In the next 5 minutes and over the next year

HT whoami?

We've been trying. Trying to step out on faith into what God is doing around the world. Trying to make a difference as a small group of people wanting to see the world change, to "Do Something!" Trying to shine a light into dark places in our neighborhood and around the world. And last year we saw God bless our efforts.

But... after watching that video one thing is obvious.

We need to do more. To do that, we need more people. More people who love Jesus and love people and want to change the world. More partners here at New Hope and more sister churches involved in sharing the love of Jesus with the poor and those in need.

We're praying for God to send those partners our way, but we're not waiting for them to show up. We're going out after them. Our outreach plan for this year is the most aggressive ever, and the ministry we'll be able to look back on at year's end will literally save lives around the world. Conversations that we are going to have with people about what God is doing and how they can get involved are going to call them to come and follow Jesus too.

Can I ask a favor of all you who will read this?

Would you pray for us as we go and serve?

We can't let the world continue to be like it was the last five minutes.

Do Hard Things

Just finished reading Alex and Brett Harris' book "Do Hard Things - A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations", and I am seriously impressed with this book and its authors.

The premise is that generations since WW2 have created a period in the life of people that didn't exists before "teenager", and that as a result have created an artificial rest state when it should be advanced training for life. The authors woke up to this while still teenagers themselves and decided to start a "Rebelution".

As a pastor, I am so heartened by this book's call to the young men and women in our churches to step up and step out for God. Seeing teens waste those years and wander away from God has always brought heartache for me. As a father, I wish I could have put this book and that mindset into the DNA of our family when our boys were in that stage of their lives.

I strongly recommend this book for anyone who works with teenagers, or who parents them. It is actually written for the teens themselves, by teens, so maybe you could buy a copy for your teens and read along with them, getting together to discuss what the book's impact on you is from each of your perspective.

Now I need to go and write a "Rebelution" book for Boomers like me. :)

DO SOMETHING!

What I'm Reading

Okay, I haven't finished Moby Dick yet. I HAD to take a break.

So I hit Amazon up for some books for me to read and pass along. I got a copy of Francis Chan's "Crazy Love" that immediately went to Amy, and two copies of "Do Hard Things" by the brothers Harris -one for John Anderson, and one for me.

I ordered it out of a Spirit-led conviction that we need to set higher standards for our boys at New Hope. Girls are on the way already, but we might get some help here too. What if our children and youth ministries were tightly focused on leading to Jesus and leading out into living Him out? Exciting stuff here.

Couple of other books I got.

"Why does God allow suffering in the world?

How could a loving God send people to Hell?

Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive?

How can one religion be “right” and the others “wrong”?

Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God?

These are just a few of the questions and doubts even ardent believers wrestle with today. As the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Timothy Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced “doubts” skeptics bring to his church as well as the most important reasons for faith. And in The Reason for God, he addresses each doubt and explains each reason.

Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and reasoning to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth."

and


"Too often we see people react to what they don’t like about the church. In "From Eternity to Here," Frank Viola offers up the doctrine that causes him to act on behalf of the church. Make no doubt about it, Frank is a provocateur and an artist—and both come through in this book. Frank continues to challenge the church-at-large with a powerful mind, an impassioned voice, and a love for the bride of Christ. You need to get this book and wrestle with Frank through the biblical passages regarding our identity in Christ as His body and the mission our God has entrusted to us."
-Ed Stetzer, author of Breaking the Missional Code