Chulo the Clown @ journey church

Well one things for sure this Sunday night at journey church will not be boring. Boring is one of the six things the authors of the book unchrisitian said is true of the church. It won’t be boring because it will be a Family Focused Fun Night at journey with Cholo the Clown.

Chulo will entertain children of every age with his entertaining antics. His goal is communicate Biblical truth in an entertaining and unassuming way so that everyone learns and enjoys it. Chulo says, “my goal is for them to feel joy, have a good time and laugh.”

As perhaps the only Bilingual clown in Columbus Chulo brings his act to hundreds of children in homes, churches, schools and yes, even parking lots. You can come and enjoy the “show” at the Dublin Community Recreation Center, this Sunday night at 4:30 p.m. Come and bring a friend. Admission is free and so are the popcorn and balloons.

What a New Generation Thinks about Christianity

As you probably know by now I am a sucker for surveys so when I saw this book called unchristian I had to buy it. It’s based groundbreaking research form the Barna Group. In the book they asked unchurched Americans’ what they thought of the Church and in particular Christians today?”

As a result of their survey they identified six negative qualities that the unchurched used to describe the church and Christianity today.

Judgmental, (narrow minded and intolerant)

Hypocritical, who do not practice what they preach

Anti-homosexual,

Too political,

Insensitive, focused on a superficial “saving” of others souls rather than real connection, empathy and communication,

Boring.

Now I don’t know what you think of the survey but I tend to agree with Chuck Colson, Chief Counsel to former President Nixon and convicted Watergate conspirator when he said. . .

“Your immediate reaction—like mine—is that this characterization is grossly unfair. Why don’t these folks recognize all the good things we do, like helping prisoners and Africans with AIDS?

The answer is that, fairly or not, hostile press characterizations of us as judgmental, homophobic bigots have stuck. But this is only half the answer. A shocking 50 percent of respondents said they base their negative views on personal contacts with Christians.

As the authors write, “Many of those outside of Christianity . . . reject Jesus because they feel rejected by Christians.”

Let’s be honest: Sometimes we do come across as judgmental, anti-homosexual, and excessively politicized. And all too often, when others misrepresent Christianity, we do not know enough about our own doctrines to explain the truth. Yes, we draw millions into our churches on Sunday, but let’s face it: We draw them in by offering therapeutic services that make them feel better, but not be better.”

Look instead at Peter’s words to the scared and scattered Christians in 1 Peter 3:8 and 9. Here I think are 6 qualities that if the church (and Christians) would be who we are called to be should mark us instead.

8Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

The six characteristics that ought to describe the church and us as Christians are. . .

Harmony

Sympathy

Love

Compassion

Humility and

Blessing

Maybe then the world will want what we have and ask us how they can have it. I Peter 3:15. Without that we will continue to isolate and alienate ourselves from the people who need us most.

Preaching the Gospel to Ourselves Every Day

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Basics 2008 Pastor's Conference. It was held at Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls. The theme was Preaching the Gospel to Ourselves. It's a concept that I feel I am just beginning to understand. . . the fact that we need the gospel not just for salvation but for every day after that. Somewhere it seems we have bought into the fact that our behavior will bring blessing and when we do we leave the grace of God behind making us proud when we have a good day and guilt ridden when we don't.

Jerry Bridges (one of the conference speakers) in his book, the Discipline of Grace says,

"Preaching the gospel to ourselves every day address both the self-righteous Pharisee and the guilt-laden sinner that dwell in our hearts. Because the gospel is only for sinners preaching it to ourselves every day reminds us that we are indeed sinners in need of God's grace. It helps us to consciously renounce any confidence in our own goodness as a means of meriting God's blessing on our lives.

Perhaps more important, though, preaching the gospel to ourselves every day gives us hope, joy and courage. The good news that our sins are forgiven because of Christ's death fills our hearts with joy, gives us courage to face the day, and offers us hope that God's favor will rest upon us, not because we are good, but because we are in Christ." p. 26,27

Anyway I just wanted to share with you what's on my heart to today and how thankful I am for the Gospel. No wonder the apostle Paul said, "Let Him who boasts boast in the Lord" 2 Corinthians 10:17

NUMBER ONE MOM

The results of the survey are in and the number one TV mom is, you guessed it. . .Carol Brady from the TV show The Brady Bunch. The number 2 TV mom was Mrs. C, Marion Cunningham of Happy Days. The number 3 mom was June Lockart of Lassie and Lost in Space.

We shared these and the rest of the results of the survey last night at journey church. It was a fun way to celebrate Mother's Day and to honor our moms. The answer to the rest of the questions are below. Check them out to see how they compare with the things then enjoy this video in honor of our moms. Thanks mom!

2. How many times a week growing up did you eat supper together?

72% Every night
18% 6 nights a week
10% 5 nights a week

3. What is one of your favorite “momilies” (as my mom used to say)? Have you ever used it with your kids?

#3 "Stop crying or I'll give you somehting to cry about."
#2 "Because I said so."
#1 "Wait till you dad get's home."

Truth is everyone said they at sometime or another have said the same thing to their kids that their mother said to them.

4. What’s one “everyday” fun thing you remember doing with you mom?

#3 Baking and cooking

#2 Playing games

#1 Eating together

5. What important lesson(s) did your mom teach you?

Generosity
Independance
Be your own person, don't worry about what others think.
When you work on somthing, give it your all.
Cook, clean and do laundry.
that I could do anything I want to
Treat others they wasy I would want to be treated
to know God, prayer and serve others.

Thanks again for helping out.

Mother's Day Survey

In honor of Mother's Day, I put together a little Mother’s Day Survey. I want to share the answers at our Mother’s Day gathering at journey church next Sunday. Take a minute and give me your answers. Also feel free to forward the link to your friends for their input. I’ll post the results next week or you can join us Sunday, May 10^th 4:30 p.m. at journey church. Thanks in advance!

1. When you were a child, who was your favorite TV mom?

2. How many times a week growing up did you eat supper together?

3. What is one of your favorite “momilies” (as my mom used to say)? Have you ever used it with your kids?

4. What’s one “everyday” fun thing you remember doing with you mom?

5. What important lesson(s) did your mom teach you?

Thanks again for your help. I'll give you my answers in my next post.

DON’T GIVE UP UNTIL YOU’VE DUG THROUGH THE ROOF

Ask anyone and I bet they will prefer life a little easier, especially when it comes to following Jesus. Following Jesus isn’t always easy. In fact, it is often filled with speed bumps and pot holes. But obstacles aren’t always bad. Obstacles do at least two things.

1. Obstacles help clarify what is important. They help us determine if it really is what we want to do or more importantly if it’s what God wants us to do. If we get discouraged quickly, maybe it wasn’t something we were supposed to do. God can use obstacles to stop us or turn us another way.

2. Second, obstacles help us think outside of the box. That’s what the friends of a paralyzed man did when they couldn’t get their friend in the door of the house where Jesus was. They dug through the roof. 4Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. Mark 2:4

If you’ll trying to do something and you’ve hit the wall, stop first to clarify your goals and then think outside the box and don’t stop until you’ve dug through the roof.