Through The Fire

Book Review: The Fight Of Our Lives

2012-03-01T08:35:00.001-08:00

I finally finished reading William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn's book The Fight of our Lives. Let me start by saying many will not like what they have to say because it isn't politically correct. This book is a tough and loud read. The truth is that Bennett and Leibsohn are correct whether we like to hear it or not. They share the motivation and ideology behind Islam's radical nature that many have decided isn't worth hearing. It has become easy to point a finger of racism or bigotry at those like Bennett and Leibsohn for sharing good information, history, and truth...this is why Fight had to be written. We need to be shaken to the deep truths of what is happening.

Beginning with the attack on Fort Hood in 2009 by homegrown terrorist Nidal Hasan and continuing to remind us of other attacks like the Cole and 9/11, the authors reason that our response to such incidents directly reflects the way future attacks will happen. Under President Obama, we have seen a lapse, not only in judgment, but in defense and security; from the vocabulary we use to describe the attacks to our lack of resolve to stand up against tyranny and let terrorists see that their acts of cowardice will be met head on by our men and women in uniform.

[Stepping outside the book for a moment, it is for these reasons a President Ron Paul would only serve to disintegrate any kind of strength we are seen with in the world. It won't be any different than it is now and we will continue to be in the fight of our lives.]

In order to protect and defend the United States, we need to understand the nature of violence Islam chooses and preaches so that we do not always look as weak as we have in the last 3 years.

Fight is a tough book to take as lightly as many will. Bennett and Leibsohn provide some of the best commentary I have ever heard on this subject. They are of the few willing to say what so many will not. Radical Islam is at its core fundamental Islam. Many Muslims who do not consider themselves Radicals still adhere to Sharia law--which tells me they are just as radical as those they disagree with. I hope it changes.

Spoiler Alert
Bennett and Leibsohn speak to how Islam can be a real religion of peace:

"A truly reformed Islam would lament but allow apostasy. It would support pluralism, denounce the application of Sharia law, prohibit polygamy and underage marriage, extend social and legal equality to nonbelievers, and inveigh against terrorism everywhere and always.

Unless and until these kinds of conditions and statements can be met and agreed to, the case for doctrinal Islam, unreformed Islam, being a religion of peace has the status of "alleged" with several counts stacked up against it...

...Does one want to be a good Muslim by living his life by the nonviolent moral code found in much of the teachings of Islam? The answer is obvious: many do. And they need to be cultivated." (excerpts from pgs. 126, 127, & 128)

I fear too few Muslims are willing to do this.

I enjoyed (if I can use this word to describe a book about acts of terror) The Fight of our Lives. I think Bennett and Leibsohn have presented a well-written and well-researched book about Islam and how it has affected the world. I recommend it to everyone who wants to learn more.

*****
I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publisher's Bookszeeze review program. I was not required to write a favorable review. I was only asked to be honest. The words are my own.

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Resurrection

2012-03-01T08:30:00.002-08:00

I will be resurrecting my blog soon. I have so much to do and share that I want to use my namesake blog to begin. For all the haters, you can continue to read here if you want, but you no longer have anyone to "report" me to when I don't tow the line you so desperately want to hang on to.

This won't be a place of hate. I won't let anyone pull me to their level. This is going to be a personal and honest blog for me. I will post the things happening in my life, book reviews, thoughts about faith and theology, politics, and more.

If you don't want to read about that, please don't read and remove me from your RSS feed. Thanks and God bless!

52 Books In 52 Weeks - 2010

2011-01-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

I am most proud this year of my book list. I resolved to read one book a week for every week this year. While I started really strong the last couple months was the most difficult. Either what I was picking up wasn't catching my interest or I just was very busy and unable to read like I would have liked. But, I made it through. I read 52 books this year. In no particular order (some are in order of what I read, but I would forget to write some down and write them down later out of order), here they are:

1. The Edge Chronicles, Volume 6: Vox by Paul Stewart & Chris Liddell
2. The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson
3. Paul and the Thessalonians by Abraham J. Malherbe
4. Where Mercy Is Shown, Mercy Is Given by Duane "Dog" Chapman
5. Churches in the New Testament by Michael Weed & Wendell Willis
6. Theology Matters by Holloway, Harris, and Black
7. The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose
8. Inside The Mind of Youth Pastors by Mark Riddle
9. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
10. Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson
11. A Book You'll Actually Read on Church Leadership by Mark Driscoll
12. Religion and Sexuality: Opposing Viewpoints by Various Authors
13. Teens At Risk: Opposing Viewpoints by Various Authors
14. Usagi Yojimbo: The Shrouded Moon by Stan Sakai
15. God's Politics by Jim Wallis
16. Teens Under The Influence by K. Ketcham & Nicolas A. Pace, M.D.
17. Evangelical Feminism by Wayne Grudem
18. Culture Shift by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
19. The Map: The Way Of All Great Men by David Murrow
20. The Gay Gospel? by Joe Dallas
21. Why We're Not Emergent by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck
22. The Blue Parakeet by Scot McKnight
23. Jesus: Mean and Wild by Mark Galli
24. The Truth War by John MacArthur
25. The Radical Reformission by Mark Driscoll
26. 99 Thoughts for Youth Workers by Josh Griffin
27. Secret Message of Jesus by Brian McLaren
28. The Church of Facebook by Jesse Rice
29. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman
30. Interpretation Commentary - Romans by Paul Achtemeier
31. Unleashing Courageous Faith by Paul Coughlin
32. Common Sense by Glenn Beck
33. Confessions of a Reformission Rev. by Mark Driscoll
34. Brother West by Cornell West
35. Engaging the Soul of Youth Culture by Walt Mueller
36. The Ten Things You Can't Say in America by Larry Elder
37. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
38. Misquoting Truth by Timothy Paul Jones
39. Deep Church by Tim Belcher
40. A Slobbering Love Affair by Bernard Goldberg
41. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
42. Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood by John Piper & Wayne Grudem
43. Going Rogue by Sarah Palin
44. Introducing Hegel by Lloyd Spencer
45. A Theory of Everything by Ken Wilber
46. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
47. The Obama Diaries by Laura Ingraham
48. A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren
49. Neighbor by Ben Daniel
50. Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
51. Green Hell by Steven Milloy
52. Smile by Raina Telegemeier

Next year, I would like to do the same, but I am afraid I am going to be busy with some other things so I am changing it to one book a month and I want each book to be really selective. I will likely read more than that, but the ones I report will be a bit more personal for me.

Simply Rested

2010-03-04T09:09:00.000-08:00

I am back from the Simply Youth Ministry Conference 2010 in Chicago! It took me a few days to recover from a packed weekend. I learned a lot of tips and youth ministry ideas, but the biggest thing I learned was this: Every involved youth worker should go to a conference like this. Here are 3 reasons why.

A time of learning - I learned a lot. There were so many opportunities to take a class on a subject that will help me to stay in ministry for the long haul. SYMC offered classes on marriage, volunteer training, games, counseling, conflict resolution, preaching, & teaching. I chose the Helping Hurting Kids track and I benefited from probably one of the least discussed topics but one of the most influential problems all teens face – teen depression and addiction. I believe we all need to learn more if we are going to help teens through their adolescence.

A time of encouragement - The worship and camaraderie I was able to participate in was very therapeutic. I met many people I have had the honor of speaking to online through the SYM Podcast. Getting to meet Doug, Josh, Matt, and Jana in person was awesome. It felt like seeing old friends for the first time in a long time. I also got to meet Andy B in person after so many emails for products. I also met new people like D.C., Matt K., Rick Lawrence, Tom, and many others. Tim Timmons really encouraged me through his worship leading and a few of his songs are STILL stuck in my head.

A time of rest - Youth Ministry is T. O. U. G. H. with a capital STRESSFUL. Dealing with tough kids, tough parents, boards, elders, pastors & ministers can take a lot out of you. We don't tend to take time for ourselves because we are so committed to getting it right as often as possible. We overwork ourselves to the point we lose much of our drive and passion. Taking a weekend to listen to others who are doing what you do and understand your faith, love, passion, hurts, and struggles can only benefit. I felt loved on. It had been 7 years since I had been to a large convention like this. I forgot how much I needed it. Now that I am back, I feel stronger. There isn't a huge list of things to tell people about the conference itself other than the encouragement I received. I did come back with this though: the passion and desire to help hurting kids. I think that was worth the admission alone.

2008 In Review

2008-12-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Samson and the Pirate Monks by Nate Larkin
Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres
Unbroken Bread by Mike Root
Body-Building Guide to Outreach, Edited by Group Publishing
A Comedian's Guide to Theology by Thor Ramsey
Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Showdown by Ted Dekker
Jesus Mean and Wild by Mark Galli
Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne
Obama Nation by Jerome Corsi
The Shack by William P. Young
The Great Omission by Dallas Willard
The Edge Chronicles: Books 1-5 by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Meant To Live

2008-11-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

Our teens were charged to create something for Family Camp this year on the theme of "Follow Me" the calling of Levi. We decided to put together a little music video. This video only took a couple of Sundays to plan and about 30 minutes to get filmed the way we liked it. Thanks to our awesome preacher Aaron, we were able to get it to DVD to show on Sunday at Family Camp. Mike held the camera and directed. Jeremy was Levi. Riley was Jesus. Everyone did such an amazing job! We hope you enjoy this. It was fun to make. If you want a DVD version let me know so I can get some burned from Aaron.

Cascade College 1994-2009

2008-10-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

I am sad to say that I heard through the grapevine that my beloved alma mater, Cascade College is closing after this school year. I feel like my best friend died.

I don't even know what to say about it. I was just there last night enjoying a couple hours of pickup basketball with some old friends.

The days of spending time there conversing with my professors and friends is coming to a close. Hearing all the great things from Witness was a joy. Pulling into 9101 E. Burnside Street, Portland, Oregon 97216 was always a pleasure.

It was so great to have a place to meet as ministers of the area churches of Christ for various meetings and conferences. Goodbye my friend. I will never forget the joys you provided.

Kingsmen for life!

5 Healthy Ways To Deal With Conflict

2008-10-17T09:28:00.001-07:00

Often in Youth Ministry, we deal with conflict. Sometimes it is not identifiable or transparent. Other times, it is blatant, in-yo-face! I believe I have the spiritual gift to identify conflicts happening around me whether I am the target or not...sometimes I feel like I have the spiritual gift to be the target of conflict (LOL!!!).

Here are 5 Healthy Ways to Deal with Conflict:

1. Identify the real target of the conflict. Sometimes when people are upset, it's not something you did, but stress within the life of those who come after you. I sometimes take out my stress on my family. I sit and realize I am not upset with my wife or kids, but with another situation. The truth is it is easier to offend those that love me most because I know they will continue to love me. With Youth Ministry, the target may not be my teaching they are upset about, but a fight they are dealing with in their family. The target may not be that a parent is upset we ended an activity at 7:01pm instead of 7:00pm, but that they were stressing that they had an early morning meeting at work the next day that they were not looking forward to. Youth Ministers are easy targets because we are seen as inexperienced, less educated, immature people...even though we are not.

2. Ask Questions. Sometimes the best way to go through a conflict is to ask as many questions as possible to find the root of the conflict. It is easier to deal with the exact reasons why someone is upset if you have gone through the deduction process. For example: What is it that I did that you are upset about? How does it make you feel when I ____? How would you have handled ____? What can I do to make ___ up to you? What can we do to resolve ___? In the future, what would you like me to do? How might "so-and-so" feel if I did this your way if they were fine with my decision? How will this truly affect the rest of the group if I were to try this your way?

3. Compromise. Sometimes taking a shot of humility is the best way to solve a conflict. There have been many times I have done things in ways I was not accustomed to in order to reach the largest cross-section of the group as I could. It is not easy to swallow your pride and admit you might not be the best at something. Absolutely try other people's ideas (my wife will shout AMEN! at this statement and ask me to swallow my pride). Disclaimer: If it is not a good idea, don't do it just to prove a point. Tell them why it's not a good idea, but come up with a way to incorporate some of their idea into something that will work. Don't compromise the integrity and health of your program for a lame-brain idea.

4. Don't deal with conflict over email or text message. I don't know why, but my writing style in email tends to confuse people and convey messages I never intended to say. One thing I decided a long time ago was to never deal with conflict over email. I had one parent shouting and accusing me of some of the most ridiculous things once. I immediately emailed back and said, "I won't deal with this through email. I will call you right now." and called her. We set up an appointment. It turns out that after a day of breathing and letting it simmer, she wasn't as angry as she was the day before and apologized for the way she spoke to me. That might be some good advice; give it a day to rest. But, DO NOT ignore it or let it sit for too long. Deal with conflict ASAP.

5. Be honest. This should be a no-brainer, but honesty is the best policy. Don't hide your feelings to save those of the other person. If the other person needs a dose of truth, give it to them. Please don't lie about a situation. If you made a mistake, own up to it and vow to make it right so it never happens again. It is a weird thing in Youth Ministry that we have to be who the church wants us to be. I find this mantra unholy. Many churches have unreal expectations in who their Youth Minister should be...many online job descriptions I have read about what churches are looking for make me sad. My heart hurts for the person walking into those situations. I cannot be someone I am not. I have taken jobs doing what they wanted me to for the need of a paycheck. No more. I will not live my life lying about who I am in Jesus. I am not like your last Youth Minister. I will never be like your last Youth Minister. I believe I am better than your last Youth Minister because I bring new gifts and abilities to the table. I can only be who I am. I will teach your kids about Jesus. I will teach them how to live like Jesus in an unholy culture. I won't be able to teach a class on Existentialist Christianity because I do not believe in it (that is supposed to be a joke...you don't get it do you?). My honesty is connected completely to my faith and my ministry and my integrity.

These are but 5 ways. I am sure you could come up with 20 or more ways to deal with conflict. I have had my fair share and these are just a few ways I have dealt with it. I love what my online friend said today: "There’s no real relationship without risk, and there’s no integrity without truth." Great words Matt! How else can you be a child of Jesus if you think this is something you could compromise?

Good luck with conflicts that come about in your life...especially to you Youth Ministers reading. This was really written for you. You have probably the dirtiest job Mike Rowe could ever come up with...he would quit mid-job if he had to do it for a day...it would be the first time we see Mike Rowe quit a dirty job before finishing it. Live a life of integrity so no one can say you are not a child of God. Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young (of course I know some Youth Ministers who are older than their preaching/senior ministers)...young at heart, right?

Live for the truth, teach the truth for life.

My Youth Ministry Experience

2008-09-04T13:23:00.001-07:00

Mike Lewis is a youth minister of 8 years. What was his experience like in youth ministry as a teen? How has it affected the way he approaches his own youth ministry? Here's your chance to hear about it.

What was the name of your youth group?
We didn't have a youth group name. But we did have a cool youth room that we named the JAM (Jesus and Me) Room. We had lots of couches, a pool table, a ping-pong table, and a basketball game that we destroyed from playing it so much. We had a television for movie nights and a stereo to crank some awesome tunes. We got to paint the front of the building. We each got a brick to write on one of the walls too. The room was a converted storage facility that doubled for years as a place to print bulletins and housed a lot of old style print machines. The Asian Minister used it for his office for a long time too back in the 80's. Now it has been converted to be a place for outreach to come and get food and supplies (I think)...all I know is that place has a lot of memories for me. I am sad they converted it and I am kinda curious where the teens meet now. I ate a lot of pizza, chips, and soda in that room.

Do you remember the first time you went to youth group? What was it like?
I was in Junior High and it was intimidating. I wasn't there long and didn't really get to know that youth minister Rick White. He didn't do much to bring me in and get me involved...I don't really remember his face even. He must not have cared that much about me if he and the rest of the youth group left me at Disneyland and went back to the place we were staying without me. They came back but I was a bit freaked out. Some people drove me around the parking lot until we found the bus. Our church split in arguments about who knows what. Our group that left didn't really have a youth group until I begged my parents to let me go back to the original church and be involved with their new youth activities. The church split group was starting to cause problems anyway and we saw that the people causing strife went with our group, so we saw who was really the problem. That was my second first time in youth group and it felt more relaxed and like I belonged from day one. My first activity was a lock in with the new youth minister. That's a funny story how a kid from High School I barely knew was going to my old church and I happened to get invited to a lock in at the church I grew up in. We knew it was God calling us back so I begged to go back. I never let go of that youth group ever since that moment.

Tell us about your youth leader.
First was Mike Rivard. He was awesome. He made me feel like I finally belonged somewhere. I didn't fit in my high school, so this gave me something to do on the weekends. He was funny in a goofy way. He always shook every person's hand on Sunday mornings. If you were there, he said "hi" to you. But it didn't feel contrived like he had to do it, but he really cared.

Tom Gaumer was a parent of one of our teens and he took over as a volunteer youth minister in '92 or '93. By the time he retired a couple years ago from being the youth minister of my hometown church, he spent 20+ years as youth minister with both his sons being in the group. His job was tough. He dealt with some tough gang kids in our youth group and treated them and everyone else with grace and humility. Our youth group was for everyone no matter what their background. One kid killed someone in a gang related shooting...Tom visits that kid in prison to let him know God still loves him. That kid knew he was wrong but Tom still loved on him. I graduated high school with Tom as our youth minister. I am in youth ministry today because of them.

Share a memory of an activity you did as a group.
Sierra Bible Camp Boys Cabin 1: I remember not going to sleep and laughing at everything once the lights went out. Ya know, typical high school stuff. Fart jokes. Throwing things at the one kid who whined about everything because we knew we would get a reaction. Campfire - Bohemian Rhapsody skit...best skit ever. Midnight hike on the last night. Singing devo songs and then yelling "praise God!" so it echoed all around at the lake. Having serious crushes on girls who ignored the fat nerdy kid (me). Softball games - campers vs. staff - finally hitting a home run. Funny "special guests" for campfire (Wayne's World & Tim the Tool Man Taylor). Swimming time at the pool. Canteen. Crafts. Dining Hall. Cabin clean-up contest. Hearing Acappella's "Growing up in the Lord" and other songs from the "Platinum" album every morning. Someone from our cabin disconnecting the speaker so we could sleep in and not hear the wake up music! HAHA! Listening to AC/DC's Back in Black, Steve Miller Band's Greatest Hits, Wayne's World Soundtrack, Guns N Roses Use Your Illusion, and Charlie Daniels Band's Greatest Hits on Mark Jarvis' CD boom box that he brought. My mom sending me taped games 5 and 6 of the Chicago Bulls when they won the championship (again) and being the hero for the guys who were missing the games for going to camp. Serenading Girls Cabin 1. Getting rejected by a girl for the first time for midnight hike. Freezing at night and in the mornings because the cabins had see-through walls (the boards were really far apart and holey). Hearing SOUL and wanting to sing in an A Cappella group even though I didn't like SOUL that much (because we heard them every single week at every single youth rally and camp) and thought I could sing better and do vocal percussion better. Meeting Jason Hill, Scott Christensen, Justin Roberts, and other recruiters who convinced me to go to Cascade College. Hearing the His Heirs singers from Cascade College sing that summer. Not knowing that girl who I thought was hot in His Heirs would later become my future wife until I met her...I coulda had a date for midnight hike!

What’s one thing that you learned in youth group that has stuck with you since graduation?
When I was told by a staff member, "Mike, we were just talking about you. You walked by and we said there goes a future elder of the church." Put some things in perspective for me. Made me a little prouder that day. Got me thinking more about spiritual things than just girls.

If you could relay a message to your old youth pastor, what would it be?
I still talk to Tom Gaumer. I worked for him in 2006 as Campus Minister for Cascade. I have tried to keep in touch with Mike Rivard. I told him he's one reason I became a youth minister. He cared about the kids like me who were on the outside socially. I want to do the same...but that doesn't mean that if I talk to you I think you are on the outside socially. So please don't stop talking to me kids!

Jesus Is There

2008-05-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

I wrote this song for the Steven Curtis Chapman family in the midst of the tragedy of losing their daughter Maria Sue Chapman. It's not great, but I felt like I needed to do something to let them know how much people were praying for them and thinking about them.

My prayer is this song eases some pain in some way.

"Jesus Is There"
By Mike Lewis
Lyrics:
We don't understand
Why we lose such good friends
This can't be the right time to go
We're saying goodbye
To this one full of life
Who will watch over her 'til we get there?

Jesus is there
And He is holding her hand
Jesus is there
He won't let her go
The Great Comforter, Healer, and Maker of Life
Will keep her safe
Jesus is there

The pain is so much
We need the Lord's touch
To take all this hurt away
Will these feelings ever end
And our broken hearts mend
Until we see our girl in heaven?

I know I am not a songwriter or a guitar player, so please forgive my poor lyrics and guitar playing. No I don't own an acoustic guitar...that was an electric unplugged...lame I know. My own kids were asleep so I couldn't sing very loud either. But, I needed to get this uploaded as soon as I could.

If anyone knows the Chapman family, please let them know about this video. I have no contact information to send it to them.

100 Things

2008-01-01T22:53:00.000-08:00

So, Logan originally asked me to do 8 things, but then I read Ike's 100 and decided to go for it.

1. Ike Graul inspires me to do things I never thought about doing before and see things in a new light.
2. I have been on different extremes politically and believe I am now at a point where I will most likely stay the rest of my life.
3. I have several dream projects going but have yet to finish one of them.
4. I believe I am very gifted at many things but not disciplined enough to be great at any of them.
5. When I was young I was really into astronomy and myths & legends and wanted to become a professional astronomer.
6. I was bullied in school every year from 4th grade through High School by various jerks.
7. I grew nearly a foot in one year in High School and now have lots of back, knee, and feet problems.
8. I want to be a professional musician.
9. I am trying to get into shape so that I might pursue a career in law enforcement.
10. I had a hard time in school, but now that I am out of school, want to go back and get a Master's degree.
11. I am writing a book on ministry and evangelism.
12. I have always been horrible at math. For some reason though, I have a desire to go to Barnes & Noble, buy some books and learn math again starting with Algebra until I can do Calculus level stuff.
13. I don't see a problem with becoming a Mega-Church as long as the focus is Jesus and not size. Wouldn't that draw people?
14. I love a cappella music more than any other style, but am often disappointed by church a cappella quality.
15. I didn't play any sports in High School, but played basketball in college.
16. If I could go back to High School, I would have joined the football team.
17. If it existed (as diagnosis) when I was growing up, I probably would have been ADD.
18. I have written a Seinfeld episode. This will be featured (at last) in a future blog post.
19. I almost joined a pro-wrestling training facility during college. I had the admission forms filled out.
20. The only girl I ever dated was my wife Janna.
21. I didn't get my driver's license until I was 21 out of choice.
22. I cried when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.
23. I want to invent something or start something that will revolutionize the way an organization or industry performs.
24. I have often thought of really great ideas only to see them on store shelves years later.
25. I want a motorcycle.

26. I am naturally an introvert and have to force myself to be outgoing.
27. I hate dancing.
28. I hate talking on the telephone.
29. I think everyone should have email and use it regularly.
30. I used to know the lyrics to every Metallica song and could sing the guitar solos. Think Jack Black in Tenacious D and School of Rock...it sounded like that.
31. My eyesight is so bad, I believe I will one day be blind.
32. I am naturally pessimistic.
33. I don't like extreme viewpoints and will intentionally argue the opposite side even if I agree.
34. I know I would be good at "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" but it's not on television anymore.
35. My dream job is to have a recording studio and record many new artists that would someday be on the radio.
36. I have days that I think I am a horrible father and husband.
37. I get easily wound up.
38. I love most movies. I own almost 500 DVD's. They are alphabetized on my shelves. The movies I don't like have often won Oscars and become regarded highly by other people.
39. I want to plant a new church. It would be in the Restoration Movement family, but look nothing like a mainstream Church of Christ.
40. I procrastinate. This list took me 4 months to write.
41. I explain myself too much.
42. I like wearing all black but think Emo and Goth are odd.
43. Bill O'Reilly has read a viewer email of mine on the O'Reilly Factor. I have it recorded.
44. I think famous quotes are dumb. If you ask me my favorite quote, it's going to be something funny.
45. The most theologically conservative churches I have worked for have the nicest people I have ever known.
46. My brain was designed for self-employment. I just don't work well for other people. That or I hate micromanagement...I'm not sure yet.
47. I am starting my own business if I would just stop procrastinating. See #40.
48. I consider my theological views as conservative, but that's only because the vocabulary we use is wrong.
49. I believe I will never win an award for anything. See #32.
50. I think it is a farce that you have to rub elbows to be good at something. I hate seeing it in the church even more.

51. I never had a nickname until I was 27. It was given to me by a 7 year old.
52. My brain is full of useless information. See #53-54.
53. I used to speak Klingon.
54. I used to be able to name that tune, artist, and album it was released on. I just can't keep up with most new music to do it today.
55. I marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade (as seen on television this morning) in Pasadena, California my senior year of high school. I met Angela Lansbury and nearly decapitated the clarinet player in front of me as I rammed into her with my bass drum in front of thousands of people.
56. I used to know what time it was without a watch and without looking at a clock. I just knew.
57. I know when people are saying negative things about me. I just know
58. I once tried to be the chaplain for Disney child stars. I obviously didn't get it.
59. I think Taco Bell made its biggest marketing mistake by replacing Mexi-Nuggets with those nasty Fiesta Potatoes. Bring back MY Mexi-Nuggets!!!
60. I play classical bassoon.
61. I play the drums.
62. I vocal drum. Beat box. Vocal Perc. Mouth Drums.
63. I play a little baritone saxophone.
64. My favorite preacher is Chris Seidman.
65. I still feel like it's 1996 and I am in college even though I am now 32.
66. I don't like talking. I would be silent most of the day unless it was to sing.
67. I love mixing sound, but find joy behind the mic.
68. I play a little guitar.
69. I have a hard time staying still in church.
70. I believe now that postmodernism is dying. It has come and is going. My prediction is that the church will be like the church of the 80's & 90's again with a bigger emphasis on service. Contemporary yet socially oriented.
71. I am really quiet until you get to know me.
72. I played drums in a punk rock band in college called "The Erectones".
73. When I get a cold, it is worse than most people's colds.
74. I love Scrabble.
75. I want to start a Christian version of "The Muppet Show" that tours to churches live. The Muppet Show had a Muppet audience. Mine would be real people.

76. When I do something "big", I think I do it really well.
77. I know I have friends, but have days where I don't feel like I have any.
78. I believe the church should be intentional in helping its members make friends.
79. I am developing a stand-up comedy routine.
80. I am a self-taught artist. I wanted to be a cartoonist and draw comic strips for a living when I was younger.
81. iPods are one of the best inventions for music lovers but I still think buying CD's (in hand at a store) are essential.
82. I LOVE Arnold Schwarzenegger movies. If he was in it, I have seen it.
83. If I could get an audition, I would be on Saturday Night Live.
84. I grew up in Stockton, California but consider Portland, Oregon home.
85. I like cold weather.
86. I have never given blood voluntarily.
87. King of the Hill had to have been designed after the people at the church I worked at in Texas. It is now one of my favorite shows because of this.
88. I love Mexican food. The spicier the better. I collect different hot sauces for food. Most of them taste the same to me.
89. I started wearing glasses when I was 5 years old.
90. I think Tom Green is really funny.
91. I love guacamole. The Pampered Chef kind is my favorite.
92. I think carbon credits are a hoax...please don't buy them.
93. I wish Mike Rowe would do a Dirty Jobs episode for Youth Ministry.
94. I know people who get compliments and awards and praise for supposedly unique talents and things I can secretly do better, but choose not to step out and do myself. See #49.
95. I believe music is how God gives us joy.
96. I had a dachshund growing up named Sausage. I still remember the day he died.
97. I am the tallest person in my family.
98. I think ketchup is gross on french fries.
99. I know all the lyrics to the COPS theme song (Bad Boys by Inner Circle) even though they don't make sense.
100. Even though I am so big, I often feel invisible.

101. This list was challenging to make, but I think I could've kept going for a while. I have made several changes since I posted it originally...

Books Read In 2007

2007-12-31T21:02:00.000-08:00

The Secret Message Of Jesus by Brian McLaren
Wild At Heart by John Eldredge
Purpose Driven Youth Ministry by Doug Fields
Schmucks! by Jackie Mason & Raoul Felder
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism) by Christopher Horner
No More Christian Nice Guy by Paul Coughlin
If Democrats Had Any Brains They'd Be Republicans by Ann Coulter
A Field Guide To Left-Wing Wackos by Kfir Alfin & Alan Lipton
Why Men Hate Going To Church by David Murrow
They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball
Night by Elie Wiesel
Jim and Casper Go To Church by Jim Henderson & Matt Casper
Simple Church by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger
The Gospel According to Starbucks by Leonard Sweet

Books Read In 2006

2007-01-22T13:54:00.000-08:00

Crucified By Christians by Gene Edwards
Future Church by Jim L. Wilson
Emerging Worship by Dan Kimball
Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age by Ed Stetzer
Journalistic Fraud: How the NY Times Distorts the News and Why It Can No Longer Be Trusted by Bob Kohn
Seeking A Lasting City by Love/Harris/Foster
The ProFessors by David Horowitz
God's Holy Fire by Cukrowski/Hamilton/Thompson
Falling Away by Brian Simmons
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
The DaVinci Code: Fact or Fiction? by Hank Hanegraaff & Paul L. Maier
Breaking the DaVinci Code by Darrell L. Bock
Postmodern Youth Ministry by Tony Jones
Godless by Ann Coulter
Intro. to the NT Vol. 1: History, Culture & Religion of the Hellenistic Age by Helmut Koester
Culture Warrior by Bill O'Reilly
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Myths, Lies & Downright Stupidity by John Stossel
The Word on the Street by Rob Lacey
Out Of The Question, Into The Mystery by Leonard Sweet
A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren

Books Read In 2005

2005-12-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

Will The Cycle Be Unbroken? by Douglas Foster
The Cultural Church by F. LaGard Smith
When NOT To Build by Ray Bowman & Eddy Hall
The Cruciform Church by C. Leonard Allen
The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball
Courageous Churches by Heinecke/Hunter/Luecke
Church Without Walls by Jim Petersen
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
The Out-of-Bounds Church? by Steve Taylor
The Church on the Other Side by Brian McLaren
Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller
The Body Broken by Jack Reese

How To Talk To A Liberal (If You Must) by Ann Coulter

The Coffeehouse Gospel by Matthew Paul Turner
More Ready Than You Realize by Brian McLaren
Under The Overpass by Mike Yankoski
Putting God In His Place by David Mains
The Relevant Church by multiple authors, ED. by Jennifer Ashley
Be Intollerant by Ryan Dobson
White by Ted Dekker
No Perfect People Allowed by John Burke
The ACLU vs. America by Alan Sears & Craig Osten
Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller
Pastoral Politics: Why Ministers Resign by Dr. John Gilmore
Crucified By Christians by Gene Edwards
Future Church by Jim L. Wilson