#ChurchVideo

The other day I was excited to check out a church I had never been to before. While in the Chicago area, I thought I would take advantage of a rare "Sunday off" to visit a church where no one knew me. Not one family member or friend of mine attended this church, and believe it or not, I was really looking forward to seeing what I could learn from being a guest. As a pastor of a church myself, I relished the opportunity to be a "secret shopper".

I was welcomed at the door by a nice young woman who promptly handed me a bulletin. I walked to my seat in the sanctuary and was immediately taken in by the motion backdrops displayed on three LARGE screens draped across the left, center, and right stage walls.

The worship band greeted the congregation, and we were off and running (I mean, worshipping). After around 10 minutes I began looking around for a pastor, or anyone for that matter, who looked like they would be leading the service that morning. I didn't see anyone...But before I could really get nervous about it (because that's what us pastors do), a young man walked out from behind the stage curtain and made a few announcements. He then introduced what the message would be that day and welcomed the Lead Pastor to the stage.

The lights faded down...and the video screen came on.

For the first time in my life, I sat in a church sanctuary with hundreds of people and watched a 30+ minute pre-recorded video message by the pastor of the church. The message was good. The content was strong. And the worship team took the stage when the screen faded to black for a closing song. When the song finished, the congregation filed out. It was over.

I had unknowingly visited a Campus Church. It had a nice building, a nice sanctuary, and a nice sized congregation, but it was just one of multiple church locations, each under the banner of one "Mother church", with each congregation watching the same video message from the same pastor. (Although I am sure this pastor must have been speaking "live" at one of them, right?)

I know that campus churches are a huge trend in the Christian world right now, but like I said, this was my first experience with one. It left me with many mixed emotions. But before I write any more about what I felt, I wonder what you think of the experience I just described above. I really don't want to sway your opinion, so just tell me your thoughts...

A Christmas Story

Tonight my family and I sat down and watched A Christmas Story. That's right, the classic movie that is probably on the watch list for most people this time of year. The list of Christmas movies I have to watch every December is currently:




1. A Christmas Story
2. Christmas Vacation
3. Home Alone
4. It's a Wonderful Life
5. Elf



These movies are filled with moments that bring plenty of Christmas nostalgia for me. I love the childhood memories they spark in my mind, and now as an adult, I love the little messages I am able to pull out of their storylines. Although I'll admit, Christmas Vacation brings pretty much nothing to the table in terms of a message.

Anyway, while watching A Christmas Story tonight, I was reminded of an awesome message that has always stood out to me at the end of the movie. But in order to capture the message, let me give you a quick story recap. Throughout the hour and a half movie, Ralphie will tell anyone who will listen that he wants a Red Rider BB Gun, with a compass and a stock, and this "thing" that tells time. He hides advertisements in his parents magazines, he writes a theme for his teacher, and he tells Santa Claus at the store. Each time the response is the same, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"

As the movie goes on, and you watch the interaction between Ralphie, Randy, Mom, and Dad, you get the impression that the mom is the one who takes care of all the kids needs. She's the one who takes care of everything around the house, while the dad just goes back and forth to work and doesn't seem to be paying attention to much else, other than the electric leg lamp in the window.

When the presents under the tree are discovered on Christmas morning Ralphie and Randy tear into them. It's the type of Christmas morning we all love to have, but Ralphie gets through all of his presents to find he didn't receive the one gift he had been pleading for.

THIS IS THE PART OF THE STORY I LOVE!

Seemingly out of nowhere, the dad points out that there's one more gift, and it's for Ralphie. The mom obviously has no clue about this, but her curiosity is peaked. Ralphie finds the gift hiding behind the dresser, and opens it to find the Red Rider BB Gun he has been wanting all along. The look of pure joy fills Ralphie's eyes, and a look of disbelief comes across the moms face as the dad says, "I had one when I was a boy."

The dad had come through...YES...you see, the dad had ALWAYS been listening. When Ralphie placed the advertisements in the magazine, it was the dad who saw them. When Ralphie was asking, the dad was always listening! More importantly, he knew his son, and he knew what his son would want. The dad was not aloof, as it appeared throughout the movie, he was right on point. The whole thing just warms my heart.

I relate this to my relationship with my Father in heaven. There are times when I just don't feel like He's listening. I feel a distance between us and I'm just not sure my prayers are getting through. But just when I want to give up and throw in the towel, Psalm 139 rings in my heart...

Psalm 139
You have searched me, Lord,  and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise,  you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down,  you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

You see, the Father is not aloof. He hears you, he's been listening, and that blessing you've been hoping for just may be hiding in the corner, waiting to be found and opened.

I hope that warms your heart...

Merry Christmas!

Josh

The Power of Praying Big!

I want to show you something powerful about prayer. More specifically, the power of a praying congregation of people.

Matthew 18:18-20 NIV
18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

· In the English translation the words “where two or more AGREE” is actually a case where our language does not do the    words justice.

· The english word agree actually comes from the Greek, SYMPH NE.*

· Doesn’t that look familiar…a lot like our english word Symphony!*

The prayers of two or three gathering in Jesus' name will create a SYMPHONY to God’s ears!

But what does that sound like when we come together as a church in prayer? What type of harmonious beautiful music does that make?

LET ME TRY TO EXPLAIN IT

The prayers of an individual begin as one beautiful prayer to God…He hears it, and his heart cries out for the request. At this point we usually stop, we’re too emabrassed for other people to know what we’re going through so we keep the request to ourselves…DON”T DO THAT! As beautiful as this solo prayer/music is to God, it has not reached its peak of beauty. When you bring your request to the other believers in your community, something powerful happens.

Instruments are added to your melody…a harmony begins to play in the Lords ears. It is undeniable. And as the words are consistently offered in faith to the Lord the music just builds and BUILDS to a point that God decides the time is right to move in your situation, revealing what the answer to the prayers of many will be. In the end, it is GOD who will be glorified

* Do you have a request for your family that you believe is impossible?
* Do you have a request for your job that you’re wanting the Lord to answer?
* Have you been believing that someone you LOVE would come to know Jesus?
* Have you been in pain, or been sick, and you are crying out for God to make you well?

Continue praying on your own, but also turn your prayer requests into a symphony before the Lord!

Always remember, JESUS says, when two or three gather…I AM THERE! (and the sound is beautiful music to His ears)

Click on the link to hear a perfect illustration of this blog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXAqVIT65fE

* Symph Ne - Taken from the book PRAY BIG by Will Davis Jr.

The Line

Last week I was flipping through the channels and came across the movie Field of Dreams. I will spare you the details, but if you haven't seen one of Kevin Costner's best movies, go get it!

Now, I will tell you that the basic plot revolves around a character named Ray (Kevin Costner) building a baseball field in the middle of his Iowa corn crop. The reason? The field exists so ballplayers of baseball's past can live out their dreams, just one more time, on the diamond. The catch? None of the ballplayers are alive anymore! They walk onto the field as ghosts from the outfield corn, and some narrator whispers things like, "If you build it, He will come."

I love this movie! Yes, it is a sappy baseball movie, but it has so many great story lines. I could literally use it for so many message clips. Here's just a couple themes.

1. A man who operates on faith
2. A man who steps out of his comfort zone to act on his faith.
3. The importance of second chances.
4. Helping others realize their dreams.
5. The importance of the father/son relationship.

I could go on and on...but I won't.

But there is one particular scene that hit me right in the gut...hard! I have seen this movie so many times, and honestly, I NEVER got it! The scene involves Archibald "Moonlight" Graham. As a young ballplayer he only had one appearance in a major league game and was never allowed to bat. He was released after that game, and would go on to attend medical school and become a family doctor for a small town.

The movie 'Field of Dreams' steps in and gives Moonlight Graham the opportunity to play baseball with many of his childhood idols. As a former baseball player, the idea of being given an opportunity like that is definitely a dream! However, in the middle of Moonlight Graham being given his dream, Ray's (Kevin Costner's) little girl falls from the top of the bleachers and stops breathing. No one knows what to do...Someone call a doctor! Moonlight Graham rushes to the edge of the Field of Dreams and his toes come right to the edge of a line. The line represents a choice. Does he continue to live out his dream, or does he step across the line and follow though on what he is equipped to do.

Archibald 'Moonlight' Graham steps out of his dream and saves the little girl. Why? Because that's what God made him to be...a doctor.

This scene hits me on multiple levels.

I loved to play baseball...but God had other ideas.

I love to sing, write and record music...God had other ideas.

What's interesting is, God gives me little opportunities to play in my own little 'Field of Dreams' every once in a while. Sometimes it's a fun baseball game in a wood-bat league in Nashville, and other times it's a phone call to put a band together for entertainment at a fundraiser. I LOVE doing those things, and when I am in the middle of those "dreams" I can't help but think of what life might have been like if my real dreams had come true.

But then my cell phone rings...My toes walk up to the edge of the line...do I step over and continue the dream or do what God made me to be?

I step over the line...I'm in the real world...I'm a pastor...and I love it.

One of our church members is going through a difficult time and they need prayer...I pray for them over the phone, immediately!

Ray (Kevin Costner's character) would say, "Oh no Josh, you can't go back! I'm sorry, you can't go back!"

My response, "It's alright...This is what I'm here to do."

What about you? What is your "Field of Dreams"?
Aren't you glad God has you right where you need to be.


P.S. You can view the Moonlight Graham clip here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6bD23vEigE

Josh

My Friend Ray

I don't have many memories of life before meeting Ray Thompson. I do remember that I lived in Harvey, IL for a while, and I also remember a flood that happened in my neighborhood when I was around 4 years old, but not long after that Ray came into the picture. We attended Wolcott School together in Thornton, IL, and he was one of my closest friends. When we were old enough, I would wait every morning for Ray and Adrian Lomeli to walk by my house so I could join them on the way to school. When school ended we made the trip home together as well. When I watch "A Christmas Story" I get all nostalgic watching the adventures of Ralphie, Flick, and Schwartz as they went back and forth to school in the winter. THAT WAS MY LIFE with Ray and Adrian!

I always loved being around Ray. Our group of friends took every opportunity to play sports together. Whether it was playing "fast pitch" baseball (with a tennis ball) against my garage, meeting with a group of guys in the field next to Ray's house to play football, or being together on the Wolcott basketball team (which, by the way, was the greatest team to ever play at Wolcott School), we ALWAYS enjoyed being around each other. You see, the awesome thing about Ray is he always knows how to make you smile, and that makes you want to be around him. I often describe him to people as "the funniest person I have ever known." He just has a way of saying humorous things that make you laugh until you're crying. Some people have told me that they think I am funny, but in the back of my mind I just think, "Well, you haven't met Ray."

We went through high school together, played football and baseball together, and I even had a chance to visit him a few times during our college years, which created some of the funniest stories of all time. He was an usher in my wedding, and I sang three songs at his (I didn't just sing them, he and his wife asked me to). What's my point you ask? Well, I just want you to understand how much I love Ray. It's not just a word I throw out in passing, I genuinely have a "brotherly" love for Ray. If there was an emergency and he needed me to drop what I was doing and help him out, I would do it, and I know he would do the same for me. 

I have a heart for Ray...but now Ray needs a new heart.

Not too long ago Ray was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. I'll spare you all the details, but it basically means that at the tender age of 35, Ray is in need of a heart transplant. This diagnosis has put a tremendous financial strain on Ray, his wife Amanda, and their three children. Medical bills, missed time at work, and plenty of other family needs have created a huge financial vacuum in Ray's world. Simply put, he needs our help, and I am committed to helping him.

My friends and I have been putting together fundraising opportunities so that people from all over can help out the Thompson family. There will be raffle drawings, sports memorabilia auctions, business sponsoring opportunities, culminating in a HUGE fundraising event on Saturday, September 7th at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, IL.

I will be traveling up to Chicago with a group of Nashville musicians so that we can crank out some fun cover songs from the 90s, 00s, the hits of today...And it's ALL FOR RAY!

Would you please click on the links below and consider contributing to this wonderful family. Your contribution would mean more than you could ever know!

Thank you so much!

http://www.raisingforray.com

http://www.raisingforray.com/rafflesdonations

http://www.raisingforray.com/event

Back to the Future

"The future....I'm gonna need to check this out Doc," Marty said to Doc Brown in one of my favorite movies trilogies of all time, Back to the Future. The future is scary, especially when we start to see it unfold. I don't know about you, but when God begins to pull back the curtain to show me how His plans for my life will unfold, I get a little nervous. Well, really nervous...FINE, downright SCARED! All types of feelings well up inside of me. Insecurity and unworthiness, sprinkled with a dash of the devil's attacks that are quick to say, "You have sinned WAY too much for God to use you!" Sometimes it makes me wish I could be Marty McFly so I could just jump in my DeLorean time machine to escape.

Isn't that what the devil wants us to do? Run away! Escape! Go back! All of these strategies are used to render God's plans ineffective. Not ineffective because Satan can stop God, but ineffective because we're too scared to let God use us. But God keeps reminding me of something. He knows the plans He has for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me. He plans to give me hope and a future! Oh yeah, and since I love and trust in God, He is working for my good because I am called according to His purpose.

So, whenever you find yourself feeling like you are not good enough for God to use you. Or, whenever you feel like filling up Mr. Fusion with garbage so that you can reach the necessary 1.21 gigowatts to travel through time, just remember, God put you right where He wants you to be. He blesses your future...so go check it out Marty!

Josh

Relaxing at Disney

(singing)

M-I-C-K-E-Y  M-O-U-S-E!

Ah, just humming the melody to this song can bring a smile to the grumpiest individual, especially if that individual is standing in the middle of Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. A WDW vacation is a wonderful way to spend time with family and enjoy all of your dreams coming true! Well, some of your dreams coming true...Okay fine, your dreams may not come true but the Mickey Mouse Chocolate Ice Cream bars are amazing!

By this time you're probably asking, "What is the point of this blog?"

Here's the answer...

I have been amazed at how many times I have had to tell myself (silently, in my own head), "Just relax...It's okay...We're here to have fun...It doesn't matter that those people cut in front of me...Oh my, I should not have eaten that giant turkey leg!" I have come to the realization that sometimes vacations can be just as stressful as being at work. This stress often leads to short fuses, and those short fuses, combined with warmer temps and humidity, lead to awesome waiting line altercations. And those waiting line altercations can be funny!

One time my family was waiting for the train at Magic Kingdom. A few men in their 60s jumped the line. You heard me, not TEENAGERS, men in their 60s!!! Anyway, my first thought was, "Wow, that's ridiculous cause we're all gonna get on the train at the same time." Then from behind me a man starts yelling, "Hey, YOU...Yeah, you guys!! Hey! Where are you from?!! Cause I wanna know if line jumping is considered okay there!!"

I thought it was pretty funny.

Another time a husband and wife were enjoying themselves on the motor speedway. The wife was trying to drive but the husband was shouting instructions at her the whole time, "Step on the gas...Turn the wheel...Go faster...Don't hit the curb!"

She finally looked at him, and with all the strength and conviction she could muster she yelled, "I...AM...TRYING!"

All of this to say...let's all just take a deep breath, enjoy every moment, and not let stress shorten our fuses. God made life to be enjoyable...enjoy it!

After all (sing with me) "When you wish upon a star...Makes no difference who you are...Anything your heart desires...Will come to you!"

I'll let you all finish the rest, I'm on vacation.

Josh

Prayers

The events at the Boston Marathon really brought about a prayer explosion that could be observed throughout facebook, twitter, and the social networking world. What a difference a day makes...What a difference a morning makes...heck, what a difference a second makes!!

Think about it, before those horrible bombs went off how many people in America involved God in their life at all? I would venture to guess that far too many people were looking for ways to remove God from their lives than to offer themselves to Him. But in that one second, it all changed...Now everyone is offering prayers, and the news outlets that were once so quick to condemn any mention of God in the public arena now offer their prayers as well.

I read a post on facebook where a person wrote, "I'm not normally a religious person, but I want to thank whatever god there is for protecting my family." That single post demonstrates why God is God and I am not! I couldn't handle that type of flippant attitude. God is continually rejected, constantly ridiculed, consistently blamed, and repeatedly denied. For all of those reasons, God has every right to turn His back on this world...to reject it. Yet for some reason, he doesn't. He never does. He never will!

The fact of the matter is, a single second changed the world for so many on Monday. Hearts turned back to God, and they found that God was right there waiting. Who knows how long prayers to God will be offered by so many, slowly fading away as people return to comfortable lifestyle's that have no need for Him. But his unconditional love will not fade, and He will always be there...ready for the masses to return in the next moment of chaos.

It is THAT unconditional love and grace that motivates me to LOVE and SERVE my God at ALL times. In good times and bad times. In peace and in chaos.

I offer my prayers to those who lost loved ones and to those who were injured in Boston. My heart breaks for them and their families. But my heart also breaks for those who have no understanding of what it truly means to have a daily, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. My prayers go out for them as well.

Josh

Starting from Scratch!

Okay, I guess I'm not completely starting from scratch, but it kinda feels that way sometimes.

One of the hardest aspects of youth ministry is that you spend large amounts of time with young people who just keep growing up, up, up, and up until they move on, on, and on! After a while, it gets hard to say goodbye! In some ways, it's like going through my own personal empty nest syndrome every graduation. All the lock-ins, retreats, and mission trips together are now only memories...and I can only pray that God developed their hearts as our adult leaders poured their hearts into them.

The starting from scratch feeling comes when a whole new group of young energetic faces come into the group. (in the form of middle school students) They haven't experienced anything yet. The immaturity, craziness, lack of self-control, and not really taking the whole "relationship with God" thing serious yet, etc, etc, etc...It's all there! It creates that continual process of starting over for the leaders, but you know what, that has a tendency to keep things exciting! And the fact that they come to our youth center makes it all such a blessing.

Here's a secret: Sometimes starting from scratch leads to awesome new creations. I think that is exactly what is going to happen with our new youth group, and I can't wait to see the results!

Josh