Don't Just Improve Your Marriage... Transform it!!

As I mentioned a while back, I have been writing some press releases for a marketing company, and, every once in a while, I really like to pass along the title and description of a book that I think will be particularly helpful. "Us" by Daniel Tocchini is one such book. I really like Tocchini's approach, and I'd highly recommend taking a look at this one. Here's the press release:

Us, a new book by Daniel Tocchini, isn’t about improving marriages. It’s about transforming them. Drawing on personal experience and stories from couples he has coached, Tocchini offers practical guidance to move couples beyond communication tricks and gimmicks to help them truly understand "Us" for the first time. Couples often encounter devestating roadblocks to their communication, but "Us" takes them through the necessary steps to evade such obstacles and experience freedom in marriage. Things like talking honestly, listening generously, tackling tricky issues, breaking out of ruts, and abandoning self-centered “consumer thinking" help navigate couples through their life together. The good news, according to Tocchini, is that personalities don’t need to change in order for marriage to work. What needs to change is how we view ourselves, our spouses, and our marriages.

Innovative, insightful and thoroughly biblical, Tocchini’s approach has helped thousands in his popular seminars. Whether a marriage is in deep trouble or just coasting along, it's time for Christian couples to read the User's Guide that God intended.

In this intensely practical, innovative guide, marriage coach Daniel Tocchini invites you to open your marriage to transformation by learning to:
· Expect less—and infinitely more—of your life partner and yourself
· Actually talk to each other instead of making assumptions (and accusations)
· Break free of those recurring, unresolved arguments
· Manage the impact of difficult (but necessary) conversations on your relationship
· Defuse conflict without sweeping it under a rug
· Open the broken places in your marriage (the ones you hesitate even to talk about)

Tocchini explains, “This is a transformational approach to breaking through the barriers and getting out of the ruts in our marriage by paying attention to our conversation—what we are thinking, our motivation for thinking it, and the impact it has on our spouse.”

Author Bio
Daniel L. Tocchini has worked with more than 5,000 couples through personal marriage coaching and the unique and life-changing marriage seminars offered through his organization, the Association for Christian Character Development. An ordained minister, chaplain, author, and highly successful speaker/coach, he lives with his family in California.

Us by Daniel L. Tocchini
David C Cook/January 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6473-7/196 pages/softcover/$14.99
http://www.davidccook.com/

Hidden Baggage

Do you ever feel like you're carrying around some hidden baggage? I recently took a trip through an airport security checkpoint in Dallas. In the wake of the underwear bomber (is there a more dubious distinction?), airport security is in full on lock down mode, and those of us who've had to travel since Christmas day have encountered a whole new level of scrutiny. In my case, I stepped to the checkpoint confident that my luggage would make a non-stop trip through the x-ray machine, and assured that I would shoe-lessly and belt-lessly breeze through the metal detector without incident. I laid my laptop, car keys, coat, cell phone, shoes and belt in their own generic grey bins, and slid them onto the conveyor belt like groceries at a check out lane. What could go wrong?

Before I left home, I grabbed a small carry-on bag from the hall closet and packed it myself (without the aid of any terrorist-types), so I knew there was nothing in there that could be fashioned into a makeshift weapon. Imagine my surprise when one of the security guards stopped me and exclaimed, "You know you have a multi-tool with a blade in your bag, right?" "No!" I surprisingly snapped back, "I had no idea." Apparently one of my kids stuffed this threatening device into my suitcase for some unknown reason. It cost me nearly 20 minutes at the security station just to explain to homeland security that I really wasn't planning on charging the cockpit with a leatherman. Finally, after confiscating the multi-tool that I never knew I even owned, they sent me on my way.

It was a not so subtle reminder that we sometimes carry harmful things around with us, like so much airport baggage, while not even knowing they are there. This is why I think counseling is good for just about anyone. Counselors are sort of like airport security check points. They reveal the things we carry around inside of us that could be potentially harmful to us, sometimes without our knowledge. Just something to think about.

New Book Offers Honest Reflections About Bothersome Truths

If you were to ask an atheist or skeptic what bothers him most about Christianity, chances are that person would have a list of issues to discuss. But what would happen if you were to pose that same question to a Christian — or, better yet - an evangelical pastor? The answer might surprise you.

In What Bothers Me Most About Christianity (Howard Books/Simon & Schuster), Pastor Ed Gungor owns up to the valid criticism that affronts Christianity. Gungor is the author of the New York Times bestseller There Is More to the Secret and is recognized as an expert on issues of faith and popular culture. A regular guest on Moody Broadcasting’s Primetime America radio show, his popular blogs are found on Christian Post.com. With his trademark wit and refreshing honesty, Gungor explores the aspects of Christianity that trouble not only the opponents of faith but dedicated believers as well.

“Those who embrace Christ love Christianity, but some parts of faith still don’t sit well. Not everyone is willing to admit this. Some claim they never experience tension or doubt—that their faith is always an ecstatic, absolute, unwavering “knowing” that bubbles inside them at all times, forever effervescent and never encroached upon by doubt. But I don’t believe them,” Gungor states. “Faith has already won the day in my soul. But still, some areas of faith throw me off. They disturb me; they disturb lots of people. In What Bothers Me Most About Christianity, I extend an open invitation to anyone who wants to explore these areas with me.”

In recent years, atheist authors like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have begun to flood the market with books attempting to dismantle religious faith. Gungor’s contribution to this discussion is thoughtful, reasonable, and respectful. What Bothers Me Most About Christianity is essential reading for anyone—believer and skeptic alike—who struggles to understand or accept:


• A Hide-and-Seek God
• An Unreasonable Faith
• An Evil World
• A Lone Savior
• The Science-Faith Smackdown
• An All-Too-Human Church
• An Old Testament “Bully”
• A Misuse of Scripture
• A Torturous Hell


Gungor maintains that having faith is not intellectual suicide and that mystery is an essential quality of the Christian belief. What Bothers Me Most About Christianity opens up the forum for amicable discussion between thinking people on both sides of the debate, from aggressive atheists to unswerving Christian believers. Gungor maintains that balancing faith and reason is, indeed, possible and that devoted Christ followers need not shy away from asking the tough questions.

“If we aren’t honest about the tensions in faith, problems emerge. Critical thinkers observe Christians and dismiss the claims of Christ, and some Christ followers end up living more in the land of fake than the land of faith,” Gungor reflects. As he guides readers through these fundamental issues, they will find that their honest wrestling will actually bring them to a deeper, more mature understanding of faith. What Bothers Me Most About Christianity is available online here.

Taking a Shortcut to God?

We live in a culture of experts. Everywhere one turns, there are professionals touting advice on everything from how to repair your car to how to fix your marriage. And, in Christian circles, some have even started to believe that there are “God experts”—people who can pray in just the right way that God hears them or who worship in such a way as to make God listen. We begin to rely on these people as our sole source of information about God, rather than make the effort to encounter Him directly ourselves.

In his new book, Secondhand Jesus: Trading Rumors of God for a Firsthand Faith (David C Cook, June 2009), author and worship pastor of New Life Church Glenn Packiam summons readers upon a passionate quest—a holy pursuit—to truly experience Christ’s power and love for themselves. “God wants us to know Him deeply and personally,” Packiam says. “But there are no shortcuts to God. The Bible tells us that ‘The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.’” (Matthew 7:14, The Message)

God has offered us firsthand knowledge of His love, His grace, and His power. Yet so often, we too easily settle for someone else’s descriptions, the Cliff notes from another’s spiritual journey. We are content for others to do the heavy lifting and then give us the bottom line. And, like any secondhand information, after enough times through the grapevine, the truth about God deteriorates and crumbs of rumor are all that remain.

But when life derails, and things don’t go as we had planned, our thin view of God is challenged. In those critical moments, we can choose to walk away from God, or to let our questions lead us home. When we choose to wrestle with God, to engage Him individually, we—like Jacob and Job and David—will see rumors die and revelation come alive.

Crushing rumors of God that many Christians mistakenly hold, Secondhand Jesus isn’t a five-step formula, but rather a challenge to Christians to own their faith by questioning their preconceived ideas about God. “It’s time to hear the magnificent, Divine Invitation,” says Packiam. “It’s time to take God up on His offer and embrace the mystery and majesty of knowing Him for ourselves.”

Author Bio

Glenn Packiam is an associate worship pastor at New Life Church and the director of New Life School of Worship in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was one of the founding worship leaders and songwriters for the Desperation Band. Glenn’s worship songs, like “Your Name,” “Everyone (Praises),” “My Savior Lives,” and “We Lift You Up,” are being sung in churches all over the world. Glenn is also the author of Butterfly in Brazil. He and his wife, Holly, and their two adorable daughters, Sophia and Norah, live in Colorado Springs.

New Twist for my Blog

For some time now I have been writing pseudo-professionally, and because of that you may start to see some changes to my blog. I do a little writing for the B&B Media Group, and they promote and market a lot of really good books. As a result of my relationship with B&B Media, I'm going to start posting some press releases of some of the books they promote so that you will be aware of what's "out there" that you may want to add to your reading list. I hope this will prove helpful to you and to B&B. Thanks!

More Christmas Quotes

"I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the world seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses." - Taylor Caldwell

"Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year." - Victor Borge

"Sing out with joy for the brave little boy who is God, but he made himself nothing." - Andrew Peterson

Christmas Quotes continued....

"There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle –the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture." - Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible

Christmas Quotes

From now until Christmas day I'm going to share some of my favorite Christmas quotes with you. Enjoy!

• "Today as I read the accounts of Jesus' birth I tremble to think of the fate of the world resting on the responses of two rural teenagers." - Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew

5 Awesome Gifts for Men

I'm putting together a list of Christmas goodies that any intelligent man would want this year. I own some of these, but would love to have others. Without further hesitation, I bring you Steve's list of Awesome Guy Christmas Presents:

1. Keurig Single Cup Home Brewing System - I recently acquired this lovely machine as a pastor appreciation gift. It's awesome. I hate brewing a pot of coffee when all I really want is one cup. With this bad boy there are no messy coffee grains, no filters to bother with, and no re-warming of old coffee because you feel bad throwing out half a pot at the end of the day. Plus, it makes a really good cup of joe. This is a must have for the coffee lover.

2. Under Armour Boxerjock - OK, I'm not going to post a picture of these, but trust me when I tell you that this is simply the finest pair of male undergarment ever invented. Also trust me when I say that every man needs to replenish all or some of his underwear each year. Enough said.

3. Kindle - If there's one item on this year's list that I covet most, it's the Kindle. This electronic book reader is like having an entire library of books in a device the size of a thin paperback. Here are only a few of the features the Kindle offers:

• Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines
• Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback
• Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required
• 3G Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle; no annual contracts, no monthly fees, and no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots
• Global Coverage: Enjoy 3G wireless coverage at home or abroad in over 100 countries.
• Paper-Like Display: Reads like real paper without glare, even in bright sunlight
• Carry Your Library: Holds up to 1,500 books
• Longer Battery Life: Now read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on, a significant improvement from the previous battery life of 4 days
• Built-In PDF Reader: Your Kindle can now display PDF documents natively. Native PDF support allows you to carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go.
• Read-to-Me: With the experimental Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books out loud to you, unless the book's rights holder made the feature unavailable
• Free Book Samples: Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy
• Large Selection: Over 360,000 books, including 101 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs.
• Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise. When traveling abroad, you can download books wirelessly from the Kindle Store or your Archived Items. U.S. customers will be charged a fee of $1.99 for international downloads.

Santa, if you're listening, I'd really love to have a Kindle.

4. DigiMemo Tablet - The unique toy records your notes, ideas, drawings, sketches and flowcharts as you create them, and stores them as image files to flash memory or to an optional CompactFlash card in real time. What could be easier or more natural than handwriting your notes using a pen on ordinary paper? I would use this thing a lot for taking notes at meetings, conferences, etc. Very cool.

5. Powermat Charger - My son likes to chew on my iPhone charger, and it seems like we're always looking for that stupid cord. The Powermat charger is a mat that is roughly the size of two mouse pads that allows you to charge your phone and other devices by simply laying them on the mat. Pretty awesome!

Picture updates of Random Happenings

Here are some pics of things I've seen or taken part in lately that are pretty cool.  Enjoy!!

This was taken at Irving Bible Church, the church that I used to be on staff with.  I went back to IBC this week for a conference, and, as usual, the church facility was full of interesting and fascinating information.  Nobody brings meaning to their facility better than IBC.  This was a great display promoting a ministry called "Water is Basic."  Really cool (This picture doesn't do it justice).

Another of the many interesting displays at Irving Bible Church.  That's a pretty sobering fact.

This is a letter that my son, Cale, wrote to his older brother, Trent.  It was displayed outside of his classroom at school.  I love it that my boys not only get along, but that they openly share their fondness for each other.  That's pretty special.

This is a picture of a ministry that my church has started recently, whereby we go to different parts of our community and serve a free meal from a gigantic BBQ pit on wheels.  Pretty awesome.  At this particular event we fed about 200 people in 40 minutes.  Wow!!

Look at all that free food!  Yummy!!

This is a pic of my little girl, Jillian, while we were riding one of those terrible spinning rides at the Fall Festival.  I love that sweet little girl!

This is my youngest son, Quinn in his Halloween costume.  

Check out all the Hayes kids (and Mom)!  Pierce was a Hamburger, Quinn was a Puppy, Trent was a very tall and skinny Yoda, Cale was a Land Shark, and Jillian was a Dalmatian.  Kim was a Pentamom (Mother of 5).

This is Jet, our new Miniature Schnauzer/Scottish Terrier mixed puppy.  Jet was Jillian's 5th birthday present.  Like we needed any more mouths to feed!

Random Stuff

• LSU plays Alabama this week. In honor of the game, I landscaped "LSU" into the ivy in my yard. Here's a pic.
• I've been preaching a series called "What Would God Say to... ?" It's about what God might say to some of our culture's most notorious figures. The first week was "What Would God Say to Oprah Winfrey?" The second week was "What Would God Say to Donald Trump?" Week 3 was "What Would God Say to Britney Spears?" Week 4 was "What Would God Say to Darth Vader?" Last Sunday was the final week, and we finished off with "What Would God Say to John and Kate Goselin?" Each week really dealt with what these certain personalities represent in our culture. Oprah represents religious pluralism; Trump represents arrogance and greed; Britney represents what happens when someone falls apart; Darth Vader represents a lust for power; John and Kate represent divorce. God has a lot to say about all of those things. Interesting stuff.
• We've been busy at church lately. 4 events in two weeks! Last Saturday we fed about 200 people at the East Side Apartments in Corsicana. That's a lot of BBQ!! It was awesome! This past Friday we gave out over 1,000 bags of candy to the kids who came to the downtown trick or treat. That's a lot of candy! On Halloween we ran a couple of booths at the Fall Festival at First Baptist Corsicana. There were a ton of people there. That's a lot of folks!! On Sunday they threw a pastor appreciation lunch for me. The food was great and people said nice things.
  
• More people came to the pastor appreciation lunch than to the other three events combined. That doesn't make me feel appreciated.
• I found some new bands that I really like, and I may have made the best mix on my ipod that I've ever heard. It's loaded with stuff from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Parlor Mob, The Mumlers, The Black Keys, The Raconteurs, Ray LaMontagne, Spoon, and others. Awesome!
  

"A Revered Spiritual Powerhouse"

I haven't posted in a while, and I'm really not sure how much longer I'll keep this thing going. I'm torn, really, about whether or not the "Beef" is feasible for me at this stage of my life. Perhaps I just need to buckle down and make it work. Let me know what you think I should do if you have a chance.

To continue with the "Beef" or not, however, is not the intention of this post. I just saw something that will take a while to completely digest. I'll ponder this for a while. You see, the church that I pastor is in the process of making several changes. In our efforts to become more faithful practitioners of what Scot McKnight calls "The Jesus Creed" (Love God, Love Others), we feel that it's necessary to renovate some portions of our facility. In my view, this is really an issue of stewardship and service more than anything else. Our building is unfinished, and, particularly from the outside, it is difficult to know whether or not we're actually viable. One could easily drive or walk past our church and wonder if we're open for business (so to speak).

The Bible calls the man a "sluggard" who lets his grass become overgrown and his wall (fence) fall down (Proverbs 24:30-34). God speaks of being a good manager of what He has given us, and I believe in my heart that Grace Community Church of Corsicana, TX, has tried very hard to do the best with what we've had, but it is time to make a few adjustments that will enhance and complete what is currently the equivalent of an overgrown yard and a broken wall. We have committed to do so without incurring any debt, and we're determined to restore our facility to its humble and transparent roots.

I wrestle with spending money on a facility. It feels dirty sometimes because that money could seemingly be spent on any number of things that might go toward flesh and blood rather than bricks and mortar. I do think, however, that there are times when taking care of your facility means that you give yourself a greater opportunity to help more people and have more impact than you would otherwise. This is the motivation that is driving our church, and I can say with total confidence that this renovation is not a power play or a lust for luxury. That's just not what we're trying to do.

Today I was made aware of First Baptist Church of Dallas' plans to re-create their downtown fortress into "a revered spiritual powerhouse." The project will cost a mere $130,000,000. It's the largest church building program in modern history. I watched the videos on this web site to see more about the project. It's massive and gaudy, and I feel a little sick over the whole thing. It feels like what might happen if Jerry Jones were to become a pastor. Yuck!

My wife taught school at First Baptist Academy in Dallas for years until they lowered her pay last year in an effort to make their private school less of a drain on the church. Now I know what they were up to!! My two oldest boys were no longer eligible for scholarships because FBC Dallas had other plans for that money. Who needs an education when you can look at a whole bunch of shiny new stuff?

So now I'm left with the question, "Are we doing the same thing?" Are we renovating our little facility at the expense of the very people Jesus came to serve and love and save? Are we putting a building ahead of our mission to empower people to know and love Jesus? These are the questions that haunts me.

Now, I don't know how much is too much when it comes to this kind of thing, but I'm prone to think that if I invite people to my house for a party, but haven't bothered to mow the yard, pick up the half eaten pizza on the table or clean up the dog poop in the middle of the area rug, it's not going to be much fun for my special guests. Aesthetics play a direct role in the comfort level and involvement of the people. If things look nice, folks are more likely to have experiences that are good and inviting. If a church seeks to pursue that end, I think that's reasonable and noble.

On the other hand, if I expect people to come to my party just because I have a rock band, a laser light show, several inflatable games, and a few celebrities at a mansion in the Hampton's, that's a different story. I'm sure folks will come by the droves, but are they really the kinds of people I want at my party? And is all that stuff necessary for us to enjoy each other or is it simply extravagant and useless? I think you know the answer.

So, for now, I think we'll move forward with our plans to renovate, and I know that FBC Dallas will move forward with their plans to re-create. I'd like to think there is no difference in the motivation for these two projects... aside from about $129,900,000.

In Memory of Dr. David Edwards

Dr. David Edwards, pastor of First Baptist Church in Corsicana, died in a car accident yesterday.  David was a good friend.  When I got home from the hospital late last night, this is what I wrote about our friendship:

Sometimes pastors need pastors too.  We struggle with life’s ups and downs just like everyone else, and at certain points we need a patient, loving, listening ear.  We don’t have the luxury of whispering the latest gossip in the hallway, or “constructively” criticizing the sermon over Sunday lunch.  Instead, we rely on those rare and wonderful friends who can hear our hearts and handle our hurts with great care and discretion.

My pastor in this town was Dr. David Edwards.  It’s ironic that Dr. Edwards, the pastor at First Baptist Church, and I, the pastor at Grace Community Church, would have built such a friendship.  You see Grace Community Church notoriously broke away from FBC nearly 14 years ago.  Regardless of the irony, David and I enjoyed a real and honest friendship that was challenging, inspiring and forward thinking.  

When we’d meet for coffee on a nearly weekly basis, we’d talk about things that mattered, like our love for our families, our insecurities and weaknesses, and our goals and aspirations for our churches.  The only expectation we had of each other was to tell it straight.  There was no sense of the kinds of petty competition and unbecoming boasting that has unfortunately bled into the church world.  David and I were teammates, and we shared ministry tips and collaborated on ministry efforts in ways that were insightful and unselfish.

David always made me feel like an equal, even though he was 13 years my elder and had achieved much more than I, both academically and professionally.  We shared a common, passionate love for Christ, and we respected each other because we knew what it meant to be leaders who desperately desired to see the great impact of God’s grace in this town.  Our relationship was easy, and that, my friends, is hard to find.

So, as a pastor who needed a pastor, I mourn with the dear people of First Baptist Church (especially the family of Dr. Edwards).  Thanks for sharing your leader with me, and know that the people of Grace Community Church are fervently praying for God’s sustaining grace during this unimaginable time.   David was a friend and mentor, but he was, more than anything else, a pastor, and that’s just about the best thing a person could be to a pastor like me.

 

Remembering 9/11

My 10 year old son watched the Fox News 9/11 special report with me tonight. He wanted to know more about what happened. We would pause the program and talk through his many questions. He asked me what I was thinking when the plane hit the Pentagon. I told him that I was just worried about what would happen next. Where was the next explosion going to be? It was such a frightening time.

I talked through tears to my son about what happened on 9/11, but it felt good to know that the memories of that day still stirred up emotion inside of me. I think our country is doing its best to let the emotions of 9/11 fade. The fact that we still don't have a 9/11 memorial/museum, and that the dadgummed site in lower Manhattan still looks the same as it did in 2002 is a crying shame.  The more time goes by, the more I fear that we are forgetting all of the implications of what happened on that horrible day.  

We forget that we are united by something beyond geography, politics and personalities.  We forget that we are bound, at the most basic level, by the fact that we are free.  We forget that what makes us noble is selfless generosity.  We forget that we are vulnerable, and we are never too big, rich, proud and popular to achieve immunity from the attacks of zealous, wicked people.

Tim Keller, speaking in a sermon about observing the Lord's Supper, speaks of the value of remembrance.  He says remembering is much more than simply recalling past events.  The word "re-member", says Keller, is the opposite of the word "dis-member."  When we re-member, we unite around the truth.  Our country could stand to re-member right about now.  Unfortunately, it seems, we have chosen to dis-member.  What a tragic disservice to those who fell on 9/11.

What do you think of this?

One of my church members came to me with a ticket to an event that he'd heard about that offered a chance to win the choice of 1 of 2 brand new vehicles. All I had to do, according to the ticket, was listen to a 3 minute story. So I looked a the ticket and went to the web site, and here's what I found. Apparently you set up a private viewing area that has these videos available for viewing. People watch the videos and fill out a card that asks them if they want to make a decision to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. The card serves as their registration for the car give-a-way.

I don't know how I feel about this. I love the idea of using people's stories to share the truth of Jesus Christ, but I hate the idea of having to bribe them to do so. Then again, people came to Jesus all the time because they heard that he might perform some kind of miracle , or heal them of their sickness. Isn't that the same thing? At what point, though, does the car give-a-way overshadow the Savior? The idea behind this is that people will be lured in by the prospect of winning a new car, but once they enter the private viewing area, they are introduced to the unexpectedly wonderful story of Jesus. Is this a good idea, or is it just a bait and switch?

If it's ok for us to lure people in with a chance to win a new car, then would it be ok for us to offer free crack to people who will listen to a story for three minutes? At what point is it ok to use this kind of tool, and at what point is it no longer ok? I'll be real honest: I'm uncomfortable with the car give-a-way side of this, but I'm not at all uncomfortable with the fact that everyone who comes to Jesus does so out of selfish motivation. What's the difference between coming because you want a car, and coming because you want heaven instead of hell?

Anyway, check out the site and see what you think. I'd really love to get your insight on this one, so please post a response. I'd especially love to hear from those of you who aren't particularly involved in church, or who wouldn't consider yourselves Christians. How would this kind of thing hit you?

By the way, if you respond, I'll give you a free car!

The Michael Phelps of Youth Ministry

My Brother-in-law showed me this video last night, and if it weren't so tragically true to life, it'd be absolutely hilarious. I actually know guys in youth ministry who are carbon copies of this guy! You can't imagine how many times I've wanted to jump on stage and give them the hook. This is painfully funny.

The Bishop Castle

Jim Bishop

Kim and I drove all five kids to Horn Creek, Colorado for Family Camp this week.  This was our third year in a row to attend camp at Horn Creek, and, as usual, it was worth every bit of time, money, and effort it took to get there.  This is a wonderful experience, and if you read this and have a family, you should seriously consider making the trip with us next year.  Seriously, it's awesome!

One of the beauties of Horn Creek is that you can pretty much customize your experience.  If you want to climb Horn Peak, you can.  If you want to drive to the Wolf Sanctuary, you can.  If you want to shuttle over to Lake DeWeese, you can.  If you just want to stay in your room and participate in what we like to call "Horn Creek Aerobics" (that's code for taking the best nap of your life), you can.  The options are abundant and awesome!

Each year we plan to participate in certain things that sound fun and interesting.  Last year we drove to Colorado Springs, where we took the kids to "The North Pole", an amusement park that feels like spending a day in Santa's mythological wonderland.  We also took a trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park and enjoyed a fascinating adventure atop a mountain of sand.  This year, among other things, we decided to go to a place we had heard about many times before, but had never visited.  It only took us 45 minutes of majestic mountain scenery to get there, and it revealed one of the strangest, most mind-boggling sites I've ever hear of, much less visited.

The Bishop Castle is apparently one man's effort to... uhm... build a castle.  Who hasn't wanted to do that, right?  Well, Jim Bishop has done/is doing it!  Did I mention that it's strange?  It looks like something out of a Tim Burton movie (Batman, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands), and standing in its shadows is a grim yet fascinating undertaking.  

Every year since 1969, Bishop has single-handedly gathered and set over 1000 tons of rock to create this stone and iron fortress in the middle of nowhere. Bishop calls it "a monument to hardworking people" and "America's biggest, one-man, physical project."  I'm not sure whether that can be corroborated, but as weird as this place is, it's certainly impressive.  Bishop, on the other hand, is crazy.  I'm talking Britney Spears shaving her head crazy.  The dude is certifiable, but at least he's productive, right?

He is currently building a mote in front of the castle, and I happened to run into him while he was moving dirt with a Bobcat.  He took off his cowboy hat, wiped his brow, and went on an epic rant about how our government is planning to round people up into concentration camps replete with "human ovens."  After nearly ten minutes of uninterrupted ramblings, Bishop turned to me and my 10 year old son and said, "If b--- s---- was music, I'd be a four piece brass band!  But some of what I say is true, and I've got the God given right to say it!"  You might also need to exercise your God given right to take a high dose of anti-psychotics, Mr. Bishop. Seriously.

The climb to the top of Bishop's castle is an exercise in fear and vertigo.  Each side of the castle offers circular, wrought iron stairways that wind past open windows and up narrow towers.  There is a huge dragon-shaped furnace that protrudes through the front of the place, providing an ominous face to this egregious edifice.  Each step feels like it could be your last, but you feel drawn, inexorably, to continue to climb to the top of every terrible tower.  Words can't really describe this place, and pictures really don't do it justice.  If you're ever in Custer County, Colorado, The Bishop's Castle is definitely worth a look.  Here are some pics:

Sea World 2009

My family went to Sea World in San Antonio this week, and it was awesome. Our friends, Jennifer and Mark, were kind enough to host the entire Hayes clan (minus Quinn), and it was a real treat, especially considering the fact that Mark works at Sea World and is in charge of caring for many of the animals. I made a video of our trip, and the coolest part is at the end, when Mark gave us a private visit to the dolphin tank. We got to touch the dolphins and see them do some tricks. It was amazing! Enjoy the video!!

Texas is Tiger Bait!

The LSU Tigers baseball team defeated the University of Texas 2 games to 1 in a best of three series to win their 6th National Championship.  The Tigers are young, confident, and loaded with talent, and it won't surprise me to see them at the top again next year.  The best part of all is that they beat Texas, and, well, I live in Texas.  Thanks, Tigers, for giving me bragging rights over all these snooty longhorn fans!

Here's a general description of Texas and LSU fans:

Texas Fan:

• Attire: Burnt orange cap, white golf shirt, khaki shorts, Crocs (Texas colored), Oakley's and a blue tooth device.  
• Likelihood of face paint: Very Low.
• Drink of Choice: Shiner Bock or Cognac
• Demeanor: Composed, almost disinterested, and likely to flash a "hook 'em" sign after a good play.

LSU Fan:

• Attire: Purple Cap, Championship Gold T-shirt, Purple shorts, flip-flops, Mardi Gras beads, Flask.
• Likelihood of face paint: Very High.
• Drink of Choice: Cheap Bourbon or Natural Light
• Demeanor: Shamefully enthusiastic, slightly inebriated, and likely to chant "LSU! LSU! LSU!" or "Tiger Bait! Tiger Bait! Tiger Bait!" to the top of their lungs after every play.

Give me the LSU fan any day!

Geaux Tigers!!!

More Greatness From Seth!

My new worship leader, as stated before, is awesome!  He's been recording some new stuff lately, and it's really, really good.  Kind of reminds me of Neil Young but with a much better voice.  I love Seth's style of music: acoustic, folksy, and layered.  Listening to his stuff is like lying in a wheat field next to a big tree on a blue sky day.  Nice work, Seth!

You can listen to all of Seth's new stuff here: 

http://twiturm.com/profile/sslay