Our Rotten Sex Life.com

I can't tell you how jazzed I am about the new series that starts October 21st. If you're a CCV'er I want to ask you to figure out how to get as many of your friends to go to the website below as possible! Forward the link. Do whatever you can to get the word out. A 20' tall by 10' wide banner of the image on the left is now on the side of our church building. 400 step-stake signs with the same image are going out as we speak. Get the word out...it's going to be a great series!

Service Times: 9:00, 10:15, 11:30am

http://www.ourrottensexlife.com/

Encouragement From Chuck Swindoll

Friday, September 28

Almost ten years ago I wrote Chuck Swindoll, seeking his advice regarding preaching and church leadership. I’ve kept his letter in what I call my “Rainy Day File” – a large file where I keep all the nice notes and letters people have written me over the years. Every once in a while I pull this out and read it so my grip will get a little tighter on the plow. Read it, I think you’ll be encouraged as well:

DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

May 18, 1998

Dear Brian:

Thank you for your thoughtful letter.

Though I don’t have time to prepare a lengthy reply, I will offer some brief words of encouragement.

First, Paul’s mandate to Timothy in his second letter to him was “Preach the Word.” He did not say “grow the church.” That is God’s work. Don’t fall into the trap of feeling that unless you are out there on the pavement meeting people and making things happen, the church won’t grow. I’m convinced if you are faithful to who you are and all God has called you to be and if you remain committed to preaching the Word, God will bless your ministry.

Second, relax. You need to be yourself to the glory of God. Period. The more you try to contort yourself into someone you are not, the more ineffective you will be in ministry.

If your conviction is that you much preach expository messages, then by all means do just that. Surround yourself with trustworthy individuals on your staff who love God’s people and who are genuine servants of Christ. That is all I did and growth came from the Lord. We had no secret at Fullerton church. Radio had nothing to do with our growth. God simply does what he says he will do: bless His Word.

Whatever you do, don’t forget that last sentence, Brian.

Warmly,

Charles R. Swindoll
President

A Conversation About Hell

Thursday, September 27

I recently received an email from a sharp guy who just finished reading Second Guessing God. One chapter in that book talks about my struggle accepting the doctrine of eternal punishment and how I came back to a Biblically sound position. I thought I'd share his email with you today and my response to his great questions.

Brian,
Read your book. The question about being born into a religion was one that intrigued me. I was born in the Midwest so, naturally, I grew up in a Christian family. Across the globe, though, people are brought up Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, etc. You mentioned this in your book, but never resolved the question. It was followed by reading more passages in the Bible about Hell. As if, by reading more about Hell, you convinced yourself that there is a hell. I don't think the prevalence of brimstone passages in the Bible is a reason to believe it, though. How do you justify all those people from all those other tribes and nations going to hell when they die? I'm pretty sure skeptical Hindus and skeptical Muslims feel the same way about their religion that I do about mine.

Name Withheld

P.S. The FBI going through your mail before you get it is something I would be worried about.


Hey _____,

You know the whole hell thing and how I came back to that belief still intrigues me to this day. I agree with your email, it doesn't make sense. And I can't justify it. It does sound like I just read the passages about hell over and over and that experience "convinced" me, which, in and of itself, as you point out, doesn't really prove anything.

I guess what happened to me was more like finding a shoe box full of unopened letters sent to me from a good friend who was no longer around. While we hung out he used to mention his different beliefs to me, but while we were together I blew those things off. Now gone, I had the chance to measure the impact his relationship had upon me, and his words, newly discovered in those letters, meant much more. They had more poignancy and conviction. I took them more seriously than when he was around.

I believe in hell, not because it's rational, but because Jesus believed in hell. This, of course, doesn't prove the existence of hell, but it does prove my allegiance to someone I trust, who I'm confident just might have a clearer grasp on what's going on in this life than I do. So for the time being I'll trust that my trust in his beliefs and convictions make more sense than trusting my own.

Keep asking the right questions. Sometimes the best indication that something is true is that it doesn't make much sense or seem fair.

Press on.

Brian

What Would Jesus Say To Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

On Monday night I tuned in to CSPAN to watch the speech by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. To be perfectly honest, I had a hard time staying awake (really long day). The most intriguing part of the speech/debate/event on the campus of Columbia University was the comments made by Columbia's President Lee Bollinger immediately before Ahmadinejad took the stage.

His introduction was logical, passionate and blistering. He stressed the need for those present to listen and engage in the free exchange of ideas with respect and civility, even if the presenter held reprehensible beliefs.

As I listened to the introduction I immediately wondered what Jesus would have said if he had been given the opportunity to introduce the man who has denied the existence of the holocaust and has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

Given the whole "love your enemies thing" what do you think Jesus would have said?

Something Particular and Real

Tuesday, September 25

A while ago I was fortunate enough to burrow away long enough to meditate on some of Mary Oliver's latest poems. Have you read her work? She's one of my favorite modern day poets. I found the end of her poem "When Death Comes" particularly stirring:

When it's over, I want to say: all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

--Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems, Vol. 1

My Friend Rick Cox

Friday, September 21

For some reason I’ve been thinking lately about an old friend of mine. Rick Cox was a tough guy with a cool car -- a jet black Mazda RX-7 convertible, as I recall. He started dating a daughter of one of the leaders in the church where I grew up as a kid. They married and started their life happily ever after, until she had an affair. His bride left him and took his dreams with her.

He spiraled and entered a two year “fog,” as most divorcees can attest. His only connection to our church was the softball team, but growing up our church had a rule that if you didn’t attend church on Sundays you couldn’t play. To make alimony payments Rick had to work on the weekends, which disqualified him for the team. My dad was the only one, I remember, that fought against the rule.

A few years later my dad and I went to his second wedding. After Rick’s girlfriend lost the baby-weight they held a ceremony in a small country church and had the reception in a fire hall. The only people invited (or who came) from our church were my dad, Rick’s best friend Dave Gaffney, and me. The affair was a slightly smaller and more broken version of the first wedding I attended when I was a kid.

If the ministry of Jesus reminds us of anything, it’s the heartbreak God feels for guys like Rick, as well as his frustration with church leaders who keep hitting the nail right on the thumb.

Forgiveness vs. Reconciliation

Thursday, September 20

Here's an excerpt from Getting Rid of the Gorilla, chapter five:

When my oldest daughter entered first grade, my wife and I anxiously attended Mrs. White’s first grade back-to-school night to hear her philosophy of classroom management and her expectations for the students. Partway through her lecture, Mrs. White directed our attention to two small chairs facing each other at the side of the classroom. On the back of each seat hung a sign that read Talk About It Chairs.

“I believe children need to learn early on how to resolve their differences,” Mrs. White said. “So whenever a conflict arises, it’s my practice to send the children involved to the Talk About It Chairs to work through their problem. Once they are finished, they can leave and go back to their classroom duties.”

“What if they can’t work it out?” I asked.

“They stay there until they do,” Mrs. White replied.

Then another parent joked, “We’re the ones who need those chairs.”

I think if we adults are being honest, we know that we could have Talk About It Chairs in every room of our lives and we’d still choose to live with the gorilla.

The reasons are obvious: We’ve tried the Talk About It Chairs and we don’t like them. Or we’re afraid we won’t. They’re uncomfortable—too hard, and they hurt our backs. The process takes too long. Living with the gorilla is the path of least resistance. It’s part of our human nature; we do what we think will cause us the least amount of pain. If it were easier to express anger appropriately and genuinely listen to others, accepting responsibility for our actions and pain as part of the human journey, we would choose the Talk About It Chairs. But it’s not, so we choose living with the gorilla.

For most people, finally going to the Talk About It Chairs with the person who hurt us will be a key part of the process of getting rid of the gorilla. But what if that person is unwilling to go there with us? What if going to the chairs would cause a tremendous amount of unwarranted pain for me and my loved ones? What if attempts at reconciliation would end up causing more harm than good? God’s answer is simple: don’t attempt reconciliation.

Forgiveness and reconciliation are two similar but unrelated actions. You can have one without the other. Forgiveness is something you can do on your own; reconciliation takes two parties. Forgiveness is unilateral; reconciliation can’t happen if two people won’t sit down at the chairs. Forgiveness is commanded in Scripture (Colossians 3:13, 14). Reconciliation is not commanded but is highly suggested if possible (Romans 12:18).

I Love Seeing Lifechange In Action

Wednesday, September 19

Nothing gets me more excited than seeing the transformation that can occur when a person allows God enough wiggle room to sneak into their life.

This past Sunday we showed a video during communion of some recent baptisms. Every time I watch these videos I choke up with emotion. It's just amazing to watch the way God continues to help people re-create their lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here's last Sunday's video. Our tech team tells me we have the videos of 30 people we haven't shown yet in backlog!

Casas Por Cristo

Tuesday, September 18

A few years ago I had the opportunity to spend some time in the outskirts of Juarez, Mexico, with my friends Errol Stepp and Herb Pinney. I was so taken back by the squalid living conditions of the people there, just a few miles away from the US border, that I made a promise to God that our church would come back and do something about it. Since that day we've hooked up with an awesome mission organization called Casa Por Cristo, a Christian group which builds homes for the poor throughout Juarez. The video below is how we made good on that promise. It's only the beginning.

I Just Had A Root Canal

Monday, September 17

I just got back from glorious Wayne, PA, where I had a root canal performed on my back left molar.

Here's a picture of what the doc did today:


First he bored out the entire top part of the tooth. Then he drilled four holes deep into the roots of the tooth itself. Then he filled them up with epoxy. The whole time I sat there for 60 minutes with my mouth pried open with a large clamp.

If nothing else positive comes out of this experience at least I can now say I am part of the exclusive club of people who can compare horrible situations in life to "more fun than a root canal."

Rooting for Lindsay Spengler

Friday, September 14

A few weeks ago we shared the story of Lindsay Spengler. She is a 22 year old young woman in our congregation fighting against Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (or RSD). RSD makes Lindsay feel like her body is on fire every hour of every day. It’s a burning sensation so intense that the most potent pain relievers on the market are completely ineffective.

Once a straight “A” student looking forward to playing softball in college, Lindsay has spent the past seven years completely incapacitated by this debilitating disease. Lindsay has been bed-bound, unable to sit or walk since 2002. The pain she feels is indescribable and all attempted treatments in the United States have failed to even come close to relieving her pain and suffering. If anyone ever had an opportunity to Second Guess God it's Lindsay.

But there is new hope for Lindsay. Her family has sent her to Mexico for an experimental treatment that will place her in a coma for 7 days to effectively "reboot" her body. She is out of that coma and I’ve been told that yesterday she got out of bed for the first time in years. She’s even wearing shoes for the first time in 4-5 years!

Please pray for her. She has a long way to go but her doctor is optimistic that this treatment will reduce Lindsay's pain enough to allow her to return to her former way of life.

If you’d like to follow Lindsay’s journey follow this link. Her parents have been journaling about their experience in Mexico: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lindsay

The most amazing part of Lindsay's story is her faith. Here’s a video interview we showed a few Sundays ago. Watch it and see if your own faith isn't strengthened by her deep reliance upon God:

This is the Truth

Friday, September 14

A number of people asked for a copy of the poem/video we showed during communion this past Sunday. Here it is:

The Urban Poor in Kenya

Thursday, September 13

This past Sunday I talked at length about how we're changing the mission statement of Christ's Church of the Valley, the church I serve. The new one is very simple: Love God. Love each other. Love our world. As a part of my message I talked at length about my desire for our church to adopt a city block in Kibera, a 1x1 square mile slum in Nairobi, Kenya, home to more than 1,000,000 people. It's estimated that 80% of the women work in the sex trade. 40% have AIDS. For very little we can make a great impact there.

I'm planning a trip to go there next summer with a mission's organization called Christian Missionary Fellowship to scout out all the ways our church can serve. A friend of mine, Dick Alexander, Senior Pastor at LifeSpring Christian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, was there last summer. You can learn more about his experience by reading his article, Another World.

I asked Dick to send me a few pictures to share from his trip. Here they are:

Are People Born Wicked?

Wednesday, September 12

This summer my entire extended family converged on the Jones house for the week of Fourth of July. It was great seeing my parents, sisters, nieces, nephews and brothers-in-law. We spent three days in the Poconos hiking, rappelling, and fishing, and another three days touring all the sites in New York City.

Besides spending time with those I love most in this world, my highlight came on Friday night when we went to see Wicked on Broadway. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, Wicked tells what happened between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy showed up in Oz. It was funny, entertaining, and thought-provoking

There’s a question Glinda asked early on in the play that for some reason I can’t get out of my mind:

GLINDA
And Goodness knows
The Wicked's lives are lonely
Goodness knows
The Wicked die alone
It just shows when you're Wicked
You're left only
On your own

ALL
Yes, Goodness knows
The Wicked's lives are lonely
Goodness knows
The Wicked cry alone
Nothing grows for the Wicked
They reap only
What they've sown

GLINDA
Are people born Wicked? Or do they have
Wickedness thrust upon them?

The entire play was an attempt to answer that single question.

I've been trying to come to terms as of late (primarily because I'm finishing a book on forgiveness) with a few deeply entrenched sins, attitudes, and struggles I've been unable to eradicate from my life for over 25 years now. Glinda has me thinking: Are people like me born Wicked? Or do we have Wickedness thrust upon us?

Creation vs. Evolution?

Tuesday, September 11

A few weeks ago I taught on what I believe concerning the evolution/creation debate. The issue became a hot topic months ago when in a recent Presidential debate the ten Republican candidates on the stage were asked who didn't believe in evolution. Three hands were raised.

The next day talk show host Joy Behar from The View tore into the candidates saying, "That's so retro. It boggles my mind that in the 21st century we have three people who can look at the overwhelming scientific evidence for evolution, ignore it, and still run for the highest office in the land."

Everyone saw the TV clip of the three candidates raising their hands, but few ever saw Governor Mike Huckabee's response in a later debate. When I spoke a few weeks ago I played the following clip at the end of my message. I thought it was a humble, thoughtful and articulate way to respond to critics when they make fun of the idea that God created human beings. Take a look:

Starting The Day Out Right

Monday, September 10

On Monday mornings when I'm tired from the weekend and grappling to find the energy to get my day and week started out right, I'll occasionally read St. Patrick's "Lorica."

Many think Patrick was a mythical little green guy who made green beer and started St. Patty’s day. Patrick not only existed, but was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time.

As a young boy pirates stole Patrick from his home in Britain and took him as a slave back to Ireland. There he was cruelly treated until he escaped. Ironically, as a Christian, Patrick felt called to go back to Ireland to introduce people there to Jesus. Patrick’s mission to Ireland was wildly successful but he and his followers faced imminent danger at every turn.

What follows is a section of a poem called, “Patrick’s Lorica.” Lorica is Latin for “breastplate.” It was custom for Patrick's brave followers to recite this in the morning as they faced another day.

Read it today and see if it doesn't help start your day off right.

Patrick’s Lorica

I arise today
with God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me
God’s wisdom to guide me
God’s eye to look ahead for me
God’s ear to hear for me
God’s word to speak for me
God’s hand to defend me
God’s way to lie before me
God’s shield to protect me
God’s host to safeguard me;

Christ ever with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me
Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me
Christ to my right side, Christ to my left
Christ in his breadth, Christ in his length, Christ in depth
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me
Christ in the heart of every man who speaks to me
Christ in every eye that sees me
Christ in every ear that hears me.

Salvation is from the Lord.

Do You Have A Catholic Background?

Friday, September 7

I need your help.

If you came from a Catholic background prior to becoming a part of Christ's Church of the Valley (CCV), could you please follow the enclosed link in this email and fill out a brief survey?

(If you are one of our friends from another part of the country and come from a Catholic background, I’d still like to hear from you. Just indicate that you don’t attend CCV somewhere on the survey. You’ll be able to answer most of the questions.)

We’re trying to gather feedback, impressions and ideas from those of you who came from a Catholic background to help us design a 3 part series for non-practicing Catholics (roughly 60% of the people in our area).

What is it like for a Catholic to visit a Protestant church? To consider joining?

Your feedback will help us generate video ideas, songs, creative service elements, etc., that will in turn hopefully help a number of non-practicing Catholics in turn begin to seek God, if not through CCV, at least somewhere.

After the series is complete we’ll take all of those creative elements and put them into a website where non-practicing Catholics will be able to connect with people like them who have made the choice to connect at CCV.

Will you help? Follow the link below…

Catholic Background Survey

Warmly,

Brian

My Wife’s Boyfriend

Thursday, September 6

Over a week ago I learned that there is another man in my wife’s life.

Normally I would have been crushed, but she teaches sixth grade science at a local middle school. The other man is one of the boys in her class.

She came home after the first day of class and said, “You’ve got some competition. Look at what one of the boys in my class left on my desk.” It was a love note.

This has gone on for two weeks now. She brought another note home last night that had a picture he drew of the two of them holding hands. Next to the picture was a note that read,

"Mrs. Jones you are looking beautiful and you smell nice and look pretty, and cute to me today Mrs. Jones. P.S. Mrs. Jones have a happy night see you tomorrow."

With tongue in cheek I said, “Alright, enough is enough. Give this kid a message for me: one more note and I’m going to knock you out.”

Then she said, “I’m not going to do that.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s got cancer.”

I Want To Change The World

Wednesday, September 5

Every Sunday night at 8pm, whenever I'm home or I have the time, I always try to tune in to the TV show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

The show always starts out with Ty Pennington and the "design team" watching a video about a family that's facing horrendous circumstances. After seeing the desperation in the family's faces and seeing the way they can respond, they put their hands together and Ty shouts, "Can we do this?" The team in turn yells "Yes!" and storms out of their bus like wild people, joining a crew of hundreds of people all intent on one thing: changing that family's world.

When they reach the point in the show when Ty yells, "Bus driver, move that bus!" and I watch the family fall over themselves with joy at the site of their new home, I sit there and think, I want to do that. I want to feel what those construction people are feeling. Why aren't we doing stuff like that as a church? All we do is keep asking our people to come to church services. I want to change the world.

Starting Sunday that all changes. We're pulling out the wrecking ball and doing a major overhaul around here.

Always Room For A Miracle

Tuesday, September 4

This past weekend Appalachian State, a tiny college in who knows where, handed the University of Michigan Wolverines one of the greatest upsets in NCAA football history. As an Ohio State Buckeye fan it brought me great joy watching the highlight reel over and over again.

However, what really caught my eye while watching the final 1:45 of the game is the way Appalachian State reminded us all that miracles really do happen in life. Maybe you're praying for one today. Cancer to go into remission? New job? Marriage to mend? Money for college? House to sell? A soulmate after years of trying?

Watch and be inspired...

Thanks Leland

Monday, September 3

As I announced on Sunday, August 26, Leland Sapp has moved on as our Director of Arts at CCV. Leland and I first met each other in January of 1990 when we both joined the staff of Princeton Community Church. For the last 17 years he’s been a friend, confidant, and fellow worker in the kingdom. God willing we'll have another 17 years more. While Leland’s ministry here has come to a close, his ministry to the kingdom has not. The Leadership Team and staff will stand by his side all the way through this transition as we all look forward to the ways God will use him to impact even more lives in the future.

Leland, you are loved and will be missed.

Brian