Just My Opinion

Opinions are just that: Opinions. They exist because of our unique perspectives, likes and dislikes - But at the end of the day they're nothing more than a product of our own bias. That's why they should never be regarded higher than love. What difference does it make if we don't see eye-to-eye? We may not have the same opinion about something, but that doesn't make me right and you wrong - We just have differing opinions! I don't have to take that personally and act as though an opinion is more important than our friendship!

If this were a matter of principal, if there could be cited some chapter or verse, then I would be obligated to hold to my convictions and allow Christ to bring the sword that He promised would divide us. But for the sake of a mere opinion? Never!

We love to weigh in. We love to offer our opinion! Yet when we insist on our right to opine, we often forfeit the trust of so many we might otherwise influence for Christ. Is it worth that? Throw that up on the scales of justice and determine whether weighing in with your opinion is really the right thing to do! I say it is not! But of course, that's just my opinion.

An Ax and Two .38s!

You gotta love this guy! Reminds me of the joke where the old lady tells the robber to repent according to Acts 2:38! He gives himself up and when the cops ask why he tells them she claimed to have an ax and two .38s! (Only this pastor was actually ready to cap 'em!)

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My Take On Super Bowl XLV

I've always loved the Super Bowl. It's fun to get together with family and friends to eat junk and talk smack while America's two best teams slug it out on a world stage. I really enjoyed this year's match up: The Green Bay Packers verses The Pittsburgh Steelers. Two great teams, with great history - It was the perfect setting for a memorable game. There was only one problem: Once your home team has been to the big game, the Super Bowl is never the same without them in it! The Saints will be there again. Maybe even this next year! Until then you just have to make the best of it.

Super Bowl XLV definitely had it's highs and lows. I've already mentioned the actual football equation. I wasn't disappointed there. The team I was pulling for won! I wanted to see Aaron Rodgers come out from under Brett Farve's shadow once and for all - and he did! Although I once was a Farve fan, I've become increasingly disgusted with his behavior off the field and I am thankful to see him go away. After a Super Bowl win and a MVP to boot, Rodgers should never have to worry about comparisons to Brett again. On the contrary, it's Brett who should be worried.

For me, the Super Bowl is more than football. I also always look forward to the commercials and the halftime show as well. This time around, those were both a huge disappointment. I thought the best commercial was the Budweiser spot that featured the old west cast who break into a rousing version of Elton John's Tiny Dancer after the beer arrives. Pretty funny stuff. As to halftime, I thought the Black Eyed Peas had a spectacular show, but they didn't sound good at all. I know it's hard to mix live music for television, but it was pretty bad!

So that's my take on the big game. I'm hoping next year's post will include feedback on lots of funny commercials, a killer halftime show (John Mayer would be my vote) and a picture of Drew Brees holding up that Lombardi trophy again!

Tongue-Tied to the Miraculous In Very Practical Ways

This weekend I wrapped up our sermon series called Tongue Tied with a study about a very controversial subject in the Bible: Speaking in unknown tongues. You have to realize, we have a very diverse audience at Crossroads, people from all kinds of denominational backgrounds. Many of our people were raised to believe that this Biblical doctrine is taboo.

The point we've made all through the series is that we are tied to the things we say. Our words are tied to both the success and the disfunction in our lives! If you think about it, the same could be said about the practice of speaking in tongues. In the New Testament tongues were tied to both the miraculous and the messy! The same is true in the church today.

Pretty much the entire fourteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is Paul's effort to clean up the mess associated with speaking in tongues there at the church in Corinth. What's interesting to me is that he took a very practical approach to the supernatural. He dealt with supernatural issues on very practical terms. He laid out in very practical ways how the gifts should and shouldn't operate. I believe he set a precedent there. You see, the issues that were tied to speaking in tongues or operating in other spiritual gifts in the first century may be different than those tied to these practices in the twenty-first century, but they still require us as leaders in the church to deal with supernatural things in very practical ways.

I'll give you an example. We have services in a 650 seat auditorium. If someone in our church felt led to give a word of prophecy or if there were a message in tongues and interpretation, at least half of those in attendance wouldn't even hear what was being spoken. We're about to move into a 1,500 seat auditorium where it will be even more impossible. So we require anyone who feels they have a message for the church to let our ushers know, so that one of our pastors can hear it and decide if it is something that should be shared. If so, we can do so over the sound system so everyone can benefit from it. That's what Paul was doing in Corinth. He applied practical guidelines to the supernatural things God was doing in the church.

Through the years, the practice of speaking in tongues has been tied to all kinds of weirdness and confusion that God is not the author of and I don't want our church to be connected with. But I refuse to throw the baby out with the bath water! The gift of speaking in unknown tongues is tied to some really great things too! Things like a more effective prayer life and deeper worship. (Romans 8:26, 1 Corinthians 14:1-5) Jude 20-21 says we build ourselves up to our most holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost! I want my life (and our church) tied to these things, so we will encourage people to continue to seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and experience the supernatural. But we will do so in very practical ways!