SOON and VERY SOON.
It’s abysmal that it’s been over 2 months since I’ve posted. I’ve had to make some adjustments in my working day to maintain balance. The blog is one habit I’ve intentionally neglected. I’ll be back up soon as God s providing a lot of relief for me. In the meantime, check out the work I’ll be a part of in Kenya this August: Ecclesia Kenya 2011.
Our newest teaching series: Transparency: Being Honest with God and Each Other
Far & Away (or, What’s Good about Friday?)
It was 1992. I was 16. I had a girlfriend and a car. The movie that boyfriends with cars took girlfriends to in 1992 was Far and Away. I’m not defending the choice, I’m just stating the facts.
If you’ve seen the film (and all of you have) you might remember the big moment at the end when Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) died. At that moment, I was angry and shocked. How could he be dead?!! I mean, I’m glad that it took a gunfight, a severe head wound and a horse rolling over him to do it; but the fact remained that the hero I’d been following for 6 hours and 12 minutes was unavoidably deceased.
Or, was he?
Since I’m not ruining this for anyone who hasn’t seen it and will then enjoy it upon doing so, he miraculously resurrects. That’s right. He comes back to life. Because that’s what happens to heroes like that, son. They come back to freaking life. It took me and the rest of the capacity crowd 8 minutes to start breathing again. I counted.
Far and Away now lives in a larger category of epic films wherein someone dies and somehow gets back to us: The Princess Bride, one of the Pirates of the Carribbean‘s and, clearly, Alien: Resurrection.
When the movie came out on VHS months later, I bought it (I’m really laying it all out here). I raced home, plugged it in the VCR and watched it all…over…again. But by the time it got to the big ending, I wasn’t feeling it. I knew what was coming. I knew it was a couple of minutes, then all is well. But I wanted it to mean something. I wanted it to be a big deal that hero dies. It just wasn’t.
I’m a pastor. It’s Holy Week. You know where I’m headed.
Every year, we have a chance to replay the final hours of Jesus’ life on earth. On Good Friday, we will be commemorating His death on the Cross. It’s a funeral. But most of us have read the book. We know it’s tragic, but we also know it’s temporary. We know Jesus rises again.
We’re in the final hours of preparation for Ecclesia‘s Good Friday service and it’s tempting to try to manipulate that first shock again. I want to tell everyone to be there so that the light of Easter will seem that much brighter. “You won’t fully appreciate Easter without Good Friday.” I could say.
But this year, I’m going to let the Crucifixion stand on its own. I don’t need it to be a plot point. It’s not a setup. It’s a miracle. It’s not merely the grandest gesture of love (which it is), but it’s the repulsiveness of my depravity displayed for the disgusting mess it is. And that is precisely what was crucified—my ugliness. That is what Jesus did on the Cross. He took my guilt and killed it. The Cross is it’s own wonder.
Dwell in the day the power of sin was taken to the grave, sinner. Then, let’s celebrate the day the grave lost its grip on us.
If you’re in Los Angeles this weekend, join Ecclesia for Good Friday at 7:30PM and Easter Sunday, 9:30AM or 11:15AM.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
Be strong, not safe
My mother-in-law (who I actually get along with) once challenged the way I was praying for my kids. She said, “You don’t pray that God would make the road safe, you pray that He makes them strong enough to walk it.”
Preach, Mom.
I’m in the office early again after a night of preaching on women in the church. It was a privilege to do it and I hope it built up in love, but I’m spent. I’m taking a quiet moment to type out a couple of thoughts while Pandora introduces me to my next favorite band. As I’m reflecting with someone called Martinez & Guthrie playing in the background, I have to giggle when I think about the things we’ve talked about as a church over the last couple of months.
I Corinthians has given us the chance to examine:
- fornication
- celebrity culture
- incest
- marriage and divorce
- same-sex attraction
and, of course…
- women in the church
Tough stuff. Good stuff. But why go through all of this? Wouldn’t it be easier to hold hands and skip through the daisies of less invasive Scripture?
First of all, those passages don’t exist. There’s not a morsel of the Gospel that doesn’t completely offend my base instincts.
Secondly, what’s the point of this exercise anyway if not to change us? We could smile, wink and sit securely where we feel most comfortable.
We could be safe. We could be predictable. We could be more accommodating.
Or, we can be strong.
We can actually become more resilient, more assured and more effective.
But this won’t ever occur if we evade tough topics or vacate when we don’t agree or don’t apply God’s Word to our lives.
It won’t ever occur if we don’t hold tightly to an abiding relationship with Christ—which will, without question, be one bumpy ride out of the dark.
So we journey onward with determination and perseverance, asking God to perfect us in Christ. Here’s the prayer:
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father,
who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,
comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 (NASB)
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com</a
Needles and Haystacks
If you’re just joining the movement, here’s the simple idea of ONE NAME. FORTY DAYS:
We’re asking God to remove our fears and excuses.
We’re asking God to replace them with one real soul with a real need.
It’s going to start with a face and a name. So, lots of us are praying for one.
The next step will be an introduction, a conversation, and an exchange of names. But we’re not there yet. Keep praying.
That said, I’m aware that many of you have been praying and you’re head is full of a million ideas, faces, and places. How do I know? How do I choose? Here’s how I’ve been focusing my prayer in recent days:
- I’m praying for a man in need. Early on, I knew I’d be helping a guy.
- I’m praying for a man I could frequently bump into.
- I’m praying for a man working/living close to Ecclesia.
- I’m praying for a man I’ve yet to meet—even if I’ve seen him several times.
This isn’t from some liturgy. It’s not the only way you might be called to pray, but it might help if you feel especially new to this kind of thing.
Guess what? I have it down to 2. Both freak me out. Both will be a risk. This sounds about right to me.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
One name. Forty days.
Lent, for some, is a season of denying yourself of something you should probably deny yourself of anyway.
“For lent this year, I’m going to give up sugar“
or “For lent this year, I’m going to give up a few hours of television“.
It’s forty days (-ish) of self-help. I need improvement in some area, so I’ll get on the liturgical diet plan.
Don’t get me wrong: The results of these denials can be great. I know a lot of people who take the “putting on” part of Lent seriously too. For example, in the place of all that time I would spend on Facebook, I’m going to pray. In the place of the meal, I will reflect on God’s abundance and people who need the basics I’ve been richly blessed with. These are good, good things.
We all need tons of work and I like the idea of communal improvement. We’re all in this together.
But again, most of it focuses on what God will do with me.
This year, however, I’m trying an experiment: ONE NAME. FORTY DAYS.
The concept is simple. For the next 6 weeks, I’m going to “put off” my fears and excuses and “put on” someone else’s need.
An important first step in this is simply getting acquainted with the need.
- I’m going to spend 2 weeks praying that God would give me a face—possibly a nameless one I encounter all the time.
- Then, I’m going to prayerfully get to know them—starting with exchanging our names.
- Lastly, I’m going spend some time discerning how I can help.
It’s just a start. Life is seldom transformed in 40 days. But, you know what? Transformation doesn’t happen by negligence either.
I don’t know about you, but I’m so tired of my empty talk. We plan, we inspire, we postulate. But who’s getting their hands dirty? Does the man or woman in need of shelter, a friend or salvation at all care that I’ve had 213 hours of meetings about them? Do they care that I’ve read a lot of books about them? I wonder if they’d trade all the time I’ve spent planning for one day of awkward effort.
…our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NIV, emphasis mine)
This year, I’m asking God to burden me with a soul in need. I’m not asking Him to endorse my plans, but begging Him to let me in on His. Will you join me? You can get started on this page.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
17 things 17 people need you to hear
As I prepare for the first message in our new Tougher Love series this Sunday at Ecclesia, I’m constantly distracted by the thoughts of last weekend. It was one of the most remarkable experiences I’ve had in my short tenure as a pastor.
At the close of the SKIN series, we had the privilege of celebrating the baptism of 17 people.
17! We need to pay attention to this.
Whether it’s a new confession of faith in Jesus or an “it’s about time” display of commitment to Him, 17 people are telling us something. Do you hear it? They’re telling us…
…they’re done answering to sin and they won’t settle for the results of it any longer.
…Death isn’t a destroyer, it’s the great deliverer.
…after a long night, the sun is rising.
…they want joy, they need forgiveness.
…they want to be free for once.
…because He lives, they can face tomorrow.
…they don’t belong to anyone else.
…God first loved them, not just tolerated them.
…they can’t depend on themselves anymore.
…God won’t ever leave.
…they can’t figure it all out and they’re still learning.
…they’re done running.
…the tomb is vacant.
…they need grace—miraculous doses of it.
…you can start over.
…they need us.
…there’s no fine print. Jesus is enough.
Thank you to the brave souls who were bold enough to show us what Jesus has done in your lives. I hope we listen to what you’re telling us.
For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.
Romans 6:5–7 (NASB)
The resurrection of Jesus changes everything for all of us for all of time. Face it, count on it, live in it. Praise God that His love was strong enough to transform this lowly, used-up, sin-filled SKIN into something that looks like my Jesus.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
This Will Be My Least Popular Post
Why? Because I have to talk about prayer.
STAY WITH ME! You came this far and I’ll make it quick.
Yesterday was the second week of our new SKIN series and, man, is God on the move.
It’s one thing to have a church in the middle of Hollywood. It’s another thing altogether to have a church talking honestly and openly about sex in Hollywood. The good news: God’s strength is most obvious in the lions’ den, when everyone expects failure.
I’m drawn to the life of Daniel a lot in this season. But it’s not so much because of the “big moments”, but the fact that Daniel was so faithful in the small moments—in prayer!—that king Darius had to recognize that it was “God, whom you constantly serve” and “the God of Daniel” that was victorious.
And here’s the word of caution: I fear that many of us in God’s Church expect anything God-sized to happen without the small moments of prayer—without you and I praying…a lot. We are so satisfied with achievements that can easily be attributed to our programs, our marketing, or our “group think”. Anybody can get a lot of people in a room. That’s not a movement.
Do you expect God to do what ONLY HE CAN DO? Do you expect God to change lives so incredibly that we stop the “faith laps” of sin-rededication-slipping-sin-rededication? Do you expect the Holy Spirit to make you and those around you more like Jesus? If so, then you have depend on Him in your personal rhythm of life—so much so that people see and sense the Spirit alive in you and when big, lions-den miracles occur or you have shocking peace in the middle of crisis, they have to give credit where it’s due.
But someone once said “Nothing is discussed more and practiced less than prayer.” Why? I suggest some of the following:
1) Satan doesn’t want you to pray.
2) We often don’t see immediate, visceral benefits when we pray.
3) The Church has not seen it modelled from leaders.
4) We think we have to “learn how to pray” before we do it, so we don’t.
5) Many of us really don’t believe it works.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12 (ESV)
If the curtain is really torn between us and the Almighty Creator of the Universe, then my hesitancy or forgetfulness to be with Him is inexcusable. Pray big, pray now.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
This Christmas, I Want a Family
There seem to be a variety of things to polarize people this time of year. Top of the list is which—if any—holiday you support/celebrate/tolerate based on your heritage/religion/obligations. I’m a no-holds-barred Christmas boy, but I still have to be aware of the many nuances of tradition among us Yule-types. Some don’t do presents, some open them on Christmas Eve. Some do a Santa-thing, some think Santa is another way to spell “Satan”.
But what I am increasingly aware of are those of us who are detached and isolated. You may feel that way all the time, but Norman Rockwell has made certain moments in our calendar especially crummy.
We all absolutely have to belong. We have to. We need family in some sense. We’re wired for it. No, Jesus isn’t enough (keep reading, folks). God doesn’t want you all for Himself. God wants you to need people. It’s always been that way and it always will be. This isn’t to be cruel, it simply reflects the nature of God Himself—complete perfect union of 3 Persons and one God. God is family and God created us in His image.
So, what do you do with that ache? The answer: start with you. As painful as it sounds, the fact remains that you can’t change other people. If someone is often neglectful, they’ll be acutely insensitive in December. The people that God creates you to need are the same ones we all know will disappoint you. So, start with you.
Nice, Joseph. What does that mean?
Let me give you a couple of ideas:
1. REACH OUT
It’s incredibly easy to retreat and it’s mortifying to ask someone to “be your friend”. But the truth is, you have to do it. Talk to people within arms reach and let them know you’re a bit isolated this year. It’s not pathetic, it’s realistic. AND, you’re allowing people in your life the privilege of a response. What they don’t know might hurt you.
2. RISK
I love the word “belong” to diagnose this need. It’s not enough for us to ”attend” communities at convenient times (like we can do with Facebook or church services). To belong is to share sacrifice. You give a little, I give a little. I’m vulnerable so that you can trust me more and be vulnerable. It’s cooperative. This season, think of a way you can give or disclose a little of yourself to another. Eternal community is founded on sacrifice and that will begin with the thing you hold most precious: you.
Whatever your experience this time of year, I have a word. Celebrate Emmanuel. I’m floored that God has decided to live among us. Not “up there”, not “back then”; but HERE. NOW. And when Jesus arrived, it displayed the God Almighty of the Old Testament as Father. Now, through what Jesus accomplished on the Cross, I have the right to be a son and a brother in a very real, unending sense. HERE. NOW. Though we’re broken, bruised and often an embarrassment; we have the power to be the family we’ve always needed.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
The Best Thing About Sin
I was recently headed to Las Vegas for a conference/think tank called !deaCamp. When my wife and I drove up the 15, I was again fascinated by the billboards.
I come from my cloistered world where the hedonism is moderately polite (granted, I’m in Hollywood). “We’re here, but we don’t mean to bother. We just want you to know we’re here.” Then, I drive north for 2 hours and I go through at least 5 layers of Dante’s Hell. There are 62 advertisements touting every vice you would expect to find. It starts with lots of cheap food (in case gluttony’s your thing), then it moves to gambling (in case greed’s your thing). Onward, we climb to big houses for pennies on the dollar (for the envious), then we arrive at sex (in case…well).
It’s only after this epic tale is told that you see the inevitable resolution to the story: billboards for organizations fighting “gambling addiction” and alcoholism.
Along the way, my wife and I saw a sign for a new club at the Encore (Steve Wynn’s new megalith). The club is called “Surrender” and features a snake and an apple. At least you know what you’re getting into before you head over there. It made me giggle. Thanks, Steve.
I was reminded of the club when I saw this billboard on the way to 10 forward for coffee this morning.
Why do I sin? Why is lechery so appealing? Because I was born in it. It’s my native tongue. When I see sex for sale or resonate with violent revenge in a film, it’s like humming the tune of a Britney Spears song. You may not want to admit you know it, but it’s catchy and—if completely alone—you would sing along. Then, there comes a point when you’re with a ton of people who think Britney is so-not-cool-she-is-completely-awesome, you’re done fighting, and you can shout at the top of your lungs “I’m a…SLAAAVE…for you…”. You surrender. You surrender to your secret self. Not so much because “other people are doing it”, but because it’s a blast. It’s truly enjoyable. AND YOU WOULD DO IT AGAIN, thank you very much.
Sin, on the chemical level, is purely human. We hear those drums and our feet start tapping like we’d always known this one. No wonder it’s not MY RIGHTEOUSNESS that will ever please God. My most concentrated effort will always be a different genre, it will always come from a different place—a place with it’s own culture, it’s own traditions and it’s own people. When I was crucified with Jesus, it was the death of Joseph, citizen of Sinville. Now, for the first time, I can learn the ways of this new world—this Kingdom, if you will—while being clothed in a skin I wasn’t born with. I’m learning that there’s another song—a lesser-known song—that I still have to learn all the words to, but that someone’s been singing over me for eternity. I’m learning it slowly while trying to beat out that song that’s been stuck in my head for as long as I can remember.
For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6:14 (NASB)
And the beat goes on.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
Megamind Prayers
I was very close to calling yesterday’s message “Megamind”, but then I realized how asinine that would’ve been and slapped my own face. Instead, I loved exploring “Life Inside the Mystery” with Ecclesia—a glimpse at 1 Corinthians 2:6–16. Many of you have already asked me to post the 3 “Prayer Assignments” that we walked through together at the end of the message. I do this gladly. I encourage you to make it a discipline this week in whatever circumstance you find yourself in. Document, tweet or doodle what the Spirit does.
Paul, talking to a church riddled with division and prejudice, says “We have the mind of Christ”. Not later, not after they’ve cleaned up their act, but NOW. We have the mind of Christ. How do we leverage that amazing gift?
1. ACCEPT it.
Prayer: “Thank you, Father, that You’ve revealed the secret of the Cross to me. Spirit of God, help me rest in the fact that I have you and the mind of the risen Christ. “
2. RELY on it.
Prayer: “Thank you, Father, that You’ve revealed the secret of the Cross to me. Spirit of God, help me to stop placing so much security in things other than who I am in Jesus. “
3. CULTIVATE it.
Prayer: “Spirit of God, when I feel self-confident this week, guide me into a deeper brokenness so I can see your power in my life. When I feel empty or detached, teach me what lies I’m believing and the replace them with the Truth of the Gospel.”
**NOTE: We are seeking a deeper understanding of the gift given us (1 Corinthians 2:12). Plead for greater depth of the Gospel in your life.
For His Kingdom alone,
JKB
I also blog at:
churchinhollywood.com
louderthantheworld.com
