Brent A Clark

Interesting Video on Education

2010-12-21T08:28:00.004-06:00

I saw this video today and thought it was worth sharing...

New Worship Song

2010-11-11T13:10:00.001-06:00

New song for worship this weekend at ARBC Saturday Night. Check it out here...Chris Tomlin "I Will Follow"

Delighting the Majority

2010-11-11T13:05:00.004-06:00

A friend shared an interesting blog post with me today. I thought is was worth sharing here as well... Click here for Seth's Blog

Another Great Video

2010-10-25T11:22:00.003-05:00

This made me laugh simply because of the truth of it.

Great Crowder Video

2010-10-22T14:18:00.003-05:00

Tim Deatrick Appears on Mac's World Live

2010-09-09T22:23:00.002-05:00

Lead Pastor Tim Deatrick appeared on the webshow "Mac's World Live" today. If you missed it, check it out here.

Watch live streaming video from desmoineslocallive at livestream.com

Time with Teenagers

2010-09-02T10:38:00.003-05:00

A recent survey by Family Circle revealed that teenagers want to spend more time with their parents. Check out the article here.

Help Your Kids Become Apathetic about Faith

2010-08-30T12:15:00.003-05:00

Among the multiple blogs I read occasionally, I ran across the line, "You're kid's an All-Star? WOW! Someday he'll be average like the rest of us." How do you not stop and read a post that starts like that! The post goes on to give a list of things parents can do to make sure your kids grow up with an apathy toward matters of faith. Definitely worth a look. Enjoy. Click here.

Youth Ministry

2010-08-26T12:34:00.004-05:00

I ran across this video about leading games in youth ministry. Very funny! Thanks to The Source for Youth Ministry.

Waiting on God to Speak

2010-07-14T12:40:00.002-05:00

I thought this blog was great and wanted to share it... Click here.

Rules, Rules, Rules

2010-06-18T08:37:00.003-05:00

A recent study shows that parental rules still matter and can have a positive effect on teens. Check this out here and keep up those rules!

You're Listening to What?!

2010-06-09T09:36:00.004-05:00

It is amazing to me how in-your-face music is. As parents we need to be aware of what our kids are listening to. Check out this blog posting from Jonathan McKee on Christina Aguilera's lastest song, "Woohoo." Click here.

Limits Are Good for Kids

2010-02-11T17:20:00.001-06:00

USA Today had an article about how parental limits are good for kids. CHeck out the article here.

Parent Newsletter

2010-01-18T10:26:00.000-06:00

Parent Newsletter

Tools for Parenting Teens
Learn Their Lingo
Links to Learn From
A Little Encouragement...And Humor

1. Tools for Parenting Teens

From http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/

More about Grace

If your child has grown up in a Christian home and church, he or she has probably heard all about the grace of God repeatedly. But especially for kids—whose lives are dominated by behavior and performance and reward and consequence—we…
Read More:
http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/article/more_about_grace/

Featured Resource: Boundaries with Teens

In this exciting new book, Dr. Townsend gives important keys for establishing healthy boundaries—the bedrock of good relationships, maturity, safety, and growth for teens and the adults in their lives. The book offers help in raising your teens to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions.

http://www.realworldparents.com/store/item/boundaries_with_teens/

2. Learn Their Lingo

Happy Late Year = People who still say "Happy New Year" even though it's the middle of January.

Good lenses, bad frames = Describing someone who gives a bad first impression but is actually a good person. Someone who doesn't appear to be competent, yet is extremely capable at what he/she does.

3. Links to Learn From

Life with Hepatitis C for London’s teenage ‘It Girl’
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/12/24/jazzy.hepatitis.c/

Abstinence proponents look for aid from new health bill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/26/AR2009122600762.html?hpid=topnews

Do Your Adolescent Children Keep Odd Sleep Hours?
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/200912/do-your-adolescent-children-keep-odd-sleep-hours

4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor

Many people look forward to the New Year for a new start on old habits.
- Anonymous

Raising a Moral Teenager

2010-01-05T14:11:00.001-06:00

Good article from Psychology Today on raising a moral teenager. Click here

Retooning the Nativity

2009-12-23T13:09:00.002-06:00

I ran across this video on the web today and thought it was worth passing along. Enjoy.

Parent Newsletter

2009-12-16T12:40:00.002-06:00

Here's another Real World Parents Newsletter. Access the newsletter by clicking here.

Parent Newsletter

2009-12-09T16:14:00.001-06:00

Parent Newsletter Contents Tools for Parenting Teens Learn Their Lingo Links to Learn From A Little Encouragement...And Humor 1. Tools for Parenting Teens From http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/ Big Grace One of the challenges of parenting for Christians is that we want our kids to be as excited about God’s unbelievable grace and forgiveness as we are—but we still want them to perform. We pray they’ll be absolutely convinced that…
Read More:
http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/article/big_grace/

Featured Resource: Boundaries with Teens

http://www.realworldparents.com/store/item/boundaries_with_teens/

2. Learn Their Lingo Brodie = A combination of the two words "brother" and "buddy"

I.M.Y = I miss you

3. Links to Learn From Parents’ Sex Talk with Kids: Too Little, Too Late
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1945759,00.html

NATION: Obesity in some children tied to DNA, study finds
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-tc-nw-briefs-1206-12070dec07,0,673593.story

Character says new tests show Go Go Pets are safe
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSGEE5B61Q720091207?type=marketsNews&utm

4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor It’s not what you leave to your children, it’s what you leave in your children - Author Unknown

Hannah's Flute Duet

2009-12-07T21:27:00.004-06:00

Tonight was solo and ensemble competition at Waukee Middle School. Hannah performed a flute duet. Here it is...

Youth Culture Minute

2009-12-01T21:26:00.003-06:00

A few posts back, I talked about the new trend among teens called "sexting" Sexting is when a teen takes a nude picture of themselves on a cell phone and then sends that picture to someone they like. Below is a story of what can happen when teens, who have NO thoughts about consequences and the future, decide sexting is a good idea. Is this something your teen is aware of? Do they have friends participating in this? Have they sent or received a "sext?" Use this article to open a dialogue with your teen. Sexting-related bullying cited in Hillsborough teen's suicide - St. Petersburg Times

Posted using ShareThis

Helping Others When They Hurt

2009-11-17T20:52:00.003-06:00

This past weekend, Tim Deatrick concluded the sermon series he's been teaching on the subject of suffering. For the final sermon entitled, "Helping Other When They Hurt," we taped the testimony of Barry Griswell,former CEO and Chairman of Principal Financial Group and author of the new book, "The Adversity Paradox." Check out this great testimony below.

Parent Newsletter

2009-11-11T10:52:00.003-06:00

Parent Newsletter Contents 1. Tools for Parenting Teens 2. Learn Their Lingo 3. Links to Learn From 4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor 1. Tools for Parenting Teens From http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/ Talk About Praise You likely experience praising God together with your family regularly at church. But how often do you talk about that experience? Why do we do it? Why does God care? What does it do for us and for Him? Read More: http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/article/talk_about_praise/

Featured Resource: Boundaries with Teens In this exciting new book, Dr. Townsend gives important keys for establishing healthy boundaries—the bedrock of good relationships, maturity, safety, and growth for teens and the adults in their lives. The book offers help in raising your teens to take responsibility for their actions, attitudes, and emotions. http://www.realworldparents.com/store/item/boundaries_with_teens/

2. Learn Their Lingo Automagically = something that happens automatically, but that also has some mysterious, "magical" element to it. "Smart" appliances, features, etc. that do intelligent things with less help than you might expect Mantrum = when a grown man throws a tantrum when he can't have his way 3. Links to Learn From Fort Hood Shooting: Five tips to help parents talk to their kids about violence in the news
http://www.examiner.com/x-14708-Toddlers-to-Teens-Examiner~y2009m11d6-Fort-Hood-Shooting-Five-tips-to-help-parents-talk-to-their-kids-about-violence-in-the-news Teenage pregnancy does not discriminate
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=861929&category=OPINION Hunger in America: Half of Our Kids on Food Stamps
http://chattahbox.com/us/2009/11/03/hunger-in-america-half-of-our-kids-on-food-stamps/ 4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. - John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Endless Adolescence

2009-11-10T14:45:00.001-06:00

Here is an interesting article about kids today and how they grow up. Check it out here.

Wednesday Night Recap - The Masks We Wear

2009-10-29T12:46:00.008-05:00

As Halloween season is here and with that comes the opportunity to dress up in costumes and masks to pretend to someone or something we normally aren't. Halloween is fun for both kids and adults (at least some adults!) But if we are honest, wouldn't we have to admit that Halloween isn't the only time we wear masks. Some of us wear masks in our daily lives. Jesus talked about wearing masks. In Matthew 23:25-28, Jesus addressed a group of Pharisees. Repeated he calls them "Hypocrites!" In Scripture, the word translated hypocrite is the same word we would use for actor. Someone who plays a part. The Pharisees wanted to appear more religious/spiritual than they actually were. Because they were pretending, Jesus called them out on it. But why do we wear masks today? I think there are a few reasons. 1) Fear- We are afraid that people won't really like us if they see the real us. So we wear a mask. 2) Avoidance - It is easier to pretend to be something I am not than to deal with my flaws and hurts. 3) Acceptance - I can wear whatever mask is necessary to fit in with the right crowd. As you can see from the list, not one compelling or good reason to wear a mask. So how do we remove the masks? 1) Be honest with yourself. The root of hypocrisy is pride, a desire to have others see you better than you actually are. We need to get over ourselves, reject the lie of society that image is everything and get real about who we are on the inside. In the story of the Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells us that the tax collector, the one with a honesty self-perception, is the one who went away justified. 2) Learn to be transparent. Don't be so afraid to let people see and get to know the real you. They might just like you for you. 3) Be honest with God. God sees and knows us from the inside out. There is no point in trying to hide reality from God. He knows it and loves us anyway. So be honest with Him. Masks can be fun to wear (and scare people) at Halloween. But if not taken off soon after, can cause us problems in our lives.

But Can You Make CALLS With That Cell Phone?

2009-10-20T13:55:00.003-05:00

As you know, cell phones are now common among teens, even kids in elementary schools. But do you know what your kids are DOING with their cell phones? More and more kids have cell phones with unlimited data plans that make it easy to access the world wide web with all the garbage that comes on the web. Check out this interesting article about teens and their cell phone use here.

Wednesday Night Recap - Accepting God's Love

2009-10-14T09:25:00.003-05:00

This week, we continued our study through the book of John by examining the story of the healing of the blind man in John 9:1-41. The main emphasis of our study is to show that every one of us begins spiritually blind, even though we think we are sufficient to handle life on our own. It is only when our eyes are opened by Jesus that we see how meaningless our previous existence was. This story provides us with a glimpse into different attitudes about Jesus. The attitude of the (former) blind man's parents revealed someone who wants to fit in with the crowd. They would not answer the Pharisees because they were afraid of retribution and being outcasts. They were willing to compromise what they knew to be true in order to fit in. They were not willing to sacrifice their crowd for Christ. The Pharisees had an attitude of superiority. They believed their position and accomplishments made them important. However it was just such an attitude that, even though they thought they could see, showed them to be truly blind. They valued accomplishments and position more than the opportunity to follow the Messiah. The blind man shows us someone who was disadvantaged his entire life. He had no hope. After all, no one who had been born blind had ever been able to see before. (vs 32) When the man was healed, he immediately began speaking the truth. His boldness to proclaim what happened, regardless of the consequences, even got him thrown out of the synagogue! Ultimately the healing of this man's physical blindness brings about his spiritual awakening. Even after Jesus healed him, he didn't understand completely who Jesus was. But when revealed, the man believed Jesus was who he claimed to be. Many times in our own lives we feel inadequate. We feel blind and hopeless. We search for answers in many places. And sometimes those places bring about temporary satisfaction or relief. But only by believing in Jesus can we truly see. ***My apologies for my recent silence. I will strive to do better in the future!

New Sermon Series

2009-09-23T14:56:00.004-05:00

Beginning in October, we will ebgin a new sermon series at Ashworth Road. Here is the graphic I designed to promote the new series called "Broken." The series will deal with suffering. For more information, check out www.timdeatrick.com.

2 Samuel 24:24

2009-09-15T08:14:00.000-05:00

But the king[David] replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it, for I will not present burnt offerings to the Lord my God that have cost me nothing...”

Wednesday Night Recap

2009-09-03T08:59:00.002-05:00

There is not a lot to recap from last night. Last night was our "Get in the Groove", back to school event. Those in the student ministry (at least most of them) spent the evening in a very competitive game of Super 4-Court Volleyball. This is such an awesome game! With over 30 teens there it was a great night. Big changes are on the horizon for the student ministry. Beginning next Wednesday, we will split the big group into a Junior High and a High School group. This will allow for more age specific teaching and discussion. Small groups will then be based on gender in each age range, i.e. High School girls, junior high boys, etc. I am really excited about this change. I believe God has great things on the horizon for this ministry. I can't wait to see what happens next. A BIG, BIG, BIG thank you to the student ministry volunteers that helped make last night a huge success and are making the upcoming changes possible. Don Burton, Linda Martin, Leslie Roggio and Karen Smith, you guys rock! I couldn't do what I do without you. Thanks for investing your lives in the lives of these teens.

Wednesday Night Recap - Taking a Stand

2009-08-19T09:33:00.006-05:00

In the book of Daniel, chapter three tells us the story of three Jewish guys named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. If you are not familiar with the story, take a moment and read it now. There are several things I think we can bring away from this story and how we as Christians can take a stand when faced with pressure to do wrong. First, I think it is critical that we know the difference between right and wrong. Yes, I realize this is obvious, but is it really. Life is full of gray areas. Yeas there are lots of things that are black and white, but we get caught up in the gray and it paralyzes us when we are faced with wrong. A gray area might be using the word sucks in your everyday conversation. There is no commandment in the bible that says, “Thou shalt not say ‘Sucks.’” Some would say, “But what about Ephesians 4:29?” My point exactly. This is gray! But there is a lot in life that is not gray. Cheating is wrong. Sexting is wrong. Lying, underage drinking, idolatry. These are all WRONG! On the flip side, lifting one another up, attending church, being kind to others, working hard are right. We learn right from wrong by spending time with Christ and in His word. Unfortunately, many Christians never think about touching a Bible other than putting in the car on Sundays and Wednesdays. How can we take a stand for anything when we don’t know what is right and what is wrong? Second, we can’t presume just because we stand up for what is right that everything will be ok. Yes, for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, everything worked out ok. But ask John the Baptist. He was beheaded for taking a stand. Peter was crucified upside-down for taking a stand. Yes, ultimately everything was ok when these guys got to heaven. But they suffered real persecution for their beliefs. Are we willing to suffer the consequences to take a stand for what we believe in? Are you willing to put aside your reputation? What if people don’t think you are cool? Taking a stand can be a lonely place. You will NOT be the most popular person by doing it. Make sure your mind is right when you take a stand realizing there may be consequences. From this story we also see that Christ is with us when we stand for what is right. Through the fiery furnace, Christ was there. When we suffer for doing right, he is there. When everyone else in the world abandons us, he is there. Count on it. Finally, we see that taking a stand for our faith will draw other to Christ. When our faith is strong in our lives, others will take notice. How many of your friends are drawn to God because of the way you live? Do your friends tone it down when you come around because they know you don’t want the crude and inappropriate jokes or cussing? Do your friends see your faith and laugh or do they say, “Wow, that Jesus stuff is really making a difference in their life. Maybe I should check it out.” Jesus says we are to be salt and light in the world. How brightly are we shining? The Christian life is not about perfection. It is about striving, pursing the holy life. Living as a Christ follower means dying to our own desires for the desires and life of Christ. (Matthew 16:24-25) Are you willing to lay down your desires this school year and stand for Christ?

Wednesday Night Recap - Who Are You LIstening To?

2009-08-13T08:25:00.002-05:00

Last week we began a new series called "Squeezed" where we look at the pressure that teens have to deal with and how to best overcome negative pressure. Last week we considered the dangers of running with the crowd. This week we asked the question, "Who are you listening to?" In life we all have decisions to make. Some are easy like what will I wear today? (OK, that is probably easier for the guys!) Other decisions are more difficult, like where will I go to college? As we face these decisions we need to consider who will we allow to exert the greatest influence over our lives? Who will you choose to listen to? In 1 Kings 12, we find the story of Rehoboam and a decision he faces about the treatment of the people. We has two options. The first option presented by the older, wiser men was to lighten the burden of the people. The option presented by his friends was to show no mercy and make their burden even heavier. Unfortunately for Rehoboam, he listened to his friends and ignored the counsel of the older men. This had catastrophic results for the nation of Israel! (For more information or the full story, read 1 Kings 12) So what lessons can we learn from Rehoboam? I think the first thing we can take from this story is that we must be honest about the quality of our friends. Typically our friends have the greatest influence in our lives. They influence us greater than our parents, our pastors and usually even God. We need to be willing to be honest about the quality of our friends. Do your friends have a positive or negative impact on you and your actions? Secondly, we need to listen to those who will help us think right and then do right. All choices we make have consequences. We must not set ourselves up for failure by only listening to those who tell us what we want to hear. Are we willing to listen to those that tell us the truth? Or have we just surrounded ourselves with people who encourage the lifestyle we are interested in, not what God is interested in? Third, we should also be strong enough in our faith to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong. In our lives, we will be challenged to see if our walk matches our talk. We must make sure that we know what we believe, and why we believe it. This helps make sure when the tough decisions come, we can stand firm in the truth of God's word and recognize when others are pulling us in the wrong direction. Proverbs 13:20 says, "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces." Who are you hanging out with? Who are you listening to?

The Truth Behind our Actions

2009-08-11T08:36:00.000-05:00

In 1 Samuel 8:7, after the Israelites had demanded a king to rule over them, God agrees to give the people what they have requested. In their request though, God reveals the true nature of the request. Verse 8 reads, “’Do everything they say to you,’ the Lord replied, ‘for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer…’” The request of the nation of Israel for a king was no less a rejection of the rule of God in their lives. I assume that somewhere in their logic, they thought it would be easier to be under the rule of a human king than that of the Lord. Even after all that God had done for them, they were no longer interested in what God’s desires were for them. I can’t help but wonder, in light of this passage, how often we too might reject the Lordship of Christ in our lives by our own seemingly innocent requests. I’m sure that if asked, the people of Israel would have said, “We are rejecting the leadership of Samuel,” or “We don’t want a judge anymore, we want our king just like everyone else.” But behind the request, at the very heart of the matter, was a rejection of the leadership and lordship of God. They were more interested in their own agenda and desires than they were in what God had in store for them. Are we the same? Do we make requests and demands in our own life that at the heart of the matter is nothing more than a rejection of the Lord? May we live lives in complete surrender to the One who holds all things in his hands.

Some Things Never Change

2009-08-05T09:02:00.003-05:00

Proof that throughout history, men have not changed. Even in the Old Testament, men had no clue how to console their wives. But doesn't he get some brownie points for trying? 1 Samuel 1:8 - “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah [Hannah's husband] would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

In Your Own Eyes

2009-08-03T09:13:00.002-05:00

Judges 21:25 closes the book with the following verse, "In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes." (NLT) Today, we do have a reigning king. It is not the government of the United States of America. It is Jesus Christ. He is the King! Unfortunately, even with a reigning King, many Christ followers choose to do whatever seems right in their own eyes. Instead of seeking the Scriptures for how to live, they assume their knowledge is superior and follow that. Some believe their friends, Christian or otherwise, can better guide them into the abundant life. Still others look to modern pop psychology for guidance. Any way you look at it, we place ourselves in a higher position of authority than we place King Jesus. This verse is a great reminder that we need to seek the Lord for guidance in how to live. God is the one who defines right and wrong, truth and lies, holy and unholy. He is the source. What better place to go for instruction on holy living than Him! God, give us your eyes so we may see how to honor you with our lives every day.

Who Went Where?

2009-07-28T08:49:00.002-05:00

Have you ever been so involved with an activity or event that people move in and out of your realm without much notice? Even with my ADD, if I get focused on something, I can become completely oblivious to the real world happening around me. But are there times in our lives when we are "working" for the Lord and we get so focused on the "working" we completely miss that God has moved out of that realm. Don't misunderstand what I am saying. There is nowhere we can go outside of the presence of God. I am a firm believer in God's omnipresence. But what about God's blessings? Is it possible we get so wrapped up in ourselves, what we are doing, who we are doing it for, that we miss the fact that God isn't with us? In Judges 16, Samson experienced this. Judges 16:20 says, "But he didn't realize the Lord had left him." Wow. I think it is our first inclination to feel sadness for him. Samson was in a bad place and he didn't even realize it. I think we also feel confused for him. After all, how could God leave him and he not realize it? But are there times in our own lives that we are going about our merry way, completely oblivious to the position of God in our lives? And in our churches and ministries, how many things are going on that God has left a long time ago, but we hang on with white knuckles, refusing to let go because we've always done it this way? May we take time today to examine our lives and make sure that we are with the Lord in every of life. Is the Lord still with you in your job? Is the Lord still with you in how you are raising your family? Is the Lord still with you in your ministry? “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished." --Jesus Christ (in John 5:19-20 NLT)

Wednesday Night Recap - If Today Was Your Last Day

2009-07-23T08:15:00.005-05:00

For our discussion last night, we discussed the Nickelback song, "If Today Was Your Last Day." I found this discussion on the website www.thesource4ym.com. This site has been a great resource for me in the past. For details on last night's discussion, click here.

Final Mission Trip Video - Friday and the Drive Home

2009-07-21T07:34:00.001-05:00

It's All In How You Say It

2009-07-20T09:13:00.003-05:00

In reading through Judges, a particular passage stood out to me this morning. In Judges 12:5-6, we read: Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. “Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they would ask. If the man said, “No, I’m not,” 6 they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would say “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time. (NLT) Jephthah, the judge of Israel, was able to distinguish his people from outsiders simply by the way they spoke. I can’t help but wonder if there is some application in this passage for us today. What does the way we talk say about us? Who does our language say we belong to?

ARSM Mission Trip - Wednesday Videos

2009-07-16T08:41:00.000-05:00

Mission Trip Update

2009-07-15T16:29:00.002-05:00

Sorry this is late. Finding time to edit and post videos in the busy schedule here is a little difficult. One more day to work on Thursday. It's been a good week. Enjoy these 2 videos form the past couple of days.

ARSM Mission Trip Day 1

2009-07-12T22:17:00.001-05:00

Wednesday Night Recap - Heart to Heart

2009-07-09T09:22:00.000-05:00

In the final talk in our Heart Check series, tonight we looked at the topic “Heart to Heart.” Have you ever had a heart to heart talk with someone? What was the conversation about? Today, many youth don’t understand what a heart to heart talk is. Why? Many parents have stopped having those conversations with their children. So what is a heart to heart talk? I would define a heart to heart talk as a conversation between two or more people dealing with a serious topic. Topics discussed could include career choices, college choices, relationships, sexual activity before marriage and so on. A heart to heart allows someone to share their deepest feelings and beliefs about that topic. Let’s look at a heart to heart talk we need to have with our friends and family. If we are going to have a heart to heart talk, what would our topic of conversation be? We listed a few options above. For our subject matter, look at Matthew 7:13-14: “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell[a] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (NLT) Many people in life subscribe to the AC/DC theology. What is the AC/DC theology? It is also known as the “Highway to Hell” theology. “Living easy, living free…going down, party time, my friends are gonna be there too…” (Lyrics from Highway to Hell by AC/DC) Many people want to live their life their way with no one interfering or infringing on their freedom. But why would people do this? Why would people put themselves on a path to hell? I believe it is because most people no longer believe in a literal place called hell. And if hell doesn’t exist, then I don’t have to worry about every getting there. I can party my life away with no thought for the future. The passage in Matthew tells us some important things. 1. Hell is a very real place. We don’t like to discuss hell because it is such an unpleasant topic. I must admit that from the scare tactics used to frighten people into salvation I have seen, I shy away from the topic some. But our discomfort doesn’t take away from the fact that hell is a very real place for those that do not enter the “narrow gate.” Hell is also a place of great torment. In Luke 16, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Here we get a glimpse of what hell is like and it is not a pleasant place. 2. There is only one way to heaven and eternal life. As I was reading the paper the other morning, I noticed an ad for a church in the DSM area that said, “There are many paths to God.” WRONG!!! If this Scripture teaches us anything it is that there is one path. And that path is through Jesus Christ. 3. Few will find life. As Christians, we will now and forever be in the minority. Life isn’t found by following the crowd but by following Christ through the narrow gate and along the narrow road. So if we believe the things we’ve said so far, how important is this topic? It is VERY important. Why? Because we are talking about people’s lives, eternity and their souls. So what are we to do about it? Romans 10:13-15 gives us some guidance on how to begin this important heart to heart with those God has placed in our lives: For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (NLT) If our goal is to see others come to know Christ in the same life-changing way we have, there is something that first must happen…WE MUST GO AND TELL THEM! Notice the progression of this passage. How can they ever call on the name of Jesus if first they don’t believe? They will only come to believe if they hear the good news of Jesus Christ. They are not able to hear unless someone cares enough to tell them. We will never tell them unless we go. It all begins with us going and telling. That’s how this heart to heart talk must begin. Notice the content of this conversation isn’t about useless information. Heart to heart talks are never about questions you might find on Jeopardy, sports stats, celebrity news. We must realize that we possess the most important life-changing information. We have a responsibility to tell others! We have a responsibility to have some heart to heart talks with others about it. So who have you told recently? More importantly, who will you tell today, tomorrow, this week? Go and tell someone the incredible good news of Jesus Christ.

Wednesday Night Recap - Broken Hearted

2009-06-25T08:51:00.001-05:00

In the third part in our series entitled, “Heart Check,” we looked at what it means to have a broken heart and how broken hearts can mend. Do you have any physical scars? Amazingly, just about everyone has some type of physical scars. Some we get as kids when we fall off a bunk bed. Others we get when we fall off out bikes. However we get them, scars are a reality of life. Emotional and spiritual scars are also very real in life. Even if we get the heart transplant (discussed a few weeks ago) and then make that whole-hearted commitment to Christ (discussed two weeks ago), if we don’t address the scars, or our broken hearts, our commitment to and effectiveness for Christ can be greatly diminished. Pain is very real. Everyone experiences pain on some level. The only way to avoid pain is to lock ourselves in a room for our entire lives. Not a viable option! Pain also comes in different forms and sizes. Some pain is short-lived and not deep, like a paper cut. Other pain cuts very deep and can stay with us for a while. Pain can essentially come from two different sources, self-inflicted or inflicted upon us. Self-inflicted pain occurs because of the stupid things we do. From the poor decisions we make. Pain inflicted upon us occurs when we aren’t looking for trouble, but trouble is thrust upon us. This could include dealing with your parents’ divorce, sexual abuse, etc. Whatever your pain, we know that God doesn’t want us to live with broken hearts and that he alone can provide healing for our broken hearts. In John 5:1-9, we find the story of a man that has been paralyzed for 38 years. For this time, he has attempted to find healing by waiting on the edge of the pool of Bethesda. The belief was that when the waters of the pool were stirred, the first one in the pool would be healed. This man, because of his paralysis, could get in the pool quick enough. Then Jesus comes along. Jesus began by asking a really strange question, “Do you want to get well?” In my sarcasm, I picture some of us looking at Jesus and saying, “No, that’s ok. I like coming here every day and NOT finding healing!” Jesus’ question though gives us insight into true healing. Healing cannot occur unless we WANT to be healed. This may seem like a stupid point. But in our society, victims are touted and even encouraged to continue to be victims. If we want to be victims, we cannot be healed. We have to desire healing first and foremost. The second point about healing is that we must look for healing in the right places. This man was doing what he thought was necessary to be healed. Every day, he was at the pool of Bethesda to be healed. It just wasn’t happening for him there. How many times do we look for healing in the wrong places? We try to “self-medicate” our broken hearts away. We pour ourselves into our activities to try to make ourselves feel better. Alcohol, drugs, sex, friends, party lifestyle, academics, sports. All things we try to fill our lives with to ease the pain of our broken heart. Just as the paralyzed man was never going to find healing at the pool, we will never find healing until we look to Christ. Jesus brought physical healing to the paralyzed man. How? He told him to get up and walk. This must have been a crazy idea to the paralyzed man. After all, he had been in this condition 38 years! But as the adage goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Healing occurred when the man stood up. Healing for our brokenness occurs when we take the step toward Christ. Broken hearts, if left untreated, will greatly impact our lives every day. What has broken your heart? For what do you need to seek out Christ today for healing and peace? Jesus says, “Come…and I will give you rest.” Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. –Matthew 11:28

Those Were the Days

2009-06-23T08:32:00.004-05:00

Do you enjoy reminiscing about yesterday? To sit around with friends and recall the days when things were simpler, easier, better. I think to an extent we all do. In fact, this coming weekend, our church will have a Homecoming Weekend to celebrate 30+ years of ministry at Ashworth Road Baptist Church. But is it possible that celebrating the past can be negative? I believe that looking back can be positive. First it gives a foundation to our current setting. It is good to see the beginning, the foundation, to understand the purpose for which we exist today. Second, I believe in the old saying, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” (George Santayana) Looking back can help prevent us from making the same mistakes over and over, as we are sometimes prone to do. Lastly, I think remembering is Biblical. When the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land, a memorial was constructed so that future generations would know, “that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.” (Joshua 4:7 NLT) It was and still is important that future generations understand the rich history and heritage of our Christian faith. But we must use caution in our remembering. In Ecclesiastes 7:10, Solomon instructs, “Don’t long for the ‘gold old days.’ This is not wise.” Why not? I thought we just made the case that remembering is a good thing. The danger occurs when we set the context of the present in the past. We compare everything we presently do to “the good old days.” Rarely can we live up to the memories of yesteryear. The pining away for days gone by can become an inescapable burden to those in the here and now. Our present should not be limited by the past. We need to view the present in the context of the future, with all the potential that our present can become. The past is history; the future is unlimited in potential. May our longings not be an anchor that drags us backward, but may they propel us forward to the limitless blessings that are ahead. "For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." –Jeremiah 29:11

Proper Consultation

2009-06-22T08:37:00.003-05:00

Have you ever been in a situation where the choice before you made sense? It looked like the right thing to do, so you did it only to find out later what a big, whopping mistake it was? Because the decision seemed so clear, you didn’t seek God’s wisdom or direction. Or if you did seek God, it was through a brief, “God stop me if this isn’t your will” prayer. I wish I could say that I was above this type of action. But alas, in my humanity I have found myself in this situation many times in the past. I remember a time in my life when Kerri and I had just moved to a new town. We became active in a church there, helping out however we could. I volunteered in the children’s ministry to help out with the children’s church on Sunday mornings. After several months there, the pastor approached me about becoming the main worship leader for the Sunday worship time. It seemed to make sense. After all, I was already there. What a mistake that was! The six months I led worship there were the most agonizing and painful church experience of my life. I eventually resigned. It took me some time to recover from this experience. Joshua found himself in a similar situation. After leading the Israelites into the Promised Land and defeating several nations, Joshua was approached by ambassadors “from a distant land” who wished to make a peace treaty with Israel. In reality, the Gibeonites, who were not more than 15 miles from the Israelites camp at Gilgal, were afraid of Israel because of what the Israelites had done to the other surrounding nations. They wanted to deceive Israel into making a peace treaty. To pull off the deception, the Gibeonites brought with them weathered saddlebags, patched wineskins, worn out and ragged clothes, and moldy bread. These items all gave the appearance of a long journey. That coupled with the testimony of the men, “worn out from our very long journey,” obviously made sense to Joshua and the Israelites. Joshua 9:14-15 says, “So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.” Wow. How could they be so stupid? Wait…how can WE be so stupid! Joshua was willing to trust his own judgment instead of seeking the Lord for the truth in this situation. How often are we guilty of the same thing? When faced with a decision, we look to our own understanding and insight and make a decision without consulting the Lord. Our impatience gets the best of us and we move before God desires. We settle for the mediocre when God wants to give us the best. May this passage in Joshua be a reminder and an encouragement to consult the Lord. He has the wisdom, omniscience and love to guide us into abundant living. “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” James 1:5

Back in the Blogger Again...

2009-06-22T08:29:00.003-05:00

After a busy week of Bible School and spending time with the youth group, I am back in the routine this week. I will be back to semi-regular postings to my blog.

VBS Week

2009-06-15T13:33:00.003-05:00

This week is Vacation Bible School week at ARBC. My posts this week my be fewer and farer between because of this. I have the oppotunity to teach the kids the music (and motions) to some really great songs. Music at VBS is fun and exciting (and quite the aerobic workout for me!). I'll try to post this week as I can.

Is This Good Enough?

2009-06-13T00:55:00.004-05:00

In your life, do you find that you give your best to your career, your finances, your stuff, your recreation, only to give God what's left? How did we get the equation so backwards by addressing our spiritual life with what remains? Everything else seems much more important than our spiritual walk. We aren't the first people to struggle with giving God the best. In Malachi 1, the Lord says that the priests despised His name. How? By allowing the people to offer sacrifices to God that were less than their best. Blind animals. Sure, bring them on. Lame animals. Those were fine too. Whatever you had was okay by them. How often do we try to get away with the same and hope God doesn't notice? We give our jobs 110%. We give our recreation 110%. We give our stuff 110%. But when it comes to God, any lesser amount is viewed as acceptable. And our the offering of ourselves is usually done in that order. Job first. Recreation, stuff and family next. God last. Interestingly, this isn't the only place in scripture when the Lord tells them that he will refuse their blemished sacrifices. Over and over the Israelites would try to get away with offering God sub-par sacrifices. And each time, God had the same response, "I will not accept an offering from your hand." (Malachi 1:10b ESV) God isn't looking for just anything. He wants our first and best. Nothing less! Why not turn the formula around the next 7 days by offering yourself to God first, then to the other commitments in your life. I think we would be amazed at what our God can and will do on our behalf when we do. "Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 3:7 ESV)

Wednesday Night Recap - Half-Hearted Commitment

2009-06-11T09:07:00.002-05:00

Last week we started a new series of talks called, “Heart Check.” The first week we discussed our need for a heart transplant. We need the Lord to completely remove our broken, sinful heart and replace it with a brand new heart. Tonight we continue the heart check. Ever heard of a kamikaze? Most people have. A kamikaze is a pilot that has one job, fly your plane into whatever your target is to cause the greatest amount of destruction. When I think of kamikaze, my mind immediately thinks of the attack on Pearl Harbor. I read a story this week about a kamikaze pilot that was interviewed after he returned from his 50th mission. He told the interviewer, “I was involved but not very committed.” He was not a very good kamikaze! But how many of us does this describe? How many of us are “involved” with Jesus Christ but not “committed.” What is the commitment level to Jesus Christ and your faith? Let’s examine what it means to be “Half-Hearted.” In the Old Testament, there is a story about King Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25). Amaziah was 25 when he took the throne after his father’s assassination. He reigned for 29 years. 2 Chronicles 25:2 says, “Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not wholeheartedly.” In the beginning Amaziah did some things right. He did not kill the children of his father’s assassins. He obeyed the Lord when instructed to fight the Edomite troops from Sier with only his troops and not the hired troops he had planned on using. But then things get ugly. After the battle, Amaziah brings back the Edomite idols and, “set them up as his own gods, bowed down in front of them, and offered sacrifices to them!” (v14) He also refused to listen to the prophet of God any longer. How sad. The king started out on the right track but his half-hearted commitment turned out to be no commitment at all. Ultimately, King Amaziah suffered a great defeat in battle and was killed by assassins. What about you? Are you willing to make a full and complete commitment to Christ or are you content with a half-hearted approach to faith? What does a half-hearted commitment look like? A half-hearted commitment says: 1) I will follow Christ is there is no better offer, but let’s wait to be sure there isn’t a better offer. 2) I will live a holy life when it is convenient for me. The moment it isn’t convenient is the moment I start living however I want. 3) I will attend church if there is nothing better to do. 4) I am committed to Christ as long as those I am hanging around are committed. If they’re not, then I’m not either. Matthew 16:24 tells us what the full-hearted, 110%, sold-out commitment to Christ looks like: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” There are 3 things to look for in gauging your commitment level to Christ. 1) Turn from your selfish ways. This turning is repentance. A complete 180 turn away from what you want. 2) Take up your cross – Devote yourself totally and complete to Christ, crucifying your desires and selfish motivation. 3) Follow Christ – Even if it costs you everything, follow! If it costs you money, time, friends, plans, dreams, whatever. Be willing to follow at any cost. God, give us a sold-out commitment to you. Help us to see the danger in a half-hearted commitment and understand that it is really no commitment at all. Give us the strength and courage to always live for you. Amen.

You Want Me to Do What?

2009-06-10T09:21:00.000-05:00

You Want Me to Do What? Have you ever said those words to God? You’re cruising along your life journey and God says, “I want you to do _________.” We don’t understand the why of the request. The request doesn’t fit in with our goals and long-range plans. The task assigned seems beneath us. Often obedience to God can be difficult. In my Bible reading yesterday, I was amused by a story I had overlooked before. Joshua 5:2-3 says: At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise this second generation of Israelites.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the entire male population of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. After I read this passage I sent my pastor a note that said, “And you think YOUR job stinks!” We both had a good laugh about this passage, probably because all men are still 12 year olds at heart! But after thinking more on the passage, I realized this passage has more significance. I’m sure that even in Joshua’s time, the prospect of circumcising hundreds of thousands of guys was NOT high on his “Things I want to do as the leader” list! Just how many guys were there? Honestly, I don’t know, but it was ever male born during the forty year wondering of the Israelites. The number had to be HUGE! Interestingly, we don’t find Joshua trying to get out of this responsibility. He doesn’t delegate it to others. He made the flint-knives and circumcised every male. He obeyed. God said do it and Joshua did it. What a concept. I can’t help but wonder how many of us would have had the same response. How many times has God called us to do MUCH LESS than this and we’ve balked at obeying? Leaders, how many of you have been asked to do a less-than-glorious task and you find ways to get out of it? Obedience to God is quickly becoming a lost art. Many times obedience to God comes with a price. Stepping outside our comfort zone. Performing tasks that don’t seem significant. Surrendering our plans and dreams for His desires. What about you? What is God asking you to do that you are in the midst of debating God over? What is it that you need to say “Yes” to in your life? What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22

What's Your Point of View?

2009-06-09T08:32:00.005-05:00

It seems as though the days of health, wealth and prosperity are behind us (at least for now). It is so easy for Christ followers to slip into the same mindset and mentality that those without faith have. We can get negative and pessimistic. Bad things happen to us or those close to us and we become perpetuators of the doom and gloom mentality. When Christ was sharing with the disciples of the terrible suffering and death forthcoming, Peter reacted as I am sure many of us would have. The NLT says that Peter “reprimanded” him. Can you imagine? What boldness! Peter had been there when Jesus healed multitudes of people. Peter had witnessed the power of Jesus over nature. Peter had even seen Jesus demonstrate his power over the spiritual realm. And yet, he felt it necessary to tell Jesus, “I don’t think so!” Christ’s response to Peter is a great reminder for us today. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” (Matthew 16:23b) When we see or hear of negative things happening around us, what point of view are we looking at the situation from? We need to pray and ask the Lord to give us the wisdom to see things from his perspective. For without the terrible suffering and death, there would have been no resurrection! “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9 Click here for a great sermon on the topic “When God Doesn’t Make Sense,” by Dr. Tim Deatrick, Lead Pastor at Ashworth Road.

Spiritual Loopholes

2009-06-08T08:28:00.003-05:00

In reading Matthew 15 this morning, I couldn't help but wonder, "Did the Pharisees think they had discovered a spiritual loophole in fulfilling law of honoring their parents?” I’m sure they did. The law commanded the Israelites to honor their parents which included caring for their parents as they aged. The way around this, according to the Pharisees, was to pledge all they had to God. When this occurred, immediate loophole! They were no longer required to care for their parents! (Or at least that is what they thought!) The interesting thing here is that it was the written Word of God, delivered to Moses, that said, “Honor your father and mother.” The “loophole” that negated this was oral tradition, passed down from generation to generation. This “oral law” began to usurp the written Word of God. The Pharisees held their traditions in higher esteem than they did God’s actual written Word. They created their own loopholes! I can’t help but wonder how many times we try to create our own “spiritual loopholes.” We know what Scripture says, but honestly, it cramps our style. The Word of God encroaches on our freedom. So we begin looking for the way around it. We justify our unholy behavior in the name of “freedom.” We excuse our indiscretions because we think we know better than God (even though we would never say it that way). Isn’t it time to stop living in the loopholes and surrender our lives to Christ? Jesus said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Why do we think living in the loopholes will give us anything greater than what Jesus promised? Stop looking for the loopholes and living there when you THINK you’ve found one. Nothing in this world is greater than abundant life Jesus gives when we are dedicated to him.

Wednesday Night Recap - Heart Check

2009-06-04T09:24:00.002-05:00

He is a brief recap of the Ashworth Road Student Ministry (ARSM) teaching from last night: As we approach the end of school, we get to put away our book, studies, papers, research, etc. and replace them with lots more hanging out with friends, video games, and movies. The books will hit the shelves for a few months. But what about God? What will you do with God this summer? Will you put Him on the shelf also? As we head into summer, let's start it off with a little heart check. Proverbs 21:2 tells us, “People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.” The heart, the seat of our emotions, our moral decision making, the very core of our being, is very important to God. Over and over in scripture we are encouraged to know the condition of our heart. Do you know your current heart condition? Mark 7:15 says, “It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.” Even with all the bad food we can consume, God is more concerned with what is coming back up. (That’s kind of a gross word picture, huh!) What is in our hearts will come out. No matter how often we put on a good face, no matter how well we act when we are around certain people, what’s inside our hearts will always make an appearance. But consider when we sin. When we do wrong, we are not simply wrong because we did an immoral act. When we sin, it reveals we have a heart problem. When we cheat, it reveals we have a heart problem. When we lie, disobey or compromise our values, it shows us (and usually those around us), that we have a heart problem. Our lives are a direct reflection of what is in our hearts! Need more proof? Check out Matthew 12:33-35: “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.” So how do we fix a heart problem? Some of us need a heart transplant. Have you ever seen a heart transplant? If not, check out the internet. I’m sure there is bound to be one on YouTube! I am no surgeon and do not play one on TV, but I do know that when surgeons perform a heart transplant, they remove the entire defective heart. They don’t simply cut out the part that isn’t working properly. They remove the entire heart and replace it with a new one. When God performs a heart transplant on us, the same thing happens. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” We get a brand-spanking new heart that is completely 100% defect free! So how does this heart transplant take place? How do I bet on that list? We find that answer in Romans 10. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 We must have more than an intellectual understanding of the historical Jesus. Our knowledge of Jesus Christ must move 18” from our heads to our hearts. When we believing in our hearts that Jesus Christ is who he said he is and we make that confession, we get our heart transplant. I close by asking the question I opened with, what is the condition of your heart? Have you been the recipient of a heart transplant? If not, what is stopping you? Surrender your heart (and in doing so, your entire life) to the lordship of Christ today.

A Famine of the Word

2009-06-01T08:59:00.002-05:00

"The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign Lord, "when I will send a famine on the land -not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord..." Amos 8:11 This message was spoken to the nation of Israel as God was about to pour out his judgment on them for their continued disobedience and idolatry. I was stuck by this passage as I read it this morning. Two thoughts entered my mind as I read it. 1) Could there be anything worse than being cut off from the voice of the Lord? 2) The Lord is speaking to his children today through the powerful indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but how many believers have cut themselves off from the word of the Lord by refusing to listen? There is no question in my heart or mind that God still speaks today. He speaks through many ways. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God outlines five ways God speaks today: 1) The Holy Spirit, 2) the Bible, 3) Prayer, 4) Circumstances, & 5) the Church. The question has never been is God speaking but are we listening? What a tragedy when the children on the Almighty willingly choose to cut themselves off from the "words of the Lord." Are you listening? What is God saying?

What I'm Reading...

2009-05-29T11:18:00.002-05:00

The Life We Live

2009-05-28T09:02:00.005-05:00

One could ask the question, "What does your life say about you?" But I think a more important question is, "What does your life say about your faith?" In Deuteronomy 18:9, God tells the Israelites, "...be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there." A little further down he says, "You must be blameless before the Lord your God." (18:13 NLT) Blameless? Really? What a tall order for the children of God to fulfill. Wouldn't it be nice if this was an isolated passage we could quickly skim over? But over and over in Scripture we find that how we live shouts out what we really believe. We can easily give lip service to how much God means to us or what a wonderful day it was when Jesus saved us. But what did our lives say yesterday about our faith in Christ? What did our interactions with friends, family and co-workers reveal to them about how much Christ affects our lives on a daily basis. Our lives will always speak louder than our mouths! Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. -John the Baptist (Matthew 3:8 NLT)

Is God In Control?

2009-05-26T14:55:00.001-05:00

I had the opportunity to speak last weekend at Ashworth Road. The topic was, "Is God In Control?" To listen to the podcast, click this link: http://ashworthroad.com/admin/assets/mp3s/052409.mp3.

Getting to Know You

2009-05-26T08:51:00.000-05:00

All too often, we find ourselves replacing the act of knowing God with service for God. Somewhere along the way, we have gotten in our minds that the more I DO for God shows how much I love God. Unfortunately this doesn't quite match up with what God desires. Hosea 6:3 says, "Oh that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him." (NLT) In today's culture, knowing is equated with facts and figures. We assume we know God if we understand that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, gracious, etc. But the word "know" here carries with it the idea of a personal relationship. To truly know God means to have an intimate, personal relationship with him. This can only come about by spending quality time WITH him. I find it interesting that a little further down in this chapter, it reads, "I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6b) More than God wants our service, he wants us. May our lives be consumed with the pursuit of "knowing" God.

The Gay Debate

2009-05-21T11:17:00.001-05:00

Iowa is now right in the middle of the gay marriage debate. The Supreme Court of Iowa said that marriage cannot be denied to gay couples. The traditional conservative mantra has been, "Homosexuality is a sin; If you will change your lifestyle, we will let you in." The extreme right even boasts with clever slogans that proclaim, "God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve." But is this the response Christ would have if he were walking bodily on the earth today. I must admit my struggle with how traditional Christianity has approached this topic in the past. Recently, Tim (our Lead Pastor at Ashworth Road) and I hosted a Pastor's Roundtable where we asked the question, "What should the church's response be to the Gay and Lesbian Community?" Our first meeting was beneficial. Several local pastors, ministers and priests attended. We all quickly realized we were in the same boat. We agreed to meet again in a month to discuss the book, "Love Is an Orientation" by Andrew Marin. This book is incredible. I highly recommended it for any Christian looking for answers on how to talk with gay friends and family members. This book is insightful and answers the questions that seem to end discussions between gay and straight people. Questions like, "Do you think homosexuality is a sin?" and "Do you think gays and lesbians are born that way?" Andrew Marin, after immersing himself in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) community in Chicago's Boystown, tackles this difficult subject head on and gives believers something to think about in how they deal with the gay topic. By elevating the conversation beyond the closed questions above, Marin reminds us that the most important thing we can do is help others, whether they are gay or straight, in their, "spiritual growth while trusting Jesus to commmunicate to an individual his heart and will through a growing relationship with him." The primary theme of the book is love. Regardless of someone's sexual orientation, Christ commands us to love. As Billy Graham once said, "It is the Holy Spirit's job to convict, God's job to judge and my job to love." This is an excellent book. I highly recommend it.

The Great Exchange

2009-05-21T08:56:00.001-05:00

Hosea 4:7 says that the priests, "exchanged the glory of God for the shame of idols." (NLT) I can't help but wonder what in our lives have we exchanged for the glory and power of God. It is so easy to become distracted by the multiple things in this life that compete for our attention. Even good things pull us away. But at what price?! God has given us His presence, His glory, His power. It seems to me that when we make this exchange, it may feel like a good deal at the time but I am certain we are walking away with something of much less value when we do. Maybe it is time to evaluate our lives and go back and "re-exchange" whatever it takes to recapture the glory of God in our lives. "Such people claim they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live." Titus 1:16a NLT

The Value of Christian Friends

2009-05-20T08:30:00.001-05:00

In our Student Ministry last week, I had two seniors share their insights on what they had learned over the years. I was stuck by the comments of one of the teens. He shared that one thing he would change about his time in high school is that he would have surrounded himself with more Christian friends. 2 Timothy 2:22b says, "Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." (NLT) Paul understood the challenges of holy living especially as a young person. His admonition to Timothy to surround himself with other believers was timely. It is easy to be swayed in our beliefs and begin compromising our faith. If we put others in our lives to encourage us along the journey and strengthen us when the going gets tough, we will always, "be ready for the Master to use [us] for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:21b NLT) Who are your companions?

God's Self-Revelation

2009-05-19T19:25:00.001-05:00

If you ask 10 different people, “Who is God?” you would probably get 10 different answers. Everyone develops an understanding of God based on their life experiences. Some see God as the great, cosmic Santa Claus, there to grant their every wish and desire. Others see God as a harsh judge waiting to pounce on them and punish them at their first mistake. Of all the views people hold of God, how do we know which view of God is right? How do we know God? The reality is that God has taken steps to reveal himself to his creation. He has done this in several ways. One way God reveals Himself is through his creation, or through Natural Revelation. Romans 1 tells us that God has revealed himself through his creation. Natural Revelation is a general revelation because it is made available to everyone, everywhere at all times. Through his creation, God has revealed himself to the world by manifesting some of his divine qualities in his creation. God has left his mark on the world. Psalm 19 is a great example of this:

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth and their words to all the world. (Psalm 19:1-4 NLT)

It is important to note that even though it is through Natural Revelation that God has revealed himself, natural revelation is limited in the amount of information it reveals about God. Natural revelation by itself is enough to show the world there is a God, but not enough to save the world. God goes the additional step of revealing himself in special ways also, known as Special Revelation. One of these ways is through the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that the Bible is God self-revelation through the written word. This passage states that, “all Scripture is inspired by God…” The word inspired means God-breathed. The Scripture originated in the mind of God and was communicated by the mouth of God though the breath of God. It is God’s Word because he spoke it. The Bible reveals to us what God is like and his plan for us. God also revealed himself to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus is the consummate revelation of God. Hebrews 1:1-3 tells us that Jesus Christ is the perfect revelation of God. Jesus’ revelation to us is complete in every detail. The revelation of God through Christ is not just a better revelation, it is the ultimate revelation. Jesus Christ perfectly shows all that is knowable about God. If we cannot learn about God from the Son, then there is no amount of additional revelation God could do to convince us. The Hebrews passage says that Christ “radiates God’s own glory.” This tells us he is not like God; he is the very essence of God. Just as one cannot separate the sun’s light from the sun itself, no one can separate the nature of Christ from that of God. The passage also says that Christ “expresses the very character of God.” The word “expresses” gives the picture of a die or engraving. Just as a coin reflects the exact image of the die, so Jesus reproduces the precise character of the Father. Jesus affirmed this himself when he told Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!” (John 14:8 NLT) So what does this mean? It tells us that God has taken the first steps to reveal himself to man. He wants to be known. It’s undeniable that if he didn’t want to be known, we wouldn’t know him! God has revealed himself to us because of his great love for us. John 3:16 testifies to his love for his creation. God promises eternal life for those that believe in his Son. Eternal life isn’t just a great thing for when we die. Eternal life begins the moment we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. Eternal life is to know God and to be in a relationship with and experience the blessings which flow from that relationship both now and in the age to come. God has already taken the steps to reveal himself to us, how will you respond to him?

Brent A Clark

Interesting Video on Education

New Worship Song

Delighting the Majority

Another Great Video

Great Crowder Video

Tim Deatrick Appears on Mac's World Live

Time with Teenagers

Help Your Kids Become Apathetic about Faith

Youth Ministry

Waiting on God to Speak

Rules, Rules, Rules

You're Listening to What?!

Limits Are Good for Kids

Parent Newsletter

Parent Newsletter

Contents

1. Tools for Parenting Teens

More about Grace

Featured Resource: Boundaries with Teens

2. Learn Their Lingo

3. Links to Learn From

4. A Little Encouragement...And Humor

Raising a Moral Teenager

Retooning the Nativity

Parent Newsletter

Parent Newsletter

Featured Resource: Boundaries with Teens

Hannah's Flute Duet

Youth Culture Minute

Helping Others When They Hurt

Parent Newsletter

Endless Adolescence

Wednesday Night Recap - The Masks We Wear

But Can You Make CALLS With That Cell Phone?

Wednesday Night Recap - Accepting God's Love

New Sermon Series

2 Samuel 24:24

Wednesday Night Recap

Wednesday Night Recap - Taking a Stand

Wednesday Night Recap - Who Are You LIstening To?

The Truth Behind our Actions

Some Things Never Change

In Your Own Eyes

Who Went Where?

Wednesday Night Recap - If Today Was Your Last Day

Final Mission Trip Video - Friday and the Drive Home

More Mission Trip Videos

It's All In How You Say It

ARSM Mission Trip - Wednesday Videos

Mission Trip Update

ARSM Mission Trip Day 1

Wednesday Night Recap - Heart to Heart

Wednesday Night Recap - Broken Hearted

Those Were the Days

Proper Consultation

Back in the Blogger Again...

VBS Week

Is This Good Enough?

Wednesday Night Recap - Half-Hearted Commitment

You Want Me to Do What?

What's Your Point of View?

Spiritual Loopholes

Wednesday Night Recap - Heart Check

A Famine of the Word

What I'm Reading...

The Life We Live

Is God In Control?

Getting to Know You

The Gay Debate

The Great Exchange

The Value of Christian Friends

God's Self-Revelation