We're In This To Win

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 9:34 AM

Even the dedicated pessimist cannot help but feel the energy released within a rally.

What is it about a group of a few hundred people coming together and getting excited about a cause?

I’ve been to plenty of conventions, seminars, and meetings to know people can get worked up real quick, especially when a few hundred other people are worked up as well.

It’s an invigorating experience.

Can you imagine watching a football game from the stands… all alone?

What a drab that would be.  It’s much more fun and memorable with a crowd.

Hebrews 10:25  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Being together with people watching the same race, fighting for the same cause, praying for the same outcome is motivating and encouraging.

The crowds don’t stay together too long, usually, but in those moments, a kindred spirit is shared.  It suddenly seems okay to give a shout, clap a hand, wave, or jump up and down. An inward excitement for a deep passion is exposed in an outward, expressive way.

It’s the cause that benefits from these times, the purpose for which we have gathered:  the team running towards to goal, the man running for president, the singer performing his masterpiece… or the lost soul reaching to find Jesus.

We become engaged in an outward excitement, showing an obvious support for the purpose at hand.

It’s important that we come together.  It’s important that we unite to see the work of God happen.  We must not abandon that.

It’s not about us.  It’s about supporting the team fighting the battle against sin.  It’s about seeing people led to the cross.  We gather and show our support to enable this work. 

We have charged Christian leaders with a great task. 

As they fight on the fields of this world, moving closer and closer to the goal, let’s be sure we are there in the stands, showing our support, pushing them towards the mark. 

The task is great, but it’s achievable.  We’re in this to win!  Let's do this.
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The Key Of Snap

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 12:21 PM

All I heard was a loud snap.  It was the mixture of that sound you hear when you flap a saw in the air, a whistling whip, and the clashing of a wooden box hitting the ground, all mixed together.

What was I going to do?  I guess just smile and carry on.

I lead worship in my church every Sunday morning from a nice, shiny black grand piano.  Feels good just to be sittin’ at it.  I just love the sight, smell, and feel of a great piano.

It was the end of service, and as I was playing, one of my piano strings snapped.  It flew across several more strings, in between a couple hammers, and a whole new sound was created altogether.  It was a bit buzzy sounding.

Not only was a very important key gone, but because of it lying in between those other hammers, I was missing other keys as well.  It felt like pressing the brake pedal in your car, and nothing would happen.  Scary for a musician!

My left-brained ways kicked in trying to figure out how to remedy this situation.

I could jump up and run over to that electric keyboard that I so love (sarcasm inserted here), but that would create an awkward pause, and the people would see me shuffle across the platform.  I thought about signaling to the sound guy, and having him play a CD.  But he might play the wrong song.  There’s nothing like the wrong song to ruin a great moment.

I decided to just sit tight.  Who would notice, right?

About that time, my wife comes walking up and whispers to me, “I think there’s something wrong with your piano.”  I replied to her with a nice big grin, and continued playing. 

She looked at me as if I was kind of loco, you know, like… did you not just hear me?  I bet she wondered if I even realized what was happening.  Then I realized most of the congregation was acutely aware.

So I rolled with it.  They rolled with it.  It was as if everyone gave that ‘hmm, okay’ shrug. And we went on with the service.

My string hasn’t been replaced yet.  Only one place in the entire country makes a string for that particular piano… at least that’s what the piano string guy told me.

I’m ready for my string.  Those press-the-brake moments are a real downer for a worship leader!

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Died And Deep-Fried

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 2:37 PM

I’m about to head out on a 600-mile venture back to Arkansas.  It’s time to go home and visit the family. 

There’s nothing like the South.  Good food.  That world-renowned hospitality.  And catfish.

I love me some catfish.  My aunt makes the best catfish in the world.  Can’t wait to get by, visit her, and have some good grub.

You wouldn’t think you could mess something like that up.  Let me tell you… it’s possible!  I recommend leaving the cooking to my aunt.  Just the right amount of seasoning, the perfect dip in cornmeal, and that dunk in a bath of hot oil provides me with an angels-in-the-heavens-singing experience of deep fried goodness.  Not to mention the home fries she makes to go along with all that.  Yummo!

I remember as a kid, someone gave me a catfish.  He was fairly good sized, and that joker was alive!  They told me to take it home, clean it up, and cook it.  So, I exuberantly took it home and planned to do just that!

One problem.  I’d never cleaned a catfish before.  And to add to my list of never-before’s, I wasn’t quite sure how to, ‘em, help it see the light.  You know, send it to that golden pond in the sky.

So, I jabbed a knife it’s head.  C’mon… I was just a kid.

It seemed to work.  It wasn’t moving anymore.  But very quickly, I had a tough time getting that knife back out.  So, there in my kitchen sink, I turned the faucet on and much to my surprise, the thing came back to life.  At least that’s the way I remember it.

Several minutes and a black out later, it was dead.  And, I cooked it.

All I know is that it wasn’t as good as I know my aunt’s catfish to be.

There’s a great lesson in this.  For one, some things are better left to the pros. 

Secondly… there’s got to be an easier way to kill a catfish.
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A Call Of Passion

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 1:57 PM

Over the last few months, I’ve had more one on one contact with missionaries from all over the globe than ever before.

Being on staff full-time at a church has its perks.  Yes, I consider it a perk.  It’s a great honor, in fact.

Spending time in the presence of these men, women, and the children who sacrifice so much has left an indelible impression on me.  It’s a choice, after all.  They don’t have to do what they do. 

A calling will do that to a person.  It becomes a passion.  Then you begin to wonder, what if they never went?  What would become of the people whose lives they affect on a day-to-day basis?  What if they just stayed around and lived the average, expected life. 

That kind of questioning is something you just can’t shake off.

When you’re driven to do something, to follow a passion, especially for God, your life becomes almost unbearable until you finally just give in to.  The consequence of a life unlived can be torturous to a soul.  Always left wondering.  Always asking, “What if?”

It really isn’t that complex.  You only get to do this once.  Live, that is.  Why waste it?

Sometimes that’s easier said than done.  At least we tend to think so.  Life happens.  People die.  Jobs are lost.  Even in the midst of pursing your call.  Sometimes you just have to do, what you have to do to carry on and survive.

It bears asking, at what cost are you willing to pursue your call… your passion for God?  Jesus did it all the way to the cross.  It cost His life.  But what would have become of us had he not pursued his call on this earth?  His choice was for us, even in the face of death.

Just how far are you willing to go?  Just what will you give up?  Your call could be simple.  It could be raising one child up to make a real difference in this world.  It could be raising a multitude of leaders up to reach just one.

Whatever it may be, I urge you, pursue it, and never give up.  Never give in.  Look deep within your passion.  It’s not always easily achieved, but it's always well worth the cost.
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Lazarus, Come Forth!

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 4:55 PM

I wonder who was more freaked out when Jesus spoke those words that day?  Lazarus, or the people watching this entire event unfold before them?

I probably would have been aggravated if I would have been Lazarus.  C'mon... he was dead... he didn't have to "stress out" about life any more.  He was somewhere in heaven at peace.   And now, suddenly, he had to come back and do it again?

Evidently Lazarus wasn't finished.  Sure, people marvel at the story.  They mostly see the miracle of bringing the dead back to life.  I don't mean to sound simplistic.   It truly was a miracle.   One we should marvel at.  I'm more affected by what else Jesus was doing.

Yes, Jesus did bring life back into Lazarus... but to me, more importantly, he brought Lazarus back to his purpose in life.  I think it would have been in vain if Jesus had only risen someone from the dead... don't you?  Lazarus wasn't just brought back to life; he was brought back to his purpose in life!

It's kind of like what happens to us, sometimes.  Somehow, we get lost in this world.  Our minds become pre-occupied with everything that has to be done.  Before you know it... we're numb.  It's as if... well... it's as if we died.   In today's world they would place a defibrillator on our chest and shock the fool out of us to restore a heartbeat.

Maybe our hearts don't actually stop beating, but metaphorically speaking, sometimes we need to be shocked back into reality and brought back to life.

God will send people your way to perform such a task.  It seems then as the blood starts flowing, and our minds become clear, our focus returns.  Sure, it may seem nice to zone out for a while, it beats being stressed all the time, but we've got to return to what it is we have to do in this life.

Clear... KAPOW!!!  That was me shocking you back to life.  Arise.   Live.  Your purpose is at hand.

Lazarus, come forth!
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The Apples Of My Eyes

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 2:45 AM


As a father of two daughters, I’ve learned that there are just some things I would have to learn to connect at a deeper level. So, I paint their nails. Yes, I do. I paint their nails. And, I’ve recently learned how to use a flat iron.

The hair part came out of necessity. My wife returned to the workforce, which created the all-new adventures of “Daddy Gets Daughter’s Ready For School, Which Means He Has To Help Them Straighten Their Hair.” Hey, I want my kids to look good!

My limit is once or twice a week, though. There's nothing like a hairbrush and a rubber band to save the day.

I wanted girls. I never was the avid outdoorsman, or the sports junkie type. I didn’t grow up in a home like that, so I never learned to enjoy those activities. I worried I may not have been adequate enough for a son. Of course, that’s not what makes someone adequate as a father. But, I was insecure. After I had two girls, I sometimes think I should have taken up hunting, and found a nice quiet deer stand somewhere. No guns necessary. Just me, a tree, and no estrogen!

You’d think being the only man in the house would have its benefits. Who knew that women had the right to commandeer your shaving cream and razors? If they would at least rinse the razor, I’d never know!

And as my girls grow older, their demand for my attention seems to increase. Who’s more special? Who’s prettier? Who’s your favorite? My answer is always “yes.”

There really is something special about having daughters. My heart aches at the thought of walking them down the aisle someday. Don’t girls marry people like their fathers? Oh, what fun that’s going to be! Two more of me at Thanksgiving. Well, they better know how to baste a turkey, that’s all I’ve got to say.

I’m truly fascinated at my girls. I love watching them grow and mature. The crazy emotions and mood swings, while not in the moment, do at some point bring a smile to my face. I imagine them with their own families someday. I picture them with their own children, in front of mirrors, talking about the day ahead, as they primp and brush.

It warms my heart to know in those tiny moments of the future, they’ll remember these tiny moments from the past. And just for that, I’ll paint their nails, and straighten their hair for as long as they let me.

Besides… nail polish smells pretty good.

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Would You Like Fries With That?

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Posted by Pastor Jason | Posted on 10:20 AM


A friend of mine, this week, ended up with a clot in his arteries. It was a precarious situation. I watched as he spoke to each of his children, made peace with them and himself, just in case the inevitable happened.

I looked to my wife that night and said, "I've got to take better care of myself. I don't want to end up with problems like that." I woke up the next day, took a vitamin, drank a couple bottles of water, and had a double cheeseburger for lunch.

Oh it was so good. Drippy sauce, wilting lettuce, the tomato was warm, toasted bun, peppered grilled beef. You know what I'm talking about.

Apparently another man's near death experience wasn't enough to change my ways.

His experience was like that of any preacher on a Sunday morning, or some author trying to sell 27 laws on how to make your life better. Suddenly, he had a platform and a message. "Do This Or Die!"

Even the thought of death couldn't pull the cheeseburger out of my hands. Guess I'll try again tomorrow.

It's a choice to do better, to be better. It's a choice to listen to our pastor's on Sunday morning and maybe try and follow the, uh, little bit of advice that God might be trying to share through this person. It's a choice to try and figure out how to implement some of those laws our favorite best selling authors have penned.

Nope. They can't make you do it. That's the beauty of being alive. You have a choice. But it can be exhausting, and life can be a bit erratic by having such a "free-spirit" mentality.

My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical (being in direct opposition), so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day.

Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?

Not my words. Galatians 5:16-18. Maybe it's not so much a question of having the freedom of choice, as it is to have the choice to be free. Ah, I love it when you can flop a sentence around like that! Choosing to not give in to whatever weakness we may have is quite freeing in fact. Choosing to live by the Spirit of God is the ultimate freedom!

My friend is doing much better, thank God! And me? I'm in great health, except for a couple of extra pounds, so I'm not too concerned about the occasional cheeseburger. But that vitamin I took was terrible. Am I too old for chewables?

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