In the Zone

Last week, we took the youth to a judgment house. To those who are uninitiated, a judgment house, for lack of a better term, is a Christian haunted house.  Instead of ghouls and ghosts and goblins chasing you and screaming in the dark, you witness a drama presentation where teenagers die.  Ultimately, the drama climaxes with a scene of judgment, followed by a viewing of the consequences - a scene in Heaven and a scene in Hell.  Someone then shares the gospel with your group. I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of judgment houses.  I don't like to scare people to Jesus.  I'm always afraid of manipulating a student's fears into a false decision in Christ.  I take my students because they enjoy the experience, and especially the dinner out afterward.  It's a great bonding moment. However, one thing is vitally true about the judgment house presentation:  Hell is a very real place. We don't like to talk about Hell often.  It's up...

I will never forget what happened on May 25, 1994. That's the day I learned one of my classmates - a guy I had partnered with on a school project and sat next to in English class - was a murderer. Clay Shrout got up that morning, murdered his parents and two younger sisters, took a girl hostage and held a class at gunpoint.  It made national news.  If you Google the name Clay Shrout, you can read about the entire story.  (I found this article a particulary good read.)  While researching for my message this week, I read those stories - some for the very first time - and the memories came flooding back. Perhaps someday I'll share my thoughts on that experience.   Re-reading those stories, it surprised me how much emotion still lingers over that day and that experience.  It was a profound moment in my growth from teenager to young adult.  However, one thing I will say is this:  I know a murderer.  I know his name, his face, his v...

I've been reading the book The Christian Athiest by Craig Groeschel.  In the book, Groeschel examines areas where our Christian beliefs and faith don't match up to our actions.  In other words, it's believing in God, but acting like he doesn't exist. Chapter 5 of the book is entitled:  "When You Believe in God, but You Don't Think He's Fair."  It goes on to detail people who are deeply wounded, yet God-fearing people.  He talks about the victims of cancer, sexual abuse, and even natural disasters.  What do you do when it seems like God is unfair? In the chapter, Groeschel makes a bold statement that caused me to pause and consider his words.  On page 101, he writes, "If you're like me, when something bad happens, you often feel like your pain is unjustified.  It's just not fair.  I'm a good person.  I didn't do anything to deserve this.   There is one major problem with my defense:  I'm not good.  But the good news...

Light is a powerful thing. Do you realize that light ALWAYS overpowers darkness?  When it is pitch black, one light interrupts that darkness.  Even a faint light will allow you to make out shadows.  In the battle of darkness and light, light always wins. Jesus is the light of the world.  He brings hope and direction to a darkened place where sin rules.  His light always overpowers the darkness.  Jesus always wins. Here's the cool thing:  Jesus places that very same, powerful light inside of us when we commit our lives to following him.  In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus calls his followers the light of the world.  Just as we are to be salt, flavoring the world with Jesus and preserving his teachings, we are to be light, shining a bright glow of Jesus on a darkened world.  We are to show others the hope that Jesus gives us.  In dark room, we wouldn't cover up the light.  We're not going to turn on a lamp, then immediately plac...

I'll admit it.  I like salt. Just ask my wife and she'll tell you I salt just about everything.  (And in her opinion, I put too much salt on my food.)  I salt my french fries, corn, potatoes, stews, casseroles and green beans.  I like salt on my food.  Salt adds flavor.  It makes bland corn taste better. French fries have a little extra zest when salt enters the fray.  Jesus says in Matthew 5:13 that we are to be salt in the world.  We are to add flavor to where we are.  When we leave a room, people should sense the presence of Christ.  That's what salt does.  It leaves the food tasting, smelling and appearing different.  Jesus wants us to make places feel different - to feel like Jesus. But flavor isn't salt's only purpose.  Salt is also a preservative.  I'm reminded of this every week when I buy groceries at the store.  My wife, for a while, read labels of food before buying them.  Almost everyth...