5 Ways to Get the Most out of the 2015 Pepperdine Lectureships (even if you’re not there)

In just a couple of days, I’ll make my first trip out to the Pepperdine Lectureships. It’s been on “the list” for a while – and why not? Pepperdine offers it’s attendees just about everything – including scenic views of the Pacific Ocean! I’m so pumped to be a part of this event and teaching one of the breakout sessions this Wednesday (“When Small Churches Make a Big Difference” AC 280).

Here are a couple of the reasons why I’m excited. The lineup this year is rather incredible with the likes of Sarah Barton, Josh Ross, Dusty Rush, Terry Rush, Jonathan Storment, Antenor Goncalves and Jeff Walling, as well as a list of featured speakers that includes David Kinnaman, Nadia Bolz-Weber and Scot McKnight as the resident scholar for the week.

The Sinner, The Saint, and The Table

He stands outside looking in. He folds his arms over each other, narrows his eyes, and wrinkles up his forehead under his hair dripping wet. He’s been in the field working. All day. He’s tanned and dirty, but nothing can cover up his markings of devotion, yet there he is standing outside hostile and seething.

Inside no one stands. Only frenzy resides there. I imagine those inside with arms extended, eyes wildly alive, while their entire bodies, their senses, immerse themselves in delight bordering on indulgence. One, in particular, disheveled and dirty but clothed in regal robes, looks strangely out of place. Nothing, it would seem, can hide his scarred-over wounds of unfaithfulness, but there he is inside dancing around and delighted. Continue reading

The 720

“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” – Dr. Seuss

Like it or not, each of us have only a number of days, but the point of life has never really been about counting how many days we have, but instead, learning how to make each of the days count – however short or long they might be! This is the timeless wisdom of the Psalmist when he said, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Continue reading

EMPTY // Never Give Up on Giving Up

If you’re like me, then you may not have grown up hearing about or practicing Lent. For those unfamiliar with this Christian season (and suspicious of anything new), here’s what you need to know: its practice is rooted deeply in three ideas presented in Scripture.

The first is that we came from dirt and it is to the dirt our bodies will one day return. It is a way of remembering our mortality, or finiteness, of the inescapable truth that we will one day die.

The second is that we are free to lean fully into our mortality during this season by joining Jesus in laying down our plays for power and significance and our greedy appetites. It’s an invitation to to lay down our life and pick up the cross daily and a series about the daily struggles to give up our own way of living in exchange for the cross shaped way of living. Continue reading

ENOUGH!

God longs for close encounters with you, but God equally longs for you to connect with others. The first negative statement uttered in Scripture comes from the lips of God while observing this fundamental truth, “It is not good for man to be alone.” What happens next cements God’s commitment for us to share in meaningful relationships with others. The second chapter of Genesis ends with this stunning statement, “Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

We were created to connect with others, but because of shame our default is to disconnect.

Close Encounters

God longs for close encounters. Look no further than Genesis 2 if you don’t believe me. It’s an awkward scene for some of us. There, in this bare garden before any plant has sprung from the ground, God is creating the first human being, Adam. The story is told in such a way that it doesn’t require much imagination for us to envision God’s hands dirty from scooping up mounds of dirt in order to sculpt out every last detail of creation’s pinnacle. Can’t you see him stepping back, admiring what’s been made, and then taking one last breath before placing his mouth on Adam’s and breathing into him what’s called the breath of life? Now that’s a close encounter!

We were created for connection, but our default is disconnection.

RESTART

Here’s a quick list of the Top 5 Resolutions in America for 2015

1. Get Fit

2. Get Organized

3. Get (Financially) Balanced

4. Learn Something New

5. Quit Something Old

You know what? These are the same resolutions as last year’s…and I’m guessing the same as the one before that too!

I had a friend I grew up with in Alabama who always had the latest gaming system. I can seriously recall every major gaming system of my youth not because I had it, but because he had them all. The Commodore 64, The Atari 2600, The NES, The Sega Genesis. Continue reading

5 Ways to Get the Most out of the 2015 Pepperdine Lectureships (even if you’re not there)

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