Rick Nier...Woo!

Well, what do you know, it's another review!  Luke 8:40-56 They  knew  she was dead. They  knew  it! There was this guy that lived a long time ago. He did things. He did amazing things. And he spoke truth. But the truth was so amazing, people had a hard time believing it. They didn't accept it, or didn't want to accept it.  But he would do these amazing things anyway. He would do them for free. So word began to spread and people began to call him for help, hoping he would do something amazing for them.  One such time these parents had a young girl who was dying, so they called this guy. He agreed to come, but as you might imagine, people who can do amazing things often get stopped and distracted by other people who need amazing things done.  And that happened. He got stopped. By another woman who was in need. She'd been bleeding. Actually she'd been bleeding for a long time. This was in a day and age before reliable healthc...

True story. My kids still talk about this. This is from August of this year.  Last month, when we had that giant storm come through and cause all sorts of ruckus, I was awoken in the middle of the night by my wife saying, ‘There’s a tornado warning. I have all the kids downstairs. You should come downstairs.’  Jen and I have been married for over 17 years. We’ve had discussions on what to do in a storm. Despite my tendency to scoff and doubt weathermen, I went downstairs and promptly fell asleep on a couch next to one of the kids. Jen stayed up for a few more hours on high alert. After about an hour of the roof not falling in around us, I went back to bed, seeking a spot where a child's leg would not be lodged in my back. I think we discovered our differences in storm situations back when we were engaged. She was spending some time in Florida one summer, when the people on TV started telling us to evacuate to nearby schools because of impending hurricane-like weather...

I'm posting some of my faves from this past year. I'll post your faves if you tell me what they are.  It's harder than it looks. That's what one of the teens said after a student led night. I wanted to respond with, 'Yeah, that's why it's called a job.' But that might have been misconstrued as harsh. Besides, if we're being honest and nice about things, we could say this about most things.  If we are to actually look back and consider what high school was like, it was harder than it looks. The other people, to whom we continually compare ourselves to, also have a job which is likely harder than it looks. And it would be nice if someone looked at our responsibilities and realized that we're not sipping lemonade with our feet in the sand. Unless, of course, your job is to taste test lemonade while sitting on the beach. Then your job is not harder than it looks. And we all hate you. Having said all this, just because a job is difficu...

I'm posting reviews from this past year, but don't be surprised if I add some new content here or there before 2015. Here's one I could have written last week and just changed the ages on and I would have still been accurate.  At breakfast one morning, my 10 year old son noted that his 12 year old sister is up before him every morning and yet always seems to be around and ready to leave last. It's a true story. Oh, she tries, she tries. But every morning we have somewhere to go inevitably ends up with me pushing the 12 year old to get out the door.  Without offering any fatherly wisdom to my son's observation at this point, I smiled knowingly. He continued. "I have, like, four main things I do every morning. She has, like, ten and I don't even know what half of those things are." Honestly, I couldn't say it any better myself.

I usually end each year by posting some of the faves and best posts from the year. It's fun to look back, plus it gives me more time to focus on Christmas shopping. With that in mind I welcome you to the first of a few faves. _________________________________________________________________________________ Recently our church had our Annual Society Meeting, a great time of mirth and merriment that makes birthday parties feel like dental appointments. Since I had so much fun writing and giving my report, I thought I would share the joy here.  Honestly, what follows is close to my heart, and only a portion of what I shared at the meeting.   I sit before a blank screen each year and think through what I want to say to this esteemed audience. Realizing this is the twelfth time I have done this doesn’t exactly make it easier, wondering how I can keep this fresh, since I am quite certain many of you have taken copious notes from previous years. Obviously there are a few things...

I was recently offered the opportunity to review True Love Project  by Clayton & Sharie King. The subtitle is How the GOSPEL Defines Your Purity , and the Kings do a fantastic job of laying a great foundation. Because we have all heard, and maybe even taught, that purity should be the goal, which means waiting for sex until marriage. But I hope Christians can agree that purity is so much more than that. What I received was 3 separate books. There is the classic book, which could be read by anyone, regardless of which boxes you check when asked about age, beliefs, married or single. The book has follow-up questions after each chapter, lending it to use by a leader in a group setting. Like I said, Clayton and Sharie do a good job laying the foundation on what purity looks like and why it is important. The other two books are more devotional style, one for guys and one for the ladies. I would recommend you get copies of these into the hands of your teens. 40 Days of Pur...

What do we expect? I mean, what do we  really  expect? I was looking at this info-graphic recently. You can click on the image if you want to expand it. Go ahead, I'll wait.  In it they show how very little even Evangelical Protestants agree with what has historically been perceived as absolute truth. Perhaps you've seen and read info-graphics like this before. Sadly, I can't say I was surprised by most of the numbers. What did catch my eye was the statistic that showed only 47% of Christians strongly agree that Heaven is a real place. While it is disturbing to actually consider that half of all Christians don't actually believe Jesus is preparing a place for us, did you catch the wording? Strongly agree? This tells me the question was: Do you believe in heaven? And the possible answers were; Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree. I'm going to go ahead and assume Neutral was a possible response to keep survey-takers happy. ...

I could be the public relations guy for God. I'm smart. I know what looks good. I'm not saying God doesn't, but who couldn't use a P.R. guy every once in a while. Someone to explain why the Flood was a good idea. Someone to extrapolate as to why Pharaoh had to go. Someone to talk to the press when things get a little out of control. Or perhaps someone to kindly suggest things to God. Listen, I work in a church. I see things. I watch the ups and downs of lots of lives. I see how it impacts the lives of others and how the general mood of an entire church family can move. There have been moments when I believed it would have been a perfect time for a miracle. Yeah, a nobody-could-do-this-but-God type of miracle. I'm not talking about a Lifetime Movie kind of miracle where the bad boy decides to make a good decision. I'm talking proven, walk-on-water, heal-the-sick, turn-water-into-wine, there's no way that could happen, kind of miracle. I'd even coordinate ...

A bronze shield. Who would have thought so much discouragement could come from a bronze shield? But when I read 2 Chronicles 12:10, which tells us King Rehoboam of Judah put bronze shields in the royal treasuries, I immediately thought of how discouraging that must have been. You wouldn't think so, would you? After all, a bronze shield would defend. It would protect. It would do what it was made to do. And yet... If you flip back a few chapters, to the description of King Solomon's reign, you read of excessive opulence. We read of vast riches and people living in the lap of luxury. Foreign Queens visit and swoon over the organization, the ritual, Solomon's wisdom and yes, the riches. For a few chapters we read of all the wealth Solomon had, including a fleet of ships which seemed to have no other purpose than going around getting Solomon more stuff. 2 Chronicles 9 tells us the ships would come back into port every 3 years loaded "with gold, silver, ivory, apes and pe...

The last two weeks of November have been quite the struggle for me. But to properly share this struggle, I have to go back a couple of months...you know....when big box stores began putting out their Christmas decorations and playing Christmas music in certain parts of the store. You know the stores. I can be counted along with all those complainers, the self-righteous (and self-appointed) judges who criticize our society for stuffing ourselves with Halloween and then immediately start the gorge of unneeded things for Christmas, all while ignoring the one holiday that celebrates contentment. Then people...people you and I know, started posting Christmas music videos. I watched it. I enjoyed it. But it wasn't time. You don't listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving, when it is also acceptable to decorate your home. I've held this standard for a few reasons down through the years: 1. A lot of Christmas music can get annoying if played more than 4...

No one will ever accuse me of always being on top of everything. Ideas bounce around in my head for a couple of weeks before I ever put them down. So the fact that I am posting some thoughts about raking weeks after I last pulled out a rake shouldn't really be any surprise. My only defense is that truth doesn't fade.  I can't decide if it is more satisfying to see the ginormous pile of leaves separate my yard from the street as if I'm building up a harvest-themed barricade from any passersby. Or if I enjoy watching the giant vacuum owned by our township when it comes around and removes any evidence that leaves were once on my yard. About a month ago, before it began snowing, I got out my leaf blower. I knew leaves were just starting to fall, but I thought I would tackle the task little by little. I did the same thing on Saturday. I did even more raking the following Monday. The good news is that my youngest daughter was able to jump in the biggest pile we have ever mad...

I started a new segment in my youth group meetings called Ask Me Anything. No, the idea is not original with me, but I forget where I stole the idea. Here's how I do it. I have a box in our youth room labeled Ask Me Anything. Next to it is a stack of cards and a couple of pens. Students have been encouraged to literally ask me anything. And they do. From which of my own kids is my favorite to challenging me to perform a handstand, they ask anything. I take some each week and answer them. Many are ridiculous, but some are serious. Those are the questions I am after. I let them do this anonymously so they feel the freedom to ask what's burning on their hearts. If it's anonymous, they don't have to worry about being mocked or ridiculed. We do a lot to practice the safety and welcoming attitude in our youth room. Recently someone asked why bad things happen to good people. We took some time to discuss that, though it could have been a question that was discussed for mon...

This is going to sound a bit like a first world problem, and I suppose it is. Yet I'm telling you this story to share, not complain. Here's what happened. My daughter has an iPod Touch, something she got after saving lots of nickels and dimes. And in a twist of fortune, when it stopped working, it was one week before the warranty ended. Even better, we were headed to Chicago and an Apple store. The process was quite delightful as they happily replaced the product and my daughter walked away with a new iPod. Just a week later she shared how quickly the battery was draining. I took it as a sign she was using it too often. But such was not the case. So I placed a call to the Apple store. They told me to restore it. This, of course, meant emptying it of all its data and restoring it to factory settings. Suddenly, I realized that for all the jokes we make about Microsoft (fix every problem by restarting), this was, in essence, the fix for the Apple product. But isn't restarting ...

I continue my year-long series with preschoolers, telling them stories of Jesus. We're memorizing John 3:16, because the reason Jesus had any of these conversations and performed any of these miracles is love.  What did you pack for lunch? What is your favorite food to pack for lunch? A long time ago there was a young boy who heard about a great crowd going out to see a famous person. You might have heard about this crowd. And you have undoubtedly heard about the famous person. The crowd was an unnamed mass that you know by number. 5,000. This young boy was just following the crowd to see this famous person. This famous person was Someone who did miracles. He healed people. He walked on water. He told great stories. Do you know who He is? Of course, it’s Jesus! But this young boy did what nobody else thought to do. He packed a lunch. This was smart, because back in those days, you could not simply go to a grocery store or stop at a McDonald’s. This young boy was listening to Jesu...

This is a portion of something I shared with the teens recently. You still have stuff to learn. So do I. Have you had those conversations with your parents where everything seems fine and then, out of nowhere, you’re in the middle of a lecture? You know, you’re all laughing, perhaps playing a game, when the conversation takes a turn. Maybe you’re all laughing and having a good time when your dad says, ‘See, why can’t you always be like this? You’ve had a bad attitude lately and I want you to respect your mother!’ Well, that is a little bit like what this songwriter does here in Psalm 95. “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,” ~Psalm 95:6–7 We often use Psalm 95:6-7 as a call to worship. It’s even got a song that we’ve sung. But watch what happens when we continue through verse 8-11. If only you would listen to his voice today...

I'd like to think I am above the fray. I'd like to think that I am not attracted to the drivel that is like a magnet for the faceless and nameless group of morons (none of whom are people in my family, church, work, etc... and surely not in your circles either). Unlike others who appear to be evolutionary steps behind us, I am not sucked into links that promise to make me weep for hours, laugh uncontrollably or spontaneously wet myself. Yeah, I'd like to think that. Then I find myself clicking on a link. Curiosity and all that, right? What cracks me up is that many of these links are good stories, some are old jokes and the rest are...well, you know. But I realize that the internet is like a metropolis, where the signs have to be bigger, brighter, and bolder to get our attention. All of this got me wondering what would happen if Biblical stories were presented like articles I see on Facebook. Here's my list. What would you add? God sent His Son to Earth. What happened ...

I have been telling stories of Jesus to the children at our church's preschool. You can read the others here and here and here . With preschoolers, you can plan all you want and think you're creative. But there's always a wild card to factor in; the preschoolers. For this retelling of the paralyzed man with 4 friends, I asked for one lucky volunteer. You guys sure about this? We’re going to ask him to lay down in the middle of the floor and the rest of us will circle around him. Then we will tell him he needs to trust the rest of us while we pick him up, and then toss him through a hole in the roof of a house. Crazy, right? I wonder, would you trust us if I said we were going to do that? What if you were unable to move and I said it would make you better if you let us throw you in? Would you be willing to take that chance? That’s what 4 guys did with a friend when they heard Jesus was inside the house. Okay, they didn’t throw him. They lowered him carefully, th...

Have you ever experienced that moment when your parents are so mad they don’t even spank you? That moment when they are so angry they sputter and stammer and don’t actually say anything? Or maybe they were so furious with you they said something like, “Get out of my sight before I do something I regret!” Geez Mom, that escalated quickly. God had a moment like that. It happened in Exodus 33. God said to Moses: “Now go. Get on your way from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Head for the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I will send an angel ahead of you and I’ll drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. It’s a land flowing with milk and honey. But I won’t be with you in person—you’re such a stubborn, hard-headed people!—lest I destroy you on the journey.” Exodus 33:1-3 ‘If I were to go with you I might destroy you.’ That might cause some conce...

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I had read a couple of books which really helped. Here's the second, which I actually listened to while driving around the corn-filled state of Indiana. How to change things when change is hard. Seriously, who hasn't dreaded trying to change something? Chip and Dan Heath have written a great how to for all of us. Switch; How to Change Things When Change is Hard . No matter what area of life you are in, change does not come naturally nor does it come easy. Chip and Dan point out how all of us have an identity crisis. We can want something with our heads without wanting it at all with our hearts. Or even vice versa. So they dispense with several myths about change. One in particular that stands out is the idea that people are lazy. A very interesting double study, which included chocolate chip cookies (thus piquing my interest) showed that some people who struggle for change are simply tired. Confused? Here's what happened: A g...

I recently read (or listened) to two separate books which have benefited me when it comes to my profession as a pastor. No, I haven't overhauled everything I do...yet. But action begins as thought, and thoughts come from ideas. I like the ideas I read in these books. I'll give you the first one here and the other one in a couple of days.  Strengths Finder 2.0 is actually more than a book. It's a test. Don't concern yourselves. There's no study required. You read the introduction of this book and set aside 20-30 minutes for an online test. Each book comes with a code for you to submit. (That's probably the only downside, as others can only take the test if they buy a copy of the book.) Once you take the test, you receive results. What kind? Where your strengths lie in a set of 32 different areas. As I recall, mine were being ridiculously handsome and full of wit. The premise of this book is that if we work out of our strengths, instead of always trying...

Sure, it was my idea. But that didn't keep my gag reflex from kicking in. How exactly is it possible to love people and yet be disgusted by the sight of them? An event I call Blo Chunx, that's how. For over a decade now, which is how you make 11 sound bigger, my youth ministry has hosted an event we call Blo Chunx. What began as an idea to contain all the messy youth group games to one super-disgusting night has now become an annual event. Why? It's simple, really. I'll do just about anything to have an opportunity to share Jesus with teenagers. And the first 10 worked well, so we keep doing it. Armed with a dose of creativity, some help from youth ministry ideas sites and a whole lot of spam, we take disgusting games up a notch. When I mention the next one is coming, I get a mixed reaction of gag reflex and anticipation. Here's what made this latest one fun for me. It was the first time I had one of my own children there. Knowing she has always been ...

This is the next in a series of lessons I am sharing with our preschool kids at church. I love telling stories about Jesus.  I have a question that is just for the girls. Ladies, have you ever thought that boys just kind of smell funny? Now I have a question for the boys. Boys, don’t you think girls are just kind of weird? Well, it is true that boys and girls are different from one another. But can boys and girls still be friends and play together? I think they can. I have another story about Jesus to share with you and this one involves a cup of water. Jesus and His friends were travelling from Judea to Galilee. But they didn't have cars back then. And most people didn't have horses to ride on. No bikes or skates either. So when they went somewhere, they had to walk. To get from Judea to Galilee would take 2 & ½ days. Can you imagine walking for 2 & ½ days? (I think Jesus leading the disciples around would have been similar to a teacher leading a clas...

Before I go any further, I have to clear one item up. One might assume that any person reading a book titled When Will My Life Not Suck must, in fact, believe that their life currently inhales with great force. I assure you, this is not the case. I am very much like a middle school boy and I was drawn to the book because of its blatant use of a word I tend to avoid. What can I say, the immature tendencies still rise up within me. This book by Ramon Presson has a subtitle; Authentic Hope for the Disillusioned. Nope, I don't feel like I have a bitter taste in my mouth towards life either. Though we should not judge a book by its' cover, I do often find myself sucked in (pun intended) by a title. I am glad I did. Ramon is a counselor by trade and he has plenty of experience dealing with people who, to be sure, have told him how much their life just isn't what they had hoped for. He believes a perspective shift is required. Using the book of Philippians, Ramon takes us on a jou...

God says He is not willing that any should perish. (See Matthew 18:14.) Meanwhile we argue over who makes it or not.  You tell me who's thinking with their heart? Let me say right from the start that this isn't about inclusion. I don't know whether to thank my generation, my parents, my pastors or my God-given brain, but I live in a world of absolutes. There is truth. There is black and white. Words have definitions, no matter how uneasy I may be with any of them.  Politicians, musicians, actors and reality shows can say whatever they want to fit their own personal agendas, but I was raised in the belief that God is God and it's okay that I don't always understand Him. In fact, why would I want to change my life around someone who I perfectly understand. (My wife would be another great example. I mean that in a good way.) I make it my goal to know God as much as I can. I want to achieve a closer relationship with Him than I have today. That means ...

I was recently given a review copy of Stuff You Should Know About Stuff: How to Properly Behave in Certain Situations . I was selected to be part of the launch team by my friends Tripp and Tyler, though referring to people I've never met as friends is one of the things I learned not to do while reading their book. I guess application comes next. Nevertheless, Tripp and Tyler have come up with what I would call the Seinfeld  series of books. They are saying future anthropologists will call it the Rosetta Stone of how to handle the mundane in life. They might be right. It's a comical look at how people behave everywhere from bathrooms to airplanes, though I might have missed any comments about airplane bathrooms. Mostly clean, I might have shared this with my children, except for the unnecessary foul language which cropped up randomly and meaninglessly. (Seriously, I feel like a broken record when it comes to this issue in books.) Sometimes mean, mostly sarcastic, I would...