Decide For Yourself

If you read my blog much, you know that I don't recommend many movies. I'm a strange kind of guy. I'm not very big on movies that entertain or have lots of action/adventure. Don't get me wrong, they're OK. You're just not going to find me writing about them. What I really like is a movie that makes me think or that touches my heart. That's why I write about movies like We Are Marshall and Amazing Grace.

And that's why I'm encouraging you to see Bella. Bella was released on October 26 but hasn't yet come to Cedar Rapids. You can watch the trailer above or read what Roger Ebert has to say. Bella won the Peoples Choice Award at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. I haven't yet seen the movie but I plan to as soon as I can. Bella is a movie that tells a compelling story from a Christian worldview. It's a movie that will touch your heart.

Read the reviews, talk to your friends and then form your own opinion.

While I'm on movies, let me tell you about one movie that I won't be viewing. I won't be casting my vote at the ticket counter for The Golden Compass. You won't hear me calling for a boycott or a ban. I just won't be supporting it. Here's why.

The Golden Compass is based on the first book of Philip Pullman's trilogy titled, His Dark Materials. In 2003 Pullman set off a controversy when he called The Chronicles of Narnia “one of the most ugly and poisonous things I have ever read.”

This is how Chuck Colson describes Pullman and his worldview.

Pullman’s chief problem with Narnia is the Christian faith that informs and inspires Lewis’s work—he calls it “propaganda.” But as Lewis himself said, the faults we see, or think we see, in others are often a reflection of our own faults. The truth is that Pullman writes more blatant propaganda than Lewis ever dreamed of writing.

Pullman deliberately takes Christian themes and turns them upside-down—for example, maneuvering his characters into a retelling of the Garden of Eden story in which eating the fruit and losing innocence is portrayed as the right thing to do. And the fact that the series culminates in the death of “God”—a weak, pathetic figure—drives home the point with a sledgehammer. Pullman is one “angry atheist” who is not interested in cooperating, even tacitly, with the religious preconceptions of his readers.

On the other hand, I may view The Golden Compass just so I can be more conversant with a worldview that seeks to eliminate God. Read the reviews of Bella and The Golden Compass. Talk to your friends who have seen the two movies. Learn how both stories end. Which world would you rather live in? Which worldview presents the best answers for a world in pain? Decide your yourself.

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:7

The Debate Is Not Yet Over

The debate over global warming is just beginning to heat up! Watch the video and see what you think.

Creating Space

We had a great Membership Class last weekend. 40 people attended the Friday evening and Saturday morning sessions. Our church family is growing. You can click on the picture above to see a slide show of the weekend.

What a joy it is to see the Spirit of God at work in the lives of people. Some are new believers, some recently moved to Cedar Rapids, and some have been attending New Covenant for some time. As Pastor Bob says, "I don't care about where you've come from, just what direction you're headed!"

One of the most exciting things for me is to see how many in this class are already connected to community. Almost every person in the Membership Class is either presently involved in an adult community or small group! And over half of the class has, or is presently attending Starting Point.

My heart was touched on Sunday as the class met to share their testimonies. I always ask these new members to introduce themselves to someone they don't know on Sunday morning, and then come prepared to share the results during our last session on Sunday afternoon. One person described how he introduced himself to a first-time guest. He helped him get some information at the Information Center and then invited him to sit with him during the worship service!

Stories like this keep me going. A healthy family is always willing to create space for one more person!

Stewards

I just got back from our fall Elder, Deacon and Staff Retreat. Our fall retreat always focuses on sharing our five year ministry plans and vision. It's an awesome experience, listening as each ministry shares their plans, their hopes and their dreams for the next five years. Wow! I always leave these sessions charged up and ready to trust God for big things!

During the past year we have begun to recognize our staff on their 5th, 10th and 15th employment anniversary dates. Last night we recognized Mark Forstrom for 15 years, Colette Rieck for 9 years, Pat Rieck for 5 years, and Mick Schultz for 5 years. Mick was unable to attend the retreat so I don't have a picture of him. This is a new tradition, so we are playing "catch-up" with some of our staff who have been here awhile.

There were several bonus surprises thrown in during the weekend. We used the 9'x17' screen and projector that we plan to use at our multi-site location. It was pretty awesome seeing Pastor Bob projected "larger than life!" A special "thank you" to Pastor Gary and Dan and Karen Kalen for setting up the equipment. We also showed version 2 of the "fly through" of our new facility. It's pretty exciting stuff!

You can click on the picture above to see a slide show of our retreat. If you look carefully, you will see a clue regarding what card game some of the staff played last night!

This morning Pastor Bob shared about several of the important challenges that face us this coming year:

• Our Embracing Faith capital stewardship campaign next February and March with a goal of raising $10 million
• The Serve the City Share Event next July
• Our multi-site initiative

Pastor Bob challenged us to be stewards of the message and people God has given us to care for. We are His servants, caring out His mission. We want to hear the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

It will be an exciting next six months! We want to be faithful to do our part, and to trust Him to do what only He can do. We are His servants; His stewards.

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness–the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:25-29

Can You See It?

This being Clergy Appreciation Month, I want to share some thoughts regarding the great staff team I have the privilege of working with on a regular basis. This morning I was reading 2 Thessalonians 3 and came across these verses:

For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. vs 7-9

I'm thankful to work with men and women who seek to model what they teach. Who don't expect others to do what they are unwilling to do themselves. Who practice what they preach. "Real deal," servant-leaders who I love to follow because of the strength of their character.

Our staff aren't perfect by any means. But as we come together in unity, to share in our common mission, a beautiful pattern emerges out of our brokenness. As Pastor Bob mentioned last Sunday, "Can you see it?" Can you see the heart of Christ?

Let me tell you what I see.

• In Erin Bird I see faithfulness and thoroughness modeled. With Erin, every small detail and every person is attended to with care and thought.
• In Mark Eades I see a tender heart for God and middle school students modeled. With Mark, every student is important and every contribution appreciated.
• In Mark Forstrom I see creativity and humility modeled. With Mark, every generation and every student needs to discover a relationship with God in new and fresh ways.
• In Gary Hoobler I see a heart of worship modeled. With Gary, worship impacts the way he lives his life 24/7.
• In Tye Male I see a passion for God and people modeled. With Tye, life is an adventure to be experienced, not just talked about.
• In Colette Rieck I see a tender heart for children and the "least of these" modeled. With Colette, children are a treasured gift to be loved and valued.
• In Pat Rieck I see a love for adventure, action and big challenges modeled. With Pat, women are constantly challenged to push beyond their comfort zones as they ask the question, "So what?"
• In Mick Schultz I see the unrestrained joy and enthusiasm of a child modeled. With Mick, families are the place where faith in Christ is best explained and lived out.
• In James Wartian I see a passion for helping people understand the Word of God and a Christian worldview modeled. With James, everyone has a place in the mission, regardless of their age or occupation.
• In Bob Westfall I see the heart of a disciplemaking pastor who leads with authenticity and integrity modeled. With Bob, what you see is what you get, Flying Wienie and all!
• In Thomas Burris I see a young man who desires to see God use his life to make a difference for the kingdom. With Thomas, God's Word is valued and students are loved.

Can you see it? I think I see a pattern emerging. One that reflects the heart of God.

If you see it too, take time this week to jot our staff a note of appreciation. You will be blessed, the cause of Christ will be advanced and our staff will be encouraged!

No Coincidence

Tell me that I've been dreaming. Tell me that I didn't see what I think I just saw two nights ago. Tell me that the National League Championship Series is still going on. And that the Colorado Rockies were eliminated after a nice run during the month of October.

Tell me this is true because I heard an unbelievable story two days ago. I heard that the Rockies won the National League pennant. I know, I know, that's impossible.

It's impossible because the Rockies were just four games over .500 on September 15. It's impossible because the Rockies were nine games under .500 (18-27) in May. It impossible because the Rockies were six games out in the wild-card race in September and 4½ games back in that wild-card race with only nine games to play. It's impossible because the Rockies were two games behind with two games to play.

It must be possible because the Colorado Rockies just accomplished this improbable feat. The Rockies were almost eliminated during the regular season, having to watch that Padres team they were trying to catch get within one strike of clinching. The Rockies came from two runs behind in the 13th inning of the 163rd game of the year, a game they never should have had a chance to play in the first place. The Rockies have won 21 out of 22 games during this stretch to become one of the hottest teams to ever play the game. Only five teams during the past 70 years have had as good a record, and no team has ever done it during a stretch run.

During this streak the Rockies became just the second team in history (along with the 1976 Big Red Machine) to sweep its first two postseason series in any given October. Tell me I didn't just see all this! Jayson Stark from ESPN calls the story of the Rockies "one of the most historic, most astonishing, most compelling stories in baseball history."

What can all this be attributed to? Has God all of a sudden become a Rockies fan? Doubtful! Dumb luck? I don't think so. Perhaps the June 1, 2006 USA Today story about the Rockies will give us some insight. I encourage you to take the time to read the story in it's entirety. Here are some quotes from the article

"We had to go to hell and back to know where the Holy Grail is. We went through a tough time and took a lot of arrows," says Rockies chairman and CEO Charlie Monfort, one of the original owners. Monfort did, too. He says that after years of partying, including 18 months' probation for driving while impaired, he became a Christian three years ago. It influenced how he wanted to run the club, he says. "We started to go after character six or seven years ago, but we didn't follow that like we should have," he says. "I don't want to offend anyone, but I think character-wise we're stronger than anyone in baseball. Christians, and what they've endured, are some of the strongest people in baseball. I believe God sends signs, and we're seeing those."

Hurdle (the Rockies Manager), 48, who says he became a Christian three years ago, says of the team's devotion: "We're not going to hide it. We're not going to deny it. This is who we are." While praising their players, Rockies executives make clear they believe God has had a hand in the team's improvement. "You look at things that have happened to us this year," O'Dowd (Rockies General Manager) says. "You look at some of the moves we made and didn't make. You look at some of the games we're winning. Those aren't just a coincidence. God has definitely had a hand in this."

This article was written in 2006. The Rockies averaged 91 losses a year through the 2005 season. Top management makes an emphasis on recruiting character and honoring God off and on the field. And the Rockies are going to the World Series one year later in one of the most incredible runs in baseball history. Perhaps this isn't a coincidence after all!

Father of Mine

Last week at Men's Fraternity Robert Lewis talked about the Five Wounds men deal with:

• The absent father wound
• The overly bonded with mother
• The all alone wound
• The lack of a manhood vision wound
• The heart wound

When Robert Lewis was talking about the "absent father" wound, he mentioned the band Everclear and their song, Father Of Mine. You can click on the picture above to watch the music video.

Here are the lyrics to the song, Father of Mine.

Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared
Father of mine
Take me back to the day
When I was still your golden boy
Back before you went away

I remember blue skies
Walking the block
I loved it when you held me high
I loved to hear you talk
You would take me to the movie
You would take me to the beach
You would take me to a place inside
That is so hard to reach

Father of mine
Tell me where did you go
You had the world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know
Father of mine
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life
And you don't see me

I was ten years old
Doing all that I could
It wasn't easy for me
To be a scared white boy
In a black neighborhood
Sometimes you would send me a birthday card
With a five dollar bill
I never understood you then
And I guess I never will

Daddy gave me a name
My dad he gave me a name
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name

Daddy gave me a name
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name

Father of mine
Tell me where have you been
I just closed my eyes
And the world disappeared
Father of mine
Tell me how do you sleep
With the children you abandoned
And the wife I saw you beat

I will never be safe
I will never be sane
I will always be weird inside
I will always be lame
Now I'm a grown man
With a child of my own
And I swear I'm not going to let her know
All the pain I have known

Then he walked away
Daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My dad gave me a name
Then he walked away

My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
My daddy gave me a name
Then he walked away
Then he walked away
Then he walked away

I'm thankful for my earthly father and my Heavenly Father. They gave me name and they didn't walk away.

But for those men who have an absent father wound in their heart, there is hope and healing. And as Robert Lewis says, you can't change what you don't understand. And understanding begins with unpacking. And unpacking happens at Men's Fraternity. Men's Fraternity provides a safe environment for men to talk to other men about their manhood journey. See you there!

An Unforgetable Evening

I love spending time in Chicago. I wouldn't want to live there, but it's a great place to visit. I love getting around on public transportation, Chicago-style pizza, and the variety of things to do.

Take Saturday night for instance. The city was preparing for the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, and the Cubs were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field in the first round of the National League playoffs. City officials were warning people on Saturday that if the playoffs went into Sunday that everyone should plan on using public transportation as the streets around Wrigley Field would be blocked off for the Chicago Marathon. The planning was to no avail as the Cubs lost on Friday night, loosing the series 0-3.

Jason, Jon and Matt wanted pasta for dinner so we went to Buca di Beppo. It's within walking distance of Moody so we hit the streets. We got there before 5:00 PM so we were seated right away. Our host even gave us a tour of the kitchen on the way to our seats! When's the last time you had a restaurant tour! Buca di Beppo serves the food family style which makes the eating experience more fun. Everyone had plenty to eat.

Since we finished dinner so early, we decided to take the Red Line to Wrigley Field on the north side to experience the atmosphere of a playoff game. The game started at 5:30 so we were able to experience Cub-fever at its finest.

We got off the train at Addison Street and walked around the stadium on Sheffield Street, Waveland Avenue and Clark Street. The atmosphere was electric. The roar of the crowd in Wrigley Field spilled over into the surrounding neighborhood. People were playing catch in the street, gathered around TVs that were perched on window ledges, crowded into bars, and peering through the right-field "knot hole" in order to catch some of the action. Even the firemen at Wrigleyville Engine 78 were standing in the street. You can click on the above picture to see a slideshow of our evening.

It was a great evening on the town! We grabbed a train around 7:30 in order to beat the rush. Although the game wasn't yet over, I'm almost certain I heard several Cubs fan say, "What til next year!" It's now 99 years and counting since the Cubs last won the World Series!

It was a great evening. Seldom have I had so much fun and spent so little money! Great people and a great environment help build great memories. Saturday was an evening I will not soon forget.

26.2

The 30th running of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon is now in the books. Sharon and I drove to Chicago to cheer on Jason and Jonathan. Matt McDowell rode with us and also ran in the marathon. Little did we know how memorable this marathon would become!

The marathon was run on Sunday morning. A heat-wave settled in several days earlier on the mid-west, sending the temperatures into the 90's. Running a marathon in summer-like conditions is very difficult and most runners are not trained in how to run in the heat. Last year the temperature for the Chicago Marathon was in the 30's, with runners wearing gloves and long-sleeved shirts. What a difference a year makes.

The Chicago Marathon is one of the largest in the world, with 45,000 runners registered to take part. The high temps chased away almost a quarter of the field with only 35,000 runners starting the race at 8:00 AM. Sharon, Erin and myself where able catch the action at Moody Bible Institute as the race went north on LaSalle and then came back down on Wells. We then grabbed the brown line train and red line subway to Chinatown where we were able to see Jason and Jon pass by around the 21 mile mark. We jogged about five blocks east and were able to catch them again as they passed by on Michigan Avenue with just one mile left! You can click on the picture above to see a slideshow of the day.

The high heat and humidity made it difficult for even the experienced marathon runners. Morning temperatures got into the 80's and one temperature gauge atop a bank near mile 23 read 96-degrees around 12:15 PM. The temperature gauge on our van still read 81 degrees at 7:00 PM on our drive back to Cedar Rapids.

At 11:30 AM marathon officials made the decision to cancel the race. Over 300 people were treated at area hospitals and first aid stations. A 35 year-old police officer from Michigan collapsed on the course and died. Ambulances were called in from 30 out-lying communities to assist. Runners who were still on the course at 11:45 were instructed to stop running and take a bus or walk back to Grant Park.

As we walked the course earlier in the day, we say countless runners, most who looked very athletic and fit, walking off the course in exhaustion. Only 4000 runners completed the race by the time it was called at 11:30 AM. In spite of the heat, 25,000 runners still managed to complete the race.

All this to say that we were so proud of Jason, Jon and Matt. Jason ran a 3.33.59, an incredible time in any kind of weather! Jon was running in his first marathon and was hoping to come in under four hours - he ran a 3.52.28! He began to cramp up and had to stop to stretch on the second half of the course. And Matt got heat sickness and couldn't hold any fluids or food down after mile 15. In spite of dehydration, Matt crossed the finish line at 5.25.24. He walked most of the last 10 miles! Matt, you're the man!

It was an inspirational day as we watched men and women, young and old, take on the 26.2 mile challenge. Each person who ran was a winner. You're all champions!