What is AIM?

Last week we were at camp in the Altus, OK. area, it was fun time and I believe that some lives were touched with the gospel. Several young people came to me and asked about the AIM program. Many of you who read this blog are my friends because of AIM and I ask you to briefly share your experience with potential future AIMers.
AIM which is acronym for Adventures in Missions was formed as tool for high school graduates to be prepared for and participate in missions around the world. The program has evolved from the early days. Those interested in AIM are usually between the ages of 18-mid twenties, though there have been many wonderful exceptions.
This is how it works: you move to Lubbock for 8 months and study the Bible as well as other practical aspects of mission work. You are then placed on a team of people, with whom you can work and then sent to a place you have expressed interest in. These places range from New York to New Zealand and all places in between. While on the mission field you and your team will assist the missionary effort in whatever needs to be done. Sometimes you will scrub toilets, sometimes you will study the gospel with someone. After a year to two years you come home and go to college or go to work but you will forever be changed. You can read more about AIM on there website http://www.aimsunset.org/.
My experience with AIM is not unique but it helps show what many of us have had the opportunity to experience. I was taught the gospel by a friend in high school and shortly after I began to develop an interest in ministry. I had no desire, at the time, to do anything other than stay at home and raise cattle and chickens. (Yeehaw...bock bock) My youth minister told me that I should consider going to preacher's school. I thought you have to go to school to learn how to act like a dufus. Needless to say I was not interested. Then I heard of a young lady from my congregation who went to the AIM program, I inquired, I became interested and I decided I would go. I didn't know what I was getting into but I wanted to serve the Lord and thought this might help. I moved to Lubbock. I remember the drive well; lots of DP, lots of Tom Petty and lots of time to think about what I was doing. Got to Lubbock and met my roommate, he was a Mexican. I had never been around anyone other than people who looked, acted, and tawlked just like me. Then we had our first class assembly. Some of the people in that group were odd, some sounded like my Monty Python videos, surely the church didn't reach that far. Classes started and I must admit I thought I already knew everything so for the first couple of weeks I didn't learn much. But then something happened, slowly God began to peel layers of selfishness, racism, close mindedness, and unfaithfulness away from my heart. I began to see that the gospel is needed everywhere and we must be willing to die in order to make it happen. Well I formed some friendships and my team was formed. I was on a team with four people. There was me, Travis the Canadian hockey stud, Hannah from England and Katie from Hawley, TX. Katie and I were the most alike but we all formed a friendship that has changed who I am. We went to Ecuador, first to Cuenca for about a year and then Quito for a little under a year. We saw things I can not describe, we witnessed the power of God in a culture foreign to all of us. Most of all God changed us. I haven's talked to many of teammates in quite sometime but I think of them often, I have picture of us four above my PC. We are normal people. AIM was the single best move I have ever made. I have gone through a few degrees, Sunset, grad school and all that. If I had to choose just one it would be AIM, no question. I wish I could explain what the program did for me, I simply can't. I share this for those of you have been through the program and for those of you who are thinking about it. If you want the opportunity to molded in a wonderful way consider AIM. The congregation where I serve as minister has AIM groups come up every year. As I watch them I am excited to know that their world is fixing to be rocked by God. If you want to be, or have been, a part of AIM please share your story. Peace.

I love my wife.

In my early twenties I desperately wanted to be married. Relationships failed and I found myself alone while all of my friends seemed to be getting married. It wasn't that I didn't have friends, I did, but because I am not a very gregarious person I didn't have many and I only had one or two that I shared everything with. When I met Jennifer we were working at a gym in Lubbock. I invited her to go out with me and some friends one Saturday night, it was a lot of fun. Jennifer and I started dating soon after. She was struck by my boyish good looks and irresistible charm. I remember we spent a lot of time together, she was at my apartment or I was at her house, we were always together. I remember one time I went to Arkansas and the night before Jennifer told me she could never marry me. I hadn't asked but, we both knew that the relationship was fixing to either get serious or die. I was hurt. I thought that past relationship history would repeat itself. When I returned I hadn't shaved in a week, I was dressed like a hick and for the first time Jennifer saw the real me. She told me later that she fell in love with me then. Which leads me to the reason I write this post. I love being married. I am often misunderstood, people assume to know much about you when you are in the public eye. Usually the assumption are false. Jennifer really knows me. She knows what makes me mad, what excites me, she knows my struggles, she knows those things about me that most people can't tolerate. I never find myself feeling insufficient or insecure when I am with Jennifer, I can just be me. The real me is not something most people think is right for a preacher (I would like to say why this is both logically and theologically flawed but this is about my wife). Jennifer is the most compassionate and devoted wife and Christian I know. I know that all good men say great things about their wives but I mean it. If there has been one constant in my life it has been the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of my life Jennifer. There is no better earthly relationship than the one I have with my wife. People sometimes ask me about the Ephesian view of the family "...wives submit....husbands love..." This is in not problematic when you love your wife as Christ loves the church. Jennifer and I both know who the head of the house is and I know who I am to die for should the day come. Often the imbalance is created from a lack of love, you will serve and love the Lord with whom you have fallen in love. As well, you will serve and love the Lord who has fallen in love with you. I wont say our marriage is perfect but it is the best one I know of, as it should be. We love each other. I love being married.

Theology of Evan Almighty

I have no problem whatsoever with fun, or fun movies. I have not seen Evan Almighty, by the way it's spelled Eben, but I have seen Bruce Almighty and I had no theological or existential breakdown because of the movie. I realized that it was a movie. Just a movie. The same applies to any other movie that takes a Biblical theme and dramatizes it for fun. We have been doing the same thing in our VBS for years, and many times the more accurate version is hard to distinguish. What does concern me though is that few people are reading their Bibles and more often are relying upon secondary mediums to form their view of God. I don't know what God or Noah look like, they may look like Steven Carrel and Morgan Freeman, but I do know that there were not a ton of people in the boat with Noah, as the previews indicate. However, it is safe and culturally acceptable to imagine a God who would never wipe everyone out. Why do I say this? I believe that far too often our view of God comes from something we wish was true, rather than looking at the truth. This has infested my mind and I have found myself defending the god I created based on what I hoped was true, rather than living for the True and Living God. Though we are to make the gospel appeal to the culture we now live in, rather than continuing like we live 50 years ago, the gospel should not change as the means should change.

The most fulfilling and substantive spirituality is one that is built upon a true and healthy view of God. Though we will never understand Him he reveals parts of Himself to us as we need it, and at times when we want it. Crave the pure spiritual milk...

What do you think? Do you think that movies and other forms of entertainment can lead to an unhealthy view of God or are they just movies.

The above may seem like an odd topic but it has been rolling around in my head for a while.

Hole in One

A friend of mine from Grad school came out last week and stayed the night with Jennifer and I. We went and played golf at the Tulia course and my friend Travis hit a hole in one on number 7. To those of you who don't play golf you can still appreciate the fact that this is very rare, according to my calculations...let's see g=h2+c=7+3=157 yards= well it is very hard. Travis played golf when he was a kid and you could tell because he had a natural swing. The muscle memory just came back to him, it was like he never quit playing. I believe that the past trains us for the hard stuff ahead. I have been reading 1Timothy again lately and this verse stuck out "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives tales rather; train yourself to be godly." 1Timothy 4:7. I believe that Timothy was a young, insecure and fearful minister that approached his ministry with fear, I could explain why later. Paul cut through the nonsense and told him to exercise discipline to become more godly to face whatever was in His future. Travis' previous training prepared him for the shot ahead.

Burn out

I remember when I was in school that some older preachers told us that there will come a time when you feel ineffective and burned out. At the time I thought 'not me, never.' I realized recently that much of my own apathy comes from this very thing. It may seem odd that a preacher would feel that way, but I do. I look at what is going on around me and most of the time now I just want to run away from it. I love the Lord and His church but wonder if I shouldn't be doing something else. I wont, because I have a sense of calling. I think it is important for us to realize that the most physically and mentally taxing work is that which involves the lives of others. It is not escapism. It is a reality that must be faced. I write this because I feel weak as a minister. I also believe that an unhealthy dependency and expectation is placed on the preacher far too many times. Ministers have families that often viewed as disposable at the cost of the peace with a far more important complaint. I hope this doesn't seem to vulnerable, it was hard for me to write.

I have learned that the path way to burn out is as follows:

1. Allow complaints to dictate what you do.

2. Hang out with gossips.

3. Though your to be available 24/7 you better not take the time needed to relax.

4. When you finally feel burned out, just accept apathy as the norm.

I am thankful for what I do and would never consider anything else but doubt is creeping in. If you are in the same place distinguish between burn out and laziness and take the time needed to regroup, it will leave you much more effective. God bless and peace.

How amazing grace truly is.

I was talking with my wife the other day about the patience of God. I know that many times I have said God is patient, but I think I said it because I thought I had to and not because I knew it. Just because something is stated as truth and your head believes does not always mean your heart is convicted by that truth. Until, you experience just how real the truth is. I was thinking on some struggles of my own and realized that the Lord has been the one constant presence through it all. What does this have to do with patience? Because of His grace he chooses to be patient with us, a choice he does not have to make, a choice that our actions show is not merited. I get really bothered when I hear that salvation and remaining in God's hands is all up to us. We are saved, and remain saved, by grace, not by works so that no man can boast. Grace and patience inspires more faithfulness, not less. How many friends, who are patient and good, have you ever wanted to disappoint? None of them! God bless your day.

Liars hate Light

Recently I came to the realization that honesty is a dying thing. I believe it is a sad day when people choose to be dishonest because it will result in fewer troubles. This is the syndrome of the path of least resistance at all costs. As Christians we should guard ourselves against the washed out integrity that many support. It manifests itself in several ways, such as being blatantly dishonest but justifying it by more "noble" means, etc. What a pathetic and weak excuse for Christianity. Please don't associate or take advice from those who promote this kind of life. At times their influence reaches way beyond their true character. Jesus called Satan the "father of lies." It is no surprise then to realize that those who would continue to engage in dishonesty are Satan's greatest allies. I would say we need a return to brutal and real honesty. This doesn't mean throw away tact (I don't have any to throw away). Rather be honest with yourself, with God and with others. We can only draw closer to the Father when we get stuff into the Light. Liars hate the light, and Satan is the great liar. Jesus is the light. So be honest and stop running from those things that need to be dealt with. Liars hate the light.
I am sure the above seems random but in light of some things going on around me I thought I would just vent.

Independance Day

Today is the 4th of July. There isn't much going on in the Emerson house today. Jennifer is cleaning out some closets and I have been doing some yard work. Today invokes a lot of memories of growing up. My grandaddy was a high ranking official in the army before he retired. As you can imagine the importance of our Independence declaration was a very important subject. I hope and pray that our freedom would result in an uninhibited desire to tell people that Jesus is the Way, Truth and Life and that no one goes to the Father except through Him. Freedom came at a price and no where is that more true than in Christianity. Galatians 5 teaches us that we were 'freed for freedom sake. ' We have simply been freed to serve God not to live as we wish, the rest of the chapter makes that clear. What do you think is the greatest responsibility of our freedom in Christ?

In an accident

Went to Amarillo yesterday and got in a wreck. We were OK, or so I thought, I couldn't sleep last night because of my neck. Though, if needed, I would use an attorney this whole ordeal got me to thinking about how so many people abuse the system for money they never would have earned. I mean if a person is in a wreck and their most steady income has been welfare I don't think they should be able to sue for millions because of pain and suffering. It is a corrupt system. I think that Proverbs had it right, if you don't work you don't eat. But this all stems of course from the other Proverb, spare the rod spoil the child. Instant gratification is in because we can not wait to appease whatever need arises. This has created a dependency upon things and relationships and people are not as valued. (The growing porn industry illustrates this well.)

I know the above is random. I will post later.