Mars Hill...best friends...and rock and roll!

To begin, a quick note about yet another cool thing about Mars Hill. I was reading some stuff that my daughter brought home from her weekly group and just had to smile. With all that has gone on in our family with churches; from being hurt badly at one and totally finding our place at another. Now, I see how some very caring and devoted leaders have made Mars such a comfortable place for both our kids so quickly. Yea God to all people anywhere that do the work of Christ with kids ministry. Believe me, your work does not go unnoticed!

Now, a bit of history; over 30 years ago I found myself living in a new city, going to a huge new middle school (ah, remember those years?), and totally not knowing a single person. Right off the bat, i was welcomed by several other kids who chose to make me feel a bit more comfortable, help me find my way around, and even share their lunch table. Last night, i hung out with two of those guys-the best of friends still today-as we attended the Bob Seger concert here in GR. Besides it being the nation-wide kickoff to his wholet tour, it also brought back to town a legend in this state. At age 61, the Michigan Man brought the house down with a fantastic rock and roll show. We walked away saying it was the best concert of our lives.

I'm convinced one of the reasons it was so great was that i was spending it with Tom and John. The two of them literally reflect both my past and my future and, along with their awesome families, represent so clearly how blessed i am. I'll never forget how they helped positively shape what was one of the scariest times in my life back at that middle school. We learn at a young age that we are who we are by the company we keep. It's company like these two guys that have made me a better person today. Is it easy getting together? Not at all. There's always important family or work stuff; but had we not worked hard through the years at finding time, our friendship wouldn't be nearly as strong as it is now.

May our God who so surrounds and blesses me with friends like this also help you to take note of those close to you. Find the disciples in your life who make you a better person. Maybe they make you stronger, or more spiritual, or even laugh more. Whatever happens, enjoy it, savor it and don't assume any of it will last forever!

God's peace to your and yours. See you at another show...

Hello friends and thanks for the comments...this is pretty fun!

Love Wins. By now, many of you know of my(our families) strong connection with Mars Hill. A short story of an event I attended last week. It was an opportunity to share time with a special guest named Dr. Becky Kuhn, a specialist working directly with Hiv/Aids patient in Southern California. She joined us to show a new documentary focusing on a hippie turned preacher from the late 60's. As we see this man first touched by God to a relationship with Him, we see him move into a leadership role with local churches. He not only is good at what he does, he brings hundred of this beach-lovin', hippie friends with him to join a church. Many for the first time. Later, we see how his passion and gifts bond him with many church leaders who can't belive how much he reaches others. Finally, his lifestyle choices has severe consequences as he first becomes an Hiv/Aids patient, then victim. In his death we witness how those former church leaders (not) distant themselves from his work. At the mans funeral, one former pastor/friend even takes a shot at the man by saying what a shame he didn't reach his potential. This was hard to listen to-even many years later. His potential? For God's sake; this was a man who was open to listen to God's calling, respond to it and spend the next many years being His instrument to reach others. How sad, how pathetic that the judgement from this elder pastor for a life-style he did not condone gave him the right to diminish the work of this hippie pastor.

The word hypocrite is often used in connection with Church, and it dosen't have to be. After viewing the movie we had a full-hour of dialogue of what we just saw. Doctor Kuhn mentioned something that still moves me today. She mentioned two things her patients asked of her: 1) Don't lie to me, and 2) care for me/ love me and don't ever leave me. Wow, think of those two things and how they apply to all we do in life. As she repeated again during our Sunday service; those are things we learn in the sand-box! What if we lived those things 24/7? With our family? Our friends? Our co-workers or even stangers we meet each day? It's being exposed to this kind of person, this subject matter, this outside-the-box religion that has made me so eager to return to Mars. It's not a single person, or sermon, or even setting that makes it work. It's that Love Wins. is not a simple bumper sticker, it's a way to live everyday in the presence of a God who loves us so much BUT expects/demands us to show it, to LIVE it to others.

May God move you to more things you could ever imagine doing. I pray that for each of us, each day, each chance we get.

Day one...blog one.

Wow, I still am so amazed by the outpouring of love pouring out of the Mars (Grandville) commmunity. Still have been going there less than a year but am constantly being called to another place in my own life with Christ. Yea God! for a place which is so intent on calling ALL to being like Jesus- not in what we say but in what we DO!

Two weeks ago we watched a video with the preacher from Dublin; Bono. Oh, he's also in a little band called U2, but it was his words and passion that forwarded him to a church setting. Ever gotten sick of "rock" stars who babble about things they know so little about? Yeah, me too. I wonder how many people throw Bono under that same bus. Dig deeper friends and you'll discover a man who has constantly struggled with his own walk with Christ and even more so with so-called Christians. As God does so well, in that struggle he has refined an ordinary man and blessed him with the ability to so very well spread His word to millions. All thewhile he calls us to start speaking louder, yelling...SCREAMING for those who we so quickly marginalize. If you have 5 minutes today, check out ONE.org for some great insight on this important fight for world poverty.

With so many blessings in my life, today i celebrate a wedding anniversary with my wife- buddy and the best friend in the world. Thanks R for all the fun we've had and keep smiling!!