Does my Life Count?

Sometimes I wonder if my life has counted for anything. I am especially wondering that during this season of my life. I am forty-five years old. I have stayed in youth ministry way beyond my prime. I have no money to speak of. I am just now, after 20 years, finishing my master’s degree. I am not an ordained pastor. I rarely get to preach. I have never served communion. I have never baptized anyone. I am 25 pounds overweight. I have acid reflux. My present ministry as an Assistant Pastor often leaves me scratching my head, wondering what it is that I really do. To top it all off, I live in a van down by the river!

Not really. I’m not quite Matt Foley. But I’m working on it.

With this said, today I received a remarkably encouraging e-mail from Eric Griffin. I first met Eric several years ago while visiting Rock Hill High School (Rock Hill, SC). Eric was a freshman (or sophomore) who played soccer and sometimes kicked field goals for the football team. After a while, Eric and I formed a friendship and he became a key student leader in our Young Life ministry. Eric is now married to his beautiful wife, Wendy, and he works as a successful businessman with The Cason Group insurance agency.

Today Eric sent me an a note that reminded me of some things that I needed to remember.

Note from Eric…
T…hey man. Just a note of encouragement to you. I was at a retreat all weekend, and the speaker asked us to think about a mentor who really had an impact on our lives. I thought of you and praised God for Him using you in my life 15+ years ago. things i specifically thanked God for were how you were the first person to ever make the Gospel appear attractive and that a walk with Christ included laughing. One other specific thing you told me that I will never forget was when Fowler, Cunnup, and I drove to Johnson City to visit, you shared that the best way you could love your kids is by lving Martha Jo. I remember that often and think of you every time.
I am thankful for you T and miss having time with you. Thanks for being faithful to follow God’s call to make an impact on others.

My Response to Eric…
Eric,
I don’t even know how to respond to that. A part of me wants to say something like “I’m all you have, Eric? Really? That is so tragic! You need to get out more, man!” Or I’m tempted to respond, “15 years ago? Eric…dude… I was an idiot 15 years ago! Erase every memory of me from your mind. I had a mullet for God sake! Who listens to a guy with a mullet? Never listen to a guy with a mullet!”
But, instead of all that, I will simply say “Thank You.” It humbles me to hear that God used me in your life. And it excites me to know that the message I wanted to send actually caught hold. I can’t think of very many things I would want to communicate beyond
(1) The Gospel of Jesus is beautiful
(2) The Gospel should produce joy and laughter and
(3) The best way to love your children is to love your wife.
I miss you too, E. You are a great brother. May God continue to bless you with everything that He calls good.
T

I am so grateful that God reminds us. Thank you, Eric. Thanks for reminding me to consider the beauty of Christ, to laugh with Jesus, and to love my wife.

And thank you, Jesus. It is a testament to your grace that you can use a bone-head with a mullet to proclaim the life-giving beauty of the Gospel…even if that bone-head does live in a van down by the river.

Speaking at Elevate – Logbook

Thursday, July 10, 2008

It’s 11:30pm on Thursday and we just arrived home about an hour ago. Man, am I tired. If you were at the conference and are checking into Sacrosanct Gospel for the first time – Welcome! I had a great time speaking at Elevate this year. You guys are so awesome! Justin and I would like to say thanks to Trey, Todd, Tommy, Nikki, Adam, Ande, Monty, Daniel, Tim, Wayne Kerr, the band, the staff and leaders and a big thank you to all the students who allowed us to joyfully proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to you all! I thought that last night was particularly impacting as the Spirit of Christ seemed to speak to all of us powerfully through Scala, U2, Coldplay, Lord of the Rings, and especially through the Word of God as we considered what it means to “shine like stars in the universe” (Phil 2:15). “Look how they shine…Look how they shine for You…”

I don’t want to be a Professional Pastor

“If I, even for a moment, accept my culture’s definition of me, I am rendered harmless.” – Eugene Peterson, Contemplative Pastor, p.15

Over the last year, I have been feeling more and more called to church planting. This ‘call’ has been discomforting to say the least. I have never struggled more, prayed more, read more, whined more, or yelled at God more than I have over the past year. As I continue this struggle with God, I have examined several possible avenues and options. I continue to look first at my own denomination – the PCA – to decide whether this would be the direction of God’s leading. Last week, I went to our quarterly Presbytery meeting where several young men were being examined to become pastors. What I witnessed was no different than what I have witnessed before. The whole affair is like a cross between a “geeked-up” fraternal hazing and really bad episode of Jeopardy. The pastoral contestant stands up in front of his “brothers” in Christ – brothers who generally don’t know him or know anything about him – who then fire questions at him that supposedly examine his theological credibility.

Question: What is the proper Ordo Salutis? (Insert Jeopardy Theme here)

The Gospel is not a Gun – Part 1

I profess that I tend to be an adolescent minded Christian . It’s true. By and large, I live my Christian life like a middle school kid playing Cowboys and Indians. Cops and Robbers. Good Guys v. Bad Guys.

I study theology. But not so I can attain intimacy with Christ. I study so that I can feel right about myself. It’s a way of loading my gun. I pride myself on knowing the right things about God, on being Orthodox. I want to be Orthodox so that I can hide myself inside an iron clad fortress of Theology, the way a Sheriff might barricade himself inside the jail when the bad guys come to town. I surround my Orthodoxy with a plethora of hired guns – Jonathan Edwards, John Calvin, Spurgeon, Piper, and Keller. I recruit all the deputies I can, just in case a fight breaks out. I pin the tin star of my pastoral position right above my heart as proof of my Legitimacy. The star sparkles and shines and says “Sheriff” in bold letters and it gleams bright in the high noon sun.

The Tower of Terror

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The Melton Family went to Disney World to celebrate me and MJ’s 20th Wedding Anniversary. It was so fun. An absolutely perfect trip. One of the highlights for me was riding the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. MJ and I rode it almost 16 years ago and I’ve been waiting to get back to do it again. Check out our “Before” and “After” Tower of Terror video. Camp is especially funny. This was his first time on a ride of this caliber. He’s such a warrior! Click to see the video.

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