Church

Every Father's Day since 1996 I have either boarded a plane or drove off in my car headed to the same destination: Opportunity Camp. The camp is located in the little city of Felton; the nearest "big" city is Scotts Valley (by "big" I mean that it has a Starbucks.  The "coffee shop" in Felton sells coffee, crystals, and incense). For nearly 50 years, volunteers have come from points across the country to serve at Opportunity Camp.  This year we will have staff from the Bay Area, New York City, Seattle, Dallas, and Denver.  Among the senior leadership, I have the least seniority and I've been to camp for sixteen years.  Our campers are in the Contra Costa County social service pipeline.  For many of them, this will not be their first time at our camp. Opportunity Camp engenders tremendous loyalty among our staff for one simple reason: the kids.…

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning …” (Luke 12:35, ESV). In my last post, I wrote about the need to live with intention and purpose.  As Christ-followers, we are not to be drifters.  We're not the ball in a pinball machine, bouncing indiscriminately off bumpers and falling victim to circumstances. How do we "stay dressed for action" and "keep our lamps burning"? Spiritual preparation takes time.  Too often, we're looking for the shortcut.  What are the three steps that will get me out of this mess?  What prayer will unlock this logjam?  In order to get dressed, you must first take the time to pick out what you're going to wear.  And even before that, you must first go shopping. The journey towards spiritual maturity takes a lifetime.  In other words, we are always en route to growth and maturity. Spiritual preparation also takes discipline.  In ancient days,…

"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning ..." (Luke 12:35, ESV). Our Friday morning men's Bible study has been working our way through the gospel of Luke and we covered part of chapter twelve this morning.  In this section, Jesus is instructing his followers to live with right priorities ("do not worry about your life ... seek his kingdom").  It is possible to get so caught up in our pursuit of what is temporary that we lose sight of what is eternal. When this happens, we begin to think of ourselves as owners rather than stewards. I own my time. I own my stuff. I own my talents. This is the opposite of what Jesus teaches.  In fact, he puts it this way: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be…

Ira Yates and his wife, Ann, purchased land in West Texas in the 1920’s.  For years, they struggled to make a living as ranchers and even feared foreclosure.  At one point, the family survived on government subsidies and assistance. That all changed when a representative from the Transcontinental Oil Company asked permission to explore Yates’ land for oil.  At 1,000 feet below the ground, the drill struck a rich zone, producing a “gusher.” By 1929, the Yates Oil Field was producing over one million barrels of oil a year; since then, it has produced over one billion barrels of oil. Ira Yates had owned it the entire time and never knew it.  Here was a potential millionaire living in poverty, receiving government handouts. Just like Ira Yates, many Christ-followers live in spiritual poverty and don’t even know it. The Bible teaches us that God has put “his Spirit in our…

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  -- Romans 12:3 In discussing the right manner in which to view oneself, Paul uses a word that is commonly associated with intoxication -- sober.  Robert Mounce, reflecting on this passage, coined an interesting phrase: egoholics.  An egoholic is someone who is addicted to ... themselves.  They think more highly of themselves than they ought to. This is a natural inclination.  Ever since birth, the world has revolved around self.  We see the world through our own eyes.  We process life through the lens of our own experiences.  Our way of processing things must be the way everyone processes things. "Sober judgment" is discernment that isn't colored…