I remember hearing about his untimely death when I was a young boy just 6 years old. I remember listening to his vinyl records in our home as I was growing up. I remember listening to certain songs over and over again, allowing the words to penetrate my heart. Keith Green had a profound impact on my young life. Later, as an adult, I read his life story in the book No Compromise by his wife Melody. Just a couple of weeks ago, we sang one of his songs in church, and I turned to my wife and said, “Keith Green’s songs are as powerful today as they were when he sang them live.” Tonight we watched the DVD version of his story with our small group of senior high students, and had a conversation afterward. Almost 32 years after his death, Keith Green continues to have an impact in the world.
Why I Was At A Strip Club Last Week (It’s Not What You Think. Watch Before You Judge) …
My hunt to find where people are praying big, ridiculous, audacious prayers led me to a point in the Bronx, NY last week. Hunts Point, to be specific. Even more specifically, I found myself standing outside a strip club talking to my friend Reggie Stutzman, pastor of Real Life Church. You won’t believe what he’s daring to ask God for! Watch our interview.
Claudia Speaks at High School Club
My oldest daughter Claudia is so awesome! Yesterday I had the privilege of listening to her speak at her high school Christian Club. She is a great young speaker, and shared her story so clearly, courageously pointing her peers to Jesus. God is doing good things at Roslyn High School, and we are so proud of her!
Dying for Christ vs. Living for Christ
“It’s easy to die for Christ. (My Insert: And, as my friend Duffy Robbins adds, You can only do that once, and it usually occurs right before the end of your life.) It’s hard to live for Him. Dying takes only an hour or two, but to live for Christ means to die daily. Only during the few years of this life are we given the privilege of serving each other and Christ … therefore we must not waste the opportunity.” – Sadhu Sundar Singh
Disturbing Compassion
“Jesus’ compassion is characterized by a downward pull. That is what disturbs us. We cannot even think of ourselves in terms other than those of an upward pull, an upward mobility in which we strive for better lives, higher salaries, and more prestigious positions. Thus, we are deeply disturbed by a God who embodies a downward movement. Instead of striving for a higher position, more power, and more influence, Jesus moves, as Karl Barth says, from ‘the heights to the depth, from victory to defeat, from riches to poverty, from triumph to suffering, from life to death.’ Jesus’ whole life and mission involve accepting powerlessness and revealing in this powerlessness the limitlessness of God’s love. Here we see what compassion means. It is not a bending toward the underprivileged from a privileged position; it is not reaching out from on high to those who are less fortunate below; it is not a gesture of sympathy or pity for those who fail to make it in the upward pull. On the contrary, compassion means going directly to those people and places where suffering is most acute and building a home there. God’s compassion is total, absolute, unconditional without reservation. It is the compassion of the one who keeps going to the most forgotten corners of the world, and who cannot rest as long as there are still human beings with tears in their eyes. It is the compassion of a God who does not merely act as a servant, but who expresses the divinity of God through servanthood” (pp. 24-25).
“… Nobody finds anything wrong or strange with attempting to help people who are visibly lacking the basic necessities of life, and it appears quite reasonable to try to alleviate suffering when this is possible. But to leave a successful position and enter freely, consciously, and intentionally into a position of servanthood seems unhealthy. It is a violation of the most basic human instincts. To try to lift others up to our own privileged position is honorable and perhaps even an expression of generosity, but to attempt to put ourselves in a position of disrepute and to become dependent and vulnerable seems to be a form of masochism that defies the best of our aspirations.
“Something of this attitude appears in the expression ‘helping the less fortunate,’ which frequently can be heard from the mouths of those who ask or offer aid. This expression has an elitist ring to it because it assumes that we have made it and have gotten it together while they simply have not been able to keep up with us and need to be helped. It is the attitude which says: ‘Fate is on our side and not on theirs. But since we are Christians we have to lift them up and give them a share of our good fortune. The undeniable fact is that the world is divided between the “fortunate,” and the “unfortunate” ones. So let us not feel guilty about it, but reach out as good people to those who happen to be on the other side of the fence.’ In this way of thinking compassion remains part of competition, and is a far cry from radical servanthood” (pp. 28-29). (emphasis mine)
Compassion by Henri Nouwen, Donald P. Mcneill and Douglas A. Morrison
Your Plan vs. God’s Plan
Got this via Facebook today. So good and so true!
Prone to Love – Book Review
My college roommate Jason Clark has done it again. Through humorous storytelling he draws us into spiritual insight and understanding in his new book Prone to Love. Jason is passionate about understanding God’s original design and helping people live within their intended relationship with God. In the book he explores the nature God and His character as loving Father, and seeks to help us understand our identity in light of the revelation of who God is. When we truly grasp the nature of our heavenly Father we will not live as children trying to sneak out of the house in pursuit of other things we think will fulfill us, but will rather be drawn more and more into the depths of His love and a deep desire to live to bring Him pleasure. We will find ourselves prone to love Him with our all.
I highly recommend you pick this book up and give it a read. It has the potential to transform your view of God, yourself, and how you live your life.
I received this book for my honest opinion and review.
Check out my thoughts on Jason’s first book Surrendered and Untamed here.
Another Gem from N.T. Wright: After You Believe
He never ceases to amaze and challenge me to the core! N.T. Wright has done it again in his book After You Believe. It’s a tremendous book on Christian character that casts a vision for habits of the heart that manifest in God-honoring actions. By living lives of worship and mission, we can literally implement the new creation that was begun in the resurrection of Jesus, anticipating in the here and now , the ultimate goal of history: the whole earth filled with the glory of God.. “The full reality is yet to be revealed, but we can genuinely partake in that final reality in advance. We can draw down some of God’s future into our own present moment” by how we live (pp. 65-66). Fantastic!
Vertical Leap
In his book Vertical Leap, legendary New York City basketball player Bill Rieser takes us on the journey of his life thus far. Growing up in a single-parent home in Brooklyn under a level of prejudice due to his mixed ethnicity, Rieser found himself disillusioned by the experiences of his childhood which left him confused and searching for his identity. The one thing that he discovered he was good at, and which he received recognition from and affirmation for, was basketball. He quickly gravitated to the legendary NYC playgrounds where he developed his game. Eventually his skills on the court led him to success in the high school gym, and he was recruited to play college ball, and had high hopes of a career in the NBA.
Due to injuries and other issues, however, his college career turned out to be a lot less than he had hoped for, and after only a brief shot at trying to keep his dream alive after college, Bill’s dream of playing professional basketball was soon over. His search for identity, however, was not. Married with a young family, he sought significance in his work, in extramarital relationships, in drugs and alcohol, and in gambling, all of which left him more and more empty.
Then, everything came to a head. His wife discovered Bill’s infidelity, and he found himself at a crossroads. Through the series of events that followed, he ended up surrendering his life to Christ, reconciling with his wife, and discovering the purpose of his life, which he continues to pursue to this day.
As Rieser tells his story in the book, he points to the many lessons he has learned along the way, and challenges readers to consider their own lives, and what God offers them in a personal relationship with Christ. He discusses truths of the Christian faith and shows how basic Christian practices can empower us to live life to the fullest.
Rieser’s story was captivating, and the book was an easy read. It was encouraging and inspiring, and I would recommend it as a gift to someone who is seeking meaning and significance in life – particularly if they have an affinity for sports, specifically basketball. It would also be good for people who are on the treadmill of seeking their identity in their work or through the things Rieser was dealing with (substance abuse, affairs, gambling). A men’s group might also enjoy reading it through together.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Aaron Rodgers Shares About His Faith in Christ
Yesterday I had the privilege of going to the Super Bowl Breakfast with my friends Dominic and Chris. At the breakfast we heard from many NFL Hall of Famers and players, and saw Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers receive the Bart Starr Award. It was a tremendous event, and so great to hear Aaron share his faith and about the people who have impacted his life – including his parents and his Young Life leader.
REVKEVJR.COM 