Mark Richt & the Conundrum of the Christian Bulldog Fan

145-51.  That's Mark Richt's wins and losses, and I was there for all 51 of those losses.  In the stadium, making the death march to the truck afterward.  From the inexplicable red zone misses against South Carolina in '01 to the walk down Duval St. in Jacksonville this past Halloween night.  And the last one felt different.  I've missed 9 games that Mark Richt coached my beloved Bulldogs, but I was there for every loss (maybe it's my fault -- we always won when I missed!).  What a ride it was these last 15 years.  The Hobnail Boot in '01 and the run to an SEC title that followed a year later, finally clinching the division with the miracle on the Plains.  Finally defeating Florida in '04 and DJ's title in '05.  The miracle finish in the arm of a young Stafford in '06 and the Celebration in '07 in Jacksonville that lit the team on fire for the rest of the season.  Running this state in '09 and winning 10 striaght in '11.  The magical season in '12 including winning the toughest game I've ever seen us win at the Cocktail Party vs. the #2 Gators.  The '13 victory over LSU with Sanford as electric as I've ever seen it and the emergence of this kid from Cedartown in '14.

I saw brutal losses, too.  I don't care to mention them.  I'm trying to forget!  I always believed, though, that we'd be alright.  I gotta admit -- Halloween felt different.

Maybe I see this differently because I'm an old dawg.  I saw Herschel play his last game in Athens in '82, and I remember hearing that Coach Dooley had retired.  I was glued to the TV watching him coach us for the final time in the Gator Bowl.  I remember hearing on ESPN that Goff had been fired in '95 (even though I worked for the team then).  I remember learning that Donnan was out in 2000.  I remember the feeling walking out of Everbank Field in Jacksonville and thinking that this felt different than the previous 50 losses.  I thought I might have just witnessed the end.  I was born into Red and Black and I'll be buried in it.  And it won't much matter who the coach is -- I'll be cheering for him to win.

I want to say something to the Bulldog Nation:  take a deep breath.  I love Mark Richt.  If you don't love who he is and what he's done, well, you don't know much about people, life or football.  We won way more in the last 15 years than we lost, and way more than we had won in the previous 15.  But, Georgia Football is bigger than Mark Richt.  It's been around since 1892, and I've got pictures of Trippi and Sinkwich in my basement from the 1940s.  It'll be around after he's gone.

Mark Richt presents the Christian Bulldog fan with a conundrum.  He's a man of deep faith who truly lives it, which makes him all the more rootable.  We believe him when he says he loves a kid.  He shows it.  Any Christ Follower that is a Dawg fan wants to see him win.  Even opposing fans have to admit he's a great guy.  They even want to see him succeed when he's not playing their team.  He's molding young men, graduating players, running a clean program and impacting players even beyond graduation.  He has integrity and class.  It's about than football for him.  And it makes the Christian UGA fan proud because OUR program is about more than football.  No one wants to see a guy like that get fired.  I wanted to see him get one more year with a stellar recruiting class and a healthy Nick Chubb.  I thought he could win big next year.  But others thought otherwise, and a change was made.

I've seen comments today that of being "ashamed of my alma mater" or "we thought it was about more than football" and "looks like winning is all that matters."  Of course it's about more than football, but IT IS about football, mostly, right?  I mean, listen, I adore Mark Richt, but let's don't pretend he's the only coach impacting lives and molding young men.  Dabo Swinney is doing it.  Mark Dantonio is doing it.  David Shaw is doing it.  And they're winning big while doing it.  And there are plenty of other guys out there who can do it.  Listen, I don't think UGA will be hiring Bobby Petrino anytime soon.  That's not the Georgia Way.  I don't think this is about winning at all cost, but it is about winning more.  I'm all for winning more.  Now, that's a tall task, and we might just win less....but maybe not.  It's a gamble, a risk.  That's sports.

But you don't have to pick a side here.  Love Mark Richt.  Appreciate him, thank him.  He has loved UGA, and we have loved him.  Then love the next guy and cheer like crazy for him.  You're not changing the Athletic Department's mind because you're mad or disagree.  And you're not really making any friends by taking pleasure in the dismissal of such a fine man.  But I can tell you this:  I hope we go 15-0 next year. I hope we become the first team to have a coach win the national championship in his first year.  And if you bleed Red and Black, don't you hope the same?  Nick Chubb will be out there along with Terry Godwin, Dominick Sanders, Isaiah McKenzie and Sony Michel.  Lorenzo Carter and Trenton Thompson will be out there along with Jeb Blazevich. I think I'll cheer for them, no matter who their coach is -- because they chose to attend the school that I did, and I love them for it.

And when we shock the world, I hope Richt gets a little credit for helping build it.  Should he coach somewhere else, I'll be cheering hard for him because he's a great man who did so much while in Athens.  But there won't be a question who I'm pulling for if he ever plays us.  UGA made me a Mark Richt fan, not the other way around.

And can I close to say something?  We don't know what the next guy will do until we see him do it or not do it, so can we give him a chance to do it?  Kirby Smart might be the next Will Muschamp, but he might be the next Bob Stoops, who was also a DC who got his first head coaching job at Oklahoma.  Tom Herman might be the next Urban Meyer, but he might be the next Tommy Bowden.  We just don't know.  He might even be the next Mark Richt, and you could be called a lot worse.  None of us are happy about this.  A fine man lost his job.  Can we be sad and hopeful at the same time?  Yes.  You don't have to pick sides, Christian Dawg fans.  You can love Jesus, love Mark Richt, love UGA and cheer your guts out for the next guy, too.

Thanksgiving thankfulness

I hope you are gearing for a great Thanksgiving with friends and family.  I hope you'll be able to make it back for worship on Sunday as we'll continue "Pointing to a Promise" by talking about David.  We have a lot to learn about character from him.  You might even hear some Christmas songs!

Thought for the Week
"I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving."  Psalm 69:30

I've made it a custom the last few years to make a list each Thanksgiving for the things for which I'm most thankful.  I'll surely leave a host of blessings out, but here's the ones that come to mind this day.

I'm thankful for...

• The blood of Jesus that covers over my multitude of sins.
• The grace of God that sustains me each and every day.
• My sweet wife, Emily.
• My four wild boys, Morgan, Tanner, Walker and Brooks.
• To still have my parents with me, because I know so many that don't.
• Parents and in-laws that support us so much
• Our brothers, sister-in-laws, nephews and niece.
• My church family.  What a gift to serve a risk-taking and outreach-focused community of faith.
• For not having Christmas Eve services in high school in a month.
• For new friends at Harmony Grove that we didn't know a 18-months ago.
• For the faithful who have bled and cried with me for any part of the last 10 years in planting a church.
• For safety.  In this day and age, every day is a gift.
• to Disney for bringing back Star Wars and giving me and my boys the chance to see one in the theater together.
• For Southern winters that don't really start until about mid-December and end quickly.
• For the sunshine...for a while there I thought it had disappeared.
• To the mentors that have poured their cups into mine.
• For the light at the end of the tunnel in my school work.
• For pastor friends to laugh, cry and celebrate with.
• For Jeremy Pruitt, Jake Ganus and Sony Michel.  It would have been a long fall without those three.
• For Mello Yello Zero and Coke Zero.  
• For Pop Tarts -- I love those things.
• For my health, notwithstanding the pop tarts.
• For the opportunity to talk College Football each week on WJBB 107.1 in Barrow County.  It's been a blast.
• For coffee.
• For sleeping in.
• For warm socks.  I'm really starting to appreciate good socks in my old age.
• For the chance to do life every day.
• And I'm thankful for you.  It's people that make this world great and people that have so blessed my life.

In Christ,

Carter

Trust builds relationships

We live in a world where there is an incredible lack of trust.  We don't trust anyone to do anything.  We don't trust that others won't sue us, so we have waivers for nearly every activity under the sun.  We don't trust our community, so we have video surveillance.  We don't trust our kids, or even ourselves, so we have have firewalls on our computers.  Yet, trust is THE currency for relationships, and it builds and strengthens relationships like nothing else.  We just rarely see it anymore.

That's why I was shocked on Monday when I went to eat lunch at a local restaurant.  They don't take cards, only cash, and the server/cashier said, "Don't worry if you don't have any cash, you can just pay us next time you come in."  But I had never been before.  And how did she know I was coming back?  What if I was from out of town?  I had cash, so I paid my bill, but it was still staggering.  But you know what?  It made me want to come back.  The burger I was about to order was now going to taste better because she trusted me.  She believed in me.  She thought there was good in me.  Often, we find what we're looking for.

Trust is believing there is something good in others.  Now, people will disappoint us and hurt us, but we don't do each other, society, and our families any good when we don't trust each other.  Instead, when we trust others, we can often bring out the best in them because, deep down, we humans don't really want to let each other down.

If you want deep relationships, you have to trust.  This is what is so profound about our relationship with God.  He trusts us with so much.  He trusts us with our freedom, the earth, our families.  He trusts us with His Church and His message.  He trusts us with His heart.  And when we don't trust Him, our relationship with God suffers.  Trust is THE currency of relationships.  When we withhold trust from God, we are saying that we aren't sure if there is good in Him.  We are unsure of Him.  We are thinking He might let us down.  He won't.  Think about all He has trusted you with.  It's because He loves you and believes in you.  That ought to inspire us to trust Him.

I certainly wanted to trust Casey's in downtown Winder with my business again because they trusted me.  BTW, the Bacon Pimento Cheese Burger with Sweet Potato Fries is spot on.

When Disaster Strikes

Canaan United Methodist Church in Ridgeville, SC

I am a native South Carolinian.  I was born in Rock Hill, south of Charlotte, and raised in a small town called Williamston on the banks of the Saluda River.   My folks live in the Upstate, and my brother, sister-in-law and two nephews live in the Midlands.  I have cousins and aunts and uncles there.  For nearly 18 years of my life, it was home.  This past week, Mother Nature ravaged the Palmetto State.  The death count continues to rise, the damage is inexplicable, schools are still closed and it raised questions that we all struggle with when disaster strikes.

• Why would God allow such a thing to happen?
• If God controls the weather, why didn't he stop it?
• Where is God in natural disasters?

God allows a lot.  Contrary to popular belief, I don't believe the message of the Bible is one of a puppet-master God in the sky who controls every moment in history.  Being in control and controlling are two different things.  God is in control, but God doesn't control everything.  

Sin knocked the cosmos off its axis.  In the Garden of Eden, sin caused childbirth to be painful and the ground to become difficult in agriculture.  We take these things as normal.  They are not normal.  God did not intend them to be this way.  Sin brought death to humanity.  Sin broke the world, and we're still living in the brokenness.  A crazed gunman at a college campus, a flood in South Carolina, and cancer in a loved one.  They are reminders of our brokenness.

Is there good news?  The message of Jesus is that he is redeeming all this -- he is making all things new.  And one day, when there is a New Heaven and New Earth, this will all be fixed.  Murder is not normal.  Natural Disasters aren't normal.  Cancer isn't normal.  God is fixing this back to the way it should be.  And He can fix it through us.

When we reach out in love across the picket line, when we volunteer and donate to disaster relief, when we care for a friend with cancer, when we pray for the family of the murdered, when we choose love over hate, when we choose selflessness over selfishness, we begin to bring more of that redemption into this world.  God is with us.  The question is how will we allow Him to revealed in us?  

God didn't do this.  Stop saying that.  God's not into flooding things anymore.  Trust me.  I read about it one time.  It's a broken world.  It's messed up.  We're messed up.  Our weather is messed up.  Our systems are messed up.  How are allowing Him to fix a corner of this messed up world through you?  How is He redeeming you, making you new, restoring you?  

Offline Life

So, a couple of weeks ago, I cracked my screen on my iPhone -- for the second time in about two months.  There is much to this story.  I loathe cases on my phones.  I like it to be as slim and slick as possible to fit in my pocket.  That works well when it stays in your pocket.  Not so much when it doesn't.  Concrete and pavement do not get along with uncased iPhones.  This is fact.  So, this time, I cracked it good on a Friday afternoon.  The earliest I could get an appointment at an Apple Store was the next Tuesday night, so I went four days without a phone.  I learned two important lessons.

1. There is nothing 'out there' more important than 'right here.'  Our constant connectivity to the outside world has made us think that there is something more important going on 'out there.'  Will we miss something in our Facebook and Twitter feeds?  Is there something new going on at the websites I like?  Did I miss a blog post?  Oh no, I don't have a camera so I can share what is happening right here out there?  Not being constantly connected kind of forced me to focus on the here and what I was doing at that moment, whether it be hanging out with my kids and wife or focusing on something that deserved 100% of my attention.  Connection to the world is a gift, but there's nothing going on 'out there' that's more important than your 'right here.'
2. Listen to the people that love you.  My wife, children and mother all told me repeatedly to get a case.  I was stubborn.  It wasn't what I wanted, but it wasn't an unreasonable thing they were suggesting.  They were just trying to protect me.  There are a very few times in life when you may see a bigger picture than others in your life can't yet see, but MOST of the time, if the people that love you are telling you something, listen.  A phone is a silly thing, but this isn't silly for most folks.  When your child ask you to stop smoking, when a parent tells you to get your degree, when a spouse asked you to stop working so late, when a friend says that's enough drinks, when a loved one tells you they're worried about you...listen.  They love you.  Critics are sometimes right and sometimes wrong.  It's about 50/50 because they don't really know you.  People that love you are almost always right.  Listen to them

I got my phone fixed and a shiny new case.  But just so you know, the slam dunk I did in our driveway game of H-O-R-S-E on our 8-foot basketball goal that caused my phone to fall out of my pocket was EPIC!

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (9.17.15)

I hope you are having an awesome week.  I am super excited about this Sunday.  It's a Baptism Sunday, and we're going to baptisms at a few of our experiences.  I'm also pumped about this message.  God has been speaking to my heart and challenging me as I prepare.  We'll continue to be in the story of Abraham this week as part of our series "The People of God."  Understanding his story and character is so crucial to understanding God's vision for His people.  We're going to talk about a critical decision Abraham and his nephew, Lot, made and the character trait behind our decisions.  I hope to see you there!

Big Important News!
TAILGATE SUNDAY IS OCTOBER 4TH!
We will have 1 Worship Experience for ALL CAMPUSES at Harmony Grove Church of the Way @ 11:00.
No 9:45 or 5:30 service that day.
Outdoor Worship Experience.  We'll have chairs but you're welcome to bring your own.
Wear your favorite team gear!  Award for best outfit!
Bring some side dishes and desserts to share!  We'll eat while we worship!  Awards for best dishes!
Tell a friend now and invite them to this special day!

Thought for the Week
"He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself." Hebrews 9:26

You know, you don't have to keep beating yourself up.  You don't .  You don't have to keep re-hashing that mistake, that sin, that royal mess you made.  It's forgiven.  Jesus died once for it long ago, so why do you keep reliving it?  Why do you keep blaming yourself over and over?  Jesus forgot about it on the cross, so why won't you?  When you call on Jesus, your sin is done away with.  It's washed away in His amazing grace.  There's no tidying up you need to do.  It's over.  Finished.  Forgiven.  His sacrifice was enough, so stop re-living it.  Stop letting it own a part of you.  Live into today.  Live into forgiveness.  Live into His mercy.  Live into new life.  I know too many people who cannot get past their past.  They cannot see that things could be different for them -- that they ARE different for them because of Jesus.  They think there must be something else they must do.  They must clean up themselves.  Instead, what they end up doing is holding their lives prisoner to their past.  And we mustn't do this.  Jesus died once and for all.  It's over and done with.  So be the new you.  If you don't know about this forgiveness, you can have it for free.  If you have, use it.  Use it to propel your life into a new life, cleansed by the Holy Spirit.  If you've grown accustomed to it, don't ever, ever, ever forget how costly it was, how crucial it is, and how much we need it every single day.  This forgiveness -- your life -- was so important that Jesus thought it was worth dying for.  So why not live for Him.

Because of Jesus,
Carter 

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (9.10.15)

I am so excited about this Sunday as we begin a new series in our 10-month theme called "The Journey."  We're beginning a series called "The People of God" in which we're learning about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the birth of the Hebrew people.  What I believe is that we find much of our own story in these stories.  We'll be talking about God's initial call to Abraham to be the father of His people.  I can't wait to share with you and hope to see you there.

Don't forget about the Baptism Course coming up THIS Sunday after worship at both campuses for those interested in baptism.  Baptism is one of my favorite things to be a part of in ministry, and I'd love to celebrate this with you or your child.

Thought for the Week
"So we called out to Yahweh, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our cry and saw our misery, hardship, and oppression."  Deuteronomy 26:7

Are you at the end of your rope?  I know so many people that seem to be at the end of their rope.  They are on their last straw.  They are worn out and worn down.  They are broken.  Life has a way of doing that to you.  Parenting zaps you.  Work grinds you to a pulp.  Aging is relentless.  Stress is real, and burdens are heavy.  The world beats you up.  Your reality is not what you thought it would be.  The bills are stacking higher, the people that need you at work and home need you more and more.  You are being pulled in a million different directions.  You are in despair...barely hanging on.  I want you to know that when you are at the end of your rope is when God hears your prayers the clearest.  Maybe we pray our best prayers then.  Maybe the distractions are gone.  Maybe we stop pretending when we're finally broken.  Whatever it is, I hope you'll cry out to God then.  I hope you'll call upon the one who created you.  The Lord sees you hanging on, and He will hear your prayer.  And He won't let you fall farther than He can catch you.  I believe that with all my heart.  I've experienced it too many times myself. I've seen it with my own two eyes with too many people.  Cry out to the one who made you, even...especially...if you are at the end of your rope today.

In Christ,

Carter

Why it matters and why it doesn't

A few months ago, during the long dog days of summer in which college football fans like me wait for the season to begin while munching on every morsel of football news emanating from their beloved program, I caught a replay of the movie Fever Pitch on TV.  I'd seen it a couple of times.  I relate to it because my passion for college football mirrors the passion for the Red Sox portrayed in the movie.  In a pivotal scene, Ben is trying to explain why this is so important to him.  He has been attending Red Sox games since he first went with his uncle twenty-three years ago at the age of seven.  The crowd he sits around has become his family.  His friends jockey for the games they get to go to.  She's been to a few games, but she still doesn't get it.  He asks Lindsey a question:  "Do you still care about anything you cared about 23 years ago?"

One question explains the power of sports.  I suppose for others this could be movies or music (both of which I love as well), but for me, that passion has been college football.  I am enthralled by the atmosphere and nostalgia of it.  In high school you play for your school because you are zoned for it.  In the NFL you play for the team that picks you and chooses to employ you.  A college roster is filled with 100 guys who chose the school, and the stands are filled with alumni who also chose the school and local fans who grew up cheering for the hometown team.  They are still kids, but they are remarkably gifted athletically.

Each school has a fight and strange traditions.  In the SEC, most of the uniforms even still look the same as they did in the '60's and '70's.  This is why I love going to the games.  The bands, the colors, the pageantry, the tailgating...the electricity in the air.  And every time I walk into a stadium, I am flooded with memories of yesteryear.  I am reminded of the drive down Hwy. 106 from Carnesville to Athens coming from South Carolina.  I'm reminded of sitting with my parents and hugging strangers after a big win.  I'm reminded of my hand in my Daddy's back pocket walking through the crowd, so I wouldn't get lost.  I'm reminded of pre-game battles of touch football.  I'm reminded of eating BBQ chicken and 'talking football' with men 40 years older than me.  In the pregame, we were equal.  There is no age when you are worried about how healthy your tailback is or if the D can stop that passing offense they've got.  You are simply fans together.  And I hold these memories with my boys now.  I'm the dad, still caring about something I cared about 33 years ago when I saw Herschel Walker play live and in person.  My boys draw pictures of their favorite players like I drew mine.  And we celebrate with football friends that are like family and see the same faces around our seats, each of them amazed as they've watched my boys grow up with every passing September.  That's why it matters, because so few things in life matter beyond a few years.  We change jobs and houses.  We lose touch with friends and find new friends.  But we never change teams, and we share the same memories with our children that our parents shared with us.  It matters because it has always mattered, and besides our faith and our family, few things always matter in our lives.

But it doesn't matter THAT much.  I recently read an article about Greg McGarity's first five years as Athletics Director at the University of Georgia.  They asked him what was the most difficult moment in those five years.  I thought, "It had to be that Liberty Bowl loss to Central Florida, or the devastating loss to Alabama in the 2012 SEC Championship Game.  Or maybe it was when a string of players go arrested."  His answer was surprising, telling and humbling.  It was when Jonathan Taylor, an outfielder for the UGA baseball team, was paralyzed during a collision in which he and a teammate both dove for a ball.  Because that's the kind of stuff that matters.  These are just games.  They are supposed to be fun.  They should be fun.  They should be disappointing when you lose.  But they don't matter THAT much.  An athlete who can't walk ever again after giving his all while competing...THAT matters.

As another college football season draws near, let us remember (especially here in the Deep South), that the reason this matters so much really isn't about wins and losses.  It's the traditions, camaraderie and glory of it all that makes it matter each and every year, whether our team is champions or chumps that season.  And winning is fun, but it won't last.  There will still be bills to pay and life to live the next Monday.  It's a burst of joy, a few months of relief, but it's not life and death.  We'd trade a thousand wins for a kid to walk again.  Football and sports are about people and relationships.  They are about learning to compete and overcome adversity.  For those that are people of faith, this ought to be crystal clear, but when we are looking glasses tinted with our teams favorite color, sometimes it's easy to forget.

Enjoy the season!

Coffee, Cake & Coversation

We're excited to be launching a 4-week Wednesday night series called "Coffee, Cake & Conversation" at Harmony Grove Church of the Way.  We'll be discussing some of the hottest topics in our culture.  I'll be joined by other pastors and community leaders to talk about the following issues:

Sept. 9 - RACE
Sept. 16 - HOMOSEXUALITY
Sept. 23 - POLITICS
Sept. 30 - DATING

There are a few ways you can be involved:

1.  Join us for refreshments at 6 p.m. and dialogue at 6:30 p.m.  Childcare available up through 5th grade.

2.  Send in a question!  You can do that in a variety of ways:

• Leave it in the comments here.
• tweet us @churchoftheway
• post it to facebook at www.facebook.com/churchoftheway
• email to info@churchoftheway.net
• Leave a card in one of the boxes at one of our campuses

Ashley Madison, the Virginia shooting, and our mirror

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."  -Hebrews 4:13

I thought all the Ashley Madison clients whose names and emails were laid bare when I saw this passage.  I thought about all the men who thought they could 'get by' in secret with their lusts and betrayal.  I thought of the secrets that are now no longer secrets that are wrecking marriages as we speak.  And I thought about how we all have secrets that could destroy us.

Then, in broad daylight in Virginia, a disgruntled former employee went up and shot two innocent people, a reporter and a camera man, right on live television.  Sometimes our sins aren't even secret.  The tragedy in Virginia and the tragedy of the Ashley Madison scandal is a reminder of how broken our world is.  We are a sinful bunch, killing each other, physically and emotionally.  We are selfish and vindictive.  We are lustful and quick to react.  We are a mess.  We need Jesus.  We need His forgiveness, and we need him to shape us.

It's so easy to point fingers in these situations.  Men seeking sex outside the covenant of marriage is wrong.  A man walking up and killing two people is wrong.  But we don't really need to be reminded of that, though it does make us feel good sometimes to point a finger.  What I am reminded of in these situations is how much we have these things within us, and when we see ugliness on full display, it's a good time to look in the mirror.  You might not seek out a secret online affair, but what secret sin are you holding onto?  In what ways are we looking outside our closest relationships for affirmation and intimacy?  What do we have the capacity to do if we thought we could do it in secret?  And how have we let rage boil up in us so hot that we could just kill someone?  Maybe we wanted to hit them.  Maybe we did.  Maybe we just cursed them, to their face or behind their back.  Maybe we gave them the ol' 'unfriend' on social media.  Maybe we wished they were dead.

This is uncomfortable, but it reminds me that not only does our world need saving, not only do people whose sins have been in the limelight need Jesus.  I need saving.  I need Jesus.  If my life were laid bare, I'd be ashamed of the mean-spirited and hateful thoughts.  I'd be ashamed of my anger.  I'd be ashamed of my pride.  I'd be ashamed of my selfishness.  I'd be ashamed.  You would be, too.  I am convinced that the ONLY way this world will find peace and rest is if we each, individually, allow Jesus to change our hearts.  I believe that kind of change has the capacity to rub off on people.

First Try

This past weekend we had a first around the McInnis house -- my 11 year-old son helped cut the grass.  Well, sort of.  He did the weed-eating.  It certainly saved me some time.  It was not the prettiest weed-eating job you'll ever see.  The aesthetics left a little to be desired.  It was a little choppy and a little scalped in various places.  But it was his.  He was proud.  It was a landmark moment that Dad believed in him.

But it was also a landmark moment because he came out while I was working in the yard and said he wanted to help.  He wanted to do the work his father was doing, and because of that, I wanted to give him more responsibility.  I wanted to give him more freedom.  I believed in him more because he was about my work.

Does God have to poke and prod you to be about his work, or do you go outside and ask if you can do what your Heavenly Father is doing?  When we ask to be a part of what God is doing, our Father is happy to give us more responsibility and freedom.  He begins to believe in us even more.

We spend a great deal of time talking and thinking about our belief in God, but one our biggest hurdles in life is coming to the understanding that God believes in us.  He trusts us with earth.  He trusts us with our lives.  He believes in us, especially when we demonstrate that we get it.  When we ask to be a part of what He is doing instead of staying inside and doing our own thing, God believes in us even more.  I'll bet God looks at our work and it's a little choppy.  I'll bet he'd describe it as not the prettiest job in the world.  But he's proud.  And (get this), He's able to concentrate on doing the things that only He can do.  Riding the big lawn mower is too big a job for my son right now.  Only I can do that, but he can handle the trimmer.  There are things that only God can do in our world.  But, the bigger question is what are we NOT doing simply because we won't join in God's work.  He believes in you.  He trusts you.  He wants you to be involved in what He is doing.  Go ask him how you can help.  It's okay if it's not the prettiest result in the world.  Your Father will be proud.

Land of the Free

The five Marines who were killed in an ugly display of evil last week in Chattanooga are some of the reasons we live in the land of the free.  The Marines, along with the rest of our military, help ensure that we are a nation that enjoys freedom.  Our founding fathers set the United States on a unique course at that point in history:  that we would seek freedom for all.  I am so grateful for the men and women that defend freedom on my behalf and on behalf of much of the world so that I can live a comfortable life in suburban America.  I am forever indebted to them.  I mourn for the families of the Marines who lost their lives.  I'm saddened for the people of Chattanooga, a community in which I have dear friends, because their freedom was interrupted with tragedy.

If there is one thing that I believe America has gotten right -- it's freedom.  Freedom is the gift God gave humanity.  We are free to choose good or bad.  We are responsible for our freedom.  People often want to ask in the face of tragedy like we saw in Chattanooga, "Why would God allow such evil or allow such a thing to happen?"  Well, God allowed freedom.  And we're either free or we're not.  There's not really an in-between.  We're free to choose good or chose evil.  But we have to live with the consequences of that freedom.  The man that killed those five Marines had the freedom to make a tragic choice.  God gives us that freedom because God wants us to freely choose Him.

We can certainly have laws that protect people, but we will never, ever be able to legislate people choosing wisely, because we always, ultimately have the freedom to choose poorly.  So what do we do?  We use our freedom for good.  We have the freedom to choose good every single day.  We honor the Marines who died in Chattanooga by using the freedom that service men and women have given us and that have been endowed to us by our Creator for good.  And choosing good makes a difference.

Recently, I've seen what I believe to be a father jogging around Grayson, but he's not alone.  He pushing his handicapped teenage son on a 3-wheel bicycle contraption.  He is always sweating and he is always smiling.  He could choose anger or bitterness.  He chose good.  He's choosing to soak up as much time with his son as possible.  He's choosing fitness and joy.  And I think about the stresses I have about parenthood.  They are meager.  I have the freedom choose good every day as a dad.  I can't change what happened in Chattanooga.  I can choose good.  And I believe that choosing good honors the freedom we've been given and inspires others.  It's all we've got.  Choose God.  Choose good.  Who knows how one decision might change someone's life to choose good the next time they are considering choosing evil?  That's how we make the world a better place.

Hidden Brokenness

Yesterday, I had about the funniest moment I've ever had in a public restroom.  It would not have been funny had I been on the other end.  I was in one of my favorite restaurants, um, taking care of some business.  I notice someone waiting to enter the stall.  When I opened the stall door, a woman was waiting.  The second she saw me, she was mortified.  She had made a terrible mistake.  About that time another gentleman entered the restroom, only adding to her embarrassment.  She shuffled out as quickly as she could and me and the other guy had a good laugh.  I've entered the wrong restroom before, but I don't think I've ever waited in line at one.

She had obviously been oblivious to the sign on the door.  She had been oblivious to the urinal.  She thought she was right.  It was an honest mistake.  It was not meant to be hurtful or harmful.  It was not malicious.  It was just innocent.  She wasn't paying attention, was too busy looking at her phone or maybe had something else in her mind.  For a good minute or two, she had no idea that she had made a mistake.  In fact, she was convinced she was right, until she abruptly found out differently upon my exit from the stall.  But no matter how unintentional or innocent, she was wrong.  No matter if she thought she'd made the right decision, she'd made the wrong decision.

Let me tell you what scares me about my own brokenness:  I could be making wrong decisions that I think are right.  Because my intentions are broken.  My heart is broken.  My will is broken.  My mind is broken.  I am broken.  I could be oblivious to the fact that I'm going through the wrong door simply because I'm not paying attention.  My mind is so cluttered that it's entirely possible I'll be embarrassed at some of the decisions I've made when I find out how terribly wrong I've been.  But this isn't just my problem -- it's you're problem, too.  We are all broken.

We spend a lot of time (and rightfully so) working through our hang-ups, addictions, and nagging sins.  We try to submit to God the parts of our lives that we KNOW to be outside His will.  What concerns me, though, is that we are the woman in the Panera restroom.  We are mindlessly wondering through life not knowing how wrong we are.  We are too busy to stop and think if we're making the right decision.  We have lost focus and are just entering whatever door seems closest.  Sometimes, we even are convinced we're right, but we're just flat wrong.  We saw things incorrectly.  Does it ever occur to us that we could be seeing things incorrectly?

There is hope.  His name is Jesus.  This is why we need a Savior.  This is why we can't fix ourselves.  This is why we can't be left to work this out.  We don't even know how to work this out.  We are broken.  We need grace and forgiveness -- for the mistakes we KNOW we're making and the mistakes we DON'T EVEN KNOW we are making.  This is why I'm so thankful for Christ, because I'm a mess.  I don't even know how big a mess I am.  I just know I need Jesus.  We all do.  And, this is why we are reminded to be alert and mindful in the Scriptures.  I believe as we embrace Jesus more, we can become more aware of all our intentions, attitudes and motivations.  But we won't straighten it all out.  We're broken in ways that are hidden.  Yet, Jesus makes us whole.

Too Close to Home

The Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney

The voice was simply unmistakable.  It had become a staple of my trips to D.C.  At my first orientation at Wesley Theological Seminary, I remember hearing his voice.  Clementa Pinckney had a voice you simply couldn't forget.  It must have been what James Earl Jones sounded like 30-40 years ago.  Clementa and I were working on our Doctorate of Ministry in Church Leadership at Wesley.  After seeing all my Georgia Bulldog apparel, he struck up our first conversation because his cousin, Sanders Commings, played for the Dawgs from '09-'12.  We were suite mates during one of my stays there.  I looked forward to seeing him, sharing a few conversations with him and hearing his wonderful voice when I'd go up for classes.  Clementa was just a beautiful man.

That's why Charleston just hits too close to home.  Clementa was the Senior Pastor at Mother Emanuel AME Church, and he was a friend.  A shooter marched into a prayer meeting killing nine people.  it was close to home.  The shooter once attended the high school where my brother teaches and where my nephew is a rising senior.  It's just too close to home.  South Carolina is my home state.  It's just too close to home.  I'm a United Methodist Pastor and Mother Emanuel was a sister Methodist Church from the African Methodist Episcopal tradition.  It's too close to home.  My church gathers for prayer meetings.  It's too close to home.

Except for one thing.  I'm white.  The last few months have seen our country struggle with violence, anger and racially charged tension.  This is the second of those that has hit close to home.  My time at Wesley also allowed me the privilege of gaining a Baltimore City Councilwoman as a friend.  I am strangely more connected to these issues than ever before.  It's close to home.  But I'm white.

What being white, and particularly a white Christian, means for me now is naming the reality that I don't fully understand the hurt, anger, fear and frustration of our African-American brothers and sisters.  To say that I understand how ALL OF THIS feels is disingenuous and false.  To say that race isn't an issue in all of this is insensitive and wrong.

But I do ache for our land, and I hope you do, too.  So what I want to say is that I weep for our broken world.  I mourn for those who were lost and their families that remain.  I stand with my African-American brothers and sisters.  I work for justice.  I pray for those who think hate and violence are the answer.  I long for healing in our hearts.  I hope for grace and forgiveness to become a reality in this world.

Let those of us who are white not pretend that there aren't real issues involving race.  Let those of us that are Christian not offer trite answers to this ugliness.  Let those of us who are African-American believe that there are many of us from all races that stand with you and want to see justice in our world. Let the people of God BE THE CHURCH in and for this broken world.  And most of all, let the Lord of love heal our land.

Come, Lord Jesus.

Leadership & Life Lessons from My First (and Probably Only) Season of Coaching T-Ball

The Fightin' Super Tigers -- Champs!

I was going to help coach.  You know, be an assistant.  I had two boys that would be playing together.  One 4 and one 6, at the time.  But, I had two other sons playing flag football, and it was a busy season at church.  Then I got the call:  "We need one more head coach.  Would you be willing to coach?"  I love my community, so I begrudgingly agreed.  I really, really didn't have time for this.  And I'm a football guy.  I quit baseball after the 8th grade and most of my glory on the diamond happened in church softball leagues.  But I know enough to coach Kindergartners.  And I know a lot about kids.  So I did it.  We had a blast, gave ourselves a cool name (Fightin' Super Tigers), made a lot of new friends and good memories and won the league championship, with a 14-0 record.  I was so proud of our boys, and I learned a good deal about life, parenting, leadership and even a little about church.

• You can't change the past, so why rehash it.  Point to a better future.  T-ballers make mistakes all the time.  They throw it when they should hold it, hold it when they should throw it.  They run the wrong direction and tag the wrong runner.  After a mistake and play has stopped, if you yell at a T-baller, they're just going to cry.  The only thing you can do is point to them to the next opportunity.  "Hey, next time throw it here."  "Next time get your glove down."  "Next time, run to this base."  People are the same.  They don't need our judgment, but they do need people who care about the them to point toward a better future.  The church could learn something from this.  We need to stop yelling at the world for the mistakes it's made and point toward a better future with Jesus.  People need hope, not condemnation. 
• There are often a lot of voices telling us what to do.  Be sure and listen to the right ones.  People are screaming like crazy in the stands when a fielder has the ball in T-ball, telling them what to do with it.  About half of those are right.  Kids have to learn to trust their coach, which says a lot about authority but also listening to the right voices in life.  All of us have voices telling us a lot of things.  Not all of them are telling us to throw it in the right direction.  Who are the influences you're listening to?
• Every organization needs team members to play their role well.  My youngest wasn't crazy about playing right field and batting last, but he was very inexperienced and the smallest guy on the team.  There is only one circle (pitcher position) and only one kid can play it.  You have to have others do their part.  I heard one comment after we won the championship game that our outfield won the game because they got the ball in to the infield after every ball hit to them.  This is an accomplishment in T-ball.  But the 'role players' made the difference in the championship.
• Listen to experts and learn from them.  Like I said, I don't know much about baseball, but last year, we played on a T-Ball team that went 15-0 with one of the best coaches my boys have ever had.  He knew baseball and I came home after the 1st practice and said, "We're going to be pretty good."  I modeled our practices and gameday routine after him.
• Winning is fun and creates organizational momentum.  The bottom line is that winning is fun.  We went 14-0.  People say the kids don't care about winning, but after every game they were shouting "We won, we won, we won!"  They came up with this on their own.  We had fun anyway, and I've been a part of teams that had a lot of fun, kids got better and we didn't win a lot of games.  Winning isn't everything, especially at this age.  But, winning creates organizational momentum.  When staffs, businesses, teams, churches, or organizations don't ever feel like they are winning, it's hard to create momentum.  So, is your organization winning?
• People don't mind working hard if they they believe in the vision.  Our last week of the season, after a 2 1/2 month season, we had games on Monday, Thursday and Saturday in the end of year tournament.  I scheduled a practice on Friday night.  Nearly all the team showed up and I think it made the difference in the championship game.  We didn't play great that Thursday, and we needed to work to play better.  The vision was not to win.  The vision was to make sure we play our best.  That's all we can control.  We needed to practice to be our best.  Parents bought into the vision of excellence.
• Sometimes others have to step up.  We had games where kids were sick, injured our out of town and kids had to switch positions.  They did great.  Families, churches, businesses, and teams all have times others have to unexpectedly step up.  Nearly every game a kid who wasn't one of our biggest hitters got a key hit and got on base we needed to avoid an out.  If your organization has a mantra of "That's not my job," that's dangerous territory.  People have to step up and share responsibilities if an organization is going to be successful.
• People skills matter.  I don't know baseball, but I know how to motivate young people to be the best they can be.  I truly believe that in our culture today, you have to have people skills.  I am concerned about a generation that spends most of its time with a face in front of a screen.  Will they have the capacity to communicate with people in 10, 20, 30 years?  I hope so.  I believe people skills are the most important.  Love people, communicate with people, encourage people.  And people respond.
• There will be days you are not at your best.  Can you still compete on those days?  No one feels like a million bucks every day.  We had days when we didn't play our best, but we had to pick ourselves up and play as hard as we could.  Life has seasons we're not at our best.  Sometimes it's as simple as putting one step in front of the other.  You have to keep going.
• Running from third base to home is a dangerous trek.  As the pitcher to my team, I ran over two kids running home as I exited the field while looking down the first base line.  One of them was my older son on the team.  Both kids lived to tell about it.  
• My youngest led the league in hat and glove throwing while in the outfield.  I mean, he was a champion at glove throwing.  Best I've ever seen.  He had a blast this season.  And I'm pretty sure he would have had just as much fun if we'd have been 0-14.  Because he was coached by his dad and got to play ball.

                                               

                                                                Brooks, my youngest, the team clown.

It was a fun spring.  Sports teach us a lot of lessons.  And I've learned one more.  I think I'm going to retire from coaching and go out on top!

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.14.15)

I hope you're week is going great.  It's hard to believe that school is almost out.  This Sunday, we'll be finishing up our series as we talk about "Why are Christians so fake?"  We'll be talking about how we can be authentic followers us Jesus.

We've got a couple of service opportunities coming up:

• This Friday, May 15 - Come help paint, install new toilets, clean and put the finishing touches in the restrooms at Harmony Grove.  11 am - 4 pm
• Saturday, May 16 - Come help finish up the restrooms.  Contact me about times at Harmony Grove
• Sunday, May 17 - We'll be doing some changes to our set-up at the Gwinnett Campus after worship.  Stick around and or come out to help move around some things to help the Co-Op get ready for their summer ministry.

Thought for the Week
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."  Matthew 28:20

This week, a fellow United Methodist pastor in the Atlanta-Emory District lost his son to cancer at 23.  He battled for four years.  It rocks me to my core when a parent loses a child.  It is not the order of life.  We don't expect it.  It's wrong.  We are supposed to bury our grand-parents and parents.  We are not supposed to bury our children.  I can't imagine the pain and loss they are going through.  It is another example of the broken nature of our world.  Nineteen year-olds are not supposed to get cancer -- but the world is broken.  Right before He ascended, Jesus said these words to his disciples and best friends:  "I am with you."  He did not say, "Now everything's going to be fine."  He promised His presence, no matter what brokenness we are going through.  The stress of a job that few understand.  Depression.  Disease.  Broken relationships.  Struggling with parenting.  Family drama.  Whatever it is, Jesus promises to be WITH us.  To never leave us, to walk along side us.  Sometimes, it's the only comfort, but it's the comfort that matters.  We are not abandoned.  We are called His own, and He is here.  It won't fix all your problems.  It doesn't take away the pain of loss and suffering.  But it is a real promise and one that we can rest in.  God is here.  Always has been.  Always will be.

In Christ,

Carter 

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.7.15)

I hope you've had a great week.  This series "Why are Christians so..." has challenged me.  It's difficult work for Christ followers to dig deep into what others think of us, especially if it's uncomfortable.  It's so easy to just say, "Well, God knows the truth."  Over and over again in the Bible, we see people like Noah and Job who grew not only in their faith, but in their stature and reputation among others around them.  This week, we're going to continue the hard work of looking within and ask what others are asking:  "Why are Christians so self-righteous?"

Thought for the Week
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing."  Luke 13:34

That's a quote from Jesus many don't know.  He looks over Jerusalem and sees them with a mother's eyes.  God is often described as our loving Father, and rightfully so.  He is the Father that waits expectantly for the prodigals to come home.  But Jesus takes a different angle.  He sees those that are hurting and scattered through the lens of a mother's love.  This Sunday is Mother's Day and a time all of us reflect back on the love of our mother, whether or not she is still with us.  Of course, we're also reminded of the many other women who mothered us through the years.  A grandmother, step-mom, aunt or even Sunday School teacher.  There is something about the nurturing spirit of motherly love.  Do you know that this is how Christ sees you?  He wants to nurture you and guide you back on the path.  He wants to gather you up and put band-aids on all your old wounds.  He wants to sit around the table and nourish you.  He wants to bring you home, with him, to love you and dote on you.  Let us not be among those that scatter and run away from this Eternal Parent that wants us back in the fold.  Let us not be fearful of a Big Judge in the sky.  That is not the image Jesus intends here.  No, the message is clear.  As a mother hen sees her precious little chicks, so I see you.  You are vulnerable, but you are mine.  Come home where it is safe.  No matter how far you've wandered...you can always come home to Jesus.

In Christ,

Carter McInnis
Lead Pastor

Tragedy

Yesterday, the state of Georgia was rocked with the news of five young Georgia Southern students who were killed in a multi-car wreck on I-16.  The five young women were nursing students on the way to a clinical in Savannah.  From the pictures I've seen of them on social media, they were full of life and enthusiasm.  Sometimes you can see it in a smile.  I thought of a few of my dearest friends who have daughters at GSU.  It could have been them.  They're about the same age.  It hits close to home.

Simply, there is not real answer for tragedy.  Shame us when we try to find one.  God did NOT need five more angels.  God's got plenty of angels, and we humans don't become angels anyway.  It wasn't 'their time to go.'  No one has a time.  It wasn't God's will.  My God is not in the business of killing young, vibrant college students.  Everything does NOT happen for a reason.  Sometimes there are no reasons.  Sometimes there is simply tragedy that interrupts life.

We live in a broken world where sin, death, and tragedy are a reality.  There was a plan in which it was not like this.  It was called Eden.  But the brokenness of humanity knocked this world off it's axis, and we've seen heartache and tragedy ever since.  It was not God's original design that we would ever see death.

To believe that God wills our deaths and controls events is a tragic and unfortunate kind of thinking.  It doesn't reveal the true heart of God and the greatest promises of Scripture.  Tragedy simply happens.  Our broken world rears its ugly head sometimes.  Life derails just because it does.  There are no reasons, no greater plan, and no answers.

But there are promises.  God's promise is that He is with us, even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  He comforts us.  He does not and will not abandon us, no matter how bleak it seems.  My hope and prayer for those families of those precious girls is that they would know the abiding presence of God in these days and the days to come.

And there is another promise.  We weren't supposed to taste death, but we did.  The fall of humanity in Genesis carved a path that each of us have followed.  Since the beginning, we have had a death problem.  God fixed that.  That's why Easter matters to us.  Those of us who follow Christ are still in the 'Easter Season' in which we are celebrating Christ's resurrection from the grave.  We believe Jesus defeated death.  And the hope of the Christian is that, in Christ, we will, too.  Not only in eternal life, but in the resurrection to come.  We really believe that.  We believe that God is with us in the valley, and that one day we will rise again, stare death in the face and say, "Where, o death, is your victory; where is your sting?"  

In the face of tragedy, let us not say the trite things that end up being hurtful more than helpful.  There is no reason for these things.  God is as heartbroken as us.  He weeps at our broken world.  He weeps at our death.  But He is with us, and he has been devising a plan to win back His people over death since the beginning.  May those who face tragedy rests in His presence, and may we all hope in His promises.

The Difficult Issue of Religious Liberty (in which I don't solve much)

Religious liberty has become the 'hot-button-issue-of-the-day" in America.  From what I've seen, people are really quick to form an opinion.  I have been very slow in forming one, and I'm still not quite sure what I think.  The controversy mostly centers around the issue of gay marriage.  A common theme might include whether or not a cake baker has the freedom to deny baking a cake for a gay wedding in states where gay marriage is legal.  Or, is that baker forced to bake a cake for all who walk in the door.

I'm no politician, and I have not interest in being one.  My calling is to discover what it seems like God has called people of faith to do.  So, how should we respond?  What is the faithful witness Christians should have on this issue and those that relate to it.  Well, I think it's a very complex issue, which is why I've been slow to form an opinion.

First, let's be honest:  gay marriage will be legal in every state in a very short time.  So, we've got to figure out how to navigate this issue.  If you want to know my thoughts homosexuality and gay marriage, you can check them out here, here, and here.  The short version is that I believe homosexuality is not in line with Christian teaching, but gay people and the issue of homosexuality have been treated terribly by the Church.  I believe there is a way for us to be in community and dialogue together.  Though I can't faithfully affirm homosexuality and believe that God has a better plan, that doesn't mean we can't be friends with people with which we disagree.  And it doesn't mean that we can't love each other genuinely.  The Church ought to be a place where people from all walks of life dealing with all kinds of issues can come to connect with their Creator.

As for the issues we're facing now, I would ask a Christian cake baker, "For whom do you bake cakes?"  The problem here is that I don't think the issue is Christian marriage.  Would these same cake bakers bake a cake for a man and woman who were living together before marriage or had engaged in pre-marital sex?  Would this cake baker make a wedding cake for an atheist couple who planned to have a civil ceremony with no mention of God?  Would this cake baker make a cake for a couple that had been divorced?  What if it was their 3rd, 4th or 5th marriage?  Would this cake baker bake a cake for a serial cheater?  What if the wedding is "Christian" at a local church but everyone plans to get rip-roaring drunk at the reception down at the country club?  What if the cake baker doesn't think people from different races ought marry because they have been (wrongly) taught that?  Is it okay for them to deny mixed couples?  Does this baker only bake cakes for Christian couples who kept themselves pure in courtship, are actively engaged in a local church, and have a Christian wedding in which the name of Jesus is invoked?

Is the witness Christian business people in our country want one of the exclusion?  Do we want to be known for closing off our lives to those in the outside world?  Is that what Christians did in the New Testament?  Is that what Jesus did?  Is that why Jesus went to Levi's house to have dinner with his tax collecting friends and sinners?  Was Jesus 'endorsing' their sin because he went and ate with them?  There was one group that thought that :)  I don't really wanna be in that group.  It seems we should bake the best cake we could as a witness to our love for people.  It seems like one cake could start a relationship which might lead to a conversation which might lead to our Jesus.  And when people meet Jesus -- things change.

Of course, the problem we're having here is that we're seeing how ill equipped our laws are to deal with what are moral issues.  And this is just the beginning.  Soon, people will be asking, "If the government can't tell me what gender I can marry, why should the government tell me how many people I can marry at once?"  OR, "Who is the government to tell me what the legal age of marrying should be?"  In other cultures, polygamy is common and people marry at much younger ages.  As the U.S. becomes more and more diverse, those questions will continue.  Do we reach a point where the laws can make no moral judgments about love and marriage?  And to what extent do have the freedom to live by the convictions of my faith.  I don't really know, I just know that this issue is at the heart of the matter.

And that points to how complex it is -- because then there's me and pastor's like me.  Now, I'm pretty up-front in my premarital counseling.  If couples are living together, I ask one to move out until the wedding.  I ask them to be abstinent.  I've counseled couples to not get married, that I didn't think they were ready or didn't feel like I could stand in good conscience and ask God to bless their union.  Does the government have the right to force me to marry anyone?  What if my faith, denomination and personal convictions stand against that?  Should our church building be subject to the same demands as the baker?  It's a little different.  The church isn't in a for-profit business, but it raises questions, doesn't it?

Where do we draw the line?  A good friend of my has a daughter who runs her own photography business.  She does weddings, senior portraits, and family photo shoots.  What if someone approaches her to shoot some pornographic images between consenting adults?  It's completely legal?  At what point does she have the freedom to stand on her convictions about who and what she photographs?

See there.  It's complex.  I'm not sure what the answers are.  I just know that I hope for three areas of discretion and patience.

1.  I would hope that all people, but especially my brothers and sisters in Christ, would be diligent in forming an opinion about an issue about which it is so easy to draw quick conclusions.

2.  I would hope that Christian business owners would prayerfully consider how they can help live out, display and spread the Gospel in every situation.  But we don't have to protect it.  The Gospel will take care of itself.  Death couldn't hold it down.

3.  I would hope that those on the other side pushing hard in the name of equality would understand the concerns about where the line stops.  Most Christians I know don't won't to hurt people, but they wonder what will come next and, if this isn't where people of faith draw the line, where exactly do they?

See there.  I told you I didn't solve much.  We need to be prayerfully consider these things.  We need space for conversation and understanding.  It's too easy to jump to conclusions.  God wants more thoughtfulness from us.  This issue deserves it.  People deserve it.  Our calling to reach all people demands it.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (4.10.15)

I am so pumped about our new series starting this week called "Why are Christians so...?"  We're going to talk about some of the negative connotations that Christians have in the world, why that is, and what we can do to change it and be a force for good.  If you have friends that are skeptics or have questions about faith, this is the time to bring them.  I'm looking forward to sharing with you.

Also, don't forget this week is "Second Sunday Serve" and we're taking up a big collection of toiletries and hygiene items for "Save Our Seniors."  You've still got time to pick up some things to care for some folks in our community.

Thought for the Week
"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it"  Psalm 24:1

During Spring Break, we took our boys to visit the Tellus Science Museum up near Cartersville.  We had never been.  They've got some pretty cool stuff.  The history of earth, the study of rocks, the weather, volcanoes and all is pretty fascinating.  It's a big world out there.  And it's all God's.  It is his handiwork.  But...we are His, too.  We are the pinnacle of His creation.  He knows us and calls us by name.  He sent his Son not for the powerful volcano, the magnificent sea, or the colors of sunset.  He sent His Son for His People.  You.  Me.  Us.  So, if I belong to this great and mighty God, who loves me so much and who set the stars in the sky, what am I worried about?  Why would I live in fear?  Why would I fret over the small things of this world.  For this whole world is His.  And I am His.  I can trust His power and sovereignty over all Creation.  Over the wind and waves.  And over my problems.  Over the issue in that relationship, over that pending court case, over the illness, over the addiction, over the nagging habit, over the tension at the office.  For I am His.  And He made this place.  His awesome imagination thought it up.  He rules over it.  And, yet, He has chosen to love me and you above all of it.  What are you so worried about?

In Christ,

Carter 

Easter Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (4.2.15)

It's finally Easter week!

The biggest weekend in our faith is finally here.  I'm so excited about the weekend ahead, and I can't wait to share an Easter message with you about our individual journeys to discover the truth about Jesus.  I believe God is going to do big things.  I know our musicians have been working hard to make it an awesome day.  We've got a lot planned this weekend, so be sure to get involved.

Good Friday Service @ Harmony Grove - 6 p.m.  We'll have a traditional service followed by Communion.  Mary Weaver, who is interning with us through Candler School of Theology at Emory, will be sharing the message with us.  It'll be a great way to prepare our hearts for the weekend.  Also, stick around after to help get the church ready for Easter Sunday.

Easter Sunday 

Harmony Grove Church of the Way
7:00 a.m. Traditional Sunrise Service with Choir and a brief message.  I'll be sharing a short thought to get us ready for Easter Worship.
7:45-8:15 a.m. - Free Breakfast
8:15 a.m. - Modern Worship Experience
9:45 a.m. - Modern Worship Experience
11:00 a.m. - Traditions Worship Experience

Gwinnett Church of the Way
5:00 p.m. - Free Dinner
5:30 p.m. - Acoustic Family Experience
6:30 p.m. - Easter Egg Hunt

Thought for the Week
"Then Jesus said to them, "Tonight all of you will run away because of me."  Matthew 26:31

In the days leading up to Easter, it's an appropriate time to think about the events that led to the resurrection.  Some churches have Holy Thursday services to celebrate the first Lord's Supper.  Good Friday services talk about Jesus' death on the cross.  Part of that discussion is the betrayal of Jesus, and it's easy to pick on Judas, who betrayed Jesus and had him arrested.  However, all the disciples fled.  When push came to shove, the scattered.  Jesus knew it.  Really, they all deserted Him -- and we have, too.  When do you run away from Jesus?  When you've messed up and you worry you'll be judged?  When you're reminded of something in your life that He wants to change?  When you're unsure of the answer you're going to get from him?  When His will is not your will.  Honestly, we all desert Jesus from time to time.  We all flee.  Sometimes, it's just like the disciples.  It's when the going gets tough.  You wanna know the cool thing?  They were welcomed back.  No matter how far they ran, they were welcomed to come back.  Maybe you feel like you've run away from Jesus.  You can come back.  You can always come back.

In Christ,

Carter 

Forgiveness & Paint

I was in Home Depot last week with my 4 year old.  We were picking out some colors of paint for his big brother's room.  It was kind of slow in there, not like a busy Saturday morning.  There was no one else in the paint section but me.  Two employees were talking behind the paint counter.  It was clear one was some kind of manager, and they were having a spirited conversation about sales and comparisons to other stores in the area.  The manager was coaching up the other one on how to increase sales.  Pretty soon, it got a little salty.  One of the said that "S" word.  You guessed it:  $#!t.  My son didn't hear it as he was in his own world, and I ignored it as I went about choosing colors.

As we approached the counter, their conversation continued (instead of focusing on the customer) and I heard it again.  They finally stopped the conversation and asked if they could help me.  I told them, "Guys, I appreciate that you're having an intense conversation here, but do you think you could watch your language in front of my four year old?"  They apologized.  I'm not really a prude.  My boys hear plenty of language at SEC football games.  It's expected there.  I just don't expect it at Home Depot picking out paint.

I ordered my paint, went to pick out a few other things and came back to pick it up after it was mixed.  The manager pulled me aside and apologized again.  He was very genuine.  I told him it was no problem, I understood and I appreciated it.  He said, "Again, I apologize."  I responded, kind of out of the blue, "You're forgiven."  And he was.  I didn't have time to be mad that afternoon or time to discuss it.  I was over it because my schedule dictated it.  There were more important things to do in the day than judge his mistake or worry more about it.  Right there next to the brushes, I forgave him.  He had done a wrong, and he was officially absolved.

And I thought, "Why do we have time for unforgiveness anyway?"  What if time was part of our forgiveness equation?  Holding grudges takes so much effort, energy and time.  It was so easy to say "You're forgiven" and be done with it.  If I saw him again we'd probably laugh about it.  I've got bigger things to worry about than NOT forgiving him.  And, in the grand scheme of things, that's nothing.  It was a little mistake.

Part of the preparation for Easter is taking time to focus on the crucifixion of Jesus, where forgiveness was on full display.  It proves God's love for us.  Do you know God doesn't have time to NOT forgive you.  He's got so many other big things to worry about, and, frankly, he's got gigantic plans for your life so He'd rather forgive you and be done with it.  In fact, when Jesus died on the cross, he went ahead and took care of it.  Also, your mistake is kind of puny in light of his gigantic grace, so I really wouldn't sweat it.  It's over.  It's done.  It is finished.  You're forgiven.  Be on to bigger and better things.  And be thankful for the cross.

Right here, Daddy!

I am coaching T-ball this year.  My two youngest sons, 4 and 6, are on the team.  My six-year old is a pretty good ball player and can swing the bat pretty good.  My little one, Brooks, is a little fella and one of the youngest on the team.  He swings as hard as he can, which isn't very hard, but he hits it off the tee alright.

I pitch each player three pitches before they get two swings off the tee.  A couple of games ago, I hit Brooks.  He was none too happy.  The next game up, he was obsessed with me pitching it perfect -- right down the middle.  He basically stuck his bat out and said, "Pitch it right here."  It became more of a game of me trying to hit the bat rather than him trying to hit the ball.  I told him that he had to actually swing the bat himself and do some work.  He pointed and said, "Right here."

Isn't that the way we are with God?  Throw it right here, Father, right down broadway.  We don't want to have to swing.  We want God do to things juuuuust right in our lives so that it requires minimal effort on our part.  But we have to swing.  We have to take steps of faith.  We might have to practice.  We might have to swing and miss a few times.  We might even strike out.  God wants to give us opportunities, but we have to swing the bat.

Don't miss out on what God has in store because you're waiting for the perfect pitch.  Swing the bat at the pitch God has given you right now.  It won't be the last pitch.  Faith is swinging when we're not sure if we're going connect.  Faith is swinging after we missed the last time.  Faith is trusting that God will put the right ball in the right spot at the just the right time we need a home run.  You see, God believes in us.  Believes we can hit it.  Believes in who He created us to be.  God doesn't want to do it alone.  God wants to do it with us, in us and through us.  So swing away.  Trust me...God is a much better pitcher than me.

Because of me

Lord, the Lord Almighty,

    may those who hope in you

    not be disgraced because of me;

God of Israel,

may those who seek you

    not be put to shame because of me.

-Psalm 69:6

What will others seeking God think of God because of me?  It's a staggering thought.  That little verse in Psalm 69 says a lot.  What do people think of God when...

• I'm angry?
• I'm tired?
• I'm frustrated?
• I'm at my whit's end?
• I'm at the gym?
• I'm hungry?
• I'm at the ballpark?
• I make decisions?
• I speak to them?
• I listen or don't listen?
• I have the opportunity to judge?
• I make a mistake?
• I am around people not like me?
• I'm tempted?

One of the chief reasons that people choose to not attend church or give faith a chance is because those who have called themselves Christians have disgraced God by the way they live.  For those of us that call ourselves Christians, this is a challenging passage.  In what ways are we disgracing God?  Are we putting Him to shame?  

Well, I guarantee you that you'll make mistakes.  It's early, and I'm certain I've already made some today.  It's not about perfection.  It's about growing, becoming perfected by the Perfect One, and letting go of our own way of doing things.  Let us give God a good name today because others see Him in us.

14 years and counting

Today is our wedding anniversary.  On March 10, 2001, Emily and I pledged our lives to one another in her home church in North Carolina.  I whisked her to a honeymoon in the islands during my Spring Break in seminary, then we came home to our new life together in Georgia.  Fourteen years, one church plant (and now one church merger) and four boys later and here we are.

We got married one year and four days after we met.  We were engaged in four months (heck, I bought the ring after about two months).  We joke that we could have gotten married the day after we met.  We just...knew.

Emily and I don't have a perfect marriage.  No one does.  Our house is usually a mess with four boys and lifestyles that are simply too busy.  We eat pizza and fast food a little more than we planned.  We don't have enough of that 'quality' time people talk about because we're seemingly running from one thing to the next.  We don't work out enough.  Our finances haven't always been perfectly in order.  But, can I tell you something:  in fourteen years, we've never had one fight.  In fact, I don't think we've ever even raised our voices at one another.  And I am so grateful for this.  Here's why -- we don't sweat the small stuff.

I don't know if it was conscious or not, but we just kind of decided not to nag and complain and berate each other about stupid little stuff.  I'm sure there are things I do that get on her nerves.  I don't hear about them.  I am so proud of the woman she is, the heart she has, and the commitment to Christ that she displays, what's to complain about?  We talk and communicate.  That's a huge part of it, but I think the biggest part is what we don't say.  Never once has Emily made me feel guilty for having to go to a church meeting.  Instead, she's grateful I have a job and get to fulfill my call to ministry.  I think we've spent the better part of 14 years appreciating each other for what we are and not focusing on what we are not.  I think that's why people fight -- they don't like what they are not.  I didn't marry who Emily wasn't; I married who she was.  And I'm so grateful to still be married to who she has become, an incredible woman, godly wife, fantastic mother, and strong spiritual leader.

There is a proverb that says, "A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense" (Prov. 19:11).  My sweet wife has been patient with me for fourteen years for sure, but I deeply believe one of the most powerful practices in marriage is repeatedly overlooking offenses.  Not fighting does not mean not making mistakes.  In fourteen years, we've both made our fair share of those.  I'm sure I've made more:)  Not fighting means choosing to overlook those mistakes and choosing respect and gentleness.  Because of this, she has made every aspect of my life easier than it was fourteen years ago.  I think that's the way it's supposed to be.  I hope it will be that way with you.  Choose to overlook.  Choose to communicate.  Choose respect and gentleness, and and can be.  And pray for my sweet wife.  God bless her for fourteen years with me.

Together

I've been off the blogosphere for a while, as it's been a little hectic lately.  I'm happy to be back, and wanted to share what we've been up to.

On Sunday, March 1, we had a crazy day.  I got to be a part of something that most pastors never get to be a part of - serving as pastor of a merged congregation on launch Sunday.  In fact, I have been a part of three things most pastors never get to be a part of.  I was blessed with the honor of starting a church 10 years ago, and I have been grateful to see that church launch a 2nd campus in Grayson.  Over the last six months, I have had the privilege to lead that church into a merger with a church that has been around for 166 years for a newly merged permanent campus.  Planting a church and merging churches are both crazy endeavors.

There is so much power in merging congregations.  In many ways, it is much like a marriage.  The first few years of marriage you have to find your way a little.  A church merger includes lots of 'finding your way' in the relationship.  It's incredibly complicated.  Merging finances, getting a new name, and combining leadership are actually the easy part.  The hard part is merging cultures.  Whether it's 10 years or 166 years, churches develop ways of doing things.  Just like a marriage, a merged church has to learn how to do things together.

But merging a church is a beautiful thing if God's Spirit is in it.  I am reminded that I have new friends with which to do ministry.  Many of these new friends are already near and dear to my heart.  I would never have known them had we not walked down this path.  They are beautiful disciples of Jesus.  Like a marriage, a merger is an admission that we need each other to be our best, that life was not better alone.  And it's beautiful when it works.  There is great power and beauty when the Body of Christ unites and says, "We are in this together."

I'll admit it's messy.  There is no easy way.  There are bumps and long hours of prayer.  There are hiccups.  Every marriage has them.  You expect it in marriages.  We should expect it in mergers.  But we keep learning.  We learn to be better spouses.  And we learn to be better brothers and sisters in Christ.

And, like a new marriage, their remains the promise of offspring.  When young parents have children, the realize that through the messiness of the early years and the hiccups and the hard work, there are actual humans that wouldn't be here without them being together.  Their love and commitment to one another allowed a little one to be nurtured.  Young parents have a child or adopt a child and realize they have a bigger purpose.  It wasn't just to be together.  It was for the new life that emerged that they are now raising.

That's a church merger.  It's not just being together.  It's not just that together we can be better, pay the bills sooner or be with one another.  It's that together, we can bring new life into relationships with Jesus that we could not have done apart.  Suddenly, we have a new purpose.  This week, my wife and celebrate 14 years of marriage.  At this point, I can't remember life without her.  There was a time, though, in the early years, that I could.  Time and life and welded us together.  I don't even remember me before her.  I think that's how church mergers are supposed to work.  There will come a time when we can hardly remember life apart.  We'll be raising new kids together, and no one will recall there was a time it wasn't like this.  We'll just embrace the present.

That day will be here before we know it.  But it wouldn't happen without the faithful pioneers at Harmony Grove United Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church of the Way.  Somebody had to go through the dating and courtship, pre-marital counseling and wedding.  Somebody had to go through the early years.  I'm so honored to serve the men and women of God who have done just that.  After one whole week, on a Saturday night before our SECOND Sunday together, I find myself more excited than ever about ministry.  I feel like a newlywed.  If you're around the area, I hope you'll come check out what God is doing at Harmony Grove Church of the Way or Gwinnett Church of the Way.  You can get directions and worship times here.