Hit me with your best shot

I have learned a hard lesson in the world of cycling and it goes like this, just because you ride a bike doesn’t make us friends! In the past few weeks I have also been learning this same lesson in the world of Church! Just because you know Jesus, this doesn’t make us friends. BOO! I call fail, on my part and every other Christian out there that thinks they are better than a fellow believer. Even more I call out Pastors who think that they are untouchable or better than another pastor. Shame on all of us who are pastors who think they can treat someone like they don’t matter or aren’t worth talking with, due to difference of denomination or size of church or popularity.

If we as the leaders of the church, are going to truly lead the church and reach a broken world, we better think of each other as equals. Paul spent a good bit of his time in chains reaching those far from God, not behind the pulpit masquerading and preaching on what we should do, just to leave the building and stiff the waitress at lunch. How dare we as leaders not make time to get together and pray, even more not reach out to each other for accountability. We speak of grace face to face, but spit words of deceit and damnation behind each others backs. We as leaders of the church need to surrender all we think we hold, our families, our congregation and their tithes, and our popularity race and meet Jesus where we left Him. The foundations of the church are not built upon greed and selfish gain, but love and mercy, remember,  Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and the most important commandment.  The second most important commandment is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.”Matt 22:34-40

We are the church, we should be united, knowing Jesus makes us brothers and sisters, we will not always see eye to eye on everything, but when those who are lost and broken look to the church, they should see a family united and strong and they should desire to belong.

I’ll take the dirt road

I love cycling, all forms, but the dirt and gravel roads speak to my soul. There is nothing like being in the middle of nowhere Florida away from the craziness of traffic and people. I would love to travel the world on dirt roads, but I know that at some point I will have to meet the pavement. Life is like a box of chocolates, just kidding, life is really like the roads we travel. Sometimes we have segments of smooth rolling pavement that flows like a downhill stream, and other days we find that the pavement can be violent with potholes and face climbing mountains and headwinds that seem like they don’t end. Give me either of those days on a bike and I just feel complete.

Now take those same days on a dirt/gravel roads, no matter what you do you are beaten by the unsculpted terrain, but even more complete (at least I feel this way). Most every day I find a way to take the dirt road, it calls to my heart. Some days the dirt road may be hanging out with people who are unmasked and releasing all their pain upon my path, allowing me to travel with them. Other days are like sitting on the side of a rarely traveled mountain road over looking at all that has been accomplished. My rebellious heart is simply quieted by the grace that is provided in all of these moments.