GETTING FED AT CHURCH
I recently wrote this article for a 2x/month newsletter for pastors in our network in Indiana. This was my second pass at the article. It kind of gives a look into my brain and heart of what it means to be a pastor… I title I loathe to be called. That’s why my title doesn’t [...]
A PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
@kristin_madeja tweeted this video to me last night.
I’ve watched it about 50 times since.
It’s incredible.
FREE LUNCH
There’s a story in Luke 14 where Jesus gives us this amazing picture of grace. He’s telling a story saying that GOD is like a rich man that’s throwing a party for all of his friends and as the party gets closer and closer, people start backing out. One guy says he has to work. [...]
ROB BELL COMES CLEAN
We’ve been on vacation this past week and I missed this coming out. It’s an excerpt from a sermon that Rob gave at Mars Hill in the last week weeks. Watch the video then read a few of my comments on the book.
WHY DO WE SING?
“Why do we sing?” This question has been the foundation of the David Crowder*Band Fantastical Church Music Conference (CFCMC for short) that just wrapped up a few hours ago. I couldn’t think of a better reason to gather, discuss, and learn than over a question as vast or profound as this one. Wrestling with this [...]
UP TO SOMETHING//
Tonight for this journey we’re doing at Crosspoint, we went on a field trip with our LTG (small group for you non-XPTers). Pretty simple idea. Show up. Get handed a CD. Insert it in the CD player in your car. Listen & drive. We went to the school where we meet now, then to the [...]
A CHALLENGE, PROMPTINGS, & A GIFT CARD
So, last week at CROSSPOINT we were given a odd challenge. Actually, the challenge wasn’t weird, the method was. About halfway through Curt’s teaching he asked everyone to reach under their seat and pull the envelope taped to the bottom of the chair out. Every now and then we have these moments where we’re told [...]
11 OTHER PLACES I COULD LIVE//
I like change. I just do. Angie and I think that there may not be two pictures in our house of me with the same beard structure/hair style. I love the change in seasons. I like to rearrange my office. I just like change. I’ve never lived farther than 30-45 minutes from the town where [...]
REST IN NOTHING//
So, it was pointed out by my friend Zach that I haven’t posted anything in over two weeks. His blog was zachfretz.wordpress.com… the page says deleted by user. Yes, I’m throwing him under the bus for throwing me under it too. Misery loves company. Here’s the story: Technology is supposed to help not hinder. Well, [...]
BUSY TIME//
There are a couple of times a year that are CRAZY busy for those of us whose occupation entails church work. Church work is a weird term… really we all do church work if we say we believe and have faith. Belief is a weird thing. We all believe in something… even Atheists believe that [...]
I NEEDED THIS TODAY//+Fact
The last 2 weeks have been particularly difficult for me & Angie. It’s not what you think. We’re not having issues with each other at all. In fact, we’ve grown closer in the last year to each other and to GOD (individually and together) than we’ve even been. But, last week started with us both being [...]
BEST MOVIE OF 1996//
I know, I know… I’m talking about movies that are 14 years old. Do you even remember what movies came out in ’96? Let me refresh your memories. Black Sheep Bevis & Butthead: Do America The Cable Guy D3: The Mighty Ducks Evita Flipper Fargo Independence Day And, lastly (but of course not the least) [...]
REFLECTIONS//
It’s no hidden fact that I love my son. The doctor told me yesterday that she “loves seeing dads treat their kids that way” (the way I was being so affectionate to my sick son). GREAT! They notice! I thought. Maybe I AM qualified for this job (which no one truly is). So, if I [...]
CAN’T WE JUST GET OVER OURSELVES?//
I just lost about an hour and a half of my life that I will never get back. (Enter Doc Brown from a frozen/smoking/tred burning Delorian)… I got sucked into reading a series of blog posts and the ensuing comments from someone who thinks he has something to say about Christianity. Let’s be honest. That’s [...]
POWERFUL STORIES//
I love stories. I think you can’t really know a person without knowing their stories. I have a story. I tell it every time I write here. You have a story. Every time you read mine you chose if you make it part of yours. That means that WE have stories. These are two good [...]
CREATIVITY… WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?
So, I sat this morning in a “finding your sweet spot in ministry” seminar hosted by a friend of a friend. Biggest thing I took out of it: I’m in my sweet spot. In fact, I’m about as dead centered in it as I think I could possibly be. Sometimes I joke with one of [...]
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, ROB BELL, & MY OWN BROKEN SOUL//
About 3.5 hours ago, Angie and I walked out of the movie theater having just seen Where the Wild Things Are. For some reason, maybe because it’s the story of a little boy’s wild imagination, I connect with this story. He gets in trouble, is sent to bed without his supper (a horror that no [...]
LIKE FATHER. like son. //
There’s a beautiful spiritual connection between fathers and son. Every son, whose dad is around, wants to be like his dad some how. I did. My dad was a cop. He stood for what was right. He was honest. He had guns. He hunted. He was handy. He was a manly man. I still want [...]
JUST THINKING//
If you didn’t know, I’m have another blog… it’s called ISAAC365. It’s a daily photo of my son. It looks like this: I know, I know… “Another one of those ‘pictures of your kids’ blogs.” NO! Well, Yes. But, there’s a reason. About 14 months ago, we were told that the only way we could [...]
The Unexpected Goings-On of the Towle's for the Last Few Days//
Wednesday morning at 9am, I received a phone call that I had been expecting for sometime. My grandmother had been in a 13 year battle with Alzheimer’s and it ended early Wednesday morning. It’s an odd thing to think that death is a blessing. But, in this case, it’s healing. As Christians we find hope [...]
THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY//
I think the church is more than just a once a week event in an auditorium. It’s more than just songs and preaching. It’s not about what you get out of it. Church should be about change. It should be about what we can give back. About life, love, devotion. Faith, belief, mystery. I see [...]
THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU KNOW WORSHIP MEANS SOMETHING//
To say that I was moved by this past Sunday’s worship at Crosspoint would be trivial. My son was dedicated. We sang songs. The teaching hit home. People responded out of need. It was a good day. Problem comes, I get moved by worship. Period. Music & Art to be specific. For as long as [...]
WHERE DO YOU SEE THE CROSS?
I was driving this evening to DQ for a humid evening cool-down treat, when I stumbled upon some amazing cloud work following the tonight’s mid-west storms. I just happened to have my camera with me, so I pulled into the newspaper parking lot and started snapping pics. As I looked at them after, I noticed [...]
