From The Cheap Seats

Derby Day

2009-05-02T10:37:00.002-04:00

As I sit next to my girlfriend,as she eats breakfast, on this lovely Saturday morning I began to think about some of my more favorite days in the sports world. I turn on fox soccer channel to start my morning off right with a little English Premier League soccer. Which for most of you would be like getting your teeth pulled out. Obscure sports days are a lot of fun I think. Now you could focus on the big game seven between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls or the NHL playoffs today but most of all I'm excited about the Kentucky Derby.

The Derby is the like the Indianapolis 500 for most people; it's the only day where people actually care about the sport. Now you can try to tell me that you care about Horse Racing but lets be honest you and I both really don't care. Occasionally you get the good story like Big Brown last year that keeps your interest but that fades away quickly to. But what is great about today is the feel that it gives off. You know that relaxed excitement to watch 20, 19 today, horse run around a track for two to three minutes and hear those famous words "And down the stretch they come." It's an exciting day! You have till six o'clock before the race starts so you can get all the work done, grab a nice late lunch, and after you can watch everything else on TV.

I do know a small group of people who hate today. All be it a little circumstantial but they really don't like today. The NHL. NBC said this week that they will switch over to the Derby coverage no matter what's going on in the game with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. This is the dream series for the NHL and now they are promised to get bumped by their only major non-cable network if the game goes to long. You have to be pissed if your the NHL but that's what makes this day so great. It's like the 500 everyone stops to watch this sport for the one day it's big. For the small horse racing group of fans out there this is your super bowl so enjoy it. Drink your mint julep and let your wife wear her big crazy hat and enjoy what could be the greatest horse race you will see all year.

Cheers!

1 Quater

2009-04-29T22:34:00.003-04:00

The big topic today on Mike and Mike and other sports talk shows was the "hard foul" by Rajon Rondo in last nights overtime win over the Bulls. The key play happened in the last 5 seconds of the game. Now last night Dwight Howard plainly threw an elbow at the end of the play in the first quarter. Now there are two differences in these play; one drew blood and the other one didn't. As well as, the time in which they took place.

The fact that Rondo drew blood on a clear smack to the face and the refs did not even look to see what happened but just to check the time is outrageous. Just because it happened in the last 5 seconds of the game should not ever make a difference. I know you want the players to decided the game, but could you imagine if that was Lebron and not Brad Miller going to the hole. The uproar that would have entailed in the sports world, but not today. I'm not saying that Rondo should be suspended like Howard was but at least they called a tech. on Howard as soon as it happened and let the league decide what the major discipline should have been. But what happened today to Rondo nothing. Really...nothing. He hit a guy in the face, cutting him and nothing happens. How does that make sense? Maybe I am overreacting to the play but from my view the referees missed this.

The second issues is the timing. Should games be called differently the later the game goes? I hope you say no. But if you say yes I have to say your wrong. As a fan if my team was coming back I would like to see the game called down the middle. If my team was winning I would hope that the game would be called the same. As I think we all would agree on we do not want the refs. deciding everything, but you can't change the way a game is called no matter what sport you are calling. Strike zone, fouls, or penalties need to have the same standards all game. What does it say about the integrity of the game if a ref. can call something in the first quarter, but yet calls or doesn't call the opposite at the end? It brings a dark spot on the game and fans cannot trust how things are going to happen at the end of a contest.

Am I overreacting to a small event or is this really an issue? Can you trust referees to call a contest fairly ever? Did the refs make the right call in both situations. To all of these I say No, what about you?

What Do You Think

2008-11-19T11:12:00.000-05:00

This morning I was asked what I thought about Brian Mclaren, and it reminded me of a Larry King Live show where he had the most influential envangelicals. It's featuring TD Jakes, The Lehays, Franklin Graham, and Brian Mclaren. I'm just going to post a link to the transcipt but read it and let me know what you think...

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0502/01/lkl.01.html

Where Have You Been All My Life

2008-11-12T10:51:00.000-05:00

So I'm pretty sure no one even looks to see if I have a new blog up anymore seeing how I haven't blogged in a good year. But I finally have some time to sit down and reflect on the last few months of my life.

It's been a bit of a whirlwind since June. The Crux, the church i'm currently serving at, has had some major changes. It's kind of funny but in the last two years of my life I've been hired, fired, and now fill in as a bandaid guy for churches. It's been so tough but at the same time i've never been at such peace with my life in ministry.

In August Melissa and I broke up and if you have facebook i'm sure you knew that but wow that was tough. A two year long relationship ended and i was crushed and yet at the same time inspired. To behonest most of it was my fault by not giving her the time and energy she deserved. So began a month long process of changing myself and the way that I fight for her. A month later after spending endless hours in prayer for my life and her life we got back together. Since that time we have been able to grow in ways we never knew we could and for those of you who know me well we are even talking marriage. Scary but really cool.

I miss you friends and i miss the time we have to talk so if your free call and lets connect...I love you guys and pray for all of you and your ministries!

Proud to be called your friend!

Advent Conspiracy Pt. 2

2007-11-18T10:42:00.001-05:00

Here are the different causes we are giving to as part of Advent Conspiracy. (See Blog Below)

Tier 1 - $1-$100,000
Education and Spiritual Care for INDY
Indianapolis Christian School
Indianapolis Christian School is indy’s “best-kept secret”. Betty Speight and her team of teachers and administrators have been changing lives in the urban center of Indianapolis for 34 years. 60 percent of the students enrolled at ICS are below the poverty line. ICS helps students receive an education and opens doors for further educational and vocational pursuits. In 2007 ICS had a 100 percent graduation rate to higher learning institutions.

Triple Seven Movement
Triple Seven is committed to planting communities of faith around the US, beginning in 2008. The vision is to begin communities in urban centers devoted to re-establish the church as the epicenter of art in culture while responding to the specific needs of the marginalized in each city. All donations from Advent Conspiracy will go to funding a new community in downtown Indianapolis beginning in February 2008 in cooperation with the Crux church in Fishers.

Tier 2 -$100,001 - $200,000
Homeless and Hungry
Outreach Indianapolis
Outreach, Inc. is a Christian ministry in Indianapolis reaching out to homeless and at-risk young adults with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Outreach provides street outreach, a youth center, holistic social services, emergency/referral services and case management; all operated in an environment of God's love. We are dedicated to introducing the youth to a relationship with Jesus Christ and helping them to mature in that relationship. Outreach comes along side the church in helping it understand and fulfill the “Great Commission” on a local level by training, equipping and supporting the body of Christ and community to minister to this population, empowering the youth to exit the street life.

Gleaners Food Bank
Right here in Central Indiana, 205,330 Hoosiers need food assistance on a weekly basis. Nearly half are seniors and children — that's over 78,831 Hoosier kids who may not develop properly for lack of nutritious food. Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit, was founded in a 3-1/2 car garage in 1980 by a group of people concerned about the growing problem of hunger in Indianapolis. Early in 1981, Gleaners received a grant from the Lilly Endowment to network with Indiana communities that wanted to develop food banks. Today, nine food banks operate to provide food to charities that feed the hungry. As Gleaners enters its 27th year, the food bank has distributed more than 195 million pounds of food and critical grocery products to charities that serve the people in need of emergency food assistance.

Tier 3 -$200,001 - $300,000
CLEAN WATER
FERMI ProjectEvery 15 seconds a child dies due to unclean water.
Clean water for the world is a foundational element of Advent Conspiracy.It is the responsibility of those who have been given much to help those in need.
Rwanda Clean Water is a collaborative project that envisions people of Rwanda no longer suffering from the illness, death and disease that comes from unclean water.100%  All donations that are given to Rwanda Clean Water are given to the people of Rwanda. No overhead is taken from the money raised. All overhead costs on this project are underwritten by a donor that has chosen to remain anonymous.HYGENIE TRAINING  Every location that is chosen for Rwanda Clean Water has a training process with the leaders in the community on personal hygiene and waterborne illnesses.HEALTHCARE  Clean water is known to cut illnesses in developing countries by more than half.SUSTAINABILITY  Instead of just giving a one time handout, clean water solutions are being created that will give lasting clean water to communities.
Each well built by the Fermi project will serve 750 about half of whom will die without clean water solutions.

Tier 4 -$300,001 - $400,000
GLOBAL JUSTICE and AIDS RELIEF
International Justice Mission
IJM exists to protect people from violent forms of injustice by securing rescue and restoration for victims and accountability for perpetrators, ensuring that public justice systems work for the poor. Advent Conspiracy will be supporting IJM specifically in their endeavor to eradicate sex trafficking across the globe.
IJM has a 4 fold strategy to elimiate social injustice including sex slavery and trafficking
Victim Relief - Relieve the victim of the abuse currently being committed.Perpetrator Accountability - Bring accountability and just consequences under the law to the specific perpetrator(s) of abuse.Structural Prevention - Prevent the abuse from being committed against others who are also at risk by strengthening community factors that are likely to deter potential oppressors, reduce the vulnerability of at-risk populations and empower local authorities to stop such abuses.Victim Aftercare - Provide access to services to help victims transition to their new lives and to encourage long-term success.
“This government stands with you and our country stands with you... we abhor the practice of sex slavery and will do all we can to help you.” –George W. Bush, President of the United States of America

World VisionWorld
Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
World Vision is one of the best-managed humanitarian organizations in the world. 87 percent of all income that came in this last year went directly to relief. Advent Conspiracy will be donating specifically to the hope children of world vision. For every $400 dollars we raise, world vision will be able to supply the needed food and medicines for children directly effected and many times orphaned due to the HIV / AIDS epidemic in many countries in Africa for an entire year. When we reach this tier of giving, people participating in Advent Conspiracy will receive profiles of the children we are helping.

Adavent Conspiracy

2007-11-15T11:10:00.001-05:00

What would happen if a community decided to give Christmas back to Jesus rather than spend it on themselves. Our church is going to find out. We are joining a movement called advant conspiracy. We are challenging our church for 200 people to give $200, then we are challenging them to recruite 10 people to the cause. which if that happens would bring in $400,00 dollars. What would happen to it. Read this

Advent Conspiracy Indy

Here are some of our thoughts about what we are thinking about and what this could do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdQ8Ao2K9o0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2igsRT-krU4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGN_6o48HQE

We are joining Imago Dei (Donald Millers church) and many other church in Advent Conspiracy.

Please pray and see what you can do to give Christmas back to Jesus, and if you haven't thought of something please join us in this. You can give online and we have a great vision for this. Lets see what we can do to change the world!!!

Spend Less, Give More, Love All

My Porn Sunday

2007-10-10T18:26:00.000-04:00

This past sunday we took part in a national even called Porn Sunday. This event was to raise awareness about the destruction porn has on people's lives. It was an tough topic to address but at the same time something that needed to happen. A local news channel came and checked us out. Just incase you're wondering I was the elephant. Seriously though there were some good points raised. We weren't there to judge but to encourage people to seek help from their addiction to porn. Daron preached about freedom from the bondage of porn and shared different ways to find accountability. XXXChurch.com covenant eyes

The most valuable thing that happened this sunday was that it created discussion. For me I was able to share with my girlfriend and with a really close friend of mine how I have found freedom in Christ. The bible calls us to confess with each other and pray with each other and when this happens we find freedom. Where do you need freedom from bondage in your life...confess and find accountability, and may God show you the freedom he desires for your life!

My New Adventure

2007-09-25T07:57:00.001-04:00

Just to let everyone know who was afriad that I would never get back into the church or ministry. Your fears have been calmed! I have taken on a new role at the crux as the leader of the Youth group. It is still very much a volunteer position so I will be working in the real world too, but I'm still extremely excited about this oportunity.

Thanks to everyone who believed in me and prayed for me through these healing months, I'm in debt to you! I love you guys...look forward to continuing to share life with you!

My New Friends

2007-08-24T08:39:00.000-04:00

So it's been a while since I have been on the pages of blogspot but today I restart my blogging journey. This past Wed. I did something I hadn't done for a few months. I went back to youth group. I went back but this time as a volunteer. If you know my story you know that I had taken a few months to revisit what ministry looks like for my life. But recently the Lord gave me the preverbial nod to get back into the game. I was more nervous this past week than i had ever been before. What if the kids didn't like me, what if i wasn't ready for it. But I trusted and i'm glad i did.

We had two kids show up. So the leader decided not to do this weeks lesson and play games. Even though we didn't have any game ideas we began to create. I began to ask these two students about school, family, and the things they like to do. I forgot how much middle schoolers like to talk. For about an hour and half we talked about anything and everything while playing bean bag toss and dodgeball. As one of the kids left he looked at me and told me I better be back next week or he is hunting me down with the dodgeball. I'm not going to lie that was one of the biggest compliments I have ever heard. All we did was talk about life and the video games but maybe that's what we need to talk about more with students.

I love Jesus and I want others to too, but I'm learning that life investment is so much more important than numbers. I believe that as I watch Jesus' ministry. An old mentor of mine used to say over and over that "more time with less people equals greater impact for the kingdom" Tim Elmore. Jesus had 12 people he invested in, those twelve were the ones that invested in more and so on and so forth. I have believed that before but I haven't lived it in the church. I know i want to live that as my ministry lifestyle.

These past three months have been challenging, yet relaxing but I'm excited about seeing what God is going to do and how I will be used in ministry. Thanks to everyone who is praying, who has supported me, and who care! I love you guys and I couldn't have processed all this without you.

My New Job

2007-06-27T08:49:00.000-04:00

It's been about two months now since I resigned from my position at the church. I've been very quite about it because I don't want to say or express anything over a blog that could come across unfair. But I do feel the need to let you know about my new job.

This new job has allowed me to come into contact with recovering alcoholics, drug addicts, homosexuals and people who just don't know Jesus. Now I in no way shape or form am claiming to be their savior but I am saying that this has been an exciting time for me and my heart for the lost. Over the last month and a half I have had heart to heart chats with people who know who Jesus is, have no interest in him, or who have been in the church and want nothing to do with it because of the mistreatment they have received. I've begun to see with new eyes, eyes that see they need love rather than they need saving.

Now I may have just struck a chord with someone and you might feel really uncomfortable with that statement because I do, but at the same time that's what I genuinely believe will advance the kingdom. It comes down to love. But how do we keep the impact of that word when everyone is saying the same thing yet there is still much hostility toward Christians and the church. Different popular music groups say the same thing and their message is awaking thousands of young people to make a difference yet for the church to stand up and say that the world needs love it doesn't have the same impact. Have we reduced love to only
for ourselves and our salvation?

I wonder what the church and the world would look like honestly if Love was not just to get people saved but to actually lay down your life for someone that they may see the grace hope and love of Jesus?

I feel like I'm missing something, maybe you see it or maybe none of what I just wrote makes sense but at the same time I look back at my last two months and i see love opening doors to more: people wanting to get coffee, or talk about the bible, or discussions on books about religion and politics. I like my new job in fact I am excited about my new job and I'm excited to see how God brings more love and continues to blow up my ratio of unchurched to churched people in my life.

I love you guys thanks for your support and I'm fighting for you as well.

My Transition

2007-04-26T08:56:00.000-04:00

In about four weeks I will be heading back to Indiana. There have been a lot of interesting developments that have led to this transition. I just want to take this time to thank the Lord for my time in NC and I can't wait to see how God is going to work in me and through me next.

My Winning Streak pt.1

2007-04-11T13:09:00.000-04:00

In baseball or in any sport for that matter we have winning streaks, where a team will win two or more games. Now if you're a Cubs fan you're used to the losing streak but we're not talking about that today. What I really want to talk about is how can you judge a team's success? You judge mostly by the points produced but you also judge on the team chemistry. You could site team after team with players who take away from the team chemistry and make the show all about them and that team struggles. That person might be the best at their position but when the team does not perform the best because they are concerned with other things the chances of a Win or even a Winning streak are greatly diminished.

So what about the Church? Can the Church have a Winning streak? I guess first, to quote Andy Stanley's book 7 Practices of Effective Ministry, "you need to determine what your win is."
So here is my question for this beginning discussion is what is your Win in ministry?

I'll tell you what I view as a win for me. Ultimately it's someone coming to Christ. If they can come to saving knowledge of Jesus then I've done what I needed to do (along with help from the Holy Spirit) to get the win. Another win for me is to see a kid "get it". If you've ever taught teenagers something and they understood what you were saying and put it into action, essentially getting the concept you taught, there is not much of a better feeling. Third, when a parent thanks you for your investment. How great it is when you hear from someone so close to a kid that you're making a difference. So those are my Wins...if I can see those in ministry I see a win...so what about you?

Preview: Next time pt. 2 of My winning streak: Team Chemistry and it's role in the Win
pt. 3 Is it fair to judge a church like you judge a team?

My Theological Worldview

2007-04-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

So this morning I found a little quiz that you can take to discover or I guess better understand your theological stance. The Quiz is titled What is your theological world view? Maybe it is that I was raised in the Wesleyan Church after my conversion or maybe it was going to a Wesleyan school but it turns out my theological world view is Wesleyan/Evangelical Holiness. Now whether or not that means I'm sticking close to the "big T" tradition of the church (Thanks Dr. Bounds) remains to be seen from this quiz. I guess I was really surprised by what finished second on my quiz. Emergent/Postmodern. Now I feel a leaning toward that mindset but I just thought it was because my friends were but when I read these questions and answered them honestly turns out I have some of that POMO or Emergent in me!!! Just so everyone knows I'm more Catholic than I am Reformed, and it looks like I might now ever really be a Fundamentalist.

To be honest I knew that I believed the Wesleyan theological world view more than others but it was fun to answer the questions with my theology professor's voice in the back of my head saying "Micah make sure you stay within the big T tradition of the Church." And I know that not all theological perspectives aren't available but it is quiz to take some time away from the boring office hours. So What is your theological world view? Anything surprise you?

My find

2007-03-30T09:54:00.000-04:00

So yesterday while browsing the internet I ran across Hillsong.com
What did I find there, something new and exciting a new cd from Hillsong United. Unfortunately for me you can only get it in Australia right now. I searched and searched all over just to see if I could find the release date for America. No luck. I left a little disappointed, until I entered into the world of Myspace. I really dislike myspace but because my students have it, it turns out to be a good connecting point. With full knowledge United has they're own myspace page I went there looking for hope and low and behold I found three new songs that I could add as my myspace song. Imagine the excitement i felt after finding all this! So now I patiently wait watching videos on Youtube and listening to the three songs over and over hoping for that exciting day which will add a new great cd to my collection...

Also if you have time I suggest you take a look at this instructional video on swimming since summer is coming and the pools are about to open!!! Trust me it may change how you will swim forever!!

My question for you

2007-03-29T10:04:00.000-04:00

What would you like to read by me? Any suggestions? Maybe it's writer block maybe what I really want to right about I can't right now...So I'm asking you, if you know me well enough what do you want to know from me...maybe I could become a guru for you...so what's next?

My mental block

2007-03-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

there is a lot i want to write about currently, but i can't my mind won't let me. My heart is heavy and has a lot to say but my mind won't let me communicate my heart. Maybe soon but until then pray.

My Leaning Post

2007-03-14T11:04:00.000-04:00

So the other day for some reason I ran across Alan Jackson's hymns CD. On this cd was a song called "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" Now a disclaimer I don't really like country music and really this blog isn't even about the hymn as much as the idea of actually leaning on the everylasting arms.

I have to admit to you that things aren't going as i planned them last year as I graduated college. In fact things are a lot harder than I ever knew them to be. Which really opened my eyes to the fact that my parents really did love me more than I could have ever known. So even though my parents don't even know that I blog or what a blog is, I have to say thank you for letting me lean on you so much during my childhood and even into my young adult hood.

But now I live in NC 10 hours away and mom and dad aren't here. So where do I lean when things are going well...I've always heard that our faith should become our own, and I finally get it. Over the last month I've realized my faith is not my mentor's, my faith isn't my pastor's, or my parent's. It has to be mine and it is becoming more and more. I can't lean so much on others and I must lean on the everlasting arms of Jesus. More and more I'm realizing how much greater God is to me than I am to Him, which allows me to trust him more than ever before.

It reminds me of the trust game you do in groups where you fall back hoping the person or people behind you will actually catch you...How willing am I to fall back? How willing are you to fall back? How much do we trust those everlasting arms of Jesus?

Thanks to all who have shown me this and who have poured so much into my life spiritually!!! I'm forever indebted to your love and support for me!

My French Vanilla Latte

2007-01-24T08:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Eric Roemer I know have a new favorite drink at Starbucks. (I know it's an evil corporation, I live in the Bible belt i'm constantly reminded by people in my church). But my friend whom it took 6 years not 8 as many of you who know him may believe has opened my eyes to a great coffee drink. Now Phil before you yell at me for spending money on coffee at Starbucks I will have you know that this is the first time this week that I have had any starbucks. It is Wed. and I have been super careful about spending money on coffee, but because I meet a student on Wed. to chat I feel like it's worth it.

So why am I writing about my French Vanilla latte, why not i ask? As I sip the drink that will burn my tongue as it has the last ten or so sips I feel at rest, I feel at home, I feel happy. So what if it is 8 am. and I have a long day of work ahead of me. I feel at peace, I feel calm. Now I know I can't buy happiness, if that is what your thinking. But I'm sitting here my Bible open in a warm corner of the store listening to U2. For some of you that may feel like hell but for me it's rest.

I've been learning a lot lately of how as a minister I'm supposed to take time to my self and to be honest that is really hard. I don't like waking up super early to do devotions (Evangelical Christian term for spending time with God) But if I don't do it in the morning than I usually get to busy to spend time with Jesus during the day. Then I'm tired and go to bed, and the vicious cycle starts all over the next day! I've been reading a book called What Matters Most by Doug Fields. The book as opened my eyes to why I keep saying yes to more work instead of saying No to some work and yes to the important stuff like my soul, my relationships, and my own physical health.

Jesus I pray for my pastor friends out there they may be on the edge of break down. Lord, give them the strength to say no to some work and say yes to their soul...Same me with my non pastor friends as well. Allow them as well to say No to some things that they may find you and and grow in you.

The battle goes on lets fight for our time together!!!

My Waiting Room

2007-01-22T20:52:00.000-05:00

Hey its been a while and I was waiting to write this blog for a while.

One of my big experiences for the last three months came in a hospital visit. I was able to go on a hospital visit in November. I began to spend a lot of time with with the family of this lady. We spent hours together in the waiting rooms of this hospital. I began to learn about the story of this family. One of the greatest things that I can tell you happened was the dad of this family asking Jesus to come into his life just before he died. Both parents were on the edge of death and the dad did die in November. Right before he died, the night of actually he asked Jesus into his heart. Unfortunately for his wife she never got to see him after he accepted Jesus.

Three months later, January 22nd 2007 Mrs. Martin passed away. I learned a lot from her as I talked to her. I found out how much she loved the LORD. I was so impressed at her dedication to her family and how she desired to see her kids and grandkids to love Jesus. She is now home with the LORD but continue to pray for this family as the deal with the passing of their mom, grandma, sister, and friend.

i learned a lot from Mrs. Martin in the short time I knew her. She stayed positive and trusted in the LORD the whole time and I never saw a frown on her face as she suffered through the pain. I now take confidence with the family that she is now at peace and in no more pain with the Lord.

Thanks Mrs. Martin for being a role model for your family and young youth pastors whom you just met!!!

My Personality Battle

2006-12-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

Wow it has been a crazy time of year for me and finally it is starting to calm down. Now all I have left to do is go Christmas shopping. For the last two months I haven't been able to blog or let you know really what's been going on because of the business of my schedule. Averaging about 60-70 hrs a week has really put a lot of stress on my physical health as well as my spiritual health. So for the next few blogs I'm going to disect what has been my last two months. (If you're bored already I'm sorry I'll try to make it up)

About two months ago I sat in a meeting were most of my insecurities were layed down on the line. I'm not going to go into details but I really felt beat down after the meeting. Thus began the long month of Nov. A month where God allowed me to try ministry on my own. Thus began my personality battle.

As Youth Pastor you are asked to live a life that is no longer your own. Your time really isn't your time and for most of us we aren't sure when we'll be able to rest. I began to recognize this as we got into the Christmas season. My to-do list began to pile up and I never seemed to make a dent on it. I wasn't sure what was going on, I mean I was getting everything done yet it still seemed like I was never going to be able to stop working!

Nov. 30th through December 4th I was at Youth Specialties a Confrence designed for youth pastors. (You'll hear me refer to this multiple times in the posts to follow) There was a speaker there named Phil Vicher and what was different about Phil was that it was a go get 'em speach but it was let me tell you how I failed speach. It all came down to this single question..."how much do you rely on Christ in your ministry?" I began to reflect on the battle that was November. All the sudden it hit me...My personality battle wasn't how am I going to be the best youth pastor ever, it was why am I not depending on Christ in ministry. My eyes were opened to the inner struggle that had been going on. I realized this gigantic hole in my ministry. and it was (as chessy as this sounds) was my dependency on Christ.

Since that service every day I sit in my office and before I begin to plan a thing I stop and ask Jesus just to be in charge! I'm not sure if this makes sense but for me at this time in my ministry and life, to learn what it means to rely on Jesus has been a life changing revelation!

My Bad

2006-12-14T10:27:00.000-05:00

I owe you guys one ginormous blog!!! and it will come in pieces starting next week...It will be a reflective journal of what has happened the last two months...but please know that the time is coming and i hope that you'll find it worth the wait...but just know I'm ready for christmas to be over with!!!

My Realization

2006-11-09T14:42:00.000-05:00

I just looked at my schedule both what I have done this week and what I have to come and I realized something...I'm tired...I need to take a nap...So later on here in about an hour my job is going to be to take a nap I feel like that is how I can best prepare myself for the rest of my week in ministry...

I know this isn't much but I just realized it!

My Fear

2006-10-16T12:35:00.000-04:00

Let me set the mood for you before I get into the writing...I'm currently sitting at my desk listening to a children's worship cd (because i am the children's pastor as well) and the only light in the room is my computer monitor and a french vanilla candle from walmart...I feel that if I can set the room up for you as a place where I can be honest that might help the blog make sense.

I've been watching too much of the TV show Scrubs lately because I feel like this blog should be titled like the way they title the episodes on show. That's not really my fear but I've been on this track oh thoughts lately that have revealed fear in my life.

In 3 hours or so I'm going to drive to my first volunteer session at the homeless shelter here in Gboro...all day long I've had this inner battle going on with whether or not I really want to even go to the place tonight. So before you call me a wuss listen for a sec. I mean I'm a midwest white kid, and even though I have a heart for this Indiana Wesleyan didn't really raise me to hangout with homeless people. How in the world am I going to relate? How am I going to even make a dent in these men and women's lives for Jesus? Will they even tell me their story? Will they even let me show them love? Why would they want some funny looking white guy's help? All these questions are bombarding me and so I'm not going to lie to you I'm scared to go.

Last week I met with a professor that I look up to greatly...and I told him my hardest thing in ministry is fall in love with Jesus while doing church work. It seems like sometimes people in the church replace Jesus (the suppossed focus of church) with themselves...Then I told him I was having a hard time with finding a sabath...He rebuttled with "Micah please stop committing the sin of sabath" For some reason that scared me. before you call me a wuss just listen. I never want to be that pastor that totally blows it. Now i have people in my life who have fallen and I'm not sure if the sin of sabath is why but this professor hinted that sometimes that is the leading factor...So i'm scared I don't want to do that and so thought's of not being good enough or holy enough has placed my fear in my face...

Finally, i've reached a new point in a relationship, to be honest i'm scared...before you call me a wuss just listen...I've been to a point like this twice before and it came back to kick me in the face...so even though i'm not gong to give you any details, I'm doing this in my woundedness and saying i'm willing to take a risk even though i'm filled with fear...

Sorry for those of you who just dealt with all of my emotional problems but thank you...Sometimes I think fear keeps you sharp and opens your eyes to things you may have missed without fear...So even though I'm scared, I will trust God's guidance on my life and say "Less of Me, More of God!!!"

Battered and Bruised

2006-09-22T11:36:00.000-04:00

Have you ever read a book that everytime you put it down you feel battered and bruised. Most of the time I read the Bible I leave that way but there are times where I feel extremely encouraged and refreshed. I have been reading a book recomended by a friend. This book she told me was not a light read and that it had begun to change her life. (Which almost ever pastor had heard before no offense Kristie) So i picked it up at the local Barnes and Nobles along with a Venti Nonfat Iced Mocah Latte. (Don't say anything Phil) With ever book I pick up I read the back and the recommendations to see if anyone I like has recommended the book. Almost every person said the same thing "don't pick it up unless you are ready to have your life changed." So I picked it up.
I am only maybe a quater of the way through the book and I have been challenged the entire way through. It has been amazing to hear the journey of this author as he lives with the homeless , lives with the lepors, and hangs out with Mother Thresa (Momma T) as he calls her in the book.

The last couple of weeks there has been the conversation with other bloggers and people in my life about the poorest of the poor and what we are doing to change things...I felt so overwhelmed yet so angry at myself for not having picked up on this idea soon. I have noticed something through this book. The author did not just go for everything, he took steps, steps that grew his ability to relate to the people he was reaching. Not that it was comfortable or safe by any means but it seems that he took steps to meet the homeless, to share love and hope with them and to be Jesus to them. I've learned a lot about how there is not someone that I'm better than but rather I'm just as in need of there love and joy as they need to be loved.

So my friends if you are up for the challenge of loving the least, the last and the lost...take the first step of meeting them and find a place where you can volunteer to help. soup kitchen, shelter, clothing drive, a battered women's shelter, or have a meal for the homeless, but take the first step to meet them. And if you want to read a book that will change your life i mean really change your life and leave you a bit battered and bruised pick up Shane Claiborne's The Irresistible Revolution

Anyone have any ideas other than what i've shared on how to take the first steps or organizations that we can get involved???

To My Friend

2006-09-07T16:14:00.000-04:00

So it's been about a week since my friend was unjustly let go from his job...I'm not going into details but this is for him...I just want him to know that He is a great man after God's own heart..>I don't know how else to help him other than to say You are a hero thanks for not holding bitterness thanks for standing up for the Father even when the church doesn't seem to be doing His will...thanks for not running away when things got hard...I know this may not make sense to a lot of you but if you know my friend I encourage you to let him know how important he is to you.

Thanks for being the encouraging one to me while i was a heretic in theology class...You're my hero and you'll always be a great friend! I pray that God will lead you to advance the kingdom more than you would have ever expected!

Thanks for being a great friend!

Tag I'm it...i guess

2006-08-25T09:56:00.000-04:00

So I was about to write a blog about my experience as the first person to be a customer at the brand spankin new Starbucks right by my house this morning at 5:30, but instead Phil S. decided it would be more fun for everyone to learn about my life, so Phil in spirit of "Get-it-done" leadership here it goes:

According to YOUR personal opinion, answer these questions...

ONE of your Favorite Movie MOMENTS of All Time: The scene in Rudy where the slow clap starts and Rudy finally gets to play, and boy does he play... he even gets a sack!!! RUDY RUDY RUDY!!!

ONE of the Greatest Episodes of what TV show ever: "Saved by the Bell (Any episode...the Zach Attack one's are great... "Talking about Friends forever, always will be Friends forever"...what a classic song)" Phil Strahm nailed it...amazing episode, so I'm going to jump on to that answer

One movie that made you LAUGH out loud many times: "Talladega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby"

ONE TV show that you wish you could be on: "The Price is Right or "Scrubs"

ONE of your Favorite SONGS of all time: Where the Street has no name by U2

One song you wish YOU wrote: "Yellow Submarine" by Beatles...I think it would have been fun to be a Beatle

ONE of the GREATEST movies that NOBODY has seen: I want to say Garden State, but I'm not sure how many have seen it, i just know not many in NC where I live have! Great movie

ONE song that truly MOVES you: "From the Inside Out/ Came to the Rescue" by Hillsong United I know Phil and many others are not suprised by this pick but for me the combination of these two songs is amazing...Almost every time I hear this I feel near to the heart of God.

ONE movie that truly MOVED you: "Hoosiers"

ONE MOVIE that you cried at: "Hoosiers"

MOST PLAYED song on your IPOD to date: Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson

ONE MOVIE that you love that would SUPRISE others to know: "Identity"

ONE SONG that you know ALL the lyrics to: "Counting to 100" by Matt Wertz

The MOST RECENT song you purchased/downloaded: Flying into Daybreak by Charlie Hall...

So does anyone now care to hear my story about starbucks???

How blessed are we?

2006-08-09T11:30:00.000-04:00

So I might be on a bit of a Rob Bell kick...I just got the new nooma video and well i watched it...now i'm not writing this blog about the video, but the video adds to some thoughts that i've been wrestling with and a conversation we had last night in college bible study...So the question i have is how blessed are we?

I mean I am a college graduate with lots of money that I have to pay back, i have a car that i'm scared to drive sometimes, and I don't know the last time i bought any type of clothing. But I'm blessed right...i mean at least I went to college, at least I have a car, and at least i have clothes and a place to eat and sleep. So why to do I keep asking for more? Rob Bell says in this video that to solve poverty it would cost the world 28 billion dollars...The shocking stat is that Americans spend 28 billion on ice cream a year. and yet i want more...This isn't make anyone feel bad it's just what I'm wrestling with. I mean if it's true that only 8% of the world have cars than I really am blessed....So i myself am going to stop asking God to make us a more powerful and rich nation, and ask God to make us a nation that serves the world not ourselves. And that is what I'm going to be praying for myself. That I won't ask for things but rather ask what can I do next to help serve.

How blessed are you? How is God providing for you? How is God using you to provide for others?

Here are some websites that could use your help:
http://www.worldhope.org/worldhope/Default.htm
http://www.invisiblechildren.com/
www.one.org

An Ice Cold Glass of Sweet Tea

2006-08-03T12:22:00.000-04:00

Wow is it hot!!! All over the midwest and south it has been crazy hot...of course this amazing heat wave moved through when my youth group and I went to camp. The reason it's been so long since I have blogged is the simple reason that Youth Camp pretty much trumpted it all. Also, I've been getting some really interesting responses from my last blog and i've been learning and processing from them...So why is the title "An Ice Cold Glass of Sweet Tea"?

Three weeks ago, I was tired...I'm going to be open with you, I was tired already. I was in ministry for a month and I was tired...I felt like I was always working and it never ended. I wasn't having much fun and I felt like i was loosing grip on my youth group. But I was excited about camp...Being nervous I took my first step on the camp ground where I was going to meet youth pastors who have been in the district and were close and some that were new to the district. The first week I was in a cabin with 14 other high school boys and no AC...but in spite of the heat God moved...The men in my group met with God through the course of the week and so did I. There were people who were very much Jesus to me during the course of that first week and through the second week.

Dwight is a man I think in his fifties who loves the LORD and teens...This man is not a hired staff but he works harder than maybe anyone of the youth pastors...He encouraged the younger youth pastors telling us over and over again how much he believed in us. Then there was John Mann...at a young 42 I've never seen kids from a church or other churches love a man so much...He cared so much about every kid at this camp it was amazing! Whether from my church or any other church he cared for them. Then camp the human Beat Box Raquel...The raw and real girl who loves Jesus more than life itself. She was dedicated to become the woman God had called her to be...I believe one day whether you know her or not now you will hear her testimony. Finally an intern named Kenneth...This kid rocked my face off...his encouragement and his love for me blew me away...I learned a ton from him and the way that he represented Jesus to me and those around him...So here is to Dwight John, Rock, and Kenneth...thank you...you were my Ice Cold Glass of Sweet Tea...the refreshing drink on a hot summer day...

God did amazing things at this camp, changing students lives, but for me he refreshed me, Through worship, through teaching times, and through the daily visit to starbucks with other pastors, God was there and real and God did amazing things and I'm excited about seeing the Revolution move through me and my students...

The Rule of Love

2006-06-29T15:13:00.000-04:00

I have never been really good at Romanitc love. If you ask any of my ex-girlfriends they would probably tell you the same thing. I'm just not very good at it. I think about myself to much, I don't think about what she would like to do, I don't listen enough. Frankly sometimes I never really cared to listen to the emotions and the needs from my girlfriend at the time. Now I've grown a lot in these past 11 months of being single...But what is funny to me is that sometimes that same lack of love or desire to even try to love someone is ever so present in the church.

I was watching a video the other day by a guy named Rob Bell. In this video Rob talks about and to the "Bullhorn" guy. The guy who stands on the street coner and preaches a message of anger and hatred to the world. This message that tries to convert people without loving them. Rob puts it as "loving with an angenda" That really isn't love is it. I began to think about God's love with an agenda. Does God love with an Agenda??? NO not at all!!! Infact it's the exact opposite. God loves despite who we are...Even with all of our flaws, sins, thoughts, hatred, anger, disbelief. and the fact sometimes we just don't care, He loves us.

So then, the rule of love with God is to love us inspite of who we are. There is nothing we can do that can affect the way God loves us...He can't love us more and He can't love us less. So then why do we change the rule of love? Why is it that when I'm attacked by someone in the church or out of it, I turn my back on them? Why is it that when someone in our church admits to sin so they can change things they become not good enough to be in the church? Does that even make sense....No! Why would a lost and broken world want to be apart of a moment of "love" when we don't love each other. The Rule of love can not change...We must fight to love each other inspite of who each are. I recognize that there are some I won't get along with but with the revolutionary love that Jesus has given me, I will love the way that I have been loved. My challenge to the church is to humble yourself, recongnize the fact you are love inspite of everything YOU are, and love the way you have been loved by the Father!

"And may you know that HOW YOU LOVE OTHERS IS HOW YOU LOVE GOD" Rob Bell

3 weeks later

2006-06-20T11:46:00.000-04:00

So three weeks ago I wrote about risk. I came to the conclusion that it was time to take the risk of moving on and trusting God with my life. 3 Weeks later I'm glad I did and I wish I wouldn't have at the same time.
WHY I'm Glad: God is placing people in my life that are encouraging me left and right. Whether it is students in my Youth Group or parents or just people i'm randomly meeting God is placing people to keep me going. There is a song my a guy name Matt Redman on the new Passion Worship Cd everything glorious that says "Oh no, you never let go, through the calm and through the storm, oh no you never let go, every high and every low, oh no, you never let go, LORD you never let go of me..." and I have been seeing how God is doing that in my life.
Another reason is the little kids in my church. that sounds weird but last week was VBS and I was litterally thrown into the fire, but the last night at least 6 kids that i know of gave their lives to Jesus. Is there any better reason to be doing what i'm doing??? Also I am seeing life change begin to happen in my high school students...one of the students has turned away from some issues in his life and other are starting to see church as more than a building...it's awesome!!!
Why I'm Not Glad I made the risk: To quote my friend Tim in his last blog "why is that the older I get, the younger and more unprepared I feel" Each day there have been new challenges in ministry...stuff we talked about in school but never thought it would actually happen. My professors said that we didn't completely understand ministry untill we were actually there, and you know what he was right...through all the internship and everything I still am learning more each day than I ever thought I could.
I miss Home!!!! I miss my friends for IWU I miss my mom, nagging at me yet telling me she loves me...I miss the dumb fights my sister and I get into (i called her sat. hoping to start one but it didn't work) I miss my dad saying something stupid and him thinking it was the funniest thing ever. I miss going to bed and hearing all the guys in my dorm still doing something dumb and dangerous to their physical well being out in the hall.

Through it all "it is well with my soul" I am happy, God is showing me so much and doing so much!!! I am doing what I am called to do, and I will follow hard after him...Mom, Dad, Abby, Anna, Jake...I love you and I miss you! See you soon!

"To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory".

2006-05-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

the
Do you know how bad I want the title of this blog to be true in my life. I feel like I'm one of those guys who has caculated most things out before I make the discission to do something. There have been a couple of exceptions to that rule in my life but for some reason I listened to my parents when they told me that every step of my life needed to be planned out. I did not realize they were wrong till this year. There has been this guy that I mentored and discipled over that last three years that shows this better than anyone in my life. Now some of the things Dave has done were lets be honest kind of dumb yet it was down with risk and he over came that fear. I came to this conclusion after seeing Dave last week with another cast on his right arm. This cast has been there since January. Why do I look up to a guy who has had a broken arm for five months. Let me tell you a little bit about Dave. He has been on top of all but 1 building at IWU. He goes on road trips on the drop of a hat, and he's never afraid of a new challenge. Dave lives a life of risk. Now I'm not going to become a memeber of the extreme sports community but I have realized the need for risk in my spiritual life and in my ministry. The Lord is reminding me that risk is ok and actually really exciting, the key though for me is that I commit those plans to him. (Proverbs 16:3) After coming across that verse last week I've realized the importance of risk. I can risk moving to NC in 4 days and be confident in that. I can risk leaving my family and my circle of friends while trusting that if I commit my life to the Father that he will provide even if I don't recognize it at first. I'm scared, I'm nervous no one will like me and I'll be lonely, I'm nervous I'm not going to be a good pastor but it's time to take the risk and jump of the cliff into adulthood...

"In My Life Be Lifted High"

2006-04-20T11:59:00.000-04:00

I'm a fan of Hillsong United! They are a band out of the land down under and they are just rocking my face off lately.
One of their songs is called "Came to the Rescue" and in this song it talks about how in the writer's desperation they called out to God and he came to the rescue. In this song though there is a response to the Chorus. The words are:
"In my life be lifted high
In my world be lifted high
In our love be lifted high"
This is a simple response I recognize this but it has really hit me hard lately. Almost everytime I hear this song and sing this response it brings me to my knees, I must live a Life not only in my actions and words but in every aspect. A life that lifts high the name of Jesus. A life that stands United with the those around me and vows to Glorify Jesus in the lives the leads.
Thank you for those of you in my life who are doing that already, thanks for being the example that we need. Thanks for the challenge to walk in the path of living lifes that are lifted High...

My Update and What I've Learned

2006-04-17T21:23:00.000-04:00

Wow it's been a long time since I have blogged and I appologize for that. But here is a bit of an update.
So in a couple of weekes I graduate from IWU. I can't believe that it's almost over for college at least for now. But I have found where I am going to live when i move to North Carolina. It's a nice two bedroom and two bathroom apt. I'm excited about the possibilities that God has given me for ministry. I was able to spend time with the youth this weekend and learn about their lives. I'm excited about building a solid leadership team with some of the future seniors. Last Sunday though was a highlight for me. I was able to see the Chicago Cubs play in Wrigley Field. It was an amazing night. The Cubs won with a Grand Slam in the Bottom of the 8th. What a game.

What I have learned lately: The closer I get to Graduation the more I realize that I'm not totally prepared for ministry. There is a lot I have to learn over the next few years. I've also learned that I really like IWU. There is a sense of community here at IWU that I don't believe that I will ever have again. Those of you who do go to IWU don't forget the amazing opportunity to build relationships with people here. I'm preparing to go into the real world and I'm more nervous than I ever though possible but I know that God is leading me to the right place and I'm excited about ministry! Thanks for those who are praying for me and for my ministry. I'm excited to keep you posted on what I am learning and how God is using your prayers to expand the kingdom...thanks to all who are standing strong to the Faith.

Update from the South

2006-03-09T13:37:00.000-05:00

Hey ya'll I'm down in good old South Carolina on spring break! It's amazing. the weather down here has been mid sixties to low 70s all week. Let me tell you all it's been the best spring break I've ever had. While at SWU, my friend Emily and I have been hanging out a lot and having a lot of fun. Baseball games, visiting nature parks, and going to Clemson University. And let me tell you something there is more sweet tea than I can handle. I love sweet tea!!! It's nice being with friends. Ryan Shepherd has been housing me all week, and it's been great to see him. He's such a cool guy!
So here is the real news. This past weekend I had an interview at New Covenant Wesleyan Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was a great feel at the church. The people there were very nice, a great family style of church! The youth group is solid. They are so ready for someone to come and invest into them! When meeting with them I saw a huge excitement for the LORD and for the lost in the world. I'm very excited about spending time with these kids. As of Wed. March 8th I am the new Associate Pastor of NCWC and I'll move down and start my role as a Pastor the first week of June.
Thank you all for your prayers and your support. I do have a few question for those of you in ministry. I will be in my first year of ministry so...any helpful advice? What do you think I need to know?
Thanks to everyone who is staying strong in the Faith!!! Thanks for being people I can look up you!

My True Valentine

2006-02-14T23:34:00.001-05:00

Well it's Valentines day, and infact for me it's the end of Valentines Day for 2006. To be honest I went through a range of emotions. It was a beautiful Feb. day here at the WU and to say the least there was a lot of "wooing" going on here. It was great to see men fight for their women, and build that trust. I saw women drive hours from other states to see their men, and their men to be so excited to see their Princess. I began to want a Princess of my own. Now I don't have an official Valetine but, I felt like I had gotten a Valentine today in a way that I wasn't expecting. I like to think that there are days and things in our lives that we can get away from and there was a Valentine message I just couldn't get away from today!

It all started about noon today. A guy at our school named Andrew was leading a trip to the local prison here in Marion to talk to the women there and give them homemade Valentines. He came by and said hi, told me what time they were going, and left. About 15 mins. later Andrew comes running up to my chair and tells me that the guy they asked to speak to the women has just gotten sick and need surgery. Then came the words that changed my day and maybe my life. "Can...um you come and speak?"

"Yeah sure...i'll just tell my prof. i'm not coming to class" as I shook in fear. I have never been to prison i've never really wanted to go there, yet no matter how much I was afraid to go, God wasn't going to let me get out of this. Now I've blogged before about what I felt when God changed my sermons but never something like this. I had lunch with a guy named Eric Romer before the trip was to take place. Eric gave me some great insight on Luke 15. Simply "We are important, we are valuable, and no matter what happens God is so in love with us..." Now this seems elementary but on Valentines Day it was my one and only true Valentine.

Through out the entire time I was able to speak the Holy Spirit continued to say through and to me, that I haven't forgotten about you, I'm so in love with you Happy Valentines day. Now maybe i'm being a hopeless romantic with my faith but today I just don't care. As I saw tears falling on women's face, tears that were out of genuine joy that men were telling them that they were important and not forgotten God spoke to me saying the same things.

These women that I saw sitting in a jail cell, not happy when we first woke them up, began to be Jesus to me, smiling and saying "to what you do to do the least of these you do to me, well done." My friends as Valentines Day ends or as you remember it, tom. or whenever you read this, know that You are Valuable You are Important, and NO MATTER WHAT, He will RUN to YOU!

How was your Valentines day? What happened? tell me your story!

Avoiding Homework

2006-01-24T22:27:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have those moments where everything else seems more exciting than homework? I'm in that mode right now...I know what's going to happen to. I'm going to be up late tonight doing homework, and I'll be tired tom, but this seems much more important to me than Homework...what do you think?
So, How are you? I miss everyone who reads this blog, I don't feel like I communicate well enough to you all, so here's what God has been teaching me lately. 1) He's faithful, I've really struggled with some scripture and why God was so faithful to the people in it. They lied and tricked people into getting what they wanted, yet God still was faithful to them. Now dumb Micah didn't pick up on the analogy of my life to theirs, until I thought of the Covenant. God established the Covenant through Abraham, so he had to stay faithful. Through that line He brought Jesus, which is where I come into play. God's faithfulness to a flawed race brought me into relationship with Him...if any of that makes sense...
2) He's proud of me! I think that speaks for it self
3) He is proud o You! Again I think that speaks for it self
Now I know that these things are basic and maybe a senior ministry major shouldn't just be learning these things, and I"m not God is just reminding me of how Great and Faithful His love for us truly is...What has God been teaching you lately? Talk to me, don't' be shy

Thank you to all who are standing strong up at the front lines of ministry! Paul I love you man, I'm praying for you!!!

Wait What Just Happened

2006-01-11T21:11:00.001-05:00

So I was sitting at the computer reading what is needing to be read for my classes tomorrow, when I began to reflect. And did I reflect. I have been asked the question, "How was your break?" At least 25 times these last four days, and my response every time is "Really good, how was yours?" I really am hoping everytime that I ask that people who reflect on their break, even though I haven't. And I realized as I was reading I was needing to reflect so here I go.
Break was great, I really like it! I got to spend some quality times with people. Especially with people from Max and Ermas. The LORD had kept the doors open for me to come back and continue to invest into the lives of those at Max and Ermas. I really do love those people, and being the only professing Christian there is challenging yet an amazing opportunity to show the love of God in a personal way.
Then came time with friends! It was so great to connect with old friends from church. When I left in May for Nappanee I didn't have a lot of contact with those old friends but coming home I got to spend lots of time with them and it was amazing we had so much fun together.
Then came the highlight of my break, ORLANDO, and Logos 05...Everytime I thought about what was going on I just kept saying to my self "wait what just happened...did that really just happen to me" God was giving so many opportunities to connect with people both from the South and from IWU. God was so gracious to me in this time. I'm not going to lie even though I was there to work, I learned more that I was ever expecting. The WORD became so real to me and for the first time in about 4 months I was able to worship God without a care of what was going on around me. I was able to connect with the LORD again! That wasn't the only thing that happened in ORLANDO, i reconnected with an old friend. Her and I spent a lot of time together, infact it was a lot of fun. We are great friends and I am really blessed to have her friendship and I'm excited to see how God directs our friendship. My friends continue to pray for my heart and the leading of our friendship.
How did your break Go? Honest how are you what's happened lately, when you look at the road behind you, what just happened? I can't wait to hear your stories!!!

Wait What Just Happened

2006-01-11T21:11:00.000-05:00

Wisdom from a friend

2006-01-05T23:13:00.000-05:00

I'm not going to interject my feelings on this but read it and tell me what you think...
(blog written by kevin wright, and very wise friend of mine who goes to Duke working on his MDiv) http://justplainwright.blogspot.com/2006/01/robertson-does-us-proud.html

Christmas Week

2005-12-24T08:43:00.000-05:00

This week I've had an up and down battle with focusing on the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus has to be the focus of Christmas ask my friend Kevin Wright. Without Jesus why bother? But as a waitor it makes it hard to focus on Jesus when you can barely afford Christmas presents. Now lets be honest it's tough to my mom or dad a nice Christmas gift, thanking them for all they have done for me, when people tip a $1.15 on a $68 check. And you know the $2.13 an hour just doesn't give me that empugh to put my best foot forward while Christmas shopping.

Sorry that was a bit of a tipping rant that i've been wanting to get out for a while. But I did get my report card this week. Now this was my hardest semester and I was probably underserving of the grades I got, but I did work very hard! I've never been known as a great student nor do I feel like i'm the smartest person at IWU infact being called a heritic by Dr. Bounds (many times in Theology I, II, and Christology) just shows I have some work to do on my theology as well. But this semester all A's and B's. This is exciting for me because I don't do this. It's been since high school since i've been able to do this. So thank you all for who prayed for me over the semester, just so you know it helped!!!

"And so this is Christmas..." a day away and the hope is building for little kids to see Santa or at least the effects of Santa coming to their house. Shot i'm looking forward to see what Santa is going to bring me. But for just a moment, if you can, take this moment and lets read the Christmas story together. and just reflect on what Jesus gave up so that we may have life. Without Christmas as Kevin said (you can still read it it's up above) why even bother? Praise God for Christmas! Read with me:
LUKE 2:4-20

4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels 8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I'll Be Home for Christmas

2005-12-15T12:23:00.000-05:00

Although this may not really be what I drove last night it sure does seem like that's what it looked like! Last night during the long one hour drive I enjoyed driving through a steady snow shower. I love driving in the snow it makes driving a little more challenging! In fact it's almost this little battle between you and the slick roads. My goal not to crash.

It's funny though I wish that I put that much serisousness in my spritial life. I'm just thinking this as I right. I can't help but view myself like Edmond from the Cronicles of Narnia. I feel like there are many times where I'm the traitor in the group (the body of Christ). Even more so when I'm home. At IWU it's a lot easier to stay with Jesus at school than at home. First full day at home and I feel like a traitor already. Now to be honest with myself that is a very humbling thought. To know that I've hurt the heart of the Father since i've been home.
So what? Ok good Micah messed up...why should it matter? I'm making a decleration and a challenge for Christmas: Be Careful How You Drive! Driving in the snow we know is slick and it takes more time and more of our concetration to keep from Crashing! SO this Christmas season, I'm writing this out maybe not for you to take and apply but mostly for me, to your time, concentrate on the goal of Jesus. Interact with the very person that left heaven, giving up his rights so that we may have Life, eternal Life, with God. So My friends Be Careful How You Drive, and focus on Jesus.

Winter

2005-12-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

So, it's cold out...Actually very cold out...When I went to church this and when I got to my car I had to scrape like an inch of ice of the window. Now I don't really like this aspect of winter. Don't get me wrong I love winter, I love snow, I love almost everything about winter except the work that it involves. Ok in the winter you have to drive slower, you have to work harder such as shovel the drive way, and scrape ice of your windsheild. I leadership is like this to. It's got it's great moments in it. We get to see our plans work out, we get to see people fall in love with Jesus. We get to have a blast with those who are working with us. We get to grow and learn new exciting ideas. But there is that other part of leadership that most people don't see. The part that noone likes to do just like shoveling snow, or scraping windows we have things in leadership that are like that. Look at discipline issues. I hate repromanding people, I hate doing the work that I'm not good at but there are just times I have to do it. Dr. Whitesel talks about in his class we need to hire people who are good at the things we're not, but what if we can't? what if we dont' have the resources? For those who are already in ministry what do you do with those skills you aren't great at? do you have people helping you? For those who aren't yet in ministry, what are skills your bad at? What do you see being the biggest leadership struggle for you? How can you prepare yourself for it?
P.S. On a lighter note: i love christmas, and thanks for all those who are Standing firm in the faith and that are preparing the way for those of us to come!

What if I don't want to

2005-11-28T12:16:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was the last day of my thanksgiving break. Everything came to a close but there was one final thing I had to do before I left for school. I had to go to church. Now don't get me wrong I love church!!! i love being at church, well most of the time. But for some reason I didn't really want to be at church. Maybe it was because it wasn't the church I had been going, or maybe it was because I was tired and just wanted to be in bed. But for some reason I felt like a little kid yesterday saying...well what if I don't want to go to church. There was this interesting internal conflict of why do I go to church. I began to wonder why does everyone else go to church? Why do you go to church? Now for most of you who might be reading this blog it's because you have to...you either work at a church or class is making you! But why does our congregation...Is it because they think they have to? Is it to have a social life? Is it because the do actually love Jesus and the church? Or is it because they want help? Why do our people attend church? How do you handle those days where you just don't want to be around Christians, or just don't want to wake up and go to church?
To those of you who don't work in the church or don't even like the church and just happened to read this: why don't you go to church? or why do you? Today in chapel at my school we had a man talk about how he felt the least wanted when he was at church, do you see that in your life? What is it that you are or were expecting from the church? Help me, I want to know why others go to church!

Heart behind us

2005-11-14T13:56:00.000-05:00

What is the heart behind what we do? As Pastors or future pastors what is the heart behind what we do? Being in a church leadership class learning about making churches healthy, i've really been wrestling with what does this look like for me and what I'm going to be doing. What is the heart that I have behind mentoring? Why do I do what I do? I was reading a blog of a former IWU student who is working at a large Wesleyan church in San Diego and she was questioning this very thing Brooke writes " i feel like we are always "doing" stuff and sometimes i forget what it is all for...how does one really show Christ to someone else? Does God really want us to spend money on making things "cool?" If we prayed more would that really change things? What can we expect of middle school students? Are they capable of praying for a longer period of time? What if we didn't preach on Sundays for a month and just had them pray the entire time...and then i wonder where this comes from in me...is it a part of my personality to struggle with finding a purpose in some of this "stuff?" i know that i don't like "sales" type church so is this just a matter of preference or is it Biblical? i just don't know...ministry is so confusing to me...is it really about investing into people's lives? and if this is so then why do we spend so much money on "stuff" and "events" and "videos" and whatever else" Then I was having a conversation with an old pastor/mentor of mind, and he was telling me how he felt like he could loose his job based on the decisions that he was making in ministry! I got confused because he was one of the best childrens pastors i've ever met. He said the major difference was that he stopped listening to "Tradition" and started setting up his ministry by what God was speaking to his heart about. Most of our churches are going to understand this, and this church isn't, but my friends I'm believing more and more that the best programing we can do is what God lays on our hearts. We must not depend on Tradition to decide our programing but what passions for ministry God has layed on our hearts! Don't get me wrong we can learn from Tradition but it's not how we have to always do things. Take the good but be creative, use the mind and heart God gave you to decide what your going to be doing in your ministry.
So ask your self, why do you do what you do? With every program what is the heart behind it?

As anyone experienced this? What ideas have you had that went against the grain of "Tradition" was it hard to communicate it with the congregation?

"Thanks to all those standing firm for the Faith, You are an inspiration to us all!"

Fork in the Road

2005-11-08T14:08:00.000-05:00

Over the last day and a half i've had my last blog posted I've come to a fork in the road and I've learned a few things!
1) My view of doubting is a good thing. I believe we are supposed to doubt but there are things if we are men of women of faith, we don't even walk down that road. For me those are, that Jesus is the Christ! He died and was Resurrected. The church is a means of Grace. I realized recently that I'm not alone. Everyones responses to me, made me understand how not a lone I am! The church is a need for my life, and for me to succeed I need to be in it. I'm called to ministry! I won't ever walk down that road of doubt again! As i examined my life I realized more and more that I can't see myself doing anything else! I love the church I love the work I do in it, and I never want to leave it! God has placed this in my life and I believe strongly that I dont' want to let it Go. (Thanks coach for helping me understand that we can doubt but it's ok to not go down certain paths!)
2) My faith is based on Christ alone and not what other people say into my life. Let me clarify a little. When people speak into my life I must use the lens of Jesus. That He will never fail me nor forsake me and so when people give me wisdom/advice I must look at it as if it would be something God would want me to embrace or not. I'm saying this because i've given certain people the power to speak like Jesus into my life. I'm finding that when they let me down it had a much great effect on me then i thought. This isnt' just one person, this is the many people who've let me down over the last couple of years. I people that Jesus must have the main voice in my life and until recently I had let others have the main voice in my life!
3) We are in a war! Now I usually don't like to talk in this metaphor but for this instance I must. After having a much over due conversation with a leader (that for a long time was afraid to talk to) I realized I was in a war for the souls of man. That when we see those who fall, it should make us want to fight even harder against Satan and his forces. Satan longs for those of us who believe to let go of our faith and deny! But if we who are called by his name fight and fight with an intensity of understanding this is much more than here on earth but this is for eternity than we can defeat Satan. There is a song on the United Cd "look to you" that says "the enemy has been defeated" We have the power to claim victory and live in it...why am I not grasping it? Why aren't we? I think for me at least it's I've ignored this war I need, but I see it so much more clearly now!!! Lets keep fighting!
4) There are amaizing men and women of God fighting that we are overlooking! Thank You PK! Thank You Aram! Thank You Julie! Thank You Jeremy and Andrea! Thank You Kate! Thank You Matt! Thank You Julia! Thank You Micheal! Thank You Chris! Thank You Coach! Thank You Dave! Thank You Bounds! Thank You Russ! Thank You Charlie! Thank you to all who pour into my life that fight the good fight and press on toward the Goal!!! keep fighting! I appreciate you more than you know! Thanks for being people to look up to!!!
Over the last few days there have been some ups and downs, I still haven't found resolution in a lot but I have come to some conclusions that are giving me power and strength in this journey!
Now i've said some pretty close minded things, mostly at the top of this blog, but am I wrong in being that close minded? Is it bad to have these conclusions? Am I missing something more than I can see? How are you handling doubt? Who are the people you've seen fail how has that affected you? And who are Champions of the faith in your life?

Doubt

2005-11-07T12:16:00.000-05:00

Ok here is the deal...this may have nothing to do with church leadership at first but I really feel like it applys.
1) I have to be honest...I'm fake! I'm not happy all the time, in fact there are days when I really don't want to be around people at all! I'm a sinner, I still sin all the time, and there are days where that eats me up inside and i have so much doubt about myself! I don't think that i'm as great as every may say that I am... I'm just a sinner saved by grace...and that is how I hope to present myself to you in that way! I'm not perfect, and so if I have made myself to look like that to you, i'm sorry!
2)I am scared. I have no idea what is next and i'm not going to hide it anymore! I don't know where God is going to take me, or if I'm going to be good enough...I like the institutionalized life of IWU, I like knowing where my friends are, where i'm eating, and where I'm going to sleep! I have no clue where I'm going to end up or what I'm going to do!
3) I'm worried about those around me! The last couple of weeks I've been hearing a lot of my close friends, or people who've invested into me say that they are re-thinking Christianity...now don't get me wrong or shut me out yet! I agree we should know what we believe and should process that! The last thing I want to be known as is some who believe just so he has something to hold on to! I want to believe because I love what I believe and want to give my whole life and heart to it. But is there a line in which we can doubt our believes? I just wonder! And my friends who read this an may be mad at me for worrying about them, it's not that i think you're bad, i just wonder if there is a good way of doubting about things and a bad way. I doubt, but i've found strength in the call of Christ to have a child like faith...a faith that believes that there are things about God i'll never know or understand, that is just fine! In fact I think it makes God worth following!
4) What does this have to do about anything! I think its because I'm doubting, Am I really supposed to do everything i've been told I am supposed to do?!? I mean am I supposed to be a pastor, seperated from the crowd? Am I supposed to take on peoples loads and help them walk this journey of life? is mentoring really a good life style to have? Now these aren't questions that are taking me away from my life style, but if those who put these thoughts in me are now changing, were they wrong or right in the first place....With everything in my heart I want to believe they were right! I know I'm a sinner saved by grace, and I know that God is using me, when i think am I in the right place, there is an overwhelming yes in my spirit!
Church leadership: We are going to doubt ourselves! We are going to have people who invested into us fail us! We are going to fail them! So doubt, doubt in a way that will still allow God to be God, and not yourself to be God! You're congregation will doubt, and they are going to ask tough questions, but don't shun them for it...Love them, at least they are trying right? What do you all think? am i way off? do i need help? Love me here!

The Outside World

2005-10-30T22:27:00.000-05:00

This past week I was given the opportunity to go to Indiana University. Now this wasn't to go visit my dad's old school or to just goof off, we were asked to come for the IU Mentoring Confrence. This was the first annual confrence that IU put on, and there were many school from around the state present at this confrence. IWU was the only Christian School there and we were asked to be on some of the discussion panels. During the first discussion panel, Julia Hurlow (who is the grad. assistant for mentoring) and myself realized how much different we were. It was like we were looking into the outside world! Our view of mentoring was so different from the worlds view. Mentoring here at IWU has been discribed as a wholelistic life style. Which means that mentoring isn't just fixing a problem it is living life together. Walking a journey together as one. Well as Julia and I presented this idea, everyone else seemed really confused by the idea. A man named Nigel from New Zealand said "so you're bascially you're saying that was should call for a cultural revolution...that life shouldn't be lived as individuals but together? I like it, you're right, but can it ever happen?" The more I thought about it the more it made sense, we are living a life that is different from the rest of the World. As we look through the window of the Church we must realize that they don't think like we do. So how do we connect to them? How do we make our lifestyle make sense to the rest of the World? Invite them in! And the end of the confrence this week, i was talking to a man named Frank (who was the man who made the whole confrence possible) and he said "I don't know how we here at IU could make happen what you are saying about this wholistic mentoring, but i would sure like to see it happen, keep up your enthusiasim. " My resonse was I hope that you and I can continue to work on this together. He was more than willing to stay incontact and work together at making something schools could use to set up and train a mentoring department. Now i know it wasn't much but it did open the window up so that he could see in with what i was doing and why i was doing it. How do we get the world to see inside the window? Any thing that you all have seen that works well with bringing non-christians in? How do we build those relationships?

unexpected

2005-10-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

So this is week five officially of doing this blog and to be honest the slowest blog report of all time. I'm not really sure but it was an amazingly slow week for me, at least at work. My practicum didn't require a lot from me this week expect to preach wed. night. I think it had a lot to do with mid-terms and my boss understanding the business of the week. But to reflect on the week:
I preach wed. night and that was the most unexpected sermon I've ever done. Shortly before i was to go up the LORD changed the sermon on me. To go up on stage without sermon notes, is a very scary thing for me. But God spoke through me. The pastor watching gave me some good comments of review, and gave me some great pointers when those situations happen. But i'm not going to lie the response of the kids was very unexpected. They loved on me so much and responded well, at least to my face, to what the LORD said through me.
Another unexpected week, was the lack of sleep i got and the amount the devil attacked me last week. I'm learning this year how important it is to be a great leader off stage and last week put me to the test. I'm not going to say i was perfect but God gave me grace at times. I long to worship him through my living and last week was tough but the LORD got me through! To challenge you...be flexible allow God to do things through you that you weren't expecting. Some times when you're looking fast ball the LORD likes to through a nasty breaking a ball and see how you respond to it! So be flexible and let him lead!

Iron sharpen Iron

2005-10-17T12:11:00.000-04:00

During this very busy time of the school year I'm finding how important it is to stay connected with other ministers. This week I met with my staff and we connected and just had a great time praying for each other and learning about what was going on in our lives. A great time to encourage each other in ministry. Then I met with Phil Straum...we had lunch this week not just once but twice, and it was great to hear about how things were going and what we each were learning from classes and ministry. I had a third time with one of my mentees named Chad and he and I encouraged each other for a good half and hour before we got down to the discussions we've been haven...All three of these moments brought great joy to my life and encouraged me. All three helped me work through this busy week and the week to come. I'm seeing more and more what it means to have people walk this journey with us. 1 Peter 1 talks about how we "should love people like our lives depend on it" We have to walk this journey together, continually sharpening each other. All three of those instances that I had last week made me a better leader and a man of God. What people are investing into you? Who are you letting sharpen you? What are some ways that I can be helping you walk this long road of ministry?

Wedge

2005-10-10T13:04:00.000-04:00

I learned a lot this week about what it means to be busy. This week was not one that I would have concidered a winning week but a rough week. I was asked to speak at two different events that were back to back. One at 9 the other at 10, and yes two different sermons. I jumped at the opportunity to do both but little did I realize that I was not prepared for any of what was about to happen. I felt so stretched! I the thought went through that I am doing everything I'm supposed to do right? I mean God gave me the gift of teaching lets use it. But I was way off, also this week I had my one on one mentoring meetings that I couldn't put my whole self into, then my d-group which I felt so distracted from because I was preping for these messages. My wedge was a mile wide and an inch deep. I missed out on so much I believe. I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit didn't do amazing things but in my life I wasn't satisfied with what had happened because my heart was to stretched to accomplish everything I felt it had to. How do we in ministry handle the things we love? I mean I love to teach I love people, and I love to invest? Is it true that "more time with less people equals greater impact for the kingdom?" Josh Jackson. Maybe so...My challenge for myself and others this week is make sure your wedge is an inch wide and a mile deep...pick a few and invest, instead of taking on the whole world.

Iceberg

2005-09-26T15:18:00.000-04:00

One of my mentees this year sat down with me and just said that he wanted to focus on the idea of leadership, but not just leadership from the Pastor stand point on-stage, but what is leadership like off-stage. I was blown away. I mean I've heard people say that who you are as a leader has everything to do with who you are off-stage but noone ever really talks about it. So as we began to dive into this idea of leadership the first idea we ran across was by a guy named Tim Elmore from his book Habitudes. This idea is about an iceberg. The top 10% of this iceberg is what everyone sees. This is who we are on stage, and this is the area I believe we focus on the most. We want the outward appereance to be the most beautiful part of who we are. But as Tim Elmore rights "It was the 90% that sunk the Titanic, the ship that the captain said not even God could destroy". Such an interesting thought the 90% of who we are can make or break our entire ministry. Yet we don't really focus on it. My first blog on leadership has to be about this. Who we are as a leader off-stage matters so much more than who we are on stage. A leader with a quality life style is so much more effective in ministry than one who is a really good communicator and lots of fun. Our hearts have to be connected with God for us to be an effective leader in ministry. So my friends spend time with your Creator, let Him develop that 90% and be covered in the dust of your Rabbi!

Soon to be

2005-09-23T13:03:00.000-04:00

Well my friends, This will soon be my blog site on leadership...This is for a class but I hope that we will all soon be able to grow together! P.S. U2 is still the greatest rock band of all time, not sure where that came from just felt the Spirit leading me to say it.