Words From Woody

Pulling Weeds

2012-01-06T11:39:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

This morning I was meeting with some men (5:40 am) and as we looked at Scripture, I was struck by the statement that God took King David “from the sheep pens” (Ps 78:70). God used David’s past life to prepare him for his future ministry. Whatever we have gone through (or are going through), God wants to use it (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

One of the men reminded me of an example of that very truth when we were in Nepal. I had asked him to speak to a group of Tibetan Buddhists. He said he didn’t feel worthy to do stuff like this because he had spent a number of years exploring world religions and eventually ended up an atheist before coming to Christ. We realized that God was getting ready to “redeem” his story by using it to identify with his audience. You see, in his religious pilgrimage he had delved into identifying himself as a Buddhist. So he could speak to them from a place of familiarity, starting where they were but ending up with Jesus.

I think (and know) God is using my life that way. As many of you know, these last several years have been dry spiritually. There has been no big sin, nor have I doubted. Just a dryness that accentuated my hunger (which is actually a form of worship — wanting to be close to someone in a deeper relationship with them is itself a form of love).

Recently, I’ve been realizing some truths that are facilitating a growing love for Christ. For example, I’ve realized that I’ve been spending a lot of energy trying to get something to grow. You can’t wish or will a plant to grow. But you can water it, fertilize it, pull weeds. Even pulling weeds can be fruitless and frustrating (a picture of trying to get rid of sin). If a field is full of weeds like Johnson grass, pulling it up doesn’t get rid of it.

One way of dealing with weeds is to plant a cover crop like soybeans that shadows the weeds out. In effect, you’re better off planting and cultivating good stuff than you are pulling weeds. Don’t get me wrong, I still pull weeds. For example, I’ve quit watching TV shows that cause “weeds” to grow in my mind and life. Recently I’ve begun to pray more. And pray more specifically.

So how can I “cultivate”? Here’s one way: I pray that I would incline my heart to His Word (Ps. 119:36), that He would “open my eyes that I might behold wonderful things from His Word” (Ps. 119:18). I pray that he would “give me an undivided heart” (Ps. 86:11b). Ever try to read Scripture or pray with a “divided heart”? And then I pray that He would “satisfy [me] in the morning with His unfailing love that [I] may sing for joy and be fed all [my] days” (Ps. 90:14). I got this from John Piper’s book When I Don’t Desire God. Then as I go to Scripture, I go differently and God feeds me. I am learning to love it (and Him) more.

It’s not the whole Journey, but it’s a step.

Thanks, Lord.

Tension

2011-07-31T13:56:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys,

Today I was meeting with a couple of co-workers who know me well, and I asked them to tell me something they liked about me and something they would change about me.

When they came to the second question, they agreed that one thing I do not do (well) is to give direct feedback. As I processed this, I was aware of several reasons for it (“chicken” being one), but somewhere near the heart of it was a philosophical/theological observation.

It goes like this: it seems almost everything exists in a tension. Anyone who has wrestled with theological concepts has run into this. Biblical Christianity abounds with such “paradoxes”—how can humans make meaningful choices (human responsibility) if God is in total control (divine sovereignty); “we are saved by faith alone, but faith without works is dead”; “the last shall be first”; “work out your salvation by fear and trembling for it is God who works in you”; “God’s Kingdom has come but is not yet”; a gospel which proclaims, “I am so flawed that Christ had to die for me yet I am so loved that Jesus was glad to die for me” (Tim Keller). To be uncomfortable with paradox usually means tilting in one direction or the other, often resulting in imbalance or error. Most heresies come as a result of emphasizing one aspect of the truth over its paradoxical opposite.

Seemingly opposite truths seem to be taught in the Bible, and I feel to promote one at the expense of the other is to do violence to the other. So, I choose to live with the tension. As Andrew Greeley said, “If one wishes to eliminate uncertainty, tension, confusion and disorder from one’s life, there is no point in getting mixed up either with Yahweh or with Jesus of Nazareth.”

Another way of articulating this is to use architectural terms like “form” vs. “function.” For years, I’ve advocated everyone being in small groups. The problem was that they just didn’t work for everybody. People seemed to fall along a bell curve with some really flourishing and some doing okay, but for some people, small groups didn’t work at all.

Recently I have come to the conclusion that I was trying to fit everyone into a “form” when what I really wanted was a “function”—every member being in a significant relationship with at least one other person, with the purpose and result that everyone involved was moving closer to God. In this case, the tension was between form/function. The function did not deny the need for a form (small groups would be one expression).

This concept (that much of life and reality exists in a tension) has relieved me of the pressure that everything has to fit my categories. We (as humans) have this need/desire which probably traces its roots back to the Garden of Eden. There we human beings were seduced by our need to control the creation in a way that usurped God’s prerogatives (e.g., our desire to have the final say on what is good and what is evil).

It has relieved me of the requirement that there be a “right” and “wrong” conclusion for every question or issue. As Andy Stanley says, some things don’t lend themselves to a right or wrong answer but they present a “tension to be managed.”

Like anything, this can be a curse and a blessing. Perhaps I retreat too readily into it, but if I don’t have or know the answer I can just say, “I don’t know.”

That doesn’t relieve the questioner of the desire and need for an answer, nor does it relieve me of the responsibility to help him or her choose a practical next step which will make God more real to them. So, for the time being I just say, “Let’s pray” and ask God for His principle(s) and the next step He has for us. I really think that’s all He promises us and that’s enough.

As British Pastor Charles Simeon said, “The truth is not in the middle, and not in one extreme; but in both extremes.” I think I agree.

Woody

Playing Your Part

2011-05-16T18:09:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys,

I just returned from Nepal a couple of weeks ago. Shortly before that, I was in Ethiopia. The purpose of the trips was to determine if and how God wanted BRCC to be involved.

I have always known that God wanted us to be involved in taking the Gospel to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). For a number of years early in our ministry, that was the main focus. But, over time, I realized that we were neglecting “Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria” (our own hometowns, neighbors, and families). So, as a church, God moved our focus to bring it back into balance. He carried us on a Journey which brought personal evangelism to its current state at Blue Ridge. There are now dozens of people being baptized several times a year. (This past weekend, we baptized nearly 50 people—the majority being new believers.) Yea God!

So it’s not surprising that God has begun to bring other parts of the world to our attention—places that never hear the Good News if somebody (why not us?) doesn’t go.

We are getting to be part of sending people into the red light district of Managua, Tibetan orphans back into their villages, and native evangelists into a rural and receptive Ethiopia as well as into many rural villages in India—all for the purpose of telling lost people about Jesus Christ. And we’re not just sending money. Yes, we are helping resource these folks, but many of us will be going personally.

God is moving BRCC into a new era. What part does He want you to play in it?

- Woody

The New Paradigm

2011-03-09T13:05:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys,

I write this as I’m getting ready to go to one of the Engage meetings. I say “one” because there are now two meetings on Monday nights and one on Saturday morning. Engage started a couple of years ago with three guys meeting for breakfast and a need for an environment where all these new believers could be cared for. How it developed has become a model for how new ministries get started at BRCC.

We recently had a married couple ask about starting a ministry for couples. When we met, I told them that we didn’t use a normal model (we have used one in the past, but it didn’t really work). Instead, we asked them to go and pray about it (you will recognize steps described in previous blogs in this process). As you pray, be aware of “convergence” (e.g., other people sensing or being prompted to do the same or a similar thing). Don’t pray for a particular program, but for the “thing behind the thing.” For example, we don’t start ministries to create small groups or married couple groups, etc. Those are forms. We’re after functions. Functions would be things like: is there a “so that” (evangelism) at the heart of it? Is it about people getting closer to Jesus? In the case of a ministry for married couples, we believe the best thing for a married couple is for them to be drawing closer to Christ and, hence, taking on His attributes—His love, patience, self-control, etc. (If these sound familiar, it’s because they are the fruits of the Holy Spirit.)

Another indicator is that the ministry generates energy and excitement. If the ministry is God-generated, you won’t have to keep breathing life into it, but it will breathe life into its participants. We’ve almost arrived at the conclusion that if we have to consistently add energy to something, God probably isn’t in it. In other words, the need doesn’t constitute the call to start a ministry. That’s often our idea rather than God’s. As God Himself says, “My thoughts are different from your thoughts.” It may be a need, but if God doesn’t raise up leaders (servants) and it constantly requires energy rather than producing energy, it probably isn’t what God is up to at this time!

Operating like this has certainly required a new paradigm—a new way of thinking and acting. But it has allowed us to focus on ministries that draw people rather than exhaust or discourage them. It lets us join God in what He is doing rather than trying to get Him to join us in what we’re doing. I don’t think we’re going back.

Woody

Wisdom Literature

2011-01-26T11:42:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys,

It’s been so long since I blogged that I don’t remember what I’ve said and haven’t said. However, I’ve been reminded of a reality that is largely responsible (on a human level) for who we are as a church and why we have been spared some of the grief that commonly afflicts churches. It’s free for the asking, but as James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” What I’m referring to is something James talks about in 1:5—what the Bible calls “wisdom.” The book of James is the New Testament expression of what is called “wisdom literature.” It’s formally found in the Old Testament books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, and Song of Solomon.

It is reflection on life and subsequently drawing principles from that reflection that are generally true. It helps us live skillfully. In fact, the word “wisdom” means skill (originally in practical matters like carpentry, building, sculpture, etc.), which was extended to the relational and spiritual realms.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” It comes from God on a supernatural level, and practically from receiving—even seeking—instruction, reproof, and discipline. A person gets it if he/she desires, asks for, and seeks wisdom. It comes ultimately from God, but is mediated through people, Scripture, reading, observing/reflection, etc. The prerequisite attribute is humility.

When sought this way, God gives it and it causes us to live life skillfully and well.

In fact, wisdom literature gives us certain categories based on these certain criteria. There is the wise person: you can tell him/her by how they respond to correction and instruction. They seek it and learn from it and live by it. You give such people resources and more instruction.

There is the fool. You can tell him/her by the refusal to take instruction and correction. They always know best. You can only give them limits and consequences. (They “learn the hard way.”)

There is another category—the cynic. You can’t tell them anything and there is little need to even try.

As I have asked for wisdom over the years, God has given it. Oh, I’m still foolish in too many ways, but God has been (as always) as good as His Word. BRCC is the church that God used wisdom to build. (See Proverbs 8.)

Woody

Removing Splinters

2010-11-17T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hi guys,

One thing I struggle with is forgetting. Oh, I don’t lose my car keys…I do show up at meetings, etc. But it’s the deeper things I tend to forget. It’s still amazing to me how often we have to relearn the same important lessons. I guess that’s what God recognized in the Old Testament when He commanded His people to regularly build “stones of remembrance” commemorating defining moments in Israel’s history. That’s why Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. We’re forgetful people.

One of the relational building blocks here at BRCC from the beginning—one that has protected us—is the biblical principle captured by catch phrases such as, “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4), “going to your brother” (Matthew 18), and “saying the last 10%.”

It’s a core value in my life and in the life of this church. But it leaks. It has for me recently, and the results are debilitating. I can (and do) come up with all kinds of excuses, but that’s what they are. Sometimes I just can’t articulate the thing I’m feeling or holding against someone. I honestly don’t want to just blurt it out and “cut” people—Proverbs 12:18a (NIV) says, “…words of the reckless pierce like swords.” But if it stays buried, it festers like a splinter. I can refuse to squeeze it out but it only gets worse.

That’s what happened to me recently. I finally got tired of rationalizing and just went to the person(s) involved and told them how I was feeling. I owned it (using “I” statements and describing my perceptions and feelings). They received it graciously (sometimes people don’t, which is a legitimate fear but still no reason to leave it untreated) and relief immediately followed.

There’s another issue I’m becoming aware of (they never stop), and I’m gonna move faster this time.

How about you – any “splinters”?

Woody

Affirmation

2010-10-05T09:56:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wrestled with finding out what God wants you to do? Maybe in a small decision? Maybe in a life-changing one? Maybe the next step for a church? That question was a very real one for me recently.

As we approached the end of the summer, we knew that if we didn’t do something we wouldn’t have room for the people who would be showing up as summer and vacations ended and students returned. The natural tendency was to go into planning mode and come up with a course of action. Not to would be a failure of leadership, right?

But the lessons God had been teaching us troubled me as I felt the pressure to do something. For the last several years, God has been carrying us on a journey. He has carried us away from a long-range strategic approach to ministry, to a much more immediate one which I have briefly talked about in earlier blogs. I refer to it as Acts 1/Acts 2. Some of the principles are “pray first then plan,” “first the Spirit, then the strategy,” “convergence,” “experiential,” “so that,” “others-oriented,” and “dreams and visions.”

These principles had a ring of truth and were helpful theoretically and in smaller issues. But when it came to “big” stuff, the pressure was to go back to “business as usual.” But “business as usual” (come up with a strategy, vision-cast, then implement) seemed to me to be a reversion to the norm. Some of the basic requirements of this new approach are counterintuitive. Waiting for God to bring convergence (what does that look like?), continuing to “simply” pray, etc., felt like an abdication of responsibility. Not to mention the potential fallout from newcomers—many of whom don’t know God—failing to return because there were no parking spots or seats to sit in.

My first impulse was to ask God to give us a miraculous sign or affirmation. Maybe someone would offer us a free building in Madison Heights. Maybe there would be a groundswell of “convergence” as everybody got on board with a particular course of action. We had talked about three services on Sunday, two services on Saturday night plus two on Sunday morning, multi-site in Madison Heights, etc. But I had no affirmation from God. I didn’t even know what it would look like if He gave it. In addition, I came to a personal conclusion years ago that God doesn’t tell us the future anyway. He desires our trust as He leads us one step at a time. So how could I require a “sign”? Gideon asked for one in the Old Testament, but his request grew out of fear and doubt rather than faith.

All the while there was a growing excitement around Blue Ridge. People were coming to Christ, moving into deeper forms of community, confessing sin, taking on the roles of “big brothers” and “big sisters,” evidencing a growing hunger for Scripture, etc.

So a few weeks ago, God opened my eyes and spoke gently to me saying, “Woody, I am being consistent with what I have been teaching you over the last several years [all my life actually]. This movement is my affirmation. This is Acts 1. My Spirit is moving, my people are saying they are “all in.” Your response is to simply take the next step available to you. Jeremy’s message on Philip in Acts 9 was an added affirming element that God had planned weeks [an eternity?] before. When the Spirit moves, just respond—even if you don’t know the final outcome or it doesn’t make logical sense.

That freed me/us to move toward a solution that was doable quickly—the move to three services. I’m pretty sure it’s not the final solution, but it’s a response to what God is doing at Blue Ridge. Besides, we’re not responsible for coming up with ultimate solutions—that’s God’s prerogative. That releases us from assuming responsibility that is only God’s, and frees us to give ourselves fully to the thing we can have an effect on—the present moment. It is only in this moment that we can obey, worship, serve, and love. Let us give ourselves fully to these things in this moment and God will be glorified and we will be most pleasing to Him and most like Him.

Woody

Catching Waves

2010-08-19T12:23:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys,

Well, summer is almost gone and everything will soon crank back up. (I’m not sure it ever let off for me.)

My sense is that God is building momentum. Years ago, I used the metaphor of “catch the wave” (I still have the T-shirt). If you spent time at the beach this summer, you know exactly what I mean. Waves come in. We don’t cause ‘em and we don’t change ‘em. We just take (or not) the opportunity to ride them. And there’s huge exhilaration when we do. We don’t have to catch them—we can stay on shore. We miss a lot of them because we’re either in the wrong place or we’re hesitant.

God is sending waves all the time—opportunities to help do what He wants, which is to bring people back into relationship with Himself. Our part is to ride the “wave” … or ignore or miss it.

One key to catching waves is learning to recognize/evaluate “rideable” waves. It’s just as true with “spiritual” waves. Some of the features of spiritual waves are things like mounting excitement, desire to serve, giving, inviting, awareness of personal sin, and just a general responsiveness to the call of God.

Did you see the response this past Sunday? When that many people lay down that much guilt, there is a huge release of spiritual energy. People are no longer burdened and held down by guilt, but are released to spring into the new thing God is always wanting to do.

For example, when we mention the possibility of opening up what God is doing at BRCC to more people in more places, BRCC’ers are chomping at the bit. People are asking to serve. This is the expression of another key word in the Acts 1/Acts 2 paradigm (i.e., “pray first, then plan,” “first the Spirit then the strategy,” “experiential,” “so that” – see previous blogs for brief treatments of these). This key word is “other-oriented.” People want to move from being consumers to being contributors, to think of others and not just themselves, to be a part of what God is doing in the world, to become more like Christ: “I came not to be served but to serve and give my life as a ransom for many” (my paraphrase of Matthew 20:28.)

That’s the point. That’s God’s business in this world—ransoming those in slavery. And He does it through people who are expressing Christ’s life (Galatians 2:20): serving, laying down their lives for others. Let’s catch the wave!

With you,
Woody

Experiential Encounters

2010-06-24T12:33:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys,

In my last blog, my intent was to give the background for this concept that I’m going to try to explain today. I got so wound up in my preparation that I never got to the idea behind our next “buzzword.”

The word is “experiential.”

Let me tell you why it’s meaningful to me. When I was in Seminary, God led me on a “roundabout way.” I was not excited about a “lecture” approach to learning, so God providentially brought me in through another door (approach).

Using my love for the outdoors, God introduced me to an organization called Outward Bound. It utilized what is known as experiential education. The idea is that a person learns best by doing—by experience. We know this is true. It’s how children naturally learn, it’s reflected in apprenticeship models, it’s the most effective way to learn a language, etc.

In fact, it’s the model Jesus used with His disciples. Yes, He taught them (mostly it seems they watched and listened as He taught others). He involved them in the process (feeding the 5,000, sending out the 70, etc.). Once they had done it, He then “debriefed” them and helped them discover and process the lessons inherent in the experience.

You see, when people try something first, they come to the learning process with a felt need—with questions. Many of us experienced the opposite process in school. We were verbally instructed in a particular subject with no real application or perceived need for it. So we learned it, passed the test (hopefully), and went on to the next subject. When we graduated, we got a job in which we then learned how to do…by doing. This doesn’t negate the need for instruction, but places more of it after the experience than before it.

So, what does this mean in the church? My experience has been that, following the conventional educational model, there isn’t much application. For years, I taught people how to study the Bible using methods and information. There wasn’t much of a residual effect. I didn’t see people studying their Bibles more over the long haul. I explained to people how to share the Gospel—not many did.

But, I have found that when I have people at tables with non-Christians at the Encounter group, for example, and they hear and interact with these people, and watch me or someone else share Christ, they are much more likely to do it themselves.

This is one reason we try not to teach much around here that doesn’t have application. It’s the value of having and placing people in real life environments where there is a need and letting them learn by doing.

As James says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22 NIV).

Woody

Convergence

2010-05-31T15:19:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys,

You often hear me refer to Acts 1/Acts 2. That is shorthand for an important principle God taught me recently. Briefly, it represents two approaches to doing church (and to life). One starts with Acts 2—that is, implementing certain practices that are characteristic of biblically functioning churches. Things like evangelism, community, giving, serving, worship, and growth. My/our approach for years was to focus on finding the best, most efficient methods for realizing these practices. We traveled around the country, read the books, etc., to get the details of how other churches were doing evangelism, small groups, serving—and then tried to implement them at BRCC. Our assumption was that if we could cause these results (recorded in Acts 2), then the Spirit would move and the church would be more effective.

Then, as I read Acts, I realized that the reverse was true. Jesus clearly said in Acts 1, don’t even try to do these things until the Spirit comes. Then the results in Acts 2 will flow out of the presence and activity of the Spirit.

This changed everything in the way we do church. Rather than starting with strategies and plans, we started with the Holy Spirit and prayer. We waited for God to reveal His plan through His people as we recognized (together) His initiatives. It was no longer a vision we had, to be sold to the rest of the church, but one we watched appear and take on life. We labeled this “convergence.”

For example, this is the approach we’re using to determine God’s next step for expansion at BRCC—additional services, move some things off line, expand the building, move to multi-site, or ________? We’re continuing to do what we know to do, all the while looking for where He might be bringing “convergence.” We’re after His idea—not ours.

It has brought such freedom. We are no longer the “originators” of what God wants us to do, but simply the “recognizers.” It frees us up to be fully what we really are anyway—servants, worshipers, responders. It frees us up from being God. That’s a job (being God) we’re not equipped for but regularly take on, in church as well as in our individual lives. God is just better at running things than we are.

Well, all of that was intended to be background for what I started out to say. I guess I’ll just wait until the next blog to try to unpack another of the buzzwords like “convergence” that expresses how we’re following God.

Woody

You Can Honor God By Blogging, Too...

2010-05-24T21:48:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys,

I just got a text from Nan (she’s at a seminar near Chicago) with one word—“blog.” So, here goes. Actually, before I do that, let me reflect on blogging. I was talking with a woman this past weekend about blogging. She said that I just needed to write down what’s going on—no need to edit or organize.

That’s part of the problem. When I write a letter, I compose it. I scratch out stuff; I rearrange or restate it. It’s the same approach I take to messages (sermons). I wouldn’t get up to talk on a Sunday morning without preparation. I think too much of God, of His truth, and of your time to do that. I don’t want to have to wade through drivel, and I want to extend the same courtesy to you. I’ve listened to too many boring and ill-prepared sermons to ever want to be treated that way or to treat others that way—especially if it concerns the truth of God.

So, I naturally (I guess) extrapolate those values to my blogs. I do feel they should have substance and honor God both by their content and their presentation. Frankly, I don’t know if I’m capable (or desirous) of any other approach.

When people describe Twitter, I think “Why would I be interested in that?” You went to the grocery store? That’s just not that interesting to me.

When I hear about people requesting to be friends on Facebook, I think, “I didn’t want to talk to you when we were in the 5^th grade. Why would I be interested now?”

There, that ought to get the juices flowing. Remember, I don’t answer responses to my blog, but I do read them.

Woody

The Dry Times

2010-04-14T12:54:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys,

I’m excited. In the last five days, I know of 10 or 11 people who have come to Christ. Last night at the Encounter Group, I was at a table where a guy stepped across the line, and his wife was doing the same thing at the same time at the next table. Then one of the guys who was just baptized brought his wife and she gave her life to Christ. What’s happening?

What’s happening traces its origin and power to the prayer room where people prayed around the clock for 250+/- hours. You should hear their stories! Many of them did this for the first time and God ambushed them.

The previous two paragraphs were written on Wednesday morning of last week. On Tuesday night, I had gone home with a sense of Joy, of God’s presence. It was a relief because the last few weeks/months have been “dry.” But on Wednesday night (First Wednesday), I struggled again to feel God emotionally. I want to desperately, but even fervent prayer doesn’t bring the emotional pleasure I desire.

It causes me to reflect on God, and on me. Maybe that’s the point. When God is close (or more accurately, when I’m close to God), I don’t reflect—at least not in the same way. My theology is placed back on the anvil and God (using life) continues to shape it and sharpen it.

It’s not fun, but I suspect it is necessary. It forces me to assume certain things about God (Hebrews 11 calls this faith) and to respond in certain ways to those assumptions.

My tendency/temptation is to not talk about my dryness because it feels like weakness. Indeed, not too long ago, someone wrote that because I had admitted such dryness I was disqualified to be a spiritual leader and should step down. To be true to Jesus’ description of a spiritual leader, I should always be stepping down so He can step up. And that’s one of the benefits of the “dry” times—they cause me to seek Him more, to depend on Him more, to love Him more, and to choose to do those things. No, the feeling isn’t as strong, but the argument could be made (Jesus made it) that love is the purest when it is not felt but loves solely for the sake of the beloved—because the beloved is that desirable and worthy of love.

Many of the great devotional masters of the faith recount such “dark nights of the soul.” Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Henry Nouwen, William Cowper…the list goes on. They only follow in the footsteps of figures in the Bible: Job, David, Peter, Paul, and even Jesus (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

How am I to respond? Should I stop praying until new life enters my prayer? All of the spiritual masters answer “no.” That approach becomes self-reinforcing. To act as if God is not real is to move away from Him, not toward Him.

As many Christians have discovered, the habit of not praying is far more difficult to break than the habit of praying.

So I continue to seek God and, honestly, there is an anticipation of the new places God wants to take me to. He has never done me wrong, only right.

“The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.” Proverbs 4:18 (NIV)

Woody

An Audience of One

2010-03-09T10:06:00.001-05:00

Hey Guys,

I recently returned from a trip to New Zealand. While I love seeing and experiencing new places, I’ve come to realize it’s really about the internal exploration. The external trip was great—great views, weather, companions, and experiences. But on the trip back, Nan and I ran into a diversion to another airport (for no discernible reason), taking on the responsibility for an old Asian woman and her teenage granddaughter who knew no English and so were helpless in this foreign environment. We took them to the hotel with us (we had to spend the night in the city we were diverted to; got in the hotel at 2:30 am and had to return to the airport at 5 am). As we arrived back at the airport to catch the final leg home (by this time we had been in transit for 50 hours with 2 hours sleep), the TSA official wouldn’t allow the grandmother and granddaughter into the boarding area because they had no official identification.

I found myself (and so did everyone else) really angry…at everyone. The words that came and the thoughts that produced them were seemingly out of my control. Once again, parts of me that I keep hoping are dead (or at least dying) showed up. Will I ever be different?

Jesus says I must lose my life for His sake, that I am crucified with Him. Experientially, that doesn’t seem to be totally true in my life—at least not yet.

Denying yourself is pretty important or else the Gospel writers wouldn’t have repeated it so often. What does that mean? How can a person do that?

Self-denial strikes at my basic identity. I am by nature a selfish creature. All of life is seen from the perspective of “me.” I make value judgments based on how things align with my perspective. If things don’t align with my perspective, they are “wrong” or I become angry.

C. S. Lewis said in an essay that we spot a fatal flaw in almost everyone we meet, even our closest friends. We say/think “________ is a great person. If only he/she didn’t/wasn’t _______.” Or, as Dave said a couple weeks ago, “That’s just the way _______ is.” How helpful (and hurtful) it would be to know what “way” we are.

And that’s the part that has to die, to be denied. But it is so much a part of us that it’s like crab grass—it won’t die. It just continues to live underground and reappear somewhere else. As Paul said in Romans 7:24 (NIV), “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

I think it starts with acknowledging that just as everyone else around me has a fatal flaw, so do I. Like everyone else, I am a sinner. Not just a superficial acknowledgement, but one that goes deep and taps into the despair that I will never be perfect, that I too am helpless to be the person I want to be.

It’s in this tension that I (and you) live—on the one hand that I am helpless and selfish and blind; and on the other that I am “in Christ.”

I repent of my intractable sin and choose in the power of the Holy Spirit to release my need to be right, to justify myself and my worldview. I choose to assume (believe) my identity as a child of God—one who deliberately gives up my need to be needed, to be recognized, to be applauded, and to prove myself.

My desire (choice) now is to prove God. To live my life in such a way that people around me experience Jesus, not Woody. That’s going to be very difficult and I’ve tried it before. Only God will be able to do it.

I want to live my life for an audience of One. Not for Woody, not for others.

I want to throw down the brush and turn away from the painting I’ve been making of myself—one that I hoped would impress others. I want to become a painting, actually a canvas, upon which God can paint a new and beautiful “me”—the one He has in mind, has had in mind forever. Please paint it God. I can’t. To You be the glory.

Woody

Showing Up

2010-01-21T08:20:00.000-05:00

Hey folks,

As I sit here planning my day, I know that running is something I want to include. Oh, I don’t like to run. I just run so I can do the things I do like to do—hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing. I’ve learned not to ask myself, “Do I feel like running today?” I just do it. I guess it’s a kind of “deferred gratification.” Someone has defined maturity as “suffering short-term pain for long-term gain.”

That’s also true of spiritual disciplines like reading the Bible and praying. Much of the benefit comes from consistency. As the famous theologian Woody Allen said, “90% of success is just showing up.” (My quotes may not be exact, but you get the point.)

When it comes to prayer and Bible study, many days I would be hard-pressed to identify a new truth or ecstatic experience with God. But, I do it because I know God wants it and that He’s pleased. I also know that I benefit—maybe not immediately or consciously, but I benefit…if for no other reason than that I put myself in a place of quietness and solitude where I can hear from God.

I think it’s a trap and a lie that I am being inauthentic if I don’t feel something, get something. It’s long-term. Sometimes short-term too, but always long-term.

I learned a long time ago that freedom comes from discipline. Judson, our music director, has great freedom to play music. But, it came from long days and months and years of practice. I read recently that Leonardo da Vinci spent 10 years drawing ears, noses, elbows, hands, and other body parts until one day he painted what he saw, and we know the result.

As with human relationships, our quality time with God comes in the midst of quantity time. There will be quality times of insight and devotion and deeply felt love. Our job is to show up.

Woody

Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T15:32:00.002-05:00

Hey guys,
It’s Thanksgiving morning and my thoughts turn to what we (BRCC) have to be thankful for – and it’s a lot! As I review the year I’m thankful for the new life that over 100 people have received. Just our last baptism with 20 signing up, 40 showing up to the baptism meeting and 48 being baptized. And two of those were my brother and his daughter. Since then, I know of six people who have stepped across the line of faith. Beyond that is the continuing evidence of new life – new followers of Christ who are excitedly following. They’re telling their friends/family/customers/etc. about their new life and inviting them into it. And many are accepting the invitation!

Not that all is “rosy.” A lot of these new followers are working through dark valleys but are doing it God’s way. They’re choosing to stay in marriages that are troubled, to stay in community when they would normally run away, to tithe when they don’t know where it’s coming from, to share Christ with family members, to serve, and the list goes on.

I’m thankful for new truths that God is teaching us – for example, that He will take full responsibility for BRCC if we’ll pray and trust Him to lead us rather than depend on our own strategies and plans. And boy has He done that.

I’m thankful for God’s provision and resources. While the economy (including lots of churches) is contracting, we’ve had all we need to do what God has called us to do.

I’m grateful for the new directions God will be taking us in the next year that are already starting to show. We’ll tell you more as we know more.

Along with that, I’m, grateful for the “dreams and visions” that are appearing as God moves in the hearts of individuals.

I’m grateful for the unity we enjoy, the excitement that pervades BRCC (what people notice when Blue Ridgers talk about God, and that something special that people feel when they walk in). That’s God!

I’m thankful that God called me to do this with Himself, His Son, His Spirit, and with you.

I love you,
w

The Nature of Being "Lukewarm"

2009-10-30T21:34:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys,

Well, this past Sunday’s message sure got a response! I’m talking about the “lukewarm” one. I knew it would, which was why I took time, prayed about it, consulted others, and then went for it. As I said (actually, as God said), lukewarm is not a good state to be in. So, I’m glad for the discussions and even the discomfort if it leads to desire/movement toward God.

From talking with people who were confused or upset, I’ve realized that a lot of the confusion comes from the perception that everybody is in one of the three categories, and if you’re in “lukewarm,” BRCC may not be the place for you. A lot of the confusion is what constitutes “lukewarmness.” We ALL have parts of our lives that are less than 100%—that is a given. The question then becomes not, “Am I perfect (100% in)?” but, “What is my attitude toward being ‘hot’?” If you’re desirous of moving toward God, if you repent (Revelation 3:19), if you ARE moving toward God, YOU ARE NOT LUKEWARM! No, you’re not where God wants you to be yet, and you’re not where you want to be yet, but the determining factor is your attitude, your trajectory, your heart. It’s not where you are on the scale; it’s your movement—toward heat or toward cold.

So, those are the questions each person has to ask himself/herself. Do I want to move closer to God? What is the desire of my heart?

And your response tells you a lot about your heart. For many of you, Sunday had the desired effect—a renewed focus and motivation to get “hotter.” For some, it angered you. Why? If it’s because you heard me saying, “If you aren’t perfect, hit the road,” that’s not what I intended and I apologize for the misunderstanding. If you were confused, I hope this helps and I encourage you to talk to me or one of the leaders. If you’re mad because you’re satisfied with where you are and don’t intend to get any “hotter,” you probably heard me right. Wherever you are, God wants you “hotter” and I/we are committed to doing everything we can to help you get there.

Love ya,
Woody

The Power of Prayer

2009-10-19T21:17:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys,

I’m constantly amazed at my amazement (or lack of it) when it comes to prayer. I’ve become aware of the power that is unleashed when we pray. I’m using only a fraction of what’s available and it’s still awesome. Several weeks ago, I became anxious because I wasn’t hearing stories of people coming to Christ. So I prayed about it in one of our prayer meetings (the ones at 9, 12, and 4 every weekday that you’re invited to if you can swing it).

Once again it began to happen. I’m not sure of the exact numbers but somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-12 people have come to Christ in the last couple of weeks. After the service last Sunday, Jack Dunn (who was one of the speakers) led two people to Christ (and the morning was about divorce–go figure). A few days ago, a couple of us had lunch with a guy who people have been praying for for years, and he gave his life to Christ. The next day another friend called excitedly and told me that the woman he worked with and he’d been talking to and praying for for months had just “given it up.” Yea God!

It’s been a tough go of it for me spiritually and emotionally for a while, but God’s still faithful and at work. And He graciously invites me (and you) into it. As the old shepherd said in Brennan Manning’s story, “God’s very fond of me, He is” (Zephaniah 3:17).

W

A New "Bandwidth"

2009-10-05T10:19:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Recently, I’ve used the phrase, “God wants BRCC to move to a new bandwidth.” Several people have asked, “what’s a bandwidth?” Or, more likely, they were really asking, “What do you mean by that?” So, I asked one of our tech guys to explain “bandwidth” to me. It didn’t take me long to realize that if I tried to explain it technically, I’d get crucified by the techie people in the audience and confuse those who aren’t (like me).

I remember (and often use) a maxim I learned in a communications course, “Words don’t mean, people mean!” So, here’s what I mean when I use the term “bandwidth.”

Churches (and people) operate in a certain range of effectiveness. They start out at a low level, near the bottom of the range. They don’t know much and they aren’t that skilled with what they do know.

Over time, with intentionality, and enabled by the Holy Spirit, churches (and people) can and will become more effective—get better at what they do. They sort of hit their stride, find out what they’re good at, gravitate to that, and consequently improve.

At some point, they hit the ceiling (top of that bandwidth) and are basically about as effective as they’re going to be. You could use “bandwidth” to refer to any number of different things—technical skills, artistic expression, spiritual growth, and/or depth, populations reached, etc.

At that point, there is a lid on further growth. The only alternative is to move (or be moved) to the next level. One rough analogy would be school or technical training. At some point the student is proficient or has mastered his area and needs to go to the next level.

BRCC is effective in a number of different areas—I would say we’re a “good” church. There is spiritual life, excitement, and people are being changed by God. For all of this, we’re thankful—very thankful. But there is so much more of God and the life He offers to be experienced! It will mean functioning at a whole new level—more intensity, a greater love for God and others, more sacrifice, more intentionality, more radical. In short, the kind of church Jesus dreamed of, spoke about, and died for. A church that is different from the world, from normal religion, and even from what it was. A church that is not just “doing church” (albeit at a high level) but is “being” the church. A church that is not just one component of a person’s life, but the center around which everything else revolves. I know some will say, “I thought people were to revolve around Christ.” That is true, but Jesus expresses Himself in the world through His “body.” You can love the church without loving Christ, but you can’t love Christ without loving His church. Even at her worst—which is too often the norm—she is still His bride. As Augustine said, “The church is a whore, but she is still my mother.” And Jesus dreams of a beautiful bride, vivacious and pure.

That’s His dream, and ours! That’s where we’re going—to the next bandwidth!

Woody

Redirecting Our Best Efforts

2009-08-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

One of the helpful aspects of this blog for me is the opportunity to begin to articulate new ideas or initiatives that get birthed in me or in conversations. (Some of you are thinking, “Then this guy only has one new idea every several months?”)

Yesterday morning (Sunday), I was talking with a couple of guys after a conversation about the tough, hard spots they’re in on their spiritual Journeys (marriages, lust, spiritual coolness, failure to pray or read Scripture, etc.). While such struggles are a part of our spiritual Journeys (read the Bible—duh), sometimes I think we focus on the negative almost to the exclusion of the positive. Here’s what I mean. It’s suggested in the saying, “Jesus didn’t die to get us to stop doing stuff but so we could start doing things we’ve never done or couldn’t do.” Nature abhors a vacuum, so when we stop doing something, if it isn’t replaced by or pushed out by a positive behavior (example of old leaves being pushed off a tree branch as new leaves appear), then we’ve just created space. If we’re not intentional, that space will create enormous pressure which will then naturally be filled with something. “Nothing happens naturally but sin,” so the likelihood is that the “something” will not necessarily be an improvement.

Another take on this is the observation that our tendency is to focus on what we don’t do well rather than on what we do well. This means that we expend our best efforts trying to get incrementally better in an area of our life that we’ll probably never be but so good at, meanwhile neglecting that which we are good at. In other words, build on your strengths.

Add to this men’s natural passivity in spiritual things (e.g. Adam in the Garden) and you get an outcome that is defeatist and defeating. The Gospel (“good” news) and the Christian life becomes basically “sin management.” This is a recipe for guilt and ineffectiveness. Our meetings become sessions where men, at best, reveal repeated failure and discouragement for themselves and those who hear. And this becomes a self-fulfilling cycle.

How about if we instead talked about the spiritual adventures that God wants to take us on? What if our conversations revolved around the things we could do that day that would cause our affections for Christ to grow? What if we “encourage one another” (Hebrew 10:24-25) to live a life (that day) of adventure for and with God? I don’t mean to go climb a mountain (although that might be a good option), but go home and serve your wife, especially if your marriage is not so hot, or go on a mini-retreat with God. (One of the guys was leaving for the beach—I told him to get up early or go late on a walk along the beach with just God.)

The possibilities are endless. What if men encouraged (and accompanied) one another in living this kind of life—not reactive and often defeated, but one of positive, growth-producing spiritual adventures? We might just become the kind of people that our wives (and the world) would want to be like and to follow. What do you think?

Woody

All Bets are Off

2009-08-10T22:10:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,

Last Sunday I commented that I felt we were at the top of our bandwidth as a church and that God wanted us to move to the next bandwidth. Someone posted a comment asking what I thought that looked like.

I thought about that and knew immediately that I would have no specifics. One of the characteristics of the “new” thing God has been doing at BRCC for the last couple of years is making it clear to us that we don’t know nor do we determine His future. You’ve heard me talk about my own journey from plans and strategies that we come up with and then asking God to help us, to asking God for His plans so we could help Him. It’s a major shift. In the “old” model, we generated the plans and asked God to help us with them. In the “new” paradigm, we ask God to show us His plans and we help Him. The lid on the old model was our dreams and strategies. The limit was us. Under the new way of operating, there is no lid...God is the originator and enabler of His own plans, so the possibilities are virtually infinite. We become (are) recipients and implementers of God’s plan rather than the reverse. Wow! All of a sudden all bets are off.

I’ve used the analogy of a 3-year-old who is determined to build something, refusing his father’s help. Finally, in frustration at his own inability, he asks his father to do it and his father, who has refrained thus far, takes over the project and creates something far better than the 3-year-old ever could.

So, like the 3-year-old, we can’t even conceive or imagine the final product. We may have a general idea, but it’s bounded by our limited ability to even conceptualize, let alone build, what an infinite God could/can.

God has revealed His dream of what he wants to do in and through His people in Scripture. In our “3 year-old” finiteness and arrogance, we have downsized it—made it manageable for us. What God is doing at BRCC is turning us upside down so we see the world differently (if we choose to). And when we see the world differently (as God sees it), then everything changes. The “impossible” (to us) becomes possible (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”) and the miraculous happens.

That is what God is doing among us and we can’t imagine what it will become—only that it will be amazing (Eph. 3:20).

Won’t you come with us on this wonderful adventure? Let go of the “old” and grasp the “new” (2 Cor. 5:17) “so that they (we) may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Tim. 6:19b).

Woody

Taking Spiritual Chances

2009-07-23T20:53:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,

I’m a week later writing this than I intended to be. Last Tuesday, I took a curve too fast on my bike (motorcycle) and hit some gravel which slid me head-on into an oncoming car. At 30+ mph, it totaled the bike and sent me to the hospital via the Rescue Squad. Amazingly, I had no broken bones and only limited “road rash.” (People often ask why I wear a leather jacket and full face helmet in the summertime—now you know!) The impact did damage something internally, which has led to a very painful week.

Experiences like this can and should lead to some introspection and “lessons learned.” A logical conclusion would be no more motorcycle riding. But, as I told folks on Sunday, it was an equipment failure—the nut that holds the handlebars. Certainly there are obvious lessons like riding slower and more safely. But, to tell you the truth, while not riding would be a sensible thing to do, I’ve chosen not to live my life that way. Everything at the core being theological, “I am immortal until my life’s work is done.”

I’m so grateful for all the prayers and well wishes and affection that people have extended to and for me, and I will try to be more careful. But, on a deeper level (where life is really lived from), I want to live life that way—not cautiously and fearfully, but taking chances and experiencing the thrill of being in places where only God can carry me through.

I’m really not talking about doing foolish, daredevil things on a physical level (well, maybe a little). I’m talking about living this way spiritually. I’m not doing that yet—but I’m moving toward it. I have lived too much of my life in fear, making excuses for why I couldn’t do this or that—sharing Christ, public speaking, taking the spiritual initiative, etc. I want to do it not as an adrenaline junkie but as a follower of Christ. I want to do it so you too will be encouraged to take spiritual chances. And because I don’t believe any other course of life is worthy of what Jesus did for us and calls us to. I’m not sure what that looks like yet, so would you pray with me that God would show me (and you) the next step on the Journey He has called us to–with Him?

I don’t know who said it first, but you’ve probably seen the following quote in an e-mail or on a T-shirt. I can’t think of a better way of saying it.

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘WOW! What a ride!’”

Woody

Repentance

2009-07-02T14:30:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,

Recently, we as a church family have been dealing with some common family issues. What do you do when family members are disobedient or disruptive or destructive? Every parent is familiar with such thorny challenges.

We were dealing with one such challenge this morning. As I reflect on it, I’m impressed with the critical core attitude that will determine the outcome. It’s usually not the presenting problem that is the real problem; it’s the attitude behind the problem. If a person acknowledges the problem (confesses it), the way forward is not only possible but highly probable. This attitude is the key that opens the lock to the new life that Christ offers us.

The Bible calls this attitude repentance. Literally it means to “change one’s mind,” with a corresponding change in behavior. It reflects a tender heart and a willingness to change, which God honors and can work with. In fact, without repentance, no real change is possible. With it, God gets in the equation and change can and does happen.

Take some time and look at the central place repentance occupies in Scripture (Luke 15:7 and 10, Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15, Acts 17:30 and 26:20, and 2 Peter 3:9).

It’s no wonder that influential figures down through history have emphasized this crucial response. Martin Luther said in the first of his 95 theses that the whole life of the believer should be one of repentance.

Where it exists, God can begin His work in us. Without it, we stay in the hole we’re digging for ourselves that gets deeper and deeper.

Woody

Being Pruned

2009-06-04T09:07:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

As usual, it’s been a while. It’s not because I don’t love you—it’s just that life sorta runs over me.

Hasn’t this “Vineyard” series been helpful? I’ve personally learned a bunch. It’s given me a new perspective on keeping on in my spiritual life. It’s been freeing to realize that it doesn’t ultimately depend on me but on Jesus and my connection to Him. It’s His life (Juice) that flows through me and expresses that life in me and through me. I take great comfort in the knowledge that God is the Gardener and is cultivating me to produce the fruit He wants. He’s already decided what that is and is pruning me to make that fruit possible.

This last week, I talked about the pruning process. I applied it to my attempt to buy some mountain land—something I have dreamed of for a long time. I went to an auction and bid on the land, but when the bid went beyond my comfort zone, I froze. I then experienced “non-buyer’s” remorse (and still am to some degree). It took the form of disappointment and regret and self-recrimination. I have been surprised at the depth of it.

But God is using it to “prune” me. Owning the land wasn’t wrong (but the land owning me would be). Maybe it is about something else competing for my time and affection. (When the “good” displaces the “best,” the “good” becomes bad).

Monday morning, I woke up early (or maybe God woke me up). I woke up remembering a letter we had received several weeks ago. It was a letter from K. P. Yohannan (GFA) telling about the Christians in Orisse, India, who were being persecuted. Fifty thousand were displaced with thousands losing their homes and all their possessions. I went and looked in the trash can in my office and finally, after the third try in my office, I found the letter.

What God was prompting in me was to buy real estate—not mountain land, but houses. So, Nan and I bought four houses (new houses that haven’t been built yet). These are houses that will replace the burned homes of Christian brothers and sisters in India.

Now there’s a deal!

Love ya,
Woody

Back from Nepal!

2009-05-08T15:13:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,

A long time since the last blog, huh? One of my excuses is that I’ve been out of the country. As some of you know, a team of BRCC’ers went to Nepal to get a firsthand exposure to Gospel for Asia and the Tibetan Trust Home. Really, though, the trip was to get a firsthand exposure to God. And that’s what happened. There’s something about getting out of your routine in a strange environment that sets you up for personal/spiritual growth.

I love to see this happen. I love to have it happen to me. My “adventure,” as I knew before I left, had to do with my journey into my fear and dread of speaking in a strange culture. My resolve was to speak every time I was asked...and asked I was. The first time I was sick and couldn’t. The second time we ran out of time and it got abbreviated. The next time was to about 70 kids. I’m not good at teaching kids but a deal with God is a deal with God.

The next time was May 1st at the Trust Home Birthday (few, if any, of the kids know their birthdays, so they just have one big annual celebration for everybody).

What’s cool (and scary) about this is that the children’s relatives and friends from the Tibetan Refugee Camp are invited. So there I was speaking about Jesus to 150 Buddhists, including several monks and a lama (a big deal leader). I asked Will Likins to give his testimony since he spent several years studying Buddhism on his way to Christ. Then I did my best to present the Gospel.

On Saturday, the day we left, I spoke at the weekly gathering of the “fellowship” – older kids and local believers.

I walked away with the awareness that I had done what God wanted. My fear and insecurity are pretty much intact (although lessened to a degree). If I can get beyond myself, it was a privilege to baptize eight new believers, four of them Tibetans. One of them was a head monk’s son who was to be the spiritual leader (Buddhist) of his ethnic group. He made a clear, public decision to follow Christ and proclaim it publicly. With his baptism, he became the second baptized Loba believer that we know of. Think what God can do through this!

This is just my lesson (one of them). The rest of the guys on the team took huge leaps of awareness in different areas. If you want to hear some of them – come to the meeting next Sunday, May 17, at 7 pm in the high school room, where we’ll tell of God’s work in Nepal, in BRCC, and in us.

Woody

Sensing the Shifts

2009-04-10T10:27:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Wow! The last two weeks of our “Shift” series were amazing. I personally was affirmed in our partnership with the Trust home and with Gospel for Asia. I just feel a kindred spirit with both Dolma Shrestha and David Carroll. Many of you must feel that too. I just finished talking with David Carroll and found out that approximately 72 native missionaries were picked up to be supported by BRCCers. This is in addition to many of us who were already supporting native missionaries through GFA. Yea God! How that must please Him. Think of the lost people who will be found, of the churches that will be planted, of the lives that will be changed, of the eternities that will be changed. And we get to be a part of it!

I talked with Mike Cook yesterday. (Mike is with Allow the Children, the organization that we channel support through to the Trust Home.) He told me that approximately six dozen (sounds like about 72, doesn’t it?) new children were picked up by BRCC. I’m feeling a lot of joy right now for the difference we’re getting to make, for the “shift” that is occurring in you guys, and for the opening this is giving God to do even greater things in us and through us.

Speaking of that, be sure to personally invite your friends and family who don’t know Christ to our Easter service. Or, better yet, pray for and start a conversation with them about their spiritual journey. Draw the “bridge.” If your “invitee” doesn’t come, then come to the 7 am service so there will be room at the later services for our guests. You guys are awesome. Actually, God is awesome and He lets us participate in and enjoy what He’s doing!

Love ya,

Woody

168 Hours of Prayer

2009-03-18T08:15:00.000-04:00

Hey folks,

Last Sunday night, I spoke in a church in Roanoke about prayer and evangelism. I usually refuse such requests, but I told God that I would accept invitations to tell about what He is doing here at BRCC because it’s pretty amazing. I also know that the good news only came to us on its way to somebody else. And a major lesson we’re learning is the centrality of prayer to evangelism. That’s why I’m excited about this week of prayer. We’ve prayed for 168 hours before, but we’re more aware of the connection than ever and you guys are more responsive than ever. God is doing something special here at BRCC.

A young man came up yesterday (Sunday) and gave his life to Christ. Think of that repeated over and over as we pray, as we take what we’re learning on Sundays and implement it, as we have conversations—thousands and thousands of them, as we invite, as we serve. What could God do? What could He do in us and through us? So, send me your stories so I can share them with the whole church and we can all be encouraged as we continue to move closer to God. It’s sorta like a body moving toward the sun (Son). There’s increasing (spiritual) heat, more (spiritual) light, more gravitational attraction. That’s what I want.

Woody

"Down" Time

2009-03-05T14:58:00.003-05:00

Hey Folks,

The last few days have been “down” for me. Ever have those? If that’s due to known sin, then God brings it to our attention and we repent. I’ve learned over the years to keep short accounts with God. Why live in darkness when I can live in the light?

But what about those times when there is no obvious reason? My first step is to talk to God about it. Maybe there’s a reason that I need to become aware of. What else? Here are my limited reflections on this.

First, I continue to do the things that are good for me whether I feel like it or not. To quit eating when you lose your appetite is self-defeating. To not exercise because you don’t feel like it is a recipe for ill health. The benefit is not just maintaining spiritual health, but there are bigger/deeper lessons that God wants to teach me. While this is a big and complex subject that I have neither the space nor the knowledge to cover comprehensively, this is the major truth that God is pounding into me lately. The “truth” is the one stated above—there is a bigger/deeper thing that God wants to do in me that the present problem is just a symptom of (and the doorway to). It seems it’s almost never about the “thing,” behavior, emotional state, etc. It’s about something deeper. Like a bad marriage is not ultimately about the marriage—it’s about the people in it, their selfishness, their hard hearts, their whatever.

This has been good for me to know. It doesn’t remove the pain, but it does require me to believe certain things about God and to act on them. It gives a kind of purpose to the place I’m in. In a way it gives hope. I know that God is about the business of fixing what’s broken in me (“conforming me to the image of Christ” – Romans 8:29), not fixing the broken world or circumstances necessarily but hammering me into a beautiful, usable shape. It’s not fun but it’s no longer meaningless and hopeless. I can believe “all things do work together for good for those who are (His)” (Romans 8:28).

So, my question is more and more frequently now, “God, what do You want to teach me, to do in me?” rather than “Why are You doing this to me?”

He is a good Father – so good!

Love ya,

Woody

Abundant Life

2009-02-13T10:58:00.000-05:00

Hey Guys,

Nan and I had a good time on vacation. One of the benefits of going away is that it gives us a different perspective and makes us more aware of how fulfilling it is to be a part of what God is doing around here at BRCC.

I heard another story this week of a young man just showing up at the building wanting to talk with someone. He got in a conversation and, as a result, gave his life to Christ. He’ll be baptized this Sunday. That’s five people that I know of in the last week or 10 days who have stepped across the line. One cool part of this young man’s story was that a year and a half ago, his parents prayed with some of us for their very wayward son. He played his hand out and ended up in jail and finally in our atrium this week where he was found by Christ. Yes, this was their son! I just love hearing and being a part of such stories.

In fact, my dream (and God’s) is for everyone at BRCC to personally be a part of such stories. That is God’s desired future for you (and me). As a church, we are to help you be a part of such encounters. God never meant these stories to be limited to “professionals” or “super Christians.” It’s part of that “abundant life” (John 10:10) that we talk about a lot around here. And it’s for every follower of Christ!

So our next series (called SHIFT) is designed by God to do just that. Don’t think it’s for you? Show up for the next few weeks with a willing heart and God is gonna take us (you) on the ride of your life. It can happen! God wills it to happen!

The only thing left is for us to let God do it. I can’t wait, can you? God has a story, like the one I just related about the young man who came in this week, with you playing a central role. God is inviting you to step out of your little story and into His story and bring others with you. Again, if you’re asking, “Can that really be possible? For me?” the answer from God is “Yes.”

Love ya,
Woody

How God Answers Prayers

2009-01-23T14:59:00.002-05:00

Hey Guys,

This week at the Encounter Group, a guy named Ben became a follower of Christ. Here’s what led up to it.

Adam, who manages the Outfitter at Blue Ridge, met Ben. After learning that Ben had no place to stay, Adam invited him to come home and spend the night at his place. Adam helped Ben over the next few days and I’ll let you read the email Adam sent me about what happened:

Ben really wants to come to the Encounter Group tonight, so I'm going to go pick him up and bring him to my home for a home-cooked meal and for him to change clothes. I don't get off till 5 p.m. and told him I'd pick him up about 5:20.I live in Evington, so it will probably be near 6 p.m. before I get back to the house. I'll bring him into the Encounter Group after we eat. Normally, he's supposed to be back at the shelter for check-in before 8:30 p.m., but he has a permission slip that will need to be signed by perhaps Woody, Peggy, or Stephen so that he can get back in. He's allowed to be out till no later than 10 p.m. So, Ben will be there tonight, but I won't be able to be there to pray [with the group that prays before the class starts]. We'll pray before dinner and on the way to class. Please keep Ben in your prayers tonight before the class.

Well, now you know the rest of the story. Adam reached out to Ben and that, plus our prayers, was the means by which he came to Christ. Yea God!

I get to hear these stories all the time. Monday one of my “little brothers” (Will) told us that he was concerned about his grandmother whom the doctors gave only a couple of weeks to live. He had no sense or assurance that she knew Christ and this bothered him (as it should). So we prayed. Will called his mom in West Virginia and told her of his concern. His mother said she shared that same concern. She called her pastor and asked him to go see Will’s grandmother (her mother). At this point, West Virginia was covered by a snow/ice storm and nobody was going anywhere.

But the pastor (78 years old) got in his pickup and spun and slid to the hospital where he talked to the grandmother. She gave her life to Christ and died 15 minutes later. We were all blown away at God’s desire for all to come (2 Peter 3:9) and the answer to our prayers.

These kinds of things are making us feel very special to God these days. This morning, I was reading in 2 Corinthians 2:14, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.”

- Woody

No Limits in 2009

2008-12-31T11:43:00.000-05:00

Hey folks,

It’s been a while but I’ve been sick. At least that’s the best excuse I can come up with. Even being under the weather, it has been a great Christmas—great because of what God is doing in me and around me. If you were at church Sunday, you saw some of it. But there’s so much more.

You’ve heard of some of the things God is doing around me in past blogs. He has changed the whole way we think around here. We are no longer asking God to help us with our plans—we’re just asking Him to show us how we can help Him with His plans. The freedom this has brought is unbelievable. As we were praying before the service on Sunday morning, I was impressed with the realization that there are no limits on this next year. When it was our plans and strategies, they were only as big and achievable as we were. But with this new reality, all bets are off because now we’re asking God to do what He wants and we will just help Him. Can you imagine?

God is affirming this in different ways. Most importantly, more people coming to Christ. Another way is that in talking with other church leaders, we’ve realized that other churches are reducing budgets and staff, but our income is not dropping off. What a God! What a year we’re going to have!

Happy New Year!
Woody

Belief Before Knowledge

2008-12-19T22:10:00.001-05:00

Hey Guys,

Well, I’ve been sick for three weeks, so no blogging. I know, that’s the idea – I should tell you about my doctor visits and what medicines I’m taking, but that bores me. And it’s all about me, you know. :)

Although the last few weeks haven’t been fun, it’s still been good. God has given me some treats – two people came to Christ at the Encounter Group Tuesday night. It’s been cool to see the journey they’ve been on. In John 6, Peter said to Jesus, “We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (v. 69). The word order is not accidental. First we “believe,” then we “know.” Humanly, we want to reverse those two. That is, I can only believe something if I understand it or am convinced of it. No! Actually, we do this in the rest of life. One guy who was an engineer, upon hearing this, said “This is the scientific method. You form a hypothesis, test it (believe), and then you know if it’s true or not (know).” I don’t know the airplane will carry me safely to California. I “believe” it and only “know” it afterward.

This couple said Tuesday, “That’s where we’ve been,” and then they said, “We want to believe” and gave their lives to Christ. Another neat thing is that they’ve been doing this journey with a “big sister” who did the groundwork and now becomes their guide to the next steps on the journey. Two teenagers also came to Christ Sunday, as well as a couple who have been exploring this relationship with Christ thing for months (years really). Yea God!

Dave Kountz has been leading the BRCC staff through an old book called Abide in Christ. But it’s ever-new truth about our staying connected with Christ (right out of John 15). More and more people are asking how they can get in on it. It’s online in the public domain (author: Andrew Murray) or you can buy it in the Outfitter or other bookstores.

God is doing some amazing things around here. As you guys invite your friends and family to BRCC or get into spiritual conversations at parties, etc. over the holidays, we’re gonna go into 2009 experiencing something so big only God could pull it off. And we get to be a part of it!

Woody

Watching Our Church Grow

2008-11-26T11:06:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

The last few weeks have been busy ones. Even though I haven’t been speaking (Dave and Jeremy have done a great job), it seems all the other stuff that hadn’t been getting done has filled it up. I’ve replaced a dryer and done plumbing repairs, auto repairs, etc.

Wasn’t our baptism great? It was cool to see “middle” brothers and sisters becoming “big” brothers and sisters. As I watched James and Joe baptize Jamie (whom they had led to Christ), I thought of Stephen who had baptized them, and could picture Jamie in the future baptizing someone God has (or will) put in his life. I’ve watched this happen in real time with the Saturday morning men’s breakfast group. The restaurant has knocked out walls and made a room big enough for 50+ men to meet. There is a similar thing happening with the women. God is at work!

Sunday a woman came and asked me to pray for her husband. She told me he liked to hike. I immediately thought of a friend whom I hike with sometimes and told her I’d try to connect her husband with him. As she left, I looked around and there was my hiking friend. I ran after and grabbed the lady and introduced her to my friend. As we stood there talking, he asked her what else her husband likes to do. She said he likes mountain biking. At that moment, another friend who is an avid mountain biker walked right up to us. I left them excitedly talking about how they could become a part of her husband’s spiritual journey. The most exciting part of this was not that these two guys were a good fit outdoors-wise, but that both of them are running after God. That’s happening more and more often around here these days. God is definitely staging us for something huge. I can’t wait to see it unfold. Can you?

Woody

Preparing for the Baptism Service

2008-11-11T13:30:00.000-05:00

Boy, hearing the stories of baptizees on Monday night just reminds me of why we do what we do. And to see the number of men….

In the church where I grew up, women did all the work. In fact, the women, like my mother who gave me my spiritual heritage, were the most spiritually sensitive and seeking. Frankly, that’s generally been my experience in church. So, one of the exciting things about BRCC now is the number of men coming to Christ and taking the initiative. They’re not only asking how they can be spiritual leaders in their families, they’re doing it. Only God could do this and I ‘m loving it.

The stories of the men Monday night were amazing.

One guy visited BRCC one time and that Sunday afternoon gave his life to Christ.

Another, who was picked up hitchhiking and brought to a family in BRCC, was then connected to a guy with a similar background who, on a hike, led him to Christ.

Still another man who had put a gun to his own head and was interrupted, then called a guy he knew a few days later to see about joining an organization. The guy he called had recently come to Christ at Blue Ridge and asked him where he was spiritually. He invited this young man to his office and along with another guy from Blue Ridge, prayed with him as he received Christ. This newly-minted believer came to the Encounter group and after the group one of the men at the table (himself a new believer) called him and said “I want to be there for you in your new journey.” His comment was “I came back on Sunday because I’ve never felt so much compassion.” Then he went on to tell me of conversations that he is having with friends and co-workers about Christ. And they’re initiating them! As he told me his responses, I couldn’t believe (and he said he couldn’t either) the truth and wisdom that God was already giving him.

Because he was being obedient.

What stories! What a God!

Back From Africa

2008-10-31T10:38:00.000-04:00

Hey Guys,

It’s good to be home from Africa. Not because we didn’t enjoy it—we did! We were on safari and saw elephants, lions, giraffes, buffalo, impalas (not Chevys), warthogs, wildebeest, rhinos, and on and on. We had to evacuate our camp because of an approaching wildfire and got to visit Soweto (where the tide turned against apartheid and where Nelson Mandela lived). Ask to see our slides. We enjoyed it, but it seems the real action was here at BRCC.

As Dave told me, “You would have been proud of BRCC” on Saturday when the clothes were handed out. The love, the serving hands, the miracles (if you didn’t hear about the lost purse, ask Will Likins or me), and the worship—all done with a spirit of “so that.” I was/am proud to be a part of a church like this. And all of this happens even when I’m not here—hmmm.

Like Soweto, it’s freedom that is being achieved and experienced by people who were slaves (in this case to sin and its effects). Freedom to live a new way, a message to tell others, a cause to belong to. What an opportunity to do something with our one and only life that will make us different forever!

Yea God!

The Upside-Down Kingdom

2008-10-09T08:42:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Have you seen the stock market this week? There’s a lot of fear from shrinking 401Ks, shrinking employment, shrinking credit, etc. I talked to someone last night who is a new Christ-follower, and he revealed his worry/fear of the economy slowing down which would hurt the building trades (his occupation). It was good to be able to tell him about the upside-down Kingdom. The slowing economy is serious, but he is now under new management. He is now in the family of God and God takes care of His children. “I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” Psalm 37:25 (NIV)

In fact, God uses times/circumstances to change the way we look at the world (hence, upside-down). He uses them to shift our value systems, what/who we depend on, what we give to. I think of verses like Hebrews 11:8-10 and 13-16, which shift our primary citizenship from this world to God’s Kingdom. If you want to be comforted, especially as we approach the elections, read Isaiah 9:6, 7: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Woody

"Always Be Prepared"

2008-10-02T10:46:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

We got a lot of good feedback on Sunday. We had a message from a first-time visitor who thanked us for addressing a fear that had bugged her and caused doubts for years. I just read an article in the Washington Times about a recent archaeological find in Jerusalem that named a character in the Old Testament. Actually it was one of two people who were named in one verse—the other name was found in the same place two years ago.

As you can tell, I love this stuff. I guess one reason is that growing up in my world, the Bible was assumed to be fanciful or non-factual. Imagine my wonder when I discovered that it was historically accurate. It really happened. The implications of this are important because if Jesus, for instance, wasn’t a historical figure but rather a metaphorical or mythical one, why would anything else be true? Given the criticality of an actual human, Jesus, in identifying with and dying for human beings, the historical credibility of the Bible takes on enormous significance.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared.” Not that there aren’t things I don’t understand in the Bible—there are many. But I, for one, could not stake my life (this one and the one to come) on a myth. I love that Jesus was real then—and now.

Woody

Fall (and God) is in the air!

2008-09-23T14:26:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Well, we’re back in the fall groove – all of our environments kicked off in the last two weeks. People are excited and are showing up. One interesting thing around BRCC is that it used to be when 20 people would sign up, only 10 people would show up. It seems that now we have the opposite. Ten people signed up for TruthWorks and 48 people showed up. The same thing happened with the Encounter Group. One guy who had given his life to Christ a couple of weeks ago came and brought his wife. She gave her life to Christ the first night of the Encounter Group. These people aren’t waiting! It’s so cool to look out at people who are moving toward God (even if some of them don’t know it). It’s so cool to be part of a church where this is happening. I love doing this with you guys.

There’s such a sense of excitement. I was apprehensive about people’s engagement with the Walk through the Old Testament. Did you see the way people responded? That’s God. Now we just have to actively move with Him and get to be part of what he has always longed to do with and among His people. We get to show the world who God is and what He is like. I feel so privileged to be a part of it and to do it together.

Last week I stopped to talk with the Deveneys as they got the offering ready to deposit, and Susie told me of meeting a man at the “Y” who told her of a church he had visited that Sunday. In his previous church experiences, his child who had “challenges” had not been welcomed or had not liked other places they had tried. The church they had visited that Sunday was different. The child was invited into the kids program and loved it. This guy wouldn’t stop talking about this great church. Susie asked him what church it was and he said Blue Ridge. It’s stories like this that let us know God is working through us. Yea God!

w

Responses to Sunday's Service

2008-09-09T11:54:00.001-04:00

Hey guys,

I love the way God works. Sunday, after Will spoke during the service, a young woman came up and said, “That’s my story.” Will and I talked with her and could see a heartfelt response to her broken relationship with God and her desire to have Him fix it. We explained how she could be forgiven for her sin (that’s the root problem) and be adopted into Jesus’ family. With broken sobs, she prayed, accepting the free gift of forgiveness. We explained what had just happened, that she had moved from condemnation to freedom, from darkness to light, from being outside the family of God to being His beloved child. We told her about the new environments that were available to help her grow and move toward God.

One of the coolest things was something I’ve blogged about recently—the critical need for a big sister. The young woman who had invited her (who met her at work and came with her) was standing right there, ready to help her explore the path she had just stepped onto.

As I stood there with Will (a former atheist), this new spiritual sister (from Guatemala) with a friend (from Jamaica) and her new big sister (from Peru) who is part of a small group led by a young woman who is part Hispanic, I couldn’t help but be in awe of a God who is working in different people from different places and bringing them all together in a divine encounter, which changed all of us forever.

What a God. What a Savior!

- Woody

After the Baptisms....

2008-08-28T16:45:00.000-04:00

Wasn’t that a great baptism on Sunday? I love hearing those stories (and being a part of them). And the story doesn’t stop there. Friday night at Intro to Blue Ridge, I talked with a couple who were obviously on a spiritual Journey but didn’t have a grasp of what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ. But they were open to talking about it. They still weren’t sure why or what they needed to do that would be different from what they’d already done. I told them that I didn’t want to force them, but my impression was that they had not really connected with Christ yet. However, I told them of my excitement about the obvious work of God in their lives. So, I just prayed with them that they would keep putting themselves in optimal environments like Sunday’s service (baptism) or the Encounter Group and say “yes” to God when He told them to.

I then had another long but enjoyable conversation with a family who had grown up in a very legalistic, religious environment (System # 1). Over the past 5 weeks at BRCC, they had become aware of and recipients of God’s grace. They just cried at the freedom they were experiencing, and I went home tired but filled with gratitude to God that I get to do this and be a part of these stories (what God wants for every one of us).

But, back to the first couple who were on the Journey toward God but neither sure of nor grasping grace in their relationship with Him. I prayed for them that night and regularly over the next couple of days.

Sunday morning, after the second service, I was watching people hug the baptizees and I felt a touch on my arm. I looked around into the face of the woman I had talked to Friday night at Intro and she said to me, “I’m ready.” And right there we prayed and she gave her life to Christ. Does it get any better than that?

What I felt (and feel) is what God wants for each one of us. I know it’s scary and you may not feel adequate (welcome to my world!), but that’s why we try to provide major support to you. That’s why we offer the Encounter Group, which starts up again on September 16. So I’m praying that right now you’ll allow the person (or persons)—whom God has already picked out—to come to your mind. I’m also praying that you will “do the ask” and invite them to the Encounter Group. If they are hesitant to go alone, bring ‘em! Then together (with God) we’ll experience some amazing things as someone in your life who doesn’t know God in a personal or life-changing way says, “I’m ready.”

Love ya,
Woody

Wrapping Up the Galatians Series

2008-08-24T14:25:00.000-04:00

Hey guys,

Lots of good feedback from the Galatians series. Once again, we’re seeing God confirm the new approach to His leading that we’re learning. It’s much more immediate and not a long-term strategic or business approach. It’s more about prayer than planning, more about the Spirit than strategy. It’s really more about the Journey than the destination. It’s what I was talking about last Sunday when I read the story of Jesus and us on the bicycle. It turns following Christ (and that’s precisely what Jesus calls us to do) into an adventure rather than trudging through life under the increasing weight of unmet and unmeetable expectations.

This week I was reading in Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV): “I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” What freedom!

As I understand Scripture, we can’t know the future. What we’ve been given is today and it’s all we can do to walk closely with God in this moment (Matthew 6:34). Someone has said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. We have only been given today—that’s why it is called the present.”

This doesn’t mean we never plan—but we must plan out of God’s leading, not plan out God’s leading. This is so unnatural for humans who from the first (Garden of Eden) have wanted to be God (in this case, evidenced by wanting to know and determine the future). God says, “No, I want you to trust Me and let Me lead.” And when we do, He takes us on a far more wonderful Journey than we could ever dream up. It’s hard to give up being the CEO of our life, but God is so much better at directing our life than we are. After all, He knows the big picture, knows us better than we know ourselves, and has the power to pull it off.

I know I’m loving it. I know God loves it. And I think you’ll love it.

Woody

p.s. (do blogs have a p.s.?)

As we head into the next series, I need to know what questions your friends/family who don’t know God would have about the Bible. The series is called “TEXT” and we’ll start by looking at the Bible as God’s text message to us and getting oriented to it. How could we frame this? What questions could we address that those people you invite would be interested in? Remember that I don’t respond to posted comments (I don’t event type—someone else has to type this for me), but I do really appreciate your input.

Big Brother / Big Sister

2008-08-12T08:20:00.004-04:00

Hi guys,

Well, Nan and Marilee just came in and browbeat me into doing my blog. I went around yesterday (Sunday) and tried to enlist someone to email me and tell me that my blog was not effective and maybe I should give up on it. A man finds out who his friends really are at a time of need like this – not one person would step forward and do the deed. Oh, well.

As I prayed and asked the question – “God, what do You want to tell people?” – I thought of several things but when this one came up, the lights and sirens went off.

One of the principles I’ve become aware of over the last year or so that has the potential to change the way we do church is what I call “Big Brother/Big Sister.” I’ll explain it in a moment, but the reason it’s important is that it addresses what, so far in my experience, has been an insolvable problem. God tells us that we become part of His family when we become Christ-followers (Eph. 2:19, 1:5 NLT). That being true, we become brothers and sisters in a spiritual family. Herein lies, I think, the best solution to the problem I mentioned earlier. The problem is that of optimal spiritual development. People become Christ-followers and often fall away or sputter along and don’t express what God planned and desires for them.

Why not? Often it can be traced to a lack of relational connection with others who are on the journey and could help in all kinds of ways in their spiritual growth. Our national and natural tendency toward self-sufficiency is our undoing. Remember, the right or best thing is often the hardest or most unnatural thing. Just as a baby needs a supportive family environment to develop (or even survive), so a spiritual baby must have a healthy family environment in order to develop. This is where the “big brother/big sister” idea enters.

Soon after I began to formulate this idea (or God began to), I got an email from Mike Cook, Executive Director of Allow the Children, describing what he observed among the children in the Tibetan Trust Home in Nepal. I’ll let you read an excerpt from it.

I have frequently commented in letters over the years, about how the children at the TTH care for one another. Among the children here, we have big children, middle sized children, and small children. Each fills a unique roll. Let me relate some incidents to illustrate.

This morning at devotion time, when all 70 children assembled to praise, pray, and hear God's Word, I watched as a brand new "little" came into the room. I have seen this many times before. He looked for, and quickly spotted his "big" and went to him and snuggled up next to him. This big, who has only known this little for a few weeks, tenderly held this little in the crook of his arm. The little one was now secure in this big group, and he drank in everything that was going on, looking to his big for the cues on what to do, and when to do it. After a while, a "middle" child took this little onto his lap, and also hugged him and helped him. As the children began to sing, they sang some songs that have arm motions that are done with the songs. (Even the biggest children do these...it is not un-cool for big children to participate here!) When one of these songs begins, one of the littles from the girl's side and one of the littles from the boy's side jump up and run to the front of their respective sides, and begin to "lead" the group in doing the motions. Upon careful examination, you will find that their attention is focused on a big or a middle that is seated with the group. The little is not skilled at doing these motions, but the big or middle he is watching is quite skilled. If you watch the big, they are nodding, encouraging, and smiling fondly at the little who is learning to lead. When you look back at the little who is "leading," they have the same smile.

We also have a group of 6 children who are "super bigs" not because of their size, but because of what they do. These are the six who will be the next generation of house parents here, and they have been mentored and have been mentoring others for years. When devotion time was over, one of the super bigs called the new little boy I described above over, and held him on her lap. She checked his clothes, talked lovingly to him, and even wiped the toothpaste off of his little cheek. (Toothpaste is a new thing to most of our little guys coming in!) To truly understand the super bigs, it was instructive to watch them as the whole TTH family was preparing to move the boys into their new dorm. Everyone joined in the clean up and the carrying involved. You could easily spot the super bigs, because they are the ones who ran ahead to do the dirtiest, most difficult, and most unpleasant tasks. These are the leaders!

Leadership here is quite different from what is so often seen in the US. There, the military authority model of “respect the position not the man,” or the corporate “claw your way to the top” mindsets seem to dominate. Ironically, in Nepali culture, they adhere to these ideals just like the Americans do. Here at the TTH, it is all upside down. Super bigs are not appointed, nor do they rise to the top on the backs of others. In fact, rather than rising to the top, they sink to the bottom, serving the needs of all of those around them. As a way of life here, people learn to serve the needs of those weaker than they are. They become mentors as they are mentored by those "bigger" than they are. As littles gain confidence, they begin to help newer littles. I have known the bigs and the super bigs here since they were littles directly under Dolma's care. I have watched them grow and wonderfully
develop into the bigs and super bigs they now are.

Not every child easily transitions into a big. I watched today as CD, one of our
oldest and largest children, gave a powerful demonstration of just how impactful this system really is. CD, more than any of the other children, is struggling right now. He has struggled academically for a number of years. He is struggling with his identity, his future aim, and his Spiritual identity. He is not a bad kid, just a guy struggling. He is not a "big" in the sense that he would readily latch on to the littles and become their mentor and helper. But he is a product of this leadership system. During the moving process, there were two middle boys who were carrying a very heavy wooden bed frame. They came to some stairs, and it was going to get very tough for them as they would go up. Like it was a reflex, CD saw their problem, and he quickly went to the place where they were, put his shoulder under the bed frame, and carried most of the weight as the two middles kept the bed steady and in place until they reached the top of the stairs. The mark of his mentors and their sacrifices for him are clearly evident in CD's life.

I can't help but think of the phrase in 1 Corinthians 12…"I show you a more
perfect way..."
I’m convinced this is God’s pattern for his family! When every Christ-follower sees himself/herself this way – not just passive or a consumer or self-sufficient, but virtually in need of not only having a big brother/sister but being a big brother/sister – then I know that growth and spiritual development will happen. As a big brother/sister, a person doesn’t have to be an expert (you’re not a parent or a teacher), but more like a third-grader who helps their younger sibling navigate going into the first grade.

This is my dream for BRCC because it is God’s dream for His family. I’ve got a lot more I could say on this subject, but I’ve already gone on a long time. As you have questions, comments about this – shoot them my way. As I’ve already stated, I won’t answer your emails or postings, but I will read and benefit from them. To be continued.

W

Vacations with God

2008-08-08T12:13:00.000-04:00

I know I’m late writing this blog, but I just got home from a backpacking trip and you can imagine the backlog (I’m such an important person). Actually, I think a lot of our busyness is an effort to prop up our self-importance—but that’s for another blog.

As I just prayed about what to write, the thing that came to me is that I should tell you what I’ve been telling people who have asked about my trip. For years, my vacations came dangerously close to being vacations from God. God taught me an expensive lesson early on about that very subject. One summer, I basically told God I was going to Alaska and I’d see Him in the fall. The night before we left, my brother changed the oil in the van we were going to drive and found a handful of metal—not good. Over the next few weeks we put five (yes, 5) engines in that van trying to get one that would work. On the day the VW dealer called and told us that it was finally working, I borrowed my brother’s new, fast motorcycle and went to see a friend. On the way, I got in a race with a pickup truck that refused to let me pass. I ended up winning the race, but I went into a sharp curve at a high rate of speed and went “over the high side.” I lost most of my teeth, my memory, and the rest of the summer. I’m not saying God caused it, but I took an important lesson away from that summer—don’t be arrogant and dismissive with God. The lesson has served me well. I still screw up…but less and less.

These trips are welcome, healthy breaks but they are becoming much more. I’m including God more and more and the (super)natural result is that He is drawing nearer to me (James 4:8). The primary impression I came away from this trip with is captured by a verse I read this morning in my quiet time with God. It’s in Zephaniah 3 (bet you haven’t read that one lately!):

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (v. 17) NIV

One example: We pulled into the backcountry office in Rocky Mountain National Park, and I asked the ranger about the possibility of an overnight trip—not too long—in a spectacular location. I knew it was iffy that we’d even get a spot because it’s peak season. The ranger looked at the available spots, smiled and said, “I have one night that just became available at the most requested campsite in the park. It’s the only site in a beautiful canyon, and people go online and on the phone for hours trying to get it. Do you want it?” Do we? We walked out of that backcountry office and stopped under a ponderosa pine and just said thanks to a God who delights in His children.

It brought to my mind a story that Brennan Manning told of an Irish priest who was walking along the road one day and came upon an old man kneeling and praying. He watched for a while and finally the old man became aware of him and opened his eyes. The priest remarked that the old man must be very close to God. The old man reflected for a moment and said, “Yes, He is very fond of me, He is.”

That’s the way I feel.

Acts 1 / Acts 2

2008-07-29T12:01:00.002-04:00

Hey guys,

Here’s my second shot at this. If this isn’t working for you, please let me (and my blog sponsors) know so I can quit.

I was just thinking about what I’m excited about and several things popped up (or were already there). I’m excited about what I see happening in people’s lives through this Galatians series. I’m excited about the three people (that I know of) who came to Christ this past week. In the big picture, one of the things I’m excited about is how people have been stepping up to serve since our series, The “S” Word. I had my second meeting Sunday night with a new cleaning team. God obviously has a sense of humor since “Woody cleaning” is an oxymoron. Our first big project will be my office and desk (ha).

Seriously, God sorta prompted me to try it because one of the things He has emphasized this year is illustrated by the C.S. Lewis quote, “Choose heaven and you get earth thrown in; choose earth and you get neither” (my paraphrase). The idea is that if we put first things first, we get second things thrown in. If we put second things first, we get neither first nor second.

Biblically, I refer to this principle as Acts 1/Acts 2. For years, as a church we focused on Acts 2–the results. I figured if we could just do those things well enough, then God would show up and bless us. Then I realized that Acts 1 actually came before Acts 2 (duh!). Jesus said to wait until the Holy Spirit comes and empowers you, then you will act/serve out of His power and not your own. Since we started doing that, BRCC has become a place driven not by our human plans and methodologies, but by God’s plans and power. And what a ride!

It’s being expressed in lots of different arenas. And that brings me back to serving. Under the old system, serving was about getting the job done; relationships and spiritual things were add-ons, at best (second things first). But we’re starting and doing stuff differently now. I told the folks who showed up at the first meeting that cleaning was our second job—helping one another get close to God was our first job. So for the first few meetings, we’re just telling our stories and praying. When the “first thing” is firmly in place, then we can move on to the second thing—because if we’re not intentional, the urgent (second thing) displaces the important every time!

It’s counterintuitive (God’s “upside down Kingdom”), but it’s what God wants. And it’s happening—even if it’s kinda tough sometimes for those who are cleaning activists. I’m anticipating God doing a whole new thing around here as we put first things first and watch Him bless us as we go on this adventure with Him and with one another. I’m so glad I get to do it with you guys.

Love ya,
Woody

First Things First

2008-07-21T13:10:00.000-04:00

I hate the idea of writing a blog. Isn’t that a terrible way to start one? The idea of waking up on Monday morning with yet another creative deadline hanging over me is dreadful. Actually, to be accurate, I hate the process. Don’t get me wrong. I think a blog is a good idea--one that Nan has promoted patiently for some time. So, since I know the responsibility of communicating to an audience in culturally relevant ways, and since I really do want to communicate with the people of BRCC, I’m gonna try it.

If it’s helpful…well, we’ll see.

There’s a lot to write about, to be thankful for. This past year has seen more spiritual movement at BRCC than any year I can remember. Not only have we baptized more people, had more people become followers of Christ, exceeded our budget, had 130 people recently sign up for serving, etc. etc., the most wonderful thing is that all of these quantitative increases are simply the expression of inner spiritual changes--a movement of God among and in us. It’s like all the vital signs of the human body being in positive territory. It’s not the number values that are important–it’s the health they reveal.

I’m using a Bible reading plan to read through the Bible in one year (it’s probably gonna take me 2 years), and this morning I turned to Isaiah 25 (NIV). The first verse was “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.” And the verses kept coming. “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord is the Rock eternal” (26:3,4). “Yes Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (26:8). “…all that we have accomplished You have done for us” (26:12b).

Hopefully that gives you a sense of where my heart is right now. In the coming weeks, I’ll try to communicate not only what’s going on at BRCC, but what God is doing in me.

You can help by letting me know if this is helpful and what questions you might want addressed. Just know that I will not personally respond to emails since I don’t type and I don’t know what I’m doing as a “blogger” anyway.

Love ya,
Woody