The tomb of Jesus

So the Discovery channel is going to air a special on the tomb of Jesus. This, of course, has created quite a stir, on both sides of the argument.

I don't really know what to make of the whole thing because no one is doing any kind of unbiased reporting. Everyone presenting a case has an agenda. So I think I will watch the special, wait for the brew-ha-ha to settle down and then do some research on my own.

Wouldn't it be nice to turn on the news and get the news and not someone's editorial opinion or commentary?

Updated 3/1/07
Found on Emergesque. The Washington Post writes"

"Leading archaeologists in Israel and the United States yesterday denounced the purported discovery of the tomb of Jesus as a publicity stunt."

Full Post article here.
So it sounds like there are some folks who are trying to do some honest research and writing on this thing.

Depression and Restoration

My friend Bill taught at church last night. He was creative. He was insightful. He was real. He spoke from his heart about some hard stuff. I resonated with so much of what he said. As I looked around the room, it appeared many others did as well. His whole message was less than 15 minutes but man, did he pack alot into that brief span. It is well worth the time. You can listen to it or download it here.


technorati tags: depression

SNOW DAY!!!!!

It snowed here in the Northeast last night. At right Kayos and the George Kids chucking snowballs at the camera guy. That snow man is approximately 6'4" tall, okay, we got a little carried away.














I remember eating snow as a kid but not quite like this.

It's back to school for them tomorrow.

Faith in the Suburbs

As a college student, I swore I would never end up in suburbia. I would never drive a minivan. I would never fall prey to consumeristic mindset that exists especially in the suburbs of NYC...well you get the idea.
And here I am. I took this photo earlier this year while dropping Jared off at preschool. There is no photoshopping involved, every car in the photo is an SUV or minivan.
The mental image of this picture has stuck with me. It makes me think that God has a sense of humor. It makes me think that my plan probably isn't the best plan. It makes me think , if my part to play in the mission of God is in the suburbs than who am I to argue.
I bumbled onto a blog yesterday called The Suburban Christian. I love the description, "...The better we understand how suburbia shapes us, the better we can shape suburbia." So I think a change in mindset began back when I accepted the call to go on staff at Crossroads. For me, that meant that we would be in the suburbs indefinitely. Let me clarify one thing: I don't believe for a second that you have to be in full-time ministry to be on mission with God. It's just for me that's where my journey has taken me. But I digress, as I see images like the one above, as I read blogs like the Suburban Christian, as I meet and talk to people who are hurting and poor in spirit in starbucks, on the sidelines of a soccer game and at the grocery store, the mindset of being sent to the suburbs continues to take shape.

And then I heard the voice of the Master:
"Whom shall I send?
Who will go for us?"
I spoke up,
"I'll go.
Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8

technorati tags: suburbs Christianity missional

Tuesday Miscellaney

• The boys are on vacation this week and Gail isn't. So we had boys day today. Video Games and Wings for lunch and a snowball fight for dinner. That's the good stuff

• I saw an ad today for a conference called Buzz. The tagline asked "Is your church Buzzworthy?"I recognized some of the speakers from other conferences or blog references and they are "very successful" pastors of large churches. Something about the sound of "Is you church Buzzworthy?" struck me as well...just wrong. Is your church serving the poor? Is your church caring for the hurting?Are your church doors wide open?Something there's got to be a better yardstick to measure your church with than "Buzzworthiness."
  

I have actually watched more American Idol this season than I care to admit. I think Mr Seacrest actually enjoys his part in the plight of those poor folks who never had anyone care enough about them to tell them they couldn't sing. He enjoys the drama he "creates" a little too much. I don't make light of peoples' eternal residences. That said, I think there is a special place in hell waiting for Ryan Seacrest.

Miscellaneous catch-up

After several bouts of the flu I believe my family is finally on the mend.

My usual blogging time has gone to administrating an online discussion of Dallas Willard and Jan Johnson's Renovation of the Heart in Daily practice for Crossroads Community Church.

We have begun the process of taking our extended leadership team through Gallup's Strength Finder Assessment. The concept is to identify your strengths then build on your strengths rather than try to "fix" your weaknesses. According to Gallup, there is no data, anywhere to show anyone, ever, converting a weakness to a strength. The best you can hope to do is get that weakness up to average. But identifying strengths and letting people loose to utilize those strengths is where things to start to explode. The assessment provides you with your top five talent themes. My top five are: Maximizer, Achiever, Connectedness, Competition and Belief. In English, I have the ability to take good things and people and make them great, I work my ass off, I see everything as happening for a reason, I thrive on being challenged by others and I have a strong set of values which shape everything I do. More to come on Strengths Finder as we begin the process of identifying and letting people loose.

I spent quite possibly the coldest weekend of my life with 300 high school students at Young life's Lake Champion. It was a solid weekend. I got to know some kids that are relatively new to our programs. The weekend also provided a great opportunity to connect with some kids who haven't been around much lately.

Gail continues to rock at Grad school. She brought home 3 A+ and an A for the first semester. She was upset about the A.

Jake's second grade teacher decided he needed to take the rest of the year off. So twenty 7-8 year olds are now trying to figure what to make of their new teacher. Jake is a not big fan of change. Neither is he a big fan of school. Throw those two things together and it has made for a tough couple of weeks.

I was able to score opening day tickets for the Yankees. Jake was stoked.

We cancelled club tonight, our weekly high school program, due to the weather. I will take my leave of you now to enjoy a glass of wine, some video games and Lost with Gail.