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This morning my wife lovingly confronted me in the bathroom.

“I read your post last night. Don’t you think people will get the wrong idea?”
“What post?”
“The post about watching HLN & the interview with Jay Bakker.”
“No.”
“So, you didn’t really say what you thought about it. It was kind of vague.”
“I’m pretty sure people know I am for God’s love, truth, & grace. I’ve preached on these kinds of topics before.”

It’s one of the things I love about Forefront. People know we love everyone and so does God. Liars. Gossipers. Tall. Short. Skinny. Fat. Angry. Happy. People who claim Jesus. People who hate him. Vegetarians. Carnivores. Homosexuals. Heterosexuals. Prostitutes. Pimps. Navy. Army. Marines. Homeless. Bitter. White. Black. Asian. European…. It doesn’t make a difference. We love people and we point them to Jesus. And Jesus loves us so much, that he can’t leave us the way He finds us. He wants to take seat inside our lives, clean the place up, and make us whole.

This was the post she was referring to,

But it got me thinking,

“In light of God, faith, love, grace, etc— What ideas & concepts of faith am I entertaining?”

There are so many ideas out there about God. I read a ton of them.
Some are things that many pastors refuse to read.
They say it’s because the teaching doesn’t match with their faith.
If that was the case, my author pool would be narrowed drastically.
Rob Bell. Jay Bakker. John Piper. C.S. Lewis. Lee Strobel.
I’ve  disagreed with some stances from men like these, but I read their books.
Why?
Because I want to know what else is out there.
I always have a desire to hear another side of the coin.
But I also need to proceed with caution.

This practice can be troubling for many.
I would ask the question, “What are you entertaining?”
Some topics are clear and precise through the Bible.
Topics on faith, Jesus as the only means of salvation, loving God and our neighbors, drawing close to God and living a life of holiness, there is a heaven and a hell, we all have sinned and messed up, the Holy Spirit is our daily companion & help, etc.
While others are left up to the reader to decide if it’s something they should do and will this honor God or hurt God’s heart?

Should I drink?
What is a curse word? Who decides that?
Can I watch movies that are R rated and still be close to God?
Is a cigar/cigarette something I am allowed to do?
What music is wholesome and what draws me away from God?
Is it alright to be married and close to someone of the opposite sex?

Now, some of the things like this are difficult.
Jesus came to conquer our sin and we are freed by His love/grace.
It’s not a list of do’s and dont’s, but an examination of our heart condition.
Are we striving to love God more and serve God more?
I just ask you to consider,

“In your quest for God, his love, truth, and grace- what are you entertaining?”

Sometimes we want so badly to believe things about God, that we’ll search the world over to make it true in some way/shape/form. My prayer is as we search for God, we ask Him to reveal His love, grace, and truth- despite how badly we might want to put something on Him that isn’t in His character.

God is amazing, and every day I want to know Him more.
But, I never want to place my ideas & beliefs on God.
He is way bigger, smarter, stronger, and more knowledgable than me!
I want Him to teach me His ways and desires for my life.

“You know when I sit and when I rise;  you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down;  you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue  you, LORD, know it completely… Search me, God, and know my heart;  test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:2-4, 23-24 

God finds offensive ways in me daily.
I’m so glad He hasn’t given up on me and leads my heart.
I just need to learn that my thinking cannot be placed on Him.
What am I entertaining?
Well–His love, grace and truth hasn’t changed.
So the person that always needs to change… is me.

Yes.
It’s almost exactly like Marty McFly’s adventure.
Minus the Delorean, Doc Brown, his dog Einstein, and the Libyans.
Okay, so it’s not quite like Back to the Future, but… there is a couple different “yous” involved in the process.

We all deep down want to be better people. There’s a pull, shove, pushing, aching (whatever you’d like to call it)- inside of us to move from where we are to something more. At Forefront, we’d say that’s God pushing us to be who He created us to be, “World Changers.” What if you had 90 Days, where the present you was going to hold the future you accountable? Sound odd, well, you’d be right. The great part is, we never see it. It’s between you and, well… you.

So, you download this packet along with the hundreds of other people who have already received it. You read through and decide which one of two categories you fall into, you fill out your questions, fold it up, place it in an envelope, and drop it off at church next Sunday. That’s it.

For many of you, it might be the biggest step you’ve ever taken in getting serious about your relationship with God. And yes, I did say relationship. This life with God isn’t about rules, regulations, and living by a strict guideline. Living is about colliding with God’s love and grace. It was really foreign to me until I began getting serious about God.

When I did get serious… He wrecked my life (in a good way).

Jason

Oh, and for you guys looking for Back To The Future stuff and are a little disappointed, here ya go!

One of the series I look forward to the most each year is “World Changers.”
The stories that are shared always inspire me
The lives of our people constantly amaze us as a church…

• Teachers changing their students through compassion
• Bus Drivers brightening people’s day through a smile
• Navy guys building a home with teenagers in Mexico
• A group of adults taking vacation time to build a dorm in Vietnam
• Single mom that shares the love of Jesus with babies in the nursery
• Dad of five that acts out a Bible story for our elementary kids
• All the men & women who wake up at the crack of dawn to push carts and set-up for worship
• The smile of a greeter as they hand you a connection card
• And I could go on and on…

World Changers 2011 from Forefront Church on Vimeo.

I. Love. Harris. Teeter.
They treat kids like royalty.
Cart just for her (and in her size)? check.
Free balloon when you leave? check.
What? You want a free cookie too? Chiggity check!
All the employees are so nice to the kids and make them feel special.

While walking through, Chloe turns with a smile, “Daddy, is this Disneyland?”
I couldn’t contain my laughter.
“No baby, it’s a grocery store.”
“Oh, I like this place. It’s the best.”

For a brief moment, all that separated a grocery store from Disneyland was costumed characters. She was overwhelmed with joy from the moment we entered until we got in the car. Actually, she was upset we had to leave. Seriously, she was upset to leave the grocery store! What in the world?! They made it such an experience, not by going over the top, but by simply letting her know she’s special. She felt taken care of.

I wonder, how many people encounter your life,
Your attitude,
Your actions and think: “I feel taken care of. I feel special. I feel loved.”
Being around you and the church is like Disneyland!
Not because of the lights, characters, and music.
But… because they felt cared for.

When was the last time you were taken care of and made to feel loved?

There’s artwork all over our office at Forefront.
It’s a way to keep the environment fun, exciting, and inspiring us.
This is a mural we just finished in the office kitchen.
Combined it with our series posters from “Identity Theft”
There’s something so enjoyable about creating something.

Where is your outlet?
What do you create?
When was the last time you turned off the TV?
Hit shutdown on the laptop and smartphone?
Decided not to click into the DVR or Netflix?
Just sit down with an instrument, paper, pencil…
Go out to the garage and build something.
Sit down with your kids and paint. Get crazy with it.

God is the Creator of the Universe.
We’re made in His image.
You may believe the lie that creativity ends with childhood.
It’s time to break free.
Go create something.

jdel

With friends in my generation/people in general, I’m seeing a trend that really burdens my heart.
When we discuss God, they claim to believe in Him.
When we talk about being a Christian, they have made that step.
Then, the church is brought up, and I begin to hear things like…

“I really don’t need to go to church, my relationship with God is personal.”
“The church is filled with hypocrites, I would never go there.”
“The institution of church just wants my money, it’s not about the Bible.”
“I get my relationships and community without being a part of a church.”

Now, I’m a total introvert who moonlights as an extravert due to my occupation.
It would be easy for me to work at Walmart stocking shelves at night.
I probably wouldn’t speak to anyone at work or home.
I have to force myself to be social.
If we’re friends and we’ve never hung out… it’s probably my fault.
Seriously. I’m scared of calling people only to get rejected.
Me = total weirdo.

So, now put a bunch of people in a room and we’re supposed to share?
About God?
Faith?
My personal relationship with Jesus?
Um… uh… yeah. Exactly.
I would almost always result in choosing to be secluded. But, there problem is…

Church membership, for someone who claims to be a Christian, isn’t an option. Although, many people do run to the church when the mess hits the fan… they just don’t enjoy a committed relationship with the church. In the Bible, the New Testament (NT) teaches that every Christian is to be a member of a local church that is preaching the Bible, taking communion and practicing spiritual disciplines, and being led/protected by elders. Some of the other functions of the local church include serving the community locally, building up other believers, and sharing in community.

The strongest reason to not sit back like a lone ranger and engage the church, is that the church is the body of Christ (I Cor.12:12-27). When someone accepts Christ and is baptized, God does not save them in isolation from themselves and from the others in the church. He brings them all together and unites them. Through the church, God encourages each person by the teaching of the Bible and by the practicing spiritual disciplines as the early church did (communion). Through the church God provides opportunities for each person to honor and serve Him alongside all the other members of the church (Eph.4:15,16).

For a follower of Jesus to live in separation from the church, is to break the heart and very design of God. God’s plan for us is to join us together for the work of His kingdom.

This is tough for me.
I imagine this is difficult for you.
While we long to be accepted and loved, we’re scared to live in community.
Here’s to encouraging each other together.
Let’s live it out, or as we say @forefrontchurch, “Let’s Gel Baby!”

Here are some ways I’d like to challenge you…

Sundays:
If you go to Forefront and just kind of come here and there, I encourage you to make a 1 month commitment. Come every Sunday for one month. And, when you engage the service, I’d ask you to pray, “God, what are you trying to teach me today? What do I need to let go of to be closer to you? What is it that I need to do, so I can be more devoted to you?” And… see what happens!

Gel Groups:
Maybe you feel alright coming on Sunday mornings, but getting into a living room with people is too close for comfort. I want to make a deal with you- email dan@forefront.org and tell him, “Jason challenged me to get into a group, but I’m not sure it’s for me. I’m going to try it for one month and see what happens. What is a good group for me?” He will help you with a group and I promise it will change your life (this is coming from a guy who is really weird in groups, I LOVE my Gel Group and look forward to it every week).

Let’s Eat Together:
My wife and I eat every day. I know it’s a crazy concept, but we’re wild like that. How about we get together? A meal. You, us, our wild little girls, and just share life for an hour or so? No one should do life alone. We can talk more about life, Sundays, Gel, and get to know one another. Wanna try it? Don’t want to hang with us, but you’d like to eat with someone else on staff? That’s cool too. Just email: ieatfoodtooandwouldliketoeatwithyou@forefront.org (yes, that email address does rule) and we’ll make it happen.

Also, if you have any questions about Forefront or are new to the church, we’re offering ELEMENT, a class to learn about what we do, why we do what we do, what the Bible says about it, and how to be involved here. You can email dan@forefront.org or lisa@forefront.org and say “Hey, I want in on that ELEMENT Class. Jason said I need to be there!” It’s Saturday, July 16, from 9-12. It’s going to be a great time.

Until next time,
Jason

*content concerning church membership was adapted from David J. Engelsma’s book, “Bound to Join: Letters on Church Membership”

Seconds into the verdict, Twitter, Facebook and all of social networking is in a frenzy.
A few posts from people I’m friends with or follow on social networks included…

“I cannot believe it?!”
“WTF!!!!!!!!!!! Are they crazy???”
“Way to go, another G@# Damn OJ set free…”
“OMG!!! i just threw up in my mouth. I cant believe this.”
“Can I just grab my gun and shoot her now? Who is with me…?”
“I hope the jurors can sleep at night knowing they let a child killer loose.”
“I AM F*#@IN’ ANGRY! WHO DOES THIS AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!!??” UGH!”

I don’t know all the facts of the case.
I’m not her lawyer or the states lawyer.
If she did kill her child, by law, she deserves a penalty for that.
She admitted about lying to the police, she will be penalized for that.
Do I think a mother who cannot find her child should be out partying? Absolutely not.
Does her story comes across shady at times, needing a lot of clarification? Yes.

As a parent, I’m pretty certain I would do anything for my girls.
I mean swim oceans, climb mountains, battle reptiles…
Nothing short of beg, hitchhike, and grovel to keep them safe.
I’m their father. It’s my job. It’s my duty and promise to them.
So, I get a bit of the outrage people feel when they watch a case like this.
Parents want justice.
Crimes are deserving of a punishment.

But, before we start chanting “IT’S ANOTHER OJ!” (which is ridiculous to begin with)
Let’s just step back for a minute…

As a Christian, I’m reminded of a couple of truths:

I have crossed the line God has set (too many times), and because of that deserve a penalty. Romans 3:23
Though I deserve a penalty, God saw fit to save my sorry tail and show me love. Romans 5:8
Because I’m thankful for that love, I show that love to others. Actually, I’m commanded to. Eph 4:31-32
When things arise, I’ll listen way more than I talk. Being angry accomplishes nothing. James 1:19-20

I’m not sure where you’re at in your journey with Jesus.
This isn’t about rules and regulations to follow, it’s about a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. In that relationship, I’ve learned that I never have the whole story. Even when I think I do, it’s usually tainted with bias, emotion, and turmoil. As a Christian, my role is to love others, help lead people to Jesus, help hold my fellow Christians accountable when I am in the position to, and if someone walks through the doors of Forefront or I pass by them in the community… I’m to be Jesus to them. Period.

So what if a pedophile walked into service next week?
A prostitute? A murderer?
Casey Anthony? OJ Simpson?
What if it was someone who just lied a few times?
The guy that just had a little side action without his wife knowing?
The woman who just needed a fix to calm her down. But she promises it’s the last time?

Listen, I’m not saying it’s easy.
Things like this get me all worked up.
And right before I’m about to shoot out with my emotions in a heated conversation or post all over social networking and fuel the fires of the American way, I’m reminded…

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;  ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:5-8

Sometimes I need to just slow my roll… and realize I put just as many nails through the body of Jesus as the next person. It’s time for us to stop throwing daggers at people and start passing out shoulders to cry on and arms to embrace those who are hurting. When I was at my worst, that’s when Jesus died for me.

Let’s show the world Christians can behave better, show love more, and be compassionate.
I for one and glad that Jesus stands as my advocate, because even though I deserve death, I’m going to be in Heaven for eternity.
Oh, and I definitely do not deserve it.

Jason