by Aarron Pina | Nov 17, 2011 | Uncategorized
We’re not shocked by the stories we hear anymore from participants in Oasis/DivorceCare groups. One of the stories that really stung the whole group was when one woman shared her story:
“I was served my divorce papers the day after Christmas… His lawyer said ‘It’s best not to do this before the holidays.’ ”
– former DivorceCare participant
Not-so-side-note: does the day after Christmas sound any more merciful a day to serve someone divorce papers?! Can you imagine what it must be like to have your world shaken by divorce or separation around the holidays? Thousands of people can, and have. We’ve seen hundreds of them find hope despite the life-shattering events going on around them.
Holidays are a time known for traditions & family. But, when divorce is a wide, thick cloud that threatens to block out even the light of Christmas, everything’s upside-down, different… dark. So, how do to find a glimmer of hope? Surviving the Holidays answers this question & more.
This year, we’re excited to carry the enthusiasm, comfort and hope we’ve come to know through North Point’s “Oasis” program to Free Chapel’s DivorceCare class. Monday, November 21st, we’re excited to be a part of “Surviving the Holidays”. It’s an event designed to help people think out loud about the complex issues that surround the otherwise normal brightness and joy of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s when they’ve been painted dull, fuzzy gray by divorce or separation.
What’s unique about Free Chapel’s event is that it’s being done at very minimal cost – $10 for participants includes their guides, aftercare devotionals, and the event itself. But even better, that there will be separate programs that same night for kids age 5-12 and teens, focused on how to handle the many confusing matters and questions that arise for children who have no say in the most heart-wrenching season of their lives.
Pass this article on to anyone you know in a 60 minute radius of Free Chapel that’s going through divorce or separation or has gone through it in the past three to four years.
Tonight will be a night that will mark their past and color their future (even their present, for that matter) with hope, clarity, and the direction only Jesus Christ can provide. If that sounds weird, frightening, or too religious to you – I’m going to ask you to do something strange: trust me even if you don’t know me. More importantly, trust the results that thousands of men, women, and children have experienced through Surviving the Holidays events over the past several years. Hope, future, peace, practical steps, and support are all available.
Come to Free Chapel’s North Campus, tonight, November 21st, 2011. Doors will open at 6:40, Surviving the Holidays for Teens (13-18), STHKids (5-12), and nursery care (under 5) will all be available under the same roof.
Or, if you’re in the Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming area, come to North Point Community Church’s “Unwrapping Christmas” event on December 1st, from 7 to 9 PM. (No childcare provided at this event, but childcare reimbursement is available).
Come, get a glimpse of what the holidays can be like once again, even in the midst of pain, confusion, and division.
by Aarron Pina | Nov 14, 2011 | Uncategorized
Tony Evans:
When God wants to reveal the real condition of your heart to empower you toward His plan for your future, He puts you in one of these kinds of trials.
Trial, perseverance, tired, perspiration…
Isn’t there something about those first beads of sweat coming down your forehead that tell you – “Yes, your heart rate is up and you’re doing the right thing for your body.”? Isn’t there something about that pain you feel after you’ve shredded your pecs, biceps, triceps, legs, etc. that lets you know “more muscle is on the way”?
by Aarron Pina | Nov 2, 2011 | Uncategorized
A few years ago, my bride and I stood at an altar among a crowd of witnesses on a gorgeous fall Saturday and took vows in front of them and the Lord. Standing in front of us was our good friend and longtime mentor, Casey Sanders, who was promoted only a month earlier from best man to “dude who married us”. As I reflect back on the ceremony, I recall a statement he made as he gave a benediction – “May your home never be one where the words ‘I’m sorry’ are heard. May it be a home where the words ‘I was wrong. Please, forgive me’ are heard.”
When I heard him say it for the first time I knew it was an important blessing. I just never really worked out the value of it until about a month ago. I was sitting down with him telling him about a few major disagreements we’d had that week and how I had said some bone-headed things to Cristine that I knew were wrong as soon as I heard them exit my mouth. I told him I told her I was sorry right away and he rebuked me.
Huh? I said I was sorry.
“Never say you’re sorry.”
I gave him a Scooby-Doo look and practically said “Raggy?” Then he said something that turned me on my ear: “Sorry’s not biblical.”
The word ‘sorry’ appears only twice in the entire bible – once in Exodus 2.6 and once in 2 Corinthians 7.9. Neither time does it have to do with “apologizing” as we know it contemporarily. Apology doesn’t even appear in the bible at all. The Greek word “apologia” appears about 8 times, but it means something markedly different – it means “to give an answer for ones’ self”, “a reasoned statement or argument”, or “a verbal defense”.
by Aarron Pina | Oct 31, 2011 | Uncategorized
It’s not a question. I’m not asking if Christians should celebrate it. I’m making a conditional charge: should you do x, y will happen. How often do we seriously consider the ramifications of our ways? I have often been very much like Peter – act first, think later. As time has gone by and God has begun shifting my focus from playing to an audience of men to playing to an audience of Him, I’ve also begun learning restraint, prudence, and consequence: I’m considering my ways and how they impact His bigger picture.
Should we celebrate Halloween, something will result. Bottom line, is that something “Glory to God” or “Not glory to God”?
I, being so very ADD, get off task often. On track or off track has everything to do with purpose: “What is your purpose on this earth?” If you believe that Christ is Lord and God sent Him to save sinners bound for hell, it’s not a big leap to assume you believe God’s purpose for man is to love God and to worship and enjoy Him forever. This is called a “doxological” statement, meaning – it’s about God’s glory. Are we here to glorify God or not? If so, then anything we do that doesn’t point toward the glory of God is a rabbit trail, resulting in either sin or error. By the grace and power of God, He can and will redeem it, regardless. (Another story for another time.)
I’m reading Justin Holcomb’s post, a guy that I like and genuinely believe to be a clear thinker, but I think he’s just wrong on this one. He quotes Nicholas Roger’s book, which charges that the Celtic Samhain was not a holiday based on human sacrifice. Holcomb seems to dismiss the argument against the pagan roots of Halloween in favor of the early church celebration of the martyrs of the Roman persecutions. But, he agrees with Rogers that about 500 years later it had become “a holiday that affirmed the collective claims that the dead had on the living.” So, let’s throw out the most common objection to celebrating Halloween “it’s rooted in pagan tradition”. No problem, we won’t cavel over that one.
With that point off the table, can I just play the village idiot and ask a question: “If a holiday started out as a Holy Day dedicated to honoring the saints persecuted by the Romans but took on an alternative meaning linked to “claims the dead had on the living”, has the holiday been hijacked? If so, how do we reclaim its original meaning without getting knocked off our own course? More to my opening point: “How does wearing a costume, indulging ourselves with more candy anyone can safely metabolize in a year, and decorating our homes with pagan symbolism (ghosts, which are not departed loved ones, rather demons impersonating loved ones, witches – which we’re clearly forbidden from emulating, bats, black cats, and other symbols which point only toward a culture of darkness), bring glory to God?”
I’m not being a smarty-pants. I’m sincerely trying to advance my own understanding of this issue. I agree with Holcomb and guys like Mark Driscoll who try to fit culture into the 3r’s receive, reject, and redeem. If we decide not to reject Halloween outright, my only practical question is this: “Does redeeming it mean participating in it? Is it possible to mock a pagan ritual without glorifying it in some way? Or, does ‘redeeming’ it mean a flat out return to the original intent for the Holy Day with a no-apologies approach, wherein the martyrs of the faith are celebrated and the name of Jesus Christ is lifted high, worshipped with no pretense, superfluous flow of chocolate, nor costume of any kind?”
Doesn’t that return us to our purpose and turn the water cooler conversation abruptly back to the gospel?
“Hey, Jim, you coming to the Halloween party on Monday?”
“No, I’m heading over to XYZ Church for a big celebration.”
“Really? What do they have going on, a Halloween party or a ‘Fall Festival‘?”
“Neither. It’s actually a celebration for a bunch of people who lived and died for a guy named Jesus who lived, died, and was resurrected so you and I could spend eternity with our Father in heaven. Ever heard of Him?”
Albert Mohler stated regarding this matter about four years ago:
“The complications of Halloween go far beyond its pagan roots, however. In modern culture, Halloween has become not only a commercial holiday, but a season of cultural fascination with evil and the demonic…
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther began the Reformation with a declaration that the church must be recalled to the authority of God’s Word and the purity of biblical doctrine. With this in mind, the best Christian response to Halloween might be to scorn the Devil and then pray for the Reformation of Christ’s church on earth. Let’s put the dark side on the defensive.”
If living for a Man who is both fully man and fully God and died for me is my express purpose in life, when I do something, I want it to reflect Him. Shouldn’t we all? So, why do we invest so much money, time, energy, excitement, and anticipation in partaking in traditions that fail outright to reflect how great He is and what He has done for us? Should you do one, you cannot do the other. Or, am I completely “narrow minded”?
As my friend Dan Diaddigo said to me yesterday:
“At it’s best, Halloween is a secular expression of community… But, community is about something; it circles a center. And the center of Halloween is darkness.” Well spoke, Dan.
This is a discipleship issue. How we live is an overflow of how we believe. If the church is to be a community that circles a center, how we circle will show the world our center. Should we celebrate Halloween, there is a spot of darkness emulated somewhere at the center to be seen by those looking in. Should we celebrate Jesus, there isn’t a spot of darkness that will not be lit up by the light that shines from within. How, then, should we shine?
Happy Reformation Day.
to God be the glory.
AP
by Aarron Pina | Oct 26, 2011 | Uncategorized
This Friday morning, a lot of you will still be in bed at 6:30 AM. Good for you.
 |
Ron Dunn runs the nationally successful “Carpets
Plus” corporation and leads ONE TH1NG on Friday
mornings at Alpharetta’s Cabernet Steakhouse on
Windward Parkway at GA400. |
However, if you’re in the Alpharetta area (or can find a way to get there), Ron Dunn will open up a conversation (more like 15 or 20 of them) with about 40 to 60 men who show up early at The Cabernet Steakhouse to think out loud about issues of life and truth. Here’s a heads up email from Ron about Chapter 6 of Daniel and a question every guy has to wrestle with at some defining moment or another:
Who Are You?
As a kid when I first heard the story of Daniel in the Lions Den I wondered what it was that this man did wrong and what I needed to be aware of to assure that nothing like this ever happened to me.
What initiated this well-known event is as important as the event itself.
Daniel had an extraordinary spirit in him (6:3). The new king recognized this and was about to promote him above all the presidents and governors. Not everyone was in favor of the move.
There were a group of guys who wanted Daniel out and tried to find something that would result in an indictment. His character stood their exam and close scrutiny. In the end they surmised that the only way to take him down would have to revolve around his close relationship with and allegiance to the God he served.
They devised a plan and needed to sell it to the King. Great selling is an art.
Let’s talk about selling for a minute.
Some would say success is in the pitch. Others argue that product knowledge is the key. Many trainers say great selling is timing…the rhythm of listening well, progressing with the right questions, adding just enough information and then knowing when to ask for the order.
My observation is that in order to initiate movement with a decision-maker you need first to get an appointment. To get an appointment with really busy brass you must grab their attention. The most effective way to capture attention is to make it about them. Identify a problem, introduce a solution that answers their need…and chances are you will close a sale.
Simply said: if you want to get my attention, make it about me.
This group of guys back in 5th century B.C. had this dynamic down. The Babylonian Empire was defeated. There was a new sheriff in town. The Medo-Persian Empire had begun. Achieving loyalty from the 1.2 million people living in Babylon was high on King Darius’ needs, goals and to-do list.
These men devised a plan and drew King Darius in by making it about him. Worship Darius and him only for 30 days or be fed to the lions. The edict was signed, sealed and delivered…a new Law of the Medes and Persians…irrevocable.
After realizing what he had set in motion, Darius said whoa…and spent a day trying to undo it, but couldn’t. He signed the law. Daniel was going to the lion’s den, not for what he did wrong, but because of what he did right.
Note: Take a close look at Daniel. He never paused, never altered and didn’t blink. He did not change a thing about his personal life and devotion to God.
Character is tested and grows through trials. Deep down we know our character. It is revealed when we are alone. Daniel knew who he was. What he did when he was alone did not change. No outside circumstance changed him…including a 30-day law that set him up as dinner for a pack of hungry lions.
Join us at the tables this Friday as we look into character, consistency, trustworthiness, dependence on and relationship with a great God…and how these play out in the life of men, revealing who we are.
– Ron Dunn
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