Questions for the New Year

The long running soap opera Days of Our Lives begins with these words, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives." It's that time of year again. In just two days, 2005 comes to a close, and 2006 begins. It hardly seems possible that another year has come and gone. The sands in that hourglass are precious, and I want to begin the New Year with a resolution to live 2006 more proactively, with more purpose, passion, conviction, and risk than ever before.

What did you do in 2005? Do you remember the resolutions that you made at the beginning of the year? Did you keep them? Are you proud of what you accomplished? What will you remember most about 2005? What will you wish that you could forget? Who did you meet? Who did you reestablish a relationship with? Who did you help? Who impacted you? Who did you impact? Who changed you? Who did you change? What did you learn about God? How did He surprise you? How did you delight Him? Where is your life going as you begin 2006? How is that different than where you were last year? How has your family changed? How much time did you spend with them? How was that time spent/ How would you like that to look different next year? How did you spend your time this year? What brings you the most joy? What brings your family the most joy?

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:"

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Walnut Memories

It's amazing how the smallest thing can sometimes bring back the most vivid memories. Memories long ago forgotten come back with a trigger that comes out of left field. That happened to me this morning.

I was home for an hour while my wife was at a doctor's appointment. My youngest son, Zachary was with me. He said, "Dad, can I have some of those nuts?"

"What nuts?'

"Those ones. Up there."

I didn't see them, so he marched up to the island in our kitchen and pulled down a plastic bag full of nuts. The bag contained walnuts, filberts, pecans and almonds. All of the nuts were in their shell. We never have nuts like this in our home. So, when I saw them I said, "Honey, we need a nutcracker to open these. I'm not sure that we have one." And, that's when the memory came.

When I was growing up I used to spend a lot of time at my Grandpa Art and Grandma Helen's home. Grandpa loved nuts, especially walnuts. Every time I went to their home there was a bag of walnuts sitting on the kitchen table. And, if you opened Grandma's cabinet drawer, there were two well worn silver nutcrackers. My Grandpa and I would sit at the table. We'd crack open walnuts, eat the nuts, and Grandpa would tell stories.

The stories were great. There was the adventure that Grandpa took on a train to a carnival nearby, where a carnival barker was furious with him for continually winning the carnival game and threw him out. There were the countless stories of what it was like growing up as a boy on Michigan farmland. There were the stories he'd tell me about what my mom was like as a little girl.

I am so blessed that the memories that I have of my growing up years are positive.

As a youth pastor I am continually reminded of just how blessed I am. Unfortunately, many of the students that I work with don't have pleasant memories of their homes, their relatives, or their childhood.

If God has blessed you with great memories, thank Him today. If not, resolve to give good memories to the people in your life.

Zachary and I managed to get one of those walnuts open. I'm glad. It's going to be a good memory for him someday.

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."

Numbers 6:24-26

Choose Your Top 3 Book Link Is Now Live

A lot of you have been asking me about my book that will be released in August of 2006.

Zondervan has now put an author link and book link on their web site.

The author link can be accessed at http://www.zondervan.com/books/profile.asp?BioID=SchulenburgB

The book link is here: http://www.zondervan.com/Books/Detail.asp?ISBN=0310267463

I'd appreciate your prayers that God will use this project to be a blessing in the lives of others.

Advance Tickets To See Narnia

How would you like a chance to see Disney's new movie, Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, before all of your friends?

Wooddale Church has secured 1,000 advance tickets for the movie. You'll get a chance to view the movie before everyone else does -- at 6:45 the day before it comes out. That means you'll see the movie on Thursday, December 8. Everybody else has to wait until Friday, December 9. Tickets go on sale at Wooddale this Sunday.

Tickets are for the AMC Theaters - Eden Prairie Mall. Cost is $9/ticket.

If you've never read C. S. Lewis' masterpiece Narnia series, start with the book The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. It's a phenomenal story, and the spritual parallels are remarkable. I'd recommend reading the book, seeing the movie, and then having a spiritual conversation with a seeking friend after you've seen the movie together.

Wooddale will be having a C. S. Lewis book club starting shortly after the film releases.

Consider it.

"The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them."

Isaiah 11:6

26 Young Men

I was with 26 young men this past weekend in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin for The Emerge Conference. It was a conference that we created for the purpose of helping high school guys understand God's unique purpose for men.

What an incredible weekend! We spent time discussing the church, it's relevancy for today, the unique challenges that men face, and spiritual leadership. I was encouraged as these guys talked about their passion to be a part of God's redemptive work on planet earth.

There are several humorous moments that occur on a weekend retreat where there are no women around, and guys are free to just be guys.

Here are a few of them:

1) I have never smelled a worse smelling vehicle than our bus. A pungent odor was with us the entire weekend. It was our constant companion.

2) Guys who can hold their bladders for countless hours when women are around become wusses when no women are around. Just when one guy was feeling great, another would have to use the facilities.

3) Belching is expected, and sometimes confused as a spiritual gift.

4) Guys can flat out eat. $75 worth of junk food can evaporate in a matter of minutes.

5) Guys will still spend $5 to make back .50 in the quarter game that I used to play at county fairs as a little kid.

All The Time

When I lived in the South, pastors would often march up to the pulpit and pronounce, "GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME AND ALL THE TIME . . ."

Then with a gleam in their eyes they would look at the congregation and await their response. The congregation would respond, "GOD IS GOOD!"

As hokey as the ritual was, it was true. God is good, all the time.

All the time.

Recently, I have had several students question God's goodness with me. The questions have ranged from, "If God is so good, then why do bad things happen to good people?" to "I just don't get God. Why did he let this or that tragedy happen?" to "I don't feel like God has been good in my life."

Life is hard. There are difficult things that we will face throughout our lives. But, God's goodness does not depend upon our circumstances. Good is a descriptor of God. It's one of the reasons that we have to thank Him. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Sometimes we need help remembering just how good God is.

Here are five ways that God has demonstrated his goodness to us:

1. He hasn't given us what we deserve.
Who among us is worthy of God's mercy? If you answer that you are, you, my friend, struggle with self righteousness. Romans 6:23 tells us that what we deserve for the sin in our life is eternal separation from God. But, that God has offered us eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ. We deserve death, but He offers us life.

2. He has given us today.
The air that you breathed when you woke up this morning was a gift from Almighty God. He loves you. He has given you an opportunity to make the most of today. He hasn't promised us tomorrow, but we have right now. No matter what your circumstance, our good God can use today to shape the rest of your life. Let Him have complete control over your day. Ask Him to give you divine moments. Look for the small things that He brings your way. Try to view every interaction with others as a moment that God has designed from before you were born. Those interactions with others are sacred moments.

3. He gave us Jesus.
The greatest gift ever given to this world is the gift of Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 says that, "God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Only He, who is ultimate good, would do something so sacrificial.

4. He ultimately desires the best for us.
The problem is, so many of us think that we know what is best for us better than God does. Ask the average American, and they'll tell you that the best for us would be a big house, nice car, good family. God's best has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with desiring Him. God, in His goodness, wants us to experience and love Him.

5. He loves like no other.
Some of the most beautiful passages in Scripture are the ones that describe the expressions of love that Jesus showed to those who rejected him.

Of a rich young ruler, who would ultimately reject Jesus, we read that, "Jesus looked at him and loved him." (Mark 10:21a)

Of a crowd that desperately needed the touch of a Savior we read, "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd." (Mark 6:34)

To the disciple that was in the midst of betraying Him, Jesus said, "Friend, do what you came for." (Matthew 26:50)

I don't know what you're going through this week. But, I hope you'll remember God's goodness. He loves you so much.

An old children's song sums it up well . . .

God is so good

God is so good

God is so good

He's so good to me.

God loves me so

God loves me so

God loves me so

He's so good to me.

He cares for me

He cares for me

He cares for me

He's so good to me.

He died for me

He died for me

He died for me

He's so good to me.

He lives for me

He lives for me

He lives for me

He's so good to me.

"I Need A Sign," "I Just Don't Feel God," and Other Tough Questions Students Ask

We call it Pizza and God Talk.

Of all of the ministries that Wooddale Senior High does, nothing is changing hearts as much as this one.

Every other week 40-80 students meet at a Uno's Restaurant in Edina, Minnesota to discuss what questions they have on their mind. If you want to read about the amazing history of Pizza and God Talk check out this link: http://www.wooddale.org/PDF/Week/ThisWeek051023.pdf. You'll find an article about it on the Children and Youth page.

Last night's Pizza and God Talk brought up a couple questions that I hear often. They are important questions that students deal with all of the time. Because these qustions are so important I wanted to devote a bit of space to openly discuss these questions here.

Here are the questions in paraphrase form:

1) Brian, I have given up so much to follow God. And, I feel like God is silent. I just feel like I need God to give me some sign to show me that He's real. Why doesn't God do that?

2) Brian, I have been a Christian for a long time now. I have read through the entire Bible. I have read lots of Christian books. I just feel distant from God now. What do I need to do to feel God's presence in my life?

The rule at Pizza and God Talk is that students have to take turns answering the questions first, and then if they can't answer it, an adult takes a stab at it.

These types of questions are the toughest to answer. Why? Because we've all been there. We've all had times where God seems distant, where our faith grows cold, and where our spiritual lives seem more like monotany than vibrant relationship with God. But, let me suggest something that would be good for all of us to remember when we have these questions.

What is the common denominator behind these questions? It's that they view God through the lens of self rather than viewing self through the lens of God. We Christians are quick to foget just how much God has done for us. We're quick to forget the lessons that He has taught us. We want God to work like a supercomputer, giving us the answers to our prayers in lightning quick speed. We want Him to give us what we want, not what He knows we need. We want a the lessons that God is going to take a lifetime to teach us to be learned in a moment.

That's not how God works. He never has.

When it comes to asking God for signs, we're off base. It was only on a very few occassions in Scripture that God revealed Himself or His will through signs. Hebrews 11 is one of the greatest chapters in Scripture. It is the record of those who followed God by faith. Most of these characters never received a sign from God telling them exactly what God wanted.

Here's what God has given us. He gave us the Bible. His will for how we are to live our lives is recorded there. But, He also gave us more. He's not a cold hearted God who said, "Here, read, find out my will in a book."

John 1 tells us that, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." God gave us God. The student who asked for a sign did so because he felt like he had given up so much. He wondered what God had done for him. The student had given up a lot. He had left behind a life that had held him captive for so long. There was a battle going on within the student that made him feel like maybe it wasn't worth it to have given up so much to follow God. But, it was. The student, viewing God from the lens of self, thought of all that he had to give up, and forgot all that God had to give up in order for the student to be forgiven. When reminded of God's supreme sacrifice, the student's need for a sign began to vanish. God had already given him everything he needed.

The next step for the student in finding the contenment that God wants him to experience is for him to begin to live his life the way that God designed him to live it -- to discover the unique purpose for which he was created. I began to share with the student the strengths that I see in him -- the natural and spiritual gifts that I believe that he has. And, I challenged him to use those gifts. He will never be fulfilled until he is living for his unique purpose. He needs something to take the place of that which he left behind when he followed Christ. He needs to live for what he was created for.

The student who followed Christ for so many years, read the Bible, etc. but felt distant from God also needed to discover his unique purpose. God has a great purpose for each one of us. This student grew up in a Christian home. He's been going to church since he was in his mother's womb. He knows so much about God. I told him that until he begins serving God in a purposeful way, he is going to be like the baseball player, who practices with his team every week, but never gets in the game. He sits on the bench, waiting for a chance to hit, but never has a chance to make an impact on the game. We're not going to feel God if we don't use the gifts that God has given us, and if we dont' take God up on God's challenge to us. Remember what Jesus said before he ascended into heaven?

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

When will we feel Christ's presence? When He is working in us to accomplish his purposes.

Want to feel Christ? Go out on a limb. Ask Him to use you to accomplish what you cannot accomplish on your own apart from Him. Then there will be no question as to whether or not God is really there.

Here are some of the other tough questions that students regularly ask at Pizza and God Talk.

- How do we know that Christianity is true and other religions aren't?

- Why do Christians act like jerks to homosexuals, people who have abortions, and people who don't agree with their political agenda?

- Why did God allow my (friend, parent, sibling, etc.) to die?

- Are the recent hurricanes God's judgement for the sin of those cities? (Incidentally I thought Diane Sawyer of ABC news answered that question well, when with another questions she said, "If Hurricane Katrina was God's judgement on New Orleans, then why was the French Quarter the only area of the city that was spared?")

- Is my (friend, relative, etc.) who wasn't a Christian burning in hell right now?

"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:20b

Happy Birthday Jeremy!

"Brian, I want you to look at me. We are not having this baby today! I may be in labor, but I can wait to deliver."

That's right, Jeremy. Your Mom wanted you to have your own special birthday.

Your sister Breanna had just celebrated her sixth birthday, and your brother Chris had just celebrated his fourth when you were born.

Oh, what a bundle of joy you were. I think you've had a smile on your face since the day you were born!

Jeremy, we love you so much.

Happy Seventh Birthday!!

It's been fun watching you grow up, and to see how much you love Jesus and others. We absolutely love your heart. Dad and Mom are proud of you.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7

Happy Birthday Breanna!

I'm trying. I really am. But, it's hard.

Okay, here goes.

Today, my daughter Breanna is a ttt

Just a second.

I know I can do it.

Today, my daughter Breanna is a ttteenager.

Okay. I did it. I said it.

Breanna is a teenager.

Breanna, where have the years gone? It seems like yesterday that Mom and I were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first child. We didn't know if you were going to be a girl or a boy. We were both just so excited that God had suprised us with a pregnancy. For nine months all we could talk about was this little child that God was going to bring into our family.

When you arrived -- WOW! Our world changed. Forever.

I didn't want to let you out of my arms. I would hold you from the moment I woke up in the morning until the moment I left for work. When I arrived back from the office, I'd rush to hold you in my arms again.

This morning, I held you again. You're a teenager now. There, that wasn't so hard to write that time. A teenager. I hugged a young woman who I am so proud of. You are a joy to parent. I constantly learn lessons from you. You challenge Mom and me with the love that you have for others, for God, and with your zest for life.

I love you, Breanna.

Happy Birthday. And, may you forever know, that your birth day made every day to follow so much better than the days that preceded it for your Mom and Dad.

I couldn't be more proud of a daughter than I am of you.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John 1:4

What Would It Take?

This past Friday night I had an incredible time with my son Jeremy's first grade class. We were at a First Grade Family Pizza Party. My wife Cyndi was out of town, visiting her mom and sister, my daughter was at a church activity, and my oldest son was at a friend's home. So, it was just Jeremy, Zachary, Dad, and about 100 other people in the gym at Calvin Christian School.

Cyndi is one of the Room Moms in Jeremy's class. The room moms were in charge of the party, and since Cyndi couldn't be there, I was a room dad. Our job was to set up tables, decorate the room, and make sure that everyone was having a good time.

Midway through the party, I noticed that all of the kids were on one side of the gym looking a little bit bored. They had been playing basketball on a regulation sized basket. Keep in mind, these are first graders. They could have shot the ball at that basket all night long, and it wasn't going to go in. So, now, some of the kids thought they'd throw the balls at each other. Keep in mind, these are basketballs. Had it been dodgeballs, this could have been fun, but now kids were getting angry at each other. Tears were flowing down faces, but most of the parents were too busy to notice. Since I was without my spouse, I thought I'd go over and try to do an organized game with the kids.

The only game I could think of on the spare of the moment, considering the amount of kids that were present, was the game 500. Now, to the uninitiated in the blogosphere, the object of the game 500 is to do whatever it takes to get the ball that is thrown. The person throwing the ball yells out a certain number of points that each ball thrown is worth. The first person to catch 500 points worth of balls wins.

When I was in school, winning the game was prize enough. Why? Because it meant that you were the best. Of all of the other people catching balls that day on the playground, you were the best of the best.

Times have changed.

The children in that gym would have nothing to do with this game unless there was a prize. I had no prizes with me. So, I opened my wallet. I quickly defused the enthusiasm that the students had that they would be earning money for winning this game, when I announced that I was a pastor, and that I have no idea what money looks like. I showed them my empty wallet to prove it.

"But," I announced, "I do have THIS!"

I'm pretty sure that some kind of cool announcement music came over the school PA system at this point. It sounded like a heavenly anthem, "WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH."

"This my friends is a Qdoba Mexican Restaurant lunch punch card." (It was a card that requires 10 punches for a free lunch. Two of the punches had been punched in the past year.)

You would have thought that I had just pulled out of my wallet some serious cash. Every kid in the room wanted that card.

"100!" I shouted, and then threw the ball high in the air. A collision of bodies ensued in front of me.

A tall, lanky kid came out of the spontaneous mosh pit with a grin across his face, revealing that his two front teeth were missing.

"100!" I yelled again. The ball went in the air, and now a small little girl came out of the pile of bodies with ball in hand.

The scene replayed itself a dozen times or so before that tall, lanky, tooth challenged kid emerged victorious. To the victor went the spoils. I handed over my Qdoba card with 20% of the card punched, and the kids were feverish with anticipation over what the next prize that I would hand away would be.

By the time the night was through the kids had earned three restaurant cards similar to the Qdoba card, an expired Happenings card, a pen from the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sacremento, and an expired membership card to a video game store.

It's pretty amazing that children would compete with such intensity for such insignifcant prizes.

If the question for these kids had been, "What would it take to get you to participate with all of your strength in a game of 500?" The answer would have been some worthless prizes.

If the question, "What would it take to allow Jesus Chrsit to have control of our lives?" was given to us, I wonder how we would answer.

It seems to me that so many of us, myself included, are pursuing things in life that when it is all said and done, are as insignicant as the worthless items from my wallet that those first grade kids played their hearts out for. The wisest man to ever live was King Solomon. Despite his wisdom, Solomon made some horrible choices. At the end of his life, he was full of remorse for those choices. Writing once again from a place of wisdom Solomon wrote,

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

Ecclesiastes 12:13

God, help us to remember that You are more valuable than anything this world has to offer. To remember, that the world, and all of it's trappings will pass away, but that the person who does Your will, will live forever. Help us to allow You to be the Ruler of our lives -- to stop trying to take control of our lives, and to allow You to change us in our very core. Thank You that trusting You will never result in us having regrets. Thank You that You alone are worthy of our praise, and that You alone are worthy to be trusted with our lives. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

Happy Birthday Chris

It was eleven years ago today that my life changed forever. In a small hospital room in Fairfax, Virginia a beautiful baby boy was born. The moment I saw him, I knew that I would die for him. He brought tears to my eyes, a lump in my throat, my heart skipped a beat.

I am so proud of the young man that you are becoming. God is already using you to have an impact on your friends. Chris, Happy Birthday! I love you, Son.

He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.

Psalm 78:5-7

This Weekend's Parents in TUNE to Deal with Drugs

Parents In TUNE is a ministry of Wooddale Student Ministries.

This coming Sunday, November 6, Wooddale's Junior High Pastor, Heather Flies, Sargeant Randy Thompson from the Eden Prairie Police Department and I will be giving a presentation on Keeping Your Kids Off Of Drugs.

I regularly deal with families who have been through incredible pain because of the choices that their children have made in the area of drugs. If you are a parent of a pre-teen or teenager in the Twin Cities I encourage you to come out to this informative and challenging seminar.

It is free of charge and takes place between 6-8 p.m. in the Wooddale Church Chapel.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8

Pray for University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas

Yesterday was a terrible day for University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. University Baptist is an outstanding church. God has used this church to influence churches around the country in reaching young people for Jesus Christ. This is the home church of the David Crowder Band, a group of musicians that God has used to minister to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

Yesterday, while standing in the baptismal pool, Senior Pastor Kyle Lake tried to adjust the microphone and was electrocuted. Here is a statement from the University Baptist Church website:

This morning, Sunday October 30th, our pastor Kyle Lake was involved in an accident during a baptism and was transported by EMS to a nearby hospital. Kyle passed away around 11:30am. Not only did we lose a pastor but we've lost our friend.
We are confident that Kyle is in heaven today because of his trust in Jesus Christ as his Savior.
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. “ -1 John 5:11-13
The family would like donations in lieu of flowers to be sent to University Baptist Church, the church that Kyle pastored and loved. You may send this to 1701 Dutton Avenue, Waco, TX 76706.
Please continue to keep the Lake family in your prayers.

If Daddy Didn't Do This Right, We're All Gonna Die

The story you are about to read is true. Only the names of certain individuals have been withheld in order to protect their dignity, pride, identities, and all that stuff.

Anyone who has known me for any amount of time knows that I am the most mechanically inept person that God ever created. It's not something I'm proud of. In fact, if I could shed that identity I'd like to. I want my boys to be able to learn how to fix a lawnmower, repair their own bikes, work on the car, build cabinets, and remodel a home.

So, today, I took a step. It wasn't a huge step, but it was a step. My wife's brakes had been squeeking, and a friend told her that he could show me how to replace the brake pads in our van. Excited about this opportunity to replace my ineptitude with competence, I took my friend up on his offer. I stopped by Checker Auto Parts yesterday, picked up some brake pads, and this morning at 9:10 arrived at the door of my friend's home, ready to take on the challenge of replacing our brake pads.

The job started out well. A hub cap was removed, then a tire, then the housing for our brakes, then the brake pads. I opened my box of brand spankin' new brake pads and handed my friend two of the pads. He quickly and skillfully put one of them on, showing me how it was done, and then I put on the next. Within a few minutes the tire was back on and we were replacing the brake pads on the other side.

It was then that what was our only real mistake was revealed. Brake pads have an idicator that tells you when your pads are wearing too thin and that you should replace them. Every set of two should have one pad with an indicator and one without. This side had two with, which meant that the other side didn't have any. After a couple minutes of trying to convince ourselves that it really wasn't that important, we did the prudent thing and went back to the side that we had already changed. My friend removed the hubcap, removed the tire, removed the housing, and then we took off one of the brake pads, replacing it with the correct brake pad.

Now with the correct brake pads on both sides of the van, our job was nearly complete. We put the tires back on, and I was ready to roll.

Something about this job seemed wrong to me. It had been too easy. We had only made one mistake. I should have known that it couldn't be this easy. I had jokingly told my two youngest kids, before we arrived at my friends home that, "If Daddy and (NAME WITHHELD FOR HIS PROTECTION) didn't do this job correctly we'd all die." I know. Not the best thing to tell a six-year-old and a four-year-old, but hey, I like the dramatic.

It was now time to drive away. Husband, Father, Pastort, Car Mechanic. I was ready to add a new title to my repetoire. As I put my boys in the car, Jeremy said, "Zachary, we're all going to die if Daddy didn't do this job right."

"Jeremy, Daddy and (NAME WITHHELD) did it just fine. We're not going to die."

Insert key.

Turn.

Engine roars to life.

Shift into reverse.

This is where the story gets a little bit scary. If your stomach gets queezy, stop reading now.

My friends driveway is a little bit like the streets of San Francisco. It's steep. And that is an understatement.

We begin our descent. My foot covers the brake pad. My foot pushes the brake pad. My foot goes down to the floor. My van does not slow down. I PANICK!!!!

Praise God there were no children or cars coming.

My van was not stopping. What had we done wrong? What was I going to do.

My van is now moving at a good clip, and I can't stop it. I try to steer to avoid trees as the van now begins to descend the hill of the home opposite of my friends home. I was halfway up their hill, with no signs up stopping, predicting that my van was about to become a pendulum swinging back and forth between my friends driveway and his neighbor's yard. Finally I remembered the emergency brake. I hit it. And our van stopped. I then put the van in neutral, coasted back into the street and walked straight to my friend's door.

(NAME WITHHELD)! It didn't work!

What?

With soothing calmness he remembered what we had not done. We needed to pump the brake a few times to make sure that the pressure was back into the brakes.

No big deal. No one hurt. And, a great story.

Isn't it great to know that we never have to worry about our Heavenly Father ever screwing up a job? He is infallible. I know, it's one of those traits that sometimes bothers us about God. It makes Him tough to relate to. But, maybe that's part of the point. I wouldn't really want a God who makes mistakes. And, I don't want a God who I can totally relate to like I would one of my best friends. There has to be some mystery about the Holy One! It's what makes Him God.

God, thanks for Your protection today. You didn't have to grant that. Thanks for good friends who are willing to help keep repair bills low. Thanks for your unfailing love. And thanks for reminding me that You are perfect and I am not. And, I don't have to be. Thanks for loving me just the way that I am, but not be content to leave me this way. You just might make a mechanic out of me yet.

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

Deuteronomy 32:4

Pray for Dwayne

He was just a few miles from the Denver Broncos Training Facility when two cars traveling in the opposite direction crossed the median of the highway and met Dwayne Carswell's car head on. It was rush hour on this busy stretch of Interstate and Dwayne had no way to avoid the crash. His vehicle hit the others with such force that his driver's side door was literally torn off. Dwayne suffered major internal injuries. He remains in intensive care, but will recover. Dwayne, a Guard for the Broncos, and former Pro Bowl Tight End will not play again this year.

Dwayne was a college classmate of mine. I was actually his RA his freshman year at Liberty Univerity. My wife worked with him in the college post office. I haven't spoken to Dwayne since college, but I've followed his 12 year NFL career with interest.

Woud you join me in praying for Dwayne? Pray that God will heal his body, and that Dwayne will use this time to reach out to God. I'm praying that Dwayne will become passionate about Christ.

If you'd like to send Dwayne "Get Well Wishes" you may do so by visiting the Denver Broncos web site. It is located at www.denverbroncos.com.

To see how Dwayne's teammates are responding to this tragedy visit: http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=609&videoID=965.

Go To Ebay And Bid On This Game

One of you should go to ebay and bid on this item: http://cgi.ebay.com/SOLD-The-Antique-Dealers-Game-COMPLETE_W0QQitemZ8714289475QQcategoryZ235QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

My father-in-law gave us this game last Christmas, and it has become my family's favorite game. I know it sounds hokie, but you really ought to check it out.

If you read this after the auction has ended, never fear. I found 203 copies of the game available on ebay at this link: http://cgi.ebay.com/Sold-Antique-Dealer-Game-NEW_W0QQitemZ8714722434QQcategoryZ1178QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

It's a fun family game night. Give it a try.

Summer of 2006 Mission Trips To Be Announced on Sunday

Wooddale Worldwide Week has started, and in two days we will be announcing the Wooddale Senior High Summer Missions Trips of 2006! I can't wait. As a youth pastor I have seen God use these trips to change the lives of students every single time we've taken one. This year will be no exception.

The announcement takes place at ten:fifteen, our Sunday morning program.

An informational meeting for all interested students, parents, and potential mission trip staff takes place on Wednesday, November 16, at 6:00 p.m. in the Wooddale's Room 207. Don't miss it!

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

Romans 1:11, 12

Read This

I get asked questions all of the time about the Emerging Church movement. Brian McLaren recently talked about seven layers of emerging churches. Maybe your church is more emerging than you thought. Check it out: http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2005/10/mclarens_seven_layers1.html#more

James MacDonald on Emergent

For a fascinating discussion on the Emerging Church movement, and why James MacDonald is not emerging check out: http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2005/10/why_james_macdo.html#more. The feedback on the blog is fascinating. Author and speaker Scott McKnight's response to MacDonald is most interesting. You can read his response, and James MacDonald's response back here: http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=502.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 17:11

Rosa Parks

She passed away on Monday after 92 years on this earth.

Rosa Parks was a remarkable woman. Her bold choice to not give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus in 1955 took place long before I was born, but her impact on this caucasion pastor will never be forgotten.

There are so many things that I appreciate about Ms. Parks. But, the thing that impressed me the most was the conviction and the integrity with which she lived her life.

The racial divide between people of color and caucasions is far from over. May we, as the church of Jesus Christ be all the more determined to see that divide minimized.

This past summer a fundraiser was held in Minneapolis to raise funds for churches in the urban core to hire youth workers, develop youth programs in churches, and come alongside of the churches in North Minneapolis. The fundraiser was designed to raise over $1 million. When all was said and done, the project only raised 4% of its goal, raising $40,000.

Did you know that there are over 100 churches in North Minneapolis, and only one full-time youth worker for all of those churches? The church I serve in the suburbs of Minneapolis has the equivalent of five full time youth workers. Join me in praying that God will provide youth workers and funds for the churches of North Minneapolis.

Why is this such an urgent need? North Minneapolis has the highest crime rate in our cities. Last year, eight students from North High School in Minneapolis were gunned down. The need in the cities is great, and the church must confront it.

May we follow the example of those who believed that all men were created equal, and that the dignity of each person was important and worth fighting for.

For information on how you can make a difference in North Minneapolis check out the website for Urban Reclaim at www.urbanreclaim.org.

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

James 2:1-5