Westside Church

If you have been praying for the victims of the Oklahoma disaster this week, you’re authenticity is being called into question.  After all, what is a prayer but a lazy, desperate attempt to appease one’s own sense of anxiety… right?  At least, Ricky Gervais and a host of other nonbelievers think so.  They are seizing the opportunity to critique the religious responses of millions of Americans who are reaching out to those effected by the tornados.

Today is Valentine’s Day.  On this day we celebrate love, romance and the beheading of St. Valentinus.  Wait a minute, what?  Yeah, that’s right.  Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14^th every year to commemorate the death of a 3^rd century Saint who was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ.  It’s hard to believe that a day meant to remember the faith of a courageous man could be transformed into the holiday for lovers, but as we dig deeper into the story, there are a few indications of how this came to be.

A new, old tradition has emerged in the Siers home and at Westside Church (where I pastor).  For the third year in a row, we are observing the season of Advent.  Advent is observed by the Christian church all over the world during the four weeks leading up to Christmas.  It is a season full of hopeful expectation and longing for the coming of Christ.  The word "Advent" is derived from the Greek word "Parousia" commonly used by New Testament writers to describe the second coming of Christ.  The true purpose of Advent is to mirror the Jews who were eagerly awaiting the coming of the promised Messiah.  In the Incarnation (Jesus birth), we recognize that God has not abandoned the world.  He loves the world and fulfilled His promise to redeem the world in Jesus.  This is a great source of hope.  If God fulfilled His promise in such a miraculous way 2,000 years ago on that first Christmas, we can continue to hope that He will fulfill His promise and come again in our day. 

Here’s the kicker, when do you ever think about the return of Christ?  As a kid, I thought about it all of the time.  My favorite book was Revelation.  I loved to read the fantastic stories it contained about dragons, serpents, angels, and demons.  For a boy, the fact that Jesus transformed from a really nice guy caring for sheep and children to a general on a warhorse kicking butt and taking names was especially exciting.  Nowadays, I find myself thinking about Christ’s returns less and less.  It’s become a subject I would rather ignore (if I’m honest).  I'm uncomfortable with Revelation and other passages like it.  They sound like strange sci-fi movies.  Then there's the terror that comes upon every living thing, the fire, and destruction when all hell "literally" breaks loose.  Yikes, whatever happened to peace on earth and goodwill toward men?

T.V. dads are stupid.  Honestly, just take a moment to think about it.  The most popular T.V. shows that have aired over the last few decades portray dads as mindless Neanderthals who live to drink beer and sit on the couch all day.  Just to drive the point home let’s review a list of these all-star fathers:  Homer Simpson (The Simpsons), Tim Taylor (Home Improvement), Al Bundy (Married with Children), Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond), Tony Soprano (The Sopranos), Peter Griffin (Family Guy).  I could go on.  Why do dads get such a bad rap?  Is this a reflection of how lame fathers have been over the years, or are we just setting the bar so low that our children won’t have any expectations left for their fathers?

I’ve been contemplating what it means to live a life of “faith” this week.  As our church has been working through the book of Hebrews, we’ve landed on chapter 11, or as it has commonly been referred to, “the faith chapter”.  The chapter begins with a definition of what faith is followed by a list of real life examples.  Men and women such as:  Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Rahab, etc.  These, the writer tells us, were commended for their faith.

Let me share with you a quote I read the other day.  “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.” (Bertrand Russell)  Rarely will you ever find me agreeing with anything Bertrand Russell says, but I have to admit that when I read this quote of his the other day I wasn’t so quick to dismiss it.

I love Christmas movies.  There’s nothing like snuggling up on the couch with my wife, the kids, or my wife and the kids to watch one of our holiday film favorites.  There’s simply no better way to work up Christmas cheer.   In a world that has grown cynical and given up on religion altogether, most of us still hold onto some sense of hope that Christmas time has a certain “magic” to it.  This can be seen most clearly in the storylines of our favorite Christmas movies.  Even the most hardened, cold-hearted grouch can be transformed by the spirit of Christmas.  Not even the Grinch’s, Scrooge’s, and Potter’s of the world can stand up to its’ power.  It’s this sense of hope and wonder that I love experiencing this time of the year.  Here’s a top 5 list of some of my favorite Christmas movies.  What are some of yours?

Last week I wrote about the principle of developing margin in our lives.  It’s a principle that makes a lot of sense, but can be very hard to follow through with.  Let’s face it; life in our fast-paced world has a way of sucking every last drop of time, energy, and money that we have.  If we aren’t intentional about keeping reserves, we’ll deplete ourselves time and time again.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go through life being depleted.  I want to keep a little something in the tank for when I really need it.

After the incessant banging carried on for about 10 minutes, I decided to step outside and see what the girls were up to.  They were attempting to put together some form of structure with scrap wood from the back yard and a bag of nails I keep in the garage.  They quickly informed me that I was not allowed near the premises because they were building a church for girls.  Building a church?  In moments like these I can’t help but wonder if the dynamics of growing up as pastor’s kids are starting to have an effect upon my children. 

In the aftermath of the tragedy that unfolded in Norway last week, almost as troubling as the attacks themselves, has been the discovery that the man responsible for these heinous crimes, Anders Breivick, considers himself a Christian.  Initially I didn’t believe what was being reported.  Certainly the reporters must be making a mistake.  How could a Christian ever be responsible for such evil?  Of course, I don’t believe that Anders is a follower of Jesus Christ.  However, it has become evident that he was influenced by popular ideas often associated with Christian conservatives.  I think it is incumbent upon all of us as Christians to consider how certain ideas that can be found in books at Christian bookstores and in sermons on Sunday morning can be twisted and used by the enemy for destructive purposes.

The other day my wife asked me what I wanted to do to on Father’s day this year.  The first thing that popped into my mind was watching the final round of the U.S. Open in peace.  Thankfully, my filter kicked in and I didn’t verbalize this idea.  I came to my senses and realized that the whole idea of Father’s day was to spend time with family and enjoy the presence of children.  I was immediately reminded of the things that my parents say at family get-togethers like, “I’m just so glad that we can all be together”, or “I’m happy when you (the kids) are all happy.”  As a father with young children, I find myself thinking very different thoughts like, “can I just have a moment to myself?”  If there’s any day not to have that attitude, it’s Father’s Day.

“It’s the end of the world as we know it, but I feel fine.”  The lyrics of this REM song are running through my mind as I contemplate yet another end of the world prediction setting the media abuzz this week.  Harold Camping, a radio preacher from Oakland, CA, has calculated that the rapture will take place Saturday, May 21 at 6pm in every time zone.  While there are no shortage of crazy doomsday predictions, this one in particular has generated a lot of interest.  A local radio station here in Seattle even went as far as to run an add in an attempt to reassure its' listeners that “no one knows the day, or the hour” (Mt. 24:36), so we shouldn’t be concerned.  Phew… that’s a load off!  So, what’s with all this crazy talk about the rapture and the end of the world anyways?  And why do Christians seem to get so worked up in anticipation of it?

Well, it's been some time since I've contributed to the blog.  I think the lack of sugar (I gave up sugar for lent) in my diet has been seriously depleting my energy.  It's funny, my mother always used to say that eating too much sugar would be harmful to my health.  She's backed up by health experts who have now determined that excess sugar in one's diet will actually weaken the immune system.  I think I've stated before that I'm a bit of a sugar junkie.  I can't lay off the sweets.

Today begins with the song lyrics of an old rock song my dad used to listen to running through my head, “no sugar tonight in my coffee, no sugar tonight in my tea, no sugar to stand beside me, no sugar to run with me.”  Yes, I’m giving up sugar for the next 46 days in observance of Lent. 

Did you see one of the dozen or so interviews with Charlie Sheen that aired this week?  There seems to be two reactions to his current state of affairs.  One set of people say he’s a crazy addict who’s completely out of control.  There are others who idolize his life and wish that they too could be millionaire celebrities who party all night and do whatever they want with no consequences.  Of course, recent events are starting to reveal that there are consequences, even for stars like Charlie Sheen. 

This Sunday is Super Bowl XLV in Arlington Texas with the Green Bay Packers vs. the Pittsburg Steelers.  It’s the biggest television event of the year.  All this week the media will be in a frenzy creating hype for the big game.  I love sports just like the next guy…at least I thought so.  That was until I saw the new super bowl ads put out by Visa documenting the “Super Bowl Club”, a group of friends who have never missed the big game.  It may sound like a dream come true, but their individual stories reveal some disturbing side effects that have resulted from their fanaticism.

I’m in the middle of a Bible reading plan through my youversion mobile app called “Essential Jesus.”  I want to immerse myself in reading about Jesus Christ while we are teaching through our current sermon series “Who is Jesus.”  Today I’m reading from Colossians 1.  I came across a little line in verse 17 that has made a big impression upon me, “in Him [Jesus] all things hold together.”

Imagine… the creator of the universe chose among numerous galaxies and stars, our tiny planet on which to enter time and space as a human being born to an unwed teenage girl in 1st century Palestine. There were many other births taking place on the very night that Jesus was born, but this was unique. God’s own son – Immanuel, God with us became a tiny, vulnerable, baby.

Christmas is coming.  That means peace on earth and goodwill towards men along with trees, lights, presents, eggnog and all of that good stuff.  In our house, it all begins with the Thanksgiving day newspaper.  That’s when the kids scour the Black Friday adds with a magic marker circling anything and everything they could possibly want for Christmas.  Shortly after Thanksgiving we set the date for what we call “Christmas Celebration Day.”  We make cinnamon rolls for breakfast, collect all of the Christmas bins from the attic, set up the Christmas tree and all of the lights and decorations, then we cap it all off with a Christmas movie and eggnog. 

Through the month of October we’re teaching through a series called “Bumper Sticker Theology” at Westside Church.  In addition to the topics we’re addressing during our weekend services, I’ve decided to tackle a few more via the blog.  Do you remember the popular “Jesus is my Homeboy” T-shirt that came out several years ago?  Since then the phrase has been printed on hats, sweatshirts, and it has even inspired the creation of a Jesus action figure.  I’m certainly not one to call the blasphemy police, however, I do wonder if in the midst of the current trend to take a more casual approach to our faith, we are losing a sense of reverence for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Some of the most powerful and succinct writing in our world today can be found on the back end of automobiles.  In a society where you’re not supposed to talk about religion and politics in public, it’s ironic that we will display the most raw and honest opinions that we posses and then drive them down the freeway for all to see. You can learn more about your fellow motorists than you may have ever wanted to by reading the small adhesive labels attached to the rear bumper of their cars. 

The famed Physicist and writer, Stephen Hawking, has created a fire storm in the media with his new book “the Grand Design.”  In it, Hawking writes, “Because there are laws such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself out of nothing. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the Universe going."  While this is disappointing news for a person of faith such as myself, Hawking’s publishers couldn’t be happier.  It’s crazy statements like these that sell books.

In the past few weeks we’ve had some great friends who attend Westside relocate to different cities.  It’s been tough as we’ve had to say goodbye to Matt and Rachel and their family and Romen and Emily and their family. They've become apart of our church family and it’s difficult to say goodbye.  I wanted to appreciate them in my post this week as a way of saying thanks.

Continued from last week...

Solomon says, “Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”(Proverbs 4:23)  According to Solomon, we live out of the heart.  Simply put, when the scriptures refer to the heart, they are referring to that mysterious union between our mind, will, and emotions.  But how does one guard his, or her heart?  

This week I’ll be preaching from James 2:1-13.  As I’ve been spending a significant amount of time reading through these passages over the last few weeks, I’m aware of a nagging deception that is so easy for me to slip into.  Whenever I come across a scripture warning the rich, I immediately pass over it thinking that somehow it doesn’t apply to me.  After all, I’m a poor man if you compare my wealth to the person down the street.  I don’t have to heed warnings to the rich because I don’t have their problems, or so I tell myself.  

The famous “Touchdown Jesus” statue in Monroe, Ohio burned to the ground as it was struck by lighting late last night.  The enormous, 65-foot, six-story creation was the pride of the Solid Rock church located just outside of Cincinnati.  According to news sources, the church membership is devastated by the fire and they are already making plans to reconstruct the statue, which is estimated to cost $300,000.  

It's a rare privilege nowadays to sit through an entire movie, church service, or school play without the interruption of someone's cell phone ringing.  It's considered public enemy number one when it comes to bad social behavior and we are all victims of these senseless crimes.  Of course, most of us have been guilty of the crime as well.  If it's ever happened to you, you know from first hand experience the humiliation one feels.  Every eye in the room is on you as you frantically search your pockets, desperately pressing every button on the phone to make it stop.  

The other day my wife took my two youngest kids to the grocery store.  For those of you don't know, shopping with children in tow isn't always a pleasant experience.  My wife is both gracious and patient, so she usually gives the kids a bit more freedom to roam.  I, on the other hand, strap them into the cart and place them on notice that I will not tolerate any horsing around.  Needless to say, the kids love shopping with mom.  Unfortunately, after this particular occasion, I don't think they will have the chance to enjoy the experience of shopping with mom in the future.   

Some have suggested that the resurrection narratives in the gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John must have been developed long after the events themselves.  They say that the two main evidences for the resurrection – the empty tomb and the eye witnesses were fabricated stories that were passed on by well-intentioned, yet naïve individuals.  Could that be true? 

Gandhi is quoted as saying, “I could accept Jesus as a martyr, an embodiment of sacrifice, and a divine teacher, but not as the most perfect man ever born. His death on the Cross was a great example to the world, but that there was anything like a mysterious or miraculous virtue in it, my heart could not accept.” 

A few months back I ran across an article at CNN.com revealing that many wives are now outearning their husbands at work.  A Pew Research Center survey released in January 2010 found that 22% of men made less money than their wives in 2007.  By comparison, 4% of husbands earned less than their wives in 1970.  I don't think that comes as a surprise to many of us, but is this growing trend a good thing for our society, for our families?

Apparently, the seven year itch is more than just a movie, it's a reality.  We live in a generation that has so completely given up on the thought of ever experiencing happily ever after in marriage, that we have decided to flush our expectations down the toilet.  Introducing the marriage license with an expiration date.  Well ...not yet, but it's coming soon to a drive-in chapel near you.   

Should Tiger become a Christian?  Apparently, Brit Hume, the Fox news commentator turned evangelist thinks so.  He encouraged Tiger (see video below) to turn to Christ and Christianity in order to seek the forgiveness that he so desperately needs in order to reconcile with his wife and family.  The media has been having a field day with Brit's bold assertion that Christianity could actually reform Tiger.  Could turning to Christ really do golf's superstar any good?

Apparently, getting revenge has never been easier.  With the advent of social networking sites, one can effectively destroy another persons reputation with a few strikes of the keyboard and a click of the mouse.  A recent article from the Wall Street Journal explores the art of “Webtribution” ...

I haven't seen the latest Doomsday thriller, “2012”, that hit theaters last weekend.  Then again, maybe I've seen it a thousand times.  I'm guessing it starts with a conspiracy that is met with healthy skepticism, then an earthquake, an explosion, a flood, or invasion happens followed with chaos and totally awesome special effects!  It's an old, and familiar plot which should spell disaster for a movie, but somehow “2012” destroyed the box office competition while amassing 65 million in ticket sales this weekend, triple the revenue of the runner up.  Why?  And what is with our obsession with doomsday films anyways?