DON'T FORGET - PLEASE SHARE

New Blog Post at www.PatrickGrach.com. Latest blog: http://www.patrickgrach.com/2013/03/dont-forget-very-important-please-share.html.

Thoughts (that apply TODAY) by MLK Jr

I've tweeted several of Martin Luther King Jr (in honor of our national holiday TODAY) quotes, but here are a few of his best speeches and sermons. You can research and read more here.

His most famous and quoted speech, "I have a Dream" from August 28, 1963 in Washington, D.C. (read here) or watch here.

"I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.


Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.


But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free... In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check... It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note... America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."


But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.


We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy... The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.


...we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."¹


I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."


...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.


...With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.


...And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:


Free at last! Free at last!


Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

An imaginary letter from the Apostle Paul, that he wrote for a message in 1956. This imaginary letter MLK Jr wrote on behalf of Paul seems very appropriate today in 2012!

"For many years I have longed to be able to come to see you. I have heard so much of you and of what you are doing. I have heard of the fascinating and astounding advances that you have made in the scientific realm. I have heard of your dashing subways and flashing airplanes. Through your scientific genius you have been able to dwarf distance and place time in chains. You have been able to carve highways through the stratosphere. So in your world you have made it possible to eat breakfast in New York City and dinner in Paris, France. I have also heard of your skyscraping buildings with their prodigious towers steeping heavenward. I have heard of your great medical advances, which have resulted in the curing of many dread plagues and diseases, and thereby prolonged your lives and made for greater security and physical well-being. All of that is marvelous. You can do so many things in your day that I could not do in the Greco-Roman world of my day. In your age you can travel distances in one day that took me three months to travel. That is wonderful. You have made tremendous strides in the area of scientific and technological development.


"But America, as I look at you from afar, I wonder whether your moral and spiritual progress has been commensurate with your scientific progress. It seems to me that your moral progress lags behind your scientific progress. Your poet Thoreau used to talk about "improved means to an unimproved end." How often this is true. You have allowed the material means by which you live to outdistance the spiritual ends for which you live. You have allowed your mentality to outrun your morality. You have allowed your civilization to outdistance your culture. Through your scientific genius you have made of the world a neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual genius you have failed to make of it a brotherhood. So America, I would urge you to keep your moral advances abreast with your scientific advances.


"I am impelled to write you concerning the responsibilities laid upon you to live as Christians in the midst of an unChristian world. That is what I had to do. That is what every Christian has to do. But I understand that there are many Christians in America who give their ultimate allegiance to man-made systems and customs. They are afraid to be different. Their great concern is to be accepted socially. They live by some such principle as this: "everybody is doing it, so it must be alright." For so many of you Morality is merely group consensus. In your modern sociological lingo, the mores are accepted as the right ways. You have unconsciously come to believe that right is discovered by taking a sort of Gallup poll of the majority opinion. How many are giving their ultimate allegiance to this way.


"But American Christians, I must say to you as I said to the Roman Christians years ago, "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Or, as I said to the Phillipian Christians, "Ye are a colony of heaven." This means that although you live in the colony of time, your ultimate allegiance is to the empire of eternity. You have a dual citizenry. You live both in time and eternity; both in heaven and earth. Therefore, your ultimate allegiance is not to the government, not to the state, not to nation, not to any man-made institution. The Christian owes his ultimate allegiance to God, and if any earthly institution conflicts with God's will it is your Christian duty to take a stand against it. You must never allow the transitory evanescent demands of man-made institutions to take precedence over the eternal demands of the Almighty God."

PERFECTION- it DOES Exist as BACON!

I joked with my family over the holidays about BACON, and how much we all love it (at least most!). We got carried away and drove the ladies nuts, but apparently someone was listening in. We said that they should liquify bacon and turn it into a drink - it would be the most popular in history. It would be like bottled Chuck Norris.

We'll for all you bacon-lovers out there...

Here's a photo and a link to a news story about our imagined invention turned actual product.

Fast facts about BACON:

• Bacon has been around for centuries: preserving pork bellies began in China around 1500BC, and the Greeks and Romans continued the tradition, until Americans perfected it!
• Choline, a mirconutrient found in pork products like bacon, may actually boost the intelligence of an unborn child (until they're born, served unlimited amounts of bacon...). Scientist at Univ of NC have linked Choline to better brain development, memory, and recall, and possibly a decrease in heart problems (just saying!),
• In 1924, Oscar Mayer patented the 1st packed, sliced bacon (God bless that man!),
• Denmark consumes the most pork in the world & the average American eats 17.9 lbs of bacon each year,
• Each serving of bacon is about 3 slices, 100 calories, 8 grams of fat, 440 miligrams of sodum, 0 trans fats, and 5 lbs of AWESOME.
• Every breakfast with bacon is EPIC!
• It has been scientifically proven* that eating bacon daily increase your life expectancy (*not scientifically proven)!

21 Days of Fasting & Prayer to kick-off 2012

Jesus-followers, especially Lifehousers,

A CALL TO FASTING AND PRAYER!

At the end of each year, we Americans go through a New Year's ritual. We evaluate the previous year and set resolutions to change our habits and lifestyles. We make the same resolution we've made for years, each time failing to follow through with our commitments.

Resolutions start with good intentions, then as quickly as the new year begins, our resolve wanes. Then, we justify our lack of follow-through: the resolution was unrealistic, timing was bad, and our schedule had too many unexpected demands.

The same happens with our spiritual life. We intend to follow God, and really want to. But then life happens, and we don't follow through! Instead, we follow the crowd; we follow comfort; we follow the path of least resistance. The greatest obstacle to living relentlessly for God is everyday life: its challenges, conflicts and distractions.

For this reason, I'm calling all of our Ministry Partners to 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting, January 2-22. This is a call to be "RELENTLESS." This is a call to step away from the routine of everyday life and discover once and for all, "Am I following God because it's convenient and comfortable or because I truly believe He is the one cause worthy my full, relentless devotion?"

Follow this link to view or download our 21 Days Prayer & Fasting Guide. In it you'll find a weekly devotional, daily prayer focus, and schedule of corporate prayer gatherings.

This season of fasting and prayer, I guarantee this will be the most exciting, challenging, and intense time of the year--both for you individually, and for our entire church and community!

As always, thank you for your partnership with Lifehouse, faithfulness to Christ and His Church, and for taking the time to read this heartfelt message. Let's stop following the crowd and start following God relentlessly!

Fired Up,
Pastor Patrick

Father's Day Tribute

Great Song and Video in honor of my Dad and all great, God-fearing dads out there:



I've been very blessed to have amazing men in my life who taught me, model godly values to me, and show me hard work, sacrifice, and how to live a life fully surrendered to God.

BUT NONE have blessed me as much as my own father. I am who I am because of him. This is my personal tribute to Pa (as we grew up calling my dad).

There is no one I know who is more selfless and hardworking. He willing did without so that we could eat, have warm clothes, and enjoy the little things in life. He did it all without one word of complaint. He went without the warmest coat in winter even though he'd work out in the cold, so we could have coats. He traveled a ridiculously long commute- either from Oregon to NY then from the suburbs to NYC- to make sure he was putting food on the table for us 4 boys.

There are moments growing up with my Dad that are priceless and left an indelible impression on my life:

• watching my Dad pray- whether he privately withdrew to pray at home or knelt at the altar at church, I know my Dad loved and loves God. He fears God more than man and cares more about what God thinks than what anyone else thinks. He has always been willing to express his love for God through humility and worship. He isn't the loudest or most visible in expression, but certainly the most consistent. There has never been any doubt that my dad is completely sold-out to God.
• I can only remember about 3 times when my dad yelled when I was growing up, and one of them was at me. I was in the formative 15-16 year-old stage, when boys think they're men. I had ignored him several times, and he finally yelled at me, picked me up off the ground and let me know he was still much stronger than I was. Then, he teared up and apologized. I felt horrible. I had so exasperated my dad that I had driven him to tears, and yet when he was completely justified in thrashing me soundly, he gently let me know that he was sorry for his rough treatment but expressed his disappointment at my disobedience. Oh, that I would someday be that kind of father.
• my dad is faithful, as faithful as anyone I know. When he gives his word he'll keep it no matter what. He's been faithful in marriage to my mom for nearly 42 years. He has been a faithful employee, friend, father, and Christ-follower. That's a pretty good track record!

And the results? Of his 4 sons- none of us are star athletes, multi-millionaires, or in political office. BUT each of us without exception is a faithful husband, loving father (my parents have 11 grandkids), hardworking, and deeply committed to following Jesus and serving His Church. My dad may be the richest man I know. That's legacy!

I admire, love, respect, and look up to my father. May I, and the fathers I influence, grow to be something like my dad. I know that he would say he's imperfect, but he's truly following Jesus, and that's the best example anyone man can ask for.

What do you admire about your father? What moments with your father changed you?

Testosterone Sunday

Here's the deal guys: Besides the Superbowl, there's ONE SUNDAY out of the year when it's finally ALL ABOUT THE MEN.  That Sunday is called FATHER'S DAY.  Or a Lifehouse, we prefer to call it...

TESOSTERONE SUNDAY.

What does that mean for the men?

1.) Sport your favorite team apparel.  Hats, jerseys- you name it.

2.) Come hungry.  Cafe is preparing breakfast fit for a MAN.

3.) Be ready to compete.  We'll be having 3 contests to test the fella's STRENGTH OF BODY, STRENGTH OF APPETITE, and STRENGTH OF CHARACTER.  Winners will choose from gift cards to places like Dicks Sporting Goods, Home Depot or Best Buy.

4. ) Come with your family.  This is the best time show the kids what it means to be a man.

Testosterone Sunday...you're gonna wanna be there.

Great Moments in Life

This past Sunday, May 29th, we got a chance to CELEBRATE! First and foremost, it was Laura and I's 12th wedding Anniversary! So grateful to have such a loving, supportive, and amazing wife and helpmate. It's been an incredible 12 years. Excited for many more ahead.

Next, it was Memorial Day weekend, so we took an opportunity to remember and thank those who have honorably served the USA. Thank you for offering your lives in sacrificial service to protect our freedom! We owe you a debt of gratitude.

Finally, I got the privilege of blessing and sending my "spiritual father". We had Terry and Jo Ann Broadwater at Lifehouse for all 3 services. Why? Terry just accepted the lead pastor role at Grace Community Church in Centennial, CO. So, I wanted to return to him a small portion of what he gave me as we started planting Lifehouse nearly 8 years ago.

Here's what Terry gave me when he invited me to come to Hagerstown to plant a new church:

• Gave me a chance- I didn't need someone to hold my hand and do all the work for me, but just a chance, a God-ordained, significant opportunity to matter for eternity,
• Believed in me- at key moments when I felt very discouraged and wanted to give up, Terry said to me, "I believe in, and in this moment, I believe in you more than you believe in yourself."
• He saw God's purposes in my life- he would continue to share with me, "I see you pastoring a great church that will grow significantly to impact this entire Hagerstown-region for God's Kingdom."
• Invested in me both personally and in my destiny- Terry spent time with me, every Wednesday morning for 5 years alone, and another 2 years with the other church planters. He took me on missions trips, to conferences, and invited me to speak in leadership settings. He also rallied Bethel to start by investing in us financially on the front end, and offer office space, and copiers, and borrowed rooms for meetings, etc. Words are nice, but actions make a difference.
• Stayed the course with me- Terry endured through times of tension, hardship, and discouragement.
• Spoke life into me- Terry took time to pray over me and for me. At times, he shared prophetic words that he believed he had received from God for me. This was like breath in my lungs.
• Set a great example- Terry should me what a pastor- warrior was like. I appreciate his example and passion to follow God by faith. He spoke my language and understand my passion.

On Sunday, I got the privilege of returning a little bit of that!! We invited Terry and Jo Ann up so we could pray over, bless, and SEND them out from Lifehouse. It was great to have Pastor Curt from Lifehouse- Bethel at our 1st service, to join in praying over them.

We challenged Terry with a verse that he has spoken over us many times- Philippians 3:13-14!

Terry, we love you and will miss having you so close. Thanks for the investment of your life. I'm confident that there are many young people who need these same investments in CO.

Lifehouse is full of spiritual "grandchildren" of Terry, and Lifehouse- Hedgesville could be considered his "grand-church". It's a honor to honor him! The Bible says to give honor to whom honor is due!

If you have a mother, READ THIS!

Don't forget- TOMORROW is MOTHER'S DAY! If you have a mom and/ or are married to a mom, you should probably plan for Mother's Day tomorrow! Keep it personal, remember her love language, and pamper her.

Mother's Day at Lifehouse will be exceptional!

Baby dedications:

 And we'll be recognizing all mom's with a special gift

AND we're announcing an exciting leadership transition and introducing our newest staff member.

AND kicking off our newest sermon series called DOORS, going through the First letter of Corinthians.

Don't FORGET- SPRING FORWARD

This Sunday, March 13th is Daylight Savings Time! That means TOMORROW!

So don't forget to set all your clocks AHEAD one hour before you go to sleep Saturday night!

Sure, we all might be a little groggier on Sunday morning, but look at the bright side...we're all one step closer to long summer days!

So pass on this friendly reminder to any sleepheads you know, and we'll have a fresh cup of coffee waiting for you this Sunday at Lifehouse...

these videos are proof that EVERYONE is necessary at Lifehouse

In case you don't know where you belong or what talent you have to offer, I want to assure every person at Lifehouse is valuable and necessary.

As PROOF, we've discovered that one ministry partner's unique gift is making jibjab videos of the office staff. Who knew that this was a necessary role in the church, but hey, we want everyone to maximize their giftedness to impact God's Kingdom at Lifehouse.

I had to censor most, but here are a few jibjab videos of our team that may give you a laugh. OH, and be very afraid if you see someone at Lifehouse trying to get a close of picture of your face. You may find yourself in one of these.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Featuring: Lauren Layman, Melody Belotte, Corey Broadwater, Patrick, Brian Linn.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Featuring: Pastors Ron, Patrick and Laura, Corey Broadwater, and Dave Johnson

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Featuring: Pastor Joe and Lois, John and Jamie Aldridge, Lauren Broadwater.

a very inadequate THANK YOU to our Veterans

Loud shouts of thunderous appreciation and gratitude to ALL our American Veterans!!

Thank you for giving your blood...

sweat...

tears...

sacrifice...

and service...

financial well-being...

determination...

unwillingness to quit...

for missing your child's birth...

first word...

their first step...

and countless other firsts...

birthdays, anniversaries...

for putting on hold your dreams...

your families interests...

your needs...

your advancement...

for staying the course through the throes of battle...

fear...

pain...

death...

lack of support...

injury...

anxiety and stress about your cares at home...

for being vigilant...

to the Cause of Freedom

to defending the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic...

even when you wanted to run...

or hide...

or call home but couldn't...

Your sacrifice gave us...

comfort...

freedoms of speech, assembly, and so many more...

the right to bare arms, to protest, to vote...

the chance to see our kid's birth, first step, and a million other firsts,

the ability to live our hopes and experience the American Dream.

the opportunity to worship God in the greatest nation on earth.

THANK YOU to my heroes! May God bless you and may God bless America!

I can't express how much I personally appreciate your duty, honor, and sacrifice!

Best Sermon I've Ever Heard

My 8-year old daughter, Rebecca, led our church service at home yesterday. Let me set this up by giving you the background, but keep reading to hear one of the best devotions on the meaning of Christmas and salvation.

Since Lifehouse services were canceled due to inclement weather, we had a family worship time with both sets of grandparents, who were all snowbound in our townhouse. That devotion I prepped for everyone at LHE, we threw out the window when Rebecca was willing to lead the whole service.

Words can't describe my pride as I watched and experienced her lead us. She, with the help of her sisters, sang Joy to the World, Away in a manger, Jesus loves the little children, I have decided (all 5 verses), and Silent Night.

Then came the sermon. Rebecca and Carissa read from their children's story Bible and incredibly illustrated the Creation, using a flashlight as light, stuff animals to show when God made all different kinds of creatures, and so on. They even had an apple for when Eve ate from the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil". Rebecca explained that Jesus came to pay the price/ penalty for our sins and the sin of all mankind. And flip over to the Nativity stories in their Bible. More illustrations using our manger figurines. At this point, we were all enjoying the simple truths in the teaching. Then...

Rebecca wrapped up the illustrated sermon with this devotion:

The Recycled Life, by Rebecca Grach

Can you think of some things that get recycled? Paper, plastic, metal cans.

Our life is a lot like a piece of paper. It gets worn out, dirty, and messed up. It becomes useless and damaged. Sin destroys what used to be clean and perfect. Our soul is damaged, messed up, and destroyed.

God takes all our mess, trash, and He RECYCLES our life. Through His love and forgiveness, Jesus reaches into our life, makes everything perfect and new.

Do you need your life recycled? What is damaged, trashed, messed up that you need to allow God to completely remake and recycle? What is destroyed that only God can transformed into something new and beautiful?

BTW, we do have pictures which I'll post later. If I had a video camera, you'd all be in tears.

Devotion for your family while we're snowbound

Here are my notes to correspond to this devotion for your family. Enjoy!

Start with worship: sing some easy songs that you and your family will easily know. Focus on the words, and remember that the whole point is to give honor to God, not how good or bad you sound.
• Joy to the World
• Away in a manger
• Amazing Grace

Before reading: ask yourself or family:
Ask: what are the first things that come to mind when you think of Christmas?

Bible Reading: read the following passages. Consider having different family members take turns reading.
Read Luke 2:25-35, but here are the essential verses:
And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Read Matthew 2:9-11,
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Remember back to the answers you gave to the question above. Most images of Christmas are warm, romantic, joyful, touching, and possibly, we think of the manger scene under the Christmas tree.

Most of us don’t immediately think of death, the cross, and burial. But that’s what these passages speak of: Simeon foretold the piercing of Jesus and the Magi gave the gift of myrrh (a burial ointment foretelling Jesus’ death).

The key thought in these passages is that Christmas or the Nativity of Jesus is really about the amazing Invitation of God to introduce all mankind to Himself, and give Himself in death so that we could truly know God.

An amazing quote: The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of man could become the sons of God.

Jesus was born to give His life for us, born to die.

“God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life. 17 God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world guilty, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17, NCV.

This is the message of Christmas: God became a man like us, to rescue us from our guilt, pain, and condemnation, and to offer us a new life in Him forever.

Before continuing: ask yourself or family:
Ask: how do we receive gifts? How do we receive the gift that Jesus came to give?

Simply, by accepting His gift of life through Jesus Christ, who gave His life to purchase ours. The Son of God became the son of man so that the sons of man could become the sons of God.
To receive: accept in faith, believe in Jesus Christ, obey His teachings and Word.
If we lack, it’s because we have not received TODAY!

Ask: what do you need to receive from God today?
Are you having trouble holding a grudge?
Struggling with someone at work? Maybe even your spouse or other family member?
Does anger destroy your peace?
Do the smallest things set you off?

Before continuing: ask yourself or family:
Ask: what do you do with this gift now that you have received?

Jesus came to give. And the response of all who receive? Give what they’ve received away to others.
What do we do with this idea of Christmas? The generous gift-exchange of God, priming our souls with an abundant supply of forgiveness, hope, life, and love?
The challenge of Christ’s gift to us is that it’s not ours to keep. God’s abundant love, forgiveness, hope, purpose, and life are like water in a funnel, poured in to pour through to others. He gives so that we can be the instrument of giving to others.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty. The water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life (The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life, Msg).” John 4:13-14, NCV.

Don’t let it grow stagnate! Have you ever seen or smelled stagnated water?
Many peoples’ relationship with God is like that- stale or stagnate. They received at from God at one time, but it just sat there.
What causes stagnation? A source without an outlet. Water flows in, but doesn’t flow out. Because the water sits unused, bacteria and disease fester. Instead of becoming a nourishing fountain, it becomes a dangerous cesspool for the diseases of doubt, discouragement, disunity, frustration, and anger.
Like a stagnate pool of water, when God pours into our lives, but we don’t release the life of God into others, our faith grows stagnate and diseased.

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?”
Albert Einstein said, “Only a life lived for others is worth living.”

Offer love, forgiveness, concede the right of way in life, be a word of encouragement. Let the life of God flow in you and through you to nourish the parched soul of those around you. Give what you receive!

Daddy Tips for Christmas

’Tis the season for Dad to drop the holiday ball, stress out as the money is being spent for presents, and miss yet another providential opportunity to lovingly lead his family.

This is a repost from Mark Driscoll's blog at Mars Hill Church. So good I had to pass it on.

So, this blog is intended to help dads not fall into the same old rut of holiday humdrum, sitting on the couch watching football and eating carbs, but rather intentionally plan out the upcoming holiday season. Our children grow quickly and if we miss the sacred moments God opens up for us to connect with and bless our families, everyone suffers and we set in motion generations of missed opportunity.

#1 – Dad needs a plan for the holidays to ensure his family is loved and memories are made. Dad, what’s your plan?

#2 – Dad needs to check the local guides for what’s going on to make fun holiday plans for the family. In Seattle it’s here.

#3 – Dad needs to carve out time for sacred events and experiences to build family traditions that are fun and point to Jesus. Dad, is your calendar ready for December?

#4 – Dad needs to not let the stress of the holidays, including money, cause him to be grumpy with Mom or the kids. Dad, how’s your joy?

#5 – Dad needs to give experiences and not just gifts. Dad, what special memories can you make this holiday season?

#6 – Dad needs to manage the extended family and friends during the holidays. Dad, who or what do you need to say “no” to?

#7 – Dad needs to ensure his family is giving generously during the holidays. Dad, who in need is your family going to adopt and bless?

#8 – Dad needs to schedule a big Christmas daddy date with his daughter. Dad, what’s your big plan for the fancy daddy date?

#9 – Dad needs to schedule guy time with his son. Dad, what are you and your son going to do that is active, outdoors, and fun?

#10 – Dad needs to help Mom get the house decorated. Dad, are you really a big help to Mom with getting things ready?

#11 – Dad needs to ensure some holiday smells and sounds. Dad, is Christmas music on the iPod, is the tree up, and can you smell cookies and cider in your house?

#12 – Dad needs to snuggle up and watch some fun shows with the kids, especially the little ones. Dad, is the DVR set?

#13 – Dad needs to take the family on a drive to see Christmas lights while listening to music and sipping cider. Dad, is it mapped out?

#14 – Dad needs to help Mom get the kids’ rooms decorated. Dad, do the little kids get lights or a small tree in their room?

#15 – Dad needs to read about Jesus and pray over his kids. Dad, how’s your pastoral work going with each of your kids?

#16 – Dad needs to repent of being lazy, selfish, grumpy, or just dumping the holidays on Mom. Dad, are you a servant like Jesus to your family?

Thoughts on celebrating Halloween or Not

Have you ever even considered whether to celebrate Halloween or not? It may be something you've always enjoyed, and can't imagine why not. Or maybe you grew up in a religiously conservative home where celebrating Halloween was considered evil.

Rather than me writing up all the imformation myself, allow me to just link to an excellent blog written on the topic of the Christian and Halloween. After having read the full blog, I trust that you'll be able to come to a sound, biblical decision without needing to be criticized one way or the other. I would however offer one thought regarding Halloween, especially on whether to give out candy or not: it may be the only time in the year when people WILLINGLY come to your door asking for something. It serves as a great chance to both give candy, and maybe even give them an invitation to Lifehouse. It may sound silly, but the parents may sift through the candy, find the flyer, be impressed by the approach we take, and come hear about Jesus. A win-win.

This is a post from the Mars Hill Church campus pastor, James Harleman, that originally appeared on the Lake City blog.

The issue of Halloween and whether Christians should observe this holiday invariably rises from the grave each October. More to the point, most Christians do observe it, but differ in the level of participation or acceptance of it. Evangelist Jack Chick, for instance, the man famous for “Chick Tracts” naively depicts Halloween as a night when ancient Celtic Druids raped and sacrificed virgins, leaving carved pumpkins on the doorsteps of households that gave up their daughters (never mind the fact that pumpkins were a New World plant exported and only grown in Europe recently). Other Christians offer the opposite but equally naive defense of “it’s no big deal”, sending their kids out to eat candy and legitimize American obesity statistics.

Halloween has a long and complex history; following the meandering chain linking a pagan harvest festival to toddlers dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is not simple. Christian and secular historians keep finding layers of revisionist history that try to wrap the origins of this holiday up in a nice little bow (perhaps so it can go under the Christmas tree? The decorations come out early enough). Before addressing the Christian’s response to this holiday, let’s look at what little we do know.

Halloween 101
Ancient Celts celebrated a holiday called Samhain (essentially “end of summer”), where they would extinguish their hearth fires and host large ceremonial bonfires, sacrificing animals and crops. This didn’t occur on October 31 but around the same time, depending on the phases of the moon. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of a season where the people would be dependent on food stores and shelter from the elements. Superstitious Celts associated winter with death and thought that the season’s transition was marked by the close proximity of spirits; they believed this thin veil would help their Druid priests make prophecies, enabling them to survive the harsh winter. There is an accrued mythology that Druids also wore masks on this night and went from door to door, but historical evidence does support this theory; it seems more like creative fiction manufactured to explain the evolution of modern customs. While not a bad educational supplement, something is not history simply because it appeared on the History Channel.

The name of our present-day holiday, Halloween (or “All Hallows’ Eve“), actually stems from a celebration for saints formed by the early church. A celebration day for all saints emerges in church history as early as the 4th century, but it was originally set in May or the day following Pentecost (some records suggest this also paved over a similar Roman day of the dead). It was the Germans who initially shifted the custom to November 1st, and whether or not this had to do with the practices of the Irish Celts is questioned by historians to this day.

In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III universally changed the date to mirror the German date in conjunction with the consecration of the chapel in St. Peter’s. “All Hallows’ Day” or “All Saints’ Day” would later become a day not only to recognize official Catholic Saints, but also to commemorate the dead and visit the cemetery to reflect on family or friends who had passed away.

Several hundred years later, November 2nd would become “All Souls’ Day” in Catholic tradition. All Hallows’ Eve simply marked the night before, much like Christmas Eve. A focus on cemeteries and the dead had as much to do with Catholic as Celtic traditions, and the accrued traditions and superstitions are a mixed bag stretching up into our own early American immigrant traditions of harvest festivals, and the way Mexican culture turned All Saints’ and Souls’ Days into the “Day of the Dead” festival.

Despite myth and folklore imposed in retrospect on this holiday, recent study reveals that trick-or-treating is a fairly new convention that didn’t become significant until 1930 in the United States. Europe and other countries co-opted the practice, caught up in our merchandising and global influence. Forms of costumed begging have existed for centuries in Christianized Europe, called “mumming” or “guising” and usually involve singing or performing a short play in exchange for food or drink. Wassailing is another grand tradition of singing and going from house to house.

One of the closest similarities we find with a loose connection to trick-or-treating appears in the Middle Ages on All Souls’ Day (November 2nd), where the poor would go from home to home and offer prayers for those in purgatory in exchange for food. However strong evidence suggests that childish mischief and vandalism on the 30th and 31st in early 1900s America (particularly vicious in Detroit, where October 30, the day before Halloween, became known as “Devil’s Night”) gave rise to organized evening activity to make actual treats replace the increasing abundance of tricks.

If Christianity did not successfully pave over this holiday (much as Christmas paved over the Roman Saturnalia), Americana certainly did. This has been punctuated visibly with our indigenous pumpkin replacing the original “Jack-O-Lantern”, originally an Irish turnip. If Halloween itself was a pumpkin, however, there would truly be nothing left to carve. The seasonal change has been celebrated by pagans and Christians for centuries, taking on the customs of a dozen cultures along the way. Its present incarnation receives disdain not only from many Christians but also from professing witches and wiccans. The former feel that it’s intrinsically tied to satanic beliefs and the latter group sees it as a distorted mockery of their beliefs.

One of the most interesting anecdotes I found in researching the history of Halloween is that the one activity many churches do engage in at replacement events like church “Harvest Festivals” is perhaps the one most easily linked to paganism: bobbing or “ducking” for apples was actually a divination ritual related to love and fertility.

To Trick or Not to Treat?
Even if we ascribe church origins to Halloween, the holiday does differ from Christmas. Some will offer that the week in December when we commemorate Christ’s birth was once a Roman festival celebrating Saturn, and may have even involved both gift-giving and evergreen decor. They make the case that Christmas is compromised by paganism just like Halloween. They will also mention that most Christians call the day Jesus rose from death “Easter“, which has roots in pagan fertility rituals (hence the rabbit and those horribly delectable Cadbury Cream Eggs).

As Christmas and Easter have overrun and co-opted various trappings, however, there is for Christians a clear, central focus on Jesus’ incarnation. Halloween may not be inherently evil, but it also has no central, specific focus on the Lord we love. Whether we see Halloween as pagan practices, Catholic traditions, or good old American, candy-coated commercialism, none of these offers great inspiration to participate.

At Mars Hill Church, we don’t believe in the deities worshipped by the Celts or the rituals used to appease or summon them. We do, however, recognize that there are evil spirits that confuse and lead people astray from relationship with the one true God. We recognize that the Bible calls all Christians “saints” and we don’t believe in the Catholic extra-biblical concepts of sainthood or purgatory. Many of the ideas and rituals that have contributed to the Halloween mish-mash aren’t congruent with our beliefs. However, setting aside times to remember or honor those we love that have passed away (hopefully to be with our Savior Jesus) is not a bad idea. On a less somber note, wearing Spider-man costumes, making funny faces on vegetables, and engaging in neighborhood activities where one can both give and receive hospitality is not something we oppose. Fictional fantasy tales of monsters and elves even scary ones are not wholly inappropriate either, whether punctuated on this particular weekend or sprinkled throughout the year in classic tales from authors including Tolkien and Lewis. We regard Halloween as a second-hand issue and ask that every Christian examine their response to the modern-day Halloween celebration in our culture.

Some members of Mars Hill opt to avoid Halloween altogether because portions of its mixed up history prick their conscience. Others see it as a truly americanized holiday, not specifically Christian but essentially “American” like Thanksgiving or Presidents’ Day, and have no conscience issues participating. Others still draw various lines in between; some don’t go out and actively participate, but remain in their homes and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters so that they can offer hospitality to their neighbors and community. Others gather together to hold festivities that exclude the more overtly creepy or questionable elements.

For those who have shunned Halloween because they were simply told it was evil, or for those who have participated and never bothered to weigh its appropriateness, your pastors would encourage the employment of godly wisdom, discernment, and a sense of our shared mission as Christians. Our abstinence or participation in regard to Halloween should not be derived from fear, misinformation, or pressure but rather from a sincere love of Jesus; every response to our culture and its festivals is a way to point to the God we love and serve.

Lastly, for parents, don’t forget that gluttony is a sin. Be careful not to force your kids to learn this the hard way: lying on an altar of plastic wrap and tin-foil, holding their bulbous stomachs. If you participate in Halloween, it might be the perfect time to introduce the concept of moderation.

Another Halloween Fact:
October 31st is also “Reformation Day“, commemorating the day in 1517 when Christian reformer Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses challenging the doctrine of penance, the authority of the pope, and the usefulness of indulgences. Dressing up the kids like Reformers and handing out doctrinal challenges, however, might not be the wisest form of cultural engagement. The period outfits are cool, though.

'Tis the Season

Just read an article that I found interesting, Scrooge Lives.

"...researchers found, is that some would-be donors don't trust how churches and religious organizations would use their donations... several church families say they don't have high levels of trust in their denomination's management and allocation of funds."

"A larger problem isn't that the parishioners distrust their churches; it's that they [congregates] are acting just like them [the churches]. American families are repeating their churches' examples."

"Relatively little donated money actually moves much of a distance away from the contributors," ...The money given by the people in the pews, it turns out, is largely spent on the people in the pews. Only about 3 percent of money donated to churches and ministries went to aiding or ministering to non-Christians.

"...major reason Christians do not give is because they are not asked to." Americans know that nearly all denominations teach that Christians should give away 10 percent of their incomes. But this teaching is rarely reinforced. Pastors are reluctant to bring it up because the issue is so closely tied to their own salaries. And the study found that pastors themselves are often not great models of financial giving, which can exacerbate their reluctance to preach on it."

Wow! Challenging article, challenging ideas!

My thoughts:

• You've heard it said to you, "You can't out give God," but I say to you, "Let's try and fail!"
• You've heard it said recently to you, "This is the worst economy in generations, so let's hoard, save, and hid what we have left," but I say to you, "This sense of desperation is good. It drives us back to priorities, to simplicity. Spend less. Give more. Make presents. Give more compliments and fewer flowers. Give more love and less unnecessary packages."
  
• You've heard it said to you, "If I give then I will have less," but I say to you, "We can't afford not to give."
• You've heard it said to you, "Seek wise counsel on how to invest your money, so that you'll get the best return on your IRA, 401k," but Jesus said to us, "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where thieves cannot break in and steal, and moths cannot eat.

Thanksgiving- build some traditions

If you've been around me much, you can tell that I'm not a big fan of doing things because they've always been done that way. Yeah, I'm a gifted tradition-breaker.

But what you may not now is that I don't break traditions just to break them. My heart is to challenge the status quo, to mess with routine, and get myself and as many others as possible to get back to the essence of following God and being the Church!

Traditions can be great tools. They are built-in life-memorials and altars. Places of safety, worship, and celebrations. Traditions create markers in life that we can return to and build in essential practices.

What are the traditions you value most at Thanksgiving?

Here are a few of my favorites and a few I'd like to build in:

1. Being with family (it says that no matter what, family is top priority)
2. Eating together (ok, obvious, but sometimes we forget that eating together is an important part of keeping/ building healthy relationships)
3. Thanks-giving (everyone goes around the table and shares what they are grateful for before and while we eat- usually because some take too long and the rest of us get hungry)
   
4. Communion (we share communion as part of our Thanksgiving meal- it keeps our gratitude aimed in the right direction; this can wait until the end of the meal)
5. Special thank-yous (think of 1, 2, or even 3 of the people who've had the greatest impact on our life, and send them and email, or better, a letter, to say "thank you". These are meaningful, specific to how they've impacted our life)
6. Giving (build into this season opportunities to give and serve others- give a turkey to a neighbor, friend, or co-worker in need; volunteer at the local soup kitchen; clear out favorite clothes, toys and donate them to a local shelter)
7. Football (I miss playing football with my brothers before Thanksgiving dinner- so I like to go outside with whatever guys are around and throw the football; then, veg after dinner and watch football or at least sneak a few minutes.)

What are your favorite traditions and why? What would you add to this list?