My friends JT and Sydney are doing a very cool thing. Because of the tragic medical condition of Katherine Wolf, they are encouraging people to memorize the eight chapter of the book of Romans. Check out the video below (3:07) and then go check out Romans 8 Movement.
This June I was planning to travel to Northern Mexico for my 19th year of building homes for the very poor. Together with groups from Portland and Washington we were to camp in the desert at night and build homes for those in need during the day. At night we all gathered around a huge bonfire, did silly skits, sang awesome worship and learned about the word of God.
This week, we canceled the trip.
It was a painful decision to come to, but unfortunately there is escalating violence in parts of Mexico, particularly Tijuana, and since we would be traveling with other people's children, the leadership of the trip has decided to cancel. This pains me so deeply. On a selfish level, it is one of the highlights of my year. I love spending time with a hundred or so high schoolers, serving God is such a profound and honoring way. More globally minded, I ache for the families that we would have built homes for. In the past we have provided shelter for people that live in cars, tents and boxes. They usually have small children. I think that other missionaries will come behind us and provide for them...I pray that is the case.
I'm not going to write much more about this because it's been such a tough decision to come to, but you can read more detail here. I will spend a lot of time in prayer that week, for the people we would have brought down to share Jesus with, and for the families that would see Christ through our actions.
We are putting out a lot external advertising this year for Easter. I'm hoping to get my hands on our television spots in a format that I can post, but until I do, here is our :30 radio spot.
Music is by JT Taylor.
Recording, mixing and Production by Jerrold Launer.
Voice Over work by this guy.
Go check out the spot, download it and pass it around. See you at The Bowl!
Leading with a limp...
Let me explain the title. It has to do with my philosophy of management as well as ministry, and it has a personal connection to me on a very deep level. For my RSS readers you should pop over to my blog and see the change so you know what I'm talking about.
First the management and ministry stuff. I have interacted with leaders of all calibers, backgrounds, statures and vocations in my jobs at church as well as with my previous two companies. There are as many leadership styles as there are leaders, and if you ask any of them the best way to manage people, they always have an opinion. Welcome to my little corner of the internet, this is my opinion.
I believe that management, when integrated with ministry, should produce fantastic, excellent and wildly transparent leaders. This goes against many management styles of the latter part of last century which would tell you that you must appear invincible and somewhat removed from your workers. But of course, since you are reading a blog (something that has not even existed until very recently), you know that the world has changed since this style was born. In a world of incredible information and reach, transparency is the new invincibility. Gone are the days of steadfast separation from the staff and instead we live in times where management must have a new and intimate awareness of the staff which they serve. Yes, I said that correctly...the staff which they serve.
I believe that with the Next Generation and with the New Media comes an acute awareness between what is genuine and what stinks. I am not in this generation, I'm afraid I'm too old now, but those that come behind me are amazing with the ability to sense genuine relationships and intentions.
Which brings us to my philosophy of management: I believe that with this acuteness comes acceptance as well. Although many are quick to separate the wheat from the chaff, when they do determine that somebody (a person or an organization) is true to what they say, not just in word but in action, they will accept a great amount of variation from the traditional leadership role. In other words, they will not only accept but actually expect vulnerability in their leaders. Paradoxically, this usually creates a greater sense of loyalty and faithfulness.
That is not to say that leaders should be faulty or incompetent. No! Quite the opposite...leaders should be held to very high standards, and should be excellent and what they do. It would be a big mistake to confuse vulnerability and transparency with incompetence and ineptitude. This is where many leaders fail to make the leap, they equate sharing their struggles with their staff to weakness.
I'm proud to say that I work for a man that is not afraid to share himself with his staff or his congregation. The result is a passion for his vision that people want to carry out, they want to be a part of it! I believe that as we move through these days of social networking, 24/7 information and sometimes scary intrusion by the New Media, we must change the way we interact. The rules of society and work are quickly changing, and we must be the leaders that carve the path to great things through transparency, brokenness and inspiration.
In part 2 I will discuss why "leading with a limp" means so much to me personally, and describe briefly the pain associated with this phrase. So for those of you that like to see me in pain, come back soon. ;)
From the mailbag:
In a conversation the question has come up of what the definition of an Evangelical and that of a Christian Conservative might be. Is there a difference? If so, what would your definition be? I would be interested in your opinion. This all came up in a conversation about what is an Evangelical church? Why is that different? Is this just a new term to describe a traditional service and that of a contemporary one?
Here is my answer. I typed it all in one sitting, just pretty much spewing off my thoughts. Let me know your thoughts. If you have a lot to say on the matter, write it up on your blog and provide us with a link in the comments section, or a trackback.
Interesting question.
Those words are being used today in a context that isn't necessarily accurate, so I will answer based upon what I hear those in churchland using.
"Evangelical" is most often used in Presbyterian circles as churches that live by sola scriptura, that is, the Bible is the complete and authoritative word of God, and that the stories are not metaphors but actual events, literally written down. A good example of this is Jonah and the whale. Many churches would consider stories like this, and many others in the bible, not as literal transcriptions of actual events, but as allegorical stories used to convey a message or moral. Evangelicals (again, as is used in the Presby sense these days) would say that the story is 100% accurate, and that Jonah literally was in the stomach of a giant fish. Sola Scriptura states that the Bible is sufficient authority for all teaching and understanding.
The opposing view to this would be "liberal" or "progressive" when referencing Presby churches. To put it into modern context, the biggest issue on the table right now is that of homosexual relationships. Evangelicals often state that this is contrary to what the bible teaches as it was condemned in scripture. Progressive churches teach that homosexuality was being rebuked because of the cultural and sociological implications of the time that it was written, however in today's world it isn't a big deal, that God loves everybody equally, and taking that argument out further, that homosexual relationships are not condemned. Please note that this is not a post about homosexuality, this is a post of definitions. I personally feel that there are far bigger issues to deal with these days rather than homosexuality. It's sad to me that the church is so known for what it is against, not what it is for. Back to the thread...
A "Christian Conservative" is more of a political term I think. Whereas "Evangelical" is most often used in the context of conversations within the church, "Christian Conservative" is used in context of conversations outside of the church. Rarely (if ever) have I heard one church person refer to another person or church as Christian Conservative. I have however heard that used very often in the sense of the type of political views a person or group of people may hold. "The Christian Conservative base is supporting Mike Huckabee". I have been to Presbytery meetings, session meetings, small groups and informal conversations, and within those groups somebody may mention "conservative" or "liberal", but it generally assumed that the person in question is also Christian. To prove this point, how often do you hear the term "Christian Liberal"? No doubt it exists, but it isn't common vernacular. Therefore, "Christian Conservative" is a particular class of like-minded political people.
So...wrapping this up. "Evangelical" is a term used within the church to define a theological state, whereas "Christian Conservative" is a term used outside of church to define a political bent. I'm sure that one could use these terms within church, but I don't think it would be accurate. It's apples and oranges.
Of course the problem with these terms: "evangelical" should refer to all Christians, as we are called to spread the word to all nations. Too bad it's being used to define a particular way of thinking. Likewise, "progressive" simply means "forward thinking" or "changing" or "reforming". It should also be used to define all Christians, as we should be thinking of ways to share the Gospel of Christ with everybody, in new and exciting ways. If you are the type of person that absolutley must use labels, pleare refer to me from now on as an Evangelical Progressive. That ought to confuse some people!
There, that's my two cents, or at least all I can write for now without my hands cramping up. :) What are your two cents?
Have you been following the blogging tour with Compassion International in Uganda? I have. A lot of people are participating, including FlowerDust and Ragamuffin Soul.
How many days will I read their posts without sponsoring a child? How many days will I think to myself, "that's a great idea, I should get around to that"? How many days will another child go through the day without my help? Today is the day that my excuses stop.
Me and my family are now sponsoring Olivia Idionyi. She is a 6 year old girl in Uganda. I hope to meet Olivia someday before we come together in Heaven, but even if I don't, I will support her from afar, both prayerfully and financially.
How many more days are you going to make excuses for yourself before you sponsor a child? It's just $32 per month. Go and do what is right.
Continuing in a series of re-posting previous entries. Originally published 10-1-06:
I love drawing people in with my titles....maybe you'll read the whole post! It will be short. 
First of all, let me say that Scientology is a cult. Plain and simple. Second, let me say that even though they are a cult, they do some things very well. One is reach out to the community and really care about people. Let me explain one way they do this BETTER than the church:
Jen ran the Portland Marathon today. Way to go honey! I could never do that, I'm proud of you. The kids and I went downtown to meet her at the finish line. When we saw her she was in pretty good shape but complaining about a spasm in her left quad. As we were walking back to the car we walked by a massive yellow tent and a guy approached her and asked, "would you like a free muscle treatment"? She was on it...she needed a massage! This was within 1 block of the finish line. As she was standing there I pointed out to her that this was a massage tent from the "church" of Scientology. "Should I still go"? She asked. "Of course," was my reply, "they can still massage your 
muscles, and I'm curious as to what they say to you".
She got the massage (a poor massage...but hey, it was free and available) and they handed her a bag of promotional materials. She tossed them thinking I would be upset, but I was actually upset that she tossed them! I wanted to read through them. The tent was packed, they had a dozen or more massage stations and there was a line to get in.
My only question was this: where is the REAL church?
Churches (my own included) get so caught up in the regular "outreach" events that they rarely get creative. Food and Toys drives are great, bicycle safety clinics are awesome, vacation bible schools are superb. But how often do we (the collective church) go out of the comfort of our four walls and go 
to where the people are to offer something for free that is genuinely nice? Rarely. I would have loved to see a church set up a massage clinic and then just hand out a simple invite to service. To a captive audience of 10,000 people...wow...this would rock. The runners and their families sure would remember the church that gave them so much help and comfort when they hurt so badly. As it stands now, thousands of people will be thinking about the genuine kindness of the Scientologists. That makes me sad.
Church: WAKE UP! Get off of your lazy buttocks and GO OUT to the people. If we don't, somebody else will. Scratch that...SINCE we don't, somebody else IS. It's time to change.
Continuing in a series of re-posting previous entries. Originally published 8-17-06
Did the title of this post catch your attention? It should. It's true.
I cannot observe the Sabbath. I don't know how.
I can already hear your thoughts, so let me type them out for you: "GASP! But Matt, you're a leader of our church! You are on Management Team! You go to church on Sunday, you read your bible...of course you can 'observe the Sabbath'...anything else would be so...un-Christian!" Oh really?
I don't know how to relax. There, I said it. I cannot sit still. I do not know what true quiet time is. I don't know how to exist without noise around me. I need distractions. I fear silence. Yes, I FEAR it. Why? I don't know.
The Sabbath is our rest. It is our 'selah', it is our time to enjoy the creation that God has provided for us. Guess what true believers? I rarely, if ever, take a Sabbath. Oh sure, I go to church on Sunday. I sing songs. I don't necessarily show up for work that day, that is, I don't go into my office and sit there with a nice smile on my face and fill out paperwork, so certainly I'm 'observing the Sabbath'. Wrong again.
I know what it means. I have known for years. It is rest, it is a break from the junk of the world that consumes me, it is a chance to enjoy the blessings that God has been so generous with. My family. The gorge. A park. A nap. Yes, I know, so ignorance is not an excuse. But I drown out the Sabbath with anything and everything I can. Music. Computers. Smart Phones. Text Messages. Projects around the house. Paperwork. Blah blah blah. It's all junk.
I've known that for some time...my fear of silence that is. What am I afraid of, the silence itself? I don't know. I really don't. I just occupy my time, all of the time. So that is why it cut so deeply when I stole away for some time to myself today, because I knew that I needed it so badly. I needed silence, even then I don't ever have it. I decided to eat dinner by myself tonight at a little pub, and I picked up Velvet Elvis to continue reading where I left off about two months ago. I never saw it coming.
The section that I left off with, that I didn't remember what I was reading, is called "Tassels". The subsections in that are called "Unleashing a Monster", "Shalom", "Restoration", "My Soul" and "Healing". Rob Bell describes his journey as a driven man that finally sees himself as God sees him. He talks about not honoring the Sabbath, and what it means to really honor it. Here is a small quote:
Sabbath is taking a day a week to remind myself that I did not make the world and that it will continue to exist without my efforts.
Sabbath is a day when at the end I say, "I didn't do anything today," and I don't add, "And I feel so guilty."
Sabbath is a day when my phone is turned off, I don't check my email and you can't get ahold of me.
So you see, I cannot observe the Sabbath. But I know that I want to. No, I need to. I will find a way, but not through my own will, because that hasn't done very well for me so far. I will turn to God. And like He always does, He will show me rest.
A few days ago I reposted an entry from a couple of years ago that somebody had found and sent me a note about. This got me to reading some archives, and since I haven't had the time to post much new thought recently, I think I'll take the next few days to re-post some entries from a couple of years ago. Some on leadership, some on my relationship with Christ.
Originally published 8-11-2006:
I got up early this morning, before the rest of the family stirred, and went out to the back porch and looked at the ocean for a while. It’s amazing to me, stunning in its beauty and power. We slept with the back door cracked open last night so that we could fall asleep to the sound of the surf as it crashed into the beach. It’s such a calming sound to me, the constant roar of the waves has always been good to hear. I came out this morning to do my quiet time, to do some business with God. 
Before I cracked my bible though I just took in His creation. How amazing is the ocean?!? It never ceases. When my family and I went on a vacation to Disneyland a couple of years ago, the place was amazing…we showed up early in the morning just as hundreds of people were turning on the rides, cooking the food and getting into costume. Disneyland of course shuts down at night so people can rest, then they put on the big show starting early the next morning, and what a show it is!
But Disneyland is nothing compared to the beach, in my opinion. The ocean never turned off, the waves kept coming all night long. And the power…the power is stunning. Yesterday a bunch of people made sand castles. One family worked on one that was huge, they spent the better part of 6 hours putting it all together, it was as talk as a kid and had a huge moat and wall to defend it from the pending onslaught of the waves. This morning it is nothing more than a small lump of sand on an otherwise flat beach. The ocean never ceases. God never ceases. He never rests. All night long while I was sleeping he was watching over His creation. That is so comforting to me.
Almost one year ago I was at the beach with my family, and I woke up early each morning and read through the Psalms. I almost made it through the entire book in the few days we were here! Today I spent time looking through the parts of the Psalms that I underlined last year. Chapter 51 really nailed me this morning.
Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will no despise.
That is verses 14 to 17, and I know them well, especially the final part. “A broken and contrite heart”, that is what the Lord wants from me. I know it is. I spoke on this verse the second night in Mexico this year, so I know it so well. It rings in my ears all the time, even though I don’t always want it to. God is pleased when I go to church, when I read my bible, when I do all of the “things” that one does when one follows the Lord. But that isn’t what he is centering His relationship on with me. Those things are nice, but they are just things. He wants ME…he wants the parts of me that matter. My heart. My emotions. My spirit. He doesn’t just want some of me, he wants ALL of me. He demands 100%.
What is so challenging is that so often that starts with brokenness, and that is something that, although I may ask for it in song, is very hard to accept. Brokenness is total surrender, it is…well, getting broken. When I rely on my own ability I fail and God will make sure that I am broken so that I come back to him. Can I be truthful with you and tell you that I FEAR brokenness? I do. I want it, yet I fear it. How is that for paradoxical?
I’m finished typing, and the ocean is still roaring a couple of hundred yards away. It didn’t stop the entire time I was reading or whacking my keyboard. God never ceases. He is calling me. He has never stopped calling me. Sometimes I do a better job at hiding from Him than other times, but the fact remains…He is still there, He has always been there, He will always be there, and he will never stop loving me, He will never stop wanting me. When will I break, and when will I have a contrite heart? When I do, O God, you will not despise.
On Tuesday of this week we had Chapel for the staff, just like we do every week. Usually one of the pastors or seminarians that is on staff teaches something from the Bible, but this week we had a pastor visiting us from Brazil. We support his church in many ways, both with prayer, time and financial resources, and he was in town to visit.
He spoke on several things, and the thick Brazilian accent made his talk all the more intriguing. What really stuck with me though was his answer to a question that Pastor Mark asked him. After he spoke, Mark asked, "what is the greatest obstacle facing the church in South America?" His answer surprised me.
He told us about thee communist men that he knows of that came to South America to pursue business. After a time of thinking what direction to take, they all agreed to start churches. The result? A house of worship that gives you everything you would expect...Sunday service, Bible studies, children's classes...but is run by an atheist communist. Wow. I was stunned.
This pastor continued by saying that this is a real problem in South America; people are starting churches as industry, not to bring people to The Lord. Many of these "church plants" are not even started by believers.
It is no wonder that the unbelieving world has such a hard time with our faith, there are wolves among the sheep.
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