crazy love: drowning in comfort

To just read the Bible, attend church, and avoid "big" sins-is this passionate, wholehearted love for God?
~Francois Fenelon, The Seeking Heart

Chuck, my brother-in-law, is always telling me about a new book he just read, or a new idea that he thinks would transport the American church from ineffective organized religion to meaningful passionate revolutionary love for Jesus. The ideas have always caught my interest. The books, however, I have pretty much always ignored...until this one. Because I am a truck driver, I listen to a lot of radio and I have really developed a nice little audio book library. Knowing this, Chuck took the time to get me a copy of this book he said I just had to check out. So earlier this year, I received a package in the mail from Chuck (who currently lives in Virginia) and it contained a couple cd's: one was a Jason Upton album and the other Crazy Love by Francis Chan on audio. I wish I could say that I downloaded Crazy Love onto my Ipod immediately, but that would be lying. In fact, it wasn't until I watched some online sermons preached by Chan and then got to hear him teach live at a conference I attended earlier this year that I finally decided to give the book a chance. So, one day a few months ago, I started my day early as always for work and as I drove to my first destination I listened to Francis read his book to me. The intro and the first few chapters were very good and encouraging. And questions were being asked like "How many of you have read the New Testament and wondered if we in the church are missing it?". But to be honest, I didn't really begin to feel the impact of what Francis was getting at until chapter 4 which is titled:Profile of the Lukewarm. He begins to talk about what most of us want to deal with but are too afraid to confront. He goes on, chapter after chapter, painting 2 images: one, what we in the church might look like now, and one of what we could...what we should aspire to look like. I am so sick and tired of seeing nothing happen. But truth be told, change is uncomfrtable and requires effort and sacrifice and I haven't been totaly willing to enter into that kind of life...until now. And I am dead serious. Before us is the opportunity to let the light of Jesus in all our lives shine, but instead we count on someone else to be the missionary, the pastor, to feed the homeless and care for the sick and broken. I don't want to sit and watch and wonder anymore from the sidelines and i am in the role of a pastor! I want in. All in. And believe that deep down, so do you.

This Sunday, we will begin looking, examining, and getting real with not only the church and the world, but ourselves. We will use the book Crazy Love to guide our sermons, small groups, and discussions about who we are individually and as the body of Christ. This will get uncomfortable. It will be challenging. But I believe with all that I am that if you will go through this with us, we can begin a journey towards a goal I think we all want, even the world...a church that loves God and loves people and does so with action. Please join me this Sunday night at 6pm and leave your comforts behind. The only regret to be had is for those who choose not to act. I'm not begging you, I'm daring you to come out.

Today is just another day. I decided to finally right a blog and that's what I'm thinking...that today is just another day. An ordinary day that leaves me with a lot to be thankful for. First on my list and in my life is Jesus. He makes me want to live and to love. He fills me with hope that I can find joy in Him. My beautiful bride who is carrrying our first born! I can't believe we're gonna have our own little rugrat! My family and friends. My church and those who inspire me. Music. The place God graciously allows me to live and call my home. For my pastor and for besideus and all those who stand firm. For grace, love, and mercy! I'm sure a lot more then that too. So often we wake up and think of all the ways we have been "screwed over" in life or all we don't have and take little time to take stock of all God has blessed us with. Even if all we had in this life was a merciful, loving, and graceful relationship with Jesus, life would be more then worth living.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transends all understanding, will gaurds your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7

I got an iPhone and I plan on using it to blog whenever I get the chance!!!

practicing

i just wanted to blog before bed.  i'm really trying to make this a priority because i like blogging and reading your comments and discussions with one another.  i just need to keep blogging so this becomes more natural for me.  anyway, life is good and i'm tired so good night all!

p.s. lost was good tonight.

come back friends, come back

i miss my blog buddies.  so come on back and lets talk, shall we.  i am in the process of trying to manage walking and chewing gum or in other words: multi-tasking.  i am hoping that like repetition when learning to play guitar, if i get in the habit of daily doing these new things in my life that are so hard for me, i will eventually do them naturally.  for me this means i have to make some changes i have been struggling to accept over the past two years.  i am tired of running from the things that are hard for me when in reality, they aren't that hard, they're just new and different and require special attention.  you can relate, right?  great.  we'll be seein' ya soon.

i'm no kip

i am not good with technology.  i am not good at e-mail.  i am not good at keeping up on this blog. eh-hemm: : "I am going to embrace technology.  I look forward to checking and responding to my e-mail every day.  I can't wait to update this blog! "

this is a very hard time for a people to people person.  please pray for me.

-old man roth

Ummmmm...cupcakes

hello.  my name is jeremy.  some of you might remember me.  i used to blog here.  i was kidnapped by gremlins.  i am now safe at home eating cupcakes in my gremlin free zone.  i was rescued by my friends zac and brittany who were recruited by my dear wife christi.  zac ran up to the top of the tower i was held captive in and woke me up with true loves kiss...just kidding...anyway, they all together beat the gremlin king von toobusy van wastingtime.  now that i am free, i can blog again.  go ahead...you can weep with joy.  you can scream out from the roof tops.  you can write me with some good blog ideas.  you can take me out to eat or buy me a present (it is my birthday week and all).  i love you all and have missed you so much!  three cheers for zac, britt, and christi!!! hip-hop-hooray-hoo-hay-hoo.  blog you soon.