Rules For Texting

With all the amazing ways technology has improved our lives in both the social and professional world, those same technologies have bring new evolution to human weirdness. I read a stat the other day that said that 70% of people now prefer to text a person rather than to call them.

Being an avid texter myself, I wasn't too surprised by this. But it did make me want to lay down some rules for texting. So, here you go, suggestions to improve your life by improving your texting - your welcome!

1. Be brief. Seriously, the whole point of a text is QUICK MESSAGE. When one text has to come in 6 different boxes you broke rule numero uno! If your text looks like the first draft of a book you're writing then it's time to dial numbers not type letters.

2. Stop sending cute and / or dirty images made out of your creative arrangement of letters & numbers. To be that intimately aware of the abilities of your keyboard only proves you have way too much time on your hands.

3. Just because you have the ability to instantly message someone doesn't mean they MUST instantly message you back. As a kid I learned that I could eat the caulk off the house just after we had new siding put on, it's doesn't mean I should have.

If it takes a few hours to get a reply then that's OK, if it takes more than a day it means that they may actually be busy and not have their phone glued to their hand. If it takes more than a week they either don't know who you are or they don't like you so stop stalking them.

4. The use of more than one exclamation mark is both unnecessary and proves you drink way too many energy drinks, lay off the sauce!!!!!!!!

5. Remember that texting carries no emotion. For example, if you ended your text with 20 exclamation marks (please see rule #5) and they end with a period, you don't need to go jump of a bridge. Don't insert YOUR emotion into THEIR text.

6. If you’ve both passed 7-10 texts, either someone needs to make an actual phone call, or stop texting. Join the other 30%.

7. Never drunk text, end of story. For that matter don't drunk twitter, facebook post or any other form of social networking update. We don't think it's as funny as you do, we actually think it's sad.

8. Turn off auto correct. While the text, "I just want to scream with the monkey's pants" is funny it makes no sense and thus requires additional texting bringing you dangerously close to breaking rule number 6.

9. Never text someone that is in earshot of you. If this is you then trust me, you have a problem & admitting it is the first step to getting help.

10. Don't stop calling your spouse, girlfriend, or boyfriend, just because now you can text them instead. Your voice is a harmony of strength & beauty and it will never come through a text message. Say it, don't just type it.

Breaks In The Wall

Ezekiel 13:5

"You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD."

I've been reading through this part of the Bible recently and this verse has been ringing in my ears ever since I first read it.
These words are from God to the leaders of Israel. For reasons of selfishness & sin, the leadership of Israel has severely neglected the outer-wall defenses of the city and has left the people dangerously exposed to outside attack.

Now, realizing that it's not likely that anyone reading this is in charge of an entire city's safety due to a giant stone wall that you're responsible for, I think the message to take away here is either...

1. You need to stop being lazy and go fix that front door of your house that doesn't open and close correctly.

OR

2. We all need to pay better attention to what gets in & out of our hearts and the defenses that guard it.

Your heart, according to God, is the spring that produces the experience of life you're living in right now.

Proverbs 4:23

"Above all else, guard your heart,for it is the wellspring of life."

Maybe you're telling yourself that the condition of your life right now is the result of...

• your job
• a struggling marriage
• a broken friendship
• financial stress
• temptation

There's always something or someone else to blame for the conditions of our life.

But HOW you experience any situation is up to you. How you experience life is a partial result of what's coming out of your heart, and what comes out from your heart is a product of what gets into your heart. And the door to the heart is the way we think, this is why scripture tells us in Proverbs that as we think so we are.

Maybe that's why Paul tells us so clearly in Philippines 4:8 to be so selective with what thoughts we allow to consume our thinking.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

For some of us, the guard around our heart; the healthy protection and awareness of what gets in and what gets out is being severely neglected.

It's no wonder that at times we so quickly go emotionally towards anger, doubt, insecurity, fear, hate, blame, and all sorts of other places that will suck life from us & from the people around us.

The gate to our heart, which is our mind, either has a wide open door or breaks in the wall.

I think this is why Paul once talked about transformation being in the mind.

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

This transformation isn't a one time act, it's an ongoing decision of guarding what gets in and what goes out. We have to make the regular decision to approve or deny what walks through the door of our thinking. Paul explained this best when he tells us that his way of doing this was to make all of his thoughts obedient to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:5

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we takecaptive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

I think there are several ways we could apply the challenge to "repair the breaks in the wall". The way I'm being challenged by God is to repair the wall of my thoughts & thinking. There are some holes in that wall; thoughts & ways of thinking that are finding their way down into my heart. Once in my heart they shape the way I'm experiencing life, God & the people around me that is not producing the LIFE I want to be experiencing. In other words, there's tainted water coming from my well.

With God's help, I'm repairing some of those breaks.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Father's Day

I know father's day was Sunday but I read this today & thought it was worth passing on so enjoy.

This is an article from our friends at Mars Jill Church in Seattle called, "10 practical ways to be a good dad".

1. Get involved with your child from the beginning.

Remember, there is only one thing a father can’t do for his baby. And even then, you can still establish a role for yourself bathing, burping, comforting, and taking the baby out for a walk.

2. Prioritize fatherhood.

Some dads worry that by emphasizing family so much they will lose their edge at the workplace and not be as competitive for positions as those who lack family ties or neglect them. Research doesn’t support that fear. Plan your work around your family. Decide that father-child time is not negotiable, but work time is. With calendar or planner in hand, schedule first the activities of your children, the school events, the games, then write in your work obligations.

3. Make yourself available always.

Interrupt your meetings when anyone in the family calls. Learn to text and respond quickly. Don’t be busy all of the time. Build in opportunities for spontaneous conversations. (Cf: “Spending Quantity Time with Your Kids“)

4. Have regular one-on-one time with each child.

Sometimes it’s fun to talk while you’re doing errands or making home repairs, but be sure there are times that you turn off the TV, put down the newspaper, and give your kids your undivided attention. Arrange solo time with your kids. Go out to eat a favorite meal or to do an activity the child enjoys or just go on an errand together.

5. Connect with your child at all levels.

Make sure you have some contact with every aspect of your child’s life. Visit the school, meet the teacher and kids and have at least a bit of contact with an after-school activity. If you have seen where your children are and met their friends, you will have more to talk about and more interesting conversations. Parent involvement during children’s schooling is critical to their school success. Work with your employer to see that your work schedule doesn’t preclude your involvement in your child’s schooling.

6. Become an expert dad.

Keep up with the language of child rearing. Talk to other dads informally, in groups, or in parenting classes. Read articles and books about good fathering. In too many families, Mom becomes the “expert” and Dad relegates his responsibilities to her. Don’t let that happen to you.

7. Teach them.

No dad has every gift or skill. Kids may learn certain things from other males in their lives. Use opportunities to share your talents. In my family, I lack auto mechanical ability, but I have passed on the gift and love of sports by personally coaching their teams.

8. Take kids to work.

This is a great way to teach them about the world of work that you are a part of. Take kids with you on business trips when possible. (Cf: “Froggy Boots and a Bible“)

9. Stay connected when you have to be away.

Sometimes work takes dads out of town. Set up a routine to stay connected. Some families schedule a specific time Dad will call that is convenient for all members of the family. When you return, bring home something special for the kids. It doesn’t have to be extravagant.

10. Show affection often.

Even if older kids seem squeamish, kids enjoy a hug and always enjoy encouraging words from their dad. I get my sons t-shirts each time I go on a trip, and they wear them proudly, even when their friends ask why they have such a random collection of shirts from so many different cities.

Living In The Tension: Christians vs. Non-Christians

One of my friends is a guy that is planting a church in Vegas and in addition to secretly sleeping with a picture of him under my pillow I also regularly read his blog.

Vince Antonucci is possibly one of the best thinkers I know when it comes reasons & methods regarding the church being committed to reaching people far form God with the message of the Gospel.

Below is one of his recent blogs that I thought I'd share with you; great thoughts from a guy on the front lines of his faith.

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Living In The Tension: Christians vs. Non-Christians

When you do church for people who don't like church, joining Jesus on His mission of helping people who are far from God get close to Him, there are all kinds of tensions you live in and have to embrace.

One of those tensions is between Christians and non-Christians, and that sucks. Now I don't mean that there are tensions between the Christians and the non-Christians in the church. I mean that what each of those groups need is not always the same. And what each of those groups wants is rarely the same. Christians may want verse-by-verse teaching, non-Christians want you to give them answers for what they're struggling with. Christians might desire long times of heart-felt worship, non-Christians could think that gets a little weird. Often Christians want you to serve them, while non-Christians want to serve the community.

So what do you do? The easiest decision is to "side with" the Christians, or with the non-Christians. (99.99% of churches will give Christians what they want.) The right decision is to live in the tension. It's complicated, but you pray hard and talk a lot trying to figure out how to side with God, and to do what it takes to teach Christians AND reach non-Christians.

But, when you just absolutely can't figure it out and you have to choose one: Go with the non-Christians. Why? Because 99.9% of churches are doing the opposite, and someone has to do it. And, more importantly, because if Christians don't like what you're doing, they'll leave and go to a different church. But if non-Christians don't like what you're doing, they'll leave and possibly never go to

A Few Things I Want To Say To Our Church

1. Easter - WOW!
Easter was incredible gang, INCREDIBLE! Thanks to all of you who were a part of making the day so amazing. We really did feel the power & the presence of God that day. What a taste of the power that defines that day & created it 2000 years ago. During our last series preparing for E.A.C.H we have been clear that found people find people, and you all REALLY took that to heart & made it your mission this last Sunday. Keep it up Paradox!!

Whether you served in the journey, the 411, the security, brought a few friends, played in the band or WHATEVER you did, you were a significant part of making the day what it was. The stories are still coming in but here's what we know so far.

On Easter we saw about a 70% jump in attendance, we saw dozens of new people attending not just Paradox for the first time but any church in a LONG time and many for the first time every. We saw about 30 people make a decision to give their lives to Jesus that morning, we saw many people say they were taking the challenge to explore Christ further than Easter morning. People that have been praying for someone to meet Jesus saw some of those someones do so Sunday morning!!!! We saw Jesus bring dead people to life right in front of our eyes!

2. Don't ever fail to celebrate this.
I have a friend who once told me after hearing that several people gave their life to Christ in one of our services, "well, I guess that's fine but you better disciple them now". OK, certainly we do want to see people grow in their walk with Christ and begin to manifest the presence & the fruit of the Spirit of Christ through their life, but SERIOUSLY!

The "discipleship OR evangelism" debate has done a harm to the church that I don't believe has been intended but it's real none the less. It has created division of an issue that was never supposed to be TWO issues but ONE! In the divided focus it has also divided many churches & believers on the discussion as they argue over which is more important. What the HECK! THEY BOTH ARE PART OF THE SAME PROCESS! It's all a journey BUT it begins with BELIEF! And may I suggest that while we need to offer something intentional to assist people in their spiritual development beyond initial faith; discipleship is no more something we can MAKE HAPPEN than conversion is. I will never apologize for doing BACK FLIPS when someone decides for the first time to trust their life to the living God named Jesus. If that fails to completely excite us then we're missing the heart of God. Remember, He leaves the 99 found to rescue the 1 that is lost, finds the lost & then PARTIES!!! The lost take priority over the found.

Luke 15:7 - "there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"

3. The best is still yet to come
Sometimes after a big "win" it's easy to sit back, fold our hands, & call it a day. But there is no greater time to press on then after a victory, otherwise we can so easily become complacent.

There is still so much to do because there are still SO MANY THAT HAVEN'T BELIEVED.

30 people giving their life to Jesus is incredible & needs to be celebrated, but not to the the neglect of the thousands around us that still need to. Sunday was indeed awesome, but it was small sample of the work that God is still calling us to and a sample of the sweet & beautiful product of that work. I am celebrating Sunday but am already asking God, "what's next, where are you moving now & how do we stay on your heels?" Press on Paradox, we labor & bleed for the greatest dream that has ever dared to be dreamt...

..."The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

4. I love this church
I really do! I am SO grateful for the chance to be your pastor. I'm humbled at the opportunity to be a part of what God is doing here, not because of us but DESPITE US!

We serve a GREAT and a RISEN God!!

I can't wait to see what's next & what our head pastor, Jesus, has in store for this next year to come!

The Walk Of A Lifetime!

If you haven't yet heard tomorrow is going to be a HUGE day for the church in the Metro Detroit area.

Tomorrow morning is the downtown walk that will kick of E.A.C.H (www.eachtoday.com).

The talk is numbers in the tens of thousands that are going to be there - it's going to be CRAZY!

There are things that in life are sad when we miss them, like...

• An exist on the freeway
  
• Ed McMahon showing up at your door with a fat check
  
• your kid, when you throw them up in the air

Then there are other things in life that if you miss, you just may regret it forever!
Things like, well, umm let me see.... the EACH walk TOMORROW MORNING!

Go to the website above for more details but DO plan to be there! It might be the closest taste of heaven this side of it that we'll get to be a part of.

Carry Out

Had breakfast with a friend the other day that told me about a sight that I think pretty much sums up the state of the State in which we live right now.

He said he saw this nice, newer, Cadillac SUV driving down the road with a Jimmy John's delivery sign attached to the roof.

Now, I love me some Jimmy John's -- #1 ez on the mayo -- could eat those all day long. And there is NO SHAME in being a fast food delivery driver. But this is a combination of sign and vehicle that isn't a normal sight.

Maybe it was a delivery guy that just really works hard & finally got the car of his dreams -- you go crazy delivery guy!!! But more likely it was a guy like so many of us that somehow in the last year or so found himself without a job, or without the income he had previously been living off of.

abc news just wrote an article about the decline of our Sate that is pretty startling. You can read it HERE

Maybe one of the reasons I'm most excited about this E.A.C.H movement is that there is a chance for the only thing that will really create change to actually happen.

What's that thing?

That the people of God would really begin getting serious about bringing the good news & good deeds of Jesus to the community around us. Even if the economy turns around, even if Metro Detroit becomes one of the largest Metropolis areas in the counrty, even if the state began to grow faster than any other state, even if everyone under 30 wasn't flocking to another place to live & work in our country, even if ___________ (feel free to insert your own).

Even if all this and more BUT we still were a people, a city, a state no closer to the living God who made us then do we really win, do we really gain anything other than hay and stubble that will one day burn off?

I pray that what marks a new day for our state is the state of our experience with the living & loving God whose name is Jesus. He is more concerned with our hearts & our souls than with our economy so may HE use this economy to get hold of the other.