Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (8.28.14)

I hope you're having a great week and beating the heat.  I can't believe it's almost September!  This Sunday is Tailgate Sunday, so I hope you'll plan to bring a side dish or two and wear the gear of your favorite team, school, or driver.  We'll have awards for Best Outfit, Best Side Dish, & Best Dessert.  

We're also finishing up the Legacy series as we talk about what kind of legacy to leave for our children and grandchildren.  I believe God has an important word to speak to all of us as we conclude this series.

Thought for the Week
"Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves."  Genesis 11:4

For thousands of years, humans have been trying to make a name for themselves.  Whenever it is about our fame, our fortune, a name for ourselves...it is coming from the wrong spot in our hearts.  The story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis was about age old struggles with which we all deal:  arrogance, pride, and fame.  They wanted to make a name for themselves.  The problem with this mindset is that it isolates from others and God, and we were created for relationship, not isolation.  When we seek our own glory and fame, we naturally create competition with others.  Our success becomes more important than the success of others, the team, the company, the society.  We isolate ourselves that our name might be lifted up, and we hurt others along the way.  Moreover, we isolate ourselves from God.  The more we seek to be our own god, the farther we get from God.  As we seek to make a name for ourselves, we begin to feel like God is pretty lucky to have us on the team.  We miss God's amazing grace then.  When we walk in humility, we are able to embrace God's mercy and love, which we don't deserve, which makes us more humble.  We then work to lift up the name of Jesus, the redeemer of our souls.  And we begin lift up others because we begin to have the heart of God.  Isn't it interesting that what God did by confusing the languages at Babel was, essentially, isolating the people.  That is what arrogance does.  In what ways or in what areas are you seeking a name for yourself rather than making great the name of Almighty God?
 
Something to think about.

In Christ,

Carter 

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (8.14.14)

I hope you're having a great week.  God is doing some awesome things among us at Church of the Way.  Last night we had 53 students at our One Way Kickoff.  Praise God for what James Savage and our One Way Team are doing to impact the next generation.  I'm super excited about this Sunday as we continue the "Legacy" Series.  I'll be speaking on what it means to leave a good name for those that come after us.  What goes into a good name?  We'll see what God's Word has to say about it.  Hope to see you there an invite a friend!  As always, go to www.churchoftheway.net to send an eVite to friends.

Thought for the Week
"All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."  2 Timothy 3:16

Do you believe that verse?  The implications of that passage are staggering.  I have come to the conclusion that many don't believe it.  We like some ideas in the Bible, but we're not sure if they're all applicable to our lives.  They don't really "fit" our lifestyle.  Let me put it this way.  Doctors tell us that some foods are bad for us.  Now, many of us still choose to eat those foods.  Why?  Well, there are many factors, but here are the main three:

1. We believe we'll be THE ONE for whom those foods don't have an adverse affect.  They might be bad for others, but not for us.  Deep down, we sometimes believe that we won't be negatively affected by those foods.  They rules simply don't and won't apply to us because our bodies will respond differently than doctors predict.
2. We don't care and like them.  Our appetites and desires are powerful forces.  I know cheesecake and red velvet cake are not good for me.  I don't care.  I like them.  I try to practice moderation and only have them on special occasions.  Maybe moderation will help?  It's certainly better than having a piece of cake every day.  I care enough to cut back, but I don't care enough to never have a piece of cheesecake or red velvet cake ever again.  After all, I don't think they're THAT bad for me.  I'll just run a couple extra miles and make up for it.
3. We're not really sure the doctors know what they're talking about.  This is a big one, and it's legitimate.  We are learning new things about the human body all the time.  And what we're learning is that things we thought we used to know we don't know any more.  We used the thing eggs were bad, remember?  And, we all have an uncle or grandma who ate bacon every morning and fried vegetables at ever meal and lived to be 96.  So, for us, this is evidence that Physicians don't quite have our physiology completely figured out.

Now, think about that when it comes to ALL of God's directions for our life found in the Bible.  They are directions for the most full and healthy life we can have in Christ.  If we are honest, we often treat God's Word like eating directions from our doctor:

1. We think not listening to Him won't have as adverse an affect on us as predicted.
2. We don't care and really like our vice.
3. We're not sure He knows what He's talking about.

Essentially, we're not sure it all has authority for us, but this is not the plan for the full life God desires for each of us.  Let me ask you one question:  of all the people you know, which ones have the most full and joy-filled lives, the ones who are most closely aligned with God's Word or the ones who steer farthest from it?  And which one do you want to be?

In Christ,

Carter

Robin Williams: Three Things the Tragedy Can Teach Us

Some movies that seem to be on TV a lot.  A few of them always stop me for at least 10 minutes of viewing.  Talladega Nights.  A Few Good Men.  Old School.  Country Strong.  Bruce Almighty.  National Treasure.  And Mrs. Doubtfire.  Sometimes I stop for more than 10 minutes while surfing channels on a lazy evening.  Every time I stop for a few minutes on Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams makes me chuckle.  We've seemingly lost that kind of comedy in modern culture.  Like many, Williams' death on Monday brought me sadness.

Robin Williams was raised Episcopalian.  Of course, none of us really know how much his faith played a role in the inner workings of his heart.  We know he brought laughter to millions of others in a brilliant career.  We know he struggled with substance abuse and depression.  We know he reached a point of despair that caused him to take his own life.  His death sheds light on a subject often left in the shadows, especially in the church.  There are really no answers to some of the deep questions a situation like this begins to ask, but there three insights that I think are worth considering.

1. Life over career.  There is no question that Robin Williams was a smashing success in his career.  If he was in a movie, you simply knew it was going to be good.  If he was on Letterman, you were going to stay up and watch.  If he made a cameo on a sitcom, it would be one of the most memorable episodes.  Dead Poet's Society.  Good Will Hunting.  The Awakening.  Mrs. Doubtfire.  RV.  The Birdcage.  Patch Adams.  He could do it all.  But there were obvious holes in his life.  I don't think I'm passing judgment to say that none of us want to be remembered in our personal lives for three marriages, substance abuse and suicide.  It breaks my heart that someone so gifted, whom I loved to watch perform, was battling so many personal demons.  Nevertheless, it is an important reminder for any of us chasing success in a career that succeeding in life, love, and relationships far outweighs the successes of business or work.  It's possible a "successful" career can even be detrimental to the rest of life.  It's not worth it.  We shouldn't have to choose.  We can do both.  But choose nurturing life and relationships over career.  I don't know if Williams chose career over life.  What is clear is that his professional life soared while his personal life struggled.  It's at least a reminder to nurture our hearts and families first.
2. Substance abuse.  It's no joke.  I don't know anyone who abuses drugs or alcohol who's story ended well.  I know a ton of people who turned things around from addiction and began writing a beautiful story.  You can turn it around.  You really can.  But you're probably going to need help.  Nearly all of those stories of turn-around include therapy or a program or rehab.  There's nothing wrong with that.  Those are people who chose to do whatever it took to get help...to change...to start over.  Don't mess with this stuff.  It won't end well.  It may not end in suicide or an untimely death, but it WILL end with a trail of brokenness and heartache.  It WILL NOT end well.  But you can re-write your story.  God is waiting with pen in hand to help rewrite it.  He loves, loves, loves a good second-chance story.
3. Depression and Suicide need to be talked about in church.  These are real issues.  I wish I could say 'just trust in Jesus more and everything will be okay.'  That's not the case.  Jesus is pivotal in this, but I believe Jesus has gifted talented and wise counselors and physicians to help.  Depression is a real problem and sickness.  You're not crazy or just sad.  It's okay to see a doctor.  PLEASE SEE A DOCTOR!  Talk to someone.  See your pastor.  Talk to a friend.  Then see a doctor.  We don't need to sweep depression under a rug in the church.  We need to help people.  I don't understand it all, but I want to help people get to doctors that do and can help them.  If you know someone might be struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, do whatever it takes to help them.  If you're struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, talk to someone.  Heck, you can email me here.  Jesus loves you so much he died for you, and He has a big plan for you.  Whatever you're dealing with, He wants to walk with you and there are countless others who love you and want to walk with you, too.

I don't have anything profound to add to Robin Willams' death.  I wish it weren't so.  I wish he'd called someone who loved him when he thought there was no hope.  I wish he'd stayed away from drugs and alcohol.  I wish he'd nourished his soul and relationships more, even if that meant making a few less movies.  But I don't know the details.  You don't either.  What I do know is there are lessons to learn there that I can apply to my own life.  And there are lessons that I want to apply to those I love who might be struggling with the same demons.  I want them to know that there are many who love them and that there is a NAME at which even the darkest demons shudder.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (8.8.14)

I hope you've had a great week, and all you parents, students and teachers in Gwinnett County are getting back in the groove.  I'm super excited about Sunday as we begin a parenting series called "Legacy."  What does it mean to leave a legacy for those that will come behind us?  

Remember, this Sunday we start our new worship times at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.   We'll also have Blue Bell Ice Cream after worship at each experience, so plan to hang around and have some ice cream!  You can still send an Evite to friends right here.  See you Sunday!

Thought for the Week
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."  Romans 12:2

This week I began teaching a off-campus Old Testament class for Archer as part of a time-release elective credit program.  This was our theme verse for the week as I challenged students to begin really opening their minds to God and God's Word.  Here's what we have to understand:  our minds are always being formed.  Have you ever craved something that you keep seeing a commercial for?  That's because the ad has shaped your mind.  We can't help it.  We're always growing, changing, and shifting mentally.  We get to choose whether or not we allow God to continue shaping us.  If we don't, we'll end up conformed the world.  We'll think about life the way the world does.  We'll behave as the world does.  We'll conform.  This passage challenges us to be transformed.  Can I make it simple?  Read the Bible.  When we read the Bible, our minds are transformed because we get a glimpse into the heart of God.  And God's ways are different than the ways of the world.  They're better.  If we implement them, even our very lives will be transformed.

In Christ,

Carter McInnis
Lead Pastor
carter@churchoftheway.net
cartermcinnis.blogspot.com

Sports, Art & Kids

A couple of weeks ago, our church hosted our 2nd Annual KidsGames, a free sports and arts camp for the community.  It was an awesome week, and was reminded at the power of sports and arts in the lives of children.  The cool thing about KidsGames is there are kids out there with no background mixed with kids with a lot experience.  The kids with no experience in organized sports got coaching they'd never gotten, and they were delighted by it.  The kids with a lot of experience were happy to be playing without the pressure to perform or their dad breathing down their necks.  It's fun again.

Art teaches the kids to use their creativity, to be the unique creation that only they can be.  Moreover, they build relationships in art that they never would have in sports.  They find that it's okay to like music and baseball, to like drawing and basketball, to like dancing and softball.  None of us are ONE thing.  We do a disservice to our children when we make them into one thing and nothing else.  Sports and the arts are also incredibly important ways to build relationships with children.  Nothing provides opportunities to mentor quite like sports and art.

Education is extremely important.  We need to educate our kids the very best we can because there truly is power in knowledge, but kids need the influence of sports and arts in their lives.  They need to learn competition.  There is something important about winning and losing.  Life includes winning and losing.  Kids need to experience expressing themselves in art.  God made them unique in His image.  In a world of conformity that says we have to know specific answers on specific tests, art teaches kids that there is an answer within them that has never been given.  Let us not teach the next generation that they are a test score.  Let us help them create things that we never would have dreamed of, and let us teach them to compete, to give it their all.  They'll need those skills in life.  They'll need them MORE in life.  I haven't taken a test in a long time, but life calls me to create and compete daily.