A few nights ago Amy and I were watching re-runs of The Office on TBS. Funny how watching them on TBS is easy and quite enjoyable; but rarely will I ever actually put in a DVD featuring the same episode. Anyhow, Michael was interviewing for a position which appeared the obvious next step up. As I’ve learned in interviews, the one conducting the interview always asks you to share personal strengths and weaknesses. Micheal said, “Why don’t I just tell you my weaknesses: I care too much about the company, and I work too hard. My weaknesses are my strengths.”

When some of us admit our weaknesses, we may not do exactly what Michael does, but we don’t do too much better. For instance, one acceptable weakness to confess is pride. It’s acceptable to say, I struggle with pride. It admits nothing. But rarely do we admit how we struggle with pride. Someone asked me the other day, “How do you see pride show up in your life?” He assumed it was there, and just wanted to see how it popped its ugly head.

If an interviewer asks you a question about your weaknesses you are compelled to answer. You need to answer honestly, but there is always some fear in the back of your mind: “I need to be honest, but I don’t want to tell too much and hurt my chances of getting the job.”

We often look at relationships in a similar interviewing light. But when you find someone who will hear your weaknesses and not threaten you with any loss of relationship (like not being hired or being fired or looked at weirdly), it’s a totally different ball game. And that interviewer/interviewed connection vanishes like the ACC in recent NCAA tournaments.

It sure is refreshing when you have relationships where weaknesses are talked about and accepted. Then you will experience the freedom and joy of the gospel far more than holding your cards too close to the vest.

I like receiving missionary prayer updates because it is very hard for me to pray generic prayers. A missionary our church supports has had serious VISA issues for some time, and I’m not talking about her credit card. The country, which shall remain nameless for her protection, is not helping matters out.

How hard would this be for a missionary? Put yourself in her shoes. You are compelled to be in a specific locale and work to translate the scriptures into the vernacular (language of the people), and yet things are becoming harder and harder to do just that. She’s not praying for a Porsche or riches; she’s praying for the Visa so she can translate scriptures.

This is a “What is the deal God” type moment for me, I can’t imagine what its like for her! It really comes to me at an appropriate time as I’ve been personally wrestling with this question of “differently answered” prayers while preaching through Habakkuk (here’s a sermon I preached on Habakkuk this past Sunday which some folks said they’ve found helpful). How it might feel like God is not on her side! But I also began to think of something like this happening to an old school missionary a long time ago: Paul. Instead of God letting him go to all the crazy places he had anticipated going, he gets locked up in a prison, spends time in house arrest, and then gets beheaded.

And yet the gospel went forth to the nations. Not my plan, but God sure did and does know what He’s doing, even when it seems he doesn’t.

Have you ever found that sometimes the simplest things can be the most profound? I overheard my 9 and 1/2 month old son’s music playing today. He’s not yet into U2, but I have to give him some time. He’ll get there eventually.

Amy procured a CD filled with all kinds of kids’ bible songs, you know the kinds with the ultra-high pitched (and sometimes freaky sounding) voices. Today, track number 1 particularly struck me to the core. I’m not sure of the title, but these are the lyrics, “I’m so glad that Jesus loves me….Jesus loves even me.”

How often do we sit down and just let this sink in? Are we really so glad? That he loves even me? So glad that our circumstances don’t mean as much anymore? Or are we only so glad when life is going well? Today, by God’s grace, this truth just hit me. Today, right now as I write this, I’m gladder and more joyful than I have been in awhile simply because of this truth. Because God is loving, He will expose the idols in our lives so that we would run back to this truth.

If after a time, “I’m so glad that Jesus loves me, even me,” doesn’t have an affect on us, it may be that there are personal idols which have not been identified or repented from: comfort, and respect are some that I’ve been battling. We do battle by reflecting and delighting on this truth of the gospel. The gospel at some points is so profoundly deep and at the same time profoundly simple enough a child can get it. This child got it today.

Since today is St. Patrick’s day, what better time to give tribute to Ireland’s finest: U2? Like them or not, very few Christians have been able to live out their faith (well at least 2 of them profess Christ) and earn such a high level of respect from those outside the church. They truly have set an example for us all on how to redeem the culture: making quality music that expresses authentic truth. This song “Magnificent” performed on the Letterman show, is for all practical purposes a praise song.

There is no doubt they are the best thing to come out of Ireland. What would you say are the top 5? I’d have to go with celtic music, potatoes, red hair and peat. Where would we be without peat?

A few weeks ago, Jim Rome, my favorite sports talk host, interviewed former NBA player Rex Chapman. The following Monday and Tuesday he interviewed Rex Hudler and Rex Ryan. Then the “Rex streak” was born. Everyday there was a different Rex being interviewed and on and on until Rex #20. It was such a great interview that the streak was called. He wanted to end on a high note.

He departed from sports figures at times due to the fact that he was running out of Rex’s. Before closing with an astronaut named Rex Wilheim, he began to get more and more obscure.

He was interviewing golf coaches for Louisville, defensive line coaches in the CFL, bass players for Pantera, college wrestlers named Rex. There were so many people who would have never otherwise been interviewed. They weren’t famous. They weren’t icons. Some weren’t athletes. Some were really smart. But none were inherently worthy of a nationally broadcast interview. And some knew it.

All except for one gave great interviews. They calmed down, because Jim Rome (people either love him or hate him), made them feel welcome, important, and showed an interest in their stories.

He was treating normal people like celebrities. They said, “Jim, thank you for having me on.” And Jim would say, “No, thank YOU for keeping the Rex streak alive.” What started out as a simple and goofy thing ended up being quite profound. He legitimately enjoyed hearing their story and so did his listeners. He treated ordinary people as though they were more important than he.

What a concept! Of course its not new; it’s been done before. Treating people as more important than we are and listening to their story.

Phil 2:3 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

Now Jesus is the only who’s ever applied this perfectly, but I still think, because Jim Rome (made in the image of God and still bears His image), can teach us by example through this “Rex Streak.’

This is my last post on the discipleship model and why it makes a difference not simply in discipling others, but on our own discipleship.

All of us, for the most part, inevitably fall into one of the three categories: “Head,” “Heart,” or “Hands.” Nothing is intrinsically wrong with any of these categories. In fact, the church needs all three types of folks. Nevertheless, unless you want to walk around with a huge head (getting neck-aches), a huge heart (I’m really not sure of the medical complications associated with a heart too large-feel free to let me know), or huge hands (ruining a potentially lucrative hand model career), you need to examine which category you land. I’m being facetious of course; God calls us to grow in all these areas.

While fishing the other day, my friend and I discussed and confessed where we landed. Both confirmed the other’s brief (between casts) self-evaluation. He was more of a heart guy (emotions, emphasis on the heart belief), and I’m more of a hands guy (being very practical, wanting to see how the belief makes a difference). Now that doesn’t sum me up completely; I do like studying theology and philosophy, and I do like discussing motivations and heart idols. And all of us have elements of all three; that’s how God made us. But clearly, we all do have emphases.

One way to figure out where you tend to land is to look at the books you’ve read over the past year. What kind do you ‘by default’ pick up? What kind of books do people need to recommend to you for you to read them? Mercy, outreach, commentaries, cultural engagement? Do you feel you need to grow the most in knowledge, personal devotion, or applying what you know to the world around you? In bible content/theology (head), in your application of the gospel to your heart and life (heart) or in serving others, relationships, mercy, outreach (hands)?

Finally, the best way, is to ask simply to ask someone close to you. Once you figure out where you land, it’s good to surround yourselves with resources like articles, blogs, books, and people who can challenge you to grow in areas you may more naturally neglect.

My reading/study has been more balanced than I initially thought (a Piper/Meheny sprinkling-how ironic I chose that word, since both are baptistic!), though it has been tilted in the department of the Hands lately (church models, sociological perspective of young adults and religion, community groups). My next purchase/reading pursuit will probably be Jack Miller’s Repentance and the 21st Century man. I haven’t picked out my next “Head” reading. First things first though.

I’ll continue some thoughts on my (though it’s not technically “my”-I didn’t come up with it) discipleship model now and show you how I’ve implemented it. I started a group for deeper discipleship with a few guys in the fall. As it would turn out, several have since moved on so the make-up of the group has changed. Nevertheless, the format of the group is to spend time fellowshipping, in accountability/prayer, and discussing the study.

Our first book was the Living the Cross Centered Life by C.J. Meheney. It beautifully expounds the gospel and the fact that we never outgrow our need to continually come back to the Cross. The book is great for young and mature Christians. I would put the book in the category of “Heart,” since it deals so much with sanctification (growing in Christ). Now there are a plethora of good applications (Hands) and some reformed theology (Head) in the book, but the thrust of it is to challenge people to continually rely on the gospel (Heart).

The next, and current study, is one written by a seminary professor of mine named Richard Pratt. The Business of the Kingdom explores the implications of living out the prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.” Again, there is some theology behind the study, but most of that is addressed outside the study in his sermon on the Lord’s prayer (which we listened to before starting the study; it’s worth your 45 minutes, I promise). The rest of the teaching comes at the beginning of each section, and then requires the participant to practically and specifically answering questions tailored to one’s own work setting (“Hands”). We’ve not finished this study yet, but I still highly recommend it for all employees, students, and those who own their own businesses.

Our next book will probably tackle something in the “Head” department and then repeat the cycle. Of course different people tend to be stronger in different areas, so that may cause us to spend more time in one of the three categories and not simply mechanically move from one to the next. Later, I’ll discuss more about how this discipleship model applies to our own personal discipleship: our following after Christ, as opposed to their following.

I think a good model of discipleship is one which emphasizes all aspects of our person. The best model I’ve found is “Head, Heart, Hands.” Now there is cross over from one area to the next, but each primarily represents a different focus. “Head” refers to the gathering of a normative, standard base of knowledge. If I were focusing on training someone in this area, I might emphasize reading books on theology, worldview, scripture interpretation (called hermeneutics), reading large chunks of the bible to understand the grand narrative, or looking up specific commentaries.

If I were focusing on the “Heart,” I would spend time developing their understanding and application of the gospel, discussing the idols of their heart. I might recommend reading books (you can tell what tradition I’m from-a “head” focused one!) on sanctification, counseling, challenge them to pray with a Kingdom emphasis, discuss healthy emotive components arising from a relationship with Christ. And obviously I would address personal time alone with God studying and reflecting on His word in smaller chunks. Some call this a “Quiet Time,” (and this is fine) though those words are also used for what parents make their children do when they’re too old for naps, so I just call it “personal study,” “meditation,” or “devotions.” Just my goofy opinion.

If I were focusing on developing the “Hands,” I would challenge folks to display what they know and what they believe/feel by living out their faith through their actions. The book of James emphasizes this component of the faith. In addition, this area would include serving inside the church and outside in the arenas of mercy and outreach. We can’t simply know more of Christ, simply delight more in Christ personally, but also need to serve Christ and build His Kingdom. Resources in this area would be “practical” articles/books/blogs assisting you to be a better parent, a more effective cultural influence, a better neighbor, a preacher, Kingdom centered employee or boss, etc…

Again there is cross-over and some studies/books/resources may hit on all three emphases but will generally fall into one category more than another. I’ll explain more later on why I think its important to think in these terms. I’ve probably written too much already.

I’ve had a chance to further reflect upon my Habakkuk 1 sermon, as I “re-preached” it-with some changes relevant for my audience of course-for RUF at USF last week. In addition, I also reflected upon Ruth 1, and came up with something new for my 2nd RUF talk. I began to see something very similar in both of these stories.

First of all both, Ruth and Habakkuk felt neglected, and perhaps “shafted” by the Lord. God wasn’t writing the story the way they felt He should write it (but Hab was still right in crying out to God). Now approaching the passages from a historical distance, we can see how the Babylonian invasion was intended to produce repentance, which would usher in the Kingdom of God through Jesus. And Ruth was eventually-though Naomi couldn’t see it at the time (and that’s the point)-to bear her a son, who would become King David’s great grandfather.

Naomi’s problem and Habakuk’s problem would have been “solved” differently if they were writing the script. And in the gospels, Peter’s problems would have been “solved” if Jesus did not go to the cross but instead immediately became a militaristic king. Yet it was only by Jesus going to the cross that any problem (sin’s punishment/power/presence) could be solved and His Kingdom come to the Earth. And that is clearly what Habakkuk was crying for.

None of us would have drawn it up that way. None. And that is the ONLY way God’s Kingdom would come to Earth. You and I would have been right there with Peter saying, “Jesus, you’re crazy, it’s not necessary for you to die that way.” Admit it. And if we were wrong about the cross, we might very well be wrong about a number of things when it comes to how God writes His story into the world today. He does things differently than we would do them. And while that makes me frustrated at times, knowing we would not have included the cross, should we really want it written any other way?

I had “jury duty” yesterday from 8am-6:15 pm. I say “jury duty” because all I did was sit in a holding room for about 9 hours (they did give us a lunch break). My two possible trials were canceled and they didn’t need me for a back-up, so I gladly went home. At 6:15 pm. I did have the opportunity to discuss some of the gospel with a garrulous woman I met, agree to pray for her mother, and invite her to Hope, so it wasn’t a TOTAL waste of a day. But it was really close to that. Can’t think of a better way to spend a day off, eh?