The Prodigal God.

So, last week I just finished reading Tim Keller's book, "The Prodigal God." This book has been on my "to read" list for quite a while, and after Jared mentioned to me last week that his sermon for our campus this Sunday is going to be in some part based upon this book, I decided to take some time to read it. And am I glad I did. It really rocked my understanding of several things.

Basically, in this book, Keller (who's a pastor of a 6,000 member church in Manhattan) takes the story of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15 and absolutely turns it on its head. Most of the time, we spend any time analyzing that story talking about the son that took his inheritance, went away, blew it all, and came back, only to discover his father extending the hand of open fellowship to him. We do this for good reason; it's a key part of the story. But Keller's point in this book is that really, there are two lost sons: the son who went away and came back and also the older son; the one who never left. This son did all the right things; he did what his father asked, he never left home. However, in the end of the story, we discover that by refusing to come in and celebrate the recovery of his lost younger brother that it's the older son who's really lost.

I think this book hit me square between the eyes because it captures a spiritual principle that I believe God has been teaching me over the past several months, and that's that God doesn't owe me anything. Keller's point in this whole book is that the sin of both sons in this story is the same. They both wanted to take control of their lives and get what they wanted or felt they deserved instead of what the father wanted for them. The younger son chose to do this just by doing his own thing and charting his own course in life. The older son did this by obeying, but obeying with this expectation that it in some way entitled the father to give him stuff. We can do the same thing spiritually (at least I do); we can do all the right stuff on the outside, but if deep down it's really just to manipulate God into getting what we want, then our acts are no more righteous than the wild living of the "younger brothers" of the world in which we live. The solution is to first understand the saving love of Christ for us on the cross, and to see that God has already given us everything. We need to let the cross transform us into people who serve out of loving affection, not selfish motives or dutiful obligation.

This book is great, and if you read one thing I've posted about on here, I hope that this is it. It's an easy read, only 133 pages, and it's well worth it. Once I picked it up, I had a tough time setting it down... I pretty much finished it in one sitting!

And whatever you do, I hope that you take some time to have an awesome dinner with family and friends and give thanks for all that God has given. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Beyond Sunday - Jesus is _______: Religion Builder?

...by Larry McManus

No doubt you have heard that, “There are two things you don’t talk about: religion and politics.”

“RELIGION”. What comes to mind when you hear the word? Does it have anything to do with love, community, relationship, or grace? More importantly, what does Jesus think of “religion”?

As I looked into New Testament today, the word “religion” does not show up in any of Jesus’ talks, not even once, so it appears that Jesus was not about the business of building a new religion. As we heard in the sermon, Jesus viewed the religious activity of the Pharisees to be a hindrance and a barrier to encountering God. Religion was about doing the opposite of the don’ts, and being against the things that were deemed “bad”. This negative perspective on religion hasn’t changed much over the past 2010 years.

Neither is the church an “institution” or a “business”. Sure there are some basic elements of business organization within the practical function of a local church, but are we just another religion or business? How sad when we, within the church, adopt the worldly misconceptions that we are just an institution or another religion among many viable religions.

We learned in the sermon this week that religious attitudes can be a barrier to encountering God. Jesus was about building a movement that encouraged true encounters with the living God. He doesn’t care about a system of rules and regulations that bind us.

So what are the take-a-ways? I’m examining my own attitudes about religion and how I view the world. I refuse to be defined by the “anti’s”-- we don’t do this, we don’t like that, we’re against this or that. The next step is to begin to make amends with those I may have offended with my pious “religious” attitudes. It’s easy to be judgmental; the world does it all the time. Jesus said, “For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” John 12:47

Beyond Sunday - Jesus is ______: Miracle Worker?

...by Michael Switzer

Miracles not as a 'favor' but as a reminder.

Even as a Christian, I find the idea of miracles very difficult to grasp. It's hard to imagine that, in a universe created with such eloquent and intricate laws of physics, God the creator might bend or change laws to impact a situation's outcome or that He might manipulate a thought process, perception, or ability of someone. Why would God choose to perform miracles?

As Greg suggested, miracles are rare and inconsistent. But how rare and how inconsistent? It’s fascinating to me to think that if everyone on earth exclusively experienced just one miracle during his or her lifetime, God would be performing an average about 175 miracles every minute (over 250,000 per day). That seems like a lot of intervention. If it's not the case that God has such regular intervention, should it be surprising that most of us might never experience firsthand a miracle of God?

It's often said the birth of a child is a miracle. Is it? There's no doubt in my mind childbirth is an extremely complex and intricate process that, at its core, no one understands (as in the context of a reason). We know to some extent what happens during child birth but why it occurs in the first place is forever a mystery whose answer is held only by God. Simply because child birth is complex and amazing and it yields a new life, is it necessarily a miracle?

Miracles to me are a very serious exception created by God as a reminder. Miracles are intentional, and I believe the intent lies within the mean or the process through which the miracle takes place. When I pray for a miracle to occur, am I not just praying for the outcome of a situation to be changed (usually for my or someone else's benefit)? Do I miss the point of miracles if my posture is 'God, work your magic and do me a favor?' When God does perform miracles He has a purpose. I think we overlook His purpose when we focus on what we get out of the deal rather than the transformations we're asking Him to make. Let miracles serve not as 'favors' of God but as 'reminders' of who God is and His existence.

When we pray for miracles or are blessed in some way to experience a miracle, let us focus on the fact that the hand of God entered (or can enter) into our lives and touched it in a miraculous way.

Mentoring.

So just a couple nights ago, I finished writing a paper for one of the classes I am taking this semester, and it was a review of a book called Leaders Everywhere. The book offered up several ideas on developing a leadership culture within churches and ministry, and there were certainly some insights contained within that book that were helpful. One of the key suggestions, though, was that part of being a leader means that you will take upon yourself the responsibility of mentoring others, helping them become leaders.

That made me think about my life. I really wouldn't say I had a mentor in anything really until I came to Suncrest and Bobby sort of took me under his wing and offered up some great mentoring for me which continues to this day. Now, with responsibilities at Highland, I am also thankful that Jared has also taken the initiative to share some insights with me as well. Having these relationships has really helped to supply in me some things that are lacking, and I am very thankful for them.

It sounds strange to really even think about, but I think that entering into a relationship with someone to serve as your mentor can be a very useful and beneficial thing. I know that when I finally let my "I already know it all" attitude of pride melt away and actually entered into these relationships, it started to serve as one of the most useful things for me ever. I think the same can be true for each of us as we try to cultivate a relationship with Jesus. There is something incredibly powerful about us finding people who have gone before or may be a little more experienced on the journey than we are. These are people who can come alongside you, offer some great advice, and be an incredible friend. I truly can't say that enough. It makes a difference to have someone who can help show you the way.

But on the opposite end of the spectrum, I think that there's also incredible power in us choosing to mentor others. I know that my first reaction to hearing something like that is to say, "Who, me? What do I have to offer?" But I think it is an incredibly valuable practice both for the other person and for us. Just as I have freely received advice from mentors, I want to offer it as well when asked. As one of the worship pastors for our campuses, part of my job is to offering mentoring to up and coming leaders and worship leaders. I don't know if I always feel qualified, but I find that oftentimes I walk away from those conversations learning something myself.

After experiencing it myself, I am a big fan of mentoring. I'd highly recommend it to you as well! Take a shot, and learn from someone else on your journey to cultivate a personal relationship with Jesus!

Beyond Sunday - Jesus is _______: Provocative Teacher

...by Dave Wright

Quick…think of the best teacher, mentor, or boss in your life. Why were they “the best”? What characteristics did this person have that stick out? The one thing that sticks out from my best teacher is the challenges he threw at me. He knew I had the talent, but he pushed me to become even better. I hated bringing a project to him for the first time, knowing he would be “constructively dissatisfied.” Imagine if you were one of Jesus’ Apostles and you had to turn in something to him? Would you be dreading what he was going to say, or would you be willing to listen to his constructive criticism?

Greg’s sermon touched on three things regarding Jesus as a provocative teacher. He confronts our status quo, exposes our motives, and challenges us to grow. It is hard to remember…but Mark 9:23 says, “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

BTW…have you ever felt like the “new kid”? I felt like the new kid playing at the Highland Campus this past Sunday…but in a good way. It seemed like all new people were worshiping in just the month I was there last….how wonderful to see people looking for the provocative teacher in their life. I know everyone says this, but you have to go and check out the other campuses and see how Suncrest is being used by God to change lives.

Some Worship Resources for You...

It's kind of weird, but as I sit here at my desk and think about what to post about today on the Cultivate blog, it struck me that we talk a ton about books, messages, websites, and a bunch of other cool resources where you can go to help cultivate your personal relationship with Jesus, but we don't really spend a lot of time talking about great worship resources! And a huge part of my job is leading worship! You'd think that would be a little more at the forefront!

Well, I want to make sure that we remedy that, my friends. So, today, I'd like to pass along a few of the worship projects I've been listening to lately that have really been pushing me in a good way worship-wise. I've got a total of 8 hours to and from Cincinnati in my car each week, so I've certainly got some time to listen!

So, what's been playing on my iPod recently, you ask? Well, allow me to share some of my favorites!

1. A Beautiful Exchange, Hillsong Live: It's hard to have a list of some great worship stuff without talking about Hillsong. I think these loveable Aussie worship leaders are on CD project number 4,905,809 now, but I'm not sure. I especially love the song "Forever Reign." The language describing the richness of God's love and the reminder it is always more than enough has really stood out to me in this season.

2. Singalong, Phil Wickham: I actually hadn't listened to this CD for a while, but decided to listen to it today on my ride home. Great choice. It's simply a recording of several acoustic performances on one of his tours, and it's really cool to worship along with. Wickham has this really passionate voice and passionate way of leading, and that stirs up a passion inside of me.

3. The Rising, Charlie Hall: My good buddy Charlie Hall (okay, we're not really friends, but I like to imagine that we are) is a little too artsy for some, but I really like his music and his perspective when he writes. This is his new CD he just released a few weeks ago, with some really cool songs on there. I especially love that I feel like his worship songwriting really takes the form of prayers to God... something very personal that seems to resonate well with me. Maybe it will with you too. Also, if you don't own it already, his earlier release "Flying Into Daybreak" may possibly be the greatest worship CD of the 21st century. Buy that too.

4. Kingdom Come, Elevation Worship: Elevation Church located in North Carolina (Charlotte area, I believe) and has one of the most creative teams of people assembled to lead worship there. All of the songs on this CD were written for use in their church and stem out of the journey into God's story that they are experiencing in their church. If nothing else, the song "The Church" is probably one of the most gripping and compelling songs I've heard in quite a while... it alone makes this CD purchase worth it.

5. Awake, North Point Worship: If you read my personal blog, you probably know about my enormous man crush on Andy Stanley (I still blame Greg for starting it). This is a live worship recording from Andy Stanley's church (my second man crush is probably a tie between either Todd Fields or Eddie Kirkland, both of whom are North Point worship leaders featured on this CD), and it just features a lot of solid songs on here that I really love to worship with. It's like the worship CD version of "Old Faithful" for me. I think you'll find it pretty worth adding to your library.

Honorable mention? Awakening, Passion. Just get it. Trust me.

Beyond Sunday

...by Doug Gamble

This past Sunday I announced some exciting news to our Hobart Campus. We have been given a facility and in early 2011 we will move into our own 24/7 space. God has certainly thrown open a huge door for us, even though we were not sure it was the right door at first. As with a lot of areas of our life, the open door isn't always obvious. It takes trust to both SEE the door and WALK through it. We doubt ourselves. We doubt it is God we are actually hearing from. We doubt that He could use us.

When the Israelites were led out of Egypt they questioned their decision to follow God. They complained because it was taking longer than they liked. They griped about the conditions. They questioned Moses' leadership. But their experience in the desert was exactly what they needed to build a deeper trust in God. That trust was essential to God's plan being carried out through them. And it's essential for His plan to be carried out through us.

I met with a man this week who is in a "desert" experience. Even though he had dedicated his life to serving God, his life fell apart. He has been angry. He has doubted. He has wanted to give up. But he is holding on, taking one step at a time and trusting that God will bring him through this experience. And each step of the way his trust grows.

Growing in trust is not an instantaneousness act. Trust only develops in time through experiences where trust is needed. So if you find yourself in a season of waiting or a season in the desert, keep taking steps forward, learning to trust with each step. If you can't see the open door, take time to specifically focus on your relationship with Jesus. If you see a door but are afraid to walk through it, pray like crazy and step through it.

The 22 Day Challenge.

So, recently, there's been a lot of talk here on the Cultivate blog about challenges.

I mean, we just finished that 100 day e100 Challenge a few weeks ago, right? But I saw someone post about this on facebook a few weeks ago and I couldn't help but post about it on here as well in case some of you might be interested in it.

This is called the 22 Day Challenge, and it is hosted by a group called "I Am Second." I Am Second (www.iamsecond.com) is a really cool website with a bunch of videos of people talking about how living second and putting Jesus in the driver's seat of their lives has made a huge difference for them. They talk about their changed lives (something we are all about here at Suncrest!) and how following Jesus has just made life make sense. Some of the videos are from average, ordinary people like you and me, while others are from some fairly well-known figures: football players, musicians, coaches, CEO's, etc. If you ever have some free time and are looking for an inspiration, check the site out!

But on this site, they have the 22 Day Challenge, which is a really easy, yet exciting way to help challenge you in your relationship with Jesus. Each day, you'll watch an I Am Second video, and then be encouraged to share that video with one person who you think will really appreciate it or be impacted by it. You'll also receive a next step each day for yourself and be encouraged to pray for your community to experience the power of living second. I'm hoping to give this a try soon myself! If you're interested in signing up to try it, click here. It's totally free... you'll just get an e-mail each day with your instructions for the rest of the day.

It's a cool site, so I hope you check it out! DO IT! And experience the power of living second.