markschulz.org

Look what I found!

We're travelling in Wisconsin, and I found the first Lutheran multisite church!

I would have put them a LITTLE further apart... (grin)

Great Bible study idea...

One of the members of our staff here at Trinity (Craig Mattes) wrote the following on his blog this week:

This summer, I've been trying out something a little bit different for my daily quiet times.  I'm reading through one book of the Bible 3 times in a row (a different translation each go-round), 1 chapter a day.  I feel that this plan has helped me in taking next steps in my spiritual growth, so I wanted to pass on this plan to you.  

I started with Galatians and the plan looked something like this:

I read from The Message translation a chapter a day for the first 6 days (Galatians has 6 chapters). 
The next 6 days, I read a chapter a day from the New International Version.  
The last 6 days, I read a chapter a day from the New Living Translation.  

What a great idea! I think I am going to give that a try using Ephesians. If you want to read more or check out Craig's blog, click here.

A Symbol of Freedom

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

So reads the inscription on the statue. Is America still a place where people are welcome, no matter how wretched, tired, and poor? I pray the gracious freedom on which our nation was founded might again be a shining light to the world.

Cool new Bible tool?

This is so cool!

I'm testing a new piece of html code that should make Bible references create a popup window with the verse when you look at them? Will it work? This should tell you...

Mark 7:12

If you put your mouse on the reference above, do you see anything?

EDIT:  Obviously, this isn't working as it should. I'll keep trying - perhaps my 13 year old son can help (grin).

Living in Community

This week I had listened to a Defining Moments audio session from WIllow Creek on Willow's small group journey. One of the best things was hearing Bill Hybels describe one of his small group experiences, and hearing him share how rare deep biblical community can be.

Then last night the small group of which Betty and I are a part met. We are trying to keep meeting during the summer - but with all of our schedules it has been tough, so it had been a while since we were together. It was a special time. Coupled with what I had heard on the tape about how rare deep community can be, this morning I find myself very thankful to God for the blessing of our group! I know that no matter what was going on in my life they would be there for me. We pray for each other, care for each other, and share what God is doing in our lives together. It truly is what God designed relationships to be.

Thanks, God, for my small group!

Transformational Leadership

Today I am spending the day in a seminar taught by Jim Galvin on transformational leadership. Transformational leadership is all about leading people in such a way that their lives are transformed by your leadership. Amazing and challenging stuff!

Here's a question: Do you challenge those you lead to engage their brains and their creativity in what they do?

When I think about it, the leaders I have most loved were those that challenged me to stretch and gave me a chance to use my gifts. How about you?

What, Exaclty, Happened Here?

If I could go back in time and observe one location on the whole face of the earth, it would be the place pictured above. 

I'm pretty confident about some of what I would see - the building of the al-Aqsa Mosque (shown above) sometime around 700 AD. I'd see two temples built and destroyed - Solomon's and Herod's. I'd see Jesus teach in the courts of one of those temples. There would probably be a small church there in the 5th century, built by Emperor Constantine's mother. Maybe even a temple to Jupiter in between Solomon's and Herod's temples.

But there are people that believe I would see a lot more. Would I see Abraham climb that mount with Isaac - or Ishmael? Some would tell me I would watch Mohammed ascend into heaven from this spot. Some would even tell me that, if I went back far enough, I would see God himself shape Adam out of clay from this hill - and then rest from his creative labors on the seventh day. 

Isn't it amazing, though, that out of all the 500 million square kilometers of surface area on this planet, three of the world's major religions claim this one hill as the epicenter of their faith? I will never forget walking on that hill and pondering what the dirt beneath my feet had seen. 

We are in a new series at our church called, "The Star, the Cross, and the Crescent." It should be a great series, but somehow I wonder if we can communicate the depth of the mystery and amazing power of that place and the religions it represents. 

When do you unplug?

Technology is a good thing! I love my iPhone - anyone can get ahold of me when they need, I can check email no matter where I am, and texting keeps me in contact with my friends and family like never before. I love my TV. (Except when I have to watch the Cubs get beat by the Cardinals and then the Hawks lose in overtime to the Red Wings!) I am so much more productive with my laptop (and my task management software) than I would be without.

But when do I unplug? When do I step back from the hectic pace of life to reflect, to be still, and to listen to God? Am I so connected to the world that I have not created space for God to speak into my life - to transform me from the inside out? (Romans 12:2)

What if one day a week I unplugged from cell phones and email and computers and (gasp) even TV?

Sabbath Rest

We started a new series this weekend on the Sabbath. It's been interesting. People immediately want to jump to the "what are the rules?" questions. They want to know - what am I supposed to do, and am I going to have to change my life to do it?

But we are approaching this totally differently than that. Instead of looking at it as law - God telling me how to live, we are looking at it as Gospel - God's GIFT to me that I get to experience. Because of that, we aren't telling people rules (you have to take a day and do nothing productive) we are looking at the principles (God is the one who blesses me - I get to trust that my success or failure in life is in his hands). I then get to do what I want in light of that principle.

So - if I understand that God invites me to join him in his creative and sustaining work in the world, and that my work is not for my own success or benefit but to be a coworker with Him, then how will I view my work differently? And if I understand that Sabbath is God's way of saying, "Let me take over for today - you take it easy," then how will I view rest differently?

And why do we instantly try to take Gospel and make it Law?

Real Life Hero!

How often do you get to spend time with one of your heros? Lyle Schaller has been helping churches be more effective in living out God's plan and mission for many years. I think I have read every book he's ever written. A lot of who I am as a pastor comes from what I have learned from Lyle. 

Today he was at our church to meet with some LCMS staff, and I got to hang around with him for a while. It was amazing! He continued to speak into my life and ministry in a powerful way. He affirmed a lot of what we are doing as a church - and challenged me on some key issues with which I need to wrestle. 

Best of all - he made me laugh a lot. He may be in his 80's (the "6% club" he called it - because only 6% of people reach his age) but his sense of sarcasm is as sharp as ever.

I also got to sit in on his sessions with our denominational leaders. My favorite quote? "A lot of institutions are contracting because that is easier than changing."

Close second for favorite quote: When asked "what would you say to a church who has shrunk to only 17 in worship" he replied, "I'd ask them who they have lined up to turn off the lights at the last funeral."

What a great day!

(Check out Jack Giles' post on the day here.)