I like what I see...

So we had our big kickoff this past Sunday. It was a great time - lots of new friends, excitement and some outstanding coffee (Starbucks Thanksgiving Blend gets 2 thumbs up).

But the best part was watching the people God has brought together at Passage. We're not a huge church, but the folks sure did step up. People always talk about the 80-20 rule or the Pareto principle - which says (among other things) that 80% of the work gets done by 20% of the people. What I saw on Sunday was that the 80-20 rule is not necessarily the case. At LEAST 80% of our folks were involved in serving, leading, getting it done in some way.

Some carried on with things they've already been doing - and raised the bar. Some found new ways to serve, and found out they're more gifted/talented/ready than they thought. Some others got a chance to share unique artistic abilities - dance, playing and singing, film, animation - and we saw glimpses of what can be in those arenas as well.

It was a fun day to be a leader - because we saw the results of helping people find their place and setting them free. We didn't have to wonder if the kids would be well taken care of. We didn't have to worry whether the band would be prepared or the guests would be welcomed. There was no question about the quality of our signs and printed materials. And because all of them did so well with all of that...

I got to do my part. My part included dealing with a few unexpected bumps along the way and also teaching the scripture as we addressed the issue of fear in our culture. I gotta tell you, it is fun to get to do your part because everyone else is doing such a great job with theirs. I got to see the church as Paul describes it when he talks about all the different parts of the body doing their thing so that the whole body functions rightly.

Sunday we got a look into the future of Passage. It was beautiful. I think I'll stick around...

Vision...

So we're gong public in a couple of weeks. On November 8, Passage Community Church will announce our presence to the world - or at least to Northeast Albuquerque.

As we prepare for going public, we're thinking about some important things - who we are, who we want to please, what we're about, what we want to accomplish. And what the future looks like.

This think called vision is pretty important - the Bible says that without it, chaos reigns. A clear vision is a critical step to addressing the future and really seizing it. So we talked about vision this past Sunday. Click on the title to hear our message on vision - and drop a comment if you have a thought. This is pretty important stuff, but if we get it right, the future looks sweet!

Lessons From the Canyon Trip

We just returned from a great trip to Northern Arizona. We saw some sites and explored some canyons, and even learned a thing or two. Here's the first installment...

Friday morning - our first attempt at leaving a campsite. There’s no substitute for doing things the right way!

Packing up and closing the trailer down goes well. We get the foldouts in, batten down the hatches and secure the cargo. After I raise the corner jacks, its time to hook up to the truck. This is the easiest thing I’ve ever done...

I ask Kris to guide me as I back up to the hitch. She does a great job! After we achieve perfect alignment, I get out and begin to crank the hitch down onto the ball - it stops halfway. No problem, I can handle this! I look closely and see that our alignment is not quite perfect. I clearly need to take charge of this part of the operation. I put Kris in the pickup and direct her minor adjustments - a trained eye will solve this problem in no time..... or not.

Now there’s a line of three vehicles trying to get out - and the truck is blocking them; so I pull out and drive around the loop - attempt number two.

Kris is busy, so I recruit Haylee to guide my backing. She, does a great job! We again achieve perfect alignment, but I’d better take a look - after all, she is a girl. I go back to crank the hitch onto the ball, and you guessed it, it freezes about halfway down.

AAAAGGGGHHHH!

Now I’m starting to think this trailer hitch is just a bit demanding. I’ve done this at least five hundred times in my life, and I’ve never had a problem like this! As I take a few deep breaths to prevent the combustion of my head, I look to the left.

These two guys are sitting in a pickup with a trailer hitched on back and looking at me like I’m the idiot missing from the village. Behind them are two more units and I know what they’re all thinking. I also know what I’m thinking... If these guys offer me any advice, they’re dead men. I refuse to let a couple of rv geeks sit there and watch me stuggle any more, so I jump in the truck and go around the loop again. I promise I never exceed the posted speed limit. No, really...

As I arrive back at our campsite, I hear Haylee updating Kris on the situation. Kris reclaims her role as guide, and I back toward the trailer - attempt number three. If it doesn’t work this time, we’re taking up residence at Canyon De Chelly. I can homeschool these kids and live without electricity - I wonder how long it’ll take to learn Navajo...

Kris guides me back and we get that perfect alignment again (yeah, right). I jump out of the cab, brimming with confidence and attack the crank with a vengeance. Haylee is watching in rapt attention, and Kris is staying out of the way. We watch the hitch as it lowers onto the ball. Yes, yes, yes....

No. I send Kris back to the driver’s seat and we make a few more adjustments. No dice. Are you kidding me? Super man, Paul Bunyan and an MIT engineer couldn’t get thins thing to fit! Who designed this piece of...

Hang on.

Kris (situated again in the driver’s seat, achieving surgical adjustments to the position of the ball hears me scream. So do the people at the visitors center up the hill, and the two ancient Navajo women living in the bottom of the canyon five miles away.

“Idiot!!”

“What?” asks Haylee.

“What?” calls Kris?

But I’m not saying a word. I simply stand up, open the camper shell, reach in and pull out the receiver hitch. You know, the one with the two-inch ball. The one that slides into that square opening UNDER THE BUMPER! The one I took out last night so it wouldn’t get stolen. The one that fits the (insert term of endearment here) trailer!

“What’s up”? wonders Kris.

“Uh, could you pull forward about a foot?

“A foot?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Okay, this is where living with civilized people is hard for me. I just want her to move the truck forward a foot. I don’t want to tell her why. I don’t want to tell her that she’s been married to an imbecile for twenty years - she may not know yet!

“Could ya just pull up right quick?”

“Okay.” (She has no idea what a good decision she just made.)

Now, back to Haylee. My seventeen-year-old daughter has a dilemma. She’s stuck somewhere between laughing hysterically (because she just realized how dumb her dad is), hiding behind the camper (because she thinks I might combust) and running to the driver’s door to tell her mom the great story. Poor kid.

I look at her and the goofy smile fades from her face. She freeezes. “Is dad gonna laugh or cry or scream?”

I think I did all three. And that’s how it is.

You see, it doesn’t matter how badly I wanted that two-inch hitch to fit that two and five-eights inch ball. It wasn’t ever going to happen. Because it isn’t true. It isn’t right. It doesn’t work.

And here’s what I remembered: that’s how it is with living by faith. Living by faith works because the things of Jesus are true. Life by faith does work, because it is all true, and true things work.

Lots of times, people want things so badly that they forget they aren’t true:

“If I give him what he wants, he’ll realize that he loves me.”

“I know the Bible says to be a one woman man, but I can make this work.”

“If Jesus had these kids, he’d have given us different rules!”

“I believe it, but this is just too hard.”

The beauty of living by faith is that we aren’t on our own. Jesus doesn’t just guide us or control us, He empowers us. And I’ll tell you something true. When you get the right size ball on the right size hitch, it all comes together.

You Are A Great American...

Have you heard that one? Conservative talk-show hist Sean Hannity uses it all the time. Whether you agree with his views or not, he raises an interesting question....

What makes a great American?

Here's what I've noticed. Most of us view a great American as someone who agrees with ME on what is best for America! Sean's list of great Americans is probably not very similar to the list of his TV partner Alan Colmes. So who's right? Both, neither, one of each...?

I think this view shows us where our country has landed. We want what we want, and we like whomever will get it for us. We want to be acknowledged, included, cared for... and right. Anyone who provided those things for us is likely to be viewed as a great American.

What we don't see many of are people who put others first. People who do and call us all to do the hard things that will make America great in the long run. We see it in our politicians - regardless of party - who's goal is to get elected, then get re-elected. We see it in those who want to be taken care of and in those who want to take care only of themselves. We see it in society, business, education and even in church. So I wonder..

What would Jesus tell America? What advice would the greatest human ever (and some guys he talked through) give to you and me and our country? How about...

"Whoever wants to be great among you must become your servant"

"Seek first the kingdom of God...and all these things will be added to you"

"If a man wants to eat, he needs to work"

"True religion is to care for widows and orphans"

"If you want to come with me, you need to deny yourself"

"In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free"

"Love your enemies"

"Love your wife, respect your husband, obey your parents..."

Want to be a great American? Then become a great person. A great person is one who realizes that Jesus is your only option, and allows Him to have his rightful place in your life. If we all learned to treat people the way Jesus taught us to treat people; then our city, state and country would be great, and no one would have to wonder anymore what it takes to be a great American.

What do you think?

Passage Is About Love...Love Is About Action

Click the title link to hear Cory's message in our Passage Is series.  Love that is real takes action.  That's what Jesus has called us to, and that's what Passage Is.

Thoughts on Facebook

I'm trying to decide what I think about Facebook (and all those other social networking sites).  I like how you can get on there and see how people are doing.  I like hearing from friends who are far away. It's a great way to check in on people we care about and even minister to / serve each other.

On the other hand, Face book can kill relationships.  It can insulate us from engaging face -to-face with people in our own community.  In fact, i just got a call from my friend Josh in Tennessee, and he brought this topic up - wierd, huh? He was talking about how the relationships we can have on computers and phones aren't the same as the ones we can have with the people we live with - the neighbor, the waitress, the barista, the teacher, the student, the co-worker, the parent, the child... you know those guys.

I think Facebook is like a lot of other things in life.  It is an in and out deal.  here's why...

Because you get out of it what you put in it.  My wife is always talking with friends and encouraging people and hearing the latest family news on FACEBOOK!  I hardly ever hear anything from anyone!  Apparently, the key is actually being present on Facebook once in awhile.  Just like all other relationships in life - family, church, school, community - you get out of it what you put in it.  I think the point here is that we need to put a lot into relationships, of all kinds.

It is also an in and out deal because, like all forms of technology in our culture today, it is tough to get out of once you get in.  I saw a study that said American kids spend like 45 hours a week engaged in some kind of technology.  TV, computer, cell phone, etc. can all become addictions.  When that happens, we can get completely removed from interaction with the real people Jesus cares about.  Bad deal.  

Maybe Facebook is like ice cream - it is really tasty, but a truckload will just make you sick!  Anyway, you can drop me a note on Facebook if you want to, or send me a text or e-mail, or even call me on the phone.  But if its all the same to you, let's grab a cup of coffee and do something together.  I want to see you face!

PASSAGE Is... Action

Click on the title to download this weeks installment in the Passage Is series.  This one is about action.  Scripture teaches us again and again that life with Jesus is an active life, not a passive one.  Often, those who seek and/or claim to follow Jesus seem to want to do life from a box seat instead of on the field.  

This next Sunday is the Super Bowl.  Arizona and Pittsburgh will meet on the field to decide who is the champion of XVIII.  What I've noticed is that a whole lot of people who WON'T be on that field are talking about this game and using the word "we".  You know,  "We're gonna win on Sunday."  "We're gonna destroy you guys."  "We're gonna bring the trophy home to Phoenix."

Now I'm as big a sports fan as the next guy, and I've talked about the Broncos or Sooners or Lobos and used the word "we" lots of times, too.  But the truth is, the only real we in the deal is the guys on the teams.

For those of us who love Jesus and want the life He has for us, the same thing is true. The only place this life really works is on the field.  Faith is not an academic exercise - it is a way of life.  And I've found that faith is a whole lot more real when it is lived than when it is studied.  What do you think? Give a listen and let us know.