So I am still pretty new to the whole blogging thing, in fact I usually keep my feelings to myself most of the time. But two weeks ago, I experienced the most pivotal moment in my life to date, and I felt I needed to tell the world about it. I am the proud father of a new baby girl named Bryleigh, who was born on Saturday June 16, 2007. I always thought I would get married and have kids someday because that is just what people do. As I had gone through the last nine months of pregnancy with my wife, I felt many emotions, from excitement and anticipation, to fear and apprehension. I wondered how after all these years of being concerned about myself and what is best for me, I would be able to change that focus from myself to someone else. Someone who really had nothing to offer me and would instead actually require more of me than anyone or anything else ever has. It is like that moment when you are walking through the department store or sitting in a movie theater and you hear a child wailing at the top of his lungs, and you think to yourself, do I really need that in my life? Of course, I had already made my choice, so I just needed to prepare myself for whatever was to come.
Well the day finally arrived on Saturday morning, and by Saturday afternoon, our baby had arrived. I really do not have words for what transpired that afternoon, but when I held my daughter in my arms for the first time, something changed in me. I was instantly in love with her in a way I have never been before. People talk about love at first sight, but that is usually a physical attraction they feel that is based on more selfish desires of what they will get from the relationship. But loving a child with no expectations from them, except maybe some future heartache and stress, is just a supernatural experience. It truly helped me to see how God loves us, even though we are sinners who do not deserve his love and who often break his heart. When I think of God being my heavenly father, it takes on a completely new meaning for me. The crying that I feared would be so irritating and annoying, actually touches me on a deeper level than I could have imagined, and makes me want to be there to comfort my child and do anything I can to make it better. One week ago, I never thought I would feel this way, or even believe that I could feel this way. But when they tell you that having a baby is a life changing experience, they are absolutely correct. It is one of the most amazing and awesome experiences you will ever have, or at least it has been for me. Even the poopy diapers are enjoyable, most of the time, because I get to bond with my daughter and do something for her that she cannot do for herself. Much like my heavenly father continually does for me.
I know this is a long blog, and if you made it this far, thanks for listening. I could have gone on much longer but I think you get my point. I just hope everyone who has children or someday will, can have the same experience that I have had. I just thank God for showing himself to me through the eyes of my child.
I love you Bryleigh.
Dad
Saturday, June 30, 2007
What Is Your Focus?
I attended a focus group tonight for a market research company. Of course, the topic was confidential so you are not going to receive any insider tips in this blog. However, the most interesting part of the night happened after the focus group ended. A few of us were standing outside talking when the subject of church came up. Needless to say that after a few minutes of discussion, the group was down to three, myself, a lady who said she attended a local Fundamental Baptist church, and a younger guy who attends a local non denominational church. The church names are not important, but their focus is of extreme importance. The lady seemed to be a very nice, God-fearing person who desired to be the best that she possibly could in every area of her life. She was the initiator of the conversation, and the one who kept it going for the next hour and a half. She was very concerned with, as she put it, “the way churches were dumbing down the gospel to reach people”. She felt the Bible was very specific about what Christians should wear, what instruments should be used in worship, and that Christians should generally be set apart and not try to adapt to the culture surrounding them. She used many Old Testament scriptures to support these ideas, along with some New Testament. She even enlightened us to the fact that the NIV version of the Bible was put together by two atheists, and that the King James Version was the closest thing to God’s words. She spoke of how Christians who are in sin should be removed from the church, as well as letting lost people know that, as she put it, “God hates us when we sin”.
Now I know she sounds a little extreme from my short description, but is she so much different than so many other Christians in churches around the world are today. The issues may be different, but the attitude is pervasive throughout Christianity. Have we all not judged lost sinners out there as less than ourselves at one point or another? Or even closer to home for many of us, have we questioned our church or other churches for being too seeker friendly or for getting too involved in the culture around us? That issue in particular seems to be a real hot button in Christianity today. So what is the answer, I submit to you that you can find the answer on the wrist of someone you probably walked by today or stood in line with at the store. Maybe even on your own wrist or the wrist of someone in your family. Of course, I am referring to those cute little W.W.J.D. bracelets that were, and maybe still are, so popular with kids and adults alike. What would Jesus say about the pious attitudes of so many who claim to be his followers?
This is the way the other gentleman and myself approached this ladies commentary. Did Jesus dumb down God’s law when he spoke to the masses of unsaved people? I believe he did through parables and simple explanations that met people where they were at in life. He never specified a dress code or said that you need to get it together before you enter my house, but instead said come as you are. As far as instruments go, I believe every instrument that existed at that time was used for worship in one form or another, and if it helped reach the lost in any way, I am sure Christ would be supportive. So did Jesus adapt to his culture, you bet he did, as well as the rest of his disciples. As Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). But was Jesus set apart, absolutely he was. He showed us a perfect example of how to love sinners without compromising his values or the truth. He changed not only their lives, but the whole world as well, not by enforcing the law, but by demonstrating grace. Of course, the religious people of his time did not see it that way. To them he was just a friend of sinners who was compromising the true word of God, at least their version of it. They were so upset that he was messing up their system and the way it had always been done that they felt they needed to eliminate him, even if they had to be a little dishonest to do it. I am sure they felt his death was for the greater good of their religion.
Unfortunately, things have not changed that much in two centuries. People who claim to be Godly are still trying to tear down churches and ministries that they feel are too much like the culture or are too different from the way they have always done it. It is true that God does not change. However, he works in multitudes of ways to achieve his purposes and cannot be confined by our finite understanding of him. Every creature in Gods creation has a way to adapt to their environment as it changes, and we should be no different.
So what did I get from my focus group tonight? Well I believe that our idea of how church should be is a matter of our focus. Are we more focused on our comfort and the way we like church to be to meet our needs, or are we focused on the great commission and reaching others at any cost. I wish I could say that is a rhetorical question, but unfortunately so many Christians today do not feel that reaching the lost is their top priority. So the question I pose to you, as well as to myself, what is your focus?
Now I know she sounds a little extreme from my short description, but is she so much different than so many other Christians in churches around the world are today. The issues may be different, but the attitude is pervasive throughout Christianity. Have we all not judged lost sinners out there as less than ourselves at one point or another? Or even closer to home for many of us, have we questioned our church or other churches for being too seeker friendly or for getting too involved in the culture around us? That issue in particular seems to be a real hot button in Christianity today. So what is the answer, I submit to you that you can find the answer on the wrist of someone you probably walked by today or stood in line with at the store. Maybe even on your own wrist or the wrist of someone in your family. Of course, I am referring to those cute little W.W.J.D. bracelets that were, and maybe still are, so popular with kids and adults alike. What would Jesus say about the pious attitudes of so many who claim to be his followers?
This is the way the other gentleman and myself approached this ladies commentary. Did Jesus dumb down God’s law when he spoke to the masses of unsaved people? I believe he did through parables and simple explanations that met people where they were at in life. He never specified a dress code or said that you need to get it together before you enter my house, but instead said come as you are. As far as instruments go, I believe every instrument that existed at that time was used for worship in one form or another, and if it helped reach the lost in any way, I am sure Christ would be supportive. So did Jesus adapt to his culture, you bet he did, as well as the rest of his disciples. As Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). But was Jesus set apart, absolutely he was. He showed us a perfect example of how to love sinners without compromising his values or the truth. He changed not only their lives, but the whole world as well, not by enforcing the law, but by demonstrating grace. Of course, the religious people of his time did not see it that way. To them he was just a friend of sinners who was compromising the true word of God, at least their version of it. They were so upset that he was messing up their system and the way it had always been done that they felt they needed to eliminate him, even if they had to be a little dishonest to do it. I am sure they felt his death was for the greater good of their religion.
Unfortunately, things have not changed that much in two centuries. People who claim to be Godly are still trying to tear down churches and ministries that they feel are too much like the culture or are too different from the way they have always done it. It is true that God does not change. However, he works in multitudes of ways to achieve his purposes and cannot be confined by our finite understanding of him. Every creature in Gods creation has a way to adapt to their environment as it changes, and we should be no different.
So what did I get from my focus group tonight? Well I believe that our idea of how church should be is a matter of our focus. Are we more focused on our comfort and the way we like church to be to meet our needs, or are we focused on the great commission and reaching others at any cost. I wish I could say that is a rhetorical question, but unfortunately so many Christians today do not feel that reaching the lost is their top priority. So the question I pose to you, as well as to myself, what is your focus?
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