So, later this year I am blessed with the opportunity to speak at the 2010 National Youth Gathering, held in New Orleans. It happens every 4 years and brings together 10’s of thousands of high school students from around the country.
The night I speak I’ll have about 20 minutes to talk and somewhere around 25,000 kids listening in. Crazy, right? It’s been a really interesting process over the last few months to wrestle with just what God wants them to hear.
I believe He’s led me to a really cool place with what I’ve prepared, but I still wonder at times - “is this making the most of those 20 minutes and the attention of the 25,000 kids?”
So let me ask you. If you had just one shot, 20 minutes and the attention of 25,000 kids–each at a pivotal point in their life–what is the one thing you’d want them to hear? What would you say with your one shot?
I don’t have ADD. At least, I don’t officially have it. What I do officially have is this inability to just “be.” I always have to “do.” Sunday through Tuesday I’ll be doing a bit of teaching at a Conference held at a conference center in Middle of Nowhere, TX. I’ll have a good deal of down time and so I’m bringing the girls with me. I’ll teach for about an hour or so each day and the rest of it is pretty much free; free to hang out with the girls, read a book, have a campfire, whatever. Last night Lisa looked at me and said, “Are you going to be able to do this?” “Of course. 3 days with no meetings and no interruptions?! Absolutely.”
I was lying. She knows it.
There’s something in me that is always itching to have a project, work on something, write something and that keeps me from ever feeling okay with just sitting, relaxing, and “being” and not “doing.” I feel guilty when I just sit, even though I know that I need to; even though I know those I love need me to.
It’s something I pray about. It’s something that I know is really, at it’s heart, a pride issue for me. I think that the world needs my constant effort. Likewise, my sense of self-worth is tied to my ability to obsesssively achieve. Both are bad, narcissistic and sinful. (See, I’ve read enough of the scriptures to know how jacked I am.) Thank you for Jesus.
All that said, I really am looking forward to this weekend. Really, I am.
“You Asked for It” is a brand new Life Lesson series at CrossPoint Community Church. Hundreds of people submitted their questions the most popular are being answered on Sunday mornings. I’ve invited several of my co-workers to address the “best of the rest” right here. WARNING - your questions did not hold back - an neither will our answers.
QUESTION | How do I combat those attacking Christianity and conservatism? Can you truly be “liberal” as today’s society defines it and an obedient righteous Christian?
ANSWER | Submitted by Frank Hart
Christianity and conservatism are not the same thing. Jesus is not a Republican, and He is not a conservative. If a conservative is a person who is resistant to change, then clearly Jesus (and His followers) are not conservative. Jesus calls for a total change in anyone who would follow Him, and this is to overflow into all areas of life. They are to no longer put family, friends, nation, politics or any self-interests before Him. Following Jesus means applying His standards to all areas of life. This changes everything.
Consider, how does Jesus want us to view family? What is God’s purpose for marriage and what standards does He give us for it? When does a human life begin and how are we to protect the weak? These are all issues that God speaks about in His word with great passion and clarity. We are not to simply do what is right in our own eyes. Continue reading »
“You Asked for It” is a brand new Life Lesson series at CrossPoint Community Church. Hundreds of people submitted their questions the most popular are being answered on Sunday mornings. I’ve invited several of my co-workers to address the “best of the rest” right here. WARNING - your questions did not hold back - an neither will our answers.
QUESTION | What constitutes adultery? Is looking at pornography adultery?
ANSWER | Submitted by Frank Hart
Adultery is any sexual activity that takes place outside of marriage. So the real question is “what is a sexual activity?” Jesus says that lusting in your heart is the same as doing it.
Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”
The heart is easy to corrupt, in fact our hearts are all born leading us to darkness and corruption. Jesus said in Mark 7:21: “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Continue reading »
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