Godtube vs Youtube

It's the fastest growing "Christian" web-site on the internet: Godtube.com.

Many of you are probably very familiar with Youtube.com. If you're not, Youtube.com is a site where mostly amateurs post mostly homemade videos. Some are hilarious. Some are worthless. Some are definitely posted by Christ-followers. Others are definitely not.

The founder of Godtube.com wanted to create a web-space where Christians could post their stuff--where Christians could be safe from the other junk that, ummm, non-Christians are posting.

My problem is that, once again, many Christians are choosing to remove themselves from the world rather than penetrating the world with the Good News of God's love. I mean, here's the deal . . . How many non-Christ-followers are going to visit a site called Godtube.com? Not many, if any. BUT, hundreds of thousands of people visit Youtube.com every month. So here's the deal. How about if we, Christ-followers, produce the most excellent, impactful stuff out there on Youtube.com so that we infiltrate the world the way that Jesus infiltrated the world? No need to separate ourselves. No need to lose our influence. No need to become irrelevant!

A Long Way Gone

I just finished reading "A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier," by Ishmael Beah.

At the age of 12, Ishmael fled his home village in Sierra Leone as rebels attacked his home, murdered his family and sent dozens of young children fleeing into the jungle. By 13, Ishmael had been inducted into the government army where he would become a boy soldier.

It's hard to imagine, but boy soldiers carry AK-47 assault weapons, learn to slit the enemy's throat with a jagged bayonette and carry out war atrocities that only the most hardened veteran could understand. "A Long Way Gone" is graphic in its description of its times of war.

At 16, Ishmael is removed from the battle by a UNICEF worker. With the help of some very patient and skilled individuals, he is rehabilitated and begins his life as a spokesman against children being involved in war efforts. Today there are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers.

"A Long Way Gone" is the latest book to be endorsed and promoted by Starbucks coffee shops. And though the book is a fascinating read, it leaves you very unfulfilled at its close. It is as if the second half of the book is yet to be written . . . which is perhaps exactly what is going to happen. I found Ishmael's story to be enlightening and educational but a bit unfinished.

The hardest question to wrestle with (should you choose to read the book), is where is God in all of this? It appears that He is "a long way gone."

Personally, I believe we should never shy away from questions but rather wrestle with them until we have answers or are content to live with the uncertainty of the world in which we live. But in that thinking, perhaps it is I who is "a long way gone?"

From Quito to Ecuador

It's nearing 1 AM in Northern Ohio. I just recently arrived home from Quito, Ecuador. At the end of our day yesterday (Friday), we celebrated our trip at a wonderful restaurant called Terrazzo, located on the top floor of a high rise in downtown Quito. My goal of the dinner was to cast vision for what God can do in Ecuador.

Halfway through the dinner, I realize that all is not right in Greg Nettle's stomach.

When we arrive back at our accomadations at 10 PM, I quickly bow out of two conversations to relieve myself of "Montezuma's Revenge." (I know I am perhaps over-sharing, but not every time you follow God, everything ends up rosey!)

For the next five hours I am in bed with stomach cramps.

Our plan is to fly home the next day . . . Saturday. We all need to be up at 5 to be on the bus with all our luggage at 6, to head to the airport.

At 4 AM a strong pounding is heard on our door. Steve awakened and realized that the electricity is out not only at our accomodations in our hostel but also at half the surrounding city.
"Pack your bags in the dark and pray that our bus driver will be here as scheduled!" Steve yells.
I'm still feeling ill--After spending the night with cramps and chills--I think I actually whimpered--"Let the adventure begin!" This is what I was born for!

Brian hops into a shower with no lights and discovers that our water is electrically heated! Nothing but cold!

Our driver shows up on time. (Brian tips him extra$$$ for being there for us). We load up and head to the airport.

And here we are . . . 19 hours later . . . at home.

Mucho gracias God!!!

Fish and salt

The team I'm with in Ecuador had the privilege of spending the morning with Fernando and Liseth Puga. Fernando is the Director of Compassion International in Ecuador. To put that in persepctive, he oversees the organization that cares for 43,000 children!

Fernando, while talking with us, quoted his wife: "You never eat a fish full of salt--even though the fish lives its life in salt water. Our goal at Compassion is to have children--who even though they are living in poverty--poverty is not living in them."

Our goal as Christ-followers should be to immerse ourselves in the world as deeply as possible, but not allow the world to be in us.

Inte

I spent the day today with Inte, the young girl we sponsor through Compassion International. She is ten years old and full of hope. She is full of hope because she has people praying for her, supporting her financially (enabling her to get an education) and because she knows Jesus as her Savior.

This is the second time I've spent a day with Inte. The first was two years ago when she was eight years old. She is much taller and much more confident today at the age of ten. I asked her what she wanted to be when she grows up. She responded, "A doctor." I asked her why? "So I can help people."

The amazing thing is that most children growing up in poverty would never dream of being a physician. But Inte has hope. And because she has hope she has dreams. God dreams.

On the bus ride home today, there were ten of us who were from the USA and about 20 children and interpreters from Ecuador. We sang "Jesus Loves Me." The Ecuadorians sang in Spanish and those of us from the USA sang in English. I couldn't finish the song. It was too close to heaven.

Welcome to Quito

My alarm went off at 3 this morning in Clinton, Ohio. After 19 hours of travel I'm sitting at a computer overlooking the city of Quito, Ecuador. As tired as I am, I can't seem to call it a night. Tomorrow I get to spend the day with Inte, the young girl we sponsor through Compassion International.

Inte is ten years old and will travel with a guardian, ten hours by bus, to spend time with me. Very humbling.

Julie, Tabs and I pray every single day that Inte will have enough to eat, a warm place to sleep and that God will keep her safe. We pray for things that most of us take for granted.

This is my prayer for my time with this little girl: "God, please help me to be Jesus to Inte. May we laugh together. May we draw each other closer to Jesus Christ. Please let Inte be encouraged and filled with hope. Please use Inte to bring Your joy and Your peace to this broken world."

Sleep well Inte.

What happens in Vegas . . .

I spent the past week at a Pastor’s conference in Las Vegas. Interesting place for a bunch of Pastors to be hanging out. It was my first time to visit “Sin City.” Aside from watching people gamble away their paychecks, prostitutes peddling every type of sex you can imagine (even some you can’t), and the incessant sound of slot machines . . . I liked it.

I liked Vegas because I like people. I like what God is doing in the lives of thousands of people who live in the Desert. I have three friends who lead three wonderful churches that happen to be located in Las Vegas. They lead three churches that are incredibly effective at bringing God’s hope to broken people.

My friend Jud is the Senior Pastor of Central Christian that has more than 12,000 people who attend it every weekend—IN LAS VEGAS! Jud tells story after story about lives that were shattered and have now been put back together. He tells the story of a stripper who showed up at their church and was welcomed and loved. She no longer takes her clothes off for money. He tells the story of a methamphetamine addict who hit bottom and was invited to church by a friend who had discovered God’s power in his life. This meth user found God in Vegas as well and now he too invites his friends to church.

People sometimes speculate, asking the question, if Jesus were to visit earth today, where would he go? I think there’s a good chance Jesus might choose to live in Las Vegas. Lost, broken people were the type of people that Jesus chose to hang out with when he visited this planet 2,000 years ago. Jesus likes messed up people like you and me--and those in Vegas.

My Pastor friends in Vegas don’t call their city “Sin City” any more. They have renamed it “Grace City.” The truth of the matter is that Jesus is living in Vegas right now. He’s very alive in His people that make up His Church.

I hope that the grace that is happening in Vegas won’t stay in Vegas.

By the way, my friend Jud Wilhite’s new book “Stripped: Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas,” has just been released. I recommend you read it to see real life stories of God’s amazing love. I recommend you read it to discover God’s amazing love for you.

More from Vegas

Here's another bit of wisdom I picked up from the Pastors I was hangin' with in Vegas.

If I'm not spiritually healthy, then I may remain obedient to God for awhile, but I won't keep loving God. And while I may remain obedient for awhile, if I don't get spiritually healthy, eventually I'll stop being obedient. And that's when we get into serious trouble.

So, the key is to maintain a healthy loving relationship with God. Much of our struggle with sin can be traced back to a spiritual life that we let wither.

First step

I've been out in Vegas for the past couple of days at a conference for Pastors. Interesting venue for a Pastors' conference.

My buddies who are Pastors right here in Vegas have reclaimed the city from "sin city" to "grace city." God is doing some amazing things here. Story after story of wrecked lives that God is rebuilding. (Read Jud Wilhite's book Stripped, Uncensored Grace on the Streets of Vegas.)

One of the things that we did at this conference is share what we're learning in a round table discussion format (there were only 16 of us). My friend Brett said that he has learned "that we MUST obey what we clearly know is God's next step for our lives. We can't expect God to show us three steps down the road if we're not willing to be obedient in taking the first step."

How many times have we missed the amazing adventure God has in store for our lives because we're not willing to take the first step? Peter had to take the first step out of the boat before he could walk on water. Moses had to take the first step as the Red Sea split. David had to step onto the field of battle in the line of fire of a mocking Goliath. The first step is typically the hardest and the scarriest, but think of the miracles we may be missing!!!

What step is God inviting you to take?

Death paid a visit

Two days ago I was in a home where death paid a visit.

It all began with an e-mail I received to pray for a young couple here in our community who would soon be bringing home the little girl they were adopting from Guatemala. I prayed.

A few hours later I received an e-mail that informed me that the previous night this eight month old baby had fallen out of bed and had been rushed to a hospital for emergency surgery. She had bumped her head on a concrete floor. The message asked me to pray for her surgery. I prayed.

Not long after, the word was sent out that the surgery had gone well. "Please pray for a speedy and full recovery." I prayed, "Thank-you God, please heal her completely. Please comfort the mom and dad who will be adopting her."

The next e-mail simply said, "Little Reagan didn't make it through the night. Please pray . . ."

I prayed.

I held the couple in my arms.

We wept.

God is weeping.

Sometimes it is hard to pray.

Spaghetti and meatballs

Last night, Tabitha helped me prepare dinner--spaghetti and meatballs. I mean my eight year old daughter really helped!

Now, for all of you who are wondering if this is a special occasion--me, preparing dinner--it's not.

A few years ago, Julie and I were on our summer break (which is where we talk about a lot of things . . . always great fun . . .), and she mentioned how cooking was stressing her out! I explained to her that cooking relaxes me. We both grew up in traditional USA homes where wife cooked and husband ate, approvingly or disapprovingly. Ummm, change of scenario needed.

So, here we are are--I cook--with my wife mostly approving (and cleaning up).

Once again, last night, Tabitha helped me prepare dinner--spaghetti and meatballs.

I instructed her to mix the ingredients. She was fine with that until she discovered that the ingredients were raw meat and the mixer was her bare hands!

After I added the raw egg and breadcrumbs, she commenced mixing. I saw a bit of concern, but not a bit of squeamishness. I was very proud of her.

After a very good meal (Julie said it was the best spaghetti and meatballs she had ever tasted, now remember, my wife is Italian. She is also VERY honest), my daughter asked if she could cook again with me tomorrow night. Life is good!

So here's the recipe:

1/2 pound of ground beef (85% lean)
1/2 pound of bulk pork sausage
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs (I use crumbs already infused with Italian seasonings)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cloves garlic; peeled and chopped fine
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

All purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Crumble the beef and the pork into a mixing bowl (by hand!). Sprinkle the bread crumbs, cheese, parsely and garlic over the meat.

Beat the egg with the salt and pepper in a small bowl until blended. Pour over the meat mixture. Mix the ingredients with CLEAN hands until blended. Shape the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Dredge the meatballs in the flour until lightly but evenly coated. Heat the olive and vegetable oils to medium high heat. Slip as many meatballs in without overcrowding. Fry, turning as necessary, until golden brown--about six minutes. Remove the meatballs as they finish onto paper towels to drain.

Add meatballs to your favorite sauce to finish cooking and enjoy!!!

The tomb of Jesus

By now, many of you have gotten wind in the news, read the book, or watched the Discovery Channel special about director James Cameron’s amazing new discovery about the tomb of Jesus. You may remember that James Cameron is the award winning director of the epic, “The Titanic.”

Cameron is claiming that the “real” tomb of Jesus has been found and it is anything but empty! In fact, Jesus’ tomb includes a burial box with his real bones, the bones of Mary Magdalene (Jesus’ supposed wife) and at least one child. If Cameron is correct, to say the least, this will disrupt one of the major tenants of the Christian faith—that Jesus died and rose again to life which means there are no bones in the tomb!

The truth of the matter is that James Cameron’s new discovery is anything but new. The tomb and burial box which he is claiming as Jesus’ was discovered and discredited twenty-seven years ago. Amos Kloner, the Jewish archaeologist in charge of the investigation, concluded that it was not the tomb of Jesus and his family. In fact, not a single respected archaeologist from the Holy Land is willing to endorse Cameron’s claims as true!

It is disturbing that the Discovery Channel would air a show that is aimed at propagating lies. The reason we have not heard more about this amazing discovery is not because it has been kept under wraps but because nearly all of the world’s best scholars (Christian, non-Christian, Jewish, etc.) have seen nothing of particular historical value in them.

A few years ago, when accepting the Oscar for best director, James Cameron shouted, “I am king of the world!” Unfortunately, Cameron has gone from being king of the world to being a peddler of untruth to exploit unknowing people into buying a book filled with lies. (Did I mention that a book on the subject, for which he wrote the forward, is now in the top five of Amazon’s top sellers?)

For the record, there are remains of Jesus’ family that have been found on earth. It’s called the Church. But we’re not dead, either.

SEX GOD

SEX GOD is the title of Rob Bell's second book. His first book, "Velvet Elvis," is one of my favorite books of all time. If you haven't read it, it is a MUST READ.

SEX GOD is about a lot more than sex.

I tried to find favorite quotes to share with you, but other than the chapter titles I didn't really have any:

Chapter one: God wears lipstick
Chapter four: Leather, whips, and fruit
Chapter nine: Whoopee forever

Anyhow, even though I don't have any favorite quotes to offer, Rob's second book is also a MUST READ. It's raw, transparent and will draw you closer to the heart of God (The One who invented IT).

Rediscovering prayer

I'm beginning a new teaching series this weekend called rediscovering prayer. I love the profound simplicity of some children's prayers. Take for example, God is great, God is good. Need we say more?

One of my favorite books of prayer was written by a British author named John Baille. His prayers are not as simple as a child's prayers but they take me to a depth I rarely achieve on my own. This is one of my favorites:

Teach me, O God, so to use all the circumstances of my life today that they may bring forth in me the fruits of holiness rather than the fruits of sin: Let me use disappointment as material for patience. Let me use success as material for thankfulness. Let me use trouble as material for perseverance. Let me use danger as material for courage. Let me use reproach as material for long suffering. Let me use praise as material for humility. Let me use pleasures as material for temperance. Let me use pain as material for endurance.

Amen and amen.

Slow down to get more done

It's counter-intuitive. Slow down to get more done. Why is it counter-intuitive? Because most of us believe that if we work longer hours, work harder, we'll accomplish more.

Do you know what studies have shown? When computer programmers start working more and more hours, they start making more and more mistakes.

When guys and gals who do physical labor work longer and longer hours, their productivity diminishes--they become fatigued.

When creative people burn the "midnight oil," when they don't get enough rest, their creativity diminshes.

When I was in Junior High I remember reading an article about how the work week of the future was going to change. With all of the new time saving gadgets, computers, cell phones, microwaves . . . we wouldn't need to work five days a week anymore. Soon, we would have three day weekends.

Well, I have many of those new "time savers." I have a laptop computer. So now I don't have to work just at the office, I can also work at home. I can even work on vacation! I have an Ipod so I can listen to podcasts while I walk in the park. I have a cellular phone so that I can make important phone calls while I drive--so I can be more accessible to people. I have a new "Q" that enables me to access the world wibe web so that I can check my e-mail at anytime, anywhere in the country! Isn't life great!!!

In Genesis 2 we discover the Sabbath principle. So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Why did God stop working on the seventh day? Was it because God was tired? Was it because God ran out of creative capacity? I don't think so. God took time off to set an example for you and for me.

Later on in the Bible, do you know what the punishment was for someone who did not keep the Sabbath? Death. DEATH!

Now, today we don't live under the law, but if we go too long without keeping the Sabbath, what happens? We die. Sometimes it may be physical death. Other times it may be the death of our marriage. Or the death of our relationship with our kids . . .

Isaiah 30:15 says, "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength."

Counter-intuitive isn't it? We would like to say, "In repentance and hard work is you salvation, productivity is your strength."

But that's not it. You slow down to get more done. Because when you put rest in your life, your creative energies are rejuvenated. When you slow down you have time for reflection. When you slow down you spend more time with God. You live the life God designed for you to live, which will always be the best.

Slow down to get more done.