” mentality.  However I believe that Christian t-shirts if done tastefully can be a cool thing to wear and can be a conversation point.  Enter JESUSBRANDED.
I recently received a link to the site Jesusbranded.com so I decided to go check them out.  I was pleasantly surprised as I perused the shirts.  They really have some cool stuff that steps out of the ordinary style of christian t-shirts and bring a cool, refreshing, unique style.  These are not just some cheesy t-shirts but each shirt has a verse that goes along with it.  Perhaps you say big deal. Well let us not forget
Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
It is God’s word that is the power of God for salvation. Â So when I see a company that put this into practice I support it. Â Why don’t you go take a look and decide for yourself. Â Are your Jesusbranded? Â Check them out here.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
Sep 02
Am I Ready to be a Sr. Pastor?
Posted by Josh
I have always felt that God has called me to be a Youth Pastor in addition I have always been against those that merely use Youth Ministry to aspire to something better meaning a Sr. Pastor role.  But what if you feel maybe God is calling you to a Sr. Pastor role.  This has entered into my thinking and something I never thought I would think about is dominating my thought process.  I really have never desired to be a Sr. Pastor.  I guess all of the headaches that come with it I would like to avoid.  However there are just as many headaches within Youth Ministry.  I however have always liked dealing with teens and have not necessarily liked dealing with many adults.  However I have to ask myself has God been preparing me for this, preparing me for something different, even something I never dreamed I would do.
I have always said to my wife if I was going to be a Sr. Pastor I don’t want to do it in a small town.  I have just felt the potential for growth is so low.  However over the last few weeks I have begun to see that there are many smaller towns that either do not have a good church or they have a church without a Pastor.  Many people here in MO are forced to drive several miles if they live in a small town in order to find a good church.  In addition I have had several people recently ask me if I would consider being a Sr. Pastor.  I just struggle with decision.  Am I ready?
Sometimes God calls us to do things that we never though were possible.  Sometimes God wants us to think outside of ourselves and to focus on Him.  I am not saying I am call to be a Sr. Pastor but I decided today I should at least be open to the idea.  If you are reading this I would ask that you pray fro direction in my life.
Life, My Thoughts, Spiritual Application
