Dear God Get Me Out of Hell...

Newsflash...Jesus didn't just die to get us out of hell...Jesus died so we could be reconciled to God and live in a relationship with Him. Amen?

So, when was the time? When was the time - when you confessed to God - I was wrong, I'm a sinner, I need your Son? I'm not where I need to be - and I can't get to where I need to be without Jesus...

Confession - We can't get right with God until we're willing to admit we are wrong. It's not about bargaining with God - 'If You do A, then I'll do B.' "If You get me out of this, I'll never do it again." "If You help me pass this test, I'll study next time." "If You give me a date, I'll stop looking at porn." "If You help me get that job, I'll tithe." The lists go on and on.... If You...then I'll... THAT'S NOT TRUE CONFESSION! But too often that's the sound of church people..."I've got problems but it's not my fault." We have to stop and truly confess! Confess that He Is LORD!

When was the time in your life when you did that - because that's when we Come Home!

For me it was ten years ago today - Dec 31 1999-Jan 1 2000. Ten years ago I was standing in a worship service and it was like God turned on the light - flipped the switch inside of Chris Hansen. Sure, there were many things leading up to that day, that moment that helped me to realize it - but it was in that place that I really took hold of my Creator and said I need YOU!

The event I was at was called: "The Dawn...An Epiphany." And it was both a dawn and an epiphany for me...the past ten years have been filled with so many ups, downs and in-betweens...but every single one of them has been with Christ by my side...yes, there were times I turned away, fell down and just plain screwed up - but I would not have made it through without my Savior. I hope and pray that the next ten are a new dawn and a new epiphany for whatever He has in store for me.

So, rather than making some ridiculous New Years resolution this year - why don't you just take action, and get to where you need to be - Home - with your Creator. If you've walked away from God, or never even had a relationship with Him - make today the day you make a decision that will change your life for all of eternity.

As we celebrate another New Years, as I reflect back on the past ten years - and what my moment was like in the worship service - my prayers are for you - that you will find your relationship with your Creator - Jesus Christ! God is watching and waiting just for you to come back to His arms.

...and for those of you who are already right with God, in a relationship with Christ, you know that this is not a spectators sport - you need to pray that God will move in the hearts of those who are yet to come home...so I ask, invite, beg you to pray for those you know and those you don't that need to Come Home to Christ this New Years!

Amen!
Here's to hoping you Come Home,
~C

Come Home

I was watching the Christmas Eve service from NewSpring, Perry Noble's church and saw this video...enjoy:

Christmas Opener: Just Come Home from NewSpring Production on Vimeo.

If you haven't 'come home' to your Savior I hope and pray that you will! Wherever you are, whatever you've done, whoever you've become - He's waiting with open arms - just come home!
~C

What Would Jesus Say?

editors note: the following post is from "Getting Fired For The Glory of God" Collected Words of Mike Yaconelli for Youth Workers. I read this article this morning and thought it was timely - originally published in Jan 2000 - interesting to see where we are today, ten years later, enjoy!

WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY?

Me: "Hey, Jesus!"

Jesus: "Hey."

Me: "I'm a youth worker."

Jesus: "I know. I'm Jesus - remember?"

Me: " Okay. Okay. But...um...why did you make me do youth ministry?"

Jesus: "I didn't 'make' you do youth ministry; I called you."

Me: "Yeah, right. Called might as well be the same as made. I mean, you made it so I wouldn't be happy doing anything else. You ruined all the other options, Jesus."

Jesus: "You're welcome."

Me: (sigh) "Here's the deal: If you wanted me to do this youth worker thing, then you must believe youth ministry is pretty important."

Jesus: "I do."

Me: "Well, how come the adults in church don't believe it's that important? And have you looked at the pay scale lately? We're always at the bottom of the priority list."

Jesus: "I can relate to that."

Me: "And all they want me to be is a recreation director. You know...plan nice activities and keep their kids from drinking, doing drugs, and getting pregnant.

Jesus: "They believe youth ministry is about making young people nice?"

Me: "Well, yeah, I mean, they believe you're a nice guy and everything - and they want their kids to be like you.

Jesus: "Look, these parents believe I'm a nice idea. They believe I care about what they care about. They want me to be an enhancement to their lifestyles - and they don't want me making their kids uncomfortable with their lifestyles. Basically, they believe I died on a cross to help their kids get good SAT scores, be captains of football teams and cheer-leading squads, and have nice lives. They believe I want to help their children become good Americans. Yuck!"

Me: "I didn't think Jesus would say 'Yuck!'"

Jesus: "It's a Greek word."

Me: "Oh. But aren't Christian's supposed to be nice?"

Jesus: "You believe I died on a cross to make people nice? You believe I want to be relegated to the status of motivational speaker? Listen, I don't even like football, and I definitely don't like nice people. Look at my disciples! Talk about loud, obnoxious, rude, and flaky - hey, these guys were anything but nice. Remember when 'Mr. Nice Guy' John wanted me to send fire down on a little Samaritan village because they wouldn't let us stay for the night?
"Start telling parents their sons and daughters should take a year after high school and do missions work in South Africa, and see how long you last. Tell them it isn't a good decision to make their kids go to soccer camp instead of church camp, and see how supportive they'll be. Truth is, I came to ruin people's lives - just like I ruined yours. I came to turn people's lives upside down. Remember all that stuff I said about being a sword and turning parents against children? I wasn't kidding."

Me: "But if I let you start ruining kid's lives, we might lose some of them."

Jesus: "Good."

Me: "How can you say 'good'?! Look, I'm beginning to wonder if you're really Jesus."

Jesus: "Why?"

Me: "Why? Because everybody knows youth ministry is about reaching as many students as possible. We've been trying to reach every student for Christ by the year 2000! I mean, this year we're going to have rallies and crusades nationwide with more than 100,000 kids at each of them. We're going to link the entire world by satellite. We're going to have the largest crowds ever!"

Jesus: "I don't like crowds."

Me: "You don't like crowds?!? What are you talking about?!"

Jesus: "I don't like crowds. Go back and read my story. Yes, I had crowds from time to time, but most of the people in them just wanted more wine, food, and power. Then - when I didn't give them what they wanted - they killed me. Nope. I don't like crowds. Besides, my best work was done one-on-one. You know...the woman at the well, the crazy guy, the blind man, the woman caught in adultery. That's when I did my best stuff."

Me: "But...um...that isn't very efficient."

Jesus: "I know. I don't believe in efficiency."

Me: "What?!?"

Jesus: "Let me put it this way: I believe in making disciples one at a time. Very slow stuff."

Me: "But Jesus, I thought you were into 'fast.'"

Jesus: "Nope, I'm about slow. And small."

Me: "Oh, man. If I keep listening to you, I'm going to be fired!"

Jesus: "Good for you."

Me: "Good for me?!? Uh, Jesus, it's not that easy!"

Jesus: "I didn't say it would be easy. I said it would be hard."

Me: "But hard is...well...hard"

Jesus: "Tell me about it."