Ephesians 1:20 He (The Father) demonstrated this power in the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His right hand in the heavens— ²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given,not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He put everything under His feet and appointed Him as head over everything for the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of the One who fills all things in every way.

Every now and then an old thought hits you in a new way and shakes you all over again. That is what this passage did for me this morning. The notion that we as the church are to be the expression of the FULLNESS of Jesus, the One who fills all things in every way, just made my heart leap in my chest. It was a literal, physical feeling. Why? Because the world needs Jesus. Because DUKE needs Jesus. And because it is my conviction that if we can reflect His glory accurately then, as Jesus promises will happen if He is lifted up, men and women will be drawn to Him.

But this passage implies an inherent, otherworldly power that, I admit, is rarely associated with the church. But the possibilities for a church or, in my case, campus ministry that can truly fit the bill are beyond comprehension. And isn’t that what we advertise? That the church is the hope of the world, the hands and feet of Jesus still on earth empowered through His Holy Spirit? Isn’t eternity really at stake? Yes it is.

I read a book years ago called The Church of Irresistable Influence that spoke of the Kingdom impact of a church that was willing to ask itself, “If we disappeared, would our community even notice?” That is a sobering question for a Christian leader, one that if asked on the wrong day can lead to despair! Given the deeply emotional task of leading for God, some days we all wonder if we are making a dent for God. But it is a great question to ask if it drives us to prayer, and that is what it is doing for me today.

A pastor I know just posted a quote from the evangelist Billy Graham that’s so simple and powerful I had to comment on it:

“’God is Love’ means that He tries constantly to block your route to destruction.”
- Billy Graham

Love is more than acceptance

This is a statement loaded with truth and implications that challenge modern mindsets. One of the undeniable aspects of modern day faith (and I’m realizing, Christianity) is that love is taken to mean an acceptance of any choice, habit,  or preference as ok. We are taking timeless lines God has drawn in the sand, wiping them out with our feet so that we won’t seem so contrary to culture, and drawing them again after retreating a few steps to less debatable ground.

Don’t we understand how futile this is? Do we understand the life and call of Jesus shows us a love of BOTH us sinners AND the the boundaries we cross? The Biblical narrative is one of boundaries transgressed (not arbitrary preferences, but violations of the very character of God Himself), relationship shattered, sins atoned for and purpose regained. The truth is that if love means everyone is ok and all paths equal then Jesus would have had nothing to suffer and die for.

Don’t call a refusal to believe that there are choices and lifestyles that God is sincerely not ok with “unconditional love.” Call it what it really is: unabashed openness.

Allan Bloom, author of The Closing of the American Mind writes: “Openness – and the relativism that makes it the only plausible stance in the face of various claims to truth and various ways of life and kinds of human beings — is the great insight of our times. The true believer is the real danger. The study of history and of culture teaches that all the world was mad in the past; men always thought they were right, and that led to wars, persecutions, slavery, xenophobia, racism and chauvinism. The point is not to correct the mistakes and really be right; rather it is not to think you are right at all.“

What an accurate depiction of the modern mindset. And in my opinion, it could be applied as a scathing, heart wrenching description of the mindset of many ministers as well.

LOVE DRAWS LINES, not concerning it’s willingness to continue loving, but concerning what is acceptable and healthy for the good of those loved.

Loving someone no matter what does not mean supporting them in every choice they make or path they choose. And yes, though it is emotionally taxing and popularly condemned to make this stand, there are issues concerning which loving people CAN NEVER mean blessing choices. It means loving disagreement. When we live as if that’s not the case we mock the cross and lose our witness.

As I write this I’m thinking of multiple issues in our society. What are your thoughts?

I’ve spent my time today preparing a message I’ll be giving at my home church this weekend. My pastor asked me to speak on the theme of being “Stuck” in our sense of purpose. The more I look at this subject, the more obvious one fact becomes to me: Apart from our Creator, we have no real purpose. Our sense of direction and purpose can only be reliable if there is a greater purpose to life in general.

What this says to me is that PURPOSE is a FAITH issue, meaning that the dreams we have for our lives are only more than sleep delusions if they are in line with the thoughts and plans of the One who has made us.

I’d love your thoughts and/or suggestions. I’m new at this and so the formatting isn’t stellar, but I hope it is clear and intriguing.

I’m experimenting with some video projects for DukeXA, trying to help our presence exceed our current reach. I plan to do these types of videos every Tuesday–and hopefully I’ll get my head in the picture next time. Such a rookie. We can’t go anywhere up with these, but let me know what you think…

“Why do we do the things we do, and who do we do them for?”

That is a question my friend Eli asks himself, the staff, and the students of Chi Alpha at Sam Houston State University on a consistent basis. Personally, I think there is no more important question to ask ourselves on a daily basis.

If you are a student here at Duke then you’re a few weeks in to a whirlwind of a new school year. The issues you balance are by no means purely academic. In addition to papers to write, reading to do and presentations to give, there are social club(s) you’re considering joining and those you may already be in, a romantic relationship you may be trying to balance, and somewhere on that list, I hope, is God who you are seeking to connect with.

Monday night in Chi Alpha I referred to a conversation I had with a friend last week who held up his phone and said “I just look at my calendar and start stressing out.” Does that resonate with you? If so, great time to ask yourself this question:

“Why do I do the things I do, and who do I do them for?”

In my experience of being a student and now having worked with them for 7 years, I have come to believe that only so many pressures in our lives are legitimate. That isn’t saying that those you have are not REAL in terms of their effect on you. I am just saying that there are only so many things that we can be legitimately concerned about and focused on at any given moment.

A key, then, to resizing your schedule is to remember what you are here at Duke to do and where your worth lies (with God and who he made you to be). You do not, I repeat, do not have to prove yourself to be a superstar in every conceivable arena of life.

So what is really important to you? Why? Who are you trying to please in all of this? The first step to getting a grip in life is looking at what it is you are trying to hold onto—and deciding what to let go.

More on that soon.

One of the challenges of leading your own ministry is leading yourself. John Maxwell actually says that though his whole life and career is built on leadership, the man in the mirror has always been his biggest challenge.

I’ve been experiencing this truth in spades during this new season of my life, though today it hits me in a bit of a new way. While traveling and speaking the past few Sundays and working to get Chi Alpha at Duke off the ground during the week, I have found myself refreshed today as I’ve listened to some audio of other ministers. I think it is important, no matter what our callings or giftings within the church we have times where we allow ourselves to be taught or led in some form or fashion.  That “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” is as true for those who are generally in a preaching position as it is for those who generally hear the preaching.

Tony Evans is blessing me today.

Why did God create us? I’ve heard the answer put well before, but perhaps not any better or more succinctly than this:

God is perfectly self-sufficient within the grandeur of His transcendence. He did not create humans in order to give Himself companionship. Quite the opposite: He gave life out of love. –Dr. Gary Bilezikian

THAT was and is God’s motive. Keeping His motives in mind greatly affect how we handle what He allows to come our way in life. Does it with you?

Some 1700 new students from around the world flooded into Duke over the past several days. If you’re one of them, congratulations; you’re in for the time of your life. I remember my first day arriving on my Alma Mater’s campus, wide-eyed with an open mind. I just couldn’t wait to…well, honestly, to meet a hot girl. Those first couple of weeks of class I was dressed my best before finally getting lazy and resorting to the official collegiate uniform of the state university I attended: pajama pants and flip flops.

Flip flops are where it's at.

But of course there is much more to worry about at college than meeting someone hot of the opposite sex. There is also the matter of making friends in general at a new place, and, of course, adjusting to the rather large academic workload of an elite school like Duke. But I won’t be so foolish as to presume that last part is first and foremost on your mind as you enter into week one of class. The relational aspect part of college is actually what will have you feeling at home or wanting to go home by October.

THAT is what is on my mind again as we start Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship at Duke this semester. According to Proverbs, the friends you make, make you. As we hold the first ever meeting of Chi Alpha at Duke this Monday night (Richard White Lecture Hall, 7:30) I have in mind that part of doing something great for Jesus at this campus is very much dependent on being a campus group that has something special among one another. Scripture uses the term “fellowship.” I’d define that as friendships that revolve around a great purpose, something more transcendent than a major or a hobby.

I hope you’ll join us Monday night for a look into what I believe will be an incredible year here at Duke. And perhaps we’ll begin some friendships that will be reflective of an incredible God.