It never stops. For the past seven years our youth have participated in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. The numbers are in and the total collection for 2013 was $7,108, bringing our all-time total giving to $50,002 to fight world hunger. I want to sincerely thank all of you who financially and prayerfully support our youth each year during this event. Trust me you made a real difference to someone. You are an answer to prayer. Somewhere in the world a mother is thanking God that you gave support to a Mt. Auburn youth. Because of your faithfulness she and her child will have the resources to survive another day.
The only problem is hunger is not a one-time-event. It is a chronic emptiness that affects lives of at least 925 million people every day. And I’m not just talking about homelessness in the United States. Honestly most homeless people in the US have access to at least three meals a day. I’m talking about people without the basic resources to survive.
Each year our youth participate we take the time to learn about poverty in other parts of the world. It’s not kid-stuff. We force ourselves to look at the faces and listen to the stories of children who never seem to have enough. It’s not a pretty scene, nor is it an entertaining story. Hunger and extreme poverty are a difficult and heart wrenching reality and one we must force ourselves to remember as we increasingly become a global community.
What I mean to say is this: Although The 30 Hour Famine is an annual reminder for Mt. Auburn we must continue to personally take steps to incorporate the reality of hunger and poverty into our daily lives, lest we forget until next September.
Our commitment to Christ and to feeding His people both spiritually and physically never stops. Following Christ is a 365 day-a-year commitment. Would you begin asking God to reveal to Mt. Auburn new and better ways we can make feeding His people a life-style adjustment and not just an annual event?
May God richly bless you as you faithfully bless others!
Travis Taylor-Director of Youth Ministries.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
That's a Wrap... not really
It never stops. For the past seven years our youth have participated in World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. The numbers are in and the total collection for 2013 was $7,108, bringing our all-time total giving to $50,002 to fight world hunger. I want to sincerely thank all of you who financially and prayerfully support our youth each year during this event. Trust me you made a real difference to someone. You are an answer to prayer. Somewhere in the world a mother is thanking God that you gave support to a Mt. Auburn youth. Because of your faithfulness she and her child will have the resources to survive another day.
The only problem is hunger is not a one-time-event. It is a chronic emptiness that affects lives of at least 925 million people every day. And I’m not just talking about homelessness in the United States. Honestly most homeless people in the US have access to at least three meals a day. I’m talking about people without the basic resources to survive.
Each year our youth participate we take the time to learn about poverty in other parts of the world. It’s not kid-stuff. We force ourselves to look at the faces and listen to the stories of children who never seem to have enough. It’s not a pretty scene, nor is it an entertaining story. Hunger and extreme poverty are a difficult and heart wrenching reality and one we must force ourselves to remember as we increasingly become a global community.
What I mean to say is this: Although The 30 Hour Famine is an annual reminder for Mt. Auburn we must continue to personally take steps to incorporate the reality of hunger and poverty into our daily lives, lest we forget until next September.
Our commitment to Christ and to feeding His people both spiritually and physically never stops. Following Christ is a 365 day-a-year commitment. Would you begin asking God to reveal to Mt. Auburn new and better ways we can make feeding His people a life-style adjustment and not just an annual event?
May God richly bless you as you faithfully bless others!
Travis Taylor-Director of Youth Ministries.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Paintball and Zipline: Nov 1st-3rd 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
GET A LIFE!!!
The purpose of all life is to live in relationship with God. That’s it and that’s all! If the Bible is true than one day each and every believer who has put their active faith in Jesus Christ will live forever with God in heaven, praising Him, glorifying Him, and living fully for His Greatness!
So when does this relationship start? RIGHT NOW. By reading these words you can no longer claim ignorance.
If you want to know the secret of life, I’ll tell you… But you have to do me a favor. Once I tell you, you have to promise me that you won’t keep this good news to yourself. You’ve got to let people know. Are you ready? Come closer… Closer… It’s Jesus Christ!
What does that mean? I’ll tell you. In the Bible, God has given us an example to follow. Jesus of Nazareth knew what was up. He knew what life was meant to be; what to live for. So if you want to know how you should live, look at Jesus. Do what He did. Love how He loved, say what he said. There’s really no better way.
Perhaps you’re still a little skeptical? Perhaps you think your life is all about what you want. I get it. I understand and I don’t blame you. That’s what the world wants you to think. That’s what the devil wants you to think!
But Jesus tells us that He is the only way, the only truth, and the only life. I believe Him. And if you believe Him, than let’s follow His example and do life together. Let’s make TOGETHER a lifestyle.
Let’s give up things that don’t matter and take hold of the things that do!
Because if you’re not living for Jesus Christ, you’re not really living.
It’s time for you to
GET A LIFE!
Matthew 10:38-39, John 8:31-32, Philippians 3:8-10
Monday, July 25, 2011
You Can’t Teach A Frog To Fly, So Stop Trying: By Steve Brown
I’ve had a lousy job for most of my life.
As you know, I’m a preacher/pastor and my job description is to keep people from doing what they obviously want to do. I’ve often felt like an overwhelmed police officer at a rock concert charged with keeping the concert goers from using drugs.
With a job description like mine, you hardly ever get invited to parties, people are not very honest, and sometimes you feel like a wet shaggy dog shaking himself at a wedding. I tell them that I’m trying to help and that God anointed me to reach out to them, but they simply don’t care.
Preachers are supposed to keep people from sinning.
I haven’t been very successful so far.
There are times when I feel like I’m standing by a cliff where people come to dance. “Be careful,” I tell them. “It’s a long way down and the stop will be quite unpleasant.” They look at me. They sometimes even thank me.
Then they jump.
But I keep at it. “Hey,” I say to the next group who approach the cliff, “not too long ago, I saw people go off that cliff and if you’ll bend over and look, you can see the bloody mess they made.” Like everybody else, since I’ve been standing beside the cliff, they seem grateful for my concern. They maybe even say something about my compassion and wisdom.
Then they jump.
Frankly, I’m tired of it. In fact, I’ve given up standing by this stupid cliff. I’m tired of being people’s mother. I’m tired of trying to prevent the unpreventable. I’m tired of talking to people who don’t want to listen. And I’m tired of pointing out the obvious.
Just when I determine to leave my position by the cliff, to my horror and surprise…
I jump!
What’s with that?
Let me tell you. There is a very human and undeniable proclivity of human beings to sin-to jump off the cliff. We’re drawn to it. We love it (at least for awhile). No matter who tries to keep us from doing it or how much pain it will cause, we are irresistibly drawn to that cliff. Maybe we want to fly. Could be that we have a masochistic streak in our DNA. Could be that our default position is jumping off cliffs. I don’t know. But for whatever reason, we do jump, we do get hurt, and if we survive, we then climb back up the cliff and jump again.
There is a parable (author unknown) about Felix, the flying frog. Even if I mix the metaphor a bit, let me tell you the parable.
Once upon a time, there lived a man named Clarence who had a pet frog named Felix. Clarence lived a modestly comfortable existence on what he earned working at the Wal-Mart, but he always dreamed of being rich. “Felix!” he said one day, hit by sudden inspiration, “We’re going to be rich! I’m going to teach you to fly!”
Felix, of course, was terrified at the prospect. “I can’t fly, you twit! I’m a frog, not a canary!”
Clarence, disappointed at the initial response, told Felix: “That negative attitude of yours could be a real problem. We’re going to remain poor, and it will be your fault.”
So Felix and Clarence began their work on flying.
On the first day of the “flying lessons,” Clarence could barely control his excitement (and Felix could barely control his bladder). Clarence explained that their apartment building had 15 floors, and each day Felix would jump out of a window, starting with the first floor and eventually getting to the top floor. After each jump, they would analyze how well he flew, isolate the most effective flying techniques, and implement the improved process for the next flight. By the time they reached the top floor, Felix would surely be able to fly.
Felix pleaded for his life, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. “He just doesn’t understand how important this is,” thought Clarence. “He can’t see the big picture.”
So, with that, Clarence opened the window and threw Felix out. He landed with a thud.
The next day, poised for his second flying lesson, Felix again begged not to be thrown out of the window. Clarence told Felix about how one must always expect resistance when introducing new, innovative plans.
With that, he threw Felix out the window. THUD!
Now this is not to say that Felix wasn’t trying his best. On the fifth day, he flapped his legs madly in a vain attempt at flying. On the sixth day, he tied a small red cape around his neck and tried to think “Superman” thoughts. It didn’t help.
By the seventh day, Felix, accepting his fate, no longer begged for mercy. He simply looked at Clarence and said, “You know you’re killing me, don’t you?”
Clarence pointed out that Felix’s performance so far had been less than exemplary, failing to meet any of the milestone goals he had set for him.
With that, Felix said quietly, “Shut up and open the window,” and he leaped out, taking careful aim at the large jagged rock by the corner of the building.
Felix went to that great lily pad in the sky.
Clarence was extremely upset, as his project had failed to meet a single objective that he had set out to accomplish. Felix had not only failed to fly, he hadn’t even learned to steer his fall as he dropped like a sack of cement, nor had he heeded Clarence’s advice to “Fall smarter, not harder.”
The only thing left for Clarence to do was to analyze the process and try to determine where it had gone wrong. After much thought, Clarence smiled and said…
“Next time, I’m getting a smarter frog!”
A number of years ago, I realized that I was, as it were, trying to teach frogs to fly. Frogs can’t fly. Not only that, they get angry when you try to teach them. The gullible ones will try, but they eventually get hurt so badly they quit trying. And the really sad thing about being a “frog flying teacher” is that I can’t fly either.
Let me tell you a secret. If one is a teacher trying to teach frogs to fly, nobody ever bothers to ask if you can fly. In fact, if you pretend that you’re an expert and tell a lot of stories about flying; if you can throw in a bit of aeronautical jargon about stalls, spins and flight maneuvers; and if you carry around a “Flight Manual” and know your way around it, nobody will question your ability to fly. You just pretend you’re an expert and tell stories, and the students will think you can fly.
The problem is that you become so phony you can’t stand yourself.
So I’ve repented.
Now I just send them to Jesus and try to get out of the way.
Come to think of it, if you’re struggling with sin and aren’t getting better, don’t come to me. I like you okay, but that kind of depends on how my day is going. Instead of coming to me, run to Jesus. He’ll love you and maybe even make you better
As you know, I’m a preacher/pastor and my job description is to keep people from doing what they obviously want to do. I’ve often felt like an overwhelmed police officer at a rock concert charged with keeping the concert goers from using drugs.
With a job description like mine, you hardly ever get invited to parties, people are not very honest, and sometimes you feel like a wet shaggy dog shaking himself at a wedding. I tell them that I’m trying to help and that God anointed me to reach out to them, but they simply don’t care.
Preachers are supposed to keep people from sinning.
I haven’t been very successful so far.
There are times when I feel like I’m standing by a cliff where people come to dance. “Be careful,” I tell them. “It’s a long way down and the stop will be quite unpleasant.” They look at me. They sometimes even thank me.
Then they jump.
But I keep at it. “Hey,” I say to the next group who approach the cliff, “not too long ago, I saw people go off that cliff and if you’ll bend over and look, you can see the bloody mess they made.” Like everybody else, since I’ve been standing beside the cliff, they seem grateful for my concern. They maybe even say something about my compassion and wisdom.
Then they jump.
Frankly, I’m tired of it. In fact, I’ve given up standing by this stupid cliff. I’m tired of being people’s mother. I’m tired of trying to prevent the unpreventable. I’m tired of talking to people who don’t want to listen. And I’m tired of pointing out the obvious.
Just when I determine to leave my position by the cliff, to my horror and surprise…
I jump!
What’s with that?
Let me tell you. There is a very human and undeniable proclivity of human beings to sin-to jump off the cliff. We’re drawn to it. We love it (at least for awhile). No matter who tries to keep us from doing it or how much pain it will cause, we are irresistibly drawn to that cliff. Maybe we want to fly. Could be that we have a masochistic streak in our DNA. Could be that our default position is jumping off cliffs. I don’t know. But for whatever reason, we do jump, we do get hurt, and if we survive, we then climb back up the cliff and jump again.
There is a parable (author unknown) about Felix, the flying frog. Even if I mix the metaphor a bit, let me tell you the parable.
Once upon a time, there lived a man named Clarence who had a pet frog named Felix. Clarence lived a modestly comfortable existence on what he earned working at the Wal-Mart, but he always dreamed of being rich. “Felix!” he said one day, hit by sudden inspiration, “We’re going to be rich! I’m going to teach you to fly!”
Felix, of course, was terrified at the prospect. “I can’t fly, you twit! I’m a frog, not a canary!”
Clarence, disappointed at the initial response, told Felix: “That negative attitude of yours could be a real problem. We’re going to remain poor, and it will be your fault.”
So Felix and Clarence began their work on flying.
On the first day of the “flying lessons,” Clarence could barely control his excitement (and Felix could barely control his bladder). Clarence explained that their apartment building had 15 floors, and each day Felix would jump out of a window, starting with the first floor and eventually getting to the top floor. After each jump, they would analyze how well he flew, isolate the most effective flying techniques, and implement the improved process for the next flight. By the time they reached the top floor, Felix would surely be able to fly.
Felix pleaded for his life, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. “He just doesn’t understand how important this is,” thought Clarence. “He can’t see the big picture.”
So, with that, Clarence opened the window and threw Felix out. He landed with a thud.
The next day, poised for his second flying lesson, Felix again begged not to be thrown out of the window. Clarence told Felix about how one must always expect resistance when introducing new, innovative plans.
With that, he threw Felix out the window. THUD!
Now this is not to say that Felix wasn’t trying his best. On the fifth day, he flapped his legs madly in a vain attempt at flying. On the sixth day, he tied a small red cape around his neck and tried to think “Superman” thoughts. It didn’t help.
By the seventh day, Felix, accepting his fate, no longer begged for mercy. He simply looked at Clarence and said, “You know you’re killing me, don’t you?”
Clarence pointed out that Felix’s performance so far had been less than exemplary, failing to meet any of the milestone goals he had set for him.
With that, Felix said quietly, “Shut up and open the window,” and he leaped out, taking careful aim at the large jagged rock by the corner of the building.
Felix went to that great lily pad in the sky.
Clarence was extremely upset, as his project had failed to meet a single objective that he had set out to accomplish. Felix had not only failed to fly, he hadn’t even learned to steer his fall as he dropped like a sack of cement, nor had he heeded Clarence’s advice to “Fall smarter, not harder.”
The only thing left for Clarence to do was to analyze the process and try to determine where it had gone wrong. After much thought, Clarence smiled and said…
“Next time, I’m getting a smarter frog!”
A number of years ago, I realized that I was, as it were, trying to teach frogs to fly. Frogs can’t fly. Not only that, they get angry when you try to teach them. The gullible ones will try, but they eventually get hurt so badly they quit trying. And the really sad thing about being a “frog flying teacher” is that I can’t fly either.
Let me tell you a secret. If one is a teacher trying to teach frogs to fly, nobody ever bothers to ask if you can fly. In fact, if you pretend that you’re an expert and tell a lot of stories about flying; if you can throw in a bit of aeronautical jargon about stalls, spins and flight maneuvers; and if you carry around a “Flight Manual” and know your way around it, nobody will question your ability to fly. You just pretend you’re an expert and tell stories, and the students will think you can fly.
The problem is that you become so phony you can’t stand yourself.
So I’ve repented.
Now I just send them to Jesus and try to get out of the way.
Come to think of it, if you’re struggling with sin and aren’t getting better, don’t come to me. I like you okay, but that kind of depends on how my day is going. Instead of coming to me, run to Jesus. He’ll love you and maybe even make you better
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Philippians 4:13 Faith
This is a blog post that I read this morning. Those of you who know my feelings about John Piper and the impact his writing has had on my life should appreciate reading how his book Taste and See, affected at least one other reader...
"In spite of all the Halloween decorations popping up in EVERY single retail outlet I’ve been to in the past 3 weeks, today I am not writing about a ghost story or anything paranormal. In fact, this is about a story that has been haunting my mind ever since I read it weeks ago. (NOTE: This is NOT a “light” story by any means. If you get overly emotional, you may just want to skip this one.)
It started innocently enough…reading through a new book my husband ordered for his men’s group. Taste and See by John Piper
My husband had to run into an office supply store for something and I found this short story about this missionary family in Cambodia that has not been far from my consciousness ever since.
The story (Chapter 13 in the book) is about a family who knew their days were numbered. One day, it was time. They were rounded up by teenage rebels and put to work, digging their own graves. The family complied. When it was time for them to be executed, one of the boys in the family panicked and took off running into the bush.
His father stepped in and asked his captors not to chase after his son, but to wait as he called him back. This man of God called out to his son, asking his son to join their family in the execution, knowing they would all join their Savior in Heaven in just a few moments. He asked his son not to spend his last hours as a fugitive, running for his life, but to return and take his place by the graves they’d just finished digging. Shortly after his father called him, the young man came back, crying, to join his family. They were executed soon after.
Let me just allow you a moment to let that sink in. A father, knowing his life on earth was clearly at its end, calls his son BACK to his side to be murdered with his family.
Honestly, to say I was deeply troubled and moved by this story is an understatement. My husband and I both wondered if we, in their situation, would have encouraged our son to run faster and harder, thinking it the Lord’s will that he escaped. And I truly don’t now what my reaction would be…and hope I never have to face such a gut wrenching scenario.
But as haunting as this story is, it is equally as humbling.
Humbling to have the insight of this missionary father, knowing his son would likely live his remaining days constantly looking behind his shoulder, wondering when he’d be captured and knowing that he could join his family in being face to face with their God in just a handful of minutes…and how much better that would be!
Can you even imagine? Seriously…can you? I simply cannot. Nope. Can’t hardly wrap my finite mind around this. And then the son…knowing his father was right and, in one last act of submission and obedience to his father, comes back to die beside his family.
My stomach was in knots when I read it and is in knots as I type. And then I ask…do I have that kind of faith? Would I be given that kind of strength in a situation like that? It’s at times like these that I have to lean on Scriptures that remind me, “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phillipians 4:13(emphasis mine)
Like the passengers on Flight 93 who KNEW they were destined to die and faced the hijackers to thwart their plans and saved the lives of probably hundreds or thousands.
Or the young woman who was martyred at Columbine High School because she would not deny her faith in Christ.
Or countless other Christians who face death E-V-E-R-Y stinkin’ day just for being Christians.
And, forgetting about myself for a moment, am I raising my CHILDREN to have Phillipians 4:13 strength? Can I demonstrate such an unwavering reliance on the Lord that my children can see this strength in action?
Heaven knows I fail miserably and on a consistent basis. Sheesh. The Christian walk is far from easy. Feels a lot more like a hike up Everest in the winter sometimes, but at least I know my Guide knows the way and will pick me up when I can’t take another step".
-Susan
Thursday, June 2, 2011
5 Ways to Make Your Kids Hate Church
1. Make sure your faith is only something you live out in public
Go to church... at least most of the time. Make sure you agree with what you hear the preacher say, and affirm on the way home what was said especially when it has to do with your kids obeying, but let it stop there. Don’t read your Bible at home. The pastor will say everything you need to hear on Sundays. Don’t engage your children in questions they have concerning Jesus and God. Live like you want to live during the week so that your kids can see that duplicity is ok.
2. Pray only in front of people
The only times you need to pray are when your family is over, holiday meals, when someone is sick, and when you want something. Besides that, don’t bother. Your kids will see you pray when other people are watching, no need to do it with them in private.
3. Focus on your morals
Make sure you insist your kids be honest with you. Let them know it is the right thing for them to do, but then feel free to lie in your own life and disregard the need to tell them and others the truth. Get very angry with your children when they say words that are “naughty” and “bad,” but post, read, watch, and say whatever you want on TV, Facebook, and Twitter. Make sure you focus on being a good person. Be ambiguous about what this means.
4. Give financially as long as it doesn’t impede your needs
Make a big deal out of giving at church. Stress to your children the value of tithing, while not giving sacrificially yourself. Allow them to see you spend a ton of money on what you want, while negating your command from Scripture to give sacrificially.
5. Make church community a priority... as long as there is nothing else you want to do
Hey, you are a church-going family, right? I mean, that’s what you tell your friends and family anyways. Make sure you attend on Sundays. As long as you didn’t stay up too late Saturday night. Or your family isn’t having a big barbeque. Or the big game isn’t on. Or this week you just don’t feel like it. Or... I mean, you’re a church-going family, so what’s the big deal?
http://www.theresurgence.com
Go to church... at least most of the time. Make sure you agree with what you hear the preacher say, and affirm on the way home what was said especially when it has to do with your kids obeying, but let it stop there. Don’t read your Bible at home. The pastor will say everything you need to hear on Sundays. Don’t engage your children in questions they have concerning Jesus and God. Live like you want to live during the week so that your kids can see that duplicity is ok.
2. Pray only in front of people
The only times you need to pray are when your family is over, holiday meals, when someone is sick, and when you want something. Besides that, don’t bother. Your kids will see you pray when other people are watching, no need to do it with them in private.
3. Focus on your morals
Make sure you insist your kids be honest with you. Let them know it is the right thing for them to do, but then feel free to lie in your own life and disregard the need to tell them and others the truth. Get very angry with your children when they say words that are “naughty” and “bad,” but post, read, watch, and say whatever you want on TV, Facebook, and Twitter. Make sure you focus on being a good person. Be ambiguous about what this means.
4. Give financially as long as it doesn’t impede your needs
Make a big deal out of giving at church. Stress to your children the value of tithing, while not giving sacrificially yourself. Allow them to see you spend a ton of money on what you want, while negating your command from Scripture to give sacrificially.
5. Make church community a priority... as long as there is nothing else you want to do
Hey, you are a church-going family, right? I mean, that’s what you tell your friends and family anyways. Make sure you attend on Sundays. As long as you didn’t stay up too late Saturday night. Or your family isn’t having a big barbeque. Or the big game isn’t on. Or this week you just don’t feel like it. Or... I mean, you’re a church-going family, so what’s the big deal?
http://www.theresurgence.com
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