Front and On Bottom Instead of Behind and On Top

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Religion with a concentration in youth ministry in 2005 and for the last six years, I have had the opportunity to hold a number of leadership positions in the secular world as well as serve as a pastor of a local church in Phoenix, AZ.

With those six years of experience combined with four years in school, here are six things I've learned about leadership (1 for each year out of school):

1. Leaders are visible.

There is nothing scarier, frustrating, or discouraging than being part of group, team, ministry or organization where you can't tell who or where the leader is. Not only is it essential to know who and where they are but it's also important that they spend some time out and about with those they are leading. Which leads me to #2.

2. Leaders are available.

Leadership is a people-oriented concept and people are relational beings. So it only makes sense that someone in leadership is all about people. The only way to do that is to be available to them. Otherwise you're just a manager, not a leader. When people are part of something bigger than themselves, its because they see the value in that cause. But fewer things will make a volunteer or subordinate (and for the record, I hate that word) quit, than when they don't have the training, coaching, motivation and support they want/need to do their job effectively and efficiently. And that requires a leader does two things: communicate and be personable.

3. Leaders ask tough questions.

A great strategy is born out of a great leader. And a great leader is born out of humility. A person's level of humility will always dictate their ability to change their strategy if it's not working. And to be able to change a strategy that isn't working, that takes a leader to act out points #1 and #2. Be among your people and communicate with them; not to them. And then take some time to digest, analyze, evaluate and address issues as needed. Which makes for a great transition to #4.

4. Leaders are learners.

To learn is to live and to live is to lead. I cannot begin to tell you how much of who I am is a result of other people. Never underestimate the power of allowing others into your world to leave their mark on your life. I am wiser because I have given authority to mentors, picked up numerous books, attended conferences, asked hard questions and, above all, allowed my failures to teach me. Enter point #5.

5. Leaders are human.

As an employee, I've been written up, investigated by HR, and passed over for promotions. As a pastor, I haven't done much better: received countless emails and letters (many of them anonymous), been told by parents that I shouldn't be a pastor, been told by other parents that I have bad judgment, and even preached a Sunday message out of 1st Kings but kept referring to Acts instead. But for every mistake I have made, I have at least 100 success stories. A great leader has to fall in order to stand.

6. Leaders are servers.

A great leader has to fall in order to stand. No, you're not reading a typo. That last sentence from point #5 has a double meaning. This time I'm referring to the fact that a leader must be willing to serve those he/she is leading. This ensures you are committed to your own cause. This communicates you mean what you say. This creates influence and credibility to your position. And that position starts and ends with the duties that are not in your job description.

Left

I played soccer my entire life. I started when I was five, played all through high school and college and can even compete with the best soccer players in the world on my Xbox 360.

But despite playing my entire life, I was never the best. I wasn't the fastest or biggest or strongest. I didn't score a lot of goals and I certainly let my fair share of balls go in while playing goalie. I didn't start much. I wasn't the best passer. I was horrible at juggling--I think my all-time high is in the 20's. I was afraid to use my head when the ball was falling from 40 feet in the air. Sometimes, I got injured more times than I touched the ball in an entire game. I watched a lot of soccer and knew how it was played and knew what to do but it never translated into physical skill.

In case you're not picking up what I'm putting down, I sucked.

But every year I showed up and played. Why?

Because of my left foot. Ah ha, that was what I was great at. If my right foot made contact with the ball, no, no, if my right foot even made eye contact with the ball (if my right foot had an eye) it would look like someone was trying to play hockey with a piece of licorice as their hockey stick.

I made a career out of my left foot.

What I learned is this: on a team where everyone's dominant foot was their right one, it made it very difficult to see or handle a ball that was kicked from something so unique: a left foot.

When my team would do shooting drills, it went like this: Right foot. Right foot. Right foot. Right foot. LEFT foot! Even the goalie would say, "Even though I know you're left footed, I can never determine where and how you're going to kick it."

When it comes to ministry, everyone has a left foot (No, it didn't take me a college degree to learn human anatomy). It's a metaphor (for my uneducated readers).

Everyone is GREAT in at least ONE area. In soccer, it was my left foot. In ministry, it's teaching my youth group. What is your left foot?

In our culture and the world around us, we tend to focus on the all of the right foots we have. Those are the excuses we come up with to NOT do ministry. Your licorice leg is people, speaking in front of an audience, Bible memorization, too young of a Christian, too poor, too weak, too shy, too new, too introverted, too EVERYTHING. Except your left foot.

Deep down inside each of us, is a left foot that the church needs you to use. And only you can use it. So you need to identify what it is.

My left foot made the difference in me wanting to continue to play. My left foot made the difference in me feeling like I could contribute to a team of right-footed teammates. My left foot gave me belonging. My left foot gave me value.

You have value, you have belonging, YOU MATTER TO THE BODY OF CHRIST!

So what is your left foot? Dream it. Develop it. Do it.

Find out what your left foot is. Otherwise you'll always feel left out.

-NW

Love Maybe/Doesn't/Might/Probably/Possibly/Never Wins.

I read Rob Bell's book, Love Wins, in 4 days. This entry is dedicated to my personal thoughts, ideas, opinions and conclusions from what I read.

I've read 2 other books by Rob Bell (Velvet Elvis and Drops Like Stars) and have used many of his NOOMA videos for my ministry here in Phoenix, AZ. Based on those resources, I am a fan.

When this book was being marketed, a fury of blogs, links, and social media sites went crazy over his "heresy."

I tried to stay away from that fanfare so that I could approach the book with some sort of objectivity. I failed.

So let me be very clear as I start this review: From the bottom of my heart, I approached this book with the intent of finding the universalism. My goal was to find what everyone said was there.

Having read the book front to back (and re-reading many paragraphs for clarification), I have come to the conclusion that Rob Bell is what I thought he was: creative, artistic, outside the box, insightful, challenging, thought provoking, and above all, loves to help you draw your own conclusion.

His teaching style is very much like Jesus. He loves to question. He leads your thinking and guides it down a very wide road but still allows you to make a decision on what you think and believe. Because after all, the Christian faith is a personal one, correct?

Heaven forbid we walk around being spoon-fed our faith. I believe this to be a major issue in some churches in America. Too many Christians spiritually plagiarize their faith from their parents, Sunday school teachers, youth pastors, pastors or even reading one particular author.

And from the books I've read and the videos I've shown and the discussions I've led, Rob Bell doesn't do that. And as a pastor, he refuses to let his work and ministry to do that.

Your faith is YOUR faith. Therefore, he asks the questions for YOU to answer.

And this book does that. Yes, it's about heaven and hell and the fate of every person who has ever lived. But it's more than that.

I was really disappointed with the book. Everyone built this book up to be about universalism and how Bell doesn't think that hell exists and everyone goes to heaven.

Wrong. Dead wrong.

Rob Bell even says, "Do I believe in a literal hell? Of course."

People need to understand one thing: Rob Bell isn't writing to Christians. If a Christian happens to pick up the book, great. But this book is for non-believers. In case you missed it from the front cover, you get it within the first couple of paragraphs in the preface.

He goes after preconceived ideas of who Jesus is. You know, like hypocritical parents, fallen pastors, and cults like that group from Westboro.

I loved this: "If you asked an atheist why they don't believe in God and really listen to their answers, you'd probably reply with, 'I don't believe in that God either.'"

This book is about going after the REAL, Biblical, God-Man Jesus with a biggie size of Hebrew and Greek on the side.

But having finished the book, here is my conclusion: The REAL reason so many Christians are up in arms over this book is two themes that Rob Bell pushes: free will and social justice.

And since we're talking about two themes that are non-essential to beginning a relationship with Jesus, let's throw the stones down. In the end, does it REALLY matter if a person CHOSE Christ or if Christ CHOSE them? Are there two lines in Heaven and the pre-destination line goes first like SkyMile members in an airport? C'mon. Are we really going to put God in a box like that?

The whole meaning behind the title is the fact that God is love. And in the end, Love wins. Does God lose if people go to hell? No! He is still God! God still wins and since He is love, love wins! Will people choose hell over God? Yes. Do Christians choose the world over God every day in at least ONE area in their life? Yes!

Rob Bell makes you think about hell. Hell is now and it is later. There is an eternal separation from God and there is an earthly separation from God. Think about it. if you're not currently a Christian, you have sin separating you from God. Is that not hell? Absolutely! And that is one of Rob Bell's biggest points. Enter the social justice theme.

One way we as Christians can bring people heaven on earth is to go to their hell. Missions. You know, that very important, non-optional commission Jesus gives us in Matthew 28? Yeah, those missions.

But there is a problem: "Christians who are concerned about the hell that comes LATER are not concerned enough about the hell that exists NOW."

Saving someone from their hell now (economic, physical, emotional, political, etc) is a means to save them from their hell later (eternal separation from God).

If you read this book, read it slowly and carefully, or else you'll miss it. You'll miss what Rob Bell is trying to communicate. That God is, without a doubt, love.

According to my ability to read a book, Rob Bell is NOT a universalist. Instead, he wrote a book about how Jesus is universal. Jesus is for everyone. Not everyone will choose Him. Yet God...still...wins.

Aside from the book itself, I'm really disappointed in many of my brothers and sisters in Christ. So few are willing to read this book yet so quick to judge it and slam it. They don't know the author on a personal level and are taking what others say about him as truth.

Does the Bible not talk about bearing false witness against a brother?

The world has watched us fight over a book written by a man who is fallible. When we should really be engaging that same world with a book inspired by a God who isn't.

But don't take my word for it. I sincerely hope you read it. You may not agree with Bell and you may not agree with me. But perhaps you'll be challenged on a point or two and realize that you can't put God in a box. It might even help to read a different book by Bell first just so you can understand his teaching and writing style.

But don't burn the book because it's not exegetical, pro-free will and pro-social justice. Because after all, you never learn or grow if you only hang out with those you agree with.

Just one sinner's opinion who is grateful, humbled, thankful, and totally-100%-without-a-doubt-in awe that Love really does win.

-NW

Don't Soundproof Your Life!

Tonight my wife is leading band rehearsal for Adventure Community Church. So it's just me, our two cats and our dog. I wanted to journal tonight but before I did that, I wanted to worship and get my heart right. There's something about worship that gets my juices flowing, I feel open and vulnerable, yet reassured.

Tonight, I put on my iPod and listened to Jesus Culture's "Rooftops." The chorus goes as follows:

"So I'll shout out Your Name, from the rooftops I'll proclaim that I am Yours. All that I am I place into Your loving hands and I am Yours. I am Yours."

With music blaring in my ears and the drum beat getting harder and harder, I felt like singing out loud. I even became a kid again as I envisioned myself on stage leading hundreds of fellow Adventurers in worship.

Here's the thing. I live in an apartment complex. Our walls are thin. Very thin. Since we've lived here, we've heard numerous melodies through our various neighbors' walls: dogs barking, Koreans playing the keyboard, someone hammering nails, the sound a kid enjoying their Wii with the TV volume on max, etc. etc.

Yet, when it came to my attitude of worship tonight, I didn't care about that. I didn't even take it into consideration. I just kept singing. For all I knew (or cared), my neighbors could have been banging on the walls for me to stop. Or maybe someone was walking their dog and heard me through my door.

Then the irony of the lyrics I was singing. I will shout out Your Name. From the rooftops I'll proclaim that I am Yours.

I want God to be known in my life. I want Him to be seen. I want Him to be felt. I want Him to be shared. My relationship with Him is so personal, yet He desperately wants me to keep it from being private.

I want everyone around me, yes, even my neighbors on the other side of the wall, to know that I am God's. I am known, loved, accepted, forgiven, justified, sanctified, glorified BY HIM!

So why keep soundproofing our lives? Why keep that relationship with God private? It's personal but was meant to be made public.

My neighbors can only hear me through the walls. But God intended us to be SEEN.

So before climbing onto the roof, consider Matthew 5:14-16: “'You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.'"

-NW

Seriously Serious

There is a sermon that every youth pastor wants their Sr Pastor to preach and it is one that tells the congregation that the youth and youth ministry is not just important, it's essential.

Yesterday, my Sr Pastor preached such a message. But he didn't just stop with the youth. He also went into the spiritual casualty-ridden demographic of young adults too.

Adolescents are a seriously underrated, seriously overlooked and seriously serious generation when it comes to church. If you allow me to take my youth pastor hat off for a moment and speak as a sinner saved by grace, you'll see what I'm talking about.

One hundred years ago, the term adolescent was used to describe the period in one's life that started at puberty and ended when society expected that individual to contribute. Because females hit puberty earlier, the adolescent stage started at 15 years of age and ended at 16.5 years of age. Fast forward to 2011, and, based on the average female, adolescence ranges from 12 to 26. So we have gone from a period of 18 months to 14 years!!!

Our youth are going through emotional, physical, intellectual and relational changes earlier in life and have less and less responsibility later on in life.

So what should be an exciting, changing and empowering time in their lives has unfortunately turned into an apathetic, disorienting and enslaved lifestyle.

Our youth don't care about Church because the Church doesn't care about them (notice the capital C, Christian!)

Instead of embracing the changes they are experiencing, they are wondering where they fit in this world. And instead of feeling empowered and unleashed to lead, they are forced to sit at the kids table when it comes to communion and community.

They don't need purpose. They need permission. They don't need detention. They need attention. They don't need our titles. They need our time. They don't need lectures. They need mentors.

If you want to be seriously serious about following Christ, then be seriously serious about pouring yourself into a young person. It is the only way to really leave yourself behind in this world. You can have a career, a family, material possessions and collect fame and fortune, but if you really want to create a lasting ripple in this life, help a young person become devoted to teaching, serving, leading and witnessing for Christ!

-NW

Roots

My youth staff recently went to the National Youth Worker Convention in San Diego and whenever you do ministry, such a trip is required every now and then. You get worked up, stressed out, lose heart, walked out on, and the almost daily urge to write your resignation letter.

So this past Sunday, my first Sunday back from our trip, I decided to sit in on our children's elementary class during the 2nd service. I subtly sat on the floor in the back and took it all in. Here's what I observed:

1. While the teacher pointed to a picture of baby Moses floating down a river and asked who the baby was, a 1st grader responded, "Baby Noses."

2. Later, when the teacher asked who was freeing Israel from being slaves in Egypt, another child guessed Harriet Tubman.

3. And finally, when asking if any child in the class read their Bible all 7 days the previous week, a 1st grader raised her hand and proudly proclaimed that she reads her Bible while in the bathroom and that there is a pocket next to the toilet where she keeps it.

In a life of ministry, it's easy to lose sight of what is important. Jesus taught in the Gospels that unless one becomes like a child, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And that anyone that humbles themselves like children will be the greatest of all.

Furthermore, He teaches that anyone that keeps a child from knowing Him is better to drown themselves in the deepest part of the ocean.

I thank God for our children at Adventure Community Church and the workers who faithfully and lovingly help them plant their roots.

May our children grow up to be true followers of Christ and may our workers be blessed by assisting them to do so.

-NW

streaking

I'm sitting here watching my cat, Jax, sprawl himself out on the floor. He's on his back, spread eagle, full frontal, without a care in the world.

Ashley just asked him, "who do you think you are? with your crotch all hanging out?"

Good thing she wasn't talking to me.

I remember watching Old School with the comedic genius, Will Ferrell, running down the street, yelling, "C'mon, we're going streaking!!!!" As unappealing to the eyes as he is for the obvious reasons that I'm a guy and he's not in shape, he had ba....err....guts to do that. I'm sure he god paid lots to do it.

I did it for free.

***SPOILER ALERT: I'M GONNA GET NAKED SOON!***

It was October 2001 in Lynchburg, VA. I was a freshman in college (did I just meet the stereotype?). I was in dorm 23-2, my dorm room, watching Game 7 of the Yankees-Dback world series. Luis Gonzalez comes up to bat with bases loaded with the game tied. I don't remember a lot in the moments to follow but I do remember telling whoever was in my room at that precise moment that Gonzo got a base hit, I would streak down the dorm hall.

Here's the pitch!

Gonzo swings and hits the ball over Jeter's head for a Series-winning RBI single!

Nate swings the door open and races down the hall with nothing on but a D-backs hat and socks. I ran and ran and ran, past every door, especially the ones that were being slammed by Yankee fans! I got to the end of the hall that led to the stairwell and my enthusiasm and excitement pushed me to have a Will Ferrell moment.

"What a great idea to go into the stairwell with no key to get back inside!"

Because you know, after all, I'm streaking!

Risking my popularity, future resume and 1,000 reprimands for violating the "Liberty Way," I yelled and screamed in the stairwell as if I just hit the single myself!

Knock, knock!

Who's there?

"It's me. Nate. I'm freezing and I have no clothes on! Please let me back in!"

That was 9 years ago.

Where has the excitement gone? The enthusiasm? Where has that Will Ferrell mentality gone?

Paul writes in Romans 1, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."

Don't you see? Paul is having a Will Ferrell moment! Will Ferrell wasn't ashamed! My cat isn't ashamed. I wasn't ashamed of the Dbacks winning! Heck, I acted as if I hit the ball myself!

What would compel me to do something like that? What power would come over me to make me think that I, Nate Worthington, an 19-year old with no baseball talent could ever do something like that and act in a way as if I did?

Answer: Zeal.

I took ownership in the event that occurred. Paul is doing the exact same thing in Romans 1. He was taking ownership in the event that occurred. The GOSPEL: He was taking ownership because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes...

He had zeal. He didn't care about the cost. He didn't care about the popularity. He didn't care about being comfortable. Look at his life, that is a very easy conclusion to come to!

I want my Will Ferrell Christianity back! Not just me, but for every believer. I want to see every believer have a Will Ferrell faith!

C'mon brothers and sisters! Let's go streaking!

-NW

dangerous rebel

Jesus.

If you or I just pause and think about that name for a second.








Words and actions like love, grace, forgiveness, teaching, obedience, example, miracles, sacrifice all come to mind.

What about "dangerous rebel?" Probably not.

But if you look in the book of John, you see the crowds confused and stunned. Religious leaders were convinced he was completely out of his mind. They wanted to arrest him, and I doubt that killing him wasn't far from their minds.

If you look at the compound title, "dangerous rebel," it's not hard to conclude that Jesus was in fact that: a rebel who was dangerous.

He was a rebel because He taught and lived completely upside down compared to the religious leaders and the society they created.

What made Him dangerous was that through this rebellion, He had followers, He had influence. The real danger wasn't necessarily Him (although in hindsight, I'm sure the religious would think otherwise), but rather the uprising He was creating. The uprising could be described with words used at the beginning of this blog: love, grace, forgiveness, teaching, obedience, example, miracles, sacrifice.

What made Him a rebel was the fact that He went against the religious flow. He died for it. He rose again to defeat it.

So the question now becomes this: At what point do you go from rebel to righteous?

It's as soon as perception is changed. Jesus changed perception with His life and death on the cross.

It was then that He went from being the black sheep to being the Shepherd.

-NW

Reality O.T.V.

What I love so much about God's word is that you can read a story you grew up with and it comes to life in a whole new way. For example, the story of Jacob and Esau fighting over the bowl of Campbell's Chunky Soup.

Their dad is getting old and wants to give Esau his blessing. Jacob overhears, probably while watching The View or HGTV with his mom and the two start scheming to steal the blessing. He then goes into Esau's closet and steals his hairy Armani clothes and tries to pass as his brother so he can get the firstborn's blessing.

He dresses up like his brother and steals the blessing right from under his nose hairs (the Bible says he was hairy). Then he flees for his life and stumbles into what appears to be West Virginia because he ends up working 14 years just to marry his cousins, Leah and Rachel.

There are so many people to blame in this story. You could blame Jacob for lying and deceiving his dad. But it was his own mom's idea! So you could blame her for going against her own husband. But then you could blame him for not even knowing the difference in his own son's voices. It's almost like an episode of Desperate Housewives of the Old Testament.

Doesn't matter. The point is this: Jacob had to dress up and cover up his own identity to fool his father into giving him a blessing because he didn't even come close to growing peach fuzz compared to Esau and his snuggy-like body hair.

What appeared to be his reward turned out to be his curse. He took the easy way out by conning his own brother and father but got conned in return by his uncle. It's reality-O.T.V. at it's best.

This really is a funny story and you're almost amazed at the fact that it happened. But what isn't funny is this story re-occurs in our lives everyday.

We dress up and cover up our sins and lifestyles, thinking we can fool our heavenly father into thinking we are the children He really loves and wants. We'll put on a smile and bring our Bibles to church with us. We'll serve in ministry and tithe 10%. But we'll also delete our internet browsing history or spend too much time off the clock while staying on the clock.

We dress up and fake it because we're afraid of approaching the Father the way He desperately wants us to: humbled, open, honest, vulnerable and as sinful selves.

Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. You can't hide from God. And that isn't news that Fox News or CNN broke.

What is really interesting and really amazing and really impossible to grasp is this: Whether it is Jacob's lying, deceiving or conning or our very own, God still makes promises and reaffirms His love for us.

What does that say about His character and the relationship He seeks with us?

-NW

hometown hero

Pick a hero, it can be anyone. It can be an athelete. Teacher. Firefighter. Politician. Musician. Humanitarian. Youth Pastor. Parent. Sibling. Relative. What do they have in common?

They all come from somewhere.

Still thinking of that hero? Where are they from? If you go there, there is probably a statue or a road named after them. Maybe a museum or library in their honor. Some have sandwiches that carry their name. Others of less popularity have toilets that carry on their identity.

Jesus whas a hero. (No, duh, Nate. Did you really pay for that education?) No, he was. In John, you read about how He goes home and gets received by His fans. But not because of who He is--but because of what He did. Every hero is the same way. They aren't given hero status because of who they are, but what their accomplishment was.

It all started when Jesus simply talked to a Samaritan woman. It was like a Yankee fan eating with a Red Sox fan. Republican and Democrat. Paula Adbul and Simon Cowell. Jon and Kate.

Jesus broke the rules. And His hometown loved Him for it. And eventually killed Him because of it. They hated Him for it. It required them to give up their traditions and routines of a holier than thou attitude and simply, come.

What He taught and how He lived was so radical, so extreme, so crazy that it actually made sense: love.

Where people drew lines, He drew circles. He did the unimaginable and simply befriended the people who were not born of the Jewish heritage which makes Him--GASP--a hero.

So what does that make us?

-NW

fresh start

It is an argument that has been around for years: If God is so loving then why does He send people to hell?

Our persepective is completely off course.

We are too focused on how loving God is that we forget how just He really is. So we build a case against God and make ourselves believe that God is just too good and loving to send anyone to hell. We rule out His justice nonsense because it's more convenient that way. But it's impossible to remove one without the other. I invite you to look at Genesis.

God is fed up with His creation, so He flushes it down the toilet with a flood. That is God being just.

God, at the last minute, scoops down and saves Noah from the drain and uses him to start over. That is God being love.

Not long after, God irritably laughs at the people when they try and build a tower to Him and knocks them over and changes their languages. That is God being just.

The new nations are in serious need of the Rosetta Stone but are allowed by God to start over. That is God being love.

When God wipes the slate clean and gives us a frest start, we tend to think it's God just being love but in the end it's just God being....God.

-NW

the doggy in the window

I only know one line from the song and it's "How much is that doggy in the window? I do hope that doggy is for sale."

I can envision a child walking past the pet store and seeing the puppy all chaotic and energetic with tail wagging like a wiper blade. He is leaving paw prints all over the window and letting the window fog up from its breath. The child, so captured by the puppy's cuteness, excitement and emotional connection, starts begging to be the new owner of the pup.

This must be what Enoch felt. In Genesis, we say hello and goodbye to Enoch practically in one verse. It says "Enoch walked steadily with God. And then one day he was simply gone: God took him."

I can imagine Enoch playing the role of the puppy and God the role of the child and God was so amazed and impressed with just the sight of Enoch, let alone the consistency, that God just flat out took him out of the window called Earth and became a proud new owner of another committed follower.

I ask you to look at your life and consider how much it cost God to purchase it through His Son, Jesus.

Did He get a bargain in you like He did in Enoch? Or did He overpay?

-NW

the merry-go-round

So goes the merry-go-round, so goes life.

It is the endless routine of going in circles and it always costs a quarter each turn.

Whether you're riding a horse, fish, zebra ostrich or any other exotic animal, the journey is the same. One complacent, predictable future of left-hand turns.

It is the same each day. Doesn't matter which day of the week or month of the year. The variables like temperature, holidays and weather all change. But the end result? All left-hand turns.

When you finish a grade in school, there is another one waiting for you a couple of months later. When you graduate, there is another 4 years of school preparing for your arrival. When all of your hard work adds up to a degree, there is more hard work already waiting for you in an office called a 'career.'

Maybe that is what the Ecclesiastes author wrote "chasing the wind." Maybe he should have just written, "life is like riding a merry-go-round."

If this is true then I'm amuzed at our amuzement park dilemma. Why do we live out our lives riding the merry-go-round waiting desperately to get off but then feel the regret, sorrow and emptiness of a missed opportunity when we feel our bolted down exotic animal coming to a stand still?

-NW

throwing the dart

You've been given a dart. You are staring at the dartboard aiming for the bullseye. You throw. Miss.

Life is like that and seldom we hit our target. And most times when we do we do it blindly or just out of sheer coincidence. It isn't based on what we actually do.

But what if we could have the best of both worlds. We actually had the ability to throw the dart properly and, at the same time, hit the bullseye everytime?

That is what God promises when we give our dart to Him to throw however He pleases. But what scares us most is we act like we just gave our dart to a little 4 year old and we can just forsee them poking their eye out with it.

Why do we treat God like a 4 year old? He created the dart and the bullseye. Surely He can handle both.

I'll tell you why. Because we want to be the one who threw it when we hit it.

Which leads us to the question: Who really threw the dart?

Was it the person who held the dart or the One who held the dart thrower?

-NW

Death and Life

Why did we wait for Michael Jackson's death to celebrate his life?

This has been the question on my mind for the last 32 hours. Since news of his heart attack, coma and death, he has been the center of every conversation, his songs have dominated the airwaves and he has been a hot seller on iTunes. With as much coverage going on about him, those stuck in the 80's have no reason to think otherwise.

But before 3pm yesterday, Jackson was forgotten about. No one cared about what we was doing or eating for breakfast or what his nose would look like next year. And then he died and he made twitter and wikipedia crash.

Wow. How honored he must feel. "Thanks for playing my songs again and talking about me every minute of the day after I'm gone."

It's like when you're at a party and you leave and everyone starts talking about what you were wearing and the bad jokes you told.

Sure Michael Jackson was an icon, a legend, the real american idol. He transformed the music industry and made a lot of money doing it. He paved the way for a lot of artists. And by all means, we should celebrate his achievements.

Let me throw in a what if.

What if Christians did the same with Christ?

What if we put His name at the beginning and end of every sentence that flows from our lips? What if we sung praises about Him every minute of the day?
What if we spoke of His greatness to those around us?
What if we talked about His death and coming back from the dead like it happened YESTERDAY!

You might be thinking, "Nate, you're comparing Jesus and Michael Jackson?"

MJ would be so lucky.

The King of Pop died leaving us wondering if he had anymore to give.
The King of Kings died leadving us wondering how He could give us life and life to the full.

That is the true thriller.

Starved and Thirsty

I sit here completely full, 100% satisfied. Every hunger pain removed. Every parched part of my tongue saturated with moisture.

I ate at Bucco de beppo tonight. For those of you who are familiar, let me indulge. It's an Italian restaurant served family style. That's right, perfect portions for hobbits and youth pastors alike.

A swimming pool sized bowl of salad, a 12-inch loaf of bread, another swimming pool-sized bowl of pasta so big Michael Phelps couldn't finish 1 lap. Another Pacific Ocean-sized bowl of spaghetti, a sheetrock-sized slab of pizza and dessert to follow.......all for one table.

And then it hit me. No, not that. That most likely won't hit me until sometime tomorrow when it all digests. Something else hit me: Christians to the exact, stinkin' thing.

We eat and we hoard and we stuff and we claim and we dig in and we chew and we bite and we swallow and repeat. We do it with the Word of God. We do it with the forgiveness of God, the grace of God, the love of God, the Salvation of Jesus Christ.

We fill ourselves so much of that truth that we are lying to the world around us.

The message we preach is Jesus Christ is what I need. Get your own plate! If you're lucky, I'll give you some crumbs.

We abnoxiously and selfishly translate Christ's mission when He says, "I have come so that you may have life and have it UNTIL YOU ARE FULL." (JOHN 10:10 WORTHY VERSION)

No.

Jesus was talking about sheep. He is the gate. The sheep enter the pen through the gate: Christ. And Isaiah 53:6 draws this problem: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray." (NIV)

Since we're all sheep, none of us better than the other, I suppose God wants to save us and then help others find the way. He wants to feed us and then help those around us locate the food too!

TO ALL CHRISTIANS, STOP STUFFING YOURSELF AND START SERVING OTHERS!

-NW

Behind The Counter

I took my wife out to Olive Garden tonight to celebrate our 6-month anniversary. We were waiting to be seated and we saw a kid who was most likely 15 or so standing behind the hostess and her counter. I thought about how abnoxious that is and how I would react had I been the host with some 15 year old hovering over my workspace like it was "bring your little brother to work day."

Three hours later, I suppose that is what God must feel like sometimes. As sinners, we really have no business being anywhere near God, let alone in His presence at church or later on, in His own Kingdom. Yet He works in us, around us and, amazingly, through us as if He doesn't even mind. His patience, love, grace, tenderness and acceptance of us overpowers any human feelings we would have to strangle the person.

We shouldn't be behind the counter. But God still invites us to come over and take a look from His point of view.

-NW

Tell me who I should vote for!

What is it about Hollywood and politics? Do actors and actresses and musicians and comedians really think they have that big of voice because they are famous?

I won't disagree that they have a lot of influence. They influence how we shop, how we date, how we wear our hair, and now, they influence how we vote.

The problem though, is that shopping, dating and hairstyles only effect us indivually. Our vote, our one, single vote, can effect our entire nation.

How dare they play with that power!

I don't care if they are screaming against Obama or McCain, if you're on a Tabloid cover or star in movies, I don't and will not ever go to you for my political news or points of view.

Since when are our "role models" ever doing anything positive with their lives? They take our money off of album sales, box office prices and marketing endorsements and they think that that gives them the right to influence our vote?

It's almost like they are running for office themselves. The candidates debate and campaign, desperately trying to win our votes. These celebrities do the same thing. They show up at these conventions and campaign trails, play a few songs, and stand arm around arm with the candidate.

We don't care!

Wanna know why? Because as soon as the next President of the United States of America is elected, we won't hear from them politically for another 4 years. What kind of message is that?

They only care about being heard when it matters most. Please go back to making your movies, singing your songs and making jokes. Just because you're famous doesn't mean you have any idea what you're talking about.

But the real issue here is our culture. We are a lazy nation, relying on tv ads to decide who we will vote for. These celebs have a voice because we let them have one. The media lets them have one. The candidates let them have one.

Get off your butt and do your research, take your time to dig to find out who the candidates really are. Our nation is smarter than tv ads and immoral movie stars. Your vote is your vote and it's an important one.

It was given to you by the blood of soldiers and is trying to be taken from you by rich, ignorant, snobby, selfish celebs.

Your vote. Your voice. Speak on November 4th.

-NW

7.31.08 uno

I love history; especially war history. I grew up near Gettysburg, PA so I made frequent trips to the battlefield of the bloodiest battle on American soil. It was amazing to think about how they fought back then. It's not like today where you're in the streets hiding behind a wall or a car or riding in a hummer or a tank. Back then, an army was most effective when they all stood in a row, sometimes 2 or 3 deep, and fired all at one time. It was a concentration of 25-30 muskets all aiming in one general area to make the most damage. If each of those 25-30 muskets all shot individually from all over the battlefield, they wouldn't hit a thing for two reasons: it was inaccurate and it was only one shot. For the best soldier, they could fire off 3 shots in 60 seconds. Therefore, it's safe to say every shot counted.

That's how it is with our worship.

God gives us just one life. One beating heart. One mind. One soul. We should view that one life like a single bullet inside a musket during the Civil War: make it count.

In today's culture, we have so many things we shoot at so quickly and waste our shot.

We'll jump at the first opportunity to make money fast and unethically rather than wait and make it slowly and honestly.

We'll be the first in line, sometimes sleep overnight, to be the first to buy the latest gadget.

We'll give our virginity away to the first person that says, "I love you," rather than wait until marriage.

Everyday there is a battle for our worship. So treasure it. Guard it. Hold onto it and when you give it away, make sure you're giving it away where it will have the biggest impact: God.

God deserves your worship. Check out Psalm 96: 4-5: "For great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens."

He's the most worthy of praise and every other god in your life is an idol.

So what are you doing with your one bullet, your one life. Who or what are you giving it to?

Are you out in the battlefield all by yourself trying to be an army of one? Or are you standing in line with other believers shooting all of your worship in unison to the God who made you?

-NW

3.16.08 Hide And Seek

Have you ever gone to a restaurant and the helpings just weren't enough and you wanted more?

Or how about watching an epsiode of 24 or Lost and it ends with a bang leaving you wanting more?

Perhaps you had a pimple on your cheek that hadn't surfaced yet and despite every technique, you just couldn't pop it, leaving you with the question, "There must be a way to get this thing popped!"

Deep down inside each and every one of us lies a question, "What is truth?" If you talked to any young child and discuss facts with them, you're going to get one question in return, "Why?" Why is the sky blue? Why do frogs jump? Why does it rain? As we get older and develop spiritually and intellectually, we seek truth about God, eternity, creation, sin, and purpose.

The Greeks were seekers of truth (I never found truth when studying the Greeks in school as I repeatedly earned C's D's and the occasional F+). But they loved truth. They loved knowing and learning and philosophying (hey Webster, a new word!). They made idols of all sorts. But they knew they could never know complete truth. In fact, they created an idol that had the saying, "To an unknown God," just to acknowledge the unknown truth that haunted them.

The point is this: They did that to cover their bases just in case everything they did know was false and there was some God or truth out there that was superior!!!!

We do that all the time!!! We live our lives and experience technology and enjoy everything around us and pursuing our own dreams and goals and wills and then we show up to church on Sunday morning as if to say, "Hey God! I'm here giving you some of my time just in case you are real!"

Athens is now in ruins. And everything that is built on earth fades away. So we remain searching as we wonder, "Is there really a God we can know?"

God is always seeking you. You may stray away from Him but He never leaves you. He didn't leave Moses in the wilderness or Jonah in the big fish or Jesus on the cross. And He didn't leave me when I was rebelling in high school. Check out Deuteronomy 31:6 puts it this way: "He [God] is right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you."

God wants to know you and He wants you to know that everything you are, everything you do was created by and for Him. He loves you and can use you for His glory and His kingdom.

Read Acts 17:28! “…that men [all people] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him, we live and move and have our being.”

Call off the search. Stop wanting something more. There is your truth.

-NW