Proverbs 11:14

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”

(Proverbs 11:14 ESV)

Why is it that most Christians ignore this encouragement or resent it when you offer insight?

They can't be serious, can they?

For only $40/year you can keep a database of all your friends and family who are lost, and then when you are raptured, it will send them a letter/e-mail informing them of the Gospel...

Bad Theology run amuck...  Funny, yet sad at the same time.

Book Review: Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham, Jr.

This is from my 'Reaction' section of my Book Review.  If you would like to read my full 12-page review, you can leave a comment or E-mail me and I'll get it to you.

To be honest, I approached this book with guarded-optimism, curiosity, and skepticism. I began to realize that my presuppositions were not original and Dr. Baucham was upfront and open to addressing these criticisms and offer biblical and logical responses. There are many compelling points raised by the author that I had not thought of before, and others that I had experienced over-exaggerated responses to in the past. For instance, until recently I had viewed formal, planned, daily family worship as an obscure and out-dated Puritan practice. While my family and I do spend time praying and in the Word, we had not implemented a more formal time of worship into our schedule. After reading this book, I feel more confident that this practice would be appropriate for cultivating my family.

The first portion of the book, that was discussing the problem at hand, is not new to me or to most people who have been around youth ministry in the Church for any amount of time. Anyone who is honest can clearly understand the challenges of trying to cultivate spiritual appetites in students whose parents are disconnected from their spiritual development. The challenge of idolatry such as academics and sports is not foreign to my experience, and has served as an increasing frustration for myself and many of the youth workers that I know. However, Baucham did challenge me to realize that the answer to that problem is not just a prophetic confrontation of those issues, but moreover a need to point families back to the biblical mandate for parents to take responsibility for their child’s spiritual growth. This is a tough dynamic to think through, and I am still a bit flustered by the seeming impossibility in most churches to even acknowledge that there is an idolatry issue at play in some of our core families.

When the author transitioned to discuss how the family should honor God in their homes, I was challenged by my own tension in the public school, private school, or home school debate. Although he did not begin with this issue, I am aware of his stance, and I could tell at the onset of the chapters that were focused on the home that he was an advocate for this. Along with many others in the Southern Baptist Convention, I have concerns about the evangelistic consequences that would be experienced if there were a mass exodus of Christian children from public schools. However, I have also struggled with the idea of someone else taking full responsibility of educating my child. Baucham addresses this issue head-on when he makes the point that most Christian children, as supported by research statistics, are falling away from the faith at worst, or are succumbing to the culture surrounding them, which is of equal severity. He placed further emphasis on the role of education in the development of worldview, which has forced my wife in I in a position of submission to once again having hard conversations about these issues.

One area of critique is that I know that Baucham is a highly sought after itinerant preacher who does very well financially. He is able to limit his travel to eight to ten days a month, which places him at home for two-thirds of the time. While I, too, travel full-time and preach, and I am able to sustain my family and work at home, so that gives me the ability to understand where he is coming from. However, he does not address the challenges that a working father faces in leading his family in his home. The author does acknowledge the tension some, but arguing that the only solution is to work less, may not be a reality. Therefore, I think it would be interesting if Baucham could offer a follow-up work, perhaps as a compilation with working fathers, those with “real jobs” that could substantiate these assertions and testify to the fruit of their efforts. I believe that this will help the skeptics who dismiss his assertions based upon the flexibility of his vocation.

I must applaud Baucham in his biblical prowess as he walks slowly through the biblical mandates found in Deuteronomy 6, Proverb 31, and Ephesians 5. While I would expect nothing less than biblical astuteness from Baucham, I was refreshed to see that he did not lean on proof-texting verses out of context. He addressed these passages with great skill. While they were overly illustrated at times by seemingly repetitive anecdotal stories, the overall theological assessment was not only orthodox, but also accessible to the layman.  

His chapter entitled, “Enjoy The Gifts Without Forgetting The Giver” one of the only points of contention is that I feel was a bit of a self-justification was In this chapter I think he missed slightly on his application of prosperity found in the Old Covenant and ignored the appropriate interpretation in view of the New Covenant. Admitting that he and his wife have built two houses so far in their time together, and that he has admittedly done well financially, does not necessarily substantiate the litmus test of biblical prosperity.  

By no means am I accusing Baucham of being a ‘health and wealth’ prosperity teacher, but I do think that he missed the covenantal implications of the Old and New Covenant. In lieu of going into a full theological diatribe I will make a few brief observations. First, the covenant rewards of the Old Covenant could be paraphrased as stuff and land, however, the covenant promise of the New Covenant is Christ Himself as the reward. Secondly, I am not advocating an abolishment of the Law, but I do believe Jesus when He claimed to have fulfilled the Law (see Matthew 5:17). Thirdly, I would lean on the Old Covenant as a foreshadowing of the promise to come, and the use of the Law to point out our sin and need for a Savior (See Romans 7:7 and Galatians 3:19-22). Therefore, in reading his chapter on prosperity, I sensed a bit of self-justification, which I am fairly confident that he would deny, as his common posture both in preaching and in writing is does not convey one of humility and “teachability”, but of stubborn (or confident depending on the listener/reader) and at times appearing prideful in his convictions. These observations do not in any way diminish the truth Baucham presents, nor does it lower my respect of the man, but I do challenge him to think through his own position in view of what he is teaching in this chapter.

Overall, this book has been extremely helpful in helping me to put to words some of the underlying frustrations that I have been experiencing with the Church and the break down in families. It also offers sound, biblical insights into how a family is to order themselves and pursue God as a covenantal unit. I am also grateful to Baucham for being willing to address such a controversial and unpopular view and argue from the Bible its veracity and necessity. This book has challenged me to slow down and think through these issues, to discuss the future of family integration with the other elders at the church, and to force my wife and I to have much to pray and talk about. Whether one agrees with Baucham or not, this book should be read by all who care about the Church, the family, and the youth who are abandoning the church in droves following graduation from High School.

------------------------

I would recommend anyone who cares about their Family and the Church to read this book carefully, prayerfully, and have honest discussions.

Mission Lakehouse: Success!

My trusty ESV Bible

The above are books that I have been reading during my retreat. I have a tendency to remain in 'seminary mode' even after the semester is over, which means that I read a few chapters from each book and then move onto the next. However, it also means that it takes a bit longer to finish the books, but it helps produce a fine stew of productivity and inspiration for writing.

As far as writing goes, I have written a manuscript (which I don't normally do) for my sermon on the Life of Peter for this weekend at Crossbridge and have developed a few other sermon outlines for the summer from 1 Peter, 1 John, Romans, and the Gospel of John. I will be spending my time next week putting 'flesh' on those sermons and getting them ready for the summer camp season.

Steph, Braelyn, and I had a great time here together. It was restful and fruitful. We are excited to see how the Lord will use our little family this upcoming summer.

I'm sure Steph will be posting more pictures of our trip soon on her blog. I hope to be blogging more soon.

Study Retreat at the Lake

We arrived at our friend's lake house late Sunday night after church. After the first two days Steph and I have been blessed with time to rest, talk, swim, pray, read, and study.

I covet your prayers as I am preparing to preach at 7 weeks of youth events this summer. If you would like to partner in praying with us specifically you can stay up to date by viewing my calendar and let us know that you will be praying with us (I'd be happy to provide specific requests if you are interested). As we retreat, we are reminded how powerful prayer really is.

I'll post more later about the trip and what all God is teaching me. Thanks ahead of time for your prayers!

Long and Fruitful Week

I just completed my first I-Term ever, which was awesome and I should have been doing my entire seminary career. One week of class, a paper following, and then 3 hours of credit!

This week I took a class called 'Ministering to Parents of Teenagers' with Dr. Doug Wood.

It was a blast and I learned a lot. I also had the opportunity to broadcast my radio show live from the class. You can either listen online by clicking on the link below, or right click and 'Save As' or 'Download Linked File' (Mac Users) and enjoy on your own time.

Click here to Listen to Radio Show

Praising Her in the Gates (or on a blog)

Words/Phrases that describe my dear wife:

1. Beautiful
2. Strong
3. Capable
4. Creative
5. Laughter
6. Mother
7. Brave
8. Thankless Job
9. Joyful Servant
10. Reader
11. Blogger
12. Innovative
13. Thoughtful
14. Supportive
15. Hotttttt ;-)
16. Godly
17. Humble
18. Friend
19. Companion
20. Witty
21. Patient
22. Hard-working
23. Forgiving
24. Generous
25. Great Cook
26. Fun
27. Faithful
28. Bargain-Hunter
29. Inquisitive 
30. Thinker
31. Brilliant

Steph, I love you!  Happy Mother's Day!

Tasty Girl Food

These are very good...  I don't care if it is girl food...

Be a Kinder Calvinist - From DesiringGod.org

Be a Kinder Calvinist
By: Abraham Piper

My wife and I were fighting—the kind where after 30 seconds you forget what you're fighting about and you just end up being mean. It doesn't take long in an argument like this to feel hopeless.

I wanted to call someone to come over and mediate. Actually, I didn't want to, but I knew I needed to do something. Our close friends who live near by and our small group leaders were all out of town, so I called a pastor who lives in the neighborhood and asked him to come over right then. I think he could tell by the tone of my voice and the unusual request that we really did need help immediately. He cancelled his Saturday plans and came over.

Sitting at our kitchen table, he helped us figure each other out. Soon we were getting to the heart of the matter. Molly turned to me and said, "You never treat me like you appreciate me."

I looked at her. I looked at our pastor. And then I listed three ways that I'd shown appreciation for her that morning. As far as I was concerned, things were taken care of. She thought I didn't act appreciatively, but I just showed her (definitively, I might add) that I did.

As you can imagine, things were not taken care of. As a matter of fact, my list, for all its accuracy, was completely irrelevant to Molly. This was when our pastor pointed something out to me that has forever changed the way I interact with my wife, and with everybody, for that matter.

He told me that, sure, it may be wrong to say that I never show appreciation, but clearly she feels that way, and right now that's what needs to be dealt with. And not just dealt with but acknowledged, understood, respected. Her words may have included a factual error, but what she was saying was completely true.

There is a letter on Scot McKnight's blog from a pastor who is very frustrated with certain Calvinists in his church. It would be easy enough to disregard it, pointing out that not all Calvinists are like that or that his use of the word "hyper-Calvinist" doesn't match correct theological jargon. But that would be missing the point. And, ironically, that reaction would only lend credence to the frustration that motivated the letter in the first place.

So how should we read this letter in a way that acknowledges, understands, and respects the discouragement of its author?

First, we should note that it is simply indisputable that some people are exactly the way he describes. When you see mean extremists in another circle, it reminds you why you don't run with that crowd. But when you see mean extremists in your own circle, it's just plain embarrassing. Unfortunately, until we are perfected there will always be mean people of every theological strain. But fortunately, we are a part of the church not merely for the company, but for Christ.

The second way to understand the letter is to see it (along with the numerous comments that follow) as abundant evidence that, to many, Calvinists come across as self-righteous, condescending, arrogant, unfriendly, argumentative, and even stingy. The fact that we're not all that way is irrelevant in the same way that it didn't matter to Molly that I had done three things to show I appreciate her—she still felt unappreciated. Her frustration was true because, whether or not I was grateful to my wife, I was perceived as an ingrate. Similarly, the frustration in the letter is true because, whether or not the Calvinists in the letter-writer's church are good folks, they come off as proud and divisive jerks. Those Calvinists, as church members, and I, as a husband, should change based on this information, regardless of how "inaccurately" the frustration may be worded.

In my marriage, it doesn't matter whether I'm thankful if I don't seem like it. And in the church, it doesn't matter whether we have the fruits of the Spirit if no one can tell.

It won't be easy to change the pejorative stereotype that clings to Calvinism, but we can start by admitting that it is accurate far too often. Then we can make sure we are manifestly not self-righteous, condescending, arrogant, unfriendly, or argumentative. Also, you can count on us to buy dinner or coffee sometimes.

Paying attention to those who disagree with us and taking them seriously, even if we're pretty sure we'll still disagree, is part of what it means to be in the body of Christ. It's humbling; it sanctifies. It will make us better husbands and wives. It will make us better Christians, and maybe even better Calvinists.

From the Desiring God Blog

Checkers vs. Chess

The following is an article that I wrote for Convergence Ministries:

I prefer checkers to chess. I know chess is considered by many to be the more mature game of the two, but checkers doesn’t require as much thought or strategy. Sure, there is some strategy involved with checkers, but you could easily play checkers without having to think nearly as hard. Also, with checkers you can be more reactive if you were feeling particularly lazy.

However, one day I was driving and I was thinking about how I was leading my life, family, and ministry. That is when the metaphor of checkers vs. chess first popped up in my mind regarding life and leadership. I had been leading my life with a reaction-driven mentality, and often was moving forward impulsively hoping for the best and not thinking about how my current ‘moves’ would be impacting the future. I was viewing my life like a person who was playing checkers.

I’m not very good at chess, and perhaps this is one of the reasons why I do not prefer it to checkers. However, I know people who are great at chess and often think many moves ahead. They are responsive, strategic, and are aware how one move will effect another opportunity. When I realized this it hit me, “I need to begin viewing life and leadership like a chess player!”

As ministers, leaders, spouses, parents, and teammates we can learn a lot from this metaphor. Most of us lead our lives and all that is involved as lazy checker players. We have tons of opportunities and options on our plate and rather than slowly considering the long-term goals and visions we are serving, we usually react to the most appealing options and ‘fires’ that pop up. Of course, we all have seasons of life when this is inevitable, however, this tends to be the norm rather than the exception for many.

It is not easy to change how we view life, especially if we have forced ourselves into a place where disorganization rules our lives. I know first hand how crippling disorganization can be, so the first step to transition from checker-style living to living like a chess player is to get organized, which I recently did. Also, it will take some time to sit and consider how your current decisions are going to effect long-term impact on you, your family, your church, or your organization. However, this is imperative in order to shift your thinking and outlook.

Those of us who are in any leadership position have a lot that is required of us. The stress builds up quickly and we are forced to make a lot of decisions. However, it is possible to be more strategic in our approach and this is why I hope you will commit to shifting your thinking away from reacting like a checker player and learn to be responsive and strategic like a chess player. You will find that the more you demonstrate this shift, the more your people (family, church members, etc.) will trust you and follow your lead, and the lower stress you will experience in the long-run. Leading like a chess player requires that we keep the end in mind (capturing the King) while being intentional about the steps in getting there.

StumbleUpon

My StumbleUpon Page

This is fun.

Brenham Pressure Washing - Update

On Monday evening I bought my new pressure washer and I was really excited to get started early Tuesday morning at my first job. I took the pressure washer out of the box, put it together, grabbed all my tools, my chemicals, new towels, hoses, etc. and loaded up my Civic. It was pretty funny, I had to put my pressure washer in the front seat of my Civic, because it would not fit into the trunk, nor the back seat (I have a 2 door Civic). A pressure washing site specifically said that I should get a van or truck, "Truck or Van - Something to carry your equipment and I don't advise showing up to a job site in a Civic."  That is a direct quote...

Tuesday morning I rose early to drive to Sugar Land to do my first 'official' job (2nd total) for our friends Rob and Morgan. Here are some before pictures.

So, I arrive around 9:45 a.m. and start unpacking my Civic.  I get everything out and set up the hoses, put gas into my pressure washer, and crank it up.  I take care of their fences first, no problem and work my way around the house.  When I get to the front porch, I decide to give my turbo head a try.  I put it on, and then pop.  It comes out.  I think to myself, "Hmm...  Maybe I'll wait on that one..."  Then I place another normal head on it and water starts spraying everywhere.  Turns out that I blew an O-ring...  Thus, leading to trip 1 to Home Depot.

When I got to Home Depot (about 10-15 minutes away) I grab a new spray wand and head back to the job.  I get back to work and finish the front walk and their sitting area without a problem.  When I get started on the driveway my washer loses pressure and then I hear a loud PSSSSHHHHHHH and look back at my rig and see water spraying out of the hose, at a high pressure.  Apparently the hose (which was a cheap piece of junk) touched my engine and burned right through.  Hence, trip 2 to Home Depot.

I find a hose, but it has a different connector than the one I was using.  However, it says it is compatible with Troy Bilt, so I grab an adapter and some other things and head back to the house.  

I get back to the house...  The hose does not fit.  It is raining...  Burrrrrrgh...  I head back to Home Depot for Trip 3.  I get there, grab a few other types of adapters, drive back to the house. DOESN'T FIT !@&*#*!!!!  SO, I get back into my 'inappropriate for pressure washing business' Civic and head to Lowes, which is about 20 minutes or so away.  I get there, grab a new hose, go back to the house, and finally get to finish the job.  I'm loaded up at 4:00 pm and heading out.  6 Hours to do a 3 hour job...  Tough learning curve.

However, the job turned out looking good and my clients were happy.  Here are some after pics.

I had the privilege of pressure washing my parents front and back of their house.  It was an all day project, but turned out great.

If you have any needs or know anyone who does, have them check out Brenham Pressure Washing!

I'll take customers in the Houston area as well as around Brenham...  No job is too small. :-)

JOINTogether4RA

We recently met some new friends here in Brenham and they are great.  Andy and Gabriele recently moved down from Oklahoma.  Recently Gabriele was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is a horrific disease.  However, rather than be defeated they decided to be proactive by working towards a solution.  

I encourage you to check out their blog and purchase some of Andy's art.

BrenhamPressureWashing.com

I've recently started Brenham Pressure Washing as a way to supplement our ministry income when times are slow. The idea came about a while back when I heard of a friend in missions who does something similar on the side. I recently noticed a pressure washer in my parents garage I asked my Dad about it and he said, "I don't think it's been used but twice." I asked if I could borrow it, and as always, my generous Dad agreed.

So far I have cleaned my house and my driveway, The Hyde's front and back porch, and I have two more jobs lined up in Sugar Land. Although my little company is called 'Brenham Pressure Washing', I am happy to travel to the Sugar Land area to serve my friends and family. I'm excited to see where this goes. Let me know if I can help!

"CASE!!!!!"

The other day Steph was calling me from the bathroom as she was giving Braelyn a bath, because she needed something. It took me a second to respond, so then I heard a smaller, younger voice yell, "Case!!!" Since that time, my dear daughter has been calling me by my nickname that friends and family call me... That's a bit weird... But a bit cute as well...

Summer Olympics

With the Summer Olympics right around the corner, I thought I'd offer this helpful tool.

Meters to Feet conversion
Enter Meters
Value in Feet
provided by metric conversions

YouSendIt.com - Helpful Tool

I have found this website to be very helpful. You can send files up to 100 mb at a time to friends, your record label, your publisher, etc. for free. They also have subscription options where you pay some, but it allows for more files to be sent, etc. One of my favorite things about this service is that you upload it to their server, then the person can download it at their leisure. It’s way better than trying to get file sizes down to 20mb to send via E-mail or trying to send it over an IM program.

Introducing Convergence

Check out CONVERGENCE !

Convergence is a community of pastors and lay leaders who are striving to align themselves to God’s vision for the local church and supportive ministries. We desire to serve the Church by equipping pastors and lay-leaders to creatively and effectively work together towards fulfilling the Great Commission in a manner that is glorifying to God and consequential in the lives of His people.

Fun with the Fam!

The girls and I had a great time today at the new outlet mall on 290!

A Pregnant Dude?

The other day I saw this article about a pregnant man. I was shocked and wondered, “What does this mean theologically if a dude is pregnant!?!?” It turns out the ‘man’ is really a woman who had a partial-sexolectamy (don’t know the proper lingo), but still had enough goods to make a kid (with the help of some specialists).

Here are a few observations:

1) That is not a man.
2) If she thinks she’s a man, she is still a she.
3) Even if she submitted to a masectomy and took some hormones to help grow some facial fuzz, she is still a woman.
4) I cannot believe Oprah had her on the show... Wait, yes I can.
5) This is another evidence that our post-modern thinking (i.e. - if you feel it, then it’s true) is permeating our culture...

This poor woman believes she’s a man. However, nature is proving that she is still a woman...

Introducing Eddie Kirkland

I just purchased "Orthodoxy" by Eddie Kirkland from iTunes.  My friend Steve Fee recommended Eddie to me.  Steve co-wrote a few of the songs on the album.  It's a great album.  You should check it out...  It's hard to find solid,  Christ-centered tunes these days.

But You're Not Hardcore...

I was driving in The Woodlands today and I saw a motortrike like this...  hrmph.

Getting Things Done

Yes. That was my office (and our dog Tucker). As you can see, it had become quite a mess! Most of it is my fault, but I had a little help from our sweet 21 month old daughter as she likes to play with stuff in Daddy's office. It had recently gotten to the point where I no longer wanted to work in my office. Instead, I would grab my laptop and head to the dining room to work. However, that was not always profitible because I have a 21 month old daughter (see above).

I recently started reading a book called Getting Things Done by David Allen. It was recommended to me several years ago by my good friend Rod Brace who is one of the most organized people that I have ever met. I tried the basics a few years back, but as you can see above, they didn't stick. After getting fed up once again with my disorganized life, I realized that the best thing for me to do was to suck it up and begin to get things done.

Last week I set aside some time, purchased the office supplies I would need to implement the process and I got to work.

I got to work at about 7:15 am and was not finished until about 6 pm that night. No lie. It took forever, BUT it was well worth it!

As of Wednesday this week, I have been using my system for one week and I am really getting things done! Is your life unorganized? If so, you are probably overwhelmed by all that has to get done, things being overlooked, or outright forgetting to do things. Let this be an encouragement to you, you can get things done! Let me know if I can help.

Thinking about Corporate Worship

I couldn't sleep last night.  Not because of anything in particular, just one of those nights where sleep didn't come easy.  As I lay awake, I started thinking about the 'worship movement' that is taking place in the Church today and the emphasis on personal worship.  There is such a huge emphasis on worship style, methods, songs, etc. that we can quickly miss the One whom deserves our worship.

Also, what has come of the corporate worship experience?  If you think about it for a minute, you'd quickly realize that we bring a lot of people together to worship individually.  Now, I know that people are encouraged to sing the same song, facing the same direction, and all, but is it just me or is there an increasing emphasis made on the experience of the individual rather than the glorification of Jesus?  Plus, aren't we called to worship God as a people, not just as a person?  

Shouldn't individual worship be defined as our whole life and not just an emotion (see Romans 12:1-2)?  Listen, I'm not trying to be just another negative voice in the worship discussion.  However, I am convicted that I have not been viewing the call to corporate worship appropriately.  We need a little more of 'us and God' and a little less of 'me and God'.  I think we've gotten pretty good at 'me and God'.  

This trend also emphasizes the lack of community in the Church today.  In my experience, there appears to be more authentic community being had at coffee shops and bars, than in the church.  Why is that?  Perhaps there is a connection between our view of worship and our view of community?  The idea of community in the world is a group of people with common interests that derive benefit from one another.  However, isn't there something more that Christ calls us to?  For instance, aren't we to care for widows and orphans?  What if that even means more than paying their light bills and feeding them?  What if it means that we do life with them with the aim of encouraging one another to love and good deeds (see Hebrews 10)?

The more I consider these things, the more I realize that we must return to a higher view of corporate worship.  If you want to close your eyes and raise your hands, that is great, but don't do it at the expense of the community as a whole.  I wonder how pleased God is when we are pouring everything we are into OUR worship, but ignore those in our midst who are suffering, hurting, or just weak in faith?  That must be connected to loving our neighbors as ourselves in some way...

"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!  It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!  It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion!  For there the Lord as commanded the blessing, life forevermore." - Psalm 133 (ESV)

One Year in Brenham

I cannot believe that we have been in Brenham for a year. Time has flown by and so much has changed in just one year. I thank God for His grace in the midst of great joy and great suffering. In the next few days I will commit some time to write about our experiences here thus far. However, I need to rest up now as Steph is heading to the famous 'Round Top' tomorrow.  So, more to come in the next few days.

AI: Weighing in

After tonight's performance, here's how I bet the season will unfold to the end.

10: Ramiele Malubay
9: Kristy Lee Cook
8: Chikezie
7: Carly Smithson
6: Michael Johns
5: Syesha Mercado
4: Brooke White
3: Jason Castro
2. David Archuleta
1. David Cook

What do you think?

TransformRadio.com

I wanted to let you know about TransformRadio.com!  It is a new branch of Transform Ministries that offers streaming audio of songs, sermons, live talk shows, and interviews.  We are still working on ironing everything out, but I wanted to welcome my online friends to check it out.  

I will be doing a live talk show on Tuesday's and Thursday's at 2pm CST, so I'd love to have you listen in.  You can find out more by going to the website or you can e-mail me if you have any questions.  

We are currently looking for music from bands to play on our show.  It doesn't have to be 'Christian' music, but it must be appropriate for all age groups.  You can e-mail your songs to transformradio@gmail.com.

Looking forward to journeying with you!

transformradio.com

Living in View of Easter

"He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay." - Matthew 28:6 ESV

We are now in Passion Week and as the week progresses we are confronted with the terror and joy that this week brings. For Christ became sin, although he did not have any sin, so that those who trust in Him will be righteous before God (see 2 Cor. 5:21). Through the passion narrative we experience great love and community, betrayal, shame, distress, hatred, violence, death, but in the end, we experience victory. This victory is not a small victory, rather, it is momentous in the grand scheme of creation.

God, after bearing with a rebellious creation for a long time, has sent His Son to become a sacrifice in our stead. While movies like the Passion of the Christ make much of the crucifixion, it lacks in conveying the significance of the resurrection. Without the resurrection a good man would have been put to death, and perhaps some could even argue that a sacrifice was made. However, without the resurrection, sin and death would still reign victorious.

Jesus took upon Himself the wrath of God, which we deserve, becoming the perfect sacrifice. Through His death, payment for sin was made and God's wrath was appeased. By His resurrection, Jesus became victorious over sin and death. This is our hope as followers of Christ! No longer does sin reign over us, and no longer is death the end! Rather, we now have an eternal hope in Jesus Christ!

Let us use this Easter season to remember that we have died to sin, and therefore are not longer obligated to its reign in our lives (see Romans 6-8). Our hope is no longer based on our performance, rather in Jesus Christ alone.

May God bless you and yours during this Easter season!

Wanting to Write...

Lately I have been wanting to write, which is a good thing, especially since I have a paper due in a few weeks. However, I am realizing that my desire to write goes in cycles. My good friend Justin calls them 'rhythms', which sounds much cooler, but whatever it is I don't always feel like writing. This is fine, but my dear wife reminds me that if I do not post new blog postings, then people will stop reading my blog.

So, I feel more inspired to write and would like to start making a meaningful contribution to the blogospehere. However, I'm still undecided as to what I should blog about. Therefore, I am going to ask my friends who read my blog to leave a comment and give me some suggestions about things to blog about. It can be about anything. I have a few ideas, but I am hoping for you to provide me with some ideas and inspiration.

I'm in a season where I feel like writing, so, give me something to write about!

Pre-Teen Camp?!?!

A few days ago my good friend John Sherrill, who leads 220, called me and asked if I would be interested in preaching for his Pre-Teen Summer camp. He said he would understand if I was not interested, but wanted to ask me anyways. I told him that I would talk with Steph and pray about it.

When I talked with Steph and told her what I was asked she literally laughed in my face and said jokingly, "You've been demoted!!!" She said this because I have been camp pastor for 220 camps in the past for middle school and high school students. I told John this and he assured me that it was NOT a demotion.

The week he asked me to preach I am currently available. However, I have never preached to 5th and 6th graders before, so I wasn't sure if I would connect. Most folks that know me know that I connect well with High School and up. I also have experience with Middle School students, but that is 7th grade and up. A bit different than 5th graders!

With all of this in mind, I have agreed to participate in their camp if they would have me. It is not because I'm hard up for camps, rather, the honest thing in the back of my mind is that I have a 20 month old daughter who I desire to raise up in the Lord, but I am still learning what this means. So, I decided that moving towards younger ages gradually would be good practice. I know these kids aren't young children, but, hey, it's challenging, and it's a start.

Needless to say, I need your prayers. It will be great, or horrible, or a mixture of the two... We'll have to see...

Transform Ministries - NEW WEBSITE LIVE!

Well, after several months of planning, dreaming, designing, etc, our friends at Crate Media have done a phenomenal job with our new website!  Please check it out and let us know what you think!  

0-60 in under...

Our lives have strange rhythms.  For instance, my family goes from having nothing going on to me being gone every weekend, in school, and in and out of meetings throughout the week.  This rhythm is tough on us at times.  We get used to a settled pace (nearly unemployed) to a "we barely see each other in passing."  I am the first to admit that this is not the best, but this is reality.  

This raises the question, "If you know this is not best, then why do you do it?"  Well, to answer this hypothetical question, the reason is that we are striving to fulfill a calling on our lives.  The problem is not with the calling, the problem is with our intentionality in seeking to fulfill our calling and maintain health in other aspects of our lives.  However, this is easier said than done.  

I know for a fact that we are not alone in this struggle.  While most people have more normal life rhythms than us, they are still inundated with work, school, family, church, hobbies, etc.  The question that we should be asking ourselves are, "Is what I am doing right now consistent with the vision of my family?" and "Am I pursuing this calling in a way that honors God and cultivates intimacy with Him, my family, and my community?"  These may seem like easy questions on the surface, but are quite haunting, convicting, and compelling when contemplated for some time.

It is about this time that someone might throw in the good 'ol, "Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10).  However, am I the only one that sees the application of this verse as, "SLAM ON THE BRAKES!!!"  Perhaps we are too busy.  Perhaps we think we are too important.  Perhaps we need to be reminded that the exaltation of our life needs to be focused on exalting God, and not our own status.

Any thoughts?

Gotta Post More...

I realized today that I haven't posted very much on my blog.  I miss it, so I will begin again...

More coming soon.

I Can't Sleep...

I started back to seminary yesterday. It was great to see my friends and professors. However, I was reminded that when I am in seminary, I have homework to do. Seems pretty obvious, but I always seem to forget that until I get back into 'seminary mode.' Then WHAM!

I don't really have a good reason as to why I can't sleep tonight. I'm not upset about anything, but perhaps it was the coffee I drank today, and then the Diet Dr. Pepper I had with our late dinner. Steph made chili tonight, which was WAY better than the chili she made last night. I don't think it was all the beans, but I guess we'll see in the next few hours...

I wish I could sleep. Our church has a men's prayer meeting on Wednesday's (tomorrow!) at 6:30 am, so of all nights to be sleepless, this is not one of them. There are a lot of exciting things going on right now: new Transform Ministries site (COMING SOON!), lots of speaking opportunities, writing D-NOW curriculum, seminary, meeting new folks in Brenham, etc. One time I had a friend, who happens to be a shrink, tell me that "There is a fine line between excitement and anxiety..." Hrmph... So, for now I choose to be excited. : : smiles : :

Several people have gotten on to me the last few days about me not blogging more, so this is one attempt to provide some late night reading fodder for those friends (3 or 4) who actually read my blog. I go in blogging spurts. Steph, my dear wife, is a blogging champion. I'm not... Oh well.

So, I'm going to go waste a few more moments of my life before I try to sleep again... Talk with you soon... OR ... in a few weeks... I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

Do for others...

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 7:12

My good friend Josh Phipps (pictured left) was recently featured in the Houston Chronicle for giving one of his kidney's to his boss. As I read the article I was reminded of the Golden Rule from Matthew 7. Talk about living out the truth of God's Gospel! I am proud of my friend and grateful for his godly example.

You can check out the article by clicking here.

A Convicting Reminder...

Context:

Judson was invited by a congregation in the U.S. to share after returning from 30 years in the mission field in Burmah. They were disappointed with his presentation, because he did not tell stories about his trip, rather he talked about Jesus.

Quote:

"My business is to preach the gospel of Christ; and when I can speak at all, I dare not trifle with my commission. When I looked upon those people to-day, and remembering where I should next meet them, how could I stand up and furnish food to vain curiosity—tickle their fancy with amusing stories, however decently strung together on a thread of religion? That is not what Christ meant by preaching the gospel. And then how could I hereafter meet the fearful charge, 'I gave you one opportunity to tell them of ME; you spent it in describing your own adventures!'"

- Judson, the missionary to Burmah as quoted by Charles Spurgeon in his sermon The Blood

Humility: The Chinless Wonder

A week ago (Friday, December 28th) Steph kindly reminded me that I needed to trim my beard. I guess it was getting a bit unruly...



So, as I normally do before I shower, I pulled out the trusty beard trimmers and began trimming the beard, well, hacking it really. I started with a 3 guard and things were going nicely. However, when I got to my mustache I wanted a bit of a closer trim with some detailing. The detailing went too far and my mustache became way too thin. So, I shaved off the mustache. That left me with a hefty Abe Lincoln look.

I decided then to go back to the chin-goatee, but as I was trying to form it the sides kept being uneven. I trimmed and trimmed. Finally I was left with a soul patch. It looked ridiculous. So, I shaved off my beard. MISTAKE!



I had not shaved my chin in over 5 years. I had vaguely remembered that I had a smaller chin, but was quickly reminded why I was given the nickname 'The Chinless Wonder.'

After this happened I heard Braelyn knocking on the bathroom door, so I opened it and she stood there looking at me like I was a stranger. She then began crying and she was scared of me the rest of the evening. Stephanie saw me and said, "I said just to trim it not shave it!" I felt like an ugly duckling... hehe...

So, here a sit a week later, growing back my facial hair and humbled by the reminder that facial hair for me is more than just a nice touch, but a vain necessity. Thankfully, I come from a hairy family, so here's to the new beard...

Sad News...

Steph and I had our first Dr.'s appointment today and we found out that our little baby was only developed 6 weeks and we were about 9 weeks. There was no heartbeat. This is our second miscarriage and it is tough. However, we do know that our God reigns, that Christ is faithful, and that we will allow this opportunity to stretch our faith and in the long run, to increase our joy in Jesus.

We welcome and covet your prayers. We love you.

HaMoreh Ministries - New Site is Live!

HaMoreh Ministries has just launched their new website! If you don't know who or what HaMoreh Ministries is, then go and check out the site! Click here!

Whoops, we did it again!

For the last several weeks Steph has been making statements like, "It is so hard to get up in the morning," and "Ugh! I feel so tired all the time!!!" At first, I didn't think much about it. I know she is not a lazy woman, but perhaps it was just a lazy season for her. However, a few days after Thanksgiving she asked me, "Do you think I could be pregnant?"

At first I was like, "Nah..." But... I remembered her symptoms when she was pregnant with Braelyn. Well... Sure enough, ladies and gents, we are pleased to announced that we have a bun in the oven! The baby should arrive mid-to-late July. Yes. Right in the middle of summer camp season... We are grateful, and prayerful!

Jesus, Turkey, and Miscellaneous Ramblings...

Jesus. There is no greater name. However, I wonder why I am so quick to forget? Stress, worry, frustration can sneak up so quickly. I am reminded that there is a thief who loves to "steal, kill, and destroy," yet I am too quick to forget the One who came that I might have "life abundantly." (See John 10:10) As I reach the end of another semester of traveling & preaching, pastoring, husband-ing, fathering, and seminary-ing, I am reminded that I can do nothing outside of the grace of Jesus Christ.

However, lately I have been "By the grace of Jesus" and "By the skin of my teeth..." I don't know if that makes sense, and it wasn't meant to be heretical, but whatever... This semester I have been studying Biblical Hebrew, and I am increasingly aware that my expertise will not be in Biblical Linguistics. It just doesn't click. I've overspiritualized it, underspiritualized it, accurately spiritualized it and I am content to know that I know and love some world class linguists, but I am just not like them. However, I have learned how to use some tools that help me understand the text better, so for that I am grateful.

Thanksgiving is upon us once again, here is a quick list of things I am thankful for:

1. Triune God & His Bible


2. Steph & Braelyn


3. Extended Family


4. Christ Church - all of it and everyone involved


5. Friends


6. Laughter


7. Transform Ministries - The Ministers and the Board of Directors Rock!


8. Provision


9. Preaching


10. Pals (There, I have achieved a good 'ol Baptist Alliteration)


11. Coffee


12. TV Series on DVD


13. Cool weather


14. Fixed automobile


15. My MacBook Pro


16. House, Cars, Etc.


17. Good Blogs


18. Bad Blogs that make me grateful for the good blogs.


19. Movies


20. Miracles (see http://www.prayforkyle.com/)

One last thought. For seminary, I am also taking Contemporary Evangelism, and part of the curriculum is sharing my faith with 3 non-Christians. I am kind of in a pinch, because on one hand I travel all the time and preach to hundreds of people each semester about Jesus, but this needs to be one on one conversations. So, if any of you reading this do not believe in Jesus and would be willing to let me share with you why I do, please let me know! 1) I would love to share you the greatest thing that ever happened to me. 2) I want to do so with integrity, that is why I am posting this. 3) I think this assignment is a bit silly, but I want to submit to the authorities placed over me...

Okay, one last last thought... Why is it that when I was a teenager I thought that every feeling I experienced = Truth? It seems that this is an ongoing issue with students (and adults). Feelings do not equal truth, however, in our culture it appears that we submit to our feelings, and thus become the sovereign to determine truth. Rather than allowing the Truth to subdue and direct our affections and feelings. Any thoughts?

My Wife Jacked My Blog...

Well, you know that it is time to blog when your wife hijacks your blog and tells you it is time to blog. I guess I was a little surprised because I didn't think many folks read my blog, but I guess I was mistaken.

Today was an interesting day of cleaning out our garage. Now that might sound like a small feat, but the individual who owned the house before us left us many treasures. It literally took us the whole day to clean out the garage, but it does look really nice now. Thanks to my mom for coming out and spending time with Braelyn so that we could clean. Mad props to my boy Blake Quimby for helping us out and hauling numerous loads of junk to the dump...

This fall has been a great season of ministry and I am satisfied with the time I had of ministry on the road. I will spend next month working on new sermon material and discussion questions for D-NOW's next spring. So, things have been great and I am doing well... Blog, Blog, Blog....

Well, that's all I have to say right now. My dear wife coached me that if I would start back to blogging by updating about my life, that I would get into the groove again... So, we'll see what happens...

Cheers!

Casey...I have Kidnapped Your Blog!

Casey,
This is your wife typing.
I have kidnapped your blog and I am making demands!

WRITE A NEW POST!!!!!

I am confident that I'm not the only As You Are Going reader to feel this way!

I love you. :)
Steph

My Girls on Fall Harvest Festival... :-D

SavingDownensky.com - Copied from Steph's Blog

A few weeks ago I came across our friends, the Ivey's adoption blog. They are adopting a precious little boy named Amos Dowensky from a rescue center in Haiti. To help with the adoption costs, the Ivey's are selling "Saving Dowensky" t-shirts. We love the Ivey's and want to support the wonderful thing they are doing. So here's the Cease family, sportin' our cool, new shirts.

The photo shoot proved to be more of a challenge than I expected.

Well, this is the best we could do.

To learn more about the Ivey's adoption journey, and how you can help bring their baby boy home, go to savingdowensky.com

Answered Prayer!!!

In an earlier post I let you all know that my 1998 Honda Civic had its air conditioning go out and I was concerned about the transmission. Well, God, once again, answered our prayers. My parents finally had enough of their little Pookie (me) driving without A/C, so they said, "Hey, we want to help you get that fixed..." And I let them.

So, I took the car to my friends Dan and Shawn Sickle over at Integrity Tire and Auto in Richmond, TX and the told me that they would take a look at it. I received a call from them earlier this week from them and they said, "Good news! We think we can just replace the clutch on the compressor instead of having to replace the entire compressor." This is great news because the compressor is really expensive.

However, when I spoke to them on Wednesday they let me know that the two clutches that they ordered did not work and that they were going to have to replace the compressor... BUMMER! However, they were able to find it after-market for a good price. Then, I went to the shop yesterday to pick the car up and they walked me through the invoice and then he said, "There you go..." I said, "How much do I owe you?" He then explained that God had blessed them and that they wanted to support our ministry. He waved and said, "Have a good one!" WHAT??!?!? Yes, that's right. They fixed my car and charged me nothing! Praise God!

So, needless to say, I highly recommend Integrity Tire and Auto in Richmond, TX for all of your auto mechanic needs. They have fixed my car on numerous occasions and charged me very fairly and have always done an amazing job!

Here's their info:

Integrity Tire & Auto
921 E Highway 90A
Richmond, TX 77469
(281) 633-8473

Just tell them that Casey sent you!

Amen...

Autolust...

Sometimes it stinks to be a grown up. There are so many responsibilities now. I have a hoppin' 1998 Honda Civic EX with 132,000 miles on it. This car was my wife, Stephanie's, graduation present from High School. It has been a great car and has never let us down, until recently.

It was a blistering hot day in July and I got into my little black beauty to go somewhere. When I started the car I turned the A/C up on high. The air was forcefully blowing out, but there was a problem. The air that was coming out was REALLY HOT! Now, I know that sometimes when a car has been sitting in the heat it takes a moment for the A/C to cool down. Fine. However, as I started driving, nothing changed. I was pretty mad...

Then not too long ago I was driving and the car started to show signs that the transmission wasn't doing so well. Do I know for a fact that it is the transmission? No, but I do know that out of no where the car would jump up in RPMs and go "VROOM". This happened for no apparent reason. So, either I have a problem with the transmission, or the pistons, or other thinga-ma-bobs.

So, here I sit. It will cost around $1,000 to fix the A/C and who knows how much for the transmission. The question I am sitting with right now is, "Do I pay the money to get the car fixed?" or "Do I sell the car, get the money I can out of it, and then save up for another used vehicle?" The answer is, "I don't know."

We strive to live a modest life, but we already have one car payment and a mortgage payment, and we really do not like to have debt. Therefore, it appears that I will drive my black beauty until she won't dance any longer.

If any of you out in Cyberspace have a car that is reliable and has A/C and would be willing to sell it for CHEAP, then let me know...

It is funny. When I was a kid my fantasy car was a Lamborghini, but now my fantasy car is a car with A/C... My how age and circumstance changes us. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Christ Church Brenham - Launches Sept. 9th!

As many of you know, Stephanie, Braelyn, and I relocated to Brenham, TX to be a part of a church plant. The church is called Christ Church and I am one of the Elders. We began having a small group meeting each Sunday evening in February and over the past few months we have been blessed to have several folks join us.

Well, the time has now come for us to begin our public worship gatherings. So, if you are in or around Brenham and would like to join us, you are welcome! Here's the info:

Pastor Dean Meade and the community of Calvary Baptist Church in Brenham have generously offered Christ Church the use of their facilities at 1100 Niebuhr Street (across from Brenham Junior High). We will start meeting there on Sunday, September 9, 2007 at 5PM. Please join us for our inaugural service.

For more information you can check us out on the web by clicking here!

We welcome your prayers!