You Are Not As Good As You Think

I try to encourage, but maybe today, you need a reminder that will bring out the best in you.

List what you think you are good at:

Marriage?
Parenting?
Communication?
Relationships?
Work Ethic?
Other?

Pick one of those areas. If you think you are pretty good, you have probably stopped growing. In spite of all of us needing: sniff, sniff, just a little word of encouragement, often a swift kick in the butt goes further.

What about the area of family relationships? Remember, you can buy your kids up to about age 11 or 12. You will be a hero, particularly if you can find Chuck E. Cheese. You can make your wife an action item on your to do list, and brag to others about your date nights. Take another look, those relationships need work. You are not doing as good as you think you are. I know I am not.

How is That Working for You? Losing Faith III

I met Dr. Joseph Tson years ago in Romania. I had never met someone who had suffered so much for Christ. John Piper (A Godward Life) tells a story about Dr. Tson.

Communist officials were searching Tson's house, in process of taking all his books. Because the soldiers needed proof they had taken his books, they took pictures of him signing each one.

At one point during the tense ordeal Dr. Tson signed a book titled Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory: Is This Your Experience Now? He asked himself that question on the spot. At that point the Holy Spirit overwhelmed him with joy. The change was so profound that he told his wife to get these soldiers some coffee, and he was freed from his anger and fear (Piper's words).

Most Things Don't Work, might be an uncomfortable overstatement. How is being a Christ follower working for you?

Break through often comes one page after faith seems not to work. Our self-love and our ability to control outcomes is often confused with authentic faith in Christ. Faith is what is real when you don't love yourself so much or feel so smart. Authentic faith is from God, not us.

Confusing God's control with my control is easy to do. When outcomes do not come out right (the Friday before Easter) there is no place to go. At that point the Jesus we are following dies. But hang out at the tomb. Something better is on the way. On the next page.

Columbia and Rock Hill today. Great day with Eric Geiger and 80 of my friends yesterday at River Springs.

Most Things Don't Work

For some crazy reason I decided to paint over my vacation (not paint my vacation Jay, you know what I mean). Went to Lowe's. Ask the paint guy's advice and he said, sure, this is good paint. I walked out feeling good about my gallon of $13.00 paint. Well, it didn't work. The paint was awful. I did not know how bad paint could be to be until I slapped some of this hot pink on Abby's bedroom wall.

I am hesitant to continue yesterday's thoughts. They seem so cynical, so jaded. But for some reason I believe they offer comfort and hope. No iron clad promises that Black Beans will make you smarter and the 13.00 paint at Lowe's will provide good coverage on your daughter's bedroom walls. Some things just don't work.

Before you get self-righteous, don't forget Romans 7. The one sentence version of that chapter for Paul was, this is not working for me. But as per yesterday, where did that drive him?

For two men on the road to nowhere (Luke 24) the Jesus thing just was not working. I am not comparing Jesus to cheap paint here. No. No. No. I am saying our view and expectations of Him, of how He should work, might hurt the relationship. Can you embrace Christ when things don't work? That is real faith.

Geiger was on yesterday at World Headquarters. What I like best about Eric is, he was thinking and doing process driven discipleship stuff before the world knew. I saw it in Cincinnati with my own eyes. Lots of movement makers in the room with Eric today in Columbia.

Coaching - The Place We All Need To Change

I gradually moved into the world of coaching. I started as the person being coached in 2003. My coaching conversations with Bob Logan felt different. I had no idea why. The journey of self-awareness had gone to a new level. The more I learn about me, the deeper I knew I need to go.

Five years later, now that I have spend many hours coaching and being coached, I have learned another principle of self-awareness:

The place in my life where I need the greatest change is the place I am aware of the least.

The answer? I don't propose the ultimate answer, but I will take a shot at some ideas in the days to come. I think you would agree with me that it is a subject worth further research. Right?

Cola at World Headquarters today. I would rather be in Cincinnati, Lynchburg, Calagary, New Orleans, or Bluffton. But, I have a big boy job. Working on the work is as important as working in the work. Plus, I love being around the Church Multiplication Group. Really.

Roger vs. Barry IV - God has No Preference

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:28 NAS).

I'll bet some people in Galatia got ticked off when they read that part of Paul's letter. Hey, wait just a doggone, rebel flag waving minute here. God said what? God was telling Paul to let the people know, faith alone is what made them right with Him.

I used this text, when I addressed the topic, What Black History Month Means to Me, at New Testament Baptist Bible Center back in the '90s. I confessed to the congregation that Pastor Jerry's requested topic sent me on a journey with God. I researched the meaning of Black History Month. I learned how much it meant to them.

Since that assignment, the journey sent me to the streets of Cincinnati hand-in-hand with African-Americans singing We Shall Overcome, on King Day 2001. I read MLK's autobiography and visited the Black History Museum in Savannah, Georgia.

So, I am there, right? Speaking down to you about how you should be like me. Not at all. The more pages I turn, the more I see the true picture of my heart. Not pretty. I prefer my own. Not only do I prefer my own, but I think mine are better. I confuse my comfort with mine with the destructive, ungodly attitude that mine are superior. And God . . . and Paul blew that attitude out of the water when they said . . . In Him there are no preferred cultures or people groups. Only Jesus can live like Jesus. The long journey continues.

World Headquarters Yesterday. One busy, busy day left. Got more shopping done. Doing all I can to contribute to the Shopocalypse! Almost finished.

What Black History Month Means To Me - Roger vs. Barry III

My close friend, Jerry Davis, an African-American church planter/pastor from New Orleans, shocked me over lunch back in the mid-90's. We were indulging at the Golden Corral Buffet in Marrero, my community for 12 years, on the westbank of the Mississippi River.

I want you to preach at my church in February, Jerry said, between bites. Sure, Jerry. Jerry continued, I have a special topic in mind. Great Jerry, I said, be happy to do whatever you think. Jerry continued, I want you to address the subject, What does Black History Month mean to me?

Jerry and I were really close. I was comfortable being honest with him. God gave him great patience, tolerance, and wisdom in those days. I responded to Jerry, between bites with a cautious, but unavoidable . . . Okay, Jerry, Black History Month really doesn't mean a whole lot of anything to me. He said, I understand, but will you do it? And yes, I did preach on that Sunday night in February, to an all African American audience, New Testament Baptist Bible Center, on the subject, What does Black History Month mean to me? More of the story, tomorrow.

World Headquarters yesterday. Trying to carve out a break. I see Tennessee, and lots more fun coming. Spent time with movement maker John Sharp. Had great conversations with Bill Brown, formerly of Southeastern Seminary, Marcos Elizondo, Samuel Rodriguez, and as always, Abi Elrod of the Church Multiplication Group. Always thinking, always dreaming, about the next step, the next level.

Give it Up For Cujo - Roger vs. Barry II

To tell Cujo, one of our family dogs, good-bye was tougher than I thought. He went to a great home (not heaven cause I am not sure . . . anyways, it was a great older couple). He was one of those pets that was ALWAYS in trouble. I guess hating on Cujo had been one of my favorite past times. I also guess I didn't hate him as much as I thought.

I remember one of those family moments. You know the kind I am talking about. Sometimes God uses your kids to punch you right in the heart. We were talking about Martin Luther King, and I was being all that, explaining to Ann and Ab about our attitudes and how we ought not feel superior to other people. Then, Ab, asked, What about the way you treat Cujo? Shut up kid, you are missing the point. Or did she? From that day on, I really did try harder, not to hate on Cujo.

For me, and some of you spiritual guys may help me here . . . I don't know if it is because I am too flawed to be a prophet . . . or too insecure . . . or self-aware. Maybe one day I will get to the place where I can be more self-righteous. Now don't let me sin again. I am self-righteous and one of my strengths is false humility. However, when its just God and me, He always manages to remind me about my journey. He reminds me that I have such a long way to go. He reminds me that my righteousness or self-righteousness is relative to my own definition of right. That definition can be self-promoting and self-serving. More tomorrow.

Great Weekend. Riverbanks Zoo, Christmas Party w/Elders at Bill and Jennifer's, Preached at Willow (Skipping Christmas), and . . . the most incredible concert in years, Newsong, Matthew West, Todd Agnew and others at Northside. Newsong continues to morph and stay focused at the same time. First time I heard Newsong was in the mid '80s in Lousisana. They never disappoint.

Long Way To Grow II

A man sitting in a movie theater noticed a bear sitting next to him. He asked, Aren't you a bear? The bear nods, so the man asked, So what are you doing at the movies? The bear answered, Well, I liked the book. (I think I would have asked, Have you ever mauled a man to death in a theater?)

Right question, wrong question . . . the right question is not, where did I finish? But the right question is, How will I determine success?

In the 17th Annual Spring Valley Presbyterian Bizarre Bazaar 5K last Saturday there were two groups of people. The ones who finished ahead of me (a bunch) were one group. The other group was the humiliated souls who finished behind me (a few). In front of me were the very young, the very old, women, etc. Let me set the record straight again though, no limping dogs or very old men with sticks finished in the group ahead. Behind me were people in every age group.

If I choose to focus on either group I have problems. The group of ahead . . . they are workout freaks who have wrong priorities. The group ahead can make me think I could never be like them so why try. The group behind makes me feel much better. Ah, the sweet taste of superiority. Nothing like it. Some behind me were athletic looking, younger, workout people, and I kicked their butt. Yeah! No need to fly any higher as long is someone is back there.

Don't want to sound like a humanist here. Man is not the measure of all things. God has certain Ten Commandment type standards that are the same for all of us, no matter what. See the truth is, there was no way to measure the heart Saturday in the Bizarre Bazaar 5K. No one knows how hard anyone was working out. No one knows the personal obstacles we each had to overcome to get there. No one has produced an accurate scale to measure personal giftedness.

So as Smokey Bear used to say, You and Only You (along with God Himself) know the level you should be performing. Don't be relieved or discourage by how you placed last Saturday. Only you and God knows what race is most important and whether you are in the right one. Only God can measure the heart (II Chronicles 16:9). He knows if you are underachieving or overachieving and where. So, my favorite, question . . . particularly for you . . . What is Your Next Step?

Spent most of the day yesterday in Spartanburg Cracker Barrel yesterday with movement makers Neal McGlohon, Larry Bateman, Kermit Morris, and the woman formerly know as Meredith Neal . . . now known as Poe. Awesome. Canada, Greer, and networks were just a few exciting things that God is doing. Don't deserve to be at that table, but, I am not going to excuse myself. We are all in the race and God knows where I was supposed to be there.

Off today with my sweetie. Birthday number . . . I think 48 but I haven't medicated yet this morning, comes for me I think tomorrow. I will check my drivers license and get back with you. Football, birthdays, and preaching at Willow this weekend. I will keep you posted.

I Have A Long Way To Grow

I really didn't finish 103 out of 100 in the 17th Annual Spring Valley Presbyterian Bizarre Bazaar 5K run this past Saturday. I thought it was really funny though. You know, what I said earlier about the very old man, with a walking stick and two stray dogs, one that walked with a limp who beat me.

The truth is, at 27 minutes and 14 seconds, I probably finished in the final third of the pack. I may never see the final race results. The obvious question is: Where did I finish? But, the all powerful QBQ is: What standard do I use for determining personal success? The question is tricky but important.

Two years ago I was a physical, emotional, and spiritual train wreck. Don't tell them at world headquarters. On the surface, I think most thought I was doing a decent job. I was grossly overweight and was taking all the 40 something medications that we normally take. I was deeply depressed and little use to my wife and family. I could barely make it to the mailbox and back without having to take a break for Diet Pepsi and Doritos.

I have experienced changes, more than many do in their 40's. God was in it all. Because, in Him, I live, and breathe, and have my being. Problem was, I was breathing in Him before, I just got out of breath a lot faster.

Where am I going here? Stay with me. A punch line to the heart is coming. Most of you are above average at something. So, is that good enough? Isn't running the race enough for me, considering my story? Why isn't experiencing some humble physical, emotional, and spiritual changes the finish line? If I set my standard of success by other people it would be.

My life is secure in Christ. Nothing can change my position with Him. 5K races, Diet Pepsi, Doritos and the likr do not cause me to gain or lose His grace. How I live, however, is an investment of the gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities He has given me. So, other people do not set my standard of success. I have a long way to grow. Finishing ahead of a few people is not enough. He has higher plans than that (Jeremiah 29:11). What will you do to help see His plans more clearly today? What is your growth plan? I think I want to talk more about that.

World Headquarters yesterday. I needed the day I did not think I would get. Off to Spartanburg with movement makers, those who create environments through which God can do landscaping. Coaching conversations, too. Life is good.