These are document from the Michigan District Church of the Brethren 2011 District Conference.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments concerning either of these documents.

We have been traveling quite a bit since being back in Michigan and I don’t expect we will be done for awhile…especially during these summer months. With kids and travel comes those famous words…”are we there yet?”. Just like long car rides, life can get us asking the same question sometimes. Let me remind you (and me) to enjoy the journey and realize the process is so important-not just the destination.

Ok, here’s how to look at this:  Exercise is meant to build your muscles, increase your stamina, lessen your risk of heart disease, etc. etc.  The work that you do in your workout…no matter how little or much…should be improving your life.  The actions you do, however, should be useful in life.  In racquetball, for example, you learn how to move and think quick.  These benefits are helpful in daily situations.  One of the benefits I have appreciated in the short time I’ve been doing decent workouts is being able to lift more bags of groceries to carry them into the house for my wonderful wife…because I started doing curls.

Exercise can teach us so much about the Christian life:

1.  Self-discipline. Read Paul’s words from 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.  Exercise takes self-discipline.  As you try to run or walk farther and farther each time out, you need to really have self-discipline to continue.

2.  You can go farther than you think. God has given us the strength to stand up and persevere every day (cf., 1 Cor 10:13; 2 Cor 4:7-9).  You might not think that you can lift that weight one more time but, as you push through, you find that you can.  It’s been said, “It’s all in your mind.”  In many ways I believe that.  Have you ever got really strong at running or walking a certain distance but then went out to go less distance and found that the lesser distance was hard to finish?  I have.  It’s weird how that works.  God has given us strength in our every day to stand and live for Him in all trials and tribulations.  Don’t give up!

3.  If we are exercising wrong, we are going to hurt ourselves and/or waste our time. If we are disciples of Jesus and not living in obedience to Him then we are going to mess ourselves up and waste our time.  I saw a guy at the gym almost killing himself doing an exercise.  He was huffing and puffing and turning red.  It freaked me out.  That might be a good analogy for when we do things our way, really trying to make it work.  We could end up killing ourselves (figuratively and/or literally) and wasting a bunch of time.

Can you think of any other ways exercise can teach us about the Christian life?

Oh, I hope this encourages you to get out there and exercise at least a little bit every week if you are not doing so already.  Start with a little and build from there.  Paul said to Timothy, “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8)  So train physically and in godliness!

At a different point later on in time I heard “balance” being referred to as being “lukewarm”…in reference to Christian living.  ”

Balance is just another way to say lukewarm for Christians…we cannot be lukewarm!”  Now I understand that balance could be, in certain settings, used to basically mean “lukewarm.”  ”You are too fired up about Jesus…you need to get a little balance in your life.”  I hope that we all can identify, at least to some degree, when we are living lukewarm.

My contention is that the PROPER understanding of balance should be applied to the Christian’s life.  Here are a couple reasons why:

1.  Balance means moving from one perspective to an UNDERSTANDING of many perspectives.  The body of Christ is diverse…we need to gain an understanding of our different perspectives…and learn to love each other for (and perhaps in spite of?) those differences.

2.  Balance means not falling into either ditch on our journey with Christ.  Define the ditches in whatever you want: too liberal vs. too conservative, too “open” vs. too “closed,” too “free” vs. too legalistic, etc. etc. etc.  I hate to resort to labels but I hope you understand what I mean.  Can we learn to understand the spectrum, calling out the errors within it in love and humility, avoiding those errors ourselves, and find more balance in ourselves as we live in the body of Christ?

Ok, so these are just two of oh so many examples of why balance is important.  Perhaps these could be refined and defined better but I think they make a good point.  NOW, what are some other reasons why balance is important in the Christian life?  Post your thoughts.

- One of the most beautiful places to sit, pray, read, and reflect on God and His goodness.  I’ve had so many great times just sitting alone in the ORU Prayer Gardens.

2.  THINGS I’LL MISS ABOUT TULSA: Warm weather…period. (posted on FB, April 8th)

- Hot weather, on the other hand, is not so fun!  I have always told Liz that I’ll take the 100 degree + weather in the the summer for the the great mild weather in the Fall, Winter, and Spring.

3.  THINGS I’LL MISS ABOUT TULSA: ORU Chapel… (posted on FB, April 8th)

- Two times a week for four years.  Amazing speakers.  Worshiping together with a couple thousand people.  Yeah, ORU Chapel has been great!

4.  THINGS I’LL MISS ABOUT TULSA: Nordaggio’s… (posted on FB, April 8th)

- Nordaggio’s (Nord’s) became a regular meeting place for me from very early on.  My good friend Dan and I met there weekly for a LONG time (sometimes irregularly…for like 2 years..?).  The coffee is great.  The atmosphere is soothing.  There are many coffee shops out there…Nord’s will always have a special place in my heart…the coffee shop from “seminary days.”

(above and below: pics from Nord’s)

5.  THINGS I’LL MISS ABOUT TULSA: Mosaic at Jenks Church (posted on FB, April 10th)

- I was there when discussion about starting Mosaic began.  I remember when Dan first brought up the idea

to me over coffee.  Mosaic, since its beginning in January 2009, has see

n its share of changes.  From location changes, shifting in the core of regular attenders to use of technology and changing of hands of leadership–Mosaic has been a family to me.

6.  THINGS I’LL MISS ABOUT TULSA: Jenks Church… (postedo n FB, April 10th)

- We visited Jenks Church early on in our time in Tulsa.  We ended up becoming involved in the Encounter service.  I was welcomed into the band.  My family and I made many friends during our time with Encounter.  Eventually, as was mentioned above, we became connected with the new Mosaic service.  I also served for a semester as worship leader for both Encounter and Mosaic.  These were great times–working with and serving in the Jenks Church community.

7.  THINGS I’LL MISS ABOUT TULSA: The Faculty and Staff of the ORU Grad School of Theology and Ministry (posted on Twitter, April 14th)

- I couldn’t write enough here to say all that I want to say about the ORU Graduate School of Theology and Ministry.  EVERY person there is a blessing.  Faculty, staff, and students.  This has been the group that I have spent hours upon hours with over the past four years.  Classes, meetings, working, extracurricular activities, projects, in the library, parties, etc. etc. etc.  All I can say is:  THANK YOU and I’LL MISS YOU ALL!

For sale

PURCHASED!

Under Construction

We’re moving in on May 2nd.  It’s been an amazing process in getting this wonderful house.  More will be posted, in the near future, about our move.  More pictures are also coming!

As I think back over our years of living in Tulsa, I can’t help but get at least a little emotional when I realize that we’ll be leaving so much behind. I have grown attached to so many aspects of Tulsa.

I thought it would be fun to do a few blog posts about what I’ll miss most about Tulsa. There are so many things but I’ll try to narrow down the list to the top things that I will really have the hardest time leaving behind and which I have enjoyed the most.

The first post, which I will post soon, will be on Oral Roberts University. I have experienced so much during my time at ORU–in classes, through involvement with extracurricular activities, at various events, in conversations with students, faculty, and staff, etc. I will truly miss ORU.

What do you do when you are in a conversation where you don’t have much to add?  Maybe you don’t know a lot about the topic.  Perhaps you aren’t even that interested.

Some (you know who you are) generally try to find a way to participate and add their input even when they have no idea what they are talking about.  Intentions?  To fit in, to sound like you know something, to have an opinion, etc. etc. etc.  I am DEFINITELY guilty of doing this.

We all, from time to time, probably add our 2 cents when we really should keep the mouth shut.  It doesn’t add anything of value to the conversation.  It might cause frustration to others.  But what SHOULD you do?

How do you learn something new?  That is the question I have to ask when I experience someone who seems to (think they) know everything or when a person contributes to a conversation with a lot of opinions but no real substance.  Maybe it’s time to wait to talk or just not talk at all…and learn something new.  Admit (at least to yourself) that you don’t know much about the topic or issue and learn from others.  It’s a humility issue.  Humble yourself and learn.

I’m stepping on toes…my own.  Let’s all try to be wise when in conversations…considering when we should listen and when we should speak.  Hey, who knows…you might learn something!

6 Things to Do When Someone Confesses Sin by Stephen Altrogge

I would recommend that you sign up for CL’s regular e-mails.  You can receive e-mails on a regular basis concerning a variety of different ministry topics.  The articles are very practical and helpful.

Greater Righteousness in Action Part 1 – Matthew 5.21-32