Have you ever seen the movie Newsies? It’s based on the true story in the early 20^th century when the Newsies (boys that sold newspapers on the streets) of New York went on strike when the price of newspapers jumped.

When the lead character Jack Kelly was asked the question: “What makes the headlines good?” He answered in his thick New York Accent, “Aw, you know, catchy woids like…maniac, corpse…let’s see…lovenest, nude…”

What caused you to click on this post? Did the word nude attract you? Why?

Why do words like sex, nude and naked draw people into read? If you’re a dude, is it because you (we) think you will see a picture that reflects the title? If you’re a woman, is it because you think you will read a romantic fantasy that doesn’t reflect real life? What is it?

What I do know is that it draws us in and I highly doubt it is because we think the story will give us great biblical lessons on how not to commit adultery or stay pure for our future spouse.

I think we read it because we are sinners and our world makes money off our sin. I think we read it because we like the excitement of rebellion. I think we read it because perhaps, just perhaps, lust has become more important to us than Jesus.

I can’t help but ask myself the question: how much can we blame on our society and how much of the responsibility should we put on ourselves?

For Jesus’ fame,
JK

In this scene, a young lost-boy discovers someone he once knew through the mask of old age. Peter Panning had forgotten who he was. Peter Panning had forgotten his true identity: Peter Pan.

What is your true identity? Does your outside reflect your inside? Do your actions reflect your heart? Are you who you know God wants you to be?

I struggle with pleasing people. It bothers me like hell (hell bothers me!). I want people to like me. I want people to be pleased with what I say, what I do, and who I am. But like I said, it bothers me.

It bothers me because I often feel like I can’t be myself. I feel l can’t challenge people and systems like I feel God prompting me too. I feel held back by my desire to be liked. I feel like I can’t be myself.

To work on it, I need to open up. I need to let go. I need to be myself, and sometimes, just recognize that I serve Jesus, who had so many people unpleased with him that he was murdered for challenging people and systems. I need to be who God has called and made me to be.

Who has Jesus called you to be? Who has Jesus made you to be? Are you that person? Maybe it will take someone to help you discover it, like the lost-boy for Peter. Get around those people. Maybe it will require a lot of hard work, asking questions, and mistakes. Step up and work hard.

It’s time to rediscover who we are! It’s time we change and start hearing the words from friends, family, and Jesus … “Oh, there you are!”

For Jesus’ fame,
JK

Right now I’m in Costa Rica, working as a chef at an eco resort. It’s been fun. And a great learning experience. I love the people I work with.  Including the new guy.  He’s 27 years old.  And he’s gay.

This wouldn’t been super abnormal if I was back in Canada.  But we’re in Costa Rica, where being gay is still pretty discouraged. There are about 50 people on staff here.  They’re all locals who actually live at the resort in dorms.  So the new guy, the gay guy, sleeps in a room with 5 others guys.

I can’t imagine how hard this place must be for him.  He sits alone when he eats.  None of the other guys talk to him.  No one to talk to. Just work and sleep and be alone. And who knows what kind of temptations he feels being surrounded by hard-working Costa Rican men?

My heart is broken for him.  He’s so lonely. So alone.

It’s reminding me SO MUCH that Jesus loves PEOPLE- black people, white people, rich people, poor people, straight people, gay people.  I’m reminded that God came to bring people and love and grace and encouragement and lifechange and healing to everyone.

And so I’m making every effort to show God’s love.  I’m making every effort to live like Jesus. To be that healing grace. To be that friend to the lonely.  To be that encourager of talents.  It’s been an amazing two weeks.  I can truly say that we’ve become friends.  I can now say that I think I love a gay man.

Because it’s what Jesus would do.

Jay

In my business bachelors, I took a few leadership courses. In one of my courses, we attempted to define leadership. We came across three definitions. If you consider yourself a leader, which one are you?

Managerial Leader: meet the day-to-day, short-term objectives. Motivate workers to accomplish direct goals. These leaders are essential to get things done!

Visionary Leader: create long-term goals and objectives. Motivate a team seeing the overall perspective and pushing a team toward a long-term goal. These leaders are essential to create and cast vision for people to follow and be motivated.

Strategic Leadership is defined this way: “Influence others to voluntarily make day-to-day decisions that enhance long-term viability, while maintaining its short-term financial stability”

I was interested to take this definition of a strategic leader and apply it to church ministry. When I look at Jesus, I see Him more of a strategic leader: he cast vision & met the daily needs of people.

Here is my working definition of a Pastor (I know that having a definition for a role is kind of weird sometimes, but it helps me know what to focus on and stay focused):

“A Pastor must focus to positively influence the congregation to voluntarily pursue involvement that supports community, advances the church and glorifies God, while challenging personal growth and developing spiritual multipliers.”

I would be very interested to know your thoughts on this!

For Jesus’ Fame,
JK

Read James 4:13-17.

James is saying, in v. 17, that if you are certain of the Lord’s will and that he has called you to something that is good, and you refuse and push his will aside, you are in sin. This is very difficult to swallow. I still struggle with this to this day because on a number of occasion I have heard a clear call from God but I ignored it because it was either too difficult or not in my own planes. Well, when I pushed God away in that circumstance, I am in sin.

I think one of the lessons the author James is pointing out is that we are always in sin. We reek of pride when we think we are not in sin, because even as we are called to follow an instinct we believe to be from God, and we ignore it, we are pushing God away and in sin.

The first good we ought to do is recognize that we are in sin; that we push Jesus away and make ourselves our own god. It’s easy to pursue our own wants, our own things. That’s what makes us human. But Jesus calls us to a higher standard.

Jesus was tempted just as we are; yet in his humanity, he never sinned. In our humanity, we sin all the time. We are broken. We are living with broken hearts. Beat up hearts. That’s is why Jesus came. He came because he knew we needed help. We needed to be rescued from our endless sin. That’s why, as a Christian, someone who has fully accepted Jesus to take over his or her life, they are given this wonderful gift called forgiveness. To recognize our folly and ask for forgiveness is one of the most powerful acts anyone can do. And when we do, Jesus is always there to forgive because he loves unconditionally.

Jesus is sinless, we aren’t. Recognize that your not perfect, you need help, and that this life is not about you. It’s all about Jesus.
For Jesus’ Fame,

JK