What story are you writing?

Any good story has this structure: A character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. While writing a movie script based on his personal memoirs, Don Miller concluded the story his life was writing was boring. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years cleverly summarizes how he rewrote (and is still writing) his life story to mean something.

Miller has a simplistic yet thought provoking style of writing that engages the reader from the introduction. His words are simultaneously entertaining and challenging, causing the reader to question the story he/she is living. By the end of the book, you will do an audit of your life story and evaluate how your schedule and checkbook shape the story you really want to your life to write.

Young people doing big things...

Young people are often associated with poor choices and selfish living. Not Austin Gutwein. This teenage boy took what he loved and used it to help AIDS orphans in Africa. By creating the Hoops for Hopes program, Austin has raised funds to build a school and medical clinic for those who need it.

Take Your Best Shot is an easy read that will challenge the reader with some not-so-easy thoughts and ideas. It will challenge you to think of ways that you can do something bigger than yourself and help meet the needs of others. If you have been looking for inspiration to try something big, this book will certainly provide. A must read for all teenagers.

Hope for Church...

Real Church by Larry Crabb

Lost interest in church? So have many others? Why? Isn't church supposed to be a place where the sick are healed, the lost are given direction, and the dead are brought to life? In Real Church, Crabb describes the reasons church doesn't work for him, and lays a foundation for the church he longs to be a part of.

Churches today, as a whole, seem to be missing the point. Many seem more focused on entertaining than transforming, and changing behavior trumps connecting with the Creator. Crabb's honesty is a breath of fresh air for those fatigued by church. One recurring thought entered my mind while reading this book: "I'm not alone. At least one other person notices it too."

If you too think church needs resuscitation, you will enjoy this book. Crabb has a way of putting into words what my mind and soul are already thinking. I hope church leaders are willing to read his suggestions and do something about it. The future of church depends on it.

Thoughts on Independence

I'm hesitant to actually write this post, because it will undoubtedly piss someone off. Hopefully most will understand, and at the very least, agree to disagree.

I'm not all that patriotic. In fact, the only things I really like about the Fourth of July are the food and explosions. It's not that I don't love this country, because I do. I love the freedoms that I have to follow Jesus without government interference, the comforts that I have (grocery shopping, never worrying about shelter, etc.), and a generally good life.

Here's my problem: I won't put the love or dedication to the United States above the love or dedication to my God. Many people would say these two go hand in hand. I disagree. Many, if not most, things our country stands for go directly against the teachings of Jesus. In fact, the idea of the American Dream is found nowhere in Scripture. On the contrary, we are told to love others as ourselves. Translated: this life is not about you and your wants or me and my wants. It's about loving people in real ways that reflect the love God has for them. That's it.

Take another example: the pledge of allegiance. This is where some people will get pissed off. I decided a couple months ago to stop saying the pledge of allegiance. Why? Because I don't pledge allegiance to the flag, this country, my wife, my friends, money, or any other person or thing. This is called idolatry. My allegiance lies with Jesus. Hear me out. It's not that I don't care about and respect our country and flag, its just that I can't, in good faith, swear my allegiance to it. If I do this, it's like saying everything else comes second. Again, I love my country, but if it asks me to do something that is contrary to what I know is right or true (i.e. killing other people, pursuing my own selfish ambitions, etc.), I won't do it. This isn't to say I don't stand for the pledge and give thanks for the freedoms I have in this country while its being said, I just can't affirm my allegiance to anything over God.

I've seen way too many people (and done it many times myself) distort the truth of God to fit the ideologies of our country. War, personal gain, hate, violence, "it's all about me" mentality; all things that our country generally promotes, and all things that Jesus has freed us from. This is true independence.

Ultimate Worship Leader...Are You Serious?

I'm driving home from the mountains tonight, floating on cloud 9 because of the wonderful day I had with Teach One to Lead One. This wonderful mood turned vocal as I began flipping through radio stations, bellowing out popular songs at the top of my lungs, usually 1/2 step off-key. As I continued to scroll through my top 5 presets (a combination of mix and country stations), I only heard commercials, most of which were political. Political ads put me in a bad mood. I didn't want to be in a bad mood. So I reluctantly flipped to preset #6: KLOVE.

Now anyone who knows me knows my issue with this horrendous example of Christian sub-culture. The only reason I have it as a preset is because I like David Crowder and a few other Christian songs, and if I just need a reason to be mad (especially during their pledge drives...another post for another day). Just as the DJ came on (and I was about to change it), they began talking about a new promotion they are running: having Michael W. Smith come to your church as the ultimate worship leader on a Sunday. After picking my jaw up from the floor mat (which is probably the only thing that prevented me from cussing), I began thinking two things: what is an ultimate worship leader, and why does Michael W. Smith put his middle letter in with his professional name? I should start doing that. Maybe I'll get a record deal.

Anyways, back to the ultimate worship leader thing. I have enough beef with most people thinking music and singing when they hear the word "worship," and that's probably why I hate this ridiculous stunt so much. I know the Bible talks a lot about worshipping and praising God through music, dance, loud noises, etc. But why has this become our primary method of worship? If anything, the Bible teaches more that worship is a lifestyle, not our song (Rom. 12.1, in case you needed proof).

If you really want the ultimate worship leader (if there even is such a thing), you should probably be looking for some nobody (societally speaking, that is) who is giving up their life to follow Jesus, struggling along the way.

By the way, if anyone from KLOVE reads this, please know that I love your intentions, but please choose your words carefully from here on out. Many churches are doing a bad enough job at discipleship; they don't need your help.

Sincerely,
Russel C. Dains

Part of something bigger...

I started reading a short book tonight by John Eldridge entitled Epic. The premise behind the book, from what I can gather so far, is that we are all part of a bigger story. My question is, what story am I a part of?

As Eldrigde points out, a life created by accident and that ends by accident really doesn't inspire. What's the point? If there is no purpose in life, why do anything good? Of course, I don't believe that anyone is created by accident. Disagree with me if you want. Say I use God as a crutch; I don't care. We're all created with some purpose. We're all part of a bigger story. Life is not a math equation that we can predict. It's not a science experiment that is to be constantly dissected or analyzed. It's a drama with twists and turns, ups and downs. Not knowing what comes next is what makes life exciting (and freaking scary for that matter).

I've found myself asking, "What is my role in this story?" This doesn't simply rephrase the age-old question, "What is the meaning of life?" I know what that is. It doesn't have to do with our purpose either. It goes much deeper than both of these and speaks to the core of who we are. I used to think this could be summed up in another question: "What does God want of me?" I wrestled with this for a long time, thinking the answer was found in what I do. Does he want me working with teens, praying more, reading more, loving more, serving more, going to church more? Although I heard the answer several hundred times, I never believed it. It was too simple. Here it is: God doesn't want anything of me, he just wants me. I never swallowed this before because it was never real. Pastors teach this, but churches rarely follow it. We're too busy trying to look at people's works instead of loving them for who they are, like God does.

Sorry, kinda went on a tangent. After realizing this basic truth about God, it freed me up to pursue the question stated above about my role. To pose it another way: "What does God want to use me for?" I've thought for some time that God is going to use me for something big. I hope he does anyways. My problem has usually been that I have never been content enough to allow God enough time to do this. I suffer from a lack of patience that is usually fleshed out in the grass-is-greener syndrome. I'm always looking for something better, some bigger and more effective way to be used. How stupid. Where does God say that he calls us to be effective. I think he'd rather have us be faithful. Be faithful when things aren't working my way. Be faithful when the odds are stacked against you.

I was reminded of this today when I read Judges 7. This dude named Gideon was leading the Israelites into battle. At that time, the Israelite army was about 32,000 people and they were going to kick the crap out of the Mideonites. Before they did this, God told Gideon that the army was too big. If they were to conquer Mideon, they would think they did it on their own and disregard God's hand in things. To make a long story short, God whittled the army down to 300 soldiers, then went and attacked the Mideonites with torches and glass jars (I know, I don't get it either). The Mideonites were so scared, they began killing each other!

I wonder what my reaction would have been if I were Gideon. "God, we'll give you the credit. I promise. The statistics show that we would be more effective with a larger army. I don't know if choosing soldiers on how they drink water out of the river is the best way to do this." And the excuses go on and on.

This goes back to my role in God's story. I have no idea how God will use me in the future. Frankly, who cares. God is using me now to love on teens who most people don't care about. Is it effective? Maybe. I can share stories and stats that would say so. Even if I'm not, I'm doing what God told me to do: love people for who they are not what they do or don't do. This is my role. This will always be my role. It may take a number of different forms, but the basic premise will not change.

Peaks and Cracks at Sunrise

Some friends and I went camping a couple weeks ago in the Indian Peaks Wilderness area, and I suggested we hike Mt. Audubon at (elev. 13,223 ft). Rather than doing a regular hike, however, I suggested we start at 3 am and summit by sunrise, which we made.

The hike itself was fairly strenuous. It was a different experience hiking at night. The moon was half full, so our headlamps were extinguished most of the hike. Watching the sunrise from the top was breathtaking. The pic above is me looking out over God's glory in all my glory (I blame it on the lack of sleep!).