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I will never forget the day as long as I live. It was Memorial Day weekend of 2000 and I, along with 40,000 others, had dedicated myself to a weekend of worship, prayer, fasting and learning at Shelby Farms in Memphis, Tennessee. The event was called OneDay and it was easily the spiritual highlight of my young life.

Vivid images flood my mind as I look back upon those three days. At one point, feeling so convicted over my own heart condition, I found myself face down in the soggy ground confessing my sins before an almighty God. Other instances found me dancing with hands raised in exultant praise to a glorious King. It was an emotionally exhausting weekend that centered on the theme of committing myself wholeheartedly to my maker.

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I wrote this back in November, 2006 right after the Ted Haggard scandal fell. I think most of us in the evangelical world was shocked by the entire affair and, as a pastor, I had concerns on a different level - the church and how they would respond. So I wrote an ‘open letter to new life church’ and thought I would post it here after the fact (since I just found it a few days ago):

To New Life Church:

Undoubtedly, you are finding your collective selves in a position that you would rather not be in. As a pastor, I grieve for your situation and pray for God’s glory to somehow shine in the midst of sorrow and darkness, confusion and concern. There are already a myriad of pressures upon you now as the media spotlight shines on and the wounds are still fresh. But I am writing to request one more thing.

You are in a unique position. It is not one that you asked for, but it is yours nonetheless. It is the ability for the people of God to truly display what grace and compassion is all about. It’s the platform to speak the truth in love and actually have an audience when you do it. It’s the capacity to both discipline and restore in a time when the words ‘church’ and ‘discipline’ are never seen together.

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An old article I wrote for Relevant’s website (perhaps my first? I don’t remember):

I should know better than to question my father. His perspective always seems to be a lot better than my own.

My father has a ‘green thumb’, a definite knack for anything that can grow in one’s yard. He is always messing with some sort of shrub, vine, or tree. In trying to relate to my dad, one day I decided to dive into his world. I knew that if I inquired more about the plants he tended to and even offered to help, it would be the key to spending some good quality time together.

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I ran across this little essay/poem/article/typewritten stream of thoughts  this morning and thought I’d post it. It’s something I wrote for my uncle who was also my pastor growing up. He planted a church and then retired after 30+ years of ministry a few years ago and the family contacted me about writing something for a plaque. This is what I came up with:

Finish well.

Those two words summarize the commonly heard verse, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Those are also the words that pastors hope to describe their ministry when all is said and done.

Finish well.

It’s the ability to finish what you have started. And what is started is not a 100-meter sprint but instead a marathon unlike any other. It is the endeavor of one’s life, the passion of one’s heart, the mission of one’s soul. It is not just getting the community up and running but making sure that it is stable. Then it is the ability to let go and leave it in capable hands.

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Tomorrow at this time, I will be nearing McCarran - the airport of choice in Las Vegas, NV. I will be traveling with my wife, Lindsay, as we escape for a few days for our second anniversary. Should be an exciting time of losing money, losing my blindingly white skin and losing the concerns of the church, websites and deadlines. Hope you all are well and I will check back in when I get back. (Posts will continue to run while I’m gone - gotta love the timestamp option!)

Just a quick post to let everyone - all three of you - know that we now have live sermon audio for the Mercy House. So if you are interested to find out what happens on Sundays or catch up on sermons you missed, make sure to check out the new online mp3s available. They are long (as I tend to teach for around an hour each week), so buyer beware…

Sermon Archive at The Mercy House