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2007-02-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

Chad? Vader...

2006-07-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Star Wars fans you will love this. Click on Vader to check out Lord Vader in his new element.

I'm Ghetto

2006-07-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm so Ghetto I had to look up how to spell Ghetto on google just to put out this post.

I'm so Ghetto I STILL wear Adidas (And to this day when I put them on I often rap "My Adidas")

I'm so Ghetto I had to look on the back of my shoes just then to spell Adidas.

I'm so Ghetto I just looked again at the back of my shoe because I was sure I remembered it being spelled Addidas.

I'm so Ghetto I think 22's make a Mercury Sabell look good.

I'm so Ghetto I won't even look up how to spell Sabell even though this spelling dosn't look right to me.

I'm so Ghetto I was in one of our students pool the other night and told Jon Hicks I wish I had a pool that led into my living room like on Cribs.

I'm so Ghetto I would get a Hummer if I could and still live in my same house that cost me several thousand dollars less than than the Hummer.

I'm so Ghetto I think any thing with hot sauce on it taste about 10 times better. (Just had to ask my wife how to spell sauce)

I'm so Ghetto I just spent 10 valuable minutes talking about how Ghetto I am.

I'm so Ghetto I think this is cool (Click Here)

Peace!

In Stores Now…

2006-06-28T14:16:00.000-07:00

Check out my new Pop Lockin Instructional Video…

Popin & Lockin to the Hits Handed Down by the Man!

(How to dance to the drummer of the Southern Baptist Convention)

You will learn moves for hits like…

Lobotomy Dichotomy (How to think like the man)

Gangstas Paradise Remix (The Ronnie Floyd Version)

Hit me Disney One More Time (New free style dance for celebrations at Disney world since the powers that be lifted the ban on the House of Mouse)

Ten Foot Tall and Bullet Proof (Forget what God says we will tell you when its OK to drink)

Another Brick in the Wall (Interpretive dance about firing of all ministry personnel that are not Baptist enough)

Order now and you will also get…

This lovely mind control wall hanging. Simply stare at it and chant I will conform…

Order today and we will send you some knives that will cut cans in half…as long as they are not beer cans!

Half Baked (More than a stoner movie)

2006-06-20T08:05:00.000-07:00

Do you have any projects that are half-baked, half-done, incomplete. Most of the time my projects are like the Death Star in Star Wars. They blow up in my face before I ever complete them. Right now my new floor at home is down but still needs trim. The inside of my house is as close to being remodeled as it will ever get, but the outside has hardly been touched. My car has softball equipment from last season still in the trunk that I will use again starting this week. My yard has been mowed but not trimmed. My mail box has two of the four numbers in our address, or maybe just one now, I’m not sure. My metal building has been up for over a year now but hasn’t been secured to the ground like I initially intended. I have more unfinished projects than a nerd has Lord of the Ring figurines.

I was reading in Nehemiah (my favorite book of the Bible) today. I noticed that after much conflict and hard work Israel had completed the wall around Jerusalem up to ½ its height. That was a huge accomplishment that took tons of people lots of hard work. They were at that place where you begin to see the end in sight. Yet, somehow it was at this point that they began to get discouraged. They started listening to their enemies threats, they began to be overwhelmed by the huge project. Nehemiah, prayed (something he does over and over in the book), organized the people into family groups, and armed them. Then stock piled weapons in a school bus and buried it. O.K. I made that last thing up, but the rest really happened. They got on with the work and saw God do amazing things.

My half-baked projects seem to spill over into my spiritual life sometimes. I get ½ way to where God wants me to be and I start to want to give up. For those of you with the same discouragement battles as me, I think we can learn a couple of things from Nehemiah. When the going gets tough, get an action plan. Don’t throw in the towel. Pray, ask God for help and guidance. Ban together with others in your family, both our earthly and spiritual family. Watch for God to act. Then, get back to work. I think that last thing is what I need to do right now.

Look out Poet of Wales'

2006-06-06T12:43:00.000-07:00

I found this cool little internet trick over at Notes from the Trail. You can register for free, upload a picture of yourself, and computer recognition software will pick what celebrity you most closely resemble. This is not a joke, no monkey or goofy looking bucked tooth kid will show up when you upload a picture. Sadly my closest match was this guy, Wales' greatest poet, Dylan Thomas.

If I am truly this ugly please somebody have the mercy to tell me and get me off the streets. But thanks to cosmic equilibrium, (That means the Even Steven nature of the universe.) My second closest match was none other than young Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill. George Cloony you might be Batman, but... "I'm Luke Skywalker."

If that's a minivan...

2006-05-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

For my friend Jeff Noble, I myself am a minivan protestor. But, if that is what they call a minivan sign me up. Jeff click here and think of the possiblities my friend. I think your ride is plenty cool.

Tag I'm It

2006-05-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

Jeff Noble Tagged me with this, I thought it was neat, so here goes, Tagged or not answer the following questions for youself and if you're like me it will help you see where you are and are not with God. Here goes....

Spirituality Tag...

I first saw this while cruising some religious blogs at 9rules Communities. So... here I go. Thanks to the Lo-Fi Tribe's blog for originally getting me tagged.

1. List three words that describe your faith.

Genuine, Wavering, Always Hopeful

2. Describe one belief about which you are very certain and one belief with which you struggle.

I KNOW Jesus loves me! I struggle with all that predestined stuff.

3. What is your mission in life?

My mission is to communicate Jesus’ love and gift of a full and real life to a generation that sees God and church as totally irrelevant to their lives.

4. Describe one thing that interferes with you authentically living out your faith.

I’m self centered. (Is that one or two word’s…I’m too caught up in ME to check!)

5. What is your favorite story from the Hebrew Scriptures? Why?

It flips back and forth from David to Joseph. David because I relate better to him than anyone in Scripture. He had a heart for God but a lot of failures. I feel Ya, Dave! Joseph, because at the very lowest point in my life I was reading his story and I heard God speak tom me more clearly than ever, where Joseph said “You meant it for bad but God meant it for good.” (I cried to Jeff) (Check out Jeff’s answers at notes from the trail)

6. What is your favorite New Testament story? Why?

Maybe , Zacchaeus. I love when Jesus forgives big sinners like me and they still like other sinfull people, like Zacchaeus did.

7. Describe a meaningful action you took because of your faith.

When my wife and I left our last church to start something new. When we told our Pastor we were leaving we didn’t know how we would make a living.

8. Does your faith differ from that of your parents? If so, how?

My faith I think comes from what I’ve seen in my parents. They’re a little bit country I’m a little bit rock and roll.

9. Who or what was most important in the development of your faith.

When we moved back to Pine Bluff, with no job, no home, nothing but each other and our awesome and supportive families. God grew our faith in that six months more than ever before or since.

10. Pass it on! Tag at least two other religious/faith bloggers.

I’m out of the loop guys. But I will tag my brother Matt who claims he is not blogging at widebody just to get him to blog again (I need to laugh Matt). I don't know who else. I've got to start blogging again consistently.

Revving Up Your Time With God

2006-05-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

I recived this in Rick Warren's Ministry Tool Box email this week. I know it's basic stuff but some how it is a conscise version of how to glean a lot from your time with God. I know I look forward to giving it a whirl this week.

Enhancing your Bible study – verse-by-verse
by Rick Warren

Pastor, if you want to maximize your personal Bible study time, I’ve got a simple suggestion for you: verse-by-verse study.

It’s not hard. In fact, you can glean an enormous amount from just five simple steps. Just pick a passage, grab a pen, and follow these procedures:

1. Write a personal paraphrase.
Write out the verse in your own words. Do not use one of the modern paraphrases except to get the idea of how to do it. Stay true to the verse you are paraphrasing, and try to condense rather than expand it.

2. List some questions, answers, and observations.
List any questions you have relating to words, phrases, persons, topics, and doctrines in that verse. Write down any answers you find and also record any observations you make. Mark these as follows:

Q = Question

A = Answer

O = Observations

3. Find cross-references for each verse.
Using the cross-references from your study Bible or from Scripture memory, write down at least one cross-reference for the verse you are studying. Identify the word or phrase you are cross-referencing at the end of this chapter. Use a concordance if you do not have a cross-referenced Bible.

4. Record any insights you get from the verse.
Having thought through the words, phrases, and concepts in the verse, record any insights that you get from them. These could be further observations, words, and names that you have looked up and defined, or any other thought that comes to you. Let your imagination go and be as creative as you can.

5. Write down a brief personal application for each verse.
As you go through the verses, record the devotional thoughts that come to you. Later, when you’re planning a devotional Bible study, you can pick one of those thoughts and develop it further. Or, if a particular verse seems to meet an immediate need, go ahead and write out an application that is possible, practical, personal, and measurable.

My suspicion is that the notes you gather through your personal study time will eventually find their way into a sermon. And that’s okay! That’s a great way to maximize your time in the Word. But the real benefit of verse-by-verse study is your own personal refreshment. If you’re in need of refilling, pick a passage and get going – verse-by-verse.

Spirit Wars

2006-05-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

Is the Force with You? You can live by a power greater than yourself. The next several weeks at Xperience we are talking about Spirit Wars. There is a battle raging far more evil than any thing George Lucas could ever have dreamed of. Join us on Saturdays at 6:00 PM to find out how to win the battle daily.

(Photo supplied by Nerds in Action)

Top 10 signs you're not the most popular guy in your high school

2006-04-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

I could have easily compiled this TOP TEN in high school.

Accidentally In Love (Edited for Content)

2006-04-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

The song Accidentally In Love by Counting Crows makes me happy. So does Mr. Jones. Those guys have happy music to me. Those happy moments in the dry days of life are like summer breezes….refreshing.

I was reading in Psalms this morning. David is always talking about being happy. I started thinking about how many times a day I say mentally and verbally “Man, I’m tired.” It is kind of my catch phrase. Like Frank Costanza’s “Serenity now.” I started thinking what good does it do to tell myself and others I’m tired. What if I switched my catch phrase to “Man I’m …happy.” It wouldn’t change the world. But, it might change my tiny corner of it.

If this is all sounding a little too Joel Osteen for you then feel free to surf on over to Google and search for the latest dancing smiley face email or boy who looks likes a goat. If you are still here wouldn’t it be cool if we all traded our negative catch phase in on something positive. I’ve really been thinking this out this morning. I’ve thought about how I say carelessly to people that are around me daily “Man I’m tired.” They think nothing of it. We all say things like that. But what if I said “Man I’m happy”? How many people do you hear saying that? I wonder what they would say?

Well, here goes. I think I’ll try it. It will probably take me a couple of days of doing this silently before I have the guts to proclaim tidings of comfort and joy to people around me. Want to join me? Post your catch phrase, put a positive spin on it, and give me your new motto. This might turn into the next Pay It Forward. Or at least my Mom and Jeff Noble will read this and that will be it. Who knows? All I know is…. “Man I’m happy.”

Suit Up!

2006-04-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

“Suit Up!” That is the favorite saying Neil Patrick Harris’ character, Barney, on the new C.B.S. hit How I met your Mother. That’s fine for Barney, he likes to “Suit up”, go out on the town, meet and impress women. But, that is because he is a suit guy. Suit guys are comfortable in suits. I was getting ready for a funeral this morning and while I was preparing to “Suit up” I thought about how in a lot of churches like ours I would be expected to wear suit every day, or at least a business casual look. Thank goodness I’m not expected to do that here at F.B.C., Pine Bluff.

There is a great freedom here to be myself, which is one thing I think we could use a lot more of in churches today. We have kind of a 3M staff here where everybody has their own style and input but this all works together in the end for the common good. If you like to “Suit up” I’m not trying to rain on your parade. In fact I think you rock, in the words of AC/DC “I salute youuuuu…..”

Anyway, enough rambling, here’s the deal. I’m convinced of that Rick Warren thing about how God has created us all with a S.H.A.P.E. (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personalities, life Experiences). Could I learn to “Suit Up” and blend at a First Baptist type church? Sure. But, why would I? God made me like I am, to reach a certain group of people, whom He knew He would be bringing across my path through out my life’s journey.

What I’m trying to say is, we waste so much time here on this planet trying to change things in us and others that God never intended for us to change. And so little time trying to change the things that God called us to change. So, whether you wear Armani, Old Navy, Gap, or Goodwill, next time you “Suit up” think about how great it is to be the person God designed you to be years before he gave your parents the blueprints.

Rock The Vote

2006-04-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Go HERE to cast your vote for me!!!

More Great Stuff From Shoeless Todd

2006-03-27T13:01:00.001-08:00

I've been very lazy in my blog posting lately. So I thought I would take today to throw out what has most impressed me lately. Todd Agnew, the shoeless prophet poet of our day, has released yet another power packed song. I've been hearing this over and over on KLOVE and I must say I think this might be some of the best words I've heard set to music since the late great Keith Green. If you haven't heard it yet here are the lyrics, just click on Todd to hear some of the actual song.

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?

Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by
on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!

Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means
to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but
then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus

Jughead wins the pie eating contest

2006-03-14T07:26:00.000-08:00

My brother Matt has about the funniest post on his blog I've read to date. If you follow Matt's blog that is really saying something. So Matt here is a link to your new favorite glass-ware. It is a couple of dollars out your price range but it means two, count-em, two glasses for the price of one and a half. Just click on the glassware shown to purchase. The rest of you suckers keep you dirty paws of my brother's grail.

Baby Got....Book?

2006-03-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

For those of you who havn't seen this yet It has to be in my top Five funniest clips. Just click on the hoplessly white dude to check it out.

FREE STUFF

2006-03-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

That headline always grabs my attention on the internet. But, today I'm not offering free stuff, I'm asking for it. Not really free, just cheap. I'm in need of, want of, need/want of a good acoustic electric guitar. I've been having to play guitar at X perience on Saturday nights until we get someone who can (REALLY PLAY). I have a cheap acoustic that we have been playing through a mic. Some nights I borrow Sara Ann's (Cool girl in our youth group). My dream guitar would be a good Ovation or maybe and Ibanez. If you guys know anyone who has a decent acoustic/electric (something we can plug into an amp) please let me know. I'm fairly broke right this moment but that can change in an instant with one solid game of craps. (Just kidding for all you radicals) LOOK MOM, I'M RUNNING MY OWN EBAY!!!

The Fultz

2006-03-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

I talked last night with my boy Stew that lives on the west coast. I miss him, Stew is one of the coolest people I know. His heart is so real and the dude is so funny. My brother is one of Stewart’s best friends and talks about him on his widebody blog from time to time. Anyway, after our conversation last night I felt compelled to write this for Stew. If you have ever seen the poetry reading of Mike Meyers in “So I Married An Axe Murderer” then read this poem in that style for its full effect.

Stew

Stew you are my friend

I will say it again

Stew you are my friend

Complexities run

Rampant in you

All of the package

That makes up the Stew

You’re cooler than Parker

More Tattoos than Barker

You’re better than me

On your Axe Flying-V

You are going to move

Why don’t you give in

Back to the Bluff

We need you again

Pack up you’re Toys

Crate you’re dog the Cowboy

Put you’re Marshall in tow

Come back to the home that you know

Play in our band

We’re not worthy we know

But you are the man

I will end my short prose

With a phrase to inspire

I hope this short verse

Will serve to light fires

And bring you back home

To the Bluff that you’ve known

I know you will cry

As I bid you Adieu

With a phrase that you love

May the force be with you (Long Pause…) Stew

Retraction

2006-02-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Wow, was I wrong for yesterday’s post. Last night the featured story of a current Olympian was about Vonnetta Flowers. She and her husband have two young twin boys. One of their children was born deaf. Her, husband quit his job so they could travel and pursue her dream of Olympic Gold in women’s bob sledding. The entire family has been traveling together following Mom as she competes.

While touring around the world the Flower’s found a doctor who could perform a new type of surgery practiced almost nowhere else in the world. Through this surgery their son was able to hear sound for the first time this year. The Flowers seem to be a family much more consumed with family than with Olympic Gold. Thank you Vonnetta, you have helped to bring back the true Olympic spirit that seems to have been missing from the 06 games.

Dude?!

2006-02-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

I don’t care if I ever hear the word dude again. My wife and I sat watching the Olympics last night talking about how much they have changed over the years. I don’t know if it is because of pro-athletes or sports coverage of every sort imaginable on 30 different channels 24/7. But, the Olympics are just not what they used to be. What happened to the Dan Jansen’s of the world. Struggling come from behind athletes with everything to lose but the heart of a lion that pressed them forward despite overwhelming odds.

I know that I’m so let down. With every interview I see I’m more depressed that I ‘ve wasted time watching this year. Instead of competitors saying things like “I lost my Dad this year; Dad this gold is for you…” Now all we hear is “Dude, I nailed that kick flip off the upper end but my fakie 540 just wasn’t there man….Go figure.” I hope I haven’t been downer for all you Olympic hopefuls, if so, then “Sorry Dudes.” If your out there future Flo-Joes please train hard. We need our Olympic Games back.

E.T.

2006-02-14T14:57:00.000-08:00

Meet my other worldly brother.... Jimpthar from Klockdon Quadrant.

Can I get an Ameeeeeaaahhhhnnnnn?

2006-01-31T14:28:00.000-08:00

I was talking with Jeff Noble, of Notes from the Trail fame, over coffee this morning. I told him about how on my way to Monticello this morning I popped in one of my old preaching tapes from several years back. Preachers have the biggest heads; we just love to hear ourselves talk. From time to time I do this just to see how or I have or haven’t improved.

About 15 minutes into this sermon I got so sick of hearing myself talk I had to turn it off. I had forgotten how mean I was back in those days. I had quite a grip on Truth back then; in fact to hear me talk you’d think I’d cornered the market on it. I tried to turn myself on again on the way home, to see what sickened me so much about the old Jim. Thankfully I wasn’t wearing a lapel mic and my voice would fade into whispers every time I walked away from the podium. A short but welcome reprieve for me from my own rhetoric. Finally, I got so sick of myself I just turned me off again.

When I think back on what was “wrong” with my preaching back in those days I’m almost embarrassed. All I could think of when I heard myself talk today was Robert Duvall in The Apostle. I can see my self energetically pounding out statements like “Every head bowed and every eye closed!” My preaching still often stinks now days. Little prep. and study time hast left me feeling shallow and delivery slim. But, I would trade love in my words, which I still need about a billion times more of, for that old Bible thumping wanna-be I heard this morning, any day of the week. In the words of Forrest Gump “That’s all I have to say about that.”

Are you ready for some football?

2006-01-30T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hey Dudes! It is Madden Football weather. Be at Xperience, Saturday night for our 1^st (Maybe Annual, depending on how well it goes) Madden Bowl. Bring your friends; bring your enemies, the more players the better. You will have a great time whether you choose to compete or not. We will be playing on 6 screens simultaneously, running a single elimination tournament. The action will be fast and furious, so bring your A-Game! There will be plenty of Pre-Super Bowl Party food and fun. So whether you’re a Madden head or not come Xperience the energy. The fun starts at 6:00 PM. We hope to see you there.

New Events

2006-01-18T12:03:00.001-08:00

Hey guys, click on the Events Calender to see what is coming up at Xperience. I'm sorry I lost track of updating it over the holidays but we should be back on track now.

Rainy Days and Mondays

2006-01-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

I was thinking earlier today about the canopy of gray that moved in last night over our tiny corner of the planet. I love cloudy rainy days. Maybe that is why I despise The Carpenters so much. Not, when they come for weeks on end, but every now and then, they comfort me some how. It gives me this feeling I can’t explain. It’s like God reaches down from heaven with a huge fluffy gray flannel blanket, and wraps me in it like a new puppy.

Anyway, today I was thinking about all that and turned to look out my office window and let God wrap me in His blanket. I realized my blinds were shut. I never shut my blinds because I like to feel the wide open spaces peeking through my window at me. But, I shut them last week because the sun was washing out the image on my laptop. When I looked out today to breathe in some of God’s comfort it was like slamming into a wooden wall of mini-blinds. Suddenly the thought hit me that this is the way we often are in the church. We get so focused on what is taking place within the walls of our own cathedral that we somehow shut off the outside world. The sad thing is we are often like I’ve been this week. We get so focused on what we are doing inside that we no longer even SEE what is going on outside.

I’m having a hard time putting this all into thoughts that clearly communicate what I felt today. However, I hope I will leave my blinds open and not get oblivious to those outside my window. In fact I hope those I see passing by will cause me to get up and go outside to where they are. Are you blinds open or closed today. Look outside.

I'm Back Baby!!!

2006-01-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

The conviction has set in. My brother is working full time, just moved, and has a one million reasons not to update his blog. However, he has been posting like there is no tomorrow. He has some kind of pink background thing going on. I don’t know what’s up with that. Jeff Noble is making posts about shaving his ears (My wife just plucks mine out when I least expect it.) All these guys are faithful bloggers. I’m so wish washy. I’m surprised you guys all still check in. Thanks to you faith few. Anyway, Matt and Jeff have inspired me. You guys are awesome. Jeff, the good news is roaches will have a hard time making their way into your ear canal to nest now. Matt, lose the pink, you’re such a girl.

New Years Resolve!

2006-01-03T07:43:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be cool this week to invite everyone to post their New Years Resolution. If you are one of those people like me that try to say you don’t make New Years Resolutions then get real. Call it what you want to, we all have this thing in us that causes us to re-evaluate our lives this time of year and see what needs changing. So far here’s what I want to see improve this year.

1. I would like to lose some weight. (Surprise, Surprise said Gomer Pyle)

2. I would like to get my mouth under God’s control rather than mine.

3. God hit me in my devotion time this morning with this one…

If I want my mouth under His control I have got to get my thoughts

under His control as well.

So if you have a New Years Resolution post a comment and let us all pray for each other about keeping it this year. After I typed that last sentence I realized it sounded like something Tiny Tim would say. “God bless us every one.”

The Po Po even have the Christmas spirit!

2005-12-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas and probably won't post again until it is all over. So you Guys have a merry Christmas and be there for the Super Duper Blow Out New Years Eve Party and Fireworks show. Can't wait, It'll be great, Hurry up...Don't wait... This is starting to sound like an Aerosmith song..DahDiedooodoochall cha cha kee dah.... (Aerosmith fans will get that!)
Merry Christmas Everyone!

Get Real!

2005-12-08T07:34:00.000-08:00

I really don’t have time to be writing this today, BUT…., I’ve just got to put this on. By the way I will try and get to Slidel the Elvis impersonator mechanic later next week. But for day here’s what I’ve got to get off my chest. I have this friend named Jeff. Jeff is my brother’s Pastor. His church is one of the up and coming innovative churches in Arkansas. I don’t mean they have Green Day sounding worship services or artist painting pictures of Jesus while Jeff ponders the deeper issues of the Bible, or black lights, and candles, crosses and pillows on the floor. I mean they are innovative in the sense that they have totally rethought church and what it is all about. They are what I think a true New Testament church would have been like. Founded on building true caring relationships with one another and serving and loving others outside their body. I say all this to give you a picture of what Jeff and his church are like

What made me write this, even when I REALLY don’t have time to be posting today is this. I was reading a post on Jeff’s blog yesterday (He is one of my links to the right if you want to read for yourself.) But he was talking about a passage in Nehemiah and how he’d been discouraged with the results in his church and his own life recently. Jeff was talking about how he’d been feeling about himself and his church before reading this passage in Nehemiah. He said he had been thinking, “They're not doing enough - not inviting people, not eager for people to be impacted by Jesus. I'm not doing enough, I think. I'm lazy, worthless, and uncommitted to what I teach...” Man, that is transparent. I’m always talking about being transparent. But so many times transparent to me is to say to some one “I suck.” That’s kind of obvious; the Bible says that, in fact it says we all suck. (Rom. 3:23) But, what Jeff often does on his blog is he says things that I feel about my own ministry and my own walk with God but I’m afraid to open up and share with other people. Real things. Things like maybe the problem is I’m just lazy, maybe I’m not ever going to see “success” in all of this.

I was talking with someone the other day and they were asking me about how the ministry was going here at our church, were people growing spiritually? If I could have mustered some Jeff transparency I think I would not had answered the way I did. I gave a pad “spiritual” answer. What I would like to have said is this. You know it is not going that great. There are some things happening in people’s lives on Saturday night but in 7 months we have not had one genuine conversion. The youth group here is growing in number but I feel like for the most part I’ve not helped any of them build a strong spiritual foundation that will impact others and their future. The one that have that have got it more on their own than form any thing I’ve done to help them grow. I wanted to say, truthfully I believe there is so much potential for God to do something great in this church but I’m just not the guy He can use to do it. I’m not spiritual enough, I’m not genuine enough, and I’m sure as heck not committed enough.

Well, what I really wanted to get out there to you guys today was how much it means for me to have friends like Jeff, and like David Yates (a church planter in Wynne), that will TRULY open up and say what is going on in their lives. So Jeff if you see this thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so real, you have no idea how it helps me at times. And to the rest of you, when are we going to pull off these masks and really get to know one another? When are we truly going to GET REAL? I’m sick of thinking I’m the only one like me. In fact I’m starting to think I’m just like the rest of you, in need of grace, mercy, and forgiveness daily and so dependent on God to do anything of lasting significance at all. WHHEWWW… I feel better. Have a good weekend. By the way come to Xperience (Perfect Flaw) will be with us leading worship. It will be AWESOME!!! And that is the genuine truth.

Mike and the Mechanics

2005-12-05T09:32:00.000-08:00

I’ve missed you my beloved bloggers, (If there were blogs when Jesus was on earth I think that is what He would have called us). I’ve been on vacation. A preacher vacation. We spent our time driving back and forth to Little Rock, going to the movies, shopping with out buying anything (The poor among you will understand this practice), and lying on the sandy beaches of Hollywood Video. But man was it relaxing. We vegged-out and loved every minute of it.

While I was on vacation I got to thinking about my former life, life as a mechanic. That is what I did before I got to do this kind of junk full-time. I want to take the next few posts and tell you about some of my mechanic friends. These guys are a colorful bunch of people and I think they somehow capture several aspects of what we are all like spiritually. All of the names have been changed to protect the guilty. However, they need not be changed much. Mechanics all have names like Mike, or Bob, or JIM. I don’t know why but that is just the way God made us. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about these guys a lot this week.

I worked with this one guy I will call Tommy. Tommy, reminded me of country singer. He wore a big cowboy hat everywhere else other than work. He drove a four wheel drive with huge tires, and best of all he was a chicken farmer on the side. He was a real man’s man. When he would walk through the door in the morning I felt like country music should play in the background, you know something like “I’ve got friends in low places, where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases, my blues away….” Actually it usually did play because we blared the stuff over a tiny pink jam box all day every day. Tommy had this real rough exterior. Small in stature but big in moxy. Do we say that in the South? There were two other mechanics I worked with at the time and we became kind of like the three amigos of the mechanic world. All of these shop politics made it much easier to do what we three amigos did best. We would daily make fun of Tommy. Not always to his face, but behind his back and in veiled references we thought he wouldn’t catch on to but kind of hoped he in some way would.

In fact we had a name for him we used behind his back. Chicken Man. Because he was a part time chicken farmer you know. Man, were we creative. I used to think it was us against him. The three amigos working to bring down the man…the “chicken man.” Now I look back and see it was us against him, them against me, me against them, and all of us against each other. We were like an office full of spiteful secretaries, except with lots of grease and hairier legs. No offence secretaries. Why do we feel the need to always toss someone out of the lifeboat? God puts us in a group and we feel the need to team up against one or more in the group. Like kids on a playground. I think what it all comes down to is we need to feel superior to someone. Wouldn’t it be great if we would all learn to just be like Jesus? He was superior to all of us but chose to not act like it to any of us. Do you have Chicken Man in your office, your shop, your store, your school, your group of friends? Can I give you some advice from a former amigo with a lot of regrets? Do what 50 cent would say and “Back up off him.” Do what Jesus would do and team up with the weaker in the herd rather than teaming up against them. I wish I had a do-over on all that time spent with Chicken Man. I guess I'll just have to use what I've learned to do better in a future episode. To be a better man in Jim the Sequel. I want to say so much more about this but this has already become much longer than I wanted it to be. Check back soon, because I want to tell you guys about Slidell, the Elvis impersonator / mechanic I used to work with. I’ve missed you guys. Please feel free to comment and let me know how you are doing, even if you are bummed out right now. My dull but enquiring mind wants to know.

Ink Spots and Naked Chicks Named Betty

2005-11-15T11:20:00.000-08:00

A girl in our home group named Paula told us the most amazing story last night. A while back she had warned her 4 year old, Brooke, not to wear her new outfit to play in. Like most little girls Brooke opted to pass on that piece of advice. She began playing with a permanent marker in her brand new favorite outfit. I don’t have to tell you the rest of this story. She only got one tiny spot on her shirt but needless to say it wouldn’t come out. Paula told us how her 4 year old cried and cried over her new outfit. She apologized to her parents and then to God for this tragic mistake. She asked God and her parents over and over “What was I thinking?”

I’ve know guys who had tattoos of naked chicks on their arm with an inscription below that reads Betty, or Janet, or Olivia Forever. After a life changing experience or even after a spouse changing experience they regret what they have done. Some get bikinis put over their naked chicks or a green block put over their names. But, for the most part they have a life long reminder of mistakes made.

We all have ink stained shirts or tattoos of a naked chicks named Betty in our lives. Mistakes made that can’t be undone. However, we talked last night in home group about how God can make you as if you never sinned. In fact He says “No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow.” (Isaiah 1:18) Are you crying out in your soul “What was I thinking?” God didn’t sacrifice His only Son Jesus to beat you up; He sacrificed Him to lift you up. If your past in pelting you this week confess your mistakes, your sins, to God, fall back and flap your arms and legs in the freshly fallen snow of forgiveness. God loves you and wants to get you past your past.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale...

2005-11-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

I’ve been thinking about Gilligan’s Island this week. It all started the other night when my wife Danell and I were watching Lost. For some reason I flashed back to this episode of Gilligan’s Island where Mr. Howell had a golf course constructed on the island. The course came complete with a bamboo golf cart and Gilligan himself serving as Mr. Howell’s personal caddy. I was talking to some our Xperience regulars on the way home from the Jeremy Camp concert about all of this. We got into this huge discussion about how the Professor could make golf carts and coconut battery packs to power the castaway’s radio but never could seem to patch that tiny hole in the boat that rested longingly on the beach of Gilligan’s Isle.

It got me thinking. The castaway’s were so much like us. They were able to function as if they were in a normal modern society. They had clothes to wear (except for Mary Ann) her’s were kind of sparse. They had social events, visits from famous celebrities, multiple chances to get off the Island, which Gilligan always managed to derail. But, they never were able to fix their main problem, the one that doomed them to the Island. They never were able to patch that hole in the Minnow.

We are surrounded by people every day that carry on life as if nothing were wrong. They go to work, they have families, they live and love and laugh just like the rest of us. But all the time they are stranded on an island from which they can’t seem to escape. An Island that places them in the company of other castaways but far from their purpose for existence, far from their Creator. What keeps them there? A gaping hole in their boat. A hole you would think they would see. A hole they can surely understand is simply repaired. Why don’t they. Because we, the viewing public, rather sit on our couches and wonder why they don’t fix the boat rather than take them the “Tar and Pitch” they need for the repairs. When’s the last time you talked to some one about the hole in their boat? This would be a good week to search for opportunities to do so.

Side Swiped! Again!

2005-11-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

We just started a series Saturday night all about encouragement during the holidays. I’m calling it “Happy Holidays…No Seriously” (How to have truly happy holidays). The holiday season can be very discouraging for many people. Lots of people are alone; single Mom’s, single Dad’s, or just single…Single’s. Some people have bad memories tied the holidays, the loss of a loved one, the failure of a marriage, and a host of other country song titles. So I thought this would be a great time to just do some encouraging. The problem is, Saturday night was my most discouraging night I’ve had at Xperience in a long time. It was all the typical stuff that got me down. Low attendance, a message that didn’t come out of my mouth nearly as powerfully as it went into my word processor, and general discouraging stuff swirling in the air like leaves in a fall wind. Talk about the definition of irony, a totally discouraged guy standing up there telling people about how God wants them to be encouraged. There is a video I watched a few weeks ago called “Luggage.” It is set in an airport terminal, and follows one woman and her luggage from landing to leaving the parking lot of the airport on a rainy night. There is a guy sitting in the terminal that goes on and on, for around fifteen minutes, about the baggage we all carry around in life. All the time canned airport music plays in the background. The video is very slow paced and gives you that heavy feeling of what it is like to carry a load in your life. At the end of the video the woman it follows pulls up to the guard shack at the parking lot exit and gives the attendant her ticket. The gate lifts she pulls out into the dark rainy night. Suddenly out of no where a huge semi-truck wipes her out. The video shows this loud, instantaneous crash and then fades to black. It is totally unexpected. The guy who has been rambling for fifteen minutes or so talks about how short and unpredictable life can be. That woman is what I felt like Saturday night. Discouragement comes like a car crash, unexpected and sever. One minute you’re standing at the prow of the boat, hands raised high, shouting “I’m the king of the world.” The next you are slipping below water looking up at the fading face of Kate Winslet. I love the holiday season. I can’t wait for Christmas. This is truly “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” for me. But, many of you are living what I experienced a dose of Saturday night. Genuine, in your face, car crash discouragement. Sunday morning God spoke in the clear compassionate voice I’ve heard time and time again beneath the winds of discouragement. He used our pastor to bring a message of hope, encouragement, and vision to my sinking heart. I felt the wind blow and my sails begin to fill again. I hope you will come as God encourages us together these next few weeks. There is a wind blowing this Christmas season and I don’t want you to miss your chance at the open seas.

Back Street is Back!

2005-11-03T07:20:00.000-08:00

If you have a high speed connection you have got to check this out. More proof that the Back Street Boys are lame in any culture. BSB VIDEO. I saw this on Kenny Tomlin's website, Who may I say is awesome. Check out his stuff and his church (The Portico).

Coffee with Jesus

2005-10-31T10:04:00.000-08:00

We had a great time of worship at Xperience this Saturday. Justin Wendell led worship again this week and as always led us into God's presence. If you haven't been to Xperience in a while you need to come and 'eXperience' worship with the band. Justin is one of those rare people you talk to and have moments where you think I bet this is what it would be like to have talked to Jesus. Not that he is that holy or wears a robe or anything. He'd crawl up in his guitar and die if he even knew I was saying something like this about him. But, he has one of those open hearts. You know the kind of person that you can look into their eyes and see clear down to their soul. He's just real transparent and genuine. Like he really enjoys spending time with you, whoever you are. That is the image I have in my head of what Jesus must be like. I have a hard time picturing the real Jesus in my head. People I meet that display attributes of Jesus help me to do that. I was wondering this morning as I had my coffee in hand and stepped out in the crisp morning air what it would have been like to have coffee with Jesus. I don't even know if they had coffee back then, but I'm sure they had something they drank early in the mornings and with friends and was a drink more about emotion than taste. You coffee people know what I’m talking about. I was thinking about what it would have been like to walk out of Simon Peter's cousin's friend's house on a cold Jerusalem morning. To have spent the night with Peter, his wife, James and John and of course Jesus at a total strangers home. Can you imagine walking out of the tiny sandstone house, with sleep in your eyes, and sitting down in front of the burning embers left over from last night's fire? You look through the faint rising smoke and there's Jesus. He's sitting there on the cold ground in front of the fire, legs crossed, with a clay cup of coffee or what ever they drank in the mornings back then. He looks over at you with that rugged olive skin and disheveled hair, and that familiar smile you've seen a thousand times breaks the line between His mustache and beard. That smile that is the clear image you have of Him in your head when some one says His name and He is not around. He smiles THAT smile, lifts his cup and says, "Good morning....sleepy head." Then you spend the next thirty minutes or so talking about the weather, last night’s miracle and how long it will take to walk to the next town. Or, how funny John's younger brother can be when there's a crowd around. You know regular stuff. That is the Jesus I long to know. Man, I' m so glad to have people in my life that remind me of how I can know Jesus like that…real, full of love, genuine. I hope someone will see a little of that Jesus in me this week that I saw Him in Justin Saturday. I hope someone will see a little of that Jesus in you this week too. See you guys next Saturday. I’ll see You over morning coffee Jesus. Have a great week guys.

I'm on a roll

2005-10-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning the kids and I were in our normal mad dash to make Sunday School on time mode. We are a two car family on Sunday mornings, arriving at church like marathon runners, in hurried and exhausted increments. As I was loading the kids in my car I happened to notice the trees in my front yard, which I never notice. "Ehhhehhhh....we've been rolled." Our students here at F.B.C. frequent us with soaping our yard, C.S.I.ing my car in plastic wrap, and now rolling our trees. I pulled much of the T.P. down before this picture was taken. However, a couple of days after this happened our neighbor and I were out talking in the street and he made a deeply profound comment. I mean it was one of those Splinter, from the Teenage Mutant Ninjah Turtles, observations. He said "ethier someone really hates you, or someone really likes you." The reality hit me the next day that what my neighbor said captures so well what we have as people in a church family. We have people who like us well enough to come out at 2:00 AM and roll our trees with toilet paper. There are lots of people all around you that have no one to "roll their yard." Wouldn't it be great if this week we all found a way to roll someone who no one else would roll. Hey kids, play nice. I'm not advocating rolling yards here. I'm talking about showing practical expressions of love to people God puts in our path everyday, people that maybe no one else will give the time of day. Figure out a way to roll someone wiht love this week. It will be well worth your time and effort.

"New" Like Jazz

2005-10-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Isn't it crazy how new stuff feels so fresh. This is my first time out of the gate with a Blog. It is so exciting, posting my stuff for the world to see. Well, for two or three people to see, but just knowing there is the potential for the world to log on and read about my tiny corner of the cosmos. I just finished Donald Miller's book "Blue Like Jazz". It is fresh, new in my spirit, like the first breezes of winter blowing through our open window on a cold night. Every book I read is the best book I've ever read. That's just how I'm wired I guess. But this one really had some concepts, some life altering truths that stuck with me. God has really got my attention lately about the need to truly love like Jesus loves. To meet people where they are and for who they are. Sometimes I find myself shelling out the good news about Jesus like a crack dealer pushing his product. "Hey, kid...want something that will rock your world? Change your whole perspective? Try this." Donald Miller's book helped me pin down some thoughts that have scattered like mice in mind everytime I would try and chase them down. I'm not selling a product called Jesus that will change your life if you just call the number and get your name on the list. Jesus is a man. He and I have a realationship. My purpose in life is to cultivate that relationship and talk to others about how Jesus wants a realationship with them as well. Wheeewww... does that take some pressure off. I hope to pour a little of that love around in your life with this blog, wherever you are on your own spiritual journey. It felt so good to wake up this morning to a cold breeze blowing through my window. Fall is finaly here, something fresh, something new. What's better is there is a new breeze blowing deep in my soul. I feel God doing new things. That's cool to me.