ACC - Leadership Online

I recently got involved with a youth ministry learning community/training group. I'm loving it! The driving force behind the material we are covering is that Jesus not only gives us a model for living our lives, but also a model for doing ministry. So, if we want to know how to improve our ministries, we need to study the life of Christ.

In one of my assignments, they asked us to consider how Christ suffered for us. I immediately thought of the cross, as I'm sure most Christians do. However, the point of the lesson was to broaden our understanding of the life of Christ. We know very little about his childhood, but there are some passages that give us some insight. One verse that really stuck with me is

Isaiah 53:3a "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering..."

Jesus was a man of sorrows. He was familiar with suffering. In other words, the cross wasn't his first experience with suffering. I don't know about you, but that's huge for me! I've always really connected with

Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin."

Knowing the humanity of Christ is powerful. He understands us...he can relate to what we're going through. But for some reason, I've always put suffering into a different category...as if it wasn't part of the life of Christ (apart from the cross of course). Suffering is a product of living in a fallen world. John 1 teaches us that Christ left heaven and took up residence with us on earth. Christ entered our fallen world and as a result experienced life just as we do, suffering included. Perhaps we could "rewrite" Hebrews 4:15 to say something like "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our suffering, but we have one who has been subjected to suffering just as we have-yet all his suffering was undeserved."

It's powerful for me to understand that my savior has walked in my shoes. He "gets" what life is like for me and offers me hope. If you are in a place of suffering, I hope that you can connect with the savior who is acquainted with your sorrow.

Grace,
Chris

I love being a dad. It's the most difficult thing I've ever done, but it is by far the most rewarding thing I've ever done. Here's a few things that make me smile:

1. The way she says "daddy" (doesn't pronounce the middle d's)

2. The way she "helps" me w/ chores

3. Playing hide & seek

4. Reading bedtime stories (Doesn't get much better than Dr. Seuss!)

5. Praying with / for her

The list could go on and on, but these are the things I love right now. I'm so excited for our next addition to the family. Our baby boy is due in 3 weeks...which means he could decide to join us any day now. I'm looking forward to learning to be daddy to my boy.

Grace,

Chris

Ephesians 2:1-9 (NIV)

Made Alive in Christ
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Praise God!

Grace,
Chris

Today I grabbed a quick lunch with my wife and daughter. After enjoying some killer tacos, while driving my wife back to her office a big dude in a pickup truck aggressively tried to cut me off – he assumed I’d yield to him. He assumed wrong. I wasn’t in the mood to yield. He had to brake hard to avoid hitting me. He then let fly with a choice four letter word.

How did I respond?

I think my exact words were: “I know you weren’t talking to me fat man, cause I’ll take you down.” Though my window was open – I don’t think he heard me. (Could he read lips?)

I guess I have too many Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Bronson, Eastwood type movies in my memory bank.

A few hours before this little altercation, when I was starting my day I prayed that God would be glorified in me on this fine, sunny Monday!

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3:9-12

Yeah, I can be a jerk sometimes. James also said that the tongue is “a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

Constant watch must be kept over my heart, my mind, my attitude. As a follower of Christ I am to bless others – not curse others. I need God in this challenge of taming the tongue.

I have confessed my wrong to God. Check. I need to apologize to Karen and Lacey for my bad example when I get home this evening. Check.

I kind of hope that dude in the truck doesn’t choose to visit ACC this Sunday. If he does, I got some explaining to do. Check.

Peace,
Dave

Below is a video that I think is worth your time. It's about the song "How He Loves". I'm sure you'll recognize it as a David Crowder Band Song that we've done here at ACC. However, this video is of John Mark McMillan, the writer and original artist of the song.

I'm so thankful for those who faithfully serve our church through using their musical gifts. If you've ever stood near me in church, you know that I seriously lack musical gifting! I married a very gifted musician and I hope she passes that on to our kids; but as for me, I can't sing a lick. When I see people using their musical gifts, it's an immediate reminder of how the body of Christ works. Every believer has a God-given ability and a role to play in the church (I Corinthians 12). God has designed it so that we need each other.

Grace,
Chris