How To Be A Christian Without Being A Jerk

Faith in real life

Category Archives: commentary

a great run!

March 11th, 2009

 

Ryan Watkins, star center Reseda BB, City Champ, boy's friend, my bud

Ryan Watkins, star center Reseda BB, City Champ, boy's friend, bud

 

 

All of our children have gone to Reseda, the public high school for a large part of our ministry area. Kristina graduated in 2007 and David and Gregory are currently juniors. It has been a great school for the kids and the closest community connection Nancy and I have in our day-to-day life. It is important for ministry leaders to be involved significantly in their community as they work on expanding Kingdom and blessing the city. We meet many families and work with many young people we never would have connected with in any other way. It isn’t just strategic, it is exciting!!

Being a great fan of basketball (with a helpful memory filter providing an overestimation of my skills playing high school and a bit of college ball), I have been a great fan of the Regents boy’s basketball team this year. Our own boys played up to this year, but decided to concentrate on just one sport, volleyball, and so attending the games has been purely as a Reseda supporter and not also as a dad. It didn’t matter. It is just as exciting!

As of Saturday, we are the Los Angeles City Champions! First time ever. Our best team prior was with two-time LA City Player of the Year (69, 70), Greg Lee, who went on to star for UCLA and had a brief career in the NBA. But they lost in the city championship in their only finals in 1969.

Not so 40 years later. We defeated University High School, 79-66, on Saturday. Then we quickly moved on into the State championships, and we lost in the second round last night in overtime 93-91, to number one seed, Thousand Oaks. Oh, well… 

It was a great run and I had great fun connecting with the fathers of some of the players, sitting the front row and screaming my encouragement to the referees to use their skills wisely. Something like that. Good job, Regents. You made for an exciting season and congratulations to Coach Keith Higgins!

Adventure in Beverly Hills

March 9th, 2009

As you know, normally I am a short poster, but last week, when I posted on a fundraiser I attended,

my "date," Adam Gregory

my "date," Adam Gregory

I didn’t tell you the whole story…

Generosity Water (www.generositywater.com) is an awesome ministry that came  out of a vision of my friend Philip Wagner, from Oasis Christian Center (www.oasisla.org) in Hollywood. Jordan Wagner, Philip and Holly’s son, is the head of the ministry. They fund and direct the digging of clean water wells in Uganda, Ethiopia, other countries in Africa and Central America. This is the church where I taught the “How To Be A Christian Without Being A Jerk” series. I committed to 10% of the profit from the DVD going to the Generosity Water cause. I had the chance double that so far, last Thursday.

At the fashion show fundraiser in Beverly Hills, I joined Sarah Hankowski, the Generosity Water Coordinator from our church community, her friend Desi, and a whole bunch of people dressed really nice. Actor Adam Gregory (the New Beverly Hills 90210), and Jason Kennedy (E!) were there, and the fashion show designers were “Project Runway” finalists, Jerell Scott and Korto Momulu. It was really cool with international models and all! I even think one of them used “Magnum!”

At the end of the evening, the final event was a live auction for a date with Adam! The bidding took off with many of the young ladies going back and forth.

Then I entered the fray…

Yes, I started a bidding war for a date with Adam! The crowd went nuts with a guy bidding, but come on, this is LA…Anyway, it was down to me and one woman, and we were both focused like a laser beam. In the end I won!

Everyone is roaring and Jason, the MC, asks me, “Where are you going on your date with Adam?”

I said, “O, it’s not for me, it’s for my daughter.”

The place exploded in applause and laughter (and maybe a sigh of relief from Adam!).

Jason asked me how old she is and I said “20.”

Adam said, “I’m 21.”

I am thinking, “What did I just do?”

and

“You’re 21, well I am  215 lbs. and part Russian!”-

No, not really, he is a great guy. I actually had a chance to speak to him before I knew about the auction part, and we talked about the GW ministry, he asked about my connection to the event, and then asked about LIFEhouse, and he shared he was fellowshipping at Dream Center. A gracious young man.

So, the evening ended with many young ladies coming to me and saying,

“You’re the best dad in the world!”

“I wish I had a dad like that!”

…and so on. Just, smiled and ate it up.

I told Kristina and she was thrilled. Here facebook status became,

“Kristina thinks she may have one of the coolest dads ever.”

Oh, well the things we do for our daughters. Except, as I explained to her, with that simple gift to Generosity Water, doing the math of:  The cost of a well, how many people a well services, how many people die in places because of water born illnesses, it comes out to about 25 lives saved with one small gesture (or an expensive arranged date!)

That was a night to remember and I was thrilled to be part of such a great ministry. Sarah, and Tommy Andrews from our church are going with a team from Oasis to check out new projects in Ethiopia in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait to get a report.

Generosity Water fashion show

March 6th, 2009

modelI have never been to a “real” fashion show in my life. I attended one tonight at a benefit for www.generositywater.com, a great ministry I support, that provides wells for clean drinking water in Africa,  Central America, and beyond.

So, I know it is fashion models and all of that, but they have an attitude that is quite interesting. Most have a bit of disdain when they are walking down the runway, as if to say, “Of course I am beautiful, what were you thinking?”

Then to meet them afterward, I was pleased they were so gracious. I even got a picture of a guy (I believe from Italy)  I thought was the type of “hunk” my daughter would appreciate. I didn’t take any pictures of female models because a few people knew me, and “why was I scoping out the babes anyway?  “Oh, well…

freedom in prison

February 19th, 2009

I spent last weekend in “prison” as we did a spiritual retreat at the California Youth Authority facility in Ventura County. About 20 of us from the “outside” and 20 “wards” (we say “stars” Philippians 2:15). When you are hanging out for three days with 18-25 year old men in this environment you realize Jesus is the only one who brings hope and freedom.

That is what you have to share. Hope and freedom from the one who tells the truth.

‘When you connect with me, you are a new creation.”

no mad dogs, but Englishmen (and women)

January 25th, 2009

Spent last week in South Carolina with new friends from 3dministries.com. Originally out of Sheffield, England, an amazing team of faith mentors who are drawing deep from the well. Took a break from the blog, but will have a few things to say this week about the best possible future in the greatest cause in the galaxies: Life in/ with/ under the Trinity.

either way, you decide

January 16th, 2009

Not everyone will agree with a leadership decision you make if it is important enough to bring that tension. If you do it one way there may be criticism. If you do it the opposite way, others will criticize. Ultimately, you decide.

strange signs I have come across: footwashing

January 6th, 2009
sink at Yosemite

sink at Yosemite

I guess if you are hiking, you get big toe jams from your wool socks. Seriously, this is probably due to Muslim visitors following a custom that is observed by some of footwashing as a ritual. Religious discrimination or keeping the sinks from getting gross?

Unless you are doing yoga, I don’t know how you accomplish this anyway.

How To Be A Christian Without Being A Jerk

Faith in real life