BLeach

Optimistic Brad

My personality more naturally favors pessimism over optimism.  As fate would have it I'm also a dreamer.  Yep, a pessimistic dreamer.  Which I've learned can be a deadly combination.  Fortunately following Jesus means my natural leaning can be overshadowed by supernatural intervention. 

So...in my continued journey of identifying the glass as half full I've discovered a redemptive purpose in the Pistons second straight exit from the Eastern Conference Finals.  Turns out that Cleveland is number two on the list of most frustrated sport's cities.  The only city ahead of them is Buffalo.  Apparently four straight losses in the Super Bowl stays with you.

I'm now cheering for the Cavs to win the NBA Finals.  Maybe if they do then Detroit can be credited with giving the City of Cleveland rest from their heavy burden. 

Of course the possibility remains that they get swept by the Spurs and wind up more frustrated than ever.

Stink, there I go again:(

Clones, Confusion and Wisdom

I listened to Tim Keller's presentation from the resurgence conference in preparation for our launch of June Term.  He gave a wonderfully balanced presentation called Doing Justice.  Great perspective on one of the more heated debates in recent church history. 

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He said something that I thought was funny.  When you spend all your time listening and reading one thinker you become a clone.  When you spend all your time listening to two thinkers you become confused.  When you listen to ten thinkers you start to develop your own voice.  And when you listen to a few hundred thinkers you develop your own voice along with some much needed wisdom.

So true:) 

When I listen to a string of Erwin Mcmanus podcasts my "you's" start coming out funny.  Just ask any of a number of friends in our church who help keep me humble:)  After Sam Farina was here for Weekend with God I started making everyone "repeat after me" along with waiting for them to fill in my sentences.  The exception for me seems to be Mark Driscoll.  I can listen to dozens of Mars Hill podcasts without ever using the word "chick."

I love listening and learning.  But what I love even more is discovering who God's wired me to be.

June Term

Tonight we kick off June term.  On Wednesday nights this month all of our on campus Life Groups are taking field trips to serve our community.  I'm pretty excited about the various ideas our groups have developed to be a blessing to our city. 

We'll be primarily coming alongside some established organizations that provide good care for the poor and underprivileged in our area.  It's good practice for us to both feed our neighbors' stomachs and care for their souls.

Paul Stewart organized a similar outreach at his church in May.  Thanks for the great idea bro!

My hope is that we can be the source for some city rejoicing; maybe make this verse a reality!

Brothers Behind Bars

Last Thursday Steven Sebyala was in town.  He invited the interns and I to spend some time with him.  I gladly accepted.  I have a personal rule of never turning down an opportunity to hang with someone who's 40 year ministry goal is to win one billion souls for Jesus.

We had an awesome time.  He was staying with a Ugandan friend, Sam Kewasi, who lives in Southfield.  Sam's wife told us her amazing story. 

As a teenager she was imprisoned in Kampala by Idi Amin.  I actually saw the prison this past April.  Her crime was being a Christian.  That was the official charge. 

While in prison, she and the other believers she was imprisoned with got word that Amin's Vice President was on his way to execute them.  They began to pray.  As they were praying his caravan was interrupted and his itinerary was changed.  A few days later they were all unexpectadly released.

She told us that the one thing that kept her faith strong during those months in prison was the knowledge that people around the world were praying for her.  She thought about those prayers everyday.  She literally felt them.  And she encouraged us to prioritize our prayers for the persecuted church around the world. 

I've often felt discouraged while praying for persecuted believers because my prayers didn't feel specific enough.  I've never known the names of prisons or inmates.  For some reason praying generally for all the persecuted believers in Sudan didn't feel powerful to me.  But hearing this story changed my thinking.  Sam's wife encouraged us to continue praying for persecuted Christians.  She actually mentioned Sudan specifically.  I can still hear her words.

An imprisoned believer somewhere in the world can feel my prayers for him.  Some disciple in a humid cell is depending on me to pray.

Maybe Paul was on to something.

Go Goliath

Good to see my boys off to a solid start tonight.  I've got my fingers crossed, hoping we can put Lebrakes on Lebron.  I'd hate to be screaming at my tv again tonight in double overtime.

Tomorrow morning I'm teaching from 1 Samuel 17.  It's the classic underdog story where David smokes Goliath.  But for a few hours tonight I'm cheering for Goliath:)