Live Brave

Epic Rap Battles of Religion...

BEGIN!

(WARNING!!! One of these videos has extremely foul language. I put it in because he raises good points. Furthermore, this is just posted to hear what is being said around the interwebs. Enjoy.)

Jefferson Bethke aka The Original Hype:

 

 

Father Claude (Dusty) Burns aka Father Pontifex:

 

 

#SpokenWordMuslim:

 

 

The Amazing Atheist:

 

 

Father Andrew Stephen Damick:

Roads from Emmaus (blog)

 

Terry Crews:

 

 

Thoughts?

Who won? Who's next? You decide!

9/11

(The following is a speech planned for this morning at the memorial for 9/11 in Port Jefferson, NY)

Never has a date meant so much to me in all my life. They don't even sound like numbers. When 9 and 11 are said together the meaning is drastically changed. 

This morning we need to give thanks to the people who responded, gave their time, efforts, emotional and mental health, and, for some fallen heroes, their lives.

There are 2 acts of the American people I miss about the days after 9/11. The first is how the churches were packed out in search of God and in serach of community. I miss the times when people woke up and longed for more than just the normal parts of their day because it was no longer normal to remain at home. 

The second act of the American people I miss is the American flags that were hung at seemingly every household at every street after that terrible event 10 years ago. Americans got together and shouted loud that they believed that with God and with each other, we would never be shaken to the point that we would lose our liberty and constitution. We will always remain free.

A moment of silence does the people who gave their lives no justice. As a matter of fact, the only response is a lifetime of action. 

For the brave people who stood up to their captures; for the brave men and women who instead of running from the flames, ran into them; and for the brave Americans who even now give their lives for the freedom of the American people, Jesus' words ring true: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

We can honor the brave men and women of 9/11 with our lips all we want, but if we do not honor them with our lives, living just as bravely as they did, we will do an eternal injustice.

Remember today to pray for the families of the victims and heroes of the 9/11 attacks.

I want to close with Psalm 121:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.
   From where does my help come?
²My help comes from the LORD,
   who made heaven and earth.

 ³He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴Behold, he who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵The LORD is your keeper;
   the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶The sun shall not strike you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 ⁷The LORD will keep you from all evil;
   he will keep your life.
⁸The LORD will keep
   your going out and your coming in
   from this time forth and forevermore."

In response to the brave Americans, honor the USA with your words and with your deeds. In response to the many courageous lives lived before us, remember it is our duty and privilege to live brave.

Pick up the Phone!

I cannot begin to explain what these 4 words have done to my life. I am one of those guys who cannot stand the phone. I hate having a leash. Even texting bothers me... most of the time while I'm not even doing anything!

I'm kinda old school that way I guess. I love face-to-face convos, not Facebook-to-Facebook chats... but I am seeing and hearing God change my mind.

On more than one occasion in the past few months I have simply picked up the phone and said, "hello" - and boom! Life change. God does something crazy.

A few months ago I led somebody to Christ within 5 minutes of picking up the phone (and you KNOW that wasn't me at work)!

Just last week our children's ministry director picked up the phone and saved somebody's life.

I know we are all getting more and more anti-social in person just as much as we get more and more social through the Internet and texting, but I really feel like listening to somebody is one of the greatest gifts you can give somebody.

(To the Christians reading now): As the church, we really need to step in and soak in our culture. Listen to what people are saying, not create a bubble. And when the time comes when that phone call is nervously made by the person who needs you to listen: PICK UP THE PHONE!

My professor in college Ron Walborn said on many occasions, "90% of ministry is showing up."

Show up.

Tattoos

Since the message I preached on Father's Day about Jesus and religion (the first in a 3-part series entitled "Sick of Religion") I have had many people already ask me about the issue I brought up about tattoos, the theology behind it, and my own testimony regarding it. 

I never addressed my tattoos before in a sermon or message prior to this past Father's Day. The third Preview Service of Arise on Father's Day actually marked the first time I preached in a public setting without long sleeves on. I usually did that out of respect, but thought it was hypocritical of me to cover something up that I am proud of at the risk of offending somebody.

The fact is, I have actually had MORE chances to share my faith with others BECAUSE of the tattoos I have. I made it clear in the message that Jesus did not tell me to go and do this, nor do I think it is for everybody. But what is clear is that there is no place in the Bible that adamantly says that people will go to hell if they have tattoos. The Bible actually doesn't even say that Christians should not get them. Let me explain.

The Bible says in Leviticus 19:28 that none from the nation of Israel should mark their bodies for the dead, nor shall they have tattoos. In those days, pagans would cut themselves, take the burned ashes of their relatives, and in a weird way of worship, rub the ashes into the cuts so that when it healed they would have a "tattoo" of their relative. It was more than a memorial. It was an act of pagan worship to the dead. A tattoo was noticeable. That kind of worship marked a person for what they believed and who they served. God was calling His chosen people, the people of Israel, to not worship in such a way, and to set themselves apart from that.

Further proof that this was a law for the Israelites concerning their being "set apart" in that specific time, for that specific people, is the verse RIGHT BEFORE IT: Leviticus 19:27 - "You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard." This was yet another way to be set apart, to be holy for God during that time. 

I have no problem with people saying that the Bible says we cannot have tattoos, as long as they also have never trimmed their sideburns or beards. They would also have to sacrifice a long list of animals per year (Leviticus 3), remember to not work from sundown Friday night to sundown Saturday night (Leviticus 19:30 - no working at all on Saturdays!), and not eat any pork chops or bacon (Leviticus 11:1-8). 

We have to remember that these laws were cultural and distinct to the Israelite nation. I know many churches that will use this argument to tell people that tattoos are forbidden, but fail to comment on shaving beards, working on Saturday, and eating pork (or lobster for that matter). True, Jesus declared all things clean to eat to Peter during his prayer time (Acts 11:5-9), but what of the other cultural laws? Are we not going to discuss what was meant for the Jewish nation and what is meant for us? It seems we like to pick and choose our theology. But God sent people to BE the church. He also had people WRITE DOWN this important stuff in a book and compile it together. When we look at these things, we must be careful before we tell others what is right and wrong. The real message is God's love.

What stands out in the Bible is repetitive phrases. Nowhere else does the Bible teach on tattoos in a negative light. In fact, there are 2 places where tattoos are mentioned in somewhat of a positive light. The first being found in the prophetic chapter of Isaiah 44:1-5 where God says He will pour out His Spirit, and some will react by singing, praying, and writing the Name of the Lord on their hands. This verbiage wasn't meant to be taken as if somebody had a Bic pen and was writing God's Name down. This phrase was meant to be understood on a more permanent level - what we might call a tattoo.

The second place it comes up again is in Revelation (a book I am scared of because interpreting what it means seems so improbable). It is here: Revelation 19:11-16. In this part of the prophecy (a story John is telling that alludes to Jesus' return) Jesus enters on a white horse. He comes down looking pretty fresh. It mentions what He looks like and how He is described. He has eyes of fire. He is wearing a robe dipped in blood. On that robe, and written on His thigh (where some would say this is a tattoo - but that is not 100% clear) is "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords".

I am not saying tattoos are meant to be a necessity or a command from God to actually go out and get now. Not at all! What I am saying is that if you have tattoos, or you are thinking about getting a tattoo, pray about it first. But do not let somebody tell you that you will be hell-bound for such an act. It is simply not true. I know plenty of Christians who love Jesus who have tattoos.

To close, I was asked then why I have tattoos and what they mean to me. Basically, tattoos are a way for me to remember things about myself. I am a forgetful person. I forget what God has done for me. Sometimes I let my situation overpower my foundation, which is Christ. These pieces of art are reminders of who I am and who God says I am. I could go into detail on all of them, but I will not right now. In general, all of my tattoos give me a remembrance of who I am and where I come from. They remind me of Christ, and what He did for me. I have a few blatantly Christian tattoos, and I have some that need explaining, but they are all oriented in my faith, the story of my life, and the remembrance of Christ who is in control. 

To listen to the sermon from Father's Day, go HERE.

Father's Day Service @ Arise

So I am so freaking PUMPED about Sunday! We start a new series! Here is some info on it and a link to our news page. As always, go ahead and visit www.ariselongisland.com - we worked real hard on that site!

We start a new series called "Sick of Religion" for the summer for our Preview Services through the summer (once a month). 

All services through the summer are 10:15am, 9:45am free cafe. Childcare available! Here is the schedule:  

June 19th (Father's Day)
July 17th
August 21st

All services through the summer will be at the Port Jeff Polish Hall:

35 Jayne Blvd.
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776

These are Preview Services only. We are not yet meeting every week. We will start meeting every week on our Launch Day, October 2nd, 2011! Please join us this summer to check us out!

Info Page: Click here.

Our Second Preview Service Last Sunday

I have to say that I am amazed at what God is doing at Arise Community Church already. It blows my mind. I really stand in awe of how He is moving and what He is doing. The team He has set up around us, the volunteers He has put in place, the people we are reaching out to, the venue... all of it overwhelms my soul.

Last Sunday we had 51 people show up to the Port Jeff Polish Hall. To put some context on this, we planned to have no more than 40-45 on Easter - so we thought this week wouldn't top that either. Going from 77 to 51 is a drop, but not in church plant world! This was a huge success in attendance!

I do have to say though that numbers don't mean everything. Sure we should celebrate that we are above what we expected, but really I want to celebrate the things that matter most. People who were thinking of never coming back to church again are now SERVING (not just attending) in God's church! People who don't know Jesus are showing up to church because they feel like they could belong! People's lives are being changed by God's Good News and His love for us! People are meeting Jesus! AWESOME!!!

I know I say it a lot, but I need to address my gratitude for the help we have received. To all volunteers: THANK YOU. From the bottom of my heart the whole staff/core team thanks you! Keep showing up for God! 90% of ministry is showing up! YOU are playing a part in changing people's lives through Jesus' message - JUST WHAT HE TAUGHT US TO DO!

Our next Preview Service is June 19th, same time of day, same place as the last 2. In the meantime we will be holding information meetings at the Train Car seen from 347 & 112 in Port Jeff, located at the north end of Canal Rd at 10:15am starting THIS SUNDAY (Mother's Day). If that is not your cup of tea, we understand and will see you on June 19th! SO EXCITED! 

Real quick too: we will not only be taking part in the events and service projects for/by the community, but we will also be teaming up with other ministries to serve and hopefully use our resources (such as the Train Car) to do that! More updates to follow!

Live Brave.

Thank You!

I know I already thanked the team of volunteers that assembled around us to make Arise's first Preview Service a success, but I really need to point out some individuals who made it happen. If you feel like you should be on this list and were snuffed, I am so sorry. My brain is mush still.

But again, I really want to thank ANYBODY who did ANYTHING for us - even the people just encouraging and praying for us - THAT IS HUGE! Every part was amazing.

But again, there were some people who really went WAY above and beyond what was required of them:

The Staff at True North Community Church - You guys went FAR above and beyond what was asked or expected! I cannot express my thanks enough! For your generosity, kindness, equipment, and advice... THANK YOU! And a special thanks to Pastor Bert who stuck his neck out for me many times in my travels in ministry, always having my back! THANKS!

The Staff at NewSpring Church in SC - What can I say? Generosity flows out of you and your whole volunteer team and staff ooze love for the Kingdom!

Pastor Eric Tilstra & Tara & family - You guys literally put some things on hold so that we could succeed. The travel, equipment, and overall encouragement was insane.

Andrew and Bettina Jardine - Bettina, you may not feel like you did a lot, but lending us your husband was crucial. And your encouragement was amazing! Drew, I am not sure how you do it, but you really came through when we needed you!

Laura Goomishian and Kim Margolis - I barely know either of you and you were willing to lay down your lead role in your small story to take a supporting role in God's BIG STORY! YOU ROCK!!! Thanks for all your help setting up and tearing down! 

Maggie and Sammi - Not only am I so proud of you girls, but all I hear is how amazing you were with the kids. Thanks so much for your willingness to serve! It could not have been done without you!

Adam and Jenna - Adam, your experience helped us through a mess we would have probably not gone through without you. Plus your optimism was awesome. Jenna, your presence alone brightens people's day, so you uplifted many!

Bill Gano - Bro, the way you stepped up when we needed you was INSANE! Never playing in front of people before and then rocking on stage is awesome, and I hope it was as great and fun for you as it was for Arise!

Jason Poblete - JayPobz, you rocked so hardcore! Driving 300 miles just to be a part of this! Plus your energy is intoxicating! Thanks!

Joe Macellaro - Bro, you didn't know me for more than an hour until you committed to helping us out in a HUGE way! The bulletins rock and so do your graphics! AWESOME!

Joe (the guy who runs the Polish Hall) - I don't even know your last name! But you were so generous and are such a great "landlord". I am so impressed! Thanks for ALL YOUR HELP!

And to the people on my core team:

Rob Cannariato - Dude, without you having our back, I am sure we would have had a MUCH harder time. Thanks for doing what needed to be done to get it done! Plus, your mom makes a MEAN CAKE!!! Make sure she gets some thanks!

Kim Winckler - Seriously, for someone who was sick as a dog you put on the best game face I have ever seen! You ROCKED leading the guest services team and all else you do is much appreciated! You do things most people will never see. Thanks for that!

Michelle and Pete Zambuto - Unbelievable generosity from you 2! Your hearts for the kids and the church as a whole is overwhelming! The Easter Egg Hunt was a success and your creative abilities led the charge in a lot of what we were able to do! Thank you!

Mike Dechiaro - Bro, picking up a part of the ministry that you have never even practiced before was such a huge help - but then you rocked it! Thanks so much for all the rest you did too! Proud of you!

Sean O'Leary - Little bro, I am so proud of you! From all the ideas you have to actually doing the work... it is amazing to have you on the team! Thanks for filling in where we needed you too!

Dan O'Brien - Even through pain and anxiety you came through in a huge way, even to the point of bringing your friend to help us out! Thanks for being so willing!

Tim Evko - Dude, you have no idea how much of a weight was lifted off my chest because of the fact you took some of the stuff off my plate and ran with it. Thanks.

Tim Wilken - 2 days after getting 3 teeth yanked you came out and rocked on the drums. I know you're in this for the long haul. Proud of you buddy.

Amanda Rose - I am not even sure what to say about how awesome your voice is and how amazing it is to see a young girl who loves the Lord literally just SHOW UP! You did awesome and I am proud to have you on the team!

Jake Dodge - A lot was asked of you this week, and you did not relent. Your leadership and love for Jesus shined through this past week, and I am super happy and honored with the way you handled things!

Mom and Dad - I could not ask for better supporters! The way you guys took charge of the cafe is undeniably selfless and I am honored and humbled at how much you love Jesus, the church, the team, and me!

Daneal - Finally, the love of my life. The one who does things that no one sees, helps me through troubles nobody else knows about, and completely supports me when I am an absolute wreck. Without you there is no Pastor Dan. God put you in my life to help me be who I need to be for Him and His bride, the church. Thank you!

Thanks to ALL who showed up in support! YOU ALL ARE AWESOME!!!

I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to see what God does next! 5/1 should be on everybody's calendar! 

Live brave.

Easter - Our First Preview Service

Recounting the past 24 hours is going to be hard because much of it was a blur, and most of it felt like a dream. It is absolutely amazing what Jesus is doing through Arise Community Church (He IS alive, you know)!

I am so grateful for the team I have and for the newcomers who jumped right in to help! It was most certainly a team effort to pull off a great first Preview Service, and without that teamwork there would have been no service.

From the parking lot, to the entrance, to the children's space, to the cafe area, to the seats and stage, all the way to the backyard for the Easter Egg Hunt, and back to the parking lot, it looked AMAZING! God showed up. He moved people's hearts and forever we are changed.

I am still in awe - trying still to grasp on to this day. I am still trying to breathe it in, let it marinate, and kinda bask in what I know is about to be a wild ride! 

I know 2 things:

1) Satan does not want this church to do what it is about to do.

2) God is with us - so we win!

I preached a sermon called "Come Home" on the Lost Son (aka the Prodigal Son). It was awesome because God took over. The Good News was preached to the poor, blind, sick, and lost - and to the found, saved, and alive (it's always good to be brought back to why we believe what we believe). Next week we talk about the second son - so don't miss it! Here is a graphic of the sermon (thanks to Joe):

I have been asked multiple times about this and here is the answer: Yes there is audio and video of the message and some of the service. The quality is not very good because we were having difficulties with other things at the time. And it is going to need to be edited. So be patient with us and we will deliver! I'll let you know when it is on the website!

Finally, we come to "stats". As a church, there are only a few ways to measure growth and effectiveness. One of these ways is attendance. I was hoping for at least 30-40 people to show up. We had 77 (67 adults, 10 kids). THAT IS INSANE! If you were to tell me we would have 77 at our LAUNCH, I would have been STOKED! But at our first Preview? God is amazing! Jesus is alive!

Seriously, in church plant world, this is NUTS! And we have to celebrate the HECK out of this!

We also had 10 people respond to the invitation to "Come Home" to Jesus and receive His grace! That is 10 people who were off the path but are now on the path to Jesus! 10 people who were lost, but now found! 10 people who were dead, but now alive! 10 people who came home today!

And I know with a good amount of certainty that at least 3 of these people prayed to meet Jesus for the first time in their lives! I will be confirming that when I talk to the rest, but let's celebrate this: AT LEAST 3 SOULS WERE SAVED (what we call salvation) TODAY THROUGH ARISE COMMUNITY CHURCH! AND 10 CAME HOME TO JESUS! HALLELUJAH! PRAISE GOD! AMEN!

I am so overwhelmed right now. It is late and I cannot sleep. I am still PUMPED! Next week is our second Preview Service before we take a 7-week break to regroup and plan. Keep us and the lost in the community in your prayers. And as always, Live Brave.

I Got Rick Roll'd at True North

The title says it all.

I hope there will be a better video of this on the web someday soon, but this was taken by my man Jake Dodge on his iPhone like 150 ft. away. Enjoy!

 

Like a 2-Year-Old Making Pizza

I spent some time over my parent's house this weekend to kind of get away from the stress of everyday life and recenter my head. As God always does in moments we are not really ready for, He spoke to me pretty clearly.

My Dad has a WORLD FAMOUS homemade pizza. He doesn't really like to talk about his ingredients, but he tells anybody willing to learn his techniques. No matter how old or inexperienced. A lot like Gusteau says in the movie Ratatouille, "Anyone can cook."

So here is my 2-year-old daughter, Roary, making pizza.

 

 

Now, I don't let Roary anywhere near the food when I cook. I don't even let my wife near it! I love to cook, but I am a control freak. But God spoke to me here as I watched and taped Roary's progress.

He was whispering to me that I need to allow other people to do things when they are hungry to learn and serve.

Far too often in church (and religion - that foul word) we tell the people who first meet Christ that they need to take a class to get baptized, a class to become a member, a class to become a disciple, a class to know how to worship, a class to learn how to serve, then direct them to classes and books that will teach them how to do the specific thing God has called them to do! AND WE WONDER WHY WE HAVE SO MANY CHRISTIANS WHO JUST WANT TO TEACH AND LEARN BUT NOT ACTUALLY DO ANYTHING!!!

When these people are HUNGRY and ON FIRE, we tell them to settle down. When they want to tell people about Jesus, we tell them they need experience first. When they finally get into a volunteer position, we give them meeting upon meeting. When they are PUMPED about God's Word, we tell them that will go away soon enough.

NO!

Jesus put His disciples right to work (Luke 10:1-23). He told them that they would do even greater things on earth than He (John 14:12). He told them to go, baptize, teach, and repeat (Matthew 28:18-20). Not to stop on teach. Not to hold people back.

We are supposed to feed the zeal of a person who has found Jesus, not squelch it! There is so much work to be done, how did we get caught up in just forming study groups that cater to what we already know? We then sit in these groups, hear again what we were called to do, and ask each other, "Well what does that mean to you?" IT MEANS GO TELL SOMEONE ABOUT JESUS AND HOW HE SAVED OUR LIVES!

I heard it loud and clear. I need to stop being so insecure and idiotic to think that I am the only one who can pull things off for God's Kingdom. I need to let people do ministry and make mistakes - or succeed way better than I ever could! I need to be more like my Dad and let the younger ones make a pizza!

If a 2-year-old can make pizza (really GOOD pizza too - I had like 6 slices), then a new believer can easily do the things God has called them to do. We just need to be good coaches, and get out of the way!