I’m sitting here sippin’ on a cup o’ decaf.

DUNKIN’ DONUTS DECAF.

I’ve had a re-discovery of this delightful place.  DUNKIN’ DONUTS ROCKS!

When I was a kid, every Saturday was DUNKIN’ DONUTS day.  My favorite: Blueberry.  My close second favorite: Double Chocolate donut.  Sooooo good.

Through the years, I’ve dabbled with the CRISPY, CREAMY varieties.  I was on that bandwagon.  I confess it!

When in Boston, Susan and I rediscovered DUNKIN’ DONUTS.  Same donuts – same great taste.  I also stumbled on their COFFEE.  Incredible.

So, I’m back.  I’m in.

What’s my point?

It’s all about the CONTENT.

Bandwagons come and go… It’s all about THE PRODUCT.

If you’re a preacher like me: Keep your heart in the product!  The same good news that’s been preached for over 2,000 years is still relevant today.

Music styles can and should change.

Fashion styles will ebb and flow.

Leadership styles will rise and fall.

Keep your head in the game – It’s ALL about the good news of Jesus Christ!

This past weekend I spoke on the REALITY of hell.  I frequently mention hell in my talks… usually in verbal zingers like:

Hell is hot, heaven is not

or

We are plundering hell and populating heaven

But, I took the entire weekend to talk about the sobering reality of hell.  The craziest part of the talk was its CONTEXT… in the middle of a series about the GOOD NEWS of the gospel (KICKS)!!!

Why would I do this?  Am I sadistic?  Do I get a kick out of others being damned?

Here are a few reasons why I was COMPELLED to preach on hell:

• Jesus spoke about hell… a lot.
• I must be more concerned about God’s approval than the favor of friends.
• Where the Bible is clear, I must be clear… The reality of hell is clear.
• I didn’t want to.  This exposed a thread of ‘people pleasing’ in me that I had to PREACH through in order to have integrity with God.
• Recognizing the reality of hell builds health in the person and in the church.
• Sometimes to get to the GOOD NEWS you have to STARE DOWN the BAD NEWS.
• We must have an URGENCY at Keystone to reach those far from God.

The result: Major momentum coming out of the weekend.

One first time guest approached me afterward and blew my mind!  He was initially put off by the topic and resigned to just ‘get through’ the talk.  Yet, as he listened, God spoke to him in a powerful way.  His compassion for others was renewed and his determination to make a difference was ignited!  Good news for sure!

Don’t pick and choose the verses in the Bible you like… Face the hard truths and they just might release you to your potential!

This past weekend, my good friend Trey Kelly spoke at Keystone Church.  I’m truly THRILLED for him to speak.  He was on our staff from the beginning and only a couple of years ago started Wellspring Church, our first church plant.

This will mark 5 of 6 weekends I have not spoken.  I can read the thought bubbles now:

• “Doesn’t he like to speak?”
• “Does he care about Keystone?”
• “Won’t his absence kill the momentum of the church?”
• “That’s just weird!  I’ve never had a pastor be off the stage that long!”

I have been so pleased with the time away…

• I LOVE to speak… We calculated that I have spoken at least 100 times since January
• I care SO MUCH about the church to stay fresh, creative, well-read and mentally sharp.  I also care so much that I want them to worship Jesus, not me!
• The M.O. of Keystone has THRIVED this summer!  It’s been record-breaking!  July 4th weekend (usually a ghost town in churches) we were 35% above last holiday weekend!
• I’ve never claimed to be normal… I am weird – we are weird!

Now a window into my world… This has been less of a BREAK, more of a BEGINNING!  While on a preaching break, I have been BUSY with the vision and leadership of this church.  I have been able to invest valuable time and energy in our FUTURE!

I love being part of a church that loves me enough to miss me.  That’s cool, and I truly appreciate your appreciation!  Let’s celebrate the small breaks that initiate new beginnings!!!

I am astounded at the heights of creativity reached during the Easter season. At Keystone, I was stunned at the beauty and impact of imagination and art.  I watched as tears flowed and people literally jumped out of their seats… before the message had even been presented.

The occassion of celebrating our Savior’s epic resurrection should bring out the best in all of us.  Shouldn’t this season surrounding Easter be the most unifying, encouraging season for the church?

Yet, I was so disappointed with some of the chatter across the blogospheres and social media waves attacking the methods and the character of churches & pastors who leveraged creativity to maximize life change.

Some of the sentiments…

These churches take away from the gospel
It’s silliness and we don’t need it
Enough Hollywood stuff
This stuff takes away from the gospel and even nullifies it
Just preach it… this stuff takes away from it

I’m stunned. I’m so greived that I must speak out and attempt to offer a CASE for CREATIVITY.  Perhaps we just need a little nuance and it will aid us in fulfilling Jesus’ prayer before he died:

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:12,13,14,17 NLT)

CREATIVITY & BEAUTY is a MANDATE, not an OPTION…

• God initiates beauty in the Garden & gives us a MANDATE to do the same
• The temple is not a sparse, cheap, duct-tape-on-the-carpet, bland building… God deserves better than our easiest & worst
• God’s vision of new creation is full of color, celebration, eating, and FUN
• Proverbial ‘LADY WISDOM’ danced with God as he painted creation into existence (Proverbs 8:27ff)

The BIBLE itself affirms creativity…

• There is an entire block of scripture written creatively, designed to tell stories and paint pictures that HIT the heart.  the only books in the OT without any poetry are Leviticus, Ruth, Esther, Haggai, and Malachi (Hebrew poetry & wisdom literature).
• When challenged by the ‘religious experts’ Jesus would often tell a story rather than debate on academic points (see Luke 10:30ff)
• Paul was INNOVATIVE when reaching the lost…Leveraging culture in order to CONNECT (Acts 17)

HUMOR IS BIBLICAL…

• Ecclesiastes 3:4 – a time to laugh
• “Jesus was a master of wordplay, irony & satire, often with an element of humor intermixed (Dict. of Bib. Imag, 410).”
• Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye. (Luke 6:42)
• The Old Testament is RIDDLED with situational comedy, satire, and comical characters

SUMMARY: Let’s all chill.  Relax.  Laugh!  Create!  Preach!  Win!