Archive Page 3

02
Aug

Fortuitous Bouncing

By Tyler 14 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

Something about singing and worshiping as a church for an extended time just brings joy to my heart. Thanks to everyone who helped make the praise night possible. Also a big thanks to Sovann, who only knows me through this blog and drove 40 minutes to be a part of the night.

For all of you who have written comments the past few days, thanks. Usually I like the respond in some way (email, a comment) but I’ve been crazy busy the past few days. Hopefully you understand.

News

Blogs

Sports

  • My Twins are only a half game back of the Black Sox (yes I hate them). They’re going to make a good run this year…just trust me.
  • Football starts Sunday…didn’t the Giants just win the Super Bowl?
  • It is about time that baseball has an exciting trade deadline. As much as everyone says the Red Sox got a bad deal, I don’t think anyone realizes how good Jason Bay is.
01
Aug

Crazy Love .3 of 3

By Tyler 2 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

In light of the crazy love sacrifice of Christ…how should we respond? This isn’t just a question that Christians today struggle with.

In Acts 2:37 a question is posed after a convicting message by Peter: “Brothers, what shall we do?”.

Francis Chan says:

“The first church responded with immediate action: repentance, baptism, selling possessions, sharing the gospel. We respond with words like Amen, Convicting Sermon, Great book…and then are paralyzed as we try to decipher what God wants of our lives.”

I know in my own life, it is a constant journey towards finding God’s purpose for my life. And I think this is what Francis is getting at. Our response to God’s “crazy love” has to be more than just words, something I am very guilty of.

Francis ends his book by saying this:

“A friend of mine once said that Christians are like manure: spread them out and they help everything grow better, but keep them in one big pile and they stink horribly…Most of us use ‘I’m waiting for God to reveal His calling on my life’ as a means of avoiding action. Did you hear God calling you to sit in front of the television yesterday? Or to go on your last vacation? Or exercise this morning? Probably not, but you still did it. The point isn’t that vacations or exercise are wrong, but that we are quick to rationalize our entertainment and priorities yet are slow to commit to serving God.”

Francis’ words pierce like a sharpened blade.

How do serving God and finding your calling coinside for you?

01
Aug

Reminder

By Tyler 1 Comment
Categories: Uncategorized

Worship tonight (Friday).

7pm.

Sunset Presbyterian Church.

Portland, OR.

(Facebook event, post with information)

Let’s get August started by lifting Him high.

31
Jul

Crazy Love .2 of 3

By Tyler 7 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

Part One: Stress and Anxiety

Often times we think of living on this earth as just passing time before we go to heaven. Christians are notorious for holding up signs telling people to turn to Jesus or they were burn in eternal hell. I’m not saying this isn’t true, but it is certainly NOT the way to go about sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. I think a large majority of Christians simply do what they need to do to justify going to heaven. We live with the mindset of, all that matters about Christianity is getting to heaven. When we stop sinning we don’t do it because we are hurting our relationship to Christ, we do so because we still want to go to heaven. Too often eternity is the goal we have in mind for our lives. I don’t think living for heaven and living for Jesus need to be separate, but when we focus on heaven as much as we do, we separate them. I wonder what a generation of Christians who desire first to love Christ with their lives, would look like?

Francis Chan says that our question quickly becomes:

“Can I go to heaven without truly and faithfully loving Jesus?”

I love the way John Piper puts all this into perspective…

“The critical question for our generation-and for every generation-is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?“

30
Jul

Crazy Love .1 of 3

By Tyler 11 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

Now and then you read a book that meets you with perfect timing. Crazy Love by Francis Chan was that book for me. How to best know that Tyler really likes a book? He does more than one post on it.

I heard Francis speak at the Willow Arts Conference in June. I had 3 highlights: listening to Ross Parsley, listening to Brian McLaren, and listening to Francis Chan. I now listen to Chan’s messages on podcast as often as I can. He is an incredible speaker. I have one reason that I think Chan has credibility. His church gives 55% of their total budget to social causes around the world and in their community of Simi Valley, California. Telling you this isn’t meant to make him sound like the perfect pastor. I just love that God has used him to grow a church and yet as they’ve grown they have given more and more money away.

Now for the stuff Chan talks about in his book.

A few weeks ago I was as stressed as I’ve been in a long time. Then I read this in Francis’ book (below). Needless to say, it didn’t sit well with me. I put the book down and read it again a few days later. I think he speaks a large amount of truth here. 

“When I am consumed by my problems-stressed out about my life, my family, and my job-I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a “right” to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities.

Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control” (39-40).

My prayer: Father forgive me for all the times I worry and get stressed out over things that are completely in your control. I do you a disservice by holding onto my life so tightly. Help me to understand what it means to live by faith and trust in You.

Do you think anxiety and stress are sins?

29
Jul

Exhausted

By Tyler 14 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

Somehow summer has ran me over and then kept going. I’m exhausted. My body is just tired. Why I am exhausted is interesting to think about in light of my post on ministry burnout earlier this week. I can’t pinpoint why I’m totally spent though.

I’ve been on the stage on Sunday morning 12 of the last 14 Sunday mornings and I haven’t (technically) taken a day off of work in a year. Granted I only worked part time for most of the year, but I was also in school. This isn’t supposed to be some whiny post or a chance for me to complain; I just hear my body screaming for some time to rest. Luckily we leave for a one week trip to Alaska, to see Rose’s parents, in 11 days. I honestly cannot wait.

Can you relate to any of this?

29
Jul

When the Tears Fall

By Tyler 15 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

On Sunday the song “When the Tears Fall” set up Barb’s message on being a community of authenticity for those in pain. This is a song that I have loved ever since Tim Hughes wrote it, a song that has ministered to me in deep ways many, many times. I am lucky I was able to pass on to the church those times I’ve had with God by singing this song on Sunday.

The thing I love most about the song is that Tim awknowledges the crap of life. But his message rings out with a pain stricken “I will praise You!”. It is a phrase that always meets me no matter where I am in life.

(video embedded rss readers)

I hope this song ministers to you like it does to me.

(A huge thanks to the band: Jill, Aaron, Nick, Debbie, Ben, and Rebecca on vocals. You made me sound good.)

Watercooler Wednesdays @ Ethos and Creative Chaos @ Ragamuffin Soul.

28
Jul

Ministry Burnout

By Tyler 19 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

I read Anne Jackson’s blog almost everyday. She is one of those “big-time” bloggers and she has a book coming out next February called Mad Church Disease. The book is basically about the disease of church leaders getting burned out. Talk to anyone in ministry and they know burnout is an issue to be dealt with almost constantly.

I was listening to a message of Mark Driscoll’s a few weeks back. He shared a story of meeting with Rick Warren. Rick had created a list of 10 young pastors in the U.S. that he desires to mentor and pray for. Only 2 years after he had made that list, more than half of those young pastors had left church ministry due to burnout or personal sin.

I want to keep both of these things in one hand and have this rest of this post in the other hand.

When I think about burnout I am reminder of the disciples of Jesus. The Bible says Jesus asked them to drop what they were doing and follow him. They left their families and jobs and gave their entire lives to Jesus. A noble cause no doubt. I also think about the many volunteers at my church who give countless hours above the long and tiring hours they work during the week.

I understand the need to take care of yourself. Because of school I work part time during the year, but this summer I worked full time and I’ve done my best to make sure I get 2 days off a week. I know it helps keep me sane. But I know I could give more, just like the disciples did.

I wonder if this idea of ministry burnout is more about selfishness (I’m not accusing, just wondering ok?). I wonder if we think too much about ourselves instead of how we can serve God. I wonder if burnout would be an issue if I understood what it meant to live for Jesus. So while we keep in one hand the real dangers of church ministry burnout, let’s keep in our other hand the examples that the disciples and church volunteers are.

How do you balance giving your all and also avoiding burnout?

27
Jul

Praying for Those Hurting: Tennessee Church Shooting

By Tyler 1 Comment
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags:

Today we started a 3 week series on hurt, pain, sorrow, etc…why is life so hard? It was an awesome day at church. One of those days when you are so thankful for what you do.

I came home at 2:30 only to read about a church in Tennessee that is dealing with indescribable amounts of pain and sorrow. A gunman shot and killed a member of the congregation and injured 8 others during a youth led service. The subject of hurt and pain is one I haven’t had a lot of life experience with. All of my close family members are still alive, and I’ve only had one pet die. This isn’t to say I haven’t experience pain, but compared to many of my friends I know I’ve had it very easy. Somehow this shooting tugs at my heart. Maybe it is because it was a youth service, something I’ve been a part of countless times at various churches. Or maybe it was what the Associated Press wrote about what the church is known for:

“The Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church is a community that meets to worship and work together for social change, according to the church’s Web site. Since the 1950’s, the congregation has worked for desegregation, racial harmony, fair wages, women’s rights and gay rights, according to the Web site. The congregation also has provided sanctuary for political refugees, fed the homeless and founded a chapter of the ACLU.”

I think a large majority of the things this congregation was known for supporting are incredible. I love that this church was known for its “worship and work together for social change.” The message today was one about being a community for those in pain, and it was when I got home that it hit home for me.

Will you join me in prayer for them?

26
Jul

Fortuitous Bouncing

By Tyler 8 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized

Since I had several posts about me getting a Macbook, I should probably tell you all that I did get it 2 weeks ago. I’ve been very happy so far, although I need to use the iLife Suite more often. I don’t take a lot of pictures or videos, but I need to change that. Thanks for all your help!

News

Blogs

Sports

If any of you were doubting whether we are in a recession or not, I have confirming evidence. Over the past few weeks a number of NBA basketball players have left their current teams to sign huge contracts with European teams. Even players that were born in the US are heading over there. I think this is sad, but here is why they are leaving:

  1. They make more money. Bigger contracts and the Euro is killing the USD right now.
  2. They don’t get taxed.
  3. They get a free car, free apartment, and free plane tickets for family.

Mercy Me’s cover of “Thriller”

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Subscribe

Subscribe to Man of Depravity by Email
Site Meter
who's online

Pictures

Silver Salmon on Deep Creek, AK

Deep Creek near Ninilchik, Alaska

Elephant Rock Homer, Alaska

Salty Dawg Saloon Homer, Alaska

More Photos