I’m that guy who has to pray for people right then and there because if I don’t, more times than not, I’ll forget.
I’m that guy who is on staff at an amazing Church yet feels so inadequate and undeserving.
I’m a guy who should have a lot better relationship with his family.
I’m a guy that God serves Humble Pie to on a constant basis because of my PRIDE.
I’m a guy who is leading an AMAZING group of young people but is still learning how to lead daily.
I’m that guy who used to wear tight shirts because they make him look like he has muscles… until he saw a picture, then he knows he’s just fat.
I’m that guy who struggles being real with himself, others, and God.
I’m that guy who has made more stupid mistakes with girls than I can count.
I’m that guy who could lose his job at any moment because of making a stupid mistake.
I’m that guy who spends 200 dollars for a pair of Jeans then makes you feel bad for not giving to the poor.
I’m that guy who shaves his head because his hair is thinning.
I’m that guy who is jealous of most people who are more intelligent than him.
I’m that guy who over promises and under delivers.
I’m that guy who talks big about commitment to the local church yet forgets to say thank you to his awesome volunteers as many times as I should.
I’m that guy who never smiles in his pictures because of my teeth.
I’m that guy who is just really learning how to read scripture.
I’m that guy who struggles with lust.
I’m that guy who leaves my computer in my office, not in my house so I don’t look at porn.
I’m that guy who’s still waiting for God to put the “one” (if there’s such a thing) in my path.
But
Despite all of this,
I’m a guy who is going to continue to let God use him, mold him and shape him in spite of all that Jazz.
Because for some reason in spite of all my crap…God is using me and it is only just beginning.
So now that you see how screwed up I am. When are you going to stop waiting until you are out of your “sinfest” and let God use you in the midst of your arrogant, selfish and sinful chaos?
An airplane is meant to fly, a car is built to be driven, and clothes are designed to be worn. You would have very little use for a plane that won’t fly, a car that would not move, or clothes that can no longer be worn.
Why?
It’s simple because their purpose is not being realized. It’s a great frustration to have things that are no longer useful. Sometimes to be honest I feel like God feels that way about me.
We were designed to know Him, not simply to have a comfortable life. We were not created just to get married, have children and a successful career, then grow old and enjoy retirement. These are some of life’s benefits, its “side dishes”, not its purposes.
The tragedy today is that we have taken life’s benefits and tried to make them our main thing. We’re trying to make the “side dishes” the main course. The result is that we often find the benefits very unsatisfactory. Shocker right?!?
So if the purpose of life is not marriage, success, happiness, or any of that, what is it? What were we created for? Answer: we were created to know and worship God with all-consuming passion. That’s it. That’s why Paul tells us to do everything to God’s glory.
Bringing glory to something means to put it on the mantel where it can be admired. I’ll probably never understand this but most women seeks glory when she decorates her home in such a way that guest say, “Wow, where do you get that?” Or women will spend hours cleaning their house making sure everything is perfect before guest can come over. As if the guest haven’t seen a dirty house before. She puts a special treasure on display so that when people see it, they are in awe.
Guys we do this also. If you ever want to hear a guy lie (or most guys) all you have to do is ask him how awesome he was back in High School at sports. He’ll almost promise you that he would of been the starting quarterback but Brett Farve started ahead of him and he didn’t get any playing time. But the truth is he was probably just the tailback. As in “Get your tailback on the bench”. We do this as guys because we feel that we have to protect our reputation.
We want people to be in awe of us. But the truth is we should want to abandon ourselves and live for people to see Jesus inside of us…That way they won’t see us at all.
That’s what we’re supposed to do for God. We’re supposed to display Him in such a way that people are awed by Him. Glorying God means to make him look good, to place Him on display so that when others see our lives, they are in awe of our God.
Even in the everyday stuff, our goal should be to Glorify God in all we do. But I have to be honest, it takes a passionate, Radical, Misfit for Christ to live like that but it can be done!
We just have to help each other, spend time with our maker everyday and go for it with everything we have.
This week I just want to challenge you (along with myself) to be a Misfit for Christ and live Completely Abandoned to yourself for Christ.
This is a video of my Worship Leader Jimmy Farrell singing an original song Completely Abandoned. I think it fits perfect for this post. Enjoy!
In 1980 doctors diagnosed Chris, a seven-year-old boy, with leukemia. Chris wanted to be a motorcycle police officer when he grew up. A friend of Chris’s family spoke to a member of the Arizona Highway Patrol about the boy’s dream, and a few days later several motorcycle officers stopped in to meet Chris.
But after the meeting the officers wanted to do more. They arranged for Chris to ride in the department’s helicopter with a local news reporter, who filmed Chris’s dream coming true. Eventually the boy also received a ride in a patrol car, a ride on a patrol motorcycle with sirens blaring, a custom-made uniform and even a battery-powered motorcycle to replace his wheelchair. Later that year, when Chris succumbed to the Leukemia that had ravaged his body, the motorcycle officers granted full department honors to this fallen “officer” who had touched them so deeply.
However, the dreams of this boy didn’t die with him. They live on in the Make-a-Wish Foundation, an organization that helps fulfill the wishes of thousands of children who suffer from life-threatening illnesses.
Its amazing how one person’s quiet suffering could grow into something so gigantic.
The apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers to praise the amazing expansion of their faith. In fact, it wasn’t just their faith that had grown. So had the love they demonstrated toward each other. This increase occurred despite the suffering they were enduring as both Jews and fellow Gentiles persecuted them (Acts 17).
Or did this amazing growth occur because of that suffering and persecution? When we suffer, God remains in control. In good times and in bad, he doesn’t leave us to our own resources. Rather, he provides the strength that allows us to hold on. God sometimes permits us to suffer because by carrying on we gain strength and moral character.
The great C.S. Lewis once said, “God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.”
Are you suffering?
What amazing thing does God have in store for you?
God will walk with you as you struggle through each agonizing step, enabling you to grow in faith and to demonstrate love toward those around you.
Without a test, there is not testimony.
Just one more quote….”They gave our Master a crown of thorns. Why do we hope for a crown of roses.” Martin Luther
When a young man gets down on one knee; reaches into his pocket; pulls out a small, velvet-covered box and opens it, the wrong response from the young woman before him would be, “Oh! What a pretty box!” If she utters those words, there’s something seriously wrong with her perspective.
The box holding the diamond engagement ring isn’t meant to draw attention to itself. The box exists solely to make the ring look good. You might describe ring boxes as plain and nondescript, yet simple and elegant. Inside, the ring tucks into white satin or black velvet to allow the beauty of the diamond to shine forth.
Paul uses a different object to communicate a similar lesson. When he observes that “we have this treasure in jars of clay” (Verse 7), he’s declaring that we’re ordinary “packages,” not ornate glass vases. Paul urges us not to live in a way that draws attention to ourselves. Instead, we are to seek to showcase the brilliance of the One who lives within us.
These are sobering words in an age in which even some preachers wear diamond studded watches, fly in private jets, arrive in a motorcade of limousines and highlight the vast influence of “their” ministries. The apostle Paul probably wouldn’t have impressed these Christian “celebrities.” What’s attractive about a man who describes himself as “hard pressed,” “perplexed,” “persecuted” and “struck down” (verses 8-9)?
But remember, the apostle Paul existed to make Jesus look good. As he sought to bring people to Christ, Paul didn’t want them to overlook Christ and fall in love with himself instead. What a goal!
I recently attended a Leadership Conference at a Church and the entire Church embodied this mission that Paul is speaking about. It was so refreshing to see a “Mega Church” who was completely humble, have a servants hearts and who were ALL ABOUT PEOPLE MEETING JESUS!
It’s my prayer that we could all learn to function the way that Paul was explaining and that all Church’s could resemble the Love and Grace of the Church I attended.
To live simply as Jars of Clay, desiring only to attract people to the incomparable treasure we hold inside and be completely abandoned to ourselves no matter our situations.
”Humility is the true proof of Christian Virtues; without it we retain all our faults, and they are only covered with pride to hide them from others, and often from ourselves.” Francois De La Rochefoucauld
Imagine it. A blinding light from heaven. Men falling to the ground all around you. The voice of the risen Christ calling you to a mission that will change the world forever.
Okay, so this drama seems unlikely to take place in your life or maybe it’s just unlikely in my own. But Paul—or Saul as he was known at the time—certainly didn’t expect such a scene either. He set out for Damascus to oppose the Christian movement and returned a spokesman for it. He set out on a mission against Christ and returned the most influential Christian missionary the world has yet seen.
While the dramatic events of Paul’s conversion aren’t likely to happen to us, something similar actually takes places when we’re called to the Christian life.
Consider…
Leah, a Public Speaking teacher at a local high school. But she views her job as a ministry of helping young men and women have the confidence in their speech to go out and share the Gospel.
Mike, a career counselor, advises men in transition. He also affirms their worth and value when they begin to doubt it themselves. He prays for each man with whom he meets.
Mario, a plant manager, wants his company to show a profit. But he also wants his customers to receive quality goods and his employees to find fulfillment in their work and receive fair compensation.
These men and women and others like them realize that their call from God doesn’t mean that they must become a missionary like Paul—or serve as a pastor, or undertake any other full-time “Christian” profession. They understand that their calling means following God’s will in their daily tasks. They approach their work with the same kind of dedication about which
Paul later wrote: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).
As Christ followers we can’t make the mistake of thinking that reaching the lost is all up to the Pastors/Worship leaders. Most of the people who can have the biggest influence for Christ aren’t the people on stage at Church every Sunday. Everyone has a chance to spread the Gospel we just have to keep our eyes open for the chances.
Those chances could be at your daily job like Leah, Mike and Mario. Those chances could also come from things like bumping into a random person at a store, seeing someone sitting alone somewhere and striking up a conversation with them. There are so many times in our life that we have the opportunity to minister to people and we miss it. We just have to open our eyes, hearts and get out of our comfort zone so that we can allow God to use us despite our fears, failures and faults.
Tomorrow when you go about your day, open your eyes to chances to speak life into people and share the Gospel.
“If you cannot sing like the angels.
If you cannot preach like Paul.
You can tell the love of Jesus
And say he died for all”
“He must become greater, I must become less” John3:30
When you get on a plane to travel, whether across the country or across an ocean, what do you hope will happen? Do you wish for lighting, turbulence and a seat mate who has a nasty cough or horrible gas? No, when you fly, you want a predicable and routine trip. No delays, No hair-raising episodes or near-death experiences–even if those events might later make for a good story at a get-together. No, you seek an uneventful flight. Downright boring suits you just fine. The only thing you hope is exciting is that the food is a party in your mouth!
Some people attend church hoping for the predictable and routine, the uneventful and boring. Author and Pastor Max Lucado writes, “People on a plane and people on a pew have a lot in common. All are on a journey…For many; the mark of a good flight and the mark of a good worship assembly are the same. “Nice,” we like to say. “It was a nice flight/it was a nice worship service.”
Many people go home from church unchanged and unaltered. A few, however, long for something better than “nice.”
Solomon reminds us that when we worship we go on a journey. Worship leads us to encounter and experience the living God. As worshipers, we do our best to prepare ourselves–purifying our hearts, clearing our minds, opening our ears, keeping our promises and humbling our posture before God.
What are a few tactics to prepare oneself for worship?
It could be coming to Church early to pray that people meet Jesus in a strong way during the service. We show up early for Football games and sporting events because we’re expecting an awesome game. Why not show up early for Church to pray and expect a move of God?
It could be getting out of our comfort zones to meet and encourage people in the Church that we’ve never met and that don’t look like us.
Let’s even go a step farther than just worship at Church. What about worship being a lifestyle? Worship is also everything you do throughout your day. It’s how you live your life! In Galatians Paul tells the church of Galatia to watch me as I stand up and have the courage to live for Christ! That’s something I try my beset to remind myself of daily and I think as Christians we should all try to stand up and live our lives in worship to God!
The next time you attend a worship service, remember the admonition of verses 1 through 3. Prepare your heart so that the offering of worship isn’t just so much wasted breath. Focus on the reality that “God is in heaven, and you are on earth,” understanding that you’re entering the very presence of a holy and awesome God who listens, watches and loves to hear our worship. A heart that’s properly prepared for worship doesn’t simply endure the journey. It hopes for the memorable, not the mundane. It prepares itself for a marvelous adventure in the presence of the God of the universe, and it expects and works toward a deeper relationship with the Creator.
After reading Francis Chans first book “Crazy Love” and having my world rocked, I’ve been wanting to dive into his second book “Forgotten God” for awhile now.
I’ve heard tons of great things about this book and after only reading the Intro and Cover section (which is about 3 pages of Francis explaining how the cover came about) I’m hooked! Me and my boy Sam Kidwell are going to be reading through this and we’ll be blogging our thoughts from each Chapter!
One of the first things that I loved was how Francis broke down the difference between Exegesis and Eisegesis! For those of you who didn’t go to seminary like myself and have no clue what the difference is it’s this…Exegesis is an attempt to discover the meaning of the text objectively, starting with the text and moving out from there. Eisegesis is to import a subjective, preconceived meaning into the text.
I had always wondered about that but usually when it was brought up, everyone else in the room seemed to know what it meant and I didn’t want to be the one guy who didn’t! Lame I know but true!
I also love the way that Francis is reminding us that lately some Churches have been seeking attendance rather than a move of the Holy Spirit. Sad but for a lot of Churches I really think that’s true. At times we get caught up so much in stage design, having the “new” series or cool lights with Worship that we forget to rely on the Holy Spirit!
I’m not saying that having nice lights, cool ideas and things are bad and I don’t think Francis is either. But I do believe that when people encounter the Holy Spirit things can be accomplished for God that no lights or other human creation can compare to. That’s why it’s so important to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our guide.
If you look at the Disciples and people through out scripture, there wasn’t anything special about these guys. They were ordinary men who just made a point to walk with Jesus and wait on the Holy Spirit.
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)
A school shooting, and a suicide in the first 15 minutes of the film. A sex scene, drinking games and a keg in the first 20. It doesn’t take long to figure out that To Save a Life (out January 22) is not your typical Christian film.
The good news is, the movie doesn’t have big shoes to fill. From the pure silliness of 1970’s “end times” films to Kirk Cameron’s phoned in performance in 2008’s Fireproof, Christian films are rarely enjoyable, even to the market they’re marketed to. To Save a Life wastes no time setting up the story. Childhood pals Jake and Roger do everything together, until Jake hits the social “big time” with his exceptional basketball skills and sun-bleached hair. When it comes to picking his best friend or the hot girl, Jake goes with his hormones, leaving Roger to limp around school alone, on a leg permanently disfigured from saving Jake from an oncoming car.
For Jake, things are great until senior year, when Roger walks into school, and commits suicide with a hallway full of peers to witness it. Jake’s initial defense is to ignore the situation, but a fight with his girlfriend and pressure from his overbearing father lead to some serious questions about the life he’s leading. After the cops bust a keg party and his girlfriend runs off with his truck, Jake calls a local youth pastor for a ride. Conversations about faith and meaning ensue.
No, Jake isn’t converted on the spot. But the seeds of doubt about the shallowness of his “basketball and beer” existence do lead him to check out church, and to alter some of his decisions.
The most pleasing thing about watching To Save a Life is that it feels like a genuine story is being told, instead of the usual Christian move to make a film where the characters spend a solid hour setting up a Sunday school lesson at the end. Leading man Randy Wanyne (Jake Taylor) and his girlfriend Amy Biggs (Deja Kreutzberg) do act like teens you’d meet at your local high school. Friendly and energetic, even if they do party and engage in casual sex on the weekends. Even the film’s “quirky youth group girl” and the “conniving pastor’s kid” hit pretty close to the mark on how comprable teens in real life would act.
However, for all of director Brian Braugh’s courage to show teenage life as it actually is, he stumbles in a few places. While the writing moves the story along, this isn’t a movie you and your friends will be quoting next year, or even next week. The hip-hop songs used in the party scenes just aren’t very good, and it’s noticeable. There’s a scene that is more or less stolen from the real-life events of social-networking help guru Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, that will assuredly make the audience groan at it’s fakeness.
But all the story ultimately shines through the minor scuffs. By the time the movie nears it’s end, binge-drinking, casual sex, cutting, loneliness and the shark tank that is the high school social scene have all been grappled with in an authentic manner. And as the social groups within Pacific High School clash with their own decisions and each other, it becomes very clear that, for once, a Christian film isn’t going to wrap up with an overly simplistic moral lesson. Rather than a story of a bad kid who becomes good, the plot is layered with teens in a variety of social situations who are forced to wrestle with why they act, judge others, and believe as they do.
The biggest question surrounding To Save a Life is not whether it’s a movie worth seeing. It is. It’s by no means the best movie you’ll see this year, but the film does wrap you in a compelling story. The biggest problem the movie faces is whether or not it can gain traction and reach the audience that needs this message. Because of the content (the 10 second sex scene, three swear words, and one beer keg) some Christians have already complained to the Christian radio stations currently supporting it. And teenagers and twentysomethings, even the ones who are in church two or three days a week, aren’t normally going to pay eight bucks to watch a “Christian movie.”
Still, a day after watching it, I can’t shake the feeling that this movie will change something. It’s got the potential to do what Switchfoot and P.O.D. did in music circa early 2003; to show mainstream culture that some Christian-generated media is worth taking seriously.
I love being able to fire off questions to people who are smarter than myself. I really think it’s a great way to learn! So today I thought I’d share with you guys somethings I learned this morning from a guy named Carlos Whittaker!
Carlos Whittaker is an artist, pastor, thinker, experience architect, and Web 2.0 junkie.
Carlos was at Sandals Church in Riverside California where he served for 10 years as the Pastor of Worship and Creative Arts. Sandals Church is an authentic community of believers whose goal is to be real with themselves, others, and God. His passion for leading the church into a relational worship experience each and every Sunday was his hearts goal.
In August of 2007 Carlos and his family made the move from Southern California to Atlanta, GA. Carlos became the Director of Service Programming at Buckhead Church which is one of the three North Point Community Church campuses. He oversaw all the Sunday adult experience and design. He directly oversaw all areas Hosting, Production, Creative, Video, Music, and Programming at Buckhead Church. He also sat on the creative sermon planning team for Andy Stanley.
Recently Carlos signed with Integrity Music to pursue a recording career and to continue to disturb and disrupt the church as a whole.
Carlos and Heather Whittaker make up a blogging power couple in Ragamuffinsoul.com and Whittakerwoman.typepad.com. They have 3 children. In November 2006 Carlos and his wife Heather adopted their son Losiah from Seoul Korea.
Carlos lives for this…
To ignite a movement of authenticity among all generations of Christians that morphs the face of the evangelical church into a place of being real with yourself, others, and God.
T. Rousey ”You’re a very busy guy with tons of things going on. How do you “turn it off” and just relax with your family and God? Or is it
something we can’t turn it off?”
Carlos Whittaker: “Its a challenge. I attempt to unplug from 5-8. At 8 the lady and I have a date on the couch for a half hour to catch up. That seems to work.”
T. Rousey: ”What do you think your biggest weakness is and how are you trying” to turn that into a strength?
Carlos Whittaker: “Biggest weakness is people pleasing which is also one of my greatest strengths because I connect people. Its just a matter of balance.”
T. Rousey: ”You and the Whittaker family are packing up and moving to Chicago to do life with the people of Soul City Church. What excites you the
most about the new venture God has for you?”
Carlos Whittaker: “I’ve always longed for urban life! Just excited about being in community and striving for transformation.”
T. Rousey: ”If you could go back and do one thing differently in your time of ministry what would it be?”
Carlos Whittaker: “Read my bible more. Simple, but the only real answer.”
Los thanks for the time bro! I appreciate you and all you do! Can’t wait to keep learning from you man!
Colt McCoy grew up playing football in the state of Texas!
For those of you who don’t know anything about football in that state I’ll just fill you in by saying…
It’s life!!!
Colt grew up wanting to play and win a Championship for the University as Texas!
On Thursday Jan 7, 2010 Colt got his chance!
National Championship game in beautiful Pasadena California, with world watching!
Colt McCoy gets hit in the first quarter and is not able to play for the rest of the game because of a shoulder injury.
Colt being the leader he is cheers his team on from the sideline but they end up losing the game.
It’s amazing to me at the end of the game how he says…“never question why things happen the way they do” and to “always give God the glory”
That couldn’t of been easy! I know personally I would of struggled to do that!
I just want to give Colt props for truly trusting in God!
Despite the lost on the field, he’s a winner!
What do you do to stay in shape? Hit the gym every morning? Strap on your Nikes and run a few miles? Bike to work?
Interestingly, we live in a world that encourages people to make their bodies strong but neglect their spirits. As a result, we too often work to build up our biceps but completely ignore our souls. We typically think of masculine strength as physical, but what if strength comes from inside–from your soul and its connection to God? When was the last time you worked out to strengthen that part of your being?
Most of us know the stories of Jesus walking on water and feeding thousands. But we easily gloss over the way Jesus sought solitude to build up his spiritual strength. Yes, even Jesus needed to rest and renew. In fact, Jesus established a rhythm: He engaged and then disengaged; he served and then withdrew. In those quiet times Jesus took care of his soul by connecting with God and drawing life from him.
If Jesus demonstrated the importance of withdrawing into solitude, how much more do we need to set aside times of respite in our lives?
Of course, our culture doesn’t help. Life moves so quickly that we can forget to tend our souls. So many times we get caught up in girls/guys, sports, online social networks, etc… But if you ignore your soul or pretend that you don’t have one, you’ll face problems. Just as your body sends you all kinds of uncomfortable signals when you neglect it physically, so will your soul. Obsessions, irritations, addictions, broken relationships– often these troubles point to a neglected soul.
For some reason in our world people think they should always be talking or hanging out. I’ve noticed that anytime I’m quiet (which is 80% of the time) people think somethings wrong. But in reality all I’m trying to do is listen for God or practice being slow to speak. Take time to be alone and make yourself utterly available only to yourself and to God. Connect with him–and in doing so take care of your soul!
The secret disease that’s way bigger than you think.
When Christie Pettit received a scholarship to play tennis at the University of Virginia, she left everything she knew: her friends, her family, her church, her hometown in Texas and her mother’s home cooking. It was to be a journey halfway across the country to start a new, exciting life as a university-level tennis player. But her adventure into college life quickly turned into a devastating emotional and physical battle—a battle for and against her own body. Like many incoming freshmen, Pettit feared leaving her family, finding new friends and, of course, gaining the dreaded “Freshman 15.” Despite her place on the tennis team, Pettit felt like she had lost the sense of security she’d felt around her friends back home. In her hometown, she had been a star athlete, a top-notch student and part of a large social circle; but in college, she was just another tennis player. Soon it became all she could do to handle her sadness and loneliness and her desire to be the best.
As time passed, she realized she couldn’t control her social life or her place on the team. So she focused on something she could control—her weight. “As long as I was focusing on my weight, I didn’t think about my loneliness,” Pettit says. “I felt good about myself when I stepped on the scale and saw that I had lost weight. It helped distract me from other negative emotions that I was trying to suppress.”Despite getting plenty of exercise playing tennis, Pettit gained a few pounds thanks to the tempting, fattening foods served in the dining hall. Subtle changes seemed easy, so she began restricting certain foods and eating more fruits and vegetables. But it wasn’t long before she began obsessing over the number of calories and the amount of fat in food products. To control her weight and to gain the attention of her new friends, she ate the fewest calories she could each day while still maintaining a certain level of energy. In her book Empty: A Story of Anoxeria (Revell), Pettit admits she looked for value in physical form and defined her self-worth entirely in terms of weight. Because she was so focused on what had become a physical battle with her body, Pettit no longer felt the inner anguish she’d worked so hard to suppress. And because she was ignoring her emotions, she denied the possibility that her diet could be an eating disorder. Only depressed people get eating disorders, she thought.
Though she ignored the emotional, Pettit did not ignore the spiritual. Even as her diet became her priority, she maintained a personal relationship with God by taking time for devotions each morning. She also remained active within her local church by leading a fellowship group. “I would say it was like God stuck with me,” she says. “My life kept me involved with God on a regular basis, so I kept going through my routine even when things were the worst.”
But as the number of diet restrictions grew, Pettit became irritable. Friends and family noticed her dramatic change in personality and weight. To avoid their comments, she often ate alone, isolating herself from those who tried to reach out. Within months, her weight dropped from 145 to 114 pounds. Pettit was beginning to feel weak.
“I was such a perfectionist that I didn’t want to believe that there could be anything like that wrong with me,” she says. “I also thought I could handle it on my own. The truth was that I was actually too weak at that point to even be able to ask for help. I thought I should be strong enough in my faith to pray the problem away,” she says. “I was afraid [people at church] would judge me.”
It wasn’t until she returned to college in the fall of her sophomore year that Pettit faced her problem. Her coach worried about her physical condition and arranged for her to meet with a doctor, a nutritionist and a psychologist. The physician told her that her heart rate was so low that she was at risk for having a heart attack, and the psychologist diagnosed her as having anorexia nervosa. Family and friends became aware of her disorder and encouraged her to seek help. As she opened up about her diet and feelings to a nutritionist and a psychologist, Pettit realized she needed to make another appointment … with God.
Pettit calls her eating disorder a “sin.” For her, putting her diet and exercise program above God was a form of idolatry. As part of her recovery, she said a prayer of surrender and asked God to forgive her.
But her problems weren’t over yet. As Pettit learned how to put weight back on, she started overeating. This is common among recovering anorexics, Pettit says.
In February 2007, Harvard researchers published a study showing that binge eating is the No. 1 eating disorder in the United States. According to the report, as many as 4 million Americans have the disorder, and it is more common among women. Those who binge tend to eat more quickly during episodes, eat until they’re uncomfortably full (even when they’re not hungry), eat alone and often feel guilty and depressed.
Christie continued to fear the judgment of other Christians and wrestled with the thought that they might also think badly of God for allowing her to have a disease.
Dr. L. Shannon Jung, author of Food for Life: The Spirituality and Ethics of Eating, believes that, though concern must be placed on changing personal beliefs about other Christians so that those in need feel comfortable individually asking for help, emphasis must also be placed on the Church’s outreach. In this way, Christians have a responsibility to seek out those in need and let them know they are loved. “God often comes to us through other human beings, and this puts a bit of a burden on the local Church to represent God and to hold each other genuinely as brothers and sisters,” he says.
Eventually, through the recovery process, Pettit learned to open up to her friends at church and discovered that they were willing to help her without judging her. By leaning on them, she found that the words of Proverbs 27:17 are true: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (TNIV).
Pettit suggests several ways to change the way one views food and eating.
“I think the most important thing to do is first be honest and reflective about how we really feel about food, weight and body image,” she says. “Many of us are so programmed to think this way that it is hard to even identify the unhealthy thoughts. Then, I think it is important to identify the underlying beliefs that are the root of those thought patterns. Finally, you have to challenge those thought patterns and replace them with new truth.”
Thousands of teenagers from around the world are being impacted…
Lives are being transformed… Miracles are taking place…
Families are being restored… Hope is being given… GOD‘S LOVE is being made famous across our world…
All through a ministry called “Jesus Culture“. In the summer of 1999, a youth group at Bethel Church in Redding, California, launched the first Jesus Culture conference and they have never looked back! God lead that Youth Group through an incredible leader by the name of Banning Liebscher.
Banning Liebscher is on staff at Bethel Church in Redding, California as the Directors of Jesus Culture, a ministry dedicated to mobilizing, equipping, activating, and sending a new breed of revivalists all over the world. Banning’s passion is to see people fall madly in love with Jesus, demonstrate the power of God, and give themselves to a life of prayer for worldwide revival. His heart is to ignite a prayer movement and raise up and release healing revivalists in cities around the world.
Recently I had the privilege to ask questions and learn from Banning! I thought I’d share some of Banning’s thoughts with you guys!
T. Rousey: “You’re a very busy guy with tons of things going on. How do you
“turn it off” and just relax with your family and God? By turn it off
I mean take your mind off of your
next sermon or thing to do at Church. Or is it
something as ministry leaders we can’t turn off?”
Banning Liebscher: “We can turn it off. A lot of it is to make sure I am present in the moment and not somewhere else mentally. I don’t always do that well but that is the goal. I don’t bring my computer home so I can be engaged with my kids and wife while at home. It’s definitely a challenge to turn it off but it’s mainly for me based around making sure I have my schedule planned out and I am fully engaged in the moment I am experiencing.”
T. Rousey: “What do you think your biggest weakness is and how are you trying
to turn that into a strength?”
Banning Liebscher: “LOL, too many to list. Self Discipline is something I am working on. Things like writing are really hard for me because they take discipline to sit down and be focused. I have plans for how to grow in that, read books that encourage me in that direction, etc….
T. Rousey: “I’ve attended the past two Jesus Culture Conferences in Atl and one of
my favorite things is hearing the miracles that God does through people
there on the Treasure Hunt (I believe that’s what it’s called).
How do you encourage others to live a life of radical faith?”
Banning Liebscher: “Fall in love with Jesus and step out in risks. A life of radical faith is fueled by love for Jesus and activated by taking risks.”
T. Rousey: “If you could go back and do one thing differently in your time of
ministry what would it be?”
Banning Liebscher: “Honestly, I’m not sure. I think all of it has been a major learning experiences. So even my failures have taught me and shaped me into who I am today.”
T. Rousey: “Everyone has their own way of preparing for sermons, how do you prepare?”
Banning Liebscher: “I prepare over time. I will have a thought or the Lord will show me something and I am thinking about for weeks or months sometimes and developing it in my head. I jot down ideas and thoughts I have and then after I’ve developed it in my head for a while I sit down and lay it out. I read somewhere that a sermon takes 20 years to develop. Sermons have to come out of who you are and who you are takes time to develop. Anyone can preach truth but in order for that truth to have its fullest impact it must first have impacted me as the preacher.”
Banning thanks so much for taking time out to share with me bro!!
Much Love!!
One of the questions I’ve asked many Pastors in Ministry is “How do you turn it off or can you turn it off”? I’ve really struggled with taking “days off” since I’ve started Full Time ministry! My mind is constantly racing about God, People and the plans he has for his people!
I came across this blog post by Perry Noble in which he talks about this so I thought I’d share it with you in case you’re a Pastor and you’re going through the same thing…
From Perry… One of the questions I get often in leadership circles is, “How do you turn ‘it’ off? How do you go home and just not think about the church anymore? How can you sleep at night and not let your mind begin to obsess about the things you need to do?”
I think that is a GREAT question…because I’ve been asking it for years.
If you are a leader you know exactly what I’m talking about…
You go home…but while you are at dinner you catch yourself thinking about the next day. (You’ve got to fight to stay focused on your family.)
You try to lay down and go to sleep…but your mind starts churning about things that you have coming up.
You get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom…and a sermon idea or a leadership solution hits you and you are up for the rest of the night thinking about it.
You go on vacation…and while you are there (usually about three days in) ideas begin to hit you out of nowhere and you have to find a journal to write them down in.
I could go on and on…but I am sure if you are a leader then you get the point.
I used to think I was crazy…that I was cracking up…that there was a switch inside of me that I could flip and that by doing so I would be able to disconnect and not really care about the church, the Great Commission and/or the calling that God has placed on my life.
Until I had this thought one day…if you can turn “it” off…then you probably never had “it” to begin with.
If you can leave the church and completely disconnect…then you’re probably not that connected to begin with…what you do is a paycheck & not your passion.
Reality is this…if you are called by God…if He has placed HIS zeal and passion inside of you…THEN THERE ISN’T A SWITCH ANYWHERE that you can flip to make that go away.
When I read the Scriptures I don’t see people like Nehemiah “turning the switch off.” He cast vision, built a wall, dealt with critics and did a great work.
I don’t see JESUS “turning off the switch.” He met the needs of people everywhere He went…and when He did try to go on a “retreat” to catch His breath and crowds followed them He would heal and feed them.
I don’t see Paul “turning off the switch.” Everywhere he went He could not stop talking about Jesus and starting churches.
So…if you can’t “turn off the switch” you are NORMAL! It means that Jesus, through His Holy Spirit, lives in you and is PUSHING you to do something about the things He is bringing into your awareness.
I used to feel bad that I could not “turn it off,” now I feel blessed because it affirms His calling on my life and His leadership in my life.
One thing that I love to do is learn! I try to soak up as much information from people as I possibly can. I recently had an incredible opportunity to learn from an awesome Pastor, Pete Wilson. Pete Wilson is the lead pastor at Cross Point Church. Cross Point is a seven year old church with three campuses CP Nashville, CP Dickson, CP North. Their fourth campus CP Bellevue will launch this Spring. At Crosspoint they are a Church committed to continually growing as a community of believers radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to one another and relentlessly dedicated to reaching those outside God’s family with the Gospel of Christ.
Here are some of the questions I asked Pete, followed by his responses.
1.) You’re a very busy guy with tons of things going on. How do you “turn it off” and just relax with your family and God? By turn it off I mean take your mind off of your next sermon or thing to do at Church. Or is it something we as ministry leaders can’t turn off?
“I think it’s really important for ministry leaders to have a Sabbath. A day where they don’t check email, answer phone calls or go near the office. It’s vital to replenish yourself each week in ministry in order to be most effective with your family, friends and the people who look to you for guidance.”
2.) What do you think your biggest weakness is and how are you trying to turn that into a strength?
“I am a people pleaser. I want to grant every request, every meeting and it sometimes gets me in trouble. That’s definitely one thing I continue to work on.”
3.) What is the serving culture like at Crosspoint Church and how do you inspire others to serve?
“We take volunteers and serving very seriously. We wouldn¹t exist without them. I am constantly overwhelmed at the attitude and culture of our volunteers. In addition to the over 500 volunteers it takes each Sunday we have Serving Saturdays and many other opportunities to serve. We have a missions pastor on staff and someone who is in charge of first impressions for guests.”
4.) If you could go back and do one thing differently in your time of ministry what would it be?
“I would have said “no” more often. I let a lot of things slide in my early years of ministry because I wanted to make everyone happy. It created a lot of messes I had to go back and clean up.”
5.) Everyone has their own way of preparing for sermons, how do you prepare?
“Mondays are my writing days. I don’t come back to the message until Wednesday. I almost always have my manuscript finished before I leave on Thursday and then I use the weekend to memorize and become familiar with the content.”
Big thanks to Pete Wilson for being a great leader! Praying for you bro!
What do you do to stay in shape? Hit the gym every morning? Strap on your Nikes and run a few miles? Bike to work?
