We're moving...the Blog I mean!

Hey Everyone,

In case you haven't heard yet us crazy Heerebouts have launched our new website (thanks to Advanced Ministry!). You can find us over at www.luvisaverb.com . Please update you RSS readers as this site is going dark for the sake of that one. Thanks for coming along on this part of the journey....I hope you'll join us for the next chapter!

I love Lincoln Brewster...

Check this out...Linc has some great words for those of us trying to determine how to be artists and worshippers at the same time:

I love the WLA Arts Team

For many reasons. Right now...because you're generous! My wife sent an email out last week calling for anyone who could help with a few dollars to fix someone's washing machine. And do you know what happened? We've got enough to buy a whole new washing machine! Awesome! Praise the Lord - the glory is His!

Put up or....

I read this verse in Proverbs this morning: "many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?" I kind of feel God saying to me "Tim - don't talk about how much you love me; be faithful to love me". 

Acting in love is way harder than saying I love something. I mean don't words just roll off our tongues so easily? But ask someone to act on what they say and the ante has just gone way up. People fold at that point. The stakes are too high and they're not willing to go the distance.

Those of us who claim to love and follow Christ need to set a radically high bar for faithfulness. I want to be faithful and I hope you do too. Let's put up, ok?

Less is More

In God's economy less is often more. How many warnings are given to rich people? A lot. Those of us who have much are in danger of being tricked into a life of comfort that might seem like blessing but is actually inhibiting us from trusting God for everything. 

Over the past few weeks we've purged some 40 boxes of "stuff" from our old house and moved into a basement suite for a time. I suppose that might look like a step backwards...back to a time like when we first got married and had nothing. In my mind...it's a giant leap forward. We're letting go of "stuff" and holding on to Jesus. Our lives are being changed... the less we have the more we see Jesus providing and taking care of us. I'm really grateful for this change in our lives and for what it represents. I pray God will continue to show us more as we live with less.

Cool off

This post is directed specifically towards guys. I've been reading one Proverb every morning along with my other bible readings. I figured I would start to take seriously the command to "get wisdom" (Prov 4:5) and since Solomon is called the wisest man who ever lived and Proverbs is his instructions on wisdom it made sense to add this as part of my daily routine.

This morning I was reading in chapter 17 and in verse 27 is says "...and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding". I write this to men because I'm pretty sure having a cool spirit is one of those things men struggle with more than ladies. We tend to get mad quickly, don't we? Is it just me? Are you also one of the people who allow yourself to let the smallest things annoy you? Someone does something you don't like and all of a sudden you're in a rage? Or perhaps someone cuts you off on the road - what's your reaction? What's your wife's reaction? Let's not enter into the arena of sports... one only needs to reference church hockey and the argument would be over.

Men, if we're going to be wise, if we are going to get wisdom and understanding, we need to be of cooler heads. We need the Holy Spirit to work in us to control our tempers and make us into the kinds of leaders in our houses, communities, and churches that he means for us to be. I'll be praying for you as I pray for myself. 

Keep your stick on the ice.

Be quiet...listen

I've been reading through Proverbs lately. This morning I read chapter 15. There was a big, resounding message in there for me, hold your tongue and listen to people wiser than you. It likely doesn't surprise many people this is difficult for me. It however has been a reoccurring message for me this past 6 months. Slowly I'm getting it. Slowly. 

I need Routine

I've been neglecting the natural rhythms of life lately. The things I hold on to as anchors have been missing and I can see the effects. So, I'm going to start blogging again, even though I didn't mean to quite yet, because it's good for me. I hope some people read it but mostly I hope it helps to re-center me.

The silence

I've gone largely silent lately. We've been really busy and there has been little time for blogging. I plan on getting back to it soon... probably later in the week. For now I just wanted to put a place holder up and let people know the silence isn't forever :) 

A little help from our friends...

King David had awesome friends. Second Samuel chapter 19 gives us all a reminder of friends we should aspire to have:

Joab: the kick you in the pants and tell it like it is friend. King David has just defeated Absalom, his son. It's the ultimate bittersweet moment. He gets the kingdom back and wins a great victory and his son dies. David weeps and mourns for Absalom - as he should. But in doing so David disses all of the men who risked and gave their lives on his behalf. Joab sees this and gives David the whatfor for the sake of those men who are now upset and confused by David's behavior. Do you have a friend who has the guts and perceptivity to kick you in the butt when you've wronged someone?

Mephisbosheth: the "I was so worried about you I didn't shower or shave for weeks" friend. Can you imagine having a friend so in love with you that when he or she knows times are bad for you they literally forget about themselves and focus exclusively on you? 

Barzillai: the selfless friend. Barzillai is 80 years old. He wins the right to accompany David back and live in his court. Being so old he realizes that this blessing will be short lived at best - he can't take full advantage of it. He decides to ask David if his friend Chimham can take his place. WOW! In our individualistic society such acts of self denial and blessing are almost unheard of. This would be like a friend of yours getting tickets to game 7 of the Cup finals and realizing he can only go for two periods and instead of wasting the last period he gives the tickets to you - center ice, 3rd row (so the bench doesn't block your view). 

Now comes the tough question: If I don't have people like this in my life, why not? How do I need to change to acquire such valuable relationships? It probably has something to do with becoming this sort of friend first.

That Mountainous Sermon

Just finished reading Matthew 5. You know the chapter, right? The first part of the sermon on the mount. The part of this chapter that gets me starts at verse 21. You know this is where Jesus takes the law that we (people) were unable to keep and then steps it up another level...or 7 (since that's the number of levels God would most likely step something up...that or 40). 

Jesus says "whoever is angry with his brother is liable to judgement". What? Seriously? At this point people are likely to say "but there's grace....God knows we can't live up to that standard. Whew...thank goodness for grace". 

And then I wonder...is that really how God wants us to think about the words of Jesus? Is grace supposed to be a scapegoat for not really trying very hard? Or was he serious about making our standards so high that we'd seem somewhat off kilter to try and achieve them? I tend to think off kilter is where God wants us to be. At least, off of the kilter this messed up world and society is on. I'm pretty sure this is what Paul meant when he called us to be like the aliens and strangers talked about in Hebrews 11. People who, by faith, did the impossible and brought great glory to God. I think sometimes we look on those people and think "but those are the superheros of the faith...I can't be like them". Again I wonder if that's really how God means for us to read those stories or whether they are there to encourage and inspire us to trust that God can do in us the seemingly impossible to bring glory unto himself. 

God's plan for us is to call us to a radically different, off kilter standard and to glorify himself through aliens. It's true, only by grace may we enter into all he has for us, but let's not make grace a scapegoat for living less radically than God means and diminishing the role we can play in bringing glory to his name by taking the easy way out.  

Does anyone have $61,000?

According to a study in 2006 $61,000 USD is what you need to have in personal assets to be counted in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world. I'd guess that most of the people I know qualify (this is the value of all the goods you own, your house, car, savings, RRSP's etc). I think I'm one of the worlds 10% wealthiest individuals. That can make me feel pretty good given what most people consider to be success. Then I read 1 John 3:17

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" - Good question John.

Alan Hirsch says in "The Forgotten Ways" that (paraphrase) the false religion that most needs to be spoken against in the West is that of consumerism.  I agree. Consumerism is killing our churches, families, souls and minds every day. Many people have exchanged God's economy for the world's, myself included. 

It's so difficult to know how to break out of the cycle. I am praying that we all are increasingly made aware of the needs around us and freed from the desire of things so that God might continue to work in us, making us fit for the the calling of his Children and ambassador's to this broken world and consumerist culture. 

These Sandals were made for walkin' (in)

You know the poem "Footprints"? Of course  you do. It's an inspirational image of how God is always with us and how he carries us through some of life's hardest times. I think someone should write a sequel.

I'm reading from 1 John right now and in chapter 2 John says "anyone who says he abides in him ought to walk the same way in which he walked". Can you see the footprints in the sand, stretching out across the beach? This time they're not an image of your life and God's faithfulness - this time they're calling you to a life of witness, self-sacrifice, influence for the sake of the cross, adventure and danger. The path probably looks like to goes right over the edge of a cliff or into the turbulent waters of the ocean in the midst of a storm. Even so the image calls you forward...

I want to live this life. Wherever the footprints of Christ lead me, however the cause me to live, I want to walk in them, mimicking the pattern they've left as closely as possible. Not only that, but I want my life to be spent in encouraging as many people as I can to follow with a similar reckless abandon. Consider this one of many invitations to get on the path and follow the footprints.

Would you Appeal to Caesar? (Acts 26)

I've always been fascinated by this story. So here is Paul, likely able to go free and he instead chooses to appeal to Caesar. He knows God has work for him in Rome. His choice will likely lead to imprisonment and/or death for wasting Caesar's time but he obeys. It's one of the ultimate examples of self sacrifice for the sake of the gospel. It's an example we should all follow. The question to ask ourselves is - would we?

God is unbelievable.

God is simply unbelievable...unless you are experiencing his power first hand. I am. I am overwhelmed by his kindness and provision in my life. More to come.

Grace

In light of the mercy of Christ shouldn't we all be filled with grace? Far too often I find myself ready to lash out at someone because they're "in the wrong" and want to fix them. 

God does the fixing and we are called to do the loving.

That doesn't mean we don't encourage and at times rebuke but it does mean that if I'm doing it to make myself feel better or to vindicate myself then I'm not showing grace. 

I can't judge anyone's motives but my own. I know I fail at this often and I know I want to stop failing at it. True spiritual growth comes when we stop trying to fix each other and we let God do the fixing.

Answered Prayers

God answers prayer. How do I know? Let me tell you a story and then I'll tell you what my prayer was.

This morning I met a friend at a coffee shop in St. Thomas. I arrived a bit early and sat down in close proximity to another man who was intently watching TV. As I pulled out a book he began talking to me. I was happy to talk with him while I waited and we quickly got to the business of what I did for a living. I told him that I worked at a church (I don't always lead with that... it's become a matter of discernment but it felt right today) and I could tell that made him a bit uncomfortable. We continued to talk and then my friend came and so we ended the conversation and I turned my attention to my friend. 

The new conversation quickly got to church stuff and about 5 minutes in I made this comment: "God is in control of everything". My new friend, who I discovered is called George, asked if we really believed that. The following 40 minutes were an intense spiritual conversation with a highly skeptical, been there done that, guy who is a practicing homosexual. He started off highly offensive and then calmed as he began to realize I wasn't going to bash him or call him out but simply wanted to admit some of the faults of those who claim to follow Christ but really don't and find out what he believed about God. All in all, it was a very productive conversation.

Yesterday I asked for prayer 2 separate times that God would give me opportunities to actively engage in evangelism. He answers prayer... now I'm going to pray God would let me cross paths with George again and continue the work we started. Praise God!

Some thoughts on "Missional" church

I'll admit that the whole "missional" church movement holds some appeal for me. Maybe it's just the thought that a whole church could be built on the mission of Jesus and it's central purpose be the mobilize its members to fulfill that mission or perhaps its the newness of it but there is a certain amount of appeal to the whole thing. 

To learn more about the movement I've been reading a book by Alan Hirsch called "The Forgotten Ways". So far I've only read the first 2 chapters (plus foreword and introduction) but I'm picking up on Alan's main assertion that the church needs to get back to a system much more akin to the early church than to the religious system we've come to depend on. In this I am not sure he's entirely wrong but so far I've got at least one problem with us reverting to a "house church" mentality. 

The cultural context of the first century church was vastly different than ours. I think it's wrong to assume that we could simply look at how the early church grew and apply it to the 21st century and see the same results. Alan would point to the church in China as an example of this system working in the modern world. Again, totally different cultural context. I don't know that loosely organized house churches are the best result of a radical rethinking of the church. 

I think that the church in North America does need to begin to think much more like missionaries in a foreign culture than it currently does. If we fail to recognize that this culture is vastly different from the one inside the walls of the church and we don't begin to come to them instead of insisting that they come to us we will fail to be all that we can be by God's power. God's kingdom does need people with the courage to try new things on behalf of the kingdom. There's just something about house church that doesn't jive with me and I can't see jiving with a number of other people in our society - even those who aren't church people.

No matter the cost...

In Acts chapter 21 the apostle Paul is warned by a prophet that he will be bound and imprisoned if he continues on to Jerusalem. Paul's friends try to dissuade him from going but Paul, sure of his call, goes anyhow. And what happens... Paul gets bound and put in prison.

The more I read the bible with my eyes wide open the more I believe there is no such thing as a good theology that promises safety. When God calls us out to follow Him it's far more likely that we'll encounter suffering than safety. The question I'm asking myself these days is why does my life seem so safe if I'm really following God?

Innocent or not?

Sometimes I stumble across a verse in the bible that completely blows me over. Yesterday once such occurrence happened. I've been reading through the book of Acts lately and trying to really pay attention to what is said, believing the things described and said in the book of Acts is a real example of how we as Christians should live in the context of the church and not just some amazing things that happened in the life of the early church. 

So in the context of really paying attention I ran across this verse:

"Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of your blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole council of God." - 20:26,27

And then it hit me - if Paul was innocent of their blood because he had been faithful to preach the gospel, aren't we going to be held accountable for those to whom we did not preach the gospel? 

Maybe it's easy to think that this accountability only applies to preachers or teachers. I mean Paul was quoting Ezekiel who meant the verse to apply to prophets, right? Well yes but I think when we learned that there is now a "priesthood of the saints" that the communication of the gospel became all of our responsibility. It's probably true that not all of us have the same number of people we're responsible to communicate the gospel to but I'm quite sure we all have a responsibility. 

So the question we need to ask is are we innocent of the blood of those we're going to be held accountable for? I'm sure I have more people I need to share the whole gospel with.

#5 Service

It seems every few years the church looks for ways to reinvent itself. Personally I think its necessary and will be something we need to do more often as culture continues to shift and change at an increasingly rapid pace. 

At the same time we often shift away from things that we should always be doing and then God reminds us, often through the cry of the culture, that we need to return to a biblical mindset on the mandate of the church. Once upon a time the church was the main vehicle for addressing issues of social justice, poverty and brokenness. The evangelical church especially has abdicated it's role in showing the mercy of Christ to the world through community service and tangible love. 

People are becoming more and more aware of the problems around them and they're wondering... is the church going to rise to the challenge of addressing these issues? Are these people who say they follow Christ going to get serious about this part of the gospel. A friend of mine who teaches sociology of religion at the university level thinks this is the primary way in which the church can and should grow in the immediate future.

God has really gripped my heart in the past couple of years for addressing the needs of the marginalized and broken. It's sad that it has taken me 2 years to really take action but by God's grace I want 2009 to be the year of change in my own life, that more of my time would be spent serving those people who need it most whether through partnerships with groups like YFC (tonight is my first night working on the bus) or through short term missions I want to be addressing the needs and encouraging others to do all they can (ALL they can) to do the same. 

What do you think of my friend's opinion? How vital is it for the church to address these issues? Do you think it will really lead to a greater ability for us to share the gospel and get in on the work God is doing in our friend's lives? 

Also, I'd love to know what any of you are doing to serve the poor these days? I know many WLA small groups do service projects on occasion... is anyone doing things up and beyond those opportunities?

read this

and tell me what you think. It was written by Mark Batterson of National Community Church fame on his blog evotional.com:

I think the modern church has fixated on sins of commission. Don't do this and don't do that and you're alright. But that's not alright. Why? Because goodness is not the absence of badness. You can do nothing wrong and still do nothing right. That is why we're more known for what we're against than what we're for. Christianity was never intended to be a noun. It was meant to be a verb. It is sins of omission, those things we could have, would have, or should have done for the cause of Christ, that grieve our Heavenly Father. We've got to quit playing defense and start playing offense. We need to quit fighting amongst ourselves and start loving our enemies. We need to quit pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Discipleship is so much more than the accumulation of rote knowledge. It's a sanctified imagination that dreams God-sized dreams. It is a heart that breaks for the things that break the heart of God. It's not enough to create our own sub-culture. We desperately need to raise up a generation that feels called to culture-shaping professions as God-ordained vocations. We cannot reduce the gospel to the forgiveness of sins. It's about glorifying God by maximizing our God-given potential and serving our God-ordained purpose. It can't just be about creeds. It's got to be about deeds. It can't just be about us. It's got to be about others. We need the courage to stand up for what's right in a culture where nothing is wrong. But we need to do it in a spirit of humility. We need the courage to incarnate the gospel in creative ways. But we need to do it in a spirit of authenticity. And we need the courage to preach the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. But we need to do it in a spirit of grace.

This pretty much sums up where I am these days.

Personal Evangelism pt.2

I wanted to add to this post 2 ways this is working out in my life.

1. Back in November I decided to act on inspiration from Pastor Mike and start running with lost people. He stole the idea from Bill Hybels so I think it's ok that I copied him. I started running on Saturday mornings and have recently (like this week) decided to make it Wed and Sat runs that I'll do with them. I hope in doing so I'll earn the right to tell them about Jesus.

2. Melissa, Layla, and I are going to be serving with the YFC Streetlight ministry on Tuesday evenings. The critical part of this for me was that we had to choose not to take part 2 of the most helpful parenting class ever, with 2 families we've come to love, in order to get started in this ministry. We decided that the content is accessible at home and the fellowship could be had at some other time. This specific time of the week we want to set aside to serve the poor and speak about Jesus to others.

Maybe those ideas inspire you. Maybe not. I'd encourage you though, come up with your own ways of spending time with the lost. One thought I've been pondering lately, inspired by Francis Chan, is this: maybe we should take literally the call to "love you neighbor as yourself". Maybe that doesn't sound like it fits so let me explain my thought here. See, I am a member of the body of Christ. I'm supposed to be of one mind and spirit with those who are members of my church. In many ways loving them is like loving myself... or should be... or is when everyone is working from a biblical mindset ;) So if loving the church is mostly like loving myself then loving my neighbor becomes much more about loving those outside the church. What if I took that literally? Spend as much time loving the lost as you doing loving those in the church? What would that look like? Could I do it? It seems to me worth trying, even if I don't split things 50/50 I bet by trying I'd be closer to God's design than I am now...

#4 Personal Evangelism

Here's the deal. I firmly believe that all Christians should be actively engaged in personal evangelism. Spending time with people who don't acknowledge Jesus as Lord with the intention of sharing the Good News with them and helping them come to faith. It should be as essential as reading the Word. You can not convince me that evangelism is the responsibility of the few. It is the responsibility of the many.

Here's the problem: me. I believe it in my heart and then choose not to act. How many of us are in that boat when it comes to engaging in the mission of Jesus? we believe it with our minds and live "the faith" without acting "in faith"?

Here's the solution: me... and you! In 2009 I pledge to significantly reprioritize my free time to spend with those who are far from God. I am going to seek opportunities to be with people who don't know the joy, hope and love of Jesus and ask God boldly to work on my behalf while I'm in their midst. I am going to seek to be a man after God's heart, willing to share his story with people and serve those who must be served by the members of the Church. I know this will mean some tough choices... choosing to spend time with people I barely know before those I know and love deeply. I hope they will understand. By the grace and power of God I hope to deepen my impact for the expansion of his Kingdom AND the deepening of the fellowship of His saints.

#3 Investment

It's late but I wanted to write this today. I've become convinced that the greatest thing I can do with my life is to make sure other people are successful and reach their potential. In 2009, I want to spend the majority of my time investing in other people, helping them to reach their God -given potential. I've come to understand the doctrine of Imago Dei differently and my role as a leader completely differently. I won't go into a long discourse right now as I plan on talking about this at a meeting on January 31st and so don't want to steal my own thunder but suffice to say God has placed on my heart this passion and I want to take it as serious as anything in my life.

#2 Intentionality

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." James 4:13-14

I am a futurist. That is to say I'm always thinking about what is coming down the pipe. I embrace this part of who I am and believe it's a gift God has given me that I need to use. It also can get me into trouble. Sometimes by looking into the future I miss the magic of the moment I'm living. This happens to me when I forget to be intentional about every moment of life and not just the ones that look into the future.

James tells us that our life is a mist. Not exactly an inspiring thought in some respects is it? I know it's meant for the increase of our humility and I want to embrace that and yet it also puts into me a sense of urgency. Every moment counts. If life is a mist then moments are the particles of moisture that make up that mist. The sun is rising and the moisture is constantly being burned away. Soon the mist will be gone.

I think each particle of moisture can be used to water something - to give life to someone or something. The moisture is given to us to use before it burns away. It's entrusted to us. My fear is that my moisture is being burned up before I get to use it for growth.

If I'm intentional - if I look for the divine opportunity in every moment and see God's given opportunity to invest my moisture in something every moment of every day then I believe my life will count. The vapor created as my life burns away will be more akin to a fragrant offering unto God then steam rising from a kettle that no one is watching boil.

I want every moment of 2009 to be used intentionally. Every action. Every ministry focus. Every time I spend resting or playing with my daughter or loving my wife. My prayer for 2009 is that it is a year characterized by intentionality.

#1 Generosity

So begins my week of posts on my goals for 2009:

Let's be clear about something: Heerebout is a dutch name. If there is one thing the dutch are famous for it is how cheap we are. In fact last night I was at a certain watering hole with my friend Andrew VanderPloeg, who is also dutch, in fact Big Dutch is the nickname I gave him, and while reaching for something in my pocket a penny dropped onto the floor. I was inclined to let the penny go whilst appearing not to care by my comment "it's only a penny" but Andrew, truer to his heritage than I, felt a sense of loss as he watched the penny role away and in his own defense said "yeah, but I'm dutch". Every penny counts.

Added to my personal pedigree is a good dose of Scottish blood from my mother's side. The Scots aren't exactly known for burning money either.

All of this adds up to a man who has a tight string on his coin purse.

Then there is Jesus and his teachings. I know in my heart that God desires his followers to be the most generous people on the planet. He is honored when we give deeply and with Joy.

I have two heroes when it comes to giving. My wife and my mother-in-law. They give without hesitation and love to do so. It's their language of love to others. They challenge my dutchness constantly. I see the values of Jesus embodied in their gifts and sacrifices. It was Mel's idea for us to leave a huge amount of things in Cuba as a gift to our housekeeper. It was Karen (MIL) who gave us money to buy things for the kids we'd encounter in Cuba. Leaving our clothes and shoes in our room in a neat pile with a thank-you note and giving that duffle bag of toys to a house church who could get them out to needy kids are likely the two memories that will stick with me longest from our trip. The joy of the Lord was felt in my heart as we gave.

So my first goal for 2009 is to become more generous. Not so I can keep up with my wife or so I look like a good person but so that I am not one of the rich men who can't fit through to eye of a needle. So that God is honored as I seek to give more things away. So that I can experience the full joy God means for my life to have.

To get set up for next week...

If you happen to read the blog recently I'd encourage you... listen to the song "The Way I was Made" by Chris Tomlin. It kind of hit me how much like my New Year's goals the lyrics are. I'm going to share with you my 5 goals for 2009 next week.

So I lied...

Actually I simply did not know the truth. Upon arriving at our hotel I discovered that they did not have wireless internet access... just by the hour internet at the low low price of 10 pesos (roughly 12 CND) per hour! So I resorted to checking email quickly and tweeting. In any case we had a great week. I'll be sure to get back and blog some of my thoughts as time permits. Cuba is a very interesting country, what with a communist government and their history with the former Soviet Union. I got the chance to spend time in Havana on Sunday with some "workers" who I know there and we visited 2 house churches as well as got a guided tour of the city. As is always the case there are great needs. More to come.

Viva la Vacation!

Well we're just about packed and ready to head to Cuba for vacation. I'm looking forward to a week of time with my girls and time to dream and plan for this coming year. I hope everyone has a great time. I'm planning on blogging, Tweeting, and Facebooking regularly although it will be musch more frivolous content than usual. Just to give you a perspective, here is a shot of our hotel pool...

A stream of thought to begin the year...

God, in your image we've been created
Men, Women, all of us
IN YOUR IMAGE

I pray that your children
Will see
See ALL of your children

See potential and beauty
Love the seemingly unlovely
There is something of you in everyone

Every person can become amazing
Our worth is found in you
Children are a product of their parents

You are our Father
You've shown us your desires
Your young children learn from your oldest Son

Will we obey
Follow
Abandon
Innovate
Create
Become
merciful
sacrificial
LOVE