Easter Eggs? Easter Bunnies? What is up with that??

So many of our holidays have strange elements. Easter is no different. I am not talking about new shoes or a new Easter hat. I am talking about Easter Egg hunts, Easter baskets, and Easter bunnies.


I grew up in a home with that unusual combination. I raised my own kids that way. So what is the big deal?


There is actually an interesting history to this story. In 325 A.D. Roman Emperor Constantine "Christianized" the Roman Empire. For Christians who had been slaughtered by this empire for centuries, this change must have seemed to have been a welcomed relief.


But like every change, there is always the law of unexpected consequence. Constantine took the Christian practice of Easter and wed it with ancient fertility cult practices. To the untrained eye, one can tell the similarities. Jesus comes out the tomb and give new life, in much the same way that flowers burst forth out of barren soil and show that spring and new life have returned.


The egg and bunnies are obvious symbols of fertility. Easter is the story of new life in Christ. So what is the problem?


When religious beliefs or practices, become wed to secular ideas, religion suffers.


A recent CNN poll gives us a snap shot of religious belief.  74 per cent of Americans believe in God. 72% believe in miracles and 68 per cent believe in heaven. It also tells us that 42% per cent believe in ghosts, 29% believe in astrology, and  26% believe in witches.


Here is the one statistic that rings most true. 19% of all Americans believe themselves to be highly religious.


That seems much more believable than people simply saying they believe in God. The sad thing for me as a minister is that these per centages are dropping; and dropping quickly.


We live in a nation with a civil religion. We live in a culture where you can believe in God and ghosts; witches and miracles, astrology and the power of prayer.


For many people is just another day in their civil religion. They will nod toward God and some will even make their way to church. They will buy new outfits and gorge themselves on Sunday lunch. They will wake up on Monday and little has changed.


That is the world we live in. And much of that began with an Emperor who saw nothing wrong with wedding bunnies to the tomb.

Why can't we laugh at ourselves anymore?

Stephen Colbert has to close down a satirical foundation called: Ching Chong Ding Dong Foundation of Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever.


It was shut down because of outraged political activists who were offended by the gesture. If you were to read the name of the foundation out of context, you would probably find it offensive too.


With context, it makes much more sense. Colbert was making fun of Daniel Snyder, wealthy owner of the Washington Redskins, for setting up a foundation to support the team's controversial nick name.


I should probably care more about the Redskins name, but I am a Cowboys fan. I can only hope that their refusal to change the name brings for them decades of bad Karma.


What this latest incident shows is that Political Correctness run amuck takes the fun out of life. Colbert, John Stewart, Lewis Black and others like them, come from a long line of political satirists. Mark Twain and Will Rogers are two of the brightest and most engaging Americans to spin a yarn or turn a phrase. They would have found Colbert's response funny. They would have understood it for what it is...satire.


I have recently reengaged social media. Facebook is fascinating to me. Sarcasm, irony, and satire are lost, if not hard to come by, in this venue. I have developed only one rule. If I have to put an emoticon or a an "lol" behind something I write on Facebook, then it just does not need to be said.


We have simply lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. Why is that a problem? It means we take ourselves too seriously. That is arrogance in the most virulent form.


So I close with a joke. How many Baptist preachers do you invite to go fishing with you? The answer is two. If you invite one he will drink all your beer and claim to have caught the biggest fish.


As a recovering Baptist preacher I give you permission to laugh. A the great comedian Larry the Cable Guy says: "I don't care who you are...that's funny."

Why is common ground so uncommon?

There is very little dialogue these days. There is even less healthy public dialogue. What we have is a culture where talking heads speak to other talking heads. The idea seems to be if I yell enough and repeat myself enough then what I say must be correct or important.


An article about the movie Noah encourages Christians not to attend. They do so by labeling the director as an atheist. It would have been nice if they had dialogued with the actual content of the movie instead of labeling by libel.


Comedian Bill Maher calls God as a mass murderer. It is consistent with who he is and what he believes, but it was also great for ratings.


Where can a person find common ground for conversation when there is a lack of civility and courtesy? Have we lost the ability to listen? Have we lost the ability to allow someone the chance to be heard?


This now creeps its way into church life. We as Pastors find ourselves reviewing curriculum and setting guidelines for small group discussions in the church setting. It seems that common ground and courtesy have even lost their way in our local congregations.


I had someone share a story from a mega church this week. The Pastor was preaching on a fairly controversial political topic. I struggle to imagine what biblical text he used to justify preaching about it. An angered congregant stood up and called him a liar and stormed out of the building. Where did this person learn this behavior? I am not sure, but it was modeled for her a few years ago in our own congress.


Church should be a thermostat and not a thermometer. We should set the expectations for ethical behavior, discourse, and dialogue the way a thermostat determines the environment in a house. In stead we seem to reflect the behavior of our culture and we are no different than the world around us.


How we say what we say says as much about us as what we say.

What would the Shark Tank say about my new church?

I usually blog about current events and topics that are interesting to me. I want to blog about something a little more personal today. I want to write about a church that I Pastor that we started January 1st, 2014. It is called The Path to the Cross Church and we are located in Northwest Houston.


I really like the show Shark Tank. If you have never seen it the premise is pretty simple. Entrepreneurs come on the show and present their businesses and ideas to a group of multi-millionaire/billionaires. The "sharks" can be gracious if the business idea has real potential and the presentation is well done. If not, they can be brutal. It can also become contentious if several sharks begin to bid on the same business.


I have become really intrigued in recent months because for the first time in my life I am an entrepreneur. My wife and I decided to start a new church in late October 2013. Armed with a dream and a handful of potential members, we launched a faith based business.


We had no real business plan. What we had was 35 years experience in ministry on my part and 30 years of accounting and business experience from my wife. We had no money in the church account and no members. In a way it was crazy. It has been the best crazy thing we have ever done.


We began meeting in our home. A dozen people became fifteen people and soon we outgrew our home. That is when miracle number one happened. My wife's boss offered for us to use his facility. ABC Home and Commercial Services is a high profile business on the Sam Houston Parkway. It has a huge meeting room, smaller rooms for small group studies, and a kitchen for our fellowships. It is easy to find and parking is very convenient.


On the first Sunday we had 30 people. By the first week in March, we had 59 people attend on a Sunday morning. How have they come? Word of mouth, Face Book, LinkedIn, a podcast, and signage have led people our way. The church is growing and offerings are growing as well.


The other night I wondered to myself...what would happen if I went on Shark Tank and asked these men and women to support our church financially? What would I say in my presentation? What would their questions be? How would I explain some of the things that have happened that could have only occurred by divine intervention?


The truth is that The Path is an entrepreneurial enterprise. It is also a church. We should do our best to follow the very best business principles that we can. We should also.  remember that not everything about a church fits on a balance sheet. Their are resources and provision that just cannot be explained.

Hollywood and the Bible...It is a strange marriage

In the next few weeks we will have the opportunity to see at least three movies with biblical themes.


"Son of God" has been out a couple of weeks, earning at least $45 million dollars. It was actually already seen on the History Channel last year and this was a part of that original series. I spent hours reviewing the whole series on godsfavoritepodcast.com. You can hear my comments about the movie in the sections where we deal with the life of Jesus. In one of those podcasts we actually say: "You know, they could make a movie out of this part alone." ...and they did.


What is of interest to me is how they marketed it. They did not use the traditional movie approach. They went directly to churches. They encouraged churches to "buy out" movie theaters. This approach seems to have worked well enough. Mark Burnett made another $45 million dollars on something people could have watched on tv for free.


It is intriguing that there is a sub set of Christians who will support almost any movie about Jesus. The response to "The Passion of the Christ" was even more rabid ten years ago. To not see the movie was almost "un-Christian." Robert Parham writes a great editorial on this at ethicsdaily.com.


It will be fun to watch what happens with the next two movies as well. "God is not dead" is almost a remake of the Scopes Monkey Trial, only this time the question is the existence of God and the setting is a secular college campus. Having taught philosophy at a community college, I am intrigued to see how the whole scenario plays out. I am also interested to see how Duck Dynasty star Willie Robertson fits in the picture.


The movie I am most anxious to watch is "Noah." The lead character is portrayed by George Clooney. It has a stellar cast and a huge special effects budget. Like the epic "The Ten Commandments" which came before, it promises to be epic.


Read the fine print before you go. My paraphrase of the television commercial is this: "Though we have taken great liberty with the biblical text, we think we have captured the spirit of the story." This really is nothing new. Watch "The Ten Commandments" again; this time with a bible in one hand and a remote in the other. Hollywood has always taken liberties. Even "The Passion of the Christ" was a much more Catholic rendering of the story than most viewers realized.


My curiosity is the way in which "Noah" is laid out. Will the movie reflect current thoughts on life and death, responsibility to one's neighbor, and even global warming and climate change or will it reflect ancient Jewish thought and theology? I am willing to invest a few bucks and catch a matinee. Unfortunately, unlike watching from home, I will be unable to throw my pillow at the screen when they same something really stupid.

Faith, Food, Fitness, and Focus

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. For several years I have taken on the spiritual discipline of Lent. It is the idea that we "give up" certain physical habits or patterns and we "take on" certain spiritual disciplines. All of this is meant to sharpen our focus as we head toward Easter.


It was a Catholic priest, Father Richard Neuyer, who showed how little effort and time I spent toward preparing for Easter. His question was simple: "How can you celebrate on Easter Sunday, if you haven't grieved through Lent?"


I have chosen to take on "The Daniel Plan" for my Lenten discipline. It is a book by Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, and several Doctors.


My inspiration actually came from Colin Cowherd of ESPN television. He spoke one day of how small choices make huge differences. Two cookies a day can mean two pounds of extra weight at the end of the year. Two pounds a year for thirty years means a person is obese. It is not the occasional binge that gets us in trouble. It is a series of small bad choices repeated over and over.


The book is built on four interconnected principles. Rick Warren says that all four are necessary for success; and better yet, their is a synchronistic and geometric benefit is all four areas are addressed carefully and passionately.


So here is my plan:


Faith: I will spend thirty minutes a day in intentional prayer and devotion time; not in sermon prep or church work, but just time alone with God.


Food: I will eat the foods laid out in Daniel chapter one, as practiced by Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. I will eat fruit, vegetables, and water.


Fitness: This is one area I actually do well. I walk two miles every day with my dog. I will just double the laps.


Focus: This is the tough one. Not sure this one will work itself out. I will let you know.


I hope that you would choose to embrace Lent. Not sure what your needs are, but it is a good pursuit.

A Baptist Seminary in Lebanon?

I had the chance to meet a man named Nabil Costa last week. He works for the Arabic Baptist Theological Seminary in Lebanon. His is an incredible story,


I had to confess to Nabil that I did not know nearly as much about Lebanon as I thought. It is a small country. It is roughly the size of two to three good sized counties in Texas. Lebanon has coast line, forests, mountains, and dessert. There are three million Lebanese inside the borders of this country. One third are Christian, One third Sunni Muslim, one third Shia Muslim.


Lebanon lies due north of Israel. Because of conflicts with Israel in the past, Lebanon's relationship with the United States is tenuous at best.


But tucked away in the middle of Beirut, there is a small group of people with a global vision.


They tape bible studies and put them on satellite television for all the Middle East and North Africa to see. They have a high school in the heart of Islamic Beirut. Islamic parents willingly sign a release allowing their children to be taught the Bible. They do this in trade for the quality of education their children will receive.


They have sixty students in their seminary. These are pastors from all of over the Middle East and North Africa. Their belief is simple. People in Tunisia will respond better to a Tunisian Pastor than an American Missionary.


They also have an incredible opportunity at their doorstep. Almost one million refugees have flooded Lebanon from war torn Syria. Most of these are Islamic people. Christians in Lebanon are at the front lines distributing aid to these Muslim refugees. Being able to put aside political differences for the good of people is admirable.


I will lead a group of ministers and laity to Lebanon this September. It will be a trip which will try to raise awareness of the issues Christians face in this part of the world.


It is one thing to be a Christian in Texas. It is quite another to be a Christian in Beirut.

Frank Underwood...Hero or villian?

It seems that the world sits still on Thursday evenings at 9:00 p.m. That is when Scandal airs; and it will return at the end of February in all of its glory. I would agree that Kerry Washington is a woman of immense talent and beauty. The banter is wicked and fast and the ensemble cast has chemistry. Having said all of that...


For best drama portraying politics in Washington...the winner is...House of Cards! In a land slide.


Season two came out on February 14th. I guess this done so all the singles who did not have dates could watch all thirteen episodes and end up in a chocolate induced, ocular fixated coma, with a subtle smile etched on their faces.


Kevin Spacey is brilliant at portraying Sam Underwood, Democrat congressman from South Carolina. Don't let partisan politics keep you away. This is no West Wing liberal slant. Underwood could be LBJ or Tom Delay. I think he is probably some combination of the two.


Underwood's wife is the stunning Robin Wright who you might remember as "Jenny" in Forrest Gump. Well "Jenny" has grown up and is a tour de force as the congressman's partner and political confidant and silent conspirator. Her Emmy last year gives testimony to her immense talent.


Season 1 is a must if you want to understand the story lines. Thanks to Netflix you can watch all thirteen episodes at your leisure; commercial free. If you want to know what the future of television looks like watch these episodes on your computer or I-phone at Star Bucks and you are there. I have grown so weary of commercial interruptions on regular tv, that this seems like a guilty pleasure to watch all of this uninterrupted and at my own convenience.


The dialogue moves quickly so you will not want to multi task. There are a couple of "tricks" used in story telling that are intriguing. First of all, Frank Underwood narrates much of the story. He breaks the fourth wall and looks directly at the viewer as he narrates the action. This is not Ferris Beuller. This is not SNL. Frank Underwood looks at the screen and speaks to you and somehow it works.


The second trick of the trade is that text messages appear on the screen. If your television is small like mine, prepare to move close enough to see. If not, you will miss crucial dialogue.


There are no charachtures like you find in Scandal. Is there any more annoying character in all of television than Cyrus Beane? The acting is much more subtle and understated in House of Cards. It takes awhile to begin to like these charahcters. They are not easy to like, but like most protagonists, you find yourself rooting for the Underwoods.
This is grown up television. It is not meant for children or young adults. There is not nearly as much violence or profanity as; let's say, a Martin Scorsese movie, but it is present.
Some might watch this and wonder if there is any redemptive quality to it, other than the obvious excellence and craftsmanship of the show. It is a story of power and corruption. Perhaps it is a cautionary tale. That will not be clear until the end of the series. Until then, this can be enjoyed in much the way the Godfather series was. It is of a world that only a very few of us will ever know, but something about it resonates.
Maybe it is because we feel so powerless at times, that we cheer for someone like Frank Underwood. Rather than giving into those in power, he takes and ceases it.
But in the end we are reminded of Lord Acton's famous quote: "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I am a flag waving American

It is time for the Olympics again. There is the song with kettle drums and trumpet fanfare. There are the five rings, where supposedly, every nation's flag is represented by at least one of those colors. We have athletes who amaze us with their talent. We also have the medals; gold, silver, and bronze. Oh yeah...and we have politics.


I was fanatical about sports as a child. I especially loved the Olympics; but they were always tainted. I was unable to understand as a seven year old why a black man would raise his fist in the air. I watched in horror as Jewish athletes were taken from their dormitory and killed. I was disappointed  when differences could not be resolved and that conflict led to the boycotts of 1980 and 1984.


In those days it seemed that every victory was a national tribute and every loss a disgrace; especially against Russia. The basketball travesty in 1972 was erased by the Miracle on Ice. The cold war of my child hood elevated [or deflated] the Olympics much beyond such a sporting event. This was war.


I watch the Olympics with new eyes. I see the joy of athletic competition. I watched a sixteen year old snow boarder from Stowe, Vermont. My wife and I had coffee at the snow lodge where she learned her craft. She fell on her second run, lost her chance at a medal, shrugged her shoulders and smiled. She will be back in four years.


This was no national incident. It was a sixteen year old who gave it her all and fell just a little short...and I was proud. Not just proud to be an Amercian; but proud of her and her work ethic and her ability to put aside the "agony of defeat" and soak in the moment.


There are still politics. There are fears of terrorism. Accommodations have been woeful in places. The Russians have accused American reporters of reporting these issues to disparage Russia's good name. In reality, we as Americans are somewhat spoiled and reporters are used to having toilet paper and light bulbs. Go figure.


The problem goes deeper than politics. Adults have a way of "projecting" their emotions onto young athletes. What would posses a fifty year old man of wealth to call a nineteen year old basketball player a "piece of crap?" Why would people send death threats to an Alabama kicker for missing a field goal against arch rival Auburn? Why do parents of nine year olds scream at their children at Little League games?


Sports give us an outlet. They allow us to project our anger and insecurity and fears and frustrations on athletes who could not care less how we think or feel. Brad Creed once said: "A college basketball game is 10,000 horribly out of shape fans yelling at ten kids to kill themselves for the sake of glory of their beloved institutions."


Surely we can rise about such sophomoric behavior? Probably not. But this much I know.


The Olympic Games are at their best when they are just that. Games.

What Happens When the Moral Majority is Neither

I was a student at The University if Texas in 1980. It was a time of social upheaval in the United States. When I would walk through the West Mall I would listen to impassioned speeches and hear students debate the issues of the day. There were tables set up like the one I sat behind. We were from the Baptist Student Union. Next to us was a table from a group known as Freedom From Religion. Those were great days that shaped my thinking and my world view.


One day I saw a guy wear a t-shirt. The logo said: "The Moral Majority is Neither." It was a reference to Jerry Falwell and a new kind of Christian involvement in politics. The moderate/liberal approach of a Southern Baptist Deacon and peanut farmer from Plains, Georgia was being challenged by a group of conservative Christians who backed candidates like Pat Robertson and the actor turned politico Ronald Reagan. I am not passing judgment on Jerry Falwell, I am just simply saying it is the first time I remember asking the question: "Is the majority always moral? always right?"


I had always lived with the mind set that most people were really alike and the majority view was usually; if not always, the best way. I soon learned that the majority is often wrong. For example; I believe in just war theory. This leaves me in the minority much of the time when it comes to global conflict, but I would argue that more times that not I was on the right/moral, side of the conflict.


I was thinking today about Copernicus who was excommunicated for believing that the world was round and that we are not the center of the universe. I also wonder how generations five hundred years from now will look at the 21st Century Church and shake their heads in disbelief at attitudes and beliefs which are outdated, narrow minded and just plan wrong.


Mark Twain said: "When you find yourself on the side of the majority it is time for reflection."


My favorite social commentator these days is Colin Cowherd. He often says: "I look to see which way the crowd is headed and I head in the opposite direction."


For example; the masses were for Denver. People who bet on the game chose Denver two to one. Denver was a 2 1/2 point favorite. My friend John looked at me right before kick off and asked me this question: "What do the experts think?" My answer? "The wise guys are all in on Seattle." The rest is history.


This is not a blog about betting or football. It is the realization that crowds are easily swayed, People rarely challenge authority. The masses are lazy. They look for affirmation and not information. Too many assumptions are taken at face value. The crowds don't challenge popular thought, they just follow.


It is no wonder that the biblical metaphor used most often of humanity is that of sheep, It is not a compliment. Sheep are basically one taco short of a combination plate. They blindly follow.


So Mark Twain was right. When you find yourself in the majority it is time to take stock. You could be ok, but chances are...

August: Osage County

Last week I snuck out and watched a movie. It was an "ice day" that turned out not to be so icy. I had cabin fever and the afternoon prices fit my budget, so I set off a two hour diversion. Friends had raved about this movie, so I was anxious to see it.


This movie was said to be in the comedy/drama genre. That begins to set expectations. Parts of the trailer seemed funny as well. Once you saw the movie you realize that the trailer was funny only when scenes were taken out of context.


The movie is based on a Pulitzer winning play of the same title, written by Tracy Lett. The cast was amazing. When you see names like Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Sam Sheppard, and Juliette Lewis, you know this has the potential to be something amazing.


I watched the movie in the hope that I would have an epiphany or moment of clarity, or at the very least; a really good sermon illustration. I did not find any of these.


The story revolves around a dysfunctional family named Weston, who live in the rural plains of Oklahoma. These people of the land are blessed with a cultured patriarch who is a poet, and some manner of wealth, even if that is in land alone. These advantages are not enough to offset the hurricane that is the inappropriately named Violet Weston.


Meryl Streep is at the top of her craft portraying the aging matriarch who is ill with cancer and deeply addicted to pain pills. Mrs. Streep has played powerful characters in the past few years and you always find a way to be terrified and drawn to them at the same time. Whether it was Amanda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada or Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, you find compassion for deeply flawed and even abusive characters.


Such compassion never came for me in this film. In many ways she was a victim. We find out about her husband's unfaithfulness and secrets the family has tried in vain to keep from her. One wonders if the pain inflicted caused Violet to become a monster or were the wounds self inflicted.


There is a scene in the home after a funeral, that is both horrifying and hysterical, The problem is it seemed almost irreverent to laugh. It is here when all the chaos comes into full focus. I kept wondering when someone would stand up to Violet and bring an end to this ordeal that felt claustrophobic and unbearable. It is put to an end by eldest daughter, Barbara Weston, portrayed by Julia Roberts. The problem is that in bringing the scenario to an end she looks like the mirror image of the one she abhors. Violet has spawned her own nemesis and she is as scary as the original.


Woven through this narrative is the story of an extended family. You have a daughter who is beautiful but naive and has failed at love countless times. Her fiancé is a drug addict who personifies mid life crisis. Oh yes, he is also a pedophile. The sister is almost as evil as Violet. There is almost no redeeming quality in her at all. Space does not allow us to even scratch the surface of Julia Robert's on screen husband and daughter,


There were two characters in the movie that were captivating. There is one of Violet's daughters, who stayed in Oklahoma and took care of her mother. Ironically, Violet's worst venom is saved for the child who took care of her. She is portrayed by Julianne Nicholson. This daughter is socially awkward and shy and secretive, and wonderfully compassionate. When she is on screen you are drawn to her like a magnet. You rejoice when she is happy and hurt when she is wounded.


The best performance of the movie comes from Chris Cooper. He plays the role of Violet's brother in law. He is the only voice on sanity in this movie. His character is one where you wonder what would he be like in a functional family. His nuanced performance stands is sharp relief to the manic performance of Meryl Streep.


There is another member of the cast that is angelic in her role. She is the house keeper. She watches over this family. ignores the abuse and in the end is left to try and put together the shattered pieces. The one who has the least invested ends up paying a heavy toll.


So what can we say about this movie? Would I go see it again? Should you go see it?


Before spending your money, realize these things. The language is coarse. The action is intense. The dysfunction is unyielding. This is "The War of the Roses" comedy, not a "When Harry met Sally" comedy. The performances by actresses and actors are worth the price of admission. There is something to say about appreciating art for art's sake. Oh yeah...this is not a date movie.


I will go see it again. I am in hopes that I missed something.


My major issue with this movie is simply this; there is no redemption. There is no catharsis. There is no growth or change or development or deeper understanding. There is no hope.


I don't like movies that give no hope. I thought I liked edgy movies. This one left me wanting something more. Maybe I will find that the second time around.

Winning Isn't Everything...

Two teams will take the filed this Sunday in a quest to take home a trophy. This is not just any trophy; this is the Lombardi Trophy.
There is a great two part special on Vince Lombardi. It airs on the NFL Network. It tells the story of a young Italian football player who put aside fears. failures, and racism, to become one of the  most recognizable names in all of football.
Like all great people, he is amazingly complex. How does a man who felt called to the priesthood become a coach? How can a man who attended mass 365 days a year, also become a man who was feared by opponents and team mates alike? How could a man who was a leader of men struggle to love his wife and had a daughter who hid in the basement when he came home?
Lombardi's quest for greatness was attained. His Green Bay Packers won five NFL titles in nine years. He won the first two Super Bowls. His "coaching tree" had broad limbs and deep roots.
All of that came at a great price. Like a President of the United States, he aged before our eyes. A fit muscular frame was replaced by a fragile physique which was limited by pain and ulcers. It took it's toll at home. His wife became an alcoholic to cope with long periods of rejection and loneliness.
Vince Lombardi is famously quoted for saying: "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing."
Fast forward 46 years. Mark Driscoll is a famous pastor in Seattle. He interviewed some Seattle Seahawks and asked them this question: "Who is Jesus?" A coach named Rocky Seto said that Jesus is better and bigger than the Super Bowl. Those of us who are theologians might answer: "Well, of course He is!" But in a football crazed culture like ours, it is good to hear someone with a little perspective. They joked of cutting that from the video. His reply? "Hopefully we will win and I will still say: "Jesus is still bigger and better than the Super Bowl."
The best line of the video was from Driscoll however. He said: "We give Jesus our worst and we get back His best."
Vince Lombardi gave the NFL his best. He received a lot in return; but he also paid a heavy price.
When we come to Jesus we give Him our worst. We give Him our sin and failures and disappointments and we get love and grace and mercy in return. As a good friend of mine said: "You can't out give God"
I would never minimize the importance of winning or excellence. Playing or working without passion and a desire to win does not bring glory to God.
It is nice to know; however, that there are people on the field Sunday who understand that there is a bigger prize to be won.

Does stress create charachter or reveal it

I truly enjoy sports. In a media world where plots are painfully predictable and reality shows are anything but real; there is a venue where outcomes are not predetermined and story lines are rich.


Such was the case this Sunday. Peyton Manning was playing against Tom Brady. Brady has the upper hand in head to head matches. Manning owns the record book. A strange twist happened last week. Peyton found himself needing a win to salvage his legacy.


When one thinks of all that Peyton has done, why is his legacy vulnerable?


Two reasons. First; at this level, Super Bowl rings are all that matters. Second; we have a short memory. Peyton, we know you have one ring, but what have you done for us lately?


This evaluation comes at a time when media people did a survey. The man who is most trust worthy in the NFL? Peyton Manning. At least part of his legacy is secure.


Manning and Brady battled. Both played well, Manning was better. Manning was gracious in winning. Brady was gracious in defeat. This is exactly what we expect from our heroes. We want Herculean effort and the grace to accept the outcome.


The NFC game was a different matter. These teams do not like each other. These coaches really do not like each other. Their rivalry goes back to college coaching days. It was strength versus strength. Will versus will. Mano a mano.


With the game on the line, Collin Kapernick throws a potential game winning pass to the back corner of the end zone. Richard Sherman was guarding Michael Crabtree for the 49ers. In this moment of ultimate stress, character was revealed. Sherman tipped the ball away and it was intercepted. Game over. Sherman won his individual battle ad the team was headed to the Super Bowl.


Then the stress of the moment revealed a deeper flaw. Sherman taunted Crabtree. The taunts continued after the game. It was a classless performance. It tainted a great effort by himself and his teammates.


The story line is now set for the Super Bowl. Sherman is the villain. Manning the hero. The NFL could not buy this type of press.


So here is the question. Is Sherman a bad guy or was this just a bad moment? None of really want to be judged by our worst moment do we?


Well, now he has a chance at redemption. He will be tested by Manning. There will be two tests for Sherman. Can he defend passes from one of the greatest arms in history? Can he handle himself with grace; despite the circumstances?


America loves to tear down its heroes. America also cheers the repentant hero who is redeemed. Only time will tell. Is it too much to hope that it all comes to down to one play...Manning versus Sherman...the hero and the villain? That seems too simplistic doesn't it?


I will be pulling for Manning. I have to. My life loves him. I will also be pulling for Sherman. I would love for him the chance to show us that he is not willing to be defined by one bad moment.

A Day in the Life

Marilu Henner was one of my teen age crushes. I loved her on the television show Taxi. Obviously she was older than me, but her personality was and still is magnetic. You might not know this about Marilu, but that claims to have Hyperthymesia; which is the ability to remember almost every day of one's life in great detail.




Most people with this ability are able to remember some days with greater clarity than others; such as birthdays, Christmas, and holidays.




My question for you is this: "If I offered you this gift today, would you take it?"




I have a friend who is taking chemotherapy. Last week was filled with nausea and vomiting. Some days you would just as soon forget.




I have another friend who is getting married at the end of the month. That is a day he will always remember.




Today is my wedding anniversary. I can remember in vivid detail everything I did that day. I had lunch with my dad and soon to be brother-in-law. The wedding service is fresh in my memory. I remember the reception at Goode and Company and how luxurious the suite was on our wedding night.




Today is a day to remember and be grateful. It is also a day to reflect. Questions like this arise; "How can I keep the romance alive, so that every day is remarkable?" Does that seem a little sappy? I hope not.


I am a part of an unusual fraternity. I am a cancer survivor. From time to time people who are diagnosed with cancer call me and ask for help. It causes me to dredge up bad memories, but if it lightens their load it is worth it.




But, cancer is not all bad; at least not in my case. When you survive a bout with cancer there is a renewed and profound appreciation for life. Every day is a good day when the clock is ticking.




So what will you do with today? I will go a buy a card, take my wife to dinner, and tell her how much I love her. It is my wedding anniversary day.




What if you surprised your spouse...your child...your friend? What if
 you got them a card and took them to dinner. Tell them you love them. And when they ask you why you did all of this, simply say:
"just because."




Some days that is good enough.

When New Year's Resolution Run Amuck

Anyone make a New Year's Resolution?


Anyone already broken a New Year's Resolution?


Any idea which two resolutions people are most likely to make on January 1st?


Lose weight and drink less.


For weeks we gorge ourselves and so when the holidays are over, suddenly moderation is the number word in our lives.


Why do we fail to keep these resolutions? Here are a few reasons.


1. Most resolutions lack real thought and contemplation. They are reactionary rather than being proactive. When making a resolution take time to take an inventory. What are my true priorities? Ask question like this: "What kind of person am I?" or "What kind of person do I want to become?" or even, "What can I do to make this world a better place?" These question produce good resolutions.


2. Most resolutions are unreasonable or unattainable. For example; "I need to lose fifty pounds." The goal is so daunting and intimidating, that people are overwhelmed and fail quickly.


 I knew someone who wanted to be debt free in a year. Great goal! The problem? His debt was greater than his income. He needed to set intermediate goals that took him to the greater goal.


A better goal might be: "I want to lose twelve pounds by April 1st." That is one pound a week. That is doable. Do that four times in a calendar year and you will have lost your fifty pounds by 2015.


3. Most resolutions lack balance. Most are physically and employment related. I just read friend's face book post. She wants to read 16 books this year that will be made into movies. That goal is creative and growth oriented. It also guarantees that her husband will need to take her to the movies.


If you haven't made a resolution yet, think about making four goals. One goal should be physical, one is mental, one is spiritual, and one is fun. That kind of balance helps develop the whole person.


My resolutions?


Physical: Eat better. That begins by eating at home more. I am trying to eat more fresh fruit when the sweet tooth kicks in.


Spiritual: Daily devotions. Not just bible study, but reading for my own spiritual growth. I am reading a great book entitled: Holy Adventure: 41 Days of Audacious Living...just for me.


Mental: I am learning new tasks. I have jumped head first into the social media world. I am doing podcasts, face book, blogs, and soon hope to do twitter. Learning to do to these well and intentionally is a new skill for me. I am having to learn and ask for help. It is nice to be stretched.


Fun: I need to work on that one. Without hard play, hard work is just a bore. I will let you know when I make that decision.

Getting Started

I have decided to start a new church at age 53. Actually, I feel God has led me to do this. This call has been affirmed by people as crazy as I am. We all believe that God is not through with us and there is a need for a church like ours in Northwest Houston.

Did you ever see the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?" The movie is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The plot is strange and complex. Benjamin Button is born as a baby that looks like a decrepit old man with many maladies. As he ages he grows younger.

In some ways I feel like Benjamin Button. Starting a church at 53 seems counter intuitive. A pastor told me at a golf tournament recently, "starting a church is young man's work."

What happens when your career trajectory goes backwards?

The problem might be with how we define success in ministry. For the first 30 years of ministry, I was always on an upward trajectory numerically. Even when I left the pastorate, I ended up on a church staff that averages 7,000 in attendance.

Last week I preached to thirty people. I can't remember having a better time. We had prayer requests shared out loud. You could never do that at a large church. We had youth serve communion. We stayed and enjoyed breakfast snacks and were not in a hurry to get home.

Go figure.

What would people say if Nick Saban left Alabama and went to coach high school football? What would people think if Yo Yo Ma left his career behind and began to teach personal lessons to under privileged kids in Brooklyn, New York?

We might wonder what happened, or if a screw was loose.

I am not sure that what I am doing makes sense. I just know we had church last Sunday. I believe that there are people who want to go to a church like ours. I believe that people want to get past all of the glitz and glamor of 21st century church and remember what it is like to be at a place where people know your name.

We know we are not a church for everybody. But, maybe we are the kind of church you are looking for.    Ed Hogan