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Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
WOW! The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few
There are 51 Million children under the age of 18 years old
80% of all children in the US do NOT have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
40 Million Do NOT know Jesus
Before I am 35 (10 years) the US will no longer be able to consider itself a Christian nation.
A persons moral foundations are generally in place by the age of 9
Most American Christians have accepted Christ by age 12
What person believes by age 13 is what they will die believing.
85% of Parents in the US believe it is their job to teach their kids about Spiritual Matters and Moral beliefs.
Only 11% said they believed it was the Churches job to teach children about spiritual matters.
In the Protestant churches across the US only 1 in 5 parents were given any instruction on how to Teach children about moral beliefs and Spiritual matters.
In most typical US Churches 4 of ever 10 people a church ministers to are children. Yet 7 our of every 8 dollars are spent on adults.
80% of all children in the US do NOT have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
40 Million Do NOT know Jesus
Before I am 35 (10 years) the US will no longer be able to consider itself a Christian nation.
A persons moral foundations are generally in place by the age of 9
Most American Christians have accepted Christ by age 12
What person believes by age 13 is what they will die believing.
85% of Parents in the US believe it is their job to teach their kids about Spiritual Matters and Moral beliefs.
Only 11% said they believed it was the Churches job to teach children about spiritual matters.
In the Protestant churches across the US only 1 in 5 parents were given any instruction on how to Teach children about moral beliefs and Spiritual matters.
In most typical US Churches 4 of ever 10 people a church ministers to are children. Yet 7 our of every 8 dollars are spent on adults.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Why I wish church was like our NEW SUPER WAL-MART
Praise the Lord, Super Wal-Mart opened it’s doors in my town at 7:30am yesterday morning. People were rushing in and out of the coffee shop to see it. I found myself feeling anxious as I waited for Danielle to get off work, so we too could zip over and see the Materialistic Temple.
Super Wal-Marts (SW-M) are very hard to find in Wisconsin. Only one in the Greater Milwaukee area, unlike Indiana where we have migrated from. In college we would spend hours just wondering the aisles see all the pretty things we will own when we were out of school. And today, I bought speakers, and a sub-woofer…why? Because I like loud music. And as I sit here and reflect on my present location in my journey through life, Black Eyed Peas, “Where is the Love” is rumbling through my speakers.
So back to my title of my reflection…why I wish church was like the Materialistic Temple we call Super Wal-Mart?
I have a few reasons:
1. They remember the ONE THING: No matter what day you walk into SWM you will know what the main thing is…the price-the cost—the MONEY! That’s right, SWM open all across this red white and blue nation with the one goal in mind. Make money! Sure they ALWAYS (which they now own that word) want the lowest price for you and I. But the truth is, they want our hard earned money.
Church is a little different, and when I say church I am talking about your church, and my church, and that church on the corner where your grandma used to go, before the young preacher came in, and that church that sits in circles and guy with dreads sings with a guitar, while we try to figure out the tune. And I am talking about the church where everyone wears a suit on Sunday, and have like a billion kids in every family. Church has lost it’s ONE THING. I bought a book a year ago called “THE ONE THING” great book, as it explores Martha and Mary and sometimes we need to be a Martha in our work, but most times we need to be a MARY and just chill and rest at the feet of Christ.
I am reflecting on the church as a whole, so I am making big generalizations. Buti feel today, that the church has lost it’s one thing. We are so caught up in ministry we forget what the ONE thing is. We forget what every person that walks through our doors want and need.
The one thing: GRACE: Salvation Grace, Discipleship Grace, Evangelistic Grace, Servant Grace.
2. Wal-Mart figured it out…it takes more then one product to get your money. They know they could not have a SWM only selling clothes, or just food, or just oil changes. They have figured out that, to make the most money, they need to have products for everyone of our needs….and most of all WANTS
Wal-mart feeds to our nature to want things we don’t need. Maybe the church can learn something from this. Except turn it around. Feed to the need, not to the wants of the people. Yeah people want to be entertained, but seriously, where in the Good Book does it show eternity as entertaining. And if Children’s ministry is so important in today’s church life…why are we so bent on entertaining the children and not feed the family’s need for deep relationships, practical virtues, and honest communication?
The church needs to simplify, cut out the fluffy fat that’s been holding us back from truly running the race for the prize. As a preacher, I want to give people what they need, not what they wanted.
Do people like it? Not really, seriously, I am sounding like I like it. But I am the first who wants to be entertained, the first to be spoon fed the message every Sunday. But the truth is, people stopped following the message of Christ because it was to hard. It required so much, it required all of us.
Well, it’s 9:46am and I need to get back home to my beautiful bride, she is probably sleeping in…I love that about her. She knows how to enjoy the mornings. This is my day off…why am I here?
Any way, I will probably swing by the new 3rd largest in the country SUPER Wal-mart on the way home. It is right across the street from my 800 sq. ft. apartment. What a beautiful world. What a beautiful Mukwonago!
Super Wal-Marts (SW-M) are very hard to find in Wisconsin. Only one in the Greater Milwaukee area, unlike Indiana where we have migrated from. In college we would spend hours just wondering the aisles see all the pretty things we will own when we were out of school. And today, I bought speakers, and a sub-woofer…why? Because I like loud music. And as I sit here and reflect on my present location in my journey through life, Black Eyed Peas, “Where is the Love” is rumbling through my speakers.
So back to my title of my reflection…why I wish church was like the Materialistic Temple we call Super Wal-Mart?
I have a few reasons:
1. They remember the ONE THING: No matter what day you walk into SWM you will know what the main thing is…the price-the cost—the MONEY! That’s right, SWM open all across this red white and blue nation with the one goal in mind. Make money! Sure they ALWAYS (which they now own that word) want the lowest price for you and I. But the truth is, they want our hard earned money.
Church is a little different, and when I say church I am talking about your church, and my church, and that church on the corner where your grandma used to go, before the young preacher came in, and that church that sits in circles and guy with dreads sings with a guitar, while we try to figure out the tune. And I am talking about the church where everyone wears a suit on Sunday, and have like a billion kids in every family. Church has lost it’s ONE THING. I bought a book a year ago called “THE ONE THING” great book, as it explores Martha and Mary and sometimes we need to be a Martha in our work, but most times we need to be a MARY and just chill and rest at the feet of Christ.
I am reflecting on the church as a whole, so I am making big generalizations. Buti feel today, that the church has lost it’s one thing. We are so caught up in ministry we forget what the ONE thing is. We forget what every person that walks through our doors want and need.
The one thing: GRACE: Salvation Grace, Discipleship Grace, Evangelistic Grace, Servant Grace.
2. Wal-Mart figured it out…it takes more then one product to get your money. They know they could not have a SWM only selling clothes, or just food, or just oil changes. They have figured out that, to make the most money, they need to have products for everyone of our needs….and most of all WANTS
Wal-mart feeds to our nature to want things we don’t need. Maybe the church can learn something from this. Except turn it around. Feed to the need, not to the wants of the people. Yeah people want to be entertained, but seriously, where in the Good Book does it show eternity as entertaining. And if Children’s ministry is so important in today’s church life…why are we so bent on entertaining the children and not feed the family’s need for deep relationships, practical virtues, and honest communication?
The church needs to simplify, cut out the fluffy fat that’s been holding us back from truly running the race for the prize. As a preacher, I want to give people what they need, not what they wanted.
Do people like it? Not really, seriously, I am sounding like I like it. But I am the first who wants to be entertained, the first to be spoon fed the message every Sunday. But the truth is, people stopped following the message of Christ because it was to hard. It required so much, it required all of us.
Well, it’s 9:46am and I need to get back home to my beautiful bride, she is probably sleeping in…I love that about her. She knows how to enjoy the mornings. This is my day off…why am I here?
Any way, I will probably swing by the new 3rd largest in the country SUPER Wal-mart on the way home. It is right across the street from my 800 sq. ft. apartment. What a beautiful world. What a beautiful Mukwonago!
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Times are ALWAYS changing...
Today I read an article over a new cup of coffee. I don’t know which one I enjoyed more, the Carmel Mocha Freeze or the article on the new in coming college freshmen. Now it was only 6 years ago that I was a college freshman at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. Some of you remember my freshman year…and I again apologize for all of that. I am definitely like a fine wine…am getting more enjoyable every year. But anyway on to more important things that me…this coffee freeze was amazing. As you know my wife is a professional barista…for a coffee drinker, that is like an alcoholic owning a bar…it is a beautiful relationship. Any way, I was enjoying this coffee when I found this article on 7B of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which by the way is a horrible paper. But it is all we have in these parts. So if I am going to read it, I read the good stuff with a good cup of joe.
This article was really interesting. I guess every year the Beloit College publishes the Beloit College Mindset List, an annual compilation that offers a glimpse of the worldview of each incoming class. And it came out today!! Yeah!! And the paper thought it would publish a few of it’s findings. I have listed them here for you to enjoy with me…but wait….get that coffee I had…it is so good…
The Culture of the College Freshman
1. Born in 1987
2. America’s Funniest Home Videos’ has always been on the air
3. A man named George Bush has been the president for more then half their lives.
4. They grew up with pay-per-view, voice mail on their phones, dirty dancing at school dances, and the United States as the only superpower.
5. The class of 2009 has never known Andy Warhol
6. They have never seen Jimmy Swaggart preach on TV
7. They have never seen a show of Arsenio Hall.
8. They all grew up with home computers
9. They have never known life with out a digital camera
10. Souped-up car stereos is not new to them.
11. Television has always blurred the lines between news and entertainment
12. This freshman class has no concept of the 6 o’clock news
13. Most freshman guys do not know how to tie a tie, let a lone own one
14. My favorite: They have always had “Starbucks”
I found this article intresting, and felt led to add some of my own. Since I do work with youth at many diffrernt level I thought I would add what I have picked up:
The Culture of a High School Student…
1. They have never known life with out a Wal-Mart in their town
2. They have never had basic Nintendo as their only game system
3. MTV has never played Music video’s
4. They have always had 3D video games
5. Sad but true…Dumb and Dumber (the original and only funny one) is too old to quote. They don’t get it…it is so so so sad. Does anyone want to hear the most annoying sound….blank stares….that is all you get…blank stares…so sad.
6. They have no conception of a military draft
7. They want to be around people who are different
8. They respect adults more than previous generations
9. Rebellion comes in different forms then just smoking, drinking, or sex, Rebellion is done publicly and openly
10. Homosexuality, has always been accepted
11. The church has always been for their parents
12. Coffee drinking is cool
13. They don’t know life with out email, or cell phones
14. AOL has always been around
15. AOL Instant Messenger is a primary way of communication
16. Text messaging is growing fast then a 30 year old trying to text “fast” on his or her phone.
17. Returning bottles is a foreign concept (except in Michigan where I am from)
18. Having a paper rout is so Andy Griffith…wait….they don’t know him either.
19. DVD players are old hates
20. They have always known school with shootings and open drugs.
WOW, as a person who invests His life into youth, I really have to be on the watch more then I am today, or the changing culture that is around me. If you have any more…please email me and let me know.
I got worms……….blank stares….blank stares….so so sad…
This article was really interesting. I guess every year the Beloit College publishes the Beloit College Mindset List, an annual compilation that offers a glimpse of the worldview of each incoming class. And it came out today!! Yeah!! And the paper thought it would publish a few of it’s findings. I have listed them here for you to enjoy with me…but wait….get that coffee I had…it is so good…
The Culture of the College Freshman
1. Born in 1987
2. America’s Funniest Home Videos’ has always been on the air
3. A man named George Bush has been the president for more then half their lives.
4. They grew up with pay-per-view, voice mail on their phones, dirty dancing at school dances, and the United States as the only superpower.
5. The class of 2009 has never known Andy Warhol
6. They have never seen Jimmy Swaggart preach on TV
7. They have never seen a show of Arsenio Hall.
8. They all grew up with home computers
9. They have never known life with out a digital camera
10. Souped-up car stereos is not new to them.
11. Television has always blurred the lines between news and entertainment
12. This freshman class has no concept of the 6 o’clock news
13. Most freshman guys do not know how to tie a tie, let a lone own one
14. My favorite: They have always had “Starbucks”
I found this article intresting, and felt led to add some of my own. Since I do work with youth at many diffrernt level I thought I would add what I have picked up:
The Culture of a High School Student…
1. They have never known life with out a Wal-Mart in their town
2. They have never had basic Nintendo as their only game system
3. MTV has never played Music video’s
4. They have always had 3D video games
5. Sad but true…Dumb and Dumber (the original and only funny one) is too old to quote. They don’t get it…it is so so so sad. Does anyone want to hear the most annoying sound….blank stares….that is all you get…blank stares…so sad.
6. They have no conception of a military draft
7. They want to be around people who are different
8. They respect adults more than previous generations
9. Rebellion comes in different forms then just smoking, drinking, or sex, Rebellion is done publicly and openly
10. Homosexuality, has always been accepted
11. The church has always been for their parents
12. Coffee drinking is cool
13. They don’t know life with out email, or cell phones
14. AOL has always been around
15. AOL Instant Messenger is a primary way of communication
16. Text messaging is growing fast then a 30 year old trying to text “fast” on his or her phone.
17. Returning bottles is a foreign concept (except in Michigan where I am from)
18. Having a paper rout is so Andy Griffith…wait….they don’t know him either.
19. DVD players are old hates
20. They have always known school with shootings and open drugs.
WOW, as a person who invests His life into youth, I really have to be on the watch more then I am today, or the changing culture that is around me. If you have any more…please email me and let me know.
I got worms……….blank stares….blank stares….so so sad…
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Thoughts from my reading over vacation
Ok, so I am now in Indianapolis, Indiana, visit my father and mother in-law. It was is always good to see them, relax by their beautiful big pool and just refresh. I have really enjoyed our vacation these past couple of days. We have been from Milwaukee, to Detroit, down to Dayton, Ohio, and now in Indy. On the way I have been reading a book called “We Believe” by a bunch of different authors including one of my favorites Thomas Oden, and J.I.Packer. I find these guys simply deep…I say simply deep because they take you deep with simple terms and thoughts. I hope someday to be able to do that with my writing. But today, I am bloggijng on what I have learned from my vacation.
First I have learned, I have a lot of holes. In fact if you were to fill me with water, I would leak. I have been reading some J.I. Packer and he was writing about how messed up our lives really are with out Christ. He concludes that people are “perverted”. What a crazy way to put it! But think about it, we are really messed up. Turn on the television at 5:00pm, the radio; open up the Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee's horrible so called newspaper) and you will find a group of perverted living creatures. Why do we act the way we do? How can we stop the violence, bring peace in the middle-east, stop the big corporate scandals, hold back the gas prices, and convince people not to shoot other people? Why is sex the main focus of everything on TV? Why does there have to be more then chicken wings at Hooters? Why are we this way?
Sin is a subject many preachers today fail to tackle? I don't know if it is because it is to big to totally label? Or we are afraid to step on toes. Maybe sin is to big for one preacher to talk about, to much in us to point out in others. Maybe we are not supposed to point anything? But what about sin. Is it talked about in your life? Do you deal with it? Suffer from it? Is it a desire or disease in your life?
James, (the book not my brother) talks a lot about sin. I have been studying this book on Sunday mornings with some friends. We gather for breakfast and dig deep in this book, trying to find and discovers what God has for us through this letter written by James thousands of years ago. James writes that our desires married with evil gives birth to sin. First time, I read that it didn't really catch, it's one of those Bible things that jump out on you in every day life. My desires are not sinful, but desire to serve my wife and love her with all I am is not sinful. But turning those desires onto myself, or another women, other then my wife would be a sin. See how sin works? It takes the good of this world, things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control….the things we are naturally drawn to, the things we all long to have in our lives, and Sin or better said, the evil one, perverts those things, making them destructive, like a cancer to our lives. Sin takes for example; love and perverts it to lust, or joy and turning it to anger, and bitterness. These things eat at our lives, our nature, and unfortunately, it has been in our lives since the womb.
We are full of this cancer when we are born, passed from one generation to the next. No one ever has to teach a kid how to lie, or cheat, or be selfish. No one had to teach me how to be perverted in how I live. It is in my nature. Like it's in the nature of a lion to kill and eat, it's in my nature to sin.
So how do we change this course we are on? Can we? I mean can you and I change the life in which we are living? Like a broken car needing a total overhaul of the engine. Can my life be changed by me? Can the car fix itself? Can the computer rid itself of a virus? OR does it take an outside force? Does it take something greater then the car to fix the car?
I know the cure for the world. I really do. I have experienced it, and right now in this Starbucks where I write this, I am experiencing it. Not for the first time, or the last, but for all time. How about this…if I had the cure for aids, which kills hundreds of thousands a month. Kids in other countries are dieing horrible deaths because of this disease. If I had the cure, and you had the disease…would you want it? What would you do for it? Would you kill for it? Would you steal for it?
Remember James? Not from brother but the book in the Bible that I mentioned before. Yeah, that guy, well He died. In fact he died for the cure. He died sharing the cure with others. He was killed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The cure my friends for this disease of sin is Jesus Christ. In fact Christ died so that you could be saved. Christ paid the price for the cure; He wanted you so bad to be delivered from the bondage of the disease that He died on the cross so that you and I could be free from the bondage of Sin.
But if you know me, and you do, or you wouldn't be reading this, you would know that John Freed is full of sin. He is not right. But friend, God is still working on me. Just like a car needing a complete overhaul of the engine, John Freed needs a complete overhaul of his heart. Sin has perverted his heart, soul, mind, and strength. But Christ says, love me with all you, and I will give you all ME. Walk with Me and I will walk with you. He says in John 15, “I am the vine you are the branches, if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing”. I really believe that John Freed apart from Christ can do nothing. Nothing, that isn't perverted or distorted.
Holiness, is the process in which Christ moves in your life making you pure, and perfect. So it isn't you who fixes you…it is Christ, and Christ's Spirit releasing your spirit to be all He has created you to be.
So I have a few questions for those of you who finished this thought…
1. Do you have sin in your life?
2. Do you realize how it is destroying you?
3. Are you trying to fix it on your own?
4. Have your surrendered all of you to Christ?
5. Have you searched Christ out for a new life?
It was a good vacation so far, Friday we head home and it is back to work on Saturday.
First I have learned, I have a lot of holes. In fact if you were to fill me with water, I would leak. I have been reading some J.I. Packer and he was writing about how messed up our lives really are with out Christ. He concludes that people are “perverted”. What a crazy way to put it! But think about it, we are really messed up. Turn on the television at 5:00pm, the radio; open up the Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee's horrible so called newspaper) and you will find a group of perverted living creatures. Why do we act the way we do? How can we stop the violence, bring peace in the middle-east, stop the big corporate scandals, hold back the gas prices, and convince people not to shoot other people? Why is sex the main focus of everything on TV? Why does there have to be more then chicken wings at Hooters? Why are we this way?
Sin is a subject many preachers today fail to tackle? I don't know if it is because it is to big to totally label? Or we are afraid to step on toes. Maybe sin is to big for one preacher to talk about, to much in us to point out in others. Maybe we are not supposed to point anything? But what about sin. Is it talked about in your life? Do you deal with it? Suffer from it? Is it a desire or disease in your life?
James, (the book not my brother) talks a lot about sin. I have been studying this book on Sunday mornings with some friends. We gather for breakfast and dig deep in this book, trying to find and discovers what God has for us through this letter written by James thousands of years ago. James writes that our desires married with evil gives birth to sin. First time, I read that it didn't really catch, it's one of those Bible things that jump out on you in every day life. My desires are not sinful, but desire to serve my wife and love her with all I am is not sinful. But turning those desires onto myself, or another women, other then my wife would be a sin. See how sin works? It takes the good of this world, things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, self-control….the things we are naturally drawn to, the things we all long to have in our lives, and Sin or better said, the evil one, perverts those things, making them destructive, like a cancer to our lives. Sin takes for example; love and perverts it to lust, or joy and turning it to anger, and bitterness. These things eat at our lives, our nature, and unfortunately, it has been in our lives since the womb.
We are full of this cancer when we are born, passed from one generation to the next. No one ever has to teach a kid how to lie, or cheat, or be selfish. No one had to teach me how to be perverted in how I live. It is in my nature. Like it's in the nature of a lion to kill and eat, it's in my nature to sin.
So how do we change this course we are on? Can we? I mean can you and I change the life in which we are living? Like a broken car needing a total overhaul of the engine. Can my life be changed by me? Can the car fix itself? Can the computer rid itself of a virus? OR does it take an outside force? Does it take something greater then the car to fix the car?
I know the cure for the world. I really do. I have experienced it, and right now in this Starbucks where I write this, I am experiencing it. Not for the first time, or the last, but for all time. How about this…if I had the cure for aids, which kills hundreds of thousands a month. Kids in other countries are dieing horrible deaths because of this disease. If I had the cure, and you had the disease…would you want it? What would you do for it? Would you kill for it? Would you steal for it?
Remember James? Not from brother but the book in the Bible that I mentioned before. Yeah, that guy, well He died. In fact he died for the cure. He died sharing the cure with others. He was killed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The cure my friends for this disease of sin is Jesus Christ. In fact Christ died so that you could be saved. Christ paid the price for the cure; He wanted you so bad to be delivered from the bondage of the disease that He died on the cross so that you and I could be free from the bondage of Sin.
But if you know me, and you do, or you wouldn't be reading this, you would know that John Freed is full of sin. He is not right. But friend, God is still working on me. Just like a car needing a complete overhaul of the engine, John Freed needs a complete overhaul of his heart. Sin has perverted his heart, soul, mind, and strength. But Christ says, love me with all you, and I will give you all ME. Walk with Me and I will walk with you. He says in John 15, “I am the vine you are the branches, if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing”. I really believe that John Freed apart from Christ can do nothing. Nothing, that isn't perverted or distorted.
Holiness, is the process in which Christ moves in your life making you pure, and perfect. So it isn't you who fixes you…it is Christ, and Christ's Spirit releasing your spirit to be all He has created you to be.
So I have a few questions for those of you who finished this thought…
1. Do you have sin in your life?
2. Do you realize how it is destroying you?
3. Are you trying to fix it on your own?
4. Have your surrendered all of you to Christ?
5. Have you searched Christ out for a new life?
It was a good vacation so far, Friday we head home and it is back to work on Saturday.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
If you wondered what I looked like since College
Many of you have called or emailed and wondered what i look like since college. Brooks Sayer had a bet with his wife on the subject of my beard and whether or not i would still have it or not, so here is a picture of me in June...in case you wondered how i turned out!
my Beautiful Awesome Wife
This past tuesday was my 2 year Anniversary to my beautiful Danielle.
She is awesome!!!
My vacation
My vacation is going great this year. Danielle and I are traveling to Detroit to visit my parents in their new home and church. It was great seeing how God had moved and provided in their lives and to see how many people they will have the chance to share Christ with. A year ago, we were praying that God would provide a ministry for my father (Bud Freed). A few years ago he came out of a really hard season of ministry. Ministry had become more of a job, than serving the Lord, and he understood he needed to get his feet under him and draw closer to the Lord. So, for three years he has worked as the Chaplin for a hospital in Coldwater, Michigan and in the shipping and recieveing area of that hospital. But today, he is the senior Pastor of a church in a beautiful lake town just outside Detroit. They are loving this season of ministry and enjoy being able to be used by God in a fresh new way.
So we are over here for a few days visiting them, then on Friday and Saturday we are heading to Ottowa Lake near Toledo (exit 5 on Hwy23) where Justin and Lindsay will tie the knot..........................spring forward to the future.........................that wedding was beautiful!! Justin and Lindsay make an awesome dynamic couple. Justin has always been a huge smile in my life. He is one of those guys you love to be friends with because he makes you a better person. Justin has always taught me how to be open, real, and authentic with others in my spiritual life. Lindsay is a beautiful lady, who is passionte about her faith. I was thinking yesterday, when her father was walking her down the isle...boy i hope my daughter, someday, turns out in love with Jesus like she is!
We are back in Detroit, and we are planning on leaving tomorrow for Dayton, OH. where I will show Danielle where i grew up and went to high school. It will be fun seeing old old old friends, and reconnecting with them.
Then after Dayton, (we have no schedule of time) we will head to Anderson, IN. where her parents live. We are looking forward to this..because they have a pool, so we plan on just sitting around doing nothing.
While i am on my vactaion i am reading a few books. I hope to have them done when i return home. One is "Chirst Plays in 10,000 Places" by Eugene Peterson. Which is a great book on Spiritual Theology. It is a tough book!! But i am enjoying it. Also i am reading "We Believe" which is a basic Christianity book by many old time authors. And then finally i am reading, another book my Eugene that i can not recall the title....but i proimse you it is good. If you would like to borrow them, drop me a email.
If you were wondering, i do miss our students. It is like we have left our kids with grandma and grandpa. I think about them daily, and just earlier I was showing someone our website...i really love those guys and gals.
well, i better get going. Danielle is napping on the couch, and i am chillin on the porch. I will try to check back later...but you know how I am at blogging.
So we are over here for a few days visiting them, then on Friday and Saturday we are heading to Ottowa Lake near Toledo (exit 5 on Hwy23) where Justin and Lindsay will tie the knot..........................spring forward to the future.........................that wedding was beautiful!! Justin and Lindsay make an awesome dynamic couple. Justin has always been a huge smile in my life. He is one of those guys you love to be friends with because he makes you a better person. Justin has always taught me how to be open, real, and authentic with others in my spiritual life. Lindsay is a beautiful lady, who is passionte about her faith. I was thinking yesterday, when her father was walking her down the isle...boy i hope my daughter, someday, turns out in love with Jesus like she is!
We are back in Detroit, and we are planning on leaving tomorrow for Dayton, OH. where I will show Danielle where i grew up and went to high school. It will be fun seeing old old old friends, and reconnecting with them.
Then after Dayton, (we have no schedule of time) we will head to Anderson, IN. where her parents live. We are looking forward to this..because they have a pool, so we plan on just sitting around doing nothing.
While i am on my vactaion i am reading a few books. I hope to have them done when i return home. One is "Chirst Plays in 10,000 Places" by Eugene Peterson. Which is a great book on Spiritual Theology. It is a tough book!! But i am enjoying it. Also i am reading "We Believe" which is a basic Christianity book by many old time authors. And then finally i am reading, another book my Eugene that i can not recall the title....but i proimse you it is good. If you would like to borrow them, drop me a email.
If you were wondering, i do miss our students. It is like we have left our kids with grandma and grandpa. I think about them daily, and just earlier I was showing someone our website...i really love those guys and gals.
well, i better get going. Danielle is napping on the couch, and i am chillin on the porch. I will try to check back later...but you know how I am at blogging.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
What am i doing now?
Ok seriously, i am not a good blooger. This is exactly what happens when I try to journal. I get a great start..and then boom...real life kicks in and I loose it. I get not lazy, but too busy. Almost as if everything i was doing was more important then journaling...or blooging. So do i get guilty? Do i get angry? Do I stare aimlessly into the night? NO! I FIGHT BACK!!!
My wife had a good idea...she said i should put my "To Do" list on my blog, giving people a great glimpse into what I do on a daily basis. Since I am sure everyone wonders what a pastor does all day...besides prayer, practice weddings, and listen to Christian raido.
But next week I have to preach...no, i don't normally have to preach...but well it is coming to that time of the month again, so the topic I am speaking on is..."What Jesus wants to do when life hands you garbage to work with"...long title i know...but i could not think of a better way to shorten it. Unless I went with: "Jesus + Garbage = Todays 30min sermon".
Well today it is 78 and beautiful in Milwaukee. Could not ask for a better day. Danielle is coming back from Chicago where she took Veronica (our good friend from Arizona) to the air port. It is an emotional ride, because Veronica will not be back for sometime. So Veronica, Wisconsin and our hearts...are growing colder until you return.
Tomorrow if you really want to know: CRM (www.ShowMeCRM.org) is having a Car wash to raise money for youth camp, and after that i am off to Oshkosh for LIFEST!! Should be a ton of fun!
Well, I tip my glass to those who struggle. It is sad to think...if it were not for Christ being the unfailing God...the unfailing love...my whole life would be nothing more then a failure. Sure I fail, and often. But what if failing is all i can do? What if somewhere deep inside of me is this cancer....this broken peice of me...and all I will ever do is fail? Then what?
John 15:5--->when ever you start to get it.
Love you Father, keep close, pull me back, and urge me out into a deeper walk with you. You make it so easy...help me not to make my spiritual life so hard. I just have a way of taking it back, and making my spiritual life about me...and less about you. When in fact you want to create in me a clean, pure, powerful, rich, barbaric, heart, that desires to have all of you. Yeah...that sounds good.
p.s. if you have not noticed....my grade school English teachers FAILED in a grand way with me...i take no responsiblity for my education...i was merely a by stander=) or so it seems.
My wife had a good idea...she said i should put my "To Do" list on my blog, giving people a great glimpse into what I do on a daily basis. Since I am sure everyone wonders what a pastor does all day...besides prayer, practice weddings, and listen to Christian raido.
But next week I have to preach...no, i don't normally have to preach...but well it is coming to that time of the month again, so the topic I am speaking on is..."What Jesus wants to do when life hands you garbage to work with"...long title i know...but i could not think of a better way to shorten it. Unless I went with: "Jesus + Garbage = Todays 30min sermon".
Well today it is 78 and beautiful in Milwaukee. Could not ask for a better day. Danielle is coming back from Chicago where she took Veronica (our good friend from Arizona) to the air port. It is an emotional ride, because Veronica will not be back for sometime. So Veronica, Wisconsin and our hearts...are growing colder until you return.
Tomorrow if you really want to know: CRM (www.ShowMeCRM.org) is having a Car wash to raise money for youth camp, and after that i am off to Oshkosh for LIFEST!! Should be a ton of fun!
Well, I tip my glass to those who struggle. It is sad to think...if it were not for Christ being the unfailing God...the unfailing love...my whole life would be nothing more then a failure. Sure I fail, and often. But what if failing is all i can do? What if somewhere deep inside of me is this cancer....this broken peice of me...and all I will ever do is fail? Then what?
John 15:5--->when ever you start to get it.
Love you Father, keep close, pull me back, and urge me out into a deeper walk with you. You make it so easy...help me not to make my spiritual life so hard. I just have a way of taking it back, and making my spiritual life about me...and less about you. When in fact you want to create in me a clean, pure, powerful, rich, barbaric, heart, that desires to have all of you. Yeah...that sounds good.
p.s. if you have not noticed....my grade school English teachers FAILED in a grand way with me...i take no responsiblity for my education...i was merely a by stander=) or so it seems.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Pictures
My family was never big on pictures. We are not that typical family that has pictures covering the hallway walls, or lining the fire place mantle or even hanging in the bed rooms. My family has only taken the traditional family photo every 5 years. I guess the thinking was, “hey we know what each other looks like”. But since I got my digital camera for Christmas I have been obnoxious. I love to take pictures of everything, and everyone. They say a good picture can speak 1000 words, and I believe it. I love to look at peoples pictures of trips, family events, old ones, new ones, sad pictures and funny pictures I love the many things pictures can say to a person.
But as I write this the thought passes my mind. If someone could take a picture of your spiritual life, what 1000 words would come to mind? Or better yet, if they could take a picture of your spiritual life, just capture a second of it, what one word would it be saying?
Truth is, no one can take a picture of your spiritual life. But Jesus Christ can see it. He can, he can look deep into your heart and read everything you think, feel, and desire. Do you know what He sees? What do you think His reply is? How do you think He will respond? I bet I can guess…
Forgiven
1 John 1:9-10 Read it! And LIVE it!
But as I write this the thought passes my mind. If someone could take a picture of your spiritual life, what 1000 words would come to mind? Or better yet, if they could take a picture of your spiritual life, just capture a second of it, what one word would it be saying?
Truth is, no one can take a picture of your spiritual life. But Jesus Christ can see it. He can, he can look deep into your heart and read everything you think, feel, and desire. Do you know what He sees? What do you think His reply is? How do you think He will respond? I bet I can guess…
Forgiven
1 John 1:9-10 Read it! And LIVE it!
Reflections from James
Last night I was beat. It's been awhile since my last full day off, to long to admit even to myself. So last night I came back to the apartment to vedge. I grabbed a “Sam’s Choice” flavored water (man I love those things) and a bag of popcorn and sat on the porch.
When I get old I want to be one of those old guys that gets up really early and goes to the local diner to drink coffee and talk about the headlines with other old guys who do nothing all day. That, my friend, is a day I am looking forward to.
Anyways, I came back to the ol' homestead for some R&R and fliped open my Bible to James. I honestly picked the book of James because my brother James has been on my heart all week. He is currently working through some life changes, or life issues and I have been lifting him up in prayer. He has been a huge blessing to me but He seems to live one of those lives that is always in turmoil. So I am really praying that God gives him Peace. Not peace like a great inner war is now over. And one side is the winner while the other regroups. But peace in the Hebrew sense of the word…a NEW road…A fresh path for his Life.
So again, I opened my Bible to James. Here is what I dug up...
First off James is a great book for the mature IN Christ. If you are looking for that Purpose Driven Life….well look no further. James laid it out long before Rick Warren figured it out.
v. 19 “…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Easier said then done of course, but James warns us that anger does not bring about what God desires. If you really want purpose for your life, seek out what God’s purpose is for your life. RIGHTEOUSNESS. Large word that I too am still trying to come to grips with. But as I read further in James he points out just 3 verses later that it starts with humility.
My brother James is an awesome guy who I know wants what God wants. But many times he is like me…quick to speak, slow to listen, and quick to snap off in anger. But is that who God has created James of me to be?
The truth is James puts it simply when he says that we need to shed off moral filth, and HUMBLY accept the word planted in you. Which can save you.
Humility is a hard lesson to learn. Have I learned it completly…no, but I have experienced it! Like the time I asked my wife to marry a fool like me. She said yes!! Yes!! Can you believe it? I mean…I can not believe she would commit to live everyday for the rest of her life with, and for- me. I mean me wanting her was a no brainier, she is incredible in every way. But me, an untalented in cool things, bad dresser, and not really much to look at guy.
Humility is learned as you do your faith. As you walk this road of life, and you hand over every step to Christ. I feel that he hands back, humility. The more you clothe yourself in his Word. The more humility you gain. Do you see it? Read the rest of James, maybe you will see what I see. That you can not gain humility, it is a gift. Like grace, mercy and holiness. Humility is the food for your faith. With out works your faith is dead. Just like with out food you will die, but think about it…could it be that humility is how we digest our faith?
Can you have faith with out humility? Can you have anything good and life giving with out humility?
Praying for James on this supposedly day off of Thursday. God is my strength and my refuge.
When I get old I want to be one of those old guys that gets up really early and goes to the local diner to drink coffee and talk about the headlines with other old guys who do nothing all day. That, my friend, is a day I am looking forward to.
Anyways, I came back to the ol' homestead for some R&R and fliped open my Bible to James. I honestly picked the book of James because my brother James has been on my heart all week. He is currently working through some life changes, or life issues and I have been lifting him up in prayer. He has been a huge blessing to me but He seems to live one of those lives that is always in turmoil. So I am really praying that God gives him Peace. Not peace like a great inner war is now over. And one side is the winner while the other regroups. But peace in the Hebrew sense of the word…a NEW road…A fresh path for his Life.
So again, I opened my Bible to James. Here is what I dug up...
First off James is a great book for the mature IN Christ. If you are looking for that Purpose Driven Life….well look no further. James laid it out long before Rick Warren figured it out.
v. 19 “…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
Easier said then done of course, but James warns us that anger does not bring about what God desires. If you really want purpose for your life, seek out what God’s purpose is for your life. RIGHTEOUSNESS. Large word that I too am still trying to come to grips with. But as I read further in James he points out just 3 verses later that it starts with humility.
My brother James is an awesome guy who I know wants what God wants. But many times he is like me…quick to speak, slow to listen, and quick to snap off in anger. But is that who God has created James of me to be?
The truth is James puts it simply when he says that we need to shed off moral filth, and HUMBLY accept the word planted in you. Which can save you.
Humility is a hard lesson to learn. Have I learned it completly…no, but I have experienced it! Like the time I asked my wife to marry a fool like me. She said yes!! Yes!! Can you believe it? I mean…I can not believe she would commit to live everyday for the rest of her life with, and for- me. I mean me wanting her was a no brainier, she is incredible in every way. But me, an untalented in cool things, bad dresser, and not really much to look at guy.
Humility is learned as you do your faith. As you walk this road of life, and you hand over every step to Christ. I feel that he hands back, humility. The more you clothe yourself in his Word. The more humility you gain. Do you see it? Read the rest of James, maybe you will see what I see. That you can not gain humility, it is a gift. Like grace, mercy and holiness. Humility is the food for your faith. With out works your faith is dead. Just like with out food you will die, but think about it…could it be that humility is how we digest our faith?
Can you have faith with out humility? Can you have anything good and life giving with out humility?
Praying for James on this supposedly day off of Thursday. God is my strength and my refuge.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
What i love...
John Freed is a husband to Danielle. Who he is very much in love with. In fact before Danielle other wise known as BD. He was a fool. He searched and searched for MRS. Right. Many times his heart was broken. Until one day, she took him on a date. Yup, you could say he fell in love. Love at first sight for sure!!
Also, John is in love with Jesus Christ. yeah before Christ other wise known as BC. John was a fool. He searched and searched for somethign real in fake places. Until one day, GOd got a hold of John's heart....kinda called out to him in a way. John responded and it was love at first sight. Full of grace, hope, Joy, peace, mercy. All wrapped up in Love. Since then John has been a good husband, good friend and blessed. I guess you could say John would have been all those things before Christ entered his life...but John knows. Yup John knows what could have happened if he would have never fallen in love with Christ.
Do you know what could happen in your life with out Christ? I know what could happen in your life with Christ.
Also, John is in love with Jesus Christ. yeah before Christ other wise known as BC. John was a fool. He searched and searched for somethign real in fake places. Until one day, GOd got a hold of John's heart....kinda called out to him in a way. John responded and it was love at first sight. Full of grace, hope, Joy, peace, mercy. All wrapped up in Love. Since then John has been a good husband, good friend and blessed. I guess you could say John would have been all those things before Christ entered his life...but John knows. Yup John knows what could have happened if he would have never fallen in love with Christ.
Do you know what could happen in your life with out Christ? I know what could happen in your life with Christ.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Thursday Night...and I am tired
Well Danielle is in Choir pracitce right now, but she sends her greetings. We really don't know what we are supposed to do with a Blog site, but we are doing it....somehow.
Today, we took the day and went to the Wisconsin Dells, not for play or fun, but for a Kids Camp meeting. We are getting all our ducks in a row for this summer. I am working on CRM stuff and she is organizing and stratagizing for Children's Ministry. It is an exciting time, but a very busy time. We really need some time off...but as we look through our calenders...we don't see it coming until at least middle of July.
But we truly feel very blessed to be in Mukwonago and at Our Savior's Wesleyan Church. The people here have given us the opportunity to spread our wings and truly allow God to teach us to fly. It feels good to be here and serving Him!
Then this afternoon we took a long walk down State Street in Madison Wisconsin. Beautiful university town. somewhere around 65000 students attend that school!!! WOW! As we walked down state street my eyes kept staring at people. Danielle and I have a starring problem. We really love people, and we love to just watch them! It even gets worse when we are in a town like Madison, but we enjoyed the day seeing the people=)
In my life I am hungry. Not like food hungry, like stomache hungry. I am hungry for more. Hungry for a deeper love. It almost feels like my soul is groaning. I long for a deeper love for my Lord, and deeper love for my wife, and a deeper love for my ministry. I know this feeling well. I feel it when I am on the brink of something big in my spiritual life. Something fresh...something new. I have a craving heart.
I don't say this to sound like I am holy-er than thou...but i say it because I want more...i mean i really want to know and do, and be more like Christ. have you ever felt like your soul was hungry? Like you wanted something more than where you are currently living? What did you do? Tonight, i am merely trying to get a Blog off the ground that honestly i am 100% sure no one knows about or even reads. Like it's my own litttle private web space...what will i do with it?
Tonight, i will sleep good, because tommorow i spend the evening with a LIFE Group south of town. I am walking them through a healing service for a young family in our church. We are hungry to see GOd move.
Good night...and well...pray that i get somethig to eat....i am almost starving! Is that where he wants to take me? Like is this a 40 days in my desert. We will see.
Night
Today, we took the day and went to the Wisconsin Dells, not for play or fun, but for a Kids Camp meeting. We are getting all our ducks in a row for this summer. I am working on CRM stuff and she is organizing and stratagizing for Children's Ministry. It is an exciting time, but a very busy time. We really need some time off...but as we look through our calenders...we don't see it coming until at least middle of July.
But we truly feel very blessed to be in Mukwonago and at Our Savior's Wesleyan Church. The people here have given us the opportunity to spread our wings and truly allow God to teach us to fly. It feels good to be here and serving Him!
Then this afternoon we took a long walk down State Street in Madison Wisconsin. Beautiful university town. somewhere around 65000 students attend that school!!! WOW! As we walked down state street my eyes kept staring at people. Danielle and I have a starring problem. We really love people, and we love to just watch them! It even gets worse when we are in a town like Madison, but we enjoyed the day seeing the people=)
In my life I am hungry. Not like food hungry, like stomache hungry. I am hungry for more. Hungry for a deeper love. It almost feels like my soul is groaning. I long for a deeper love for my Lord, and deeper love for my wife, and a deeper love for my ministry. I know this feeling well. I feel it when I am on the brink of something big in my spiritual life. Something fresh...something new. I have a craving heart.
I don't say this to sound like I am holy-er than thou...but i say it because I want more...i mean i really want to know and do, and be more like Christ. have you ever felt like your soul was hungry? Like you wanted something more than where you are currently living? What did you do? Tonight, i am merely trying to get a Blog off the ground that honestly i am 100% sure no one knows about or even reads. Like it's my own litttle private web space...what will i do with it?
Tonight, i will sleep good, because tommorow i spend the evening with a LIFE Group south of town. I am walking them through a healing service for a young family in our church. We are hungry to see GOd move.
Good night...and well...pray that i get somethig to eat....i am almost starving! Is that where he wants to take me? Like is this a 40 days in my desert. We will see.
Night
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
What am I doing?
Ok well, it is Wednesday, I am rushing between one ministry to the next, and thought I would set up a Blog Spot for Danielle and I. I really honestly do not know how these things work...but hey, I think it could be intresting. Plus, I can send people here to introduce them more to us. I hope this can be used so people can view our hearts, and really get to know us better.
Well here is to the Freed House...keep an eye out and see what we are up to=)
John
Well here is to the Freed House...keep an eye out and see what we are up to=)
John
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